[The Drunken Fish] No Calm After the Storm (Azcan)

by **Kailani** on September 26th, 2018, 3:04 am

17, Autumn, 518

Continued From...

Kailani’s eyes blinked open in the daylight pouring through the nearby window, immediately snapping them shut and groaning as she threw her arm over her face. Day time already? How was that even possible? Pulling the blanket up over her head, she groaned again. Five more minutes… she promised herself before stiffening. Wait…window? There wasn’t a window in the quarters on her casinor…Cautious and keeping her gaze squinted, she removed her arm and started taking stock of her surroundings-a strange room with a warm body at her back. What had she done the night before? Judging by the throbbing in her head and the desert-dry feeling in her mouth, alcohol was certainly involved. It wasn’t exactly an entirely unfamiliar way for her to wake up, especially when she was in port. Being around the same men and women most of the year gave her a taste for the unknown; a taste she had never been shy about indulging. Perhaps that’s what she had done? Slowly flipping over to see who it was resting at her back, her brow furrowed in confusion. Dark hair, olive skin, a boyish face peaceful in repose. Wait…Was that…?

”AZCAN!” It all came back to her in a rush-the fight in the common room, the subsequent fight in Azcan’s room, and then everything that followed…”Gods damn it, you piece of shyke!” she shouted, her face flushed red with fury. A heavy blow fell on the drummer’s ribs as she sought to pummel him awake, oceanic eyes stormy in her rage. “Wake up! If I thought I couldn’t hate you any more before…” Throwing herself out of the bed, she stalked around the room in search of her clothes. She tried to ignore the disheveled state of the entire chamber-there were more than a few broken knickknacks strewn on the floor and the dresser from their exploits of the night before. Finally locating the shirt and pants she’d arrived in, she yanked them on with shaking hands and fastened her necklace around her neck. As furious as she was with him for taking advantage of her vulnerable state, she was equally as angry with herself-how could she have let herself fall back into his little trap? What was wrong with her? Did she never learn her petching lesson?!

Fully clothed at last, she stomped back over to the bed and kicked it. “Get up!” she shouted before wincing at the volume of her own voice. If the rest of the tavern wasn’t awake before, they were now. She didn’t care. If they didn’t already know what sort of person their little drummer boy was, they’d find out soon enough. For a moment, she ignored the fact that she was as much to blame for this as he was-it wasn’t like she’d pushed him away. But that wasn’t the point! He listened to her grief and took advantage of it, tumbling her back into his bed without a second thought. Did he really think he could just waltz back into her life like two seasons hadn’t passed? No matter that she’d been the one to request the drugs, no matter that she’d kissed him first…No. He was to blame for this. He was the one who’d started with his illusions and his sweet caresses. And she wasn’t going to just sit back and allow this same vicious cycle continue. She was angry with him and had every right to be; she wasn’t going to just let him weasel his way out of it like he did with everything else. The Svefra was sick of his games, and she had every intention of telling him so.

by **Azcan** on September 26th, 2018, 4:01 am

Azcan awoke to the sound of a woman's scream followed by the crash of her fists directly on his ribs. Pain flared throughout the drummer's body, his flesh recoiling from the attack. A hand reached out and grasped at her wrist, his heaving breath set through his lungs. The agony warped his perceptions, his eyes half-lidded but no longer did sleep plague him.

The drummer's head was throbbing with the force of his hangover, and when the Svefra pulled away with him, he threw her arm away from him. A hiss of displeasure set through him as he rose to his feet. Eyes, still painted red from the indulgence in narcotics the night before trained on Kailani as he felt very well-deserved rage set about his senses. The words she spoke as he threw aside her wrist did nothing more or less than infuriate him. The drummer cursed aloud, the sound as loud as her shout as he rose from his bed and stepped forward.

Azcan was well on his feet when she kicked his bed, hands rolled into fists as seething rage set upon his senses. The drummer didn't know where the fuck Lani came off attacking him, but he couldn't be patient with her any longer. Throbbing pain whipped through his limbs as he stepped forward. He threw himself forward, his chest intent on crashing against hers. A hand rose up to clutch at the woman's jaw, intent on holding her in place as he breathed into her ear,

"You don't fucking... do shit like that. This is Sunberth, Kailani!" He made his point with the incredibly rare of anyone's - let alone hers - first name. His grasp tightened as he pressed closer still, chest meeting hers before he pulled away from her. He was seething, but he could never truly attack her. Even if it was fully deserved. Instinct took control of the drummer, his flaring pain rolling rage into him. The musician was no fighter, and it showed in the pitiable conclusion to his 'counter-attack'. He especially couldn't hurt her. Regardless of the hatred she felt for him in the moment, it was a one-sided affair.

Their shared evening prior was a form of catharsis for the drummer. Sweet release, it was, from pain that wasn't physical. Azcan carried baggage, the weight of his abandonment, the veiling of his true feelings to much of anyone. Granted, he'd met a number of souls in his time in Sunberth, some of whom he confided pieces of the jagged diamond that was the Boy Wonder. But only Kailani knew everything, now.

Rage embittered the drummer as he let a sigh flow from his lips, stepping back. The back of his calves rested against the frame of the bed before he fell to the mattress. The straw bed did nothing to comfort him, his legs twitching, his jaw clenched. So sorely tempted, he was, to flare illusions within the woman, to push sights and sounds to unnerve her, to frighten her, perhaps even wound her. But, she believed him some kind of monster. And while he didn't need to prove himself to anyone, he certainly wouldn't make her right.

"If you couldn't hate me any more before, then what? Who the fuck do you think you are, Kailani?" he asked her, a hand rising to brush along the frame of his own jaw. His thumb traversed the silken surface of his lower lip. Light brown eyes held a ferocity within them, undisguised as pure, real emotion boiled within his blood. Azcan despised feeling this way, it was primal and real in a way that ecstasy never was. Azcan felt, in the moment, the passions of a spurned lover, and he hated himself for it.

by **Kailani** on September 29th, 2018, 2:38 am

Kailani audibly growled when Azcan grabbed her, glaring into his eyes as she struggled to break his hold. “Get your hands off me,” she hissed as if she hadn’t just punched him moments before. She wriggled in his grasp, jerking her head back and forth as he grasped her jaw, barely even hearing his reprimand in her ear. She didn’t give a damn where they were! Sunberth or no, she had every right to be mad! She could only see red, her fury consuming her.

When he released her at last, her glare turned almost triumphant. As much bravado as he may show, she knew he would never hit her. An inclination they apparently didn’t share. Her hand reached up to rub her jaw where he’d grabbed her, her expression seething. Here it was again, same as always. The low end of the highs and lows that had consistently characterized their relationship. It was the exact reason she had wanted nothing to do with him again-once she’d started to move past the sting of his abandonment, she’d had time to think on the chaotic nature of their association. Better off without him, she’d convinced herself, and then as soon as his hands were on her again…It was as if she couldn’t help herself, all that iron resolve tossed out the window. What is wrong with me?!

“Who the fuck do I think I am?” she repeated incredulously, voice finally dropping in volume as she fought the pounding in her head. She was far too hungover for this fight, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her. This needed to happen. There was no way she was going to allow him to continue to manipulate her. He’d known full well what he was doing the night before, and it was not going to happen again.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?!” she flung the question back at him, stepping forward and leaning down until their faces were only inches apart. She winced at a twinge in her ribs-Oh yeah, I got in a fight yesterday…-but managed to ignore the pain. This was more important. “You can’t just waltz your way back into my life and pretend nothing happened, Azcan. You. Abandoned. Me. You lied to me. Multiple times, I might add, but this was the worst one. If you had told me what was happening, if you had given me your reasons for staying behind, I would have understood. I would have been heartbroken to see you go, of course, but I wouldn’t have tried to stop you. I understand the need to be free. I understand it more than anything.” Some of the venom had left her voice as she continued her speech, letting a bit of her own raw emotion shine through. Why was it so hard for him to understand how his actions affected others? She knew well what it was to be selfish, but Azcan? He took it to a new level. “But instead, you took the coward’s way out and left us all wondering if you were even alive. Someone like you? In a place like Sunberth? The most optimistic of us gave you a month, tops.” She shook her head. “You could’ve at least sent word, you know. You couldn’t even bother with that.

“I know there’s a good person somewhere inside of you,” Kailani went on, her face fractionally softening. “I’ve seen him so many times.” As quickly as it had softened, her expression hardened again as she hissed, “But then you always have to petch it up!” Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she leaned back, turning and walking away from him to stand near the doorway. A long moment of silence stretched between them, her foot tapping on the floor as she sought to bring her temper back under control. In this case, it was no easy task. “People aren’t toys, Azcan,” the Svefra finally said, her voice pitched almost too low to hear. “Others don’t exist solely for your pleasure. I don’t exist solely for your pleasure.” The blue-eyed nomad turned back to face him, her expression carefully guarded. “You took advantage of me at my most vulnerable. I shared my grief, expressed my anger, and you turned it to your favor. Can’t you see how wrong that is?” Deep blue eyes sought and held his, their swirling depths holding tight to the hurt held within. “But no, you didn’t think of it that way, did you? You think only of yourself.” Kai wasn’t sure why she expected anything different from him; some people never changed. Perhaps it was optimism. Perhaps she was just stupid.

by **Azcan** on September 30th, 2018, 4:35 am

Azcan didn't buy into the notion that fights needed to happen. Lani proved herself capable of moving on from their altercation. She proved that she needed the drummer far more than she believed she did. Affection poured through the gaps that Azcan made in her defenses and she was blaming him for the betrayal? The two were far closer together than Azcan liked for a fight. Their faces hovered mere inches apart as she began to berate him with words. Of course he lied to her. Of course he abandoned her. The drummer went through all of this the night prior and she seemed at peace with those facts. Why trudge up further pain and disdain? Azcan raised his hands to take both of Lani's, entwining his fingers with hers. He listened intently, the splitting headache coursing through his body before he lowered his hands and reached for the ale.

The two of them were going to go at it. It was a necessary thing in the Svefra's eyes and with nowhere to go, nowhere to run without being buffetted by winds and rain, he was forced to listen to her. The venom poured from her lips and coarsed through him like fire. There was no stark realization of wrong, there was no admittance. He'd said his piece the night prior and now, he had to listen to hers again. Azcan filled the glass with ale and slowly drank it as she continued to speak. The Svefra droned on for what felt like hours, accusing him of things such as decency and constant failure to show the decency she accused him of. Sunberth wasn't meant for decent folk, the city taught him that much in the few days the pod spent there. The Illusionist left to soothe his own soul, believing that his decision was correct even when just days later tears were swallowed and his defection regretted beyond measure.

Only think of myself? he mused, seething from the built up disdain that poured into his body. Azcan wasn't the same man she'd known. His body was the same, his visceral reaction to her was utterly identical, but inside? He shifted. The Illusionist faced trial after trial, battling homesickness and loss, trudging through the sewage that was Sunberth until he realized that the city was, truly, something of beauty. It possessed the lack of rules that the Wayward Tabernacle had, but without the constant shifting, swaying and change in scenery that drove the Illusionist away. He'd felt the pull of destiny taking him to this city, and he wouldn't regret it because some Svefra decided to yell at him. Azcan was tired of her throwing the past back at him. For a people so firmly laced in the present and so lacking in concern for the qualms of life, the Svefra had spawned a vicious, spiteful soul eager to share her pain with him.

Azcan was done with her insolence, her lack of understanding. Was this her gratitude for the release she'd clearly needed? It was infuriating. Azcan raised his hands and gripped at his former shipmate's shirt. He bunched it up in his hold and attempted to push forward. The drummer lacked the strength in the pits of his hangover to do much of anything, and if Kailani placed even the slightest amount of resistance, he'd in turn become pushed back. The drummer groaned, releasing her shirt before he set to move towards the bed.

"You have it wrong," he began, narrowing his eyes. The gnosis in his palm had taken a sickly green intonation with yellow at the edges. No longer. It burned crimson, spreading throughout the mark with violets and blues cast along the frame. Azcan's fingers balled up into fists as he crashed his fist down on his bedpost, the recoil setting along through his wrist and arm as he continued on.

"I offered you safety from the storm. I offered you my bed and a different room for myself if you wished for it. I'd have placed myself in the commons and put up with the odor of some of the wastrels that come here. For you. Then you looked at me with such pain in your eyes. I couldn't help but try to make you move past that. It physically hurt, Lani," he resumed the use of her nickname, his light brown eyes wide as he felt his insides tear asunder. He hated admitting his feelings, because the real ones made him seem, in his eyes, pathetic and clingy.

"Do you see me for the bulwark of laughs and smiles I set up? Good, because it's clearly meant for you too, now. Hate me, if you'd like. Rationalize it however you want to, because I can't take this anymore either. Stay here, if you want. Rent a room. You know you're not leaving until the storm blows over, but if you never want to see me again, then I'll fucking run outside and let Zulrav blow me away. I can't bear to see this. I didn't leave to hurt you, Lani. I left so you didn't need to see the hurt in me."

The drummer finished his piece and began to make his way towards the door.

by **Kailani** on September 30th, 2018, 7:32 pm

Kailani turned her face away as he spoke, his justifications falling on deaf ears. It was the same argument as always, or at least a variation of it. How many times were they destined to do this before they realized it wasn’t worth the effort? Or maybe it is, and that’s why you continue, she thought to herself, though she quickly banished the notion. No, this was not how lovers should behave. They did not repeat the same mistakes again and again and expect a different outcome. When he grabbed her shirt, she flung his hand away, turning her back to him once more. She’d had enough, and this was getting nowhere. He could speak all day of his self-sacrifice, and she would never believe him. Likewise, she could go on all day about her own grievances, and he would never listen to her. There was no sense in continuing.

When he made to leave, she lifted her hand and grabbed his shoulder to stop him. “It’s your petching room, you idiot,” Kai muttered under her breath as she nudged past him. Not another word did she utter as she grabbed her pack and started her way down the stairs, uncaring of whether or not he followed. All the fight had gone out of her in a single breath, and she was simply exhausted. Enough was enough. When she arrived in the common area, she ignored the curious gazes that turned her way and at last made her way up to the bar. The only reason she’d even come in this wretched establishment in the first place.

“Rough night?” Father Manowar inquired as she took a seat, though everyone present already knew the answer. The walls in the Drunken Fish weren’t the thinnest. Her only response to his obvious question was a half-hearted glare, one hand pressed to her throbbing head.

“A mug of ale, a loaf of bread, and a hunk of cheese, please,” she muttered as the tavern’s proprietor nodded and went to fetch her order. Slumping over the bar, she groaned as she rested her forehead against its rough surface. What a way to start her time in Sunberth. Was this an omen of things to come? The sooner I can find the Crestwidows, the better, she mused silently. Never should have taken off in the first place. So sure of herself, so cocky she had been. How could she have ignored all the signs of that storm? What had she been thinking, going off on her own?

When Father Manowar returned with her breakfast, she gave a nod of thanks and slid her coin across the bar. She took several swallows of the ale before breathing a sigh of relief. After all, what better cure for a hangover than the hair of the dog that bit her? Her fingers tore idly at the bread, popping chunks into her mouth as she leaned back in the stool. It wasn’t always like this, she mused as her thoughts started to drift back toward her explosive argument with Azcan. When times were good…damn, they were good. She pulled her eating knife from her pack and started hacking at the cheese, grabbing a slice and nibbling along the edges. If only they could always be that way. Her eyes went hazy as she lost herself in reverie, drifting back several seasons to one of the sweeter memories they shared...

It was several hours past sundown, and most of the Crestwidow pod was preparing for bed. As eyes grew heavy and yawns abounded, Kailani saw it as the perfect opportunity to slip away, to steal off into the night with her favorite drummer boy and snatch a few precious hours alone without the others breathing down their necks. Quiet as a mouse, the Svefra went below deck of The Wayward Tabernacle, creeping silently in the direction of Azcan’s quarters. A soft knock at the door announced her presence before she slid inside, bare feet soundless against the floor as she made her way toward his bed. She climbed beneath the covers and snuggled up against his back, lips brushing softly over his neck. “Wake up,” she whispered in his ear before nipping the lobe, limbs thoughtlessly entangling themselves with his own. “Come away with me.” She didn’t even wait for an answer before she slid back out of the bed, reaching for his arm to tug him after her. “I have an idea.” Her smile was sweet and mischievous as she waited for him to follow, holding her finger to her lips as she stood in the doorway. Looking down the hall before giving him the all-clear, she led him back above deck and toward the drop down ladder closest to where her casinor floated.

The only other members of her pod that still wandered the deck were ones she trusted not to give them away; her youngest sister Layla was among them and winked as they walked by. Kai flashed her a grin before releasing the ladder over the side of the ship and starting her way down the rungs. When she reached the bottom, she dropped into the water and began the short swim over to where her casinor was anchored. Pulling herself up over the side, she climbed into the much smaller boat and waited for Azcan to join her. When she saw his head pop into view over the calm, dark waters, she offered a hand to help, smiling as she assisted in pulling his dripping form onto the casinor.

As soon as they were both safely aboard, she started pulling up the anchor. “I thought we might go on a little trip,” Kailani informed her companion as she stowed the anchor away and started undoing the ties that held them moored to the larger palivar. “There was a curious rock formation about a mile from here that I saw when we were sailing today. I’m almost positive I can find our way back there. You game?” It was the perfect night for such an excursion-warm and balmy without a cloud in the sky. The moon was at its fullest and brightest, each of the millions of stars a shining beacon in the velvet darkness that surrounded them. Her face was hopeful as she waited for his answer, pausing in the act of raising the sail.

WC: 1059

Ledger :

by **Azcan** on September 30th, 2018, 10:12 pm

Azcan wasn't a fool. He knew it was his room, but he sought to leave it before she did. The drummer wasn't the type to stay cooped up through the course of the day. Even being unable to go outside irked him tremendously. The drummer reveled in his freedom and when it was swept out from underneath him like this it was maddening. What was worse, however, was that he was stuck in a building with a woman who very much hated his guts. Azcan couldn't see her point. In her eyes, she was right. In his, right and wrong hardly mattered. All Azcan wanted was to see Lani smiled, and she'd fallen into his arms almost as an afterthought. An afterthought, admittedly, that he enjoyed far too much. Oh, how foolish he'd been! Azcan was all too willing to fuck her again when she started making her moves on him. It was an instinct to kiss her, a craving that welled within his heart and spurred his loins.

The drummer stayed, reluctantly so, in his room, his mind drifting off as he threw himself at his bed. There was no sleep coming for him, his mind abuzz which only served to further exacerbate his hangover. He reached for the ale, the liquid warm and flat from exposure, but he didn't give a fuck. He drank his fill, rising to a seated posture. He threw the jug across the room, where it fell to the floor in a ceramic heap. He grabbed at the single pillow the room came with. The drummer crushed it between his hands before letting the down padding back onto the bed. He slammed his body back, crashing into the bed with force. The sudden motion set him adrift, his thoughts laced into the past as his beating heart coursed the adrenaline through his body. It hastened his intoxication and he found his mind wandering...

The drummer was lost in his high. He beat on his bongo drums with no one there to hear it. The young man was just coming to grip with his encounter with the Illusionist. He was content, following the deity's command and indulging himself in the gift it left behind. So many times already he'd successfully disguised himself as one of the Svefra, causing all sorts of hijinx and conjecture aboard the Wayward Tabernacle. It was all harmless fun when he disguised himself as one of the brothers. He'd blow a kiss or wink at one of ones closest to Azcan's own age. The women of the Crestwidow pod were strong and asserted themselves. With such an invitation sent by the 'Svefra male', they took control and seized what they wanted. However, Azcan's illusion faded by then. He'd hear them talking, with one confounded and the other insistent.

Piece by piece he played the matchmaker, making games of the hearts of his 'family.' It was so quick, sometimes. Others were slower, but Azcan took note, he paid attention. The hearts of his compatriots were so important to him, and he wanted to see all of them smile the best he could. Cheva marks he'd seen more than once, adorning the space beneath their ears. It made the Illusionist's heart swell with satisfaction, using his new powers to bring happiness along the way. He thought of the new rose he planted in the heart of a sister, the sight of her fallen tavan and its spirit rising into the skies in peace.

Was it manipulation? Yes. Was it ill-intended? Certainly not. Azcan loved his pod, and he made it clear to them everyday. He'd never let them forget the man who'd stood on their ship as a brown-eyed Svefra. Azcan relished in his accomplishments, and it was deep in the night before he'd fallen to his side, drum cast aside. He'd played for bells, tampering with his abilities and swaying illusions into his own mind, just to see what it was like. He didn't feel the desire to use. It just... didn't occur to him. He was high on the sensation, rife with life. When Lani pressed up against his back, he arched into her form. A hand reached out to grasp along the flesh of her nearby thigh. As her lips brushed along his neck, he was already awake. The woman entangled her limbs with his and pulled him away with her. He escaped from that bed in a heap, falling to the floor and throwing on undergarments and his drum over his shoulder but nothing else.

He joined her without a doubt, listening to her as a smile set upon his features. Azcan grinned at the woman, knowing that in his time on the Wayward Tabernacle, she was the only one he'd never use his powers on. He craved her, he needed her. The two fought time and time again, but each fight only led them further into the other's arms.The pair of them were in her casinor within moments, his body soaked from their dip into the ocean. They boarded the small ship as she led him on with a mysterious idea. He didn't care what it was, what she wanted was given freely without a word of protest. When she mentioned the plan she hatched, his lips curved into a wide grin.

Adventure? Alone? The seas of Mizahar were Lani's domain and he trusted her implicitly aboard her casinor. The drummer nodded, laughter escaping his lips for the briefest of moments. He pressed forward, hooking an arm around Kailani's waist as he seized her in a kiss. Passion flowed into the motion, but it ceased quickly enough so that she could work towards unmooring the ship.

"Let's do it,"

Azcan helped her however he could, but with the space so small, whenever they wandered about he simply let her do the work. He'd brought his drum and began to play, his body positioned against the ship's port side bulwark, his legs hanging over either side as he rested against the front face of her cabin. The drummer maintained his balance on the ledge, shifting his body backward when and if the ship began to move. The drummer's beat grew louder the farther they went from the ship. There was no need for stealth any longer. The pair were liberated beneath Zintila's stars and the light of Leth. Azcan looked over to Lani more than once as they journeyed together, longing present in his gaze. He abstained, eager to see what she wanted to show him so badly.

WC: 1,091

by **Kailani** on October 1st, 2018, 1:42 am

The sandy-haired Svefra nearly melted into that kiss, Azcan's excitement infectious as he released her. “Let’s be off, then,” she said with blue eyes sparkling, brushing another kiss over his lips before setting back to work. The sail was raised in short order, the seafarer giving the canvas enough slack to catch the gentle breeze. She moved the rudder and turned the small boat toward the east, the gnosis mark on her forearm glowing gently in the velvet night. The little bit of wind present began to fill her sail, Kailani whispering under her breath as the water gently started to propel them forward. As the bearer of only one mark of Laviku, her abilities had limits, but gentle manipulation of surrounding waters was among them. On a windier day with higher tides, there was no need for such intervention, but they’d get nowhere without it this night.

The sailor’s entire aspect was alight with joy as they set out, breathing in deep of the briny air that surrounded them. These were the moments when she was free, when the wind tangled her hair and salt coated her tongue. All that existed were the waves that caressed her boat and the creatures that dwelled within. When she was on the sea, she was home, its murky depths calling to her with the beloved and seductive voice of a familiar lover. There was nowhere in that moment that she would rather be than there, on her boat, with Azcan’s drumbeats joyously filling the air. Her body moved almost unconsciously to the rhythm he provided, glancing back to throw him a smile.

When she met his gaze, her breath caught in her throat, the heat shining from orbs of light amber practically palpable on the teasing breeze of that summer night. It called to her on a more visceral level, Kailani nearly abandoning her task and answering its beckoning call. But no, there would be time enough for such things later, after they had made it to their destination. She would just have to wait. Her smirk held all the heat of his gaze as she winked, blowing him a kiss before turning back to the task at hand. They were close now, she could feel it-a distant lump starting to form on the darkened horizon.

“Do you see that, there? A little to the left, almost right under the moon?” One slender arm reached out to point in the direction of which she spoke, moving the rudder and urging the boat in a more straightforward line toward their destination. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s where we’re headed. And if I am mistaken, well…that should be just as fun anyway, yeah?” Her laugh rang out freely, bouncing back and echoing off the waves. Truth be told, it didn’t matter much to her where they went, so long as there was a story to be told. And when it came to Azcan and Kailani, there was almost always a story to be told.

It was only a few more chimes before the lump resolved itself into a concrete shape, her small casinor slowly coming to a halt alongside the unusual rock formation. The way it stood out from the water suggested hidden depths-perhaps even a cave or cavern or some sort? Her gnosis flared again as she resumed her whispers from before, stilling the waters around them as she released the rudder and walked over to drop the anchor. She lifted the weight with the ease of long practice, lean musculature built and carved from the physically taxing demands of a life at sea. The chain rang out like a tuning fork as the weight dropped down ever further, the metal line at last going taut as her anchor found purchase. She adjusted the sail to catch enough to wind to blow the boat closer in to the rock, casting out a rope to catch hold of a jagged edge. Using the rock’s leverage to pull them in flush against its surface, deft hands made quick work of the ties necessary to keep them moored in place. Gazing at the knots with a well-deserved sense of self-satisfaction, she dipped her head in a single nod. That would do the trick.

The Svefra walked over to Azcan, oceanic eyes practically glowing with triumph. “Here we are, boy wonder,” she purred, arms looping themselves around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. Her mouth lingered perhaps a bit longer than necessary, her body molding itself to his before she firmly reminded herself they were here with a purpose. Pulling back at last, she gently ran her fingers through the short locks of his hair. “Come on,” she urged, stealing one last kiss before releasing him and shifting her hold to his hand instead. “Let’s go see what treasures we might find, eh?”

Tugging at his fingers, Kailani led the way off the casinor, releasing him and nimbly hopping over the side of the boat and onto the rock beside them. Her bare feet scrabbled over its slippery surface, holding her arms out for balance as a giggle parted her lips. She finally found her bearings and righted her balance enough to remain upright, flashing Azcan another grin. “Careful,” she cautioned him. “It’s a bit slick.” She would wait for him to join her before taking his hand again, entwining their fingers and raising his knuckles to her lips. The look she gave him was one of rare sweetness, face soft against their starlit backdrop. The look was fleeting, however, sweetness turning to mischief in the blink of an eye. Her free hand reached for his rear, giving it a playful squeeze and planting a kiss against his cheek. “There’s got to be an entrance around here somewhere. Come on, help me find it!”

WC: 970

by **Azcan** on October 1st, 2018, 2:24 am

The dawning realization that Lani sought after him, pulled him away from the rest of the pod to steal him away for herself brought a sense of pride to the Illusionist. The Lia's daughter was a woman he respected and admired even in the midst of their countless fights and their propensity for misunderstandings. Shouts and screams were bound for them in equal measure, and granted, often in conjunction. Their arguments were famed within the Tabernacle, insofar that everyone knew to avoid Lani after one of them. Azcan was ever approachable, ever appreciated and targeted regardless of what transpired between anyone on the ship. However, as Azcan looked over the Svefra, he saw in her a serenity that the remainder of the pod might never know. She was filled with the joy of her experience with Laviku, and he wondered if her pulling at her gnosis felt anything like the comfort he'd come to know in Illusionism.

The mark of a God was such a heady intoxication, to revel in a power born from a relationship with such enigmatic beings. Granted, Laviku's influence was obvious and grand. The drummer would be blind for it to escape his notice. The sea bowed to the Svefra in a measure of respect, the pull clearly set on Lani's senses as she guided them the short way through the froth of surf. The pair of them moored after several moments, with Azcan continuing the efforts of his drums. The soft pat of his hands against the surface grew quicker and quicker as the drummer watched his at-times lover sway to the movements. When she turned to face him, Azcan stopped his movements and felt only the weight of his stare on him. The ticking pulse of his heart increased, his lips curved into a wider and wider smile.

When Lani blew that kiss towards the drummer, his eyes never left her from thereon. His drums continued to sound, the echoes coursing from their small boat and reverberating throughout. The echoes were two-fold before the sound dispersed entirely and Azcan listened to his shipmate with a measure of amusement. The pair of them were engrossed next, the idea of where they were heading a musing between the both of them. Azcan wasn't blessed with the gift of Oceanus and couldn't help her decipher the way. However, as Lani puzzled through with trial and error, the drummer encouraged her and made sure that the ship wasn't heading into a rock formation while she was distracted. When she at last changed her focus and moved to drop the anchor, Azcan assisted her. He waved her off, letting the metal weight drop to the ocean's floor as she shifted her position to stop the sails from catching wind as they remained locked in place.

Then, she moved. Vibrant blue eyes caught his amber ones as her arms looped about his neck. His lips caught hers, his chest hammering with the beat of his pulse as it pressed so firmly to hers. Fingers sifted into the Svefra's hair before she pulled back and did the same. She urged him forth with a last kiss before the two of them mused, together on what path to take. However, Lani was the first to withdraw and took hold of his hand. The drummer was reluctant for her to take his gloved hand, but she took the other, his knuckles pressed to her lips. Azcan's eyes went to meet hers, his lips curved into a sheepish grin before she grasped at his rear. He offered a playful gasp before he pulled her into his embrace. From what Azcan knew of the Svefra, which was somewhat extensive given his time with them, he knew they'd have a much better chance with this plan,

"In the water!" he shouted out. Azcan's arms clamped around the woman's body. The digits of his ungloved hand rose along the expanse of Lani's back, grasping into her flesh in a decidedly sensuous manner. He pushed them forward, setting her legs against the ledge of the ship's starboard-side bulwark before he allowed his weight to do the rest. Azcan pushed off from the ground, throwing the both of them into the depths of the ocean. He'd kick out wildly once they submerged, his legs spinning at the knee in a desperate effort to carry water beneath him.

Kailani, of course, was the stronger swimmer, but he couldn't count on her due to the disorienting nature of his physical indulgence. Azcan tread water besides his on and off again lover's casinor, holding the anchor's chain in one hand as his arm looped about her waist. He'd kiss her then, fervent and hungry in his effort to explore. His gloved hand took to the chain as his chest pressed up to hers, water surrounding his entire body and chills that had nothing to do with the temperature flowed down his spine. Azcan delighted in their contact before he breathed into her ear,

"Well, I did my part and got us in. You can use your fish powers to figure out the rest, can't you?" he noted, a smirk cast upon his lips. Fish powers was the consumate nickname for the marveling array of abilities Oceanus provided the seafaring people. He offered her a dashing smirk before he let his own amber eyes cast about in search of an entrance. Neither of them knew the way, but it hardly mattered. The adventure had just begun for them, hearts and minds as one in the effort for seclusion.

Azcan felt as if he were burning, wild attraction meeting with yet another, mysterious sensation as he remained in company with the Svefra. It was strange, how different she was. How vibrant, how... extraordinary. Azcan spent his formative years among the the Crestwidow pod, and had known Svefra women coming into the pod anew and leaving the pod in turn. He'd bedded many of them, and did the same at the ports they visited. And yet... he felt an inexorable, insufferable, and inescapable pull towards Lani. The pull was tempered, however, with the knowledge that even now, he needed to lie to her. Deception was a habit Azcan carried well, and so, he submerged the distaste for this particular one. He buried it beneath the emotions he felt and when Lani at last pointed out the direction they need go, he followed her without hesitation.

Just like he always would.

Slowly, Azcan withdrew from the whirlwind visions that traveled through his mind. His intoxication was firmly set into place, his chest heavy with the admission that he'd always lied to Kailani. Even as he battled through emotions both visceral and complicated. She was right, there was no simplicity in his relationships (which changed like the tides) with this Svefra. He considered going downstairs, reaching out for her. Begging for her to return with apologies in ever increasing number, but he banished the idea as soon as it manifested. Azcan's downfall was not pride, but rather, fear. He feared her rejection, he feared his infatuation for her. But moreover, he feared what might happen if he invited her back into his life. Would he change back into the Illusionist that turned hearts towards other hearts? Would he be the carefree drummer of old?

That Azcan still exists. He dives into the beds of married women and plunges into the deepest of highs while doing it. That Azcan is the only one I know now... What scars might reveal themselves if I let my guards down? If I let her see the face no one else can hope to see?

Azcan feared himself, because he didn't know who he was anymore. When he looked into the mirror, he saw the same face every day, but behind his eyes, he was a stranger to even himself.

WC: 1310

by **Kailani** on October 1st, 2018, 3:40 am

The Svefra hardly had a moment to react before she was caught up in Azcan’s grasp and flung into the ocean, instincts taking over as her legs propelled her back to the surface. Rising out of the water with a gasp, she fixed Azcan with a glare, fixing to ream him out for throwing her into the water without asking. Before she could breathe a word, however, his mouth captured hers, forgetting her censure in the wake of his passionate caress. Her arms and legs alike found their way around him, tongue teasingly snaking between his lips before he finally pulled back.

“Aye, I’m sure my ‘fish powers,’ as you so charmingly put it, can find the way now,” Kai murmured in return, pressing a kiss to his throat before wriggling free of his grasp. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” With that, she was back under the water, her “ocean sense” open and operating in full force. Slowly, her head turned to and fro as she sought an opening, any sort of entrance that might allow them into whatever the rocks held within. She wasn’t sure how she knew what they might find there, but she did-there was a way inside, she was certain. She reached out to the sea life around them, a gentle inquiry nudging at their simple thoughts-was there a big hole nearby?

Within moments, she had a resounding yes, finding the general direction and location from the flavor of their thoughts. She met them with a wave of gratitude before she surfaced again, swimming back to Azcan and indicating which direction they should go. She stole one last kiss before disappearing back under the water, a peal of laughter following behind as she dove underneath the waves. She was more than eager to see what they might find, and only hoped they didn’t drown in the process. There was little she feared, however, with Azcan at her back-as much as they may fuss and fight, she knew that together, they could take on the world.

Kailani tore herself at last from her vivid recollections, the remains of her loaf of bread practically in crumbs before her. It would seem she’d been tearing at it the whole time, the combination of her anger and a significantly softer emotion pooling together to form her distracted anxiety. “Lovely,” she muttered as she brushed the crumbs together, taking a couple slices of the cheese and scooping it up in a desperate attempt to salvage the food. It worked well enough, even if the effect itself was strange and somewhat laughable. Then again, the Svefra had never much cared about others’ opinions of her, and finished off her food amidst a few snickers and stares. Gods knew how much she’d already drawn their attention as it was, what did it matter if she looked the fool now? After the storm was over, she had no intention of patronizing this establishment ever again.

With a sigh, she lifted her hand to gain Father Manowar’s attention once more. He nodded to show he’d seen her, but continued his conversation with a different patron for another several chimes. She rolled her eyes, but made no comment. It wasn’t as if she was in a rush, anyway. When the owner of the tavern made his way over to her at last, she looked up with a patently fake smile. “I’d like to rent a room for the night, if one is still available,” she said in heavily accented Common. This last was forced through gritted teeth, the rain pelting the windows and the wind shaking the walls informing her none too gently that she was still stuck here, Azcan or no.

“Not staying with the drummer boy, then?” Father Manowar replied with a guffaw, a couple of the other grizzly men at the bar offering lascivious grins.

Kailani’s cheeks burned red, but she paid them no mind, answering only with a flat, “No.”

“All right, then, no need to be rude about it,” the old man muttered as he plucked a key from under the counter, waiting for her to slide the money across the bar before handing it over. “Up the stairs, third door on the left. Don’t forget to lock your door, or you might have some company you didn’t ask for.”

Kailani knew his words were not just idle chatter and nodded in response. Prostitutes worked out of the tavern quite often from what she understood, and she had no intention of being mistaken for one. “Thank you, sirrah,” she replied stiffly before standing up and grabbing her things. She kept her gaze straight ahead as she trudged back up the stairs, following Father Manowar’s instructions and heading for the third door on the left. The key trembled in her hand as she turned it in the lock, entering and shutting the door behind her within seconds. It was locked again before she could blink, setting her pack to the side and throwing herself onto the bed.

Shedding her clothes, she crept under the covers, pulling the blanket up over her head as she sank further into the lumpy mattress. She missed the Azcan from that cherished memory, even as she despised this new one that had replaced him. She groaned as she rolled to her side, longing mixed with rage coalescing and settling on simple exhaustion. She wanted nothing more to do with the illusionist down the hall, but at the same time, she wanted nothing more than to fling herself back beyond his door and find a way to coax the old Azcan out of hiding. She needed him now more than ever, lost in this city and so utterly alone.

Come back to me, my sweet drummer boy. Don’t let him go completely.

WC: 965

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