[Endrykas] Under Cover of Night [Kashik]

[Vanator]

Timestamp: 15th Day of Spring, 510 AV Time of Day: early evening Status: Closed, Tag Kashik By the time Kashik and Vanator passed through the Knotted Gates, the last rays of Syna's light had faded from the world. The Drykas riders had spent much of their return journey racing, broken up by conversations about simple things. Kashik was a woman of endless energy and the flow of her thoughts ran from bawdy to insightful to poetic. The tedious bells passed easily in her company, Vanator preoccupied almost every chime of the trip by the vibrant woman's words and beauty. Passing into the city, the streets were lit by scattered torches, lanterns and the light spilling from a myriad of pavilions. The sounds of families dining and taverns gathering patrons mingled with the barking of dogs and the whinnies of horses. Van had led Kashik to the side of Endrykas opposite his tent. Several of his family had tents near his. He just as soon avoid their prying eyes. They had enough to wag their tongues about with the arrival of the Kelvic Pygmy as his new roommate and the exotic Vantha woman that visited them. Securing his friend a suitable location to make camp, Vanator helped Kashik erect her tent. Like most every activity the two of them undertook that day, setting up the small pavilion was a chore rife with competition, flirting and physical contact. Once the task was complete, Vanator playfully smacked her on the backside as she passed by. Grinning broadly, he took a step back as she whirled around. The light was dim, but Kashik's eyes seemed to capture what little there was and reflect it back at Van tenfold with a teal tint. Hoping to distract her from taking retribution, he smiled and began to speak. Suddenly his stomach growled loudly. laughing sheepishly, Van continued. "Obviously I need something to eat. Lets get some real food!"

[Kashik]

Kashik had enjoyed the trip as thoroughly as Vanator had, more than willing to follow his lead as to where she should set herself up. It didn't occur to her that he was keeping her far away from his family and friends, and likely would have had a few choice words about it if she'd known, but no such thoughts crossed her mind. She was too busy enjoying his smile, the playful way they teased each other as they got her tent set up, the beauty of his honey-flecked eyes as he laughed. The slap on the ass certainly did get a quick whirl of diamond-studded curls, and she'd opened her mouth to cut him down a notch or two when his stomach started grumbling. A giggle escaped her lips, and she just rolled her eyes. "Ah, yes, you've finally realized that your body needs fuel if you're to burn as hot as you've been this day," she said slyly, waggling her eyebrows as she went to press a kiss to Hiloha's nose and murmur for him to watch the tent and her belongings. "Fine, then, let's go find real food. Fresh food. Hot food," she said with a groan of pleasure, her own stomach starting to rumble now that she was thinking of it. A bright laugh echoed between them as she skipped over to his side and, without even bothering to ask, slipped beneath his arm. "I've no idea where anything is, so I leave this to you," she chuckled.

[Vanator]

Vanator was not as familiar with that side of Endrykas, but with his arm laced lazily around Kashik, they strolled towards the nearest merchant quarter. Following the sound of reveling voices and the aroma of cooked meat, it was not difficult to find a destination that would suit their needs. Passing into the pavilion, Van surveyed the canvas and leather tavern. It was still early in the evening, and there was a modest crowd, many sitting on cushions at low tables. Most were eating, though the drinks had already begun to flow. The scent of seared meat provoked his stomach to audibly protest its lack of content. Van's hand slipped down to Kashik's and he laced his fingers with hers, tugging at her as he weaved his way through the patrons to an empty table. He dropped onto a cushion, playfully pulling Kashik after him, and onto his lap. "Sorry miss, one bottom to a cushion please." He laughed, teasingly pushing her off and onto a cushion next to him. Van looked around for a server, spotting a blonde-streaked brunette with a wine stain on her apron. He smiled and raised his hand to get her attention. After delivering some plates, the serving girl approached Kashik and Van. A bit too tired and scattered to consider letting Kashik order first, he blurted out, "I would like a plate of the biggest chunk of meat you got, and whatever comes with it....and a mug of mead please!" He turned to his companion, flashed a sheepish grin, then still looking at Kashik, muttered, "...and whatever she wants."

[Kashik]

Kashik had been laughing joyfully as he pulled her down into his lap, more than happy to find herself there and completely uncaring of what the rest of the patrons might have thought of their private revelry. But then he shoved her off with a tease and she went sprawling backwards onto her own little pile of cushions. She just lay there for a moment, legs still draped across his lap, catching her breath from a fit of giggles at his antics.

And then he forgot to order for her, and she snorted as if horribly offended. Her legs twisted of a sudden and she hooked one of her boots into his armpit - and in an eyeblink he would find himself flat on his back with Kashik sitting atop him, knees pinning his elbows to the ground. "He will kindly wait for his dinner while you scrounge up a plate of stew for me, with extra rice. And a plate of garlic rolls. Oh! And those little fruit tarts, do you have those?" she asked, bouncing a little on Van's chest in her excitement over food. "And a pitcher of spiced wine. Please," she said with a bright grin to the serving girl and another bounce, pretending as if Van were no more than a pillow though her eyes were merry with laughter.

[Vanator]

Vanator was taken utterly by surprise by Kashik's maneuver, stunned to find himself looking up at the woman from a rather compromising position, arms pinned beneath her knees and her butt on his chest. He let out a laugh, which came out in staccato bursts as Kashik bounced on him, only causing him to guffaw louder. The serving girl, who had to step back as the two wrestled at their table, simply shot a sheepish grin to Van. The horseman turned his head to grin at her, attempting to shrug his shoulders as if to say 'she is who she is, what can ya do?' The girl looked back to Kashik, nodded in acquiescence and rushed off, more than happy to escape the rambunctious couple. Vanator squirmed a bit beneath his companion, finding himself thoroughly restrained, admitting that he would be unable to unseat her without a rather raucous struggle. He turned his most charming smile up at Kashik. "As fond as I am of this particular view of you, at this moment I would very much enjoy sitting at the table and waiting for our meal." Then he stretched his neck, setting his teeth to the inside of the randy woman's thigh and giving her a firm bite.

[Kashik]

Kashik gave a loud squeal of surprise at the bite, and fell off of him and onto her side with a mad burst of laughter. "Dirty tactics!" she giggled, rubbing her thigh with the heel of her hand as she finally pulled her legs off him and shoved herself back up to a seat, offering him a hand to help him up. "If you weren't so utterly ridiculous I wouldn't have to resort to such things," she sniffed, pretending affront as she stuck her nose in the air and glared at him through thick, dark lashes. "Incorrigible barbarian," she drawled, though it took all her effort not to grin again - and even with that, it flickered and pulled at one corner of her mouth, and sparkled in teal eyes for all to see.

[Vanator]

Kashik's squeal had drawn the attention of the few tavern patrons who weren't already gawking as the two of them engaged in horseplay. A few who had begun to imbibe early offered boisterous encouragement, some to Van, some to Kashik. Van accepted Kashik's calloused hand as sat back up at the low table, displaying a feigned stern, grim face, equally struggling not to burst into a smile. At her taunting name calling, Van simply grunted and uttered in a fake accent. "Forgive me your highness, I had forgotten that I traveled in the company of a true lady!" The last words spilled out as an irrepressible smile lit up his face, the gold specks dancing in his dark eyes. He quickly leaned in to press a kiss to her mouth, pulling away as the serving girl brought the pitcher of wine, his mead and two empty cups and set them on the table. The young woman giggled at Van and Kashik, "Your meals are coming right up." She stared at the couple for a moment with a silly grin, then hurried off. Van poured Kashik a glass of wine, and raising his mug offered a sort of toast. "To good food, warm laps, new friends, and to Zulrav's mighty storms!" He winked, the incredible experience they shared during the day's thunderstorm still tantalizingly fresh in his mind.

[Kashik]

She giggled her way through the kiss, though her lips moved gainst his with as much passion as they ever did. "You couldn't even say it with a straight face!" she howled, shoving him in the shoulder - though when he rocked back towards her, she snuggled her face against his arm. "I am not a lady, perhaps, but I am a woman, and a Drykas at that - what need have I for frippery when I've a spear and twice the wits of most, a smile and a good glass of wine?" she giggled.

Which made her remember that they had wine now, and she took up her glass with a wink of thanks to Van for pouring it. "To warm food, new laps, good friends, and to Zulrav's mighty storms!" she laughed back, clinking her glass against his and downing most of its contents in a few gulps. She swiped the back of her hand across her mouth, teal eyes sparkling happily as she watched him, seemingly content just to gaze at his face for a few more minutes. "So what do you do around here every day? I don't imagine there's a lot of grasslion attacks to fend off in Endrykas," she chuckled.

[Vanator]

As the two Drykas made their toast, Van took a deep swig of his mead, the sweet honey ale smooth and pleasing going down. He lowered his glass, Kashik taking her time downing an impressive amount of her wine before wiping her lovely full lips with her hand. No, she was no lady, Vanator mused, but there was no doubt that she was a woman. Rowdy, even bawdy, but every bit a fine woman. He locked his gaze on Kashik's blue-green eyes, sharing in the moment of mutual admiration. Again he found himself drawn into her, his heart pounding a bit harder simply by catching her glance. Her innocuous question prompted him to release his stare, turning to take another swig from his mug. "What do we do all day in Endrykas? We paint daisies on our horses and frolic naked in the streets, you'll fit right in!" He laughed loudly again, his hand striking the top of the table. "Really though, everyone still has work to do, just like a pavilion in the Sea. Its just that some of the jobs are different. I usually go out to hunt two or three days a week. I take care of those of my family that are here, since our Pavilion won't be here until later this season. I train with my weapons, or train the younger of my relatives. And, like today, sometimes I just go out into the grasslands to get away. I prefer the open plains to a giant tent city." The serving girl arrived with the plates, setting them down in front of Kashik and Van, each one piled with steaming food. Vanator thanked her and with another shy grin, the girl bowed slightly and after eying the noisy couple, rushed off again.

[Kashik]

As soon as the food was down, Kashik turned her attention to that - and made no bones about it as she shoved a whole garlic roll into her mouth and then rolled her eyes in pleasure at the taste of it. "Mmph," she moaned happily, then chewed her way through it and smiled. "You've got to try one of these. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I could smell it," she laughed, and went about mixing the stew and rice together and eating that.

"I've never been very good at hunting," she said after swallowing a bite, her left hand tapping the spoon against the rim of her bowl. "My father tried to teach me once, but I kept getting distracted. I think I just don't have the brain for it. Eamonn always said all my prey had to do was leave something shiny on the trail and it'd have time to get away," she giggled, eyes dancing in the firelight.