"What a fierce little hunter..." Edreina crooned with a small smile, holding little Navis over the edge of Goldengrotto as she removed the last traces of gore from his muzzle and from his paws. Nearly white fur had been stained a deep red as the kit made his first kill, a small mouse who had wandered too close to the boat. Edreina had all-but keeled over of a heart attack when she saw Navis vault himself over the railing to pounce upon the unfortunate rodent. But, fear was instantly replaced with pride as she saw that hours of tormenting the little animal with the end of a cloth or a piece of meat on a string had finally taught him the skills he needed to survive.
The look on his face as he held the limp carcass aloft in his tiny jaws, brown eyes alight with satisfaction, had filled Edreina with a matronly joy she had previously thought herself incapable of harboring. She had instantly snatched him up from the dock and allowed him to finish his meal in the safety of her hawkish observance. He ate everything down to the brittle bones, going so far as to lick the greasy spot left behind on the ship's deck. Her grin did not fade even as he fought her, yowling with displeasure, as she began to administer the bath. The Suvan was clear and blue as always, perfect for bathing; the sun shone bright and warmed the gently dancing air, perfect for drying.
When she released him upon the deck once again, Edreina laughed aloud as he began to dart about, yipping and growling playfully as he rubbed himself against the warm wood of the deck. The red-maned woman was just about to head below deck to change from her linen breeches into a skirt for her shift at the Herald's Arms when suddenly an outraged yelp followed by a high, warning growl caught her attention. It was odd. She had never heard that series of calls from her companion.
Curiosity caused her to whirl about on her heel. On her deck were three lumbering figures. Obviously not sailors by their build, Edreina's blue eyes darted over each in turn as she attempted to discern their purpose. Not sailors, that much was certain; they did not belong to the knight's guild, no gleaming armor adorned their muscled forms; not merchants for they brought no wares. What were they doing on her ship, anyway? Did they not know how rude it was to board someone's vessel without permission? A hard edge crept over the Svefra's features as she prepared to protect her home, replacing her amiable expression in an instant. "Can I help you?" Normally the question would have been presented with a smile, a tilt of the head. This time, however, Edreina did not do so much as cock a brow.
A look of confusion flitted over the leader's face. He rested his weight back towards the railing, one hand coming up to stroke his jaw thoughtfully. "This be the Goldengrotto, eyh? The Myrian's vessel?"
Two copper brows knit together, full lips pursing as she considered the question. It was not technically Razkar's ship, he only stayed here with her. But, at the same time, there was an element of truth in his question. With such brutish men before her, it was likely a bad idea to make them seem like fools by drawing attention to such a small, in their minds, detail. "Aye," the acknowledgment left her lips quietly as she was unable to shake that tugging feeling at the back of her mind.
But the leader's reaction was not what she had anticipated. Instead of questioning the Myrian's location, he smiled suddenly, and a cruel light gleamed in his eyes. Such an expression should not consume one's features unless exactly what they wanted to happen had. Edreina fought the urge to shiver as a writhing knot of apprehension formed in her gut."Why do you ask?" She hoped to get more out of the man. The longer he stood in silence, dirt colored eyes raking Edreina in a way that suddenly made her feel unclean, the more nervous she became.
He ignored her question, presenting one of his own as he took a step towards her. "Where is the savage?" He caressed each word with his lips, eyes curiously intimate as he took another step towards her. His motions resembled someone testing the waters before them, assuring themselves that they would not be scalded or chilled.
Edreina held her stance, refusing to give deck to these strangers. This was her ship. Laviku did not forgive the trespasses of haughty land-goers."He's out at the moment. But he should be back soon." Edreina had never been a good liar. And, even at this moment, she could not stop herself from averting her eyes as the falsehood left her lips. Dammit... Upon raising her eyes again, she found the man suddenly much closer than anticipated.
The surprise of it caused Edreina to start backwards, a shout upon her lips. But, before the cry could escape, a thick, meaty hand cracked her across the jaw with enough force for black orbs to claim her vision. The back of her head was quickly acquainted with the deck as her limbs failed her, and all went black.
...
"-ake up soon? Been out awhile... Might have hit her too hard, Ekvan..." The voice was oddly disconnected from body as Edreina floated in a world of darkness, anchored to being only by the sound and the throbbing on either side of her skull.
"Nah. She'll wake up soon enough. 'Sides, seeing her sprawled out might make the Myrian a bit more... willing." The tone of this voice would have sent a shiver down Edreina's spine had she been aware of having one.
"But what if-..."
And then she was lost to the darkness again.
When she woke again, there was a cacophony of sounds: Navis's high pitched keening, feet on the deck above, shuffling around her. Must be in the hold, she realized with a silent groan. When she opened her eyes and the bleariness in her vision did not fade, Edreina was seized by an instant of terror. Was she going blind? No. In the wan light of the hold, the red hair fanned over her face appeared to be a layer of fuzziness in her vision itself.
Suddenly, feet occupied her vision and she felt herself being hauled upwards by her arm, forced to stand despite the swirling sense of vertigo that weakened her limbs. Her entire head rang with pain, groaning like a bell freshly tolled; there was a racing throb that originated in her jaw, ran through her skull to rebound at the rear and return to her jaw. As she was forced to stand, her hair left her vision and she saw that she was indeed in the hold, apparent as the only source of light was a thick shaft originating from the hatch.
Edreina then realized that she was being supported by an arm about her lean waist, sagging against a thickly muscled form behind her. In her delirious state of mind, she turned in the embrace to see who it was, only for a hank of her hair to be yanked and "Be still" to be hissed menacingly in her ear.
The spark of pain threw everything was brought back into clarity. The strangers on her boat, their questions about Razkar, being hit, waking up below deck... What was going on? Gods... What cruel twist had found her? Edreina blinked back her fear, stilling herself as she was commanded."What are you-?"
"Quiet!"Came the growl, and a good wafting of his foul breath.
"... Edri...?"
That familiar voice. Oh no! Raz! Edriena flinched visibly as the cool blade of a knife was hurriedly pressed against her throat. Somehow, for some reason, they were using her. But to what end? Did they want something from her? From Raz? Questions continued to rush through Edreina's mind as her friend took each agonizingly slow step into the darkness. Lit from behind, like some mockery of a savior, the savage warrior's reaction to the situation was obscured.
"Savage... Don't even think about it,” her captor growled, twisting the wicked blade so that it glittered in the wan light.
Edreina was forced to watch helplessly as her friend was trapped, and then insulted. Why? Why did she have to be so weak? She knew how to fight, yes, but what use would her fists be with a knife at her throat? The desire to struggle died beneath the weight of her need to preserve her life.
Her head spun, her ears rung. Fear shook her frame as her knees threatened to give out. She hated the way that his breath danced through her hair, the way that the tendrils of his beard caught hold of her hair and pulled at it as he moved. Even in the lack of light, Edreina saw the way that rage contorted Razkar's features. It was the exact same look that had fallen upon his face the night she had intruded upon his Ritual Malediction, when he had been at the mercy of the Nightlion's shade.
Razkar, no! No please... Just go! Get out of here! Edreina's blue eyes spoke volumes usually, but in this moment they were only able to relay her desire to see him leave, to see him out of harm's way. If he left, they would surely let her go... right? He did not have to suffer just because she had been too stupid to defend herself.
But, from what she could tell, he showed no signs of leaving - as if the two flanking him would even allow it – on the contrary: his set jaw meant that he was firm in whatever his decision was. As his sandaled feet did not move, the Svefra guessed his intent. Whatever was about to happen, they would face it together.
When he finally spoke, the redhead wondered if ever she had heard words so gentle leave a mouth filled with filed teeth. "Edri, look at me, you will be fine-"
"Not really for you to say, is it, savage?"
In the sparse rays that filtered through from the deck above, Edreina could see a gleam as Razkar's black eyes left her and speared her captor. He shifted, and that same beam of light illuminated his rough features, etching out a visage that skirted the line between rage and control. He knew that any attack would end his friend's life. His voice was tight when finally he spoke, as if forced through a mesh too fine. "Why?"
Edreina felt Ekvan's face twitch in some parody of a smile. "You know why, Myrian. Stupid savage like you, coming to my city and making me and the lads look bad-"
"Not think you care much about lads, and when was your cit-"
His smile inverted in an instant against her hair. "Shut the hell up!"
Edreina whimpered as the ferocity of the sound racked her frame and the hard edge of Ekvan's blade bit into her throat just enough for her neck to tingle with warmth as blood wept rom the wound. She looked again to Razkar, seeking some sort of assurance, finding only a mask of anger. Something warm and wet pressed sickening against her freckled cheek, causing her to flinch and then go still. In spite of her fear, fury blossomed in her chest. If he did not have that knife... If he was just a bit smaller or she a bit larger...
“Get his weapons, boys,” Ekvan commanded his lackies, grinning against the young woman's cheek.
Even as the hounds of hell nipped at his heels, the Myrian was unperturbed. "Edri... Remember what I say about teeth?"
She frowned, puzzled for an instant. And then the arm, so curiously within her reach, caught her blue gaze. Her lips pursed in distaste and she looked at Razkar as if to say Really? I have to take a bite out of that? Gross... It was entirely unappealing, but necessary, she realized.
And then, there was chaos as Razkar seemed to explode with inhuman speed, and efficiency as he dispatched the first thug. Edreina felt Evkan's grip loosen ever so slightly, a sign of his surprise. There was no chance for her to think about it, just do it. Baring her teeth, Edreina growled sharply as she bit into his meaty arm. She bit despite his piercing screams, and the way he attempted to rip his arm away. She bit until her mouth was filled with hot, coppery blood. She bit until she felt some measure give way along with his hairy flesh.
Despite the immense pain he was certainly in, the mercenary did not relent his grip around Edreina's waist, digging his thick fingers into her hips as he continued to pull his arm away, stretching Edreina's body at an odd angle, causing her jaw to burn as she continued to apply pressure.
There was a thick, wet, ripping sound and suddenly Edreina was tumbling backwards with the force of her own exertions as the chunk of raw, throbbing, human flesh came free. Ekvan yowled louder than ever, shaking his arm so that little flecks of blood and gore coated the wooden surroundings, creating a whole new sort of contrast to the flecks of sunlight that had previously dappled the hold. His preoccupation gave Edreina another chance. Remembering one of the first times she had sparred with Raz, she finally came to the realization that when you were fighting for your life, courtesy really did not matter. She reared back and spat the wad of flesh and hair back at Ekvan and, in his moment of open horror, she was able to turn just enough to cock her knee back and ram it into his manhood.
The roar he emitted nearly deafened her. Out of instinct, Ekvan pushed the attacker away, clutching himself with his good hand while the other remained somewhat limp. She tripped over the familiar deck, landing on her rear with a thud that jarred her sore, bloody teeth.
Before her, a maelstrom of activity continued with Razkar. He moved in ways that her adrenaline addled mind could not even follow. It was as if the spirit of some strange beast had assumed direct control of her friend and was now manipulating his dusk-skinned, keenly muscled form like some sort of puppet. Each motion was quick and precise, carried out simply for the purpose of ending a life.
Oddly enough, it gave her courage.
This time, when Ekvan went to move towards her, unbridled hate filling his eyes, Edreina bared her bloody teeth like an animal, blue eyes a whirling tempest. The feeling of her demise being pressed against her bare throat had awakened an animal sort instinct. At first, it had goaded her to seek any way of escape. But now, she thought only of removing the threat permanently. The battle-lust which had plagued Edreina during her first lessons with Razkar flared back to life, stilling her trembling limbs and clearing her vision.
Her eyes darted about, scanning her surroundings for any sort of weapon. A stone she had collected years earlier, a sharp piece of coral, her whip, anything...
Before she could take anything, there was the steady wump-wump-wump of something hurtling through the air an instant before the sickening crunch of an ax burying itself in Ekvan's shoulder.
So used to screams, Edreina had become, this one did not even send a chill across her skin.
Something primal in the Svefra grinned at seeing the ax bury itself in Ekvan's shoulder. As he was stumbling backwards, she was rising to her feet. She saw a hole in his defenses as the mangled arm fell. The beat of her heart pounded out a furious tattoo in her ears as she charged the towering man.
His eyes widened as his victim became the aggressor, assaulting him in a quick succession of blows across his chest and a knee to the kidney. Each attack was kept carefully different from the last for fear of him discovering a pattern. She moved in a whirl, remembering that to stand still is to die, crossing in front and behind him as she managed to land all but one of her attacks. Perhaps he was just shocked, perhaps the sight of seeing his comrades fall had gotten to him, perhaps he was simply overwhelmed. No matter the cause, there was no reason for Edreina to be landing as many of her jabs as she had intended.
It was oddly invigorating to pound her imprint into the flesh of a man who had threatened her with death. With each success, each passing tick, Edreina grew a bit more bold, infusing her blows with more power, taking the time to draw her arm all the way back. She was getting cocky. She was getting foolish.
As if he had simply been awaiting the opportunity to do so, Ekvan suddenly reached out and caught hold of the woman's wrist, twisting it abruptly so that Edreina spun in towards him. In the span of an instant, she went from attacker to victim once more. Trapped between her own arm and his massive, gently quivering form, Edreina could do naught but watch as Razkar continued to approach. The single source of light made it impossible to make out his facial expression. But surely anger must be in there again. Her foolishness had brought them back into the same damned position they had started in.
Silence filled the hold.
Now, they were down to three.
"What now, savage?" Ekvan spat, Edreina could only imagine the hate leaving his eyes. He no longer had the ability to use his other arm, but the one he still had use of crushed Edreina against himself with savage force. He no longer had a way to kill her before being killed... But he still had a shield.
Razkar stood before her, shoulders heaving gently. The gladius in his hand moved mindlessly, twisting and turning as his torn mind's war spilled over into his limbs.
After a tick of silence, he stilled.
In that instant, Edreina knew his decision, and understood.
“I'm so sorry, Edri.”
There was pain, and then a rush of heat, and then Edreina went numb with a shocked gasp as she looked down and saw the hilt Razkar's gladius protruding gruesomely from her chest. It was shiny despite the liberal coating of blood and core it had accumulated during Razkar's fighting.
It had happened so fast. He had not even given her a chance to speak.
And just as suddenly, limber legs so filled with strength from years spent at sea disappeared and she fell to the deck without even a sound. Unable to find the energy to move, to get her arms out of their awkward positions beneath her, something in her shoulder burned, but only vaguely, as if it were so far away. There was a shout, another thud. And then suddenly she was on her back, staring up at the deck. But her eyes were heavy, oh so heavy. It would be nice to rest, just for a minute.
“Edri... Be calm. It-” Was that a break in his voice she heard? “You'll be fine.”
Stay calm? She was positively calm. Floaty even. It was as if she were floating upon the Suvan, warm waves enveloping her... drawing her deeper and deeper... “Yes... Just a scratch. Take a nap, and I'll be fine." Edreina's lips were heavy and numb, like they had been after she was stung by a bee. But that had hurt. This did not. Actually, she really couldn't feel much at all. She wanted to smile up at him, realizing that his arms had come around her shoulders, supporting her body.
Something about that made Edreina want to laugh, to grin. It was an odd feeling, something new. She liked new things. She could dream new things! Surely Razkar would not mind if she took a quick nap before they got rid of the other bodies.
Bodies? What bodies?
Oh, the bodies... They had surely left an awful mess. Edreina frowned weakly, wondering how to get a blood stain out of her deck. But that could wait... It could all wait. She just needed a minute or two of sleep. Just a minute or two...
by Traverse on October 1st, 2013, 1:41 am 
