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Another Life {Cheshire Smirk & Blinkk}

Training and harp... hm... Lea took a second to think about what she could possibly do and came up with a few small ideas. Something that she could possibly work into another project at a later time. It would be important to bring something to Anya when she left the ship and hope to work on another piece later on, so it would have to be easy to make but beautiful. Easy enough, depending on the time she had to work on it. She'd have to manage it carefully and hope that Vallios would be willing to give her a chance to work on it, if he didn't have a private room. If he did, she could stay in there and slave away over the project. If not, she would need him to stay by her side while she created as fast as she could. It would certainly be a challenge. But she was up for it. And hopefully it would capture the Shieldmaiden's memory in a way that Anya would accept.

It wasn't until Vallios spoke again that Lea turned to look at him. He was warning her to stand up for herself around the others. And not to draw a blade. Yeah, like she had one... Lea may have been new to the world of fighting, but she knew how to defend herself at least in the most basic of ways with her fists before using a dagger. Of course, she hadn't proven herself just yet and with her body as strained as it was, it would be a good challenge for her to try to pick up the pace and get away from these stronger beings on the boat, but she wasn't going to give up. If what happened on the upper deck was any sign of her spirit, others should know there was something more to her than just a pretty face and a small body.

At least the man was agreeing to help her find what she needed to impress Mjarrla's sister. It gave Lea a vote of confidence that she didn't think she could get easily. She watched him as he left the room before closing her eyes and taking in a breath, only to open them a second later and straighten her back, the cloak muting a crack from her bones. She picked a bit more of the food, trying to keep herself looking as comfortable as possible in the situation, hoping that others in the room wouldn't come after her or bother her while Vallios was gone... One could forever hope...

'He shouldn't take too long,' the red head told herself. 'Just getting a few things... the others won't bother me. I haven't bothered them, after all.'
 
Vallios hadn't been gone a minute before the problems started. An obnoxiously bored yawn was all the warning got before something slammed hard into lea's side. The Maiden who had pointed so furiously at Lea had settled on the bench beside the priestess and then slid over with vengeful force, doing her best to knock Lea straight out of her seat. The Maiden gave a little chuckle and retrieved the stein Lea had been sipping from, knocking it back and draining it with a toss of the head. The mug was then dropped to the floor as the woman tore into the feast that had been laid upon the table a few minutes prior. Like a wolf upon a fresh kill the invading Maiden went to work with ravenous efficiency. The woman stopped eating long enough to voice a snide remark, aiming to further the insult. They were starting with the lowest of the low by denying Lea basic dignities and the necessity of food. These acts were meant to put her in her place and show her that beyond the slightest shadow of a doubt she was the bottom rung on their social ladder.

"Make yourself useful and fetch me more Mead. If you're fast about it I might leave you a couple of scraps, whelp."

Several other Shieldmaidens had made their way over and they all dropped their steins to the floor around Lea, staring down at her expectantly. Two settled lazily on the bench beside the first, making sure they completely denied Lea any access to her table or the food that had been meant for herself and Vallios. Together the three women were making swift work of the spread. It was apparent they'd finally made their way down below deck and were famished. What had been a plentiful arrangement was becoming quickly diminished and would surely be demolished in a few minutes flat if Lea didn't do something about the matter. The Maidens were going so far as to attack what was left of Vallios' meal as well. Apparently Vallios' decisions had cost him a considerable amount of respect from some factions within the tribe.

"Don't just stand there gawking, you sniveling wretch. That was a damned order!"

The three seated women turned and glared down at Lea, cracking their knuckles expectantly. The dining hall had suddenly become very quiet as all eyes fell upon the scene unfolding. Nobody bothered to intervene, such treatment of an outsider was expected and encouraged. After all, the woman should be tied up in somebody's quarters or hard at work in the kitchens with the rest of the servants! Hopefully Vallios would wake up from this little fever dream of his and realize that no pathetic Southernblood could ever...Ever live up to the vows. One by one more maidens made their way over, each of them dropping a stein on the ground next to Lea and staring expectantly at the girl. Things were obviously about to get violent; hopefully Lea was ready for what was to come!

"Better hurry up, these steins won't fill themselves!"
 
Lea didn't fight getting pushed out of her seat, knowing that her current state was nothing compared to what these women could do. In fact, she figured that they could, and would, crush her with one hand if they got the chance. Luckily she had enough to eat to last her for several hours and if she needed more, something told her the kitchen staff would be more than helpful when it came to feeding both the 'outsider' and the warrior she was now following. But with each stein, Lea moved; straightening her back, placing a hand on her hip, on her other hip, crossing her arms... until finally there was a group around her and steins laying at her feet.

She wasn't glaring at the women but nor did she seem frightened. She looked to be rather calm about what was playing out in front of her and she barely moved to prove a point. In fact, after a quick glance or two towards the new members of the crowd, her eyes turned back towards the 'leader of the pack' still sitting at the table. She was the one Lea would have to watch out for, she could see that already.

"Pardon?" she asked, clearly not ready to move from her place yet, if at all. "I'm afraid I don't speak barbaric."

Despite that, she did lean down and pick up the first woman's stein, setting it gently next to her at the table. "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Her eyes danced around the area above her head for a second before lowering to meet her gaze. "But you don't need my advice. Your odor seems to be working quite well on its own..." She expected someone to lash out at her so she made sure not to give them a chance to grab her. Instead, Lea backed away into the middle of the circle again and quickly raised her voice.

"You seem to be dishonoring your sister far more than I am! Eating her swordman's dinner, attacking the one who tried to save her. Do you really think that's what she would have wanted from you? Any of you?" That wasn't just directed to the Shieldmaidens this time around. It was meant for the whole room. "Giving yourself or the man she bonded with no time to morn? That's more disgraceful than anything I could be doing here. Her words gave me hope for your tribe. You may not care for me, but some god does. Or I would not still be standing..."

She let her eyes scan the group around her before settling back on the leader once again. "I have learned much about your ways already. And throughout my life I have learned much about a true bear. Your actions to attack although I have done nothing... they go against all that the bear has taught me. All I have seen of it. Yet you dare to relate yourself to the gentle giant? Why do you think you have the right to do such a thing?"
 
((You forced my hand. THE SECRET MUST COME OUT!)

At first Lea's cutting words brought nothing but derisive scoffs from the gathered Maidens as she hurled about the kind of petty words dying Southernbloods with too much pride and to little skill with the blade muttered with their dying breaths. The laughter halted when Lea dared mention Mjarrla. Was this Southernblood attempting to lecture on the proper way to treat a warrior!? Such a notion was absurd. The crowd of maidens moved closer, each one deciding how she was going to teach the girl her place. This girl was just desperate to have her hide striped, wasn't she? The girl was quickly digging herself a hole not even the most gifted of Skycallers could drag her out from. When the Maidens thought the girl was done she decided to firmly plant both feet defiantly into the fire.

One by one the other Maidens backed away, knowing exactly what was coming. Of all the things to bring up, Elder Ursa was a mistake. If any eyes had been looking elsewhere before, they were certainly now focused upon the brewing conflict. One of the other Maidens stepped forward and spoke, looking straight at her Sister-in-Arms. This situation was escalating far too quickly. What had initially started as basic hazing was quickly becoming something darker and much more dangerous. The Maiden who had initiated the conflict had stood and thrown her heavy gauntlets down onto the ship's floorboards. Next came a pair of thick boots which were kicked indignantly to the side. Black hair that had been tightly bound up in cords was let down, an odd action for somebody clearly about to get violent.

"Janara, stand down! She is not worth it!"

This wretch wanted to know under what grounds they bore Elder Ursa's name? In an instant the Maiden known as Janara had shed the rest of her clothing and stood completely nude before the entire hall. Such actions were necessary lest what was about to happen ruin a perfectly good pair of breeches and a properly crafted winter tunic. What followed would certainly come as a shock to Lea. Janara raised her right palm to her lips and bit down until she tasted blood. At the taste of blood Janara's eyes rolled back into her head for a brief moment as the Ursa spirit roared to life within her breast. Low, rumbling growls rolled out of Janara's throat as she crouched down onto all fours and then hurled herself at Lea, landing adeptly on the Priestess, pinning her at the knee and elbow. Janara's skin stretched and distorted as her muscles twisted and writhed beneath her skin, bones cracking as they stretched and warped themselves. Shaggy white fur forced itself out over Janara's skin as she...took the form of a bear.
 
At the cry from another, Lea knew she had crossed a line. She backed away as Janara began to strip herself of her clothes taking almost no note of it. The Baarskor seemed to do this quite often. The growl was terrifying. Lea could feel it shake through her body, bringing out every urge to cry that she had since the first second she saw those flags on the horizon. She prepared herself to run, eyes darting to the side, only to see other women around her. But when the woman launched herself at her, Lea was hit with far more strength than she had expected, hitting the floor of the ship with another painful crack of her body. She thought Janara would move much slower than she did, giving her a chance to at least put up some sort of a fight. Instead, the priestess was flat on her back, bones feeling as if they were about to break under her weight, staring up towards the Shieldmaiden as she began to change.... Oh goddess no.

This was like something from one of Lea's nightmares, although there she could always escape. She always had a way out when she was dreaming. This was far more terrifying now that it was happening in front of her. On top of her, in fact. She was pinned beneath a massive mound of snarling, furry, bear flesh. And she was angry.

Lea was smart enough to know when her life was over. She winced, drawing herself up as much as she could and squeezing her eyes closed until she was seeing white. Some way to go out, huh... Not how she thought at all. But despite how much she wanted to whimper or cry, the red head kept the sounds to herself. Seconds after closing her eyes, she lifted her head slightly and brought it down hard against the floor of the ship, forcing her eyes open again. You are Baarskor, let nobody treat you otherwise.

If she was a member of this tribe as Vallios had said, this was not the way to act. This was not the way to let your life end. She had been given scars to prove she had seen hard times. She had been taken from her home by their champion, who was treating her like one of his own despite going against the rest of his family. Lea was the last one to see a warrior die... She wasn't going to allow herself to go out in a curled, crying mess. She'd stand her ground, push herself through and wish that she survived. Even if she was on her back. In her gut, she knew her life was over. She could no longer hide in the shadows of her previous life or of the ship. If she had angered a maiden enough to force her into this form, she doubted the was any chance that she could survive the rest of this trip in silence. If she could survive this... there was more than enough evidence to bring her into a new light. Perhaps she could still save herself if she began to listen to the Elder Ursa. There was certainly proof enough that the bear's power was pumping through his people.

((OH snap!! Bear people! D: Lea, you silly girl!))
 
(( :3 dem Skin-walkers!))

"Do you question the might of the Baarskor now, foolish girl? Do you dare say we have no claim to Elder Ursa?" Janara's voice bled through those rumbling growls, distorted and deepened by the primitive, thick ursine vocal chords.

Janara bared her fangs for Lea and flexed her paws, digging hard sickle-like claws into Lea's flesh. Janara's maw curled back into a triumphant snarl at Lea's cowering. This was prove enough that the girl did not have the grit, the heart to be Baarskor. A true warrior would have punched Janara in the maw, tried to break a fang so that they had some kind of weapon to defend themselves with. Baarskor did not hide from death, they met it head on with brazen defiance in their eyes. Some of the satisfaction faded from Janara's face when Lea rapidly steeled herself against what she thought was inevitable. Perhaps the girl had some stones after all. That fact changed nothing however, it merely meant the girl was not a complete coward.

"Somebody, find the High Shaman before this ends in bloo..."

A deafening roar filled the dining hall and was followed by the heavy, scratching thuds of massive paws on wood. A cacaphony rang out as something charged through the Dining Hall, the inertia behind it's bulk sending tables flying across the room. Lea would have the opportunity to glimpse a thick and wide black-furred muzzle and a familiar scar that stretched from brow to throat before the charging mass smashed into Janara, sending the form-shifted Maiden rolling across the decks of the floor. Where one bear had stood over Lea as if she was a fresh kill another stood, a bear that was considerably larger and had fur black as pitch. From snout to short, stubby tail this newcomer easily measured ten feet in length, it's body a mass of rippling muscle and thick hide. In an instant the two shape-shifters lunged at each other, rearing up onto their hind legs to swipe and slash at each other, fang and claw colliding with bone-crunching impact.

The white bear put up a fight but found itself unable to hold ground for too long against it's attacker. That black bear was a monstrosity to behold, far larger than anything that could ever be considered remotely natural. Every slash from that black bear drew spurts of blood and howls of pain from the white, yet the white seemed unable to leave even the most superficial wounds on the black. Still, Janara did not back down against the onslaught, biting and clawing until she was completely overcome and forced down onto her side, one black furred paw heavy on her throat. Fortunately the melee was short lived as the sound of metal rings clinking against wood filled the hall, followed by deep chanting in the Eldertongue.

Whack! The High Shaman brought his gnarled walking staff down hard on the black bear's flank, keeping in perfect time with the rhythm he'd been pounding out. Whack! Another strike landed hard on Janara's head and the chanting continued. Both warriors began to shrink, their bodies melding back into a human form. Blood trickled down from lacerations in Janara's side and abrasions on her arms and legs. Vallios still stood crouched down over Janara, strong fingers curled almost hatefully around her throat. Vallios relinquished Janara and stepped back, tattered remnants of cloak and clothing hanging about his waist and shoulder. Obviously he had forgotten to shed the fabrics before taking ursine form.

"You both dishonor Elder Ursa with such a display. Janara, you have shamed every Maiden who ever walked before you. Vallios, I expect better from our champion. I cannot keep overlooking your reckless transgressions, no matter how heavy Mjarrla's passing weighs on your heart. Sorrow and madness do not walk hand in hand."

The High Shaman shifted his eagle feather mantle about his shoulder and drew the white fur robes he wore close around his body, looking at the two offending warriors with the stern countenance of a severely disappointed parent. Neither warrior spoke at the heavy admonition from the High Shaman. Darovar stood at the back of the hall, having watched the entire affair in silence. Pensively he ran a hand through his beard, wondering just how much this outsider would cost his tribe in the end. These incidents were foreshadowing of greater problems that were sure to come.
 
Lea almost lost her mind at the sight of the larger bear before climbing to her feet and dashing away from the fight. The two creatures began to lash out, the one who she guessed was Vallios seeming to be winning. It was hard to tell, but pinning the white bear to the ground made it look as if he was. Janara didn't seem to stand a chance against him after he hit her in the side, straight into the tables set up in the room. The 10-foot bears were more than Lea thought were hidden in the guts of this ship and far more than she thought she could deal with at one time. The flying blood, the crack bones... none of it sounded pleasant in the slightest.

With each strike, the pain seemed to get worse for the woman until she hit the ground and even then, she didn't seem to give up. It wasn't until the High Shaman came in that Lea turned away from the scene playing out in front of her to look at the man. Who quickly began to beat up the two bears through his chanting, forcing them back into their true forms. Other forms? Lea didn't even know at that point. Were they bears who disguised as humans or the other way around? Maybe, now that she saw this play out, she could ask Vallios. Once he had time to recover. At least the man had turned back with ease, exposing their wounds for all to see.

The man seemed to be speaking the most sense since Lea had stepped foot onto the ship. She looked the elder over as he gave the warriors a steady look much like what her father used to give to her. Her eyes fell at the end of it all as she felt a more serious presence on the side of the room, which drew her attention over towards the chief against the wall. They lingered there for a moment before dropping again, scanning the door way to see what Vallios may have found. This time, she didn't move to step in. She stayed where she was, almost ashamed to have worked the woman up that much to bring out another side of her. But she shouldn't have treated her in such a way... and certainly not treated Vallios like he was loosing his mind. As the Elder said, 'sorrow and madness do not walk hand in hand'. They were completely different things and while Lea didn't know the warrior before his loss, she could tell when someone was struck with grief. He displayed every sign of it without a doubt. She, along with the others on the ship, had to realize that.
 
((http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hBpF_Zj4OA . Going to just leave that there.))

Blood soaked Vallios' hands and dripped from his lips, though none of it was his own. The Baarskor champion turned and exited the dining hall in silence, sparing a sideways glance for no one, not even Darovar. The Baarskor chief nodded at Vallios as he passed, trying to show some form of support for his Champion despite his controversial choices. While Darovar doubted Lea had what it took to become a Shieldmaiden he could not rightly doubt her, not with Mjarrla's spirit guiding her. Hopefully the others would come to see reason, to understand that this was how things had to be. Hopefully Vallios would find some way besides brute force to prove his point otherwise there would be many things settled within the Ring. A few of the Maidens move forward to help Janara up but the wounded Maiden shoved their hands away and defiantly rose to her feet, refusing to allow herself to even wince. Janara settled down at a nearby table and waited for her Sisters-in-Arms to fetch the proper supplies to wrap her injuries. They were all flesh wounds, nothing that would require anything more severe than simple suturing. Janara stared hatefully at Lea while she sat and waited for aid, cursing every breath the outlander dared draw upon the ship. Some day that worthless Southernblood would stray too far from Vallios' coat tails...What a sweet day that would be!

Vallios waited several paces down the hall, lingering outside the Dining Hall until Lea was at his side. What had Lea done that had spurred Janara into tapping into The Gift? Vallios leaned against the wall nearest to him and closed his eyes for a moment. The events of the day were finally beginning to wear on the warrior, even now he found it hard to keep sleep from overtaking him. Vallios stood next to a large pile of gathered furs, some fine wooden planks, several feastday dresses and various other odds and ends that would be useful in crafting. Hopefully Lea could find something scattered about the assembled materials that she could make something from. Vallios licked his lips and wiped his hands upon the tattered remnants of what had once been a fine tunic. It was laughable how little of Vallios' body was left covered, strips and shreds of a tunic and barely enough pant left to be considered a loincloth. The Baarskor had specially crafted harnesses they wore for fights in which they intended upon tapping into the Gift.

((11 hour shift. yey. I have to be back at work at 4 am and I got home at 8!))
 
((Owls are some of the creepiest things ever o_o And you're crazy... What sort of job is it?))

Lea hesitated for a second, waiting for Janara to pass and find a seat before moving to join Vallios outside of the hall. She did a quick glance over the items the warrior had brought before closing the space between them to pick up as much as the selection as she could manage. Her eyes trailed over the man for a minute before shaking her head slightly and standing up again. More aching muscles... Lea wanted to sleep, but she knew this was more important then sleeping. She could sleep when she was dead, which would come sooner than hoped if she didn't get this gift done in time.

The woman made sure to follow close to Vallios, lowering her eyes to the floor. The fighting spirit that had once been there was now smothered down to a few low embers. Nothing felt right... Her body hurt, her mind was in pain and she hadn't yet had a good, proper chance to morn. This entire time had been focused on finding her a place, challenging that choice and threatening each other to see who was really right. Lea hadn't forgotten that she too lost someone close to her. The city was gone, but she knew what it was like to move. She wasn't worried about that. It was the loss of her last family member that really began to take a toll on her. She was hiding it deep beneath her will to live in this new situation, but now that her body was beginning to argue and break down, it felt ready to slip out into her appearance. She quickly swore to hold it back, to not let it flicker out just yet. She would wait until she was in a more private area, slaving over the fabrics, hopefully while Vallios was sleeping, to let it out.

Then, and only then, would she regret agreeing to this.
 
((Sales))
Step by weary step Vallios lead Lea to the end of the hallway that housed the living quarters. Each room was uniformly built and sized, each one with the same layout. The rooms were twenty feet long and fifteen feet wide, each divided into two separate chambers by a retractable paper screen wall. The bond between Warrior and Maiden was an interesting one; Not all that were Bound were lovers. It was not unheard of for siblings to undergo the binding ceremony in hopes of bringing glory to their family name, nor was it infrequent for the ties that held a Maiden and her Warrior together to be completely platonic. It was due to the variety of situations that the living chambers were standardized, arranged in a fashion that ensured everybody's needs were met.


Even Vallios and Mjarrla's chambers had adhered to this formula initially, though it was obvious the two had taken creative liberties over a space they had occupied for so long. That paper screen had obviously been retracted for many years, if it had ever seen use to begin with. One large bed took up the rear third of the chamber. The walls were lined with shelves bolted to the floor and full of books, scrolls and other texts. Three different work benches filled the gaps between bookshelves and a large chair with soft cushions was bolted into place in the right corner of the room. One of the work benches had a leather bag hanging down from it's surface, that bag full of needles for sewing, shears, catgut strings and strings of many different, finer materials. Several trunks were set between the work benches, each one full of pillaged beads, fine bits of wood and other odds and ends. Obviously both Mjarrla and Vallios enjoyed working with their hands.

Vallios made a beeline for the bed, shedding tattered clothing with every step. Swiftly he slipped under the fur blankets, settling silently into an arrangement on the bed that he felt comfortable. The warrior said nothing when he closed his eyes, more than ready to let waves of sleep overtake him and lift the weight of the world from his shoulders. Within minutes the warrior would be fast asleep, succumbing to the aching fatigue of a battered body. Unfortunately Vallios' dreams would be anything but reassuring, the warrior tossing, turning and mumbling feverishly in his sleep.

With Vallios asleep the chamber was open to Lea to explore. There were treatises on battle, scrolls with chants, stories and other bits of Baarskor history scattered all about the shelves. Though Lea would probably find herself drawn to the gilded harp that hung on the far wall of the chamber. The instrument was of a caliber so fine it seemed impossible mortal hands had shaped it. Many an hour Mjarrla had plucked away at those strings, making music for herself, for Vallios, for anybody who'd spare a second to listen.
 
Lea scanned the new room, instantly pleased that they had a separate space for them to rest in rather then sharing with others on the ship. At least then she could rest peacefully. Or more so than if she was around others. Her hazel gaze followed Vallios to the bed, watching as he laid down and instantly fell asleep. If only she could be so lucky...

The woman let out a soft sigh, quickly eyeing the bundle of cloth spread out on the side of the room but chose to abandon it in favour of working with what she had. Leaving Mjarrla's things alone was going to be important, in her mind, hoping that it would be another way for her to prove herself, that she could work with what she had or what she could do with the items from her own city. As soon as Vallios was asleep, the woman spread out bits of the cloth into a padded seat on the floor, borrowing the shears from the woman's things, and got to work. Cutting and trimming the fine, traded and stolen silk cloth, working a needle through it to make something completely new, adding bits of basic embroidery by pulling threads from the other cloth. On the dark blue bag came a bright, golden harp with strings of varying red and green... Practical yet elegant, and made to survive the worst of beating and carrying anything that could fit in it. She stitched it over and over, making durable seams all the way around.

As the woman worked, she began to think. Her thoughts lead her to her mother who taught her the basics of this art, the priestesses who expanded her knowledge, her father who supported her, the men who protected her... and how every one of them was missing. She didn't even know if the temple had been kept standing or if it too had been ransacked for all it was worth. That was her home for a good part of her life, once her father knew he would have difficulties raising her 'right'. The holy order had turned into a second family for her, but her father had remained the head of it all. And now she had nothing. Just a few things taken from her city, a new village to adapt to, people who seemed to hate her and a whole lot of memories.

Once the pouch was finished, Lea checked it over, making sure it was complete... drawstring and all, made from another piece of fine, durable silk, before she bothered to wipe her eyes and attempt to regain her composure. She shuffled a few of the cloths and furs around into a makeshift bed before laying down and falling asleep with in seconds. The final bits of sleep washed over her, wearing her out as soon as her head hit the pillow. And she didn't wake until morning, curled up beneath the furs in a makeshift bed that was good enough for her in her current situation.
 
Lea would wake to the sight and sounds of Vallios going through his morning routine in not but small-clothes. Several quiet moments were spent stretching, encouraging the vital flow of blood to muscles still groggy from fresh sleep. The Baarskor champion was surprisingly flexible, able to do things such as 'splits' and other acrobatic maneuvers that seemed so out of place for a barbarian. It was apparent by the distant look in those normally fierce eyes that the warrior was moving on instinct alone, allowing muscle-memory to guide his actions as he flowed from movement to movement. Eventually Vallios stopped at a weapon-rack bolted to the far wall of the room. Without a single thought Vallios retrieved a sword nearly as long as he was tall and wider than he was, bladeless and forged from an exotic heavy black metal. The device had been made for training and nothing more, weighted to build strength and balanced to demand perfect form.

The morning sea was doing it's best to be as troublesome as possible, choppy waves slapping against the keel of the vessel and causing the floorboards to wobble from side to side. Vallios glided through the forms with unwaivering focus, making sure every step and movement was swift, direct and efficient. Such mastery was inspiring to watch, Vallios moving with the treacherous ocean sway as easily as a traveler strode across well-cut trails. One hundred steps and swings came and went, then two hundred and finally three hundred, Vallios only stopping when sweat flooded from every pore and his muscles shrieked for relief. The training sword was returned to it's rack with a quiet sigh. Lost in routine Vallios failed to notice whether or not Lea had woke. One about-face turn brought a wooden harp hanging on the opposing wall directly into Vallios' line-of-sight. For a brief moment Vallios paused, finding the world suddenly much heavier. Vallios made his way over and reached out, running a finger along the instrument's frame. Vallios closed his eyes as he pushed painful memory after painful memory from his mind, unable to banish the image of Mjarrla sinking away into the murky depths of the sea...

Most mornings Mjarrla was the first to wake and was normally found with that instrument in hand, playing away the time until Vallios woke and their joint exercises began. The air felt so empty without the singing of those delicate strings. A few moments later Vallios came back to reality, his eyes snapping open. Rather abruptly he left the sleeping chamber, heading out into the hall and down to the far reaches of the under-deck where a large room with warm, wet cloths meant for bathing waited. Long hanging strips of leather formed a door that opened easily but also kept in the heat and steam necessary for proper cleansing. Several servants worked over a large kettle set over a small brass kiln, stirring and preparing the dripping hand-towels that made basic hygiene possible while traversing the sea. Vallios stood quietly before the entrance, trying to think of the last time he stepped through this threshold alone.

((Sorry it's a little short and so delayed. Work's been doing that thing where it consumes my life.)
 
Despite the rocking of the boat and Vallios going through his morning routine, Lea continued to sleep. The events of the day before had her exhausted, dreading waking up, without even knowing she did. The last thing she wanted to see was to wake up to what she could have sworn was a nightmare. But as it was, the auburn haired woman began to stir beneath the bed of furs, only to sit up with a start at one particularly bad trash of a wave. Vallios was still going through his training with the blade and once she got a look around the room, her gaze settled on the man. It was hard for her to see what time it was, but something in her body told her it was early. And another bit told her they were getting close. The unsettling movement of the ship bothered her, attempting to sway with the slightest of shifts. Getting used to the sensation was tough for the woman, but looking at Vallios told her that one could grow used to the movements.

Lea was alert enough to notice the sudden change in the man, a stiff realization coming over him, which sent a chill up her spine. There was no doubt in her mind that whatever it was had to do with the remains of Mjarrla in the room, which pushed her even further into silence. Sadly that meant she missed the moment she had to speak up. Before she knew it, Vallios left the room and was lost to the halls of the ship. He was too far ahead and Lea needed to spend too much time in the room to even dream of catching up with him. After a moment, the stranger found her way to her feet, only to be knocked down again with another crash of the wave. She laid against the floor, letting out a frustrated sigh as he rolled onto her back, blowing strands of hair from her face. 'Damn ships,' she mentally cursed, waiting for the hull to settle before standing up again, gathering up what she could use for some sort of proper covering. There wasn't much, but using the thread she had from the night before, she put together something far better than the clothing she had, not only in covering but in warmth as well.

Once the task was done, Lea took in another breath, steadied herself against the deck and started out of the room. She kept her steps light enough to catch herself with each shift, not wanting to make herself seem even more foolish than she already did. Clearly, she couldn't win over the Baarskor any time soon, so the most she could do was not to embarrass herself in front of them any more than she already had. Luckily it was easy enough for her to find the way to the top of the ship, coming above to see just what time it was. And she was right, it was early. The woman let her gaze turn around the top deck before stepping onto it fully, moving out of the way to give her a chance to get a better look around. Was there a space that she could use for her own needs? It was always better to work outside than it was inside of a small, cramped room when it came to her own morning routine.

It was difficult for her to find a space where she thought she wouldn't get in someone's way, but eventually she found it and settled on the idea that no matter what, she was going to continue as she pleased. Working on a moving ship was rough, but Lea was determined to make it work to her advantage.

With a deep breath, the woman bent backwards, letting her hands settle on the deck, cracking her back in more ways than felt comfortable. Perhaps more padding would be better for the next night... Lea let it air out from her lungs through parted lips, only to take in another of the same sort through her nose, forcing her legs above her head, and the breath out. She repeated the steps slowly, taking it one breath at a time, a movement matching each slow pulse. The shuffle of the ship disturbed her movements, but after a few stumbles, the priestess grew used to the change, being able to predict when each new crash was coming as she went through her forms. On her hands, legs spread into a split then slowly closing again, holding herself on one hand...

That move didn't end well and she landed, back flat against the deck. She let out another frustrated sound, laying for a moment to stare up at the sky until the sea settled again. "Settle down, sea," she cursed aloud to herself, eyes narrowing to the sky. And without another moment to settle, the woman pushed herself up from the deck, returning to he position on her hands with another full breath of the chilled air around her.
 
"These seas are never calm. This is how the North greets all vessels, even it's children."

The words came from a rather large but remarkably soft-spoken man that was making his way past with a mop made of long, thick ox-tail hair strands. Every so often he would spray warm, freshly distilled water onto the deck from the heavy bag fastened to his back out onto the deck. The device was made from a massive swimbladder and a long hose crafted of oil-treated ox-intestine served as the medium to carry the water from bladder to deck. Once sufficient water was distributed the man would return to scrubbing away in contemplative silence. Even the strongest of oils were no match for the salts of the sea and so this task had to be completed several times a day, otherwise the top-deck would rot and crack under the weight of time. Several other men worked across other parts of the vessel performing the same task, all clad in the ankle-length blue robes that marked them as Deckbound. The stranger offered no other advice or conversation as he went about his task.

The Deckbound were considered lowest among the low of all servants and were forbidden from speaking unless directly necessary to complete their duties. Idle chatter resulted in being denied the day's meal and being allowed only the smallest of morsels of bread for that night's supper. Such a position of dishonor was reserved only for enemy warriors who fled from battle. More-often than not the Seeker-hounds apprehended the despicable cowards with little trouble, baying and howling until Houndguides came to retrieve both dog and prey. Captured and shamed, the deserters were brought back to Vaern and subjected to the cruelest of cuts before being dressed in those robes, sentenced to toil until the end of their days aboard the vessel that brought them to the North. As cruel as this treatment was, it was a mercy compared to what awaited the few Baarskorr foolish enough to abandon their people. Baarskor Deserters were pursued by Seeker-hound and Guide, relentless ran down and dragged back to the ships. Forgotten such traitors were deemed, then they were swiftly beheaded, their bodies dragged behind the warships as bait for sharks or other large marine prey. Speaking the name of one of the Forgotten or telling a story involving them was considered blasphemy of the worst sort.

Every mile the ship pushed northwards felt like it's own raging battle. Baarskorr warriors manned riggings, winches and tow-lines, fighting to keep the rippling sails of the Wavebreaker in line with helpful winds while simultaneously deflecting gusts that would force the vessel off-course and into one of the many tidal ridges and shelves that made navigating these seas so treacherous. Sundered Fang Ridge loomed in the horizon, a mass of plateus and steppes that stretched between towering mountain spires. Between the two smallest peaks a valley was nestled, it's slopes and hills facing towards the sea. The arms of the valley reached down to the only accessible landing on the continent. The mighty keep of Vaern rose up seemingly from the ocean itself, the mighty stones and black steel of Baarskorr Harbor waiting hungrily for it's ships. The Baarskorr fortress seemed a mountain of it's own from such a distance, awe-inspiring in it's height and sprawl. Massive ramparts and wide spires, marble terraces and cobbled vistas swirling together to form the ancestral home of the North's legendary raiders.


((It's a much longer journey without a full accoutrement of Skycallers forcing conjured winds into a vessel's sails. The Baarskorr just made a five day journey overnight. They kinda smashed the acorn that was Trept with a 16lb sledgehammer.))
 
Lea's attention was pulled towards the man as he spoke, glancing in his direction. Well he certainly didn't seem to enjoy his current job... Part of the woman wondered what he had done to deserve such work, but another part of her didn't want to ask. But as if on cue, the waves threw Lea back on the deck of the ship, finally dampening her spirits. Of course, the Deckbound didn't help to lighten her spirits either. Once she sat up, the woman sighed and rolled her eyes towards the sky, wishing to get her feet on land once again. The sea was nice in small doses, but she didn't want to be stuck on a ship again for a while, if she could help it. But almost as soon as she had begun to ask for land, her senses alerted her to something on the horizon. The priestess scrambled to her feet to see the first sign of land. She wasn't very well travelled, but the homeland of the Baarskorr couldn't be less than five days away. How had they moved so quickly?

The girl looked around the deck for a moment before she made her way to the bow, taking a spot right at the point to watch as the strange new land approached them. Her eyes trailed over the mountains and every bit of land she could see, coming more into focus as they came closer. Lea would have been lying if she said she wasn't terrified of what laid ahead of her. Vallios had helped to protect her this far, but the man was now somewhere in the ship, not to mention they were coming to the homeland. She couldn't even begin to imagine who might be in charge there. She could hope it was someone she could impress, but with so many against her, the woman's gut was beginning to twist in the most unpleasant of fashions. With what might be her final breath of free air, the priestess closed her eyes, hands tightening on the wood below.

"Protect me, Goddess." Her words were no louder than a mumble, but she knew, just as had happened a hundred times before, her protector could hear her. Lea had done nothing to upset her goddess and if anything, she had gone out of her way this time to help keep her city safe. With all of her hope lying in the female she had given her life to, Lea opened her eyes.

Somehow the shore had grown closer, but the sea had seemed to settle, even for a moment. As they came closer, she knew there would be no need for the sails and their journey would grow calmer. Lea lifted her gaze up a mast, watching as the rope climbing soldiers worked, feeling the pulse of the ocean as a sign. And once she received it, the auburn haired girl found a firm grip on the wooden rails and lifted her body onto her hands, feet barely touching the deck below, giving her a better look down the side of the ship at what might be in the water around them. While she felt the need to return to the room she had spent the night in, the fear of getting in the way of others kept her on the upper deck. Not only could she see where they were going, but Lea knew Vallios had to come to the top deck some time. She could find him then.
 
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