The Road to Navahla (A'kana & Fenris)

[Deleted]

The Road To Navahla
Characters Involved
Fenris Vidarr (acairnofrage)
A'kana Malu (temptofblack)
NPC

Unsure of how he’d react, or how much of his guard was up and now permanent, Kana kept her movements slow, her eyes direction and her words purposeful. It eased her tension to feel him yield to her, to see his large hands move in so gentle a way as to accept her in to his torment, to reveal that pain and still assure her a bit of warmth. He was a strong soul, Fenris. She knew that well enough.. though in retrospect, the strength of the rage and anger harboring in his heart might surely, someday, bring desolation and wrath. Was it wrong for her to want to help him? To want to BE that anchor securing him or the warmth slipping in to his bones? Filling his heart? Kana had never once experience such a drive before—a purpose of her own. For the rest of their journey, which was spent without questions, but with many nudges of affection, their words had been few and far between. It left them to think. Or, it at least left Kana to think, all about the ‘new’ of this new life, this promise with him. As the mountains faded in to the background and the chilly wind sank away in part, their path traced back along the prior two days and to the outskirts of Delving. Kana looked off in the direction of the port, unable to see it.. but she could feel it there. Her nose could nearly smell the burning pyre that would have been the pirate’s ship. She felt good about that, even if her revenge had never been able to play out. Fenris beat three of them to a pulp, but never had her futile attempts connected with a single living soul. They’d mistreated her for days, on that ship. A full crew of men. Knowing there to be another five out there, including the Captain? It had her LOOKING for one of them. Any face that she could lunge at and rip in to. The edge of anger danced up along the woman’s vertebrae, coiling and building at the base of her neck, enough to push tension out across her shoulders. A little voice in the back of her mind repeated, over and over.. that they were only here for clothing. They needed something to keep the chill off of her. Proper boots, too. The internal fight twisted about without so much as touching her façade. At least.. for now. Through the outskirts and in to the main commerce area of the city, she followed Fenris' direction. Some things caught her eye, here or there, and she'd pause to give them a look-see, though always caught back up. Even in the busy afternoon, it wasn't hard to lose the big guy.

The days had passed in a blur for him. Each step once again taken towards the city was much as the last. Booted feet carried him back down the mountain, back through the swamp, even back to the clearing and the cave they had first shared. He let her keep to her thoughts, as she let him tend to his. Allowing him to once again bind those memories in heavy chain and sink them down beneath the walls he had erected. their conversations short and often times simply done for the basic needs. Hungry? Thirsty? Cold? Tired? Though when she would act to remind him of her care, he returned it in kind. Paying back each soft look with a king gaze. Each lingering touch evolving into a heart felt embrace. Every sweet kiss given back in double. When they finally found themselves amongst the civilized world, she saw the subtle shift. Out in the wilds, for her and her alone, she let him see him smile or hear his laughter. Here, among others, he was what she had seen before she had known him or the weight he would forever carry. Each step taken was done with a quiet confidence, an air of authority marking that it was ground he claimed, not simply ground he crossed. Eyes as hard as a smithy's anvil cut down into people as they strode too near to him or her. Thickly muscled shoulders easily, effortlessly moved aside those foolish enough to try to force him to stray from the path they took. While the Captain had shown no sign of wanting to continue the fight that night upon the ship, that did not mean that his pride had not been wounded. It did not mean that friends or allies would not come calling. Fenris balled his hands into fists, bunched his shoulders, jerked his arm upwards as if to strike on several occasions. the tension mounting within both A'kana and himself all but evident with each passing moment. When she would pause to linger over something, he would wait. Not wanting to be further from her than a few strides. He marveled at how the Huntress in her came forth, how easily she allowed for faint glimpses of her other side to serve as ample warning. Keeping far from the docks, he lead them to a large general store. People moving in and out of it with goods to be either sold or ones purchased. With a nod of his head he walked them inside and over to the front counter. Reaching down to the belt of his trousers he pulled free the coin purse and dropped it upon the table, the merchant's head perked up at the sound of coin upon coin. "Clothing and supplies for winter. For us both." Hooking a thumb to A'kana, he stepped back to allow the help to size by eye both he and the island woman. "She does not care for cold."

Kana was content in the silence between them, simply because he reacted to her in other ways. Ways that did not need words to prove his wish of her at his side. She took to the silence with measured ease, having lived a third of her life with few words, as was. Her prior companion, the Dream Spinner of Ale’vine, had little for words, too. It was all looks and quiet understanding, and perhaps the occasional, reassuring touch. He was something of a father figure for her after her own father had passed in so horrid a way. Or perhaps something of a spirit guide, having taught Kana so many ways she still practiced today—that way to balance herself. To control tendencies. Kana was not an expert, not by far, though would not drop the lifestyle simply because of this new path. She had her moments, but most of them were allowed to feel more positive aspects of life, now. Fenris increased those things, for her—giving her laughter and broader smiles, more than she’d had over the prior decade. He gave her that, and over the course of a single week (barely) they started to grow an affinity towards one another. Kana knew more of his ‘looks’, his gestures, his tone. The way he moved had started to prompt the reaction of her own body, too, as if she were supporting the brawler on a continuous battle field. The whole while they moved through the markets, every shift he’d give another, or ever rise of his fist drew her attention. Each and every instance, Kana’s abilities honed in and were readied there, her body always within ten feet behind him. The huntress was infact there, no longer solo in her hunt. When finally they’d find the general store, the woman’s eyes went saucer-wide. WOW! Look at all of that! She’d never seen so many goods in one place, not even in the markets at Ale’vine’s west side. This. Was. Huge! At first, Kana didn’t hear Fenris or the storekeep. She was glued to one spot, jaw hanging, slowly moving her eyes over everything. It took the keep coming around, addressing her and motioning her to follow for her eyes to snap down and realize he existed! A small glance went to Fenris, and with his assurance, she’d follow after the man, left then to peruse racks of clothing. It all looked so strange to her! Some pieces made her snicker, others got a wince and the sticking out of her tongue.. though one pair of dark-leather breeches, lined in grey fur on the insides, caught her attention. Holding them up against her hips, she pondered down at the slightly long legs of the pair. They could be rolled up. She’d make them work. They looked so warm! Kana proceeded to pick out a heavier, long-sleeved tunic, heavy boots that rose to her knees and a triple-thick cloak with an odd placing of buttons down along its front, to keep it together well. She wasn’t done there, either! A thick black belt with platinum buckle, an ornate, cheap little ring she liked the look of, and even a few bands to put in her hair. She had no intent of letting Fenris buy these things, either. No, the gold she’d swiped from her pirate captors was more than enough for these things. Through all the time it took to try on and pick out, green eyes would find him every few minutes, assuring him still there. Perusing what it was he picked out for winter wear.

He watched her with quiet admiration and a humor that trickled into the corners of his eyes. This was a new experience for her, that much he knew. More than once he had to bring a hand up to cover his mouth as if in thought over a garment or trade good. Though the lines in the edges of his eyes and at the ends of his hand spoke of the smirk he was trying to mask. The way she kept looking around, seeking him out in the crowded shop, had him close the distance. Leaning down to whisper in her ear as he passed her by. "A doomed man." The wink he gave as he passed served to strengthen the small phrase. The one nobody save them would understand. The one she had spoken to him in the cavern of the moon moss and thermal pools. The promise that he was not going to leave her side. The seeds not long planted and sunk their roots deeply, ever pressing further and further into him. There was something between them, perhaps even a passing glance from others might have noted it. The lingering glances, the subtle facial expressions, the small hand gestures that to the outside world made no sense at all, but to them spoke volumes. Fenris was from the north, from the cold lands of ice and snow. The majority of his clothing had worked to serve to protect him. Yet, the majority of his clothing had been torn apart to make those cloth foot-wraps for A'kana. A small and willing sacrifice to get her to this place. The keep reached out to grab the bottom torn end of the tunic he wore, trying to pull it up so that he could see the extent of the damage. Fenris hand snapped down quickly, catching the man by the forearm and forcing his hand away. That rune branded down upon his hip nearly exposed. With a shake of his head, Fenris' gruff voice could be heard. "I know my own size, do not touch me. Tend the woman." With a slight shove away, Fenris moved to the racks and began to seek out what he would need to replace that which was lost. A few thicker and long sleeved shirts, a pair of trousers made of thick hide and fur, and even a large section of heavy cloth to be used to patch things torn. The colors he seemed to pick above others were those of the earthen types; deep browns, light tans, soft grays. The color scheme the world was falling into this time of year. Fenris passed over those tables and displays of decoration. Never even looking down upon them. The thick metal runic ring upon his finger, those brown leather bracers with the tan stag's head emblazoned upon them, and the simple necklace of leather cord with metal emblem all he needed. When both he and a'kana had all they wished, he stuffed his own belongings into the pack he carried before shouldering it once more. A hand reached out to pull coins from the purse and drop them on the counter, a glance given to A'kana as he did. She would not pay this time. It was simply the way he had been raised, the men provided, and the women tended. There was little else he could do. When the transaction was completed, Fenris moved to the door and held it open for them. Stepping into the street he reached out and caught a passer-by upon the shoulder. "Mage?" His common once more falling into broken and rough. The guise of being simple, perhaps a dullard, worn again in the company of others.

Of course she wanted to make sure he was there—imagine losing him in THIS place. With the pirates out there?! Kana was confident in her abilities, since she was untied this time, but not –that- confident. When he crossed over, speaking of his doom, Kana’s slightly jagged smile came in to full view. The shopkeep might have even gasped a little at seeing it. She didn’t care. Smiling eyes turned over her shoulder to the big man, finding his gaze and wink. It helped her to hear that, he’d be able to tell, what with the easing across her shoulders. The promise of his presence gave Kana her own anchor. Something of a stable ground beneath her feet. She might have been wild, but that didn’t mean her world didn’t need some sort rotation, direction. Fenris was quickly becoming that for her. When Kana finally got to the counter, she was wearing half of the things she wanted! The boots, ring, belt and cloak were all on, already. His cloak, the couple of tunics she wanted and the furry breeches were all there over her arm, ready to be paid for or given back. He might need his cloak, no? She’d look over the things he was purchasing, noting then the look given her, and the coin set out on the counter. He was… paying? …. While the notion wasn’t beyond her, knowing the generally accepted way that a man was to ‘provide’ for his woman.. it was still strange! The loner in her had always provided for herself. She never had this, much like she’d never the chance to actually tend someone. Kana blinked softly through the thought. She wanted to be that way with Fenris. As much as she fought something like this, for all of those years, angering her parents and tribe mates to no end… she finally knew what it was to care for someone like this. That it happened in a week’s time? Didn’t phase her. It felt natural. After they secured their things, Kana made sure to slip his cloak back over his shoulders, caring not for the eyes that saw her nimble fingers securing the piece over him, smiling softly while doing so. Then? It was back out into the chill. Stepping through the opened door, she stepped to the side, casting her gaze over the area and all in their midst. She never expected him to pluck one of the commoners out of the mass, having looked at him with a little surprise then. A mage? What did he want a mage for? Only after he’d get his answer and they were moving again, did Kana give him the questioning look.

He stood there and allowed for her to place his cloak upon his shoulders, even bending at the waist to alow for her to properly attach the heavy iron pin that kept it in place. Standing once more to his full height, he cast that sharp gaze down upon her. Her extra things were grabbed and shoved down into the pack, which now with her along, was becoming slightly more full than ever it had before. A'kana stood before him, outside, where the wind and cold could get to her.......and for once she was not with chattering teeth or shaking body. A sigh of relief and thanks given as he placed a hand to the small of her back, fingers kneading through the layers of clothing she now wore as he guided her towards where the man had answered. Once they were clear of the typical hustle and bustle of the streets he brought both hands out in front of him, the gestures as slow as the words passing between them. When and why he had begun to use gestures with speech was lost to him, but it was serving a purpose. It helped them to understand one another. To bridge that gap between their tongues. "We are far south of Westby, many weeks of walking, months with winter coming. A mage can send us there in the blink of an eye. I do not trust them, but everyone uses them. I want us in the Inn before the first heavy snow. We will use a mage to get to Westby, and one there to get to the Inn." Turning them down yet another of the twisting cobbled streets, he paused to look for what the man had told him. After a moment he found it looming above the roofs of the other buildings. Always. Why did mages always have to cloister themselves away in tall spires and towers? did being above all those mundane souls beneath you serve to bolster your power? Or just your ego? With a slight curl of his lips in disgust, Fenris began to march them towards the tower. At the door he would reach for the handle but hold his hand, keeping it away from the shining brass knob. Instead he hammered the oak with a fist, knocking loud enough for any inside to hear him. After all, the memory of what one feline mage could do, still lingered in the front of his thoughts.

Before they stepped out, Kana went so far as to find a bit of a changing room that was built off and behind the counter. The keep seemed very eager to allow her to use it. It might have been due to the large fellow standing not three feet from him, and not truly from him having a nice bone in his body. Who knows? She couldn’t care. That said, when she crossed out in to the chilly wind in her knew boots, breeches, tunic and cloak—the world was much more bearable! No, aside from a flinch at the cold hitting her face, there were not shivers or chatters. Kana was dressed for an all-out blizzard, but it was what she needed to fend off even this minor autumn chill. As they walked and ‘talked’ via hands, her attention rested comfortably on Fenris. She needed to watch and listen closely to patch the meaning of his words properly with the movements of fingers and palms. Drawing a slow breath, her eyes registered all he spoke of. She’d even nod and smile some to the notion offered. “’ae.. “ Yes. Of any Te-Pua Koy words, he was surely getting used to that one by now. Still following with him, albeit a few paces behind (given his longer stride), Kana sent her gaze up, up and up again to the roost’s top. Well. Immediately she turned her gaze to the other buildings in the area, which were considerably shorter and less top heavy. One eye began to narrow, blinking outright with the sudden BANG! of a knock sent in to the poor, crackling woodgrain of the door. Her eyes went a little wide, mouth working on a slow grin. Unless the Mage was deaf, they’d have heard that one! Hell.. even if the mage WAS deaf, they’d have felt the foundation of their home shake! Remaining there in wait, her eyes kept watch on the streets, buildings and each passerby.

The door would open though nobody was seen on the other side. Brows screwed downwards as he narrowed his eyes towards the open foyer just behind the entrance. He knew that he had knocked upon the door to a mage, knew that they commanded powers that were beyond the realm of man. Still, seeing a door open and seeing nobody behind it was something he was not accustomed to. with a a faint snort he rose his hand to bring it once again upon the now open door.

"That will not be necessary, my boy. I doubt you would fancy if I were to come to your domicile and hammer upon your door more than was needed." The voice was low, not in pitch, but in proximity. The higher pitched, nasal sounding voice coming from below even A'kana's belt line.

Taking a reflexive step back, his one arm crossing over in front of A'kana and forcing her away as well, Fenris snapped his attention down.......and then down more.......until he saw the source. A gnome. Fenris had until this moment never seen one. He had heard the tales of them from their racial cousins, the dwarves (which he thought were the shortest of the civilized beings), but never had he seen one. Bulbous nose, wide cunning eyes, large ears, pot bellied, with a long gray beard, balding on the top of his head.....the cherubic gnome simply looked odd to him as the mage stood there tapping a small foot and waiting for the business to get to hand. Waiting. With a faint shake of his head as he came to terms with the small one. "We need to travel to Westby, now. After, from Westby to Navahla."

At the sound of the door, Kana’s ears twitched and her eyes set their green-hued path over towards the door—where there should have been a face of some sort. There was no one there? She perked a bit, then shoved back at Fenris’ direction, or rather, that of his arm. Being a foot shorter than her counterpart left his elbow coming back at the center of her chest, nudging her behind the trunk and in to his protection there. It made her grin—especially when she got around to seeing who the ‘threat’ was. A cute little gnome!!! She’d only ever met two in her lifetime, and that was at Ale’vine’s markets, trading shells and reef that she’d dove for. They used them in who knows what, but always paid her well enough. The mirth in the short one’s face gave her a want to curl up around him and snuggle him to death. She wouldn’t, of course.. though part of her twitched to keep her smile from edging up at the thought of it. There came nothing of interjection, verbally, though she did grip Fenris’ arm to bring it down a little bit, holding it gently at her side, fingers gripping and kneading for a flash of a second. Watching between the two, Kana listened and understood what she could.

"Just why, pray tell, should I offer such a service to the likes of you? He, who beats so furiously upon my door as if the fates of the world rest upon your thick shoulders and that heavy brow?" The gnome cast a faint wink towards A'kana. The little spell bender was keen to many things, her hidden smile one of them. the mischievous manner of his race causing him to have to pester and prod the larger man. It was simply in his blood. To see how things worked. To tinker and fidget. To test and meddle.

Patience. Temperance. These were not the hallmarks of your typical Zorcan. They especially were not high on the traits in which Fenris had in quantity. One hand reaching out, this time not to crash against the door, but instead to wrap around the edge of it. Pinning it within that vice like grasp as if he meant to keep it from being shut upon his face. Those light green eyes narrowing in the edges as he cast his glare down to the gnome. A creaking sound began to fill the silence, followed by several loud pops and a grinding noise. Small fissure ran out along the door from beneath Fenris' hand. The tendons along the back of his and standing out rigid and taut as he squeezed the wood beneath the rough flesh. Say one thing for Fenris Vidarr, say he was blunt. The way the hard oak crumbled beneath his grasp as if it were nothing more than rotting wood. releasing the door and reaching out to clap the gnome on the shoulder, leaving fragments of his own door upon his smaller shoulders. Actions spoke louder than words, and obvious threats often worked far better than subtle ones. A faint turn in the corner of his mouth had Fenris smirking, the only answer he would give before walking into the tower behind the gnome.

The gnome’s words to Fenris had Kana wincing, and obviously so. The little one’s wink in her direction? Got the return of warning, wide-eyes and a miniscule shake to her head. Not good! Warning, warning! All that testing and meddling ended with the distinct little cracking sounds beneath the big guy’s hand—and no matter of the grip she had on his ‘free’ arm, nothing was deterring Fenris from making his point. Watching the little crusty pieces left on the mage’s shoulder, green eyes followed after the mountain man when he left her side and pressed forward, just … walking inside without a care! He left her with the gnome, who was likely gawking at the damage, to give him an uncomfortable smile. What would he do now? Surely, after that, he could still deny the help… but he might not have a home if he did. Kana waited there, only stepping inside after the mage would, moving then to gingerly close the door behind. It didn’t shut quite like it used to… Pursing her lips, she’d turn from the damage and pace in a few steps, casting attentive sights over the main room of the mage’s home, or tower. Whatever this was. Such an odd structure.

Intimidation was not a language unknown to the gnomish mage. And while he could conjure balls of fire, bolts of lightning, frozen spears of hovering ice.....what he could not do, was know if he could finish the casting before the hand of the Northman closed around his thin neck. Swallowing hard as he was ushered into his own home, watching as the door did not close as it should have, he shook his head. Why must he always tinker? With a faint shrug and an easy smile, he snapped his fingers and the door mended itself. Turning back towards the odd pair, an Island woman and a Northman, how very strange. "To rid my house of your presence, I will gladly send you to Westby. To give you something to get you to Westby to Navahla, I only ask that you one day return and explain to me how one from Alzorc, and one from the Anoi'pua Islands ended here, together, trying to get to a place that neither hail from and is not their true destination." Reaching into a bowl on the table the gnome removed a small walnut, bring it to his mouth and whispering into the creased shell. With a flick of the wrist he tossed the nut to A'kana and chuckled. "Open it to get to your next location." As he waved those chubby little fingers the world around them twisted and spun, sucking them down into a swirling void. Only a second later, would the two be spit out upon the soft sand of the beach of Westby.

Intimidation was a language that Kana knew—but Fenris’ brand was much more intense that what she’d experience before! Shifting her eyes around the place, to her giant and back around to the mage, Kana tried to ‘feel out’ what might happen there. One stop from Fenris’ boot could jellify the small creature, of that she was sure, but still, mages had their ways. If a quarrel were to transpire, here, the little man would have not only a Zorcan to deal with—but also a hungry jaguar. A single action against Fenris could easily shift her soft smile to something far more sinister. Was that fact something that could clearly be picked up on by sharp eyes? Likely—even being only a week in to their.. whatever this was. Relationship? Listening to the gnome’s agreement to help, Kana had moved to catch the nut as it was sent her way. His request for knowledge deepened her smile, as did the oddity of a magical item. A magical, teleporting nut. Even she snickered in looking at it. No sooner had she looked to Fenris then did the swirling effect settle in around them, sucking them into an abyss, only to cough them out in haphazard fashion into the grain of cool sand. She landed on her back, having shifted to try and right herself in some way, what with there being no ground left beneath her feet! When gravity returned, Kana found herself face to the sky, blinking rapidly. It took some time for the dizziness to subside, and for searching, disoriented eyes to try and find Fenris.

Fenris watched the gnome like the wolf watched the stag. Eyes wide and pupils fixed, the muscles along his frame quivering in anticipation. Waiting for the signal that this was going to turn into something bloody, something nasty, something he could nderstand fully. Then, the gnome....laughed and tossed the pair a walnut. Screwing up his face in confusion, which only deepened as the world spun around him. When it halted it's chaotic turning, thew world was dark, and he couldn't breathe. Twisting and thrashing, he found that he had been laying facedown in the sand of a beach. Snarling as he stood, offering a hand to A'kana before brushing himelf violently off. "Gnomes........"

To Be Continued.....

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