Nicholas & Helen & Thia
[Even the subtitle is awkward]
The two-day - nearly three-day - trip from Lyeydra to Itim had been fairly uneventful for Thia and Katul. They had run into the same wyrm they had encountered on their way to Lyeydra - Thia knew it to be the same wyrm since it still had some flowers petals clogging its nostrils - but this time Tamer and Bond had been able to work in junction to actually kill it this time. It had wasted a great deal of time, but Thia had a feeling if she hadn't taken care of it right away it probably would have chased her all the way to Itim.
As Thia walked through the town towards the docks, Katul had taken to riding on her shoulder, sheltered from view by her hood. It was the mercenary's hope that they would be able to find a boat in search of extra hands bound for Itim.
Nicholas wore a white, cotton sweater as he approached the docks, with a fishing rod in tow. Unlike the first day he had been in Itim, lately the fish weren't as abundant. This probably had to do with a giant predator that ate them all off, and Nicholas hadn't the slightest idea who it was. Of course he didn't. That's what he said to others, anyways. He could, however, just look for somewhere else to fish. Maybe it was his fishing spot, and not the [currently not-so] giant dragon turtle in his pocket. He looked around for a moment; he would have to leave for Issathon in a few days, but he had so much time he doubted he'd even needed to worry. If anything it would hardly be a struggle to get back to Itim again.
Seeing a woman clad in grey, he almost decided to ask her what he should do- before not being sure what to say at simply letting out a slight movement of his mouth that was not too far from a croak in her direction, before he became embarrassed and turned away, still holding his fishing rod over his shoulder and sneaking a hand into his pocket to make sure Helen was okay.
A small hiss came from Thia's hood, Katul's sudden alertness bringing her attention to the man that seemed as if he had been about to address her. Well, she'd have to start asking around somewhere. "You there!" her tone was commanding as she set her shoulder on Nicholas's shoulder to stop him from moving further away. "Do you know of any work that is to be had here?"
Nicholas gulped as he turned back around, walking back towards the woman. He shouldn't have done anything- it seemed that she wasn't about to take "no" for an answer. ...Except for possibly that one question she asked. "Well, I don't think the ships are low on crews or anything of the sort. So around the docks... perhaps serving drinks at a tavern? That doesn't seem like the kind of job you're referring to, though..." Nicholas shrugged. "If you could give me a better description of what you want to do, I could help you out."
So no boats were hiring? Well, that is if she heard him correctly. She'd just have to take a route by land, then. With a derogatory sigh, she said, "Anyone looking on their way to Issathon looking to hire a guard." Narrowing her eyes, she added, "Is that enough for you or must I elaborate?"
"Psh, you're not getting a job with that attitude," Nicholas muttered to himself. Nicholas wasn't exactly fond of her tone of voice, but he'd deal with it. "You could always just latch onto a trading caravan or something going by Issathon, they always need guards. If you want a passage by the sea..." Nicholas sighed. "I mean, it does get lonely with just me and Helen, and I don't want to run into anything aggressive. So I could hire you if you need a job that badly."
Nicholas refrained from mentioning that Helen was an enormous dragon turtle which they'd be riding on.
Thia's suspicion was shared by Katul. Just two people, on their own on a boat? ...Well, he was holding a fishing rod. Perhaps he was a fisher and Helen was his wife? Well, no matter. Work was work. Thia could feel how unsure Katul was, but it seemed they had found a job that would take them to Issathon, so she also felt his satisfaction. "How much are you willing to pay?" Thia asked. She wasn't too terribly worried about the price this time around, since this would be working in her favor, but best to get it out of the way now.
Nicholas had made quite some money with Helen's recent bouts of "fishing," so he wasn't too worried. "How does... 150 gold sound to you?"
'Well, at least he's not as poor as he looks,' Thia thought as she nodded. "That'll do fine."
"Well, then, we'll meet around... Hrm. I'd say we should leave two hours before sunset. Prepare your things and meet me at the far end of the docks." That should be enough space for Helen. Upon thinking of Helen, he felt a small bite on his thigh- she had probably woken up already. "I have to prepare as well, so I'll be grabbing a few things. If you don't show, I'll leave without you, uh... Y'know, I'm Nicholas. Nicholas Vyloft. If I'm gonna hire you, I need to know your name as well, shouldn't I?"
Thia nodded again as he gave her the time and place to meet. "My name's Thia. I don't believe my last name will be necessary." The Rondamar name wasn't too widely known, but she'd rather her family didn't learn there was someone by the name of Thia Rondamar in Issathon until she wanted them to know.
"Indeed it won't be." Nicholas smiled somewhat, and began to walk away before turning back. "Ah, also. I hope you're not adverse to having fish for dinner." After he said this he set off, even knowing full well that they were likely to eat chicken instead.
There was a hiss of laughter from Katul as Thia stared blankly after Nicholas, wondering why what they ate was of any importance as long as they ate. When he was out of earshot, she let out a sigh and spoke to her dragon. "Let's go get some supplies. I need a new whetstone." Katul let out a rumble of assent, his icy blue eyes peering briefly after their new client before he blinked and nuzzled further into Thia's cloak as she too walked away from the docks.
Precisely two hours later, Thia was waiting at the appointed place, new whetstone in one of her cloaks many pockets. Katul was still hidden; he wouldn't come out until they left. Her employer could just deal with having the puk on board when he found out. As long as Katul didn't steal anything though (which he wouldn't unless he wanted to face Thia's wrath), she doubted there would be any trouble. ...Though now she was wondering as she stood there just where Nicholas's boat was.
Nicholas arrived, grinning a bit cheekily. "Ah, you came." He himself wore a white cloak and a brown chestplate underneath it, along with a longsword at his side. His blowpipe was hidden on the inside of his cloak, but Thia had no reason to know this. Under his cloak brown pants and a black shirt were visible. Nicholas couldn't contain himself; her look seemed like it would burn into his eyes and... Actually, he kind of didn't like that right now. He took something out of his pocket- a turtle. "Right, so. I believe you haven't met Helen yet. This, is Helen." The dragon turtle poked it's head out of it's shell, it's flippers extending as well as it felt trust from Nicholas. "And now, Helen is..." Nicholas threw Helen into the ocean. "Over there. And finally..." Nicholas muttered an incantation under his breath, and Helen quickly became huge- a full size Turtorg. Nicholas grinned, but clutched at his head for a moment as he did so. "She's our transport."
Thia retained a surprisingly normal expression as she stared up at the giant turtorg that had fit in the palm of Nicholas's hand up until a moment ago. The only sign of her surprise was a raised eyebrow and a small step backwards as displaced water splashed up onto the dock. Well, that explained the lack of a boat. "You managed to capture a turtorg?" she questioned, not having any problem admiring something that was actually admirable. "That's quite a feat, and not something most people would be able to accomplish. I wonder now why you need me, though I won't complain." A shiver of excitement that didn't belong to her went through her, the source of the eagerness being Katul. She didn't even bother contemplating what was going through the mischievous puk's head; she knew him well enough, after all.
Nicholas didn't bother with details, although he did shrug and blush a little. "I wouldn't exactly say I captured it-" Helen was having a bit of dissent swallowing the fact that someone thought Nicholas had captured her- "but she is with me. I do need help, however, because since Helen'll be... boating us around, I suppose, we can't have her move much and anything that attacks will have to be dealt with by myself, otherwise she'd probably flip around and the like trying to ea- kill it." In truth, Nicholas had also felt a bit bad that he hadn't found another job for the woman, and she seemed like she had wanted to get to Issathon. He wasn't exactly sure why though, unless she was a Tamer... Not likely, he guessed. She seemed like a killer first.
'So he didn't capture her?' this sparked Thia's curiosity as she wondered as to how he obtained the turtorg. Bought her, maybe? That would be quite a hefty price, though; something only a noble would be likely to afford, and he didn't hold himself like a noble. Thia didn't ask questions, though; she'd never see him again after this job was done, so it didn't really matter to her. As long as she made it to Issathon and received her payment, she would be satisfied. "I am prepared to depart when you are."
"That would be now. The sooner we get to Issathon, the better." Nicholas ran off the dock and jumped onto Helen's shell. He almost laid down on it, like he usually did, but it probably didn't make him look so well considering he had company. Instead, he sat down on the shell, cross-legged, and looked through his bag for anything that could be interesting and help him pass the time. "Well, let's get going."
Thia climbed up on top of the turtorg and sat a few feet from Nicholas, close enough to talk but not close enough to seem like a friendly source of conversation.
Nicholas nearly shivered. She's... so cold. Like steel. Ice doesn't seem to fit a woman clad in gray. "Helen, to Issathon! Which is... west!" Helen began her swim as Nicholas took something out of his bag- a pair of needles and an unfinished scarf. He held them with little shame as he began to continue making the red scarf, quiet and focused. Just like his mother taught him.
There was silence between the two after that - until they had put some distance between the shore and them, anyways. Then a sound that was some sort of mixture between a growl and chirp erupted from Thia's hood, then more silence. Then Katul was on Nicholas's head, as if he'd been sitting there all along, his eyes glinting as he stared down at what the man was doing. Thia noticed, of course; Katul hadn't been hiding in her cloak since the first noise he had made. That isn't to say she was doing anything about it, though.
Nicholas lost a lot of his concentration when he felt something creeping up on his head. He poked it's snout, not being entirely sure what it was. It didn't hesitate to chomp down on the finger, a rumble reverberating throughout its tiny body. Nicholas pulled his finger out quickly and shook it. He hadn't exactly expected that. Even if he should've. He glanced at Thia. "The... the creature on my head. Is it yours?" He couldn't really see what it was even if he tried.
Thia finally bothered to turn and look over, gaze moving up to Katul who was... nowhere to be seen. That is, until he poked his head out of Nicholas's bag with another chirp, the corners of his mouth twisted up in an imitation of a grin - something the puk found difficult with his beak-shaped muzzle. "He is," was Thia's simple reply. "I apologize if he bothers you, though I assure you won't have to worry about any of your items going missing as long as I am in your employ."
Nicholas looks back at her, then at his bag, putting down the needles and scarf on his lap momentarily. "Er, as long as I don't accidentally grab him while he's in my bag, he's okay. ...Or if he's eating anything." Nicholas recognized it as a puk after a moment, but didn't pay it too much heed. Criminal deeds weren't something he supported, but he couldn't criticize someone because of that kind of thing because of his own past. Thinking about it made Nicholas feel cliche for a moment, so he shook his head and reached for the dinners he had put in there. "Helen eats as she goes, and I brought lunch for you and I, but what is... he going to eat?" Nicholas looks at Thia for a moment. "I can catch a fish for you, if you'd like." It was on his boat turtorg, Nicholas couldn't just starve the thing.
"I carry food for him," Thia replied. At the mention of food, Katul scrambled out of Nicholas's bag and over to Thia, sitting himself down in front of her as he gazed at her eagerly. "And he knows where to find it," she added firmly, eyeing the puk. Katul let out a growl of complaint, realizing she wasn't about to do the work for him. Well, it was worth a try. The small dragon climbed into Thia's cloak, a few moments later coming out to sit on the surface of Helen's shell, a small pouch gripped in his claws. With a few tugs at the strings that held the pouch closed, it fell open and a few berries tumbled out. They may as well have never been there at all, though, as the moment they were in his sights, Katul gulped each one down.
"He's quite... clever, I suppose." Nicholas looked at the puk, semi-interested. "And quite hungry, too. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you carry quite a few berries for him often."
Thia shook her head. "I only brought these because there wouldn't be any food for him to catch out in the middle of the sea. He takes care of feeding himself well enough when we're on land."
"Ah, okay." Nicholas faintly smiles before turning back to sewing. It would be dark soon, however, and all that they really had was the moon to guide them. It was a good thing the sky was clear that day, otherwise Nicholas would be much more worried.
Katul, meanwhile, had returned to rifling through Nicholas's bag, leaving the two humans to dwell in even more silence as the sky grew darker. Eventually, though, he felt a longing for food from Thia. Oh, he could take care of that! He'd smelled something foody in the bag earlier... There was a dull thud as Katul shoved the container of food out of the bag, soon going after it to shove it towards Thia, promptly ignoring that this food technically belonged to Nicholas. "Katul." The puk froze in his movements to look up at his Tamer. "We don't steal from clients." Katul thought her words over for a moment, choosing for once to take the semi-polite course as he cast a narrow-eyed look at Nicholas.
"From clients?" Nicholas chuckled slightly. "Well, you can eat it. I have another container for myself anyways." Nicholas pulled out his own container and dropped it in front of him, but didn't begin to eat right away, instead focusing on putting away what he had intended to use for making clothes instead.
Thia didn't see why not, so she rose to her feet and went to pick up the container of food Katul was so desperately shoving along, then went back to her previous seated position to eat. Now lost as to what he should do next, Katul glanced about... then remembered they were riding a giant turtle. Thia glanced down at him as she felt his sudden burst of excitement, eyes narrowed, then turned back to her meal.
Katul paid the two humans no more mind as he scurried across the rough surface of the shell, in search of the end that had the head. Of course, he found the tail first. He hissed his annoyance, then continued his voyage around what was to him a continental creature. Eventually, he did manage to find the front end. Gliding down to land on Helen's neck, he crawled along it until he came to her face with its big huge eyes that were just so perfect for poking. So he poked them a few times then moved further down her face to her nose. Oooh, those were some big holes! Katul stared down one of the nostrils in a brief moment of contemplation, letting out a chirp. Which echoed back to him. Oooh, tunnels! Those were the things that echoed, right? Letting out a squeaky growl of delighted laughter, the puk proceeded to crawl into Helen's nose.
Helen's nose wasn't the most sensitive area, considering there were often fish being caught in it momentarily while diving and stuff; that was of course different from having what seemed to be claws hitting the base of her nose and scratching around and perhaps she could've held it in but-
Helen sneezed. It likely launched- no, well, it had definitely launched the puk into the water. Not too far, of course. Maybe twenty feet...? Helen stopped moving for a moment. Maybe it was worth eating, but Nicholas had expressed a few thoughts which had led Helen to think that there was a third person on her back. It was due to this only that she held back from devouring it.
Of course, her stopping her movement didn't mean that an earthquake-esque rumble hadn't run through the shell already, as well as had unexpectedly thrown Nicholas's dinner overboard. Nicholas looked at it fly away with almost a twinge of despair. Not his food, not right now, not in the middle of the ocean! But alas, the container hit the water, the impact letting out the food and drenching it in saltwater. It began to sink, and by the time it had crossed Nicholas's mind to do anything about it, it was long gone. He looked on disappointed for a few seconds, not knowing exactly what to do about it, just staring blankly for a few moments, before looking down at Helen's back. Maybe they had passed a particularly salty part of the sea...? She had stopped as well... He didn't know what to think of it.
Katul's sudden alarm caused Thia to pause mid-bite and look around for the unsurprisingly missing puk. Then it hit her. Katul running around the turtorg's shell, said turtorg sneezing, then the panic she felt from Katul... She walked over to the edge of Helen's shell, crouching to hold onto a ridge in case of another shellshake... and there was some small critter down in the choppy sea, causing quite the ruckus for something so tiny as it splashed about. With a heavy sigh, she turned to Nicholas. "I don't suppose you still have that fishing rod with you?"
"I... I don't. I didn't think I'd need it, and I have nowhere to put it anyways." He blew a low whistle. "Ended up selling it for a few gold." He already knew why she had asked, and he grinned. He removed his cloak and his shirt before diving into the water himself, trying to swim to the dragon- partially because it was the right thing to do, partially because he was pretty sure his employee would kill him if it died or something, and partially because if it was dead Nicholas wouldn't have a chance to criticize either of them on their choice of bothering Helen.
The water was cold, and he bit his lip as he swam towards Katul. He didn't particularly mind, but it was a while since he'd done this- by this he meant just diving into the water without a second thought- and he had forgotten the obligatory sort of shock that came from it.
Katul latched onto Nicholas the moment he was within reach and clambered onto the man's head, teeth clacking together as he shivered, and shook out his wings.
Feeling Katul on his head, Nicholas swam back to Helen- who was simultaneously attempting to move towards him after the slight shock he had after entering the water- and quickly climbed back onto her shell, shivering slightly while breathing quickly and looking for something to dry off with. It was at that moment he noticed he was wandering around without a shirt and looked slightly embarrassed, even if he wasn't in the least bit out of shape.
Katul would have gone straight over to Thia in search of comfort and warmth, but he noted how annoyed she currently was with him and instead stayed cowering on Nicholas's head as Thia's stern glare followed them around. "Katul." The puk stiffened and slowly turned his head to look over at his Tamer. At first, he tried for a look of innocence; but even if Thia hadn't been able to feel his shame, she wouldn't have been fooled. "Bag." His look immediately wilted as he reluctantly jumped down and went over to her. Katul once again rifled about in the cloak for a few moment before coming out with another pouch, this one empty and larger than the one that held his berries. He cast Thia a sulky look before crawling into the bag, which was then tied closed by Thia.
Instead of putting the pouch back in her pocket, Thia removed her sheathed sword from her back and placed it next to her, then took the cloak off and held it out to Nicholas. It was the only thanks he was really going to get.
Isn't he gonna suffocate in there? Nicholas looked at the cloak which Thia held out for a few moments before going a bit red and taking it. He muttered something along the lines of "not even a word" to himself, but he couldn't deny that the cloak was pretty warm and he was pretty curious about where it was from. "Where'd you get this cloak?" He wasn't sure why he asked, but of course he did make clothes- this probably wasn't too odd of a question.
Thia raised a brow at the question, but explained anyways. "I had a weaver in Kin'unda make it to my specifications."
"Kin'unda, huh?" Nicholas looked at her, interested. "I've never stayed long enough to learn more about the trade from them; all I know is what my mother taught me." Thia simply grunted in reply. Small talk had never really been something she'd enjoyed, and the conversation was beginning to bore her. Nicholas continued, but her grunt dampened his spirits somewhat. No, not somewhat. Quite a bit. "Have you been to Issathon?" He asked this quietly, not really sure if it would disturb her or not. The whole trip felt like walking on thin ice.
"I have," was Thia's simple reply.
"Well..." Nicholas pushed for some more. "What is it like?"
"You'll find out when we get there," she replied irritably. "I'm not a tour guide."
Nicholas shuddered and stayed silent. He wasn't about to lose his cloak privileges. Thia didn't mind this at all and allowed the silence to envelope them both.
As it became darker and darker, Nicholas pulled a lantern out of his bag, and with the swift strike of a match lit it. He motioned to Thia. "Rest. It's still early evening, and I have the power to defeat anything that comes out now on my own." He shuffled slightly, grabbing his sword and slashing at the air, checking his swing. It hadn't faltered a bit. "If you have more energy later, you'll be a lot more effective at fighting whatever could show up. I'll wake you in three hours."
Thia had no reason not to comply; there wasn't really anything in the sea that would risk attacking something as large as a turtorg, so she knew she wouldn't be needed until they got closer to their destination, if she even ended up being needed at all. Before she settled herself down, though, she held a hand out to him, giving him one simple word. "Cloak."
Nicholas removed the cloak quickly and handed it to her just as fast. It was a warm cloak, but he wasn't about to lose anything over it. "When I wake you up in a few hours, I'll be out for a while. You'll probably be on your own until the deepest night settles in, and around then, just wake me if there's trouble." He doubted there would be, but it was worth mentioning.
"If I'm needed any earlier, don't hesitate to wake me," Thia said as she set her sheathed sword by her side and wrapped herself in the cloak, using it as a blanket. She fell asleep almost instantly; and when the time came, she would awaken just as suddenly. Something she had conditioned herself to do, since she never knew when she would next be able to rest.
After she had fallen asleep for a moment, Nicholas gritted his teeth. It was hard not to fall asleep like she just had. "Sleep... Sleep is for the Weak!" His skin glowed with the quiet mutter, and the Turtorg harrumphed a bit. Helen didn't get much sleep on this trip if any, because sleeping a pocket was tons more comfortable. But regardless, Nicholas stood watch for a good... well, almost three hours.
He roused Thia quickly before his time was up. "You're up. I'll be able to assist in a few hours..." He stumbled onto the floor, the side effect beginning to take place. "Just make sure nothing goes wrong, okay...." And with that, Nicholas was out cold.
Thia got up without complain and sat with her back turned to Nicholas. After a few moments of silence, she reached into one of the pockets of her coat and pulled out the pouch that still held Katul. She opened it and, cradling him in one hand, set the sleeping puk on her shoulder. At being moved, Katul blinked an open sleepily, readjusted himself into a more comfortable position, then dozed off again.
There was just the barest hint of sunlight along the horizon when Thia caught the first glimpse of their destination. The inner walls of Issathon were still a few miles inland, but even from that distance they were visible to her. The outer, shorter walls ran closer to the water, but were still about a mile away from the shore. Facing the sea was a large gate that was currently closed, but by the time they reached it, it would have been opened with the coming of dawn. Between the wall and the sea was what looked like a miniature village, with a few small buildings. In actuality, these buildings weren't so much living quarters as they were storage sheds, though there was one inn bordering the whole lot, serving to house those who weren't able to make it inside the gates before nightfall.
Right along the shore were the docks, with a few rather grand ships docked by them. The docks of Issathon weren't used so much for trade and didn't get near as much business as Itim did, and what few ships did come and go from the capital were mostly those on diplomatic trips.
"Katul, wake him up, would you?" Thia murmured to the puk on her shoulder. Katul looked up at her groggily, letting out a squawk of complaint at having been woken for such a menial task, but nevertherless glided over to Nicholas. He climbed up on the man's head and let out a high-pitched screech right in his ear before scampering back over to Thia.
"Gyah!" Nicholas rolled over, not exactly sure what had just happened to his ear but it certainly hurt quite a bit, reaching for his side at the sword that would have normally been there- and it was. Noticing his surroundings, he eased a bit and almost made a remark on what had just happened to his ear before reminding himself that it was likely to have no effect on Thia anyways. He muttered something under his breath and grabbed his bag, stretching and yawning, looking ahead at Issathon.
It was probably unlike anything he'd ever seen.
Compared to the Orskel Islands [where he had grown up], Honim, or Arddyn, Issathon's walls and general exterior appearance were definitely way more majestic and grand- if memory served. [The amount of dragons being housed- if any- however, could change his opinion slightly.] The ships were much better than the now seemingly poor ships from Ormild, and he couldn't help feel just a slight bit jealous towards the inhabitants of Issathon. And the treasures that could lay inside! Nicholas's heart started to race. Treasures, secrets, awe! It probably took him a few moments to look something other than dumbstruck to his companions.
That aside, Nicholas walked up to the Turtorg's head, tapping it a few times. It seemed to have been simply drifting a bit in an attempt to relax, but Helen looked up at him as he grinned. "Full speed." Helen had no protest, turning towards the docks and preparing herself to quickly propel towards the docks. Nicholas had no desire to wait to arrive. He motioned to Thia. "Stay balanced. It may be a good idea to sit down, actually." He himself sat down, and felt the Turtorg under him begin to stir quietly, before propelling itself extremely quickly towards the docks, where men watched, gaping at the huge dragon turtle coming their way. And also waving hands. And also pointing at Nicholas frantically. Nicholas himself just yawned; this was the regular response. As long as they were aware they weren't enemies.
By the time the turtorg had "docked", Katul had once again hidden within the deep recesses of Thia's cloak. Thia stepped - or more like hopped, considering the distance - from the shell to the dock, then turned to wait for Nicholas. Once they reached the gate, her job would be finished - if she had even been needed in the first place - and then she would simply have to bide her time until the full moon arrived.
Nicholas stepped off the Turtorg himself quickly after gathering his things without a second thought, and muttered under his breath, watching the Turtorg shrink quickly until it was nothing more than a small turtle not too far from the edge of the dock. It swiftly maneuvered itself towards Nicholas, who held out his hands and scooped Helen up. Slipping her into the pocket of his white cloak, he ran a hand through his hair and began to walk to the gates that had just a moment ago opened for the morning. Upon approaching them, Nicholas counted out one hundred and fifty gold from a pouch in a hidden compartment in his bag, and held it in an outstretched hand. "Your payment. I'm going to guess this is where we part ways. See you around...?"
"Possibly," Thia replied indifferently as she pocketed her payment. Usually she wouldn't even consider the possibility that she might see an employer ever again, especially this one since she rarely traveled by sea and he seemed like a sea fellow himself, but she had an inkling suspicion about him and that dragon of his. "Farewell," she said with a stiff nod, before turning and walking away.
