Early the next morning, when the sun had just peeked over the eastern horizon, what appeared to be nothing more than a merchant vessel landed at the royal docks. Below the well-kept top deck planks, an ivory-and-green scaled hand gently pushed at harshly tanned flesh.
"We are here."
Rafa, who'd been shamelessly lying on the bare cabin floor since he'd been nearly carried aboard by Aleksei the night before, only grunted.
"How many shots of that demon piss did you two take?" Iordyn complained, head in his hands as he sat on the edge of a cabin bed.
"Is... he talking?" Rafa groaned. Iordyn rolled his eyes and threw himself back on the bed.
"I am telling him to stop at just one, but he is matching me until five," Aleksei shrugged.
"I don't... know... for... for sure... if I could count. To five," Rafa slurred, rolling over and looking straight above him.
"So how long until you puke?" Iordyn sighed. "My older brother does this. He always pukes afterward."
Rafa shook his head slowly, feeling as though his brain were moving in his skull as he did. "I think... I... huh. I'm still drunk."
Just at that moment, one of the sailors poked his head into the males' cabin. His eyes instantly went down to Rafa, who'd finally decided to attempt getting up. The attempt was miserable, since he had a remarkably difficult time figuring out whether he was leaning on a wall, the floor or possibly even the ceiling.
"Almost I am not believing that he is training in Waymoot," Aleksei smiled sadly, looking directly at Iordyn as he spoke. "Is this true?"
"What?" Iordyn sputtered.
"Is it true that he is training only in Waymoot?"
"I- I don't know that," Iordyn retorted, confused.
With a vaguely pleased, but lazy laugh, Rafa answered for himself. "Uh huh, I was."
"I wonder why you are not spending much time in Marsember- do you not wonder this, Ser Raibeart?" Aleksei continued, still looking directly at Iordyn. The archer, for his part, sat up and narrowed his eyes at the Dragonborn.
"What? No," Rafa breathed, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment as he located what he knew to be one of the chain supports for what was supposed to have been his cot. Grabbing on to it as though he needed it to survive, he successfully pulled himself to his feet. "Waymoot, the whole time. I never...whoa... never trained in-"
"You're trying to get over on-" Iordyn began as he leaned forward.
"That's a shame," the sailor mused. "You're no Blue Dragon, to be sure, but every Purple ought to at least get past this. C'mon, we've touched shore- you can make it back to land, right?"
"And when I do, I'll kiss it," Rafa replied, his laughter coming out in puffs that seemed to push his body to one side.
On the other side of the boat, Mi'ishaen had gotten up earlier than Silveredge, but didn't leave the cot right away. She had turned halfway out, so that her hooves were prepared to meet the floor, when she discovered that the lump at the end of the cot hadn't just been a bunch of blankets. She scooted over toward the end of the cot just in time for Silveredge to unfurl herself from the ball of covers she'd wrapped herself in. Her silvery hair peeked out in bumps, and her sleepy eyes still caught what little of the morning light pushed itself through the peep hole above the cots. Mi'ishaen felt herself smiling at the Shadar-kai's early morning cuteness.
"You spent all night down there?" she asked quietly.
Silveredge nodded wordlessly.
Mi'ishaen pulled her legs back in and scooted behind Silveredge so that she could put herself at the end of the cot. "Fine. Your turn."
The two women looked at each other, with Silveredge's embarrassed but pleased smirk meeting Mi'ishaen's playfully challenging eyes, until Iordyn knocked outside the open entryway to their cots.
"Hey," he said without entering. "Have... erm... have either of you seen your dog?"
Silveredge pulled the covers back so that her head and shoulders were completely exposed. "Niku?"
There was a slightly confused canine whine from a corner of the cabin that light hadn't touched yet. After a few scratching noises and a second canine note of a completely different key, the tattooed battle hound padded quietly over to the females' shared cot, sat down, and put his fore paws into it.
"Valeria!" Iordyn exclaimed, having recognized the second canine sound immediately "Why did you-"
"Is Niku fixed?" Mi'ishaen whispered to Silveredge.
"Valeria isn't," Silveredge whispered back as she briefly ducked her head behind the Tiefling's shoulder. "Niku thought he was dominant, poor little brother." She began giggling softly, which brought Mi'ishaen's hands to her face in a strange, but genuine show of girlishness.
Valeria, with her whip like tail popped up and to one side, padded over to Niku and put her nose squarely between his central ribs in the attempt to get his attention. Niku, who'd put up with such advances all night, simply hopped up into the cot with the two women to avoid her.
"He's got her coming to him," the Tiefling breathed, trying not to laugh too loudly, "I'd say he still is."
"Get over here, Valeria. And- we're here, so- so let's go," Iordyn managed, feeling somehow embarrassed.
A four-man Purple Dragon team stood a respectful distance away from a grey haired, bespectacled, robed Human male for better than a half hour before Aleksei helped Rafa down the plank to the land. All the group's belongings had already been put off the ship, but neither male made any move toward them. Behind them walked Iordyn, who had decided to put Valeria on a very short strap. Last of all came Mi'ishaen and Silveredge, who were talking to each other about whether or not female animals in heat acted very much like actual tarts or not. Niku, for once, trailed behind them.
"Gentlemen, it is obvious that I must take all of these into my study," the robed male insisted, as though he'd picked up on a conversation only momentarily forgotten. "You did mention that your compatriot's missive included some fighting, and I must report that brainworms are most easily spread in combat. In fact, if these women were nearby or involved..."
Mi'ishaen and Silveredge weren't to be distracted from their conversation, but Aleksei looked up to notice a heavily veiled creature standing a few paces behind both the Human male and the group of Purple Dragons. Noticing his gaze, the robed male looked over his shoulder.
"Oh, her," he smiled, turning back to Aleksei. "Yes, she doesn't seem to speak. But she's a handy mage, and so communicated with us via prestidigitation. You do know her, don't you?"
"Without doubt, yes," Aleksei nodded, allowing Rafa to stand on his own. Rafa, for his part, found that if he stood very still, he could at least pretend not to be feeling as though he were still on the ship.
"She can't possibly be another wife or mistress, can she?" Iordyn groaned. "Just how many lost causes did you pick up with?"
At this, Silveredge looked over Mi'ishaen's shoulder at the female being referred to, and Mi'ishaen herself turned around. Niku, who couldn't be fooled, flattened his ears against his skull in displeasure at once. Almost tauntingly, the creature moved forward to extend loving arms toward Aleksei, who passively tolerated the coming embrace. Niku responded by moving in front of the women slowly- his ears popped forward aggressively, which sent Valeria into a nervous dance near Iordyn's ankles.
"I couldn't quite determine the relation," the grey haired Human responded lightly, looking down at the battle hound with interest. "She introduced herself as Bloodtalon Balzar Xuntrinovich Voyonova- I am, unfortunately, not as informed as I could be about Dragonborn naming customs-"
Silveredge's eyes widened considerably, but before she could even think to verbally respond, Mi'ishaen shot between Aleksei and the robed Human to hurl herself at the veiled creature. Niku barked angrily, but when Silveredge put a single first finger on her lips, he contented himself with hopping about as he continued to growl.
"You whoreson!" Mi'ishaen exclaimed as she knocked the figure down to the ground. "I'll tear you apart!"
"Surely it's another wife," Rafa responded immediately. "They all fight each other like wet cats in a tight bag."
"Oh?" the robed Human said bemusedly. "Forgive me for doubting the veracity of that statement. Dragonborn mate for procreation. And for that reason alone."
As Mi'ishaen rolled shamelessly around on the ground in the attempt to pull the veils off the creature's head, a tell-tale flash of silver appeared. Silveredge immediately leaped forward to try to pull Mi'ishaen away from the fight, and got herself smacked in the face as a reward. Undaunted, she still worked to keep the Tiefling's hands off the unknown person. Made nearly mad with fury, Niku launched himself against the veiled creature, who responded with an admirable attempt to choke him.
Aleksei rolled his eyes to the sky as though imploring some god's grace. "It is many years now that I am thinking that never will I have children. Whatever the gods will give me, with this will I be content."
Mi'ishaen made use of Niku's ire, catching the veiled creature's left foot and slamming a furious fist into the dark-skinned ankle. Instantly, the dog was pushed aside with a nearly superhuman effort, and only the sudden appearance of Silveredge's shield spell prevented a silvery blade from burying itself into the back of Mi'ishaen's neck.
"Stop it, both of you, stop!" she ordered breathlessly, seconds before realizing what she'd done.
The veiled creature immediately stopped cold as though hit with a spell. Mi'ishaen, whose breath was coming in pants, turned to reguard Silveredge with a touch of shock. "You just- you- huh. Good for you," she managed at last, sitting up and kissing Silveredge on the side of the head. "Good for you."
The veiled creature began chuckling, a low, rolling sound that sent a tremor of discomfort throughout the entire gathering. Aleksei looked up and over to his left, but picked his right hand up sharply as though he would deal the thing a backhand. The figure crawled around Mi'ishaen, who had to be restrained by Silveredge, and reached out amorous, dark-skinned hands to the Dragonborn. Aleksei extended his right arm down to it, and with voiceless hisses reminiscent of a large, satiated snake, the creature took his hand and climbed gingerly to its feet.
"I waste no argument with you," Aleksei growled in a tone so deep that it seemed to reverberate in the bones of the lookers-on.
"As I said," the robed male continued with a frown, "brainworms are highly communicable, and are most easily spread in battle- I'll be taking every last soul before me into my custody- especially this poor creature who I think has just gotten her ankle broken. Your so-called partners, ser, are made vicious by prolonged exposure to you, no doubt. No benevolent god of any kind would smile upon this unchecked mania." With a simple turn of his hand, the male produced a rolled and sealed scroll. "Boy, take this with these soldiers on behalf of the soldier."
"I-" Iordyn began uncertainly, looking from the two women and the dog to the battle mage.
The mage looked at the group's collected belongings for a few moments, then waved a hand at them. A large disc suddenly materialized under them, then levitated. "Now, but me no buts, young thing; I'm in the right, and you do what you're told, I know. So, off with you all. Good sailors, take your leave; you have done. Dragonborn, mind the lady you hold. Soldier, you'll have to depend upon me, I'm afraid. Ladies, mind the pup, and let us be gone."
Aleksei was the first to move, and scooped the veiled creature up with no effort at all. Iordyn moved next, taking the scroll from the elder Human and following the stunned Purple Dragons farther into the walled camp to the right. Silveredge checked Mi'ishaen over as they stood up, and found two growing bruises. Mi'ishaen pointed out the swelling on Silveredge's own cheek, which the Shadar-kai gently poked at as though she'd never received a wound on her face before.
"I hope it doesn't mark," Rafa noted distantly. "Maybe some aloe, eh?"
"Hush you," the mage smirked as he moved to the distracted soldier's side. "You should be embarrassed- whatever substance you had still has you. Young lady, I must commend you on your admirable efforts. No common idiot would ever be able to tell your companions' true intentions- it's merely unfortunate for you that I am not a common idiot."
"My lord is kind," Silveredge replied, feeling her struck cheek burn all the more fiercely.
"Come now, darling; it was a compliment. Now you, fond creature, I knew something wasn't quite right about you from the beginning. I don't intend to let you get away without finding out precisely what's giving me that impression," the Human continued, looking into the crimson eyes of the veiled creature.
The veiled figure, with eyes narrowing, stared holes into the Human while wrapping its arms around Aleksei again. With a laugh, the Human began moving in a direction opposite the path of Iordyn and the guards. The disc holding everyone's belongings followed as though it were being held aloft by an invisible servant, which irked Mi'ishaen's nerves.
"As for the object of your affection, I'm glad to say I'm not so stupid as to believe that he's married all of you. I expect, of course, that you'll from here forward be honest about exactly who you are and what you are to each other."
"Fine," Mi'ishaen crabbed. "That's a male Drow. Bahlzair. And he's a murderous asshat. The rest of us are basically surviving his ass-backward idea of camaraderie, which is apparently normal, to him."
"It's a shame I don't have any remedies for pigheadedness," the battle mage sighed as though he truly meant it. "You'd make a much better rogue, Mi'ishaen, if you would only shut up."
"How- oh, gods, I hate-" Mi'ishaen began, but stopped herself. "Some mages are... annoying."
"Well played, although you should be more afraid of angering or annoying me than you are of offending the bit of blue stick next to you," the Human admitted. "I am Battlemage Terezio Ranclyffe. And I teach divination. To war wizards."
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