Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

Zi'da 87, 719

"Land ho!"

Natalie's deep brown eyes opened up from where she was sitting, leaning back against a rail of the uppermost deck. She was on a large merchant ship, the Garrafut, three masted, with a bunch of people on it. She looked past the green tinted sails to see the beginning shape of an island. Scalvoris. Just where she wanted to go, the next port. She pulled herself up to standing, walking over to the front rail leaning forward to better view the island. It was still distant, would take a hot minute to get there, but it was nice to finally put a face to the name, a sly smile crawling on her face.

A hand gripped her backside tightly and she just laughed without even looking back. "I suppose this is where we part ways, eh?" She cocked her head to the left, just to let him see the corner of her eye, "You knew that I was just along for the ride, Feldor."

The man removed his hand and moved in next to her against the rail, "Well, I hate to see you go, but I like to watch you walk away. Hopefully we can sail together again sometime." She laughed, "What city are sailing into?"

"Gunvorton. Main port on the island, most trade goes through there. Run by the nicest of women, Shania. Though, you may wanna just mosey on through to another city. Gunvortians don't really care for outsiders. Join them or move on."

She nodded, taking in the information, "Thank you, Feldor. Look for me the next time you come to town. Maybe I'm still around and in need of a good ride."

With that, she left his side, climbing down to the lower decks and moving toward the front of the boat, where a small crowd was growing to watch as the island came in closer. She pushed through the people, looking to get a better view. She saw a couple near the front, man and woman. She remembered their names from the journey, Gerhan and Lenna, newlyweds. They were coming to Scalvoris from Rharne on vacation, a gift from Lenna's parents.

Natalie moved closer to the couple, pressing her chest against the man's back as she stood up on her tiptoes to see over her shoulder to look at the island. But she wasn't watching the island. Natalie kept a look of wonder and excitement upon her face, not hard to do since those were what she was genuinely feeling. She always got excited by a new place to visit. But she was watching Lenna with her peripherals. It didn't take long for the woman to see another rubbing up against her new husband. Jealousy flashed across her face. She glared first at Natalie, who pretended to not notice, then her glare moved to Gerhan.

Natalie had to stifle a smile, more so once Lenna moved closer, touching her husband's hand. He looked down at her, and saw her fierce gaze. Apology washed over his face, and it was in that moment that Natalie's left hand went to work. It slowly snaked around the man's waist, almost like that of a lover. She found the tie of his coin purse and slowly pulled at it, as she now turned to look at Lenna, smiling. The woman returned the glare at her, and Natalie put on a face of confusion, as Gerhan stared down at this strange situation. Having both of their attentions, two fingers slipped into the coin purse, grabbing a few nels between them, and returned to her. The coins were stashed into a pocket, and Natalie began a bumbling apology. Eventually Lenna's jealousy faded, realising she was dealing with an airhead. She brushed it off, accepting the apology.

Natalie smiled, nodded and left them, moving to another part of the bow, watching Gunvorton grow closer. She didn't bother to count the coins. She didn't need them after all. They were just for fun. And she made sure to never take too much, greed was an ugly look after all. And they were honeymooning. Just as the ship was beginning the maneuvers for docking, Natalie disappeared below deck, to go be with Prince Fredward and Princess Bitey, her faithful steeds, her belongings all crated up and waiting to be unloaded.

Natalie disembarked from the ship, leading her faithful horse and donkey by the reigns, all of her belongings packed into the saddlebags. The air was crisp and cold, her cloak tight around her. The landscape was white from snow, the bay filled with chunks of ice, broken up by the constant flow of ships. She led them down to the water's edge, having to tug constantly on Princess Bitey's reins, stubborn thing. Still, she was a princess, and needed to be coerced into doing what was good for her. In this case, leading a damn donkey to water and making her drink.

Well, Natalie could be more stubborn than Princess Bitey. Or rather, she needed to be. Prince Fredward needed no such coercion and bent down to drink the icy water lapping against the stones. So Natalie stood there in the frigid cold, holding the reins tight, waiting for her damn donkey to drink. She let her eyes wander across the landscape along the water of Gunvorton. Busy place. Snow was everywhere, except for on the roads, turned to a brown slush from all the traveling. She watched as the dockhands went to work, unloading the trade goods from the ship she'd been on. One looked her way, and she whistled at him, beckoning him over.

He jogged over lightly, smiling, "Hello miss. Need some help with that ass?"

Grinning at his jest, "No, she'll drink eventually. Though I wouldn't mind if you'd point me in the direction of some stables."

"It'll cost ya. Only residents get the free perks around here." She could tell his words were serious even if he had a jest in his voice. As though treating outsiders as lesser than was as normal as farting. She grabbed the coins she stole earlier and handed them over to the man, "That should be more than fair." The man nodded, sticking out his hand, "Names Dennon, and you are..?"

Flashing a bright smile toward him, "The name's Abigail Baker, though everyone calls me Abby. And it is my pleasure to meet you." She clasped his hand firmly and shook it.

"Well, will you look at that, she's drinking, what's her name?" He nodded down at Princess Bitey, who was lapping up the water now that no one had been paying attention to her. "Her name's Clotty, and that's Dottard."

He reached out to pet Princess Bitey on the rump, and Nat didn't make an attempt to stop him. Quick as a snake, Princess Bitey's head came up and she snapped toward his hand, which was jerked away just in time. "Sorry, she doesn't like boats. Bit cranky totrial."

He laughed nervously, "So I see. Well, Pete's Stables are up that way, just follow the road, can't miss it. Ask him to direct you to the Home & Hearth Inn after you get your steeds settled in. Maybe I'll see you there after I get off work, buy you a drink."

She smiled, reaching out to touch his arm, "Thank you for helping me. I could certainly use a drink. I'll see you around, Dennon."

"My pleasure, Abby."

He turned and went back to work, casting one more glance her way as he went. She turned, seeing that her animals were done drinking. "Well, let's get going shall we?"

With some gentle tugging, she pulled the two toward the road he'd indicated. Much to her surprise, Princess Bitey was going along. Maybe she liked this place. What a thought, she didn't seem to like much of anything other than being left alone. Down the slushy road the foreign trio trudged, getting stared at by every person she passed. There was certainly no blending in here. Nat knew that she'd have to become a Gunvortion or move on. And she wasn't quite feeling that need to move on yet.

Eventually the road led to Pete's Stables, and she walked her beasts over to the gate. A young man, just a few years her junior approached, not making eye contact with her. "Hello. Do you need room for these two?" Clearly he was a shy chap, so she decided not to push her luck with him. He was tense, coiled like a rabbit ready to run. "How much for long term? I think I'll stay a while."

Once he told her the price, she handed over the coins for the first cycle's worth. "Thank you. Can you point me to the Home and Hearth? I've heard good things." He pointed without a word, and she smiled at him, "Thanks again. I'll come back for my belongings." And so she turned on heel, an idea forming already for how to become a Gunvortion.