Border Crossing

First topic message reminder :

"You're late." Baralai Fairchild despised the rain, almost as much as he despised mages. He was waiting at one of the bridges that crossed the river that in turn divided the two largest kingdoms in their land. It was the same bridge where he had waited countless times. Templar or no, gold was gold, and this gold also got rid of troublesome mages.
"You want the gold or not?" A black clad man snarled as he jumped down gracefully from his equally black steed.
Baralai muttered something rather unbecoming of a Templar, then held a gloved hand out. "Gold first, then the cargo. Try anything..." He words were cut off as the mage he was transporting broke free of his restraints. It all happened so quickly that he didn't see the flash of lightning and the proud Templar was crashing into the raging river below.
Six months. It had been six months and the fallen Templar still woke in a cold sweat after dreaming of that night. The mage had rendered him immobile, though wide awake when he had plunged into the river, his heavy armour weighing him down until a pig farmer had dragged him from the river several miles away. It had taken months to get back to health and pay back the farmer for his kindness. In that time word had gotten out that Fairchild the Templar was a deserter.

Alice Gormanghast was scowling into the mirror. She hated this world she had been born into, even now as her maid pulled tightly on the laces of her dress she thought of nothing but a way to escape. Her brother's were all war heroes, famous to everyone in the kingdom for their brave deeds and triumph in defeating several of the dragons. But Alice... All she was known for was to be the prize her father handed over to the man he deemed brave enough to end the war altogether. She was the proverbial Princess in the tower, useful only for luring in prospective suitors. The young brunette didn't even realise her rose coloured lips were quirked into a slight smile 'if only they knew'. Indeed, her father would have a literal heart attack if he knew his prized daughter had secretly been learning how to shoot a bow and handle a sword. She lost herself for hours at an end in books that told of the thieves guild, and their mysterious leader who was sometimes known to have a higher moral code than the knights of their kingdom.

Alice simply smiled at her brother, rather overjoyed she had caused such a reaction him. "Funny, that was pretty much what I was shouting when you raped me on the floor of your carriage." She purred, moving forward until she was close enough to lean down with a hand on either side of the throne, nose nose with her sibling now. "I'm not nearly done with you." She swore. "Enjoy this day while you can, your majesty."

"Then you're who I need to threaten to take me to the dragon?" Bear asked gruffly. "Or how about I atone by having you feed me to her? I seriously doubt her being satisfied with a few pathetic lambs."

Kane's nostril's twitched and his breathing increased. He reached out for her, missing by inches. He heard the sound of swords being unsheathed all around him and was surprised to find the ceremony had been almost entirely infiltrated by pirates. This only served to make him angrier. "I'll enjoy them all. Especially knowing that I have things you never will. Namely...Him."

The elf laughed at this. "Yeah. She bitches about this daily. Well...at least I think that's what she's doing. I don't speak dragon tongue." He shook his head, frowning as if fighting to remember something. "But sure. If you're so willing to die...she hasn't had fresh shem in a fortnight. Be my guest." He swept his hand toward the path he'd just come from.

Alice laughed in her brother's face and shook her head. "You truly have been living the life of an exiled beast, haven't you?" She purred, stroking a gloved finger against his scarred cheek. "If you were still a part of the world, you would know the Pirate Queen of the shanty court always gets what she wants." She backed away and took a dramatic bow. "I am allowing you to keep your worthless life, only because I want to see the humiliation in your face when i take every last thing from you." The dark haired woman snapped her fingers, indicating to her men that they were leaving.

Bear only hesitated for a moment, as he still had one further question. "She keeps her dragon form?" He asked. "And you have none who speak the dragon tongue?"

When they were gone Kane was alone in the court. His men were dead. Ever last one of them. It was easy to hear his scream of rage all the way out to the pirate Queen's ship.

"Piglet has another form?" The elf laughed at Bear, shaking his head. "I knew shems were crazy but my friend, you top them all. "And you also want to tell me that there is someone who can speak her language?" He said something in his own tongue, it sounded strangely like he was calling Bear a nutter. "Next you'll be telling me I was once the king of thieves!" He laughed, opening a heavy iron door.

Alice closed her eyes and smiled when she heard the roar, even there inside her cabin. The young woman had tossed her hat onto the table and was running her fingers through her long hair. Kane needed to suffer for what he had done to her, but most of all... He needed to suffer for what he had done to her beautiful elf. Anaris was dead, and though Kane hadn't directly killed him, Alice still blamed him.

"You very well could be, if the thief king wasn't dead." Bear snorted. "And I ain't a nutter." He added, proving he had understood what the dark haired elf had said.

Alice had gotten a victory but at a cost to one she held dear. Though she couldn't possibly know this. Kane was one a horse and headed down to the hills, intent on making a certain dark haired elf suffer. It was something he often did when he was angry. This night was to be no different. 

The elf coughed, surprised the other man had understood him. "If you understand something as complicated as elf, maybe you'll get lucky and understand dragon too." He snorted. "Or maybe she'll just eat you." 
The dragon was cramped in the mountain side and she didn't seem to mind. She was lying with her back to the doors. She didn't even lift her head when they were opened.

Alice's men we below deck, drinking as usual, gambling, all the things good pirates did. It left her to pack out on the deck alone, the fact she was barefoot an indicator that something troubled her.

As he entered the mountain Bear couldn't help himself as his fingers traced the dragon's scales, almost feeling like they sang each time he touched one.

"What's the matter, Cap?" Her first mate joined her on the deck, a cup of ale in his hand for her. "You should be the loudest one down there. You won tonight and you won big! Why aren't you happy?" 

"Don't..." The elf hissed, making a grab for Bear. But he was far too late. The dragon's head shot up, a roar shaking the mountain loud enough to make their ears bleed. But oddly enough after a moment she simply lost interest and dropped her head again. "She's depressed." He muttered, surprised to see a sheep go stumbling past them still alive. "Damn, Dread Wolf take her. Looks like she's stopped eating fresh food too. Tough luck, shem."

Alice sighed heavily, taking the cup and downing it in one gulp. "Garrick... I don't think any of you know how hard it was for me not to carve that bastards heart right out of his chest tonight."

"She's a dragon, what's she got to be depressed about?" Bear snorted, though he watched the elf closely for any sign of a lie.

"I don't know why you didn't." Garrik said softly, taking the cup back from her and turning to refill it. "You were right there. You could have ended it all. There was nothing he could have done about it either. That sword he was wearing was a fake." 

"You tell me. You seem to be a dragon expert after all!" The elf snapped, shaking his head.
"Anaris!" The roar came from above them and was hard to miss. 
"I have to go." The elf seemed to be struggling with anger and fear. "Stay here. I doubt she'll hurt you."

Garrick was one of the few crew who knew the real captain. She was so much more than the fierce persona she put so much effort into having them all believe. "It would have been too quick a death for him." She replied, taking the cup from Garrik to down it yet again.

Bear knew that name, but he didn't call the other elf back. He stroked one of the dragon's scales again, asking her if she knew how to sing.

"We could have made it slow." Garrik said, daring to reach over and brush his rough fingers over her cheeks. "I would have liked nothing better than to make him suffer for what he did to you. It's made things hard for...us." He teased gently. 

"I have lost my song." The dragon said softly, smoke curling into the air. She didn't for a moment expect him to understand her. "Songs mean nothing anyway. They are passage to the Fade. There is nothing there."

Alice offered Garrik a half smile. "And here I thought you getting your Captain on her back came all too easily." She breathed, taking the bottle of rum now and drinking directly from it.

"There is only nothing there if you think you have nothing to search for." Bear replied. "Perhaps the maker didn't see fit to take anyone from you?"

"That's what all the rum is for." Garrik said in a husky tone. He knew better than to think Alice would ever love him. She'd been pining for a man long dead since he'd met her. And she'd cut the throat of many a man who'd so much as touched her. 

"There is no such thing as a maker." Piglet said softly, still not lifting her head. "What has been taken from me is my fault. I am unworthy."

Alice carried a heavy burden that even Garrik didn't know of. Even if Anaris were still alive, how could he love any one who had shed as much blood as she had? Many of the crew had joined thinking they had some sort of chance with the busty, blood thirsty Captain, but Garrik knew, she had killed anyone who tried. Despite all this, Alice did have a fondness for her first mate. The dark haired woman took another drink of the rum, and was watching Garrik from beneath her equally dark lashes. "What if I said I wanted you to scratch an itch, would I have to make it an order?"

Bear snorted and kicked a rock in the dragon's direction. "Pathetic." He remarked. "Something was taken from you, so you sit inside this mountain like some useless little girl? You let that damn knife ear feed you like a carnival attraction!"

Garrik's smile was gentle and kind. "Hardly, my queen. You need only ask and I would lay down my life for you. Anything I can do to please you...I shall." He breathed, not daring to move. The flutter in his stomach was making it hard to so much as breathe. He'd longed for her to look at him that way for so long. 

Again the dragon's head shot up, this time turning to face her tormentor. "It is better than murdering everyone! Don't you..." She paused, cocking her head to the side. "How is it that you understand me?" In the darkness of the mountain she still could not see who it was standing below her.

Alice smiled fondly as her gloved fingers slid along the stubble on Garrik's strong jaw before she pulled him close enough for her full lips to claim a kiss from his own. Seeing Kane had made Alice realise she needed to purge herself of what he had done to her, and admit that she had long wanted Garrik to be the one to do it.

Bear had wondered this too, as he knew for certain he hadn't been able to understand the dragon language before the incident in the forest. It was odd, as though the understanding came from the angry scar in his chest, another entity that sometimes held sway over him. "Murdering can be nice, if they deserve it." He remarked coolly, proving how much of him had truly died this past year.

Garrik's rough fingers slid gently through her hair and pulled her against him. His lips closed over hers again, though he knew better than to take more than what she was offering. 

Again her head dropped, as if she'd lost intrest in him.  "Be gone, shem. You have nothing I want." She said softly.

At that moment any of the crew could walk up on deck and see their captain in her secret tryst with her first mate. Alice was pulling Garrik back towards her cabin, stealing more kisses as they went.

"Answer me this, then; why is the mighty dragon allowing knife ears to cage her like a dog?" Bear challenged simply.

Garrik was removing his shirt, tossing it aside as he followed her. He allowed her to set the pace. He didn't push or demand anything of her.  He adored her too much for that. 

"The king of thieves is as much a prisoner as I am." Piglet told him. "The human has learned he can use us to make a gateway to the Black city. We cannot simply leave this place."

It was close to daylight when Alice had fallen asleep against Garrik. They were still a mass of tangled limbs, clothing tossed around the room that was also in general disarray. The young Pirate Captain was smiling as she slumbered, something she hadn't done in well over a year.

"The Black City?" Bear echoed. "What human is setting his sighs on that desolate place?" He breathed, wishing he couldn't recall just how empty it had been when he had briefly paid a visit.

Garrik slept deeply as well, holding her tightly against him. This was everything he had hoped for and yet he knew it wasn't him she'd been moaning for.

"He is the new king. He is a monster hiding in that what skin. I have seen nothing like him."  The dragon said softly.

The fact was, the entire crew had indeed heard what was going on in the captain's cabin, and noted that Garrik was missing from below deck. Alice had been initially lulled to sleep by the feel of rough fingers lightly tracking up and down her spine. It was not long after their own had fallen alseep that she roused from her own slumber. The nightmare had returned. She could see Kane's ice cold eyes mocking her, telling her she was always going to belong to him after what he had done to her.

"I see... And the elf? What does he have that keeps that knife ear so obedient?" Bear questioned, moving around the Dragon now. "He doesn't seem like a man who simply does as he is told by a Shem."

Alice would find herself alone in the bed. While they slept the crew had removed Garrik from the bed and had taken him on deck to give him a proper humiliation at their hands. They figured it was the least they could do for the move he'd made on the captain. 

"He has those fluent in magic keeping control of him. He no longer even knows who he is anymore." Piglet sighed. "He believes himself to be nothing more than a hala herder. He is keeping sheep and hala to feed me for the human king. He doesn't even know that he can do magic. He doesn't even know that he can fight back from beatings like the one he is receiving now."

Alice woke some time later, her heart sinking when she realised the bed beside her was both empty and cold, making her believe Garrik had left as soon as he was able. She was silently berating herself as she dressed and replaced all her weapons.

"He takes the beatings often?" Bear asked, again stroking Piglet, even kicking aside of of the remains that lay near by. "Is that why you stopped eating?"

Alice's crew had filled the deck their roars deafening the early morning air. It would be hard for the tiny woman to walk or even see but not hard for her to guess that they had someone tie to the mast and we're having a go at them.

"I eat ebough to stay alive. Not that I deserve to after what I've done." The dragon breathed. "He has my heart. I cannot leave. Even if I tried to die."

"What is the meaning of this?!" Alice boomed, even though she couldn't see anything yet. "Are you so lacking in work you find the time for standing around like the useless pieces of shit you are?!" Her mask was back in place, the passionate and vulnerable woman Garrik had spent the night with was pushed aside once again.

"He stole your heart? How did you let that happen?" Bear asked with a chuckle. "I have no heart, nothing worth stealing , at least." He added.

The crew went silent, moving aside to allow her to see Garrik tied to the main mast. He'd taken more than his share of punches though it was clear he gave as good as he got. There was more than a dozen men lying on the deck who could attest to this. No one said a single word to her. Not one. 

"It's none of your business." The dragon said, turning her heavy head. "Go away. I'm done with you."

Alice's eyes narrowed at every man in turn as she thought carefully on her words. "And what exactly was the crime you felt the need to pass judgement on without my authority?" She asked icily.

"No, I think I'll just sit right here until you eat me." Bear remarked, sitting directly in front of the dragon's head.

"We know what the bastard did to you!" The skipper shouted out. "He don't have a word to say for himself. He just opened your door and punched Cookie for bringing your tea! He ain't said nothing since."
"We say you string him up!" Another man shouted. This was echoed by snarls and grunts of agreement.
Garrik did nothing to defend himself. He didn't even look at his Queen. His blood dripped on the deck, pooling at his feet. He would do nothing to give away what they had done. He would never betray her. He loved her. He'd whispered it in her ear only once she'd fallen asleep. It was his secret. 

Piglet's nostrils flared, her crimson eyes opening wider. Then she narrowed them, trying to see better in the darkness. "Who are you, human?" She asked softly. "Why are you so eager to die? Even if I don't eat you...the king will kill you when he finds you here. You must know this."