Okay hi guys, it's been ages sorry! I was packing to go to the americas lol so didn't have much time last week. I'll write more this week I promise! I hope you guys are enjoying the story. Reviews are always appreciated.
last time on Maisling: Santana found out Quinn a woodling and Mike are accompanying her. They ride to the cabin where they stay the night.
hawkefan: Thank you :) I wanted to do a Fantasy fic and since quintana is so popular lately I thought it would reach alot of people. Why do I manage writing in another language that isn't my first lol uhm well practice I guess (you should see my first ff -shudders-). I grew up watching the simpsons and other things in english with subtitles so I was pretty good at english starting at the age of 13 and then I just started reading alot of English books. Oh and I use total lifesaver when i want a fancier word haha (or just variations)... and now I started ranting. This is what happens when guests leave comments and I can't reply in an email oops :p
Guest (please leave a name so I can respond to you): Thank you! It means alot that people are digging this story
Santana felt Quinn eyeing her when she was holding out the small piece of grapefruit -that she had been offered by the nice people of Maldin Cabin- to the baby's mouth so she could suck on it.
"You know, most people don't let infants eat solid foods when there still this young." She heard Mike mutter and it angered Santana. She already felt like she didn't know what she was getting herself into, she didn't need to have some fifteen year old lad tell her and make her feel even more like a fool than she already did. She then looked up and glared and Mike.
"Right well I'm not most people. So why don't you dive back into your rice bowl and leave us alone?" She knew snapping at her companions wasn't the best idea, but old habits die hard. She couldn't help it. Ever since she was a child, she couldn't help it. People just seemed so stupid and useless to her. Stupid in the sense of no courtesy or tact in the game of social behavior. She didn't meddle with their business, why did people always have the damn tendencies to butt in hers? Couldn't they keep their thoughts to themselves? Especially if their thoughts didn't bring any value or important information to the conversation. She breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down, then apologized.
"Sorry. I'm just wound up. You try taking care of a baby on such short notice. It takes time to get used to things."
"If you don't know how to take care of a baby, why didn't you get a sort of nanny to come with us?" Santana peaked at Quinn.
She then answered quickly "I know how to take fucking care of a baby, I just forget and secondly-" She hesitated for a second before she continued "do you really think that putting another life in danger is the best idea?"
She sighed getting up and sitting on the bed that had woolen covers on it. The coast nourished a wind that could become very harsh and cold at night. The Molden Shore it was called; molden because mold and moss would grow all the way up the rocks, coloring it green and making it very slippery. Some older folk called it Morbit Shore instead of Molden, because back when they were young a lot of hikers died slipping on the rocks. After yet another death the council decided to put a ban against hiking on those rocks, since it was too dangerous. Santana always wondered what it was like. Some people talked about the wondrous trees that grew passed the rocks on top of the cliff. Trees whereon the Barisan flowers grew. It's said that the Barisan flower contains essence that helped the old witches concur youth potions with it, but of course that's just a legend. Nevertheless the orange-whitish flowers were still nice to look at and so rare.
"We should get a cradle for her." Quinn voiced, then Santana looked up and nodded hesitantly.
"Maybe... I don't know."
"Why not? She can't sleep in your arms on the road. It's fine now, 'cause most people have cradles or something else that you can use to put her in, but once we're in the Shoaclan Mists - which we'll be for a few weeks- there are no people. No cradles, no beds, no nothing." Santana contemplated for a second but then thought that whoever was keeping watch could hold her. If anyone would keep watch.
"Do we keep watch?" Quinn looked at her quizzically.
"Uhm, no." She said holding back her smirk. "You do realize I'm a Woodling right? We have rituals for a reason. Not just rituals for you know killing animals, but actual protection spells."
"But- I'm not leaving her just out there with nothing-"
"It's a protection spell Santana, nothing gets through- or at least nothing gets through without a fight. And we'll know; trust me. It makes a whole lot of noise and I'm a light sleeper so-" Santana was shaking her head at this point.
"I'm not taking that chance." She stated while putting the baby in the cradle their host had given her.
"So what? You're just going to stay up all the time? You won't last 2 days!" Quinn said crossing her arms, seeming fairly annoyed.
"Fine. But if anything happens to the kid, they'll be shouting 'timber' at your treelike legs." Quinn chuckled a bit, not a tad touched by Santana's harshness.
"Let's go to sleep, we have a long day ahead of us."
"Come on ladies! Heave! Faster! We need to get these supplies to the ship fast, so we can set sails. Put your fucking backs into it!" a scruffy looking man yelled at some folk. They had grey garments on, if they had become grey due to dirt or that's what they were supposed to look like was a mystery and they smelled the way they looked too. Santana scrunched up her nose in disgust.
"Oh we have a lady amongst us. Hold up lads, hold up. Pay respects to the lady. Bow, bow." He said with a mocking tone and bowed extravagantly.
"I'm not a lady." Santana snapped.
She heard a light feathered giggle behind her and when she turned around, Quinn said while approaching her "Well I do wonder how they mistook your for one, I mean look at you! Listen to you." She was gesturing at Santana, then the men laughed hard and through their rotten teeth. Santana scowled, then narrowed her eyes at Quinn who seemed awfully amused. The men kept laughing while making snarky comments towards Santana. When they started mocking the child that was hanging in the knapsack on Santana's back, Quinn's facial expression changed. She then turned around and barked harshly "Get the fucking boat ready to head to the ship, or I'll make sure you become real ladies before you even get the chance to test out those dicks under the deck."
The men stopped laughing as their face became grim. They mumbled and scolded while loading supplies onto the small boat. "Come on, they're not going to wait forever." She beckoned Santana to step into the boat.
Santana sighed and looked behind her once more. She knew this was probably the last time she'd see this part of the realm. The realm was divided in 6 kingdoms.
You had Izardia -her own kingdom, known for its peaceful people and honorable lifestyle, well conservative lifestyle was a better word. The woodlands, Santana knew little about the woodlands-except for the rituals Quinn's elders would perform when spring landed.
Iëstes in the east and Hegoaldera in the south. Erelis Tayule were the king lands and then you had the Shallow. You didn't really know much of the Shallow, tales spoke of self made mad king and the whisperers. People avoided the Shallow, because it wasn't really a place to venture, as most people didn't come back alive. Legend stated that the whisperers couldn't be heard until they were whispering words of an unknown language in your ear, right before slitting your throat. Of course this was all but a legend, a scary tale for children, nevertheless people didn't venture out there.
Santana looked up at the emerald mountains, she knew she wouldn't see in the near future and sniffed a little, trying to not be heard and then turned around to Quinn. She then stepped down, all the way to the docks and tried to get on the boat.
"Want a hand lass?" One of them sniggered but she huffed. Quinn gave her a sympathetical smile and held out her hand. She didn't protest even though her dismay was grand. She'd rather have had Quinn groping her than any of these lowlifes. They started peddling towards the ship that was waiting for them, a little behind some rocks. It was silent, but then again it wasn't. The water made a small bubbling sound every time a peddle entered the mass. That's all she could hear. Even though the men were talking loudly and harshly she was surrounded by her own mind. She only heard the bubbling sound of surface of the water as if a web of soundproof wool had spun around her ears.
The small boat tipped a little when it hit the wooden cover of the ship. Santana exhaled shakily when everyone was getting out of it and were groping the loose ladder. She looked a bit unsure, she had never been good at this when they were children and playing in the trees. Especially now with an uncertain footing her confidence was diminished. Quinn gave her shoulder a light bump and said "Come on. I'll help."
Santana frowned defensively 'Why could she read me so well?'
"I know you're scared-"
"I'm not scared."
Quinn bent her head to the side and smiled. "Okay. I know you're trying to be...cautious?" Santana didn't protest when she stated that. She smiled broadly now and took hold of Santana's elbow. She heaved her up, meanwhile Santana was doing her best not stumble even though the waves were doing their best to accomplishing just that. She swallowed hard and her fingers hovered over the rope ladder until she caught it with a dramatic umph. She nearly tipped over the boat with Quinn still in it. She hung on to the ladder while her legs cradled the rope. Quinn was almost laughing but she had to prevent herself from toppling into the sea.
"God you're hopeless." She said with a smirk. She patted Santana's behind indicating to climb up. When Santana felt her fingers tap her behind she couldn't stop herself from blushing. The men that were on deck were laughing even harder now. This was just the day of laughing at everything Santana did. She could normally handle people making fun of her, but never had she been made fun of because of things like this. Usually it was because of her heritage, not because of her own clumsy ass.
When she finally reached the top she checked the bundle behind her and smiled when she found the creature babbling to itself.
"Okay guys let's go." Quinn said gesturing some men to their posts.
"That's my job you know." A lighter voice said and Quinn's face changed. She smiled heavily at the redhead.
"Well I haven't seen you do shit, so I thought I'd chip in." Quinn answered confidently and the other woman just chuckled.
"You're lucky you've seen me naked enough times for this to be considered flirting." the redhead answered while hugging Quinn. Quinn giggled then cleared her throat awkwardly when she saw Santana eyeing her.
"Sorry, this is Mara. She's the first mate."
"The first pain in my ass too." Mike added when he came up from down under. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes sir." Mara answered. Santana wondered why an older woman would take orders from a kid like Mike. She must've been at least in her mid twenties.
When Mike left she ordered some men around to tighten the ropes and heave the Anker. "So you're the excuse Quinn is using to venture to the Wall again hu?" She stated her hair floating vigorously in the wind and Quinn's eyes widened.
"I am not using her as an excuse!"
"Please. You've been yearning to get back there since you returned." Mara stated and Quinn smiled. She found Mara's annoyed tone amusing.
"Do my eyes deceive me? Are you worried about me?"
"Oh go fuck yourself Quinn." Mara laughed as she slapped Quinn's ass. "I got places to see, people to do, so I'll see you at dinner tonight."
Quinn smiled in awe as she saw the redhead leaving. "So I guess I've met your lover then hu?" Santana mumbled and Quinn frowned.
"Uhm she's not my lover. Not anymore anyways. Years ago-she was. But now she's just a friend. I wouldn't go there again, I mean-" She was ranting when she stopped abruptly and asked "Am I rambling?"
"Well, it's very endearing." Quinn laughed whole heartedly at Santana's statement.
"Sorry." Quinn said and Santana shook her head.
"Seems like you still might love her though?" Santana inquired, not knowing why she wanted to know this particular information.
"I love her as my family. Besides, I don't do relationships-unless they're with Woodlings." Santana frowned a little feeling offended.
"Why? Are humans not good enough for you or something?"
Quinn snorted "Of course humans are good enough for me. They just don't want the same things as I do." Santana still seemed confused so Quinn added "I'm a Woodling Santana, which means my place is in the forest. No human wants to live in the forest with Woodlings. "
Santana shrugged a little uncomfortably. "Would you?" Santana looked up feeling flustered.
"I don't know. I guess I'd need a stone house at least."
"No house. Woodling remember."
"You should compromise if you want a me to survive in the woods."
"Which is why a you wouldn't be a good match."
"But what if you loved a human? You wouldn't make any compromises? What if they're like the one or something?"
Quinn seemed a bit amused at Santana's words. "You believe in the one hu?" Quinn murmured. "How cute." She said while passing Santana. She then turned around and said "There's a bed for you and her downstairs." She pointed at the baby on her back.
And with that she turned on her heels and continued to whatever she was planning on doing.
Let me know what you guys think :) It's always encouraging to hear ideas or critiques. Oh and names, baby names. Help me out here, Santana's gonna name that babe at some point, so I could use some help :) I don't really want common names, you know it's gotta fit in the world I'm creating :)
Some phonetics to help you out: (ill do my best, I couldn't find the actual phonetics to copy paste so if you're that interested in pronounciation you can always ask, but I don't think anyone is that bothered haha)
Iëstes: Eeyestes
Hegoaldera: Hego-aldera
Erelis Tayule: Yerelis Tayoolay
Xa: Sha