Towns became a bit of a blur. Green eyes kept popping up in his head. What kind of trouble was she now getting into? And he wasn't even a part of it. Kind of a let down he felt. But why was she in his mind anyway? He only met her twice. Twice. It was silly how often she invaded his thoughts. Perhaps it was the lingering feeling of what she left behind from weeks ago in that room that had him sigh at the stars wishing for something. For what though, he wasn't sure. And that uncertainty guided him to the port where he was to take a ship. Where his heart pounded excitedly. He walked quick strides to see the water and he saw the vastness in the horizon. Where the sky meets the sea. His sea green eyes took it all in. The salty air, the smell of uncharted territory.
And it was in this moment that he breathed easily. Easily enough to hear his companions call to him. Ready to make a plan for what was next. And then he remembered he left to go gather supplies.
Tired feet dragged him to the nearest tavern that evening where his bewildered mind was greeted by a show of strength. But not of men. But of a small thing. He at this point, felt it was more than coincidence.
"YOU CHEATED!" Snarled the burly man as he raised from his chair in a fit, making the chair slam hard on the wooden floor.
"I did not. I have no way to cheat," she pouts, innocence dripping from her mouth.
"YOU BITCH, I KNOW YOU CHEATED! TEACH YOU YOUR PLACE" and so was the room silenced as she was quick to grab his hand that was ready to connect with her and slam it on the table, knife embedded between his knuckles. Impaled on the wooden surface.
Those playing with her scooted their chair away from the table and cautiously took a step back. The scream the burly man let out was one he would never forget. Or how she placed a hand on her hip, leaned towards the table, hand still holding her knife and her rose pink lips closely touching the man's ear, whispering something that made him nod quickly while loudly sobbing.
"TAKE IT ALL! TAKE IT ALL!"
"Awww, you're such a sweetheart," she says with a pat to his back and takes the knife out letting the burly man go with a loud cry running towards Rikko. He moves out of the way as quickly as the man comes and turns his focus on her again.
She's humming a tune as she picks up the coins from the floor and into the bag.
"Need help?" he offers as he kneels to help her pick up the coins.
She pauses and both slowly look at each other. Holding a gaze of bewilderment.
"You again? My, I would think you're following me now!" she laughs.
"I was going to say the same about ye!" He doesn't know if he should find this funny or creepy.
"Well, I came here first. I have been here since last night," she says with a look of unquestionable doubt.
"I just got here. Well this morning," he clarifies as he picks up the last coin and puts it in her small brown leather bag.
They both get up and she smiles, happy to see him. "Thank you for helping me. Unfortunately, today I can't share this," she says with a look that says he hopes he understands.
He just shakes his head, "I'm okay, milady. No need to share what you've won."
"Thank you," she does a semi curtsy to him and goes to where the bartender is eying everyone around. "Is this enough? To help you and those around?" she asks softly, concerned in her voice and Rikko is close enough to hear it.
The bartender nods "more than enough. Thank you lassie. This… this is a blessing," he bows his head in gratitude to her. "I was worried for ye but you handled that like a champ ha!" he slaps the counter and lets out a boisterous laugh.
She giggles, "I can handle myself. But I am glad that it will go to good use. Take good care and if anyone gives you trouble, let my friends know. They will come to me and i'll deal with it," she nods in reassurance.
"Thank ye lassie," he says again and goes to the back of the tavern with the leather bag full of coins from her gamble.
As she turns around they stare for a brief blink and she walks past him keeping his gaze on her until he no longer can. His feet moving to follow.
"Why?" he asks of her outside the tavern. The sun setting kissing the sky of purple and orange hues.
"Why what?" she asks as she turns around and looks back at him.
"Why do that?" he wasn't quite sure why, but it was oddly strange. She gave and gave and didn't seem to care if she got something in return or not.
She shrugs, "I care."
Two words. It was simple. I care.
"It has to be more than that…"
She shakes her head, smile faded, "no. It is exactly that. I care. I help. I have this compulsion to help the weak, the poor, the unprivileged. It's my duty," she says it so easily and calmly as if it was the most natural thing anyone would do. But it wasn't what anyone would do. Not without something in return.
Speaking of returning, "ye left." he says a bit indignant.
She laughs incredulously, "is that a reproach?"
"Maybe," he shrugs, crossing his arms.
"Come now, did you want me to coddle you and tell you flatteries until morning?" she crosses her arms and cocks her hip to the side.
"That would have been nice," he keeps the game. The game only she can play with him.
"Well if you want that, I would suggest looking for a wife. Unfortunately, i'm not wife material," she shakes her head with laughter and turns around, ready to continue walking.
And he follows. He isn't done. "Not wife material? But ye gives and gives so much of yourself? I would say that is similar to how a mother would care for her babes."
And she pauses, doesn't look at him.
"True," she nods once. "However, I am not ready to give all of myself to someone. Devote everything to someone." She sighs, "love is ultimately selfish. It demands that one be devoted to a single person, who may fully occupy one's mind and heart, to the exclusion of all else." She looked at him finally. "Or perhaps that person hasn't appeared," she shrugs indifferent to the topic.
"Perhaps he has," he smirks mischievously.
She laughs unsure where that came from, "and pray tell, where is he?"
"Ye must be blind. I was talking about myself of course," and he grins.
Oh his devilish grin. That makes her heart skip a beat. She laughs deep and heartily.
"You are funny, Sweet Talker."
His ears grow warm at the nickname she left behind in the note.
"Are you staying for the night?" she asks after a moment of silence between them.
"Yes. I am. On the 'morrow I leave on boat!" he was so excited. It was hard not to be. He was going to traverse the sea.
"Oh that sounds exciting indeed!" She claps once and looks at him. "Want to come over for dinner?" it wasn't a demand this time but a lovely invitation that he couldn't and wouldn't refuse.
"I would like that.." he nods once.
She approaches him and places a small parchment on his hand and whispers, "don't keep me waiting…"
"Wouldn't dream of it milady," he whispers back as she pulls away before he could have a chance to hold her still. He watches as she walks backwards. Winked at him as she pulls the corner of her bottom lip into her teeth and disappears into the alley. Oh she has been waiting as much as he has it seems. Was that what was missing this time… the want for her specifically? Or just to get laid. Who knew. But he was going to enjoy it. He knew sea life was gonna be for a while.
And that's what he had in his mind until he reached her door and knocked once, twice. He exhaled a breath as the door opened and she appeared by the door wearing a silk green robe. She opened the door wider for him to come in and he did. Looking around as she closed the door behind him. White curtains softly billowing into the cold cement made room. He put his stuff down and looked at the small table with two plates of food and wine cups.
His eyes then drank in the scenery of the ocean past the billowing curtains. He sat at the sill of a window closest to the bed, looking at how the moon, high above the water shimmered in the sea. She had an amazing view. As was she an amazing view too, when she approached him with a brown wine cup. But he wasn't thirsty. He instead put it by him and grabbed hers as well and put it beside his wine cup and grabbed her wrist, standing to full height. She followed his every move as he stood to full height. And his deft fingers just pulled on the bow that she neatly had tucked at the side. And the robe pooled at their feet as she pulled it off of her shoulders and off of her body while keeping his gaze.
His finger slowly and ever so gently tracing her collarbone and up to her face, to tenderly hold it, watching as she waited. And waited. A welcomed, mutual silence she enjoyed as it was her turn to undress him, taking off each piece of attire he had on. And he allowed her as she glided her fingers across every scar he had ever received. Engraved stories that he sighed, closing his eyes as he felt her soft lips pepper each one in her path to undress him.
He didn't say anything and neither did she as they stared at each other, both coming closer and closer until they locked lips. Intense and hard was the kiss. Fingers into her thick curls pulling to gain access to her neck as he held her firmly close to him and guided her to her bed. And it started all over again. The cat and mouse game. She vigorously let him know through every bite, through every scratch, through every pull of his hair that this was her domain. And she wouldn't relinquish it to him. And oh the challenge, it was so inviting. That's why he enjoyed it more than he should. Because he demanded the same.
In the promise of the night. Through her sighs, through his name, he could hear an underlying wish from her… Don't forget me… But how would he forget such a beautiful creature?… He couldn't. He never would. Someone to match his fire, to be equally consumed?… How could he forget her… That was rare to find in such an accursed world… so he granted her wish as he kissed her hard making them both dizzy.
His heart pounding roughly seeking tranquility while he closed his eyes to the sound of her breathing next to him, holding her tight. This time, he was sure to say a proper thank you in the morning.
Only to wake up hours later and she wasn't there. Again.
"I'm here," she says as he looks at the empty place beside him.
She placed her teacup down as a piece of parchment she seemed to be staring at.
"Ye actually stayed…" he says with relief in his voice.
"I didn't want you to complain," she smiles playfully.
He huffs and lets out a deep chuckle as he sits up.
"How long have you've been up and ready?" he asks, trying to get his eyes used to the daytime sun.
"Since before sunrise," she takes her teacup and sips her tea, letting out a content sigh. "You should get ready, the boat probably leaves soon!" she says with excitement.
"You're right!" and he gets out of bed, getting ready as she finishes whatever was on the parchment.
"Ready?" she asks of him as they both look around the room to make sure nothing of theirs is forgotten.
He nods with a gentle smile, "yes. Ye?"
She nods too and he opens the door, letting her pass through first. She thanks him and he closes the door behind him as he follows her out.
"This is for you," she shows him what seemed to be the parchment she was engrossed in as he was getting ready.
He takes it from her slender fingers and opens it. It's a charcoal sketch of him sleeping peacefully away.
"Some would find this creepy ye know," he smiles at her in humor.
"Good thing you don't find it creepy then," she giggles.
"Thank ye. It's a really nice sketch of me sleeping." He says very intrigued by all the details in the sketch.
"It's not just you sleeping. It's how you were sleeping. Looks like you need to be reminded that you can be at peace…" she speaks ever so softly as if talking to a fragile being for saying such a thing.
And she is right. He looks so at peace. A vast difference from his everyday life where he cannot sleep in peace. He's tormented every night. But not here. Here, in her arms, he was… at peace…
He closes the parchment as she gently tugs for him to bend and he does, for her soft rose petal lips to kiss his cheek. When she pulls away she looks at him with a bright soft smile, "stay safe out there Rikko."
And she turns to walk down the stairs but he stops her. He grabs her wrist quickly and pulls her to him. She stares at his lips as does he and he does the unspoken action, for their lips to meet in a soft kiss. When he does let her go, she sees her cheeks turn pink. She blushes so beautifully too. She bows her head only a little to hide the blushing.
"See you around, Sweet Talker…" and this time he lets her go as she walks away.
He follows a few seconds later and where the bright sunlight caught her appearance at the door, she stopped and looked back to him over her shoulder, finger on her lips as if to still have the feeling of his on hers and she smiles at him, walking through the bright light outside one that he follows her through right after, but she is nowhere to be found. Gone. Like a ghost. No trace of her anywhere he looks.
"Rikko!" calls one of his companions. And he turns to see a wave from the beautiful silver haired lady. Where his feet take him to meet up with.
He wasn't sure what he was staring at the city for as the last shout to roll up the anchor and set sail words rang in his ears. He wasn't sure what he wanted to see or was waiting to see. But in the moment that he was about to set his eyes on the horizon, there he saw a wave of an arm at the port, far away. He strode quickly to the other side of the bridge and narrowed his eyes to see if that was who was waving and indeed. It was. She was waving at him. So he waved back. And she waved two arms instead. Acknowledging that she saw him too.
It was bittersweet really to see him gone. It was always bittersweet.
"I'm sorry…" softly apologized MV.
"For what?" asked Vivianna, both still transfixed in the horizon.
"For this…" MV sighed sadly. But it was something she knew. For Fate was a cruel mistress to all things.
"Should we go Vivianna?" asked Chip the gnome beside her as they both watched the boat become smaller and smaller towards the open sea.
"Yes," she affirmed. "Gods protect you, Rikko…" she whispered.
"Come on Vivianna," tugged MV for her to tear her gaze at the journey that Vivianna couldn't follow. This is how far she could go. The rest, they knew, it wasn't for her to intervene. The rest was destiny. His destiny. One, she didn't belong to and one she shed a tear for as she walked away from a cruel fate of heartbreak and longing, for something or someone, that wasn't for her to call hers. Again…