Maya
one evening Kaz showed up unexpectedly with Maya in tow. "She doesn't speak Kerch, but she knows Ravkan." Wylan and Jesper were a bit tipsy that night much to Kaz's amusement both with wine glasses in hand. "Which of you is Wylan?" Maya asked. Maya was five feet ten inches pale skin and had a fox face long bleach blond hair that was naturally wavy.
"That would be me." Wylan said in Ravkan and giggled. Jesper got up and took her hand and kissed it. "Darling, I don't know where you came from, but you can stay." Maya gave him a blank look and Kaz had to remind Jesper she didn't speak Kerch.
"Always with the blonds with you, maybe I should dye my hair blond." Wylan protested by this time Kaz was leaning on his cane with an irritated look. "Can you tell her that I'll pay for her fair to go on a ship to Ravka?" Kaz growled. Wylan translated for Kaz sounding drunk but was comprehensible. "Then she can stay here?" He asked Jesper.
"She'll be fine with us." Jesper said, pulling her by the waist onto the couch. "Here drink this." Jesper gave her his wine. She took the wine in hand but stood up instead and poured it over his head. Kaz broke out in laughter.
Jesper laughed too and took the empty wine glass from her. "She's a keeper don't bother coming for the return." Wylan complained to Kaz who just informed him that he had nowhere else to keep her and he simply walked off leaving Wylan infuriated.
Jesper looped an arm around her, in response she used her finger up his side causing him to giggle and let go of her. "Those tickles." He said pulling his arm away.
Wylan looked at her seeing that Kaz has left. "He's very ticklish." Wylan said in Ravkan. "I thought you were drunk." Maya exclaimed. "I'm tipsy, I don't trust the man who just left I didn't expect him to just leave you!"
"Do you want me to leave?" She asked anxiously looking to see if she can see Kaz. "Forget it he's gone. We have a spare room; you can leave tomorrow." Maya stared at him intently as he didn't look very happy. "Your angry with me and I haven't done anything wrong" Wylan looked up at her with blue wide blue eyes.
Tears welled up in Maya's eyes. "You are an idiot." She exclaimed. Jesper was blearily watching them careful not to touch Maya. "Wylan, are you making her cry?" Wylan looked at Jesper. "You should go upstairs and take a bath you smell like wine."
"You would smell like wine too if it got poured all over you." Jesper mumbled but he made his way upstairs anyways. Wylan turned around as she stood silently crying. "I am an idiot especially when I'm tipsy please don't cry." Wylan said in Ravka.
"Are you hungry? Want something to drink?" She silently shook her head. "I got jealous okay Jesper was flirting with you." Maya looked stunned. "You two are a couple?" Wylan had to shake his head to stop a snarky reply. "Yes." He said instead. Maya stopped crying and actually smiled at him.
"I am only astonished because in my country men don't date each other, I'm sorry it's such a culture shock. I had no idea he was hitting on me. I've never been hit on before not alone in another language."
"You're so beautiful." Wylan burst out. "How can you never of had one interested guy?" "Maybe plenty would have been interested if they would risk losing their right hand. My stepfather was very protective and powerful."
"I know the feeling." Wylan was busy trying to survive his father than to actually think of another person and never met people his own age until he was almost killed. "I grew up in a house not much different than your own, I'm guessing you have servants?" She questioned.
"Yes, two actually their asleep." Wylan replied. "They live with you?" She asked. "Yes, on the top floor is their accommodations." "If you grew up wealthy than why did you leave it all behind?" Wylan asked. "I was too be married; I didn't even know the man I wasn't allowed to meet him until the wedding date."
"They didn't talk him up?" Wylan asked thinking of Alys wondering if she met Jan before they got married. "I didn't want to marry for wealth, so I left to seek my own fortune. No offense your partner holds no interest to me. Now tell me why you don't trust Kaz? I came with two companions, and I have no idea what happened to them." She inquired. "You're worried about your companions? I'm sure their…."
"Their loud and obnoxious the only good thing they did was teach me Ravkan, I'm not worried about them I just want to know if Kaz may of disposed of them?" Wylan stared at her. "He gives off the vibes that he is capable just tell me if I'm on the mark." "What did they do to you?" Wylan asked. "Nothing." She said defensively. "Our journey was much delayed because they stopped many times to go to visit ladies of the night and drained me dry of my money." She explained.
"They spoke of stopping at Ketterdam to visit friends and gamble, they said they had to try to win money back only this time they had not returned so I'm guessing their dead. I didn't want to spend time with a killer I didn't know; so I'm glad he let me stay here."
"So, you just followed a killer?" Wylan questioned. "And introduced me to you. I'm no idiot I knew I needed at least one friend in a country I do not know but answer my question." She demanded. "Kaz is a leader of a gang called The Dregs. If you companions did go to gamble his den is three time larger than the average one so Kaz was involved, they may be dead."
"Good the world is better without them. Why would Kaz get me personally though?" Maya asked. "My only guess would be that they meant to sell you." Wylan would normally not be so loosed tongued, but he was tipsy. "You mean slavery?" She asked aghast. "They would of made you sign an indenture, but many places of the sort was closed but yeah it was possible they tried."
He was afraid she was going to cry again but she had not. "I am tired you said you have a spare room?" She asked. Wylan got up and escorted her to the spare room and navigated her the bathroom as well. "We will figure something out in the morning." Wylan said.
"Are you a friend?" Maya asked him. Wylan nodded. "Yes." He assured her all jealousy left him after their long conversation.
Upon waking up Maya had felt a little disoriented. She thought she felt the boat swaying gently into the waters, but she was in a mansion with two guys, one of which was flirting with her the night before. She couldn't Kerch but her ambitions of going to Ravka seemed so stupid. She wanted to escape an arranged marriage which was going to occur on her sixteenth birthday. She never got a premonition six months in advance before it was always the day after or her visions gave her flashes moments before something was going to happen.
She sat up wondering if they were hungover or even awake, she asked after the servants if they spoke Ravkan, but it was a negative. They only spoke Kerch. There was a small knock on her door, and she managed to ask who was there. "Wylan." He answered. "Its open." She answered and he opened the door. "Kaz is here." He informed her before walking away. She rushed to the bathroom to look somewhat decent and washed up a bit before meeting Kaz downstairs.
A gang leader, a cold killer and could command at least a portion of Ketterdam. A casino operator. These thoughts ran through her mind as she met them downstairs. They all looked poshed before her, wearing suits. Wylan wore a red jacket blue pants and a white shirt underneath and Kaz wore black suit. Jesper was upstairs sleeping off his hangover and Wylan who drank less didn't suffer from one.
Maya's stomach rumbled, she had to have lost half a stone of weight on the way to Ketterdam Dill and Ethan who spent her money on anything, but food let her go hungry on the trip only feeding her enough not to starve the last three months of the journey. Kaz said something to them and Wylan who seemed eager to see her off frowned at her. "Maybe we should feed you something before you go." He said in Ravkan. Maya nodded eagerly, but it was not food on her mind even though she was hungry.
The breakfast being prepared smelled good she noted as she waited for it to finish. Wylan was having hutspot made for all of them as they hadn't eaten yet. "I'm having second thoughts on going to Ravka." Maya finally found the courage to say to Wylan. "I wouldn't suggest staying in Ketterdam." Wylan advised quite seriously. Kaz sat at the end of the table by himself looked their way and must of asked what they were talking about. "Kaz wants to know why you want to stay in Ketterdam." Wylan said. Ketterdam was in large a dark country but she never even learned how to write in Ravkan.
Maya spoke Ravkan crudely as that was how she learned to speak her accent was so thick she was surprised that Wylan understood what she was saying. She pointed all this out to Wylan who couldn't dispute this she had to think hard to stop herself from swearing every other word, but she didn't allow herself to pick up swear words. "I want to join your gang." Maya said making Wylan look at her with an open mouth. She thought of her mother's saying if you don't close it flies will get in. The memory brought tears to her eyes, and she had to look up at the ceiling to avoid them dripping out.
"He wants me to tell you that joining a gang isn't like in the books it's not easy living and you have the disadvantage of not knowing Kerch." She looked at Kaz as he spoke his expression was set in stone not willing to change any time soon and she understood his warning. She never read novels of the sort with gangs in it they were prohibited in her house. Instead, it was filled with romance novels she understood now was to sway her in the direction of eventual marriage.
Wylan must of told Kaz some of what she revealed herself. The food was finished, and a hot plate was put in front of her and a cup of cold milk which she was grateful for. As hungry as she was, she forced herself to eat decently, napkin in lap waiting for the food to cool. Waiting until the smoke drifted away from the eggs and sausage was torture but she eased this by drinking her milk. "I can learn Kerch." Maya pointed out. "You won't be accepted if you don't know it upon your introduction." Wylan pointed out. "You weren't made to be a gang member but take it as a positive if I thought you were I would of thrown you out."
Maya held herself in a way that Wylan found in other businessmen. The steam cleared and Maya started eating as her stomach rumbled, she ate daintily thinking hard. "I can learn." Maya said. "I'm sure I can do something useful." She looked at Wylan who got the message and spoke to Kaz what she said. Kaz looked her over. "You won't last one night in jail." Wylan translated for Kaz. Maya burst out laughing. "Isn't that why we avoid it?"
"I am not going to Ravka or anywhere else for that matter I had enough time on a boat I almost died half a dozen times. You have been a gracious host, but I will find my own accommodations if you will be kind as to show me to the boat, I will be on way than." Maya stated. "I would advise against that as well." Wylan said. "Ketterdam isn't the sort of place you want to be alone and have no place to go. The stadwatch would push you towards the bad parts if you try to sleep on the streets."
"In Ravka I won't be seen as anything but a commoner especially since I can't read a lick of Ravkan." Maya said. "Then why not go back home? I have the money I will pay your voyage you can live far away from your father." Wylan said. "My father is really wealthy and will go through any length to find me if I go back home or any place near my country, he will have me in chains. I am nothing more than his property" Maya said.
Jesper appeared holding a cloth full of ice to his head. He sat down at the table wearing his pajamas. Wylan and Jesper spoke in Kerch Maya finished the rest of her breakfast trying to pick out words, but they were talking too fast for her. Kaz Wylan and Jesper went to speak in another room which made her think they were speaking about her.
Wylan returned half an hour later with Kaz in tow. "Six months. You can live here for six months." Wylan informed her. "I can't impose on you." Maya said. "Kaz took in interest in you and if you learn Kerch than you can join up after a period of time if you prove yourself." Wylan said. "Thank you." Maya said. "I will repay my debt to you." "If you cause problems, I will cast you out just know that." Wylan said when Maya surprised him by curtsying to him.
"You have my word; I won't cause any problems." Kaz looked to Maya nodded and proceeded to walk out seeing as the situation was under control. "I am often busy with work, but I will take time to teach you I cannot read so after a few months Jesper will teach you how to write and please no more curtsying." He added making Maya blush.
In a month and a half Maya caught on swiftly to the Kerch language much to Wylan's astonishment she was a quick learner and made use of what she taught him, she was able to converse with Jesper having a good ear for languages, even so she had a thick accent that Wylan was talking her through. "Why are you flirting with her so much?" Wylan asked behind closed doors. They lay in bed Wylan snuggled up to Jesper.
"I want to make her feel good about herself and nothing more." Jesper said grinning. "She hardly advances the flirting." Jesper said. "Perhaps that's the way she says she wants you to stop?" Wylan questioned. "Wylan, she has had a hard time adjusting to living here and she's going to be surrounded by guys who would want to bed her. She's a virgin unused to men's attentions because her stepfather always drove them off. I want to set a good example to how a guy should treat her." Jesper explained.
Wylan bit his lip thinking on it. "The way you make it sound is rather good but your also attracted to her." Wylan pointed out. "Which only makes what I say more sincere but really are you jealous of it?" Jesper asked. "Quite simply yes." Wylan admitted. "What if she takes your advancements on her as truly flirting and she kisses you or something like that? I can tell she finds you cute as well." "How can you tell?" Jesper asked. "I just can." Wylan murmured. "Your overthinking it. I only want to stop her from getting pregnant by some slum boy because he looks cute." Jesper had seen many of them in his time.
"You've never really spoke of your time while in the Dregs." Wylan said. "I'd rather not think about the bad times and think on the good like I met you and we get our happily ever after." Jesper leaned down kissing Wylan who replicated it esthetically removing Jespers shirt as they went at it. Wylan felt rejuvenated whenever they went at it, he and Jesper were really noisy about it.
Maya who recovered from the long trip slowly got her weight back up and was training every morning came back from her morning run sweaty. She went upstairs to change out of her running clothes and changed into dry clothes after washing up she joined Wylan and Jesper at the breakfast table. "What are you sketching?" Jesper asked after they finished eating and she had a sketch book that Wylan and Jesper got he as a gift. She showed her work to Jesper who gasped, she was a talented artist and was sketching clothing ideas. "These are really good." Jesper complimented her. Maya shrugged.
"I've been making my own clothes since forever now, but I can make actual pants rather than having to wear dresses." She sounded wistful. Wylan came around looking at the sketches not expecting to be impressed but was pleasantly surprised. "Where did you get these ideas from?" He quested. "Jesper's fashion magazines." She said. She found a stack of them and with his permission had them in her room to study at night. "You can actually make these? Instead of joining Kaz's gang why not use this to start up a store? Get some employees and…" "No" She said. "I don't know anything about business."
"The university here teaches a bunch of different subjects we teach you how to read Kerch in a few years you can be knowledgeable." Maya shook her head. "Where am I going to get university money?" She questioned. "We'll back you financially." Wylan insisted. Maya again shook her head. "It's too big of a risk to back me financially I never got a formal education I only know clothes." Maya said. "Well than what if we took you to a store to get fabrics and you can start on making your wardrobe." Jesper said. "You would do that for me?" She asked surprised. "Yes." Jesper said. "Anything you need and don't worry about the payments we do not expect pay back." Maya nodded tears in her eyes. "Thank you." She said quietly.
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