OOM All Skate Skellig Dream Magic Weirdness -Part Nine

[brave_kreyu]

Kreyu has gathered plenty of henna and even woad, a blue dye, for some experiments with designs on Skellig's skin.

"The blue would look lovely on you, I think," she remarks. "Your fairer skin would show it off quite well. Though I am far more experienced in applying henna."

She's gathered bits and pieces of designs to look at for inspiration. Celtic style knots, viking style abstract patterns and stylized beasts, the mandala and floral type designs he's admired on her, and more.

Comments

[27_53]

His demeanor softens slightly (not that it was at all harsh to begin with) as she speaks, and he shifts his wing slightly to give her better access to his feathers (on instinct, not as a suggestion or request) as they lay together.

"Never before have I ever heard myself called beautiful," he says. "Not until I found myself in your company."

[brave_kreyu]

She keeps preening his feathers.

She sniffs disdainfully. "Then they were clearly lacking in taste." So says his dragon! "A treasure stolen from a world that knew not what they cast aside so cruelly and thoughtlessly." She pauses. "Or it WOULD have been if I had been responsible for you winding up in my company in the first place."

[27_53]

"I am just glad that I ended up where I belong," he says honestly. "Where I am able to be appreciated appropriately."

With her, by her.

"That feels nice," he adds, nodding towards his feathers and her fingers.

[brave_kreyu]

"So am I," she replies, honest and sincere.

"I'm glad it feels nice." She kisses the back of his neck. "Tricky to reach certain places by yourself, and, well, I like touching you."

[27_53]

"My feathers have likely never been in such a fine state as they have been since I have found myself under your care," he quips. "I like being touched by you, so it works out well."

He settles in, and is distracted for a while by her touches - only after a few moments of quiet does he speak up.

"When you spoke of a possible hunt tomorrow," he says, yawning gently. "What...what sort of hunt were you suggesting?"

[brave_kreyu]

"A ship involved in the slave trade," she replies, voice quiet. "The Red Lion. I have received word from some informants that it should be within striking range of the Lair for the next few days, and it is traveling alone."

[27_53]

"That sounds like an excellent opportunity to take care of a problem before it becomes a bigger one. Do you have word if there are captives aboard? I would assume it is likely."

Skellig's brow furrows slightly at the idea of ships, as their last encounter with one was...less than pleasant.

[brave_kreyu]

"Almost certainly," Kreyu replies. She runs her fingers through his feathers, soothing both of them. "Since they are heading back to the port they usually make their sales at."

"This ship, at least, should have no magic users on it," she adds, frowning slightly.

[27_53]

She will be able to sense his conflict as she works her fingers through his feathers, which ruffle slightly, unsettled.

His thoughts on killing are conflicted - at least if they were magic users, it might be a hint more of a 'fair fight' - but at the same time, slave traders are scumbags. People are not commodities. But it is still death.

"We will have to be careful in how we approach, as to lessen any collateral damage."

[brave_kreyu]

"I can go alone," she offers, voice soft. "It will not trouble me as it does you."

"Very careful," she agrees. "Another reason for my eagle shape, it is less likely to damage the ship than something larger."

[27_53]

"You will not go alone," he says. "I...it would cause me greater distress if harm were to come to you without me there at your side, than if I was to partake in things that I am not yet entirely accustomed to doing."

He sighs softly. "There are ways in which I will be able to help that may not include direct conflict," he suggests. "I will not shy from it if it is needed, but I can explore options once we survey the ship and the scene."

[brave_kreyu]

She nods, kisses him on the cheek.

"Possibly. We will have to see what exactly is going on once we get there."

She yawns slightly. "All the more reason to get plenty of sleep tonight."

[27_53]

"Indeed, quite a good reason." Skellig sinks down further into the bed (and snuggles as close to her as he can get without making it actually uncomfortable) and a yawn also escapes him.

It has been a very long day.

Typically between the two of them, he is often the earlier riser - but given how strongly the spell and ritual took hold of him, he is not going to wake up at his usual time. He does not dream (which is likely a good thing, in this instance) and simply rests, catching up on much-needed sleep, which is body is very grateful for!

[brave_kreyu]

Kreyu slips out of his arms in the morning without waking him up completely, washes herself, and then goes to work on breakfast and packing for the trip.

She intends to spoil her poor tired husband a bit this morning! There is yogurt, fresh fruit, and an actual LOAF of bread this morning.

She's slicing fresh figs in half, dipping the cut side in honey, and caramelizing them just a bit. The honey is from the same jar that Skellig has tasted on HER on more than one occasion.

[27_53]

Between the smell of the bread that she has baked and then the smell of the honey-caramelized figs reaching his nose, he eventually stirs awake enough to realize that he is alone in the bed (not a worry, her heartbeat is still close to him, he can sense it without opening his eyes) and he stretches his body and yawns, blinking his eyes open to look for her.

Sleepily, he grins when he sees her glance up at him from where she's working on breakfast.

"You beat me," he murmurs. "I truly must have been tired."

[brave_kreyu]

"I did rather wear you out yesterday," she says softly, her tone slightly apologetic. "How are you feeling?"

She snatches the pan with the figs off of the fire before 'caramelized' becomes burnt. Today's chiton is a dark blue with flower patterns in white. She's pulled most of her hair up in a bun on top of her head, secured it with large bronze pins stuck into it in strategic places, but some of it has already escaped those confines.

[27_53]

"Much more lively than I did at the end of yesterday," he stretches again - something pops in his upper spine and he grunts in a combination of pleasure and discomfort as he rolls his neck, then pushes himself up into a sitting position at the edge of the bed (sheet draped over his waist - if she's dressed, he'll not 'torment' her with his own nudity just yet) and shrugs his wings slightly. "This is definitely not the body of a teenaged youth."

A smirk.

"Though I seem to believe you prefer the more aged and experienced model."

[brave_kreyu]

"That is a relief to my heart," she replies. The worry fades, even though she hears that pop in his upper spine.

She laughs. "I prefer you as you are, my love." The bread isn't quite cool enough to cut into, so she leaves it be for now. "Although I would love any form that you were comfortable in, as it would be YOU."

[27_53]

"Shifting is not my strong suit," he says. "So this is the version you are likely going to endure."

Rising to his feet, he moves to gather a clean towel and a fresh kilt from what they've reorganized and sorted into 'his' chest - at some point or another, it became obvious he needed his own storage space, what with the rate he was going through kilts and acquiring treasures.

This time he does not bother to hide his body from her view. And yes, he can feel her watching him.

"I would wash then join you," he comments, glancing over his shoulder.

[brave_kreyu]

"I think you meant enjoy, love," she teases when he makes that comment about enduring.

"That sounds like a good plan," she replies, smiling. "I think the bread will be cool enough to cut into by the time you've washed and dressed."

[27_53]

"It smells delicious," he says. "I am looking forward to it. I will be right back."

Skellig is not one to saunter, especially not in the manner in which she has been known to do. But birds do have a tendency to 'strut', especially when they are trying to show off for their mate. So he might just do that, on his way out of the room as he goes to wash up and then dress himself.

When he returns, he is dressed in one of his simple kilts with a basic belt, and his hair is finger-combed into some semblance (not much) of order. The 'tattoos' she painted on his skin are still holding well, which pleases him.

[brave_kreyu]

She's pleased with his praise and she enjoys his strut.

Kreyu is breaking into the bread when he returns. "It seems to have come out well," she tells him. "It takes longer to rise when it is like this, so I have not made proper loaves often."

There is chai too, for breakfast. Plenty of good, nutritious, tasty food to fuel them up for a busy day!

[27_53]

A busy day indeed - hunting for prey is something to be well-prepared for, regardless of the species!

He perches on a chair nearby her at the table, sniffing the air and looking over the spread she has laid out for them. "If I did not know any better, I would suspect you are trying to spoil me, my love." He's teasing, of course, and patiently waits until she's sliced up some of the bread before he reaches for a piece.

[brave_kreyu]

"You've figured out my cunning plan," she teases back.

The bread is still warm, soft. It's whole grain too because the technology to make it NOT whole grain does not yet exist.

"Would you like some honey on your bread?"

[27_53]

"Yes please," he says. "It is such a good blend of it... you know I would enjoy it on anything."

Including his dragon.

"And I do not object to being spoiled," he adds. "Because I know you allow me to do the same to you."