OOM All Skate Skellig Dream Magic Weirdness -Part 10

[brave_kreyu]

Kreyu has taken a different shape than is usual for her. A dragon, yes, but one of quite different build and coloration!

This shape is more serpentine, although it still has four legs and wings. Her body and her wings are covered in feathers that are all the colors of the rainbow. She fusses with some of her wing feathers, the claws of this shape far smaller, as dexterous as human hands.

"How do I look?" she asks, a little nervous about her appearance.

Comments

[brave_kreyu]

"Personally, I would break them into tiny little pieces," Kreyu offers. "Slavery is a vile practice that should not exist, and they're not going to be anywhere near here where the lack of the contracts might be an issue."


Xenophon squeezes his sister's hand. "We're free Kirke."

[27_53]

Nodding, he reaches up and scratches beneath Kreyu's chin, speaking quietly as to not interrupt the moment being shared between siblings. "That was my thought as well, but before I destroyed them I did not want it to be a potential issue later."

They will find a place where it is safe to break them soon enough. Skellig might even suggest that Xenophon and Kirke help break them apart - as a therapeutic process?

Kirke is still processing the shock of free when he glances back towards then. To Kreyu, his voice still low: "I plan to offer to outfit them for their travels. And perhaps find a food stall, I can't survive on wine alone...I know you might appreciate a meal as well." Surely he can find a fresh fish somewhere?

[brave_kreyu]

Chin scratches are lovely, and she purrs.

"A meal and some shopping would be therapeutic for all of us, I feel."

The market isn't hard to find, after a few turns. It's leaner than the one they found in Amikaya by far, few luxury items of any kind, but food and basic necessities seem available enough.

[27_53]

Fish is harder to come by than he expects it to be (not that he minds as he is NOT a fan of eating it) but they find a stall selling roasted skewers of game bird (some type of waterfowl) and that will suffice. Initially he gets a weird look when he asks for a piece to only be lightly cooked over the coals and without any of the seasoning, but then the person running the stall sees the cat perched upon his shoulder and it makes sense.

(Something is definitely muttered about 'rich eccentrics' as they take their leave but Skellig pays it no mind as they find a place to sit and eat.)

"So," he says to Xenophon and Kirke, as they settle - and he shreds the chunk of meat for Kreyu into more manageable bites automatically, as if he's done this for her a thousand times before. "We would like to outfit you for your travels, before we take our leave. Have you thought more about where you would like to go?"

The pieces for Kreyu get set beside him on a piece of lightly waxed paper, that was used to wrap the skewer.

[brave_kreyu]

Her husband is SO thoughtful! Clearly, she has the best possible husband. She purrs as she devours her meal.

"Far from here," Kirke says firmly. Xenophon squeezes her hand.

"Yes, we would not wish to see these lands again. The sight of them aches, in our hearts."

"I would worry for them, traveling in this area," Kreyu adds, voice just loud enough for all of them to hear. "With this much unrest, there are bandits and robbers aplenty on the roads. A ship would be safer, if we can find one with a reliable reputation."

[27_53]

Considering something as he works on his own meal, Skellig has an idea but it is not one he is quite finished debating the pros and cons of. Without going into too much (the talking cat is actually my shape-shifting dragon wife) detail, he suggests it to Kreyu:

"They could both travel alongside us for a few days," he says. "Until perhaps we reach a port city that is less ragged as Mycenae? And then they could choose from there where a more reliable ship might be found?"

[brave_kreyu]

"There is a port not too far from here that would serve," Kreyu muses. "I know a ship captain who retired there, as a matter of fact."

"We would be grateful for your company," Kirke says. Xenophon looks between Skellig and his sister. "My sister is very brave, she will not fear your company."

[27_53]

"Excellent," he says, in response to all of it. He tears another few chunks off of his skewer and places them down for Kreyu - if she is going to be flying later, she will benefit from the extra nibbles.

Once they have finished, now shopping can occur - for things OTHER than people. Handing over gems and coins in exchange for their contracts was the safest way to go about it, but Skellig still feels 'slimy', as Kreyu mentioned...

"We should start with the simple things," he offers as a suggestion. It is not as if Kirke was dressed in rags, being one of the girls who would serve such a man of 'high class' as Cylon. But they can perhaps find a few things better suited for travel.

[brave_kreyu]

She will indeed, and a hungry dragon is a CRANKY dragon.

It isn't too hard to find what they need, clothes suited for travel, more sleeping rolls, provisions that will keep, tools for setting up a camp and making fire.

The longer Kirke is with them, the more relaxed she becomes, coming out of her defensive shell. Her tongue can be sharp when a merchant tries to cheat them or sell them inferior product!

Still, the shopping has taken up time, and the sun is getting low. "It might be prudent to find an inn to stay the night," Kreyu offers. "We can afford two rooms readily enough, have a proper dinner and wash up."

The decision is not at ALL motivated by her growing desire to cuddle with her husband, nope.

[27_53]

The suggestion is a wise one - after some discussion with another shopkeeper about where a more reputable inn might be found - one that Kirke and Xenophon would likely consider outside of their 'budget', but it is not a stretch with the stock that Kreyu and Skellig have carried with them into Mycenae. Discussions are had about what time to meet up again in the morning to set off, rooms are paid for, dinners arranged to be brought up from the kitchens (while a side-trip to the baths are made) and finally after the sun has set, Skellig closes the door to 'his' room and locks it securely behind him.

There are two covered dishes on the table (they had not asked questions as to why the solo traveler would want two servings) and Skellig dips his shoulder as he nears the bed, allowing her to jump down as he places his bags at the foot on a low bench.

[brave_kreyu]

She leaps down from his shoulder onto the bed, resuming her familiar winged human shape shortly after landing.

She moves toward him immediately, to touch his face. "Missed this," she says, voice soft.

[27_53]

Now it is Skellig's turn to dip his face towards her touch - he sighs gently and closes his eyes, allowing her to run her fingertips over his face, touch and trace across the features she knows so very well.

"Me too," he breathes. "More than I realized until this moment."

[brave_kreyu]

Once she has traced his face, she moves to stand. Much easier to hug him when they are both standing up!

She wraps her arms around him, presses her face to his neck. "I have missed my hands most keenly," she murmurs. "More than I ever have before."

[27_53]

"Having them back must be a bit of an adjustment," he admits. "Even if it was only a short while they were unavailable to you. I think we did well enough in the meantime."

Lots of chin scritches. He smirks faintly. "I did quite enjoy your posturing when that bastard thought he might offer you petting."

[brave_kreyu]

"It is an adjustment, but one I am somewhat used to making." She nods. "We did the best we could, and your scratches were most appreciated."

She smirks. "Hardly posturing when I would have left him bloody had he tried it," she quips, tone dark and pleased that he enjoyed her actions.

"Was tempted to have a go at his head, leave his scalp a bloody mess."

[27_53]

"I appreciated your restraint," Skellig teases. "It did make negotiations easier."

He sighs. "I felt so...filthy during all of that," he admits. "Was one of the reasons I took an extra moment to scrub my skin clean before coming up to the room."

People should NOT be bought and sold!

[brave_kreyu]

She kisses his neck softly. "So did I," she confesses. "But Xenophon and Kirke are free, and that creature won't be profiting from such things once my eldest brother pays him a visit."

She rubs his back between his wings. "He has a particular distaste for those who use bureaucracy as a weapon."

[27_53]

"I admit I had a hint of pleasure come through my mind at what your eldest brother might do with him," he chuckles under his breath. "And I still have not met him in person!"

There will be a time and place for that. Just like right now... he is hungry. And knows she must be as well. But where she is rubbing his back is nice, and he appreciates her touch.

[brave_kreyu]

"You will, later," she promises. "I would have his temper be as cool as it ever gets, before you meet."

She can tell he is conflicted. "We should eat while the food is still warm," she says. "Then we can touch as much and as long as we please."

She kisses him on the neck, moves to investigate their dinner. A lovely lamb tagine, served with plenty of bread for scooping it up!

[27_53]

"You speak wise words, as always."

As dinner is investigated, he moves to pour two cups of wine - these are simpler vessels than they drank from earlier. But still suitable!

"That smells lovely," he says as he moves to sit beside her. "Lamb?"

[brave_kreyu]

"Yes, with apricots, pistachios, and a lovely blend of spices, from the smell."

She's entirely unbothered by eating in the nude, and she doubts Skellig will mind either!

"An excellent recommendation from that merchant."

"Thank you, love," she says as he pours the wine. She takes a sip, makes a pleased sigh.

[27_53]

Skellig does not mind her being nude - after all, the first several weeks they spent in the village, she was dressed in just a kilt for most of their entire time there. And during most of the time in the Lair, they chose comfort above the rest of it.

Plus, while his focus is on food (for the most part), he does enjoy studying her form.

"Another advantage," he points out. "Now you can drink wine again."

[brave_kreyu]

She laughs. "One of many."

"Can't properly appreciate the color of your eyes in that shape either," she remarks as she eats. "Your scent, yes, but color is quite different in that form."

[27_53]

"I will have to allow you to gaze into them after dinner, make up for lost time."

Not that she NEEDS to spend every waking hour of every day they are together staring into his eyes. But it doesn't hurt to allow for a bit of catch-up now and then!

[brave_kreyu]

"I would quite like that," she replies, smiling.

"And to be close to you, touching." She wouldn't say no to sex, but she hungers for cuddling, for touching, more in this moment.