[IC] Dogs of War: Old World Mercenaries

[POOHEAD189]

Cyrdic went from his stoic, wolfish sense to an embarrassed young man in almost no time. He smiled happily when she slipped his necklace on, and decided it truly did feel right for her to wear it. But then came what was next. Her hands on his, cupping his face and looking into his eyes. He looked completely lost for words. He knew he loved her, but he had never expected her to...

He leaned closer to her, his big hand resting on her cheek as well as she explained herself. "Camilla..." he breathed. Sigmar, Ulric, Taal for fucks sake, what do I say? "Camilla you...look at me," he said, using his otherhand to lift her chin up just a tad, meeting her eyes once more. His next words were full of surety and strength.

"I love you." He told her. "And I fell in love with you. All of you. Your cleverness, your jokes, the way you roll your tongue when you speak, your insane talents, even the way you turn things upside down," he couldn't help but give a laugh, and he pressed forward more earnestly. "Listen. You just be yourself around me, do you understand? Ulric knows I'll stand by you...always."

Cyrdic's smile was gone, and he gave her a nod of surety, as if he was swearing fealty to some war mongering Nordland lord bent on invading the chaos wastes. He actually had to keep himself from saluting with a fist over his chest. "I promise."
@Penny

[Penny]

Camilla looked embarrassed but the expression dissolved slowly into her usual calm demeanor. Her voice remained a little strained however.

"Well just make sure that you don't tell your mother that you are giving her jewelry away to Tilean women of Ill repute, what would the neighbors say," she joked making her voice sound scandalized at the very notion. Then she laughed and felt the tension drain out of her and she threw her arms around the sober serious Imperial, he grunted in pain as she pressed against his injuries but she ignored it for the moment, the silvery sound of her laughter filling the hall.

"well there, I suppose its not so hard," she said with a grin.

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

Cyrdic laughed at the joke, and couldn't help but laugh more as she threw her arms around. He wrapped his muscled arms around her, grinning back as she pressed to him. It hurt a bit, but he truly didn't care at this moment. "No, it's not," he said, his grin positively wolfish. But then it faded, and there was something in his eyes that grew warmer and softer. "It's the easiest thing in the world." He whispered to her.

Cyrdic pulled her onto his lap, holding her gently as she got comfortable. He was glad the chair he sat on was comfortable. His hips still hurt a bit, but he wasn't about to complain. They had all day tomorrow, and indeed the rest of their lives to hack apart Beastmen and save the Empire. For now he felt just nice holding her here, in the warmth and peace, and quiet.

He pressed his forehead to hers, nuzzling a bit, and then he kissed her longingly. He held her a bit tighter as he did so, drawing her closer and breathing through his nose. They sat there for many seconds, before he leaned his head back a tad and reached over to the table, grabbing a piece of the meal. It was a pomegranate. "I saw you eyeing these," he said playfully, giving it to her.

The sudden shift in their weight caused him to grunt in pain, and he had to quickly explain it was his fault, not hers. "Hey you think um, I can sleep in the bed tonight? For once, the ground does not agree with me." He almost looked embarrassed.
@Penny

[Penny]

Camilla leaned in close and kissed Cydric lingeringly then she stood up and lead him back towards the large bed in the sleeping chamber. Her body ached more than any time she could remember but at the same time it pulsed with electric excitement.

"I think we can probably make an exception," she said with a wicked grin. With gentle pressure she pushed Cydric down to the feather mattress.

*Fade to Black*

[POOHEAD189]

Cyrdic woke up late in the morning, the sun almost at its zenith in the sky. He felt Camilla's arms around his chest, her legs intertwined in his. The sellsword smiled to himself, and rubbed her thick head of black hair a bit with his hand. His mother's necklace hung loosely off her chest, pressed to his side. He hated to wake her, and honestly last night felt far too good, he almost didn't want to get out of bed or it would seem like it was over. He remembered her speaking her native Tilean, and the warmth they gave off still lingered.

But he still had his soldiering traditions, and old habits died hard. Most of the time he would be the one to get up before anyone else and kick new recruits into gear, yanking them out of bed if they dared grumble at him. He would have scolded himself not months ago. He chuckled at the thought, and slipped out of bed as best he could, putting on his trousers and tying them onto his waist. Once she awoke, she'd find he had breakfast out for her, and some water as well.

A knock reverberated off their door, and Cyrdic was admittedly a bit paranoid. The last two times they'd shared a room together after getting close, a Middenland man punched him in the face, and they were summoned to fight for their lives for a crime they never committed. Now that they were together and had shared a bed, he suspected to open the door to a rifleman squad. The Ostlander slipped his shirt on, and opened the door only slightly to keep Camilla well covered in the bed as she ate.

"Yes?" Cyrdic asked. The man before him was one of the servants.

"Yes, my Lord. Someone is here to see you. Indeed they've been waiting all morning, but I was told by the Duke not to disturb you until midday."

"My Lord? You must-..." He began, and then spaced out. He was a lord now, wasn't he? Technically. "Go on, man. Fetch him."

"As you wish, Marquess."

He closed the door, grunting. "I'll need to get used to that, I guess..."
@Penny

[Penny]

The servant returned a few minutes later leading a tall man wearing a red and bone shirt in jaunty party color. He was solidly built with brown hair dark hair and with the kind of shadowed stubble that spoke of a love hate relationship with a razor. A heavy broadsword was belted around his waist with a plain and clearly well used hilt wrapped in leather as well as a brace of pistols and the hilt of a dagger poked from the top of his long cavalry style boots. His fingers and hands were calloused speckled with black flecks and small burns and his eyes were light blue and sparkled with mirth.

The servant opened his mouth to introduce the man but the fellow simply stepped through the door and peered around the room appreciatively.

"Nice place," he commented in a vaugley Reikland sounding accent before plucking an apple from the left overs of last night meal and taking a crunching bite. The serveant cleared his throat irritably.

"Marquess may I..." the servant began only to be once again interrupted as the stranger burst into laughter, spraying bits of half chewed apple.

"Marquess is it?! Shallya's bleeding tits, the boys no more a Marquess than I am a Priest!" The servant hurumphed in irritation and tried again, his face flushing.

"Captain Reiner I hardly think..."

"That's right, you do hardly think, now buttle off and polish your baton or whatever it is you do when the grown ups are talking hey?" Reiner responded, picking up a pitcher of ale and taking an experimental sip from the neck. He nodded in approval and took a second much larger gulp before setting the half eaten apple down on the table. The servant muttered something and turned and strode of, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Sorry," Reiner went on, wiping his hand on the table cloth to remove the apple juice and sticking his hand out to Cydric.

"I'm Alois Reiner, Cydric Becker I take it?"

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

Cyrdic had seen men like this in the Ostland military. Most of them were often popular with the troops. Boisterous and hardy men, never backing down from a fight and being far more cunning than you'd expect. But outside of campaign, and in his own room, having his title questioned and his food eaten, Cyrdic was annoyed to say the least. The man hadn't even given Camilla time to cover up, so the covers had to do, and Cyrdic hadn't particularly liked the servant, but...

"Aye, that's me." Cyrdic said. He spoke slowly and curtly, to show he didn't care too much for the man's attitude. He had half a mind to take the man's mug from him, but decided against it for now. "Need something, Captain?"

"Heard you and the beauty were good at what you do," Reiner said. "Namely surviving and getting things done."

"Word spreads quickly," Cyrdic said.

"Fucking with a baron of Ostland and living to tell the bloody tale certainly does, and befriending Boris Todbringer."

"Like I said, what do you want?"
@Penny

[Penny]

Reiner but a booted foot up on one of the chairs and took another drink of the ale before setting the clay vessel down on the table and retrieving his apple.

"What I want Sergeant, is to do you a favor, well more accurately I want to do the Duke a favor and that favor is you." Reiner took another bite of the apple and crunched thoughtfully.

"You see its that whole living to tell the tale of it part. I'm not much for politics myself. If Im going to stab somone in the back I use a knife, but as I understand it there are a bunch of Ostland bully boys who want to put a knife in you and probably kick you in the crotch while their at it. Make'em big heroes back in Ostland with the Count you see." Reiner rolled his eyes.

"Like the Count of Ostland dosent' want half of the bloody Empire dead for one damn thing or another," he munched on around his mouthful of fruit.

"Now our friend the Duke, he wants to protect you from them on account of his Cousin, but he dosen't want to hang a bunch of Ostlanders and piss off The other Counts, of whom I have now lost count," Reiner made a vague gesture, twirling a hand in a rolling motion.

"So he asks me, Reiner, my old friend and confidant, do you think you might be able to help me sort out this thorny problem. And I says Duke my old friend, if its the Cydric Becker who I saw go over the wall with the Ostlander's at Skaleberj, I can probably make two openings in my company this very morning and get him down river by nightfall..."

Reiner suddenly choked on his apple and tumble backwards off his chair his eyes wide with shock. He hit the floor hard and his head bounced on the slate flooring. Camilla had stepped from the bedroom without realizing that there was company. Consequently she was still naked save for a sheet she had clasped indifferently in one hand.

"Suffering bloody Sigmar woman," the mercenary groaned, making no attempt to get up keeping his gaze fixed on the ceiling to spare Camilla's modesty.

"Did you fall of an oil painting or something?"

Camilla lifted the sheet to more or less cover her nakedness but didn't retreat back into the bedroom. Instead she glanced from Cydric to the recumbent Reiner and arched a dark eyebrow.

"Or something Mien Herr," she responded dryly, "I trust you have a good reason for delaying my breakfast?"

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

"Your company?" Cyrdic echoed, having crossed his arms across his chest. "We're mercs. We'll fight if we're paid, but let's not start holding hands." Just to make it clear he wasn't going back into any kind of military operation again. He'd spent 9 years of his life fighting under someone who was ungrateful for his contributions. He didn't want Camilla to have to deal with that. He knew she knew that life too, in a different way. The mention of Skaleberj only heightened his resolve, though Cyrdic did remember that day with a patriotic fondness. It had been a harrowing victory.

When Camilla entered, Cyrdic flushed. He should have told the Captain that they should speak elsewhere, lest something like this happen. Then again, he would never make a decision without Camilla's say so, so why even speak to the Captain until she was there? He snickered at Camilla's comment, then approached her. "I'm sorry, I was going to bring you breakfast" he told her honestly, then turned a hard gaze to the man. "But the Captain here decided to make himself at home. He'd wanted to speak to us all morning, from what I hear."

Cyrdic placed his hands on his hips, turning to the coincidentally named Reiner once more. Good thing I didn't need to keep the name, Cyrdic thought to himself. "Unless my companion has a different say, as long as it's a paying job, and we get to keep away from any Ostland pursuers, we're in. As long as you tell us what we'll be doing," he said, and added 'captain' at the end to show he was more or less on board.
@Penny

[Penny]

Camilla watched in amusement as Reiner came to his feet, brushing at an ale stain on his shirt without much hope.

"Mercenary company, got a little burned out taking other peoples orders but haven't got any talent for peace," he clarified, looking mournfully down at the stain by way of accentuating the point.

"No terms of service or anything that fancy, most of the boys cant read. Fight for us for as long as you like, just don't sod of mid fight or we will have words," Reiner went on, his tone remained jovial but there was a grimmer undertone to it when he mentioned having words. When it became clear that Camilla had no intention of leaving the room to dress he stopped pretending not to look at her and went on as calmly as he could.

"We have a contract babysitting a ship up to Marienberg, normally wouldn't phase em but there has been trouble on the rivers of late, some sort of vigilante getting the locals all stired up. Still it would take an army to take a ship like the Sparrow if it had anything more than grandmothers with brooms to defend it. Probably stop in Altdorf to do some trading but that's the captains decision."

He unrolled a scroll of parchment and passed it to Cydric.

"If your interested ask for the Sparrow at the docks, shes the big square rigged bitch," he explained.

"Begging my ladyships pardon of course," he added ironically.

"Thank you captain," Camilla said diplomatically, still holding the sheet to her otherwise naked body.

"We will consider your offer, now..." Reiner held up his hands and took a backing step towards the door.

"I'll leave you to your breakfast," the mercenary said, touching a finger to his forhead in salute and turning without another word to slip out the door.

Camilla blew out a breath after he left and let the sheet fall to the ground.

"Sounds, easy enough," she said dubiously. But when had anything ever been as easy as it sounded.

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

Cyrdic closed the door behind the Captain, locking it so they wouldn't be disturbed again without a proper allowance. He sighed, and turned around to lean against the closed door, muscled arms crossed. He nodded at her observation, clearly grasping the hesitation in her voice. "They wouldn't ask for either of us if this wasn't something that could be very dangerous," he said, thinking for a few moments. Even with his explanation of the Duke wanting them out of Ostland's wrath.

He looked up to see Camilla's bare form walking to the table set for them, and he felt as if he was worrying himself out of enjoying the present. Still, it did well to think things through before accepting. "Then again..." Cyrdic said, pushing off the door and heading over to sit down at the breakfast table that he'd half put together for them. "If we wanted safe, we'd be doing something else."

He stuck some of the seasoned sausage in his mouth, far too much food for someone at court to shove in there. But it didn't matter to him, until he heard another knock at the door.

"Whught!?" he asked, mouth full and clearly not wanting to be disturbed again.

"Thousand pardons my Lord, but your and the lady's clothes have been washed..." he declared, before adding a hesitant, "as best they can be."

"Fank yough" Cyrdic replied, and when the servant said no more, he figured he was gone and swallowed the food. He washed it down with some water, a bit of the liquid sloshing and wetting the top of his shirt. He still looked a bit out of it, and admitted as much. Cyrdic rubbed his eyes, and then stretched.

"How was your sleep?" he asked her.
@Penny

[Penny]

Camilla's lips turned up into a sultry smile as she took a seat across from Cydric. Idly she picked up a pomegranate and broke it open picking a few of the seeds from the fruit and popping them into her mouth, savoring the tart sweetness of the ruby flesh.

"I can't remember sleeping better," she said truthfully, "for all I am a giant bruise." She made a gesture to the ugly purple bruises that ran from breast to hip.

"Mind you, I was pretty exhausted by the time I finally got to sleep," she added with a wink before taking a long drink of water. It had warmed over night but it was still refreshing. Energized she tried some of the sausage, she had heard that this city was famous for its sausage but truthfully she found it bland compared to the salami of her native land. Camilla realized she was reluctant to address the future. Part of her wanted to stay here, in this chamber with Cydric and never think about tomorrow. Her smile became a trifle sad for a moment.

"I think we would be wise to get out of the city," she said finally, spearing a chunk of ham with a fork an popping it into her mouth.

"We might be big news in this part of the world, but no one would know us from Pablo in Altdorf, we can find work there, I'm sure."

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

The soldier squared his shoulders, smiling bashfully and shifting in his seat. He was trying to appear casual as the memories of the previous night flooded back into his head, and he had to visibly stall the warm stirrings of desire that was now rousing in him from her smile and subtly sly movements. He had to admit, she'd made him quite tired too. He was glad he'd awoken before noon. His stamina and her experience and expertise...

He blinked a thick blink, shoving the hunger out of his eyes and sighed. He spoke up a moment later. "I agree," he declared. "And no one would have heard of us in Marienburg. At least, no one we're liable to run into."

He ate another small helping of food, and then wiped washed it down with water. Reluctant to leave as well, he knew it was the right choice, so he decided to help his partner get into gear.

"As much as I hate to say it, best get dressed," he told her. Once she got up, he'd give her a light, playful smack on the rump. It was one part joking, one part playful, and one part hearing her squawk. He still found it oddly adorable she did that whenever she was surprised.
@Penny

[Penny]

Camilla let out a delighted laugh as she sauntered away towards where she dimly remembered throwing her close.

"Careful," she said back over her shoulder, "Too much of that and won't get out of here until well after dark."

______________________________________

As Reiner had said the Sparrow was impossible to miss. It towered over the smaller river craft, its high forecastle easily twice that of its nearest rival. All of the rope in the universe hung from its various yards and masts and men scampered around them like monkeys doing Camilla knew not what. A banner of white and blue snapped lazily from one of the masts, Camilla supposed it must have belonged to one of the merchant houses or adventuring companies.

With an irritated sigh she shifted her weapons belt about her hips for the fiftieth time, trying to make the damn thing settle right. They had used a few minutes to convert some of their jewelery into coin and Camilla had purchased a rapier and two new pistols. The rapier was heavier than her old weapon more of an epee really and the weight was disconcerting. The pistols were fine rifled pieces not too disimilar from what the Witchunter Von Koneinswald had used, although heavier in calibre, Camilla did not trust her accuracy to do all the work for her. She had even consulted an armorer about making a new piece of armor for her and paid an extra fee to have it done immediately. The tight corset like chestplate was belted on over her white shirt and she was still trying to adjust the straps to make the thing rest comfortably when they reached the ship.

At the bottom of the gangplank stood a young frecklefaced man, no more than fifteen or sixteen. Sweat was pouring down the boy, no doubt because of the sheer profusion of equipment he was carrying. In addition to a full suit of half plate, with elaborate visored helmet, he carried a polearm at high port, and two heavy longswords were slung across his back. A heavy cavalry hammer hung from his belt as did several pistols.

"You must... be... the guests we were told... to expect," the boy wheezed, addressing Cydric, "Go right aboard sir." There was a titter of laughter from the end of the gangplank but Camilla couldn't see anyone when she glanced up. Exchanging a quizzical look with Cydric she headed up the ramp to where a plump looking man with one eye sat whitling a piece of wood with a knife.

"Don't mind young Klaus there, I'm Sergeant Bonhoff, Reiner's second," the fellow said, sticking out a greasey hand in greeting. Camilla declined to touch the fellow but looked back over her shoulder at the sweating Klaus.

"Formidable," she said in a neutral tone of voice. The man's laughter redoubled as though the comment were the funniest thing he had heard in years.

"No doubt he appears so My Lady," he cuffed, "but as it happens its punishment detail. The fellow fell asleep on watch and now he has to stand there in full gear until Reiner gets back." Bonhoff leanded in close and lowered his voice conspiratorially.

"I've seen the captain sauntering around the docks this past hour, just waiting for the young fool to collapse so he can fall on him like the furies when he does!"

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

Cyrdic snorted at Camilla's comment, and shook his head at the man for not having taken the quip for what it was. Muscled arms crossed, he turned around and gazed back at the streets Altdorf. He regretted them not having time to explore the capital of the Empire, but duty was duty, after all. Or I guess it's 'business is business' now that I sell my sword, he thought wryly.

Cyrdic was certain he and Camilla could sit here for days hearing Bonhoff pontificate over all of their free company's procedures, but they had a city to go to. "Well, now that we're here maybe the lad could swab the deck as we set sail, eh?"

He wasn't a stranger to rough treatment for younger recruits. He'd been on the shit end of that philosophy more than once, and had used it on younger troops himself. But an hour seemed like it must have taught this young kid a lesson. Cyrdic knew the main deterrent for failing again was how you've lost the respect of your fellow soldiers, anyway. Rather than the punishment that was given.

"So anxious to go, are you?" Bonhoff said, hacking a wet laugh that ended with him spitting off the ship.

"Captain!" Cyrdic called outloud, his voice full of strength and control. It echoed along the enclosed space of this side of the docks. "Are we going to go or should I grow a beard first?"
@Penny

[Penny]

Reiner sauntered out of the crowd, as casually and comfortably as if he had already been on his way. The soldier stopped and took a loop of spiced sausage from a vendor and pushed some coins into the ancient woman's hands before heading for the ship. The mercenary stopped by the sweating boy and said something to him before clapping him on the shoulder. The boy sank to the ground with a breath of relief audible even over the noise of a busy harbor.

Bonhoff wiped his greasy hands on his shirt and came to his feet in a distant relation of military courtesy.

"Dieter," the Captain greeted, passing the old sergeant the sausage before turning to face Camilla and Cedric. Camilla noted that his more flamboyant clothes were gone now, replaced with nondescript gray woolens and a dark brown jacket of faded leather.

"Camilla, Cydric, decided to come along, splendid, splendid," he greeted them. Camilla made a cautious nod.

"As far as Marienburg at least," she said noncommittally. Bonhoff looked over them in appraisal, approving of Cydric and viewing Camilla with a mixture of interest and skepticism.

"As for growing a beard Herr Becker, I'm afraid we can't depart until the Captain gets here." Bonhoff snorted at that.

"He means the ships Captain, Frauline Kemmler," the seagrent clarified before turning to bawl an obscene instruction to several armed men milling about on the forecastle. Camilla thought they might have been trying to place a small swivel gun but couldn't say for sure. Reiner nodded his agreement.

"Too many Captains, Capti?" he shook his head, "No matter. No cabins for troops I'm afraid. All the space below deck is cargo, save the captains own cabin. Find a place to bunk on deck." He made a vague gesture to the forecastle. Camilla saw that it wasn't a gun the men were positioning, they were stringing canvas to provide shade for men to sleep up there.

"All I know..." before Reiner could finish the statement there was a disturbance in the crowd on the docks. A half dozen sailors shoved their way through the crowd behind them carried on a palaquin was a fleshy woman in her middle years in a fine satin suit. She had steely grey hair and a face that spoke of perpetual irritation. Reiner sighed his customary optimisim slipping, Camilla guessed that he had had his issues with Frauline Kemmler already.

"It seems the Captain is comming aboard, we may not need to wait for Herr Becker's beard to grow after-all."

[Penny]

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

Muffled calls of 'casting off!' were heard in the background as Cyrdic and Camilla soaked in the barge they'd be spending the next week on.

It was larger than the Imperial Pride, and made for river defense. But as noted from earlier, no true guns and very little in the way of defense other than manpower. Cyrdic then took the liberty of gazing at the crew, both merc and sailor. True enough, they didn't look particularly impressive, but he could tell some of the men were experienced by the way they carried themselves, and their ragged looks could be deceiving. He'd certainly seen worse men at the helm of the ship or with a sword in hand.

Cyrdic nodded for Camilla and he to head up top, and they stepped up the creaking steps of the ship to its castle to see what are there they could sleep in. He felt a tinge of disappointment he and Camilla couldn't have a private place to sleep. They had just gotten past their awkward and confusing feelings, and it didn't sit right with him that he couldn't spend more time with her. But, they were on guard duty. He supposed it was good fortune there'd be less distractions when concerning that, for the sake of the job.

Now that he was up at the height of the barge castle, he could see far down the river as the ship set sail. Wind billowed, tossing his hair back as he gazed at the forested riverlands they were about to traverse westward.

"Keeping a lookout, eh?" Reiner called from down below to Cyrdic. The Ostlander couldn't tell if he was having a go at him, or being serious. "Good thinking! Never know what you're going to find out here. But I'm fairly certain we're safe in the harbor."

"Oui, très impressionnant," one of the mustached mercenaries who was making his bed muttered in Brettonian, and the sarcasm in his voice was not lost on Cyrdic.

He ignored them mostly, iron eyes gilded in the sunlight. He stood vigilant and alert like a hunting wolf.
@Penny

[Penny]

The ship pulled majestically out onto the river as night fell. It seemed to Camilla that this was a strange time to set sail but one of the crewmen, a leathery old man with only three fingers and a thumb on his right hand, informed her that because the Sparrow was so much larger than most of the other river going ships and barges, it was actually safer for it to maneuver at night when there were few other ships to cause it problems. At least she thought that is what he said, his River patois and her limited command of Riekspiel made it impossible to know for sure.

Despite Reiner insistence she decided to ask Captain Kemmler if it might be possible to rent a cabin, even the captain's own for which Camilla was willing to pay, the prospect of another night of privacy more than enough to loosen her purse strings. For her trouble she received a blistering lecture on the loose morals of foreign women and how their slatternly ways were running the empire. She deduced from this that Herr Kemmler had a bit of a wandering eye. Camilla concluded the exchange with a few choice words in Tilean which the captain clearly understood well enough to storm off, growling to herself.

Dinner was fresh rations of all sorts, it wasn't nearly as good as what the Duke had provided but Reiner had clearly splurged. No hard spirits were present but there was a cask of wine from which each man was permitted to take a cup. Watches were assigned for the night. Cydric was excluded on account of having already watched the harbor and Camilla was excused on account of the fact that no one on watch with her could be expected to see anything. The mercenary Captain's whimsy confused her, on the other hand, although she was no judged the twenty or so troopers seemed like solid soldiers. They were well equipped and well, if plainly turned out, they seemed to trust their captain too although there was something else there.

After dinner Camilla joined Cydric at the bow rail looking across the dark expanse of the river as it slipped by. She settled at the railing beside him and giving his arm a quick squeeze.

"Busy day," she commented, spitting a cherry pit into the water with a plop.

"Seems almost anticlimactic dosent it?"

@POOHEAD189

[POOHEAD189]

"Usually I'd disagree," Cyrdic said, leaning his forearms on the railing. The squeeze Camilla gave him caused a small smile to bloom on his face. "Most days of a soldier's life is spent marching rather than fighting. But..." He trailed off for a moment, and then chuckled. "You're right," he continued, "ever since I met you, it's all been one long conflict. Not that I mind. It's been oddly fun, actually."

Cyrdic nudged her. His muscled body next to hers, it felt like a swaying tree pressing to Camilla, though it was still playful. As the soldier gazed out into the water, watching the moon's reflection, he placed his hand on Camilla's. It was weird, her comment. Cyrdic usually thought in the now. He never really looked at the big picture unless the situation called for it. Ordinarily, it was 'take that hill!' and 'for Sigmar!' Even now to him, it was just a quiet night. Despite her hard fighting and fiery nature, Camilla had a very clever, almost melodramatic quality to the way she spoke. They were so different in a lot of ways, but that was one of the good things.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw no one was close to their side of the ship, and some had already gone to bed. His eyes then fell on Camilla, and he reached up to slip a cascading flow of her raven hair behind her ear. His other hand slipped onto her waist, in a familiar way, but in truth he was merely giving a light feel of her bruises. "How are you feeling?" He asked her.
@Penny