tirgesfu

Tides of Dusk: A Piratical Tale of Fantasy

Oh she was poetry. He saw her eyes look to his with concerned request for acceptance. He again needed control. She spoke from such a deep place he was moved. Poetry. All this time he thought her hardess was uncaring distance, and maybe part of it is. But he watched her put on that face. From pleading eyes to ice hard in seconds. She had developed the skill. It wasn’t her. He realized it was her cover for what she thought was broken. He could not help but want to hold the pieces.

If she needed that face then he would follow that, accept it, and keep any secret she gave very close to his heart. With his arms full came a glance from his crew with a question in the poor on duty man's eyes Jax shrugged. After the stiff walk and commanding eyes of their First Mate, Jax raised his brows and whispered, “Research.” He followed quickly behind letting her walk ahead as her position required.

He stood outside her door as she stomped in, waiting for permission. Like he was bringing her supplies or just crying her bags Jax stopped at the entrance and let his eyes glance around to see if the crew was watching. Those awake were working at loading and didn’t seem to notice. He was sure they did, but at least they didn’t make him pretend every long.

Jax closed the door behind him. He put down most of the bottles on the nearest table and helped himself to a good hard swig before he past her the bottle of some rye whiskey. He wiped his mouth as he offered her a taste.

“We should start with the hardest and work down to a child books. Do you have any children’s books?” He grinned to her thinking that was funny. But maybe the booze was kicking in. “And you better hadn’t be doing any of those trick drink things where you don’t really let it slid down or you put your tongue over the opening or anything. “ He squinted at her to let her know how serious he was until he smiled again.

“Now, you ready to be wooed by my smooth sensual voice?” In fact he was more thinking of listening to her. Still he could go first.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

A little help? He heard that through the awful screams of the hounds calls. That was what his love asked, which of course would be funny if she thought about it because she knew he would give her everything. Yet when compared to the power in front of them a little might be the best way to describe it. A little might be everything he had. Thad’s mind was racing to think of something useful to do. Well, at least he could give his love a little.

He was by her quick, no other place he should be, and if she was attacking, and it was easy to see she was, he could help. He should stop her. He knew if he was the regular sort of guy and she was the storybook gal of his dreams he would protest her attempt to put herself in harms way. But, fuck, she was Veti. This was who she was.

There wasn’t much of a question of how he could help. She was going to spring off and he could see those woman eye’s become the wolf's and glare at Seymon. She would catch him if he would push her off. It wasn’t as if his arms were stronger than those amazing legs that wrapped around him, not enough, not near enough. But Thad rubbed his bloodied hand together again and graded a bit of that green light that was filling the place. Green for go, you know. He took that force, took hold of Veti’s hunched ready to pounce hind legs from behind, trying not to think too much about the human view of this, and he pushed her off with a force even greater than her own powers. Greater than his.

But he couldn’t just let her go off on her own without, without, without him. He had to do something. So the spear didn’t work. So the place was falling apart. Ok, fuck the old tales then and come up with something new. New. Yes. Thad reached around and grabbed handfuls of that impressive green light that crackled with basic god like energy. Good stuff. Don’t let your shit around monster mutt.

And speaking of shit if Thad couldn’t get in through the mouth then he would blow the other end of the asshole. Must be his view of Veti got him thinking rear ends. So he managed to roll the balls and move around to the backside of the beast. Nothing like Veti’s.

As he moved he shouted, or thought he did, it was hard to hear anything over the strange roars. “Atticus, you better catch Siya or when I am done it’s your ass I’ll be after.”

Thad fought to move more than he thought he should, like against a wind or some force that was pushing him away. But hell, if Veti could spring in, then he could find some fucking away to move around. The beast was distracted at least with the others as Thad found his spot behind and began to form those green balls of leftover god wolf droppings tighter and tighter.

He waited for his chance to shove one up its goddamn asshole.

Tides of Dusk: A Piratical Tale of Fantasy

Oohhh..did Jax have to control himself. First she put her arms around him. He wanted so badly to take hold of her. Really wrap his arms around her even tighter than he had at the dance. He wanted to push his face in her hair and his lips on her neck. Damn, he wanted that. But he didn't want her to stop giggling either. And for one of the few times, or were there more and more of them lately, he fought all of those feeling he had and thought with his head. This wasn’t about what he wanted. This was more. This about being with her and not fucking things up. He knew as much as he wanted to kiss her he didn’t want her cold eyes back. This was not the time to answer his needs but instead think of her. She thinks she is broken. As low as he was, and Jax thought he was, he couldn’t take advantage of that low point even if he wanted to. The real reason why was because he liked her. He really liked her. He cared about what she thought of him. How dangerous was that?

Oh boy, talk about broken, Jax was sure when this was said and done he would be in pieces.

But, right now, after he managed not to push against her and kiss her, he was having a good time. And she just added more.

“Books and booze!” He stood up quickly afraid if he sat there he would give in to his desires. “Brilliant!” He stood in his most dramatic stand with one arm out to his front like those poets and actors do and one hand over his heart. Jax cleared his throat and in a low loud voice he recited:

How he heard the ancient helmsman
Chant a song so wild and clear,
That the sailing sea-bird slowly
Poised upon the mast to hear,

Till his soul was full of longing,
And he cried, with impulse strong,—
“Helmsman! for the love of heaven,
Teach me, too, that wondrous song!”*

He let the feeling wash over him. Then he turned to Nicki and smiled reaching for her hand. He hadn’t meant to show her that but then, he was doing so many things he didn’t think he would or should. To cover his doubt he grinned and pulled her up off the seat.

When he wasn’t sure he often spoke, “And balls? You tease me unmercifully.” He had to keep control. It was the showing part that shook his resolve. Here in the night scent she should not offer that to him. She shouldn’t be here in the moonlight with the Night Blooms. Not with him. Not with flashes of poetry and promises of books. He wanted to keep her with him but he knew he better lighten his own arousal or he would mess up what he wanted even more. So he tied to spin her off the seat like a dance and then turn to leave toward the promise, books, booze, and balls. Away from the scent of the flowers and the lure of her arms.

“And though I know, as broken as you say, you are not a gambler, or a very good one.” He had to ramble on because his mouth still wanted to kiss her and if he yarmer maybe he wouldn’t. “Protest as you wish, I played that card game.” He teased her with a smile that felt natural. “I like a wager or two. So I will bet you one silver coin you will slur your speech before I.”

He laughed and while walking holding her hand still he had to add, “I am good with my mouth.” My kisses he so wanted to add but Jax was full of control. He used his other hand to point into his opened mouth and with a mumble, because he kept his mouth open as he spoke, “Cause, my feets have been in their many times.”

* "The Secret of the Sea” by
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (from Seaside and Fireside, 1850)

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Oh man...am I behind...

Sorry about my error from oh so long ago... (Mostly apologies to Dot...gosh...stumbles ashamed..sorry)

I'll try to do better.

Tides of Dusk: A Piratical Tale of Fantasy

Jax had no clue what she was talking about. He figured it didn’t matter much. He pulled his arm from off her shoulder and took each of his hands to hold her wrists. She wasn’t going to rip that beautiful skin of hers in front of him. He pressed her arms into her lap.

“Broken?” he snicker slightly, “Damn, you are the most interesting exciting hot mess I have ever seen.” He turned his head so he could really look at her eyes and he kept her hands still in her lap. “And have you looked around lately? The whole fucking ship is a pile of broken pieces. Think there might be a reason we all ended up there. Cause each of us stumbled in only part of what we were or should be.”

Jax stopped not sure any of that mattered so much. “Whatever it is whoever it was. Fuck ‘em. You did win. You are a smart talented woman in a place you have no right to be only because you got more balls than all of us wimps piled together.” Did he say that right? Well, too late to worry about that. He thought about trying to back step and maybe softening that, but, hell, he was broken too.

He did think about how just yesterday he entertained ideas of getting the curse of the woman, both of them. off the ship. Now he spun completely around and he wanted them there? This broken shit was catching. But he did want her there. She was a good first mate even if she fucked him up a bit. He wanted her there.

“Listen,” He took a breath, “I have sailed on too many ships. I jump one to the next because I can and I get tired of the ones that don’t work well for all different reason. I am broken. But this one sails like a baby because the workings are good. That’s you. That’s the Captain. You two ride the waters better than most. You are not broken as a first mate. You’re damn good. He didn't win nothing.” Well, of course Jax had no idea if that was true but this was a pep talk and truth hardly mattered. No, that was wrong, it did. Yet Jax was pretty sure whoever, whatever, didn't win shit.

He paused and let the pressure on her wrist slighten a bit. “And you dress up real fine.” He smiled with a small chuckle, “Dance good too. Broken? Fuck, give us broken over those dressed up dogs in heat any day.”

Tides of Dusk: A Piratical Tale of Fantasy

Jax was sure the First Mate Doctor would run, stomp, escape back to her cabin. She could hide there just fine and has done so before. This was different, even Jax could tell, but he knew her room held parts of her in the books, in the clean space or privacy most at sea do not have. So he was surprised, well, shocked really when she didn't head in that direction. It was true her fast pace was a bit more panicked and distressed than her usually cold exit. Much different than they way she stomped away from him last time at the pond. With a forced walk as close to a run he ever saw a woman make, she was out of town before he ever realized. But then the path became obvious to him.

Night Blooms. They tuck closed for so long. He wondered if they could feel or sense the other flowers around them opening.

She was sitting there and her body changed. But Jax was not sure what that meant. He stood behind her. Now this was the hard part. What should he do? She came here, to the spot he shared with her. To the place he found comfort and wanted to show her, the beauty, the peace, the place where the rest of the bustle doesn’t notice so much. No Commanders here. But he wasn’t sure she wanted him either.

Night Blooms don't open that often. Many miss the flower.

Maybe something he did or said made her run. He could accept that. But here? Why would she run from him to this pond? Forget it Jax, he scolded himself. There was no way he would understand her. Since when did he want to figure out what anyone else thought? No, that was not something Jax had a very good handle on at all. It was all about what he felt. His gut mattered. And right now it was saying sit beside her.

Hell, he couldn't make things much worse, could he?

So Jax slowly moved to sit right beside the First Mate, whose name she still had not given him permission to use. He tried not to startle her making it seem like it was natural and expected that he would be there. He didn’t look to her as she was so tight in her own little ball. He looked toward the flowers as they spread over the pond fully opened to the night sky.

Sometimes just sitting by beauty was enough.

Jax put his arm around her not to hug her tenderly or crease her shoulder. It was the hang of an offered friendship arm, an attempt of understanding. He wanted to tell her it was all right. She could let go of anything here. It stays here. He has her back. But he wasn’t sure how she would take any of his silly attempts to do more than just sit with the scent of flowers and the light of the stars. If she looked to him, he knew he would smile.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

And a post. Remember if needed...edits are easy.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Shit! So much for tracking anything. Hell, it’s right there and they were no where near ready. Green flashes that did not come from Thad with a heat force that knocked them all back a few steps brought to focus the fucking biggest wolf like monster Thad had ever dreamed of. There was no question this was the fight for the world again.

With wolf beast. And as if Veti knew that she changed again. He glanced to her as she was the woman he wanted all over again. But why human now? He wasn’t gona ask but he sure was going to try to stay close enough to her to back her up. Guns. Did she ask for guns? But again a question that couldn’t be asked or answered as others began attacks. Seymon was quick. Dot followed.

Thad pulled the fur from his pocket cringing that he had to use it already before he had any good idea of what to make or how to attack. He should have listen to Henry. Well better late than never, sort of.

“Henry!” He shouted over the ringing in his ears and strange wind over his face. “What am I making? Cold iron, blessed silver and some weird guys dick?” Thad began to rub the fur together between the palms of his hands. No way this would be blessed silver or Yacker’s wood from his ice queen which Thad did not follow at all. Ok he hadn’t listened. Ok he didn’t really have a clue. But he could gather the forces of these tuffs of hair created as they were by the beast himself in the form of a servant. And he could shove it down his god damn mouth. If he could get it hard enough, like all those parts Henry tried to explain to him, well maybe it would at least make the god wolf cough or choke or eat his own hair at the least.

Ok that was Thad’s lame plan, but its what he got.

He needed help for sure. He looked to Henry. "In his mouth right? Way down there. I'll toss it in you add the chaser. You and that bad ass new guy. Gabe."

The heat between his hand was almost bruning and the fibers of the hairs Siya had managed to grab began to melt together. It stunk and it burned. Almost now red in color, the hairs twisted into a sharp spear with tuffs of piercing edges all around. It cut his palms. Thad spit on the hard iron to cool it off and mumbled into his hands, “This silver I do bless, forgive me father.” Thad kept rubbing them together, the fur turned metal mixing with the blood of his hands. He stepped closer to Seymon who was giving him the exact opening he was looking for. He kicked the ground as he moved and found a piece of a small stick. What the hell wood was wood. He picked it up quickly and moved it into his rotating magic mutt masher. Blood, fur, wood and magic.

When the flea bitten monster mutt opened his mouth to bite at Seymon or to scream in pain Thad threw the hard metal cold iron, blessed silver, yanked wood right into the god wolf’s mouth.

Ok, so it wasn’t exactly what Henry suggested but its got to stuff the fang filled mouth with something other than Seymon. Thad could hope.

Tides of Dusk: A Piratical Tale of Fantasy

He stood among the finer players, more comfortable than Jax in their suites and silks. He had never had any desire to stand among Commanders. There were reasons, oh long lists of them, why Jax ran for any type or military service. He liked a good Captain but despised Commanders. The ones stomping right up were no exception. He had no real clue why anyone from their crew would pretend to be on this man’s arm, Commander MuffenMurray. Surely there were other ways to play this game. But then Jax didn’t pretend to know. He grinned to the Captain, “Lots of fish to catch this night.” Then back to the others.

“Is it the cool evening temperatures or the fragrances out tonight,” Jax flashed his most brilliant of smiles. “that have loosen tongues and let things not to be heard drift over the floor?” Jax shrugged. “I have good ears.” If he were to spy might as well pretend he did. He looked directly to the two dressed up men of Kings far away. His eyes pretend they knew something even when they did not. Then he turned his look to Captain.

But he lost any part of his game when to his shock the flower of his night turned and left, quickly, ran actually from all of them. Jax didn't mean to turn and watch her go, but he did. Was she that done with him already? She didn’t like his games? It didn't seems so to him. It was something else. He spun quickly back to the others and laughed.

“Oh now I have done it!” He let his head fall as he laughed. “I made the mistake of challenging her and she does so like to win.” He opened his arms up as he took a step away from them all. “And she does so, way too often. It’s a game.” Realizing he might be stepping all over his own feet he reached toward the lovely Ms Greene and tapped her shoulder, “Next game you will be it.” He chuckled. gave her a wink, and then spun around.

He would follow. Hell, he was done with this place anyway. Too many soldiers, too many smile that had no depth at all, too much lifted noses and high chins that never looked at the ground or people they trampled on. He had his dance. He could be done. Besdies the best part was leaving.

So he managed to weave through the room following where he thought she had gone. He wasn’t sure she would want him chasing after her. This was not some rescue, or some fool on a horse trying to save anyone. He was sure when he found her, if he did, he would just walk behind her and let her alone. He should let her alone. Damn if she would just do the same inside his head. Why was he even looking for her?

Or maybe she was his excuse to leave. Yea, that’s what he will tell himself.

It didn’t matter when he saw the back side of her exiting Night Blooms he hurried to follow. “I got your back!” he called in an almost sing song sort of call. The slap of her backhand, the coldness of her back shoulders, the retreating back curses he was sure she was mumbling. Still he got closer and he followed.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Nice post Heroes. Just saying.....