[015] OOM - Finding Port, Last Night on Perdita

[tristranthorn]

Life on the Perdita, Tristran finds, is very different from anything he's ever experienced in his life. For one, they are above the ground, many miles up, where the only thing they see is cloud. This is nothing like his stable-life in Wall, where everything is very much grounded -- literally.

The folk aboard the Perdita is also another thing. Every last one of Alberic's crew has their own unique quality or quirk. He's never met a bunch of men (and woman: Meggot) more colourful than them. Each one of them has a story to tell and throughout the two weeks of their journey with them, he's learned a lot -- about things he never could have imagined, about places he's never even dreamed of, and people he could never hope to meet.

Wall, Tristran decides, is a very closed, rather self-indulgent little place in comparison (not to say he doesn't love his home). Even with the likes of the fair as some pathetic attempt at being open-minded, it couldn't even begin to scratch the surface of the worlds upon worlds surrounding it.

In any case, Tristran has been enjoying his time on the pirate ship, but as a fortnight quickly passes (bar-time included), he expects this part of the journey is about to come to a close.

That evening during dinner, Alberic announces to his crew and the couple, that in less than twelve hours, they should be near a harbour tree -- a convenient enough landing port for Tristran and Yvaine to get off and continue their travels on foot back to Wall.

"We'll be needin' to replenish our supplies," Alberic booms, swishing his glass of wine around. "So we can let you off at the same time."

"Thank you," Tristran responds, politely. "We are very grateful for all you've done for us."

"Not to worry m'boy." Alberic grins. "You've but one thing to promise me though."

"What's that?"

"Keep practicin' with that sword of yours. You've a lot to learn yet, but you'll do fine."

Comments

[an_evening_star]

It's the sudden, utterly uncertain quiet of his voice that snaps her eyes up - and it's the need to escape that makes her wince, then smile widely stepping back a bit and curtsying properly.

"I'm - I'll just -" she stutters then turns, voice raising to an overly cocky drawl, one hand braced on her hip. "You going to dance with me at all, old man?"

[nosequels.livejournal.com]

The Captain's amused laugh rumbles across the deck like a wave of thunder.

"Far be it to say that I have turned down an invitation from a Lady," he booms in return, bowing respectfully to his red-headed partner and turning quickly to snatch the star's hand. "Especially from one so fine."

[tristranthorn]

Tristran blinks -- well, he didn't think it'd be that easy.

But he's relieved nevertheless, to be excused from having to embarrass himself any further. Clearly Yvaine must have thought so too.

He steps back and finds a perch on one of the shipping carts, taking in several breaths to steady himself, refusing to look at anything or anyone. He looks to the steadily darkening sky, instead.

Little sparkling stars appear through the foggy cloud around them.

[nosequels.livejournal.com]

Oddness and the band slowly bring the song to a sweet and soft end before a new one begins for the captain and the star.

Alberic closes his eyes for a moment, simply standing with the star's hand in his -- listening. Then upon what seems to be the 'right' note, he gains position.

With what could only be expert knowledge in dancing (though from where he could have garnered it is anyone's guess), the captain places her left hand upon his shoulder, while his right goes to her waist. He gives her a wink, and begins to lead.

[an_evening_star]

She's not nearly as uncertain, though her skills certainly pale in comparison to his - stumbly and slightly off and she feels rather like a child standing next to him - until the grand, sweeping gestures take her in and she's laughing again.

"Thank you, sir," she murmurs respectfully - no trace of the cocky, sarcastic girl from earlier. "I'm not so good at teaching, I don't think."

One finely shaped eyebrow quirks over a helpless shrug of shoulders.

[nosequels.livejournal.com]

"No, perhaps you aren't," the Captain agrees good-naturedly, "but you certainly took to leaving that little situation as quickly as you could, hmm?" He gives her a 'Don't think I didn't notice that' look.

And then he winks again, and guides her across the deck to the great cheers and applause of the crew, laughing as his feet practically float across the wood flooring.

"Still, you aren't as bad a dancer as your companion."

[an_evening_star]

Her chin ducks guiltily for a moment before she glances back up at him, half-petulant and half-uncertain, "Well, I am hardly going to force the moron to dance with me."

What else was she supposed to do?

There's a whistle and a loud catcall regarding the Captain's hand upon her waist and she shoots back a quick, "You wish!" in reply without missing a beat.

[tristranthorn]

Tristran, feeling less like a moron and more like himself, chances watching the two dancing again.

He notices that Tobias and Meggot are now dancing together too, joining the small group. Several other crew-members are dancing solo, hopping around on one foot then the other, as Oddness and his band start a new, more up-beat song. It's very folksy, and it reminds him a little of home.

Suddenly, he very much misses it. Adventures are fine and good, and there are things he could stand to change in Wall, but there is the matter of family, and of the things he's known all his life.

Hopping off the cart, Tristran makes his way past the dancing, inconspicuously passing Yvaine and the captain until he is more or less by himself at the stern of the ship. It is darker without the lamplight but it's peaceful. Crossing his arms, he leans his elbows against the railing and stares out into the open space.

[an_evening_star]

The Captain's head tilts curiously toward Tristran's retreating back and Yvaine heaves and utterly doomed sort of sigh. Yeah, yeah - get a move on. She knows.

"Very well. I'm going," she mutters, glaring darkly as Tobias laughs. Too many people on this ship know far too much than she really prefers. "Don't you say a word, Tobias."

She follows him slowly - serving herself up another mental lecture as she walks - and braces her back to the side of the ship, chin tilted upward toward the night sky, glimmering like some sort of bottled firefly.

"Trying to hear if my sisters are gossiping about you?"

[tristranthorn]

"No," he replies, refusing to turn and look at her for now.

He's being a terrible suck about all this, but it's a whole lot of confusion he can't sort through. He doesn't know how, and he is still a teenaged boy.

"Just needed to take a breath."

[an_evening_star]

Well, that's all rather fine as she isn't precisely bothering to look at him either.

So there.

"I wonder sometimes," she continues - rather perceptively, really. "If they ever really bother to miss me. I mean, there are an awful lot of us."

[tristranthorn]

Tristran makes a hmm-ing sound, raising his head so he can see the little flickering specks of light in the sky, amidst the cloud.

"I haven't seen any of them for so long," he says slowly. "Whenever we are near Wall, something happens that keeps us back. I am not really certain if we'll ever get there."

And that isn't even the worst of his worries.

[an_evening_star]

"Well, it is not as though we have anything keeping us this time," she replies with a half-shrug. She's not precisely certain that it's a good thing, but there really isn't much of anything she can do about it. "Just a great deal of walking, yes?"

The glow about her dims a little and she cants her head slightly in his direction.

"Whither thou goest - where you go, I go."

No matter where and no matter whether or not she wants to.

[tristranthorn]

Truthfully, that is the part he is worried about. The 'whither thou goest' bit. He isn't sure why -- well, he isn't exactly sure why, but it makes his heart pound incessantly, and brings about this feeling of being an idiot.

But he smiles nevertheless because some part of him is relieved by this. He turns to Yvaine, then, and nods. "Thank you," he says to her, holding out his hand.

[an_evening_star]

"Yeah, yeah," she says, fingers catching his almost absently - and if she ignores the way her heart flutters, the way her breath catches, it's rather easy just to roll her eyes at him. "Don't get all sentimental at me, Prince Charming."

It's not as though she likes it or anything.

[tristranthorn]

Tristran shrugs, still smiling. "Sorry," he says.

But he doesn't seem particularly apologetic in any way. His fingers close around hers, and he holds her hand like that, just watching her. Her eyes so blue he could almost swim within them forever...

It is the sound of thunder from somewhere in the distance that breaks the moment, makes something click into place so suddenly it almost makes him jump.

His heart is pounding so loudly -- Yvaine must be able to hear it from here. He lets go of her hand immediately and clears his throat, turning back to the sky.

"You don't think a storm's coming, do you?"

[an_evening_star]

There's a moment there - right then when he's looking at her like he knows too many things - that she can scarcely think at all, that her heart gives an almost painful tug and she's thinking of Sophie telling her how it's not really her fault and she's just about ready to give up entirely because she's so disgustingly doomed --

And then there's the loud booming crash of thunder and she's seven all over again - eyes squeezed shut and heart rather securely where it belongs because she can feel it pounding, rapid and wild in her chest.

She really should reply, but she's too busy remembering how to breathe.

[tristranthorn]

"...Are you all right?"

His hands are on her arms, sort of steadying her before he even has a chance to think about it (really).

And then that awkward realization reminds him that this shouldn't be happening, and he lets go of her.

"Do you need to sit down, maybe?"

[an_evening_star]

"No," she replies, steadfastly ignoring the way that it insists on coming out as something of a question. She is not a child and she is not afraid of storms. "I'm fine."

Yvaine knows, logically, that no one is ever fine when they say that they are. 'Fine' is one of the worst words to use when describing how you are feeling since it almost always assures that you are lying in some way, shape or form.

"Perfectly fine," she bites it out a bit louder this time, nearly spiteful.

[tristranthorn]

He nods his head, knowingly. Having this information works to his advantage, makes him feel less like an clodpoll and a little more normal.

"Ah. Well -- all right," he says. "I suppose I can leave you out here, then." He shrugs. "You'll be fine out here?"

Of course he has no intention of doing such a thing, but Yvaine doesn't know that.

[an_evening_star]

She flinches slightly - eyes wide and nearly lost for a moment before they narrow into what is certain to be a familiar sort of glare.

"You wouldn't dare."

Her chin tilts upward, heartbeat regaining some semblance of normalcy in the moments of silence.

[tristranthorn]

He has to stifle the laughter making its way out him. This is a far better feeling than being awkward and realizing things. (Must be why Yvaine is like this a lot of the time.)

"What is it that you're so afraid of, anyway? You live in the sky, don't you?"

As if on cue, another clap of thunder sounds through the sky. From the other side of the ship, he can hear a distant cheer and the abrupt halt of music.

...if this keeps up, there might be a possible lightning-hunt tonight.

[an_evening_star]

"Lived," she corrects absently, watching the sky warily before chancing another glance over at him. "And I'm not afraid of anything."

This statement might be contradicted by the quiet squeak that makes it's way out of her throat - she had been hidden rather neatly inside her room for the last lightning hunt - and she looks very sorely tempted to retreat back there.

It's unfortunate, perhaps, that she's far too stubborn for any sort of retreating.

"It - it's just loud," she states, trying to convince herself more than anything. "Storm clouds are just loud and rude."

[tristranthorn]

"I'm afraid of dancing," Tristran says, giving her a crooked smile. "Always have been, but even moreso recently."

He takes a step forward, a step away from the railing and towards the cabins. Maybe he's testing her, for whatever reasons. It definitely beats standing around like a bumbling idiot, muttering incoherently.

"It's okay to be afraid of something. I won't like you any less." And that unintentionally makes him turn so red, so fast. It's a good thing it's the evening, and it's too dark to see.

[an_evening_star]

The sky rumbles dangerously and she catches his arm so quickly that she isn't even sure that she's done it until she's there - and her face is abruptly red, glow muted to nearly nothing, as if she can make herself disappear if she really tries.

"Storms," she mumbles, voice barely making a noise. She doesn't like doing this. "Thunder, really. Ever since I was little. It's louder up here - they'd always wake me up and my sisters thought it was funny and yes. Storms."