Vaz
We're in the pipe, five by five.
Hey, wonderful Chronners.
It's been a long old time. This is the Novella that refuses to leave me alone, so I've been working on the idea with a renewed, dogged determination, and would really appreciate whatever feedback people would be willing to give. It's my first draft in a while, and although I have gone over it please forgive any rust.
@The Big Peat ... might be of interest to you as this is the story inspired by Cult of Luna.
thanks in advance to anyone who gives their time to this piece.
V
Betrayal should not have felt so comfortable.
Seek lounged across the soft Syriad cushions. She had one arm wrapped tight around Five who was nestled against her breast breathing softly, and the other pinned beneath the dark curling fur of Bard, her Great Hound, who often stirred in his sleep with small howls or barks. She smiled. What else did she need in life other than her great love and her huge fool of a dog?
The sweet candles that painted the room in amber and violet made her mouth water for a berry flavored Skal her and Five had shared one glorious summer. They had been relaxing on a beach, beyond the forbidden walls of Ashar after a successful hunt. The sand was hot and welcoming beneath the black Ghastfang hides on which they sat. Between enormous dunes that looked like the upturned stomachs of whales, Bard routed nests of Rook Ravens, chasing them into the surf and returning stinking of week-old fish and filth. That day was made from woven sunlight. Seek had roasted meat from the hunt and brewed a large horn of Skal, adding more fruit. Five sat with the cool spray on her face, watching a red seal call to her mate. His tail was clearly injured as he struggled out of the sea, deep crimson staining the sand where he crawled. Five bit at her lip. She took up her bow, notched an arrow, and let it go. The male seal stopped struggling but his mates cry continued until the next sunrise. Five shook her head. “Never suffer. There is no certainty with suffering. A swift end is certain.” She placed her bow back and nuzzled back into Seeks' arms, drinking with a thirst.
To Seek, that summer was so bright and shining that even the trees refused to cast any shade. Such moments seemed like the sun would never fade on them
But it did.
At the bitter shores of the North Sea, they had shed their old selves like serpents. With hope, they had boarded a boat, to search in warmer climes for that eternal sunlight.
Seek was certain the stolen purse that sat snug and warm in her pack would bring those moments back. It meant the rest of their lives could be like one long sunrise. A golden curtain draping over the tarnished steel skies of their pasts. She kissed Five on her forehead and laughed as her nose twitched in response. Five was all frowns, even during sleep she seemed alert. Seek could tell what an animal last ate from one taste of its scent, but Five could smell danger. There was a knock on the door. Five opened her eyes and reached for a concealed dagger at the same time. Bard emitted a bark, then a low growl. “Who is it?” she mouthed.
Seek bit back laughter and made her eyes wide “The Great Taker. She’s come to butcher us like pigs and snatch our souls for our sins.” Five prodded her thigh with the gnarled root of her left hand and Seek laughed. “It’s the Tavern Lad,” she said, rising from the bed and making her way to the door. “I knew you would sleep before me. So I asked him to bring me more wine later on.” She opened the door and gestured for the boy to come in. He looked around, sheepish and soaking from the rain. Poor boy had barely seen fourteen summers, let alone the amount of flesh she was showing. So Seek picked up her hooded cloak and covered herself. Five got up and took the wine jug from his hands, which shook from the biting cold that followed him into the room in the shape of a puddle beneath his battered boots.
He remained silent and shivering. A shriek of wind made its way through the slatted wood and Seek rubbed at the newly formed gooseflesh that crept up her arms. “You waiting for a tip, boy?” She said.
“No, m’lady.”
Five poured a cup of wine. “No ladies here,” she said, flicking a coin towards him. The Tavern Lad caught it and stared at it intently, his brow furrowing. His hands trembled as he dropped it, the tainted copper kissing the floor with a final thud. He met Seeks’ eyes with his own for the first time, bowed, and left. Seek walked over to Five and teased the cup from her lips, stealing a sip for herself.
Five glanced towards the door as hailstones clattered against the building. “That Tavern Lad… seemed nervous for a boy who spends his time around sailors and whores.” She took back the cup and drained the rest of the wine. “Odd. You keep Wulf in a cage and it doesn’t lose its bite.”
“It’s the effect I have on men,” Seek grinned.
“Mhhm.” Five slammed down the cup and dragged Seek close, her body warm and sleek. The wine she drank perfumed each taste of her soft, eager lips. Seek lost every sense when they kissed. She lost part of herself to that warm void; let her worries and doubts drown in the dark wet of Fives' mouth.
There was a rap on the door.
Five pulled away and stroked Seeks face. “The Tavern Lad was quick to change his mind about that tip.”
Seek slipped out of her embrace, picked up the copper coin and opened the door.
She dropped the coin.
The wrath of their past greeted them.
It's been a long old time. This is the Novella that refuses to leave me alone, so I've been working on the idea with a renewed, dogged determination, and would really appreciate whatever feedback people would be willing to give. It's my first draft in a while, and although I have gone over it please forgive any rust.
@The Big Peat ... might be of interest to you as this is the story inspired by Cult of Luna.
thanks in advance to anyone who gives their time to this piece.
V
Betrayal should not have felt so comfortable.
Seek lounged across the soft Syriad cushions. She had one arm wrapped tight around Five who was nestled against her breast breathing softly, and the other pinned beneath the dark curling fur of Bard, her Great Hound, who often stirred in his sleep with small howls or barks. She smiled. What else did she need in life other than her great love and her huge fool of a dog?
The sweet candles that painted the room in amber and violet made her mouth water for a berry flavored Skal her and Five had shared one glorious summer. They had been relaxing on a beach, beyond the forbidden walls of Ashar after a successful hunt. The sand was hot and welcoming beneath the black Ghastfang hides on which they sat. Between enormous dunes that looked like the upturned stomachs of whales, Bard routed nests of Rook Ravens, chasing them into the surf and returning stinking of week-old fish and filth. That day was made from woven sunlight. Seek had roasted meat from the hunt and brewed a large horn of Skal, adding more fruit. Five sat with the cool spray on her face, watching a red seal call to her mate. His tail was clearly injured as he struggled out of the sea, deep crimson staining the sand where he crawled. Five bit at her lip. She took up her bow, notched an arrow, and let it go. The male seal stopped struggling but his mates cry continued until the next sunrise. Five shook her head. “Never suffer. There is no certainty with suffering. A swift end is certain.” She placed her bow back and nuzzled back into Seeks' arms, drinking with a thirst.
To Seek, that summer was so bright and shining that even the trees refused to cast any shade. Such moments seemed like the sun would never fade on them
But it did.
At the bitter shores of the North Sea, they had shed their old selves like serpents. With hope, they had boarded a boat, to search in warmer climes for that eternal sunlight.
Seek was certain the stolen purse that sat snug and warm in her pack would bring those moments back. It meant the rest of their lives could be like one long sunrise. A golden curtain draping over the tarnished steel skies of their pasts. She kissed Five on her forehead and laughed as her nose twitched in response. Five was all frowns, even during sleep she seemed alert. Seek could tell what an animal last ate from one taste of its scent, but Five could smell danger. There was a knock on the door. Five opened her eyes and reached for a concealed dagger at the same time. Bard emitted a bark, then a low growl. “Who is it?” she mouthed.
Seek bit back laughter and made her eyes wide “The Great Taker. She’s come to butcher us like pigs and snatch our souls for our sins.” Five prodded her thigh with the gnarled root of her left hand and Seek laughed. “It’s the Tavern Lad,” she said, rising from the bed and making her way to the door. “I knew you would sleep before me. So I asked him to bring me more wine later on.” She opened the door and gestured for the boy to come in. He looked around, sheepish and soaking from the rain. Poor boy had barely seen fourteen summers, let alone the amount of flesh she was showing. So Seek picked up her hooded cloak and covered herself. Five got up and took the wine jug from his hands, which shook from the biting cold that followed him into the room in the shape of a puddle beneath his battered boots.
He remained silent and shivering. A shriek of wind made its way through the slatted wood and Seek rubbed at the newly formed gooseflesh that crept up her arms. “You waiting for a tip, boy?” She said.
“No, m’lady.”
Five poured a cup of wine. “No ladies here,” she said, flicking a coin towards him. The Tavern Lad caught it and stared at it intently, his brow furrowing. His hands trembled as he dropped it, the tainted copper kissing the floor with a final thud. He met Seeks’ eyes with his own for the first time, bowed, and left. Seek walked over to Five and teased the cup from her lips, stealing a sip for herself.
Five glanced towards the door as hailstones clattered against the building. “That Tavern Lad… seemed nervous for a boy who spends his time around sailors and whores.” She took back the cup and drained the rest of the wine. “Odd. You keep Wulf in a cage and it doesn’t lose its bite.”
“It’s the effect I have on men,” Seek grinned.
“Mhhm.” Five slammed down the cup and dragged Seek close, her body warm and sleek. The wine she drank perfumed each taste of her soft, eager lips. Seek lost every sense when they kissed. She lost part of herself to that warm void; let her worries and doubts drown in the dark wet of Fives' mouth.
There was a rap on the door.
Five pulled away and stroked Seeks face. “The Tavern Lad was quick to change his mind about that tip.”
Seek slipped out of her embrace, picked up the copper coin and opened the door.
She dropped the coin.
The wrath of their past greeted them.
