Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2020 21:18:58 GMT -5
[RAIF] The sea was particularly angry this day. Perhaps it sensed the rage inside him slowly rising, feeding off those tumultuous emotions and causing the waves to crash aggressively against the side of the ship. The sun no longer blazed high in the sky as dark gray clouds hid the spans of blue, threatening to rain down upon their heads any moment now. They'd shackles his hands, holding a sharp blade against his back. He could feel the point graze him between the shoulder blades. "This is him, captain," one of the crew spoke to the older man before them dressed in a fine uniform. Raif didn't know what kingdom he was from. All these assholes were the same. They loaded them onto ship after ship, sending them to wherever they were needed. Some of the slaves currently in the cargo hold were people he had actually grown up with.
"The one who tried to start up a mutiny, eh?" the captain said, pleased with himself. But he wouldn't have known if that prick, Nico, had kept his mouth shut. He should have know he couldn't trust him... "Aye, captain," the sailor verified. "And what of the others?" "They've not tried anything, sir. We cannot be too sure that they were going to actually do anything..." Raif hadn't given the signal to strike, but now he was actually rethinking the entire plan. Would they follow him...or would they rather be sold like fucking chattel at the next port? The ship rocked viciously again, sending a couple men sprawling, but the captain stood true, making his way closer to him. "You going to talk, slave?" he spat in his face. "Am I going to have to put all of you dogs down?"
The knife in Raif's back prodded, but he did nothing but glare down at the man with those bright, menacing eyes. The captain simply smirked before a snap of his fingers had men dragging Kaia out from below deck. That got an immediate reaction out of the Akasian, who was swiftly trying to break free from the men that held him in place. "Ah, yes...I heard you liked this one," drawled the captain in amusement. He finally struck a nerve. And Raif was going to rip his fucking head off. [d]
[KAIA] Raif had gotten himself into trouble again. This time, for a good purpose, but he had been caught and she wasn't really sure how they would be able to get out of this one, especially since she couldn't help him now. They had captured her and were going to use her to get to Raif. He really needed to try harder to not show his attachment to her, because this was constantly happening to them. She seemed to be his weakness and she feared she would someday be the death of him.
As they dragged her on board, her own hands shackled behind her back, she struggled against the man who held her. "Let me go!" She hissed at the man. But he pushed her, causing her to fall to the deck. "Shut up, ye wench!" He barked at her, grabbing hold of her arm and yanking her back up to him. He pressed his mouth against her neck and then dragged his tongue along it. "I think I will have fun with you later." He laughed. Kaia struggled against him again, a sound of disgust escaped her throat. "Fuck off!" She spit in the man's face, causing him to growl and then laugh. "Feisty! I like this one. I think I'll fuck you." He grabbed hold of her hair and yanked it back, moving the gag that had rested around her neck and he threw it back in her mouth. "And you'll take it quietly." He laughed, glancing to the captain. "What would ye like me to do with her? Pass her around the crew?" He grinned, hopeful the captain would agree. Kaia glared at the captain, as if daring him to give such orders. She'd jump overboard and drown before she'd let that happen. Light brown eyes glanced to Raif briefly, as if asking him what she should do. They were both trapped. Would death really be the thing to free them from slavery? [d](edited)
[RAIF] He was grinding his teeth, every muscle in his body tensing up when they dragged her onto the top deck; putting her on display because these men, unfortunately, knew what they were doing. They were trying to get him to crack, admit what he had done and was about to do. To share any of his accomplices. Oh, he was definitely going to crack...and the first son-of-a-bitch he tore open would be the bald-headed fucker who was touching her. When Raif went to move again, the crewman holding the blade at his back brought it right around to his neck, halting him immediately. "Nuh uh," the man taunted, grinning. Slavers were all the same. The captain's attention drifted over to Kaia and his comrade, approaching them slowly. At the man's question, he took his time to think about it; fingers grasping the slave girl's chin tightly to turn her head back and forth as if expecting her face, wondering why she was so special. He couldn't see it- she was like every other dark-skinned slut they picked up and shipped off. "It's all going to depend on him..." he finally answered, regarding Raif from over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Raif's gaze had drifted back to the sea, noting the faint outline of land in the distance, partially hidden by the gloom of the approaching storm. A storm that was about to hit them real hard.
Those vivid blue eyes found Kaia, seeing that silent question written all over her face. Perhaps death would be the only way...the easiest way. And he was about to risk it. If their situation had been different, if he knew she would be safe, he'd have admitted his plans to this ignorant captain and taken the punishment. But his death would not save her from anything. "What you're going to do-" that gruff voice finally spoke up as lightning struck close in the sky, followed by loud, rumbling thunder. "Is let her go...and hand me that pig so I may hang him from the mast by his own bowels." His voice had been quiet yet still heard despite the wind picking up around them. It was casual, calculated...as if he already knew how he was going to make it happen. The captain laughed at him outright, causing the rest of the crew to join in. Meanwhile, Raif stood still, barely blinking until his eyes shifted back to the horizon...just as a gust of wind crushed into the sails. The men had been too preoccupied with what was happening on deck to be sure they were adjusting for the ever changing winds. It hit the sails wrong, sending the ship into a violent jolt, thus freeing him momentarily from the hands that held him; the blade at his neck barely grazing his skin. [d]
[KAIA] Her eyes narrowed at the captain as he grasped her chin and inspected her face. She growled at him, muffled by the gag in her mouth. It's all going to depend on him. What did they want from him? And what would they do with her?
Raif's gruff voice caught her attention again, and she looked at him, brows lowering and she shook her head as if to tell him to stop. He seemed confident in his threat, but she just couldn't see what he had up his sleeve. Her eyes shifted up to the sky, catching sight of the approaching storm. Did Raif see something, she didn't? That they didn't? They were all laughing at Raif's words, as if his threat was empty. But what they didn't know as that Raif didn't make threats he couldn't deliver.
Just then, the ship was jolting harshly, knocking her down and the disgusting man toppled on top of her. She struggled against him, trying to push him off of her, but it was hard with her arms tied behind her back. The man laughed and pinned her down, climbing on top of her. "Stay still, ye wench,... You're not going anywhere." With Raif free, he wasn't about to let him get to her so easily. [d]
[RAIF] The thing about Raif was...he was pretty calculated and precise when he desired to (and that wasn't all of the time). Oftentimes, he liked to just jump into the middle of things, but this time warranted a more careful approach. They were threatening Kaia now and just just him, so these men would need to prepare for a storm at sea...as well as on the deck of their ship. Soldiers, they were not. Just ruffians. Some could call him one, but he had done far harder work in his lifetime, had done far more unspeakable things that made him an uncaged lion when the ship jolted. The crew was flailing, quickly searching for something to grab, frantically trying to get the sails under control before they lost the ship beneath the rising waves. There were rocky outcrops that were barely seen in the gloom, and it would sink them should they hit. Personally, Raif didn't care what happened to the ship, the crew, or the slaves down below...the very people he had tried to help and they refused because of their fear. Let the sea have them. Let the sea have them all. He slid across the wet boards as the galleon shifted, shackled hands gripping the railing before a hard elbow slammed into the nearest man's face. That blade was his now. He gripped it in his bound hands, flipping it around in order to wield it with better precision and strength. Then, the rains came, pouring down upon them and making the already difficult feat of getting the ship under control that more challenging. Making it hard to keep him under control.
But Raif wasn't an idiot. He knew he was outnumbered, so he had to use the distractions while they were there. So once that blade slashed across the neck of one of his capturers, it was embedded through the eye of the second one and yanked free. The rain already beginning to clean the steel. Through the veil of rain, while the men rushed this way and that to steady the ship...his eyes fell upon the bald one who was holding her down. And he grinned. Before the man knew it, Raif was charging straight at him...aiming to keep his promise. Because it had, indeed, been a deadly promise. [d]
[KAIA] The disgusting bald man wouldn't get off of her, she squirmed beneath him, trying to push him off using just her legs and shoulders, but he was a lot stronger than she was, and it wasn't working. The rain wasn't making matters any better, at least not for her, as the rain only seemed to please the man further. He laughed, glancing around, noticing that everyone else was busy with trying to steady the ship, and to keep this slut's companion at bay. "Everyone's too busy to save you now," he grinned, his hand moving to her breast and he squeezed it hard. "Mmm....it's been a while since I've felt a woman. I'm going to have fun with you." Kaia grunted underneath the gag, she tried to say something but her voice was muffled by the gag. She could hear all the rushing footsteps around her and the shouting and the heavy rains, but she couldn't see what was going on. The man on top of her and then rain falling on her face made it difficult for her to see anything.
Another ship hand caught sight of Raif charging forward towards them, and he quickly grabbed hold of his shoulders and yanked him back, pushing him to the floor. "I don't think so, you piece of scum!!" [d]
[RAIF] Everything was a frenzy around them as the storm fought against the men for control of the ship, jostling it with heavy winds and rain. Raif only took one second to let his gaze flicker to make sure he saw that land in the distance still, and it was that very second someone grabbed him by the shoulders. He felt the wooden boards hard at his back as rain pelted down against his face. It blinded him momentarily, the wind knocked from his lungs, but that rage and adrenaline was fueling him on. He rarely saw anything but his target, barely stopped when this berserker mode kicked in. And it was only just beginning. The man probably wasn't expecting the shackled slave to have that knife, but it was swiftly jamming into the side of his neck so that Raif could roll back up to his feet. It was then that the others realized that he was trying to get free, and some had to stop what they were doing to go after him, lest he try to free the others. The thing was...he didn't care about the others. Only Kaia. Another charged his side, slammed him up against the man mast where he growled in protest. Meaty fists slammed repeatedly into the man's gut before he had the room to shove him away with a boot. The ship rocked, the deck becoming sleek with water, but Raif was pushing on. As the vessel tilted, a hand was reaching for the rigging, gripping tightly as he slid forward...and straight towards the bald bastard and Kaia. He heard the captain barking orders, but he didn't care. He was reaching to wrap the rope around the man's neck. [d]
[KAIA] If her hands weren't pinned behind her back, she would be doing some serious damage to this man right now. His eyeballs would be gouged out by her fingernails, he would have scratches all over his face like he got in a fight with a cat. Underneath the man, the rage that was fueling through Kaia right now was probably more lethal than Raif was, because something else had taken over her in that moment. A dark entity that would wreak havoc on the disgusting bald man if she hadn't been shackled or gagged. But Raif was soon to come to her aid, wrapping the rope around the man's neck, he started to choke and gasp, hands moving from Kaia and to that rope around his neck, trying to free it. She was screaming angrily through that gag, shoulders lifting off the wooden deck, trying to free herself from underneath the hideous man. [d]
[RAIF] The storm and the sounds of the men calling out were loud, but he barely heard any of it. The moment he got that rope right around the man's throat, looping around twice, he yanked him from Kaia forcefully, dragging him a couple feet. Raif let go, only to rise up and cut the taut rope from the mast. The tension holding the sail snapped, weaving through the gears before it was pulling the man off his feet by his neck. As promised (or close to his promise anyway), the hand wielding the knife slashed across the bald man's abdomen, deep and true, where blood and innards spilled out like crimson rain across the deck; his body convulsing as it hung from the mast. Angry, filled with rage, he cried out as vivid blue eyes found the captain. But he stopped from advancing. Instead, he turned to rush to Kaia and removed that gag, sweeping his gaze over her to see if she was alright. But he knew she wasn't. Shackled hands dragged her up to her feet and sought for a way out of this mess. [d]
[KAIA] The disgusting man was finally being pulled off of her and light brown eyes watched as the man got strung up and had his innards spilling out across the deck--just as Raif had promised. She laid there though, reeling in her rage, becoming more and more soaked from the rain. Everything was a blur, the sounds, the sights, nothing made sense to her right now. So when Raif helped her up and removed that gag from her mouth, she hissed at him, as if he were a threat to her now. But her hands were still shackled behind her back, making it incredibly difficult to do anything. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around, at the men surrounding them, at the captain. If only she had her hands, she would kill them all. "Take these fucking things off of me!" She shouted out, staring at the captain. "Or I swear, I will kill you." She was panting in anger, her eyes staying focused on what was ahead of her, despite the rain stinging at her face. [d]
[RAIF] The ship was a mess, and at any moment now it could go down if these men didn't get a handle on things. What he had to worry about was getting off of it before that happened. But the moment he pulled the gag from Kaia's mouth, it was quite obvious that it wad going to be a lot harder. "Dammit, not now!" he growled at her, knowing it wasn't her fault. Even still, he gripped her arm and drew her along towards the captain, trying to avoid all the others who were scrambling about. Most were beginning to forget the runaway slaves because now their own lives were in danger. Releasing Kaia for but a moment, he was threatening the captain with that knife again. "Keys. Now," he growled. Just as he was grabbing them in his hand, jagged rocks shattered through the hull below and the ship rocked violently once more. "Kaia!" he called, trying to reach for her, praying she hadn't gone off on some blood-thirsty killing spree. They had to leave. Now. [d]
[KAIA] She was fighting Raif as he grabbed hold of her arm and dragged her along with him to the captain. Although it made sense that Raif was trying to help her, in the state she was in, she didn't seem to notice or care. He was asking for the keys though, threatening the captain for them, so she knew enough to hope he would help free her wrists from these shackles. But suddenly, the ship rocked violently, knocking her off her feet and hard against the deck where she rolled away slightly. She yelled out, stopping and forcing herself back to her feet. Her damn hands were still behind her back though, and there was nothing she could do, despite the various men who were surrounding her now. Eyes narrowed at them as she looked around. "Fuck off...Or I will kill you..." She hissed. They all started laughing at her. "Hard to do with your hands behind your back!" They shouted at her. "Try me..." She warned. Not sure how, but she would figure out a way-- her teeth? Her feet and legs? [d]
[RAIF] She was feet away from him again, and the winds were threatening to tear through the sails, causing them to billow out of control. He heard her screaming, threatening, and there was just no time. Raif charged forward once more, knocking one of the men away that had begun to surround her but kept going. He'd stashed the knife in his belt and carried the ring of iron keys around his wrist as he aimed just for Kaia. "Forgive me," he muttered when he reached her, but he only half meant it. With his hands bound in front of him, he was sliding his arms over her head so that hands could grip the back of her thighs and lift her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then he was running again...right up and over the ship's railing to drop into the cold, dark waters below. [d]
[KAIA] They were surrounding her closer and closer until one of them was suddenly grabbing hold of her, asking her to forgive him before he was lifting her up and over his shoulder. She kicked her legs, yelling at him to let go of her and to put her down, but it wasn't long before she was crashing hard into the cold ocean waters. The water shocked her, causing her to come back to reality, and she began to panic, her arms behind her back, and she could not swim. Raif had her now, and she could feel the chains against her back as he held her against him. She had slipped back off his shoulder and stayed trapped inside his arms because of the shackles. How had they escaped? Would they die from drowning since they were both still chained up. Eyes opened, the salt water quickly burning her eyes, though she could not see anything anyway. Everything was dark. She kicked her legs, grabbing hold of Raif tightly, hoping she could at least help kick their way up to the surface. When they finally did, she gasped for air and looked to him desperately. "Raif... What do we do? I can't swim like this..." She was kicking her legs wildly, trying to keep herself up, but kept sinking beneath the waters. [d]
[RAIF] The cold waters would have woken anyone up. It was like a sudden shock to the nervous system and it even affected him. For the briefest of moments, everything had gone so still, so quiet...until he felt her frantically moving and he kicked his legs to help propel them upwards. Breaking through the surface with a gasp, not only was it extremely difficult to tread water without their arms, the waves were doing their damnedest to try and bring them down. "I know," he growled out, trying to keep them both afloat. Thankfully the keys were still around his wrist, but to undo her shackles blindly and in storm-riddled waters wasn't going to be easy. "Just hang on. Be still." Raif was desperately trying not to panic; the sounds of the crew aboard the ship were nothing but dying echos as they were carried further away from the vessel. She would feel his hands feeling around her back, desperately seeking her own before the cold iron was beneath his fingertips. There were a few keys on that ring, so he'd have to try them all. Already growing tired, the sea water stinging at his eyes, he was in the middle of trying a second key when the waters drew them down momentarily before they found air once again. This would happen continuously, and just when even he was fearing they would not make it, he felt the sharp click of her shackles break free. [d]
[KAIA] She was growing tired, fast, as the water kept dragging them down, causing her to choke on water, and she fought to help keep them both afloat. At Raif's instruction, she tried to stay still against him, only kicking her legs to try and help keep them up. She felt as Raif tried to find the key to undo her shackles. They weren't going to make it, this was impossible. And each time they were dragged down, it made it harder and harder for her to fight. Finally, she heard and felt that clicking sound underneath the water as the shackles loosened around her wrists and fell off, though she was quick to grab hold of them so she could retrieve that keyring, keeping hold of the key that had worked in her own shackles. Hopefully it worked on his as well. Her arms were free, and they were so sore from being held behind her back, but she fought through it and quickly worked to get Raif's undone, the water still fighting them, though now she had better control and could use her arms and legs to tread the violent waters. The lock on his shackles suddenly clicked free and opened around his wrist. She sighed in relief and looked to him before she glanced around them, trying to see if there was a way out for them, or if they would be treading water all night, fighting with the waves. But she could not see anything. She looked back at Raif and laughed out of defeat. "Now what?" [d]
[RAIF] The adrenaline was beginning to wear off, his rage subsiding now that they were off the ship and she was no longer in danger. Well, now he had put them in a new kind of danger. It was better than dying on that ship, in the very least. But Raif was beginning to tire very quickly, desperate to free her as her panic rose. He nearly dropped the keys when she was freed, wanting to just succumb to the heavy waters, but he fought against the urge when she worked to unbind him. Those iron shackles broke free, dropping down into the black depths below, and he could use his arms now to fight the waves. Eyes were already looking around to find that silhouette of land he had spotted but it was difficult from within the sea. Groaning in protest against the ache in his muscles, he swam forward for a piece of the ship's hull that had broken off. It would be big enough for them both to hang onto, at least to rest their limbs and keep them afloat. Raif was reaching for her to drag her over to it. "There's land," he finally answered her over the storm. "North of us." But they would have to wait this out until the water was less choppy. They would completely exhaust themselves trying to fight against it. [d]
[KAIA] That piece of broken hull was a little bit of relief from her own tired and sore muscles. She grabbed onto it and held on, grateful to be able to use her arms and hands now. She turned her head to look at Raif with a gratefulness and relief in her gaze. He fought so hard to protect her and she appreciated his devotion, even if it got them into trouble sometimes. "Land? Really??" She exclaimed, almost too excited sounding for the predicament they were in. Suddenly she realized that, because the excitement left her eyes when she looked around, seeing how choppy the waters were and how tired and sore she was. They would need to survive the harsh waters in this storm, first. She sighed and looked back to Raif with a sorrowful smile. [d]
[RAIF] He was struggling to breathe properly, his stamina quickly leaving him as he pulled himself halfway onto that drifting wood once she was on. Hands clung to it and he sighed as he just rested there on his stomach, feet still dangling in the water. He prayed the storm would pass quickly, because the water was cold. They were nearing winter here...and he hated the bloody cold. He wasn't built for it. His head turned to regard her; a tired, cheeky grin curling his mouth. "You think I'd jump us into the raging ocean without a plan?" Yes. Yes, he probably would have. Lifting his head, he looked over into the distance, in the direction he had seen it. They were drifting further and further away from the ship with its still scrambling crew...and everything was beginning to become more quiet despite the storm. "You alright?" Tired blue eyes fell back to her when he finally asked. [d]
[KAIA] She managed to laugh at his comment and nodded. "Hmmm... I don't know about that, Raif..." He had gotten them into worse situations, she was sure. Maybe? She looked back to him when he questioned her. That was a loaded question, for sure, because were.they alright? She hadn't been before this. Her shoulders shrugged a little before she nodded. "I suppose I am now...." despite the raging sea and the rain and coldness piercing at her skin. But she would take this any day after all the things she had endured as a slave. How long would they be free this time? [d]
[RAIF] Alright, yes...he had a bad habit of just doing things straight off the cuff and not completely thinking things through. But things had been dire this time, and he couldn't afford to devise a proper plan. Still, he didn't say so nor answer her except for a low chuckle from deep within his chest. They were alright. At least for the moment. Not completely safe, but...safer. And that was all that mattered. He reached over to move a wet strand of hair from her cheek. "We made it, Kaia. Really this time." They were far from Akasia. All they had to do was avoid any slave traders, which was often a bit more difficult than one would expect when out at sea. For now, they would find land and figure out where to go from there. Gaze shifted to the skies, already sensing that the storm was beginning to dissipate and the waves becoming a little less choppy. For the moment, though, he would shut his eyes as the exhaustion really began to hit him, hand still gripping tightly to their floating piece of wood. [d]
[KAIA] She placed a hand on Raif's shoulder and smiled. "Thanks to you, we did..." She sighed and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "Thank you..." if they were on land and more stable, she might have kissed him for all he had done to get them free. Now they just needed to stay away from slavers or figure out how to blend in and be less obvious that they were slaves. Somehow. She sighed quietly and shivered. This water was fucking cold. And they didn't have dry clothes to change into when they did make it to land. [d]
[RAIF] He had barely heard her thanks as he was lulled by the waves to a much needed rest. But while he gripped the wood, his other arm was falling over her waist, securing her there so that she would not slide off. He must have dozed off. However long it had been, when those bright eyes opened, it was nearly night time. His limbs were stiff and every part of him felt frozen. Raif lifted his head to look around, hissing from the discomfort until he realized that there was a darker shadow against the blackening sky. Land. It was so close. "Kaia..." he nudged her, uttering her name from frozen lips. He began to kick his legs to propel them closer. He didn't trust his stiff body to be able to completely swim. [d]
[KAIA] She must have dozed off as well, and if Raif hadn't held her waist, she may have slipped back into the water. Her body and mind must have given up on her, giving up to her exhaustion and the cold. So at his nudge and him speaking her name, she barely woke, her eyes remained closed and she just mumbled in response. She felt weak and frozen. Any longer and her body might completely give up on her. But when she felt and heard the splashing from Raif's kicking his legs to move them, she stirred a bit, lifting her head up and slowly opening her eyes. She half expected it to be light out, but instead, it was dark, and she wondered what time it was. It was then that she saw the land, and she nearly gasped, suddenly waking up enough to realize how close they were, and that if she helped him, they would get there sooner. So she kicked her legs along with Raif, hoping they'd reach that land and all would be alright. [d]
[RAIF] He was frantic and desperate now, needing to feel the land beneath his feet. They both needed to find some sort of warmth before their bodies completely shut down, and he was already worried about that. Fuck, winter. These Northerners and their cold temperatures- it made him miss the good parts of home...which wasn't many things. After a few agonizing moments, they were close enough that he slipped from the floating debris, eventually able to touch the bottom and trudge through the dark water. The cold air assaulted his soaked form, but the moment he felt sand under his boots, he collapsed to his hands and knees, panting for breath. [d]
KAIA] She too, kicked her legs as hard as she could until her feet could touch the ocean floor, and she trudged against the water until the air stabbed her skin like a thousand knives, her dress clinging tightly to her form. She collapsed next to Raif, but laid her whole body down against the sand--never being so happy in her life to be back on land. She lifted her arm, just enough to reach for his hand, resting hers on top of his, squeezing hold of him, but weakly. "We made it..." She said breathlessly. Her body trembled from the cold and the soreness that ran through her. They needed to find dry clothes, or at least somewhere to dry off and get warm. After a moment, she forced herself up onto her knees and she glanced around, seeing smoke off in the distance. Smoke usually meant fire, and she hoped it belonged to the largest fireplace known to man. "Raif..." She pointed in the direction of the smoke, before she reached into the space between her bosom and pulled out a bag full of coins, tossing it in front of Raif. "Compliments of the disgusting bald man who wanted to fuck me..." Before he had shackled her hands behind her, she had managed to swipe it from his belt and tuck it away before her hands were bound. "That might be able to get us a place to stay for a bit..." [d]
[RAIF] The cold air hurt his lungs, and he remained there on his hands and knees trying to find his breath again. He saw her drop to the sound in his peripheral, knowing they had to keep moving. He wasn't afraid of the slavers finding their way here or even bother to come after them...but it was always a possibility. Especially if they had been truly shipwrecked. But he was more concerned about catching something from the cold; his muscles practically spasming at the thought that this biting chill would never go away. As she said his name, he followed her hand to spot the smoke in the distance just as the sun was completely ascending below the horizon. It was bound to get even colder now. But his companion had a bit of a surprise for him, and he watched her retrieve that small purse from a very secretive place. That finally made him laugh. "You crafty minx..." He could always count on those thieving hands in a pinch. Picking up the pouch, he wondered how much this could get them, but they should also be careful and not spend it all at once...as easy as that would be. This was possibly the most either of them have ever had. Drawing up to his feet, he extended his hand out to her. "Let's hope there's a town or something nearby..." Following that smoke trail was probably the best place to start. [d]
[KAIA] She laughed at Raif's calling her a crafty minx. She really was, wasn't she? A proud look fell upon her features and she grinned. She took his hand and slowly stood, her legs a bit wobbly and sore that she nearly fell against him. Her body hurt so badly, and she just wanted to sleep. A nod was given to him as she forced herself to stand up straight. "I hope so..." She also hoped they were not walking into some sort of danger, too. A bed.. She just wanted to find a place to rest, it didn't even need to be a soft bed. Her light brown eyes lifted to the smoke trail and she nodded again. "Let's find out where that is coming from..." [d]
[RAIF] He held tightly to her hand as he began to walk across the sand in search of that hopeful town, trying to ignore the severe ache in every joint of his body. His head even pounded, probably because he was dehydrated, but all he wanted to do was sleep. Even if it was a hardwood floor, as long as it was dry and warm, he wouldn't care. Silently they moved along for what felt like hours but in reality hadn't been terrible long. Just when he thought he might collapse, having drawn Kaia against his side to try and keep her warm (which was just an impossible feat at this point), he spotted the building with the billowing smoke from its chimney. A tavern? Maybe an inn? There had been a port here, so there was certainly some sort of establishment like that here. His shuffling steps quickened where he was eventually shoving the door open and stepping across the threshold. [d]
[KAIA] She was so cold and her body ached badly. When her eyes fell upon what looked to be a tavern or an inn, she nearly sighed in relief and moved along with Raif to enter the building. It was, in fact, a tavern and it was filled with voices and laughter. She looked to Raif and motioned to the barkeep. "Maybe they can point us to where we can find a place to stay." The warmth of the tavern would have felt nicer if her cold wet clothes were not clinging to her now. [d]
[RAIF] There were many eyes on them now, if only because they looked like drowned rats and turning blue from the winter. Raif also wondered if these people didn't often see...darker skinned folks hereabouts much. Being only half Akasian, he was slightly paler than Kaia, but even still. Holding onto her hand tightly, he approached the bar. Raif wasn't much of a people-person, and after what they had gone through to get here, he had little patience left. "A room?" he asked...though it may have seemed like a demand. The other man looked them up and down, hesitating before he replied, "Three coppers...each." He didn't appear as though he trusted them, so he was going to make a little extra for one room. Raif ground his teeth, hand curling into a fist but he was too tired to cause shit now. Retrieving the coins from Kaia's pilfered pouch, he slammed them onto the counter before he was handed the key. "Upstairs to the left. Room three," the man said. Raif just turned to head up the steps without another word spoken. [d]
[KAIA] She didn't care that eyes were staring at her right now. Her body was trembling and her lips quivered from the cold. Holding tightly to Raif's hand, she walked with him to the bar and stayed silent as he requested the room. Of course they'd charge a stupid amount, just because of their appearance. She could feel Raif tense up with anger and she hugged his arm tightly as if to ground him. It wasn't worth the fight and they had the money. Maybe she could get some of it back later. Once the key was offered, Kaia moved tiredly upstairs with him. As soon as the door was opened and they were inside, she started peeling her clothes off, completely disregarding all modesty in front of Raif, because she had lost that with becoming a slave, and he had probably seen her naked several times by now. Her skin was marred with so many bruises and whip lashings--some scarred, some freshly made wounds that most likely needed some cleaning or tending to. She flipped her head upside down to gather up her wet hair and throw it into a bun at the top of her head, tying it up and off her neck and shoulders. Then she was quickly ripping the blanket from the bed before collapsing down onto it and curling up into the blanket. She'd wait for Raif to undress before offering him a spot on the bed next to her. Their body heat would warm each other up if they remained close to each other. [d]
[RAIF] He was locking that door immediately after he followed her inside. Although there was no fire, the room was a lot warmer than it had been outside. Of course, it was far worse because of their sodden clothes...which she was promptly removing. It was strange how he didn't ogle her when he had every opportunity to do so. Their life hadn't really made any sort of normalcy possible, and it wasn't deemed a proactive thing. Even if she was a beautiful thing to behold. Perhaps that was what had made him so quickly possessive her, needing to protect her and not anyone else. Or, it had been her kind heart; something that had helped to calm that ever-present rage he carried. Seeing the scars riddled all over her body, something that was not so foreign to any Akasian slave, it made him grind his teeth again. When he drew that soaked shirt from over his head, his gaze dropped to the burned brand against his left shoulder, a brand she had, a brand nearly every slave had that marked them as such. Tiredly, he removed the rest of his clothes. He wanted to make a conscious effort to lay them flat so they would dry better, but he was far too exhausted and practically slumped down onto that bed. Childishly, he tugged on the blanket to draw some of it over himself, as if she had been hogging the whole thing. [d]
[KAIA] It was a strange life that she and Raif had lived thus far. They had been through many things together, and it was like there were no secrets or an ounce of privacy hidden from one another. Raif knew, maybe even saw what some of the men slavers had done to her. And if he hadn't, he at least knew about it, without her having to tell him. Nothing would ever be normal in their lives. It was just how things were. She giggled softly as Raif got into the bed and tried stealing some of the blankets. "I got them first!" She laughed, but she was quickly shifting on the bed to lay up against him, her body pressing against his, and she pulled the side of her blanket tightly around herself, shuddering against the residual cold she felt. She kissed his cheek and pressed herself against him, trying to steal the warmth off of his body. "Than you, Raif..." [d]
[RAIF] His response to her argument was a low, tired grumble as he laid there on his back, his one arm dangling over the edge as if to make sure she had enough room and would be comfortable in that tiny, shitty bed. But it was the best either of them had in quite awhile. Maybe ever. But she was squirming up against him, a leech stealing whatever warmth he had left. He lifted his other arm to rub at his eyes, pausing briefly when she kissed his cheek. There was another grumble, but it was more akin to a happy one. Coming from him anyway. "For what?" he said after she thanked him. "Nearly getting us killed? You're welcome." It was sometimes hard to tell when he was joking. [d]
[KAIA] Yes, she was a little leech trying to steal all of his warmth, but to be fair, her body would be just as warm against his. She rested her head on his shoulder and chest and draped her arm around him. "Yes, that... And for saving me...and trying so hard to get us out of that mess... I appreciate you." She sighed and closed her eyes. It felt so good to be on this bed and to have that warmth finally run through her, though she was still feeling cold, down to her bones. If she could pile on a hundred blankets right now, she would. [d]
[RAIF] His head lolled to the side to rest against hers, smelling the salted sea in her damp hair. The ocean was such a part of them now that that scent probably would never go away. It was strange how being on a ship always meant shackles, being transported to another land, another master...but he still craved the wind and waters. In a better light. In freedom. "You're welcome," he said, this time meaning it without the sarcasm. A part of him wished he had bothered to start a fire, but there was no getting out of that bed now, especially with her warmth molded against him. Maybe he was so exhausted, or maybe he was just stupid and insane, but her naked body should have been doing something to him. He had realized that a long time ago. Maybe it was because she was more than just that to him. He'd known it the first time they met, that he was meant to protect her. It was as simple as that. Her body was her own, no matter what that brand said. "We're going to get through this," he found himself saying quietly. Escaping that ship was only the first leap, but they had made it. [d]
[KAIA] She was sinking further into the bed and against him as her tired and sore body slowly started to relax, her muscles twitching faintly in protest as she tried to relax. The warmth from him was slowly helping and she was tangling her limbs in with his own, as if trying to get even closer to him. It was a little strange that they could lay this way and not feel that carnal need for something more. Kaia had felt so many naked men on or against her, that it barely phased her anymore. Even though Raif was different than all of them, she had grown close enough to him to put every ounce of trust in him and that he wouldn't try anything unless she willed it so. They had never tried before and the thought hadn't crossed her mind ever. Maybe it had a few times, but she had never acted upon it. She was slowly dozing off a little when Raif's voice startled her. She nodded slightly and spoke against his neck as her face rested into the crook of it. "We will...." She searched for his hand under those covers and once she found it, she held onto it, squeezing gently. [d]
[RAIF] His other arm eventually drifted down to lazily drape over her waist and secure her warmness against him. A part of him was afraid to shut his eyes, so those half-lidded blues kept watch on that locked door for a long time before he finally succumbed to his fatigue. Her quiet, steady breathing also helped him doze off to sleep, getting that much needed rest. Raif wouldn't have been able to say when he had last been able to sleep so soundly...perhaps it had been never. He was always on alert, always on edge, and maybe he should have been, especially now when they were completely vulnerable. Sometime during the night, he had turned onto his side, only to draw her back against his chest, holding her tightly within his arms.
"The one who tried to start up a mutiny, eh?" the captain said, pleased with himself. But he wouldn't have known if that prick, Nico, had kept his mouth shut. He should have know he couldn't trust him... "Aye, captain," the sailor verified. "And what of the others?" "They've not tried anything, sir. We cannot be too sure that they were going to actually do anything..." Raif hadn't given the signal to strike, but now he was actually rethinking the entire plan. Would they follow him...or would they rather be sold like fucking chattel at the next port? The ship rocked viciously again, sending a couple men sprawling, but the captain stood true, making his way closer to him. "You going to talk, slave?" he spat in his face. "Am I going to have to put all of you dogs down?"
The knife in Raif's back prodded, but he did nothing but glare down at the man with those bright, menacing eyes. The captain simply smirked before a snap of his fingers had men dragging Kaia out from below deck. That got an immediate reaction out of the Akasian, who was swiftly trying to break free from the men that held him in place. "Ah, yes...I heard you liked this one," drawled the captain in amusement. He finally struck a nerve. And Raif was going to rip his fucking head off. [d]
[KAIA] Raif had gotten himself into trouble again. This time, for a good purpose, but he had been caught and she wasn't really sure how they would be able to get out of this one, especially since she couldn't help him now. They had captured her and were going to use her to get to Raif. He really needed to try harder to not show his attachment to her, because this was constantly happening to them. She seemed to be his weakness and she feared she would someday be the death of him.
As they dragged her on board, her own hands shackled behind her back, she struggled against the man who held her. "Let me go!" She hissed at the man. But he pushed her, causing her to fall to the deck. "Shut up, ye wench!" He barked at her, grabbing hold of her arm and yanking her back up to him. He pressed his mouth against her neck and then dragged his tongue along it. "I think I will have fun with you later." He laughed. Kaia struggled against him again, a sound of disgust escaped her throat. "Fuck off!" She spit in the man's face, causing him to growl and then laugh. "Feisty! I like this one. I think I'll fuck you." He grabbed hold of her hair and yanked it back, moving the gag that had rested around her neck and he threw it back in her mouth. "And you'll take it quietly." He laughed, glancing to the captain. "What would ye like me to do with her? Pass her around the crew?" He grinned, hopeful the captain would agree. Kaia glared at the captain, as if daring him to give such orders. She'd jump overboard and drown before she'd let that happen. Light brown eyes glanced to Raif briefly, as if asking him what she should do. They were both trapped. Would death really be the thing to free them from slavery? [d](edited)
[RAIF] He was grinding his teeth, every muscle in his body tensing up when they dragged her onto the top deck; putting her on display because these men, unfortunately, knew what they were doing. They were trying to get him to crack, admit what he had done and was about to do. To share any of his accomplices. Oh, he was definitely going to crack...and the first son-of-a-bitch he tore open would be the bald-headed fucker who was touching her. When Raif went to move again, the crewman holding the blade at his back brought it right around to his neck, halting him immediately. "Nuh uh," the man taunted, grinning. Slavers were all the same. The captain's attention drifted over to Kaia and his comrade, approaching them slowly. At the man's question, he took his time to think about it; fingers grasping the slave girl's chin tightly to turn her head back and forth as if expecting her face, wondering why she was so special. He couldn't see it- she was like every other dark-skinned slut they picked up and shipped off. "It's all going to depend on him..." he finally answered, regarding Raif from over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Raif's gaze had drifted back to the sea, noting the faint outline of land in the distance, partially hidden by the gloom of the approaching storm. A storm that was about to hit them real hard.
Those vivid blue eyes found Kaia, seeing that silent question written all over her face. Perhaps death would be the only way...the easiest way. And he was about to risk it. If their situation had been different, if he knew she would be safe, he'd have admitted his plans to this ignorant captain and taken the punishment. But his death would not save her from anything. "What you're going to do-" that gruff voice finally spoke up as lightning struck close in the sky, followed by loud, rumbling thunder. "Is let her go...and hand me that pig so I may hang him from the mast by his own bowels." His voice had been quiet yet still heard despite the wind picking up around them. It was casual, calculated...as if he already knew how he was going to make it happen. The captain laughed at him outright, causing the rest of the crew to join in. Meanwhile, Raif stood still, barely blinking until his eyes shifted back to the horizon...just as a gust of wind crushed into the sails. The men had been too preoccupied with what was happening on deck to be sure they were adjusting for the ever changing winds. It hit the sails wrong, sending the ship into a violent jolt, thus freeing him momentarily from the hands that held him; the blade at his neck barely grazing his skin. [d]
[KAIA] Her eyes narrowed at the captain as he grasped her chin and inspected her face. She growled at him, muffled by the gag in her mouth. It's all going to depend on him. What did they want from him? And what would they do with her?
Raif's gruff voice caught her attention again, and she looked at him, brows lowering and she shook her head as if to tell him to stop. He seemed confident in his threat, but she just couldn't see what he had up his sleeve. Her eyes shifted up to the sky, catching sight of the approaching storm. Did Raif see something, she didn't? That they didn't? They were all laughing at Raif's words, as if his threat was empty. But what they didn't know as that Raif didn't make threats he couldn't deliver.
Just then, the ship was jolting harshly, knocking her down and the disgusting man toppled on top of her. She struggled against him, trying to push him off of her, but it was hard with her arms tied behind her back. The man laughed and pinned her down, climbing on top of her. "Stay still, ye wench,... You're not going anywhere." With Raif free, he wasn't about to let him get to her so easily. [d]
[RAIF] The thing about Raif was...he was pretty calculated and precise when he desired to (and that wasn't all of the time). Oftentimes, he liked to just jump into the middle of things, but this time warranted a more careful approach. They were threatening Kaia now and just just him, so these men would need to prepare for a storm at sea...as well as on the deck of their ship. Soldiers, they were not. Just ruffians. Some could call him one, but he had done far harder work in his lifetime, had done far more unspeakable things that made him an uncaged lion when the ship jolted. The crew was flailing, quickly searching for something to grab, frantically trying to get the sails under control before they lost the ship beneath the rising waves. There were rocky outcrops that were barely seen in the gloom, and it would sink them should they hit. Personally, Raif didn't care what happened to the ship, the crew, or the slaves down below...the very people he had tried to help and they refused because of their fear. Let the sea have them. Let the sea have them all. He slid across the wet boards as the galleon shifted, shackled hands gripping the railing before a hard elbow slammed into the nearest man's face. That blade was his now. He gripped it in his bound hands, flipping it around in order to wield it with better precision and strength. Then, the rains came, pouring down upon them and making the already difficult feat of getting the ship under control that more challenging. Making it hard to keep him under control.
But Raif wasn't an idiot. He knew he was outnumbered, so he had to use the distractions while they were there. So once that blade slashed across the neck of one of his capturers, it was embedded through the eye of the second one and yanked free. The rain already beginning to clean the steel. Through the veil of rain, while the men rushed this way and that to steady the ship...his eyes fell upon the bald one who was holding her down. And he grinned. Before the man knew it, Raif was charging straight at him...aiming to keep his promise. Because it had, indeed, been a deadly promise. [d]
[KAIA] The disgusting bald man wouldn't get off of her, she squirmed beneath him, trying to push him off using just her legs and shoulders, but he was a lot stronger than she was, and it wasn't working. The rain wasn't making matters any better, at least not for her, as the rain only seemed to please the man further. He laughed, glancing around, noticing that everyone else was busy with trying to steady the ship, and to keep this slut's companion at bay. "Everyone's too busy to save you now," he grinned, his hand moving to her breast and he squeezed it hard. "Mmm....it's been a while since I've felt a woman. I'm going to have fun with you." Kaia grunted underneath the gag, she tried to say something but her voice was muffled by the gag. She could hear all the rushing footsteps around her and the shouting and the heavy rains, but she couldn't see what was going on. The man on top of her and then rain falling on her face made it difficult for her to see anything.
Another ship hand caught sight of Raif charging forward towards them, and he quickly grabbed hold of his shoulders and yanked him back, pushing him to the floor. "I don't think so, you piece of scum!!" [d]
[RAIF] Everything was a frenzy around them as the storm fought against the men for control of the ship, jostling it with heavy winds and rain. Raif only took one second to let his gaze flicker to make sure he saw that land in the distance still, and it was that very second someone grabbed him by the shoulders. He felt the wooden boards hard at his back as rain pelted down against his face. It blinded him momentarily, the wind knocked from his lungs, but that rage and adrenaline was fueling him on. He rarely saw anything but his target, barely stopped when this berserker mode kicked in. And it was only just beginning. The man probably wasn't expecting the shackled slave to have that knife, but it was swiftly jamming into the side of his neck so that Raif could roll back up to his feet. It was then that the others realized that he was trying to get free, and some had to stop what they were doing to go after him, lest he try to free the others. The thing was...he didn't care about the others. Only Kaia. Another charged his side, slammed him up against the man mast where he growled in protest. Meaty fists slammed repeatedly into the man's gut before he had the room to shove him away with a boot. The ship rocked, the deck becoming sleek with water, but Raif was pushing on. As the vessel tilted, a hand was reaching for the rigging, gripping tightly as he slid forward...and straight towards the bald bastard and Kaia. He heard the captain barking orders, but he didn't care. He was reaching to wrap the rope around the man's neck. [d]
[KAIA] If her hands weren't pinned behind her back, she would be doing some serious damage to this man right now. His eyeballs would be gouged out by her fingernails, he would have scratches all over his face like he got in a fight with a cat. Underneath the man, the rage that was fueling through Kaia right now was probably more lethal than Raif was, because something else had taken over her in that moment. A dark entity that would wreak havoc on the disgusting bald man if she hadn't been shackled or gagged. But Raif was soon to come to her aid, wrapping the rope around the man's neck, he started to choke and gasp, hands moving from Kaia and to that rope around his neck, trying to free it. She was screaming angrily through that gag, shoulders lifting off the wooden deck, trying to free herself from underneath the hideous man. [d]
[RAIF] The storm and the sounds of the men calling out were loud, but he barely heard any of it. The moment he got that rope right around the man's throat, looping around twice, he yanked him from Kaia forcefully, dragging him a couple feet. Raif let go, only to rise up and cut the taut rope from the mast. The tension holding the sail snapped, weaving through the gears before it was pulling the man off his feet by his neck. As promised (or close to his promise anyway), the hand wielding the knife slashed across the bald man's abdomen, deep and true, where blood and innards spilled out like crimson rain across the deck; his body convulsing as it hung from the mast. Angry, filled with rage, he cried out as vivid blue eyes found the captain. But he stopped from advancing. Instead, he turned to rush to Kaia and removed that gag, sweeping his gaze over her to see if she was alright. But he knew she wasn't. Shackled hands dragged her up to her feet and sought for a way out of this mess. [d]
[KAIA] The disgusting man was finally being pulled off of her and light brown eyes watched as the man got strung up and had his innards spilling out across the deck--just as Raif had promised. She laid there though, reeling in her rage, becoming more and more soaked from the rain. Everything was a blur, the sounds, the sights, nothing made sense to her right now. So when Raif helped her up and removed that gag from her mouth, she hissed at him, as if he were a threat to her now. But her hands were still shackled behind her back, making it incredibly difficult to do anything. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around, at the men surrounding them, at the captain. If only she had her hands, she would kill them all. "Take these fucking things off of me!" She shouted out, staring at the captain. "Or I swear, I will kill you." She was panting in anger, her eyes staying focused on what was ahead of her, despite the rain stinging at her face. [d]
[RAIF] The ship was a mess, and at any moment now it could go down if these men didn't get a handle on things. What he had to worry about was getting off of it before that happened. But the moment he pulled the gag from Kaia's mouth, it was quite obvious that it wad going to be a lot harder. "Dammit, not now!" he growled at her, knowing it wasn't her fault. Even still, he gripped her arm and drew her along towards the captain, trying to avoid all the others who were scrambling about. Most were beginning to forget the runaway slaves because now their own lives were in danger. Releasing Kaia for but a moment, he was threatening the captain with that knife again. "Keys. Now," he growled. Just as he was grabbing them in his hand, jagged rocks shattered through the hull below and the ship rocked violently once more. "Kaia!" he called, trying to reach for her, praying she hadn't gone off on some blood-thirsty killing spree. They had to leave. Now. [d]
[KAIA] She was fighting Raif as he grabbed hold of her arm and dragged her along with him to the captain. Although it made sense that Raif was trying to help her, in the state she was in, she didn't seem to notice or care. He was asking for the keys though, threatening the captain for them, so she knew enough to hope he would help free her wrists from these shackles. But suddenly, the ship rocked violently, knocking her off her feet and hard against the deck where she rolled away slightly. She yelled out, stopping and forcing herself back to her feet. Her damn hands were still behind her back though, and there was nothing she could do, despite the various men who were surrounding her now. Eyes narrowed at them as she looked around. "Fuck off...Or I will kill you..." She hissed. They all started laughing at her. "Hard to do with your hands behind your back!" They shouted at her. "Try me..." She warned. Not sure how, but she would figure out a way-- her teeth? Her feet and legs? [d]
[RAIF] She was feet away from him again, and the winds were threatening to tear through the sails, causing them to billow out of control. He heard her screaming, threatening, and there was just no time. Raif charged forward once more, knocking one of the men away that had begun to surround her but kept going. He'd stashed the knife in his belt and carried the ring of iron keys around his wrist as he aimed just for Kaia. "Forgive me," he muttered when he reached her, but he only half meant it. With his hands bound in front of him, he was sliding his arms over her head so that hands could grip the back of her thighs and lift her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then he was running again...right up and over the ship's railing to drop into the cold, dark waters below. [d]
[KAIA] They were surrounding her closer and closer until one of them was suddenly grabbing hold of her, asking her to forgive him before he was lifting her up and over his shoulder. She kicked her legs, yelling at him to let go of her and to put her down, but it wasn't long before she was crashing hard into the cold ocean waters. The water shocked her, causing her to come back to reality, and she began to panic, her arms behind her back, and she could not swim. Raif had her now, and she could feel the chains against her back as he held her against him. She had slipped back off his shoulder and stayed trapped inside his arms because of the shackles. How had they escaped? Would they die from drowning since they were both still chained up. Eyes opened, the salt water quickly burning her eyes, though she could not see anything anyway. Everything was dark. She kicked her legs, grabbing hold of Raif tightly, hoping she could at least help kick their way up to the surface. When they finally did, she gasped for air and looked to him desperately. "Raif... What do we do? I can't swim like this..." She was kicking her legs wildly, trying to keep herself up, but kept sinking beneath the waters. [d]
[RAIF] The cold waters would have woken anyone up. It was like a sudden shock to the nervous system and it even affected him. For the briefest of moments, everything had gone so still, so quiet...until he felt her frantically moving and he kicked his legs to help propel them upwards. Breaking through the surface with a gasp, not only was it extremely difficult to tread water without their arms, the waves were doing their damnedest to try and bring them down. "I know," he growled out, trying to keep them both afloat. Thankfully the keys were still around his wrist, but to undo her shackles blindly and in storm-riddled waters wasn't going to be easy. "Just hang on. Be still." Raif was desperately trying not to panic; the sounds of the crew aboard the ship were nothing but dying echos as they were carried further away from the vessel. She would feel his hands feeling around her back, desperately seeking her own before the cold iron was beneath his fingertips. There were a few keys on that ring, so he'd have to try them all. Already growing tired, the sea water stinging at his eyes, he was in the middle of trying a second key when the waters drew them down momentarily before they found air once again. This would happen continuously, and just when even he was fearing they would not make it, he felt the sharp click of her shackles break free. [d]
[KAIA] She was growing tired, fast, as the water kept dragging them down, causing her to choke on water, and she fought to help keep them both afloat. At Raif's instruction, she tried to stay still against him, only kicking her legs to try and help keep them up. She felt as Raif tried to find the key to undo her shackles. They weren't going to make it, this was impossible. And each time they were dragged down, it made it harder and harder for her to fight. Finally, she heard and felt that clicking sound underneath the water as the shackles loosened around her wrists and fell off, though she was quick to grab hold of them so she could retrieve that keyring, keeping hold of the key that had worked in her own shackles. Hopefully it worked on his as well. Her arms were free, and they were so sore from being held behind her back, but she fought through it and quickly worked to get Raif's undone, the water still fighting them, though now she had better control and could use her arms and legs to tread the violent waters. The lock on his shackles suddenly clicked free and opened around his wrist. She sighed in relief and looked to him before she glanced around them, trying to see if there was a way out for them, or if they would be treading water all night, fighting with the waves. But she could not see anything. She looked back at Raif and laughed out of defeat. "Now what?" [d]
[RAIF] The adrenaline was beginning to wear off, his rage subsiding now that they were off the ship and she was no longer in danger. Well, now he had put them in a new kind of danger. It was better than dying on that ship, in the very least. But Raif was beginning to tire very quickly, desperate to free her as her panic rose. He nearly dropped the keys when she was freed, wanting to just succumb to the heavy waters, but he fought against the urge when she worked to unbind him. Those iron shackles broke free, dropping down into the black depths below, and he could use his arms now to fight the waves. Eyes were already looking around to find that silhouette of land he had spotted but it was difficult from within the sea. Groaning in protest against the ache in his muscles, he swam forward for a piece of the ship's hull that had broken off. It would be big enough for them both to hang onto, at least to rest their limbs and keep them afloat. Raif was reaching for her to drag her over to it. "There's land," he finally answered her over the storm. "North of us." But they would have to wait this out until the water was less choppy. They would completely exhaust themselves trying to fight against it. [d]
[KAIA] That piece of broken hull was a little bit of relief from her own tired and sore muscles. She grabbed onto it and held on, grateful to be able to use her arms and hands now. She turned her head to look at Raif with a gratefulness and relief in her gaze. He fought so hard to protect her and she appreciated his devotion, even if it got them into trouble sometimes. "Land? Really??" She exclaimed, almost too excited sounding for the predicament they were in. Suddenly she realized that, because the excitement left her eyes when she looked around, seeing how choppy the waters were and how tired and sore she was. They would need to survive the harsh waters in this storm, first. She sighed and looked back to Raif with a sorrowful smile. [d]
[RAIF] He was struggling to breathe properly, his stamina quickly leaving him as he pulled himself halfway onto that drifting wood once she was on. Hands clung to it and he sighed as he just rested there on his stomach, feet still dangling in the water. He prayed the storm would pass quickly, because the water was cold. They were nearing winter here...and he hated the bloody cold. He wasn't built for it. His head turned to regard her; a tired, cheeky grin curling his mouth. "You think I'd jump us into the raging ocean without a plan?" Yes. Yes, he probably would have. Lifting his head, he looked over into the distance, in the direction he had seen it. They were drifting further and further away from the ship with its still scrambling crew...and everything was beginning to become more quiet despite the storm. "You alright?" Tired blue eyes fell back to her when he finally asked. [d]
[KAIA] She managed to laugh at his comment and nodded. "Hmmm... I don't know about that, Raif..." He had gotten them into worse situations, she was sure. Maybe? She looked back to him when he questioned her. That was a loaded question, for sure, because were.they alright? She hadn't been before this. Her shoulders shrugged a little before she nodded. "I suppose I am now...." despite the raging sea and the rain and coldness piercing at her skin. But she would take this any day after all the things she had endured as a slave. How long would they be free this time? [d]
[RAIF] Alright, yes...he had a bad habit of just doing things straight off the cuff and not completely thinking things through. But things had been dire this time, and he couldn't afford to devise a proper plan. Still, he didn't say so nor answer her except for a low chuckle from deep within his chest. They were alright. At least for the moment. Not completely safe, but...safer. And that was all that mattered. He reached over to move a wet strand of hair from her cheek. "We made it, Kaia. Really this time." They were far from Akasia. All they had to do was avoid any slave traders, which was often a bit more difficult than one would expect when out at sea. For now, they would find land and figure out where to go from there. Gaze shifted to the skies, already sensing that the storm was beginning to dissipate and the waves becoming a little less choppy. For the moment, though, he would shut his eyes as the exhaustion really began to hit him, hand still gripping tightly to their floating piece of wood. [d]
[KAIA] She placed a hand on Raif's shoulder and smiled. "Thanks to you, we did..." She sighed and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "Thank you..." if they were on land and more stable, she might have kissed him for all he had done to get them free. Now they just needed to stay away from slavers or figure out how to blend in and be less obvious that they were slaves. Somehow. She sighed quietly and shivered. This water was fucking cold. And they didn't have dry clothes to change into when they did make it to land. [d]
[RAIF] He had barely heard her thanks as he was lulled by the waves to a much needed rest. But while he gripped the wood, his other arm was falling over her waist, securing her there so that she would not slide off. He must have dozed off. However long it had been, when those bright eyes opened, it was nearly night time. His limbs were stiff and every part of him felt frozen. Raif lifted his head to look around, hissing from the discomfort until he realized that there was a darker shadow against the blackening sky. Land. It was so close. "Kaia..." he nudged her, uttering her name from frozen lips. He began to kick his legs to propel them closer. He didn't trust his stiff body to be able to completely swim. [d]
[KAIA] She must have dozed off as well, and if Raif hadn't held her waist, she may have slipped back into the water. Her body and mind must have given up on her, giving up to her exhaustion and the cold. So at his nudge and him speaking her name, she barely woke, her eyes remained closed and she just mumbled in response. She felt weak and frozen. Any longer and her body might completely give up on her. But when she felt and heard the splashing from Raif's kicking his legs to move them, she stirred a bit, lifting her head up and slowly opening her eyes. She half expected it to be light out, but instead, it was dark, and she wondered what time it was. It was then that she saw the land, and she nearly gasped, suddenly waking up enough to realize how close they were, and that if she helped him, they would get there sooner. So she kicked her legs along with Raif, hoping they'd reach that land and all would be alright. [d]
[RAIF] He was frantic and desperate now, needing to feel the land beneath his feet. They both needed to find some sort of warmth before their bodies completely shut down, and he was already worried about that. Fuck, winter. These Northerners and their cold temperatures- it made him miss the good parts of home...which wasn't many things. After a few agonizing moments, they were close enough that he slipped from the floating debris, eventually able to touch the bottom and trudge through the dark water. The cold air assaulted his soaked form, but the moment he felt sand under his boots, he collapsed to his hands and knees, panting for breath. [d]
KAIA] She too, kicked her legs as hard as she could until her feet could touch the ocean floor, and she trudged against the water until the air stabbed her skin like a thousand knives, her dress clinging tightly to her form. She collapsed next to Raif, but laid her whole body down against the sand--never being so happy in her life to be back on land. She lifted her arm, just enough to reach for his hand, resting hers on top of his, squeezing hold of him, but weakly. "We made it..." She said breathlessly. Her body trembled from the cold and the soreness that ran through her. They needed to find dry clothes, or at least somewhere to dry off and get warm. After a moment, she forced herself up onto her knees and she glanced around, seeing smoke off in the distance. Smoke usually meant fire, and she hoped it belonged to the largest fireplace known to man. "Raif..." She pointed in the direction of the smoke, before she reached into the space between her bosom and pulled out a bag full of coins, tossing it in front of Raif. "Compliments of the disgusting bald man who wanted to fuck me..." Before he had shackled her hands behind her, she had managed to swipe it from his belt and tuck it away before her hands were bound. "That might be able to get us a place to stay for a bit..." [d]
[RAIF] The cold air hurt his lungs, and he remained there on his hands and knees trying to find his breath again. He saw her drop to the sound in his peripheral, knowing they had to keep moving. He wasn't afraid of the slavers finding their way here or even bother to come after them...but it was always a possibility. Especially if they had been truly shipwrecked. But he was more concerned about catching something from the cold; his muscles practically spasming at the thought that this biting chill would never go away. As she said his name, he followed her hand to spot the smoke in the distance just as the sun was completely ascending below the horizon. It was bound to get even colder now. But his companion had a bit of a surprise for him, and he watched her retrieve that small purse from a very secretive place. That finally made him laugh. "You crafty minx..." He could always count on those thieving hands in a pinch. Picking up the pouch, he wondered how much this could get them, but they should also be careful and not spend it all at once...as easy as that would be. This was possibly the most either of them have ever had. Drawing up to his feet, he extended his hand out to her. "Let's hope there's a town or something nearby..." Following that smoke trail was probably the best place to start. [d]
[KAIA] She laughed at Raif's calling her a crafty minx. She really was, wasn't she? A proud look fell upon her features and she grinned. She took his hand and slowly stood, her legs a bit wobbly and sore that she nearly fell against him. Her body hurt so badly, and she just wanted to sleep. A nod was given to him as she forced herself to stand up straight. "I hope so..." She also hoped they were not walking into some sort of danger, too. A bed.. She just wanted to find a place to rest, it didn't even need to be a soft bed. Her light brown eyes lifted to the smoke trail and she nodded again. "Let's find out where that is coming from..." [d]
[RAIF] He held tightly to her hand as he began to walk across the sand in search of that hopeful town, trying to ignore the severe ache in every joint of his body. His head even pounded, probably because he was dehydrated, but all he wanted to do was sleep. Even if it was a hardwood floor, as long as it was dry and warm, he wouldn't care. Silently they moved along for what felt like hours but in reality hadn't been terrible long. Just when he thought he might collapse, having drawn Kaia against his side to try and keep her warm (which was just an impossible feat at this point), he spotted the building with the billowing smoke from its chimney. A tavern? Maybe an inn? There had been a port here, so there was certainly some sort of establishment like that here. His shuffling steps quickened where he was eventually shoving the door open and stepping across the threshold. [d]
[KAIA] She was so cold and her body ached badly. When her eyes fell upon what looked to be a tavern or an inn, she nearly sighed in relief and moved along with Raif to enter the building. It was, in fact, a tavern and it was filled with voices and laughter. She looked to Raif and motioned to the barkeep. "Maybe they can point us to where we can find a place to stay." The warmth of the tavern would have felt nicer if her cold wet clothes were not clinging to her now. [d]
[RAIF] There were many eyes on them now, if only because they looked like drowned rats and turning blue from the winter. Raif also wondered if these people didn't often see...darker skinned folks hereabouts much. Being only half Akasian, he was slightly paler than Kaia, but even still. Holding onto her hand tightly, he approached the bar. Raif wasn't much of a people-person, and after what they had gone through to get here, he had little patience left. "A room?" he asked...though it may have seemed like a demand. The other man looked them up and down, hesitating before he replied, "Three coppers...each." He didn't appear as though he trusted them, so he was going to make a little extra for one room. Raif ground his teeth, hand curling into a fist but he was too tired to cause shit now. Retrieving the coins from Kaia's pilfered pouch, he slammed them onto the counter before he was handed the key. "Upstairs to the left. Room three," the man said. Raif just turned to head up the steps without another word spoken. [d]
[KAIA] She didn't care that eyes were staring at her right now. Her body was trembling and her lips quivered from the cold. Holding tightly to Raif's hand, she walked with him to the bar and stayed silent as he requested the room. Of course they'd charge a stupid amount, just because of their appearance. She could feel Raif tense up with anger and she hugged his arm tightly as if to ground him. It wasn't worth the fight and they had the money. Maybe she could get some of it back later. Once the key was offered, Kaia moved tiredly upstairs with him. As soon as the door was opened and they were inside, she started peeling her clothes off, completely disregarding all modesty in front of Raif, because she had lost that with becoming a slave, and he had probably seen her naked several times by now. Her skin was marred with so many bruises and whip lashings--some scarred, some freshly made wounds that most likely needed some cleaning or tending to. She flipped her head upside down to gather up her wet hair and throw it into a bun at the top of her head, tying it up and off her neck and shoulders. Then she was quickly ripping the blanket from the bed before collapsing down onto it and curling up into the blanket. She'd wait for Raif to undress before offering him a spot on the bed next to her. Their body heat would warm each other up if they remained close to each other. [d]
[RAIF] He was locking that door immediately after he followed her inside. Although there was no fire, the room was a lot warmer than it had been outside. Of course, it was far worse because of their sodden clothes...which she was promptly removing. It was strange how he didn't ogle her when he had every opportunity to do so. Their life hadn't really made any sort of normalcy possible, and it wasn't deemed a proactive thing. Even if she was a beautiful thing to behold. Perhaps that was what had made him so quickly possessive her, needing to protect her and not anyone else. Or, it had been her kind heart; something that had helped to calm that ever-present rage he carried. Seeing the scars riddled all over her body, something that was not so foreign to any Akasian slave, it made him grind his teeth again. When he drew that soaked shirt from over his head, his gaze dropped to the burned brand against his left shoulder, a brand she had, a brand nearly every slave had that marked them as such. Tiredly, he removed the rest of his clothes. He wanted to make a conscious effort to lay them flat so they would dry better, but he was far too exhausted and practically slumped down onto that bed. Childishly, he tugged on the blanket to draw some of it over himself, as if she had been hogging the whole thing. [d]
[KAIA] It was a strange life that she and Raif had lived thus far. They had been through many things together, and it was like there were no secrets or an ounce of privacy hidden from one another. Raif knew, maybe even saw what some of the men slavers had done to her. And if he hadn't, he at least knew about it, without her having to tell him. Nothing would ever be normal in their lives. It was just how things were. She giggled softly as Raif got into the bed and tried stealing some of the blankets. "I got them first!" She laughed, but she was quickly shifting on the bed to lay up against him, her body pressing against his, and she pulled the side of her blanket tightly around herself, shuddering against the residual cold she felt. She kissed his cheek and pressed herself against him, trying to steal the warmth off of his body. "Than you, Raif..." [d]
[RAIF] His response to her argument was a low, tired grumble as he laid there on his back, his one arm dangling over the edge as if to make sure she had enough room and would be comfortable in that tiny, shitty bed. But it was the best either of them had in quite awhile. Maybe ever. But she was squirming up against him, a leech stealing whatever warmth he had left. He lifted his other arm to rub at his eyes, pausing briefly when she kissed his cheek. There was another grumble, but it was more akin to a happy one. Coming from him anyway. "For what?" he said after she thanked him. "Nearly getting us killed? You're welcome." It was sometimes hard to tell when he was joking. [d]
[KAIA] Yes, she was a little leech trying to steal all of his warmth, but to be fair, her body would be just as warm against his. She rested her head on his shoulder and chest and draped her arm around him. "Yes, that... And for saving me...and trying so hard to get us out of that mess... I appreciate you." She sighed and closed her eyes. It felt so good to be on this bed and to have that warmth finally run through her, though she was still feeling cold, down to her bones. If she could pile on a hundred blankets right now, she would. [d]
[RAIF] His head lolled to the side to rest against hers, smelling the salted sea in her damp hair. The ocean was such a part of them now that that scent probably would never go away. It was strange how being on a ship always meant shackles, being transported to another land, another master...but he still craved the wind and waters. In a better light. In freedom. "You're welcome," he said, this time meaning it without the sarcasm. A part of him wished he had bothered to start a fire, but there was no getting out of that bed now, especially with her warmth molded against him. Maybe he was so exhausted, or maybe he was just stupid and insane, but her naked body should have been doing something to him. He had realized that a long time ago. Maybe it was because she was more than just that to him. He'd known it the first time they met, that he was meant to protect her. It was as simple as that. Her body was her own, no matter what that brand said. "We're going to get through this," he found himself saying quietly. Escaping that ship was only the first leap, but they had made it. [d]
[KAIA] She was sinking further into the bed and against him as her tired and sore body slowly started to relax, her muscles twitching faintly in protest as she tried to relax. The warmth from him was slowly helping and she was tangling her limbs in with his own, as if trying to get even closer to him. It was a little strange that they could lay this way and not feel that carnal need for something more. Kaia had felt so many naked men on or against her, that it barely phased her anymore. Even though Raif was different than all of them, she had grown close enough to him to put every ounce of trust in him and that he wouldn't try anything unless she willed it so. They had never tried before and the thought hadn't crossed her mind ever. Maybe it had a few times, but she had never acted upon it. She was slowly dozing off a little when Raif's voice startled her. She nodded slightly and spoke against his neck as her face rested into the crook of it. "We will...." She searched for his hand under those covers and once she found it, she held onto it, squeezing gently. [d]
[RAIF] His other arm eventually drifted down to lazily drape over her waist and secure her warmness against him. A part of him was afraid to shut his eyes, so those half-lidded blues kept watch on that locked door for a long time before he finally succumbed to his fatigue. Her quiet, steady breathing also helped him doze off to sleep, getting that much needed rest. Raif wouldn't have been able to say when he had last been able to sleep so soundly...perhaps it had been never. He was always on alert, always on edge, and maybe he should have been, especially now when they were completely vulnerable. Sometime during the night, he had turned onto his side, only to draw her back against his chest, holding her tightly within his arms.