A fair sized ship had docked at the Niafi River Port. Many of the crew on board the ship had either retreated down to the lower level, or donned light-colored cloaks in order to avoid the burning sunlight. From the clothing underneath, the crew members didn't look like a normal trade ship, but their appearances weren't so unkempt that they would suggest raiders or vandals. Several boxes and crates were unloaded from the ship and onto a wagon; four of the crew members left the ship to push the wagon towards the nearest traders post. The rest of the crew stayed on board to watch the ship, pulling up the wooden ramp.
One of the cloaked sailors seemed to have a much more commanding air around her. Her hips stuck out a bit more than the other female crew mate as the four of them moved the wagon towards other traders. Words and offers were exchanged as they attempted to trade their foreign goods for local ones. Two of the figures stayed by the wagon to make sure the goods were okay; the third continued to talk to a man. Both the crew member and the trader exchanged kind words and handshakes as they eventually came to an agreement.
The fourth member, the one that stood out among the group with her hips, waved a single to her other crew before stepping into a nearby bar for a drink. She took a seat and asked for something strong to start with.
Drink.
Drank.
Drunk.
That was how most of the day had gone on since Ihlsepar Asawa'eht arrived in the Niafi River Delta region. He'd travel more often there were he not so lazy, but he was laying low for a while from his normal group of women who were hounding him and wishing to settle down. But settling down is hardly what the intoxicated man wanted, and he was here to indulge in the most scandalous acts he could do-
Because why the hell not? He was the son of one of the wealthiest merchant families in the country- and as far as his own reputation went...
He didn't give a damn. He was here for the thrill of life, and right now- he was well onto his fourth drink when he saw a pair of hips walk into the bar.
She screamed foreigner, being tall, but not overly so with pale skin and hair of the north. Her garb spoke volumes of her trade, and even from where he sat, but a table away, he could smell the salt of the sea.
Those blue eyes of him did not hide that they were checking her out, and if she were to look his way, he'd flash those pearly white teeth of his invitingly. Perhaps this foreigner would like to talk? Though in his mind, he'd like to do far more than just chat....
The woman smiled to herself as she was handed a glass of mid-strength drink. Her hand slid a couple of silver coins onto the counter as she quickly finished the glass, like she hadn't had something good in days. "Another, good sir. This heat makes me want to return to the seas." The woman traced a finger around the edge of the empty glass. As the man bought her another, she handed him the coins from the first, and then a few more for the second glass.
She was just about to start drinking this one too, but noticed a man staring over in her direction. His appearance was charming to say the least. It was nice to look up and notice someone cute staring at her instead of the normal drunken fools from other bars she had visited. The woman pulled down her hood and picked up her glass in order to move to the seat across from the man.
"You don't seem completely lost in the drink, might I ask who is staring at this pirate?"
Ihlsepar's smile grew so that dimples cut into his cheeks as he watched her approach.
"Maybe you haven't sat with me long enough to know how much I've been drinking, but I don't need liquor to know a good body when I see one." And he gave her a nod, and flashed her another toothy grin. "The name's Ihlsepar Asawa'eht, but if you'd like to share some drinks with me, you can call me whatever you like."
His eyes took her in more appreciatively now that the woman was closer, and to see her body fit nice and snug in that clothing made those dimples reappear on his cheeks. His blue eyes then returned to her eyes.
"So... shall I just call you pirate? I wouldn't mind, sounds kind of kinky. Don't think I ever shared a drink with a pirate before."
The pirate smiled back, starting at her second drink as she let her eyes drift between his facial features and dark hair. She gently set her glass down and chuckled. "Well, I'll call you Ihlsepar for now. As for MY name, I'm considering if I should tell you now or see if you can talk it out of me." She started to take note of his clothing and jewelery. A smile crossed her face again as she started to think, wondering how much she could figure out.
"From what you said earlier, I gather that you have been to this place a good number of times. Your clothing and accessories say your are a man of at least... moderate, to great importance. You seem very confident, which is good, I get bored of listening to drunk stuttering."
The woman untied her robe from the waist up, she let the rest of it stay around her hips. A leather-made outfit was underneath, one that didn't cover her arms or shoulders. She looked at least tough enough to handle a few fights, or some strong drinks. "I'm not a bad pirate... I'm the type of pirate that attacks raiders and criminals and such. You should have no fear of me taking anything from you. Unless I trick you into buying me a drink or two."
He flashed her another charming smile.
"Who said I was worried? Sometimes I like things a little bad," he told her,a nd tipped his almost empty glass in her direction. "And you've got some of those assumptions right, but let's talk a little more and perhaps I'll let you know a secret or two about me."
And with her robe now removed, he did not mind to indulge on her cleavage and bare skin. It was nice to see something exotic for once. Though he loved Essyrni women, sometimes it was fun to fantasize about something else-
and this woman was certainly that.
"And no tricking would have to be involved," and he snapped his fingers and ordered them each a drink. "This one I think you'll love, not as potent as the others, but something Essyrni is known for- some hard lemon drinks to quench your thirst from your travels."
And once they were served, he tipped his class to hers.
The woman smiled a bit more as another drink was bought to the table. She finished the rest of what she was drinking, and picked up the new glass, tipping it towards Ihlsepar's. "A very generous act, very well." She took a small sip of drink before setting her glass down.
"My name is Gwendolyn, I am many things on the open sea. Pirate, Merchant, Mage, Healer, and a loyal captain. I have traveled the seas for almost 5 years through trades and battles. I'm glad you enjoy staring so much, I've never been one for skinny females. I feel like I might snap them in half if I attempted to hug them." She gave him a faint grin, as she enjoyed another sip of the Essyrn local drink.
Gwendolyn leaned forward a bit, resting elbows on the table. "I'm interested to know more about my generous new drinking partner."
"Skinny girls can be fun if they keep their legs spread open," he told her, oh so charmingly. "But I won't lie when I say I prefer a decent pair of hips." He peered down at her's before letting his eyes return to her's and he leaned back in his chair now at her question.
"What's to know? This is pretty much what I do all day. I do what I want, where I want, when I want, who I want." And he gave Gwendolyn a knowing look.
"And you'll have to forgive me on your name.I might butcher it from time to time. Is there a shortened version of it? And oh... earlier you mentioned I might be of some importance. Well.."
He chuckled and lifted his glass to his lips. "My father's pretty filthy rich." He gestured to her drink. "So keep drinking. I've got plenty of gold to go around."
Gwendolyn took another sip of her drink, trying not to giggle. "I prefer the women I woo to be at least as thick as myself. Why wouldn't I prefer a meal over a snack?" The woman smiled evilly and finished her drink before putting the glass down. From what the man told her, he was a very rich and influential person around this continent. At the very least it would be beneficial to stay on his good side; the last thing her crew needed was to be barred from another trading location.
"As much as I love being bought a drink or two, I wouldn't feel right taking something I didn't earn. That being said, no amount of money will impress me enough to sell myself. If that's what you're after, then it will take something besides money. For now I find you somewhat charming. It's nice to talk to someone without a prude tongue. Censorship gets boring after a while."
She gave Ihlsepar a quick wink. The drinks hadn't hit her yet, but she was enjoying the faint buzz in the back of her mind.
Ihlsepar could have laughed, evident in the dancing gleam of his eyes.
"So you prefer women?" he said, not missing a bit as he nearly finished his drink in his second swig. "And I'm not here to buy women. I'm here for fun." And he winked back. "The old fashioned way."
Gwendolyn shook a finger, smiling more. "Why prefer one over the other when I can dance back and forth between both? It isn't unusual for a pirate to get lonely after all. If anyone ever questioned me about it... I could simply convince them that I was in desperate need of company and didn't have a good enough man on my ship. The truth is just that I prefer what I prefer. It isn't a sickness or a weakness. Like you said, I simply know what's good when I see it."
"You may call me Gwen. Nice and quick." She grinned a bit as she realized the joke.
Ihlsepar flashed her a toothy grin.
"Yes, we all prefer what we prefer. It's good to know that, just in case you and I decide to keep the same company."
And at her last statement, he nodded towards her and finished his drink. "So... I hope our time together won't be nice and quick, Gwen, as I'm finding your company more than amicable."
And there was his leer again as he drank her body in with his eyes.
Gwen noticed his eyes and leaned back in her chair again. It felt nice to be admired, even more by someone who knew how to be charming. Her hand played with her short amber-colored hair, as she allowed Ihlsepar to stare at her.
"I am a pirate after all. As long as the trade is profitable, I'll be more than happy to return to this place. Unfortunately, I don't give anything out on first meetings, but you would be a welcome sight to see the next time I arrived."
She turned towards the barkeeper again, asking for a bottle of sweet tasting alcohol. "Staring is allowed, but I hope you'll be at least this charming the next time I come back to this port. The second time is always when things are fun."
"The second time?" This time he found himself actually laughing. "I'm ready for as many times as you want, but why wait to have fun when it's already being offered on the table? I know a little alcove by the beach. It's secluded... barely an crocodiles or people."
Gwendolyn smiled and poured a full glass of the drink as she listened to Ihlsepar's offer. She slowly poured the sweet tasting drink past her lips, and leaned forward on the table. She smiled as a faint red blush came to her cheeks. Her lips smelled of honey.
"As sweet as that sounds~ I'm not a first date kinda girl. You can look, and stare, and daydream all you want. Touching, however... will wait until next time."
Her hand reached forward to play with his hair for a moment, letting the scent of sugar and honey float between the two of them. "Surely I'm enough of a prize to wait for~? Because you certainly seem like a rarity."
Ihlsepar could have shivered- perhaps he had, as those blue eyes of his danced at her proposition.
"Perhaps, but I'm a man who likes to indulge, and more often than not, you won't find me here at the Delta. Most days I'm prowling the streets and bars of Essyrn."
Gwendolyn smiled. "I realize this isn't your normal spot, but as gratitude for coming out all this way to share a drink with me, I promise to travel to your grand city of Essyrn the next time I make port. Would a home visit from a dangerous pirate be a welcome thought to you?"
Her hand waved over her glass of drink, and small orbs of it floated into the air. She let the little spheres of sweet smelling drink dance around her lips, waiting to be sipped up. "Sometimes, it's the smallest things people fight over the most. Maybe the next time we meet, it'll be for more than a drink. I've been able to feel your stares all night, and I think there's a good chance you're eagerly waiting for the next time we meet."
The pirate woman traced a finger from Ihlsepar's hair, down his arm, and across his hand before leading one of the spheres of drink to her neck, and letting it quickly disappear between her cleavage. She leaned back with a satisfied grin and started to drink down the rest of her sweet scented drink.
Ihlsepar leered her hungrily, seeming to devour her with his eyes.
"Are you sure you're not more than just a pirate?" he asked. "Because most women don't seem to be as sweet or intoxicating as you. Shame you want to wait.... making for a missed opportunity for some fun."
Gwendolyn enjoyed the attention, allowing her new friend to take her in with his stare. "Oh I told you, I'm just a simple pirate, mage, merchant, and healer. One that's looking forward to our next visit."
The pirate finished her drink, topping off the first few strong drinks with something sweet. It was almost like having an alcoholic dessert. A bit more red spread over her cheeks as it all started to get to her. "It's more fun to finish with a sweet drink; it lets it all hit me slowly as I get back out to sea." She leaned forward to play with Ihlsepar's hair again. "Don't think of it as a missed opportunity... think of it as anticipation for when we do have that first opportunity~"
"I don't know.." he told her, taking her hand into his own before guiding her fingers to his lips, which he kissed soft and slow. "Your cheeks looked burned." His eyes danced at that. "Sure you don't want to stay a while? I could show you around. We'd have a good time."
Gwen winked at the man again, smiling more as the rosy color covered her cheeks. "A lady doesn't give out anything on a first date~."
She sat back down in her chair, allowing Ihlsepar to hold onto her hand, kissing it. "I'm on a short timeline today, but I promise to come to the city with more time when I return. I've decided that you're charming enough for me to return to eagerly."
Ihlsepar continued to kiss lightly at her fingers, breathing lightly over them as he did so before finally allowing his pursed lips to lift away. He peered up at her and gave a grin.
"I guess we'll just have to see. Though it won't be hard to find me in Essyrn. Just give my name." And he flashed her a grin as he leaned back into his chair. "Though as fair warning, not everyone you speak to will think highly of me. ANd you might want to inquire to men rather than women." He gave a shrug at the thought. "Let's just say I've... sampled a lot of goods."
And he was still craving something exotic. He was still wondering if there wasn't some other way to convince her to stay.....
He did always love being he exception. Most women buckled, first date or not.
Gwendolyn put her glass aside as she gave him a good view of her shape. She stood up, allowing the outline of her upper body to be easily seen, despite her pirate clothes. The top half of her robe was folded down over the bottom half, stopped by a belt, but still showed off her ample hips. "Enjoy the show, Ihlsepar~ I hope you'll remember these hips when I return. I plan to buy some of your city's trade goods to sell in other lands, and I may sample some for my own delight."
She started to pull her robe back up, fixing it to protect her from the burning sunlight outside. "Will there be anything else, Mister Ihlsepar~?"
"Yeah," he said, fetching onto her wrist as he flashed her a toothy smile. "You should take that robe off one more time. I'd like to see those hips just once more."
Gwendolyn smiled evilly and decided to indulge him. Her hand slid free from his grip as she undid the belt that was keeping her robe held against her body. She wiggled free from the robe and let it rest on the chair. Her outfit didn't cover her arms or anything below her knees. Her hips went back and forth as she switched the foot she had her weight on. "I suppose I can I dulge that, the girls around here must be covered up most of the time."
Ihlsepar laughed.
"Hardly. Sometimes you see women naked, walking around. And the priestess..." He gave a shiver. "You can see their bodies through their clothes."
His eyes continued to roam over her form appreciatively before he looked up at her face.
"Would you like an escort back to your ship?" he found himself asking. "It would be ungentlemanly of me other wise."
Gwendolyn reached for her robe, starting to cover up again. "That does sound very gentlemanly. My crew will be almost done by now so I should start heading back." There were dark green runes and symbols on her right shoulder as it disappeared back into the sleeve of her robe. "I might want to stop and admire them when I visit next time, priestesses sound fun to stare at." She stepped closer to Ihlsepar, letting the side of her hips touch his. "Ready to take me back?"
By the look on Ihlsepar's face, he was ready for more than that. He was now standing beside her and gave a nod.
"Shall I lead the way?"
Gwendolyn smiles and played with his hair again to tease him. "Yes, I'm sure my crew would be quite envious to see me being escorted back to my ship by such a gentleman."
Once outside, the other three crew mates she had come ashore with her were reboarding the ship and awaiting her.
"Do you employ many women?" he asked, as the pair leisurely made their way to the dock. "Or do you have some men who enjoy such a captain?"
"Oh, it's a fair mix of men and women. When the ship was first finished, the first of my crew mates were all mages, eager to get away from the lethal iron hand of Connlaoth's anti-magic laws. I've gotten a few more people on my ship since then. A good mix of mages, warriors, and a couple of archers. Humans of both genders, and there is some elf lineage mixed into some of them."
Gwen smiled and turned back to the ship, hoping she hadn't rambled on too much.
"Ah, Connlaoth..." he tsked at the thought but gave a lazy shrug. "I suppose we can't all be perfect. And I heard that country is so far north they get snow." He wrinkled his nose at the thought. "The nights are cold enough here in Essyrn, I can't imagine a place that's colder."
Gwendolyn nodded. "Yeah, it does sometimes. I like the cold better than the heat. After all, it's easier to dress up for the cold than to dress down for heat, I can only take off so many clothes and still look decent in public." She smiled and stopped just outside of her ship, turning around to thank him again. "I guess I'll be seeing you again, hopefully soon."
"In Essyrn, we don't have that problem. Men and women can walk the streets nude here and it's not considered indecent at all. Though.., it's not recommended come night fall. Night fall, it gets dreadfully cold."
Flashing her a grin, he nodded to her.
"Yes.. hopefully soon," he went on, and took her hand now to kiss it softly on the top of it before he lifted his gaze unto her, blue eyes dancing.
"Goodbye, my piratess."
Gwen returned his grin with a smile, blushing at having her hand kissed again. "Don't worry, I'll be back before long, then maybe we can visit that little hideaway. If you can convince me, that is."
She turned back to board her ship, the sails were being raised and the ramp was pulled up. The ship was slowly turned back towards the sea and started to sail.
The pirate watched the dock from the side of her ship, waving goodbye to her charming new friend.
As Gwen and her ship sailed, disappearing towards the horizon, the young 'prince' lingered on the docks to watch, a small smile curled at the edges of his lips, and his blue eyes dazzling like the stars that began to twinkle in the sky. Upon returning home to the city, he had all but forgotten about the pirate, going back to his usual antics of sex and seduction- and also of just being plain lazy, when he was out in the market some months later and caught a rather familiar figure. And then he smiled, realizing who it was.
He approached the woman silently, and it wasn't until he was behind her did he speak, "I didn't expect to see you so soon," he said with a smirk. "Or ever again, for that matter."
Gwendolyn's face lit up with her evil smile as she locked her arm around Ihlsepar's. "Oh come now, it hasn't been terribly long, sometimes the trips take a bit though." Her free hand reached up to play with some of his hair again. "So, Prince Ihlsepar... how will you convince me back to your home? Or maybe I should just take you hostage and steal a few things from you."
She joked with the merchant prince, letting the sides of her hips press against his.
The merchant prince flashed her a toothy grin.
"I don't know.. I kind of like that second option. But I don't know how much of it would be considered stealing."
Gwen played with one of Ihlsepar's curls before giving him a gently nudge with her elbow. "Lead me to your home, you're my prisoner now, and I decide what shall be done with you and your belongings."
The pirate kept most of her body covered with the same robe as before, leading her 'prisoner' back to his home where all of his treasures resided.
Ihlsepar gave her a lopsided grin.
"Prisoner? That sounds rather kinky." He did not linger when she told him to get moving, but obliged as suavely as he could, leading her through the town to where his home sat perched above the rest. In the lighting, it seemed to glow like the sun, and was nearly blinding. But the second they both stepped in through the door, the place greeted them with it's cool shade and a long line of plush rugs lining the halls.
"So where would my mistress like to go first," he told her, eyeing over her form and imagining her without that robe- and more.