Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 7, 2020 8:38:35 GMT
The sunbathing king did not move from his sandy nest, hands having slid from his brow so that his face was buried on the insides of his elbows. "Your welcome has been the warmest by far since my arrival to Atelus," he sighed lazily. "I am beginning to wonder which home is truly more civilized."
No, Aurelius was not afraid of the dangers that Ziorang possessed, but he was grateful for Finn's seriousness on the matter.
"If I may impose further, I would like to ask one of my warriors to at least stay aboard the Wolfsbane with your crew. Kukinta, though soft spoken, has an energetic and quick-witted soul - much like the season he had challenged me in."
The mention of his companion summoned memories from that night years ago, when the raven-haired lad pointed the end of a sword at the werebear, a gentle smile on his lips. The hillsides were festooned with the sweet smells and many colors of the highland flowers.
"It would also put Angantyr at ease, I think, to know that another is at my side, if not he himself."
The Silver-Eyed Fox, as he was known back home, was viciously attached to the Bear King. They had always been together, since they were a cub and a kit. He was wary of all folk outside of their tight-knit circle of warriors. The memory of how he would glare at Finn made Aur chuckle.
Finn thought to question how it was possible his welcome had been the warmest among the people of Taras, but then a mental image ran through his mind of the guard's reaction to the Yhavastuns? Yhavastians?...The Fellas of Yhavastus. Coupling that with his own treatment by some of the folks as he recalled the old woman who had spat his way when he walked by, grumbling about 'Filthy blighted Pirates' or some such, or the extra watchful eye he always received from a member of the Queensguard. He'd even been thrown out of a Noble's party once- granted that had been after he'd made a grab for the ass of a Countess, but she'd been giving him flirty-eye all night, so who was really at fault here? It wasn't like Finn knew she was the daughter of the estate's owner. Those people really should come with name tags. Still, whatever cold welcome Aurelius had received here, it was bound to get a lot more frosty in Ziorang. Hopefully Aur would remember to bring those dashing furs of his.
"No imposition at all, my friend," Finn assured the Bear, "Can't say the crew quarters are the most luxury of accommodations, but your man is welcome to them." Aur was perfectly welcome to the bed in Finn's quarters, as well. So long as it wasn't raining The Pirate had never had any issue with sleeping at the helm, beneath the stars and the open Sea air. It wasn't the picture of comfort, but he liked the close proximity to the sounds of the waves. He'd always been a light sleeper anyways, seeing as it usually carried nightmares with it and surely a trip to where they all stemmed from could only rile them further. Heck, it was a comfort knowing someone as big and burly as a man of Yhavastus might be there to help watch over his crew and his ship. A town of Pirates and a boat as lovely as his lady was asking for trouble should he leave it unmanned. And nobody, NOBODY, save for the Wolf, could Captain his Wolfsbane. Now that. Was a way to make a man of non-violence see red.
Finn turned on his heel, quite ready to wash the sand from himself, now that that was all settled, and took a swan dive into the ocean's breach, moving through the water beneath the tide for a time before bursting forth for air. Sometimes, he really did wonder if he descended from fish. He certainly felt right at home in the Sea.
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 7, 2020 20:56:40 GMT
The sounds of Finn splashing back into the waves alerted Aurelius to peek out from under the shadow of his arms. He rolled onto his side, propped up by an elbow as he watched the guppy swim about, chuckling at the thought of the werewolf actually being a werefish. It wasn't too far-fetched an idea, now was it? Rather than trying to claw his way out of an iron cage during a Full Moon, he'd be trying to break the glass of a fishbowl, or jumping out the top to find victims to...flop at? The Bear's quiet laughter rose into a barking guffaw.
Enough with allowing these suffocating feelings to command you. Enjoy Pup while you have the chance.
"Alright, alright," the warrior grumbled to himself, picking himself up out of the warm sand. He peered out into the waves, catching sight of Finn. It would be best to enjoy the fun they were sharing. Who knows how the trip to Ziorang will effect the pirate captain. Who knows when it will be time to say goodbye.
After a roll of his shoulders, Aur went sprinting back into the waves, his dive not as graceful as Finn's, but more like a large beast barreling into a room delicate glassware.
The Bear came crashing through the tide throwing up his own chorus of waves as he plowed through the water like a mammoth thundering through towers of snow, throwing up the white foam all around him as if each stride aimed to take control of the ocean and force it from his path. Even his movements were like those of a conqueror. An Epic Gladiator come to lay waste to the water's onslaught. It was so different from the way the Pirate moved through the waters. Like he danced with the waves, matching the roll of the tide to not be swept away by them. He and the ocean were partners on a stage performing a waltz and Aur was a Warlord demolishing the tide before him. It was the perfect illustration in the differences between the two men. The large Battle-Bear and the agile Sea-Wolf moving through the waters together as the sun rang the toll to the time of their transformations.
Finn moved towards Aurelius, closing the gap the Sea had made between them and letting his body careen backwards to lay flat upon the water's surface so he floated like a piece of driftwood lost to the tide, each wave lifting and dropping him as they made their journey past the two men. "It's going to be awful indeed to relinquish this view to return to the cage in the bowls of the Bane." Loosing a sigh. He wasn't sad, he knew it was necessary, but he'd take in as much of this feeling of freedom he had now and bottle it up within the confines of his chest to draw it out when he found he had none, tonight. Holding the sensation close and letting it remind him the walls made of steel were only a temporary fate and he would soon be starring up at this wide blue sky all over again. "How do you prepare for the moon?" The Pirate did not turn his head but rather letting his eyes shift sideways to give the Bear a quizzical stare. Aurelius had seen the cage for Finn. It wasn't hard to figure out how the Captain spent his nights from there, but he was unsure if Aur did a similar thing or had another way to let the Beast out without harming innocents.
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 7, 2020 23:22:06 GMT
Emerging from beneath the water's surface, Aurelius shook his head and shoulders vigorously, his wet hair slapping wildly about his face and sending droplets in every direction. His fingers worked through the tangled mess as he listened to Finn speak of the cage awaiting him on the lower deck of the Wolfsbane, and an empathetic frown tugged at his features.
"With Stroud's help, my men and I were able to scout out a stretch of untouched wilderness South-East of Taras," he explained, patting at the Wolf's chest gently. "After the ritual, they will send me off, keeping watch throughout the entirety of the night." His fingers absentmindedly stroked the necklace that Finn wore about his neck. "It was a difficult night in the cage on the longboat - I wanted, needed, to be free. Back home, I am never caged. The boys always find territory ripe with berries and fish to occupy me." A soft and genuine smile reached Aur's eyes at the thought. "They have had to, ah, apprehend me before, but it is thanks to them that none are needlessly injured or killed."
He blinked from his memories, moving his hand to tap at the pirate's chin, focusing on the eyes that resembled the sea that surrounded them. "I ask that you tell none of our plan, dear Pup. Even Stroud was against it at first, but he understands how my transformation is handled."
Finn listened to the elaborate way in which the Bear handled the moon's transformation and thought that sounded a much more freeing sense. To be able to let the beast loose and to feel the pure, unadulterated liberation of it all. He envied that. The trust Aur had in his men and somewhat in his own Bear in order to even attempt such a lifestyle. He had to wonder if such a method made the creature inside more tolerable, more manageable. Less like a caged tiger passing behind your eyes day in and day out as Finn often felt. He could tell his wolf hated being caged as much as he did, if not more so. Did it make one's temper easier to manage or did Aurelius still fight that every given moment as Finn felt he did? Like his emotions and blood boiled beneath his skin with pent up rage and energy.
His eyes traced the fingers that toyed with the necklace that hung from him, glancing back to find Aur's distracted gaze. He couldn't help but smirk at the eyes that looked over his relatively bare form, lifting his own hand from the breech to idly toy with the hairs that sprung forth from the Bear's broad and muscular chest. Finn found the notion of how easily the King could toss him around quite enticing as he lined pecs and abs with the flat of his hand, feeling the rock solid surface that rippled beneath his playful touches. "Your secrets are forever safe with me," The Pirate swore, withdrawing his exploratory fingers to drag hem across his lips in a sign that they were permanently sealed on that front. He'd never do anything to put Aurelius in danger, flashing his friend a coy little wink for emphasis as his feet once more found the ground and he stood alongside the foreign noble, attempting to drag his hair from his face as his fingers slid through the soaked strands, but the rebellious little fuckers seemed unwilling to cooperate as they bounced right back over the Pirate Captain's eyes. Finn letting out a defeated but amused chuckle as he gave up on trying to fix them.
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 8, 2020 1:05:57 GMT
Aurelius tensed at Finn's touch, and he lifted his chin up and to the side to hide his flustered expression. "Th-thank you," he stammered, clearing his throat as he took a couple of steps back to give his friend some space to plant his feet. "I have thought about including you in the ritual alongside my men. It is…something I would like to share with you, if it would not make you feel uncomfortable."
He dared a glance at the chuckling Wolf, then began to snicker as well, reaching over with both hands to tackle the mess of hair atop Finn's head. After a few moments of struggling, he moved closer and to the pirate's side, choosing which locks he wanted to start braiding together.
"The thought of you locked up pains me, Pup," he admitted softly, his tugging at the wet hair done as gently as possible. "I wish that there could be a place just for you and I, to see and to know each other despite the primal creatures taking hold of our bodies." There was something alluringly intimate about that wish, never having shared a transformation with other werefolk outside of his mother and little sister.
When the hair had been braided, Aur combed it away into the rest of the wet mop that was Finn's head, letting his fingers linger there. "How does your crew take to your transformation?"
Finn let out a snort of laughter when his companion started trying to fix the strands of hair that were as rebellious as the Pirate whose head they sat atop, unwilling to compromise in their quest to do whatever the hell they pleased. It was impressive that the Bear would even attempt to try and braid the relatively short brunette strands. He had to admit, the offer to join Aurelius was tempting, but his wolf was so bloodthirsty. Was it different, when your beast was an omnivore rather than a straight carnivore? Did it behave in a different manner towards things? On top of that, he was fearful of how riled the wolf could be if let loose after being caged for so long. Aur's men could handle Aurelius, though, right? A bear was a much larger beast with even greater claws. A wolf was quicker though. Between the two beasts, especially, could they handle that? What if he went straight mad and tried to slaughter the men of Yhavastus, full out? There were so many 'what ifs' and 'dangers' that he wasn't sure if he could stomach the risk, though he could already hear the wolf howling in his skull at the thought of running wild and free. "What if I hurt someone, though?" Torn between his desire to never harm another innocent again and the beast running circles in his skull at the chance to be free. "I don't know how much more blood I can take on my hands." He knew exactly how much more he could take, to be honest. None. One more person struck down without him meaning to might just be enough to plunge him into a darkness he could never return from.
He wished for the same thing Aur did. A place to just run free, unencumbered by guilt or worry. Perhaps an island for weres or some sort. Someplace where no innocents could tread on the night of the full moon, where werefolk were free to run and hunt and roam all through the night and the only blood shed may be that of a deer or other such creature, but no more human souls taken by his claws. "I wish that too," he admitted with a frustrated huff that no such magical land yet existed for their kind. Not like that, anyways. Until then, it was a small room made of bars for him.
"Emry is in charge of mine and the crew's safety while I'm locked away. He's in command and only he holds the keys to the cell," Finn began to explain, "Every full moon he locks me in and every sunrise after he lets me back out, also makes sure none of the bars are close to breaking or we get them replaced even at the slightest suspicion they might. The rest of the crew keeps their distance. None are even allowed into the bottom deck, ever. They don't seem bothered by the knowledge, anyways, though Dalia often complains the noise in the night makes it hard to sleep. The snarls and growling and tearing at the metal. Angry howls. But none really speak to me of it, otherwise." They knew that part of Finn made himself uncomfortable to speak of openly, save for with Aur. A man who could, in any way, understand the struggles and the life. Even if they handled them very differently. "The wolf hungers for freedom. Even now."
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 8, 2020 3:21:51 GMT
"Mm, if only we could run together as beasts," Aurelius mused, gliding his fingers across Finn's jawline, curious about how the scruff on the Wolf's face would feel against his skin. "I am also uncertain about transforming together. What I had meant was that I would like to invite you to the ritual before the full moon breaches the horizon." His hands stopped at Finn's chin, lightly cupping his face and examining all of his features closely. "For your comfort, it could be done aboard the Wolfsbane."
A laugh erupted from the Bear when the captain mentioned one of his crew-mates complaining about the noise he made as the Wolf, his hands now moving behind his own head to braid the platinum blonde mane together. "Freedom. As a man, do you feel free?" His pale blue eyes continued to watch Finn as he worked with his hair. "When you are out at see, drinking at the tavern, making love…" The warrior dropped his hair as he thought, the strands slowly untangling themselves over his shoulder. "You sleep with women, do you? Might you have pups running around?"
Aur knew that Finn considered his werewolf heritage to be a curse rather than a gift. So… he'd have to be incredibly careful when playing around with females. The Bear King was the same - not wanting to have any children of his own unless he was absolutely certain of the woman he chose to settle with.
If it were to be a woman at all, he reminded himself, tilting his head as he continued to stare at Finn.
A strong hand caressed the wolf's jawline and he let his gaze search the crystal blue depths of his friend's, marveling at the hue that mimicked the sky on a cloudless day. The thought of attending the ritual sounded rather fascinating, wondering what all it entailed and what took place at such a ceremony. It didn't have to be aboard his ship, so long as he was sure he'd have enough time to return there before the moon touched the sky, offering his friend a nod in indication that he would rather enjoy attending such an interesting sounding affair.
The Captain found he missed the sensation and warmth of Aur's hand along his face when it was pulled away, though a fond smile took ownership of his features, watching the Bear of a man fiddle about with his own strands of hair now, twisting and twirling them into gorgeous braids. Finneas had never braided ones hair before, somehow the task seemed simple and yet complex as he watched the Warlord's fingers work. "I do and I don't," he admitted his mixed feelings on freedom, "I feel as free as one can with another thing occupying their mind and invading their thoughts from time to time, I suppose." There was no balance to Finn like with Aur and his Bear. Aurelius had said he and the Bear are one, but Finn and the Wolf were two. Two entities inside one vessel in a constant fight for ownership. It felt as if the Pirate had been fighting inside himself all his life and truthfully he was becoming quite tired. Perhaps that was part of the reason he hated fighting with another, even sparring. He'd had enough of taking a blow by blow with another creature. "I feel most free when at the helm of The Wolfsbane," his face turning against the breeze that blew in off the water and ruffled the Wolf's hair as he let his eyes shut to drink the moment in. He could see himself steering her now, the sails billowing wide and the birds screeching overhead. He felt powerful behind her wheel. Like he owned the world and nothing could stop him. That is, until a question Finn dreaded threw him hurtling back into reality with a pained look. "Ugh...." Was all he could say at the very thought of having children. He was awkward around kids, uncomfortable. Emerson often joked it was rather odd considering Finn was still very much a child, himself. But he couldn't help, himself. They made him feel...strange. Reminded him of multiple facts he never wanted to think of. The main one, of course being, that any kid would carry his curse and the second being- he had no example of how to be a father, no clue what a halfway decent one might look or act like. And don't even get him started on the kind of sinking weight around his neck parental duties might entail. "I should hope not." His face indicating how perturbed he was at the very notion, not to mention. If he did and he didn't know about it, didn't that make him exactly like his father? Knock some poor girl up and leave her with a monster baby without ever letting her know what her child would one day become? He felt sick. "I try to be very careful of that fact. Pull out of there before I curse some poor girl and child-- Neptune's Mercy please let me not have a single monster bastard baby roaming around out there." Turning his head up towards the sky like some unseen deity might make it so. The thought was enough to make him switch to men completely, but then he recalled boobs. Squishy, soft, supple, lovely boobs. Yea, he'd never be able to play for just one team. Oh did he feel light headed though, teetering forward and clutching to his friend to stop himself from face planting into the water. "I can't do kids, mate. I just can't."
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 8, 2020 6:56:06 GMT
Aurelius stared at Finn in disbelief, almost looking hurt by how the pirate spoke of children, but a smile stretched wide across his face as he helped to steady his dizzied friend. "I share your sentiment," Aur agreed, regarding not wanting fatherless cubs roaming about. "But I am surprised that you are not keen on children, being that you are…" He stopped himself, stifling a laugh by biting his lips and snorting instead. He gave Finn a firm pat on the back.
"Though, the children here are strange." The Bear glanced back toward the city. "I cannot figure them out. Not all of them play together, as if they are not children at all! As if they select only the children from their own tier in the hierarchy of Taras." His eyebrows pressed together, his lips pursing.
"It is frustrating. I miss wrestling the little ones, holding the newborns, guiding the boys who are approaching adulthood," Aur sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Perhaps it is one of the reasons why I am so drawn to you, Pup," he added, a gentle sincerity to his voice as his eyes met with Finn's again. "I had left a part of me behind in Yhavastus, but when I am beside you, I feel whole again. The levity and love that the children make me feel… Well…" And he shrugged, his eyes thanking the man that stood against him.
Finn could sense his friend meant absolutely no ill-will with his words, seemingly trying to express a fondness for the Pirate's more whimsical exploits and activities, but each word he spoke was like another arrow piercing through the Wolf Captain's Pride. A leveled blow to his ego that was beginning to deflate with each new syllable that left the Bear King's lips leaving Finn's normally sun-kissed skin looking much more pale than before Aur had begun speaking. If he'd looked sickly from talk of kids before, the Pirate must've resembled a ghost, entirely, by this point as his hand smacked over his heart to cover the unseen wounds that now left holes through him. Never before had another man sounded so much like Emerson, scolding the impulsive man for his impish actions. "Ow--" Finn gasped, gathering up the fragmented pieces of his once shimmering pride that now floated out to Sea around him, each sliver lurking just out of his reach.
I- am a man! His thoughts protested, instead opting to make a strangled noise of mocked death and falling backwards to resume his floating atop the waves, once again. His eyes shut and his mouth agape with his tongue flopped to the side in the most comical rendition of a dead man one could create, one hand still placed over his chest riddled with metaphorical holes that his ego continued to bleed from. Why was everyone always behaving as if he were a child, and adamantly calling himself one, simply because he relished the living of life? Could one not be an adult without slowly stepping their feet, willingly, into their grave as they accepted the bonds that humanity tried to tie them down with. He was all for bondage, but only if it was consensual, and that? That was anything but.
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 8, 2020 8:08:26 GMT
A burdened sigh forced its way past Aur's lips as he watched Finn, realizing that his words may have been poorly chosen. He had not meant to offend - in fact, he had meant to help the Wolf understand just how important he was to the Bear. The warrior adored children, not because they were children - none could avoid that necessary stage of life - but because their honesty was unbridled, they desired freedom, they loved wholeheartedly… It felt good coming from Finn.
As if he had heard Finn's protesting thoughts, Aurelius waded to his side and bent over the floating pirate. "Listen to me, you prideful Pup - never have I considered you a child, but a man that men should strive to be more like," he growled, splashing water at his friend. "How you make me want to better myself... You have hurt my feelings," he scoffed, adding his own dash of drama to the scene.
He splashed defiantly once more before marching away from Finn and dunking himself under the water, air bubbles rising to be washed away by the waves. Below the surface, his eyes shut tight, he considered himself to be more of a child. A very big and stubborn child.
Letting yourself be vulnerable was painful. It mattered not if you were a hardened warrior or a conquering king. It was his turn to mourn the injury done to his pride.
Oh- well when one put it that way it certainly sounded a whole heck of a lot better than when Emry told him to 'grow the hell up already'. Blinking at the realization he'd misinterpreted the sentiment Aurelius had been trying to put to him, but could you really blame the Pup? He'd been called a child so many times in so many different ways and none of them had ever been aimed in an attempt of flattery before. It was simply a miscommunication biased by the Pirate's passed experience as he rose from his slump to try and comfort his wounded friend, only to find a very similar display to one he might do happening before him. Unable to reign in the fit of laughter that tore through his frame, nearly doubling over in tears at the sight of the much larger fellow clearly learning from the dramatic Pirate's over the top displays. He'd never felt more flattered or found a sight anywhere near as hilarious. Oh he did adore the gentle giant of a man. Wading through the tide to pat the top of the King's head from beneath the waves, dunking under to locate his friend through the sting of the salt that burned at his eyes, still alight with mirth at just how ridiculous he found the whole display. His hands cupped the sides of the foreign noble's face, running his thumbs along his jaw in a gentle and almost apologetic manner, though he could not fend off the smile that burst a torrent of bubbles from his lips as he shook his head, surrounded in a shroud of his dark hair. He couldn't hold his breath long, not right now with how much he still felt like laughing as he burst back through the surface trying to avoid choking on water as he allowed himself to succumb to the sheer hilarity of it all. "Careful there, Aur," still laughing through his words, "Angy-boy will never forgive me for teaching you my bad habits." Because, clearly, Finn cared deeply what that uptight stuffed shirt of a man thought of the Pirate. Gods forbid they anger 'Papa Em' and 'Mama Ang' and get themselves put into a timeout.
"All Sins can be forgiven when somebody loves you"
Post by Aurelius Adalbern on Mar 8, 2020 9:05:03 GMT
Aur refused to open his eyes when he felt Finn move around him, but his pouty expression relaxed at the other man's gentle touch. He could hear the dampened sound of the pirate's laughter through the water, and it took an incredible amount of willpower to not crack into laughter himself - but his lips twitched into a smile, a cluster of air bubbles escaping his mouth and nose more rapidly than before.
It wasn't long until he was up out of the water alongside Finn, choking more than laughing as one hand swiped around to find that damn Wolf, cursing in his own language between gasps.
"I am sure you have much more to teach me, Pup," he laughed, his hand coming to rest at Finn's chest as he remained bent over, trying to catch his breath. "They are lessons I will carry with me, always."
The Bear straightened himself to his full height, his fingers finding Finn's necklace again. "I hope that your mate, Ems, does not worry for you when you are around me."