Trïeste
The Grey Crown, The Grasping Isle
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/876104022833127448/1087504011269255168/wren-meinberg-xqV9QdGOSas-unsplash.jpg]
Photo by Wren Meinberg on Unsplash, Unsplash Licence
“Yes, meetin’ them was best thin’ that happen to Sneak.” He continued, the man taking a closer look at the leaves she was now cutting open and cleaning. The patch of aloë vera was almost completely bare now aside from the stems that stuck out a little bit above the hard soil. “Without M’ster Rove, Sneak would still be wanderin’ around in Tingersong. Sneak doesn’t mind wanderin’, but Sneak has a goal now. Help M’ster Rove and mistress Ayuen. Makes Sneak happy.”
She playfully slapped Sneak’s hand away when it wandered too close towards her storage pack.
“That’s good, Sneak. Keep your hands off the herbs though. I want them as well-cut as possible.”
“Oh. Yeah. Sneak is sorry.” He backed up a bit, shooting a disappointed look towards the back of his hand. “Sneak will help missy Trïeste too. Trïeste is very nice, yes. Conversations are always very good with you!”
She couldn’t stop the genuine smile from getting on her face. She never had a weird uncle or older brother, but she guessed it felt something like this.
“I also like our chats, Sneak.” A lump in her throat made her choke up a bit at the thought of family. She swallowed it away and put everything back into her back, clearing her throat.
“Anyway, it’s about time we head back to camp. Let’s go.”
She quickly picked up her bags and Kit before walking away with a spring in her step. The two of them were on their way back to camp, talking between themselves about seconds and herbs and all kinds of other bits and pieces. In her head though, Trïeste was deep in thought, her mind, and soul in turmoil about what she had to do.
Feeling frustrated, the Vysari woman let out a low growl as they passed the pile of feathers, with Sneak looking at her like a startled cat. She smiled apologetically to Sneak as the camp came into view. She nodded towards the camp and put a finger to her lips, giving him a sly wink. He silently tilted his head in a questioning manner but quickly grinned as he gave her a silent thumbs up. Both sniggering like the fools they were, they entered the camp.
----------------------------------------
“… even where it is exactly?” She could clearly hear Rove’s voice coming from the campfire. “Tira, you know where we’re going, correct?”
Trïeste casually walked around Ayuen’s tent into the camp, carefully stepping over the lines while Sneak followed carefully in her wake. Her three companions were sitting around a newly stoked fire, Rove prodding the logs and cinders with a long stick. The flames rose ever higher as he manoeuvred the logs around to fuel the fire better. Ayuen and Tira were sitting on the other side, both of them sitting a couple of steps apart from each other. Only made sense. The two women weren’t exactly the best of friends. From the conversations she’s picked up on, Tira had tried to persuade Rove the night before they left Tinkersong for a good night of sex and games. And even though Ayuen didn’t want to admit it, her demeanour had changed after that came out, especially when the Pyrn woman was talking to Rove.
Personally, Trïeste thought Tira didn’t stand a chance to get with Rove. For all of his faults, the man did value respect and contracts. And with him and Ayuen being rather close, he seemed reluctant to risk souring their relationship. Their guide wasn’t one to call it quits at that though, trying her best to covertly seduce the Herhor. Although, covertly might not be the correct term. It was painfully obvious what she was doing, even for Ayuen herself. Did not help the two women’s personalities didn’t match. Bickering was a daily occurrence, with a confused Rove often caught in the middle of the two women’s verbal fights. Currently, both of them were more interested in the fire than having another fight.
“Of course I do,” Tira said as she casually flicked some pine needles into the fire. “Told you, my dear Herhor, I am the best at what I do. These regions I know like I know my own body. Very intimately.”
“Sure you do,” Rove said flatly, refusing to take the bait. “So, Ayuen...”
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Yes, Rove?” Ayuen’s gaze was firmly on the fire, her fingers fidgeting.
Deciding against her prior plan to ambush them and make them jump, Trïeste came out from hiding. With a smile, she went to sit on the ground next to Rove, Sneak ungracefully plopping down next to the Herhor. By Terraz’ fierce eyes, she wasn’t going to sit next to those two. Getting caught in the crossfire wasn’t something she was feeling a lot for. Burning pinecones to the head weren’t her favourite thing in the world.
Rove looked at the three of them, exchanging a nod with her and Sneak. He seemed relieved to see them, a small grateful smile on his face.
“You better start thinking about what you want to do and achieve when we arrive. I’m kind of loathe to go in blind, so a plan of approach might be handy as well.”
Before Ayuen could respond, Tira chimed in instead.
“Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll just lead you to where you need to go and leave you to your business, Ayuen,” Tira remarked, stretching her arms and yawning. “Nothing in my contract stated anything about stepping right into danger. So I’d rather go back to Tinkersong.”
The woman’s eyes floated to Rove again. “From what I’ve understood, you’re currently not under contract as well, are you Rove?”
The woman put her elbow on her knee, supporting her chin with her hand while she smiled at the Herhor, eyes glinting in the fire. Trïeste couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Here they went again...
“You’re welcome to join me. I mean, you already delivered Ayuen safely to her destination, right?”
Rove’s face stayed neutral, but the glare he sends Tira could’ve felled a mountain.
“She owes me money. Until she paid what I’m due, I’m not going anywhere. If I walk into danger while doing so, so be it. A contract is a contract. I will not leave until both sides fulfil their part.” This wasn’t the first time he had told her that, nor would it be the last, Trïeste expected.
“Fine. Fine.” The guide pouted her lips. “You know, I do wonder why you’re not accepting my offer. Am I not your type? Do you have a significant other already? Are you perhaps crushing on your client?”
It was clear from both Rove’s and Ayuen’s reactions that they were not inclined to answer that question. Rove’s poking stick suddenly trusted a bit too far into the fire and caused the fire to send a flare of flame into the air, while Ayuen choked on a sip of her waterskin.
“Oh, did I guess correctly?” Tira said smugly, folding her arms. “You don’t seem like a couple though.”
“We are not a couple.” The Herhor bit back, face red. “She’s my employer, not my significant other. That’s all there is too it.”
Trïeste leaned a bit back as she and Sneak looked on at the unfolding spectacle, although Sneak was putting up quite a rather confused face. Probably trying to figure out if ‘master’ Rove was having a bad time or not. Feelig like things were boiling over, she decided this was the perfect time for her to chime in. Even though she didn’t like Tira herself, she did like the direction the woman was taking with this conversation.
“Oh, I’ve seen you look at Ayuen with quite the eyes, Rove,” Trïeste said, elbowing him softly. “Ayuen too. I bet you even have little intimate conversations with the just the two of you.”
“Oh really now?” Came the disgruntled retort from the man. “Tell me then. When did miss Ayuen and I have one of those ‘little intimate conversations’?”
“An hour ago. When I left together with Sneak to find some supplies in the woods.”
“Trïeste, we were bloody discussing what approach to take once we reach our destination.”
“’Discussin’ an approach’ is quite the weird way to reference a bit of lovey-dovey time, don’t you think?”
“Go put your head in a cow’s ass or something, Trïeste.”
“Like you too, Rove. Not love though, you got enough ladies waiting for you to do that already.”
Grumbling with a definite red tinge on his cheeks, Rove threw the stick into the fire with force, sending up a flurry of sparks. The smell of smoke intensified, stinging Trïeste’s nose and pricking at her eyes.
“I’ll be doing my rounds.” He growled, striding off with big steps. Sneak glanced at Trïeste, who just gave him a big cheery smile. After looking at Rove one more time, the man then appeared to make a decision, standing up and running after the Herhor into the twilight.
“My work here is done,” Trïeste said in a satisfied tone. “For a mighty Herhor, Rove is rather vulnerable for this kinda thing, wouldn’t you agree?”
Ayuen smiled at her, the smile not reaching her eyes. It looked rather forced. “Trïeste. Would it hurt for you to lessen the sharpness of your tongue? You know as well as anyone that Rove and I aren’t in a relationship like that.”
“Hmhm.” Trïest hummed, standing up and walking around the campfire, sitting beside Ayuen. “But you’re forgettin’ the important question here, Ayuen. Do you like Rove? You can tell me. Girl to girl.”
“Do have to admit I’m rather interested in the answer as well,” Tira chimed in. “Rove is a rather attractive man. Wouldn’t mind sharing his bed for a while if you’re not interested.”
Trïeste sent a frown in the guide’s direction. “Now let’s not get too hasty, alright?”
Tira shrugged, opening her waterskin and taking a good swig from it, the woman silently waiting and listening. The alchemist returned her attention to the increasingly awkwardly looking, red-cheeked poet sitting next to her.
“Just tell us how you feel. The sooner we clear this up, the better, right?”
Tira send a glowering look at her but didn’t speak up.
“Well…” Ayuen started hesitantly, looking back towards the forest’s edge. “It’s just... When we began our journey, the two of us treated one another with resentment. We did not start off well, so to speak.”
“It did change during your journey, right? I don’t see the two of you bicker as much as when you picked me up from Herhor’s End.”
Ayuen opened her mouth, looking hopelessly at Trïeste’s smiling face, closing her mouth again and taking a deep breath.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/554030201789743105/1028654515798409237/Grasping_Isle_Final_V1.0.png]