The docks around the St. Vincent Inn were lively and packed with celebrating people. The start of the Ephiphanie Festival brought people from all over to the Central Quarter. Busty women leaned over the railings of the buildings, their cleavage threatening to spill over their bodices.
The St. Vincent Inn was located on the edge of the red-light district. During the lively festival, it was nearly impossible to contain the squalor that spilled from the district. Prostitutes took full advantage of the festivity and were found attending to men throughout the city. Officials tried and failed every year to keep most of them in and just outside the red-light district.
Loud catcalls and whistles were heard from the balconies above them as Lyonis and Cordelia neared the Inn. The women reached towards Lyonis from the terraces, exposing their chests and singing sweet words out to him like sirens. Cordelia laughed as a scowl grew across Lyonis's face. "They're quite rowdy this year. Perhaps the sight of a man like yourself has them riled up." He scoffed as if the thought disgusted him.
The first few days surrounding the start of the festival were always the loudest and liveliest. Cordelia didn't mind the unruly crowd. Seeing everyone dance about, uninhibited by the stresses of life, couldn't help but fill her with infectious delight. Lyonis was careful to block her from the wild crowd; his piercing glare and towering physique quickly created a clear path for them.
Cordelia couldn't help but notice Lyonis stiffen as they approached the Inn. Each step he took seemed to wind him tighter until he was as tense as a rubber band stretched to its limit - about to snap. A guard was standing out front, hired by the Inn only to allow paying guests inside. He nodded once to Lyonis before opening the door for them. Sounds of happy guests erupted from inside the Inn; Cordelia stepped through the large front doors and was greeted by the Innkeeper. The older man with an annoyed and harsh face brightened as he spotted her, instantly recognizing her.
"Madame VonElise? What brings you all the way out here?" He bowed deeply to her before laying eyes on Lyonis, "Oh, Commander Tualon, you're here as well! Welcome back." Pausing, he glanced beady eyes back and forth between them, "Are you two.... together this evening?" The plump man suddenly stiffened, unsure how to address them and what to say next. "Shall I... prepare your room, Commander? A bath and a hearty meal for you both?" He whispered the last part, leaning over the counter towards Lyonis, who glanced down at Cordelia with questioning eyes. She sighed and could already imagine the rumors spreading about them throughout town. It was as if her ears were ablaze from the swirling rumors. Beni was sure to give her an earful.
"That won't be necessary, sir. I've come to drop off some supplies for the Commander's crew." Cordelia spoke up, "But I am quite starved. Would you be so kind as to prepare a meal for us?"
"Oh! How rude of me to assume, Madame. My apologies. I'll have our chef prepare a wonderful meal for you immediately." The Innkeeper bowed again, waving over a waitress and whispering in her ear as Lyonis and Cordelia walked into the grand foyer of the Inn.
It was lively, guests of the Inn were loudly chatting with one another, and a piano was being played in the corner of the spacious room filling the air with a spirited beat. All the windows were open, letting the cool but humid air from the bay flow inside, freshening the damp and musty space, which was thick with the smell of fire, smoke, salt, and ale. Cordelia felt Lyonis place his hand on the small of her back, leading her toward the corner of the room near the fireplace. She could recognize a few faces sitting along one of the long tables as members of his crew. They were engaged in a game of cards. Pitchers of ale and plates of food lined the length of the knotted wooden table.
One of the crew, a huge man larger than Lyonis, spotted them from across the room. Cordelia didn't recognize him, but he waved them over. The man's creamy white freckled skin was red, flushed with ale, and he had a large reddish-brown beard braided and tied under his chin. His long red hair was expertly braided along either side of his head, keeping it out of his face. Small gold clasps were woven into the strands giving him an exotic, threatening, and wild air to him.
"Commander! Welcome back!" The loud shout caused the rest of the crew at the table to look up from their game and food. Cordelia felt all their eyes on her, and suddenly, she felt nervous. Not because she was scared of them, she simply didn't want to insult them and spoil her relationship with Lyonis. It had been so long since she was in the presence of such an intimidating group and she found herself hesitating ever so slightly.
His crew was certainly an intimidating bunch. Each member, the men, and women had rough solid exteriors giving off a menacing aura despite thier friendly dispositions. They looked like a band of mercenaries.
"AH! Is this the famous Witch?!" The bearded man laughed loudly, "He finally brings her to meet us! Come sit with us, Witch! I have many questions!" He slapped the wooden bench beside him, inviting Cordelia to sit next to him, but she felt Lyonis's hand slip around her waist, holding her close to him. His mana was swirling with annoyance, and it felt as if rough, jagged rocks were grating against themselves deep inside him. She couldn't help but giggle at his obvious jealousy.
'Funny...' she thought, 'So possessive..." Feeling like teasing him a little, Cordelia pushed his hand off her waist and went to sit down next to the large, imposing man. The group's eyes followed her as she placed herself on the wooden bench. It had grown quiet around the foyer as everyone watched her reaction. She looked around, suddenly annoyed that so many eyes were on her.
"Ha. What's everyone looking at? I thought you invited me to sit?" Cordelia looked up at the large bearded man staring at her wide-eyed in shock. Lyonis sat across from her at the table, his amber eyes boring holes into Cordelia. Anger seemed to radiate off him in waves, and his crew noticed. Nobody dared say a word.
"Commander...." Cordelia started, unable to help herself as a sly smile crept across her face. "Your bad mood is putting everyone on edge." She held her head up in the palm of her hand, as she propped herself up with her elbow. Unable to tear her gaze from his handsome face, she noticed the veins on his temples pulse. He ground his teeth but said nothing. She watched him from across the table, his amber eyes filling with a silent annoyance as she spoke. "If you're going to spoil the evening with your terrible mood, you should leave. Maybe those women outside could brighten your temper?" She raised her eyebrows at him. Perhaps it was the festive mood, but she couldn't help but want to toy with Lyonis. She had never seen him so on edge, and she found the sudden shift in his mood fascinating and cute as hell. Lyonis clenched his jaw but said nothing.
Loud laughter erupted from the man sitting beside her. He slapped his hands on the table, causing plates of food and mug of ale to shake violently. "I like this one! Commander! You found quite a woman! She managed to shut even you up!" A large hand fell heavy on her shoulder as the massive man patted her. His hand quickly enveloped her entire upper back, and the weight of his friendly pats caused her to jerk forward suddenly.
Cordelia could feel the man's energy radiate off his as he touched her. Like his outward nature, his mana was loud and joyous. Not a hint of ill-intent was found. Cordelia smiled softly and laughed along with him. The nervousness she had felt earlier subsided slightly. The imposing man was a friendly and good-natured person despite his rough exterior.
"Witch! My name is Troels! It is a pleasure to meet you!" He shook her slightly, his large bear of a hand weighing on her. Noticing his Commander shooting silent arrows at him, his eyes blazing with fury, Troels removed his hand and shrugged. "Commander... You are so tense this evening. You need ale!" He waved down a waitress who quickly noticed and nodded in friendly understanding, hurrying over to place a giant pint of ale in front of him, which he pushed in front of Lyonis. "Bring more food!" She nodded and ran off.
Troels ignored Lyonis and looked down at Cordelia, his large blue eyes twinkling, "Witch! What shall I call you?"
"Please call me Cordelia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Troels." Cordelia looked around the table to see the other members of the crew watching her with apprehensive eyes. "Ah! I have brought gifts for you all. It seems I have been keeping your Commander from you. Please take this as my apology." She reached across the table, motioning to Lyonis to place the boxes he had been carrying for her on the table. He glared at her for a long moment. She gestured again when he didn't move. He sighed and placed the boxes he had hidden beside him on the table between them.
"It isn't much, but I hope you enjoy it." She went to grab the boxes but was beat to it by Troels, who snatched them away and tore the ribbon off in a hurry. One of the boxes was filled with bags of tea and a large bottle of golden honey. The other had an assortment of jars filled with ointments and salves. "Hopefully, Lyonis shared the last box of tea I made with you all. The other box is stocked with ointments for muscle aches, injuries, and small cuts and sprains. I'm afraid that is all I'm good at making." She smiled sheepishly, suddenly feeling as if her gift was pretentious. But she could see the crew's face light up slightly at her words. Troels eagerly dug into the box, taking lids off the jars of ointments bringing them to his nose, and giving each a tentative sniff.
A tall thin woman walked up behind Lyonis and sat next to him. Her ashy blonde hair was braided neatly over one shoulder. She was elegant and beautiful, wore tight-fitting clothes, and a small black dagger was strapped to her thigh. A thin scar ran down one side of her face over her blue eye. She had a handsome face, and Cordelia thought if it weren't for the woman's obvious curves she could've passed for an attractive male.
"Madame Cordelia VonElise... My name is Theodora. A pleasure to finally meet you. Thank you for the gifts. They will be put to good use." Her voice was thick with a seductive accent, reminding Cordelia of wind rustling through trees. Theodora turned to look at Lyonis, who had crossed his arms over his chest after downing the pitcher of ale in front of him. The blonde woman scowled at him, seemingly unimpressed with his poor attitude. "I hope our dear Commander hasn't been bothering you."
The rest of the crew seemed to settle when Theodora walked up. They eagerly passed the boxes around, taking turns to smell the ointments. Some even rubbed small globs of cream on their arms and wrists. They started talking again in their native tongue, choosing the safer option of ignoring their angry Commander and his guest.
"Not at all. I am grateful for his company. A pleasure to meet you as well, Theodora. I hope you have been enjoying your time in Ville Marais." Cordelia smiled at the woman, who nodded back at her. Just then, three waitresses arrived, their trays filled with baskets of freshly baked bread, roasted chicken, steaming vegetables, and bottles of wine and ale. They worked quickly, placing a large plate of food in front of Cordelia and Lyonis and filling a few goblets full of wine. The Innkeeper had walked over, inspecting everything to ensure it was quality and ensuring they had everything they needed before stepping away.
The night passed by in a blur. Troels and Theodora taught Cordelia how to play a card game from Gresas. They shared tales of their time out at sea and courageous stories of their Commander. It was clear to Cordelia that everyone on the crew respected thier Commander and was fiercely devoted to Lyonis. She had learned the names of some of the other crewmembers. Andronika and Acacius were siblings, and they knew a bit of Cordelia's language. They were loud and joyful and showered Cordelia with endless questions. Agis was Lyonis's first mate and second in command. He seemed like a bitter and angry man. He scowled at her with his dark brown eyes all evening, refusing to acknowledge her existence.
But despite the harsh, intimidating exterior of the crew, Cordelia found most of them to be welcoming and respectful. She enjoyed their company, learning about Gresas, and listening to their stories. Lyonis hadn't said a single word all evening. The most he did was scowl or grunt at someone whenever they started speaking more than he wanted them to. He had downed a sizable amount of alcohol, and Cordelia couldn't help but notice him sway, the scowl still permanently fixed on his face.
Troels was deep in sharing a tale. He stood on the table, towering above everyone, waving his large sword around, "There it was! A giant cyclops! A bloody red eye gazed down at us from inside the cave..." Troels leaned down, pulling the bottom of his eyelid, opening one icy blue eye wide. "The monster opened its disgusting mouth and roared! It shook even the heavens! The great God of thunder even felt it!" He swung his sword over his shoulder, kicking a plate of chicken bones off the table as he slammed his feet into a fighting stance. "I readied myself for the attack! The monster was huge, as tall and threatening as a mountain! It lunged at me, but I was too quick," He pounced and sliced the air, "I chopped off its arm in a single motion! Black blood sprayed everywhere... It covered me head to toe, ruining my favorite outfit!" He laughed loudly and leaped off the table, "SO I CUT OFF IT'S FUCKING HEAD!" People listening from tables around him clapped and cheered loudly. Theodora shook her head. She was busy sharpening a knife and paid him no mind as if she had heard this story dozens of times before.
"You're so fucking loud. Shut the hell up, Troels." Lyonis finally spoke, his amber eyes blazing. He clutched his head as if in pain.
"Ah! So the Commander finally speaks!" Troels walked up behind Cordelia, drunk on ale and renewed energy after his story. She could sense him staring at Lyonis and placed his bearish hands on Cordelia's shoulders. His giant palms almost swallowed her, causing her to buckle slightly under the weight. The alcohol had made Troels more comfortable with Cordelia, and she could tell he was the touchy-feely type. But his pure mana was never laced with bad intentions, so she didn't mind. Lyonis seemed to flinch and clench his jaw whenever Troels placed a hand on her.
"It seems to me that the Commander is rude to our dear guest. Your foul mood is ruining the fun. Perhaps I will take the Witch back to my room with me. I'll be sure to show her...." Before he could finish, Lyonis lunged at him from across the table, punching the man right in the nose and knocking him backward. Blood poured from Troels's nose, and a wild look glazed over his eyes. The Viking giant of a man laughed, not bothering even to stop the blood gushing down his beard.
"Don't you dare lay another finger on her." Lyonis's voice was calm and collected. His aura pulsated, angry and violent. Cordelia was shocked. She could feel it even from across the table.
"HA! It has been too long since I've felt the delicious sting of your fist, dear Commander." Troels stood reading himself to lunge at Lynois, who was staring daggers at him. The tension was palpable, and the rest of the room suddenly grew on edge. Theodora and the rest of the crew didn't even budge, as if this was an everyday occurrence.
Cordelia stood up, blocking his line of sight of Troels. "I think that's enough, Lyonis." Lyonis glared at her, his golden orange eyes glazed over in a slightly drunken haze. She saw him clench his jaw as he looked into her eyes. They softened somewhat, and without warning, he leaped over the table, scooping her up and throwing her over his shoulder. Whistles and catcalls were heard throughout the spacious room as Lyonis strode with long steps out the foyer and up the stairs towards the rooms.
"Lyonis... Put me down." Cordelia tried pushing away from him, but he held her close in his sturdy arms. She could feel a wild mixture of emotions emanating from him. It was so intense it took her breath away. Fear, anger, and a deep unfamiliar longing swelled inside him. The desperate need inside him felt so panicked it was as if even taking a single breath would cause her to slip from his grasp. His arms tightened around her, and Cordelia took a deep breath, trying to calm him with her own energy, but he wouldn't be so easily soothed.
The large wooden door swung open, and Lyonis slammed it behind them before tossing Cordelia gently down on the bed. He paced back and forth a few times, running his hands desperately through his hair. He had a pained look on his face and rubbed his temples with his fingers. He growled as he stomped back and forth. Cordelia got up from the bed and walked over to him, cupping his face in her hands. His large golden amber eyes closed, and he pushed his stubbled chin into the palm of her hands before wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close, and burying his face into the crook of her neck.
"Relax..." She whispered into his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck. She could feel him settle slightly under her touch.
"How can I? You succeeded in pissing me off..." Lyonis growled into her shoulder, "Seeing another man's hands on you.... You didn't even bother to brush him off." His arms tightened around her waist, and he bit her shoulder hard. Cordelia flinched slightly at the sudden pain but said nothing. "Are you trying to drive me crazy?"
A gentle laugh left her lips, "You're jealous?" Somehow his possessiveness was endearing.
He groaned again, kissing the spot he had bit, "Sorry... I don't know what's come over me."