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You had recently entered the city of Äußerst whilst travelling. Exploring outside your home and neighbouring towns for the first time in your life, you had entered Äußerst initially out of curiosity and resolve to find a certain book you had wanted to read for a while. You thought that after you had read it, you could sell it at your shop.
The city was beautiful, if not a little overwhelming. You had not yet tried looking for the book, first taking time to grow accustomed to the busy city. You were unsure as to how long you would be staying there but wanted to spend time taking it all in.
On your second night in Äußerst, you decided to take your exploration into one of the taverns you had seen on your walks around the city. It was not too bustling; you picked a tavern that was slightly out of the way so as to not be too staggering.
Once you had entered the tavern, you took a seat at the bar. There were a few other people seated on the stools that ran along the side, but most of the patrons were at tables or standing in groups drinking.
The man who was seated next to you drew your attention. He was tall and seemingly important; he was muscular, and when he leaned his head back in laughter, you could see that his teeth were especially sharp. He leant against the bar, talking to the bartender about combat. You were able to catch the gist of their conversation, but a lot of the technical terms went over your head. You watched him for a little less than was considered a creepy amount of time before shaking your head and looking away.
You began to drink what you had ordered, gulping it down enthusiastically. You had never had anything quite like it before, and you stared at the glass once it was empty with fascination. Whilst you were in a trance-like state thinking about the mixed flavours of the drink, you felt someone tap your shoulder gently. You placed your glass back onto the counter and turned around to see the man you had been contemplating earlier facing you.
“Excuse me, do I know you from somewhere?” He asked, cocking his head to the side in a way that was characteristic of a puppy.
You did not answer immediately, thinking about it as you looked him over once again; you could not deny that there was something vaguely familiar about the man, but you could not place it. Now that he was facing you, you could clearly see the piercings that adorned his ears. As well as a choker, which was attached to a longer piece of fabric… You briefly made note of that in your head in bewilderment and hesitant interest. You then shook your head in denial at him.
“I don’t think so. Sorry.” He hummed in acknowledgement of your response, head still tilted to the side. He didn’t say anything further for a minute, seemingly deep in thought.
“I guess not then…” He murmured. He glanced around the room momentarily before his eyes returned to your face. His eyes seemed to gaze into yours intensely; you were the one to break eye contact, looking away and back down at your glass.
“What brings you to Äußerst? Unless you’re a local.” He asked, beginning to make small talk.
“I’m not. I’m a traveller. Specifically, I’m looking for a book here.” You replied. You were glad to have a topic of conversation to talk about.
“A grimoire?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, no. I’m not a mage.” You replied, laughing slightly at the idea. You had always found magic and mages to be fascinating, but it had never been something you had decided to pursue for yourself. You studied him again.
“You are?” You examined.
“Guilty.” He grinned.
“You haven’t heard of me?” He asked. It felt as if with every question his face was becoming increasingly closer to your own.
“I can’t say I have based on appearance alone. Am I supposed to know you from a wanted poster or something?” He laughed upon hearing this, letting you see the sharpness of his teeth again.
“Funny. My name is Wirbel. Captain of the Northern Magic Corps.”
“Wow…” You said, dragging out the word. You were impressed.
“So you’re a big shot, huh? What are you doing in Äußerst?” You asked curiously.
“I’m here for the First-Class Mage Exam.” He responded proudly, smiling wide. You had forgotten about that. You remembered hearing news about it from some other people you had talked to in the city; it was a big deal. You assumed that there had been many important mages travelling to Äußerst for the exam; it was probably why he had assumed you were there looking for a grimoire.
“Sounds tough” You marvelled.
“I wish you the best of luck.”
“I’m sure it will go well.” He informed you confidently.
“So, what’s your name?” He inquired. You told him your name, and he complimented it kindly.
“Did you come alone? Was it a long journey?” He asked.
“Not too bad.” You replied, resting your head on your hand.
“I only have family back home who weren't available to make the journey with me, nor did they particularly want to, so I came by myself.”
“I see…” He hummed in thought.
“Aren’t you lonely?” You blinked at him in surprise, not expecting him to ask such a question, before quickly recovering yourself.
“Perhaps. What’s it to you?”
“After I become a First-Class Mage, maybe I could help you find that book you’re looking for. It's a big city. Wouldn’t want you getting lost.” He smiled playfully. You laughed.
“I’d like that. Thank you.” He suddenly stood up from his seat and grabbed your hand, shaking it gently.
“It was a pleasure to meet you. I’ll see you around. Meet me at Bell the night after the exam ends.” And with that, he winked at you and left.
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Of course, this being your first time in the city, you had absolutely no idea where Bell was. You also did not know anything about the exam beyond that it was taking place in Äußerst. Deciding that you couldn’t miss the opportunity to get to know this intriguing man, you opted to ask around.
Whilst you were asking for directions to Bell and for more information about the Mage Exam, you also decided it could be interesting to ask some citizens about Wirbel himself. Over the course of your conversations, you managed to be mistaken for a mage trying to take the exam for themself a surprising amount of times; although, you admit that it was not an unfair assumption to make given the circumstances. Many people warned you of the toughness of the trials before you told them you were just an ordinary traveller.
Upon asking about Wirbel, you got the same range of responses. People either claimed he was intimidating and blunt or that he was kind and had helped them. Both responses were equally interesting and made you want to get to know the man even more. You assumed it was not uncommon for soldiers to be received as blunt and intimidating, but it was a nice surprise hearing of his good deeds after the first man had given you more unfavourable information.
After a day of chatting with people in the city, and a few other travelling mages who were endeavouring to become First-Class, you had your answers. You had found directions for Bell and had walked there, so that you knew where it was positioned within the city. You also knew the general outline of how the Mage Exam would be run and when it would finish in six days.
In the meantime, you decided to begin looking for your book and continue exploring the city. Spanning the duration of the Mage Exam, you had visited many shops and taverns, as well as spoken to many people from all around the world. You had found out that the participants of the Exam got breaks in between the three tests. You wondered if you might see him in between, but to no avail. The day came for you to meet back up with him, and you had not run into him once.
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You walked to Bell leisurely, taking in the atmosphere of the beautiful city at night. The air was soothing on your skin, and the moon was reflecting peacefully off of the stones paved under your feet. As you approached Bell, you took a deep breath of the refreshing air before entering.
Once you did so, it took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the bright indoor lighting. A stark contrast to the moonlight and soft orange lamps that had adorned your walk. You blinked rapidly, adapting to the brightness. Your eyes darted around the room, quickly examining all of the people who were seated. Then, you saw him. Your eyes landed on a head of silver hair sitting in one of the more sheltered corners at a table for two. You smile, walking over to him rapidly.
In lieu of a verbal greeting, you placed your hand on his head gently. It was surprisingly soft to the touch; unexpected, given the fact that he had presumably been in combat for the past few days. The softness was quickly lost when he whipped his head around to face you, pulling his hair away from your hand. You chuckled quietly at the pout on his face, which quickly morphed into a smile upon seeing you.
“It’s you. Hello.” He grinned.
“It’s me.” You smile back at him, taking the seat across the table. You stare at each other for a little, neither saying anything. With how you managed not to see him again at all after that day, you were starting to believe you had imagined him talking to you in the first place, but here he was. After you had gotten over the fact that this was real, you gasped.
“Oh! Did you pass?” He grinned somehow wider.
“Indeed, I did. Did you doubt me?” He teased.
“Not at all.” You shook your head to emphasise the sentiment.
“I knew you had it in you.”
“Thank you.” He replied.
“How was it?” You asked inquisitively.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to has proclaimed that it is quite the challenge.” He bit his lip in thought before answering your question.
“It had its challenges, but it was worth it, of course. The most confusing part to me was the third test. I had assumed it would be a difficult feat of combat or outward show of our skills like the first two. Instead, I spoke to Mage Serie for a little, and she passed me relatively quickly.” He shrugged.
“How interesting.” You replied.
“What did she ask you?”
“She asked me what my favourite spell was. I told her that I neither like nor dislike spells and that magic is a tool for necessary killing. That’s all.”
“You think so?”
“I do. I have no desire to kill, but I am a protector. I do what needs to be done.”
“I see…” You responded. It was an interesting perspective, one you yourself had never considered before. You had not dwelled on the purpose of magic for long periods of time, as it was not your forte, but this argument was not one you had heard from any other mage previously.
“And she passed you just for that? Seems like she must’ve agreed.”
“Seems so. Anyway, enough about me. Have you found the book you were looking for?” He asked. You smiled, happy that he still remembered your trivial problems even after his highly important exam.
“I’m afraid I have had no such luck.” You sighed.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find it together.” He replied reassuringly, leaning back slightly in his chair and running a hand through his hair.
“You still want to help me?” You asked, a hint of disbelief in your voice.
“Of course. I said I would, didn't I?”
“Yeah… I just thought you might have more important things to do than help me look for a random book…” You chuckled nervously.
“Trivial problems are as worthy of my help as anything else. People need help; I want to lighten the load of those in need. Besides, I like you. It would be my pleasure to assist you for the remainder of the days that I’m staying here.” He smiled at you sincerely.
“That’s very noble of you, Captain. So, where do you suggest we start looking for my book?”
“You couldn’t come up with a better nickname than captain? I’m not the captain of anything here.” He teased you.
“I’ll work on it.” You replied, smiling.
“I have an acquaintance I’d like to ask about your book, but she won’t be available until morning. Do you mind if I ask where you’re staying?”
You described the inn which you were staying at to him, and he tapped his fingers against the table thoughtfully. The inn you were staying at was relatively small, but its prices did not reflect that. But, it was cute, rustic and homey; you deemed it good enough for the time being when you had first arrived in Äußerst.
“Is it expensive?” He asked, but something told you that he already knew the answer.
“Fairly… But it's not too bad.” You claimed, trying to remain in the world of optimism.
“Cancel your booking to come and stay with me.” He said bluntly, standing up from his chair and walking over to your side of the table. You looked up at him, blushing as he towered over you. He offered you his hand to take; you took it carefully, feeling cuts along his palm. As he pulled you up, you ran your thumb tenderly across the back of his hand in, what you intended to be, a soothing manner. He laughed quietly, so soft you wouldn’t have heard it if you weren’t so close to his chest from being pulled out of your seat.
“Sorry. It was instinctual.” You whispered, almost inaudibly.
“It’s okay. I didn’t mind.” He murmured back, his voice soft and low. He then responded in kind, beginning to caress your hand with his thumb instead.
“Come on. Let me take you to my place.”
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After you had collected your belongings from the inn you had been staying at, Wirbel took you closer to the center of the city. Where Wirbel took you was not his home, but another inn which he had been staying at for the past few months in preparation for the Mage Exam. He joked about it when you arrived, saying it had become akin to a home because of how well he had gotten to know the patrons and staff.
Unfortunately, probably due to his prowess, Wirbel was staying at one of the most popular inns in Äußerst and as such there were no available rooms. The innkeeper apologised to him and he turned to you.
“Do you mind sharing my room? I promise I don’t bite.” He grinned.
“Unless, you want me to.” He added, smirking. You rolled your eyes at him jokingly before acquiescing in his decision. Anything was better than having to pay the full price you had been paying before. Anyway, you thought it would be nice to share a room with someone for once. Wirbel had offered to pay for a room for you, but that wasn’t necessary any longer.
You climbed up the stairs to the upper rooms whilst still holding Wirbel’s hand; he only let go when you got past the threshold of his room. Whilst in the main lobby of the inn, Wirbel had been recognised by and spoken to almost every person you ran into. You already knew he was popular at the inn, but that had really put it into perspective. Once you were in the room, he gave you a brief tour and helped you put your things away.
The room was large and cozy. Almost everything was made out of wood and there were green decorations decorating the shelves and walls. You spent a particularly long time staring at a few wooden carvings of various animals and plants aligning one of the mantles above the bed. Wirbel coughed, breaking you out of your inspection of the objects and you turned around to face him.
“I’ll sleep on the floor. I know you said you didn’t mind sharing but this wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I brought you here.” He said.
“I can’t make you do that. You’re probably exhausted from the exam.” You denied his proposition vehemently.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve slept in much direr circumstances.” He began to stretch, twisting his body to the side. You walked over to where he had started setting up on the floor and put your hands on both of his shoulders.
“I insist. Take the bed.” He was briefly caught off guard for a second before smirking playfully at you.
“Fine. If you insist. But you’re coming with me.” He grabbed your wrist gently and dragged you over to the bed.
“What?” You said, startled.
“You heard me. We’ll both sleep here if you’re so insistent.” He said, still smiling. Although, he noticed your hesitance and continued.
“If you aren’t comfortable with it, don't worry. I can-”
“I am.” You cut him off. He looked momentarily stunned by your sudden confidence and his grip on your wrist loosened.
“I mean… It's fine. I promise. I would much prefer it to you sleeping on the floor.” You ducked your head bashfully. He ran his hand up and down your arm in a soothing gesture.
“Great! I’m afraid you were right before; I am exhausted. So forgive me, but I am going to sleep now.” He promptly began removing his coat and shirts, causing you to quickly turn around, as well as his choker before crawling into the bed and yawning.
“Feel free to join me when you’re ready. Goodnight.”
You sat at the window for some time, reading a book you had brought from home. It was about mages who fought demons; a far cry away from your daily life, but commonplace for the man sleeping a few metres away from you. The sound of his gentle breathing filled the space. It was peaceful; reading beneath the moonlight where it filtered through the clouds with the cool air caressing you, another sleeping soundly in the room. Wirbel was correct in assuming that you were lonely; you had been for quite some time. This was a very welcome change of pace.
The people you had spoken to in days passed had been correct too. Wirbel was intimidating. He was so strong and significant that it made you nervous to think about. You had no doubt that he was amazing in combat; you found yourself wishing you would be able to see it someday. But, that wasn’t all; he was also kind. On your journey between the two inns, he was telling you about how he kept having to carry his party members in the first and second tests. He complained about it, but it was clear that he would have done it every time without a second thought. You thought it was sweet how he carried Ehre on his back, giggling when he had told you about it.
After a while of reading, you decided it was best to get some rest. You shut your book and then the window, placing the story next to your bag. You shuffled over to the bed quietly, where Wirbel was still sleeping serenely. He was lying on his back with his arms at his side; his hair was messy and his breathing was slow and deep. You thought he looked beautiful.
You smiled softly to yourself before carefully pulling back the blanket and sliding into bed. Fortunately, it was large enough for the two of you to fit without being pressed too tightly against one another. The thought made you blush and you were glad you could only feel the heat of his skin touching your right arm.
“Goodnight, Wirbel. Thank you.” You whispered, and fell asleep.
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You woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside your window, relishing in the sound and letting out a sigh of contentment. You began to close your eyes again to continue resting before you realised you could feel a weight across your waist. You squirmed slightly and looked down to where you were greeted with a scarred arm wrapped around you. You followed Wirbel’s body upwards, eyes eventually landing on his face; it seemed that he was still asleep. You decided to let yourself relax longer and shuffled closer toward him.
After approximately 10 minutes, he awoke with a yawn. You felt him flex his hand against your side before blinking in quick succession and looking at you.
“Good morning.” He said softly. You replied with the same and smiled at him. He untangled his arm from you carefully, giving you an apology.
“Sorry about that. Seems you’re nice to hold.” He said.
“Thank you… I think.”
“It’s a compliment.” He grinned, waving his hand.
After this, you both got ready to begin your day. You had previously wondered if Wirbel always wore his choker, and watched in amusement as he fastened it around his neck. Once he was finished, he left the room to talk to the staff.
It was relatively early in the morning, but you were used to waking up at such an hour to run your shop. You opened the window to look out at the city whilst you prepared yourself for the day. The spring air was now crisp and the birds were still singing beautiful birdsong. You took in a deep breath and felt the air fill your lungs.
You finished preparing and headed down the stairs to the entryway to find Wirbel. Once you were in the lobby, you spotted him across the room deep in conversation with a black-haired man. You walked up behind him hesitantly, not wishing to interrupt his discussion with the other. His companion noticed you lingering.
“Wirbel.” He said, interrupting for you and pointing in your direction. Wirbel turned around and grinned at you.
“There you are. We were just talking about you.”
“Saying good things I hope?” You questioned.
“Of course.” He nodded banteringly.
“This is Scharf. I’ve mentioned him before. He was one of my teammates in the first test.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The man greeted you. Wirbel then introduced you and you responded in kind. Wirbel asked Scharf if he and Ehre would like to accompany the two of you for the day. Scharf declined, saying that they already had some things to take care of. The two said their goodbyes for the time being and Wirbel addressed you.
“Are you ready to go?” He asked.
“I am. Might I ask where we’re going?” You inquired.
“To see a woman I know. She owns a bookshop. I thought that would be as good a place to start as any.” You nodded in affirmation.
The two of you walked along the bustling city streets; even after being in Äußerst for a while now, the sheer amount of people still astounded you. Every market you passed was full of people shopping and many of the taverns you passed had long entry lines for breakfast. Wirbel stopped a few times to help civilians; little things like catching fallen objects or helping someone carry a crate.
Whilst you were passing a certain market stall, a woman dropped the fruit she had been carrying in a basket. Wirbel immediately approached her, using his magic to float the fruit back into their rightful places. The woman thanked him and he bowed his head before returning to your side. You smiled at him as he approached you.
“You’re very kind, Wirbel. It was lucky of me to meet you in that tavern.” He smiled back at you.
“I just do what I can.”
“That was the first time I’ve seen your magic. I’m sure you can do much more than that, but from where I stand it was pretty impressive.” He chuckled.
“I’m glad you liked it. You’ll probably get to see more of my magic in the future.”
The two of you continued walking around various corners and streets, Wirbel still leading you to the bookshop. Every so often, due to the vast amount of people, you would slightly bump into someone and mutter a quick apology before moving on. Unfortunately, you happened to walk into a tall man who almost knocked you over entirely. After you regained your balance, you ducked your head and apologised to him. Instead of accepting the apology, he glared and insulted you. You were about to insult him back when you felt your hand engulfed by a familiar warmth. Wirbel pulled you away along the path before you got in a fight with the man.
“Did you know him?” You asked when you were a safe enough distance away.
“No. But, it wasn’t worth getting in a fight with him right now. I’d kill him if he posed an actual threat to you.”
After the incident, the two of you quickly arrived at the bookshop. It was a quaint little place with whimsical decorations surrounding the sign and door. Wirbel entered before you and a bell signified your arrival, the owner calling his name happily when she saw him. He introduced the two of you to each other before asking you to describe the book you were searching for. As you described it to her, you noticed her face drop slightly.
“I’m sorry, dear. I’m afraid we wouldn’t have that in Äußerst. We might have done at some point in time… You ‘d have better luck searching in other cities.” You were a little saddened by the news, but not enough to dampen your mood. It wasn't as if your trip was solely to find the book, anyway. By meeting Wirbel, you had found something much more worthwhile.
You told her not to worry about it and started describing your own shop back home. She took great interest in it, asking you many questions about the kind of books you kept and the type of decoration you used. You explained to her in detail, thrilled to talk about your work. Your bookshop was the only one in your town, so it garnered quite a few customers. Most of them you knew by name; there were a handful of regulars you could always count on to keep you in business. Every so often, you’d meet a travelling party from elsewhere in the world. It was partly the stories of such people that had inspired you to take this journey yourself. Wirbel stayed silent the whole time you were talking, but he watched your enthusiasm in admiration.
As you bid farewell to the owner and began to leave, she pulled Wirbel aside. You waited at the door, assuming that she needed to talk to him about something private. She pushed a couple of books into his hands.
“Give these to your partner. They seem like the type to insist on paying, even if I’m giving them a gift.” She explained.
“Who’s to say I’m not that type?” Wirbel responded, grinning.
“I know you are. But accept these for them.” Wirbel chuckled, shaking his head.
“Alright. Thank you.” He agreed to the gift. Saying goodbye to the owner, he joined you at the door, retaking your hand with his free one. You began to walk along the streets of Äußerst yet again. Noticing the books in his hands you spoke up.
“You bought those?” He shook his head.
“They’re for you. A gift from the lady.” You gasped.
“I could have paid!” He laughed.
“She knew you’d say that. She wanted to give these to you. She enjoyed your company. I do too.” He smiled.
“I didn’t know you had a shop.” He continued.
“I must have forgotten to mention it.” You smiled apologetically.
“I admire how passionate you are.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s not that impressive.” You giggled.
The two of you spent the rest of the day touring around the city. Wirbel showed you a myriad of places that even after your time there you had not run into. There were so many beautiful spots to look out over the city as a whole. The views were breathtaking; every time you gasped at them Wirbel laughed softly in amusement. Your companion even bought you a few things despite your protesting that he didn’t need to. He gifted you a silver bracelet you had been looking at, as well as a bright orange scarf with a yellow sun pattern along its edge.
Eventually, you made your way back to the inn for the night. You both sat down on the bed when you entered the room. You were quite tired but still endeavoured to stay up to talk to Wirbel. You looked at him where he was sitting; he was seemingly deep in thought. Suddenly, he turned to face you.
“I have an idea.” He began.
“Oh?” You prompted him to continue.
“Scharf, Ehre and I are planning to head to the Empire. Would you accompany us?” You froze.
“Me?” You ask in bewilderment
“I know it might be a bold request, but I really like you. I don’t want to part with you so soon.”
You leant back against the soft pillow, deep in thought. You were planning to travel for a while longer, so it wouldn’t diverge from your plans immensely. But, you could not picture yourself travelling with three mages… to the Empire nonetheless. What would you have to offer? You weren’t anything special. You’d probably just end up getting injured or killed.
“I would probably just get in your way… I know how much protecting the North means to you, I wouldn’t want to slow you down. I don’t know any combat. I’d be more trouble than I was worth.” You bit your lip worriedly, looking into Wirbel’s eyes and trying to gauge what he was thinking.
“I’ve thought about it. Of course, I’m not asking you to be on the front-lines with me. We can travel together and then I’ll find a place for you to stay while I’m fighting. I plan to stay there for at least two years, but you can leave at any point and I will try my best to help you. As for the journey, I will protect you. But, I can’t force you to come with us.” He elaborated.
You returned to your thoughts and he watched you, searching your face for a hint of your decision. You hadn't thought about leaving him much, but now that you considered it you found yourself wishing that you needn't part with him either. Travelling with companions would be nicer than travelling alone, and you didn’t have any other destination in mind. You let yourself imagine travelling with Wirbel for a minute, and your mind was made up.
“I’ll come with you.”
“Really?” He grinned, moving toward you on the bed.
“Really. As long as your companions are okay with it.”
“I asked Scharf this morning, and I’m sure Ehre won’t mind. He was a little skeptical at first but I think he could see my affection for you.” You smiled, looking down at your lap. Wirbel took your hand in his.
“I’m glad you made this decision. I promise you won’t regret it. And, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
“Thank you.” You pulled him into a hug and felt as he wrapped his strong arms around your back. He then pulled away to look at you.
“We should get some rest.” He lay back against the bed and motioned for you to join him.
“Here, come and lie on my chest.” You complied happily, leaning back so your head was positioned just above his heart. He took a few deep breaths, relaxing himself. You could hear his steady heartbeat, and began to feel increasingly at ease yourself. You felt him put his hands on your head, gently combing them through your hair. After a while, you were half asleep. Just as you were drifting off you felt him murmur goodnight into your hair and place a gentle kiss on the top of your head.
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When you awoke the next morning, you were still in Wirbel’s arms. You looked up at him and blue eyes stared back at you. He must have already been awake.
“Good morning.” You said, closing your eyes contentedly and sinking deeper into his hold.
“Good morning. You sleep well? You looked very peaceful.”
“I did. Thank you.” You smiled at him, sighing cheerfully.
“As much as I’d love to stay here with you, we probably shouldn't keep Ehre and Scharf waiting too long.” He pressed another kiss to the top of your head before removing his arms from where they were wrapped tightly around your body. He stood up and offered you his hand; you took it and he pulled you up from the bed.
Both of you dressed and packed your bags efficiently. Then, you descended to the lobby to meet Ehre and Scharf. The two were already waiting near the door with their own luggage in hand as you approached them.
“You must be Ehre. Its nice to meet you.” You introduced yourself, shaking her hand.
“Likewise.” She replied. They discussed their travel plans amongst the three of them; you listened intently to gather information. After they had started talking about the boat, Ehre mentioned you.
“Have you whined to them about your sea-sickness yet?” She asked Wirbel. Before he could answer, you replied.
“He hasn’t. How adorable.” You teased him.
“Grown ass man by the way.” She said.
“I was in my twenties until recently.” He said cockily. Ehre shook her head at him in amusement.
“Are we ready to go?” Scharf asked. Everyone agreed and you headed out from the tavern. The other party members walked ahead of you, with Wirbel to your right. He was holding your hand yet again.
“You like holding my hand, huh?” You said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He smirked, closing his eyes momentarily.
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You arrived at the docks and paid for the boat. It was a relatively large, wooden boat with vast sails. You had never been on a boat before, but even so, Wirbel seemed more nervous than you. You boarded the boat and went to place your things in your allocated rooms for the time being. Wirbel had requested you share a room again, checking that it was okay with you before he informed the employee.
After you had gotten settled in your room, you sat on the bed with Wirbel sitting on the floor in between your legs, facing the door. You were playing with his hair gently; it was still as soft as when you had touched it before. You had carefully removed the black clips in his hair and put them to the side. He had also removed his coat to prevent the fur from getting in your face. He sighed happily as you ran your fingers through his hair and laughed when your fingers lightly brushed over the piercings on his ears.
“I’m really glad you decided to come with us.” He said, and you could tell from his voice that he was smiling even without seeing his face.
“Me too. I’ll miss you when you go to war.” You whispered.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Those demons will regret coming near the North.” He grumbled. There was a knock on the door to your room and you heard Ehre’s voice beyond the wood.
“Come in.” Wirbel called out. Ehre opened the door and informed you both that the chef was serving food shortly. You told her that you would join them soon. She left and the two of you stood up from your seats. You collected Wirbel’s clips to slide them back into his hair.
As you were doing so, taking extreme care to position them well, he watched your face and laughed at your focused expression. Once you were done, you smiled at him proudly.
“There. Very pretty.”
“Thank you, my love.”
You reached up to the other side of his hair, tucking it behind his ear and brushing his piercings with your fingertips once again. He let out a soft sigh and placed his hands tenderly on your waist just above your hips. You cupped his face with your hands, and brought it closer to your own, kissing him sweetly. He deepened the kiss, pulling you closer by the waist. You moved your hands away from his face; your left hand going to rest on the back of his neck and your right hand trailing down to his upper body.
You placed your hand flat on his chest. Feeling the string attached to his choker against your skin, you wrapped it around your hand. You tugged on it softly in an attempt to pull him impossibly closer and he groaned in response. Shortly after, you pulled away from him, with his arms wrapped around your waist.
“We have to eat.” You said. He sighed, running a hand through his hair on the opposite side to the clips. You moved out of his grasp and toward the door, hand still enveloped by his choker. You tugged on it again to get him to follow you.
“Stop doing that.” He said.
“Why?” You inquired innocently.
“Thought you liked it.” You grinned as he closed the distance between you.
“That’s why you need to stop.” You laughed at him and then kissed him again.
“Come on. Let's go eat.” You released his choker and let him take hold of your hand.
“How’s your sea-sickness?” You asked him on the way to the galley. He groaned.
“I’d forgotten about it. You just reminded me.”
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“I’ve been wondering. Why do you wear that choker with such a long piece of fabric attached? It looks like a leash.”