"Of Skies, Seas & Sands"
15 Searing, 122 Steel
It felt to Arvalyn as though this journey was a matter of fate- Or fatum, as they called it in the civilisation toward which they were heading. At least that was the nominative conjugation for the noun, but that, as Arry was learning, was one of the peculiarities of the language to pointed ears more accustomed to Common and, to a lesser extent, Mythrasi. He had been studying up on the language casually ever since portraying the role of Aværys Eternal in the eponymous epic play at Kalzasi's Golden Peacock Theatre. His obsession with the piece and, indeed, with excelling in his first leading role had led him down many a research rabbit hole- Some of which only led to places where Common feared to tread. He'd taken a more formal approach to his studies once Finn and he had begun to seriously discuss the possibility of visiting the ancient realm that seemed to be part of Arry's background in ways still undefined. The recent congruence of events that began with Talon's ill-fated wedding and the horrors they'd witnessed there and subsequent premature closing of his play, followed by Aurin's research in Antiris that connected Arry to Solunarium and finally their performance for the so-called 'Emissary of Light and Shadow', all felt like the weavings of... Well, fatum. 15 Searing, 122 Steel
In some ways Arry felt overrehearsed for this trip, but in other ways he found himself entirely unprepared- The most salient instance of the latter that was recent on the half-elf's mind was how moved he was at parting from Aurin before embarking on the airship that would take them on the first leg of their journey. He knew it wouldn't be the last time he saw his saviour, and yet who could ever be certain of such things in a world where Gods could bleed on their wedding days when all They expected was Their happily ever afters... So the tears rained from his golden eyes, and Arry forgot the awkwardness of being in the presence of both his present lover and his predecessor at once. It was a scenario he'd dutifully avoided in most cases, but Aurin had been right to insist upon seeing them off, he realised, as he melted into the man before being passed off to Finn for the voyage.
Solunarium had only just opened diplomatic relations with Kalzasi in the aftermath of the presumed Zaichaeri attack, so obviously there were no direct flights to the distant kingdom. Even if such a journey was normal, it was a vasty voyage and stops would need to be made. In their case, this first airship would terminate (after a few stops) at Aur'arnis, before making its return trip to Kalzasi. Arry didn't know whether the route was normal or whether it had changed due to the recent tensions in the North, but whatever the case they had a full day layover in Auris before their next airship would depart for Cathena City.
Here was another area in which Arry found himself underprepared for their journey- He'd forgotten, having spent so much time in the eclectic (some might say chaotic) environs of Kalzasi that he wasn't very well travelled at all. Sure, he'd traipsed all over the globe on stage and enjoyed delicacies from the most distant of climes, met people from all over, but it was a different thing to be a tourist in a foreign land. He knew little of these Southron states, having devoted all of his energies to preparing for their final destination. Still, he was able to enjoy himself taking in the sights and carousing with the locals with feigned accents and fake names and backgrounds just for the fun of it.
After their lengthy layover in Cathena City, they would trade the skies for the seas and lose many of the luxuries they'd enjoyed aboard the two airships that had conducted them this far. The ships that sailed from The Republic of Cathena to the Kingdom of Solunarium were primarily trade ships. They took on what passengers paid their way, but they were designed for transporting cargo rather than people, so the accommodations were spartan at best and the food was more nourishing than it was flavourful.
But Arry had Finn, and Finn had Arry and both had their prospects to distract them, as well as their studies. Both were working at their facility with the Vastian tongue and, whilst Finn toiled at Traversion Arry manipulated his recent Rune of Masquerade. There were more indulgent means of passing the time, but privacy was rare in their bunk and so their intimate diversions were fewer than either of them would have preferred.
It was early one morning when Arry woke with a start, and sat up- pulling unconsciously from the strong arms that enveloped him every night. He wasn't sure why he'd woken so suddenly. He couldn't recall the dream he'd just inhabited, but the question was answered when the source of his wakefulness repeated itself- A deafening bellow that rattled the very boards of the ship.
"What the fuck?" He looked to Finn, to see the human was stirring from the clangour as well but the minstrel was as bleary-eyed and out of his depth as Arry himself. "I'm going up to the deck." He said, rushing to pull a robe over his form as the others who shared bunks in their cabin were roused by the sound. Arry darted up to the deck, his bare feet thudding up the wooden steps toward the blinding sunlight above. Just as he took his first breath of salty air and squinted at the blazing sun above, the light was obscured by a massive silhouette.
"Holy f-..." His expletive was drown out by the same sound that had woken him, but now it was louder- closer and he could see the source. "Is that a fucking dragon?!" He cried out as Finn joined him above decks.
"Zalkyriax." The captain clarified, drawing up to the two foreign passengers as he gazed up- seemingly almost as astonished as Arry was. "The Crownwyrm." He clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Now, that's a rare sight."
"Fatum." Arry smiled,
"Aye," Agreed the captain, grimly, "For good or ill."
But Arry didn't lose his grin as his gaze followed the dragon as it soared directly in between a pair of gigantic statues flanking the entry into a bustling harbour, which he quickly realised must be: "The Colossi at Tertium! Finn!" He reached for his lover's hand and gripped it as tightly as he had the day they fled the assault on the wedding reception. "We've arrived."
Once more the dragon bellowed as it soared West over the Port City of Tertium and into the greater Atraxian Expanse.
