Joseph
"Oh I'm aware you won't." She agreed, watching as his head dipped. It was strange, the bounce off blonde and charming smile he shot her reminded her of a young Romanov, but she forced that thought down. 

"Why did you come to Astoria to begin with? Surely there are better places to escape pirates."
Kevin
"I tried to escape my past. I needed a fresh start, and was hoping to reach Araedia to accomplish that. I keep being plagued by misfortune, and it has led me here, to you, it seems." Arin said, beginning to stare off in the distance. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them again. When he opened them they appeared glossy. 

"Why do you think we keep being pushed together? Do you think a higher purpose is leading us together, pushing my path into yours? Or do you think our lives are meaningless, not worth more than the lives we live." Arin said, before his eyes seemingly clearing up.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

The woman blinked at him waxing poetic. "You're in chains because you were caught sneaking about my property after escaping from one of my prisions, and you're asking if it was destiny?" She clarified.

"It seems more to me that you were sent her for something you're not telling us, were captured, and you escaped and followed me home to try and get some form of petty revenge for inconveniencing you."
Daniel
William "The merchant"
Astorian port

Ichabod was like a son to him and a little brother by those abroad the ship, aye, but then some news coming from one of the merchant's men in terresol was brought before him, and with a deep, resounding sigh, the man read the letter. It was nothing important or worth mentioning other than that there were some business opportunities that he could gain monopoly in, so long as he tried to negotiate it.

As such, the crew began to lead the little boy back to the ship—assuming he complied with still working for the merchant, as his apprentice and occasional child-labor child because, even though he was a good man, profit was still a great thing for William—but not before he, too, estabilished a few lines of commerce amongst the locals of the port. Assuming the people there were willing to do some black market deals for a fair exchange, that is.

Either way, now with mayhaps another solid trade route to have his things go to, the merchant looked towards Eric, his friend and once teacher into the art of chivalry.
_ _

"My friend... You know the little ichabod lad, right? He has seen some pretty rough things, you know. If you can, I want you to teach him into knighthood, just like you did with me... You are the best professor I ever could have had."

With that, the old knight gave a hearty, sarcastic laugh before shaking his head in disapproval to what he had been asked to do.

"What? 'Er wan' me to teach the lad? William, you know that the boy trusts you more than anyone in this bloody ship. Why would he choose me instead of yer, er? Fer fock's sake... You 'er a knicht, too! Ya can take him as a squire, or are ya afraid of the responsibility?"

A grunt, and he pondered about that. He never really had a son figure, and to even think about having to spar with him in order to train properly was abhorrent... The thing Will least wanted to do was to hurt Icha even more than he already was, and give him another illness on his brain due to a hard strike on his head.

"We will see."

So, they set sail for  , looking forward to estabilishing even more shops that could secretly work and help him... The merchant was the champion of the people, after all! Or not. Well, in a way, at least. For capitalism shall truly be born as it should be!
Kevin
"What do you mean? Destiny is a lie. A joke. Something to make hopeless people believe in something. I don't believe in destiny." Arin said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

"Hard times must fall on someone to believe that their life is controlled by anything besides their own will." Arin said.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

She knit her brow together. Her gaze moved to the guards, who also looked confused by what he had said. "I never said anything about destiny, that was you." She told him sharply, and found her annoyance at the man had only grown with every word he said. "Again, why are you here, I don't believe you just coincidentally wandered into one of the largest properties in the area."
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Astoria

"I swear to you I have no incentive or reason to harm or do anything from any of you. Especially you, your highness. I apologize for this misunderstanding." Arin said, being sincere. 

"I can make this up to you. I will do anything you want. Anything." Arin said, pleading with the queen's possible good side.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria 

"Why do you think I could possibly need anything from you?" She countered. "I want you out of Astoria, out of South Feyshore, and to not fall back into my sight in chains again.X
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Zahrada
 
"Surely there is something you desire.. Freedom, knowledge.. Excitement. I can show you a different side of Marin truly few get to see. How to live your life without fear, with the knowledge that no man or woman can truly ever destroy you. But, I will leave. I understand how you must feel. But in order to let me leave, I must admit. I... Am a pirate. Well, was a pirate. That is how I am here now. I deserted because I witnessed horrors that I did not believe were needed, so I jumped ship as a mutiny happened. Call me a deserter all you want, or hang me, but I no longer live that life." Arin said, unlocking the handcuffs but not letting them slide off. It was noticeable to the trained eye, and he did not try to hide the fact it was unlocked. He wanted someone to notice.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

The scratching of silver caught her attention, but he was talking, and it covered the sound well enough. It was probably his intention, because it sounded like he was spouting nonsense. When he finally stopped talking, her eyes moved to the cuffs, noting that the solid seal was now partially open. Her tongue ran over her teeth and she sighed heavily, waving her hand in an annoyed gesture. With the motion, the cuffs clicked back into place, and the sigils on her arms tingled with the propulsion of magic that she had used to knock them back in place. 

"He's infuriating, and he's an escape artist. Get him out of here, and personally escorted into far enough waters that he won't wander back." She gave the instructions to the guard who had held a spear to the man's throat, more than willing to let him push it through the pirate's neck now that he'd gotten her in trouble and interrupted her night once more. 

"We're finished here." She added, turning to leave.
Kevin
Arin frowned and dropped the chains. "You caught me." He said as spears began to poke him. He was pushed back against the wall and he blinked the sweat out of his eyes. "Your Highness, I must implore you to let me stay. At least in Astoria. The fucking people I was telling you about that will kill me much faster than anything you could do to me, and way worse too. I am not trying to have my fucking insides hanging from the mast of a ship for years. I at least want a dignified death." Arin said, standing up strong against the spears, blood trickling down his neck.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

The redhead felt her eyes move towards the ceiling before she became aware she had rolled her eyes, her back turned to him. "And I want an evening uninterrupted by diplomacy, neither of us get what we want, do we Cragton?" She shot back, looking over her shoulder. Even though he'd managed to pick at her last nerve, seeing him with a spear to his neck did nothing to make that feeling fade. 

She really hated her morality sometimes. 

"Give me a reason to keep you around. So far you've managed to escape captivity twice, there's no reason for me to trust you. Who is to say I don't agree to let you live out your days in Astoria only to catch you standing over my bedside this every evening with a dagger poised over my heart?"
Kevin
"Maybe spend an evening with me..." Arin said, looking at the woman for a moment. "You want to escape diplomacy for the night, right. You can keep some guards with us but spend some time with me. Anything you want to know about me you can learn. Anything I know you can be taught. I swear no harm will come to you." He said, holding his arm out. "I put the use of my right arm on the line." He said.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

She wasn't going to tell him just how _royally pissed_ Cromwell and Brightwater would be if she left the palace in the middle of the evening unattended with a known pirate who had bested her base level guards twice now. But boy could she just _see_ the look they would give her. The same Angelica always did, but less sexy, probably. 

"Telling me to go wander aimlessly with you through the night isn't a reason to trust you."
Kevin
"Maybe not, but the only way you can know for sure is to do it." Arin said, the spear points still at his neck, but they were no longer poking him.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

For the first time ever in her life, she actually took the advice of everyone around her. "I'm not interested, Cragton. If you've got an issue with leaving my lands by sea, I'll gladly see you escorted to the shores of Lake Fey and you can make your way to.." She paused "Terresol, was it? I don't even recall. I'd personally steer clear and take yourself to Ibethiel, but that's your prerogative."
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Astoria 

Arin knew when he had lost, but he still saw a slimmer of hope of being able to stay. "No. Araedia. But I do think I can be helpful around here. Your guards are completely unprepared for someone like me. I will teach them how to counter everything I did. I'm decent with a blade as well." Arin said, lifting the closest spear in the air and spinning the shaft, as the other guards pressed forwards he spoke with a calm yet stern voice "Stop. I'm showing you something." He said, before flipping the spear out of the man's hands. "See." He said, handing the spear back to the guard and being shoved roughly against the wall. 

"This is getting annoying." He said, blood trickling out of the edge of his mouth.
Miguel
Zane Harmattan
Zahrada, Astoria

Zane was leaving the kitchen with a bottle of wine and bread, when he heard something being slammed against the wall. Turning the corner, he saw Anyanka facing down a group of guards, someone being pinned against the wall.

He raised a brow and approached, planting himself next to his ruler. "What the fuck is going on here." He asked, glancing over to her. "And why are his chains on the ground?"
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

He wasn't wrong, and when he flipped the spear from her guard it was almost a reason to be interested in keeping him around. Almost. It wasn't until he was pinned back in the wall that she let out a breath. No sooner did it escape her didn't she hear Zane to her right,and she blinked, turning to look at him. 

"Because he keeps escaping them." She told him plainly. "Think you can take him?"
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Zahrada Astoria

Arin grinned, and dropped two small bags into the ground, and watched as two guards realize what had happened and with red faces pick up their money. He also dropped the keys to the chain that had kept his feet trapped and finally held up his empty hands. "They are not very attentive. That is an issue." Arin said, with angry men pointing sharp weapons his way. 

Arin finally had had enough and as one of them jabbed his spear too closely Arin slid to the left, catching the shaft of the spear and pulling the man closer to Arin, putting the man's shielded body between him and the spear now slicing the air to reach Arin. Arin used the momentum of the guard's body to push him into the other guard, their helmets clanking together and they dropped to the floor. It was now one on one, and Arin waited to see what the other guard would do. The guard grit his teeth and walked slowly towards Arin, and Arin settles into a defensive state. He waited until the man got too pushy and he pulled almost the same move, grabbing the man's spear and pulling him to him, except this time he let the man keep sliding and Arin shoved his Iron helmet into the wall, the metal sounding like a bell as it dented the front. The man slumped and Arin took a deep breath as more guards ran in. He sighed and settled into the balls of his feet, and waited for the next assault.
Miguel
Zane Harmattan
Zahrada, Astoria

Zane just raised a brow as he saw the unnamed man lay out three guards in only a few moments. He sighed as he glanced over to Anyanka. "You need to talk to someone about that." A shake of the head, and he raised the bottle of wine to his lips. "Immediately. Cause that was atrocious."

Taking a long sip of the wine, he kept an eye on the man and walked towards him. Stopping at the chains on the ground, Zane picked them up and studied them. "So you took out the guards, but seeing that performance from them, I'd be shocked if you didn't. You also picked the locks on your bonds, and I'm a bit impressed by that." Throwing the chains to the man, Zane glanced at the spears on the ground. "Now, I'm giving you two options here. I can either throw this bottle at you, grab one of those spears you left on the ground and gut you." Gesturing to the chains at the mans feet, Zane stepped to the side and cut his view of Anyanka. "Or you can put those chains on, behave for a few hours, and I can offer you a job."

With a shrug, Zane took another sip of the wine. "The choice is yours." Glancing back to Anyanka, he smirked. "This okay with you, ma'am?"
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

She has the sense to fall back a step, placing Zane just a bit forward before her as Arin made quick work of her guards. It always made her groan, to see them put down so easily. When Zane spoke, offering the man two options before looking back to her, she hesitated. Stepping back to his side, she took the bottle from him, her fingers grazing her Spymaster's bruised knuckles as she did so. She lifted it to her lips, taking a drag before returning it. 

"That's fine by me, so long as you keep him out of my home." Anya muttered, then smiled softly at Zane, pressing her own knuckles into his shoulder affectionately. 

"Nice to see you again, Harmattan. It's been a lifetime, you should come around more often." She told him, then turned, intent on going back to her room and sleeping in.
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Zahrada Astoria 

Arin nodded, and closed the clasps back on his chains, closing them. "Goodbye, your Majesty. I hope to see you again." Arin said, watching her turn and leave. *God what a woman.* He thought to himself as she walked away, and he allowed himself to be chained up again. 

He felt something warm trickling down his arm and looked down, noticing a nasty cut going lengthwise down his shoulder. It started throbbing as the adrenaline wore off, and he grit his teeth, trying to keep his mind off of it.
Miguel
Zane Harmattan
Zahrada, Astoria

A roll of the eyes was all Zane gave Anya as she told him to come around more often. "You know, that's a two way street, right?" He called to her retreating form.

Turning back to the man, Zane noticed the blood on his arm and smirked. "I take it that hurts?" He commented, grabbing the man by the arm the blood ran down. "Cause trust me, in the line of work you're going into, it'll get a lot worse then that."
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Zahrada Astoria 

Arin forced a smile through his obvious pain, and offered a retort. "Oh this? This isn't shit." He said, as the man's fingers dig into his arm like individual moles searched for something hidden under the layer of skin. He followed Zane as he was lead somewhere else.

"So what is this job? I'm not complaining but I would appreciate some idea of what I'm getting myself into." Arin said softly.