The ship had gone quiet as night fell. The land had long disappeared from sight by now and even the faint glow of light could not be seen on the horizon. Irik had guided the ship expertly attempting to make it back to the merchant docks as quick as possible. The rest of the passengers hunkered down to sleep or otherwise relax and watch the darkness in the distance.
Arianna had sat closely with Leiv, keeping their conversations to meager things so as not to seem too interesting to the other's aboard. At some point Aria slipped down and started to drift off to sleep. She only woke when she felt Leiv do the same. She watched him pull that strange mask down over his face, the outline giving her the small impression she was laying next to a large horned beast. She would not stay awake long, drifting off into yet another fitful sleep.
A crack of thunder should have woken the tiny boat of vikings instantly, but few slept through it. Arianna's eyes flickered open and she found Leiv already standing holding to the mast of the boat and looking off into the distance. The boat listed from side to side sharply. Irik stood at the bow watching the storm as it twisted and flashed not far from them. Sitting straight up Aria would look around seeing a fine mist that was built up on the water and her heart would shutter. She looked wide eyed at Leiv who in turn gave her a wary look as well. Moving closer to the mast she roughly whispered and grunted as she was nearly tossed into the large man.
"Could that island be calling us back?" She refused to say its name just in case it was truly coming for them.
"Doubtful..." Leiv himself did not want to even imagine it. However the mist was something that caused nerves to rise in both of them.
"Oi, you too best sit down and tie down yourselfs with your trade goods. This might get really bumpy." Irik called out. Both Leiv and Aria did as they were told, while watching as others moved around the boat to put the sail over the top of the boat to keep the water from getting in.
"You going to get us home?" One of the other travelers called out.
"I'll try." Irik responded. "But you better get me several women and a keg when I do!" The Vikings may have been nervous, but the adrenalin would have them all yell out in excitement. Arianna would remain silent. She felt she did not have time for this. She felt Leiv's arm wrap around her middle as he got more intent on keeping hold of the boat.
"Mustn't lose the Alpha." He said near her ear carefully. Arianna took a deep breath, those silver eyes focused on the storm for just a moment longer before she herself hunkered down low and dug her fingers into the side of the wooden ship.
.
.
The storm seemed to last for days, they had lost at least two people overboard during the highest of the swells. The ship itself had threatened to overturn and disappear into the depths several times, only to be pulled right by Irik time and again. All were drenched to the bone by the time the sky seemed to calm down. Irik slowly sank down while holding onto the lever still rather tightly.
"The Gods nearly won that one." he huffed and smiled at his passengers. Arianna had been rather safe, held in place with the rope and by Leiv. Her fingers had become scuffed and somewhat bruised from attempting to hold onto the boat herself. They looked around the small group and noted two missing only then.
"Seems the Gods had chosen a few of us." One of the group called out. Arianna frowned and looked at Leiv. Her old friend slowly turned letting her go as sun broke threw the clouds. Irik attempted to shove himself up a bit to take a look at those left in the boat before he shook his head slightly. He turned and looked around the water for a moment.
"I.." he paused and went quiet aside from his huffing and wincing trying to catch his breath and ignore the blisters upon his hands. The expression on his face would catch Arianna's attention and she quickly untied herself and moved to the back of the boat to sit next to him.
"What is it?" she asked intently watching him. His eyes focused upon her a moment and he then looked back and around.
"I don't know these waters..." he said quietly. Arianna's eyes widened. "I... the sky will need to clear before I even know what direction we are.." he muttered.
"Keep it to yourself for now.. give the other's a time to rest.. you as well." Aria said and looked out into the water. However her movement to the back of the boat had been noted by several and they were being watched. "We'll figure it out." she said and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Rest Irik." She turned and moved back through the ship sloshing in the water slightly before she looked at those around her. "Well? Should we not get our ship cleaned up and give our captain a rest?" She asked looking at them for a long moment. A few seemed to shrug and start to look for buckets and other hollowed containers to scoop the water out of the boat and back into the sea. She watched for a moment before she joined in.. all the while finding herself extremely relieved that she was not being washed up onto an island once again.
Though it would slowly settle in that she might not make it all the way home.. worried that her last instructions to Vida might cause the clan more danger than if she had allowed them to go out and search for Vetis and Ludo on their own. She would turn and watch Irik as he cleaned and tended to his hands while taking moments to look up at the skies and around the water to try and center himself and his ship once again. What if she never returned? A small chill went down her back, and a soft bit of panic welled up in her throat. She had only just got the clan thriving again... perhaps she got them going well enough that they could survive without her? She could only hope.
Arianna had sat closely with Leiv, keeping their conversations to meager things so as not to seem too interesting to the other's aboard. At some point Aria slipped down and started to drift off to sleep. She only woke when she felt Leiv do the same. She watched him pull that strange mask down over his face, the outline giving her the small impression she was laying next to a large horned beast. She would not stay awake long, drifting off into yet another fitful sleep.
A crack of thunder should have woken the tiny boat of vikings instantly, but few slept through it. Arianna's eyes flickered open and she found Leiv already standing holding to the mast of the boat and looking off into the distance. The boat listed from side to side sharply. Irik stood at the bow watching the storm as it twisted and flashed not far from them. Sitting straight up Aria would look around seeing a fine mist that was built up on the water and her heart would shutter. She looked wide eyed at Leiv who in turn gave her a wary look as well. Moving closer to the mast she roughly whispered and grunted as she was nearly tossed into the large man.
"Could that island be calling us back?" She refused to say its name just in case it was truly coming for them.
"Doubtful..." Leiv himself did not want to even imagine it. However the mist was something that caused nerves to rise in both of them.
"Oi, you too best sit down and tie down yourselfs with your trade goods. This might get really bumpy." Irik called out. Both Leiv and Aria did as they were told, while watching as others moved around the boat to put the sail over the top of the boat to keep the water from getting in.
"You going to get us home?" One of the other travelers called out.
"I'll try." Irik responded. "But you better get me several women and a keg when I do!" The Vikings may have been nervous, but the adrenalin would have them all yell out in excitement. Arianna would remain silent. She felt she did not have time for this. She felt Leiv's arm wrap around her middle as he got more intent on keeping hold of the boat.
"Mustn't lose the Alpha." He said near her ear carefully. Arianna took a deep breath, those silver eyes focused on the storm for just a moment longer before she herself hunkered down low and dug her fingers into the side of the wooden ship.
.
.
The storm seemed to last for days, they had lost at least two people overboard during the highest of the swells. The ship itself had threatened to overturn and disappear into the depths several times, only to be pulled right by Irik time and again. All were drenched to the bone by the time the sky seemed to calm down. Irik slowly sank down while holding onto the lever still rather tightly.
"The Gods nearly won that one." he huffed and smiled at his passengers. Arianna had been rather safe, held in place with the rope and by Leiv. Her fingers had become scuffed and somewhat bruised from attempting to hold onto the boat herself. They looked around the small group and noted two missing only then.
"Seems the Gods had chosen a few of us." One of the group called out. Arianna frowned and looked at Leiv. Her old friend slowly turned letting her go as sun broke threw the clouds. Irik attempted to shove himself up a bit to take a look at those left in the boat before he shook his head slightly. He turned and looked around the water for a moment.
"I.." he paused and went quiet aside from his huffing and wincing trying to catch his breath and ignore the blisters upon his hands. The expression on his face would catch Arianna's attention and she quickly untied herself and moved to the back of the boat to sit next to him.
"What is it?" she asked intently watching him. His eyes focused upon her a moment and he then looked back and around.
"I don't know these waters..." he said quietly. Arianna's eyes widened. "I... the sky will need to clear before I even know what direction we are.." he muttered.
"Keep it to yourself for now.. give the other's a time to rest.. you as well." Aria said and looked out into the water. However her movement to the back of the boat had been noted by several and they were being watched. "We'll figure it out." she said and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Rest Irik." She turned and moved back through the ship sloshing in the water slightly before she looked at those around her. "Well? Should we not get our ship cleaned up and give our captain a rest?" She asked looking at them for a long moment. A few seemed to shrug and start to look for buckets and other hollowed containers to scoop the water out of the boat and back into the sea. She watched for a moment before she joined in.. all the while finding herself extremely relieved that she was not being washed up onto an island once again.
Though it would slowly settle in that she might not make it all the way home.. worried that her last instructions to Vida might cause the clan more danger than if she had allowed them to go out and search for Vetis and Ludo on their own. She would turn and watch Irik as he cleaned and tended to his hands while taking moments to look up at the skies and around the water to try and center himself and his ship once again. What if she never returned? A small chill went down her back, and a soft bit of panic welled up in her throat. She had only just got the clan thriving again... perhaps she got them going well enough that they could survive without her? She could only hope.