Up the River (Loraine, Kynwric, Edana and Cora)

[U4ea]

Edana grew bored. She snorted when she realized it, especially since most of the bottle curled in her fingers was gone by then. She pushed herself to her feet, fighting the urge to hold into a support beam as the deck rolled under her feet. She stashed the bottle in the coils of rope and tried another tactic in tackling both the pain in her head and the problem she had with her sword. Shorter steps, Kynwric had suggested. Shortened strides to keep your weight under your body...

 

Her head screamed, but she took a show lap around the deck, from stem to stern, adjusting her strides until she found a balance in the sway of the deck under her feet. She moved aside for crewmen going about their day and they gave her space to move on the small ship, too. As she reached the coiled rope again, she picked up her pace, still walking but this time about half again as quickly, again adjusting her stride, shortening it to compensate for the movement of the water. The best time she paused at the rope, took a deep breath and rounded the deck at a jog, her strides adjusting more smoothly as she danced around men working on netting off the port bow. She took the last lap at a dead run, polishing herself to keep her strides short. She was gasping in pain as pain thundered in her head by the time she spotted at the coils again. She thought the urge to collapse as she settled the bottle free and ducked down the gangway again.

 

Just let me get to the cabin before I pass out, she prayed, her vision a little cloudy as she pushed open her door.

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric rolled over, and nearly off the narrow bed he was sharing with Loraine. There was little to be done when they were stuck aboard a ship for so long, well little that didn't involve staying in the cramped cabin that was indicative of shipboard travel. He was tempted to turn back the other way and forget about going up on deck, but the soft sounds of Lor's sleep breathing thin better of the idea. Instead he slipped out of the covers and pulled his short over his head. In short order Kyn was out the door and heading up onto the deck, sword in hand, when he spotted Edana pushing the door open to her room. He didn't say a word, just waiting for the other woman to clear the hall so he could make his way up onto deck aand work out his cramped muscles. He only spared her a 'good morning' before she shut the door and he made his way topside. he thought about going back to gather Cora out of that room, so he at least had someone to do some light sparring with, but again decided against it, figuring it would turn more into a training session.. and his mind wasn't ready for that yet this morning.

[U4ea]

Loraine stretched her back, catching her breath when she realized that she was alone on the narrow bed. These things were never made for a man as big as Kynwric, so if she was uncomfortable, he must've been miserable. She smiled a moment, at that. Not because he was miserable, but because he'd never complain about it. He'd say something about how little good complaining was, of course, but the real reason kept her warm at night. There was a reason why, when other Greens had many warders, that she only had one. No one could be him.

 

She was still smiling as she exited the room a few moments later, her steps taking her towards him. "You're fidgety," she observed, leaning her hip against a barrel. "What's bothering you, love?"

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn'd felt his wife awaken, felt the warmness she was feeling inside, he could feel her approaching from behind as he stood on the deck. "I'm not fidgety." He eased his hand to rest on his sword hilt, stilling himself from the fidgeting he'd been doing. "I'm ill at ease because of this whole voyage, mission and trip... and I can't burn off any steam because we're trapped on this accursed boat." He'd kept his eyes fixed down river, as if there was something off in front of them that he could make appear simply by staring for it. He really had a bad feeling about this whole mission and was just waiting for the whole world to go to the Dark One and them having to scramble to hold it all together.

[U4ea]

She avoided giving in to his irritation at the mission, and though she was amused by his denial, she let that go, too. Neither of them wanted to be here and both knew what the price for ignoring orders was. As such, arguing about it was pointless.

 

"I understand being ill at ease. I could use some exercise, too. Would you help me with a weave I've been tinkering with?" She was still looking at his back as he stared off up the river. "I need to know how someone who is trained to fight would handle it so I can figure out how to get it past them."

 

She started twisting a weave of Air together, the edges sharp and raw. Then she shot it through with a thin weave of Fire and another of Spirit, keeping the weave loose so she could examine it for holes. "It's meant to slice and burn, I've been practicing it in the kitchens to help them cut meat." She pushed away from the barrel and found a bit of rope laying on the deck. She lifted it with a small thread of Air and pushed her first weave into the rope. It twisted into the small chord and sliced cleanly at the edges before the fire touched it and singed along then cuts. "It could have a thousand uses, from battle to infirmary. I just need to know..."

 

She looked up at him and smiled. "I need to know how YOU would respond to it, so I can adapt it. Are you up for it?"

 

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn watched what Lor was doing to the rope, he thought it would be of more use in a infirmary than on a battlefield, since it self cauterized the cut she was making. "What does it do to steel or wood?"

[U4ea]

Loraine smiled and shrugged. "I'm not sure,  actually." She looked around for spares of either but there wasn't any to be found. "I would imagine, the metal would need the heat of the Fire to cut through. Depending on how much Fire is in the weave, it might set the wood on fire." She chewed on the corner of her lip, shifting the flows in her weave with more or less Fire, watching the rope burn hotly, then cool.

 

"How would you fight that off," She wondered aloud, ""if you couldn't see the weave?"

[_Kynwric_]

"Without seeing it or knowing it was coming? Loraine, I am a Warder. Not an Asha'man. I would be trusting to you to do what was necessary to keep me safe from the weaves of the One Power as I always have, there is not a thing I could do to stop anyone who tried that. Not one... other than use a Power wrought blade that would not be affected."

[U4ea]

Loraine nodded and practiced slicing the weave to keep it from splintering and damaging anything else. She let the weave dissolve and looked up at him again. "I wish there was a shield I could build that would protect you more," she frowned. "We've just been lucky in the past that you haven't been hurt by more flying weaves."

 

She pushed herself to her feet and shook her head. "I'm getting fidgety, too, I think. I could try my hand at beating you with a stick..." She suggested, her eyes dancing. Sparring with Kynwric was usually something less than a professional work out... At least, it had always been that way for her.

[_Kynwric_]

"We've been lucky about a great many things, love. That I am still here in one piece is more a testament to your battle skills in the One Power than any luck." Kyn raised an eyebrow at her suggestion that they spar, she usually didn't want anyone to see that as it didn't leave her looking the most dignified at the end of it. Of course, at the end of their private sparring it usually led to some of their more interesting private moments as well. He lowered the eyebrow and gave a shrug and a mischievous smile, "If you wish Aes Sedai, I am always at your service."

[U4ea]

Lor grinned at him and held up her hand, her serpent ring glittering in the morning sun.  "I'm unarmed!" She laughed. "You wouldn't swing a sword at a poor, defenseless woman, wouldn't you?"

 

She couldn't find a single thing to setting at him and smirked. "As such, you'll have to play fair, Lord Kynwric, and just use your hands." It was days like today that she was the happiest to be a Green. Any other Ajah, she'd have to pretend to care about her behavior. Light, if she were in Carhien, there would be show repercussions. On a boat, heading down a river, sparring with her husband, though, she was free to enjoy it!

 

"Come on, Warder, do your worst..." She grinned and settled into a ready stance.

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn shook his head as her ring glinted in the sun, she was ever a noblewoman showing of what was probably kept hidden. Still he couldn't suppress a smile at his wife. "My worst will see you either pregnant or in the hospital... Or perhaps both." He said as he stripped his shirt off and stretched his arms and chest before seeking into a fighting stance.

[U4ea]

She opened her mouth to retort to that last crack, but pinned her lip as he took off his shirt and stretched. She mentally cursed this trip as she took a second to appreciate what farming did for the lean muscle he'd honed with his blade. She really should mention it to Amena. Maybe they could start a rotation of warders working the fields for a few months each year to bulk up those lean muscles. 

 

She shook her head at the direction her thoughts were taking, smirking as she debated whether an infirmary or a hiatus would be coming her way first...

 

She inched her way closer, not dropping her guard and threw a quick jab at his shoulder. It was an easy one to deflect, but she needed to warm up before she did anything serious.  Sure, Darkfriends never gave you a warning, but it was stupid to walk into a fight you already knew about without being prepared for it. She threw a few more, stretching her reach each time and ignoring how easily he swatted her away. Her skirts made this a bit more difficult than she cared to admit, and Light knew she'd rather spar in something other than this, but nothing about this was normal. She'd just have to accept that. She kicked her skirts out of the way as she stepped around his deflections to keep him from pinning her. He was taking it easy on her, but that was normal, too. At least, until he remembered that babying her wasn't going to help either of them in the long run...

 

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn smirked a little as he saw her bite of her retort as he stretched, it was good to know that after all these years she still enjoyed looking at him. He settled quickly into a stance as Loraine took a stance. He knew she would have trouble using her feet in her skirts, but she always wore a dress when out in the world and it would do her no good to train in pants and then have to fight in skirts, a point he had made early on and she couldn't argue with it when he'd shown the problems with not training the way you'll be fighting. He knew she knew some tricks with her skirts to hide what she was doing and to distract and he wondered if she'd pull them out today or not. The jabs were simple, nothing to trouble him and he swatted them away with little effort, he was intent on making her work during this training session. He returned a few jabs, made her move her feet in those skirts and threatened to turn this into more of a wrestling match than throwing any punches. He finally just smiled at her, out of no where and waited for her reaction.

[U4ea]

Loraine ducked his jabs, stepping away, sidestepping and swiping deflecting blows as he pushed her. His jabs turned to grabs and she fought them off a little harder, staying on her toes and dancing in and out of his reach. Sweat broke out on her brow and she timed her movements to be efficient, but his hands got closer.

 

His smile was the last straw. She knew he was enjoying this and there wasn't even a glimmer of sweat on his chest. She gritted her teeth and put a little more into her swings, landing a blow to his gut.

 

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn had page Loraine further and further, leaving himself more and more exposed. Finally she took that opening and punched him in the gut. He'd been waiting for that and even as he grunted from the pain her took firm hold of her arm and wrist and pulled her tightly to him.  He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her side and hold her tightly.

[U4ea]

Lor let herself enjoy being snugged up against his chest for a moment. There were reasons she enjoyed her life. She even wiggled her hips and turned her head to kiss his cheek.

 

Then she jammed her elbow in his gut, stomped on his instep as hard as she could, punched his nose with the back of her fist and seeing her hand toward his groin, purposefully adjusting her swing to hit his thigh,  instead.

 

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

The kiss on his cheek surprised him, it made him look down and when he did he paid for it. The heel punch to his nose drive his head back and he reached out as felt her first drive into his thigh. He grabbed her by the hair and flung her off of him. He stumbled backwards and face her a wry grin as he checked his noise and stretched out his foot where she'd stomped him. "Good, but if I catch you kissing another man like that..." And he then just shrugged.

[U4ea]

Loraine gasped as he grabbed her hair, then rubbed her scalp as she stepped out of his reach. "Consider that my apology for what came later. I will, however, remember that the next time I want to see your face all red." She grinned, shrugging back at him. "I wouldn't recommend snuggling a woman that way, either. If she doesn't hurt you, I will..."

 

She smiled sweetly and settled into her stance again.

 

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn gave her a shake off his head and settled into his stance, but this time he went on the offense. Throwing short jabs and kicks to frustrate get as they sparred. He was certain she'd come at him hard and fast eventually, it was a losing proposition to just stand there and take the eventual damage all those shots would cause.

[U4ea]

Light! She fought him off, knowing he was trying to wear her down. Her was doing a fantastic job, keeping her on the defensive. He'd nearly backed her against the railing and she'd yet to land a punch! She growled in frustration and launched herself at him, using her smaller size to dance around his guard. She got a few punches in that way, but pushed them away from the railing, which was the more important thing. She kicked skirts with every step and fatigue dragged on her.

 

"Oh, Light, I'm too old for this!" She gasped.

 

~Loraine

[_Kynwric_]

"What you're getting is not enough practice..." Kyn said as he rounded on her where she'd maneuvered, he'd broken a sheen of sweat now from the exertion of moving about the deck. "... and not enough exercise." He began to attack again, this time aiming for a hold on her wrist. When he had it he twisted and turned her arm to force her to submit, he knew there was little she could do to force herself free of this predicament besides using the One Power.

[U4ea]

Loraine bit off a curse as she found herself twisted around. It hurt, but that wasn't the problem. She struggled to find a way out of his hold that didn't result in her twisting a weave, but she couldn't think of a single one.Her feet wouldn't reach, thanks to his longer arms. He had her dominant arm, not that it really made a difference. She doubted there was much she could do with either arm to get out of this. The pressure he put on her shoulder kept her from turning around, too. She detested the feeling of being physically bested, even if it was Kyn who did it. 

 

She growled in irritation and punched him with an upper cut of Air in the jaw. She had to make him let go, release the pressure on her arm, somehow. Weaves flew together and she controlled them tightly, reminding herself repeatedly that this was Kynwric and he wouldn't actually hurt her. She drenched all of the Fire weaves, only allowing Air, Spirit and Water to twist together. Even the Spirit she kept a rein on, glad that it was her weakest element. If it twisted too tightly with the Air... 

 

She lashed him with Water and Air, using Spirit only to hold the weaves together until she'd battered him into releasing her. Then she stumbled a few steps before sinking to her knees, tears burning the backs of her eyes. Memories flooded her head and she tamped them back. Things she hadn't thought about in decades flooded through and she fought them off harder than she fought to control her weaves. Helplessness, Hopelessness, Longing and Pain... it all burned through her and she leaned her head back, forcing herself to breathe in the cool salty air around her until her breathing settled and she'd tamped back the tears. Only then did she open her eyes and check on Kynwric. 

 

~Loraine