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tropicpdf · 3 years ago

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who is she? a dungeons & dragons original

9.4k words / rated t / toyhou.se version

about the characters: dazana / eilise / xyrsus

The city of Saunnet was one Dazana absolutely adored, with a beautiful coast and sheer cliffs that dropped off into the sapphire blue ocean. The city was perhaps the richest one in New Calidonia, with the exception of the capital city of the same name. Beautiful women in expensive dresses walked down the busy streets, their arms linked with men in fantastic outfits. Most of the stores on the main street were so expensive that Dazana wouldn’t dare step foot inside, but he could still marvel at them. The homes overlooking the beach were some that Dazana envied, and he hoped to someday own one for himself. As the ship was docked, and he was welcomed to the city once again, he found himself smiling at the wonderful shipyard around him.

The beach of this city was something of a tourist attraction, with market stalls and restaurants, as well as people actually enjoying the water and waves. When they stopped in most ports, the Noranda was typically the only ship there. In Saunnet, however, there were always other ships. Some held cargo, others were personal boats, but the Noranda was always the largest and most rugged. The tall archways of the city had the flag of New Calidonia hanging from the center, welcoming Dazana back to his home country. While his crew set out for beers and food, and Xyrsus disappeared into the city, Dazana merely walked around the beautiful city, taking in the architecture. He recognized a few people on the street, who he merely smiled and waved to before heading on his way. But, one person actually approached him. They were shorter than the pirate, with fluffy maroon hair and a long robe that reminded Dazana of sorcerers he had come across. Dazana tipped his hat back and lifted his shoulders to be at his full height when the person stopped in front of him. “Can I help you?” Dazana asked, tilting his head to the side.

“Is your name Dazana?” they asked, their voice something that Dazana couldn’t place as feminine or masculine.

“Um, yes. How did you know that?”

“I must request that you come with me. We have been looking for you for a very long time.”

Dazana took a step back and waved his hand, his smile wavering. “Sorry, I’ve got somewhere to be. I’m sure you were looking for another Dazana.”

“You were born before New Calidonia was unified, correct?” the person asked, their arms leaving the inside of the robe, pushing the fabric up as they put their hands on their hips. “In Colcar.”

Dazana nodded his head, weary of how this person knew so much about him. Had they met before? Surely not.

“You are the Dazana we are looking for.”

“Who’s ‘we’?”

“The Tihoden family. Were you not aware?”

“I don’t know anything about this stuff,” Dazana said bluntly. “Look, I was adopted. Before that, I was living in an orphanage. I don’t know anything about my parents or about what I was supposed to be born into.”

The person seemed to finally understand. “I assume your name is no longer Dazana Yarabit, then?”

“Yarabit?” Dazana was so incredibly surprised to hear a name that wasn’t Panteria next to his own. His name was Dazana Panteria, no matter what he was born as. If he was born as Dazana Yarabit, that didn’t matter anymore.

“You are the heir of House Yarabit. Please, if you’d come with me, I will explain in full.”

Curiosity always got the best of him. Dazana had to accept.

Dazana was led to a home in what seemed to be the richest part of Saunnet, with a sprawling green lawn and beautiful water features flowing along. His heels made a wonderful clicking sound as he walked up the stone pathway to the front door, where a butler was already holding open the grand wood doors. When Dazana passed by him, the servant immediately bowed. The shining marble floor caught Dazana off guard, and he almost wanted to walk on his toes to prevent his dirty boots from soiling the ground. “My Lady is in her quarters, and she will want to meet you soon. However, you must meet her father first.”

“Huh?” Dazana’s head turned so fast towards the pink-haired sorcerer that he swore he could have gotten whiplash. “Lady? I’m sorry?”

“Your betrothed.”

Dazana had been stabbed in the side. He had broken his knee twice on the same leg. He had nearly drowned and hacked up so much sea water he could fill a fish tank. He had been caught off guard many times in his life, but this. This was something that really knocked the wind out of him. “Be...trothed?”

“Lady Eilise of House Tihoden. Of course. I did not expect you to be aware.”

“I really think you’ve got the wrong guy. I know I’m a High Elf and all, but… this is too much.”

“Just follow me and stop acting so dreary,” the sorcerer finally said, their eyebrow twitching under their soft bangs. They turned on their heel and walked down the long central hallway that sat between two staircases. Dazana quickly followed behind.

They entered what looked to be a large greenhouse, all the walls covered in big panes of glass and the roof above sloped. A swinging bench sat in the center of the tiled floor, and there was an older gentleman smoking a long pipe. He was a High Elf too, but he held an air to him that seemed more than magical. The sorcerer walked ahead and bowed deeply in front of the silver-haired man. “Master, after all these years, we have finally found Dazana Yarabit.”

The man took a long puff of his pipe before blowing out the smoke away from his guests. His movements were all so slow, and so graceful, it made Dazana stand up straight and hold his hat against his chest. He instinctively bowed, as if he had just met royalty. “Dazana,” the man spoke, his green eyes soft and his smile wide. “My boy, we have been searching this world for thirty-years in an attempt to find you.”

“I didn’t know I was missing,” Dazana responded cheekily, placing his hat back on his head. “I’m sorry, but whatever past I supposedly have, I know nothing about.”

“You do not know about your mother and father?”

“Nothing more than them being nobles. My father was Amana Panteria and my mother is Coraline Panteria. Those are my parents.”

The man, assumingly the head of House Tihoden, stood up from the swing. He was taller than Dazana, but only by a few inches. “I see. You were adopted, then. But, you are still a Yarabit by blood. The eldest son of House Yarabit was to marry the eldest daughter of House Tihoden. You, and my daughter.”

“My parents put me in an arranged marriage?” Dazana asked, trying to clear it up in his head.

“To put it simply, yes. But you were taken away before we could take you into our home. My daughter was born just two years after you were, as well.”

"Why does she have to marry me? You couldn't find some other important noble son for her to marry?"

The man smiled. "This was planned for fifty years before you two were born. The son of the Ambassador of Foreign Affairs and the daughter of the Prime Minister of Colcar."

"Colcar doesn't exist anymore," Dazana tried to rationalize, scratching the back of his neck. He felt intimidated, standing before this graceful man and a sorcerer who glared daggers at him. "So this agreement shouldn't matter anymore."

"When the war ended and the children of the royalty of Calidonia and Colcar married, the new king appointed me as Prime Minister once again. While the Ambassador may have changed position, you are still the son of Wellier."

Dazana felt as if some part of his heart was suddenly sewn together. His biological father was named Wellier Yarabit, and he was the Ambassador of Foreign Affairs of the country of Colcar. That was nothing like Amana.

"Now, come, I would like you to meet my daughter." Tihoden stepped past Dazana and walked towards the archway that led them in. The sorcerer followed, side-eyeing Dazana as they passed him.

The doors before Dazana stood tall, with frosted glass in the center and delicate etchings of green leaves along the edges. The sorcerer, who Tihoden told him was named Heldi, seemed rather annoyed as they set their hands on the golden door handles, pulling the doors open. Dazana assumed he would see a large bedroom, but he was instead met with what seemed to be a living room instead. There was a door on either side of the room, with a grand arched window at the back wall. "Please, sit," Tihoden gestured to the couches in the center of the room, covered with green velvet. Dazana felt so incredibly out of place.

He took a seat on the coach, the cushions being harder than he expected. He sat with his legs apart, like normal, but when he saw Tihoden sit with his thighs crossed, he just barely brought his own legs together.

Heldi knocked on the door to the left, and after a moment they opened it. That was the bedroom, Dazana realized as he leaned back against the couch in an attempt to see. He quickly sat up straight again when Heldi looked his way. Tihoden looked at the pirate and stood up, gesturing for him to stand as well. As he did, Dazana heard clicking of heeled shoes against the wooden floor. Not knowing what to do with his hands suddenly, he folded them in front.

A woman not much shorter than Heldi stepped forward into the room. Her skin was dark, unlike Tihoden's moonlike skin. Though, her silver hair and green eyes matched her father perfectly. She wore a ruffled shirt and high waisted pants, with short boots finishing the outfit. She smiled at Dazana and bowed deeply. Heldi spoke up, "This is Lady Eilise Tihoden, daughter of the Prime Minister. My Lady, before you stands Dazana, son of Wellier and Katyana Yarabit."

Dazana quickly took off his hat and bowed his head, his eyes still watching the woman even as he did so. "Nice to meet you."

Tihoden put a hand on Dazana's shoulder. "I will leave you now. I hope you accept this all." With that, he left the room, closing the big doors behind him.

The room fell silent. Dazana cleared his throat and placed his hat back on his head. He could sense Eilise was looking at him, but he couldn't get himself to meet her eyes. "Will you not speak to your betrothed?" Heldi asked, annoyed.

"Nice to meet you," Dazana said again, never one to be socially awkward. He stepped forward and smiled, the gap between his two front teeth front and center. The gesture made Eilise giggle behind her hand. Dazana glanced at Heldi then. "Are you her helper, or something?"

The tips of their ears slowly grew flushed. "I am her retainer. Surely even you can understand what that means."

"Look, I know I seem like a street rat, but I'm not stupid."

"Oh, no, of course. You have 'street smarts,' don't you?"

Dazana was ready to roll up his sleeves and teach this little punk a lesson, but Eilise spoke up.

"Please," she said, "Don't pick a fight."

The two immediately complied with her soft words, Dazana visibly relaxing and Heldi merely averting their eyes from the pirate.

"Can you tell me about yourself, Dazana? I'd love to know about you."

In all his years of travel, Dazana had told his stories to countless people; young, old, and any age in between. Little boys often asked to touch his sword or guns, while young ladies asked about his romantic escapades. Older people would listen and tell their own feelings of nostalgia, but the one thing that never changed was the sparkle in the eyes of those who listened. Eilise was no different, her emerald eyes glittering like the gem they matched. He began getting more animated as his stories went on, each tale leading into another. He began by telling her about his first time out on the Noranda, to meeting the child of a genie, and even about fights conquered at sea. He purposefully left out frisky nights and drunken fights, though. “But, you didn’t tell me much about yourself,” Eilise said when he finished speaking. “Those stories were absolutely wonderful! But, I wanted to know about you, not just your adventures.”

Dazana was caught off guard with that, his mouth hanging open for a moment before he cleared his throat behind a curled fist against his mouth. “Ah, well, what do you want to know?”

“Simple things. Your hobbies, your favorite things, your birthday. Things like that,” Eilise smiled, smoothing out her shirt as she spoke. She glanced over at Heldi, who stood motionlessly by the door. They still glared deeply at Dazana, no matter how many scolding looks the woman sent them.

No one had asked him such things before. In most cases, people learned those things by just spending time around him. His crewmates found out the hard way how much Dazana loved Dwarven whiskey, and Xyrsus had to console the man when he had an allergic reaction to pineapple. His parents had actively promoted his love of sailing just by observing him. He never had to tell others about himself; he typically just showed them. Dazana couldn’t think of what to say for a while, but Eilise sat patiently. “I like dogs. And drinking. I’ve been told I’m a thrill-seeker. I really like clam chowder,” he was really scraping at the edges of his brain to get more details about himself. “Oh! My birthday is the twenty-third of September.”

Eilise smiled. “That wasn’t so hard, right? I hope to learn even more about you.”

Dazana couldn’t help but return the expression, but his face soon fell. “Do they really expect me to marry you? I mean, it’s supposedly been thirty years.”

The comment made the woman glance at Heldi, her hands twisting together in her lap. “All my life,” she started, looking down, “I was told I would be the wife of Dazana Yarabit. Of course, I didn’t know who you were. In my head, I made you out to be my dream man who would sweep me away.”

“Not exactly what you pictured, huh?” Dazana joked, stroking his beard with a little grin. “What were you hoping for Dazana Yarabit to look like?”

Eilise’s cheeks flushed. “Oh, it’s embarrassing, really.”

“That’s fine. I won’t make fun of you.”

“I always thought you would look like a true noble. You would be a tall High Elf, with flowing hair and a lean body. Blue eyes, maybe?” She looked up at him with a timid smile. “I never knew elves could grow facial hair, so I think that’s the biggest surprise.”

Dazana chuckled. “Instead you got an average brunet with big muscles and a hairy face.”

“At least I was right about you being a High Elf.”

“Can’t win them all,” Dazana shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry I couldn’t live up to your dreams.”

It seemed like Eilise realized something at that moment, her body shooting up straight. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to be rude. You are handsome, I just… didn’t imagine you this way.”

Waving his hands, Dazana shook his head. “No, it’s fine. You didn’t offend me.” In truth, he was rather amused by her reaction. “And, might I say, you’re rather striking yourself,” he ended with a smile.

It took some convincing, but Heldi and Tihoden finally let Dazana leave the manor for the night. He promised he would return the next day or the day after, which put Tihoden at ease. Heldi, on the other hand, accused him of skipping town. “I’ve heard a pirate will never stay in one place for more than a day. Who’s to say you’re not going to go across the planet so we can’t find you again?”

Before Dazana could come up with a snarky response, Tihoden spoke. “I do believe Dazana will stay true to his word. After all, I sense he and my daughter got along rather well. Isn’t that right, Dazana?”

Dazana nodded his head, turning his attention away from Heldi completely. “I’ll be back soon. I’ve just gotta… discuss some things with my crew. And pay my mom a visit.”

��Where does she reside?” Tihoden asked, “We can send you off with a carriage, if you’d like.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’ve got, uh, business partners in this city that can send me off just fine.”

“If you insist,” Tihoden bowed his head gently. “Off you go then, Dazana.”

Dazana heaved a sigh of relief when Tihoden and Heldi went back inside, and one of the servants closed the door behind him. It wasn’t until he was off the property that he let out a yelp of distress, stretching his arms up to the dark sky. He came to Saunnet hoping to merely sight-see, and left with a fiance. Great.

“You look like a mess,” Xyrsus commented when Dazana found him in the dining hall of a local hotel. Dazana plopped down in the chair across from him, sliding the plate of food to himself and pulling a piece of meat with his fingers. He ignored Xyrsus’ protest until after he swallowed. “Drinking all day?” the blue-haired man asked.

“I have a fiance.”

“A girl proposed to you? That’s what you get for sleeping around so much.”

“My biological dad was the Colcarian Ambassador of Foreign Affairs and I was betrothed to the daughter of the Colcarian Prime Minister fifty years before I was born,” Dazana bluntly informed him.

Xyrsus blinked at the man for a moment before chuckling and turning his attention back to his dinner. “Nice one.”

“I’m being serious,” Dazana said then, his voice so deadpan that it made Xyrsus completely stop, food hanging halfway out of his mouth. He finished his mouthful before speaking.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” “She’s sweet, and she’s very pretty, but… I’m a pirate. The frills I wear aren’t exactly the same ones a noble wears,” he said, motioning to the blouse beneath his coat. He sighed and leaned back against the chair. “It’s a completely different world. Her dad offered to train me in government shit. I can’t read any better than a six-year-old. How am I expected to help with a government?”

“They want you to be the Ambassador? Don’t they already have one?”

“They want me to be the Prime Minister when her dad steps down.”

“Dear me,” Xyrsus exhaled. “You have got a lot on your plate, don’t you?”

“I have no clue what to do.”

“I thought you knew everything.”

Dazana could only shoot a glare at the other man, before flagging down a waiter to ask what was on their menu in terms of alcohol. He had to settle for Elvish wine. “I’m going to see my mom tomorrow. Talk this all out with her and see what her opinion is on it.”

“Something tells me she’ll just tell you to ‘follow your heart.’ Typical advice among you mortals.”

“Being a mortal ain’t got nothing to do with it,” Dazana mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think even you’d be hopeless if you didn’t have your heart to listen to.”

“I only listen for the sound of glittering jewels, and you know that,” Xyrsus replied, sipping his drink.

Dazana was on his sixth cup of wine, and thanks to the low alcohol level, he still felt as sober as any other day. He cradled his chin in his palms and glanced around the dining hall, less people there now that the moon was right over head. Xyrsus still sat across from him, but he had seemingly lost track of time, as his head drooped and his breathing was quiet. Dazana yawned when he realized the other man had fallen asleep at the table.

He thought long and hard about it. He was not obligated to follow through with a promise made between people he had never met before. He had a crew to lead and a ship to take care of. The only promise he needed to fulfil was to Amana, who asked just days before he passed on that Dazana become a better captain than he was. Every day, he grew closer to completing that promise. Every day, when he got dressed in the morning, he looked down at the swallows tattooed on both pectorals and knew Amana was proud of him, wherever he was. He couldn’t put a hold on all he accomplished for a promise with no true meaning behind it. He nodded to himself, the decision clear in his head. He would not marry Eilise. It wasn’t anything about not loving her. It was because of his love for the life he had molded for himself.

Instead of visiting Seacottage the next day, he would return to the Tihoden Manor and tell the head of the house his decision.

Dazana had told Tihoden, and Tihoden stood with a face so unmoving, Dazana thought he could have been transformed into a statue.

The captain was starting to feel a cold sweat break out on his neck when the taller man finally spoke. “You would prefer to stay with the life of a pirate than of a noble?” “I’ve been sailing for half my life. My father entrusted his ship to me, and my crew is more than family to me. I’m sorry, Tihoden, but I can’t leave that life behind.”

Tihoden hummed, twirling a long strand of his silver hair around his finger. “I didn’t expect this decision. Will you not just… spend more time with Eilise?”

“It’s got nothing to do with her. She’s a beautiful woman with a sparkling personality. In any other life, I definitely would have accepted. But, in this life, I’m a pirate. Not a noble.”

Tihoden was silent again, but this time, Dazana wasn’t bothered. He would not be swayed, no matter what the man said. “Please,” the elder said gently. “If that is your decision, then I have one request for you.”

“What is it?”

“Take my daughter on a short trip. Nothing longer than a day. She has been talking about your stories since you left last night, and I fear she won’t stop talking about them until she experiences something like that for herself.”

It was a strange request. Dazana felt as if there was some ulterior motive to it, but he let out a sigh and nodded his head. “Has she ever even been outside of New Calidonia?” he asked.

“Saunnet is a large city, as you know. I’m afraid to admit it, but she has never left the city itself.”

Dazana whistled between his front teeth and rubbed the back of his neck. “Alright. I’ll take her somewhere today. I’ll bring her back tonight, and that’s that. You’ll have to find some other future husband for her.” Tihoden nodded with a smile that did not reach his eyes. “A replacement was picked fifteen years ago. We just wanted to hold out for as long as possible.”

Dazana didn’t even want to get into that discussion. He merely smiled and asked when Eilise would be ready to leave.

Heldi stood on the porch beside Tihoden, their face a mix of either jealousy or anger. Tihoden, on the other hand, held that same grace he always did, waving goodbye to his daughter. Eilise nearly tripped over her dress, walking backwards to wave back to her father. Dazana had to let his hand hover over her back in order to ensure her safety. When they rounded the corner of the property’s walls, she let out a squeal. “You're… not mad, right?” Dazana asked, watching as Eilise animatedly walked beside him.

“About the engagement?” she verified, and Dazana nodded. She shook her head in response. “I never expected to marry you in the first place. And, besides, you looked very awkward sitting in my room. I couldn't imagine how you would look in the traditional clothing of an Elvish groom. Oh, by the way, Heldi howled when they found a dirt spot on the runner in the foyer.”

“I knew that would happen,” Dazana groaned, smacking his forehead with an opened hand. A gentle hand touching his shoulder made him glance back at her, finding Eilise smiling up at him. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. So he didn’t.

Towards the outskirts of the city was a traveling company that Dazana knew very well. His first time in Saunnet did not end nicely, but after his father’s friend helped him out of a sticky situation, it was all but forgotten. It was thanks to that traveling company that Dazana got in trouble in the first place, but it wasn’t enough to keep him away. It’s only illegal if you get caught, right?

“Dazana!” a voice yelled when the captain in question came up to the counter. A red-skinned tiefling came out from a back room, pushing up the curtain that covered the doorframe. His wide grin showcased sharp, slightly yellow teeth, and his tail swished around his legs. One of his horns was cracked down the middle, and his black hair was greased back to match the angle of his horns. He seemed to be around Dazana's age.

“Hey, Arkmos,” the two shared a rather strange handshake before Dazana turned to look at Eilise. He looked back at the tiefling with furrowed eyebrows.

“I don’t have any deliveries for you. What’s this about?” Arkmos asked. “Unless you need something. But, as you know, I don’t do discounts for business partners.”

“I actually came here for your traveling company,” Dazana replied. He looked at Arkmos with eyes so intense that the tiefling started laughing nervously.

“Well! Forget everything I said, then. Where you headin’?” the tiefling dropped below the counter, then came back up with a map and some other documents.

“Seacottage. Going to visit my mom.”

Arkmos nodded and circled the destination on the map. He glanced behind Dazana after that, his eyes on Eilise. She stood there so politely, with her hands folded in front of her. Her attention was elsewhere, which Dazana was thankful for. “Who’s the bird?” Arkmos asked.

“I kinda got saddled with taking her on a date,” Dazana lied. “Getting paid for it though.”

“Ah, finally found your true calling as a call boy, huh?” Arkmos joked as he lifted the door in the counter, coming out on the side with Dazana. The tiefling put his fingers to his mouth and whistled, causing for the front door to open. Dazana assumed the person who entered was a Halfling-Orc, but he couldn’t be too sure. He seemed rather hyperactive, and when Arkmos gave him the map and spoke to him quickly in Orcish, he practically vibrated in place. “Gnarg will be your driver today,” Arkmos announced with a smile. “Which address do I send the bill to?”

“Uh, the one in Cruyt Shana,” he muttered, watching as Gnarg waddled over to Eilise. She looked nervous, and as the small being tried to lift up her long skirt, she squeaked and held down the fabric with her hands. “Hey!” Dazana yelled, immediately going over to cover the woman with his body. He looked down at the Orc with his hand on his gun holster. “Cut it out.”

Gnarg made a weird sound before waddling out of the shop again. Dazana turned to look at Arkmos, who merely smiled with his tail twirling behind him. “Safe travels, dear Gap o’ Rage.”

Dazana groaned and quickly brought Eilise outside, leading her out by keeping his arm around her hips. She looked up at him, slightly startled. Gnarg was already at the carriage, the horses in their reins. Dazana held Eilise’s hand as she stepped up onto the carriage. “What does that mean?” she asked as he settled down next to her.

“What does what mean?” he said back, Gnarg cracking the reins and getting the two horses to begin the journey.

“Firstly, he asked what address to send the bill to. Second, he called you ‘Gap o’ Rage.’ What did he mean by that?”

Dazana let his arm rest behind Eilise on the back of the seat. He sighed and rubbed his chin. “I’ve got multiple places that I stay often. I own two of them, but the rest are houses of friends. I don’t really have a… home, I guess. He never knows where to send my bills.”

“And that nickname?”

“We’ll save that for another time,” he smiled at her. He left it at that.

Dazana could have taken a nap on the ride to Seacottage if it wasn’t for Eilise asking him questions nearly every second. When she wasn’t asking about the scenery, she was once again asking Dazana to talk about himself. “You said you like dogs,” she began. “Any specific breeds?”

“I have an Aswilian Shepherd. My mom takes care of him.”

“What’s his name?”

“Chuck.”

“That’s an odd name for a dog.”

“Do you have any pets?” Dazana asked, glancing at the silver-haired woman.

“I have a cat. Her name is Ordelia.”

“Odd name for a cat,” Dazana grinned, earning him a playful jab to the side from Eilise.

Dazana finally was able to close his eyes for five whole minutes before Eilise tapped his shoulder. He hummed and sat up, his eyes wishing for some semblance of rest. He looked at Eilise before turning away to yawn into his hand. “I was curious about your family,” she said. “The people who adopted you.”

“What do you want to know?” Dazana replied, stretching his arms high above his head.

It seemed as if Eilise finally realized she needed to be a little more specific when she asked Dazana to speak on certain topics. “How old were you when you were adopted?”

“I was ten. But, I knew Amana for three years before he adopted me. I helped around the docks a lot, and he was a pirate, so I got to know him. When I told him how much I wanted to go sailing, he let me on his ship. He told me that was the moment he knew he wanted to adopt me.”

Eilise smiled at the story. “Did they have other children?”

“No. My mom was infertile. They tried for years. When Amana asked her if she was okay with the adoption, she jumped at the chance. She wanted a child more than anything.”

She hummed and nodded her head, a little smile playing with her lips. “That sounds wonderful.”

“What about your parents?” Dazana asked. “Your dad’s probably a lot older than he looks, right?”

“He’s almost five hundred,” Eilise confirmed. “I guess that’s a little older than middle-aged for an elf, hm?”

“I guess so,” Dazana rubbed the back of his neck. “What about your mom? I never saw her when I was at the house.”

“She’s a bit reclusive. I’m sure she was just in her room,” Eilise stated, looking down at her hands. “She’s a half-High elf. And, she’s my step-mom. My biological mom died giving birth to my younger sister.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that,” Dazana said softly. He made sure Eilise wasn’t looking at him so he could hit his forehead gently with his palm. Way to go.

Shaking her head, Eilise looked up at him. “She’s a wonderful mother. She’s the mother to my youngest brother and sister. I’ve never thought poorly of her. But, of course, I still love my real mother very much.”

“Of course,” Dazana nodded his head. It was then that he realized the dirt trail had turned into something more solid, and he finally looked away from Eilise’s face. The trees at the entrance of the town had definitely grown since the last time he visited, but other than that, it was exactly how he remembered it. On the horizon, he could see just two ships in the harbor, recognizing both of them. He was home.

Gnarg spoke with a very thick accent, but Dazana understood enough to know he wanted them back at the carriage when the sun was going down. Dazana agreed, and Gnarg plopped down on the seat, seemingly falling asleep immediately if his outlandish snores meant anything. Dazana turned around to find Eilise staring out at the ocean. The town of Seacottage began as a shanty town, but as more people came and went, and more ships began docking on the coast, it grew to be a much nicer place to reside. The town was partially built into the cliff side, the paths wiggling down through the cliffs. His childhood home was towards the far end of the city, overlooking the ocean and standing on stilts. The orphanage he spent the beginning of his life in was closer to the entrance of Seacottage, so he took a gamble and cleared his throat. “Well, this is the place that made Dazana Panteria. I can give you a little tour, if you want.”

“I would love that,” Eilise agreed, linking her arm with Dazana’s when he offered it to her.

Dazana always knew Seacottage as a quiet town, and the walk they shared was no different. The waves crashed against the shore, the tide rather high that day. They had learned very quickly when building the town just how high the tide would go, and there were still remnants of those long-forgotten homes that were overtaken on the shore. They passed by the orphanage, which was still being run by the same woman that Dazana had come to know. It wasn’t a bad place, but Dazana was a rather rebellious child. He was sure the kids there now were more mild-mannered. No one was out, as grey clouds were rolling in and the waves became angrier. When his childhood home was in view, Dazana couldn’t help but smile. “That’s it,” he said. “I grew up there.”

“Your mother still lives here, I assume?” Eilise asked, looking up at him. He had draped his coat over her shoulders earlier, when she began shivering.

Dazana nodded, leading her up the stone path to the house. He took a breath and knocked on the door, hearing his dog barking just beyond it. The door opened, and Dazana was met with Coraline, who smiled wide when she realized who it was. “Hello, honey,” she said, and then she realized someone was standing next to her son. “Who is this?”

“This is Eilise,” Dazana said. In all honesty, he didn’t know what else to say.

“Hello, Mrs. Panteria,” Eilise said, picking up her dress skirt in a curtsy. “I was Dazana’s fiance, but the engagement has been called off.”

Dazana was ready to be smacked with a broom handle, shutting his eyes and letting out a heavy breath. Instead of a strike to his cheek, he heard his mother laugh. “What’s that about?” she asked, and when Dazana opened his eyes, his mother was peering up at him with a smirk and a crooked brow.

“My biological parents were nobles,” Dazana started. Just as he was about to explain the rest, the wind picked up and a strong gust blew. Eilise’s silver hair nearly smacked Dazana in the face. “Let’s go inside, shall we?” he said through gritted teeth.

The interior was just as Dazana remembered, with exposed brick in areas where the paint had peeled away, and the same old furniture sitting in a circle around the fireplace. Chuck, who was laying on a pile of knitted blankets, sprang up from his bed upon seeing his owner return home. The dog jumped up, his paws up on Dazana’s torso. The pirate had to take the paws into his hands to keep his balance, Chuck now stretched and standing on his hind legs. He gave Dazana’s face a few licks before dropping back down. Coraline ushered for them to sit near the fireplace with her, the hearth empty save for a few dry logs. "Well, come on. Explain this all to me."

Dazana sat on the loveseat, Eilise following suit and taking her place beside him. He peered at his mother across the coffee table before leaning back against the couch. "Before I was born, apparently, my biological parents set me up to be in a marriage with Eilise here. My father was an Ambassador in Colcar."

"You're no noble," Coraline bluntly replied, kicking up her sock-clad feet on the coffee table. She then twisted her straw blonde hair up and held it with a clip that was hanging on the edge of her apron. "Even if your birth parents were."

"That's what I was trying to tell them!" Dazana exclaimed, exasperated. "I don't know the first thing about the government."

Eilise, with her hands folded properly on her lap, spoke up then. "I know that's your reasoning behind not wanting to go through with the marriage, but is that really it?" she asked.

Dazana looked at her, running a hand through his long brown hair. He huffed and looked down at Chuck, who rested his head on the man's thigh. "Look. I don't really care too much about love, but I think it's a little… shitty of your parents to force you to wait for a guy that you didn't even know was alive. For thirty years, at that. And, you shouldn't have to marry someone you don't love."

"He's right," Coraline nodded. "I don't know much about noble life, but surely you could get out of a loveless marriage, right?"

Eilise looked at Coraline before turning her attention down to her lap, where she twisted a gold ring around her finger. "My engagement to Dazana was called off. I'm to marry the youngest son of the head of the King's Guard."

"Listen to this, Mom," Dazana started, "Even though they decided on a different engagement fifteen years ago, they still made her wait for me."

"You nobles are strange ones," Coraline replied to her son, standing up then. The dog immediately turned his attention to the movement, and followed the older women into the kitchen. From there, she continued the conversation. "Eilise, was it? What are you doing here if you aren't marrying my son?"

"My father requested he take me out for the day, just so I could get out of the house," Eilise answered, and instead of merely raising her voice, she followed the other into the kitchen. Dazana could hear their voices soften, and soon he couldn't hear them at all. He let out a big sigh and as his eyes rolled back, allowing his head to fall back to the couch. He knew Tihoden did this so that Dazana would, somehow, fall in love with Eilise and decide to marry her after all. While he found Eilise to be highly attractive, and rather charming, he was still set on his decision. Either she changed her whole lifestyle, or Dazana continued on his way as a bachelor. He honestly preferred the latter.

The clicking of nails against the wood floor signalled that Chuck was in search of his owner, and the dog took Dazana's tired appearance as a chance for cuddling. Chuck jumped up on the couch beside him and rested his head on the pirate's lap, pushing under his hand. "Hey, buddy," Dazana hummed, his head still back and his eyes still staring at the rigged beams of the ceiling. He pet the dog's head, mindlessly repeating the motion. He couldn't imagine sharing his life with someone, especially when his life consisted of countless months on the ocean's waves. He didn't even want to think of what Eilise's reaction would be if she found out the true meaning of that stupid nickname, either.

“Dazana,” his mother called, making Dazana jump. Chuck barked at the startled start of his owner before turning away and jumping off the seat to trot over to the older woman. “Why don’t you take her down to Aymon Cove?”

Dazana scratched the back of his head and furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t know how I feel about that,” he muttered.

“It’s not like you own that cove, Dazana. You should show it to her.”

The man didn’t mean to whine, but he couldn’t help the sound escaping from his throat as he dragged himself off the sofa. He looked at Eilise, who stood at the archway of the kitchen with her hands folded in front of her. When their eyes met, she smiled softly at him with a tilt of her head, and the bearded man quickly looked away. He held his arm out towards her, but kept his eyes settled on the front door. Her thin fingers wrapped around his forearm and she came closer, but before Dazana could start walking towards the door, Eilise spoke. “Oh, may I borrow a jacket, Mrs. Panteria? I don’t want Dazana to get cold by giving me his.”

Coraline nodded her head and made her way to a closet near the staircase. She pulled out a red woolen sweater, the sleeves seemingly stretched. “This was Dazana’s. I’m sure it would fit you though,” she grinned, handing the article of clothing over to the woman. While she thanked her and pulled it over her head, Dazana stared at his mother with wide eyes. All he got as a response was a smoldering stare back, and Dazana felt his soul leave his body for a moment. “Okay, well,” Dazana cleared his throat, “Let’s go, then.”

Dazana held Eilise’s hand as they trekked down the rickety wooden steps to the beach, sand burying most of them while others jutted out in obnoxious places. “It seemed like you didn’t want to take me down here,” Eilise commented when she got to the bottom step, Dazana pulling his hand away from her grip. “Why is that?” she continued, latching onto Dazana’s arm like she had before. The sand was hard, signalling that the tide was higher earlier in the day.

Dazana sighed as they walked along the shore, a small opening in the cliffside coming into Dazana’s view. “I kinda see this cove as my place. I would play in it as a kid, and when my dad died, it was where I went to grieve.”

“If that’s the case, please don’t show me unless you want me to see it.”

Dazana stopped walking and looked down at her, studying her smiling face. He turned away with a little smile of his own. “Well, that just makes me want you to see it.”

“What is a cove, by the way? I’ve never seen one before.”

Dazana was not good with words, and he definitely was not good with definitions. So, instead of explaining it to her, he pointed. “That’s a cove. It’s called Aymon Cove.”

The cove wasn’t too big, but it went far back into the cliffside. The ceiling sloped the further it went, and the opening was mostly covered by a tall piece of rock that had fallen away from the land. Dazana had grown taller since the last time he had been there, as he had to bend his neck to actually walk inside.

“Is it named after Captain Aymon Goldflower?” Eilise asked. She was the perfect height to stand inside, looking around the opening in wonder.

Dazana blinked at her. “Yeah. How’d you know that?”

Eilise squatted down, hugging her knees to her chest as she picked up an almost perfect abalone shell. “I was taught everything about the history of both Colcar and Calidonia. You could ask me anything, and I would most likely know it.”

Dazana grinned and sat down beside her, not minding that the rocks were wet. “Okay. Where did the founders of Colcar come from?”

“Ornthalas the Mage came from Iliphine Rarawynn. His wife, though, was part of one of the native tribes of Colcar. The Adbella.”

“What caused the war?” Dazana asked.

“Nym Abdella, the king of Colcar at the time, believed his daughter was kidnapped by the humans of Calidonia.”

Dazana tried to think of something that would stump her, scraping through the limited schooling he had received involving their home country. In the end, he couldn’t think of anything. He leaned back on his hands and looked at her. “You know a lot about elves, too, right? Just in general?”

“Of course,” she gave him a closed-eye smile. “I am one, afterall.”

“Why’s it that I have such a thick beard? I’ve never seen a High Elf with a beard. Or, any elf, for that matter.”

Eilise giggled at that, which made Dazana’s eyebrows furrow. “You really didn’t know anything about your parents?”

“Nothing.”

The woman took in a breath. “Your father was a High Elf, pureblood. But your mother was born in Skoro.”

“Skoro?” Dazana could mentally map out any continent, for the most part. Skoro was a landlocked country, and completely covered in mountains. He had never been there himself, but he had heard about it from friends and travelers. Their signature ale was a blonde.

“She was a High Elf, on her mother’s side. Her father was a dwarf.”

“A dwarf!” Dazana shouted, surprised beyond belief. He slapped a hand to his forehead with a wide grinned and laughed out loud. “Oh, Gods, that makes more sense than anything!”

“Does it?”

“No wonder I can hold my liquor so well,” he grinned at her, showing that gap. “And, I’ve been so self-conscious about my height, but now it makes sense. It’s all from her genes, huh?”

Eilise smiled and nodded at him. Then she looked down, towards their feet. Her boots were practically pristine, with dark sand sticking to the soles. On the other hand, Dazana’s tall boots were completely beaten up. The gold detailings were dirty and scuffed, and the heels were worn down from their use. Dazana followed her gaze curiously. “May I ask you something now?” Eilise asked.

“Sure. What is it?”

“The man at the traveling company,” she started. “He called you ‘Gap o’ Rage.’ I was curious what the origins of that are.”

“Ah,” Dazana straightened his back, bringing one leg to cross over the other at the ankles. His foot shook, and Dazana wasn’t sure if it was anxiety or not. “That’s a long and… unpleasant story.”

“I don’t mind.”

“It will definitely change how you look at me.”

Eilise gave him a look, which only made Dazana sigh and nod his head.

No matter how much Dazana admired Amana as a young boy wandering the docks of Seacottage, the captain of the Noranda was an infamous man. Dazana knew pirates were rather rough men, but the way Amana would lift him up on his shoulders with a smile never seemed anything more than pure. It wasn’t until the brunet officially joined his crew that he learned what exactly the life of a pirate entailed. The reason so many people knew of the Noranda was because of her brute force on the open seas. The men who had joined the crew over the years weren’t all originally willing. But, when your ship is about to sink to the bottom of the sea, the best thing you can do is jump aboard another one, even if it’s the one who shot down your own. Amana’s hands were stained red, even if none of his loved ones knew it, and that blood dripped down onto Dazana’s palms. While he walked around the seaside cities with his hat held to his chest, Dazana was a charming man looking for a good time and a mug of quality ale. But, when his boots tapped on the old deck of the Noranda, and his fingers gripped around the ship’s wheel, he became someone else. The red on his hands covered his whole body, until all he could see was the power that came with being a captain. He never knew blood could soak so deeply into wood before he became the captain of the Noranda.

But, as the years drew on, and Dazana got older, his escapades through the ocean waves became less about seeing red and more about helping the people who couldn’t receive help anywhere else. People made careers for themselves in any ways they could, he had decided, and he was not one to judge the misfortunes and sins of others when he had caused so many lifeless bodies to rot at the bottom of the ocean. Even with his change of pace, other sailors still knew him as that stupid nickname: Gap o’ Rage.

The quiet waves still crashed against the sand and rocks, and the seagulls still flew in pairs in the sky. Dazana could still breathe in that salty air, and Eilise still sat silently beside him. “That’s the life of a pirate,” he finished. “This pistol isn’t just for show, and these scars weren’t all unfortunate accidents.”

“You’re not a noble,” Eilise finally said. Dazana merely looked at her. Her knees were still pulled up against her chest. “That, I know for certain now.”

“That’s why I can’t just marry you because our parents decided it.”

Eilise nodded her head. “But, at the very least… Could you write me a letter every now and then?”

“A letter?” Dazana tilted his head.

“Just once in a while,” She was twiddling her fingers now, “To keep me updated. To let me know you’re safe?”

Dazana wasn’t sure how to tell her he didn’t know how to write anything other than his name in Common. Instead of confessing to that, though, he smiled and nodded his head. “Of course.”

It had been five days since Dazana and Eilise met, and three days since Dazana and the rest of his crew started their journey around the continent of Axonis to reach Cruyt Shana. They were docked in Agrines for the night, and Xyrsus sat across from him in the inn’s mess hall. While the blue-haired man scarfed down grilled fish, the pirate stared at a piece of blank parchment. He tapped the pencil against the tabletop, the tip now dull. He glanced up at Xyrsus right as he pulled a fish bone out of his teeth.

“Hey, Xyrsus.”

“What?” the man seemed defensive, like he was just caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

“Have you ever written a letter to someone?”

“No. Why would I need to write someone a letter?”

Dazana shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “Have you ever gotten a letter?”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Only love letters.”

“Help me write a letter.”

“Hell no.”

“Oh, c’mon,” Dazana whined.

“Write it yourself. Aren’t you a smooth talker? How many times have I had to get a separate hotel room because you found a new lady friend? Or a new boy toy.”

Dazana stared at him. He tapped his fingers and thought for a moment, then finally said it: “I can’t write.”

“Just put pen to paper, it’s pretty ea--”

“I’m not able to. I never learned how to write anything but my own name.”

“Huh?”

“Xyrsus!”

The dragon blinked at him, then he laughed so loud, all the patrons in the inn turned to look their way. Dazana groaned and dragged his hat down over his face. He knew in the back of his head that such a thing would happen, but he hoped Xyrsus had a little more of a heart. When the man finally calmed down from his laughter fit, Dazana leaned closer over the small table. “Please. I’ll buy you something nice in the next town.”

Xyrsus’s eyes narrowed as he sipped his drink. “Like what?”

“What do you want?”

He tapped his chin as he set down his mug. “A pretty dagger.”

“That’s it? Fine.”

“With! Sapphires in the handle.”

“Okay. Help me now.”

“You have to pinky-promise.”

“I’m gonna use that dagger to kill you if you don’t help me right now.”

Even though Xyrsus had to make a comment with every sentence Dazana said, he still helped the man out by handwriting the letter while Dazana dictated his thoughts. The letter wasn’t much; it mostly consisted of Dazana telling Eilise of where they were headed and a little bit about his crew members. When Xyrsus begrudgingly handed the paper over, he noticed a postscript that he had never said at the bottom. He wasn’t the best when it came to reading, having the same ability as a human child, but he could understand enough to know Xyrsus was telling Eilise the captain of the Noranda was illiterate. He glared at Xyrsus. “Erase that.”

“I thought you couldn’t read,” Xyrsus said nonchalantly, grabbing the paper back and erasing the last bit. He slid it over the table, and Dazana caught it before it drifted to the floor.

“Do you really think I’ve gone through thirty years of life not being able to read anything?”

“To put it simply: yes.”

Dazana grumbled and signed his name, knowing in confidence it was the one thing he could do without fail. He could write out “Captain Dazana Panteria” in Common, in handwriting and script, and he was often complimented on his signature.

“How are you going to get a response? It’s not like you have a house to go back to every night.”

“I told her I don’t expect responses, and that if she wants to reply, then she’s gotta send them to my mom.”

“And then your mother falls in love with her.”

Dazana shot him a glare that made his nickname on the open seas make plenty of sense. “My mother is sixty years old, you creep.”

As Dazana laid in the hotel room bed that night, he stared at the moon’s beams reflecting on the old wooden ceiling. He felt like he was floating with the mattress, thanks to the days on the ocean. But as his thoughts floated around the events of the past week, he was lost. He had slept with plenty of people in his life, and he had thrown around the word “love” in Common, Elvish, and a few other languages a couple of times, too. He never thought of settling down. He never thought of spending his life with just one other person. He was sporadic, and a man without a true home. He didn’t know where he came from, nor where he was going. He liked to live in the moment rather than thinking towards the future. He had blood on his hands, making him afraid to hold onto anyone for too long, less they get stained red, too. But, at the moment, he didn’t need to worry about something like that. At the moment, he had a new friend that was ready to show the whole world to. He didn’t need to believe in an ancient arrangement between families to know that.

#paige.pdf #oc tag: dazana #dnd #d&d #writing

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