Leaving your companions behind, you set off to seek the fisherman who the seer told you about. The walk down the coast is oddly comforting though Harakhty's words still sting in your heart. After a little while, the afternoon sun warms your skin and you spot a small shack. Knocking on the door, you are greeted by a woman.
Skaar looks back one last time before leaving for the coast. Had the last few years really changed him so much? Before the military - before all of this - he wouldn't have thought twice about leaving people behind to pursue his own interests. Now it was like pulling out his own guts.
Steeling himself against the shame, Skaar focuses on making good time heading south. He stops only to relieve himself and get drinks of water from time to time.
***
"Uh, hello", the big Orc says in surprise.
"You the lady uv the house?"
A young woman with shoulder length brown hair and a very alluring figure stands before you. Her eyes go wide for a second upon seeing you, then giving you a playful grin responds, "Why, yes I am. And you're here because?"
Skaar visibly studies the nubile young woman's form for a moment before clearing his throat.
"I'm lookin' for a fisherman. I was told I could find him here. I need a boat", the hulking greenskin says.
Giving the Orc a once over, she replies, "You've come to the right place, come in." She leads him to a seat inside and disappears for a moment. She soon returns with an elderly man, who is apparently blind. With care, see leads him to a seat opposite the Orc.
Again surprised, Skaar sits up straight when the elderly fisherman is brought it.
"I need to get offa Zahvroma and I heard you might be able to part with yer boat. I've got coin. It's not a lot but it should be enough to cover whatever you need", the big Orc explains.
Catching the shapely young woman's gaze, Skaar raises an eyebrow.
"Dat yer grand-daughter?"
"Who is it, daughter? A boat, you say?" the addled man rambles. "What does he want, daughter? Has he come to court you? At last, at last."
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"Daughter?" Skaar grunts in disbelief with a tusked grin sent her way. "You musta started real late."
"No old man. I'm not here for yer daughter - though I'd be happy to show her a good time... I need yer boat."
"Oh, the boat," the old man says, crestfallen. "It's out by the dock. It ain't much but it'll do you fine. Daughter, take him to the boat."
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Skaar nods and stands from his seat.
After taking a moment stretch and adjust his armor, the big Orc looks to the young woman for direction.
Flashing the Orc a friendly grin, she says, "Certainly Father." Sweeping her arm towards the door the young woman continues, "This way good sir."
Skaar follows on the beautiful young woman's heels.
"You must get lonely out here", the big Orc grunts. "There aren't a lot uv people here on Zahvroma."
"Hadn't really thought about it," Corda responded, "But there are more people here than you might think."
Skaar raises an eyebrow.
"That's a surprise. Tell me 'bout your neighbors."
"Oh no neighbors, there's just more people here on the island than you might think." She continues. Then she stopped, turned and faced the Orc. "Do you believe in fate?"
The big Orc cocks his head, "What do ya mean?"
As you walk and talk, you see a small single-sailed boat tied up to a small dock. It suddenly occurs to Skaar that he does not know how to sail or in which direction to head.
"Oh nothing, just curious." she playfully replied. Upon reaching the ship she quickly climbs aboard and says, "Where are off to?"
Skaar nods and studies the boat carefully. It looks sound but Skaar suddenly realizes that he knows almost nothing about piloting a ship on the water.
He frowns as he studies the vessel, "I don't s'pouse you know a sailor lookin' for some danger? I'm headed north - into battle. There's a big fight comin' I mean to be a part of."
"Ah, well hop on then, and gets sailing." the young woman says as preps the ship for sailing.
Skaar looks at the woman in disbelief.
"What about your father? Can he care for himself?", he grunts. "And you don't wanna go where I'm headed. It's dangerous."
"I sent instructions to a friend down the coast. He'll be fine." Corda replied. "Besides, I've been itching for some adventure." As if on queue, a parrot comes down and lands on her shoulder, holding a note in it's beak. The young woman read the note, "Ah perfect, my friend will be there tonight. Alright then, let's get going."
Corda prepares the sails and gathers the rope from the dock. She turns the boat to the north and sails toward the open ocean.
Wordless that such a beauty could also be so bold, Skaar climbs aboard and watches Corda work.
Though the wind is against you, the skies stay clear allowing some decent progress for the day. The sun sets after a few hours and the stars begin to shine. You are still on the coast of Zahvroma, its jagged peaks looking foreboding as you pass.
"Well, not as much progress as I'd hoped, but we'll get there, sweetie." Corda assured the Orc.
Skaar leans over and nods.
"You handled it well", he growls. "Very well..."
The big Orc fishes out a bit of dried meat and breaks off a chunk in his tusks before tossing the rest to Corda.
"You ever been with a man?"
Catching the dried meat with one hand, Corda takes a bite before answering, "Nope, I've been waiting for the right one to show up." She looks around, then adds in a playful whisper, "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Nobody out here but us and the waves. What is it?"
"I had a vision about who my one true love would be. And you know what? It was you." She revealed.
Skaar is staggered by the girl's revelation. True Love? He didn't doubt love existed but he'd always been a creature of need. For him rutting was about scratching a shared itch. Love was like the divine to him, something that was out there and probably good but nothing he'd ever experience himself.
The big Orc crosses his thick arms across his massive chest.
"So yer a seer?" he grunts. "Zahvroma seems to have a lot 'em... What else did your vision say 'bout me."
"Oh no, I'm not a Seer. I'm may be a Witch, but fortune telling isn't one of my tricks. I just received that one and only vision in a dream." She gave the Orc another once over, slowly. "I don't believe I ever caught your name. Mine is Corda."
"A witch! I'd always heard witches were withered old crones" Skaar barks with a laugh as he catches Corda's gaze. "You don't look like a witch to me. Just a girl that's been cooped up with her pa her whole life."
"The name's Skaar."
Happy to show Corda a little more of what she was studying, Skaar begins removing his armor in preparation to bunk down.
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Looking up at the moon, then back at Orc, she smiles and says, "Not tonight though. Soon enough, but not tonight."
At this point the parrot chimed, "*bawk* Back it up buster. *bawk*"
Corda turned and nonchalantly said, "Talia, now be nice."
"*bawk*"
"Your loss", Skaar grunts as he finishes his impromptu striptease and bundles his piecemeal armor. "What kinda bird is that?"
Taking a seat on the deck of the vessel, the big Orc invites Corda to do the same.
"You can get some rest if you want. I don't sleep much most nights."
"It's not my loss, just not my time. Trust me, when it's time, you'll be the first to know." Corda replies.
"She's a parrot. Fairly smart birds, though Talia doesn't say much." She answered the Orc's question.
"No, I'm alright to stay up for now. When it's your turn, I'll wake you up."
Skaar shrugs, ”Like I said, I don’t sleep much.”
"I can brew you something to help with that, if you wanted." Corda retorted.
”That so?” Skaar says while giving the young woman a curious glance. ”What do ya got?”
Lashing the wheel to keep it from moving, Corda pulled out her pack from the supplies stored behind her, and removed her cauldron. Funny thing, you don't recall her putting it on the boat or carrying it to the docks. She gets busy putting tinder and wood in the fire pit mounted in the ship, and with a snap of her fingers, ignites the tinder and a fire begins to blaze. After pouring some water in the cauldron and placing it on the fire, she begins to put various herbs inside the now boiling water, all the while waving her hands and muttering unintelligibly. After a few minutes, she scoops out a cup, waits a minute then gives it to Skaar. "There you go, that should help."
Skaar gets so wrapped up in the show that he barely notices the tea he’s offered isn’t anything extraordinary.
I guess she is a witch…
Sipping the hot beverage at first and then quicker as it cools, the big Orc offers a nod of appreciate, ”Thanks.”
"You're welcome sweetie, now get some sleep." Corda replied as she took back the wheel and continued steering. She also kept an eye on the fire to make sure no hot coals escaped to wreck havoc on the boat.
Feeling a bit more relaxed thanks to his herbal supplement, Skaar tries to nod off.
Seeing Skaar trying to sleep, Corda begins to hum an Orcish lullaby.
Skaar is snapped from his attempt to sleep by another revelation from Corda.
”Where’d you learn that?” he asks. ”I haven’t heard that in… Well I don’t remember.”