The Hearts of Men (1x1 with Eternal Chronicler)

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

Tessa narrowed her eyes slightly at Jack before climbing up onto the camel's back, looking with dismay down at her dress folded up in front of and behind her, worry crossing her face as she compounded the situation with present company, but she dismissed it for now.
"My name's Tessa, by the way... In the event you felt like using it. Either way, we should be moving."

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

"Very well Tessa," Jack said with a grin, not bothering to look back. He snapped the reins and clicked his toungue and the camel lurched violently forwards, Jack cursing as he slipped slightly and had to shift his weight over to regain balance. He gave Tessa a sideways glance to make sure she was not falling before turning his attention back to the path before them, or nearly all of his attention. The flask made an appearance and he took a swig from that before stowing it away again.

They began to make good time, Jack looking periodically at a compass and then at a six faced pocketwatch engraved in old script before back to the sand before them. The mountains loomed up ahead, and he stopped the camel at a small riverbed, dried out, and he tapped the ground with his foot to test for water.




This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

Tessa dismounted with the same grace she had held onto for the entirety of the trip, smiling for a moment as she inspected Jack's vain efforts. She knelt down by the riverside and held her hand out into it, water flowing snakelike about her figure for a moment before flowing in a self-rejuvenating stream of its own into the river itself.
"I figured you could use a hand," she said, looking up to Jack with a smile, "we're in a desert; finding water naturally is no mean feat."

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

John tilted his head nearly sideways and watched the water come up. "Huh," Was all he said with a shrug. He could have been boastful, but he saw opportunity then, opportunity he hadn't seen in over a hundred years.

"I suppose it would be useful to keep you around," He said after a moment and knelt by the stream, splashing water on his face and wiping it off with a square of cloth before standing up and moving out of the way for the camel. "We should be able to make it to the lower caves by nightfall, and rest there," He said, looking out towards the caves.




This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

"Useful?"
Tessa smiled, the thought of freezing the water on Jack's face playing cleanly across her mind, and she found herself again failing to stifle a giggle, but she walked over to the camel and lightly ran her hand along its back, her eyes watching Jack.
"I'm no tool. Remember you can lay no possible claim over me, nor my purpose. I would recommend you never forget that, so long as we travel together. In any event, you're not bettering your case by using such a word."
She flung a leg over the camel's back and mounted again, taking care not to disturb its drink by any startling movement.
"I think we should be moving though, Jack." She said in a stately manner.

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

Jack rolled his eyes and chuckled, mounting and pulling up the reins. "You'll like me one day," He said without looking back. He snapped the reins and they were off again.

"Although I hope you realize I was talking about our upcoming task when I meant useful," He said, glancing back sideways. It wasn't the full truth, but Jack knew that what he wanted with every fiber of his being was not possible. "Otherwise," He shrugged. "I see no reason why I would want to lay claim on you. I would leave you to the Kraken before attempting to claim your purpose,"




This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

Tessa frowned for a moment, already quite familiar with being stabbed in the back though she paid the immediate situation no mind. The particular manner Jack had taken tested her curiosity though, and she figured to indulge his statement of taking to him for a moment. She leaned forward, dropping her arm across his shoulders and bringing her mouth to his ear.
"And just why would you do such a thing to me at all?" she asked in a voice both quiet and curious.

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

"Because I have the feeling that you would rather be dead than have your freedom taken from you by someone such as myself," Jack said, a grin on his lips, his head turning sideways so that his eye caught hers in his view. "How is it, that you can change your...actions towards me so quickly? Weren't you just threatening me?" His tone was teasing as he glanced at her hand and then back at her.




This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

"You're one to talk," Tessa laughed, "Weren't you the one threatening to drain me of my own life? Besides, it was you that said I'd like you someday; is it so bad to test the waters?"
She leaned back and put a hand behind her, leaning back a ways and watching the surroundings pass by. She could tell easily enough that whether she grew to like this man or not, she would have to get used to his being there.
"Besides, trading a favor for an answer isn't so bad either. I tend to be picky with what answers I give, and I'd wind up asking questions for nothing before too long if I kept it up. There's always an alternative, Jack. You just have to know which to take."

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

Jack chuckled. "Wise words spoken through lips of ice," He said. "You needn't be so guarded Tessa, and we will need to be able to trust each other at some point," He fell silent, taking a swig of his rum, and watching the road.

He pulled the camel into a low cave at twilight and dismounted. He walked to the back of the cave and looked around it for a moment before returning to the mouth. "It isn't very deep, but that may serve our purposes just fine anyway. I'll keep watch," Jack sat at the mouth of the cave, crossed his legs, and pulled out three things; his flask, a match stick, and cards.


This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

Tessa nodded, sliding off the camel and patting it at the base of the neck before stepping over to the back of the cave, reaching into a small satchel and producing a small, almost bean-sized loaf of bread before running a trace of water through it and tossing it Jack's way. By the time it landed it had grown to what one might expect from a full loaf of bread.
"Don't expect me to be completely unprepared, Jack," she said smiling, "I know how to travel as well as anyone. Either way, do try to get some rest after a while; I can keep watch for a time if you need."
With that she leaned over to her side, drawing her sleeve over her shoulder before laying down against the cave wall and floor, the silence of her rest rendering it impossible to know if she was asleep or not.

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

Casting a glance over his shoulder, Jack chuckled. "Rest, as if I could find that," True peace would flee him, but he would be fine all the same. He did not need to sleep, his nature took care of that bit. Instead, he took a couple large swigs of rum and began to shuffle his deck of cards, humming a song he had learned from his first captain.

He laid out his cards and began to play a game by himself., still humming, and drinking. Every once in a while he would look back into the cave and watch Tessa for a moment or two before going back to his cards.


This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

Tessa woke merely four hours later, slowly bringing herself up to a seat and shifting her sleeve back down to its normal location down her arm and leaning against the wall, legs drawn to her side.
"I can take watch if you need," she said only just audibly, "I don't even need much rest by the day."

 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Jack------------------------------------------
------------------- Cortez

Of Blood and Gold I know,
of the freedom of a ship,
and only the wind holding you back.

John put a finger to his lips from where he stood near the cave entrance, his back warily placed against the wall. His cutlass shone bright silver in the moonlight as he listened. All he heard was the yips of the Jacklins and a croaking of a raven. The raven he seemed troubled about, especially as it hopped nearer to him. With a swift swoop of his arm, he decapitated it and knelt down, feeling the blood between his fingers. "As I thought..." He murmured.

"There's another with her now!" The feminine voice hissed, and shadows scurried from her.

"Not just anyone my lady, that is Jack Cortez," A shadow offered, and it screamed as it was torn from its existence.

"Don't ever say that name in my presence!" The voice shouted, and a serpentine hiss could be heard from beyond the small group of shadows. "Nickini will have his head for her nest,"


This is what I loved...And lost.
[OutrageousObliviousCats:---]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

When the world cannot even see,

it's doom, our doom.

Here I stand,

Here I see...

The hope for mankind, falling.

Slowly falling...

Tessa got to her feet, slowly stepping over to Jack and inspecting what had happened with a frown, though she leaned against the mouth of the cave and shrugged off her worry for the man.
"I do believe this is the point where you explain what it is you found, and then how you became familiar with that exact information Jack. As you said, I will have to trust you but you fail to note I need reason to trust before it is given."
She stepped behind him and lowered to a knee, her own point condemning her thoughts.
"Although I'm hesitant to ask what would be taken in turn for either end of my questioning. I guess fair always is fair, isn't it? My question stands; what do you know and how do you know it?"