Crossing the Language Barrier

OOC: Joint post between Winters and Esimed

<<“Why have you disturbed my slumber?”>>

There was a long stretch of silence.

“Ég hef ekki hugmynd um hvað hún sagði (I have no idea what she just said.)” The leader said, turning to the shorter dark haired man still patting the bits of blood from his nose.

“Svo viltu að ég geri það? (So you want me to do it?)” Olin said, his nose still mildly tender.

“Auðvitað vil ég að þú gerir það! Hvernig getum við skilið þá annað! (Of course I want you to do the thing! How else can we understand them?!)” The Leader said in an exasperated tone. “Að auki er hún kona, hversu erfitt gæti það verið (Besides she's a woman how hard could it be)” He laughed.

Olin kept his remarks to himself since it would result in another punch to the face. Instead, he gave a sigh stepping up to the woman dressed up like some slinky Empress of the dead.

<<Balar sat and looked around with concern. "Cali where the hell are we? And who are these people?">>

Cali looked over her shoulder and regarded Balar and his restored vitality with an approving nod. She was glad to see him strong and healthy. “I don’t recognize the language of these men, but waking up in a stranger’s bed can only mean so many things. They ventured into the Mirrored Sepulcher; or someone else did. They moved our bodies which we’ll have words about, but we don’t appear any worse for wear. You look better than I ever expected to see you again.”

<<Kespin woke to the group in a hustle, surrounded by bandits and missing yet more of their group. "My eternal gratitude Cali, though your throne is lost, my queen you shall remain." Watching her square up to the apparent leader of the bandits, he prepared his weary mind and body for another skirmish, though this one looked to be far easier than the previous fights.>>

“You do me much honor my libidinous lover, but I'm not sure I at any time secured the throne. If perching my ass upon that hard stone for mere moments were enough to claim it as my own, I’d be the proud owner of more dicks than I could shake a tit at.” Cali made a decidedly indelicate gesture to the room at large and looked between Olin and the Leader.

“Which of you speaks for these people?” Then her eyes went wide.

<<Theo had prepared to start picking off the savages, already taking down a bandit that had come to check on him. When the group abruptly awoke, he cursed at another plan made more complicated by these travelers.

He noticed one that stood apart from the bandits, he looked thinner, less able. The perfect way out.

Able to sneak around as the two groups met, he came behind his target and held a knife to his throat.

"Stay still, all I want is to leave this forsaken hell and you can help me.">>

Now that was a language Cali and the rest of the party could understand and the act was unmistakable. She held her hands out imploringly with dark wisps of magic poised at her fingertips. “I can send you any place you wish to visit, caitiff. But I have questions for this man so I cannot let you kill him. Rather he will not stay dead for long.”

Well, that was unexpected even so Olin remained calm if not slightly peterbed. “Ekki að ég skilði neitt sem hann sagði en ... bókstaflega eitt af verstu fólki til að taka í gíslingu! (Not that I understood anything he said but ... literally one of the worst people to take hostage!)” The Skratti joked.

The warband rumbled with laughter as they looked at Theo holding Olin as knifepoint. “Þú ættir að sýna honum að þú ert ekki eins hjálparvana og þú virðist Skratti ... bara drepið ekki eða knýðu honum ... strax að minnsta kosti. (You should show him you are not as helpless as you seem Skratti ... just don't kill or fuck him ... right away at least.)” That brought out another rumble of laughter from all the blonde tall Vikings.

“Ó, takk, óttalaust leiðtogi til að láta mig hafa eitthvað gaman af gaman. Þegar ég er annt um þetta þá get ég vakið athygli mína að drottningu hinna dauðu þarna og Jotun, sem ég kann að segja, virðist minna en ánægður í augnablikinu. (Oh thank you, fearless leader, for letting me have some wanton fun. Once I take care of this one then I can turn my attention to the queen of the dead over there and the Jotun, whom may I say seems less than pleased at the moment.)” Olin jibbed with a smile.

“Vertu bara fljótur að gera það. (Just be quick about it.)” The leader said with a wave.

“Af hverju þakka þér kærlega. (Why thank you very much.)” Olin snorted. The wind in this realm was cold and thick with magic, often happy to oblige the young Skratti. There was no taking the cold out of it as he nudged a whisp into the longhouse. Things moved quickly from there.

The frozen stream of air made contact with Theo’s arm, at this point no longer protected by magic, caused ice crystals to suddenly bloom. It was as good as burning him. The moment Theo gave a pain Olin jammed an elbow into his captor's ribs. With a sweep of Olin's arm he blasted Theo with the wind of Niflheim, not only sending him into the far wall with the addition of magical freezing winds covering him in ice crystals and stealing every bit of warmth.

The danger to his Skratti pacified, the Leader of the war band motioned as two of the men went to secure Theo, less comfortably than before. He then ticked his head to Oilin reminding him of what he was supposed to do before.

Olin stepped up to Caligari. His magic rolled off him in waves, each breath he made sending off something that made the air feel thick and hot. Caligari being the focus of his magic bore the brunt of it given she was Olin’s focus. Assured he had her undivided attention he stepped in closer to her. His green eyes drew her in, his warm fingers brushed her cheek and the newest Queen could swear the scent of cinnamon was hanging in the air.

Cali closed her eyes and tucked her cheek into those fingers, breathing in the heavy scent of hot cinnamon. She hadn't noticed it before, but it was unmistakable now. All her life she'd loved the smell of that spice, probably loved it more than was good for her. It was impossible to tell from the others' perspectives because she was prone to her own frequent displays of twisted flirtation, but she was not entirely in control of herself at present. She reached her hand up to caress Olin's, raking her nails along his flesh. Her eyes shot open and her other hand lashed out to grab Olin roughly by the groin. Still she did not look displeased. She gave him a forceful squeeze and drew herself in to sniff at his neck.

Behind them Garm's throat was rumbling as he glared holes in Olin's face.

Clearly, the beast was the Dark Empress' creature, so between him and the Warband leader's impatience it left Olin feeling like he was rushing art. Still, there was an agenda here and it seemed the only one appreciating it was the woman he had under his spell.

Olin turned his head brushing his lips with hers, teasing the woman into a long breathless kiss. Cali could taste something tart and sweet on the man’s lips - Pomegranate. Olin pulled back to give Cali some air, with his own exhale he shared the knowledge of the newcomer's language with his cohorts. The magic riding from his breath to their ears. He reeled in his magic before taking a step back.

“Now we may speak and we can understand each other. A harmless little spell, I promise.” Olin said. Even with the magic to learn her language, his accent was thick with rolling r’s, bouncy cadence with sharp inflection. It would take some time before his tongue would get fully used to the new languages.

"A spell?” Cali blinked and looked away from the man’s green eyes. She glanced down and saw her hand had snaked down the front of Olin’s pants, though she couldn’t actually remember that happening. She gave him an unmistakable look and felt around deep in his furs, quickly finding what she was looking for. “A useful bit of magic, but if you wanted to entice me into handling your aromatic inner bark you need only have asked. I don’t play coy and I don’t shy away from spice.” She gave him a squeeze and slipped her hand out. “Now perhaps you’d like to tell me how we came to be under this roof?”

Olin couldn’t help but chuckle at her words. “Call it a side effect of my magics.” He confessed.

“Good work Skratti.” The blond burly leader said clapping Olin’s shoulder, his accent even thicker that Olin’s. “Maybe he’ll even tell your fortune later.” He said with a laugh. “We travel the Realms for plunder and glory and happened upon your battlefield. We found your party near frozen in the sepulcher ... along with an Honorable one in your party.” The Leader gave a wave to the Jotun. “We thought it only appropriate to give you and yours shelter and protection from the cold of Niflheim til your return. Your journey to the lands of the dishonorable dead has caused … a fair about of stir in the Nine Realms.”

“We were near frozen in the Sepulcher for a reason, but your interference was timely. What do you know of our cause?” Cali had circled around behind Olin while she spoke, taking in the rest of those warriors within the longhouse. She was beginning to feel the heat to be oppressive rather than calming. She had spent so much of her life in the freezing elements, being well and truly warm was not an easy transition. “Why do you take command from him, Skratti? Do you owe him some debt?”

“We know nothing of your cause. Our Skratti assured us the odd magic protecting you from the touch of Niflheim would have ended before you woke and your body long would have expired before your return.” The Viking leader answered. “Your second question is hard to explain … how do you say he had the audacity? … to be born a man. A willful one at that. He still is learning his obligation to his people.” He said fumbling a bit with his words.

“I like a man with audacity. It helps take the bite out of a cold winter’s night. If you are displeased with this one or grow tired of his small body, I will relieve you of his burden.” Cali caught Balar’s warning look and rolled her eyes. “Yes we thank you for your assistance. But we would ask more of you.” She made a point of fussing with the strips of veil that barely covered her parts, rolling the vapor thin fabric between her fingers. “We are … underdressed for the terrain outside and cannot linger in your company overlong. Are you able to provide provisions for we who travel in such honorable company as the Jotun?”

The Viking leader gave a hearty laugh. “Ah you felt the touch of a Skratti I shall not deprive you of his services if you see fit to use them. Even as a male he holds great value. Our women have never been more fertile, his magics have given us strong sons and beautiful daughters. We are happy to assist your party and the Honorable one in any way. We returned to Midgard tomorrow should you be seeking passage you may join us on our return.” He offered. Mostly in the hope, the kindness would be returned in the honorable Jotun gracing his village with luck and prosperity.

“I think your Skratti felt the touch of me, but the Winter Wolf and I would like to explore that scenario further. When time permits of course.” Cali had crossed the small distance to Garm and was rubbing his jowls tenderly as his luminescent blue eyes narrowed and shifted to take in each of the men in turn. “I think you’ll find I can be very accommodating as well.”