farsickness | solstice

When the festivities begin, Ubbe is in town gather more materials for his nearly completed boat. He's been occupying himself the best he can, trying hard not to think about the things that were going on back in his world. They must think him dead now, despite being told that time stood still while he was in Gazin. It was a hard thing to believe, especially since time was moving well enough in this world.

Ubbe is preparing to load up and leave before the storm sets in, but once outside, it's clear he will have to wait to return to the small settlement he's built for himself, where he's been building his boat.

Luckily, he finds company with the locals who are gathered around the large bonfire. It reminds him of Kattegat during the winter solstice and Jól and how his father, Ragnar, loved celebrating it. He's spent so much time thinking of his father as of recently, but at that moment, Ubbe thinks about his mother, Aslaug.

And of Lagertha, too.

Aella is feeling... some kind of way, out by the bonfire with some of the locals. It reminds her a lot of being in camp at night, after a long’s day travelling, of dealing with politics, or bandits, or everything ELSE they’d had to deal with since Ostagar. It makes her think about Zevran, and Sten... And Alistair. Which someone she’d MUCH rather not think about.

There are humans who aren’t such... shitweasels, though. (Much to her surprise.) There had been before, but they’d been few and far between. Morrigan. Even Leliana, although the fact that the elves’ suffering had reminded her of a song had... shocked her into silence. But here... they don’t seem to have the same issues with elves here that they do in Thedas. DEFINITELY not to the same fucking degree.

It’s nice.

She ends up meeting the eye of a tall man off to her right, and lifts her mug in a toast. “To a warm fire. Good drink.” She grins. “And a moment’s fucking peace.”

Ubbe notices the woman and lifts his cup of ale when he sees her do it first. She barely finishes speaking when he is huffing out a note of amusement at the truth of that, though since he's spent more of his time down on the shore, he hasn't really noticed much happening. In fact, the son of Ragnar has enjoyed the peace and quiet down there far more than he'll admit.

"Skål," he replies before taking a long drink. Ubbe glances over and shifts slightly, facing her more. "You have not had peace?"

To him, peace is rare, though perhaps it simply wasn't for him back in his world.

Aella huffs a wry laugh and takes a large swallow of her drink as she answers his shift with a little of her own. Easier to talk this way. “Not in a long fucking time,” she replies. “Not that there was much before... everything went to shit, but there was a little. Enough.” Elves didn’t have much peace in the alienage. But there had been some in her life, before her almost-wedding.

“I take it you haven’t either, then?”

He thinks about the question that is returned to him, realizing peace could be defined differently for everyone. Ubbe realizes his life has been as any other Viking man. There were times of great victory that brought great happiness and battle and war when peace happened after. If one lived.

Ubbe shrugs. "Nothing to dwell on. It is in the past now. I drink for today and tomorrow and then tomorrow I will drink to the next day."

She finds him, thoughtful and to the side. With already one drink in her system, she was feeling comfortable and loose, remembering the celebrations of the Dothraki. This was more subdued and tame, but still, the freedom and the joy was familiar to her.

Dany had been helping Ubbe with his boat, happily learning more about her childhood passion. The water called to her and she was eager for the wind to be in her hair again. It wouldn't compare to riding Drogon, but this was something she had missed as well since settling in Meereen.

She smiled at Ubbe, slipping by his side. "What are you thinking of tonight?"

He spots Daenerys before she makes it over to him and spends the time watching her, taking in her presence and the way she is with those she passes by. The time he has spent with her up to this point has been enjoyable, needed even. Ubbe has been told people can leave no sooner as they arrive, but feelings were developing.

Taking another mouthful of ale, Ubbe smiles warmly at her.

"Sailing. With you. Seeing what there is out there," he answers, glancing into the fire. Just like in any world, there will be excitement, but also the promise of dangers. "Are you sure you still want to come."

Ubbe knows her answer, yet he still wants that final confirmation.

"Of course, so long as the offer is still there." She said with a smile, already able to feel the water and wind in her hair. Having been in this world for so long and having remained in one place, she could feel herself feeling a bit restless. She couldn't say that being queen was something she would prefer to this slight freedom, but she did miss the lands she saw and the people that surrounded her.

There was still no Red Door here, so it still didn't feel like home. Which meant that she could only long for other horizons to explore.

"You must be as restless as I am. Your people travel far more than I do. I can imagine that the water is calling to you."

"Yes, it is," Ubbe answers, his smile growing momentarily over the rim of his glass before he downs two mouthfuls. There were only a few more things to do on the boat before one final trip to Gazin for provisions they would need before heading out.

He leans in a little and looks her in the eyes. "And what are you thinking tonight?"

She smiled at the deep blue of his eyes, so calming and beautiful, much like the waters that called to him. "Many things," she answered in a soft voice, holding his gaze as she moved closer. "Some things that are expected of a queen, others of a lonely woman. The rest, of someone who is happy in your company."

But he had to know that much. She hadn't hidden her admiration of him.

He hadn't hidden any of that from her either. She is a beautiful woman, how could he hide the arousal that comes from staring at her too long? Of course, it went beyond just physical attraction. She was smart, knowledgeable and curious. All the things that drove him a little wild.

As she gets closer, he moves an arm around her shoulder, bringing her body flush against his side.

"I will not expect anything from you as a queen, but I can help you be less lonely," Ubbe tells her, leaning in to brush his top lip against hers.

She allowed him to tug her, pleased by the gesture and the clear desire in his eyes. He had done a great deal to ease her time in this world, as well as make her feel that she had a life that could make her happy. Sailing, working with her hands and being cherished, it was all she had wanted, but never truly experienced.

Her head rested on his shoulder, as much of it as she could reach, given her smaller stature.

"I am no queen here. You have offered me something better."

solstice

Ubbe

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