When Wilkes meets a girl 2

As the lanterns were lit one by one, the mood settled in. Erik stumbled drunkenly out of the Tavern. His hair was pulled back behind his ears, revealing their elongated shape. Not full elven to the point of reaching out to his shoulders, but far and pointed enough to be noticeable. He covered them again when an older woman jovially pinched their points. The barge lad attempted poorly to hide how much he was blushing. It quickly sparked conversation amongst the gathered ladies that one of the town's newest sailors was a "fan of the classics" so to speak.

Wilkes milled about the early beginnings of the festival, lively music filled the air alongside idle chatter and laughter. The various booths set up allowed the other apprentices to show their learned skills. Tailors, weavers of cloth and basket, miners, the whole lot. The only booth that sat rather empty was of course the sailing one. Few children longed to be sailors, and fewer parents would indulge the idea.

"No, it's simply too risky for me to let you set off to sea. Now quit yer whining, you can be a tailor or a stable boy when you grow up." An older father crossed his arms while dealing with a wild young lad. The boy would be choosing his apprenticeship tonight as Wilkes and Erik left theirs alongside the others coming of full age tonight. As the boy tried to argue Wilkes noticed the same spark in his eye that every barge lad had at one point or another. A longing to see beyond the island. To feel the waves rock your body like a babe in the cradle. Part of him wanted to encourage the boy to seek it if he truly longed for it. The rest of him decided against it.

Instead, he wandered to the festival feast. Tables groaned beneath the bounty of fresh-caught fish, fruit, bread, vegetables, and, most importantly, ale. He fought the urge to lick his lips and lost. A drifting hand was caught by his mother. Dainty yet firm her fingers coiled around his wrist.

"Wilkes. Not until you are a sailor." she said sharply, letting his wrist go as he grumbled and trudged off. He wouldn't be a sailor for at least another two hours so it seemed time to mingle in earnest. Erik was already dancing about with some redhead Wilkes didn't recognize. He internally congratulated his friend. He cast his gaze like a fishing net, repeatedly and withdrawing when he couldn't feel anything pull it further.

Out of desperation to not be the only one twiddling his thumbs he approached a sort of plan. First he managed to get his hands on two pints of ale. Second he approached Beatrice. Her skin was an unripe olive complexion, a black braid ran to the small of her back with the bones of small creatures woven in. Her dress for the night was a mix of furs and leather. She looked like a proper hunter's apprentice. Perhaps a huntress and a sailor could work more than he thought.

"G'evenin' Bea. How's intimidating your way into a lover working?" Wilkes had decided to tease her as an icebreaker.

"About as well as you milling about without your boyfriend." She responded with a half snarl. Her resemblance to the captain made itself clear. Somehow he felt a chuckle rise out of himself. That seemed to confuse her as a smile spread across her own face.

"Ah, so swimmingly? That's good considering you decided on that dress for the night. Isn't it the same one your last suitor ran away screaming from?" He pressed further on the banter side of things. She feigned a gasp and jokingly reached for a knife at her hip.

"If he didn't want a demonstration he shouldn't have brought up the rights of Testero." She then drew the knife and played with it briefly, seeming to toy with it. A dangerous glint in her eyes shone as she stared him down. "Why ya askin'? Wanna bang the bosses daughter into owning the shop?"

Wilkes choked on his pint of ale as her chest pressed against his. Her breath was hot on his face as she whispered in his ear.

"Hmm that doesn't strike me as a no. C'mon Willy, you know who you have to get approval from besides me from that." She leaned in closer, the cobbled stones proving an easier terrain for her than him. Swaying sea legs hardly were a match for the stride of a huntress. "Half the girls on the island want you. Haven't you noticed how many angry glares I'm getting right now?"

Wilkes cast his gaze around again, he spotted several women his age doing one of three things. Drinking their own glasses and casting their gaze away from him was the most common answer. Dancing with someone else but occasionally casting longing glances was the second. Finally there were the few openly gawking at his closeness to his boss's daughter. Before he could respond a green hand rested on his shoulder. He followed up the limb to stare into Rangpar's smiling face.

"Friend Wilkes! Good meeting times! You wish to court my cousin and make many strong babies? A clan fit to hunt and dominate the wild life yes?" The orc smiled down at him and Wilkes couldn't help but notice the newest addition to his necklace. The tooth of the last sailor that upset him.

"Well Rangpar ol' buddy, your cousin is quite the lass, but I think two people searching for game to put on the table leaves none to watch the babies." Wilkes said as calmly as he could manage, watching the reaction on both his conversation partner's faces.

"Hmmm, unattended babies are bad yes. That is how Dellin takes babies to the fairy land. Is very bad. You are smart man Wilkes of no clan. Smart indeed." The green giant nodded sagely before removing his hand. Wilkes gave a passing glance to Beatrice before scampering off. It seemed the huntress was as fond of him as any, but chose to respect his choice in leaving their conversation.

He would still feel her eyes on him like a prey to be caught for the rest of his time on Thellin. Poor bastard had cemented himself as the one that got away. Dodging this glance is what led to him bumping into Hannah. Blonde curls and a dusting of flour puffed up from the impact. She managed to catch herself by wrapping arms around his neck and staring up at him. Eyes as blue and gentle as a tide pool.

"Oh, Wilkes, how nice to bump into you." She giggled, letting her hands run over his chest as she breaks the connection. Something stirs in him at the touch. The movement seems practiced, guiding but gentle. Her own callouses were present, but softer than his. Dough versus hempen rope he guessed. He found his hands around her midsection. She was plumper than the typical lean islander. Likely from a diet of bread and butter. The slight pudge was only a mild distraction as he focused on using his upper head.

"Likewise Hannah... have you been havin' a fun night so far?" The sailor to be struggled not to be awkward as he felt eyes still boring into him. He sipped his ale idly, trying to avoid being drunk or parched. Her eyes seemed to study him like bread in a window.

"I am, much more since running into you. I saw you talking with Beatrice, but I take it Rangpar scared you off? He's kinda scary isn't he?"

"Only as scary as he needs to be. He's as tough as they come, but that's what makes him the muscle y'know?" Wilkes mused, thinking about all the times Rangpar had gotten into fights would have kept him busy all night. The tooth necklace was proof enough anyways.

"I guess so, but the scariest thing I usually work with is the oven. It gets really hot in there sometimes, in the kitchen I mean, obviously it gets hot in the oven. That's the whole point." Hannah began to ramble and it was actually kind of charming. She prattled on about tending the flames, kneading the dough, and more. As she spoke he found himself watching how her eyes would light up when he asked questions and truly engaged with her. The way her golden curls would bounce as she occasionally turned her head to greet someone else. The underlying hunger in her eyes whenever his hands would rest on her as they danced off and on. The ale was beginning to do the talking.

"You know Hannah, I think you'd make a great wife someday."

Hannah stares at him wide eyed as she flushes. She stammers a moment. Wilkes freezes in turn. His eyes equally wide.

"Err as in to say that-" he began

"Well thank you that's-" she attempted to respond

"Not that I wouldn't but that's rather sudden-" he continued to stumble

"I wouldn't mind if we were but-" she was equal parts blush and fluster

"I'm sorry!" the two blurt out together, before quickly embracing and separating for the rest of the night. Hannah continually milled about with women and was all smiles. Wilkes was at the tavern until the feast starts.