Raven's Heart: The Isle of Mists

2.1. - The Pirates and the Pearls

"Slow down... slow down a bit, please!" Lirr sighed and finally decided to stop once she saw Rosmerta clutching one hand to her chest and desperately trying to catch her breath.

The white stone steps seemed to writhe in snake-like serpentines on and on forever. Castle Ysborg was connected with the harbour in several ways, but the serving men usually used these narrow, winding steps, closed with several massive gates leading directly to the merchant stalls and the market in the port.

"You always chase after something!" complained Rosmerta, still panting with exhaustion. Her prominent breasts swayed rhythmically under her blue-grey corset sewn with small white seashells. The seashells were an almost as important symbol of Ysborg as the silver griffin - the winged lion "Where are you hurrying so?"

Lirr rolled her eyes and said nothing. Every visit to the harbour was equally exciting to her, regardless of the weather, the time or day or season, so it was small wonder she could hardly wait when she could be there yet again. She longed to smell the familiar scents of the sea, the port and the moored ships, to talk with the sailors, the shopkeepers, the merchants and the pirates, to be, even if it was for a little while - herself, to be... almost at home.

" I beg your forgiveness, I was... lost in thought..." she smiled apologetically, winking at her at the same time. She knew very well that Rosmerta could never resist that. After all, underneath her stern mask of overbearing, burnt-pots-hating kitchen authority she was simply a caring, sincere woman.

" You little rogue!" she smiled back still clutching at her chest with just a tad too much exaggeration. One unruly wisp of her silvery hair somehow managed to escape her intricate head bun and fell down to her cheek "What am I to do with you?" she exclaimed scolding "Alright then" she finally waved her off looking resigned "Just go ahead, run wherever it is you were running. I have first to meet Olmert anyways."

Lirr had to command all her willpower not to dart ahead full speed right then.

"I will help you with the clams and the squids later, I promise" she smiled at the cook remorsefully while all the while shifting from one foot to the other and glancing anxiously down the stairs, now vibrating in the sun-heated air.

"Just go. Go!" she waved her off again, slightly angry now "I will seek you out when I will have need of you" she added but Lirr rather guessed than heard her last words as she was already on her way, rushing down and taking several steps in one leap.

With every new spiral turn, the murmur of the sea became clearer while the air was more and more saturated with the smell of salt and algae drying in the sun. Lirr quickly left Rosmerta far behind and reached the last gate that could only open from the inside, from the castle side. When she slammed shut the creaking heavy door behind her, she found herself in a small alley overgrown with wild vine. For some reason, this spot was much frequented by the harbour cats. One of them, a seasoned warrior, tailless and with only a chunk of his right ear left was lounging stoically near the wall, in a pool of shade which was now slowly melting. She grinned to herself and without thinking, bent down to pet him. As her hand was right above his head, the cat suddenly narrowed his green eyes virulently, arched his back forming an impressive bow and dashed out of her sight with a wild hiss. That abrupt movement startled her so much that she lost her balance for a second and fell flat on her face into the bush of wild vines.

"Damned, verminous... !" she started cursing under her breath.

"Krrrrr......!" a smug croak over her head interrupted the flow of curses to come. That was beyond belief. She looked up and now she in turn felt the urge to clutch at her chest, like Rosmerta. A huge, ink-black raven was circling dangerously low above her head. His piercing, obsidian glance held a bizarre depth as if there was something supernatural to the bird. The leaves of the wild vine moved gently at the thrust of his massive wings. She did not doubt, not for a second, that it was the same feral bird that irritated Cael so.