((OOC: You know, the more you talk about Ryka's loneliness the more I get the impression you want something to happen between DJ and her. Unless you want Ryka to get it on with Azonthus...
((OOC: Actually, I have been dropping in stuff that DJ likes her. I just don't feel comfortable taking over the Ryka character and creating some RP romance on my own. Besides, she's a grieving widow. I'm not quite sure whether it's appropriate for DJ to take advantage of that raw emotional vulnerability.
((OOC: Besides, the first thing i wanted to indicate with that post was the building of even larger weaponry, as shown by the schematics of the seige engines (AKA Tyrannosaur harpoon).))
- Aric
EDIT -
((OOC: Okay, here's the part that sets off the relationship between Ryka and DJ.))
* * * * * *
Ryka pulled at the weeds in the flowerbed just as she had pulled weeds out of her vegetable garden back home. The earth was still warm from the day that was now receding from the sky. On her knees, she held clumps of weeds in both of her hands. She sat back on her haunches. Looking at the small criss-crosses made by the force of tearing out the roots of weeds, she couldn’t help but see those cracks in the dirt as a mirror of her own broken life. Her home was gone, burnt and wasted away by Kegato. Her mate, the other portion of her soul was dead. And now, she was lost in a strange and foreign land. She looked up at the rooms. Azonthus and DJ were up there. But she didn’t know them well. Not enough for her to trust them completely, even though they had been nothing but courteous to her. DJ even saved her life. Twice. But she still felt the urge to bolt out of the city and run blindly into the Rainy Basin. She could not take having to sit in a room while Kegato roamed free in this land. Perhaps he was already in the Rainy Basin, closer to the key fragment there than she was.
Still, it was getting dark. And even though she could see perfectly well by the stars and moon, she suspected that the carnivorous beasts of the Basin could as well. She had to stay the night at the inn as a matter of necessity. The convoy that would be waiting for her in the morning would get her safely into the Basin. At least to a point.
The prudence of her decision to stay did not change the fact that she still felt disconnected. The inn itself did not matter to her. The flowerbed she was sitting in did not matter to her. As nice as Tianni and the people who helped her feel welcome were, they did not matter as well.
Why was she doing this? It was a noble cause to prevent the suffering of others, which was sure to happen should Kegato get all the pieces. But it was too abstract. At the end of the day, it didn’t give her life meaning. Was she doing this just because she hated Kegato? She didn’t want to live on hate and resentment alone. That would consume her alive and perhaps even be the death of her if she wasn’t careful.
Not that death meant anything to her. She was prepared to die when Lian died.
Is that it? she thought.
Am I here just to die? That wasn’t quite what she wanted at all.
She knew what she wanted. To laugh heartily at someone’s jokes. To feel another’s touch on her bare skin. She wanted someone she could open up to and be herself around. No more faces of anger or aggression to put on a show. She wanted someone she could share her life with. She wanted someone she would live for, not die for.
She looked up to the heavens. “Lian,” she whispered. “I do love you. That will never change. I wish I were with you now. But as much as I feel that way about you, I want to
live.” She felt hot tears rolling down her cheek. “What should I do?”
She looked down at the flowerbed before her. Drops of her tears had moistened the split soil. Eventually, the wind and rain would fill in the cracks. All things healed and renewed in due course.
But that took time.
Ryka gently patted the earth and smoothed out the fractures on her own. She stood up amongst the flowers and looked at the palms of her hands. They were slender, but not soft. Years of work had shaped them and her, and gave her strength. She had been so willing to storm Kegato’s castle and jump into the interdimensional gate. She smiled gently to herself. “I think I need to move forward, Lian.”
Ryka noticed that her hands were dirty. She knew of one place where she could wash up.
She strode out of the garden and back into the inn, where she walked up the staircase. She strolled up to the bath’s door, which was closed. Ryka lightly knocked on the hard wood surface. She could hear DJ’s muffled voice responding from inside. She didn’t quite hear what he said. Considering the quality of her hearing, he was probably mumbling just to let someone know he was inside. The last time she checked, the bathroom was meant to service several people at once. She took some comfort at the similarity with bathing in her own country. Most bathrooms were communal back in her part of Nekonia. Families often bathed together. The one on this floor of the inn was no different.
She gently tested the knob, and sure enough, it wasn’t locked – no communal bath had to be. Ryka slowly pushed against the door, not letting one squeak come out of the metal hinges. A large tiled wall stood shortly across from the door to secure a bit of privacy for the occupants. To the left and right, the room opened up to an interior covered with sealed tile. She looked around the left corner to see how many people were using the room. A casual glance informed her that only DJ was in there. She should have figured as much since there was only one pair of slippers propped up against the privacy wall.
DJ was at the opposite end of the room. Oil lamps were lit due to the sunset. His back was turned to her as he sat naked on a wooden stool next to a tiled tub that was filled with steaming hot water. DJ was hunched over a bit, lathering a sponge with soap to wipe the grime off his body before he entered the water. Ryka could see that her initial impression of him was correct. She thought he was almost criminally soft. He wasn’t fat by any means, but his muscles weren’t taut from labor. His skin was smooth and light. His robes and floppy hat probably always shaded him from the harsh sunlight. Undoubtedly, he hardly ever had to work in the sun. Shaded by tents and pavilions when looking over scrolls and texts, he would not have to suffer from the premature wrinkling inflicted upon those who had no choice but to work outdoors.
DJ applied the sponge to the bruise on his arm. Ryka thought he was going to wipe the area before applying the salve. That injury showed to her that he wasn’t
that soft. He could take a little punishment. He would do so for her.
Ryka shook her head to rattle the vanity from her mind. She knew he liked her in some way, but would he put himself in danger just for her? Wouldn’t he do the same for others? He might, but she didn’t know him well enough to say for sure.
She felt a little guilty just standing there peeking around the corner and looking upon DJ. Ryka went back to the door and opened and shut it normally and loudly. Then she took off her moccasins ((OOC: or whatever the heck she has for footwear)) and turned around the corner into the main bathing area.
DJ definitely heard the door open the second time. He looked over his shoulder to see who came in. His eyes widened as he saw Ryka walking over to his corner. He quickly turned his attention back to the sponge before him. DJ could hear the padding of her bare feet on the tiles getting more pronounced as she neared him. He heard her pick up a stool and place it in front of the spigot fountain adjacent to the one he was using. His face reddened as he heard her remove her leather vest and leggings. Ryka tossed the soiled clothing to the bench a few feet behind them. The clothes landed with a muffled thump.
Ryka asked, “Are you sick?” DJ started at the sound of Ryka’s voice.
DJ stuttered. “Wh- what?”
“Are you sick? Your face is all red.”
DJ shook his head a little too wildly. “No, I’m not sick. This is what happens when I get embarrassed.”
“You’re embarrassed to be around me?”
“Yes! I mean, no- I…” DJ inhaled deeply. “Where I come from, communal nudity isn’t exactly the norm.”
Ryka sniffed. “I thought you had been here for years. You didn’t get used to bathing nude around your fellow Dinotopians?”
DJ frowned. “No, I did. It’s just that… Why are you here? There’s an entire room you can use.”
Ryka felt the urge to get irritated. But it occurred to her that she might simply use that irritation as an excuse to push DJ away. Then a light went off in her head.
He’s probably using his embarrassment to push me away, she thought. Push her away from what, though?
Ryka spoke up. “I need to talk to you about tomorrow. And, I need to get clean. Being here is the best way I can get both done quickly. And you might want to start cleaning your own dirty self up rather than just sitting there like an indignant child.”
DJ had the sponge pressed up against the bruise on his left arm, but he hadn’t moved it. Ryka simply turned to face her part of the wall. She tried to reach back and undo the cotton taping that secured her breasts. Pain shot through her left arm and shoulder as she forgot that an arrow had hit there a couple of days before. She hissed as she whipped her arm back in front of her.
DJ had stopped on the scrubbing that he had started on the moment she turned away from him. He could see that she was favoring her shoulder and upper arm. Sitting on the stool, he nervously wondered what to do. He finally spoke up timidly. “Do you need help with that?”
Ryka regarded him for a moment. “Yes, please.” She shifted on her stool so that her back faced DJ. He looked for the ends of the cotton tape that were tied together to prevent her underwear from unraveling. He spotted the knot. It looked like one of the gauze knots that the Bonabba doctor usually tied. DJ realized that the doctor needed to remove the tape in order to examine the wound. Obviously, he would be the one to re-wrap the underwear. Having seen the knot many times before, DJ easily untied it. He then went back to wiping the bruise on his arm quite studiously, cradling it in front of his torso.
Once the knot was undone, Ryka could easily unwind the cotton wrap from around her upper torso. The weight seemed to lift from her chest as she flung the tape back onto the vest and pants. She turned back to the wall and saw a tin chain with a handle dangling at the end connected to one of the overhead pipes. A good tug brought both a weight up and opened the big faucet. A thick stream of warm water arced down to her head, almost crashing on her entire body. A lot of the water splashed on DJ as well. He chuckled at the sight of a sheepish expression softening Ryka’s normally intense face while her shoulders scrunched up. The counterweight fell back down and closed the faucet, reducing the flow down to a trickle, then to a complete stop.
Ryka shook her head, sending sprinkles of water everywhere. The ears on top of her head twitched. When she started removing her girdle, DJ turned back to his own business. He eventually heard her start on her own scrubbing with a washcloth she picked up from the shelves on the side of the privacy wall that was facing them.
They cleaned up in silence. DJ began applying some of the salve Tianni left when Ryka finally broke the silence. “What are your intentions?” she asked.
Taken aback, DJ said straight out, “Nothing but honorable. I wouldn’t take advantage of you even if I could!”
Ryka rolled her eyes a little, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. “I meant with the key fragments. What do you and Magnus intend to do with them if you ever possess all of them.”
DJ felt himself redden again. “Oh. Well, Magnus said he would look up any information about any sort of gate here on Dinotopia. He said that we might be able to use your key fragments to send you back home.”
Ryka lowered her eyes. “I don’t think that’s how it works. I… I don’t even know if the gate from my realm works anymore.”
“But you don’t know for sure, do you? It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“Do you want me to go?”
DJ drew back a little in surprise. “I… What do you mean?”
Ryka shrugged. “You seem so ready to send me home. I almost think you want me gone.”
DJ sputtered. “I thought that’s what you wanted!”
“I have nothing back there! No home, no husband… No future. I won’t go back, even if I could.”
Ryka pulled the lever again and sent another stream of water down upon her, washing away the soapsuds on her body. Then, she abruptly got up and brushed past DJ, who averted his eyes. He heard her lightly splash the surface of the water in the tub. He realized she was testing the temperature. Before he could say anything, she lowered herself into the water. DJ’s jaw dropped as Ryka took his bath. He clung to the edge of the tub, staring at her sitting in the bath he drew for himself. The water had a lot of added mineral properties in it, making it dark enough to hide whatever parts of her were below the water level.
Ryka leisurely stretched in the hot water, letting it come up to her shoulders and even her neck. Her arms were laid back against the edge of the tub. Wisps of steam danced around her arms and face. She noticed DJ looking at her in a dejected fashion. “This tub is more than enough for two, you know.”
DJ’s mouth shut closed, but he didn’t move. Ryka smiled and closed her eyes. She could almost hear his thoughts grinding in his head deciding whether he should get in the tub or not. After a half minute, she heard him pull the lever to his own spigot to wash himself off. Then she heard the soft disturbance of water as he slowly came into the tub.
DJ almost huddled as far away from Ryka as he could, but then he realized his salved arm was getting in the water. He then laid his left arm along the edge of the tub, getting comfortable in that position. For a while, neither spoke. Instead, they absorbed the reinvigorating heat from the hot water. The ambient heat relaxed both figures. DJ almost lost his nervousness, though he was still quite aware of Ryka sitting naked in the water across from him.
After a long silence, Ryka asked, “What’s the nature of this convoy that Magnus has set up for us?”
“It’ll probably be a relatively small convoy. One sauropod to carry most of the supplies and the tribute of smoked fish. A crew of humans and perhaps a few smaller saurians. Typically there would be ceratopsians in the group to ward off attacks to the convoy’s flanks, but I don’t know how well-protected the convoy will be considering how quickly the whole thing is being put together.”
Ryka chewed it over. “How far will the convoy take us?”
“A small convoy like that won’t be able to go far into the Rainy Basin. The carnivores don’t usually feel they have to attack us to survive; they subsist largely on the dying and on tribute from the civilized parts of the island. But I wouldn’t count on their courtesy lasting long enough to roam the Basin freely. Not with the meager tribute that we’ll probably be able to scrounge up. There will come a time when the convoy will have to turn back and head to the nearest civilized area. We could either go with them, or we can choose to go off on our own…”
Ryka nodded in understanding. “Do you think we can make it on our own?”
DJ shrugged. “Maybe. Azonthus is with us and the Basin is her home. We might be able to take refuge with her clan.”
He didn’t mention that the squad of soldiers - what he thought would be his ace against Kegato - would probably turn back with the convoy. That is, if Magnus didn’t give them stricter orders to obtain the key fragment.
Ryka sensed that he was leaving something out. “What are you thinking about?”
“Um… why do you ask?”
Ryka said slowly. “It just looked like you had something on your mind.”
DJ looked expressionlessly at her. A part of Ryka wished that he wasn’t trying to come up with a lie. And yet the other part of her that knew people could tell that he was.
Please, tell me the truth, she thought.
He wrestled with the notion of telling her about the soldiers. Looking at her face, he saw that she had an almost pleading countenance to her face. Finally, he spoke up. “I… I was just wondering how you felt about having some of the crewmen armed?”
Her ears perked up. “What do you mean? Isn’t this normal?”
DJ shook his head. “Convoy crew are often armored, but not actually armed with weapons. There’s a relatively widespread taboo against it. Not to mention that the carnivores of the basin might take it as a threat.”
Ryka asked, “And why would these crewmen be armed?”
DJ paused, almost ready to stonewall her right then and there. She leaned forward and moved across the tub. Taking his left hand into both of hers, she asked again, “Why would these crewmen be armed?”
He looked into her eyes. She seemed so desperately in need of an honest answer. DJ could only think of the touch of her hands on his. He could feel the electric presence of her body.
Finally, he sighed and said, “They’re soldiers. Or at least, what constitutes soldiers around here.”
Ryka sat upright in the water.
So, Magnus has sent soldiers to accompany us, she thought. She looked at DJ. “Why are they there?”
“To protect us against Kegato.”
“Really? Then why didn’t you tell me they were there?”
DJ shifted. “Technically they’re not supposed to exist. Dinotopia hasn’t had official soldiers in a very long time. It still doesn’t have them.”
Ryka frowned at his meaning. “Then what are they? DJ, you’re speaking cryptically.”
“They’re supposed to be a secret. The councils don’t know they exist.”
“But Magnus knows.”
DJ said flatly. “He’s only one of a handful of councilors who does.”
Ryka’s face betrayed shock. She should have gotten used to it by now, but this place had no shortages of surprises. Then something occurred to her. “How do
you know about this?”
DJ’s face reddened for the third time, but this was because of shame. “I helped start this force shortly after I first came here.”
Is this the big secret that kept him so aloof? Ryka thought to herself. Then she shook her head. “Wait,” she said. “Everything I’ve seen about Dinotopia tells me that there has been unprecedented peace on this island for years, if not centuries. And the carnivores seem content to stay in the Basin. Why start now at creating this army?”
“Not everyone in this world follows Dinotopia’s philosophy. The leaders of the civilization I came from are more like Kegato then Dinotopians. They would not hesitate to conquer this island should they ever find out about its existence. And they would eventually win, too. The people of this island have no idea what’s in store for them. Steam ships lined with cannons. Ironclads that are impervious to cannon balls. Armies consisting of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. I think the outside world has more soldiers than Dinotopia has inhabitants.
“Kegato’s arrival has only sped up what would have happened already. Magnus was biding his time to build up the resources and put his operatives in place before announcing to all of Dinotopia about his new army.”
Ryka said softly. “I don’t think the carnivores would like that.”
DJ nodded. “That’s why we’re developing weapons to prevent them from going into a berserker rage against us.”
She remembered back to DJ’s room, the books with schematics showing what looked like gigantic crossbows. Then she shook her head again. “Wait, how does Magnus expect to pull this off? Would Dinotopians just sit back and accept this? I don’t think they will if this had to be done in secret.”
“What are you saying?” DJ asked.
“DJ, did it ever occur to you that Magnus might want to seize power for himself?”
“He wouldn’t do that!”
“How do you know?”
DJ faltered. “I just know…” He trailed off, his words sounding uncertain.
Ryka pressed him further. “Who controls this force?”
DJ didn’t answer. His silence was answer enough.
Ryka spoke gently. “I know you thought you were doing the right thing, but nothing that was lastingly good ever came of secrecy. That’s where the bad elements of society dwell and scheme.”
Worry clouded DJ’s face. She thought maybe she had pushed him too far. She moved through the water to his right. She took his right arm and put it around her shoulders. “I’m glad you told me the truth.”
DJ had laid it all bare before Ryka. He had nothing substantial to hide anymore. “I’m glad I told you.”
Ryka rested her head against DJ’s shoulder. “Why did you choose to tell me at all?”
“Because you asked,” he said softly.
Then DJ grinned. “And the fact that you’re naked helped a lot.”
Ryka splashed water toward his face. “What are we going to do about the soldiers?”
“I don’t see why we can’t have them along for now. They might be useful if we ever encounter Kegato.”
“And if the convoy has to turn back before we meet him?”
DJ shrugged his left shoulder. “Then I guess they have to turn back.”
“Would Magnus allow that?”
He remained silent.
Ryka asked, “Does Azonthus know?”
DJ shook his head.
She asked, “Do you make it a habit of lying to the people who care about you?”
He stiffened a bit. “I don’t think my friends have to know everything about me.”
Ryka lifted her head from his shoulders and looked into his eyes. “So, what does this make me?”
DJ timidly returned her gaze. “I… I’d like to think – that is… I like you. More than I do Azonthus, that is. I mean, in that way…”
So, he said it. It was a little awkward, but at least it didn’t involve him jumping in front of Kegato’s blade.
She said in return, “I think I feel the same way.”
“You do?” DJ said, eagerness inflecting his words.
Ryka smiled. “It’s been two years since Lian died. He’s still a part of my life back in Nekonia. But, I was hoping that you wanted the job of being a part of my life in the here and now. I just didn’t want to be alone anymore.”
DJ had no more words. Having spent two days dancing around his underlying feeling towards Ryka, he didn’t know how to reply. All he did was bring her in close to his side and embrace her tighter than before.
She didn’t resist. They sat there in the hot steaming water, drinking in the company of each other’s presence.