It’s been a hundred million years since I thought about this but @aedancousland posting that snippet of a shanty got me listening to them again and now I’m thinking about the warrior Origins playthrough I started with Iain Hartshorn (a Cousland cousin) and suddenly I feel like he should become a sailor at some point in his life and fall in love with it
distant friendly conversation (concrete example: If I stay the night at my grandmother’s, I leave the door open a crack so I can hear the ladies talking downstairs)
It would be a lie to say I didn’t enjoy writing Aedan and Frieda being adorable friends and listening to For The Dancing And The Dreaming #bardswillbebards, @aedancousland
The Inn was quiet, but it was a tranquillity he welcomed. Going over his maps once more, he listened to one of the travelling musician’s efforts of tuning his lute, Frieda’s rhythmic washing of the last dishes and the warm whisper of the fire. As the feeling of home caught his heart, Aedan hummed quietly to himself, only to be interrupted.
“The song you just hummed…I think, I know it.”
That’s how a lot of their conversations started. Aedan smiled and gestured at the seat by his side, once more humming the familiar melody. In her brown eyes, he saw recognition, thus, he started, with a low voice, the same ritual they always did.
“I’ll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne’er fear of drowning,
And gladly ride the waves of life if you will marry me.
No scorching sun, nor freezing cold will stop me on my journey,
If you will promise me your heart and love me for eternity?”
He saw her eyes turning warmer and within a moment, she had taken his arm, picking up the pitch and continued in swift Anders.
“Mein Liebster, ach klingt mir dein Lied so machtvoll und verwegen…“,
laughing she put one hand on her hip. Aedan understood and swiftly got hold of her right hand, leading her two the empty space in the middle of the tavern, stepping in rhythm to her singing. Her voice did not shiver, just remained warm and strong,
“Kein starkes Wort brauch’ ich, wenn sich deine Arme um mich legen.”
The traveller, picking up on their dancing played as they sang, a happy mixture of languages and laughter as Aedan lead her skilfully through the room, that slowly filled with the music of their voices and languages, the sound of their steps on the wooden floor, Frieda’s sweeping dress and the playful tune.
The faster they sung, the faster they danced, ending with Aedan grabbing her by the waist and twirling her around while her voice broke into a high mix of giggles. Carefully, he set Frieda back to her feet, though she still kept holding to him.
“You’re a good dancer!”, she smiled, “The best I have ever met.”
Smirking, her moved a few streaks of her hair back behind her ear, while she found herself hesitantly letting go of his tunic, her hands just shaking a little,
“Then you haven’t met many dancers.”
With a swift motion she got to her tiptoes and leaned forward, placing her lips against his cheek for just a moment. Furrowing his brows, he touched the spot, the kiss over as fast as it had begun. Seeing the question in her eyes, she started to laugh nervously, a faint blush spreading over her cheeks,
“You need to dance with her, Wächter. At least once.”
“Why?”
“Because it feels like flying, and who wouldn’t like to fly?”, unbraiding her hair, Frieda took a step back, “Even sparrows like me get a bit bold then.”
“So you decide to kiss me?”, he chuckled, watching her almost fall over her own feet, “I am thankful for the sentiment but I do not see the connection between your suggestion of me dancing with someone else and your action, Morgentau.”
The smile she gave to him was almost puckish but, thinking back about their dance, he would have preferred and explanation.