Living Arrangements (Kovac)

[Shayth]

Standing face to face with the man, Shayth held her ground as the moment dragged on. The avora's eyes had taken on a less concerned gleam and instead drew her in and caused her pulse to quicken. She could read where his mind had gone without even having to speak. Silently, the endal hoped she wasn't blushing.

Finally he spoke, and the rider let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding. Moving as he did, Shayth collected his weapons - admiring the bow as she did so. It was a fine piece, well made and perfectly strung. What more did she expect from an archer? Hitching the quiver over her head with a grimace, she waited for Kovac to finish packing and allowed the pain in her side to subside. Looking around the tiny room, Shayth nodded.

"If that's everything, then lets go." She said, bringing her gaze back to the avora. Moving to the door, she opened it and stepped out, proceeding to lead the man back through the commons towards the aerie when he was ready.

[Kovac]

As Shayth and Kovac left his room behind and made their way through the warrens, Dek, Chiet and Avora alike made way for the tall female Endal, who seemed to strut through the corridors like a lioness among herd animals. Few dared to meet her sapphire gaze, none addressed her. The black-haired half-blood with his arms piled high with clothes and possessions made an effort to match Shayth's long legged strides. Many of the denizens they passed did glance at the archer, giving him looks ranging from jealousy to pity. They knew, or thought they knew, what was going on. Endals took what and who they wanted for whatever reason they saw fit. It was the order of things in Wind Reach, it was part of the hierarchy of Inarta society, which had kept their race alive and strong. The hunter shrugged off the glaring eyes, keeping his spine erect and his head high in attempt to maintain some semblance of pride. He did not want to appear the brow beaten underling following the Rider like a whipped dog. But he did reluctantly drop a step back, still at her side, to allow her to forge the way through the busy hallways. Something told the Avora that giving some deference to the upper caste woman was wise. It would not benefit him to compromise Shayth's authority in the eyes of others. The snarky mongrel could not help himself though, and at one point turned and barked sharply at a Chiet who seemed to stare with prying eyes. The man jumped back, raising his arm in front of him as if warding off an attack. Kovac laughed out loud. Kovac felt a nervous churning in his gut, and, as usual, he turned to sarcasm to distract himself. "Rider, I do hope you plan on giving me some privacy, my work is hard, and sometimes I find the need to enjoy recreation with whatever Drudge may be on hand." He wasn't sure why he would poke Shayth with such a particularly barbed jab. He was like a boy who could not keep himself from nudging the hornets nest with a stick, just to see how much it took to make them mad. Kovac then found that he had instinctively braced himself for retaliation.

[Shayth]

Walking with her chin high and her gaze determined, Shayth led the avora through the commons. Her eyes didn't see what Kovac's did. Instead, she saw people envious and slightly afraid. It was an honour to be chosen by an endal - sometimes. And surely these people knew Kovac - or of him. He wouldn't just lie down and grovel or take flack. Striding confidently, the endal marched through towards the more crowded hallway. A sudden sound from Kovac surprised the redhead, and she watched the avora as he chuckled - traumatised chiet in his wake.

Listening to him talk, the tall woman was taken aback by the comment. Of course, they had never said they were a couple as such...and there was nothing official about them...Shayth had never expressed exclusiveness. But, why would he say that? Didn't the petching arse just sort of admit to having feelings for her in his room? Unable to help herself, the endal strode a little harder and the muscle in her jaw twitched.

"Well, its your room. Your rights. Of course. As long as it doesn't affect your training." Her voice was strained as she attempted to remain casual. Climbing the pathway leading into the aerie, Shayth swallowed back the anger and even a little hurt.

"Just don't come looking for me on a cold night. I may well be out...socialising." The tone of her voice was more suggestive than it had a right to be. There was no socialising, no flirtatious nights in the tavern or one night stands. There was Turiska. And now, Kovac. Still, the rider didn't want to appear the jealous...

Girlfriend? What a stupid word. It wasn't like that anyway. It was just an...arrangement.

Reaching her room, the endal threw the ornate doors open harder than she meant to. Indeed, she had told the truth. The round common room was empty of human activity, dust settling on the carved shelves. Glass ornaments glittered in the morning light coming through the open archway to Turiska's nesting room. From the ceiling an unused candelabra hung, candles new as the day they were bought. Reaching one of the doorways, Shayth pushed it open. There was a guest room, with a thickly padded ground cover piled with warm furs and cushions. There were niche's in the walls for small torches and candles.

"This will be your room. Over to your right is the store room and then across from you, the bathing chamber." Pausing, she crossed her arms.

"The other is my room." It was brief, short even. The endal was trying not to yell at the avora for his comment. Who does that?! Petching archer!

[Kovac]

The words just rolled out of his mouth, having welled up out of some dark recess of his cynical mind that was bent on sabotaging anything good in his life. Once they were out, he knew the strutting Shayth did not find it amusing, as her long strides lengthened, causing the shorter Avora to speed up to match her new pace. As they ascended into the Aeries, Kovac could here the constraint in her curt, barbed reply, his poorly chosen jibe had surely hit a nerve with her. Petching idiot. He liked her, and not just for a free ride or a tumble. Both of them were head strong and in denial of what was going on, he realized, Each unwilling to admit they actually liked the other. If he didn't like her, why would he feel bad about his snarky joke, and if she didnt like him, why did she react so sharply? Kovac sighed, they were a couple of messed up people. Arriving at her home, the storming Endal threw open the door, and Kovac followed her inside tentatively. He did not see the massive eagle, but half expected her huge head to appear out of nowhere and tear his arm off with her razor sharp beak. The place had an emptiness to it, though it was not bare. It was apparent Shayth did not entertain guests often. He felt almost bad for her. She gave the archer a quick tour. The room she offered him was appealing, the pile of furs and cushions looking infinitely more cozy than his small hard bed. She finished her brief and rather unwelcoming introduction to the aerie and glared at him, arms crossed in a very effective ruling caste posture. He had stoked the fiery rider's wrath, and now the smarmy Avora struggled to find a way to control the damage he had done without losing face. Setting down the pile in his arms, Kovac tried to muster a crooked smile. "This is a great place, with a room like that, what reason would I have to leave." He shifted uncomfortably under the baleful gaze of his not-girlfriend. Then his grin turned truly devious. In depseration he turned to blatant flattery. "Nor why would I need to bring in a lowly drudge when I lived with such an attractive, irrisistable benefactor?" He took a few slow, swaying steps towards her as he spoke. He stopped in front of Shayth, flashing her a playful look, one eyebrow cocked.

[Shayth]

Shayth continued to scowl at the archer, blue eyes blazing as he put down his things. What was the point in getting so angry. He clearly hadn't made any commitments to her...and neither she to him. An arrangement, for true training purposes. Thats all this was. Still....maybe she'd put more heart into it than she'd meant to.

Watching the avora as he admired her home, the rider looked around. It was a nice place, previously lived in by artisan and rider alike. But Shayth never really noticed it. Never paid much attention. Everything she did, every breath she took and move she made evolved around Turiska. An endal didn't have time for...pretty things...when there was a wind eagle to tend to.

As Kovac came closer, the redhead wanted to slap the cheeky smile off his face. It drove her nuts, his swaggering ego and over confidence...and the way he seemed to think a suggestive jibe and lopsided grin would just melt her. The fact that it actually did only made her angrier. Petching men!

"Attractive? Irresistible? Hmph." Reaching up, she took quiver from her shoulder and dropped it, along with the sword. Slipping the bow gingerly from her torso, the endal placed it on the ground as well. Standing before the irritating man, Shayth pursed her lips.

"How attractive?" Her voice had taken on a slightly huskier tone, and she lowered her head to look at him through thick lashes. Deviously, she hooked a thumb in the side of her bryda, resting it there and pulling the cloth dangerously low on her hip. Biting her lower lip slightly, she sighed softly.

"I mean...are you sure this is...irresistible?" Moving closer to the man, she rested her fingers gently on his abdomen, slowly trailing her nails ever so lightly up his sternum, across his clavicle and down his jaw. Her mouth hovered only a hairs breadth away from his own, breath tickling his lips.

"Because...if you want to have this again..." Leaning past his mouth, she brushed her lips against his earlobe, speaking softly.

"If you ever want to feel this again..." The hand hooked in her bryda moved to brush past his pants lightly, before disappearing. Pulling back, Shayth looked into his captivating green eyes, heartbeat in her throat.

"Don't you ever bring a filthy, stinking, whoring drudge into my house." Her voice had lost its seductive edge and her body language turned cold. Turning away from him, the endal bent down to pick up his weapons, pulse racing in her veins. The closeness, the authority - it all gave her an adrenaline rush and only served to set her nerves on edge. It was violently hard not to just grab the avora and well....

"Ah, petching hell!" Shayth swore violently as she stood up, gasping as the sharp knife like pain pierced her side. It was a physical reminder that she'd welcomed this into her life - boyfriend or not. Gritting her teeth, the redhead kept her back turned to Kovac.

"If you laugh at this, I will petching kill you." She growled through her teeth.

[Kovac]

The Avora saw the aggravation in Shayth's steel blue eyes, but he held firm to his sardonic grin. There was a moment of contention, which would fold, or rather, would the Rider back down or strike him. To his surprise, her anger melted into something more sultry. The Endal had a knack for shifting persona on Kovac, leaving him off-balance. So, while his irritating smirk fell from his face, his eyes widened slightly. Her attempt at seduction was as obvious as his attempt to flatter her. However, Shayth's tactics proved more effective. As she approached the archer, dripping with sensuality, his body betrayed him, causing his breath to grow quick and shallow and a sheen of sweat to appear on his brow. Her touch was electric, and while her full red lips were so close to his, it took all he had not to close the hair's breath between them to lay a big wet kiss on her mouth. He held his ground, understanding they still stood in Wind Reach, and by law she had authority over him. Only when her hand brushed against his bryda did he flinch and emit an involuntary humph. Then came the gut-wrenching switch. The hot sensual Shayth was washed away in a cold wave of scorn and authoritarianism. She soundly laid down her law. Of course, Kovac never intended to bring any woman to Shayth's aerie, nor, recently, had he particularly considered sleeping with anyone besides Shayth. He could not, of course, let her know that. Kovac stood there with a stupid look, jaw agape for a moment. Indeed, he felt as if a cold wave had hit his body too. Only after she turned from him did a smile creep back on his face. He found the woman almost as exciting when she was feisty and bossy as when she is seducing him. He saw her wince in pain, and indeed he did not laugh. Shayth suffered injury because she wanted to be with him. In some remote way, that meant something to the Avora. But he could not leave things lie. As he leaned down to pick up his pile of things, he spoke up. "Can we at least bring a Dek in with a feather duster? This place could use a good cleaning." He snickered before taking his belongings into his new room.

[Shayth]

Breathing through the stabbing pain, Shayth couldn't help but chuckle at his jibe. The avora was like a dog with a bone, and as much as it wound her up, the endal found herself amused by it. Mis-fitted in so many ways, it was what drew her to him each time.

A breeze gusted through the room as the man put his things away and the pain eased, lifting his weapons the woman took them to him. Standing in the room he would call his own, the rider waited to hand over the items.

"Why would I need a Dek when I've got you?" She said, an eyebrow raised and a smirk on her lips. He'd walked into that one, really. Giving him the weapons, she leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms.

"If you want to, these can go in the spare room. It's an armoury...of sorts. I ha-" Turning her head to look around as she spoke, the endal stopped. Her half smile turned slightly wary, and her blue eyes flicked to Kovac. Pushing away from the doorway, she moved out of the room, resting a hand on her side as she walked.

From the doorway leading to the aerie, the sun had disappeared. It had been replaced by a great feathery head. Framed by the archway, only the wind eagles golden eye and the top half of her beak were visible. The pupil tightened as it focused on Shayth. Approaching the archway with an unfaltering step, the endal reached out to stroke Turiska on the cheek. The bird's eye half closed and she keened softly, feathers slightly ruffled. It was nice to see the bird, and amusing. She might hate sharing Shayth, but she was curious.

[Kovac]

Kovac paid no mind to the sudden gust of air that moved through the room, nor what may have been the source. He had laid his things on the pile of furs and cushions and turned as Shayth followed him in with his weapons. He laughed at her reply. He truly enjoyed the sharp banter that had seemed to define their....well....relationship. "Well, I don't do windows...not that you have any." He retorted, flashing his ornery grin. He walked over to her, stopping well within her personal space, Green eyes smiling at her bright blue ones. "Thanks." He muttered as he took the sword, bow and quiver from her and turned to find a place to store them. He turned back, ready to tell her he would feel better if the weapons stayed with him, when he saw the common room outside darken and Shayth pausing to turn away. As she slipped out of sight, Kovac laid the weapons down and padded towards the door to his room. He suspected that Turiska may have returned and, with some trepidation, leaned out the doorway to peer out. Kovac saw the tall redheaded rider approach the giant raptor's head, visible through the opening. The archer felt some sense of security seeing that Shayth was right, the Wind Eagle would not be able to reach her hooked beak far through the archway into the humans' living space. Still, he had a nervous sensation in his stomach. He watched, wondering what Turiska would do. She had hurt Shayth for even suggesting he move in, and he harbored an unconfessed concern that the bird may harm her again. Not that he could do anything about it. Kovac felt something within himself, realized it might have been akin to guilt, guessing it stemmed from a realization that he wanted to live with Shayth, even though it caused friction between the rider and her mount. The emotion was atrophied at best, and he found it easy to suppress as he watched the gorgeous woman interact with her raptor from his room in her home.

[Shayth]

As the avora moved to peer out of his doorway, Turiska's golden eye opened and focused on him, the pupil tightening as she stared at him. Her feathers around her head stood up and the keening she'd been making for Shayth turned more towards a hiss. The redhead looked back at Kovac, smiling slightly as she stroked the eagle, before looking back. Turiska moved away from her hands, shaking her head and settling her feathers. With one last look at Kovac, the great head disappeared slowly from view. There was a shuffling and the sound of rattled wind chimes as the wind eagle settled into her nest. Out of sight, but not out of mind.

Moving away from the archway, Shayth walked towards the avora with a smile on her face. Stopping close to him, she turned to peer back at the opening.

"Well...that was a lot less...violent than I expected." The endal said lightly.

[Kovac]

There was curiosity as Kovac watched Shayth pet Turiska, as if he was some voyeur peering in at the the bonded pair at a private moment. He almost felt a jealousy, though he was not sure if it was jealous of Turiska or of the fact that they each had someone so dear to them. But Kovac's blood turned icy as he saw the Wind Eagle's pupil widen and focus on him. It was piercing, and the Avora assumed that is what Turiska was imagining doing to him. Then the menacing hiss. The archer did not move, not even to breathe. Shayth's smile did not reassure him, and he only exhaled once the giant raptor head slid from view. He drew in a deep breath, attempting to compose himself as the redhead approached. He came fully into the room, leaning causally against the doorway. "Yes, well, I am glad to see she is warming up to me." Kovac gave a weak, insincere smile. He was glad to see that Turiska now at least did not seem to be angry with Shayth. He did not want to see the rider hurt again, and would end their arrangement if he thought the moody eagle would harm her, no matter what Shayth said. There was another thing that Kovac needed to bring up. "Shayth, we will have to start your training in a few days. I am going on a long hunt that Renol is organizing, starting tomorrow." He was tempted to abandon his plan to attend the hunt and start his work with Shayth now, but it was a good chance to get out of Wind Reach for a few days. Besides...they say separation makes the heart grow fonder, and so far with Shayth that had proven true. Not that she had his heart, or anything, he told himself. "So, you will have to pine for me a few more days." He jabbed, his customary sly grin returning.