Night two

[thewidewideworld]

{from here}

Sinric woke at dawn, as he had most of his life. He sat and watched the sun rise over Ribe. From the beach, he looked back at the little trade port as the sun crested the carved figureheads on the rooftops.

Hung-over and feeling more than a little sick, he felt... happier in his own way. A night of tears and a morning of introspection had helped.

He had said more to Ragnar last night, more than he should have. But Ragnar’s trust in the gods, in oracles and seers would cover that. It would be many years before Ragnar found the bar and years more before Ragnar would find him in the bar.

For Ragnar, it would be a beginning but for Sinric it was an end.

Just as it had been with Constantine, just as it had been it Yan. And Egrit, and Olaf, and Saga, and all his other lovers.

It was time to move on.

Tonight he would give Ragnar the water compass. Tonight he would sing his last songs for Ribe and in the morning sail with the first tide, or slip away and walk until his feet brought him to another place. His task in life was complete. What was left - belonged to him.

***

That night the tavern is a riot. Heavy drinking and boisterous singing. Knowing this will be his last night in this place, his last night as the person he has been since Ragnar foretold his future all those years ago, Sinric is determined to go out in style.

A Viking believes he lives while his reputation is remembered so Sinric plans to leave everyone here with memories enough for a lifetime.

He is standing on the table as Ragnar comes in, leading the perfect sing-along song for this sort of night. A drinking song that’s lewd, playful and makes everyone want to join in. The music is infectious, making even the most taciturn smile or tap their feet.

He’s in his element, the centre of a swirling cacophony of upraised voices and joy. But if anyone is watching closely, they'll see that for all the horn in his hand and his playful silliness, Sinric isn't drinking. Every time someone fills his cup, he manages to palm it off to someone else.

Comments

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric is quietly tolerant unless someone tries to pick it up. Then it's withdrawn and rewrapped, tucked out of view inside Sinric's tunic.

"I have another piece of what is called imperial Jade, a much deeper green but that is a private thing and not so beautiful as the dragon."

He distracts them from the shiny thing by pouring a clear liquor from the white ceramic bottle into a shallow cup.

"This is the last of the rice wine I brought with me from the Far East. It is very strong and there is little of it left but for those who would take only a sip, there is enough for a few to try." He offers the cup to Ragnar first, then to the shieldmaiden.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Curious young Vikings are curious, so Ragnar takes a hearty sip and almost coughs at it. "That is strong, and has a yeasty bite," he declares.

The shieldmaiden does better, and announces she likes it, even if it is likely to be phoenix seed.

"Sorry," Ragnar murmurs.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric laughs warmly. "I did warn you."

He smiles to the shieldmaiden. "It has been called that but I wasn't sure how many people would be willing to drink it."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"If it makes me want to have a go at Olaf all night," she laughs, "I don't mind at all!"

Her companions can't agree whether that Olaf is a lucky man, or needs rescuing, and much laughter follows, during which many of those present taste the sake.

"Now they drink your last reserve," Ragnar says, quietly remorseful.

[thewidewideworld]

"I have no doubt your Olaf is going to be very... grateful in the morning. And perhaps a little worn out." He laughs, watching the other shieldmaidens pass the cup around. There will be a few young men walking funny in the morning.

He shrugs to Ragnar, his lips curling in a half smile. "I will be leaving this place soon. I'll travel all the lighter without it. Besides, the men of Ribe will thank me in the morning."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"They worked it out themselves, for generous hints," Ragnar says, "so they're all the more ready to believe it; and because they believe it, they will make it so. And nobody will wonder where I have been."

His blue eyes glitter at Sinric, amused and shrewd at once.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric chuckles. "Already so devious, Corvus."

He moves to the ladies and starts weaving a story about the powerful effects of Phoenix seed on a woman's desires in conspiratorial whispers.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar leans on a pillar nearby, listening with one ear and smiling not his drink.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric lets them chatter, eyeing the men around them hungrily. He drifts back over to where Ragnar is standing. "I think my work here is done."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Then let's go and look at that other piece of jade," Rgnar says, grinning down at Sinric.

He's so short!

[thewidewideworld]

That he is. Sinric smiles and nods towards the Earl's hall.

He slips quietly through the door, closing it behind Ragnar. His things are a bit spread out at the moment, clearly rationalising his packing before getting ready to leave.

He moves a few things out of the way before fetching another parcel wrapped in silk. The silk this time is much, much finer. Much more expensive looking. "There is a reason I didn't bring this into the tavern."

He unrolls it carefully. Inside is what is very obviously a phallus of deep green jade. Carved into it's surface are complex patterns or dragons and phoenix feathers, willow leaves and lotuses. It's hollow, the base flattened to fit into leather belt of silver and green chasing.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar does reach out to touch the jade now.

"What is it for?" he asks. "For pleasuring yourself, or for drinking from?"

Or, maybe, both?

[thewidewideworld]

"Pleasuring ones self. Or worn on the belt to pleasure others." Sinric likes that Ragnar is unafraid to touch such a thing, which some would see as a threat to their masculinity.

He lets Ragnar investigate the phallus, pouring them the last of his Frankish wine.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar takes the thing in his hands to turn it over, peer at it, look at the belt. So one woman might pleasure another as if she were a man?" he says. "Why is it hollow?"

[thewidewideworld]

"So the Seiðr priestesses I met on my travels use such things. None so fine as this, though. It was a think of great envy when they saw it."

He sips his wine as sets the other cup before Ragnar. "But it can also be worn over a man's member. Should he be like me. Or should he have other reasons not to be able to use his own."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar puts down the thing almost reluctantly, and picks up his wine.

"So you have pleasures women with this?"

He's still looking at the thing with great fascination. So that is why it is hollow.

"It would be like armour for a man's member. Armour for his lack of virility, which it helps him to win back."

If you have a phallus of dragon seed around your own flaccid one, then surely you will be counted as an upstanding man.

[thewidewideworld]

"Once or twice. Although I find what can be done with fingers and tongue will more often bring a woman to the moment of ecstasy truer than that."

"In truth, although I enjoy the company and beauty; bright strong women like your maidens of shield and spear, I have rarely felt desire for them as most men do."

Sinric snorts a laugh. "You hit the mark closer that you know. This once belonged to a descendant of the dragon Prince."

He settles back into his storyteller's voice. "The emperors of that land hold themselves as being the offspring of the great goddess and therefore gods in their own right. They hold their very persons to be sacred and none but those sanctified may touch their skin."

"Prince Saga was the second son and not set to rise to power but perhaps for that reason, he was most insistent in proving himself to be more godly, more powerful and more worthy than his brother."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"But he found his power flagging in the prick department?" Ragnar guesses, taking a sip of his wine.

[thewidewideworld]

"Oh no, he was as virile a man as any. Perhapst too much so for his own good."

"My companion and I became stranded in his lands and were in need of sanctuary. From the moment he saw me, Saga lusted for me. I was younger then and more beautiful than most women. And in those lands, my golden hair and pale skin made me exotic."

"Saga offered us shelter but at a price - the freedom of my body for ten nights."

"My companion was outraged that the Prince would demand such a thing. I was a free man and my body was not goods to be bartered."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"But yours to give freely, I suppose?" Ragnar says. "Did his power-lust and greed for you make him off-putting?"

[thewidewideworld]

"In part, yes. His greed was covetous and I was afraid once he had me, he might never let me go. But our situation was precarious and their few other options. And so, under yet protest from my companion, I gave myself to Prince Saga."

"His people cleaned and cleansed me in every way possible before I was presented to him."

"But as much as he desired me, his pride in his godhood would not allow him to touch me with his bare skin. So instead he touched me through gloves of fine leather, and tried to sate his lust wearing armour of jade." He nods to the phallus.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"But that would mean possession without pleasure for him," Ragnar chuckles. "Too proud to have his prock touched -- so too proud to find release."

What a pompous idiot, his face clearly says.

[thewidewideworld]

"Just so. For eight days and eight nights, he tried to find pleasure in me, possessing and using me in every way he could think of. His frustration became rage which became violence." Sinric lowers his eyes, sipping his wine to wash away the bitterness of the memory.

"In the end, fearing for my life, I broke through his armour. Bloody and beaten as I was, I kisses him fully and deeply, as no-one had dared before. He melted in my arms, like tallow in a fire. Behind the armour, behind the mask, he was little more than a child, unloved and afraid."

"For the last two nights of our contract I showed him love, gentleness and compassion. I showed him the pleasure he had denied himself and those around him."

"When we set sail, some month later, he presented me with this - the armour he had learnt he had no need for."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No man needs that kind of armour if he knows who he is, and is sure of his manhood," Ragnar nods. "Our fiercest fighters literally fight almost naked."

Pause.

"You have the gift of bringing out that which people are meant to be."

[thewidewideworld]

"He was boy who had never come into manhood, never been forced to confront his own worth. A spoilt child who had never not got what he wanted so had no sense of what he needed."

He takes the complement with a small bow. "Too often to the detriment of my own skin but thank you."