(no subject)

[thewidewideworld]

{From here}

Sinric can't bring himself to let go of Ragnar's hand all the way to their rooms. He hesitates a moment before gently pulling Ragnar towards his own rooms. They don't feel right any more, like clothes that no longer fit but it feels better than the empty place where Athelstan isn't.

But then he wonders if Ragnar would prefer his own bed, to warm the sheets left cold by Athelstan's absence with better memories.

The uncertainty makes him hesitate, biting his lip.

Comments

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"In the future, people fly there in one night," Ragnar muses. "But there is doubt if their souls can follow."

[thewidewideworld]

"And do they value it? If so a journey can be bought so cheaply." He muses, following the line up to Mongolia and back, meandering through the territories of the Tang before crossing to Nippon.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I don't think they do," Ragnar says. "On either side. From all I here, all the world is becoming more like the rest of it in the future, with people using the same tables and plates and listening to the same music in Kattegat and Nara."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric nods. "Each place would lose the things that made them special. And not value the things that travelled to be had."

He looks up at Ragnar, lips curled in a smirk. "I could imagine singing the songs of Nara at your table in Kattegat. Most people would hate it and throw things at me."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar grins. "Why?"

[thewidewideworld]

"Sino and Nippon music has a different sound to it, a different set of notes. It can be very jarring to people not use to it. But I find it beautiful because of that. Because it is so different."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Can you show me?"

Ragnar will always be curious. Always. It's part of his nature, as much as it is of Athelstan's or Sinric's.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric nods and take a couple of steps back, moving to the centre of the ceiling's vaulting, wanted to test his theory about the acoustics.

He takes a deep breath and sings. The song is a simple one, a fisher-wife's lament but it demonstrates the eastern scales perfectly.

He moves as he sings, his body remembering the graceful dance that went with it. Short, hailing steps as the widow prepares to throw herself into the sea.

And yes, the acoustics in the room are perfect, lending a haunted air to Sinric's voice.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar may be staring -- this is as alien as it is beautiful.

But yes, he can understand why some of his warriors would pelt such a performance with apple cores.

[thewidewideworld]

And yet the story would translate to anywhere where men left by sea and never came back.

Sinric lets the last, dying note fade, his pale face upheld. Despite the sadness of the song, he can't help but smile. This room!

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes, that was strange," Ragnar agrees. "But I like it!"

[thewidewideworld]

"It takes some getting use to." Sinric nods, stepping back to Ragnar. His cheeks are flushed pink with the joy of singing and the way the room sounds.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"The room is made for music?" Ragnar guesses.

[thewidewideworld]

"So it would seem." Sinric smiles. He sings a simple set of scales, moving from one arched space to the next to see how the quality of the sound changes.

The acoustic around the bed are marvelous!

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"They have made you a bedroom to sing in!" Ragnar says. "Your cries of pleasure will echo as sweetly as song."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric laughs. "I hadn't really thought of that." He lets himself fall gracefully onto the bed, arms akimbo and sings a series of high, sweet notes. And almost blushes at the way they resound. Pleasure on this bed is going to be very... expressive.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You will sing your lovers to their climax," Ragnar says, hoping that Athelstan will be among those, too.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric hesitates, biting his lip. "I may... I may actually be able to do that now." He admits softly.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Make a man feel pleasure just with song?" Ragnar says, intrigued.

[thewidewideworld]

"Yes. At least I think so." Sinric answers softly. "Some of the volva, they taught me their singing magic. The songs to calm pain or bring sleep. There were other songs - songs to turn the eyes of the gods, or sing a storm to sleep. I could feel... the power in them. That is wasn't the song, it was the singer. I think I have that power in me." He shoots Ragnar a self-deprecating smile. "And what was I made for, if not pleasure."

"But I don't think I could do it to someone who didn't want to feel pleasure. I don't think I have it in me to force myself past someone's will. It's not my nature."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No," Ragnar says. "But you could experiment on me?"

No, he wouldn't want to try and make Athelstan feel pleasure without him asking for it, either.

[thewidewideworld]

"If you want to. If you trust me to?" He can see what Ragnar desires. He's not sure Athelstan would be so open to the idea and Sinric is not sure he trusts his own skills enough to try it, given Athelstan's fragile state.

But Ragnar, yes. That he can do. Or at least try. He can feel the shape of the song, feel the power at the tips of his fingers.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I am curious!" Ragnar declares, stating the painfully obvious.

[thewidewideworld]

"As am I." Sinric confesses, stepping closer to Ragnar to brush a soft hand over his cheek. "Undress for me. And lay on the bed. We'll find out together."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar takes off his clothes, stretches, and lies down on the bed, on his back, arms and legs wide.