The Journey to the Other Side

The sea welcomed its guests with soft waves. A kind sun smiled down on what looked like, little boats, drifting amidst the blue below. Birds and fish glided through air and water alongside numerous ships, driving towards the other side of the world.

Steady hands hovered a solid, wooden wheel even though he’d never sailed such a ship before.

“It is quite the upgrade.” His wife spoke in agreement, as they both couldn’t stop their admiration of the strange yet modern take on a ship. Rolf had agreed to use the Eastern make over their Nordic style, much to the Vikings’ distaste. He ignored their patriotism for now, as this difference was a good one. It made sailing the seas a lot easier. He glanced down to the woman besides him, then at her stomach.

“You are daring fate, Fahmeen.”

Painful memories are bastard things, as his eyes mist over before quickly clearing up. It was a sorrowful glance into their past, into Rolf’s much regretted mistakes that had led to his brother’s demise (so he believed) that threatened to cloud his mind. She smiled but with concern,

“Freydis gave me the pass, just this once. She knows how important it is for me to be there when it all crumbles down.”

Daisy appears next to her, a hand gently on the growing stomach.

“And I am here.” The women share a look of love and care between the best of companions.

Fahmeen touched her face with hers and waited for her husband to ease the frown on his face.

It happened, and when it did she hugged his body tight and allowed the smell of her home release bursts of happiness throughout her and their baby. Their moment wasn’t private however, there were many onlookers as the sight of their king and queen steadied their resolve against the now choppier waters. Dark clouds, which looked as if just passing over them, stayed. The kind sun had gone. Rolf knew they weren’t close yet, so he gripped the wheel tighter as he resumed his earlier position and overlooked the crew on his ship. Oko was occupying his own, as was his men across many more. Rolf chose not to bring a large group of his own, which upset many willing men and women who were desperate for the chance to fight alongside the greatest king to have ruled the North.

“They love you.” Fahmeen whispered to him with shiny eyes.

Daisy’s POV:

I knew I couldn’t hop between two ships, but it felt important being here for now. Witnessing their power, and their love. I look over and find Oko involved in conversations, his tall body never rocking like the others, only leant over the edge of the ship. His hands playing over the ocean, those dark eyes cutting between body to body, both bored and waiting. I knew he was anxious. There was a dormant part of him, a side unwilling to admit the fear of what will happen once he confronts the truth. He’d been planning this plan most of his life, comforted by the promise of vengeance and focused only by his plans. I knew the first stumble in his tracks, as it was me. From the very first time he saw me, he knew I was his.

Just then, Oko looks at me. From across the water, he watches me walk close to the edge too, daring me to come closer. He doesn’t bother saying anything, the men droning on in his ears as if they were silent. He tilts his head upwards to acknowledge my stare, a smile closer to a smirk, his knuckles appear sharper on the surface. The only thing putting me on edge on these waters is him. I smile back, toothy and all and he looks down to hide his.

*That evening*

We wash up on shores familiar to Rolf and Fahmeen, it was something like those places I’d only ever heard from her lips. It was a jungle on an island.

“For rest.” She reassures me, before trying to help the men anchoring the ships. Rolf appears on top of the rope she was about the pick up, arms crossed and an unimpressed expression forcing her to back away in defeat. Oko has already finished up his own ship, and walks in their direction, but before he could help Rolf holds up a hand to stop him. Oko then turns around and raises a quick eyebrow at me.

“Suit yourself.” He chuckles, stopping before me. Before I could speak, he shoots a quick glance to anyone around us, reminding me of male wolves in heat, and kisses my forehead.

“Think we should let the king and queen sort out the arrangements and set up shelter for the night.”

It wasn’t a question.

“You can get it started, I’ll be over a little later. Fahmeen may need me.” I bite my lip, enjoying the way he narrows his eyes at my refusal. It was fun challenging him from time to time. Oko touches my lip with his thumb, ever so gently, making me bite it harder as it tickled. He laughed a little, and stepped back staring at the spot. One last look all over my body, his naked back turned toward me and he disappears into the jungle.

Why did he insist on roaming around topless so often?

*Night*

The meat was succulent, falling off the cool bone. A group of us were at this fire, as others huddled over several others across the clearing. As there was a big number of us, the natives preferred we’d stay within the jungle and distanced from their village. I understood why they would be a little cautious of us. Oko was someone still unfamiliar to them, regardless of the trust between them and the North. I watched as the devil in mention strolled to our fire.

He sits down very close to me, making me shuffle closer to the woman beside me.

“You never came.” He says in between tearing off meat with his teeth, watching me from the side.

“I was busy.”

“Well, it’s done.”

During our long nights at sea till now, I still hadn’t given myself to him. I wonder if it was playing in his mind as much as it did in mine.

“That’s good.” I swallow, my hunger no longer present. He watches me put the food down, and take a large gulp of the drink given to me. He takes the rest once I’ve had my fill, a little drop dribbling down the side of his mouth. I was entranced, watching the liquid pass from his wet, pink lips and towards his angled chin. His skin was glowing yellow in this fire, and the little facial hair across his cheeks looked as black as midnight. I then went to his eyes, they were a slanted shape, specific to people of the East. Only when I saw his nose get closer to mine, did I realise that he was leaning in. Maybe the drink was responsible for the lack of inhibitions or…not, either way I couldn’t pull away once his sweet flavoured lips made contact. It was a soft, short peck and surprisingly innocent. He pulled away slightly, as if to look at my face, and then he went back in harder. I quickly was in sync with his mouth, tasting under, over and sucking his tongue. The people around us sigh and gasp in delight, before returning to their conversations. He stands up, his hands pulling me up with him. They soon wrap around my body, I feel the strength of his arms as they squeeze me.

We come apart, both breathless and searching for the honesty in each other’s faces.

“Daisy.” He whispers, giving me one last kiss going back in the direction he came.

It was into the main tent, where discussions were being had and important decisions, made. By the look on the faces of the guards posted on either side of its entrance, I was not welcomed. Yet I smiled, because I could still taste Oko’s kiss.