The sun seemed to linger just above the horizon off in the distance, boring its intense heat down upon the poor saps caught out underneath its brutality. Waves of heat seemed to resonate up from the orange sands, distorting the vision the further it would gaze out. It was something all too common in hallucinations and the likes, but it didn’t seem to play a factor on Avarice. Step by step, his feet would sink within the soft sands, causing him to stumble here and there as he trekked along across one dune and then to the next. It was only at that moment when his lavender eyes had caught glimpse of an Oasis not too far off from them. Lifting his hands up to his eyes, he would rub them a moment uncertain as to whether or not he was truly seeing what he was seeing.

Deciding it was best not to question it, he would begin his ways towards it, only to shoot a brief glance back to Iolanthe trying to make sure that she was indeed still straggling behind. Upon approaching the Oasis his eyes would shift around for a moment; it had actually existed, which meant they could finally take a break, at least until sundown and be content in the meantime. The Oasis held lush green grass surrounding waters so clear that one could see the bottom of it if they truly wished. A few trees laid scattered around the Oasis, providing a little shade to those who were passing through. Immediately the second he had stepped into the Oasis, he had slung his axe and bow from his back only to toss them lifelessly to the ground. From there he would start out in a slow trot, proceeding to peel his half unbuttoned shirt from his lean muscular frame. The second he would toss it off to the side, he would leap head first into the water only to plunge beneath the surface and glide back up for air. The cool water was like heaven against his naked flesh, especially after being exposed to the brutal rays of the sun for so long. The second he broke the surface, his hands would instinctively run across his face and up to his forehead intending to both wipe off any water and then flick whatever hair clung to his face from it.

A smile of boyish content washed across his countenance, while he lied back in the water to float there lifelessly and stare up at the skies above. Releasing a relieved sigh, his voice would pick up and direct itself towards Iolanthe, “This is heaven, why don’t you come join me before you dry up like the sea slug you are.” Nothing could ruin his mood at the moment, there was not a single moment in his life that made him happier than he was currently, “I think we’ll stay here till Nightfall, what do you think….?”

Iolanthe trudged behind Avarice, hating the sun. Damned sun. So bloody hot. She could feel her blood boiling inside of her skin. The sand displaced under her boots, giving her the feeling of walking on nothing. Her feet ached, her legs ached, and she was sweating like a bloody pig. Her hair had become plastered against her neck and her eyes seemed to dull at her fatigue. Not only that, but she was wearing all black, the most heat absorbing color, ever. Real smart of ye Iolanthe! Let’s wear black and go trekking through the desert! Woo! Great plan. Oh yes…

She kept thinking positive, however, remembering what was at the end of the tunnel… Or the godforsaken end to all the stupid sand. She officially hated sand now. Officially. Before it had been a mere nuisance for when she docked her ships and got some in her boots, but now, it was pure loathing of the small grains of rocks that never ceased to pester her. They seemed to crawl into he boots, into her clothing, scratching, gnawing, and biting at her flesh, causing her endless discomfort. She thought she would nearly go crazy from all the damned sand!

Though… Out of nowhere… The sand demons seemed to part and sprout greenery… and if her eyes didn’t deceive her, a pooling mass of water as well! A huge grin spread across Iolanthe’s face, and she didn’t have to be told twice. She pulled off her boots, and dived into the pool before Avarice could continue his offer. Her head broke the surface as it came out of the water and she sighed, thankful for the coolness against her body. She could almost feel steam rising off of her body.

The She-Pirate floated on her back, letting her skin absorb the moisture, and closed her eyes, border lining on sleep. She opened one eye as Avarice accused her of being a sea slug. Raising an eyebrow she grinned, “sea monkey, actually, mate.” He’d never seen her climbing the masts of vessels of even climbing trees… It was a natural habit for her, really. Then, he proposed staying till nightfall and Iolanthe nodded, agreeing as she closed her eyes again. “Aye, sounds like my brains are done fryin’ for the day, savvy?”

Through all his time with this woman, there really wasn’t a thing he could really say about her other than the obvious fact that she was a pirate. He knew nothing of her past, or even about the kind of things she wanted out of her life span, goals, accomplishments, etc. All common questions that usually were asked within the first seconds of meeting someone in order to jive up and stir whatever conversation they could muster with the other. It wasn’t his style to ask such questions, which was one of the reasons he had known so little about her. His beliefs had often fell upon the fact that If two were compatible as friends, it would happen through the means of something other than mere conversation. Which in this case, it had, at least in his view.

A low key groan escaped his parted lips, before shifting his position in the water so he would once again resume treading it. Deciding he had enough of the water, Avarice would begin to paddle back to the shore, before stepping up onto the lush green grasses surrounding the small lake. Moving carefully over to one of the trees, he would falter in his steps a moment. Taking a free hand and running it through his dripping wet hair, a faint grin would cross his lips, “You know Iolanthe, there aren’t a lot of women out there like you. You’re one of the few that can take what I dish out and even put up with my antics. Most women would never dream of seeing me again, which is the way I like. I guess….” Lowering his hand slowly to his side, he would turn so his side faced her and would turn his head in her direction, “What I mean to say is that being with you makes me feel young again. Eh, never mind, I probably sound like an idiot.” Drawing in a deep breath of air, his head would simply shake before turning back to the tree and place a lone hand against it for support, before taking and seat with his back to its trunk.

What the hell was wrong with him, was there something in those ales that caused him to act this way? Even if there were something wrong with his drink, there would be no way he would still be feeling its effects, even now of all times. Not after all the time that passed since his last drink, no less the fact that he had sweat out any and all liquid that had even remained in his body. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, his eyes would drift off to the horizon for a moment of contemplation, before speaking softly, “We’ve got about two hours till we reach Istan City. Sundown will come in about one hour and if we wait till nightfall, then the rest of our trek should be nothing shy of a piece of cake. While we’re there you may want to pick up a change of clothing…Black is the last thing you want, perhaps you could pick up something nice and light in Istan. After all, we’ll be going to the Therab and that’s not exactly one of the coolest places on the planet either, but that’s merely your choice. It probably wouldn’t hurt us at all if we decide to prepare a little before hand either, eh?” Slowly his lavender eyes would drift from the horizon and back to Iolanthe for a moment, “Besides, if you’re as much of a sea monkey as you claim to be, you can’t be all that great at wielding a blade. And I really don’t feel like bailing your bum out every time you find yourself in a scrap.” Offering her a brief wink, his eyes would again shift back to the horizon before releasing a light sigh, “Besides, I could use a little honing. It’s been a long while since I’ve fought last and my skills may have suffered in that time…”

Iolanthe floated lazily in the water, letting the coolness take away the heat of the days they’d been trekking for. She felt as if her blood would evaporate if it weren’t for all the skin and bone concealing her blood. Her hair fanned around her face as she looked up at the blazing sky through the peaks of the oasis’ trees. She could have been mistaken for dead as her limbs hung loosely in the water as she just let the water keep her body afloat. Ah… The water felt wonderful. She seemed to fall into a dream as she pictured herself on a huge vessel, up in the crow’s nest looking out onto the vast ocean, feeling the wind across her face, with a big smile, simply enjoying what she loved to do best.

Though soon enough Avarice was out of the water and flappin’ his gums again. Iolanthe regretted coming out of her daydreamish state. Her body fell back into the water as she treaded it; only her head was not submerged. She raised an eyebrow, listening to him talking about how she was different. Yeah, she didn’t succumb to the stupidities that most women did. Big deal. However, she swam to shore, Avarice obviously wanting to have more of a heart to heart conversation than just idle chitchat. Unfortunately, by the time she reached edge, he’d cut himself off, thinking he sounded stupid. She rolled her eyes, hoisting herself onto the dirt, letting the water rush from her body back into the pool.

“You know Iolanthe, there aren’t a lot of women out there like you. You’re one of the few that can take what I dish out and even put up with my antics. Most women would never dream of seeing me again, which is the way I like. I guess...”

She sat beside him, and raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t quite sure what he was talking about, making him feel young again and the likes, it was him running around like a buffoon and her getting all caught up in it. “Well mate, there ain’t a lass out there like meh pro’lly cause no other lass ain’t lived the life I have… That er… They ain’t survived it.” Iolanthe was sure there were tons of poor lassies out there who’s damned old man sold them into piracy. Or, rather, sold their bodies into it. She thought a moment, trying to figure out why the way she was, or why a lass wouldn’t take up a lad like Avarice. He was a bit on the looney side, but hey, he was entertaining enough to keep her around. Perhaps her lack of entertainment on a daily basis lured her to him; but, whatever the reason, she didn’t know why he was getting all sentimental now. He changed the subject, so Iolanthe figured it was over and done with, and she wasn’t going to press it any further.

He suggested a change of clothing and Iolanthe agreed. “Oi, this trek was ‘bout to burn into my soul with this damned black!” She slapped her stomach in disgust, a wet pang resulting. Then, he accused her ability to wield a blade. “Oi, mate, have ye never seen a pirate lass in action?” She jumped up, unsheathing her scimitar, and twirled it around, before re-sheathing it, and sticking out her tongue. Sea monkey, hah! Well, she didn’t know why she was getting all offended by that, she’d called herself that in the first place.

[[OOC: Meh... The ending kinda fell apart]]

Curious eyes studied her as she approached him and then spoke of her ability to wield a blade. Everyone claimed to wield a blade, but the true of the true would be the ones standing after all was said and done. Whether or not she would be one of them would to be seen, but if he had anything to say about it she would continue standing until he himself could not do so. He considered her an ally, someone that could watch his back when the need came to rise, whether she would follow through with the unspoken trust would remain to be seen. Though, that was all he saw her as, an ally and nothing more. At least that was what he told himself, whether or not it was the truth was something that would be answered within due time.

A faint twitch of his lips came with a low key groan as he rocked forward and rolled to his knees before rising to an erect stance against. Shifting his eyes out over the oasis waters, they would soon befall upon his hat floating effortlessly in the water. Heaving an annoyed sigh, he would simply shrug, “I guess I won’t need that right now anyway...” Deciding to kill some time until sundown, he figured he might as well do a little bit of training. Bending over, he would place both of his hands palm flat upon the soft grass, before taking each foot and placing them as high up on the tree as he could. Scooting back in his positioning until he was at a near vertical positioning against the tree, he would lower himself down to the ground so his nose would barely skim the blades of glasses, before his arms would strain and tense in their attempt to force themselves back to extension. Holding that position, a few strained words would pass his lips, “For your sake, you better be able to hold your own in a fight.” Again he would lower himself, before pushing back up and holding the position, “Because if you can’t, then that’s your problem. I’ll help if I it’s needed, but for the most part I’m sure I won’t get that chance, so it’d be wise to be prepared.”

Continuing with his workout for a couple more presses, his eyes would shift off towards her for a moment, “You claim so much of a pirate life. I’ve met pirates and at best they’re nothing more than loud mouthed pricks with no morals. Don’t get me wrong…” Doing a couple more push ups, he would pause and continue his short speech, “I’m not lumping you in with the rest of those, because if I were. I would have removed that tongue from your mouth long ago, as I’ve done a few of them.” Sucking in a deep breath, he would hold it as both of his feet pushed off from the trunk of tree only to send his body back first upon the soft grass. Once coming to a still rest, his hands would snake up behind his hand, interlacing themselves there, before his upper body tensed and rose up to a vertical base, before returning back against the cool grass beneath. Repeating the action for a couple of minutes he would falter at the vertical point in the action, before turning his head towards her, “Since you’re a pirate, I assume the first chance you get you’ll be gone from these lands, aye? If so, where will you go…?”

Iolanthe rolled her eyes to where Avarice’s hat was floating effortlessly against the water. Iolanthe grinned, sheathed her sword, and swam out to it, and retrieved the hat so that it could dry by the time they were ready to head on. She climbed out of the water, and wrung out the hat, watching the water fall from it and sink into the sand almost instantly. Iolanthe slapped the hat, getting the last dripping droplets of water off of it, and hung it on a low branch to dry. The Pirate Lass crossed her arms, and leaned against a tree, closing her eyes thinking about getting a bit of shuteye before they moved on. Her but slowly slid against the tree, until it finally descended upon the ground.

“For your sake, you better be able to hold your own in a fight.”

Opening one eye, Iolanthe seemed to almost glare at Avarice. She closed her eye, and her lips seemed to curl into a sour grin, as memories as a young girl flashed into her head. Being pinned against the deck, the sea water splashing against her during a storm, scrambling against the rocking of the boat and a older man pressing himself against her, jabbing him the eyes, tearing at her mouth with her fingers, anything, anything just to get him away, to get him off of her… “Guess ye’ve never been on a pirate’s vessel, eh?” It was a damn shame when you couldn’t even trust your own shipmates.

“Since you’re a pirate, I assume the first chance you get you’ll be gone from these lands, aye? If so, where will you go…?”

Avarice questioned her landish motives, and Iolanthe opened her eyes, looking up into the sky, it turning orange, almost disappearing into the sand’s horizon. She took a deep breath, followed by a sigh. She held no soft spots for fellow pirates, even though there was the code, and a basic allegiance to them… Iolanthe felt no pity for them. They were a bunch of scallywags, and if she hadn’t been coughed up by her father all those years ago… Who knows? She could’ve been a nice educated lady or something dumb like that. It was a rare sight to see one as Iolanthe in a dress and sipping tea on the healthy shore. “I dunno mate, ain’t gotta vessel at this current moment, and haven’t seen a pirate in many a day…” She laughed, “especially when yer caught in this damn desert!” She chewed on her lip, thinking, wondering if she really was going to hop on the next boat that offered her the opportunity. “Guess we’ll have ta see as the next opportune moment arises, savvy?” Who knows, maybe she’d become attached to this Avarice, and stay anchored a while longer. Just depends on which one is more beneficial, she supposed.

Lifting his right knee slightly, his hands would move to it where they would interlace and use it as a support to keep him in his current position without much effort. Sucking in a deep breath, he would release it through clenched teeth. Ah…The desert, such an annoying place it was, where the heat would not hinder or yield even for a seconds time. While she spoke, his eyes would carefully travel across the horizon, having taken notice to the suns falling nature into the depths of the distance. If they would leave, the time would have to be now and not a minute less just in case he could have misjudged the time it would take to get to the city. Breaking his hands from his knee, they would place themselves flat upon the soft grass bellow and push himself up to an erect stance without much effort. Dusting off his pants slightly, he would move off to where she put his hat and placed it upon his head. Situating it slightly, his lavender eyes would shift over to where she was and a faint grin would cross his lips, “I’m not a pirate….I never will be. So the answer to that is no, I have never been on a pirate vessel.”

Coking his head from one side to the other, a few idle cracks and pops would emit forth from the columns of his spine. Repositioning his head, he would turn on the balls of his heels and move over towards his shirt, before bending to pick it up and haphazardly tossing it over his shoulder. Turning his head back to Iolanthe, he would motion for her to come, “Lets get the hell out of this desert.” With that said, he would begin heading off towards the city of Istan and further from the Oasis. Their goal…To reach the city before day break, which would be an easy feat to accomplish.