T A Y A H

"What is with your mood?" John grunted, slapping the last piece of wood down on the hull of the makeshift ship with a slap.

I sighed and tucked my hands behind my head as I lay on top of it.

"I just had a good night." I shrugged easily, gazing at a passing cloud.

He stared at me a moment before taking it entirely the wrong way and wincing.

"Gods forget I even mentioned it, I did not need that image in my head–"

My face flushed and I cut a glare to him. "That is not what I meant by a good night John." I seethed.

Kaden laughed loudly as he chopped a trunk into smaller pieces. He set a thick arm upon it and waggled an eyebrow at me. "I say no shame in having fun–"

"Kaden keep your attention on that wood and not your cock for once." John interrupted as he hammered the wood together with a rock. "Ashrive, you're up."

I rolled over and let a bright scorching flame light my finger before burning a hole into a trunk and calling the fire back. He pushed the last slot into place and grinned down.

"Once we have that mast up we will be ready to sail!" He declared, slapping his hands together.

I smirked and pulled my hood lower unconcerned with our destination. Only that I could steal back into the realm of a Valkyrie's dream later tonight and see the realisation light her eyes.

We were ready at mid sun span. Our craft bobbed against the waters that would be calmest at this hour. I already secured myself into it ready to send us well on the way. Kaden was stacking a pile of coconuts into the ship before John cut him a wave and shook his head.

"No you buffoon–they can be used as floatation devices on the side of the ship. Tie them up."

"I'll use your balls as floatation devices if you don't shut your–"

"Ladies!" I called out, making them pause. "Let's make haste while the weather holds! If I have to be stuck on an island with you two a span longer I won't survive."

John grunted and ripped the coconuts from his grasp before he could argue.

When we were finally ready I saw the clouds draw in a lot faster. I sighed loudly and glared up as if it were Odin plotting our demise at sea himself.

"You still want to sail out today, Tay?" John asked unsure. "The sun will be harder to find–"

"We're going." I stated flatly. "A little rain will not keep me here an extra span."

Kaden cracked a knuckle and bobbed his head. John glared at him a moment before sighing and shrugging. We all hopped onto our creaking vessel and pushed our with the palm oars. I had to admit the immortal strength made it a bit easier but this speed would not do for me.

I stared at the waves crashing against us seeming to drag us back whenever we made progress thinking...

"Tayah?" John called through a pant. "A little help?"

"I have a better idea." I grinned back at him and he narrowed his eyes.

"Just. Hold onto something." I muttered, making them cast wary glances before I set my palm facing the back of the vessel and released a hot jet of fire behind us. The immortal thrust sent the craft surging forward like a dozen horses pulled us.

"TAYAH!" John bellowed. Kaden roared in laughter as they held themselves tightly to the wood of the ship and we launched over a wave clear of the water a moment.

"THIS IS–NOT WHAT–UGHH" He hit his head on the mast when we dropped below another wave and cleared the bay.

"–Odin's BEARD!" Kaden boomed as we took flight over another wave in a spray of water and wind. I grinned back at them as my hair whipped around us and we sailed further out faster than hours of rowing and a poor sail would get us.

I called the flames back considerably when I felt the drain a little too much.

John sucked in a breath and glared at me. Before smirking briefly. "If I survive this travel Ashrive I will be using that power of yours in some of my designs."

I grinned back and swept some hair out of my face, looking to the horizon.

"Do we head in the right direction?" I asked over the winds.

"It's roughly a straight shot to the mainland–with our speed it won't really matter... we'll hit land at some point sooner than I calculated." He scoffed.

Kaden slapped my shoulder with another laugh. "I haven't had such fun since Ravensbrooke!"

"Glad you approve Sir." I gave him a mock salute, "–but I can't keep it up too long, the drain is potent."

He nodded with a frown. "Do not strain yourself–we can use the sail while you regain strength."

John nodded, eying a makeshift compass in the clouded light above. While Kaden adjusted the sail to catch the wind in the right direction. I was curious as to how far my meditation could go so I stole away into our small cabin space at the back of the deck.

I crawled into a sitting position in the small shaded space and placed my palms onto my knees again. I breathed slowly and let the breath go. Trying hard to also let go of the rushing waves, the groan of the wood and–

"Do your balls get itchy with all this salt? I think I still have sand in mine."

My eyes flashed open and I sighed deeply. I closed my eyes again and tried much harder.

"Honestly man, I haven't had sand in this many places since I took a wench and had her right there on a beach."

I growled and pressed my palms against my ears. Release your mind from this realm. Just release it. Calm and steady mind–

"Do you ever wonder what it must be like to have breasts?"

That. Is. It.

I ripped back the palm leaf curtain and snarled at both of the men making them jump.

"Would you kindly. Shut the hells up for a single moment?" I stated simply, before sinking back into the cabin space and hearing giggling follow painfully beyond.

But I finally had my peace. The waves returned and calmed my mind. I let it go blank and released my breath. Then I placed my hands on my knees and sought out the woman I needed to. But it did not throw me into the realm of her dream again. I sat there for many slithers hoping that she would fall into sleep rushing to find answers as I did but there was nothing.

It was clear I would need to be patient. If I attempted it in the night as I had last span maybe I would find her dreaming again. I sighed and pushed up from the space and tore the curtain back again. Kaden let his feet dangle in the waves that passed us and John was creating a dagger sheath made of palm strands.

Kaden glanced over at me with a grin.

"Sorry we disturbed you–" He said waggling an eyebrow. "I'm a curious lad." He shrugged.

"About having female appendages?" I demanded in exasperation. "And quite loudly I might add."

"Tayah definitely amuses herself with them at night." John grinned, over his palm weaving.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Did you ever grow up?"

"What a bizarre notion." He dismissed. 

I sat on the edge of the boat as far from them as I could manage. I heard Kaden pull his feet out and turn in my direction. I sighed even before he opened his mouth.

"Do you ever–"

"No."

"You didn't even know what I was going to say!" He complained.

I glanced at him briefly seeing the puppy expression on his large face. I smirked and watched the horizon again. "What, Kaden."

"Do you ever think about having a male appendage?" He grinned.

I wished I had never asked.

"No. Kaden. I prefer my female one." I stated flatly.

This time John scoffed and threw down his palm leaves. "So many lies!"

I looked over my shoulder and cast him a wink. "You'll never know the gift we have."

"What does that mean?" Kaden demanded, crossing his thick arms.

I laughed at the ocean truly enjoying this now. Then leant back on my elbows refusing to meet their disbelieving looks about having an inferior part that was so important to them...

"Imagine..." I drawled dramatically, "–not needing a break from your... nightly passion. That you could enjoy peaks multiple times instead of waiting for your... appendage to raise the sail again." I chuckled, glancing briefly at them.

It seemed like news to Kaden but John only rolled his eyes.

"It's about quality woman–not quantity."

"Gods yes–don't get me started on quality." I grinned, making him narrow his eyes more.

I shrugged simply and turned my eyes back to the sea beyond.

"Do you think we could change the subject?" I asked exasperated.

John picked up his palm leaves again and Kaden muttered something about peaks. In a way they were better off not knowing exactly what they were missing... passion with a Valkyrie, wasn't fair to any mere mortal. I knew as much when I was one.

"There's too many emotions tied to women's passions." John finally grunted. "Us lads can enjoy our passions from a distance–"

"From the next town the morning after." Kaden cut in with a grin.

John laughed and I fought the urge not to put a hole in the ship just to wipe the grins off their faces. 

"Funny. Because I didn't seem to feel anything after bedding a male." I cut in easily.

"Not once?!" John asked shocked.

"Nothing but lust Sir John."

"But there was a lot more with that Valkyrie." Kaden chuckled.

I froze and closed my eyes. He waited for my answer but it didn't come. Instead he had just unwittingly ripped open the hole a little more–

"Kaden." John growled behind me. I heard rather than saw the slap.

"It's fine." I murmured above the wind. "It's not like I will be experiencing that again anytime soon." I shrugged, with an emotionless expression.

"I'm sorry Tayah–I didn't mean–" Kaden tried.

I raised a hand and looked at him back over my shoulder. The hulking man had a heart like clay and he was never deliberately hurtful. I gave him a weak smile before thinking of a distraction.

"How was that redhead in Ravensbrooke any how?"

His expression broke into that of longing and he sighed falling back onto the wood heavily.

"She had lips like spring berries and buttocks like ham shanks."

John and I glanced at each other before losing our breath and laughing hard. He had tears in his eyes by the time he drew back up to stare at Kaden–who had a firm glare.

"I speak true!"

"I don't know what you speak–truly Kaden that was... poetic." John drawled sarcastically.

"I imagine every woman in the realm would want her ass compared in such a way." I muttered, shaking my head and returning my attention back to the skies. They had darkened considerably and I knew it meant nothing good.

Before they could dive into yet another conversation about any gender I stopped them.

"Hold on to something. We're going to get some distance from those clouds before the waters start turning on us." I told them sternly.

They dropped me nods and secured anything not tied down already before I drew my power into my palm and sent us flying over the sea and closer to whatever continent I hoped we found.