Memories, Chilled and Served [ OPEN ]

[crystalblackpaws]

So it was safe to say times were rough, the Swede was finding it more and more difficult to scrounge up money to pay for his traveling life style. He had returned home to pay his respects to his family, but this time everything seemed different. It wasn’t a normal nostalgia, as if the dreams he had had as a child meant more than just a wild imagination. Those figures he had seen fighting in his dreams, were they real? Was that valiant warrior he pretended to be actually him?

He shrugged it off as nonsense. He was here, now, and then he was just a child. How could he have been anything else? He was Berwald Oxenstierna, a Swede with a knack for building, and a rather off putting facial structure. He didn’t expect anything else, nor did he mind having anything but that. He had never really encountered the pirates he heard rumours off, which was a bit disappointing considering that’s why he had left his fathers side in the first place. He had heard more than rumours now, faint whispers of people disappearing, strange ships, and much more. Heck people had even accused him of being with them due to his odd nature of never sticking in one place for too long.

He currently made his way through small clutch of buildings that marked the half way point to his old home. He could hear some people bickering in the street, something about overpriced food. Clutching his bag of things a bit tighter he continued on his way, one simple fight wasn’t much. But it itched at the back of his head, like he should care more. Brushing it aside he just kept walking, muttering a brief ‘hej’ at any one who happened to look his way. Most people returned the greeting and instantly looked way. To be honest, if he was some of them and saw some one his size walking down the street, he would likely look away as well.

Though he didn’t cringe away from the reactions he got, he wished they wouldn’t be so harsh. It would be nice if some one stood their ground for once, but what could he do? Sure he could probably scare them into staying put, but that wasn’t what he wanted either.

His trek was monotonous, as per usual. The cold meant nothing to him, his thick clothes were enough to block it out, and even the bit of exposed skin was barely affected. And the rather scratched glasses blocked the faint wind from his eyes. It all felt so comforting despite the harshness, this was home.

location: Kiruna, Sweden
word count: 440

[keyatehspazz]

"I said I'm not buying that meat at that price!" Maria repeated, her temper starting to get the best of her. "That's overpriced carbon, and you know it!" She knew how to bargain, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the man only spoke Swedish and very broken English. Her English already wasn't the best, which caused both of them to get frustrated. If she had known that they were going to shop in Sweden, she would have gotten some kind of 'Useful Swedish Phrases for Trying to Buy Groceries for a Ship Full of Eastern European Men’ pamphlet.

There was no way that actually existed. Too bad, she would have paid good money for one. It would probably be cheaper than this meat at any rate.

It seemed that her Spanish insult wasn't lost on the store keeper. Must have been her intonation. Getting some harsh Swedish thrown back at her, her repeated the same phrase spoken earlier. "Pay this, or nej!"

Maria had learned quickly 'nej' mean 'no'.

She knew that she had to get the meat. The last time she had tried to make a meal without meat, she almost had mutiny in her kitchen. It would cost most of her money though, and she still needed to restock on fresh fruits and vegetables. This was the only place Maria had found so far that sold any type of food, and was short on the plant kind. She had been looking since they landed, which was some time ago, and was disappointed by the lack of supply stores. Maybe she was looking in the wrong place?
Getting fed up, Maria growled. "Fine fine! Take your stupid coin!" She picked out the agreed upon (or not so agreed upon) amount of Swedish money (Krona or something?) and handed it to the smug looking store keeper. Grabbing her purchase, Maria stormed out of the store and set for finding a vendor that supplied the rest on her list.

As she bored holes into the snow, she tried to distract herself by thinking how nice this was. Back at home, she hardly ever saw snow up close. It was always up on the mountains in the distance, never close enough for her to touch. According to a few of the others on the ship, they came from places where it never stopped snowing. What would it be like, she wondered, to always live in the cold and snow?

Getting lost in her fury over the meat price and the mix of childish thoughts of how awesome it would be to see snow every day, she didn't exactly watch where she was going.

And then it felt like she walked into a brick wall. Letting out a small curse, she stumbled back and looked up.

.... and up, and up.

"Whoa." Was all she could manage. Yes, there were tall men on the ship, including Ivan, but for some reason this man seemed so much taller. Maybe it was the way he was outlined by the grey-blue snow, or the stark contrast of his outfit against the snowy background. As the man turned, she continued staring. He was... a little scary looking. Not in the Ivan way, but frightening nonetheless.

"Maldita sea.. " She managed, adjusting her hat. She shook her head and offered a nervous smile. "Sorry señor, wasn't watching where I was going."

Hopefully, this guy spoke some English.

[crystalblackpaws]

For a brief moment, the Swede wondered how the bickering ones had managed. He wasn’t entirely sure why, maybe a nagging curiosity. He switched hands that held his few possessions, only to feel something collide with him. He turned his head a bit, seeing what seemed to be a person backing away from him. “’h…” He had been going fairly slow, but he wasn’t exactly easy to miss either. She seemed an odd mix of impressed and scared, it was almost amusing. But not even that produced a smile from him.

She said something that sailed right over his head, sure he had traveled but he didn’t pick up many languages. He had some how grown up with a strong knowledge of English, and most people seemed to understand that. He turned fully around to face her, he accepted the occurrence as a break to his routine, and it would be a pleasant change.

‘Sorry señor, wasn't watching where I was going.’

He felt a bit weird looking down to her, most people didn’t like that, but he couldn’t help it. Though he offered a small nod to acknowledge her.. So she spoke English too, made it easier on him than trying to figure out what else she was saying. “’ts f’ne.” He muttered in his lovely and horribly thick accent. Natural English speakers could generally make out what he was saying, but often times he left them wondering. The fact that he often stopped mid-phrase didn’t help either. He didn’t really think about how something would sound before starting to speak, and just decided to stop saying it. And with new people it was even worse, so he hoped that he wouldn’t say or do something stupid now.

He figured he should probably ask if she was okay, considering the hit had jolted even him, she probably was feeling something. “H’rt?” She didn’t seem to be injured or nothing major anyways. It’s not like he was made of steel, so he didn’t know what he expected of her, but part of him yearned for something new to happen. Sure he was just coming to visit his parents, or what remained of them, but why did every visit have to be exactly the same?

He noticed she was not with out a carry-on herself. While he wondered what she had on her, he wouldn’t ask, as he would not want that of himself. Not to mention that was a bit weird. There were a few things it could be, and he left his mind with those options.

But in his silence, he stared, rarely blinking. He didn’t mean to be rude, it just kind of happened. Unlike most, he didn’t fidget, fold his arms, or fix his glasses. Even he could tell why people might avoid him. In the cold it seemed like he was frozen, dragging his thoughts onward. “’h…” But he stopped himself. He was going to ask if she was cold, but that might be a bit awkward. Because a question like that would naturally progress to ‘I have a jacket’ or ‘my house isn’t far’ and he would feel weird saying either of those to her.

If that was it, he could just as easily turn and leave, but something wanted him to stay, and wanted something to happen. Maybe she wasn’t just another visitor, but he didn’t build up any ideas in case they were all wrong. He would let the events unfurl as naturally as possible, even if that meant more awkward staring.

word count: 589

[keyatehspazz]

Now that was a thick accent. Thankfully, she was able to decipher what he was saying. And he didn't seem angry. Well, at least his voice didn't. His face was still scary though. As she readjusted her stance (really, taking a step back so her neck wasn't so strained to look up at him), he said his second sentence. Word really.

"Hm? Nah, I'm fine. That was nothing." She said, waving it off. Maria really wasn't hurt from the impact, just slightly shocked. She mentally kicked herself. 'I really need to watch where I'm going. This could have been avoided if I hadn't made a stupid mistake... story of my life here.' Her mind wandered back to a few weeks ago, when she had convinced Toris to spar with her. And then were interrupted by Ivan. Inwardly she winced, remembering the bruise on her collarbone that had just finished healing. Good think she didn't bump into him a week ago. That would have hurt.

He was staring. She was used to stares really, but this one was a little unnerving. He didn’t move, twitch, or do anything other than stare. Maybe he was tired? And his eyes were so blue as they stared.. Sure she had seen blue eyes before, but his blue was kind of like the sea. A blue-green. Or was it a green-blue? It was strange to see. Maybe she was just not used to strange eye colors. It seemed rampant here in Europe. Back home, most people had brown eyes, with a few exceptions of green and blue. But nothing like what she had been seeing. Foreigners were so colorful.

Maria perked up again when he started to speak again, but then he ... stopped? Confused, she tilted her head. "What? Hey man, if you need to say something, say it." While that phrase could have come off rude, her intonation was lighthearted. Taking a second look at the man, she decided that while scary, he looked like a hard worker, and possibly an honest man. He at least was even tempered. If someone ran into her, you could bet she'd be yelling at them to watch where they were going. Vaguely, she wondered if he was a native. A small bit of hope brewed in here, and Maria shot him a smile.

"Do you live here by any chance? Or know the town well? I'm sort of looking for a market. You know, that sells food. Fruits and Vegetables preferably. I already got the meat." She lifted the bag that hung from her right hand to emphasize her point. “I’ve been looking for a while, but I haven’t seen a vegetable stand or anything. And I need to get back to my ship soon.”

(( New color. Whoot. ))

[crystalblackpaws]

He nodded a bit; glad at least she had not been injured. Outside of the initial hit, he could say the same for himself. So no harm had come of this, which was somewhat reassuring. Then again had anything happened, he would have blamed himself, no matter who was rightfully at blame. Why? Well, it felt right. But then again, had she started a fight, there was nothing holding him back either. He was glad she hadn’t tried that. That would have been a bit of a downer to have to deal with afterwards.

He couldn’t help but feel like he was being analyzed in the silence, but she wouldn’t have been the only one doing so. She was so out of place, he was trying to place where she might be from. He couldn’t match a face to a place right now, and while it annoyed him a bit, he didn’t push the thought.

He did shift his gaze down slightly as she spoke again. He couldn’t exactly tell her he had changed his mind. Then he might just seem weird. “N’thin.” He looked back to her, kind of wishing he hadn’t said anything before. Oh well, what happened, happened, and he couldn’t change a thing.

Though he had to admit the next question caught him a tad bit off guard. “Ja, d’.” He threw his pack over his shoulder, mostly so it wouldn’t swing freely at his side. It had some rather abnormally shaped objects that would hurt if they hit you hard enough. And at least his inner question of what she carried was answered. He glanced at the direction he had been heading. Out of the town, but it wasn’t too far. But his attention was caught by one word. Sure a ship could mean anything, but he had never actually met some one who worked on one. If he was going to lead the way though, there would be a chance to ask later, if he didn’t mess up again.

“F’llow.” He took a few steps to the side a bit, gaining his bearings of the place once more. Looking back he checked on her. He felt bad for even considering that she was a pirate right now, she could just be a regular sailor. But the thirst for adventure in him yearned for more than that. “Fr’its ‘ns’de… t’o c’ld.” What they did have, they had to keep. The cold would rip away at any fresh produce quicker than a hungry bear. He likely wasn’t going to go overly fast, one because his normal stride was fairly wide, and two, a lot of people seemed to slow down in the cold.

Sure it was natural for him to navigate, but he was use to everything. Not to mention, being able to read any signs did help. But even so, he wondered, if she was not fluent in the language, why was she here? “S’id … sh’p.” Chances were she wouldn’t admit anything like what he wanted, but any information was better than none. “S’ilor?” It was a good thing his tone never really changed; otherwise she would have detected the curiosity in his voice. He would continue to lead her, no matter what she said, though he might have a few more questions, if they would come out, depending on her answer.

word count: 558

[keyatehspazz]

She didn't quite believe his 'n'thin', but decided to let it go. If he wasn't going to talk then alright. She wasn't about to force him. His answer put a smile on her face. Thank the lord, someone who actually knew where stuff was who wasn't an angry salesman. As asked, she followed him, changing what hand was carrying the meat and adjusting her shoulder pack as they got moving. Upon his explanation, she gave a small 'Oh.' She knew fruits and vegetables didn't do too well in the cold. Why hadn't she thought of that? 'I guess I'm too used to open air markets.' Maria shook her head and sighed. Really, she should use her common sense more.

Looking up at his inquiry, Maria gave him a grin. "Yeah, sailor. You could say that. I'm more of the cook, and it's an airship really. What would that make me? A sky sailor?" She gave a shrug. While she was usually a blabbermouth, she decided to keep the fact she was a pirate hidden for now. He could be part of some international police, or part of the military. Everyone had heard the rumors circulating lately, among the pirate crowd at any rate. It looks like they were stepping up their game. And she had just gotten into this whole pirate business too. But there was no way that the Metal Po… Podso… However it was spelled or pronounced! There was no way they were going to get caught. End of story.

"English is loco. I bet there’s a word out there for it, I just don't know it." Looking up at the blonde, she wondered what nationality he was. English was definitely not his first language, and he did agree to being from this area. He could be any European really though. She really didn't know how to tell them apart. "So, you're… Swedish?" Basic questions were good. “You grew up in all this snow?” She was slightly jealous. It would have been awesome to grow up in snow and ice instead of sun and heat. The cold weather wasn’t bothering her than much, considering she always felt warmer than usual, and she was wearing a few layers that Toris had recommended. “Must have been fun.” Then again, as the saying goes, the grass is always greener.

As Maria followed him, a small part of her mind wondered if she should trust this stranger she literally bumped into on the street. But he seemed like a decent sort, and trustworthy. Besides, if he did try anything, even if she couldn’t beat him Maria was confident she could get away. He looked strong, but she knew a few tricks. It was then that she realized she didn’t even know his name. “Ah, um… I’m sorry, but could I ask your name? I don’t want to just call you ‘sir’ or ‘mister’ for his little journey.” Rubbing the back of her head, she gave him an awkward grin. “And so you know mine, it’s Maria.”

[crystalblackpaws]

He just listened, so this was new to her. He never really thought much of new things, he just accepted them, learnt a thing or two, and moved on. But what she said next was much more interesting. “S’e.” While his response didn’t show it, he was truly interested in what she had said. He wanted to know more, but she had given plenty of information. He didn’t want to press the matter. “B’g sh’p?” Now he was just building an image of what she had come from in his head, curiosity bubbling up.

Another strange word, he blinked but kept walking. Now questions. The first one might have made him laugh, but instead only got a “Ja.” Well, good to see he wasn’t the only one that had trouble matching faces to nationalities. “D’d.” Fun? He had never thought of it that way. Well maybe as a child falling face first into it, then running back inside when your face froze was fun. “G’ess s’.” As he grew older, he just accepted the fact if there was snow, there was generally going to be a fair bit, and decided running face first into snow banks wasn’t a good hobby.

He was curious as to why she even trusted him so easily. Whatever worked perhaps? Oh, right name. And he wouldn’t really want to be called sir or mister either, it would just be… strange. He waited for her name first, Maria, it sounded nice. And now he had a name to go with the face. “B’rwald.” He didn’t offer his last name, as she hadn’t, and chances where she wouldn’t be able to pronounce it anyways. He had found out that not many could pronounce it with ease, though it was almost entertaining to listen to them try.

Despite being away for awhile, he still remembered where to find the rough locations of almost everything. He just needed to see it to remember, and he could safely say he had a decent memory. Well, with anything but languages it seemed. But his attention was caught by a few voices, they were close now, and the idle chatter of bored shop keeps reached him. They were hushed, as if not wanting customers to overhear, but he could pick out the odd word. But neither of them were the elderly face of the one who sold a variety of not only local grown food, but things that would be considered hard to get a hold of, for any stuck in the country.

He hoped she still had some produce left, around this time the only thing you really got a lot of where salted foods, and things that kept longer, such as turnips and potatoes. Sure he could make lots of things with just that, but could other people? He didn’t know what she wanted, so it would be interesting what she would try and get.

He kept walking, glancing around to locate the shop. He didn’t know if she would have any trouble with it, so once he found the shop he just stopped. “H’re.” It was more a shack than anything, it hadn’t changed much since the first time he had seen it. That was somewhat comforting. But reminiscing aside, he glanced at her. If she had issues with English, what ever loco meant, then he couldn’t help but think her knowledge of his native tongue probably wasn’t high up with her. “N’ed h’lp?”

word count: 575

[keyatehspazz]

“Hmm? Oh yeah, it’s huge. It’s one of those… whatcha call ‘em… Zeppelins?” Swinging the bag onto her wrist, she held up her hands and made the shape by cupping her fingers together. “It’s pretty nice. The Captain’s cool too.” Vaguely, she wondered what Toris was up to. He said he was going to go buy some supplies or something with Ivan. Mentally, she tried to gauge his height with Ivan’s and came to the conclusion that they must be the same height. Or at least close.

Oh, so he was Swedish. That was good. She almost wished he would tell her more, but he seemed like a man of little words, and she wasn’t going to press unless it was something that was really interesting. Snow was pretty interesting, but not life defining. At least not to her. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to think she was annoying for asking such a weird question. That put him in her good books.

“B’rwald?” She tried, noticing that he mostly left out vowels. “Berwald… Oh. That’s a nice name.” Giving a shrug and a smile, she thought about it. European names, unless they were Spanish, were always so exotic. With hardened constants and sharpened vowels. It was strange to feel on her lounge. She was used to rounding out her vowels and dragging her ‘r’s’ and ‘ll’s’ out. Letting those thoughts slide, Maria looked up at the sky. Even that seemed different. She found herself faced with a small bout of homesickness, wishing for the Mexican heat and the sound of chickens, cattle, and people sounding through the air as the spice of the Mexican market washed over her.

Dragged out of her thoughts by his grumbling voice, Maria turned to Berwald then looked back at the shack they had arrived at. Blinking and confused, she stared at it for a second before shrugging. He was right she supposed. But it looked so… rundown. Maybe it was just her. As she prepared herself to enter (and possibly get in another argument over price), Berwald offered his help. “Si, si, yeah! That’d be nice. I had trouble at the last store because the guy didn’t speak English well, and neither did I.” Flashing him another smile, she strode toward the stand. “You’re really helpful Berwald, thanks for all this. I probably would have gone back to the ship with nothing but meat if it wasn’t for you. And I can only imagine what those brutes would say then!”

She used the term ‘brutes’ in an endearing way, and chuckled to herself as she imagined their complaints turning from ‘this food is too spicy!’ to ‘this food is too bland!’ Wimps, the lot of them. If they couldn’t handle a little spice, she didn’t see how they could call themselves men. She remembered the time her dad ate a whole jalapeño in one bite! That was a man.

Opening the door and looking around, Maria saw that the pickings were slim. But, it was better than nothing. Looking around at her choices, she saw a lot of salted vegetables. Well that was good. Canned fruit. Well, she was better with working with the fresh kind, but she could make do. Looking at the prices, she tried to calculate what she could buy with what money she left over. The entire time, a concentrated look dominated her face. It was her job after all.