Akila was ready to get out of Taengea. Being on land for too long made her antsy, specifically when it was Greece that she was stuck in. While born in Egypt, Akila didn’t necessarily call it her home. It was, however, much more of a home to her than Greece. The Greeks were an unusual type. They wore more clothing than those in Egypt (though it was at least less than what was thankfully less than what was expected in Judea) and they seemed so much more… privileged. Greece was good for business, don’t get Akila wrong. Colchis was good for selling slaves, Athenia for artifacts and books, and Taengea for dyes and jewels, but the longer Akila remained in Greece the more… irritable she got.
And it was not to say it wasn’t a good time. Taengea, specifically, was always filled with good booze and hot people to lay with. But Akila had spent more than enough time here and she was itching to return to the sea where she belonged and away from these… idiots. It didn’t help that this particular visit left Akila fairly sour. She had come here having done a job for a man, only for that man to try to cheat her from her well-earned money. He learned his lesson, but it was at the expense of Akila’s mood.
She stood on the dock outside her ship watching as her men loaded up the cargo to take back to Egypt. Most of it was food and barrels of drink, more than enough to last the two weeks to Egypt and then some should the weather turn foul and they delay. Akila was barking orders to her men when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She felt like she was being watched.
Who’d I piss off this time? Was the thought that immediately jumped to mind when Akila began to look around. It didn’t take long to catch who was staring at her. He was a fucking mountain, towering over most people, with long blond hair, muscular arms, and hands that showed heavy signs of being worked often.
Akila quirked an eyebrow at the man. She hadn’t seen him before in her life. While the pirate did not make it a habit to remember everyone she pissed off, this man was not likely one that she would forget. He stuck out like a sore thumb, a towering giant in the crowd. Most girls, in fact, would be intimidated by such a presence. But Akila was far from most girls.
She went to speak and call him out from staring before she realized his eyes were not on her… they were on her khopesh. Immediately Akila felt on the defensive. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt and her lips twisted into a sneer. “Can I help you?” Despite the polite context to the words, the tone was anything but. She wouldn’t attack in broad daylight in the middle of the busy docks, but she didn’t quite appreciate being… watched.
|