Archive of Our Own ^beta

Gwyneth Berdara had a habit of getting herself into quite a few ridiculous situations, usually in her youth alongside her sister, Catrin, or encouraged these days by her fellow Valkyries, Nesta and Emerie, but her current situation might just top all others that she had managed before.

She was aboard a ship. In the middle of an until-fairly-recently-unknown world. In entirely too close quarters with an alarmingly handsome – no, alarmingly arrogant – pirate Captain. Or Pirate Lord, as he insisted on reminding her every chance he got.

Oh if Catrin, Nesta, and Emerie could see her now! From wherever her sister’s spirit was looking on from, Catrin probably could see her now. Gwyn smiled at the thought of how Catrin would delight at her twin’s current situation. The two had loved reading about seafaring adventures when they were confined within the walls of Sangravah, and now here she was, living out one of those adventures. Just certainly not in the way she initially would have expected.

If this Pirate Lord were to be believed, the functioning Wyrdgate to take her back to Prythian should only be a few days’ sail. He’d been a bit cagey with the details, but Gwyn had discovered that his heavily tattooed hands were actually a magical map that would be able to assist them in locating the Wyrdgate.

When she first undertook the mission to travel to Erilea on behalf of the Night Court to seek out information regarding the new Valg enemies that had emerged in the ten years since Koschei’s demise, there had been a working Wyrdgate between the worlds for the past two years. She’d been sent on missions here a few times before, but always with a group. Of course the one time someone (Gwyn) went through the gate on their own did an unknown assailant tamper with the usual Erilea Wyrdgate once she was through. She supposed she was lucky the gate tampering hadn’t happened while she was in it; however, despite the charms of Erilea, she was ready to get home after a month away from the Night Court. She really wasn’t looking forward to Azriel’s lecture after she had practically begged him for this solo mission.

Enter the Queen of Terrasen, Aelin Galathynius, offering the services of her friend, Captain Rolfe, to locate another Wyrdgate.

Gwyn was happy to be en route to her home, truly, but did it happen to be thanks to this arrogant, insufferable male? They’d been bickering since the moment she’d set foot on the ship, yet he was still generous with his smiles and infuriatingly charming winks every time they made eye contact. It unsettled her, yet it thrilled her all the while.

Gwyn was startled out of her thoughts by the approach of said arrogant, insufferable male.

“Tired of standing around and looking pretty, Valkyrie?” The Captain had ceased wearing his gloves that usually covered his magically tattooed hands and his sea-green eyes glimmered with amusement. Why did he have to look so effortlessly handsome with his swaggering good looks and half-disshelved state of dress? They’d been at sea for days and yet he always looked refreshed, while Gwyn was certain the wind had blown her hair into a veritable rat’s nest.

Gwyn smiled brightly, “You think I’m pretty? I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said all day, Captain.”

He rolled those sea-green eyes and shook his head, the sun-lightened brown strands gleaming in a way that truly should be illegal. Gwyn could’ve sworn he’d rolled straight off the pages of a Sellyn Drake pirate romance. “Come now, it hasn’t been all that bad traveling with my crew. You haven’t had to lift a finger. And it’s Pirate Lord, remember?”

Gwyn arched an eyebrow, “First I’m pretty, now I’m lazy. I feel like your charms have been greatly exaggerated,” After a brief pause she added, “Pirate Lord.”

“Beautiful, then,” He corrected smoothly. With a chuckle, he stepped closer, causing Gwyn to tilt her head up to maintain eye contact. “And my charms have been a topic of conversation? Perhaps it is my lucky day.”

For her sanity, she chose to ignore the “beautiful” comment. Peering up at him, she narrowed her eyes, “If I recall correctly, you’ve been cursing your luck since the moment I stepped on your ship,” The sun had been blazing in the endless blue sky all day, but Gwyn felt a different sort of color creep into her cheeks as she engaged in this back and forth with Rolfe, “Don’t tell me you’re the superstitious type and think ladies on board are bad luck.”

“That sounds like some Prythian nonsense,” Rolfe’s simple white tunic was unbuttoned enough to show off a distracting amount of tanned skin (if you asked Gwyn, which no one had). This patch of skin was emphasized as a breeze rolled across the deck, causing his tunic to billow around him lightly. No amount of Mindstilling could save her now.

A beat of silence that went on for a bit too long, and his subsequent chuckle, brought Gwyn back to her senses. He had definitely continued talking and Gwyn had been too distracted by that expanse of exposed, tantalizing – wait! tanned, yes, tanned – skin to notice.

“What was that?” She gracelessly blurted, trying to get back on level footing with the Captain. She self-consciously tucked her hair behind her arched ear, some strands having blown in her face.

Another laugh, this time from deeper in his chest (and no, that certainly didn’t help Gwyn’s current state), “I said I’ve been cursing the fact that I haven’t been able to properly show you how to earn your passage.”

At that, Gwyn snapped out of her Rolfe-chest-induced haze and stood at her full, not-inconsiderable height, “Excuse me? Is that some sort of sex euphemism? ‘Earn your passage,’” She dropped her voice in an attempt to mimic his deep timbre, crossing her arms over her chest and staring him down with menace in her teal eyes.

“Hold on,” Rolfe raised his hands, palms turned towards her in a gesture of surrender. “Give me more credit than that. I truly meant to show you around the ship. How it works. The way you curiously stare down my sailors hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

“I do not ‘stare down’ your –” At another infuriating smirk and quirked eyebrow from Rolfe, she decided abandoning that lie mid sentence was in her favor. “Fine, maybe I’m a little curious.”

“Come along, then, Valkyrie,” He placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her in the direction of the railing, “To the port side with you.”

Rather than being alarmed at his touch, as she feared she might be, she relaxed into the casual gesture, looking back over her shoulder at him as she turned and grabbed a length of rope, “Just so you know, I’m part nymph and will drag you overboard with me if you try anything.”

With a laugh, he maneuvered his head down until his mouth was level with her ear, “I would expect nothing less, Gwyneth.” A brief pause where she could practically feel the smile on his face, “And I relish the challenge.”

Just as she initially thought: this would truly be the Ridiculous Gwyneth Berdara Situation to top them all.