Enchanted -N. Lantsov

No Words Left to Play On

Nikolai's sulking was interrupted by Tolya entering his cabin. "You were taking too long."

"I need my beauty rest, Tolya. It's hard work to just wake up and look this magnificent." Nikolai dismissed.

Tolya muttered something under his breath before getting rid of Nikolai's true features. He started on Nikolai's golden hair that began to peak out of his red hair.

"I think I could have gone another day." Nikolai said confidentially.

"No you couldn't. Olysia kept staring at your hair."

Nikolai's calm demeanor fell away at the mention of the girl. "She was?" He self consciously tugged at his hair as if trying to make it look better.

Tolya slapped his hand. "Stop that"

"Was she actually looking at me?" Nikolai asked too interested to play it off as being merely curious.

"Tamar owes me money." Tolya smirked. "I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"You know Olysia somehow. One way or another."

"No I don't," Nikolai felt his head speed up. He pointed his finger in Tolya's face in wanting. "And don't you dare do what I think you're doing."

"Your heart is racing."

"I said don't you dare." Nikolai scowled.

"Hard not to." Tolya shrugged.

"You never answered." Nikolai stated.

"No, she wasn't."

Nikolai glowered at his friend. "That's not funny."

"For you maybe, but for me it is extremely entertaining." Tolya took a step back and examined his work, ignoring Nikolai's affronted look. "Everyone's on the deck sparing if you'd like to join."

"Is-"

"Yes, Olysia is there."

"That's not what I was going to ask." Nikolai pouted. "I was going to ask if Tamar was teaching Alina again."

"I'm sure you were." Tolya did not dignify Nikolai's 'question' with a response.

Tolya and Nikolai walked together to the deck and saw Mal fighting with someone on Sturmhond's crew. The tracker took him down easily and smiled at the applause he got. Nikolai's eyes swept over the crowd and saw an unimpressed Olysia holding a book.

Nikolai wasn't the only one who noticed Olysia's bored face because he called out to her.

"What do I have to do to impress you?"

"I was unaware you felt the need to impress me." Olysia's sweet voice rang out.

"Well everyone except one isn't, it tends to make someone want to prove themselves." Mal gestured around to everyone else.

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Alina said Fabrikators don't even get this kind of training." Mal ignored Alina's pleas to shut up. "You aren't even taught how to fight so the fact that the one person here who probably knows nothing about fighting is acting all high and mighty does a little something to my ego."

Olysia's jaw ticked and set the book down to give Mal her full attention.

"You gonna let him talk to you like that?" Tamar egged Olysia on. In the few days that Tamar occupied her time with Olysia, Tamar learned that pride was what made her tick.

"What is she gonna do?" Mal asked rhetorically. He smirked. "I can teach you a thing or two and then maybe then you can sit there looking pretty and judge to your nonexistent heart's content."