Nothing is Harmless [Deva]

[Deleted]

January 6, 2026
@deva

Bjorn and his crew were being a bit opportunistic. Though, at least Bjorn was being a cautious opportunistic. As "sailors" they'd heard rumors about a messed up island before, that all sailors should stay clear form. So the appearance of Yrisle didn't completely shock them. That, and there were hundreds of stories of mysterious islands and places. Sailors (and pirates) were a superstitious lot, and they told tall tales. But there was always truth to the tales. So, Bjorn took them slowly. While some of his crew chose to explore Yrisle during their ferrying of passengers, Bjorn did not. He watched from the deck of the ship. THen, each night, he made sure they got their paying passengers back home safe and sound. Though he'd noticed and influx of cargo. 

When he realized people planned on bringing their finds back on the ship (like Luthien's pet "rabbit", though he'd come to accept the rabbit as their new pest control) he'd immediately started to put a plan in place. If you wanted to bring things back, you had to take certain steps and protocol. He wasn't going to recklessly expose himself or his crew to anything being brought on board. Unfortunately people didn't always listen to those protocols. 

Bjorn leaned against the railing of the ship. They were getting close to a Scottist dock. It had been a group of herbologists today. Studying the strange flora and plantlife of the island. They had a great many samples, and he'd told them to make sure that everything they brought on was sealed away properly in an air tight magical container, and not to open them while on board. Suddenly, there was a commotion on deck. Bjorn immediately moved away from the railing to go investigate. There one of his crew was arguing with one of he herbologists. Who had apparently opened the container on the ship and the crewmate was trying to make the man reseal it. The Herbologist was not budging though, saying that the samples had been "withering" and clearly suffocating. A heated argument ensued, where Bjorn had to strong arm the container from the HErbologist and started to reseal it. That was when the Herbologist made a grab for it and knocked the container out of Bjorn's grip. The contents of the container spilled over Bjorn and the decking.

Immediately there was searing pain. Bjorn leapt back, swearing. The plant, as they would later find out, had come from the acidic lake, and as such the Herbologist had filled the container with the acidic water. THankfully the acidic water had only soaked his arms and not any other body parts, but it still wasn't pretty having acidic water dumped on you. And the slimy plant, which reminded Bjorn a bit of seaweed or eels, sticking to the acid burns like a squid. Eventually his sister was able to get the plants to release his arms, and then apply salve and healing spells to the burns. Bjorn made a mental note not to tell Deva about the burns and just make sure he got them properly healed when he saw her in a few days. They didn't have a proper healer on board currently, so he'd have to deal with the healing patch job his sister did...

January 8, 2026

Bjorn was not feeling great today. His mouth felt dry, the half healed burns on his arms itched (though keeping them tightly bandaged helped), and was hot. Very, very hot. Bjorn wasn't one to take ill often but he must be. His sister had even noted that morning how pale he looked and when she felt his forehead pronounced he had a raging temperature. Bjorn ignored it though. He'd worked ill before. So, they left dock like every other morning, ferrying their passengers to Yrisle. It was midday that Bjorn health deteriorated. Most the crew was doing their own thing. About half the crew had actually left the ship today, though hadn't left the beach. Bjorn could see them from the ship. THey'd set up a little "camp" on the beach. Bjorn had been sitting out on deck, lazily watching Luthien and her "rabbit". She'd been trying to train it, apparently. Though how that training was going was yet to be determined. He was pretty sure what little training Luthien believed she'd instilled was merely the rabbit acting correctly accidentally and that the creature was really just trying whatever it could to get more jerky out of her. 

The fever he'd been nursing all day hadn't gone. If anything it was even worse. Letting out a slow breath, Bjorn finally decided things were calm enough around here to go back to his cabin and maybe sleep this off. He'd made it a few steps when the insufferable itching burned as if touching the acidic water again. He had enough sense to look down, and saw that the bandaged on his arm, despite being quite thick, were starting to turn red. His arms, where he'd been burned and that horrible plant had latched onto him, was heavily bleeding. It hadn't been bleeding before now. 

Bjorn didn't feel himself falling.. But suddenly everything went black...

(Take it away Luthien and Deva!!!!)

[Deleted]

Luth had been out on the deck attempting to train Boogie. Despite her and the odd creature having a mutual understanding and love of jerky, Boogie wasn't really in the mood to be trained. Luthien had no interest in actually training him but used it as cover to stay on the ship. Ever since the incident with the plant from the acid lake she'd noticed the captain was changing. She couldn't really tell in the same manner as others due to no longer seeing colours other than yellow but it was easy enough to tell he wasn't doing well. She could read it on the faces of those around as well. People were worried or wondering if now was the time to consider mutiny. She'd remember those faces. Bjorn was heading down towards his cabin when he collapsed and it barely took Luthien a moment to step into gear. Normally this meant an easy kill, but her days of hired killing were behind her, partially thanks to Bjorn. She ripped the bandages off while barking out orders. Lotten wasn't around, she'd gone off to do other things. She and Luth both understood each other. Somebody was sent to get Lotten while another was assign to write to Bjorns girlfriend. Luthien feared the worst, partially because Bjorn, despite is keen mind, was still a proud man, and therefore a fool, as all men were.

Once he'd collapsed and she'd gotten her business in order (which always meant creative threats of murder) she'd left the ship in order to find a cure. The locals didn't really bother with the acid lake, considering that it housed legendary creatures that made even dragons look cute. Except dragons were more malicious. Everything in the lake was supoosedöy designed to kill you if you decided to got for a swim. All to protect these legendary creatures. Since the plant that had done this was from the lake, Luthien wasn't really surprised it tried to kill him. She'd been talking to the people that cared for the wounds to get an accurate assessment. For one, whatever poison the plant secreeted had to be worth a lot of money on the black market. If diluted enough it could be made to look like somebody merely got ill, not poisoned. Secondly, and currently more relevant, it would help her get an antidote.

So as Luthien watched the patronus soar through the sjöky towards the mainland she gritted her death. She hated telling people their loved ones were dead. That was worse than killing them. There was no way she wanted to deal with what would without a doubt be a blubbery mess of a young lady if she couldn't save her captains foolish behind. Best look for a cure. She had the best chances since she knew where to start. She twirled her blade in her hands for a moment before getting out. It was time to head towards the tree. If anybody could help her get a cure, it would be the wyrdling clan there. She had about one walk to figure out how to communicate it to them. Language barriers, always a challenge....

@bjorn

Deva goes next (;

[Deleted]

Deva had been having a quiet week and it felt weird after such a long time of constantly being so busy that she could barely catch her breath. It made her feel ill at ease, awaiting the next disaster. The ministry had worried about the island but the remaining protective magic seemed to keep almost all muggles out. The few that did get through were easy to find and they were not much of a threat. Getting to the island and leaving it unnoticed was currently a challenge, at least for anybody without magic.

So as she'd made a cup of tea for herself she'd sat down to write Bjorn. She knew he hadn't been very far of late due to the Christmas gift he'd given her and she secretly hoped to be able to get to see him again soon. Even if she could only steal a few hours of his time. She jumped a bit when an unfamiliar shape appeared in her room and the unfamiliar patronus spoke up to tell her that Bjorn was seriously hurt and to ask if she could come over to Yrisle, the place he'd warned her to stay away from. She didn't need a moment tondoubt or hesitate though, jumping up instantly and rushing to put her coat on.

It was within minutes that she'd gotten to a friend in the ministry that had gotten her a port key to get as close to the ship and island as possible. Within an hour she'd made it to the island and onto his ship. She was escorted to his private quarters where he'd been propped up in his bed.

He looked terribly ill. Sick, and it took a mere few second to realise he was running a high fever and there was blood sleeping from what seemed to be strange acid scars. Deva muttered in worry and despair at the state of him.

She sat on the bed beside him, feeling his forehead and taking his hand. He was cold and a little clammy, as if whatever poison affected him was trying to slowly finish the work. She could see the wounds had been treated decently and she hoped he'd wake up soon. She brushed some stray hair out of his face and muttered softly to the man she loved so dearly...

"Please hold on.." She couldn't cry now. No doubt the crew was doing their best to find a cure, or so they'd promised. She just hoped he'd wake soon and that they'd be able to find a cure before he got much worse.

@bjorn
Not my best but it should do to get it started? X.X

[Deleted]

January 8, 2026
@deva

Bjorn couldn't remember the last time he'd passed. Most likely it had been a very long time and back during his Quidditch days. While pirating wasn't exactly a safe line of work, he had a crew to watch his back. So, getting knocked out wasn't really a concern. How long he was out, he didn't know. But when he started to come to there was a warm pressure on his hand. Though he almost didn't feel it over the burning of his arms. It was.... bad to say the least. Some poisons were "silent" killers. They were painless, like falling asleep. Others? Not so much. It seemed the toxic plant he'd come in contact with was of the latter variety. As if trying to burn him alive. In the haze of the blinding pain was a voice. An angelic and soft voice he knew well. Deva. If it wasn't for the fever he might have wondered why, or how Deva was here. They were at Yrisle, after all. But no, the fever seemed to remove his common sense, at least temporarily.

"I'm not dead yet," he grumbled. His feverish eyes slowly opened to find that, indeed, Deva was at his bedside. She looked worried, borderline frantic. But just as beautiful as he remembered. That must be the fever talking though, because while it had only been a few days it felt like an eternity since he'd last seen her. "Or maybe I am. How else would an angel be by my bedside?" It seemed even with a raging fever, and intense burning in his arms didn't stop Bjorn from flirting at least a little.

[Deleted]

It was a while before he stirred but Deva let out a breath of temporary relief ahe wasn't even aware she'd been holding when he did so. A smile escaped her lips at his next flirtatious words, just as a tear escaped her eyes. She shook her head slightly. "They brought you some potions to ease you pain and hopefully push down the fever and one of your crew is looking for an antidote." She said, keeping her voice soft but audible. She hated seeing him like this. He looked deathly pale and it terrified her. What if she'd lose him?

She couldn't exactly afford to think like that, so she bit her lip slightly. "Can you sit up a little so you can take the potions?" She asked him, her voice full of concern. She was still holding on to his hand, not wanting to let go. As if letting go of his hand somehow meant letting go of him. "No talking about dying, my love." She then gently chided him. "Save those jokes for qhen you've recovered." Dying was not an option, although he might not realise just how oddly accurate his statement about angels was in a roundabout way. Her last name meant angel and the naming tradition in her family was a first or second name they shared with an angel. Not that it mattered now, those were stories for when he got better. Death was not an option here according to Deva.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

January 8, 2026
@deva

Dammit, there she was. Borderline crying. He wasn't an... emotional man. And he would be lying if he said crying women didn't make him nervous. He just didn't know how to handle it. Especially when he was the reason for the tears. But... At least it was only a few tears, and they seemed to disappear as she shook her head and responded. He grunted an acknowledgement at her words. He wasn't the sort to have asked for any of those things so he was grateful that he didn't have to. It had already been arranged. He was too headstrong to admit he wanted or needed sedative potions. No, he was the sort that would just grit through the pain, no matter how much it hurt. Especially in front of his crew. Weakness was a no go. While he didn't doubt their loyalty he knew that some of their respect and obedience came from his strength, both physical and mental.

As Deva mentioned him sitting up, he nodded. He'd sit up if it killed him. He took a deep breath, before trying to move. Using his arms in their state was excruciating, but he grit his teeth and force himself into an upright position. The room spun and a lock of hair fell between his eyes. His fever must be bad, as his hair was damp from sweating. With another grit of his teeth he moved his free hand up to brush the lock away. He didn't want to appear weak, but being so close... No doubt Deva saw how much he struggled. "I'd never joke about the most beautiful woman," he answered after catching his breath a little, though his head still felt very lightheaded. He reached out, despite the pain, and placed his free hand on Deva's cheek. "How are you here?" He finally asked more seriously. Here being on the ship.

[Deleted]

It was horrible to see how much pain he put himself through in order to just simply sit up straight. It felt wrong that she had to watch him endure it, but giving him the potion while he was still lying flat on his back wouldn't be particularly wise. Deva didn't like seeing other people suffer, least of all those she cared about. Considering how much she'd come to care about Bjorn over the short time she'd known him so far said a lot about how much she worried and how torn she was seeing him like this. She just knew she had to make sure he got those potions. She'd been warned against making him worry or stress, since he needed to stay as calm as possible to hopefully stop the poison from spreading. Considering he wasn't really one to worry all that much she figured it wouldn't take a lot of effort, just mostly keeping herself calm. It was very difficult to accept his compliments the way she usually did when she was this worried though. So she let out a half smile and uncorked one of the bottles with the potions and handed it to him. "Drink up." She said simply, already holding the second one so she could get it ready for him.

When he asked how she was here she sighed deeply, smiling a little despite herself. "One of the crew sent word you were sick, possibly dying. I got a friend at the ministry to get a port-key as close as possible and took a ship for the rest bit. When I arrived they led me straight here and said I could reassure you that Lotten is taken care of the regular day to day business. They seem to think you'd be annoyed if they let the work lie." She chuckled slightly at that understatement. They all seemed convinced they'd go through hell if they used this as an excuse to slack off and it seemed Lotten was reinforcing this idea. "They also mentioned one of the crew went out to the island to get a cure or an antidote. I think they said she went alone." Deva shook her head slightly. It seemed foolish to go onto an island this dangerous all on your own and Bjorn himself had warned her against coming here to begin with. The person that was looking for a cure had to be completely mad, but nobody seemed to have countered their choice. "Why didn't they get you to St. Mungo's?" Deva asked, half curious and half scared. Did this have something to do with illegal work she didn't really want to know anything about? Or did they believe that the hospital wouldn't have the means to cure it? Either way it was concerning news to her. If his fate was in the hands of one person going onto a cursed island it wasn't particularly promising.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

January 8, 2026
@deva

Bjorn was used to internalizing his pain. Keeping it to himself, whenever there was any. Deva brought down all his defenses, however. While he didn't want her to see him in this state, he didn't hide it, or pretend everything was fine. His state, while feeling serious, must actually be quite serious. Considering how serious Deva was. That was... worrisome. She held out the first potion to him and he took it, hazily eyeing the liquid before bringing it to his lips and chugging the contents. His body wanted to reject it immediately, angry at the sudden consumption of something, but he kept it down. He handed her the small bottle and took the other, downing it like the first. Like the first, he hand the bottle back to Deva. She was explaining how she'd gotten here at that moment, though he was only half listening, the fever fogging his mind. But hearing her speak was nice. Hearing that sweet voice in the haze.

As she finally asked why the didn't get him to St. Mungo's he seemed to fully come back to awareness. He lay back down, though he caught Deva's wrist as he lay down, to try and pull her down onto the bed with him. It wasn't his usual strength though. "Someone might recognize me," he offered as explanation. While Bjorn kept a very low profile in the UK, that didn't mean there weren't people here that didn't know him. Interpol was here. More agents then usual because of Azkaban. No, a place like the hospital wasn't an option for him. His crew knew it too. While some of them might be able to go about, unrecognized, the captain of an infamous pirate ship didn't have the same luxury.

[Deleted]

The first potion went down and they exchanged bottles. The second potion went down and she was handed the empty vial once again. She put them on the bedside table, taking note of how pale he looked. She was worried, scared even, that he was a lot worse than he actually let on. The crew said one thing but it seemed to match what she saw. What if they couldn't find a cure? It was doomsday thinking but she couldn't help it. He looked weaker and more fragile than she'd ever seen before. Like he was on his death bed and death was just rounding up previous engagements before it came to pick him up. She hoped it had a very busy schedule today.

He didn't seem to hear all her words, or if he did they gave very little response. It was concerning at best. She frowned slightly as he laid back down and tugged on her wrist as request for her to join him. She noticed his grip wasn't as firm and she worried more. Still she obliged his unspoken request and crawled into the bed with him, doing her best to avoid the bandages he seemed to be covered in. The mention of being recognised had her nod. It complicated things a lot, although she wondered if he could safely port here. There was no official jurisdiction yet, which made it a lot more complicated in terms of law. She appreciated it for once as she put her head on the pillow next to him, trying to keep from touching the bandages still. "How are you feeling?" She asked hesitantly.  She wasn't fully sure she wanted to know. She didn't want any bad news, even if she knew this was bad enough to start off with. She stroked his cheek softly and felt his forehead. He seemed to be running quite a high fever. Whatever magic or poison was at work here, she wasn't familiar with it and she hated it. She wondered if she could do anything but wait, but it was hard to say. Time was always too short and she couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

January 8, 2026
@deva

Bjorn gave the faintest of smiles as she obliged his silent request, laying down on the bed next to him. He moved his arm to lay across his stomach, so she wouldn’t have to worry about the bandages. It still hurt, as it would take the potion a few minutes to fully kick in. She closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing and listening to hers next to him. He was concerned, a little, of what his crew was up to in his sudden absence. Though he vaguely remembered her mentioning they were working and trying to find a cure. That was probably the first moment he actually considered what was wrong with him. An illness? No, it couldn’t be. If he was merely sick they wouldn’t have let devs in the room, for fear of spreading it. It had to be a poison. Something from the island. Though his mind was too foggy to think too much on the dilemma.

Deva spoke again and he felt her gentle touch on his cheek. He opened his eyes, turning his head just a little in her direction. He forced himself to smile, though it lacked his usual strength and confidence. As if he couldn’t muster it. ”You worry to much,” he muttered softly. He closed his eyes again. ”I’ve had worse. I’ll be fine.” False confidence at its finest. Yes, he’d been injured before. But never badly poisoned. Especially not with a known cure around. But he didn’t want her to worry to much. Despite how bad it was, he didn’t want to see that look on her face. He much preferred her smile.

[Deleted]

Despite all that was going on, Deva was happy to be in his arms. She was glad to be close to him, although it hurt to see him so badly affected by whatever poison was in his system. She hoped they'd get a cure soon, although it was hard to imagine it going smoothly. Still she held on hope, as losing him was hardly an option. She inhaldd deeply for a moment, letting her breath escape slowly. He'd be fine, they could trust his crew to find a cure. They were working on it... but was it fast enough?

He claimed she worried too much, which made her glare. She was pretty sure that if she'd been in the condition he was in now that he'd have been just about ready to chance the island for a cure himself. That or have everybody on the ship look for one while he stayed by her side. Either way, dhe doubted he'd be calm about it. He was being silly in thinking she'd believe him. His only advantage was that she didn't want to argue with him when he looked as bad as he did. She grumbled slightly as she laid her head down next to his. "You'd better be. I don't want to lose you." She said, unable to fully keep the emotions out of her voice. They hadn't had enough time together yet by far, she couldn't stand to lose him now.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

January 8, 2026
@deva

Bjorn could feel the potions starting to work. The pain in his arms, from the open sores that wouldn't close under the bandages didn't burn quite as much. It was a welcome relief. At least it would be one less thing to worry about. He felt like at least with the pain dulled his head felt a little clearer, though the fog and haze from the poison in his system still left him feeling disoriented. THough, his head was clear enough now to finally start thinking.

Now was a very, very, dangerous time for Deva to be on the ship. WHile Bjorn trusted his entire crew, it was only to an extent. There were only a few on the ship (such as his sister, Ri, and Luthien) that he knew would not betray him should the perfect moment present itself. The rest? Well, they were pirates. Opportunistic. Their allegiances could shift in certain circumstances. While he knew Lotten could manage the crew, this would be too perfect an opportunity for those daring enough. He could think of one individual in particular that was particularly brave enough.

Bjorn was pulled from his thoughts as Deva spoke. He opened his eyes and looked at her. There was a worried look in his eyes, behind that feverish haze. He didn't want her to get caught up in the potential mess that may happen. "Deva, listen to me very carefully." He started to speak, stopping to catch his breath before forcing himself to sit up in the bed. It was a little easier with the potion helping with the pain, but it was still quite difficult and his head spun at the motion. "Lock the door... Then there's a small box.... hidden behind the map on the wall... Bring it." While he was in no state to be giving orders there was a serious tone to his voice, a grave urgency.

[Deleted]

Deva found herself somewhat concerned as Bjorn himself seemed to start getting concerned.  He wasn't supposed to worry too much! Still she listened carefully to what he had to say and on soft feet she made her way to the door, locking it while a sense of dread took over her. She softly walked to the map, keeping an eye on him all the time. Was it wise to lock the door when somebody could come back any moment with a cure? Or well, she hoped they would.

She took out the box he'd mentioned and walked back to him, handing it over to him. She refused to lie down again, even more so now he was sitting up, looking more feverish than before. She frowned slightly. "Bjorn... what is going on?" She asked, unable to keep to concern out of her voice. She looked at the box he'd had her retrieve and then to the door. Was he worried about a mutiny maybe? It seemed the only thing she knew from books and movies that he had to worry about. She just wasn't sure if those things still happened these days. She took his hand a moment and felt his forehead again. "Bjorn, please try to relax. You're in danger and I don't want the poison to spread faster." She frowned slightly. What was so important it had to happen right now when he was that sick?

@bjorn

[Deleted]

January 8, 2026
@deva

Bjorn didn’t want to concern or worry her. But now was a very bad time for her to be on the ship. No doubt her presence had been requested by someone he trusted, thinking it would help keep an eye on him and comfort him. But they’d failed to realize that pirates were opportunistic by nature and an ill captain made him a walking target. If his poisoning emboldened certain crew members... Deva was potentially interested danger. He had to nip that in the bud before it became an issue.

So, as she did as he asked be moved in the bed, moving to the edge and placing his feet on the floor. He didn’t get up, not trusting himself to, but he needed to be more upright. He could feel the sweat heading on his forehead from the effort.

Deva finally returned with the box and he tried to offer her a smile. She asked what was going on, and he truthfully didn’t know how to explain without... worrying her more. But maybe that was okay. She was already in this, with him. She deserved to know. He didn’t respond yet though, taking the box from her. It was a plain thing, nothing decorative except a magical seal. It responded to his touch though, clicking open. That was when he felt her hand on his forehead.

Bjorn looked at her, head spinning. ”Deva, now is a dangerous time... to be on the ship...” he started to explain, stopping only to open the box. Inside was a foe-glass. In his haze though... he couldn’t make out what was in it. ”How close are they..?” he asked. He was holding it, so it should represent his enemies, and not Deva’s.

[Deleted]

Deva did as he asked, which was relatively easy for her. She had a natural inclination to listen to the things he had to say. To at least hear him out, even if she disagreed with him. She loved him dearly and would move mountains for him, where that would be possible. It was mostly about things she was or wasn't comfortable doing for him. Anything illegal was certainly a lot less likely than anything that was actually legal. So far he'd never asked her for anything illegal or anything she wouldn't be able to provide for him. That helped a lot, as it meant she could trust him to make choices in her best interest, even if they were not always in his own best interest. Those were the things that truly distinguished a good partner from a great one. He'd be there for her, trying to do what was best for her even if that didn't benefit him. Just like she'd keep any secret to keep him safe if push came to shove. She didn't admit it out loud, but that was their unspoken agreement. She followed the rules and he broke them. It was as simple as that, but they'd both try to help the other out and make sure they had the best possible outlook on life. Because that's what couples in love did. They looked out for one another, even if it didn't benefit themselves.

She looked into the foe-glass, like he'd asked of her. She couldn't distinguish the shapes in it, but it was clear they were quite close, closer than she'd want them to be. She wasn't all that familiar with the workings of magical technology like this as she never really needed it before. She didn't exactly have a profession in which she made a lot of enemies. Most likely the majority of her enemies were more tied to Bjorn than her own personal life. She was a sweet girl and tried her best not to make enemies. She could understand people might hurt her because of Bjorn, but the idea was more like a neglectable detail than a realistic presumption to her. She was clearly wrong in that aspect, even if she didn't see it. She looked at Bjorn for a moment before she actually answered. She doubted between being honest and keeping him comfortable. She sighed deeply and regretfully for a moment. "I don't recognise them yet, but they are getting closer. They have distinct shapes, but I can't identify them yet." She ended up admitting honestly. It was better to be honest, she figured. She shook her head then, pretty much denying whatever was actually going on. "They wouldn't hurt anybody. They'll probably try something like blackmail or whatever at worst." Even though she knew that wasn't truly she refused to believe any differently. Nobody was going to hurt him, and if they had any nefarious plans she'd stop them. Anything for him really, since he was just about the most important thing in her life. She wouldn't let them take him from her so easily. No, she'd fight with everything she had.

@bjorn