Nodding in agreement at the idea of having a real sparring session with Nike again - for Vangelis was of the same opinion as she; that he needed to start working his muscles harder again - the crown prince then snorted in amusement at Nike suggesting Asia might fall overboard.

The amusement was short lived, however, when he saw Nike looking out over the ship and his neck almost snapped as Vangelis turned to look after his sister who was indeed leaning over the edge of the ship to see the animals below.

Groaning at the idea that his sister would never be the elegant princess that their mother hoped for, Vangelis made a face at Nike and then left her with the ship's captain by the help,

Holding the hilts of his dual swords, pressing his hands into the pommels in order to lift the ends of the sheaths out of the way of the steps, Vangelis jogged down the little stairs onto the main deck and made his way towards his sister with a powerful, long stride.

Ducking beneath cargo carriers and avoiding the men who were leaning back against ropes to tighten sails or rigging, Vangelis headed over to the young princess, meeting her half way across the ship as she had obviously finished greeting the sea life and had been making her way towards the rear of the boat to join him.

With a raised hand, his finger pointed towards his boots and spinning it in a circle, Vangelis silently told his sister to head in the opposite direction, reaching out to place a hand gently between her shoulder blades to encourage her forwards.

Together, the two siblings, Imeeya and the young Euphemia who had just joined them, headed to the front prow of the vessel, out of the way of the sailors.

At just a few steps up, the front of the ship was empty of people as there was no need to secure or fasten equipment up this end. It was here that they could interact, talk or just be - whatever the women preferred, and not have their presence be a hindrance to the sea folk that hurried about below...

Athanasia listened to Imeeya's comment about it being hard to tell just how fast they were going, looking over the edge as she was to glance at the water. Asia didn't lean to far, still fighting the fear that had filled her not to long ago as she became more comfortable within the open air. With her peek, she saw the dolphins and jokingly asked her question, never expecting any actual answer. With her forearms pressed against the railing, she dared to close her eyes as she took a deep breath through her nose, hoping the cold breeze would chase away the last of her terrors like a cold plunge in a lake deep in the forests of home.

Looking around, Asia focused on that cold breeze that chilled her even as she tried to think of some way to get her thoughts in order with a clearer mind, Vangelis walked over to them, directed them to an area that had no one else around, somewhere that they could talk quietly and with the rushing water it would be much more privately. At the bow, Asia never expected her cousin to answer her previous question or in such a tone as she did. What did she do to vex her cousin so? Was it because she peeked over the edge of the rail to look out at the water? Or was it something else?

Asia didn't even know how to respond to Imeeya, at a loss for what could have caused such annoyance directed her way. Usually they got along so well, more like sisters than cousins. Looking out at the water again, watching the mini waves ripple from the ship and the wind, she finally had a thought that she could possibly have a way to sort out her thoughts. With that held thought, Athanasia looked over at Imeeya, giving her an acerbic look that showed that she caught the mockery. "I guess I am not special enough for any messages from the gods. So no, they did not have anything to say."

With a sigh, she looked over at her good friend and hand maiden, Euphemia and smiled. "Euphie, why don't you take Lady Imeeya and go find a snack or something? Maybe you two can find something to make this trip seem to fly by with something fun to do?" Asia knew that she would probably play with her new bow, and maybe work on some of the cloth that her mother had tried showing her before they left. Though she was headstrong and wanted to do things her way, Asia did like to try and make her mother happy, even if they argued often. Looking over at Imeeya, she gave her a small smile. "I am sure you will find lots to do that will keep you entertained, cousin." 'And hopefully no longer annoyed with me.' Was her ending thought to that statement.

Once the two women left, she looked over at her brother, shifting around as she thought of how she would word things in a way that wouldn't have Vangelis in a foul mood for the rest of the voyage. "Vang.. could I talk to you for a moment? Please?"

Imeeya hadn’t meant for her remark to Asia, to be so cutting, but she could see the hurt in Asia’s eyes at the sarcasm in her voice. Imeeya hadn’t meant for it to happen but it seemed that the distance between the two of them had only managed to widen since the night of the market. Imeeya had hoped that they might be able to talk about what had happened during the trip, but the gulf between the two cousins seemed almost impossible to reach across in this moment. When the princess told her handmaiden that she and Imeeya should go find something to occupy themselves, she knew that Asia was firmly shutting the door to conversation.

Honestly, the last thing Imeeya wanted to do at this point was to go get a snack, her stomach was still rolling as the ship lurched through the waves, but she could take a hint. She turned to Euphemia as Asia went back to visit with her brother. “Let’s see if we can find something to do below decks.” Imeeya led the way, cautiously picking her way down the steep stairs into the boat’s interior. She did not entirely have her balance, and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself by falling over not even a few hours into their journey. Imeeya had no desire to return to the cramped quarters of their room, yet she wanted even less to run into any of the crew of the ship. Despite the presence of Vangelis and Nike right on the deck, her experiences with sailors hadn’t been the best, and she’d rather not chance it.

Imeeya sat down on her bed and scooted back until she was securely leaning against the back wall. Tucking her feet in beside her on the bed, Imeeya sighed and tried to convince her stomach to settle well enough. Perhaps a distraction would help take her mind off the seasickness. She turned to Euphemia. “Would you care for a game of riddles?” Imeeya asked. She always enjoyed a game of riddles, it didn’t hurt that she tended to be very good at the game.

At the first question to leave his sister's lips, Vangelis already felt like he was drowning. A sense of discomfort, uncertainty, awkwardness and doom all mingled in his stomach and cemented themselves in his lower belly, as Asia began to conversation - directing it towards discussions of romantic feelings. None of aforementioned emotions were those of comfort to the Colchian prince; for he dealt with none of them on a regular basis. Which mean, even before she had fully broached the topic, he was already out of his depth.

Mentally he was already watching himself drown at the approaching subject.

Not that he would ever allow his features or frame to communicate such awkwardness.

Blessed by the Gods to feel no fear (so some said) he might be. But he was also "blessed" - if you could call it that - with years upon years of military training. And in the military, you did not show your emotions on your face no matter how hard they might have been pounding on the lining of your stomach or the inside of your skull. You kept your eyes cold, your features set and your muscles loose on their bones. And you did it consistently without pause or hesitating to trigger awkward jolts or shivers.

As such, the exterior Vangelis that was presented to Asia, as he lent against the ships rail, his forearms bracing his weight and his eyes staring out unseeingly upon the horizon, was one of calm serenity and stoic consideration as she began her verbal plight.

Had he ever liked someone...?

Physically? Which he suspected she wasn't asking the answer was yes; he was a red-blooded male and desired the intimate company of the opposite sex as much as any other man. But emotionally? With thoughts of romance and compassion and closeness?

The answer was a distinct and resounding no. Whilst the notion of Selene of Leventi popped into his head as an example of how he was finally starting to breach into the realms of friendship, he could would all certainty say that he was yet to experience that of romance.

In truth, the concept of romantic feelings or adoration were not ones he felt the desire to need nor want. As far as he was concerned, he would eventually marry in order to give Colchis a Queen rather than a life partner to himself. Whether it was his militant, cut and dry lessons in mortality, his courtly upbringing or stoicism and politics or just his personal nature in which he was never overtly emotional or desperate in his affections, Vangelis didn't know. All he knew was that he looked at the world of romance, flirtation and intimacy with cold and calculating accuracy. What his kingdom needed, what his family needed, what his body needed... In that order. What his heart needed had never seemed important enough to ever make it onto the list.

This being said, Vangelis didn't like the idea of shooting Asia down right off the bat. She was a confident (if a little naive) young woman and, if she was coming to him for advice on emotions, it was clear she felt entirely lost. Else a more appropriate tutor would have surely been chosen. For her to seek him out personally, desperation must have played a hand in it.

Ergo, Vangelis didn't immediately deny every having feelings of "liking", as she described it. Neither did he state that he had. He stayed quiet, looking back over his shoulder at her and, with his eyes and brows alone, encouraging her to get to her point.

When Athanasia continued, that doom that Vangelis had felt earlier started to rear its head again, this time in the form of patriarchal possession. His brotherly claim over Asia was feeling immediately threatened at the notion that she was interested in some man - some boy most likely - whom she had clearly shown enough interest in, or who had shown enough interest in her, for her to broach the subject with her eldest brother.

Vangelis felt his breathing hitch and quicken a little, as if in anger. As Head of the Kotas House, her eldest brother, crown prince to the kingdom and future King of Colchis, it was like his ego was telling him he should have known about this sooner. Before whoever the Lord was that had attracted her attention was by a fly in her peripheral vision.

Damnit, but he needed to be home more often than he currently was. Such matters needed seeing to soon...

Athanasia paused and looked awkward in Vangelis' silence, so the prince turned where she stood and rested his backside against the ship's boundary, his elbows propping his weight behind him. He slouched a little, straightened his legs and crossed one ankle over the other, watching her intently to show he was listening, but still refusing to speak a word until he was given a direct query that he could answer with certainty and fact.

That opportunity quickly came and passed, leaving Vangelis with rage so complete he thought it might eat a hole through his gut.

"How do you feel about Lord Silanos of Valaoritis?... I ask because he kissed me... He kissed me."

Now, that Vangelis had a fucking answer to!

But wouldn't you know it, it was on this point that Asia didn't wait for him and just kept talking, clearly nervous in revealing the finer details and so speaking with a speed that belied her anxiety. The description she gave painted a nasty picture in Vangelis' mind that he wanted removed or blotted out. Preferably with the blood of Silanos of Valaoritis.

Damnit, he should have stayed in Colchis and finished the business with that House before he left for Taengea!

Yet, if he had done that, he wouldn't have known about any of this with Athanasia and therefore would have let the bastard of the hook! That was what he had been planning to do when he had made plans to travel to Eubocris! He had been planning on offering Valaoritis a way to prove their loyalty once more and knock some sense in Silanos, whom Vangelis had given the benefit of the doubt to; that he was simply a over enthusiastic and - in that one instance - drunk young man who had yet to find his feel in the world of adulthood.

While his brother (quite rightly) wanted to kill the man, Vangelis had been willing to let the matter go. A kiss to his married and uninterested sister-in-law, he could just about cope with.

A kiss delivered to his naive and impressionable sister? A young girl with zero experience with men, who would trust too implicitly and love whole heartedly? Within a week of making a pass at said sister-in-law?

Yeah... that was not something even divine mercy could forgive.

Realising he needed to speak; that he had gotten lost in his own feelings on the matter as Asia had beseeched him for aid in coming to terms with her feelings and actions, Vangelis hesitated for a moment, his jaw clicking in and out of place at his ear as he restrained his fury.

"No." He finally said, the single word exiting his throat so garbled by the restraint he was inflicting on his chest that it was barely recognisable. "You've not shamed yourself, sister mine." He told her, before licking at his lips, his mouth suddenly dry. He glanced in her direction with a raised brow. "But you need to be careful of the place and time you indulge in such intimacies. A public place is not appropriate." His words were harsh but his eyes were kind. Until they blinked and the subject was changed from her to her would be beau.

With a dismissive lightness to his tone that he didn't feel, Vangelis turned back around to his former position of looking out to see as he spoke his next words.

"Besides, where Silanos is concerned I wouldn't worry... He'll show you no further attentions." His words, he realised belated, could have reflected back on her so Vangelis quickly clarified as he glanced back at her around the bicep that bulged in anger as his fingers gripped the side of the boat with a force he was wanted to exert elsewhere - namely the neck of one Silanos of Valaoritis. "Because, if he does, I'll kill him."

As Athanasia's eyes bulged and he watched their brightness shift and flicker as she clearly attempted to understand his anger or why he was so violent in his assertions towards her would be beau, Vangelis felt a frustration burning in his torso. Not anger - for he could never be angry at Asia. But a frustration at her waywardness, her naivete. She had not been listening to their mother when she had been told over and over the sanctity of herself, of her role; the significance of her position as princess of the realm.

Uncertain that he could do little where his mother had done years of work, Vangelis accepted that - whether it worked or not - he had to say something in response to his sister's beseeching questions.

But where to find the words...?

Vangelis inhaled slowly and at length through his nose, as he kept his gaze trained on the horizon for a moment. Then, with a sharp exhale, his arms bulked and his hands pushed his frame up from the edge of the ship and the spray of the sea. He felt the window tug his hair in a different direction as he turned to assess his sister, unsure how to go about expressing the ways of the world as she had to learn to see them...

Moving forwards, Vangelis set his hands on the girl's slim shoulders and turned her to face the front of the ship, moving to stand behind her. From around her shoulders, Vangelis pointed out towards the horizon where the sun had set the very edges of the world alight.

"See that?" He asked her, his finger tracing the line of the water. "You are that horizon." He told her, keeping on hand on her shoulder and the other stretched out in front of them. "The edge where sky meets water. Its where the sun rises and disappears, where it sets the water glowing. There is nothing more powerful than the sea and the sky - forces beyond our control and in the realms of the Gods. The horizon is powerful, beautiful and infinitely changing to any situation. No matter the time of day, where the sun is placed, where the ships upon its surface sail, it adapts and changes and never loses any of its beauty or vibrancy. A princess is a horizon. Always beautiful, always powerful and never diminished by its surroundings."

Moving around his sister in order to stand before her, keeping the horizon in view beside him, but meeting her gaze with his own, his face turned stern.

"You can never catch a horizon." He told her. "You can never reach it, never possess it. It belongs to the land and the sea and the sky." The crown prince reached out and placed a fingertip to his sister's chest, right over her heart. "You, belong to Colchis. You are Colchis. You are its heritage and its legacy. You are the power in its rocks, the soul of its waters and the strength of its people. Athanasia you are more precious than any and all stones and metals beneath our home. You are the entirety of Colchis."

Straightening and moving away from her, Vangelis loosened out his arms to dissipate the anger that was starting to swell once more.

"Which means..." He continued, speaking over his shoulder to her. "When someone - a single, mortal individual. A boy... tries to kiss you, or touch you, or in any way lay claim over you, it is an invasion." He turned back to her, anger on his face. "It is an invasion of everything that is precious to our home." At the word precious his eyes softened a little and he swallowed.

Vangelis was not a talker, he was not chatty. But when a situation of import called for it, his practice of watching his words meant that he could deliver them when he chose. He just had no idea of his choices of sentiment would reach his sister.