[RP]

[withoutharbor]

Who: Note and Muirin
Where: An Island
When: King's Year 192ish?? (before Note met his own crew)
What: An Encounter

[The night is still fairly young, the sea calm and the breeze balmy. It's a gentle night, and the sailors are in good spirits despite their situation, as they had the luck to come across this small, secluded island just when their ship was badly in need of emergency repairs. The jagged rise of land is softened by the thick foliage that has made it's determined way over much of the island, leaving only the sandy cove bare, where the ship now rests, hidden by the island itself and its many broad-leafed trees.

Nothaniel, having taken his meal and his turn at the watch, decides to stretch his legs on the island a bit with some of the others while the tide is low and the captain will allow it (to the hoots and friendly jeering of their peers, warning them of sea spirits and the like).

The firefly dance of Messenger's Flames over a ridge of stones lures him away from the rest of the sailors and now he stands at the top of a rocky outcropping by the shore, watching the bugs flit through the water...]

Comments

[ofstormandsea]

[ because i'm making sure he doesn't try to bite your face

but at the words she just... points to it... ]

I rode.

[withoutharbor]

[For a moment just looks... almost offended that she'd take such a ridiculous story that far, but then he recalls some of the stories and warnings his shipmates told earlier...

Eying the creature behind her again as well and lowering his gun, just a fraction...]

...Drop your illusion. You are wearing one, are you not?

[ofstormandsea]

[ She frowns, looking more nervous than irritated at his assumption-- but a quick word in a strange language and she flicks her fingers towards the waves; the creature behind her snorts and backs up, turning its stride instead to wade into the sea.

It's a blink-and-you-miss-it sort of thing, really, one moment perfectly human and the next standing awkwardly, hands on her arms, in a weak attempt to bring less attention to the fins and scales glistening in the moonlight. They travel up and down her body, lining edges and curves, around the gills on her neck and the fins of her ears.

She watches him, though, through her single eye, the movements of his hand on his gun, fearful and wary. ]

[withoutharbor]

[So it wasn't a trick of the light... Kind of seems to forget what he was doing with the gun and lowers it completely as he stares]

[ofstormandsea]

[ Visibly relaxes as the gun lowers. The horse-creature shifts a little to lay down in the surf-- now visibly different, all scales and back end a large, powerful tail. ]

...are you satisfied?

[withoutharbor]

[jolts out of his staring. Kind of half brings the gun back up, but he takes his finger off the trigger and doesn't aim it at her so much as just keeping it at ready.]

To be quite honest, it feels as if this could still be a trick. [WITCHCRAFT!] But if it is, it is becoming rather elaborate...

[ofstormandsea]

[ Tenses up all over again, frowning. ]

--You have stories of my kind, do you not? Especially in Delphinus. We are not fable.

[withoutharbor]

Ah... Well, I can't be quite certain, there are stories of many kinds of spirits in Delphinus. But mainly my concern is that our ship anchored here to avoid pursuers. If it can be proven that you're not with them, I suppose it doesn't matter to me what you are...

[ofstormandsea]

I am alone. And have been for many years, except for Kunan.

[withoutharbor]

[Slight expression of contrite, since he has been upsetting her, but... THIS IS IMPORTANT....]

Kunan?

[ofstormandsea]

[ motions to the kelpie ]

[withoutharbor]

[. . .]

I see.

. . . Is it customary to spend so much time traveling without company?

[ofstormandsea]

...I have no choice, as it is.

[withoutharbor]

No choice?

[ofstormandsea]

[ Taps the brand over her eye. ]

No choice. Do humans not have outcasts as well?

[withoutharbor]

[thinks about this for a while... finally holstering his gun.]

A criminal?

[ofstormandsea]

[ Thinks about that for a moment. ]

... A traitor.

[withoutharbor]

So you are wandering in exile... [looking vaguely troubled] ...What do your people consider so treasonous that the guilty party must be cast out of society?

[ofstormandsea]

[ Smiles, bitterly. ]

Only that I did not meet my Queen's standards. You are bold to be asking a lady such questions upon first meeting.

[withoutharbor]

[hrf!]

Yes, well. I would be more polite under normal circumstances... Still, it seems my worry was for nothing, and I've worried you as well. My apologies...

[ofstormandsea]

It is nothing, so long as you do not tell your crew of my presence here.

Your name?

[withoutharbor]

...Nothaniel. My family name is Morgan.

What need is there to hide if you merely came here by coincidence...?

[ofstormandsea]

[ ...Morgan, huh. What a coincidence. ]

You're quite new to the sea, aren't you, Nothaniel? Most humans would kill us at the drop of a hat, had they any sense to their names.

[withoutharbor]

[flusters a bit and frowns at the implications of that]

For what reason...?

[ofstormandsea]

Mmm... you should ask your crew-mates.