Closed A Flash of Light that Cut the Rolling Sea [Tsukiko]

[Tiernan Swiftriver]

Timestamp: 11h Day of Winter, 512 AV. (sunset) Location: Vicinity of around God's Eye Point. The quiet moaning and creaking of wood The Delphian suspended in place along the ocean surface became a hidden lullaby that helped to lull Fionnula to sleep. Tiernan sighed with relief as he waved a hand over his daughters head as she slept, making sure she wasn't faking. "Dream a dream that you have never seen, and be anything you want to be. Happy and content with Nysel blessing." The loving words were actually a prayer he said every time he was there to watch her fall asleep. Giving homage to the god of dreams. Running both of his hands through his brown, blond highlighted hair he began to ruffle his hair to shake away his boredom. Steps slowly creeping up the stairs out of the cabin quietly to not wake his daughter up. Walking to the bow of his ship he looked to the placid crimson sky above that spread across the horizon. The slowly setting sun was mirrored by the ocean giving the illusion that the sun was rising as it set. The a crimson surface of the ocean shifted as the fin of a tiger shark appeared. It was Tiernan's Tavan and trusted companion on the sea Garloth. The large shark peaked the bridge of its nose out of the water until its eyes were looking straight at the Svefra. His tail flicked at the waters surface causing faint ripples to disturbed the waters surface as a sign that he was done feeding. "Happy to see your hunt went well. Aye finally got Fi to go to bed after her dinner. A miracle aye'am here to see the last chimes of sun set." Slamming his tail hard against the water, Garloth showed canted his head towards the ships connected to his own. "We have guests. This Catamaran belongs to a women named Tsukiko. Aye think she is alright. The other belongs to her friend. They are no threat, so no need to attack if you see a stranger in the water." Leaning forward against the railing Tiernan began to contemplate a sunset swim. "Aye think aye'll go harpoon fishing, want to tag along?" Speaking aloud as he contemplated the thought.

[Tsukiko]

Tsukiko floated on the other side of her Catamaran, unaware of Tiernan and his Tavan tiger shark. Her hair drifted in dark tresses around her as she looked towards the sky, Syna beginning to slowly descend to give way to Leth. She turned onto her stomach in a smooth movement, and began swimming towards her ship, unwilling to be in the cold waters at night. The thought of being in the winter sea without the sun made her shiver involuntarily as she pulled herself back on-board. Sitting on the railing, she began wringing out her hair, attempting to spare herself the chore of mopping the droplets later. Finished, she swing her legs over, and went about searching for her cloak and clothes, for she had swum in her undergarments. Drawing her cloak around her, she slipped on her thickest clothing, leaving her hair loose to dry. Throughout this, Tsukiko thought of the days events, smiling to herself. The girl Fi was a treasure in herself, strong, but with the frailty of a child's innocence. She chuckled quietly, recalling the child's curiosity. "She will miss my secret, for she is asleep," she murmured quietly, having seen Tiernan take her below to rest for the night. Tsukiko returned to her place on her railing, the one on the opposite side of the one tied to Tier's Casinor. She dangled her bare feet above the gentle waves, her gave raised to the cloudless, winter sky. It had grown dark, the sun having almost fully set. As she watched the last rays peek over the edges of the sea, she began to sing in soft tones, not wishing to wake Fi, nor Troian, who she assumed slept peacefully aboard her own vessel. ".... As the sky becomes A colourful array The sun waves a hand Sending out a last few rays Throughout the land The moon wakes itself Once again Moonlight Stars bright Oh won't you Shed some light For me Tonight..." She drew into silence as she waited for the moon to rise.

[Tiernan Swiftriver]

Tiernan glanced toward the Catamaran when he heard the soft song being sung, not surprised at all that someone other than himself was awake to watch the sun set. It was an event that he he had sat up to watch nearly every day, so long as he got his daughter to sleep. Typically practicing his arcane arts under the fragile rays moonlight. His dark blu eyes were began to search for Tsukiko as he waved a hand at Garloth to pause the conversation. His bare feat crept across the deck of his ship lightly to naught wake up Fi. It was a force of habit for him to walk barefoot on his own ship, however he never did such a think on another persons ship. It required him to slip on his boots and tie his laces before hoping abroad Tsukiko Catamaran. As his feet touched the ground a small smile came across his lips as he listened to her song. He made himself known non-verbally, simply walking with a hard step that was loud enough to draw her attention. He began to sing a shanty that was completely different from her song, yet his rugged sailors poem held a way with words that matched her song in relation to the moon. "Oh light, oh light of Leth's moonlight... Long we've tossed on rolling'toiling. Zulrav's wind luff flapping sail to the weather all those sailing. From moon to sun the night had gone to Syna grace so caring. And dawn to dusk the sails move on, full'draw a'sails a'flowing." He smirked as he lifted his left hand to great her. "Sorry if aye'am disturbing you. Aye'just couldn't help but listen to your song." In the water near her ship, Tiernan's tavan lurked in the waters below. Only his fin slicing through the waters surface until the large shark nudged into the bottom of Tsukiko Catamaran causing it to shake lightly. "Forgive Garloth, he is just curious."

[Tsukiko]

She was not surprised when she heard him approach, since her position on the railing allowed her to feel even the slightest movement of him boarding. Tsukiko turned her gaze towards the sound of the foot steps as they drew near. She smiled as she listened to his shanty, storing it in her memory for future singing. She inclined her head in acknowledgement and greeting, "Not at all, and I welcome your shanty," she replied with a playful grinned. After adjusting her balance on the railing, she looked towards the Tavan, smiling. "There is nothing to forgive in the first place. Hello there, would you mind if I touch you?" She was just as curious of him as he was of her, for though she had seen sharks before, it had only every been at a distance. She began reaching down slowly, but froze mid movement. To her growing uneasiness, the sun had fully set, and the moon was beginning to rise. She quickly withdrew her hand, swung her legs over the railing, her feet seemed to barely touch the deck as she attempted to hide. However, she was unable to reach the refuge of the mast when the change began. As the last of Syna's rays faded into darkness, her skin began to glow gently, traveling up from her finger tips. The moonlight reflected off her smooth pale skin, much resembling how the moon reflected the light of the sun. Her form grew slimmer, her hair became silvery, and slightly longer. Though still damp, her hair was softer to the touch, and slender black horns curled at her temples. Her eyes became a more vibrant indigo blue, holding deep sorrow within their depths. She did not know how Tiernan would react, and she was frightened because of it. Tsukiko enjoyed his child's company, his as well, and she did not wish to do anything that would cause him to dislike her. She trembled, hugging herself tightly, pulling up the hood of her cloak to cover her hair.

[Tiernan Swiftriver]

“Will'ye leave my curiosity so unsatisfied?“ Tiernan wondered briefly when she put up her hood, was it so strange to find himself locked into a situation where he was suddenly bewildered by something awe inspiring. While it was not the first time he had seen an Ethaefal, he could never grasp the wonder of their physical changes. On more then one occasions he had to deal with random controlled chaos caused by the arcane but, this was different. It was divine. "Why do you hide?" Letting his eyes follow the curious contours of the fabric of her hood that pressed lightly against her horns. Allowing him to see the most basic nearly unnoticeable imprint of the horns. ”Aye'am afeard, Being in fresh night, all this is but a dream." Questioning the moment as if it was just a game. Walking toward the edge of the ship Tiernan looked over the edge to look at Garloth. "My friend, ye'shall be amazed and have your curiosity increased. Allow her to pet you and be merry my friend." Garloth was clearly intrigued by his friends fancy words. Quickly swimming in a rapid circle before facing the ship again in wait to see what was so exciting. The man turned backwards Tsukiko with a sly smile on his lips. Standing in front of her as he slowly lifted his hands to let his fingers lightly slip the hood off of her head. "Silver-sweet, like a flash of moonlight that cuts the rolling sea" Glancing from her silver hair to the glowing reflection of the moon on the waters surface. "You have no need to hide."

[Tsukiko]

"I..I hide... because there are those who would curse my existence..." she murmured quietly, her gaze locked on the planks beneath her. Tsukiko listened to his footsteps, to his conversation with his Tavan, and once again his footsteps, until he stood before her. She stood, frozen in place as he lowered her hood, the cloth sliding back down to rest on her shoulders. Her cheeks colored slightly at the pet name "Silver-sweet". She could not remember the last time someone had called her by one. Slowly tilting her head back, she raised her eyes to his face, hesitant, unsure of his intentions. At first, he had seemed bewildered, but then he had become amused, and she became muddled in the human emotions, unable to quite grasp them. Tsukiko gazed at the man before her, trying to decide whether or not to believe him. She knew that not everyone was so accepting of her kind, especially if they had the misfortune of having an earthbound race of one of the more detested peoples. She followed his gaze to the water, raising it to view Leth's slow progress through the sky. 'He seems sincere...' she thought silently. After a few moments of contemplation, she smiled with a slight tinge of sadness before hiding it with a broader one. Tsukiko moved towards the railing of the boat, leaning over the edge, her long, silvery hair slid off her shoulders, tumbling in a similar way as her earthbound form, just mere finger tips away from the surface of the water. Once again, she reached out a hand to touch, though this time she was sure that the tiger shark would cause her no harm. His skin was damp, cold, and rough to the touch. The roughness reminded her of the sand on a beach, though she did mind. Rather, she found a strange sense of nostalgia, one that she could not seem to place.

[Tiernan Swiftriver]

He truly meant her no harm. To get that point across he made no sudden movements that would hide his gentle expression. Kept his warm smile in clear view for her to see. "Aye'cannot accept that line of thought. " Being a summoner, he knew that a circle was a circle. A line was a line. Their had to be some reason that made the women before him dangerous. A path leading from point-A to point-B. The more he thought about it, the more he began to overcomplicate the situation. In the end it was a person own ethics that either made them a bane or a gift to society. In all honesty, he was no gift to the world himself. His morality only going far enough to help good friends and family. While true, he had a weakness for helping children like how he rescued his adopted daughter. He would soon enough leave a stranger to drown if they posed even the most minor threat to his family. "If you are'a curse then he aye'am'a plague." Garlot had caught sight of the women's horns and was equally amused, though also wished to know what the women tasted like. He was a shark after all but listened to his companions words… for the moment at least. "Aye'believe that people would rather keep a'summoner out of their city more than'a shining moonbeam." He chuckled at the thought of someone believing he would release some gigantic monster that would turn a city to ruin. It was a morbid thought to laugh at, but it was still funny given the context of the conversation. "Anyway, you have a lovely singing voice. Far better then anything I could sing."

[Tsukiko]

Tsukiko shook her head both to clear it and to disagree with him. "How can I not? If there are people who do, then it is fact," she said with the tired tone of one who had already experienced, and heard it before. She looked at Tiernan, and noticed, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, his emotions flitting across his eyes. "Is that really true? I am supposed to be dead," she said with a controlled calmness. Though she could not seem to exactly remember it, she knew that she had died and had been raised, for how else would she have entered the realm of the gods? She returned her gaze to the shark, recognizing the amusement in his eyes, as well as the hint of curiosity and hunger. At Tiernan's next words, she turned back to him. "The Lia of my Pod is a summoner, and though she may be strict at times, she is as ordinary as any other human." 'Except her lifespan,' she thought wryly to herself, recalling the elderly woman. "and who is this moon beam? My hair is not always silver...", she said, attempting to distract her thoughts from the fact the she was no longer with her pod, whom she missed terribly, but not only that; that she should not be among the living. Surprised, she looked at him, then blushed lightly, her cheeks resembling the shade of pink pearls. "Th-thank you..." she replied, embarrassed. "Your voice is... it is beautiful," and indeed it was. To her ears, it was clear, resonant, and contained a slight rumble that sent shivers through her. 'I hope I can sing with him...', she thought wistfully. She smiled at the thought, her mood brightening, light danced in her eyes. Leaning forward, she whispered with a playful smile, "So~ ... what brings you here, besides my voice?" She winked as she moved back, turning towards her bag to retrieve her waterskin, her throat parched from swimming and singing.

[Tiernan Swiftriver]

"If the dead do not lay where they should rest, then life is meant for them. Tiss a second chance to enjoy living. You'arr no unnatural nuit who willingly escaped death. No, for some divine reason ya'have come from the after-life and was given new purpose. Even if you have yet to understand it." Pausing for a moment he nodded. "Besides, when you're not a lovely moonbeam. You still hold a radiant beauty. Aye'could see it and feel it when aye'first met you. Likewise you are Svefra and by law of our people. If one Svefra is insulted, wounded, or treated badly it is as if all Svefra are. Aye'would call for Nal'lye against any place that has mistreated you." The delicate hues of pink that flushed her cheeks cause Tiernan to smile widely. He could not resist the joy that always radiated from a beautiful woman's blush. For a moment he glanced away towards his own ship to try and see if Fionnula had awaken. To his good fortune, she was still no where to be found so he assumed she was still asleep. Returning his gaze to Tsukiko his smile ceased to lessen as he was complemented on his voice. When she leaned in, Tiernan couldn't help but tilt his head forward to listen to her soft whispered words. Her wink cause his brow to raise in interested curiosity as she turned away from him to grab her bag. During the few seconds before he spoke the male Svefra allowed his eye to wander in an ungentlemanly fashion. Observing the soft curves of her body before snapping his gaze up towards her face. "Aye'have just laid my Fi down to rest for the night so aye'am now allowed the fatherly comforts no childish chaos until the morning. Aye'was currently about to go harpoon fishing with Garloth before your enchaining voice charmed me to your ship. " With a soft chuckle he lifted his arms into the air to stretch. "Though now aye'think aye'may just draw. Unless you wish to join me for a swim?"

[Tsukiko]

The words the man before her spoke were lovely, and she yearned to believe them, perhaps a part of her did. When he spoke of calling a Nal'lye, her eyes widened slightly, shaking her head. "No, there is no need. There are others who suffer worse mistreatment than I." As she said this, she thought of the slaves, the murdered, the tortured, the starving, the abused... the list could continue on. As she sipped from her water skin, her gaze fell on Troian's casinor, and was relieved to see that they had not woken her. Hearing him speak of his daughter, she turned, meeting his gaze. She had not noticed his wandering gaze, for she had had her back to him during that brief moment. She grinned, remembering how the young girl had indeed been a handful, innocent, with a strong sense of self. 'She will grow up into a beautiful woman in her own right,' the thought flashing through her mind. "You are a wonderful father," she commented with a soft smile. "You clearly care for her, but it is nice to be able to take a... break, once in a while." 'Parenting,' she thought, 'takes patience... a fine quality.' Once again, her blush grew, as she replied, her tone light, "You are quite the charmer yourself, with all of your sweet complements, I am surprised you have no woman attached to your arm." She looked around, as if searching for such a woman. Looking over the railing to his tavan, whispering conspiratorially, in a staged voice, "I don't suppose you would know?" Returning her gaze to Tiernan, Tsukiko smiled playfully, offering her water skin. "I believe I will take you up on drawing. The water is quite chilled at the moment," her eyes turning upwards, "with no sun to warm it..." She lowered her gaze, looking at him from under lowered lashes, allowing herself to admire his masculine form briefly while his own gaze lay in another direction. "Then again, I am already wet from my earlier venture," she shrugged slightly, "so I am fine with whichever you were to choose." She smiled as she returned her water skin to it's place.