20th of Winter, 513 AV
It felt like all she'd been doing was tossing and turning under the covers. Liana rolled over again, peering out the window into the darkness that blanketed Zeltiva. A few chimes of sleep had been snatched here and there, perhaps even a bell at one point, but she was wide awake once more. For as long as she could concentrate on the muffled sounds, the restless Konti listened to the noises of movement throughout the inn. An occasional thump or scrape, a door closing, faint laughter, or a whisper of cloth as someone jogged down the hall in front of her door. If Liana were home and unable to sleep she and her sisters would huddle together and talk all through the night, or until their mother found them awake and chased them all back to bed. She could hear the giggles in her head.
The Konti sighed and kneaded her eyes with the heels of her hands. It was no use trying to sleep tonight. She sat up and threw the covers off, shivering when her bare toes touched the cold hardwood floor. Liana stood and stretched her arms up high, groaning as her muscles shivered in delicious protest down her spine. She fetched the cloak folded over the back of the chair by the window and wrapped it around her naked shoulders. It was cool in her room, but not terribly so. Liana peered out the glass to the distant buildings and dark waters. Ships bobbed anchored in the bay and lanterns moved through the night, across the docks, over the decks, and through the streets. The night owls were up and about. She wondered what sort of business was done in this city at night.
Her nose brushed the glass and she focused on three figures passing the inn, a light swinging between them as they talked and laughed among each other. A desire to go out suddenly popped to mind, but she quickly banished the silly idea. It had been terrifying during daylight when she arrived earlier today, let alone in the middle of the night. There was so much going on, and she'd been overwhelmed until the Wave Guard named Ricky had practically rescued her from the crowd. Liana's ears grew hot with embarrassment just remembering how foolish she'd been, bursting into tears and being hopelessly lost right off the docks. Her mother would probably be saying something along the lines of I told you so. Shaking her head, she turned from the window and meandered over to the mirror hanging on the wall. Liana looked tired and defeated. I've given up and exposed my belly already.
Her reflection glared at her. Coward, she accused herself acidly. You've dreamed of this day for years, and now that it's here you're petrified. You'd think Zeltiva was the orca and you were the seal pup. Frustrated, she raked her fingers through her hair. Before she turned to go back to bed though, she frowned at her reflection. "You can do something instead of stare at the ceiling and roll around." Carefully, Liana pulled the mirror off the wall from where it hung. It was heavy and she stumbled sideways, nearly tipping over, but caught herself as she bumped into the bed. With a grunt of relief Liana laid the mirror on the floor, propping it against the wall. She sat down in front of it, crossing her legs comfortably and pulling her cloak tight around her.
It felt like all she'd been doing was tossing and turning under the covers. Liana rolled over again, peering out the window into the darkness that blanketed Zeltiva. A few chimes of sleep had been snatched here and there, perhaps even a bell at one point, but she was wide awake once more. For as long as she could concentrate on the muffled sounds, the restless Konti listened to the noises of movement throughout the inn. An occasional thump or scrape, a door closing, faint laughter, or a whisper of cloth as someone jogged down the hall in front of her door. If Liana were home and unable to sleep she and her sisters would huddle together and talk all through the night, or until their mother found them awake and chased them all back to bed. She could hear the giggles in her head.
The Konti sighed and kneaded her eyes with the heels of her hands. It was no use trying to sleep tonight. She sat up and threw the covers off, shivering when her bare toes touched the cold hardwood floor. Liana stood and stretched her arms up high, groaning as her muscles shivered in delicious protest down her spine. She fetched the cloak folded over the back of the chair by the window and wrapped it around her naked shoulders. It was cool in her room, but not terribly so. Liana peered out the glass to the distant buildings and dark waters. Ships bobbed anchored in the bay and lanterns moved through the night, across the docks, over the decks, and through the streets. The night owls were up and about. She wondered what sort of business was done in this city at night.
Her nose brushed the glass and she focused on three figures passing the inn, a light swinging between them as they talked and laughed among each other. A desire to go out suddenly popped to mind, but she quickly banished the silly idea. It had been terrifying during daylight when she arrived earlier today, let alone in the middle of the night. There was so much going on, and she'd been overwhelmed until the Wave Guard named Ricky had practically rescued her from the crowd. Liana's ears grew hot with embarrassment just remembering how foolish she'd been, bursting into tears and being hopelessly lost right off the docks. Her mother would probably be saying something along the lines of I told you so. Shaking her head, she turned from the window and meandered over to the mirror hanging on the wall. Liana looked tired and defeated. I've given up and exposed my belly already.
Her reflection glared at her. Coward, she accused herself acidly. You've dreamed of this day for years, and now that it's here you're petrified. You'd think Zeltiva was the orca and you were the seal pup. Frustrated, she raked her fingers through her hair. Before she turned to go back to bed though, she frowned at her reflection. "You can do something instead of stare at the ceiling and roll around." Carefully, Liana pulled the mirror off the wall from where it hung. It was heavy and she stumbled sideways, nearly tipping over, but caught herself as she bumped into the bed. With a grunt of relief Liana laid the mirror on the floor, propping it against the wall. She sat down in front of it, crossing her legs comfortably and pulling her cloak tight around her.
