Open [Job Thread]The Daily Grind

[Telor Riptide]

76th of Spring

Telor's eyes wandered as he walked, mindlessly clutching the buckets full of fish in his fists. He knew the man who had hired his services was talking, but the sailor just couldn't force himself to listen when the sea was slapping the land and the harsh sounds were echoing all through Zeltiva. Like the sound of mice to an owl, or the call of a woman, Telor could not ignore the sea when it was so close. He closed his eyes to breath in the smell and focus on the sound brushing against his ears. If he tilted his head just the right way, he could almost see it through closed eyes...

"What the petch you doin', son?"

The fisherman's words bit into Telor and ripped him from his waking dream. Bitterly, Telor turned to face him with a scowl. He mumbled something that could have been mistaken for an apology, and the man with the great white beard carried on.

"I ain't payin' ya to daydream. Now listen close. I want you to put those fish," The man gestured pointedly at Telor's buckets, "In there. You got it?"

Take the fish off the ship. Carry them to the market. Leave the buckets next to the fisherman's stall. Simple enough. Telor nodded soundlessly.

"Good. There's more buckets at the ship when you're ready for 'em. And I want this done by sunset, alright?"

Another nod found the angry fisherman gone, and Telor alone with a large bucket of raw fish. He knew there was no way for him to screw this job up, and yet a nagging feeling in his stomach said that something would go wrong. Setting the buckets down with a heavy thud, Telor made his way back to the ship to find more fish to cart.

At least it was work, he assured himself. At least he would be making Mizas.

[Anouk]

A frustrated writer was said to have writer's block.

What was the equitable term for an artist?

This question had been on Anouk's mind for the past two bells, which unfortunately only added to her utter lack of inspiration. She needed to make progress with her latest piece of art, The dangers of desire, but the Konti's well of artistic inspiration had seemingly dried up. She'd spent the last three days staring at her canvas, barely painting at all and only getting more and more riled up with herself.

In a crescendo of hopelessness and artistic angst, Anouk left the art studio and strode down the streets of Zeltiva, towards the docks. She was armed with her parchment and a selection of charcoals: just in case her inspiration returned unexpectedly. You never know! The voice of her mother sing-songed in Anouk's mind.

She reached the docks, and her frustration melted away almost immediately at the sight of the ocean. With a shaky sigh, she cast a gaze across Laviku's domain. How she wanted to just walked into the waters and let the bells float away! She had not been swimming for some time now, and the pearlescent scales on her neck itched longingly.

But a gruff voice broke through her imagination, forcing its way into her consciousness and shaking her awake. With mild annoyance, Anouk sought the out the source of the voice. The man had a white beard, and instantly she guessed him to be a fisherman. A younger male was walking beside him, and the buckets of fished carried by this handsome blonde individual told Anouk she had been correct in her assumption.

I could do with some fish...

The decision was made before Anouk truly realised, and before she knew it she was approaching the now lone blonde fisherman just as he had put down his bucket. "Excuse me." She called out, trotting daintily forwards, "may I ask what fish you have there?"

[Telor Riptide]

Telor’s head snapped up to look at the approaching woman, and when he did, what he saw was more than he had expected.

“I...I’m not…” He began, but the words were lost.

The woman moved like a gazelle, gracefully hopping everywhere she went. Her features were pale, and yet, they were neither repulsive nor sickly. Her nearly white skin was smooth and soft to the eye’s gaze, stained here and there with tokens of what could only be her art. fading paints tattooed her hands, ink and charcoal left black streaks down her palms and up her arms. In contrast, her was perfectly white. Her hair could almost be described as fluffy for the way it flowed with the snappy Zeltivan winds, and puffed back in defiance.

She was soft, quiet, and gentle in her actions, and yet her physicality was nothing short of giant. She was tall, and yet tiny, lean, and still occupied enough space to make her noticable. To Telor, she was nothing short of beautiful.

Mesmerizing.

So it was no surprise to him that no words could form when she inquired about his lowly job hauling fish. Stumbling over his Common words for the first time in a long time, the sailor finally managed to spit out a sentence.

“I’m not actually…” But he could not find it in himself to disappoint her. “I think they are Tuna, but we could have Salmon back at the ship, if that is more what of you are looking for, Miss.”

[Anouk]

Anouk's head tilted jut a fraction as he replied to her innocent question. Another language seeped out from between his lips. It sounded like Fratava, the tongue of the Svefra people. The language was a common sound in Zeltiva, the city being so popular with sailors from all walks of life. Or should that be from all sails of life?, Anouk considered with a witty smirk.

She regarded the young male with a keener eye than she had previously. He was taller than her, and impressively well built. His arms and torso reminded Anouk of a statue, as if a sculptor had carefully chipped away at a block of stone to create a well built, muscled frame. The Konti glanced back up to his face, but her cheeks flushed pinkly all the same. It was not part of her usual nature to appreciate the muscles of random men, but this time Anouk could simply not resist.

"Oh. Yes, salmon." Anouk said a little dumbly, focusing back on their current, albeit short, conversation. She much preferred salmon to tuna, though there seemed to be other, more lewd reasons for her next request: "Could I... come with you?" She gave a breathy smile, her paint-stained fingertips toying with a strand of her white hair, "to the ship. To see the... fish."

She had known sexual attraction before, of course. Anouk now recognised the familiar nervousness that usually accompanied such feelings. Her chest fluttered lightly, innocently, whilst her mind became filled with lustful desires and wants. Speaking passively, the Konti hoped her voice would remain even enough to conceal the hotness that was building up in her imagination, "I am Anouk, by the way." She extended her free hand towards him, not once breaking their eye contact.

Do not look at his muscles again, Anouk. By the Gods, do not.

[Telor Riptide]

None of this was right. He was working, first of all. He had a job to do. He shouldn’t be considering this. He had no right to sell these fish unless he consulted the fisherman, but at this rate he was willing to pay for the fish out of his own pocket.

She was so perfect that the infatuation swelled his heart and made him giggle in a feminine manner as he took her hand.
“Telor Riptide. Ship’s this way.”

He felt he had no right to take her hand and shake it, to introduce himself and smile back at her. he felt that she was too beautiful to be talking to him, to be letting her soft blue eyes rove over his weather-worn skin and messy hair. His teeth were off-color from the saltwater and his skin was dry from the sun and wind. He was not good enough for her- yet here she was.

Telor dropped the buckets he was carrying and turned back toward the ship, gesturing over his shoulder for her to follow. ”This way, Miss Anelk.” His tongue stumbled over the name, causing a moment of internal panic, but he scurried on (hopefully) without allowing her a chance to take note.

With each step he took, he noticed something new that made his rapidly forming obsession grow and his blush run from his cheeks, through his whole body, straight down to his toes.

Step.

Her eyes were the color of laviku’s waves on a Summer morning.

Step.

Scales painted the sides of the Konti’s neck and down her sides, like artwork, hidden for him to find.

Step.

She was beautiful.

Step.

Enchanting.

Step.

He felt the lust grow each time his foot fell, right up until the moment they were standing in front of the fisherman’s ship. He scrambled down the dock and hopped deftly aboard. From the starboard, he called out to his Konti. ”Yeah, Salmon. Right here! I mean, you did want Salmon. right?”

[Anouk]

"Telor. Telor Riptide" She said his name uncertainly, forming the foreign name with her tongue and instantly liking how it sounded, how it felt in her mouth.

She followed him without question, regardless of the warnings from her overprotective mother and sisters that swirled around in the far reaches of her memory:don't run off with strangers, don't trust anyone until you know them first.

For all Anouk knew, this Svefra could be leading her onto his ship to murder her, rape her, kidnap her. And yet every single cell within the Konti's body knew that she would follow him to the ends of the land should he request it. They were walking slowly, and yet it still far too fast for Anouk. What would happen when they reached his ship? She would get her fish, and they would part ways.

The idea threw Anouk into a flurry of panic. She didn't want to leave so soon, but she could hardly spend all day deciding over what fish to purchase, just to extend their shared company for a short while longer. How pathetic would that be?

No, worse than pathetic.

Desperate

She tried not to glance towards the male too often, but found herself doing so regardless. He was incredibly attractive, and his sun-stained hair and skin sent shivers down the Konti's spine. And then her gaze shifted towards, drinking in those muscles once again, his chest, stomach, and legs. She wanted to uncover every inch of his body, touch everywhere and trails her lips down, down...

Their journey ended, and Anouk almost walked straight into the docked ship. "Yes, salmon please." She said, unable to conceal the disappointment in her voice. The saltiness of the sea air was tangy in her mouth. It made Anouk want to press her lips against his, to taste his saltiness as well. "May I see them?"

Perhaps she was speaking out of turn, but Anouk desperately wanted to come aboard the ship, or to bring him back down onto the deck. More importantly, she longed for his touch again, the roughness of his skin. Those hands that worked hard and toiled every day, so different to hers, which were soft thanks to a strict skincare routine.

But if we touch again, the Konti thought, I might not be able to control myself.

[Telor Riptide]

Now, with some distance between them,Telor was able to think a tad more clearly. He was able to realize that what they had- or what they could have- was formed only on split second decision of lust. He realized that the best possible outcome from this was that she walked away with a handful of fish and he was able to finish his job without further distraction. He realized that she was just another Konti, and that he had fallen for Konti like this before. It meant nothing; all of this lustful nonsense meant nothing to him.

Besides, the chances that he was imagining things were extremely high. How many times had he tried to drag a gorgeous Inarta home from a bar, only to find out that she was not interested? How many times had he ended up dreaming by himself instead of cradled in the arms of another? So many rejections with so few exceptions...the odds were hard to beat.

He had nearly decided to tell her off when she spoke. He closed his eyes so that he could revel in the most melodic, harmonious voice he had ever heard. The meaning of the words, however, was momentarily lost on the lustful sailor.

May she see them? What did she mean? Did she not trust the quality of his fish? Did she not trust his pick? Did she think his hands dirty from the labor work? Or did sh- oh.

Oh. Petch.

Realization hit Telor out of nowhere, leaving his head spinning. She wants to get closer...to me. All the negative thoughts went out the window, as his blood rushed. His head spun and his knees felt weak at the idea of Anouk so close.

"Ah, yes, yes of course! Climb on up. Let me give you a hand!"

[Anouk]

Her stomach twisted into a sickly knot as Anouk awaited the Svefra's reply. She had been rude, had not only questioned the quality of his catch but also assumed that she would be welcomed onto the ship. It was his place of work, and potentially where he lived as well. How could she have been so demanding?

I am not acting like myself. She was overwhelmed with lust, with the hot desire to be close to him - Telor Riptide. And what was she even planning to do if her request was accepted? She'd board the ship, inspect the fish and -- what? Ask him to take her into the sailors' quarters and have his salty, Svefra way with her? No, utterly out of the question.

And yet as soon as she heard his voice, Anouk's doubt melted away. He was inviting her aboard! For a brief chime, the Konti swelled with delight and excited nerves. But then she frowned. What did this mean? Had he understood the underlying question to her request? The salmon were no longer at the forefront of her mind, but perhaps he didn't realise that.

Well, there was only one way to find out. "Thank you, I appreciate it." She said genially, reaching her hands up and holding onto his. The touch was charged, thrilling. Anouk was so focused on their contact that she almost slipped and fell as she climbed aboard his ship. But thankfully, she didn't. Perhaps her dance classes were paying off, improving her balance.

She stepped onto the starboard with a relieved smile and sigh. "Is this your ship?" Her question dripped with genuine interest, and the Konti gracefully moved across the deck to look out towards the ocean. For a tick, Laviku was the only male who occupied her mind, but then Anouk turned back to the Svefra. Her chest fluttered once again, filling with nervous butterflies. And that lust was instantly reawakened; he was captivating her all over again. Anouk's mind filled with flashes of hotness, the two of them pressed against each other.

Anouke managed to swallow down these urges with great difficulty, but nevertheless she stepped towards the Svefra, closing the distance between them. "So... the fish." The innocence of her words contrasted heavily with the sultry manner in which they were spoken.

[Perplexity]

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Notice

It is with deepest regret that I must inform you the contents of this thread have been rendered null and void. All instances of roleplay within the domain of Zeltiva concerning the characters of Telor Riptide and Aedifex are to be ceased immediately. This is due to multiple infractions upon the rules governing the utilization of Mizahar as a website which are as follows:

• Players are allowed a maximum of 5 active accounts.
  
• Two PCs from the same player cannot be in the same Domain at the same time unless they have a really good reason and permission from the location's DS or a Founder.

This decision has been reached after extensive investigation. It is final.

Sincerely,
Perplexity- DS of Zeltiva

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