The Sight of Sailors (Solo)

[Talya]

Timestamp: Summer 31, 515 AV The day was young, the sun high within the eastern sky. Its golden streamers of light flowing down toward the earth. Their lengths radiating slightly, as their warmth filled the atmosphere, and made the summer feel like well, summer. The grass that lined the earth seemed to glow with its light, just as the wooden beams that made up the docks seemed a bit brighter. It was upon these that the young Ethaefal found herself, wandering aimlessly in search of something to do with her free time. Her dress rippling down the length of her body, her legs tossing the folds wildly with each of her steps. The soles of her suede leather boots clicking softly against the beams, as she smiled and took in deep breaths that filled her with the bay's salty air. She listened idly as she moved, to the sound of gulls cawing overhead, as much as her step. To the sound of various sailors calling to one another, as they moored their ships at the dock, or cast off from it. To the waves lapping up against the bottom of the docks; the beams that supported it, more than anything else. But it wasn't this, that finally brought an idea to the Ethaefal's mind, as much as the number of sailors she passed, for she knew she could use them for her benefit. She knew she could use them in the pursuit of learning; a higher education, if one will. She could use them to study auristics, just as she had done passerby when she was back in Ravok. She just had to find a good place from which she could study them. Talya stopped walking for a moment, and took a look around her. She saw the sea, and several ships to her right. As well as a number of sailors. Out ahead were a number of barrels and crates, which she assumed held goods such as cloth and fish. If they weren't empty, anyway. Behind her was much the same, while to her left there remained a thin stretch of dock, as well as the city of Zeltiva. When the dock ended, and before the city truly began, there were open areas of grass, some of which rolled over the length of hills, which seemed to move easily into the terrain, and formulate a nice backdrop overall for the port city. It was upon the grass that Talya decided she would sit and look out over the water, and the docks, in order to study the auras of the passing sailors. So, she surged forward, and moved onto a little patch of grass, before setting herself down, and tucking her dress beneath her, so that her legs wouldn't dampen from the morning dew. She wiggled around a bit, and fought to get herself comfortable for a few seconds, before finally managing and settling down, and looking around for her first target. It took Talya only a few seconds to locate a sailor who seemed as though he would be on the docks awhile. (At least the next few minutes), which would give her just enough time to study him before he moved on and was lost to view. She determined this by the way he moved back and forth, from his ship to the docks over and over again, carrying crates that seemed much larger than he. This blocked most of his features from view, as he could only look awkwardly around the side of the box from time to time to see where he was going, and ensure he didn't fall off the gangplank, run into obstacles, or walk off the side of the dock. But even so, Talya felt as though she had enough to work on, as she was able to discern his broad legs; although they were tucked beneath navy trousers that seemed as though they were on the edge of being to small for him. Just as she was able to make out the sign of his tanned hand, holding onto the side of the box, and his tall, portly profile whenever he was turned to the side. Thus, Talya took a deep breath in through her nose, and out through her mouth, as her eyes fixated upon the man's hand at the side of the box. She didn't allow her gaze to stray as she concentrated deeply and entered a trance like state. She heard her heart beat ringing in the back of her ears. One. Two. Three, before she breathed again, and then a few more times, before the man's aura came into view a few seconds later. It was an ultramarine colored thing, which flowed closely against his skin, so that it seemed a thin entity that stretched no more than an inch off his form in any which direction. It rocked gently, reminding Talya of the way the sea's waves would, before crashing into shore, and when she sniffed the air, she realized it carried the distinct scent of the low tide. At this, she couldn't help but smirk, as the aura of this particular sailor seemed largely uncreative, un-inventive even, seeing as the color of the aura itself betrayed his calm. Even his melancholy, perhaps, at having left the sea behind, if only temporary, to take time upon land. It betrayed his love for the sea too, in how it moved, (which made more than enough sense, given his occupation). The scent of it simply added to it- his love for the sea, although the stench of low tide, which is something just about anyone she thought, would consider unpleasant, might have suggested he was ill. Sick from the motion of the boat upon the sea? Or sick because he was on land, she wasn't sure. But sick she assumed him either way. Satisfied with her reading, and convinced that she could glean no more from the sailor, Talya let the aura fall as her pupils dilated. Although, it would be impossible to tell, given the darkness of her eyes during the time she slipped into her worldly seeming. In any case, Talya sighed, and hoped that the next person she studied would have a more challenging aura for her to interpret.

[Talya]

Talya allowed her eyes to wander for a moment, before they settled on a man who looked to be another sailor. She determined this solely on how he dressed, as he wore a navy blue trouser and shirt get-up with leather shoes with a buckle, that looked as though they could be a uniform for a merchant vessel. Besides this, he looked to be a shorter individual of about five feet and four inches in height. He had long brown hair, which he had tied up in a ponytail, with the help of a navy blue ribbon, and a large, hooked, beak nose. He had pale green eyes, and a broad form, and could be seen walking back and forth over an extension within the dock; pacing, with his hands clasped behind his back, as though he were deep in thought. Or although, perhaps, he had nothing better to do with his time. No where in particular to be at this time and junction. Talya took a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, before concentrating deeply upon this man, her eyes settling upon his face in particular. She took another deep breath, and steadied herself for a few moments, until the stranger's aura began to make itself known to her. It flickered into life about the man, as a newly lit flame would upon the wick of a candle. As with the previous sailor's aura, this man's aura was blue as well. It was navy like his uniform, although it seemed to darken the closer you drew to his stomach, until it appeared as though it were pitch black. It was thicker too, and stretched farther outward from his body. The edges flickering like a flame, while the innards rippled outward from the dark core. As Talya sniffed the air, she caught the scent of his aura as well. It stank of fish; cooked, thankfully, although that was scarcely better smelling than raw. As with the previous man, by reading this one's aura, Talya was able to confirm her suspicions that he was indeed a sailor. Judging by the darker tones in the blue of his aura, she felt that he was prone to bouts of sorrow, and darker brooding. That he was less mentally stable than the other, although he was in better health, in a physical sense. The scent of fish made her feel as though he may fish on the side either as a hobby or a part of his work, or at the very least, he liked to eat fish. Especially when his wife, or someone else cooked it for him. (Because he just didn't seem like the cooking type to her, and this had nothing to do with the state of his aura). Determining now that she had gleaned all that she could from the aura, Talya sighed as it had been a rather easy read, and let her concentration break. The aura disappeared a moment later, as the Ethaefal's heart began to beat faster and faster, and she looked around for another person to study. Talya found her next target after a moment's searching. Unlike the other two men she had studied, this man looked to be a sailor who stayed upon shore. A man who sat upon the dock with his fishing pole in his lap, and a large floppy hat on his head to help keep out the sun's light. He seemed jovial, as a large smile was plastered upon his face, and his violet colored eyes were sparkling. His short, cropped black hair stuck out at wild angles from below the brim of his hat, and his button nose seemed to shrink beneath its shadow. His formed seemed slight, yet healthy, and his legs swung lazily over the docks. His top half remained shirtless, his bottom half in a beige, cropped pair of trousers that stretched a little farther than his knees. He was barefoot. With a shrug, Talya took a few seconds to appreciate the sight of the man's apparent happiness as she concentrated on his hands, and how tightly they seemed to be holding the fishing pole. She breathed deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth, before the man's aura came into view a few seconds later. The man's aura was blue. Pale in shade, and apparently bleached in some areas. In others, it was tinted a faint, golden-yellow color. It seemed to move in much the same fashion as the majority of the other auras Talya had seen throughout the course of her young life- flickering like a flame. Judging by the color of the man's aura, Talya thought him to be a rather happy sort of fellow, which she felt was confirmed by his countenance, and general demeanor. The way he seemed to hum to himself from time to time as he sat and fished and swung his legs. The golden flecks were what told her this, as they meant brightness, at least to her, and the bleached sectors a sort of levity within the heart. After smiling at the sight of this, Talya sniffed the air, and caught the scent of fish and sugar. Two things she felt didn't exactly go together, so she wrinkled her nose. The fish she felt, signified his job, while the sugar could suggest either him being a kind person, or his love for sugar. Maybe he had a sweet tooth or something. Talya wasn't quite sure. But whatever the case, she felt tired of looking, and let the aura disappear. When she was done, she choked down a few breaths, as her throat had begun to grow dry, and her heart was beating more and more erratically. She decided then, to give herself a minute so she could catch her breath before looking over the next few auras.

[Talya]

After Talya had gathered herself, she looked around the docks, in search of another person to study. It took her a few moments, as there seemed to be fewer people out and about now than there had been before, but she finally found someone. Unlike the others, this subject was female, and looked to be far younger. She was perhaps, in her later twenties, if not her early thirties, and had pale skin. Her form was lithe but muscular, a pear shape. She had long flowing flaxen hair, which tumbled down the length of her back. It was worn largely down, although a section had been braided on the right side of her head. She had a small nose, and darker pink lips, with pale blue eyes. She smiled slightly, and held a wicker basket in her right hand. She wore sandals, and a dress that shot down to her knees. It was a pale yellow in shade, with a cream colored ribbon belt. She had a sort of skip to her step that Talya found amusing, and seeing as she didn't look to be a sailor, the Ethaefal assumed that she would find her aura a bit more challenging to read than the others. Knowing it would be the best choice for her to study, Talya took a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, before fixing her gaze upon the woman's narrow face. Steadily, her eyes developed a far off look, and the Ethaefal slipped into a trance. A few seconds passed as the woman continued to walk along the docks, before her aura finally came into view. It was a soft pink in shade. Like the petals of a cherry blossom. The pastel tones held within it grew softer the closer you drew to her core, which, Talya counted as being the stranger's belly button in this case. Within the aura, Talya could hear several sounds radiating. There were two children yelling, a boy and a girl. But their words were indistinct; gibberish. Perhaps they spoke a language that she didn't know, she wasn't entirely sure. She could also hear something sizzling, like food in a pan. The aura tasted like fish seasoned with rosemary, or maybe it was oregano. Or marjoram, or thyme. It smelled like cooked fish too, and burning butter, and salt. It smelled of berries, and of the sea, and it had a strangely cooling effect upon the Ethaefal. (Or at least, she thought it was the aura anyway, it could have been the wind, or simply being near the water). It seemed to flow around the woman like a fire caught in a weak breeze, circulating lazily as she continued on her way. She seemed to stop off at a few of the boat's sides, and peer around, as though she were looking for someone or something. She'd remain a few moments before moving on, leaving Talya to wonder all the more just what she was going on about. Judging from the aura's shade, Talya guessed that the aura's owner was a passionate woman. Perhaps in the way she experienced her emotions, perhaps in the way she expressed them. She guessed also, that the woman was in love with someone, by the way the aura seemed to blush. She guessed also that she had found several hobbies she really enjoyed, and for the most part, liked where her life was headed right now. Judging by the endless stream of noise the aura seemed to emit, Talya guessed that the woman was the mother of two children, or that she wanted them- one of each, a boy and a girl. With the mixture of tastes and smells that accompanied the aura, Talya discerned that the woman had a love for food. That she loved to cook- and try various herbs and spices to use to season whatever it was she was cooking. In this case, she guessed fish, partly because of their location, and partly because she thought she could smell it wading from the colorful display. She supposed that the woman had come to the docks in search of her love- a fisherman, merchant or sailor perhaps, or, (seeing as she carried a basket), something to eat. Perhaps, she intended to buy some fish off a merchant before they hit the market. Maybe she had made a deal with one of them, and would be able to pick up some clams or mussels, and not have to wait in line back in the city proper. Whatever the case, the woman sure seemed to be looking pretty hard for someone. Talya shook her head lightly as she drew her gaze away from the woman, and let the aura ebb away into nothingness. As soon as she had a wave of exhaustion crashed into her, and she found it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes open. Her temple began to ache dully, and then, a bit stronger, and Talya knew then, that she wouldn't be able to do much more today; especially without rest. She decided then that she would study another aura or two, and then do something else with her time. Just what that was, she wasn't sure as of yet though.

[Talya]

Talya looked around again, in search for someone else she could put under the proverbial magnifying glass. It didn't take her long to find someone- a middle aged fellow who could be seen walking back and forth across the length of a ship that appeared as though it could be a merchant vessel. He was carrying crates back and forth across the top of the ship, putting some here, and others there. Maybe he was sorting them, he was placing them in stacks anyway. In any case, this man had almond colored skin, and olive colored eyes. His his was large, and predominately flat in appearance, with widened nostrils that seemed to flare all of the time. His lips were a thin pink line, and his frame long and wiry. His bare arms hairy, as was his chest. He reminded Talya of some sort of ape. A very undernourished one. In any case, he looked as though he were going to be busy awhile, which meant that Talya should have enough time to study him, so she chose the stranger as her next subject in her auristics training session. Talya breathed deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth, before concentrating on the man's middle. She kept on breathing evenly, willing her heart to slow down its pace and return to equilibrium, when after a few seconds, the man's aura came into view. Its was brown in color; a sort of ruddy, muddy brown, that looked as though it could have been the water of a swamp; brackish. If it weren't simply over saturated soil. It didn't seem to flow very well, in fact the aura seemed rather stagnant, although the edges of it, the perimeter, seemed to ripple slightly from time to time. It had an earthen scent to it. It smelled like a garden fresh after a hard rain. It carried no taste, nor did it carry any sound. There were no indications either, that this aura possessed any sort of magic, which led Talya to believe that he relied only on more tangible skills. Deciding that she had seen all that she could, Talya began to pick the aura apart. She thought the color of the aura signified that the man was hard working. Or alternatively that he was ill, because the aura looked so unkempt. So nasty and uninviting. She thought also, that perhaps, it meant that he was not one to budge. That he was immoveable. That he stuck to his way of doing things, and wasn't one that could be easily swayed. That he in many ways, was as ornery as a mule. The scent of things only seemed to add to this- the muddiness of his personality. The muck that had to be sifted through before you could get to anything that was golden- like his diligence, for example. The scent of water intermingling with that of the earth made her think that he liked both places equally- land and the sea, although, he seemed to spend a fair amount of time on the sea. As a sailor. Maybe the others called him a landlubber or something. Talya couldn't be sure, but she sure liked to guess. Smiling to herself, she let the aura fall before taking another deep breath, after which point, she began to really feel the effects her magic had had on her. The price it had extracted. Talya's eyes itched. They felt so heavy. Her nose was a little itchy, and her chest rose and fell swiftly. Her heart beat erratically, and she felt horribly tired. Horribly horribly tired. So much so that her eyes began to close. Then open, ever so slightly, before closing again, and then flickering. Her eyelids twitched repeatedly for awhile, before she fell asleep a few minutes later, and then fell to the side, not to awaken for quite some time.