1st of Summer, 520 A.V. (Mid-morning)
Marino sat on the end of his boat. There was a pole in his hand, but from the way the line went slack down in the water before him an observer could tell that this was an idle thing. He wasn’t particularly keen on fishing today. Only wanted the excuse to stare out at the sea, his heart yearning for his pod. For Twist. They hadn’t been gone long now, though each day felt like forever. For all his watching, he didn’t expect to see them out on the horizon. Just wanted to send his thoughts and love out to them. His hopes for their safety. Wishing that they had favorable winds, calm seas, and plenty to laugh at. As he neared the end of his prayers, he stood up. He set aside his pole, and tossed into the sea his offering. A few cuts of charred pork fat. Then he poured out his waterskin, and tossed the empty skin onto the deck.
He held his arms out to the wind now, closing his eyes. It was a blisteringly hot day so he was only wearing breaches, and even those he was contemplating taking off. There was a slight warm wind that caressed his short hair. He opened his eyes to take it all in again. The bay was as beautiful as always. With the tide out, and the water low, you could see plenty of the beautiful life that lurked beneath. Made it a whole lot safer too when you could see what was coming towards you. It was still deep around the dock, but elsewhere in the bay even a dolphin would have a hard time navigating.
Something about what he was looking at had changed. A subtle detail that he had to blink several times to believe. Sails! Blessedly familiar sails! His pod? No, they wouldn’t be coming from that side. Who then? He wondered as he leaned over the side of his ship. Why couldn’t his eyes just see farther! Thinking on his feet, he rushed to draw up the anchor, and unfasten the Seasilk from the dock before giving her a good shove off from it with the grapple pole. Then, freeing the oathaul, he hoisted the sails up as quickly as he could, occasionally glancing at the distant sails on the horizon. He pulled out the foot next, rendering them taut to the wind before he hastily got behind the wheel of his ship.
The Seasilk lurched forwards with a calm that belied the excitement that stirred in his breast. Once he’d got her angled out towards the island, he started fiddling with the sails some more, drawing them flush against the mast. That gave him some speed, and with it some room to maneuver. Back behind the wheel, he turned his pride and joy towards the inlet the incoming Svefra would be taking to get into the bay. He cut his sails as he approached, and ran to the bow of the ship, waving his arms at the approaching vessels. They were too far for him to call out to, though he considered his point to be made. Marion promptly got behind the wheel of his ship, turning her back towards the beach. He gave her sails some air again, but not much before he brought them down, allowing the Seasilk to drift the rest of the way into the shallows. There he let down a rope before hopping off the side, splashing into ankle deep water. Grabbing the rope, he pulled her the rest of the way onto the beach.
When she was secure he fell back onto the beach, briefly expended from all the excitement. He stared up at the blue sky until he started to hear faint murmurings that sounded a lot like Fratava. Sitting up, he smiled at the approaching vessels and waved. “Welcome to Syka, the loveliest settlement this side of the Southern Suvan. My names Marino Oceangem.” He called out to them as loud as he could muster.
He held his arms out to the wind now, closing his eyes. It was a blisteringly hot day so he was only wearing breaches, and even those he was contemplating taking off. There was a slight warm wind that caressed his short hair. He opened his eyes to take it all in again. The bay was as beautiful as always. With the tide out, and the water low, you could see plenty of the beautiful life that lurked beneath. Made it a whole lot safer too when you could see what was coming towards you. It was still deep around the dock, but elsewhere in the bay even a dolphin would have a hard time navigating.
Something about what he was looking at had changed. A subtle detail that he had to blink several times to believe. Sails! Blessedly familiar sails! His pod? No, they wouldn’t be coming from that side. Who then? He wondered as he leaned over the side of his ship. Why couldn’t his eyes just see farther! Thinking on his feet, he rushed to draw up the anchor, and unfasten the Seasilk from the dock before giving her a good shove off from it with the grapple pole. Then, freeing the oathaul, he hoisted the sails up as quickly as he could, occasionally glancing at the distant sails on the horizon. He pulled out the foot next, rendering them taut to the wind before he hastily got behind the wheel of his ship.
The Seasilk lurched forwards with a calm that belied the excitement that stirred in his breast. Once he’d got her angled out towards the island, he started fiddling with the sails some more, drawing them flush against the mast. That gave him some speed, and with it some room to maneuver. Back behind the wheel, he turned his pride and joy towards the inlet the incoming Svefra would be taking to get into the bay. He cut his sails as he approached, and ran to the bow of the ship, waving his arms at the approaching vessels. They were too far for him to call out to, though he considered his point to be made. Marion promptly got behind the wheel of his ship, turning her back towards the beach. He gave her sails some air again, but not much before he brought them down, allowing the Seasilk to drift the rest of the way into the shallows. There he let down a rope before hopping off the side, splashing into ankle deep water. Grabbing the rope, he pulled her the rest of the way onto the beach.
When she was secure he fell back onto the beach, briefly expended from all the excitement. He stared up at the blue sky until he started to hear faint murmurings that sounded a lot like Fratava. Sitting up, he smiled at the approaching vessels and waved. “Welcome to Syka, the loveliest settlement this side of the Southern Suvan. My names Marino Oceangem.” He called out to them as loud as he could muster.