[Priskil's Pond+] A Quick Dip (Private)

[Nil'kayn]

Timestamp: 33rd Day of Summer, 511 AV Location: Priskil's Pond PC's: Nilkayn, Erato, Devmond Statues: Private Kayn glanced around at the pond, with the beautiful trees all around it was so peaceful. Slowly he started to make camp to the urging of Nil, as he made a fire pit, pitched his tent, and generally got ready for a night in the wild he continued to let his eyes stray over the scene. It was so peaceful, he let his mind wander to the last few weeks. He had left Syliras on the 7th, and had been travelling for 35 days or so, time felt different out in the wild. At first he had spent most of his time running, climbing, and generally giving his body a hard time in the hope of keeping his health up, and general fitness. After a few days of this rigorous pace he was exhausted, so he decided to keep his pace steady, still giving his body challenges when he could, but not anything that could injure him, take him far out of his way or make him lose time. After finishing with camp, he decided to train. Grabbing his sword, he stripped down to his lioncloth. He started to go through his rigorous routine until his body entered the rhythm. Down. Up. Left. Duck. Sidestep. Down... He continued to to this for quite some time until his body was covered in gleaming sweat, and his body ached slightly. It was a good ache, the feeling that he knew was good. Glancing at the shimmering pool on a whim he threw his sword back into its sheath, and threw it down at his camp site, and jumped into the water. It was not until he was just about to hit the water when it hit him that he hadn't swam since he was young so he knew that his skills would be lacking. He hit the water curled into a ball creating a loud splash, his eyes closed tight, his body curled together, and as he hit the water he felt the cool water enclose him, taking away the sweat and grime. He heard and felt bubbles pass by his face, heading for the surface. He uncurled himself trying to remember so many years ago when when he had swam in his home of riverfall. He flailed, he knew it wouldn't be that deep being a pond, but it still might be deep enough to drown him. He started to kick wildly, flailing his arms, but that seemed to make it worse.

[Erato]

This wasn’t the precise idea Erato had in mind when leaving the fortress city—then again, she hadn’t actually made any plans to build expectations upon. In perfect honesty, she had found her first experience away from Mura to be both extraordinary and exhausting. There was so much to see, so much to ponder, but above all else, she found her inner sense pulsing like never before. This land was ripe with danger, away from the protective shielding of gentle goddesses; Erato knew this well. She had expected more risk in a different land, but the feelings that had arisen from within had not yet subsided, which resulted in a great deal of confusion and constant headache.

At the very least, in leaving the city, Erato had hoped to find some inner peace away from the noise and headaches. She could still feel considerable tension in the air as she walked about the hills, her head occasionally turning at a sudden pang she felt deep within her chest. She did not intend to stay long away from civilization, but there was an odd peace in traversing the wilderness again, the gentleness of soft soil and fragrant flora. It soothed and pleased her as she slowly walked about, finally having the time and quiet to organize her thoughts.

As the sun rose higher, Erato pulled her hood up over her head, one hand rubbing at the gills on her neck. She could not recall a time when a large body of water had not been immediately nearby; was this part of the danger she sensed now? The Konti had to reassure herself with the thought of the water skin in her backpack and strode on, but water was quite suddenly the foremost thought in her mind. She did not know the region well, and would likely have no rest until she found some suitable water to sooth her scales now that the thought of a new danger was present.

Luckily enough for the Konti, however, water was closer than she had thought. She smiled as she caught sight of a widening brook and followed it until she happily stood at the edge of a pond. That feeling was short lived, however, as it appeared to already be taken by a large… flailing… something?

Erato immediately turned the left side of her face towards the sight, her eyes alight with sudden fear and tension. But she surprised herself when she felt nothing, no pangs in the chest, no pull of the gut. Whatever the creature was appeared to be making a call for help rather than a show of strength. It was then that the Konti finally focused on the creature, seeing a man splashing desperately in the water. The sight would have been almost comical had she not been alone and miles from any knight—here was an obviously muscular man, certainly mature… but he did not appear to know how to swim.

That caused a slight smile on the Konti’s face. As far as she knew, all Konti took naturally to water (babies were indeed birthed in water), and this was her first sight of a drowning person. It had formerly seemed impossible, really, that people could sink in the water and cease to breathe, but she had seen and heard from tourists and such within Mura that humans and the like did not have gills. What they had not mentioned to her, however, was that there were green men who apparently thought that flailing was some means of swimming.

Erato risked a moment more to feel out the situation before finally deciding to take action. Despite the risk, the pity of a healer took the greater part of her and the decision was made. First the backpack slipped off, then the harp resting on its harness on her back, and finally the cloak, dwarfing both when it fell. Her graceful fingers made quick work of the knot behind her neck and the dress slipped seamlessly away, pooling at her feet. All that remained was a thick, pale blue unisuit with neither arms nor legs, supported only by leather cords that ran around the shoulders. The change from land to water was a common happenstance as far as she knew, so she took little thought to undressing as she finally ran to the water’s edge.

“You needn’t panic!” Erato called as she waded into the water, though she doubted she would be heard over the man’s own splashing. It would at least be good to let him know that her intentions were to help before she laid a hand on him. “S… stay there, I will help you!”

The awkwardness couldn’t be helped—Erato had never imagined she would need to rescue someone from harmless water. Her form slid easily into the cool pond, hardly making a ripple as she swam her way over. Still a good few feet away from the frightened creature, Erato stopped, reaching out an arm. “Be calm, take my hand, and I will guide you to shallow water.”

[Nil'kayn]

Kayn continued to flail only barely keeping himself above the surface of the water. He hoped for someone to come by, praying to Priskil in hopes that her pond would not be his end. It seemed she answered for he heard gentle singsong voice far off and could not see the person. At first he thought it to be the god herself coming to his aid, but Nil quickly squished that that simply stating it was someone that was passing near by. Turning his head he could see a beautiful pale form, diving into the water making no noise or even much of a splash. He then went under the water his sight blocked by the water. When he resurfaced again, he caught site of a pale but beautiful woman, reaching out a hand to him. He had not heard what she had said for his ears had been underwater, but he suddenly tensed perplexed by the woman. His body completely stilled forgetting he was in water. His head went below water; before he could react. Focusing he kicked out with his legs attempting to resurface and when he did, he used his hands pushing them downward in back and forth, finally remembering his skills from his youth, and when it finally came to him what he was doing. Treading Water. Albeit very clumsily, but still enough to keep his head above the water. He shot out his hand afraid that if he stopped he would sink, his hand enclosing the woman's for he was much larger than her. He hoped he got his feet on dry land soon.

[Devmond Incarnata]

The hissing sound blended with the sound of leaves brushing against one another. Within moments it became heightened. Someone was laughing.

The flat palm over his mouth wasn’t enough to stifle it. He shoved his left fist in his mouth. The trapped air puffed out his cheeks and his chest gave little spasms that could barely contain the glee. Devmond Incarnata was actually planning on robbing the poor bumbler. Him actually drowning himself seemed like a gift from Vitaras himself. Then came another even more wonderful, no, lovely surprise.

From his hidden perch in the treetop, he watched as the woman continued to swim towards the shore in swift strokes. It was almost like watching a bird fly. As the sun moved out from behind a cloud, it hit the water and everything in it. The water glimmered, but so did she. Scales. She had scales. Devmond tried to remember. Which one was supposed to have scales again?

“That’s a looker certainly.”

Well, she was. Whoever she was. This Symenestra was unfamiliar with most races, and was happy in ignorance. All that mattered was a healthy and strong body. As long as the surrogate could bear the child long enough–just enough time for the poison to settle in the bloodstream.

He was no longer saw the two strangers or Priskil Pond. Instead, it was the vast Suvan Sea. The swimming figure had blond hair and blue eyes too. Pale skin and scales became the dark tan of a seaman. The arms, lined with gold bands, tore at the waves breaking them like glass. The apparition tossed its head up and saw him. It laughed. He stopped smiling. Drown it. Push it back deep into the blackest part of memory where it belongs. As it sunk, a child’s face bubbled like sea foam. White hair and his golden eyes that once, as they do now, carry the light of innocence. Bath time. She opened her mouth and padded the water trying to splash him. His mouth widened to reveal both sets of bright whites. As long as he could remember her, Devmond could allow himself to smile.

The strangers were almost at the shore. He tapped his front fangs with a few clicks of his black tipped claws–a metaphorical kick to his own rear. Reminiscing was not what was needed right now but a strategy. Now, how should the fish-lady be approached? It didn’t look like the two knew each other. Certainly not. She had almost let him drown. A very cautious person like that would take practice. He played through a few different possible scenes in the personal theatre of his mind.

“Curtain call. Enter Devmond–the black-hearted spider prince.”

He descended head first, the microscopic hooks on his fingers and bare toes clung to the bark and he shimmied down within moments. The Symenestra walked up briskly, his face contorted into a mask of concern.

“Are you alright? Your fortunate that this kind woman was at the right place.”

Unclipping his cloak, he offered it humbly to the Akalak as they emerged dripping onto the shore. Devmond slyly looked at the woman from behind the safety of his bangs. The scintillating scales made the eye follow the curves of her calves and thighs to where they disappeared underneath her dripping wetsuit. He had to wonder what kind of patterns they made under there. Devmond quickly brushed back his hair and found her gaze.

“Oh, and I must compliment the lovely form you have.”

Pause. Let the words sink in.

“I have never seen such a powerful sidestroke like that displayed on the Suvan Sea. Where do you come from?”

[Erato]

Erato had shuddered when the man’s powerful hand had closed around hers, so suddenly brought to a realization of how easily he might crush those delicate finger bones. Thankfully, however, he seemed to have calmed a bit and managed to keep his head above water long enough to end a good portion of the panic that had quite nearly drowned him. It had made the job of dragging him to the shallows much easier than she had hoped, and she actually found herself smiling at the end of it.

That is, until she looked back. Her lips formed a hard line as she stood in the man’s shadow, backing away just enough to give her an escape opportunity if needed. The odd sense within had leaped and started a dull pulse now that she was standing on the shore—this was no new sensation. There had been so many dangerous opportunities since she had stepped on the mainland, and now she realized that only the water could assure protection. The further away she moved from it, the more vulnerable she would be.

Despite the new tenseness in her limbs, however, Erato also found sudden curiosity. She could not remove her eyes from the sheer size, the sheer muscle, the sheer presence of this stranger. Men she had seen before, sparsely and always at a distance, but she had never been this close nor so alone as she was now. It was as if her senses had been heightened by the awareness of being perfectly outmatched, and her eyes looked upon his body with awed fear.

It was so... so different. Here was a man, a deep olive green, who looked every bit to her like a walking tree. It took a long moment just for her to remove her eyes from his hands and biceps to finally look to his face, which held some familiar civility. This was no savage. But just as she parted her lips to speak—

“Are you alright? You’re fortunate that this kind woman was at the right place.”

Erato’s palm went flat against her cheek as a chilling buzz flared from her left eye and touched to the end of her fingertips. She wasn’t sure that she dared to look but forced her body to turn and face the new danger, suddenly feeling that perhaps meeting the green man was a stroke of luck. Unfortunately, the sight that met her only led to further confusion.

Black, black, black... purple? The nearest comparison she could think of was a rock blackfish: here was something truly black, spiny, and slippery. Merely the sight of him caused a new wave of confusion and somewhat morbid curiosity. How could men be so very different? Erato had heard plenty of stories from the mother konti who left for the outside world to find a partner, but they were never quite this exotic as far as she could remember. There were fairly good relations between konti and humans, and even moreso between Konti and ivaski kelvics, but... here was Erato’s true glimpse at how sheltered her mind had been.

The konti blinked, having bluntly stared for a good minute, and had to reaffirm her sanity. Both men were actually there and firmly in existence, one of them had spoken, and spoken directly to her. The immediate response was quick then: she gave a calm and flat glare before turning back for the possessions she had left at the immediate shore of the pond. There was certainly more danger now, but running wasn’t exactly an option in wilderness like this. She would need to keep near the water, and she did not particularly wish to get all her decent gear and clothes wet just yet.

[Nil'kayn]

As the konti lead him to shore, he kicked and attempted to help her though his attempts might make it worse, he was determined to try. He heard laughing, risking a glance to the shore he could make out a dark figure of a male at least he thought it was a male. He ignored the jester, using all the muscles in his body to attempt to propel himself forward. Eventually his feet hit the shore digging deep he let go of the woman's hand, walking forward. As he stepped out of the water he was met with a pale form, with long black claws on his toes and fingers. He had seen this race before, but had never actually asked what they where. The man said something, Kayn just frowned at him and motioned for the man to keep his cloak. "Yes, your right." He commented watching the Konti walk off. He glanced over both the man and woman taking in every aspect of them, finally he turned to the woman, giving her a full look over as she walked away. He then turned ignored the man, heading for his camp he would not be stopped by anyone or anything. I know what your going to do. Don't do it. She may have saved your life, but who's to say she didn't save you for her own purposes... Nil continued to ramble on and on attempting any and all argument, to stop Kayn from what he was about to do. He even attempted to wrestle control, but Kayn had his mind set and was not going to be stopped. He rummaged in his bags finally pulling out one of his Lakan. Holding it in both hands he strolled towards wherever the woman stood. "Hold out your hands." He commanded, his voice stern and extremely serious, his eyes where warm, but hard not there usual glimmering shiny selves. If she held out her hands he would attempt to place the lakan in her palms and close her fingers around it. "You saved me from my own recklessness. I swear by the gods and everything I hold dear. I will serve you until this debt is repaid, or until the day you are deemed unfit to hold this vow. This I swear."

[Erato]

Never, in all her experience as a konti and a healer, had Erato been commanded so solidly. She froze immediately, halfway in the process of securing the knot of her dress. Her eyes slowly travelled up towards the man’s face before daring to finish, slowly lowering her hands to comply with his request.

Erato was fairly certain that no konti alive could have predicted what happened next. Suddenly there was a weapon in her hands, which were dwarfed once again in his large green hands. Her eyes widened first in surprise, then confusion, eventually flattening back down to the best mask of calm she could make. She had to remind herself to breathe, looking away from the extraordinary muscle and skin to find the man’s eyes. There, she knew, was a genuinely kind-hearted soul, however foolish.

“Dear friend, you owe me no such debt. I am a daughter of the visionary Avalis—it is She who protects me and Her gifts that guide me. Do not place undeserved honour on me when it was by Her power that you were saved.” Very, very gently, Erato slipped one of her hands out of the man’s grasp to softly pat one of his hands that held her own.

Yet, even as she spoke the words, she felt that her heart was grinding against her ribcage. How very empty she sounded to her own ears, yet the practiced words had come with very little effort and much greater kindness. It was true that she had made the decision to save the man from the pond, but it had only been because there was no real danger in doing so. This man had no way of knowing how he was now infinitely more threatening, towering as he did and impossibly different from the struggling creature in the water, now so very sure and forthright.

The konti knew that a such a vow would not be easily returned, however quickly it had been given. So she took another deep breath and forced a mild smile, casting a casual glance at the dark man they had left behind. “But if you would insist on repaying debt, I have but one request. I should like to know the name of the man I rescued, and if he would be so kind, to perhaps tell me of himself. And...” Erato tilted her head, angling her body just enough to catch sight of the other strange man she had left near the pond, “Is that particular man a friend of yours?”

[Devmond Incarnata]

Flopping ungracefully into the sand, little sand fleas scattered around him. It would have been better if the Akalak had floored him or the beautiful lady had struck him across the face. Anger and rage he could deal with. Yet there was literally no reaction at all from this duo.

More than just the prick at his pride, however, was a deeper more disconcerting feeling. It was way the Akalak’s shifting eyes told of an inner-battle. Something about the way the women had touched her cheek and the fear in her eyes as if knowing what he intended for her.

His smile sunk into his chin. Resting his face in his clawed hands, he watched as the large man tromped towards her with purpose. He arched an eyebrow as a large knife was thrust into her hands. It was a pledge of loyalty. Devmond felt something tickle all the way down his neck. His front fang was biting into his lower lip. The blood was wiped away with the back of his sleeve. He looked up just as the woman’s eyes fell on him.

“Is that particular man a friend of yours?”

He quickly sprung off the sand much like a sand flea and nearly skipped to the both of them. This opportunity couldn't be wasted.

[Nil'kayn]

Kayn blinked stunned. He was quite surprised by the woman's reaction, in truth Nil was too, but he would never show it. Most would have jumped at the offer to have an akalak servant, but she seemed uninterested. Which caused his interest and suspicion to prick. He he felt her had rest on top of his and he looked into her eyes, he couldn't see anything untrustworthy in there, so he just said slowly. "Alright..." He was confused, suspicious, and curious all at the same time. His ears perked up as he heard her continue speaking, glancing backwards he saw the pale man approaching. He glanced over him again. "No. I have never seen him in my life." The man was now standing next to him he said simply mainly aiming it at the woman, but making sure the man could hear it as well. "My name is Nilkayn, but call me Kayn. I am an Akalak, and I was born in Riverfall." He waited patently for the others to hopefully introduce themselves.

[Devmond Incarnata]

Devmond had to make his lip almost bleed again to stop laughing. To give your full name and the location of your home to complete strangers showed either ridiculous confidence of strength or having a heart overflowing with naivety. Any apprehension Devmond may have had for Nikalyn was gone. Yes, a beating could happen if he wasn’t careful, but those with less brains have their brauns manipulated.

Putting his weight on his right side in a cocky posture, he faced the Akalak.

“As you can tell I’m a Symenesta. It’s Devmond or Dev if your feeling friendly.”

The woman, however, seemed to understand the awkwardness of the situation and kept silent. This was a strange setup, but he had at least anticipated the coldness from her end. She was too uncomfortable around the Akalak and even him to be approached like this. He would need to get her alone. Most of all, an introduction was best soon concluded. Linger too long and you looked desperate.

“I have to take leave of the both of you. Meeting you has been a nice surprise, however. It certainly has spiced up what would have been a boring trip.” he said, careful to guide every point of his body away from her direction.

Devmond gave a light friendly punch to the arm of the Akalak. This led to throbbing fingers being thrust into his pockets as he walked briskly off. Trying to hide his grimace of pain, he picked up the twitching corners of his mouth. A final word was said over the shoulder.

“See ya.”