[Flashback] A Total Eclipse (Solo)

[Nashira]

Spring 4, 461 AV Nashira was sitting against the front door of the cottage she shared with Caleb. Its hard wood supporting her back as she curled her knees into her chest, and allowed her bare feet to rest firmly on the ground. They were resting upon a tuft of green grass, which tickled their soles. Her eyes danced over the pages of the book she had balanced in her lap- the one she had been reading the day before, the one her teacher had lent her until further notice. In her left hand, she held a slender white candle, crafted of wax that dripped all too rapidly for her liking when a flickering orange flame caught is wick. Blackening it as the molten clear pool of wax fell over the sides and onto her hands. Upon reaching her flesh, the hot wax stung, before cooling and soothing the pain it had once caused. It seemed to be gathering now into a small hill of greyish-white, but the Ethaefal did not mind. Although the nearly full moon cast nearly enough light to illuminate the pages of her text, it alone, was not enough to allow for her to continue on in her studies. As she read, Nashira would turn the pages with her right hand, if the wind did not offer its services, doing more than simply whistling in her ears, or winding the edges of her long brown hair around her shoulders. At times, the winds were blocked completely by the side of the house, and the noise it produced failed to bother her, so intent was she on her reading, the completion of the latest chapter in her book. Since the day before, she had finished the portion of the book that was devoted to the classification of the solar eclipse, and moved onto a chapter devoted to the lunar eclipse, it read: A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the planet we live upon, causing the planet to block the sun's rays, thus, keeping them from reaching the moon. Such an event may only occur when the planet, sun and moon are aligned, or at the very least, are rather close to becoming aligned. The planet however, must be situated in the middle, between the other celestial orbs. Thus, a lunar eclipse may only occur during a full moon. "The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the Moon's location relative to its orbital nodes." Unlike a solar eclipse, which may only be viewed from a small portion of the world, a lunar eclipse can be viewed from any portion of the world which is shrouded in darkness. A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, whereas a total solar eclipse will last for no more than a few minutes in any given place, due to the size of the moon's shadow. Types: The planet's shadow may be divided into two parts: the umbra and penumbra. Within the umbra, the planet falls to receive any direct sunlight. "However, as a result of the sun’s large angular size, solar illumination is only partially blocked in the outer portion of the planet’s shadow, which is given the name penumbra." A penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the planet’s penumbra. The penumbra causes the surface of the moon to darken, but only slightly. A total penumbral eclipse occurs during the time in which the moon lies exclusively within the planet’s penumbra. Total penumbral eclipses are rare. They cause the section of the moon that lies closest to the umbra to appear marginally darker than the rest of the Moon. As seen by an observer who resides within Mizahar, the moon crosses the ecliptic upon the imaginary celestial sphere each time it orbits the planet, once it reaches a certain area, or position. These positions are called nodes, and are reached twice every month. When a full moon occurs in the same position at the node, a lunar eclipse may occur. The nodes allow for 2-5 lunar eclipses to occur each year, "parted by approximately six months." "A total penumbral lunar eclipse dims the moon in direct proportion to the area of the sun’s disk blocked by the planet." When merely a part of the moon enters the umbra, a partial lunar eclipse occurs. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon, in its entirety, is within the planet's umbra. It is estimated that the moon's speed, while traveling through the shadow is about one kilometer per second. However, some scientists believe it moves at about half that speed, while others still, believe that it moves far faster. Totality, then, has never been measured to exceed 107 minutes. Nevertheless, the amount of time between the moon’s initial and final contact with the shadow is far longer, and may last up to four hours, if not more. "The relative distance of the Moon from the planet at the time of an eclipse can affect the eclipse’s duration." More specifically, when the moon orbiting at is farthest point from the planet, it seems to move far more slowly than at other points in its orbit. "The diameter of the umbra does not decrease appreciably within the changes in the orbital distance of the moon. Thus, a totally eclipsed moon occurring near apogee will lengthen the duration of totality." Nashira raised her right hand, and wet a few fingers with her tongue, before lowering them to the page. The paper stuck to her fingertips as she turned it over, letting it flutter to a fall, before she continued her reading: The timing of a total lunar eclipse is determined the number of its contacts: First contact (P1) - This is the beginning of the penumbral eclipse. Beginning of the penumbral eclipse. The planet's penumbra meets with the moon's outer limb. Second contact (U1) - The partial eclipse commences. The planet's umbra meets with the moon's outer rim. Third contact (U2) - The first stages of a total eclipse occur. The surface of the moon is shrouded entirely within the planet's umbra. Greatest eclipse: The total eclipse at its peak. The moon as close to the center of the planet's umbra as it will get. Fourth contact (U3) - The total eclipse ceases. The outer limb of the moon leaves the planet's umbra. Fifth contact (U4) - The cessation of the partial eclipse. The planet's umbra comes away from the surface of the moon. Sixth contact (P2) - The sixth contact marks the end of the penumbral eclipse. The planet's shadow makes no further contact with the face of the moon. A selenelion "occurs when both the sun and the eclipsed moon can be observed at the same time." Such an even may only occur a few minutes prior to the setting of the sun, or shortly after sunrise. Both celestial orbs- the moon and the sun- will appear just above the horizon at opposing points in the sky. "This arrangement has led to the phenomenon being referred to as a horizontal eclipse." A horizontal eclipse occurs during every lunar eclipse, wherever a sunrise or a sunset is currently occurring on the planet. "Indeed, the reddened light that reaches the moon comes from all the simultaneous sunrises and sunsets on the planet. Although the moon is in the planet’s geometrical shadow, the sun and the eclipsed moon can appear in the sky at the same time because the refraction of light through the planet’s atmosphere causes objects near the horizon to appear higher in the sky than their true geometric position." Nashira turned the page again, before continuing: A scale used when rating the overall darkness of a lunar eclipse: "L=0: Very dark eclipse. Moon almost invisible, especially at mid-totality. L=1: Dark eclipse, gray or brownish in coloration. Details distinguishable only with difficulty. L=2: Deep red or rust-colored eclipse. Very dark central shadow, while outer edge of umbra is relatively bright. L=3: Brick-red eclipse. Umbral shadow usually has a bright or yellow rim. L=4: Very bright copper-red or orange eclipse. Umbral shadow is bluish and has a very bright rim." As Nashira finished reading the scale, she looked up at the sound of muffled footsteps upon the gravel. "Is that you Caleb?" she called, as she looked out in the night, portions of the world not yet touched by the moon's milky glow. OOCAgain, I used wikipedia as a source, and anything left in quotations was copied directly from the site.

[Nashira]

All Nashira could make out was the sound of footsteps padding across the grass, and the occasional hiss of sand as it was displaced under the man's foot. On occasion, sent flying behind his step as she waited, resting her free arm in the center of the book, in the slight dip created by the central binding. Her pupils dilated as she stared into the night, he must not have heard her, and thus failed to reply. Perhaps then, if she waited until he had taken another few steps, and then tried again, the sound of her voice would reach his ears. Unless of course, he was ignoring her, which was entirely possible. Sometimes, he wasn't really one to talk after a long day at work. Sometimes, he really wasn't much to talk at all. "Caleb?" Nashira called again, giving it another try. The footsteps were getting louder and louder, which Nashira assumed meant that they were nearing her form. She could feel her heart beating just a little faster as she waited, and then, finally, Caleb stepped into a pool of moonlight. The light cast his skin in its pale glow, causing his skin to appear as though it were glowing, and as though he were sickly at the same time. The shadows it cast made it appear as though his eyes had sunk into his face, as had half of his nose, while his lips glowed in the light. They appeared the palest of pinks now, warm with the illumination, strangely inviting. They seemed to be calling to her, begging the Ethaefal to plant a delicate kiss upon them. The woman's pale green eyes settled upon the sight of them, taking in the gentle curve of the lower lip until a time in which the sound of Caleb's voice broke her concentration; bringing her eyes from his lips to his deep blue irises. The fisherman lifted a single brow as he stopped dead in his tracks, staring down at the flickering candle, the wax that was dripping onto his companion's flesh. "Thought that was you Nashira," he commented simply. "What are you doing out here anyway? Shouldn't you be inside, where it's warm?" he inquired. "Just reading a book Caleb," Shira replied simply. "Well I can see that," Caleb retorted. "Then why did you ask?" responded Nashira, as she straightened her back, forcing herself to sit up a little higher. "You should go inside, read on the bed or at the kitchen table," Caleb said. "But it's far more fitting to read about the stars and the sky from a quiet place, nestled into the crook of your own home, beneath them," Shira said, her eyes sparkling with the light of the candle, the smiling stars. Caleb shook his head as he took a few steps closer, stopping right over her. Nashira drew her legs a few inches closer, as he stared down at her. A dark shadow, blocking out the beauty of the night. Sit. "We should go inside Nashira. So we may rest, you may read your book a little longer if you'd like," Caleb said, as he glanced at her hand again. "Doesn't that hurt? The hot wax?" Nashira shook her head. "No, it actually feels quite nice after awhile," she replied. Now sit. I don't want to have to ask again. She didn't say anything more to him, choosing to simply stare into his eyes, willing him to back down, to look away before she did. She could see the orange flame flickering as it sent tiny tendrils of grey smoke into the sky. As it filled her nostrils with the subtle scent of molten wax and smoke, causing the edges to flare, but only a little. Sit. Now, she instructed, when Caleb failed to say anything more, or to move. "I just want a few more minutes under the stars Caleb... the night is simply so clear, the sky so beautiful, I don't want to turn my gaze away. I don't want to close my eyes to the sight... not now," she whispered, as she sent the same message to him, beneath her words. It was prodding him now, a small stick poking his side. Over and over, as it inched upwards, closer and closer to his head, until it reached the ear. A cavity through which it could be jammed, and repeatedly thrust into the brain. Lightly of course, after all, you wouldn't want anyone to become alarmed. You wouldn't want anyone to know that the stick was there; that they may not be making decisions entirely on their own. Caleb sighed, and finally, folded his body and took a seat next to her, leaning his back up against the house. He tilted his head back, and looked up at the sky. "You know we did this yesterday," he commented, Nashira nodded. "And we will do it again today," she replied, as she blew out the candle, causing the flame to dance away before it was snuffed out. Before it was reduced to a thin trickle of grey smoke, which swayed back and forth before being absorbed into the night air. The candle, although it had not cast a great deal of light, seemed to have done so much now that Nashira thought of it. Now that she let herself look up. The stars seemed stronger now, to flash more brightly. It was as though they had been frightened away by the sight of the flame, their competition, before. Nashira smiled weakly as she closed the book. She trailed her free hand across the grass, letting her fingers slip through the cool fronds. She could feel them tickling her palms, the underside of her wrist. In-between her green veins, which seemed to be bursting with joy. Hold me. She let her fingers tip-toe over to him, to his own hand which rested in the grass, supporting his body as he looked up at the sky. The finger soldiers halted their march no more than an inch away from the island that was his hand, as though afraid to continue their conquest, afraid to go on. Hold my hand, and don't let go. After releasing the breath she hadn't so much as realized she had been keeping in, Nashira inched her hand closer to Caleb's. It hovered just above his for a moment, trembling a little as her heart began to pound. What if he didn't like it, and made her take it away? What if it upset him, to hold her hand? At least though, this one wasn't covered in wax. Finally, Shira let her hand sink, and pressed her soft flesh lightly into Caleb's calloused hand. Wind your fingers through mine, she wished, as she curled her fingers around the edges, lightly pinning his hand down. Caleb's knuckles seemed to tense as he curled his fingers inward, but made no other motion. Not to pull away, or look at the Ethaefal. He said nothing. He simply stared at Nashira's stars. Hold my hand, Nashira prodded, as she turned to face him. Her eyes sparkling as her heart skipped a few beats, simply waiting for him to make his move. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she could feel his fingers curling, taking her own. She smiled weakly, and cast her gaze back up towards the sky. Her smile widened at the sight of the silver stars, the feel of Caleb's warm flesh against her fingers. She sat there in bliss, ignoring how sore her bottom had gotten, how her back ached for her to shift positions. The night was simply too beautiful for her to force it to end now. To turn the tides even a little bit... now. The fisherman and the Ethaefal sat outside, under the stars in silence. Allowing only the crashing of the waves against the shore, and the chirping of crickets to fill the empty space between them. Several minutes passed, where each held the same position, looking up at the sky and not each other, as their fingers wound themselves around the other's, slithering into a near death grip. Nashira could feel her eyes getting heavy, it was as though the lids weighed a hundred pounds, and she couldn't keep them open a minute longer, no matter how much she fought. No matter how much she wanted to. It must be the magic of the night, she thought, as they finally closed, and her muscles loosed, releasing their grip on Caleb's hand. Allowing her palm to simply rest above his, as her fingers unfurled. The candle she held fell into the grass, it rolled along the tufts for an instant, as the woman's head drooped onto Caleb's shoulder. He could hear her breathing, and turned to see her smiling. "Good night Nashira," Caleb whispered, as he carefully got to his feet, careful not to wake her. After having done so, he stretched out his aching muscles, and then bent. He curled one arm under her back, just below her neck, while the other snaked beneath her legs. He lifted her slowly, with little more than a grunt, and kicked the door open. He maneuvered Nashira's limp body carefully inside, walking slowly so as not to run into any of the furniture as he made his way through the dark. Her body drooped over the side of his arms, until he finally lay her into their bed. He pulled her book off her chest, and set it on the night-stand, before rounding the bed, and taking to the other side. "Sleep well," he whispered, before he closed his eyes and drifted off into Nysel's tender embrace. OOCAgain, italics is her hypnotism stuff. Sorry this is blah.

[Oracle]

Name: Nashira

XP Award:

• Hypnotism +2
• Astronomy +2
• Reading +1

Lore:

• Lunar Eclipse (Basic)
• Admiring the World's Beauty
• Falling Asleep on Someone's Shoulder

Notes: Great read. I love seeing love blossom. <3


If you have any concerns with this please PM me and let me know.

A.S. Oracle