Meet and Greet (Lyam)

[Ndale Soromund]

Season of Winter, Day 81, 511AV Ndale had been searching the docks, sometimes kicking up water, effectively soaking her shoes and other times simply walking on to boats and being hastily escorted off. The people at the docks didn’t report her or mind her really, she was not there to steal on to learn interesting bits of information. Even today, it hadn’t taken much to get a hurried response to her question. “What is ‘port’ and ‘starboard’?” she said the words in Kontinese but the them men were traders, sailing between the two ports and other ones with ease, they could understand some of the language, at the very least all commands for boats in the language. “Port is left.” He tried to hurry along but she cut him off once more, repeating her question, “Right! Starboard is right if port is left.” Pushing her non too gently to the side, he gave her a look that said stop causing trouble and scurried off, cargo in hand. Always running around these men. It was still early in the Winter, which is probably why they were rushing around, ports were open all seasons but it slowed considerably in Winter, getting things done earlier probably made things easier. She had seen ships, usually small one, get barreled over by the harsh winds, the sails snapping and sometimes even tearing, it was fascinating and terrifying! Her thoughts continued like this, mentally storing away the bit about the boats and then simply watching the sailors rush by, words be shouted and good natured jostling. Sailors seemed to be a different breed even from other humans, strange but interesting. Making sure to keep out of the way Ndale sat down and hunched forward, her body precariously leaning towards the edge but she seemed perfectly comfortable with her balance not a muscle moving save for her eyes that seemed to be trying to take in everything at once.

[Lyam]

I was walking along the docks, discovering the new city where I was to live during at least one season. I didn’t really know why I’d come in Zeltiva. Maybe because to come there, I had to travel through unknown and dangerous landscapes. Anyway. The city pleased me with its huge buildings, and even more with its wonderful opening in the sea. In front of the ocean, gazing at the rolling waves, I felt like the freest man in the world. I was standing on the dock, in the middle of the way, disturbing the sailors that were working hard. One of them frowned at me “Hey guy, can’t you sea you’re in my way? Get off!” I stepped back with anger. If I had been a wolf… I walked again, getting my self out of the mean ways. I was about to return in the city itself, when I suddenly saw a girl that caught my attention. I could only see her back, where her white hair was falling like a wild waterfall. People with white hair were not so rare. But she was… different. She was not moving an inch but I could feel a kind of powerful wilderness in this remarkable body. A Kelvic, I was quite sure. Her head was high, and straight was her back; she was pride. Which animal was she? I was really curious. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” I whispered behind her.

[Ndale Soromund]

Footsteps were a common place thing, something that began background noise to her most of the time; even if the docks did echo profoundly. And it was always the halting of footsteps that caught her attention for it meant someone had found what they were looking for. For on the docks it was a constant movement, reminding her of the ocean. As such, when the footsteps stopped directly behind her she could not help but flinch a little. Her head snapped to face the newcomer who she had nearly missed, his voice reaching her ears slowly, nearly drowned out by the lapping of the waves. “Yes.” Short and to the point, not quite rude but it was obvious she was sizing him up. Her eyes intensely and unabashedly roving his physic for something…anything that would make him interesting. Seeing as he had approached her though she assumed he was no sailor but that was not for front in her mind, no, it was his lack of footwear. “Your feet are cold, no?” Casually she reached a hand out and brushed against his skin, attempting to answer the question herself before carefully inching back and moving to stand on the dock. He was taller than her. Huh. Why was it most people were ridiculously tall in this city? A jostle behind her snapped her out of her musings, her mouth automatically moving though she wasn’t really paying attention to what she said. “You are no sailor.” A statement not a question, “Do you live here? Or you visit?” Her eyes strayed from the man, for only a moment, her left eye still meandering about on its own before it too settled on one of the boats. For a moment her eyes lit up, she really was fascinated by all this! “Would you follow?” Without waiting for an answer she unhesitatingly tugged at his shirt, impatient to begin question both him and the people on the boat. This boat was obviously for pleasure and so they could not deny her questions, of that she would make sure!

[Lyam]

I had not expected something like… that. Too fast for me to remember well, she nodded, asked a first question without waiting an answer, touched my skin for an unknown reason, asked another question while standing up. I could just not follow. Then she finally stopped moving and even if I knew she was not listening, I answer that no, my feet were very well, they were used to. No I was no sailor, but I’d like to, one day. Yes I was a new comer in Zeltiva and I was visiting the city and looking for some place to live, why not the university. I had just ended when she turned to face me, tugged at my shirt, inviting me to follow her on a huge boat that did not look like the others. This one seemed to be more for yachting than for goods and exchanges. I had no time to wonder what we would do there, she was still questioning a poor mariner. OOCSorry, I don’t know how to continue ^^’

[Ndale Soromund]

Ndale had nearly forgotten her silent companion, dragging him along because it had struck her fancy at that particular moment. Now she was more focused, her lull of questions about the base of the ships withering away now to simple exploration of the slowly moving vessel. Oddly enough she didn’t feel sick, in fact she attempted to jump and make it move harder with the waves, of course no such luck. Quickly becoming bored Ndale once more grabbed her companion pausing slightly and turning to face him. “Who are you?” introductions had been forgotten in her sighting of the boat and now she demanded answer, as if he had inconvenienced her, “I am Ndale.” “You wish to go the University, yes? For why?” While she spoke she kept a firm grip on his wrist, her other hand trailing about the boat, feeling it and humming slightly. Such a pretty boat on such pretty water. It gleamed like a the stones on the beach and made her want to plunge her hand into it but she didn’t, settling for staring wistfully. Her instance upon a partner was dual natured, she could not let him escape for she wished to bug him with questions and she was not fool enough to (actually she was) get on a boat without ‘protection’. And the woman the other day said males where protection… “I like to swim.” It was an offhand comment have no other point than to fill the silence as she took a seat, obviously planning on making herself at home on the boat as if she owned it.

[Lyam]

When the curious girl finally remembered I was there, she turned and asked quickly “Who are you?” But I had not said a single word that she added “I am Ndale” I thought it was a curious name but did not let her know. “Lyam” I simply answered. Anyway I would not have the time to say anything else. “You wish to go to the University, yes? For why?” I noticed her mistakes and understood she was certainly not from Zeltiva. “Actually I don’t know” I answered with a smile “But yeah, it’s quite possible, I’ve a lot to learn” Did she listen? I had no idea. She gazed at the see and whispered “I like to swim” Nothing to do with the University. Her spirit was a real chaos. I liked it. I blinked at her and without any warning, I run towards the border of the boat and jumped overboard. My body hit the waves with a big splash and I felt the cool water caressing my skin. I finally headed out of the sea and saw Ndale looking at me on the boat. “Come in!” I shouted “The water is really cool!” She liked to swim? We would swim!

[Ndale Soromund]

Considering how close it was to the Spring the water was growing warmer and the winds were not trying to split people in half. Still to simply dive into the water…ah, but it looked so inviting. She wanted to be the one floating in it. Then again the last time she had attempted to float in water she had promptly found it was not that easy. Ndale’s hesitation did not last long though, her body had already moved from its seat for the edge of the boat, the amused laughter of the boats owners fading from her ears. “I cannot swim.” It was muttered lightly, almost a caution to her own self but it was swiftly bypassed for the urge to follow Lyams example. Her whole body gave one twitch before the young woman moved purposely, stripping her pants quickly and shoes, leaving only her shirt. She did not miss the slightly offended gasps of the people walking by but most were dock workers and no stranger to diving in the water with barely any clothes. She was not fool enough to have the weight drag her down like last time. One could learn from their mistakes. The temperature change was wonderful and painful. The water was cool and slick, welcoming her easily but her body cringed and gasped at the sudden lack of air and warmth. Swallowing water she came up sputtering, flapping her arms wildly in an attempt to properly move and though she only succeeded in bobbing up and down in the water, the burning salt filling her nose and mouth, she could only laugh helplessly. Content to ‘swim’ or half drown. “Is fun!” The words were swallowed by the water and she found herself wondering if the other knew how to swim better than she did.

[Lyam]

She did not take much time to follow my example and plunge into the water. When her head was finally safely kept out of the water, I heard her wonderful laugh among the rolling of the waves. “Is fun!” she tried to say while half drowning. It was, but obviously she did not know how to swim. With two or three powerful movements, I swam just by her side and took her tiny body in my arms. I was not really thinking whether it could be offending or else. It was… natural. I put my first hand under her back, the other under her head and made her lay above the water. “Keep cool” I said gently “feel your body floating”. I remained by her side, my hand touching her skin under the water to keep her in the right position. The waves shook us a little but the boats around us were protecting us from the swell. “ Uncross your arms ” I finally said when I felt she could hold alone “Do as if you were a star”. She did so and I released her inch by inch. “Aye, you’re swimming… kind of!” I smiled.

[Ndale Soromund]

“Feel floating?” she didn’t quite understand the concept and her pains for her question only served make her swallow more of the burning liquid. Keeping her mouth closed she relaxed herself, releasing the tension the sudden contact had caused and allowing Lyam to keep her from drowning. For once she was not sinking beneath the waters but floating above them. It made laughter bubble up from her toes but she tried not to release it for she did not think her stomach could hold much more of the sea water. For an instant she panicked as he released her, almost calling out to him to hold her in place once more but her body did not sink. The water lapped gently over her stomach and sometimes her face but she stayed there, spread eagle and floating above the water. “I am! I am swimming!” Ndale got a little too excited though and her head dipped back, the water filling her mouth and lungs completely. Flapping her arms wildly for a moment she sank before her hand slapped at the side of the boat. Clinging to it she sputtered and gasped, a hacking noise coming deep from within her along with the urge to reveal her breakfast. Swallowing convulsively Ndale turned to Lyam with a wary grin, “I not swim yet.” Still, drowning or not she enjoyed it. A slight tickling at her toes surprised her though and on impuslve she released the boat to try and yank her companions arm; trying to show him what swam beneath their feet. “Fish!” It sounded delicious and they were pretty. The light refracting the grays so they shone with a sparkle only shiny metal trinkets did. Floudering some more the young woman flung her whole body around, trying to mimic Lyams earlier movement as well as the movement of the sailors she had seen before. It was not working but she managed to stay afloat while her arm dug about the water, trying to grab the fish. For all her efforts all she received was a brush of slick coolness against her leg and then nothing. “It’s gone.” She sounded genuinely upset before her gaze returned to the man, “Where did you learn swimming? In the University? Do you like fish?” A couple more chimes of the wriggling in the water and Ndale realized her body was beginning to tire and once more latched onto the boat, her eyes still scanning the water for the pretty things beneath.

[Lyam]

She peered at something through the water that I first did not see. Then the beautiful silver reflect hit my gaze and I was as astonished as Ndale. “Fish” she simply said, and I silently nodded. But when it finally went away, her attention went back to me, and her brain began to prepare hundreds more questions. Fortunately it was not so hard than before, she was taking her time and let me the time to answer. “My parents taught me” I replied “before I left them. There was a river not so far from our home.” It reminded me the beautiful colours of the lake in the early morning, the laugh of my mother who was looking for me when we were playing to hide-and-seek, the strength of my father when he held me above his head to bowl me in the water. I shook my head, no time to think about that. “And yes, I love fish. Especially on my stomach.” and I burst with laughs. “Aye Princess, what dyou think about going back to the earth?” I didn’t wait for her answer and took her by the waist. She was really lightweight and I had no difficulties to bring us back on the docks. Some mariners were peering at us with curiosity or huge surprised. It made me laugh again. I shook my entire body as if I was in my wolf form. It was far less efficient but anyway. Then I let Ndale alone on the docks few seconds, the time for me to grab her clothes and an abandoned piece of towel that laid on the soil. When I came back, I gave it all to Ndale and sat beside her. “Well, the loop is looped; we’re back facing the sea” I smiled