Closed Long Walks Along The Beach (Castor Riley)

[Lotvie]

Timestamp: 10th of Spring, 513 AV

Coonie grunted with effort as she dragged her soaking backpack along the beach. Her family had just docked at one of her personal favorite locations; Zeltiva. The land was rich with culture. New people, different cuisine, and strange languages covered the land, creating an educated air about the community. As much as Coonie loved the city, getting there was a pain.

The family had been sailing for days, if not a week, without a steady rest. Sailing the small ship was hard with only three people. Docking was the most difficult, and Lia had insisted that Coonie do it by herself for experience. Two dents in the hull later, they were safely ashore. The three planned to stop by The Fish Market for a few days to sell Fown's fish, gain their land legs for awhile, then move on to sailing the seas again.

Coonie moaned loudly, trying to gain some sympathy from her brother, but he refused to bite. She thumped the pack against a rock, causing a crashing sound to ring across the empty beach, but Fown stubbornly continued on. What does a girl have to do to get noticed round here? Coonie thought.
She decided to add his name for emphasis. "Foooowwwwnnn..." Coonie whined.

Finally, Fown turned around and sighed. "We'll be at the World's End Grotto. If you ever get off this beach, you can meet us there." Her brother whirled away grudgingly. "Come on Lia, Coon knows where to find us."
Lia's only response was to slink away with a dead tired look on her face. Fown quickly followed, but not before throwing Coonie a disgusted glare.

This is sea living at it's best. Thought Coonie, Lia is so tired she won't speak, Fown is cross and more stubborn than ever... Out of steam, the girl threw herself down on the sand. Tiny pieces of the gritty stuff found it's way into her boots and down her neck but by that point, she didn't care. All she wanted was to float on her back in the sea, watching the plain white Avikki drift through the air again, as she had done when she was young. Oh, if only she didn't ever have to leave the water. Coonie closed her eyes and sighed dreamily.

Maybe I'll just watch the sunrise in peace. Coonie mused. As long as Fown doesn't come back. Or anyone else for that matter. Luckily, the beach was deserted and no sane man would take a walk along the beach this early. It had been awhile since she had been able to enjoy anything by herself. Situating herself so she could see the sun rise over the ocean, she propped her head on her backpack. She eagerly breathed in the salty air, hoping to get a last taste before going into the city.

From where she sat, she could see into the water. The fish swam about fairly close to shore, crossing over a small branch. The fish never went under the branch, only over. The sight somewhat reminded Coonie of sheep leaping over a fence. One, two, three, four... Before she could count another fish/sheep, Coonie felt her eyes close to the world for the last time that day.

[Castor Riley]

Castor woke up insanely early that day. The worse part was that, no matter how hard he tried, he simply could not get back to sleep. Finally, after an hour of twisting and turning, adjusting and readjusting his position in vain, he made the inevitable decision to simply be up and be done with it. He looked out the window of his small student dorm room and was greeted only by the twilight before dawn. He began to sigh, then stopped. This could be an ideal opportunity.

'Perfect time for a walk on the beach' he chuckled quietly to himself.

Having donned his boots and coat, he felt the familiar weight of his grandfather's journal, in its usual place in the coat's inside pocket. 'Let's go watch the sunrise' he said, to no one in particular, before sneaking quietly out of the building.

It was only a 10-minute walk to the beach, and it was one that he had become well-acquainted with over the past few days. Now, however, everything was changed; the usually bustling streets were almost completely deserted at this time of day. Only the fishermen were awake at this hour, and they all had already sailed out into the bay for the first catches of the day. The significantly emptier docks were a testament to that. All was quiet. Some would say peaceful. Castor preferred the noise. He had had enough quiet nights in Syliras, with his father unable to speak. He appreciated the importance of noise.

He began walking along the beach as the faint light began, ever so slowly to get brighter. There, next to the water, his nostrils were filled with the smell of the sea. He took his boots off and walked into the surf, just enough so that the water wouldn't splash over the bottoms of his pants. An unexpectedly higher wave took care of that though, and he gave a little yelp of surprise. Belatedly, he noticed two figures behind him walking towards town and immediately felt incredibly childish to be doing this.

'Just my luck that at this time of day I'd do something embarassing just as the only two possible witnesses for a mile passed me by... he sighed.

He got out of the water and continued walking down the beach, carrying his boots in one hand. The sunrise was starting, so he watched the distant point from which he expected it to arise at any moment as he walked. Then, just as the sun began to appear from its hiding place and he raised his other hand to shield his eyes, his foot brought up against a peculiarly soft log lying on the beach and he found himself pitching forward, head-first with barely enough time to wildly toss his boots and cushion his fall with his hands. Today was not starting out at all well for Castor.

[Lotvie]

Coonie was awakened by heavy vibrations in the sand. At first she thought it might be the swaying of the ship, but when she rolled over, the sand crunched beneath her. She thought she heard a faint grunt of pain, but was still too sleepy to be sure. Blinking her eyes sleepily, she sat up. The sun was well above the horizon now, she had probably missed the 8th bell. A split moment of panic washed over her before she remembered. Fown and Lia went to World's End Grotto.

Deciding she couldn't be in any more trouble than she already was, Coonie flopped back down. A heavy "poof" sound followed, sending clouds of sand flying. Coonie didn't even have to look, she knew her hair was coated in the stuff. Then she felt it stronger, a heavy thumping in the sand that signaled someone's presence. Coonie prayed, Please Laviku, don't let it be anyone civilized. Please let it be a sailor.

But, when she dared to glance up, Coonie found herself staring at a figure outlined by the bright rays of morning sun. He was clearly not a sailor. The only thing she could make out was the outline of his thin, yet muscular body. Her eyes instantly did a search. Boots in hand, rolled up pants, wind-blown hair. He had probably been taking a dip. She concluded. What was she supposed to say at a time like this? A stranger finds you sleeping on the beach with your sand-coated hair and soggy backpack, what can you say?

"Hey there!" Coonie chirped "Nice day for a walk along the beach, eh?"

[Castor Riley]

Castor cursed at the log and picked himself up. His forearms got a bit scraped up, but it was his pride that was hurt the most. He gathered the tossed boots and continued walking down the beach, trying to shake the sand out of his clothes, and wiping it off his knees and arms. By the time he'd looked back at the sun, it had already risen. 'Of course' he mumbled, crossly. He felt that his refreshing morning excursion was quickly turning rather sour. He was starting to think it would be best to just head back, before he accidentally impaled himself on a broken plank, when he heard a voice coming from ahead of him: "Hey there! Nice day for a walk along the beach, eh?" He started at the unexpected sound, only to receive a second shock at the unexpected sight of her. For it was a girl, seemingly around her mid-teens, that seemed to have dragged herself out of the ocean. Her long hair was covered in sand, and everything she owned seemed to be soaked through and through. Conscious that it was rude in most cultures to simply gawk at a person when they've just said hello, he replied hastily: "Yes, isn't it?" It seemed to him that this would be a rather dead-end conversation starter, leading to a rather awkward silence, so he continued on, a little more smoothly: "Nice to meet you, Castor Riley" and extended his hand. Almost as soon as he'd done it though, he noticed his hand still covered with sand, so he awkwardly changed from a handshake to a wave. Way to make a first impression...

[Lotvie]

Yes, isn't it?

Coonie peered up at the man, trying to shift and get a better view. She craned her head left, then right, until she rolled off her pack. Finally, she gave up and stood. He was about the same height as her, if not a little taller. He was probably about 20, maybe 22, she guessed. His short black hair lay in feathery strands all across his head in no apparent order, but not anywhere near covering his bright eyes. A thin layer of stubble covered his jawline, giving him a rough look that highly contrasted with his friendly smile.

Nice to meet you, Castor Riley."

The man, apparently Castor Riley, held out his hand. In a single motion, they both looked down at the extended palm. His whole hand was red and wet, as if he had fallen in the water. Clumps of sand were caked between his fingers and stuck in the cracks along his knuckles. He quickly waved instead, looking slightly embarrassed. Coonie aimed a close-lipped smile at him in thanks. He should have known by her own sand covered body that she wouldn't care, but it was a kind gesture anyway.

"The name's Coonie. Coonie AquaStar." Coonie began, then added, "But my friends call me Coon, I mean, if you're a friend. I suppose you wouldn't be an enemy. Uh, pleased to meet you mister...sir." She sputtered. Coonie knew she was babbling, but for some reason, she couldn't stop. Only a tad embarrassed, Coonie mimicked his sheepish wave. Deciding it was time to get out of here before she gave poor Castor a headache, Coonie picked up her soaking backpack. She brushed as much sand off as possible, but most of it just fell off and clung right to her pants. She took a step away, ready to leave this disaster zone, but something drew her back. There was something inside this stranger that begged to be answered.
She squinted at Castor in the early morning light. Curiously, she drawled, "So...What's a boy like you doing out here so early?"

[Castor Riley]

When the girl stood up, Castor began to feel that he must have been mistaken; she was both taller and looked a lot tougher than him. His pride declared his initial guess of her age to be wrong; it suggested that 17 should be a more accurate estimation. He realized that she could probably hurt him quite badly if she really wanted to. He resolved not to give her a reason to. He felt her eyes on him, sizing him up, studying him. So blue... he thought. When she smiled at his greeting, he saw that it was a small smile. Ah, a polite smile... She obviously doesn't want to chat too long with the beach weirdo. He almost chuckled at that thought: if anything they were both beach weirdos. 'The name's Coonie. Coonie AquaStar. But my friends call me Coon, I mean, if you're a friend. I suppose you wouldn't be an enemy. Uh, pleased to meet you mister...sir.' Her intoduction was babbled, yet charming nonetheless. He almost laughed at being called 'sir'. He was used to using the term to address Syliran Knights and, as much as he cloaked himself in his sparkling wit - which seemed to have kept sleeping while he had not - it was no shining armor. The girl waved and then began to gather up her things in a few swift motions. And off she goes he thought. He considered trying to stop her, but then realized that with the level of rhetoric and grace he'd demonstrated in the past hour, he might manage to qualify himself for the rather undesirable rank of beach creep. As much of an achievement as that may be with less than a week since he had first arrived in Zeltiva, he felt that the current, beach weirdo level was quite sufficient, thank you very much. But then she stopped of her own accord. 'So... What's a boy like you doing out here so early?' she asked. Curiosity seemed to have won out over caution. He smiled widely and started to answer 'I just came out to watch the sunrise and read...', while his hand patted his coat pocket, when he realized he was patting his chest. No journal! The horrifying thought assaulted him. He could feel the blood draining from his face. Suddenly, he swivelled around, all notions of politeness and weirdness vanished, and sprinted back towards the log. An image of the journal bloated with water, all its ink bleeding out came to mind and he shook his head, rejecting it. He looked around but in the early morning light, each hillock of sand ceated a deep shade behind it. On his knees he felt around frantically for the leather-bound tome, his most prized possession. Where could it be?

[Lotvie]

Coonie listened carefully, trying not to let her intrigue be too obvious.
"I just came out to watch the sunrise and read...

Castor reached for something but it clearly wasn't there. His calm, bright eyes widended to the size of saucers. He abandoned all thought and raced back the way he had come from. He stopped near a log, not too far off, and hit his knees desperately. He dug through the sand, sending pebbles and shells flying. The man looked close to hysteria. Whatever it was, it must have incredible value.

If I might find this valuable item, he might be grateful. Silver Mizas grateful? But then, Coonie fingered her glass bead necklace, imagining how she would feel if she had lost it. The mere thought was enough to have her on her knees beside him with no further questions. She placed her rough hands on the log, and with a great shove, the log rolled back. Coonie resumed digging up the damp sand underneath the log. After a moment, she realized she had no clue what she was looking for. As far as she knew, it was a shell and she had thrown it out to sea!

Coonie swiveled her head to face the frantic man beside her. "What did you lose?" She said in a rush.

[Castor Riley]

When the girl had come to help him search, Castor had felt a rush of affection towards this total stranger; yet at the same time it made him feel uncomfortable. The journal was a part of his life that was intimately connected with what he had been trying to leave behind; something he didn't want to have to talk about with anyone, let alone a person he had only just met. Still, he felt that the over-arching feeling was one of gratefulness. He slowly expanded his search perimeter as he cleared each shaded patch of beach. 'What did you lose?' asked the girl and, as much as he had wanted to keep his new life separate from the old, Castor knew he would have no choice but to share a bit of it. 'A journal' was his rather curt response. Then he relented and added 'It's a family heirloom', which was true, yet not quite the whole truth. He kept getting handfuls of sand. 'Thank you', he suddenly said, 'but I wouldn't want to keep you from your business. All I really have to do is wait for the sun to light up the whole beach. If I can't find it even then, I suppose it would just be lost. If that's the case, then no amount of searching now will help.' He noticed his boots, strewn across the beach, once again. He hadn't even realized he'd dropped them. He got up and gathered them up. Then he sat down again, leaning back and supporting himself on his elbows and stared out to sea. 'In any case, I can remember a lot of it.' 'You know my grandfather... he wrote the journal - he started out from Syliras and sailed the Suvan Sea to get to the coasts of Falyndar. I had read him describe the sea as "a gentle mother", which I had never really understood. Maybe it was because its sounds are so soothing?' he let the words hang in the air. He didn't know what he was expecting.

[Lotvie]

Coonie almost laughed. The sea, a gentle mother? She knew it was comforting, welcoming maybe, but gentle? The sea she knew was relentless and powerful, more like a strict teacher, forcing her to learn its ways. Yet, Coonie felt closer to the man with this link between them. Her mind told her that this was a good thing, a friendly face in the crowd if nothing else. So, Coonie figured she ought to pursue this.

"Your grandfather, he was important to you." It was more a statement than a question. "Was he Svefra? That's what my family is, Svefra I mean. We sail a lot, most of the time actually. We even live on our ship. Have you ever been on one, maybe with your grandfather? They're splendid, really!" The girl sighed, momentarily lost in memory before continuing. "Anyway, I prefer to stay on the water whenever possible but we had to come in to sell fish..."

The remembrance struck Coonie hard. She was in so much trouble! She had left the fish in her bag all this time! As she debated whether to go back to town or not, Coonie ran her hands anxiously through the sand until she saw the look of discomfort on Castor's face.

She didn't understand why he was so uptight about his journal, but she rolled back onto her heels anyway so he wouldn't think she was looking for it anymore. She didn't want to scare him off before she was through with her questions. Deciding a few more minutes wouldn't hurt, she waited paitently for more information.

[Castor Riley]

'Your grandfather, he was important to you' he heard the girl say, however he didn't bother to correct her. She wasn't completely off the mark; his grandfather, though Castor had never had the chance to meet him, had come to be idealized into something more than what he really was. Though Castor now could see his grandfather as the reckless dreamer anyone would recognize from his narrative, he could not get rid of his childish associations of the man with the spirit of adventure, courage and daring. 'Was he Svefra? That's what my family is, Svefra I mean. We sail a lot, most of the time actually. We even live on our ship. Have you ever been on one, maybe with your grandfather? They're splendid, really!' Coonie was moving so fast from subject to subject, Castor had difficulty interjecting. Just when a pause in the conversation appeared, she continued 'Anyway, I prefer to stay on the water whenever possible but we had to come in to sell fish...'. Castor smiled at her vigour. He felt rather amused and comfortable talking to her. When he was sure she was done talking, he began: 'No, my grandfather wasn't Svefra: just really adventurous, perhaps excessively and dangerously so. I've never really met Svefra - not until today anyway. I mean we'd get the occasional Svefran in Syliras, it being a city that's really close to the sea, but I never got to really meet one. I've never been on a ship, but I'd really like to, one day; there's a whole lot of things I really want to do one day... What kind of ship do you sail on and how is it, living at sea? I hope I'm not keeping you from anything... How much do you expect to get from your catch?' The sun had climbed a little in the meantime, but the pools of darkness amongst the sands were not yet gone; the journal had yet to appear. He smiled widely at Coonie 'I'd heard Svefrans were all brigands and pirates; you don't seem at all like the stereotype.'