79th of Spring, 515AV
17 Bells
17 Bells
She stepped delicately onto the glider, one hand lightly balanced on a muscular arm, as she allowed herself to be ‘assisted’ by one of the men responsible for piloting the craft from Ravok proper to the Floating Botanicals. Before removing her hand, she aimed a brilliant smile into his swarthy, bearded face. “Thank you, kind sir,” if her tone was flirtatious, it was unintentional; though only 17, Eri had studied men and women enough to have seen how well flirting could work to her advantage. If a man thought she was attractive, or at all interested in him, he could be coaxed into conversation, and she might hear something interesting if she only listened long enough.
“Oh, its no problem, miss,” the man offered. Eri felt a hand at her back as the man guided her a few steps further onboard. “Watch your step, here. Mind the net,” his voice was over-solicitous, and the hand at her back had been joined by another at her elbow. “Name’s Oten. Is this your first trip to the Botanicals?”
Eri resisted a small chuckle as she extricated herself from his grasp. Normally this was exactly the sort of reaction she hoped for, but this evening she simply wanted to wander through the Botanicals. And maybe spot a secret tryst, or two, Rhysol willing. Secrets could be collected anywhere. Taking a few steps away from the man, she shook her head. “Oh, no. I’ve been several times. Quite extraordinary, isn’t it? And its supposed to be just like real places. Can you imagine? I mean, the trees…”
Her voice trailed off with a breathlessness that wasn’t entirely feigned. The aviary of the floating botanicals was her favorite section; she loved being surrounded by the tall and reaching branches of the trees, with their flocks of colorful birds chirping and singing overhead. Amazing to think that they were so plentiful outside of Ravok – in the city, the tallest plant Eri had seen had been growing in a box on someone’s balcony.
“But I won’t keep you here talking, Oten, you’ve been so helpful. I’m sure the trip will be a breeze, with you at the helm,” she simpered sweetly. “My grandparents are just over there, and I should go join them before they get worried.” The older couple on the far side of the glider were no relation to her at all, but Oten would have no way of knowing that. With a parting smile, Eri wound her way toward the strangers, and stood as close as common courtesy allowed, leaving Oten to return to the business of moving the boat.
The ride was pleasant, and she enjoyed the view from the front of the netted passenger deck, reveling in the early evening breeze ruffling through her hair. The only downside, she reflected, was that the wind was playing with the conversations of her fellow passengers, bouncing them around so that she only caught snippets of this and that. The only conversation she heard clearly was that of her ‘grandparents’ (Ettir and Rhea), and how they hoped the reflection pools weren’t crowded.
Won’t be crowded by me, came Eri’s unspoken assurance as the glider pulled alongside the dock. The small crowd of passengers began to move off the boat as one, and she slipped into the middle, hoping to avoid further conversation with Oten. She could see him standing a short distance away, and gestured to the elderly couple with a small, helpless shrug as she followed them off the boat and down a stretch of dock that led to the reflecting pools, by way of the aviary. A few short feet from the boat, it was easy to lose herself in the crowd of entertainers, peddlers, and opportunists plying their trades, and Eri did so, breaking away from Ettir and Rhea and turning her steps toward the netted canopy of the aviary zone.
Pathways meandered through the exhibit, and Eri had travelled many of them. This evening, she chose one that she knew well, having discovered it by chance on one of her first visits to the Botanicals. At its furthest point, the path ended in front of a small, shaded pond where she’d often seen small groups of birds bathing and frolicking. It was breathtaking, the way they dipped and dived, little sparkling drops of water falling from their feet back to the pond below. She hated sitting still, but watching the birds was almost like dancing herself. Eri fairly skipped down the paths, boots lightly touching off of stone and wood in her hurry to get to the pond. A breathless few chimes later, she burst around a bend in the path and pulled up short, frowning.
Someone was sitting at her bench.
And he wasn’t even watching the birds.
What a waste.
Still, it didn’t need to be a wasted opportunity. Approaching at a more sober pace, Eri’s lips curved into a small smile. “Hello! Do you mind if I join you?” The man didn’t exactly look like he wanted company, but Eri considered that a triviality. He may have wanted quiet time, alone, on her bench.
But what he was getting was conversation with Eri. She was curious.
“Oh, its no problem, miss,” the man offered. Eri felt a hand at her back as the man guided her a few steps further onboard. “Watch your step, here. Mind the net,” his voice was over-solicitous, and the hand at her back had been joined by another at her elbow. “Name’s Oten. Is this your first trip to the Botanicals?”
Eri resisted a small chuckle as she extricated herself from his grasp. Normally this was exactly the sort of reaction she hoped for, but this evening she simply wanted to wander through the Botanicals. And maybe spot a secret tryst, or two, Rhysol willing. Secrets could be collected anywhere. Taking a few steps away from the man, she shook her head. “Oh, no. I’ve been several times. Quite extraordinary, isn’t it? And its supposed to be just like real places. Can you imagine? I mean, the trees…”
Her voice trailed off with a breathlessness that wasn’t entirely feigned. The aviary of the floating botanicals was her favorite section; she loved being surrounded by the tall and reaching branches of the trees, with their flocks of colorful birds chirping and singing overhead. Amazing to think that they were so plentiful outside of Ravok – in the city, the tallest plant Eri had seen had been growing in a box on someone’s balcony.
“But I won’t keep you here talking, Oten, you’ve been so helpful. I’m sure the trip will be a breeze, with you at the helm,” she simpered sweetly. “My grandparents are just over there, and I should go join them before they get worried.” The older couple on the far side of the glider were no relation to her at all, but Oten would have no way of knowing that. With a parting smile, Eri wound her way toward the strangers, and stood as close as common courtesy allowed, leaving Oten to return to the business of moving the boat.
The ride was pleasant, and she enjoyed the view from the front of the netted passenger deck, reveling in the early evening breeze ruffling through her hair. The only downside, she reflected, was that the wind was playing with the conversations of her fellow passengers, bouncing them around so that she only caught snippets of this and that. The only conversation she heard clearly was that of her ‘grandparents’ (Ettir and Rhea), and how they hoped the reflection pools weren’t crowded.
Won’t be crowded by me, came Eri’s unspoken assurance as the glider pulled alongside the dock. The small crowd of passengers began to move off the boat as one, and she slipped into the middle, hoping to avoid further conversation with Oten. She could see him standing a short distance away, and gestured to the elderly couple with a small, helpless shrug as she followed them off the boat and down a stretch of dock that led to the reflecting pools, by way of the aviary. A few short feet from the boat, it was easy to lose herself in the crowd of entertainers, peddlers, and opportunists plying their trades, and Eri did so, breaking away from Ettir and Rhea and turning her steps toward the netted canopy of the aviary zone.
Pathways meandered through the exhibit, and Eri had travelled many of them. This evening, she chose one that she knew well, having discovered it by chance on one of her first visits to the Botanicals. At its furthest point, the path ended in front of a small, shaded pond where she’d often seen small groups of birds bathing and frolicking. It was breathtaking, the way they dipped and dived, little sparkling drops of water falling from their feet back to the pond below. She hated sitting still, but watching the birds was almost like dancing herself. Eri fairly skipped down the paths, boots lightly touching off of stone and wood in her hurry to get to the pond. A breathless few chimes later, she burst around a bend in the path and pulled up short, frowning.
Someone was sitting at her bench.
And he wasn’t even watching the birds.
What a waste.
Still, it didn’t need to be a wasted opportunity. Approaching at a more sober pace, Eri’s lips curved into a small smile. “Hello! Do you mind if I join you?” The man didn’t exactly look like he wanted company, but Eri considered that a triviality. He may have wanted quiet time, alone, on her bench.
But what he was getting was conversation with Eri. She was curious.