Closed [SO-Sunberth] The Tides of Change (Azcan)

[Kailani]

51st Day of Fall, 518 AV, 8th Bell

Dawn broke over Baroque Bay almost reluctantly, weak rays of early morning sunlight fighting to pierce their way through the ever looming clouds. The weather had been positively miserable this season, and showed no signs of letting up any time soon. The only upside of the otherwise gloomy morning was that the rain seemed to be holding back, even if the clouds looked pregnant and ready to deliver at any time.

A gentle yawn parted Kailani’s lips as she awoke on that dreary morn, her arm lazily tightening around Azcan’s waist. Nuzzling in against his neck, she pressed a kiss to the flesh with a soft laugh. “Wake up,” she whispered in his ear, lips fluttering against the lobe with the motion of her words. She’d taken a day off from ferrying the citizens of Sunberth about in order to take The Sunset Tide out on the ocean, and she was eager to get their voyage started. It had been far too long since she’d properly set sail upon Laviku’s waters, and a day trip with Azcan sounded like the perfect remedy to that unfortunate error.

The weather outside might be inhospitable, but the inside of the Svefra’s cabin was anything but. Since the night the drummer had drunkenly boarded her ship and poured his heart out to her, the two had become inseparable once more. Kailani knew the honeymoon phase was bound to end soon, just as it always did, but she was determined to enjoy it while it lasted. Limbs entwined with his, she nuzzled against him again. “Up, up, up,” she murmured to her drowsy paramour before dropping a kiss on his cheek and disentangling herself from the bed.

With a stretch and a sigh, she rose to her feet and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. A brindle Akinva Deerstalker looked up at her from his position at the foot of the bed, instantly on alert. The large, muscled dog rose to his feet and padded over to his mistress, looking up at her with curious amber eyes. “Hungry, Kona?” Kailani asked the dog with a smile. She reached down to scratch his ears. A wag of his tail answered her question, the canine then trotting over to the pack he knew held his favorite sausages. “You’re such a smart boy, aren’t you?” the Svefra crooned, giving his rump a quick pat before digging out a few venison links and offering them to her companion. He accepted them more gently than might be expected of such a large animal before licking her hands clean of any trace of sausage grease. “What a good boy,” she told him, scratching under his chin and kissing the top of his head. Another wag of his tail and a tongue swiped over her face were her reward, the Svefra giggling softly before Kona settled back at the end of the bed.

Walking over to the nearby chest, she removed a shirt and breeches, pulling them both on along with her boots. Stopping in front of the mirror, Kailani rearranged the mess her braids had become in the night. Picking up her seashell necklace, she wound it around her neck with a nod. The sailor flashed a grin at her reflection. Much better.

Kailani turned back to look at Azcan with a warm smile. The prospect of a day at sea had her eyes sparkling and her cheeks rosy, her excitement nearly palpable. The fact that he was with her made her all that much more eager. It was just like the old days, secret hours stolen away from the rest of the pod with only each other and the sea for company. Walking over to him, she wound her fingers with his and stole a kiss. “Hurry up and get dressed,” she urged. “I’m ready to go!”

[Azcan]

.

Music poured throughout the Bolt Hole, the strumming guitar and beating drums resonating with the crowd. The beat rose through the strumming, carried over the singing. The elated face of the young Illusionist was the hallmark of the moment, but the face wasn't Azcan's.

The dream was always the same. A man who bore Azcan's image and talents beat his drums with a wild, unstoppable fervor to his actions. There was no doubt, no facade to hide from others. The pure, genuine quality of the beat paired with such enthusiasm always made Azcan, the dreamer, jealous. But, what did it mean? At Kailani's first urging, the veil of sleep began to lift. Rather than wake up immediately, he stirred, a groggy musing arisen within the drummer as he reflected on the dream that continued to rise within him. What was his consciousness telling him? Was the struggle still so prevalent? Was Azcan... missing something? He heard Lani's murmurs, her fingers brushing along his face before she separated herself from him and kissed his cheek. A content mumble poured from his lips, the sensation of those lips of hers brushing warmth along his countenance. He stirred again, getting his hands beneath him and pushing up before he collapsed back onto the bed. The drummer groaned quietly as Lani rose up and tended to the dog she'd purchased at some point.

Azcan always wondered what it was with people and animals. While he didn't hate the dog or animal in general, their appeal seemed... non-existent. Often enough, they smelled, got in the way, or failed to understand nuance and reason. Dimmer minds than his own were generally received poorly, and the drummer wasn't so open to the idea of sharing Lani's attention. But, it wasn't his call, and for her sake, he'd try to understand the mindset of a pet owner. Slowly, Azcan rose from the bed, his arms stretched out to either side. His fingers were outstretched before he lowered his hands to encapsulate his bare feet. The drummer sat on the bed, letting a deep breath pour into his lungs. Several escaped in sequence as he raised his head, light brown eyes taking in the wooden ceiling of the Sunset Tide before he rose to his feet. When Kailani turned to face him again, she'd find the drummer's arms over his head and fingers linked together. His bare chest showed signs of the stretch's effects, his lean musculature on full display for the Svefra to see. Azcan's eyes were closed for the moment as he widened his stance and bent at the waist. His hands tapped the floor, palms firmly set onto the wood before he rose up to find Lani in transit right in front of him.

Azcan met her kiss with easy laughter, an arm looped about her waist as he playfully bit at the woman's lips. Struggles be damned, it was difficult to maintain any kind of somberness when the woman in front of him filled him with contentment as water filled an ewer.

"Oh, are ya? Hardly need me dressed to set sail, though," he answered with a bit of laughter. The drummer's hand rose to brush along his paramour's cheek, and with the gentle gesture, he breached into his connection with Ionu. Azcan sent pleasant waves of illusory heat through Kailani's features, slowly allowing the heat to brush her neck and along her arms and legs to their inevitable end at her extremities. The drummer pulled away, sliding through the door to greet the gray-mottled Sunberthian skies. Rain plagued the entire season, from beginning to today, and Azcan was, in truth, quite disappointed to find that their planned journey didn't defy the trend. The mourning pulled through his thoughts before he pushed it aside, allowing the infectious excitement that the lovely Svefra exhibited to flow through him in turn. Azcan reveled in what was in store for them, a journey along the seas of Mizahar, harkening to the nostalgic days of the Wayward Tabernacle.

The drummer rarely wore a shirt, even in the rain, but decided the very rare exception in the evening prior. A plain white shirt, grayed with the city's grime, looped about his shoulder and along the plane of his ribs. The Boy Wonder kept the fabric on hand in the event that utilizing it for a different purpose became necessary. Black breeches adorned his hips, his feet cloaked in his simple shoes. Azcan let fingertips trail along the surface of the casinor's mast before he turned around to face the cabin and the Svefra who remained there for the moment,

"Whenever you're ready, luv," he told her, winking at his paramour before continuing on, "Do you need any help to cast off?"

[Kailani]

Kailani looked on with an indulgent smile as Azcan stretched his taut muscles, watching them ripple beneath his skin with an air of lascivious appreciation. He was a beautiful man, to be sure, even with his boyish face and beardless cheeks. A grin split her features as he pulled her into his arms, her hands coming to rest on either side of his face. Another kiss was stolen before heat played along her skin, gooseflesh rising in its wake. She had mixed feelings on his use of Ionu’s gift upon her, but she supposed this was innocuous enough, and pleasant besides.

Do you need any help to cast off? Kailani scoffed as they emerged from the cabin, Kona quickly and silently following behind. An absent hand brushed over the dog’s head as she started untying the lines that held them in place, before moving over to pull up the anchor. “Do I need help? That’s funny.” Chain wound and the weight brought over the side, she next focused her attention on raising the mast and unfurling the sail. Deft hands tied the canvas in place, a gust of wind billowing the fabric. The Svefra took her place at the helm, and soon enough, they were pulling off.

It was only the work of a few moments before they were out on the bay proper, Cherry Bay pier quickly falling out of sight. Kailani cast a smile back at Azcan, visibly relaxing the further they got out on the water. In Sunberth, she often felt alone, out of place, each day spent in the city making it clearer that she didn’t belong. But on the waves, it was a different story. There, she was in her element—calm and confident as The Sunset Tide glided effortlessly through the choppy morning waters. Marked by Laviku, the seas were her domain, and it was only cradled by their waters did she ever feel at home.

“If it weren’t so close to winter, we could just leave,” she remarked as they sailed toward the mouth of the bay. “Head up the coastline, maybe toward Mura. Leave our worries behind, have adventures by the dozen.” Her laugh rang out over the water as she gently nudged her vessel northeast. She sighed. “But I suppose we’ll just have to settle for a few hours. For now.”

Her comments on the season change turned her thoughts to other matters, matters that daily weighed on her. The Svefra woman couldn’t believe the Crestwidows had yet to come for her. Despite Kailani’s communication with the pod based in Sunberth, they were still nowhere to be found. The sailor was more fearful than she cared to admit. Were they all right? With Karigan gone, were they even still together? Surely, Layla would come looking for her, if no one else. Why would none of them even think to stop in Sunberth? She refused to believe anything might have happened to them that would prevent their coming. Kailani kept assuring herself it was only a matter of time.

Perhaps I ought to sail up to Zeltiva, she mused, lifting a hand to another ship passing by. We often take winters there. Maybe they’ll come and meet me? It was a thought, but one she would store away for the time being. Something told her Azcan wouldn’t come, and having reunited with the drummer, she was loath to part again so soon. I can survive a winter in Sunberth. If they haven’t found me by then, I’ll weigh out my options in the spring.

Her high-boned face showed no sign of these musings, however, reaching out a hand to gesture for Azcan to come join her at the helm. If he did, she’d slink her free arm around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here,” she murmured, brushing her lips over his cheek. “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be sailing these waters with.” Kailani’s moments of sweetness were rare, the sassy seafarer far quicker with sarcasm and humor than with words of affection. Especially with Azcan. “We should do things like this more often.”