Shawn Daysleeper and Lihan Taifun
Aztryd walks along the wharf, in the strange Elvish island city in which she has lived these past few weeks. The wooden wharf under her feet creaks as it shifts in the waves. "Oh, for good solid stone under my feet," she mutters to herself. The moonlight glittering on the water fails to lift her spirits, and the cries of the sea birds settling down for the night sound ghostly. Yet her feet have been drawn toward the sea tonight, and her eyes are drawn toward what lies beyond the horizon.
The Teleri sailor scurries down to the harbour, his head filled with the task at hand. He has to check over his ship for damages and locate his navigation aids. He hopes they were not incinerated during the dragon attack. He approaches the shoreline, passing the place where Estelin, Apakenwe, Elenwe, and himself collected all the fish that came ashore that day. It seems so long ago now. The loss of his friend is still close. He eventually reaches the docks. The walkways extend out into the sea where the waves were now barely moving. It was calm, for the moment.
Aztryd jumps at a sound behind her, and turns to see a shadowy figure moving along the walk. A breath later, she recognizes the figure as the first Elf she met here. Trying to hide her embarrassment at her own jumpiness, she calls out, "Greetings, Nolë. What brings ye here at this hour?"
A familiar voice brings Nolë to the situation at hand. "Aztryd." He smiles. "I was going to ask you the same," he adds to hide his thoughtfulness. "I was checking up on the harbour and ships here," he says and looks towards his ship.
"The harbor might move during the night?" Aztryd asks wryly. Then her own thoughts return to her mind. "How long would it take to sail to the -- what do you call it, 'main land?' The solid ground that is not an island. If there were no storms?" She stares again across the waters.
Nole is perplexed at the dwarf's first question, but responds after a thought to her others. "It is several days' sail to the nearest large mainland, which would be Sylvhara." He waves his hand out towards the sea. "And that would hold if there were no storms or other mishaps." He remembers the last time he was in Sylvhara, the several days' sail was shortened to a mere overnight. He did not reveal this to Aztryd as he is still unsure himself how that happened. "If I may, why do you ask?" He turns back to Aztryd.
Aztryd grimaces as she continues to look beyond the horizon. "I have no love for that sea. But my home lies on the far side of it. And fearsome as that sea is, I have seen worse creatures here. Ye Elves are kind enough, and none could be more fair-spoken than your king. But ye have troubles of your own here."
Nole looks around at Aztryd's response. Blackened char coated the pearl walls and hulls of the ships, a sign of their latest threat. Amid the chaos is driftwood thrown ashore, an effect of the tsunami that drove their adversaries off. He and his friends were miraculously spared. "Yes, we have our troubles." He kicks some of the driftwood aside "Our king desires to sail for Sylvhara soon. If I hear your words correctly, I think you wish to go back to your home? I could take you to Sylvhara on board my ship."
"Sylvhara." Aztryd turns the word over in her mouth, considering the matter. "At least that is in the right direction." Almost anywhere must be closer to home than this place is. "I will speak to the King about it."
Nole smiles to Aztryd. "I would enjoy your company. I believe everyone is accompanying our king to Sylvhara." He looks at his ship again and sees he has a bit of work to do to prepare. "Our king should be in the palace, preparing for departure. I think we will be departing soon."
Aztryd eyes the ships uneasily, as they float dimly in the moonlight, her heart torn between her loathing for sea travel, and her urgent longing to be safely home. She forces a smile, for Nole's benefit. "Thank you." She turns slowly back toward the stone of the palace, leaving the whisper of the waves behind her.
> Next Aztryd > Next Nolë
The Teleri sailor scurries down to the harbour, his head filled with the task at hand. He has to check over his ship for damages and locate his navigation aids. He hopes they were not incinerated during the dragon attack. He approaches the shoreline, passing the place where Estelin, Apakenwe, Elenwe, and himself collected all the fish that came ashore that day. It seems so long ago now. The loss of his friend is still close. He eventually reaches the docks. The walkways extend out into the sea where the waves were now barely moving. It was calm, for the moment.
Aztryd jumps at a sound behind her, and turns to see a shadowy figure moving along the walk. A breath later, she recognizes the figure as the first Elf she met here. Trying to hide her embarrassment at her own jumpiness, she calls out, "Greetings, Nolë. What brings ye here at this hour?"
A familiar voice brings Nolë to the situation at hand. "Aztryd." He smiles. "I was going to ask you the same," he adds to hide his thoughtfulness. "I was checking up on the harbour and ships here," he says and looks towards his ship.
"The harbor might move during the night?" Aztryd asks wryly. Then her own thoughts return to her mind. "How long would it take to sail to the -- what do you call it, 'main land?' The solid ground that is not an island. If there were no storms?" She stares again across the waters.
Nole is perplexed at the dwarf's first question, but responds after a thought to her others. "It is several days' sail to the nearest large mainland, which would be Sylvhara." He waves his hand out towards the sea. "And that would hold if there were no storms or other mishaps." He remembers the last time he was in Sylvhara, the several days' sail was shortened to a mere overnight. He did not reveal this to Aztryd as he is still unsure himself how that happened. "If I may, why do you ask?" He turns back to Aztryd.
Aztryd grimaces as she continues to look beyond the horizon. "I have no love for that sea. But my home lies on the far side of it. And fearsome as that sea is, I have seen worse creatures here. Ye Elves are kind enough, and none could be more fair-spoken than your king. But ye have troubles of your own here."
Nole looks around at Aztryd's response. Blackened char coated the pearl walls and hulls of the ships, a sign of their latest threat. Amid the chaos is driftwood thrown ashore, an effect of the tsunami that drove their adversaries off. He and his friends were miraculously spared. "Yes, we have our troubles." He kicks some of the driftwood aside "Our king desires to sail for Sylvhara soon. If I hear your words correctly, I think you wish to go back to your home? I could take you to Sylvhara on board my ship."
"Sylvhara." Aztryd turns the word over in her mouth, considering the matter. "At least that is in the right direction." Almost anywhere must be closer to home than this place is. "I will speak to the King about it."
Nole smiles to Aztryd. "I would enjoy your company. I believe everyone is accompanying our king to Sylvhara." He looks at his ship again and sees he has a bit of work to do to prepare. "Our king should be in the palace, preparing for departure. I think we will be departing soon."
Aztryd eyes the ships uneasily, as they float dimly in the moonlight, her heart torn between her loathing for sea travel, and her urgent longing to be safely home. She forces a smile, for Nole's benefit. "Thank you." She turns slowly back toward the stone of the palace, leaving the whisper of the waves behind her.
> Next Aztryd > Next Nolë