Between the candle and the star
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
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#15
Most of the hels went for the offal that Sol discarded, but one - smaller than the rest and unlikely to get anything from the fracas currently happening nearby - kept a beady black eye on the girl and the merman and hopped closer, cocking its head to the side and making a curious noise unlike the more raucous battlecries of its cousins.

Hadama eyed it stoically, closing his fingers more firmly around the conch flesh in his hand as he nodded acknowledgment of Soleil's observation. She looked old enough to have experienced the world's unfairness firsthand, and he didn't doubt her sincerity or attempt to argue otherwise. "I have not," he admitted serenely of her question.

When it was clear that she enjoyed the treat, Hadama offered her the larger chunk and his knife so she could cut her own slices while they spoke. The inquisitive hel hopped a little closer and then fluttered its wings as if considering the jump to Soleil's shoulder. "Indeed," he confirmed to her guess about why the shells were normally broken. "The meat is dense. And it is often cut into a seaweed salad. Or a landgreen salad," he added after a moment's consideration of the different culinary schools in Torchline. "So one is enough." Usually. Though the large mermanta could easily consume two in one sitting.

He inclined his head in acceptance of her gratitude, emerald eyes sparkling with pleasure at her courtesy - and watching the hel as it gathered itself for a hop to its new, human perch. "There is a benefit to them." He nodded once towards the bold little bird. "If they land on you."
Soleil


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#16
SOLEIL
the light of dawn is coming
While she had been quite generous in throwing the discarded meat towards the birds, Soleil narrows her eyes at the persistent one that holds her gaze. Does it not understand that it is prey? Is it attempting to persuade her to throw it something so it need not fight the larger birds?

Distracted as Hadama hands her his knife, Soleil takes it with all the confidence of a young woman raised to be a hunter, carefully carving out another chunk that she sections into pieces and pops into her mouth. Though she can't help but wrinkle her nose slightly at the notion of salads. "Mrh. I don't like salads much." This would normally be attributed to youth, but Soleil's palette - while forcibly widened after obtaining human tastebuds - prefers meat and berries to leafy greens. Even root vegetables were preferable. Eyeing what remains and considering, Soleil grins slightly. "I don't know, I think I could eat two," she laughs; her sleek frame is deceiving as she has a monstrous appetite, whittled down only by a lucky metabolism and inability to sit still.

Attention redirected she bristles again at the bird, predatory instincts wanting to scare the thing off and snap her teeth to remind it that this is her food. She had done it plenty of times to other children in her early education and her teachers had never broken her of it. Mostly because it had always worked, so Sol never saw a point in stopping. "What benefit?" she asks warily, willing to have an open mind even if rather reluctantly.
ready to return everything the darkness stole
Code Inspired by Sky
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#17
He simply inclined his head at her statement, accepting it without argument though there was a gleam of amusement in his eyes. It was the way of many young ones, himself included when he had been a mere sprat, and there would be no changing that opinion with words alone. Besides, the conch meat was perfectly tasty on its own, and he gave a more approving nod of her appetite. "Merfolk often eat it with sauces." Of various types, depending on mood and preference, or even time of day. Merfolk 'sauce' was more of a thick paste to keep it from immediately coming apart underwater, but the concept was the same.

Hadama watched the little tableaux playing out: the bird and the wolf-woman sizing each other up with very different intentions. He tilted his head at the little hel and then swam back a few feet from the canal's edge. "While it sits on your shoulder, you will not sink in water," he rumbled, amused. "So long as you feed it, it will remain. Probably," he added, dutifully honest about the short attention span of the annoying gull-like birds.
Soleil


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#18
SOLEIL
the light of dawn is coming
Amber eyes gleam with intrigue. “Sauces? What do you make them out of, land plants or something in the ocean?” Surely they had not always been as connected with the landfolk as they are now? Or were they perhaps a younger race? Soleil’s education had provided nearly no information about the Mer beyond their factual existence, so she’s as curious about the food element as the historical context. She’s certainly no gourmet, happy with simplicity, so one is admittedly more intriguing than the other.

It’s a tempting answer, so Soleil wrestles down her primordial, territorial instincts and instead transfers a (very small) chunk of meat to her fingertips to hold next to her shoulder. The hel jumps and flutters its wings to make it onto her shoulder, webbed feet a strange sensation against the bare skin of her shoulder as it gobbles the treat straight from her fingers. And, sure enough, though Soleil is only sitting in the shallows of the waves, her body immediately begins to rise to buoy itself on the surface. “Incredible,” she murmurs to herself, delighted and beginning to smile. Though she does take her time cutting out another measly portion from the conch, still reluctant to share. “This will sound morbid, but is it only while they are alive? Or is it something in their feathers or bones?” Turning back to Hadama, she tilts her head slightly. “In Halo, we farm ningo for meat because they have no special qualities.” She has seen plenty of hel meat for sale in Torchline, but no farms yet.
ready to return everything the darkness stole
Code Inspired by Sky
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#19
"Sea plants," he confirmed. "And animals. They are much thicker than land sauces," he added, realizing some of her natural confusion. "Though the water dilutes them quickly." Necessitating eating certain foods without delay, and applying said sauces - kept in special containers - only right before eating. It was a particular interest of his since he had taken up cooking, though he'd had little time to devote to his restaurant while ruling alone. Now that Harper was sharing the duty, however, he was looking forward to spending more time there.

Ah, but while food was always a welcome topic, the chance to initiate a visitor to the Ahi Coast into one of its quainter customs was worth the change and he watched with hidden good humor as Soleil coaxed the bird onto her shoulder and promptly floated to the surface. "Only while alive," he agreed, unbothered by her morbidity. Certainly stranger questions had been asked. "And only as long as you keep their interest." Easy enough with food. Far more difficult without such a lure.

The mermanta began to swim along the canal at a leisurely pace, inviting his human companion to try walking on water. "They do not taste as good as ningo. Few here are desperate enough to eat hel." An unpleasantly gamy, oily, and stringy little bird, from what he'd been told.
Soleil


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#20
SOLEIL
the light of dawn is coming
Sauces hm? Not Soleil's normal fare, but again, she has a rather simple palate. Her explorations of Caido have entirely been focused on the cities - the wilds will always be familiar to her, even if their biomes vary. The people were what she found interesting.

Distracted as Hadama begins swimming away at a sedate pace, Soleil shrugs mentally and stands as gracefully as she can so as not to disturb the hel on her shoulder. Another small morsel (which she still mourns) keeps it firmly perched there as she takes her first steps, experiencing the strange and novel sensation of walking on water for the first time. "This feels very strange," she chuckles, though it doesn't seem to slow her down any. Following in Hadama's wake, the young woman lets out a contemplative sound. "No wonder I saw so much of it in the market if nobody will buy it. Are their feathers good for arrows or down?" Otherwise could they even be considered something more than pests?
ready to return everything the darkness stole
Code Inspired by Sky
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#21
He swam slowly, barely moving himself forward in deference for his two-legged companion as she balanced on the water. It was calm on the canals and far easier than it would be on the rolling ocean, but there were benefits to starting slow and building confidence. He simply nodded amiably at her observation, having no personal experience or comparison with the hel's curious power, but her mention of the market and her question had him tilting his head thoughtfully before offering a shrug of dark shoulders as he looked back at her.

"I do not know. The Mer have no need for either." He had only the vaguest idea of what 'down' even was thanks to conversations with Evie, though it was from Melita where he had learned the usefulness of feathers on arrows. "It seems unlikely," he added, after a bit more consideration. If they had any use at all, surely they would sell better?

After a short time of comfortable quiet he spoke again, curious if he would see her again. "How long will you stay in Torchline?"
Soleil


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#22
SOLEIL
the light of dawn is coming
If she isn't looking at her feet it's easier to balance, likely due to overthinking and the inherent disbelief that any human can walk on water. Well, any human without magic or intriguing items. It will likely be the most memorable stroll Soleil has this summer.

Content with his answer though all the more curious as to their selling habits now, Soleil stops feeding the bird despite how it will surely depart soon now and instead focuses on Hadama's question. "I'm not sure. I'm in no rush and I really like it here!" Her father would probably keel over and die if she ever so much as breathed the notion of moving away in his direction, but her adventuring has no real time limit so long as she visits home once in a while. "I only know one person here though - aside from you now! - so I'll probably move along by end of season. I'm visiting all the settled regions first." Next up: Stormbreak.
ready to return everything the darkness stole
Code Inspired by Sky
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#23
The mermanta nodded, quietly satisfied that Soleil enjoyed Torchline. Perhaps he could be forgiven a little proprietary pride in the region that he ruled, but it was still welcome to hear that visitors such as the lively young woman found something of interest and worth in his home.

It was a shame that she hadn't made more friends among the land and seafolk that lived there; he rather thought that she and Melita might hit it off well, and there was still time for her to run into the honeybee girl. But he was not a meddler by nature, and he simply inclined his head in acceptance of her decision as he ceased his swimming and turned to face her.

"I will look forward to your return," he offered, looking up at her with solemn serenity. "The next time you are in Torchline, you would be welcome to visit the Underwater City." He inclined his head, stoic expression easing slightly as he indicated his willingness to be her guide.

"I must go now. But I hope to see you again soon, Soleil." He made sure his candle was secure in its case and then he dove, long tail curving briefly into the air, his dark scales shining in the star-blessed waters as his form ripple and broadened into his full manta form, taking up the entire canal as he moved swiftly and gracefully towards the Court of Stars.

~Fin~


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