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+---- Thread: Uiscefhuaraithe (/showthread.php?tid=11855)
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Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-06-2025
Steam clings to them like second skin as they descend into Frey’s Breath, the cave’s humid exhale curling through the air in thick, heady ribbons. The deeper chambers pulse with heat, the kind that makes every breath feel just a little heavier, every sound a little softer beneath the slow, steady drip of mineral-rich water. Pools glitter between stone outcroppings—some clear and welcoming, others darker and less eager to reveal their secrets—but all radiate warmth that seeps straight to the bone.
Flora walks ahead with her sarong fluttering at her hips and bare feet navigating the slick stone like she’s done this a hundred times before. Her black bikini gleams against the gold of her skin, and her curls are piled high in a loose twist atop her head, already beginning to frizz and cling in the rising heat. One arm balances a woven basket overflowing with snacks and glass bottles that chime softly together, her other hand trailing along the cave wall to steady herself as the ground begins to slope.
[say]"Alright,"[/say] she says lightly, glancing over her shoulder at Amhran with a grin that could coax mischief from a statue, [say]"where exactly did you plant your lily? Probably smart to grab it first before we dive into my basket of snacks or the water."[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-06-2025
It isn't Amhran's first time in Frey's Breath - no duh, given what they're here to do - but it is his first time here with the intention of going anywhere near the water. He follows Flora with warm eyes flicking occasionally to the steaming pools with something almost like wariness - a cousin to it, anyway - and a satchel bag slung over his shoulder containing, among other things, towels and a container for the rose.
[say]"It was back here,"[/say] he says with the soft confidence of someone who never forgets where he's put something, Amhran ducking beneath an outcrop of stone and beckoning for Flora to follow him. Dressed, of course, as if he's come from Halo, he's left the majority of his heavier clothing behind at least, but the sleeves of his shirt have still had to be rolled to the elbow, and his shoes are more befitting a hike through the snow than a visit to a hotspring.
Having to crouch to get close to where he'd planted the lily, he smiles before he even properly sees it, as if able to sense that it has grown as it should. And there, tucked into the earth, the ethereal flower is in full bloom. [say]"It's ready,"[/say] he announces, shrugging the satchel from his shoulder. [say]"Could you get the container for it please?"[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-06-2025
Flora follows without hesitation, the mist eddying around her ankles as she trails Amhran through the deeper passage. The air grows thicker the farther they go, slick with warmth and she watches him duck beneath the stone with a touch of amusement—he looks entirely too buttoned-up for a swim, even with his sleeves rolled and the heavy layers left behind.
[say]'How are you not melting?"[/say] she teases gently, the words soft and fond as she stoops to follow him beneath the outcrop. The stone drips faintly beside her, and the heat curls more aggressively here, clinging to her skin like syrup.
She comes to a halt beside him just as he crouches low, her gaze flicking toward the soft gleam of white in the shadows. Her breath catches faintly. [say]"Oh,"[/say] she murmurs, voice barely more than a breath. The lily is luminous even in the low light, each petal so delicate it seems unreal.
At his request, she shifts the basket carefully to the ground and leans into the satchel, pulling out the container with a smooth motion. [say]"Here,"[/say] she says, offering it out to him with both hands, still empty for now. [say]"We can fill it with some of the spring water after. I mean—if the other lilies grew in this sort of heat, odds are this one’s going to be picky about what it drinks as well."[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-06-2025
[say]"I am not an ice cube?"[/say] Amhran says with a smile over his shoulder; it's been a long while since literal language properly confused him, but it's more or less become part of his humour at this point. [say]"I am quite hot, if I am being honest,"[/say] he adds. [say]"If I come back here again I'll pack a change of clothes."[/say] For now, though, the only thing on his mind appears to be the lily they've located, and he nods agreeably with Flora's suggestion.
[say]"A very good idea. Though, given that they have been planted in numerous different biomes to cleanse the void, whatever magic they possess must keep them from being too delicate."[/say] Still, it can't hurt for right now, Amhran reaching out to carefully unearth the lily from the soft earth he'd planted it in over a year before. [say]"Okay, I have it,"[/say] he announces, shifting and turning so he might transfer it to the container. [say]"One lily for you. I hope the Draig enjoys it."[/say]
Nodding back to the soil, he wiggles his fingers to her. [say]"Do you mind if I plant another while we're here? It will take a year to grow again, and I know the void isn't causing problems any more, but... you never know, right?"[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-06-2025
Flora laughs at his correction, the sound rich and sun-warmed even in the depths of the cave. But when he adds that he’s hot, her brows lift and she murmurs, just under her breath, [say]"Yes, you are."[/say] More loudly—and with no trace of shame—she adds, [say]"Well, there’s no harm in stripping off some of what you’re wearing, is there?"[/say] A crooked grin curves across her mouth as she shifts to kneel beside him.
At his note about the lilies' durability, she nods thoughtfully, watching the way his hands work the soil. [say]"That’s a good point. I'm sure Starfall is a good deal less hostile than anywhere here."[/say] She holds the container steady as he slips the lily inside, the blossom seeming to glow brighter once settled.
For a moment, she just stares at it—at the way the petals curl like parchment spun from light, the faint glisten along the edges where steam meets magic. Then she lifts her gaze to Amhran, radiant with appreciation. [say]"Thank you,"[/say] she says, and it’s more than polite—it’s warm and real, a little awed. [say]"I really do appreciate this. So will the Cordillera."[/say]
At his request, she immediately nods, shifting into a more comfortable crouch beside the hollowed patch of earth. [say]"Of course. Can I do anything to help?"[/say] she asks, pushing her hair off her damp temple with one hand.
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-06-2025
Raising his eyebrows at that, though not entirely without understanding - Amhran is not the naive man he once was, though he hasn't yet experienced such blatant flirting - he eventually clears his throat and turns back to what he was doing, though there is the ghost of a smile on his lips as he reaches to make a new pit in the earth for the seed to sit. [say]"No, I suppose there isn't. Especially if we are supposed to be swimming after this. It is a bit cramped under here to do that right now, though,"[/say] he points out with a chuckle.
Having deposited the lily in the container, he settles to focus his magic, hands clasped before him, breath growing slow and deep. [say]"You're welcome,"[/say] he says earnestly, offering her a smile. [say]"What good is magic if you can't help people with it, right?"[/say] And so, opening palms suddenly aglow, he reveals a new seed ready for the planting.
[say]"The company is more than enough,"[/say] he assures Flora. [say]"I brought some nutrient rich soil from Halo the first time, so I think it will be alright in the same stuff."[/say] So saying, he reaches out to plant the seed, covering it with the soil and patting it down until he's satisfied. [say]"Good luck,"[/say] he tells the seed, then sits back again at last. [say]"All done. Shall we?"[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-06-2025
Flora wisely refrains from offering to help peel him out of his sleeves—barely—but the smirk that curls at the corners of her mouth suggests the idea lingers. Instead, she simply nods, her gaze lingering as light begins to bloom from between his palms. There’s something quietly awstruck in the way she watches him work, heat and magic twining together in this pocket of the world that feels entirely cut off from time.
As he pats the soil down and sits back, she glances toward the newly planted seed, then back at him. [say]"My brother’s a botanist,"[/say] she says softly. [say]"He’d probably faint if he saw how easily you did that."[/say] Her fingers brush her knee, casual and thoughtful all at once. [say]"Would you mind if I showed him where you planted it? Mateo would never do anything to disturb it, but something this rare, I think he’d love to track how it grows."[/say]
She rocks back onto her feet with a small, satisfied sigh, then extends a hand toward Amhran with a crooked grin. [say]"C’mon, up you get."[/say] The offer is almost comical given his height, but Flora holds her palm steady all the same, the gesture more about mischief than necessity.
Once they’re moving again, she leads him back out toward the main chamber where the steam breathes more freely, the air still heavy but less claustrophobic. Flora sets the basket down near one of the larger pools rimmed in smooth, heat-darkened stone, then lowers the container holding the lily beside it with delicate care. Only then does she slide the wrap from her hips. Her skin gleams with the humid glow of the hotspring, and she tilts her head toward the pool, brows raised. [say]"Ready for your first swimming lesson?"[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-06-2025
[say]"Oh, he is?"[/say] Amhran smiles, swiping a drip of sweat from his temple with the back of his palm as he starts to scoot out from beneath the outcropping. [say]"Of course you can - I trust your judgement. If you say he will respect it then I believe you."[/say] He nods, accepting her offered hand and straightening up at last, stretching his arms above his head. [say]"There are plenty of enthusiasts in the Citadel now that we have the greenhouse, but few people who properly study plants."[/say] He and Evie are the only ones he truly knows, if he's honest.
Brushing off his clothes, Amhran follows Flora out into the main chamber, the springs sweltering and the steam hot and cloying around his face. Huffing out a long breath, he does at last unbutton his shirt properly to peel it off, setting it beside the basket and the lily container. He's just swept his hair off the back of his neck to tie it up when the Doubletake's voice reaches him, and it's with a soft inhale that he glances across at her. Of course she'd been wearing very much the same in the Halo hotspring, but things look very different beneath the surface of the water than they do right in front of your eyes.
[say]"As ready as I suppose I'll ever be."[/say] He smiles, dropping his gaze to slip off his boots and unbutton his pants. Wearing a pair of swimming trunks in a shade of dark, bottle green, he might have owned them for a time, but this is their first outing when it comes to actual swimming. [say]"Where do we start?"[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-06-2025
Flora smiles as he stretches, the easy trust in his voice warming her almost as much as the cave’s heat. [say]"Mmhm,"[/say] she hums, brushing a curl back from her cheek. [say]"Mateo could probably give you a run for your money, demigod or not. He’s got dirt under his nails more often than not and can talk your ear off about root systems like it’s the most romantic thing in the world."[/say] Her fondness is obvious, and there's a flicker of pride there too, tucked beneath the teasing.
But her words taper off as Amhran begins to strip away his outer layers, and though she tries—gods, she tries—to be subtle, Flora still catches herself sneaking glances from the corner of her eye. The shirt comes off, the heat shimmering across his skin, and she busies herself with brushing imagined wrinkles from her sarong until it’s safely off and folded. Her throat clears a little too deliberately.
[say]"Here, by the edge,"[/say] she says, voice a touch too breezy as she nods toward the water. She pads forward and perches on the rim, letting her legs slide in first with a small, delighted sigh. The heat of the spring wraps around her calves like velvet, and with a gentle push, she eases the rest of the way in, the water rising to kiss just beneath her collarbones.
Her curls begin to frizz free from their twist as she turns to glance back at him, arms drifting loosely along the surface. [say]"C’mon,"[/say] she calls, grinning. [say]"No swimming required just yet—I promise. You’ve got plenty of room to stand."[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-08-2025
[say]"He sounds like a person worth meeting,"[/say] Amhran says, openly impressed by Flora's description of her brother; and given how fond she seems to be of him and how many interests they apparently share, there's no reason for him not to think they wouldn't get along. [say]"Does he also live in Torchline, like you? If I decide to start exploring, that is just another reason to want to venture south - not that I wouldn't come just to visit you,"[/say] he adds quickly, not wanting to offend.
Luckily, he forgets about his potential faux-pas when they're both getting undressed and the hotsprings are looming, Amhran approaching the lip of stone and peeking through the steam at the surface of it. He glances at Flora as she slips into the springs, making it look very easy, and at her reassurance he finally offers a nod and follows suit.
The clue is in the name, but Amhran still doesn't expect the hotsprings to be so hot, and he inhales sharply as he slips into the water and sinks down up to his shoulders. [say]"And people find this relaxing?"[/say] he asks.
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-08-2025
Flora grins, water rippling faintly around her as she nods. s[ay]"He does, yeah—mostly Torchline, sometimes Stormbreak now that the Family is gone. I’ll happily introduce you if you ever escape all that snow for something warmer."[/say] At his quick add-on, her brows lift just a little, and she glances at him over one shoulder, weighing the comment like she’s trying to figure out whether it’s flattery, habit, or some mix of both. In the end, she files it under politeness and though her smile lingers, she isn't as prone to making up fantastical stories of romance based on a few words the way she once was.
Watching him ease in is...well. It’s a bit like watching a baby giraffe try to bend for a drink—long, careful, and faintly ridiculous. She does her best not to laugh, but her eyes betray her, bright with amusement. [say]"We do,"[/say] she assures him, tone light. [say]"Just give it a second and try not to be so tense."[/say]
She shifts slightly, careful not to send waves splashing, and tips her chin toward him. [say]"Alright—without moving too much, try letting yourself float a little. You can lean forward if it feels safer, or back if you’re feeling brave. Like this."[/say] She leans into a gentle backward drift, legs lifting softly from the stone beneath. [say]"Just don’t do it too fast,"[/say] she warns with a crooked grin. [say]"Unless you’re going for the dramatic flail, in which case I’ll make sure to applaud and rescue you if you need it."[/say]
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-09-2025
[say]"That sounds good to me. I am used to Halo now, but when I first... arrived?"[/say] He tests the word on his tongue, because it isn't right to say he was born exactly, but bloomed sounds silly now, knowing what he knows about the world. [say]"...Arrived,"[/say] he repeats with a nod, [say]"the cold was quite a nasty shock. Even though I was only in Torchline briefly, I did enjoy the change in the weather. This is going perhaps a little too far in the other direction, though."[/say] Gesturing around them at the sweltering heat of The Climb, Amhran shoots her a smile across the water.
Focusing on not being tense works about as well as you can imagine it does, the Raeling succeeding only in looking vaguely puzzled as he sits in the steam, and it's a relief, honestly, when Flora gives her next direction. [say]"I try to avoid dramatic flailing as a general rule,"[/say] he says, opting to lean forward as instructed, taking it slow and blinking at the surface of the water as it gets dangerously close to his face. [say]"What if I'm not good at floati--"[/say] He just about manages to get the word out when, yep, he ends up with a faceful of the hotsprings, Amhran spluttering and getting his feet right back under him.
[say]"Is it normal to do that?"[/say] he wonders, swiping at his face to dry off.
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Flora - 08-09-2025
Flora’s laughter spills easily over the steam, warm and bright as sunlight through saltwater. [say]"Unlike Halo,"[/say] she says with a grin, [say]"this your body will actually adjust to. Give it a little time and I promise you’ll be melting into it like a cat in a sunbeam."[/say]
When he resurfaces from his unplanned face plant, she’s still laughing—light, delighted, and maybe just a little too entertained. She drifts closer through the heat-hazed water, head tipping with feigned sympathy. [say]"Of course it’s normal,"[/say] she assures him solemnly, though her eyes are sparkling. [say]"You’re just acclimatising. First thing any Torcher learns about the ocean—if you can float, you can survive. Even if you’re stranded, you’re not burning all your energy fighting to stay up."[/say]
Sliding behind him, she lets her hands rest lightly against his back, the contact easy and unhurried. [say]"Lean back,"[/say] she murmurs. [say]"The water makes you nearly weightless, and I promise I won’t let you sink."[/say] There’s a grin in her voice, but it’s tempered with a kind of quiet confidence, like she’s done this enough times to mean it.
RE: Uiscefhuaraithe - Amhran - 08-10-2025
[say]"A cat in a sunbeam,"[/say] Amhran repeats, as if particularly enjoying that turn of phrase, though of course he can't properly appreciate it when he's suddenly getting a face full of hot water. Sweeping back his now damp curls, his eyes narrow a little playfully at Flora, and for a moment he's seized with the urge to splash at her - though he suppresses it, just about. [say]"Is it easier or more difficult to learn in cooler water?"[/say] he wonders as she slips behind him, moving through the springs like silk in a breeze.
He asks because if he's going to end up practicing swimming (gods forbid) then the only comfortable place in Halo is at Safrin's Mirror, so he'd like to know in advance if he's about to pickle himself regularly. But then Flora's hands are on him, gentle but confident, and she encourages him to lean back. [say]"Have you taught many people to swim?"[/say] he wonders quietly, doing as she says with a touch of hesitance, before relaxing into her touch and trusting her to keep him buoyant if his own body isn't up to the task.