[RA] [SE] A change of pace

He had, indeed, brought towels. He had also brought a small picnic basket with snacks for after their soak because they were a civilized people in Torchline and there was no need to rush off from their working vacation immediately afterwards. Not, at least, now that they had successfully warded their people and land from the aggression of Void-tainted plants and animals.

And though at least part of the work that they were doing today was looking for Rae's Lilies, there were far more arduous tasks in far worse places. Compared to placing endless rocks around their entire coastline and ocean, flower-hunting in a healing hot spring was an improvement that the Tidebreaker would not argue with.

The Mer King joined his co-ruler in wading through the shallower margins of the great underground hot spring until they found a suitable place to settle and take a break. The picnic basket and towels were set on a dry(ish) nearby ledge amid the steam and then he sank into the water with a quiet sigh.

His legs shifted into a long, dark manta Mertail that he flipped lightly as he leaned back against the rim of the pool. A slow smile was finally allowed to spread across his features in the privacy the steam provided them. "How does it feel?" he asked Flora, a quiet rumble of joy and pride in his resonant voice. "To have earned the approval of Vi himself?"

flora

Flora had been down bad for a few weeks but had bounced back with renewed spark and pep ever since she and a certain pirate smuggler had finally had the heart to heart they'd badly been needing. Or that she'd been needing, rather. So it was that as the queen accompanied Hadama to the hot springs she was full of lively conversation, filling him in on all sorts of gossip and nonsense.

Given her present company, Flora had opted for one of her more modest swimsuits, and while it was still a bikini, it wasn't nearly as risqué as it might otherwise have been. Still, the queen worked hard to look as good as she did and wasn't about to hide away her curves simply because this was a business meeting.

"I dunno, terrifying?" Flora answers as she sinks down into the hotspring, letting it cover her shoulders. Glancing at Hadama with a crooked grin, the queen shrugs girlishly. "He's the only one of the gods that I don't get, y'know?"

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

If Flora had hidden away her curves, Hadama would have asked her what was wrong. He knew enough about his Queen to be unfazed by her clothing choices, and given the Merfolk comfort in a relative lack thereof he was content to accept her in whatever attire she arrived to their meetings in. He was pleased to soak up her gossip like a sponge, emerald eyes holding laughter at certain stories, while others earned a single raised brow and a quiet Hmm that conveyed a certain subtle disbelief in that particular longshoreman's life choices regarding a Hel and a bushel of blushberries.

"Mmm. I also do not understand Rae," the mermanta revealed, his own shoulders lifting in a small shrug. "I have not met Mort. But given what I have seen of Rae and Vi, I understand why they have Heralds." To interact with pesky mortals in their place while they attended to much larger and more abstract duties.

"I admit, it will be a relief to ask Safrin for a new quest. She is mysterious but less..." He paused, seeking the right word for the Old Gods. The steam worked the kinks from his muscles as he settled a little lower in the water, letting his eyes drift shut for a few moments. "... Inscrutable. Do you have a preference for what we do next?" A weapon, or a zone of protection from invisible eavesdroppers, or any new ideas that had come up since their last meeting?

flora

"I think they just...don't care." Flora murmurs, her shrug sending small ripples ebbing out from her shoulders. "Not in a bad way, they just...I don't know. It'd be like if a bunch of ants started begging us for help. It isn't like we could really understand the reasons that made them feel upset or scared, y'know?" As for the place of heralds the queen can only sigh, closing her eyes and resting her head back against the lip of the pool.

"Yeah. At least you know what you're going to get with her, and how to prepare for it." Flora agrees. Letting herself soak a few silent moments as she considers, when Flora opens her eyes, it's with her lips curled into an indecisive shape.

"Welllll...I wonder if there's a way of making the constellation more...I don't know, useful. I've never even once thought to use it anytime we've been attacked because it's so hard to get to, you know?"

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

"That is a good explanation." The mermanta looked thoughtful as he relaxed, testing Flora's description and finding that it put his own feelings after meeting two of the Big Three into clear words. It helped that he now knew what ants were, but Vi and Rae were just so much... larger than the shrines they had briefly visited. Like icebergs floating in the seas around Halo, there was a sense that he had only seen a small portion of their forms.

And if he did not entirely understand Flora's recent personal experiences with the Herald of Life, Hadama still tilted his head in acknowledgment. Safrin's reputation did not simply precede her - it was important for all of her devotees to keep in mind.

He was, however, surprised at the suggestion that followed, and he turned his head to look over his shoulder at her before his brows rose and his lips pursed in consideration. "Mmh. It is... inconvenient," he agreed, a hint of dry humor in his voice at the understatement. "Should we make it easier to activate? With items you and I could carry with us?"

flora

Pushing herself away from the edge in order to float on her back, the Tidebreaker's voice was slightly muffled by the way the water bobbed above and then below her ears, but Flora found she could understand him well enough. "Oooh, that'd be something." She murmurs, fanning out her fingertips and pressing softly down on the water's surface with her palms.

"I bet we'll have to do it one at a time, but...I mean, I feel like that makes sense?" Lifting her chin to glance at her co-ruler, Flora raised her brows. "Or it's sort of useless otherwise. Since the war has anyone ever gone for it? Versus how many times have you or I been in the middle of something where it could be really helpful?"

Leaning her head back and listening to the sounds her jaw made as she pressed her teeth together or the various other little clicks in her skull, Flora exhales slowly. "Or, what did you have in mind?"

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

"I have not seen it used since," he agreed. And they certainly could have used it... if it did not take so prohibitively long three rounds? to reach the activation dial, press it, and then return to the fight. "Perhaps if we ask the right way? A request for the current rulers of Torchline to hold activation keys?" A change in how it was activated, rather than an entirely new construction.

At least they did not need to worry about granting access keys to an entire council.

He ducked his head briefly under the hot water, shaking it from his eyes with a sigh of pleasure as he surfaced again. It was just in time to hear Flora's return question and he hummed thoughtfully as he assembled his ideas. The silence stretched comfortably between them for a few minutes before he finally spoke. "A way to ward a place - perhaps the lighthouse - against eavesdropping. Invisible or mental," he clarified, thinking of Vox and his conversation with Safrin regarding the strange Family member. "Though changing the Fortis Patera... would be more likely to save lives." His own and Flora's not least among them. "And might be easier to accomplish before year's end."

flora

"I think she'll probably only give us one activation key to start with." Flora guesses, and though she could have been incorrect she wasn't, it certainly seemed like the sort of way Safrin might proceed with such an ask. "Then again, even if that was the case we'd still probably use it more than we do now." She adds with a shrug.

As for warding the lighthouse, Flora falls silent, her eyes scanning the rocky ceiling of the cavern. "I know what Safrin said to you about it, but...I'm not so sure it's worth it." Glancing at the Tidebreaker, the queen's lips twitch back and forth ever so slightly. "Whatever conversations might be blocked while they're had on the island...if the Family really was able to glean information from our conversations the way they seem, they'll just be able to pluck it from us later, right?" For the queen, better to pick something they knew would have a useful effect if used, than something that might end up doing nothing at all, no matter what Safrin had said. Then again, perhaps as her demigod, Hadama had more insight into the goddess's wishes than she could glean merely hearing it second hand.

"Also...I'm dating Jack, now." Casually said, the queen's cheeks flush a delicate shade of pink and while she pointedly doesn't look over at the Tidebreaker, nor does she not look over at him either. "I thought maybe that was the sort of thing you should know."

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

"Less ideal... but agreed. It would still be more convenient to have one." One was better than none, which was basically their current state of affairs. Given that one or the other of them tended to be able to respond to trouble in their waters - or islands - hopefully their Torchers would agree to help with such a project.

Their conversation floated towards his own idea, and he listened solemnly to her concerns over it. The point that Vox could simply rifle through their brains as soon as they left the sheltered place brought a faint wince to the Tidebreaker's features; it was not a comfortable consideration, though he nodded slowly. "I had not thought of that. It is... unpleasant to consider." Exhaling a large sigh, he sank lower in the water in thoughtful quiet. "I will ask her if individual items might be made to protect a person from mental spying. Or control," he added, remembering both Hotaru's magic and Safrin's implied warning about possible increases in the Family's powers. It would not be a regional quest, but it would be worth knowing what was and was not possible for individuals to seek out.

With the decision made to pursue changes to their Constellation shield there was only one matter of business left to confirm--

Flora's next words were not, however, what Hadama had been expecting to hear. He blinked several times, then slowly let himself sink beneath the water.

And stayed there for a little while, processing the information and ensuring that his expression was serenely composed when he surfaced again. "It is appreciated," he murmured. Emerald eyes considered what he could see of Flora's floating profile for a few moments before he spoke again. "Is that why you suggested putting the unicorn horn healing item on the Ark?"

flora

"Until then, do you think we should keep harvesting resources? Or we could always focus on some improvements for the city." Training soldiers had similarly seemed ineffective to Flora's mind for the same reasons that their region's weapon was, but perhaps that had more to do with her lack of experience leading soldiers.

"I'm working on something like that right now, actually." Flora chimes, her eyebrows raising. "So that my mind can't be read." No, her request had nothing at all to do with Vox or the Family, but now that Hadama had laid out the connection, the queen was happy to take it and run. "Obviously it won't start out terribly strong, but the requirements aren't too hard if others want to do it as well."

Then as the queen mentioned the first bit of gossip in quite some time that was about her, she watched as her co-ruler sunk silently beneath the water. Twisting herself into a standing position so that he'd see her with her arms crossed and a furrow across her brow so deep it was pressing her eyebrows down into a scowl, the queen huffed as he surfaced. "That was weird and rude." She muttered, before giving her head a shake. "Yes, but probably not for the reasons you think." Presumably Hadama had thought Flora was worried for Jack's safety when it infact the conversation had been entirely transactional. "When I asked if he'd keep an eye on the caches of healing items that we planned to put around the city, he asked for one aboard the Ark as payment." That had also been before they were dating, but Flora doubted if their relationship would have changed the outcome if she'd asked it of him now.

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

"Hmm. The improvements to Haulani were not completed... but Longheat is not a good season to be working." He lifted his fingers from the water in a small gesture around the hot springs in subtle amusement at their own mini vacation. "We can gather more resources for now, and finish the floating island bridge improvements in Leafchange." More items for trade was never a bad plan, and the temperatures would be less insufferably hot in another month.

Steel brows rose in surprise - but respect - at hearing that Flora was already moving to protect her mind. That he assumed it was from Vox was his own fault, but he accepted it without question. "If there is a task I can help with, I will do so. And I will consider it for my next quest," he murmured, his thoughts drifting to his last conversation with Remi and the need to finish what he had begun for Safrin already--

So the Tidebreaker very much made the connection between Flora's father's recent inquiries into her dating habits and her announcement, and he needed a few moments to process that tangle of kraken tentacles. When he surfaced again he nodded at her muttering in silent agreement - it had been rude, but survival instincts had kicked in - and focused on her answer to his question. "...That is reasonable," he agreed slowly. "If he is serving as guard on them." He paused, and then straightened enough so that he could incline his head to his friend and co-ruler. "And congratulations. His name was a surprise. But I wish you both well." Jack might not be his choice for a dating partner, but what - and who - Flora did in the privacy of her home or the Hanged Man's closets was not his business.

flora

"Mmmm, that's true." Flora hums. However warm it was in the hot springs, Torchline was certainly warmer and it was wise of the king to mention it. "Are you still happy trading with King's End? I'm sure I could get Danta to trade with us too if you'd prefer. Deimos might be a harder sell, but.." She shrugged, happy to ask if Hadama thought it'd benefit them all more.

"Actually there is. I have to work on physically defending myself if you'd want to help with that." Grinning, the queen bounces her eyebrows at the merking. "Unless you're too much of a gentleman to attack your queen." She goads, before laughing brightly.

Of course, then the temperature of their conversation cools somewhat, it wouldn't be the last time someone received her news about her and Jack with a significant lack of enthusiasm. "Thanks, I'm really happy." She says, unable to help the smile that forced itself onto her lips. "I thought you should know, though. You know how Torchline is." Jack was a powerful figure on their little island despite having never held a political title, and now being tied to its queen could have interesting ramifications. Or none at all. Time would tell.

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

The option of trading with another region brought another pause to the conversation as Hadama considered the choices available to them. He finally nodded slowly as he put his thoughts in order and gave voice to them. "Halo... is not a good option right now." Though it pained him to not extend a hand to Evie in her rulership of the region. "Ice does not damage the Void." There might be other threats beyond the Void some day, but at the moment he preferred to focus on the immediate problem. "And I will not ask you to deal with Danta again." Last he had heard, they were choosing not to declare war on the Grounds only by Flora's patience and maturity over something the Maverick had done to her. "Increasing the strength of our healing items would be best. Let us continue trading with King's End," he decided with a final nod on the subject.

But the discussion of gods and protections yielded an unexpected catch and steely brows rose, first in surprise and then at the teasing. He put on his most stoic expression, solemn and serious.

And then he flipped his flukes to send a splash of water towards his Queen. "I could be convinced," he informed her, emerald eyes twinkling with the laughter he kept inside, at least until the revelation of Flora's new beau gave him a far less lighthearted pause.

But Flora's smile seemed genuine,and that was enough for Hadama as he nodded once. "I do," he admitted to knowing how their home was. "Hmm. Do you think he will want to return to the council?" Jack had never been king - or Governor, or Archon, or whatever title he might have chosen - but he had been on the official councils of several rulers in the past. That included Hadama's, both when he had shared rulership with humans and when he had ruled alone.

flora

"Oh?" Pausing, the events which had unfolded the night of the Midwinter ball slowly tumble into Flora's mental focus. "Oh." Nodding, happy not to dive too deeply into those waters, the queen lets herself sink back down until her shoulders were once again covered. "Oh, we kissed and made up." The Doubletake advises, having nearly forgotten about the hungover morning she'd spent in the surf with her co-ruler when she'd casually threatened war with the North. "There was a guy we both liked, and...yeah. But anyway, we're fine now." Wars had been fought for precisely that reason before, after all.

"Gasp!" Laughing with delight before swiping a few lingering beads of water from her eyes, Flora pins the Tidebreaker with a mischievous grin before playfully splashing him back. As with Jack she doubted if it would do much good given Hadama's control over that particular element, but it was worth a try. "Well at least I know now you're not above fighting dirty." She teases before the conversation turns back to Jack.

Tilting her head back and laughing, Flora shakes her head immediately back and forth. "Gods no. He'd never want that. I'd never want that. You'd never want that."

The rumors are terrible and cruel
But honey, most of them are true

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!