"Indeed." An agreement, though his tone was neutral as he considered her words. The Void had been a plague for the past year, and in that time many had made promises of stopping its spread. Few enough had been strong enough to back up their words, and so Hadama merely accepted the stranger's declaration without comment. Perhaps she would prove the exception to the rule. Perhaps she would not. But even if that were the case she would hardly be alone in it.
"A pleasure to meet you, Aurelia." Hadama inclined his head in courtesy, though her phrasing - back - tugged at his memory. It was a name he knew he had seen before...
Before he could place it she spoke again, and the mermanta accepted with a partial bow from his awkward seated position in the shallow water. "Thank you. It is appreciated." He did not smile at her admission of ignorance, but there was a hint of a gleam in emerald eyes as he considered what she knew and did not. After a few moments of silent thought he shifted in the waves, tail splitting into legs clad in black leather trousers stitched with hand-sewn silver stars. He stood, taking the three long strides that put him on dry sand before he answered.
"Safrin has given me the ability to leave the water at will." And this time there was definitely a crinkling at the corners of his eyes in spite of his stoic serenity. "So I am no longer... typical of my people."
That tingle of memory tugged again and he contemplated her from his new angle before he spoke again, his words slow and chosen with care. "Aurelia... I have seen the name on the Notice Board in Haulani. A former Queen of Torchline. Are you her?"
"A pleasure to meet you, Aurelia." Hadama inclined his head in courtesy, though her phrasing - back - tugged at his memory. It was a name he knew he had seen before...
Before he could place it she spoke again, and the mermanta accepted with a partial bow from his awkward seated position in the shallow water. "Thank you. It is appreciated." He did not smile at her admission of ignorance, but there was a hint of a gleam in emerald eyes as he considered what she knew and did not. After a few moments of silent thought he shifted in the waves, tail splitting into legs clad in black leather trousers stitched with hand-sewn silver stars. He stood, taking the three long strides that put him on dry sand before he answered.
"Safrin has given me the ability to leave the water at will." And this time there was definitely a crinkling at the corners of his eyes in spite of his stoic serenity. "So I am no longer... typical of my people."
That tingle of memory tugged again and he contemplated her from his new angle before he spoke again, his words slow and chosen with care. "Aurelia... I have seen the name on the Notice Board in Haulani. A former Queen of Torchline. Are you her?"
