Go deep enough and it was always LongNight in the ocean. But the City was in shallow enough waters to benefit from sunlight that filtered through the crystalline sea. From the beautiful corals to the colorful fish that darted through the bright waters, the residents lived with the cycles of day and night as much as the drylanders did.
And LongNight brought its own challenges in navigating and travel beyond the City's bounds. It became an island of light amidst the darkness, cut off from the rest of Torchline until the dawn returned.
But like Torchline, it was also a week of celebration, and this year Hadama had come to Kaiholo's fishmarket; an unusual customer, to say the least. The merman heaved himself up halfway out of the water at the canal's edge to examine the fish the humans had caught and prepared - not the fresh catch of the day, where most drylanders gathered, but a little ways off to the side in a quieter side-alley where the canal narrowed and the fish for sale had been preserved or rendered in some way.
A dripping bag of oysters was exchanged one way.
A waxed and oiled bag of various fish went the other.
And the mermanta looked quietly pleased with himself as he went through the bag's contents one more time at the side of the canal.
Lena
And LongNight brought its own challenges in navigating and travel beyond the City's bounds. It became an island of light amidst the darkness, cut off from the rest of Torchline until the dawn returned.
But like Torchline, it was also a week of celebration, and this year Hadama had come to Kaiholo's fishmarket; an unusual customer, to say the least. The merman heaved himself up halfway out of the water at the canal's edge to examine the fish the humans had caught and prepared - not the fresh catch of the day, where most drylanders gathered, but a little ways off to the side in a quieter side-alley where the canal narrowed and the fish for sale had been preserved or rendered in some way.
A dripping bag of oysters was exchanged one way.
A waxed and oiled bag of various fish went the other.
And the mermanta looked quietly pleased with himself as he went through the bag's contents one more time at the side of the canal.
Lena
