[SE] Black on silver

So, it had been a few years, and maybe it would have been better to wait... but with everything going on in the world Tal figured there was no time like the present. There was no telling how long this peace would last, and he didn't intend to waste it. Sure, he'd spend way too much time worrying about the worst happening, but until it actually came to pass he'd try to keep living his life like he always had.

"So there's this jewelry maker who does th'best silversmithin' in all Caido," he explained to Sohalia as he pulled the oars of the little rowboat they had crammed into. There hadn't been room for Boreal, but she was perfectly happy to swim through the frigid waters beside them, her tail cutting a serpentine wake through the water behind her as she moved like a pale crocodile through the crowded waters. Occasional yelps of panic from nearby dinghies and shop boats marked her passage, much to her smug satisfaction. "An' I've got this idea for somethin' nice for Alys. But I wanted t'get your opinion on if it'll look good or not." He gave his friend a flicker of a rueful grin. "So... yeah. Thanks for comin' out here on such short noti--Hey! Watch where you're goin', fucker!" His expression of gratitude was somewhat ruined by another boat cutting right across their bow and threatening a crash, but a hurried backstroke by the courier managed to keep them from doing more than scraping hulls as the other rower yelled cheerful obscenities right back.

"Uh, sorry 'bout that." He managed to look almost sincerely sheepish as he picked up the pace again, angling towards a large boat half-sunk on a shallow sandbar. It's upper decks were still dry, and smoke poured steadily from a chimney built through the steering cabin. "Anythin' y'need t'pick up while we're here today?"

Sohalia

Sitting in the little rowboat with Tal pulling the oars, Sohalia felt supremely useless. Not that she'd be of much help even if she offered - she'd never rowed a boat before, and after all, Tal was the experienced captain of the pair. She wondered vaguely how different it was to row a boat as compared to flying a skyship, but she was much more interested in Tal's idea for a gift for Alys. She was about to respond when some random boat cut them off, and she snorted a mortified sort of laugh as her friend yelled obscenities at the other rower. Thankfully, the other man seemed unbothered by the interaction, and Sohalia was able to relax as they all continued on their way.

"No," she said. "Nothing in particular, anyway. If I see something that seems like it would work as a gift for Flora, I might pick it up, though." She had few people to buy for these days, but a jeweler seemed like an appropriate place to hunt for a gift for the queen of Torchline. The only problem was, what did one buy for someone recently returned from the dead? "So, tell me about this idea. I'm so excited you asked me to come!"

these aching memories still dance around me

A rowboat was significantly different than a skyboat as it turned out, but Tal had been living in King's End long enough to have picked up the knack of it for as often as he made deliveries of supplies to and from the merchants of the Exchange. He wasn't as deft as the Torchers who had moved to the northern port in recent years, but he could hold his own - something he proved with only a minor interruption to their journey.

"Oof... yeah, I should prob'ly send her somethin', too," he admitted with a wince at the reminder of the Doubletake and her full-death experience. Maybe that wasn't what Soh had intended, but it was where the courier's brain immediately jumped to. "It's still really weird t'think about..." He shook his head with a grimace, then had to put his attention into tying their small boat up beside the big boat. A wooden staircase with a small floating dock at the bottom had been built from the top of the beached vessel down to water level, and Tal secured their transport before hopping out and offering his friend a hand. "So, couple a' years ago we got jewelry made at th'same time, for th'big Dygra festival--" he started to explain.

Boreal, with her usual enthusiasm, built up speed and launched herself out of the water onto the dock, spraying Tal with frigid water while managing to avoid catching the Luminary in the splash. She then added insult to injury by shaking her scales dry within range of her companion, leaving Tal to howl his dismay while she jauntily bounced up the staircase. Now decidedly damper than he had been a few moments ago, Tal heaved a long-suffering sigh and shook the extra wet from his hair as best he could. "She only does it 'cuz she knows I don't get cold," he grumbled, nodding down to his Frostbite Cuff.

Sohalia

Flora's death had been on the Luminary's mind recently, and not only because the Doubletake was one of her dearest friends. If the Family was willing to murder a neighboring region's queen for her efforts against them, what would they do to Stormbreak's former Heart when she tried to oust them from power? And Sohalia was under no illusions: Flora may be fortunate enough to have people to resuscitate her, but Soh... Soh was not. If she died in the coming battles, then she would be well and truly dead. And despite her courting death with her plans, she wasn't ready to leave this world for Mort's halls quite yet.

"I know," she murmured, her expression solemn. "I'm glad she's alright." Alright, of course, being a relative term. Soh couldn't imagine the trauma that such an experience would inflict on a person.

They approached a larger boat and Tal tied their rowboat off before hopping out and offering her a hand. She took it, stepping out of the vessel and intending to listen intently to whatever Tal had planned (after all, we all know that Soh is a romantic at heart, and she had sighed over Tal's devotion to his partner more than once), but then Boreal launched herself onto the dock, spraying Tal with the frigid water and drawing a startled laugh from Soh. As the dragon soaked her companion, the Luminary hid a smile. "I dunno, Tal," she teased. "I think wet dog is a good look for you."

these aching memories still dance around me

"Yeah, me too," Tal said with maybe more feeling than he'd intended. Flora was often one of his most frustrating customers with her veiled threats and canny bargaining, but she was also one of his steadiest and most loyal. Somewhere along the line she'd become something suspiciously close to a friend, maybe, and besides, the Hanged Man had the best bar selection on Caido. So maybe he could pick something up for her today, too. Alys's present came first, of course! But then--

Boreal's antics distracted him from his explanation and he shot Soh a look of wounded betrayal at her teasing. He had been viciously attacked by a dragon, and this was the sympathy he got?? "You're lucky it's Deepfrost," he grumbled, trying to wipe the worst of the water off before it completely soaked into his clothes. "Or you'd be gettin' splashed, too! See how y'like bein' a wet owl..." But there wasn't much feeling behind his complaints as he led the way up the stairs and onto the deck of the boat-turned-jeweler's forge. A rope had been strung to help people balance across the listed deck, leading to a hatch that was open near the port stern. Smoke puffed out from the steering cabin, apparently vented up from below, and Tal gave himself a final shake before heading down the stairs to the interior of the ship.

At least the floor of the deck below had been rebuilt to be a flat surface, and apparently reinforced to hold the small forge and workshop that now filled the hold. Two apprentices were tending the forge and cleaning the equipment while a journeyman bent over a table with a loupe over his eye, tongue sticking out as he carefully cut a gemstone for a ring that lay on the planks by his elbow. A mature woman of indeterminate age with snow-white hair oversaw the work while she made precise strikes with a small hammer on a band of dull silver, bending it into a rounded form for a bracelet. Sharp blue eyes caught the motion on the stairs and she looked up at Tal and Soh without pausing her rhythm.

But it was one of the apprentices who hurried over to greet them, smiling shyly as they bobbed their head. "Hello, are you here to shop our finished pieces, or to commission a custom design?"

Sohalia

Soh bit her lip against the grin that threatened, trying her hardest to look abashed. She was glad Tal didn't hold a grudge. It had just been too easy to tease him a little.

They made their way into the interior of the ship, and Soh was surprised to find a small forge and workshop aboard. There were more people than she had expected to see, and she let Tal lead the way as they entered. She wasn't really sure what they were here for, anyway, since he'd never gotten to finish explaining exactly what he was after.

One of the younger workers hurried over to greet them, bobbing their head in greeting before asking what they were here for. Soh deferred to Tal. She would look at the finished pieces before commissioning a custom design. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted for Flora, and she hoped that the finished pieces would at least inspire her.

these aching memories still dance around me

It was admittedly tempting to give Soh a hug, but Tal managed to restrain himself at the look of contrition on his friend's face. He might have huffed a little, but it was mostly for show and he shook off his annoyance at his dragon along with the excess water as they headed belowdeck to the shop proper. Boreal had padded down and settled back onto her haunches, suddenly a perfect lady now that she had an audience of strangers to charm, and Tal rolled his eyes at her before turning his attention to the apprentice who greeted them.

"I'm here t'commission," he said confidently. "A pendant, from silver an' obsidian. Hold on, I've got th'stuff for it right here--" He fished around in his Bag of Holding for a moment, a look of concentration on his face before his expression brightened with success. He pulled out a fist-sized chunk of raw silver that Sohalia would recognize from their previous mining adventure; most of it had gone towards his Vest, but he'd kept a piece back for future projects. Setting it on the counter, he hummed under his breath as he went back in for a second dive, coming out with a much smaller piece of polished black stone. "An' for th' design, I need somethin' that'll match this." Lastly, he retrieved a much-folded piece of paper that held sketches of a certain ring from several angles. "This is one o' Alys's rings that we kinda made together," he explained to Soh while the apprentice looked over the page and then scurried back to the smith to get her boss's opinion of it. Tal spoke with proud tilt of his chin and a hint of flush at the back of his neck as he didn't quite look at his friend, a little embarrassed to admit his own sappy romantic feelings out loud. "I wanted t'get her a companion piece for it, since our second anniversary's comin' up..."

Sohalia

Soh listened to Tal’s confidence with a small sigh. She wished she knew what she was here for - almost as much as she wished someone cared enough about her to do what Tal was doing for his partner. Her heart melted as he spoke of their second anniversary, a faint flush creeping up his neck as though embarrassed. Gods, but how romantic. Alys was a very fortunate woman, indeed.

She took a look at the drawings. ”It’s beautiful,” she said, a note of approval in her voice. ”I bet she’ll love it.” After all, Soh had noticed that the seer seemed to wear a fair bit of jewelry the few times they’d met, and who wouldn’t like a custom piece from their lover? ”It’s hard to believe it’s been two years,” she commented as they waited for the apprentice to return. ”I’m really happy for you, Tal.”

these aching memories still dance around me

Gently sloping hills rise and fall, but the wind carries a thin whisper that sets your teeth on edge. You pause, listening as something rustles through tall grass. It’s too deliberate to be the breeze, yet when you call out, not a soul answers.

---

This does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention.

Alys wasn't half as fortunate as Tal was, to have found a partner like her who stuck with him through thick and thin. She made him want to be better than he was, and she steadied his heart and mind in a way few others ever had. Just thinking about her made his heart beat a little faster and warmth threaten to spread from his chest to his neck and face. For her and her alone he was willing to be a sappy mess of a romantic, and he cleared his throat self-consciously after the apprentice had scampered off with his drawings and materials.

"Thanks, Soh," he murmured gruffly, unable to hide how pleased he was at her compliments even though he was trying to. The tilt of his chin was just a little too proud, and he couldn't quite keep the smile wholly off his face even if he was deliberately avoiding looking at her while he tried to get his expression back under control. "I can't believe it, either. Th'time has really flown by, y'know?" Of course, he'd asked her to be his partner practically on the eve of Starfall itself so there had been a lot going on in the world to keep them busy in the seasons since, but still... two years was enough to make his head spin some days.

He thought he heard something on the stairs. A breath of wind, or a soft footstep behind them. There was... something. A weird noise that had him gritting his teeth as Boreal shook herself with a sudden growl, pawing at the side of her head. But when he looked over his shoulder there was no one else behind them.

...Huh. Weird.

Shaking off the premonition, he tried to turn the conversation back on the Luminary instead, spotting a display case with finished pieces and hurriedly stepping over to it. He beckoned his friend over so they could peruse the options. "So, uh. Flora. Yeah. What're y'thinkin' of gettin' for her? A pin or a bracelet or...?"

Sohalia

Tal might not think Alys fortunate, but seeing as Sohalia had known him for far longer than she'd known the seer, she would have to disagree. The Luminary could only wish for a relationship like theirs one day - not, of course, that she was jealous, exactly. She was truly happy for her friend. But sometimes she had to wonder if she'd ever find something like that. Or maybe, the way her life had gone, she was just destined to be alone.

She'd make her peace with that... eventually.

There was a noise behind them, and Soh glanced over her shoulder as though expecting to see another customer walk in. But there was nothing, and the hair raised on the back of her neck as she had the distinct feeling that they were being watched - and not by the workers. Even if there was nothing there, Soh was convinced that something was creeping about, and she found herself taking a small step closer to Tal.

"Do you think a tiara would be too on the nose?" she asked jokingly, trying and failing to shake off the premonition as she walked over to the displays with Tal. But there was an edge to her voice, and she was distracted as she perused the jewelry. "A bracelet might be nice. Something with some sparkle to it." It was how she'd always seen Flora, after all. Torchline's Queen was nothing if not a bright star in a sea of darkness. And maybe, just maybe, having something to remind her of that would help her through her recent resurrection.

these aching memories still dance around me

Tal certainly didn't mind Soh stepping closer, and he encouraged Boreal to do the same as the weird wind-whistle faded. For a brief moment his thoughts drifted to the compass on its chain in his pocket... but when the sound of waves lapping gently against the side of the boat and the rising heckle of a distant merchant haggling with a customer drifted down the hatch he shook his head and relaxed again. It had just been his imagination, probably. Things were quiet right now, more peaceful than they'd been since Starfall had shattered Torchline and Halo, and they needed to enjoy it while they could.

"Are you kiddin'? She'd love a tiara," Tal grinned, way too confident about Flora's preferences for someone she barely tolerated most of the time. "But yeah, she's got plenty o' rings, but I think she could prob'ly use more bracelets." At least, he hadn't seen her wearing that many over the years compared to glitzy earrings and sparkly rings and the occasional glitter of necklaces, with and without pendants.

He was just pointing to a bracelet that shimmered with opal insets when the apprentice came back over, beaming. "We can take the job. Mackie will start on it right away. And for you, miss?" she added, turning to Soh with her best customer service smile. "Would you like to see anything in the display?"

Sohalia

Soh giggled at Tal’s insistence that Flora would love a tiara, silently agreeing that she probably would. Still, something like that might not see as much use as a bracelet, which could be worn more frequently. As much as Flora might like a crown, Soh didn’t see her wearing it daily or anything.

When the apprentice appeared again, taking Tal’s commission and then turning to Soh, the Luminary considered the jewelry in the case. In her mind, Flora was bright and sparkling, and she deserved something just as pretty. ”I’m looking for a bracelet,” she told the apprentice. ”Something gold, I think, with some gemstones. The recipient is about my size, so maybe something a bit on the thinner side?”

The shopkeeper led them to a section of the displays that had some options for Soh to consider, and before long, she’d found something that she thought was just perfect: a gold bracelet with aquamarine stones set around the band. She purchased it quickly, haggling over price for only a moment, and then turned back to Tal. ”Think she’ll like it?” she asked as the apprentice wrapped the gift.

these aching memories still dance around me

Tal listened with interest as Sohalia listed what she was looking for in the gift, and he nodded along in appreciation for her choices. Trailing after the Luminary and the apprentice, he peered over Soh's shoulder before wandering nearby to look at some of the other options in the cases. He was quick to come back when he heard the price changing hands and he whistled in admiration at the glittering bracelet that had been chosen.

"I think she'll love it! Y'got a good eye for this stuff." He nudged her with his shoulder and Boreal, not to be left out, padded forward to lean against Soh's knee with a happy rumble.

The apprentice finished settling the transaction and bustled between the smith and the journeyman, then returned with a smile for the courier. "We'll have your piece ready tomorrow, sir. Can you come back then?"

"Sure, no problem," Tal assured them with a wave before turning back to Soh. "Let's go find somethin' t'eat. I'm gettin' hungry, an' there's this great cafe boat nearby..." He started to lead the way back up the stairs, and the back of his neck prickled as he remembered the sound from earlier. He looked all around once they got back on deck, but he didn't see anything and the breeze was quiet again. Maybe he'd just imagined it...?

~Fin