MAEA
It would have been far easier to leave if he had been crude or pushy. But he offered to help her swim, to let Haai guard her treasure, offered her to share in the fun, and Maea just couldn't resist that. So while she hesitated a little longer, she eventually nodded and slipped down from the rock, carefully avoiding getting too close to Sunjata as she made it up to the shore. There, she removed the shawl and folded it neatly, reverent care written in every gesture, and placed it on top of her boots so it wouldn't get dirty. Then, after a thoughtful glance down at her wide skirts, she removed the dress as well, placing it over the shawl so the rags were not visible. Beneath it, her shift hugged close to modest curves, short-sleeved and laced tight in the chest. It revealed her to be reed thin, no doubt with ribs clearly defined beneath the fabric... but reached only to the knees; modest enough, and far easier to move through the water in.
Turning to Haai, she beconed the little wolf-bird over and pointed to her clothes as she knelt down. "Guard this for me, please? It's very, very precious to me. I cannot let anything or anyone take it away." Meaning to pet the gryphon, she then returned to the water's edge.
Without the shawl to protect her, Maea found the waters far colder than she remembered. As she waded out into the stream she sucked in a breath, goosebumps flaring all over her skin. While not icy there was a definite bite to it that suggested it's origin might lie in far colder places, and the current was swift. Tugging on her feet, her legs, on the fabric of her skirt, the girl hesitated when it got deep enough to reach her waist.
"I only ever swam in the Oasis," she confessed, attempting a shaky laugh. "There aren't really any waves there... don't know how you can even stand being in the water after what they did to you." Indeed she recalled his account of the Korofi tradition, and found it all the more horrific now. Even with the magic singing to her, she did not feel confident about this... not one bit.
Turning to Haai, she beconed the little wolf-bird over and pointed to her clothes as she knelt down. "Guard this for me, please? It's very, very precious to me. I cannot let anything or anyone take it away." Meaning to pet the gryphon, she then returned to the water's edge.
Without the shawl to protect her, Maea found the waters far colder than she remembered. As she waded out into the stream she sucked in a breath, goosebumps flaring all over her skin. While not icy there was a definite bite to it that suggested it's origin might lie in far colder places, and the current was swift. Tugging on her feet, her legs, on the fabric of her skirt, the girl hesitated when it got deep enough to reach her waist.
"I only ever swam in the Oasis," she confessed, attempting a shaky laugh. "There aren't really any waves there... don't know how you can even stand being in the water after what they did to you." Indeed she recalled his account of the Korofi tradition, and found it all the more horrific now. Even with the magic singing to her, she did not feel confident about this... not one bit.
