watching the tide roll away (open)

saiden

Saiden swam out to one of his favorite spots in Torchline, the strokes easy and natural for one who’d practically grown up on the sea. Although he had a small bag tied around his waist and a knife on the other hip, it did little to hamper his practiced movements. It helped that he was only wearing a pair of shorts.

It didn’t take him long to reach Hale Ka’aila. Stepping out of the water, he grinned at the beautiful spot. Settling down just outside the cathedral, his fingers dipped into the bag. They pulled out some line, some hooks, and a small container which was sealed tight. He tied a hook onto the end of the line, then opened the container.

Inside were some worms, which wriggled and writhed almost as a single mass. Piercing one on the hook, he resealed the container. Then he cast his line out into the beautiful waters. Settling in, he patiently waited for something to bite.

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

Torchline was not a good place for brooding minds and broken hearts. The sun shone too brightly overhead, and the color of the ocean was far too vivid. Perhaps if she had been more inclined to drowning her sorrows in a bottle or ravel away until she could think of nothing else, it might have been different, but that was not her way. It was the exact kind of lifestyle she had turned down, and a pair of ocean eyes along with it, and Maea found that she enjoyed the scenery not at all when it only brought back memories she was trying to put behind her.

She had hunkered down within the cathedral earlier that day, when the tide had been low enough to walk. Since, she had found herself trapped there as the ocean came rolling back in to hide the sand bank. It did not bother her. If she really wanted to, the girl could probably walk atop the water to get back to the shore, but... what would be the point of that? There was nothing on land that really interested her.

Brought out of her her thoughts by the sound of splashing outside, she pushed herself to her feet and peered out. Found that a man was settling down, a fishing rod in hand. In her tattered white dress, with hair and skin tones to match it, and with a ragged black shawl draped loosely over her head and shoulders to keep out the sun, she looked an odd bird in this colorful paradise. Out of place, like some ghost gone astray from Ludo's guidance.

"Catch anything?" she asked, leaning her arms against a bannister looking outcrop of glass and coral.

saiden

As the woman spoke up from the cathedral, Saiden glanced inside, though he didn't stir from his spot. Holding the line easily in his hands, he swept his gaze over her, taking in her frame, her clothes, her skin. She was pretty enough, in a ghostlike kind of way, which was fine by him. However, she definitely didn't fit, unlike him with his tanned and glistening skin and sun-touched hair.

When he'd drank his fill, he turned his gaze back to the water. ”Not yet. And I won’t if it gets too loud." It came out softly, barely audible over the wind and the singing of the structure she hid in. "It's strange to see an outsider find her way to Hale Ka'aila. What brings you to Torchline?"

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

Used to being stared at, she endured the scrutiny with impassive face, her own pale, near colorless eyes returning the favor. It was hard to tell what she thought, because she neither changed expression nor commented before she shifted her gaze on, towards the sea. If this encounter reminded her of another she'd had not so very long ago, she did not let on.

"Just having a look around. I never saw the ocean before," she replied. She'd lowered her voice considerably, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the eerie sound of the wind.

"What kind of fish do you get around here?" It seemed she asked more out of politeness than real interest. Not sure how to get out of this conversation, now that she had initiated it.

saiden

Saiden laughed, though he made sure to keep it soft. "Hate to break it to you, but hiding out from the sun is not the proper way to view the Ocean." Shooting the woman a sly glance, he took a moment to gesture at the wide expanse of water. "You at least have to dip your toe in." With that, he went back to focusing on his fishing.

"All sorts. Depends what the Ocean wishes to provide." It wasn't unfriendly, exactly, but he didn't want to explain fishes to a woman who'd never seen the ocean before. "So you're alone out here?" Again, he spoke softly and idly.

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

She offered him a considering look. Eyed the surf beneath the cliff he perched on, then looked at the bright sun overhead.

"I would likely burn to a crisp before I got to the water," she said. There was a tone of lament to the statement, as if she really would like to try, but... She kept the shawl over her head for a reason. Maea was not made for climates like these.

He slithered out of explaining what he was trying to catch, and she only shrugged at that. "Yes. There was someone who said they'd come along... but I doubt they will now."

She didn't seem to think anything of revealing herself to be alone. Utterly, in a strange land full of strange new things.

saiden

Saiden’s eyes flicked towards the woman. ”Mmmmm. Perhaps.” Shrugging slightly enough that he didn’t disturb the line, he looked back at the sea. ”Only way to tan though.”

Then he reached out with the barest thread of his magic. A tendril of water lifted up and splashed playfully on her feet. ”There. Now you’ve dipped your toes in.” There was a hint of a joke in the comment, though it was hard to tell given how quietly he was speaking.

Glancing at her again briefly, he narrowed his eyes. "Who's that and why's that?" Then, however, something tugged at his line. He turned his whole attention to it, pulling at it with all his strength. However, whatever had bitten was stubbornly resisting his pull.

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

A pale brow rose up at the implication that she should get more sun. Maea almost smiled at it, the happy optimism of the thought. "Alas. I don't tan, so all I would get out of it is blisters. But thank you for the tip."

The notion had brought enough amusement that his splashed water did not offend. Neither squealing nor glowering, she looked down and considered her now wet shoes, the dark stains of seawater on her hem... Thought of another boy who had splashed water on her, in the cold waters of a far off river.

"It doesn't matter. He's already - " She was interrupted by the sudden wrestle between man and fish, her audience stolen away by the inhabitant of the ocean. Maea watched the local wrestle with the unseen opponent for a moment, then she stepped down from the wrought glass structure.

Quite calmly she made her way down the jagged cliffs, and stepped down onto the suddenly very still and smooth surface of the sea. With the ease of one picking her way through a garden, she walked out to where the line disappeared into the water, reached down as far as she could, and brought a large globule of water up from deeper depths. Within it was a fish, thrashing about and still struggling against the hook and line jutting from its mouth.

"Do you want to keep it?" she asked, calm as the breeze as she looked back over her shoulder at the fisherman.

saiden

Saiden grinned easily. ”You’ve never seen an ocean before. So ye don’t know what the ocean sun can do. Give it time and you’ll tan. Eventually.” There was an short of languid manner about him, as careless as the sea itself.

However his grin gained a bit of a flirtatious edge. "A boy? Well, his loss is my—" Then he was busy wrestling with his line.  That didn't stop him from watching with wide eyes as she made her way down the sand bar and then out onto the water. At her question, he nodded. "Aye. Wouldn't be fishing if I didn't want fish. Thanks." It was clear he didn't quite understand the question.

As she (presumably) made her way back to him, he carefully pulled the line is as well so it didn't drag behind her and he didn't accidentally tug her. "Neat trick. You got a Hel stashed somewhere?" As she approached, he saw their catch was an ahi tuna, the inspiration behind this particular shore's name.

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

It was just as well that she didn't quite catch his reply in the commotion of the fish catching. Maea would not have known what to respond to such a comment. At his reply about the fish, she just nodded and carried it back in the bubble, feet barely rippling the surface of the sea as she stepped across it. Behind her, the surf continued to sigh and swell, and when she stepped back onto dry land, it was moving freely again.

"Your welcome," she said. Letting enough of the water drain away, she held the fish still within its watery prison until the man could take it, then had the rest of the brine wash back to where it belonged. Not even ruffled, Maea considered the catch, curiously studying the colors and sheer size of it, not bothering to look up at the question.

"What is a Hel?"

saiden

Reaching out, Saiden took the fish. Laying it on the ground, he slipped his knife out of its sheath, then shifted so he was kneeling over it. Then he rapped it, hard, just above its eyes. The movement was quick and practiced looking, and the tuna immediately stilled, stunned by the blow.

He glanced up at the woman briefly. ”Hels. Close cousins to seagulls, but they let you walk on water.” There were always a few about, so he scanned the sky before pointing one out to her.

Then he went back to the fish, cutting along the main artery. ”Know how to clean a fish?” The question came out a little distractedly.

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

"Ah," she said, pleased at the concise explanation, and the sight of the bird he pointed out. "No. It's just magic. With enough strength and control over an element, you can do pretty much whatever you want with it." Though admittedly, she had only been able to do her little trick because the water was fairly shallow here. Had the waves been higher and the water deeper, she would hardly have been able to repeat the little game.

Bringing her gaze back to watch as he stunned the fish, Maea shook her head. "I've cleaned enough sheep, but never a fish. My brother never let me touch them... said it was his job whenever he brought them home." Of course, those had been freshwater ones rom a quiet pond. Nothing at all like this monster.

saiden

Still mostly focused on the now bleeding fish, Saiden nevertheless took the time to glance up at Maea. ”I know water magic. Heck, I have water magic. Never seen anyone actually use it to walk on water before." There was an almost admiring tone to his response, and he resolved to try it out later (though he much preferred actually being in the water).

At her reply, he flipped the knife around, holding it gingerly by the bloody blade. "Care to learn?" Looking up, he gave her his most charming, handsome, and devilish grin. The effect it had on pretty much anyone was usually devastating and he wasn't afraid to employ it. "Here in Torchline we don't care whether someone's a man or a woman, human or merperson, so long as they get the job done."

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

"Perhaps they just didn't have a need to?" she suggested. The impressed tone made her shift, a little abashed... had it really been that strange of a thing to do? She had thought of it, so she did it. Maea couldn't think of it as something... admirable.

The offered knife made her blink. It was bloody and sharp, already put to use as evidenced by the crimson stains and the dying fish on the ground; it contrasted sharply with the dazzling smile, and made her think of landsharks. Of dagger fights. Of being held close to a broad chest while she pointed a wooden blade into the back of... " - Alright."

She took the knife, interrupting her own traiturous thoughts. Shying not at all from the slick blood that flecked the handle. "Tell me what to do."