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Stepping up onto the deck, the first thing Balin noticed was the smell. A tangy, intoxicating scent, borne to him on the breeze of the sea. Freedom... the ocean... he wasn't sure which it was, but it gave him a heady feeling, made him want to burst. The sky had already started to lighten, and faintly in the distance the sun's pink arms had started to appear, as though the sun were stretching luxuriously in its sea bed before it rose for the morning. The wind was cool and invigorating and it swept his hair back delightfully. Taking a deep breath, he leaned on the rail, watching the scene, and waiting for Jio
OOC: sorry, had to cut this short,class starting
Edited by: Balin Tshai at: 10/21/01 5:57:27 pm
OOC: well, we agreed that once Jio was back we'd take off, so I hope I'm not outta line doing this.
IC: Sidana was up before dawn (Karra would be proud *g*) and more than ready to get away from this hole of a town. She yawned, though, which was unusual for her. She had been strangely unable to sleep last night. The sounds of that haunting tune Balin had played still ran through her mind. Angrily she recalled that the music hadn't been the only thing on her mind...Jio...she cursed under her breath.
Reaching the deck, she saw that orders had been given to unship from the docks the moment the Windfinder was on deck. Sailors scrambled to toss lines back onto the pier and she could feel the rowers taking their cue to start their creeping out into the harbor of Falme. She took a deep breath of the salty sea air, and opened herself fully to Saidar.
The winds were favorable, coming from the northeast...it would be a strong breeze when they left the sheltering harbor. Nothing could be better. Very soon the sails filled out, those below shipped their oars, and they were moving swiftly west out to sea. She felt the winds for miles, choosing exactly the right time to turn course southward.
When she had done what she could for the sleek raker, Sidana allowed Saidar to go, sighing with the loss, and turned her attention to his deck and crew. For the first time she noticed that Nerissa and the gleeman were practicing swords with Jio on the afterdeck...SWORDS!!! Whatever floats your boat, she thought - there was no accounting for some people's tastes.
She slipped past the trio to the bows of the ship, catching Jio's eye for just a moment before looking quickly away. That little bit of eye contact was apparently too much for him, though, for just at that moment Balin landed a blow to his shoulder that the Cargomaster should easily have blocked. Good thing they had wrapped those blades, Sidana chuckled. Light, he must really hate her if just a little glance could make him lose concentration like that. The chuckle turned to a sigh as Sidana climbed up to her favorite perch on the far bow, where she could see nothing but the calming open sea before her.
Sidana
sorry this was so looooooong
"When in danger,
Or in doubt,
Run in circles,
Scream and shout!"
Jio came out to the deck and spied his two students out in the stern section of the ship. Walking to them he noticed that Balin had brought out a black scabbarded blade, and had it with him. Chuckling to himself, he thought he might just see what the man had, a little humility before the first lesson couldn't hurt, and proabbly would be best.
"Draw" Jio said as he approached the man. Balin looked up, and without being able to pull the sword from the scabbard first, moved to parry a downward slash as Jio tried to land one. Moving about him, Jio spoke. "If you carry your sword, you're a target. Men know you're a fighter, and therefore, can be the one they seek, or someone nessessary to kill. Leave it next time-" he tried to thrust, parried by Balin's now unsheathed sword "You come out on deck, until i tell you its ok."
Jio moved again, rotating around the gleeman, and caught a glimpse of Sidana from the side of this eye. That look.... god, if there was only any way to discover if this is trully love i feel for- - Jio looked at his shoulder where Balin's sword nicked it. Looking up at the man in surprise, he saw a look of worry, and possibly fear on the man's face. He was backing up as if to run, but on the open water... Jio realized the look on his face must have scared the poor man, even Neri looked concerned. Composing himself, he looked back to where Sidana stood, and saw her gone. "Distractions, in the fight, are the worst possible thing. Learn from my mistakes. I will continue to learn from yours." Reaching up to his shoulder, he noticed it was still bleeding, and rather nasty, but he left it be. It was a mark of his mistake, so he'd remember it. Looking back at the two, he spoke. "I'll be watching from the quarter deck. There's a net under the spar for you, in case you fall. You don't have to dance on it just yet.." he chuckled "in fact, if you can stand out there for just a little while, consider this day a good one."
With that, he turned to go find sidana.
~~Jio
Oki... go at it. I gotta go deal with Sidana for a moment. i'll be watching from the quarter deck with or without her. i'm nbot sure yet. *shrugs*
Sidana sat perched, so far forward that there was nothing under her but water, excepting what she was sitting on. No one but she or a child could ever sit up here. It's nice to have rank, she thought, now there's no one to tell me I can't sit up here. She gave a low laugh at that thought, which had sparked a memory of another ship like this one, a Windfinder and Akasi, and the discovery of Saidar. Unable to resist, she let the One Power fill her, thrilling as she did each time, at the pure life that flooded her.
She heard a cough behind her, that shattered her reverie, and scowling, she turned to see who needed her now. The DISadvantage to rank, everybody wants something from you. But it was only Jio, what could HE possibly want? Something wrong with their sailing plans, no doubt. But one look at his face, and she knew it wasn't a change in routing. It was something far more important to him, and suddenly she had an idea what it was. He was going to have the rest of their confrontation out, right here, right now. Steeling herself for whatever he might say, she climbed down from her perch. She kept hold of Saidar, though...
Sidana
Misunderstanding *g*
"When in danger,
Or in doubt,
Run in circles,
Scream and shout!"
Balin stood at the railing of the ship as before ((OOC hm, this thing just magically appeared in my hands it seems, but oh well *raises a brow* )) and ran his hands over the smooth polished scabbard of his sabre. He knew they most likely wouldn't be sparring today, but he thought maybe he could show Jio the sword, since different swords needed different techniques and all.
"DRAW!" His head snapped up in startlement and it was all he could do to bring the scabbarded weapon up in a parre. Jio began to talk and Balin finally got the blade out, parrying again as the man thrusted in mid-sentence. Suddenly, there was an ebb in the flow of words and Jio looked as though he were distracted... He was looking at the pretty woman that Balin had bargained with upon boarding the ship. Not knowing if it was just a ruse to draw in an attack from him or actual distraction, he attacked- Jio's returning look held more than surprise, and he backed up involuntarily. Slowly, Jio seemed to calm and he spoke, his shoulder bleeding. "Distractions, in the fight, are the worst possible thing. Learn from my mistakes. I will continue to learn from yours."
"I'll be watching from the quarter deck. There's a net under the spar for you, in case you fall. You don't have to dance on it just yet.." he chuckled "in fact, if you can stand out there for just a little while, consider this day a good one." Letting the worry leave his features, he straightened and grinned. Resheathing his sword, he deposited it on the deck where it would not roll around, wrapping it in his long coat and shirt as he took them off, stripping to the waste. He did not want flapping clothing to hinder him. Indeed, the last thing he needed was distraction as Jio had said.
The raker was bounding through the waves at a good clip, and everytime it reached the bottom, water flew upwards forming moving crystalline statues,sparkling. Sea foam shined in the sun and flared up around the ship like a white cloak caught in the breeze, making the deck slick with water. Smiling, he went back and took his boots off, leaving them next to the bundle. They would be no help.
Letting himself become accustomed to the rise and fall of the ship, he stood there, holding the railing, breathing deeply to calm his thoughts and bringing about the focus and concentration that he'd normally use for playing his flute, or juggling his knives... Below, a family of dolphins swept along next to the ship, just below the shining blue surface, occaisionally blowing up spray as they exhaled.
Blanking his mind, he stepped up, his bare feet curving around the wooden spar. He held onto one of the ropes that held the foremost sail in place and closed his eyes. He'd heard of people becoming sea-sick because of this motion, but he couldn't understand it... it was soothing, rythmic... like silent music almost... Stepping further along the spar, he slowly let the stay go, holding out his arms, and suddenly it seemed like he was flying. He held it for what seemed like ages, though it was only a few seconds at best. Laughing, he opened his eyes and suddenly he WAS flying, his concentration swept away on the wind- he tumbled into the net below, soaked from sea-spray.
Balin T'Shai
apprentice gleeman
has the same problem as me, laughing too much... if you CAN do such a thing
IRL Lindsay
~I know the meaning of life and I'd tell you... but it kind of slipped my mind~
Jio held out the new sash he had bought, the blood on his hands from touching the wound already on it. He could see in her eyes... he didn't know what he saw. Agah. He could scream a thousand times if he thought it would help him. Looking at her, he smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, seems i've gotten blood yet again on your sash, WindFinder." Her face was inreadable. Jio came close to sighing. "I would give you this, but it's dirty again. I'll have to buy another when i can." Looking at her, he searched for something to say. "Perhaps you could help me?"
The woman's face, if unreadable before, was as stone now. "I have a wound. Perhaps you could help me fix it?" He pointed at his shoulder...
~~Jio
hehe
searchin for something to say
Nerissa was glad to be out of port -- for one thing, it meant that she didn't have to wear the blouse anymore. She tugged it off over her head before joining the gleeman on the spar, her bare feet digging into the wood beneath them. She let herself sway with the raker's rise and fall. She ignored the gleeman and the salty spray...she closed her eyes and ignored them. That was simple enough...but her feet and the motion of the ship was another story.
She began to slip and fell in with the ship, letting herself become as a part of it, to regain her footing. She opened her eyes for a moment and noticed that the gleeman was no longer up there with her...her eyes flitted downwards as the ship crashed through a wave, sending a blinding spray into her eyes. She brought one hand up to brush it and her now disheveled hair out of her eyes, and slipped off into hte nets.
She found herself lying half on top of the now fallen gleeman and apologized as soon as she realized it. She then smiled and laughed liltingly, though inexplicably to herself.
OOC: My, Balin has every man's fantasy -- well endowed topless girl falls out of the sky and into his lap! *laughs*
Nerissa din'Canace of the Atha'an Miere
Crewman on the Twilight Moon
daughter of damane
disliker of Seanchan
OOC: LOL!!
Laying in the nets, Balin laughed, wiping spray from his eyes. Suddenly someone crashed down upon him, but before he could see who it was another wave was upon the ship, sending a spray everywhere like sparkles of shattered glass. He laughed along with the other person contagiously and grinning, he wiped at his face, returning his vision to normal. Suddenly he realized the laughter was very feminine and that the very feminine owner of the voice had no shirt. Opening his mouth, he spouted out the first thing that came to mind ((an unfortunate thing to do usually)) "You don't have a shirt on!"...((no @#%\\$ sherlock))
The fact dawned on him quickly afterwards, and the shade of scarlet he turned must have been blinding. He stared back at her in startlement for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing at himself. "What I meant to say was..." and he took a long pause, monitoring his words this time, grinning at the absurdity of it all "uh... hello."
Balin T'shai
apprentice beet- er, gleeman
(OOC: I found an interesting cartoon of Tigraine walking out into the three fold land and "Wetlanders are strange!" was the caption)
IC: Nerissa simply looked at the man and laughed to herself at his embarassment until another wave came along and she closed her eyes to avoid the spray. She then proceeded casually to tie her hair back once more and shake her head at the him.
"And neither do you...you shorebound are strange!" she said with an amused smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes.
She simply went on introducing herself as though nothing had happened and they were not sitting in a net. "I am Nerissa din'Canace" she said "...what are you called?"
Nerissa din'Canace of the Atha'an Miere
Crewman on the Twilight Moon
daughter of damane
disliker of Seanchan
The next wave helped to cool off his face somewhat, and he caught himself laughing along with her, his green eyes regaining their usual amused and confident sparkle as he realized she wasn't bothered by it one bit. Looks down at his bare chest, grinning. "I suppose I don't at that- Please, call me Balin. How silly of me." He gave a roguish grin - "silly" was definately the word for the occasion - and didn't say whether he meant silly over being embarrassed or not stating his name...
***
It was no easy task for Balin trying to climb back up to the deck. Nerissa seemed to have no problem scrambling back up the side, and at the top she turned back to him and seemed amused that he was stuck. Giving a pretty smile, she held out a hand and helped to haul him up when he accepted.
Balin T'Shai
apprentice gleeman
the magnificent flying/falling man
IRL Lindsay
goodnight you guys
~I know the meaning of life and I'd tell you... but it kind of slipped my mind~
OOC: I haven't been gone for that long have I!!?? oh dear *sigh* I'm sorry guys I was at a conference and I have so much on my plate right now its crazy I just can't keep up *curls into a little ball weeping* sooooooooooo sorry.......so let me get this straight, I'm sick, we're no longer on shore and the gleeman has become an apprentice *scratches head* well, let me see what I can do, just tell me if I'm not following.....
IC: Breathing the fresh sea air deeply Zhaneel felt relieved at feeling so much better. A long sleep was what she had needed. As she climbed onto the deck she looked around and found an interesting sight indeed. She had been informed that a man had boarded the Twilight Moon and she now saw him for the first time standing by the rail with Nerissa. He was a handsome young fellow and seemed to be quite strong, perhaps a swordsman, or an apprentice of some sort. Scanning the horizon she sighed at the pure contentment of being on the sea again. The wind played across her bare back as she moved towards Nerissa and the new passanger, she believed his name was Balin.....
Zhaneel
Extremely tired and overworked, I promise I'll stop dissapearing, I just need a lead about what to do......just thought I'd drop in.....I'll stay this time tho!!! promise....
Nerissa darted an eye around as she leaned on the rail with Balin and noticed that the Sailmistress had come on deck. She quickly straightened and made a sign of respect, still smiling amusedly though. She couldn't get it out of her mind...how could the shorebound be embarassed over a little skin showing...especially when they were showing as much.
She waited for any orders which might come her way and noted that Balin still seemed lost in watching the waves...
OOC: not much, but a lead in someone, anyone, make a move! *grins*
Nerissa din'Canace of the Atha'an Miere
Crewman on the Twilight Moon
daughter of damane
disliker of Seanchan
OOC: *smile* you'll be caught up again in no time! and hullo, I don't beleive we've met yet, if you want to contact me, my msn messenger is roguesquadron@hotmail.com
All of the crew on deck seemed to become more and more relaxed the farther they got from land. He had forgotten the story that the Sea Folk woman tossed all modesty to the wind once they lost sight of land and left their shirts behind with it... He hadn't really believed it. But when a beautiful woman fell from the spar right in front of him, the facts were right in front of his eyes.
The feeling of awe still had not left him - not about that!, I'm talking about the sea here - and he stared out at the endless water with a smile. It went on forever.... He leaned on the rail, enjoying the moment and found the woman called Nerissa leaning with him, the same look in her eyes. It was spell-binding. Suddenly, she straightened and turned and he forced his gaze from the sea, spotting a woman he had not seen on the ship yet.
Straightening as well, he faced her with a smile and a friendly look, his green eyes lighting up. He did not see the gesture of respect from Nerissa, but the woman carried herself as though she were accustomed to having her orders carried out. Trying to ignore the fact that she too was bare from the waste up, he gave her a polite nod and smile.
Balin T'shai
apprentice gleeman
learning the sword from Jio
kickin' back and catching some waves
IRL Lindsay
Sidana looked at the newly-soiled sash in disgust. "I have a clean one, thank you," she said, indicating the bright yellow about her waist. "Which reminds me..." Sidana looked around the ship, noticed that most of the women had shed their blouses, and laughed inwardly at herself for not paying attention. Immediately she grabbed her own blouse with arms crossed and drew it up over her head and off. Folding the green silk carefully, she tucked it behind the sash in question, to be left in her cabin at the earliest opportunity.
"There! Much better!" she sighed. Like most women born and raised among the ships, she hated the restrictiveness of blouses, and resented that the men did not have to wear them, even on land. AND she knew Jio had NOT been raised among the ships, although he had spent plenty of time aboard since then...she still suspected that he was not quite accustomed to this particular habit of the Atha'an Miere. Teasing? Probably, but it was well worth it to discomfit this particular man.
Jio was still standing there, holding that bloody sash (double meaning intended!) and waiting for her to 'assist' him with his little scratch of an injury. Smirking roguishly, she began to fuss over him as if he were mortally wounded, lamenting her lack of healing ability (she couldn't do much more than stop the bleeding) and insisting that he lie down and rest...must be too weak to carry out his duties, etc. He was spluttering and cursing in no time. Oh, veeeeerrrrry satisfactory!!
Mwahahaha!!!
Sidana
Windfinder extraordinaire
"When in danger,
Or in doubt,
Run in circles,
Scream and shout!"
Edited by: Rhysel at: 10/22/01 3:43:45 pm
Jio almost threw his hands into the air as he sighed exasperated. The bleeding had indeed stopped, but to hell with sitting below decks for that. Should have let it just bleed. "i'll set up a hammock on the deck, and relax there, windfinder. Thank you for your help." Spinning, he dropped the silk to the deck and strode without seemingly a problem down the steps from the quarterdeck.
~~Jio
I'm going to be in a hammock when you all post again. Go one more time. Then we'll continue.
Balin looked up where Jio was in surprise, hearing a commotion. The woman, he thought he remembered her name to be Sidana, was all over him, babying, pampering, and generally making a fuss over the small wound Balin had inflicted. He stared in astonishment for a moment, then realized that his mouth was hanging open... He had definately never thought he would see the like from that woman... He looked to Nerissa in confusion, then back up to see Jio wave an arm at them as if to say: "Do it again, I'm watching"
Grinning, the memory of Jio stopping in mid-fight to goggle at that woman sprang into his mind. Smiling slightly, he turned back to the spar and hopped up more easily this time, though he kept his eyes open. Walking carefully along it he let his thoughts float around the task at hand- the sun on his shoulders, the slick wood, the cool spray all barely noticed- and raised his arms out once more. He managed his balance a great deal longer this time, anticipating the wave-swells and the reaction of the ship. Gathering his concentration, he took a tentative step forward, then another... and the next thing he knew, he was back in the net, looking up at the sky.
Balin t'shai
apprentice gleeman
learning the sword from Jio
IRL lindsay
having problems typing tonight
~I know the meaning of life and I'd tell you... but it kind of slipped my mind~
Sidana had known it, but if she needed more proof this was it. Jio truly did hate her. Well, it was nobody's fault, they just rubbed each other the wrong way. But she wished things could be different...
At any rate, it had been well worth it to see his shock and irritation at her treatment of his 'wound.' Teach HIM to mock her!!
Sidana
Heartbroken, but not too bad
"When in danger,
Or in doubt,
Run in circles,
Scream and shout!"
Nerissa glanced towards where a hammock was being put up for Jio and grinned a little as she followed Balin onto the spar. She squinted in the salty spray and smirked to herself...if they were going to fall this time, at least they'd get a good laugh out of it...and perhaps Balin wouldn't act so strangely this time. She dug into the wood with her heels and toes, gripping at the wet surface and letting her balance shift with the rocking of the ship. She had stayed up far longer this time...it seemed like an eternity. She blinked for a moment and when she opened her eyes, Balin had fallen.
Nerissa laughed and glanced down at Balin, half losing her balance as she did. She shifted her footing and remained upright for a moment, until the raker crashed over a wave and it sent her flying down into the nets once more. She had been caught off her guard and shrugged as she turned to Balin before scrambling up once more...
Nerissa din'Canace of the Atha'an Miere
Crewman on the Twilight Moon
daughter of damane
disliker of Seanchan
Giving a grin in response to Nerissa's shrug, Balin clambered back onto deck behind her. Glancing sideways at Jio and then Sidana still further up, he addressed Nerissa. "What was all that about? Your-" he fumbled for the right word "-your Windfinder did not seem to me to be the type that would... react... quite like that..."
Balin T'shai
apprentice gleeman
stickin' his nose in where it might get bitten off
IRL lindsay
~I know the meaning of life and I'd tell you... but it kind of slipped my mind~
Nerissa puzzeled to herself how to respond to this for a moment and then spoke. "Those two always behave strangely around each other..." she added in a lowered voice "...they can't seem to decide whether they love each other or hate each other...I think." She grinned at him mischieviously and shrugged slightly.
She folded her arms and then scanned the decks for the Sailmistress...she knew that some chore or other might be assigned to her soon.
Nerissa din'Canace of the Atha'an Miere
Crewman on the Twilight Moon
daughter of damane
disliker of Seanchan
"...oh..." Nodding, he tried to look as if he understood that. "Oh, I see..." how does that work exactly? you either love each other, or you hate each other... Laughing, he shrugged it off. It was no business of his anyhow.
Looking up, he noticed a wall of clouds starting to build up on the horizon... They were beautiful; magnificent white sculptures reached high into the atmosphere, growing so quickly you could almost see the clouds moving. Smiling, he let his gaze linger for a moment... He couldn't even begin to guess how far away they were... the distance could have been a hundred miles, or twenty- he'd never been on the open water. They most likely wouldn't see them from any closer than that though, and he was glad.
Balin T'shai
apprentice gleeman
~I know the meaning of life and I'd tell you... but it kind of slipped my mind~
OOC
this string is done
NERI!
hehe
Rysel
I think its time for a classic arguement between us. I'm going to demand why the hell you seem to hate me so much, and blah blah blah. lol.
Balin and Neri, one last time. After my arguement with sidana, we'll start with another aspect. Also, coodoos for ya if you find interesting places to practice balance i would say the nest, though if you fall, you break your fool neck. lol. so dont fall. lol
~~Jio
San, Hi. hehe. long time no see. There's RP breifings on the Gale Tavern Board for ya. Anymore questions, post.
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