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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:24 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:26 pm
The Selkie's queen, known as Ali'Kai [which is Hawaiian for King or Queen of the Sea], sat upon her sea borne throne, made of crushed, whole, and partial shells; conchs, seaweed, shells of animals that no longer housed them, coral, and other such sea items, tones of pastel orange, pastel pink, cream, and other such colors giving it a fine glow that seemed to radiate around the powerful woman. Indeed, this was only a trick of light, and was meant to impress awe and humility to those who would stand before her. For the most part, it worked. And, it was in this condition, in all of her raidiance, Ali'Kai thought. It was more than obvious that she was deep within this realm of new possibilities.
Never before had she allowed herself to trust the race of men, and here she was throwing them a breakfest fit for any mortal king. They had better be thankful, because refusal would be an insult the silver haired queen would take very personally. Slowly, muscles twitched inside of slender calves, booted feet feeling pressure as the regal entity began to rise. It was obvious that she was a queen---not only was she a radiant beauty, but she had an air about her that was of unquestionable nobility. Silver hair spilled down elegant shoulders that were adorned with the true form of the queen. Electric blue eyes slowly looked around, jewels around her neck glinting in the sun's early rays.
"My people," she declared in a voice that carried easily and demanded both respect and attention, "I am thankful to you for your bravery and your loyalty to me, and I wish to declare today a day free from your duties. Today is a day of celebration!" With her final statement, her hands were raised as a rare smile graced the woman's lips, moving like liquid towards the banquet table, and to one of her younger selkie tribe members; the one she had in fact sent on the mission in the first place.
"And to you I owe much of my gratitude, young one."
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:07 pm
Once more, Aeya's thoughts traveled back to that night that seemed so long ago, back home on the ice flows. The elder selkies of her clan had gathered together, combining their great wisdom that had long guided their tribes through the generations. They had received word from the mermaids who ventured north during the warmer times to trade that their sister clans to the south in the warm waters were dieing out, running out of food because of the pollution from the humans in their waters. This news greatly troubled the elders, who stayed in thier private cave around the fire for days, debating on what to do.
It was hunting season, a time for the clan to collect fish and store them deep in the underground caves that their clan stayed in during the more inhospitable months when the waters all froze over. It was a safe haven from hunters and humans, and they needed to stock on food. So the Elders debated, and decided that they could spare but one warrior to venture forth before the waters froze over. That warrior was Aeya. She was young, yes, but had a firey spirit, something that was rare among the calm ice-like selkies of the north. She was also a great hunter, strong and valient, willing to put her life on the line for her clan's safety. She was also smart, and may be able to help change their sister tribe's predicament, if not, pursuade them to venture north with her, away from the troublesome humans.
Now Aeya had been swimming for weeks, stopping on different islands, amazed as the waters became warmer. The young white seal with flecks of black along her thick hide met a few mer, who helped to point her in the right direction, and soon she came within only a day's swim of the sister tribe's island. Unfortunately, along the way a terrible storm hit. She was touseled about in the waves, barely managing to keep herself from drowning. Aeya wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but when she woke, she was sprawled on a rocky shore, her entire body aching, cut and bleeding.
Now, thinking back to the lovely caves of her homeland, the small seal gave a shudder and her skin seemed to split and peel, folding in on itself as it morphed and molded, pale arms and legs stretching out of the white fur that twisted around and became a short white furred dress arm bands and foot wraps, all bound by a black furred rope to the young girl's slim form. Her body was that of a pre-teen, just entering the age where her body began changing into a woman. Large shimmering gray eyes reflected the waves that she was born on and silky smooth straight black hair hung down over her frame to her knees, two strands on either side of her face bound with hand-made red beads. Her pale skin was white as snow was darkened by several dark purple bruises and swollen red cuts that stung with sand and salt-water.
"This ez definate-ly a set bach." She muttered to herself in a thick accent, limping wearily up away from the rocks and waves. She sat down in the grass and carefully examined herself with slender fingers, finding only scrapes and bruises, but nothing broken. She sighed and closed her storm grey eyes, "Thanks be to theh moth'r of theh seaz." She said, grateful to be alive. Now she would have to search this island for any hint of her trail that she had lost. Though she didn't know it, she was on the opposite side of the small isle where the sailor's ship was wrecked and the selkie clan that she had been searching for awaited.
Rolling over, Aeya pushed herself up, swayed, then collapsed, hair pooling about her in a black curtain as she uttered a soft groan. "Zo ti'red." She muttered, whimpering as she curled up and held herself, her wounds hurting. How the young selkie longed for the soft touch of her sisters, their smooth calming words that always seemed to help her to feel better. In her exaustion, Aeya caved in to sleep, letting the numbing blanket cover her small form, face hidden underneath slim arms and the mass of black locks.
((by the way, if no one finds her, I can send Corbin my mer. He's hanging around the island))
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:48 am
Free day as it was, Thamina decided that she would go to the shore and spy on the sailors that had come so suddenly to their lands. She came to the beach and wrapped her skin carefully around her as she cleared the water. Step after step she made her way onto land and she found a surprise. A small girl, clearly a selkie from a distant land, lay on the beach hurt. Thamina, being a healer for her tribe, rushed to the girl's side and gently touched her, moved her so she could better see any wounds the girl had. It would take effort to heal the girl but she would try. Even if the girl was knocked out the elder selkie murmured soothing things as she worked at healing her.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:49 pm
Aeya's curtain of hair pooled around her as she was turned over, head lolling to the side. Her breathing was shallow and raspy, and the wounds were stark contrast against her white skin. She uttered a soft moan through chapped lips, swallowing thickly as the soft echoing voice filtered through to her subconsciousness, easing her troubled mind into a soothing calm. The cool healing energies washed through her body like water, closing the gashes and healing the bruises. The young woman rocked her head back and forth slightly as if to shake off the darkness that pressed down around her, and worked for several long moments to pry open her heavy eye lids.
Finally, soft grey orbs opened and she was staring up at a beautiful woman, another selkie, she realized. A small smile claimed her lips, "Ah made eet?" She croaked, her throat dry and voice cracked. Her slim fingers reached up and lightly touched the healer's leg, making her realize how real and solid the older selkie was. "Es thees theh Zelkie Issland?" She asked weakly.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:22 pm
Tracey was very impressed by the feast laid out for his crew, he had led them to join the Selkie because he could not afford to insult them again nor did he want to pass up the meal. Dressed in his best, an air of command around him inspired by how he carried himself. There had been a very strict command not to harass or engage in any activities with the women of the island. They were allowed to be polite but under no circumstances should they attempt to get fresh with the ladies or encourage the same behavior from them. Tracey did not want to deal with what problems that would cause.
Stoic as always, his face betrayed nothing as he gave a slight bow to the Queen.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:29 pm
Juliart's face showed her awe, and it took a lot to keep her mouth from hanging open. She had washed and brushed her hair, braiding it back in two neat strands on either side of her head and joining them together in the back with a third braid. She wore her best shirt and pants and her light boots, and had left behind her metal plated gloves, cleaning her fingernails vigorously and trimming them down. She knew that she didn't even compare to the beauty of the selkies around her, but at least she was presentable and clean, well, besides the light purple bruise still left on her right cheek from her training session with Jerred, but it was mostly faded. She bowed respectfully to the selkie queen, her mouth nearly falling off it's hinges at the throne and the simply breath taking affect that it had. Juliart felt a pang of her own simple appearance, but pushed the horrid female emotion to the back of her mind. She shouldn't be thinking of anything like that.
Then the smell of the food hit her and she took her seat, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked at the food. "Et looks amazin'! 'Ve never 'ad such a meal since the Midsummer Festival back 'ome, an even tha' isn't so pretty."
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:57 pm
Tracey glanced every once in a while at Juli. How could he not? She looked lovely. He wasn't all that impressed by the Selkies's beauty, it was in the eyes of the beholder and he honestly thought she was out shining them. Growing up in an extremely poor area of Ireland, he had a very different view of beauty, it wasn't all regal and finery. It was the more simple that had the biggest affect for him.
Not to deny that the Queen and her people were beautiful, he just had a different woman on his mind. Quite a few actually, as unfair as it probably was, Tia was still on his mind for the most beautiful woman ever. Annabelle was also lovelier in his mind and Juli was amongst these women but not ahead of them. After so long without them, he had idolized them, making them more than they were as living women. Competing with ghost was never a fair competition.
He kept that to himself, moving onto business as it were. "We are honored to be here at this feast." The meal looked wonderful, certainly it would help to refuel his crew for their upcoming departure and continued chase of the devil, the red-eyed man.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:10 pm
Juliart was unsure of where to begin. She had never dined with royalty...let alone any great creatures such as the selkies. She didn't really know how to act, and really didn't want to insult their hosts by doing something wrong, so she sat awkwardly in her chair, hands folded in her lap. She glanced over at Tracey, catching one of those moments when he had been looking at her, and blushed, wondering if she was doing something wrong...she waited to see what others did or for some directions was given.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:49 pm
Thamina looked at the young girl and nodded. "This is Selkie Island. What are you doing here little one? It is dangerous to travel the seas alone." She asked as she still worked on healing Aeya. "Never mind that last question for now. Rest and soon I will have you good as new." She gave the younger girl a reassuring smile.
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Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:01 am
The storm gray eyes seemed to light up as Aeya was reminded over her duty. "Ah 'm Aeya an 'ave trav'eled far fr'm zeh north'rn tribes." She said softly, though her eyes drifted shut with weariness once more, "Ah need to speek to zeh Queen..." Her last words were murmered as she drifted into a light sleep, almost curling up against Thamina, hungry for that personal contact that she had missed since leaving home.
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Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:19 pm
The elder selkie held the new comer close to her in a motherly way. Aeya had come such a long way and obviously been through much. It would have been cruel not to hold her close and comfort her now that she was among her own kind again. Passing her hands over the last of the girl's wounds made them all but disappear. She would be able to see the queen when she woke and Thamina would take her to see the queen herself. For now though the brown selkie picked up the girl tenderly in her arms and carried her towards where her queen and people were feasting with the sailors.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:42 pm
Standing not far from her queen, Aoide inclined her head as she spoke, taking in each word with a small smile of pleasure. A day of celebration, eh? To be free of their duties, even if only for today, would be both pleasant and helpful. Though she refused to admit it, her leg still ached from where the spear had wounded her earlier. If her queen had not announced that they were free to do as they wished today, however, Aoide still would have done whatever duties were given to her. Her loyalty and dedication to the Selkies beloved queen would not falter.
Having not heard Ali'Kai approach, fer dark eyes widened in surprise as she was addressed. Hastily drawing back, she lowered herself in a deep bow, embarassed and flustered. "I-it was nothing, my lady. I merely followed the orders you gave me."
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:08 pm
Giving a nod of her own to Tracey, the selkie woman found it impressive that the man kept such a tight reign on his crew so as to not insult her or her tribe. It was now that she saw another member arrive. A female, no less, her eyes showing sympathy for the girl. She seemed to try so hard to be a beauty, that she didn't let her own soft features show through. Ali'Kai, however, nearly laughed, as terrible as it was. She'd never seen a human gape at her throne before, and found it somewhat adorable.
"I know not your name, brave maiden," she told Juliart, a warm, even borderlining kind, smile gracing her face. With this, she approached her, moving behind with the fluidness of the seals, and the grace that came with the status she had been bred to use. Hands moved up to unravel part of her braid, leaving the point in which the braid became a third, a shell procured from a pouch beneath her pelt. "But do not be so nervous." This gesture was a rare thing for the queen; probably just as rare as it was for females to be working as crew members. A turn to Tracey, and the queen nodded once more to his compliment.
"As we are honored to hold it."
To Aoide, the queen gave a softened look. A look that spoke of pride. "It was because of your bravery we were able to survive, Aoide. I owe you my thanks, at the very least."
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:49 pm
As Thamina entered the feasting chamber holding the small girl she looked at all the sailors before looking to her queen. "Your majesty." She walked over to her ruler and moved the child in her arms slightly. "I found her on the beaches. She said she came to speak with you. Shall I place her in a room until she wakes?"
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