superjars
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Where in the universe...
by Hallie Slidepath and Eukara Vox
Eukara awoke, the grit of sand stinging her face and arms. Apparently, falling face first into a beach created discomforts later on. Sitting up, slowly, for she was very sore, Eukara looked around to study her new surroundings. The sands were nearly blinding, they were so white. She blinked several times, her eyes having trouble focusing over the glare of the beach's beauty. She looked left, then right, and was astounded at how vast the beach seemed. It was as if there was no end to the expanse.
Before her, the water lapped against the sand, which was now interspersed with the blackest of rocks. The water swirled around and through the rocks, constantly shifting and reshifting the sands around them. The contrast was so dramatic that Eukara rose from her spot on the beach and walked towards them, if only to see this mixture of oddities. Stepping carefully, she walked into the waters, the cold liquid tugging at her feet. Once she got far enough out that wading would be difficult, she climbed up onto one of the jutting rocks and examined the waters below.
A short ways out, it seemed the beach dropped off into a deeper, darker water. Tall stalks of a seaweed-type plant swayed in the current, almost hypnotically. As she watched, small schools of fish darted in and out of the underwater forest. The silvery ones reflected the sunlight, tiny blinding flashes in the water. Blue and green fish swam circles around each other as they zipped near the surface. Deeper down, the hazy silhouettes of grey and white fish swam slowly around the base of the seaweed stalks.
* * *
She had spent the past two days wandering the dark forests of the coastline, but it was time to return now; she knew that she couldn't stay away for much longer. Walking the paths only she knew, climbing the cliffs and reaching higher than anyone had done before would usually help her with finding answers, but this time she had none. The main reason that she couldn't find an answer was probably because she couldn't see the problem to begin with. However, the parents of the young man had asked for her guidance, and she felt she could do nothing but at least try to help.
Hallie stared down at her feet; her boots were covered with mud and torn by the unfriendly vines of the forest. She decided to climb down the cliffs to the shore and walk the last miles to the town from there. No matter how much she disliked sand, the thought of trading the struggle through the thorn-covered branches and thick shrubberies for an easy walk on the beach lightened her mood significantly. The wind swept through the dark-green crowns above her, making the leaves rustle in the wind. Listening to the sounds the breeze carried with it, she heard the sound of waves come crashing down on the shore, and that was all she needed. Quickly, she changed her direction and started walking towards the sound of the sea, longing to see its ever-changing depths again.
It did not take long for her to reach the point where the forest abruptly came to a halt, allowing the cliffs to take its place. These majestically reached up from the sea down below, up towards the sky and the stars. The cliffs were bright where they faced the dark waves below, and the stone, still being young, was sharp and porous beneath the hardened blackberry-vines that fell towards the wild waters below. Hallie reached down, looking closely at the stone, and smiled as she noticed the small, purple orchids that peeked through the cracks of the stone; blooming with bright colours no matter how much the storms have raged by.
Careful not to step on the flowers, she made sure that she had a good grip with her hands before starting to climb down the steep walls. She knew that she'd not only have to climb down, but also sideways for several meters before reaching the beach, but having done this more times than she could possibly remember, it was no challenge to her.
Once she reached the familiar, and disliked, feeling of sand beneath her feet, she took a deep breath before welcoming the view of the vast beach. She noticed at once that something was different, though. Far ahead, barely more than a shadow, sitting on a rock a few feet away from the shore, was another human. Hallie sighed to calm herself; it wouldn't be impossible for other humans to be out here as quite a few lived on the island. However, at this time of the year, and this far away from the village, it was definitely a rarity. She took a few steps in the direction of the person, knowing that whether she wanted to or not, would have to walk past them in order to get back to town. After she had walked for a minute or so at a steady pace, she paused again; this was definitely a stranger. She knew the townspeople and the other inhabitants of the island well enough to recognize most of them by now, but this person had nothing familiar about them.
She tried to think through her options quickly: she could go back and climb the cliffs again, taking the paths of the forest back to town. It was likely that the person would spot her though and in case it was in need of help, it would feel wrong to walk the other way.
Hesitantly, she started walking in the direction of the stranger again, remembering her manners and duties; she hoped that whoever this was, they wouldn't be too rude or hostile.
* * *
Eukara watched the jellyfish float lazily across the surface. The whole time she sat there, it was quiet. Her thoughts undisturbed, she tried to figure out why it was she landed here in the first place... and just where was "here." She hadn't activated the portal... so just how did she get on a white sands beach in the middle of nowhere? All she remembered was reading about Terran seas and wanting to be there.
No... She hadn't wanted to be there, she had wished it! She wished it... but this kind of thing had never happened before. So, why did it happen now? As she turned this over in her mind, the sound of someone approaching, though subtle, tickled her ears. She sat very still, not wanting to pose as anything but an innocent, lost bystander. She slowly turned around, keeping her balance on the rock. Last thing she needed was to fall off of it and into the water below.
She focused on the young woman walking towards her. She was quite beautiful, and obviously a native here. She walked with a certain grace, an assuredness that Eukara recognised immediately. This woman wasn't just some lady on the island, she was someone special here. Calmly, Eukara raised her hand and waved, hoping this was a sign of friendliness wherever she was.
* * *
Hallie saw the stranger turning towards her; as the act was slow and gentle, the movement didn't scare her. The person out on the rock was a woman, and as Hallie looked at her, she felt both confused and relieved. The woman didn't seem hurt, nor were her clothes very wet, so a shipwreck seemed unlikely. The woman's clothes however, were covered in sand, as if she'd slept on the ground or taken a fall recently. Her eyes were intense, but not without confusion in them. The more she looked at the woman, the more it was obvious to Hallie that she was not from anywhere near the islands. She did her best to hide away her own shyness, and after years of training it was quite easy by now. She took a few more steps, not letting her eyes off the stranger, raised her hand and waved back.
"Well met," Hallie said, noticing her voice sounding quite hoarse after two days of complete silence. She coughed once and then smiled again. "My name is Hallie Slidepath. I can't help but notice that you don't seem to be from around here... and I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you hurt?"
Eukara smiled and laughed quietly. "You are very correct, Hallie, I am not from around here... I am not even sure where 'here' is." She turned around completely, so that she was facing Hallie. She looked down and dusted herself off more. "I am not hurt, though I guess confused is more appropriate. I am Eukara Vox. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Hallie sighed a little; as she was now convinced the stranger was not an enemy of any kind, she felt a little more relaxed. Not that it was very likely to meet someone who would wish to harm her, but with strangers, you could never be certain. She looked at Eukara, really seeing her now for the first time. She was quite beautiful, and quite perplexing as Hallie has never seen someone on these islands like her before; her strawberry-blonde hair was waving in the wind, and her green eyes were curiously studying both the surroundings and Hallie. She was wearing clothes of a kind Hallie has never seen before; her shirt was dark green with a large dragonfly across the chest, the creature sparkling in silver. Around the large dragonfly several others, smaller, were spread out on the shirt. The pattern of dragonflies continued down on the pants; being in a dark brown color, the winged creatures contrasted even more with this background. It took almost all her willpower when she noticed it; when looking at them for enough time, it looked as if the dragonflies were constantly moving, slowly, on the fabric, which made her want to do nothing but shy away.
Eukara, however, seemed to be trustworthy, and Hallie stayed where she was, deciding that this was a person she could trust.
"This is the Island of Sannleikur," Hallie said, making a gesture with her left arm towards the vast beach stretching out on both sides of them, and the cliffs and forest behind. "It's part of a group of seven islands; the group is called Stiernpasset. We're quite far up north, and this time of the year, it's very rare to find strangers here... especially far out of town. The few we have here at the moment are all staying at the inn. I hope you don't think it's rude of me to ask, but how did you get here, if you're not even aware of where you are?"
She felt herself blushing a little when asking the question, as it somehow seemed like a personal question. It had to be asked nonetheless, she knew that, so she tried to ignore the feeling of her face getting a little warmer.
* * *
Sighing quite audibly, Eukara hopped off the rock and walked towards Hallie.
As she got a better look at the young woman, she saw that her dark beauty was a strange contrast to the beach. Dark hair, almost unruly, blew in the wind, the colors shifting. That intrigued Eukara. Her dark eyes, yet pale skin were a perfect contrast. The clothing style reminded her of another time period on a planet not too far from the one she was born to. It was a very fitting lineup. Thick leggings, white shirt with a dark red jacket... and her boots. Eukara wasn't a shoe person, per se, but she found those boots quite attractive.
"Well, as to how I got here to... Sannleikur; well, that is a funny story, perhaps?" Her smile was unsure, as if she herself was still trying to figure things out. "I wished to be in a picture, quite absentmindedly, and I woke up face-first on your lovely white beach."
Hallie could do nothing but stare now; she once again glanced at the moving dragonflies on the fabric of Eukara's clothes and then back at her face. "That sounds like..." she cleared her throat once before being able to continue, "magic?" The last word was faint, as a statement of both caution and disbelief.
"Well, my magic hasn't been the strongest in my group, but recent events have made it a bit stronger. I have never, though, been able to manipulate reality to do this." Her eyes betrayed nothing but consternation, as if what she spoke of would be frustrating to anyone.
Hallie cleared her throat once again, and then nodded once, as if agreeing to something quite unknown to the world outside of her thoughts. "I see," she said slowly, glancing across the beach. "Well, I can't remain here; even though I wish they could do without me, they'll be missing me at the town by now. I'd hate leaving you out here; if you don't have any valid currency with you, I could gladly talk to the inn-keeper on your behalf. I'm quite sure he wouldn't refuse. He's a kind old man, and he still believes in the old ways; he wouldn't refuse anything if I asked him."
She sighed quietly and could feel the helpless smile play on her lips as she blinked towards the wind before continuing. "Once you have a room, I'd be delighted to invite you for dinner. I think there might be many stories for us to tell each other. Besides, even if there isn't, I can assure you that my cooking skills are bad enough for us to make conversation about; my guests usually think it's quite entertaining trying to figure out what the burned, unidentifiable items at the bottom of the soup bowl are."
Eukara nodded, still smiling. "That sounds wonderful. I have no idea how long I will be here. In my experience, when I appear somewhere... not expected, there is a reason for it. So, if history continues, this should be a wonderful time here." Respectfully, she moved to step beside Hallie. "Lead on!"
Hallie nodded once again, and the smile didn't leave her lips entirely as she started walking. "The walk to town usually takes three hours or so, but I suspect that we have a storm, or at least rain coming towards us. The wind keeps getting stronger, and the dark clouds in the horizon doesn't seem entirely friendly to me. I have equipment to handle it, but I suspect that you don't, so I suggest that we hurry a little."
Looking at the sky, Eukara realised that Hallie spoke the truth. "I must have been really sidetracked watching the ocean to not notice that! I am all for moving fast. I was an athlete once upon a time, so this won't be a bother. I just may not be dressed for it, but I will deal with that later." Watching Hallie for any indication on how fast to move, Eukara attempted to stay next to her.
"Good, then let's go." After speaking the words, Hallie quickly picked up her usual pace, glancing at Eukara now and then to make sure that she was able to keep up and after each glance, she wondered why she was even bothering, as it was pretty obvious that keeping up wasn't going to be a problem for her.
* * *
Wandering the beach and wandering the forest are two very different things. At the beach, you'll always have the sea by your side, the waves rolling in or crashing down against the shore, the sounds of the sea never leaving, and the wind more or less constantly coming at you from one side or the other. In the forest, there will be new things at all sides, all the time. Most people consider the forest more interesting than the sea... Hallie found herself almost being annoyed at her own thoughts. Admittedly, the beach could, to an untrained eye, seem vast, dull and quite empty. Well, it was quite vast, but it was just as alive as the forest, maybe even more, and it was just as beautiful. She sighed peacefully when looking at the banks of sand stretching out ahead of them; once attached to the sea, you can never, ever leave it.
Suddenly the familiar shape appeared in the horizon, nothing more than a silhouette; the sea, already raging in the first caress of the storm, was throwing itself against the scrawny shape. The dock has been here, at the outskirts of the town for centuries; all the townspeople knew that once you've spotted it, you're not far from home. As they got closer to the dock, Hallie noticed what she had feared might be there: he's still nothing but a faint shadow, but even from this distance she could tell who he was. Standing with water up to his waist, he could easily be mistaken for one of the rocks.
For a second, she stopped short in her tracks and stared at the young man ahead of them. She then shook her head and couldn't help but to whisper a curse under her breath, before once again picking up the steady pace. "We're very close to town now; this dock is just outside of it. It seems like we're very likely to be indoors before the storm breaks loose." She turned a little towards Eukara while speaking, hoping to distract her a little from her behavior.
Eukara blinked, but Hallie's question turned her thoughts. "Indoors will be just fine, Hallie, really. Your island has a lot of charm. The forests are beautiful, though the sea holds my attention the most. I saw some crazy looking fish in there... or maybe that was just water distortion. Anyway, we can have dinner while the rain comes down."
She looked at the dock as they passed it, smiling at its simple beauty. One could go fishing there and feel at peace. She turned her attention back to Hallie as they traveled towards town. Something told her that this will be one intriguing day.
* * *
"The grey one, to the left here, that's my house."
Hallie pulled her coat tighter around her as they walked through the town; most streets had been emptied by now, the citizens preparing for the storm ahead. Once at the door of the inn, both laughter and singing were possible to hear from inside, as well as the rank smell of day-old ale. Hallie took a few steps forward, opening the doors, and strode into the chaotic jolliness inside, walking straight to the counter. She stood silent there for a short while, not to take notice of her surroundings but to make sure Eukara was by her side before she turned to face the counter, which currently was empty.
"Mr Rodr?" she called, glancing at the steep stairs to the left of the counter. After almost a minute of waiting, she could hear the sound of steps rushing down the stairs.
"Smae, you don't have to rush like that for me," she added when the old man reached the counter, as she felt a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Anything for you, Princess!" Smae's answer was very formal, though there was a twinkle in his eyes, and on his lips, a smile was not far away.
Eukara blinked, then looked at Hallie. Princess... royalty?!
"How many times do I have to..." Hallie stopped short in the middle of her sentence, glancing at Eukara, then cleared her throat before continuing. "I have a guest today, Mr Rodr; she's from far away, and I would very much appreciate if you could arrange a room for her."
"But of course." It barely took a second for him to disappear down to the floor, searching the bottom drawers for - judging from the sound of it - keys. "I have a lovely room available. It's quite small, but it has a very nice view of the sea; if you're from far away, I'm sure you will appreciate it."
He reached across the counter, holding out the key toward Eukara. He then turned to Hallie, still smiling.
"Don't worry about payment, Princess; anything for you, that's the code." His smile seemed almost victorious as Hallie sighed in a tired manner.
"I am most thankful, Mr Rodr," she said though, nodding approvingly towards him, before glancing at Eukara.
Bowing slightly to Rodr, Eukara smiled. "My thanks for your consideration. The room sounds wonderful." Straightening up, she looked at Hallie.
"In other circumstances I'd encourage taking a walk to see the town, but due to the current weather I doubt that's the best thing to do right now. I have a few errands to run, and I think they wouldn't be of much interest to you; however, I'll be cooking dinner as soon as I'm done... I'd say dinner would be ready in about three hours. Do you think that you can find your way to my house by yourself?"
"Oh, yes, I am sure I can. In my profession, details are extremely important. Paying attention to everything is extremely essential." Eukara nodded, encouragingly.
Hallie nodded once again. "Good, then I'll be expecting you", she raised her hand to wave, and then started turning towards the door. "Well met Eukara, I'll see you soon."
With those words she turned fully, and disappeared out through the door and into the rain.
"Hmmm, well, I guess I better get crackin' on why I am here." Eukara took a table near the corner and ordered a fruit drink before settling in for an hour of observation. Then, rain or not, she would have a look around.
< Message edited by superjars -- 8/1/2010 2:54:55 >
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