Open Who Spies a Svefra? (Tranquil Port)

[Naia Seastar]

15th of Spring, 516 AV, Tranquil Port, Lhavit

It was a fine day upon the sea, with water above and water below. Naia grinned as a plume of saltwater splashed up from the bow as the little ship pitched up and down on the waves. She leaned on the tiller, bringing the prow port-ways to stay in the wind. The Night Wind, her pride and joy scudded along the waters, angling for the low clusters of buildings she could see on the horizon. She couldn't tell if it was a trick of the gloomy lighting or not, but there appeared to be a glow up in the horizon.

Another spray of sea-water splashed up, soaking her coat and hair. The chill sent her blood racing and she grinned. Now this was living. Wind ruffled through her hair, sending it fluttering forward in the wind, like some red pennant hanging from the mast.

Naia squinted into the horizon, trying to pick out other ships, but no luck. She could see nothing, nor any markings of the sea-depth below. She bit her lip and grabbed a rope, hauled on it, and reefed the sail. The little ship slowed, but still pitched wildly atop the sea. It would be good to get back into protected waters, even this close to the coast. The breeze picked up some more, carrying that mist with it, and Naia licked her lips. Sweet water, not salt. They were in for a touch of rain then. Hopefully not a storm before she reached the harbor.

She looked up into the rigging. The sails were taut and they sang in the wind and spray. Naia licked her held out her hands, feeling the wind. It was holding steady so far. She strode back up to the helm and gripped, legs spread wide for balance. Then she reconsidered and took up a length of rope, lashing it to the edge of the hull. That should hold her steady for a while.

Naia strode forward to the prow, enjoying the rise and fall of the deck this far forward and grabbed a rope, before leaning out across the prow as her clothes flapped madly in the wind. Then she leaned pulled herself back onto the deck, stepping smartly back and swaggering over to her fishing net.

Perhaps she could catch something out here. Probably not, but there was always a chance. Naia picked her way to the edge and gripped the handline in her right hand, looping it over her wrist. She waited until the ship dipped into the trough of a wave and then cast the net out, watching it spiral into the water. It splashed and sank.

The handline slid through her hand as the weights pulled the net into the water. Then she caught the knot at the end of the line and held it there for a few moments. Then she began hauling on the rope, leaning back with her body to pull it in, feeding the rope in hand, fibers rubbing against her hands. The rope chafed her hands raw and they began to sting from the salt water, but she ignored it.

There was nothing in the net. Naia tilted her head and frowned, but shrugged, and recoiled the net to throw again.

Her ship keeled suddenly and she staggered, grabbing a line to catch herself. The ship right again, pitching her back, and she ran back to the helm.The knot had come loose and knocked the tiller to the side.

"Barnacle-brain," Naia snapped, grabbing the tiller and pushing it back into place. She would have to work on her knots. No more fishing for a while, not until she reached the bay at least.

Its arms were already coming into view up ahead, nearly indiscernible from the clouds and coastline off to starboard. She paused and squinted, trying to get a better look at the city. Nothing yet, but it would come soon enough.

What would she find there? The city had an almost mythic quality to if, of a glowing city of magic and fabulous wealth with marvelous people. Her thoughts trailed off as the helm begin to shift again.

Naia leaned harder on it, pushing it to port, and the prow began to cut to starboard, pulling in closer to the shore. While she didn't know what prowled these shores, she also had no desire to tackle a stormy sea.

"Zulrav," She murmured, "Give me crisp winds so I might fly across these waves." She didn't know if he heard or not, but she loosed the sail some and she felt the speed pick up once more. Well, close enough to an answered prayer right?

A stab of lonliness caught in her chest and she caught her breath. If only her pod were with her, but they had been scattered in the Djed storm several years past, caught in the open ocean. It was shameful, but she had no choice, not since she had been driven out to sea and away from any of the Suvan pods she knew. Hopefully, she would find a pod in Lhavit.

But that would come later. First she had to arrive. Time passed easily then, with the wind at her back, white spray at her prow, and the blessings of fresh rain in her face. For that, she uttered another quick prayer, this time of thanks.

A while later, nearing midafternoon, she passed within the bay and stood, peering through the waters at the small fishing boats darting across. Naia grinned again. This was better. But who would she meet first?

[Naia Seastar]

Shapes darted among the drizzle that drifted across the bay beyond her prow, which dipped and swayed upon the waves. A splash of spray darted up across the deck, soaking the wood and sails, some even splashing up across her face. Naia licked her lips, tasting the salt momentarily before it switched to freshwater.

Praise Laviku for that. In no other way would it be possible for the Svefra to survive a life at sea. But she would be in Lhavit soon enough. She could see it now, in the distance. Towers upon mountains, all shrouded by clouds like giant specters striding upon the horizon. She reached up to grab a rope and dangled over the side, trailing her fingers through the water that surged off the sides of the boat.

Then the whole bay opened up to her. She could feel it all and she became a part of it all. She grinned. This was what it meant to be truly alive. Those land dwellers would never understand what they lacked by not being Laviku's chosen. There were abundant fish in the bay and she could feel the currents. One was not far off from her port bow, and the current led towards the docks. Naia pulled up on the rope and leaned back atop the deck, grabbing the tiller again. She leaned on it, listening to the wood and rope creak and grind together.

The prow began to slice through the waves, cutting across the waves, and Naia gripped the tiller more firmly as the small craft began to plunge up before crashing down across the waves. She could see it now, a slight change in the angle and movement of the waves. The ship dropped down into one more trough, throwing spray into the air.

She could feel it too, the current pulling the ship towards the docks in the distance. Pulling up a rope from the deck, Naia lashed the tiller to the rail again. This time more carefully, looping the rope around and feeding it through several times before pulling it tight. It seemed to hold this time.

Naia perched on the deck, bare feet gripping the wood beneath. Then she slipped forward, grabbing a rope on the sail and heaving back with her body. The massive piece of canvas began to roll closed. Immediately, the ship slowed in the water and Naia moved forwards again, this time to the bowsprit to look into the water.

Shapes gleamed in the water below, sleek and gray and fast. Dolphins! Naia laughed wildly then, a laugh as free and wild as the waves beside her. Soon, the pod burst from the ocean, spinning and leaping.

Naia looked back to the tiller and towards the approaching shore. She yearned to jump in with them, but with nobody else to man the helm, she would stay on deck. A few small sailing boats skidded over towards her and she raised her hand, waving wildly towards them. The sailors were just barely visible as they waved back.