9th of Winter, 514 AV
Today could be better.
The sun was taking its time as it rose higher and higher into the sky. Its warmth had been stolen by the winds and its light dulled by the clouds, but its presence was not unwelcomed. Winters in Syliras were not the worst by any means, but it did not negate the fact that they were harsh and bitter. Even now, in the late morning light, the world was filtered into somber grays. It turned the world dead. The bright, vibrant colors of the forest, the endless glimmering of the sea, all of it was deadened by Winter. The spectacle of life seemed to perish.
April didn't like it one bit. For one, it was depressing. Plus, cold weather meant bad weather, and bad weather meant she wouldn't be setting out for sea anytime soon. The water was her home, her mother, her father. Being away from it made her uneasy. It was for this reason that April could not will herself away from the docks. The farthest she could stand to go was the dockside pubs and shops which generally had equipment for fishing and sailing, both of which she didn't need. What she needed was something warm and fresh, neither of which seemed to be a standard for the shoddy harbor inns.
Her Tavan, Hawkins, seemed to share her displeasure as both of them lounged on their ship. He was better-suited to handle this weather. And seemed to be very smug about this fact. April sighed and took out a small slingshot before loading in a stone. She set her sights on an empty bottle perched carefully on one of the posts. Marksmanship was obviously not her strong suit, evident by the fact that her first shot went clear over the bottle and instead struck a moldy flower pot outside one of the shops. She loaded another. This one got closer, pinging off a metal pail somewhere down the docks. Another, just barely grazing the mast and plopping into the ocean.
Persistence was a virtue April honored. Another stone was loaded in and April took aim for a fourth time.
Today could be better.
The sun was taking its time as it rose higher and higher into the sky. Its warmth had been stolen by the winds and its light dulled by the clouds, but its presence was not unwelcomed. Winters in Syliras were not the worst by any means, but it did not negate the fact that they were harsh and bitter. Even now, in the late morning light, the world was filtered into somber grays. It turned the world dead. The bright, vibrant colors of the forest, the endless glimmering of the sea, all of it was deadened by Winter. The spectacle of life seemed to perish.
April didn't like it one bit. For one, it was depressing. Plus, cold weather meant bad weather, and bad weather meant she wouldn't be setting out for sea anytime soon. The water was her home, her mother, her father. Being away from it made her uneasy. It was for this reason that April could not will herself away from the docks. The farthest she could stand to go was the dockside pubs and shops which generally had equipment for fishing and sailing, both of which she didn't need. What she needed was something warm and fresh, neither of which seemed to be a standard for the shoddy harbor inns.
Her Tavan, Hawkins, seemed to share her displeasure as both of them lounged on their ship. He was better-suited to handle this weather. And seemed to be very smug about this fact. April sighed and took out a small slingshot before loading in a stone. She set her sights on an empty bottle perched carefully on one of the posts. Marksmanship was obviously not her strong suit, evident by the fact that her first shot went clear over the bottle and instead struck a moldy flower pot outside one of the shops. She loaded another. This one got closer, pinging off a metal pail somewhere down the docks. Another, just barely grazing the mast and plopping into the ocean.
Persistence was a virtue April honored. Another stone was loaded in and April took aim for a fourth time.
