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 Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 10:05 pm
 Mo smiled softly at the sleeping forms of his loved ones. All of them had had a busy night. The kids had spent some time with their cousins, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, while Luna and himself had a romantic evening to themselves. So romantic, in fact, that his smile broadened at the sight of the flower that was woven delicately into her mane. They would be married in time, but he was already proud to know that she was eternally his... and he hers...
Reluctantly, he slipped from the room. There were duties to be done, jobs to be dealt with and a rather important message to deliver. Somewhere behind him, the little orb of light Mo recognized as his Mellon drifted to follow.
For the most part, Mo ignored it. All it did was hover and float about. It rarely said anything and the one time it did, Mo could have sworn it spoke gibberish. "Bark woof woof!" was hardly a phrase he understood at all. But Mo humored the Mellon by allowing it to follow him around. It didn't seem to harm anything and it rarely got in the way...
Mo stopped by his old quarters which he now used as an office of sorts. Since Luna's quarters were considerably bigger and more spacious, it seemed only natural to move his sleeping quarters into her own. Especially now... But all the Fauns knew they could come to this room while he was awake and meet with him about various issues they needed resolved or questions they needed answered. Calling it an office seemed fitting.
While there, he gathered up a bag and some provisions. He had a long trip ahead of him, possibly a night or two of a stay near to the lake. He wanted to be prepared.
Once his bag was packed, he gathered his things and turned down the path towards the large double doors of Laisidhiel. His journey began and the sun hadn't even thought of rising yet... But Mo didn't care. This had to be done, and swiftly. Rais had rested this task in his capable hands. He had to be sure it was done, and quickly. Lives could possibly be at stake here...
He walked on... each step was a second in time, but seconds quickly turned to minutes and to what felt like hours. He reached the bridge in enough time to see the sun beginning to peek out over the horizon. He marveled at the sight for a brief moment before crossing the bridge and stopping to rest on the other side.
"At this rate, it'll take me several days to get to the lake..." he half-muttered, sighing deeply at the idea. His thoughts were interrupted by his Mellon running in circles around him. Well... floating, but looking as though it was bounding about on all four limbs around him in the process. Mo furrowed his brow and swatted a hand at it in annoyance. The Mellon merely frowned at him, wagged a finger at his face while barking and yipping in response before returning to the act of bounding in circles around him.
"I don't understand what you're saying!" he growled, though quickly slapped a hand over his lips in surprise. He growled?! Like, feral creature growled?! He shook his head. He'd never done that before! He then sighed, shrugging it off. Perhaps he should have slept in a bit today.
"Now you're gettin' the idea!" came an unfamiliar voice beside him. Mo jumped, turning to see no one, but his Mellon, of course. Strange... He'd never heard it talk before.
"So you CAN talk?!" he then asked it. His only response was a giggle and a shrug. The Mellon then twirled and giggled again.
"I could always talk, you just didn't know how to listen!" it snerked back. Mo just shook his head. Now it was speaking gibberish again. It sounded like English, but the statement made just as much sense as the barking did.
He sighed and rolled his eyes, swatting at it a bit before standing to continue his journey. He wobbled a bit on his feet and took a step-.......
....
.... - then promptly fell flat on his face.
"What the-...?!" He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees... or was it...
"PAWS?!?!"
Mo nearly panicked. He flung his head back and forth, panting heavily as he whimpered in distress... He... He was a... a DOG?!?! What the hell!!?! He couldn't remember getting shot at with an arrow, or stepping into some crazy Erote's potions again!
Or wait... was this just a delayed side effect of the potions he came into contact so long ago and he was only just now being effected by it?! That had to be the reason, but why now?! Why here and why now?!?!
"Faun! I'm a Faun!!" he continued to panic, but quickly grew surprised as he watched hands emerge from his paws and his body returned to normal....
His Mellon was now in a giggling fit. It rolled in the air, pointing and giggling then barking something under its breath.
"What did you just say?!" Mo demanded.
"Oh boy! That's the best! You're a natural! But watching you freak out over nothing is just hysterical!!" it laughed some more.
"How is turning into a DOG, NOTHING?!!?" he barked again. His Mellon froze, seeming stunned at being yelled at but quickly returned to its gigglefits. Once it calmed down, however, it managed to talk more.
"The Spirits have blessed you with a gift 'JustMo' of the Fauns..." it giggled a bit when it spoke Mo's name in such a way. It apparently liked that little nickname that Luna called him. "You've had that ability for a while, you've just only recently begun tapping into that power."
"What do you mean?! I've never turned into a dog before!" To say Mo was a little distressed was an understatement.
"Ah... but you heard the footfalls of many faunies long before the others did!" it started, pausing briefly before continuing. "I've also noticed that you've been able to... smell each individual and can sense them coming towards you before they even know you're aware of their presence."
Mo stared blankly at his Mellon a moment, seeming to be lost in that flip flop of wanting to believe and wanting to deny. "....... what?"
"Did you not notice how yesterday, when picking the fruits and stuff for your dinner with Luna, that you didn't have to bring the fruit right up to your face to see if they were ripe?!"
Mo blinked... "I did the squishy squishy test...." he defended, not quite yet ready to believe.
"Or what about that time you smelled rain coming before that big storm. There were very few clouds in the sky and you decided not to tell anyone because you were sure no one would believe you!"
"That idea came out of no where!! I had no idea it was going to rain because I smelled it, I just had a lucky guess!!"
"But you smelled it! I heard you!" the Mellon struck a pose to over-exaggerate a Mo mimic. "Hmm! It smells like rain!" it snerked then returned to it's normally floating self. "Does that not sound familiar?"
Mo glared at it. "Well, fine. So I have really good hearing and an even better sense of smell! That doesn't prove anything!"
"But it does, Mo.... I mean, look at yourself...."
Mo looked down and groaned. He was a dog again. Great... how was he going to tell Luna... or better... Rais.... He whimpered and flopped where he stood, curling the short tail around his haunches. Of all the things that could happen... of all the Faun there were for it to happen to... Why a Dog? And why him?!
"Besides..." his Mellon began again after a moment, floating down to be eye-level with him. "I can only talk in barks, woofs and yips. The fact that you can understand me at all should be proof enough..."
Mo's head drooped more and his ears rolled back further. Oh man... this was a disaster....
"Oh! I know something that will cheer you up!" his Mellon giggled and flittered off, disappearing into the trees a bit before returning with a stick.
"You have... a stick..." he sulked. "What does a stick have to do with--...."
The Mellon began waving the stick. The action alone was enough to divert any canine from whatever thought it may be having. His Mellon giggled and rolled it's eyes. Too easy... It then reared back it's arm and flung the stick far down the path they were to head down. In a flash, Mo spun in the dirt and sprinted for the stick! It was in motion! Instincts told him to chase it! Catch it! Bring it Back! His legs and jaws did all the motions with very little thought and before Mo knew it, he managed to claim the stick.
He skidded to a halt and spat the stick out, making strange grossed-out noises in the process. "What the hell?! That was completely bizarre AND out of line!!" he barked, turning to snarl at his Mellon who merely giggled more and tumbled in the air in its joyous fit.
"Perhaps it was!" it admitted, but then pointed down the path towards the bridge where they had come. "But look how far you got in just a short amount of time!"
Mo couldn't argue with that one... and to make things better, he wasn't exactly winded yet... He sighed deeply. "Fine... but you're going to help me change back once we get to the lake... I don't think the Naiads will appreciate me barking at them...
His Mellon giggled and shrugged. "Fair enough! Lead the way!"
Mo glared at the little sprite then sighed, looking at his paws for a moment before looking back down the path. He took a few slow steps then sped up slowly. It was one thing to break out in a run based on instinct... it was another to be aware that he was moving at all. He seemed to do well enough though, and eventually he was running again.
--------
The rest of the trip was rather uneventful. Mo kept silent and to himself, running as fast as he could to make the trip go by faster and stopping periodically to catch his breath or drink from a stream.
They came upon the lake in the late evening and Mo flopped into the sand. He panted a moment and waited for his Mellon to catch up. The sun had yet to set, but it wouldn't be long... Mo had figured it would be best to rest on the sands tonight and return home in the morning.
"Ok. So how do I become me again?" he asked once the Mellon had come into his view.
"You just... do?" it stated simply with a shrug. He didn't know the specifics, just the generic details.
Mo began to growl in irritation.
"No need to get hostile with me, jeesh!" his Mellon flopped into a sit on Mo's back. "How'd you change back before?"
"I... What?! I don't know! It just happened!"
"But you said something... 'Faun! I'm a Faun!' I think it was." his Mellon, tapped its chin. "Maybe you just have to picture yourself as yourself?"
Mo growled, but calmed himself enough to imagine himself as a Faun. He then hesitantly opened his eyes to thankfully see himself on his hands and knees in the sand. "Oh thank the Spirits..." he murmured under his breath and stood, dusting off his knees and palms.
He composed of himself rather quickly, focusing his thoughts to the task at hand. Worrying about something silly like how to tell your Chief that you can now effectively chased after sticks and other thrown objects with excitement and ease would just have to wait.
Mo approached the water's edge and took a deep breath. His hoof barely tapped the water and he stepped back, waiting to see if he could spot any movement near the water's surface... He recalled the Naiads being relatively sensitive to any sort of change or shift in the water's surface, clearly that meant that he just literally knocked on their door or something... right?
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Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:28 pm
 "Now, if you start getting tired, we're going right back, do you hear me, Mister?""Yes, ma'am," Turin agreed, rolling his eyes with a slight smile at the stern look he received from his daughter. He was a bad patient and he knew it. Still, he couldn't keep caged up in that infirmary forever; he was losing his mind. Besides, if he was going to get his strength back, he had to do something more than lay around and sleep. A simple swim wasn't going to kill him. He'd already made a good run at that and failed, so this alone certainly wouldn't do it.
Noting that she was still glaring at him, Turin sighed, shaking his head. "I'm alright, I swear. Can we just have a nice time out of that damn room for a while?"Moana's glare softened only slightly, concern swiftly taking its place. "It's just...when you got back...when they brought you in..." she hesitated, the memory clear as if it was happening before her again. She shook her head, ponytail swishing in the current. She'd never seen her father in such a weak, vulnerable state before.
It had been terrifying.
And the burden had been placed on her shoulders to help him, despite the shock.The sight of the painful memories playing over her face created a sudden pain in the Naiad captain's chest that had nothing to do with his injuries, prompting Turin to swim closer. "Oh, honey...I'm so sorry. I can never apologize enough for that," he muttered, placing his hands gently on his daughter's shoulders. He touched his forehead to hers and waited until she looked back up at him to pull away. "I'll keep trying though. I know it was scary...and I wish I hadn't needed to do that to you. But, you're the best damn healer I know. I knew if anyone was going to help me, it'd be my baby girl. And here I am. Alive and well," he finished, giving her his best attempt at a smile.While she tried to return his smile weakly, Moana's eyes drifted unbidden towards the extensive scarring that marred her father's torso. Her healing abilities had helped his injuries and possibly saved his life...but they'd done nothing for the scars that he now bore. A permanent, visual reminder of what could have happened.
'Could have, but didn't,' she forcefully reminded herself.Still frowning when she didn't respond, Turin added, "I just want to have a little time out here, with you, okay? Let's try to keep it light, hmm? Nothing's going to happen. And if it did, I trust in your healing hands."Though she knew the comment was meant to provide reassurance, Moana only felt increasingly uncomfortable with the topic. Antsy, almost. Like...she just needed a minute alone to collect herself. Ugh, why was this so hard to cope with? Her father was fine now! Or...would be, at least. And yet, it took so little time for something so devastating to happen. Or worse, she thought, mind drifting back to the party she'd slipped out for to try and improve her mood before...
She still hadn't told her father about any of that.
A dark shape moving above the water on the shore caught her attention, and she realized the observant Captain had already noticed before she. "Is...is that a Faun?"Turin frowned, mostly curious, but wary as always. It came with his line of work, let alone experience. "Seems to be." He watched as the shape touched his hoof to the water, then withdrew, still standing on the shore. Odd. Okay, likely not taking a swim then. So, what could he be doing there?Moana watched curiously as well, the urge to slip away for a moment nagging at her as an excuse. "I'll take a look. You stay here," she quipped, darting off before her father could object. While her last adventure on land had given her more than good reason to be wary of the Pae'il there, she had admit, the concern of one Faun at least spoke well for his kind. Besides, she just needed a minute away from her father to calm the turbulent emotions that her memories had stirred up.
The mottled, bright pink Naiad surfaced without much show, simply rising from the water to her shoulders and peering at the Faun on the shore curiously. She blinked at him for a moment. No, not Terran. Still, he seemed to be waiting for something. Expecting something. Interesting.
Finally, tilting hear head curiously, she decided she wouldn't learn anything more by staring at him.
"Hello?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:50 pm
Though it was mere seconds... at most, minutes, before Mo got a response, he began to wonder if the Naiads were doing well. His anticipation to complete his task and get back home only made things seem like forever and the feeling of time being lost made him worry.
Of course, he had no idea as of yet to believe the Naiads had been harmed in any way, but that didn't stop him from thinking something bad may have happened...
He let out a sigh of relief however, thankful to see a soft ripple and a pink Naiad form peek over the surface. 'Come down, Mo... You're freaking out way too quickly.'
Her sweet voice calling "Hello?" to him, brought him back to his senses, to the reason he came here to begin with.
He bowed softly and moved along the shore until he was sure he was at his closest with the Naiad present.
"Hello. I'm Mo, Adviser to the Chief of Fauns in Laisidhiel. I have an urgent message and inquiry for your Queen or Counsel. Do I, perhaps, have the honor of speaking to any of those mentioned individuals?" he smiled warmly. His goal was to not seem threatening in anyway. He wasn't even holding his hatchet. In fact, it was tied to his hip at the moment, still following him in his duties and never leaving his side, yet in a place that would prove troublesome to attempt to free in a skinny minute.
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Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:36 pm
Moana listened to the Faun's introduction with interest, up until he asked his question. Not that the Faun would likely notice given her coloring, but she blushed warmly at the implication. "Oh, no no no no," she stammered, smiling and a bit flattered. She'd been mistaken for possible royalty! Eee!
Composure, Moana. You pretty much just confirmed that you're not any kind of royalty, even if you hadn't said anything.
"I mean...I'm no one quite so important," she offered in a much more subdued tone than she actually felt. "Just a lady of the court," she answered, though even that admission she wore with a badge of pride.
Turin bit out a curse as his daughter spun and darted off like a minnow, gone before he could react. Dammit, Moana! What if the intruder was dangerous?!? Nevermind that he'd received no warnings of such...he could still be more out of it than he thought. The Naiad Captain was quick to pursue...but perhaps not as quick as he would normally have been.
When he surfaced, he looked quickly between his daughter and the Faun on the shore. No immediate signs of danger. "Moana. What in the Waters was that about?" he asked in a clipped, no-nonsense tone.
The female Naiad seemed to brush this off with a smile, though inside she cringed a bit. Okay, yeah, daddy wasn't happy. Still, she kept a calm expression for the visitor. "You're in luck though, sir." To her father, she added, "Daddy, this is Mo, a representative of the Fauns here to speak to you and the rest of the Court!" She hesitated a bit now, curbing her enthusiasm and shying a bit. "Err...I mean...Captain, sir."
Turin stared, making a point without words that they would talk about this later, nevermind the lack of court protocol. Then, he shook his head slightly and glided to place himself in front of her, between his daughter and the Faun. He adopted a formal stance; though he had to look up to meet the Faun's gaze, his newly-scarred chest was thrust foward proudly. He had the passing thought that maybe this wasn't so bad...made him look tougher, to contrast his coloring. Heh.
"Turin, Captain of the Queen's Guard," he offered to the Faun, his hands behind his back in a military 'at-ease' stance. "It is a relief to have some formal communication with the Faun at last," he offered politely. "Please, sir, tell me what business do you bring on this calm night?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 4:03 pm
Mo chuckled and shrugged. He'd have assumed regardless. All Naiads looked the same to him. Scaled heads above water... nothing more. He'd yet to fully witness a Naiad out of water, more so than below the shoulders.
When another surfaced, he merely blinked. Then he blinked again as this one pushed himself to appear taller and displaying some intriguing battle wounds... Perhaps life under the water wasn't as safe as Mo had hoped? This sent a twinge of worry through him. What all were the Naiads experiencing amidst all this commotion and what not?
In any case, the Captain's words brought him swiftly from his troubled thoughts. Those questions might have to wait until later.
"It is a relief to have some formal communication with the Faun at last,"
This comment alone sent a silent sigh of relief through Mo. A part of him was worried the Naiads might even be hostile towards him. He was forever thankful to his following spirits that this was not the case. He smiled warmly and nodded to the statement.
"I can honestly say the same about the Naiads as well, Sir." he stated humbly then bowed.
"As your.... fellow in arms..." he cleverly gestured to Moana, "... so nicely introduced, I'm Mo, Advisor to Chief Rais of the Fauns. I am here today because he wishes to set up a meeting and speak to your court about necessary matters. He has suggested that we agree to meet at the Sacred Meeting Grounds not too far from here. If that can be agreed upon, then he humbly urges that we should meet at the earliest convenience."
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:03 pm
Turin considered the faun's words carefully before answering. Truly, this meeting was likely well overdue. There had been a number of strange circumstances as of late and though the Naiad may be wary of land Pae in general, according to Tua, the Queen's aquatl advisor, these Faun were supposed to be their allies. In theory; at least, according to the history that he'd been teaching Tariel.
While he recalled Sadron's early reports that the Faun were planning for war of some kind, Turin had little personal experience with these people with which to make his own judgments. The group he'd met on the beach that was traveling had been pleasant enough...but, it wasn't enough to make any sort of judgment call without speaking with the leaders of such people first.
Finally, he nodded once. "Indeed, the Faun and the Naiad have much to discuss, I would imagine," he answered, already quite aware of some of the questions the Court had for these land Pae of the Earth. "I will have to inform the Queen, of course, you understand. Then, we can settle on a specific time to meet. You can provide directions to this Meeting Ground?" he inquired, passively wondering what sort of location it might be. Would there be water access, at least close enough that they might travel there via some water route rather than over the land? If this were to take much time, he didn't like the idea of having to travel so far over the land, only to spend a great deal of time drying out before heading back again. Ugh, that had been bad enough when they'd come to the Isle. Nevermind that even now, it would have been more polite to meet the representative on the shore; but the Captain wasn't willing to show weakness, should his strength falter. Nevermind that it was always awkward and somewhat undignified crawling up on shore before his tail would transform.
If he were a more suspicious type, perhaps he'd have considered that all this could be some sort of trap, luring the Naiad ruling body into a place where they'd be separate from their element, and surrounded instead by that of a treacherous foe. That they might need to scout out this location beforehand, to prepare any needed escape routes, just in case.
If he were the suspicious type, of course.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:19 am
Mo nodded in complete understanding.
"Of course! I'll be willing to rest here on shore for a few hours for you to confer with her Majesty." he offered. He could stay overnight if necessary, but he really wanted to get back as soon as possible. He didn't necessarily have an escort or travel companion to keep him company or protect him should he need to make camp until morning. He was pretty sure that he could rely upon his Mellon to keep watch and wake him if there was anything to worry about, but that little buzzing yapper seemed far too carefree to agree with the idea.
He then nodded and looked around at his surroundings for a moment, trying to get a mental image of just where to send the Naiads by giving the best and easiest directions possible. He spotted the ravine to the east and smiled a bit. He then pointed and began.
"Follow the Ravine there all the way to the sea. The Meeting Grounds should be on a cliff of a small isle, just off the shore of the island homing the Great Tree, Laisidhiel. The earth will be at our feet, but the water will be at your back. Easily accessible for you and yours." he smiled reassuringly.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:46 pm
Taking careful mental notes of the directions, as well as the Faun's reassurances about it being a neutral ground for both parties, Turin nodded in understanding. "That sounds satisfactory. I'm sure you've had a long journey. Please, rest here for a while. You are safe here on our shores. I will confer with the Queen and return with her answer as soon as I can." With a nod to the Faun, as well as towards his daughter, he turned and disappeared beneath the surface with barely a ripple.
Moana hung back awkwardly, unsure if she should stay or go. Her father hadn't said she had to go...should she stay then and be hospitable? What did she say though? Ugh...awkward. So instead, she floated there, tucking her hair behind her ear fins and smiling awkwardly. "Um...so yeah. Guess I'll let the important Pae do the talking next time..."
***
This time of evening, the Queen may still be entertaining visitors in the Throne Room. That was Turin's assumption at least, as he hadn't actually seen her since their return to the palace. He tried not to dwell on that though, as there was important court business to attend to. Through the entrance, down the halls, he wound his way through the palace to the Throne Room, perhaps a little slower than usual. At least the halls weren't busy right now.
Entering the cavernous space, he glanced around. Empty. Well, mostly, except for a single figure seated across the throne. She had curled in a bit on herself, tail draped over the side of the chair and nearly brushing the floor. Turin's expression softened slightly, and he slowed his approach to the throne. He hated to wake her, but...only she had the authority to give him the response that the Faun ambassador needed.
He hesitated for a moment, watching her. She seemed much better than when he'd seen her last. Of course, they'd both been faring pretty badly at that point. She seemed to have been eating better, her figure looking healthy, her scales shining again. And he, well...he wasn't looking like he'd be floating belly up any time soon, he thought, glancing down at the scars criss-crossing his chest.
With a sigh, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Your Majesty," he muttered, giving her shoulder a gentle shake. "I apologize, but...there's urgent court business to discuss."
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:42 pm
Mo simply nodded, allowing the other to leave with a simple bow of his head.
He too stood there in the awkward silence for a moment. He nibbled his lip and looked around him for a moment when a suddenly startling thought graced his mind.
Where the heck was his Mellon?!
The fact that it was missing at all was disturbing... It had been flitting around him constantly for the past few months... for it to suddenly be not there was unusual and somewhat troubling.
His thoughts detoured back towards the Naiads, though. Moana's unsure words seemed to echo into his thoughts and he quickly resumed his manners accordingly.
"In my opinion, Miss Moana," Mo started, relaxing a bit in his stance. "There's no such thing as 'important pae'. There are those with a rank, yes, but they are no more or less significant than a newborn. Ranks, such as General, Queen, Advisor or Chief, are simply there as a method to maintain order or peace amongst the people in general. Without the stability of an authority figure in some form of command, then the balance of nature would be corrupt. The whole of Telrunya would fall into Chaos."
He looked to his hooves and quickly sat upon the shore. He'd been running all morning, he hoped she'd understand if he wanted to rest properly.
"Without your father and others of his rank or position, your people would be without any protection. However, without you or any others of the court, there'd be no one for him to protect. There'd be no one for your Queen to lead."
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 2:20 pm
"...oooh Meison, not there!"
The queen giggled softly in her sleep, slipping her shoulder from the touch she assumed was of the Naiad with this mysterious name and rolled slowly, still in her fantasy. She reached her hands out towards Turin, whispering, "...how about here right here." She tried to lace her fingers with those of the hand that was previously on her shoulder. "...urgent court business.""...not today Meison.'
No one could accuse the Queen of the Naiad of being a light sleeper.
Her eyes shot open at the realization that Meison's voice had become Turins and 'urgent court business somehow entered her fantasy. She froze in abject terror for just a few moments before letting go of his hand, pulling back and composing herself best she could. "I uhm. Apologies, Captain. I thought you were, uhm... nevermind. You ... have urgent news? What's happened?"
This was the first time she'd seen Turin up close since they had returned and recovered from their ordeal. She'd been avoiding him completely whenever possible, turning corners and ducking behind pillars. But mostly hiding out in the throne room as he didn't seem to enter much, and if he did, it was easy to pay attention to the other myriad of naiad that required attention. He looked so much better, so much healthier. But the scars. Those clearly visible scars which were all her fault tugged at her heart and guilt something awful. She kept it strictly business, as she'd not finished rehearsing what she'd say to him should they actually run in to each other.((Meison is not real. Just a figment of her fantasy.))
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:03 pm
She hadn't expected to be overheard, or even commented on if she had been, so Moana was surprised by the Faun's response. She could hear the wisdom in his words, even if it contradicted the wonderful, glitzy glamour of court life. Or how she'd imagined it once anyway. Experience was starting to open her eyes. As were other things, given the shiver that traveled up her spine at the word 'Chaos', but she hid the reaction, as well as shoving down the memories that threatened to surface. Not now.
Instead, as he sat upon the shore, she swam closer, thinking for a moment that her over-protective father might have a fit, but...these were supposed to be allies, right? No reason she couldn't try to make a good impression with their representative...well, better than she had earlier.
She swam into the shallows, nearing the beach. She continued until she was sitting in only a few inches of water and pulled her tail up, as a land Pae might wrap their arms around their knees. She was close enough to converse, but as long as she remained in the water, she'd keep her aquatic form, now fully visible to the Faun.
"I suppose you have a valid point," she said with a sad smile. "I just thought once...that joining the Court was all I'd ever wanted or dreamed. I'm not sure now just what I was expecting. Besides, I sorta' seem terrible with all this proper protocol and such. That's like...a requirement of holding the titles, right?" she joked lightly, deciding, maybe it wouldn't be too bad to pass some time here.
***
Turin flushed, not having expected quite that reaction to his attempts to wake the Queen. Though it had happened once before, hadn't it...? Once more, his thoughts tread into inappropriate territory, just from a few words and the grasp of her hand. As she woke fully, he used her flustered state to cover for his own, swallowing hard and shoving away thoughts to remember why he was here in the first place.
Clearing his throat, he shook his head as if to say 'no, not a problem', even if it was...just a bit, at least for him. Focus, Captain. "Yes, Your Majesty," he kept his tone formal, as this was the Throne Room, a place of business, and the message he carried was of great importance to all their people. "There is an ambassador on the shore from the Faun. His name is Mo and he claims to be the Advisor to Chief Rais of the Faun, bearing his message. He brings a request for a meeting between our two peoples, and that there is important business he wishes to discuss with our Court."
"I've sensed no immediate threat," he admitted, though he shook his head. "But, they have already chosen a meeting place and wish for us to propose a time. Perhaps sending scouts to scope out the proposed area to weigh the possibility of ambush or other trap?" he suggested with a tilt of his head. He wasn't suggesting they start shouting about the war-mongering Earth Pae, or going in with open hostility. But one did not become head of security by being a fool.
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:21 pm
Tariel cleared her throat with a little cough and thought for a moment about what Turin said. She was thankful the awkwardness that could have been in this situation was swept under the kelp rug.
"Chieftain Rais sent his Advisor in person? He's on the shore right now?" She considered this, and weighed it against what Sadron had said last year about the hooved ones waging war. Well, it'd been a year and nothing, so maybe he was just fear-mongering. And they say I'm the drama queen...
Them having a place already picked out felt suspicious. It felt like an ambush, actually, so Tariel was leery about just jumping in to agree to this, however; Turin's sense was dead-on so she needed to trust that. "I think scouts would be perfect. Send Anatolio and Itsaso to investigate the chosen area and secure escape routes should they be required. Also, I'd like to send a message to Earthmother."
Tariel waved her hand around in the water, and moment later her pink Aquatl adviser Tua was at her side, bowing. "Tua, I'd like you to take a letter. Send best wishes to Earthmother, and tell her I'm looking forward to meeting with her son at last, and inquire as to the types of snacks and accommodations that will be supplied for us, of if we need to bring a dish."
"Yes Your Majesty." Quickly writing down on the inside of a large scallop shell with a squidink quill, Tua made a much more polite and eloquant letter than what was dictated and then handed it to Turin.
Tariel smirked slightly and looked to Turin, curious if he picked up on what she was doing. "Tell your awaiting guest we'll send word with a time that works best. Also, if you happen to see Sadron, hint at this little interaction going on. I'd like to see if he's still loyal and will scout it out as well. Assure the Advisor that we won't waste time."
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:29 pm
Tariel's agreement was a relief, and while it felt strange to also be taking on what should have been Sadron's orders, he simply bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty. I'll provide them with the details and send them out as soon as possible."
A message...to Earthmother? As he watched the arrival of Tariel's Mellon, his brain pondered this decision until he heard the contents of the message she dictated. His eyes only briefly scanned he message as he accepted it, noting Tua's 'changes' with a slight smile. "Only polite, for guests," he acknowledge with a knowing look in her direction. So, the Queen shared his suspicions. He could handle the scouting; she was best at subtle points like this.
Her final instructions seemed to put at ease a concern that he hadn't acknowledged before. While he understood that Tariel had to keep up appearances and protocol, even with her own Court...hell, they'd all been together so long before. Even he was starting to miss the coarse, brash hunter's commentary as of late.
"Thank you. I will do as you ask, swiftly, Your Highness," he bowed, taking her hand for a brief kiss before he had time to think about it. Then, with the shell in hand, the Captain turned and left the Throne Room, making his way back to the surface.
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:41 pm
Mo watched with curiosity as she neared the shore. He'd heard stories of Naiads walking the earth, but he'd never actually seen one up close. There was a slight flash of disappointment when she stopped still in the water, but he quickly shrugged it off. If they were all going to meet soon on land, he'd have a chance to see it then.
It was at this point, his trusty Mellon returned with a little snack. Apparently the yapping menace took it upon himself to grab Mo some food. And he also managed to use Mo's ration pack to carry it in. After being a dog for most of the morning, Mo had missed noticing it was missing... much less empty upon arrival at the beach... Little menace indeed...
"Ah! So that's where you went off to!" he commented, and gratefully accepted the pouch. There were a couple of handfuls of berries and an apple in the pouch. He plucked out a few berries then lifted his gaze to Moana. "Would you like some?" he asked.
Before she could respond, the Mellon snatched the bag back up and fluttered over towards her, holding the bag so that he was within reach of the Naiad.
"You know..." Mo started as he inclined a bit and popped a berry into his mouth. "To be honest, I was quite the opposite of you once. I lived just outside the big tree, but loved my solitude. From my old home, I could see those living in the tree and thought, 'Golly... I bet it's an annoying and busy life living in there." he laughed a bit and popped another berry. "But, after the ceremony, I moved into the tree and I've been there ever since." He put on a playful grin, "... and it was exactly as I thought it was!" he laughed a bit. "But, looking back over all that I've done, all that I've accomplished, learned, discovered and experienced. I wouldn't trade it for the world."
He looked her over briefly then grinned. "You can't tell me you don't enjoy it if only a little. If anything, there's at least one thing about being in your court that you truly enjoy?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 3:16 pm
Moana smiled kindly at the little Mellon, so different from the ones she was used to. Of course, it would be differnt from their own aquatls...obviously. She was pleased with herself for recognizing it for what it was though. "Thank you," she said politely, reaching to take a few berries. She wasn't all that hungry, but she was curious. She waited until Mo began eating his berries before she attempted to do the same. It wasn't suspicion that made her hesitate, but she simply didn't know what to do with them until she watched his example. Land food was so much more different than their usual underwater fare. The sweet little morsels were a strange, pleasant treat and she took her time to savor them as Mo talked.
Having given the wrong impression, she shook her head. "Oh no, it's not all bad," she corrected herself. "It's just...not everything is perfect and wonderful all the time either," she noted with a sad smile. "I suppose it's just all part of growing up, isn't it?" She looked down at her hands. "My brothers and I grew up away from the palace with my mom. I always used to hear stories about the palace and the Queen and all the wonderful fancy Naiads of the Court. All I could do was imagine how wonderful it must be to be a part of all that, the glamour and excitement of it all!" She paused, looking back up at Mo with that same smile. "Oh, it can be exciting, that's for sure, if not always in such a pleasant way. But it does have its good moments as well."
***
After some time, the Naiad Captain surfaced and shook the excess water from his hair before approaching the pair on the shore. He was somewhat surprised to still see Moana here, but other than a brief, questioning quirk of his brow, he kept his expression neutral.
Swimming closer into the shallows, Turin presented the shell in cupped hands, its message stained in squidink. His ragged fins could be seen now at this short distance, a sharp contrast to his daughter's elegant, graceful ones. "The Queen and her Court will meet with the Faun in the suggested location. We will send word with a specific time shortly, as soon as our own travel arrangements can be made. We do not wish to inconvenience you by making you wait here longer than a single night on our shore. Have no fear, we will not tarry long. You should receive word from us again within a few days. In the meantime, my Queen wishes to send a courteous response to your Earthmother," he finished, lifting the shell so that Mo could take it.
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