As Ema passes by the government house, she sees Perrell Beys emerge, clutching several sheaves of parchment. She seems a bit distracted and almost walks right into the arcanist before realizing that she's there.
"Oh! Excuse me. Good evening, Emalliandra," the scholar says, using Ema's full name.
The warm beach sand, the lovely sunset sky, and the gentle lapping of the waves do indeed paint a lovely picture for Victrix. She slings one towel over her shoulder and hands the other one off to Antona.
"It bloody well is." She offers her hand to the guardswoman before starting to walk along the beach, relishing in the feeling of the sand between her toes and the sun on her face.
Antona takes Victrix's hand and smiles at the aasimar as they walk together. "I will say, the serenity of this place is a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I feel like I can relax here, let my hair down...so to speak. I'll just have to make sure not to get lulled into complacency. There are still dangers about, and it's my duty to help protect the colonists."
After a few minutes, she looks at the sand appraisingly. "This seems like a good spot." She lays her towel down.
Ema was saw the scholar as she came hustling out of the government house an d knew she wasn't spotted. It was likely her gesture to reach out and catch the scholar before impact that alerted Perrell that Ema was there. "It's alright Perrell," Ema looked at the scholar in amusement and said, "You certainly seem distracted, do you need some help?" She held a hand out to help carry the load and said, "You know you can call me Ema, no need to be so formal."
"Thank you...Ema," Perrell says. She shuffles the parchment and hands half the stack to the arcanist. "Ramona and I have just finished amending the charter to include the one we brough with us from Almas. I thought I would get a head start tonight drawing up an accurate map of Talmandor's Bounty as it stands now."
She brushes a few loose strands of red hair back into place. "The house I have been assigned is down the street if you would like to accompany me there."
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"I'm sure we can work something up to encourage the crops to grow," Alba says. "Though I only brought so many reagents with me. We might have to scout the island for sources of raw materials soon.".
"Hmm, yes, self sufficiency is the idea of course.
Phosphorous should be easily obtained from the leftover fish bones. We can also set some people to collecting guano from the sea birds, though we should keep an eye out for bats when evening comes. Bat caves are always the best source of Potassium Nitrate.
It seems we are fortunate to have good night vision. Perfectly suited to the task. Perhaps we could make an attempt to follow bats back to their home tonight."
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Antona takes Victrix's hand and smiles at the aasimar as they walk together. "I will say, the serenity of this place is a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I feel like I can relax here, let my hair down...so to speak. I'll just have to make sure not to get lulled into complacency. There are still dangers about, and it's my duty to help protect the colonists."
After a few minutes, she looks at the sand appraisingly. "This seems like a good spot." She lays her towel down.
Victrix lays her towel down next to Antona's and sits on the sand.
"It's both of our duties, y'know." She gives Antona a little smile. "But we're allowed ta 'ave some time off for ourselves."
"I used ta go for walks along the beach when I was off-duty... 'specially when no one was around..." She stretches and sighs, planting her spear in the sand next to her.
"Aye, a nighttime raid for rodent feces. Sounds fun!" Alba laughs. "Just as long as their den isn't too far from home. My old bones don't fare well on long walks anymore."
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"I grew up inland, so we didn't have beaches," Antona says. "I hadn't even see the ocean until I came to Almas a few years back. It's a shame it took me so long to be able to appreciate this."
She watches Victrix stretch, seeming to appreciate that sight as well. "Have any long-term plans for your new life here?"
Victrix shrugs. "Eh... haven't gotten 'round ta figurin' 'em out yet. I mean, aside from lookin' fer the missin' colonists and findin' out why they left."
Antona nods. "Well, there's no rush. We can just take things one day at a time."
She leans back and looks out at the ocean. Her hand slides across the towel to hold Victrix's again.
Victrix links her fingers with Antona's and sits on the beach in a comfortable silence.
Her thumb tenderly traces across Antona's palm as she watches the water.
"...mmm... I'd love ta go fer a swim roight now."
"Okay." Antona squeezes Victrix's palm before standing up. "Turn around."
The barbarian can hear the sound of the soldier undressing.
Victrix is a little surprised that Antona agreed so readily, but makes sure to turn around all the same.
She starts stripping down, ditching her pants, and tight shirt... but it occurs to her that she didn't specify how much they were stripping to.
Victrix can hear some splashing in the surf, and when she turns back around, she sees Antona's tunic and breeches lying on the towel. It seems she has kept her skivvies on for the time being. The soldier is immersed in the water up to her neck. She grins at Victrix, eyes drinking in the half-naked aasimar.
"Come on in. The water's fine."
Victrix returns her grin, stands up, and makes a bit of a show of slowly striding into the water, letting the waves engulf her skin. The water covers her toned abs, thighs and arms, causing them to shine.
"Yeah... the water feels great." She giggles as she gets up to her neck into the surf. She dunks her head for a moment, causing her bright red hair to darken to a blood-red colour.
Antona giggles as well. She playfully splashes Victrix. "That's a good look on you!"
"Ack!"
The aasimar takes the splash, laughs out loud, and starts splashing Antona in return. "C'mere, you!"
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Later that evening as Simon and Alba are venturing through the forest attempting to locate the entrance to the bat cave, Simon begins to reminisce.
"Heh. This isn't the kind of cave diving I am used to, though we often did find bats living in the ruins of previous civilizations.
Reminds me a bit of this one time we were searching for a rumored sky citadel in the Kodar Mountains. The only cave entrance we could find was a small hole that bats were using.
I was still little back then, so my father sent me to crawling through the hole. The stench of ammonia was horrible, but sure enough at the other end was dwarven ruins.
There I was, the first person to set sights on that city in centuries, covered in guano, eyes tearing from the fumes. It was a pivotal moment for me, though you won't read about my contributions in any text book."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Antona laughs as the water war is on. After several minutes of splashing and chasing through the waves, both she and Victrix are thoroughly drenched. The splash battle comes to an end as Antona finally leaps on the aasimar's back and tries to pin her arms to her sides.
"Surrender! The day is mine!" she cries.
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"Fascinating," Alba says. "It seems you've already had quite an eventful career at such a young age. When I was a wee lass, I traveled extensively throughout the southern Inner Sea region. I learned trade secrets in Druma, the Mwangi jungles, and Osirion. My lifelong dream, though, has been to behold the shores of Arcadia and discover the alchemical secrets of that land. I figure this island is pretty close. Maybe I'll still make it all the way to the mainland some day soon."
Victrix makes a show of thrashing about ineffectually in the surf. Truth be told, she probably could throw Antona off--but where would the fun be in that?
"Argh! Dammit! Curse you and yehr sudden but inevitable victory!"
"Thank you...Ema," Perrell says. She shuffles the parchment and hands half the stack to the arcanist. "Ramona and I have just finished amending the charter to include the one we brough with us from Almas. I thought I would get a head start tonight drawing up an accurate map of Talmandor's Bounty as it stands now."
She brushes a few loose strands of red hair back into place. "The house I have been assigned is down the street if you would like to accompany me there."
Ema accepted the stack and smiled slightly as the redheaded scholar pushed a few strands of her hair back. It was actually rather cute to tell the truth and she had a flash of amusement at what it might be like to do that for Perrell sometime. Letting the fancy slip away Ema nodded and said, "I'd be delighted Ema." As they walked she asked, "So now that we're here how are you doing getting settled in?"
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"Eventful... Yes, I suppose that is a natural product of spending a majority of your childhood in the ruins of ancient civilizations. Though career is not the word I would choose. I was a child and a half-orc, you understand?
Things were always worse for Mom. She never complained though. Seems to me things were still better than the tribe she grew up in. I wager it isn't easy being a runt in that type of society.
Arcadia now, that would be a great experience. How closely affiliated were they with the Azlanti? There are so many things we could discover. Well, one thing at a time. I'll focus on the wonders of Azlant here. Maybe write a book of my own."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Antona laughs. "Now, to claim the spoils of victory!" She releases her grip and lets Victrix turns around. Then puts her hands on the other woman's hips and slowly leans forward...
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"So far, so good. The logbook you found has provided useful insight into the colony's daily operations before we arrived. I think we should be able to get construction and farming back under way in short order."
Perrell and Ema walk together out of the palisade and down the colony's main street. They pass by Kip, putting the finishing touches on the berry bushes. "Good evening, Sir Blacklake," Perrell says to the grippli.
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Alba nods solemnly. "Aye, I know that many people treat half-orcs and their parents unfairly. I prefer to get to know somebody before I deign to judge them. If more people were willing to extend the same courtesy, the world would be a better place."
The dwarf smiles at Simon's enthusiasm for their current environs. "I'd love to read that book when ye finish it, lad. Ah, this looks like the place!" Indeed, there is a small cave entrance ahead, the floor of which is covered in bat droppings.
Antona laughs. "Now, to claim the spoils of victory!" She releases her grip and lets Victrix turns around. Then puts her hands on the other woman's hips and slowly leans forward...
The whole splash war has gotten Victrix's blood up, and her dark blue eyes are focused on her sopping wet partner as she turns herself around. As Antona leans forward, her hands on her hips, she licks her lips, her heart pounding.
...gentle. Not rough yet.
With that thought, the aasimar leans forward and presses her warm, wet lips to Antona's, and slides her hands around the guardswoman in an embrace. There's a mix of sea salt and Antona's unique taste on her tongue.
Antona closes her eyes and returns the kiss. Waves wash gently against the two women as their lips lock. The soldier's hands roam over the barbarian's muscled sides and back.
The sun slips fully behind the horizon and the last light of day fades away. Above, the stars and moon glow in the heavens, casting their pale light down on the scene.
Trembling... shaking... sated, relaxed, and happy, Victrix purrs and pulls herself up Antona's prone body, her red hair falling around their faces like a curtain. It's getting dark, but it's evidently not bothering her in the least--there might be a bit of a chill in the air, but that wasn't enough to faze her. The towels they were on kept them from rolling around too much in the sand, at least.
"...after spendin' Cayden knows how long on a cramped ship, that felt bloody amazing." She whispers in Antona's ear. "Enjoy yehrself?"
"Very much so," Antona replies. She gently pulls Victrix down for another kiss, exulting of the feel of their bodies pressed together. "I think we should do this again some time soon."
The redhead giggles through the kiss. "Preferably somewhere less sandy..."
She looks around for her clothes. "...it'd be more comfortable that way."
Kip finally finished patting down the moist dirt, stood and turned...
Oh... where did that nice dwarf lady go? And Simon? Oh! There's Ema and Perrell!
"Evening, Ms. Beys," the grippli replied with an elaborate, though dirt covered bow. As his hand brought his hat across his chest, Gerald flopped out and puffed up in alarm. "Oops, sorry Gerald, here, hop back on," Kip hurriedly scooped the disturbed pufferfish back into his customary hiding spot before returning his gaze to the approaching women.
"What are you two up to this evening? Anything fun?"
Antona laughs as she gets dressed again. "Hey, you're the one with the fancy house. I'm stationed in the barracks with the other soldiers. Let's say we go to your place next time?"
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Perrell smiles slightly at Gerald's antics, then looks back to Kip. "I'm planning on starting an accurately scaled map of the colony. I wouldn't exactly call it 'fun,' but it is a vital part of my responsibilities here. Ema is helping me carry the materials to my house."
"I loike that idea." Victrix wrings the water out of her underwear before slipping back into her clothes.
"Of course, I'll 'ave ta time it so they're gone from the house..."
"A map doesn't seem all that useful right now... since the colony is so small... But I guess it'll be real helpful once we start growing and get more colonists! And you can make your map bigger to encompass the surrounding wild places as you go. Nifty! Need any more help?"
"I'm sure we can figure the timing out," Antona grins. She takes Victrix by the hand as they start walking back to the dock.
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"It may not seem useful at the moment," Perrell says, "but it is important to portray the colony as it stands now so we can chart is growth effectively. Poor planning could lead to a haphazard arrangement of streets and buildings. The Bountiful Venture Company will appreciate if we expand in a logical manner."
She glances at the grippli's dirt-covered hands. "I think the two of us can handle matters. Unless you would like the company, Ema?"
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"Well that makes a lot of sense, I suppose." Noting Perrell's look, Kip suddenly realized how messy he was. "Oh! My mistake, I can fix this." He quickly conjured a large ball of water directly above his head, which promptly fell in a splash. A few more repetitions and he was clean, but quite wet. "Just a sec," the soggy grippli said as he clambered up the wall to the window.
A few moments passed before Ema and Perrell heard,
After gathering up the towels, her gear and her clothes, Victrix lets Antona lead her back to the dock.
"I'll 'ave ta be gettin' back--wonderin' what the others 'ave been doin' while we were gone." She leans in to steal another passionate kiss from her date before pulling back.
"I'll be 'appy ta see yeh again."
And these towels are going to need a wash. Along with the rest of my clothes.
"The pleasure will be all mine," Antona says. She waves as Victrix walks back to the house. As she approaches, she sees Ema and Perrell standing outside. That's when a shout rings out from inside.
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"So it is. Let me get our bearings and we can start blazing a trail back to camp.
Perhaps on the return journey you can tell me some tales of your past and schooling. I picked up most of what I know from books and being drilled by my father. It'll be interesting to hear what a real school is like."
Simon pulls out the Azlanti compass and uses it along with his knowledge of geography to try charting the best route back to the colony.
Then, using his dagger, he will start marking trees so they can easily find their way back.
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Victrix looks at the house, looks down at the sand-covered & wet towels in her hands, and fails to suppress a sheepish giggle.
She calls back, walking up to the house.
A moment later a still-dripping Kip hopped out of the house to meet Victrix only to come abruptly to a stop. "They're all sandy! Well, Ms. Beys, I think maybe it best that you and Ema continue on without me. Vicki and I need to do some laundry, and then a slow dry by the fire." Kip dipped for another fancy bow, and this time Gerald managed to puff up and lodge himself in the brim of the hat.
Victrix looks down at the towels. "Yeah... sorry about that..."
...except it was totally bloody worth it.
"Well, no sense standin' about--let's get ta work."
"It's no problem, I don't mind being wet. Perrell just didn't want her maps all wet, so now you get to hang out with me instead. Look! We got the bush all planted and happy again while you were gone."
"Well, that's good ta hear."
Ema gave Kip a nod of greeting when they met up in the street and hid a flash of annoyance that he offered to help. She knew that he was being nice in offering but she was half hoping to get Perrell alone for a while and see what happened. Still, she wouldn't turn down the help but was saved from an answer when Perrell pointed out he was all dirty. She hid a smile at Kip's reaction and didn't bother to hide the laugh when he yelled out about the towels and begged off. "It's alright, I think the two of us can manage alright Kip. We'll let you know if we find ourselves in need of help"
Turning her focus back to Perrell Ema asked, "Shall we Perrell? We might as well get started on this project." Once Perrell headed towards her house again with Ema in tow anyone around could see the shift in her motions that caused her abbreviated garment to sway along with her bare his, and everything else, as she started to consider just where the night might lead.
Perrell's house is a small building with just a simple bedroom and kitchen. "You can put the papers down on the desk there. Thank you," the historian says. "Can I get you anything? Some tea, perhaps?"
Alba bids Simon goodnight when they return to Talmandor's Bounty. Shortly after the half-orc gets home, there is a knock on the door. Answering it reveals Lyra Heatherly. The half-elf grins as she holds out a bottle of brandy. "I thought we might celebrate an auspicious start to our venture!"
Ema entered Perrell's new home in interest, she wondered what the redheaded scholar would keep her place like, and looked around in curiosity as she set the documents on the desk.
Relieved of her burden Ema turned to watch Perrell and smiled in her direction as she responded to the woman's question, "I'd love some." She looked around the place for somewhere to sit while she waited and asked, "So Perrell, where are you from? I mean I know that you came from the same place as I did when we joined this journey but before that?" She spotted one of the kitchen chairs and went to sit in it, her legs crossing as she waited to hear what the woman would tell her.
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Alba bids Simon goodnight when they return to Talmandor's Bounty. Shortly after the half-orc gets home, there is a knock on the door. Answering it reveals Lyra Heatherly. The half-elf grins as she holds out a bottle of brandy. "I thought we might celebrate an auspicious start to our venture!"
Simon looks at Lyra for a second, expecting her to continue. Realizing suddenly that she is finished, he quickly replays the short statement in his head.
By now, the silence has stretched into an uncomfortable pause. Simon realizes this and starts to panic. Suddenly, he blurts out.
"Oh! You mean with me? Um. Ah. Oh. Certainly! I enjoy brandy."
He then realized that came out entirely too loudly and that he sounded like a buffoon anyways.
He takes a steadying breath and attempts to slow his thoughts down.
"Let me grab a couple of chairs and glasses. We can enjoy it out front under the stars."
While picking up the first chair, he looks down and notices a large smear of bat guano on his boot. He reaches into a pocket to retrieve a handkerchief and finally notices the chemical stains on his shirt. While attempting to brush off the stain, he notices that his hands are covered in dirt and tree sap. (He has no way of seeing the bits of leaf and twigs that are stuck in his hair and beard).
Ah well, I can't very well take a bath now with Lyra waiting outside.
Finally emerging with the chair, he attempts to make a fresh start. "You'll have to pardon my appearance. I've had quite the busy afternoon, and just returned from exploring the local woods with Alba looking for raw materials."
Cleaning his hands as well as possible, he holds out the glasses for Lyra to pour, then takes a seat.
Wait a minute! Am I supposed to wait for the lady to sit first?!?
He bounds back to his feet.
Idiot! Now you look rude and a fool!
He plops back down, then starts to stand up again but abandons it before getting anywhere.
Taking a steadying sip of his brandy, he closes his eyes and breathes deeply again.
"Please, won't you have a seat? It looks like we have a beautiful night to enjoy. Somal should be rising soon, I think."
After a short exchange of small talk, he will attempt to engage Lyra further.
"Amazing isn't it? We spent so much time confined on the same small ship, yet I don't think we've ever really interacted much. Tell me more about yourself, Lyra. What brings you to the Ruins of Azlant?"
"There was no other place before that," Perrell says, looking over her shoulder as she boils a kettle of water. "I was born and raised there in Almas. My father served on the People's Council, so our family has always been well-off. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend university and become a learned individual. I have studied extensively on numerous subjects, but up until six weeks ago, I had never left the capital city. Going from a city of some seventy-six thousand people to a colony of a mere fifty souls will definitely be a large change, but I believe in the mission of the Bountiful Venture Company."
She lets the tea steep for a few minutes before handing Ema a cup. She sits across from the arcanist and sips her own cup. "What about you? From where you do hail?"
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"With you, and with your friends! Kip and Vicki are welcome to partake as well!" Lyra looks past Simon and gives his companions a wave.
"No need to apologize!" the half-elf says when the half-orc brings up his appearance. "Part of being an explorer is getting dirty. I doubt anybody could stay elegantly coiffed and groomed with this humidity anyway--except maybe Ema. But I bet she uses magic to look that good."
Lyra drops her backpack at her feet as she sits in the chair. She pours the glasses for any who wish to partake, then clinks hers against yours before taking a sip.
"Well, of course you want to know more about me. I'm a pretty awesome person!" The half-elf laughs. "I'm a colonist and employee of the Bountiful Venture Company. I'm here to survey the island, to identify known ancient ruins, mineral resources, local flora and fauna, and inland locations of fresh water. It's also my job to estimate the square footage or acreage of forest for future lumber concerns. We want this colony to be profitable, after all."
She takes another sip of brandy. "Personally, I live for the thrill of exploring the unknown. You never know what amazing discoveries are lying just behind the next tree or rock!"
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Simon sighs with great relief.
"With all of us. Yes, that makes much more sense. I had somehow forgotten the others were here."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"You must have been distracted by my heaving bosom. It happens!" Lyra says with a bawdy wink.