Nimora was vaguely aware of the mages being led away, and that she wasn't being the most socially apt, but she just couldn't take her eyes off Mirathan.
With a glance from Telestial the area around the two deftly gets cleared. Servants, bodyguards, nobles of the palace maneuver the other attendees away with tales and myriad distractions.
Nimora was vaguely aware of the mages being led away, and that she wasn't being the most socially apt, but she just couldn't take her eyes off Mirathan.
Mirathan looks well but tired.
"Telestial has told me what you went thru. I thank you."
Nimora was vaguely aware of the mages being led away, and that she wasn't being the most socially apt, but she just couldn't take her eyes off Mirathan.Mirathan looks well but tired.
"Telestial has told me what you went thru. I thank you."
"I would do anything for you," she blurted out and then blushed harder as she realized what she said.
Mirathan seems at a loss for words again
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just don't seem to be thinking clearly at the moment."
"Nice to see your up and moving again Mirathan." Looking at Miratahn and Nimora, Kaelar smiles knowingly.
"Nice to see your up and moving again Mirathan." Looking at Mirathan and Nimora, Kaelar smiles knowingly.
"It is nice to BE up and moving around again, Water Champion. Thank you."
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just don't seem to be thinking clearly at the moment."
"Ahh...yes...I know the feeling."
Mirathan does his best to compose himself
"Your rooms. I hope they are to your liking? I must apologize for not greeting you when you arrived. I...I was indisposed, then everything went crazy from there. It would have been better if my father was the one saved..."
Mirathan realizes his fumble too late, then finds his feet interesting again.
"Ahh...yes...I know the feeling."Mirathan does his best to compose himself
"Your rooms. I hope they are to your liking? I must apologize for not greeting you when you arrived. I...I was indisposed, then everything went crazy from there. It would have been better if my father was the one saved..."
Mirathan realizes his fumble too late, then finds his feet interesting again.
"I am very sorry about your father, Mirathan. But I cannot for one portion of a second regret that you are alive and safe. And you have nothing to apologize for. Not to me. I have been veritably overwhelmed with kindness since I arrived here. And all the reward I really needed was to see that you are well."
"I am very sorry about your father, Mirathan. But I cannot for one portion of a second regret that you are alive and safe. And you have nothing to apologize for. Not to me. I have been veritably overwhelmed with kindness since I arrived here. And all the reward I really needed was to see that you are well."
"Nothing else?..."
He musters the courage to reach for her hand, holding it gently within his own two trembling hands.
"I am very sorry about your father, Mirathan. But I cannot for one portion of a second regret that you are alive and safe. And you have nothing to apologize for. Not to me. I have been veritably overwhelmed with kindness since I arrived here. And all the reward I really needed was to see that you are well.""Nothing else?..."
He musters the courage to reach for her hand, holding it gently within his own two trembling hands.
Her hand is trembling just as much as his. She can't seem to speak, she is so overwhelmed with emotion, but her eyes say a great deal all the same.
More than a few in the room note the exchange. Some smile, some tense.
Mirathan slowly releases Nimora's hands, and tips his head in a polite bow.
"Yes, Mother. We are indeed fortunate." He gazes straight at Nimora as he speaks the words.
[Addressing all 3] "On behalf of our people we welcome you to our city. Thank you for granting us the pleasure of your company. If there is anything you desire please don't hesitate to ask." Despite the well-practiced speech Mirathan looks pointedly at Nimora at certain points in it.
More than a few in the room note the exchange. Some smile, some tense.
Mirathan slowly releases Nimora's hands, and tips his head in a polite bow.
"Yes, Mother. We are indeed fortunate." He gazes straight at Nimora as he speaks the words.
[Addressing all 3] "On behalf of our people we welcome you to our city. Thank you for granting us the pleasure of your company. If there is anything you desire please don't hesitate to ask." Despite the well-practiced speech Mirathan looks pointedly at Nimora at certain points in it.
Her gaze never leaves him. But she does at last feel a bit less tongue-tied. Polite speeches she understood.
"Thank you for your gracious welcome. It is our pleasure to be here. And our privilege to have been of service."
"If you'll excuse me, there are many guests to be greeted."
With that Mirathan departs, making the rounds thru the room, frequently glancing at Nimora thru the evening.
The queen smiles wistfully, remembering a time long ago. She gives Nimora time to compose herself before speaking.
"So tell me, Nimora Olbereth. What of your family? Will they support my son during this turbulant time?...Will they support you?"
"I'm sure that Telestial has told you a little of my...conflict with my family. Nevertheless, they are still my family, and I have every reason to believe that they will support me. And of course they would support your son. Good will between Pearl and Sandreef is most desirable, and I am certain they would in no way work to jeopardize that. Sandreef is not a fortified city like this, and relies on alliances and friendships to stay safe. It is a policy that has worked well thus far. The best that can be said of the rulers of Sandreef is that they do not care. Which leaves the religious and mercantile leadership, in this case, my parents, to take care of the city. That always has to come first. As for my brother, he is an obnoxious prig. But he would also be the first to come to my defense if I truly needed it. Lecturing me all the while on all the things I should have done instead," she adds with a smile. "I apologize if that was more of an answer than you were looking for."
"Thank you for your candor. It confirms other sources. But what of your mother's plans for you? What repercussions would follow if you chose another path?"
"I hope that she can be persuaded that other paths are better. It's a difficult thing, since that works best when she believes it to be her own idea, but it is far from impossible. Especially if she perceives there to be a political advantage to changing course." She grimaced distastefully as she said the last.
The queen pauses. Nimora feels as if she's being measured again.
"Dooming you to the life of a nomad would be such a waste. Nomads are all well and good, but they often limit their views to their small groupings and simple lifestyles. Your mother underestimates you."
"Even as a Sister of the Trident you would better realize your potential."
"Sorry, I don't mean to offend."
"Of course you have not offended me. I am sorry for burdening you with my family troubles. I am not at all sure what my mother was thinking when she made her plans. From what I have been told of the character of the gentleman in question, it seems a match more likely to ignite a war rather than cement an alliance," she says with a wry smile.
"And in all fairness, my mother's original plans for me were to have me join the Order. I was...tired of having my life dictated for me, and less than diplomatic in my expression of such. I did a good amount of growing up after I left, but she had no way of knowing that."
"Life will do that to you." She looks at Mirathan as well.
"My son has always been the gentle one. Our dreamer. He chose the service of a Watcher for many reasons. His father is, was always a warrior, as is my youngest."
"Mirathan has changed much in the short time he's been away. Duty presses in upon him stronger than ever before. I never knew the depths of the strength he carried within him..."
"Perhaps the same holds true for your mother."
Nimora can't help but smile a little as she watches Mirathan.
"I hope that you are right about my mother. I would like to mend things between us. I do not like to be at odds with my family."
"Mirathan is hard on himself because he underestimates his own strength. He is probably the bravest person I have ever known. But he'd never believe it if I told him so."
"Mirathan is hard on himself because he underestimates his own strength. He is probably the bravest person I have ever known. But he'd never believe it if I told him so.""He says the same about you, Sea Flower."
Nimora looks startled and blushes deeply, unsure how to respond. She glances across the room at Mirathan and bites her lip, suddenly finding the floor to be unusually fascinating to look at.
Hoping to break the tension , Kaelar claps his hands together.
"I have an idea! Why don't we all have a nice informal snack and talk about something like the strange red ice I've found or different species of underwater magicks?"
Hoping to break the tension , Kaelar claps his hands together.
"I have an idea! Why don't we all have a nice informal snack and talk about something like the strange red ice I've found or different species of underwater magicks?"
"Red ice?" she says, distracted, daring another glance at Mirathan. "Oh, you mean the stuff you made the communication crystals out of?"
Nimora holds up the little crystal that she had fastened onto her amulet of true seeing.
"See? Like this. Kaelar has a whole bunch of it. I'm not really sure what it is, but it makes really good communication devices."
"Does it melt, or is 'ice' more of a description?"
"It does not seem to melt at normal temperatures. Although Kaelar said not to get it too near fire."
"Interesting, and the crystals conduct sound btwn similar crystals in a controlled manner?"
"Yes, and they don't seem to be limited by distance at all. We use them to keep in contact with our friends. We had some troubles with people running around just missing each other all the time before he made these for us."
"Well, it seems you have all sorts of talented people in your circle of friends."
"Yes. All sorts of interesting people showed up to fight against the Black. I enjoyed meeting so many different sorts of people."
Sombody's getting married? Whoa dude, that's awesome. Expressions of luv are soooo cool! I'll bring some cake!
"It does not seem to melt at normal temperatures. Although Kaelar said not to get it too near fire."
"Does it melt, or is 'ice' more of a description?"
"Normal fire can touch it, it's blue fire they cannot touch. Fire of any kind shouldn't be much of a problem underwater though."
Pulling a chunk of the ice from his robe pocket, Kaelar uses small magicks to change the red ice into an ornate armlet, which he then hands to the queen. "There we go, now you can call for our help no matter how far away we may be, and it just looks like a peice of jewelry. Do you like it?"
A rider on a hippocampus comes swimming up to the palace. He disembarks and brings messages from Nimora's family to Mirathan and Nimora.
Message to Mirathan:
** spoiler omitted **
Message to Nimora:
** spoiler omitted **
"Sea-mail? Who is it from, Nimora?"