Nar 30, 229: Speaking in Riddles

Speaking in Riddles
Summary: Ciarrah has a visit on the beach with her father and another few visitors.
OOC Date: 08/02/2014
Related: None
Players:
Ciarrah Cian 

With a special appearance by

Dair 
Beach
The rocks by the docks give way to sand, a tannish brown in color, that lines the beach front. The beach goes for several miles in either direction at low tide, the docks a midpoint in their length. There are several coves and inlets to be found along the way. However, when the tide is up, some parts of the beach become impassable. In several areas, a fire pit has been set up, with logs and boulders around for seating. Seaweed drifts to the shore, and the tide leaves driftwood and other debris, along with small sea critters, in tide pools that can only be found when the tide is out. It is a summer evening. The weather is hot and fair
Nar 30, 229

It is a hot summer evening and the weather is fair enough that Ciarrah has escaped the palace just to get away. Despite the history of the beach, where Laetitia had been found, and her own misfortune here when her Uncle had seen to have her removed from Darfield and taken to Laniveer, she still finds solace among the sand and the softly crashing waves. The smell of the water soothes her as does the few birds soaring through the air, their wings spread widely as they glide close to the water, looking for small fish.

There is a contingent of guards accompanying her, for Tyrel had insisted on it if she insisted on visiting the water, as well as a small array of maids. Wearing a dress of purple, just a few shades lighter than the Kilgour color, she looks elegant, regal and graceful as she moves on the wet sand at the water's edge. A peculiar stone hangs on a chain around her neck and she is absently holding it between her thumb and the first and second fingers of her left hand. Her hair is swept up in elegant braids with a few deliberate strands escaping the confines and framing her face.

<FS3> Ciarrah rolls Perception: Good Success.

"It has been a while." A voice whisper in her ear, the voice is definitely male and it is warm and rich. There is kindness in the words. "It is time for you feel the world around you now that it is awakened." The voice informs her. The waves continue to crash upon the darkening beach. Out in the water seals heads bob up and down as the pop their heads out of the rising falling surf. A female with dark hair is swimming with them or at least treading the water with them. The one thing that stands out is that despite the growing darkness she is able to see the seals and the woman in the water.
The voice seems to be smiling as it can be heard in it. "I am glad you have the stone. The magic in the land is awakening."

Hearing the whisper, Ciarrah cocks her head back slightly, blue eyes immediately coming to rest on Cri, though she understands the voice had nothing to do with the dark planet. Her fist closes over the multi-colored pearl she wears around her neck and her breathing quickens slightly. Was it the same voice she had heard before? "Awakened," she whispers softly, almost inaudibly to the group around her. "Is that what has happened?" There is no doubt in her voice, and she is strangely calm, no fear in her eyes. Hearing the difference of the splashes of the waves, her attention is diverted from the planet to the surf and the appearance of the seals bring a quick smile, though it fades just by a margin when the woman is noticed. Not because of the fact the woman seemed to be the epitome of beauty, only because she felt a nagging tug of jealousy at the freedoms she had to do such a thing, to be swimming with the mammals.
"How is it awakening? Why? The.. creatures, the terrible, terrible creatures that threaten our kingdom.. who sends them? Surely not the Gods. They are our protectors."

"A Selkie who is looking for her pelt," The voice explains. "Some of us protect and others do not. There is light and there is the dark. Without one there cannot be the other." The seals and the woman continue to swim with each other. The woman then goes to a rock and scrambles out. Her long hair covers some of her but it is apparent she is as naked as the day she born, and her porcelain skin seems to stand out again the growing dark. A seal pup comes to place it is head upon her lap.

The voice continues to talk and then she feels a hand upon her arm. "Come and walk with me."

"Selkie." Ciarrah echoes as if committing to memory each word said to her. "So beautiful," she whispers, watching in awe the woman with the seals. A smile plays over her lips at the pup, thinking of her own children and the little princess she is raising as her own. She watches for a long moment before tearing her gaze away, the darkening planet bringing a shiver that the hand on her arm does nothing to dispel. There is no alarm from the touch, she simply falls in line with the feeling and begins walking, her feet leaving a trail in the wet sand that is washed away behind her when the waves crash in. As she walks, the maids and guards follow, casting wary eyes upon the darkening sky. "Will you tell me about the awakening?"

"There is much you need to learn and know. The awakening is what you can do and feel with the weather. Remember what we spoke of when you and I first spoke my daughter?" He asks her. "Yes Selkie, there are many layers to this world we live in and we can only sense what our senses show us." He grows quiet for a while and the ocean waves are the only sound that can be heard. "Everything has a season. Even gods and goddess need to sleep and are ruled by seasons and cycles. Even we have to be born."

Listening, Ciarrah is silent for as long as he speaks, even as the waves break the silence and he speaks again, she is silent until he brings a question rising to her lips. Parting them, she glances down at the sand, the many, many grains that dip into the ocean where the water meets the beach. "I remember.." Lowering her hand from the pearl, allowing it to be seen. "I always remember. I always will." Wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue, she breathes in then exhales ever so softly. "Birth is a new beginning, a celebration of life. Yet, as you say, where there is good, there is evil, is evil being born also then? What are the forms it is taking, if not like you and I?"

"Light and dark have been here since the beginning. "When Cri gave birth that what she had brought into the world was twisted by those who were jealous. They sought to create their own creatures and their own delights. What is here is also there. They are two worlds." The man explains with a frown. "We are all that and more. Magic comes in cycles or season's. This is magic's spring."

"Spring is the words awakening of new life." Putting the two together, Ciarrah nods gently, the sound of the waves still crashing against the shore, the scent of the water in the air as the world continues to darken. Yet despite the darkening, there is no rush to leave. "What will the summer bring to us?" A fissure of fear in the words, uncertain if she would know the answer or no.

"You will not live to see the summer of magic not in this life in this body my dear daughter. Instead by the time the summer of magic approaches you will have life a hundred lives perhaps. You will have been both man and woman. You will have seen many wars. You will have witnessed much. The seasons of magic do not follow the exact same seasons of your world my sweet child. For now know that this world and your children will see many sunrises and sunsets, until it is your time." He words are gentle, his hand upon her arm is warm.

The beach is dark and figures move down the beach. There is the sound of armour and the bark of seals. The air is warm and tide high and ocean waves crash upon the beach.

'At first Ciarrah is startled when she is told the summer would never be seen by her in this lifetime, imagining it meaning she would be gone soon. The thought takes her breath and only returns when the reassurances come. Knees weak with relief, she slows her steps as she listens. With softspoken words, she replies. "What will the spring bring? What.. what can I do to help? I want to assist the people in any way I can, they are afraid, they are scared, I would not wish them to be. What must I say to bring them peace, yet keep them cautious?"'

As the multiple figures move down the beach the water washes along the shore erasing the footprints. It is almost fully dark out by now and overly warm for this time of the evening, especially this near the large water.

The events of the beach have troubled Cian since he pulled his brother from the water. Least of all nearly losing his brother to some crazed shark. The reaction of his duke to what they percieved of a rescue and of course the crazy barking nudist they were trying to rescue who seemed to disapear. Another day of unsettled thoughts finally bring the knight back to the beach, though in tunic and pants and not armour this time. The Bark of the seals draw his attention as he rides his horse along beach. Slow careful steps in the near darkness.

"For now you are to learn, you will need practice and to call the weather not all magic is evil." He says. "My child you need to try and call the weather, reach out and sense it but also it is not time for you to try and call it. Feel that weather in your bones. As for the rest, there are many paths that can be taken. Time will tell, just remember that not all is bad. Not all of the Fey are evil, not all that is of nature is evil." He goes to take his hand off her arm. There is then a sense of warmth and feeling of being embraced.

<FS3> Cian rolls Perception: Success.

"Oh but who is to teach me? I have been angry and created a storm, I have called the weather when I was entirely focused when doing so." Though Ciarrah had not been aware of the bright magic that day when it had happened. "I would call the weather now, were I able." Feeling the release of her arm, a smile flitters over her features at the warm embrace. "I want to learn, I need to know what I must do. Must I go to the temple to speak with the enlightened? As Queen to my people, what must I do?" The soft plea in her voice is brief before she takes another deep breath and speaks softer, closing her eyes in the embrace. "How can I stop it? The evil?"'

As he slowly gets closer he can see that the figures on the beach have stopped. They are standing about fifty feet from him. He can also hear the sound of seals barking as they get ready for bed.

"Seek the illuminated and then they will introduce you to the enlightened of their choosing." The man tells her. "You will learn through the dreams and you will learn to sense and change the weather with time. You will be able to tame angry storm. Tonight when you seelp ride the wind and feel the weather that will be coming from there, you will be able to know if you will need to bring rain or sun."

As the figures are stopped, one of them leans towards the other very briefly and though they do not walk again yet, they are still standing there as if exchanging words.

Cian's gaze scans the beach, trying to make out the forms around but it is the contrast of white amoung some dark figures on an outcropping that draws his attention. He eases his mount towards the outcropping leaning forward in the saddle to try to get a clearer look.

'"I will do as you say. I will trust you beyond any other. You are the father of my spirit, I can sense that though the father of my body resides in Aberdeen." Ciarrah gives a warm smile, another glance towards Cri, though it remains dark and the sky has almost fully reached night, the stars glittering on the velvety midnight blue backdrop. "I will sleep and when I sleep I will dream of what you say. And of you. Please bring me advice when I sleep, bring me wisdom and my people.. bring them solace.. I would beg of you." Closing her eyes, she tips her head back, smiling as if feeling the beams of the sun on her face even though it has dipped into the sea for the night. "I wish to have these gifts you hint at, these gifts you so freely offer."'

"They are yours my child, for now I must walk." The voice says softly. "I will come again, I need to seek my father this night." He then embraces her tightly again. He holds her as a father would a child and then he releases her and begins to walk down the beach away from both her and Cian. Soon the darkness swollows him.

The figures embrace again and one of them turns to leave. The figure then disappears into the darkness.

Near Cian he hears the cry of a deep voice that has to be a protective male seal. The night seems to grow darker and the air cooler as the heat of the day is released into the darkness of the night.

The deep voice of the male seal spook's Cian's horse unexpectantly which has the horse rearing and Cian dumped into the sand as his horse bolts. Hopefully it is dark enough that surely noone was witness to this. After a moment stun Cian gets to his feet and dusts the sand from his backside and glances to the outcropping, "I ain't going to bother your seals buddy…just making sure she is ok.." He says before shaking his head "And now I am talking to seals…" He

'"I will seek the illuminated.." Ciarrah whispers softly before embracing him once more and then letting him go. "And I will seek you as well, my father." When he steps back she watches until he disappears and only then does she feel a shiver over her skin as she looks around and out towards the water then up to Cri.'

When one of the figures depart, the others remain where they are for a long moment, one of them looking up to Cri until she hears the horse wreck. The guards are the first to react, flanking the Queen while two in front draw their swords from their scabbards.

The seal barks! A response back to him. Then another that sounds like a question. The tide edges close to him and the water laps against his boots teasing him.

Cian starts to turn away from the rock when there is the bark back and he looks up to the outcropping again. He squints into the darkness to see a pale figure dive into the water. He gives a shake of his head before looking towards the sound of approaching armour. There is a look of inquisitive befuddlement on his face.

With no threats, the guards simply halt while still keeping nearer Ciarrah than to the non-threatening man, looking back towards the water then back to the man. Ciarrah opts to tell them in a soft spoken voice. "We should be getting back, it is time to sleep. To dream."

Cian steps out of the way of the guards, hands up to show no weapons here. Especially once he recognizes them as Royal guards. Once they pass though there is one last glance at the water before he heads down to beach where his horse waits…somewhere.

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