Corazon Del Sol (Open)

[RiniKett]

Rini had seemed to ignore Serenity's cries for now, focusing moreso on reaching the docks. With a hurried pace, Rini led them to the peir in which their boat was waiting. The young Miqo'te glanced back now and then to ensure that he was still behind her. Rain slowly began to fall as they reached the boat, now docked where they stood earlier, and Rini ushered Scaith to board as she turned her attention the man standing at the foot of the ramp leading to the deck.

 

A few words could be seen being exchanged, Rini's face expressionless before her gaze turned into a firm glare. She pulled a small sack from her belt and placed it in the man's hand before quickly boarding and following behind them.

 

"In here..." Rini motioned, water dripping from the tips of her hair as she opened the door to a small cabin. Inside, they would find it relatively empty. A few barrels were scattered here and there as were a table and chairs with four old hammocks strung in the back corner. The room reeked of wet wood and alcohol with the occasional whiff of cigar smoke.

 

Rini cleared the table and placed a candle at the head, again motioning toward the two she had just recently met.

 

"Place her here...And close the door..."

[Scaith]

Rini cleared the table and placed a candle at the head, again motioning toward the two she had just recently met. 

 

"Place her here...And close the door..."

 

 

Scaith moved quickly as he began being pelted with the large droplets of rain, holding Serenity closer to shield her from the rain as he slipped below decks. He looked about quickly, his warrior training kicking in and looked for enemies and exits before setting the small female on the nearby bedcushions and closed the door behind Rini, taking a seat nearby them both.

 

 

" I b'feelin there's a story t'be heard here....would ye be willin t'fill this wanderin Tia in some?"

 

 

He slowly took a rag from inside his shirt, wiping his head and ears down from being now sodden. He took another moment, gazing over first Serenity in her disheveled but delicate form and took off his long seaman's coat, covering the frail looking woman in it like a blanket. His eyes moved over to Rini, looking deeply into her own gaze and flicked an ear. 

[Serenity]

As she listened to the two talking about her, Serenity slowly felt herself begin to return. Whatever had been done to her was fading, and with each fleeting moment, she could feel more of her strength and energy return to her. But she still couldn't shake her memories of what she saw and felt. What did it all mean? Why had it happened then? This wasn't something she was used to, and it only meant another point of research to conduct once she returned to the guild. 

 

As Serenity felt better, she slowly shifted and sat up, holding the donated garments against her body as she slowly tried to explain herself to her rescuers. 

 

"I'm... Sorry I put you two through that... It wasn't my intention to... Show you my weakest side."

 

Slowly scouring the room for her clothing, Serenity carefully got up and began walking towards it, intending on getting dressed so she could... Well, hopefully salvage whatever she could from this disaster.

[RiniKett]

Rini watched Serenity closely with an expression that was somewhat skeptical. After hearing her out a,nd watching her leave to get dressed, Rini turned to Scaith and closed her eyes.

 

"I've seen it before...Tainted Aether...It's a result of voidsent...One fed off of her...Or has a connection to her somehow...I've seen it happen before but in all honesty I have no idea how it works."

 

The young teen's words were regretful and had a hint of insecurity in her tone. She opened her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, still unsure of exactly how much to divulge.

 

"I can't help her here...Regular healing magic could make it worse...I need something from home."

[Scaith]

Scaith looked over Serenity covered in his jacket and blushed, turning to the porthole and gave a small sigh. He listened to Rini and gave a slight nod now and looked at her. His ears flicked a little at the weather turning worse outside, turning his gaze back to the small female and adjusted his shirt. 

 

" Mmmph, bloody voidsent.... well lass, ye've a mercenary and hand by I for the trek if ye're needin one. I cannae say I've any past skill in fightin them sad buggers, but ye've m'blades for sure. "

 

He gave a small smile as he sat down, looking away from Serenity for modesty's sake as she dressed and gave a slight blush as he suddenly realized something important. His tail flicked about in slight nervousness as he moved easily before Rini and gave a deep bow.

 " I just realized, lass, we've nary had a chance t'be acquainted...My name is Scaith, luv, at ye're service...both ye're service I should say."

[RiniKett]

Rini blinked at the name, her hands dropping to her lap as she peered over him curiously before grinning mischeaveously. "Oh? Are you now? Well I appreciate it... My name is L'rinhi Kett...I'm sure you're also happy to have also found passage hmm?" She asked, a bit of teasing in her voice as she turned back to serenity to ensure she hadn't fainted again.

 

"If it is a voidsent... There's not much we can do unless we find it... We keep moving.. If it keeps making her sick we know it's something close by." She stated flatly

[Scaith]

Rini blinked at the name, her hands dropping to her lap as she peered over him curiously before grinning mischeaveously. "Oh? Are you now? Well I appreciate it... My name is L'rinhi Kett...I'm sure you're also happy to have also found passage hmm?" She asked, a bit of teasing in her voice as she turned back to serenity to ensure she hadn't fainted again.

 

"If it is a voidsent... There's not much we can do unless we find it... We keep moving.. If it keeps making her sick we know it's something close by." She stated flatly

Scaith nodded, agreeing as he stood at attention and retrieved the seaman's coat from where Serenity had left it, easily slipping it on and buttoning it up so his look was complete once more. His eyes were alight with eagerness to feel the oceanspray on his face once more as he looked at Rini and then at Serenity, giving them both a small smile.

 

" Aye m'lady L'rinhi, then we'd best be onwards. Are ye handled for a skipper here or would y'be needin assistance on the helm?"

 

He mentally plotted a course for Ul'dah, having been through the trade routes from Limsa to there multiple times and knew the rocky shoreline shouldn't be an issue for them. What WOULD however, was their arrival to the sandy desert region.

[Serenity]

Slowly getting dressed, Serenity went over her thoughts over and over again. None of this made any sense. Each question only brought about more that begged an answer, and Serenity had naught. As she finished the final ties on her garments, Serenity moved to join Rini and Scaith as she heard them discussing patching to where they needed to get to. 

 

Through all oft his, Tryxlia was by Serenity's side, though as an elemental there wasn't very much it could do to aid it's friend in this matter. Still, as she moved it followed, joining finally as the three began discussions. 

 

"Thank you... Both of you. I fear for what may have happened to me... But I have many questions and I feel as though they demand answers... Would it be possible to make a course for the Arcanist's guild? I'd like to do some research... And I'd... Also like to have you two by my side... I can... Pay if it's Gil you're after... Or I can compensate you in other ways... Knowledge... Protection... "

[RiniKett]

Rini looked up to her before shaking her head with her eyes closed.

 

"Sorry, we are heading to Ul'dah...The Arcanist Guild might have tomes, but I know someone who is much more knowledgeable in these things than I...besides, I need the old remedies that we used before...If your aether is corrupted then further tampering could make it worse...We need to cleanse it." She stated, taking a deep breath and looking back to Scaith. "I hired the crew...You can help them if you want but they know where I need to go...I'll finish my deliveries at another time."

[Scaith]

He gave a soft sigh as he found there was no need for his seamanship and gave a small chuckle as he thought about it. Thankfully, he was never a person that needed to bring a lot of gear and merely nodded at Rini's words, sitting back down by the window and looking out.

 

"Alrigh' lass, I'll let ye're men do their thing. F'now then, I'd suggest I keep watch o'er m'lady here and just keep eye out for trouble?" 

 

He gave a small smile as his mind wandered to Ul'dah, remembering the last time he'd walked the streets and felt the burning heat on his face. Another life, another home. He'd never intended on losing his shortlived ventures out in the deserts, but politics and the pugilists he'd joined hadn't seen eye to eye. As he looked out over the grey skies and churning whitecaps, he gave an inaudible sigh and prayed to the twelve under his breath.

 

"Well then, this should be givin us a'time to know one ano'er better, aye? Tell me more o' this aether business, where I hail from, a folk is just a folk..."

[RiniKett]

L'rinhi took a deep, steady breath and closed her eyes; her posture fell limp as she took a moment to finally relax. Her left ear twitched, listening to his words as he spoke before idlely sliding off her jeweled sandals and standing up. She slowly rose, letting him continue as she made her way to one of the hammocks and sat down abruptly as the fabric could almost be heard creaking from dryrot.

 

"Aether...It's what makes us alive..."

 

She described vaguely, carefully reaching up to pull the small tiara from her head and placed it on the small table next to her.

 

"All beings have it...I think...Something about Garleans don't maybe...It's vague. Not everyone has access to it though. You have to either be born or learn an affinity for it...To be able to tap into it as a resource."

 

She continued, her voice was soft and somewhat distant, as if her mind was somewhere else. She glanced back up at him as she slide the jewelry from her hand and placed it with the small head ornament. "My name is Rini...I'm a merchant from..Well...I'm a Wayfarer...My home varies most of the time, but I currently live with a friend in the Goblet. My company's headquarters aren't very far from it...Which is where we are heading." she further stated.

[Serenity]

Ul'dah...

 

Serenity had only dreamed of visiting the vast jewel of he desert. She'd read about it from many of her research tomes, how the monetarists had taken mere sand and turned it into gold. Serenity had heard tales from various adventurers of the daring tales of exploration, the fine cuisine of the various establishments... And oh, the nightlife! She'd heard rumors that one could have any desire sated by any number of heavenly maidens or fortuitous lords. A city where anything was possible... As long as you had the coin. 

 

Serenity dug her hand into her leather pouch, feeling the cool golden chips of Gil against her finder. She always made sure to keep a modest amount of coins on her, but... She wanted so much to experience this whimsical city, to partake in its festivities and explore it's alleyways and denizens. Alas, Serenity knew from L'Rinhi's words that this was no pleasure cruise. As she watched her partner sway in her hammock, Serenity let her mind drift to the task at hand. What had caused such a disturbance within her..? Was her aether truly tainted? Was there even a cure? 

 

She stood there motionless as the gentle swaying of the ship rocked the hammocks around them ever so gently. The entire ordeal had been quite a strain on the poor blonde. She'd gone from being auctioned off like a piece of meat, to feeling all sorts of new emotions towards Rini... And then there was her issue before her, looming like a dark cloud ready to drench her in rain if she wasn't careful. 

 

Taking a seat at the edge of Rini's hammock, Serenity fidgets with her hands, her soft words crying louder than a scream for aid and reassurance. 

 

"L'Rinhi... Can I... Can I be saved if my... Aether is tainted?"

[RiniKett]

Rini glanced over to Serenity, part of her wondering if the hammock could hold them both, and tilted her head. Her expression, blank at first, shifting slightly toward one of fright..Or regret.

 

"I...Don't really know...But I'm going to find someone who does...And do the best I can." She replied meekly, closing her eyes as she almost fell asleep sitting up.

[Serenity]

Serenity was troubled by L'Rinhi's words... Did this mean she may not be able to be saved? But there was still so much she hadn't experienced... So much left to do. 

 

Here's heart tight from fear, Serenity did the only thing that she could think of. Rising from her resting place on the hammock, Serenity walked over and beckoned to Tryxlia, the pair going to their own little hammock. As she lay down, Serenity beckoned to her friend, needing comfort now more than ever. With a shimmer and a change of colour from red to pale green, Tryxlia hovered beside it's companion, offering a soothing glow to aid in Serenity's slumber.

[Scaith]

Scaith seemed only to be half listening at the moment, his own energy reserves waning from the travel through Costa del Sol and now this new adventure he'd summarily found himself in. He listened to the mixed sounds of rain pattering on the deck above them and the sway of hammocks, almost a lullaby from his youth from the early days of his fishing trips with his father. A sudden creak in the hull gave alarm that they seemed to be drifting course a little and he looked out over the dockside, seeing they'd began to cast off. 

         His attention turned to the two females he'd suddenly found himself a charge of. The fancier seeming one had something that she didn't want to tell the little blonde he'd hefted with ease. There was immediate care there, though, and for that he allowed a smile to slip and looked to Serenity. He didn't know her, but from how he'd held her and she spoke, it was familiar. He'd missed so much in his adulthood already, but he knew his own mind and body. Looking at them both, his cheeks reddened slightly and his ears flicked before giving a huff and huddled into the corner more, pushing the random idea and thoughts from his head and let sleep take him as he felt the rock of the boat take him.

 

"Scaith.....ye never really fit in here, did ye? W'know it's hard, especially with the Boltlimb family always fightin us for fishing rites, but ye've been the best as a son could be to us...Scaith..." 

 

            He tossed and turned slightly as they sailed, his mind in turmoil as it always was during the night. His tail fluffed up and flicked back and forth as he continued in his fight with his demons.

 

"V'ahnn....such a sweet name...do you think he'll be a strong one like his father?....You're right, I guess he'll never know. Sleep, little kit, and soon someone will be here for you. Oh, my V'ahnn...."

[RiniKett]

Rini's eyes opened as Serenity stood. Cautiously, Rini watched her make her way across the room to her own 'bed' before a slight frown began to curl her lips. Doubt set in as she recollected what she had just said.

 

"I'm sorry...What I said...I...I just don't want to let you down...I..Couldn't help the last time I witnessed this...I made her worse...But I know of a way to at least buy time...And if we separate you from the voidsent then you will have nothing to worry about...You might not have anything to worry about now."

 

L'rinhi tried to make herself sound reassuring, but her self doubt was still evident in her mannerisms, however small they might have been. She took a deep breath as her eyes fell on the small fairy again, gazing at it with a curious glare.