The River
Just after the Corrupted River Serpent Fight, 77 Spring 218
Athelia swam towards the surface of the water, the adrenaline of battle fading from her blood. On the surface above, he stood, even from this angle she would know him from any distance. The others quickly made their way back to the ship. But he lingered, searching the waves. It only took him a moment to spot the glimmer of her in the churning river. She saw that faint lavender of his sight and laughed. Small bubbles swirled upwards carrying her delight. This magic that held him afloat was an unexpected joy.
Avarian leaned down as she emerged, her hands resting on his boots to keep from drifting away from him. Her pale hair seemed tame for once, slick against her skin and oil treated armor.
“Come with me and enjoy this while it lasts,” a bright smile warmed her face, even in the fading light of day she seemed to glow. All of her shone, the essence of her true nature unfettered for this moment between battle and whatever awaited them next.
Avarian frowned and looked out over the water, “It’s still dangerous” his voice rough, “there could be more of those things.” He started to stand again, turning towards their ship but she reached up to stop him.
“It’s always dangerous, but we might not have another chance like this,” she stared up at him, a playful glint in her eye and she drifted away on her back, her arms outstretched. “Just me … alone … in the river, with no protection…”
She looked away from his gaze, a small smile at the corner of her lips. “After all, I’m quite dangerous, who knows what sort of trouble I’ll cause if you don’t … chase me!” And she turned and dove under the water, the sweep of her tail brushing the bottoms of his boots.
“Mmm. You are trouble,” he said with a hint of laughter in his voice.
Had any crew looked back, they might have seen Avarian staring into the water and the fog for a moment before sheathing his rapier. He began to chase after her, leaping over rolling waves, heading into the mist.
He followed her, and would follow her anywhere. His sight danced over the waves as he watched her weave through, rolling herself just under where he tread. All that separated them was a work of magic that could so easily slip away.
For Athelia, the water was a freedom she could seldom indulge in and only ever alone. The chance to be herself, truly, with Avarian by her side. She would not waste it. They swam and ran until the fog hid them from view, just enough to consider themselves alone together. She swam circles around him. Just skimming where water and air met, dancing without gravity. For him she sang what she felt in her heart, the words and sound carried and wound through the water. Listening to her, he kneeled and pressed his hand into the river. It buoyed him still. The magic held strong and steady.
As she sang the ephemeral way of sirens and the song moved through her, she seemed to shine from within. Enchanting and alluring. Like faerie lights within the dark, luring hapless victims into the depths. Yet she did not need to worry for Avarian because he was already hers. Reaching up a slender webbed hand, she clasped his. Her palm pushed up to meet his. Gently he ran a thumb over the fine scales that freckled her skin, smooth but cold, so unlike the warm tanned skin he knew, yet still her.
He smiled his rare smile looking down at her. She flicked her tail with a splash and rose up from the water to meet his lips and that smile she loved. Soaking the front of him. But just as quickly, he caught her in his arms and pulled her closer. Her simple dress sodden and her armor shining, and just below her long golden tail waving languidly as she held herself against the current and aloft in his embrace.
“So you caught a siren, does this mean you’ll drown?” She laughed and wrapped her arms over his shoulders. Water running in rivulets over his pauldrons and down the back of his armor. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you.”
“I’ll get you back for that when you least expect it”, shaking the water from his hair. It felt refreshing if nothing else, but holding her, she felt almost immaterial. The weight of her body fluctuated with the swell of the river. As if she could so easily slip away and be swallowed by the watery depths. He held her tightly, a hand burying itself in her wet hair, finding the warmth of her where her back and neck met, curving as she looked up at him.
The siren and her sailor (by Jessica Dru) “Lay by me,” she whispered into the press of his lips and she drew him down to the water. Still he could not break the surface tension, his weight was supported and she flowed alongside him. Was there no magic to a siren at all? She only needed to ask and surely men would crawl beneath the waves to meet her embrace. Laying on his side, holding her, her chest against his as the rest of her fell away into the water. The long finned tail he’d only ever seen glimpses of before rolled along the surface of the river.
With one hand he drew up the linen dress that swirled around her tail and ran a callused hand over her. She moved with a liquid undulation as she held herself aloft. Joyous that he could explore this body, she let the tapering length slide beneath his touch until the fluke fanned like gossamer wings trailing in the current. Searching his face as he traced her scales and fins. She saw only adoration and something deep inside her eased. A breath she hadn’t known she was holding.
With one powerful twist, she brought the end of her tail and fluke to wrap over his boots, holding herself to him, floating next to where he lay. Her hair spread out like the aquatic grasses, drifting and curling with the moving waters that eddied around them.
“Thank you for trusting me,” she said between gentle kisses. Savoring this moment of peace and solitude. Her torso rose and fell as she breathed air in and out. He marveled as his hands could not follow her into the water, but waited to caress her when she floated up again.
A maddening dance of the waves, they stayed lost in each other’s embrace until the spell faded and he slipped, finally into her waiting arms. She embraced him underwater for a moment, her lips pressed to his and her pale hair a nimbus cloud enveloping them, her tail swaying gently between the steady kick of his legs. They drifted weightless for the barest moment, before she lifted him to the surface, the weight of his armor was just enough to be taxing.
“Allow me to be of service,” she giggled. Knowing how often the roles were reversed. And slowly with the stars and shattered moon casting their faint silvery light, found their way back to the ship.
Pulling herself up to the ladder, she gathered in all that she was, drawing it back in on itself. The magic was a dancing of lights below the surface. And she stepped barefoot up the ladder ahead of Avarian.
“At first I couldn’t fathom why you always preferred dresses,” he chuckled. The soaking tail of her linen dress dripping water on his upturned face. “But I am beginning to appreciate them.”
Athelia laughed and gave him a gasp of feigned shock. Climbing over the railing of the ship, he followed with the ease of experience. Together they wrung out what clothing they could over the edge.
“Let me help you … dry your armor,” she murmured. “You have watch in an hour.” Flashing him an appreciative glance, and pulling him towards the captain’s chambers.
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