Naida Come down to the black sea, swimming with me
Despite the miles separating the land mermaid from the ocean blue, Naida found herself exploring the kingdom that she now called her temporary home. As ocean fae, she could still hear the soft lapping of waves as if the sea itself churning through her veins instead of blood; the fathoms singing to her in the sounds of sea gulls and crashing water against stone cliffs and beaches. But instead, she could not answer.. not in the way she needed. For when she returned to the sea, and the sea returned to her.. Naida had no plans to come back to this land. This kingdom, this country, this continent. She would love nothing more than to reclaim the Unknown Sea that surrounded the large island for taking the lives of her crew — her lover, her king, among them — before she could regain even a shred of happiness. For all she knew, their bodies were bone fragments buried on the ocean floor, their souls drowned and lost and unable to cross over to the Heavenly Sea and Sky. Calypso, her patron goddess, now holding their celestial bodies hostage until they could at last rest in peace.
She had never been more angry, more determined. Not even when her Queen Mother had banned her from the ocean itself.
Naida found herself wandering the new lands; educating herself in the unfamiliar stars and world that she had never heard of, let alone traversed. Her ocean-born hooves padded along a beaten path, until the land rolled out in greenery as far as her eyes could see. A sea of grass, still holding on to the warmth of summer, as the blades were muted beneath a rising sun. The expanse was wide and beautiful, the sky above her a soft blue; the color of a tropical cove in a far away paradise. At the edges of the grass sea, was an actual body of water, not the ocean..but a lake. It was beautiful and brought a slight smile to her otherwise sad face.
This land was beautiful, she could not deny it. Peaceful, and... not as empty as she had once thought.
If Katniss had known just how much the mare was suffering on land, perhaps she would not have entered as she had. For like this newcomer, Katniss is also a daughter of the sea. Her mother is a kelpie that had been cursed to live her life on land. The sea had always been an important part of her life, so when she arrived in Novus, she was happy to see that she had magic that could help her out in this new land. While it wasn’t her natural ability to breathe underwater, Katniss could grow the gills she needed, and she did so often.
This particular morning, Katniss is at the bottom of the lake, standing peacefully. She takes pleasure in the way the lake weed laps at her legs in the steady current. She listens to the way the fish seem to sing beneath the water. She can hear the waves lapping at the beach not far from her. But there is something that does catch her attention. “You are being watched…” It is the voice of Finnick, her harpy eagle soaring high in the skies above. He has seen the mare as she comes upon the lake and he has watched the way she takes pleasure and pride in it. But he knows that this is a new member of Denocte, a member that must be welcomed.
Reluctantly, Katniss knows her duty is to greet this newcomer, to welcome her into the land of Night. Slowly, she turns so she can begin her trip up the banks of the lake. As her head seems to rise out of the water like an angel, her gills begin to recede and Katniss heaves a giant breath as air feels her lungs. She steps closer still, her eyes locked on the stranger. “Welcome to Denocte.” Katniss is rather plain in comparison to the other. She has no vibrant colors that adorn her body. She is simple. But perhaps the most notable thing about Katniss is the shear amount of scars that riddle her body. Most would not see Katniss and think she was a master of beauty but a master of death instead. Her scars each tell a story that perhaps the warrior is unwilling to tell. They tell of a hard and troubled life, but one that has always ended in victory.
As she comes fully out of the water, the tall mare towers over the newcomer. At over 18hh, that is not hard to do. But her features are soft an welcoming, even if she looks a little daunting at first. There is a cry from the sky and Katniss looks up to her eagle, souring above the two of them. She offers the bird a silent nod, a thank you. Finnick means so much to her now that she has very little family left. He’s always by her side, always watching, always ready to give his life.
Turning back to the mare, the deep red of Katniss’ eyes look upon the other, her face soft where a smile is trying to form. There is so little for her to be happy about in this life, but she tries her best to muster up a welcoming. “My name is Katniss. Welcome.” She does not tell the woman that she is Denocte’s Champion of Battle. Titles had never been important to her, but she will not deny the role if asked. But in this moment, she is not a soldier, only a friendly and welcoming face.
Naida Come down to the black sea, swimming with me
Bright green eyes caught sight of another, a shadowed girl in the distance appearing out of the watery surface like a mermaid or siren. She had half a thought to hide, to disappear into the shadows. But Naida was not afraid; if anything, she was lonely. At least a few weeks now had passed since she had washed ashore in this strange world, unaware of who and what ruled these lands. Her curiosity pushed her legs into a trot, sea-green hued tresses flowing in the cool breeze as she gingerly approached the other stranger. Hearing the woman's first welcome, she slightly bowed her head to the darkened female in her way of greeting. She tried not to smile too widely, knowing that most found her sharpened teeth to be frightening or threatening. That was no way to make friends was it?
"Thank you miss. I hope I wasn't disturbing you..I didn't realize anyone was nearby."
For a heartbeat, as her words hung suspended in the air between them, she regretted speaking. Regretted bringing attention to herself, and intruding on the woman's peace. They were in the very heart of an never-ending sea of greenery. Bright green eyes blinked and took in the beauty of not just the landscape, but the woman before her now. The dark dapples of her coat almost shimmering and drinking in every last drop of sunlight, the silver dapples across her frame stunning and ethereal to take in their own right.
The regret that suddenly laced through her blood and bones like a corrosive toxin was immediately burned away as the woman's attempt at a friendly smile touched her face.
“My name is Katniss. Welcome.”
With a sharp inhale, she attempted to smile a bit wider but not too wide, and said: "Naida.. my name is Naida." She offered a small smile, the wind tickling the sea-green of her forelock, revealing the bright green of her eyes in the lovely sunlight. "So..this is Denocte. I have heard a lot about this place and its people."
She’s charmed by the other. Even if she doesn’t know the mare before her, she knows that she is a creature of the sea, She recognizes the colors that make up her appearance. She remembers seeing similar colors on her mother, even on her brother. She can practically smell the salt coming from years beneath the sea. But she says nothing. It’s not her place to judge, even if she was only trying to be d
At her words, Katniss shakes her head softly, trying to make the mare feel better about being here. She had not been disturbing anything, not really. “It’s quite alright. I come to the lake to think.” She looks up as Finnick perched on a branch in a nearby tree. He’s cautious of the newcomer, but he says nothing. “Finnick, my eagle, told me you were near. He doesn’t recognize you.” Finnick was always looking out for her, making sure that she and Kibou were safe. He also looked out for Denocte.
But despite her bird’s hesitation, Katniss knows that this mare is a friendly face. She smells of Denocte, as if she’s been here lurking. Perhaps all she needs is a friendly face, someone to welcome her.
And so she did just that, welcoming her to Denocte and introducing herself in the process. She seemed to appreciate the gesture by the way her smile grew. If only she knew that appearances did not face Katniss, not really. Everyone here in Novus was so different and unique. No one looked the same and they all had their unique gifts.
Her smile softens when she gives her name: Naida. The wind seemed to come between them, welcoming the friendship that would hopefully come between them. Katniss looked at the mare, her eyes captivating her attention until she spoke. “We are a good court, known for our entertainment and hospitality.” It was odd, coming from the warrior, that she would be the one to welcome this mare into Denocte. And yet, it seemed fitting all the same. “I do not hold those talents, unfortunately.” Katniss could not sing or dance. Perhaps she could if she tried, but it as definitely not what she was known for. “…I protect the court, that is my gift.” It was hard for anyone to deny that, given her body was riddled with scars. They spoke of battles won and lost, of her constant fight. They told her story, even if it was sometimes not a children’s fairytale.
Naida Come down to the black sea, swimming with me
Naida was relieved to hear she hadn't bothered the other woman, a subtle movement of her shoulders that had been tense before now looked looser. Less strained. Her ears twitched back at the mention of the eagle who she now spotted up in the tree nearby, her bright green eyes watching the avian creature for a moment. "I suppose he wouldn't. Even though I've been here for a few months now I tend to stick to myself, just observing others quietly." She answered with a small smile once she looked back towards Katniss.
The sea born mare couldn't help but silently agree that this court seemed to be full of hospitality. Just from her own observations of the court and now this encounter with Katniss, Naida had seen more than once the kindness shown here among its people. Perhaps she had chosen the right court in fact to call her home for now. When Katniss spoke of her own talents, she couldn't help but slightly tilt her head a bit. "Even warriors can dance..their dance is just different from that of an entertainer's. I was a warrior in my homeland before I washed ashore here." Naida spoke softly with a small smile on her lips. She noticed the scars upon Katniss' body but she did not comment on them, everyone had scars of some kind. Whether visible or not..Naida understood the lessons and the pain one might feel over them.
"Were you always apart of this court? Or are you like me? A stranger." Naida found herself asking with a curious glanced towards Katniss.
The way the other spoke of a soldier as its own form of entertainer was so eloquently put. She was right. While a warrior did not dance and sing to entertain, they danced a different sort of dance. A war dance with steps that spoke of a more truer purpose. While some danced to music, she moved to the beat of a war drum. While others spun and twirled, she moved with precisions and purpose. She had never thought to look at herself as a different sort of dancer and for that, she was thankful to have met Naida.
She listens as the others tells her that she too was once a warrior before she came her. Katniss offers her a smile and a nod. “Have you thought of being a warrior here? I am always open to welcoming others into my ranks.” She loved the idea of training new warriors, of showing them just how passionate she could be about protecting Denocte from all sorts of dangers that seemed to hide behind each rock and tree.
But then the conversation shifted. It drew a sigh from between pursed lips. “I was once a stranger, several years ago.” She thinks of her time here in Denocte and it feels as though she has been here for ages when in reality, it has only been a few years. “I was born in a world called Nocturne and lived in a place called Rift and then Reverie. I’ve loved and I have lost, I’ve fought and I have won.” She’s quiet for a moment, feeling the memories fill her with both happiness and pain. “But Novus is my home now and Denocte is where I have raised my son.” She has no plans to leave, not any time soon at least. While Denocte holds so much pain in her heart, there is also joy. This place is Kibou’s home too. But perhaps Denocte is her home as well, the place where she will grow old and eventually perish. Denocte has her heart now, and she doesn’t intend on letting it go.
