Margrett led Serenity to the harbor, carrying a crate of spiced rum under her arm. She managed to talk the harbormaster into letting her take Gray's boat, and helped Serenity on. She didn't know anything about sailing, but had a pretty good idea of what Serenity was capable of. She untied the boat from the dock and looked to her.
You want to see if you can whip up a wind and push us out, china doll?
Serenity looked up at the boat and whistled, "Impressive."
Though this one was no where near as big as the one they used to sail in at home.
"I'll see what I can do."
Serenity sported her usual attire, a white blouse with black dress pants, only these were a spare she had tucked away at home. She had gone to change out of her dirty and wrinkled clothing from before.
Serenity extended her arms completely, bringing them up above her head in an arc, allowing her hands to meet. As she did this, she breathed in calmly, then she brought her hands down to her chest and exhaled. She did this three more times.
As she did her breathing exercises, the wind would push and pull with her, as if syncing with her breath. On the final exhale, she blew hard forward, and a gust of wind followed her direction, pushing against the sails of the boat.
The boat shuddered, then accelerated, taking off at a good clip towards the middle of the lake. The sun shone on the water, reflecting off the shine of the boat. Remembering the water spray wouldn't do wonders for her armor, she started to shrug it off.
Good job. A little more and we should be good. Gray put a chair in the cabin, sort of a sofa thing. We'll pull it out here in a minute. She pulled off her armor, sighing, flattening out the clothes under it.
Nodding her head, Serenity inhaled once more and blew out, the wind following her course again and pushing the boat forward.
When she was done, she relaxed her breath and went out to join Margrett. She caught her taking off her armor and setting it aside.
"Does it ever get tiring carrying that armor around? I've never worn metal myself, but the magic corp back home wears medium to heavy armors. They always looked uncomfortable standing at attention or patrolling."
Serenity took a seat next to Margrett, relaxing and sitting a little close to her.
"Hmmm, well, its certainly nothing like Wistvale," she chuckled, "I'm not sure what to compare it too really, its like nothing one might ever see. I never left its boundaries until recent years. Since then I've only seen small towns much like Wistvale, though in better condition."
She tilted her head upwards looking to the sky, trying to think of what she should talk about regarding Highever...
"Well, Highever is a wealthy and rather large city state. She sits next to gold, iron, and copper rich mines among a few other precious minerals. There is also the Shimmering Bay, with a harbor large enough to house a small navy. I think, however, what Highever is most known for is its magic user population. There are many capable of wielding the elements, so many that we've established a special military composed of men and women who wield blades along side their magic. The magic corp as I mentioned earlier."
Serenity was going in detail but wasn't sure if the city is what Margrett specifically wanted to hear about.
"Sorry if that was more than you expected, or did you mean my personal home?" she laughed now thinking that her first answer was ridiculous and that Margrett probably did mean her mansion, "What about your home Margrett, I don't think I've asked last time we were in company?"
Hey, I'd like to hear about anything. She leaned forward, opening the box and handing Serenity a jug of rum.
We confiscated that from some slavers. Careful, it's pretty strong. She leaned back and sighed contentedly, putting one arm over the back of the chair and popping off the cork with her other hand.
My home right now is Wistvale. But a while ago....well, short version is that I was a slave. She took a big drink.
Not a happy story, so I won't ruin the mood. But when my father bought us freedom, he started a town for former slaves. Sort of...for support. We knew what they had gone through, and we helped them. She looked around at the shore, getting her bearings.
That way, over the swamp, sort of at the foot of the mountains. Smaller town, but we had a small castle, all the necessities. When he died we didn't feel right living there without him. It wasn't the same. So we burned it down and moved on. Split up. A lot of the slaves went to Lewerton, some of them went up to Highever, others wandered. I wandered. She stared a moment, then smiled.
Then I stopped here. I...well, I kind of like it here now. For various reasons. So. Tell me about your personal home, and I'll tell you about mine.
Serenity was surprised but tried not to show the half of it in her expression. Highever, as far as she knew, didn't allow for slavery but there was plenty of indentured labor which often was regarded as being no different. She listened intently to the rest of her story.
Margrett never gave the airs of peasant or even one who was in slavery, in fact she did give off an aura of nobility not unlike what you would see in the peak of Highever. Serenity frowned a little when hearing of her father's passing and how her people destroyed a town they built up.
"I'm sorry about your father."
Her own relationship with her father was a mystery to her now. Before it barely existed, Serenity only seeing him during meal times and special occasions. Victor Howle was one of several judges that guided Highever.
"I was born into nobility, inside a manor of gold and white on the peak of Highever. My House is Howle, my father is lord Victor Howle. Our house was one of the 13 that founded Highever and thus he holds a seat in the Court of The Peak which guides the city-state. As for myself, my dear, I grew up a princess."
Serenity chuckled at herself, "I got every little thing I wanted, and I assure you I was in every sense of the word, a brat. But I loved every bit of it. I got the best tutors in all sorts of fields, including magic and music, my two favorite things. I attended the University and became among the top of my class. I was dressed to be every man's dream and the pride of my father. When he had guests I would entertain them as well as put on recitals in the grandest theaters."
The lady shook her head and brought the jug to her lips, tasting the rum and nearly coughing it back out.
"They didn't teach me how to drink these, however, but there it is. Not nearly as glamorous as yours." she finished sarcastically.
Margrett laughed, not at Serenity, but at her reaction to the drink.
You learn to like it. She tipped her head back and took a large swig.
Yeah. I was a slave. Since I was ten until about nineteen. It was a...pretty sudden change. I went from the meek slave girl to the daughter of a noble in less than a year. The castle itself...well, we called it a castle, but really it was just big house made of stone. I was given full run of the place, went everywhere I liked, and I used that freedom. It was then that he taught me to fight. Every morning, training in the yard, working with the smith to build muscle, making my own armor, wearing it to get used to it.
She smiled at the memory.
I'm not sure how much contact we had with the outside world. I think he got some letters from Highever once. Not sure where that went. She nodded.
Don't be sorry. He was a good man, left a good legacy. I've come to terms with it.
"You must be proud of those accomplishments, I couldn't possibly achieve the same with my own hands..."
Serenity continued to listen to her with great interest and leaned back a little when asked about her musical ability.
"Oh I play piano and sing mostly. I did learn a little violin but its not something I would display in public." she finished giggling a little. Her husband, James, was an accomplished violinist and he taught her a few things about it before...
"I have no accompaniment, but as a thank you for bringing me out here I won't decline a request."
Putting her jug to the side, Serenity stood up and walked away from Margrett a bit before turning to face her. To amuse herself and Margrett, she pretended that she was back home and about to perform a concert.
The lady bowed her head to Margrett, "I will be singing, 'Come Again Sweet Love, by John Dowland."
She closed her eyes and took a calm breath. She pictured herself back on the stage, her pianist just behind her to the right. Here, she would turn and nod her head, signalling him to begin.
"Come again, sweet love doth now invite!"
Serenity had a wide smile on her face as she sang, she chose this piece specifically because she assumed Margrett would get a kick out of it and perhaps a little something more.
"To see, to hear, to touch, to kiss, to die-!"
On this line she made a little gasp in between each phrase, which became a little louder as she made the crescendo, as if she were reaching a climax.
She held out the long notes effortlessly, showcasing the ease and width of her vibrato. Serenity was in her own little world. When she finished Serenity bowed to Margrett with a little grin on her face.
Last Edit: Oct 4, 2011 23:55:16 GMT -5 by Serenity
Pleasantly surprised by the sudden private concert, it took a moment for Margrett to listen to the lyrics of the song. As it slowly clicked, her small amused smile turned into a disbelieving one. She actually blushed a little at the way Serenity sang it, eyebrows arched. She was silent for a moment after she ended, and when she did speak, she had to clear her throat once.
Serenity nodded her head, giggling, assuming Margrett understood the old common tongue.
"There are more verses, but I didn't want to tire your ears if it became to long. Its a little bittersweet, but very sweet all the same." she winked. "Its part of the standard repertoire for the common tongue, but my father thought it to be to vulgar to share on the stage. Didn't want every suitor in Highever to knock on our doors with dowries and promises of love eternal."
She returned to her seat next to Margrett and tried the rum again. She gagged a little on it but didn't cough, it being just a small sip.
"Oh Margrett, don't sell yourself short, everyone can sing. Its just a matter of learning. I can even teach you if you like. Perhaps when we get back home or even right now."
She leaned back on her seat, "Or perhaps when we get back home... I haven't had the time to relax like this."
Serenity turned her head towards Margrett, smiled and carefully put her head on her shoulder, "The wagons I had to ride didn't accommodate for resting on long trips. The ground was likely more comfortable than those moving logs. And this works too..." she said nestling a bit on Margrett's shoulder.
She remembered when James was alive, and how she would snuggle up against him at times, at first just to humor him but then became accustomed to it.
"Did you have a first love, Margrett, If that's not to much to pry?"
A little embarrassed by Serenity's head on her shoulder, she sort of awkwardly put her hand on the mage's side. Then she chuckled, her fingers rubbing her side gently.
Define "love." Your first...sexual experience? First true romantic love?