Post by UmbraSight on Feb 13, 2022 22:42:11 GMT
Book One: Dawn
Chapter One: Prelude; On The Western Winds
San Se was never quite awake at first light, it stirred with the fisherman off to find a good spot for frog eels, yawned along with the bakers as they set out morning loaves, and it stretched alongside Sakari as she wandered down lazy streets. There would be time before the town would be abuzz with motion and music, long enough for a morning walk to chase off the lingering touch of sleep. The early light colored the horizon in hues of red and vivid purple as the wind carried with it the coolness of the sea. It would be a pleasant morning at least, though the winds felt heavy enough to warn of impending rain.
She set an aimless track, choosing side streets that she hadn't had on her previous walk. San Se was pretty, smooth stone buildings decorated with fired clay encrusted with salt carried by the wind. It hadn’t been her plan to stay in town this long, or at all really, but the courier she had been traveling with had a package to deliver. The mention of a local festival had been enough of an excuse to remain in San Se for a few days to rest, so, here she found herself, killing time in a morning where she couldn't get back to sleep. Another turn and she found herself back onto the town’s Main Street which ran from one end to the other in a not quite straight track.
A thin line of sailors making their way down to the seaside gatehouse caused Sakari to pause. While she waited for them to pass she amused herself by attempting to pick out the old hands. It was easy enough for some, certain men had a peculiar gait from years of growing accustomed to the rocking of the wooden trawlers and skiffs favored by the fishermen of San Se. Some men offered her a friendly wave as they passed, and she responded in kind.
The town awoke in earnest once the sun rose above the old stone wall, though it still moved like a plodding turtle seal. Sakari resumed her walk, following an artery back to the heart of San Se. She called a greeting to a pair of teens hanging paper lanterns as she passed, the light material dancing in the breeze. The central plaza was where the town buzzed with motion, musicians practiced on a platform stage while around them festival booths were wheeled into place as merchants set out their wares and the tantalizing smells of food on the grill. As much as she missed the tastes of home, there was something in the spices of the Earth Kingdom that always made her want to tuck into a dish.
Sakari parted with a couple coins to pick up a buttered roll of bread and a couple of cabbage rolls from a vendor with a kind smile and a keen ability to make a sale to someone hungry. Her morning’s wandering ended as she rested her hip against an unattended crate and broke open her piece of bread. Steam curled away into the warming morning air, carrying with it the sweet scent of honey wheat and butter. She tore off a piece and tossed it into her mouth. She chewed slowly as she watched the plaza grounds. Despite the call of the conflicts to the north, Sakari was glad she let herself get talked into sticking around. At the very least, the evening’s fireworks sounded like they’d be worth the wait to watch.
Far overhead seabirds flew in lazy circles, and along the distant horizon well beyond the awareness of the yawning town sleek black shapes bobbed in the surf. Gray gathered and mixed with a western wind forming a looming haze around the ships which moved together like the spines of a great serpent slithering ever closer to shore.
Chapter One: Prelude; On The Western Winds
San Se was never quite awake at first light, it stirred with the fisherman off to find a good spot for frog eels, yawned along with the bakers as they set out morning loaves, and it stretched alongside Sakari as she wandered down lazy streets. There would be time before the town would be abuzz with motion and music, long enough for a morning walk to chase off the lingering touch of sleep. The early light colored the horizon in hues of red and vivid purple as the wind carried with it the coolness of the sea. It would be a pleasant morning at least, though the winds felt heavy enough to warn of impending rain.
She set an aimless track, choosing side streets that she hadn't had on her previous walk. San Se was pretty, smooth stone buildings decorated with fired clay encrusted with salt carried by the wind. It hadn’t been her plan to stay in town this long, or at all really, but the courier she had been traveling with had a package to deliver. The mention of a local festival had been enough of an excuse to remain in San Se for a few days to rest, so, here she found herself, killing time in a morning where she couldn't get back to sleep. Another turn and she found herself back onto the town’s Main Street which ran from one end to the other in a not quite straight track.
A thin line of sailors making their way down to the seaside gatehouse caused Sakari to pause. While she waited for them to pass she amused herself by attempting to pick out the old hands. It was easy enough for some, certain men had a peculiar gait from years of growing accustomed to the rocking of the wooden trawlers and skiffs favored by the fishermen of San Se. Some men offered her a friendly wave as they passed, and she responded in kind.
The town awoke in earnest once the sun rose above the old stone wall, though it still moved like a plodding turtle seal. Sakari resumed her walk, following an artery back to the heart of San Se. She called a greeting to a pair of teens hanging paper lanterns as she passed, the light material dancing in the breeze. The central plaza was where the town buzzed with motion, musicians practiced on a platform stage while around them festival booths were wheeled into place as merchants set out their wares and the tantalizing smells of food on the grill. As much as she missed the tastes of home, there was something in the spices of the Earth Kingdom that always made her want to tuck into a dish.
Sakari parted with a couple coins to pick up a buttered roll of bread and a couple of cabbage rolls from a vendor with a kind smile and a keen ability to make a sale to someone hungry. Her morning’s wandering ended as she rested her hip against an unattended crate and broke open her piece of bread. Steam curled away into the warming morning air, carrying with it the sweet scent of honey wheat and butter. She tore off a piece and tossed it into her mouth. She chewed slowly as she watched the plaza grounds. Despite the call of the conflicts to the north, Sakari was glad she let herself get talked into sticking around. At the very least, the evening’s fireworks sounded like they’d be worth the wait to watch.
Far overhead seabirds flew in lazy circles, and along the distant horizon well beyond the awareness of the yawning town sleek black shapes bobbed in the surf. Gray gathered and mixed with a western wind forming a looming haze around the ships which moved together like the spines of a great serpent slithering ever closer to shore.