forum the Glittering Sea (closed group rp, 6/6)

Started January 11, 2023 by Deleted user

tune

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Myriil blinked at the ghost white face that rose up from the behind the barrel, he got a slight shiver, gooseflesh rising as his brain for a brief irrational moment, told him he'd found a ghost. Then the child blinked dark eyes and he took the idea from his mind, they were alive.

"I-I don't know what you want me to say." Myriil smiled at that, shaking off the last of his unease. It was such a little voice, there was no reason for him to be uncertain. The child smiled a bit, holding onto himself to look smaller and the wood elf felt a pang of familiarity. To ease the wild animal, Myriil didn't move from his spot still trying to think of his next moves, when the kid spoke again.
"Why are you nervous?"

His hand froze halfway through twirling his earring. Eh? Myriil blinked owlishly, caught off guard by the sudden question. He reassessed his opinion of the child, they didn't seem as skittish as expected on first glance. Made sense, took some nerve to be a stowaway. Thinking quick, a sudden sly smile spread across his face, eyes narrowing as he placed aside the wineglass and spreading both hands wide. His voice lowered conspiratorially.

"I have many reasons to be nervous. I'm hiding too you see." With a flourish, Myriil's hand suddenly held a little paper bird in it, appearing as if by magic, his shirt sleeves were baggy for a reason, giving him ample opportunity to sew in some extra pockets for sleight of hand. He'd made the little origami bird a few days ago, stealing a page from some sailors bawdy book then rubbing charcoal to hide the words and make it black. The wood elf held it out to the child to take if he wanted it. Kids liked toys right? Little figurines?

"But enough about me! You're the interesting one! Stowing away on a pirate ship and the Corusci Maris at that!" Myriil laughed with a hint of genuine mirth. "So either you're stupid or very, very unlucky kid."

"I have many reasons to be nervous. I'm hiding too you see."

Tao raised an eyebrow, but gasped with childish excitement when he pulled out a little paper bird from nowhere. "Where-?" He asked reaching out. He froze and pulled his arm back. No, this is trickery. The man was trying to gain his trust. Tao looked down at the floor. and shook his head.

"But enough about me! You're the interesting one! Stowing away on a pirate ship and the Corusci Maris at that!"
He looked up. "Pirate ship?" He gasped. The name Corusci Maris meant nothing to him, He wasn't that cultured.
The man was very obviously proud of the name, seeing as he laughed when he said it.
"So either you're stupid or very, very unlucky kid." Tao found at that. He didn't think of himself as proud, but that still
hurt a little bit. "I'm not stupid." he said defensively.

He jumped up onto the top of the barrel and sat down, his legs bouncing off of and kicking the side. "My name's Tao, and your bird is leaving a smudge mark on your hand." He folded his wings up against his back, hiding them partially from view. Tso pulled one leg up under him so that he was sitting on it, but also so that he was able to jump off more easily if the man were to get mad. His friendliness could just as easily be a mask and it could be real.

By sunset, Thalia'd had a couple shots of rum, and was now holding an entire bottle of ale. She was only tipsy, but her sometimes uncontrollable laughter was a loud sign of the mildest of her intoxication. Although her speech was not yet slurred, it was certainly walking that line, and it was getting difficult to pronounce an "S" properly.

It delighted her to see members of Corusci Maris excited (a lot of them drunk). Even that woman, Reia came out from her usual work. That and alcohol made her more confident and boisterous than usual, which many thought to be impossible.

Thalia spoke to her crew about past battles, some parts largely exaggerated, perhaps unknowingly, and some details brushed off as if they were nothing. Once she felt bored with telling half-truths she stood, back leaning against the banister. The music was… acceptable, to anyone paying attention. To her, it was perfect. But she was starting to feel antsy again. Shifting her weight to stand fully on her feet, the captain took a moment to assess her balance. Once she'd confirmed that she wasn't yet too intoxicated, she thanked her tolerance in a mumble to herself and strode to a table. Then stood on it.

The captain of Corusci Maris swayed for a second as she rose, but quickly gained her balance again.

"Have you all never used your damn voish-" Thalia quickly corrected herself. "Voices before?" She called out, grinning.

(it is now time for me to look up sea shanties. good luck and im sorry to every fictional character on the ship right now)

For his part, Blaze was getting drunk tonight. He was not exactly a lightweight, but once he got tipsy, he started guzzling everything in sight with a mischievous glee. He was just as loud and boisterous as the rest of the pirates, definitely in his element here with the drinking and talking. He listened closely to Captain Whitlock recount her past battles, enthralled as if he were a child again. He had always loved to hear tale of brave warriors and daring pirates as a child, and when he had become a pirate himself, he knew that his childhood self would approve wholeheartedly.

He laughed at the captain's tipsiness, though he himself was leaning against the wall in order to stand up straight. He had taken a brief break from drinking, knowing that if he kept it up he would end up throwing it all up soon. He knew his limits well enough to avoid that (usually). At Thalia's words, he raised his arms, taking an automatic step to the right to steady himself so he wouldn't fall over.

He roared along with the others who were paying attention, figuring some sort of sea shanty was coming next. Blaze had the most horrible singing voice, always off-key and loud enough to drown out an actually decent singer. But he didn't care about that. Sea shanties weren't sung to show off one's vocal prowess; they were to celebrate and to bring a feeling of camaraderie to the crew.

"I have many reasons to be nervous. I'm hiding too you see."

Tao raised an eyebrow, but gasped with childish excitement when he pulled out a little paper bird from nowhere. "Where-?" He asked reaching out. He froze and pulled his arm back. No, this is trickery. The man was trying to gain his trust. Tao looked down at the floor. and shook his head.

"But enough about me! You're the interesting one! Stowing away on a pirate ship and the Corusci Maris at that!"
He looked up. "Pirate ship?" He gasped. The name Corusci Maris meant nothing to him, He wasn't that cultured.
The man was very obviously proud of the name, seeing as he laughed when he said it.
"So either you're stupid or very, very unlucky kid." Tao found at that. He didn't think of himself as proud, but that still
hurt a little bit. "I'm not stupid." he said defensively.

He jumped up onto the top of the barrel and sat down, his legs bouncing off of and kicking the side. "My name's Tao, and your bird is leaving a smudge mark on your hand." He folded his wings up against his back, hiding them partially from view. Tso pulled one leg up under him so that he was sitting on it, but also so that he was able to jump off more easily if the man were to get mad. His friendliness could just as easily be a mask and it could be real.

Myriil didn't retract his hand completely, he still held the little bird out just in case the kid changed his mind. He felt slightly gratified that his flashiness hadn't gone unappreciated. His usual audience was the rats or inebriated sailors, it was nice to see a more excited reaction.

"I'm not stupid." The cheerful wood elf's smile wobbled as he tried not to burst into laughter again. It'd answered his question anyways. "My name's Tao, and your bird is leaving a smudge mark on your hand." Myriil glanced down at his hand in mock surprise, eyes widening just a bit. With his other hand his picked up the bird, looking at the little charcoal smudge on his palm.

"Huh. It sure is Tao." An idea made Myriil smile again as he placed the bird very carefully back onto his palm, holding it out again with a gentler smile. "You know why?" He waited for a response, then his smile widened.

" 'Cause this birds special. It's a phoenix, I caught him on fire and snatched him up! He's still covered in ash and is very fragile." Myriil seemed to be debating something, his fingers curling protectively around the little origami bird. Then he glanced at Tao and finally held it out again, noticing the kid was still jumpy, he moved slowly.

"If you promise to be very careful.. You can hold him. He's frightened, but I think he likes you."

He was trying his best to stay calm and entertain. Despite his fatigue with the bird earlier, Myriil was trying to see if he could feel the little life signals of a rat nearby. If it came in range, he could send it upstairs, attract some attention, preferably the Captain, but anyone would do really. He doubted there were many sober minds upstairs, so perhaps they'd follow a strangely humanoid acting rat. He placed his free hand behind his back, ready to do the sharp hand motions that could give commands even when he couldn't speak.

Tao bit his lip and looked from the man to the little bird in his hand. "Huh. It sure is Tao. You know why?" The man said and Tao shook his head. " 'Cause this birds special. It's a phoenix, I caught him on fire and snatched him up! He's still covered in ash and is very fragile." Tao raised an eyebrow. It definitely looked like a bird. He looked at it closer, trying to see if it was breathing.

"If you promise to be very careful.. You can hold him. He's frightened, but I think he likes you."

Tao made eye contact with the man and reached for the bird, picking it up carefully. As soon as he held it in his hands he could tell it was paper and not a real bird. "But it's paper."

he said disappointedly. he looked back from the paper bird to the man, noticing the hand behind his back as he did so. Tao didn't know whether he was grabbing something or what, but he wasn't willing to take that chance. he dropped the bird and jumped back behind the barrel. "Please don't." he said slowly, his wings making a protective shell around his lower body and chest.

Myriil looked pleased when the child finally grabbed the bird, noting with amusement the way his face sort of fell once he could feel the texture of the origami.

"But it's paper."

He almost snorted, but managed to stifle the sound and was about to make a wise-crack about the kids perception, when he suddenly jumped back. Myriil went on high alert immediately, one hand shooting to the dagger at his waist and the other out wardingly, his tension rose even further when he noticed the wings wrapping around the childs body. Myriil could practically feel his blood pressure spike and he felt the urge to run. He stayed his ground instead, eyes narrowing carefully and resisting the urge to bare his teeth. Was this a hostile situation? Did he need to fight a child? His grip on the daggers hilt tightened.

"Please don't." The voice was slow, unlike the sudden movement that had thrown him off before. The wood elf tried a steadying breath, unsure of what to do next. No pity from before tugged at his heartstrings, Myriil's hackles were still up from the battle earlier. A scurry of motion and fur caught his eye, a mouse, startled free from the kids movement, was running for the other side of the room. Keeping one eye on the child, still a bit huddled down, he snapped his will against the creatures. Something so small buckled almost immediately and Myriil had it come stand near him with a sharp flick of his wrist.

It was a rotund creature, grown fat from gorging on the spilled grain in the hold. Myriil didn't dare bend down and leave his position or side unguarded, so he had it clamber up the barrel and onto his leg.

"Go to the upperdeck. Make some noise. Thrash, squeal, and bite. Get attention, then lead someone back here. Do not return unless someone follows." It was a complicated command, but the distance was short enough that there shouldn't be any problem. If the mouse's brain forgot an instruction, Myriil was nearby to tell it again. The fat thing ran off, a glimmer of magic in its beady eyes. So he turned his attention back to the child, his smile vanished. He didn't make conversation, he just stared at him levelly. The part of his brain that despised tension and serious situations wanted to make some jokes about those wings, I mean where was he hiding those? He squished it, now was not the time.

(sorry it's so short)

"NO!" Tao shouted then checked himself, his heart was racing and he could feel himself trembling. "no. please." he stood up slowly, his wings not moving from their protective casing around him. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He failed and started hyperventilating instead. Tao felt hollow, the air he was breathing in rattling inside him. he closed his eyes and shivered.

Tao moved from around behind the barrel until he was standing directly in front of the man. "please, just don't hurt me." He knelt down at the feet of the man, folded back his wings and held out his hands. He was now completely exposed and in the mercy of the man.

"I will do anything you ask." Tao was crying lightly by now, the tears moistening the collar of his shirt. "Just Please."

By the end of the second shanty, Thalia was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe. Her tolerance was decent enough, and for the amount of alcohol she'd had her head was still kind of clear. This wasn't entirely obvious, though, since her face was already flushed and she had to focus to stay on the table she was standing on.

The captain, still cackling, looked around at her crew, and took a drink from the bottle. As she did, she went silent when she noticed the vermin. It took a few seconds for her to process it. A few seconds passed before it skittered to a crewmember and bit them. In response, Thalia fumbled for her gun and immediately dropped it, which if she were sober would have been unbelievably embarrassing. Dropping the glass with a shatter, she carefully got off the table to retrieve her pistol. Once again she attempted at shooting it from the ground and missed both the mouse and another person narrowly. The music came to a pause as the rest of the crew tried to figure out what had scurried onto the deck and caused this interruption.

Humiliated and furious, Whitlock got off her knees and stood slowly, maintaining her balance to avoid further damage to her ego. She mumbled some vulgar words and tried to think of the easiest manner to capture the critter. Though it was easier to try and shoot it, she didn't want to put another bullet through the wood.

Reia was starting to somewhat enjoy these sea shanties when, suddenly, chaos broke out on the deck. From her spot at one of the tables in the back, she could barely make out what was going on towards the front of the ship. She stood up and rushed forward, clearly expecting some sort of threat, but what she saw made her snort. A tiny animal was causing the whole crew to go into an uproar.

While Reia tended to be a more reserved person, she couldn’t help but let out a laugh as she witnessed one of the men get bitten by the creature. She unsheathed her knife and tried to rush towards the creature, but it escaped before she could plunge her knife into it. Funny how fast it was even with its excessive weight.

With her hand still wrapped tightly around her blade handle, Reia stormed after the creature, eager to put an end to it. It was waiting for her at the top of the steps, staring at her, but as she got close, it scampered down the steps. Now this was curious. Where was this little animal leading her?

“Come, Captain.” She looked back at Thalia before heading down the stairs. “This fat pest is trying to lead us somewhere.”

"Captain, come. This fat pest is trying to lead us somewhere."

Thalia, who was running after the vermin, came to a halt next to Reia and glared at the mouse before it fled down the stairs. Her first instinct told her to try and kill it again, but she trusted her navigator's judgement. Twelve years on the ship proved her trustworthy. Also, she was sober.

"Stop," the captain held up a hand to those on the main deck. The way she pronounced the word made it clear how hard she was trying not to slur. Without elaborating, the captain began down the stairs cautiously, one hand on the railing and the other still gripping her weapon. The little demonic thing was waiting for her and Reia around the corner. Was the creature trying to get someone's attention?

Rounding the corner, Thalia watched the mouse as well as she could. It started toward the hold and stopped. The door was slightly ajar… what could possibly be in there that the crew missed when storing the stolen goods? She approached the door as the mouse skittered in.

(it will be longer next time sorry)

(sorry it's so short)

"NO!" Tao shouted then checked himself, his heart was racing and he could feel himself trembling. "no. please." he stood up slowly, his wings not moving from their protective casing around him. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He failed and started hyperventilating instead. Tao felt hollow, the air he was breathing in rattling inside him. he closed his eyes and shivered.

Tao moved from around behind the barrel until he was standing directly in front of the man. "please, just don't hurt me." He knelt down at the feet of the man, folded back his wings and held out his hands. He was now completely exposed and in the mercy of the man.

"I will do anything you ask." Tao was crying lightly by now, the tears moistening the collar of his shirt. "Just Please."

Myriil's lips drew into a hard line, he hated this. He hated the way it made him felt, but he couldn't budge now, he'd made his decision the moment he'd sent his creature upstairs. Leaf green eyes watched the child panic, gods he couldn't have been more than nine or ten, no older than his second youngest sibling. He hadn't even been home for the birth of the youngest. Only knew their name through snippets of news.

The child knelt slowly, holding out their hands in a begging motion, something twisted in his gut. He'd seen desperation before, had seen it on grown men's faces and on the expressions of those completely without hope, you grew used to it, sort of. The reasons stopped mattering after a while. But to see the expression on someone so young-

And then then the tears started.

It was always his weakness, big crocodile tears. His younger siblings could get him to do just about anything when he still lived back at home by starting the waterworks, the sound of a sniffle and he was already on whatever task they'd asked of him. Myriil's paper thin resolve crumbled immediately, his eyes widening. He held out his hands and shook his head desperately, making a shushing noise.

"Hey- Hey no need for that!" His eyes flew around the room, what was he supposed to do now? He couldn't hide the kid again could he? Where was that fat little- The tiny pressure of a consciousness under his command was nearby. So close he could feel the mouses mind brush against his own, its will too feeble to offer much in the way of opposition. Whoever was with it was here. Fuck.

Myriil took a massive breath in, lowering his voice. With any luck it was just some inebriated sailor, following what he thought was a fever dream. This could still be played to Tao's advantage if they were very, very careful.

"Hey- Kid, listen to me. Please stop crying. Oh gods. You're gonna be fine. No ones going to hurt you, we just need to play this safe- We'll get you a job or something, drop you off at the next port, stow away on a not pirate ship or I don't know!" The torrent of words poured from his mouth, even in a half whisper the wood elf could still speak quickly. He was willing to say anything to make the child just stop. crying. Any sense of resolve dissolve, his hands went off the dagger and he was running his hand anxiously through his hair. He'd made a mess of things hadn't he?

(Sorry I'm late!)

Tao cried silently. The tears leaving trails on his dust covered face. He knew he had to stop crying, he didn't want the man's pity, right? Or was that the way he needed to play things. His entire life up until this point has taught him to manipulate and play his cards anyway that would make living easier.

He bit his lip and trembled slightly, more tears falling from his eyes. He moved his hands and held them up so that the man could tie them up or hold them easily. To gain this man's trust he needed to be as vulnerable as he could and if that meant giving into this man's every whim, Tao was going to give in.

Tao looked up into the man's green eyes and the soul beneath. There was power in his eyes, sure, but the man was obviously not a fan of responsibility. Maybe he could play off that.

"Hey- Hey no need for that!" The man said with no small amount of nervousness.

Tao blinked and looked down at the ground, dropping his hands into his lap as he did so. He was trying to hear who or what was coming down the stairs. Maybe it was just the mouse alone again. No, the man had told it not to come back until it had someone to bring with it.

"Hey- Kid, listen to me. Please stop crying. Oh gods. You're gonna be fine. No one's going to hurt you, we just need to play this safe- We'll get you a job or something, drop you off at the next port, stow away on a not pirate ship or I don't know!" Tao looked back up at him and bit his lip, trying to calm the tears streaming down his cheeks. HE held up his hands again, obviously confused as to why the man hadn't tied or grabed them yet.

Watching the confusion on the child's face made Myriil's skin crawl. Like he was waiting for him to do something. In this moment, Myriil wasn't here, in the dingy hold in a ship bobbing in the middle of the ocean, but home. In the massive tree cities of Valenwood, crouched down in a courtyard wiping one of the twins faces.

Reci been playing outside when he'd fallen, skinning one of his knees and covering his face and fair hair in dirt. Myriil could remember laughing at the display, amused by the tumble. Until the little face went up and he could see the stinging tears gathering in hordes around his eyes and suddenly he was there with him. Wiped his brothers eyes and waited for the tentative smile before he'd cuffed his ear and grinned. Teasing him all while ripping off a sleeve to bandage the knee. Reci hadn't lived that down, he was barely a teen now and Myriil still mentioned it every time he went home. Drove the kid crazy, and his twin was no help.

Then he blinked and he was back. Myriil bit down on his lower lip, thinking hard. He'd messed this up bad. He did almost anything to shirk responsibility, to make things easier for himself. Look what that had gotten him. A crying child.

Tao raised his hands again, expectantly. Myriil blinked in confusion, trying to understand. He looked at the raised hands and then picked up the discarded paper bird from the ground, one of its wings was crushed and even more of the charcoal smudged onto his fingers. He pressed it gently into the kids hands, closing his fingers around it. Was that it? It was surprisingly easy to crush the voice that told him it obviously wasn't.

Some things were easier not to imagine.

He listened again for sounds, then sighed very softly, his breath moving some of the gold colored hair that had fallen free of its ponytail. He pushed it irritably out of his face. He crouched, trying to make eye contact with Tao and barely managing. The clean streaks on the kids face kept growing and Myriil felt irrationally angry. He wanted to shout at him, shake him until he stopped crying. Just anything to stop the tears. The anger vanished in a puff just as quickly as it came.

"I can't promise you'll be safe- But this is a much better bet than rotting in here until someone else found you." The door opened a crack more and Myriil hissed his last words, before springing up again. "Just stay calm and play along if you have to-"
Myriil put his third best smile on, the one that was slightly too wide, just a bit too sly, as he faced the door.

Reci been playing outside when he'd fallen, skinning one of his knees and covering his face and fair hair in dirt. Myriil could remember laughing at the display, amused by the tumble. Until the little face went up and he could see the stinging tears gathering in hordes around his eyes and suddenly he was there with him. Wiped his brothers eyes and waited for the tentative smile before he'd cuffed his ear and grinned. Teasing him all while ripping off a sleeve to bandage the knee. Reci hadn't lived that down, he was barely a teen now and Myriil still mentioned it every time he went home. Drove the kid crazy, and his twin was no help.

(LORE?!)

(LORE?!)

(Third eldest of eleven kids lol. :D )

(My writing sample lol; I hope this works!)

Tresca stumbled along the cliff face carefully, doing her best not to look down, following a very thin line of rock that at times was thin enough to send her toppling and straight to Scalina and her infinite realms under the earth.

She looked at the cliffs stretching above her and shuddered, thinking that she was lucky she's even made it this far down the cliff without - many - incidents. At one point one of her feet slipped, nearly sending her to the bottom of the chasm.

Another time she placed her hand against the rock face to brace herself; the rock crumbled to dust beneath her touch and she nearly fell again, but that time towards the cliff face.

So, when she finally does slip and fall off the edge, all she can say is, "Well, third time's the charm" before plummeting down, down, down.

What feels like hours later: she's still falling. She can hear something like water now, or maybe it's just a new tone to the wind that had been tearing at her with greedy hands.

But sure enough, with a FLOOM and a resounding BOOM in her ears, she hits the water and sinks.

She fights her way to the surface, her Fae carapace now gone - dispelled by the shock of hitting the water. Now, she was a frail, thin creature, with strange features. Her wings were tiny and withering, compared to the regal and imperious illusions she wears daily.

She sighs softly and lays down on the black sand shores of the river to rest.

Thalia nudged the door open with her pistol. She was met with Myriil, who was smiling a little unnaturally. She didn't know anyone else on the ship with any animal-related abilities (other than Blaze, she was pretty sure he was a shifter). But before she could ask him about it, she noticed the winged child.

Her grip around the pistol tightened until her knuckles were white. She opened her mouth to say something. "Ish-" The woman corrected her slurring, again. "Is that a kid?" The hand that held the gun was raised to loosely motion to Tao as if it wasn't obvious who she was talking about. The child(?) looked frightened. Thalia wasn't paying enough attention to fully grasp the context, with her glazed eyes trying to focus on one thing in the semi-darkness of the hold.

"Why issit here?" Whitlock asked. Later, many more questions would surface, but while she was inebriated, it was too difficult to stick to one thought. She wasn't looking forward to dealing with this that night, and certainly not the next day. She couldn't decide whether it was appropriate to aim for the thing, or if she should wait for answers. Irritated by her confusion, she glared at the wood elf, impatient for a reply.

Reia barged in through the door after Thalia, and while she was much less intoxicated than her Captain was, she was just as confused and shocked. She knew that the animal had most likely been sent by someone, but the last thing she would’ve expected was for it to lead her to a child hiding in the lower deck.

“Gods, Captain. Lower your gun,” Reia said. “With how intoxicated you are, you’ll probably shoot someone’s eye out with that thing.”

She had realize that the captain was at least somewhat intoxicated, but she hadn’t realize how much so. She was slurring her words together, and Reia doubted that she could even walk properly. Plus, the Captain waving around her gun would likely do no good for the frightened child. While the Captain was questioning Myriil, Reia tried to take a step closed to Tao.

“I knew Myriil was hiding something back here, but a child?” Reia snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. “How’d you even make it onto the ship?”

The door opened, and stumbling in was no other than Captain Thalia Whitlock herself. Trailed after by the navigator. Myriil didn't let his smile drop, but his jaw hardened as he bit into the side of his cheek. This was going to be different than how he was imagining. He'd been hoping for an inebriated crew member, but perhaps..

His look sharpened and as the Captain spoke a fraction of the tension left his shoulders. Perhaps an inebriated Captain would do just as well..?

He breathed out slowly from his nose, carefully looking over his store of lies like a farmer would look at their prized fruit tree. So carefully cultivated it almost felt a shame to pick the fruit, but that had never stopped him before. Under the Captains glare the wood elf refused to wilt, though his legs were rebelliously weak. The low buzzing lightness of anxiety crept into his stomach and arms, he tried not to let his nerves show to either side.

“Gods, Captain. Lower your gun,” Reia said. “With how intoxicated you are, you’ll probably shoot someone’s eye out with that thing.” Reia sounded significantly less drunk, so she'd probably be the greater challenge. Though it wasn't certain with Whitlock, the woman kept everyone on their toes, was she pretending to be drunk? He shot a glance at her slightly unsteady look and.. Yeah no, definitely drunk. It'd be a hell of a hangover. Under any other circumstance, Myriil might have been sympathetic.

“I knew Myriil was hiding something back here, but a child? How’d you even make it onto the ship?” The navigator took a step towards Tao and Myriil moved too, spreading his arms just slightly outwards in a shielding motion. Not actually protecting anything, but making it clear he would. Out of the corner of his eye he stared at the kid, did he pretend they knew each other? Despite his quirks, the kid didn't look even slightly like a wood elf, so the sibling option was gone… Family friends kid? Then why rat him out? Maybe just answer the second question with a joke and work from there.

Myriil gave a light snort. "Very carefully." Wait- How did this kid get on the ship? He'd ask that later. Myriil nudged Tao with his foot, he smile straining and he hissed under his breath "Stand up-".

Tao frose as the door opened, his breath catching as a pair of women walked through. His hands fell to the ground from the exhaustion of holding them up for so long.
He watched as the first woman, who was obviously very drunk, swung a gun around, it eventually coming to a rest pointing at him.

“Gods, Captain. Lower your gun,” The second woman said. “With how intoxicated you are, you’ll probably shoot someone’s eye out with that thing.” Tao silently gasped, his eyes widening. Captain?
“I knew Myriil was hiding something back here, but a child? How’d you even make it onto the ship?”
The woman continued as she took a step closer and Myriil lightly stepped to block her.

Tao shifted so he wasn't in the direct line of fire from the Captain's gun when he felt a small nudge from Myriil's foot. "Stand up-" he hissed and Tao obeyed, quickly jumping up and standing off to the right and slightly behind his shoulder.

"With how intoxicated you are, you'll probably shoot someone's eye out with that thing."
"I can aim fine," Thalia mumbled. "M'not that drunk yet." Despite what she claimed, she did let it down. It was still at her side, but her grip was looser.

She tried to catch the child's eye. "Your name?" she asked, limiting the length of her sentences. Thalia placed a hand on the doorframe to keep herself standing straight. It was dawning on her how delirious she was becoming, so in an effort to deny this, she would try not to let her guard down.

She watched Reia step closer to Myriil. "Didj'you bring it here?" Thalia tried to trace her memory back to the last stop. The thing can't have boarded while they were in Astriz, right? She wasn't sure what relation Myriil had to the child, but that didn't matter much to her at the moment. It did occur to her that her sober navigator was seeing things she wasn't, and she trusted her to point anything out.

Myriil was keeping his eyes on the new visitors in the hold, but he could feel the small rush of air and movement as Tao stood up and backed up a little. Good, waiting on the floor was a disadvantage.
The Captain asked Tao his name, and Myriil wasn't going to interrupt if the kid decided to respond, since he had his own question to answer.

"Didj'you bring it here?"

He glanced back at the pale little thing, giving Tao a little half shrug, he didn't know if this answer would get either of them in trouble.

"Did I?" Myriil did his best to sound flippant about it, maybe even a little smug. In truth he was looking back at Tao, an eyebrow half raised. Did he? The wood elf would play along with what the kid decided, it would make it easier to get their stories and lies straight if they worked together. And if he didn't have to answer the question himself well.. That was just a bonus. He just hoped the child would stop trembling in time to speak, where was the sass he'd thrown at Myriil earlier?

"Your name?" The Captain asked slowly.
"T-Tao." Tao said stepping forward and closer to Myriil. "No surname, Just Tao" He adjusted his stance to something resembling a military inspection but with a bit more sass.

"Didj'you bring it here?" The Captain said, addressing Myriil this time. He glanced back at Tao and gave a little shrug, as if he was asking Tao to make the decision "Did I?" he said with more than enough smugness.

Tao raised an eyebrow at Myriil. "Well obviously." He said not breaking eye contact with Myriil. "It's not like i snuck on here by myself." He gave a light chuckle and turned to the other woman, his wings giving a light flutter so as to seem bigger. "What was your name?" he asked her while trying to mimic Myriil's smile as best he could.

Children had always both intrigued and confused Reia. Sirens technically didn’t have children, after all. Yes, sirens could reproduce, but many of these offspring acted more like adults than children. They underwent strict training from the time they were born to the time they went on their first hunt. However, human children were… different, to say the least. They were unpredictable, immature, and weak, but Reia still found them somewhat entertaining. Gods, she might even say that she liked human children.

Reia couldn’t help but snort at his imitation of Myrill’s smile. What a funny little thing. “Reia Barlowe,” she replied. “I’m this ship’s navigator.”

Her eyes went back and forth between Myrill and Tao. At first, she was skeptical about this story, but she noticed that the two of them had quite a few traits in common. The smugness being a major one.

“Well, this little thing is a bit too smug for is own good.” Reia smirked and stole a glance at Myriil. “Reminds me of a certain someone I know.”