22 - Sophae 05 - Dinner Time
Hidden World - Sophae 5
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Sophae had rarely seen Clarize move with such direction before. Following the realization that they would soon be meeting with a dangerous being, Clarize had resolved that there were many preparations to be had. She had directed Sophae to stay on her boat before disappearing again off into the City. Sophae was to “get her affairs in order” and dress “responsibly”, whatever that meant. Sophae took a few minutes to straighten her belongings, and finished cleaning the little pot she had made her breakfast in this morning.
While making her cot neat, Sophae found a hair of Naylia’s. She sat down on the cot, wistfully remembering that lovely evening. After a moment, she retrieved a piece of paper and a pen, and began writing a letter to Naylia. She felt a little abashed engaging in something so blatantly romantic, but the yearning in her heart told her that it was important to her to get these thoughts recorded. She really cared about Naylia, for better or worse, and she didn’t want to let that go. Sophae had just finished sealing the envelope, and writing Naylia on the outside in what she hoped wasn’t too over the top script when Clarize reentered the boat, causing Sophae to jump.
“Clarize, I /told/ you to stop startling me like - what in the world are you wearing?” Sophae said, as her reprimand died in her mouth as she looked at Clarize.
“A full set of armor, dear, underneath my cloak. A gargoyle invites you to a war room, either there or soon, there will be a fight. Best to be prepared. Speaking of, what have you been doing for the last hour? I told you to dress responsibly, and you’re still in that same shift you were in before I left. Your life’s about to be in danger darling, please try to act like it,” Clarize responded smoothly.
Sophae’s mouth had started hanging open, and she weakly responded “I don’t own any armor,” to Clarize’s disapproving eye. “Gone are the days when otherwise sensible people own armor apparently,” Clarize said with a snort.
“Clarize,” Sophae began falteringly, “I’ve never been in a fight. Do you really think it’ll come to blows? What about my job? What about my boat?”
Clarize looked at Sophae for a moment, and her eyes softened. “Time for a history lesson dear. The ring that existed in the past was a scourge for all beings aligned with the mystic and magickal. They claimed that we were unnatural, which is ridiculous of course, as nothing could be more natural than the magicks we wield. The road we are about to embark upon could lead to a number of places, but most involve at least one fight, of varying difficulties. You’re a strong young woman, you’ll do fine, especially with me there with you. Now pick something out that offers some degree of at least padding, but allows you plenty of freedom of movement. I’ll wait outside.” And with that, Clarize left the boat’s cramped interior. Sophae sat in a bit of shock for a while, and then her eyes settled on the letter she had written for Naylia. She took a deep breath, and made a decision.
When she joined Clarize on the small deck of her boat, Sophae was wearing a thin long sleeve top with a thicker vest over the top, which also concealed the transition from top to a knee length skirt, made of a heavy woven fabric. Sophae completed the outfit with her trusty boots and a satchel slung over a shoulder with various objects Sophae thought might come in handy. And in her hands was a plain chest, closed and unassuming.
Clarize looked approvingly at Sophae’s garb, before a small frown came to her face at the sight of the chest. “That’s your skin, correct? Why is that with you?”
Sophae steadied herself before responding, “I don’t want to leave it where it could be stolen, and I don’t want to bring it with me to the meeting, as I suspect it wouldn’t do me any good there, and I wouldn’t want to lose it to my employer either. So, I have resolved to ask Naylia to hold it for me for a time. I know what that could mean, and I’m prepared to face those consequences should they arise, but I trust her. And no, you can’t talk me out of it,” she amended. Clarize had a peculiar expression on her face, an interesting mix of sadness, pride, and resignation. “Very well,” Clarize conceded, “are you planning on telling her /everything/?”
“I think that’s the only way to do it,” Sophae said resolutely. “I’ll be honest with her as a mark of the trust I’ll be placing in her.”
-
Naylia opened the door in a camisole and shorts, looking for all the world like she had just woken up. Initially showing a bit of a groggy expression, she brightened considerably with an audible “Boat Girl!” upon seeing Sophae, settling into a bit of a concerned expression upon seeing Sophae’s expression and Clarize’s unusual appearance.
“Can we come in?” Sophae entreated Still confused, Naylia obliged, and soon the three were settled in Naylia’s living room, on her faded couch.
“I have something to tell you, but it might not make a lot of sense, or be confusing at first,” Sophae started.
Naylia settled back and adopted an expression of I’m-prepared-to-receive-some-bad-news-with-a-healthy-indignation.
“So…in the world. Uh, the world isn’t just physical stuff,” Sophae continued.
“Oh for goodness sake, just tell the lass,” Clarize interrupted. “She’s beginning to think you don’t like her or something.”
With a poorly veiled jab of her eyes, Sophae turned from Clarize back to Naylia, who now looked very confused. “The world, from the very beginning, has had magicks,” Sophae began again with a new energy and passion. “Not the parlor tricks you see at the local club, nor the over the top spectacles present in today’s media. But it exists, and it is powerful. Clarize is thousands of years old, her line lost to the annals of history, although you are no doubt familiar with the myths surrounding the place her people ruled. Atlantis,” Sophae paused, to let that sink in, and catch her breath.
Naylia seemed to sit with it for a few moments. “Ok, I can accept that, but I’m going to need some proof. And context for how I fit into this.”
Sophae turned to Clarize. I’m not sure what proof you can provide right now, but I suppose I could go to the bathroom and -”
“Well, I exist,” said a voice from near Clarize. Melvin poked his head out from behind Clarize’s cloak. Naylia’s face went pale. “Did - did that snake just -” Naylia stammered out.
“Yes, /that snake just-/” Melvin began to retort, before being stuffed back within the robe’s folds by Clarize.
“Yes Melvin talks, and he’s an uppity snake at that. I’m not sure that a talking animal is really what we needed at that moment, but thank you Melvin,” Clarize said with a twist of sass.
There was another pause as both Clarize and Sophae turned to see what the rest of Naylia’s reaction was.
Naylia took a couple deep breaths. “That was pretty unexpected, I have to say. I was half expecting this to be some sort of miscommunication or a cheap joke, but that was an honest to god talking snake.” “/gods/” murmured a buried Melvin, followed by another swift elbow poke by Clarize.
“Right,” Naylia said, and took a shaky breath.
“So following that,” Sophae began nervously, “I’m not entirely - human. Well I am, but also I am not.”
“What the hell does that mean, Sophae?” Naylia responded. “Not human? I mean, you look pretty human to me,” she said, almost deadpan, but with the hint of a blush deep in her cheeks.
“I- uh,” Sophae said eloquently. “I’m a selkie. A member of the seal folk. Do you know what that means?” “It means you can shapeshift into a seal, right?” Naylia said, a hint of her old grin returning.
“Well, sort of. It’d probably be easier to just show you,” Sophae said, and she turned the unassuming chest towards Naylia and opened it.
“Is the letter with my name on it what you’re showing me?” Naylia said confusedly.
Sophae’s heart leapt into her mouth as she turned varying shades of red.
Clarize chuckled from somewhere behind Sophae, but all Sophae could focus on was Naylia. “The letter is for you - not for right now,” she added hastily as Naylia began to pick up the letter. Naylia paused. “It’s what’s beneath the letter.”
Sophae watched as Naylia hesitantly withdrew her skin from the chest.
“It’s…seal skin?” Naylia began.
“Close,” Sophae corrected. “It’s /my/ skin. It’s what I don to transform, with the aid of magick, into a seal. It’s a holy thing to me, and I’m entrusting it to you for safekeeping, for now. Historically…bad things have happened when humans have a selkie’s skin. But I figured you already have my heart -” Sophae stopped abruptly as she realized what she just said out loud, and flushed even brighter than before. Naylia looked at Sophae with a mix of second hand embarrassment, and a tenderness that almost crushed Sophae’s entirely overexcited heart. “I doubt I fully understand the full meaning of you asking me to do this,” Naylia said softly. “And you’re very sweet, Sophae. But why do you need someone else to hold on to it for you? It’s yours, isn’t it?”
Sophae’s mind finally caught up with her rapidly beating heart, and managed to get in under control enough to eek out “Clarize - Clarize and I have to go do something potentially dangerous,” she started, and then it all came tumbling out. “We’re going to meet with a gargoyle who’s killed a lot of friends of Clarize’s because there’s some humans that don’t like magick and we think the gargoyle wants to work with us to stop them.”
Naylia looked a little blank for a second. Then she resurfaced. “So a meeting, and fighting humans that would do you harm? Like…like magickal nazis?” she attempted. Clarize took over. “The humans in question likely have assorted magickal items, but are not magickal themselves,” she asserted. “Yes, this particular gargoyle has done quite a bit of damage to those I care about over the centuries, but I think she is acting in good faith. Your somewhat tortured simile works, but I would refrain from using it again.”
“Noted,” Naylia responded. Then, as though something just occurred to her, she said, “So, magic existing. Does that mean stuff like magic swords exist? And I could one day have a said theoretical magic sword?”
Clarize sighed. “Yes, enchanted swords do exist, although they aren’t exactly common items.” Before she could continue further, Naylia interrupted. “Right then, I’m coming with you then. One, because this lovestruck fool,” she said, indicating towards Sophae, with a wink and a genuine smile, “needs someone to look after them, and two, because I’m definitely not passing up the chance to get a magic sword. That sounds awesome, and a hell of a lot better than working at /The Stout Lighthouse/. I’m pretty handy physically, since I grew up in a very rural area. First things first though,” fixing Sophae with a look, “how did you sleep last night?”
“Uh..fine, I guess? Not great I suppose” Sophae started mumbling.
“Right then,” Naylia announced. “Sophae, you’re going to help me make the three of us a big dinner, and some rations. And then you two are staying the night here, and getting a good night’s sleep. Because this sounds like a quest, and if there’s one thing I know about quests from movies, is that everybody could always use more food, and sleep. And whomever this gargoyle is, she can wait til tomorrow.” And with that, Naylia dragged Sophae into the kitchen, Sophae casting a bewildered glance at Clarize while she exited, and found Clarize nearly bursting at her seams with laughter.
----------------------------------------------------
Sophae had rarely seen Clarize move with such direction before. Following the realization that they would soon be meeting with a dangerous being, Clarize had resolved that there were many preparations to be had. She had directed Sophae to stay on her boat before disappearing again off into the City. Sophae was to “get her affairs in order” and dress “responsibly”, whatever that meant. Sophae took a few minutes to straighten her belongings, and finished cleaning the little pot she had made her breakfast in this morning.
While making her cot neat, Sophae found a hair of Naylia’s. She sat down on the cot, wistfully remembering that lovely evening. After a moment, she retrieved a piece of paper and a pen, and began writing a letter to Naylia. She felt a little abashed engaging in something so blatantly romantic, but the yearning in her heart told her that it was important to her to get these thoughts recorded. She really cared about Naylia, for better or worse, and she didn’t want to let that go. Sophae had just finished sealing the envelope, and writing Naylia on the outside in what she hoped wasn’t too over the top script when Clarize reentered the boat, causing Sophae to jump.
“Clarize, I /told/ you to stop startling me like - what in the world are you wearing?” Sophae said, as her reprimand died in her mouth as she looked at Clarize.
“A full set of armor, dear, underneath my cloak. A gargoyle invites you to a war room, either there or soon, there will be a fight. Best to be prepared. Speaking of, what have you been doing for the last hour? I told you to dress responsibly, and you’re still in that same shift you were in before I left. Your life’s about to be in danger darling, please try to act like it,” Clarize responded smoothly.
Sophae’s mouth had started hanging open, and she weakly responded “I don’t own any armor,” to Clarize’s disapproving eye. “Gone are the days when otherwise sensible people own armor apparently,” Clarize said with a snort.
“Clarize,” Sophae began falteringly, “I’ve never been in a fight. Do you really think it’ll come to blows? What about my job? What about my boat?”
Clarize looked at Sophae for a moment, and her eyes softened. “Time for a history lesson dear. The ring that existed in the past was a scourge for all beings aligned with the mystic and magickal. They claimed that we were unnatural, which is ridiculous of course, as nothing could be more natural than the magicks we wield. The road we are about to embark upon could lead to a number of places, but most involve at least one fight, of varying difficulties. You’re a strong young woman, you’ll do fine, especially with me there with you. Now pick something out that offers some degree of at least padding, but allows you plenty of freedom of movement. I’ll wait outside.” And with that, Clarize left the boat’s cramped interior. Sophae sat in a bit of shock for a while, and then her eyes settled on the letter she had written for Naylia. She took a deep breath, and made a decision.
When she joined Clarize on the small deck of her boat, Sophae was wearing a thin long sleeve top with a thicker vest over the top, which also concealed the transition from top to a knee length skirt, made of a heavy woven fabric. Sophae completed the outfit with her trusty boots and a satchel slung over a shoulder with various objects Sophae thought might come in handy. And in her hands was a plain chest, closed and unassuming.
Clarize looked approvingly at Sophae’s garb, before a small frown came to her face at the sight of the chest. “That’s your skin, correct? Why is that with you?”
Sophae steadied herself before responding, “I don’t want to leave it where it could be stolen, and I don’t want to bring it with me to the meeting, as I suspect it wouldn’t do me any good there, and I wouldn’t want to lose it to my employer either. So, I have resolved to ask Naylia to hold it for me for a time. I know what that could mean, and I’m prepared to face those consequences should they arise, but I trust her. And no, you can’t talk me out of it,” she amended. Clarize had a peculiar expression on her face, an interesting mix of sadness, pride, and resignation. “Very well,” Clarize conceded, “are you planning on telling her /everything/?”
“I think that’s the only way to do it,” Sophae said resolutely. “I’ll be honest with her as a mark of the trust I’ll be placing in her.”
-
Naylia opened the door in a camisole and shorts, looking for all the world like she had just woken up. Initially showing a bit of a groggy expression, she brightened considerably with an audible “Boat Girl!” upon seeing Sophae, settling into a bit of a concerned expression upon seeing Sophae’s expression and Clarize’s unusual appearance.
“Can we come in?” Sophae entreated Still confused, Naylia obliged, and soon the three were settled in Naylia’s living room, on her faded couch.
“I have something to tell you, but it might not make a lot of sense, or be confusing at first,” Sophae started.
Naylia settled back and adopted an expression of I’m-prepared-to-receive-some-bad-news-with-a-healthy-indignation.
“So…in the world. Uh, the world isn’t just physical stuff,” Sophae continued.
“Oh for goodness sake, just tell the lass,” Clarize interrupted. “She’s beginning to think you don’t like her or something.”
With a poorly veiled jab of her eyes, Sophae turned from Clarize back to Naylia, who now looked very confused. “The world, from the very beginning, has had magicks,” Sophae began again with a new energy and passion. “Not the parlor tricks you see at the local club, nor the over the top spectacles present in today’s media. But it exists, and it is powerful. Clarize is thousands of years old, her line lost to the annals of history, although you are no doubt familiar with the myths surrounding the place her people ruled. Atlantis,” Sophae paused, to let that sink in, and catch her breath.
Naylia seemed to sit with it for a few moments. “Ok, I can accept that, but I’m going to need some proof. And context for how I fit into this.”
Sophae turned to Clarize. I’m not sure what proof you can provide right now, but I suppose I could go to the bathroom and -”
“Well, I exist,” said a voice from near Clarize. Melvin poked his head out from behind Clarize’s cloak. Naylia’s face went pale. “Did - did that snake just -” Naylia stammered out.
“Yes, /that snake just-/” Melvin began to retort, before being stuffed back within the robe’s folds by Clarize.
“Yes Melvin talks, and he’s an uppity snake at that. I’m not sure that a talking animal is really what we needed at that moment, but thank you Melvin,” Clarize said with a twist of sass.
There was another pause as both Clarize and Sophae turned to see what the rest of Naylia’s reaction was.
Naylia took a couple deep breaths. “That was pretty unexpected, I have to say. I was half expecting this to be some sort of miscommunication or a cheap joke, but that was an honest to god talking snake.” “/gods/” murmured a buried Melvin, followed by another swift elbow poke by Clarize.
“Right,” Naylia said, and took a shaky breath.
“So following that,” Sophae began nervously, “I’m not entirely - human. Well I am, but also I am not.”
“What the hell does that mean, Sophae?” Naylia responded. “Not human? I mean, you look pretty human to me,” she said, almost deadpan, but with the hint of a blush deep in her cheeks.
“I- uh,” Sophae said eloquently. “I’m a selkie. A member of the seal folk. Do you know what that means?” “It means you can shapeshift into a seal, right?” Naylia said, a hint of her old grin returning.
“Well, sort of. It’d probably be easier to just show you,” Sophae said, and she turned the unassuming chest towards Naylia and opened it.
“Is the letter with my name on it what you’re showing me?” Naylia said confusedly.
Sophae’s heart leapt into her mouth as she turned varying shades of red.
Clarize chuckled from somewhere behind Sophae, but all Sophae could focus on was Naylia. “The letter is for you - not for right now,” she added hastily as Naylia began to pick up the letter. Naylia paused. “It’s what’s beneath the letter.”
Sophae watched as Naylia hesitantly withdrew her skin from the chest.
“It’s…seal skin?” Naylia began.
“Close,” Sophae corrected. “It’s /my/ skin. It’s what I don to transform, with the aid of magick, into a seal. It’s a holy thing to me, and I’m entrusting it to you for safekeeping, for now. Historically…bad things have happened when humans have a selkie’s skin. But I figured you already have my heart -” Sophae stopped abruptly as she realized what she just said out loud, and flushed even brighter than before. Naylia looked at Sophae with a mix of second hand embarrassment, and a tenderness that almost crushed Sophae’s entirely overexcited heart. “I doubt I fully understand the full meaning of you asking me to do this,” Naylia said softly. “And you’re very sweet, Sophae. But why do you need someone else to hold on to it for you? It’s yours, isn’t it?”
Sophae’s mind finally caught up with her rapidly beating heart, and managed to get in under control enough to eek out “Clarize - Clarize and I have to go do something potentially dangerous,” she started, and then it all came tumbling out. “We’re going to meet with a gargoyle who’s killed a lot of friends of Clarize’s because there’s some humans that don’t like magick and we think the gargoyle wants to work with us to stop them.”
Naylia looked a little blank for a second. Then she resurfaced. “So a meeting, and fighting humans that would do you harm? Like…like magickal nazis?” she attempted. Clarize took over. “The humans in question likely have assorted magickal items, but are not magickal themselves,” she asserted. “Yes, this particular gargoyle has done quite a bit of damage to those I care about over the centuries, but I think she is acting in good faith. Your somewhat tortured simile works, but I would refrain from using it again.”
“Noted,” Naylia responded. Then, as though something just occurred to her, she said, “So, magic existing. Does that mean stuff like magic swords exist? And I could one day have a said theoretical magic sword?”
Clarize sighed. “Yes, enchanted swords do exist, although they aren’t exactly common items.” Before she could continue further, Naylia interrupted. “Right then, I’m coming with you then. One, because this lovestruck fool,” she said, indicating towards Sophae, with a wink and a genuine smile, “needs someone to look after them, and two, because I’m definitely not passing up the chance to get a magic sword. That sounds awesome, and a hell of a lot better than working at /The Stout Lighthouse/. I’m pretty handy physically, since I grew up in a very rural area. First things first though,” fixing Sophae with a look, “how did you sleep last night?”
“Uh..fine, I guess? Not great I suppose” Sophae started mumbling.
“Right then,” Naylia announced. “Sophae, you’re going to help me make the three of us a big dinner, and some rations. And then you two are staying the night here, and getting a good night’s sleep. Because this sounds like a quest, and if there’s one thing I know about quests from movies, is that everybody could always use more food, and sleep. And whomever this gargoyle is, she can wait til tomorrow.” And with that, Naylia dragged Sophae into the kitchen, Sophae casting a bewildered glance at Clarize while she exited, and found Clarize nearly bursting at her seams with laughter.
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