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 Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:37 pm
Saniya approached the pond which now teamed with life, fish, plants, bacteria. It was lovely, and as always the water sang to her. Shifting her masked face up towards to star filled sky, she smiled. An intimate smile between the Aqua Masque and the Moon that ruled the tidal flows.
Tonight was a reflection of another night, in another time, a long time ago. A night when the people of Time's court had virtually ignored her, as a healer she had only been useful when someone was, sick, injured, or dying. Not pleasant memories for anyone.
But Saniya was determined to put them behind her, as Galilee had said earlier, all the Masques were different now. Slipping out of her brocade slippers she sank to the ground at the edge of the pond and slid her legs in. Nika was her friend, not her King, and certainly no longer her Uncle...
The water felt like liquid gold on her skin. Sani loved it. Throwing herself backwards so she was lying on the ground her legs in the water and her hair fanned out around her, she smiles and closed her eyes, not minding in the least when her skirt shifted into the water....
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:40 pm
Nika sat on the steps leading up to the front porch of the home he shared with Gee, blue eyes fixed on the starry sky that enveloped their entire planet like a very warm and welcome blanket. Somewhere, up there, Io was living another life with Sei and their respective gaurdians. He couldn't help worrying about her. His oldest daughter had always been a bit wild. Io, who was always up for anything as long as it was fun and dangerous, was responsible for a majority of the gray hairs he'd had in his past life.
Time couldn't sleep. It was just another one of those nights. The air was too calm and the sky too bright. He sighed heavily and rested his chin on his knees, leaning forwards to sketch a picture in the dirt.
Something caught his eye. There was a flish of light skin in the moonlight and he looked up, head inclined in the direction of the color he'd seen. Who else would possibly be awake at this hour?
Nika studied the familiar form through narrowed eyes for a couple of minutes and then, as recognition dawned on his face, smiled softly. She was resting by Cern's pond. It could only be Sani. Aqua had never been able to go long without a dip in the water.
"Is it cold?" he asked her from his spot on the porch, "The water, I mean?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:53 am
Rolling up on her shoulders and tilting her head back so her spine bowed, Saniya blinked into the darkness until she spotted the short blond hair, and smiled, the whites of her eyes sparkling in the darkness.
'No... its.... tepid. Comfortable but not warm. Join me Nika?' Twisting a little her hair wrapped around her black dress, obscuring it in sea foam. 'I thought that I was the only one still up... I'm quite accustomed to being alone at night.'
Not noticing that some of her hair draped across her mask in an uncharacteristic tumble Sani studied the young man that had once been her King... Yes there was a lot in common with tonight and that night so long ago.
'But I think, I believe that is, that I could really use the company.' There was a lilt to her softly thought words, musical and filled with remembrance. As without thinking her tone mimicked the music of the water that sang to her.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:25 pm
"I'd be more than happy to," Nika nodded softly, stood up and moved towards the pond. His bare feet sunk an inch or two into the grass, which nobody had bothered to cut in awhile, and he started to roll up the cuffs of his sweatpants so that he could dip the bottom half of his legs in the water like Sani, without getting his clothes very wet.
"I couldn't sleep," he offered, by way of an explanation, as he took a seat beside her and slipped his feet into the water. It felt nice around his legs, cool and smooth after an almost unbearably warm day. Nika had often wondered how so many of the girls both now, and in the past, could possibly wear such long skirts. They seemed like such a pain in the a**, for lack of a better phrase. Didn't they got very hot? Pants and shorts, for that matter, were a lot cooler.
"It's a beautiful night," Time said simply, waving his hands in the direction of the forest, asleep in the darkness, and the stars. A fish swam around his ankle. Nika leaned forwards and wriggled his fingers in the water.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:48 pm
Watching Time as he settled in next to her, Saniya tossed her head, and brushed her hair aside, settling back to watch the stars. more of her skirt shifted to float on the waters surface. Shifting and seeming to have a life of its own.
'I know its the heat that helps make the sky so clear.... all the water evaporates and the clouds move on to cooler climates. I'm enjoying the fair weather while I can... it won't be long before all is frozen again.'
After a moment of silence she made the effort to feed the conversation, focusing on his handsome back while he trailed his hand through the water, playing with the Koi she had named Blaze most likely, the red fish was adventurous.
'I couldn't sleep either... but thats not uncommon for me,' looking over at Nika she smiled gently. 'Is it the heat the keeps you up? Or is there something on your mind?' A little forward for her to ask after him, but Saniya had promised herself that she wouldn't hide from making friends anymore. Besides, she both liked and respected Time.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:59 pm
"I like all of the seasons," Nika said conversationally, "They all make their own, unique contributions to the world. Though, you're right, the heat is much nicer than the cold weather."
It was so very predictable of Time; to pretend that he understood the weather. He didn't, but that wasn't the point. He understood it's purprose and, in the end, that was all that mattered.
He hadn't expected an explanation for the lack of clouds or the heat, but he wasn't upset that she had told him. It was a nice piece of information that he would gladly save for letter. Maybe, he could even try impressing Shiva with it sometime. It'd been so long since he'd talked to her. The young, maskless man sighed. He missed her a lot, but she was only part of the reason he'd been too restless to sleep.
"I'm just worried," he let out a long, low sigh and continued to play with the koi in the water, "I suppose that it's nothing to be too concerned about. Io is, after all, with her uncle. He promised me he wouldn't let any harm come to her before they left."
Sani might not have understood what he meant completely. Nika knew that his answer was kind of vague, but, she was a smart girl. He'd let her fill in the blanks. Unless, of course, she asked more questions. Time was always willing to give answers. That was, whenever he wanted.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:18 pm
Sani nodded, understanding it was only logical for Nika to be concerned Io was his daughter and any good father would be worried. So she thought for a moment. Maybe shifting his thoughts would help him a little...
But she was shy, quiet, and found it desperately difficult to participate on these private, and familial conversations. 'I never met Io and Zahar's uncle...'
It was all she could say, there was a lot she wanted to know, but they were questions that she could never put to words, so listening to Nika play with the fish she knew he probably wouldn't elaborate, and was prepared to offer companionable silence, enjoying the music of the water.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:15 pm
Her simple words moved him to continue talking. He hadn't spent much time with Sani in this life, but she, like all of the others, still resembled her former self in many ways. Aqua had always been a very patient healer. Time couldn't remember a time when she'd ever pushed him for information she thought he might not like to give.
"Sei was their mother's brother," Nika said softly and leaned backwards on the palms of his hands, tired of playing with his buddy the fish, "He never spent much time around the palace before. Always was a bit of a hermit. He was the one who took my mask off."
The blond man wasn't necessarily distracted from his thoughts about Io and everything else he had lost, but, he was always willing to talk about other things. Multi-tasking was one of Nika's favorite hobbies.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:28 pm
Smiling behind her mask, and in the dark she knew that Nika likely couldn't see the subtle upturn to her eyes, she sat up and twisted to better face Time.
She studied his silhouette in the moonlight and tilted her head, kicking her feet slightly in the water straightening her legs, then relaxing them, as more of her skirt met water. 'Whats it like? Being free I mean. No masque?' Petting the grass to lay down flat she could see him in her minds eyes, masked as well as she saw him now, unmasked.
'How... I mean.. when it was removed....' unable to finish the thought she allowed it to end there, it was awkward, and she could have hit herself. And wished that she could elapse beneath the surface of the pond. If only she had anyone elses ability with words... to be glib would be a blessing.
(errr she's trying so hard! but she just doesn't have it in her to be out going. *dies*)
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:48 pm
A serious of amused, harmless chuckles slipped past his lips. Some things never changed.
"Aqua," Nika said with a brief, disbeliving shake of his head. There was a kind smile on his face, "You always did have trouble with words. Unless, of course, somebody needed help. You always knew what to do in situations where everybody else panicked."
She had always been a very talented and wise healer, somebody he'd respected and admired in the past, and who he wished he'd taken the time to get to know better now. Nika couldn't shake the feeling that Sani often felt very lonely. Absently, he wondered if it had anything to do with her memories, or lack of.
"I remember everything now," he stated softly and glanced up at the stars, "and I revel in the feel of the wind against my face. I had a killer headache for a couple of days afterwards. It was quite painful. Kind of like a dam breaking- all of the memories flooded in at once."
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:03 pm
Sani could feel her cheeks warming to a blush beneath her mask. She tried not to let him know it, but she was devouring his passing reference to the Aqua of the past. The delicious if small compliment that followed his laughter.
'I would love to remember more.' reaching down she pulled her skirt, now wet to the knees, up out of the water, spotting the small koi that still moved around Nika's legs.
Looking at him from between her lashes, in a look that could easily have been taken for coy if Time had been able to see it. 'Maybe we could talk.. someday. I would like to know more.'
Twisting her skirt to wring out the moisture she tucked it beneath herself. Laughing delicately she added; 'All I can remember is being at the fringes... and with that I feel like I didn't have a place, but I know I did..... If that makes any sense at all.' Talking about herself was as foreign to Saniya as asking questions and the words came slowly, with great deliberation.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:30 pm
Memories, to them, were like the Holy Grail. Everybody wanted to know who they had been and what they done. The little bit of information each of them had been gifted when they'd grown into teenagers was not, and would never be, enough. Nika had secretly promised himself that he would make sure the others had been freed of the curse. It was unfortunate that it was such a delicate business. Removing a mask at the wrong time, before the wearer was ready, could be disastrous.
"That makes perfect sense," he nodded his head, but didn't say more. She'd always reminded him of a certain somebody, but Nika, unfortunately, had never been able to confirm his suspicions.
"You'll remember everything, someday," Nika said softly. He wished that he could tell her more and, after a couple moments of careful debate, decided that it was safe to give her a little extra information.
"It's important that all of you come to realize most of your past on your own," he explained slowly, "but, if you ever have any questions that you want answered, I promise that I'll try and answer them to the best of my ability. I was very close to your mother. She was my favorite cousin."
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:52 pm
Happiness surged through Aqua, and without hesitating she hugged Nika squeezing him briefly and firmly. 'Thank you for telling me that much... I didn't remember anything of my family.'
Moving away she looked again into the night, content. and noticing that the stars were starting to fade, she knew it must be late. 'You should go lay down and try to rest, its nearing dawn.'
((Short and Sweet))
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:31 pm
The sun had yet to rise on the frost kissed day over the Masquerade Colony. Most people had yet to rise for the day however Saniya gloried in these pre-dawn moments when everything was a wash of shadows and vulnerability. It was her favorite time of day no matter the season.
Dressing silently in the dusky light Sani pulled the snow white heavy silk tunic over free breathing wrap pants following with comfortable brocade slippers. The outfit was designed to compliment her flexibility, and while not at all her normal dress for the day, comfort of movement was more important.
Once she was dressed Sani stretched and could hear the music beginning, as feint as a tin whistle, just beyond her window; hypnotizing, enchanting, and calling her. So she straightened and slipped from the house into the darkness of pre-dawn, the caress of frost still in the air from the night before, Saniya moved purposefully towards the first structure of the colony, the covered area that had served as a commons for almost four years.
The ground crunched faintly beneath her feet as Saniya lengthened her dancer like stride, working to get her blood flowing in the cold air. She found the clear wood planked floor at the far end of the tables and breathing slowly she began her stretching.
Sitting on the ground with her legs crossed and spine stretched to its full length as though a string had been pulled taught starting at the crown of her head and ending at the tip of her tail bone. Feeling the world around her and focusing on the music that has always been a part of her life everything began to fade away, until it was just Saniya. The water in the air sparkled with life, sang beneath the earth as it raced through underground channels. Like the water in her body, flowing and throbbing a subtle drum beat that kept all the rest aligned.
She began to breath: slow, deep inhalation, expanding her chest and pulling her spine even more taught than before as she drew in air pulling her navel center toward the base of her spine. Using her hands to walk out until she was on hands and knees, Saniya carefully positioned her wrists and fingers she curled her back towards the ceiling, exhaled and enjoyed the feel of the stretch through her back as she rounded her spine.
Arching her back she controlled her breathing, she curled her back toward the ceiling, pressing her hips against the ground. Saniya relaxed drawing in deep breaths and exhaling slowly, she could feel the life and energy beginning to revive throughout her body. Finally as her muscles started to ache delicately she shifted into the next position.
Tucking her chin and drawing her knees beneath her body she allowed her head to hang loosely on her neck, sitting on her legs as the air stirred chill across her sweat slick pale skin. Coming with slow grace to her feet she felt her spin naturally aligning along the mystical energy string. The moving meditation glided in dance like movements, stretching her arms overhead she brought her palms together.
The moisture in the sky reacting to her fluid movements as snow drifted from the heavens, dancing bits of white lace fluttering to life in the air around her. The movements came to her naturally from lessons long forgotten, or too painful to remember. She counted out her breath sweeping her arms out to the side, allowing her heart to lead her movements, as if swan diving forward from a diving board. A long flex that that pulled all the strength of her lower back. She touched th palms of her hands to the ground between her feet, inhaling deep into her chest she slid her right leg back, lowering her knee to the ground.
Saniya had no difficulty swinging from one stretch into the dance of tendon and muscle that had her resembling the snow that danced in the air around her. Rolling back on her shoulders and serpentinely dropping her feet to the wooden planks bowing her back as she returned to her feet, breathing slowly and deep. Standing still just as the mid-winter sun kissed the colony.
The music that followed her at all times, stilled and became quiet ceding to the gentle hiss of the early snow fall. Saniya opened her eyes slowly, and embraced the enveloping peace, and the gentle musical strains clung to the distant edges of the morning.
((I wrote this to be a solo RP in Sani's Journal but it was just so beautiful in the end I decided that people should have the opportunity to reply. Any Early Risers out there?))
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