Harold
Taedra Westbrook
Northwind Coast

The warmth of the day was fading as it passes it's highest point. The winds coming off the coast blew over the dunes, up through the sea grass and around the ankles of the Westbrook children. Taedra and Thierou were together, as it seemed they always were. Tobias had taken to Terresol to help a stranger through the mountains is their ancestral homes, the ones they knew like the back of their hands. And yet, he'd been gone for over a month now on a journey that should have only taken two weeks at most. Her letter hadn't been answered, but it wasn't as if he had given them much information on where they were headed anyway. She could only hope he'd fallen into the arms of the woman and not into a shallow grave somewhere. 

Thierou sad on the crest of the dune, his boots kicked down into the soft slope of the sand as he watched the waves. With each gust that carried seasalt laden air over them he inhaled deeply, and finally spoke after a long moment. 

"The air really is thicker down here, Hm?" He asked. Taedra pulled her gaze from the shimmering waters, down to her brother. He wasn't wrong, she could feel the weight of every breath, heavy with moisture in her lungs. 

"What are we here for, Thierou?" She questioned, the toe of her boot pressing into the sand briefly before it's surface slipped, tumbling away down the bank. 
.

"I just wanted to see the sand one more time before the winter hits. We're not far out from it now." He mused, his chin tilting upwards towards the sky. 

"You wanted to swim?" She questioned, it was never something she had cared for. She was at home in the mountains and snow, and didn't trust the sea for anything. 

"I wanted to drown, Tae." He corrected, and when her brow raised at the comment, concern coloring her features, he nodded to the small town towards the banks. Laughter could be heard, and she relaxed a bit. 

"Women and wine." She breathed, relieved as he pushed himself to his feet, sensing sand tumbling the same way she had. 

"One more run before the season changes." He confirmed, and nodded his head. "Want to come with, share a drink?" The blonde woman scrunched her nose and shook her head. 

"I'd rather wait here in the dunes."

"It might be a while."

"You're a pig." She smiled, waving him off
Marion
Iver Trok
Northwind Coast

As the sunset, the water sparkled with hues of pink and gold, even lavender, as the ocean same against the sandy coast.

*Hush... Hush...* It seemed to whisper as the evening tide rolled in, slowly edging up the beachfront. The white sand seemed to reflect ash as the sun fell behind the wall of blue, the warmth of it leaving an imprint on everything it touched, everything it claimed.

Not too long afterward, there seemed to be a sudden shift in all that was once clear. The mists rolled and tumbled in, slowly enough that it wouldn't seem sudden at all until the realization of it would come across as the land seemed to completely change. The waves could still be heard lapping at the shore, the haze surrounding it hiding them from sight so only the sound could arouse the sense of ebbs and flows.

Still peaceful, the mist seemed to part on the waters, and directly in front of Taedra, a figure seemed to walk calmly out of the ocean. So calmly it almost seemed that he belonged there. He walked out of the water as if it were a door to the outside, his clothing dripping with ocean water. The small drips and splashes broke the monotonous and hypnotizing sound of the waves, but *He* Was hypnotizing all his own, as his eyes, once opened, seemed to glow like two glimmering golden coins in the evening.
Harold
Taedra Westbrook
Northwind Coast

She'd settled down into the dunes where her brother had previously occupied. From the small pack they'd brought with them from the carriage she produced a blanket, laying it along the sand where she intended to stay for the time being. A book had come with her, one that she wasn't quiet engrossed in yet, but had been gifted by their previous host. It was some tale of romance, and so far, she didn't see the appeal of the woman in it's pages. 

She'd been assured, however, that it got better the longer you read. 

So she turned the pages, letting the last of the days warmth soak into her skin as the sun faded. She'd eventually pull herself from the sands and return to wait in the carriage for her brother, and if he took too much longer she'd most likely leave without him. If he was allowed to leave her unattended for the sake of women, she was allowed to let him find his own way home. 

The gold and purple of the setting sun colored the paged until she could no longer concentrate on the words, and she set the book aside, content to watch the waves until the sun had sunken fully beneath them. Taedra's gaze turned glossy as she watched, hypnotized by the movement of the water and the mist that seemed to rise from it as the gold and glitter were replaced. It took a while to notice, but the water was broken before her by the rise of a man from the deep, and she inhaled, the heavy air keeping her mesmerized by the sight. Surely she'd drifted off. It wasn't until his eyes opened, a shining gold like the sunrise that the trance broke, and she gasped, fingers curling over the surface of the blanket and into the sand by her hip.
Marion
Iver Trok
Northwind Coast

The man, in all his hurry to get to where he needed to be, seemed to make a simple mistake. He didn't make sure the beach was empty. He paused for a moment as they locked eyes, he squinted a little as he took in the sight. At any other time in his life, he would probably fall all over the beauty as if he were a dog. He looked left and right, making sure no other had seen his grand entrance as the mists swirled around his knees like cats purring for attention.

He stepped forward slowly but didn't approach her too quickly. He had his hands out, the loose clothing stuck to his body made sure that even in the growing darkness she could see he hid nothing from her. As he moved, the mist followed.

He held a finger to his lips, imploring for her to be quiet as he crouched down, perhaps six paces in front of her. Obviously, she was noble. He knew this by her stature, clothing, and the accompanying story and luxurious blanket on the sand. 

"How do you do?" His voice left his throat, mirroring the way the waves could be smooth and rough at the same time. He seemed very calm, albeit slightly worried. As he grew closer, she would be able to see his glimmering eyes seemed like that of a cat's. "I'm sure you weren't expecting that. Allow me to apologize... And beg you to keep this our little secret."

He knew this could go one way or the other. She could be very kind and nice and agree that this was simply a secret that must be kept, or, she could do the *Rational* Thing and scream for help from a demon of the deep. If that were the case, he would backtrack and leap back into the ocean, and find another port side town with what he needed. After all, who would believe that a man came from the water out of nowhere?
Harold
Taedra Westbrook
Northwind Coast

The man with the golden glowing eyes stepped forward, and for some reason instead of her feet moving to help her stand, her fingers just dug more firmly into the blanket and the sand beneath it. It hardened in her fists with the pressure, but she couldn't control her fingers enough to make them _stop_ the useless reaction. 

He moved a finger to his lips, the mist that had enshrouded him traveling up the length of his arm with the motion to make his eyes flicker behind it's tendrils like a full moon, and she swallowed thickly at the sound of his voice. 

Her mind was racing through fairy tales, trying to pin point exactly _what_ she was seeing and the best way to handle it. The mountains were home to many creatures, but her lore didn't involve many water folks. She could think of a few, the Terresol king who loved a mermaid, and creatures who were part creature part human, shedding their skin once they reached land and returning to it when they took back to the deep. He certainly didn't seem like a mer-creature, but she'd never had the horror of meeting one. 

When he spoke, the fear replaced itself with confusion. How could a monster speak her tongue so easily? How could he smile like that, with glittering eyes, and ask her to keep a secret for him. 

"You can speak." She breathed, and her brow furrowed as she found herself abandoning the book to push herself forward and onto her knees, her eyes looking to his in confusion. "You know the common tongue?"
Marion
Iver Trok
Northwind coast

Well, what a surprise. There was a third option and that was to have a conversation. He couldn't help but smile gently at her curious confusion, watching her lean forward instead of away.

"Well... Of course, I can speak. It'd be odd if I couldn't. I never got the hang of any *Exotic* Languages so hopefully common is acceptable for you... My lady." He spoke softly, the mist crawling up the dune slowly but stopping about three feet from her. The title he called her was simply out of respect for a noble, although his deep voice seemed to tickle at every word that left his tongue.

The man blinked slowly, his cat-like pupils narrowing and widening as they adjusted. He could see quite well in the dark, as his eyes suggested. He wondered for a moment why she would ask such a question before it dawned on him that he did, in fact, rise from the ocean, and everything was on the table for what he could be. He sighed, looking down and clasping his hands together before looking back up. He didn't think he'd ever have to explain himself. To anyone. But here he was.

"I... Am not usually seen. But I suppose now that you have, I'll have to do something I haven't done in a very long time, " He began, looking her directly in the eyes before placing his knees down to get comfortable. "Explain myself. As long as you swear this is a secret, aye?"