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[color=1E90FF][b]Interactions[/b]: Kalliope [@Tae][/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Mentions[/b]:[/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Time[/b]: 1800[/color]
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Her question proved to be harder to answer than Sjan-dehk had thought. Diverse as Viserjanta was, it was impossible to give Kalliope any set of specific guidelines. Every province, every island, and every race had their own unique practices. From Izahn’s name, Sjan-dehk guessed that he belonged to the same people as Azwan. Then again, he could very well have lived amongst another culture and thus adopted their ways instead. That wasn’t exactly something unheard of. Sjan-dehk, however, didn’t want to make any silly and unnecessary assumptions, and so he gave the safest answer there was.

[color=1E90FF]“Just come as you are,”[/color] he said with a smile. That wasn’t entirely wrong. He hadn’t heard of a culture that required mourners to wear specific colours. Sure, some would say that white or black were appropriate for such sad occasions – not yet, at least –  but they were really just guidelines more than anything else. It was more important that a mourner showed themselves truly and without masks. [color=1E90FF]“Wouldn’t want Izahn to not recognise you. Besides, this is really more of a navy tradition. Minor details aren’t important. What is, is that we pay the dead our respects and bid them a safe journey to wherever they go.”[/color]

By now, the sun had dashed beneath the horizon. Sjan-dehk swore that there was at least half-an-hour or even more of light left in the day, but the twinkling light of the first stars overhead told him just how wrong he had been. [color=1E90FF]“We should move,”[/color] he said to Kalliope before gesturing to the raised lantern hooks hanging over the guardrails. [color=1E90FF]“My men will soon be lighting the ship for the night. Should’ve been earlier, but I doubt anyone suspected that it’d get this dark, this fast. I’d suggest that we get out of their way.”[/color]

Sjan-dehk led her back down the ship, although much slower this time. The faint, orange glow of lanterns and lamps illuminated hatches, racks and buckets of arms, stairs, and anything else that might prove to be a hazard in the dark of night. [color=1E90FF]“Anyway,”[/color] he began and stepped aside to get out of the way of a man racing towards the bow with an unlit lantern in hand. [color=1E90FF]“I wouldn’t worry about anyone getting offended. Mourning is for everyone. Anyone who does is obviously a pedant and I for one take joy in their anger. Maybe one day one of their heads would actually explode as they keep saying.”[/color]

There was a touch of dry mirth in his voice towards the end. He was, of course, referring to all the people of high status aboard the [i]Sudah[/i]. Aside from Lady Adiyan, of course. She wouldn’t care too much about the specifics of the ceremony, but the rest? They were slaves to rites and rituals. They’d likely want things to be as by the book as possible. If there wasn’t a book – as was the case with most navy traditions – they would simply take guidelines as rules. 

Well, not like Sjan-dehk cared much about what they wanted or liked. They could moan and complain and whine all they liked, but as far as he was concerned, Kalliope had a good reason to be there. Whether she was a Viserjantan like them was irrelevant. And despite his misgivings, Sjan-dehk was certain that if he simply explained what was going on – and if they cared enough to listen – they might even agree, even if begrudgingly. 

He led her up the steps to the quarterdeck, where his men had already placed lanterns at regular intervals along the guardrail. They bathed the wooden deck in flickering, warm light. Overhead, the canted yard of the mizzenmast swayed gently in the breeze. [color=1E90FF]“The rudder’s right below us,”[/color] Sjan-dehk said and tapped his foot on the deck. [color=1E90FF]“We use a more complicated system to get it turning. It’s a lot more ropes and tackles to maintain, but it shifts faster. Makes us a harder target to hit when we’re moving, and makes it easier for us to get our guns to bear. That’s saved all our lives more than once.”[/color]

Looking off in the direction of the [i]Sudah[/i], he could see her almost fully illuminated, with her furled sails and hull and deck bathed in light. The lanterns at the very tops of her masts were like lamps in a lighthouse amidst the darkness. She certainly was an impressive sight. It was just a shame that her crew wasn't as impressive. Now that it was truly night, it likely wouldn't be long before her captain called for her crew to start disembarking for the closest beach. Sjan-dehk hoped that there wouldn't be too many people there; to say that it would make for an awkward encounter would be an understatement. [color=1E90FF]"Don't suppose we had to ask anyone's permission before using the beach?"[/color] He said in a half-joke, glancing sideways at Kalliope with a grin. Then, realising that he should probably explain, continued with, [color=1E90FF]"We usually have a small ceremony on a beach whenever possible. It shouldn't take too long. It's really not that big, but it's the meaning behind it that counts."[/color]