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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220927/23fb834f443fddf069b302a80ffae13a.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220927/713c9ea7f90a3bccf2680492bc93671a.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220928/bcf4c8fb894d886cf1f86d12d903935e.png[/img]

[color=1E90FF][b]Time[/b]: Late Morning[/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Interactions[/b]: [@Tae] Kalliope; [@ReusableSword] Roman; [@Conscripts] John [/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Mentions[/b]: [@princess] Charlotte; [@PapaOso] Cassius[/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Attire[/b]: [hider]
[url=https://i.postimg.cc/8z5xjhFf/b73aac48-9c15-4c53-9289-37731ac8aace.png](Placeholder until I get a better reference image)[/url]
Roughspun, blue trousers
A shoulder belt and waist belt carrying his equipment
Two swords and two pistols, one on either side
A woven, conical hat wide enough to shade his entire face[/hider][/color]
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The concern written across Sjan-dehk’s face as he watched the girl approach the lapping waves was as clear as the sky he stood beneath. He considered following her, but quickly decided against it. Some time alone might do her some good. Besides, did he really think he had the words to ease her situation? Not in her language, he didn’t, and he doubted she understood Viserjantan. His presence would likely do more to confuse than anything else. 

So instead, he remained where he was and kept a vigilant eye over her. He might not have understood the full details of their earlier altercation – which, as he thought about it, made his reaction seem all the more silly and reckless – but he caught just enough to know – or guess with some confidence – that this wasn’t the first time the girl had been harassed. And judging by her muted reaction, harassment and ridicule were things she had unfortunately gotten used to. 

Or, perhaps her parallels with his youngest sister ran even deeper, and extended to a common gentle and forgiving nature. Either way, the abuse faced by the pale girl displeased Sjan-dehk greatly.

He pulled his tunic back on and tied off the drawstrings at his side. It still escaped him as to why he felt so protective about the girl – a girl whose name he had failed to catch – other than that she reminded him of his sister and evoked the same feelings. Beyond that, it was all a mystery to him, but it wasn’t one he was going to try too hard to solve. To put an end to unjust acts happening before his eyes wasn’t a question of reason. It wasn’t even just that it was the Way. It was also the right and moral thing to do, and that was all that mattered to him. 

[color=1E90FF][i]“Yes,”[/i][/color] he said in response to Roman’s query as he threw his equipment back around his body. [color=1E90FF][i]“I handed it to Lady Adiyan. She is…She will take more time to recover.”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk winced as he recalled the state of the High Queen’s Voice when he had last seen her. As much as her condition had improved, she was still in quite a rough state. [color=1E90FF][i]“But we have others who can talk, if time is…Not enough. But not today. That is too soon. Maybe another day?”[/i][/color]

Sjan-dehk threw a quick, sidelong glance at the pale girl before turning to John. A slight frown flashed over his features as he heard the doctor’s words. Yes, Sjan-dehk once had such thoughts as well, and it would be a lie if he said that he still didn’t find it exhilarating to be at the helm of his Sada Kurau and to have her crush pirates beneath her keel. But at the same time, he was all too aware of bitter reality. The damage a cannonball did to a man was unspeakable, and Sjan-dehk was immediately reminded of decks sticky with blood, and strewn with bodies both torn apart and pulverised into barely-recognisable pulp. And he would have had to keep fighting on amidst such a sordid and macabre environment, and always with the thought that he could just as easily meet such a gruesome end lingering in the back of his mind. 

He shook his head slightly, and placed a smile on his face. [color=1E90FF][i]“Yes. Sometimes,”[/i][/color] he replied simply. [color=1E90FF][i]“This city, it is very…Nice? Good place to be, yes.”[/i][/color] He left his response to the doctor at that.

Once again, he snuck a glance at the pale girl. And once again, he considered joining her, but those same doubts from before surfaced in his mind. Not that it mattered in the end; while Sjan-dehk was entertaining his thoughts, someone else approached her. It was the man who had arrived with Kalliope. 

That brought him to the woman who had been on his mind. Sjan-dehk had, in fact, noticed her before she joined the group. How could he have not? Dressed in an outfit that showed off enough of her physique to be tantalising, but still keeping enough hidden to allow the imagination a bit of fun, and with her fiery hair pulled up and framing her sun-kissed face beautifully, she was an eye-catching sight to say the least. That was in-and-of-itself a problem for Sjan-dehk; he wasn’t quite sure where he should look. The slight flutter in his heart didn’t help in the least.

[color=1E90FF]“Good morning, Kali,”[/color] he said with a tip of his hat that also served to shade more of his eyes. If he couldn’t find a place to rest his gaze, then he would simply obscure it. Even so, he made sure to meet her verdant irises with his earthy ones from time-to-time. It would be impolite to do otherwise. And each time he looked at her, the smile playing across his lips inexplicably widened. [color=1E90FF]“You’ve got a way with words. Can’t say that I understood enough to say anything more about them, but they sounded powerful to my ears. And…”[/color] He trailed off as he looked over her attire once more, his cheeks tinting red as he did so. Utterly determined to avoid the same mistake as the previous day, he wracked his mind for a good word to use.

Embarrassing as it was, he immediately thought of words he used to describe ships. [color=1E90FF]“You look…You look stunning.”[/color] That word didn’t leave his mouth as smoothly or confidently as he hoped it would, but at least it was an improvement from yesterday. Marginally, but an improvement, nonetheless. He checked on Charlotte once more, but this time, his smile faded as he looked at the man with her. Who was he? And why had he come to the beach with Kalliope? Guilt and irritation flooded his heart almost as soon as those questions entered his mind. Why was he being so nosy? He wasn’t some palace gossip with nothing to do but needlessly pry into the affairs of others. Kalliope could do as she wished, and none of it would be any of his concern.

No, it really had nothing to do with him.

And so, that was why instead of asking those questions, he simply nodded to the pair standing not too far away at the water’s edge. [color=1E90FF]“Who’s your friend?”[/color] He asked in as casual a voice as he could muster, and that alone made him even more annoyed at himself. Why was he acting this way? It was unbecoming and not at all congruent to the Way. A flush came over his cheeks. [color=1E90FF]“I-I mean, I didn’t catch his name. Don’t want to be rude when he comes back, you know?”[/color]