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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]: Evening[/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Interactions[/b]: Kalliope [@Tae][/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Mentions[/b]: [/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Attire[/b]: [hider]
[url=https://i.postimg.cc/XqyzY9zm/taetaesaurus-create-me-a-mens-Zhongshan-Suit-outfit-on-a-dress-b533374d-9a94-4ce7-ad0f-7aea9cce3819.png]Outfit (Thanks, Tae!)[/url]
[url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1102052551756632175/1158615443540545576/taetaesaurus_an_pair_of_ocean_themed_masquerade_masks_that_are__453c7196-7ab5-43f1-a5e6-04fbafcbbfe7-1.png?ex=656ea137&is=655c2c37&hm=8e26286bf825cee9e1a90891f4022d494b78227e875fc3c5d19c1f65b9480d77&]Mask, one on the left (Thanks again, Tae)[/url]
A shoulder belt and waist belt carrying his equipment
Two pistols and two swords
A woven, conical hat wide enough to shade his entire face[/hider][/color]
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The darkening sky spread over Sorian harbour, and with it came a scattering of ships seeking safer waters for the night within the city’s breakwaters. In the diminishing light, even weather-beaten and tarnished sails appeared to be wavering slivers of luminescent white. They fluttered furiously against the nightly seaward winds, but still flagged more than they billowed. Pushing their hulls towards the docks at a torpid pace was all they could do.

From the waterfront, Sjan-dehk watched with crossed arms and in amusement. Beneath the lopsided grin, the occasional snicker – particularly when a ship found itself in irons – and the less-occasional thoughts of how his Sada Kurau would be the superior vessel in similar conditions, he felt some sympathy for the crew aboard those ships. Really, he did; to spend a day of toil at sea, only to be delayed by something the fickle winds so close to home was frustrating, to say the very least.

Granted, that wasn’t something Sjan-dehk had ever personally experienced – the sea was both his closest companion and second home – but he had observed his crew enough to understand it, somewhat. 

[color=1E90FF]“That’s not good,”[/color] he murmured and drew in a sharp breath through his teeth. A sizeable ship – a freighter, judging by its size and heft – had lurched into a lumbering turn, only to have her sails immediately deflated and pressed flat against her masts by the headwind. She lost what scant speed she had in an instant, and drifted slowly and aimlessly to a complete stop. There was little her crew could do aside from trimming her sails every which way in vain hopes of catching some form of wind. Such a position was unenviable; even [i]Sada Kurau[/i] would be hard-pressed to get out of such a situation – she could sail much closer to the wind than most, but she could not sail directly into it. No ship could. 

Or rather, no sailing ship could. A steamer wouldn’t have cared which way the winds blew.

Sjan-dehk grunted and leaned forwards, resting his forearms on the salt-pitted guardrail stretching across the length of the waterfront. It felt surreal – wrong, almost – how quickly those machines of iron and steam took to the seas. When the War began just over half-a-decade ago, they were mere theories dreamt up by shipwrights and engineers. Two years into the fighting, and the first wooden frigates to be fitted with steam engines were put into service. The following year, those very same ships were coated in thin plates of iron and sent to the front. And by War’s end, there were ships leaving the slipways that looked completely alien to Sjan-dehk.

He recalled seeing one such vessel, the [i]Sadhakan Ai-kai[/i]. It had been during the final days of the War, and [i]Sada Kurau[/i] had happened to pass her whilst underway to the Viserjantan capital, Mersawas. Her hull had gleamed in the sunlight, and she had sailed into the wind with naked masts and funnels belching clouds of dark smoke and white vapour. It had been a strange sight, and to this day Sjan-dehk was still uncertain as to what he thought of it. On the one hand, being able to sail without paying heed to the wind was a dream of every captain. And yet on the other, that very same dream made real sapped the magic from sailing. As if it turned something that called for talent and imagination into something colder, and more clinical.

Well, he supposed it didn’t quite matter what he thought. If it ever came to a day when he would be forced to leave his Sada Kurau to take command of one of those newer ships, then he could either simply accept the decision without fuss, or fight tooth-and-nail to remain aboard the ship that had taken him to countless victories. And he already knew which option he would choose. 

A familiar voice from behind quickly dispelled whatever daydreams he had of a probable future, and pulled him back to his senses. [color=8D3B72]“Captain, I hope you don't mind a siren's company for the night's festivities.”[/color]

[color=1E90FF]“You know, sirens–”[/color] Sjan-dehk began with a chuckle as he turned around. And as soon as he laid eyes on Kalliope, whatever words he had left to say vanished from his tongue. Without thinking – or even knowing, for that matter – he swept his gaze over her form before resting it on her face. Her verdant eyes gleamed with mischief, but also shone with the waning twilight. 

[color=8D3B72]"Shall we dance in the realm of arrogance and pompous asses?"[/color]

Sjan-dehk cleared his throat, coughing into a fist, and nodded in response to her question. [color=1E90FF]“When you put it that way, it almost sounds like it’d be fun,”[/color] he said with a quiet laugh.

Once again, he couldn’t help but take in the sight of her. The gown she wore was the exact one which she had bought days ago, so it wasn’t as if he was looking at anything new. And yet, he was captivated all the same. Blue fabric, soft and fine, flowed from her like the rolling waves of the gentle sea, and pooled at her feet in ruffles reminiscent of swirling eddies. And just like the sea, it was broken up by golden accents that reminded him of the vibrant hues painted by a setting sun. Intricately woven to look like scales, they made her look like a merrowfolk from ancient legends. 

And it was around that time when Sjan-dehk realised that if she hadn’t noticed him ogling her before, she certainly must have, now. [color=1E90FF]“Sorry,”[/color] he said sheepishly, and carefully considered his words. A not-so-small part of him just wanted to call her ‘beautiful’ and be done with it, but knowing what he now knew about her relationship with Cassius, he knew he had to establish and maintain a respectful distance. He may as well get started – and get used to it – sooner rather than later.

[color=1E90FF]“You look…Wonderful.”[/color] That was the most neutral word he could think of while still retaining some form of honesty. [color=1E90FF]“It’s a beautiful dress, and it suits you well.”[/color] He should have stopped there. That would have been the wise thing to do, but he couldn’t stop himself from continuing with, [color=1E90FF]“I mean, the rest of you is…Well, it’s easy on the eyes as well.”[/color] He paused, and tapped his finger on a scabbard. [color=1E90FF]“You dressed up well, is what I’m trying to say. Almost makes me feel a little underdressed.”[/color]

Sjan-dehk spoke the last sentence as a half-joke. Compared to Kalliope, he looked remarkably plain. That wasn’t the seamstress’ fault, however, but rather his own. The poor woman had tried to convince him to at least try some of the more fanciful and eye-catching clothes she had to offer. Consummate soldier that he was, Sjan-dehk naturally refused. He eventually settled on something that was as close to his usual attire as possible, albeit with some flair in the form of elaborate patterns embroidered with golden thread. Even that was something the seamstress had to talk him into accepting. She had pointed out – and rightfully so, in hindsight – that without them, he may as well wear his own uniform. And that was hardly fitting for what seemed to be an elegant and grand event.

[color=1E90FF]“Anyway,”[/color] he said, taking a step back from her and tilting his head to one side. Whether that was the right way to go was unknown to him. [color=1E90FF]“Shall we go? I don’t know where this count makes his home, so I’m afraid you have to lead. Not unless you don’t mind us ending up some place where we shouldn’t.”[/color]