Real Merewives (Triton)

"Well hopefully one day soon we can share an adventure cousin. I always enjoy your modesty," Triton smiles.

"Good journey."

"Please offer my sister Valentine best wishes," says Sister Mircalla. "And my prayers."

No one else says much of anything. Thymm gives a little wave.

"Good Journey to you too cousin, although you are never going to see my modesty."

"You may rely on it should I see her there good sister."

Mint returns Thymm's wave.

Moments later by a wall near the kitchen, Mint focuses on Reena's card. Young cousin, what trouble have you gotten up to? I wish I had your freedom. At least I might enjoy the company of your spirit for a time.

The rest of the meal passes more-or-less uneventfully.

At its end, all head back to Lady Sylvia's ship. High tide approaches and the vessel must leave then. Provisions have been replenished. Individuals are shown to their cabins. All four are close-by.

Triton's cabin looks relatively simple for a nobleman's chamber aboard ship. Freshly white-washed, the portholes are wide open to air out. The bed looks invitingly comfortable.

Triton knows that once these adventures start, they rarely slow down. So he takes the chance to get a little sleep. As he dozes off, he wonders who will be the first to sneak into his room.

The next day, Triton wakes to find the Lady Sylvia remaining in her cabin. Meals for himself, Sister Mircalla and Thymm the Enchanter are served in a relatively clear spot on the upper deck, on a gazebo-esque platform evidently designed for that purpose. He finds the Holy Sister and the Enchanter chatting over a light meal.

"Leviathan the Grreat, you see, is said to be of the same orrderr of being as the Unicorrn," he explained. "It be ageless an' ancien', and ye' eterrnaly young as well. The merrewives arre supposed to be Leviathan's daughterrs, by who-knows-wha' motherr."

Triton takes a seat and starts to enjoy some breakfast. He greets both Mircalla and the Enchanter with a warm smile.

"Just the three of us today huh?"

Triton watches Thymm very carefully. He watches the man's eyes to see if he subtly acknowledges that Mircalla's invisible body guard is still about. Then he listens as the two discuss the Merewives and the Leviathan.

"You know, legends say that those of us of Amber are the children of the Unicorn. If the Leviathan truly is of a similar order and if what you say about the merewives is true, than they are practically my cousins. So maybe things won't go quite as bad as everyone fears. They could be just like me. Isn't that reassuring?" Triton winks.

Mircalla says nothing to this, but Thymm bursts out laughing. He takes a sip of something that looks ale-like and glances over Mircalla's shoulder. Nothing seems to stand there. Emphasis on seems.

"I've heard tales," says Sister Mircalla, "that those of Amber's blood can sometimes shift the winds. The speed with which the Hippogriff arrived at Gont hints as much. Perhaps, your highness, you can aid Lady Sylvia's vessel the same way?"

Triton nods in appreciation to Thymm's laughter. He continues to smile and listen as Mircalla speaks of the power of shadow.

"It is true Sister Mircalla that some of us Amberites do possess this power. And you are correct in guessing that I am one of them. I would be happy to assist the speed of our journey. But I would start with just a bit more wind. Sometimes these things bring about more of a weather front than you were hoping for," Triton cautions.

Turning towards the front of the ship, Triton takes in their surroundings and slowly starts playing with the stuff of shadow. He seeks a strong steady wind, free of storms, to aid their speed.

Without too much difficulty, Triton finds what he's looking for and the sails of Narwhal's Triumph fill with wind. The ship accordingly picks up speed.

Sooner or later he notices Thymm and Mircalla still chatting, when a Navigator approaches the enchanter with some charts. The latter examines them and begins a somewhat technical conversation about headings, shoals, currents and the like. Sister Mircalla politely stands to the side. Her expression seems subtly troubled, and she turns a ring on her finger. Triton had not in fact noticed this ring before. It looks of white gold, worn on the thumb, and with a single mounted black pearl. And it seems...familiar. Somehow. He cannot quite place where or when, but he's increasingly certain he's seen this ring on some one else's finger. This identical ring.

Triton smiles as shadow provides him the effect he was seeking. He listens to the navigation talk in case he needs to make any adjustments to the wind. Taking a moment while Thymm is busy, he walks over to Mircalla.

"Sister, that is a beautiful ring you have there. I don't recall noticing it before. As you can see," Triton says while holding his arm forward displaying his long string of black pearls, "I am a fan of black pearls. Is there a story to accompany your treasure, or was it simply a gift?"

"This?" Sister Mircalla looks at her thumb slightly startled. "I...don't recall precisely. I cannot recall offhand the circumstances under which I received it. Most likely as a child. People were ever giving the daughter of the King gifts and tokens. For that matter my father gave me many presents. Most of these I gave up when I entered the Order. Some, though..." she looks puzzled, "...I must have chosen to keep this one. For some reason."

"I can understand the bombardment of gifts. It does make things a little hazy after a while," Triton nods, "Would you mind if I took a closer look?"

Triton slowly starts making his way closer to examine the ring. He pays attention to the slightest hints of danger from his own pearls. If there is danger, does it increase with proximity? How do his own pearls react to the ring?

Mircalla holds her hand up towards Triton, thumb forward so he can get a better look.

Triton almost feels something from the ring. Almost, not quite. It is as if the thing has properties magical but not remotely on the same order as his own pearls. Perhaps the pearls came from the same source? Or the ring itself belonged to some sorceror?

It hits him. Nimue. She changes her rings, her necklaces and earrings constantly. Triton feels absolutely positive this ring resembles one Nimue has. Or had. Might be the same one for all he knows.

Triton gently takes her hand in his, twisting slightly to see the pearl catch the light. Once he realizes where he has seen its like, he looks up at Mircalla and smiles.

"There is something special about this ring. A friend of mine, our court Advisor if you will, often wears very similar things. Do you know Nimue? Or did you have the pleasure of meeting her when you visited us?"

"Nimue?" Sister Mircalla blinks. "I've heard of her, naturally. Some call her Rebma's version of Dworkin. But I don't...think...I've ever met the lady."

Any further conversation is abruptly curtailed as they hear a loud "AHA!" from the enchanter Thymm. He is now far forward of the ship. As they look, Sister Mircalla and Prince Triton see a solid wall of storm clouds at the far horizon.

Triton nods in agreement when Mircalla calls Nimue the Dworkin of Rebma. He is about to reply when he hears Thymm gives the "aha".

"Pardon me," Triton says to Mircalla as he makes his way to the front of the ship. Standing next to Thymm he is looking at the storm front ahead.

"Was your 'aha' to alert me that I should use my abilities to deal with this storm? Or have we arrived at our destination?"

Thymm shakes his bearded, horned head. "Tha' be no orrdinarry storrm, young Prrince. In fac' tha' be no storrm a' all! Barr'ly a league beforre us lies the edge o' the gales tha' mark the prresence o' the merrewives! They be ahea' o' us rrigh' now, an' we follow in theirr wake! The question be--to wherre?"

"I see. Well, should we slow our pace and follow them for a while. See where they lead us? I am sure that they already know we are here, if they intend us harm, there is nothing we can do about it anyway. Or should we plunge into the storm and see what awaits us inside? What think you wizard?"

Triton says while keeping his attention focused on the beautiful storm front ahead.

The sky changes in an interesting way. From horizon to horizon, the ship approaches the largest rainbow Triton has ever seen.