Post by Ankhiale on Feb 22, 2014 4:25:04 GMT 10
Title: The Sand and the Sea
Rating: G
For: Rachy
Prompt: #1 - Kally/Kaddar
Summary and Warnings: At the southernmost tip of Carthak, Kally dances. No warnings.
I hope you like it!
***
Night was coming, but had not fallen yet. The sun had just passed beyond the western horizon, and the sky was a deep, perfect blue. No stars were yet out, but the fine spray cast up by the ocean where it hit the great flat rocks that intermittently studded the sandy shore glinted silver in the waning light and were almost just as good.
At the very point where cool blue water met still-warm golden sand, Kally danced.
Kaddar, perched on the low end of an immense slanted slab of basalt, glanced back up the hill. His guard was just visible in the waning light, having sealed off the cove from passersby; only the women of Kalasin’s personal guard watched the beach directly. Bhaina, the cheekiest and oldest member of Kally’s guard, caught Kaddar’s eye and smirked.
Kaddar rolled his eyes and went back to blatantly staring at his wife. Manfully, he ignored the faint titter of laughter from up the hill.
Kally spun around just as a wave hit, overbalanced, and landed on her backside in the surf, sputtering. Kaddar struggled not to laugh, but he knew that the grin on his face was perfectly visible.
Kally slung her heavy, soaking braids back out of her face, caught Kaddar’s eye, and burst into laughter. With as much dignity as she could manage, she thumped out of the water and plopped down on the rock next to Kaddar.
“You’re soaking wet,” he murmured, wrapping one arm around her.
Kally started laughing again. “I know.” She snuggled up against him, deliberately getting him as wet as she could. Kaddar made a face at her, and she stuck out her tongue.
They sat for a few minutes, watching the sky darken. Kally sighed.
“What are you thinking about?” Kaddar asked softly.
“Today, I have been the farthest south of any Tortallan,” she replied.
Kaddar grinned. “And I have been further south than any member of the imperial family before me, and I am one of only a dozen people born in the state of Carthak to have come so far south.”
“I’m glad we got to make it down here.”
“So am I,” Kaddar replied. The Imperial states were never entirely pacified, not these distant ones, anyway. Kally had been the one to suggest a Grand Progress through the entire empire, to make the emperor feel more real to these people. “This was a good idea.”
Kally beamed out at the darkening sea. Kaddar didn’t have to look to know it was her “I told you so” smirk.
Mercifully, she shifted topics. “I always pictured it frozen.”
It was Kaddar’s turn to smirk. “Just because Tortallan mapmakers keep insisting it’s the Frozen Ocean doesn’t mean it’s frozen during, oh, the height of summer.”
Kally elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Kaddar straightened with a squawk and almost tumbled off the rock.
“It’s beautiful, though,” she said, gazing out at the sea.
“It is,” Kaddar agreed, but in his mind’s eye he wasn’t picturing the ocean. His eyes slid towards his wife.
Kally elbowed him again, more gently this time, and a small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “You flatterer.”
Kaddar just smiled.
Night had almost fallen. Somewhere up the shore, a night bird whistled.
“Twenty years tomorrow,” Kally murmured.
“Twenty years,” Kaddar agreed.
Kally shifted against him. “I don’t suppose we can ditch the festivities and just sneak back down here.”
Given that they’d already abandoned one state dinner to come down here this evening… “Probably not,” Kaddar said.
“Psh. They’re all pompous state dinners anyway.”
“Yes, but think of all the fun you’d miss.”
Kally laughed, then levered herself off the rock. She held out a hand. “Come on, let’s trudge back.”
Kaddar jumped off the rock and took her hand, not tucking her arm in his in the proper manner, but taking advantage of the darkness to twine his fingers in hers. Kally’s eyes, depthless to match the ocean in the darkness, crinkled at the corners in one of her secret smiles.
She twined her hand more firmly in his, then swung their joined hands gently. They walked up the hill, their guards falling in around them.
“Do you ever regret it?” he murmured to the sea breeze.
“No,” Kally replied, smiling her secret smile again. “Not a single thing.”
Rating: G
For: Rachy
Prompt: #1 - Kally/Kaddar
Summary and Warnings: At the southernmost tip of Carthak, Kally dances. No warnings.
I hope you like it!
***
Night was coming, but had not fallen yet. The sun had just passed beyond the western horizon, and the sky was a deep, perfect blue. No stars were yet out, but the fine spray cast up by the ocean where it hit the great flat rocks that intermittently studded the sandy shore glinted silver in the waning light and were almost just as good.
At the very point where cool blue water met still-warm golden sand, Kally danced.
Kaddar, perched on the low end of an immense slanted slab of basalt, glanced back up the hill. His guard was just visible in the waning light, having sealed off the cove from passersby; only the women of Kalasin’s personal guard watched the beach directly. Bhaina, the cheekiest and oldest member of Kally’s guard, caught Kaddar’s eye and smirked.
Kaddar rolled his eyes and went back to blatantly staring at his wife. Manfully, he ignored the faint titter of laughter from up the hill.
Kally spun around just as a wave hit, overbalanced, and landed on her backside in the surf, sputtering. Kaddar struggled not to laugh, but he knew that the grin on his face was perfectly visible.
Kally slung her heavy, soaking braids back out of her face, caught Kaddar’s eye, and burst into laughter. With as much dignity as she could manage, she thumped out of the water and plopped down on the rock next to Kaddar.
“You’re soaking wet,” he murmured, wrapping one arm around her.
Kally started laughing again. “I know.” She snuggled up against him, deliberately getting him as wet as she could. Kaddar made a face at her, and she stuck out her tongue.
They sat for a few minutes, watching the sky darken. Kally sighed.
“What are you thinking about?” Kaddar asked softly.
“Today, I have been the farthest south of any Tortallan,” she replied.
Kaddar grinned. “And I have been further south than any member of the imperial family before me, and I am one of only a dozen people born in the state of Carthak to have come so far south.”
“I’m glad we got to make it down here.”
“So am I,” Kaddar replied. The Imperial states were never entirely pacified, not these distant ones, anyway. Kally had been the one to suggest a Grand Progress through the entire empire, to make the emperor feel more real to these people. “This was a good idea.”
Kally beamed out at the darkening sea. Kaddar didn’t have to look to know it was her “I told you so” smirk.
Mercifully, she shifted topics. “I always pictured it frozen.”
It was Kaddar’s turn to smirk. “Just because Tortallan mapmakers keep insisting it’s the Frozen Ocean doesn’t mean it’s frozen during, oh, the height of summer.”
Kally elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Kaddar straightened with a squawk and almost tumbled off the rock.
“It’s beautiful, though,” she said, gazing out at the sea.
“It is,” Kaddar agreed, but in his mind’s eye he wasn’t picturing the ocean. His eyes slid towards his wife.
Kally elbowed him again, more gently this time, and a small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “You flatterer.”
Kaddar just smiled.
Night had almost fallen. Somewhere up the shore, a night bird whistled.
“Twenty years tomorrow,” Kally murmured.
“Twenty years,” Kaddar agreed.
Kally shifted against him. “I don’t suppose we can ditch the festivities and just sneak back down here.”
Given that they’d already abandoned one state dinner to come down here this evening… “Probably not,” Kaddar said.
“Psh. They’re all pompous state dinners anyway.”
“Yes, but think of all the fun you’d miss.”
Kally laughed, then levered herself off the rock. She held out a hand. “Come on, let’s trudge back.”
Kaddar jumped off the rock and took her hand, not tucking her arm in his in the proper manner, but taking advantage of the darkness to twine his fingers in hers. Kally’s eyes, depthless to match the ocean in the darkness, crinkled at the corners in one of her secret smiles.
She twined her hand more firmly in his, then swung their joined hands gently. They walked up the hill, their guards falling in around them.
“Do you ever regret it?” he murmured to the sea breeze.
“No,” Kally replied, smiling her secret smile again. “Not a single thing.”