EXT - Callisto Beach; day
Dinah (dollihead) had been talking to vedis earlier about the world.. the destruction of all things. Now, though, she had a bucket in her hand, her swimsuit on, and she was wading through the water picking shellfish from the ocean. Little razor clams or mussels would be popped into the water bucket. Offerings for her lovely little friend jupiter. She waded deeper into the water, caring less than she ought about the sun causing freckles across her face and shoulders.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had no sooner gotten word that his sister was at the beach from one of his spies among their crew of workers, than he was excusing himself from the shop and running to the beach. He didn't even have any shoes. Impulsiveness was one of his vices, one that could not be denied when the prospect of sister, salt, sand, and sea were combined. Sure the sand slowed him down a little bit in his tireless jog, but only enough to stop him from calling out. Instead he'd wait til he was putting his feet on solid wet sand again and sing a verse of Verdi:
"Amor è palpito dell´universo intero,
misterioso, altero,
croce e delizia al cooooooor." He was no opera singer, but he was shameless at belting it out.
["Love is a heartbeat throughout the universe,
mysterious, altering,
the torment and delight of my heart. ]"
Dinah (dollihead) had snatched a razor clam from the sea as she heard the operatic refrains and she giggled, turning on the spot. she dropped the clam into her bucket and dipped her hand into the sea again, scooping a handful of sea kelp to toss at him.
"were you watching me, dorian? Scoundrel? I didn't tell anybody when I came down" she teased, pushing her wet hand through her hair with a fond smile. "i'm beginning to become very fond of the sea down here after you brought me" she said with a fond smile.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) spied his sister doing what she was doing, and was only distracted from watching her work by seeing her face. That drew him a few steps closer, he wanted to touch her hair was she had. He'd admit, and continue on playfully smirking as he drew closer, "Yes, of course I had eyes on you. You did have quite a time in your study. But look at you now. I mean... /look/ at you. You are absolutely gorgeous. Are you hunting for dinner? We do have men who can do that, you know?"
Dinah (dollihead) tittered as he admitted it and she shook her head "I will need to be more careful. Or perhaps I could learn to be invisible instead" she teased, offering the bucket for him to look inside.
"Dinner, yes. but not for me. I have to provide something for little jupiter. I couldn't leave him to cold and dead fish. I am hoping I find some crabs. little ones." she dipped her hand to scoop another grip of sand and shells, turning one over with her thumb, frowning that there was no shellfish, and she dropped it into the water again.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) shook his head against her saying she'd go invisible, explaining just as he reached out to put a hand on the other side of her bucket to pull her with him, "Do not go invisible, please. I should hate to have to pay any more spies." He'd turned around to face her, grinning as he gently tugged, walking backward in the direction of the little tide pool where he was sure she'd have better luck, "If you do not mind my saying so, you are going to need to turn over a rock to find a crab. Come, you crouch down and get ready, I shall get the rock. I want Jupiter to eat too."
Dinah (dollihead) giggled and took his hand, shaking her head "I think if you were to try and pay spies to go after me if i were invisible, you'd need to pay them *particularly* well" she followed him back to the shore, peering into the tidal pool. "oh, is that why I couldn't find any? I had thought I saw a jellyfish earlier too.. but I wasnt sure if they were able to sting me, so I didn't want to test my luck" she buried the bucket a little way into the sand so it didn't tip, hunkering down into position with her hands over the water.
"I'm ready~" she nodded, expression all seriousness.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) let her bucket go and nodded abundantly, then explained, "That is why I do not want you to do it. I like being able to find you." He then looked over his shoulder to see if the literal coast was fairly clear and then bent down, dug his hands under the largest stone in the grouping, one that no mere mortal man should be able to lift from sucking wet sand, and with a grunted, "Get set, go!" Then he heaved it up, quickly to rest on its short end. When he did this, before the water rushed to fill she space, she'd get to see at least a few shore crabs suddenly exposed, trying to dig their ruddy and purplish brown bodies back to the safety where they'd been.
The fact that he'd grunted at all meant that this was a heavier item than he was used to lifting. Most things in day to day life did not weigh as much as a stone the size of a man or two. Still though, apart from shifting his feet to a broader stance, he was steady with holding it enough to comment, "I do not care for jellyfish. Saw a man howling in pain
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): after tangling with a particularly large one one. Never forget the sound of that."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): *one once
Dinah (dollihead) was staring at the water, waiting impatiently for him to lift the stone, though her lips peeled back in a triumphant grin as she grabbed for the crabs. "Ah! that one pinched me" she shook it free into the bucket. One, two... and a smaller one scraped from its' hiding place and dropped into the bucket. "success!" she beamed up towards him. "I think the big one might be a little too big for jupiter, but perhaps keiko will know how to cook it for us?" she reached her hand out to touch the stone.
"that must be so heavy..." she trailed off, giving him a wrinkle of her nose at his story of the jellyfish "I'm pleased I didn't grab it, then. just in case." she peeked down into the bucket with amusement.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) watched her delighted and at play, and it felt so much like when they were children that he was all boyish grinning, even as she reached for the stone. He'd lean down to drop it without letting it fall from a great height. Even so, a half foot off the ground it thumped a concussive thud when he let it go, and splashed a little. He'd argue, "I should throw it halfway across the bay for daring to pinch you, but, if it is edible Keiko will know. Say..." The playful started to drain from his face, leaving something a little apprehensive in its wake, "I should tell you something. I hope you will try not to be cross. Will you try? I did just help you, remember." After spying on her, but still.
Dinah (dollihead) turned to look towards the ocean, laughing, her free hand in front of her face. "if you threw it, skimmed it like a stone, how far do you think you could get it to go?" she peered down at the crab in the bucket, trying to decide if it would be worth it to see, or if they would do better for it with lunch. She looked back towards him as he spoke of something that would make her cross, and she picked up her bucket again
"it depends, dori. is that going to be less trouble for me to be not cross than you lifting that stone?" she asked hesitantly, watching him with a squint.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had decided to try to sell it a certain way, after giving it a few nights' thought. So, instead of twiddling his fingers and making with the puppy dog eyes as he'd started to do, instead he'd venture a grin, and weave his version of the story, "It is not going to be trouble for you at all. That is the best part! I have found a way to express my agita and in a way that promises to be fair, fulfilling and with only a minimum of bloodshed...."
He waggled his brows and then splayed out his arms as he announced, "I am going to duel Mr. Roesler. First blood. Sabers." He'd laid it out there and certainly sounded like he was thrilled about it, sure of himself. He was both of those things. But he was also worried how she'd take it, so his brows meandered upward until fairly hidden by blond curls. At least until the breeze shuffled them up as it did at whiles.
Dinah (dollihead) frowned in some bafflement at his confidence, and she placed her hand on her hip. When he said he was going to duel roesler, she canted her head to one side, her eyebrow arched.
"....a duel. With... sabers. to first blood" she echoed, clarifiying the conditions of the duel with a slow blink. "...and what are the terms of the duel? What do you win? what would *he* win? has he already been told of this?" she wasn't angry, just...somewhat confused.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) held out, did not crack yet, kept selling it, "Yes. What do you mean terms? Whoever draws blood first wins. The end. it should all be over fairly quickly. Whatever else he is, you don't think he can beat me, do you? Look at him, for pity's sake. It was his idea, actually. It will be a friendly competition, that is all." He paused, wanting to hear her say that she believed it would be simple as he believed, holding that face yet, brows aloft.
Dinah (dollihead) still seemed utterly baffled. "...pray tell, dorian, when did he decide that you were going to duel? *why* did he suggest this? I am just somewhat concerned, brother mine, back in the day if two rivals argued over a woman and then dueled, the victor took the spoils and the woman was often the spoils" she smiled faintly, chuckling and shook her head.
"I am somewhat... a duel, dori? really? at least then, it might have you being somewhat civil to each other again" she said with a faint smile. "I mean surely by now you don't need convincing any further that I am not going to pick him over you"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) explained with his bravado winning out, and moved to look inside the bucket at the things she'd collected as a feint. He'd instead just get near enough to take the end of a hank of her hair and flip it, cooing, "It is just a way for me to do what I need to do. Nothing to do with you, of course you are not faithless. If he ever tried to claim you at all, I would not stop at first blood. And you have the idea I do. Once I have beaten him, I shall let it all go. He shall not have to think of me as a shrinking violet anymore."
Of course, much of what had been burning him was how he'd responded to seeing his sister get surgery done upon her.
Dinah (dollihead) sighed gently and she reached for his cheek, smiling faintly. "Sweetheart. just promise me you will *stop* at first blood. you know how you get when you fight" she said softly "but if this is something you want to do, and this is something HE suggested, I think he wants to make things civil and pleasant between us all again. And you must miss the caberet, yes? you used to go there so often" she smiled fondly. "I want that for you again"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) put his hand over her hand on his face, so she coudln't take it back as he turned to steal kiss to the crooks of her fingers. So he could replace her fingers upon his sun warmed skin. He had not worried about burning in the sun either despite how fair he was. How fair he stayed. And after a short silence, gazing into her silvery eyes with his own, "I promise. And since I have ceased attending the cabaret. I have gotten more reading done. Japanese practice, going through that book of Wyatt again, this little book of samurai tales..." The latter might explain why he was keen on dueling. He'd even suggest, "Clearing the air shall do us all some good. Who knows, perhaps we enjoy one another enough with weapons in hand that we become friends. So... you are not cross?" Though this was not what Dorian presumed would happen with old willow arms. The male half of the twinset would only then let her hand go, having pressed it to his face while he'd talked.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): *turned to steal a kiss from the crooks
Dinah (dollihead) tilted her fingers to meet his kiss and she giggled again, smiling as she crossed the gap between them to press a kiss to his opposite cheek.
"I admit, you do seem more focused on learning such things of late now the distraction of the cabaret has been removed, but you liked the music and the dancing so much!" she sighed again and she smiled.
"no, I am not cross. A little confused, perhaps, but you're a man, and I cannot possibly begin to try and understand the notion of male pride, nor would I involve myself between it. just...be careful, dori. he is sidhe" she said quietly. when he released her fingers, she cupped him with both hands now, one on each side of his face, and she smooched him briefly, before releasing him to return one hand to her crab bucket.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) held her crab bucket when she moved to cup his cheek by some sort of twin instinct. He was smiling so wide the sun might seem his rival in response to her kisses and caresses. His eyes were closed for a long moment as he felt the last of her warmth upon him, then he opened them, slowly. Coming back to a world where he and his twin had distance between them. With an ear to ear grin and his face turning pink from a fire more ardent than the rays shining upon them, he'd murmur, "Whatever he is, it matters not. What was it you said he is though? A woman?"
Dinah (dollihead) beamed and she took a few steps away to step into the little tributary water beside them. she laughed, shaking her head "A woman? No, love. Sidhe. ah.. Faerie like the old stories, I wager. I spoke to him a little when he was removing my heart" she turned, watching the light sparkle over the water "ah! I should show you something. I found it when I was practicing my water breathing. come!" she reached to grab for his hand, dragging him towards the cliff face and the dressing rooms near to them, bringing along her crab bucket. She turned to give him a conspiratorial grin, leading him behind the large stone and into the quiet little cave. "look what I found~"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was glad to have his arm taken, to be showed something too. His sister discovering something new was a sure sign that she was enjoying her new landscape. He wanted to talk about that, but he was too busy laughing over her saying he was about to fight a fairy. It did not sound threatening to him, and the sound rang off of the cavern walls before he'd quiet to give the place the sanctity a deep place deserved. Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, he took some paces in after her before speaking further. When he did, he was very quiet, leaning to whisper to her, "This is tremendous, Dinah. What a find. Even Sol can't see us in here."
Dinah (dollihead) had explored the cave in its' entireity by now and she glanced back towards dorian with amusement at his laughter. "you ought to be careful though, you know. I meant it! Fairies from the old stories are dangerous. Like the redcap, who dye their hats in blood." she set her bucket down on the stone of the cavern. She released him and smiled towards him, muttering a soft, gutteral word into her palm and throwing a fistful of faintly green luminescent stars into the air to gather like bioluminous lichen on the ceiling.
"isnt it lovely? it's so quiet. you have to be careful though because if the tide comes in when you're in here, it traps you unless you want to dive" she beckoned for him to follow her to the waters' edge. "...there's a tunnel in that water. but I can't hold my breath long enough to manage it yet"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) looked up with a soft gasp at her lighting up the cavern and chased after her to the edge. He was so pleased that she was not cross, to have her to himself, to enjoy the glories of the outdoors with her, that he was quiet. He pulled his eyes from her and the way the light she made coloured her, to look at the water, to listen to the last of her voice bouncing off the walls. Then, he'd answer, "You said you do not think Roesler is a danger. And you really are training your swimming, then? The divers practice holding their breath on land, you know. Getting used to it, and just letting out sips of air at a time." He spoke casually, offering her what help he could in her endeavours, having gone out with the men and asked. He also put his hand upon the bare small of her back past her hair.
Dinah (dollihead) cocked her head towards him with an amused smile. "As a friend, I think he is not a threat. No more than anyone else. but the faerie are mischievous in all the stories. They also say that they are tricksy with wording." she dipped her feet into the cold water in the cove. it was definitely far colder in here than in the sun-soaked beach.
"I have been training it, yes. do you see those weeds down there? i have been tying the knots in them. Holding my breath as i do so, the more complicated ones, the better" she turned to smile up towards him at the hand on her back. "it's colder in here. I take a satchel and fill it with stones, and then drop myself into the cave down here"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) peered over at the weeds she'd been tying knots in, realizing she was more advanced than he'd given her credit for. And he'd posit, "Are you certain you are being safe, coming down here on your own, with sacks of rocks?" As he disengaged, he would tug on her hair as he was taking his hand from her back, and then look over his shoulder at the nearest wall, whisperingly informing her, "I think I saw something over there."
Slowly he'd begin to track over to the bare wall, eying something.
Dinah (dollihead) tossed her hair with an impish smile "What will happen, Dori? will i die? my body will recover before I have finished drowning. I just need to crawl out of the water. Besides... I don't go far. Just there" she pointed into the deep where the sandbank dropped off. She paused as he tugged her hair, and she followed him slowly, resting her hands on his shoulders.
"what did you see, dorian?" she asked in a similar whisper, peeking over from behind him as if whatever it was might have been a threat.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) smirked when he felt her hands on his shoulders and tensed, crouching just a little. It would not do to tell his sister to be careful, she was right about healing and she was capable of taking care of herself. So he'd just quietly "mm'ed" at her saying what she did about why she was not worried. He'd never want to impinge on her freedoms, now that she had such reign over her own life. Only when they were very near that wall did he turn, pull her toward him and venture to throw both arms around her, in order to lay a smooch on her lips. After breaking free from it, whoever went first, he'd mutter grinningly, "A kiss."
Dinah (dollihead) was surprised when he turned and his arms were around her, eyes wide, and she squealed with a giggle at his kiss. She grinned, breaking the kiss after a long moment though she did give him a shove into the water with a laugh. "Scoundrel! I thought you had found something uncommon down here!" she laughed, amusement and a pink blush on her sunkissed cheeks.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) leaned down and put his forehead against hers, grinning broadly and with good humor. Yet chuckling softly, he murmured a challenge, with false rue in his voice, "I think I am uncommon enough. Are you saying I am not? Am I less amusing than seaweed?" He wanted to feel the heat rising off of her cheeks again and with their faces so close that would eb possible.
Dinah (dollihead) grinned again and she shook her head "no, no. kisses from you are not NEARLY uncommon enough to warrant such suspicion" she teased "besides, you don't know, the seaweed might be intensely entertaining" she said playfully, pressing her brow back to his, looping her arms around his neck. "Dori, i adore you~" she sighed with another laugh and she rested her head against his cheek. "...i am glad that we came here. this isle, I mean"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was going to protest being commoner or boringer than some kelp, but he didn't see fit to argue. Not once she got closer, told him how she felt. He was full of joy, and could only agree, "I am glad we are here too, queen of constellations most distant. I think we can make a home of this place for a long time. Papa has to be happy with the manifests and balance sheets I am sending him." He did not speak of his love, he just let her feel the breadth of his adoration for her in his thoughts. Which was also not so uncommon from him.
Dinah (dollihead) wrapped her arms tighter, pressing her cheek against his chest so she could hear him. She sighed gently "He wont be happy. he's never happy. but he can be satisfied, at least a little" she murmured softly, but she sighed again and she smiled up towards him.
"I want to. i want to have a home here, deep roots and a place to see the stars. we just need to make sure we are not butchering so many of the populace that they run us out"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) let one hand find her hip while the other idly toyed with her sea breeze-tossed golden curls. His smile retracted a tiny bit as she explained the truth about their father, but rebounded to reflect her smile at him. He'd mutter, "I do not know what got into Drystan, but I am sure he will be better. And if you want roots and to watch the stars from here, then you shall have both. You know no one will try harder to make that come true for you than your brothers. Than you." He would spout hope, it was early days yet, and though the trio had skipped out ahead of being run out of a few towns or trouble with peacekeepers, they were some distance from that he deemed.
Dinah (dollihead) made a thoughtful noise and she lifted her chin, burying her face against his throat. "I hope he will be better. we need to find him an outlet. maybe take him to that horrible cannery place." she trailed off and she smiled up towards him again. "we can be good here. I know it. I think there is one of the old one s in the sea here. the aether is his blood, fossilized to stone." she said dreamily. "we should head back. before the bucket escapes. or the crabs eat the clams I caught for jupi"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) meant to ask her about something else she'd been doing, but he'd been engaged in more worthy matters. Kisses. He wanted to know more about the ancient one in the sea, sort of. But he also thought it better if he did not know. Same as with the rites he stayed outside for. Some of what she knew was too much even for her bright mind and he was not the scholar she was, nor the strong-minded one. "Capital idea about the Cannery. And, I am very pleased you enjoy this place so much. I am rather fond of most of it too. Just look at this place!" He's gotten a little loud and his voice rang off the walls, followed by a laugh and "Let us get Jupi fed, and you into clothes that are less distracting. I swear I want to kiss every inch of those lovely legs of yours. I shall be thinking about them for some time as it is."
Dinah (dollihead) reached for his hand as she took a step back and she smiled, expression impish. "I thought about it since gunner. Clearly he has these... outbursts but gunner was worst than most. Perhaps he could just go and take the edge off when he feels it. like taking the air out of a tyre when it gets too full" she said thoughtfully, but she smiled again. "do you think I could wear clothes less distracting, dori? Even if I wore something wrist-to-ankle like in the old days, I think I could manage to distract you" she teased with amusement in her voice. "especially since I am *quite* aware of the consequences of having you so thoroughly distracted?"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) could only chuckle at her very true assessment. He'd move to take up the bucket and carry it for her. He had not given the matter of Gunner so much thought, and Drystan. He was sure his brother would be alright since the eldest always seemed to figure it out. "Perhaps we should not have left him alone for so long, locked away in his room. We will take care of him, afterall, how often do you fail at something you set your mind to, hm?"
Dinah (dollihead) made a soft noise and she nodded. "We'll figure it out. next time.. I shan't leave him on his own" she agreed, reaching to take the hand that wasn't occupied by the crab bucket. "we will know better for next time" she stood on her tiptoes to press another kiss to his cheek. "keep your eyes closed as we leave. the light will be blinding otherwise"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): "Yes, my darling," he agreed to her advice. To their resolution about Drystan. To knowing better next time. But mostly to that kiss and the hand he got to hold on his way out. He'd remark once more, "This really is a wonderful find. Thank for showing me where you have been spending your time."