#samiha

Extra: The Moment Never Lasts

Natéa Canon Setting Rahil - Red Fiya - Fell Samiha - Undyne

I recommend listening to this and this while reading. Both at the same time. I did when writing.

The tones rose high above the rooftops. The world was quiet, non-existent, outside of the crackling of their fire and his twin sister’s soft voice. As her voice rose, Rahil swept the blanket closer over them both. It was a cold night. The star sky above them twinkled as the moon showered them in light. The fire was small, only giving enough warmth for them not to shiver. Both their arms were still prickled with goosebumps. Fiya’s singing was soft, melancholic, but her voice did not waver.

By their side, Samiha put more leaves into the fire, keeping it burning for a little longer. As the flames snapped, he noticed some movement in the alley’s entrance. From how both Fiya and Samiha moved, they had too. Still, Fiya kept singing. The ancient words never stopped as she told a story about eternal love and sorrow. The melody was slow, mournful. Quiet steps came toward them, and Zalû’s light kept beaming over them. Comforting them, and everyone like them. The forgotten. The desperate.

Familiar faces of some of their street fight rivals showed up. Normally that’d mean a fight. Yet there was no hostility coming from them. Just a haunted aura, mirroring the feeling of Rahil’s sister’s song. They didn’t move. Just stood there at the entrance. After exchanging a gaze with Samiha, Rahil swept out with his hand. Pointed at the free place around their fire. He didn’t receive a reply, but they came forward. Sat down without a word.

The fire kept crackling, and Fiya kept singing. Her voice was pure and clear. Had they been born as anything else but a whore’s children she might’ve been able to make it a career. Rahil leaned into her side, and her arm came to embrace him. Soon, shuffling of more feet came. More eyes shone in the dark of the alley, as they invited them in. By the time the song changed, the alley was full of people. The orphan children living on the streets, with haunted eyes that had already seen too much. The teenagers and young adults, earning their living on alley fights – those like them. Adults, who were filthy and cold and had spent a lifetime just surviving. Normally, a fight would already have broken out.

Yet, there were no hostile energy. No fear. Just a desperate wish to forget. A hopelessness they wanted to escape, if so only for a few minutes. Everyone’s eyes were on Fiya, a despairing need shining in their eyes. And slowly, Rahil could see the look change. He could see them forget, as her tunes rose toward the skies. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Someone had broken a couple of bread loaves into pieces, sharing them. He took two, one for him and one for her, once she’d stop. Once the moment was over. Some of the people around the fire tore into the bread desperately, possibly not having eaten for days. Others saved it. And yet others slowly ate it.

There they sat. Enemies, rivals about the food and blankets and places to make a home on the streets. Sharing bread by the fireplace. Listening to Fiya sing. Gazing at the stars high above. Hoping, that maybe one day life wouldn’t be like this. That one day, life would be good to them.

Tomorrow, they’d be foes again. They’d be back to betting at fights, pickpocketing merchants, and risking their lives for a fish or blanket. Yet, just for now, perhaps they could just stay here. Stay in the moment. With Fiya’s song, with the fire crackling and with a mismatched companionship. Just for a few hours.

Natéa

So I based my Skyrim-character on Queen Thyra, only I’m in the Thieves’ Guild now so I guess it’s an alternate universe where she founded a line of thieves instead of rulers.

So. Have this. I might rewrite it one day but this was really fun to do

The troubadour’s jolly music filled The Bow, and it was a cheerful group filling the tavern tonight. Rolling her dagger over her knuckles, Erika grinned widely as she watched the many sailors sing, lifting their mugs into the air, the mead foam lapping over the edges. On her side, her brother sat, sipping on his drink. To the world, he undoubtedly looked perfectly relaxed, but his eyes were flickering over the room, taking it all in. Undoubtedly, he had full knowledge about everything going on in here. Such was his job, after all. To know everything about this city.

Nimbly grabbing her dagger, she flicked it into the table. It vibrated as it stuck. Immediately, one of the barmaids was over, handing her mead. She nodded in thanks, lifting it to her mouth and downing half. The cold drink was soothing in her throat.

A pearling laugh came from behind, and soon a body slid into one of the free chairs around their table. Bluebell smiled at them, lowering his eyelashes seductively as he leaned forward over the table. To everyone else, he was flirting. Trying to get her into his bed in exchange for her money. “They’ll be here anytime now,” he murmured.

“Perfect,” Erika replied. Fishing up a few golden coins from her pocket, she slid them over the table. Grinned at him, pretended to eye him. Kept up the charade. Giggling, Bluebell took the money, reaching in between his breast for safekeeping. Louder, she added, “Don’t know what I’d do without your services.”

“Probably find someone else,” Vali said, throwing down his empty mug on the table. It bounced before falling onto its side, rolling off the table. “Though finding someone as skilled would be hard, I admit.”

“Indeed,” Bluebell agreed. “I am good at what I do. See ye later, then?”

At their nods, he rose, leaving them behind. Chuckling, Erika watched him drape himself over one of the sailors’ shoulders, whispering into their ear. The sailor turned red, much to her delight. Having one of the city’s most popular whores as your informant was… useful, to say the least. That he also happened to quickly have become one of her best friends, well, that was just a plus.

Suddenly the doors were thrown open, and her gaze flickered over. Her grin grew. In the opening stood a group of people who couldn’t be anyone but those she was waiting for. There were few from their part of the world here along the Beast’s Bay, and no one around here had skin that dark. Their eyes searched the room, and she waved. Four people had come. Two undoubtedly were witches, with their red eyes. A naga. And one who simply looked human. Would they cause trouble, they’d be nothing for the many thieves she had hidden in the tavern.

Leaning back in her chair, she gestured toward the empty chairs. “Sit, please. Saga,” she yelled, turning toward the closest barmaid. She twisted around, nodding quickly. “Get my guests something to drink. I wouldn’t be so rude as to not offer.”

Slowly, they obeyed. The naga’s tail wreathed around her chair, but not enough. Saga had to jump over it when she came with the mead, handing it out. The witches both nodded shortly in thanks. Even when they did, none of them took their eyes off her and Vali. Smart of them. Crossing her legs under the table, she leaned onto it. “The name’s Erika Valkyria, officer of the Guild. She and her. So, who are you and what are you doing in our city?”

“Captain Samiha Sapali,” the naga said sharply, “of Sarynthia, from Drahenport. She and her. This is my quartermaster, Fiya Koiree, her twin brother and our master gunner Rahil Koiree, he and him, and our Sailing Master Vanita Chaudhary, she and her.”

“And you’re pirates?”

A nod. Humming, Erika sipped on her mead. “Alright then. As I assume you know, this is our territory. And the rules are simple; don’t steal any of our heists. Do make sure you pay us our part of yours, for the generosity of allowing you to do your thing here. And if you don’t-”

Fast as a viper, she broke the dagger free from the table. A gasp escaped the twin as she pressed the edge of it to the underside of his jaw. The quartermaster stared in horror. “Well,” Erika said, smiling blithely. “You’ll find yourself regretting it. Am I understood?”

She removed the knife, and watched the siblings relax again. Rahil glared at her, and she smiled innocently. “Understood,” he muttered, averting his gaze.

“Great,” she chirped. “Then we’re going to get along great. And if you wanna join our fleet, we’re always open for more people. Oh, and one last thing. The whores of The Bow are under my protection. You hurt them, you’re dead.”

He raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with his sister. Nodded stiffly.

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