The Underwater Kingdom

With the way he talked, the words he spoke, the peculiar look on his face, Micah couldn't help but to giggle inwardly at his need to explain. And though the confusion was still present inside of her, the only outward indication of her emotions was the small, amused smile playing along her lips. At first the words he spoke made it sound like he hadn't enjoyed the kiss, though she wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't; its not like she had responded coherently and met the kiss with her own. It seamed by the words he had spoken, however, that it was an enjoyable experience. It wasn't until he'd confessed his attraction, that she was taken off guard; this, of course, wasn't so much a place she liked to be taken. The only safety and true peace she owned was the guard she could so easily hold to separate her mind from the prying ones of others. For a moment, a fracture came to flaw her otherwise flawless visage; only for second, before she reigned in the surprise and replaced it with nonchalant interest of her own. However, that odd glimmer of light was left to reflect in her eyes, which would be hard to notice as these eyes were diverted momentarily to the floor. "Well, I suppose that's good to know..." And then, like it had just dawned on her, the crystalline eyes that had momentarily diverted, lifted once more with a curious question hidden within them. "Are you sorry? For kissing me, I mean." This was the question that mattered. This would make or break whether she would get involved with him, or not. She didn't want him to be sorry. She wanted, for once, to be treated like she was somebody, not something. Whether he would allow her the decency of acting upon his impulses and owning up to them, or taking her as something he needed to protect instead of present life to, would be the final deal breaker. She was sure that her voice could reflect the seriousness of the question, though even if it didn't, her eyes could surely do the trick. She held her gaze for a moment, allowing him the time to answer, before breaking eye contact.

It took a mere moment for the seriousness to break, before her innocently childish mood relished once more. He would stay! A fact she greatly enjoyed, no matter the answer she received. Where would he stay? The visitors wing was always open for new arrivals; Micah felt compelled to keep him closer, however. She could always arrange for him to stay in one of the Royal's quarters, though this would be most definitely out of the ordinary, and would draw attention. What to do? Unconsciously her lip came to be tucked securely between both small, plump, pink lips; a row of bright carnations set between two curves of pink rose petals. What would he be most comfortable with? Closer, or farther? Closer was probably best, right? It'd save him less confusion in such a large palace, she'd be closer for him to find if he had any questions or worries. Farther, he'd have his own space and privacy, which she wouldn't be surprised if he needed. The contemplative expression upon her porcelain face shifted, as the gaze she held lifted to catch his own. For only another moment she thought, before she spoke once more "Well, there are vacant rooms in the visitors wing, or there are rooms in the Royal's wing, or theres my room, its pretty big." Micah wasn't one to be embarrassed, she was a rather straightforward and odd child. With a bright smile, her hand parted from her abdomen, where it normal fastened subconsciously, to take hold of his own. And so, she started to walk; leading the way out of the rather vacant ballroom and into the main hallway. The lights out here were pure, void of color, yet shining a bright white all the while. With a rather excited shift of expression, she turned to look up at Shurick, the voice flowing from her lips livid with delight. "Come on, I wanna show you something" And without another word she led him fluently up the staircase, ballgown and all, the delicate and subtle curls in her hair bouncing as she moved.

The Royal's wing wasn't far from the main hallway, just upstairs a ways to the highest levels of the palace. Here, the corridors were noticeably fancier than those of the rest of the palace, despite it's obvious beauty all around. Lighting from Liwanag lit the halls every few inches, and the crystal clear walls allowed a deep sea blue glow to flood the halls in gentle light. As she led him down these hallways, her eyes danced joyfully over the glass, peering out in all of their bright, big, blue glory at the creatures that swam about. With a quiet giggle of amusement, she continued on down the line, until the corridors shifted to the normal layout, grand entry ways lining the marble walls. With a brief glance she looked once more back up to him, before making her way to the very last room, at the end of the hallway. The door was decorated with a simple, yet elegant painting of cherry blossoms. With a small smile, she released his hand and fished inside of the innards of her dress' hidden pockets, pulling out a key, which slid easily into the door knob. Unlocking the door, she pushed it open and stepped into the vast room in which she called her own. Stepping in, she motioned for him to follow, a bright and happy smile playing on the corners of her lips as she embrace the familiar beauty of her creation. The walls were decorated merrily in beautiful hand-drawn paintings, the cherry blossoms on her door mimicked not only in her dress, but on the walls of her room. In some areas the image of a subtle, yet vibrant wave would appear; blues, greens, purples, pinks, even reds, golds and silvers, mixed together to create the ultimate masterpiece. Around the room, lights much like those that decorated the ball room floated mid air; defying gravitational logic due to their water bases. All together a colorful, yet gentle glow of light was cast over the room, warming the blue glow from her crystal clear windows of the ocean. The furniture was peppered eloquently around the room, designed with the same beauty, themselves; a greatly and overly large bed for Micah's small figure placed against the farther wall. Turning back to him, another soft giggle escaped her lips. He'd enjoyed the beauty of the ball room, would he like her own creation of beauty? "So, what do you think? Suit your fancy?"

It was a quick glance to the ground, but something about the way she diverted her eyes told him something was going on. Did his explanation upset her? Had he said something wrong in the process of telling her what had happened? No, It couldn't have been that. So what exactly had caused her to look down? A small glint of light had been present in her gaze as her eyes had made their way down to stare at the floor. He couldn't help but feel a little distraught at the diverted gaze, but all was well as her gaze rose back to his. The next question she launched in his direction was something he hadn't expected. Was he sorry he had kissed her? He raised his eyebrow at her for a moment and took in the seriousness that was stressed upon her face. He felt the need to answer her, but he was slightly worried about the outcome. She was the Princess of Siram, but she was human. She was a person of her own and had the right to her own discussions. A true Dilemma stood before him and he wasn't exactly sure how to respond or proceed. He knew it would be best to tell the truth to her. He wasn't sorry that he had kissed her. He wasn't sorry in the least bit and she had the right to know that. His eyes locked into hers, staying there as his face turned serious for a moment and he spoke "No, Micah. I'm not sorry." After he had spoke his peace, he gave her a bright smile as the tension released between them. He hoped it was what she wanted to hear, because it was the truth. In the moment after she had broken eye contact with him, his eyes never left her.

As she shifted gears from serious into a child-like mannerism his smile grew larger across his face. He didn't know exactly where he would stay and the place was large enough it must have had a few options for him. After all, It was an underwater kingdom. He watched the contemplative looks spread across Micah's face as she thought about it. Soon enough, though, she produced a few options for him as he thought about it. He definitely thought it would be best for him to be near Micah, the only one in Siram he had really met so far. So as the options were presented to him, he could only think for a few moments as he spoke out to her. "Well... I think with you or in the royal quarters. I would like to be close to you." He laughed lightly at his response and shook his head. "Just in case, you know, I get lost." He really wanted to be closer to her. The young woman before him was a very interesting person. When her hand reached out for her, his fingers met hers half way and locked his grasp with hers. Within a few moments of their hands meeting, she was off. Leading him through the empty place. Out of the vacant ballroom that was once filled with people and dancing and out into the hallway. He hadn't realized that the ballroom had been emptied until now. How long had they been dancing and talking in there? He pushed the question from his mind and continued to walk as Micah pulled him along with little trouble.

"What do you want to show me?" He laughed lightly as their pace seemed to increase, their feet moving almost flawlessly across the floor as she led him. Up the staircase and into a new corridor they went. His eyes couldn't help but wander the more well decorated halls. The molding was very well made and the doors seemed so much more fancier. This must have been the Royal quarters she had spoken about and it was quite lovely. As they seemed to quickly make their way down the hall, they finally reached a door at the end of the hall. Something about the door screamed Micah, and he chuckled lightly. The door was painted beautifully, even if it was simple. The painting even reminded him of the dress Micah was wearing at this very moment. He couldn't help but stare at her as she reached into her dress, probably for the key to the door they stood before, and admire her. She seemed so much more free than he. As she pulled out the aforementioned key and slid it into the door, he closed his eyes for a moment and opened them as he heard the wood being pushed back. As she motioned for him to follow, he let his feet carry him into the room and his eyes widened.

The entire room lit up in his eyes and he was absolutely speechless in a moment. He took in a deep breath and let out a small exhale as he gave Micah a small half smile. All the colors, brushed along the walls in different forms and taking many shapes. Cherry blossoms adorned the walls, just like her and her own door. Above his head floated lights like the ones he had seen inside the dance. When all the room came together, it formed a magnificent scene of beauty and splashes of color. As she giggled and spoke once more, he looked to her, his eyes locking to hers as he nodded and chuckled. "Aye. Very much... You painted all this yourself?" His eyes left hers after a few moments, returning to the wondrous works of art spread all across the walls. "This is all so intricate, so beautiful. "He looked to her and smirked. Somehow, without even knowing her answer, he knew she had done this true work of art. " Much like it's creator." His eyes locked into hers as his smile enlarged.

“But of course!” Sachiel laughed in response. She was usually up, and moving about, possibly jogging already by the time he got out of bed. Busybody may have been the understatement of the century, but that didn’t bother him. He liked it. Most of the women in Siram barely left their homes. His mother was active, before she got sick, of course. “I think I’m up for the challenge." He said. He walked to Anailiahs left, feet in the water. As she skipped he slid on the water like a skimboard, controlling his own buoyancy to keep up with her pace, which was slightly faster than a normal walk. Upon realizing their location, however, Sachiel jumped out of the water and onto the sand. He took Nailis hand, and began walking at a slightly faster pace than normal away from the shore. “Come on!” He said. “I want to show you something.” They walked to a house that was clearly visible from the beach, and Sachiel walked in without hesitation. It was his Island house. “This is where I stay during my breaks from the Island” He explained.
The house was small. One bedroom, one bathroom, A kitchen, living room, and small dining room. His room in the Kingdom was actually comparable in size to about half his house. Micahs room was about the same size. It was a cozy place. From his window, he could see the beach, and it was the perfect place to relax away from the constant traffic of the Palace. He didn’t know why he had brought her there, honestly, they just happened to pass it, so he decided to show her.

Upon their arrival at Sachiels old house, he wasn’t surprised at Nailis lack of enthusiasm. After all, she grew up a Royal. He was brought in from the outside. To him, this house was just as sacred as the room he lived in at the palace. Her comment almost got to him. A few weeks ago, it would have, but he had gotten to know her, and he knew that she was incapable of being malicious. “You say it’s shabby, but I see you’re Interested in trying out MY bed this time.” He laughed. He didn’t bother to walk into his room with her, though, despite his insinuation. He walked past the door and into the kitchen, awaiting her to follow. “I want to show you something.” He said again. He walked over to a wall and opened up a hidden latch that lead to a flight of stairs. He took her hand once more and lead her down the stairs. The basement was wide, but other than that, it looked like a normal, stone-floored basement. It was surprisingly well kept, however. Not a sign of dust or a cobweb anywhere.
He lead Naili to the back of the basement, where he bent down to his knees and pulled up a few oddly placed tiles on the ground. Beneath those tiles, was a sword. He picked it up carefully from its position as it it were a centuries old artifact, and presented it to her. “This is the sword that gave me this scar.” He told her. He couldn’t believe he was showing her this. Or that he told her about the scar for that matter. He never even told his own mother where it came from. He told her that he scarred his face in a surfing accident. He examined the blade closely. “I’ve kept it ever since then. It’s a reminder of the world we live in.” He explained. He looked up to her, wondering what she would be thinking in this moment…

Sachiel only laughed at Nailis response to his comment. She was an upper crust, someone spoiled woman who had lived as royalty probably as long as she was alive. She probably couldn’t understand the comfort that he felt here. It may not have been luxury, but it was peaceful, and it was calming. “Show me a single bit of dust, and I’ll tear this house down myself” He said with a laugh. He knew she couldn’t. He took good care of this house. He laughed upon her announcement that he had no grace. “Oh, now I don’t have grace, eh? You were happy with my gracefulness when we were dancing!” He put up air quotes around the word “gracefulness.” She was full of jokes, but it didn’t bother him. He loved her humor. It kept him active. When they arrived at the designated location, she joked about a proposal. A soft smile covered his face when he heard it. “No, not proposing just yet.” He told her. Not that he didn’t want a family one day. It just wasn’t time to take it there yet. After all, they had only REALLY known eachother a few weeks. And while he was convinced that she was “The One,” her feelings were ambiguous at the least. He didn’t want to argue with her point of view, however he knew it to be wrong. Even the people he had met since preparing for the ball were an indication that violence was a part of human nature. “I hope you’re right.” He told her. “I would love for you to prove me wrong.” Her question reached his ears as he put the sword away. “Honestly, I’m not sure.” He answered. “I was only fourteen at the time. It was a way to prove to myself that it really happened when I woke up the next morning, I guess…” Honestly, he had never considered the question. He carried his scar with him everywhere. In essence, she was probably right. He didn’t need the sword. But for some reason, he couldn’t let go of it…

How long had she really be standing at those Pods? She sighed rather heavily, not even sure why she came here in the first place. She didn't dare to go down to the Underwater Kingdom. Not quite yet. So after all, her father was right about it. How upset he would be, knowing that she had gone there. She shook her head and stepped back from the Pods. She looked over at the shoreline, seeing the beautiful ocean. She smiled comforting, walking along the shoreline again. She kept telling herself, it was better to be up on the Islands than down in the Underwater Kingdom anyway. She stretched lightly, her accessories tingling a little, making some noise. She started skipping through the sand gently, making soft footprints. She didn't wear any sandals or shoes or any kind. She liked bare feet, especially on the soft sand. When she saw a few crabs, she felt joy rising inside of her. She jumped a little, standing a huge crab now, patting it gently. The calm nature of those animals calmed her as well. "It's all right." She whispered, her voice coming out as a melody over the shore line. She thought she saw legs under the crabs feet and slowly walked around the crab. She noticed a man standing there, more of walking along the beach of the Island. She smiled, not really sure wether she should go and speak to him. Lately, she wasn't really allowed to speak with others due to her voice. Even her father started to think her voice was something so odd. She shrugged and walked over to him, while walking grabbing a nice pink seashell. She now stood infront of him looking up at him with her own sea green eyes. "Here sir, for someone you love." She said, her voice sweet and like a singing melody.

(Let the record show that this is seperate from my current rp)

Sachiel enjoyed being up on the surface. Not that it was any better, or worse than staying in the Kingdom, but simply because it was where he came from. He liked to interact with the people, and remind them that even though he had joined the Royals, he still had their best interest at heart. For that reason, he came to the surface whenever he could. He slid on his bare feet along the water, controlling his buoyancy, so it appeared as if he were skimboarding. It was one of his favorite beach activities. He stopped his boarding upon seeing a girl on the beach, playing with a crab. This made him smile. It was the type of thing one should see on the beach. However, something that was rarely seen anymore. He started to walk along the beach, simply enjoying the scenery that never tired, however, before he got far, he was stopped by the very girl who had caught his attention. She was a pretty, yet strange girl, only a couple years younger than he, he would guess. She offered him a shell, and he smiled to her. “For someone I love, eh?” It didn’t take long for him to develop a picture of the one he would give the shell to. “Thank you.” He told the girl. He reached into his pocket, to find a tip for the girl, but could only find a gold piece. A ridiculous amount to spend on a shell someone found on the beach, but he shrugged it off. It would make him little difference, and the people up here could use a little stimulation. “Here you go,” he told her, as he handed her the chunk of gold. It was probably enough to buy a couch, or something of similar value, but it didn’t really matter. He sat down in the sand and looked out toward the ocean, offering her a seat next to him.

She smiled when he took the shell pretty quick and giggled lightly. You are in love, how sweet. Her voice hold a playful tone to it, as well as the melodic sound still. She did notice his scar and just tilted her head a little, wondering if he was from the kingdom. Sure, she didn't know anyone who came from the kingdom, but that didn't bother her. She watched him taking something out of his pocket and noticed it was a piece of gold. She just stared at it and looked back up at him and shook her head. "No, that's not fair. I just gave a shell, you can find them here easily." She sounded hesitant, yet her voice stayed melodic. She sighed more of annoyed at herself for her voice and decided to keep silent with it again. She noticed he sat down and just smiled at him still, holding the piece of gold. She sat down next to him when he offered and put the piece of gold inbetween them. She looked over at the crabs, her sense with animals rising a little. She could feel their energy, hearing just the thoughts of the crabs. She just knew how to teach herself to use telepathy with crabs. She didn't even want to read people's minds. She spoke into one of the crabs minds to come over with a gentle voice. One huge crab actually slowly crawled up to them, and layed back down in the sand infront of them lazily. She smiled happily, crawling towards the crab and sat close to it, striking it's leg softly. She just loved the crabs, already since she was at a very young age. She spent almost everyday with those animals, knowing she could feel calm and comfortable with them. She never felt lonely around them. She forgot to even say her name though and looked back at the man with a sweet smile. "My name is Naylin. May I know who you are?" She asked with a giggle and stroke the crab's leg gently again.

Sachiels face turned a bit red as Naylin mentioned him being in love. He had never used those words, but he felt that they may have been true. Neglecting to answer her, he instead turned his attention out to the mighty ocean. It was easy to get lost in, both mentally, and physically. He turned back to the young girl once more when she made her objection. “It’s no problem really.” He told her. There was a time when a few gold pieces would have made an amazing change in his life, but now, it just so happened to be what was sitting in his pocket. As they sat down, he watched the girl as she interacted with the crabs with interest. It was almost as if they shared a bond. He remembered what someone had told him about crabs one day. That if placed in a bucket together, they would hold eachother back from escaping to become free. He wondered if people were like that instinctively as well...He shook the thought, and made a note to go see his little friend that day as well. “Pleasure to meet you, Naylin. My name is Sachiel.” It felt kind of good to be able to introduce himself. Since he took the job as Commander of the Siram Guardians, most knew him on sight. Furthermore, many disliked him without even getting to know him. The peace-addicted citizens of Siram didn’t realize that the peace they held so dear needed to be protected. He hoped Naylin wouldn’t be one of those people, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if she was…

She looked back at him and nodded lightly, feeling somewhat emberrassed to take the gold. She knew her father needed it though and just took it and looked at it silently. She never really cared about gold and such, but she figured it was best to just give it to her father. She looked back at the man, introducing himself as Sachiel. Sachiel? It was as if she heard that name before, but she couldn't quite remember and just let it go. She stopped with patting the crab and turned back to Sachiel with a frown. I'm not sure..if you can tell me. I've tried to ask people around, but they just kept saying these Islands will be peaceful forever. It is like they won't listen to the sea anymore. It has been so unsteady and like it's frustrated. The ocean, it's angered. Is it going to strike one day? Or something else?" She asked curiously. Till now, all the people just thought she was trying to turn the people mad, which was also a reason why she was kept inside her house for a while. Her father was afraid she would cause panic, but then again, people should listen to the sea. It was as if some just didn't understand it had a heart as well. Otherwise, she was just the crazy one, but she doubted that. A few days ago, even the crabs were acting up. The crabs, who are calm creatures by nature, were stressing and acting up. She wondered if that was a sign and just tilted his head a little. It may all look peaceful, the people acting all happy, but she didn't believe in it. After all, she was a child of the water nature, who kept being one, who rather wanted to live in the water and around it than being stuck in houses. She just shook her head, thinking she was probably saying something ridiculous. I'm sorry. Forget what I just said, it may have sounded unbelievable anyway." She said with a shrug and just sighed lightly.

Sachiel gave the woman a bewildered look of surprise, but it wasn’t because she was saying things that didn’t make sense. He was surprised that she could understand the ocean spirit. Not many people paid it attention, and thus, the people of Siram had all but forgotten how to. It was an unfortunate fact, really, but what could one do? “No,” Sachiel stopped her. “It’s not unbelievable, Its very much true.” He started. Sachiel had a very stong bond with the sea. He was even entrusted to the incarnate of the Rainbow Serpent, which aided the moon in control of the tides of the oceans. He sighed before beginning to explain what he knew. “The people of Siram believe that the peace we experience here is God given. That they have a divine right to it, and it will never change. The fact of the matter is, they’re mentally not ready to accept the truth.” He looked out to the sea, which was calm in the moment. “The sea isn’t going to strike us. It’s our protector. It has granted us with this long era of peace, however, the sea can sense the winds of change coming. Something big is happening, and I don’t know what it is yet…” He fell silent as he watched the sands shift. He generally didn’t talk to strangers about such things…

She looked at him when he stopped her and looked at him rather confused. When he looked over at the sea, she looked at it as well, feeling the nice breeze, knowing it was calm for now. She smiled lightly, closing her eyes for now. When he started speaking again, she slowly looked towards him, tilting her head a little. What he said made sense, and it was the same thing her father said. Part of it that was. He told her a while ago about the peace that was given to the gods. She pretty much believed it back then, but rather still listened to the voice of the sea. She was just drawn to it, connected with the sea in her own ways. She nodded when he didn't know what was coming yet and just smiled. "When I find out more, or hear more of the ocean and around, I will tell you. Besides, I found this last in the ocean." Her voice sounded somewhat serious, but then again, not really. She got a small piece of cloth out of her small bag she had around her waist. I am not sure what it is, but I thought it didn't belong to us, or any of the citizins. Maybe you know it." She smiled at him and looked down at the cloth. It had an odd brownish color with some tribal markings on it. It seemed a piece of clothing, maybe a flag. She didn't know, so she wasn't sure.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” He told her, examining the cloth. “It isn’t from Siram, but then, we’ve had all sorts of visitors lately.” The ball the night before had visitors from every clan visiting Siram at once, so it was quite possible that any one of them could have dropped it on the shore."Maybe it was left behind by one of them." he explained Sachiel knew more of what was going on than he was willing to put off. There was underground talk of a war within Daratan, and the citizens of Siram were to know nothing of it. Of course, even Sachiel knew only small details, not even the basis, or fighters of this war, however, he knew that it was the very thing the sea had been warning it’s people of. People that neglected to listen. It would soon be time for Sachiel to get back to the Kingdom. But he wanted to visit his house first. “I’m afraid I’ll have to be going. You should get home as well. I fear there’s a storm coming.” He said. The sky showed little indication of a storm, but Sachiel was familiar with the calm winds that blew their way. It was only a matter of time. “Pleasure meeting you, Naylin.” He said, before bowing, and making his way to his house to drop off the shell she had given him.

“Not a one…” He said, his back turned to her, so she couldn’t see the smile on his face. He didn’t think she was serious for a moment, despite the tone of her voice. She always managed to find a reason to call him a “Meanie” It was just the way she treated him. And though it was torture in some ways, a part of him loved it. In her own way, it was a way of showing affection. He did, however, dislike her use of the phrase ‘my friend.’ “I never compared myself to you, love.” He said. “You’ve been dancing your whole life. I may not be as graceful as you, but I’d say I did ok for my first time.” He said. He laughed at Nailis exclaim, surprised at his use of the word “Yet,” however, he stopped laughing in order to listen to her tirade. She said some pretty hurtful things, and Sachiel had to remind himself not to allow himself to be hurt. He had noted Nailis behavior toward him in the past, and she wanted to distance herself from him emotionally. Though he didn’t know why, he knew that to be the case. Still, it didn’t fully calm the pain he felt in his chest . He fell silent for a while after that. He didn’t speak, not even as she began her next set of comments. His face was solemn, as if robbed of all the joys of his life. He remained silent, even moments after she finished speaking, and then he finally spoke. “You’ve never left the shores of Siram, have you?” His voice lacked his normal flare and luster that it usually contained. He didn’t know why. He knew not to take her words to heart, but they still stung. He shook his head, and returned the smile to his face. “I guess you’re right. Let’s go see Micah!” He lead her up the stairs, and toward the front door, however, before walking through, he stopped by his room. He picked up a gorgeous pink seashell from his dresser, and looked at it, before looking over to Naili. He had bought it from a girl on the beach only a few hours ago. She told him to give it to “someone he loved.” He had planned on giving it to Naili, but after the moment they had just shared, he felt like it wouldn’t hold much meaning to her. He placed it back on the dresser, and walked toward the door, opening it for Naili. “After you, princess.” He said, the smile back in his tone. Looking at her was generally all it took to put a smile on his face. He would give her the shell another time.

Shurik Sidorov wrote:

It was a quick glance to the ground, but something about the way she diverted her eyes told him something was going on. Did his explanation upset her? Had he said something wrong in the process of telling her what had happened? No, It couldn't have been that. So what exactly had caused her to look down? A small glint of light had been present in her gaze as her eyes had made their way down to stare at the floor. He couldn't help but feel a little distraught at the diverted gaze, but all was well as her gaze rose back to his. The next question she launched in his direction was something he hadn't expected. Was he sorry he had kissed her? He raised his eyebrow at her for a moment and took in the seriousness that was stressed upon her face. He felt the need to answer her, but he was slightly worried about the outcome. She was the Princess of Siram, but she was human. She was a person of her own and had the right to her own discussions. A true Dilemma stood before him and he wasn't exactly sure how to respond or proceed. He knew it would be best to tell the truth to her. He wasn't sorry that he had kissed her. He wasn't sorry in the least bit and she had the right to know that. His eyes locked into hers, staying there as his face turned serious for a moment and he spoke "No, Micah. I'm not sorry." After he had spoke his peace, he gave her a bright smile as the tension released between them. He hoped it was what she wanted to hear, because it was the truth. In the moment after she had broken eye contact with him, his eyes never left her.

As she shifted gears from serious into a child-like mannerism his smile grew larger across his face. He didn't know exactly where he would stay and the place was large enough it must have had a few options for him. After all, It was an underwater kingdom. He watched the contemplative looks spread across Micah's face as she thought about it. Soon enough, though, she produced a few options for him as he thought about it. He definitely thought it would be best for him to be near Micah, the only one in Siram he had really met so far. So as the options were presented to him, he could only think for a few moments as he spoke out to her. "Well... I think with you or in the royal quarters. I would like to be close to you." He laughed lightly at his response and shook his head. "Just in case, you know, I get lost." He really wanted to be closer to her. The young woman before him was a very interesting person. When her hand reached out for her, his fingers met hers half way and locked his grasp with hers. Within a few moments of their hands meeting, she was off. Leading him through the empty place. Out of the vacant ballroom that was once filled with people and dancing and out into the hallway. He hadn't realized that the ballroom had been emptied until now. How long had they been dancing and talking in there? He pushed the question from his mind and continued to walk as Micah pulled him along with little trouble.

"What do you want to show me?" He laughed lightly as their pace seemed to increase, their feet moving almost flawlessly across the floor as she led him. Up the staircase and into a new corridor they went. His eyes couldn't help but wander the more well decorated halls. The molding was very well made and the doors seemed so much more fancier. This must have been the Royal quarters she had spoken about and it was quite lovely. As they seemed to quickly make their way down the hall, they finally reached a door at the end of the hall. Something about the door screamed Micah, and he chuckled lightly. The door was painted beautifully, even if it was simple. The painting even reminded him of the dress Micah was wearing at this very moment. He couldn't help but stare at her as she reached into her dress, probably for the key to the door they stood before, and admire her. She seemed so much more free than he. As she pulled out the aforementioned key and slid it into the door, he closed his eyes for a moment and opened them as he heard the wood being pushed back. As she motioned for him to follow, he let his feet carry him into the room and his eyes widened.

The entire room lit up in his eyes and he was absolutely speechless in a moment. He took in a deep breath and let out a small exhale as he gave Micah a small half smile. All the colors, brushed along the walls in different forms and taking many shapes. Cherry blossoms adorned the walls, just like her and her own door. Above his head floated lights like the ones he had seen inside the dance. When all the room came together, it formed a magnificent scene of beauty and splashes of color. As she giggled and spoke once more, he looked to her, his eyes locking to hers as he nodded and chuckled. "Aye. Very much... You painted all this yourself?" His eyes left hers after a few moments, returning to the wondrous works of art spread all across the walls. "This is all so intricate, so beautiful. "He looked to her and smirked. Somehow, without even knowing her answer, he knew she had done this true work of art. " Much like it's creator." His eyes locked into hers as his smile enlarged.

He wasn't sorry, which meant he considered her human enough to place a part of his heart in front of her and allow her the privilege of taking it into her own head. This was proof enough, the fact that he was different than most others, the ones who would very well place her on a shelf like a porcelain doll. Could she get close to him? Easily, now that he had proved this difference; such a crucial aspect she had been searching for, one whom would rather her know the truth than to shelter her from it, one that might possibly let her live. Micah was a very trusting person, to an extent; outgoing and abnormally comfortable with things that would normally make others unnerved. It was often seen, when talking to someone, even a strangers, that constant eye contact and close proximity where proper. Almost as if she didn't possess the wall of security people often placed around themselves, she would be willing to ask questions of a stranger that only a close friend might know; as well, she was willing to answer such questions, most of the time. What might have been most noticeable about her is innocently soothing, coaxing mannerisms she held. One might often spill their heart for her, despite the length of time they'd spent together. Something about her split personalities allowed her to appear childishly innocent one moment, and in the next she could hold the air of a temple of wise monks, with knowledge and experience that could surpass most in a lifetime, and even to the outreaching, motherly spirit, to her people in times of need. Perhaps this was part of the reason people often mistook her for an object, her ability to change within a moment's notice; like a doll, you could mold her easily with the circumstances you put her into. Almost as if she possessed a switch that could change her whole person at different times, she didn't have a set air to her, like most. None of that mattered, though; not now. Shurick, he thought her a person, and she could tell. So, leading him up to her room, a delicately placed, yet brilliantly shining smile lit her whole presence along the way.

As they made their way up, she couldn't help but to place possible sleeping arrangements in her mind. Trial and error, what would be best? No doubt she wanted him close, and he apparently wanted to be close, as well. She had to admit to herself, part of her was worried if he strayed too far away, another lady of Siram might pick him up for herself, and then where would she be left? Silly, silly thought, she knew; but still, it remained a vivid point in her mind. So, how could she keep him close, without seeming a bit too... overbearing about it? The part of her that was so easily prone to shrugging off the uncomfortable and being straight with a person, was seeming to waver at this point. Then again, they had just kissed... He couldn't mind too badly, could he? So, as she made her way up to her room with him, she responded to her own thoughts aloud, almost as if she had shared her whole inner debate with him, herself. "So then, I think it'd be best you stay with me tonight... And I suppose if we want to change that tomorrow, I can arrange a comfortable room for you to stay in." Her eyes moved from their path to meet his, feat carrying effortlessly anyway through the halls. She didn't have to guess her steps, for they were familiar enough by now with the layout of the kingdom, in order to carry her fluently forward. They arrived at the door briefly after her response, however, and so there wasn't much to worry over.

Of course she knew he would have a strong reaction to her room; most did. She hadn't yet known, however, if the reaction would be positive or negative. It seemed, however, that he was mystified enough by the beauty of the room. This pleased her greatly, taking much pride in her fantastic works. A small tinge of sadness arose on her face, though; she would be giving up this room soon, to Sachiel, and so this beauty would cease to be. Travelling farther into her abnormally large and grand bedroom, she placed herself rather casually on the edge of her bed; a doll on the edge of a king sized comforter, in size comparison. The bed itself was about 8 feet long and 10 feet wide, much, much larger than any normal sized bed, and for reasons unexplained due to her extremely small size to start with. This, however, was the only sleeping space available in her room. Would he be comfortable sleeping on it, with her on the other side? There'd be a few feet in between them, anyhow, but she still couldn't help but to wonder. Of course she wouldn't let him sleep on the floor, they were cobblestone after all. Laying back for a moment, her voice came out as easily as a breath, though her eyes strayed to the ceiling, in order to divert the contact. "I think its better you sleep in here, the other rooms are usually kept cold for the Royal's preference, but I personally like to keep my room warm. Its easier to sleep with..." The heat was due a great deal to the many brilliant arrays of floating candles above their heads. They produced a rather warm, comforting heat, which helped to keep her naturally cool skin cradled during the night like she had been as a child. After a short pause, she continued on in an easy, neutral voice; as if what she would speak of was the only natural option to take. "You can share my bed with me, it is large enough so that there is a comfortable amount of space, if need be..." She couldn't know his feelings on the matter at this point, she could only assume he wasn't offered something such as this every day, to share a bed with a women he'd only just met. And if he was given this option normally, well, goddess help the Little Princess of Tides...

[I was thinking of doing another paragraph, but I like the ending of the last one so much, I'll just cover it in the next post... XD]

Still staring around the room, mesmerized by the paint that covered the walls, he felt a small jolt of negativity in the room. It seemed to come from Micah for only a moment or two and then it ceased. He slowly turned to face her, watching the young woman wander around the rather large bedroom, almost like a lovely vision crossing his mind. How Shurik came to be in this situation was beyond him and something about this entire thing seemed too good to be true at first. He pondered what she had mentioned in the hall on there way to this very room. She wanted him to stay with her and something inside told him he was perfectly fine with doing just that. His mind still wandered, though, back over the events that had happened so far; a wonderful night of dancing with an amazing person, beautiful decorations adorning one space, a first kiss with a beautiful woman, the same woman that sat next to him now, and now, he had the privilege to share a room with the same person. The princess of tides was only a title she held, he knew this too well. Micah was a person, someone who enjoyed living as much, if not more, than himself. She had shown him that she didn't want to be a glass figure placed upon a pedestal and gawked at. She was an individual. As he perused the thoughts inside of his head, he watched the vision float across the room and place herself upon the edge of an extremely large bed. He had never seen one quite as large as what sat at the other end of the bed. As she sat down at the edge, he couldn't help but make his way over to where she was and take a seat next to her upon the large mattress.

As he sat down upon the mattress, he put his arms behind him and locked his elbows before he leaned his body weight back upon his palms. The bed sunk some as he lifted his head and looked up towards the floating candles. He listened to her speak, but as he responded, he seemed to avoid most of the conversation she had presented to him at first. "Those candles give this room a strange warmth, you know?" He chuckled, almost under his breath, as he continued on the path he was going with. "I usually never look up anywhere. Incendia doesn't have much to look upon when one looks towards the skies." Slowly, as his head rolled on his shoulders to face her, a large grin grew on his face. The light caught his eyes at the right angle and as he tilted his head to look upon her his irises seemed to flash through every shade of blue into purple one could think of. This wasn't the first time he had been invited into a bed with a woman. He was usually known for leaving bars with women of all types. But that past seemed to fade away with this moment. She was so much different than those he had spent the night with before. She was smarter than them, for sure, and Micah had a certain air about her that made him want to talk to her. He removed his eyes from the person before him, and raised them once more to the candles hovering above their heads. He nodded once and slowly pushed himself up, his back straightening as he sat up. Once more, his gaze fell upon her, and his warming smile appeared again. "Alright. The bed seems large enough for five. I think we two could fit on it, Aye?"

It was strange to be in this position. They had only met a few hours before and here he was, sitting on the edge of a bed with her. He leaned forward, placing his elbows upon his legs as his hands folded between his knees as he closed his eyes. A deep breath ensued as he chuckled and looked around for a moment. "Micah, Do you think they will bring my bag up here tonight? I need something from it for my morning prayers." He smiled lightly and let his eyelids flutter open, turning his head towards her for a minutes as his eyes locked into hers. He gave her those few seconds to respond to him, and when she did, he waited a few words in and moved closer to her, drawing his face closer to hers as he gave her another small grin. He drew in slowly, sliding his arm around her back as he leaned against the bed once more. He kissed her once more, putting his lips against hers again. This time he kept them locked there for a longer amount of time. The last time she hadn't seemed too effected by the kiss, he hoped this time she felt a little more. He poured a little more emotion into it. After a few more moments, he pulled his head back and stared into her eyes. He kept close to her,a smile ever present on his face. After another minute he pulled back further, sitting there as his eyes watched her reaction. Then, as if slowly switching the subject, he spoke to her. "If you want space between us, Micah, I understand. I will sleep as far away as you want." He gave a cute little smirk as he watched her. He would let her decide the space between them tonight, wondering how far she would actually want him to be from her. He could sleep right next to her if she wanted, but if she wanted space between her and a near stranger, he knew it would be better to oblige her than fight it. It was, after all, her room and bed.

(XD! I see. Well I hope I gave you much to work with for your next post ^_^. See you in a few days.)

This was a day for the record books indeed. If Sachiel was the type to keep a journal, the events of the past 48 hours would take up pages and pages of it. He came into the Palace carrying his pad with him. In it was his latest drawing. A gorgeous portrait of A’Nailiah. On his face, a calm smile. In his hand, Nailis hand. What on Earth could he have to complain about? Not a thing. And then, as they approached Micahs quarters, she released his hand. There was always that. The awkward situation between himself, Naili, and Micah. They both got jealous when they saw him around the other. Were they jealous of him, or eachother? He didn’t know. More than likely jealous of him though, the way they were protective of eachother. He followed Naili to Micahs room, and though she had already opened the door and entered, he knocked on the door before walking through it. But before he could say a word, Naili ran past him once more, on the verge of tears. He looked up to see what the cause was. A man in Micahs bed? He didn’t like the sight, but for it to make Naili cry? There was more to the situation between the three of them than he was being told, and he was going to find out about it… He eyed the man that lay in Micahs bed. He had seen the man before. At the Ball. He knew not his name, but he didn’t enjoy seeing him in Micahs bed for multiple reasons. For one, this room would be his soon, and he didn’t want to think of the things that took place here prior to his inheriting it. For another, he didn’t know this man, and he clearly wasn’t from Siram. Being an outsider made him a threat. But he didn’t have time to think about that. He would deal with it later. He looked from Micah, to the door which Naili had just escaped through. His first instinct was to run after her, but he and Micah both knew that she needed to be the one to talk to Naili, not Sachiel.

Thirty seconds… A minute… Two minutes… for two minutes, Sachiel sat outside of A’Nailiahs room. He knew he wasn’t the one she needed to see, but he needed to see her. He couldn’t just sit there, knowing she was crying, and he couldn’t wait for Micah to come out of her shock to do something herself. Naili and Micah could talk whenever the two of them were ready, but he had to be there for her at the time she needed him, and that was now. He opened her door after hearing a large crash, fearing suddenly for her safety. But as he walked in, he was nearly pelted by a shard of broken glass. He was only able to avoid being hit in the head because of the blood that soaked it. He could sense the water within it flying toward him, and dodge it at the last second, by gracefully bending backward. “Naili…” he said softly, as he looked down at the broken lamp, and the smaller shards, which were soaked in blood. He turned toward her, and looked into her eyes, which were drowned in tears. “What’s going on?” he asked her, though he had started to develop ideas quite some time ago, and everything about this situation was supporting them.
“What’s wrong?” He asked. There was a hint of desperation in his voice as he looked at her, and his eyes started to trail to the ground, as if to escape the prospect of being unwanted. However, on the way down, he caught sight of the source of the blood which had assaulted him. “What happened to you?” he asked, as he lifted her hand up, palm facing him as if she were waving. He laced his fingers in hers, covering his own palm in her blood, as he took a deep breath. He wasn’t a skilled healer, but he should be able to handle this. A blue light radiated between their hands, and her wounds began to close up. Sachiels eyes remained closed as he worked on the wound, and when the glow ended, and he removed his hand from hers, the bleeding had stopped. Of course, both their hands were still covered in blood. And beneath that blood on A’Nailiahs hand, there were still small marks. She probably would have been fine healing it herself, but emotion had taken over the man. He took a seat on the edge of her bed, looking at his blood drenched hand, as his vision started to blur, his vision being interfered by a single tear, that threatened to leave its mark on the mans face, for the first time since he could remember.