Ch.3: "Silver Tide" / Nyse Lagoon

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell asks Aphrodite, "Do we need to go to Hera first and see if she'd be willing to talk to you before you have this conversation about Kell-Pi with her?"

Then she snorts. "Aphrodite, the problem I have with your silence is less that you choose from time to time to be silent on the 'whys' of certain topics and more that you are ALSO silent on related matters that need decisions in the here and now. You're too often silent when you could divulge lesser information that would help us - certainly ME - know we/I can trust you. Your silence on these lesser matters often makes it seem like you are trying to be manipulative. I'm only just starting to get enough information about you to understand that that hasn't always been the case." She fixes the goddess with a steady gaze. "I DEEPLY DISLIKE being manipulated."



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[Legendary Sidekick]

"You do," Aphrodite replies, still completely relaxed. "Imagine how much you would despise me giving you information that is read by another Olympian, and the information costs Kell-Pi her life.

"I don't need to read your mind to know you do not wish to be like me. I have always seen this as a strength. I could have won you over, but why? Maybe you and Vin will have a lasting, happy marriage because you are not like me. I could have won you over, let you see things from my point of view. But what might come of that? You might play around as most nymphs do. You might not be able to have a child with Vin. You might drink the tea to ensure you never have a child.

"Think what you will. I do permit my nymphs to live as they please. If not being like me pleases you, then a manipulator is the one thing I am not. If I wanted to manipulate you, I'd at the very least get you to like me. If you want to know how manipulative I can be, allow me to demonstrate."

Kell feels nothing happen. Aphrodite sits patiently.

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Before whatever effect Aphrodite has set in motion comes into effect, Kell says, "Aphrodite, seeing things through your eyes doesn't mean I want to be like you, or other nymphs, either. It just means I can have more understanding and tolerance for the ways in which we are different. You know I don't want to be like you. You may also know I plan to start worshipping one of the other goddesses. I hope that is not too terribly painful to you, and I mention it only because I think it would be cowardly on my part to not have enough guts tell you that to your face. I am glad we are having this talk. Especially with this war going on, I think we need to be able to trust each other enough to work together as allies. For that reason most of all, I don't want us to be at odds. I realize that someone needs to be in charge of love and beauty in this world and those are certainly things you have a knack with. They're just not the things I am most drawn to."

Then she shrugs. "Who knows, I might actually come to appreciate them more if I can be away from them for a time."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Aphrodite says, "It seems you would rather I not demonstrate my ability to manipulate, so I won't. Worship as you please, Kell. Artemis has many followers who are nymphs, as does Dionysius.

"As for trust, it seems I need to put more effort into earning yours than Zeus does. As I said, be careful. You have a beautiful heart and Zeus pounces on beauty as if it is something to be conquered."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell tells the goddess, starting to relax a bit herself now that she's being honest with her, "I would never choose another god or goddess because a lot of other nymphs follow them, I'd choose them because I care about what they stand for. I find Athena interesting, but I can't tell if she cares about more than just battles and warfare. She would need to, for me to agree to follow her. The battle wisdom she offers would simply be a plus."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"I think your personality matches hers most," Aphrodite replies. "It seems you will have the rare privilege of meeting every Olympian. You'll make an informed choice."

She crosses her legs, looking a little more relaxed.

"So I am aware of your interests with Hera, I approve of your thinking but as I said, you need to meet her and she needs to convince me that we'll converse in a civilized fashion. Then there is the route to Artemis. It's too early to travel that way. Just as well you'd have to wait, seeing that Vin is not to travel to Sardis.

"If you do plan to depart to Sardis tonight, dine with Vin first. If you go to Hesperides, I suppose Vin would accompany you there. Or is there more you wish to discuss? I don't mean to come off as if hinting you towards the door or some such horror."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell laughs at the goddess' joke, the first genuine laugh she's ever given in front of Aphrodite. "A horror, indeed," she chuckles.

"As to our plans, I think I need to know if traveling in the underground as we'll need to do is any quicker than traveling overland is. Geographically, I think it makes sense to go to the Hesperides next, but that's only if traveling via the Underground isn't significantly faster. If it is faster, then I think we should keep Sigrlinn's appointment with Artemis."

Then she says, "As for other topics, the only other thing I'd really like to talk you about is how you run things here at the villa. I think you could afford to try to do for more nymphs the same things you did for me, and I have some ideas on how that might be done. I'm just not sure if now is the best time for such a talk." She gives Aphrodite a questioning look.


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"That conversation sounds… long." Aphrodite smiles pleasantly, despite her response. "Long and presumptuous. You are presuming I will continue to have the same influence after this rebellion. If I do, we can have that conversation then."

She adds, "I am siding with Artemis and Athena not because they will win, but because things cannot remain as they now are."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn

Sigrlinn frowns. "You don't think your side -- our side -- will win? What do you think will change, then?"

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell decides to try an experiment. Looking at Aphrodite, she says, "I am still awaiting an answer to my question about whether traveling the Underground is faster or not. If I have distracted you with all of the questions and subjects I am raising, then the fault is mine - I apologize."

Kell raises her eyebrow at Aphrodite as if to say, I dare you to keep not answering my question.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"You don't like surprises, do you?" She tells Kell, "The route Artemis' nymphs take is the quickest way to Sardis from here. So much so that your next destination shouldn't matter so much if travel time is a factor."

To Sigrlinn, "You already know of the intended changes if we win. Or you will know. Losing and not rebelling are the same as far as mortals are concerned. Not rebelling would spare me an awful fate, but Artemis and I agreed not to sit this one out."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell tells Aphrodite, "You're right that I don't like surprises, not when lives are at stake. It's not so much that we're in any kind of rush at this point as it is that I just like to do things efficiently when it makes sense to. That's what I'm trying to figure out here: does it make sense to? Hesperides is the only destination west of here, and there are no other destinations you can get to from there besides Nyse that I am aware of. With Sardis, on the other hand, the immediate destinations are Lesvos Valley and back to Ogygia, and Ogygia is central to many destinations in these parts. So since we're in Nyse anyway, there is a degree of sense in going to Hesperides from here."

She pauses, thinking, then says to Aphrodite: "Tell me this: If we went to Hesperides first, do you think it would it be possible to have Artemis' nymphs meet us here in Nyse AFTER our visit to Hesperides, as we head back toward Sardis? Alternately, if we went to Sardis first, could we get them to bring us back here to Nyse once we are done there? If Artemis were willing to help speed us along with her nymphs, I'd feel better about going to Sardis first."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Yes to both. The nymphs' route is available upon your request, and Artemis has her ways of getting around. As I said, travel time is hardly a factor. Where you go is simply a matter of what you hope to accomplish first."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell looks at Sigrlinn. "What do you think? Sardis first?"

Then she looks at Aphrodite. "Even if our side loses, there are those who will remember that you took a stand against the injustices of Zeus and his allies. With those mortals, anyway, you may find that you have MORE influence than you do right now."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Once our heroines agree to their destination, Aphrodite offers each a hug and tells Kell where Vin can be found.

"Your old room," she she says. "Vivi will see to your dining arrangements. You have time for that."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn

Sigrlinn looks at Kell, then nods. "Sardis first would be best, I think. That will give Aphrodite more time to reason with Hera about Kell-Pi, however that turns out."

Looking at Aphrodite, she says, "Kell is right. Making a stand is always better than doing nothing, even if you lose."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell looks at Aphrodite. "Sardis it is."

Then she hugs the goddess. Really hugs her, the way she and Niobe used to do, something she's never done with Aphrodite before. "Thank you," she whispers in the goddess' ear. "For everything. You will be contacting Artemis and having her send her nymphs here for us, correct?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Yes. By the time you finish dining, I'll have made the necessary arrangements."


((Heading to movie with kids soon, so if you want to write a dinner scene with Vin seeing Kell's old place, feel free to create a scene that doesn't need a GM response if you want to. You can have them go anywhere in the villa. No monsters are here.))

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell leads Sigrlinn to her old room, and when they arrive, Kell knocks lightly on the door.

When Vin opens it, she slides into his arms and give him a hug. "It's good to see you," she murmurs into his neck.

"You too," he murmurs back. "How did you talk with Aphrodite go? And did you learn how to do whatever it was?"

Kell laughs. "So many questions! First off, just so you know, this room you stayed in was my old room."

Vin grins. "You know, this is going to sound crazy, but I kept thinking I smelled you. You smell sort of like a tropical drink to me - your scent reminds me of coconut and pineapple juice."

Giggling, Kell lifts her arm and smells her own armpit. Then she licks her arm. "Nope," she says with mock solemnity, "I don't smell or taste that." Then she reaches over for Vin's arm and smells it and licks it. Pondering, she says, "Your scent reminds me of sunshine on an open field, only it must be on a mountain because there's a faint hint of pine in the background."

Vin looks at Leto and quips, "I thought she was going to say I smell like a sweaty horse. I ride Valkyrie enough for that."

Kell pokes Vin and says, "I give you a compliment and what do you do but deflect it?"

Vin shrugs and says, "OK, guilty as charged." He gazes into her eyes and says, "Thank you for the compliment, Kell Silvertide. I feel like it was better than I deserved."

Kell grins at Vin. "That's much better."

Vin asks, "So when are you going to tell me about your day?"

Kell replies, "At dinner. I assume we're going to eat down in the main dining room. I don't think we'll be joining the nymphs. I used to wander by the dining room from time to time in the evening, and there were often people I didn't know taking a meal. I talked to a few of them, and at least the ones I met were guests of Aphrodite. I assume that's us, now. There's a porch they move the tables out to at this time of year that we usually eat at provided the weather is good. The view is quite remarkable. Aphrodite could turn this place into a restaurant and charge a fortune for the view."

Vin raises his eyebrows and says, "Sounds intriguing. Lead on, fair nymph!"

Kell leads them down a flight of stairs, a long hallway, then a second flight of stairs. They pass only one nymph, and she is passionately embracing a shirtless human male, her back against a wall, her bare legs wrapped around his hips. From the grunting sounds the couple are making, it sounds like they are about to take their pleasure in each other.

When they have passed the couple, Kell winces. "Sorry about that. I'm taking you by the back way, and they usually aren't that flagrant in their worship of Aphrodite in the villa proper unless there's an orgy going on, but if that were the case, we should have seen a whole lot more people around here by now.

Vin says, "Kell, it seems like you're really not into the whole orgy thing. What did you used to do when those went on?"

Kell smiles at him. "I'd go to Niobe's house when she was still alive. Nymphs have to have permission to leave the grounds during festivals, but the orgies always took place either during festivals to honor Aphrodite, Eros, or sometimes Dionysius, and Niobe was always on top of when those were, so I'd walk into her house the week before one of the festivals was due to start and she'd hand me my permission slip, and I'd turn it in when I returned to school."

Vin asks, "What did you do after Niobe died?"

Kell's eyes take on a faraway look. "That was a lot harder," she admits. "I'd try to go to my room and work on a letter to Desma or read or sleep, or really anything, but I had this neighbor named Xenia who was...ah...a frequent entertainer of gentleman guests. The nymphs aren't supposed to have men in their rooms past a certain hour, but there's this tree that used to grow right next to her door, and she had them sneak in at all hours. And she's very....umm...vocal....when she entertains, and makes a lot of noise. And the thing with her is, she used entertain at least 5x a week. I reported her several times but nothing was ever done. Finally one night, I heard a noise outside my window I looked outside to investigate. That's how I learned how she was getting these young men into her room. I happened to notice one tear his himation on his way out, so I reported it the next day and was told there's no way anyone could have climbed that tree. I told them to go find someone with access to an Ascension spell and I'd prove it. Reluctantly, they did, and sure enough, they found the scrap I told them would be there. They said for me to come get them the next time Xenia 'entertained' and I did. I don't know how she managed to avoid getting kicked out, but they chopped that tree down and Xenia started spending more of her time 'entertaining' somewhere else. I don't know what she told the housemothers, but I never heard another peep from her room. I left not too long after that."

About that time, they arrive in the dining room. Kell shows them where to get their food, and then leads them through some double doors onto a patio. The view is breath-taking. The villa is high up on the side of a mountain and looks out over Nyse Lagoon. It looks like the city would be visible if you were to lean against the railing that runs along the edges of the patio, but not if you sit down. The sun seems to be setting, and the sunset is breath-taking, with oranges and reds and blues and pinks and purples all blending into each other.

The group sees Vivian sitting at one of the tables and they go and sit with her. She smiles to see them enjoying the view. She says, "I hope you don't eating here at the villa, Kell, but I was told the view this time of year is quite stunning."

Kell smiles. "It's fine, Vivian. I'm glad for my friends to be able to see this."

Vivian asks, "How was your day?"

Vin grins at Vivian and says, "I'm still trying to get her to tell ME that!"

Once everyone has everything they need and has begun eating, Kell says, "We visited the Three Graces first. They tried to trick me into thinking they were having a threesome with Vin, but I just kept remembering what he told me back in Arcadia about if that happened, it either wasn't him, or he had slipped. I chose to believe it wasn't Vin."

"Atta girl," Vin says. "I'm proud of you."

Kell flushes with pleasure. "I am, too, actually. The Three Graces let me choose a new kind of magic to do, so I chose water magic. If I choose to master water magic, I'll be able to take the form of a mermaid."

Vin seems astonished, and Vivian's head seems to perk up. "A real mermaid?"

"Yep. And if you want, you can ride Helix when he takes his dolphicorn shape, and I'll be a mermaid and we can explore the sea."

Vin says, "Deal. I'm holding you to that one, nymph."

Kell giggles, then purrs at Vin. A moment later, she continues her story. "After that, we went to see Aphrodite. She helped us improve with magic and I told her about my idea to try to win Hera over. And I even had a new idea to maybe send Kell-Pi to help support Hera in her marriage. Aphrodite liked the idea, but said that she's not one of Hera's favorite people at the moment and that she'd need assurances that Hera is willing to be reasonable before she'll talk to her about sending Kell-Pi to her."

Vin asks, "Wasn't Hera in the Hesperides? Is that where you and Leto are going next?"

Kell replies, "Yes, she's in the Hesperides, but we decided that Artemis' letter to Leto was more important, so we're going to see Artemis next, in Sardis Forest. Artemis' nymphs will pick Leto and me up after we finish with dinner. And the Three Graces helped Leto remember her real name, but I'm going to let her tell you that story, as well as what her name is. She didn't tell me the whole story, only that much."

Vin frowns. "Sardis Forest? That's that place I can't go, right? That place men aren't welcome?"

Kell nods. "Yeah." She glances at Vivian. "I assume you can take him to meet up with Buck? He said he could put Vin to work whenever we're in a place men aren't welcome. And at least for now, teach him more about the Orange Phoenixes."

Vivian nods. "I can do that."

The meal continues with further conversation about Vivian's crafting business, Vin's horse-training, Kell's animal-charming, and Leto's hunting and skinning. With food now in her stomach, Kell is starting to realize how exhausted she feels. I fought a demon while naked yesterday was it? Then attended a wedding, then traveled here last night, and now have stayed up all day getting trained. I need some sleep!

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

After the meal, Vivian says to Kell, "Why don't you take Vin and show him around a bit? I'll talk with Leto for a while."

Vin lights up at that suggestion. "I'd like that," he says. Then he sees the exhausted look in Kell's eyes and says, "Oh. Would you prefer to rest a bit?"

Kell says, "The only place I can think of to rest is my old room, and I don't think that's such a smart idea."

Vin gives a rueful grin. "Probably not. Is there some public place we could go for a while?"

Kell says, "Well, there's a beach about a 10-minute walk from here. It's pretty quick to get there because it's all downhill. We could go there, I guess. Though we might come across more trysting couples."

"Well, to be someplace alone with you, I'll risk seeing a few trysting couples."

Kell touches his cheek. "Thanks, Vin." Then she says, "There's a place they keep some old blankets just for taking down to the beach. Let me grab a couple right quick." And she runs off to get them, returning a few minutes later with two blankets that look like they have seen better days. Then, handing the blankets to Vin, she leads him to the far edge of the patio, where she lights a candle and then places it inside a gourd on the end of a stick. "For light," she says. "If there's not a full moon, it can get pretty dark down there."

Holding the stick in her right hand, she begins walking down the wooden stairs just to the right of where the candles were stored. The stairs are not quite wide enough for two people to walk to next to each other. The destination is not visible. But, as Kell indicated, it's a downhill walk, and progress is quickly made.

As they walk, Vin suddenly asks, "Is this the place you were assaulted not long before you left here?"

Kell says, "Yes." She's proud of how neutral her tone is.

"How do you feel about going back there?" he asks, trying to be gentle.

"I'm okay," Kell says. "He didn't get to hurt me. And it happened during the daytime. With you, I know I'll be protected down there, though it would be smart for you to take my arm the way Vivian showed us when we get down there."

When they reach the end of the stairway, Vin takes Kell's arm, and they do notice a few other candles flickering at various points along the beach. Kell leads Vin to a place several feet away from the nearest candle and lays out the two blankets on top of each other. Then she starts digging a hole in the sand in which to stand up the gourd on a stick containing the candle, but Vin insists on taking over, and soon he has the stick standing upright, its light flickering in the dark.

Kell lays down on the blankets, and soon Vin sits on them too, taking Kell's head into his lap. She reaches up to touch his hand. He asks, "What were the best times you had in Nyse?"

Kell replies almost instantly, "With Niobe. At her house. I would have offered to take you there, but it was torn down less than a month after she died. It wasn't in the best neighborhood, but no one seemed to bother her there. She helped too many of the children in that area."

Vin asks, "Didn't you have friends at the villa?"

Kell replies, "Not really. The majority of them live from hookup to hookup, always either just letting themselves be used for fun, or thinking they're using others for fun, but the whole thing seemed really cheap and empty to me. And they thought me strange because I didn't see the point of any of it. But after I said 'no' to their invitations enough times, they finally started leaving me alone, though I also got a reputation for being a bit stuck up. It's not so much that I thought myself better than them as I just didn't want to talk about sex all the dang time. I wanted to talk about pretty much anything and everything else. Too much of what goes on here is about sex and nothing else. It's an ocean of crashing boredom to me."

Vin says, "That sounds pretty lonely. I grew up with two brothers and a sister. And there were a couple cousins who lived about a half-day's ride away who were close to my age. I saw a lot of them growing up. I disagree with my middle brother on pretty much most things, but he's got a great work ethic. I guess I'm used to there always being someone to talk to."

Kell says, a little sadly, "You might have to remind me of that from time to time." Then she laughs. "Or you might have to shut me up because I'm so hungry for someone to talk to that I hog the conversation."

Vin says, "Kell, what I've noticed about you is that even when you talk a lot, you aren't flapping your lips in that annoying way that some people have. You actually have something to say."

Kell says, "You can tell me if I ever become one of those annoying people. I never want to be one."

Vin says, "I'm not sure that's possible."

They sit in the silence for several minutes, enjoying the moonlight, the sound of the waves, the flickering of the gourd light, and each other. Finally Vin says, "How about we go for a walk? There's a certain promise you made me that I'd kind of like to cash in on, if you're up for it."

But when he looks at Kell for her response, she's fast asleep.

More to himself, Vin says, "You really did have a long day, didn't you? Very well. I suppose I can wait a bit longer for that kiss you promised me, Kell Silvertide."

__________________

Kell opens her eyes some 30 minutes later, impelled by some inner prompting she can't put a name to. Vin has removed his shoes and is standing on the beach letting the water wash over his feet. She debates removing her own shoes, but knows that will transform her Aqua Scrunchy into just a wrap of clothing, and for Vin's sake, she's not that eager to unleash her nymph effect on either Vin or any of the nearby trysting couples. Not when it would be so-o easy to just fall onto the blankets and let him love her. Now is not the time for that, Kell. But one day will be.

Instead, she touches him on the back and says, "I think it's time for us to head back now."

As they fold up the blankets and pull the gourd-on-a-stick out of the sand, Kell says, "I think you will find, as most of us do, that getting back up those stairs is much more difficult than getting down them was. Fortunately," and here she gives a childlike grin and pulls a canteen from her backpack, "I can make water."

Concentrating, she casts her Clean Water spell and just manages to fill the canteen up. "One of these days, I'll be able to make that water nice and cold, but for now, it's just clean." Handing the canteen to Vin, she begins the long trek back up the stairs to the villa.