I need a shamisen Rhiannon arrangement stat

[therewerefifty]

Who: Makie and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Iskaulit, Twin Roses
When: Now-ish

[She'd been, uh... somewhat distracted about thinking on this from a bunch of ships colliding with each other and upsetting her carefully maintained equilibrium (guys I'm just a samurai chick who wants to sit peacefully and drink tea enough of these space shenanigans) and avoiding looking outside entirely, because being under the ocean is extremely unsettling.

Today is the first time she's been to the Iskaulit gardens since they arrived in this odd place.  It reminds her of something she'd like to do.]

...in Adstringendum, people arrived and left all the time, much like this place.  You grow used to a person's presence, establish... ties.  [What a formal way of putting it.  She's thinking of the bizarre jar collection in her room.]  And then suddenly, they're gone.  The same holds true here, doesn't it...?  It can be hard for a great many people, even if you know you'll see them again.

In Adstringendum, we kept what we called a memory tree.  People would attach the names of those who'd left... paper monuments, so they'd never be forgotten.  And new arrivals would always know who had been and gone.

I wondered if we might do the same here.

---------

[She'll be in the garden for most of the day.  Either playing her shamisen or actually, you know, gardening.  It's a thing.  And if she concentrates on the dirt under her knees, maybe she can forget they're submerged in the ocean.]

Comments

[therewerefifty]

[[She folds her hands away in much the same fashion, looking away.]

I feel the apology should be mine. I didn't realise such a song would be so taxing for you.

[bythewaves]

It is normally not, so the fault is mine in offering carelessly - you could not know! But this close to the water... I have already wandered out following it a few times, now. I could lose myself in the Song, but that would worry my brother.

[therewerefifty]

[She can accept that explanation, though she's still concerned. But as he finishes, she smiles faintly.]

Your brother is here...?

[Lucky or unlucky, she wonders.]

[bythewaves]

One of them, yes - the eldest. You may have seen him. [ Because a 7ft plus redhead is kinda hard to miss ] Maedhros is his name, the tall one with red hair.

[therewerefifty]

I'm afraid I've yet had the honour. [She says it ruefully. The red hair would stand out, but Makie... well, she probably needs to get out more.] But I'm sure to be looking out for him now.

It is an impressive gift you have.

[bythewaves]

You will know him when you see him, I think.

[ Maglor smiles at her shyly ] Thank you. It is a rare one, amongst our people, and one I am glad to have, for all the difficulties it brings.

[therewerefifty]

Are there more difficulties than just losing yourself?

[She's painfully aware of just how being gifted can lead to a whole host of complications.]

[bythewaves]

The main problem is the distraction. [ He admits ] I was slow to speak as a child, for I sang long before I spoke, and was forever wandering off following the sounds that only I could hear.

Even as an adult I was, and remain, apt to lose myself in music if left to my own devices. My folk also are supposed to have quite strong gifts of the mind, but I do not, for music fills all those spaces.

[therewerefifty]

[She nods as he explains, understanding settling in her features. It's not the sort of problem she's seen, given where she's from, but it makes sense to her.]

There are worse things to lose yourself in than music. [She smiles faintly.] As long as you can always return. Does the presence of others always help?

[bythewaves]

It does - I find it easier to remember that I am flesh and blood when there are others there to ground me. It also helps to distract a little.

[therewerefifty]

I will do my best to give such distraction, should you ever need it. [An unspoken 'again'.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor smiles and finally relaxes ]

Thank you - I only hope I do not! But I suppose time will tell.