Is That a Ship?

Writers: Estelle, Suzee
Date Posted: 5th March 2024

Characters: Bryvin, Brina
Description: Bryvin shows his sister a ship.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 6, day 16 of Turn 11

Bryvin

Brina

Brina waited until the last holder had been ushered out of the Lord
Holder's office. With a smile for the guard and a finger to her lips,
she slipped inside. "Brother?"

"Brina!" a welcoming smile spread across his face. The smile changed
his normally stern expression into one of almost boyish charm.

"I've come to persuade you away from your desk, if I can," she said
lightly. Since her courtship had begun she'd eased her usual formal
manner, and she'd always been relaxed with her brother. "It's a
beautiful day with clear skies, and you need some fresh air! Walk or ride?"

"Either is fine with me," he said and put his pen away and stood.
"Which do you prefer?"

"Let's ride," Brina said after only a moment's thought. She'd been doing
plenty of sedate walking with the other ladies recently. "I'll meet you
at the stables in a few minutes?"

His eyes twinkled. Despite the role society had assigned his sister,
she hadn't lost her sense of adventure. "Meet you down there," he
said. "I'll call for the runners. You get changed." He called for
his assistant and sent him running to the stables. It wasn't long
before he was attired properly and striding toward the main courtyard
with Captain at his heels.

Brina arrived shortly after him, in a dark blue riding dress with her
long brown hair in a neat braid. Her eyes lit up to see the stableboy
leading out the runner her brother had gifted her, which had soon
become her favorite. Once she'd mounted she took a moment to admire
the view down towards the harbor and the sparkling blue sea beyond. As
always, she hoped to catch a glimpse of the flag of the Suns Glory,
but none of the ships were familiar to her.

"Perhaps we could stop by the docks on the way," she suggested as they
started out, keeping a slow pace through the bustling pathways that
surrounded the Hold. "See if there's any news."

"That could be nice," he said, never doubting her reasoning. "But I
thought perhaps you might like to stretch your runners legs with a
good hard ride? Maybe out to the lighthouse?" He pointed at the
distant point with his chin. The elevated peninsula hid anything on
that far horizon but from the top of the lighthouse they would be able
to see quite far.

"All right," Brina replied as they turned on to a wider road that sloped
gently downwards, her eyes bright with mischief. "If you think you can
keep up with us..."

Bryvin only grinned and kicked his runners sides, "Hyah," he shouted
and urged the big runner into a full run. They'd played this game
before.

She followed, joy surging through her as they raced down the road that
led out towards the coast and the lighthouse, her breath coming fast and
strands of hair whipping around her face as she leaned low to the
runner's back. No-one would have recognized the dignified Lady Brina if
they saw her now.

At first their lighter weight gave them the advantage of speed over
Bryvin's runner, but as they approached the last third where the road
began to slope uphill again, his greater power and stamina began to tell
and she laughed as they were overtaken a dozen dragonlengths from the
lighthouse.

"Oh, well..." She patted the runnerbeast as they slowed to a walk,
letting the tired animal cool down. "Never mind, dearest, we did our best."

Bryvin smirked at her his eyes twinkling. He knew the race would take
her mind off everything else around them until they got exactly where
he'd wanted to take her. "Oh my," he exclaimed in mock surprise. "Is
that a ship?" He pointed out toward the large inlet off the point
where they sat their runners. "Yes," he grinned. "I believe that
is..."

"The Sun's Glory!" Brina gasped. She'd know the familiar lines of
Captain Trayger's ship anywhere; she'd been imagining its return to port
for sevendays. Her heart rose in joy, more even than the exhilaration of
racing outdoors on a beautiful day.

She looked at her brother, then burst out laughing. "Bryvin! You really
are a terror - no wonder you didn't want to go by the docks. Look at me
- I must be all flushed and out of breath, and the state of my hair!
I'll never be back in time to change."

He chuckled with real pleasure. "He's not going to be docked for at
least an hour. You have plenty of time dear sister."

"An hour! That's not nearly enough time. We've got to ride back still,
and I should wash my face and do something about my hair, at least."
Brina shook her head in mock reproof. "One would think you'd never been
married, brother. A lady needs time to prepare."

"Sweetheart," he said. "He's coming off a month-long voyage to the
northern continent. All he's going to see is his beautiful bride to be
waiting for him. Your clothing will not matter in the least." He
twiddled his fingers the way they had come in such a mad dash. "Go,"
he chuckled.

Brina looked for a moment as if she wanted to scold him some more, but
the urgency of getting back in time won out and she turned her runner
around. "You haven't heard the last of this," she promised, though the
bright joy in her eyes undercut the threat in her words. Then she was
off back down the trail down the hill, her hair streaming behind her in
the wind, racing the Sun's Glory back to the Hold.

He just watched her race away with a fond smile.

Last updated on the March 9th 2024

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Is That a Ship?