1x1 with .celestential.

[.celestential.]

Eleanora stepped behind gratefully as Kai addresses the woman, although she was irritated because he both thought she needed protection and because he was right. She studied the woman as she spoke, trying to place her among the different cultures she had studied but none of them seemed to match. At Kai’s statement that they were part of the pirate crew, she stepped to the side indignantly. “He is part of the pirate crew,” she declared, pointing at Kai. “I am Princess Eleanora from the kingdom Vailes. I’m only just...” she hesitated, glancing at Kai, “traveling with the pirate crew for the time being.” Eleanora didn’t think this stranger needed to know the details of what exactly she was doing with a pirate crew, but she wouldn’t let Kai just lump her in with the rest of them. She might be tolerating them, but she certainly wasn’t one of them. “Would you be able to lead us to the rest of the crew? We miss them dearly,” she said fighting to keep the pleasant expression on her face as she said that.

[Wondering Soul]

Kai shot Eleanora a look when she stepped around to his side, and winced after hearing her words. The woman had not said the word pirate when referring to the crew, and likely didn’t know. They so seldom flew under a black flag, for situations like these when it was better not to advertise their nature. Sure enough, as he looked back at the woman, her anxious look had returned. If only for the briefest of moments.
In that strange lifting accent she said, “Pirate?” Her brows drew together as she took in another look at Kai. “Hm. The High Priestess ought to be told.”
Kai couldn’t help the look of confusion that crossed his features. “High what now?” He was concerned what that might mean for him, and the crew he supposed, if some sort of organization commanded this island.
The woman seemed to stand up straighter as she said, “I am a priestess devoted to The Lady of the Sea. High Priestess Cordelia Loire leads our order.” Her gaze shifted back to Eleanora, and she seemed to consider her for a moment. “You must excuse my manners. I was not expecting to see anyone, and was just fetching some water. My name is Isla.” She offered a hint of a smile, “I must say it is a bit unusual for a princess to be shipwrecked here with pirates. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Highness.”
Kai’s brows furrowed as the woman, Isla, finished speaking. She did not seem as spooked by finding out he, and an entire crew that just showed up on her island, were pirates. In fact she seemed rather calm about it. “Unusual for a princess to be with them, but not unusual for pirates to run aground here?”
Isla’s attention turned back to Kai, and she shook her head. “They do not always run aground, but yes, it is not too unusual for pirates to come ashore here. Not a regular occurrence by any means, but it does happen.”
Kai had a hard time believing that. As far as he understood they had been sailing in waters that didn’t have any inhabited islands for a good while. Surely if others had come ashore here it would have been charted. “And you, and your High Priestess, are fine with us being here?”
Isla paused before answering, seeming to consider Kai’s words for a moment. “If they respect our home, our temple. Then yes, we have no quarrel with you. Pirates are indeed people of the sea after all.” She turned back to Eleanora. “And yes, Princess, a group of priestesses stumbled upon your ship early his morning — before sunrise. I believe the rest of the crew, along with the one who calls themselves your captain, is back at the temple.”

[.celestential.]

Eleanora nodded her head in greeting when the woman welcomed her. “I would imagine it’s much less common for a princess to be traveling with a pirate crew under any situation than it is for a pirate crew to happen upon this island,” she pointed out to Kai when he questioned Isla’s statements. Even at the mention of the Lady of the Sea, who Eleanora had heard of in her studies, she still wasn’t familiar with any society like the one they seemed to have stumbled upon. “Would you mind showing us where the rest of the crew is?” she asked. “I’m sure they’re... desparately worried.” As much as she didn’t particularly want to go back to the pirate crew, she did still have the ultimate goal of returning home, and it seemed much more likely that Captain Hall would be able to help her achieve that than the people of this small island. As she stood on her good foot, Eleanora lost her balance slightly and wobbled, reaching out to grab Kai’s arm again to prevent herself from falling.

[Wondering Soul]

Isla nodded to Eleanora, “Yes my lady. A path to the temple lays just beyond these trees,” she gestured behind her, “it is just a matter of knowing where to look.” A small gasp escaped her when Eleanora began to stumble slightly, and her brows furrowed together. “Are you all right, your highness?”
Kai reached to steady Eleanora when she made to grab for his arm, his eyes going down to her feet to make sure she hadn’t injured herself further. “They might also have someone that can help with you ankle.” His voice was low, leaning closer to Eleanora for her to hear. He was always cautious about showing any sort of weakness, even if this Priestess Isla posed little threat. His attention turned back to Isla, “please take us to this temple. I think we could do with some rest, it has been a long day.”
Isla nodded again, “Of course. Right this way.” She turned back towards the tree line and began leading the way.



(Ack, super sorry. Work has been overloading me, and I’ve been a bit overwhelmed.)

[.celestential.]

Eleanora waved away Isla’s concern for her. “I’m fine, I just lost my balance a little bit is all,” she replied, picking up on Kai’s hesitation to tell the priestess about her injury. “Going to the temple would be lovely though.” She held on to Kai’s arm as they followed Isla to the pathway in the trees. She realized as they went that they were in fact on a small path, just one that would be easily missed for someone who didn’t know what to look for. Eleanora did her best to keep pace with Kai and Isla, not wanting to be the reason they had to slow their pace, but it was slightly difficult. She said nothing about it though, and kept going.

Eventually they reached a small clearing, revealing a temple that looked as if it had been standing for centuries. It wasn’t falling apart but it had obviously been worn down by time and the elements. As they approached, Eleanora noticed a water well at the edge of the clearing, and she realized she was extremely thirsty still. She eyed it longingly as they made their way toward the entrance to the temple, but didn’t ask about it as they passed. She’d been taught early on that a princess shouldn’t complain, and that it would be impolite to ask a host for a favor immediately after arriving.

((no worries!

[Wondering Soul]

Kai followed along after Isla, and down a winding overgrown path that eventually opened to what appeared to be the grounds of a time-worn temple. The gray stones of the temple were chipped from weathering, but the towering structure still stood tall nestled on top of a hill.
As they walked closer his attention caught to the grand doors, the ancient wood carved with unusual symbols that eluded to just how old this place was. The carvings were an entirely different sprawling than that he had seen in that strange book they had found in Captain Hall’s cabin. Yet he couldn’t help but compare the two, and he wondered if the carvings were born from the same era. Whenever that was.
Isla led them through the doors, and his eyes were immediately pulled to a statue of a woman that seemed to stand guard in the center of the open room that now greeted them. It stood twice his height easily, and seemed to be carved from the same stone as the rest of the temple. Though, were the temple stone was weathered, the statue was pristine. The face bared unnervingly lifelike features, and Kai had to look away from its face in fear those stone eyes indeed would turn to look at him.
But as he cast his eyes down, any silly thoughts about the statue moving was thrown aside as he laid eyes upon what was draped around its neck. A pendant affixed with an otherworldly beautiful gem.
Isla smiled up at the statue of the woman, “The Lady of the Sea.” She bowed her head at the statue, and muttered something softly under her breath like a prayer.
Kai nodded, “She’s quite the sight.” He turned his eyes to the open chamber around them, and noticed the jumble of people around them in robes that matched Isla’s. His gaze snagged on a few out of place people gathered off to the side, with a burly man standing taller than the rest. The aging man’s mop of dark hair, that seemed to be graying by the day, was easily seen as he stood with the group.
Kai couldn’t help the ghost of a smile that tugged at his lips, he never thought he’d be relieved to see the old man.
He gently elbowed Eleanora to get her attention and pointed in the direction of the oddly placed people gathered apart from the temple’s acolytes, “I think that’s Sam over there — the Quartermaster.”

[.celestential.]

Eleanora was about to give in and open her mouth to ask for some water when they entered the building, and the statue drew her eyes. The sight of the statue caused all other thoughts to leave her mind for a moment. The lady seemed to command the attention of the entire room, regardless of the fact that she was made of stone, and unable to do anything but stand there unmoving. Eleanora would have stood there much longer, studying the woman's regal face, but her attention was turned to Kai as he nudged her. She looked over to where he was indicating, and indeed saw the Quartermaster standing there, amongst other individuals she assumed were also from the ship. She glanced at him with dislike, then turned back to Kai. "I suppose we should go and speak to him," she said flatly, with little emotion to her words. Despite the fact that they were no longer alone on a strange island, Eleanora could have done without seeing that man again.

((i am so so sorry, my school life has been super crazy, i havent had time to do pretty much anything besides school and work and sleep