Selkies' Skins
Installment 26
Chapter 17
Potionry and Watermagic
part three
~~~~*~~~~
Kirsty gazed into the distance, kicking her feet a bit and processing what she had caught of the class. Part of her still tried to figure out what had really happened during choir and why, so that she could actually even begin to answer the questions that she kept seeing in David and Thomas' eyes.
Sunlight streamed around her and glinted on the loch, while the laughter of the others rose up during their playing in the waters. They lapped at her feet soothingly, and her blood was calmer. This was fresh water though, so the traces of the sea goddess were faint, though she felt a stronger connection to the well goddess. Still, she felt Mara's whispers and promptings, the restlessness having stilled somewhat, and hopefully in the next week would be Byron's arrival after his mission, to work on parts of her training he knew. The nightmares were not lessening, but other dreams had begun to come as well.
Maybe if I delve more into her mysteries, she'll calm more. But... Mara scares me, no matter how necessary she is.
A murmur, or so it sounded, at her side drew her somewhat from her thoughts, and the underground passages and deep seas that her mind swam through. She made a soft reply, only a sound to show that she was listening. Well, part of her was, but most of her divided between the sun and the water, and those far off musings. She changed her song slightly, though it turned out to be yet another song wishing a loved one's ship safe passage, and did make an attempt at being fully present, but her preoccupation still devoured her.
Morvan and Morgana had continued trying to bait her, wandering down to the loch behind them and making the usual snide comments. For the most part, so far, she had even kept herself from retaliating against the Lilitu boy when he had talked loudly with his Spiralis cadre (thankfully not his whole House) about how superior humans were to non-human magical beings. She had easily heard them, standing there by the trees just far enough away that if she did do anything, they could claim innocence.
Currently though, she could let that irritation go. Instead, she sat on the dock, dangling her feet in the water, and leaning against David during this respite where the three houses could intermingle. The way that younger students eagerly swam with the loch's Selkies was a balm to her soul, even if some of them had some strange views of what the Selkies did when not being watched, or how many types there were of just Selkies alone, or whether they really were Beings.
The sun still rode in the sky, so though she could swim, she and the Selkies had to be careful of how they acted when near each other. She ran the comb through her hair again, while looking into the water, now watching Ally attempting to play tag with one of the young ones that had come to the swimming area. Kirsty ached for night to fall, so that she could come back without others around, magicfolk or not. She still considered most to be Cowan, or outsider. Thinking on how different she was, both as a waterwitch and as a Selkie, made her restless once again, and she tucked her comb back into her pouch, leaning away from David.
Maybe I think entirely too much. Need to shut my brain up.
"I'm going for a walk."
Thomas looked up from where he was attempting to stalk Ally. "Another?" He then exchanged a look with David, as if asking a question.
Kirsty nodded and got up, not bothering to explain why, as Thomas had more than likely had time to ask David what about her mother was bothering that she'd not shared, probably in their own common room. She could hear the rustling of David's clothes as he got up quicker, then took his hand when he offered it. The young Selkie in the water surfaced, and watched the pair walk off, noting which direction the pair followed the shore. She eventually wandered back toward the underwater village, a flash of silver briefly streaking for the deeps.
Kirsty and David walked until they were nearly off of the castle's grounds, till she found a cove that suited her needs. The pool was deep enough to allow her to come close to shore easily, and there were rocks to hide behind, as well as a decent wall of greenery curtaining the cove off. There were even willows that helped shield the cove itself from view at the castle, yet she could see what was going on in that direction, and others. She whuffed in satisfaction, then plunged into the thickest bushes she could find, assured that she was well sheltered enough from anyone that didn't know her secret.
"And just what are you doing?"
"Changing for a proper swim, what's it sound like? We've got what? An hour left before next class? I am definitely liking this schedule. Potions, lunch and swimtime, and then on to Defense?"
David blushed and turned away from the bushes as she rambled and rattled, even though they were thick enough he had no risk of seeing anything. He pulled out his watch and checked it. "About that." He shook his head.
"Good. I want to see the village during the daytime. I only get to see it at night, and I'm tired of being held back by worrying about what people think. So-" She emerged from the bushes in her red bathing suit, covered carefully from thigh to mid-arm and lower neck so that none of her half-pelt would be visible, resecuring her pouch about her waist. "Still have that crystal the Lady gave you?"
She didn't wait for him to answer, but instead knelt beside the water, pulled out a white clam shell, opened it, and placed a dose of the green paste on her tongue. She grimaced at the taste, wishing she already had her own skin so she'd never have to eat it again. Ever.
"Yes, but I don't have anything appropriate to swim in, in that form."
Kirsty's change took place quickly and painlessly, as what was locked away in her blood activated from the ingredients and magic in the bitter paste. Her legs fused together, and she lengthened. White and silver speckled fur spread from the pelt below her suit to cover her from face to tail tip. Her hair kept its color, but it became thicker, almost tendril-like, and her face became curiously seal-like, including some black whiskers- despite maintaining obvious links to humanity.
The suit felt tight over her fur, and caught a bit, but it was a small price to pay to maintain some dignity and to be able to speak to David without having his back to her all the time. She slipped headfirst into the water and slid out several body lengths, before breaking the surface and fluttering her now much larger blue eyes at him.
"Too bad. I wish you'd get something and start keeping it in your bag like I do. It was nice to swim with you like that."
"I wasn't very good."
Kirsty made a dismissive sound. "I don't care how good you are. I just like being with you." She rolled her eyes as if this were obvious by now.
"Well... I will swim today, but not like that." He then began hiding his belongings to keep them dry, just in case anyone happened this way.
Kirsty grinned, and splashed her tail. "Good! Try and catch me."
They swam to where the waters turned green, and deeper, to where the waters turned so green they were black, and the light above them was wan and dim. Kirsty glanced often at David, to be sure his air was still holding, though she knew he would be monitoring the spell. She was prepared to experiment with the lore though, if his airspell failed, to see how truthful the tales were about their kisses.
They slipped into a forest of nearly kelp-like proportions, which cut off more of the filtered twilight that was the sun. Kirsty conjured a light in her hand, and held it before them as she flipped and slipped her way through, till they could finally see the large rocks at the bottom breaking the surface of the shorter lakeweed beds of the central clearing.
David was falling behind due to her excitement propelling her faster, so she grabbed his hand and pulled him behind, managing not to break the spell somehow. Or if she did, he remedied the situation before she had a chance to notice.
Sunlight streamed around her and glinted on the loch, while the laughter of the others rose up during their playing in the waters. They lapped at her feet soothingly, and her blood was calmer. This was fresh water though, so the traces of the sea goddess were faint, though she felt a stronger connection to the well goddess. Still, she felt Mara's whispers and promptings, the restlessness having stilled somewhat, and hopefully in the next week would be Byron's arrival after his mission, to work on parts of her training he knew. The nightmares were not lessening, but other dreams had begun to come as well.
Maybe if I delve more into her mysteries, she'll calm more. But... Mara scares me, no matter how necessary she is.
A murmur, or so it sounded, at her side drew her somewhat from her thoughts, and the underground passages and deep seas that her mind swam through. She made a soft reply, only a sound to show that she was listening. Well, part of her was, but most of her divided between the sun and the water, and those far off musings. She changed her song slightly, though it turned out to be yet another song wishing a loved one's ship safe passage, and did make an attempt at being fully present, but her preoccupation still devoured her.
Morvan and Morgana had continued trying to bait her, wandering down to the loch behind them and making the usual snide comments. For the most part, so far, she had even kept herself from retaliating against the Lilitu boy when he had talked loudly with his Spiralis cadre (thankfully not his whole House) about how superior humans were to non-human magical beings. She had easily heard them, standing there by the trees just far enough away that if she did do anything, they could claim innocence.
Currently though, she could let that irritation go. Instead, she sat on the dock, dangling her feet in the water, and leaning against David during this respite where the three houses could intermingle. The way that younger students eagerly swam with the loch's Selkies was a balm to her soul, even if some of them had some strange views of what the Selkies did when not being watched, or how many types there were of just Selkies alone, or whether they really were Beings.
The sun still rode in the sky, so though she could swim, she and the Selkies had to be careful of how they acted when near each other. She ran the comb through her hair again, while looking into the water, now watching Ally attempting to play tag with one of the young ones that had come to the swimming area. Kirsty ached for night to fall, so that she could come back without others around, magicfolk or not. She still considered most to be Cowan, or outsider. Thinking on how different she was, both as a waterwitch and as a Selkie, made her restless once again, and she tucked her comb back into her pouch, leaning away from David.
Maybe I think entirely too much. Need to shut my brain up.
"I'm going for a walk."
Thomas looked up from where he was attempting to stalk Ally. "Another?" He then exchanged a look with David, as if asking a question.
Kirsty nodded and got up, not bothering to explain why, as Thomas had more than likely had time to ask David what about her mother was bothering that she'd not shared, probably in their own common room. She could hear the rustling of David's clothes as he got up quicker, then took his hand when he offered it. The young Selkie in the water surfaced, and watched the pair walk off, noting which direction the pair followed the shore. She eventually wandered back toward the underwater village, a flash of silver briefly streaking for the deeps.
Kirsty and David walked until they were nearly off of the castle's grounds, till she found a cove that suited her needs. The pool was deep enough to allow her to come close to shore easily, and there were rocks to hide behind, as well as a decent wall of greenery curtaining the cove off. There were even willows that helped shield the cove itself from view at the castle, yet she could see what was going on in that direction, and others. She whuffed in satisfaction, then plunged into the thickest bushes she could find, assured that she was well sheltered enough from anyone that didn't know her secret.
"And just what are you doing?"
"Changing for a proper swim, what's it sound like? We've got what? An hour left before next class? I am definitely liking this schedule. Potions, lunch and swimtime, and then on to Defense?"
David blushed and turned away from the bushes as she rambled and rattled, even though they were thick enough he had no risk of seeing anything. He pulled out his watch and checked it. "About that." He shook his head.
"Good. I want to see the village during the daytime. I only get to see it at night, and I'm tired of being held back by worrying about what people think. So-" She emerged from the bushes in her red bathing suit, covered carefully from thigh to mid-arm and lower neck so that none of her half-pelt would be visible, resecuring her pouch about her waist. "Still have that crystal the Lady gave you?"
She didn't wait for him to answer, but instead knelt beside the water, pulled out a white clam shell, opened it, and placed a dose of the green paste on her tongue. She grimaced at the taste, wishing she already had her own skin so she'd never have to eat it again. Ever.
"Yes, but I don't have anything appropriate to swim in, in that form."
Kirsty's change took place quickly and painlessly, as what was locked away in her blood activated from the ingredients and magic in the bitter paste. Her legs fused together, and she lengthened. White and silver speckled fur spread from the pelt below her suit to cover her from face to tail tip. Her hair kept its color, but it became thicker, almost tendril-like, and her face became curiously seal-like, including some black whiskers- despite maintaining obvious links to humanity.
The suit felt tight over her fur, and caught a bit, but it was a small price to pay to maintain some dignity and to be able to speak to David without having his back to her all the time. She slipped headfirst into the water and slid out several body lengths, before breaking the surface and fluttering her now much larger blue eyes at him.
"Too bad. I wish you'd get something and start keeping it in your bag like I do. It was nice to swim with you like that."
"I wasn't very good."
Kirsty made a dismissive sound. "I don't care how good you are. I just like being with you." She rolled her eyes as if this were obvious by now.
"Well... I will swim today, but not like that." He then began hiding his belongings to keep them dry, just in case anyone happened this way.
Kirsty grinned, and splashed her tail. "Good! Try and catch me."
They swam to where the waters turned green, and deeper, to where the waters turned so green they were black, and the light above them was wan and dim. Kirsty glanced often at David, to be sure his air was still holding, though she knew he would be monitoring the spell. She was prepared to experiment with the lore though, if his airspell failed, to see how truthful the tales were about their kisses.
They slipped into a forest of nearly kelp-like proportions, which cut off more of the filtered twilight that was the sun. Kirsty conjured a light in her hand, and held it before them as she flipped and slipped her way through, till they could finally see the large rocks at the bottom breaking the surface of the shorter lakeweed beds of the central clearing.
David was falling behind due to her excitement propelling her faster, so she grabbed his hand and pulled him behind, managing not to break the spell somehow. Or if she did, he remedied the situation before she had a chance to notice.
~~~~*~~~~
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Live Journal
Dreamwidth
Copyright 2012 by Teresa Garcia
Like the story? Vote here at Top Web Fiction. Don't forget to check out the other great stories at the Web Fiction Guide.
Got a question? Ask it and maybe the answer will be revealed in the story, or in a comment if not part of the story. Spy a typo? Website code broken? Would you like the episodes to be longer? Please let me know!
There is currently a Kickstarter going to fund other aspects of this project. Feel free to check it out and to watch the video where I explain a bit of the backstory. If you check out the updates, you'll also find links to where you can hear the two latest installment read (and yes it was live at the original location).
Live Journal
Dreamwidth
Copyright 2012 by Teresa Garcia
Like the story? Vote here at Top Web Fiction. Don't forget to check out the other great stories at the Web Fiction Guide.
Got a question? Ask it and maybe the answer will be revealed in the story, or in a comment if not part of the story. Spy a typo? Website code broken? Would you like the episodes to be longer? Please let me know!
There is currently a Kickstarter going to fund other aspects of this project. Feel free to check it out and to watch the video where I explain a bit of the backstory. If you check out the updates, you'll also find links to where you can hear the two latest installment read (and yes it was live at the original location).