Submission (#2821) Approved

Submitted

16 October 2021, 18:04:27 PDT (3 years ago)

Processed

2 November 2021, 16:37:32 PDT (3 years ago) by night-class

Comments

Regional Affinity: Ealei
Elnin: https://worldofeyre.com/character/ELN332

Content

"Orris. Hey, Orris. You ever think about where you wanna go for a trip? You ever see the ocean? There's so many good beaches out there. There's Palu'au. And Ealei. Ealei is nice this time of year."

Glancing up from his book, Orris fixed a long-suffering gaze at his traveling companion. The caravan they were riding rattled along the twisting road. Still, no, he'd never seen the beach, and he'd certainly never been as far as Ealei. He often did wonder about it.

Foxglove continued to chatter about goodness only knew what, and Orris flipped through his field guide, pausing on watercolor depictions of local Ealei flora. Gazing off into the distance, he let his mind wander...

The boat Orris was riding glided through the open water like silk. A gust of cold wind blasted across the deck, billowing the bright scarlet sails for a sudden gain of speed. Orris shook his mane tuft out of his eyes, grinning all the while.

Far and away he imagined sailing a much more pleasant experience than the rough jostling he'd received from the caravan moments before. No road rocks or path potholes to get caught by. Just warm sun and cool wind and miles of open sea to traverse.

The midnight blue of the depths gave way to bright crystal waters. Sea birds gathered and cried overhead, some taking rest on boulders jutting out of the sea. Orris spotted wispy moss and slimy algae growing on the rock surfaces. What he wouldn't give for a closer look.

The first mate spilled wind from the sails, letting the vessel coast toward shore at slower speed. The captain rang a small bell, waving at another passing red-sailed boat headed further out to sea.

Orris leaned over the side of the deck, catching a glimpse of feathery aquatic ferns and long strands of seaweed dancing among vibrant coral. A few metallic minnows dared to surface, nibbling at near invisible bugs before darting back to their schools and out of reach.

What he'd hoped most to see on his venture were Mangrove Orchids. A rare but beloved sight in the Faerindell orchid trade, they were an unusual golden-white blossom with a scent like spun sugar. They'd be a delight to find in the wild, anchored to their mangrove hosts.

This close to shore, that mangrove host would almost certainly be the Scarlet Mangrove. As the knotted cluster of tree roots and weathered rocks that made up Ealei's shoreline drifted closer to view, Orris spotted the mangroves with ease.

Known to some locals as Bloodtangle, the bright red prop roots that gave the trees their nickname gnarled and tangled on themselves, twisting above and below both air and sea. A lush crown of green leaves made for striking contrast. Sadly, no orchids that he could see.

Maybe once they reached shore, he could get a closer glance...

"...hey! Orris, are you even listening?"

Unceremoniously dropped from his happy daydream of elusive orchids and tropical foliage, Orris sputtered a moment, giving Foxglove a flustered look. "Yeah, I'm listening. We were talking about Ealei."

Bright blue eyes shot Orris a skeptical glare. Rather than kick up a fuss at him, Foxglove leaned in close, almost menacingly, before looming over his open field guide. An oversized lavender ear twitched, flicking Orris on the nose.

"Orchids? Really? Gosh, Orris, you are such a nerd."

Foxglove flounced from the caravan bunk, hunting for another victim to chatter their ears off. Orris sniffed, rubbing his nose more out of wounded pride than any real hurt. A nerd, huh? Took one to know one...