#L'tohk Rhoto

[sliptohk]

Prompt #24: Beam

It was only fitting that Tohk had stolen the ship she now sailed. She held no fear of the Sisters, nor any other form of authority about Limsa, as the victims were simple bandits that saw no protection from the Accords the Seeker abided by to the letter. Certainly never the spirit. When a child's whole life is spent among pirates it should hardly surprise people that one clung to those old habits, even if they were forced to adjust ever so slightly to the laws she had bound herself to by oath.

Seasons spent up among the rigging brought a faint twitch of her lip, nearly ruining the impassive mask that had become so much harder to maintain with her wife's influence. It was only the fact that she was unable to go clambor about the rigging herself that drew her look back to its unreadable mien. Her fits were happening less frequently, usually with ample warning to remove herself from the crew's gaze until weakness had passed and she could move freely once more. More than a time or two Shade had been forced to declare the captain too drunk and spirited her back to their cabin until control returned.

Not that the crew would have turned on her. They were good folk, better than her, and freeing them from bondage had earned her their undying loyalty. Throwing those captors so intent on sending them to die in an underground arena certainly helped improved her standing as well.

But it was a little man with a tiny needle that had taken her life from her. She supposed some would cry at the prospect, though it had been a long time since she shed a tear. No matter how many foul medicines or brutally difficult exercises were required, Tohk would feel the heat of the blazing sun on her skin as she swung about the lines without fear of her body betraying her. In time her body would be whole again. And he would be no less dead.

[machinasphere]

☆  Getting them something they need before they ask for it. As Tohk hands her a finely honed long knife before a mission. Every needs more knives.

She hadn’t expected the blade handed to her from a woman still unfamiliar to her, but nor was Tehmi surprised as she took the handle of the knife, turning it carefully in her hands. An ear flicked as she appraised the thing carefully, lips drawn briefly into a thin line.“Y’know I don’t know how t’fight Tohk, right?” And certainly the woman would give Tehmi some gruff, short response. Perhaps even a jab at needing to be taught. The conjurer knew that much of the woman at least. She smiled, tucking the blade into her belt.“Thanks Tohk. I’ll keep it close. Promise.”

[sliptohk]

Prompt #25: Wish

The rhythmic sloshing of long paddles cutting through the water soothed the sailor, a familiar interplay of muscle with each stroke and the clack of wood as they rose from the water to circle forward for another pull back toward her. A comfortable breeze tickled across her face, the tropic heat sending thing rivulets of sweat down her skin as she worked at it rather than opening the sail for a more leisurely approach to that small island escape only one other living soul knew of. And considering she was comfortably seated on the far end of that small vessel, a large umbrella set up to help the Keeper doze comfortably in the shade, there was little concern of an unwanted interruption.

Speaking quietly in her rasping voice, Tohk murmured to the dozing miqo'te, "Soon 'nuff, love."

Once it had served a different purpose. A hideaway for the Dancer's crew to hide plunder they were not yet ready to sell. A collection of small wooden huts built among the swaying trees for the crew to eat, drink, and run wild without fear of ambush for a night or two before sailing back to Limsa Lominsa or off in pursuit of some fat prey to run down. It had fresh water bubbling up from some deep source underground, warm near to the point of unpleasantness, but Tohk had never been much for drinking it in the first place. No game, save some wild birds that nested among the fruit bearing branches, but more than ample supplies of fish if one had the patience to catch them.

The first time the Seeker had brought RC to the island felt a lifetime ago. Newly married, freshly wounded from a brutal battle, and wanting nothing more than to carve out time for themselves amidst the tropical paradise. Saving the best made structure for them, the sailor had gone out and flattened the rest as none of those long-lost inhabitants would ever return to claim one for an evening. A superstitious part of her wondered if that action was what prompted the violent squall that dropped the remaining hut down upon the two of them while they stayed warm beneath a tarpaulin cover.

A brief visit turned into a longer one, but at the very least the two had brought more than enough rum to see them through the days until Tohk had repaired their boat well enough to return to the city once more. It drew that ghost of a smirk to her face at the thought. Rebuilding that hut stronger than before with a design far better suited to the two of them. Her embarrassing flailing in the shallows as her Jet taught her how to do more than simply thrash wildly in deeper waters. A larger part of her than she had expected had come to think that perhaps not finding ample supplies to make that tub seaworthy again would be fine.

At least not until their booze ran thin.

As the prow of the ship raised, grinding up against the soft white sands of the island, the Seeker leapt from side to grip the front and drag it the rest of the way up onto the beach in search of place to tie it down proper. They had brought far more supplies than that first visit, more than enough to see them through quite some time if her knots proved a touch clumsier and looser than normal. She stopped short of hoping for that storm to return as she gently lifted the sleeper from her nest of blankets to carry carefully up to what could finally be rightfully called a cabin.

Laying her out on the soft bed of woven saplings and feather stuffed cushions, she made to move back to the water to begin unloading the rest of their provisions before the firm grip of calloused fingers gripped her wrist.

"Where are ya gettin' off to, Ace?"

Tohk made no effort to resist the insistent tug down beside her, work could wait a bell or two. "Plenny 'appy righ' 'ere."