#couldn't resist the dolphin trip tho

[mintharaestermont]

closed starter for @rhaena--velaryon setting : aboard a ship in the narrow sea, somewhere off the coast of driftmark

the moment notice had come from driftmark that a ship would be waiting for her, with rhaena velaryon on it, minty had not hesitated to shove her feet into her boots, and get herself down to the docks as fast as her feet could carry her. it was an excuse to leave the city behind her for the day, but more than that, it was an excuse to be back out on the sea, one of the few places her restless heart felt at ease. all of the children of house estermont had practically learned to walk on the deck of a ship, and though her father was gone, and her brothers and elder sister and mother were far away, it was still a balm to her heart to be out here with rhaena now, one of the few crownlanders that she could truly call a friend.

she was leaning too far over the edge, keeping herself upright with nothing more than one hand curved almost carelessly around a rope, but almost in perfect balance. she had often been described as a tempest, an unmissable ball of energy, but minthara was never clumsy. her balance was perfect as she gazed down at the waters, indigo eyes scanning the rolling waves for signs of movement as the sea breeze tugged at her braids, the ornamentation that hung from them jangling lightly as they blew about her face.

"i don't see any dolphins," she pointed out, exaggerated sigh leaving her lips. "you sure your sailors got it right? it wasn't some freakishly large haddock or something?" she glanced over her shoulder at rhaena, the glow of the afternoon sun casting warmth into her features. "i swear, rhaena, if a pod of dolphins doesn't jump out the water doing backflips, waving their little flippers and winking at me, i'm going to go home so disappointed tonight."

she grinned then, her gaze returning back to the sea. her grip on the rope tightened, and she hauled herself up a little, touching the ship only by the barest brush of her tiptoes now. "maybe it's you," she said, though she was teasing. "heard you were coming out to find them, and it scared them away. all that velaryon blood, rhaena. lords of the tides, and all that. they think you're here to evict them from their home."

her free hand came up to cup her brow, shielding her face from the unforgiving sun. "come on, just one little peek," she was practically begging the waters themselves now - but apparently, something was listening to her. it was just a fin as first, cresting on the waves, before being joined by another, and another. minty let herself drop upon the deck with a thud, and she was pointing at the pod, practiclly beaming with excitement as she grabbed rhaena's wrist in an enthusiastic squeeze.

"over there, look!"