adelphoi | (no subject)

[ it's warm, in yanxia.

more than that, it is humid. the summer air hangs thick with suffocating moisture and there is nary a breeze to offer even a sliver of comfort, most especially in the house of the fierce, buried beneath the ground in cavern and stone. it's cooler down here than it is on the surface, but only by a margin, and the humidity is nigh unbearable. it isn't until alisaie realizes that she has read this very same sentence five times in a row without absorbing a shred of it that she finally relents and sits back with a heavy sigh, drawing her knuckles along her sweating brow. her hair is sticking to her skin, her clothing feels damp and tacky - ugh, this is intolerable.

closing the tome with a snap, alisaie climbs to her feet, her entire body feeling sluggish and heavy beneath the oppressive heat and humidity. alphinaud is not hard to find, of course, the house of the fierce is not very large, and that shock of pale hair would be recognizable anywhere. with heavy, dragging footsteps she meanders up behind him, leaning to peer over his shoulder. ]

Whatever you are doing, it is less important than coming out with me. I cannot take one more moment languishing in this bowl of soup.

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[ While Alphinaud prefers heat over the cold, he doesn't like it to be this extreme. Especially now that his clothing is more suited towards cold weather — will he ever catch a break with this?

He very clearly hears her footsteps coming up behind him, and the manner in which she's dragging her feet, and thus he mentally takes a note of where he is in his book before she even reaches him. He's sure this conversation will only end in him being pulled away from it.

And her words justify that thought, as he smiles and closes his book after he's heard her piece. ]

'Twould seem we are of one mind. This attire was far more suited to the climate of Coerthas, sadly.

[ alphinaud is not always so amenable to her plans, when they interrupt important work, but the heat is enough, it seems, to have softened even his stalwart resolve. in truth, however, there would be no need to remain, with this level of heat it is all but impossible to concentrate on anything but your own discomfort, anyway.

alisaie breaks immediately into a broad smile. ]

Mayhaps you would be more comfortable if you removed that heavy coat.

[ it's not like he's naked under it, anyway!! alisaie had forgone her own hours ago.. and yet somehow she still feels overheated in her simple light dress. summer is terrible. cold is way better. ]

Nevertheless, I've a grand idea.

[ and she's already turning with a gesture, and ambling toward the exit; keep up, alpeanut!! ]

I fear even that may not help much ... but a fine suggestion it is.

[ To be honest, he'd considered taking it off a while ago, but he feels it adds to his Look ... Though that doesn't feel all that important anymore considering how downright hot he feels in it. So he moves to remove his coat, as he continues on with the conversation, carefully removing his gloves and such before moving on to his coat (and of course laying them down gingerly so as to not wrinkle them or anything!!) ]

And what might this grand idea be, pray tell.

[ He's interested. ]

[ it has to offer at least some relief - especially those gloves, gods. how has he worn them without combusting? alisaie waits patiently while he carefully folds his things, frowning thoughtfully. he's certainly not going to like her answer.. ]

You are going to learn to swim properly.

[ or at least.. better than he can, now. well enough that she can trust him not to drown should he be knocked off of a boat. and what better time to learn than a day like this? ]

There's a stream not far from here that suits our needs perfectly.

[ It definitely offers him relief. He really should have just gave in and did this before, but there's no changing the past, so ... at least he's doing it now. And boy does it feel good.

Though upon hearing what she has to say, he pauses mid-fold in some mild shock. He was definitely not expecting that to be her plan for the day. ]

Pardon? Mayhap I misheard you, though I could have sworn you said I was going to learn to swim. Surely I am mistaken.

[ He knows he's not and he knows there's nothing else that her words could've been. But he can dream, okay. ]

[ ah, he is trying so hard.. but no, there is no escape. poor alphinaud is doomed. but as far as she sees it, it is for his own good! he's a bloody scion of the seventh dawn, he should be able to swim, for heavens' sake. what if he were needed at the ruby sea? what if an enemy knocked him off of a ship? how ignominious an end drowning would be for a son of house leveilleur. she has been hoping for an opportunity for this for quite awhile.

and the day or reckoning has come. ]

That is exactly what I said, dear brother, you need not play deaf.

[ and, a little more gently - ]

You need not worry, either, I am hardly going to plunge you into a bottomless chasm.

Ah, how ... reassuring. [ That's half sarcasm. He's glad she doesn't have any plans to push him into a chasm, but also bottomless chasms aren't the only thing capable of killing a boy who can't swim. Any water deeper than his head is capable!!

Still, seeing as he hasn't learned to swim by now, he has his doubts about how this whole endeavor is going to go. ]

How exactly do you intend to go about this?

[ He's not sure how good his sister will be as a swimming coach. ]

[ wow, have faith!! ]

I suppose we will find out soon enough.

[ she has never taught anything like swimming to anyone before, but it can't be that difficult. he looks uncertain, but she'd certainly expected that much; he's simply going to have to find a way past it. who knows, maybe he will even end up having fun. ]

Come on, then.

[ /beckon ]

[ "We will find out soon enough" is not the answer he was hoping for — at least have some plan, even if it's vague! But fine, okay, he knows he's not going to get out of this, and so, with a sigh, he gets to his feet. ] Aye, aye.

Lead on, dear sister.

[ He says that in an almost defeated fashion. At least she's aware he's not looking forward to this!! At the very least, he thinks he could benefit from splashing some water on himself to defeat the heat a little. The rest of this trip, however, he could do without. ]

[ at least he has accepted the inevitability of his fate.

with a beaming smile she's certain will be reassuring, alisaie turns to do just that - lead the way. luckily it is not a far walk, just a brief stroll north to the small ponds to the south of prism lake, perfectly suited to their needs, deep enough to swim in, but not so much to frighten the daylights out of him, the water clear enough to easily see the bottom. at its deepest point the biggest pond is likely no more than.. oh, five and a half fulms or so.

so no crying, peanut. seating herself atop a smooth boulder, alisaie leans to tug off her boots. ]

Gods, that water looks exquisite.

[ it's probably so nice and cool.. ]

[ He's not as frightened as he'd be if she'd brought him to a raging river or a deep chasm, but he's still not calm about the prospect of jumping into the water. And he looks over at her as she speaks and tugs off her boots, before looking over at the water and putting a hand to his chin in thought. ]

Aye, a suitable gravesite, I should think.

[ This is obviously sarcasm, because he can't help but make some sort of comment to that. The water is pretty, sure, and he's sure it'd feel good on his body, but not in the way she hopes for him to use it. Simple splashes would be nice and all he'd need. ]

[ alisaie rolls her eyes, but she's smiling all the while. ah, the dramatics! ]

Should you drown, you can be sure that I shall give you a proper sendoff.

[ she'll even keep it a secret that you drowned in a tiny little pool, to preserve your dignity. anyway, setting her boots aside, alisaie sweeps her dress overhead and tosses it onto the boulder in a heap, all wrinkled and unfolded. it'll be fine. but gods, it feels good to be rid of it, and she exhales in satisfaction and wades into the edge of the pond, the cool water lapping at her ankles. ]

You have my thanks.

[ Thanks for the sendoff, sis. But gosh, she's being so casual about this whole thing. Meanwhile, Alphinaud is still visibly a bit unnerved by the whole subject, and instead of pushing the situation along, he instead stands there quietly, crossing his arms and watching her wade into the water idly. Maybe she'll forget why she brought him here and just swim by herself.

Switching his gaze a few times to the deeper area of the water, as if to steel himself for it or inspect it.

Why this. ]