Wheeling Gull Isle blue flower

He would have been content to slip away unnoticed. To leave these sisters to their reunion, to return to the mainland and journey across the land bridge another day. But when he turned, the bridge had been swept away and replaced with high tide.

Stay. He must stay.

Nerves shivered through him as sharp as the bitter sting of the sea. He swung his head back around, only to find friendliness in the pale woman’s eyes. A welcome, and a name.

Sweetharbour.

Hello. I-I’m Everett, he said, devoid of the formalities of lineage or blood. Just Everett. It was all he needed to be here. He offered her a customary bow. These little things, he couldn’t shake.

Heda addressed the other woman again, but directed herself to both of them. His tongue flashed over his lips and he glanced at the other woman, before saying, ah, well, if you and your husband would have me… was this right? What was he doing? I will, ah, would be honoured. To stay.

The lion had led him here, he reminded himself, and until the lion led him on, this was where he was to be.

And maybe soon, he would find out why.

we can wrap this up & start a new thread since Mercury is taking a break, or we can continue with Manea as NPC, let me know which you’d prefer! I’m good with either ^^