Rope the South wind; Canvas the Stars

[coldsong]

There is an ocean in the Nexus--at least one, maybe many--that comes and goes. It has been seen frozen over in the winter, laced with sand and amusements in the summer. Sometimes it's within sight of the Plaza, but more often one has to seek it out in the Wilds, tracking it by the cry of the gulls.

Today, it's close enough to smell the salt-spray.

No one is called, no one is compelled to wander closer, but should the adventurous depart the main Plaza and follow a pebbled path through long grass and winding trees, they will come to a place where the ground rises into a gentle dune, then drops into an expanse of sand and rock sketching out a sort of cove. Indigo water laps the shore there, low waves splashing froth onto the shore. And in the water there is something that could be called a ship, if a ship could be made of ice and bone; if a ship could be strange and hard to look at, if it could stretch up so tall toward the sky it seemed eldritch and unbalanced.

The prow is sharp as a blade, and when the wind sings in the ropes, the noise is high and sweet, like siren song.

Loki is on the shore, and his children are with him. Agnarr and Una are playing in the sand together, the elder stacking rocks and building castles for the younger to knock down. Sigrid and Eindrid, though, are on the Ship itself. A casual observer can see the form of Loki up there with them, guiding them gently as they explore, but he is also below, seated on a heap of driftwood to observe his other two children. Bilocating.

He glances up and nods at whoever wanders close, polite, if protective of the kids.

"Do you believe in birthright?" he asks. "Something beyond the gift of existence itself, to which a person is entitled just by entering the world?"


((ooc: Just to warn, my tags will be VERY slow!))

Comments

[coldsong]

"Adia." The greeting is calm and not overly sentimental, but something about the brightness in his smile suggests he's particularly happy to run into her. "Norns, it's been a while. When did you see the children last? No, you're not interrupting at all."

It has been a while, and the children smile at her but most of them seem a bit shy. Except for Una, who doesn't know what shy means, and comes running over with a handful of seashells to show off. "Hi hi! I found a starfish, look!!"

"Don't shout at Adia, älskling," Loki says. "She can hear you just fine with your normal voice."

He leaves a moment to let Adia look at the tiny purple sea-star she's being shown, smoothing his daughter's hair, and then nods. "That is not one I had thought of, but yes. I like that birthright. Love, and self-determination."

[chiron_survivor]

"I, um... I don't think I ever met any of them formally," Adia admits. She doesn't have time to feel guilty about that, however, as Una is running up to her with her bounty of seashells. Adia smiles at her warmly, charmed by the girl's enthusiasm.

"Oh, wow, that's a really cool sea star! I don't think I've seen a purple one before." Loki's comment gets a soft laugh and an easy wave of her hand. Volume control is always optional with children, and she's used to it while babysitting her godson and niece. "You're Una, right? I'm Adia."

Her gaze returns to Loki, still a little shy, but more comfortable than before. "I'm glad you approve," she says sincerely. She nods her head towards the ship. "Is that how you came back? Can I ask what kind of ship that is?"

[coldsong]

Guilt is hardly needed; Loki can't recall if they've ever met, either, though he's positive she at least knew they existed. He's also not sure who Thor has introduced them to at this point. The last year has been disruptive, indeed.

"Oh dear," he smiles. "Well, yes, you're speaking with Una. The older boy is Agnarr, and the two on the ship with my duplicate are Eindrid and Sigrid. I'll bring them down in a bit, I think. They're certainly not setting sail today."

"There are a bunch in the tidepools!" Una says. "And slugs, too. Lots of little slugs with bunny ears, but I'm not allowed to pick them up."

"One of them swore at me," Loki tells Adia. "I think they're more sapient than your usual sea life. But the starfish seem safe enough."

Anyway! "The ship is called Naglfar. Yes, it's how I returned to the Nexus this time. It was built by Sigrid and Eindrid's mother, with their father's help, in Hel. It was loaned to me for the battle with the Black Order, but it belongs to them now."

[chiron_survivor]

Thor and Harley both had told Adia about Loki's children. Based on their descriptions, it wasn't too hard to guess which one is Una. She looks over at the other children, attaching names to faces and smiling at them all warmly, but without any sort of patronizing over-familiarity, even though she'd like to get to know them all.

"Oh, sea slugs. They're really cute. We have those where I'm from." Not ones that swear, though. Loki's aside makes her laugh unexpectedly. "Probably, if they can do that. There are sea slug pokémon, too. They're the size of a large dog, though, I don't know if you'd find them around here."

Adia's gaze is drawn back to the boat while Loki explains, her expression sobering. A ship that sails through the land of the dead is something special, indeed. The fact that it belongs to Sigrid and Eindrid draws her thoughts briefly to Loki's initial question about birthrights. "Well, it's beautiful. And eerie. I feel like I shouldn't be able to even look at it, but I'm also grateful it brought you back to the Nexus."

[coldsong]

"If you see sea slug pokemon the size of a dog, you are not to pick those up, either," Loki quickly tells Una. It was probably a necessary warning, given the glint in her eyes, but she only pouts for a moment. And then giggles.

"See slugs, sea slugs, see the sea slugs!" she chants happily.

"You have seen several sea slugs," Loki puts in archly.

"Several slippery slimy sea slugs!" Someone has invented a new song. She takes off running as if the excitement is simply too much to stand still for, and goes to yell at Agnarr about slippery slimy sea slugs. The smile on Loki's face could be placed in an encyclopedia as an illustration of the feeling of paternal affection.

It takes him a moment to get back to the ship, but he nods at Adia again at length, feeling complimented. "Outside the Nexus, it's possible it would be even more chilling to look at. I don't really know. But I'm glad I was able to bring it back for the children."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia watches Una run off, a smile on her face, as well. There must be something universal about children and the beach, at least the ones who like catching little marine mammals and making up songs about them. She swears she's witnessed the same scene several times over on the shore of Atlantis. "She really likes animals, huh?" she remarks as her gaze returns to Loki. Parenthood suits him, she decides. Much more than any other deity whose path she's crossed.

Her comments on the ship were meant as a compliment, but spoken from the heart, as well. She simply isn't capable of being insincere. "You'll keep it docked here for now, I guess? I don't even know if the Nexus has proper docks, but I don't do a lot of exploring anymore. Blaze would probably know, or maybe Lucifer."