#tricking myself into it with cute lovable critters!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

quilloftheclouds · 5 years

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Magic isn’t real, so neither are sea witches. It’s all just made up, a sailor’s tale. Curses? They only exist in stories to add a false meaning to unfortunate coincidences.

... Right?

Colin’s Curse - 1,184 word excerpt from One Siren’s Soul

My gaze shot down to the floorboards, but I couldn’t help but glance up as I heard the rustling of fabric and clink of something metal ring across the ground. A little disc of new copper rolled past me. I returned my attention to the sea witch in confusion.

She stood flattened against the wall, her eyes wide. I cocked my head. Why was she looking at me like that? Was she scared?

My hair was tickling my face. Slipped from its tie, probably. Blinking, I found myself upside down on the floor of the ship’s cabin, daylight flooding in through the porthole above a wooden desk. Huh. Since when do I sleep in an officer’s quarters?

I rolled over, stretching forward with a great yawn to cast off the lingering feelings of sleep. Sitting up, I scanned the cabin for answers, completely lost on what had happened.

Something was on the desk, but my limbs were too heavy to get up to see what it was. Little grains of what looked like salt were scattered over the floor towards the door, ending in a mess of overturned dishes and cutlery from the platter I had brought down. The spill of food stains on the wood made me grimace. Ah, now I remembered. But I didn’t remember the pile of dark pelts in the corner.

...Wait.

The pile moved?

I spooked back as it released a disgruntled breath, a hand appearing from within the swath of fur to push back a hood. Oh. It was the sea witch.

The woman held the hand to her head, wincing as she hesitantly opened her eyes. I had forgotten how vividly green her irises were. They caught the light like rich emeralds, carrying depths unknown by all but herself.

I realized I was staring. And then she realized I was staring.

She stood flattened against the wall, her eyes wide. I cocked my head. Why was she looking at me like that? Was she scared?

“A-are you alright? You…” I trailed off, squinting. My words had been masked by what sounded like the soft whining… of a dog? Dogs weren’t allowed on board. Did the sea witch smuggle one on? The woman’s expression had changed to one of heavy concern and… regret? I shook my head, trying again, louder: “You don’t look--... Did you bring an animal on b--” There it was again. The dog had started barking now, drowning me out.

I shifted my jaw, annoyed. Checking over the cabin didn’t reveal any dogs. So where was--

… There it was. It was hiding behind me. It couldn’t hide its tail from me, especially when the brown and white tipped fluff started wagging. Dogs were so dumb sometimes. That’s what made them so lovable.

But the tail disappeared from sight as I turned to catch it. The critter was following my movements! This was a smart dog.

I darted after it, but the darned thing was too fast! I stopped in my spinning as I heard a soft chuckle from across the room. Ah. I had forgotten the sea witch was still there.

Her laugh sounded… odd. As if she couldn’t make a noise except for breathing slightly differently. It was kind of cute.

Colin, not the time. Especially not with someone that could put a hex on you at any moment. I filled my chest, sitting up straight.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but could you… explain why there’s a dog here?” I narrowed my eyes, my voice raising to try and outmatch the dog. “And why it’s trying to block out all my words with its bar--” The sea witch had dashed forwards, one hand clamping my mouth shut as she raised her index finger to her mouth. Quiet.

Oh, okay. I can do quiet.

She creased her brows as she parted her cloak, revealing a line of leather pockets at her waist. From one of these she withdrew a sprig of some kind of dried plant with yellow flowers. I crinkled my nose at the strong smell, wincing as she tapped the plant just between my eyes. I could have sworn a green mist formed within the flowers as she blew through them, their petals carrying a soft glow that faded gently. A trick of the light, more likely. She returned the sprig to her pocket, pressing her finger to her lips once again as she released me, swirling her other hand in a gesture to continue. Just… quietly.

“... O-... kay… What was that for?” I could still hear the dog’s growl, but it was softer now, holding the same bewilderment I felt.

The sea witch made a sign to wait as she reached for something from the largest pouch at her side. She brought forth a small leatherbound journal and a fancy black and brass pen, the gemstone set into one end the same hue as her eyes.

She opened the book to a blank page, using the pen to write across it. She tilted the page down so I could see.

Holy hell her handwriting was fancy. The dark green ink was clear and comprehensive despite the swirling loops and lining accessories, too. Nothing like that chicken scratch all the sailors had.

It was still difficult for me to read, though. I never did have the easiest time with literature. Sailors at my rank didn’t have any need for reading.

‘So I could understand you,’ the message said, short and to the point, but slow to read nonetheless.

“So you could… But, do you not speak English? J-je peux parler français, aussi, si...” Wait, no, you just wrote in English... She shook her head, her gaze shifting away. She looked… guilty. Pitying. I blinked, still befuddled. But there were more important questions to be answered.

“Is… is there a dog in here? Did you smuggle a dog on board?”

‘Yes, and no.’ I huffed, unamused. She made as if to write something else, but paused to reconsider. I looked on in curiosity as she stood, lifting a small, bronze plate from her desk to return with it. She hesitated, her movements stiff. Apprehensive.

She drew a breath, and, sighing, flipped up the plate to face me, its shiny surface like a mirror.

It showed a dog. Its medium length coat was dark brown and white, its perked ears furred and fluffy, flopping as the creature cocked its head. As I cocked my head.

This dog had a good eye for predicting movemen--

… Eyes. The dog’s eyes matched my own. Maybe that wouldn’t be so weird for someone else, but mine were different colours. My left was a dark brown, while my right was a far lighter hazel--a pattern matched by the reverse reflection in the bronze.

Those eyes were wide when I looked to the sea witch. She gave me a gentle expression, setting the plate down to raise her open journal.

‘It was accidental.’

I didn’t respond, frozen. The woman avoided my gaze, writing again, after a long while of nothing. She paused partway through with a bit lip, her pen hovering motionless above the paper, before she continued.

‘I can reverse this.’ And then a line down, ‘I require more materials, but I can.’

Denial’s a hell of a drug, mate. (That, and Colin’s obliviousness.)

Anyways, this is a pretty important scene for context for future excerpts I might post, so don’t be surprised if I reblog it more than a few times!

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