Private A Whisper in the Waves

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Find the Song //
// Focus // Reina Daival //

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The Academy on Eshan hadn't been Ayra's home for long, staying during the rallying against the Galactic Empire and their new super weapon. Nerves still ran along the body of the young Echani, still unable to muster the courage to ride out diligently along with the rest of the Jedi. Even among them, and after Master Everest Vale's training, she felt fraudulent amongst such strong warriors.

Doubt never left her mind as the date to mobilise crawled nearer and nearer, like a hand grasping for her throat. The girl would wake in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, lightsaber clenched tightly in her palm. Her breaths fell heavy and panicked as the others sharing her room slept calmly, confidence and solidarity helping strengthen their rest.

Ayra felt alone, fighting with a cowardice that she knew the others didn't hold.

She silently dragged her robe over her figure and exit the domicile, careful not to wake any of the other padawans from their slumber. Just because she couldn't find any peace in sleep didn't mean that they shouldn't. The melancholic figure wandered the halls quietly, her arms clenching herself for comfort as she tried to understand quite why she was feeling this way. She knew she wasn't the most powerful Jedi, of course, Kito had already had to save her life on two occasions.

If the girl was here now then perhaps the Echani wouldn't be as afraid. Part of her was annoyed that her thoughts turned to the K'paur, but mostly she just craved any semblance of comfort. The ability to summon some small courage in order to fight a war that needed to be fought. Perhaps Master Everest Vale was right, maybe she should stick to the backlines of the war to not endanger any of the others.

As she wandered the lowly halls something strange caught Ayra in her steps, a sweetness that lightly caressed her ears. Melancholy exit its stage to allow for curiosity to take the spotlight, a song hanging low on the floor of the temple as the Echani sought its source. The halls were unlit as Ayra moved forward, following the shanty to where it came from, turning corners as she eagerly sought its source.

There it was.

A girl, sat upon the edge of the waterfall that crest the temple. It was a secluded area, safe from the hustle and bustle of masters and knights preparing for war. A calm garden terrace that shied away from the rest of the world. Perhaps that is why the girl had come here, and perhaps that was why Ayra was guided to it. She looked over the girl, silently listening to the song she hummed. The tune took grip of her heart, unsure how it hung so delicately in the girl's grasp. She radiated as she sung, orange hair illuminated by the water in front of her.

She seemed almost an angel sent to lift Ayra away from this, perhaps that was why the Echani was so hesitant to speak.

"Ummm..." The voice came quiet, not breaking the trance of the song. "Hi there, I didn't think anyone else would be awake."

 

[Reina Daival]

Tag: Ayra Lowe

Her gaze was firmly fixed upon her own reflection in the water ahead of herself, listening to the roars of the waterfall that helped to somewhat try and ease her heart. It was like a living replication of her Reina's emotions, rushing and roaring through her mind before settling into a calm ripples. There was far too much on her mind, and very few for her to talk to. Most of those she trusted were busy. With matters far more important than Reina which she had accepted. And so she did what she did best in these cases. When she couldn't get out her frustrations through her fists, she released them through song.

"Oh, the River knows my name tonight. She calls me soft, she calls me low. She takes the rage I cannot fight and drowns it deep down below."

Even before becoming an Ersansyr, Reina was a competent singer. Now? It had far more of a mystical feel to it. Her voice carrying on the wind like a gentle embrace. Carrying her emotions with the breeze, under the assumption there was none to hear her. Loneliness was the only time Reina was truly herself it appeared. With most, she came off as angry, aggressive, a problem waiting to happen. With others, she put on a brave face, acted as if she knew best. But at the root of it all, Reina was terrified. Alone. And only the water could keep her company.

"They say the strong don't ever break, but strength is just a brittle lie. I've seen it crack, I've heard it crack. Look at me and you'll see why..."

Strength. She had been told that she was strong, and that she targeted the weak. That she hurt them. But that was far the opposite for Reina. She was not someone strong preying on the weak. She was someone weak pretending to be strong. Hiding her weaknesses and fears through anger and frustrations as opposed to letting herself be seen.

"I'll sing until the night forgives, for all the pain means the same. This is the song that lives, by the river that knows my name."

At that, Reina let the singing trail off for a moment, returning to a small little hum as she rested her tail amidst the water. The chill biting at her skin yet she did not flinch as her gaze turned off to the Moons above. How she wished she could be as bright as them. Yet her thoughts were brought to a halting stop at the sound of a voice, causing Reina to spin her head round behind herself, her hair flicking around at the same time.

"Oh. I was...of the same thought...Are you okay?"

For a moment, Reina's speech still carried the same melodic tones of her song, whistling through the wind but as she carried on, it slowly came to the "tone" that Reina preferred. It was still ever so slightly song-like, but there was more of a conscious effort to restrain the "siren's song".

"You can sit if you want. I don't bite."

Well. She did. But only when she was fighting people. Either way, Reina swung her tail out of the water to face the Echani,, her tail slowly shifting and morphing in front of the stranger, turning into a pair of...well, human legs. The process causing Reina to break out into a grin. She was getting better at this whole shapeshifting thing she could do now.

Spoiler: OOC Notes

: Means written/typed communication : < Means Sign Language communication >