Private Tales No Wading Around

[Lamirose]

Lami smiled. Perhaps it was not entirely hopeless. Or perhaps Rook was just a genuinely nice, oblivious guy. What were the chances?

"I'm glad you care about me enough that you don't want me to die," she replied, only after speaking it she realized it sounded rather foolish.

"I care about you too, you know," she added, in a softer voice. She felt odd treading water while Rook floated on his back pretending he wasn't embarrassed, but she was going to spend a few days with him, and it would be even more awkward and foolish if she felt uncomfortable around him. Might as well get it out of the way now.

Rook

 

[Rook]

The young man floated. Adrift in the sea.... Well more lagoon or coral cove or whatever this kind of spot was called. Rook never did remember all the names the sailors used for things. More interested in the ship and tools rather than all the terms for land and water and air. Should have paid more attention and he might not embarrass himself like he did thinking Lami of all people was drowning....

He appreciated that she also cared though.

"Thank you Lami.... Don't get enough of that back in the Shallows. Sure my house mates care, but not a lot of people outside them.... Warren does. In a general way. He cares for all his regulars and workers. Most don't. Place is dangerous. Kill your heart sooner than kill you."

Rook didn't know what all to really say. Felt like a good time to just rant a bit. Already looked bad. Couldn't look worse but he sure felt like giving it a try. The oysters and coral wasn't going anywhere. He was as the current moved him slowly about but not what they had come for.

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lami watched Rook bemusedly as he ranted. She had noticed that when he was nervous or felt awkward he ranted about nothing in particular. She thought it was endearing. When he stopped speaking, she was silent for a moment.

"So how exactly do you go about getting the oysters?" she asked finally, genuinely curious. She was plenty good at swimming and navigating treacherous waters but those were the ways of Kivren. She was still clueless to most of the lander ways.

Though she had to admit, she knew a good deal more about them now then she had a year ago, before she'd thought was in love and before she'd almost had a daughter.

Rook

 

[Rook]

When Lami asked about the oysters, Rook got a little curious what Kivren ate and did out in the seas. Sure there was all the tales of them singing on or near rocks to crash boats into them so they could feast on the sailors and passengers aboard. But what did they do with the stuff? Did they have like hidden treasure coves in underwater caves? Did they just let it sink to the depths and get covered by sand once they hit the bottom? Did they make things for themselves out of stuff like coral and shells the way people on land did?

His mind pondered these deep mysteries for a moment and distracted him from his own shame. But it all returned as he reminded himself he had a job here and needed to answer her question. She may or may not know what to do and might be testing him to see if he did. Best solution was just to say something.

"Two methods. One is more dependent on the tides. Can dive under the water and look for them on the coral and floor. Harder to get them that way since you need hold your breath for long but can do it whenever and for however long you.... Which you can breath underwater so easiest for you.... The other way is to wait till low tide and if the water recedes enough then go out into the pools and wet sands to look for them closed up tight or look for little holes with water bubbling out where they buried themselves. Easier method but can only go about it for as long as the low tide holds."

This was the method for collecting any shellfish really. Dive or wait for low tide. Crabs, lobsters, clams, snails. All of them found using one of the two methods. Was how it was always done and wasn't about the change.

Lamirose