Walking at the sunset • OPEN

Cedric was walking in the harbor, observing people and boats; the sun was fading in the horizon and everybody was ready to finally have some rest after a day of work.
He stretched his arms and glanced quickly at the sky; after passing some days in King's Landing, they were finally going back home. After all he missed it, he missed his house, the woods, even the bears! Cedric chuckled to himself, for that aspect he was exactly like Garrett: they could travel and see the world, but return at home was always wonderful.
He smiled and continued his walk, without actually know where to go: Garrett was with their father, arranging their return; something too boring and long for him, so Cedric decided to have a look around and see the city.

There are many things about the beauty of a sunset that she loved, the best was the colours how the sky was painted with so many hues it was how she never got tired of sunsets, each twilight was a new canvas on which gods painted. Down bellow the docks where no sailors watched in the shadows she stayed hugging unto one of the many posts the dark waters of the harbor hiding her lower half which was submerged in the waters her wet vibrant red her clung to her bare upper half cover her as she watched all the ships hearing sailors leave. the tides were coming and while other fled the waters she stayed watching the rays of sunlight starting to disappear. Inspired she hummed softly before letting her voice ring, the sweet eyrie call of a sirens song ringing lowly beneath the docks.

Cedric was walking near the docks, admiring boats and waters. He actually had a little experience with both of them, knowing how to sail a boat and stuffs; but he never really sailed in a place bigger than a lake or less. Maybe that was the real reason he was at the harbor, the idea of sailing in the sea thrilled him, but at the same time scared him. The sea was big, dangerous and most of all it was mysterious. Nobody knew what was under it.
Cedric was lost in all his thoughts when he heard a song, that in a few seconds filled the air. Who was singing? He was sure to be alone, none was around.
"Anyone around?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

The song came to a halt as she heard a voice above her somewhere smirking, was it a lone sailor enjoying the sunset same as her? it made her giddy to think of the possibility. She had played this role a hundred time and it had never gotten old to her, a maiden in distress though she was clever enough to come up with different reasons. Faking a surprised loud gasp she could out in a shaking voice soft and sweet.

"H-h-hello? please sir! I am below! I-I-I beg of you please come to the shores underneath, I... I need some assistance t-t-though t-t-this is quite embarrassing... please hurry!"

putting a bit of shyness into her voice as she made sure her tail was hidden in the dark waters out of sight.

Cedric jumped of surprise hearing someone reply to his question. It was a female voice, for sure even if he couldn't clearly see the girl who had spoke.
Are you in trouble? he asked squinting to see where exactly the girl was. He followed her voice and took a few steps on the shore "What's the matter?"

Arielle stayed hugging on of the dock posts as she waited catching sight of the handsome young man coming unto the shore, faking shyness upon seeing him she turned her face away sinking a little into the water. Even though it was dark it was easy to see that the poor maiden was without garments the only thing covering her was her fiery red hair. Looking back at Cedric she gave a weak nervous smile. She was elated it was a young man and not some old codger she had caught.

"H-h-hello.... Forgive me I was swimming and a s-s-scoundrel has stolen my dress, this is the last time I take upon a dare. If you could be so kind? My house is not far from here, if you were to swim to me I could hide myself against you till we reach my home"

Cedric turned to the water, a young girl with red hair totally naked was calling him from one the dock posts. If some would have told him a story like the one he was having, he wouldn't have believed it. Surely it wasn't a common thing save young maiden in distress.
"You shouldn't have accepted.." Cedric smiled sightly at the girl, she seemed so sweet and well... scared "Stay there. I'm coming."

He gave a quick look first at his right then at his left to see if someone was around. Nobody around. Cedric could already heard Garrett's voice in his head: don't do anything stupid... stay away from troubles... stay where there are other people...
A lot of recommendations that Cedric immediately forgot as he took a few steps in the water.

"Twas my friend Lysa's idea... I shall scold her for goading me into it. You must think the worst of me" she said once again hiding her face behind the pillar as if embaressed or trying not to cry though in truth she was hiding her smile she could feel his footsteps it the water it made her shiver for he was so close.

"I swear tis not often I do such things, im not in truth such a good swimmer" she said peeking back around to look upon him having sunk a little bit down into the water so now it was merely her head and shoulders above the dark water. it seemed true she must be having some struggle for she clung to the pillar tightly. though in truth she only did so to keep herself steady not wishing to spook him. When her sweet voice called out to him beckoning him to her aide. "t-t-thank you, for coming to my rescue"

"Don't worry! It can happen to anyone." Cedric smiled trying to comfort her and to not think at how much the water was cold.
Neither I am... he cursed himself for accepting it in the first place, but he couldn't leave the girl alone in the cold water. Living in a land basically frozen all year it was difficult to learn swimming and the few times he tried Cedric managed to not get drown.  

Cedric continued to walk till it was no more possible, so he started swimming towards her. Luckily she wasn't far away from the shore and in a couple of strokes he had already reached her.
"I couldn't leave you here.." he smiled sightly holding the pillar too "Now... let's go back.."

"oh thank you so much you do not know how much this means to me" she said softly giving him a smile as he was swimming in the water her eyes gleamed. Soon he was so close she could smell him it thrilled her as he was holding unto the pillar she giggled all the scared and pleading gone from the tone of her giggle. And soon at that she sunk under the water her tail uncurling from the post as she moved to swim around him under the water. Looking for the best angle this close now she had no doubts the poor boy would soon learn of her tricks though she doubt he would believe it at first.

It was always best to act fast an she did propelling herself fast like the strike of a shark to try to snag poor cedric by the waist and push him from the post further out and down to the sea waters. If this worked she would have such fun giving the poor boy a story of lifetime.

Cedric was still holding the pillar, waiting for her to return back with him. But when she started to giggle his blood froze, that laugh didn't sound frightened but more frightening!
He turned to the girl, to see her disappear in the water. What was she trying to do?! He moved his look around to see if she was still visible, nothing. Just water.

He tightened his grip on the pillar, unsure about what to do. What if the girl was actually drowning? What if she was trying to kill him?
What if I go back?! Cedric keep cursing himself mentally as he turned to face the shore in the distance ready to swim back, when suddenly something - or someone - grabbed him from the water.
"What...?!"

She moved quickly trying to pull him deep down into the waters below with her coiling her body around like come sort of sea serpent to drag him down. She would let go and uncoil only to try to snag his shoulders, under the waters she was revealed in all her beauty and horror. That opalescent skin now decorated with shinning scales, wide eyes shinning in the water as her red hair floated like blood in the water. A mermaid before him.

Cedric immediately grabbed the pillar, trying to resist and not going down with that thing... that creature. He wouldn't last for long, his hands were wet and the cold water didn't help, sooner or later the creature would have taken him.
After a few tries Cedric let go the pillar, his hands not able to keep the grip, and he followed in the water dragged by that thing. He opened his eyes to see what was taking him: a mermaid! Pale skin, fish tail and hair red like blood. A real mermaid!
He gasped and tried to swim back in the surface.

Ariella could only laugh as the poor man struggled it was always so fun to play with her food, though she was not done with him quite yet. In deeper waters she let him go to breath after all she wanted there to be air left in his lungs when she stole it. Following him to the surface she moved between him and land, clearly not wishing to let him return to the safety of land. her tail only just beneath the surface of the water gleaming as she watch him giggling at the spectacle her voice teasing and mocking now "Awww im sorry did I nearly drown you? come now... don't you want to 'rescue' me" laughing at him before once again dangerously disappearing though this time not for long as she appeared VERY close to him smiling at him "A brave man such as yourself deserves at least a kiss~"

Cedric swam fast to the surface grabbing again the pillar, the mermaid had let him go and followed him, blocking his way to the shore. It was clear like the sun that she was playing with him, like a cat with the mouse.
He observed her, following her movements; she could attack him any time now, at any time she could get bored to play with her 'prey' and any time could be the last.
"You don't know how lucky you have been before, what I would give to be rescued right now!" Even in a situation like that Cedric managed to say something stupid, if his brother would have been there he surely would have gave him a slap for the lame quip. If his brother would have been there Cedric would be save.
Once again she disappeared in the water, making Cedric's hear beat faster. He moved quickly his look around to see the mermaid appear too much close for his taste.
"A kiss?!" he laughed nervously "I bet that your breath smells like rotten fish! Better kiss my brother!" once again he was talking nonsense, but in a situation like that what should he do?

Ariella laughed at him her voice ringing out cruelly as she swam before him "Awwww poor little human~" moving closer to him "I was only trying to play with you, and now you had to go and be so rude.... you should be nicer to the creature who has the power to drown you" chiding him like he was a child before smilling as she sank under the water once again circling him like some damned shark before she brushed his leg with her tail to spook him. Simply playing with him now waiting, the second he let go of the pole was the second she could drag him back down again. Resurfacing she continued her predator like swim around him "Are you sure you do not wish to play nicely?"

Cedric observed the mermaid, shivering every time she disappeared under water. How long would they continue to 'play'? How long till the moment she would drown him?
"I AM playing nicely..." he smiled sarcastically "It's you that I'm not sure..."
If he tried to reach the shore she would drowned him, if he stayed at the pillar she would drowned him, if he tried to fight she would drowned him. Not many options actually.
Might as well to try to reach the shore, at least this time he knew what he was facing. Did he?

Ariella smiled at him as her eyes flashed, with a moments she was diving under to make a sneak attack upon him to kiss his cheek which would sting with a magic. Though kissed or not she swam back from him. Her eyes shined now as a she took a deep breath and her lips parted in an echoing song haunting but the song which started low like a stream grew into the roaring wail of a bellowing river, for the water surged around her and in the distance thunder echoed her call like a response. Giggling she swam near him "to be honest I cannot remember the effects upon a harbor tis appropriate for there was a red sky upon the morning, storms rage out of your sight land man but I feel the quakes in my mother sea" her eyes turning to the town but then back at Cedric "Mmmm your too cute to forget, but I much prefer the hunt, tis a promise I shall follow you human and I shall wait eagerly for the day you step into the waters again.... but best swim fast little human, best run ashore and warn them all. A storm is coming soon, I cannot guarantee my good mood for you if you were caught in its waves hehe" with that she laughed before spring back down into the waters her tail shinning with all its beauty and threatening only to sink into the waters, her red hair shinning under the water as she smiled at him below the water before swimming around once only to swim away as the waters seemed to begin to churn and start hitting the posts and shore harder. Dark clouds starting to consume the horizon.

Cedric stopped swimming when Ariella kissed his cheek, but it was most like someone bit him with a sting. Massaging his cheek he turned to the mermaid who had started to sing. The song soon was accompanied by thunders and black clouds in the sky. At this sight Cedric couldn't help but gasped, what was she doing?!
Moving his look from the sky to the mermaid Cedric saw her disappear in the sea, not before hearing her threat. He observed the water for a few seconds without moving, to be sure that she was really going away. A thunder brought him back to reality. He quickly swam to the shore, laying on the sand and observing the sky. A bit cold and still shocked by the meeting Cedric woke up and ran towards the city. A storm was coming.

Ariella watched the lad swimming to shore only to collapse upon the beach. Her eyes following him all the way into the city till he disappeared from her view. floating in the water softly grinning as she sunk under the waters singing in the darkness her terrible song the waters churned to the melody. There would be a storm today to bring many sailors to her table, in repayment for the one she let get away.... at least for now but her promise rang true one day she will find him again in the sea or unbeknownst to him on land.

(end?)

(( End ^^ ))