::heaves a sigh::

I know, I know, it's been a helluva long time. Work is still sapping all of my energy and creative ideas, and a couple of nights ago, I was sick as a dog and unable to really get to the computer over the weekend. So, let's see what I can't do right now. Rhia yawned as she headed up onto the deck of the Obsidian Seas. Three weeks onboard her cousin's ship, and she was already getting used to the sea-faring life. She gave a bright smile to the men working that morning and waved to them. They had come to see her as a bit of a mascot, a good luck charm, something rather backwards from the usual 'women are a curse on a ship' notion. Of course, Jason pretty much dashed that thought from their minds anyway, as his and their wives lived on the ship as well, along with their children. They were rarely in the port of any of their hometown's for more than a couple of days a year, and Jason believed too strongly in family to let the crew be seperated from them. Rhia knew in her heart what that was about, but the actual reason wasn't important to the men, or their families. She made her way to the bow of the ship, looking up into the sky as a shadow passed over her. Her smile softened as she gazed up at the angel that glided on the wind overhead. Being as safe as she was, Guardian felt it unnecessary to stay at her side at all times, and so he was rarely at the ship, only returning for about half an hour for sunrise, and half an hour for sunset. The sun was about to rise now, the moon's light becoming weak as the horizon to the east began to glow with twilight. She saw him glance down to the deck and she gave a little wave. As he descended, she stepped away from the rail, where he made a perch, crouched down before her. She smiled up at him, saying softly, "Good morning." He reached down and gently patted her head. "Yes, it is." Her smile grew to see him happy. She dug into her pocket and pulled from it a comb, the teeth shaped and spaced differently from any other comb. A hint of a smile found the angel's face and he stepped off the rail, sinking to the deck. His arms opened, and Rhia quickly lowered to his lap, getting comfortable. He arched one of his wings around and into her reach, and with the greatest care, she took it into her hands, and began to use the comb, gently preening the day's dirt and dust from his feathers. A thoughtful, pleasured smile found Guardian's face, it obviously feeling pretty good. After a few minutes, his hands lifted to run through her hair, untangling the night's work. With careful attention, he righted each strand so it lay perfectly flat. Then, when he was satisfied it was all in order, he began to carefully divide the hair into even sections, then each section into thirds, and began to braid it. Every morning she would preen his wings, and he would braid her hair, then each evening she would preen them again, and he would take the braids out. They had been doing it for months now, and it had helped them grow much closer to each other. Jason watched from the door of his map room, one arm resting on the doorjam, the other hand perched on his hip. "Adorable, aren't they?" Jason turned to look back, smiling to see his wife, jacket pulled around her thin dress as the morning was chilly. "Yes, I suppose they are." He looked back down at her, eyes thoughtful. "You aren't jealous, are you, dear?" "Me? Of course I am." They both chuckled, Jason's arm wrapping around her waist. "But I am also glad to see her so happy. It is good to know she has not been completely alone all these years."