World Tree MUSH

    The ship's still at sea, though it'll be about another day before they pull into port and... The sea nymph still hasn't left.
    She could just leap off the side of the boat back into the water at any time she pleases, the captain made sure she had that freedom. But as long as she's aboard she's apparently been given a pretty aqua-colored dress to wear instead of the tattered woven seaweed she had been previously wearing.
    Communication has proven a little difficult since it seems she is, by all accounts, mute. But Lian was able to glean the name 'Emerald Leviathan' in her attempt to read the nymph's mind the day before.
    Currently Leviathan is settled at the ship's bow, seated with her legs swinging over the edge, tail coiled around the railing so she doesn't actually fall with the rocking of the ship.

    The telepathic communication isn't something Lian can do easily, or well; it takes a deep, meditative focus, and even then she can't get much, or hold the connection for very long. Even without that, though, she can pick up on someone's general emotional state, which makes it a bit easier to communicate even when Leviathan can't use her voice. And of course, the Jedi has a great deal of patience, which certainly helps. She's probably one of the best-suited people on the ship to speak with the nymph; and besides, she's taken a liking to the girl.

    So it is that, as the ship sails along, the seer joins her, leaning on the bow beside the aquatic girl. "Enjoying the trip?" she opens, smiling lightly.

    When the seer joins her, vivid scarlet eyes turn to face Lian before Leviathan's head swivels to follow her gaze. Though she looks as placid as a still lake there's always a sense of slight agitation coming from the girl, even as she stares almost serenely. A slow slither of her tail on the railing and she turns herself around, swinging her legs over the edge so that her back is to the water as she folds her hands on her lap.
    "Guh."
    She's not exactly the most vocal conversation partner, answering with a vaguely affirmative grunt. But it seems she's learned a bit from watching the crew when her head dips in a slow nod. But.
    Once again she points off out to the water; in the same direction the ship had come from- the direction of the sea witch's rock formation, even though it's so far out of sight now.

    The Jedi cants her head slightly; not at the nod or the formless reply, but rather at the pointing out over the water. She's thoughtful for a second or two, gauging the nymph's body language, the general state of her emotions, before replying with a curious, "...you're going back, after we reach our port? You've left something there, or searching for something?" She mulls this thought over for a moment. "You're going awfully far out of your way to see us to shore, if that's the case. Thank you."

    Again she nods, slowly, as though testing the new action she's learned to signal the affirmative. She's going back; that much is evident as she lowers her hand but still stares out in the direction of the rocks. And she stares for a long beat before her gaze returns to the jedi.
    Whatever is off in that direction makes the agitation roil inside her in a slow and twisting gnawing feeling that makes her shoulders tense.
    She nods. Again. More emphatically when Lian deduces that she's left something behind, one hand rising to clutch at her throat wordlessly.
    "Mh."

    Lian Kamoya lived nearly five decades of life in a universe where 'magic' as such wasn't a thing. There were those who called the Jedi 'sorcerors', who thought them gifted in magic, but powerful though it is, the Force is not capable of many of the things she's seen since she came to the Tree. She's unfamiliar with the extent of what magic can do, and the rules change from world to world...

    And yet, the nymph clutching at her throat suggests an idea, and with a little nudge from her intuition, the elder Jedi puts it together with the notion that a sea witch lives in that dark place. "...your voice? That sorceress took your ability to speak?" It's not quite agitation, but there's certainly a more serious note to her voice, a hint of sternness. "Well. That would certainly explain why you were willing to brave such a dark place."

    Her voice. This realization comes with a sharp hiss of breath filtering through the girl's teeth as she exhales. Sharp, shark-like, teeth pinch her lower lip gently as her head dips again. Another nod. Lian's hit the nail on the head as to the reason why Leviathan was there in the first place.
    Once again she points to her throat, but then makes another broader gesture at herself as a whole.
    "Guh! Guh!" She adds emphatically, continuing to motion at herself for some reason.

    This one is a bit harder to read, and Lian's brow furrows for a moment. "I'm... not certain I take your meaning." She stands up a little straighter, looking out over the water briefly. "But I can say with certainty, if you intend to try and reclaim your voice, I should be quite happy to help. To put it simply, being a meddling busybody and wandering do-gooder is part of my religion. I would prefer things not come to violence, but if they do, I'm quite prepared."

    Well, without her voice she probably can't get everything across without her words. At least Lian has gathered the general gist of what she's trying to say and Leviathan can live with that, slowly lowering her hands.
    "Khh!" She seems to reply in the affirmative when the jedi offers to 'meddle'. Because the nodding becomes much more emphatic.
    But then there's a pause. An almost hurt look crosses the nymph's features.
    It likely will come to violence.

    While Lian cannot read the exact thought that prompts that pained look, she can gather the gist. The woman has a thoughtful look for a moment, and then turns herself around, sliding up to sit beside Leviathan. She seems to consider her words for a moment, before speaking in the tone of rote.

    "There is no emotion; there is peace."

    Turning to face Leviathan, the Jedi continues, "The first words of the code I live by. My order... you could look at us as warrior-monks. We hold all life sacred, but at the same time, we recognize that the universe is not a kind, gentle place. We would very much prefer conflicts never come to blows, but we recognize that some inevitably will. We make peace with this fact, and seek to end them as quickly and mercifully as we can."

    The woman reaches down to her belt, unhooking the leather-wrapped metal cylinder clipped there. She holds it in her lap, looking at it contemplatively. "Before I was separated from my order, I held high rank. Do you know the title I went by?"

    There's a soft, sad smile. "'Battlemaster.'"

    She at last turns her gaze back to Leviathan. "Don't worry. As much as I would like to resolve it peacefully... I sensed the darkness as we passed through. I'm quite prepared for what may come."

    For a moment; for a long moment, Leviathan stares. Those vivid red eyes locked on Lian, head tilted to a slight and curious angle as the jedi recites a part of her code.
    But she listens. She listens intently. For when one cannot speak, they learn to listen evidently, and they learn to listen well, as Lian recounts her time with her order. Eyelids droop part way as she bites her lip again; an almost guilty look crossing her features before she draws a slow breath and heaves it out in a sigh.
    Her gaze flits to the cylinder- the lightsaber. Whatever she had been feeling a moment before evaporates inatantly, replaced with a brimming and burninc curiosity at first.
    She seems to struggle with herself, where she sits, fidgeting at the sight of it, squirming in her seat.
    She knows she can't just snap it up out of the Battlemaster's hands.
    But her hoarding nature makes her want to so badly.
    "Ghh... Ghghhhghghh..." She grumbles, bringing a palm to her face as she tenses in her seat, covetous feelings roiling off her blatantly to the point where one doesn't need The Force to tell.
    Poor girl wants the shiny.
    Bad.
    It takes her a LONG moment to rally, fidgeting and squirming before she drags her eyes from the leather-bound lightsaber back up, struggling to flash a sheepish smile as she does. Right. Back to the topic at hand.
    If anything, she appears to be less worried than she was a moment ago as she heaves a relieved sounding sigh.

    The reaction is certainly not what Lian expected, and it prompts an amused chuckle from the woman. "Goodness." The weapon is returned to her belt, out of sight. "I had no idea you had such instincts. I do apologize." She folds ther hands in her lap. "Regardless, I look forward to hearing you speak in your own voice. I shall do all in my power to make it happen." Leviathan risked both the sea witch's domain and the distrust of the crew to save a man. As far as Lian's concerned, that makes her more than worth the effort.