"I'd like to introduce Lady Mio," the pearl glows brightly like a radar, "The foreboding ocean herself."
Thoma sung a little mischievous tune as he bowed respectfully to his one and only Lord. Lord Kamisato Ayato, the man who currently could not take his eyes off the treasured pearl and the woman standing behind Thoma for a second.
Lady Mio Sensha was regarded as the embodiment of the ocean and also a mystery. she who helps lost sailors find their way to the Inazuma shore. she is who calms the tumultuous storms. She who has the will of a tall wave. She hadn't realized that people regarded her as such.
Thoma steps aside much to Lady Mio's surprise.
Her hair was a washed purple color in relaxed waves, pearls inlaid and threaded randomly all throughout her hair. She watched consciously, the look between this regions master and herself. She thought she was good at figuring people out, categorizing them, fitting them as a threat to her and her safety. However, she couldn't understand him. It was like he saw right through her. She couldn't tell if his gaze was threatening or somewhat knowing despite thinking she has yet to have met him up until this point. His brows were furrowed and his eyes lid thinly, but she felt no hatred in his stare.
To think she would get caught by the Kamisato Clan this time. She'd bet her life on not becoming another human delicacy amongst a surging amount of seafood interest in Inazuma.
"If I may intervene, Ayato-dono," Thoma cleared his throat rather loudly, "She is the Kamisato Sailors' savior."
Thankfully, Ayato got the hint and shooed Thoma away. There was another long period of one-sided, comfortable silence. Mio was sure this was the end of the road for her.
"You can speak freely, Lady Mio." He said, trying to distract himself by fixing his sleeves and hiding the pearl. Mio was quite taken aback when she heard his voice. It was rather silky for a human male his age. She had thought that he would've been ten times popular had he'd been a merman with that voice. Though, she didn't doubt his standing among humans either.
She gave a curt nod, "I wouldn't go as far as saying that I saved your sailors, but I appreciate the hospitality I've been shown so far."
"Nonsense, you've been a great help to us. We've been trying to search for the infamous spirit who always save our sailors from the harsh storms." He smiled. Mio's heart would've melted if she wasn't on guard
Beauty is dangerous, she thought to herself, "You guys thought I was a spirit?"
He nodded, saying that sailors would describe such tenacity as a trait that couldn't belong in humans, much less power that could move islands. Vision users were not only being purged in Inazuma, but also nothing like the how Mio was described. Obviously, there was one easy reason for this.
The only difference between the woman in the present and the girl in his memories was that she had legs. "You're a mermaid aren't you, Lady Mio?"
Mio jolted in place, ready to run out of the estate with her legs before Ayato swore to keep it to himself as he had been for years. For years. Mio couldn't quite understand how this was a secret he has known for so long.
"Have we met before?" She asked, abruptly taking a seat on the floor to calm her nerves.
Ayato pondered his next few words over, "Not exactly met. I've seen you before."
"Years ago?" Mio hardly recounts a time where she surfaced, much less in her mermaid form many years ago. Up until just a year ago, she was forbidden from coming to the surface despite the times she'd sneak out against orders. Though it doesn't seem like he was lying either.
Ayato stood from his desk, approaching closer with the pearl he held tenderly with his hands. "This was yours."
she recognized it was her pearl by the glow and color of it. It was a pearl formed by her tears.
Her eyes flashed between the pearl in his hands and his face. She was just surprised that he'd keep it. Humans were greedy and sold pearls for a high price all the time. Wasn't it weirder that he caught her crying in a time that she couldn't remember? There was many questions she wanted to cover, but Ayato was quick and the uptake and called Thoma back in and stowing the pearl away.
"Lady Mio," her named rung with his voice, "I know there must be a lot on your mind, but it would be best to address them over dinner first. Would you mind?"
Comedic timing really had its way with words as a loud lions roar grumbled in her stomach. She stood up from her place in slight embarrassment and nodded. "That would be...lovely."
Kamisato Ayato had finally met the mermaid.
