This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.
Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
A Fortune in the Night
The man was young.
Maybe?
He was young enough and odd-looking under his ragged cloak, having the demeanor of an old man. His skin was dry and he smelled distinctly of sea salt air, Nima felt, and that was saying something for a bunch of pirates who basically lived on the ocean.
"Nima, it's not polite to stare, sweetie."
Nima glanced back at her mother, who beckoned her to come away from the man hunched over peacefully in his chair in the dining hall. She took another look as she found her own spot and couldn't help but continue to glance at him every so often. His hair was grey, yet his face had no lines of age, and he always looked tired like he was weathered and life worn.
Her father, Captain Kai of the Waterbender, wasn't exactly a throw away name in the pirate world, so, it wasn't a wonder they were a little wary when the man had asked for a ride on their ship. But her parents were nice people and he seemed harmless. It wouldn't hurt for a couple days, right?
She was quietly told not to get too close to the man. He hadn't even given him their name. Her mother, being raised a lady - the famous Lady Jinora Gyatso, in fact - always told her never to pester someone for a name if they didn't want to give it. Apparently, it was rude.
But wasn't it weird to have somebody on their ship and they didn't even know the person was? At all?
Guess not, seeing as the man was sitting at their table eating the soup her Uncle Daw had whipped up for their supper. The man ate slowly, Nima observed. Was he sick?
"You have a question, child." said the man passively. His voice was thin and she wasn't sure if he was a young older person or an old younger person at this point.
Nima looked at him, mildly startled, then looked around at the table. She caught her mother's gently disapproving eye and looked down at her food silently.
"Sorry about that." Kai smiled a little at his daughter. "She's just curious."
"It's quite alright," said the man, the tone of a likewise smile in his raspy voice. "It's hard being seven after all."
Kai looked up at the man, frowning slightly. Nima, too, looked. Did her parents tell him how old she was? From the look on her father's face, apparently not. She glanced at her mother as well who'd put down her bowl to look blankly at the man. Her parents traded looks with each other.
Down the table from Nima, her Grandpa Yung also looked slightly puzzled. He opened his mouth to speak, but the man beat him to it.
"I am a seer," said the man. "That is all. Worry not. I have no ill will towards you or any of your children."
The man gestured to Nima and her twin brother and sister in their Uncle Momo and Uncle Imaru's arms. They were only two years old, both being more interested in the food they were being fed than the man sitting on the other side of the table from them. Nima, on the other hand, dropped her spoon in surprise.
"Really?" she asked wondrously. "Does that mean you can predict the future?"
"Yes, young one, I do see the future. Forgive me for not saying so earlier," said the man, shifting in his seat and seemingly talking more to her parents than to her. "We seers are not always welcomed."
Jinora finished her soup, trying to smile at the seer. Nima watched her, wanting to know what the nature behind her mother's smile was. When she looked at her father, he was eyeing the seer with a look of interest. It was a look Nima had seen many times when they were told another ship was in nearby waters and they weren't sure whether or not it might be something to worry about.
"It's alright," Jinora finally said. "You being a seer doesn't really bother us. We have no problem taking you to Yun Ho. We were going that way anyhow."
"It is appreciated," said the man and went back to finishing his soup.
Nima couldn't help it. She looked at the seer for a good moment and then finally was unable to contain herself.
"Can you tell someone's future?" she asked, glancing at her mother who shot her a firm look.
"That is my job."
"No, I mean-"
"Can I tell your future? I'm aware what you mean," he sounded less amused than before. "I do not fancy telling the fortunes of children."
Nima deflated.
"Aww, please?" she pleaded, pouting slightly. "I've always wanted to have my fortune told."
She glanced at her mother who was now looking at her sternly. That is, she'd always wanted to have it told, but neither of her parents ever seemed keen on letting her. There were many festivals she'd gone to, passed by many little shacks, where the occasional seer supposedly lived according to locals, but not once had her parents ever permitted her to even get close to it.
Well, now, here was her chance.
"You will be grateful for my silence later, child," said the seer, returning to his soup.
"But-"
"Nima, that's enough," said her father. "Let the man eat in peace. He's probably tired."
Nima looked at her father, pouting again, but she left it alone.
Not fair.
-:-:-:-
When Kai finally retired to his quarters, Jinora was already there, smiling a little as she scooted over a bit more. He grabbed off his shirt and threw off trousers, slipping on a pair of night pants before sliding into bed next to her. She rolled into his side and he caught her, wrapping an arm around her.
For a moment, they just lay there, listening to the sound of the other's breathing, but Kai could feel the shifting of her chin on his chest and poked her very gently.
"I don't believe he's dangerous," he said.
Jinora moved her head up slightly to get a better look at him.
"I don't think he's dangerous, but… I don't know how I feel about someone being on the ship who claims to be a seer."
"I doubt that he's "claiming" anything. I'm sure he means what he says and what reason would he have to lie? To be honest, I kind of appreciate him not humoring Nima when she asked him to tell her future. That stuff can be dangerous."
She lifted her head up now to look at him.
"You really believe that?" she asked. "That he's a seer?"
"Why not?" he snorted, running an absent hand through her hair. "Seers are very real, Gyatso."
She made a face at him, he made a face back and she stifled a giggle, schooling her expression into something more serious. He grinned at her and kissed her forehead as she tried - and failed - to appear more stern. Of course seers were real. Why would they not be?
"Really, Captain? Seers?"
Kai raised his eyebrows at her.
"Of all the things in the world we've seen. Sirens, witches, magic… hell, you even talked to a siren once. You can't believe in seers?"
"But come on," she said, rolling over more now so they were almost face to face. "Fortunetelling? Predicting the future? I can see a siren and I know they exist, but how do we even know the magic for that even exists?"
"I'm sure most people used to say the same thing about witches. I'm sure a lot still do. I can personally assure them that they're real just like I'm personally assuring you that seers really do tell the future."
"...have you ever had yours told?" she asked slowly.
"...yeah," he said finally, looking at her. "He said he saw good things… and for a long time I thought he was a terrible seer or just a liar."
At that, Jinora smiled a little, leaning up to kiss him.
"Good night, love."
He returned her kiss chastely and leaned his head on top of hers.
"Good night."
-:-:-:-
Opening the door real slowly, Nima crept out of her room and down the hall on the tip of her toes. She just wanted to have her fortune told. That was all. Maybe if she asked the fortune teller one more time he would tell her… technically, she was supposed to have been in bed like everyone else. And she tried! She really tried! But she didn't want to wake up the next morning only to find that she'd slept in and the man had been dropped off at port close to Yun Ho.
First though, she went to the kitchen. Even if he didn't give her a fortune, she wondered if maybe he might be thirsty. Weren't older people always thirsty?
If she didn't get a fortune then at least he would be a little more comfortable in the night. Quickly, she got a cup of water and went back, passing her room. Their ship wasn't as big as others Nima had seen, but she was okay with that. It meant less ground to cover when you needed to get from one end to the other. Her father said their ship was indeed smaller than a lot of other pirate ships, but it was a lot faster than theirs too. Fast, he said, was always better than big when it came to their line of work. Even if the ship was old and small, it was also fast and well-maintained. It was home.
Down the hall she crept and even more below the stairs to a few of the extra built rooms were where they used to have a large brig - they didn't exactly keep a ton of prisoners - and she easily found the room the seer was staying in.
"Come in," came the thin voice of the man through the crack in the door. Nima jumped slightly, certainly not expecting him to hear her coming down the hall. Only then, too, did she realize that perhaps the seer himself might have been sleeping. Feeling silly now, bites of shame made her cheeks hot.
She pushed open the door carefully to find the man still in his cloak, sitting idly on the side of the bed. He clutched his robes around him and barely moved his head when he waved for her to come in. Leaving the door open, she did so and suddenly felt a little awkward being down there. Maybe she should have just gotten up early and asked again… if he was expecting her then did he stay up so she wouldn't disturb his sleep?
"Um… I'm sorry," she said after a moment. "Did you want me to leave?"
"I would have told you to go away then," said the seer in his raspy voice. "Will you tell me what is it that you have in your hand?"
Nima looked down at the cup of water in her hand and flushed a little.
"I, uh… I figured if anything you might be thirsty. I… I didn't want to come down here empty handed… sorry."
The seer almost seemed to chuckle.
"Do not apologize, young one," he said, gesturing for her to come closer so he could reach for the water. "It was kind of you. I invite you in if you would like."
Nima walked over and held out the cup for him. He gingerly took the water and sipped it until it was all gone, handing it back to her when he was done. She saw the traces of a real smile now.
"I thank you," he said. "What is it that you would like of me?"
Nima's mouth fell open slightly.
"I…" She moved to turn away and run out the door, but instead finally crouched down so that she was looking up at him and hugged herself around the knees. "Can you please tell me my fortune? Please?"
"You know not what you ask for, young one."
Nima frowned sadly.
"Okay…" She sighed. "I'll leave you alo-"
"But your kindness will not go unrewarded."The seer put up a frail hand to silence her. "Even if your reward is no reward at all."
Nima blinked. What did that even mean…? What was she supposed to say to that? A part of her, in the core of her belly, felt that she probably should get up and leave right now before he said anymore.
That this just might be a huge mistake.
But her vapid curiosity kept her feet grounded where they were and her arms wrapped around her knees. Her need to know what he saw - no matter how scary it actually seemed in the moment - refused to let her get up now that she was in this far. When the seer hummed, she knew that it was too late to leave.
"I see three blades..." he said, rocking back slightly, his voice seeming far away and even raspier than before.
"... three blades?" she asked in a small voice.
The seer nodded slowly.
"Yes…" He held his index finger in by his thumb, raising up his remaining three for her to see. "Three blades. Three swords. You shall fall on your sword three times, but each time someone else shall fall in your stead. Thereafter, you shall take the lives of three people and become your own curse. And beware, for I here now see a man in your future… a man who will make you all that he holds dear and you shall become the scorned apple of his rotten eye. Yours will be the weeping tempest and the daring thunder. But child, hear me now and most of all, heed the hand that feeds with poison breath... for your test in life shall be death."
Nima's eyes had gotten wider with each word and the words more frightening. She was mystified, but unsure of what to quite make of that. It all sounded… grim. All of it so grim. Admittedly, she had hoped the seer would say she would do good things.
She didn't need grand feats or to become a famous pirate like her dad - he was a Pirate Lord so he was way famous - but rather, she just wanted to do things that made her family proud. Things they would smile at her and ruffle her hair for. Maybe a clap on the back.
She liked it when they did that.
But now… this fortune wasn't at all anything like that. It was quite… dark to say the least.
The man didn't say anything more after that, but she didn't try to speak anymore either. With that kind of fortune he'd apparently seen, she kind of didn't want to. What else was in store for her? What if it was more bad things?
He'd talked about a swords and dying and a man… and here she'd hoped for adventures and bright days.
He was right though.
She shouldn't have asked.
If you've read and loved the pirate au fic, Anchor by words-with-dragons (thethiefandtheairbender on tumblr) then you've come to the right place!
This fic is an au sequel to that wildly popular fic. However, this fic is going to follow the journey of Kai and Jinora's family here mainly through the eyes of their eldest child, Nima. The mythology of the world (which I have a minor hand in, having designed the the map for this world) will be a lot more involved in this fic than in Anchor and have a center stage alongside Nima here. While Nima is the main character you will get a chance to see things through more eyes than just hers including, Kai's, Jinora's and a few other characters as well.
I can't wait for us to get knee deep in witches and goddesses and all the mythology that will be explored in this fic! Also, parental kainora abound in various forms and family kainora as well! Don't want to spoil too much, but I'm very excited to start this fic.
I really love it when you guys drop those reviews! They really keep me going and keep me motivated and they let me know that, hey, people have an interest in the work I'm doing here. Even if you just want to point our something out or are curious, I still really appreciate every word! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!