The gentle thrum of a piano slowly, rhythmically clicked, filling the guild with melodious sounds of distress, loss and despair. But one emotion that was laced into all of these soft music tones was one lingering flame of light, bright and steady, and even when the quality of the tone dropped it remained strong and soothing. It was one step ahead of the loss, the confusion, and the depression of the piano song. It flickered with every pause of the melody and regained it's power as if nothing had happened. This small white emotion that was lightly tied in to the song was hope, faith and determination.

Music is strong and tells the tales of the old. It speaks of journeys that of which the pianist had suffered, alongside the feelings of which they still endure. The qualities and aspects of life that they refuse to let fade from their world. Who knew that three small emotions could combine and create something so powerful and true? That it could be churned into a blaze of brilliant white, and represent even the light of the crystals? Only the pianist could truly understand it. Only she had suffered the journey, and only she experienced the still-lingering hope.

Her delicate pale fingers danced softly along the piano, brushing the melodious sounds and gently smiling as they swirled through the air and echoed down the boat. The pianist, of course, was inside the Selkie Guild. As was everyone else; a fierce thunderstorm had blown in. Even she closed her eyes and paused her playing for just a moment, breathing in peacefully while listening to the hard batters of raindrops hitting the rough wood. Thunder cracked overhead and the Selkie visualized the storm in her mind's eye.

She pictured the clouds, dark and omnious with heavy rainclouds. She imagined the heavens opened up and the rain dripping from the threatening sky, each bulleting towards ground level with such ferocity and power. When the pianist opened her concealed auburn eyes again, she glanced out the safety-glass, circular window and out into the thrashing ocean of thick waves. The room that concealed her was just beyond the Guild Master's spot. He had allowed her to enter, out of sympathy. After all, she had underwent a lot.

Two little Selkie children were in the room with her. One sat on her lap and the pianist stretched her arms around in order to play- and the other stood beside the piano seat. They both looked upon the adult with great sadness but hope, almost like the song that miraculously echoed from the instrument. The woman brought her gaze from Costa Fugita and lowered her eyes to the child at the edge of the seat who was awaiting her attention. Her auburn hair that went past her shoulders swung vigoriously as her head turned to the girl.

The Selkie child was about nine years old. She too had auburn hair, enflamed by the lights above her, but instead had bright hazel eyes. Her button nose was speckled with freckles that went underneath her eyes. The pianist smiled at her, gently bobbing her knee up and down for the five year old Selkie boy that was leaning his head into her chest sleepily. He instead had jet black, glossy hair that was ruffled and clearly not groomed often. His eyes were a pale blue. The Selkie woman that was previously playing the piano enveloped him in her arms and gently hugged the boy.

Then she addressed the girl. "What's up?"

The girl shrugged, standing on her tip toes to clamber onto the extra space of the seat. "I just wanted to come in. Tom wouldn't leave me alone so I brought him with me. Oh!" as if suddenly recalling something, Jasmin's chocolate eyes immediately shot open. "I want to ask you something, if that's okay with you." The woman gave a brief nod. "Why do you come here and play the piano every day?"

The question was actually rather painful to answer. However, the auburn-haired Selkie hadn't exactly anticipated that inquiry to poop out of Jamsin's mouth; she thought it to be an obvious answer. But then, she supposed, not everyone knew what had happened. "Well..." uncertainly, she cocked her head to one side. "I guess it's kind of... comforting. Like it's the power of the crystals singing to me." The child nodded as if she understood. Ever since the battle between crystal bearers, the crystals had been considered blessed and bearers were allowed back into the capital, without disgusted stares.

Of course, not everyone would obey the law. Some still considered crystal bearers abominations and were quite racist when they threw their mockeries at the targets. However, not the Selkie pianist and the children accompanying her. The guild of Selkies actually grew on bearers; they were treated with the same stares of contempt and disgust from the Lilties. So the Selkie Guild was clearly almost always opened to crystal bearers in pursuit.

"Well, I gotta eat dinner now. Mama is pretty strict when it comes to us eating. Are you gonna carry Tomie?" asked Jasmin, her brown eyes questioning. The pianist nodded. Both gazed around the small room, which was made of steady boat wood and was basically empty- excluding the piano and the light above them. Then the woman gently lifted a sleeping Tom and held him to her chest, standing up on her feet. She and the red headed child made their way to the door, walked through the boat and then stopped at a cabin door in the guild's depth.

Jasmin cheerfully opened the entrance and both entered to see a Selkie woman with jet black hair and sapphire blue eyes settled by a dining table that could've been seen almost immediately. The mother looked up, brushing her delicate tanned hands on the plain cerulean summer dress she wore. "Where were you? You know I've been worried sick-" with a look of surprise that the pianist gently cradling Tom in her arms, Candice's eyes softened. Her eyes fell to Jasmin again, who paused a few meters away from the table. "You were keeping her company? How thoughtful of you..."

The auburn pianist smiled and squared her shoulders, propping Tom onto her hip. "It's good to see you, Candice."

"And to you." smiled the Selkie mother. Jasmin clambered to the dining table and sat up on one of the chairs. They weren't elegant, nor was the table fancy- they were merely makeshift material of wood. The pianist lindered by the door, unsure. Catching sight of this, Candic beamed and rose to her feet and walked to the pianist, retrieving Tom from her and taking him back to the table, softly awakening him before setting him on a chair. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" offered the Selkie politely. Jasmin let out a wiggle of excitement, which faltered when the twenty-six year old woman simply shook her head.

"Nah. I've got something I'm going to take care of. But thanks for the offer." replied the anonymous auburn-haired adult. She fiddled with her fingers, lacing them together vaguely. "And... have you or Kiess gotten any news?"

"No... I'm sorry." walking to the damsel in distress, Candice offered a hug of which the Selkie clearly accepted. The older woman gently enveloped her and patted her back gently. "It's all right. Something will come across, you hear? I promise you." They stayed in that position, with the Selkie who was at the verge of tears burying her head into Candice's shoulder.

Then the determination flooded back into her eyes, and the comforted pianist gently pulled away and rubbed her auburn eyes. "Thanks again," joked the red head. "Maybe I just need to keep trying."

"You can, and you will." promised the Selkie with pitch black hair. She reached a hand and placed it on the pianist's shoulder and gave her a bright smile. The young adult felt a smile grace her features. She liked the idea. Nodding with strengthened faith, she sauntered out the door and down the Selkie Guild's hall.

"Was that who I think it was?"

Candice turned to see Kiess, her husband, emerging from the other room, gently closing the door behind him. She nodded, feeling her lips curve. The red head beamed and sat himself down at the table, taking in a deep breath. "Mmm. Star carrots and sweet potatoes. And stake." indeed, that was their meal. Candice joined her family and they began to feast, talking amongst each other. Jasmin listened as her parents spoke quietly about their previous guest. "So, how is she lately? No one hardly sees her because she's always cooped up."

"Well," began the dark haired Selkie, "She was okay. She seems to be building a nurturing side, which is good, considering how rude and imprudent she used to be. But she nearly broke down when she asked if you or I..." trailing off with pained eyes, Candice looked at Kiess with helplessness.

The man was staring at his food, digesting the information. Then his auburn eyes gradually pulled away from the potatoes on his plate and flew to the door. "... Yeah. I haven't yet..." he murmured.

"But I hope that Belle can hold on for a little longer..."