Kaisa's Courage at Sunset

* ~~"Now my strength is made perfect in weakness."** ~~*

I was never sure why I let the sea see me so bare. It's not that I was shy, but I was always a little wary of my own body. It was too good, too capable. I knew that it could be a weapon, easily turned against myself or against others. But there was something about the sea that kept me safe. And the water there was warm and soft against my skin, and for those few moments I could let down my guard and just be.

My hair was long and thick and wavy, white-gold in colour. It stood out like a beacon in the pale evening light, making me fleetingly conspicuous. My eyes were bright blue, catlike, and tonight they reflected back at me from the rippling surface of the water as if they were their own living mirrors. My skin was pale and smooth, unmarked by scars or injuries, which made it a contrast with my long torso full of lean muscle. The sun played across my skin like fingers trailing over an instrument, lighting parts up to burnish golds and reds while leaving other parts cool blues and greens. When the sun finally sank below the horizon I felt it go out like someone had flicked a switch inside my chest; suddenly darkening all the colours around me until they were only shades of grey again.

The sea swelled gently around me as if sighing a gentle goodbye as it pulled back towards its home in the west. It left me standing looking out over its shoulder at the mountains beyond where I lived with my family on our farmstead high on the cliffs overlooking Vigdisfjorden. In between us lay miles of wilderness which we had tamed for our own use with more difficulty than we thought would be necessary when we had first settled here generations ago. We had moved here to escape persecution for having supernatural abilities--people said our abilities came from demons instead of God--and after nearly twenty years working together we had established ourselves well enough that now we were happy to live amongst our fellow men once more.

I wasn't so sure how they felt about us living amongst them though...

I started walking back towards home in silence, enjoying the gentle breeze blowing off the sea which cooled the sun-warmed air around me as I walked further inland away from its constant presence nearby. Birds were singing their goodnights to each other as they settled into their nests for sleep while insects buzzed all around them; oblivious to their presences but certainly aware that they were there nonetheless. Small animals scuttled through undergrowth all around me, but none so small or so hidden as to escape my notice should they need help or protection from larger predators which might threaten them during their travels through the night. Once back home I slipped quietly into bed next to my husband Michael who stirred only briefly before settling himself closer against me and falling back asleep again almost immediately. His breath tickled my ear as he exhaled and his arm draped across my waist drew me back closer to him so that we slept curled together like spoons within moments of each other finding sleep again as one being in our shared bed.

I shifted slightly closer against him before drifting off into sleep myself...