Sayyida

"..now, of course, I can't even find hide nor tail of her. Her name was Sayyida. She was the daughter of a crystal king and queen, who ruled a cozy palace in the depths of the Tidelord's currents. She was beautiful and shining, the perfect model of a princess. Sayyida, or, as she was then known, princess Raisa, was pampered and preened as the ascending heir of the kingdom. She, however, was a restless spirit who longed to answer the call of sprawling seas and endless plunder that were so close, yet so far. The eve before her crowning day, Raisa armed herself with a trident and a set of simple guard armor and escaped into the endless sea. It wasn't but a few weeks that she lived alone before I found her, washed up and bedraggled by the shore! The sea wasn't like she had thought, I supposed. Still, after I had gotten her back to my lair and cleaned her up, she insisted she return again. I refused to let her go until she was healed, and even then it was a struggle to keep her in the house. We grew close during those evenings spent by the sea, her and I. She agreed to stay for a few moons longer, if only to finish helping me with the harvest season. But I knew her heart would soon yearn for the sea again. In an attempt to keep my friend alive, I taught her all that I knew - the mechanics and finer sides of sailing, basic combat skills, and sea survival. She devoured the information easily, hungry for more. But she knew as well as I did that the only way she'd learn more was to leave. She sailed off in a small, one-dragon boat with as many supplies as I could send her off with. By the time the coldseason had come and gone, I was sure my friend had not survived. Luckily for me, one sunny greenseason morning I was lucky enough to see her sail up to my shore once again. Raisa had changed so much! Her bedraggled guard clothes had been replaced with a much better fitting set of protection, and her beloved trident sharpened to a deadly point. A canvas bandanna marked with the sign of the Tidelord rested on her head, proclaiming her allegiance to the deity. Most surprising, though, was the blue that marred her skin! She had painted herself a silvery mix of blues and whites, appearing much more the part of a pirate captain than a princess. She regaled me with adventures at sea, and told me of her captain's name - Sayyida. I always liked Raisa more, though. She sailed out again the next morning. From then on, she always makes a visit once a season, bringing gifts and stories as long as I provide a warm fire and lots of homemade cider. It makes for a good agreement." --- excerpt from the letter of an ancient