Moiraine had heard of fishing rods. She wasn't quite sure how they worked. But here was one in the wild, propped up against a chair with no supervision in sight. She looked around but saw no one. Leaned over to scan the water and drew back, startled as a mermaid swam from the depths and broke through the ripples.
Moiraine looked at her warily.
'What?' Said the creature, wiping her eyes.
'Are you a mermaid?'
The creature chuckled.
'When was the last time you saw one of those?'
'I haven't' said Moraine truthfully. 'I've read about them.'
The dark eyes regarded her curiously.
'Oh well, if you don't know the difference' the creature shrugged, hauling herself up. Moiraine looked and saw only legs and feet. The woman's shift was sheer, moulded to her figure. Moiraine wasn't to comprehend that in time, she would know every inch of this body.
The woman checked her fishing rod.
'Nothing' said Moiraine, honest as ever.
'Didn't think so. Scouted out any signs of life below but there's not a lot to be had in this stretch of water it seems.'
Moiraine considered as a rough towel raced across tender skin. Politely turned her back until the stranger had quickly changed behind the tree. Observed as the other woman returned to pack away her rod and attend to her makeshift heater to start a tiny fire. Watched until she was invited to sit.
'Tea?' Enquired the woman, brandishing a palmful of leaves over a pot. Moiraine accepted, engaging in a game of sipping and switching the enamel cup in tandem, not knowing that she was consenting to a future with the almost mermaid.
'You didn't catch any fish anyway' objected Moiraine as she recalled their meeting, a long while later.
Siuan lifted her head from her resting place on Moiraine's chest and smiled.
'I caught you didn't I? Only a fool would rather catch a fish than a wife.'