[Flashback] There's no escape from Homework (Oluse)

[Alea Davenport]

Alea was not entirely sure how to feel about the new beverage; it was quite unlike anything she'd ever tasted. There were so many flavors, all different, she had trouble sorting them out. She liked that it was sweet, but there were other flavors too, and the overall combination was to confusing for her to make sense of. In the end, however, she decided she liked the beverage.

While she was drinking, she was also mulling over what Justus said. Kindness is a force of healing? Was that true? It seemed obvious, but Alea wanted to make sure, rather than accept the easy answer without thinking about it. "So, are you saying that kindness is a thing that most people need? Does that mean my parents should be nicer to me instead of making me help them with chores all the time? Because that's definitely something I want." She somehow doubted an adult was going to endorse not doing chores though, so to give the man a chance to get out of the hole he was about to dig himself into (by her reckoning anyway), she added one last question. "Are there any circumstances where kindness is the opposite what someone needs?"

OOCHave a concrete example to work from! You're welcome.

[Tabarnac]

"It's called chocolate," he supplied. "It seems to be distilled pleasure, and sometimes effective at easing a woman's menses, but not for all of them. Strange how cures work like that. Kindness is much the same. Sometimes kindness can be cruel. Strapping an addict down to a bed and ministering to them as their body withdraws from whatever it has grown to need, though it is an unhealthy need. It can be difficult to tell the difference between what people need and what they want. Nikali blesses us with her gift of Ranuri to help us figure it out, but even knowing isn't always enough to help. Some needs are best left unfulfilled, which is difficult for us, when our link to the goddess demands that we fulfill them. "As for chores, well, we all have to do our part to make Denval thrive, and our own homes at that." He paused. "Do your parents lounge around eating sweetmeats while you do the chores or are you helping them with the work of keeping your home nice? Because a lot of the work they do goes to fulfilling your needs: food, shelter, clothes. Sometimes they need a little help."

[Oluse]

Oluse smiled as he sipped once more from the infusion, savored and swallowed. "It's sure a lot better than chamomile and caraway." He gave a jesting and feigned disgusted expression and laughed, not realizing that the other two likely did not know the medicinal applications of either plant. However, to Oluse, who understood that they too eased menses, and having been raised with three girls found the joke both straight forward and funny.

He then listened went quiet, and listened for Alea's response. He really didn't know anything about her home life, perhaps it was unhappy and that's why she always seemed so distant from everybody.

[Alea Davenport]

Alea wanted to argue that she'd never asked to be a fisherman's daughter, and she be perfectly willing to work if it weren't because her parents made her...probably. But she did not think the man would be likely to understand her feelings since he seemed to be trying to use logic, and besides, she was getting bored of the conversation already. Perhaps it was all that talk of menses. She did not yet have any reason to be interested in such conversation, and she was extremely confused as to why boys were talking about the subject at all.

She started trying to calculate how much more conversation she'd have to endure before it would not be terribly rude to leave. Then she remembered they were here for a project. How much information did they need to do a report on what priests of Nikali did for Denval? They figure out what you need and help you get it. Done. Somehow it felt like they were supposed to have a longer presentation than that.

She looked at Oluse expectantly, waiting for him to carry the necessary remainder of the information gathering process. But he seemed to be waiting for her to speak. Typical. Had they already asked the what-do-you-do-here question? Probably. She did not really want to go back to talking about her parents, since she had a feeling she'd lose that argument. Finally deciding she wasn't creative enough to think up questions on her own, she asked Oluse, "Well, is there any other information you think we'll need for our report?"

[Oluse]

Oluse stopped mid sip to think, peering at her over his mug. He had a dilemma... he still had half of his cocoa infusion left. Yet, it appeared they were in fact done with their project. His sip turned into a gulp, and he gave a wince as the spicy fluid slipped down his throat.

His head tingled slightly as he set the mug down before him again, the warm effects finally flooding his young body in full force due to the extra nudge. His blood rushed harder through each vein, and his mood lightened farther. He did try to stay focused on his task however.

"Um..." He thought for a second. "Well, no I suppose not." He had been looking forward to hearing her response to Justus' question, but understood if she felt shy in front of Justus. "I think we have more than enough for the presentation. It's all really quite good information." He then looked to Justus. "Thank you so much to take time out of your busy schedule for us, we know you have lots of things to do and we do apologize for interrupting your lunch." He nodded toward the now very pristine apple. "Your words were not wasted and we will do our best to share them accurately and completely with the class." He then grinned, the cocoa really helping him relax, yet making him feel rather talkative. It was like for just the moment the ever present wall between his mind and mouth dissipated. He decided that after they left he would take advantage of the courage and ask Alea more about her family life.

He took another gigantic gulp and a half of the cocoa, wishing he could have savored the concentrated few ounces at the bottom a bit more fully. But, he still felt pretty good about getting a chance to try it. With that he set the mug closer to Justus so the man wouldn't have to reach far for it, then rose. "Thank you very much Jusuts, and have a great day." Then, he half turned and offered his hand to Alea to help her up as well.

[Alea Davenport]

Alea ignored Oluse's hand, in fact ignoring Oluse completely as she stood up. As she said goodbyes to Justus, she was actually being relatively polite, compared to how she generally treated people. She did like the man, she was just resigned to the fact that as an adult, he would never take her side. She did not blame him for this; it was just the way things were.

Once she was outside the temple, she assumed they were done with their project. Having no further use for Oluse, Alea began walking briskly toward the seaside cliffs and her favorite fishing spot.

OOCStandard shortness apologies. Trying to move the thread along until you give me somethign to react to =)

[Oluse]

Oluse, only slightly discouraged by the lack of trust in his ability to help her up followed after, trying to keep the heavy door from slamming in his face. Once outside he picked up his pace and briskly strutted up beside her, not catching the hint she might be trying to escape him. Though, it seemed obvious to him that Justus had made her feel distraught.

"So what is your family life like, Alea? Davenports are all fishermen right?" He asked, making sure he had everything straight. He did know his father got most of his fish from Alea's father, but wasn't sure if that was all her father did. In such a small community it wasn't unheard of for people to double up on jobs when necessary. Especially in the winter when food was scarce anyway.

[Alea Davenport]

Alea gave Oluse a look as if to say, Are you still following me? When this produced no visible response, she decided to be magnanimous and humor the younger boy for a while longer. "Yes, both my parents are thoroughly invested in the fishing trade. My father catches the fish and my mother cleans and guts them for eating. Sometimes they make me help, which is completely ridiculous. Fish are slimy and smelly and dead and gross, and I shouldn't have to clean boatloads of them. If it was just one fish for a meal that would be one thing, but I never asked to be a fisherman's daughter."

She led Oluse into the rocky cliffs bordering the ocean. There were relatively safe paths through the maze, but today Alea was feeling adventurous. Rather than walking around a rock or through a well-known crevice, she climbed up the slopes of huge boulders. Partly this gave her a more impressive view of the surrounding area, but mostly she was just showing off. She wondered whether Oluse would be brave enough to follow her still. So far she hadn't done anything truly dangerous; the boulders were more like a particularly steep hill than a cliff face at this point. She could probably have walked up them, but she held on with her hands, just in case.

[Oluse]

Oluse listened as she spoke, following as a pace matching Alea's, but more concern for the path she had chosen showed on his face then hers. He tried to remain focused on the conversation though. "Well, every child in Denval gets worked hard, and has to help their parents with their profession. It will be essential for when you become a fishermen's wife too." The statement seemed practical enough to the boy. Oluse was being trained to become an herbalist and healer by his father, and Alea was being trained in her mother's field. That's how Denval worked, and it was important that Alea knew that. And, Oluse fancied himself a helpful person, especially in his current state, and only saw it as his duty to clear the workings of Denval up for her.

"Say, Alea. You know there is a safer way up?" He paused for a moment as she set upward a large boulder face. He bit his lower lip when she didn't stop. It took less than a ten foot fall to kill a human! He remembered the fact from his father commenting on the teenagers in town that rock climbed for fun. It was dangerous, and idiotic. Oluse had half a mind to just walk off. The other half had already decided to help Alea, however. Alea obviously needed to talk about something that had been bothering her for some time, and Oluse owed it to his classmate and fellow Denvala to try to help. After a long moment of hesitation he carefully, at about half the speed of Alea began scaling the slope as well, careful not to be directly downhill from her encase she dislodged any stones.

"Alea, this is dangerous! It only takes a ten foot fall to kill a human! You could die, or worse!" He wasn't sure what could be worse than death, but his father always said it, so no doubt it made perfect sense. Perhaps it would be enough to convince the reckless girl, and deter her from her dangerous activity.

[Alea Davenport]

Alea's throat clenched at what Oluse said. How could he so casually assume that she would be just another fisher's wife? Her rage left her unable to render sound for several moments, long enough for the boy to continue speaking. She felt a strong desire to pummel his face, but she still had enough self-preservation to realize that jumping on him from here would be more likely to hurt her than him. She'd just have to find another way to get rid of him.

From the boy's babbling about a safer path, she figured she could lose him if she took a path so dangerous he would be unwilling to follow. She chose a boulder that was about five times her height, the near slope of which looked almost (but not quite) vertical. The lower section had so many hand- and footholds that it was like climbing a ladder. Once she was about halfway up however, the handholds thinned out, and she had to more more slowly, and think more carefully.

This exertion and adrenaline of doing something so dangerous invigorated her, and it made her forget her anger at Oluse long enough for her to figure out what to say. "Are you some kind of idiot?" she asked, looking down at him. "What makes you think I'm going to marry a fisherman, or spend the rest of my life cleaning fishguts?" An idea came to her then, mostly as something to shut Oluse up, but it was an idea that would stay with her for a long time. "Maybe I'll leave Denval, you ever think about that? Maybe I'll go far away and marry someone who doesn't have ANYTHING to do with fish!"

Rather than discouraging her, Oluse's cries of danger only encouraged Alea. It was fun to see him so worked up, and it encouraged her to be more reckless. There was a rather jagged protrusion of rock just out of her reach, and she tried to gauge whether she could jump to it. With a deliberately taunting grin, she looked down at Oluse, nodding toward the ledge and saying, "I bet I can make that."