[Knirin Gardens] A Morning Meditation [Open/Rykanis]

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

21st 512 AV

He had never taken the opportunity to really breathe in the sights and views of Riverfall. It was a breathtaking city in its own way. He was here now in the Knirin Gardens for just that reason; he was told this garden was absolutely beautiful. Something that every traveler had to see before leaving the city. His work at the Sanctuary and research in the Valkalah Academy was keeping him more than busy for the time being. He was pressed to fill his tombs with information and his head with knowledge. He had been taught to distinguish between the two. Books, manuscripts and writings contained information; endless information to be sure; but it couldn’t be readily used in a crisis situation. No, that was knowledge. Knowledge was what you did with that information once you committed it to your mind. And knowledge was power…not information.

He figured he would start this knowledge seeking day here in the garden before committing himself to learning more…scribing more. He carried with him his backpack, that held his books and other writing instruments and such. The park as he entered was interesting. The sound of crashing water was calming…in a way just like the Muran beaches crashing waves. Only here there was a heavy mist about, and plenty of shattered rocks. In all a very different scene but a very calming one. He pulled back his heavy hood and decided he would venture through the mist some. Just to see what there was out there.

Curiosity almost always got the best of him, testing his nerves and bringing reality sharply to him. He walked among the trees and thick luscious grass and with the mist surrounding him a sense of serenity was indeed here. It was…amazing really. He hadn’t felt this collected in a very long time, calm…serene. He saw the grass before him stretch out through the fog and then it seemed to almost end. He walked carefully and found himself at the end of a very steep ledge. He didn’t approach too close. But he stood merely four feet from the end and nodded. This was a sight to be seen…he could imagine a painter looking out over this ledge and crafting something truly inspirational. He however was no such artist.

Amidst this serenity he figured it may not be a bad idea to just meditate. Maybe offer a prayer to Rak’keli or two thanking her for his safe travel here. Yes, that seemed appropriate. Kneeling in the soft grass with both knees he let his long white fur cloak drape around him and fall to the ground as it willed. He took his ornate bow in his hands and held the rather large handle with both hands the string touching his upper thigh and the rest of the bow resting against his knees. Eyes closed all there was around him now was sound.

He could hear the crashing of the waters, even feel the slight breeze wisp by him as it caressed the trees gently. Riverfall would wake soon, spur to life around him and he would get caught up in all of it. But for now he was happy with just letting serenity embrace him as he offered up silent thanks to his Goddess…And to the women of the White Isle. He thanked them for making him what he was…who he was and embracing him in his darkest most defining hours. Without them he would be a far different person from who he was right now. This he knew to be more than the truth. And for that he owed them more than he could ever honestly offer.

[Rykanis Dakshata]

Rykanis often took in the beauty of the city of Riverfall. I was one of his favorite things to do, to relax and unwind for a bit in one of its parks, at the start or end of the day. He visited Knirin Gardens the most often, as it was so close to his home. Of course he also enjoyed spying on its visitors... He had been known to sometimes follow people out, see what they were doing. It had led to many interesting times, and experiences. Of course some people had less to hide than others, and would not mind him doing so. Others... Not so much. But it was one of the things he did, in his constant quest for gaining intelligence, information... Secrets... But regardless, Rykanis was not one to sit still for long, at least not this part of him. He would walk around, seeing the sights, taking in the rare person enjoying the views and plants... By chance took a turn in the gardens, to look by the waterfalls. He was not entirely surprised upon meeting someone sitting near the waterfall. The mist was spraying into the air, as usual, making an odd visual effect. But the man just sat, more or less not moving. His sides itched just thinking about sitting so still... He hated it when his other side made him do so... But before he could turn away, his other side pointed out something he had not noted. The man had a very interesting looking bow with him... He could not recall seeing one that large... It seemed to excite him, as he wondered if that bow could talk, what would it have seen? Well he supposed that would require a bow that could talk and see... But regardless, surely a beautiful bow like that, had a good story behind it... Maybe even a secret or two... That was something he had recently considered... For weren't you learning the secrets of a weapon, by mastering it? It seemed an odd concept, but he had considered, each weapon was different, even similar ones not quite the same... So if you were to master a weapon... You would know all of the secrets of how it worked, what it could do... All that it was... This realization had made him want to learn to use more weapons, than just his lakan he used most often. So upon that note, he decided to approach the man from behind, and break his usual silence, not just spying on the man as he might usually. Instead he actually came up behind him, and spoke. "Hello there, fine day isn't it? I just noticed your bow there... It is quite interesting... I wondered if you might tell me of it, and were it comes from... I have not seen one of its like before..." He spoke to the back of the mans head, not yet having seen his face. Hopefully the man would turn around and reply... Assuming he could hear him... Some people got so absorbed into there own little world, they did not notice anything else.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

The rolling waves and passing water was a wonderful distraction from everything. If he closed his eyes he could almost see Mura, sitting at the side of a waterfall. The clear blue sky all around him. Yes, almost. But not quite; because he knew where he was. Who he was among and it was not the Konti, and it was not the White Isle. He was among the tall, midnight skinned Akalak people in RIverfall. Yes, that was where he really was; even if his mind could take him other places. He didn’t sigh though as he opened his eyes again and stared out at the lower tiers of the city, it was still beautiful in its own way.

But it wasn’t the same way; not what he was used to. But beautiful…he supposed everything was indeed beautiful in its own way. So he took a few measured breaths and was greeted by one of Riverfalls many male citizens. He would almost rather be greeted by a Nakivak…they would certainly have more in common. But he would make the most of this meeting. He nodded his head some and spoke. His voice measured and even, no indentation about it. Almost as if he was speaking plainly.

“Yes a fine morning.” He rose to his feet and the Akalak before him would find that Serrif was unusually tall for his kind. But still no measure to the midnight skinned warrior.

“The bow came from Mura, its history is largely unknown to me except it must have been used by an exceptional markswoman.” He said as he turned the bow over in his hands revealing the intricate handle.

But it was far more than just simply intricate and beautiful. The handle had a very precise arrow guide…actually two arrow guides. But that detail would only be caught by the eye of one who had seen bows before or knew of their use. The weaving cold iron against the pure white wood of the handle was exceptional, and doubtlessly added a decent amount of strength to the bow. This cold iron stopped after about 3 inches after the handle and the pure white wood continued reaching out to a six foot span. The bow itself appeared to be a compound of wood as well as some kind of white horn. A bow like this could definitely push an arrow through most armor, and an unarmed person at more than a good distance.

“It is interesting I must admit. Likely a lost heirloom of some kind that a Konti wished to get rid of because she could not bear the memories attached to it. Why else would anyone sell such a work of art?” Serrif paused for a moment and nodded his head some confirming his own statement.

“It wouldn’t be unlike a Konti to do so.”

[Rykanis Dakshata]

Rykanis simply smiled, as the man replied, telling the story of his bow, which was quite interesting. It certainly seemed to be normal bow. Though maybe if he knew more about them, seeing it might tell him more than its artistic nature could show. The extra "bits" and "things" were unknown to him, appearing just as something added on... "Mura? Interesting... I have been there a few times, though not recently. It is were my mother was from. I did not know though that they had such good bow-makers there." "I myself don't know how to use a bow, but I am sure they are quite useful. Are you very skilled with this one? I would think it would be quite nice to use when hunting." Rykanis looked at the bow in a new light. He tried to recall his mother... He was pretty sure she used a bow... And some other weapon... But he could not recall which they were. "Really, you seem to know a lot of the konti. Have you spent much time on Mura?"

[Ishara Dossari]

Mists rose around her, infusing the air that clung thickly to her throat as Ishara breathed in the crisp morning air. Droplets gathered in her hair, gilding the curls that had escaped from order in a fine coat of silver. Raj trotted a few yards ahead, his dainty prints trailing in his wake. The gentle murmur of water rushed through the air...a balm to the senses. It was like the rush of a thousand wings, all beating at once...! Ishara had been unable to sleep much last night, and as dawn began to leech the darkness from the sky, she rose to greet the sun. Grimly, she'd recalled the days when this was a usual practice in her daily routine...rising to prayer just as the the sky blushed pink with the coming dawn. Back then, the ritual had been among her favorite ways to start the day, a lightening of the soul before facing the challenges ahead. But, this was not home. There were no prayers lingering in the back of her mind this morning. This day had dawned cold and quiet, the steely atmosphere softened only by the glow to the east. Ishar had bundled up her restless thoughts, wrapped her cloak about her shoulders, and ducked into the sleeping city. Her feet carried her in what felt like circles...until she found the park. As usual, she followed the sound of running water. The novelty of so much water had still not worn off on Ishara, and she greeted the opportunities to relish it's abundance here with eager attendance. As she climbed the hillside, the first few rays of morning were penetrating the shifting clouds of moisture, awakening Ishara to the fact that morning had arrived. She paused to drink in the view, watching color come to life before her very eyes. The damage from the storms still lingered, but the effect was softened by the beauty of a clandestine morning. It was several heartbeats before Ishara detected voices...Shading her eyes against the slanting beams of sunlight, she raked the surrounding hillside with a questing glance, trying to pinpoint the source. Another bank of mists rolled by, igniting briefly as it crossed paths with a sunbeam...and just beyond it stood two figures. One tall, dark...and undoubtedly Akalak. The other short by comparison, and somewhat...familiar? Serriff? Tossing a parting glance over one shoulder, Raj loped ahead, plumed tail flagging in his wake. Familiar or not, he insisted on investigating...and Ishara was powerless to refuse either his enthusiasm or her own curiosity as she altered her own course towards the conversing figures ahead.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

He could’ve laughed, an Akalak man wanting something from him? What no insults? No telling him he was less of a man because he was white instead of blue? Nothing? He shook his head a little side to side as he looked the Akalak man over some. He seemed sincere…enough. But then again so had others; only to try and manipulate him into something stupid. So he had to think on his feet quickly..

“I’ve spent time on Mura. Time just short of a year, I learned the bow from Mistress Ildin; who from what I understood learned it from an Akalak. I’ve been on more than a few hunts and a bow like this is more than useful when paired with the correct match arrows.” Those were the cut facts nothing short of them. The man would have to speculate on the rest, as far as how skilled he was with the bow…well that remained to be seen but one didn’t own a bow like Serrif’s and not know how to use it effectively.

It was about that time that a familiar sight plodded through his vision. Something low and sleek, an animal of some kind. Was it Raj? The figure looked familiar as the dog circled the two men as if to investigate. Serrif wiggled his fingers as if to entice the hound but he was smarter than that…which constantly kept Serrif on his feet. Such a dog was bred for hunting. Rath would have to see this animal sometime.

“It seems we have company not too far away.” His attention shifted from the Akalak to look through the surroundings…and just like that there was the desert flower among the mist; beautiful as ever.

He managed a smile and a nod as he motioned for Ishara to come closer and join them. He was sure it was her because Raj wouldn’t leave her side for anything. His loyalties definitely were with her. “A friend of mine…that lovely hunter is hers.” He said motioning toward Raj as he carefully investigated.

[Rykanis Dakshata]

Rykanis smiled as the man answered. He could not be certain, but it seemed like the man had finely crafted his response, as one might a piece of art or a weapon... All of the edges prepared, exactly as wanting to be seen... made to look as nice and full as possible... But at times, words were not full, and were hollow, with little meat in the middle... He himself had made such statements enough times to be cautious when hearing such a well worded response, that the other person might be using Rykanis' own game against him... And this one... Well, he could at least apreciate its artfulness, how he showed as little as possible, while still giving facts... At times Rykanis could do the same, but still... It was nice to see another person do it... Even if it meant that this person was not going to be easy to get information from... But that just meant the knowledge he might learn would be all the better if he did get it... He had an inkling that the man was trying to underplay his skills... He was sure he was at least somewhat competent with the bow, even if not an expert... Why else would he spend such on a bow... Unless of course he was wealthy... That was another option... In that case, such a bow might be a triviality, something to carry around to show off, like a ceremonial dagger... Rykanis mind spun off in many directions, trying to think of all of the reasons for why he could have such a bow... For what all his statements could mean... But the only conclusion he had come to, was that he needed to learn more, and that there was something to find, if he could go all the way to the end of the path... Unfortunately, before he could continue on, a dog showed up, getting the mans attention... And along with it came a woman... Who had a hunting dog? Perhaps they hunted together, and were thus friends? Or maybe she had the hunting dog, and hunted alone... Or had the dog, and did not use it for hunting... There was to much going on, and he had to little information to puzzle it out yet. "A friend? How nice, were you planning to meet here, and I interrupted you? I would not want to impose... Or was this just by chance? Oh, and I seem to have forgotten my manners. I am Rykanis... And I don't think I caught your name..."

[Ishara Dossari]

"Greetings!" Ishara called, raising a hand in salutation as she neared the pair. It was a gradual incline, but the climb to their vantage point slowed her progress a bit. It gave her the time needed to confirm Serriff's presence, and realize that the Akalak with him was not one she recognized. Raj gave Serriff's fingers a cursory sniff and feinted away. The Akalak on the other hand...His keen senses detected something outside the norm with this one, a presence of two where one prevailed. This curiosity had him hovering a hand's breadth from the man, noble features angled up, nose quivering as he tasted the air and tasted again...before finally exhaling in a great whuff and circling back to Ishara. "I did not expect to find you here," Ishara looked to Serriff, sparing him a brief smile. Their mornings were often spent together, lately, as she learned more about self defense and Serriff practiced his own skills through teaching her. Some days there was work that had to be done that left one or the other on the sands alone, but for the most part Ishara had stuck to the morning routine Serriff had set for her. Transferring her glacial eyes to the tall Akalak, Ishara inclined her head respectfully. She found the blue warriors cryptic, and intimidating...but their presence in Riverfall was not to be overlooked. She was always careful to show respect, never knowing exactly what accounts of the fierce warriors to take to heart. "I am Ishara. Forgive me if we have intruded upon your morning. Raj and I," she gestured to the sighthound at her side, "we were out...walking." The previous night's sleeplessness showed only minutely...a slight shadowing beneath her eyes. It was something that was no doubt to be found everywhere, in the faces of all those men and women working to piece the city back together along with their own lives. Small and slight though she was, Ishara was ever resilient, and that shadow of exhaustion was swiftly fading in the wake of the rising sun as it painted the scenery before them in a warm rush of gold. Ishara ducked behind her hand to hide from the glare, a smile spreading slowly across her face as she followed the sun's progress. "By Yahal's grace, you two picked quite the spot to pursue the morning!"

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

Serrif managed a smile and responded to the Akalak before Ishara got within earshot “I swear she’s trained that dog to find me.” With a slight laugh he motioned of Ishara to join them and she did.

Ishara’s enthusiasm and sense of adventure for all things different always bought a genuine smile to his face. She made him appreciate what was a little more than he normally would. She was so fascinated by things like this. He imagined having lived in a desert seeing this much water was a culture shock for her. And seeing a sculpted garden carefully carved by the Gods and the Akalak people only made it even more of a sight for her. It she ever went home she would indeed have quite the story to tell to any that would listen to her.

“And I am Serrif.” He said introducing himself to the tall Akalak man. His responses were crafted or a very careful reason, mostly because every Akalak he had come across seemed…two faced…so one had to be careful what they did and said.

“Yes seems I have picked a very interesting place to be in the morning, did you have your hunter track me down Ishara? The two were obviously familiar with each other some…well more than some.

He watched her companion some, dogs were such wonderful creatures. He had gotten used to Rath and his pack a good deal working at the Sanctuary. However this woman’s dog was far less intimidating than the ones Rath kept. But that didn’t make Raj any less a true beauty. The dog was a true hunter and from what Serrif could tell he was a very intelligent animal; and had a very strong bond to Ishara. Which was a true sign of someone’s personality. You could always tell who someone was by how they treated those that depended on them for survival.

“But I have been trained in this bows use; every one is a little different and has a slightly different character to it.” It was true every bow was a little different because no two bows were exactly the same. Careful craftsmanship went into every bow. Especially bows of this quality.

He began looking around some just in case Ishara questioned him for that archery lesson he told her he would give her someday. Now seemed a good a time and place as ever. There was hardly anyone awake and as long as they shot down the hill toward a target they shouldn’t hit any innocents…Shouldn’t. They would still have to be careful and he would need to keep a keen eye in the mists to make sure none simply wondered into the line of fire.

[Rykanis Dakshata]

Rykanis chuckled a bit, as Seriff made a joke about the woman coming near them. Apparently she had a habit of popping up on him. He watched, as the woman approached. He supposed she was attractive enough in her own way. Though he was not certain if she was his type really, or if he would be interested in her. It depended more on her, and it was hard to know at first glance, before you really knew a person. Though he did like the dog, and if it would allow him, he would scratch it behind the ear, and give it a pat on the head... Talking in a calming friendly tone."Nice little doggy..." As the woman nodded to him, he would nod in return, giving her a smile. Though it was hard to tell how she might react, not knowing her. Some felt that was off putting, others it calmed and made them feel he was nice and safe. Others... Well could have a dozen other responses... "Nice to meet you Ishara. No you are not intruding, I just came here by chance myself, and met your friend here in passing." "And nice to meet you Serrif. I understand that of weapons though... I look at each weapon as an individual, full of mysteries. As you learn to use it, and become better acquainted, you solve many of these mysteries, and are better able to use it, and work together... But I would not expect each to be the same... No I would expect each to have different mysteries to unlock in there use, even if only slightly different."