Flashback Two times out of Three

[Astreia]

Time: 4th of Winter 511 AV - Early Afternoon Where: The Azure Market Tagged: Open Astreia looked around the market with interest, Raelli half-asleep on her back as she wandered through, looking at the stalls. She could not help but be slightly shocked by the high prices of much of the food and clothing and realised that unless she found a job, their finances would not suffice them for more than a couple of seasons. She was a competent actress though... perhaps there was a strong entertainment business in Lhavit. She also knew that she wanted to move away from the current lodgings she had found for them earlier that morning, over a butcher's shop - the smell of raw meat repulsed her slightly and she was sure it was not healthy for Raelli's delicate constitution, and she kept on feeling the need to smell her clothes to make sure the scent had not rubbed off on her. Perhaps she could find a perfumers shop in the area. Then again, the only thing worse than a bad smell was a strong perfume attempting to cover up a bad smell and failing miserably. Astreia pulled her Katinu closer and re-adjusted her grip on Raelli so that he was slightly higher on her back. It was only as she had paused to look at a stall that she realised that a man not far behind her had been following her for a while. When she paused, he had. When she sped up, he did and when she slowed down, so did he. It struck her that here in Lhavit, she was without friends or family or even acquaintances - and that made her vulnerable. "Raelli... I'm going to take you home so that you can sleep." she said finally, "Then I'll find us some food." The little boy nodded affirmatively and yawned, resting his head back. It occurred to Astreia that after a long, hard walk, he was probably badly in need of a drink - milk or water... or something with honey. She knew that it was important for infants to be well hydrated and all he had had that day was a bread roll and an apple that she had stolen, very guiltily, from a passing cart since they had run out of rations a couple of days before their arrival in Lhavit. The journey had taken so much longer than she had premeditated and, although he had done his very best to the point that his feet had started bleeding and he had said nothing, she had had to carry him half the way. Astreia held out a hand, stopping a person looking at a stall selling pretty coloured bangles. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find somewhere that sells milk?"

[Sharyths]

It was a shock that had brought him back to life. Sharyths had just past the gates and had been wandering the city of Lhavit for, what seemed, a few hours now. Admiring the strangeness of these people,the way they move, the way they speak to one another, it was all so new to him. He had just seen someone steal an apple from a stall and wondered if that was expected in this town. He thought if he we're to fit, maybe he needed to adapt and adjust to these strange customs.
So that's probably why he hadn't noticed the hand right in front of him. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find somewhere that sells milk?" was the sound that came from the hand. He looked up and saw the most curious sight, a woman with a cub on her back. She had asked him a question, "Ssorryths, I just this place myshelth" he hissed.

[Alses]

The clouds above Lhavit were fat and louring, bloated and stuffed almost to bursting with a great cargo of snow, just waiting to be shed on the celestial city. Its wintry smell was everywhere, hanging in the air, a harbinger of what would undoubtedly come in a few bells' time. For now, though, the sun still shone bravely and the puffy barges of snowflakes and vapour simply circled in holding patterns above the shining streets and merry, red-nosed citizens, buffeted hither and yon by the mountain winds high above even the tallest spires. Alses was enjoying a morning constitutional – well, perhaps enjoying was slightly too strong a word; she was trying to build up her stamina for all the running about her couriering tasks had her doing. The steady stream of work over Summer and Autumn had toughened her (or so she thought), but Lhavit had thrown another obstacle in her path; the cold winter air was like knives in her throat after a little while, and she found herself frequently stopping to wheeze and cough and catch her breath. Very undignified, hence all the practice. Regardless of the practical reason for her excursions, Lhavit was a very beautiful city to walk, jog, run, skip, sprint or indeed amble through. She'd already taken a turn or two about Zintia peak, up and down the length of it, from the grand and monumental steps of Koten Temple to the threshold of the Amaranthine Gates themselves, before her steps turned her automatically and inevitably into the blue-washed labyrinth that was the Azure Market. Alses breathed in deeply as she crossed through the rather nondescript archway and emerged onto what passed for the main thoroughfare, clogged with exuberant displays spilling out from the stalls on every side, braziers to ward off the chill, citizens browsing happily and much else besides. Here, thanks to the winding nature of the streets, the complex baffles of canopies and banners and not least the braziers themselves, the air was warmer and calmer than out on the grand expanse of the plaza chain. Alses felt her throat unclench, her lungs expand more freely as she drew in the warmer air, bringing an involuntary smile to her face. Even in these cramped spaces, people moved out of her path, a gentle bubble of distance emerging from the random Brownian motion of the crowd and wrapping itself around her, heralded by respectful (though foreshortened) bows and greetings. Being favoured by the city was a boon, on occasion – it certainly helped when she was in a hurry. Not everyone moved, of course – Lhavit's egalitarian culture didn't hold with class divisions as such, and she had no grand standing in the city, no position in government or the priesthoods, but enough made way for her to allow for relatively unhindered progress. All were equal in the eyes of the city, but some measure of respect and kindness was informally granted by most of the citizens to an Ethaefal – any Ethaefal. She slowed, subconsciously, to a gentle walk as her eyes were distracted by the myriad displays on offer – Watchstone jewellery under lock and key at one store, sparkling and shimmering with their own internal lights, iridescent silks from far afield and close to home alike, the vibrant colours of street food sizzling in great open pans – an involuntary action that occurred each time she passed through the mazelike market. Even through the continual background hum of the busy market – hawking traders, haggling customers, the sizzle of food on hot iron and much else besides, her keen ears brought a snippet of conversation to her wandering brain – perhaps because of a most unusual accent, full of lilting sibilants, that caught on the ear. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find somewhere that sells milk?" This was quickly followed by the voice that had first grabbed her attention, a sort of modulated hiss that insinuated itself into hearing. "Ssorryths, I just this place myshelth." The narrowness of the Azure Market's winding pathways made it easy enough to locate them, one of the few groups not in motion, standing against the gentle tides. Auristics might have served just as well to find the odd couple – she squinted as she came closer; make that a triple, she noted, with no small surprise – but simple, old-fashioned observation was quicker and more convenient this time. Newcomers stood out a league and a half, a thought which brought a half-smile to her lips. Now, how best to begin? Neither seemed to have noticed her, nor the increase in space around them as she drew near. She pitched her voice to be as soft and gentle as possible, but still to carry over the background noises of the Azure. “Your pardon, but may we be of some assistance? The Azure is perhaps not the best place for milk at this time of year, and it's very easy to get lost here.” She swept a gentle bow, as low as the confines of the street allowed, the weak winter sunlight bouncing off her fire-opal skin and dancing in the iridescent green of her elaborate crown-of-horns. She took a moment to observe them both, having offered her help. They were very different, that much at least she could tell. The girl – and she almost had to be a girl; her skin was untouched by sagging and wrinkles that so characterised the elders of many races – was slender, perhaps too slender, with a mass of fiery auburn hair that tumbled to her waist. Alses thought longingly for a moment about the glorious head of crimson flame she'd sported all through Autumn, replaced at the first touch of Winter by dull chestnut brown. She had a smaller version of herself over her shoulder (although that was mostly going by hair colour), a highly unusual means for two people to travel together, as far as Alses knew. The other, now he was unusual too. Short and slight, with a thinness that seemed inbuilt rather than as a result of starvation and very pale skin to boot, he made an unusual statement in the city. Perhaps that was why the Shinya guards (always nearby) were watching him so closely.

[Astreia]

Astreia could not deny that she was rather taken aback by the hissing of the man, but her face did not betray it. She did not want to affront the man and it occurred to her that he was not completely human. A shapeshifter of some sort unquestionably. “Your pardon, but may we be of some assistance? The Azure is perhaps not the best place for milk at this time of year, and it's very easy to get lost here.” She turned around and found herself looking at a woman of average height, a really rather beautiful woman and, remembering the custom in Lhavit, she gently dropped Raelli off her back and returned the bow, with deference to the fact that the woman came across as quite important. "That was what I was afraid of." she said with a small smile, her voice betraying the fact that common was far from her mother tongue, "I am not sure I expected much else." Raelli had buried his face into her side and she placed her arm around him without losing eye contact with the woman, "But it is always worth asking."

[Alses]

Alses chuckled softly, inclining her shining head in recognition of the returned bow, the motion giving her the time she needed to interpret the girl's unusually-accented Common and rolling R's. It wasn't an impenetrable barrier to communication, by any means, but just different enough from the standard to need a split-second of interpretation. Her own Common still retained a refined Zeltivan drawl, despite her efforts to adopt a more flowing Lhavitian style, a holdover from past days. “Indeed. We've found asking to be very worthwhile, on occasion.” she paused, just for a heartbeat. “You're new to the celestial city, yes?” It wasn't really a question, despite the rising lilt; newcomers, awed by the skyglass, safety and prosperity all around, stood out like sore thumbs to almost any long-time resident. Absently, operating entirely on automatic, Alses' head angled towards the heavens and the sun as she thought some more about the girl's predicament. 'Now, where in Lhavit will sell milk in Winter?' she wondered in the privacy of her own head, lips pursed and eyes staring unblinkingly into the sun. 'Somewhere on the Sharai would probably have milk-' Alses was thinking of the Okomo Villa in particular '-but that's a fair distance away; is there anywhere closer?' She drew a blank, at least at first – milk sine qua milk didn't feature very heavily in the Lhavitian diet, being more often processed into yoghurt lassis or cheese, the one to complement (and in some cases counteract) the spiciness of local cuisine and the other for ease of long-term storage. Then: 'Ah! Mhakula's must have some, for a few of the teas, and I'm almost positive that the Fleeting Comet will have a supply too, for their fancier desserts. I can ask at Mhakula's where they get their milk from, too. They know me, after all.' Problem solved, at least in her head, Alses abruptly returned her attention back to Mizahar. “Forgive our questions, but is milk in particular a necessity? I believe we know of somewhere quite close by that has at least a small supply, and I can ask where they get theirs from, too, but milk as...well...milk is not particularly common here.” Her eyes flicked down to the small copy, latched like a limpet to the girl's leg and without any visible face. Mild curiosity tinged her features and her voice. “Is the small one quite well?” she asked, unused to any dealings with children. They'd never really featured in her life before.

[Sharyths]

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find somewhere that sells milk?", After being startled by these words, Sharyths attention focused to the small cub. Why does he seem so warm in this cold weather? Does he not know of the climate change? Is he immune to it? Or does he steal the warmth from the woman attached to him? All these questions race through his mind.

“Your pardon, but may we be of some assistance? The Azure is perhaps not the best place for milk at this time of year, and it's very easy to get lost here.”

Anothers voice, he turns to face the alto tone for which to find the owner. He wished he hadn't, for as soon as his eyes glanced upon her he was stunned. The glow that came off her was so, so...Disgusting. The eyes that stared back were so terrifyingly beautiful he thought his heart would march out of his body and land in the sea.

“Heltho. A pleathure to meeth you.” He wasn't sure the custom of meeting new people, but after seeing the woman bow bowed himself. Awkwardly even he noticed.

For some strange reason, now he felt eyes on him. He turned to see but no one caught his eye.

[Astreia]

Astreia half shrugged with a small smile. "Cheese or yoghurt of some kind would be acceptable if milk is not the sort of thing the people here usually consume. It is not for me. I much prefer Ale." Raelli had always been prone to fractures and Astreia had read somewhere that substances based with milk were good for strengthening bones - so she was determined to give him some everyday. “Is the small one quite well?” It was at this that Astreia found herself for the first time slightly irritated, not because of the question because she was sure that it was expressed with a sentiment of concern but almost because, in a way, to her as an Inarta where weakness was far from valued, It was an insult... and she knew that it would hurt Raelli, especially after he had tried so hard not to show any signs of frailty. She shook this off with a small laugh. "He is very tired. We have been walking for days and he is not used to it, of course." Astreia was not about to go into details about the health of her little brother to a complete stranger.

[Sharyths]

The conversation between these two, hue-mahns, interested Sharyths. He observed them cautiously through their, what do they call it, spat? The disgustingly beautiful one seemed to be the more enthusiastic one. Could it be this dreadful cold? Does she gain strength from this? The other one with the small cub seems defensive. Does the grossly pretty one want to take the cub for a sacrificial offering of some kind? Brilliant.

"...tired." Does she mean the cub? "...walking for days... not used to it," Does she make him walk for long distances?

"Fasssthinating." He hissed almost to himself, not realizing he spoke out loud. "Whath will happen nexth?"

[Alses]

Alses grinned happily. “Cheese and yoghurt are easy enough to find,” she said cheerfully. “Almost any food stall here will at least have yoghurt lassis, for a start.” She pursed her lips in thought, voice taking on a pensive tone. “They're a bit difficult to describe, now we come to think on it...a sort of thick flavoured drink you mostly have to fireproof the back of your throat whilst eating some of the truly spicy dishes.” A brief shudder as she recalled innocently experiencing one of the spiciest offerings in the window of a local restaurant and walking around with the back of her throat feeling as though it were scraped raw and on fire for four hours. She squinted at the complex cityscape all around for a moment, triangulating her position and getting her bearings. “One of the best places for food is over there,” she said, gesturing towards a small, squared-off archway that led off the main thoroughfare, opening out (after a deceptively-narrow start) onto a street of almost equal width and length, thronged with all the paraphernalia necessary for serious cookery. Alses liked it for the cluster of bakeries close to the entryway, each proudly displaying luscious treats and scenting the air with the rich smells of melting chocolate, sugar and honey, although the latter stretches of the street with their manifold savoury offerings and ingredients of all sorts was also a nice place to visit, once her sweet tooth had been satisfied. “That said, however...if you don't fancy haggling over the prices, we would recommend a trip to Mhakula's Tea House instead. Much more civilised, and a chance to sit down and relax, too. We don't think they sell ale, as such, but they certainly have spirits. Mostly for adding to the tea, but I'm sure they'd give you a neat measure or two if you asked.” She grinned. “Just the thing for this wintry weather, no?” Alses' attention flicked over to the other fellow present, and she smiled gently as the thin, pale newcomer bent awkwardly, though very rapidly, into a foreshortened bow. It was plain for almost anyone to see he was unused to the Lhavitian greeting. “Such manners; how delightful. The pleasure is mine,” she returned amicably, having interpreted his sibilant-laden salutation. A thought suddenly struck her. “Ah, but where are our manners? We go by Alses here; might I have your name in kind?” Quickly, she widened the question to Asteria and Raelli. “And yours?”

[Sharyths]

Sharyths studied these hue-mahns to his hearts content. Noticing blood pressure rising, hormone levels, physical displacement. It was all so fascinating. “Cheese and yoghurt...”, “...any food stall...” Sharyths started to remember he had not eaten yet, he had been so fascinated with the meeting he was put in, that he had forgotten to eat.

Oh, what was the phrase for food to these hue-mahns? If only he had paid more attention to his english lessons, oh, but they were so boring. I before E, except after C, or some nonsense like that.

“Ah, but where are our manners? We go by Alses here; might I have your name in kind?” Does she turn this question to me? She's looking at me, what should I do? All in a panic , he soon remembered what his father had taught him when meeting with these hue-mahns.

“Greethtingsss. The namess Sharyths Ssvarthti, pleathsure to make your aquaitanse.” he hissed, feeling the aroma Alses gave off.

“Whyth the cub not sspeakth?” Looking over and wondering why this cub does not show signs of respect. This cub does look voluptuous to thine eyes, but no. He promised himself he wouldn't do this again. The Dhani turned his head, one reason to the drool coming down his face. But another, to hide his shame.