Closed Swinging Knifes

[Akilia Dosert]

Akilia Akilia moved through the camp a little lost. The woman said find a Lias. Who's a Lias? What do they look like? Do they were a special badge or something with the word Lais engraved on it or something? She wandered, then she walked into something big and stumbled back. It was a pole and Akilia flushed a little red having ran into it. Then she looked around it, it was a training area. There were various weapons strewn about, practice dummies and...and a man. He was sitting down on a sack drinking something from a waterskin. He saw her and put down the skin and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "The medical tent is that away little miss." He huffed pointing in the direction of a tent with people hustling about with bandages and other medical supplies. The girl shook her head. "No I was looking for a Lias. A woman told me one could train me how to use a dagger?"

[Anchor]

For a moment longer the man kept swigging from his waterskin, taking thirsty gulps that bobbed his throat. He didn’t keep Akilia waiting too long though, and after a short tick wiped his mouth and looked over. “I think you mean a Lia, miss,” he corrected. “A Lia is the leader of one of our pods, though there are many here for this gathering. They’re scattered around, each with their own pod, though they have a large tent near the center of the campground where they draw up battle plans.” One of the man’s meaty arms gestured over towards the thicker clusters of tents, where people bustled about carrying all sorts of necessities for the camp from training weapons to food to medical supplies. “It’s over there somewhere, I forget exactly where. Our pod’s Lia is over there right now, drawing up plans with Lia Deepseeker and the others. Someone else will be able to direct you better than I probably, you’ll find people willing to help easily enough though.” With that, he went back to swigging his water, leaving Akilia and Ginger to find their way from his vague instructions. As the Kelvic moved deeper into the campground, she would find an increased amount of activity. Towards the edges there was a good deal of Svefra sitting around and talking actively, laughing and playing easily. In here, closer to the heart of the commotion, people were far more occupied. In addition to the people carrying about their supplies, there were warriors who were in the thick of training with each other, men and women teaching their brethren how to better use a cutlass or fire an arrow. There were also more casual sparring matches, with flashes of steel ringing against each other for the more experienced and thwacks of wood for the less so. Such fighting was out of the way though, so as to not endanger the people hurrying through. In other places, instead of sparring spots there were fireplaces, with spits rotating over the billowing flames. Fish from the Suvan were beginning to char nicely, and there was even some meat from the woods nearby that was beginning to smell good. The cooks seemed as busy as anybody, perhaps more so as they ran around their fires, so few of them relative to the amount of food being prepared. Every now and again a passing Svefra would just take one of the fish, helping themselves to some sustenance as they went about their tasks, and other times they’d take a few to bring to some kinfolk somewhere else in the camp. After a bit of searching and maybe some direction-asking, Akilia would find herself at a large tent that seemed central to the entire campground. It was slightly larger than any other kind and circular as opposed to the standard rectangular shape. No one stood guarding the entrance, though no one went either. Chances were everyone was busy with their own things to do.

[Akilia Dosert]

Akilia Akilia made her way through the camp getting turned around her getting more vague instructions there, and dodging the occasional arrow when she wasn't watching where she was going. Finally she was at the right place. The Lia's tent was no bigger than the rest around here really, which no doubt contributed to the amount of times she ran into the wrong tent...or more correctly speaking, tents. But she had made it and she was here, standing uneasily outside it. Should she go in? Or wait? It felt odd that there was no one guarding it. Maybe the Lia was out? Or was this yet again the wrong tent... "Well only one way to find out." She murmured to herself and pushed the tent open she and Ginger stepping inside.

[Anchor]

There was, in fact, a good number of people inside. A myriad of women, all in their later years but some younger than others, sat around a small table upon which dozens of pieces of parchment were unrolled and weighed down by all manner of objects, from inkwells to cutlasses. Some were maps, some were lists, others were letters. The women were poring over all of it, rarely speaking and instead gesturing to various pieces of information, presumably already up to date on what would help. Initially, no one took interest of Akilia's entrance. There was no change in motion or expression, nor was there anyone standing at attendance to greet her or turn her away. It was left until one of the Lias looked up and noticed Akilia, a look of momentary surprise crossing her face before it changed to one of stern insistence, gesturing with her hands to remain quiet. Slowly, she rose and made her way around the huddled Lias, motioning for Akilia to follow her out of the tent. "They are quite busy with the information we have been gathering and recording," she explained without provocation, turning her curious and solemn expression onto the Kelvic, blue eyes calm and unwavering. "Number of Svefra, non-Svefra, weapons, food, ships supplies, even experience is being taken into account. Not to mention that we are trying to co-ordinate with another at the Anchorage Flotilla who doesn't have much influence over events at all, who we receive only letters as best he can describe to his limited experience." Sighing, she rubbed her forehead and leant back, running her hands over her hair. "Sorry. I'm not in the best state of mind. A lot of stress comes from organizing all of this. Crucina does her best, but even she is just human. It takes all of the Lias to coordinate our effort and get it done. Anyway, how may I help you?"

[Akilia Dosert]

Akilia It took the girl by surprise at how many people where clustered inside. She was astonished to see they were all...women. It was odd to Akilia that no man was present in the set up, but she quickly got over her shock. Blue eyes wandering around the room, they settled on the various items, maps, scrolls, and other oddities scattered about. She stood there a few minutes expecting to be noticed on the spot, but it didn't happen. There was no one at the entrance to speak to her nor the common courtesy of any acknowledging her presence. She opened her mouth to make it known, then halted mid breath when in fact, someone had noticed her. Not right away though, which still ticked her off a bit. Was she that insignificant? The Kelvic shook the thought away not in the mood for dwelling on simple things. She had been noticed end of story. The woman had made the universal 'keep quiet' motion with a hand. Then a gesture to go outside, Akilia was relived, she was feeling rather awkward standing at the mouth of the tent, where so many people were hard at work for this...quest? Mission? Whatever... Once outside the woman began to talk, the dark haired girl nodded respectfully as busy woman chattered. Oh, there was a question. "Er...yes actually. Is this the place to sign up for this...quest?" Yes, quest seemed like the right word for it.