Completed The Frostflame Melody

[Liriah]

4th/Summer/513 A.V. Exiting her room at the Solar Wind Apartments, Liriah began her stroll around Surya Plaza. Flute case in hand, and her trusty Luma beside her, Liriah stopped by the Silk Palace first. That was a serious mistake. "Welcome to Silk Palace, would you like some tea?" Accepting the tea, before she could even manage a word of gratitude, Liriah was shepherded through the door, into the front room, and onto the luxurious armchair. Inwardly laughing at the two girls who were known for their overeager reputation, she waited for the young mistress of the shop to appear. 1 bell had gone by before Liriah managed to leave the suffocatingly eager service. The tea kept coming, she had no qualms about that Liriah loved tea, but the problematic thing was; she wasn't used to so many smiles, and the colossal array of fabrics, which were all very much to her liking, made her waver, flitting from plain white cotton to pink Damask, peony Calico to crimson Velvet. In the end, she settled with her original idea and left with the cotton. There goes my money.... Now back in her apartment, the square piece of fabric lay folded on her bed, the sheets and blankets creased with use. Opting to sit on her desk by the window, Liriah took out her flute and began practicing her scales, the only song she could play was not for others. The music was raw despite centuries of on and off practice, but it's beauty was primal, matching the features and simplicity of the flute.

[Krisa]

It always amazed Krisa, someone who seemed so dull in her own eyes, to see the life and beauty of such a city. When she had first stutteringly made a life for herself here she have been a little overwhelmed by the life and the happiness, and the mere fact that here… she wasn’t starving or underneath anyone in terms of caste. It was the most beautiful place she had ever laid eyes on. Nothing was ever going to be perfect like it was when Lem was around. Kris’s heart hurt thinking about her. It was all welling up in her chest again instantaneously. its not like you deserved her anyway. In fact why are you even in such a place when it’s so obvious someone as plain as you doesn’t belong It was getting harder and harder to ignore the voices screaming inside her mind. They were shattering any strength that she had, and destroying her little by little. It made her question what she was doing here. Maybe she deserved to stay as the Dek she had been in Wind Reach. But the thought of that was so vile it nearly made her lose her balance. Krisa had to grab the edge of a table in her apartment to steady herself. The place was only a single room and very small, but it was such a luxury to have a place to herself. It was empty in the absence of her happiness. Krisa would begin pacing back and fourth over the wooden floor. Her clenched fist was held to her mouth as her teeth bit down on her hand, trying to bite down the panic attack that was sure to overcome her if she let it. The voices were whispering in hushed tones reiterating her fears, her insecurities, her trauma, and making with certainty that she believed that she deserved it all. Lemma died because you didm’ know your damn place. She would have been better off without you She had to get out. She had to leave this apartment this instant. Her pacing stopped. She slowly opened the fist to reveal pinpricks of blood where her long nails had dug into the soft flesh and she grabbed something that she always carried with her, her flute, and then moved to where the little cage her bird Kieran was sat snugly inside, to let him out. "Kieran, we’re going for a walk." she told him as he whistled a tune and hopped onto her shoulder. Once he was nestled comfortably into the base of her neck, Krisa moved outside into the lovely streets of Lhavit. At first she did’t know where she was walking, and, truth be told, she didn’t really care too much but a familiar sound rang clear. The sound made her stop suddenly, eyes wide. The flute! It was the beautiful, melancholy sound of a flutist. And for a terribly scarce moment, she thought it must be Lemma. Her heart soared in her chest and she felt at that moment, she could do anything. But it all crashed into the ground when she realised how stupid that thought was. Never the less, she followed the sound. Almost in a trance, she was drawn to it. When she found its source her heart soared again. She just saw the red hair and golden eyes. She saw nothing else. It was Lem, her Lem. It had to be. The second crash was all too much for her. The voices were laughing at her stupidity. Tears actually sprung to Kris’s warm brown eyes as she continued to stare up at the flutist that, upon further inspection, looked nothing like her Lem. Lem’s features were very different. She almost felt guilty for thinking such a person could be her Lemma. Krisa backed away from the apartment, and averted her eyes from the Inarten when an idea struck her. She could not, very well, go home. That would be hugely detrimental . So she brought out her flute, and tried to match the playful tune the young lady above her was playing. The sound it created was sweet and soothing, and surprisingly in tune with the other flutist.

[Liriah]

Despite her original decision of practicing her scales, Liriah just couldn't. Something was calling to her, pulling her towards its dark bosom. Her mind was beginning to lose itself within the realm of music. Her soul was breaking away from its chains and shell. Nothing good could ever come from that. It never has, so what says that it will now? "No," Liriah whispered in her mind, her past and memories were warring against her pacifist nature "not here, not when so many can hear. That melody has caused too much pain already." The victor has already been decided. Her fingers were now following the melody of souls, the tune which resonated from every sentient being within existence. Determined to keep the flute from playing her soul's own melody, to allow it to lay bare her past and story, she forced her slender digits to break into a playful tune. Her determination and fierce resolve was no match for the primal instinct called forth by the flute. Fall into the darkness now, Child. Fall into the darkness of despair Her soul was as vulnerable as a baby to Rhysol as to the flute. It was drawing upon her memories and weaving the dark shadows dwelling within into a melody only understood by Lhex and Rhaus, a melody which no mortal can comprehend unless blessed by the gods. The cheery tune was already making its descent into the shadows of tragedy, a single teardrop streaking down her left cheek, eyes glittering with dark memories, when the solo performance became a duet, disrupting the flute's influence and hold on her. Glancing in the direction of the couch to see if Luma and Neroll also heard the second flute, and to insure that she wasn't going mad, Liriah found both of them on edge. Luma's ears were perked up, his eyes wide with surprise, and Neroll was glaring past the flute at my lips and outside the window, out into the city of Lhavit. She knew better, however, that the melody was coming from the path outside her window. Continuing to play the flute absentmindedly, the tune growing into a mellow song which sang of lost love, Liriah raised her left eyebrow at the sight outside. A relatively thin girl, couldn't have been any older than 19 years of age, was artfully playing the flute. She was much better than Liriah was at the flute, but that made no difference to the continued duet. The duet, however, was beginning to near its end, the climax building in the mourning atmosphere. It was heavy with sorrow, but something else within it made her feel better. It reminded her of light. Radiant light, telling her not to let go of hope, no matter how pointless and small it may seem in the darkness of Lhex's onslaught. The final, climatic note wavered in the air, miraculously drawn out to perfection, petering off just as her tear fell, its stubborn hold on her chin losing to gravity. "I am glad you joined in when you did;" Liriah lilted, facing the open window and hoping the young child below could hear her over the din of the city, its citizens still busy with preparation for Okomo Day "what is your name, child? I can see that that flute is important to you by the way you hold it. If you wish, come up to my room; room number 99." Flustered by her first experience at taking the initiative in a conversation, Liriah turned back to her room, her face flushing with embarrassment. Looking up at her companion, she wiped her eyes and chin as she stared at Luma. "I don't think that is how most people talk," her eyes glared at the huge dog, his head turning away from Liriah as if to deflect the glare "it sounded pompous, very pompous. You, and Schwarts, taught me the wrong thing. Again." With a sigh of exasperation, she turned back to the window with a sigh of exasperation.

[Krisa]

The song the Inartan lady in the window above her had been seemed so bitter, so hopeless. The memories, the emotions she conveyed within those sallow notes were more than one thousand words could have achieved. When Krisa entered the song she released her own memories of sadness and pain. She put her heart and soul into each note as if it were a precious gem. The sound it created was both sinking her further, and lifting her up simultaneously. Both women were momentarily connected in their music, though they had never met before the tale they told was resonating in the air around them as if they had been a performing duo all their life. The song came to it’s climax swiftly and the battle between the great sorrow that was in her heart and the light of her lost lover who still sat inside her heart was at its head. She felt she had never played better in all her life than she did in this one moment. Music was truly a most miraculous thing, and although what this duet had spoke of was grief and sadness, there was a lightness about it. Something that spoke of hope and the will to go on. For once the voices said nothing. They just listened, as if just as enchanted by the song. Then, as the last note rang clear, and faded out, they came back, as if someone had just turned the gravity back on. What was she doing, playing such personal things with someone she had never met before? What if she had wanted to play by herself? But the woman’s words were contradictory to those thoughts. For a moment Krisa’s eyes lit up, then they drooped again. All she could picture now was that friendly call to come up to the stranger room, as an order from a higher up. They were not in Wind Reach, yet her thoughts endlessly circled around as if nothing had really changed. She felt now she should speak. She should answer the lady’s question. Why could it not all be as simple as playing the flute. Enough mean king was transferred through the air without the use of words. But she had a name, and she had a choice weather or not to accept this woman’s request. It didn’t seem right to walk away after meeting such an artist. So with a swipe at her stupidly wet eyes, and a deep breath she opened her mouth to speak "Krisa" She said "My name is Krisa" It was strange whenever she heard her own voice after not speaking for a long time. She moved to put away the flute, noticing it’s lack of beauty next to the ornate glass instrument the Inaten above her wielded. She moved a single boney finger up to mess up the feathers on the back of Kieran’s neck. Then she continued. "Um, room 99. If you don’t mind I will." She wasn’t even speaking loud enough. She made herself speak louder "If you don’t mind at all, I would love to join you" The thought of refusing a woman like this was simply scarier than accepting. She felt as though it was not her place to refuse, even though she was in her rights. The mindset was hard to shake. Even when she had been with Lem she had still felt lower. Without letting herself think to hard she began to head upstairs to room 99. When she got to the door she would hesitate one last time, and then knock twice. This was a nightmare, yet it was a step in the right direction.

[Liriah]

Realizing that she was still in her horrid, centuries-old brown dress, Liriah rushed around her wardrobe. It was a small wardrobe, perfect for the small amount of clothes she had gathered across the centuries. Plucking two of the five dresses from their hanger, Liriah decided not to wear the simpler of the two, a white dress that she brought to Lhavit in one of her numerous trips up the mountain, and picked the one which was trimmed by baby blue ruffles. She never had anyone visit her in her apartment room before, and it was nerve wracking. She rushed around the room, adjusting the pillows and bed sheets, the couch and her trade equipment, only to return them back to original. She was behaving like a human cyclone, and Luma wasn't liking it. Hearing two knocks coming from the door, Liriah and her companions froze in mid action, daring not to make a sound. Realizing that it was Krisa, the flutist from before, Liriah went for the door, her left hand reaching for the door knob while her right played with the ruffled bodice, which looked like it belonged to a blouse. Turning the door knob and pulling the door wide open, Liriah invited the girl in. It didn't take long for Liriah to become concerned for the poor girl, her eyes were puffy from crying, and bloodshot from rubbing. She needed tea. Preferably some jasmine tea, infused with lavender and some aeraibellium flowers. That would warm her up and soother her, too. She looked like she needed it. "Stay here while I get some tea ready." Liriah was already taking charge, becoming a not-so-graceful hostess and more like a worried grandmother. Remembering that she didn't have anymore tinder and firewood, nor did she have any water left from her last visit to the waterfalls and streams, Liriah stopped in her tracks. Something was going on, and Liriah could tell by Luma's glinting eyes. He's been a bad boy while Liriah was gone. A very bad boy. With steaming mugs of floral tea, Liriah sat down on the bed, patting the space beside her for Krisa to sit, and began to introduce herself, her Inari self taking over during Syna's reign. It was nice to have a new friend here, and Liriah was happy that this friend also knew Nari.

[Krisa]

Krisa found herself staring at the woman with awe as she opened the door and bustled her inside, ruffled dress flitting about around her legs embroider and laced with a hem colored in a lovely baby blue. It looked very nice on her, and suited her perfectly. What did such a woman want with her? Dull Krisa wearing a plain a black singlet and a matching Bryda, a face like a speckled egg with her shoulders and arms to match, dull green eyes that didn't seem to shine and sparkle like hers did. Krisa was just so adverse to the beauty of this young lady she almost felt embarrassed. uncomfortable in her own skin.She felt inferior. Krisa felt like backing away and running for it but her feet stayed rooted in place. Krisa bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from breathing heavy, and she clenched her fists to stop her hands from shaking. Why now? Why when she had been invited somewhere so simple, so friendly did she have to have a panic attack? Krisa's heart was about to jump out of her chest as the beautiful young lady came back into the room and suddenly she found herself back inside wind reach serving the higher ups and being mentally and physically abused for her failings. She saw the tea and immediately a completely horrid scenario played over what was really happening. This Lhavitian woman was, in her mind, someone of much higher status. An Endal, or an Avora. Someone that could potentially attack her was looking after her, but the Dek should have been the one to make Tea! Surely this was a test, and Krisa was failing. She was going to starve tonight. Maybe they would hurt her for her utter disrespect? Call her incompetent, stupid, worthless. She had to prove to her that she did know her place. That she wasn't being disrespectful. But what could she do but follow any further orders? The Inaten was telling her to sit down within close proximity to her. She's going to hurt you. You deserve drudge. Say that you deserve it.. With all of this madness going on inside her own mind, Krisa probably looked like a startled mule. She made her legs move, and, still not able to speak, head bowed low, moved towards the rider and sat on the floor where she belonged. She didn't make eye contact, biting her lip to keep her anxiety at bay, and then she saw the Tea and reality hit her. She put her hands on her mouth to stop something very unexpected and strange coming from her lungs. It was laughter. It wracked her whole body like an earthquake. Her would had changed once again and the fantasy her mind had conceited had been revealed as just that, a fantasy. She stood up pointedly and sat on the bed where she had been asked to sit in the first place. She wasn't a dek anymore! She wasn't! And this lady did not control her, nor did she wish to. She was serving her tea! She had invited her into her home! She had asked her to sit down! It was all so funny to Krisa that it took her a good half minute to calm herself down enough to explain herself. How insane must she look right now. Her hands were still shaking even while she laughed. "I'm ever so sorry. I am. You'll probably want me to leave after such a strange thing" She said, her Nari coming out far too quickly "I can sort of explain. Well. I mean. Sometimes I see something quite normal, like this, so strangely it's almost as if I've gone back in time." Her strange giddiness was wearing off already, and it flat lined as soon as the next words escaped "I used to be a drudge, and I thought you might attack me, Especially if I sat beside you. I even worried about missing the next call for food and starving for the night. Everything just-" She trailed off, hands clenched. She still hadn't accepted the Tea, but she took it now, and disguised her pained expression by sipping from the mug. "T-Thank-you for this." How would she play this one off. Surely she must look so foolish now. This looked nothing like Wind Reach, nothing like it at all. There was no connection but the red of the womans hair, and the gold of her eyes. Her cheeks flushed the same colour as her crimson locks. The situation shouldn't be so scary now that she had seen the reality, yet still Krisa sat at the very end of the bed and kept glancing up every few seconds. "I'm so sorry" She mumbled again. You look the fool now! You're such an idiot. So stupid. Why don't you just leave? As if you are welcome here. You are a burden, forever a burden to others.. But she didn't leave. She just sat there waiting for the woman to speak. "I uh... I didn't quite catch your name... if you said it..."

[Liriah]

Not truly understanding why her guest, and possible new friend, was laughing, Liriah couldn't help herself but smile. The girl's radiance and adorable laughter was infectious, something Liriah had seen more frequently in Lhavit than ever in her life. As the laughter subsided, Liriah was greeted with a bombardment of Nari. The jovial atmosphere and lightness of mood was heading downhill as Krisa told her her fears of past trauma. "There is nothing to worry about in my presence," Liriah responded, trying to convince the girl beside her that nobody in Lhavit would do that to her "nor in Lhavit. You don't have to apologize to me for laughing. If I understand your pain correctly, then laughter is needed even more." Shaking her head in acknowledgment of Krisa's words of gratitude for the tea, she saw it as something that a good hostess should offer, it was an obligation, Liriah watched the girl take a tentative sip, her effort to mask her pain easily seen through. Content that the tea was warming her guest up, Liriah sipped more of her own tea. Surprised that her guest was still apologizing, especially for one of Liriah's own mistakes, Liriah introduced herself and her companion once more. "I'm so sorry for forgetting to give you my name, it's a habit from when I still lived in the Misty Peaks." Standing up from the bed, Liriah began to move towards Luma. "This, here, is Luma," Liriah went towards her trusty wolf, hugging Luma against her chest despite his complaints "he's my companion, protector, and advisor. He's not as scary as you think and will look after you, too." Almost forgetting to introduce herself, Liriah began to blush, embarrassment on almost forgetting her own name creeping up into her face. "And I'm Liriah," placing her left hand over her chest "you can call me Lira or El, if you wish." "Oh, It's almost lunch time! Would you like to come with me for lunch at Shooting Star Inn? Terence isn't usually around to run the place, but the others make quite the lunch." Looking down at the foot of the bed on a whim, Liriah found Luma rummaging through her wardrobe. Pulling out a hanger, Luma presented a simple, but elegant, dress made from cornflower blue cotton. Its slashed sleeves pooled around the wrist, and its mid-calf length skirt sways with the wind. Although she wasn't sure if it would fit Krisa, the dress would no doubt suit her well. Walking towards Luma, Liriah gently took hold of the dress, pulling the dress gently as Luma released the bundle. "Tha must've been strange to you," Liriah laughed, hoping that Krisa didn't find them odd "Luma didn't mean anything rude from that. I'd love to see you in that dress, though. Well, I'd actually like you to have it." Holding out the dress to Krisa, Liriah was hoping that girl would accept her invitation to lunch. It was nice having a friend to have lunch with in the city.

[Krisa]

oocAah, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Life got quite busy for the past few days aha Crisis over for now Krisa was able to return to normality. She was disappointed in herself for showing this weakness of hers to another person. To have gotten so caught up in a fantasy based panic attack in front of another person was appalling. They didn't need the burden she carried with her, it was hers to battle with alone. She should have remained stronger. She needed a better way to combat this. She tried to put herself in the frame of mind she carried when she performed. One of a jovial nature. One that only throughout of her music and her audience. When the lady responded to her sudden onslaught of meagre explanation for her actions, Krisa smiled. No one would attack her in Lhavit. They had no reason to. She was a working, established citizen of this town. She had a place that was not lower than any others like her. What's more she had lived here for the last one and a half years. She really was stupid. The guilt for causing such a scene welled up inside of her and caused a lump to form in the back of her throat. Krisa continued to drink her tea and waited as the woman introduced herself and her companion. Luma was cute, she'd always wanted a wolf or dog companion, but that might just freak out her current companion. She smiled "This is Kieran." She told Lira, grabbing the tiny songbird who had been making a small nest out of her hair and attempting to hide there "He's a little shy, and doesn't like strangers, so I'd suggest you get to know him a little before trying to touch him. Even though he's cute" She giggled childishly as she let him flutter back onto her shoulder and snuggle against her neck. "It really is a pleasure to meet the both of you." Krisa said with a smile. "You can call me Kris for short if you like." Krisa added. Lira then invited Krisa to lunch at the Shooting Star Inn. Krisa nodded "I'm starting to get hungry, thank-you and I will come" She said with a smile, forgetting all about her previous 'episode'. Then Luma, her new friends wolf started digging through her wardrobe a strange determination in his eyes. Krisa couldn't work out what the dog was doing. Kris tilted her head in surprise and watched as she was presented with an elegant dress in one of her favourite colours. Krisa blinked as if she were being offered a high honour for some deed she did not do. She couldn't help longing for the dress. Her mind conjured images of herself wearing it and looking beautiful like her new friend Lira. You could never look beautiful. Said Voice no.1. But she felt she couldn't refuse her new friend Lira when she was being ever so kind. And her cloths were very dull in such a shining city, maybe she should look nicer. But really she should buy her own nice things. It was a thoughtful gift none the less "Are you sure? I don't- I mean if you like the dress you should keep it..." She shook her head. She did want to look nice for once. Maybe she could just try it on... It looked a little long for Lira anyway where as Kris was taller. Maybe, just maybe it would fit her nicely. Without meaning too Krisa had reached out and taken the dress and was holding the silky fabric in her hands "Can I Really have it?" She said looking at it and then back up at Lira.

[Liriah]

Over run by the prospect of going to lunch with her friend, Liriah rolled the nickname given around her tongue. kris. Kris. I have a new friend, and her name is KRIS! Remembering that her friend had introduced her own little companion, Liriah, with all of her hyped up energy, began talking to the little songbird. "Hello, Kieran. It's an honor to meet you and Kris," her voice regaining its composure "I'm sure your songs are lovely. It must put so many others' to shame" Watching the finch hide behind Krisa's fiery mane, Liriah smiled at her friend's innocent and endearing giggles. It was nice to hear her smile and so upbeat after what happened earlier. With Krisa's acceptance of her lunch invitation, Liriah released a sigh of relief, the breath she was unknowingly holding rushing from her burning lungs. With a smile that seemed to bloom whenever she saw Kris, Liriah went to her wardrobe to take out a sash or ribbon to tie her hair with. Nudging Luma away from in front of her wardrobe door, Liriah rummaged through the bottom, pushing aside neat stacks of folded strips of fabric until she found what she was looking for. Procuring a baby blue ribbon and a cornflower blue sash, Liriah moved back to her friend. "This ribbon is for your hair," Liriah nodded, slowly settling the strip of fabric on the dress in Krisa's hands "use it whenever you want to tie your hair. Its yours now, too." Reassuring her new friend that the dress was all hers, understanding the look of longing in Krisa's eyes, Liriah began to initiate her lunch plans. First step: get Krisa into that dress. "Let's get you dressed and changed," her voice taking on a sisterly, if not overly-eager, tone "here would be fine; I'll block the window view while you change." "Don't worry about Luma," Liriah reassured her friend, tying her hair up with the ribbon formed into a bow at her nape "he's used to me changing in front of him. Don't worry about scars and whatnot, we've seen our share from travelers when we lived in the mountains, so change as you would at your own home!"

[Krisa]

Kris would laugh again as Lira began to talk to Kieran. He'd warm up to her eventually, but for now he just hid. Lira looked so happy in that moment, and by something so simple as Krisa accepting her offer of lunch. It warmed her heart to get to know another like this again. She had not made many friends in her time here, and none of them kept in regular contact with her really. She liked to see others happy, it was, Krisa hoped, her calling to make others happy. It was why she played music. Music had the ability to make all people, of all cultures into one with its notes and it's lyrics. It could provoke feelings so strong they could bring hope to even the most depressed, and down trodden. This was the effect it had on Krisa. One day she would be a master musician. It was what kept her going. Lira had turned now to retrieve something else from her wardrobe. It was a baby blue ribbon, for Krisa's hair. She's being too nice to me. Why? is there an anterior motive?. Krisa couldn't stop these guilty thoughts from entering her head. They were foolish, of course. Utter nonsense. Krisa ignored them as best she could, but there was always some form of negative energy tugging at her heels, trying to trip her, to make her stumble like she had when she had first arrived. Krisa moved one hand up to retrive Kieran and place him down on the bed behind her. She knew he'd protest about that, but while Lira was so close, tying Krisa's hair up with the ribbon, he would not return to her shoulder. Instead he began to flutter around, turning back on himself when he spotted the dog. When Lira suggested she get changed Krisa flushed crimson once more. "Oh, umm, well" She stuttered, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as Lira moved over to block out the window. She held the dress in her arms, letting it fall to its full length in her outstretched arms. She turned so her back faced Lira and her companions and gingerly she began to peel off her clothing. She pulled off her Bryda and her shirt so she stood there, like a beanstalk. She felt her figure was boyish and far too skinny. There were scars on her body, most were concentrated around her torso, and they were result of a violent attack that left her with a paralysing fear, and suspicion of strong, or large men. Nothing else was as obvious or prominent. Krisa stepped into the dress quickly and did it up at the back. It hung off her a little, but otherwise it fit her nicely. This mere fact gave her some joy. She moved over to where she saw a mirror and looked at herself with awe. For the first time in a long time she felt somewhat happy inside her own skin. The dress swirled around her slender legs elegantly. With her hair tied back, her green eyes seemed to pop more. The sleeves of the dress, and the way it pulled in at the waist was flattering to her narrow frame and made Krisa's slight curves just that little bit more noticeable. She felt like a different person, and she had no one but Lira(And her wolf) to thank for it. Her gaze shifted to look at Lira, and Krisa didn't feel as horribly plain as she had standing next to her before. No doubt Lira was more beautiful, but Kris no longer did feel so small. "Thank-you... thank-you both so much. It's ever so lovely. I feel like I don't do it much justice" Krisa said with a small smile