Closed Penmanship is the Key (Drusilla)

[Dovinya]

Note for whomever grades thisFor my part of this thread, you don't need to produce a grade as I am retiring this character. Thank you for your time, and attention.

31st of Summer, 513 AV

All was well, Dovinya thought to himself as he climbed across the silken rope towards the Cribellum, his sensitive eyes already picking up on the faint glow emitting from within the structure. He was in a good mood today after spending much of it at the temple, and expected to stay that way despite the fact that he'd likely run into that snide woman who kept up the shelves. For today he was on business for the temple, and wouldn't have to deal with her attitude.

After coming down from the silken strand lightly, he gathered the necessary books from his bag before crossing the threshold into the Cribellum. Fortunately, the old man Calvino he'd been sent to meet with was within sight, stooped over a desk while hastily scrawling amongst large piles of parchment and seeing him, Dovinya headed right over, letting his steps fall rather loudly on the stone to alert him.

"Dovna, I come on behalf of Daratur to see if you would copy these books from the temple" As he spoke Dovinya handed them over to Calvino who was already reaching for them, and subjecting them to a vigorous inspection of their quality.

"Ah yes, a broken binding here, a few split pages, an odd stain there.. Yes, tell Daratur I'll have them copied within a tenday" Calvino replied, mostly to himself before taking the books deeper into the Cribellum. The man certainly didn't waste time on pleasantries Dovinya mused, rethinking his previous judgement on the woman whom also worked here. Perhaps being in such quarters inhibited such sternness in those that worked here day after day. All the more reason to get out of here quickly and back to the temple his thoughts followed as he turned in place and headed back for the way he came. Or at least he tried to, when all of a sudden as fate would have it he ran into the very same woman he'd been thinking about.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla followed the dim lit colored thread road leading to the Cirbellum. The dull light had dimmed even more, how depressing. Dark, cold, dank... At least the library would be lit, dimly but still lit. Drusilla could see just fine, but she had grown accustom to lights and their warm glow. The lack of light made Kalinor seem less and less hospitable. Dru sighed, "Just get in and get out. just get in and get out." Stepping in the Cirbellum, Drusilla's eye's darted back and forth taking note of the people inside. She found the old man who had run the Cirbellum years ago was still in charge. She had been surprised and remembered that Symenestra lived much longer then the Inarta she was so used to. He still seemed still as stuffy as ever. He had taken an assistant, who at the moment was talking to a man. She inched behind a bookshelf, and peeked out from behind warily. She knew how silly she must look if they saw her... But she had to watch them, they lacked the fiery vibrancy of the Inarta. Although, they had a classical monochrome elegance... Like black silk with white lace. After she was satisfied with watching them she slipped off to view some books and perhaps write some volumes on wind reach. She gathered some books on healing, music, weaving, and sewing, (maybe not just SOME, as her pile was high and heavy) she sat down and thumbed through the first Volume. Healing is the power of being able to take something living that is damaged and return that living thing to a state of normal operation or function almost instantaneously. Damage can be defined as physical wounds, disease or mental illness. Healers, through their link with Rak'keli, borrow from her domain and channel the essence of her powers through themselves to repair damage. Rak'keli long ago discovered the need for healers throughout Mizahar. Humans, and their brethren races were often fragile and prone to damage. Rak'keli is very free with her gnosis marks at lower levels. She shows no preference for race or sex even though she dwells with her sister on Konti Isle. Her only demand in return for granting a gnosis mark is that the recipient swears an oath to never turn their back on the opportunity to heal that which is damaged. That healing must be offered freely to both friend and enemy alike. It is a serious oath and one that, if broken, can result in a gnosis mark turning negative or the loss of the mark completely.

[Dovinya]

Caught by surprise, Dovinya fell to the ground, taking the woman down with him as he did. The books she had been carrying flew every which way across the floor and their tangled forms, creating quite the racket in the usually quiet library, even more so as they fought to extricate from the presence of one another. Dra-Nesyria certainly wasted no time admonishing him as she came to her feet, glaring at him as he did the same.

"You clumsy fool!" She fumed, before smacking him hard across the face. Barely having even recovered from his untimely fall, he could do little to try and defend against the stinging hit. He did however notice her preparing to hit him a second time, and this time he caught her hand before she struck his other cheek, his own anger provoked at her disrespect.

"You have my apologies for knocking you over, but I will not stand here and accept such disrespect from a half-breed" Dovinya managed through clenched teeth.

"Quit with this foolishness you two, you are disturbing the peace of the Cribellum with you antics!" A familiar voice came from not far behind him, surprising him into releasing Dra-Nesyria's hand. "Run along now Nesyria, and you whom caused all this trouble, I expect you to clean up the mess you made" Calvino added, pushing him rather roughly towards the books that had been cast across the floor. Nesyria didn't seem to please to let his insult go unpunished, but she did as the old man bid anyways, moving deeper into the library, likely as far away as she could manage to get from him. Dovinya couldn't help but sigh as he stooped to gather the first tomes on the floor. He wondered what this meant for future visits to the Cribellum.

Calvino though would not leave him to his thoughts just yet. "Be prompt about it, or I'm likely to think of a more grueling task to set you upon" He announced, breaking the brief silence before walking away once more leaving Dovinya alone to work in silence. This day was going to be a long one, he could already tell.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla had been pondering thoughts of this Konti Island, an island inhabited by a goddess. It sounded so exotic. Drusilla had never been on an island and it was quite hard to imagine having lived in Kalinor and Wind Reach, which was nothing but caves, rocks, and volcanoes. She thought of the Twin Lakes in Wind Reach and their cool clear waters and smiled happily, an island must radiate that kind of happiness ten fold. If only- A loud noise broght Drusilla back from her thoughts of islands and cool waters. She had jumped so badly from the scare it took her a moment to recover before getting up with caution to see what had caused the commotion. She found the cause to be the male Symenestra she had seen earlier, a woman, and a boatload of books and tomes sprawled about the floor. Without a second thought she begain to collect the scattered tomes, she was caught offgard and paused when the lady had slapped the man from earlier. Angry words were exchanged and Drusilla wrinkled her nose at a few of them. She continued to retreive the books as Calvino spoke to the man in harsh tones. A sigh escaped from Drusilla,Symenestra racism at its best she thought to herself.

[Dovinya]

He set to picking up the books begrudgingly, more than eager to get back to the temple, but as it was, he didn't want to spoil relations with the Cribellum any further than he already had. After all, he still had many more preparations to get to before the harvest, as well as quite a few entries to purse through, including those his father had made. In any case, it wouldn't have sit well with him at all if he left things as they were.

The texts had spread far an wide across the floor, some resting open on their backs, and others having slid what seemed like improbably far away given were they'd fallen from. Fortune yet favored him though he noticed when he glanced over at a woman helping with the spilt stack of books, though he decidedly refrained from striking up a conversation with her, having no reservations about what might her attitude be towards him after his little outburst. Likely, he figured, if he tried, he'd only be met with abrupt dismissal at best. It only made him want all the more to depart this place, already filled with much regret.

Still despite himself, he stole glances between every other tome he picked up, his curiosity getting the best of him.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla could feel the man's eyes on her on her, and for the most part. Why was he staring at her? It wasn't like she looked shockingly different like in Wind Reach. Here she looked normal just with recessive features. She mumbled to herself in Nari. She may have looked normal here, but she felt like she stuck out. Drusilla glanced up at the man from time to time until she caught his eyes and froze for a moment then looked away. She fixed her pile of books and handed them to them man,"Here, I believe you dropped these.." The sound of her own voice surprised her, as she rarely spoke Symenos to anyone. "May I ask where you're headed? Do you need help carrying all these tomes?" Her kind and caring nature overcame her fear and worry." I'm... Drusilla." She stopped remembering that Symenestra used last names unlike the Inarta. "Aster! She added awkwardly My name is Drusilla Aster, Avora of Wind Reach." Drusilla picked up a few stray books that had fell amazingly far from the other tomes and ledgers. She proceeded to look under tables and chairs if she was going to help she was going to be thorough about it. She found the final tome under a bookshelf. She stood up victoriously holding the book as she dusted off her black dress."There, that seems to be the last one." I never did catch your name...

[Dovinya]

Scarlet raced across his pale cheeks as he realized his glances had been noticed, and stiffly he accepted the offered tomes, waiting for the venomous remarks sure to come. Unexpectedly, that did not come to pass, and he found himself at a loss at her pleasantness for several moments. Was it that she didn't care, or could it be something else? He was certain he did not know her, at least not personally, yet even at his outrageous display she was yet courteous. Perhaps he could learn something from the way she held herself.

"I'm bound back for the temple after I've set these books in their proper place" At her second question, he glanced at the tomes at hand, attempting to make a quick judgment on whether or not to accept her offer, and deciding to be gracious, he answered with a small nod. "I'd certainly appreciate the help seeing these tomes back in the shelves"

With that, he started neatly piling the collected books in front of him, though he had to pause for a second at her mention of a unfamiliar name. "Wind Reach" Dovinya couldn't help but interrupt, his eyebrow arching questioningly.

Gathering up the piled tomes, he stood as she did, answering offhandedly, "Dovinya, of the Aconite Web" while he made for a shelf to his left that had space for a few tomes.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla nodded as Dovinya spoke "I've been meaning to head to the temple. My first trip here from running away years ago, I need to go see Mother... Do you work within the temple?" She began to place the tomes back on empty shelves. She started to hum quietly as she arranged the books glancing through some that caught her interest and gentlely setting them in their places. Drusilla smiled, "Yes, Wind Reach. I live there, with the Inarta. Such Fiery people. Such beautiful views. It's my home and I love it there." Returning to Kalinor had made her really see how much she loved her mountain home. "I'm sure you've read tomes on them, or.." She stopped herself short, there was no need to bring up the body snatching harvest or the surrogates at all. It would ruin anything she said or did. To this man, taking a woman to bear children to spare his wife's life was an ordinary thing. "I guess, I don't really have a 'web' here anymore. I'm not even really sure why I came back here.. There's nothing good for me here, there never was. This place is nothing but bad childhood memories. Maybe I came to face them somehow?" She gave a small sad laugh and noticed she had stopped placing the books on the shelf. Drusilla quickly resumed tidying the library. "I'm sorry! I tend to ramble. In all honesty, you're the first Symenestra I've spoken to sense I was 12." Dovinya was a pleasantly charming man, he made her feel as if opening up to him would be good... Maybe for both of them.

[Dovinya]

Replacing the books in their proper places proved to be the greater task by far, as Dovinya found as he struggled to match the content of the various tomes with that on the shelves, the first entries not always so clear. Still, he managed to maintain the casual conversation easily enough, and indeed found it to be a welcome diversion from this tedious task.

Pausing, he turned slightly to address her mention of the temple, a subject more suited to his tastes. "Yes, though I've only recently returned to the service of the temple" Try as he might, he couldn't suppress a slight frown at the recollection of the events earlier this season, and regarding Drusilla, he couldn't help but wonder if she'd heard the rumors surrounding his recent reappearance. Whatever the case, he decided it did not matter, for most had it all wrong with their idle speculations, and rumors were hardly enough evidence to act upon.

"I've seen mention of the place, but have yet to go into any true semblance of study on the entries concerning it. Are they accepting?" He left his question at that, hoping that she might catch on to his meaning behind it, that of course in regards to their particular 'kind'. Her experiences suggested that they might be, but he didn't want to prove himself hasty by judging too quickly the dispositions of these Inarta.

At her next statement, he stopped what he was doing entirely, all too keenly aware of the personal note this conversation was quickly taking on. It made him uncomfortable to be party to such admissions, but he pushed past that to question her about something that now burned within him to be asked. "If this is not too intrusive, may I ask what brought you away from Kalinor?"

[Drusilla]

"I- ah yeah, they like me well enough... If you can pull your weight they like you well enough. They don't always live long, they're really feisty and they can be hotheaded too. The people of the sky. The eagle riders. I stick out like a sore thumb, people stare still. Some don't trust me because of what I am, because of what most Symenestra do." Drusilla nodded as she spoke."I can't change what I am, not matter how hard I try." She turned to look at Dovinya, "I'll tell you my story, but don't judge me or my ways. I am not like the Symenestra that live here, and know that even as you're a temple worker. I will speak my mind. Are you Okay with this?" Drusilla sighed, "I was not surrogate born. My mother held me warm inside her knowing very well what was to happen, and it did happen. She died because of me. I killed my mother. Papa remarried around four years later, and she was a mean witch of a woman. She surrogated with a Kelvic and my brother was born. But three years later she took an Inarta to breed. I use to sneak out and see her. She became a mother to me. She knew what was going to happen to her, and yet she loved me like a mother. After the twins were born. I-I-I," Drusilla took a deep breath. "I watched her body be tossed carelessly to the caverns below as if she was nothing. Nothing! We steal women from their families for our own purpose, they die keeping us alive and we toss them like trash. That's why I left. Maybe, we are meant to die, Dovinya." Drusilla looked him in the eyes. "Call me mad or crazy, but I won't be a part of it. I shall never bear child to a Symenestra man through another woman. Both for her sake and mine. How could I hold a child that wasn't mine, but another woman's bearings? We need to find a better way to do things. If we bore our own children over time through generations our bodies would adapt and change." She waited for Dovinya to yell at her or strike out, she had said her peace. She had said what she felt in her heart. If he didn't respect her view she would go. But, she hoped he would understand.