Closed Weaving Flowers (Karliah)

[Faryon Whiteflower]

Timestamp: 1st of Summer, 513AV Faryon was aimlessly meandering through the various pavilions of Endrykas, the city on the move. She was procrastinating or perhaps more like avoiding her father and Ankal of Whiteflower pavilion, either way she didn't want to be anywhere near that tent. A week ago, the teen had mentioned about her leaving for Riverfall and it had lead to alot of yelling. He was against his only daughter to cross the Sea of grass by herself, too much danger out there he had said, but Faryon knew the real reason was that he didnt want to lose his last reminder of his late second wife, S'forea. Despite have breaking the news a week ago, they still weren't on the best speaking terms. So here was Faryon wandering around with no true purpose. After a bell of walking, she came across a tall and slightly lanky girl. Her grey eyes were a strong contrast to her fiery red hair. The girl couldn't be much younger than Faryon. She was sitting slightly outside what Faryon presumed to be her pavilion weaving a basket, about a quarter way in. Faryon didnt mean to be rude but stood there and gawk at her weaving. She wasn't sure why see was entranced with the girl and her basketweaving, best she could come up with that she wanted to learn herself. Squatting in front of the girl,"Can you show me how to weave?"

[Karliah Firestride]

Karliah looked up as Faryon approached, she had seen the older girl before from afar, though she had never spoken to her.

She just stared at Faryon for a moment, "Teach you to weave?" She wondered why Faryon was asking her, she was only a novice. "Sure, I don't know much yet. Aunt Vivi has only taught me a little." Aunt Vivi wasn't really Karliah's aunt, just a friend of Zavin, who was the only father Karliah had ever known.

"Here, you can sit next to me." She cleared a space with a sweep of her arm, scooting a haphazard pile of dried grass to the side. She picked up a bit of twine and a bone needle and held it out for Faryon. "Here, you'll need this." She tilted her head to the side. "I've seen you before, you're part of the Opal Clan, a healer? Zavin used to take me to the Whiteflower Pavillion very often, I'm very clumsy, but I'm getting better. I don't trip over my own feet so much anymore." She grinned, as if this accomplishment were the most significant that she had accomplished in her two years of life.

"What's your name? I'm Karliah, bonded to Breeze, daughter of Zavin, bonded to Zephyr." She smiled, she had the sort of open and honest look most young people have before they've really seen the world.

[Faryon Whiteflower]

Faryon had asked the girl to instruct her in the mysterious ways of weaving. To be honest she hadn't expect the red head to be so willing and shush her off on her way but instead offer her a place to sit next to her. The younger girl pushed a pile of grass off to the other side of her then handed Faryon a bone needle with some twine coming out of it.

Faryon examined it not sure what she was suppose to do with it when the girl asked, "I've seen you before, you're part of the Opal Clan, a healer?"

"Yeah, well kinda a healer in training at a beginner level so I mostly just handle the simple stuff, observe or play errand girl"

She continued to go on about how clumsy she was hence the trips to Whiteflower but was getting at better at not tripping over her feet. Faryon absentmindedly nodded her head in acknowledgement because she was still pondering over the needle and twine and because she don't remember seeing the girl before. So many people came in and out of the Whiteflower pavilion it was hard to remember them all.

The girl introduced herself as Karliah bonded to Breeze and asked for hers. "Im Faryon Whiteflower bonded to Kachal, daughter of Tvarik bonded to Eyrion." Faryon replied as she offered her hand.

The Dryka had to admit it was nice to be talking to someone outside of her pavilion and who was of the female spectrum and not male. Unlike most of the Drykas population where there were more females to males, Faryon was quite the opposite were there was more males to females.

"So its been bugging me this whole time, what is the needle and thread for?"

[Karliah Firestride]

"Everyone starts somewhere." Karliah said in response to Faryon's job description. "Zavin tells me I started out as a bundle of joy, then he asks what happened, then he laughs and tells me it's a rhe-tor-ick-al question and I'm not supposed to answer it. I think he's silly, all questions have answers." Karliah took the proffered hand and squeezed it firmly before picking up her partially finished basket again. "It is good to meet you, Faryon."

Karliah would wait until Faryon was properly seated before she grinned and said. "The needle isn't really important, it just helps. You have to bind the swirls of the basket together, like this." She held up her unfinished basket, it looked like a spiral of grass, one could see that twine curled tightly at intervals, adding to the artful looking swirl. "You twist the grass tightly and hold it while you wrap it in twine, then you double back a ring each time, then go forward. When you finish you have to weave the twine in and tie it off, then you'll have a spiral basket that can hold all sorts of things, just keep them away from cookfires...." She trailed off and flushed slightly, obviously she had learned that bit from experience.

[Faryon Whiteflower]

Faryon was surprised at Karliah's innocence at things but made no mention of it outloud. Besides the younger girl wouldn't wholly be herself if she didn't have certain quirks. She was hard not to like instantly and warm up to. Faryon felt she could probably tell her anything, if she wanted to.

Karliah explained what the twine was for and it sort of made sense. Once Faryon actually did it herself would it then fully make sense. She was more of a hands on kind of girl probably stemming from her stubbornness.

Karliah also warned about keeping the materials away from cookfires and blushed at the warning."So it keeps the more difficult part together, makes sense. Yeah I suppose it would be a good idea to do that. Would lead to all kinds of nasty disasters." Faryon said with a smile. To be honest, she probably would have forgotten that slight detail and would have burned herself, the pavilion and probably half of Endrykas.

In no particular rush to start weaving right away and enjoy the company of a new acquaintance, Faryon asked the red head a couple of questions.

"So how old are you? Are you married yet?" At the mentioning of marriage Faryon blushed slightly. Not entirely sure why she tacked on the last question.. She had thought of the idea but between her immersion in healing and fear of the opposite sex (outside of her family) she haven't gone past the idea.

Not giving her a chance to reply, Faryon changed the subject and was suddenly ready to start weaving. "Is it hard to start off or is it kinda like braiding hair?

[Karliah Firestride]

"Yes, here see." Karliah showed her a finished basket.

Secret :

"You're thinking of braided baskets, those are a lot like braided rugs and blankets. I can sort of do those, but I have a hard time keeping the rows even. These are coiled grass baskets, mostly for carrying food and things. They're tight enough to keep out bugs and mice, but not tight enough to hold water. You have to have a special type of grass for that anyway, and only the best weavers can make them."

She reached over and sort of guided Faryon's hands with the first coil of grass. "You start out with a single frayed coil, then you just keep twisting grass on the ends, then secure it with twine, and after a while you have a basket." Karliah spent a lot of time making baskets, these type were easy and useful but the grass would quickly begin to wear through over a season.

Karliah snickered at Faryon's previous questions. "No, I'm not married. Zavin told me he wouldn't make me marry until I wanted to." She lowered her voice. "He gave me the talk a few weeks ago, personally I think all that stuff is gross." Switching back to normal volume she smiled. "I'm almost two years old, same as Breeze. But Zavin says I age just more than two years a season, at least so far."

[Faryon Whiteflower]

Faryon admired Karliah's finished basket it was simple but pretty and after seeing the completed project, she was all the more determined to finish one herself.

"Yeah, I know what you mean about braiding and the very fact why I keep my hair up in a simple braided bun. That way no one can tell its crooked. My mother used to do complicated braids and knotwork in her hair, use to love watching her for bells at a time doing it." The Drykas havent meant to bring up her mother but the words just slipped out at the memory.

Faryon hid the sting of the memory behind a closed lipped smile as the kelvic showed her how to bring the grasses together and use the twine to keep them that way. She started off slowly but got the hang of it, grumbling when the grass didn't twist right or the twine got knotted up at points.

The older girl had thought she had successfully dodged the marriage question but Karliah had remembered anyway. The blush had threatened to come back but didnt at the mentioning of Karliah's father giving her the talk.

Faryon couldn't help but giggle,"Oh I'm so sorry. My father was completely helpless when he gave me the talk a few seasons ago. With mostly males in my pavilion I guess its easier to explain to them than to a girl. He had gone quite into detail even explaining it all medically. I have to say that was the worse bell in my life."

Faryon's eyes widen at Karliah's saying how old she was, only two years old? she looked nearly 15 or 16. She had never met a kelvic before and if she had she didn't know it at the time. "You are only two years old? How can that be?" Needless to say the teen was sorely confused.

[Karliah Firestride]

Karliah nodded and smiled wistfully when Faryon described watching her mother braid her hair. Karliah knew how to braid, but she didn't spend a lot of time on her hair, it was more fun to braid the Strider's hair, then watch Zavin shake his head when he realized all of his Striders had bells and ribbons worked into their manes and tails. "I never knew my mother or father. I don't mind though. I watch Aunt Vivi when she does knot work for the girls in her Pavilion."

Another girl might have asked why Faryon's mother hadn't spoken to her of such things, but in Karliah's mind it was perfectly normal for the man of the Pavilion to do such tasks. Seeing as that's what Zavin was, and he had taught Karliah nearly everything she knew. "I don't see how it could be much different. It's still gross, just with different parts. And men are hairier...well, usually. There's a few women I saw the other day that had starting beards."

Karliah looked up in surprise. "Oh, Zavin tells me I'm a Kelvic. I am a human and a Strider." She paused and frowned, doing sums in her head. "Zavin says I will be full grown in another year. He gets sad when I ask him about it though, he worries about me. How old are you? Are you married?"

[Faryon Whiteflower]

Karliah still thought the whole talk was gross and Faryon definitely could relate but she would have to get over it, her profession of choice couldn't afford the Drykas thinking things were 'icky'.

"Women with beards? Don't think they should have left their pavilions or find the nearest opal pavilion to get that checked out." Faryon giggled, she could perfectly imagine a Drykas woman with a full fledge bushy beard. The thought was entertaining to the thought but was somehow wrong in so many other ways.

Faryon looked down at her basket, well was somewhat of a basket. There was a few strands of grass sticking out in places and the twine twisted wrong, she had been doing more talking than paying attention to weaving. Oh well, looks decent enough. Probably cant put anything too heavy in it though

Karliah explained that her father said she was a kelvic, human and a strider."That must be convenient to be both. How does it feel to be a Strider? Don't you feel awkward riding Breeze as a human knowing that you are a Strider as well? Sounds kinda redundant. May I see you as a Strider?"

Faryon had managed to ramble at the mouth again before catching herself but she was really curious now and genuinely wanted to see.

[Karliah Firestride]

Karliah laughed outright, "I wish I had thought to say that when I saw them." She used a simple pattern to finish the last knot on her basket, she had made three today and now sat them all together just inside the opening of the tent.

Gathering some stray bits of twine and grass, she straightened things so that everything was in easy reach of Faryon. She pointed at Faryon's basket. "That is much better than my first basket, my first one came apart because I hadn't wound the twine tight enough."

Karliah stood and stretched as she thought. "No, not awkward at all. I feel comfy in both forms, the only reason I hold my human form most of the time is because it's easier to talk and weave." She wiggled her fingers for effect, showcasing her thumbs.

She grinned and nodded, "Sure." And without further ado, she removed her belt, then her lavender dress, and stood naked in front of the tent. There was a brief swirl of color as Karliah seemed to disappear, and in the same instant a tall Strider appeared, she had the same cinnamon coloring as her hair in human form. She was also obviously not full grown, her legs were still a bit disproportionate, as well as being less muscled than a full grown Strider. She still stood at 16 hands though.

After a quick shake and snort, Karliah whickered and pulled some of the spare basket grass into her mouth and munched on it, all the while looking at Faryon with an obviously human-like intelligence.