Closed [The Docks] Cabin Fever [Ricky Maze]

[Elin Mata]

Denvali Fratava Nari

47th of Fall, 513 AV
The Docks

Finally. Fresh air. After being cooped up in the stuffy little room Elin was renting at the World's End Grotto, avoiding the coup to the best of her ability, being able to go outside was a blessing from the gods. Her Denvali accent made her stick out like a sore thumb, and it was hard for people to understand her in her native language. Why couldn't they understand her? It was almost like Common. She could understand them well enough.

Eventually Elin had given up on using Denvali and switched to one she knew well enough to get by: Fratava. There had to be someone who spoke Fratava, right?

"Hello? Excuse me? Someone me tell- err, tell me... Where find job?"

No dice. Her many grammar mistakes, as well as slow tongue combined with the fact that she had to think about what she was to say next made communication difficult enough without the noise of the docks enveloping her words. She'd have to get a job before the season was up and she had to pay the rent for that miserable little room. She hated that room now. She'd sleep on the streets before she'd go back to it on her own.

After what seemed like endless bells of asking where she could find a job and getting only strange looks from her muddled speech and thick accent, stress got to the girl. Elin plunked onto a crate and dropped her head in her hands, ready to tear her hair out in frustration. Curse the isolation of Denval! One would think that by now she'd have lost her accent, but no. Nobody here was like Gavin. He had understood her even when she ended up spitting syllables in his face, trying to get across the language barrier.

"F'get Zeltiva, f'get you all, I'll find it on my own!" the girl hollered at nobody in particular.

What 'it' was eluded the girl. What was 'it'? Questions, questions. She was sick of questions. Sick to the core of questions. Why couldn't she get some straight answers, instead of funny side-glances from dock workers? The diminutive woman balled one hand into a fist and punched the side of her head repeatedly, all the while muttering to herself in anger. Someone had better come along and help her, otherwise there might be another fight involving Denvali.

[Ricky Maze]

Dressed in the azure garb was no other than our wholesome guard Ricky, who'd taken the chance to actually patrol one of his favorite routes today, and he practically shrugged off the cold and the wet that settled within the stones of the streets. It wasn't uncommon for their fair city to be moist during the cooler seasons after all, but with the way the weather acted thus far it was easy to assume that Winter's kiss was definitely going to be colder this year. Any local in Zeltiva could tell you this, likely because they knew for a fact the weather could act like it, or more so based upon their gut that they could predict what patterns should follow in the weather to come.

As Ricky continued out onto the docks he heard the usual busy rabble that he began to miss, after taking caution against Denvali with their rather fanatical beliefs of a Zeltiva that belonged to them... and a death of his dear father after finally just reuniting with him only but a season ago. So with that noted Ricky always took caution of the people around him and remained vigilant in the event an attack would be mounted, but when he happened to hear screaming and shouting above the noise and rabble, the guard found immediate curiosity at who had become so angry. A woman for the most part, but a woman with words that rolled differently from that of a Zeltivan. Ricky went to approach the woman quickly as she continued to shout, until at last he reached her location of the boxes she sat upon to find her crying there as well. Of course it didn't take long to realize where she had came from either, she looked and even smelled like Denvali if not acted like one.

"Aye lass, ya might wanna be careful 'round who y'say that t'! Some o' us Zeltivan's give more than a hoot 'bout what ya say." Ricky warned her as he approached with but a blank face, eyes down upon her as he came to a stop in his approach. Ricky avoided eye contact with the woman and had his arms crossed together, but he watched her and her body motions for any type of language he could read into.

[Elin Mata]

Denvali Fratava Nari

Elin's head snapped up at the sound of someone actually talking to her. For a moment she felt a surge of hope that she could be understood through her accent, but that surge was quelled by fear. The man speaking to her was a Wave Guard. He was a Wave Guard, and she was Denvali. The two did not mix, under any circumstances. And... what the petch did 'lass' mean? Was it some word that was different from Denvali? An insult!? It didn't sound like one though, the way he said it.

The woman hadn't moved an inch since the first words escaped the Wave Guard's lips, staring at him in something akin to shock. Surprise, perhaps? Her mouth was agape, and she was at a loss. He wouldn't meet her eyes, but instead he was watching her movements and reading her body language.

Finally the Denvali found her voice. "Nobody understands me anyways, except for you. And I feel as though my luck's just run out. You're a Wave Guard, aren't you? And your job is to kill Denvali like me, isn't it?"

Elin rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, grunting. Stupid tears. Stupid frustration. Stupid everything. At least someone understood her now.

[Ricky Maze]

In truth Ricky hardly understood what she said at all, the fact he could make out few words out of what she said was enough to bring question. He considered himself lucky, or this case unlucky, that what little words he did hear sounded similiar to the Common tongue... or at least relatively similiar. "Somethin' 'bout bein' a Guard? Aye that's correct I s'ppose..." The next part was a little confusing for him of course, considering the fact what key words he picked out didn't seem to run along together. "Ya want me t' do what wit' yer ma and the Denvali?" His brow furrowed with puzzlement at her sentence, unsure if she meant it as a request or insult but clearly at a lost for either. "Look lass ya I don't exactly 'ave a good history with yer people, even worse is I'd never consider involvin' me self with another woman right now."

He crossed his arms then, a small shake of his head as he thought more on the words. "Could be an insult rather than request, she did seem rather serious 'bout it." Although that seriousness was more sincere rather than furious, if anything she seemed more frightened that he was here now. More alert that the authority was here now, and afraid that something bad would follow with it. "Damn! She must think that I'm gonna-" With the sudden realization she may yet fear a sexual assault or something Ricky reacted a little hasty, to try and cover up any bad impressions brought on to this girl. "Whoa, whoa whoa now! I ain't 'ere t' 'arm anybody right now, s'ya got nothin' t' worry 'bout lass!" He reassured her rather nervously with a slight blush, unsure if she could make out any of the words he'd said.

[Elin Mata]

Denvali Fratava Nari

Language barriers were the worst. She could tell he was confused. Perhaps it was luckier for her that she had picked up a little bit of Common on the family's visits around the continent, although she couldn't replicate the sounds herself. Something about her mother? And involved with what? Maybe he said 'woman.' Who knows.

The man's accent was also cloudy, nothing like the slow drawl of a Kenashern. Did all Zeltivans sound like that? It couldn't be Syliran. Gavin's words were never chopped off. They were clear, and crystalline. His was... muddled.


"What? Arm? Nothin' to worry about? Okay, you know what. I give up. Do you speak Fr'tava?"

Hopefully he did; it would clear up a bit of the language barrier. Elin picked at something under one of her fingernails. She ran a nervous hand through her hair, still concerned that he would snatch her up and throw her in something like The Tank in Syliras, or worse kill her. They were on the docks; killing a Denvali might go 'unnoticed' by certain people. Drowning would be most likely, although running her through with a sword was a possibilty as well.

He probably thought she was younger than she really was, too. "I'm Elin, by th' way. I'm nineteen." Just to clear things up.

[Ricky Maze]

One eyebrow rose while the other arched while the other fell above the eye, Ricky's face revealed pure loss and intrigue at what he heard from the woman. "F'rtada? Like a food o' some sort?" He couldn't rightly make out the word but he guessed it indicated going to eat somewhere, although given the fact their conversation was getting no where he had to assume other things first. "I ain't hungry lass, had a big meal earlier and now I'm stuffed." He judged by the posture she had that she still held nervousness about her, likely because of the fact they were of two seperate backgrounds. Then he took a moment to consider what she had meant to say, as a name and number happen to slip into his ears through her words. "Elin... nineteen..." With the estimation that she gave her name and age Ricky crossed his arms with wonder, until finally he assumed "Fr'tava" was actually meant for "Fratava", a tongue he spoke conversationally with but never fully comprehended its words.

"Bah, it be worth a try given the fact we can't understand much o' one another." He shrugged in silence as he figured to give it a go, even if he hadn't spoken the language in such a long time. "Understand me can you?" His attempt to do so was met with a stiff tongue that hardly rolled the words together, the language a lost art that barely held remembrance for meaning after so long without proper practice. "Of my name; Ricky it is. My practice of language is off, excuse me so if misunderstand you do." He hoped the words came off clear even if they likely failed to meet together, but even with his Zeltivan accent there was no telling if the phrases he spoke sounded clear enough.

Ricky remembered he'd spent time learning this language from his father, along with a small bit of Nari since Burt spent time around Wind Reach once. It made Ricky miss his father even more, and wish his old man were here to help interpret Ricky's sentences. Alas he was past moping around and wishing for something that'd never happen, and even if he struggled with it he still accepted his father being gone; this time for good. "You hurting I'm not going to, against my religion it is to do so." He wad terrible... no doubt terrible. "Did I say it right? Was that the word f'r code?" With so much to remember and yet so sudden a time to recall, Ricky definitely became aware with out of practice he really was. A trait he would fix in due time so he too could pass on to his child.

[Elin Mata]

Denvali Fratava Nari

Elin wrinkled her nose in confusion, peering up at the tall Guard. What did a language have to do with food? He repeated her name, and her age, looking somewhat bewildered. For a time he was silent, until at last he figured out she meant Fratava. The man lifted his shoulders in a shrug. Perhaps he did speak the language of the Svefra.

This Ricky, he did speak Fratava. He was obviously out of practice, but it was easier to understand him than in Common, where words were different from Denvali. Sure, his accent got in the way a little bit and the phrases didn't quite match up, but whatever.

The Denvali girl smiled. "Worry not, Ricky. My language of this practice off, also. Err, practice of this language."

Elin could almost feel the possible oncoming confusion, between the jumble of words and her own thick accent. She listened as he explained further, rearranging the sentences and fitting them back together in her head, the way they were supposed to be. The 'religion' bit made little sense, but the young woman realized he most likely meant to say something along the lines of 'code' or 'morals.' Fratava was tricky like that.

"Have partner, you said?" She'd thought he said that. Maybe it was her imagination. At least he wasn't going to hurt her. At least the coup was over.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky made sure to croon his head a little and focus his hearing on her words, the sounds of the Fratava tongue were long since spoken to him, but he could very well make out what she had to say. "Worry not" was the first part he understood but the rest came in bits and pieces, the words "language" and "practice" were clear as well as "off" though. "Language, practice, and off," He rubbed the hair on his chin thoughtfully, "Ah! She means t' say 'er language ain't as good either." He figured that was the meaning behind the words, unless there was something he missed that completely rearranged the meaning. Silenty he cursed under his breath at how unpracticed he really was, but surprisingly he could keep up with what she said... for the most part. Language was rather funny in that manner, there were so many varieties of meanings one could easily mistake one thing for something else.

"Hmm," His tone was quietly low as she spoke further, a question pertaining to what he mentioned earlier with a partner of some sort. "Partner? When did I say I had a part- Oh." His thoughts cut off with the memory of him saying he wouldn't get involved with another woman, the fact she'd figured he was with someone proved interesting to say the least. The mark of his oath to Cheva wasn't even visible considering the uniform covered his chest and every other in of his skin, save for the face area of course considering they didn't wear face masks or other headwear apparel. Still her assumption proved correct in that department and that surprised Ricky a little, as it was rather observant of the woman to ask.

"Aye," He nodded as he spoke in Common, and then reverted back to Fratava, "Life of my love I married, too child with on the way." He sort of frowned as he refrained from further speech, he was pretty sure none of that sounded right at all. He'd been talking like the young woman did but her words were more... aligned. They seemed to flow out better even if she were out of practice, while his words didn't seem to connect properly at all. "Pardon me bad sense of talking, I ain't this kind of talk used to..." Again it didn't sound right, but alas he had to give himself credit for trying. He could only hope she understood him more clearly. "What shout did you reason for lass?" He inquired curiously, unaware he made the mistake of switching two words.

[Elin Mata]

Denvali Fratava Nari

The man's fingers went to his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. He looked like he was thinking over his answer. Elin saw this as a chance to inspect him thoroughly. Definitely a Wave Guard, anyone could see that. It was the blue uniform he was wearing, and if it wasn't an overly thick cloth then he was muscular, too. No doubt from hard physical training of some sort. After all, he couldn't be called a 'guard' without being able to fight, right?

His answer was more or less clear. He was married, and the lady was pregnant. This... Ricky, his words were jumbled and somehow more broken than hers. She wondered herself why that was, since it had been years since she'd last used it. Elin's leg had fallen asleep by now, the circulation (or possibly the lack of it) numbing her from the middle of her thigh down to her ankle.

The short young woman slid off of her seat, putting her weight on the 'awake' leg and shaking the other, much like a cat trying to flick water from its paw. However, there was no resemblance whatsoever, as Elin was clumsily stomping the dock and looking pretty much like a fool. Finally the pins and needles faded away and she could move normally.

"Why shout I? Find occupation, cannot. Language hull hard breaking. Denvali hard understand, but close Common. Sisters. Anger, not joy I was. Get wrong looks, do I. People not understand. No occupation mine. Hunter, can give inn meat. But not understand." Fratava was quite difficult, since it was a language all of its own. But it was easier than trying to speak a different language, with different syllables and different accents. At least they could grasp the basic meaning of their words.

OOCI used the word 'hull' since Fratava is (obviously) spoken on Svefra ships, and as you know, ships have hulls. So I guess the word for 'hull' would be synonymous with the word for 'wall' or 'barrier'?

[Matthew]

Ricky

Experience Points:

• 1 Observation

Lores:

• Socialization: Trying to Communicate Across a Language Barrier
• Socialization: Diplomacy as a Socialization Tactic
• Emotion: What it is Like to be a Father
• Medicine: The Sight of Childbirth

Additional Notes :

Elin, if you return, please update your CS and let me know. I will be able to Grade this for you at that time.

Ricky, good job, as always. This thread might be worth using (in addition to others) to improve your Fratava tongue.

If you have any questions or concerns relevant to your grade, don't be afraid to send me a private message so that we can work it all out! Please remember to mark your Grading Request as Graded.

A shout-out to Ollic Rimesage, who was kind enough to make this template for me.