New Beginnings [Liriel/Abashai]

[Nya Winters]

Timestamp: 15th/16th of Fall 509 A.V.
Location: Syliras - Traveler's Row & Unnamed Tavern


Nya was truthfully tired from the dancing, but in a good way. She didn't remember a time when she'd actually been around other women in a way that put them on equal footing. She'd either been isolated, the outsider, or someone everyone thought was too strange to actually talk too. But Liriel had spoken to her, trusted her somewhat, and the two of them had shared the dance together. But there was something lost about Liriel... something cut loose and drifting in the world. Nya didn't want to really leave her alone after the dancers dispersed. She knew enough to at least take the girl to the Traveler's Row to rent a room... and she also hoped Abashai would be around to talk with the girl.

Abashai had a good way with people.

"I am glad you decided to come with me. I will show you a place to get a room for a few days or as long as you need, and we can find something to eat later if you are hungry. There is also someone I want you to meet if he's gotten home by now. He is my friend and a good man. A Benshira... He is a good man. Faithful to his God Yahal, and very honorable. But he knows a great deal of things and it might be good for you to meet him." Nya said, walking quietly alongside the mixed blooded girl, heading in the general direction of Traveler's Row. Then turned down two streets, passed a fountain, and met up with the city walls. The Traveler's Row was built into the wall, so it was fairly close to the main courtyard where they had been dancing. "I live outside of Syliras, but sometimes I stay here. We've rented a room for a few days because we are here for Abashai's business and for me to buy a book." Nya said, stopping by the office with Liriel and talking to the konti behind the desk named Matilda. The konti rented Liriel a room next to Nya's without complaint, and the two girls headed down the row to the furthest room and its neighboring one. With Liriel having the keys, Nya stopped by the room with her to make sure it was clean and what Liriel needed, and so she could drop off her things. Then she went next door and opened her own door, quietly peering around to see if her bondmate was home.

"Abashai? I brought someone for you to meet." She said, pushing the door further open and stepping back to allow the half Chaktawe and Benshira woman to step into view.

[Abashai]

Abashai gently blew on the glowing embers of the small fire, revivng the flames to lick at the dry wood he had placed in the hearth. A firey glow brightened the small room, bolstering the ambient light of the street filtering in through the window.

The Benshiran heard a familiar alto voice, soft but excited, nearing the door. He stoked the fire as Nya swung open the door. At her curious announcement, he turned as his bondmate's guest stood in the doorway.

Taken aback at the sight, Abashai stood slowly, staring at the young woman illuminated by the firelight. The black eyes drew his attention immediately, the animal pelt clothing, jet black braids, coppery skin. It was as if the woman had just stepped out of the Redstone Cliffs into their room. Chaktawe. She was only a few years older than Nya's apparent age. Her sudden appearance here, in Syliras, shocked him. He had seen other Benshira, but not Chaktawe. He struggled a moment to find his voice.

He muttered a greeting in Tawna, the language of her people that he knew only enough to use when trading with them, and it had been a couple years since he had spoken it.

Coming to himself, he invited her in, using common to gauge her understanding of the standard language. "Please, come in and have a seat," motioning to a chair, then glancing at Nya with a curious look, "My name is Abashai, you are welcomed to our little home here in the city."

Abashai moved to a chair and hastily removed a stack of fliers he had written up earlier in the day, laying them on the table. Of all the peoples in Eyktol, The Chaktawe were truly people of the desert, their very physiology adapted to living all their lives in the barren land. "May I ask what you are called, dear, and ask what has brought one of the desert's children to this place?"

[Liriel]

Liriel had been pleased when the woman, whose name she learned was Nya, had invited her to accompany her home. It was a kind and generous gesture, but not one that surprised her much. After all, that was what people were supposed to do—look out for others. And though Liriel had no ties of kin or culture with Nya, that hardly mattered. Nya had helped her in the dance, had in a way welcomed her to this strange new place. Liriel felt that created some sort of bond between them, and though Nya was no older than she was Liriel respected her knowledge and compassion.

They didn’t talk much as they walked to the place Nya said she could get a room, both tired from the dancing. Liriel was tired in a pleasant, satisfying way, though, and didn’t mind the walk though she knew she would sleep well tonight. The building they stopped at looked impressive to her, though she knew that it was really not that large. Still, it was a whole lot more permanent and imposing than a tent. She made no complaint, and Nya helped her through the process of renting a room.

They stopped at that room, and Liriel left her bags there though in truth she couldn’t imagine sleeping in such a place. It was so enclosed, so separated from the outside world. How could she sleep without hearing the wind around her, without the flap of tent walls of the soft sounds of others sleeping within? But she put the thought aside, preoccupied with the upcoming meeting. Nya probably assumed she was Chaktawe, so why was she taking her to see a Benshiran man? Good instincts, perhaps; either way Liriel was grateful. Though she was also a bit apprehensive.

Liriel and Nya entered the next room, to see a man standing inside. He was imposing—tall, with tattoos etched across his face. But there was something familiar and comforting about his dark skin, about the color of his hair and eyes. Liriel smiled, her eyes widening in surprise and pleasure when he used the Chaktawe language. She answered his greeting with the ritual response, then took the chair he gestured to as he switched to Common. Her command of that language was good enough, though on occasion she had to search her mind for an unusual or complex word and her sentences were a bit too formal.

“Thank you for inviting me in,” she said, her voice sincere. “I’m very glad to meet such welcoming people here in the city. I have just arrived, and I have to admit it’s all a bit overwhelming. I’ve never visited a permanent city before. Oh, and my name is Liriel.”

She hesitated at Abashi’s last question. How to answer it? The complete answer was complex, and probably more than this stranger wished to know. Yet he seemed genuinely curious about her presence here.

“I am here for a…” she hesitated, trying to come up with the right word in Vommon. “A Searching. I have never left my home before, and I want to experience other places and peoples. I have only been in this city for a day, yet I have seen so many new and fascinating things.”

[Nya Winters]

Nya wasn't much for distinguishing races, really. It wasn't that she couldn't... but it was more likely that she didn't really care where one came from or what the color of their skin was. People, in her opinion, put too much emphasis on their origins and thought backwards too much rather than forwards as a good forest cat would. Rather than think about the one that got away, she was far more concerned about where the next meal was coming from or where the best spot to take the next nap was going to be. There was very little the forest cat regretted, and those few nagging doubts and insecurities she did have, Nya was very good about tucking them away and pretending they didn't exist - the biggest one being that she hadn't been born fully human, but instead kevlic (and then not the right type) which had traumatized her entire family.

The reason she thought Liriel should meet Abashai was because the girl was a thinker. Her face was always busy with her thoughts. Oh, it wasn't obvious in the way that she had exaggerated features or ignored everything around her... but Liriel's eyes gave herself away. They weren't empty eyes, but rather thoughtful and more than a little concerned.

And to Nya's thinking, she looked a little lost.

So, after seeing the girl had a safe place to spend the night and some idea how to keep that safety going from night to night, they went next door to the little room Nya shared with Abashai, to talk with him. Nya wasn't much for conversations with new people. It wasn't that she didn't talk to them, but it was more like she didn't know what to say. Once she got to know someone, it was hard to keep her quiet, but until then she tended to listen and in this case - let Abashai talk to the girl.

Nya moved carefully about the room. She pulled a chair out at the table for Liriel, then knelt by the fire and added a few more logs that would burn for a few more hours to keep the room warm and comfortable. Then she took a bowl of fruit from above the mantle and carefully set it on the table - retrieving Abashai's carefully written fliers and taking them to the far side of the room to place on a shelf above where they hung their cloaks by the door. Then Nya disappeared out the door for a few moments to head to the well down the street to get a new pot of water. She returned a few moments later with not only the pot full but an extra cup borrowed from Matilda. She put the pot over the fire to heat water for the tea Abashai loved, then settled down on the floor next to the bed, her back leaning against the mattress' frame for support. Nya looked comfortable, relaxed, letting the humans have the table since there was only room for two anyhow.

A search?

Nya started to ask what Liriel was looking for, but the girl answered her own question. New experiences, new sites, new people... that made sense. It also cleared up why she was so full of thought in her face. Nya had half expected Liriel to be in some sort of trouble, which was another reason she brought her to Abashai.... but this sounded harmless enough. It was a relief. "Syliras can be big. I feel the same way about it sometimes too... big, full of new and fascinating things. But some people here are crazy too." She thought of the firestarter, the man filled with rage she had once met. Nya sighed softly. If she ever ran across him again, she'd introduce him to Abashai too.

[Abashai]

There were many things Nya was still learning about human behavior, but one thing she always excelled at was making one feel welcome. In that sense, she was very much like a benshiran. As Liriel was seated and began to speak, his bondmate was already feeding the fire and preparing tea. The woman had a knack for making any space comfortable. He wondered what she would do with a tent.

Abashai focused on the young Chaktawe woman across the table. She was definitely of the tribal desert people, but subtly different. Her skin was slightly lighter than he remembered, but that could be from the lack of desert sun during her journey. She looked very different for Syliras. Her animal hide skirt and bodice, the beads braided in her jet black hair, the long-lashed black eyes. She would very much stand out. The benshiran suddenly felt a pang of concern for her safetly. But it was not his place to suggest she abandon her native attire. He still wore his. Maybe, if Liriel wanted, Nya could help her shop for some clothes.

He turned to Nya reclining against the bed and nodded at her comments on Syliras. "I grew up in Yahebah, this city is still strange and foreign to me at times." He turned his gaze back to Liriel. "I sit on what is called in the city the Cultural Council. It is new, but its members are called to help people of all races find their place in Syliras. I represent the Benshira. But I would be more than happy to do anything I could to help one of our desert neighbors."

Abashai smiled warmly at Liriel. He had indeed some encounters with the Chaktawe. Some of those encounters were friendly, a few had ended in bloodshed. But right now, this young woman was alone and needed friends, just like he did when he arrived and Nya befriended him. "Now that you are here, and have a place to stay, what are your plans? I can help you find work if you need coin."

[Liriel]

Liriel listened curiously as Nya spoke of the city and its inhabitants. She got the feeling that there were stories behind those few sentences, particularly in the way she said that some people were crazy. Liriel wondered for a moment what that might mean. She had never met anyone she would consider particularly crazy. Odd, yes, but not to such an extreme. What exactly had she gotten herself into, coming to this city?

But she reminded herself that all that had happened to her so far was meeting two kind and generous strangers, who made her feel more welcome than she expected. And besides, now was not the time for speculation, but for conversation.

Liriel listened as Abashai spoke of a cultural council, a group of people who apparently helped those of their own race within the city. By which of these would she be represented, Liriel wondered, and what about others like her? Not everyone had a culture to fall back on. Of course, she was certain that if she wished, and if there were a Chaktawe representative, she would be able to find comfort in that familiarity. But she had come to the city to escape Chaktawe culture, to escape the limitations it placed on her.

Most intriguing was the knowledge that Abashai was from Yehebah. Liriel longed to ask questions about that place, but did not indulge herself. Most people did not like those who pried. So instead she smiled a bit sheepishly and answered Abashai’s questions.

“Honestly, I don’t have much in the way of plans. It’s a complicated story, but I had to come here. I suppose I was waiting for something to present itself to me.” She grinned at her own naiveté. “Now that I’m here I realize I should have made better plans. But without knowing much of the city…”

She shrugged. “And I appreciate the offer, but for the moment money isn’t an issue. I have very few skills to offer anyway.” She thought for a moment. “I suppose what I would like to know is if there are any cultural centers here, or places of performance. Places where people go to study and practice the arts. I’m a performer at heart, though I can sing well enough too. And I would love to learn some new stories and songs, the ones of this culture.”

[Nya Winters]

OOCSorry for the delay! This never showed up on my new posts!

Nya had been intrigued at the dance by Liriel's dress, but at the knowledge that she told stories, and sung songs, the kelvic was even more fascinated. The truth was she had no idea what a Chaktawe was, or even what sort of other races occupied the desert because she'd never been south and so far Abashai had talked little about the people there other than his own. There was nothing more she liked better than to hear someone sing, or spin a good tale out. She liked the stories of the old the best, because for some reason to her, they became animated and distinct, sometimes even slipping into the new voices and personalities they described as they told their stories.

But as she leaned back against the bed and quietly listened, an idea formed in her head. Nya grew up being told that nothing was impossible, and that just one person could change a whole lot of people's lives. She believed it. There were books in her mother's library full of such stories. The problem was, not everyone else did. Nya always thought if you just talked to someone, showed them your vision, you could get a whole lot accomplished if you tried. It held true of hunting boar with a fellow kelvic - a boar you wanted dead because it was dangerous to everyone and everything - or just sharing a cup of tea and an idea for a cleaner street by somehow channeling water one direction or another so it didn't become muddy. History recorded the big ideas, but the world was built on the smaller ones for sure.

"I have never heard of something like a cultural center, but it seems to me that the people that run this city are taking steps to bring more people together so they understand each other... if I understand what Abashai's new job is all about. Who is to say that they wouldn't want something like this? It might just be that they need someone to come forward, speak to them on it, and volunteer to run it and then Syliras would have one." She said, glancing at the water then back at Liriel. "Maybe that is why you have come to Syliras, even though you do not know it yet." The kelvic said, stretching slightly, and stifling a yawn. The fire was getting warm, which she loved, but it would be time to eat soon or she'd be napping momentarily. All the dancing had been exciting... a bit too much excitement for a young kelvic on a single day.

"But if you want stories... I know stories. I listen. Abashai knows stories too. We could trade some of yours for some of ours. Maybe over a real meal and not just snacks. I could go get more substantial food. There's a seller down the street that grills corn and puts meat on a stick. It' is good. I could go and get some and be right back." She said, knowing she could be there and back in just a few short minutes.

[Liriel]

"Maybe that is why you have come to Syliras, even though you do not know it yet."

The words sounded almost prophetic, and Liriel was intrigued. Was this the reason she had come to Syrilas? She could barely wrap her mind around the idea, the thought of such an ambitious project. Almost too ambitious. Liriel had never been a leader, preferring to be alone or involved in a communal, group effort. She had never been in charge of anything, not even of a performance, though she had certainly given input that had always been respectfully listened too. How would she even begin such a project?

For the moment, Liriel put these questions to the side, though her eyes still gleamed thoughtfully. She would need a little time to mull things over, to consider and to determine what her goals and desires really were. For now, she was preoccupied with simpler desires, as Nya’s suggestion of food made her stomach urge for her attention. The strain of the day and the dancing had left her starving, and the conversation had banished much of her sleepiness.

“That would be very nice,” she told Nya, “I would appreciate it. The dancing took a lot out of me.” She smiled. “Thank you though, for encouraging me to participate. I enjoyed it, though I probably looked a fool.”

[Abashai]

"Yes, Nya is very good at getting people out of their shell." Abashai laughed, a beaming smile aimed at his bondmate. The kelvic was already looking ahead on behalf of her new friend.

Nya was marvelously optimistic, her vision for potential unfettered. His bondmate had the knack of opening one's mind to unseen possibilities, if you let her. Abashai's life was richer for it. He knew Liriel's would be too if she befriended the vibrant kelvic. Such an example was the suggestion about a cultural center. Abashai smiled knowingly when he saw Nya's wheels turning.

The Chaktawe woman agreed to some food, which sounded good to Abashai (and he was sure to the ever hungry forest cat). "Thanks Nya." The Benshiran gave his bondmate a grin and a wink.

He turned back to the Liriel. He was pretty sure there were no other Chaktawe in Syliras, at least that he had seen. She definitely would need friends. He looked into her black eyes. There was something more to the woman, or different, he just couldn't put his finger on it. "It is good to have another desert dweller around, what tribe do you come from?"

[Liriel]

From the way Abashi was looking at her, by the intensity of his searching gaze, Liriel could tell he knew there was something different about her. He had probably met Chaktawe before, and could see that she did not look like the typical member of that race. She was thinner and her skin was lighter, and she lacked the second eyelids and long eyelashes of her father’s people.

The differences were subtle enough that those unfamiliar with the Chaktawe or unobservant wouldn’t detect them. But Abashi seemed the type to notice things, and anyone who’d spent time with the Chaktawe would know she didn’t look quite right.

“My father is of the Kalanue, and that is where I was brought up.” She raised her eyebrows, met Abashi’s gaze. “But you can probably see that I am not a full Chaktawe. My father is of that people, but my mother is a descendant of Malech. So you see, I am half Benshiran, though before today I had never met another besides my mother.”

Liriel continued to watch Abashi, curious what his reaction would be and just a little nervous. Would he laugh at her for daring to claim kinship with a race she had never known? Would he think her a perversion? After all, she was the product of a forbidden pairing. Her mother had been cast out of the clan for marrying her father. Liriel had never understood why what her mother had done had been so wrong, but she feared all Benshirans would scorn her for that reason. Abashi seemed kind, so she had decided to trust him with the information. She only hoped it hadn't been a mistake.