Flashback Among Books (Ayara)

[Sayani]

1st of Winter, 504 AV

It was her birthday, and Sayani had managed to get away from her family. She loved them, but now, she wanted only peace, and she was curious about some subjects, so the Cribellum was the perfect place for her to be right now. It had taken her a whole bell before she could convince her father of letting her alone, without hurting his feelings, but it had been worth it. Now, she was in the library, one of her favorite places, and she could do whatever she wanted right now.

As always, the library was filled with both Symenestra and non-Symenestra, everyone either writing or reading. While many people sometimes made her annoyed, Sayani enjoyed the peace of the Cribellum, mostly because there was very few sounds in the quiet place. It was indeed perfect, and the girl went to the religious section of the library, a section filled with many books, specially about Viratas. The God had sparkled her curiosity, and she wished to learn more. Sayani barely had to search for what she wanted, with so many titles available, so she only took the three first books she found and looked around, this time searching for a free table. Sometimes it would take time to find one, but that day, it was easy enough, and she walked to the empty table.

Sayani sat down, and ran her finger through the book covers, all with intricate patterns on the leather. None of them were the Viratassa, as this was a book she had already read many times, but all of them were about the same God. Viratas wasn't one she had felt close to, and in truth the God didn't challenged her curiosity enough. It was too familiar with her entire race, that it sometimes made her think what was there to know more. Of course, as a God, Viratas was everything but predictable, but still. Sayani shrugged to herself, placing her journal on the table and sorting her ink vial and quill. If she found something interesting, she would write it down.

Making a very loose braid with her hair, only to keep it away from her eyes, Sayani opened a book to begin the reading.

[Ayara Orin - Migrated]

A young girl, lost in the stacks, hunting. Five years before, that girl would have been Ayara. Now, it was the Wisteria girl. Ayara had seen her in the library before, occasionally. It was always pleasant to see other children in the Cribellum without an irate tutor looking over their shoulder. You go, Wisteria girl. Four for you, Wisteria girl. Now, what are you reading this time?

Tertullian? Irenaeus?! Who was this girl's tutor? Some half-educated Dra? This simply would not do. A thirst for knowledge was only one half of learning. The latter was knowing enough to tell the good water from the bad. She was still young. To let this girl poison herself would be an atrocity.

With as much force as Cribellum etiquette allowed, Ayara placed two volumes in front of the girl. "Tertullian paraphrases, and conveniently forgets his sources," she informed the girl, tapping one of the books the girl had collected. "Irenaeus would have better served spending his words on Nikali, judging by how much eroticism he manages to force into a paragraph. Hervaeus..." She looked at the opened book with naked disdain. "Hervaeus was Dra. Dra-Hervas Mnemosyne, too proud to write under his full title."

She took a seat at the table, placing her own volumes to the side, and pushed the two she had picked out forward just a touch. "Valdyor's History of the Viratassa and Ilessa's On the Nature of Viratas. In studying the Blood Catcher, begin with those who bled for him."

She leaned back, arranging her side of the table more to her liking, and manifested her own journal, pulled from some deep dress pocket. "I am Ayara Orin. You come here often enough. I think it's time we got introduced, before you start keeping bad company." She indicated Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Dra-Hervas off-handedly.

[Sayani]

When books were placed in front of her, Sayani almost cringed in anger. She didn't like to share the table, but she didn't move, keeping the book raised in front of her face, hoping that this person would leave her alone.

She had no luck, as the person started talking. It was definitely a girl. Sayani hold the sigh that wanted to escape her lips, and frowned when the other began to tell her the books she had chosen were no good. It didn't anger her. It took a lot more to actually made the Symenestra angry. In fact, it was exactly the words of the girl that made her lower her book, purple eyes evaluating the girl in front of her.

She seemed older, although not too much, and she was smaller. Her hair, a solid black, was messy, although it seemed to suit her as well as her golden eyes. Sayani watched as the girl pushed the books she had brought with her. They seemed interesting, and the Symenestra would surely read them. But right now, she was more interested in the girl she had never seen, and the way she talked was also very curious to her.

The other girl, who introduced herself as Ayara, sat on the other side of the table, and pulled her own journal. Sayani found it weird, that someone would notice her in the Cribellum, where there were so many more interesting things to notice.

"I'm Sayani Wisteria." she introduced herself, cautious, keeping her face straight. For the first time, the young Symenestra was interested enough to actually want to start a conversation with someone. "Do you usually observe who comes and goes on the Cribellum?" Sayani kept her face straight, still not knowing what the woman wanted. No one would just go and introduce themselves for the sake of it, at least she didn't think so. "The books you picked are indeed more interesting." she could be nice, couldn't she? That way, she would find out what the girl wanted and change her behavior accordingly.

[Ayara Orin - Migrated]

"A pleasure," Ayara said, nodding to the introduction. She'd had the family name right, at least. She finished setting up her notes and opened one of her own volumes. A translated copy of the Treval Codex. Today was a philosophy day.

"I do," Ayara said in response to the question on observation, smiling. "It is a habit instilled in me by my mentor. A habit you would do well to adopt. There is a significant difference between looking and seeing."

A hunchback walked from Qatla to Atadach to see the Master of the Many Ways.

Qatla, geographic location. Treval 18.
Atadach, geographic location. Treval 18.
Pre-Valterrian references. Further links likely in Alahean documents. If any still exist. :C
Master of the Many Ways. Historical figure, or fictional device? Historical studies on Treval might illuminate.

"So, do you enjoy studying?"

[Sayani]

The Symenestra smiled to herself at the others words, but kept quiet. Yes, she knew very well there was a huge difference between looking and seeing, and Sayani tried hard to always see. She was still learning, but she hoped that, in time, she would perfect this.

Sayani looked at the books in front of her, both of their leather covers decorated with intricate designs. It didn't surprised her. Viratas, God of Blood and Connection, was adored by all Syemenstra, it would be only logical that any book related to the God would be fancy and well-treated.

Ayari made a question, and for a while, Sayani pretended not to listen, her gaze still focused on the cover of the books. She didn't like to tell personal information, even if it was something as simple as that. However, she was curious, and more than that, she felt they shared many similarities, some of which Sayani still didn't know about.

"I enjoy the knowledge." she finally answered. "Everything in between is just a mean to obtain that." while her words might not answer directly the question, they said much about her, and Sayani was a little uncomfortable with that. It wasn't always that she opened herself, but then, she was curious.

[Ayara Orin - Migrated]

OOCShort, sorry. I don't have much in me today.

"Good enough," Ayara said, smiling just a little. She liked this kid. With the proper guidanace, she would do great things. "I will leave you to your inbetweens, then. Find me if you have questions."

Gathering up her things, Ayara made her way to another part of the Cribellum, looking for peace and privacy in which to study. If she stayed at Sayani's table she would never get any work done, toying with the girl.

[Sayani]

As soon as the girl had came, she went away, and Sayani stared after her with distrust in her eyes. The other was weird, and her words, although interesting, seemed to show a nature that liked to play with others, and that was something Sayani always tried to avoid in others. She watched the other Symenestra disappear between the books of the Cribellum, before turning to look down at the books in front of her. They surely would be a very interesting read, and the young girl adjusted herself better in the chair, readying herself.

Maybe she would meet this Ayara again, but Sayani wasn't sure whatever this was a good or bad thing.

[Poison]

Sayani:
Skills: Observation 2
Lores: Location: The Cribellum; Acquaintance: Sayani Wisteria

Ayara:
Skills: Observation 1
Lores: Location: The Cribellum; Acquaintance: Ayara Orin

Notes: There wasn’t much I could give in the way of XP and Lores as it was a short and purely social thread. If you think, I might have missed something, let me know!

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