Closed When in Kenash (Verena)

[Calters]

OOCSorry this is so late. Hey, better late than never, right?

66th of Summer, 514 AV

Calters cradled the ocarina in his hands, gazing at it in wonder and awe. Its shape was delicate, fragile, beautiful, and dare he admit it...cute! The musical instrument had been crafted into the shape of a seal, its clay walls painted with white and black spots and it's little mouth open to sing the song that its musician wanted to hear.

He held the ocarina up and took to the air, his wings beating powerfully. He had spent bells at Rhaus' Harp trying to decide what to get and negotiating prices. He was almost certain that he had still gotten ripped off, but he didn't mind so long as he got to take home the art in his hands. He had also gotten a case to protect the instrument; he would be devastated if the little piece of art got even the tiniest bit damaged on the journey home.

He put the instrument in its case, now outside the shop, securing the case on his waist so that he could fly with ease. He knew that he could not let the instrument distract him while he was in the air (he was clumsy enough as it was). The one thing he did not account for, however, was the unfamiliar terrain.

Riverfall had its share of foliage, that much was certain. But Riverfall was full of flowers, bushes, and riverside plants. Here in Kenash, tall trees fought for a spot in the sky and Calters was not prepared to fight back.

He had been in the air mere chimes when it happened. The overeager boy smashed his skull straight into the trunk of a tree on his way back to his inn. Rather than bounce back and recover as he might have done in his childhood, the Akvatari was taken by surprise. He plummeted towards the ground faster than he had during his very first attempt at flight. His delicate-looking wings took the worst of the blow, hitting the ground with a solid thunk.

As delicate-looking as they were, his wings were hardy. Cal was confident that they were in fine condition. His head, on the other hand, was in a questionable state. He blinked, trying to chase the tiny squiggling worms from his vision. They stayed, taunting him with little lines of light that he could never quite catch. His head pounded. The sound of his back hitting the ground played over and over in his mind until it hurt to hear it.

Laying on the ground underneath the tree, Calters realized that he was not at all alarmed at the situation. In a new town, injured, lost, and alone. Honestly, he had been in worse places.

Just another day in the life of an Akvatari, he thought. He may have laughed, had it not been so true.

[Verena Lorak]

OOCCurrently I'm using one my NPC slaves, Bellara, just to mix things up For more info, you can find her in the Mortal Solace write up!

It was almost dark when a slight figure of a girl darted through the edges of the streets. Her head was bent down, her hair doing its best to hide her flushed face. All her life Bella had been taught how to disappear, to blend into her surroundings. To make sure the whip won’t land on her. Still, traversing through the paths of Kenash was a different thing entirely. There were always people milling about, laughing and chattering.

Bella’s mistress had sent her off to buy some supplies, the lone task usually saved for Hallan or Taloe. It brightened her to know that Lady Verena had trusted to do it right, yet so daunting too. She could feel Kenashians distaste at seeing her pass and it intimidated her. Other times, Lady Verena might have gone herself, but Master Cassius was visiting in the middle of a treatment.

Even the girl could tell that her mistress was not so pleased seeing her betrothed coming unannounced. And Bella found it odd. Don’t people in love always eager to see each other? Master Cassius sure seemed cheerful, but the Lorak seemed indifferent. If Bella was visited regularly by someone as handsome as the master, she certainly would be overjoyed. Then again, Lady Verena was not like anyone she had ever known. She rarely smiled, much less laughed. It was hard to read her expression – hard to decide whether she was angry or not. Of course, Bella had learned over the course of time that despite her mistress’s lukewarm demeanor, she was kind and patient and forgiving. Not once had she been whipped after coming into the doctor’s service.

Suddenly, she heard a crash. Or a thump. Or some sort. Instinctively, the young slave glanced around in order to find the source. No one else seemed to have noticed the sound and Bella wondered if she had imagined it. At least until she spotted movements between the trees. She peered in closer.

Bella was unsure what sort of creature it was. His upper half sure looked like a human boy, but the rest of him did not make any sense. Colorful wings were attached to his back and the lower half of him was shaped like an animal – though she could not name what. Was it some sort of monster? He certainly didn’t look at all threatening. But she could be wrong. Still, he looked disoriented and Bella could spot mild scratches on him.

Lady Verena would have checked what was wrong with him. So, Bella approached the creature carefully. “Hello? Are you alright?”