That was the million miza question. Yea Benji, why did you come to Lhavit? Benji made no attempt to hide his expression. It held all the self-critique and cynical bemusement that came when one looked back on younger decisions. “Why? Shyke, I don’t know.” Benji loosed a soft bark of laughter. “Kalea was too much home to leave, and Alvadas was too much home to stay. So here I am. I thought it would bring me closer to some bigger picture.” He shrugged. The server had been struggling to come up with the words to explain his sudden and rash self-imposed exile from his family’s home.
Benji cast about for a change of subjects. His patron seemed to be enjoying the music, so he grabbed at that. “You uh, like Naia’s music huh? I’m not surprised, most do. She’s quite skilled on his strings.” He smiled and glanced over at his boss. She was taking almost as much pleasure from playing the violin as she was from watching the people dance to her music. “She is a owner and plays sometimes when she isn’t busy.” He explained, while polishing another glass and refilling a pitcher of ice from the box beneath the bar.
“You never sailed with a Svefra? I don’t suppose they spend much time all the way over here. Lhavit is kind of out opt the way.” Benji squinted at the ceiling, trying to remember particulars about the man that had made him such a wild personage. It was more the entire being, the entire personality that made Benji wonder at him. “Well he was a Svefra! They live on the Suvan with only the laws of the ocean to guide them. Or so it seemed. He was a wild man, with little care for the civilized way in which I was brought up. I think, probably, that is why I found him so odd.” Benji continued.
He smiled ruefully and leaned in close. “The man had some sort of pet shark that followed us the whole way. He would come to the surface and the old salt would actually lean over and converse with it, or I think he did. I’m not much for sailing, or at least the wild sailing that man did. I spent most of the trip firming holding onto the bulkhead rail, if you know what I mean.” Benji gave a laugh then, remembering the wretched way the ship slammed along the waves, her captain opting for speed and razor cuts across the sea rather than a gentler, more pleasant voyage.
Benji cast about for a change of subjects. His patron seemed to be enjoying the music, so he grabbed at that. “You uh, like Naia’s music huh? I’m not surprised, most do. She’s quite skilled on his strings.” He smiled and glanced over at his boss. She was taking almost as much pleasure from playing the violin as she was from watching the people dance to her music. “She is a owner and plays sometimes when she isn’t busy.” He explained, while polishing another glass and refilling a pitcher of ice from the box beneath the bar.
“You never sailed with a Svefra? I don’t suppose they spend much time all the way over here. Lhavit is kind of out opt the way.” Benji squinted at the ceiling, trying to remember particulars about the man that had made him such a wild personage. It was more the entire being, the entire personality that made Benji wonder at him. “Well he was a Svefra! They live on the Suvan with only the laws of the ocean to guide them. Or so it seemed. He was a wild man, with little care for the civilized way in which I was brought up. I think, probably, that is why I found him so odd.” Benji continued.
He smiled ruefully and leaned in close. “The man had some sort of pet shark that followed us the whole way. He would come to the surface and the old salt would actually lean over and converse with it, or I think he did. I’m not much for sailing, or at least the wild sailing that man did. I spent most of the trip firming holding onto the bulkhead rail, if you know what I mean.” Benji gave a laugh then, remembering the wretched way the ship slammed along the waves, her captain opting for speed and razor cuts across the sea rather than a gentler, more pleasant voyage.
