Healing Old Wounds (Nephti)

by **Sayana** on October 25th, 2015, 8:11 pm

Fall 26, 515 – Crooked Playhouse

“Nephti, we’ll be going out.”

Sayana had just returned to the room at the Cubacious Inn from her early morning excursion. By now it was almost the tenth bell, well into the morning, and she had plenty more planned for the day. “Take any beauty supplies you might have and I’ll pack another bag for you to carry.”

Even though it was probably highly uncomfortable, Sayana had chosen to keep her new slave chained to the bed so that she would sleep on the floor next to it. However, it was only now that she remembered to unlock the manacles that bound the slave and she carried on to pack a small bag. Into it, she put a jar with vyfox infused water, a second jar of krolar paste, and several lengths of cloth. Her stomach grumbled and she was reminded to include a simple breakfast of bread and cheese. Oh right, double portions.

“The metal collar stays on, but you won’t need the leash.” Sayana stated clearly but without looking up. “Also, it’s raining.” It was both a reminder to her slave and to herself since she had gotten rather wet when she had gone out earlier that morning. The Eypharian checked her clothes over and then put on her dark purple cloak as a meager attempt to keep dry. Then she beckoned to her slave and handed her the bag she had packed.

The walk was not long but it was silent. Sayana was still in a sour mood from the previous night’s proceedings. She also knew that she had been avoiding tending the scratches on her back and that they really ought to be looked at properly. When they arrived at the Crooked Playhouse, Sayana led the way to the backstage dressing room that was filled with large mirrors and costumes.

With a soft sigh, she sat down on a chair and after a moment’s thought she turned around so she was sitting backwards on it, so there would be full access to her back. “I need you to help me out of my shirt and rebandage my back. But you’ll need the vyfox water to make sure it is clean and the paste will help it heal.” She directed and sat up so that her set of red long sleeves and her shirt underneath could be removed.

After several long moments she spoke quietly in Arumenic. “He doesn’t understand.”

by **Nephti** on October 26th, 2015, 10:24 pm

The morning had been bells of sitting and waiting. Sayana had left before Nephti rose, and when the slave girl came out of that uncomfortable sleep, her mistress was gone, but the girl was still chained to the bed. She could walk around a little, enough to reach Andreas and comfort him, as she would be expected to do, but nothing else. Sayana's arrival brought a smile to her face, even if it was just the thought of getting the chains off her.

The instructions were a little odd, but Nephti did as she was told, gathering her possessions and taking the bag her mistress had packed. Jars of water and pastes, and rolls of cloth. Nephti assumed it was to treat Sayana's cuts, the ones revealed from last night. Why she was to bring the beauty things confused her though. Wouldn't Sayana possess her own? Pushing the questions out her mind, Nephti let herself move silently to copy the woman's actions, gathering a cloak which she pulled over herself.

They went to a place called the Crooked Playhouse, a large amphitheatre she had only heard about, never seen. Her previous mistress wasn't one for performances, and no other business had ever taken her there. It held the charm of Alvadas, nothing being normal or right about it. Crooked walls, jagged curves, incredibly big. A small part of her marvelled at how a place could exist, taking in every detail from the shade of the stone to the grain of the wood. But the rest of her couldn't. She had a task to do, and she had to concentrate on that.

Sayana sat backwards on a chair in the dressing room, asking for Nephti's help. Not asking, ordering. The Eypharian girl awkwardly grasped the woman's clothing, unsure how to go about this. With a slight tug, she eased them off, careful of the cuts along her back. A finger reached out to trace them, curious, but she restricted herself, casting a look to find the required things.

The words in Arumenic caught her off guard, as she knew Sayana preferred common. Was she meant to reply to her comment? He didn't understand, but he was a child, and he was right. That didn't mean that slavery didn't happen. Choosing to remain silent, she found what appeared to be the vyfox water. How was she meant to apply it? With a cloth? Dabbing it on? Before or after the paste?

"Mistress, may I ask how to apply this?"

by **Sayana** on October 27th, 2015, 10:31 pm

Nephti obediently helped her with her clothing and Sayana sat with her torso bare except for some messy bandages wrapped around her lower back. That was where the cuts had gone particularly deep. The girl was silent for a time and just before Sayana was about to turn around with impatience, she spoke up and asked her question. “You’ll want clean water,” Sayana said, choosing to assume the slave had minimal knowledge on the subject. “There’s bound to be some water somewhere. And if any of the cuts look at all dirty or have big ugly scabs, you’ll want to clean it with water first. And be careful with the bandage. It’ll be no good anymore but you’ll want to put a new bandage on once everything is done.”

Sayana paused before returning to her slave’s original question. “The water in the jar has vyfox in it. For cleaning, purifying. Once it seems clean with water, then use a cloth to put on the vyfox water. Wounds have to be clean otherwise they go all nasty. Then the Krolar paste will help speed up the healing. You can use your finger if you want for that, as long as it is clean.”

After giving the instructions she couldn’t believe just how many times she said the word ‘clean’. She knew it was important though to be honest she didn’t truly understand the reasoning behind it. “Vyfox is a very useful herb,” she went on. “And more common than you might think.”

The Eypharian was quiet for a moment and then softly spoke the lines of a verse:

Vyfox, vyfox cleans a cut on the knee
Vyvox, vyfox put it in a tea
Its little white flowers
Have purifying powers
And its leaves will heal you guarantee

“Petch. Forgot the leaves. But I can do that myself.” Sayana spoke half to herself and half to her slave. “And if you’ve never done this before, just be glad the person isn’t bleeding to death in front of you.”

Although it was with an ironic tone that she alluded to an incident in her past, it brought a stab of pain to her heart. When was the last time she thought about Aren? Was it when she had lost her lakan? No, that was too long ago. She must have thought of him more recently. It gnawed at her gut and instead she tried to focus on what Nephti was doing. The physical pain of her wounds was surely easier to bear.

by **Nephti** on October 31st, 2015, 9:32 am

Sayana responded soon enough, and Nephti left her for a few moments to find some clean water, which she brought back in a small bucket and placed down beside her feet. Carefully, she unwound the bandages, observing the cuts. Some, as she had suggested, were dirty, and Nephti soaked a rag in the water, using it to wipe away the dirt and clean her mistress's back. Flakes of scabs fell off and Nephti fought disgust.

Vyfox. As she had been told, Nephti poured the vyfox onto the cloth, bringing it back over the cuts. Hopefully it didn't hurt Sayana. She didn't want the woman to blamed her for it. With them cleaned with the vyfox water, she put it away, looking at the next jar. So this was Krolar paste. She dipped two fingers into it, swabbing up a large amount, before spreading it on the cuts.

"And if you've never done this before, just be glad the person isn't bleeding to death in fromt of you," Sayana said, and Nephti felt guilty for not knowing what to do. But why should she? None of her previous mistresses had been the type to get into fights, so had never had any cuts to treat. And if the child hurt himself, she would just clean the wound, as it would only be a graze. What had Sayana done to result in this? Nephti was scared to ask.

But what was scarier was the tone in which Sayana had said that. Had she been in a position where she was trying to help someone who was bleeding to death? Of the two questions, the first seemed better, and it was this one that slipped out of her mouth. "How... How did you get the cuts?"

Biting her tongue, she stopped herself from saying more. Seen but not heard. That's how it should be. Nephti rummaged around in the bags, discovering the clean bandage, which she started to bind around Sayana's lower back. The Krolar paste had been rubbed in gently, forming a shiny coat on the Eypharian's skin. Hopefully, that was all she needed to do, the bandage a final coat of protection. Hopefully her first job would be decent. She would hate to have made something worse.
.

by **Sayana** on November 1st, 2015, 12:00 am

Sayana winced a little when the wet cloth first touched one of her wounds. But from then on she kept her teeth tightly together to avoid indicating that she felt any pain. Cleaning the scabs was the worst of it and she kept her eyes fixed on the wall in front of her as she took in the pain. She was glad to have her back to Nephti since there were still times that her expression contorted a little during the proceedings. The vyfox water seeped into her healing injuries and Sayana was pretty confident that her slave had done a thorough job. The Krolar paste was soothing, and she found she could relax a little after much of the paste had been applied.

Nephti’s question broke the silence, and in many ways Sayana was glad of it since the quiet was becoming a little unnerving. “The cuts? I came out better in an encounter with a zith.” The Eypharian replied and there was obvious pride and almost arrogance to her voice. She paused a moment to let it sink in and then continued, “Have you ever fought knowing that if you made a wrong move your life might be on the line? Or that you might be maimed for life? It’s rather exhilarating.”

Sayana gave a slight smirk and once the bandages were tied up around her midsection she reached for her shirt to put on. She turned in the chair so she was now facing Nephti. “I’d like to have my face done up pretty like a true Eypharian from Ahnatep. Too long have I shrugged it off, but from now on you’ll be doing my face every morning.”

The Eypharian waited expectantly and her mind drifted back to the previous night with Timothy. “Tim, he doesn’t understand. Some people are meant to be slaves. Those without drive, those without skill, those who can’t take care of themselves otherwise. And then there are those like you who are paying off a debt. But Eypharians as a whole are not meant to be slaves. We are stronger than that. We are the ones meant to rule.”

And how did that all relate to Nephti? Sayana had gotten a little carried away with her views on slavery but after a moment’s pause she reined herself in. “As for you, if you’re going to whimper and cringe or stay deathly silent, you’re not going to get very far. You’ll stay a slave or you might not even be worthy of being my slave. I want someone who is both loyal and useful. And I know you’re capable of it.”

There had been that brilliant moment last night when Nephti had put on such a sweet voice to Tim to persuade him in a mix of lies and truth.

“When you’re finished my makeup, you’ll return to the Inn to look after Andreas. Also, today I purchased a bed and a crib. I’ll expect you to pick them up when they are ready.”

by **Nephti** on November 6th, 2015, 5:45 pm

Her mistress explained that the cuts had come from an encounter with a Zith. Nephti knew of the dangerous creatures, but had always considered them too... Monstrous to be involved with everyday life. Only in legends and stories. "What happened for you yo get in a fight with Zith?" she asked with awe, before continuing with her work. Sayana spoke of the exhilarating feeling of fighting for one's life, and Nephti could half agree.

"When that dhani took me as a slave, I fought hard. I was young, but I remember that feeling as I tried to keep my life," she murmered, lost in memory, "But it wasn't anything compared to what you must have experienced." Sayana had turned round, with a shirt on now, and asked for her makeup to be done. Nephti nodded, pulling out the cosmetics she had taken with her. Selecting the scented vinegar, she started applying it, dabbing slowly to add a fresh scent and tighten the pores. The older Eypharian spoke of how slaves were meant to be slaves, or paying of debts like Nephti, but how Eypharians were meant to rule. The slave girl knew that too well. She had ruled once, but had sunk to the lowest level. One day, however, she would rule again, she knew she would.

And then Sayana went on to tell her not to be quiet and submissive, but rather loyal and capable, and Nephti smiled, picking up a stick of kohl. "Mistress, I will be that. Now close your eyes." Once she had done so, the kohl was applied as a thin layer, simply enhancing the eyes. Sayana was beautiful, Nephti knew that, so all she was looking for was natural makeup, for she knew nothing about any possible needs for heavy makeup.

"I'll be happy to care for Andreas, and to pick up the bed and crib; when will I know they are ready?" she finally asked, adding the final touches with some lip paste."Done." She smiled, stepping back. "Anything else, or am I dismissed now?"

by **Sayana** on November 7th, 2015, 3:25 pm

“Let’s just say I don’t like zith,” Sayana answered leaving some mystery to her tale. Her slave didn’t have to know everything, but if it was enough to spark admiration, respect and maybe a hint of fear then it was worth sharing. The dancer curiously listened to Nephti’s own story. A dhani had taken her in? Well, there were certainly dhani in and about Ahnatep, where Sayana half assumed she was from. Sayana idly wondered if Nephti hated dhani as passionately as she hated zith. But then dhani were still people. Zith were merely beasts.

Sayana enjoyed the attention as her slave applied various cosmetics. She gently closed her eyes as the thin line of khol was added. Her eyes would now have a vibrant look to be seen from the furthest reaches of the playhouse. Sayana was glad that Nephti heeded her words and seemed to agree. Though it was hard to tell whether she was just saying that to appease her. Still, she hoped that some of it had gotten through.

Once her face had taken on a stunning new look, Sayana gave a brief nod to her slave. “Yes, you are dismissed. And I will let you know when the bed and crib are ready.”

As her slave left, Sayana found her way to a large full length mirror in the dressing room. She did look stunning in her outfit of red with a beautiful face to match. She did a spin in front of the mirror and then drew Nephti’s scimitar to do a couple of slashes. They were clumsy but the curved blade completed the Eypharian look. Holding the handle with her mid right and pressing her mid left hand to the flat of the blade, she brought it down over her head in a slow and controlled manner to point at the mirror.

“If only you could see me now, Mother. A beautiful face, beautiful clothes and a slave at my side. I chose to dance and made such a life from it.”

---

Her day at the playhouse proceeded as normal, however, as she left the Crook there was a group of symenestra selling curious masks. At first they seemed blank and ‘faceless’ yet when Sayana inquired further it seemed as though they could be used to mimic any person as long as you had something that belonged to the person in question. At only five gold mizas a mask, the dancer bought a total of five and put them all into her backpack except one. She had to test it out first, and who better to test it out on than… Fabel himself.

With a devilish grin, Sayana headed back into the Crook to find something that Fabel possessed. Did he have a place where he kept his belongings? Or his costumes? Did he even have costumes when he could summon an illusion on a whim? Even as Sayana hummed and hawed back stage trying to find something, she realized a far more important and substantial possession of Fabel: the Crooked Playhouse itself.

Sayana quickly went to one of the famous stage curtains and pressed the mask up against it. After a chime or so, the mask took on the looks of Fabel, though his quirky smile was exaggerated and his eyes seemed like dark mysterious pits. The dancer rushed backstage to find her dark cloak and she put it on as well as her newly acquired mask. Her face contorted to fit the mask and her body seemed to change as well to be more human-like. However, she was too excited to realize the implications and went straight to find Fabel.

Much of this stemmed from the fact that Fabel had played a trick on her on her first day at the Crook. He had appeared as herself, which had completely baffled her at the time. But now she was going to do the same to him. Upon spotting the man she strolled leisurely up to him. When he turned, a slow smile crept upon her face – the face of Fabel. “And so we meet again Fabel,” she spoke mysteriously.

“Oh come now! My nose isn’t that crooked!” He exclaimed. At that point she couldn’t keep up the guise and burst out laughing. A simple trick it had been, but now she knew the masks worked.

Receipt25 gm for 5 masks of illusion

by **Fable** on November 19th, 2015, 3:45 am

Sayana

Skills

Lores

Some Illusions Can Be BoughtRewards/Consequences

Notes :

Nephti

Skills

Lores

Rewards/Consequences

None

Notes :

Closed Healing Old Wounds (Nephti)