Closed Shock and Awe (Roselina)

[Dovey]

"No no, I'm happy to tell you a little," Dovey assured her. The half-Svefra was speaking truthfully this time; she missed her home city, but not like she missed her parents, whom she could and would leave out of her reminiscence. Talking about Kenash would make her nostalgic, perhaps, but not necessarily in an undesirable way. Besides - and this thought set a small, self-satisfied smile tugging at her lips - she'd never been a worldly traveler before. It would be no skin off anyone's nose if she decided to show off a bit. Still, a pang of anxiety lingered in the back of her mind at the possibility of her family coming up again in their conversation. So she was not entirely relaxed when she began her little speech; her tone was cheerful but not spontaneous, and her hands folded themselves over her stomach in an unconscious gesture of guardedness. "Kenash is much farther south than Syliras," she offered for a start, and a pensive note slipped into her voice as she cast her mind back to the city she had so recently left. "Most winters are like this winter for us - well, sometimes we'll get frost, but that's rare. I was disappointed to hear this weather wasn't normal for you!" She chuckled, only realizing after the sound had already escaped how forced it seemed. Her stomach tightened; she had veered too close to the topic of the Vantha - and that subject was not anything like a laughing matter. She cleared her throat a little awkwardly and then continued. "It's wetter there as well. The air round here makes me itchy sometimes, it's so dry - I don't know how you do it, being on the coast and all - but then again we're also on the Suvan, and we've got our river and the swamps. So it's awfully wet - it's always raining, Makutsi bless us, and even when the sun's out you can smell the next gale coming on the air." She paused for a moment, the phantom scent of salt and stormwind fading from her nostrils. The air was warm and still. Near the women a torch burned high, ensconced on the sturdy wall; it cast out a puddle of brighter light, reflecting faintly gold off the cobblestones and the faces of the passersby. Dovey watched it shine for a moment, idly. Then she shook herself. She'd gone all strange for a moment there - and what had she been doing talking about the weather, anyhow? Time for a different tack. "There's always something going on. A dance, a festival, a fight - " She grinned. "It's a lively city, you're never bored. I've been drunk in the strangest places, just because somebody or other thought to host a party there and a friend of their friend invited me. Though of course - " now she remembered her story - "of course, it is quite dangerous. Like I said." She shrugged. "And the Dynasties can be awful sometimes, and gods help you if you get mixed up in any politics."

[Roselina]

Roses fall, however thorns remain. She smiled when the woman, Dovey as she had introduced herself as, said it was fine to talk about Kenash. Rose had always wanted to travel, the city was a boring and dull place to her. Though she supposed it had some good things about it, at least it was safe here, with all the knights to protect people. They were a little bit annoying though, that was something she would tell anyone. Probably even to a knight. The woman knew that she wasn't the usual person here, she'd noticed it recently, yet this job was all she knew. The girl chuckled after talking about the winters there, thought the chuckle sounded rather forced, with a slightly awkward cough. The topic had ended up close to the Vantha again, something the two were both clearly uncomfortable with talking about. Roselina smiled, listening to Dovey tell her about Kenash, how there was dancing, festivals and fights. How lively it was, and the con-artist couldn't help but think how much she'd prefer to go to somewhere like that, rather than the boring safety that was in Syrilas. She could understand why someone would leave for Syrilas, it was certainly a safer place to live by the sounds of it, if you wanted an ordinary life. "It sounds exciting there." Rose smiled at the girl once she had finished talking. "Things like that don't happen here that often, it's very-" She paused for a moment, thinking of a word to use. "- Safe here, what with all the knights here." Unexpectedly, her next words were rather honest, for a woman who made a living through dishonesty and lies. "If I'm honest, I'd much prefer somewhere exciting, even if it was a bit dangerous. Here, even if it's safe with all the knights around, it's boring."

[Dovey]

"Then you might try Kenash sometime," Dovey replied instantly, then pursed her lips, slightly surprised at herself. Travel wasn't so simple as all that. The expenses alone might prevent a trip for many, not to mention the time involved as well as the danger - though of course, this woman didn't seem overly concerned about that last factor. Still, moving cities was not the sort of suggestion one tended to make flippantly, in the street, in conversation with a relative stranger. She wasn't sure how Roselina would respond. But it was hardly an insult, after all, and she didn't pay the matter much mind. It would be better simply to carry on the conversation - she was curious still about Syliras, despite Roselina's assurances that it was a boring city. Surely there were interesting nooks and crannies to be found about the place. She hadn't been here long enough to discover them - nor, she thought with a bit of cynical amusement, had she exactly been in an exploratory mood lately - but Roselina likely knew. Accordingly she met the other woman's eyes once more, flashing a polite smile as preamble to her question. "Whole place can't be boring," she pointed out. "What do people around here do for fun? I have been to the Rearing Stallion - " she jerked her head in what she was fairly sure was the direction of the tavern - "but what I mean is, are there any hidden places I should know about? Where do you go to see a fight, to catch the new gossip, to have your fortune told?" She shrugged. "Not those specifically. Just that sort of thing." She supposed Syliras wouldn't be as - lively - as Kenash. That was what she'd observed as well as what Roselina had told her, though she hadn't been particularly concerned with her surroundings for the majority of her time here. Still, she doubted any city in the world could successfully rid itself of its more interesting side. She might just as well know what this city's was like.

[Roselina]

Roses fall, however thorns remain. "I wish I was able to, but I haven't the money for it - travelling that is. I do plan to leave for somewhere else when I can though." It was a rather abrupt statement from the other, but Rose didn't mind it. Saying things such as that livened up the conversation. "You'd be surprised at how much of it is dull, but I suppose there are fun parts of the city. The Rearing Stallion, which you already know is a great place." The con artist neglected to mention it was also often her place of work "There's the baths if you like to relax, and then there's the other side of it." By the other side, she meant that the other types of entertainment were more exciting than relaxing. "The fighters pits got fun to be had if you like to fight, they got weapons and things you can hit. I find myself there a lot. 'Also the spinning coin's got gambling, which can be fun if you're lucky. I can't think of much else though. You just have to hang around fun people I suppose." Not that the woman herself had a chance to have much fun if she was honest, she worked and then she went to The Rearing stallion and drank. Fun wasn't something that was necessary, and she was just trying to survive without her twin after his death. It was why the woman did most things in her life. The Vantha killing had caused people to be in a less than happy mood as well, which had meant less people wanted to drink and dance and enjoy themselves, and more people wanted to drink to forget. Something the woman had done many a time before then.

[Dovey]

Dovey nodded in sympathy at the woman's monetary concerns. She could understand that; even if she wanted to journey back to Kenash (and if she was honest with herself she wasn't certain that she didn't want to) she would still have to save for ages in order to afford the trip. She dismissed that subject from her thoughts quite quickly, though; her mother had brought her here and that was that. No use probing too deeply into her feelings on such things. She listened as Roselina described the various attractions and entertainments to be found in the city. There were depressingly few; she had been to the Stallion and to the baths already, and when her new acquaintance mentioned gambling Dovey's stomach actually tightened in revulsion. Some things were off limits for her now, after - after what had happened to her father - but no, that wasn't an acceptable topic for thought either. Perhaps, she pondered, making a concerted effort to change the mental subject, the fighter's pit would be a decent spot to watch a scrap - this law-abiding city didn't seem to have many of those - and maybe Dovey would even learn a few combat skills herself. She supposed she ought to say as much; no use letting the conversation trail off into awkward silence. That seemed rude. "The fighter's pit sounds interesting," she replied accordingly. "I'm no warrior myself, but maybe you'll see me there watching a brawl sometime." And that was all she had to say about that, really. She could bring up some other topic, of course, but then again she could just end the conversation, and given the memories even the most innocent topic seemed to be dredging up, doing so might be wise. Maybe she'd meet Roselina again, somewhere in this maze of a city. Maybe not. Either way, this had been a good talk for all its intricacies and its sore spots, and she had calmed down about the Vantha, anyhow. Maybe Roselina was right to behave calmer, more resigned, than Dovey herself had. There wasn't anything a couple of nobodies like them could do - even if they had been so foolish as to go against the gods. "It was good meeting you, Roselina," she said to the other woman, offering her a smile which was perhaps edged by a hint of sadness. "You must have places to be - but I'll see you around the city, maybe. Goodbye!" It wasn't the most eloquent farewell, but it served its purpose. Dovey didn't have the energy to worry over the smoothness of her words.

[Karyk]

 

Dovey

Skills
Observation: 1
Socialization: 4
Philosophy: 1
Lores
Followers of Morwen are to be put to death
Roselina, a woman unsurprised
Roselina: Thinks Morwen is being petty
Syliras: The Knights are in charge
Roselina: Lived in Syliras her whole life
Syliras: A dull city, according to Roselina
Syliras: Safe, due to all the Knights
Syliras: Has a few places of entertainment
Miscellaneous

 

Notes and Comments

CS Checkmarked: ✓
CS Reviewed by Me: ✓
Season Request was Submitted for Grade: Spring 517
Season of last IC post: Summer 517
Season of last Paid Seasonal Expense: Spring 517
Eligible for grade? Yes

 

Roselina

Skills
Socialization: 3
Observation: 1
Philosophy: 1
Lores
Deaths caused by a God's poor decision are a waste
Dovey, woman surprised by Morwen's poor decision
Dovey: From Kenash
Kenash is dangerous, according to Dovey
Kenash: Far to the south of Syliras
Kenash: A city that is awfully wet
Kenash: Always has an exciting form of entertainment going
Kenash: Best to avoid the politics
Miscellaneous

 

Notes and Comments

CS Checkmarked: ✓
CS Reviewed by Me: ✓
Season Request was Submitted for Grade: Spring 517
Season of last IC post: Spring 517
Season of last Paid Seasonal Expense: Spring 517
Eligible for grade? Yes

A nice social thread, good to see two people getting along while discussing topics important to them. Well done. Please mark your post in the grade queue as Graded.