Open A Roof Over Your Head

[Karin]

.
.

.
.

1st Autumn 517 AV
At the Syka Commons
"Speech"
"Others"

Karin was at the Commons. There was once a time when she might have stood there but not stood there confidently. Once upon a time she might have appeared ill at ease to address relative strangers. She was and would always be a solitary woman, but times always pushed onwards and so Karin had too. Now she stood after having climbed the stairs to arrive at the platform, and addressed the scant people who amassed there. A light breeze playfully tugged at the branches overhead, and patters of last night's rain occasionally fell with a pleasant thud to the decking below. The air smelled of freshness and petrichor.

The Svefra woman cleared her throat in a habit that emanated from long periods of not talking. "Hello. It's a fine day isn't it?" It was. In fact, the reason she was at the Commons to begin with was because it was such a beautiful day- not too hot, and not too windy. A perfect day to finally make the home, and business, that she needed to. But several seasons of living in a shanty hut had taught her that to make a proper home would require help, of some kind at least. Karin had tried to do things her own way, but there would always come a time when something needed to sets of hands. She was a stubborn woman in many ways, but with the arrival of the Autumn season in Skya, she didn't know what to expect of the coming weeks, and so realised that something would need to be done.

"I'm looking for someone - maybe two people - who would like to help me build my home. I can't pay you... Not in mizas, anyway. I don't have many helpful skills really, but I am a boat builder. So... if you ever needed a ride anywhere around here, I could pay you back that way."

She looked around the faces, hoping to see someone who would at least come and help. It was true too, Karin was a woman of little to no importance, with the barest of skills. But if there was one thing about Syka that she had found - and seen - it was that the residents were always eager to assist others. She could only pray to Laviku that there were some here who would hear her faltering request and come to her aid. Finally, she smiled tightly and used both hands to push her wildling hair from her face, then stood quietly by and waited for a response.

.
.

.
.

[Jade Laken]

Dina laughed while swinging in the seat as her mother relaxed nearby cleaning her daggers. The blonde had not been very talkative to the people of Syka after arriving. Everything was still so new to her, instead of a fortress there was a beach and a jungle instead of a forest. The skills that had managed to carry her through in the other city would prove to be little more than child’s play in the settlement. Looking around the group that was assembled, she wondered how many fished and went into the water with no fear.

Turning her gaze towards the open ocean, a slight wave of fear coursed through her veins. It was even more unexplored territory than the jungle behind her. At least in the trees, she knew more of what to expect from the world around her. The young child with her had taken to the water well after arriving, Jade had sat in on many of her lessons. Always waving her hand at the instructor when she was asked to join. The woman did not like the feeling of appearing to be a fool in front of people especially little Dina. Looking up at the sound of boots hitting the wooden platform, the woman watched as another female seemed to take center stage.

“What’s she saying mommy?” Dina asked grabbing her hand and pulling her over.

Jade got up before the little one dragged her over. The child help one of her hands while looking at the other blonde woman who spoke of needing help building something. The drykas turned some to walk away when a small voice caught her attention. Jerking back around, she was surprised to see Dina had walked up and patted her arm speaking like nothing was strange or weird. Groaning the mother moved over to apologize for the child’s behavior being so rude. The blonde introduced herself as Jade to the stranger and cleared her voice, when Dina tried to speak again.

“Do excuse her. She tends to get very excited about new experiences. I’m afraid we would be of no help though,” Jade explained.

“But mommy you are super strong and promised to help everyone in need as a knight,” Dina claimed.

“Yes, I know and I’m not going back on that promise. But I know nothing of building houses dear, this lady would much prefer a person who knew what they were doing,” Jade said while kneeling down to her level.

[Ashka]

Ashka had come up to the Commons to spin, as the seats made it possible to spin a longer thread than sitting on the ground. There was more distance for the drop spindle to drop. Besides, the remains of the bruise on her leg was enough to stiffen her up if she sat too long on the ground, and she hadn't any chairs of her own. Chaya fidgeted beside her, braiding and unbraiding bits of her hair, and her eyes went wide at the sight of Dina. The other child was perhaps a year younger than Chaya, and the first child they'd seen here in Syka.

As Karin began to speak, Ashka caught her drop spindle just before it spun back the other way and undid her last stretch of the thread. She had met the other young woman a couple of times around the settlement. Now it seemed Karin was in need of help. Ashka flexed her bruised leg as discreetly as she could, remembering her own struggles with the house she was working on. She had a framework, and a floor, but that was all. There were still walls to go up, and a roof. And furniture to find or make, and maybe internal dividers, and - so much to do in it still. She wound her thread onto the spindle, but looked up as a child's voice rang out. It wasn't Chaya after all, it was another little girl. Chaya was still beside her, staring with pleading eyes from Ashka to the other girl and back.

Ashka cleared her own throat. "I know something about building. Not much, but some - enough to know that strength is as important as skill. I've no need of transport, but I'll need - I'll be working on my own house in the not too distant future. Maybe you'd trade work for work, I on your house and you on mine?"

Common, Pavi, Fratava

[Jaylani Rae]

It was true to say that Jaylani had no real reason for being at the commons that day. She had had other things in need of her attention back at camp. Such as tending to her plants and keeping the kitten that was likely making a mess out of her tent while she was out occupied. There had been a need to get out though. A fleeting desire to interact with the rest of those who had made the paradise settlement their home. So rarely did she feel that desire that she could not just simply ignore it. She had to act on it and the commons had felt like a good place to go. There was always usually at least one other there working on one thing or another. Surely that meant there would be someone to talk to.

Decided, Jaylani had pushed all her things into a pile in one corner of her tent and fastened her winter blanket to the ceiling in attempt to corral the kitten to one area where she had left him food, water, and some shells to function as toys. Dressed in her loose pants, top, and boots; and trying not to worry too much about what she might come home to, the mixed blood left for the commons. The trip had not been long and she was so used to walking everywhere by this point that the exercise did not phase her. It was actually reaching the commons and finding there to truly be people milling about that caused a loss of breath rather than the walking.

Jaylani was not antisocial by nature, but she was also not social. She preferred solitude, yet liked the idea of having friends. She trusted people and was as loyal as a young child who knew no better than to believe every word they were told. Yet, there was a piece of her that feared people and what they could do to her. Her experience in the past did not give her confidence in her ability to interact with people in the present. But she was already at the commons and that was half the battle. No going back at this point.

The mixed blood found herself a nice corner along the railing to sit about as soon as she arrived. She convinced herself that everyone that was around was busy. One Jaylani saw was cleaning daggers while a child swung in a seat nearby. Another was doing something Jaylani found interesting, but did not really understand. The end result of whatever it was that woman was doing was a thin strong of something that could have been string. It looked like string. Jaylani dared not stare for too long to confirm, nor did she go over to ask. There were others as well, but the dark haired girl worked hard not to pay any too much attention to any one person or group of people. Instead she occupied her gaze with the jungle around her and debated returning home as coming here had started to feel like a bad idea with everyone already occupied.

The woman looking for help came just as Jaylani was getting ready to call it a day. Attention was near instantly turned from the jungle trees to the blonde woman. Molten eyes lightened as Jaylani’s heart swelled within her chest. This was her chance! Go and help, interact, maybe even make a friend. That last part might have been too much to hope, but the mixed blood did anyway. She got up from her stool and made her way over, being careful not to get in anyone’s way. The two others Jaylani had noticed before were also up, one offering her help and the other talking to the kid that was with her. Jaylani did not know all that was being said. She did not pay enough attention to catch all the words and then work to understand them. Instead she just waited for a pause in all the speech so that she could offer her own services.

“I know some that help,” Jaylani offered, “And I willing to learn more. Help anyway I can. Payment not necessary. Happy to help!”

The dark haired woman gave a brilliant smile, her eyes bright and shining as she simply waited for the blonde to direct her on where to go. The possibility that the woman not need her help anymore with these other two already here not even crossing her mind.

Common | 'Thoughts'

[Anibesa]

"Common" | "Fratava" | "Tukant"

Anibesa had woken up early to get the most out of the day, and has already attempted to get several things done, but without the motivation to get on with things by herself, she'd found herself in the commons, just wasting time as she listened to others conversations trying to learn of anything new and exciting happening, while attempting to play with her red hair and twist it into shapes that just fell apart as soon as she let go of it, before starting again.

She was quickly succumbing to boredom, wanting to start exploring the coastline and see if anything was happening. Despite having several things she needed to sort out, she couldn't motivate herself to go back to her land and finish those tasks, or even start some of them!

Then she felt her mind being drawn to a voice, and she looked over to the source to see the Svefra woman that had discovered the odd sea creature last season. She was asking for help building things, and Anibesa was quite excited at the prospect of helping out.
She had a bit of knowledge about construction, but building on her own seemed like too much work for her, so helping somebody else would be a good place to start.

It took a few moments for Anibesa to recall the woman's name and by that time, Karin had already had about three people volunteer to help, and Anibesa frowned slightly, before standing up and walking closer to the group.

"No' sure if you've already go' too many, bu' I can 'elp out too." she started with a slight grin on her face. "I've 'elped out with building a bi' in the past. No' much but enough to know the basics if you'd be willin' to le' me 'elp?" she said again, the grin still on her face as she glanced at Karin and then the others that had volunteered.

Two of them were unfamiliar to her, though the third she seemed to recognise.
After a small amount of searching her mind, she remembered a day in summer where gemstones had washed ashore. The curly haired woman had been there too, and she remembered that she had seemed to value the gemstones, as did others.

"Nice t' see you again!" she said calmly, nodding towards the woman, and then towards Karin, glad to have seen the two again.
She'd spent too much time alone since then, not having had much time to socialise between trying to teach herself new things and to try and find a way to make herself comfortable. It was time that she actually had a go at helping somebody else, even more so if there was a chance of getting help in return later on.