8th of autumn, 521 AV
"No offense, Asterope, but I wouldn't have pegged you for a woman who knows her way around the wilderness," Jala commented, from where she was kneeling in the grass. Aster knelt not far from her. The two had entered the forest together, just paste the fringe of it, to look for herbs to restock Jala's supplies. Asterope had offered to go with her for safety, and perhaps somewhat selfishly in hopes of learning a bit more from the woman. "You don't need to get the roots out, by the way. Just as much of the stalk as possible. Everything above ground is useful, but I'll be drying or otherwise preserving these."
Aster made a hum of affirmation, then hesitated before responding to Jala's original comment. "Oh, well...you would be right," she admitted, with a small and somewhat sheepish laugh, looking up from where she was digging her fingers into the ground. Jala often worked with the local brothels, and she had explained to Aster that she was running low on delaviv; Aster had never heard of it, but childbirth wasn't exactly her specialty. According to Jala, though, the flowers could be used not only to ease childbirth, but also to help flush mild poisons from the body. Though supposedly it bloomed in late summer, the autumn season was still warm with the approach of winter still lacking, and they had managed to find a few patches of the herb.
"What do you mean?" Jala seemed caught off-guard, and Aster glanced down at the necklace that dangled below her, having slipped out from beneath her shirt while she was kneeling and digging into the dirt. Aster was quiet for a moment, digging out the stalk of the flowers as much as possible before tugging it out of the ground, depositing it into the basket beside her that Jala had lent her for their outing.
Aster was almost certain that Jala knew or at least was familiar with malediction. The woman's tent was covered in bone decorations, and Aster had on occasion spotted some with carvings. Not to mention she had gifted Aster a cat skull, and she had spotted Jala looking at her necklace more than once. But the topic of magic was still a dangerous one to bring up in Sunberth. But even if she was wrong, Jala was a sort of exception to the general population in attitude to begin with; the brothel workers and many of the street children adored her, but anyone else seemed to shun her, if not actively dislike her. Surely Jala was safe, and Aster considered her a friend, at this point. She had to be able to trust some people, even in a city like Sunberth.
Jala hadn't pressed further, but Aster could feel her intense gaze on her back as the two women continued to work. Finally, with a sigh, Aster sat back on her heels, brushing her hands off and then raising the chain around her neck. The tooth gleamed dully in the afternoon sunlight that filtered in through the trees. Being in Sunberth during the day always made Aster nervous, with Alard supposedly still on the hunt for her; but he never ventured into Tent City or the forests without exceptionally good reason. Aster supposed his pride was good for something.
"Animals won't harm me when I wear this," Aster explained. Jala's gaze focused on the carved tooth that dangled from the chain Aster held up, and a slight grin curved her mouth. Aster felt the tension ease out of her immediately.
"Did you make it yourself?" Jala asked, leaning in slightly for a better look, but being respectful enough not to touch it.
"No. I hardly know how it works, really," the Ethaefal admitted, tucking the necklace back beneath her shirt when Jala was done looking. "Do you...do you do stuff like this? With all the bones you have around your place."
Jala glanced up at Aster's face, and shrugged slightly. "I dabble. Perhaps sometime I might show you, explain it to you a bit more in-depth. It's good to know what one meddles with, especially when it comes to..." Jala motioned with her hand, the word 'magic' hanging unspoken in the air. Even alone in the fringes of the forest, far outside of town, it was instinct not to speak the word for one's own safety.
Nodding in understanding, Aster turned back to the flowers poking up out of the dirt. "I would appreciate that, if you ever have the time," Aster said, her voice sincere. She had come to learn that Jala was a fairly wise woman, and rather knowledgeable in many of the subjects that interested Aster. She was always appreciative that the older woman took the time to teach her anything. Besides, learning something more concrete about the magic that had plagued her for seasons would be interesting and potentially useful.
Word Count: 820
Aster made a hum of affirmation, then hesitated before responding to Jala's original comment. "Oh, well...you would be right," she admitted, with a small and somewhat sheepish laugh, looking up from where she was digging her fingers into the ground. Jala often worked with the local brothels, and she had explained to Aster that she was running low on delaviv; Aster had never heard of it, but childbirth wasn't exactly her specialty. According to Jala, though, the flowers could be used not only to ease childbirth, but also to help flush mild poisons from the body. Though supposedly it bloomed in late summer, the autumn season was still warm with the approach of winter still lacking, and they had managed to find a few patches of the herb.
"What do you mean?" Jala seemed caught off-guard, and Aster glanced down at the necklace that dangled below her, having slipped out from beneath her shirt while she was kneeling and digging into the dirt. Aster was quiet for a moment, digging out the stalk of the flowers as much as possible before tugging it out of the ground, depositing it into the basket beside her that Jala had lent her for their outing.
Aster was almost certain that Jala knew or at least was familiar with malediction. The woman's tent was covered in bone decorations, and Aster had on occasion spotted some with carvings. Not to mention she had gifted Aster a cat skull, and she had spotted Jala looking at her necklace more than once. But the topic of magic was still a dangerous one to bring up in Sunberth. But even if she was wrong, Jala was a sort of exception to the general population in attitude to begin with; the brothel workers and many of the street children adored her, but anyone else seemed to shun her, if not actively dislike her. Surely Jala was safe, and Aster considered her a friend, at this point. She had to be able to trust some people, even in a city like Sunberth.
Jala hadn't pressed further, but Aster could feel her intense gaze on her back as the two women continued to work. Finally, with a sigh, Aster sat back on her heels, brushing her hands off and then raising the chain around her neck. The tooth gleamed dully in the afternoon sunlight that filtered in through the trees. Being in Sunberth during the day always made Aster nervous, with Alard supposedly still on the hunt for her; but he never ventured into Tent City or the forests without exceptionally good reason. Aster supposed his pride was good for something.
"Animals won't harm me when I wear this," Aster explained. Jala's gaze focused on the carved tooth that dangled from the chain Aster held up, and a slight grin curved her mouth. Aster felt the tension ease out of her immediately.
"Did you make it yourself?" Jala asked, leaning in slightly for a better look, but being respectful enough not to touch it.
"No. I hardly know how it works, really," the Ethaefal admitted, tucking the necklace back beneath her shirt when Jala was done looking. "Do you...do you do stuff like this? With all the bones you have around your place."
Jala glanced up at Aster's face, and shrugged slightly. "I dabble. Perhaps sometime I might show you, explain it to you a bit more in-depth. It's good to know what one meddles with, especially when it comes to..." Jala motioned with her hand, the word 'magic' hanging unspoken in the air. Even alone in the fringes of the forest, far outside of town, it was instinct not to speak the word for one's own safety.
Nodding in understanding, Aster turned back to the flowers poking up out of the dirt. "I would appreciate that, if you ever have the time," Aster said, her voice sincere. She had come to learn that Jala was a fairly wise woman, and rather knowledgeable in many of the subjects that interested Aster. She was always appreciative that the older woman took the time to teach her anything. Besides, learning something more concrete about the magic that had plagued her for seasons would be interesting and potentially useful.
Word Count: 820
