What's this? (Open)

by **Quelen Dran'Sora** on April 6th, 2011, 6:34 pm

Season of Spring, Day 22, 511 AV

Quelen's clothes and skin were still slightly damp from her recent arrival as she walked into Mura, her wondering eyes wide as she looked over the famed city of the Konti. She had heard of it in stories, but it was different to see it. Everything was so much different than the beach where she had learned what it was like to walk on land.

As she walked the streets she found something that caught her curiosity. A pool of water, there in the middle of the land. Why was it there? Was it for drinking? Head tilted slightly she approached the pool, and then leaned forward slightly to touch the liquid with the tip of a finger. The fresh water was pleasantly cool against her skin, and she watched with fascination the small ripple spread out from where she had touched. The beach near Charbosi had never been this calm, always with waves and swells. It almost seemed odd having water so still.

Placing her finger back in the pool Quelen wiggled it back and forth a little, and then gave a small giggle at the tiny waves that spread out through the pool at her actions. It was almost like she was impossibly large and making waves for those within the water.

by **Blythe** on April 8th, 2011, 12:44 am

Blythe was standing barefoot on the bamboo matts of the suvai pavilion. She was facing her latest sparring partner- a younger Konti woman by the name of Annabelle. The girl's hair was tied back in a strict bun, while Blythe's had been left down. Each wore a long, white dress, and stared each other down intently with their lavender-colored eyes. Their stances, and perhaps their age, which could only be known to other Konti sisters, seemed to be the only thing that separated the two.

Annabelle had assumed a starting stance known simply as prime. Her sweaty palms rested tightly around the hilt of her wooden practice katana, which was held high next to her head. The portion that would have been the blade, was pointed up and towards the ceiling. The blade was arched; ready to strike out at anyone who stood in Annabelle's way. Her legs were bent, and her stance was rather low to the ground. Perhaps it is because her whole body is exposed to attack now, Blythe thought, as she adopted the "second pose." Her left foot was out before the right, and the hilt of the blade rested in each of Blythe's pale hands. The sword was held vertically, so that the kissaki was pointing up. Her elbows were pointed outwards, and her body remained straight.

Blythe's chest was rising and falling steadily. Several beads of sweat had appeared on her brow long ago. Her heart was beating rapidly in her tiny rib cage, and each of her muscles ached. "Are you ready?" Annabelle asked. Blythe nodded. "Good," Annabelle said as she lunged forward, and swung her sword downward, towards Blythe's body. It was as though she were attempting to slice Blythe in half, vertically. Swiftly, Blythe raised her blade above her head, and tilted it to the side, so it was running horizontally across her body. When Annabelle's blade met Blythe's they clicked.

As soon as they made contact, Annabelle pulled her blade away, and pulled half a step back. The edges of the girl's cheeks were red, much like Blythe's own. Deciding that it was her time to attack now, Blythe stepped forward, swinging her blade around, so that it sliced diagonally across Annabelle's body. The blade would have cut diagonally from the left shoulder to the right, if Annabelle had not raised her sword to block. Click, and then pushed Blythe's blade away forcefully as she brought her sword in a small circle. Blythe stumbled backwards as her opponent rounded on her.

Annabelle began to swipe her sword from left to right, as Blythe rapidly brought her sword upwards to block. Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! Over and over again. Blythe's eyes were growing heavy with sweat as she continued on the defensive, side-stepping to the right so that she wouldn't bump into another set of sparring Konti. Perhaps though, that was her mistake. Annabelle's wooden blade whacked her shoulder. "Ouch," Blythe muttered, as Annabelle stepped away. Blythe rubbed her shoulder with her free hand. That is going to leave a mark.

"It is time to clear out ladies," Kariha called over the clicking of blades, and shuffling of feet. "Val'mara needs the matts for her own lesson in a few minutes." Instantly, all the Konti in the room stopped sparring, and stepped away from each other. They all bowed to their partners. "There will be no time for a meditation on the matts, but perhaps you can all do that on your own, perhaps even when you go home. It is always good to practice."

"Yes mistress," the girls called as they all placed their blades in their proper place. "Thanks for sparring with me," Blythe told Annabelle after she had put her blade away. The girl gave a curt nod as Blythe walked out the door to the pavilion and into the bright golden sunlight. "Well isn't it lovely outside?" Blythe whispered as she crossed the balk to the other side of the lake. A pale mist hung at the edges of the balk now that she was closer to the other side of the lake. "It's always like this," Blythe commented as she continued on her way.

Blythe had neared the center portion of the Island, when she noticed a figure hunched over the side of a small pool of water. Deciding that she was in the mood to be sociable, Blythe walked over to Quelen. She was surprised when she realized that the girl was not a Konti. Her eyes widened a little. It was so rare for her not to see a race other than her own on the Island. But she didn't mind, it was a nice change of pace. Blythe smiled sweetly as she cleared her throat. "Hello!" she called out in a melodious tone. "And how are you today...?" Blythe's voice trailed off. It had been quite awhile since she had seen a Charoda. But even so, she knew this one was not one of the few she had encountered in her travels before. "Are you enjoying the water?" Blythe asked, before her face reddened. She had been so rude not to introduce herself. She stuck out her right hand as a sort of peace offering, even though she didn't have to worry with her being a charoda. "The katana class just finished up, most of us are on our way home..." Blythe hesitated, "the name is Blythe by the way," she finished with a smile.

by **Quelen Dran'Sora** on April 8th, 2011, 3:02 pm

Quelen stopped in her giggling and playing with the water as she heard someone nearby clear their throat. Looking up she found a sweetly smiling Konti standing nearby who greeted her. Returning the smile Quelen replied pleasantly, "Hello to you as well. I am good, and happy to finally be here in Mura. How are you?"

When the Konti asked if she was enjoying the water Quelen gave a musical laugh, "Yes, I've never seen anything like this. Might I ask, what it is for?" Quelen then tilted her head to the side curiously as the Konti's cheeks reddened. What did that mean? Mimicking the hand gesture the woman made, luckily it was her right hand she held out, she gave a small nod at the woman's information.

"I am Quelen. It's a pleasure, Blythe," Quelen replied to the introduction with another smile.

by **Blythe** on April 8th, 2011, 6:57 pm

Blythe clasped Quelen's hand in her own, and gave it a little shake, before letting go and returning her hand to her side. "Tired," Blythe replied with a smile. "Nice to meet you Quelen." The Konti was silent for a moment as she considered her words, she didn't recall this particular pool of water at all. But then again, she didn't come by this way very often. "The water here isn't often used for much. Especially because it is not always here. Sometimes the rains will make small pools on the Island, but they seem to dry up at times, or shift." There was a short pause. "We tend to use the Silver Lake for drinking and bathing."

There was a short pause as Blythe took the charoda in. She looked younger than she, and only a bit taller. Her skin was grey, and the arm she had not shook, the left, seemed to have been chopped in half. Knowing that it would not be polite, Blythe didn't allow her gaze to linger on the stubby arm, or ask what had happened to the rest of it, although a part of her was rather curious. Instead, Blythe's lavender-colored eyes simply stared into that of the girl before her. "So what brings you to Mura?" Blythe asked. "It is quite a trip from Charbosi is it not?"

Blythe tilted her head to the side while she awaited a response. "Hopefully you'll like it here Quelen, and find that it was worth the trip" Blythe continued. "It is rather peaceful, and filled mainly with us Kontis." Blythe giggled. "You may never want to see another blonde person again after this," she joked. When her nervous laughter died down, Blythe asked. "So how long have you been here? And what have you already seen?" Another pause, "what are you hoping to find here? To see? Perhaps you could use someone to show you around a bit... unless you need to submerge yourself again soon?"

by **Quelen Dran'Sora** on April 8th, 2011, 8:25 pm

"Interesting," Quelen said softly to herself in response to Blythe's explanation of the pool, returning her gaze to the water for a few moments, "It rains here often then? I do like it when it rains," she smiled at the memory of the few times she had seen rain before.

"Yes, it was a long trip here," Quelen said with a smile and a nod in response to the Konti's next question, "I came here to learn of Konti music and dance. I hope to learn and see all the music and dance of Mizahar."

She listened quietly to Blythe's questions, smiling all the while. She'd expected Konti to be very calm and reserved from the stories she had heard, but Blythe seemed to be full of life and energy. It was certainly a pleasant surprise, and a happy welcome to the city.

"I'm sure I will enjoy it here," Quelen gave a soft laugh, "And I doubt I will be bothered by your hair color," she ran her hand over her own hairless head, wondering what it must be like to have hair, "I have only arrived here today, and just came from the dock so I haven't seen much beyond this pool," she gestured to the water she had been playing with when Blythe first approached, "As for what I want to see? Everything I can," she gave another musical laugh, "This is the first landwalker city I have been too, and it is all very interesting to see. I would be delighted to have someone to show me around, and I shouldn't need to rest in the water for some time."

It was interesting that Blythe had not said anything about Quelen's left arm, or even stared. Of course, around the Charodae most everyone knew what had happened to Quelen, but she had expected to receive stares and questions among the landwalkers. Maybe the Konti thought it impolite to ask such questions, or perhaps Blythe simply wasn't curious? That last thought was hard for Quelen to imagine. How could someone not be curious about what they didn't know?

by **Blythe** on April 8th, 2011, 11:09 pm

"It rains often enough," Blythe replied simply, as she listened to the charoda. So she likes dancing? Blythe thought to herself. Well where could she go for such a thing? Certainly she couldn't be the only one on the Island interested in such a thing. Blythe was silent for a few moments as she thought about it. "It is said that the triplets who run the local inn dance from time to time. Although... they may not teach, perhaps you could at least watch them if you ask nicely. Surely they'd oblige. If not the sisters, then perhaps you could try the suvai pavilion. Although it is traditionally used to teach suvai, there is a mistress there who can wield a katana and dance quite well." Blythe smiled as she thought of Kariha. "It is apparent in the way she wields her blade... surely she would teach you if you did something for her in return." There was a slight pause. "Is there anything you are good at Quelen? A service you could offer? The katana mistress, Kariha, seems to prefer bartering to well... paying for her services with mizas."

There was another pause. "Kariha just offered a lesson in katana, so she should still be lingering about the pavilion even though Val'mara has taken over the matts. Would you like to be shown the way there?" Blythe asked. "It would be no trouble at all, and the pavilion is right by the Silver Lake... should you need to take a dip or anything." Another pause. "She is quite nice, if that is what you are worried about," Blythe added. She extended her right hand towards Quelen's right hand, and wrapped her fingers around it. While Blythe's hands were a little sweaty, Quelen's felt cold. Perhaps that is from the water, Blythe thought as she gave the girl a little tug. "It is not very far from here either, maybe a ten minute walk at most to the pavilion, would you like to come along? Or should we try the inn instead? Whichever you'd prefer."

OOCI can show you to the pavilion, but I can't rp Kariha and convince her to teach you anything. So perhaps you could just visit the place... or we could try the inn... Blythe has never actually been there in a thread before though. We may be able to rp Ciela since she has no expert skills.

by **Quelen Dran'Sora** on April 11th, 2011, 5:00 pm

"Those both sound like very good options, thank you," Quelen said with a smile in response to Blythe's question, "As for a service I could offer I have my musical talents, along with coral manipulation, or maybe I could retrieve something for her from the ocean or lake?"

Listening to Blythe's eager suggestions to help Quelen couldn't help but smile pleasantly, and as the Konti took her hand and gave a tug Quelen gave a little giggle, "Yes, I would like to see the Suvai Pavilion, and the inn later if that is fine with you. I do not wish to ask for any lessons yet though," she gave an apologetic smile, "I only just arrived here in Mura, and more than learn right now I want to see and explore. Landwalker cities are so very different than Charbosi, but yet here is slightly similar," she gestured with the stump of her left arm at a nearby building, "Like how you decorate your buildings. I see many things that come from the ocean that Charodae use to decorate their own homes as well. How do you get such things? Can Konti breath in water as well?"

Everything in this city was so new and interesting, not to mention Blythe was seeming to be happy to help her learn and explore, and so Quelen's curiosity was burning to know so very much about this place.

by **Blythe** on April 11th, 2011, 11:50 pm

Blythe smiled. "Well, we can go to the pavilion and you can have a look around, and then perhaps, we can go to the inn afterwards. If we have time, unless you need a place to stay, in which case, perhaps we'd have to go there," Blythe explained, as she began to walk back in the way that she had come. There was a slight pause as Blythe led Quelen from the city center to the spiraling path that led to the Silver Lake. "You probably can't see them as much, or even at all now that we're starting to enter the mist that surrounds the lake Quelen, Blythe began, "but each of the Konti women is covered in scales." There was a slight pause, "you'd probably only notice the ones on our foreheads... by just looking, but we have them on our stomachs, and our legs... all over the place. They allow us to breath underwater just like the Charoda. It is our gift from Laviku. Just like divination is our gift from Avalis. Or perhaps, sometimes, we are gifted by her sister, Rak'keli as well."

There was another long pause as Blythe led Quelen around the lake to the white balk that led to the pavilion. "So, perhaps some of us do dive beneath the surface into the water to retrieve some of its many treasures. Perhaps not... sometimes portions of the Island seem to submerge with the tides, and then appear again when they are low." There was a pause. "The white stone we use has always been a mystery, the young ones always wonder where they came from, and in all honesty, the same goes for many of us older ones." Blythe had reached the balk, "just watch your step," she commented, as she climbed on, and continued to lead the way. She had let go of Quelen's hand when they had reached the city center, and now, for whatever reason, she wondered if the girl had kept up.

Blythe peered over her shoulder. "Just holler if you need to slow down, alright?" she called. She had paused in her place for only a moment before proceeding on her way. "That's the pavilion up ahead," she explained, with a quick motion of her right hand. "Although traditionally used to teach suvai... a sort of whalebone weapon, the place also teaches katana, dancing, throwing knives, and archery. There are more people working on suvai here... it's the Konti's traditional weapon," Blythe explained, not knowing quite how to put it. "It's like the Akalaks and their lakans." Blythe paused, "have you ever met an Akalak?" she asked, as she reached the other side of the balk, and stopped dead in her tracks, waiting for Quelen. Wondering if she wanted to go inside, or simply look.

by **Quelen Dran'Sora** on April 12th, 2011, 6:29 pm

Quelen tilted her head slightly as Blythe explained about the scales Konti had. It was interesting to learn such things, and brought even more questions to Quelen's mind, "You have the gift of divination, you can see the future? What can you see of the future? Is it only important things, or little things you see?"

Listening to more of Blythe's explanations with deep curiousity Quelen followed the Konti onto the narrow balk. Even as she carefully walked Blythe's explanations prompted even more questions, "You don't know where the white stone comes from? Does it just appear when you need it, or have the buildings just been here for a very long time?"

Making her way after Blythe Quelen gave a smile and a shake of her head at the question the woman presented, "No, I have never met an Akalak. I think I have heard of them though. Frightening dark skinned men who are very tall and strong?" even as she was asking her question her eyes were wandering over the building before her, "Your buildings are made very differently from ours, but I suppose they need to be. It is not as though you can swim through the sky to reach places," she gave a smile to Blythe as she asked, "Could I go in and just look? Are there Konti practicing in there now?"

by **Blythe** on April 12th, 2011, 7:28 pm

Blythe gave a small laugh. "No, there are very few of us who can see the future." There was a slight pause, "only those of us marked three or more times by the goddess Avalis can see the future. Most of us, are only marked once, which merely allows us to see what has already come to pass," Blythe replied. There was a slight pause, "V'nessi Ulvalin, the Konti matriarch is the champion of our goddess, she is one of the few that can see that far ahead." There was another pause, "the things she things, the things we all see, can be large or small. Seemingly meaningless or not. Cryptic or straightforward. There is no real way with them, the visions. They are simply a part of us, which we spend a great deal of our lives trying to come to understand, and sometimes, even to fully accept."

As Blythe stood just to the side of the door that led into the pavilion, she listened to the Charoda, and did her best to respond. "No, the stones have always been a bit of a mystery, although it is doubtful they simply appeared on this land for us to use. The older ones probably hauled them out of hiding for use, or imported them from faraway places. Who is to say?" there was a slight paused as the woman glanced over the Charoda's body, wondering how she could come up with so many questions. Wondering what happened to her arm, and why she was so interested in dance. Not as though dance were a bad thing, she simply wondered why that particular hobby, and not another.

Blythe uttered another small laugh, "yes, the Akalak are the tall blue men. The ones who share a body," she said simply. There was a slight pause, "and yes, it sounds like there is someone still practicing," Blythe began as the sound of shuffling feet reached her ears, "but it should be alright. Usually the Konti women don't seem to mind if you simply peek into a class. As long as you aren't disruptive to them in any way, it should be alright. But, surely we don't have to worry about such things, you seem kind enough. You haven't cursed once, and if you are anything like what we have heard of your race, we have nothing to fear in the name of violence, do we?" Blythe asked as she stepped just past the doorway and motioned for Quelen to look inside. "Feel free to take a peek, they seem so busy they may not even notice you," Blythe added, referring to the few women who were still practicing the suvai.