A new girl/tiger in town(OPEN)

[Sheva]

The kind man Syllke led her through the town and into the 'Lyceum' where he apparently lived. He showed her his room where she left her backpack, then he showed her to the bathing room. Sheva filled the tub as she began to undress, dropping her clothing on the floor. Slowly she climbed into the warm water until she was completely submerged for several seconds before her head reappeared. Her hair already visibly cleaner, although not yet at its former glory. Sheva couldn't help but smile at the feeling of the water around her, she loved the water and her being part tiger even more so. She began to scrub at her skin roughly. She scrubbed at every peice of exposed flesh on her body until her skin was returned to its flawless fair glow. Then she moved onto her hair washing it over and over until it was a pure white as if a heavenly light flowed from her hair.
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She was lucky to have met such a kind man, Syllke, she began to wonder how she would repay him. She pushed the thought out her head for now, still relaxing in the water. Slowly she began to wash her clothes aswell, they were leather and didn't require much scrubbing but they needed to be soaked. After a nice long bath she got out of the tub and grabbed the towel. She dried herself off and wrapped the towel tightly around her body before grabbing her wet clothes and making her way toward Syllke's room. Slowly she poked her head into the doorway childishly. Her eyes slowly scanning the quaint room, a wonderful smell coming from the room, food. Her eyes spotted Syllke in the room and instantly a large smile crossed her face. She walked in and dropped her damp clothing near the door, walking in still with a large smile. She was returned to her almost ethereal beauty, her snow hair and skin practically glowing in the light as she approached him. "I can't thank you enough for this, Syllke. Thank you." There was an instantly noticeable change in her voice and behaviour. Once shy, quiet and nervous, but now she was confident and her voice was filled with a sweet, cheerful smoothness. "Uhm, do you mind if a lend a shirt please, my clothes are kind of damp." she asked sweetly, a smile still lighting up her face. She couldn't stop smiling still grateful to have met such a kind person. She made her way to her backpack and pulled out a pair of underclothes. Slowly pulling it up her legs under the thigh length towel followed by taking out her comb. She began to comb her hair slowly untangling it.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Syllke looked up as Sheva quietly entered the room, dropping her wet clothes on the floor with a heavy plop. It hadn’t occurred to him that she might be possessed of just the one outfit, but he wasn’t particularly bothered by the fact that such a lovely young woman was now standing there just a few feet away wrapped only in a towel. He wasn't a total innoocent, but neither was he likely to jump to conclusions or make assumptions. She was dirty - now she was clean - and she apparently didn't have any other clothes to wear. He was just glad that Murphy wasn’t around, for that boy was shy indeed, though almost the same age as Syllke. Smiling easily, he neither stared at her nor turned his gaze away, and at her words of gratitude, he merely shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t worry about it. I know not every soul in Denval would be quite as friendly, but they do tend to be a hospitable lot. I’m sure someone would have taken you under their wing. You were looking a bit . . . hard used.” He had been on the verge of starting the omelette, but at her request for the loan of a shirt, he put the cooking things down and crossed to a small chest at the foot of the bed. Opening this, he pulled out a shirt and a pair of trousers. Setting them on the bed, he said, “I know the trousers will be big, but at least you won’t get as chilled as if you had only a shirt on. I’ll step out so you can dress.” So saying, he stepped past her. “I have to say, you look about a hundred percent better with all that mud scraped off. I’ll bet you weigh a few pounds less.” He smiled at her as he went through the door, closing it carefully behind him.

[Sheva]

Sheva continued to watch him, a smile still evident on her face. He went over to the chest near the bed and pulled out some clothes for her, a large shirt and a pair of equally large trousers. Then he made his way to the door to allow her to change. She let loose a sweet girlish laugh at his comment. "Why thank you. I feel as if I lost alot of weight." she said with a hint of humour. She was quickly beginning to feel comfortable around him, and now that she was clean and confident again he would be able to see her usual cheerful personality. The word that best described her and most things she did when in a good mood, whimsical.
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She dropped the towel as she made her way toward the bed, pulling the large shirt over her head, it was baggy and reached down almost touching her knees. Then the trousers, although she would not have minded going without them she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. Besides, she did not know much about the etiquette of this town.
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She had to hold the trousers up as she walked over to the table and sat down. "I'm done!" she called out, not loud but loud enough for him to hear. Her arms pulled her leg up so that she was sitting with one leg held against her body. "Mmm smells so good. she said complementing his cooking.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Syllke had only gone out of the room to stand with his beck resting against the door. So when Sheva called him, he was back inside and making his way to the little hearth within a heartbeat. Within another short moment he was cooking the eggs and mushrooms, and he looked over his shoulder at her. “Help yourself. I don’t stand on being overly polite.” He grinned. “If you’re hungry – eat. This will be ready in just a minute.” And indeed that’s all it took. He rose and brought the hot pan to the little table and slid half the eggs onto a plate for her, the rest onto a second plate. Pouring two cups from a pitcher, he said simply, “Apple cider. It’s really good. I just bought it yesterday at the market.” There was only the one chair, so he put some more food onto his plate, and took it and his cup and stepped over to his bed, which was no more than two meters from the table anyway – the room was very small. Having a seat, he ate a bite, not at all shy about eating in front of a relative stranger. “Looks like we could fit two of you in my clothes,” he said with a laugh. “After we eat, you can maybe spread your own before the fire so they’ll dry faster.” He took another bite but he kept his eyes on her, watching her with a great deal of curiosity. “So, tell me – how is it you arrive in a place you’ve never been before, not knowing where you came from, and with only one tiny pack and the clothes on your back? Or do you have a treasure in jewels and gold tucked in that bag?” He added with a chuckle.

[Sheva]

Sheva waited patiently for him to finish cooking when he told her to go ahead and eat, which she did immediately. When he finished the eggs he went and sat down on the bed. At his comment about his clothes she let out another girlish laugh, "Really? I think they look great. Perfect fit." she joked playfully. She took a bite of the eggs, only now realising how hungry she was, "This is so good." she told him honestly, now eating a little faster.
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Sheva was enjoying the meal greatly, flashing him a bright smile every few moments. She took a sip of the apple cider and her face visibly lit up. He was right, it tasted great. When he asked her about her arrival she froze for a moment before returning to her cheerful self. "Well you see, I come from Zeltiva. I'm not sure about the exact time but several weeks ago I had decided to leave Zeltiva and make my way to Syliras. On the last day I had packed all my possessions and made my way to the harbour so I could look at the ocean one last time." she paused for a moment. "Unfortunately, before I got the chance to leave I was...kidnapped and thrown into a dark cage on a ship with no idea where or why. This morning I woke up and the ship had dropped anchor, these scary two men came to get me. They opened the cage and I knew this was my only chance so I fought as hard as I could." she paused again, this time for much longer. "I ki...I killed a man." she said now much more quietly. She was looking down lost in thought. This killing had clearly taken a toll on her. After a while she snapped out of her trance, "Anyway, so I escaped and set the ship on fire. And some time later I bumped into you." her face lit up again was she mentioned how they had met. She was worried, she didn't know how he would react, especially to her killing someone. What if he turned her in to the authorities? Her worry was evident on her face for a second, before she returned it to a smile.
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After a short while she had finished her meal and smiled brightly at him, "I think that may have been the best meal I ever had!" she said sweetly, her bright smile brightening her fair face.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Sheva’s little moment of hesitation did not go unnoted, but Syllke simply waited to see what she would offer in way of explanation. Her few, rather bald, sentences had him raising his eyebrows in surprise. If he had had any expectations of what her story might entail, kidnapping and killing were definitely not part of it. He looked at her speculatively, wondering what about this girl impelled someone to kidnap her. She was exceedingly pretty, with unusual hair as white as the snows of Avanthal. Her skin too was exceptionally pale, almost luminescent, putting him in mind of the tales that he had heard of the fish women of the eastern isles. But she didn’t have any scales, that he had seen anyway. Still, beauty was rarely a sufficient reason to take someone captive - not and simply throw them in a cage. And looking at her now, as she sat at his table, quietly eating the last bit of her meal, he could hardly imagine her killing – or setting an entire ship on fire. Perhaps she had magical powers – and that could account for her kidnapping as well, if someone was wishing to harness those powers to their own use. He hadn’t yet heard of any ship ablaze in the harbor, so he thought perhaps it might have been one further out to sea, or up or down the coast. But then, how did she get ashore? She didn’t look big enough to man even a ship’s row boat. What a mystery she was becoming, he mused, as he chewed thoughtfully on the last bite of apple. Given all that had happened to her, she seemed to be in a fairly positive state of mind. Which led him to wonder what she might do next, given her limited options. At least she didn’t appear to be overly traumatized, or shut down, by all these odd events. “They say hunger makes the best seasoning.” He said, still looking at her as he rose and placed his plate in a wooden wash bucket. Crossing to the table, he poured himself another cup of cider and held the pitcher out to refill hers as well. “So, you are in Denval. Probably one of the most isolated spots in Mizahar – as far as getting in and out. You can only leave the same way you came - by ship – unless you have a wind eagle to ride upon. On the other side of the world from Zeltiva, and not too much closer to Syliras. Any ideas of what your plans will be?” He looked at her with some compassion, though it was mixed with some skepticism, given her amazing tale. “I hope for your sake that you do have a treasure in that pack. If not . . . “ He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you’re welcome to stay here a few nights. I’ll make sure it’s OK with Captain Astrid. We have a few empty rooms – we’re in between visiting scholars. One just left – he was from Zeltiva, in fact.” It occurred to him that, looking at the girl, perhaps her almost other worldly looks made her appear more frail than she actually was. If she could kill a man and set fire to a boat, maybe she was well able to take care of herself, and his own concern was nonsense. Well, he’d go ahead and state the obvious, anyway. “I guess ultimately, you’ll have to find some sort of more permanent living arrangement, and some way to eat.” He smiled. “And maybe another set of clothes.”

[Sheva]

Sheva had been watching him intently waiting for his response to her her situation and what she had done. Her body relaxed after his reply, thankful he hadn't freaked out. He approached to get himself a refill of the delicious apple-cider and when he got to the table Sheva jumped up hugging him tightly around the waist and resting her head against his chest. "Thank you! for not freaking out, and for the food and for everything!" she said while still in the tight embrace, there was clear evidence of her gratefullness in her voice.

Afrer a while Sheva released him from her sudden hug and stepped back slowly while wiping away a single stray tear. slowly her face returned to its usual cheerful expression. "So yeah I guess your right, I'll have to get a job as soon as possible, aswell as a permanent residence." she said returning to their conversation. "So, what about you Syllke? I feel like I know you but don't know anything about you." she said honestly as she made her way toward the bed jumping lightly on it with a gentle plop. She sat on her knees curiously watching him as if she were a kitten.

She had not decided whether or not to tell him she was a kelvic or a mage for thta matter, she didn't know whether either of those were accepted or frowned apon in the city. What if they burned mages? OR they used kelvics as slaves. Due to the uncertainty she decided it best to keep it a secret, for now atleast. Although she did not like keeping it from him, he had been so kind and it just didn't feel right to keep secrets even though it was the best idea.

[Syllke Skyglow]

The hug was unexpected. Sheva was full of surprises, Syllke thought, as he tentatively put his hands on her back and returned the enthusiastic squeeze, but with less zeal perhaps than the girl. It wasn’t that he had any reservations about her – beyond being perplexed at her tale of how she came to be in Denval. He just wasn’t entirely sure how friendly she was wanting to get, though she seemed well content to be in his arms. He could smell the fresh, clean scent of her newly washed and still damp hair as she burrowed her face in his shirt, and again his mind stumbled over this story of mayhem that she had told him. The slight girl pressed against him seemed so incapable of such doings, though he supposed even very small people were capable of learning to be fairly vicious and skilled with their hands and feet, or a weapon. His eyes darted to her pack, wondering just what she might have stowed in it. Then she was stepping away, settling on his bed and looking at him expectantly, having turned the conversational table neatly about. Feeling the damp patch on his chest as he moved towards her, Syllke sat on the bed next to her, cross legged, his elbows resting easily on his knees, his chin on his interwoven knuckles. He shrugged. “There’s not much exciting to tell – nothing near as interesting as your story. I’m seventeen. Born and raised in Avanthal, in the Skyglow hold. I decided I wanted to see the world and left, mid-summer. I came here by boat, like you – though not with such a calamitous end to the voyage.” He grinned. “Thank god.” He was looking at her ice blue eyes as he spoke, wondering about the life she had led up to this moment, and what more amazing tales she might have to tell – or possibly she had none at all. Most people led fairly common, dull lives. “My friend Murphy came with me. He lives here too.” Generally, out of respect for Murphy’s own stated preference, Syllke did not immediately announce to strangers that Murphy was a kelvic. The boy still feared some sort of retribution from the master that he had escaped from, or being somehow returned to a life of servitude and abuse. Syllke did not share Muprhy’s concerns, as his friend had been free quite some time and was hundreds of leagues away from where he had last left his old master. There was no reason to think anyone would be looking for him – and certainly not here in Denval. If Murphy and Sheva eventually met up – which seemed inevitable if she chose to stay at the Lyceum for any length of time – Murphy could choose when and how to tell the girl his own history. “I was lucky – Captain Astrid agreed to hire me to work here at the Lyceum, as the registrar, and general caretaker of a sort. That’s why I’m allowed to live here. And I teach, when students are interested. Mostly carving but other types of art as well. Captain Astrid is very interested in reviving all that was lost to Denval since the Valterrian. That’s why she invites teachers and lecturers from all over Mizahar to come and share their knowledge.” His color shifting eyes looked at her speculatively. “If you had any particular sort of training, or knowledge, or . . . expertise . . . “ He let that dangle for a moment. “Perhaps you could find a student or two. I don’t know what you did in Zeltiva, but . . . “ Syllke was a very curious person, but he wouldn’t press. If Sheva wanted to volnteer more information about herself, that was fine. If she didn’t care to, that was fine as well. He shrugged again. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find something, if you decide to stay in Denval.” His eyes shifted to look out of the small window by the table. “Just keep in mind, this far north, the harbor will be icing up soon. Then you’ll be stuck here for the winter.” Turning his gaze back to the girl, he grinned again. “If worse comes to worst, you could probably find a husband quite easily. Denval is desperate for new blood – they’ve been so isolated for so long, and they’ve been very careful about who can marry who – because of the children, you know. Captain Astrid is quite happy to welcome newcomers who want to settle here, if they’re willing to have children. And if you married, you’d be well taken care of. You wouldn’t have to worry about where you were going to live or how you’d feed yourself.” Almost as an after thought, he added with a softer smile, “You’d have no problem finding a man. You’re very pretty. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as . . . white . . . as you, Sheva. Do many people from Zeltiva have your coloring?”

[Sheva]

Sheva listened tentatively to Syllke as he spoke taking in every detail from the 'good samaritan'. He started with his age, he was seventeen which was the basic age of Sheva's human form. Hey I'm seventeen too she said happily, slightly excited that they had something in common, sort of.
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Syllke continued to tell her about his origins and what he did in Denval. So he was a teacher, that was interesting. He moved on to suggest that she maybe teach, depending on her skill. "Well, I know quite abit about hunting and archery, but that's about all really." she mentally scolded herself for lying to him again, this magic secret was becoming a issue, but a necessary one.
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When he moved on to the topic of marriage Sheva's eyes widened ever so slightly before returning to there original state. She shifted slightly as she continued to listen to him speak, explaining the reason newcomers and wives were treated so well. Then he called her pretty, a compliment from a cute boy, Sheva developed a light blush on her fair cheeks looking at him and allowing a small girlish giggle to escape her lips. "No, no I don't think I'll be getting married anytime soon, and thank you for the compliment, your rather handsome yourself, and to answer your question no. No one in Zeltiva is as white as me, the closest I've seen are the Konti but no one else." she said as she shifted her position into a cross legged position, anither small giggle filling the room.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Hunting and archery? Again, Syllke raised an eyebrow slightly, bemused by Sheva’s skills – which were totally belied by her apparently deceptively gentle and demure looks. “Well, I don’t know that the Lyceum would be able to drum up any students interested in hunting – most people seem to learn that from their fathers and uncles – as I’m sure you must have.” He let that one waver in the air, half assertion, half question. “For the most part, the teachers here instruct people in things that are harder to acquire – like science, literature, history . . . magic.” Syllke was certainly no mind reader nor was he exceptionally brilliant in deductive reasoning, But with each conversational exchange, he was watching her, listening to her tone of voice as well as her words, sensing her and taking in her body language – and as an artist, he had honed his observational skills well. His mind, too, was trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle which she had, perhaps inadvertently, put before him. And he was coming up with a sense that if such a delicate looking creature was capable of actions and activities that required a good deal of strength, fortitude, skill and outright balls – maybe magic was Sheva’s as yet undeclared weapon of choice. Zeltiva was a great seat of learning. It was a possibility . . . “If you like . . . “ He shrugged casually. “I can take you to meet Captain Astrid. She's quite busy, but she always seems to like meeting newcomers to Denval – regardless of how they got here, or where they came from.” His eyes went to the sodden heap of clothes on the floor by the door. “But perhaps we should wait until your clothes are dry. You’re quite irresistible in mine, but for a first impression on the leader of Denval, a better fit might be in order.” His voice was teasing and he smiled at her. “Why don’t you spread them out – there’s a roasting spit that pulls out from the fireplace – hang them on that. And I’ll begin washing up our plates.” He rose and went to the hearth, pulling out the rod and taking a cloth to wrap around the handle of a simmering kettle, pouring the water into a tub on a low table, ready to start the washing up.