Desperation and Dissapointment (Elem Bree)

[Sariana]

24th Day of Spring, Late Afternoon.

There was something about the City of Scholars that Sariana hadn't expected. Stories that she had heard presented it in a rich and educated light, with buildings to be admired...however the Storm had changed that. The University itself had been crumbled partially and the food shortage had reached desperate heights. The drykas found herself relying on her own travel pack to avoid the guilt of taking food from the mouths of those far more needy than she.

Passing through the city, Sariana had taken Vrathetu for a ride - knowing the horse was not used to the enclosed stables of civilization - and now was returning him to the stable. Tending to his coat and speaking to him softly in Pavi, the brunette gave him one last pat and left the stable as the afternoon sun began to show signs of dusk. Walking through the street, she was headed to the Inn to call it a night. The beer there was far less....utterly disgusting than the stuff at the Kelp Bar, plus they had beds. Walking past a young boy, she frowned as he stared at her with wide brown eyes.

"Hey there, are you hungry?" She asked with what she hoped was a friendly smile, reaching for the pouch tied to her belt to retrieve a few pieces of dried meat. He looked at her for a moment, fidgetting with his shirt before suddenly dashing away. Straightening, the woman went to call to him when she felt an arm around her neck and a blade held low to her torso.

"Money, food. That's all we want, then you can go." A voice rasped in her ear, but Sariana's blood raced through her veins, rushing in her ears as adreniline filled her. She brought her elbow sharply into the unseen male's solar plexes, before grabbing his arm and tossing him off her with a heave. Straightening, she pulled her rapiers from their sheaths with a deadly sound, lowering her stance and holding them parallel to her forearms. Her blue eyes took in her surroundings quickly. A man, filthy and hungry and desperate. Another, the one who grabbed her, bigger and unshaven. A woman hovered off to the side, eyes wide and face scared. Perhaps the boy's mother or family member. They all stank of desperation and brutality brought forth by lack of food. Part of the drykas felt for them, however not enough to pity them .

"I would suggest that you take that little boy, get to the docks and look for some work and get him some petching food. I don't wish to take your lives this day, but if it comes to it..." She left the sentance open, looking at the group as she turned slowly to take them all in her saphirre gaze. The larger man had gotten to his feet, holding his knife and visibly making a decision. His eyes shifted to the other men, before he rushed her. They danced. She parried, turned, blocking his sidwards thrust and bashing him hard on the back of the head with the pommel of her rapier. The thug dropped like a sack of potatoes. Behind her, the other man moved foward. Turning sharply, she pointed the end of her blade at him.

"I won't warn you again. Take your friend and go." After a moments pause, the man nodded and moved to his downed partner. The woman still stood back, eyes wide. Finally she came foward too and helped the other man to lift the larger fellow. Together, they slunk off, apologizing in muttered words and scared tones. Amatures. Deseperate, hungry amatures. Sariana shook her head, sheathing her rapiers. She would have more sympathy if they hadn't used a petching child in their ploy. Frowning, she walked on, the high of battle slowly ebbing from her veins. It always left her feeling weaker, restless. Gods she hoped the beer at the inn was cold.

As she walked, she felt a sting on her arm. Looking down, the brunette swore sharply and lifted her arm, pressing her free hand to the large gash running half the length of the underside of her forearm. Blood flowed down her arm to drip on the ground and trickled between her fingers as she looked around for help. The inn was still a fair walk, and it was a fairly bad cut. The bastard had gotten her as she'd blocked, and with all the adreneline rushing through her veins Sariana just didn't feel it.

"Petching son of a..." The drykas swore darkly, feeling the keen ache of severed flesh. She grit her teeth and walked on.

[Elem Bree]

Elem was sometimes fortunate to be overlooked. Thieves generally sought money and valuables. Being a student with only a few miza in his pocket, he was hardly a target. Lately, however, with the food rationing and riots of late, he had become very protective over his potted plants, as they were beginning to yield vegetables and became more valuable than gold to the starving masses. He was always cautious to only cook during the day, minding the direction of the wind to ensure he wasn't sending out a beacon of flavor should he need to open the windows for ventilation. The steam of the cooking pots generally kept them fogged up, a natural barrier for peepers.

At night he would toss a few leaves of valerian into the fire to send the pungent aroma out, turning off all but the most stalwart of sniffers. While the University's offered rations were suitable, he did enjoy fresh cut greens when they were ready. The air in the room was humid and hot from the process, so he thought to look outside through the single pane glass of the small front window before opening the door. He noticed a girl walking down the street, two thin swords at her sides. He rubbed at the fogged window with his sleeve, noticing that she was bleeding as she raised her arm. Looking down at Rak'keli's mark on his hand, he chose to skip caution in the aid of another.

He wished that he had a broom. He would have to purchase one if they weren't too expensive soon. Sweeping one's front door was an excellent way to seem innocuous and overhear things. His mother had done it as long as he could remember. He slipped through the door after unlatching it, presenting himself as best as he could. He wore only his simple tunic and breeches, his feet bare. Waving at the girl, who was much more vibrant on this side of the glass, despite her disheveled look, he offered, "Hello there. Looks like a nasty cut. Would you like me to have a look at it for you? I'm a doctor." Sort of. But he suspected that the fighting types weren't really ones to wax nuances.

[Sariana]

Sariana froze at the sound of the man's voice, blue eyes turning to the voice. The drykas spied a clean and concerned looking young man standing just outside the door way to what could be a home or a small business. He didn't appear to be like the others, and the brunette knew she at least needed something to stem the bleeding. Petching hell, her white dress was going to be a red dress soon enough. Lowering her guard, she moved closer, biting back the urge to remove her hand from her arm as it stung from the sweat on her palm.

"It would seem I have encountered the friendly denizens of this great city at their...least welcoming." Sariana said with a wan smile that turned into a grimace. Moving closer to the man, she noticed he wore no shoes. He had been interupted from whatever task he had been doing...called out in the setting sunlight to assist a stranger. The drykas felt guilty and stupid. She should have been paying more attention to that knife.

"It's really not that bad. Just...a minor nick." The woman said as she glanced at her arm, close enough to see the man a bit better now. Brown hair and eyes, with an inviting sort of presence. He reminded her of the drykas healers, they made you feel safe and looked after. Again, she tried to smile.

[Elem Bree]

Her initial surprise at his greeting made Elem wary, but he didn't remove himself from the situation. Surely she wouldn't attack him for trying to help. But, with the city as it was, anything was possible. He could almost feel the process of being sized up, which he pondered for a moment. Was it a regular occurrence for those that held the power of death? He only let the somber question rest in his mind a moment as she approached.

"It would seem I have encountered the friendly denizens of this great city at their...least welcoming." Elem smiled and nodded, steeping to the side to offer her more space should she still feel threatened or cautious. "Well, you don't have to forgive Zeltiva, but I hope you will consider it. Things are tough right now as we try to rebuild from the storm. There is a good deal of food rationing and sickness about, but we hope to get back on track soon." He offered his hand to her, smiling. "I am Elem Bree, servant of Rak'keli and the people of Zeltiva."

"It's really not that bad. Just...a minor nick."

He tried to have a look at it himself without being obtrusive. "One woman's nick is another's major gash, but I don't think it is too bad. However, we should tend to it as the object that pierced the flesh was most likely dirty, which could lead to infection." He looked both ways down the way, noticing few were about, then opening his door for her, the hearty aroma of greens emanating from the doorway. " I mean you no harm. Quite the contrary. Would you like to come in for a moment? I will take care of that for you." He would not push his help on her, but he hoped she would understand that everyone in Zeltiva was opportunistic, but the moral slant behind each person set the stage for which opportunities to explore.

[Sariana]

Sariana looked down at his hand, smiling apologetically as she didn't take it. Whilst she didn't want to be rude, at the same time she didn't want to grab his hand with the blood all over hers. It just seemed inappropraite. As he spoke about his city, his home, the drykas blushed slightly at her over-sight. Indeed she was injured, offended and angry - but this was Elem's home. Her judgement was reserved for the attack itself, but should not reflect onto the desperate and the needy.

"Zeltiva will return to its former glory, I am sure. And I have not placed judgement on the city as a whole, not yet. I know those people were hungry and scared out of their minds, it made me angry that they used a child to lure me in..." The brunette pressed her lips together to stop herself rambling - talking as though he had seen the whole event when he infact hadn't. Wincing, she glanced down at her arm as he mentioned infection.

"Eww..." She said softly, before lifting her head to the heady aroma of vegetation and the warmth of a homely light. Nodding to Elem, she entered his house and moved aside so he could enter, keeping her hand clamped tightly over the gash as to try and stem the bleeding onto his floor.

"Thankyou, I appreciate it. My name is Sariana Lisden, Warrior of the Diamond Clan and the people of Endrykas." The brunette drykas used her full title, just as he had, feeling it only appropriate. Her saphirre eyes took in the room, the plants and vegetables, the cooking pots. It appeared the doctor was well set up. She shuffled awkwardly, not sure where to go or whether to just stand there and stick her arm out for inspection.

[Elem Bree]

Another hand greeting declined. It was a mystery to Elem why so many lacked simple courtesy. Again, it had to be a byproduct of facing others in a martial sense, regarding all others as potential enemies. Such a shame, but nevertheless, as it stood presently, he was concerned with taking care of her wounds. He listened to her explanation of the situation which had led her to him. The use of a child was despicable, but one could never tell what the full story was. Perhaps the child was hostage to the same thieves? He smiled and closed the door behind her, securing the latch, but leaving the large bolt free.

Stepping across to the small desk he had, its face covered with herbalism notes, small ingredient lists, stanzas of contemplated hymns to Rak'keli. Picking up the chair before it, which existed as the only suitable seat for a stranger, he walked back , hearing her full and formal title. "Endrykas. I have only heard it in passing at the University. Could you tell me something of it? And your 'Diamond Clan'?" He felt engaging in conversation may soften the warrior's stance.

Presenting the seat, he set about to claiming his waterskin and dunking it in a bucket of water. Air bubbles floated to the surface as he filled its innards. Returning, he offered it, instead of a hand. "Please, have a drink." He stepped away, allowing her a moment to rest as he looked in on the greens which were steeping in the pot, the boiling water infusing into the greens and evaporating, leaving a thicker stock at the bottom. He had picked up a stick he had collected and poked at the greens, tossing a few dashes of salt into the pot. He would listen to her replies and return to her, taking the waterskin back to aid in her healing.

[Sariana]

Sariana sat down slowly, hesitantly smiling at the doctor. She winced and took her hand cautiously off the gash to check if the bleeding had slowed. Indeed, it was now just a thick slow ooze as opposed to the bright red rivlet that had stained her dress and her hands. There was blood all down her forearm and between her fingers, and currently it had turned her white dress crimson in spots. Petch it all...blood on white was damn near impossible to get out. She would have to shop before she left Zeltiva.

"Endrykas is the city of the drykas, down south in the Sea of Grass. It moves, depending on the weather and time of year. We're known for our horsemanship...and our horses. Best in all of Mizahar." Looking at the offered waterskin, Sariana glanced at her bloodied hand and then back at the skin. Even if she wiped it on her dress, the blood wouldn't come off completly. Reaching out, she took it and drank deeply, the cool water soothing her still frayed nerves. Handing it back, she looked at the gash whilst the doctor stirred some thick green concotion.

"My Clan are the warriors of our people. We are protectors and in a time of need, we are the frontline of defense. The winds are our guides, and those with enough faith can be granted great power." Reaching up, the drykas woman pushed her black hair out of her face with the back of her hand, smearing a small amount of blood across her temple. Looking up at the doctor, Sariana smiled warmly. The talk of home and the drink had relaxed the tension she didn't realize she still held. In her lap, her arm throbbed painfully and she continued to talk to take her mind off it.

"Do you usually work University? I saw the wreckage, and there have been a lot of people in the bar talking about it. They said a lot of scholars actually lived in there."

[Elem Bree]

Elem really had no clue about the Sea of Grass she spoke of. He had heard of such a thing somewhere off to the west. but it was rare for anyone but the elite to travel so freely. Or perhaps those like Ndale, the Kelvic, who could move in a freer sense. It was becoming apparent to him as he poked at the greens in the pot that he was quite limited in his viewpoint of the world and he would change that however he could.

Returning to the beauty now seated in his residence, Elem chose to use his budding bedside manner to treat her. He nodded pleasantly, taking Sariana's arm gently by the wrist with his left hand, lifting the forearm to the light, its wound slowly oozing closed with her body's own healing. With his right hand he poured water from the skin over the wound three times, in a ritualized motion of his hand. As he poured, he said,

"That which was done to you in harm, let it be undone in Rak'keli's arms."

As the words were uttered by Elem, his hands traced the line of the wound, the laceration closing and the pink skin relaxing, leaving only a soft spot where the wound had been a moment before. He poured once more to wash the remaining blood off. He smiled, hoping he hadn't surprised her too much and he gently released her arm, walking back to his bubbling greens. As if nothing had happened, he looked into the green concoction, still poking. "I do live at the University, in the dormitories. I also work at the Infirmary in the Medical College. I use this cottage to work in. Will you be in town long?"

[Sariana]

Allowing the doctor to take her arm, Sariana watched with curiosity as the man poured water on her arm. She swallowed back the urge to wince as the cool liquid stung her freshly opened flesh, but what happened next had her damn near jumping out of her seat. Elem said a phrase, a prayer Sariana had assumed, then he had moved his hand across her wound. The skin itched madly and burned, causing the drykas to hiss sharply with an indrawn breath. With wide blue eyes she watched as the gash closed itself, leaving behind nothing of what it had been.

After the good doctor released her, Sariana lifted her arm to inspect it. She turned it this way and that, rubbing off the blood with her ruined white dress. Lowering her arm, the brunette stared at him. None of the drykas healers had done that.

"I uh...no? No." Shaking off the awe, Sariana blinked a few times before staring at his smiling face. As though nothing had happened, he stirred his greens. Magic, is what it was. Taking a deep breath, she smiled back.

"I'm not sure how long exactly I'll be in town for. Maybe till the end of the season? At least until its safer to travel again." Laughing suddenly, Sariana raised her arm again.

"I'm sorry, I just can't make my mind believe what just happened. You are...very talented." Shaking her head, Sariana's hand went to her purse.

"I have to thankyou. This could have been a lot worse...especially needing to travel. Is there anything I can offer? I have coin...or...in my packs I have some dried rashions. Do you know somewhere I could wash the rest of my arms...maybe? I don't want to look like I just murdered half the...erm...well..." The drykas found herself rambling suddenly, embarrassed by the state she was in. Clamping her mouth shut, she smiled again.

[Elem Bree]

Elem enjoyed the melodic trill that was Sariana's laugh. He had encountered many reactions to Rak'keli's light but laughter was one he hadn't. He hoped he heard such a thing again in his work. Moving the pot from the fire, by swinging the hanging pot from over the fire, Elem poked more furiously at the underside of the churning leaves. He was fighting the mess, hoping it wouldn't stick. He wished he had something more useful than a stick, but wasn't educated enough to know what else would work.

"I can't take any of the credit for that, Sariana. I am merely a vessel for Lady Rak'keli and Her light. I am glad you are feeling better. If you would like to leave an offering for her, feel free. I will make good use of it." It occurred to him then that while taking offerings for healing wasn't something he had to do, it seemed fair enough. he would try to use the funds on something worthwhile. Perhaps a banner or some kind of vestments? He suspected that a trip to another Temple might serve him in order to understand how best to proceed.

Trying to remember good manners, he looked up from the pot of greens to his guest. "Feel free to use the basin by my bunk. I believe there is still some soap as well." His face screwed up a bit, as he was realizing that he had no utensils or containers for food. He had been so focused on buying things for work and eating at the University that he had simply overlooked such fineries. He would make a point to buy those things as soon as he had a chance to.