Flashback [Memorial Library] An Evening's Diversion

[Eleret]

The girl showed every evidence of listening -- and every evidence of confusion. Not only in her expression and posture, which Eleret could see in profile, but in the scents the Konti's gift brought to her awareness -- strong, sharp, pungent. One was turmeric, a spice she had only rarely tasted but remembered well; the other she was less sure of, but it struck her with the weight of the girl's budding contempt. The combination of scents was even more unpleasant than either alone; she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose in reflex, though Eleret smoothed it out just as quickly as she could. As much as she could. Which wasn't completely. Despite that, the woman kept her voice steady and level, her expression otherwise shuttered. "If you will not hear," Eleret stated, more coolly than before, "I cannot tell you." She took the book up in her hands and closed it with a muted thump, then tilted her hand to extend it towards the girl. While she would gladly teach fortune-telling, or almost anything for that matter, Eleret would not do so in the face of such temper and disrespect. "Take the book back. Read, if you want. If you want talk, come later." She looked sidelong at the girl, then raised her chin slightly. "When you are polite. Even for 'foolish' things." But if it was 'foolish', why should Amelia want to learn fortune-telling anyway?

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia toke the book in her hands, with clear sadness in her eyes mixed with pure confusion. The small girl didn’t mean to offend the woman in any way; she just had trouble holding her tongue back when her father wasn’t around. When he was, she would always keep her words in check and rarely talk at all, but the times in the library she was alone. Most of the people she encountered had gotten used to it by now, her annoying questions and statements that came out as rude so often. This time was one of those when she couldn’t manage to keep her thoughts silent. She was just curios and had little skill to formulate her questions in a polite manner like her father always did with such skills. With a little sign of disappointment she jumped off the chair, holding the book close to her chest ”I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to be rude” she said in a much more faint voice than the one she used usually. In a light step she walked away behind a few shelves to the first free desk she could find and sat there. Slamming the book on the desk she opened it and began reading with patience, from the first page as far as she could. The beginning of the book wasn’t specifically interesting and had quite a lot of words written in the language of the Konti, but some of the words stuck in her head. A bell had passed and even a bit more while the girl had managed to read the first chapter. Most of it was general things about the goddess of Divination, Avalis, and so it came easily. However the second chapter was harder, it contained words she didn’t understand even in common, none the less a foreign language, thus she decided to find the woman once more. Amelia wasn’t far from the desk she had last seen Eleret at, besides she had learned to find her way around the library. She walked slowly ”Eleret” she repeated over and over as she approached, wishing to find the girl once more, maybe she would really forgive her rudeness.

[Eleret]

Eleret could sense the girl's disappointment as well as see it in her features, and felt a moment of self-recrimination in turn -- had it really been right and fit for her to be so stern with the girl? Even if she was being rude about something so central to the Konti race? But before Eleret's second thoughts could express themselves, the girl stalked off with the book, disappearing into the stacks. The Konti heard a great thwack from off in one direction; she started at the unexpected and unexpectedly loud noise, wondering what Amelia had done to cause it. It almost certainly originated with the girl. But Eleret was not curious enough to go investigate. She had sent the girl off, and now turned back to her own work with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. The ink on her notebook was long since dry, allowing Eleret to turn to a new page; she picked up the next text in a stack and noted essential details in her book so she'd be able to find it again if she decided her notes needed elaboration. Then the student opened it to the contents page, found the section she wanted, and began to read, scribbling down notes whenever she found information worth keeping. Eleret had worked her way through several chapters, and once more become thoroughly engrossed in her studies, when Amelia returned. So focused was she that her Gift's impression of the girl didn't jar her concentration; only when Amelia spoke, a quiet voice at her shoulder, did Eleret realize she was no longer alone. "Huh?" The Konti snapped her head up in surprise, only more startled to see it was the girl returned. "Oh! Amelia. Hello," she said, so nonplussed that even well-drilled formulaic salutations escaped her mind. She looked at the girl for a moment, then set her quill aside in the inkwell, shifting slightly in her chair to face more towards Amelia. "You read the book?" Eleret asked, curious and surprised. She had expected the girl to lose interest and go off to other activities, especially given her earlier stated opinion. Yet -- here she was.

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia was more than happy to see that Eleret didn’t ask her to leave; it meant that she wasn’t angry with her previous rudeness and so she smiled. ”I did, it was even quite interesting, but hard ” Amelia had to admit as she was coming closer and closer to Eleret’s desk and sat up on a chair once more, putting the book down, but making sure not to touch or move any of the books and ink that the girl had there. ”I read the whole first chapter, and tried to get in the second one, but it was far too…kontinese” she had to admit, probably if the book didn’t have that much terminology she would just stick to reading on her own way, maybe, since the book did seem to get complicated she might have had the need for assistance anyway. ”however the first chapter was purely about the goddess Avalis and the thing called a divination” Amelia used the 2 words that were rather unfamiliar for her, she had a good guess about the divination, assuming it was a form of gnosis , but was worried about stating her thoughts about it ”from the content, I assume the second is like a mark from a god, someone who had earned it for standing out to the goddess, she also gives them at birth to the Konti, just like her sister Rak'keli” She opened the book on a page she was confused about a quote, it sounded rather melodic and pretty, but she was unsure about the actual meaning ”"Divination is the art of truly seeing reality for what it is. We observe, study, interpret, and understand. Anyone can see. Anyone. But a true seer can understand meaning of what they are seeing. seeing for anyone can see. This is the true nature of Avalis’ gift.." She read with her small finger tracing along each word, line. She hopped it was pronounced right, but to be honest with the small girl. It was rather cracked and rough. ”what does that mean?”

[Eleret]

After the girl sat down, Eleret started collecting some of her scattered things back into stacks and piles, though she left the inked pages of her notebook open to dry. She just put them where she thought they'd be out of the way, clearing some space for the girl to use. The Konti was startled into laughter as Amelia used Kontinese to mean 'difficult' -- or so she interpreted the statement -- and smiled warmly at the girl. "Divination," she echoed, trying to put her thoughts into order. "It is a gift from Avalis, yes," Eleret affirmed, setting her left hand palm-down on the desk before Amelia. A lily in blue and teal blossomed below the first two fingers. "Like this." Her smile quirked sideways, rueful. "I do not know... if I can tell well. But I will try." The Konti paused for a moment, then continued. "It is like the cards. You see a card, you worry if it is wrong. How it can tell you anything. It is just paper, ink, picture; what is that? You see with the eyes same of anyone. A seer knows the card is more than picture. They see not card, but meanings. Card is..." Eleret frowned a bit, pressing her lips together in dismay as her intended speech abruptly overshot her actual grasp of Common. She took a moment to find simpler words. "Mm. Card is small thing, tool. Is only what you use. Important part is what you read in it... what card touches, behind the card," she finished, gesturing with her right hand to indicate nebulous distance. She tapped two fingers on the back of her left hand. "This is not for cards. Anyone can learn to read cards, if they let go of small thoughts. This lets look past surface of people, at least a little bit. Divination is to look into chavi."

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia could feel her yaw drop the slightest bit as she saw the mark on Eleret. The lily was beautiful and had the most charming detail to it, she wanted to touch it in order to make sure it was there and her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. However, she couldn’t. The young girl knew well it would be rude, not to mention other things. ”That’s…beautiful…” was all she could really manage out of herself, before she looked up at Eleret’s green eyes that seemed to give a glimps of teal ”its your gnosis, right? What power does it have?” she couldn’t help but question, as Amelia had always been curios and she wanted to know as much as she could about the goddess known as Avalis and her children. ”Cards are objects…but aren’t they special?” she was starting to get confused by what Eleret was saying. If cards are told, then anyone could see in the future and past. This said, everyone could control it, then why don’t they? ”Don’t cards have to be special? Like enchanted or made in a special way so they could tell the truth and not fool around?” she asked, eager to know as she saw potential in this now, she never really knew much about fortune telling before and if a card can tell you something, it’s worth learning and teaching to others. Listening calmly, trying to suppress her urges to shower the girl with questions, she couldn’t help but wonder, what was the thing this girl spoke of, Chavi. The word sounded familiar, as if she had heard of it some place but she couldn’t really remember ”what is a chavi?”

OOCSorry for being late, my school has been getting in the way

[Eleret]

OOCSorry for the delay! Eleret smiled at Amelia's patent fascination with her gnosis mark. "It is from Avalis," she clarified, since the girl seemed to not have picked up on that implication, even though she herself had read from the book that Konti often received such at birth. "It is for Divination." She didn't really mind giving the clarification; as long as the girl was mannerly, her enthusiasm was rather compelling. Was feeding this kind of eager interest what led teachers to teach? The Konti could see why, if that was so. "Cards are not special," she said, shaking her head a bit. "You can make them special, sometimes; some say it is good if no one use your cards but yourself. Some say it is more good if you make cards, or stones, or whatever you tell with. And maybe if you use for longer, they are... they are more..." The word eluded her, and Eleret frowned in thought. "They read better," she finished, shrugging slightly as the nuances of what she had meant to say were lost in inadequate translation. "But the key of fortune-telling is not here," the Konti continued, laying her right hand on the open book. She lifted her left hand to touch a fingertip against Amelia's forehead. "It is here. You ask question. You tell clearly to cards. And you read what cards say. Tell from them, from symbol to language. Mistakes in telling, not cards, because person comes to table with ideas. With what they want to see, not want to see. Because person looks for easy answer, not all answer. Or because person comes with doubt -- doubt of self, doubt of cards, doubt of answer." She let her hands return to their rest in her lap. "All this changes you, makes reader blind. You can use anything to tell fortune -- cards, stones, shells, tea, other things. If you trust yourself and skill. If you do not open self to world, you read nothing. Then it will be nonsense, always." Eleret took a deep breath after that long explanation, inwardly confronting the girl's final question -- the subject of chavi. There was a thing she knew she didn't have the words to explain in Common. "Chavi is what person is," she said after a few moments' pause. "I cannot say better; I do not have words in Common, and you do not have words in Kontinese. But you have book," she said, nodding towards the tome in question. "Does book say more of chavi?"

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia was rather amused how the woman couldn’t find the right words, but she didn’t intend to make fun of it, as it was clear she knew at least a few languages while Amelia had no clue about any other language than common, and a few words she managed to pick up from the book she had read just now, but it was far too confusing. ”so…if you make your cards they are more truthful?” she questioned once more with a polite smile, that was soon replaced by a childish giggle as Eleret placed her finger on Amelia forehead. Amelia’s mother did that often, but to indicate that music doesn’t come from the knowledge, but even if the message was different, the gesture was sweet. ”so…if I wished to read…I could use anything? Like, let’s say tea?” the more Eleret spoke, the more questions Amelia had. If before now she had thought you need special items, now she was on the edge of finding out, maybe it’s enough to just have common household items? This was really growing on her, making he wonder why bout her father and mother were displeased with the art, it could help so many. It could probably tell things like reasons for one’s sadness, meaning it could also tell how to help someone. Amelia was now eager to listen about chavi, but sadly the linguistic barrier stopped the girl from gaining knowledge. Forcing a small, pout of sadness on her face, what was soon replaced by an enthusiastic smile as she pulled the book closer once more. She flipped the pages, looking for the table of contents. When she found it, the girl carefully let her finger slide across each word until she found the mention of chavi. ”you were right! Books always have everything in them” she smiled while flipping the pages to get where she wanted to, the 4th chapter. ”hmmm…that’s a lot of skipping” she said under her breath, while looking at all the pages she didn’t read but just leafed through.

[Eleret]

Eleret shook her head slightly as the girl asked about truthful. "No. It is not truth of cards. It is more like..." She thought for a moment, trying to come up with an analogy, any analogy, which she could explain in Common -- and that the young human might understand. "It is like friends, yes? You know friends well." She paused a moment, pressing lips together, then continued with the analogy. "You talk to two people. One is stranger, one is friend. You ask both same question, they give same answer. Stranger, you don't know better, you have only words. Friend, you know face and voice, you get... more than just what words say." The Konti shrugged slightly. "Cards are not words. It is not that simple. But you understand, maybe? Any card is okay tool. Your cards, they think are better tool. You get... more whole picture, maybe. Not more truth, but... more than top, surface. More detail." The girl was so much more cheerful now, engaged in the subject and learning. It brought another smile to Eleret's face. "Yes, tea," she replied. "After drinking, when the leaves are left. It is not something I do, but there are books." And other practitioners who use that method, but she knew of none here to recommend. The girl went on to consult the book on the subject of chavi. "Not everything," she corrected, as Amelia looked over the table of contents. "Everything people write. Some things people do not know yet. If people do not know, books cannot know." Well, unless they're books containing knowledge lost after the Valterrian, but that would be a rare case. That aside, Eleret sat and watched quietly as the girl flipped though pages, a small smile still hovering on her lips.

[Amelia Cross]

Just when Amelia thought she was getting the hang of things, Eleret seemed to say something that made the girl believe she was hopeless. ”they aren’t more truthful…but…I understand them better?” she questioned once more, wondering if now she had gotten the Konti correctly. What sadly, she doubted and her enthusiasm was beginning to lightly fade. As much as one could be curios of something, it seemed to lose interest if you were no good at it, a reason why Amelia didn’t pick up swimming at all, she just was no good, barley keeping herself from drowning.

However she did cheer up a bit when she was told that she could use tea for fortune telling, that was amazing! She could drink her favorite berry tea and even, maybe, read into the future. ”so…the next book on my list should be fortune telling by tea leafs? Do you think there will be such things in common? Your language sounds nice and all…but I don’t really understand it…” she had to admit, if the book she found would be in kontinese, there was no way she could learn anything without learning the language first. Even if Amelia loved learning, a language was no easy job.

”I always thought that books have everything…” she almost pouted, but let it slide as she began reading the book put loud, her reading skills were common, but notably good for her little age, making it clear she had been spending a lot of time in the library. Even so, she had to re-read a few words over and over again to even pronounce them right, or what she assumed would be right, in conclusion of the first page she was a bit lost ”so a chavi..is your link? From the world of gods to our world?” Amelia asked, a bit lost and craving an answer.