A Civil Conversation (Complete)

[Ora Sa'vina]

A graveyard without bodies? The young woman thought while the two walked. A memorial, perhaps? Her eyes dragged along the ground. Ora stayed silent as they turned a corner, the young woman was lost, it was like her first day all over again, she hadn’t the slightest idea where she was.

Ora’s eyes moved from the ground to look around at her surroundings, it was quite different from what she usually saw; tall stone buildings close together, the buildings seemed to go on forever. A mix of smells met Ora, from poor hygiene to fresh bread. Ora’s attention moved to her guide. “If you do not mind my asking, how long have you lived here?” Her foot steps were small, but rapid, keeping pace. Small violet eyes watched her companion for the day, observing his expressions and reactions.

[Rhuryc]

Although Rhuryc had been waiting for some kind of confirmation to their destination he figured, maybe, Ora's silence was just as good as a yes. With a shrug he continued to pass through the alleys, even once taking a turn towards the bazaar only to come out just beyond the markets. He was tempted once or twice to just stop at the Stallion, pick up a quick drink, but he assumed his companion to not be one of the alcohol persuasion. Unfortunate that, his conversations while drunk were always much more interesting. Or something like that. Truthfully, he rarely remembered them.

"Well, I've seen twenty-two winters." Rhuryc said as he glanced aside, pausing long enough to allow for a small gaggle of men to walk by. "So, twenty two years now." He bobbed his head as he started to move again, comfortable with his response. The farthest he had ever been from the city was the falls to north, maybe a little beyond, the fact of which did not appear to bother him at all.

The rest of the trek was a simple one. Eventually the twisting jumps and turns died down a straight and narrow path. Lead somewhat away from the heart of the city Rhuryc brought Ora to a long set of stairs, flanked on each side by the most greenery she had most likely seen inside the city. He went first, as usual, and took the stairs slowly, half to keep pace with Ora and partly because he never felt the need to rush here. Even from this distance away the Stone Garden had a hallowed feel that calmed. Perhaps it was the lack of constant buzz from the city, or maybe just a hushed admiration. Whatever it was the emotion gave Rhuryc a softer appeal, one of a man in deep contemplation. Or just lost inside his own head.

When the two of them came out into the garden itself Rhuryc felt no need to speak. Instead he took a few steps inside and glanced about, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a quiet awe. No matter how many times he came here the somber memorial always left him in a stupor. A graveyard without bodies, he called, one only those with memories of those fallen could fully appreciate. He mused, standing there, if the spirits inhabited the stones of whose names they kept.

[Ora Sa'vina]

The woman listened to Rhuryc, her eyes resting on his face as he spoke. He had lived in Sylira the same length of Ora's life. "That is quite a while... Were you born here?" She asked, her eyes moving to observe an older woman with a young child, probably a grandmother and granddaughter.

As Ora approached a long set of stairs, she was under the impression that they were before the stone garden, at the top of the stairs would be their destination. Or, Ora thought, Perhaps he's leading me blindly around the city. As Ora began to walk up the stairs, she held out her right hand, slender pale fingers brushing the greenery as they made their way up the stairs. A sense of calm washed over her as she walked, it reminded her of what her cottage home had felt like.

It was almost silent aside from the dulled murmur of the city and the occasional bird tweet, a somber almost empty sound. Ora listened to their feet make there way up the stone steps, the crunch of small pebbles and dirt under their feet seemed to echo in Ora's head. The young Konti's eyes glanced at Rhuryc's face, it was calm, even his hair seemed more relaxed, his eyes appeared deep in thought, Ora couldn't blame him, if someone needed to think, this would be the perfect place to do it.

As they broke away from the stairs and stepped into the Garden, the woman felt her breath catch for a moment. Ora remained to the side and slightly behind Rhuryc for a moment. Silent thoughts filled her as her eyes slowly looked around. While the garden was empty there was a presence to it.

Small, leather covered feet moved slowly across the garden towards a wall of small, flat, round river stones. Ora's pale finger tips graced the stones as she faced the wall, her eyes moving from one stone to another, silently blessing each soul. "There are so many," Ora said softly, a silly statement, it was obvious there would be a lot, it was a graveyard of sorts after all. "Why are they here? This is not a normal graveyard, is it?" Violet orbs darted from the stones, looking over her shoulder towards Rhuryc, her fingers still resting against a small, smooth, dark stone.

[Rhuryc]

"Like I said," Rhuryc spoke as he followed Ora in, his own gaze surveying the area with a silent reverence. "No bodies." He came up beside the woman and scanned the stones her hand brushed over, reading off names as her fingertips passed over them. He did his best not to frown. According to his uncle there were several names of his ancestors among these stones, but Rhuryc had never found any of them. Not yet, anyway.

"War doesn't leave a lot of time to bury the dead. Most of the soldiers are burned on mass pyres, so they never get the same rights as folk that die quietly in their beds." Rhuryc exhaled as he haunched down on his heels and leaned forward, inspecting some of the lower stones. He had never looked at this part of the wall before. "Most of their names are recorded here, on the stones. Usually. A lot of them are lost though. It's hard to keep records in the course of battle." So somber. In a way Rhuryc hated visiting the garden. One of these days he figured he'd snap and just break as many of the stones as he could.

"We can stay as long as you'd like."

[Ora Sa'vina]

A frown engraved itself on Ora's face as she listened to Rhuyrc. "I am sorry," The direction of her apology was hazy, it could have easily been towards the stones under her fingers or to the man now knelt down reading more of the stones. Ora stood, her fingers remaining against a cold, dark stone. William Stenson Ora read the name to herself, her fingers lightly rolling back and forth over the stone. Her eyes moved from the stone to Rhuyrc's face, she could tell this wasn't the happiest place, but it had a deeper meaning, at least to her. "What they died for was not in vain, Rhuyrc," Ora said calmly, her eyes moving back to William's stone. "They did a great thing, this is a place to remember and thank as well as mourn." A smile crossed her face, her hand returning to her side.

"We may go whenever you please, you are guiding me, I am at your will." Her eyes glanced around further, the garden wasn't large, but it was a decent size. These knights deserve praise for all they have done. She thought to herself for a moment. Ora felt the urge to thank them in some way, while they had passed, the young woman indeed wished to thank them. "These were great men." Ora said, her eyes glancing about as she walked towards the middle of the garden. "I promise I will be back to thank you in the best way I can think of." Ora assured the stones around her in her native tongue.

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc pushed himself up with a grunt. Both hands adhered themselves to his pockets and he turned about, his gaze scanning the garden once more. His theories were vastly different than Ora's. Her compassion prevailed where his did not and she found reasons where his logic dictated there should be none. The garden, in his mind, was a place of pity, guilt from those that could not bring their forces back in a single piece. Some of these engagements were small, meaningless. How were they to know if they did not die in vain? The dead rarely spoke, he believed.

"Maybe." Rhuryc did not mention how most of these individuals died. The wounds of a blade were far more distressing than the average surveyor cared to know. "But that's not for us to decide, I think." With a nod, Rhuryc made his way over to the gates and came to a halt, his neck craning around as he watched Ora go about something in her native tongue. Konti? Kontese? He'd never heard it before.

"Where did you want to head next? Somewhere more uplifting, I imagine."

[Ora Sa'vina]

Ora watched Rhuryc as he headed towards the gates, his neck turning to look at her. "Yes, please." Ora thought for a moment, attempting to decide where to go next. "Where is your favorite place in the city, Rhuryc?" She asked, slowly making her way towards him, her hands resting at her sides.

She walked through the gates again, moving out onto the steps, she looked over the city before turning back towards Rhuryc. "I would like to go to your favorite place." She said with a small smile, the edges of her mouth curling as she looked at him. "Unless you would prefer not to, in which case..." Ora hummed softly as she thought. "Perhaps the bazaar." She slowly moved down the first few steps, continuing to speak. "I have been there before, but it was only for a short while in the evening."

[Rhuryc]

"Favorite place?" Rhuryc blinked. He had never thought about it. The course of his day was pretty simple. His morning was spent at the gate and the bazaar before he headed to the ironworks; his evenings were usually spent idly wandering the streets of the fair city. The Stallion, maybe, that was a typical haunt, but everyone liked the tavern. Really, he could not determine any one location he held more draw to than another.

"You know," He started as he made his way down from the garden, his head cast up into the sky. His movements were spent with ease almost as if he knew the area so well that his eyes were an unnecessary comfort. "I can't say I have one in the city. Maybe the falls, but those are outside the walls." Unconsciously he thumbed the hilt of his blade, the reaction of which was typical whenever he thought about his time north of Syliras. His arms ached too for some strange reason.

A quick hop brought Rhuryc back into what he considered to be the city proper where the crowds gathered once more. The bazaar it was! As before, Rhuryc started off toward some mysterious path, although this time he seemed more prone to conversation. As they passed shops he would name them off and pointed out a few alleys hidden behind the occasional building. Once he even took a queer walkway just to prove that it went in a needless circle. Banter was in full supply and it was not long before the two of them came out into the markets. Despite the morning hour the merchants were already at it, shouting and jeering at the usual suspects, clamoring for attention and patronage.

"I hope you have some coin. There's always something neat down here."

[Ora Sa'vina]

The young woman listened, waiting patiently for his answer. She followed him closely, listening as he spoke. Once he mentioned that the falls were likely his favorite, though they were at the city, Ora noticed his hand thumbing the hilt of his sword. "What is it like there?" Ora asked, her eyes moving from his sword to the stairs that lie before them.

The young Konti felt some thrill of excitement as they headed towards the bazaar, she had only been there once the crowds had died down and most places where closing up, Ora usually was not one for crowds, it left her vulnerable.

It was refreshing to Ora to hear Rhuryc speak opening, she had begun to worry she had done something to upset him back in the garden. Ora listened intently, nodding and smiling at the man who was leading her. The young woman found herself enjoying their wander through the city, even if they went in a circle just for amusement.

It was loud and slightly crowded, enough to lose someone if you weren't walking, but open enough not to be pressed against someone else no matter what or where you were going. "Of course, but I hope to not spend much." The woman smiled at the carts as her eyes glanced over glimmering objects.

As she passed by people trying to get the woman to look at their wares, a smaller cart grabbed her attention. On it was a variety of small carved objects, animals, people, buildings, a large amount of things. Her fingers found a small carved horse, it was carved out of a dark wood and darkened with oil. The wooden creature was smooth under her fingers and graciously carved, its flowing mane and tail gave it quite the real appearance. "How much?" Ora asked the shop keeper. "5 silver Mizas." Said the old human male. With a small nod, Ora paid and bowed her head, taking the small horse with her.

"It is quite different here in the morning, not sure if it's better or not, but it is different." The woman looked thoughtful as they continued to walk through the bazaar. "Why did you become a blacksmith, Rhuryc?" Ora asked softly, she was curious about the man, while he spoke, he was not a personal speaker, she might have seen him topless, but that was the deepest she felt she had gotten.

[Rhuryc]

"Somewhere between the realm of gods and the cataclysm." That was Rhuryc said on the nature of the falls. Really, that phrase could have meant anything.

Once Ora braved her way into the bazaar Rhuryc found it his duty to keep her 'safe'. With his considerable size and girth the man pushed his way ahead and began to carve a path of destruction through the people. Most were willing to move. Those that caused problems were often displaced just enough to not be a nuisance as they were knocked one way or another by the gentle shoves of the blacksmith. Years of wandering the city, the experience of crowd surfing, Rhuryc was quite adept at bazaar travel, capable of both avoiding merchants and some of the more unruly crowds without so much as a second thought on the matter. A neat trick, that.

While his companion parted to make a purchase the man made one of his own. A small meat pie was now in his possession after the exchange of a few copper mizas and Rhuryc was reminded that he had yet to eat that morning. A few vicious bites downed the item and he came to stand next to Ora, gulping down what remained of his breakfast. If not for the continued chewing there would have been no evidence of his appetite at all. Hungry sod.

"Blacksmith?" Rhuryc spoke once he finished chewing, making use of the napkin he secured from the vendor. "Oh. Apprentice, really, I'm not an actual smith yet." He bobbed his head, considering that statement. He did smite black iron so maybe he really was a smith. "But ah, my father was one, his father too. When my uncle disappeared it just kind of made sense to get a job there. Ros, the head smith, knew my family, so he let me work for some coin. Not exactly the most exciting job," He spoke with a grin, his gaze flicking to the remains of a burn on his left hand. That one had seared off quite a bit of skin. "And terrible for conversation. Unless you really like horseshoes."

He grinned as he casually pushed a lurking surveyor out of their path.