Closed Teach me! (Vanari)

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Fall 30, 513 AV Word had been put out that Valerius Nitrozian, a member of one of the richest and most influential families of Ravok was looking for somebody that was capable of speaking Vani. Nobody knew why though, and thus the city was immediately arife with rumours. Had it been a Vantha that had tried to murder Valerius‘ grandfather Sitanos, the head of the family just a little while ago during a party that most of the people that mattered in Ravok had attended? Did the trace lead to faraway Avanthal? Could the solution to one of Ravok’s most talked about crimes be found among ice and snow? Or had Valerius Nitrozian heard of the Vantha’s famous talent for storytelling? It was well known that he had recently acquired a Konti slave that could sing and played several musical instruments. He had also hired performers to entertain his guests. A Vantha storyteller would fit in well with that. Maybe he needed a Vantha to come up with the lyrics for his Konti’s songs. Or maybe he simply wanted to learn another language. Hadn’t Valerius Nitrozian attended the University of Zeltiva at one point and studied Nader-canoch and Arumenic? Maybe he had decided that it was time to pick up another language. Knowing foreign languages was always useful, especially if you were a Nitrozian. No, the people that had suggested that it had to do something with the assassination attempt immediately disagreed. It was never that simple. It always had something to do with murder – or attempted murder. People like Valerius Nitrozian, especially people like Valerius Nitrozian, didn’t do something because they wanted to be entertained! Whatever the true reason for Valerius‘ mysterious search for somebody that knew Vani was, everybody agreed that Vantha or speakers of Vani just needed to knock on the gate of the Nitrozian Estate, and Valerius Nitrozian would immediately see them. Apparently the matter was that urgent!

[Vanari]

Fall, Day 30, 513AV Vanari was bored. Back when she had arrived in Syliras, she had gotten a job because if she didn't, she'd have to answer to the knights. Here in Ravok, no one seemed to really give a shyke what she did or didn't do, so long as she stayed out of people's way. She was far from destitute, so money wasn't a pressing matter at the moment. After one or two unfortunate events that involved her losing all of her greedily hoarded, hard-earned mizas, she decided she had had enough of all this money business. From then on, the vagrant kept only what she deemed was a practical amount, and then blew the rest on whatever caught her fancy. No, money wasn't the issue. Boredom was the issue. Having found Ria only ten days ago, and then promised the clever little illusionist to take her out of the city come Spring, she was left rather aimless in her daily endeavors. After all, discovering some link--any link--to Ionu or the Inverted had been her sole reason for coming to Ravok. With that more or less accomplished, she was floundering to satiate her regular curiosities without putting her life at risk. It was dangerous to go cavorting about the city on her own, that much she had the sense to acknowledge. Without someone familiar with the city like Ria, the Vantha felt less than eager to go poking around by herself. If only she find a way to acquaint herself with some...less indisposed guides. Poor Ria was hard at work during most of the day, and nights were typically limiting in the kinds of activities they could engage in. Vanari desperately wanted to learn more of the dark city and its darker secrets, but it was no easy feat for a stranger, let alone a female one who was inept in most forms of combat and rather hard to miss in a crowd of average heights and monochromatic hair. Besides, she couldn't stand idleness. It was bred out of her long before she reached puberty, a kind of unspoken right of passage for all Vanthas before they learned to lace their own boots. If there was anything Vanari hated more than being tied down, it was wasting her time. And, sitting on a crate, chin propped on one hand, while watching people coming and going as a means of entertainment couldn't be more wasteful even if she tried. Sighing, the vagrant rubbed her face to rid it of its sheepishness. She was just about to give up and head back to the inn to take a nap when a single word pierced its way through the morning din and shot straight into her ear. Vani. "Aye, a teacher for Vani. And by the one and only Valerius Nitrozian," a bearded man said through his pipe. His companion, who was a rather hawkish looking woman wearing a light shawl, snorted in disdain. "Leave it to the rich to have time for fancy schmancy stuff like learning useless languages. Who the petch needs to learn something like Vani anyway? Ain't the north thousands of leagues away? Why, if I had that kind of time..." Vanari heard no more as she stood bolt upright. The mere mention of her native tongue send a bout of homesickness resonating so strong within her she was half afraid she would weep with joy right then and there. Wasting no time, she patted the dust from her clothes and made her way towards the Noble District. She had to rely on working up the courage to ask a few strangers along the way if she was heading in the right direction, but it was well worth the risk. By the time she arrived at the gates of the Nitrozian Estate, it was still well before midday, and her initial burst of excitement had yet to fade enough for her to realize the magnitude of what she was doing. Before she could turn tail and run, she knocked vigorously on the gate. Unsure of what to do next, the Vantha simply stood there, staring so intently at the intricately wrought gates she may as well have been trying to bore holes in them.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Since the assassination attempt on Sitanos Nitrozian the Nitrozian Estate was much better guarded. As Vanari knocked on the door, somebody immediately opened it. Once inside she was confronted by three heavily armed guards though. Apparently getting to Valerius Nitrozian wouldn’t be as easy as the people on the streets had said. „What do you want?“ one of the guards, a tall, dark haired and almost overly muscular man asked. „Do you have any form of identification? We can not let you through to the members of the Nitrozian family if you don’t. Lord Sitanos was almost killed by an assassin at his own party!“ He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Vanari intimidatingly. It was just then that a fourth person, a slender dark skinned girl of about nineteen approached. She was wearing a long white dress and looked quite beautiful and elegant. „Stop it!“ she told the guard. „Can’t you see that she’s a Vantha? This is the person that Master Valerius has been asking for. He’ll be very mad at you if you don’t let her through to him. Besides, what can she do? Does she look like she’ll be able to kill Master Sitanos or his grandson?“ The guards suddenly looked a little unsure. The girl turned to Vanari and smiled at her. „I’m Tuuli“, she introduced herself. „I’m Master Valerius‘ personal slave. I’ll take you to him right now. Please follow me. I hope you didn’t mind the guards. Everybody in this house is slightly paranoid these days.“ If Vanari agreed, Tuuli would take her past the guards, through the luxurious entrance hall. Normally the girl wasn’t as friendly to other women. She was always worried that Master Valerius would replace her, that he would find a better slave, a better servant, a better companion, but this Vantha looked rather tall. She was about as tall as Master Valerius, and thus she posed no danger. Master Valerius liked to pretend that he was the tallest person in all of Ravok. They walked up a staircase and through a hallway. There was a door at the end of the hallway. Tuuli knocked on it. „Enter!“ a male voice could be heard. Tuuli opened the door and stepped aside to allow Vanari to enter the room as well. They were in Valerius Nitrozian’s person quarters now. In the center stood a table made of dark wood, surrounded by four chairs. At the right wall were a desk, bookshelves as well as a small fireplace. The four poster bed where Valerius slept was hidden behind a room divider. Everything was quite beautiful and elegant and almost unnaturally clean. There was not a single grain of dirt to be seen. Valerius himself was standing in front of the large window, next to the balcony door. He was dressed elegantly, as always, this time in black and emerald green that stood in contrast to his copper hair. He did not say anything to Vanari, but just looked at her, apparently waiting for her to introduce herself.

[Vanari]

Vanari squinted at the guards, a little startled but not quite as intimidated as she probably should have been. She had spent a full season dealing with the Akalaks in Riverfall, after all, who are equal parts terrifying and persistent in their dual natures and desperate desire to repopulate. Ever since then, only the Syliran knights, with their strictly black and white reputation, and the Stryfe, in their eerily similar conduct, struck any true fear for her well being. Any other type of armed force so far just kind of...paled in comparison. Nonetheless, the Vantha wished no trouble and did her best not to look like some kind of shifty-eyed criminal. Of course, it wasn't all that difficult, what with her general inability to do criminal-like things. She was just in the midst of pondering what on Mizahar she ought to say to these uppity guards when a beautiful, slim girl approached the group. Her skin was dark and made an elegant contrast with the lovely, floor-length white dress she wore. Vanari found herself sighing a little--she hadn't seen such beauty in a while, what with being stuck in the dodgier parts of town, and wistfully pondered if she too could look so elegant one day. The girl then introduced herself as Tuuli, Master Valerius's personal slave. Before the Vantha could even respond, the slave requested she follow, and so Vanari did, fearful of broaching any subtle codes of conduct. She let out a little woosh of breath as a male voice told them to enter and they stepped into a room more luxurious than anything she'd ever had the privilege of being in. She noticed how painstakingly clean everything was kept; not a speck of dust or grime could be spotted. Suddenly, she began to feel rather sorely out of place, and far too dusty to be standing amongst such impeccable finery. By the time she realized the silence had stretched on for quite some time now, she was still gaping all around her like a child in a glass shop, trapped between wonderment and fear of breaking the first thing she touched. Master Valerius, as he had been referred to, stood in front of a large window, looking expectedly at her with brilliant, blue eyes. He was dressed very finely indeed for a noble, the black and emerald of his attire a pleasant contrast to his deep, coppery hair. He was just as perfectly assembled and groomed as his room--and, she realized, even as Tuuli--and the very air around him seemed more aristocratic for it. Vanari gave a little cough to clear her throat and jerk herself out of her luxury-induced stupor. After a moment of injecting some of her old lessons in propriety and manners into her composure, she began to introduce herself. And then she choked, the air and spit in her throat suddenly in disagreement and forcing her to cover her face with the crook of her arm. Fortunately, at that very moment Tuuli was given orders, and her leaving created a timely distraction from the Vantha's disgrace. Morwen, this was going to be a long day.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

As he saw how the Vantha looked around his suite, as if she had never seen anything like it before, Valerius frowned for a moment. It was obvious that she was not used to being in such surroundings. He could only hope that she did at least have good manners and didn’t make a huge faux pas. He had already dealt with enough ill mannered women in his life. The memory of one Tock, an animator that had created a magical lockbox for him, was still fresh in his mind. She had been dirty, she had been loud, and she had almost ruined his carpet. He would not tell the Vantha about his worries though. Valerius tended to be a bit wary of associating with common citizens, but despite that he was utterly polite, most of the time. Lowering himself to their level was not acceptable. And thus he gestured for Vanari to take a seat at the table in the center of the room before he took a seat himself and turned to Tuuli. „Bring us something to eat and drink“, he told his slave. „This might take a while.“ Tuuli nodded and left the room. Once she was gone, Valerius turned to Vanari again. „Forgive me, Miss“, he spoke. „I did not catch your name.“ He paused for a moment to give her the opportunity to tell him her name before he continued, „I’m not sure what you have heard about the reason I am looking for somebody that can speak the language of the Vantha. People are willing to believe the strangest rumours, especially where a family like the Nitrozians are concerned. I assure you that it does not have anything to do with murder or a city-wide conspiracy.“ „I simply wish to understand. I believe that each new language makes you understand the world around you a bit better and helps shed light on things that were previously unclear. I used to be a student of linguistics at the University of Zeltiva.“ „I assume you are a full blooded Vantha and speak the language fluently?“

[Vanari]

Vanari took her seat, eager to do anything to put behind a narrowly avoided embarrassment. Her host, as tactful as they come, politely repeated his question in a way that did not suggest any liability on her part. Relieved and still terribly nervous, she tried to form a more elegant introduction than the last, but in her anxiety all she managed to blurt out was the name she'd become most familiar with in the past few days. The name she had somehow endeared from a mysterious and reserved illusionist on a sooty rooftop one pitch-black night. The name, she suddenly realized with a sort of paralyzing impact, that was a perfect rearrangement of Ria. "Ari." Valerius went on, his manners impeccable, his voice like butter. All the while, she sat stone still in her seat, half taking in her host's civil words and half feeling her mind bend a little at her unexpected epiphany. After a few ticks, though, the Vantha decided it would be best not to dwell on this realization in the midst of a nobleman's polite hospitality. She stuffed the irrelevant thoughts somewhere in the back of her mind and refocused her attentions on her host. Curiously enough, the more Vanari listened, the more she felt at ease, despite mentions of murders and conspiracies. "Your earnest desire to better understand our world is an admirable one, Mister Nitrozian," she responded in kind, her accent almost entirely untraceable after so many years spent traveling. "And your excellent education should render learning my native tongue a swift and enjoyable endeavor." Caught in a moment of genuine enthusiasm, Vanari leaned in a little, her eyes shifting ever so subtly into more orange hues. It had been ages since she'd been able to speak Vani, to converse meaningfully. Perhaps, with this unexpected student, she could curb a little of the homesickness she sometimes felt overcome with. Like a candle flickering alight at the touch of a match, her eyes flashed full orange as her people's oldest and most reverent words came to mind. She beamed; how had she not thought of them before? "Suilen lumen elia, Mister Nitrozian. A Vani greeting of highest respect, suggesting the stars shine upon the pleasure of our meeting," she intoned, lending a bit of her storytelling grandeur as she held a hand over her heart and dipped her head in deference. "I am as full blooded and fluent as they come; I don't know what your other candidates may or may not have impressed upon you, but I assure you, you'll find no better teacher here in Ravok." She looked up then, her eyes flashing a mischievous sort of green, and answered Valerius's question in full. "Vanari of Skyglow hold, born and raised in Avanthal--storyteller, traveler, and artist, humbly at your service."

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„Ari“, Valerius repeated with a very light frown. It sounded like a nickname, and she had not given him her last name either, but that was no reason to be rude yet. Apart from the fact that she had given him an incomplete name, the Vantha was remarkably well spoken and instinctively seemed to know how to deal with people like him as she complimented him on his excellent education. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of education Vantha received. Did they have schools in Taldera? Did they have universities? Or did they have to undertake a dangerous journey through an endless wilderness if they wanted to pursue a higher education? He would have to ask her about it at one point during their time together. „Suilen lumen elia, Miss Ari“, he replied as she said the Vantha greeting. „Was that correct? Truth to be told, I haven’t talked to anybody else so far. You were the first to arrive at the Nitrozian Estate. If I’m lucky, my search may already have ended.“ As her eyes flashed green, he arched an eyebrow and looked at her questioningly. He had heard that Vantha had strange eyes, but this was the first time he had witnessed it in person. „Forgive me if the question offends you, Ari, but I could not help but notice your eyes. I find them most fascinating. Do they change color at random or is there a reason for why they assume a certain color?“ „I assume the Skyglow hold is the residence of your family just like my family resides at the Nitrozian Estate? I know that I have a lot of questions, but please humour me. It is not every day that I have the opportunity to talk to a woman that comes from so far away.“ It was just then that somebody knocked on the door. Vaerius called, „Enter!“ His slave Tuuli entered the room, carrying a tray with a teapot, two cups and a plate with some cookies. She set the tray down on the table between Vanari and Valerius, and then she curtsied and left again. Valerius turned back to Vanari. „I hope that tea is alright. The cookies are from a wonderful cafe here in Ravok, Yae Varone’s. The owner also has an art gallery.“

[Vanari]

Her smiled widened as the nobleman repeated the ancient greeting almost flawlessly. Even more so when he--tactfully--let loose the floodgate and the Vantha found herself floundering a little in a sea of questions. "It is of no offense, and understandably curious for those whose eyes stay one color," she mused. "And while it can be something of a wonder, it's mostly a great disadvantage to me. The colors represent different feelings, you see, and unless a Vantha has superb control, then within a conversation or two, her every emotion is like an open book." Vanari leaned back against her chair and gave a wistful sigh. "Unfortunately for me, it seems every other person here in Ravok is as sharp as a blade, and I don't believe you are an exception, Mister Nitrozian." At that moment, the door opened and Tuuli returned with a tray of tea and cookies. Vanari eyed the cookies with a rather predatory gaze, having been limited to things like hard bread and broth since she left Syliras. Her host's explanation of their origins only made them all the more tempting, so much in fact that she nearly missed his mention of an art gallery. "It's been a long time since I've seen such a collection of art, I shall find the time in the coming days to see Yae Varone's gallery. Oh, and tea is a lovely choice! Please, allow me." Vanari carefully held up the tea pot and tipped it smoothly over their cups, serving her host first and herself second. Memories of morning rituals and the tranquility of her mother's hearth flooded her mind for a moment, then she pushed them gently away, eager to focus on the present. "I don't mind your questions in the least," she continued after she had taken a delicious, bone-warming sip of her tea. Thank Morwen she had not completely forgot the rules of civility; she'd been almost dead sure she'd turned into a complete ruffian after that harrowing trip from Syliras. "It's not often I get to speak of my heritage to appreciative company. Skyglow hold is indeed a residence of my family, much like your own estate, though it is more a community of like-minded artisans than a place of birthright." "There are many different holds, each specializing in a different aspect of Vantha life." She began rattling them off one by one, old habits of diligence and over-compensation returning with frightening speed. "There's Frostfawn for animal husbandry, Snowsong for music, Winterflame for the culinary arts, Iceglaze for architecture, Whitevine for medicine, Coolwater for boaters and fishers, and, of course, Skyglow for visual arts. Aside from the occasional intermarriage, merit is really the only way to become accepted into one of these holds." Vanari gave a playful look about the spotless room, then said, "What hold would you fancy seeing yourself in, Mister Nitrozian?" Absolute cleanliness, an eye for perfection, a scholar's thirst--it seemed the answer was obvious, but she patiently held back her tongue, wary of the sheer volume of words she had just released and eager to test her own abilities at deduction. In the meantime, she picked up one of the lovely looking cookies and bit into it. Gods be good, it was delicious.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„That is indeed a disadvantage“, Valerius remarked as Vanari talked about her eyes. „Am I correct in assuming that Vantha do not usually tell lies then – unless they are in the company of an ignorant foreigner who doesn’t know what the different eye colors mean?“ He found the topic fascinating beyond measure and wished he could take Vanari to a laboratory to study her. But she might object and get mad at him, and he needed her to be in a good mood so that she taught him her language. „You overestimate me, Miss Ari“, he said as she remarked how sharp the people in Ravok were. „While I do consider myself a man of some intelligence, I knew little about the special properties of Vantha eyes prior to our meeting.“ He was about to pour a cup for him and another one for her, but she had already taken the tea pot. And thus he simply leaned back in his chair and smiled very lightly at her, a sign that he was in a comparatively good mood. Valerius Nitrozian didn’t smile very often. „Thank you, even though that wasn’t necessary. I’m the host here, and you are my guest. You are already helping me a lot by answering all those questions.“ He took a slow, careful sip from his cup – the tea was still hot – before he set it down again. „I’m glad“, he remarked as she told him that she didn’t mind the aforementioned questions. „Those holds you have mentioned, how did they come to be? Why are the musicians, the architects and the doctors living together – and does a Skyglow absolutely have to become an artisan?“ As she asked him about which hold he would fancy seeing himself in, he looked at her thoughtfully before he answered, „You have only given me limited information so far, Miss Ari, but Skyglow, your own hold, appeals to me the most so far, although I’m dealing with animals as part of my job at the Kelvic Research Institution.“ He took another sip from his tea. „What is Skyglow’s name in your own language?“

[Vanari]

Vanari thought for a moment at Valerius's questions, savoring the sweetness of the delectable pastry. "You know, that is an excellent question. I guess we just never have much reason to lie in the first place amongst our own--it's rather counterproductive when you're all battling a never ending Winter. Though I've know one or two superb liars, I personally rarely feel the need to lie, and if I do then, as you mentioned, I rely on the ignorance of those around me." She sat back, sipping more tea as her host continued his frank and tactful interrogation. The Vantha found she rather enjoyed the experience, and that the young nobleman didn't come across quite as pompous as she had originally anticipated. After all, the way the common people spoke of nobles in general was...less than flattering. And besides, how bad could a person be to offer such divine cookies? "Alas, you've finally broached a question I cannot adequately answer," Vanari was forced to admit. "Some speculate that the holds were inevitable results of Vantha lifestyle, others say it was the will of our goddess Morwen. Whatever the case, it works--that's all I have to say on the matter." "As for the traditions of paths, no one is forced into one craft. They have many to choose from, and only do so out of true passion. Sometimes parents will try to influence their children, as they always do, but in the end it is not something that can dictate. She grinned at a fleeting memory of a sweet boy named Kawa and his love for his flute, as well as his father's eventual approval, then continued. "In fact, even outsiders are able to to join a hold. Avanthal welcomes travelers of all types, so long as they respect our goddess and our ways. We don't have any taverns or inns, only Arvintas, which are like person rooms for families, so visitors always share the hospitality of a local family." Vanari paused for a moment, sipping more of the now not so scalding tea, and considered her host's admittance to possessing a fascination with her own hold. "Truthfully, I took you for a Whitevane candidate," she smiled, sweeping her gaze once more over the spotless furniture and decor. "You seem to have the qualities of a perfectionist, a diligent worker, and an avid scholar. These traits are all integral to those of the proud and selfless Whitevane hold, though now that I think about it, such qualities are just as suited to us Vilyúsine as well. We artists are worked half to death sometimes under our ruthless, parental tutelage. And since everyone aspires to have their work displayed in Morwen's own ice castle, excellence is mandatory." Vanari set her empty cup down, trying her best not to eye the cookies like a hawk would a swarm of fish. "Vilyúth is the name for Skyglow in Vani, but as members of the hold we are referred to as Vilyúsine." She waited to see if he would repeat the words as he had before, eager to hear his swift progress. Teaching was a rewarding process, she found, though this was the first time she had seriously sat down to help another learn her native tongue. "Now, I'm afraid, it is my turn to be curious...why does my old hold in particular interest you so much?"