Kavala was interested in what Palla had to say. She’d never been anywhere near Avanthal nor did she know anyone from the region. Once, a long time ago, some of the Sunsingers had ridden all the way to Avanthal and back, but that had been to retrieve a ghosts’ living family and install them happily in Riverfall. She did have something to offer to what Palla said though. “I know the feeling… that going through the motions and feeling like you couldn’t get out of a wagon track. Leaving can be really good for the soul.” Kavala said, glad Palla had picked Riverfall. The city was beautiful and the people could cheer another up surely. Plus, Palla would have suitors here; folks that really wanted her company if that were the direction she chose to take.
“The dogs will help with sadness, Palla. You can’t be lonely with a pair of dogs.” Kavala reassured her, glancing at the young dogs that frolicked with them. She was certain of it and glad the woman had decided to take on two companions.
A carving shop? Now that was something interesting to Kavala. She smiled and nodded encouragement at the idea. “I would really love it if you did so. I’m doing some work in the summer of 514 that I hope to translate into a building. And I’d love to have some carving work done with them. Perhaps you could carve a plaque for each building or a sign for out front. If you can do those sorts of things, that would be amazing. I want my place here to be filled with artistry.” The Konti said, smiling and happy that Palla had big plans. Just looking at the girl Kavala could tell she was talented. She had no reason to think otherwise because the girl seemed to have a very noted lack of self confidence and yet here she was going to open her own business.
That made Kavala happy.
“I won’t tell anyone, Palla. It’s none of their business. Your stammering isn’t really pronounced when you get excited about something. I’m sure once you settle down, you’ll do better. I have an overarching need to not be afraid of things. I go to great lengths to have reason to not fear, so I understand issues like that. I was once attacked and badly raped… which was how I got here to Riverfall. Ever since then I’ve taken on a fondness for weapons and knowing how to use them so it never happens again.” Kavala admitted, smiling softly at herself and her customer.
“I was born in Endrykas to a pavilion there. My mother was a third wife to an
Ankal there and was later killed from a fall off a horse. My father sent me to Mura to study when I was thirty so I could become a healer. Healers were valuable among the Drykas whereas just plain Konti were not. So I went to Mura to study for a few years and then returned. On my return trip, I was captured by slavers, imprisoned, and later rescued by an Akalak raiding party. That’s how I got here. I had to pay off my debt to them for their rescue.” Kavala said, shaking her head.
“It was a horrible time, both the capture and paying off my debt, but I’m glad it happened. I wouldn’t have found my path in life and I certainly wouldn’t have been anything more than a healer to some man’s pavilion on the sea of grass. That’s not a bad fate, but I wouldn’t have been happy.” Kavala said, reaching out to touch the woman’s shoulder and smile.
“I think your choices are a good fit for you. “ Kavala said, leading both Palla and her dogs into the clinic. She pulled out files for each dog, wrote out a bill of sale, and added the leashes and collars. Then the Konti ducked into a side room, pulled out what looked like a basket – though crudely woven – and tucked the papers and a few baked treats for the dogs into it. Into the mix went a blank book, pen, and ink tied in a neat bundle. “This book is for their health records and the treats are to help start training them. I would recommend getting a belt pouch and learning to bake little bite sized cookies for them. Then reward them when they do the right thing. Pretty soon they will do anything for a treat. I’ve written out a few recipes in the back of the book for the treats ahead of time. You can make them anything you want, but make sure the foods on the second to the last page of the book aren’t used. They aren’t good for dogs.” Kavala said, pulling the book from the basket and showing Palla. It had things like grapes on it with a reason why they wouldn’t be good for the dogs. Grapes it seems could cause immediate liver failure in some dogs, though the reason why was unknown.
“Palla, I just want to give you the pair. I’m going to be thinning out my dogs soon, reducing to just the Imperial Watchers, and I’d like you to take these two and this basket as a gift. The bill of sale shows a 0 on the owed mark. I want to help you out with your loneliness and I want to give my two pups a good home. And when you get your shop open, I’d love to drop by and order some signs from you for here if that are fine?” Kavala asked, a smiling in pleasure and hoping the woman would understand it wasn’t really charity but a chance for the Konti to welcome the woman to Riverfall.