[Tent City] Mental Haze and Foggy Days

by **Fallon** on April 14th, 2014, 1:28 pm

"Everything has life, all has different forms of living," Fallon shrugged, "You just need to open your eyes to it." That was her perspective at least. No matter the city, there was always that beating heart that pulsed a life force around it. The only issue there was being able to embrace it enough to look - a harder task than it sounded. Her palm pressed against her forehead, her eyes closing as she sucked in the air. Or tried to at least, "But yes. I like life. You cannot learn without it." It was becoming hard to think. The mind gave a swirl in the heat, the throat constricting as she focused on the words. There was a long pause, before she sighed, "I'm a romantic? Gods help us all if I am."

"The Spires to Nyka would have been a long, hard, journey," there was a mumble, her other hand reaching up to press onto the cooler tile, "And worry not. If you ever end up travelling into the wilderness with me then I shall just have to keep an eye out for you. Or try at least. I'm not that good. Not yet at least." She was no fool in understanding that travel was hard, but by learning even she knew that it could be worked towards. Of course, she knew she needed improvement - as always. Lips pursed into a line, "Or, I could just leave you to it. Probably would do you the world of good to be chased by something. Might encourage you to look after yourself more too. Two birds one stone."

Dry humour, it was something Fallon was finding she was increasingly getting better at - enough so that it was probably just a natural talent for her now. Cracking an eye open she looked across to Zandelia, a last attempt to pay attention to what was going on. Several nods, several collecting thoughts in the back of her mind. It gave her ideas and thoughts for the future - it seemed Zandelia was bent on gifting and working for her now that it only seemed fair to be able to offer something in response. Her own reward and gift for such things in thanks. The only issue now was picking something suitable, "I noticed. Makes me wonder how long you will be around or if you will become bored of myself and the Scars." Shaking her head she moved on quickly, "I feel uncomfortable at the moment. But it shall pass, hopefully"

Her eyes followed after the woman as she escaped the water, it was hard not to stare and turn her focus onto the exposed flesh. A swallow, her gaze drifting as she sucked it and took it to memory. It was hard, difficult almost to tear her gaze away as it was engraved into her mind. No doubt Zandelia would see it as some strange curiosity or that she had led a rather reclusive life. Her weight shifted slightly, her hand peeling away from her forehead as it chased for something cooler. Or at least until she returned. There was a slightly nervous look to the woman, and then the hilt of the dagger as she tried to contemplate what she wanted done. Lips twitched, her brow meeting into the line before she turned her gaze to the pendant in question. Gently lifting it she let the silver wing dangle upon the chain and offered it to the woman for closer inspection. With the other hand she gently took the dagger.

"I'm not that good with the dagger. But I will try," Her head nodded to the pendant at that point, "That? I've always had it, since I was barely walking. Maybe earlier. T'is my treasure. I..." she paused and frowned, "There is no real story behind it I'm afraid, least not as far as I know. Just a pretty trinket. Why did you ask?" She let her gaze rise to meet Zandelia for a moment, her fingers feeling the weight of the blade within her grasp. Her finger ran down the flat edge of it, a careful inspection as she studied the sharpness of it before snorting, "Depends on the type of spider. Normal spiders? No problems for me, unless they are the big ones... then they are just a tad creepy. Symenestra on the other hand, I think we would be racing to who would deal with them first... And what is it you would exactly like me to tell?" She exhaled.

"Heat," she paused to choose her words carefully, "Heat makes me feel ill. Very ill. And it is hard to breathe. It is... why I become a night owl in the summer. Or I retreat from the cities. Easier to cope with and less strain." Her eyes flickered to Zandelia at that point, "For the love of the gods, please do not ask anything of me in the daylight hours during that season. I will... not be able to take it. I mean, I don't mind it in the winter, and I understand it is necessary to stay warm, but it is hard to cope with." Her voice dropped to a mumble, "A bit like this bath." She paused, "I can't do this, I need to get out."

Pressing both hands onto the surface she pulled herself out, skin pink from the lingering heat. There was a suck in of air, a slight pant as she ripped herself from the ensnaring hot and embraced the cooler. And it was perhaps only then that she allowed herself to forego some modesty and focused only on shedding the heat. Slicking back her hair she gave a blink and then allowed herself to speak once more, "If there is anything I don't like... It's being picked up. One of the few times I will shriek like the little girl I am. So, if you ever have to, please warn me before you do it, that way I can brace myself."

Sliding behind Zandelia she sheepishly reached out and felt the damp hair. Fingers brushed it into some semblance of order, and it was with the still warm tips that she began to gather it, "You sure you want me to do this? I'm sure there are plenty better at it that me. And once it's started there is no going back." She held the hair gently in her left, her two fingers gently pinching it together with the back of her hand resting against the woman's neck. From there she tried her best to measure it out and held the dagger sheepishly in her hand. Gently pulling it back she let it gain a couple of fingers length from the base of the skull and then carefully began to line it up. She would probably end up cutting herself in the process - she knew nothing on daggers after all.

"Long hair is impractical though for a mercenary. Means someone can grab hold of it and cause you all sorts of grief," She chewed her lip as she lined it up. It was with a slow movement that she began to cut into it. A few strands at first, but quickly she picked up speed in an attempt to hurry the process along - even as she did manage to nick her fingers against the tip of the blade. There was a quick wince and a hiss, but the mercenary continued anyway until it was cut loose, "Petch me, that blade is sharp."

by **Zandelia** on April 15th, 2014, 12:27 am

“It’s not a bad way to be Fallon, not always. If you weren’t I doubt you would care enough to try to change things. History is made by the artists and you just need a brush. Just don’t go adopting every stray that comes you way with a soppy story, I can’t afford the price of food for them” she teased a little as she pulled the necklace closer to her eye and studied it carefully.

A silver necklace, the chain delicate but sturdy as it sifted through her fingers and writhed within her grasp. A singular wing that pointed towards the floor as it twirled slowly and caught the light. It certainly had an admirable shine to it despite its claimed age – she had no reason to doubt the words at all. In fact she thought that she had seen it before, now that she had the time and position to study it further. A wing unfolded, trying to fly without its partner and she found herself wondering if that was the point. It appeared to be designed to be part of a set. Perhaps there would be a second one, somewhere within the realms of Mizahar. The trickling of a memory tried to make itself known and she was beginning to believe Lhex really did possess a sense of humour.

“Alright, I get the message, I will look after myself better. No wilderness…lessons…required. I assure you. I’ll clean behind my ears and eat properly…mother. Maybe get a massage from somewhere, it’s been a while,” she murmured, her attention slipping from the necklace at the words of the other woman and she placed it back down carefully, “and don’t say such things. I made my promise, I will not leave. Besides you are far too interesting – a mystery indeed”

“I thought I had seen something similar to it before is all, though perhaps I was wrong. It was a long time ago and there are many necklaces to be seen” she spoke thoughtfully towards the end, mind trying to rifle through her memory and place it but not succeeding enough for it to kindle and true recognition.

And I could feel her eyes upon me every moment I was out of the water, interest repaid with interest. Interestingshe shook her head at the strange phrase that bubbled into her head. She rather enjoyed the effect she had though, of course, it was appealing to be gazed upon in such a way and gave the merest hint of suggestion that the lie was that Fallon feared intimacy – she was beginning to think she just didn’t quite know how to get a grip upon it instead. She pushed back the ideas that swirled, the possibilities.

She didn’t have to push them back forcefully though, they were quite neatly dismissed by the exiting of Fallon from the water. She saw the scars fully this time, white streaks of intricate detail and a sharp intake of breath came to her as appreciation of the body gave way to the imagination of such torments. She suspected Sahova, it would fit with the grisly artistry and macabre disdain for living beings that threaded through the citadel there. Her fingers reached out and then hesitated, withdrawing slowly, thankfully. She shook her head and resolved to ask later, she had been asked not to mention them and so instead she grinned as she turned her gaze to the gentle curves before regretfully turning her back for the dagger.

“Warn you? Why would I warn you when I could hear a girlish scream? That’d be worth the thumping for it I think. Still, I think I’d only end up doing it once so have no fear. Summer has long enough evenings to have some fun with but…wait…does that mean that in Summer daylight I’m in charge? “ she snorted repressed laughter until she felt the hands upon her and the knowledge of the blade forced her into concentrated stillness.

“Do it, I don’t trust anyone else and I don’t care for looking pretty. No one looks at me beyond the petched up eye anyway. Go on, I’ll be good whilst you do it” she stated simply, focusing her gaze forwards.

She closed her eye once the work began, filling herself simply with the enjoyment that fingers running through hair always brought. It was a soothing feeling, simple and without hidden complexity. Life, she knew, was filled with such moments but she had never had much time to truly relish them and so took the opportunity to do so for now. She could feel the hair pulling under the blade, the weight that was always unnoticeable until it was gone slowly slipping away – lock by severed lock. It took a little while but it was done and she was about to smile until the sharp inhalation reached her and head whipped around as soon as it could, shortened hair slapping into her cheeks to momentarily blind her before she pushed them aside and grasped the hand with a frown.

“I thought you weren't a mercenary? Or a scholar I might add," she raised an eyebrow as she pinched the shallow wound to help stop the flow of blood, there was not much but it had bene her idea that caused it to flow, "well if you were uncomfortable before then you must be more so now. I’m sorry you got cut. Come on, let’s go and get dried, dressed and then I think I owe you a keg of ale. Assistants orders” she looked up and there was a brief smile before she retrieved the dagger and pulled it away.

“I keep it sharp for a reason, it will have one final use and then I will let it rust and dull for the rest of my life. Never to be used again afterwards. But, that is for another time, another day and certainly not an enjoyable one. Allow me to help you forget” she finished simply as she turned away to grab the towels and draped one over Fallon’s head quickly before there could be an argument.

She laughed as she grabbed her own and set about the tasks that would bring an end to their rest and refreshment - it was a regrettable state of affairs. They had the rest of the day but soon enough the undertaking would drag them back and such moments, she knew, would only grow rarer as they waded together into the mire of danger that they had chosen for themselves.

by **Fallon** on April 15th, 2014, 8:57 pm

"A puzzle indeed. I hope my complexity will keep you entertained for long, and once you are done solving the mystery of myself..." There was a shrug, her voice dropping into a mummer, "Well... you get the idea." There was no comment to Zandelia having seen something similar before, only the raising of an eyebrow and the long hard look. What if she had seen such a thing before? What if there was some link back to the years long gone? Even those memories of familiarity flickered in the back of her mind, that niggling sense of trust that said it was okay to allow the woman close. Fallon discarded the thoughts quickly. Even if she had, what good would it do?

"There are plenty of shiny things within the world. Many trinkets and treasures. You most probably saw some merchant selling such things in your travels," she let her eyes slide down to her hand and the gentle fingers that looked to the bleeding. It would do nothing really, the past was the past and the girl was going to keep it buried as much as possible - for it was a nightmarish torment she did not want to remember. Much like the events of Sahova, which no doubt would come soon enough with the way Zandelia seemed to ogle at her back. No doubt taking the scars into full view. She met the woman's eye, her lids narrowing down as she focused upon the gaze. Leaning in slightly, her chin rising in challenge she released a smirk.

"You? In charge?" Fallon breathed into her ear, a definite tease as she exhaled onto the woman's neck, "Don't push your luck Sansom." Pulling away, she allowed the tips to continue to pinch at the wound and the blood to thin and clot itself. In time it just left a dark red gel within the slash and her hand was released. The woman however seemed surprised by the rising of injury, concerned that Fallon had been clumsy and had caused some self injury. She would have put the response to much like an older sibling looking after a younger, the frown, the looking for the cause and the movement to stop it. And whilst she had never experienced that exact relationship first hand, it was one that she was still familiar with somewhere in the back of her mind.

"Only think on the owing?" Fallon cocked an eyebrow and shook her head, "You owe me nothing. You have done enough for me already. The cloak among them, assisting with the Scars... company... lots of things. It is not neede-" She felt silent as the towel was flopped over her head. Shaking, she brought the material around her shoulders and had it cover her back. Picking up the silver chain she worked at slipping it over her head before working on drying herself off. All the while she spoke if not behind a rough rubbing of flesh, "Fine. You win."

"Mercenary and Scholar is designation, much like a spy or a thug. It is not who I am as a person," Fallon corrected, "Though, admittedly I do work as one. It is one of the few things I am good at. Most other skills are... beyond me." She brought the towel up around her head, and ruffled it around her head. Sapping up the moisture she turned her gaze to the woman and then focused at covering herself up. Flustering came next as she registered the state she was in, and the momentary closeness the pair had been. Cheeks remained pink, the cooling skin being replaced with a blush, her throat constricting tightly.

She did not understand why she allowed herself to act in such a fashion, or allow her nerves to rise. Zandelia no doubt did not care, she was manipulative, taking in the moment and refusing to let it go. And thus, with all the rather forward acting Fallon became a play thing - or at least that was what she felt. It caused her to force that wall to rise once more between her and the woman for protection. Otherwise it would only cause pain. Least, that was what her mind told her.

As she continued her drying she padded over to the bench, her fingers testing the fabric and then snagging the now dry layers close. With the towel wrapped around her and a firm shake to knock off the dust and clumps that may have been stuck within the fabric. It gave a crack in the air, her eyes quickly glancing to Zandelia and then back to the process of dressing herself. She did not want to be exposed to those eyes for longer than necessary. All the while however, she focused herself on mumbling under her breath and forcing a nervous conversation "Wonder what the weather is doing outside. Looked like it was going to rain. What a pain."

by **Zandelia** on April 16th, 2014, 10:44 pm

She snorted at the apparent surrendering in defeat that Fallon admitted to her from beneath the towel, muffled but still discernable. She doubted she would ever be able to beat the other woman, not truly. Just another minor skirmish of words within which she had assessed and gained an edge – this time. There would be many others in the future, as there had been in the past, and she would be forced into submission countless times she was sure. Still, she knew how to relish a minor victory when it presented itself she reasoned as she grabbed a nearby towel – or the closest thing to one Sunberth possessed – and rubbed it frantically over her hair. It took a few moments but it dried enough to start sticking out all over the place. She sighed at that, the wind would need to take care of it.

“It has been known to happen,” she walked towards the clothing and ran her fingers over them slowly to test for moisture – some remained but dry enough to wear without much discomfort, “and I don’t think only of the owing, I just don’t like having debts” she shrugged as she sat upon the edge of the low bench and began to dry herself starting at the feet and working slowly upwards.

She dismissed the necklace, perhaps she has seen things like it before. Copies or perhaps hers is. She is right, it is nothing. Could have come from anywhere. Foolish to linger upon fanciful ideas. There are more pressing matters to be found closer to home she thought to herself slowly, doubt still flickering at the edges of her mind but she had no reason beyond whimsy to entertain them and so allowed them to recede into the depths of the subconscious.

“I never push my luck…okay…that is a lie. But I only push it with those as can put me in place. It isn’t very fun otherwise. Forever getting what you want? I can’t think of anything worse in a lifetime” she shuddered falsely as she finished the drying and threw the cloth to one side and watched Fallon get dressed. Oh it was such a delight to know she could get under her skin with some methods. Eventually Fallon would become immune to them and then the fun of discovering other methods would ensue. She grinned at the thought though no doubt by the flush of pink Fallon thought it directed at herself – a mercenary who was abashed by nudity, it was almost an art form for the rarity.

“People are the most complex puzzle there is, you can take a lifetime and not know someone completely. I may puzzle you out, I may not but I can safely say that I doubt it will be boring. Hopefully the same is true of me or I’m not capable of calling myself a spy!” she pulled on her trousers and the boots afterwards, lacing up the waistline before pulling the shirt over her head, “a poor fool would I be if I were able to be puzzled out. In any of my forms. Still, you have time” she looked sideways as she stamped her feet into the leather, feeling the insoles settle into place comfortably after a few echoing attempts.

She stood up and stretched in the dirty clothing, she would need to clean it to erase some of her perceived debts. A small thing but something that was an act of kindness and helpfulness. Those were always appreciated by anyone with half of a heart. She sighed and wondered how long it would take to undo the relaxation of body woven within the baths – not long she would wager. She picked up her bow, smooth wood settling into her coiled fingers and gave one last look around before pulling on the cloak.

“Good, I actually like rain. Now, tell me how one takes care of one’s self Fallon dear and let’s go and get something to drink so that I forget the lesson afterwards” she jested as the doors beckoned and the rest of the day beyond, what was left called them forth.

by **Ablation** on June 13th, 2014, 6:00 pm

Fallon :

Zandelia :

Please don't be afraid to PM me with any questions ^-^ and please don't forget to remove your grading request from the list to keep My office spick and span.

Closed [Tent City] Mental Haze and Foggy Days