Open [Okomo Villa] The Honourable Fall of The Starry Alvina

[Una Tanta]

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ConceptFor the Okomo festival I thought it would be interesting to have a couple people work on a theme for the Okomo horns and Saddles, perhaps the history of the Okomo itself to be acted out at the 15th bell. This could also be one of the little competitions with a reward for Most Creatively Painted Okomo, Most Artistically Painted Okomo, and Most Colourfully Painted Okomo. (Which we can allow the ST/Grader to award in the grade ;p Give them some fun creative hold over the thread too!

Feel free to pick whichever Okomo you wish to decorate We don't all have to do Semele.

5th of Summer 514 AV
14th Bell

Standing atop Sharai peak Una gazed out over the unadulterated view of the ocean at her right and Tranquil Port to her left. The two water bodies were incredibly different, but equally integral to the life of Lhavit.

A large pasture opened up along the steep second tier spotted with numerous lumbering Okomos. Moving toward the entrance, her gaze fixated on the twinkling glowing horns under Synas light Una tread through the opened doors, feet pattering over the bridge with hardly a notion of the steep decline dangerously far beneath her feet.

The building was incredibly natural with heavy browns and greens painted among the carefully potted plants that covered the area. Meandering toward the open pasture with the rest of the bustling crowd Una stepped into the roped off area.

The grass was thick with wet paint from previous sessions making Una slip ungracefully down a small incline almost ruining the delicate purple material covering her length. Several groups had gathered in various parts of the pasture where paint and stencils had been arranged to spread out the crowd.

Joining a small nearby group headed by a full curly haired man Una took a careful seat on one of the upturned stumps set beside several low benches as the man began to explain. She knew little of the Festival beyond being told that it involved painting the crystalline horns of the regal Okomo she had seen only at a distance.

"The Okomo Festival," The large man announced, his busy beard bouncing as he beamed, "takes place on this day, the fifth of Summer, to honour Caiyhas gift to Lhavit. The Mountains of Kalea have always been impenetrable and cantankerous. The Okomo open up the broader world around us and allow our protectors, the Shinya, to keep the wild things beyond our limits at bay. Today, we will be painting the Okomos that will be part of the 15th Bell show.

The show will describe the honourable fall of Zintila to save her mother Semele. During the Valterrian, Semele and Ivak battled and Semele was injured. Giving up her power Zintila fell to Alvina to save her mother Semele."

Three Okomo stepped forward as he spoke, "You will work in groups on each of the Okomo, so that they represent each of the three gods; Semele, Ivak or Zintila." He explained gesturing to each in turn. The Okomo representing Semele was tall and delicate while the Ivak Okomo had the large brawny horns of a male and was almost twice her size. The Zintila Okomo was smaller than both with the tiny pert hooves of a young newly trained Okomo.

"You have an hour. Begin." He grinned raising his hands as each Okomo moved away from each other and found themselves at the heart of a group. Finding herself before Semele Una reached out timidly running her fingers through the thick lush fur of her flat face. Gazing back at Una Semele's representative's deep brown black eyes bore back into hers.

"Semele is the goddess of earth," The man explained approaching the group, "She represents exotic delicate gemstones and as well as the solid stoic bedrock. She is said to appear with Green silver eyes framed in long lashes that match her long hair....Good Luck." He grinned as he disappeared to the next group to explain each god or goddess to its group.

Having never participated in the festival Una waited patiently for others to step forward with their own ideas, when each member exchanged nervous glances not wanting to take charge Una stepped forward timidly.

"So I suppose we should be using Greens and Silvers. Perhaps we could use gemstone colours and shapes along her hooves and legs. Accentuate the femininity of her face, perhaps paint the coat along her front the iconic colour of her hair and braid in small painted stones? We could use a paste to create trees along her back from her fur?" Una suggested gaining confidence as she progressed.

"I like the gemstones idea..." One of the women offered, her blue eyes glimmering beneath long black lashes, "I'm not sure that painting her hair will work well...Okomo hair looks so lush because pockets of air fluff it out. If we wet it it will stick to her flesh...." She explained worriedly.

"We could just braid the coloured stones in her coat then and perhaps paint her horns gold with some traditional Lhavitian symbols....we could make the trees appear on the saddle and decorative bridle instead so we aren't painting her coat. We could use gold powder to tint her coat," Una suggested brightly, waiting for any one else to step forward with ideas or a preference in jobs.

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[Savos]

Savos lamely followed the wave of people who were directed by the man's voice. He had painted an Okomo horn that morning, and left feeling more satisfied than he ever thought he would be from the event. He could feel himself growing closer with the Lhavitian culture as his admiration of the Okomo grew.

He was growing tired now ad had planned to go home, but decided to listen to the man's speech anyway. It was an interesting thought, the contest. He was especially tempted by the idea of working in a group. Savos had never really participated in such an activity with other people. Even the sports games as a child often left him out on the sidelines, and he would find a place to draw alone and out of sight. He enjoyed his time alone, but could not deny that he could always feel some lonely feeling perched up on his shoulder.

Alas, he knew nothing of the gods that were mentioned, and was about to turn away and head back when Semele's okomo headed closer to where he was. He could overhear the description of Semele, and was drawn closer. Goddess of the earth... he could already feel the colors springing up behind his eyelids as he imagined the silvers and green shades flowing through the ground beneath him.

The man left them alone, and Savos decided to remain there and inched his way closer to the group. He was still somewhat outside of the circle when a woman stood up, taking up the reigns on leading the project with a timid voice and shy posture.

For a moment it was hard to listen to what she was saying, for he was mesmerized by her appearance, trying not to look shocked. It was his first time laying eyes on a Charoda, and though he discarded his surprise quickly, he could only continue to stare. Her alien appearance was coated by gorgeous shades of blues and pinks, reminding Savos of the ocean's waters on a grey day. Luckily for him, she was at the center of attention at the moment anyway, so it was not too strange for him to do gawk stupidly.

He reminded himself of the task at hand, and focused on making himself useful.

"I can paint the bridle," he spoke up when the Charoda gave him an opening, and nervously stepped forward. He could suddenly feel many eyes on him and could not remember the last time he had been in such a large group of people. It sent his heart racing.

"I mean, if no one else wants to, or... If that's alright with you."

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[Una Tanta]

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OOCYay! Thanks for joining!

5th of Summer 514 AV
14th Bell

"I can paint the bridle," Tilting her head at the foreign drawl the Charoda glanced up at the black textured man before her. Long dreadlocks poured over his broad shoulders a foreigner that not only she couldn't identify but by the curled brows of others she assumed many of them could not either.

"I mean, if no one else wants to, or... If that's alright with you."

Una chuckled to herself as he back peddled, forgetting that not many people were as comfortable with public speaking as she was.

"That sounds great..." She paused allowing him to fill the silence with his name, "We can do the bridle and saddle together." She grinned greedily. Who is he? What is he? Curiosity spurred her attempt to snatch him as a partner. No one could have the information before her.

"Then two of you can braid the coloured stones into her coat after you dust her with the golden powder while the other works on creating gemstones in her legs and painting her horns. Sound good?" She asked grinning at the primarily human audience. A quiet babble followed her words as they arranged themselves into a working group, following her direction without dispute.

"Is there a reason they listened so quickly?" Una asked the stranger, trying to break the ice with an amusing quip. Though she had stated it lightheartedly, she was genuinely curious. Was it simply that none of them had ever been put in a leadership position before or did her unusual appearance give her an advantage?

"So, what do you think we should build the trees out of? We only have an hour so perhaps we can get some wire and sculpt some spiraling trees coming out from the leather, then we could paint the straps of the bridle and saddle to be roots? We could even paint a fetus on the flap of the saddle, representing her role as mother?" She offered and waited for his own contribution. They had to hurry, but there was no need to be rude after all. "We could even attach petals to the trees...make the trees really colourful and elegant?"

The ideas flowed from her in massive waves as Semele began to form before her eyes. Though her adoration was for Dira and Dira only, as she had sworn too the goddess when she had almost died the season previous, she continued to have a deep respect for the goddesses worshiped by Lhavit and of course the great god of the Sea who could not but help hold her soul.

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[Savos]

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He was relieved to not hear any sounds of protest, and the Charoda woman answered him directly. She looked him straight in the eye, and he had trouble looking back into her pupil-less gaze. It was so strange that he almost missed his queue at introducing himself.

"Ah, it's Savos..."

She continued confidently, smiling as she decided that they would do the job together. He tried to shake off the anxiety of working on a team for the first time, let alone with a race he had only heard of in fairy tales. He couldn't even be sure if that was really what they were called, or if he had mixed up the name with something else entirely.

He wondered whether he should sacrifice his own dignity and ask her about her race at the cost of sounding ignorant. He figured he might have time to ask her while they worked on the bridle. He was so wrapped in his thoughts about how to phrase his future questions that he answered her first question almost absent-mindedly.

"People are like cattle. You find them grass, they follow." He said it in a sarcastic, joking manner. Even so, there was some bitterness to the phrase as he recalled the incalculable amount of times that he was obstructed by people who could not stop to think.

Una's ideas were sound to Savos, but his mind raced to put in some input of his own. It was his first time working with someone in the arts and he felt a strong need to be constructive instead of simply following orders. Already he was pressed for time, and though using wire would offer a lot of control, it might take too much time to sculpt something proper in the span of an hour.

"We might not have to use wire," He said quickly, speaking as soon as he came up with the thought. "There are a lot of bushes and small trees around the villa, and when the Okomo pass through, they break off quite a few branches," His excitement rose as he realized his half-baked plan might just do the trick.

"I'll be right back," he said, and jogged off. As he ran at a pace that wouldn't exhaust him, he hoped he had not appeared rude by bolting off before getting her approval. It wouldn't matter, if his plan worked. He walked over to a hedge that the Okomo often passed through. As he had suspected, there were many fallen branches, and he picked up all the ones that still had many leaves on them, and ran back over to where the Charoda was.

"This might save us the time of sculpting with wire. We can attach these to the bridle with string or ribbon, and paint the leaves so we don't have to go hunting for petals."

He grinned stupidly at her, as a child would when seeking approval from their parents.

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[Una Tanta]

"Savos..." Una whispered to herself as she moved to draw near her partner. What is his last name? Do people in Lhavit not give last names with their introduction? She worried as she recalled the many times this season she had introduced herself by both. Although, if his appearance and accent are any indication, he wasn't from Lhavit originally, maybe he is as ignorant as me?

"People are like cattle. You find them grass, they follow." Cattle? Una laughed regardless, trying to be polite and missing the edge of bitterness in his tone. I didn't find them grass...I found them an idea... she wished to say, and clarify his joke but she held her tongue. There as more to do than decipher a foreign mans colloquialisms.

Taking the time to ponder her idea, a fact Una both appreciated and found dismally annoying. Though she had left time for him to apply his own input she was growing used to Lhavitian tendency to follow direction. Is he pausing to consider how to tell me it is a bad idea? Or should I be glad I have a partner who is genuinely thinking through the merits of the idea?

"We might not have to use wire, there are a lot of bushes and small trees around the villa, and when the Okomo pass through, they break off quite a few branches." His excitement was tangibly growing from the beginning to end and though Una appreciated his enthusiasm she wasn't all too keen on his idea. How would we attach them? And we can't control the shape of the branches, they'll just stick straight up off the bridle and saddle...it will look ridiculous... However, before she could voice her concerns he had whisked himself away to collect some branches.

Annoyed by the blatant rudeness Una turned her back on the retreating figure, Perhaps we could braid the wire structure and thinner branches together...that would give it an earthy enigma but allow more control of the branches. She decided, blatantly refusing to run it past him when he should deign to return.

Taking up several wire strands among the other bits and bobs they had been given to decorate she took up the bridle and began searching it for the best places of attachment. Though she knew little of bridles she had seen they sat quite close against the face and didn't want the metal bits pressing into the Okomo's delicate heads. Instead she drew out a long round stick and began coiling the thin wire around it. Although she wouldn't be using the stick to decorate the Okomo it would give her a structure to form the wire around.

Once she had created several long pieces this way she moved along each one's length attaching single strands of wire to create thin branches moving outward and up. Back turned toward Savos when he jogged back up with the bunches of branches Una all but completely ignored him as he dropped them near the small of her back.

"This might save us the time of sculpting with wire. We can attach these to the bridle with string or ribbon, and paint the leaves so we don't have to go hunting for petals." He explained his idea, beaming so proudly Una was worried his cheeks would fall off.

Choosing a particularly thin branch and taking it up without a word she began to weave it into the two trees she had already made. Wrapping the ends of the wire tightly around the ends of the branches she managed to hold them in place though Una was fortunate she had chosen such a nubile sapling branch as no other would have been able to wind around the structure so easily.

"Look good..." She replied grudgingly, "I'll make two more larger trees for the saddle while you weave the next branch into this tree. You can attach it to the bridle by winding the wire around these metal pieces at connect the muzzle strap to these cheek strap things...then attach a higher point to the metal connecting the brow brand to the cheek band...that way it's on the outside of the bridle and not rubbing the poor creature." Una explained placing the branch along the cheek of the bridle and pointing at the fastening locations.

Still annoyed but worried she herself would come off as rude as he had she nodded in acquiescence, "And yes, I think leaves will do just fine...we can paint the majority gold like the coat with a few of the jewel tones they are using on her legs.....sound good?" She finally asked though she cared very little whether he thought it sounded good or not. It was what they were going to do.

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[Savos]

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His excitement waned when he saw that the Charoda woman did not share his eagerness on the new idea. He tried to read her as she looked away and worked on the bridle with grudging silence. She displayed many of the traits that one with reluctance would show, but Savos was not sure due to her strange race. He could not be sure that body language and emotional cues were not counter-intuitive to that of the human race.

Her skeptical reaction was not new to him, however, and though he felt let down that this group activity might not be as 'fun' as he had imagined it to be, he was not strongly put out. His father would have similar attitudes toward Savos whenever he would get hyped up about something as a child. Never ready to write him off completely, the old man would simply react with terseness and reluctancy to the young child's ideas. Savos knew better than to react negatively to the situation, and instead took it in stride.

So Savos knelt down beside her and watched silently as she intertwined the wire with the branch he had brought. A compromise of the two ideas that actually turned out remarkably well. He was glad that she had not completely shot his idea down, as this result seemed much more nature-friendly than the original idea of using only wire to sculpt out the branches.

"Look good, she replied, almost under her breath. She continued by planning out the new course of action, and this time, Savos decided to simply go with whatever she needed. He wasn't in the mood to step on anyone's toes. Even though he responded calmly and with a positive attitude, he was still somewhat chastened by taking orders like. Even if the subject was art, it made it feel more like a job than anything. When he painted the Okomo horn that morning, there was no planning, no end result. Just the communication between him and the beautiful creature and the colors on his palette were on his mind.

“You got it, boss,” he said with a smile, not betraying any hint that he was put off by her terse question. He immediately got down to work and grabbed one of the wire trees that she had pointed out and grabbed a long, flexible branch. He had paid some attention earlier in finding the newly fallen branches that had not lost as much water as the stiffer, dead branches.

It was an interesting and relaxing task to intertwine the branch with the metal. He mused inside of his mind about the symbolic nature of combining metal with the branch. The metal was simply purified earth, intertwined with a chaotic plant, marvel of nature. If this Semele was indeed the goddess of the earth beneath him, the metallic nature of the tree they were sculpting could represent Nature's dependance on Earth to support it.

“I never did get your name, miss,” He spoke up without taking his eye off the sculpture for a moment. His hands did not pause in his work and it was like he was using a different part of his brain to speak to the marine-like creature.

“I thought it would be fair, since you got mine. And, I hope I don't sound too ignorant when I ask this... Where do you... come from?” He paused for a moment to glance once more at her alien form.

“I mean, I don't think I've ever met someone like you before,” he tried to clarify his question, not wanting to say something as direct as "What are you?". Though somewhat anxious to offend her, his nerves were calmed by the fact that he cared more about what he was working on at the moment.
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[Una Tanta]

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Una was surprised when his excitement settled by the faintest hint of her distaste. Sitting silently at her side he watched her weave the branches and wire together and she couldn't help but dole out quick little glances at his knotted brown dreads. His face was a deep shade of brown, like the creamy brown of the sand along the ocean floor to the north.

"The branches were a good idea..." She complimented and gave him a soft smile tentacles squirming out toward him. They always betrayed her thoughts, though it took time for those around her to learn what their gestures meant.

“You got it, boss,” he said with a smile. Una tilted her head curiously, she had expected him to respond to her coldness with more of his assumptive pride but found him as willing and culpable as a baby dolphin.

"Partner." She corrected, her smile growing as he settled down to work. Immediately intense and focused she was surprised by how quickly and deftly his fingers moved about his work. As she worked on her own piece she couldn't help but imagine the lovely illumination that could come from the form before them and made a mental note to sketch the idea in her journal for future use. When her drawing and writing skills could do it justice.

“I never did get your name, miss,” He spoke and Una stopped to look up at him as she replied. Less talented at multi-tasking she paused each time he spoke before returning to the work before her.

“I thought it would be fair, since you got mine."And, I hope I don't sound too ignorant when I ask this... Where do you... come from?” This time he paused and glanced back up at her, eyes as dark and rich as the earth beneath her feet met her own pale pink with an intensity unknown to her. Most were unnerved by her pupilless stare and frequently averted their eyes while speaking. A fond fan of eye contact she immediately felt a riveting connect broach between one whose eyes she was allowed to meet.

“I mean, I don't think I've ever met someone like you before." His question was tasteful and tactful Una admired, most simply asked what she was, a question she abhorred outwardly.

"My name is Una Tanta," She explained and offered a hand to clasp his, "I am from Wind Reach and Avanthal, in their own turn. I am a Charoda." She answered the unasked but intended question with some level of chagrin.

"I am surprised. It seems many of you Lhavitians spend little time at your own sea. You have a Charoda settlement, with more like me, directly under your nose." She added smirking at him as her tentacle reached out to flick his nose good naturedly. It was as cool as a wet octopus and slid over his soft human skin easily.

"And I, have never seen one like you. How did you get to be such a delectable colour?" Her thoughts betrayed her as she spoke sending a flare of red across her cheeks. Common was a less than easy language to speak eloquently in and her concentration slipped, allowing the word she had meant to translate into unsual be replaced with what in common was a more scintillating and sexual turn of phrase than she had intended.

"Sorry...Common is not my first language..." She added, her voice heavy with the sing song language of Char, "I meant...unusual?" She added, the word as unusual on her tongue as its intended meaning.

"Are you from Lhavit always?" She queried as she began working on the trees that would decorate the saddle. Creating a rounded hook that would clasp the saddle beneath the pommel she created wavering lines that trailed toward the cantle and would rise as intertwining trees, creating a throne for the individual that would ride Semele.

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[Savos]

Nerves were calmer around the entire group now, who had gotten accustomed to their one hour time limit. The people braiding beads into the Okomo's hairs were less rushed in their movements and worked at a rhythmic, comfortable pace. So were those tasked with painting the horns. They had reached the point in their work where they could predict finishing in the allotted time slot without too much stress. This sense of ease also wafted over to the two working on the bridle, now chatting amicably as they sculpted away.

"Partner," she had corrected, noting Savos' passive action. He smiled at the comment, with the sure knowledge that confrontation would have gotten the two nowhere. Though it had stung a bit at first, there was no time to play "who's boss." After all, he did hold some curiosity as to what they would get if they won this little competition.

He moved his hand away from the sculpture to shake Una's hand. It had a strange texture to it, rubbery and soft. Charoda... He was glad that he had not mucked up the name in his head earlier when he tried to figure out what she might be. Where she was from, he had only vaguely heard of. He knew of Wind Reach, as it was neighbor to Denval and was often a trade partner. Avanthal, however, seemed to him a name from a dream long forgotten.

"Pleasure, Una," he said, repeating her name so as to not forget it thirty seconds later. He figured it would be easy enough to keep it in his memory, considering his fascination with her at the moment. He almost forgot to return to his sculpture, and his hands darted back to the twisting the wires with the branch.

You Lhavitians, when she said it he chuckled inwardly and reminded himself to correct her on the matter at some point. But it was indeed true that he had been here two years and not once heard of the Charoda settlement. Did locals just ignore that fact, or were they really clueless about it like she said? Needless to say, Savos felt a little silly for being part of the ignorant majority that Una mentioned.

It was a good thing that Savos had always felt somewhat comfortable at sea and did not mind the brush of swimming fish, or he would have been much more startled at Una's touch. He had not expected the friendly flick, especially not one made by the woman's tentacles. He quickly assumed it was a simple act of good will from the Charoda and tried to hide his initial flinch of surprise. He made a mental note to be more alert around such an alien race so as not to react rudely to something meant to be a kindness.

He looked up again as Una continued and used an adjective he surely would not have expected. At first, he was somewhat stupefied at the flirtatious comment, not having expected it from a Charoda woman of all people. But then he saw her blush and quickly correct herself, admitting that she was still learning the ropes of the common language. Savos' look of surprise quickly turned to mirth, and he resisted the urge to break out into hysterical laughter. He didn't want her to think he was mocking her mistake.

"That's alright," he said, and it was clear that he was making great efforts to not giggle, "For a second language, you handle yourself very well." It was true to Savos, and he didn't mean it solely for flattery. Though Una did have a strong accent, she was in good control of the nuances of the language and didn't seem to have any trouble communicating what she wanted to their group.

Savos began connecting his finished tree sculpture to the bridle, doing exactly as Una had instructed him earlier. Some of the bends in his sculpture were imperfect, but he had realized as they were speaking that he was spending too much time trying to make every little curve seamless and would not have any time to finish if he continued.

"Well, the unusual color can be that I'm Myrian," Savos said. He made a point not to look over at Una as he said so, scared to see a negative reaction form in those strange opaque eyes of her. It was often that people grew more wary of Savos upon learning such information. He continued,

"I've been in Lhavit two years now, I believe. I grew up in Denval." Like every other time he mentioned his cursed hometown, he wondered if Una knew about the fate it had befallen in the Djed storm, understood the chagrin in his voice when he spoke its name.

"It was on the ocean, too. I wonder if there were any Charoda towns there," He mused, but suddenly remembered his unsettling dreams about the bottom of the Denvali ocean, and suppressed a shudder. He finished twisting a piece of metal around the last strap and observed his handiwork, and over at Una's throne-like arrangement.

"What do you think? Should we move on to painting the leaves and saddle?"

[Una Tanta]

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Utterly focused on either the sculpture before her or the man of earth she didn't notice the work of the rest of her group or the impatient pawing of the Okomo behind her as it stuck its broad muzzle into one of the painters working on her horns. The grass beneath her feet was incredibly thick and lush and she couldn't help the unconscious stroking of her feet against Semele's green hair.

She smiled back faintly appreciating his respect for her leadership and allowing herself to withdraw the barbed tentacles. Whether it had truly been his disrespect or annoyance at her rebuked power play not even she could be sure but whatever it had been passed quickly as they developed an amicable rhythm of work.

"Pleasure, Una," he murmured, his mouth formed around her name in so foreign a manner she repeated the sound silently enjoying the round plumpness of the deep accent ...Una...Una...hmm... She hadn't noticed his distraction, so overwhelmed with her own, until his hands flashed quickly back to his work. Copying his abruptness Una turned back to the work before her. She had never created something from wire before and as she stretched and curved the thin metal she winced inwardly. Each bend was too abrupt and sharp and she quickly found it was impossible to remove a kink once it had occurred.


Stopping for a moment she contemplated the problem before her. Perhaps when I am bending it, I am focusing too much on one location which is making it kink like that...if I spread the pressure out...it should warp around the entire pressure... she reasoned and placed her entire arm within the straight metal. It seemed to have some elasticity so long as nothing was directly bent out of form. Wrapping it around her wrist several times she reached the end of the piece and slowly began to worm her way out of it.

Grinning proudly she pulled the spiraling metal staircase apart my the ends until it created the gently spiraling form she had been seeking. Using this as the basis for the tree she created smaller spiraling branches out from it. From there she used the golden sappy glue provided to glue several leaves off of the spiraling branches. It was taking longer than she expected but about halfway through the time she had finally finished the leaves.

However, the break in work had led to an awkward flick and flinch. She wasn't sure what to think. Of herself and of him. She rarely expressed herself physically and was typically much more reserved and not prone to such gestures of affection even to friends. Yet, I would not have forgiven myself if I hadn't the courage to touch such vibrant skin, she reasoned. Surprisingly, it had felt the same as the pink or tan skin of the humans she had met in Avanthal and Wind Reach and felt a modicum of disappointment at the fact. Perhaps a part of her had hoped he was like her, just a little different. But she admitted, it appeared that he was the same if simply a slightly different tint.

Her next comment seemed to surprise him but that was the only expression he wore. Not tainted with a flicker of interest or disdain Una felt an unusual tinge of an unnameable feeling. People had always felt one way or another about her, she was so utterly foreign and unusual it was quickly one of undeniable interest or disgust. Yet, though Savos had expressed his curiosity as she had her own his interest seemed to fall remarkably short of most she consorted with. She wasn't sure how she felt about such apathy.

"That's alright," he giggled as blatantly as Una's returning scowl. Either he is a child-man, like so many before him, or he has enormous gall. She complained inwardly. Having little respect for jokes or humour beyond intelligent word play she simply didn't understand the humor in her verbal trip up.

"For a second language, you handle yourself very well." Una nodded quietly, eyes beseeching the truth in his own. Does it matter...whether its flattery or true, it is the polite thing to say Una decided and averted her eyes back to her work.

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"Well, the unusual color can be that I'm Myrian," What is a Myrian?

"I've been in Lhavit two years now, I believe. I grew up in Denval." Denval...Denval...though the word itself didn't sound familiar something about it did. The Map! The reason for the familiarity dawned so slowly Una almost missed what he said next.

"It was on the ocean, too. I wonder if there were any Charoda towns there," She decided if there was it was unlikely Denval had known about them considering there was no Charoda town mentioned on the map safely ensconced in her home. When he would turn to look at her her eyes would be even larger and wider than their typical orb-like shape and her mouth would remain agape, despite her best intentions.

"Denval..." She murmured to herself. She knew nothing of the city her map outlined and before her Dira had placed the most expansive repertoire of knowledge, a man who had spent his childhood in its streets. Quickly learning that despite her belief in free knowledge, few others deigned to delight in her knowledge and allow her to delight in theirs. What would he want for his knowledge of Denval? Perhaps I must not appear too intrigued...then he will know how much it is truly worth to me.

"Hmm...Denval. I have never heard of such a place. Did you enjoy growing up there?" She began, though she didn't really care whether he had enjoyed his childhood or not she hoped his answer would be broad enough so as to entail what he enjoyed about the city, or perhaps what he had loathed.

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"What do you think? Should we move on to painting the leaves and saddle?"

"Looks wonderful, I certainly think we can." She replied and as turned to look for the deep inks and paints she froze horrified. The vibrant gllimmering gold she had envisioned for the horns had gone horribly awry and in its place was its bright glimmering relacement - urine yellow.

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[Savos]

Savos was glad to see that Una brushed right over the subject of his race without a care in the world. It had been a while that someone had refrained from comment on that note. People often asked him questions like why he looked so civilized and "normal" compared to the rest of his people. He never knew whether those types of comments were more offensive to him or to the Myrians of Falyndar.

What she was truly curious about was Denval. It was not difficult to discern that she knew nothing of Denval and its destruction. Her naivete was the gentle reminder that Savos had grown up in one of the most isolated places on Mizahar. Even one who lived near Wind Reach and could travel freely by water did not know of its existence. It pained him to know that the death of his entire city had gone entirely unnoticed by the world around it.

He pressed his lips together, thinking of the myriad of possible answers to give Una. Did you enjoy growing up there? It was such an ambiguous question, lending to itself an infinite number of replies. What did she want to know about? He could tell her about his parents, about the people he knew that loved to drink and dance and tell stories. He could tell her about the blue of the ocean that loomed close by, with its never ending waves crashing upon Kalea's rocks. Even the city itself had a quaint sort of atmosphere, with many tales of interesting locations to be told.

He could tell her that he was quite fine not telling her anything at all, that the only thing she needed to know was that Denval was no longer on the map, gone without needing any further discussion. But he wasn't going to say that.

"It was as good as it could have been," he replied, more brusquely than he had imagined himself saying it. He tried his best to appear unperturbed as he applied the finishing touches on his tree, but he couldn't help but feel that he had created an uncomfortable silence in the moments that followed.

Una confirmed that they could move onto the next step, and Savos was delighted to hear it in hopes that it would deter her from asking any more questions about Denval. She went over to where the paints were, and Savos saw her posture stiffen visibly as she got there. He got up and followed her eyes to see what she was looking at.

The yellow was certainly quite ugly. Savos was quick to share Una's dread and quickly began to scan his brain for a solution. He knew very well that a merchant in the azure market could sell him a proper gold pigment for a couple of topaz kinas, but that would be too long a trip in the time frame they had. Savos racked his brains for what could constitute a proper substitute, one that Una would agree with.

"How about we mix up a more flattering shade of yellow- maybe add some red to give it a slight orange tint like gold has. We can paint that on the leaves, and while its still wet, we'll sprinkle some of that gold powder on them," Savos suggested in a reassuring tone. It was a step back from the beautiful gold paint Una had envisioned, but he feared they had no choice.

"Unless you've got a gold pigment to mix up hidden somewhere, of course," he added jokingly in an attempt to lighten the mood. His previous taciturn attitude on top of this unfortunate occurrence was likely to dampen the atmosphere, and he would rather it didn't.