Knowledge is Power [Aranta]

[Snaeha Datura]

oocIndeed it is! Althoguh earlier today I saw a PC who was half Zith, half Sym, so obviously it happens!

It did not surprise Snaeha that her final word had tripped the Zith up. It was the reason she had selected the word 'nice', after all. "This is a good example of 'C' having two sounds. This word is 'nice'." Again, she paused, considering how to word the next statement, "I think, for the meanwhile, it's best for you to try both sounds when you read, each time you see a 'C'. That way, you'll hopefully realise when you say the correct word." With any luck, the fact that the Zith spoke Common would make his learning all the more easy.

"You are learning quickly," the compliment was sincere, but Snaeha winked playfully, "but you do have a fantastic teacher." He was learning so quickly, in fact, that Snaeha was actually running out of words (decent, clean, nice words) to write down for him. So, rather desperate to keep her mind on their lesson and off her wanton desires, Snaeha wrote two new sentences: 'Snaeha is the best teacher' and 'I love swimming'. "Try those." She said, a wicked smirk on her lips.

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[Aranta]

"'Nice,'" Aranta repeated, testing the word out. He could see Snaeha's point, and he mentally kicked himself for not trying that right away. The Zith briefly panicked when he saw the number of words confronting him, and then noticed the little dot that was in two different places. "What is that?" he asked, slightly suspicious. He didn't like the look on Snaeha's face; it was too close to the one she'd worn when telling him that he would have to 'take it easy,' and Aranta had had a feeling that he wouldn't like the meaning of that phrase. He was getting the same sort of feeling now; he wasn't going to like what these words said, even though he could recognize Snaeha's name as the first word.

[Snaeha Datura]

Of course! Punctuation! How could that have slipped her mind?

The answer was obvious, and came to Snaeha in a scolding inner voice: because your mind is full of lewd thoughts and dirty images.

"That is a full-stop." She said simply, tapping the dot with her finger - and trying not to blush when her finger brushed his. "It separates two sentences, makes them into two different points." His earlier suspicion had not gone unnoticed, and Snaeha nodded back to the paper, frowning in mock seriousness, "c'mon, back to work. Your teacher is waiting." Snaeha folded her arms and pouted - an old technique she used to get the men around her to do what she wanted.

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[Aranta]

Aranta looked up from where he'd been staring at the paper, giving Snaeha another suspicious look(if it wasn't as heavy as the previous one, that had absolutely nothing to do with Snaeha's pout and everything to do with the fact that he was already distracted with the scribbles. Honest.) before returning his attention to the paper. "Snaeha," he said first; he knew that word, at least. "Snaeha is--t-heh-ee..." Wait, no, what had Snaeha said? If a t and an h were together, it made "th." "Snaeha is th-ee-- the b-eh-st. Snaeha is the best t-ee-c-heh--teach-er." Aranta's brow creased as he frowned at the paper. "'Snaeha is the best teacher'?" he hazarded, and then focused on the second sentence. "I leh-uh-v-eh; I love. S-weh-eh-mm-eh-en-gah. Swehmeng. Swimming? I love swimming?" Aranta scowled at Snaeha. "I do not!" he protested indignantly. "Swimming is annoying."

[Snaeha Datura]

"How very kind of you to say, Aranta!" Snaeha obliged, grinning all the while, "I am quite a good teacher, aren't I?" She soon quietened, allowing the Zith to concentrate once more on the writing in front of him. With the first sentence read relatively smoothly, the second was also dealt with in a matter of ticks.

His reaction, which was so clearly unimpressed with her second statement, made Snaeha laugh. The librarian, who had long given up on telling the two insolent beings in her domain to be quiet, simply rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, that was a cruel joke. Please forgive me." Another pout: though this time, it soon disappeared into a grin that refused to be subdued, "I didn't know Zith were so sensitive to teasing." Before she knew what she was doing, Snaeha reached out and half-stroked, half-poked his arm. The gesture was part affectionate, and part flirtatious. She didn't know which surprised her more.

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[Aranta]

Aranta growled playfully at her, though the sound died in his throat when she reached out to touch him. Aranta felt like a rabbit caught before a snake-- startled, and unable to think. He tensed involuntarily, although he quickly forced himself to relax and offer Snaeha a reassuring smile-- the first time she'd reached out to casually touch him had been the first time they'd met, and he'd all but leapt away from her. That kind of reaction left an impression, and for some reason Aranta wanted to let Snaeha know that touching was okay, now-- he wasn't going to be not startled by it, but he would allow it. It seemed that Zith were tactile creatures; that shouldn't be as much of a surprise to the Zith male as it was. "I forgive you," he managed to say after a moment, aware that some sort of response was required.

[Snaeha Datura]

His reactions, both the physical and the verbal, were both examples of the behaviours that had first caught Snaeha's attention. He was so scholarly, so inquisitive, in some ways -- but primal, dangerous, in others. She had socialised with Zith only once or twice before, in general curtsies or as part of a larger group, but somehow she knew that Aranta was different to most of his kind. That said, it was those almost beastile behaviours that made him so....

Attractive. There, she admitted it to herself. Snaeha had always been difficult, wanted the things she could not have (the biggest tantrum she had thrown as a child was when a girl of the same age had purchased the only blue silk dress available in a child's size and Snaeha, who had been happy with her red dress until then, had instantly wanted it). Unfortunately, she had not grown out of the habit, and it seemed that Aranta had now replaced that infamous blue dress.

"Have you had enough reading, or would you like to continue?" She asked, her voice unusually calm, almost defeated. It was all well and good wanting certain things, but it was always upsetting to know she couldn't have them.

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[Aranta]

Aranta hesitated for a moment, unsure how to interpret the odd tone to Snaeha's voice. After a moment, he simply decided to leave it be. "I think so," he said, nudging the paper back to her. "Perhaps we could meet again, and you could teach me more?" Aranta greatly enjoyed Snaeha's company, even if the Symenestra did act oddly on occasion. Then again, most things non-Zith did were confusing in one manner or another. Plus, there was still a part of Aranta that could not help but preen in pride at the fact that such a beautiful creature as Snaeha had developed an interest in him-- even if it was only an interest borne of curiosity and not mating potential. OOCMisunderstandings and poor communication, whoo! XD

[Snaeha Datura]

His suggestion that they should meet again made Snaeha panic. Of course she wanted to see him again; she enjoyed his company. But it was the fact that his statement implied that he intended to part ways for today. Who else was he planning on spending time with? A female Zith?

Viratas, what's wrong with me?

"Yes, of course." She replied coolly, stacking away the left over papers and her abandoned book. Throwing him a side ways glance, Snaeha tried to personify aloofness, "unless you wanted to go elsewhere? A... drink, or something?"

The librarian stalked past, collecting up the quill and papers. The woman snorted with chortled laughter at Snaeha's desperation, so clear to the eye of another woman. The redhead delivered the older Symenestra a dagger look, before clearing her throat and standing up somewhat awkwardly.

Yes. Alcohol. Always the answer. Clever girl.
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[Aranta]

Snaeha's tone seemed off, somehow, and Aranta gave her a sidelong glance, wondering what could have caused it. He completely missed the librarian's actions, although he supposed she had to have done something rude, for Snaeha to be glaring at her heavily enough that it was a wonder the Dra didn't keel over dead. Still, Aranta was amenable to Snaeha's suggestion of getting a drink; he'd learned that it meant not drinking from a stream, but rather going to a certain place and drinking together out of cups. Sometimes Aranta despaired of ever fully understanding non-Zith. "I would like that," he said, realizing belatedly that he had yet to actually respond. "I have no plans for today."