The Sun Never Truly Sets

[Kavala]

The Konti sat her horse with ease as she rode side by side with Aoren up the road that led from where Alements rested at sea level to where the waterfall plunged off the cliff. The road was winding, and in some places they had to ride single file due to either traffic or the narrowness of the roads themselves. The tract wasn’t singular either. There was literally a mazework of interconnected passageways, some wide, some alley narrow, that lead to the top of the cliff. It really did take a great deal of concentration to keep the horses out of trouble and going the right direction.

And, despite their size, the warhorses were nervous. They were young and visits to the city for them were rare. So they looked about, sometimes abruptly throwing their heads up when they heard a noise that wasn’t something they were used too. Kavala remained stoic about it, not getting excited when the horses did, and gently uttering corrective words when they started to get distracted. Soon enough they were off the cliff face and up onto the flat roads where the main body of Riverfall rested. It was then and only then that she turned towards Aoren when they were riding side by side again and answered his question.

“To answer your question, Aoren, there’s a great deal that goes into training one. First, you have to make the right thing to do the easiest thing to do. It’s that way with all animals really. They will take the easy course in general, so if the wrong thing is harder to do, then they will most likely do the right thing first. Training requires setting them up for success. For instance, the colt you’re riding was afraid of noisy oilskins. You know, the type that stiffen but are used as tarps to cover campsites against the rain, or even cut into rain gear. But that’s a problem because there are banners, flags, even slickers that you yourself would wear out in the rain and they all make a similar noise. So I had to get him over the fear. An impatient man might just tie bits of it all over him and let him be terrorized until he’s exhausted and forgets to be afraid. But that’s not a good way to go about it. You want him to figure it out on his own that he doesn’t have to be afraid. So a wiser trainer might let him drag a long piece of oilskin around with him from a long rope so that he gets used to the noise. But that’s not exactly right either, because you are training warhorses, not palfreys for young ladies. Because incidentally, all horses are prey animals and they institutionally want to run from noise. That’s not what you want. You want him to investigate noise, and teach him not to be afraid of strange new noisy things. So, you indeed tie a rope to the oilskin to drag it around on the ground. Then you get an even longer rope and you drag the oilskin around and lead him as well so hes following it a few horse lengths behind the thing being dragged. Only this time the oilskin isn’t a predator chasing him closing in from behind. This time it is something he’s forced to follow, keeping his eyes on it and in moving towards it, the oilskin retreats and it emboldens him. He learns it is nothing to be afraid of. And pretty soon you can lead him closer and closer behind you, right up to the edge of the oilskin. And if you stop dragging it and keep leading him forward, often you can walk him right across it and by then it won’t bother him.” Kavala said, showing Aoren an example verbally of her training methods instead of simply ignoring the question further. Some of the things she was saying were internal secrets though, things not shared between trainers.

“We want them to not be afraid of things pushing against their bodies, like these crowds. See how your horse naturally shoulders his way through? He even gently pushed a big fellow a moment ago to make himself space. Well, we teach them that. We have an enormous whale’s stomach that we harvested from a carcass that washed ashore. We blow it up with air and secure it and it stays inflated and tough. We teach the stallions to play ball with it, shoving it back and forth between them. Once they are well and used to the ball, we switch it out for people and teach them how to gently move people aside or shove themselves into a crowd. It’s easy work if you keep in mind the horse’s perspective and not try to think in terms of a human one. “ The Konti said, stretching on the horse’s back and gently talking to the white horse as she turned and studied the glimmering brown Aoren rode.

“When we teach them the guard positions, we are just reiterating what young stallions do in herds. Some herd stallions will tolerate younger stallions around so long as they make themselves useful and act as another pair of eyes and ears. They watch against predators, all kinds of things, even other older stallions trying to sneak in and breed. This is an exploitation of what they do naturally.” The Konti said, smiling. “And if you watch a stallion, they will make a lot of noise, squealing, stamping, feigning strikes, before they actually do it. They don’t want to get hurt any more than we do. So most of it is bravado. That we use to our advantage too. You got warned away in horse speak earlier with a squeal, snap and stamp. They are good at such things so we let them utilize the abilities. And horses are smart. You backed away. He didn’t once see you as a threat. You are, after all, only a man. Had you a weapon, which we teach them are sharp and to be avoided at all costs, then you would have been elevated on his mental scale and maybe kicked or struck. But you were bare handed. That’s less of a threat in their training.” Kavala said, smiling.

Then she thought about Aoren’s next question and smiled. “The horses that hold the training well, seem smart, and pick everything up fast get noted. If they also have physical characteristics that we desire, such as large sizes or flexibility, then they get noted as well. The ones we give bad marks too for being slow of wit, stubborn, inflexible… we geld. They are sold as mounts, not warhorses. And the best of the best are bred.” Kavala said, liking to talk about horses, regardless of if the man had any or not.

They rode on.

Kavala was amused that Aoren immediately seemed to decide FOR her that she would not believe fate brought Aoren to Riverfall. Maybe. Maybe not. But she wouldn’t past one or more of the Gods to see to it for him. And most people didn’t realize that about exactly one hundreds percent of fate was just the Gods meddling in mortal lives. That made her smile. And she held that smile as the two stallions made it to the top of the cliff and out onto wider streets. Kavala turned them onto a main road, and lead them through the gates. She nodded to the guards and was soon headed north with Aoren on the kabrin road. Once out in the open, she nudged her white stallion to a slow easy trot and settled back enjoying the ride.

“You are not the only one that seems to think fate drew you here. I hear that from a great many people. That just lends itself to one more question. Now that you are here, what are you going to do about it? What are your long term goals?” The Konti said, raising her voice a little to be heard over the horses’s drumming hooves. She seemed to have no trouble riding the stallions trot. Aoren could see her legs were gripping his barrel but most of her weight was on her forward thighs from the knees up. She was rising slightly at every third beat, smoothing out her ride by posting. She would go faster, and soon, but not until they were out on the grass itself.

[Aoren]

Aoren had to admit that there was a lot to take in when listening to Kavala speak on her training methods. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to remember all of it but he did his best to pay attention. Some of what she said he tried to envision in his head.

“I can see how that would be effective.” He mumbled mostly to himself as his brow furrowed in thought. Aoren thought on how he treated his canine companion, Isikai. He considered the dog more of a friend than a pet. The dog had been with him since he left Syliras and with each passing day Aoren only grew more fond of him. He didn’t want to imagine a time when he wouldn’t have the loyal and spirited hound at his side even though part of him knew that such a day would come. Indeed with Kavala explanation of how she trained horses he could see how empowering the animal was far more beneficial than frightening it into submission. In a way Kavala reminded him of his teacher in Zeltiva. The elder woman had been wise beyond anything Aoren had ever encountered. She taught him through constructive methods and in ways he wouldn’t have ever considered to have been a lesson, but they were.

“I can see that you are very passionate about your work. I admire that and can respect it.” Aoren could also see that she was very skilled. It didn’t escape the man’s notice that the training, crafting and managing of the time and materials needed to educate the horses also required great skill.

“How do you teach them to recognize weaponry?” Aoren quirked his head as he pondered the process. Short of brandishing the weapons themselves at the animals Aoren couldn’t think of a way to get the horses to recognize the difference between an armed man and an unarmed one. He was certain the concept wasn’t as difficult as he envisioned it to be but the finer points of the training escaped him.

“Have you always worked with and bred horses or do you work with other animals as well? I myself have found a friend in my dog. He’s been with me for about a year now. I can’t say that I have done much in the way of training him. He tends to make up his own mind about a lot of things but he’s generally well-mannered.” It might have been an obvious question but Aoren didn’t truly know much about the work that was done at the Sanctuary. Caelum had only mentioned it in reference to Kavala herself. In his mind he saw a large horse ranch similar to the Windmount Stables in Syliras. A vast open field with horse trainers, field hands and knights all going about their daily routines. He could hear the neighing of the horses mixed with the clinking of their armor as they learned how to ride and fight atop their mounts.

Aoren returned his attention to directing the brown steed beneath him. He adjusted his legs to follow along with Kavala slowly getting the hang of how to nudge the horse along. It was not as though he had to put much effort into it really. Aside from the occasional misdirection from Aoren the horse largely followed his mistress. He imagined it was part of his training. When they passed through the city gates Aoren inclined his head to the Akalak guards. It was interesting to him whenever he met people who were taller than him. Most of the time he spent his days staring down at people. Not because he thought lesser of them but simply because the majority of his encounters were with people shorter than him. Aoren learned a long time ago that to think less of another person without cause was to lessen himself as well. Part of him wondered if being tall was a family trait.

The slow and easy trot wasn’t unwelcome. If he was being truthful, Aoren was glad of the opportunity to test his limits as far as riding a mount went. During the journey from Syliras to Zeltiva he hadn’t been granted the chance to go at anything more than a walk with his horse. When he booked passage from Zeltiva to Riverfall he’d sold the horse and that had been that. The increase in tempo was something he would have to get used to. Without the aid of reigns he was forced to tighten the grip upon the horse with his legs. He looked over to Kavala trying to study the way she seated herself doing his best to mimic her stance. His concentration was broken when she questioned him one last time. Aoren remained silent for several ticks. To look at him it was obvious that he was thinking on his answer quite carefully.

What did he want to accomplish in Riverfall? What had drawn him there? He had been compelled to come to the city but why? Purpose was also something Aoren was searching for. It was part of the reason he’d left Syliras for Zeltiva. He had hoped that in expanding his mind he would find the tools to give his life a deeper meaning than he felt it presently had. While he had certainly learned a great many things during his time in the city he couldn’t say that he found the answer to that question. When he spoke his voice wasn’t as steady as he would have liked but he was honest. That had to count for something.

“When I was in Zeltiva my studies helped me understand the nature of the world. I want to continue those studies. I find myself drawn to ancient knowledge. How did the Old Ones achieve all that they did? You could color me a scholar of sorts. On a more practical level I want to pick up a trade with my hands. I once had the opportunity to work alongside a weaponsmith. He offered me the chance to learn his trade and craft with him. I think, as a I start my new life here in Riverfall, that might be something I wish to pursue.” He chuckled. The weaponsmith had been an Isur and their conversation had actually centered itself around Magecraft. The World Discipline fascinated Aoren and he had thought on it a great many times in his time as a wizard.

It was strange for Aoren to think of himself in those terms. There was no denying it. There might have been a time when he could consider himself as nothing more than a dabbler but he was a sorcerer. He was practiced in far too many magicks and knew enough about Djed and its manipulation to fall into the category of anything but. He didn’t consider himself a powerful or great wizard by any stretch of the imagination but he was what he was. The past few seasons Aoren had come to realize a great many things about himself. Slowly, that road was leading him to find his real calling in life.

“But at the heart of all of this, I want a family. My homeland, the land of my father’s people is right there.” Aoren nodded in the direction of the Sea of Grass. He still marveled slightly at the sight of it. He was so close. He wondered if the Skycrown family was still around. Who was in it? Had they survived the Djed Storm? Did they know about him?

Aoren did not know his father’s reasons for abandoning him in Syliras. Maybe he would never know. But he at least wanted to visit his people on friendlier terms than what had occurred in more recent times. He believed in the Drykas people even though he knew little about them. He’d seen, in part, the desperation they’d been forced into.

“I wonder if my family is still there. A family I have never known.”

.

[Kavala]

Once they were out in the open, in the clear, the two warhorses trotted side by side. Kavala urged them up to a gentle lope which smoothed out the rough trots. “Walking is a four beat pattern and takes a lot of effort for a horse. Trotting is also a four beat. Each hoof strikes the ground independently. But a lope or a gallop is a three beat, Aoren, and it gets a whole lot smoother. If you had stirrups like they use in Syliras, you’d be able to put your weight in them, rise up, and not feel motion at all as the horse runs under you. It’s a heady feeling. Anchored to them like we are, stirrupless with just the yvas, we become more like them. Sit up, Aoren, pretend there is a line – like a marionette doll – that’s pulling your spine up straight. Sit like that, with your body upright, taught, then loosen your hips. Let them roll in a natural way, as if you were a jointed doll and there was a joint at your waist. Your body will move with the horse and be out of the way of the motion of his shoulders.” She said, nodding, watching to see that Aoren made the right corrections. Her impromptu lesson ended and she smiled when he called her passionate about her work. Kavala was a passionate person about many things. Horses were just one of her many drives.

His next question took her slightly off guard and she laughed. “You won’t believe me if I told you, but I swear it’s the Gods honest truth.” The Konti said with a laugh. “I gather them all in the arena, then gather a few dozen friends or just one or two really good with weapons… Caelum perhaps… and then we beat the living tar out of each other with blades. Horses aren’t stupid. They learn fast about the noise and the sharpness. And if that’s not enough, I simply explain it thoroughly to them. All Konti are gifted in one way or another. Mine is that I feel the emotions of animals. If I’m close enough to the animals and know them well, I can get images from their mind and they can get images from mine. I pulled most of the horses on my place from their mother’s wombs or if their dam was doing a good job of it herself, I tend to be the first person they ever see. So they know me really well and I know them fairly well also.” The Konti said, a grin on her face. She reached out and touched the mane of the white stallion she rode, fussing with it slightly. “This one here.. Sufa… he’s a handful. For all that he’s pretty, he’ll be best for war. He wants a fight and looks for one daily. The one you ride, Galax, will make a good wizards mount. He’s rock solid and brave and loyal. You could summon fire on his back and if you have his heart he’ll let you set the world on fire without so much as a snort.” Kavala said, smiling. She looked at the bronze stallion with fondness, knowing she’d see to it he didn’t go to the Kuvay’Nas but to someone who would be as loyal to him as he would be to them.

“No. I haven’t always worked with horses. I was born on the Grass to the Denusk Pavilion. A Konti has very little worth there and horses is not something the Drykas let you easily work with. My father sent me to Mura after my mother’s death to learn healing. I’m a healer by trade, only I prefer the healing of animals to the healing of people. They are more deserving most times. I want to open a school for animal healers. It’s lucrative work and a good… solid base for someone who wants to look legitimate. The horses make money, but they are just a side project. I’ve dabbled in dogs too, but I’ve thinned down all the breeds we used to sell to just one. I prefer the Imperial Watchers and breed them as guards and companions for ladies and children. They are large, fierce, and make the best of companions whether you stay home or travel. There’s always a dozen or so around The Sanctuary so if you visit, don’t pay them no mind. They are the size of small ponies and my toddlers often enough try to ride them.” She said with a chuckle, swinging her legs up onto the white stallion’s back and planting her feet. She rose from her seat to a crouch and switched from guiding the horse with her legs to guiding Sufa with her voice. The Pavi rolled off her tongue as she rode a league like that, letting him get used to her shifting footwork on either side of his withers.

She settled back again after the practice with balance. It was not something she could do at a trot, but the loping made it easier. She brought both stallions down to a walk to let them blow and cool down a bit, and to give Aoren a bit of a break from riding the faster pace.

“Dogs are gifts. I’m glad you have one. I find they are good company for those on their own. They have a way about themselves that means they understand us, even moreso than we might understand ourselves.” Kavala said, wondering what type of dog Aoren had and what his name was. The man wasn’t forthcoming, so she didn’t pry, though she hoped she’d meet his companion as well.

Kavala generally remembered people by their horses or dogs, not necessarily by their names or who they actually were. “You said you were a Skycrown? It’s no wonder you want a family. I don’t know much about them personally, but I know of them. Everyone does. They are a very big Pavilion from the Diamond Clan with a lot of relations. I had a cousin marry one. She came with these enormous white hunting dogs. I was enamored of them. She promised me a puppy but the litter didn’t come until after I left for Mura. She was a Stormwarden. They are odd folk. They talk to the winds like they are people. He had to give her mother about a hundred striders if I remember correctly.” Kavala said, smiling slightly, and then outright laughing.

She turned and looked at Aoren and gave him an odd look. “Of course they are still there. But you are no family of theirs. At least not right now. They can’t and won’t claim you. There are laws for this sort of thing. You need a bond with a strider to be recognized as Drykas, Aoren. You have to find one worthy of you and one you are worthy of. They are our dead loved ones, you know…. those horses are. When a Drykas dies, we don’t go before Leth like everyone else. All of us, man woman and child, have another course, a secret course, and because we walk it, we return to that path. We can be born again as many times as we want, but the form is our choice. Human or strider. Many of us choose striders. It is a hard fast life, but it is a beautiful one.” Kavala said, speaking of course of Webbing without uttering the name or telling him what she truly meant. All Drykas were bound to the web and because of those bindings, their souls escaped Leth’s sort and were taken back into the Sea of Grass instead. Her people didn’t play by the rules of the world. They never had.

But she’d skipped over something he said, and she wanted to get back to it. Right now there was nothing she could do about his parentage or the fact that he wanted to have a family in the worst way…. A homeland even. That came from the heart and was something he had to decide upon himself. Home was where he made it. She knew that first hand. And it caused her to glance at Aoren and speculate slightly. Where would his be? She had no gift to know and no way to tell. But she hoped he’d be happy and make a good one. Kavala was starting to like him.

The Konti turned off the road, circling wide through the trees. The horses were forced to follow nose to tail again, and she was quiet for a time. Then they came out on a groomed track that had low trees and jumps. She wove the stallions through the trail, keeping them on the track, forcing them to jump low logs and shallow gullies. The trail looked more like a course than a trail, but the Konti seemed familiar with it. Shew as watching the mahogany stallion, watching how well he took care of his rider and how he navigated the obstacles and if he kept Aoren on. Sufa grew winded too fast for Kavala’s liking and she had to have both stallions at a walk after the forth jump. Mentally she noted she’d have to work on his endurance. He was a good horse, but too gung-ho and lacking the muscle or physical conditioning to back up that attitude.

“You said you were curious about the ancients? What if you could walk through their memories and learn first hand how they lived?” The question came out of the blue, but wasn’t asked in a hesitant way. “I mean, what if you could pick someone from history like Queen Kova and relive her life in a short time, combing her memories as she herself lived them? Would you like that or would it terrify you?” She said, tiling her head curiously. She’d pulled up next to a small stream and had paused, letting the horses water themselves. “I know for a fact that the ancients archived certain things by impressing them into crystal. Then they could hold the crystal and relive something like a lecture or a speech. Sometimes when I was little I’d explore ruins with my brother Vanator. Often we found rooms filled with broken crystals. Bits of trash I thought. Now I know different. They are useless when broken. But I didn’t know I walked through libraries, Aoren, when I crushed them under my boot heels carelessly. Of course, I’m Drykas. We generally wouldn’t know the value of a book if it had its value written on its cover. All our histories are oral.” The Konti said, smiling.

Once the horses were watered, she moved them onward, following the trek in a slow circuit that seemed to bring them back almost too where they started.

[Aoren]

Aoren was working to learn and apply the knowledge being offered to him at the same time. He kept glancing away from the road in front of him to focus on the positioning of his body. As instructed he sat up straight picturing in his mind that a string lifted his back. He felt the rolling in his hips. It wasn’t too far from what few lessons he’d had in Syliras but all the same it was an odd sensation. He had to keep reminding himself to stay sitting up straight or not to tense his legs. His mind was telling him that without a saddle that he was going to fall off. It wasn’t true. All he had to do was glance over at Kavala to see that it was perfectly possible to stay seated on horseback with just the yvas. Nevertheless he was hesitant to take both hands off of the base of the horse’s neck. He would do it in stages. That was all he could do.

“Well…that’s certainly one way to do it.” Aoren chuckled. Truth be told he didn’t know if there were any other ways one could train horses to become accustomed to weaponry. It was just the thought that amused him greatly. For one reason or another his mind was drawn back to a simpler time when he was a boy. The children he’d grown up around had all gathered in the courtyard of the orphanage. Inspired by the stories of knightly bravery and strength many of them had picked up sticks and just started running around menacing each other. The overall theme had been simple enough. There were monsters and knights. Where the rules went from there? He had no idea.

“Galax.” Aoren ran a hand as steadily as he could through the bronze colored horse’s mane. “He is a fine mount. That he hasn’t thrown me off is good enough for me. But, he is calm. That puts me at ease.”

There was a story between the lines of Kavala’s words. A tale he could feel was one that held much weight to in in the journey of her life. He did not pry however. Earning enough trust to warrant the telling of those stories was a road in and of itself.

“Isikai, that is my companion’s name. The word means “to trust in”. It was taught to me by a man who taught me many things. You could say he was a father to me.” Aoren hesitated in speaking about Leoshan. He did not bring up the old codger very often but when he did old memories came with him. He blinked them away just as he had for a long time.

“He is mixed between a Bozderon and Zypherian. Not quite as large as a Zypherian and from what I can tell he does not possess the night vision of the Bozderon. He is intelligent though and has a strong spirit. He likes people too which sometimes leads to him being very nosey. I’m sure once he gets comfortable he will be exploring.” Aoren laughed softly thinking on the instances where he’d had to prevent Isikai from toppling a person because of his curiosity. He couldn’t blame the dog though. The world was a curious place. Aoren often encouraged Isikai’s inquisitive spirit but he did what he could to instill in the dog some protective instincts as well. More than that though, Isikai kept a watch over Aoren when he was meditating or perhaps exploring the Chavi. Several times Aoren had been drawn from his Divining or felt safer for doing so with the dog nearby.

“You know of the Skycrowns?” His interest had been piqued when Kavala had said she was of the Denusk Pavilion. He didn’t know who the Denusk were but the only time he’d known the word pavilion to be applied to a family was among Drykas. He listened attentively as she spoke practically hanging on every word that slipped from her mouth. What she had to say about them was both inspiring and intimidating at the same time. A large family that everyone knew? It was a baffling thought. If he were being entirely honest though he hadn’t the slightest clue of what to expect about his family. He was troubled and he knew exactly why. In just a few words, Kavala had shown him just how laughable his knowledge of the Drykas and their customs truly was.

What had he expected really? To be welcomed back with open arms? Those people didn’t know him. Likewise, he didn’t know them either. In that single moment he’d never felt more far away than he had before. Even being so close to the homeland of his father he still felt like a stranger. Part of that infuriated him to no end but he kept himself calm. Instead he focused on Kavala speaking of the Striders. His eyebrows shot up at that but he remained silent as he digested what she chose to share.

“You…humble me, Kavala.” He gave the Konti a melancholy smile. In his excitement for being so close he had not truly taken the time to consider everything he did not yet know. It made him feel foolish but part of growing was learning to accept moments of foolishness and temper them with wisdom. He sighed shaking his head.

“There is much I have yet to learn. I want to know them.” He chuckled. “I want to know many things. There are times when I believe that I am far too curious for my own good.”

He fell into silence that was at first filled with his own thoughts as he considered just how he was going to approach one day seeking out Endrykas. Those thoughts were interrupted when they picked up the pace. Aoren was not so skilled a rider that he could divert his concentration away from staying atop the horse at a faster pace. In his effort to keep from falling off he hunched down closer to Galax. Using his legs to nudge the steed in the proper direction as much as he could it came as no surprise that he fell slightly behind Kavala. His heart leapt up into his throat when the first jump came. His hands clung to what they could that much more for fear of dropping to the earth and getting trampled. After the third jump Aoren very nearly slipped off but managed to balance himself by tightening his legs and shifting his body weight. When they returned to a walk he laughed.

“You don’t hold back, Kavala.” Aoren’s voice came as somewhat breathless. He wasn’t winded but when one wasn’t what anyone would call a skilled rider, that much excitement had his adrenaline going. He gave the Konti a nod and a smile. “I respect that.”

When Kavala asked her question of the ancients, Aoren answered without hesitation.

“Knowledge cannot and never will terrify me, Kavala. What fills me with dread is knowing how that knowledge could be abused. Besides, I have spent my whole life Seeing through the eyes of others.” Aoren managed to keep his balance. He brought up his right hand unfastening the straps of the bracer that covered his right hand. He slipped it off resting it in his lap. He held up the back of his right hand for Kavala to see. Resting there was the Lily of Avalis, the gift granted to all Seers by the grace of the gentle goddess. He lowered his hand slipping the bracer back on.

[Kavala]

Kavala was enjoying Aoren’s company and liked the way he adapted to the company and to the new situation being on horseback. He moved like he could have no problems actually learning to ride, but she could tell that he hadn’t had years on a horses back or had to live out of his yvas bags much. She didn’t think he really understood about the training. His comments were neither positive nor negative, but somewhat neutral which could indicate he disagreed and was just being polite. She might have also lost him in her lengthy explanation as well. Sometimes, too, talk of gifts and magic made people uncomfortable. And while the Konti weren’t magical beings as a whole, they were seers and healers and that was enough to alienate some of the folks in the world who were uncomfortable.

She listened to his praise on Galax and nodded, knowing the horse deserved it. He was a good companion. Kavala wouldn’t have tolerated an animal around that would knowingly throw a kind and gentle rider. She also listened curiously to him talk about his dog. She wondered where the animal was at the time. There was no reason he shouldn’t have been brought along and she said so, telling Aoren that. “You should bring Isikai next time. Dogs are always welcome. And if you take the job at The Sanctuary, room and board come with it. So you’d need to move in and he’d be welcome about long with you.” Kavala said, letting the conversation flow onwards.

Aoren seemed surprised she knew about the Skycrowns. “They will want to know you too, Aoren. Many Drykas died in the djed storm of 512. Many die anyhow because life on the Sea of Grass is hard. They’ve lost many people. I’m sure gaining a lost son back would be thrilling to them. Just because they can’t acknowledge you as family or call you one of their sons doesn’t mean you won’t be welcome. And besides, if you’re Drykas, odds are you will find a strider being around here sooner or later. Spend time with my small herd. There are a number of young horses that might well be suited to your personality and who might bond. Stranger things have happened. Besides, if you travel to Endrykas, you’ll need a strider. They travel so fast, like nothing you’ve ever seen. I can’t tell you how they do it, not right now, but it’s fascinating that they can.” She said, withholding more information from him deliberately, but not out of dislike of hi, but out of loyalty to her people.

The conversation flowed onwards. Aoren offered her more compliments and it made her uncomfortable though she didn’t let him know that. The Konti had very little need for praise. She just wanted acceptance and not rejection from humans, which was often hard in coming. The Drkyas accepted her but not welcomed her because she was a Konti. The people in Riverfall welcomed her but did not fully accept her because her stomach wasn’t swelled with child. Here, on a warhorse, out in the wilds conducting a job interview the man didn’t even know he was on was a far better situation for Kavala. Here she could be herself. Aoren seemed to appreciate that and indeed feel comfortable as well. Because rather than fully comment on the ancients, the crystals she’d talked about, or walking their chavi, he instead uncovered his right hand and showed her his mark.

Kavala recognized Avalis immediately. She looked surprised and then laughed, nodding to Aoren at his well played reveal. “So you can already walk chavi and see into the past. I should have known. You are far too calm about things to not be a Seer.” The Konti said, shaking her head and chuckling. “She’s the sister of my patron Goddess, Rak’keli. You will find nothing but respect for Avalis in my household.” Kavala said, assuring him he was welcome.

And then the Konti grew quiet, focusing on riding a difficult part of the trail with someone new to it behind her. They climbed a bit, then circled until they were out on a cliff and traveling down an old trail that lead to the beach far below. It was rough going, but the horses seemed to have been there before and the trail itself. Soon they were on the beach, and trotting again from the steep descent. Kavala kept them out on the edge of the water in the firm sand and let Aoren pick the next topic of conversation.

[Aoren]

Aoren thought on her description of life on the Sea of Grass. The way she spoke with awe and wonder made him long for the life he could have had no matter how harsh it might have been. It was the longing of a boy that echoed through a man. He smiled wistfully before observing their surroundings. He didn’t know where they were but it seemed that Kavala did. In many cases he would be completely wary of riding into the wilderness with a stranger in a land he knew next to nothing about.

This woman was a friend of Caelum however and for the moment that would have to do to combat Aoren’s normally cautious nature. When she paid her respect to Avalis he gave her a nod. Somehow that put him at ease. Growing up in Syliras he’d know the safety and welcoming attitude that the Knights had toward Seers. He knew though that not everyone in the world smiled upon the gifts of the Goddess of Divination. Now was not the time for such ponderings however.

“I will be the first to admit that I do not know much in the healing of animals. People on the other hand? I have worked to bring health to other people most of my adult life.” Aoren had gotten comfortable with their train of conversation. He’d become very interested in how Kavala reared her horses followed by a more philosophical topic. It was time to get down to business.

“If it’s an apothecary you need I am not unskilled in the mixing of salves and tonics. In Zeltiva I worked as a Healer for the city tending to patients in their Infirmary. But if it’s a laborer or a forge hand that you need I can help there too. I might have some learning to do but I jump at the chance. I don’t need or want much in the way of material things. Clean clothes. A place to lay my head. The ability to eat. That is good enough for me.” Aoren knew that there would come a day when he did have need of more with some of the pursuits he had in mind. Now was not the time for that though. Such endeavors were years in the making and would take a great deal of time, effort and learning on his part to achieve. He had to start somewhere though. If that meant he had to start at the bottom then he was content to work his way up from there.

After all, Kavala didn’t have to employ him. It was perfectly within her right to say that he didn’t suit the needs of her staffing for the Sanctuary. In that case Aoren would just have to look elsewhere. He knew that he would like the chance to work for her though. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. She was charismatic, she was intelligent to speak with and they shared common ground in the worship of Rak’keli and respect for Avalis. It all depended on the Konti’s needs though. Aoren, of course also possessed less worldly skills as well. He wasn’t quite sure he should broadcast that though. At least not right from the start. If it came up that she was in need of the services and studies of a wizard he could certainly provide them if he possessed the proper disciplines. He had plans to seek more of them but time would tell if he was successful in such endeavors. Magic was not carelessly given and only fools searched for it without knowing what it was they sought.