Closed Home is where Shiber is (Zahrah and Sheaya)

[Sheaya]

Fall 58th Shea was rather sure she had visited every park within Riverfall's walls but the Shemele. In all honesty she was so rarely visiting this corner of the city it had ever occurred to her before to really make the effort to even try as Lapis park was so much closer for her and in her mind a save haven in regards to finding some peace for prayer. If she had not developed the curiosity as to what that particular park was like she probably never would have wondered that way. Bracing herself for the chill that still had her on edge she wrapped her shawl tightly around her head and shoulders, hugging her arms underneath it the best she could in hopes it would keep her warm as she ventured herself over the bridge to the correct side of the city. She still felt like a stranger in this city, but she was better about ignoring the sound of common chattering all around, or perhaps it was better to say a majority of what she was hearing was Tukant. For her first several days she had not caught on that the Akalaks spoke to each other in a tongue other then Common. For a while she thought her common was worse then she had originally thought as she couldn't understand the things they had been talking on around her until she finally realized that it wasn't common at all. She had felt like an idiot at first, but any more she was just ignoring the language all together as she had no interest in even trying to understand it. She had taken to accustom to just keeping her head low and hurrying around as to not draw attention to herself as she had started to grow leery of some of the men's eyes in this city when she had caught their interest. She didn't appreciate how they eyed her, and she ran rather then confronting them. She had no idea what had been going on with her since her arrival at this city, she found herself wonder if she was somehow mysteriously pregnant again as her moods had been all over the place as some days she felt like her confident self and then others she just wanted to keep low and dash about like some cowardly desert mouse. She had taken to thinking it was just because she was still adjusting to her new home and the emotional trauma she had gone through in the seasons past, but then other times she felt unsure of even that. Today she was not going to let herself dwell on these thoughts, instead she felt she would just take some time out for herself and enjoy the park. Perhaps even she could learn something about the flora of this region as she still felt herself recalling the taste of the teas they would brew while roaming the sandy dunes with the local herbs, longing for such tastes again. Even before officially entering the park the Benshira found herself surrounded by beauty that only grew as the sight of green grass and colorful flowers greeted her. Keeping her chin up a little higher she looked around to see the beauty of nature all around her with trails winding all through the majestic park in little walking trails. Despite the rope fences blocking off some of the areas Sheaya almost felt as if she wasn't even behind the walls of a city as she wondered in deeper into the park as it all seemed very natural growing here. As a smile crossed her lips she walked over to a flower patch and bent down beside them as these were not roped off. "I suppose there is some beauty in this place after all." She spoke to herself out loud in her native tongue as she admired the vibrate colors in the petals, wondering if such things were used for dyes here in this region. .

[Zahrah]

58th of Fall, 514 AV This was Zahrah's first time visiting Semele Park. She had heard of its beautiful, colorful flowers, trees and environment. As she walked along the rope Zahrah awed. In the deserts of Yanebah you'd never see anything like this. Zahrah adjusted her shawl as she looked at her surroundings. There were others here too. Many tall blue men, "What are they called again, oh yes, the Akalak men." Zahrah said to herself in her native tongue, Shiber. They spoke a different language, Tukant. She noticed the tiny, pale Konti women as well. Zahrah understood a few words, but she didn't want to get in their business. She's been here for a long while, but she still sometimes forgets a few things. She went back to looking at the flowers. Being fall time, it was a little chilly and windy. A small, cold wind blew as Zahrah held onto her shawl, assuring it didn't fall off of her head. Then she found this perfect spot, the sun shone on a small patch of flowers. Zahrah tried to make sure she remembered that image, thinking about how it would look if she tried painting it. Zahrah then noticed many couples walking together. She sighed, "When will my prince come?" She said with another sigh, then a chuckle. She began to joke with herself, "I just want a handsome man to sweep me off my feet." She said in her native tongue. She chuckled again. She continued walking along the rope, and when she reached the end she made her way to the entrance. As she walked back, Zahrah noticed some things she had missed. Somehow she had missed the large pond. She also missed a few flower patches here and there. Just as she reached the entrance, she found what appeared to be another Benshira woman. She was wearing a shawl. Zahrah, in need of friends, walked towards the woman and bend down beside here. Just in case she wasn't Benshira, she spoke to her in common."They're beautiful, aren't they?" Zahrah said with a smile as she looked at the flowers, then up at the woman.

[Sheaya]

She was still stroking the velvety petals of the flower, unaware now of the people around her. These flowers were delicate beauties in a city filled with hardness everywhere. The only other soft thing that was really apart of this city was the sand on the shores which she did have to admit was a place she enjoyed to be even though it was cold. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she didn't even notice when another woman crouched down beside her until she spoke. At first Sheaya thought it might be one of those pale women, those eerily beautiful Konti or the Kelvics which she found even more unusual, but when she turned her head she found her eyes locking onto a pair of bright blue ones framed by sun kissed skin. Falling backwards with a jingle of bells partly in shock and trying to get a wider view of who she was looking at she found herself looking at who she had hoping and praying she would meet for many days now, another Benshira. She was almost positive this was someone from her homeland even though she was not greeted in the language of their home land. "Praise be to Yahal! Do my eyes deceive me?" She couldn't help but laugh in her language of choice as she sat in a squat position, her eyes moving over the other woman's face as she pushed back loose strands of her hair behind her pierced ears before clasping her hands together and pressing them to her lips in hopes it would conceal her joy that was threatening to bubble over in delight. She had been nearing two thirds of this season passing since she had arrived in Riverfall and yet she could still count the number of Benshira she had seen on one hand. "Falim, I am Sheaya from the tents of Rapa, sons of Basalom." She said with a bow of her head as she wanted to keep herself polite even though she was happier then she had felt in a long while. She missed the community she felt with her own, of her family's tent and she was desperate for even another taste of that if it meant partaking in the generosity of another tent and lending a hand there until she could find her way home. "It is such a relief to see a face from home, all I see around here are faces of strangers normally. I was starting to feel like I was the only one here who was not a rakva." She said as her mirth bubbled over and a small chuckle washed over her, her usual control over her emotions once more showing it was weak by letting that slip. In her moment of joy in never occurred to her that just because this other woman carried the features of a Benshira that she would understand the language. .

[Zahrah]

In Zahrah's head, she was cheering. Finally, another Benshira. She chuckled at Sheaya's excitment. After she introduced herself, she did the same. "I am Zahrah from the tents of Qamar, form the sons of Eliada." She bowed her head as well, "If I knew you were Benshira, I would've greeted you in our native tongue." Ever since Zahrah had moved to the, in her opinion gorgeous, city of Riverfall, all she had seen was everything but Benshira. It was exciting seeing another. I mean, of course she was fine with the Akalak, Konti, etc., but most Benshira stayed in the homeland, Yanebah. Zahrah adjusted her tunic's skirt, "And I agree with you. I am so glad that there is another Benshira here in Riverfall. All I ever see is the Akalak and the Konti. Not that I have a problem with them. It's just that I'm more familiar with the Benshira than the inhabitants of Riverfall." Zahrah was looking forward to being acquainted with woman.

[Sheaya]

She felt her heart beating racing in her chest, racing from her radiating joy. THis was fantastic news, she was not alone in this city after all. "Are there more of our kind here? Is this where your tent is?" She asked with obvious excitement as her eyes lit up. It felt like it had been too long since she had conversed like this in a tongue she was comfortable with. In comparison to Shiber, Common was just not as enjoyable to converse in. The language was gruff and slow to speak, and the songs she had heard sang in the tongue had always felt awkward in comparison to how she felt they could be portrayed in their native tongue. "I've felt so home sick since arriving here. I've never been around so many rakva before, it's been almost unnerving." She said with a faint smile crossing her lips as she glanced around at some passing Akalaks who appeared to be enjoying the surrounding nature. "Have you been stuck in this city for long?" She asked, assuming this woman had also had the misfortune of getting misguided to this foreign location. As she saw it this city was no place for the decedents of Biyram; they were all children of the sand as far as she was concerned and the idea of anything else was a surprise for her. She smoothed out her tunic as she made herself more comfortable to sit on the ground, seeing no qualms about sitting there as some people in this city might. Shea wasn't exactly sure, nor did she even care about the others thought on the subject. "I have nearly given up on the idea of seeing another one of our kind. I really did think I was alone. Please tell me, do you know of any other Benshira women here not from your tent that you might have seen walking the streets here?" She asked, hopeful that her cousin might have been sighted.

[Zahrah]

Zahrah nodded excitedly. "Yes, my tent is here." You could tell that Sheaya was excited. The way her eyes lit up when she asked. And there was excitement in her voice when she spoke. "They live not too far from my cottage. I visit them a lot." Zahrah watched as Sheaya glanced around at some passing Akalaks who seemed to be enjoying the nature. They spoke their language, Zahrah didn't understand what they said, but she wasn't one to be in everyone's business. But in the background, she heard the Konti women speak. She tried to study the language and learn some more words. As they spoke, Zahrah tried to decode what the words meant. But she stopped, once again she didn't want to be in their business. "Have you been stuck in this city for long?" Sheaya asked. "Well, I wouldn't say stuck. I've been here since I was about 14. I wanted to come here, it took me years to persuade my parents to bring me here. Then we decided to live here in Riverfall. Although I miss Yanebah, my heart is telling me this is where I belong." Zahrah stood up for a moment to fix her tunic and adjust her sandals. She sat down instead of crouching. "And no, I don't see many Benshira here. I've seen you, my mother and my father. Most of the people I see are Akalak. Maybe if I payed more attention I would see more of us."

[Sheaya]

A sense of relief immediately washed over her at hearing there were others here; a sense of familiarity in knowing there were people like her and understood where she was coming from. She had never realized how uneasy she had truly been feeling about the whole thing and all that tension she had been carrying until now when she released it all with a small sigh. Closing her eyes for a moment she enjoyed the moment of relief she felt, just soaking in the moment for as long as she could spare before she opened her eyes once more, happy to see the tanned face and bright eyes still there before her. "So you're living with your husband's tents?" She asked as her eyes immediately went to Zahrah's ears, automatically assuming that was why a young woman as this would no longer be with her parents. She was so use to it in their culture that it never would have naturally occurred to her that anyone would be living on their own and not with their family or husband's. "Your family.... chose this?" It was impossible for her to hide her shock in hearing this as she could see no reason why any Benshira would want to be in a place like this. They were children of the desert, sons and daughters of Rapa; what good was a stone city to them so far from their own kind? "Why would you choose this? I can not even understand how this would even hold beauty to you." The whole idea was troubling to her and not easily dismissed as the conversation moved on. her heart was heavy with troubles, and it was almost just as disappointing to think that Zaharah and her tents would not be traveling back to the desert any time soon if this was where they were now calling home. She would still be stranded in this city, but at least there was a drop of her culture here in this sea of rocks and large species of males. "You are only the second Benshira I have seen here, I don't believe he was your father though as he did not speak of any others that he knew of." She mentioned, "I kept hoping I would find someone here, and now here you are. I feel Yahal has answered my prayers." This encounter hadn't been exactly what she had prayed for, but it was better then nothing. Yahal's will was far from something she could understand, but she knew better then to be ungrateful for what her god did for her. After all, it wasn't like she could know what he had intended for her in his great plan for her.

oocPosting for when you get your PC situation taken care of and can post again.