The Songs They Sing Here
Fall 70th, 514 A.V.
Location: Zeltiva
It was late morning when Ireth awoke. And even then, she woke up before little Ellemyer, who snoozed soundly by her mother's side in a little nest made from one of their blankets. The sunlight bathed Ireth's room in a warm golden glow, but the busker knew that it was a facade. Outside the walls of the Grotto, the air would be crisp with the chill of Fall. The leaves on the trees around Zeltiva were changing colors, a phenomenon that Ireth was only experiencing for the second time in her life. There weren't really seasons in her hometown of Ravok, the breezes of the Lake and the blessings of her Lord Rhysol kept the seasonal changes minimum. The temperature cooled a tad in Winter, but there had been no such thing as snow or autumn or even rain really whilst she had been there. But Ire had loved the changing of the colors of the leaves while in Nyka, and Zeltiva was no different. The reds and oranges and yellows that blossomed from the tops of the trees that lived within and without the city were beautiful, to the point that they aroused melodies within Ireth's musical mind, light and airy tunes that would eventually give in to the solemn and elegant tones that Winter brought to her mind.
The girl sat in the silence for a moment, taking in all around her. The room that she was renting in the World's End Grotto was not very different from the SafeHaven room she'd rented in Nyka, a little smaller perhaps but not unfortunately so. Her trunk lay wide open, the small collection of her and Ellemyer's things spread around the room in neat piles, some things on the nightstand and some things in the wardrobe. Elle's cradleboard stood near the door next to Ireth's boots, while their clothing was in folded stacks next to the blanket chest. The scattering of their possessions made the room feel a little more homelike and a little less foreboding, but it was nothing like Ireth's apartment back in Nyka. She'd rented the apartment for less than a season before having to move, but it had been the first home she'd had with Elle, and that made it a little more special.
When her daughter finally awoke, Ireth changed and fed her. When Ire had first started breast feeding Ellemyer, she'd do it in private because she'd strip off her entire top to allow Elle access to her breasts. But recently she'd discovered that if she simply untied the decorative drawstrings around the collar of her tunics, Ireth could pull the neck down over her shoulder and breast, allowing her to remain dressed while her daughter fed. And though she still avoided feeding in public, it wasn't as bothersome as needing to take off her shirt every time.
With that, Ireth suckled Ellemyer and hummed softly, trying to decide what to do with the day ahead of her. "Oh little one, what shall we do? Would you like to go exploring?" The thought of exploring Zeltiva lit a little flame in Ireth's chest. She liked to wander, liked to explore, and Zeltiva, just as Nyka had, presented her with a brand new world to explore. Sometimes she thought having a child made her grow into adulthood before her mind was ready to, she now cared for Elle with her every waking breath. But there were times when she was able to let her childish heart roam free, and exploring seemed to be one of them.
"Let's find a market, hmm? That sounds fun, maybe we can find some new foods. Maybe a little toy for you." The Grotto offered meager meals, but Ire welcomed the excuse to buy food as a way to explore.
Ellemyer cooed, giggling when Ireth had to struggle with her little arms to get them through a tunic. Ireth's eyes crinkled at the corners when she played with her daughter. "You're a silly little one, so wiggly!" She gave Elle's tummy a tickle before dressing herself. Once dressed in a copper-red tunic and her gray breeches, Ire pulled her heavy black cloak over her shoulders and secured its ties around her neck. She left the hood down though, and pulled her long hair from beneath her collar so it hung loose down the back of her cloak. She decided to leave it free, the creases from wearing a braid to bed the night before looking pretty. In her old backpack she put her coin purse and a couple of Elle's cloth diapers. Ire swung the pack up over her shoulders and adjusted to the weight.
The last thing she put on was the pendant that Savio had given her, the stone sparkling like new and the silver chain light but strong.
Going back to her daughter, Ireth laughed as Elle's eyes were drawn to the glisten of the necklace, her itty bitty fingers reaching toward the shiny object. "Not yet little one. Maybe when you're older." She wrapped Ellemyer up in a warm gray blanket and left the room.
When she came to the World's End Grotto's common room, she found the inn's young innkeep listening in on an old fisherman's tales. Serra greeted the busker and her daughter with a warm smile. "Where are ye two off this marnin'?"
Ireth handed Ellemyer to the innkeep, who nuzzled the child and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I thought I'd like to look around the city some more. Where does one go to buy food, maybe I can pick something up for you to use here?"
Serra laughed. "I know our food ain't the best, ye don't have to hide that ye don't like it!"
Ireth feigned shock. "I never! Whatever gave you such an idea?" The innkeep rolled her eyes. "I'd like to see what sort of foods can be bought here, what things might be different from Nyka." She paused, a glimmer of mischief in her eye. "It's my excuse to explore. Where shall I go?"
"Ye might start with the Fish Market. It's down toward the Docks, that's where most folk go to buy food. Other's go to the General Market or out into the farms for fresh produce, but for now I'd start with the Fish Market. Ye'll like it."
Ireth nodded in agreement, remembering happily the markets of Ravok and the Herring Square in Nyka. "Sounds wonderful. Which direction do I go?" The other woman handed little Elle back to her mother and showed her to the door, where she pointed off down the street.
"If ye follow this down by the Docks, ye'll find it no trouble. Just follow all the fishwives on their way to pick first from the day's fresh catches." Ireth thanked her friend and went on her way.
Fall 70th, 514 A.V.
Location: Zeltiva
It was late morning when Ireth awoke. And even then, she woke up before little Ellemyer, who snoozed soundly by her mother's side in a little nest made from one of their blankets. The sunlight bathed Ireth's room in a warm golden glow, but the busker knew that it was a facade. Outside the walls of the Grotto, the air would be crisp with the chill of Fall. The leaves on the trees around Zeltiva were changing colors, a phenomenon that Ireth was only experiencing for the second time in her life. There weren't really seasons in her hometown of Ravok, the breezes of the Lake and the blessings of her Lord Rhysol kept the seasonal changes minimum. The temperature cooled a tad in Winter, but there had been no such thing as snow or autumn or even rain really whilst she had been there. But Ire had loved the changing of the colors of the leaves while in Nyka, and Zeltiva was no different. The reds and oranges and yellows that blossomed from the tops of the trees that lived within and without the city were beautiful, to the point that they aroused melodies within Ireth's musical mind, light and airy tunes that would eventually give in to the solemn and elegant tones that Winter brought to her mind.
The girl sat in the silence for a moment, taking in all around her. The room that she was renting in the World's End Grotto was not very different from the SafeHaven room she'd rented in Nyka, a little smaller perhaps but not unfortunately so. Her trunk lay wide open, the small collection of her and Ellemyer's things spread around the room in neat piles, some things on the nightstand and some things in the wardrobe. Elle's cradleboard stood near the door next to Ireth's boots, while their clothing was in folded stacks next to the blanket chest. The scattering of their possessions made the room feel a little more homelike and a little less foreboding, but it was nothing like Ireth's apartment back in Nyka. She'd rented the apartment for less than a season before having to move, but it had been the first home she'd had with Elle, and that made it a little more special.
When her daughter finally awoke, Ireth changed and fed her. When Ire had first started breast feeding Ellemyer, she'd do it in private because she'd strip off her entire top to allow Elle access to her breasts. But recently she'd discovered that if she simply untied the decorative drawstrings around the collar of her tunics, Ireth could pull the neck down over her shoulder and breast, allowing her to remain dressed while her daughter fed. And though she still avoided feeding in public, it wasn't as bothersome as needing to take off her shirt every time.
With that, Ireth suckled Ellemyer and hummed softly, trying to decide what to do with the day ahead of her. "Oh little one, what shall we do? Would you like to go exploring?" The thought of exploring Zeltiva lit a little flame in Ireth's chest. She liked to wander, liked to explore, and Zeltiva, just as Nyka had, presented her with a brand new world to explore. Sometimes she thought having a child made her grow into adulthood before her mind was ready to, she now cared for Elle with her every waking breath. But there were times when she was able to let her childish heart roam free, and exploring seemed to be one of them.
"Let's find a market, hmm? That sounds fun, maybe we can find some new foods. Maybe a little toy for you." The Grotto offered meager meals, but Ire welcomed the excuse to buy food as a way to explore.
Ellemyer cooed, giggling when Ireth had to struggle with her little arms to get them through a tunic. Ireth's eyes crinkled at the corners when she played with her daughter. "You're a silly little one, so wiggly!" She gave Elle's tummy a tickle before dressing herself. Once dressed in a copper-red tunic and her gray breeches, Ire pulled her heavy black cloak over her shoulders and secured its ties around her neck. She left the hood down though, and pulled her long hair from beneath her collar so it hung loose down the back of her cloak. She decided to leave it free, the creases from wearing a braid to bed the night before looking pretty. In her old backpack she put her coin purse and a couple of Elle's cloth diapers. Ire swung the pack up over her shoulders and adjusted to the weight.
The last thing she put on was the pendant that Savio had given her, the stone sparkling like new and the silver chain light but strong.
Going back to her daughter, Ireth laughed as Elle's eyes were drawn to the glisten of the necklace, her itty bitty fingers reaching toward the shiny object. "Not yet little one. Maybe when you're older." She wrapped Ellemyer up in a warm gray blanket and left the room.
When she came to the World's End Grotto's common room, she found the inn's young innkeep listening in on an old fisherman's tales. Serra greeted the busker and her daughter with a warm smile. "Where are ye two off this marnin'?"
Ireth handed Ellemyer to the innkeep, who nuzzled the child and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I thought I'd like to look around the city some more. Where does one go to buy food, maybe I can pick something up for you to use here?"
Serra laughed. "I know our food ain't the best, ye don't have to hide that ye don't like it!"
Ireth feigned shock. "I never! Whatever gave you such an idea?" The innkeep rolled her eyes. "I'd like to see what sort of foods can be bought here, what things might be different from Nyka." She paused, a glimmer of mischief in her eye. "It's my excuse to explore. Where shall I go?"
"Ye might start with the Fish Market. It's down toward the Docks, that's where most folk go to buy food. Other's go to the General Market or out into the farms for fresh produce, but for now I'd start with the Fish Market. Ye'll like it."
Ireth nodded in agreement, remembering happily the markets of Ravok and the Herring Square in Nyka. "Sounds wonderful. Which direction do I go?" The other woman handed little Elle back to her mother and showed her to the door, where she pointed off down the street.
"If ye follow this down by the Docks, ye'll find it no trouble. Just follow all the fishwives on their way to pick first from the day's fresh catches." Ireth thanked her friend and went on her way.
