New Beginnings [Liriel/Abashai]

[Abashai]

Dramatic performances were unfamiliar to Abashai, at least in the form of plays and theater. the Benshira sometimes added play acting or pantomime while stories were told at an evening masha, but these were impromptu and in no way a tradition. He thought the Eypharians might watch plays.

Abashai agreed with his bondmate. "I'd like to see that too Nya." He turned to the actress. "Do you think you could act like Nya's mother?" He had a hard time understanding the acting part. Usually, someone who is acting like someone else is mocking them, or being deceitful. But Abashai didn't believe Liriel would be doing those things. He would like to see the the young woman's interpretation of Zilvia's story and wondered how she would make herself appear like the scholarly woman.

"I have never seen plays either. In some ways, I can see how they would be better than telling a story, it would be like showing a story. It might even help others outside that culture to understand the story better, being able to see how the people in the story act and dress." He paused a moment, looking thoughtfully off at the fire, then back at Liriel. "You know, this is a big city, there must be others who have performed like you around here, maybe we could help you find them. They could help you perform your stories."

[Liriel]

Nya’s first comment confused Liriel, threw her off for a moment. Read plays? How could anyone read a play? Even if you took everything everyone said during the performance and wrote it down, it wouldn’t be anything like the real thing. It seemed like trying to read a song—impossible and silly.

But Nya was enthusiastic about the idea of seeing a play, and Liriel nodded in agreement with her words. It was gratifying to hear that the woman thought she would play her mother well—high praise. It was always tricky to play a person who was actually alive. Even if they didn’t mind, someone they knew would inevitably be offended by the portrayal.

At Abashi’s question, Liriel cocked her head to one side and considered. “I could do it, most likely. It’s always hard to play a character who’s involved with magic. You have to work to make that convincing. And I’d have to know more about her first. A lot of becoming a character is knowing what’s in their mind, knowing what makes them tick. Either someone has to tell you those things, or you have to make them up. But either way you need to know what motivates them.”

Again Abashi brought the conversation around to the possibility of forming some sort of group within Syliras. Liriel admired the way his thoughts were so practical, always turning to the question of what they could do, how she could use her various talents. He took words spoken casually in conversation and made them meaningful.

“I would love to find other people like that. Or maybe there are people who have never preformed, but would be interested in learning. But how do you suggest I go about finding these people? The city is so big.”

[Nya Winters]

Nya thought about Liriel's words carefully. She had a few suggestions, but she figured Abashai had even more. "I like Matilda. She runs the Travelers Row here. She is one of the white women who see things others cannot. I would speak to her, for if she does not know the answers to your questions, I suspect she will know where to begin your hunt at." Nya said thoughtfully. She stifled a yawn, stretched, and rose to fetch Abashai's overcoat. Though she Nya was somewhat nocturnal, the dancing had taken its toll on her. Wrapping Abashai's coat around her, she settled down at his feet, leaned against his chair, and rested her cheek against his knee. With heavy eyes, she yawned again, then had another thought.

"You might ask the scholar in the Temple... the one that feels like buried power or a fire that has been covered over with dirt but still burns brightly beneath the cool surface. He knows things too, and helps." Nya rubbed her cheek against Abashai's leg, snuggling to get closer, and then very much like an oversized pet - she completely relaxed. Abashai could easily move, get up, wander... without disturbing her overly much, but Liriel could instantly tell the kelvic was completely devoted to the benshira man. And though not asleep, the girl looked like she'd would be the moment the fire died or the voices around her muted. That she would relax so easily in Liriel's presence spoke volumes of her trust and confidence in the woman.

She started to say something else, but simply just chewed on her lip sleepily and smiled at The Storyteller, already giving the woman a secret name - a title - even though Liriel had already given her permission to use her real one.

[Abashai]

Abashai stifled a yawn, an unconscious reaction to Nya's own. He thought for a moment how funny it was that, at least among humans, yawns seemed to be contagious. Luckily, Liriel was looking at Nya as he grit his teeth to conceal the sure sign of a tiring body.

As his guardian friend snuggled against him, Abashai reached over to stroke her hair, a unique brindled mane that his bondmate kept soft and clean. The evening had brought an easiness to Abashai and he welcomed Nya's comforting presence, even took the luxury of running his fingers through her silky strands and scratching behind her ear. Abashai felt comfortable with Liriel, and didn't mind her seeing his affections for Nya.

"Ny's right, they would be good to talk to." He liked the way Nya described Glav and Matilda, for her words did indeed characterize the two very well. "Glav and Matilda know a lot of people in the city. I could also ask some of the benshiran musicians I know. They may be interested, or know other performers who would want to learn. I would think artists would be inclined to try a new form of expression. Maybe even Sina at Wildwood Music would know someone. "

[Liriel]

Liriel watched the two with interest, noting their unselfconscious acts of affection. Though she was not discomforted by the display, she was a little surprised. The Chaktawe tended to be more restrained, not so openly physical especially in public and with strangers. Again Liriel wondered about the two. Who were they really, and what was the nature of their bond?

Smiling to herself, Liriel knew the questions stemmed from her sometimes overenthusiastic tendency to turn everything into a story. Just as if they were characters, Liriel wondered about other people, about their lives beyond the present moment. What was in their past, and what did they see in their future? Fortunately, she did not feel impatient for the answers. Life, like a story, took its time unfolding. And you didn’t always get to see every scene.

Right now, she needed to focus on her own story. She had been lucky to find friends so quickly, but she could not let herself grow too comfortable with this. She didn’t know exactly what she had come to this city for, but it wasn’t to do nothing but sit around and tell stories. She would be happy for that to be a part of her new life, but there had to be more to it.

“It sounds like there are several people who could help me, then,” Liriel said aloud, a little confused at Nya’s descriptions but grasping the basic ideas. “Matilda at the Traveler’s Row, and Glav at the Temple. And Sina at Wildwood Music.” She took a moment to mull over the names, committing them as best she could to memory though the places were all unfamiliar. “Tomorrow, then, I will begin to explore the city, and meet new people. And maybe I can begin to figure out what my place here might be.”

[Nya Winters]

She wasn't going to fall asleep. Nya promised herself. Yawning once more, Nya decided she'd get up and suggest to Liriel that they retire until morning. But Abashai's soothing touch, especially the scratch behind her ear... sent her over the edge from the world of the living into Nysel's realm. She fell hard and fast, tumbling from consciousness as she leaned against the chair dog-like and quiet.

Nya's slipped into a deep and meaningful dream where her people, the kelvics, wandered first the deserts like the Chaktawe, and then even further afield - even to the stars. There was no food, no water, no hope. They searched for something - for Abashai - looking for his sister, his long lost sister who caused him such sorrow when she disappeared. And Nya dreamed she told the story of the search to Liriel, who pointed to Abashai and said... "He has no sister....". Nya shook her head, no... that was wrong... he had a sister and they had to find her... that was their purpose. To serve. But when she turned, in her dream, to consult Abashai and demand to know why he'd lost his sister, it wasn't Abashai at all. It was a man... a man Nya's knew was Marcus Kelvic. Avala. They looked for Avala. The kelvic dreamed on, confused... as if she shared a memory... of someone in the past... someone who used to live. The young kevlic muttered and then settled back quietly as the dream continued. Then...

Nya hissed in her sleep, snuggled closer to the chair leg, and kept dreaming, living a story as if it were a memory... a memory destined to be played out on a stage with Liriel' narrating the story.

[Abashai]

As Abashai conversed with Liriel, he felt Nya's head grow heavy against his leg, her breathing become deep and slow. He smiled at Liriel, noting the Chaktawe woman, too, appeared weary. "It is late and we have kept you long enough. I really have enjoyed meeting you Liriel. Though we have a place in the Bronze Wood, we are in the city quite often. I hope we can all become good friends. Please let us know if you need any help, or just need some company. If you cannot find us here, I have an office in the basement of the Temple." Abashai chuckled. "And Nya can be found about anywhere in the city, she likes to explore and make friends. " He gently cradled the sleeping kelvic's head in his hands as he rose from the chair, pulling a sleeve of the coat up to the seat and resting Nya's head against it.

Abashia waited for Liriel to rise and walked her to the door. He bid her goodnight and looked out to make sure she safely entered her room before closing his own door. Returning to Nya, he stooped to scoop the sleeping forest cat into his arms and placed her carefully on the bed. He removed her boots, then his own. After tossing a few more logs into the hearth, he climbed into bed next to his bondmate.

[Liriel]

Liriel smiled, watching Nya struggle against sleep and then succumb to it unselfconsciously. In many ways, the Kelvic was like a child. Actually, if Nya’s words had been meant literally then she was a child, though how a full-grown woman could be two years old Liriel couldn’t begin to understand. Maybe in time she would. Maybe someday she would return to the Chaktawe tribe of her childhood and give them a story about all the things she’d seen in this city, including this remarkable woman who was not a woman.

Nodding at Abashi’s words, Liriel yawned and stood. “Thank you for everything,” she said as they walked to the door. “Thank you for making me feel welcome, and giving me a chance to try and understand this place and yourselves. I will see you soon, I’m sure. And maybe next time you can tell a story of your own.”

With that Liriel left the sleepy companions and entered her own room. Though she’d been concerned about being inside, the thick walls and floor separating her from earth and wind, she found it surprisingly easy to fall asleep.

[Colombina]

Great thread, guys, mad props to my desert homies for understanding the culture and atmosphere of the desert. Liriel, I'm taking your lovely interpretation of the Chaktawe beginnings and making it canon. (Though next time we might want to have it go the other way around canon first then thread.) I formally award... 2 xp Each in Storytelling for Nya and Liriel Liriel : Lore of Benshira Abashai and Nya: Lore of Chaktawe