Closed Bathed in Warm Sunlight

[Eosi]

17th Day of Winter, 515 AV

The wind tousled her hair. It was early evening. Syna's final golden lights were fading on the horizon, leaving the sky in a gradient of dark and light. Eosi could see her breath as it escaped her lips in a cloud. The mark on the back of her neck radiated warmth for a brief moment as she used it one last time, taking one last glimpse of the barren hills that radiated out from the domed city.

She watched as birds darted in and out of the trees of the Orchards. The guards milled around at their posts, just outside the gates. Eosi stood in the midst of it all at the sun went down, alongside the Bluevein river. The colors of the horizon were reflected the surface of the azure waves, all peach, pink and navy. Twilight was by and large her favorite hour. Even on the coldest day, Riverfall glimmered like a broach at the throat of the world.

There was never much activity along the river's edge when the weather got colder. Most couldn't stomach it. Eosi found it to be a perfect place to seek refuge, given recent events. She huddled into her cloak, staring into the placid waters. It seemed like every single time she tried to spend time with someone, they wept buckets. No one could stand a moment in her presence without behaving strangely. They laughed or shouted or cried, but whatever the circumstance, she struggled to find a moment's peace.

Recently, they'd made an announcement about the 'powers' that'd be manifesting throughout Riverfall. Eosi was certainly not the only one plagued with strange happenings. Every place she turned, there were flowers growing from a person's hands or two apparitions fighting over one body. The whole season had been pandemonium, ever since the Winter Blaze. Which of course implicated none other than Straif Davin. Idly, she wondered whether or not the Elders planned to do something about it.

Just as the sun sank beneath the skyline, she heard a noise a few yards away. It sounded like footsteps. Eosi turned expectantly, her woodland eyes serene. She found herself strangely ready for the encounter. Whether it was the beauty of the Syna's fading light or the serenity of the river, who could say? But her lips bowed upward slightly as she looked over her shoulder.

WC: 398

[Kavala]

Kavala had a lot of frustration bottled up inside of her. Sometimes she worked out at home, but other times she felt the need to journey to town and work out. It wasn’t as if the solitude of home bothered her much. There were people there she cared about and loved. But it was more that the Kendoka Sasaran had a lot of adult male Akalaks more than willing to spar with her which kept her out of trouble with her family.

The Konti Healer felt like she lead a double life sometimes. Healers were supposed to be gentle folk, unassuming and quietly dedicated to the health and well-being of everyone around them. Kavala didn’t feel that way though. She felt like she always needed to be on guard, protective, and physically at her peak. She also felt like she needed to brush up on her double bladed longsword and unarmed combat. Each had been trained to her separately, but the truth was both artforms blended well together. If she was swinging her double-bladed longsword, then her feet were in motion too and there was nothing to say she couldn’t get a kick in on the return when she reset the blade into its defensive position from a thrust.

Kavala had been there when the facility opened. Her body was screaming for a good workout. But thanks to Caelums efforts, it wasn’t craving anything beyond that. Once upon a time her mind had been a little skewed to the dark and every so often she needed a blade at her throat or her skin being parted by one to feel pleasure. Caelum had sensed the broken in Kavala and had appealed to Rak’keli to fix her. With the Goddess’ help, he’d earned his second mark and cured his friend of her darkest secret – the craving and even pleasure at pain. Kavala was thankful for that. Her battles at the Sasaran were more wholesome now, less secretly depraved, and she felt she got far more out of them.

Her first opponent of the day was an expert at simply longsword. Like many others, he wanted the challenge of a longer reaching blade wielded by a lighter figure. Kavala had readily agreed and the two had faced off. Fighting with a double-bladed long sword was a lot like fighting with a quarterstaff though you had to mind the blades on the end and use them to their fullest advantage. Like most longswords, Kavala’s was sharpened at both ends. She’d gotten hers at the Southern Trading Post, so it was made of Isurdian Steel and sharpened to a razor precision. Facing off with the expert, Kavala had started off slow, mainly defending herself against his shorter attacks. She brought the blade up more than once, letting his trail off her honed edges and slide away. Kavala wasn’t good enough skillwise to breach his defenses, but she could block all day and she was fast. IT was good exercise, swinging the blades up, twirling, catching his long sword on her leading edges, and twisting away. She even disarmed him once with the long sword but had moved back to rest position in respect for him. He’d twisted at a wrong angle, stepped funny, and she’d dropped under his guard in that instant, bringing the reach of her blade into play and hooking his hand and the crosspiece along her shaft. Thinking fast, she’d yanked, twisted, and sent his blade flying.

A grin had broken out on both their faces.

Kavala had sweat trickling down her back, under her arms, and under her breasts. She was even panting a little when the expert got back into the master’s circle. Dancing with a blade, especially something as elegant as double-bladed longsword was an incredible high for the healer. It put her in a whole new place in her mind. That place made her feel strong – far taller and far larger than she in truth actually was – and powerful. It was the place she could finally understand where others craved power, coveted it even.

And while she was contemplating power, distracted, the swordsman bent, twisted under her blade, and had slapped her with the flat of his sword across her ass hard. The Konti had jumped, twisted away, and almost dropped her weapon. The Akalak had laughed. Another in the crowd had helpfully offered to rub the pain away. Not exactly helpful, though Kavala didn’t take offense. This is what she’d came here for… not special treatment. Not to be the Mistress of The Sanctuary. No, she’d come here to learn.

She’d faced seven men in all, three of which had offered double bladed practice. They’d insisted she trade her own blade for a wooden sparring one though. Fine by her, she’d worked through all of them, sometimes beating them and sometimes getting beaten in return. There were no humans there that day and she was glad for it. Kavala considered herself a recovering racist. She didn’t much like humans, but she was trying very hard not to hold their race against them. Females were fine and she even counted many among her friends. But male humans stirred something deep inside that hadn’t quite healed. Somewhere deep in her heart she felt those rough metal bars of the slave wagon she had traveled inside and of the men who had taken such liberties with her on the road. She hadn’t been alone, nor had she even been the worst off. But it had gotten her to Riverfall, inadvertently, and into the Nakivak program and ultimately her three children. She wouldn’t trade them for anything, but she did wish she didn’t hate humans so much.

Thus being among the Akalak was therapeutic. Even if one or two of them had pets that spoke to her in front of them. By now the City Council had made the announcement of weird powers manifesting and she’d given a shrug and realized all in one motion that was what had happened with her. Somehow, some way the powers that were manifesting in Winter surrounding her involved animal speech. She was almost to the point she accepted it now… speaking with strange creatures and visiting with people’s pets as much as she visited with the people themselves. It might have added to her strangeness but it didn’t take away from her loneliness.

Kavala was lonely. Caelum was away traveling, and though she thought of him as a brother, he’d given her the best of company at the worst of times. She missed that. And she hoped to find it again. A good friend would be best. A woman perhaps who knew what she went through as well. A lover also would be nice, but not someone clingy or needy, that looked to her as a mother or a source of shelter. She wanted someone who stood on his own and needed nothing but perhaps the pleasure of a lovely Konti’s company once in a while to satiate his needs. Long term commitments for the Konti hadn’t worked out, not in friends and certainly not in bedmates. Death was too common among the Akalak and indeed among the population fo Mizahar as a whole.

And so she visited the Kandoka Sasaran, fought until she had bruises on her bruises and was too winded for more than slow walk home, and then went to wander the city. She didn’t have to wander far. Before long she came upon a woman who too was along, looking over the vista, seemingly lost in thought. Kavala approached her, limping slightly though content that she’d earned the limp well that day, and nodded to the stranger.

“It’s dangerous to be out here alone in this day and age and in this weather. Unless I’m wrong, I think it will snow soon. What do you look at that your eyes are so far away?” Kavala asked, turning to set eyes on where the strange clocked woman was just looking. “I’m Kavala. I came to the city to get some training in at the Sasaran. They wailed on me pretty good this morning. I think I’m ready to break my fast. Would you like to join me for some tea and a light meal?” Kavala asked, curious if the woman would speak. She looked so ethereal for a moment, Kavala wondered if she were a ghost.

1397/13171

[Eosi]

The final blaze of the sun as it went bathed Kavala in beautiful, transient light. Eosi watched as she limped closer, offering her a ready smile. The mixture of vermilion and cobalt glimmered against her skin, especially where it caught the edges of her scales until it gently slipped away, lapsing into just a thin gilding along the edge of the sky.

While she was beautiful too, that wasn't necessarily what Eosi found most compelling about Kavala. There were hundreds of beautiful women in Riverfall, though Konti were in a category all their own. No, what drew her in seemed to be their similarity of spirit. She was direct, friendly and she didn't mince words. Likewise, she was armed to the teeth and dressed in traditionally Akalak leathers. Wore them well, too. There seemed to be an immediate kinship between the women, which was relatively unfamiliar to her.

"It is dangerous," she agreed, "though I keep a good watch, or so I've been told." Her tone was generous as compared to how she usually acted. Prickly was a good word for Eosi. In fact, it was among the kinder adjectives that had been used to describe her. Leaning over her shoulder, she considered the next question.

"I'm looking at the world I suppose," she answered earnestly. "I tend to enjoy a broad view of things." Which was truer than one might imagine.

She turned away from the cobalt waves of the river to face the stranger in earnest. Her mane of red hair tousled in the slight breeze.

"A pleasure to meet you," she replied, speech still subtly influenced by an upbringing across the sea. It was obvious that in spite of appearances, she was not native to the area. "My name is Eosi," she offered, bowing slightly in a show of respect.

She'd just come from the Sasaran? Eosi felt her smile broaden. The city was full of women who in the least knew how to defend themselves, but there were very few who actively sought the sport of it. With every passing moment, she found Kavala more and more agreeable.

"Sounds like some good exercise," she responded, moving to close the distance between the two of them. If Kavala had just come back from a fight, then it was no wonder she was hungry. She rolled her shoulders and descended the tiny little slope that stood between them with a few long strides.

"I'd certainly love to," she agreed. Affability toward a complete stranger was far outside the realm of normal behavior for Eosi. But it had recently occurred to her that for the years she'd spent in and out of Riverfall, she didn't have a single person that she called a friend. After Leo had gone, she found it was simply that she didn't want to get hurt again. Becoming close with people could be challenging for Eosi. The amount of effort it required to learn to love them in the first place was equal to the heartbreak she felt when they were gone.

Still, she knew better than that. It was cowardice in a sense, avoiding connections with others to guard her heart. It just so happened then, that Kavala caught her right at the perfect moment.

"We can go to the Kulkukan Inn. Their prices are reasonable and the ambiance is quite nice. Unless you prefer something earthier, like the Blue Bull." As always, she found her natural disposition taking over. Eosi was always moving things along.

"If you're feeling decadent, there is the Glass Gull too though it's a bit of a waste." The mention of it brought her back to to thoughts of Leo. Ever in command, she rejected the intense nostalgia, setting it aside to be dealt with later on.

"I'd prepare us something myself," she went on, "but you wouldn't want that." Her autumn eyes sparkled with rare humor.

Naturally, as seemed to be her burden for the season, the compulsion to profess deep secrets rolled from Eosi in waves. It was as if she were a lightning rod for whatever hid deep and dark in a person's spirit. As they stood closely, the urge would more than certainly be overpowering.

"So, what'll it be?" She offered Kavala the choice.

If and when she made the decision on where it was they were eating, Eosi would move to take the lead. Beneath her cloak, she ran her fingers along the cool wooden handle of her hand-axes. Kavala made a good point. Even though the gates were within shouting distance, you could never be too careful.

"I'm surprised a woman like you is out here alone," she offered as they walked. "Though you're certainly tough enough." Eosi glanced over at her wan companion. For as pale as she was, Kavala was not lacking in color.

"What is it that you do here in Riverfall? Everyone has a role in the community. It's one of the things I like best about this place," she mused aloud.

WC: 816

[Kavala]

The Konti watched the woman as she spoke. There was a strange mingling of gentleness and strength in her. Even the way she moved was different. She blended into the environment like she was part of it. Kavala envied that having always felt like she stood out herself. The two of them were in juxtaposition. Kavala felt like they were fire and ice bathed in the soothing subtle colors of twilight which tried to recolor both of them into something both more muted and brilliant at the same time.


“Yes. Dangerous. But it shouldn’t be. I’m glad you keep a vigil.” The Konti said in response, nodding to Eosi’s words. It was smart. Even though Riverfall was a safe city, one could never be too careful. Kavala had initially perhaps mistaken the woman for delicate perhaps even weak, but looking her in the eye and speaking with her briefly, the Konti could tell she had a strong spirit. The red hair was unusual. So too were the dark intelligent hazel eyes. The woman had seen things. Kavala knew that look. It was the same sort of look she wore on her own face at times. And though their eye color was different, the expression had stared back at her in the mirror time and time again. What was she doing?

Kavala could feel the woman before her almost perched on the question. What now. What am I waiting for? She’d seen it before in herself and others. And though she could read no human minds, she could observe faces and recognized seekers like herself. Eosi was looking. Kavala just wasn’t sure for what.

They had exchanged names and perhaps niceties, but Kavala wanted a little more time in the woman’s company. She reminded her of someone else, though who eluded her completely. There was a heat and warmth to Eosi that did remind Kavala acutely of a blazing hearth in the heart of winter. One wanted to hold out ones hands and warm them in the heat of her gaze.

Kavala was glad Eosi agreed to break bread with her. “It’s good exercise and it gets my mind off things my mind has no business being on. They don’t pull their punches there, though they are smart enough – the Akalak – to pare people up with people of like skill. So the bruises you take away are earned through your own stupidity and not through anyone’s cruelty.” The Konti commented absently. She had a low smooth voice that was almost a rich alto. Larik said she sounded like chocolate tasted which always made Kavala chuckle. Her nephew had a wild imagination for all that he was three years old.

Eosi had a few suggestions which Kavala nodded too. She agreed with all of Eosi’s reasoning, but none of the places had a particular appeal to her. The Kulkukan Inn did have decently priced food that wasn’t too hard on the stomach. Her suggestion of the Glass Gull met with agreement on the waste part from Kavala. The Konti even chuckled when Eosi offered to cook.

“Actually I’d like to go to the Sapphire Star. I’ve heard the owner wants to sell and I’d be interested in looking over the business. I’d have to discretely take some notes, but if she’s there, we might even be able to talk some business talk if you don’t mind.” Kavala suggested. “They have good food, and it would be my treat anyhow.” The Konti added, beckoning Eosi to walk with her. “The Sapphire Star is an all women’s club. No men allowed. I believe they have a house meal that is delicious but changes daily. That would mean it had a kitchen somehow. It plays music and there are informal gatherings of book clubs and such as well. But all in all its… bland for my tastes. I also think it could do a better business than it does in the right hands.” Kavala said, moving forward.

“I’m actually a Healer, believe it or not. I own an animal healing clinic outside of town called The Sanctuary. I also board, raise, and train riding horses and warhorses. We also breed dogs and have several raptors we rehabilitate or hunt. I have my hand in a little of everything, really….” She said thoughtfully, looking at Eosi. “I even keep a few bees on the side.” The Konti laughed slightly. “It’s less of a business though because we end up using most of what we produce in terms of the honey and beeswax. They go into medicine.” Kavala added, turning down a road and headed south.

“What about you Eosi? Tell me something of how you came to be here. Your coloring might suggest Wind Reach, but I think I would be wrong.” The Konti said, curious but not willing to pry if the woman herself wasn’t willing to share.

The Sapphire Star was in an L shaped building that was on the top tier of the city. It was prime real estate in a fairly good sized building. Eosi and Kavala traveled south past one crossroad then turned west down another road. The Star was on the right overlooking the waterfall. It was a beautiful location with decent landscaping. The windows were darkened on the road side and the sign above the door said Ladies Only. Strictly Enforced.

A small flock of birds clinging to the supports that held up the porch and a balcony above whistled and cooed softly. Kavala could hear the birds. They were softly calling her name “Kavala… Kavala… Kavala…” It was more like a flock chatter than actual formed words so The Healer hoped Eosi didn’t notice.

Kavala mounted the steps to the big porch and walked in past a bouncer who was decidedly all female and Akontak. She held the door for Eosi and they walked in past a foyer and into the back where a large seating and dining area was. Music played and a wash of oranges, reds, and pinks met them. Kavala picked a comfortable couch with a table that doubled as an eating surface. She slipped in and immediately ordered wine for herself. Letting Eosi choose what she wanted, the Konti nodded to the female waitress and tapped her own leather chest. “This is on me. I have a tab here so just put the charges there. I’ll clear it out before we leave.” The Konti said to the waitress and smiled as the woman walked away with both Eosi and Kavala’s orders.

The Konti looked around calculatingly. “I find this place lovely but boring. I would have a much better time served by males and entertained by them. Sometimes I’d even prefer companionship. Either of the type you can buy or the type that volunteers but leaves when you say no.” Kavala said frankly, turning to glance at Eosi. “I have aspirations to buy the place, remodel it slightly, perhaps change its name, and hire a manager to run it. I have too much to do with my own facility to oversee a second one in a second location. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done though. It can. But this place makes me sad every time I see a scattering of timid women in here. It could be empowering, turning each woman from a wallflower to a queen in her own right if the right person repurposed this business. We need to unwind, relax, enjoy ourselves and be pampered and flirted with.” The Konti said softly.

“I could see massages, haircuts, and makeup being done just like at the beauty fest. I could see companionship, entertainment, even plush rooms for enjoying a male that you don’t have to figure out how to send them home with proper gratitude in the dawn. There are so many places dedicated to the males here in Riverfall, from fighting to drinking, but we have nothing but this… and this never gets used.” Kavala said thoughtfully.

At that point she turned to Eosi, her gaze curious, and wondering what a complete stranger would have to say about it all. She needed someone to run it.

1357/15532

[Eosi]

As they walked back toward the gates, Eosi found she had trouble looking away from Kavala. Her cerulean eyes were sharp despite their delicate color. Even though she'd met plenty of people during her time in Riverfall, she'd certainly never met anyone like her. Further, the longer she looked at her, the more distinctly she got the impression that she ought to have met her. Somewhere in the past, she'd heard her name before. But when?

Listening to her was a pleasure. Her voice was comparatively smooth as far as voices were concerned. As Kavala outlined the regulations of the Sasaran, Eosi quietly wondered just why she hadn't spent more time training there. For all the hours she'd spent at Gideon's Glory, she'd let her martial training collect dust. Excluding the bow and arrow, of course.

The Sapphire Star? The place hadn't even crossed her mind. Grinning, she gave her unspoken assent. There was something very agreeable about the idea of a woman's only club, though it wasn't a place she'd ever elected to go to on her own. Likewise, the Konti mentioned business. To that, Eosi couldn't help but feel a flash of unanticipated excitement. There was nothing she enjoyed more than improving on the inefficient. Suddenly, she began to walk faster, finding herself eager to reach their destination.

It was when she mentioned the Sanctuary that all the pieces came together. The answer unfolded in her brain like a flower bursting into bloom. Eosi had been there before, years earlier. It was beneath the very facility Kavala lived in that she'd been inducted into reimancy. Among other things, she realized with a faint blush. No wonder she felt as if she knew her. This was Kavala Denusk, Harbinger of Nysel.

At the mention of Wind Reach, her smile grew brighter.

"You have a keen eye," she said. "My father was once an Endal, before he crash landed." The thought of Laes knotted in her throat. She continued, swallowing hard. "My Mother was an archaeologist. Because of what she taught me, I work at the Antiquities Society, leading expeditions out into the Grass."

Even though she didn't mind it, answering questions about herself was hard. She was grateful for the focus to be turned elsewhere.

"Healers are very useful," she responded. Good thing she'd gotten some insight on who Kavala was before she learned what she did. It would have been wrong to pigeonhole her as some delicate Konti flower. Eosi felt her far more akin to a battlefield medic than some helpless medicine woman.
The image of her in the thick of the fray seemed more and more appropriate the longer she considered it.

Hearing all the varying projects she had going was impressive. She was a real busy body, it seemed. Eosi felt a stab of regret at the all the time it'd taken for the two of them to finally meet. All along, it would have been quite possible to have had a friend. Somewhere to escape to even, a place to find work worth doing if possible. Daydreams of helping in the stables or learning to collect honey however were interrupted as they two of them approached the club proper.

Birds all around them chorused noisily. It was almost as if they were trying to say something. The Akontak bouncer eyed them briefly before they were let inside. As they passed through the door, she immediately began assessing everything that she saw; the decorations, the furniture, the ambiance, even the staff. The music that played in the background lilted through the facility as they made their way to the back. Eosi noted all the warm colors. It really did create an appealing sort of atmosphere.

Firmly but politely she ordered the house meal and a glass of wine. Eosi listened carefully to Kavala as she outlined her intent. The more she heard, the more it seemed the Sapphire Star was laden with possibilities. In fact, the idea of men serving her on hand and foot felt ideal. It made her feel powerful. The thought of several half clad men serving her wine put a smile on her face, though an unclad Leo Zaital would always be at the top of that particular list, with or without the alcohol.

Still. It would benefit a lot of people. There were more than a few women in the community who could no doubt use a place to come unwind. Especially considering the disproportionate amount of Akalak in the city. Despite the typical male fantasy, there were some that preferred to be lovers rather than fighters. Thoughtfully, she steepled her hands in front of her, resting them against her lips as she considered what it was she planned to say.

"A few years ago, a man by the name of Leo Zaital came to stay with you at the Sanctuary," she began. Kavala would more than likely notice this wasn't phrased as a question.

"He's my lover," she said bluntly. "I've worshiped the God of Fire my whole life," she intimated quietly, "so it felt very much like kismet that things happened the way they did."

Eosi paused as the server returned with their drinks. Quietly, she murmured her thanks and lifted the glass to her lips. The bitter red liquid was warm and heady. She drank deeply, lost in the memory of a time and place very similar to the one they were in.

"Thank you, by the way." She added, raising her drink by way of salute. Kavala's generosity was not lost on her. "Cheers," she said, offering to touch glasses.

"Anyway, he showed me the Sanctuary," she continued with some significance. "As well as what's hidden beneath." Though it was never overtly mentioned, the subtext was there. "The only reason I didn't mention it earlier is because I hadn't remembered until you told me where you lived, just now."

Allowing her to make of that what she would, Eosi continued.

"As for your interest in re-purposing the place, I have to say I agree." Reclining in her seat, she motioned to the different areas of the facility. "There is certainly a niche for female entertainment yet to be filled in Riverfall. Doing it here means we wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel. The place has some brand recognition. That and the location in the city is ideal, even on its own."

Her eyes took an almost predatory gleam as she considered it.

"You know I've never thought about it before, but it sounds challenging to run a business." The way she said it made it seem as if this were a good thing. Her eyes glittered in the flickering candlelight.

"I'm not experienced but if you like, I'd be interested in helping you," she said finally. Eosi took another sip of her drink. It burned pleasantly as it went down. Her lips bowed upward into a smile as she savored the quality. There was nothing quite like Rivarian wine.

"While I've enjoyed the adventure of coming and going, it'd be a blessing to have a dedicated space. Especially considering my more spiritual aspirations." Again, despite not coming right out and saying it, her speech carried heavy implications.

"I've been debating for a long time whether or not to stay here," she explained, swiveling her glass with an idle hand. Eosi dropped her voice down low. "I've not heard anything from Ivak in a while, but I'm not one to sit still for very long and he knows it. I imagine there are matters I can attend to here and now, but first I need to find some like-minded folk who feel up to the task."

"Besides," she added, "if it means helping out a friend, I'm interested." Which meant her, naturally.

"Tell me what you make of all that. I'm eager to hear your thoughts," she said, leaning forward.

WC: 1313

[Kavala]

Kavala was enjoying the walk. It was as pleasant as the company. She was surprised, though, to find out Eosi’ father was someone in Wind Reach. She had no true idea what an Endal was and didn’t want to seem utterly ignorant so she held her question. Kavala hoped the topic would work its way back around or else she’d ask Chalce – her resident falconer - who was from Wind Reach when she got home.

The two kept walking, kept talking and eventually settled within. Food was brought, and so too was a House Meal. Kavala asked politely for a large portion that was meat heavy for herself and Eosi if the woman wanted it. As they kept talking, food and wine was delivered. The meal was simple fair, a small loaf of bread with butter provided, a salad, and a tossed chilled bean side dish that complimented a grilled chicken breast. Kavala’s plate had two pieces of grilled chicken which she dug into eagerly. She was nodding to what Eosi was saying when the pieces of why Eosi was familiar fell into place.

“Leo? I remember. He made quite an impact. It isn’t every day you meet a God’s Champion.” Kavala said looking thoughtful. Her eyes were on Eosi and there was a whole new level of respect in them. “You’re his lady.” She stated blatantly. Kavala had knew there was someone in Leo’s life. He’d spoken about it and it had been on the edges of his Chavi when she’d walked it. It was hard to not see another Chavi tangled so closely – almost entwined – with his. But here she was, alone. Kavala looked thoughtful.

“It must be beautiful and terrible at the same time to love someone who is so much greater than ourselves. Someone who answers to someone far more powerful than that inner voice the rest of us follows.” Kavala said, shaking her head and glancing around. It made sense to her that this woman was also of Ivak’s faith. She’d seen the happenings of 512. She’d seen them, in fact, through Leo’s eyes. In a way it had firmed up her own fate and buoyed her own belief system beyond that which she thought it could fall. Leo was one of the reasons Kavala would never be a priestess of Rak’keli. Nysel was her true pathway. Leo had helped make that clear.

“I don’t know whether to congratulate you or give you my condolences. That cannot be an easy life.” Kavala speculated, keeping her voice low and her mannerisms relaxed to all outward appearances. But she was tense inside, oh so tense. When the Gods or the God Touched were involved, things never went easy.

Kavala was surprised Leo had made Eosi welcome in her home. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but she trusted Leo and thus she trusted Eosi as well. If Eosi knew about her home and the Within, then she knew other secrets about the Konti Healer. Kavala looked thoughtful and shoved more food into her mouth. She was truthfully hungry and though she was slight, her appetite was always good when she’d been sparring. Kavala’s mind felt as full as her stomach was empty. Eosi had given her a lot to think of with just a few slight comments. A lot.

But the Champion’s Lady pulled her back to the present. Glancing around, Kavala reminded herself of why they were here and what they were considering. Eosi spoke on it and Kavala listened. She was good at that, letting someone run through their train of thoughts and feel out their ideas. Most people that wanted to talk or needed to talk just had to let the words free upon the wind and they tended to organize themselves nicely on their own.

Eosi had good points. The facility wouldn’t need much work. Perhaps another story with some private rooms or even expand the balcony and plant some foliage so there was privacy on the outside where the view could be enjoyed but the patrons could not be seen by outsiders. It already had a nice inner courtyard with a fountain and garden that could be admired. The building had a lot of potential… a lot. It was just sad it was used so little.

“Running a business is challenging. Each one is different and almost sentient on its own. I have my hands full with The Sanctuary, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the need here. I have the coin to invest and improve. It won’t make me a profit unless I let go of one of my other businesses. But it would be a good façade for something else too. If you know me, you know the Sanctuary is more than it seems. I’m not sure how much Leo shared, but he knew a great deal about me. More than most, I would assume.” She glanced around and then dropped her eyes back to her food. Kavala was used to eating on the run and wasn’t letting this conversation stop her from feeding herself. She didn’t exactly talk with her mouth full, but she did get in a few bites between sentences.

“A brothel. It’s in essence what I’m proposing in the crudest of terms. But I wouldn’t emphasize sex for it. I would emphasize escapism, fantasy, the pampering of women. I wouldn’t even have sex on the menu, though it would be available. The men here in this city love women. I don’t think we’d have problems hiring a few to care for them, for us, when we need someone to care for us. And it would be the finest care. I would want to do it so that the place begins to establish a reputation that doesn’t debase it but rather elevates it. It takes a tasteful and light hand, a smart hand, if you understand.” Kavala said, completely and utterly serious in what she was saying.

“But I have a business at home that’s thriving and takes up a lot of time. I can’t be two places at once. If I did this I would do it for the women of Riverfall and make it a gift to them. They need it. No more trolling the Blue Bull in hopes for some decent company. I would put all the profits back into the business and to pay the employees, chef, top notch supplies. I need someone to help run it that understands that.” She said softly, cutting into the second piece of chicken and beginning to nibble on it as well. She’d slowed down in her eating, but it was obvious she wasn’t done yet.

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[Eosi]

For having such a slight figure, the Konti ate voraciously. Eosi knew that hunger all too well. With a wry grin, she watched as Kavala attacked the grilled chicken. There was something about combat that really worked up an appetite. As her own meal was presented she elected to eat more slowly, picking at the chilled bean dish at her leisure. The company was appreciated, far more perhaps than the food itself.

The way Kavala looked at her was different all of the sudden. She could see it in her eyes. Their lovely pastel depths were lost in a memory as she pieced the narrative together. Eosi watched as her more austere features soften. She offered her a smile in return. This smile was perhaps more vulnerable than all the others, edged with sadness.

"Yes," she replied. "It can be... difficult." It was painful to admit. The happiness she felt was so bittersweet. Even in the dim light, her eyes were bright with feeling. It was so fulfilling to finally be understood by somebody, but this acknowledgement meant she was forced to admit her own shortcomings. Which was not something she did in front of just anyone.

"I live with his memory," she continued. "He's been gone so long, sometimes it feels like I'm in love with a ghost." While he'd taken most of his belongings with him when he went, there were a few things he left behind. Things she treasured. They were there to remind her in their darkest hours that what they once had was no distant fantasy. That one day, he'd be back.

There was something tragic about the broken shape of her mouth. The subject of lost love left Eosi feeling deflated. She was never more grateful then, when they finally changed the subject. Talking about the Sapphire Star made her feel hopeful, productive. It meant progress. Were she to help, she'd finally be able to give something back to the women of Riverfall, something beyond chopping wood or helping out in the kitchen.

"He did tell me much of you," she said. That was Eosi's way of affirming what Kavala undoubtedly already knew. "I'd be happy to offer some of my own secrets in exchange," she added, this time far quieter. There was a glint of humor in her eyes. Knowing all that she did about her Kavala seemed painfully unbalanced. Better to keep things egalitarian, as Leo would say.

"I know a bit of reimancy," she whispered. "For starters. Leo taught me during my visit to your home."

Feeling that sufficient to begin with, she turned her attentions to the food. The chicken particular smelled very appealing. Eosi dug in heartily as her counterpart went on the reveal the hidden intent behind her proposition. The women who came to this new rendition of the Sapphire Star would find all the resources they needed to get their needs met, provided they came informed.

"It would have to be discreet," she agreed between bites. "But it'd serve a very important purpose here in the city." The taste of the chicken was so good that once she got started, she could scarcely stop. For all the changes that needed to be made, the food was certainly not one among them.

"You're right. The women here need this. Anyone operating a business like the one you're proposing should always have that in mind." It wouldn't be the sort of 'for-profit' venture that other brothels were. It would be a place of Sanctuary for the women of Riverfall, a play on words that was not lost on her.

"Offering services for the emotionally impacted would be of benefit as well," she added. "There are plenty of women who have suffered trauma here, in out of the Grass."

Because Eosi could be terse, there were those who assumed her to be unfeeling toward others, which simply wasn't true. She was just careful about who she chose to associate with, a caution she found lacking in others. Further, there were certain folk in the world that might be surprised to hear she'd even considering running such an establishment. But the fact remained that if the ends were good enough, they more than justified the means. So it'd be a brothel. So what? It'd help people. To her, that was far more useful than propriety just for the sake of itself.

"What needs doing first, then?" she asked. It was always her first question. If Kavala had any doubts on whether or not she'd be interested, they were likely all gone. It was then that she realized she was literally poised on the edge of her seat. When it came to a new project, Eosi found it hard not to be taken in by the excitement.

"There's probably some remodeling to be done, for the new facilities." Her chicken was all but gone. As she reached for the bread, her mind began to consider the vast array of possibilities. Not only did she have a new friend, but also a potential business partner.

"You don't have to be in two places at once," she said at last. "I'll do whatever it is that need doing. You just say the word." She tore into her bread with gusto. She'd been so enthralled with Kavala that she hadn't even realized that she was hungry. It was good, even better with the wine.

It was then that she realized how little she actually knew of her in reality. While they had already developed a rapport, she lacked the finer details.

"What's your favorite color, if you don't mind me asking?" It was abrupt, but that didn't seem to matter. After all, there was no time like the present.

WC: 957

[Kavala]

The Konti didn’t mind showing Eosi her starving side. She ate when she was hungry and that was that. What surprised her is what she learned shortly thereafter and how this stranger admitted to walking around her home, escorted by Leo. Kavala didn’t know Leo well. She wished she did. But he was the first champion she’d ever known and the impression he’d left on her life had been significant. He’d even graciously let her walk his Chavi and experience Ivak’s freeing first hand.

It had made Kavala feel small and insignificant in the world. Not in truth because of Leo’s actions, but because of the Gods and their dealings. Ivak had been imprisoned for a blink of an eye in the passage of time his people noted. In Kavala’s world it had been 500 years. She sought Eosi’s face thinking of that and wondered if the woman had felt anything similar even just by being in Leo’s presence.

“He’s not a ghost. He’s a very real person. He just walks heavy. He has to because of the burdens the Gods put upon some of us. They are very real weights. And even if they are of our choosing, its still not an easy burden to bare. I bet he thinks of you often and wishes he could be near.” The Konti said, certain that hit was true. She didn’t tell Eosi she had a Chavi Key to Leo and could find him. Even if it was something she lost, she could walk her chavi backwards, find where her’s tangled with his, and find him even then. It was her own burden one she didn’t want to weigh Eosi down with. Loosing someone, mourning, and then living with a memory sounded a lot like she had moved on. Kavala didn’t want to stir up old pain and make it new again.

And yet the Konti reached out anyhow, her webbed fingers touching the other woman’s hand until they slid into hers, fingers gripping, and gave Eosi a supportive squeeze. “Love is… never easy. And its often fleeting.” She added, her own experiences backing that thought.

Quickly Kavala changed the subject.

Eosi was patient with her. She listened to all of Kavala’s plans and then offered in her own tidbits of wisdom. Kavala continued eating, frowning slightly when she realized her plate was full. There was a pause as Eosi seemed to consider what was being laid out on the table. And then she threw another twist in the plan. Emotional support would not have been on Kavala’s radar. Neither would trauma, if truth be told. Kavala was a healer, but as a healer of animals, she rarely ran across people wearing their damage in plain sight, whatever that damage had been.

“That’s a good idea. Sometimes its good to have someone to talk too.” The Konti said, knowing she needed someone to talk to often. “I know there are some strange things happening in Riverfall, strange enough that even I question my own sanity. Animals are beginning to talk round me, follow me, not let me go home.” The Konti confessed, chuckling slightly. “I could see the value in someone to talk too. Definitely.” She decided then and there it was a darn good idea.

Mentally she added it to the TO-DO list in her head as well.

“What needs doing first is purchasing it. I can take care of it fairly quickly. The owners is eager to sell… so that shouldn’t be an issue. We just have to settle on a price.” Kavala said, once more mentally reviewing the TODO list in her head. She was glad for Eosi’s words and smiled as the woman seemed to suddenly decide to be on board.


“Then after that, perhaps redecorating, adding some private rooms and suites, expanding the kitchen, and hiring the help, both entertainment and staff to support them.” Kavala ticked off the first barebones TO-DO she had an idea of. “There’ll be more to do of course. A chef to hire, a menu to approve, maybe musicians?” Kavala thought absently to herself, sparing Eosi a glance and then smiling.

“It’s all in my head. I haven’t set this particular venture on paper yet because I hadn’t a hope in the world of having time to do it. But with you running things, that might need to change.” She added, noting to herself that she needed to buy a book soon, something to start a simple business ledger in and keep track of her wishes and needs.

Eosi’s next question caught Kavala off guard. A favorite color? The Konti frowned then laughed lightly. “I don’t have one. I love all colors, the more bright or warm the better. As to my favorite, I’d say anything found in a sunset I’m completely unable to resist.” She said, laughing slightly and then looking serious for a moment.

“What about you? What are your tastes in music? And for that matter what kind of music do you think we’d need for a place like this? Kavala was starting to see there was a lot to decide, and she could definitely see the costs getting expensive rather quickly. Would it draw enough money to pay for itself? Did she even dare try?

Kavala studied Eosi thoroughly and got a strong impression that the woman didn’t fail at anything.. not really not all. A slow smile spread across her face. There was hope for this place… decidedly big hopes… if Eosi said yes. Kavala was now almost sure she would.

The waiter came then, smiling, and refilled their drinks. “Do you ladies want anything else? Maybe some desert?” He asked, looking over both Kavala and Eosi waiting for them to respond. Kavala gestured to Eosi, leaving it up to her if she wanted desert. If the woman ordered for them both, Kavala would sample whatever she got.

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[Eosi]

At the suggestion that Leo carried a heavy burden, Eosi found her head nodding of its own accord. Being a God’s champion carried an unreal amount of responsibility, the likes of which most would never know. Even considering all they shared, his struggle was something she’d never fully comprehend. Leo the Champion had his own path to tread. But knowing did little to assuage feeling, even at the best of times. Kavala seemed to understand that as she reached for her hand.

Eosi squeezed back as a show of assent. Under normal circumstances, she would never condone being touched by a stranger. The same gesture from any other person would have filled her with rage. But was Kavala really a stranger anymore? It had been an hour since their meeting. Maybe even less. But Eosi couldn't help but feel the connection. The vestige of smile a lingered at the corners of her mouth.

“You can hear animals talking to you?” Eosi asked, incredulously. But the shock faded as it suddenly occurred that similar and equally baffling things were happening to her as well. The crease at her forehead returned. ”What does it all mean?” She wondered aloud. Thousands of different scenarios began to play out in her head. If she wasn't careful, her intuition would run away with her. In time, the truth would undoubtedly be revealed.

The Sanctuary was a place for animal healing or so she’d heard. Kavala had earned a fearsome reputation for being a talented healer with a low threshold for foolishness. Absently, the revelation of her mysterious power gave Eosi the impression that maybe the Konti felt more at ease with animals than she did with people. The smile crept back on to her face. That, like most things about Kavala, she found agreeable.

Purchasing. Redecorating. Remodeling. As Kavala verbalized her internal list, Eosi began to form one of her own. There’d be personnel changes, definitely. They'd be hiring entertainers and kitchen staff.

”If possible, the current chef seems qualified,” she said, finishing the last of her chicken. The tenderness of the meat was definitely up to standard. But there was always the possibility they could find something better. Which was an enticing prospect. Better was always the object. It was sewn into her identity, like a worn cloth badge.

”Musicians definitely, although…” As she spoke the thought aloud, it veered sharply in a new direction. Her broke furrowed. ”... We could encourage female musicians from the community to come and perform as freelance contractors. We'd still pay them, but it would take the place of needing a house band and add to the theme of a one-stop center for female empowerment.”

She gazed at her soon-to-be-employer neutrally in order to gauge her reaction.

”I can understand why.” Eosi offered sympathetically. At the implication of her running things, her suspicions were confirmed. It was interesting how such an innocuous encounter had turned out to be so much more. Wasn't it the same way on the day she had met Leo? Some of the most significant events of her life had decidedly humble beginnings or so it appeared.

A sunset. Funny that it was right at the twilight hour that the two of them met. Eosi grinned broadly, filling the knowledge away for reference. Speaking of, that very color scheme would fit nicely with many of the rooms of the Sapphire Star. Further, she quietly admired Kavala’s rather dynamic expression. It was engaging just watching her.

”Personally? I like things with intensity and beat.” Secretly, she’d always wanted to be a firedancer. Eosi wore a look of faint amusement as she took a sip of her wine. Her tastes were decidedly not universal.

”If you liked my suggestion, we could incorporate many different styles of music. Maybe go so far as to have themed nights. Some could be similar to a tranquil restaurant with lots of stringed instruments and others, like a night club with drums. What do you think?” And with that, she finished her first glass. Color began to bloom in her cheeks, just as the server returned.

”Certainly. I’ll have what the chef recommends. I like red velvet if it helps - the darker the better.” This would serve as a test. If the Chef got it right, they’d have her recommendation, assuming Kavala was of a mind.

The two of them had an unusual synergy. It was almost eerie that in spite of their opposing exteriors, they had so much in common. Eosi got the distinct impression of a warrior when she looked at her leatherclad friend. Not of the battlefield necessarily but of the spirit. There were deep wounds somewhere in her that had long since healed over. Maybe that a factor in what made her so tough. Or maybe she had always been this way.

”So would you like me to? Run things, that is.” Eosi poured another glass of wine. Two was her usual limit, but she was feeling unnaturally buoyant. It was possible she might even become a little tipsy. Her skin grew warmer from moment to moment.

”If you trust me, I trust you. I sense we have much to be gained from one another. I do not have many friends here, nor do I need many. But one good friend wouldn't go amiss.” She smiled almost shyly, in a way that was altogether unfamiliar. There were a great many facets that the world would never see hidden away in the heart of Eosi Barlowe.

The waiter returned shortly with what appeared to be a magnificent red velvet cake and two small plates. It was topped with strawberries, raspberries and cream cheese frosting. Eosi’s eyes widened as it was set in front of them. She hadn't indulged this way in a long time. The attending server did them the courtesy of dishing up two separate slices.

”Anything else you desire?” They asked. Eosi looked to Kavala. The dessert in front of them was more than enough.

Whatever her reply, the server then departed.

The first bite was heaven. Eosi churned it around in her mouth with a rapturous expression. It had two layers with the same cream cheese frosting between the two. That was it. For now, they’d sold her.

”Mmm,” she sighed dreamily ”What do you think?

[Kavala]

Kavala watched Eosi. She continued slowly eating as she did so, finally once it was empty pushing her plate aside and picking up her wine. She sipped casually, enjoying the after effects of a busy day and a good meal to refuel before she nodded to the woman’s words. “Ever since the season change, yes. They talk back. I’m not the only one that can hear them, but it seems to only happen around me. I’ve heard rumors of others developing odd things like this manifesting around them or themselves being able to do fantastical things. Have you witnessed any of this?” Kavala asked in turn, taking a sip and finally setting her glass down. A waiter cleared her plate away and topped off the wine. Kavala nodded thanks to him.

“I don’t know what it means. No one seems too. Last season we all had a severe personality flip. I didn’t know what that meant either. It’s all quite strange.” Kavala added, looking Eosi over. She wondered if the other woman had any clues. Maybe she did maybe shed didn’t. Everyone seemed ot have a theory though. “There are lots of theories flying around. Magic. Artifacts. The City Council having some unauthorized fun. Even Wysar and Akajia have been interviewed but they claimed no knowledge either.” The Konti added.

They talked a bit more and Eosi made a comment on the food. Kavala nodded. “It’s good, for certain, though I’d like to see it … taken to a new level. I’d like to see foods here from around Mizahar. Exotic and simple, so that women can feel privileged and spoiled to be here. The components don’t necessarily need to be exotic, but I’d like dishes represented from many other places, not just Riverfall. Have you noticed how the Akalak think meat and potatoes are staples enough? Their food lacks polish like you’d find other places. I got a bit spoiled with food in Sultros. They have exquisite taste in sauces and seasonings.” Kavala added, looking wistful as a smile played over her face.

Kavala nodded at Eosi’s suggestion. Truth be told she’d rather most of the entertainment, if not all of it, were male because in a city of men, that kind of talent could be found easily and cheaply whereas female musicians were often coveted to be entertainment for men in venues where Akalak males frequented. But it wasn’t a point she was willing to stand firm on. If they put out the word they were looking for musicians, they could just see who showed up.

“I’m in favor of that. I still want to hear anyone who wants to play as a house band but throwing open the option for both sexes would be nice. I’d favor the better musicians though, not by sex but by talent.” Kavala said, looking thoughtful and then nodding to Eosi’s other ideas. “My tastes change based on my mood a great deal. But I like your idea of having different themes different nights. That is a good one.” She added, pulling out a somewhat filled up notebook from the backpack she was hauling around and then pulling out pen and ink. She turned to a blank page towards the back and started taking some notes.

Kavala was quiet throughout the ordering of desert, busy putting her thoughts to paper and studying the surrounding building. She made some sketches and wondered what it would take to have the cook let her see the kitchen. She wanted a tour of the whole place to be exact.

“I would love to have you run it. What would you need for a salary?” Kavala asked as the cake was delivered and she shook her head about needing anything else. If she were a better business person, she’d worry about friendships and employees, but the truth was all her employees were like family to her.

Taking a bite of the cake, Kavala smiled around her fork and then took another. “Delicious.” She added, still thinking about what Eosi said. “I’d love to be friends. I’m not very good at it though. I’m better with being family. But its definitely something I’d like to try.” The Konti said, knowing it was the truth. Her friends were actually mostly blood related or adopted into the Denusk family. She had no real outside friends nor had she bothered to cultivate any friendships with other women. In Riverfall, men respected you for being Nakivak. But other women seemed to treat you like a paid courtesan, nothing but a cheap whore. Other Nakivaks understood, but their numbers were small in the light of all the women in Riverfall.

The waiter popped by to top off the wine again and Kavala gently asked. “Is the owner around by any chance? I hear Carla Heshin is interested in selling and we’d love to have a tour.” Kavala said, sending the waiter off in search of the woman.

“This building is smaller than I would have liked. But, that being said the property is large enough to expand and make some changes too. If we start this season, it could be ready to open by next season and while not be a complete change of venue, it could be an enhanced version. I still think all the purposes this place is used for could remain…. Parties, gatherings both formal and informal, such book clubs, wedding and baby showers, even perhaps support groups. They would just be enhanced by male waiters, companions, and entertainment that caters to a women’s desires. It wouldn’t be inappropriate to be sitting around discussing a book one has read, per say, while an attractive masseuse rubs the tension out of a woman’s shoulders. But it would not depend on gatherings either. A woman could come alone to gain some companionship. And while sex would be available if that’s what the woman wanted, I suspect more women would simply want to be with a companion and spend time with him. This would not require women to be interesting or entertaining. But it would help tremendously with a lot of women’s comfort levels around men. That’s especially true of those who have suffered abuse. There are many women, some Nakivaks and some not, that are in this city for that reason. Just talking to a male is hard for them. This would help.” Kavala said, glancing around. The waiter was no where to be seen but neither was the owner.

The Konti studied the human, wondering if she even remotely understood. Eosi showed no signs of ever having been traumatized or abused but that didn’t mean it hadn’t happened.

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