Closed Breathe (Hwyn)

[Ianthe]

Breathe Timestamp: 38th Day of Spring, 516 AV Location: The Stone Garden The air smelled of rain. Rain, and moss, and memories. It was the kind of morning where folks huddled together under blankets or around fires, sharing stories and waiting for the day to pass. Ianthe did not have that luxury. She had received a letter several days earlier from a boy, Hwyn, who had requested her mentorship in meditation. Little else had been said in the note, except to meet him at the Stone Memorial Garden during the seventh bell on the thirty-eighth day of Spring. Far be it for she to turn down an invitation to teach, no matter what the weather warned - though few others seemed to agree. The garden was empty that morning, barring the odd Knight strolling through on patrol. Ianthe found the silence welcoming, particularly as she continued to blink sleep from her eyes. She was coming to find that it was a rare thing to find true quiet within the walls of Syliras. The citadel was usually overflowing with creaking wagons, barking animals, and the chatter of people. But not today. Today, Ianthe was alone. She sat idly on an ageless bench near a swirl of cobblestones, and clasped her hands together in her lap. She looked paler than usual without any sun to sparkle her scales or highlight her hair. Even the colour of her pale pink dress seemed subdued by the dull gray feeling that permeated her surroundings. As she waited for her student beneath the overcast skies, she began to run through her prepared lesson plan in her mind. First, she would identify her student’s goals and learn about his past experiences with meditation. Then, she would walk him through several of the breathing exercises that she shared with every new student. Finally, they would close off with a ten-chime meditation session and a few words about the value of building a daily practice. Ianthe tugged her white cloak closer as a cool wind made her blonde hair dance. It would be a short session, she guessed, no longer than a bell. At this, her thoughts turned to her daughter. Cleodora had stayed nestled under the covers that morning, impossible to move and even harder to wake. Ianthe’s original intent had been to bring the girl with her, but seeing the young konti’s sleeping face had tugged too heavily on her heartstrings. Instead, she had left her daughter behind, with a slice of bread and jam on the table for when she awoke. Still, she hated leaving her daughter alone and hoped her new student would arrive soon. Ianthe surveyed her surroundings and sniffed the air. Smells like rain.

[Hwyn]

Hwyn awoke late in the morning, he felt groggy and his limbs ached. his recent ventures into playing a "boy" had been tiresome, swinging that short piece of metal around that the Syliran knights so loved was tiresome, "stupid sword" Hwyn grumbled to himself. Dragging himself out of bed Hwyn glared at his reflection in his small mirror. No matter what he did he still couldn't escape how much like a girl he looked, "stupid baby face" Hwyn said as he continued to grumble through the day. Sure it payed to his advantage. It made his disguise all the easier to maintain, but now that he was trying to change it was just a bit of a pain, the scoffs he had received when he told the trainer he wanted to be a swordsman hadn't done his confidence well.

Pulling on the Black tunic Hwyn eyed the breeches and then the Skirt in his wardrobe. It was a pesky decision, comfort, or functionality. The pants had pockets and where more protective when practicing. but the Skirt was cooler in Syliras's humid environment. Pacing to the Window Hwyn opened the shudders and received a face full of sticky muggy air. "skirt it is." Finishing dressing up Hwyn decided to forgo any makeup or other such machinations only taking some time to comb the tangles out of his long hair that reached now past his shoulders. He'd need to have it cut soon. With his morning routine dealt with Hwyn set out for the day.

Scowling at the overcast sky as he set out Hwyn with the plan to go to the stone garden, he had scene an add on the builbord for lessons in meditation and out of curiosity he had left a reply. Making his way into the castle Hwyn took a turn to head down an alley he had not pursued prior. After walking for a short time Hwyn eventually found himself a little lost but not displeased with the condition, after asking for directions once Hwyn managed to find himself in the stone garden a little out of breath but otherwise intact. The brisk walk had proven a nice way to wake up his still tired brain.

When he made it to the park Hwyn looked about before spotting an elegant looking woman with skin white as snow, and, Scales? Maybe it was some odd fashion he had never seen before, it was certainly alluring in it's own way but Hwyn wondered how one kept them in place, some adhesive maybe? Deciding against asking Hwyn simply asked his question.

"A-are you the meditation teacher I hear about on the billboard?"

Hopefully he was right, otherwise he had managed to look the fool again.

[Ianthe]

The creature in front of her was a short, malnourished stick of a child. She - he? - looked as though some god or another had intended to build a full-grown human, but had gotten bored or distracted mid-way through. The child’s all-black outfit only served to highlight the stark contrast between her - his? - overlarge clothes and his - her? - skinny limbs. Ianthe couldn’t even begin to guess at the child’s age, thanks in part to a lack of knowledge of human aging but primarily due to the state of his appearance. (She was now fairly certain the child was male… maybe.) She shifted and looked critically at the boy as he trotted up to the bench, wanting desperately to pull back his stringy hair into a bun in order to keep from hanging over his eyes. This is not my child. This is not my child. The refrain looped through her thoughts several times before she felt she had developed enough self-control to keep from straightening the boy’s outfit and bringing him to the nearest market for breakfast. In lieu of forcing the boy to visit a bathhouse, Ianthe frowned as he stuttered his question. Was she so really intimidating? You forget what it’s like to be young, a voice whispered. But I am young, she returned. Not like him. After a moment’s consideration, the konti’s expression softened. “Yes,” she said. “I am she.” Her Common sounded stiff and was accented with the island lilt belonging to born-and-bred Murans. “Are you named Hwyn? The one who sent me the note?” If he confirmed, she would go on to introduce herself. “My name is Ianthe.” She slid over to the right and patted the open spot of bench beside her. “Come, sit. Let us talk about today’s lesson.” A cloud slid slowly across the sky and darkened the Stone Garden with its shadow. “Why do I not give you some - how do you say, background? - on my experience as teacher, and then we talk about you. Yes?” If the boy agreed, Ianthe would continue speaking. “I have been meditating since I was a child - very small - so it is good you are learning too. Back home, I have meditation business and I teach meditation to many students. But actually, meditation teaches me. If you want to learn about yourself and this...” here she paused and snapped her fingers thoughtfully, searching for the correct word in Common. “...this Mizahar, this world - yes? Then meditation can teach you. Very valuable.” The dark cloud passed, though the threat of rain lingered. “Now you.” Ianthe shared an encouraging smile with the boy. “Please, can you tell me why you want to learn meditation? Have you tried it before?”

[Hwyn]

The woman's questions were loaded ones though the weight was caused by Hwyn's own difficulties moreso than the meaning assigned to them by Ianthe. Though it was a relief to know that he had found the person he was looking for, but did she have what he needed.

Hwyn nodded in response you her question.

"Ye-yeah I'm H-hwyn."

She then proceeded to talk to him about herself and meditation. Sitting next to here on the stone bench Hwyn listened intently to the woman speak. The way she spoke had an odd elegance to it, like each word had more thought behind it than the average words that poured from the mouths of most people. She spoke of how she had been meditating since she was small and that not only had she taught meditation, but that meditation had taught her. The meaning of the words went over Hwyn's head but he tried to understand in spite of his lack of knowledge of such things. Then she asked Hwyn a pointed question, Why did he want to learn meditation, and if he wasn't mistaken she wanted some background from him as well.

Pursing his lips as he thought Hwyn furrowed his small brow as he searched for the words to form a response

"I am looking for something... But I don't know exactly what it is.... I came o this city from a place called... Sunberth. It was a big city like this, but it did not have... rules... or good people.... My family... they were not good people either... I was sold.... so I ran away.... and now I am here.... looking for something... so i wanted to see if meditation was something I could... find?"

Hwyn's stilted speech was in part caused by nervousness, and in part by his wish to hide more painful parts of his memories that he didn't want to delve into. Hwyn shifted uncomfortable of the woman's gaze. It felt both maternal and convicting simultaneously and the scrutiny made him hope his answer was sufficient.