Nomi
The Nitrozian Plaza
Spring 41, 517 AV
The Nitrozian Plaza
Spring 41, 517 AV
The water lapped softly against the edges of the canal, flecking in a delicate rhythm over the enormous, wooden pontoons composing Ravok's foundations. It was an idle sort of dance, glimmering and glinting in the late afternoon sun, and Nomi sat and watched it from her perch on the water's edge as she let her legs dangle over the side of the walkway. It was warm enough to be pleasant, cool enough to be refreshing, and Nomi could see the truth in her father's warm recollections of his childhood in the city. Now that she had her papers, she could actually let herself relax a little bit and soak in the atmosphere... and what better way to experience Ravok than by boat? One would be by eventually, and when a Ravosalaman turned the corner, his boat set against a backdrop of tall, darkened buildings and the falling sun beyond, Nomi stood and hailed him over.
The water sloshed as he pulled up to the edge of the canal, navigating the boat into a general sort of stasis so Nomi could hop in. It rocked as she made contact with the wood, a gentle bobbing shake that didn't seem to trouble the sun-browned Ravosalaman who didn't even bother to look at her as he set them adrift once more with a guided push of his pole. "Where're you going, little missy?"
"Well, actually..." Nomi pressed her hands flat against the seat, leaning back so her tidal wave of pale hair - practically luminescent, with the full light of the sun striking it - spilled freely down. "I just want to see the city, so I don't much mind where we go. How about we let the next customer decide the destination?"
The Ravosalaman spared her an inquisitive glance, his expression shifting as he saw the flush of glinting white scales trailing up the underside of her chin. It wasn't necessarily... hostile, but it certainly was suspicious, with his great, bushy eyebrows slanted down into a furrow. "You've got coin?"
The konti woman met his demanding look, her mouth quirked into a slight smirk. "I certainly do." As if to punctuate her statement, Nomi slipped a hand underneath the edge of her leather tunic and shook the small purse attached to her pants. It jangled in a way that indicated some amount of wealth.
"Is that your only concern? If you're going to kick me off, I do ask that you do it a little closer to the street. I don't much feel like swimming today."
The Ravosalaman, seemed satisfied, and he looked away from her with a sigh. "Can't be too careful, y'know? Not meanin' to offend you, miss, but there are plenty who'd cheat an honest man out of his work."
Nomi's smile glinted in the sunlight. "Oh, of course. Not to worry, I'll be a most agreeable passenger. Why..." She gestured to the space beside her and the empty bench in front of her, indicating them with a flick of her leather-clad fingers. "I don't even take up much room! I'd say I embody... oh, what's the word."
She thought this over, tapping her mouth with a single digit. "Generosity? Graciousness? No - geniality. I am the very spirit of geniality. I'll be no trouble."
The wrinkles on the older man's face crinkled as he barked out a soft laugh. "Ferrying people about, you meet some right-peculiar sorts, but I've never had anyone as small as you cause me much grief. You'll be fine."
"Good, good." With that, Nomi turned her attention to the surrounding cityscape. She had a map, which she'd been dutifully studying after work, but that really didn't hold a candle to learning the paths of the city first-hand. For example, a piece of paper didn't give one practical, visual knowledge, and as the scenery floated by, Nomi drank in the appearance of the buildings around her. To her, aesthetic appreciation was always underscored by a devoted work ethic, and there was no distinction between admiring the beauty of the world and picking it apart for information.
Eventually, though, the man pushing the ravosala along began to stir up some conversation. "I'm gonna guess, with you wantin' a tour and all, that you ain't been in town too long?"
Nomi shifted her studious, green gaze to him. Her elbows were draped casually on the edge of the boat, and she seemed totally at ease in the vessel. "Not particularly. I am a citizen, though. Made my vow and everything."
"Sensible head on your shoulders, then, this place ain't too appreciative of outsiders. We're all here by Rhysol's grace, after all..." the water around the boat slurped slightly as he pushed the ravosala along. "And those who ain' willing to swear themselves to the city don't rightly deserve his blessings, do they?"
"If there's one thing I'm not, it's a mooch." She tapped her boot lightly on the boat's wooden bottom. "You, though... Have you lived in the city your whole life?"
"Sure have. Seen its ups, seen its downs, and I've always been takin' people where they need to go. You're lucky, though." He looked back at Nomi, giving her an upturned smile. "Things have been going smoother since Gru'tral came back a few seasons ago. Heard he offed SIlvas for doin' such a shyke job of keeping things running while he was gone."
Both of Nomi's eyebrows went up, and she entirely ignored her surroundings now, instead focusing the brunt of her curious gaze on the boat driver. "I'm afraid those names aren't familiar. Gru'tral?"
"Aye!" Speaking with the voice of a proud man, the ravosalaman made a swirling motion with the tip of his pole. "Gru'tral's onna them Druvin - you know who they are?"
Nomi shook her head.
"Druvin, them's Rhysol's blessed, they is. Got his mark an' his eyes, and I heard that their love for Rhysol is so strong, it can bring 'em back to life. Amazing, huh?" He grinned, showing off a smile that had a few noticeable gaps. "He's the commander of the Ebonstryfe - I hope you know who they are, at least."
Nomi nodded, and bid him to continue.
"He's old, I hear, and a beast of a man. So big he could crush you with his little pinky, missy."
"And Silvas? He was bad at his job?"
"Mmn." He turned his shoulders, giving a squint down to the water. "City has had some turmoil, past few years. That Rising Dawn business. Gru'tral came back, cleaned 'em all up... but someone's gotta pay for letting it get that bad. Bet it'd be mighty interestin' to be a fly on the wall in the Vitrax right now, though - " Another bark of a laugh, "That'd run the risk of gettin' smashed by Gru'tral, wouldn't it? No, I'm happy where I am."
Tap, tap, tap. Nomi drummed a single finger on the curved edge of the ravosala and was about to open her mouth to make another inquiry when she saw someone by the shore looking onto the water. Her mouth quirked up, and she dipped her head in the woman's direction. "Ah, look there. I think we might have ourselves a companion."
As if in agreement, the ravosala began to drift up to the street.