Lani looked earnestly at her friend for a tick at the mention of collars. It didn’t ever occur to her that a Craven would wear a collar, and she realized she hadn’t fully wrapped her mind around the children’s Kelvic heritage. She did not know this Allister who loved her friend so dearly, although she had heard of him in Madeira’s letters. But she had seen Kelvics before, they were nearly as accepted as humans in all the cities she had been, but she had also seen them treated as pets. As the halfblood had been raised among humans, she never really batted an eye at this treatment. Slavery had been abundant in Lhavit during her last time living there, and Kelvics had always been prime choice. She supposed she had never really thought closely enough to think of them as less than human, she had just accepted that they were different. She had never really known a Kelvic or had a reason to, until now. And the idea that they would be treated different because they weren’t human didn’t sit well with her. After all, she was not human herself.
”Pssh, of course not.” She agreed. ”They’re Cravens.” She said, as if this was all the explanation needed. As if it would defend them for the discrimination they were sure to face in life. The name meant little in Lhavit… for now. But Lani knew the weight of it in Alvadas. Alvadas, the city which did not follow social order, and therefore had no noble class, and yet there was one family that everyone knew, and everyone respected. The Cravens.
By the time the conversation moved on, Lani was watching Madeira closely for her reaction to her distraction. Focusing the djed into the Chaktawe speckles in her fingertips, she eagerly ate the waves of Madeira’s aura. The same prying concern rested there, as well as another slow-roiling emotion that she didn’t yet understand, but now a new hungry vibration was growing and churning and taking the aura. She tried to keep her face calm, but she almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. They were both watching one another, watching for reactions, watching for familiarity. The uncanny closeness of their childhood gave each of them advantages on being able to understand one another, but neither was seemingly strong enough to reject their nature. Lani lied, Madeira collected. They both knew it was happening, and they couldn’t stop. But did they want to?
”Oh, yeah, duh.” Lani tapped her forehead at the mix up of the towers. A small part of her reminded herself that she would need to study up on them and understand them completely before she could hope to work for one. Lani listening to Madeira’s musings, hungry for any step up that her childhood friend could give her. Lani would have to make a point to visit Tasa in the next few days and use all of her skill to secure a job in the Tower, either as a scribe or an assistant of some sort. Or shyke, even as a housecleaner. But no, a housecleaner would not work. Any foot that Lani could get into the Twilight Tower would, by extension, be Madeira’s, and so a housecleaner would not do. No, she had to secure some effect of investment from the Tower. She had to be a student. And if the Craven name was unknown in Lhavit, she doubted Madeira wanted it to stay that way. Or perhaps Madeira wanted one of the three useful Lhavitian names. But those were not the words that came out of her friend’s mouth. All concern, and jovial mischief. Madeira spoke on what she could do for Lani, although neither was convinced this would not be supported if it was not a benefit to the sky-eyed girl.
"I'm fairly certain I have an in, but if we can get a ghost to cause trouble, I think that is the safest option." She spoke as if she was actually debating some logical and had come to a reasonable conclusion, which was in fact, fairly unreasonable. Lani let a mischievous grin spread on her face at the thought of Madeira stirring up trouble to help her get in. The half-Eypharian was fairly confident her connections to Tasa would get her into the Tower in some capacity, although she was never one to turn down a mischievous plan, even if it did involve a ghost.
At the mention of sleep, Lani couldn’t help but yawn, realizing she had had quite the day. She had plans to make and to share with Madeira, but it was a lot to do tonight. She had, however, secured her bargaining tool. She was useful to the Queen now, and although she was not quite sure how Madeira would use it, nor did she particularly care, Lani was going to get the Twilight Tower within her grasp, one way or another.
Lani stood, carefully balancing Moritz, who had tired while chewing on the half-Chaktawe’s hair, and although he still lightly clutched her locks, he merely drooled instead of chewed as he drifted off to slumber like his sister. A small part of her wanted to be disgusted by the sopping lock of baby drool, but a larger part crinkled her brows and made her smile a little bit at the chubby sleeping baby face of the boy. He should look indistinguishable to all babies, but his growth was odd, and so she could see his mother’s cheekbones and pale skin, and for just a moment was a little fascinated by the product of life. She handed the baby off to Madeira after Amelie was down, and was caught off guard by her friend’s words.
Unable to help herself, she winked at the woman, in a bit of a better mood now that she had options to take. They had made a bargain, and she was satisfied with it. She now had something to do, an unspoken promise to fulfill, and a reason to be in Lhavit. Now she didn’t just have something to run from, she also had something to look forward to. ”We’ll see.” She said, leaning over and pressing her lips on Madeira’s forehead in a quick peck before turning to lift the trap door. ”So long as your magic house doesn’t suffocate me in my sleep.” Lani laughed, hooking her foot on the top rung of the ladder and let out a low whistle for Spider, who glided from the edge of the couch where he had been drying himself by the fire. Lani extended her elbow for the bird, and tried not to wince when his claws tagged her skin. She had to remember to wear a glove when she was going to do this.
”I’ll see you in the morning, Mads!” She grinned, hoisting herself down, before shutting the door behind her.
”Pssh, of course not.” She agreed. ”They’re Cravens.” She said, as if this was all the explanation needed. As if it would defend them for the discrimination they were sure to face in life. The name meant little in Lhavit… for now. But Lani knew the weight of it in Alvadas. Alvadas, the city which did not follow social order, and therefore had no noble class, and yet there was one family that everyone knew, and everyone respected. The Cravens.
By the time the conversation moved on, Lani was watching Madeira closely for her reaction to her distraction. Focusing the djed into the Chaktawe speckles in her fingertips, she eagerly ate the waves of Madeira’s aura. The same prying concern rested there, as well as another slow-roiling emotion that she didn’t yet understand, but now a new hungry vibration was growing and churning and taking the aura. She tried to keep her face calm, but she almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. They were both watching one another, watching for reactions, watching for familiarity. The uncanny closeness of their childhood gave each of them advantages on being able to understand one another, but neither was seemingly strong enough to reject their nature. Lani lied, Madeira collected. They both knew it was happening, and they couldn’t stop. But did they want to?
”Oh, yeah, duh.” Lani tapped her forehead at the mix up of the towers. A small part of her reminded herself that she would need to study up on them and understand them completely before she could hope to work for one. Lani listening to Madeira’s musings, hungry for any step up that her childhood friend could give her. Lani would have to make a point to visit Tasa in the next few days and use all of her skill to secure a job in the Tower, either as a scribe or an assistant of some sort. Or shyke, even as a housecleaner. But no, a housecleaner would not work. Any foot that Lani could get into the Twilight Tower would, by extension, be Madeira’s, and so a housecleaner would not do. No, she had to secure some effect of investment from the Tower. She had to be a student. And if the Craven name was unknown in Lhavit, she doubted Madeira wanted it to stay that way. Or perhaps Madeira wanted one of the three useful Lhavitian names. But those were not the words that came out of her friend’s mouth. All concern, and jovial mischief. Madeira spoke on what she could do for Lani, although neither was convinced this would not be supported if it was not a benefit to the sky-eyed girl.
"I'm fairly certain I have an in, but if we can get a ghost to cause trouble, I think that is the safest option." She spoke as if she was actually debating some logical and had come to a reasonable conclusion, which was in fact, fairly unreasonable. Lani let a mischievous grin spread on her face at the thought of Madeira stirring up trouble to help her get in. The half-Eypharian was fairly confident her connections to Tasa would get her into the Tower in some capacity, although she was never one to turn down a mischievous plan, even if it did involve a ghost.
At the mention of sleep, Lani couldn’t help but yawn, realizing she had had quite the day. She had plans to make and to share with Madeira, but it was a lot to do tonight. She had, however, secured her bargaining tool. She was useful to the Queen now, and although she was not quite sure how Madeira would use it, nor did she particularly care, Lani was going to get the Twilight Tower within her grasp, one way or another.
Lani stood, carefully balancing Moritz, who had tired while chewing on the half-Chaktawe’s hair, and although he still lightly clutched her locks, he merely drooled instead of chewed as he drifted off to slumber like his sister. A small part of her wanted to be disgusted by the sopping lock of baby drool, but a larger part crinkled her brows and made her smile a little bit at the chubby sleeping baby face of the boy. He should look indistinguishable to all babies, but his growth was odd, and so she could see his mother’s cheekbones and pale skin, and for just a moment was a little fascinated by the product of life. She handed the baby off to Madeira after Amelie was down, and was caught off guard by her friend’s words.
Unable to help herself, she winked at the woman, in a bit of a better mood now that she had options to take. They had made a bargain, and she was satisfied with it. She now had something to do, an unspoken promise to fulfill, and a reason to be in Lhavit. Now she didn’t just have something to run from, she also had something to look forward to. ”We’ll see.” She said, leaning over and pressing her lips on Madeira’s forehead in a quick peck before turning to lift the trap door. ”So long as your magic house doesn’t suffocate me in my sleep.” Lani laughed, hooking her foot on the top rung of the ladder and let out a low whistle for Spider, who glided from the edge of the couch where he had been drying himself by the fire. Lani extended her elbow for the bird, and tried not to wince when his claws tagged her skin. She had to remember to wear a glove when she was going to do this.
”I’ll see you in the morning, Mads!” She grinned, hoisting herself down, before shutting the door behind her.
