Completed A Loan On A New Life

[Shade]

50th of Spring, 522 A.V. Morning

Shadekas woke with a start. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was and he didn’t recognize the room around him. He breathed deeply and inhaled the salt and fresh air blowing through the opening in the wall that could hardly be considered a window. Syka had some very odd ideas in terms of building designs, and it certainly lacked any glass. He sat up, stretched, and thrust his feet out over the bed, settling his bare toes down on the warm wooden floor. Syka never truly got cold, as far as he could tell.

Things were warm and stayed warm. And in his mind, he was starting to enjoy it. At first, it had seemed strange to him… all the green growing things and the lack of stone buildings, stone streets, stone walls everywhere. He thought he might miss it, but the truth was Shade was beginning to enjoy it.

He could breathe here. He could move. There was a sense of freedom in Syka that he’d never experienced in Nyka. It actually made him want to settle down, even with all this craziness going on. He knew, to his core, that the settlement would get it solved. The people here were… inherently good. He’d never seen or felt anything like it.

Standing up, he padded over to the opening in his wall, pulled the gossamer curtains back, and took a moment to watch the sea gently lap the white sand. Today would be a good day for a run. He actually loved the beach, the waves, and even Opal had taken to Syka like she was actually a cockatoo and not a raven. He opened his mouth with a smile and softly said “Good Morning.”

Common! He was speaking and thinking in Common today! He almost wanted to go burst into Shiress’ room and let her know. But he hesitated, knowing she’d had a rough night again, something he simply couldn’t do anything about. Plus… she’d probably tell him all the things she’d bottled up in the last ten days or so since the last time he could speak Common and he had to get some things done.

Shade slipped into the bathroom, washed his face, brushed his teeth and shaved quickly. He’d grab a shower after his run. And before that, he needed to find a Founder. He packed a light pack; one he slipped a journal into with a list of what he needed for supplies and what he estimated his costs were.

No more than thirty chimes later, the sun was fully rising and he was out the door and down the deck headed towards the cobbled path and the Mercantile. James, when he was in port – which was a lot this season – lived below the Mercantile with his daughter Juli. It took Shade no more than a brisk ten chime walk to find himself at the door where he was knocking lightly.

[Shade]

James answered the door, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“Good morning.” Shade started out, smiling then. Common was so rare. “I’m sorry I know its early… but I wanted to talk to you about my future here. I’ve been here fifty days and this is the first time I’ve actively had Common when I know what I really want. And I just had to find someone to talk to about this before I pinch myself, wake up, and find I’m speaking Isur.” He said, a wry smile on his face. James laughed softly and beckoned him to come in… then paused.

“Juli’s still sleeping. How about a run on the beach? We can talk during the run.” James said, knowing he couldn’t get lost alone or along the beach. With Shade along, he’d get back home just fine. “That way we don’t wake her up. She hasn’t had it easy lately either.” He said, his voice colored with worry for his daughter.

“Perfect for me. I was going to run after talking to you anyhow.” Shade said thoughtfully and stepped back, patiently waiting while James got ready to leave. The Founder wasn’t gone long and was soon in a set of shorts, tank top, and barefoot.

Shade kicked off his own shoes and slipped them into his pack before making sure both straps were on his back. Then he snugged it down and followed the older man at a light jog down to the beach. Once they hit the beach, they turned south, moving past Swing Beach and towards the Tidepool and beyond. But they didn’t run immediately. No, they spent a few chimes stretching before setting out.

“I must confess I don’t know much about you. I just was told you were a guard to Shiress.” James said thoughtfully after a while. Both men had enjoyed catching their stride in the bright beautiful morning. It had already rained and the air was fresh and wet. The sand was firm and the running was easy. Shade paid close attention

“It started out that way. When I was a small boy, my parents were killed leaving me an orphan. I was eking out a living in a rock quarry picking up busted stones. A Xannos Monk found me there and adopted me. His real son was the one that sponsored me into the Monkhood in Nyka and I became a Xannos Monk. I learned Lynk’s profession from him. He was the monk that saved me. He was a jewelcrafter and owned a very upscale jewelry store called The Blinding Light Studio in Nyka. His son, Hadrian and I were good friends. We grew up together and then joined the Monkhood at the same age… Hadrian is a few years older. I’ve been a jewelcrafter and a monk since. But Hadrian owed a favor to someone Shiress knew who called it in. And Hadrian asked me as a personal favor since I owed him for my sponsorship to watch over Shiress on this trip. I’ve never been out of Nyka so I jumped at the possibility. I… I wasn’t much good at being a Monk, truth be told. They are corrupt as the day is long and you’re more likely to die by a monk’s hand in Nyka than be alive because of one.” Shade confessed.

[Shade]

He jumped a bit of driftwood, readjusted his stride, and caught his breath. Talking while running wasn’t easy.

“So here I am, watching out for Shiress, and deciding this might just be the perfect place for me to stay,” Shade added, leaping over a bit of flotsam and adjusting his running stride. He had to shorten his legs to make sure James could keep up, and the older man ran slower than Shade did, which the monk didn’t mind. After being on a caravan for a significant amount of time and then on a boat, it felt good to be under one’s own power. He made sure he balanced his foot by pacing, landing on his feet rather than on his heel or toe. He regulated his breathing, taking deep long breaths between his words.

James nodded, starting to get winded, so Shade continued. “I know we have our problems… but I really like that everyone refers to it as ‘we’. ‘Our’ problems. There is a united front here I haven’t seen in the whole of my life. I tried for years to get some of the Monks to adopt that attitude but lessons were too ingrained in Nyka. Starvation and the survival of the fittest.” He added, shaking his head. “I want more than that from life and it's time I settled down and started living it.” He added.

The Captain of the Veronica chuckled. “I know the feeling. And you can’t know how glad that makes me feel to hear that. It's what we wanted for Syka. We wanted a small community where everyone knows everyone else and we do things together. The Tenday was an ingenious idea for keeping tabs on each other and bringing us closer. And I know we need more people with your attitude, Shade… so I’d be glad to assist you however you need.” James said, breathing heavily now.

Shade pulled back to a walk, less for his benefit and more for James. He was winded but he wasn’t James’ age. “Let’s walk a bit.” He said, resting his hands on his hips and shaking the sweat out of his overlong hair.

“You don’t have a jeweler here. I love my work and it's my life’s calling. I don’t see that it's needed, not as much as blacksmithing or say the sawmill. But I could do some trades and export some things over the course of getting myself set up. I could do very well at a place where tourists and people coming here to vacation linger and buy mementos. Laugh, but I’m also taking an interest in the flowers we have all over here." He said.

"There’s no florist, no one that crafts bouquets and items like nosegays or garlands. We could use that. I don’t see the need for high-end jewelry here, but the tourists would sure like seashell necklaces and finer things. I am more of a men’s jeweler anyhow. I like thick bold metal statement pieces and medallions. But regardless, I thought a shop for flowers and trinket-type jewelry would go over very well. And on the ship here, I overheard you telling another passenger that Syka was interested in giving loans to people that want to build homes here and perhaps start businesses?" Shadekas said, looking thoughtful.

"I don’t know the amount you’ll loan, but if I have some ideas sketched out and my loan would be significant. I think I can make back what I borrow and pay it back within two years easily enough. I can even trade with the Outpost for some of our more exotic bloom bouquets. It could really work.” He said, slipping off his backpack and showing James what he had sketched out in his book.

[Shade]

“I talked to Standing Tall about putting up the building. They could do a two-story rough place like this for about five thousand mizas. And with materials, metals, and the gems and flowers being no cost, I could get started for just under 5.2K. The house I have designed for three people or more comfortably so I could start a family if that was a possibility in the future. It’s an all encompassing plan. House, business, and I’m hoping for someplace on the beach. I’ve accounted for that in the loan… an acre should do it.” He said thoughtfully.

James, still walking, looked over his list, his numbers and the sketch. “Standing Tall already said they could do this?” He asked.

Shade nodded, nervous now that his soul was laid bare. What would James think of a man like him, a monk… wanting to be a florist and work metal for a living. It wasn’t anyone’s idea of what proper Monks should be doing. He should be opening a weapons shop or a place to practice meditation. Jewelry and flowers? Was James going to laugh? Shade frankly didn’t give two shits. The man would either like the idea or not. And if he didn’t, was Shade making the right decision to stay here? He wanted a place he could put himself out there and be accepted. This was that moment.

“If you are going to be wandering around locating these flowers and gems on your own, you are going to have to learn Falyndar and the Jungle Wilds. You’ll have to figure out how to survive here or take someone with you that can.” He said thoughtfully. “Is that something you are willing to do?” James asked, watching the monk curiously.

Shadekas didn’t answer right away. He looked thoughtful instead and paced his next question before pocketing his notebook with the notes and securing the backpack. Then he began to run again. James, having caught his breath as well, burst into a matching stride. Shade kept his gait shallower, accommodating James, and the pair left lone tracks down the beach as they ran. Then he lifted his hand and showed the black opal embedded in the back of his left palm.

“This means something to me. This means a great deal to me, in fact. Yes, I’m willing to learn all kinds of new skills to stay here. I realize how useless I am without them. And I realize how I’m not getting any younger. If I want my life to pass me by, I needed to stay in Nyka. Here, I can catch it by the Ixam tail and live it. I’ve seen more wonders here in a whole day than I’ve seen in Nyka my whole life. And that includes the Aperture… which is the spawn of a thousand horrors.” Shade said softly.

[Shade]

James nodded, and by unspoken agreement, they were coming up on the Estuary and turned around. It wasn’t a long run, but the sun was climbing higher in the sky. Like Shade, James had the Tenday to think about. And truthfully, Shade needed to talk to Shiress now that he could. Shade’s legs were starting to burn now, and he could feel the effects of the run in his calves and in his back. He suspected his running posture wasn’t all that fantastic, so he made a conscious effort to hold his back straight, loosen his shoulders, and let his arms hang loosely for a moment before bringing his elbows back up to his sides and running harder.

Suddenly James pulled up just south of the Tidepool Bar on a lovely stretch of beach that was just off the Cobbled Pathway. Shade knew the Panacea was across the way somewhere in the jungle. “This would be a good spot, Shade.” James said, glancing around.

“There’s an acre here of flat jungle and beach mixed. It would be a good home site and an excellent business location. And the jungle stretches out all around. I’ll loan you the 5.2k for your business as long as you pay me back within two years. And I want you to be an active member of the community. I saw how you’ve been with Shiress. Treat them all like your charges. In a way, they all are." James added.

"We are not going to survive here, let alone thrive unless we care for one another. And if I don’t have new businesses coming in, we won’t have a future. Tell Standing Tall to send me the bills… and get started on the building immediately. I’ll give you some cash to go get some inventory and order what you need at The Outpost in terms of stock. I think it's well past the time we had a florist and jeweler in Syka. For some reason, when a place starts having luxuries like that, it gives it more permanence and a presence. I’m also glad to see someone like you here, Shadekas. Very glad.” James said, and reached out.

The two men shook on the deal. There were no contracts signed. No paperwork was filed. It was a simple handshake and that was that. When the two men finished their agreement, they turned as one, and started back up the beach at a run, finishing their morning exercise.

Words: 2561

[Shade]

GRADING

Shade-

Planning +1, Running +3, Leadership +1, Socialization +5, Storytelling +2, Teaching +1, Business +4, Psychology +1

Running: Beach Navigation, Socialization: Revealing Your History, Business: Presenting A Business Plan, Business: Plan Contingent On Shade Learning WS, Psychology: Awareness of Ones Own Short fallings, Syka: Great Place To Build A Shop


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