[Sanctuary] Sister Light Sister Dark (Akela/Sanc Staff)

[Kavala]

Kavala leaned back against the far wall and looked thoughtful. As if things weren't hard enough already, Akela was going to make it even more difficult. The konti sister was so very thankful that her fiercer older half had survived, but with each word and each new revelation that Akela put forth, Kavala felt even more weight on her shoulders. This was not how things were when they were younger, this was a whole lot harder, a whole lot more difficult. Innocence for both of them was lost - completely - and even as Kavala turned and glanced at Sorian who seemed to be waiting outside, she wondered if things were ever going to change - to bring about peace. All she wanted, truthfully, was a quiet life and to be left alone outside the view of her family and outside the judging eyes of others. Akela could join her and be incredibly welcome, but Kavala suspected her sister's fiercer nature would not let that peace happen or would allow her to be contented even if thats what she desired. Even as Akela said - openly admitted - that Kavala's needs would be her own, the younger konti doubted it and felt incredibly sad if it turned out to be true. Akela should be out slaying monsters, protecting a pavilion, counseling a leader... not trapped here with a frightened hiding sister. Such thoughts caused sadness to course through Kavala, nearly overwhelming her before she blinked, shook herself out of it and rose to fetch a clean bathing robe that was folded neatly on a shelf concealed by two cabinet doors near the bath. The garment was nothing special. It was only a simple floor-length tunic that cried out for some embroidering - nice Drykas knotworking - though it had none. "Here, take this. It's clean. Then you can have the run of my closet or eh... chest, though truthfully there isn't much there. Perhaps we'll go shopping later today. I have coin to spend, but very little to spend it on." It was true. Kavala had never really had an interest in clothing or physical things unless it was new needles for suturing wounds or herbs she could make into medicine. With two of them, her boyish wardrobe wouldn't stretch nearly as far and they'd need the help. "It's too bad Sorian wouldn't escort us. I can't imagine the looks we'll get when the one strange Konti on the outskirts of town suddenly morphs into twins." She said, laughingly. To other Konti the girls were as different as night and day, but to most everyone else, they looked so much alike it was uncanny. The big Akalak simply didn't go to town. Kavala wasn't sure whether it was because of his bride's death or whether it was because of his pride. She'd never asked. "Don't worry, Akela. I understand the need. And I will be honest. It's nothing I want. A normal person would be crazy to want someone to serve their every need. I don't deserve it. But I don't want you torn either, seeking, searching, needing someone to care for. So long as I can take care of you like you take care of me.... Its something I need to do and you know that... then we'll be fine." A sudden sharp flash of her sister whispering her desire to cut her up a little flashed through Kavala's mind and she shivered, frightened for a moment. The truth was Akela scared her. She was something else before their mother's death, but this was something even more fierce and more frightening. Suddenly, painfully, Kavala missed Vanator and wanted his soothing voice. She missed his wife as well - one of her closest friends in the world - because Tamar would know what to do, how to fix this, how better to accept it. Everything had been wrong since Tamar's death. Since mother's death. Kavala blinked suddenly, feeling tears that were totally unexpected and unwelcome. She glanced up at Akela a moment, her eyes liquid, and whispered... "Don't you ever miss them? Mother? Tamar? Sometimes I feel like the light went out of the world when they left it. I can't imagine how hard its been on Vanator, and now how messed up we are. If he ever saw us, Akela and knew the truth.... I could not face him. I simply couldn't." The younger konti blinked, managing to avoid spilling tears, even though her heart was in her eyes. She had desperately missed her family. She said, not realizing something very important. Kavala never talked about pain. She never acknowledged it nor let it rule her. It was part of the reason she was recovering so slowly and had kept herself so isolated. But with Akela here, almost an extension of herself and in many ways her pain revisited only tenfold, it was easier... it was being faced. Even though painfully and slowly, which was how Kavala often approached the world. "I want to break the curse. I think its real. But I don't know how. I thought maybe here, a new life, away from them, it would fade and become no more." She said slowly, then nodded. Akela wanted to talk about work. They could do that. It was a relief. The Konti took a breath, relaxed, and her appearance looked calmer suddenly. "Leatherworking - tack is almost impossible to find here. Saddlemaking - for they don't use yvas though we should probably instruct them on the merits of such things. Herbalism, Gardening, Carpentry, Masonry, Philtering, just about anything you can think of that involves a medicinal facility is required here. It's an artform just making the place so it can be cleaned and kept clean. Any sort of medicine you want to learn is good. We need to eat so hunting is good too. Animal husbandry though I know your already fine with breeding - I really need help especially this spring with getting all the stallions to service the mares and then break in the new horses that aren't actually riding animals. I want every animal on site to be functional for breeding or riding or even harness. I'd also like to start a kennels and provide hunting dogs and cats. They will need training but will help with the facilities security." The Dyrkas had large cats and dogs that hunted and guarded so such things were not new to the Konti. "Pretty much anything you have an aptitude for, Akela, would help tremendously. Even sewing... we don't have a curtain in this place. The horses need blankets or constant repairs to them... and we need tools made so blacksmithing would help too. It's so expensive to get things done here because they do everything so well - its quality work and you pay top coin for it. But there's too much for me to do alone here. Far too much." She said softly, shaking her head. "I very much need the help. But in terms of what sort of help I need... above all the physical labor I just... really really need a sister right now." She said softly and forgetfully reached out to touch Akela's arm, wanting to hug her, wanting to thank her... forgetting for a moment what she was now.

[Akela]

Kavala's misconception of Akela's new role in the universe began with her belief that serving her sister's needs would make Akela different or miserable. In time, though, she would surely come to understand that while serving may indeed be the end result, Akela's personality was fully intact, and she planned on fulfilling those needs her way. Her own brave, forward, snarky, over-the-top way. She was not so crushed by her mark to have become a mindless thrall, either. On the contrary, Nikali's chosen were acute, perceptive folks. She put the tunic on after thanking Kavala. She was now presentable again, though she noted the lack of pretty Drykas knotwork. Of course, she couldn't complain after the things she had worn - or not worn - over the past two years. "I doubt my kind of shopping will make you tingle, too," she smiled, "all I need is oils for my katana, some sharpening, a new scabbard most likely…" she counted on her fingers. Akela wasn't one for many material possessions, either. For most of her life all she'd owned was a horse, if you could call that 'owning', a sword and the clothes on her back, and it had been great. It just made her feel somewhat inadequate next to all the things her sister had done and acquired, even if she herself thought little of them. "I can kind of imagine why his social life is… impaired," Akela commented about Sorian, "this town looks very orderly and, well, he's not. Not this half of him at least. Maybe in time, we'll manage to reintroduce him to Riverfall." Sorianavis, what a strange creature. Akela wondered if Kavala had let him in because she'd let just anyone in that was in need of help. That Sorian wanted to be here was perhaps even more surprising and difficult to explain. Akela started brushing her hair, undoing the last remaining knots - the Drykas may love them, but she certainly hated them in her hair. Meanwhile, Kavala was about to break down. Akela perceived it distinctly, glad at least that her mark could act as a poor man's version of the gift she'd never had, and sighed at the tears. It wasn't so much that Akela was strong - she just thought being weak helped no-one, much less herself. When Tamar had died, Akela had been the one to tell her sister she was one of many humans they would meet and slowly see off into Dira's realm. Kavala had always been closer to Vanator, too. Akela had been self-reliant to the point of being detached from her own pavilion. "You know me, sis, I don't dwell in the past. I remember both of them fondly, I have learned from them, but they aren't coming back. Vanator has duties as well, important duties. Lives will soon depend on him if they don't already." She thought it over for a second or two. "I have so little tying me to the clan… to the pavilion. No blood, no friendships, even my strider is dead. Frankly, I may as well quit being Drykas, and given how I suck at being Konti I have no idea where that leaves me." "But if breaking the curse is what you truly desire," Akela whispered, smiling, "then I will make it my own goal. Only because your slave is working on it, though, doesn't mean you should slack off. If it exists, it's not something either of us can break alone." It was true: Akela wanted to help her sister from the bottom of her heart, but Kavala would have to do her part. There was no way without the will. The conversation turned to work, and Akela listened to a barrage of skills she didn't know anything about, save that they existed. She was pretty sure she had no talent for most of them. The sword was really Akela's only redeeming trait when it came to ability, but she could always try. Hunting sounded like a promising one. "I will look into this, see if I can get some training somewhere. My main skill is not terribly marketable, I know. Wait… did you say blacksmithing? I picked up the basics back at the pavilion. Yay at not being totally useless." She was about to add more when Kavala touched her, and Akela perceived the overwhelming need for closeness and comfort. She completed the motion then, and hugged her sister tight, no darkness in her now. "And here I am. Should half the world ever rise up against you, I'll be here telling them they better bring the other half too if they want to stand a chance," she said softly, running her hand through Kavala's hair.

[Kavala]

Kavala did Akela the favor of blushing slightly when her sister deliberately painted a picture of the other Konti stalking into a weapons shop to pick up some supplies. "Akela, it's not like that...." She started to say, then let the subject drop. She'd known the other woman all her life, and once Akela had something to tease the younger Konti about, there'd be no getting around it so protesting was pointless. "There's an armory in town, fairly prominent. I'll need to go there too to get my supplies. I can either show you or you can ask the first tall dark-skinned male you cross paths with and you'll find yourself properly escorted there." Kavala said, grinning slightly. Akela was... really okay. It surprised her. The younger Konti truthfully wasn't, but leave it to her older sister to bounce back from her ordeal without so much as a single regret. Did she have any? Kavala wondered how much of it was bravo and how much was the plain and simple truth. Time would tell. The longer the two spent together, the faster Kavala would figure out what was really going on. And hope as she might, the girl just couldn't bring herself to believe that Akela had truthfully walked away from two years of slavery with no regrets. "Sorian is very unique. I think only hes going to decide when he wants to rejoin the world or not. I wouldn't be surprised if he never did. There's a long story behind his being the way he is, but its not mine to tell." Kavala said softly, knowing she'd tell her sister most everything, but she would indeed keep the secrets that didn't belong to her. "Don't you miss him though? Vanator? I him terribly, and I still miss Tamar. I know we'll outlive all of them, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate them while they are with us. You know, most Drykas don't have family members that can watch out for as long as we can. I won't forsake my family, even though I am not living with them... " The konti said gently, almost wistfully. "The curse won't allow it... not until we break it, Akela." The truth was, Vanator was the best thing the Denusk Pavilion had going for it. Especially if the two girls stayed away. "Of course it exists! How can it not?" Kavala snapped, frustrated, knowing her sister was taking this way too casually. "And of course I'll do my part. I left didn't I? Until we can figure it out..." She said with more inflection, more passion. "The truth is, this curse isn't really on the family, its on us. It's the reason why those we care about will always leave - one way or another." Akela knew what she was talking about - departure or death - there was any number of ways to part company, and most of them weren't nice. It had started with Tamar, then their mother, then who knew who else? She was relieved the conversation turned. "Do you know anything about building a forge? I can actually use one too, because there's going to be any number of projects we'll need to manufacture things for. I suspect we turn the northeast storage into a forge since thats the best place to put one. I would like to learn shoeing so we don't have to have that expense. The Striders are fine, but most of the horses here aren't striders and they will need shoes. So we should start with that... building a forge. It sounds insane, but we can do it... I know we can." Kavala said, with almost a laugh. Everything else here she'd had to learn from the ground up. It was no different learning forge construction really. "It has an outside door too so we can start a wood pile up against the stone foundation too. But I think we'll need brick for the forge, or at least stones. We can gather cobbles from the pasture if those will work, but I think we're going to have to do some research at the library or go talk to the blacksmith to make it happen." Kavala said softly. She smiled when Akela touched her hair, running her fingers through the sister's translucent locks. Kavala smiled, relaxed, and gazed into her sisters eyes. "I'm glad your here. I really am. Sometimes there seems like there's so much to do.... and not enough help to do it... It's hard living life - a new life - but its one I picked out for myself. I just hope you enjoy it too." She said softly. "We can start on the forge in a couple of days.... how does that sound?" She asked, knowing a meal and maybe some research in town would occupy their time for the other two days. Plus, whether Akela realized it or not, she needed some rest.... badly. "Now... lets get some rest? I swear, Akela, I'm going to learn to cook now that your here.... because I cannot afford to hire one and I don't think we can survive on how much I don't know how at the moment." She said grinning, and inviting her sister to come in. She hadn't a spare room for Akela, since Austen used it. So they'd have to share her upstairs accommodations. Kavala didn't mind.

[Sorian]

The big mass of blue simply stood there outside the sun, no longer moving, or huffing and puffing and grumbling in confusion and anger at that. His breathing was shallow, and each eyelid drooped heavily with absent-mindedness. Even the corners of his mouth, which had been curled in condensation earlier, hung slightly open for the sun and wind to dry. Upon closer inspection, one would have thought that he had simply fallen asleep standing there, but just as rationality would dictate this notion to be impossible, this was simply not the case. "Why... Did you break the wall?" "Hmph! I shall break whatever I see fit!" Within that towering, high-perched head, two halves of the same soul bickered like tempered children who had been chained on the opposite sides of a black, empty room. They are unable to lunge at each other, but being able to hurl insults at each other strangely sufficed anyway. On one side was the gentler and more composed, yet infinitely more aggrieved Sorian, with Navis the Tormentor resting on the other. "You ought to show... More manners to the ladies... Be grateful for the roof over our heads!" "GRATEFUL?! For what? For chaining me to this dump?! You're insane, you stupid old goat!" Each one bared his teeth at the other, sporting a glow of disdain towards one another. The flesh on each figure's arms, tendons and abdomens flexed in grotesque curls of strength, raw power coursing through every side. Yet as much as they wished to outdo, intimidate and rend each other's heads apart, it was all a show for the other, for they could never really fight in physical terms. It was simply not a possibility, given where their consciousnesses resided. All they could do was just that, bicker, quarrel, get on each other's skins. "You are... a... tactless barbarian! The scum... of my life! You're... an ungrateful peasant dog!" "You are stupid and weak! You're a grunt, a mongrel! An anchor I have to drag around!" The confrontation, invisible as it was to the unobservant real world, somehow manifested itself on their shared body. The blank expression on the face was visibly marred by angry blue veins that seemed to want to erupt from within his epidermis. Blood and adrenalin pumped freely across every ounce and inch of his solid 6'9 frame, which in good time made the body walk by itself. Not having any of its two pilots manning its cerebral functions, it blindly lumbered around, still sporting that dead look. It was profound enough to scare the horses in the stable when he drew closer. The neighs of instinctive fright and panic freely rang around Sanctuary, as if the shell of Sorianavis had become a ferocious predator, despite the mindless and dull state. "Stop... it! You're... scaring the horses!" "See if I care!" A large, unguided hand raised up into the air, where it met with the course wood of something flat. It was the door of Sivak's stall, the stallion with whom Sorian was most acquainted with. The majestic and powerful horse was quietly eating hay with its bottom turned to the dronish Akalak, not really minding or caring what he does. It was clearly intelligent to know what state the hulking body was in, and strong enough to make sure he gets the message if he tries anything funny. Grunting at the approach, it continued to chew in its own peace. Until... "Don't... Touch that!" "I'm not touching it! No no no no... OH DAMN IT!" The hand had just entered something warm, something sticky, and a squall of silence was quickly followed by a thundering cry of fury. It happened so fast and so precisely, neither the body nor the stallion knew if he had thrust it in or he had pushed it in slowly. Only the two sub-consciousnesses knew, and both of them stared in horror at the sight of their hand lodged inside the horse's ass. "Oh... no." "Oh man." It's head propping up, Sivak, unanimously considered to be the king of Sanctuary, turned to the still gawking body and its improperly placed hand with eyes of rage. Enormous strength suddenly filling the muscles of its back, both hind legs flew upwards simultaneously, with both of its metal-clad hooves finding its mark. The force sent the 260 pound Akalak flying across the open, landing with a horrendous thud a few feet away from the door where Kavala and Akela were both minding their own sisterly business. One hoof had hit the body clean in the chest, and the other one had hit his midsection, with both sporting massive bruises and signs of internal bleeding. The sinning hand, which was covered in Sivak's excreta, laid limply away from him. Yet the stupid, peon-like expression on his face remained, albeit with shut eyes this time. Inside his head, neither side stirred. He, no, both were out cold.

[Akela]

Akela wasn't a sentimental creature, to use an understatement. Her heart was not easily etched with feelings for someone, and even then she did not often make a display of it, much preferring to shield herself behind sharp words. Building rapport had not come easily to her at all before receiving Nikali's mark, and in a way this made her an anti-Konti, even though she was not as introverted as her sister. Just like she was not sentimental about others, then, she held the same attitude about herself. Right, wrong, whatever. So she had had rough sex with a Zith, no big deal. So she was her sister's slave, a pretty unique arrangement to be sure but not one to be embarrassed about. Akela knew life was too short, even for a Konti, to get caught in these mindgames, and so she didn't. It would be okay, no, it would be a blast. "I miss Vanator," she nodded, "though I do not really miss the company he hangs out with." Meaning the clan. Akela was nothing if not utterly honest with Kavala. She believed the clan was getting the true bargain with Vanator, not the other way around. They had always liked Kavala much better, anyways. "My memories of Tamar have grown somewhat fuzzy," she admitted. Nikali's gift was not the best ally of memory, for it made the slave live in the here and now of their master's wishes. The past, if not overly important, tended to fade away in the background. "But she was a great woman, judging by how everything went to shyke after she died." Akela raised a brow as Kavala snapped at the mention of the curse. Soft spot, touchée. Truth told, the Konti had no idea if such a thing really existed, though she would help her in the investigation. She liked to think she was the mistress of her own fate as much as one could be. Kavala was likely obsessed with the idea, perhaps preferring to believe that their misfortunes were the fruit of a mysterious grand design. Maybe because a design could be undone, maybe because people needed a better reason to suffer than 'shyke happens'. And so, she repressed the initial response, which was along the lines of "We should find ourselves one of those Konti lasses and ask her about it," deeming it too impertinent for her sister's sensitive spot. She left the matter drop, though she was certain it would rear its ugly head again in the near future. "I will see what I can do about the forge," she nodded lightly, "but we probably won't get that one done before the spring. I don't think that will be a problem for those big muscles of yours," she added, noting the change in Kavala's physique. "I like making weapons the best, but steel is steel. We can do this, Kav. One brick at a time. It's a forge, not a castle… so why shouldn't we be able to build one? And we don't need no silly blue men to help us." She smiled at her sister. "As long as you enjoy it, so will I." Sanctuary was Kavala's addiction, the thing she focused on with all her might. Akela suspected that her sister did not feel particularly good being alone with her thoughts. Suddenly, commotion from outside made her hand reach for her katana without even thinking. She flung herself towards the nearest door, sword in hand and the grim expression of a loyal slave ready to defend her mistress with her life if needbe. "Who's there? Show yourself!" she called out, still confused, until she cast her eyes downwards and saw the fallen form of Sorian. She looked at his wounds and the filthy hand, shifting from one to the other but failing to piece together the clues for a while (or rather, not wanting to). "I think," she murmured, "if he were a Drykas I would be required to take his life to preserve his dignity." She circled around Sorian a few more times, then turned to face Kavala with a totally serious expression on her face. "You said minutes ago he'd make a better master than you. I dare you to say that again with a straight face, here and now… if you can." She made no mention of healing him. Kavala would have to, and Akela just knew her face was going to be priceless. Totally priceless.

[Kavala]

Kavala smiled at her sister. "I know. I'm learning the one brick at a time analogy myself. It's overwhelming sometimes to look at the bigger picture, but if you break it down into small steps, it really is quite manageable isn't it?" She said with a grin. "After all, we aren't talking about life or death. We're talking about building a stable and healing clinic. It's hardly... overwhelming. Just a lot of work." She said, nodding slightly, though the part where Akela added that so long as Kavala enjoyed it, so would she wiped the smile off her sisters face. There was almost instant anger at the statement. Frustration. Akela deserved her own life. Not Kavala's mundane existence. It had to be the curse. She loved her sister before, but this was going to be hard... hard to handle and harder still to deal with. Akela was a tool... pure and simple. The way she explained it sounded so neat, so tidy, so well rehearsed. But Kavala couldn't imagine anything more horrible, especially since her sister wasn't aware of horrible it was being inside of it and having a goddess stoke her jolly button repeatedly whenever she began to balk. Nice. Slavery was such an ugly thing, no matter how you actually spun it and the truths or lies you tacked onto it. The youngest konti was starting to regret her agreeable answer and sighed softly. She started to speak just as the chaos outside erupted. "Akela... ride off a cliff!" Kavala said suddenly, abruptly, in anger. And then she turned to storm outside and see what in the blast just happened. While she hadn't witnessed it, she'd heard Sorian's dialog and witnessed the stallions reaction. The hand, though, covered with manure, told the story. Kavala wrinkled her nose up in horror, staring at her wounded friend and watching him lay coldly. The swear words that erupted from Kavala's mouth startled even her. She knelt down, layed her hands on his chest over the bruising, and called forth Rak'keli's blessing to sooth the skin. But she could do nothing about the internal bleeding that was staining the underside of his skin. She simply left the Akalak lay where he was and went to check on the stallion. The Seme was hard to acquire and precious to her so she took her time soothing the beast and calming him down.

[Akela]

Akela shook her head as Kavala did what she could with the healing and proceeded to take care of the stallion. Sivak was the more important one in the greater scheme of things, and Akela knew that full well. Sanctuary depended entirely on the ability to breed and sell horses. Tough luck for Sorianavis. He was so… strange. One had to wonder how he had survived before meeting her sister. Then again, you had to question the sanity of someone who'd rather cut himself repeatedly than sleep with a Konti girl. "He won't die from just this," she commented, not making a move to touch the intouchable Akalak. "Though he may wish he had." Maybe, Akela thought, maybe she should assist him somehow. But then again, she hadn't been ordered to. Being a slave was a very, very good thing. No-one could ever object to a slave playing the 'You didn't tell me to do that' card. Nevertheless, Sanctuary seemed to be a place where unusual things tended to happen. She would fit in just fine. "Oh, by the way, little sis, about that request of yours," she put her hands behind her back, beaming at Kavala in an impression of innocence that was anything but innocent. The order Kavala had shouted in sudden anger did not come from her heart and had no influence on Akela at all, but her grin was shameless as she showed her sistress that she felt little regret for getting her into this trouble. Akela was not capable of great regret, ever. "Trot or gallop?" OOCI think we can wrap this up?

[Kavala]

So she left Akela's words hanging in the air like the smug scent of amusement blooming from spring flowers of survival and fetched a blanket and a pillow for Sorian. She left the warm wool of a horseblanket draped over the unconscious form several layers deep so he would not suffer cold as he lay there, and tucked another blanket wadded up under his head. She'd check on him several times and feed him when he woke up. But the reality was, until he did so the girls had no way of moving his hulking form or doing anything sensible other than what Kavala had already done. And as for her sister's question..... no response was forthcoming. Ever.

[Charon]

The sisters continued to address their necessary duties once Sorian had been taken care of to the best extent he could have. The horse was calmed by Kavala with Akela watching intently and realizing what truly mattered most for both her sister and Sanctuary. The passion with which her sister worked would not surprise Akela but only serve to further her understanding of what Kavala truly had here in Riverfall in this establishment.

Sorian eventually awoke with bruises just about disappeared from his body. He felt weak for an Akalak and understandably so. Though the outward, physical remnants from his terrible mistake would be completely gone soon enough, the internal damage had been done and Kavala's healing could not quite reach far enough and was not effectively enough to completely restore the blue-skin's injuries. Though he could manage to get up on his own power, Sorian would be wise to understand he is lucky to escape with only the injuries he acquired.

Thread Experience Awards Akela XP: Lore: Rak'keli's Gnosis - Healing, The Dual Natures of the Akalak Sorian XP: +1 in Animal Husbandry Lore: Nikali’s Gnosis – Ranuri Mod Notes: From your internal injuries, expect minor discomforts of the stomach while eating and having pain when experiencing hunger through mid-spring. Cardiovascular activities will cause major chest pains if you attempt to run/jog and will constantly nag during long days of physical work through spring and tapering off in the beginning of summer. Kavala XP: +1 in Medicine, +1 in Animal Husbandry Lore: Nikali’s Gnosis – Ranuri, Zith Slavery Mod Notes: Wonderful character development and an equally wonderful read.