Completed Want to Turn Back? Feel Free.

[Melenna]

If the Pycon did anything between the wee morning hours and the light just before the afternoon sun, Melpomene had no idea. Her sleep was so deep that it wasn't even disturbed by nightmares. She had always been one to rise with the sun, finding the first morning light and dewy ground ripe with inspiration, but this time she let the hours of dawn pass by uninterrupted. When her eyes did open, she simply closed them again and covered her head with the pillow to block out the light. Only when her stomach was complaining too much and when her limbs burned for stretching did she finally submit to the day.

Melpomene sat up with her arms stretched out in front of her, then extending them up as far as they would go to the ceiling. Joints cracked and sore muscles screeched, making her shudder and lay back down again. Just flexing her hands still hurt, but much of her energy had returned, making her gaze bright and curious. It was a relief to know that her escape in the night had been more than a dream, but it still took her a moment to find the tiny Delos, who hadn't gone far. She smiled lightly at the fellow, content to merely talk until they thought of something to do.

“G—” The Konti had to clear her throat, which was once again dry. “Good morning, Delos.”

[Delos]

There was nothing, though Delos supposed that should not have surprised him. His mother had tended to avoid places where slavery was prominent, for the obvious reason that Pycon were a rather unique species and would probably interest quite a few buyers. His mother's journal went into great detail about more exotic cultures and their customs, but nothing that would help with his current situation.

Delos had began his studying early, almost the minute after he had woken up. He currently sat on the floor, poring over his mother's journal for any sign of the information he sought. When he was trying to find one specific piece of information the young Pycon had the tendency to become frighteningly focused. Normally he allowed his mind to wander, thinking of new possibilities and occurrences, new pages to books he had yet to read or cultures he had yet to encounter. Now however his efforts were rather single minded, finding a way to help his new found friend.

So focused was the young scholar that he only noticed that Melpomene had risen when she had called out to him. Delos turned sharply from the pages of his current read and gazed up at the Konti. In the light of day she truly looked rather worse for the wear, the dirt and grime covering her body was far more noticeable and her wounded hands looked far more serious.

Despite his frustration this morning he did not wish to appear rude to his guest. He closed the small journal and stood up, giving the giant Konti his full attention.

"It is a fine morning indeed, my dear Melpomene. I trust you slept well?" The tiny scholar said, tilting his head slightly.

He would address these issues at a latter date, at least until his guest was up and about. Then they could hopefully come up with some form of plan, one that hopefully did not see him in the Ebonstryfe dungeons. Or her on a slave market.

[Melenna]

“Truly, I did thanks to you. It's a very... cozy little home you have.” Melpomene's words shivered with laughter, the smile on her face mild and warm. There were just times when the tiny man would outdo himself, his polite charm somehow making him seem a great deal bigger than he actually was. Where did this distinguished gentleman come from, and why was he part of something as cruel as the Black Sun? The people of Ravok were born surrounded by his lies, but surely any sensible outsider would see the foolishness. Rhysol was a betrayer, a liar, a fraud—he didn't build things, he broke them apart or otherwise used them to destroy what order was left in the world. How could she deny that herself, already having been marked by his evil?

With a heftier dose of sobriety, Melpomene managed to sit herself up, lightly swinging her legs over the bed. If her eyes weren't failing her, it seemed that the Pycon was in the process of reading something. There wasn't much else to do in the place, it seemed, unless one of them was keen on lighting a fire in the hearth. The thought brought back Delos' mention of money in his chest, and she clasped her hands together with sudden excitement. To be clean again, to have real clothing again...

“Ah... ah, I don't mean to be impatient—and of course there's no hurry, given the situation—but I don't suppose you know where one can find clean water nearby? You've been so kind to me, and the least that I could do is to make myself presentable.” Melpomene slipped off the bed only to sink on her knees, as she preferred to be in better conversational distance with her friend.

OoC Note: Just for clarification, the mark referred to is the slave brand, not any manner of pretended gnosis mark.

[Delos]

Delos was rather surprised by Melpomene's sudden excitement, she had never seemed so animated since the scholar had met her. Then again she had been rather tired last night, and while he couldn't exactly grasp the concept of being clean, being made of clay, he certainly thought she could use a wash. He thought for a moment before nodding at the Konti's question.

"There is indeed a place nearby that I know of, a small bath house, it would be a short ride on the canal to the east of here. We could probably acquire some better clothes for you while were are at it." The Pycon mused, fixing Melpomene with a pondering look.

It would be extremely dangerous for her too go alone, especially if the Ebonstryfe was looking for her. It might be better if her were to go with her, however she was due some privacy. The scholar thought for a moment, finally opting that it would be best to present her with the options and let her make her own decision.

"Well Melpomene, it would be very dangerous for you to go alone, so I should ask if you want me to come with you. Amelia shouldn't be expecting me at the Black Hole for at least a few more hours, so I would have some time to help you out." This gave Delos another idea.

"Actually, speaking of Amelia, it would probably be best if you met her sooner rather than later. I will warn you, it means going to the Black Hole, the Ebonstryfe prison." Delos said, full accepting if the answer was no.

Truth being told he was not in any hurry to meet with Amelia, her predatory looks were very intimidating and uncomfortable. He couldn't imagine that Melpomene would take kindly to Amelia's very... forward nature.

[Melenna]

The black hole? It was actually called a black hole? Melpomene rolled her shoulders back as a chill rode up her spine. If they treated slaves like half starved cattle, she could only imagine how they handled prisoners. Her gaze hardened, eyes more concerned than curious as she stared at Delos. It wasn't his size that surprised her, but his mannerisms, his gentleness. He spoke of his job with a distinctly neutral tone, and she couldn't begin to think of how someone like him was working at such a place. What did he do? Torture the poor souls with magic?

“A-Ah, well, I... I should be presentable to her, too, shouldn't I? She might be more inclined to be kind if I didn't... didn't look like this.” A pleasant smile slipped on Melpomene's face, false as paint. Perhaps there was a slight chance that a keeper of Ravok's prison would take pity on her, but something told her that such a woman would be more inclined to make her already miserable circumstances worse. All the same, she couldn't find it in herself to flatly refuse someone that had offered food and shelter.

So she would stall. It seemed the best option until she could think of something better. With a light sweep of her dress, she stood up and made her way over to Delos' chest, frame stooping like a willow branch as she searched for the coin he had mentioned. As soon as she had the metal in her hand, she gently traced the luminous surface. Money was part of freedom outside of Mura, wasn't it?

Melpomene felt guilt as soon as she collected two of the pieces in her hand. Her circumstances were certainly pitiable, but she had never been the object of such pity. She was a capable artist with family, friends, and even had a sizable lump of savings, or rather, once was. At the very least, she wouldn't let the gift go to waste—somehow, in some way, she'd repay the little fellow, Black Sun agent or no.

The Konti gently closed the chest, turning back and offering a hand once again to Delos. “Is it too early to go out? They've probably found me missing by now... would they search this place?”

[Delos]

Delos noticed the halt in the Konti's voice when she mentioned looking presentable, then again the Black Sun was feared by all who heard their name so apprehension was natural. The chance that Amelia would show pity, or more likely decided that the Konti might be more useful alive was slim at best. The likely scenario would be far less pleasant, and likely far more messy so Delos chose not to focus on it. It wasn't like there was much of a choice here, only a member of the Black Sun could help Melpomene at the moment.

The Pycon scholar stepped on to her hand, dispelling any unpleasant thoughts as he chose to ponder her question. It was highly unlikely that he would be the first suspect to search for an escaped slave, even if they did he could probably provide a very convincing and logical argument to explain the Konti's presence. It was doubtful any one would spare him a second glance as the Konti carried him around the city, they would probably assume that she served him in some manner. If the Ebonstryfe bothered to take an interest he would think of some explanation, hopefully Amelia would not be to peeved if he was forced to drop her name.

"I doubt the Ebonstryfe will be diverting too many resources to search for you, maybe one or two guards if your former handler was influential. If they do find us just let me do the talking." Delos said as calmly as he was able.

This whole affair was more than a little frightening but also very exciting at the same time. The young Pycon knew that this was very dangerous but it just seemed like one of his father's misadventures, getting caught up in dangerous affairs all to help a beautiful member of the larger races. Usually he left out the beautiful part around his mother, but then that was his father, the eccentric wizard. Looks like Delos was having a misadventure of his very own, maybe he would write about it one day.

[Melenna]

Melpomene offered her shoulder once again to the Pycon as she stepped towards the door, first peering out the window before opening it. Ravok was even more confusing in the daylight, full of walkways and canals and alleys between buildings. It was hard to say if they were all part of the same platform or if they were all separate and merely bridged together—the system was so complex. There were more people out on the street as well, some bearing small carts while others led passengers across the waterways. It almost made the city life seem quieter, only a few wooden footsteps on the ground with the occasional splash of water.

The prospect of getting caught by city guards under Rhysol was enough to dissuade her from leaving the home at all, but she took comfort from Delos' delicate weight on her shoulder. Even if he was a small fellow, he had the mien of a noble and the magic of a mage. She let him guide her path as soon as she stepped outside, drooping her head and shoulders to seem inconspicuous. Given her appearance, she figured walking the walk and avoiding eye contact would make her seem less like a frantic runaway.

“I've been wondering something for a while now, Delos.” Melpomene spoke quietly, piping up some small talk to soothe her nerves. “I know that I'm very new to this place, but it doesn't quite seem fit for you, if I may say so. Have you always lived here?”

[Delos]

Delos directed Melpomene in the direction of a canal that was a little ways away. That was another thing that absolutely fascinated him about Ravok, their means of transportation for the city. Small boats that carried people to their destinations across the many canals and waterways of the floating city. It was unique only to Ravok as far as he knew and it would certainly be something he intended to write about at great length when he was finished with his research into the Black Sun.

The day was nice and the sun was shining early and bright. Maybe it was a sign from the gods that this day would be one of success, he certainly hoped so.

Delos pondered how best to answer his companion's question, it seemed odd to him. Still he could imagine that she was curious about her benefactor, it was only natural he supposed. His burning curiosity about her own homeland came back to the forefront of his mind, what better time than the present to ask than the present.

"I'll answer the question, however I would ask in return that you tell me everything you can recall about your homeland. Sorry if that seems forward of me but as a scholar it would be nothing short of a sin for me to toss aside the opportunity to ask about the fabled homeland of the Konti." Delos said, the scholar side of him quick to take over.

"I have not always lived in Ravok, in fact I only gained citizenship about a month or two ago. I grew up in a small Pyve south of Ravok. It was a nice enough place to grow up but my thirst for knowledge bade me to leave in search of new horizons, thus here I am." Delos answered simply and honestly.

As far as the Pycon was concerned his past was an open book. What was the point of hiding from the past when the present and future held far more interesting things.

[Melenna]

Melpomene laughed softly, shoulders shivering from the sound. The fellow spoke so seriously, as though he were about to start recording information for a textbook. At first she shook her head, finding his answer too vague for her liking—particularly since he expected her to expound on the culture and history of an island territory five hundred years old in return—but how could she complain? He'd given her food, a place to sleep, and soon a decent bath as well as clothes. So she pondered his words a moment, a small smile soon touching her features.

“It's been some time since I've thought on home. And I can't promise absolute fact either, you know, as all I have is personal experience or songs long passed down.” It was important to make disclaimers, she'd found, as sometimes the villains or heroes of songs too closely resembled the occasional listener. “But much depends on what you want to know—where Konti come from, what kind of island we call home, what makes our culture different? Everything about my homeland is something of a broad topic.” Melpomene shrugged, remembering to fall quiet again as she skirted around the fringe of a crowd of humans.

“To start simply, the White Isle is... it's... as beautiful as a dream can be.” Melpomene sighed, a powerful longing suddenly present in her voice. “Every morning you can smell the world around you, damp, cool, and touched with a kiss of cardamom's mint or the vanilla of jupin blossoms. Then the sun sits atop Silver Lake, which is so calm and so clear that you can see all the way down to its ancient stone. All around and within that water, a thousand colors of glass spark in the windows of homes, which rise up from the ground like shells and foam of the sea. Nothing is still because birds nest in the pavilions and deer graze in the green between cobblestones; but everything is still, so still that you can hear the pluck of a harp across the road or the laughter of a child playing in the woods."

The Konti's pace slowed, eyes growing misty as she retreated further back into her head. “And there is music even when there isn't. You don't need the shivering melody of a flute or the cordial timbre of a lute—it's there in the flitting leaves, the ripple of water and stone. There you could sit in peace, sated with wonder that wouldn't fade even when haran starts growing from your toes and into your hair.”

[Delos]

The young scholar listened to Melpomene's description of the White Isle with increasing fascination. It certainly sounded beautiful to be sure, definitely a place he intended to visit when he left Ravok. Delos was still very much curious of this place, her rather brief description only whetting his appetite for more knowledge. However it would seem that he would have to be more specific with his questions.

"It certainly sounds like a place I simply must visit when I have concluded my research into the Black Sun and Ravok. I must ask, do your people possess much in the way of recorded lore? Writing and the like?" Delos asked, probably the most important piece of information for him.

The scenery certainly sounded lovely, however a library for him to get lost in would be more welcomed than anything. It was perhaps a long held dream of his to one day be surrounded by as many books as he could find, scribbling annotations and notes on the side. From his studies on other races he remembered reading that the Konti were exclusively female, which had always struck him as odd. It seemed rather impractical for a race, no matter how long lived to have to rely on outside sources to propagate their race.

"I also find myself interested in Konti biology. What makes your race so compatible with breeding with other species? Is your race able to reproduce with most any race, or only a select few? Are all children born female no matter what race the father is from? Do they possess any of the features of the father's race?" Delos inquired quickly.

The questions were spilling out from him like a flood, but he couldn't contain himself. The desire to learn was just far too aching, too passionate to deny. The world around him was beginning to dissolve as he went through analyzing every single scrap of information Melpomene graced him with, only leaving the tiny scholar hungry for more.