Flashback [Deepwater Hole] Sink or Swim

[Fallon]

Fallon followed, keeping her head down as she walked through the undergrowth. Guided onwards by the Konti, she was left little choice. Even less in the state she was currently in. She gave a sniff, followed by a shudder as once soaked clothes begun to dry. Sort of. Numbed fingers worked on pushing things away, feet scrabbled up across rocks and later dragged down the paths of the city. But despite the protests of her body she still pushed herself to try and keep up. Right up until she was lead to the front door of the cottage.

A moment of hesitation took the girl, her eyes staring upon the white stone and the door that lead in. Yet when that gesture came, did the hesitation vanish and the child entered. Eyes glanced around the unfamiliar room, this strange an alien place that she had been brought to, ears twitching to the words of Eleret. Her eyes followed the hand to the hearth and slow careful steps dragged her closer to the warmth. Crouching before it, she rubbed her hands as the warmth licked at her. It was hard not to shake as the chill and numb was chased away, warming the extremities whilst joints clicked and turned.

Easing down before it, her muscles relaxed and her head rolled forwards. Colour began to return to her, the once pinched features turning a fine shade of pink. She trembled, and drew in a sharp intake of breath. Her face creased for a tick, eyes narrowing and her back straightening; she released a loud sneeze shortly afterwards. Reduced to little more than quiet sniffling and sitting huddled up by the hearth the girl waited. Her chin rested on her knees, her eyes staring into with a dreamy expression.

Her eyebrow rose at the mumble of voices from above, her expression turning to one of curiosity to the hum that existed behind them. Her eyes turned upwards, her fingers drumming against the floor as she tried to listen. Not that she understood any of it. Yawning she returned her sights to the hearth, eyelids growing heavy now she was left alone with her own thoughts. It was tempting to fall asleep, to simply shut out the world and what was going around her. From the crackling of the flames, to the voices that hung in the air. But she should not; it would have been rude of her to do so. Besides, Eleret would most probably return soon enough with towels. In theory at least.
x

[Eleret]

It wasn't much longer before a light cadence on the stairs heralded company for Fallon -- but the Konti who emerged into the main room wasn't Eleret. She bore a distinctly familial resemblance, and carried a pile of fabric in her hands, the bundle evidently comprised of a towel and some other things most likely clothes. "Is warm?" she asked as she approached the girl . A lilting accent shaded the Common syllables. "Am Ne'len, Lennie," the Konti offered as introduction; she also offered her burden to Fallon. "You use, dry." The clothing in the bundle included a robe and a shirt with a pair of trousers, whichever she would prefer to wear. Eleret came down the stairs a moment later, having changed into a robe herself. Her hair had been toweled to dampness, if not exactly dry. "Sorry, Lennie did not let me come back still wet," she said to Fallon, casting a rueful smile towards her sister. "She is my sister," the Konti added. The elder of them also, as might be surmised in the way Ne'len pointed at the hearth and Eleret came over and settled herself down to finish drying there. Ne'len retreated to the kitchen proper, where she busied herself in preparing ingredients for a tisane. Eleret looked to Fallon, then glanced over her shoulder towards the closed interior door. "You can change dress there," she offered, "if you want... if you like better. Then come back and we dry all things."

[Fallon]

Fallon flinched. Not out of fear, but more surprise at the sudden speaking of another. She had only drifted into her own world for a chime or so. Tired eyes stared up, blinking at the new Konti woman who questioned her. Her eyebrow rose as she pieced together the string of words made, and then drifted her eyes down to the load Ne’len was carrying. She forced herself up onto her feet as she did, shoulders hunching in slightly as she did. The girl gave shudder, followed by a nod, “Thank you.”

Careful hands took the bundle, as the slightly more familiar face came into view. With the explanation given, and the subtle hint to the closed door. Taking it Fallon dragged herself away and disappeared to get changed. Favouring the shirt and trousers she changed out of her wet wear and dried herself off the best she could. She gave a shiver followed by a shudder as she threw on the warmer and dryer clothing, her stiff fingers flexing as she adjusted to the temperature. It may have been a good few chimes before she emerged again, changed and refreshed, a flicker of colour having returned to her features. With the towel over one shoulder and her wet clothes and boots balanced in the other.

It was hard to resist tensing as she looked upon the two Konti, unsure on what to exactly do next. She padded over to the hearth, hovering there as she took in the scene. Clearing her throat she forced herself to speak and try to show some form of manners, “Where do you want these? Do you need help? I… thank you again.” Hunching, her eyes averted away a flash of awkwardness waving over her. What else was she supposed to say other than give continuous thanks? Did Konti appreciate people grovelling in gratitude? Or was there some other motive behind her being saved from a dangerous fate?
x

[Eleret]

oocThis has been very slow coming, sorry... While Fallon retreated into the other room to change, Eleret moved over to the hearth -- a little more slowly, as her feet continued protesting their earlier treatment -- and sat down on the brick. Keeping her robe carefully away from the flames, she leaned into the heat, soaking it in and letting the warmth banish the remnants of her earlier chill. In the meantime, her sister brought the kettle over to heat and passed to Eleret a cloth and a dish of water. Needing no further instruction from Ne'len, Eleret occupied herself with cleaning the soles of her feet, dipping the cloth in the water and wiping the dirt from her skin. Carefully. The skin was quite tender though not, it seemed, broken in too many places. When her sister came back with ointment, bandages, and dry socks, Eleret refused the bandages; Ne'len insisted on checking for herself, then let Eleret have her way. When Fallon emerged again, it was to find Eleret just beginning to dab ointment on her feet, and Ne'len taking the kettle from the fire and pouring two cups of tea. Both paused in their tasks and looked towards her, and both smiled to see the human girl looking distinctly improved for the towel and dry clothes. "Put here," Eleret replied to her question, patting the hearth at her side. "We will dry." She tipped her head, considering the girl's demeanor and the way her eyes flickered away. Her gift gave no immediate insight into the girl's feelings; not through the pervasive scent of woodsmoke. "You are welcome," Eleret continued amiably. "It is best if you sit also," she invited the girl. "You are guest, you do not need to help. Sit, be warm. There is tea," the Konti added, which her sister brought over, one mug to each of them. Eleret spoke briefly with Ne'len in Kontinese, verifying its contents, then looked back to Fallon. "It is mint and rose... seed? Good for stopping cold-sickness." She smiled ruefully. "It would be...not right, to bring you from water and not know you are all ways well." Eleret hesitated a moment, not sure if her next suggestion would be taken as rude... but forged ahead with it regardless. "If you are in Mura longer, maybe you will learn more to swim? If you want, I can help," she offered diffidently. "There is a lot you cannot see, without."

[Fallon]

For a moment there was some hesitation, a brief wondering on what she should exactly do or where exactly Eleret was gesturing too. She gave a shake, then sent herself to the hearth side with somewhat careful steps. There was an element of wariness, a slight concern almost with being with strangers. Of course, they were Konti, and one of them had saved her from an unfortunate fate. The girl gave a small nod, sheepishly sitting down as the pair talked in their foreign tongue. Placing the wet clothes to the side she waited patiently for a moment in which to talk.

“Tea?” she questioned. Of course she had heard of the substance, she had seen her mentor drink it before. Tried it however? Well there was a first time for everything. Taking the mug she peered into the hot liquid and at the contents with a sense of curiosity.

“You can make tea out of that?” there was a look of disbelief shortly followed by confusion, “But… but tea is leaves. Dried leaves?” Fingers wrapped around the mug, the warmth radiating out from it and into her palm. Lips pursed, eyes narrowing down on the substance as she judged it. She gave a sniff and went to taste before Eleret once spoke. There was a blink, her shoulders hunching in slightly.

“Might be an idea, if you do not mind that is,” she mumbled in an embarrassed tone. It was all her fault that she ended in such a situation, and perhaps would be for the better that she did take up learning the skill. If anything to prevent a repeat of events, “Going to be here a while after all.” Giving a hesitant sip, the girl drunk from the mug sharply pulling away at the heat. Blowing on it she remembered the second half of the Konti’s statement, “Wait… a lot I can’t see?”

Leaning forwards the girl felt her curiosity grabbed and her imagination turning over. Bright eyes stared at her, back straightening, “Like what? Fishes? Caves? Great underwater mazes?” Lips pursed, and then curled into a smile. She wanted to hear more, she wanted to know about what can be seen with the aid of swimming. And her imagination overwhelmed her. With her face promptly turning pale she managed to release a low squeak of, “It’s not a sea monster is it?”

With the hot drink now fractionally cooler she gave it a second sip followed by a somewhat satisfied nod. For the moment at least.
x

[Eleret]

While Eleret and Fallon conversed by the hearth, the older Konti slipped in to remove the girl's wet clothes, laying them out on a drying rack a short distance away. As Fallon examined her mug dubiously, Eleret continued dotting her feet with ointment. She glanced to the girl, expression thoughtful. "...Maybe it is not the right word? It is the only one I have, for Common. The mint was leaves made dry," she added diffidently, not sure if that made tea more or less appropriate to use. She paused to consider the state of her feet, then decided enough was enough. Wiping her fingers on the cloth she'd used previously for cleaning, Eleret then took up her own mug and sipped at the liquid within. She promptly stopped to blow across the surface in an attempt to cool it down. "I do not mind," she assured the girl. Then Fallon made a jump to enthused interest which Eleret hadn't expected; she laughed softly at the girl's wild guesses. "I have not seen monsters," she said, shaking her head. And while there were rumors about the depths of the lake... Eleret thought the girl was a long ways from the skill needed to test those reaches. "Do not worry. But the city is on both land and water. There are shops in the lake, and homes and gardens. There is the kelp forest, and there are caves," she affirmed with a nod. Eleret gestured over her shoulder as if to indicate where they'd come from. "Where we were, there are caves that... that are all light in the dark, from plants. There are fish in the lake that I do not think live anywhere else." Spoken in her imperfect Common, it all sounded a far less impressive array of sights than the Konti knew it to be. She shook her head a bit. "My Common is not good to describe well. But half the city is water, and all the lake after that."

[Fallon]

Even the knowledge of lacking monsters did not quell her spirit.

Fallon was captivated by the words of the Konti, leaning in and listening to the description of Mura. Her mind played out the scenes, of strange swirling colours and unusual shapes. There was a look of definite wonder upon her face, the imagination going wild. Her fingers however remained wrapped around the mug, the pale, cold fingers sapping up the warmth that radiated from both it and the hearth. Her eyes brightened, more so when she tentatively sipped from the top of her drink.

“So when are we going to go practice?” she asked, “I want to see all the cool things.”

A firm smile had fixed itself there upon her face, and despite the somewhat basic ability in the common tongue she still managed to have a colourful image painted in her minds eye. There was a definite nod, followed by a happy grin before she turned her attention to the warm liquid once more. She took another sip, and then a glug. She gave a shudder, her senses flickering to the warmth. There was already numerous questions she wanted to ask about the city, but that would be in good time. In the meanwhile she would simply behave herself the best she could and remember her manners.

Looking to the older Konti, she watched her work her way round for a while. There was an obvious amount of curiosity in what she was doing. Eyes followed round, a gentle lean so she could get a better view on occasion. Her attention once more snapped back to Eleret. There was a blink, followed by a distinct long pause as she thought to herself.

“Hey, how long does it take for things to dry?” she looked towards the hearth and pulled at her damp hair. Time was marching on after all, “I mean, my mentor always said I shouldn’t use up more chimes than necessary.”
x

[Eleret]

Despite the deficits of her vocabulary, the girl seemed quite intrigued by Eleret's descriptions. This was quickly proven, as she promptly asked to go practice. The Konti laughed at her eagerness, offering Fallon a warm smile. "Your fingers still look white," she remarked. "Almost like mine. I think we should not do more today." Pausing, Eleret turned and spoke in quick Kontinese to her sister, who answered back in the same language. "Tomorrow, you should wait, see if you are sick. But the day after, any day after, if you come back I will be happy to teach you." The room fell quiet for a while, during which Eleret finished her tea, setting the mug down on the hearth at her side. Closing her eyes, she basked in the fire's warmth, listening to Ne'len busy herself in the kitchen -- chopping herbs, measuring them out, bundling them into little sachets tied with string. Eminently familiar to the Konti, the sounds lulled her into something not quite a doze. Still, she opened her eyes promptly when Fallon spoke up again, looking over to the girl. "Until it is dry," Eleret replied obliquely. She stood up and walked over to the rack, checking the clothes and turning them over to dry their other sides. "Your mentor sounds not much patient," she remarked. "I would give..." She paused to count through the Common words. "Ten, fifteen chimes more. For the other side. Then you will leave, is what you mean? You are okay to find home from here?" She had to ask.

[Fallon]

For a while Fallon pondered and then nodded. Of course, the Konti was right, she could not knock that. Eyes gave a blink, fingers wrapping around the cup as the sisters spoke to each other in their foreign tongues. There was an element of curiosity as she listened; head tilting as she tried to comprehend what could have been said. Was it about her? Or something else? Well, it was a mystery either way. Eyes followed Eleret around the room, her brow creasing almost in response to what was said. Her mentor could be patient, sometimes. But ever since they left the city she called home, he had changed. Even she could tell that. He worried and fretted over time and its usage, pushing almost for it to go past sooner. Or slower depending on his mindset. It had proven an enigma to say the least.

“He is a little,” she gave a shrug as she looked upon the drying clothes, waiting for them to finish, “But he’s not bad with it. I think he just wants people to do the best and gets… well annoyed when they don’t.” She gave a blink, content with her answer before continuing to answer the Konti’s questions, “Yes, then I will leave. I think so, if I stick to the paths I will definitely be able to get back. It’s not too far anyway. I think.” She gave a smile that quickly broke into a grin, “And I will stay away from the water this time.”

When those last few chimes had eventually passed, the girl made her way towards the rack, sheepish steps echoing out. She carefully touched it and gathered the dry clothes, and quickly excused herself to change back. There was no point in waiting about after all – or wasting time. Exchanging and folding them, she gave another lot of thanks to the Konti, “Thank you again for everything. I will, well, see you around Mura?” She gave only a sheepish grin, followed by a wave. No longer wishing to stay longer than necessary, the girl gave a point to the door and begun sliding her way towards it.
x

[Eleret]

Eleret smiled at the girl's pledge to keep out of the water, and nodded once as she sat back down, approving. The room fell quiet as they waited for the girl's clothes to finish drying, conversation lulled into a cozy sort of silence. At least, she thought it cozy, comfortable: the soft background noise of Ne'len at her work, the scent of wood a-burning, she and Fallon soaking up the hearth's warmth, banishing the memory of immersion in winter-cold water. Her feet were only a little sore without weight on them, which felt nice. In time, the girl rose and reclaimed her clothes, retreating to put them back on; Eleret rose as she came out, reclaiming the loaned garments. She smiled in return to Fallon's grin, and shook her head a little at the girl's reiterated gratitude. She hadn't done it to be thanked, but because it needed doing. "You are welcome," the Konti replied, all the same. Her smile broadened. "I will be 'around Mura', yes. I look forward to meeting you again." Eleret followed Fallon to the door, seeing her off into the winter evening. Hopefully she truly did know where she was going, and would make it back to her 'mentor' safely. A moment's prayer to Avalis was all the Konti could offer in encouragement of that outcome -- if it made any difference at all. Whether they did met again... well, time would tell. In the interim, Eleret still had that carving to figure out...