PM to join Acquaintances make for an Interesting Adventure

[Jade Laken]

23rd of Fall 517 A.V.

Jade walked on to the beach in front of her bungalow and stretched while Dina was down for her nap on the couch. She had been begging to go play with the animals again, yet no matter times the blonde explained the job change she seemed to have a hard time understanding. Sighing the woman sat down in the sand trying to relax and calm her nerves. Rubbing her face, she tried to focus long enough to get everything ready for work. The child's laughter made the mother worry she was causing trouble.

“Dina! Stay close to the house!” she cried out seeing her try to run off.

“Aw! Yes mom!” Dina marched back over pouting some.

Walking over to the chest that held her clay, the woman got what would be necessary for her display. She did not have hardly anyone coming to buy her wares yet, and that put more pressure on the girl than she would admit. Once happy with how much was in her hands, the woman walked back over and put the clay down on a towel. Using the peddle to start the device turning, she filled the basin under the wheel with just enough water to do what was needed for the first couple of cups. Putting a little bit of liquid on the item, she balled small bit of the clay before slapping it down into place.

“Mommy I'm bored,” Dina said walking over covered in sand from trying to build a castle.

“I know sweetie. Run inside and get your dolls and play while I work on a few cups,” Jade said kissing her cheek.

The girl groaned and went upstairs and into the house. Sighing the mother took a deep breath knowing her working while Dina was awake would be much more difficult. Since she could no longer help the child was feeling more and more left out. The girl had always enjoyed going to work with Jade at the stables and playing with the horses. Here though there was no such place built or even a need for the animals from what the blonde could see. Soon the patter of little feet returned and the mother heard the door close once again.

“Find them?” Jade asked looking over her shoulder some.

“Yes, mama,” Dina called while sitting down.

[Jaylani Rae]

Jaylani was walking the beach barefoot with her wild hair tangling in the wind around her face. She wore her usual skirt and a length of fabric bound across her chest for clothing. It was nearly too warm for the amount of clothe she wore, but she had planned to go talk to a potter about having some dishes made this day and did not know what to expect of the woman she had been told of. Did not know of the land she came from, the rules she followed, and what traditions shaped her expectations of others. It seemed best to be safe rather than sorry. Jaylani was rather keen to get herself something other than coconut halves for bowls and a spoon or two so that she might stop using solely her fingers and sticks; she did not want to mess up her chances of succeeding.

The mixed blood was unaware that she had already met the potter. Spent a day helping build another’s home with her, actually. When she had asked around she had been told what the woman looked like vaguely, her name, and the area in which she lived. Out of that, Jaylani had remembered the area she should search to find the woman. The rest of the information had fallen out of her grasp, drowned by other thoughts and wanderings. Her hope was that the location she had remembered for where the woman lived was still correct. That it had not been twisted into something wrong by simple forgetfulness or lack of taking care of the memory.

It was fairly well known that there were two types of people who came to Syka. Those who lived the relaxed, chill, life of picking fruit off the trees and staying on the beach. They worked, built their homes and contributed to the community because that was what was required of them, but there was no rush of life. Time just sort of ran away here. There was no sense of the pressure that was ever-present in other cities. The other type were those who went out and explored the jungle, survived, became forerunners in their own right. Jaylani was of the first type and that was obvious by the way she just slowly wandered across the sands of the beach searching for the potter’s home seemingly without a care in the world.

Trailing the golden skinned woman was a young spotted cat who was easily distracted by anything moving or shiny in the sands. Jaylani spent a good portion of her time giggling at the creature’s antics and shooing him away from whatever he tried to attack. Sometimes it was harder to pull him away than others, but he was still fairly small so she could lift him without much trouble and carry him for short bursts if she needed to before he got too wiggly and needed to be put down. She had finally settled on a name for him, now certain that he was indeed a him, Taj. It did not mean anything that she knew of, but she liked the sound of it. There was a very faint memory in the back of her mind that told her she had heard the name before, but she could not have told a soul as to where that memory came from. Just an unimportant whisper in her opinion.

As Jaylani neared where she thought the potter’s home to be, she found a structure in the form of a tent. She remained unsure if this was the right place, but there was nothing else here. It seemed a good idea to at least approach and see if it was the right place. If it was not than perhaps the occupants of this place would lead her to where she needed to go.

The voice of a child catch the mixed blood’s attention. A girl answering another, the words of both only muffled sounds to Jaylani from where she stood. The sound, though, caused Jaylani to take pause. Did the potter have a child? She did not remember being told that, but it did not really matter. The mixed blood usually got on with children better anyhow. They did not usually judge so harshly as adults and understood her better than those with perfect words. Releasing a sigh, Jaylani approached the home, Taj right beside her.

“Hello?” Jaylani called out while still lingering on the outside of the structure where she was out of the view of both Jade and Dina, not walking in uninvited, “I search for potter. She be here? Do you know where is she if wrong place?”

There was a certain amount of unknowing in the mixed blood’s voice. A certain amount of hesitancy and nervousness, but she staid where she was and waited for a response. She did not come nearer, did not drift into a place where she might be seen and in turn see the woman and child she had already met before. She just waited, patiently and nervously, for the answers to her questions to come.

Common | 'Thoughts'

[Jade Laken]

The blonde worked on her pot that was before her while humming. It had actually come out larger than what it intended to be, so the woman decided to put it in a different section within the tent. Dina played over at the corner of the canvas close to the door so that her dolls were in the sun. Smiling softly hearing the child giggling and playing gently helped put the woman's mind at ease. Leaning back the woman leaned to one side then then other popping her back with a small sigh. Jade tried to get comfortable and started the wheel going again.

Dipping her hands in the water, she began to make a cylinder that could serve as a cup to go with some bowls already made. Soon the girl was involved in her work not paying attention to more than the small chatter of her child. So much had happened with the pair's life since her adoption. And Jade could not imagine a better place to raise her child whether alone or not. Syka was a much better atmosphere for the girl to be in. There was no screaming and constant clanking of metal armor from guards. It was peaceful and serene with the occasional call from fishermen on the water.

“Mommy!” Dina ran over to her mother and pulled on her sleeve.

“Yes, dear?” Jade asked looking over at the child.

“Someone is calling,” the child said while pointing to the opening.

Jade looked at her confused before slowly the wheel. Grabbing a rag the woman stood up and wiped her hands clean. Standing up the girl groaned hearing her back pop in several places. Sighing she walked over to the opening only to be greeted by a familiar face. The woman who stood before her had helped her in the building of a house for one of the other residence. A soft smile appeared as she welcomed her into the tent. Walking in the woman moved some stuff around so that the girl could sit as she pleased. Turning the blonde finally managed to get all the clay off her hands for the moment.

“I know you. You are the lady from when mommy helped build a house,” Dina said looking at the girl.

“Dina, where are your manners? Excuse her, she gets excited and can't help herself. What can I do for you today?” Jade asked with the smile still on her face.

[Jaylani Rae]

oocSo sorry this took so long! Last few weeks have been hectic and busy for me, but things are on their way to being normal again so my activity is on the way to stabilizing.

The wild kitten rubbed against the legs of his human as the voice of a little child echoed out from within the tent. Brows knitted together and head was tilted ever so slightly as the vague feeling of knowing that child's voice entered Jaylani's awareness. She was not fully sure where she had heard that voice before, but she knew that she had. The not knowing bothered her. She was usually unconcerned and uncaring when it came to the past, but it bothered her so not to recall her meetings with others. Especially when it came to the inhabitants of Syka since there were already so few of them. Fewer still were the children. How many had she met thus far? One? Maybe two? She did not recall faces or names. Voices were just whispered giggles of delight. Nothing concrete. Nothing sure.

Jaylani sighed softly, running fingers through her tangled hair as she wracked her brain for any knowledge on who the voice might belong to. It had been joined by another voice by this point. Another voice belonging to someone older, female, probably the child's mother. Another voice familiar, but the memory missing. Brow creased with frustration as the mixed blood tried to recall, but could not. Her hope was that when the pair stepped into view all might be cleared up, her memory restored.

It did not take long before that hope was answered. The blonde and her daughter came to greet the woman of bronzed skin with smiles of recognition on their faces and in the words of the child. Frustration melted away and a smile of her own brightened Jaylani's face until nothing else remained.

"I am," Jaylani confirmed with a small laugh as she lowered her gaze to the young child, her bright smile never faltering, "I remember."

The dark haired woman was so happy that she remembered them that she temporarily forgot what exactly her reasoning for coming here was. She did know that she was not here to simply visit and talk, but there was something she wanted. Something and someone she was looking for.

When faced with Jade's question, however, the mixed blood took pause. Words would not come at first. There was an extended moment of frozen silence that Jaylani took to think. To remember. Her face returned to its troubled state for the flicker of a tick before that all melted away once more and realization took over again. Another smile, this one smaller and somewhat embarrassed, brought the light back to her eyes.

"I look for the potter," Jaylani said enthusiastically, happy her memory had returned, "need bowls, spoons, perhaps more."

The molten gaze of the half Myrian looked to blonde, the light of Syna dancing in her gaze. She was smiling and looked hopeful. There was a disconnect over with or not the potter was Jade herself. Jaylani was unsure if she was, did not see the wheel that was just inside the tent and had not caught on to the cleaning the clay from hands Jade had performed just a bit ago. The dark haired woman could easily be called oblivious, but it did not often bother her. Ignorance truly was bliss in her case. Usually, anyway.

"Do you know where I find?" Jaylani asked, her voice innocent and unknowing, "I have not much, but trade of labor I can do if she is up for that. I forget name and looks, just know she be in this general area. Do you know?"

Common | 'Thoughts'

[Jade Laken]

The mother played with her daughter’s hair gently as the lady talked to them. The look of confusion did not escape Jade’s notice when asked what her visit was about. Even if it was just to sit and talk, the woman would work while the pair conversed and Dina played nearby. A look of mild surprise bloomed on her face when the woman said, she was looking for the potter. Unless there was another nearby trying to make a living, Jade was the only one that did pottery in the city.

“My mommy makes pottery!” Dina said excitedly and looked up at her mother.

“Uh, yes I do. Please come inside and look around. I have a piece to finish before I can discuss what you would like,” Jade stated and motioned for her to follow inside.

Dina ran around and untied the window flaps letting in more light. The sun shone through the openings and allowed what had been made and finished to be displayed. On the left side there was the bowls and such that had not been subjected to heat yet. Those were still very pliable and easy to mess up or add another touch to the design. Across from those were the bowls on the right side, that had been subjected to heat and hardened making them completely finished. Of course should they be dropped like any other pottery, it will shatter or crack. The woman hiccuped some with a groan rubbing her chest before sitting down in her chair once more.

“You said bowls and spoons. What kind of designs would you like to be on them?” Jade asked and watched the woman decide if she wanted to watch her or look at the other pieces that were made.

The woman planned to take the premade sets up to the mercantile to display for sale. She still had to go speak with the man about where the woman could set up. He had seemed very happy to buy the items out right then resale them, but Jade insisted that it would be better for both of their business for just a table to be placed with her items. The woman would push his mercantile, and he would push her pottery work.

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