Solo Spirals and Dots

[Taurina]

Morning of the 50th of Spring 518

Twenty-five was the lucky number. Twenty-five push ups. Twenty-five sit ups. Twenty-five lunges and squats. A mile run that took twenty-five chimes with the pauses taken in between. The Ethaefal was no good with building strength. Her muscles ached, her lungs burned, and the sweat blinded her. Yet, she kept going. She kept pushing. Everyday. This was part of what it took to get strong, to get to the point where she could defend with ease. It would be worthless against the shadows that plagued the city, but it would be everything against threats of solid mass.

Muscles shook as Taurina lowered herself into the bath. The water was cold against her burning skin. A deep breath was taken and released, head rested against the wall behind her. This day had been harder than others. It was suppose to be getting easier, it had been getting easier, but she had been lax the past five days after the encounter with the shadows. There was no excuse that held any weight. No excuse that justified her laziness, and she was paying for it now.

The Drykas ran her scarred hands over her body, applying soap and massaging muscle as best she could as she went. Everything hurt, but it did not matter much. She still had a life to tend to and work to accomplish now that the morning’s activities were done.

She had not learned or practiced any combat today. Her Akalak trainer had not allowed her to. All he had done was tell her, with no anger but something solid as stone in his voice, that if she really wanted to learn as she claimed than she needed to commit and not make half-ass excuses for not trying. It was as much about discipline as it was about desire.

Taurina groaned and shook her head, angry with herself. There was no use in dwelling, however. All she could do now was pick herself up and try again, make herself push and stop allowing herself room for slack. The soap was washed away, the cold water turned a yellowish shade of clear as dirt and soap filled the bath. Taurina ran her hands through her hair, carrying the soapy water with her. She had yet to invest in any proper shampoos or oils for her hair, not having ever needed them before. Things were different in Riverfall though, she needed to change with it. She was.. just slowly.

There was little time to linger in the bath or in the routine of getting ready for work that came after. Herrlock and Garad would be expecting her soon and it was never a good idea to keep the Akalak waiting. He was still not her biggest fan. He had been better since that day she proved her abilities by taking on Madeira’s request, but he had not been happy with the way she had gone about that. So now she tried her best not to give him any more reason to dislike her. Now she did everything she was told and did not step outside of the lines. It was just safer that way.

One moment was sparred to look at herself in the mirror. To trace spiraling scars and look over the aching muscles as if the hurting was visible. She did not think herself anything impressive or particularly beautiful in this form, but she was solid. She was Drykas, and that meant something. To her if not anyone else. Hands ran through the long wet locks of her hair and began to twist. As always, her foot long wrap was taken from where she had left it by the sink and entwined into her hair. She touched it lovingly, sparring another moment of time she did not have to take pause and send a wish, a hope, for safety towards her family.

Clothes were quickly pulled on after that, the cotton soft against her skin as she pulled on her overly worn boots that she had still not brought herself to replace. Legs cried out in protest as she moved around the apartment and said goodbye to her bondmate before leaving. The aches continued as she walked down the streets of Riverfall at a pace faster than a walk but slower than a jog. Her body hated her, but she could not stop and allow herself to care. At this rate she was going to be late.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

There were mere ticks to spare when Taurina reached the door and swung it open, finding a grumpy Akalak waiting there to greet her. Or well.. grunt at her in acknowledgement of presence. She guessed it was Garad today then rather than Herrlock. She did not prefer one brother over the other really, but Garad was at least more silent than not. He did not like to interfere and left her alone as much as possible.

Rogue covered the woman’s already flushed cheeks as she gave the male a half smile and moved inside the tattoo shop. The heavy door closed shut behind her. As she moved towards her usual station the Eth realized that she had forgotten her pack and all of the belongings she usually carried with her. A grimace twisted her features. It did not matter really, she did not need any of it here, but she hated not having at least something with her. A few mizas, her journal and some charcoal for when inspiration hit, that dagger just in case.. that pointless dagger that was not worth carrying around. Taurina blew out a breath and shook her head. She would just have to let it go.

There were pieces of parchment and nubs of charcoal spread out on her desk still from the previous night’s work. She had staid later than usual working on some sketches. She had rushed out when Syna began to set terrified of being out alone when shadows began to grow. One encounter was enough.

Taurina began shuffling the papers into a stack, organizing and making room for whatever this day brought. Most of the papers were covered in spirals mimicking the citizenship tattoo as closely as possible. Herrlock expected perfection when it came to this. It was important. Like windmarks were important to her people.

Taurina picked up the nubs of charcoal and placed them in a charge where others had been collected. All were of various sizes, but none still remained whole and unbroken. Just the way things went. A scarred hand ran over the table top, brushing away the particles of charcoal dust that covered it. The stone it was made out of was cool and hard against her touch. With her magic she could make such substances now. Maybe not ones as big as this now, but with time maybe someday. Maybe it could prove to be something useful instead of just a party trick.

The Drykas was staring at a chip in the stone when two Akalak’s came in through the door. Both were young, one with skin the color of evergreen and the other with skin a deep shade of turquoise, and both had eyes the color of the sky. Taurina looked up at them and allowed her molten gaze to sweep over them as she tried to guess what they might want. Garad got up and approached the two, leaving Taurina to simply watch and try to not look too much like she was staring. She sat down in her seat and began fidgeting with one of the nubs of charcoal, twirling it between her fingers as her gaze continued to drift.

There was something about the Akalak race that was endlessly fascinating and completely terrifying. Knowing just by looking at them that any of them could crush her like a piece of glass caused something to ball up in the pit of her stomach. At the same time, however, they could be gentle and were when it came to women. She knew that first hand. Had experienced it past the extent of everyday interaction. She regretted that, but it had nothing to do with him or even really what they had done together. It was all her and her guilt. A sigh of breath was released, a head shook just slightly. That was a mind spiral best left alone.

“Taurina, this is Koshin. He is your client today,” Garad’s voice saved the Ethaefal from diving down into that mind spiral anyway, drawing her from her thoughts and causing her gaze to fix on the male with turquoise colored skin.

Taurina nodded in acceptance. The nod was enough to send Garad away to the other of the pair who had come in. The Drykas watched him for a tick before looking back to the Akalak before her and forcing a smile.

“Hello Koshin. What can I do for you today?” she asked, forcing her pavi tinged voice into pleasantness and professionalism.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

Fingertips were gray from the charcoal piece the Ethaefal sketched with. Her hands were steady, her eyes fixed, mind focused. Koshin talked in the background, telling her a story about family. About his family. It was a struggle to focus on his words and join him in his happiness. She knew that she needed to put on a face, pretend she cared, but all his talk did was squeeze at her heart. She struggled just to keep her eyes clear, her breathing even. That was why she sketched while he talked. Not so much for him and the job that was to be done, but for herself. To keep her head in this task rather than allow herself to go cry in the corner.

The sketch was a pattern of swirls and knots drawn up over the parchment. It was far more a Drykas styled pattern rather than one found on the paintings in the back of the tattoo parlor. Koshin had asked for that, but Taurina was unsure if this art was really for him or if it was more for her. It felt close to the heart, a connection to her past and the place she had learned her art.

The woman released a sigh, running fingertips gently over the rough sketches. She tapped her index finger once. Twice. Teeth gnawing on her lower lip in thought. This needed to be him, but it needed to be her too. Her style showing through the piece he wanted in a way that was not overbearing. She grabbed a new piece of parchment, moving the marked one over to the side. Charcoal began scratching away again. New swirls worked into a new pattern to represent his family and reflect her culture.

“What about this?” Taurina turned the parchment over when she was done and flattened it out for him to see, using her hands to point out the different parts as she explained them. “Your lakan to represent you and then change the hilt to represent your family. A piece of each of them buried amongst this pattern.”

He’d taken out his lakan at some point in the beginning and explained to her how it was not the one he crafted as a young Akalak. That one had been given to a Nakivak years ago and when she had fulfilled her contract, she had become his wife. He had given it to her to protect her when he was not there and then he had made himself a new one to fill the empty spot on his belt. Taurina did not know much about the Akalak weapon, but she did find the gesture of giving it away sweet. It seemed important enough to him that only someone special or close would receive such a gift. Important enough to represent him and what he stood for.

“We like it,” Koshin approved after a moment’s silence, a trace of a smile shadowing his lips.

Taurina nodded and turned the parchment back around so she could work on it some more. The pattern in the hilt was complex so it was going to be a bit of a challenge to transfer it over to skin. Imagine a spider web covered in dew with swirled designs laced between the sections. Scalloped edges were to represent his Konti wife, a jewel in the center to represent her and how he saw her. The children were represented by the chaos of the pattern mostly, but there were things tucked within it if one looked close enough. Paintbrushes for the Konti daughter who loved to paint, flowers for the one who loved the gardens, twin wooden swords for the Akalak sons training to be just like their father. The family Koshin loved so dearly worked into the tattoo just as they had worked themselves into his life.

The Ethaefal put some finishing touches on the sketch and made herself a map for how to go about this one while transferring it to skin. After getting a second approval from the Akalak, Taurina left him to sit a chime while she gathered the things she needed. As she gathered the inks, chisel, rags, and dishes; she caught a glance of Herrlock and his client. The two were already in the tattooing stage, but they were locked in what looked to be a deep conversation. Taurina raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but quickly forced it down. It was not like Endrykas or the Lilacwinds here, she would not find out what that was about no matter how curious she was. The woman let out a sigh and returned to Koshin. Time to get started.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

“So what about you? Got any family in Riverfall?”

Koshin’s voice caused Taurina to pause in her work. Slowly, she raised her caramel gaze to meet his sky blue one and swallowed once. There was a war raging behind her eyes. A battle on what to tell him. Lie and say yes, leave it at that. Tell the truth and have to explain. Really both could be considered truth. Alekxandra was her family now and she was here. The Kelvic was still with her. Yet, at the same time, the family she pined for… no they were not here. She did not know if she would ever see them again.

“I think perhaps it is best if I just focus on getting this right,” the Drykas attempted to deflect, turning her gaze back to the ink covered needles hovering just above his bicep.

They were close enough that she was sure he could hear her heartbeat racing in her chest. Sure that he would be able to decipher it and tell her why it was the question caused such a panic. She did not want him to know. She did not want anyone to know. Not about what broke her heart, not about what she still struggled to work through night after night. Things were becoming okay, slowly, but it was questions such as these that brought it all back.

Koshin was quiet for several long chimes. He did not say anything against or in favor of her suggestion, and Taurina might have thought that meant he was in agreement if she did not feel those blue eyes piercing through her as if in attempt to caught a look at her very soul. She swallowed and stuck the needles of the chisel into his skin over and over again. He was unflinching though she knew it caused pain. One of the strong ones then. Then again, they were all strong. So few she had marked in her short career had ever balked at the pain.

“You know, we all have stories Taurina,” he finally said, his voice calm and thoughtful, “sometimes sharing can make it easier.”

Taurina sighed softly, so softly. Her gaze flicked up to his face to find it curious yet accepting. She knew then that he would let her get away with not sharing, but he was also going to push until she drew a line in the sand. The woman dipped the needle points back in ink before pressing them into his skin again, permanently marking him where she had painted the guiding lines for the tattoo.

“You are not wrong,” she admitted, “but sometimes not sharing makes it easier to forget too.”

More ink added to the tattoo. The outline was coming along nicely. The Lakan was being scrawled out over the inside of his right upper arm, the muscle built there making for a smooth yet somewhat rounded surface. It was being done in black and white aside from touches of pink and gold in the scales and in the jewels. He had told her that his wife’s scales shimmered so many colors all over her body, but when she had first caught his eye those were the colors he remembered most. Taurina had found it sweet. The way he talked about the Konti.. she was sure it was love. It could not have been anything else.

“Why do you want to forget?” Koshin asked seriously, genuine confusion lifting his voice, “it is true that sometimes the past hurts, but it does not do to forget that hurt. It does not fix or help anything. What helps is to remember. Remember, but move on. Do not remain there, but give the past a place of its own in your heart. Remember so the same mistakes are never made again and so the people you have lost continue to live on through memories.”

Taurina shook her head. She did not want to remember. Did not want to because remembering led to dwelling and dwelling led to tears and the world falling apart. It felt as though no one understood, but her heart had been torn apart and everything that followed had been her fault. The leaving, the abandoning her family, the sleeping with another.. all her own doing, and the guilt was eating her alive.

“No. I do not have any family in Riverfall.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

“You really blame yourself?” Koshin asked after the Eth had allowed for some of the largest chunks of her story to come out.

Taurina had not spoken names or described much, but she had told him of how her ankal had disappeared and her reasoning for leaving Endrykas and everything with it. She told him of what had happened after, the drunken mistake, the regret of what she had done that came after. She told him of how her Kelvic bondmate had returned and how she was her family now but how it also was not the same. She told him of the love she had felt, the love she had lost, and the love she was trying to get over.

“Not for him leaving,” Taurina answered softly, “that was his job and the sea of grass is not known for being kind. We should have gone after him sooner, we should have realized he was not coming back sooner. But… we.. I.. just thought he was strong enough. That any day he would be returning to us. Then he just.. he didn’t and there was no trace of him anywhere, and we finally had to accept that this was it. That this was our lives now.”

Taurina found her hands to be shaking slightly by this point. She had held back her tears, but she could feel them threatening to fill her eyes. A sigh trapped itself in her throat. This was not the discussion she needed to keep her mind focused on her work. He had asked her to pause, however, when he noticed the toll this was taking. He claimed to need a break, but she knew that was bogus. No break was necessary for him, just her. He had insisted they leave the tattoo parlor, get away from Herrlock’s prying eyes. For that Taurina was grateful. It would not have done to have her boss see her break down in front of a client.

“Why did you leave?” the male asked her, his voice gentle if not soft.

The woman released that sigh and let it shake in her voice. Why had she left? What had caused her to go? The answer she had been telling herself she knew, but was that really the truth? Had she just been hiding from the real reason? She honestly did not know.

“I don’t even know anymore,” she told him honestly, “it was hard to look at my family when I finally accepted he was never coming home. Seeing the woman who carried his child made me unbelievably sad, I could not imagine a world where his child was and he was not. I wanted to get away from it. Get away from them, bury him in the past. I thought I could, coming here, I thought I could just forget by making a new life for myself. I was wrong…”

She so often was. Taurina shook her had and stared down at her hands. They were in the street just walking, feeling the fresh air outside of the tattoo parlor. They had walked around the block twice now just talking. Koshin never stopped being kind or curious, he just let her talk and asked questions when he felt the need arise.

“I do not want a new life,” she admitted, maybe for the first time since coming here, “I liked my life in Endrykas. I felt at home there. I felt like maybe I was beginning to belong. With my strider and my pavilion… Even with Azmere I felt like I belonged. Like I was loved.”

There was another pause and Taurina felt those tears beginning to prick at her eyes again. Damned tears. Damned sorrows. She swallowed, her throat bobbing. Sometimes it felt as though it had all been a dream. The most pleasant yet sometimes unpleasant dream. The happiness she had had, the family she had gained, the love she had denied until it was too late. A dream. A beautiful and wonderful dream. Only… it had not been a dream. Because it had ended in a nightmare, and only real life ended in nightmares.

“The thing I regret most…” Taurina’s voice was soft as a butterfly landing. “I should have told him I love him. I never did. I never had the guts. I should have told him I love him.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

The pair returned to the tattoo parlor to continue work on Koshin’s tattoo. They found that Herrlock had finished by this point and the male who had come with the turquoise skinned Akalak was ready to go. Koshin told him to go ahead without him and that they would meet up later. After the male left and Taurina saw to it that Herrlock -or Garad, whoever had the most control at that point- did not need her for anything different, they returned to the station where she had left out her supplies. Koshin settled once more on the marble made station and gave her his arm to allow her to continue her work.

Taurina first patched up the smudges in the paint to ensure that all the lines were smooth and then she began her work again. Their talk had helped her steady her hands and focus her mind. Something about it had helped her move past enough to finish this as well as realize how important it was.

Koshin was the backbone of his family as Azmere had been the backbone of hers. He was the protector, main provider, and the one who was steady when all else swayed. He was all that, and yet, he needed his family. He needed his wife and their children, he needed his brothers and father and grandfathers. They were important too. They served purpose too. They were everything to him, his reason for being all that he was. His family tree had already been scrawled out in ink across his back and a piece done over his heart was dedicated to his mother who had passed long ago but had been there for him in the early years.

“Tell him now,” Koshin’s rumbling voice instructed her as she began to stab needles into his skin once more.

“What?” the Ethaefal was confused. “He is gone. I cannot tell him now.”

Lips pursed and brow furrowed, Taurina wondered why he was coming up with this now. They had moved on, walked back to the shop to continue the work. Could not they let go of her sad story now? She had told it. It was done. No need to rehash. Koshin just smirked a one sided smirk that the Drykas quickly looked away from. Too soon. Her heart was too raw after spilling much of what burdened it.

“No, not to his face, but to his spirit wherever it may be. Write it down, sketch it out in a way that I know you know how, put your heart into it. Even just speak words over the ocean. Something. Tell him how you feel and let him go. Make peace with the pain.”

The caramel gaze flicked up to his face for just a tick before settling back down on the tattoo she worked on. Taurina sighed and pricked him more times. They were both silent as she stabbed him over and over. The outline was done now, the little details of the interlacing pattern down. Shading and color needed to be added, but she at least had her template. That was the hard part.

The Ethaefal put away the black in for the time being and got out the other colors she needed. White, red, yellow and orange. The mix had to be just right to get the colors he wanted. Especially if they were to show up on his turquoise colored skin. It was going to be a challenge, but she had accepted that challenge when she accepted him as a client. The colors were poured out in various shallow dishes and the needles covered in black ink wiped off before being put to the side. Taurina grabbed a fresh chisel, wanting to be sure no traces of the black color mixed in and ruined the work she was about to do.

“What if it doesn’t work?” she asked softly, beginning with the red and white combination she had used to make pink.

Koshin was quiet as she worked on the jewel piece and began shading on the scales. He was quiet as her now steady hands moved and did what she needed them to do. He spoke finally when she was shading in those interact details of her complex pattern such as the flowers and paint brushes.

“We lost one,” he told her, his voice suddenly much sadder than it had been before but it was not broken, “a little girl. She only lived a couple days after she was born. The healers were never able to tell us why.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

Taurina took pause and pulled away so that she might look him in the eyes. He had not told her this earlier. His story had consisted of his happiness, his pride over what he had. He had not told her of what he had lost. During all this time he had let her go on about her pain but had not shared with her any of his own. It seemed he wanted to change that. It seemed he was ready to change that.

“I was angry, for a long time I was angry,” he admitted after a pause of silence, “at the gods for taking her away, at the healers for not being able to save her, even… at my wife. I just wanted someone to blame. Someone to be able to be mad at and take all my anger out on.”

The Akalak shook his head, obvious shame writing itself out across his face. Taurina remained silent and did not touch him, but gave him room and let him speak. Herrlock seemed to have either left or found a way to hide for she did not see him near and he did not bother them.

“It took me seasons to find my way back to them. Seasons to be able to come home and not become angry at just the littlest things. It hurt my family. My wife would not come near me when I finally got my head out of my ass and my kids were scared of me,” he admitted, “the pain caused me to almost lose them.”

Taurina felt her tears beginning to resurface. It was strange for they were not for her this time, but for him. For the pain he had gone through and the grief he had had to overcome. Rare it was indeed that the Ethaefal cried for another’s plight. Rare that she cared enough. Yet, she had come to care about him. Not in a way that was romantic or familial, but as a friend. One she could confide in and who could confide in her. Which was good, considering all she had told him. It was now that she realized how much she had trusted him with. How much of herself she had revealed.

“Continue,” he demanded, not unkindly but with an unmovable force in his voice as he stretched his arm towards her.

The Drykas nodded and forced herself to focus again. Hands moved slow as molasses for a solid ten ticks before she was able to pick up the pace again. She wiped the chisel needles of dried ink and dipped them in fresh ink before beginning her assault on his skin again. If the flesh was angry with her it did not tell her. The only hint at hatred was some slight swelling along the edges. Later it was likely to swell more, when it had the time and breathing room to get really angry, but right now it was as if the skin was welcoming what she did to it. Like it wished for the pain, as ridiculous as Taurina knew that sounded.

“What did you do?” Taurina asked, her voice soft once again.

Koshin looked at her with a steady gaze, those sky blue eyes piercing into her soul once more, and then he answered her.

“We went out, my wife and I, with a piece of parchment and a bottle containing a lock of the baby’s hair. We went to the beach because she loves the sea and knew our daughter would have grown to love it too. We wrote down a list of promises in ink across the parchment. Promises to each other, promises to our children, promises to the baby girl we lost, and a promise to our gods. We put the parchment in the bottle with the lock of hair and set it adrift. I pulled my wife in close as we watched the tide take it away and whispered each of those vows over and over again until we could not see it anymore. We promised to try again, to not let what had happened be our end.”

The Ethaefal had grown still again. To continue on with her work as he told her his story felt wrong in a way. Like it trespassed against all he was revealing to her. He offered her a small sort of smile after and she wiped away a forming tear.

“Do not be sad little Drykas.” Not a demand, but a request. “It was what we had needed, closure. I am not saying it had all been easy since then, that we have not had hard days, but the days got easier and then there were more easier days than hard. And now life is better than what it was before because we appreciate life, each other, and our family more. We do not forget, but instead remember because it is the only way to make sure it never happens again and to make sure our baby girl did not die for nothing.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Taurina]

The jewel was finished as was the majority of the rest of the hilt. Taurina was working her way down the blade now, shading it to look like something real and alive rather than some two dimensional piece of art. She wanted Koshin happy with this piece, more than she had ever wished for someone to be happy with her work before. All that had been said, the stories that had been swapped, had come to mean something to her. Her connection with him was more than any connection she had ever had with a client before. A part of her thought that maybe that should scare her, but she found she was not scared. Not even a little bit.

The morning had become afternoon and the afternoon was slowly turning to evening. Taurina was scared of getting caught here after hours with the shadows lurking in the darkness, but Koshin had promised he would not allow it to get to that point. They would leave before dark and he would come back if he had to. Taurina was thankful for that. She was thankful that he understood, that some part of him -no matter how small- did not wish to see her hurt. That meant something to her. It made her feel as though she might have found herself a friend, at long last, in this city she had made her home.

“Do you think I should go back?” she asked him quietly as she was finishing up the bottom section of the blade.

“Does not matter what I think, only what you think. Do you want to go back?” Koshin asked without pause to think.

Taurina pursed her lips and sighed. She finished up the bottom side of the blade and leaned back so she could view her work. She ran a clean side of the rag she had with her over the work to wipe away remnants of ink and blood.

“Sometimes I do. Sometimes I do not. I don’t know if I can face them again after all that has happened,” the Eth admitted, sighing again, “I know I am in theory always welcomed there. That others who left came back to find open arms. But I worry that they will look at me and not see a sister anymore, but instead a traitor. And they would be right.. I abandoned them.”

Koshin sighed and reached out with his left hand towards her. He took hold of her free hand and gave it a warm squeeze, reminding her of just how delicate she was and just how gentle the Akalak could be.

“One thing at a time. First, allow your heart to heal. Allow yourself the space to overcome your pain,” he advised with his warm, rumbling voice, “then, when the time is right and you feel ready, revisit the idea of going back. It is up to you. Do not feel obligated whatever you decide.”

“Alright,” the woman responded after just a short pause, knowing he was right and there was not much to think about.

Taurina gave him a small smile and nodded, pulling her hand away so she could get back to work. When he was sure she was alright, he relaxed on the table once more and they went back to a silent existence. To fill the space, Taurina found herself humming. It was a soft little tune, a lullaby, the one Azmere had hummed to her what seemed a lifetime ago that night of nightmares. She smiled absently. It was okay to remember. It was okay to savor the good times. They had happened, they had filled her soul, and to want to forget them was like saying they did not matter.

“Syna is beginning to set. You two should set up a second session and go home.” It was Herrlock’s voice that ended the work for the night.

Taurina looked to him and then she looked to Koshin and she nodded. Herrlock’s advice was sound, she could not deny that and she would not defy it. So she stood to her feet and grabbed what she needed to bandage the Akalak up and send him on his way. She spread the balm she had over the new wound and wrapped it with a soft clothe made tight to held keep any bleeding contained.

“Put this salve on it, let it heal. Come see me later this season or early next, we can get it done,” Taurina promised him, stretching out the salve she mentioned for him to take.

Koshin nodded and took it before he reached out towards her and wrapped her in a hug that enveloped her body.

“Take care of yourself little Drykas. It will all be okay. You will see. I expect higher spirits when I return.” He gave her a smile as he released her.

“I will try,” Taurina promised and they left it at that.

The Ethaefal watched her client leave before cleaning up quickly and leaving herself. She went over the entire day in her head again and again, keeping fresh what she had learned and the advice she had been given. As she stepped out into Syna’s fading light, she found herself lighter than before. A fresh hope had begun to spread itself across her chest and down through to her core. A fresh hope that maybe, just maybe, she could remember and let go and things would one day be okay again.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Madeira Dusk]

Grades Awarded!

Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request!

Taurina

Skills

• Bodybuilding: 1xp
• Endurance: 2xp
• Cosmology: 1xp
• Organization: 1xp
• Cleaning: 1xp
• Socialization: 3xp
• Sketching: 1xp
• Persuasion: 2xp
• Philosophy: 3xp
• Tattooing: 5xp
• Storytelling: 1xp
• Singing: 1xp

Lores

• Garard: the quiet one
• Riverfall Citizen Tattoo: important cultural reference
• Koshin: new client
• Endurance: keeping tears at bay
• Persuasion: deflection
• Tattooing: mixing ink
• Lore of opening up to a stranger
• Singing: Azmere's lullaby

Awards & Retribution


Notes
What a great read. Completely heartbreaking, too. All this pain and suffering makes me worry about what Taurina will do when she finds out Azmere is alive!

PM me if you have questions or concerns about the grade!