What I’ve Learned

[Kamilla]

”What I’ve learned, is so vital
More than just, survival
This is my revival
This is a revival”

13th of Spring, 519AV

The Syka Commons, built in the trees and overlooking the beach, quite a beautiful hub for socialising, relaxing or if you were Kamilla, waiting for work. While she was open to house calls, it seemed the majority of her work at the moment would be people hoping for quick repairs to their precious clothes. Since her arrival, the mage had spent most of her time at the commons, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere, though she was quickly growing tired of not having her own private space.

”I love it here. Did I mention that? Because I do, love it here. It’s just so great here, you know.”

Brown eyes rolled in annoyance before giving a quick look around to see if anyone had been close enough to hear the pest that was her talking pot plant Roo. ”Yes, Roo... it’s all you’ve talked about since we got here... and what did I say the deal was? I’d only take you off the boat if...” The flower knew exactly what their deal had been, she wasn’t trying to draw unwanted attention to herself after only a few days in the settlement.

”... if I kept my petals shut. It’s just that it’s so great here, it’s warm and the sun is so bright... not like that cold miserable place we we came from.”

Kamilla chuckled to herself as the flower spoke, waving its two arm like leaves around. ”You mean Riverfall? I told you, it was winter the time of the year when everywhere is cold... Now shush before someone hears you... and stop moving so much.” While Roo was a bit of a pest, Kamilla couldn’t deny that she’d seen a significant change in the flower since their arrival, both visibly and in personality. After only a few days in the tropics, the plant had become even more talkative and energetic than usual, it’s violet petals far more vibrant than before and it had definitely grown a few inches in length too.

”You’re getting a bit big for that pot again Roo, I’m going to have to trim you soon.”

”What? No! I refuse! It’s so unpleasant! Just bury me in the soil here, let me spread my roots and grow! Let me grooow!”

The mage had to jump forwards in her seat shushing as she made sure the flower’s outburst had gone unheard. ”If I plant you somewhere, I won’t be able to take you with me anymore. What if I leave this place? What if...” She paused for a moment, smirking slightly. ”What if another kid comes along and tries to pluck you? Remember? He loves me, he loves me not?”

The flower visibly shuddered, no doubt remembering what, to it, must have been a horrific sight.

”Fine...”

”Good, now shut your petals.” The annoyance in her voice was evident as she straightened up again, sitting back in her seat and beginning comb her fingers through her long dark hair. Sometimes she regretted purchasing the unique flower from the mysterious wizard back in Riverfall, though for the most part she was grateful, Roo and her yowling Yennefer were the closest thing she had to a family or friends. Even she was surprised by how much she enjoyed the companionship.

[Kamilla]

”Ahem...”

Kamilla had barely had a moment to settle after her little argument with Roo when the sound the man clearing his voice right beside her had caught her off guard, jumping slightly in her seat as she turned to face him. Beside her stood a fairly tall and imposing man, a frown on his face and sword at his side.

”Were ya just talking to that flower?” He asked, clearly suspicious of Kamilla’s behaviour.

In response, Kamilla chuckled as if what the man was asking was completely absurd. ”What? No. I was just talking to myself while admiring the flower, though it is mine. Anyway, can I help you?” The mage tried her best to play it off as if she were amused by the notion of talking to a plant, hoping the man hadn’t noticed that the flower was now facing his direction.

The imposing man gave the woman one last suspicious look before sighing, ”I’m Buraga, I was told that there was a newcomer to the settlement who had taken up work as a seamstress and since I known every face in Syka but yours, I figured you must be her... I have some clothing in need of stitching.” The man’s voice was stern but not threatening, his direct business-like approach reminding Kamilla of Sahova’s dealings. Straight to the point.

Offering the man a warmish smile, Kamilla nodded in response, ”You are correct, I’m Kamilla... do you have the clothing with you?” The question was unnecessary as the man was already holding what looked like a black tunic in his hand, offering it up to her. ”Thank you.” She added.

”There are a few tears I’d like stitched up.”

Holding the old garment up for inspection, Kamilla easily spotted the tears in question. ”Yes, I can see that... Wouldn’t you prefer it if I just made you an entirely new one?” In her opinion the tunic was hardly worth repairing, it wasn’t exactly what she’d call presentable.

The man gave no real reaction to her question, his face unmoving. ”No thank you. Just the repairs will do. It’ll probably get torn again in a few days anyway.”

The man would receive a slight frown form Kamilla before her attention would return to the tunic, placing it on the table, accompanied by Roo and her sewing kit. ”Okay, it shouldn’t take long, so if you’d like to wait? Or you could pick it up later, I don’t mind either way.”

”I’d prefer to wait.”

Once again the man’s response didn’t give her much to work with, Kamila felt as if he was scrutinising her in search of something, though she had no idea what he could be looking for.

”That’s just fine. Please, take a seat.” As she spoke, Kamilla opened her kit, revealing an assortment of needles, thread and a few other things one would expect to see in a sewing kit, retrieving one of the needles and a roll of black thread.

The man slowly and deliberately took a seat across the table from her, slowly unhooking his sword from its place on his belt and resisting it against the table, Kamilla still feeling his gaze on her, making her feel slightly uneasy. ”So, Buraga, what is it you do that causes tears in your clothing so often?” The question was nothing more than attempt to ease the tension between the two strangers, though she was slightly curious.

”I am in charge of the safety and defense of Syka. The tunic was damaged while training...”

Straight to the point. The man’s voice remained as stern as she assumed his expression was, Kamilla not bothering to look as she had her eyes focused on her attempt to thread the needle, missing it only a few times before succeeding. She chose not speak, the man’s tone implying he had more to say. Him being a guard didn’t come as much of a surprise, what with his imposing stature and weapon.

”What about you? What brings a lady such as yourself to the settlement?”

She supposed the question was fair, not giving it much thought as she was concentrating on the task at had, already lining up the needle with the first tear, a rip at the shoulder. ”Wanderlust. I heard rumours of a new settlement across the Suvan Sea and grew curious.” A blunt answer.

Buraga seemed to accept her answer without question or much else in the way of a response. ”Well as long as you contribute to the settlement and don’t cause any trouble, you’re welcome in Syka.” He paused, seemingly contemplating something. ”But try not to wander too much, while I’m in charge of keeping the settlement safe, there’s not much I can do if you find yourself alone in the jungle.”

[Kamilla]

It took a moment for Buraga’s words to register in her mind as Kamilla rearranged the torn tunic so that the damaged part was lined up and ready for stitching, having already decided she’d use a mending or multiple zig-zag stitch to repair the garment.

Still not bothering to look up, Kamilla cracked a small smile, ”Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way a few days ago... You needn’t worry, won’t make it again.” She said, noting the thin bandage wrapped around her exposed upper arm. Recalling the day she’d gotten lost in the jungle, having chased after her yowling Yen, Kamilla was well aware of how much danger she’d have been in if Quzon hadn’t stumbled upon her.

Buraga seemed to look her over yet again, seemingly surprised by the thought of the soft looking young woman surviving a stint in the wilds. ”Well, just in case, how much do you know about surviving in the jungle?”

Pausing for a moment to take in the man’s expression, still plain, Kamilla finally pressed the needle into the fabric, pulling the thread through both sides and the then crossing over once more. ”Little to nothing.” It was true, besides the little she’d learned from her time with Quzon, the mage was basically clueless. ”I’ve almost always lived in built up cities, so as you can imagine, Syka is quite the change in scenery. Of course the Testing Grounds of Sahova were technically wilderness as well, but that was a very different, very deadly kind. One was either alone in the Testing Grounds, or they were in immediate danger, there was no in between.

”Very well, perhaps I can give you some pointers while I wait.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Kamilla noticed that Buraga’s posture seemed to loosen up ever so slightly. While not particularly eager to learn anything since she didn’t intend to venture very far from the settlement any time soon, Kamilla decided it couldn’t hurt to know more about her current home, it would also help pass the time.

”Of course the best plan of action would be to not endanger yourself by going into the jungle, but we can’t always avoid that and it’s best to be prepared.”

Kamilla nodded to show she was listening, currently pulling the needle and thread through the material a few more times.

”If you do find yourself lost in the jungle, your senses are everything. Listen, look, smell, try and absorb as much of your surroundings as possible. Keep track of any noises, noting whether they’re near or far, above or behind. If the noises are especially loud or drawing nearer it’s quite likely that there’s something nearby you need to watch out for. In the jungle it’s unlikely for anything to approach you unless it thinks you’re food.”

Another nod of acknowledgment, so far his words made complete sense, she doubted anything that chose to come nearer to a human in the jungle had good intentions. She would remember that.

”Also keep in mind that any wildlife you do see nearby is most likely dangerous, regardless of how harmless it looks... Everything in the jungle from lizards to monkeys to birds and even insects is likely a threat, Falyndar as a region is notoriously unforgiving.”

Everything was dangerous, noted. Another nod from Kamilla as she pulled the needle and thread through the tear a few more times before wrapping the thread around her hand and pulling. It was always satisfying to watch as the parted sides pulled themselves together, like a wound healing before her eyes.

[Kamilla]

”There.” Lifting the top to inspect her handiwork, tugging gently on the stitched sleeve before repeating with a bit more force, Kamilla was relieved to see that the stitch held. Good. It wasn’t a perfect restoration, the site of the year still vaguely visible while the stitches themselves easy to spot, boy she had told him that it would be better to get a new tunic, so she assumed he wasn’t concerned with its appearance. Especially if it was his for training.

Moving on to the next part of the tunic in need of repair, Kamilla flipped the garment over, a large rip up the back in need of mending. Unfortunately she would have to re-thread the needle before she could begin again. And so began the attempts, tongue poking into the inside of her cheek in concentration.

”Another simple but important tip is to stay calm, all the knowledge in Mizahar won’t help you if you aren’t in a state to make use of it. Think about your actions and don’t lose your head.”

That one seemed obvious enough to Kamilla, though staying calm in an unfamiliar situation was easier said than done. ”Finally...” she muttered as the needle was once again, successfully, threaded. ”Sorry, please continue.”

”If you cant seem to figure out where you are or where you came from, which is very likely... trust me, it’s easy to get disorientated when your in the shady undergrowth, everything looks the same... In such a case it might be better to remain where you are until you’re sure of your location, rather than risk moving further from safety.”

That was something Kamilla had to agree with, during her short time in the forest the mage, who considered herself intelligent, had had no idea which direction she’d come from because of her surroundings lacking any defining features.

”And if you are planning on waiting it out, or worse, spending the night... well then, that’s a whole other bag of worms. Oh and stay away from anything that’s bright or ‘pretty’, in the jungle that usually means ‘look at me, I’m deadly’.”

That seemed like an unusual tip but Kamilla found herself nodding in agreement as she began performing the minding stitch on the rip. Honestly, surviving in the jungle was beginning to seem like quite the ordeal and despite having already decided to avoid it at all costs, she found herself even more wary of the wilderness that bordered the settlement.

Thankfully, other than chasing after Yennefer, the mage couldn’t think of any other good reason that she would return to the jungle. Dirt and wild animals certainly weren’t her interests, she preferred to be clean and surrounded by civilisation, though Syka may not have been the best place for that. However, the settlement itself was safe, so it wasn’t so bad, even if it did border the jungle. She supposed most of the things living in the jungle would prefer to keep their distance.

[Kamilla]

Continuing her work on the rip, carefully pulling the needle and thread through the material and out the other side before crossing over the rip to repeat the process on the other side, Kamilla couldn’t help but feel she was working a bit faster than usual, perhaps all her jobs as a seamstress were paying off. At any rate, she was only about halfway done with the rather large rip and still had some ways to go.

Pausing, brown eyes would rise to meet those of the stern faced man’s. ”What are the threats I’d need to worry about even if I’m not in the jungle, like in Syka or somewhere along the beaches?” After all, those were the places Kamilla planned to spend most of her time.

The man, Buraga, seemed to consider her question for a moment before finally replying, Kamilla already returning to her sewing.

”That’s a good question... While very few threats actually venture into the settlement itself, it is not unheard of. Along the coast, especially near the rockier beach’s, there are Whiptails, nasty things. If you see one, just run...” Kamilla had no idea what that was. ”Other than that, several large animals have been known to wonder out onto the beaches from time to time. Panthers, tigers, crocodiles and even monkeys. My advice to you if you encounter any of these creatures is to simply flee, don’t be brave or worse... curious.”

Kamilla nodded in response, wondering why anyone would purposefully choose to stay near any of the dangerous animals, though the mention of panthers and tigers did catch her interest... or rather the interest of her inner Felius, that damned deceased cat obsessed mage. Panthers and tigers were giant cats, the thought alone sent a warm tingle of excitement through of her body, despite knowing how dangerous they were. ”Okay, I understand the others, but are monkeys really that dangerous too?” The only monkeys she’d ever encountered were the small kind that were kept as pets and they didn’t seem like a threat at all.

This time Buraga chuckled, the first real show of emotion since he’d arrived.

”They might not be as big a threat as the others, but those shykes can be a real pain in the ass, the more of them the worse they behave. They’re a volatile bunch and are not above biting and scratching. We’ve had a few run ins with them since the I arrived here, curious things, but that’s what brings them near us.”

”Got it.” While she still couldn’t quite accept that monkeys could be a real threat, the thought of being assaulted by many of them, along with Buraga’s mention that they liked to bite, did help to convince her that an encounter would not be pleasant. ”Well thank you for your advice, hopefully I won’t ever have use for it.”

The man simply nodded in response, finally breaking his gaze fully in order to inspect the vibrant purple flower resting in its pot on the table, frowning as he noticed it was facing him once again.

[Kamilla]

The man’s information was appreciated, though Kamilla doubted she’d ever have use for it. That being said, it may have helped a few days prior when she’d chased Yennefer so far into the jungle that she’d had no idea how to get back. She’d been lucky then, to run into the savage hunter, Quzon. The ordeal had been far from pleasant, but she’d made it out mostly unscathed.

Completing the final part of the zig-zag pattern, Kamilla pulled tight on the thread, effectively mending the rip. Retrieving the pair of scissors from her kit, the seamstress snipped off the excess thread and tied it off neatly on the inside of the garment. Sitting back with a small sigh of relief, brown eyes moved to look Buraga in the eyes. ”There.”

Buraga went to pick up his tunic, inspecting the spots where the tears had once been for a brief moment before cracking what Kamilla assumed was his version of a smile, though it was only the slightest change in the corners of his mouth. In the back of her mind Kamilla wondered what kind of circumstances lead to him becoming such a stoic man. Oh well.

”That was quicker than I’d expected, but thank you. It’ll do... Try to stay out of trouble and the jungle, and maybe learn to defend yourself just to be safe, the rangers can’t be everywhere in Syka at once.” Buraga seemed to consider saying something else but ultimately decided not to, glancing once again to the suspicious flower then back to Kamilla before making his payment.

”You and your flower buddy gave a good day.” With that and a polite nod, the man retrieved his sword, turned on his heel and made off.

The final comment was unexpected, a frown appearing on Kamilla’s face as she tried to fake a smile while watching the large man walk off.

”I think he knows...”

Brown eyes rolled in annoyance, though a small amused huff escaped the mage’s lips in response to what she suspected was the flower’s attempt at whispering. ”You just can’t keep those petals shut can you, Roo?”

”I was quiet the whole time he was here, I think I did a great job. By the way, it’s really great here.”

A louder laugh escaped Kamilla’s lips this time, ”The residents of this place must think I’m some crazy flower lady.” For some reason she found the idea of people gossiping about the weird new arrival who talks to plants quite amusing. ”Oh well.. Come on Roo, let’s go get you some water.” She’d worked enough for the day.

[Gossamer]

The Fates Have Spoken
Here is your thread grade!

Character: Kamilla

Experience Awarded:

Socialization +5, Observation +5, Negotiation +2, Rhetoric +2, Business +1, Sewing +4, Interrogation +5, Teaching +1, Wilderness Survival +3, Botany +2

Lores Awarded:

Socialization: Detecting Sarcasm In Pets, Negotiation: Reminding Pets Of A Deal, Buraga: Appearance & Mannerism, Socialization: Surviving Buraga’s Interrogation, WS: Don’t Go Into The Jungle, WS: What To Do If Lost In The Jungle, WS: Assume Most Wildlife Is Dangerous, WS: Stay Calm, WS: Easy To Get Disorientated So Remain Where You Are, WS: Anything Bright And Pretty Means Dangerous, Interrogation: Asking Good Questions, WS: Threats Near & In Syka (Whiptails, Panthers, Tigers, Crocodiles, Monkeys), Botany: Handling Magical Plants With An Attitude, Botany: Recognizing Its Time To Repot A Plant.

Notes: I love your interaction with Buraga here. You nailed his personality quite successfully. Your plant is awesome. I love it. I also love the relationship you show with it.

As always PM me if you have issues.