Completed Helping Hands

Kamilla and Jehu help with repairs after the storm.

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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]

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Helping Hands

Postby Jehu on June 12th, 2019, 12:59 pm

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Jehu


34nd of Summer, 519 AV

The windstorm had been unlike anything Jehu had witnessed before. He had endured dust storms in the Burning Lands, where grains of sand pelted exposed skin like a gritty rock scraped across flesh. But the Suvan storm brought stinging rain, driven by the fierce wind. The Chaktawe had known well enough to set up his tent just off the beach, on a small rise to avoid the depressions where water would surely flow during heavy rains. Even desert dwellers knew to anticipate flash floods when sudden rains came.

But his tent had not been fully secured. In the desert, heavy rocks helped hold in the long spikes driven into the parched earth. Jehu had underestimated the soil beneath the coarse grasses at the edge of the beach. It was very much as sandy as the beach itself and the hard wind pulled the stakes loose, sending his tent flying away. When he gathered his toppled tent and set it back up,he shifted the tent to set between two palms, with enough distance separating them to ensure coconuts didn't drop onto his home. He tied anchor lines to each trunk to add to the tent's stability. Then Jehu sought out heavy rocks, lugging them to the site and setting them over the planted spikes.

The center pole had snapped, requiring him to find a sapling just inside the jungle to replace it. Choosing a thick but somewhat flexible tree, Jehu chopped it down with his ax, then employed the hatchet to cut it to length. He reminded himself he might want to get a hand saw from the mercantile. One end was tapered a bit using the hatchet's blade, and the pole was complete. It was not perfect, but it served its purpose.

The stitching had come loose in several places in the goat hide tent. He would have to find the means to repair those. He knew of the seamstress, the dark-haired woman who always wore tall boots, and considered getting her help.

Like most of the Sykians, Jehu spent the first couple days setting his home in order. Now, the communal structures remained in need of repair, and the settlement came together to do what they could. Jehu gathered his hatchet, knife, hammer and a pound of nails into his backpack. Tossing a coil of rope over his shoulder and taking up the ax and shovel, the Chaktawe set out to see how he could help.

By chance, he spotted Boots Girl (Jehu made up names for anyone in Syka he had not officially met), and changed his course to intercept her, so that he could ask about the stitching in his tent.

Words: 449


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Last edited by Jehu on July 25th, 2019, 2:59 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Helping Hands

Postby Kamilla on June 12th, 2019, 5:58 pm

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Kamilla Circe Gordon


The hurricane that had blown past, or rather through Syka only days ago had left an impressive amount of destruction in its wake. Despite being endangered herself, Kamilla couldn’t help but be in awe of the power the storm held, having never experienced anything of the sort in Sunberth, Zeltiva, Sahova OR Riverfall. The closest disaster she could think of would have had to be the blazing inferno that had raged through Sunberth on the worst night of her life. Thankfully, she had survived both, a bonus being that the hurricane hadn’t left her with a permanent reminder, unlike the inferno.

The settlement was in ruins, the bare bones set of buildings were all in need of repair and it seemed like everyone was doing their part, except for her. Since her arrival, Kamilla had noticed that Syka’s residents had a very strong sense of community and were always willing to help their neighbours, something that completely contrasted Sahova’s very strict business like exchanges and therefore something she still needed to adjust to. She supposed she could at least help out a little, though she had no idea where to start.

She’d been headed towards Syka’s core, dressed in a short black skirt with a matching black scarf wrapped tightly around her bust in order to leave as much skin exposed as possible, her trademark thigh high boots covering her legs and most importantly, her burn scar. The storm had given her lots to think about, she certainly didn’t want to risk being caught outdoors of another blew through and most of Syka’s buildings had taken damage, meaning they weren’t very safe as refuge, she needed to come up with a better solution. Luckily, the ordeal she and Sophia had gone through to survive the hurricane unscathed had given her a very good idea on how, she just needed to find Randal to discuss taking out a loan.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Kamilla spotted someone heading right for her, dark brown eyes moving to be met with a set of pure black ones, lacking any white, and warm skin more tan than her own. She’d seen the man in the distance once or twice since the season had begun, he was surely new to the settlement and Kamilla had to admit that she’d instantly found herself curious about his appearance and history, it felt almost like an itch that she needed scratched.

Despite the man’s lack of pupils, Kamilla could tell that his attention was focused on her, stopping her march across the sand and turning to face him, a hand going to her hip. ”Hello... can I help you?” As she spoke she began taking in as much of his foreign features as she could without being blatant.

Words: 498
Last edited by Kamilla on June 12th, 2019, 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Helping Hands

Postby Jehu on June 12th, 2019, 6:37 pm

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Jehu


Jehu wore not shirt, his coppery skin suited to the sun. He did wear pants, tan, loose fitting trousers with large pockets on the thighs and a rope belt. Ebony orbs remained fixed on the woman as Jehu made his way across the sand. He seemed to move so easily across the beach, the leather soles of his feet and the small webbing between his toes keeping him from sinking into the drier sand above the high tide mark.

When the woman paused, striking a casual pose as he approached, a fleeting but curious image appeared to Jehu. With her dark, thick hair, tanned skin and sparse, light garments, she appeared very...Chaktawe. Even the boots, seemingly cumbersome on the beach, were similar to the light leather footgear the women of his tribe wore when they went gathering.

A blink at the bright sunlight extinguished the likeness, but the curiosity with the seamstress lingered, like a stream of thought at the back of his head, coaxing his eyes to study her, and when she spoke, his ears to attend to every inflection of the few words offered. It was not simply that she was attractive, and she was, but that she seemed so...intriguing. A tickle arose at the back of his throat, and he coughed slightly to suppress it. He hadn't felt quite right since he had awakened.

"Uh..." Jehu stammered, finding the sudden preoccupation with the woman disarming. He gathered his wits and drew up to a stop not far from her. "Yes, my...my tent needs some stitching, I don't have anything to fix it." He began with a thick desert accent. "I heard you sew." He found himself staring at her dark eyes. He cleared his throat again and blinked.

Words: 291

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Last edited by Jehu on July 25th, 2019, 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Helping Hands

Postby Kamilla on June 12th, 2019, 8:16 pm

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Kamilla Circe Gordon


As the man drew nearer, Kamilla allowed her eyes to slide over his shirtless form as discreetly as she could manage, all the way down to his feet that seemed to traverse the sand with unnatural ease and then then back up to meet the darkness of his eyes, found within a handsome face. He was attractive in an exotic way, but it was his story that she wanted to know about.

When the handsome stranger had drawn close enough to her and come to a halt, she waited expectantly for his reply, noting his odd demeanor. ”Yes, I sew... and that’s definitely something I could do for you... do you have the tent here?” She began, giving little thought to what was being said, almost responding on instinct until the impulse to learn more about the man hit once again.

”Who are you? You’re clearly new here.” The words caused a small amused smile to appear on her face, after all, she’d only arrived in Syka a single season earlier. She felt the itch again, wanting to know exactly where he was from, why his eyes were black and a lot more, but she managed to suppress her curiosity for the time being, in hopes of gaining the information in a more subtle and socially acceptable way.

At the very least, Kamilla could acknowledge that while she was generally a curious person, it was unlike her to concern herself with other people and their lives unless they coincided with her own. Then again, the man was very different to anyone she’d ever met before, so she supposed her curiosity was understandable. She wondered what he was doing in Syka, how long he was staying, if he had come with family or friends, far too many things to simply ask a stranger upon a first meeting.

Words: 307

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Helping Hands

Postby Jehu on June 13th, 2019, 1:52 pm

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Jehu


Maybe it was the fact that she appeared the closest to his own people than anyone he had recently met. With just a bit more copper color to her skin, and colorless eyes, the woman could be Chaktawe. Maybe it was just Jehu reaching for something familiar in a very foreign place.

Aside from her intriguing and pleasing appearance, Jehu noticed the woman did not seem disarmed by his eyes. Most strangers either averted their gaze, or stared intently. Seemed people were unnerved by the fact that they couldn't really tell where he was looking. A closer glance would reveal that he had a pupil like anyone else, and the swell of his cornea moved as he shifted his gaze.

As he studied the woman, she answered his question with one of her own, the Chaktawe equally distracted but carrying on the conversation. "Yes, I just set it up again." Jehu replied, jabbing his thumb behind him in the direction of the tent. "I know there is a lot of work to do after the storm. When you can get to it is alright."

The woman's next question was more direct, but certainly understandable. Skya was a small community, new people were easily recognizable. He tapped himself on the chest. "I am Jehu, I have been here about twenty days. What are you called?" Jehu was pleased with himself, his Common was getting better, though his accent sometimes made it harder for people to understand.

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Helping Hands

Postby Kamilla on June 13th, 2019, 2:33 pm

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Kamilla Circe Gordon


Arms crossed over her chest, it seemed the man had misunderstood her question about the tarp, she hadn’t asked it was in Syka, of course, she’d asked if he had it with him. Before she could clarify though, the strange man went on to introduce himself, his sentence structure clueing Kamilla in to the fact that common was clearly not his first language, not that he was bad at it. He would be the second ‘savage’ she’d met since her arrival in Syka, although in comparison to Quzon, savage might have been quite a stretch.

”Jehu...” She tested the unusual name on her tongue, committing it to memory as best she could, ”I am Kamilla... Kamilla Gordon.” As she spoke, Kamilla stared the man down, dark brown eyes not shying away from the solid inky blackness, she was confident and had held eye contact with creatures far more intimidating than him, the sometimes completely rotting nuit came to mind. ”You’ll have to take down your tarp and bring it to me if you want me to fix it, Jehu.” The instructions were added almost as an afterthought, Kamilla already wondering what the most appropriate to ask about one’s race.

[i]”Hey, you two! If you’re looking for something to do, I just dropped off some supplies at the Guest Quarters, you know... those beds placed all over the settlement. I’m sure it shouldn’t be too much trouble with the new guy’s help.”

The vaguely familiar voice and face of the Founder, Randal Zor, caught her attention before she could inquire about any further information about the stranger. Randal seemed to know something about him, though it was kind of his job as a founder to know who lived in his settlement.

Turning to face the stranger, Jehu, Kamilla’s arms dropped from their place around her chest, shrugging slightly, helping the settlement seemed a good enough excuse to learn more about the man and do her part, two birds with one reimantic stone.

”Looks like we’ve got a job to do...” Without waiting for an answer, Kamilla turned in a twirl of long thick hair and the lace tail of her black skirt, heading towards the nearest of the numerous four poster beds strewn around the beach. ”So, Jehu... where are you from?” She assumed he was following, but if no answer came, she would stop and turn to look for the stranger.

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Helping Hands

Postby Jehu on June 13th, 2019, 4:12 pm

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Kamilla Gordon. Jehu repeated the name in his head, noting how she pronounced it. From then on, Kamilla was no longer known as Boots Girl. He realized his gaze had drifted from her mocha eyes to her lips as she spoke, noting how each syllable was formed on the plush tiers, as if watching how to form her name on his lips.

Jehu cleared his throat as dark eyes lifted again to meet Kamilla's. She explained what he needed to do for her to fix his tent, and he nodded. "Oh, yes, I will bring it to you." He acknowledged, grinning at his own misunderstanding.

Ebony eyes swung around at the sound of a man's voice, seeing Randal. Jehu knew the man was one of those who created Syka, a sort of Wayhali, if Syka was a tribe. This meant he was to be honored. As such, Jehu did not question what he was to do next, but to head to Swing Beach. He gave Randal a head nod in acknowledgement, and adjusted the pack over his shoulder.

Kamilla seemed to get the same idea, for she didn't hesitate to turn and head off down the beach. Jehu was on her heels, lugging the tools he had brought. A question from Kamilla drifted back to him. His longer stride and surer footing soon brought him to her side. "Eyktol." He answered, never quite sure how specific or vague he should respond to the common question. Most people understood when he said Eyktol, he meant the desert.

"Where did you come from." Jehu asked in kind, scanning the beach ahead. their work ws cut out for them, for many of the small, roofed beds had blown over, and nearly every bed required some sort of repair. The pair seemed to silently agree to tackle the nearest one. Jehu laid the ax, shovel, coil of rope and backpack under a palm. Not far off, he saw the stack of supplies Randal had left.

Words: 331
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Helping Hands

Postby Kamilla on June 13th, 2019, 8:56 pm

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Kamilla Circe Gordon


Thankfully, the dark eyed stranger named Jehu had followed along without need for invitation, quickly catching up to her with his longer legs and apparent ease at crossing the sand. It was only when he answered her question that she finally understood why he seemed so comfortable on the beech, Eyktol was said to be a giant desert, not that she knew much else about the mysterious land. His being from a land that was unknown to her nth explained why he seemed so different to anyone she’d met and at the same time only made her more intrigued with the man and his history.

Hearing his voice again, Kamilla cast a gaze in his direction, searching his expression out of the corner of her eye. She’d forgotten that conversations usually included an equal give and take of information, which meant she’d have to divulge more about her own past if she wanted to learn about his. Great. But the itch was still there at the back of her mind, needing to be scratched.

”Zeltiva... though I came here from Riverfall.” It was mostly true, no one needed to know she’d originated from Sunberth, The Lawless City, and as far as she was concerned this life had begun in Zeltiva, she saw no need to go back to her older one.

Arriving at the first of the damaged beds, Kamilla noted that this one seemed to be the least damaged, the poster and canopy simply leaning a bit too far from the side after being blown skew by the hurricane.

She turned to the dark eyed Jehu, hands going to her hips as she looked at him expectantly, noting that he’d brought an assortment of tools along. ”So, you see more knowledgeable about this than I am... Where do we begin?” Honestly, Kamilla couldn’t see herself being much use during the repairs, but she’d at least hang around long enough to learn what she could from the man. ”So, where in Eyktol are you from? Tell me more...” She paused, contemplating whether she was sounding a bit too inquisitive but shrugged her concerns off, ”You’re very different to anyone I’ve met before... I’m curious.”

With any luck the strange man would buy her excuse. Not that she was lying, she was genuinely curious after all, she just didn’t want him to think she was overly curious. At the same time she was really curious to know as much about the unique man as possible. ”How is it you came to Syka all the way from Eyktol? It’s a long way after all.”

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Helping Hands

Postby Jehu on June 14th, 2019, 12:54 pm

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As the pair examined the first bed structure, Jehu placed a hand against one of the crooked corner posts and applied a bit of pressure. The frame wobbled. Like any square wood frame structure, braces were used to keep the main posts and frame secure and square. Maybe some braces were loose or broken. He looked back at Kamilla, watching the sea breeze tug at the lustrous locks of dark hair, before the tickle in his throat made him cough. "Um, I know a little. In Ahnatep, I did..." he sought for the words, "manual labor...but I did learn a little about building things, after the Djed Storm."

He looked over the frame again, deciding whether lashings or nails would work better. He dropped to his knees in the sand to look for damage. Two braces had been pulled loosed during the storm, causing the instability. A couple nails should work, though he had not worked with bamboo before.

He rose and went to his backpack, pulling out the hammer and the bag of nails. Jehu returned, dropping the hammer and the bag of nails in the sand. Eyeing the bed frame, he nudged the corner post until it appeared straight, for he had nothing to use as a square.

Kamilla posed more questions, displaying a curious interest in his origins. His past was something Jehu rarely shared, given the feeling of disappointment the subject often conjured. But, as his gaze once again settled on the woman, the Chaktawe felt a strange interest in Kamilla himself, and to dismiss her curiosity might send her looking for someone else to work with. He very much wanted her to stick around.

Jehu shrugged as he steadied the bed structure. "I am from what is called the Burning Lands, the desert. My tribe live among the redstone cliffs in the north. Lots of canyons and caves." He described, a subtle sound of longing in his tone. Kamilla's next question pierced like a spear at the very heart of his life dilemma. No one had really asked him why he left. No one had cared to get to know him that well. He stopped fidgeting with the bamboo post. The very fact that Kamilla asked so poignant a question tugged at his intrigue, his averted gaze boldly lifting to meet her clear, mahogany eyes.

"I was...am...searching." He replied, his black eyes fixed on Kamilla's stunning features for a long moment. Then he cleared his throat. "Can you hold this, just like this." Jehu instructed, eyeing again the post, setting it as straight as he could. "Don't let it move."

He then knelt in the sand, pulling a few nails from the pouch and placing them between his lips. He tapped one of the loose braces near the bottom of the frame with the hammer until it was in place, then plucked a nail from his mouth and set it to the bamboo. He began to hammer, lightly at first, until the iron point dug into the wood. He then began to hammer, using steady strikes with a slight upstroke to keep the nail going in straight. After several hits, Jehu noted the barely visible line of a crack starting to spread from the nail.

" Goatsack." He muttered to himself, carefully prying the nail free. "Too big." He dropped the nails back into the bag and pulled out several smaller ones. Finding a new place to nail, he repeated the process, this one seating well. He would lash some rope around the small crack to stabilize it. Jehu then continued to set a couple more nails to steady the brace.

She was from Zeltiva, which told Jehu nearly nothing. All he knew was that Zeltiva was far away, in the lands where the humans lived. "Zeltiva, that is far away too." Jehu paused, hesitant to ask Kamilla her reasons for leaving, yet wondered what brought her to such a remote place like Syka. Yet, he felt her questions gave him the freedom to ask the same.

"What brings..."
such a beautiful, fascinating woman to Syka. The words forming on his lips were unexpected. Heartfelt but unexpected. It was not like him to gush. "... you to Syka?" He managed to ask.

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Last edited by Jehu on July 25th, 2019, 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Helping Hands

Postby Kamilla on June 16th, 2019, 9:29 am

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Kamilla Circe Gordon


The stranger, Jehu, went on to mention that he’d learned about construction in... Ahnatep, a place she’d never heard of before, though she’d assume it was in Eyktol since that was where he’d come from. According to him the desert there was referred to as The Burning Lands, which did not sound pleasant in the slightest, especially to someone who’d been burned before. She could tell by the time of his voice that the man missed his homeland, which she supposed was understandable. Not that she ever missed Sunberth.

At the mention of ‘searching’ Kamilla raised a brow curiously, though Jehu had already moved on to ask her to hold one of the lopsided posts that he’d righted, to which she obliged, holding it as firmly as she could between both hands, nodding in the man’s direction as she watched him work.

He tried to hammer a nail into the base of the post, exclaiming ‘goatsack’ which caused Kamilla to crack a smile at the odd choice of words, she grew more curious with the unusual Jehu by the moment. ”Yes it is very far, a whole sea and landmass away.” She confirmed, watching him begin to hammer away again with a smaller nail, directing a question back at her as he did, black eyes meeting brown once again.

The man’s gaze seemed to hold a constant intensity, though whether that was true or just an illusion as a result of his dark eyes, she was uncertain. ”Wanderlust, I suppose. I’ve been to many cities and the news of a new settlement interested me, though I’ll admit that I didn’t intend on staying for long when I arrived.” She paused for a moment, thinking of the previous season before eyeing the tree line wearily. ”The jungle and I don’t get along well.” In just one season she’d been lost three times and attacked by the wildlife twice. What was worse was that she continually heard of interesting locations that had been spotted within the jungle.

Having said her part, Kamilla turned her gaze and attention back on Jehu, remembering what she’d wanted to ask. ”What is it you’re searching for... Jehu?” The itch drove her to ask, she wanted to know more about the unusual man, a lot more. ”And, can I ask... exactly what are you? I’ve never seen anyone like you before.” It was true, she’d heard of people that lived in Eyktol, some fairly regular, others with multiple sets of arms, but never blackened eyes.

Words: 418

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