15th Day of Spring, 521 AV
Lhavit
Syna's light had just peaked over the horizon as the citizens of Lhavit woke from their dawn rest. The sounds of morning songbirds filled the air as parents readied their children for the day, cooking breakfasts and fretting over getting them clothed. Ado rolled over and sat up in his bed, stretching and yawning then going to wash his face and rinse his mouth from the small bucket of water in his home. He went and sat in front of his altars, meditating for a few chimes and listening to his neighbor, Ellie, hum as she worked in her garden. Ellie had been living in the Okomo Estates since before Ado was born, and seemed to be the first person awake every morning. A retired healer from the Catholicon, she now spends her days tending to her small garden or wandering the city with her friends and family. Her husband of 53 years passed away two summers ago, so she spends more time with their children and grandchildren, cooking meals or taking them out to places around the city almost every day.
"Good morning, Ellie," Ado waved to her, stepping into his own garden after dressing and fixing his hair. She looked up and smiled, waving back.
"Hi Adoian, will you be at the teahouse today?" She asked. Knowing Ado since birth, and being a close friend to his own grandparents, Ellie is one of the few people that calls him by his full first name. Even most of his family only refers to him by his nickname.
"Yes, the tea plants need to be trimmed and we have to restock the leaves. Our reserves from last Spring are running low so Guzo will be running the dining room today while I'm in the gardens." Ado bent down to inspect the tomato saplings, which were just beginning to sprout. He had installed wooden trellises a couple of weeks ago for the green beans and tomatoes. Being opportunistic growers, the green beans had sprouted quickly and were nearly six inches tall now. Ado knew, however, that once the tomatoes' roots were established they would be as tall as him in just a couple of months.
"And your sister?"
"Training. Many in the city have piqued an interest in martial arts. She has had a full house for weeks." Most of the recent newcomers to Atsuya's training gym were young men and women looking to defend themselves or fill some leisure time. Occasionally, Ado was volunteered for demonstrations.
"I see. Well, I'll be taking Patra out to the market for a dress fitting later today. Perhaps we will stop for some tea." Patra was Ellie's eldest granddaughter and was to be wed in the summer to a fisherman. Ado and Patra had grown up together and even dated briefly but they mutually decided to end things when they realized their interests were just too different. They were good friends now but rarely saw each other, especially with all of the preparations to be done for her wedding.
"I'll be sure to say hello when you do," Ado replied, giving her a quick smile, then standing up, "I'm going to get some water from the well pump, do you need any?" He asked.
"Oh no, thank you. I went for some earlier." Ado nodded, then grabbed his bucket and went out his garden gate, heading for the community well.
The small neighborhood was bustling, many people were already out running their morning errands, tending to gardens, or heading to workplaces. Some children were playing in the Okomo fields, being sure to leave the creatures be. The air was quite dry, as the rain had been scarce, but the temperature was mild, still with a little bite from winter. Today was the first day of this work period for Ado, and he would have three more days to go before his rest days. That would be plenty of time to harvest and process leaves before the next new buds sprouted. Since Morwen decided to stop bringing the snows to their city, the tea plants did not go dormant in the winter. So between him, Atsuya, and Guzo, pruning was to be done frequently and diligently. The growth was somewhat slowed during the colder months, meaning harvesting was only done a few times, with many of the fruits, herbs, and flowers becoming a priority.
There was a small group of people gathered around the pump, chatting while waiting their turn to fill their own buckets. Ado stood off to one side so as not to intrude on their conversation while he waited for them to be done. Despite this, he couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"And so what if it is? I haven't been asked by anybody yet and the wedding's only a week away!" One of the women, wearing a bright red dress exclaimed, speaking to a different woman, who was in a muted blue dress with slits up both sides. Ado recognized them from around the neighborhood but wasn't able to remember their names.
"Well, the reception is going to be right in the plaza, and the Heart's festival will still be going on as well. I'm sure you will find somebody to spend the night with." The woman in the blue dress replied, giving a wink. They must have been talking about the wedding of the Craven and Dusk families. It was the talk of the whole city and this wasn't the first time Ado had heard people complain that nobody had asked them to be their date. He didn't plan to go with anybody, rather he would bring some white and yellow flowers and serve tea with his family.
"Aye, but I just don't understand it," The other person at the pump interjected, a tall, middle-aged gentleman with a trimmed beard and full belly, "This Craven family, mysterious in all of their ways, moves here three years ago and manages to get only the wealthiest family of Lhavit wrapped around their fingers? I hear they have dealings with ghosts... seems a bit strange if you ask me."
The woman in the red dress shook her head, "You're just a bit jealous, yeah? Chiona Dusk is a rather gorgeous woman, despite the rumors about her and the Dawn Tower girl. I would probably fall in love with her too if she gave me some attention." She was done pumping now and gave it over to the blue dress woman.
"And even if it was purely for reasons of politics and wealth," she continued, "What's it to ya? Your wife and kids are happy and healthy, there's no reason for the suspicion."
Ado smiled and looked out at the Okomo fields, watching the beasts wander and graze so as not be obvious that he was listening.
"I still don't trust it." The man mumbled, now pumping water into his own bucket. The group finished, said their farewells, and dispersed. Ado pumped water into his own bucket, then made his way back home. He filled his watering can leaving about half of the bucket full, then went to water his garden. So far he had planted green beans, tomatoes, onions, and carrots, each vegetable having a dedicated corner of the garden. Once he finished up, he put the can and the bucket back in his home. He grabbed his satchel, stuffed his journal along with the ink vial and pen, and his waterskin into it, then left, heading for the Mhakula Teahouse.
WC: 1,247
Lhavit
Syna's light had just peaked over the horizon as the citizens of Lhavit woke from their dawn rest. The sounds of morning songbirds filled the air as parents readied their children for the day, cooking breakfasts and fretting over getting them clothed. Ado rolled over and sat up in his bed, stretching and yawning then going to wash his face and rinse his mouth from the small bucket of water in his home. He went and sat in front of his altars, meditating for a few chimes and listening to his neighbor, Ellie, hum as she worked in her garden. Ellie had been living in the Okomo Estates since before Ado was born, and seemed to be the first person awake every morning. A retired healer from the Catholicon, she now spends her days tending to her small garden or wandering the city with her friends and family. Her husband of 53 years passed away two summers ago, so she spends more time with their children and grandchildren, cooking meals or taking them out to places around the city almost every day.
"Good morning, Ellie," Ado waved to her, stepping into his own garden after dressing and fixing his hair. She looked up and smiled, waving back.
"Hi Adoian, will you be at the teahouse today?" She asked. Knowing Ado since birth, and being a close friend to his own grandparents, Ellie is one of the few people that calls him by his full first name. Even most of his family only refers to him by his nickname.
"Yes, the tea plants need to be trimmed and we have to restock the leaves. Our reserves from last Spring are running low so Guzo will be running the dining room today while I'm in the gardens." Ado bent down to inspect the tomato saplings, which were just beginning to sprout. He had installed wooden trellises a couple of weeks ago for the green beans and tomatoes. Being opportunistic growers, the green beans had sprouted quickly and were nearly six inches tall now. Ado knew, however, that once the tomatoes' roots were established they would be as tall as him in just a couple of months.
"And your sister?"
"Training. Many in the city have piqued an interest in martial arts. She has had a full house for weeks." Most of the recent newcomers to Atsuya's training gym were young men and women looking to defend themselves or fill some leisure time. Occasionally, Ado was volunteered for demonstrations.
"I see. Well, I'll be taking Patra out to the market for a dress fitting later today. Perhaps we will stop for some tea." Patra was Ellie's eldest granddaughter and was to be wed in the summer to a fisherman. Ado and Patra had grown up together and even dated briefly but they mutually decided to end things when they realized their interests were just too different. They were good friends now but rarely saw each other, especially with all of the preparations to be done for her wedding.
"I'll be sure to say hello when you do," Ado replied, giving her a quick smile, then standing up, "I'm going to get some water from the well pump, do you need any?" He asked.
"Oh no, thank you. I went for some earlier." Ado nodded, then grabbed his bucket and went out his garden gate, heading for the community well.
The small neighborhood was bustling, many people were already out running their morning errands, tending to gardens, or heading to workplaces. Some children were playing in the Okomo fields, being sure to leave the creatures be. The air was quite dry, as the rain had been scarce, but the temperature was mild, still with a little bite from winter. Today was the first day of this work period for Ado, and he would have three more days to go before his rest days. That would be plenty of time to harvest and process leaves before the next new buds sprouted. Since Morwen decided to stop bringing the snows to their city, the tea plants did not go dormant in the winter. So between him, Atsuya, and Guzo, pruning was to be done frequently and diligently. The growth was somewhat slowed during the colder months, meaning harvesting was only done a few times, with many of the fruits, herbs, and flowers becoming a priority.
There was a small group of people gathered around the pump, chatting while waiting their turn to fill their own buckets. Ado stood off to one side so as not to intrude on their conversation while he waited for them to be done. Despite this, he couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"And so what if it is? I haven't been asked by anybody yet and the wedding's only a week away!" One of the women, wearing a bright red dress exclaimed, speaking to a different woman, who was in a muted blue dress with slits up both sides. Ado recognized them from around the neighborhood but wasn't able to remember their names.
"Well, the reception is going to be right in the plaza, and the Heart's festival will still be going on as well. I'm sure you will find somebody to spend the night with." The woman in the blue dress replied, giving a wink. They must have been talking about the wedding of the Craven and Dusk families. It was the talk of the whole city and this wasn't the first time Ado had heard people complain that nobody had asked them to be their date. He didn't plan to go with anybody, rather he would bring some white and yellow flowers and serve tea with his family.
"Aye, but I just don't understand it," The other person at the pump interjected, a tall, middle-aged gentleman with a trimmed beard and full belly, "This Craven family, mysterious in all of their ways, moves here three years ago and manages to get only the wealthiest family of Lhavit wrapped around their fingers? I hear they have dealings with ghosts... seems a bit strange if you ask me."
The woman in the red dress shook her head, "You're just a bit jealous, yeah? Chiona Dusk is a rather gorgeous woman, despite the rumors about her and the Dawn Tower girl. I would probably fall in love with her too if she gave me some attention." She was done pumping now and gave it over to the blue dress woman.
"And even if it was purely for reasons of politics and wealth," she continued, "What's it to ya? Your wife and kids are happy and healthy, there's no reason for the suspicion."
Ado smiled and looked out at the Okomo fields, watching the beasts wander and graze so as not be obvious that he was listening.
"I still don't trust it." The man mumbled, now pumping water into his own bucket. The group finished, said their farewells, and dispersed. Ado pumped water into his own bucket, then made his way back home. He filled his watering can leaving about half of the bucket full, then went to water his garden. So far he had planted green beans, tomatoes, onions, and carrots, each vegetable having a dedicated corner of the garden. Once he finished up, he put the can and the bucket back in his home. He grabbed his satchel, stuffed his journal along with the ink vial and pen, and his waterskin into it, then left, heading for the Mhakula Teahouse.
WC: 1,247