That Day in the City of Illusions {Sesha}

[Dalvinia]

The citizens and even Sesha gathered around the fountain like the moon revolving the Earth. They reached their eager palms to the diamonds that manifested before them, similar to how the trees branched out gathering beams of light. Dalvinia ceased her feast momentarily to see everyone from peasant to count scramble for a handful of diamonds and watch in sorrow as their wishes shattered within their grasps. She cocked her head. The Kelvic understood the gravity such treasure held but not its value.

Sesha appeared very appalled by Dalvinia's question regarding the glorified Temple. Dalivina's intrigued increased meagerly. “Why the Temple is Alvadas’ greatest monument!" said Sesha. "Dedicated to the God of Illusion and trickery, Ionu!” The thread of her description was sewn into a massive blanket of verbal beauty. To anyone else Sesha's tale would have been impressive. However, she seemed to avoid everything that had little relation to the physical details of the structure, which the orange-eyed woman noted. Her interest then lessened. Being a Kelvic, she knew little of religion. She cared little of its display but more of its purpose, which the smoking woman elaborated nothing upon.

Sesha then switched subjects in the blink of an eye. “And my home is quite cozy; a quaint little flat on the second story of an old building. It’s rather spacious, just one large room. And it has all the amenities you could ever need. A warm place to sleep, places to store your things, and even a wash basin to clean your…” With the moment of pausing, the two woman looked at each other. The woman sitting on the fountain gazed more at the mess upon Dalvinia's face than the Kelvic herself. She finished with, "... to clean yourself!"

Sesha's offer was tantalizing. She seemed to be knowledgeable in religious affairs as shown by her enthusiasm towards the topic. Dalivinia turned her head toward empty space in thought. She recalled old stories of the father she ever knew and his similar ideals on religion. A connection had to be hidden somewhere, and she planned to find it. On a different note, the fanged woman travelled light with only a tent and other miscellaneous belongings. A stay in a comfortable house would have been an excellent change, even if it was for one night. With her thoughts collected, she clasped the meat in her hands and rose to her feet. A bright smile grew as she said, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Lead the way to your house, Miss Sesha!"

[Sesha]

A smile grew to touch Sesha’s lips but not her eyes, not yet. Sesha was a little wary of inviting this girl into her home, if only because the small flat was a refuge of sorts from the rest of the world. She rarely had guests. In fact, she never had guests. And though her home was kept in impeccable order, she somehow felt that this would be a display of her vulnerability. As though her mask might suddenly be lifted as they crossed the threshold. “It’s just a little ways,” she assured, falling into the leading role once more as they departed the bejeweled garden. Sesha wasn’t entirely sure of her claim. It was often difficult to find one’s home in a place such as Alvadas. But the rogue trusted her gut and found that she was luckier than most when seeking out her abode. “You really mustn’t mind the mess,” she said instinctively, having learned the customs of the Companions. “I’ll put on a nice pot of tea and you can regale me with your music and tales of your journey!” Sesha truly was quite curious of the world beyond her gates. A little music would soften her nerves as well. It was rare that one of her social stature could request any form of entertainment in her own home for such a low price. For free, she thought happily as she trundled along the zigzagging streets, occasionally jostling a passerby and pocketing their unguarded paraphernalia. It was unlikely that Dal would notice the exchanges. The pickpocket was a skilled member of her trade and pilfering was nearly second nature to her.

[Dalvinia]

Sesha rose from her throne amongst the diamonds and rubies. The sea of jewels lay under her foot. She trekked away from the beauty before them without a second glance, guiding Dalvinia to her abode. An assurance slipped past Sesha's lips like the smoke she ritualistically exhaled. Dalvinia followed close behind never again to see the collection of precious treasures, but never did she weep or quake. She just gazed upon the woman's flowing cloak as the sight disappeared from her view.

*********

Winding through the alleyways and crossing the streets was like a dream. The lampposts had transmogrified into jet black serpents hissing at nearby citizens. From their mouth shot flames of azure. The lush grass gradually faded from existence and was replaced by what seemed to cedar. It was as if the entire city was built upon a fallen tree. Many of the houses lining the road donned ever expanding grins underneath each of their windows, and every door sprouted an array of writhing arms lurching out desperately. A thin, red mist cloaked the city at the beginning of their journey, but after a while, it shifted to a solid violet before changing to a dark shade of blue similar to Sesha's eyes.

“You really mustn’t mind the mess,” said Sesha as they swerved their way past a swarm of ambling people in the city's winding streets. "I’ll put on a nice pot of tea and you can regale me with your music and tales of your journey!”

Dalvinia's focus diverted from the scene around her as Sesha spoke. "Oh yes. Of course! I'd love some tea!" She did not revel to match her words. Tea was a beverage she was accustomed to, but she did not drink it religiously. She was more excited about performing in front of an audience once more. Her mind then wandered back to her hostess's previous statement regarding the neatness of her residence. Not once has she been in a house that was not organized from top to bottom. A light shiver ran down her spine, and her step became a tad awkward. "I could probably fix it. Y-your house, I mean. Given time I could probably make it spotless." She anxiously took a bite of her meat as she continued following Sesha to her home.