Back Amongst The Flakes(Cheshire)

[Stas Grigori]

Day 4 of Summer, 511 AV Stas was beside himself. Not literally, but as he came to a stand still just within the boundaries of the Skyglow, his face was turned up and he would certainly cramp his neck if he stayed in such a position. Still as the silent snow, he gazed up at the swirling, shining moving beauty that was the Aurora. Nowhere else could they be seen so gloriously, and though there was a twitch in his face at their movement, at how his visions of fire always moved in the same fashion, he could and would not kill his appreciation of such a thing with bitterness and fury. Whether or not he had been seen, approached or spoken about, he had no idea. But he could not stand there forever when he had things to get on with. A smile and a sharp crick came with him as he looked away from the Aurora, and made his way deeper through the Skyglow. Time away from the bite of his wintered homeland had not stolen his resistance to the cold, but he pulled his heavy leather coat tighter around himself as he woke up his mental map. It was simple to find where he stayed before. The home his tutor had welcomed him to was simple to locate, but he did not head in there. His destination was the home of Vannis. Stas had no idea whether his old home was still available, or if there had been any significant changes in Avanthal, let alone the Skyglow, but if he was going to come back here then he assumed that he ought to inform the leader he had returned. He had never been especially friendly with anyone in the hold, nevermind the leader, but he knew who most of the people were and had at least spoken to them. "Morning, can I have a word?" were the short words he said after rapping loudly on the door to where he remembered the leader of the Skyglow to be. He wouldn't shove the door open, that would be rude, and unlikely to get him any decent dwelling. After a moment of further thought he added a little more. "I'm looking for Vannis or his wife." About five seconds after those words sounded against the door he slapped himself mentally. 'You buffoon, who else is going to be here and answer the door?'

[Cheshire]

A call from the other side of the hold door sounded through the wood. A call for Vannis. A young man opened the door, one too young to be the leader that Stas had called for. His eyes turned a bright green as he looked at the man. "Yes, I'll take you to him." The man who answered the door was Vannis' son, Ray'ken. He looked a bit like his father but the hold knew how the two were at odds with one another. "Welcome back Stas." Ray'ken spoke with a small smile. He had wondered when the man would return. "I'm sure my father will be happy to see you are back." When the pair reached Vannis' room Ray'ken rapped at the door. "Good luck by the way. My dad is… difficult. I'm sure you remember that though." When the door opened Ray'ken's eyes flashed a bright shade of yellow. "Father, Stas is back." His eyes flicked from the man and back to his father. Vannis did not look at his son. Instead he nodded to Stas and motioned for him to follow. Vannis did not match Stas in height but looking at the man, his height did not seem to be a problem. He had a look to him. He knew his weight in the city and even the tallest of men would not make him curse his shorter stature. "So you are back Stas." His eyes looked at the man, turning a dark violet as he spoke. "How as Alvadas?"

[Stas Grigori]

Stas got the answer he did not expect with the sight of the short, seemingly friendly man who greeted him. The sudden and somewhat severe shift in the colour of the man's eyes was not a shock to Stas, but it had been a long time since he had seen it happen anywhere other than in a pool of flat water. This fortunately triggered some memories for Stas. 'This is the son, ken something or other. Be polite, I'm feeling good to be back, and with any luck I won't get any rubbish from them' Stas gave a nod to Ray'ken and followed him deeper into the home. He didn't see any reaction from Ray'ken but Stas found it delightful how his heavy boots had a resonating thump on the wood flooring. Before he could hear any reaction from beyond the door, and before Ray'ken had said anything further Stas spoke up with "I'm glad to be back, and thank you." That was what he got out before the door swung open. It was noticeable even to himself, the stiffness between the father and the son at the arrival of Vannis and Stas' own 'introduction'. With a brief nod to Ray'ken, Stas carried on after Vannis until they came to face one another. The crisp welcome statement and question were heard, but Stas' mind was caught up more with the deep, violet eyes that peered up at him. 'I must learn how to fix a stare like this. Total personal security simply radiating from them, and I'm hopeless to see anything else but who could miss this?' "I am...And Alvadas was an experience as describable as useful madness. I'm sure you've heard of the shifting buildings and roads that are simple and orderly one way, and lead you into the wild on another." A short pause followed as he swallowed. Shaking his head Stas carried forwards, finding himself sort of smiling as he emptied his mouth of words. "I got what I left for in any case. I'm back now, hoping I can get my home back and find some work. Maybe even get some great ideas." His smile got a bit wider now, it was still and would always be far more of a face twisting smirk than a bright, handsome grin, but it was easier to come by now that he wasn't speaking to fireballs every hour.

[Cheshire]

Vannis nodded as he looked up at Stas. "Good to hear. It is always best to have as many Skyglow as we can." While some of the Vantha seemed to prefer more full blooded members in the hold Vannis was much more open to half-bloods, or even outsiders for that matter. He was harsh but he knew talent when he saw it. "I have heard about Alvadas but I've never been there. I've never left Avanthal except for the surrounding areas." Vannis sounded almost proud as he spoke. "I don't regret it. My place is here. There is nowhere else I need to be except serving my queen." Maybe there was a part of him the secretly regretted never leaving the frozen lands of Taldera. Even if there was, he would not admit it. Not even to Morwen. He was loyal to a fault and he would not have anyone think otherwise. Before Vannis could voice his demand that Stas get a job the mixed blood voiced it himself. "I am sure that we could use your skills. We always can use more artisans in Skyglow." He was sure at one point he must have known Stas' specialty. He usually was able to keep all of the Skyglow members straight in that regard. Possibly it was the man's leave of absence that had fogged Vannis' memory. "As I am sure you remember, if you are going to stay in the hold you will need a job. Do you have one in mind? If not, I am sure someone around here would be willing to take on an apprentice." Vannis was unsure if Stas would want to be an apprentice to someone after working as one before. The offer would be open if he wanted to take advantage of it though.

[Stas Grigori]

‘He is as rigid as one can expect from the leader, but that heavy and all piercing stare does not seem so threatening now. Stay polite and give some indirect assurance of my desire to do good now that I am home again.’ Stas had heard the tone carrying through Vannis’ words, and thought the intricacies of pride in one’s country and servitude were not amidst his own thoughts, Stas believed he saw enough to need to give some security about what he felt and intended. “I missed this place. There is a terrible sort of homesick one gets, particularly for the icerock which can be relied on to be in the same place tomorrow as it is today. But one does what one must, when one is sick. And as for the work I need and require here in the Skyglow…” His words trailed away for a moment, and right away there was a pair of fingers drawing his scraggly goatee out straight and letting it go for his thoughts overtook his words. They needed to, if he was going to figure out what would take his time and keep him sound and sheltered here for however long he remained, let alone for good. “I have only improved on what my hands can inscribe about the world. Letters are my forte’ and my skill. Look, I bring them with me.” Stas produced a sheet of rolled up parchment that was quickly displayed to Vannis. How quickly he did this displayed that there was some innate pride and delight in his abilities. “I do not, however, remember there being a boundless demand for calligraphy. If I am to be an apprentice to something new, I remember that the Snowstained Sisters do more than carve the bows and arrows. That they inscribe upon them, and more surfaces besides, designs and words and imitations of life and beauty using chisels and edges instead of brushes and quills. I would like to learn from them, if my scribing is to be a ‘along with’ pastime here.”

[Cheshire]

Vannis appreciated Stas' words of missing home. It was settling to see event he Vantha who strayed from the city felt a need and a call to return. The city needed all of the Vantha it could hold. With so many dying in the Reaches and Wastes it was impertinent to keep their population up. Besides, the more Skyglow there were, the more art filled the city. In Vannis' eyes, there was not anything more beautiful than that. The Vantha looked upon the paper that Stas had offered. He was pleased with the work and was happy to see that the mixed blood had only improved with his skill on his trip away from home. With a nod he rolled up the paper and returned it to Stas. "You are definitely skilled enough to work for the hold, although you are right about the lessened need for calligraphers." He listened on to Stas' words and could not agree more with them. The twins would do well with Stas working with them. They had spoken of wanting something new to do with their bows and perhaps Stas' work with calligraphy was just the thing they needed. "I agree, I think working with the twins would be a good place for you to start. I do not think you will need to apprentice for too long. Just enough time to learn carving as well as bowing and fletching, if you do not know of them already." Stas would always be welcome in Skyglow hold. There was no doubt about that. Vannis had faith that the man would prove his worth quickly and because of this, he would not make him wait for a room. "The hold is always open for you as well as our rooms if you want to take advantage of them." He was unsure if the man had opted to take residence in the Warrens instead. Many returning Vantha and mixed bloods seemed to take that option regardless of how much the leaders wanted them to lodge in the holds. "Either way, I'll let the sisters know that you will be working with them if they are the people you would like to work with. I'm sure they will be happy to see some new style to their bows."

[Cheshire]

Character: Stas Grigori Experience: Observation +2, Interrogation +1 Additional Note: You are now employed at Snowstained Bows as a carver. You also have a room at Skyglow hold to stay in if you choose. PM me with concerns.