What's in a Dek? (Taln)

[Nikavi]

Bright, hawkish eyes flashed as they tried to catch the emerald ones of this Dek. He had admitted that she annoyed him, and she laughed that he would admit to it. Weren't Dek supposed to be nice, obedient little Inarta, or else they would die? This Dek had a death wish, and she considered, for one brief moment, carrying it out or, at the least, adding a scar to his lovely face. It didn't look like anyone had marked his face yet anyway. She could do so. But, she wouldn't. To her, Inarta including lowly Dek were almost untouchable. Sure, she'd do her best to beat one to the pulp for a real insult, but this Dek she couldn't mark so drastically. Maybe he needed his face. To clean up after birds. Or for something more serious?

"Why do you look so surprised I'd ask for you to be my toy, Dek?" Nikavi raised her narrow eyebrows in incredulous surprise. "You said your mother was a toy. Can't you be mine? Or are you a special Dek?" His question of her age made her snort a laugh. "I'm not that young! I'll be assigned this Winter to a duty!" She said coolly, still smiling inwardly. "Why don't you tell me it's grown up meaning, Dek? You don't give me orders, and I want you to be my toy!" She was starting to sound like an impudent child. But really, she was frustrated that the Dek she had found so funny was proving to be incredibly stupid. She had asked him a question, and he still hadn't answered it!

Instead, his emotions revealed he was still hiding something, guarding it fiercely, and she wanted to know what it was! The tastes were heavy on her mouth, and the colours were bright along his features, but she couldn't read his mind. If she could, she'd have ripped the knowledge away and pondered it.

"Tell me what your hiding, or I will find an Endal." She threatened, trying to sound more ominous and hide her amusement.

[Taln]

He barked a short laugh with no real humor. Taln's body posture changed subtly. His hips seemed drawn more forward as he leaned into her very closely, not quite touching, his fierce eyes stared at her mouth. After a long moment, he drew the full force of his piercing green eyes to her gold ones and held them. Slowly he licked his lips. He whispered in a sultry tone that spoke of dark promise. "Baby Yasi, you have no real idea of what a toy I can be. Yea I'm a very special Dek toy. That's why they don't scar my face." He shrugged, stood up abruptly and held himself normally. The man averted his eyes to the side and kept his head bowed with the ease of long practice. He knew when he kept his eyes and face hidden, most didn't people didn't bother with him. The Dek honestly didn't know what he had, but whatever it was, it was in high demand. It was his most frequent job, but definitely not one he could take the little Yasi to witness. "Your age is young for an Inarta, but prime for a Dek and there is an adult world that you want no part of. You can take my word on that." His hair fell over his forehead, again concealing his eyes and most of his face. It would be worth a beating if he kept this Yasi thinking her innocent little thoughts of baby toys. Better to have her spoiled self annoyed, than her world destroyed. With her attitude, she wouldn't last a bell as a Dek. Her attitude was proof of her high Caste birth. She'd hit the nail on the head that time. Special Dek. That's a better term than toy. It almost implies that I might be more than a piece of meat. Taln started to feel a moment's compassion for such a blissfully innocent child allowed to grow up not knowing the darker side of reality--And then she pursued it. 'Throw it in my face my mother was a Dek whore. Gods did this kid ever stop?!' "Yes, Yasi, my mother's body was used by a man, as a toy. It's way out of your league baby girl. Stick with dolls or dice, they'll make you much happier." Taln seethed with anger at having to discuss his mother this way. 'How many more barbs will she stick in me without even knowing? The threat of adult authority wasn't something he could risk. Nikavi may still be a bored and ridiculously innocent child with rose colored glasses, but an Endal was not. He weighed his options, searching for an easy answer to appease her female nagging. The Dek opted to show her the physical truth. "Yasi Nikavi, I saved the rest of my meal for later." He knelt swiftly, removing the leaf wrapped bundle from his leg, beneath his bryda. Taln looked at the girl with intense emerald eyes, showing her complete truth.

[Nikavi]

The way the Dek leaned into her, and looked at her, sent a thrill of some strange emotion through Nikavi's younger body. She trembled subconsciously and leaned back, feeling adequately unsure of herself now, and the spoiled, shielded Yasi had never felt that way before. His promise made her tremble again, and her gold eyes narrowed, her hand twitching, dying to slap that lovely face but held back by the part of her that found the action useless. For now. He was trying to prove a point, and if making the body of a child well past her first menses react strangely was how he did it, she'd allow him to do so. Reluctantly. He hadn't challenged her honour yet. A rather mulish look settled on Nikavi's face and made her eyes both darken and intensify. She flashed through his emotions written in his aura, desiring to understand what he was feeling so she could read his thoughts indirectly. She wasn't pleased that he had refused her. She'd not been refused anything before, but beating his face wouldn't make him obey. "When I become an Endal, Dek, you're mine." She said darkly, her own promise as solemn as his own. Then she smiled again. "You dare not refuse me. If you do, I'll make sure you hurt." She didn't like making threats. "Then, you'll tell me what you mean." She nodded and then looked around. When he admitted to what he was doing, and he showed her his food, the Yasi held out her hands for it with a dark look. She'd see if he was lying about the nature of what the food was for. "Let's see it, Dek. If you're telling the truth, you won't mind waiting until later for your meal, like you're supposed to. After all, I'm hungry." Her gold eyes flashed, unnervingly sharp as they flicked up to the green eyes of the Dek. She wasn't particularly hungry, but if this Dek was telling the truth he'd hand over his food. As she reached for it, she released the djed again, and her eyes began to bleed from the use of her auristic vision, but she'd wipe them off after proving her own instinct right.

[Taln]

Explain it to her? He didn't even fully understand it himself! Just look at girls--and some guys--and they get weird on him. He knew when he tried to act like an Endal, Inarta loved it and responded to him. Made him sometimes in control. Taln didn't know how they saw it, only that 'it' always worked. "When you become an Endal, you'll have to get in line like everyone else Yasi." Something about the girl's expression clicked in the back of the Dek's mind. 'She's irritated, then cool, then impatient, then childish, then bossy. This Yasi has either lost her mind or -she's messing with me to get a reaction-she's--hungry? I haven't eaten in two days and she's suddenly hungry?! "Are you hungry Yasi Nikavi, or are you just trying to get a reaction outta me? You've never gone a week without food. You've never lacked for anything you want. Never refused anything and everything you desire. How high will I jump? You make sport of my caste when you know I must obey. I don't find it amusing because most adults don't -Yasi- and neither should you." Instead of handing the food to her,Taln strapped the food back to his leg beneath the bryda. Nikavi used that stuff on him again and he stared back at her. Fiercely, and with barely bridled anger. The full force of his emerald gaze locked on her gold eyes. His bicep twitched, like a bird ruffling its feathers and he continued until she looked away.

[Nikavi]

Nikavi tilted her head, mimicking a curious sparrow as she looked at the Dek. She didn't like being cowed by anyone, but she decided starting a fight with a Dek would be a poor way to prove she was grown up and mature. "When I become an Endal, Dek, you won't be a Dek." She narrowed her eyes only slightly. She had heard some people increased the caste of others by claiming them, or something of the such. She didn't know if it was possible to do such a thing, but she would be an Endal some day, and no one could refuse what she wanted. When his glare forced her eyes away, she had to bite her tongue to keep from berating him. "I want to see what you will do, Dek Taln." The Yasi blinked and then started to laugh. She couldn't believe she was being scolded by a Dek! She couldn't even get angry at him for it. It was too funny! Once her laughter died, she spoke again. "You seem to hate people of higher castes, Dek, but I don't hate you because of yours. Do you want for real food, Dek? Instead of scolding me, maybe you should come with me." She didn't know if she would be allowed real food, but she hoped no one would question her when she went to get something to eat followed by a Dek. Altruism wasn't a widely held belief in Wind Reach.

[Taln]

"When I become an Endal, Dek, you won't be a Dek." 'She can't even know what she means! This either meant she'd kill him or marry him!' "Yasi Nikavi, what do you mean I won't be a Dek?" Taln asked, his interest piqued. He watched her through his lashes, hoping she wasn't just spouting nonsense to keep messing with his head. Her laughter was better than a beating any day and he was startled she hadn't beaten him senseless for his behavior. "It's not hate Yasi. It's resentment for something that you were born with that was taken from me with no choice. You're bored and want to play with me like a shiny new doll, because you're sheltered and protected from the -real- world. Some of us Dek had a chance until fate stole it." Taln bit his lip, not liking how she'd got his hopes up mentioning a status change. Quietly, he commented, "Yasi, you're the first to ask my name since I was five." He was reluctant to keep answering but he knew he couldn't get away with so much disobedience any longer. When she asked if he was hungry he wasn't sure what to say. 'What did she care that he was hungry or not?' he puzzled. Was it yet another question just to torment him for idle pleasure? He sighed and nodded his head yes. The Dek had already opened his big mouth and mentioned it anyway. The words 'come with me' were an instant command he'd been trained to follow blindly. The tall man walked immediately to Nikavi's side, poised to follow her before he'd even realized he'd responded. Taln hated himself for it, feeling like a dog that had come to heel.

Nikavi cocked her head yet again and wrinkled her nose at his question. "You won't be a Dek." She said again. What did he mean what did she mean? "When I become Endal, you are mine." She frowned slightly, considering her reply. Hers in what way? She didn't really know. All she knew was that she had claimed this Dek. She was serious about it, too. She'd make him not be a Dek. Maybe he'd smile more. She wasn't sure how to raise the status of another Inarta, but she'd do it to this Dek. "Why was it taken from you with no choice? I was born to be Yasi, and so I'm Yasi. Even you were Yasi once. You shouldn't resent me for that." She looked at him much closer. "You don't have to resent me, Dek. Everything goes the way it must, and you don't need to be so angry over everything." At his quiet comment, she smiled again, but didn't reach to touch him like she had before. "I didn't know Dek kept names until today. But, if you didn't have one I would have given you one." She said quietly. Her gold eyes remained sharp and watchful. He nodded to her question of if he was hungry, and she nodded slowly. This talking was starting to make her a little hungry. Maybe she could bribe a cook for bread with some of her beads or Pinion. She had a few on her person at all times. "Come on then," she said to the Dek when he had stood, leading him away to where she assumed she could get food with the pinions she carried.

[Taln]

He couldn't let himself hope for even a chime, considering how ignorant she'd already shown herself to be of how life truly worked. But he was compelled to explain anyway, since she looked so confused. In a very quite voice he said, "Yasi, the only way to change my caste is to kill me.. or marry me." He barely held back a smirk, the amusement nearly reaching his eyes. Taln knew that choice tidbit would need some time to soak in. No one would hold to a promise born of naivete. Her next question made him raise both eyebrows. 'Why is this girl acting like she -cares- anything about me?' The Dek shrugged his shoulders and replied though he couldn't fathom why she was pretending an interest. Probably just bored curiosity. 'She didn't know Dek had names?! Like I'm less Inarta than her? Even birds have names for each other!' Taln swallowed hard, and tried not to think about her callous comment. Tried not to think about having to tell his weakness to a stranger. "At five years old, I was apprenticed to an Avora because she said I had good hands for it. After a few bells in her company, I'd found she was very protective of her work--and paranoid. She was late for teaching so I waited and waited. I picked up a pretty bit of glass art and studied it, trying to figure out how she'd made such a beautiful thing. She'd entered the door behind me and I guess she thought she was sneaking up on me or something. The Avora had no idea that I'd heard her-it's just a thing I got. I hear stuff really good. Anyways, I turned to look at her and she yelled at me. I was so surprised that the glass fell outta my hands and she was petching maaaad! The woman had her glass dyes nearby and threw them at me in fury. I covered my eyes a chime too late and haven't seen anything clear since. I'll never be perfectly whole because of it." Taln looked down at his hands, not sure what to do with them. No one had ever asked, so he'd never told. "They allowed me a technical Yasi apprenticeship, but no one would take someone who couldn't see perfectly. They had me doing Dek work from the start, knowing I can't see perfect. So I was trained to be a Dek for-" He paused, not knowing how long it had been, "-a long time now." He'd never talked so much to one person in his entire life. It was unnerving. The Dek walked a little behind and just to the side of the girl.

[Nikavi]

"By marriage or death?!" Nikavi almost sqawked like a startled crow. Almost. But she reigned her surprise in. Could she marry a Dek she didn't know? Would he kill her if she did? She didn't know what to think, or to say, so she acted without thought and let words fly from her lips that she couldn't take back without sounding like a liar. "I'll marry you, then." The words came out hushed. Nikavi didn't know if the Dek had heard them, and she didn't really want to find out. What if he took offense to them? What if he didn't take offense to it? She didn't know what to do, but she didn't want to take it back either. She'd already told him he was her Dek, and she was dead serious about that. There wasn't much difference if she married the Dek then, right? She'd have to think on it later. "An Avora took your eyes?" Nikavi raised her eyebrows. Her mother was an Avora that worked with glass. She hoped that it hadn't been her mother that had done that to the Dek, who would have perhaps made a fine hunter if his eyes had remained intact due to his hearing. "I wish I could hear really good, Dek. I can see good, though. I can tell you what you're feeling when I look at you. It makes my eyes bleed." She'd never told anyone that before, except for her eagle and the osprey she'd had a few years before. She couldn't see exactly how angry or how sad a person was, but she could tell if they were feeling the emotion. She could taste the person or people she was reading, too, depending on their emotions. The taste sense would be greater, in her opinion, than the sight sense. She didn't mind that he was walking behind her. That was one thing she couldn't be bothered to change. She didn't know exactly where to bribe food off of a person. She had never had to do so before. Time was also a problem. "I have about a bell and a half left of free time, Dek. Can you deal with me for that long?" She asked him quietly.

[Taln]

Secret : Psst! you forgot to fix the other post up there! He waited for it. And there it was. Taln choked back his shame at her completely expected reaction. Her face and tone of voice said it all, making the words irrelevant. The Dek knew that the horror of even thinking of marrying, in her own words, 'a low life Dek,' would be disgusting beyond belief to Nikavi. And to any other Inarta of her own caste or higher. Her hushed words sounded like she'd just agreed to eat live, diseased vermin. At least the girl child knew now how foolish her pompous and naive words of ownership, toys, Endal status and caste changing really sounded. The man kept his head down and his voice neutral as he reassured the girl, "Yasi Nikavi, I wouldn't -dream- of holding you to a blind statement made in ignorance. Just try to stop sounding like I said you stepped in vomit, huh?" Again, something Taln would never understand. A girl child would talk to him with almost kindness and innocence and still consider future intimacy with him as repulsively nauseating. Yet when he gave that 'Endal look' and sound, even she had felt something, whatever it was. He shook his head to clear it, letting the matter drop. It would have to remain a mystery as to why he was a 'special Dek.' "If you're just staking a claim on me as you implied earlier that's entirely different. It's like..." Taln pondered for a chime, again keep his voice neutral to the meaning of his words. "It's like having your own pet Dek. For me to work or sleep where you say, eat when and where you say. Your own personal Dek. But if someone of higher caste comes along, then you know all bets are off until he or she is 'done' with me." The man was grateful his face was well hidden as he spoke, for he could feel his face heat up with shame talking about his life as a mere pet for someone's whims. "Yes Yasi. That Avora was already quite old when she took me on, and she died not long after the incident." He shrugged at Nikavi's comment. "Sharp hearing isn't always a good thing to have. Some sounds hurt my ears more than other Inarta and it makes my head ache. That's why I don't like it when people yell-it hurts. So I-- you can tell what people feel and that's why your eyes bled?!" Without even noticing what he was doing, he stared directly into her eyes in surprise. 'So -that's- what she was doing to me!' he thought. The Dek remembered to quickly lower his eyes again, looking at the ground. "It looked like it hurt you when you did Yasi." Taln knew she'd respond to that. She suddenly seemed a lot nicer than the typical Yasi. Something he'd only encountered before they typically said or did something cruel. 'Did she just -ask- me my preference for -her- company?! The girl was talking so quietly now. Was it a courtesy to him? The Dek? Couldn't be. Like all the other females, the quiet tone was probably because she didn't want to be heard taking too much interest in him in public. That would make sense.' He assumed. "It's a Yasi's place to decide if my company is wanted by her for that long." Taln answered carefully.