A Svefra's Fortune

[Nira'lia]

511 Winter 28th Nira'lia spent most of her afternoon dusting off the old books on the shelves. She could hear the faint whispers of her mother as she told the fortunes of customers who came into their home. Tracing her fingers over their palms, her mother looked into their chavi as well and used cards to predict the future. Nira'lia's sisters were out for the day, which meant that it was only her mother and her, and the customers who walked through their door. She tried her best to keep silent, because her mother didn't like to be disturbed. It wasn't too difficult, th\ough. She just went about her errands. Their house was small but clean, and had very dim lighting. Candles were scattered throughout the house, giving of a scent of flaura and spices. One of her sisters liked to paint, and so her art pieces could be seen hung throughout the walls of the rooms. Her mother's current customer didn't look too happy about the fortune he had recieved. With a grunt, the old man handed the old Konti woman some coins and was on his way. "Nira'lia, dear, I feel the need for fresh air..." said her mother with a heavy sigh. She looked at Nira'lia, her face made her look barely twenty years in human life, but she was more than a century old by now. "Please take care of any customers who come in." She didn't give her daughter the chance to respond, because she was soon out the door. Nira'lia blinked and nodded to herself, and went back to dusting off the old books, waiting to see if any other customers would arrive -- she hoped nobody would, though. She felt tired, and she wasn't as good as her mother yet when it came to fortune telling. However, they had a wooden sign hanging outside their house that said fortunes could be told, and they were already quite known by long-time residents. Because of that, Nira’lia knew that chances were, someone would come. As if to shake her out of her reverie, the chimes over their door made a soft noise, and Nira'lia turned her head to see who had come in. "Yes? Are you here for your fortune?" asked Nira'lia.

[Nira'lia]

Nira’lia stared at the stranger who entered the door. He was a young, unkempt man who smelled of the sea. He had the characteristics of a normal sailor, and they were not uncommon to see in a city such as Zeltiva. On his arm was a mark that seemed to be dancing on his tanned skin. It was mesmerizing to see and appeared to be the image of the waves of the sea. It was the mark that her father, Laviku, gifted to his followers. Was a Svefra? She had met a few of them before, but it was uncommon to find them outside the Suvan Sea. “Good day,” she said to him. He had not said a word since he went in the door, and Nira’lia urged him to speak. It felt awkward to simply stand there in silence. Finally, he spoke up. There appeared to be certain mischievousness in his blue eyes. “Hi! I was passing by and saw your sign. I thought it would be a fun thing to try. So what do you do? Peer into my future? Your kind can do that, can you not?” There was a myriad of questions that the Konti tried to keep up with. She smiled sheepishly at him and scratched the back of her neck. “No, uh… we use cards. Tarot cards.” She refrained from telling him that she was only a novice fortune-teller. Her real job was a medic, and her mother was in charge of the fortune-telling business that was run in their home. But her mother had asked her to stay there, and if she shooed away any income, she would be scolded. “What!?” the man exclaimed. He pointed a finger at the back of her palm. Avalis’s glimmering gnosis mark was clearly displayed on it. “But you’re a seer! You’re supposed to be able to look into my future!” Nira’lia frowned. Did she really need to explain herself to this stranger? Sometimes it was difficult to have a gnosis mark displayed in such a public way. It was even more difficult when everyone else seemed to have misconceptions about it. “You’re mistaken. The first mark may only see into the past. If you wish, I could look into your past for you… but that would not really be very efficient, seeing as you probably have your memories to do that for you.” The Svefra laughed. Without warning, he suddenly grabbed a seat. He seemed to be a nonchalant one, which appeared to be a common trait among his kind. He beckoned at the seat on the other side of the table and urged Nira’lia to follow. Slowly and with care, she took the box of tarot cards that lay resting at the side of the room. It was the same deck she had purchased years ago. The Konti did not use it as much as her mother wished her to, but she knew how to do a basic reading if need be. She was setting up when she finally looked up at the Svefra. “What shall I address you as?”

[Nira'lia]

The young man made an act of tipping a non-existent hat. He made her uncomfortable, as he was way too cheerful and his actions made no sense to her. The Konti nodded at him and stared right at him, giving him an awkward smile. It was as if anything he said would be a joke. “Charles Searunner,” he said. She didn’t think that was a joke though. The Svefra had always such last names. “I’m Niralia,” she responded. His face lit up, as if there was something very interesting in her name. “Did you have a specific question you wanted to ask?” He suddenly went silent, and he gradually went from nonchalant to grim. The man seemed deep in thought as he stared at the stack of cards before them. His expression was dark, and Nira’lia waited patiently. “Where do I find it…?” he finally asked, and he seemed uncomfortable with his own question. Nira’lia blinked but didn’t say anything, though she was mildly surprised. Perhaps he did have a reason to be here, other than simply seeing the sign from the outside. It appeared that he indeed have an unresolved question that he wanted answer. The confused and dark expression on his face said it all, and one of the things that Nira’lia had learned was how to observe people. His question was quite vague, but that was okay. Actually, it was much better. She was such a novice at tarot reading that she had been taught by her mother that sometimes it was alright to have open-ended questions, and while she would help with the interpretation, it was also up to the one who asked to arrive to his own conclusion. It kept her participation more minimal than necessary, but that was alright “Here we go…” she whispered as she spread the stack of cards across the table. It made an illusion of waves as she did so, the patterns on the back the cards cascaded into each other. She seemed deep in thought… there were many kinds of spreads, but she would stick to the most simple one. The one-card reading. All she needed to do was pick a card and delve into its meaning. Her mother always told her that it was much more complicated than simply picking a card at whim. No, one had to really pick the one that drew them. But as she stared into the collection of cards, they all looked the same to her. It was as if there was no card that seemed right. Inwardly, she sighed. If she told her mother about this later, she would surely be scolded. “What ‘ya waiting for?” the man’s voice shook her out of her reverie. She looked up from the table and straight at him. His blue eyes were piercing. …Her mother also did say that the inquirer could pick the cards themselves, didn’t she? “Pick a card,” she said with a huge grin.

[Nira'lia]

Some readers did not like others touching their decks. Nira’lia, however, did not believe that. It was one of the things she had picked up from her mother. Her mother had told her that in a reading, she was not alone. There was the reader, and the person who wanted answers—and it took both of them to get to their goal. Upon Nira’lia’s urging, Charles was ready to pick a card. With a shrug, he reached out and was just about to take one at random. “Wait!” Nira’lia blurted out. “What?” the Svefra asked with a frown. His hand was in the air, ready to pick the card nearest to him. “You have to focus…” she said. “Please don’t just take one at random. Channel your energy… just focus… take the card which is calling out to you.” That was what her mother had always told her. Nira’lia had a habit of just picking the cards closest to her, and these instructions from her mother always sounded silly to her. These were just cards! She would even pretend to focus, and then just pick one. Her mother said this was why her readings didn’t make sense to her. It wasn’t because she didn’t know how to interpret it, it was because she wasn’t being serious. And now, looking at the happy-go-lucky Svefra who turned out to have a serious issue, Nira’lia felt that it was time to gain a new perspective. This man needed answers. The least she could do was give it her best. There was no point in simply making a game out of it. She expected him to be exasperated, to tell her that these were just cards. But instead, he nodded and placed hi hand back to his side. His blue eyes glazed over the myriad of cards as he seemed to be intent on choosing a card that called out to him. Really? The Konti blinked. She knew that the Svefra were a superstitious race, but this was the first time she had seen it up close. Even if he was impulsive and earlier didn’t appear to take anything seriously, he at least thought this was not to be taken lightly. As she waited, she watched the shadows flicker on the table. One of the candles were about to run out, and its flame was dancing, causing the shadows to dance as well. “Here,” he finally said as he reached out and picked a card. It was towards the left side, and he pulled it out and flipped it. The face of the card met their eyes. “What does that mean?” There was a painting of a hanged man. His hands were behind him and a leg was crossed, and he was tied upside-down, attached to a wooden scaffold. Illuminating his head was a bright crown. The words ‘The Handed Man’ was written in neat calligraphy in the bottom part of the card. Nira’lia paused as she looked at the card. Fortunately, it was one of the cards she was most familiar with. For some reason, it often came up in readings. It seemed to be the answer for most people.

[Nira'lia]

“This card symbolizes that one’s life is in suspension… there are several interpretations, though,” she said softly, her eyes still transfixed on the card. The Svefra was looking at her intently. A smirk had graced his lips, but Nira’lia hadn’t noticed it. There was something amusing about what she said, but he didn’t comment on the matter. It seemed wrong to give him all the interpretations. The best thing to do now was to interrogate him further on his question. That would work. Her mother was always so good at interpreting readings even if the question had been so vague. One of the things that she had to learn better was how to read the person in front of her, to understand the truth behind their questions. And while Nira’lia was introspective and often had a knack for reading people, she wasn’t that skilled in it. “What exactly are you trying to find…?” she asked as she looked up at him. The Svefra gave a laugh. “You’re asking that now?” Nira’lia’s face went red with embarrassment. “Uhm, well, you don’t need to tell me what it is exactly… but is it a material thing? Is it a… feeling, such as an epiphany?” Where was she going with this? She didn’t even know! He put his hands behind his head and leaned back. The man looked at her with a playful glint in his eyes, but there was something else in his expression. It was clouded with doubt and apprehension. Nira’lia could observe it from the way his eyebrows knotted together. “I am actually not sure,” he finally said. “I have been searching for a box that my friend had hid. I just feel that when I finally find it, I can just put it all to rest and move on.” “Move on?” she repeated. Now she was puzzled. “Move on from what?” He closed his eyes painfully as he forced a smile. “She passed away in a storm a few seasons back. But before that, she had hidden a box somewhere… she told me they were unsent letters that she was never able to give me. She told me she would finally give them once she came back to Zeltiva, but that storm made sure that wouldn’t happen.” “…Oh,” said the Konti softly. She looked down at her hands and saw that she was uncomfortably twiddling her fingers. Nira’lia was so used to feeling happiness in other people that she didn’t really know what to do when it was sadness she was supposed to be empathizing with. The Konti had no idea that this man actually had this sort of story when he had stepped into the house. “Alright… so it is this box you are searching for?” He nodded. He had opened his eyes by now and put his hands flat on the table. “I suppose that is the case.” “Do you think… well…” she was having a difficult time formulating her sentences. “Is it the box you are truly searching for, or is it closure?” Charles blinked at her, and finally he gave another laugh. “That is a good question! Now that I think about it… it might be closure, Miss Konti. But what does this interrogation have to do with my reading?” She went red again. Fumbling, she gave a nervous laugh. “I need to know!” she said defensively. “Alright, the hanged man… there are several interpretations.” One was that a person was beginning to question his actions, and realizing that there might be better ways to move forward from whatever predicament was holding them back. Another interpretation was that one was unable to see the good things right in front of them, simply for the reason that something is keeping them from moving forward. It was all about a change in perspective.

[Nira'lia]

Even if she had been able to organize her thoughts, she was still uncertain of how to relay them to him through words. She paused for a moment and was alarmingly aware of how he was staring at her, anticipating what she would have to say. She gestured towards the upturned card. “This card symbolizes a point in a person’s life where he’s unmoving, suspended in the here and now. Perhaps it can symbolize a crossroads, or it can even signify just wanting to accept what is happening. Do you think that is an accurate depiction of your situation?” Nira’lia didn’t know how to interpret it and tell him what he needed to hear. One thing she had learned though, is that people so often knew the answers within themselves. They just needed to be prodded towards the answer. And that was an aspect of reading cards that she found helpful; that rather being an answer to your questions, it could be a guide to lead you to your own answers. He shrugged, and at the same time he was nodding his head. “Yes, it does sound accurate… but how is that supposed to answer my question? Where do I find it?” The Konti sighed. Of course, it would be difficult to prod him towards self-realization. “Look at the man’s face…” she said, indicating the man on the card. Even if he was hanging upside down and in a situation that was out of his control, he wasn’t struggling. His expression didn’t look pained. Instead, he was calm, and his face was not of suffering. Rather, it appeared that he was expressing deep contemplation. “When you’re put in a situation where you’re forced to look at things from a different perspective, don’t fight it. Use it as a learning experience. It is a chance to look at things in a new perspective, to contemplate what you really need to do. And when this man is let down from the scaffold, these thoughts will rest with him. Once he gets through this, he will know what to do.” She had not realized that she had said so many things. Nira’lia was not a talkative person. Aside from that, she couldn’t even tell if this man would be let down from the scaffold. For all she knew, he was to be put there until his death. Did these cards even have stories to them? That was an interesting thought… one she should remember to ask later on. But she did remember the keywords to this card, and they were connected to letting go, to gaining a new point of view, to waiting until you get past the hardships. And if it was connected to waiting to get past hardships, then she assumed that the hanged man had been freed. And if he wasn’t, he at least reached the mindset where he just accepted his predicament instead of struggling against it. “To confirm,” said Charles. His voices resonated through the room, shaking Nira’lia out of her reverie. “You want me to take this as a chance to recompose myself, and to forget Maja?” Maja. That was the girl’s name. “No!” pitched Nira’lia, almost too eagerly. “Not to forget her… to accept what has happened and use it to gain a new perspective.” “Do you think I will ever find the box?” Nira’lia blinked. There was no way she could answer that! If anything though, she would be able to help him. If he had an item that belonged to Maja, she could use Avalis’s gnosis to attempt to look into Maja’s chavi, to search for that point in time when she decided to hide the box… But she didn’t know Maja. Her life had probably been vast, and it was too much of a risk. Nira’lia decided not to even consider mentioning the possibility. As much as she wanted to help Charles, she had no options. The Konti’s face softened and she said in a low voice, “I can’t answer that.”

[Nira'lia]

Disappointment was immediately evident in his expression. He leaned back again and Nira’lia started to put the cards back in a neat stack. The sound of the cards being handled was painfully loud in the silence of the dim room. Nira’lia hated how dark the room was. If she had a choice, she would get rid of those dark curtains that blocked the sunlight from entering. She hated how mother preferred this and said that the dimness and the candlelight helped give the room a certain aura for fortune-telling. Rather, Nira’lia always thought that her mother was just afraid of light. Charles appeared to want to say something, but the door opened at that moment. In walked her mother, a puzzled expression on her face. Lianna was more than a century old but it was not obvious because of her young features, which was typical for the Konti race. Her blonde hair was tightly wrung in a bun and she looked from Nira’lia and to the Svefra. “Are you reading for a customer?” Lianna asked, rather matter-of-factly. “I would not want to disturb.” Oh no. She didn’t need her mother to criticize the ‘reading’ she had given. At that moment, she sincerely hoped that Charles would take this as a cue to get up and leave… immediately. “She was, we just finished!” Charles chimed in. “It was a good reading, too. It certainly shed some light for me, anyway.” Lianna shrugged and kept to herself as she walked towards some shelves and started rummaging through books. If she wanted to ask Nira’lia about the reading, she would do it later. Nira’lia was thankful for that. “I should take my leave,” said Charles. And because Nira’lia had forgotten, he rummaged through his pocket and brought out a few coins as payment. The coins made a noise as he dropped them on the wooden table. “See him out, Nira’lia,” came Lianna’s voice. Nodding, the young Konti placed the neatly stacked deck of cards back on the table and stood up. The Svefra stood up as well and Nira’lia followed him towards the door. As soon as they stepped out, the light hit their eyes. It was refreshing, and so was the fresh air. The streets were mostly empty and it in a bell or so, the evening would arrive. The winter air was cool to the skin as well. Charles looked up and sighed. Finally, he looked back at Nira’lia. A goofy smile spread across his face, and his blue eyes bore into hers. “What are you doing today?” She raised an eyebrow. Was he actually hitting on her? “Cleaning up.” He gave a laugh and got the hint. He tipped an imaginary hat at her, an act that he had also done earlier. The Svefra didn’t seem to want to drop the subject, though. “Let us go to the market and grab a bite. I will treat you. Come on!” He even made an act of grabbing her hand—something which she had not foreseen. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but she was too late as his hand circled hers. That’s when her Konti gift was once again triggered. There was a scene before her, and she expected to see images of Maja… and Nira’lia was right. They looked happy as they took a dip in the chilling bay of Zeltiva. Maja had the same blue eyes as him and dirty brown hair, and a laugh and an expression that said that might have been her most precious memory as well. There was a tattoo of the silhouettes flying birds on her collarbone. And all Nira’lia could think of was that she had met Maja before. It had been brief, but they had met. “Hey?” When the vision cleared completely, she realized that Charles was staring at her questioningly. He had let go of his hand at this point, and was confused at her actions. “I have met Maja…” she said. The Svefra often stayed in the Suvan Sea, thought Zeltiva was a port city and as such a number of them came here too. But these meetings had been sporadic, and because of that, she would remember most of them by face. One of them being Maja. “She had come here and talked to my mother… I was not paying attention to their conversation, but I remember her tattoo.” “Her tattoo?” Charles was completely lost at this point. “You mean the birds? How did you even…?” Nira’lia shrugged, not really wanting to explain herself. Without a word, she went back inside the house in search for Lianna.