Friendship, Balance and Vicious Cycles[Kavala]

by **Hatot** on March 30th, 2010, 9:19 pm

20th day of Spring, 510 A.V.

Hatot stood along the beach, staring out into the ocean as the soothing sounds of the waves rushed up the shore. His mind swayed to different thoughts. Thoughts about his students, about his upcoming trial, about forging his first lakan, about Kavala herself. He was coming up on a pivotal moment in his life as an Akalak, and he would be a fool to say that there wasn’t any stress felt over it.

“Hey, hey,” a voice popping out of his mouth said, the tone blunt and lower, “you should just relax and let me handle the dinner. Take a rest.”

“With your manners both at and away from the table,” Hatot’s voice then replied, softer and calmer, “surely you jest, Radris.”

“Come on, Hatot” Radris said, his head turning slightly as he looked towards the city, “I’ll be good. The little flower said you should let me out more.”

“You know she prefers to be called by her name,” Hatot replied, turning his head back towards the open sea, “and I agreed to let you more towards the surface, slowly loosening my grip over these past two weeks. In this aspect though, you should allow me to be the guest for dinner. Conversations after I can let you attempt, but I will hold no ill will towards Kavala if she should decide to harm you for whatever it is you’ll inevitably do.”

“Oh come on, you have to admit that she’s quite an alluring little woman,” Radris said, his head turning slightly. “Couple that with the fact that she’s a konti, and there’s that rare possibly of us being the first in our family to produce an Akontak heir.”

“Don’t even think about forcing that,” Hatot hissed as his gaze fell the sands and his eyes narrowed. “She has accepted us in friendship where some of our own people have not. I will not have you ruin that by treating her as though she were meant for simple breeding.”

“Easy, easy Hatot.” Radris then said as a long smile crossed his lips. “This is actually the first time I’ve seen anger in you. I must say, I like it.”

“I warn you, Radris,” Hatot then said as his voice remained stern and his hand slowly closed into a fist.

“Okay, okay. I’ll be good,” Radris said, his hand opening the clenched fist Hatot had closed as he raised it to pat his own chest. “I swear.”

Their single form stood there along the sands, shifting slightly as voice tone and posture would change. Each time was sudden and without warning as though and away from the prying eyes of those who were not privy of the duality that the Akalak culture struggled with. Hatot and Radis continued to banter back and forth between each other about other, unimportant things, often coming to a disagreement over any matter. Still, their disagreements did not bring either fully to the surface in dominance. If nothing else, despite the single Akalak who stood along the beach, with no one, in the waning light of the sun, they were not alone.

by **Kavala** on April 5th, 2010, 4:20 am

Had the Konti been able to overhear their thoughts, her reaction would have been equal parts pleasure and dismay. That they were holding a conversation together, talking as if the two men were standing shoulder to shoulder rather than sharing the same body would have brought joy to her heart and filled her with comfort knowing that since they were talking, it was a good sign they were well on their way to a better truce between them and maybe an ease in the distance where they could exist together almost comfortably.

Her dismay would have come sharply for Kavala tended to forget, if at all possible, the debt she owed to Riverfall among the hustle and bustle of her life. The Konti had made a vow to readily agree to provide a broodmare service to whichever Akalak asked her first, and almost everyone in the city knew it. Kavala would have been distraught if she knew every Akalak that looked at her might very well be sizing her up for her body's potential. It wasn't that she wanted love or a relationship. She knew that was unlikely with how the Akalak culture was set up. It was just that she wanted to be someone to them... someone with a face, a name, a story. She'd been no one to the slavers. And having no identity was a lot like experiencing death. Here, there was life. There was a name and an association and a purpose.

Here she had Sanctuary in more ways than one. Besides, it was easier that way. Intimacy would lead to someone discovering her secret shame, and she didn't want that to happen.

Perhaps that was why she had hoped a stranger would present himself, someone she had no knowledge of, no insight into so that she could woodenly go about the business of producing an offspring without any friendship involved. Most women in her situation would perhaps want someone they knew to request her debt payment, but to Kavala sex was a horrible thing filled with violence, pain, and submission. It was something she couldn't think about other than in clinical terms. She knew what a man's wet disgusting lips felt like on her skin and a man's stiff impersonal organ invading her body - but she'd never been kissed or held tenderly. It was perhaps the reason she was still here. The Akalak were nothing like the humans that captured her. They were tall, clean, sensible and sensitive, prone to great sorrow and deep passions. There was nothing human about them, in fact, which made it easier for her to exist here - for her to heal. And the thought of one of them touching her didn't make her vomit, not like the thought of a human touching her did. Yes, Riverfall had its benefits, and the lack of a great many human males here was certainly one of them.

It was a good thing she didn't know Radis' thoughts and the conversation he had with Hatot. And it was probably just as well that the men didn't know her own.

Kavala had faithfully made time every other day to attend Hatot's classes. She quietly came in, joined the other boys, and worked as hard as they did though it was obvious that she was no nearly as strong. That didn't seem to phase the instructor or the other students who seemed inclined to work around it, so that there were obvious ways to get around her slight size and weight. Kavala rarely complained, though she did curse her own stupidity when she was slow to pick up a move or had a lapse in attention that resulted in one of the boys knocking her down. Thankfully, they pulled no punches for her... because her mistakes kept her learning until she was more in the boys range and catching up rather than in classes that should have been levels below theirs.

This afternoon, just before she slipped out, she'd turned to Hatot and bowed politely to him as a student was due to an instructor. "Everyone is gone from my home tonight because there's assorted events going on in the city they will be attending. I thought I'd have a quiet evening on the veranda and cook some steamer clams for dinner if you'd both like to join me. I know there's other events in the city if your busy, I will understand. Akela will be home later in the evening and could be talked into a spar if your up for it." She bowed again then, and left him no chance to reply. She figured he knew where she lived since half of Riverfall knew there was a Konti managing the stable on the outskirts of Riverfall... and if either of them wanted to come they'd present themselves. Her words, though, left plenty of room for him to not show up if he liked. He could tell by the invite that she half didn't expect him anyhow.

It was odd with Kavala though. She'd sometimes simply speak only to Hatot, and other times when the conversation might involve decisions or actions that included both of them, she'd often say things like 'both of you' or 'you two' rather than speak singularly. It was as if she was acutely aware there were two and both needed to be asked and agree. It was a strange courtesy for a non-Akalak to pay to them both.

Regardless...

While Hatot and Radris stood on the beach, Kavala was busy further down digging clams for a fresh dinner. She was not a good cook, but steaming clams with butter sauce and providing a salad, bread from the market, and fresh fruit guaranteed that no one would die of poison and everyone would eat well. Growing up on the grasslands, Kavala had never had seafood. Here though, it was plentiful and she partook of it often.

When her mesh bag was full, and she turned to start up the path to the road that eventually rose to the cliff where Sanctuary stood, she spotted the figure further down the beach towards the city. She waved, her white hair and slim form revealing her kontiness and a slight joy to see him there.

The Konti would wait to see if he moved to join her for the walk up the road or if he kept his vigil. If he did so, she'd not bother him further but would head back quietly.

by **Hatot** on April 6th, 2010, 4:56 am

Hatot and Radris’ banter between each other continued as the sun began to slowly fall down towards the western horizon. The two of them almost seeming to hover long the surface of the one body they shared. They weren’t friends, not by any means. However, there was perhaps a level of tolerance for each other building, and from such even a slight respect. One thing was for sure. Their trial was soon approaching, and both of them had come to the conclusion that neither could do it alone. Tonight wasn’t for such thought in the end, as the motion of Kavala down the way caught their attention.

Hatot, now more in control, slowly turned and began moving towards Kavala, a small limp still present in his step “It’ll just be the two of you for the most part of the night, you going to try and romance her a little, or just leave it all to me?” Radris’ suddenly echoed within his mind.

“Stop that,” Hatot said aloud, his head lowering and turning to his right somewhat.

A short distance later, Hatot found himself standing before Kavala, giving a slow bow and smile in greeting. “Good evening, Kavala.” Hatot said as he reached out to the net of clams. “Let me get this for you. I’m of no help in the kitchen, but I can at least help with the physical labor.”

Hatot then motioned towards the hill that would lead up to Sanctuary as he began walking beside Kavala. “Had you told me you were going to be diving for the clams, I would have helped you with such too.” Hatot then said, continuing their conversation as they walked.

by **Kavala** on April 6th, 2010, 8:00 am

She waited for him on the sand then handed the clams over to him without a protest. One thing she'd learned in Riverfall was that chivalry was not an art that died during the Valterrian. There was a long thick tube of metal with a handle on its end and a hole drilled into the closed base just below the handle. This she hoisted up, now freed from the mesh bag of clams, and rested it on her shoulder. Grinning, Kavala shook her head.

"I dive for crabs. I get clams with this monster." She said, tapping the metal tube. "Digging is too much work, and they are under the sand anyhow.." The konti said, still smiling. It was unusual to see a smile on her face during his classes. Kavala had a serious side when she was training, so the relaxed pleasure seemed almost out of place on her face.

"I'm glad you came. I wasn't sure you would." She said, leading the way up the wagon road towards the top of the cliff. It was a steep road, but not so steep a loaded wagon couldn't be pulled up with a sturdy team. It was odd, really, maintaining a student teacher relationship in training and then relaxing it for other times.

"Have you ever been to Sanctuary?" Kalava asked quietly as she climbed the hill side by side with Hatot. "I do not know what it used to be perched up here like this, but I've worked hard, with others, the last few seasons to make sure its turning into a top notch animal clinic and stables. I'll show you the horses, if your interested and give you a tour of the place." She said with a soft thoughtful voice. They reached the top of the cliff by now where the road started to level out and head towards the city. A building stood off to one side, a structure that looked like it was one enormous courtyard with a structure built around it. Single story for most of its length, only the ends had second stories that appeared to be dwellings. The single story structure appeared to all be horse stalls.

As they got closer, he'd note the details - fresh paint, landscaping, brand new pasture fences... they circled around until a gate presented itself that head through towards a large courtyard that housed a round pen and large ridig rink. He could see a veranda beyond.

Kavala opened the gate, escorted him through, and closed it securely behind her.

"Welcome to Sanctuary." She said softly, pausing to let him take in the size of the facility.

by **Hatot** on April 6th, 2010, 8:24 pm

Hatot slowly draped the net of clams over his shoulder as he listened to Kavala speak. A slow nod was then given to the practice of clam fishing, trying to envision how he would go about, only to see negative results in the end. “You’re right,” Hatot replied, pulling the hood along her cloak down, “I’d likely attempt digging for the clams using my hands, and end up cracking their shells with my fingers.”

As they slowly climbed the hill, Hatot favored his left leg a little more as the wound complained of the extra strain that the inclined walk presented. His gaze then slowly shifted towards Kavala as she spoke of the invitation. “Why wouldn’t I show?” Hatot replied as he looked at Kavala curiously. “In all honesty, you’re the first who has invited me over for a meal. It would be foolish of me to decline such an invitation.”

As they finally reached the top of the hill, Hatot then shook his head to Kavala question about visiting Sanctuary. “For the most part, I would normally stick to the outside of the city. If I’m in the city, it’s normally to train myself or my students at the school.” Hatot said as he looked over the structure with an appreciation in his eyes. He then looked to Kavala, as a slight shrug rolled off his shoulders. “I couldn’t say what it was used for previously in all honesty. I can only imagine a simple resort looking over the ocean, most likely closed up due to Baha’Tian Resorts garnering most business for people looking for their get away.”

Hatot then stood there in silence, observing the structure as subtle calls of the animals within echoed out. There a certain sense of calm that Hatot could feel from the place itself. He then looked to Kavala as she welcomed him towards such, having that feeling compounded some. It was something he hadn’t felt since first appearing before the Grand Master of the Tuvya Sasaran. “I thank you for your invitation.” Hatot then said with a simple bow. “It’s a beautiful place. I do not have a permanent home myself. Except for staying under my fathers roof from time to time, I most often find myself camping under a tent outside of Riverfall. It’s a little easier on most people who have a uneasy disposition about me.”

by **Kavala** on April 7th, 2010, 6:59 pm

Kavala stifled a chuckle at Hatot's comment about the clams and the fragility of their shells verses the toughness of his fingers. Men were still men, though she knew he was serious about his comment, she had to wonder for a moment if he indeed could break clam shells with his fingers. Someday, the Konti decided, she'd test the theory. Until then, she'd be sure to preserve any potential dinner from Hatot's lethal digits. She allowed the hood to fall and turned to look at him as they walked further up the cliff. Her eyes traveled down his body and settled on his leg in a way that seemed intensely curious. She didn't say anything though, not at first, about the limp or how he was favoring it.

"Well, I'm glad I have the honor of being the first to invite you. I find your company to be a pleasant way to pass the afternoon. Others do not know what they are missing." The Konti added, a smile crossing her face for a moment as they passed between the courtyard's riding arena and round pen. "I do not know if this was a resort, but I somehow doubt it. It was in very bad shape when the council turned the facility over to me. The rooms were filled with debris and there were no stalls, only little cubicals that were almost like workrooms. I had to set every post in the arena and round pen... even the fence pastures myself. It was horrible at first. I wasn't used to digging post holes and pounding nails, but the body adapts and adjusts. You learn as you go and develop the muscles you need to do the job. Thankfully there was a bath here and a way to heat large quantities of water or else I'd never have survived. I think I've learned to feel pleasure in the pain - in a job well done." She added. It made sense, some of it now, why Kavala wasn't soft like other women were. Her arms were well defined and simple exercises didn't seem to wind her much.

She lapsed into silence then, leading him down the center of the courtyard and up the two steps onto the simple wooden deck of the veranda. "I'm afraid this is what serves as a kitchen for us. We're putting in a forge and maybe adding a hearth to one of the internal rooms, but until then we cook out here." It wasn't too bad, though cold in the winter. The wooden veranda was covered with a pergola that was draped in some sort of vine that was just now greening out under the spring sun. There was a full length table that looked like it was used for all sorts of work, eight chairs and a hearth built into the buildings wall. There was also a casual seating area with four overly large chairs arranged around a little above ground brazier that could have doubled as a firepit that provided warmth that was separate from the hearth itself. The wooden chairs were comfortable, curved for the body, and decked out with pillows for the small of ones back. The four chairs had footrests that pulled out from beneath them.

"You can set the clams on the table and I'll get to work on dinner in a few minutes... but until then can you take off your pants?" She picked up a blanket that was draped over the arm of another chair and tossed it gently at him. "I'd like to look at your leg. It worries me that your still limping." The Konti added. She got busy, as if she didn't want to watch his face or his response, slipping inside for a moment to remove her cloak and walking boots in favor of the thin sandals she normally wore around the clinic. She returned, changed out of her sandy clothing and wearing a pair of loose thin cotton pants of pearl white and a sleeveless tunic of the same shade of blue as her eyes. The tunic was embroidered with white horses along the neckline in the classic Drykas knotwork. Her hair she'd brushed out to let fall loosely around her shoulders rather than leave it captured in a pony tail like she normally wore to class.

"I didn't even think to ask if you liked clams... if you don't we can make something else for sure." She added, carrying out a loaf of bread and a basket of fruit on one hand, her medical kit in another. She set the basket down on the long table, the loaf joined it, and then she moved to see if he'd complied with her wishes and removed his pants. "I hope you'll let me look at it. In my experience, you Akalak heal quickly and a limp like this means this isn't healing so well or you've re injured it...." She mused, aloud, as she studied him.

by **Hatot** on April 8th, 2010, 6:58 am

Hatot slowly observed the surroundings, his mind observing thing tactically from the perspective of the warrior he was raised to be. He noted exits, choke points and other tactical advantageous areas of his environment, but then started to take in the subtle things. A small smile crossed his features when they finally came to the veranda, his hand falling along Kavala’s shoulder. “Never fear what you’ve built and accomplished with your own two hands.” Hatot said simply as he looked over the posts she had mention as well as the veranda. “And take pride in the pleasure it has brought. It’s something that no one else can claim over you.”

Hatot then slowly held the clams over the table, about to set them down along the table as she had asked. His body then froze for a moment when she asked him to remove his pants. “Ohhhhhhhhh, that’s an opening if I’ve ever heard one.” Radris’ voice suddenly said, popping into Hatot’s head. “Wasn’t there some woman who was shucking clams into her mouth once say they acted as an Aphrodisiac? She must have had a few of them while she was digging them up from the ocean bed.”

Hatot set the clams down along the table before slowly turned his head to see a blanket suddenly being tossed at him, and Kavala mentioning that she wished to examine his leg injury. "Well that was a tease.” Radris’ voice then said as Hatot looked down to the blanket for a moment. He wasn’t exactly sure whether he should have felt relieved or disappointed. Frankly, he had never experienced any situations like this in his past, and they were entirely unfamiliar to him.

“As the healer wishes,” Hatot then simply said as he laid the blanket along the table for the moment. His hands then clumsily fooled around with the buckle at his belt. He found, for the first time of his life, his fingers not working correctly as he let a silent curse in the Akalak language escape his lips.

“Yeah, funny how woman can do that to you.” Radris’ voice said.

“Shut up, Radris’,” Hatot muttered as his pants took longer to undo than he had originally planned, finally crumpling along the ground.

Hatot soon heard Kavala’s voice once again as she further explained her concerns over the injury on his leg. Not realizing the length of time that had passed, Hatot had been negligent in retrieving the blanket when she had returned, his bare rear being the first thing to greet her sight. Hatot slowly turned his head, looking at her for a moment out of the corner of his eye. Saying nothing, he simply reached out to the table, grabbing the blanket as he wrapped it over his frame.

by **Kavala** on April 10th, 2010, 7:16 pm

Kavala took a moments pause to study Hatot as he offered his advice and commented on pride. A mired of emotions welled up in her, suddenly, unexpectedly, and unwelcome. The old Kavala - the fiercely proud one - would have grinned and agreed with him. But things were different now. Certain things had leached out of her, completely and utterly, pride being the first and foremost of them. "I have no pride, Hatot. Pride is an empty emotion devoid of purpose and benefit. It will neither save your life or guide you to do the right thing. It doesn't even make your endless days and nights bearable." She said softly, almost to herself, as she retrieved her medical bag.

The Konti tried to take her time in the clinic, gathering what she'd need from both the stores of herbs and medicines and from the surgery area itself. She had no idea what his wound would look like, but she was certain it wasn't healing like it should have. The Akalak were strong, physically fit, and there was no reason a simple slash shouldn't have - with the proper care - healed rather quickly. She knew it was a deep wound, but once the wound had been cleaned and layers of tissue had been sewn together, it should have been fine.

Kavala returned, only to be faced with the muscular business end of the Akalak. He caught her gaze, held it for a moment and wrapped the blanket around himself. Kavala knew he'd caught her looking at him. Pink should have bloomed on her cheeks, but there was no modesty left in her. She could stare at men all day long and not react. That ability had been walled somewhere deep inside of her after the third day of her capture when one of the slavers had offered finally to let her wash to clean up the blood that covered her thighs and legs. Like a fool, she'd agreed and thanked him, thinking since he hadn't yet abused her like the others had that he might have some kindness and decency in him. She'd been wrong. His idea of letting her wash had been having one of the men tie her to the outside of the wagon while the rest had laughed and let loose streams of hot urine that did in fact wash some of the blood away. Two days later her skin blistered from the incident because she hadn't been untied - but rather forced to walk along side the wagon exposed to the Sun - and hadn't been allowed to wash the urine off either.

The Konti had ceased speaking altogether after that. Kavala had stopped fighting them, and even for a little while forgot who she was.

There was no pride in her.

In another life, before Them, she might have admired what she saw. There was a lot to the Akalak she did like. In both of them, in fact, though Radris was harder to get to know. His ass was hard, sculptured, and attractive in a way that she knew she would have enjoyed in the times before. He moved with a fighters grace that begged for a student of anatomy to reach out and run a hand across the surface of his exposed skin to see if it was real. She almost did, in fact, before the blanket abruptly concealed all but the tight contour of his form.

The healer moved around him, glancing up to catch his gaze again, curious as to what was in his eyes. Her azure ones held the shadow of pain, and a a hint of interest that was overshadowed by curiosity as her gaze swept down and took in his wounded calf. She knelt then, at his feet, glanced up at him for permission, then carefully reached out, took his muscular leg in her hands. He could tell she was both looking with her eyes and hands, for she ran both her scaled palms down across his skin, looking for redness, angry flesh, or any sign of infection. She wasn't sure what she was going to see. "Tell me about this Hatot. When does it bother you? Its it just when you hike up a steep hill or at unarmed practice otherwise?" She'd leave it up to him to explain about the pain, how intense it was, what exactly made him limp... and hopefully she could treat it.

by **Hatot** on April 11th, 2010, 1:25 am

Hatot’s head was lowered slightly as he kept the blanket pulled around his form. “I’m afraid that such is something we’ll have to agree to disagree on then, Kavala.” Hatot explained as he looked up to the fading hues of light along the horizon. “True enough, having too much pride can be wasteful, and even harmless. I have pride, however. Not as much in myself, but enough in my race, even though some of them don‘t trust having me around. I have pride for my father, however distant our relations may be sometimes. He’s a good man in the end. I have pride in my students who, even with the unfortunate frustrations they’ve had with Radris in the past, still come back to learn despite it.”

Hatot’s gaze then fell down to Kavala as she began checking over his leg. “And I have pride in you, Kavala.” Hatot said, the hint of a smile threatening the corners of his mouth. “It takes a truly remarkable person to put up with the struggles an Akalak like myself endures, and further more, befriend them. True enough, your drive may have been initially fueled by your curiosity over the dual natures of Radris and myself, but you offered your friendship none the less where many others would not. I can honestly say that I am proud to have your friendship.”

Hatot then fell quiet as a subtle breeze made its way in, flapping the tales of the blanket slightly as Hatot tightened his grip. His gaze fell down to Kavala, a slight awkward feeling making itself present within him. He felt like asking her about her experiences, and trying to offer some form of help for her to move past them. His own nature prevented him from doing such though, always feeling as though what was private to a person shouldn’t be pried upon. That they would be shared if the individual felt comfortable enough to do so. Looking over Kavala, Hatot came to realize he had no real experience in the world, his life having been spent entirely within Riverfall and it’s people. Compared to her own, Hatot’s struggle with his dual nature seemed like a child crying over spilt milk.

His gaze once again fell down to Kavala as she questioned why his wound still bothered him. “Oh, I suppose it’s a combination of things.” Hatot then answered, giving a slight shrug. “I still try to keep to my own physical training. Then there are Radris’ extracurricular activities of making a general violent fool of himself.”

“I heard that,” Radris’ voice suddenly said verbally as Hatot’s eyes took on a momentary red tint around his iris’.

“Well, I said it out loud.” Hatot’s voice then said, his iris’ once again falling back to a golden hue.

by **Kavala** on April 12th, 2010, 8:02 pm

His words were met with a nod. She could accept agreeing to disagree. It cost her nothing and established lines. "You have a right to be proud. In all the things you've listed. Even in me, though it is wasted." She added, offering him a soft smile. "But your wrong if you think I offered friendship for any noble reason. I am your friend because I simply like you. Intelligence is hard to come by, and rarer still in a warrior. I admire your spirit and dedication, Hatot. Radris excites me in ways that would embarrass you because he is dangerous and I am damaged. And while I might not enjoy his personality much, I respect both of you a great deal. He can be far more than he is, as you will be with him at your side." She said softly, almost too low for him to hear.

And then she was back, kneeling, hands on his leg. The stitches had pulled partially out in the skin, which meant the layers beneath had probably torn completely. It would leave the muscle sore, aching, and less than useful for a good season. "He damaged it. Tore out the stitches beneath and in the skin too. You should have come to me as soon as he did it and i could have resewn them. Now its too late. It will take a season to fully heal and the muscle to regrow together. I'm sorry, Hatot." Kavala said quietly. Then she rose. "I'll be back in five minutes.. relax." The Konti added.

She wandered into the clinic, this time with more purpose and went to the herb storage. She pulled out bark of the Elderwood tree out of their medicine stocks and moved back through the philtering lab where she pulled a jar of Jojoba oil down. She quickly lit her firewick then set the burner to heating on the little hotstone on the counter. From there, she poured a quantity of the oil into a crucible and added the elderwood bark and set it on the heat. The bark quickly bled into the oil, turning it a dark nutty shade which she then dipped the tip of her pinkie in. Immediately her pinkie began to numb and she nodded. Taking the crucible off the heat, she allowed it to cool slightly before she filled a jar with the oil. Picking up a towel, she carried the jar back out to the veranda where Hatot waited.

"This will help with the soreness. But don't touch it with your hands.. only on your leg because it will numb your hands and it only should be numbing your ach in your leg. It's made of Jajoba oil, which is more wax than actual oil, so it won't spoil or go rancid." She demonstrated how to dip the corner of the cloth into the oil, then rub it gently around his wound and across it, relieving him of the ache of it, at least for the time being. It was an intimate motion, the methodical swipe of the cloth across his calf, the concern in her eyes. Hatot could tell she truly cared about her work, and more importantly about his comfort level. It didn't take long though, and the Konti was finished.

She set the jar aside, obviously for him to take with him when he was ready to go, and set about getting some food on. She washed her hands at the pump then filled an enormous pot full of water so it could heat. To the water she added salt, garlic, and a few other spices he didn't recognize. Then she passed him a decent blade, allocated him part of her cutting board, and started dicing up the fruits for a salad - letting him help if he wanted.

"I didn't ask you here to feed you. I'm not really that good of a cook, if the truth be told. I just wanted to know how your doing. Things seem a little better though, a little stranger... and I wanted to spend some time with you before you went through your rite. The whole Manhood thing seems a bit of a mystery to me. You might come back unrecognizable." She left 'or not at all' unsaid. "Truth be told, I don't know if you even like clams. I've never had them before I came here... there's so much food in the sea, its almost like a dream." She added, then glanced seaward as if her gaze could pass through the courtyard walls, and then back at him.

"It's strange, Hatot. I was never happy on the grass. I didn't really know that until my mother died. My father is a good man, and so is my brother. But I think here I'm really happy. The road here was rough, something I'd never want to do again, but here is almost worth it. Especially the sea." She said, cutting through an orange and beginning to remove the peel so she could dice it and add it to the greens that were going to make up the fruit tossed salad. "What about you? Does Riverfall make you happy? Or are you still looking for a pathway? Or is that something I should ask you after your Rite?" The Konti said, her azure gaze turned curiously upon him now.