Meeting New Faces (Zandelia and Kalila)

[Sahashkalila]

One could almost argue that Zandelia was drunk by the way she uttered those words in a sing song voice, but Kalila didn't believe it for a minute. This was a game, and Kalila did not know what the outcome was going to be yet and was getting slightly more aggravated with the circles that were being spun. "I did not ssay that they did not help the city, becausse they keep thingss in line...to an extent,"she said with a shake of her head, the motion quick in her aggravation as she glared at the other woman. "I jusst can not sseem to get over the cruelty that sseemss to be in everyone'ss heart!" She snapped her mouth shut and sat in silence for a few moments, stewing over what she had just said. Perhaps that was why she was so unhappy here, it reminded her too much of the viper nest in Ahnatep where cruelty ran rampant around every corner in the sandy tunnels. She had met a few people the she found were worth her friendship, and Kalila treasured those few connections that she had made. But sometimes the the cruelty and poverty that she was forced to see every day often laid heavy on her heart.

She listened to Zandelia ramble on, barely hearing what she had said until something was mentioned that she could not ignore. "I do not heal for profit Znadelia, I heal becausse I care. I do not wissh to gain anything from it, becausse they have nothing to give to me,"she said softly, her eyes boring into the other woman's. She did not expect monetary gain from what she did, she just did it because no one else would, and that she did not like to see anyone suffer, especially children. But Kalila did not think that Zandelia was merely talking to fill in the silence between them, no, she still wanted something from Kalila. It was obvious enough when Crimson was mentioned, and that Zandelia was testing her for a bigger purpose. She slowly reached up and pulled her veil down, uncovering her face as her dark curls tumbled down. "Indeed, the blood alwayss flowss in Crimssson,"she said, her head cocking to the side slightly in curiosity. So this woman was a party of Crimson Edge, interesting.

"You are an interessting woman Zandelia, and rather annoying ass well."

[Zandelia]

Zandelia watched Kalila’s eyes as their emotions flickered through each other, going from anger to sadness to intrigue and more. It was an almost kaleidoscopic experience for Zandelia, to see such shifting feelings brought about by words that were so simple. It was always a revelation to her how mere word games and maneuverings could bring about such strong reactions. She could not understand it, her own depths hidden within steel boxes deep inside her being. Still, she had little need to understand why it worked, only that she knew that it did work – and often brought about results she could never have hoped for without the games being played. She smiled to herself inwardly, though it might appear to the other woman as if she were smiling at her. She had removed her veil now, a sign of respect and inclusion amongst her people perhaps, and Zandelia saw features worth smiling to.

Attractive, interesting, intelligent and worthy of a few mind games. I think I am in love she told herself jovially as the tension between them seemed to lessen, if not fully recede into nothingness. She expected little else, for Kalila had no reason to trust Zandelia upon anything more than faith.

“I do my best Kalia, quite often indeed,” she spoke softly, with less antagonism in her tone now, “though I must say I have had to be more so than usual for you today than in quite some time. You should feel complimented about that” Zandelia told her as she called for another flagon of ale and gave the barmaids rump a pat or two as she passed. She noted how that, underneath the flagon, a small slip of paper protruded for her eye only.

“Life is, unfortunately, cruel though Kalila,” Zandelia spoke on now as she lifted the flagon to pour some ale into her cup once more, leaving the note there for Kalila to see before putting it down once more, “why should the city be any different. Cruelty is a matter of perspective really. To take an analogy you know of, I am sure, sometimes a healer needs to cut off a limb to save the patient” she finished as she took a sip of her beverage, feeling its tang upon her tongue.

“However, on to the fact that you heal for nothing my dear Kalila, why do we not explore that enigma?” she asked as she placed her cup upon the table and picked up the note now, flicking it open to read its contents.

~ Z ~

The one you seek has been found. Look for them under the moon’s light, where the soft sounds of the womb sifts through the ears. Haste is required, for they have almost passed beyond your hands

~ M ~

She made a half-growling sound in the back of her throat and flipped the note closed, nodding after she read it so that the giver would know the message had been noted and appreciated. She placed the note upon the table between the two of them now, wondering just how curios Kalila was and whether it would be enough to motivate her towards action – for Zandelia’s cause of course. She eyed the woman and tilted her head as she finished her cup of ale in one, long, guzzle.

“I have need of the services they say you can provide, sooner than I would have liked, and I am willing to repay you in kind – perhaps one of the few who would do so. For now, however, there is someone in dire need of healing medicine and I would like you to help me. We must go now and I can answer any questions you have along the way” she told the woman, still sat down and hoping she would lend her aid, for her contact’s sake.

[Sahashkalila]

Kalila felt a small simmer of satisfaction in her gut as Zandelia confessed her thoughts to her. Zandelia was a very tricky individual, and she felt pleased that she at least had brought to her some kind of challenge, even though she felt like she was floundering in intellect. "I ssupposse I sshould feel glad that I can give you ssomewhat of a challenge then, when it iss obvious that your sskillss highly outsstrip my own,"she said with a chuckle, inclining her head to Zandelia. Although she did annoy Kalila to some degree, she still felt that the woman across from her deserve a degree of respect. She hoped to receive the same in kind.

Her attention was briefly distracted by the barmaid bringing another drink to the woman, her eyes settling on the slip of paper that she was sure that the other woman deliberately let her see. She did not really pay attention to what Zandelia said after that, her curiosity getting the better of her with the small slip of paper. This woman obviously ran things that were beyond Kalila, and she wondered what exactly this woman involved herself in....and whether or not if it was for the good of Crimson Edge.

At her mention of needing aid, Kalila raised a skeptical brow, not exactly sure if she was telling the truth. The note was placed on the table between them, as if begging her to pick it up and read it, but she didn't. It was none of her business after all, and besides, everything could have been an elaborate ruse to trick her into coming with Zandelia. Kalila was no fool. Her eyes did not leave Zandelia's though, and she crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "Perhapss you do need my aid, and perhapss you do not. How am I to know when I have nothing to go on except your word? You have not expresssed a need for me until you found out my occupation,"she said smoothly, the slight tension that had left only moments before now returning.

"How am I to know that thisss hass not all been planned?"

[Zandelia]

Zandelia looked down at the suspicious Kalila and could find no fault with the woman’s senses, her own would have picked up upon the same avenues of intellect after all. Still, she was just as surprised at discovering one of her contacts had not only been discovered but was perhaps near to death, if not dead already, as the other woman was with the sudden turn of events. Zandelia was nothing if not pragmatic and she knew how to move with the times, the ebb and flow of what was required, and she found much frustration with those all too content to stay where they were put and do little to advance their own causes. She knew that those whom stayed still usually became statues covered with grime, like as not to ever move at all. She frowned a little, a gesture she could not control as she thought her way around Kalila’s walls.

Everyone has motive, everyone has weaknesses. Those levers are all you really need to move others to dance to your tune. The woman likes to heal, she finds me intriguing and she feels as if she makes little enough difference to the grand scheme of events in Sunberth perhaps. Those ones, those I can use well enough her thoughts flashed as she rapidly tried to construct a sound counter argument.

“What you know is what you can comprehend Kalila, not merely what is shown to you. That is a rule to live by in this town as well as any other, you can trust me on that as I have learnt from bitter experience the cost of faulty logic,” she began in a soft tone designed to more insidious than the more convivial tones she had used before, “what would I have to gain from deceiving you when one of my own needs aid?” she asked as she crumpled the note and tossed it onto the table for the other woman to read now.

Come on woman! Think about what you know of me. I have wheedled you, cajoled you and prodded you! I have not, however, asked anything of you until this moment. Does I look happy at this moment in time?” she berated Kalila silently, mentally trying to will her to think things through properly.

“This is no set up, and I am not joking!” she hissed softly as her, mimicking her rolling s’ a little without realizing it, “why would I plan something to draw you into a net when I could just as easily try and do it over time without asking for you to do me a favor to repay in kind? I don’t like owing anyone anything Kalila, but this just might be worth the trouble if you would only follow quickly – before someone dies” she continued as her gaze sought to pin the woman to her seat like daggers to the soul.

“You want something? Then ask it! So much for your pretty speeches of plying your trade for naught but the satisfaction I presume? You will condemn someone to die, alone and without aid, merely because you have a dislike for me? Perhaps I came to see the wrong medicine weaver…” she let the words trail off, biting her tongue before her closeness to the situation caused too much damage to get her what she desired – Kalila’s aid.

[i]Still, I fancy at least some of the words hit her where she does not like. Perhaps pride is a lever in and of itself? Or self-worth perhaps? her mind continued to try and analyze the woman’s body language.

“Come or go as you please Kalila, but I will not allow one of my own to die by themselves. I may not get there in time, but a poor person I would be if I did not try. You want coin, you can have it. You want supplies I will provide to the best of my abilities. Protection? I can see what I can do for you. Just. Help Me!” she breathed hard now.

“Please…” she asked at last, the very word causing portions of her to shrivel up at the utterance.

[Sahashkalila]

She did not move, nor did she let any show of aggravation or anger cross her face as she listened to Zandelia's tirade, some of it sounding like the rant of a child. The desperation was obvious, and so was the hit below the belt, her show of trying to make her angry to spur her into action action did not sit well with Kalila. The slight narrowing of her brows after Zandelia had finished revealed her aggravation and annoyance. She was far older than this woman in front of her, had seen and done more in her own lifetime than her, and she was not about to be treated as if she was inferior to this woman. She was old enough to be her great grandmother.

"You ssound like an angry child, ranting about what you want and when you want it. Perhapss if you thought for a moment you would realize that I am only looking out for my own presservation, ssomething that you can not begrudge me for,"she said tightly, not bothering to read the crumpled not that had been tossed onto the table. It was obvious from Zandelia's actions that there was someone who was in trouble, and Kalila would go to them if the need was great enough. However, she did not like the rude tone that the other woman took , her "s" drawn out like Kalila's lisp, and she could not figure out if she was mocking her for it. "I do not want anything from you, but if you feel the need to give me ssomething then fine, go ahead. But do not pressume to judge me when you know nothing about me." Her eyes flashed dangerously as he anger grew, and she rose from the table slowly, the utterance of a small plea washing over her as if she didn't hear it. Zandelia had said far to many things to try and be polite now.

"I will go with you to ssave thiss persson'ss life if it iss important to you,"she said stiffly, wondering why she was even offering to do it. "However, if you are missleading me....you will find a far bigger problem on your handss. Ssnakess do not enjoy being lied to." She let the threat hang in the air between them, letting Zandelia figure out on her own what she was if she cared to. This woman was clever, and she could put two and two together.

"Lead on."