[Semele Park] A Midsummers Night's Dream (Open)

by **Kavala** on July 2nd, 2012, 4:04 am

Timestamp: 45th of Summer, 512 AV
Location: Semele Park
Purpose: A Midsummers Offering To The Gods
Status: Open

Semele Park was beautiful at night. In fact Kavala liked it a lot more in the darkness than she did in the light. Jewel toned flowers deepened. And whites, instead of being bright, glowed unearthly in the darkness with lamps strategically illuminating them. Kavala walked the pathways quietly, looking for a place to settle and make her Midsummers offering. She never forgot to give thanks to not just the gods whose marks she wore, but those that passed in and out of her life this season.

So she carried a small basket of candles that she planned to light and float in the waters of the lake in the middle of the park just for that reason.

Kavala continued down the path, weaving in and out of the flowers all illuminated by candles. Her footsteps were light and due to the heat, she wore only sandals, a light skirt and blouse. Her clothing was not dark, no cloak disguised her Kontiness. Instead, she glowed with the flowers as the flickering candlelight reflected off her scales as well. She walked long into the evening until true dark fell, finally coming to a small bench beside a tiny pebble beach where the pool lapped at vines. There she could open her basket, make her offerings, and set her lighted candles adrift.

by **Cailet** on July 2nd, 2012, 4:52 am

Cailet had never bothered much with celebrations while in Lhavit; her Shinya brothers and sisters never had time for such things. Or, if they had, Cailet was never invited.

It was with an awkward stiffness that Cailet stood on the shores of the Looking Glass, clutching a single candle in both of her hands and held in what could be mistaken as reverence against her chest. She had heard much about this night from the locals, listening from the outskirts of every conversations as each discussed what they would do to pay their respects once night fell. Wary chocolates tracked the rippling of the waters before her, the toe of her sandled foot having scuffed a stone back into the lakes depths. A sour feeling of obligation brought Cailet to the park, twisting the pits of her stomach.

"I'm not sure what to do." The Makath whisper slipped easily from her lips and to none in particular; the woman hardly expected those shadows lurking around the edge of waters and under the brilliantly colored flowers to give an answer. One of her constant companions, a little slip of darkness that stayed tucked at the back of her neck and sheltered by the curtain of her long hair chirped noncommittally. Cailet sighed, lifting the candle for inspection before her hands fell to her sides. "Helpful."

There was a flicker from the corner of her eye, habit causing Cailet's head to whip around, her mind rationalizing the movement as light from the multitude of candles. Only partly true, the woman's keen gaze easily penetrated the shadows only partially kept at bay by the candle light. A beautiful woman approached, her steps graceful, flowing and placed with purpose. And she was heading towards the very shores where Cailet stood.

Great.

Seeing no other option, the former Shinya stooped quickly, using her fingers to dig a slight divot in the wet dirt, quickly dropping the tapered candle upright into it before filling the hole back in. After only a few moments in its makeshift holder, the candle began to lean drunkenly to one side. "Well... damn."

With nothing to light the wick and feeling quite like a single, poorly placed candle was not a good enough offering this Midsummer's night, Cailet shifted and reached for the nearest flower, plucking it from its bush and shoving it into the dirt as well just as the newcomer reached her destination. Completely out of her element, not to mention feeling supremely foolish, Cailet rose and stepped aside, bending at the waist as a formal bow was offered to the glowing woman.

"A good evening to you."

by **Kavala** on July 3rd, 2012, 5:09 pm

Kavala smiled gently at the woman all cloaked in shadows struggling with the candles. "I'm not interrupting am I? This bench looked empty, but I had no idea you were right there." The Konti sounded puzzled but shook her head, her smiling rising again. "I never try to light them about like the gardeners do. They make it look so easy and elegant and I just end up feeling awkward like I have two many thumbs. Look what I brought instead. They make things easy..." Kavala said, opening her simple basket and pulling out a mesh bag filled with little white oddly round candles. They weren't the shape of spheres, but instead where flattened somewhat. "They float, after you light them, and don't tip over in the water. I've more than enough. Would you like some of these?" The Konti asked gently, opening the mesh bag and spilling out half the plum sized candles onto her palm and offering them to Caliet.

"I'm Kavala. I just came to honor the Midsummers. I thought more people would be here, but it looks like we have the place all to ourselves. It's probably too late for most folks, but I love this park in the dark." She said softly, smiling again.

Kavala took out what looked like a fat stick of incense and shoved it into the ground. Then she pulled out her flint and kneeling over it began to strike the flint together until the fat stick sparked, making the bunt glow as it caught fire. From the glowing bunt then the two girls could light their candles easily.

"How do you usually honor your Gods?" Kavala asked, gesturing to her pile of candles. "I usually carve little messages on the candles and set them alight then afloat. It is what we used to do on Mura while I was there. I rather liked the ritual." She said softly, pulling out a small dagger that was more for eating than carving, but definitely a tool that would do the trick.

by **Cailet** on July 13th, 2012, 9:09 pm

"Hardly interrupting, just as I hardly know what I'm doing." The mutter was soft and slightly embarrassed, though composure still retained control of Cailet's face. Graciously accepting one of the candles, the woman turned it around in her hands for a few moments, way out of her element. "Kavala, a pleasure." A slight incline of her head and what smile she could manage. "I'm-"

Not nearly as pretty. The first whisper cut Cailet's introduction short, earning a scowl from the woman.
Awkward! This chitter only deepened the scowl further, the glare now directed towards Kavala's left hip.
Standing stupidly and staring at something you can't even see.

That familiar chirp from under her hair snapped the woman out of it. Though still not the best of friends, the little shadow that hid on her nape was friendlier than the others. "Cailet." She finished belatedly, managing a smile this time, even if it was just a brief twitch of her lips.

The light was offered and Cailet quickly held the wick of her small candle to the flame, watching for a moment as Kavala began to carve her own candles. Silently, the stiff woman stooped and plopped hers into the shallows of the lake, a few quick flicks of he fingers sending it towards the middle of the waters.

"I have never honored her this way, that is for sure." A chuckle almost escaped those lips. The Mistress of night, being sent a candle with a flame, the opposite of a shadow, of night. "I wonder if she will be offended, or pleased." Clasping her hands behind her back, Cailet watched her candle float away as she carefully chose her words. "We honor her daily by gathering what does not want to be gathered."

Pacing from the waters edge, the curiosity that bubbled beneath the surface of the woman's calm exterior sending Cailet to stand over where Kavala had begun to carve. "And your Gods? They like these candles?" It would have been easy for the Nightstalker to read what the inscriptions said, the shadows thrown by the surrounding flora and the Konti herself hardly posing a challenge to the woman's piercing gaze. "In all my travels, I hadn't encountered this tradition until I came here. Then again, as a girl I was more...inclined to stay where my mother put me than explore."

by **Kavala** on October 9th, 2012, 4:08 pm

Kavala sat on the bench, quietly listening to her new found companion, nodding. "To whom do you refer when you say 'She'?" Kavala asked curious, Akajia was Riverfall's patron Goddess, but it could truthfully be anyone of the pantheon. She watched Cailet expertly light the candle and set it adrift, nodding in pleasure at how the woman flicked the water and sent it on its way towards the center of the lake. The floaters definitely worked better than awkwardly sticking candles into the ground. Kavala studied the young woman's face, and saw something there... something like isolation or loneliness. It concerned her a bit.

"They almost remind me of thoughts, aglow on a night like tonight, drifting into the darkness belonging to no one." Kavala said thoughtfully. "It's like you think them, and then set them out into the world to join some larger collective." The Konti said, not sure if she was being to bold, saying something like that to a stranger.

The Konti had three candles, all of which looked roughly the same shape and size in her hand. She was using the tip of a tamo dagger she'd taken from her weapons harness which was prominently displayed over her leathers, to carve Nysel's name into the first candle. Then she carved a short message in it. The second candle was dedicated to Rak'keli and inscribed with another vastly different message. The third went out to Eyris, and was lit with no message at all. The message had been in her thoughts as she held the candle in her hands - easily read by anyone with the ability. Each of the three were lit, and cast adrift on the lake.

"My Gods and Goddess' haven't said they dislike candles. But I suppose its possible. I think, though, its the polite thing to do. To honor them, I mean, in Midsummer. They honor us daily with their gifts to us. And sometimes they even give us purpose in life. Well, at least the Gods I follow do." She said, watching the candles float away before turning back to Cailet.

"Your accent is strange. Are you... from somewhere else?" The Konti asked curiously.

by **Cailet** on October 23rd, 2012, 1:15 am

“Akajia.” It took more than Cailet had expected to part with this bit of information. The two women had sat in silence while the darker woman had chewed her tongue, almost unwilling to reveal any of her own secrets. There had been one other to know of her Goddess, but he was halfway across Mizahar and had vanished even before Cailet had left Lhavit.

Watching as their candles trundled slowly across the surface of the water, helped along only sporadically by the fitful breeze. Cailet turned the musings over in her head. “The night transforms much. I believe Leth’s light allows to show the true faces of things. Syna blinds us all with her glow.” Of course, she was bias, feeling much more comfortable in the dark than any other time of day; the shadows seemed to reach for her and she felt more welcomed amongst her dark brethren.

More questions were plied and Cailet instinctively retreated within herself, turning her face so that Kavala was only able to gaze upon her profile while the inside of her cheek was ground between her teeth.

These are the secrets shared between friends. They pose no harm if revealed. The whisper came from nearby, Cailet’s chocolate gaze sweeping towards the voice for only a moment before she took a deep breath. It was true. This woman seemed… sincere. They stumbled upon each other and she had done nothing but help and include her in friendly chatter. The problem was that Cailet was not very used to being accepted.

“I am. Lhavit was my home for a long time. Before that, I traveled..." Cailet paused and there was a flash of pain behind her eyes that the woman worked quickly to suppress. "I am of the Shinya.” A pause, and the quiet woman couldn’t help but smile a little as she turned her gaze back towards Kavala. “Was of the Shinya. I am here now, and that life is behind me.” A bit of the intimidation Cailet felt at being approached by this graceful woman had started to fade a bit; the Shinya woman might be all hard edges but she found it easy to talk to Kavala; there was a kindred aspect about the pair of them, as if they were both searching for something more. Kavala seemed thoughtful and Cailet hadn’t failed to notice the scales or gills that trademarked her race.

It was only a matter of time until curiosity got the best of her tongue. “I met Konti a long time ago… I was only a girl, and it was only for a moment. She stopped and gave me a sweet even though she wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone. She was a slave.” A pause, only the span of a heartbeat. “Are you as well?” There was a childlike eagerness in her question, as if she didn’t know any better than to ask such a potentially personal question. The shadows murmured around them, but Cailet ignored them in favor of her new, if temporary, bold confidence that Kavala’s kind words had lent her.