Completed Time to Find a Job! [Sunny]

[Ruzekiel Soren]

It was clear to him now that this Sunny was a wonderful girl. Watching her communicate with his horse was almost magical, and now she stood in front of him, matter-of-factly wiping the dust and dirt from his face and tsking at it before leading him back towards the Wolf’s Den Inn.

“Of course, I understand. I have some soap here to wash with as well,” he said to her once they’d reached the back entrance, sliding a bar of rosemilk soap wrapped in rice paper from his sodden coat pocket. It was so hard that even in the rain it had not gotten sudsy, which was a plus because it smelled great even if it was badly crafted.

“I made it myself,” he explained to her proudly, with all the pizazz of a beginner soapmaker. Being of ever-so-slightly noble blood, he did have an inclination towards all kinds of scented soaps and candles. When they got inside to a warm, dry mudroom adjoining the main commons area, Zeke stood obediently on the welcoming woven straw carpet, so as not to get grime on anything. He slid off his muddy boots and stuck them outside for a moment to knock clods of dirt from them on the doorframe, and then set them next to the other sets of shoes that he assumed were from the other employees. Then he shrugged off his coat and folded it over his arm, carrying the soap in his teeth.

The washtub was a huge wooden barrel, perhaps for stomping grapes, and it was situated in the corner next to a shelf of sheep-skin blankets and thinner linens that he supposed were sheets, though they looked well-used enough to be horse blankets. Someone had filled the substantial barrel with simmering washwater, maybe the cook in expectance of a guest, and he could almost feel the built up dirt and sweat on his forearms tingle in fear. He grinned thankfully at her through the soap and lay the folded coat carefully on the immaculately swept wooden floor. As he began to unbutton his jerkin he looked pointedly at Sunny, who was standing there looking at him happily and seemingly unaware that he was about to strip down to his nethers. But realizing that he had to get his clothes to her so she could wash them, he got an idea.

“Set up something for privacy, shall I? Wouldn’t want to scare the cook.” Poet shirt half-unbuttoned and jerkin on the floor, he swiped one of the linen sheets from the shelf and unfolded it, spat the soap out onto the side of the tub which had a little groove for holding small items, and draped the sheet over a wooden hook on the wall, fixing up a rough-and-tumble privacy screen that just covered the area of the steaming washtub. “Ah, that’s better,” he said triumphantly, wasting no time in ducking behind the curtain to slip out of the rest of his garments. A minute later, his head poked out and he passed her a neatly folded pile of rancid laundry. Zeke nodded to her in deep, nearly embarrassing gratitude and immediately got to work.

“Yes, cleanliness here I come!” He warbled, almost sing-song. Up to his knees in the steaming water he sloshed backward with a happy yip, stretching his dusty toes and watching the dirt nearly float off. He unwrapped the handmade soap and scrubbed, and as he scrubbed he sang in a throaty baritone, not the voice of angels but certainly not the voice of heathens. It was a melodious, cheerful ditty, that only a half-Vantha could spin into a complex web of images and emotions. It was in the colorful Vani dialect and went something like this:

Daedaryivisatas senra yn,
Fenyira klarro nohi d’yn
Kallesil’yn ferro litye
Maqui daedari lir ‘yn

Give or take a few verses. The “r”s rolled from his tongue even as he bubbled under the water to scrub his hair, and it was clear that he loved to sing, even without the company of his lute. Halfway through the song and the bar of soap, most of the dirt that had previously settled on Zeke’s olive skin was floating atop the cooling washwater and he could actually see the faded tattoo on his midsection for the first time in a while. He regarded the intricate thing for a moment and then stood up, the water sloshing around his freshly scrubbed, scalded knees and dripping from his shiny blue-black hair, which had been a mousy brown two candlemarks before.

Zeke stepped gingerly out of the wooden wash tub and dried himself off with one of the linens that hung there, then wrapped it around his waist, pulling his hair back momentarily to swipe the water from it. Tiny droplets spattered the stone wall beside the tub. He had taken down the hastily made privacy screen, folded it and put it away before he realized that he didn’t have a spare set of clothes, and Sunny was washing his only pair of trousers, which wouldn’t be dry until morning. He’d have to ask Korin for some clothes, and he could not imagine that situation going down well.

Of course the alternative was to sleep naked in the stable with Etienne. Viewing these two choices, Zeke opted to confront the scary wolf man. He peered around the door to the common room cavern, and saw Korin sitting in the same position Zeke had last seen him in, nursing a mug of ale and looking exceptionally bristly. Maybe he’d wait till Sunny came back.


OOCEek! Sorry that’s so long, I took my meds today. Super focused. On not doing homework. Heh. If you want some room for Sunny to interact with the situation (or the environment that I basically just commandeered), PM me and I’ll change it around.

[Sunny]

Sunny would have had to admit, she was surprised that the young man had soap. He was so dirt encrusted she would have thought soap was an unknown quantity to him. His assertion that he had made the stuff himself was also greeted with raised eyebrows. She hadn’t ever considered how soap was made and she thought it might be interesting to learn. She’d have to ask him to show her, if he stayed around long enough.

Pushing away the unhappy possibility that Zeke might leave, at some point or another (especially if Micah didn’t have any work for him), Sunny said enthusiastically, “You make soap? That’s pretty unusual. I…” But the smile on her face turned to a grimace when he stuck the bar he had unwrapped in his mouth! She had accidentally gotten a taste of soap before and it was…horrible! Making no comment, though, she watched as he began to divest himself of filthy garments, without any undo consideration of where he was heading with his undressing routine. When he stopped, and looked pointedly at her, she simply looked back, waiting for him to say something. His words didn’t make her blush with any sudden recognition of the inappropriateness of her just standing there, watching him strip. The kelvic merely shrugged her shoulders, saying, “Alright, but I think the cook is already asleep.” Sunny watched him put up the sheet and she stepped back a little, to give him room, and when he handed his wet, dirty clothes around the edge of it to her, she accepted them with alacrity.

“OK, I’ll get these washed while you soak. Take a really long bath, and use lots of soap. You’re kind of smelly. At least, to some people they might think that. I like the way you smell.”

Taking his things over before the huge hearth, she set them down and then fetched two big tubs, but not the ones used for washing the dishes. She knew Micah would not be pleased to know that she had washed muddy clothes in the same basins used for the dishes they ate off of. From the water butte in the corner, she filled each about two thirds of the way with room temperature water. Then she lifted the big kettle from its place on the rod over the fire and topped the basins off with simmering hot water. Kneeling, she took Zeke’s shirt and dunked it in the first basin, and then she rose to get a bar of lye soap which she used to do the laundry with. Scraping some off into the steaming water, she dunked the shirt up and down in it and then set to scrubbing it against a rippled metal board, all the while listening to Zeke as he began to sing. He had a sweet, clear voice and she smiled, thinking what a pleasant companion he was. Between lines she heard the sounds of his ablutions and it reminded her for some reason of Nello, and their little shanty in the forest, and what a happy time that had been for her. The water about her hands and wrists was turning a greasy grey color, and she tutted and shook her head. My these clothes were dirtier than almost any she had ever seen! Sunny frowned in thought, and she rose, lugging the bowl carefully to the porch in the back and dumped its contents over the cobbles, to be washed away by the still falling rain.

Coming back into the kitchen, she refilled the wash basin and tackled his shirt a second time. The water came away much less filthy and she rinsed it in the clear water of the second bowl. She wrung it out as best she could and set it aside and set about doing the same with the rest of his clothing, trousers, shorts and socks. It wasn’t easy work, all that bending over the basin and rubbing and wringing, added onto lugging multiple basins of dirty water out back to empty and refill. But she didn’t mind a bit. She had grown quite used to her job and at least this time, she felt like the person for whom she did the service would appreciate it. For she felt that the young traveler was a kind person, in that way.

When at last she was done, she peeked out into the common room. It was pretty late and the room was empty, save for Korin. The fire in the kitchen would be banked soon enough. But the one in the central fire pit was kept going pretty well so as to heat the guest rooms, as well as the common room. So she took the shirt, trousers, shorts and socks out there and arranged them carefully on a wooden frame that was usually kept in the back for drying the dish washing rags. Korin raised an eyebrow at the sight of the stranger’s clothes all strewn about like that, but Sunny just smiled at him. “He’s much cleaner now,” she said simply. “And he won’t smell. Except he’ll smell like soap. He made it himself. That's very clever, don't you think?”

She happened to look towards the kitchen and saw Zeke poking his head out, looking about uncertainly. His bottom half was swathed in cloth but his torso stood out pale against the dim lighting of the room. She smiled and waved to him to come out.

“Ruzekielsoren, come sit by the fire with us. You don’t want to get cold do you?”

Korin turned his head and snorted but still said nothing, to either of them, yet.

“Come sit with Korin and I’ll empty the tub for you,” Sunny offered. It was clear that here was a girl that, though a hunter by nature and by preference, was not shy about doing the hard work of a drudge.

[Ruzekiel Soren]

Zeke was very puzzled with Sunny. It took her a while to understand that he had to undress. Maybe she just had a different life than he had. It was hard to tell, anyway, and Zeke didn't let it bother him, but he grinned when she said she liked the way he smelled. How on earth could someone like such a collection of smells as that? Then he thought of something he hadn't thought of in a while. A memory from a long time ago, back in Avanthal. The wolf pack. Sunny was a Kelvic! No wonder why she felt so familiar! In fact he was rather surprised that he didn't figure that out sooner. He had lived with Kelvics once, but those memories were long tucked away and were loathe to resurface.

When he poked his head out to spy on the common room, he didn't notice Sunny working there until she said his name, all in a jumble. Well, he might as well just dry off by the fire with his clothes. There was no one there but Sunny and Korin. Besides, he was reasonably covered. He crept awkwardly out from behind the door and advanced towards the flickering fire, sending a small smile to the two Kelvics sitting round it. When she offered to empty the washtub after he had scrubbed away months worth of dirt in it he politely declined and told her, "You've cleaned my clothes and given me shelter, so let me make it up to you. Oh, and you know, you can call me Ruzekiel if you like. My full name’s a bit of a mouthful." At that he returned to the mudroom and lifted the remains of the washwater out with the big bucket that was used to empty the massive thing, and poured the water out over the cobble like he heard her doing when he was drying off with the sheet.

He came back to the common room later and sat by the fire across from Korin, reaching his hands out and warming them up over the hot coals. He had brought his lute with him, perhaps to practice a ballad or two in the morning, and his journal sat by his side with a crow quill and bottle of mushroom ink. He looked up at the non-verbal, scowling man across from him and tried to initiate just a tiny conversation, perhaps just a few friendly exchanges, of any kind. “Thank you for letting me stay here for the night, Korin,” he said quietly. His gaze wandered over to Sunny. “I’ll talk to Micah in the morning and see if she has any jobs that need doing.”
“And if she doesn’t?” The man’s gruff bass rumbled, not threatening but certainly not friendly.
“Well, then I’ll find a job somewhere else of course. I won’t hassle you.” He smiled curiously at Korin, bringing his hands closer to the fire and flexing his fingers slowly, entranced by the dancing flame.

[Sunny]

She knew he was a nice person. Sunny simply nodded as Zeke said that he would see to emptying the tub. But her eyes followed his sheet wrapped form as he went back to the kitchen, a look of quiet adoration already putting a lucent shine to their brown depths. Sitting quietly with Korin, she looked into the flames and thought, a lot. But she wouldn’t let her hopes get too high. Besides, Ruzekielsoren wasn’t a hunter. So in the end, perhaps it would be better if her dreams didn’t come true.

Life could be so complicated, when it should be very simple, really.

It took a while, to dump all that water, and Sunny considered going to offer Zeke a hand. But she also thought he might be displeased if she did. Nello sometimes wished to do things by himself, or for himself. So she sat, head cocked, listening to his progress. Finally, he returned and she smiled to see he had brought his instrument with him. Also, he set a notebook of some kind beside him, but Sunny had little interest in the written word. She remained quiet as Zeke spoke to Korin, and then she nodded encouragingly at his intent to speak to Micah. Zeke’s reply to Korin’s none too amiable question was a good one, but, it made Sunny sad all over again, to think of Micah leaving. Still, she said, “Maybe she will have something that would fit your skills. Maybe she’ll need some soap.”

With that quirky take on Zeke’s skill set, Sunny smiled again, warmly, and she reached to put her hand on his forearm.

“Won’t you play us a tune, Rezekiel? And sing. You’re voice is lovely. I could just lay by the fire and listen to it all night. When Nello played his flute, I used to lay my head on his foot and go right to sleep.” She sighed deeply.

Withdrawing her hand, she rested her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on her balled up fists, staring into the flames that danced and wavered in some slight hidden draft.

Kirion’s quiet bass rumbled the one word. “Play.”

[Ruzekiel Soren]

Zeke glanced at Sunny and chortled at her quip, although he doubted that anyone would want him to make them soap. As much as he loved the process, he wasn’t very good at it. He was more of a music man. As if in answer to that thought Sunny smiled warmly and requested a song, nodding to his lute. It had been a while since he’d played, and after all, it was Sunny. He felt like he’d known her for months instead of just a day.

He looked down at his feet and smiled shyly, sneaking a glimpse at her, and at the command of the gruff wolf Kelvic he picked up his lute gently by the base of the neck, swerved it around to fit in his linen-draped lap and the crook of his arm, and hugged the lute close to him, pressing his practiced fingers against the frets of the first chord and plucking the multitude of strings in succession, a sweet song pouring from the lute’s middle and floating up into the air like an autumn wind.

After the first voiceless verse he added his, weaving the two instruments together in harmony, a song in the common tongue. It was a higher range than he was used to, but it was still one of his favorites. As he sang he couldn’t help but look at Sunny, his first friend in this strange and bizarre city. She was a deeply rooted tree in a vortex. He felt as if just looking at her would keep him from plummeting off the face of the earth.

As he played he could feel Korin’s eyes on him, assessing him, and he wasn’t sure whether it was for good or bad. Only time would tell, but right now he had a mission, and that was to serenade this girl who had welcomed him into her circle, a dirty, rumpled and tired peasant, and who had extended her friendship to him. He smiled as he sang. Zeke had missed his music. He had missed sharing it with others. In fact, maybe he’d just missed people in general.

[Sunny]

Sunny smiled in contentment as Zeke began to play. It was so lovely, such a pretty melody. And his voice was just like another instrument, blending in harmony with the sounds produced by the strings. But as she listened to the words, a frown settled on her features. She said nothing, though, listening politely, until he was finished. The soulful tune came to an end, and she gave Zeke a funny look.

“She must have been awful, to cause you so much pain.” Her voice was intense, and sorrowful. “Did she really laugh at you?” She made a tutting noise and shook her head in disbelief. “It’s such a sad song. Your poor heart!”

Her expression turned a bit fierce, as she added, “If you ever see her, point her out to me, and I will bite her for you!”

[Ruzekiel Soren]

Zeke strummed the final note and closed his eyes, listening to it hang in the air. The lute was a beautiful instrument, his grandfather's pride and joy. This particular song made him think of Rose. Wild, cruel Rose. He was glad that shebang was over with anyway, but it still made him just a little melancholy. Not melancholy enough to overwhelm the feeling of the warm, flickering fire on his face and neck, on his forearms and his knees. He may have been born in the Frostlands but his human half delighted in the merry blaze.

When he opened his eyes he turned to Sunny to see what she thought of it, but she had a very strange look on her face. Her eyes were so sad, like her heart had been broken, but they still glittered as she said softly, "She must have been awful to cause you so much pain." Zeke scoffed and shook his head in denial but she went on. "Did she really laugh at you? It's such a sad song. You poor heart!" It was quite futile, hiding what one felt from this girl. He smiled wryly and tried to avoid looking her in the eyes, instead focusing on her hair; The blonder strands were glowing and shimmering prettily in the light of the fire. He was startled when a low fierce growl came from Sunny. "If you ever see her, point her out to me, and I will bite her for you!" That made him grin, imagining Sunny loping after his former lover and giving her a nice few snaps at the heel. Then he imagined the Kelvic in her human form trying to bite the shrew in the arm and laughed, patting Sunny's clenched fist with his free hand. "I'm touched by the offer, I really am," he chortled quietly, "But I think that time is behind me."

He was startled when he heard shuffling from across the fire and then he realized that Korin was getting up and stretching. He yawned and said to Zeke, "Soren, that was the fluffiest piece of horse dung I've ever heard...I like it. Talk to Micah." At that, he padded back towards the staff bedrooms and disappeared into the subcave's mouth without so much as a gruff goodnight.
"I think I'm growing on him," Zeke said cheerfully.

[Sunny]

Zeke looked at her and she saw the dissembling in his pretty green-gold eyes. She had seen that look before, when her Nello hadn’t wished to talk about something, something that made him sad, usually. Unhappy memories. Often at such times he would have stroked her hair and smiled and told her to think nothing of it, the past was the past. Sunny could hardly come up with an argument to counter that one, for it was true, and she wasn’t clever with words, or thoughts even. But she knew, in a person’s heart, just as in her own, were kept the instances that made up one’s life. It wasn’t really possible to just throw all that away, or lock it away, or pretend that it never happened. But if ever there was a creature that lived by the code, ‘forgive even when you can’t forget’ it was Sunny. In her kelvic nature, especially as her animal form was a dog, there was a deep, inextinguishable core of absolute forgiveness. She was lucky. She had never known real anger or cruelty or abuse. Nello had been good to her and even his reprimands were usually businesslike and to the point. Still, Sunny’s was a nature that could have withstood a hundred beatings and still love the hand that held the whip. It was a very good thing that she had not run into anyone like that, yet. For there were those who kept an eye open always for the main chance and a young, healthy kelvic could easily bring a slaver some good coin in Ravok or Riverfall, Nkya or Ahnatep. In her canine form, Sunny had brought down a young wolf, coyotes, foxes, badgers. In her human form, it was very much the case that she would have been easy prey, for the right type of creature.

So, although she knew that “behind me” rarely translated to really forgotten, Sunny had to accept Zeke’s dismissal of that unhappy memory. She could certainly worry her own bones, but she would leave Zeke’s alone, for now.

Sunny too had almost forgotten Korin’s presence with them. When he rose, she looked up and smiled at him. He wasn’t the warmest of men but he was always nice to her, in his own way. She frowned, though, at his derogatory description of Zeke’s song, missing out on the snarkiness of the comment. Affronted that Korin would speak so ill of something so beautiful, she gave a little growl, but nothing that Korin would hear. He was definitely an alpha figure to her and she had no thought to cross him, ever. That didn’t mean she had to like everything he did or said. And right now she was definitely not liking his critique. But he had risen and was leaving them, so she quieted her slightly bristly mien. At Zeke’s comment, she frowned.

“Really? I think he doesn’t like your song,” she said, with a mixture of suppressed indignation and anxiety. “I hope that Micah will like it though. I hope she will like you, and have a place for you here.”

Sunny scooted a bit closer to the musician and gently snuck her hand into the crook of his elbow. Resting her cheek against his bare shoulder, she said soulfully, “I like you Ruzekiel. I like you very much. It would be so nice if you lived here too.” Her head came up and she looked into his face. “I wouldn’t even try to trick you into doing the laundry with me. I was going to, but I won’t. That wouldn’t be fair.”

Her cheek pressed against his arm again and she said in a sleepyish voice, “You’re getting a bit cold. Your top half, anyway. We should sleep and you should wrap up in a blanket.” Her hand went to his neck and the shaggy lengths of hair there. “And your hair back here is still wet. You should rub it more with a towel, and then you should let me comb it, so it won’t dry all crazy. That’s what I always did for Nello. He liked for me to play with his hair. He said it felt good.”

[Ruzekiel Soren]

He was chuckling but Sunny growled next to him and he turned to her quizzically. Realizing Sunny’s understanding of it he explained, “I think some people like pretty fluffy music, but they’re too big and manly to show it.” He put on his daring adventurer storytelling voice for emphasis.
“I’m sure that Micah could use a minstrel to liven up the...the place...” He trailed off. Her hand was nestled around his elbow. She was laying her soft cheek on his shoulder and her fine silky hair tickled his collarbone as it tumbled down.

If Sunny weren’t a Kelvic, this would be a slightly uncomfortable position for them to be in, but she was Kelvic, bless her heart, and he had experience with Kelvics. It was almost like she was a golden retriever. Her big, glistening brown eyes alone reminded him of a four month old puppy.
“I like you Ruzekiel, I like you very much.”
His heart skipped a beat. “It would be so nice if you lived here too.”
It was a nice place. If there was ever a cozy home to live it would be here. The pelts were a bit off-putting, but in a way they reminded him of his dysfunctional, makeshift family...pack, thing. Sunny commented on the laundry, raising her head to look up at him, and he laughed. “Well,” he said sincerely, “if they don’t want me playing here then I will surely have to help you do the laundry.” It didn’t matter if they couldn’t take entertainers, really. Places always needed laborers. Besides, Sunny was his friend. He wasn’t leaving her.

As she looked up at him with those big puppy eyes he had a sudden urge to touch her hair, but he squished it before it could go places that he didn’t want it to, at least not right now. Right now was too perfect to ruin. Sunny rested her cheek on his arm again, mumbling sleepily, “You’re getting a bit cold. Your top half, anyway. We should sleep and you should wrap up in a blanket.” Come to think of it, he was a little cold. The fire had died down to a few glowing embers. Something touched his neck gently and he shivered, but it was only Sunny leaning in to inspect the state of his hair, which was still a little damp at the back, chittering quietly.
"And your hair back here is still wet. You should rub it more with a towel, and then you should let me comb it, so it won’t dry all crazy. That’s what I always did for Nello. He liked for me to play with his hair. He said it felt good." Who was this mysterious Nello she kept talking about? Whoever he was, if he was Sunny’s friend Zeke trusted him.

He leaned in a little to Sunny's touch, closing his eyes for a moment to savor the feeling of her hand in his hair, firm but gentle.
“If you want to, sure,” he murmured. “You might find a few rats in it though.” He opened his eyes and grinned cheekily at her. It was clearly quite late, as the meager windows were letting in little light. It was barely bright enough in the cavern to see. As much as he’d love to sit here all night with Sunny, it was going to be a long day tomorrow, and they both needed to be at their best to impress Micah, so he gently detached the sleepy Kelvic from his arm and stood up, tightening the knot of the towel around his waist. He yawned widely and stretched, reaching his arms to the ceiling. “Well, I’ll hop to the mudroom and get a blanket,” he told her matter-of-factly, ruffling his hair coming down from the stretch and probably messing it up more. Luckily for him he figured his head didnt look too ridiculous when slightly tousled.
“Do you need some extra linens or anything for the settle while I’m in there?” Although it was only early fall the nights could get cold. He didn’t want her to catch a chill, especially after he had dragged her out into the rain earlier that day.

[Sunny]

Sunny’s fingers stopped momentarily, when Zeke mentioned rats. She was certainly up to making short work of those too, if needed. But then she got it, and she giggled, swatting his arm. “You are silly,” she said, straightening, as Zeke rose and stretched. She shook her head in response to his question. “No, I usually just sleep curled up in front of the fire,” she said, standing too. The two moved to the back of the common room, and thence to the kitchen. Sunny stopped before the huge hearth and began to bank the fire, and then she fetched her own comb from a little box wherein she kept her few belongings. In it was Nello’s flute. She couldn’t play it herself, but she thought maybe Ruzekiel would like to see it, sometime. Not now, it was so late and she yawned so widely that she thought the top half of her head might come off. Taking a seat on the settle, she waited for Zeke to reappear. He did, in only a few moments, with a blanket in hand. Sunny patted the high-backed bench and said. “Sit here, and I’ll be quick.”