PM to join Artwork with Another [Lenell Belleste]

[Lexa Maze]

She was okay. The question hadn't been taken badly. Lexa wondered what it would be like to have such a big, encouraging family. The only family Lexa had ever loved were her mother and the youngest of the three elder brothers, Hamish. She hadn't had anyone who was protective of her other than her mother. Lexa felt stabs of pain in her chest as these thoughts of just how protective her mother had been to give her life-. Stop. You are upsetting yourself. it isn't fair to Lenell especially if you are unwilling to tell her Finding it hard to make friends was something Lexa could relate to. They would stop long enough in places for her to achieve a friendship, but she was such a rough kid. She was viewed as scary. People stayed away from her. She didn't know any different, and had no idea what she was doing wrong at the time. She had punched a kid full in the nose, expecting that was what he meant by 'play' and that he would spar with her, and he had told all of his friends she was a freak. She fogets where this was exactly. "I didn't have many friends either." Lexa said "That was the downside of never staying in one place." She looked at Lenell "I think that's why I have been here so long even though I am so used to moving about." This was true. She had stayed here in hope of making more friends and becoming more sociable. It was hard to let her past for, it really was, and it still constantly played across her mind, but she had to move forward in her life and quit looking back so much. There was a pause and then Lexa heard Lenell ask for her age. "I'm seventeen." Lexa said "I feel older than that though." She added quietly. She finished blocking in the sea and began mixing darker colours and foamy blue-white colours for froth as the waves crashed and rose up again surrounding the eye. She would try to blend the darker blue's in slowly so as not to create too stark of a difference. It didn't really go well at first, but as she blended, eventually the transition began to look somewhat acceptable.

[Lenell Belleste]

Lenell snorted. "Well, my brother is seventeen, and you certainly aren't as silly as he is, you are much more mature. Is that a man/woman thing, do you think? My mother always said girls mature more quickly, but that doesn't seem like a fair assumption to me. There must be plenty of mature young men." She snorted again with amusement. "Of course, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting any yet but they must be out there." She grinned widely. "Perhaps they have their own secret island somewhere."

She turned to watch Lexa add more to the ocean in her painting. "Actually, I feel like I'm learning from you right now. That's what I've been working on in Pottery at the University. Wave and ocean motifs. I thought it was a good idea, living in Zeltiva."

She faced back out over the real waves that rushed so pleasantly against the pier they sat on. A strolling couple walked by, and she leaned forward to give them room as they passed. "It's funny, isn't it? I mean, not funny amusing, but funny odd. Two such different lives having at least one thing in common? There I was, stuck in one place all my life, almost literally with my foot. And you, traveling all about. But we both shared trouble making friends."

She turned back to her new friend, enjoyed watching her hair play in the wind. If she had paints herself, she might try to draw Lexa's hair. It was such a beautiful color. "Do you plan on staying long in Zeltiva, Lexa?"

[Lexa Maze]

Lexa laughed. A surprisingly soft sound. But totally unforced. The image Lenell had projected had been amusing. Imagine! An island for mature young men. It surprised her, to hear herself laugh. She had almost forgotten it's sound. That was pretty sad, wasn't it? Lexa felt happy for once. It was an odd moment of bliss. This woman didn't know the half of who she was, but right now, she seemed to like Lexa. And that was a nice feeling. She felt as though she was slowly starting to heal. Of course, her mood sometimes skyrocketed like this at the simplest of things. The same could be said of her mood going downhill at the simplest of things. "I'm glad I could be of help" she told Lenell. She did the same as her companion as the couple walked past them on the Pier, Happily, as now she had somebody next to her as well. The comment about friendship twanged a vein in her heard. That was very true, wasn't it. They were so different, yet there was at least one thing that made them similar to one another. Lexa smiled to herself "It was a shame people couldn't see past the one simple thing that made you different to them. They were missing out on such a lovely personality." This was the second time she had been amazed that something had come out of her mouth. That was something that she might think, but this time she had said it aloud. It wasn't like the rough warrior at all. but it was a nice change of pace for the young woman's hectic existence

[Lenell Belleste]

Lenell smiled and blushed at the lovely compliment. "Oh, well.....maybe they just couldn't make it past all my family members to talk to me." She laughed at her own little joke. "Anyway, perhaps all that is changing now. I mean, I've met you."

She looked down at her hands shyly. "Do you plan on sketching regularly? If you do, and you don't mind, perhaps we can meet up and practice together. I could work on making my wave designs fancier, at least. And I would be happy to show you around the University anytime. It really is a nice place to be. I think you would like to see the art studio, and I'm sure I could bring you there for a quick visit. Maybe if you like it, you could take classes next season, if you want, I mean. Oh, and the Library is really wonderful, and anyone can access the books on the first floor, not just students."

[Khal'iah]

Of all the hours of the day, it was those of morning that the Akalak loved the most; especially in the bayside city known as Zeltiva. Though the sun shone brightly above, the full brunt of its heat was stifled by the soothing, oceanic breeze that swept through the marine city, cooling down everything it touched. To the warrior born to the name Khal'iah Vojak, this breeze was a welcome reprieve from his rigorous training regimen, which at present consisted of a full-on sprint through the streets of the city. Day in and day out, the Akalak challenged himself to sprint further and further each day, a challenge that a disciplined warrior like himself avidly undertook. This day, Khal'iah's workout would lead him to the docks, where he would come across a familiar face. The Akalak recognized the woman straightaway, despite their having only traveled together for a relatively short span of time a year prior. She sat upon the pier next to a fiery-haired woman, with both of their attentions focused firmly upon the canvas before them. The young woman, named Lexa, whom Khal'iah knew was painting upon the canvas' surface, adding beautiful colors to the black and white. The warrior slowed his pace down to a walk and quietly approached, squinting through his mess of dreadlocks in order to make out the painting more clearly as he approached. "Well now Lexa, you didn't tell me you had a talent in painting as well...You're just full of surprises!" he said, offering a warm smile upon coming within earshot. Khal'iah came to a halt beside his former traveling companion and gave a slight, polite bow of greeting. "I beg your pardon if I'm intruding, it's just a surprise to see you! It's been far too long since we met last, how are you?" he said, obviously happy to see that the young survivalist was still in one piece.

[Lenell Belleste]

Lenell felt her mouth drop open and her eyes widen in happy surprise. An Akalak! Suddenly, she could hear her mother's voice in her head saying, as she had so often to her curious offspring, Don't gape, Len. It's very unbecoming and rude. She quickly closed her mouth, schooled her face into calm, and looked out over the water.

It was easy to figure out that he knew Lexa from his words of greeting. Lenell breathed slowly to keep from squirming in her eagerness to be introduced to him. She had become a pottery student because her family were potters, she had initial training, it was a useful and employable skill, and it could be a very good creative outlet as well. But she had chosen anthropology as her second study because she was so in love with learning about the rest of Mizahar. She had read every book on other places and races she could get her hands on growing up, and had sometimes been able to actually meet humans from far away. Meetings with other races had been rarer, and she had never seen an Akalak before. But she would mind the lessons in manners she had been taught. He couldn't know that her urge to stare was happy fascination as opposed to the sort of repugnance that led people to stare at her foot. Still, she tried to send out a silent wish that Lexa would introduce her, and an even stronger wish to herself that she wouldn't embarrass her new friend, the stranger that now spoke, or that watching mother voice in her head.

[Lexa Maze]

It was a surprise hearing a vaguely familiar voice enter her ears. She hadn't heard it in a very long time. It was good to see the man again. Khal'iah Vojak, the purple skinned warrior whom had been so very kind to her seasons ago. It had been a shame to part with him, and a joy to meet him again. Despite herself she looked up at him from her painting and beamed like a small child. She shook that stupid expression off her face as soon as she noticed she was making it, and instead, opened her mouth to speak. "Khal'iah. How long has it been! I never thought I'd see you again." Her tone was joyful "Oh, believe me, it was not a big hobby of mine back then. But everyone needs something in order to relax" She continued, noticing his little bow and finding it amusing in it's formality. "I'm doing alright," She said, believeing it for the first time in forever "Where are my manners." She laughed "This is Lenell." She turned to the woman beside her "Lenell, this is Kahl'iah." This really was a good day for her. Though maybe it'd be a bit of a shock. She had been a lot more grief-stricken, quiet, cold and moody in genral when they had travelled together. But Lexa had liked the Akalak. Even when he changed suddenly to strangely lively man. Lexa wondered what adventures the warrior had been on since the two of them had parted.

[Khal'iah]

Upon standing tall once more, the Akalak stepped closer before coming to a halt beside his former traveling companion. He seated himself upon one of the many, waist-height posts that spanned the length of the docks and succumbed to his customary habit: folding his arms across his chest. As he listened to his young friend's words, he could tell that she was several times happier than when they traveled across the Wildlands together a year prior; this was a welcome change for the Akalak behold and he felt himself feeling genuinely happy for her. He was glad that she had found some sort of joy in her life and was, at least as far as he could tell, no longer the cold, silent woman whom accompanied him for many days across the frosted wilds. "Despite it not being a big hobby of yours, you are exceptionally talented from what I can tell." he commented, tilting his head slightly so that he could look at her painting from a different angle. "I'm glad to hear that you are doing alright. You are looking very well and it's wonderful to see a smile on your face!" He beamed, unable to keep from grinning in the sight of this change. Upon being introduced to the fiery haired woman, the Akalak raised his hand and offered a polite wave from his seat. "Greetings Lenell. Khal'iah Vojak at your service, but you are free to refer to me as Khal. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." That said, the Akalak turned his attention back to the young woman he knew. "So tell me, what have you been up to since we parted ways? Did you encounter any trouble on the road? What brought you here to Zeltiva? How are you liking it here?" Then he caught himself rambling. "By Zulrav, I'm going on and on...my apologies!"

[Lenell Belleste]

Lenell threw back her head in laughter, a huge honest laugh that sprung from her gut and watered her eyes. She felt tension that she had not even known she carried flee from her body. She knew that was why she had laughed so hard--she had been under so much self induced pressure and was so happy right now. She wiped her eyes and quickly moved to explain herself.

"Oh, sir, I'm sorry. It's just that, well, with me around I don't believe anyone should have to apologize for talking. If Lexa has enjoyed my company, as much as I go on, then no one else should ever have to worry about that."

She offered her hand to him. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Khal, and appreciate the permission to call you that. Actually, you both may call me Len, if you wish. My family always did. Please, don't let me interrupt for too long here. It seems you both have catching up to do. And I can be quiet," she smiled at herself, "if I really try."