[Gyvaka Swamp] Serpents and Souls (Ialari)

[Haeli]

Timestamp: Fall 507 AV
Task: Flashback Meeting Ialari
Location: Gyvaka Swamp
People: Ialari

The girl stood in the stand at the edge of the water. She came daily waiting for the big ship to pass by. Ozantha, her mentor, had said it was overdue, so rather than waiting for the sailors to make the trek inland once they'd landed, she'd started sending Haeli out to the beach to see if she could spot the traders. Haeli wasn't sure why it was exactly so important. Oazntha was worried because she was almost out of sugar and flour for her cooking which Haeli didn't see as exactly a crisis. They could go to Zinrah and trade or else live off the swamp without bread and salt for a bit longer. Besides, she knew how to dry sea water to make salt. Everyone did didnt' they? All you did was leave shallow trays of water out in the sun and let the heat cook the water off leaving only the salt behind. Sure, it took a lot of trays of water and a lot of hot days, but salt was free in essence, wasn't it?

Besides what the traders brought wasn't always the best, even though the pair gave forth their best herbals and poisons in exchange.

Haeli resented the run out to the beach. It took her away from her study so she'd adopted a egret form after careful study of the birds. Flying, especially when it made the trip half again as short, was a far better option than running. Even when, as the girl had started to believe, there was not going to be a ship. And oh how she wanted one. Haeli missed the company of the sailors when they departed. Both men and women, the girl was fascinated wtih the crews and always asked them endless questions about where they came from and what they were doing and what they were using as tools and asked for news of the outside world.
Haeli hadn't been eager to open up to them at first. Having been born in a swamp and raised running wild, she was more apt to watch than talk. So it had taken years of visits by the same people over and over again to bring the little girl out of her shell.

Now, in her late teens, she was quite talkative and not unfamiliar with the sailors that routinely stopped for both fresh water at the coastal springs and for the trade with Ozantha.

Which brought her back to the reason she was standing on the beach in the sand staring out to sea. Sails. Big ones, tacking into the natural harbor and probably weighing anchor. Haeli wondered if they wanted to go see Ozantha or if she should go tell the witch that there indeed was a ship here and have her gather her tradegoods to be ready to trade. Haeli glanced at the sky and shook her head. No.. it was too late in the day. Ozantha wouldn't start out until early early morning the next day to make the quarter days sail by flatboat to the coast. The girl knew she might as well wait on the sand for the visitors to make landfall then greet them properly and tell them that Ozantha would be there the next day.

[Ialari Pythone]

When the opportunity to gain passage to Gyvaka Swamp had presented itself, Ialari thought of nothing else but taking it. Ever since learning of the swamp, the possibility of finding a number of rather potent poisons and various ingredients occupied much of her mind. It was because of the potential such opportunities held that she left her home in the mountains and traveled so far away. Though relieved to have finally arrived, her journey had not been pleasant. She was not fully prepared for the world that awaited her upon her departure and what people she encountered along her way were barbaric, ignorant and in her mind, wholly pathetic. The caravan she traveled with from Sultros eventually stopped when land met ocean. From there, Ialari had been able to find a ship that actually made a stop at the swamp and convinced the captain, with the aid of several mizas, to allow her to travel along.

The trip by sea turned out to be worse than the one by land despite taking less time. Unwashed, gap-toothed sailors kept her on edge at all hours of the day with their leering gazes and foul stench or at least that is how she perceived them. In fact, before the ship dropped anchor that day, some of the crew had fallen ill to a strange sickness that seemed only to affect those who had for one reason or another, crossed her. Now that a handful of sailors were preparing to go ashore, both the crew and Ialari were more than happy to part ways.

With her gear ready, Ialari made the last leg of the journey from the ship to shore with a heavy scowl. The sea water made her eyes itch and the fishy smell that stuck to everything turned her stomach. When she finally reached the shore and stepped onto the sand, Ialari fought the urge to run as far away from the ocean as possible. Instead, she walked with a purpose to the treeline, passing the young girl who had come out to greet the sailors. The captain had originally mentioned that they often stopped at the swamp for trading, the girl must be the one they traded with. The oddity of such a young girl living in a swamp by herself did not go unnoticed by the isur. Ialari gave a slight nod to the girl as she passed and walked over to a nearby rock and sat down. The heat was a bit more than she cared for despite being dressed only in a slitted silk long-skirt and a silk chest wrap. However, the feeling of stone beneath her was comforting and she began mindlessly carving meaningless shapes into the stone with her black, metallic fingers.

[Haeli]

Haeli greeted Captain Stone with all the politeness her mentor had taught her. She informed the Captain that Ozantha would meet them on the edge of the clearing tomorrow morning for trading, and took the carefully written list of 'wants' for the man so that Ozanatha could bring what the sailors sought most with her. The delay was usual, but it gave the captain time to refresh his water supplies and for his men to do a little hunting. Sometimes the coastal voyages south took quite a bit out of the men because of the tropical storms that were notorious for appearing out of nowhere.

With their business concluded, Haeli turned to study the woman curiously. She wasn't human, not like Haeli, nor did she seem to be Dhani or Symenestra with her enormous arm. The girl, merely fourteen, curiously turned and padded barefoot over to where the woman sat. She didn't interrupt her strange carving, but only waited until the woman would notice her. Haeli was like that; quiet, reserved and soft spoken. The girl was all but feral. Her blonde hair was loose and down to the back of her waist though there were braids in it here and there which ended in seashells or cockles that chimed slightly as she moved. She wore a clean but simple dress of brown that seemed to accent her oddly citrine eyes. She was barefoot and wore nothing but a seashell necklace that had an oddly glittering hue to it. Upon closer inspection one could tell the seashells were covered with a decoupage of dragonfly wings that made them glitter with iridescence.

"My Lady. Your skirt is beautiful. Have you too come to trade with Ozantha? I am Haeli, her assistant. Can I be of any assistance?" The girl introduced herself as.

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari's fingers dug effortlessly into the surface of the stone as easily as one would run their fingers through dry sand. She carved nothing with any specific intent; allowing instead her subconscious to do all the work. Ever since she was a young girl, Ialari did this to help calm her mind and ease her nerves. The journey at sea, albeit short, was more than enough to test her patience; something that seemed to be happening with greater frequency as of late. The young girl's voice broke Ialari from her meditation of sorts. Blinking a couple of times, Ialari noted that her seemingly purposeless carving resembled a coiled snake. Looking up, she regarded the young girl with an analyzing look.

Having never been to an ocean beach before, Ialari had also never seen such a use of seashells. The glitter too excited a bit of interest from the isur as she was rather fond of jewelry. Her own collection of silver necklaces had been stashed away in her back during her journey as such things had the tendency to invite trouble when traveling outside the boundaries of the Isurian Kingdom. Feeling a bit calmer and receiving an ego boost from the skirt complement, Ialari smiled. It wasn't everyday that a human displayed proper etiquette when addressing an isur.

Looking down at her skirt and brushing some sand from it, Ialari said still with a pleasant smile, "You like it? Thank you. It's actually part of a dress but it's still too warm here for much more than the skirt. I love your necklace. I've never seen anything like it before." Though Ialari spoke the common tongue rather well, her accent was undeniable. She paused for a moment. The captain had said that they often stopped not far from the swamp to do a bit of trading. This Ozantha person was obviously the person they did business with though this girl, Haeli was also involved. If they hung around in the swamp, perhaps they had an idea where to find some of the ingredients Ialari was looking for to aid in her work.

"I was actually just catching a ride on that ship in order to get closer to the Gyvaka Swamp. I've heard that the swamp's filled with all manner of things that I might be able to use in my work; herbs, roots, fungis, spiders, those sorts of things. If you or this Ozantha can help me find those things, then yes, I believe you could be quite some assistance to me. By the way, my name is Ialari Pythone. It's good meeting you, Haeli." Ialari felt it best not to get into exactly why she was looking for such things as most people, isur or outsider, didn't normally view the art of poisoncrafting as a positive trade. She didn't know how this human child would react plus one never gave out too much information all at once. The girl did however know how to greet an isur whether she meant to or not. Ialari took that as a sign from Izurdin that she was on the right track.

[Haeli]

Haeli was slightly startled the woman issued her a pleasant smile. The friendliness seemed to invite a more personal question. So the girl waited quietly through the woman's explanation and then simply nodded, digging her bare feet into the ground slightly self-conscious. "Yes, My Lady. It is indeed as you've heard. The Gyvaka is home to many such creatures which produce a number of substances from medicines to poisons. It is one of the reasons these sailors trade with us so frequently. If you need a guide to the swamp, I would gladly volunteer my services if you would be willing to trade information on the outside world." The girl said. Oddly enough, she was uniquely qualified to escort a stranger through the swamp. Haeli grew up in the wilds and wasn't afraid of the strangely drooping moss, the eerie fogs, and hostile dark waters.

"I have never seen your kind before, however. I assume you are of the noble Isur though. Your reputation for excellence in craftsmanship has reached us even here in our isolation." Haeli said, eyes falling to the stone Ialari was manipulating. Haeli could not see any use of magic with the stone manipulation. It was almost like the Isur was working with wet sand instead of stone and it fascinated the young girl. It looked like the woman's limb was so sturdy that stone was like butter to her touch. Living in a world where the stronger ruled, Haeli readily accepted that this woman was her superior. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Isur Pythone." Haeli didn't feel comfortable using Ialari's first name until the familiarity was granted. And since she didn't know if the Isur used Miss or Madame or something completely different. So she simply went with the next politest thing. Haeli bowed low and smiled without meeting Ialari's eyes.

The stranger could indeed tell the girl was fascinated but highly isolated and struggling with protocol. "Is there something you'd like to see first? I have to be here first thing in the morning along with my mother to do our trading, but my evening is free and so too will be the rest of my time after our trading is done." The girl said. She stood silently, not fidgeting or looking uncomfortable. She just seemed to be awaiting Ialari's pleasure meanwhile taking a great deal of time unobtrusively studying the strange arm on Ialari's form.

Haeli had a strange gaze for a human. Bright intelligent citrine eyes seemed to roam everywhere gathering information even as the girl stood silent and pensive. She seemed wired for noticing details, examining the intricate nature of life, and held an aura of patience around her like some people gathered cloth on a cold day.

[Ialari Pythone]

Since she first began her training at the Silver Tower, Ialari had been taught that humans were not to be trusted; that they were barbaric, unprincipled, uneducated. Perhaps worse yet, it was preached that their false sense of superiority and greatness angered the gods and brought about the great war that destroyed the land and crushed the First Isurian Kingdom in the crossfire. The teachings of Clan Pitrius were harsher than those of the other clans yet they were what Ialari internalized.

Since leaving Sultros, Ialari perceived those humans she met with little difference. However, this young girl who stood before her, conducted herself with a rare respect and deference that caught Ialari off guard. Absent was the cocky display of false superiority that Ialari saw in other humans. Then there was the girl's eyes. They were not Ialari's image of the opaque windows of ignorance possessed by most humans. While at first unsure of accepting the girl's offer to be a guide, Ialari gave it a second thought. The girl must know something of the nearby swamp in order to survive this long. The girl's offer of an exchange of information was refreshing as Ialari was more than happy to engage in such a deal.

"Be my guide in exchange for some information on the world outside of the swamp? Sounds like a deal." Ialari continued to smile as the girl referred to the isur as noble. No human is this respectful... Ialari thought to herself as she noticed Haeli looking down at the carvings made on the rock. "Our skill is a gift from Izurdin. We are of his blood and thus the working of stone and steel is our domain." Ialari held out her hand to Haeli so that even with her head lowered, the girl could see it. It was a gesture dating back to the Pre-Valterrian times; one used for greeting as well as deal-making."Believe me, Haeli, when I say it is refreshing to meet you as well. Call me Ialari."

Ialari then considered the girl's question of what to see first. "While there's much I'd like to see, why don't you show me something you find interesting around here. Maybe a little tour of sorts? After all, I'm the stranger here." This would offer Ialari a couple of beneficial results. First, she could learn something of Haeli that questioning simply wouldn't provide. The girl's choices of what to show, manner of introduction, and ways of describing would give Ialari more insight into this unique individual. Second, it allowed her to become closer to the girl without costing much effort. People often let their guard down if they felt secure in a situation. While Ialari yet wished any ill will toward the girl, quite the opposite, her training would not allow her to let her own guard down. She was in a strange, dangerous place surrounded by potential threats. It was better to taste the air a bit before proceeding unaware.

[Haeli]

Haeli glanced up through the light brow screen of her hair and offered Ialari a shy smile. She nodded to her words, looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded having decided. She didn't miss the gesture of the Isur holding her arm out for the girl to get a better look at. Haeli took that as a sign of some sort of friendship being extended, even if the girl had no idea how to be someone's friend. It decided her, in that moment, to treat Ialari with the utmost respect, much like she would her adoptive mother, and show her something of Gyvaka's boundaries.

"It would be my pleasure. With the Gyvaka, you are no stranger for long. Either you learn to blend in with its inhabitants or you feed them. I will take you on a tour of the swamp deer's run. It is a long meandering path that runs the length of the swamp in this area. It goes by many regions and if we walk the whole thing, it will put us back at Ozantha's home before nightfall which will give me time to help her ready for the trading in the morning. If that is suitable, it might be the best option for introducing you to that which I imagine you've come a long way to see. And that would also put us back here tomorrow morning at sunrise." Haeli said thoughtfully. Ialari, in her own way, had already begun to fulfill her part of the bargain in offering to let her get a closer look at her arm and having said something of the nature of her people. "But your skirt is very fine... perhaps too fine for the swamps. There will be mud and water we must wade through. Not deeply, but at least to our knees. Often people wear sturdy pants, though I am not at all aware of your people's customs in such times." Haeli said, giving the Isur plenty of warning to change out of her finery or risk it. For all Haeli knew the silk was bespelled for mud not to cling too it.

When Ialari had decided on what to wear and changed - if she indeed opted too at all - Haeli would set off, but not before first cutting Ialari a walking stick to match her own from the small hatchet she carried on her belt.

"When you are among the wilds, its best to have a staff of some sort. There are places here you need to test each step before you take it because sometimes the mud feeds on the living more frequently than the crocodiles do. It's also good for testing waters before you step into them. Some waterways have sandy bottoms or rock beneath, but others have bogs that once you step in you will never get out of." The girl said softly, then after making sure the walking stick which was about Ialari's height and carved from a sapling into a smooth easy-to-grip walking aid. Haeli had her own, handmade of course, and set out side by side with Ialari to the south.

"We'll start south and circle around". She said, stepping onto what appeared to be a pathway leading away from the beach. Where there were wet spots on the pathway, hoof prints of small deer could be seen hardening in the mud. Grass on either side of the pathway was tall, often encroaching on it, but Haeli moved through the obstacles without seemingly letting anything touch her she didn't want too. "Everything can be deadly here. Leaves can hold spiders with incredibly poisonous bites. Branches you think have fallen and are lying in the sun can turn out to be deadly snakes. So you must be aware of all times where you put your feet and how you move your body. Walking through this place without disturbing it is always the best course. So we do not hurry, but instead pass through as if we were just guests and only living on the good graces of our benefactor - the swamp itself." She explained, as she carefully followed the deer trail. It was obviously some sort of superhighway through the underbrush. As she walked, Haeli pointed out some of the native plants and what they were good for. There was also on occasional spider or snake the girl pointed out in a casual manner. Some of them she named as if they were individuals that she recognized. Others were simply noted by type. They passed from a coastal grasslands into wetter and wetter land that definitely took on a more swamp-like appearance. As they walked, Ialari would feel like she was getting an 'anatomy of a swamp' lesson as Haeli talked.

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari took on a rather confused look when Haeli didn't accept her hand. The young girl simply looked at the isur's arm as if studying it. Ialari had assumed that everyone knew of the universal sign of deal-making but second-guessed the assumption at that moment. The young girl lived in a swamp thus it was conceivable that she had never experienced such a gesture. With a soft sigh, Ialari looked at her hand then to Haeli. It was a discussion better approached later. Instead she offered a confident smile and listened as Haeli spoke of the swamp.

She nodded her approval of taking the deer run to Ozantha's home. While Ialari didn't care much for trade with the sailors; wanting to be rid of them instead, she would trust her patience to prevail. She hadn't considered the type of clothing needed for traversing the swamp as she had never been in one in the flesh. Her vanity was such that she wouldn't needlessly ruin a good skirt so she considered Haeli's suggestion. Already the heat was unseasonable warm for the isur who was used to the cool, crisp air of her mountain kingdom. "You may be right about the clothes." With that she took hold of her chest wrap and skirt and pulled them free with the slightest of motions. Without modesty and completely nude save for a pair of high black boots, Ialari set to stashing her slight clothing into her pack while taking from it a pair of loose fitting trousers. She pulled them on, picked up her pack and slung it over her shoulder. Bare from the waist up, Ialari indicated she was ready to move showing no signs of modesty or concern for the sailors standing not all that far away. Haeli could clearly see from the dripping sweat and none-too-tan skin tone that Ialari was not used to being in direct sunlight or in the presence of swamp-like temperatures.

Ialari accepted the walking stick that Haeli prepared for her. At the mention of crocadiles however, Ialari grew noticeable excited. She had heard of such creatures but never seen one in person.

When Ialari had decided on what to wear and changed - if she indeed opted too at all - Haeli would set off, but not before first cutting Ialari a walking stick to match her own from the small hatchet she carried on her belt. Grinning, Ialari asked, "You mentioned crocodiles. If possible I'd appreciate more than words can express, you showing me one." Regardless of Haeli's response to such a request, she followed the young girl tot he south while listening to any instructions offered. Ialari was well aware of her position as being a strange person in a strange land and realizing such a thing was key to survival in any similar situation.

As they made their way, Ialari noted the deer prints in the mud and followed Haeli's steps as if she were the girl's reflection. If not for her disciplined training in patience, Ialari would have lost herself to the excitement of hearing about the spiders she imagined living in the swamp. When Haeli mentioned snakes, Ialari let out a noticeable sigh of contentment. As strange and wondrous, not to mention dangerous, the land around her was, at the mention of snakes, Ialari felt no small amount of satisfaction. For her, snakes were a part of life; they were family, friends and a symbol of everything she looked for in herself. Patience, cunning, precision, all were elements of the serpent.

As they progressed along the trail, Ialari was made more aware of her environment by Haeli's instruction. She looked at every branch, every tree limb in hopes of seeing a snake. Every warning that Haeli gave was an invitation for Ialari to seek out the source. As interested as she was in the wildlife, Ialari was also amazed at the wealth and diversity of plants and their uses. The girl was growing on Ialari. For a creature barely comparable in age to an isurian toddler, Haeli was impressing Ialari with each step along the deer path. At the occasional spider, Ialari slowed and took great pains to observe them from as close a distance as she could without disturbing them or endangering herself. When they came upon their first snake, Ialari stopped moving altogether. She stared at it, a creature of moderate size curling around a tree limb. It was a constrictor and as far as Ialari was concerned, a friend. If watching close enough, Haeli would notice Ialari's movements resembled that of a snake as it tasted the air and observed its surroundings. The isur moved with such fluidity as she mimicked the snake's posture and actions that one would think she was a bit too familiar with snakes at some point in her life. Whispering, Ialari said more to the snake than anyone else, "A female, just fed, looking for a cool place to relax and digest..." Turning slowly to Haeli, "Haeli, you live in a place of such beauty. I almost envy you." Almost was the key to that statement as Ialari would never in a thousand lifetimes envy being a human. Her envy was solely directed toward the swamp. As hot and stifling as it was, the swamp held such wonders that were only being brushed by the brief introduction Haeli was giving.

The further they delved into the swamp however, the more disgust began to settle in for Ialari. The heat and moisture were making it difficult for her to breath. Despite her intense physical conditioning, she was caught unprepared for such a change in climate. Thus she found herself slowing and eventually stopping more often than not to recover. Not one to complain however, she continued the trek forth. At one particular moment taken to catch her breath and take a drink of fresh water, Ialari asked, "Haeli, how did you come to live here? As amazing as this place is, it isn't exactly friendly toward children." The deeper they went, the more she couldn't help but wonder how Haeli was able to survive in such a place.

[Haeli]

Haeli warmed to Ialari's presence as well. There was a companionable silence with the Isur that didn't warrant Haeli filling the world with empty words just to drive away the silence. She also watched the other woman move, interact, and most of all studied her confidence. Striding along through the swamp with Ialari was like walking in the shadow of a woman who cast the type of shadow history was going to talk about long after the shadow had passed. Haeli wondered how Ialari felt about Caiyha, and if Caiyha would approve of her forming a friendship with the strange woman. Ialari had a strength about her that Haeli had never seen in a human woman or even in Ozantha's mannerism. Ozantha was a Dhani who was disgraced, one that had fled her home to avoid her controversial thoughts on Siku. So she was cautious, nervous, and always on the lookout. Ialari seemed... well not to be worried.

So Haeli showed her things that the girl thought the Isur would be interested in, and eventually they came across a rather large riverway that snaked through the swamp and Haeli diverted to traverse its bank for a time. Soon, they came across a mound of vegetation that seemed to be moving of its own accord. "This is Kakkkak's nest. It looks like we are just in time." The girl said. And then, as if she had some sort of Divination skill, baby crocodiles began to spill out awkwardly. There were at least a hundred of them. Haeli gently picked one up and handed it to Ialari. "If you want to see the mother, just wait until the hatchling starts crying. They bark almost, and it summons the mother. It's a distress call." Haeli said, well aware that they were in a danger zone standing so close to the hatching nest - one the mother guarded openly. She was most likely out feeding, but would be back before too long.

Haeli waited, letting Ialari look her fill and study the hatching all she wanted. She hadn't answered Ialari's question right away because she wasn't sure really how too. "I wasn't born here. But I was a baby when I came here. The sea tossed me up onto the land along with alot of other wreckage from a ship that ran aground. There was a bad storm the previous night, so Ozantha came to the coast to look for flotsam and found me. I was still alive and so she raised me here. I don't know who I am or where I am from, nor who my parents are. Ozantha is all I know. She says the present is more important than the past and that family means nothing. I don't know about that though. I would like to know where I came from." Haeli said softly, looking thoughtful.

[Ialari Pythone]

When the pair came to the moving mound of vegetation, Ialari grinned as the horde of baby crocodiles spilled forth. The scaled, bumbling, bodies cascaded forth with a grace that few would appreciate. When Haeli picked up one and handed it to Ialari, the isur felt like a little girl again. She held the creature in both hands; peering closely at its tiny form. She marveled at the smooth, leathery feel of its hide and the piercing beauty of its tooth-filled maw. Curious, she placed a metallic black finger in reach of its jaws. As she expected, the reptile snapped its tiny, razor-sharp teeth against the smooth stone appendage. If only the creature was poisonous Ialari mused as she observed the delicate nuances of the baby croc's form. Though not as refined as a serpent, the crocodile possessed its own unique and rather useful properties.

After many moments of examination, Ialari released the baby crocodile. It was then that she turned her attention back to Haeli as the young girl spoke of how she came to be in the swamp. The mention of the figure called, Ozantha continued to interest Ialari. Whoever this person was, they sounded rather knowledgeable about things that Ialari considered very important. There was something about Haeli's story that Ialari found difficult to comprehend.

"Haeli, you seem much more...informed, than most humans I have met. The things you have shown me so far, the things you speak of, it's unlike anything I have seen or heard in regard to humans. You seem at home with the swamp as opposed to trying to conquer it. Ozantha, I can't wait to meet her." Ialari tasted the air with a deep breath; it was wet, slimy and thick.

Ialari paused a moment in thought before continuing, "It isn't unnatural to want to know of the past. Your heritage; who you are, where you come from and where you've been are all important in determining who you are and what you strive to be. My people value our past for it teaches us what direction is best for our survival."

Ialari turned her gaze for a moment to crocodiles and then to the swamp around her. Uncomfortable as it was, the swamp held a quality that Ialari admired; a mysterious quality that tickled her like a bath in a hot spring after a 20-mile jog.