PM to join Lovely Ladies [Ivandra, Isalie, Isolde Seibold]

[Ivandra]

The Kelvic's mind whirled as she listened in to the conversation between the man and the woman who had originally approached him, the Nuit. If you wish to learn it will cost you. Mistakes I shall not be responsible of, though I may promise if you find yourself at the end through some ill-fated state... I shall bury you and bury you well. A chill ran through her spine at those words; they were so ominous, almost foreshadowing death. She gritted her teeth. If it came to be it, she would never allow this man -- beggar, or whoever he was -- take the life of the Nuit. She was a healer, given the powers of the goddess Rak'keli, and she would prevent it from happening. Her sacred oath to the goddess binded her, preventing her from turning her back on anyone in need. Even if it meant having the man snarl at her, or even turn his massive flood of rats on her, she would do everything in her power to prevent it. Already she was taking a dislike for him. Because he hadn't acknowledged her, simply walked on with the first woman, she had, after a while, assumed that he hadn't noticed her at all. It was a wild thought, but maybe she had gotten away with eavesdropping. Just as Ivandra was dwelling on the idea, the man turned towards her. She immediately froze, muscles naturally tensing up. Would he snarl at her? Growl at her, as he had to the other woman when she'd first asked him about lessons? She stared at him straight in the eyes, preparing herself for the angry torrent of words sure to come. But to her surprise, there was none of that. Rather, as she listened to him speak, was he offering her the lessons too? She paused for a moment, considering her response. She still had not gotten a direct response from either the man or woman on what the lessons were on. But even though she'd found it hard to believe in the beginning that a mere beggar would have anything to teach that was worth her time, she was having her doubts now. Whatever his element was, it was probably dangerous, yet full of power. Her eyes flickered to the woman standing beside him, who had stuttered as she spoke to him. Her mind replayed the way he spoke, full of authority yet in a certain style that would suggest that he was a learned and accomplished man. He'd mentioned learning 'the way a plant binds a man's life'. Perhaps that could mean herbalism? Or -- a sudden thought hit her again, this one seeming more likely -- the art of poison? She didn't feel like asking, after watching the way he spoke to Isolde. I can spare myself that nasty talk, Ivandra thought to herself. But either of those options seemed like the only subjects she could think up of from the conversation that had ensued. And if she was going to be honest, either one of those arts would be useful. Even though she had the natural ability to heal without the use of herbs, knowledge of herbs could still come in handy at times. As for poison, it would be nice if she could understand the way poison worked. She would never have to use it herself, but it would help her in her healing. Perhaps it would teach her how to recognize poison when she saw it. So with a glance up at Ninus, she nodded. "I do," she responded curtly, dipping her head. "Thank you very much for that offer." She watched him then as he turned towards the third woman she'd made eye contact with back on the open street. He had turned on her, full force, for harming his rats. She watched with an expressionless face, remaining where she was. So engrossed was she in the conversation then that she hardly noticed when the first woman turned to her. H-Hey... I--I don't really know-- are you planning to be a, uh... student? B-But I-I'm Isolde, by any means. She glanced up at the woman then, giving her a tentative smile. "Hey, Isolde," she responded. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Ivandra." It was nice to know her name; that way, she would have a name to refer to in the future without having to think of her as 'the woman who first talked to him'. At her question about being a student, Ivandra shot a quick glance at Ninus to make sure he wasn't paying attention before turning back to Isolde. "What are the lessons? What does he teach?" she whispered.

[Hope Dawnwhisper]

Continuing along, the young girl continues to part the sea of vermin with her feet. having had them crawl over her when she was trying to sleep, effectively waking her up, the sensation of their coarse fur against her lower legs and feet didn't bother her. to the contrary, she was slightly amused by their antics, and desperate scramblings over one another and they moved about the filthy floor. The idea of humans clambering over one another in the same way crossed the girl's mind. Se imagined the market place, people and their purchases acting like the rats they shared their homes with. It brought a smile to her lips to imagine those so well off degrading themselves.

At the sound of the man addressing her, Isalie cannot help but roll her eyes as the homeless man finally notices her and, apparently angry, advances on her. For the briefest of moments she wonders if she should just leave. She had a life to live... or at least a life that she wanted to keep going, and wasting her time down alleyways with this man was not going to find her any food. Except for the rats.

"I did not kick." She mutters indignantly, though slightly defensively. "[color=#8a5a5d]Id I'd have wanted to hurt your precious little vermin, I would have picked one up, snapped its neck and roasted it." normally, Isalie did everything in her power to avoid getting noticed by people, especially if the rapport was going to be a negative one. But here, her negative rapport was going to be against some homeless guy. She had debated about the man's true status for a while, but she could think of no one with any true worth or value who would care so much for the millions of rodents I the city. He must be a nothing, like her.

"Girl's gotta eat, you know. And I haven't today." The mention of a 'powerful enemy', however, stayed Isalie's tongue. The man could easily be lying, she knew, but there was a small chance he wasn't "Would it be more acceptable to you if I had oh so ignorantly stepped on the damned creatures?" She crosses her arms over her chest, "I think it more acceptable to kicked the poor bastards out of my way. I little nudge never hurt anyone, if it meant they could keep their lives."

To Isalie, her logic seemed flawless. Whilst she hated the memories the vile creatures brought to the front of her mind - memories that Isalie had buried deep in her psyche - she had no aversion to them for the same reasons common folk, or their betters, did. The runaway slave knew that, at one point in her life, she wasn't much better than the rodents, and now, she was probably lower than them. But she says nothing of this to the man or the two other girls present.

Glancing over to the women, she notices that they were no longer paying attention to the man, and, by extension, Isalie. The second having engaged the first in conversation, Isalie, sighs and turns back to look at the man. She shrugs. "My curiosity is one if my biggest flaws, and the one which will no doubt kill me." She says softly, though silently she wonders how she has made it this far.

Maybe there's hope for me yet. "I saw your odd little group forming in the market place and I felt compelled to find out more. More precisely, what a homeless man could possibly have to offer two women of the city that he could presume to expect money off of them." She smiles wryly, a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. Not that it mattered; the light was poor enough in the alleyway that the man might not notice. "But you gave the game away, good sir, in your panic over your
Little companions," Isalie motions to the floor, where the rats were still swarming about. "I wonder what possible interest two women could have in the knowledge of poisons."

Having lived in the lands surrounding Syliras for some time now, Isalie knew by sight which plants were deadly and which she could sustain herself on. She had never really had an interest in using that knowledge to advance herself, other than staying alive. But now she had the opportunity, she might as well look into it as long as she was allowed. "I thought poison was the coward's weapon."

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus stood up and looked down at Isalie. "See how not a tail has been crushed by thine feminine companions, not a foot or hide injured by footfalls? They are but used to the presence of man, and do not seek to find themselves injured by staying in your path. Close to your footfalls they run, but they are wise enough to heed the shadow falling over them and to shift themselves." he said, his voice cold. She was a willful little thing, and though she had no concept of manners or decorum he liked her fire. He wished she wouldn't be so rude to his little furred companions. "Mock the rats not, my lady. They are but lions without manes. Their claws may be little, their fangs small, but a tide of them can rise up and kill a man. Thousands of fangs become one, claws become daggers, and though one may scream and kill one, a hundred take his place. They are a phalanx, an army, and one that does not stop." he told her gravely. "They have fought on my behalf before, and will do so again if the need arises. Rats remember long the roasting fires where their mothers and sons turn on a spit. They remember their cries, screams for mercy as a cruel hand snapped such delicate bones. You'd do well to remember in Syliras...the rats outnumber the men. They have much more patience." He picked up the giant rat as she approached and let her settle across his shoulders, her nose twitching inquisitively after Isalie. "Mine furred companions and poison go hand in hand. Not the coward's weapon, as one is using the knight's thoughts of cowardice. Yet whom can fell the braying asses in tin armor, the steers who charge blindly at a red flag, without ever touching them? What can cause them to fear food and drink, to fear sleeping, to fear bathing? What can cause a man to go mad and claw out his own eyes, or burn to death as he lays in bed without so much as a spark? Nay, not sword or shield, but the plants of the earth and gifts of spider and snake. It is an enemy they cannot defend against, that no man can raise a shield to block or turn aside...and that is why they call it cowardice. But the mind will always triumph over the strength of the arm." Ninus said, his voice softening a little as the last of the rats ran out of the alleyway. "Poison is the weapon of the common woman who knows not dagger, lance or blade. It can grant revenge without one being in the city, nor even in the realm. One can rest in the arms of the dead, or can make a man weep at the sight of a street and know that he may never walk again. I shall prove to you, waif, of its strength." Ninus said. "Follow, gentle women, muses, fates. As one sight is shared between you, so one future shall you see." He turned and made his way to the front of the small street again. "Follow." he told the three women simply, leading them through twisting turns and paths of the narrow streets. Cricet nibbled his ear affectionately, pleased with his defense of her brethren. Traveller's Row was not far, and soon they entered into the small housing district the knights had set up for the poor. Ninus ascended to the stairs toward a small, humble doorway. A window was set into the wall, around the corner to the right of it.

[Isolde Seibold]

"Hey, Isolde. It's nice to meet you. I'm Ivandra. What are the lessons? What does he teach?"

The Nuit relaxed a bit when the woman readily gave her name, and even a smile. Isolde was just trying to summon one up in return --sometimes a difficulty for her-- when Ivandra started asking about the lessons, and the Nuit's brow furrowed. This woman had agreed to taking lessons from the man without knowing what they were? Well... some people were very curious, but the Nuit didn't want this woman to fall in with the 'wrong sort' if she didn't absolutely mean to. Like he had said, it would be dangerous to do this sort of thing, especially in a city like Syliras, crawling with Knights who wouldn't care to understand, who would just see a threat or a lawbreaker.

Isolde was somewhat frightened to admit the true nature of these lessons aloud, for exactly that reason... what if someone overheard and tattled to the Knights? But-- but Ivandra had the right to know now, before she became immersed in the deal and wasn't able to draw herself back out, if she should want. "W-Well, it's, it's um--" And then thankfully the Nuit's ears caught the words that the man was speaking to the third woman, and she nodded her head in his direction, looking a bit relieved. There. He was explaining it. That would mean she wouldn't have to. After the man had finished his spiel, Isolde nodded again, trying to judge Ivandra's reaction to what she would be learning-- or what she might chose not to learn. "Poisons," she repeated, voice lowered, then rolled her shoulders in a helpless shrug.

Before she could continue, the man seemed to change his attention to all three of them once more, and spoke. "Follow, gentle women, muses, fates. As one sight is shared between you, so one future shall you see."

So one future shall you see--? The Nuit couldn't help the shudder that scampered tingling up her spine, as if on little rat feet. This situation was obviously nerve-wracking for her, and she didn't know if she wanted to see the future that this man was offering. What if he hurt someone or something, just for show? To impress them, or bewilder them, or to demonstrate the true ability of his art? Isolde didn't know if she could stick around if they were going to be hurting people; no, she didn't think she could stomach that. But no, surely that wouldn't be what he was talking about. Wouldn't that-- er, draw attention to him? Yes, surely it would, and it was clear that he didn't want to be sticking out of the crowd. So probably they were going to just-- well, she didn't know, she didn't like all this mystery... it was making her feel like she wanted to pester the man, ask him questions-- she could be a bit of a nervous talker, despite her stutter, the words flowing out of her mouth without end, doubling back on each other, hardly getting to the point. No, she would keep her mouth shut, or risk blowing it all with her inability to keep quiet. The Nuit grasped her trembling hands together, trying to keep her fingers from twitching and shaking. She could do this-- she could do this-- she could do this-- and Ivandra and the other woman didn't seem nearly as nervous, so probably there was nothing to worry about, right?

There was not long to travel before the strange quartet found themselves at the Traveler's Row, and this must be where he lived, right? It made sense that he would live here-- and then it become obvious, once she caught a glimpse of the rats lounging and lazing on the windowsill. The heat of the day felt a tad warmer within the confines of the building, but Isolde didn't mind at all. The warmth actually helped settle her fraying nerves; heat always did that for her, reminded her of the people who had used to be able to calm her troubled heart and mind. She was able to better hold her tongue, and followed calmly, only once shooting Ivandra a worried look-- who the Nuit found she liked, for some odd reason. There was just something about the girl, her confidence, poise, or demeanor that was as soothing as the sunlight.

Isolde didn't know how to feel so far about the third woman --she was just so... feral seeming, that strange, hard look in her eye. She didn't even know her name --or the man's, for that matter-- and so the Nuit allowed herself one small question, thinking that it couldn't hurt to ask this one, directing it towards both of the two who were still unknown, trying to make this meeting easier for all of them. "C-Could we h-have something to call you? E-Either of you? I-I'm Isolde." She offered the last tentatively, and the question had been purposefully phrased in a way that would allow either of them to give false names, if they wanted to protect their identities. All this secretive stuff was going to Isolde's head. She didn't know how to behave. Should she have given her own name, or should she had made something up? Well, she supposed there had really been no choice for her-- a false name might have saved her from the Knights if anyone went to them about these forbidden lessons, but the Nuit couldn't lie to save her life. She would just have to hope that nothing would go wrong.

[Ivandra]

Poison. She was almost certain now. If the man was merely teaching herbalism, there was no reason why Isolde should act the way she did, so afraid to say the word. It all made sense if it was. It would explain the reason why the man had led them into a dark alleyway to tell them about it, why he'd scolded Isolde in such a manner for asking him out in the open. The Syliran knights were known to disapprove of such things, and they would be in more than just a little trouble if anyone else found out. She felt her pulse quicken with excitement at the thought of learning just a forbidden subject. Not that she had a drop of ill intention in her -- no, she would wield the knowledge in a manner that would assist her in her healing -- but she had to admit that they did hold a certain level of both usefulness and interest in her. Her thoughts were confirmed again as the Nuit nodded at the man, who was explaining it all to the last woman. She caught a last bit of their exchange of heated words before before she heard the answer. Poisons it was indeed. But as she watched the woman speak to the man in as equally heated a tone as he spoke to her, she couldn't help but feel a small tingle of admiration. Ivandra herself might have stood up for herself under the circumstances, but the way that this woman spoke was entirely different. She had a whole new type of aura about her, one that was confident and bold, unafraid. She leaned back after the short episode, nodding. "I see," she muttered. "I suppose you could say I expected as much." Just then, the man seemed to expand his attention once again to the three of them. Follow, gentle women, muses, fates. As one sight is shared between you, so one future shall you see. Again, the kind of language in which he spoke struck her. It was almost poetic, certainly not the common, straightforward way an uneducated beggar would have spoken. She gazed at him for a moment with a curious expression before shaking her head and following him down to a small house with the two other women. As she walked behind him, she once again noticed with disgust how the oversized rat seemed to have a permanent spot on his shoulder, even nibbling affectionately on his ear. And once she entered the hut, practically the first thing she noticed was the mounds of pregnant female rats resting all over the place. The place was practically a rat breeding ground. This time Ivandra couldn't help but allow a shudder to run through her. "What's with you and rats? What is it about them that you find so fascinating?"

[Hope Dawnwhisper]

Fighting back the urge not to scoff at the man, Isalie nods seriously, though a smile plays at the corners of hr lips. For the first time in a very long time, the ex slave felt something other than fear towards another human being. And it felt good.

Of course she knew how dangerous rats and other vermin could be; having watched the creatures swarm fallen men in the slums of cities. People with no family to speak of, or no one who cared two wits about them, ending up as fodder to the ever growing population of rodents. It was the one thing that had always spurred the girl on: the desperate desire not to end up like those poor people. No, she'd always respect the rats; on the ends, they would always win.

The man begins to walk away from her before she can respond to him, though. "The weapon of cowards... the weapon of women." She mutters after him, having never denied its potency, she was slightly irritated with his assumption that she was ignorant about this. It was a fair assumption, she supposed. Isalie had never received an education of any form. "And it's a free weapon." She continues. Some plants were hard to find growing in the wilds, and had to be specially grown, which weren't free. But, for the most part, Isalie could cause some damage with what she found growing in woods.

One of the women, Isolde, she said her name was, then asked her and the man for their own names. Turning, Isalie frowns. Up until now, she had gotten away with never being asked that, so people only knew her by look, not by name. And they were few and far between, the girl having kept her distance from most people anyway. Here though, the man had yet to kick her out of the alley, or forbid her from following and, spas he continues back on his way to... wherever he was leading them, Isalie supposed that she had gone this far, she might as well continue.

For a few moments, she considers lying to them all. The chances of her ever seeing them again were slim, if she had any luck by her side. A false name would mean that she could disappear much more easily after she had satiated her curiosity as to this venture, and this very unusual group. But she decides against it. She was many things, but she wasn't a liar. "Isalie." She says simply, glad that she had no real surname to offer them.

She blinks at the one she didn't yet know the name of - maybe the two women had shared their names earlier I'm their introductions, but Isalie hadn't been paying attention - the woman asks the man about his obsession with rats. She supposed it was a valid question, but not one Isalie would ever ask, out of all the interesting quirks the man had, having a rat companion, or caring about his kin, was not the strangest. The girl was, however, curious about how he could hope to sustain these creatures and himself, living on nothing like he apparently did. Isalie could barely feed herself, and her horse was wasting away before her eyes. How the man could keep rats was beyond her.

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus looked at the three. A Nuit, a beggar, and a healer. It was a very interesting combination of students...all female, all with the letter I beginning their names. Isolde, Ivandra and Isalie. He chuckled. "The name I was given is Ninus Aurellius." he said as he unlocked his home. "My dear fate, it is not a fascination but an ancient debt longer than the sun's rays. I repay it in but candlemarks, and surely the rest of my days go to protecting their innocent and noble hides." he told Ivandra, stepping inside of his home and holding the door open for the ladies. The one-room apartment was odd indeed. There was a small collection of cupboards next to a tiny cooking hearth that could loosely be termed a kitchen. A large bed sat against the left wall. There were planters. Thirty of them holding all types of spores, molds, and fungus. A few plants were recognizeable as nightshade and other herbs, and a small fruit tree in the corner seemed very out of place with its merry blooms. A work table rested underneath the window, where Ninus' poison kit lay. A large brass syringe was resting on the wood, along with dried specimens of many of the fungi. "Sit, please, and we shall discuss what you wish to learn." Ninus said, shooing a few of the sleeping rats off of the bed.

[Isolde Seibold]

It was strange. Perhaps the Nuit was letting her guard down too soon, she prayed not-- but the more this Ninus Aurellius let the three women into his life, the more at ease she felt. Sure, his room was full of rats, rats everywhere-- rats sleeping, mainly, some of them looking with interest at the group, pregnant rats and rat mothers, and the gigantic rat on his shoulder-- but it was obvious from the look he gave them that he was fond of them, and she could not blame him because that was most certainly not a crime. Most people didn't like rats... but then, most people didn't like Nuits, and this man had not shown any indication that he hated her simply for what she was... and in his own way, he had been kind. Perhaps he had startled her, frightened her initially with his scolding... but ever since he had been nothing but courteous, in his own way.

Bringing the three women here to his home meant giving them a bit of trust --either that, or he knew something they didn't-- and so the Nuit was willing to part with a bit of trust of her own... so she swallowed hard and walked into the room, though she didn't take a seat immediately, as he said. Was she supposed to sit on the bed--? Isolde looked around for a chair or two, and thought she saw one... but then, she shouldn't just assume she should snatch it up for herself. No, better take a place on the bed and let someone else have the mercy of the chair-- perhaps the girl with the strange blue eyes, Isalie, who didn't seem to like the rats very much at all. The Nuit wouldn't want her riling up the creatures and making them angry, not with so many in such a small space... and she didn't want her riling up Ninus, either. So, after a short hesitation, the Nuit eased herself to sit at the edge of the bed, ignoring the many black, glittering eyes that peered sleepily, curiously up at her.

The way he spoke of them made Isolde wonder many things-- he had said he had owed the rats something, so what had they done for him, how was it that he came to be so attached to them, what strange stories might he be able to tell about his life, any why had he called his debt to them ancient... but she kept the questions hidden under her tongue, and said not a word about it, not wanting to press. Really, it was none of her business. Instead, she looked with something akin to fascination at all the planters lining the walls, eyes drinking in the sight, thinking of her own home. Would she need to set something up like this? It wouldn't be a problem --well, finding the money for it might be-- but space was definitely not an issue. Her own "home" was not large at all, a simple room and without even a window... but the space was completely unutilized, the small hearth really the only thing ever used... she would definitely have room to set things up, if it wasn't too costly, and if it was necessary for her lessons.

Let others ask questions if they wanted. For now, Isolde would bide her time, and let Ninus --her new teacher?-- start things up.

[Ivandra]

Ivandra stared at the man, trying to set the name to his face. Ninus Aurellius. It was a strange name, with a certain twist to it she couldn't quite place. She had hoped to clean some information on which race he was from, as names sometimes gave the answer away, but apparently not. It wasn't like the answer was all that important to her, however, so she didn't voice it either. And after he turned back and answered her question, she merely nodded, trying to make it appear as if it all made sense to her when it didn't. Some innocent and noble and hide. Yeah sure. Rats' hides were totally innocent and noble. But she pushed the thought of those rats out of her mind as he opened the door for them. There was no point in continuing to ponder over his idiosyncrasy of tending to these rats. Ninus obviously hadn't seen some of the wounds and disease inflicted by those creatures that she had. She stepped into the apartment, glancing warily at her surroundings. It appeared to be the standard Syliras apartment -- a small cooking area with a bed -- except for the rows of planters. They held assortments of fungus and molds. Poisons. Her eyes fixed on them for a moment, taking in their appearance for future reference. If all this turned out to be a trick, at least she would have a mental image of the general look of these poisons. It was quite a simple room. Her eyebrows raised at the sight of the rats lined up in the sheets but she didn't say anything. It was futile to, after all. It wasn't like Ninus would change anything. "Ahem," she coughed. "I honestly think I'm good. I'll just stand, no worries." She didn't trust the bed. Who knew what kind of germs were on there?

[Hope Dawnwhisper]

Apparently still accepted, despite her words, Isalie trails after the other two girls and the man, who had shared an identity of Ninus. Whether it was a real one or not, Isalie didn't care. For all the three of them knew, Isalie was using a pseudonym. Maybe she had dressed up too, acting the part of the beggar, which was becoming more and more likely that the man had done. At least to some extent.

After a few more chimes, they finally reach what appears to be Ninus' home - and a strange home it is. The last to enter, Isalie sees that the first woman, Isolde or something, had already perched herself on the filthy, rat infested bed. The sight didn't surprise her in the slightest; the strange, not quite human creature seemed the most at ease out of the three 'students', and she had been the first to approach the man. The female's very aura gave the impression that she threw herself into any given situation; a trait that the homeless girl was beginning to admire.

As she looks around the small abode, the other speaks, stating she'd rather remain standing. The new teacher had apparently offered his guests a seat. Isalie could understand Ivandra's reasoning: looking around, the place was in worse condition than anything Isalie had ever experienced. The part of her that was prone to servitude itched to clean up the filth and mess that Ninus lived in. Maybe she could return in secret and clean it up a little. Or maybe he would accept that as payment. She was loathe to give up the few precious mizas she had for this, and would avoid it if she could find some way out of that form of payment. Not that she would disturb the rats in her cleaning, she doubted this was even sanitary enough for the man's rodent companions.

It's amazing anything can survive in these dismal conditions, to be honest... she wonders. Granted, she could see fungi thriving, though she didn't know much about the substance, other than which wouldn't kill her or make her sick if she ate them. The plants though, she was astonished to find so many in the beggar man's home, and even more amazed to see that they were living.

"Thank you," she murmurs softly in reply to the host's offering of a seat. Though she does not head over to the bed. Having spent her entire life, as much as she could remember of it, at least, without any comforts, Isalie would now never grow used to such things. She was a girl of necessities, and even those were hard to come by ofttimes.

Instead, Isalie heads over to the corner where, to her surprise, she finds a pile of rags with expectant and recent mothers. Crouching down, she gingerly nudges the rags over slightly - careful to be gentle, lest she incur the man's further wrath other the pathetic vermin, not that she wanted to harm the newborn creatures at all anyway - before turning awkwardly and settling herself down to sit on the floor, her back up against the wall. Once comfortable she glances between the other two. They were, after all, the ones who had sought the man out for lessons, Isalie had just tagged along out of curiosity. She hadn't given the man's offer any thought up until now.

OOCShe's a bit dramatic and OCD when it comes to cleanliness...