PM to join Hard Work, Good Stories [Nazim's Folly]

[Lumara]

Coming before Nazim once again, they had a short exchange in Shiber. Her chores for the day were thankfully over. And food would be served shortly. Rather she would make and serve it soon. The sun was quietly setting at her back as she knelt in front of Nazim on his bed of fine cushions. Nazim grumbled in words too quick for her to grasp. But she heard enough to understand his doubted that the native would be coming back. Although she had doubts she agreed with him politely and left to prepare the meal. Sewati was a creature of the desert, his gods would protect him if not his skills. She even watched for him while getting water from the well in the center of the Folly. It had a clear vantage of the western dunes, where he had gone. No shadows appeared over the horizon but still she kept faith.

[Sewati]

Sewati watched as a lean Petiwa came slinking out of the scrubs cautiously. Its dark long legs and sky blue back helping it blend in to its surrounding almost seamlessly. Not much meat, Seawti thought to himself, but its coat was in good condition, that should make it ideal as a pelt. As the dog-like creature neared the spring it sniffed at the air tentatively, before lowering its head to drink. Sewati brought his bow up, pulling the arrow back and breathing in steadily. The sweat from his brow was stinging his eyes, but his arms held the bow firmly. He loosed the arrow and it flew straight and true, the only sound being the string of his bow as it hummed quietly. But Sewati swore under his breath as the arrow lost itself in the scrubs next to his prey. Rather than run, the Petiwa spun around with a snarling yelp, its attention focused on the vegitation were the arrow was buried deep. Instead of panic, Sewati took the time to string another arrow, taking a breath and loosing it once more. This time the arrow hit its target, causing the Petiwa to spin around in shock, its body flopping on and off the ground. Sewati rose to his feet, striking the beast with another arrow that dropped it to the floor. As he got close, Sewati could see the fear in its eyes. But the eyes went dead as he brought out his knife and ended the Petiwa's struggles with a swift thrust. He always felt some remorse at seeing a living creature become cold and lifeless, but he knew that death was a part of nature, something that everything living was accountable to. After collecting his arrows, checking the integrity of the shafts before placing them in his quiver, he lifted the Petiwa and hoisted it over his shoulder. Its body was hot against the skin of his neck as small dribbles of blood trickled over the back of his tunic. With that he collected his bearings and made his way back to Nazim's Folly. The beast over his shoulder was heavier than it had looked, but Sewati's strong arms kept it firmly in place. As he walked across the burning sands, he hoped that Lumara and Nazim would be impressed with what he brought them.

[Lumara]

Sweat having soaked through every layer of clothing she had. Lumara dropped her blue flowing robe and various shawls and headdress. The beads and small metal disks embroidered into the cloth clinked softly as they balled around her feet. Before she began cooking she demanded privacy of Nazim. Respectful of her wishes he didn't bother her or set foot in the kitchen. She hoped she wasn't just being paranoid. Nazim was an intelligent man with sharp eyes. Surely he could see through the disguise. But if he knew he didn't mention it. Perhaps he was trustworthy. Even so, she must be careful. Nothing good came from another knowing her race. Down to a white knee-legnth shift and tightly braided hair. The would be Benshira went to work. The eggplants she began boiling earlier that day was starting to crack and split. The small room was saturated with steam. The thick air made breathing difficult but she kept on. peel, smash, splash, squeeze, sprinkle. Soon the eggplant paste was done. Baba Geesh, she remembered having it in the little villages and huts lining the road to Yahebah. The disks of fried dough came next. crackling in the pan as they browned. Lumara ground mustard seeds and chickpeas. Smashed garlic and squeezed lemon and sprinkled salts. All the while her mouth flooding and her stomach snapping out in protest. She hadn't eaten since the night before and it was pure agony. Nothing had ever been so tempting as the medallions of breaded chicken as it lightly crisped. She reasoned her way into sneaking a hunk of chicken and bread. If she was this hungry she wouldn't be able to compose herself and be a proper host. Eating was the only way to ensure she could keep her cool while eating in front of guests. She continued to nod her head and mutter these silent agreements as she hunched over the meal. burning her fingers and mouth as she inhaled quickly. As she emerged from the kitchen with bowls and plates of food in each hand. she was again dressed in her sapphire blue robes and head veil. Absolutely composed and graceful.

[Sewati]

The beast's body was getting heavy over his shoulder and the smell of it was his filling his nose. So he was relieved to finally see the Folly appear in the distance. Even shielding his eyes from the burning sun made it hard to see if Nazim and Lumara were under the awning, but he raised his hand in greeting just in case. As he got close he picked a patch of hard, dried ground and placed the dead Petiwa upon a part that had a slope to it. Pulling out his small hunting knife, he split apart the animal's hide from tail to throat. The cut was shallow, just enough to slice through the skin but no further, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. He then removed the scent glands with swift slices of his knife. The heat made the smell of the blood more pungent, a familiar scent to Sewati, but still not a pleasant one. Using his knife, he began peeling back the hide around the chest area, doing his best not to cut in to the body cavity. He then cut at the ribs with the knife, causing them to crack from the sternum. Proceding to remove the internal organs, he took care not to damage them with the knife, but took even more care not to rupture the intestines or bladder. He had placed some of the organs to one side, such as the heart and the liver, they could make good eating in the hands of a good cook. Lifting the carcass up with his hands, he allowed the blood to drain from its body, waiting patiently until the flow became a drip. His knife was then back to being busy once more, slicing at the animal's skin, peeling it back further and further and separating the membrane. Cutting off at the paws and up the inside of the legs. Eventually he had removed the entire hide. The edges were ragged and uneven, but mostly intact and free of any meat. There were others who were much better at skinning than himself, but he had been hunting long enough to know the basics. His hands were covered in blood and other fluids, so he wiped them on his leggings, leaving a smear, before moving on to work on the meat. He unsheathed his kopis, testing the weight in his hands. The blade was well suited for cutting through meat and bone, making short work of hacking through the Petiwa's carcass. He had separated most of the limbs in to different cuts. Much like the hide they were ragged and uneven, but they would be simple enough to cook. There was an unmistakable odour clinging to Sewati now and sweat was dripping from his brow, but he had finished. He wrapped the cuts of meat and useful organs up in the hide and carried the bundle to the awning. He laid them out side like an offering and waited anxiously, rubbing one of his arms nervously.

[Lumara]

The dishes were carefully laid out along the table. Bathing the cramped room in steam and the heavy aroma of cooked vegetables and breaded chicken. When she heard the noise outside. Sewati was disemboweling his hunt near the awning of the hut. Blood and grim covered him from hands to forearms. The stench of cold carcass instantly withered her appetite. Glad she ate beforehand Lumara greeted him warmly and without hesitation. "I see Eywaat has blessed you with a fine kill." She had pestered Nazim to tell her a little about the Chaktawe and their customs before Sewati had come back. He just repeated Eywaat a few times and made the gesture for prayer. It was an ignorant stretch but effort nonetheless. "You've arrived exactly on time. The food is ready. So when you're done please join us. I'll go get some water for you to wash up." Hurrying off to the well, Lumara was glad for the veil. She hadn't seen a pile of organs in a while and forgot how lovely it all smelt. A bucket of cold water, bit of soap and wash clothe was quietly left for Sewati as he cut and tore. There was a reason she worked with steel and not meat. Steel clanged angrily, while meat and hide softly ripped.

[Sewati]

Sewati had not even noticed Lumara approach, he was too busy and engrossed in his work. But he did notice the water, soap and clothe that had been left nearby. Looking down at his arms and hands he could see why the water was left there. Pulling his animal hide tunic over his head, he knelt down next to the water and used it to wipe some of the sweat from his face. It was good to feel the fresh air against his skin, even under the hot Eyktol sun. After that he scrubbed at the tunic with the soap, doing his best to remove the blood and gore. When his arms and hands were clean as well, he pulled the tunic back over his head once more and wiped away any of the remaining water with the clothe. He was not sure what to do with his bounty of meat and hide, whether or not he should offer to treat it. So he decided to just leave it where it was and made his way to where Nazim sat. As far as Sewati could tell the man had not moved from the spot he occupied since he had left on his hunt. Lumara was still to return and Sewati did not know a single word he could say to Nazim. So instead he just pointed out the remains of the Petiwa. This caused a babble of words from Nazim, none of which Sewati could follow, so instead he just nodded in reply as he sat down and looked away awkwardly with a frown on his face. He could see that there was already some food laid out. Waiting nervously for Lumara's return, he wrung his large hands nervously and fixed his gaze at the horizon he could just about see from under the edge of the awning. To his relief Lumara soon arrived with more bowls of food bearing strong, rich aromas. They made his mouth water and he smiled at her in greeting.

[Lumara]

Sewati, Nazim and Lumara sat on soft cushions around the table. Each with their own wooden plates of steaming food. The sun had set, small candles littered the room along with a fire pit on the opposite side of the door. Nazim took care of the fire with nimble hands. Lumara was surprised to see him do anything but sit underneath the tarps outside. She assumed he could walk, but not much more than that at his age. Conversation was slim, but there was nothing awkward about it. Acceptable, necessary almost. As if the three of them agreed to soak in each others presence before any words were exchanged. That and they hardly spoke each others language. Nazim especially was limited. But she could see silence suited him, observation played in his favor. She couldn't tell what Sewati was about yet. Whether he wasn't talkative or just shy. What he thought about her. If he suspected anything. If he could be trusted with the truth. "Do you have any siblings Sewati?" Lumara was tired of silence. It always unnerved her. O'scurta was always silent. Constantly observing and judging, weighing the words of everyone around her. Not an ounce of joy in her cold voice.

[Sewati]

Sewati could taste the garlic and the lemon dancing across his tongue. The breaded chicken and browned dough was filling and Sewati swallowed and chewed eagerly at his food. His stomach accepted the food happily. He was used to cooking just for himself, functional food, but nothing exciting. He still felt uneasy in the presence of these strangers, he had never spent this much time around those he did not know or understand. Most of all he was unhappy with himself for not keeping track of the sun, staying away from the safety of the tribe when darkness came was a good way to die in the desert. But he was confident he would be safe at Nazim's Folly, Nazim was well known for his reverent spirit, for an outsider. And despite his unease, something about Lumara made him feel less uncomfortable and on edge. He decided he could trust her, for the kindness she showed him. He opened his mouth a few times at her question before he replied, 'this is,' he paused for a moment looking for his next words of common, 'good food, you have my thanks.' He coughed slightly before he continued, 'my.. mother's children were taken by spirits before they were born. I am only child of my family.' The darkness surrounding his mothers miscarriages had always been a sensitive subject for him and his family, so he quickly tried to move the subject on. 'does Lumara Kasanataj have sisters or brothers? A family back at her home?

[Lumara]

"My deepest apologies, I had no idea." Fool. Who asks about family this early on?! Maybe I should ask him how they died, wouldn't that be pleasant. "I'm sorry for your loss." She kept her eyes firmly on her plate until he spoke again. "Two sisters, twins actually. Far younger than me, they live with my mother back on Mura. My father never had any other children besides myself." She smiled fully, trying to fan away the thick smoke of past tragedy that threatened to choke her and sour the evening. A mostly wasted gesture while her veil covered everything but her eyes. "You're a very fine hunter by the way, I couldn't help but notice how clean the kill was. That pelt will fetch a fair price I'm sure." She nodded towards Nazim as she spoke, which made him perk up. "That is if he isn't in a sour mood." She added with a giggle. Lumara ate sparingly as she exchanged pleasantries back and forth with Sewati. Eating was always a problem when playing the Benshira. Do you risk lifting your hood and veil and flashing a bit of pale skin? Or look like an imbecile as you shovel food from below? She often chose to be the cow at the trough, but not today. Sewati had a honest face. Something a Konti never misjudged. Although, Lumara was a horrible Konti so it wasn't done without a healthy helping of doubt. "Much better." She smiled, unclipping the clothe and keeping an eye on Sewati's reaction. Readying an answer to the question he was bound to ask. My father was light skinned. I'm a witch, but not the bad sort, the kind that cures warts. OOCJust to move things along I hopped around with the conversation. Feel free to respond however you like. But let me know if you're not comfortable with it <3

[Sewati]

Sewati was grateful when Lumara moved the conversation on, although he was unsure where Mura was. He was only aware of the Benshira having one settlement, but perhaps they lived in this Mura as well. Her sisters sharing a different father confused him, but other people's ways had always seemed strange to him and thought nothing more of it. He nodded and grinned in reply to Lumara's flattery and her giggling, glancing towards Nazim as he perked up. The stout man got to his feet and wandered to where Sewati had left the meat and hides, collecting them and meandering to one of the squat buildings nearby. Surprise edged its way through Sewati as he found himself enjoying his conversation with Lumara. He told her about his mother's love of breeding horses and her skill in raising them. As well as showing her the bow his father had given him, pointing out the locks of hair and dark feathers tied to one end. He felt comfortable talking to her and barely even noticed Nazim's return. At the same time she seemed restless to him, like something was bothering her as she ate. Before to long he had finished all his food, not realising just how quickly he had eaten and enjoyed the rich flavours of Lumara's cooking. He was just about to thank her again for the food, when she unclipped the clothe of her veil. His brow furrowed together as his thoughts collided together and he looked at her pale skin. He was silent for a moment before clearing his throat and he finally spoke up hesitantly. 'Where is Mura, are there many Benshira there?'