[Red Diamond Fashions] Can I Pay For Your Silence?

[Kavala]

Kavala hadn't minded Rosela's questions about the child within her or even about Riaris. She was just a little uncomfortable because she had no idea where their relationship was going. They had good chemistry and enjoyed each others company, but Riaris had a life outside of Kavala's with the Kuvay'Nas and his own rather large family. Some days she saw him, and then she'd go days without seeing him. Sometimes he'd sleep over and blend right in with The Sanctuary folks, and sometimes it was as if he was a stranger to her. And truthfully she didn't know a lot about him, not really, not like she'd like to know.

But Kavala had been a Nakivak. In a way that was to Riaris' advantage. The Konti was used to relationships without commitments, sex without ties, and children brought into the world without married parents. From the moment she was brought to Riverfall as a raid rescue, Kavala had been virtually brainwashed that this was acceptable, normal, and expected. She'd never been shown a moments rudeness, discourtesy, or ill treatment, for all that to an outsider it sounded barbaric. Men had owned her contract and thus owned her. She'd wore bracelets that she could not take off and had suffered men looking her over when she was in town as if she were fresh meat. Even in those early times when she'd been often stopped in the street to ask if she was under contract or pending one hadn't offended her. She knew what they wanted. Even her last contract had been negotiated by an Akalak's father without that Akalak's knowledge and then he'd been sent to her to breed her like a stud sent to a prize mare. It had been an awkward situation for both of them that had ultimately turned violent because the Akalak's dark side was darker than even his father had realized.

Kavala had walked away from that situation with a punctured lung, two broken ribs, a broken collar bone, nose, and jaw. He'd walked away with a tattooed face and the inability to ever take a Nakivak again. And she'd lost the child she was carrying from that relationship on the the night of the Djed Storm when she'd spent too much energy shielding the sea gates from the raw magic outside. But the Shielding had held, the child inside had not, and though it was with great sadness that she'd lost the babe, it had won her freedom from her Nakivak status as an apology form the abuse she suffered under her contract.

And because of that, sometimes there was pain in her eyes. But she asked as little of Riaris as she could, partially not wanting to know the truth, and partially afraid she'd get too attached. But he was an excellent lover and an attentive companion, and so she hadn't minded when her body decided it was time to reproduce again.

But she saw the questions in Rosela's blank eyes. No, not because the woman was asking them or had blatant curiosity showing. No, she saw them because she saw nothing at all in the beauty's gaze when she'd asked. Kavala was an open soul, the secrets she did keep she kept very deeply. This was not one of them. "I enjoy Riaris' company. He's an amazing and attentive lover and we are friends. The child wasn't planned but is very welcome. But we are not married and we have no commitments to each other. It's hard to ask such things of them, with their incredibly long lifespans and the fact that they wear their tragic nature close. I did wish we shared more." Kavala said, leaning against the counter suddenly.

She wasn't a customer then, but instead just another woman sharing something with her own secret sisterhood. "But that I am enjoying myself enormously around him counts for a great deal. I know I love him. I have no idea how he feels, but regardless I would never tie one of them down. Children are so welcome in this world. There is too much death, Rosela, and too much grief to just manage to wade through a day without some sort of purpose to it. I came to this city as a Nakivak and I won my freedom servicing its men and giving them a child. Sometimes I think they don't know how to ... have a relationship with a woman that doesn't involve signatures and agreements and schedules. Someday I think they might learn, and when they do, I think they will start repopulating their species a whole lot faster than they are now." Kavala said with a smile, a tinge of sadness touched it though. "I'm just lucky Riaris is one of the fertile ones. I suspect many of them aren't. If they were, there would be more children. Men being men, that is." Kavala said, and waited as Rosela went to dig out aprons and gloves.

Rosela's instincts were correct. Kavala didn't want natural leather and her eyes didn't even stray to the ones which had the flowers tooled on them. She instead loved the red ones and the apron that matched. She also set aside the black gloves and apron too. "You'd be surprised. I use my hands a lot. For all that I am small, I doubt I'd squeeze into an extra small." Kavala said, trying on the gloves and finding the fit perfect.

"I practice dagger too. It's actually my favorite weapon. But I like blowgun, bolas, and crossbows too. Riaris is teaching me double bladed sword, though I'm just learning. He says daggers are great, but in close quarter combat I want a better reaching weapon when I'm too close for my crossbow. I tested in unarmed and dagger to get my mark." Kavala said, flipping her wrist over to display her Kuvan Tattoo. "I have no idea why humans can be so lazy. Have you noticed? Its the humans that don't test. I think everyone else does. I would think every human male who walked through the gates would want to be considered a class here and be on equal footing to the Akalak, but they just don't seem to care." Kavala curled her lip. Though her brother was human, for the most part Kavala had little love for the species.

Kavala nodded at the balance. "I don't carry that much with me, but I will have my cousin Aweston drop by a chest for you with the mizas later today and pick up all this stuff if you don't mind holding it. For one thing, I couldn't carry it. Too heavy." The Konti grinned, leaned against the counter, and looked thoughtful. "When my baby comes, maybe you'll like to spar with me. Since we are both working on daggers, it might be fun. I'll need to do all I can to get back into prebaby shape." Kavala said, throwing that out there for Rosela.

[Rosela]

Rosela’s eyebrows rose briefly in surprise, but she schooled them back down into a look of mild interest. She hadn’t expected Kavala to be so open about her relationship with Riaris, certainly when it was so…noncommittal. She seemed to be loosening a great weight from her heart and Rosela listened with eager ears and a calm face. So Kavala had been a Nakivak... From what little she knew of the system, it implied a great debt, one that required a child to satisfy. There was a brief moment of stomach-turning anxiety, as she imagined herself in such a situation. She wasn’t sure how to react to the situation with Riaris however; it somewhat explained how he’d acted when they spoke, but didn’t leave her anything to go off of.

”I...won’t lie, I’m not much for children, as important as I know they are for this city. Just don’t have the patience, I guess?” It seemed a small enough confession, baring a small piece of her heart in exchange for Kavala’s openness.

”I think that might be why I like the Akalak, because I don’t think about those things. I don’t…need to bear them any children,” She breezed over the topic of Nakivakcy as delicately as she could. ”So I am free for that easy, petty sweetness they do. I didn’t travel much before I came to this city, but the men in Ahnatep, at least the ones in my circles, you wouldn't believe how different they were. Not just in looks, obviously, but they were…well…fat.” She said the word with the dissatisfaction of it not fully conveying her meaning. ”You know? Oh, you’ll find a good looking Jackal or Fox… Sorry, the, um, guards? But they know better than to talk to a woman the way these Akalaks do. It’s the boys who’ve ridden on their money instead of their looks that have the audacity to make a move like that. Promising the world, just because they can buy it. Then of course, that’s who you get stuck-“ Catching herself going too far into herself, she waved a hand suddenly, as if to clear the air of her thoughts. ”Listen to me, chattering away. I suppose men anywhere will be a pain, won’t they?”

She bundled up the rest of the leather and set it to the far side of the desk, to be put back in the workroom after Kavala had left. She hummed thoughtfully at Kavala’s words, picking up on one in particular. ”Bolas? Bo-las?” The word sounded awkward in her Common, as though she we mispronouncing something. ”I’m not sure what that is. Maybe I’ve seen it though, and never realized. So many different ways to fight – never had to do it until I came here.” Her very first season in the city, thrust into the middle of a battle with monsters she'd only read about as a child. Even the higher classes had come to defend the city, been eager to even. Such a strange, strange place.

She paused and put a hand to her mouth, considering the previous conversations she’d had on Kuvan status. ”You know, I think it is just humans! I never even realized. Why wouldn’t they care? How can they stand being second class citizens when it’s preventable?” She shook her head, pursing her lips. ”Maybe it’s just the work ethic. Nobody brings any new businesses into the city. They just get a little job, put their head down and go.” She made an exasperated motion like a bird zipping away, her Arumenic accent becoming more prominent in her irritation. ”The Council will lend them the money, and okay, it does take a little while to pay back…” The hand flexed irritably and dropped to the table again. ”But it’s better than starting from scratch? I don’t know.” She huffed a sigh. ”I could complain all day. Let me stop before I talk your ear off.”

Rosela pulled back her notes page and wrote ‘Aweston’, or its Arumenic equivalent, at the top. ”Sure thing, just tell him to say it’s for you and we can make the trade then. I’ll just put these in the back so no one mistakes them for being on sale.” She was arranging the pile into a more compact area when she smiled at the invitation. ”That sounds lovely. When are you due?” She knew better than to hazard a guess, but she couldn’t imagine anyone getting around with any larger a stomach. She made a small bet with herself on...early spring?

[Kavala]

The Konti was really trying, whether Rosela realized it or not. It was rare that Kavala met a female in town that had a nobility and strength about her that bespoke of personal power and conviction. Rosela had standards, and though Kavala hadn’t met her before today, the Healer respected that and truthfully wanted to make friends. It was hard for Kavala, at times, to make friends because most of the women she knew were her employees or clients. That put things in an awkward light, no matter how one looked at it. But here was a woman who was a business owner as well and someone Kavala considered being on equal footing with her. They were both Kuvan, both roughly the same age, and they both had sharp intellect. Kavala was candid for one reason and one reason only; she hoped to be friends. Many women tended to look down on Nakivaks. Others thought themselves better, or perhaps even classified the freed women who owed a debt as prostitutes. And some were, though that’s not what the system meant them to be.

Kavala also didn’t want to tie Riaris down nor have tales told that she was in Red Diamonds talking about how she’d landed a prize Akalak by bedding him and letting him knock her up. That truthfully wasn’t what was happening between the pair. They were friends, lovers, and were working on the rest. And Kavala wasn’t ashamed of that. All relationships had stages, and if hers wasn’t the torrid epic love story she read in novels, and that was fine by her. All she wanted was steady, consistent, and honorable. It was a bonus that Riaris came with big and handsome attached too.

But Kavala wouldn’t spin it as anything other than what it was. She simply was satisfied enough with where they stood to call it as she saw it and be content. He might never marry her. And he might certainly never move in or even introduce her to his dark brother, but that was okay. And so too was the child she was carrying inside her. No one was welcome more. Family was family, and there was always room for one or even a dozen more. And besides, it was a world of fun trying for children anyhow… especially with someone like her Akalak partner.

When Rosela spoke, Kavala nodded and leaned closer. She smiled, resting her elbows on the counter and looked thoughtful. “I was like you. I didn’t want kids. Then you have one and … well I think things change. I’m not sure you’d be much for raising boys, but just knowing you these few chimes I can tell you that dressing a little girl and watching her bloom into a woman with all the values you have instilled in her would make your heart swell so large that you would probably wonder how you ever really lived before your child came.” The Konti said that so softly, so non-threateningly, that it was almost whispered like one would a prayer to the Gods. “It’s a kind of magic, Rosela that comes from the heart. And I can tell by your mannerism here and what you’ve done to your shop that you’d make the finest of mothers.” She added, not saying anything more.

When Rosela started talking men, Kavala smiled and relaxed, the topic safe and something she could enjoy. She liked hearing about Rosela’s homeland and how the men differed there. It was hard to imagine men growing to manhood spoiled and not taking care of their bodies. It was almost an affront to the Gods, in Kavala’s mind.

So she made sympathetic noises and when Rosela paused, Kavala quietly added in. “They are wonderful lovers too if you’d ever consider taking one. Kind, considerate, and they know how to treat women… like a rare cut gemstone or an exquisite piece of art. Being in Riverfall, no matter what your race, is a good thing if you are a female.” Kavala said, smiling at Rosela.

“It sounds like the men of your homeland are an interesting sort. I’d love to hear more about Ahnatep. It’s always seemed to be a beautiful exotic far away place. Maybe you could drop by The Sanctuary sometime and we could do dinner. We can compare notes. I’ve been to Syliras, Zeltiva, and Mura. I’m not the sort that’s going to do much traveling anymore at least until my son gets older and this one as well, but it’s nice to hear about places I’d love to see someday.” Kavala added.

“A bola.. yes.” Kavala pronounced it slower for Rosela and then described it. “It’s a weapon that entangles people or game when you throw it. It has three weighted rocks connected by lines.. and you toss it and it simply wraps around things, tripping them up. It’s a very passive weapon if you don’t like daggers… I’m sure you’ve seen them. Probably just have a different name where you come from. Children use them often as well.“ Kavala had a gleam in her eye that bespoke the fact that she liked daggers a great deal.


Kavala nodded at Rosela’s comments about humans. “I think that’s one of the reasons I am not the biggest fan of humans in general. Though raised Drykas, and believe me there are no finer humans than Drykas, the ones that come here from big cities are so… slothful. I agree.” Kavala said, knowing this was true. She’d even hired a few with less than good luck that way. Most wandered off after they realized the work was hard.

The Healer chuckled at the woman claiming she was going to go on all day. Kavala could sympathize. “They frustrate me too. No worries. Sometimes it’s good to get it out. I know I do, but usually just to the animals I work with.” Kavala said reassuringly, then smiled as Rosela packed up the rest of her stuff and put things in order.

“End of fall… early winter. I wasn’t exactly counting days. But it will go faster than I think. I know that from experience. “Are you going to the beautyfest? I can’t imagine you turning down an opportunity to dress most of Riverfall’s women then show up to see your designs on display. I know my dress will be. It’s lovely… thanking you so much, Rosela. For everything.” The Konti said, offering a last smile as she slipped slowly towards the door.

“And I meant the invite. Drop by any time. You don’t need an excuse.” She’d pause if Roslea had anything else to add, but otherwise, Kavala would head out and head home. She was tired and needed to get off her feet and let the woman get back to her business.

[Rosela]

Rosela tilted her head as she listened to the Konti speak on the topic of children. They were so far from her plan for her future that it was surreal to hear someone actually...passionate about them. They were only something that had been expected of her as a wife, an unpleasant end to her freedom as a woman. Popping out squalling brats was something that one was expected to do, not actually want.

She couldn't say that to Kavala though, someone who clearly loved children. There was a likeness between the pair of them, a strength of spirit maybe, a shared work ethic, but this was one place their views diverged. "If children were like dolls, I'd want a dozen of them," she admitted with a laugh. "But ugh, there's so much work with them, all the diapers and the crying and the mess..." She waved a hand to banish the unpleasant image. "Some people can look past that and see their child all grown up and being, you know, worth it? I just can't. It's too much for me." She shrugged helplessly. "You look like you're a great mother. Your children will grow up to be strong and hard working, and then they'll have kids of their own and then you'll have an even bigger family... I know it's something everyone aspires to, but I have other...things. Like my shop." She shrugged again and looked around. From the way Kavala described children, perhaps her shop was her child, in an odd, self-serving way.

The topic of taking an Akalak lover brought a short blush to her cheeks that was quickly banished. It was one thing to flirt with a man, even speak on these kinds of things with him, but to talk to another woman about them? Was this what women talked about amongst themselves? When not discussing the latest silk rage or the argument the couple down the street had had in the market, did they discuss men like this? She was hesitant to discuss her own experiences with men, particularly those which had progressed beyond simple flirtation, which were few but precious.

The idea of visiting the Sanctuary appealed, and she jumped at it happily. "I'd love to visit the Sanctuary. I don't think I've ever had a reason to visit, but I hear your facility's huge. I think I missed it somehow when I arrived in Riverfall. I've only been to Ahnatep and Riverfall, I'm afraid. I didn't do much travelling as a child, though my parents did. It was so nerve-wracking just to get here; I couldn't imagine traveling much more than that. I might see Kenash someday, but I couldn't imagine leaving my shop for long enough to go..." Between attacks from creatures and bandits, the trip from her hope had been eventful enough for one lifetime.

Rosela unconsciously held up her hands to mime the bola as Kavala described it, trying to see it in her head. "You know, I think I have seen one used once... On a thief in Ahnatep when I was younger. A Jackal threw it and, well, it stopped him? I don't think I ever actually questioned what it was. I just went back to what I was doing. It's hard to imagine that happening in Riverfall... There were many things in Ahnatep you don't see here; like the wretched poor and the fat rich. Maybe it comes back to the work ethic; here, the poor are not allowed to become so desperately poor, and the rich don't give up once they reach their height." She allowed a small laugh, a small exhale of breath through her nose. "Whatever the city, I don't intend to either." Indeed she wouldn't, and allowed herself to share her feeling of ambition with the Konti. If the Sanctuary was as big as they said, the woman on the other side of the counter was no stranger to building something great from humble beginnings.


At the mention of Beautyfest, Rosela lit up and her hands clapped excitedly in front of her. "I am so excited for Beautyfest, aren't you? I hear there's going to be prizes! I would be just darling to be crowned Queen... I have the prettiest little dress planned. And trust me, you are going to look fabulous in that dress. You'll be beating the men off with a stick." The woman was clearly starting to move towards the door and Rosela acknowledged that their chat needed to end. She'd gotten a grace period of no one else coming in, but that was bound to end sometime.

"It was wonderful talking to you, really. Please feel free to stop in here any time, even just to chat or check on how the robes are coming. I'll pay you a visit when the first robe is done so you can try it on. Is the 20th okay?" She found herself loathe to let go of the conversation, as it was one of the few honest ones she'd had with a customer.

[Kavala]

Kavala had really enjoyed her talk with Rosela, and when the woman asked about the 20th being fine, Kavala readily agreed. “That sounds great to me. The only thing that might interfere is if the baby decides to come early, and I think he’ll wait until the first of Winter.” Kavala said, looking forward to seeing Rosela and getting to see the finished product. “Plan to come around dusk. We gather for the evening to have dinner, so you can meet some of the rest of the folks there. I’ll send Aweston in a lovely cart for you so you won’t have to walk and you will have a ride home safely since I expect you’ll want to stay for dinner and not hurry off.” Kavala said, hoping that was the case. She wasn’t sure how social Rosela was, but there were always plenty of people around The Sanctuary to visit with and maybe even some of them would be Akalaks.

Kavala headed for the door with promises to send Aweston back a bit later and was off again. She headed immediately home, tired from her trip, but not too tired to sit down and make Rosela a thank you gift. Kavala had enjoyed meeting the Eypharian. In fact, she was the first Kavala had ever encountered. It had been hard not to stare at her multiple arms at first, but Kavala found that as time passed, it seemed easier and easier to simply look at Rosela as a whole and see her multiple arms as a larger part of the picture. In fact, the more time Kavala had spent talking to Rosela, the more she had thought how handy the multiple limbs must be.

And so she went home, with Rosela on her mind, and decided she’d make the woman a few glyphs to ease her pain or discomfort during the making of the robes Kavala had ordered. So the Healer had sat down and made a list of everything that might affect the woman spending long hours bent over a cutting table or sewing or even appliquéing on the gemstones Kavala had made. Oh.. and more of those. Before she would send Aweston back, she’d include more stones.. a whole chest of them in fact.

The List went as follows:

• Eyestrain
• Stiff & Sore Muscles
• Muscle Cramps
• Headache
• Back Strain
• Cuts & Bruises

So if Kavala crafted two scrolls of each type then Rosela would have a bit of relief through the days coming that would assist her in completing the robes more effectively. So, ten scrolls then. Kavala was certain she cold do that. She’d even ingeniously crafted a way of making the inking on the scrolls faster. She’d cut a stencil and then simply stenciled the design onto the parchment. The stencil was the same one she used for the walls that held the power of sterilization. She repainted them every time they were exhausted and then recharged them .. so the stencil got a lot of use. For every room in the healing clinic had a ring of these glyphs around it and the healers were to reach out and lay their hands flat on them, using the trigger word ‘clean’ before entering each medicinal exam chamber or even the isolation lab.
Kavala thought it was ingenious.

So she inked the ten glyphs which included the focus, the barrier and the trigger, though the trigger was always incomplete. Kavala didn’t have enough skill yet to use paths, so she simply kept to burying her gnosis in simply focus barrier trigger glyphs. Though not complex, they worked nonetheless and would be perfect for this purpose. Kavala never completed the glyphs with the stencil, instead, she hand decorated them, embellishing the barrier with vines and working the focus into the form of a horse with luminous ink that phosphorescenced under certain lights. It took time too. One usually could be completed in just a few chimes, but working on ten towards completion took at least a bell and a half, especially since she wanted them to look perfect. It was a pity too that her drawing skill wasn’t more developed. Because as she added embellishments to the final décor, she was fully aware as soon as Rosela triggered the glyph, the magic would be gone and the ink would vanish. Kavala smiled. It was worth it though if it could cure the seamstress’ strained eyes or cramped muscles.

Kavala constructed the barrier carefully, not wanting any of the magic to leak out. It was odd thinking of glyphing in such a two dimensional way, but it was something the ancients utilized quite often. They worked in multidimensional forms and understood that everything could not be rendered in third dimension and thus take on form and shape. But that didn’t give glyphs any less form or shape.

The Glyphs :

When she was done with the actual artwork and the building of the sigil, Kavala divided them into five piles of two. The first pile she worked on was for eyestrain. She carefully worked on the trigger, making sure its target and focus was pointed at the person reading the trigger. She loaded the word ‘Heal’ as the trigger word in common, and then laid her palm carefully over the center image of the horse. Tapping her gnosis, she pumped magical healing into the glyph, trapping it there in limbo before removing her palm. Carefully at the bottom she wrote… “Eyestrain cure. To activate, hold the scroll and speak the word ‘heal’ in common. Rak’keli’s gnosis will be released from the center image, the ink will vanish, and your eyestrain will be cured as if you just woke up fresh from a full nights sleep.”

She repeated that process on the second ‘eyestrain’ scroll and then got to work on stiff and sore muscles. Kavala finished the triggers, pumped them full of gnosis, and then wrote the very same instructions down at the bottom only altering the words a tad bit. “To cure stiff and sore muscles simply recite the word HEAL while holding the scroll and Rak’keli’s gnosis will be released from the center image, the ink will vanish, and your eyestrain will be cured as if you returned from a long vacation of rest and relaxation.” A twin of the third scroll was produced, leaving four done.

Kavala quickly loaded the muscle cramps and headache scrolls up, writing careful instructions down at the bottom as well after she’d sealed the spells in with the completion of the trigger. She moved to the back strain and cuts and bruises one, channeling power and then deciding she really wanted to get to the point she could just philter these into delicious tasting potions instead.

Once the list was complete and the scroll pile was sanded and dried, Kavala rolled them up in neat little scrolls and tied them with ribbon. Each one got a neat label stating what it was that dangled from the ribbon. They were then added to a nice little basket that had a good half dozen of Cadra’s cinnamon muffins as well as a half dozen of Cadra’s poppy seed muffins.

Kavala took the basket to Aweston and then had him come back with her to gather the chest of coin she owed Rosela. The coins would take Rosela a while to count, but Kavala was sure she wouldn’t mind. In fact it took Kavala a good half bell to count out the total she needed for the down payment and the clothing already purchased. Giving Aweston careful instructions to deliver both the basket and chest, then pick up the clothing, Kavala decided it was long past time for a nap.

Before Aweston left, she penned a note to Rosela.

Rosela-

It was lovely meeting you. Please accept this basket as a thanks for your hard work. In it our several scrolls that will make your life a little easier if you work to hard on our robes. There are also some muffins my niece baked this morning. You should try the poppy seed ones.. they are the best.

Regards,

Kavala

[Rosela]

Sighing, Rosela packed up her bobbins and pincushions into the basket she kept under her front desk. After Kavala's visit, she'd had only a precious few customers, each one's arrival marked with the rise and fall of her hope that it was the imminent 'Aweston'. She was itching to have the mizas in hand, not because she didn't trust Kavala, but because she couldn't bring herself to believe she'd made such a sale until the mizas were in front of her.

Aweston arrived nearly at closing time, the opening of the door surprising her as she tucked the basket away. "Oh, hello, welc-" Her usual greeting was forestalled by the introduction that this was Aweston and Rosela forced herself not to skip as she rounded the desk. "Here, bring it to the back, if you could?" He hauled in two chests, and a covered basket balanced on top, another gift from Kavala apparently. Once the items were safely in the back, set between two racks of cotton bolts, she thanked the young man and walked him out. She wanted to dig her hands into those mizas so badly it nearly ached, but she would retain decorum while there was someone around. It was close enough to closing time that she felt comfortable locking the door behind him, giving a cheery wave through the window as he left.

In a flash of fluttering skirts, she was back at the larger of the two chests, sliding it open. This one held more of the glittering black stones, and she hummed in interest before closing it again. The basket could wait. The second chest was opened slowly, for a bit of extra drama. She could feel the shadows quivering around her, though they likely held only mild interest for the contents of the chest. Through the dim light, she could see the mizas glittering up at her, and two hands gently swept inside to sift through them. Well over 500 gold mizas were there there, just waiting for her. Jumping up, she grabbed a length of scrap wool she'd been using to test stitching, and laid it on the floor for her to sit on. It was unthinkable that she not count them at that very moment.

The awe had worn off after the first 150, and by 400, she was slumped against the rack next to her, intermittently stretching her back. After well over a bell, she finally concluded there were indeed exactly 560 gold mizas in the chest, and began dumping them in handfuls back in. Unable to stand sitting on the floor anymore, she grabbed the basket and relocated to her work desk, slumping deep into the chair.

Opening the basket revealed muffins, scrolls, and a note. Smiling as she read the note, she sniffed at the muffins and took a big, crumbly bite from a poppy seed one. They were indeed quite delicious. The scrolls were a mystery however, and opening one revealed a lovely design with some text at the bottom. "Back strain..." She spoke quietly to herself, mouth still full of muffin. "Hmmm... Heal? Mmmf!" A spray of crumbs scattered over her work table as she straightened in surprise. The ink had actually vanished, and she felt a warm feeling flash through her back, erasing the strain she'd acquired counting mizas. Realizing she should have expected nothing else, she quickly swallowed her muffin, cleaning the table with two hands and holding the empty parchment open with two others.

She'd heard of Glyphing, but had never seen it in action, much less on herself. The design on the page was truly gone, and Rosela felt a pang of regret. Not only did she waste precious magic on a minor backache, but she'd have to look at one of the other scrolls for the design. The horse at the center had been beautiful, and she wondered how she'd be able to work it into a return gift for Kavala. Embroidered on a silk blouse perhaps? Or at the end of a long scarf, something more suitable for the coming winter. Counting the days, she made a mental note to schedule it into her inventory work so she could bring it along when she visited after the first robe was done.

[Kavala]

In the coming days, Rosela sewed and Kavala waited and at the appointed time a fitting happened. The robes were exquisite and delivered each on time with great care. Before long, Kavala had a whole collection of them which she carefully stored away in a closet she formed off the Sacred Circle just for that purpose. When the time was right, she'd induct her family and friends back into the Cytali, gift them with their robes, and jumpstart something important that had been missing for the world way too long.

[Translucent]

Congratulations On Your Hard Work!

Kavala:
XP:+3 planning, +1 negotiation, +1 leadership, +4 socialization, +1 organization, +1 glyphing, +1 drawing
Lores:Rosela: Skilled Seamstress with an eye for Fashion, Negotiation: The cost of custom order, Promise of Silence from Rosela, The importance of prestige for professionals, Rosela: Not a fan of Children, Rosela: Hails from Ahnatep, Medicine: Possible ailments of a seamstress

Rosela:
XP: +2 observation, +4 socialization +2 mathematics, +3 business/retail, +1 drawing, +1 fashion design
Lores:Kavala’s Order: Robes with stone embellishments. Kavala: Generously Compensates for labor. Orders of Silence, Kavala: owner of The Sanctuary. Kavala: Friendly with Riaris but not in a committed relationship Bola: A weapn that entangles people when thrown.


Notes:

As always PM me if you have issues.