Closed [Smokesend Plantation] Bountiful Harvest (Fiora, Inari)

[Nalahessarajor]

Nala had never met someone who truly understood her, as Fiora had said. In fact, she had never been that close to anyone, not even her own family, past her adolescence. But she felt that if she did, it would be good, and so she simply gave a smile that did not reach her eyes and nodded to the woman covered in gemstones and embroidery. She sat between the two, looking from one to the other. She was unaccustomed to being the center of attention, and she found it both nerve wracking and oddly exciting. In truth, most people she had interacted with had either met her in disguise or had known who she was and were too terrified to make much conversation. The relatively relaxed feel of her place between the girls mystified her. She didn’t have to put on a show. She didn’t have to hurt anyone. She didn’t have to impress them, for they already seemed interested enough in the truth. It felt good, but frightening. To step out of the shadows would have been suicide anywhere else but perhaps Ahnatep. She felt safe in the only place she called home, though. They could not harm her here, and it seemed they had no intention to, though Nala could not be certain. Either way, she began with a blush. “Well, I remember very little of my time in an egg. It wasss warm, and sssafe, but dark. When the time came to leave the egg, my mother cut a hole in the sssurfaccce with a dagger ssso I could ssslither out more easily. My brother had hatched a few years before, and he helped teach me Sssnake-tongue while mother prepared for the trip from Zinrah.” Her memory was foggy eyen then, and she had trouble remembering any particular instance prior to their travels. She could remember nothing of what Zinrah looked like, but it did not feel like home to her. “Err…Zinrah isss the home of my people. It’sss in the junglesss of Falyndar, if you know where that isss?” “My earliessst memoriesss,” she went on, “are of making our place here. I had not yet learned my Dhani form and ssso could only watch the people of Kenash go about their livesss in itsss earliessst daysss without interfering. The hissstory of thisss fine cccity isss interesssting to sssay the leassst.” It was now that her odd hissing accent began to annoy her. She couldn’t manage to stop drawing out the ‘s’ sound in almost any word, and she thought it made her Common sound silly. It frustrated her, though on the outside it must have looked like she was having difficulty remembering her early life and stumbling over her words while in thought. It was embarrassing, and so Nala decided to own her accent rather than try to hide it. She was the host. It was unacceptable to be weak in front of your guests. “I do not remember how my mother claimed thisss land… Sssome say we tricked Draer into giving usss the land. Othersss sssay it wasss sssimply unclaimed, and we took it for ourssselvesss. I do not know, but the Radacke family made quick friendsss with usss.” She smiled pleasantly in the cute Benshira’s direction. “Though I’ve had little interaction with your family, my mother sssaysss you are the only Dynasssty that can begin to underssstand usss.” She blinked, suddenly feeling like she was leaving Inari out. “Not to put down the Lorak, of courssse. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have an…if you don’t mind my sssaying, an odd infatuation from afar with your family. We appreciate how tenaciousss you are, and recognissse you asss risssing ssstarsss in the community.” She blushed again. What was with all this blushing?! These women had gotten her to speak at length, and she wasn’t much used to socializing with the other Dynasties. At most she’d spoken to some in passing if they visited her shop, the Iron Pipe, but never for very long, and never these two. She shook her head. “Look at me, going on like thisss. Thisss gathering isss asss much about you asss it isss about me. Do, tell me about yourssselvesss. I know little of life off thisss plantation, and you two mussst have sssome tipsss for a girl like me, no?” She smirked, looking out on the fields of diligently working slaves as the clouds rolled in closer and closer.

[Fiora Radacke]

Fiora It was so interesting that there were living souls who could change from one physical form to another, like the Kelvic and the Dhanis. Fiora sometimes felt that she had to morph from one Fiora to another, switching her entire personality when with her husband and his family and when she was away from them. But she knew that was not the same. She wondered how it felt to transform oneself into a completely different creature. It must be incredibly gratifying to know that you were not always stuck in your life, as she was. Not only was the Rajor exotically beautiful, but her slurred speech was rather sultry and alluring. As Nala spoke about her birth and her life before now, Fiora listened carefully to the words. A soothing feeling seemed to sweep through her until she heard Nala's comments about the Radackes. Of course the family's relationship with the Rajors was much less hostile than the ones they had with other Dynasties, but Fiora had always thought that it was because the Rajors and the Radackes were both outsiders among the elite of Kenash. Perhaps it was the Dhani's expression of warmth toward the Radackes that prevented Fiora from voicing her true history about her forced marriage, where she had been ready to spill all mere chimes before. "I do hope that the future brings many more meetings between our two families," Fiora said warmly, and she did mean it. "As far as what goes on outside of the plantations, Inari here has much more experience than me. I rarely leave Whiplash, because it is so far to the city, but I am opening a new shop to sell rugs and tapestries, so that will hopefully change very soon. You must let Inari tell you about her wonderful shop and performance space. And, if you're willing, I'm sure the three of us would have a lot of fun on an excursion through Kenash at some point." Fiora waggled her eyebrows at her friend, half wondering if it was alright to invite the Dhani and half prompting her to speak next.

[Inari Lorak]

Inari caught Fi's suggestive glance and smirked back. What an idea, to go gallivanting around town with a Dhani! She felt excited, not so much for the novelty, but the infinitely greater variety of things they could do. Since Nala seemed to feel unfamiliar with Kenash outside of her plantation, they finally had a valid excuse to go visit all the newest shops and attractions around town! Besides, being women who were neither trained in any sort of combat nor built for intimidation--and one constantly forced to check in with her Radacke husband--limited the kinds of excursions they could afford on a regular basis. But, with someone as fierce and competent as Nala, they could perhaps venture further out into the swamps, or wander about the Midnight Market, or who even knows? Tips? Inari blurted, before she could even think, "If you ever meet a certain man known as Rowan of the Morealis, don't trust a single word he says. Other than that, Kenash is as harmless as a basket of kittens, and full of great ways for us girls to have a little bit of fun!" With those last words she gave a surreptitious wink, then clapped her hands softly together. "And of course, there is no shenanigan more magical than a good midnight performance, hosted by yours truly. I'd explain more, but it's much better to come see for yourself! All I'll say is that it occurs every fortnight from the start of the season, and anyone can join or perform. Have you any poetry or stories or even unique talents you'd like to share? Fi here is quite good at dancing." It was Inari's turn to waggle her eyebrows at her friend. She knew Fi was humble to a fault, but honestly, such a skill was worth at least seeing now and then. Idly, she wondered if there were any parties approaching that they could attend. What a treat that would be, especially if Nala could come!

OOC :

I had type this all with one hand...darned kitten scratched me on accident, and the cut is like 5 inches long I might be a bit slow for a while but hopefully it gets better tomorrow! Tis good practice for my left hand

[Nalahessarajor]

Nala laughed, infinitely amused by Inari’s tip. “It ssseemsss our lady Lorak hasss a grudge. What ever did thisss man do to you to gain your ire?” She saw a certain fire behind Inari’s eyes, one she had seen in many a Lorak. They were all passionate, fires burning at their core. Nala couldn’t be more pleased. That sort of drive was what pushed people to the top of any totem pole, and she was right here having casual conversation with her. Nala looked down thinking for a moment. “Ssspecial talentsss? Hmmm…I can ssspeak to sssnakesss. It isss not unusual asss an ability for my people…but perhapsss it may be of interessst to yoursss? I confessss I am not one to write poetry or do fine art. I have needed to focusss my strengthsss in more readily applicable areasss of expertissse.” Either way, she smiled. “Though I’d love to sssee you danccce, Fiora. And perhapsss sssing asss well. You sssaid your mother tongue wasss good for sssinging, no?” And at that, tiny drops of warm water began to fall from the sky. The deck they sat on was not covered, and as such they were going to be rained on if they didn’t move to some sort of shelter. Nala didn’t mind the rain, her skin soaking in the moisture and the heat like the thirsty sands of a desert. She was going to be changing skins soon, she could feel it, but likely not for the next few days. So she sat, listening to the girls and ignoring the drizzle that dripped from the grey sky above, though she anticipated that the girls would be less comfortable getting their clothes wet than she.

OOCAh! I love cats but they have a habit of having claws...I hope your hand gets better soon!

[Fiora Radacke]

Fiora Fiora knew that just the mere thought of an excursion would get Inari excited. Like herself, the Vantha loved adventures, though Fiora kept that aspect of her personality hidden for the most part, except when she was around Inari. After watching the Lorak's eyes light up, Fiora could not help but grin in shared anticipation. When Inari brought up her dancing, though, the Benshira's face quickly turned deep pink. "Oh, I....well....I don't normally like to get up in front of people," she stammered. "To dance....I usually only do so in private. Ari's been trying to get me to perform for many seasons, but, well...maybe one day if I'm in disguise," she finally confessed. "Singing? Me? I mean, there are many Benshira that sing much prettier than me...I don't have the voice for it." Fiora looked down at her hands, embarrassed to be singled out. She latched onto Nala's previous statement and sat up a little straighter. "That is amazing, talking to snakes...what do they say?" she murmured. "You know, sometimes I wonder if my baby, Marco, is not some sort of a Kelvic, for he often seems to be able to communicate with the birds and the dogs. And he's growing so fast! Of course, that could just be baby-speak and a mother's wish for him to stay little for as long as possible..." she laughed. A raindrop splatted on her forearm and Fiora looked at the minuscule wet spot for a moment. She would rather not get caught in a downpour, as her embroidered skirt was fairly new and her hair would be a mess in a matter of chimes. Perhaps Nala would invite them inside Smokesend. Fiora had to admit she was insatiably curious about how the Rajor lived, even as a shiver went up her spine at the thought of being inside with an entire family of snake people.

[Inari Lorak]

Ah, the rain. It would come right at that very moment, opportunistic thing that it was. Inari wondered if there was a place outside of Kenash where the air was drier, the rains less frequent, and the summer's not so unforgivingly hot, and whether she would ever manage to pay off her debt so she could visit such a city. She held a certain fascination and appreciation for her home, to be sure, but sometimes her feet felt an itch she could not scratch. At Fi's mention of baby Marco, she tapped her chin, her face still propped on one hand. Children were strange things, full of promise and unexpected surprises. It certainly wouldn't be a stretch to think Marco had some uncanny abilities, what with his mixed heritage and all. Even little Thia seemed to have a sort of magic about her, though, like Fi, Inari wasn't sure if this was just wishful thinking and only natural traits of children raised with a mother's unconditional love. Not that she would know what that was like. Eager for a distraction, the Lorak felt her general dislike of being out in the rain flare a bit more than usual. "Great Morwen, raining at a time like this? I'm sorry, Lady Nala, but wet clothes and I don't mix too well...could we possibly find some refuge nearby?"

[Nalahessarajor]

“My apologiesss,” she said quickly with a nod, springing from her chair and offering a hand out to each of the girls. “Pleassse, join me inssside. Perhapsss you will be more comfortable continuing our conversssation once warm and dry.” She did not detest the rain, welcomed it rather, but her guests did not seem so keen on enjoying it. It had been a long and dry summer, and the rains of autumn meant that the rest of the season should be quite bearable. She went over to the door once the girls were each upright, motioning them inside her abode. The entry hall of her great stone home was ornate, but not unnecessarily flashy. To gain entry to the Rajor Estate was an honor indeed, as it was primarily reserved for family members and the occasional honored guest. Though Fiora was not the first Radake to enter the main hall, Inari was likely the first Lorak. Due to their standing amongst many of the other Dynasties, the Rajors did not hold parties themselves, but instead attended those that they were invited to, on the rare occasion that they were. As she had yet to accomplish much of value to the family, she had been forbidden to attend such parties lest she embarrass the Rajor name. She had dreamed of attending a party ever since she got her legs, but had yet to prove herself useful enough… She worked at it tirelessly. “If there’sss anything I you need, let me know. Sssome drinksss, perhapsss? Or tobacco? Do either of you sssmoke?” She motioned for one of the house slaves to come over, holding her hand out for her heirloom: a long smoking pipe made of iron, balanced to be used as a weapon but functionally a pipe. It was too heavy to simply be held between the teeth for very long, but Nala preferred it to wooden pipes. She could bite down on the mouthpiece without breaking it, and it felt so distinctly hers that is nearly symbolized her connection to her family. She loved the swooping engravings along the sides, the decorations that inspired the name ‘Smokesend’. They truly did look like silver smoke curling up the sides of the pipe, and it helped Nala reminisce about a time when she did not embarrass her mother. A better time. She looked to the slave, a short haired human man dressed in a yellow wrapping robe, orange and gold threads accenting the hems. “Fetch the new blendsss from my chambersss. They will be in a masssonry jar on my vanity.” Before the slave could finish his “Yes, mistress,” she had turned back to the girls, sitting herself at a round oak table her family used for small meetings, four sturdy but comfortable chairs ringing the outside. “Where were we? Makutsssi hasss a tendencccy of being abrupt in her arrivalsss here in Kenash.” She chuckled quietly at her own private joke.

[Fiora Radacke]

Fiora The interior of Smokesend was tastefully decorated and their hostess was very gracious. Fiora was so glad that she had been forced to come to the harvest after all. She followed Inari and Nala into the plantation house and looked down at her boots, wondering if she should take them off now that they were inside. Even the Rajor house slaves were well dressed and groomed, Fiora thought as a human one came up to hand Nala an unusual looking instrument. It was a pipe, she was certain, but she had never seen one like it. Since it was made out of metal, it seemed to be a rather weighty object. "I've never smoked before," Fiora said to Nala's question. "Though I understand that the variety of flavors of tobacco means that there is probably something that appeals to everyone." Some of the Radackes smoked religiously, and the odors made her eyes water, though she had always been a little curious about the taste. Bice would never touch a pipe; he was much too concerned with his oversized muscles and bulging veins and didn't want any substance that might lessen his bulk. Of course, that never stopped him from enjoying ale on a regular basis. She didn't think that Ari had ever tried a pipe before, either, but she could not be quite sure. Since the Lorak had spent all of her childhood here, she had many experiences that were different from Fiora's. Of course there had been pipes in Yahebah, and Fiora's father had traded them many times, but she had been too young to ever try to smoke one. Up until now, she had not really considered that she ever would. Fiora sat in one of the chairs at the table, on the right side of Nala. She was becoming used to the Dhani woman's swaying, but it made her feel a little woozy sometimes, particularly when she was walking. Observing the Rajor sometimes made her feel as if the floor was moving like slow waves in the ocean. Smiling at Inari, Fiora fidgeted in her seat as her eyes wandered over the decor of Smokesend.

[Inari Lorak]

Inari let out a slow breath as she walked into the Rajor estate. So this is what the home of the Dhanis looked like. Contrary to popular rumor, it appeared to be decorated neither by eccentric savages nor tasteless spartans. In fact, it was rather elegant in its simplicity--and by simplicity, she meant in comparison to some of the other Dynasty estates, which usually required words like "shameless" and "jaw-dropping" to describe. At the mention of tobacco, Inari's eyebrows raised. She'd never touched a pipe, though she'd smelled the contents often enough. In the lower slums, the smoke was more pungent and stifling; amongst the elite, it often had a rather alluring smell to it, sort of bitter sweet like burnt herbs. The Lorak supposed that was what tobacco essentially was, just with a different plant base. She would have to try it, that much was certain. Fortunately, Fi was not pregnant, though Inari wasn't entirely sure if tobacco being harmful to an unborn babe was fact or merely an old wive's tale. Either way, it was good to have a partner in crime. "Perhaps a bit of water or tea would be good, in case we um, are not the best at handling our tobacco." Inari sincerely hoped she didn't just choke the rest of her stay, and that she could find some enjoyment in this new experience. All the same, some precautions were best put in place. At least, if she did start wheezing away, she could attempt to douse it with fluids without making a scene. She returned Fi's smile and watched her friend's gaze wonder over the decor. Her own attentions, however, had returned to Nala, who had definitely mentioned something about talking to snakes. "As to where we left off, I think we were on the subject of what snakes say, which admittedly I've never even questioned before and now find myself dying to know the answer to."

[Nalahessarajor]

Nala nodded at the request, turning as the slave was almost out of the room. “And watersss for our guessstsss.” The slave stopped and turned, bowed a short “Yes, mistress,” before returning to his duties. “Ah, sssnakesss. For thossse that underssstand them they are truly quite poetic. I find them to be among the mossst beautiful of creaturesss. They each have their own personalities, just like the humanoid racccesss, though for the mossst part they are patient and careful, but brutal and strong. We Rajor do our bessst to emulate our brothersss and sssissstersss of Sssiku.” Her gentle swaying became more pronounced now that she was pleased, speaking of animals she loved dearly. She would shut her eyes from time to time and smile, as if watching some fond memory in her mind. The echo of footfalls sounded the slaves return with a small masonry jar full of a deep green tobacco, two ornately carved wooden pipes, and the glasses of fresh water. He set the tobacco in the center of the table, lighting a number of tall candles that had their place on the table. He set the pipes in front of Inari and Fiora along with their drinks. Nala simply nodded to him “Disssmisssed.” She turned her attention back to the girls, smiling and watching them fiddle with the pipes. “Ssstuff sssoome of the tobacco into the bowl here, but not ssso tightly that you can’t draw air through it,” she said, demonstrating. “You will be tempted to draw the smoke into your lungsss. Don’t” she hissed a chuckle “for that is sssurely a recccipe for dry lungsss. It’sss about the tassste, and it isssn’t a raccce. Take your time.” The girls didn’t know it yet, but Nala was spoiling them with her choice of tobacco. It was Rajor Gold, an old family recipe that hadn’t been used since the Rajors moved to Kenash, lost among the various relics of their old home. Nala had recently discovered the recipe in the catacombs, and had gone on to prepare it with the best of the fresh Rajor crop. The smoke it produced was silky smooth, with a very light spicy flavor and a sweet aftertaste. Since trying it the first time, she knew this would be her claim to fame, and the girls were trying it on their first time! Little did they know they were the first humans to try such a recipe.