Of Captures and Horses (Taylani)

[Nkosi Sunrunner]

21st Of Autumn Nkosi rubbed his eyes and pushed away the piece of leather with a grin. He was almost done, granted it looked more like a pill of grass than intricate knots it was a start. Abruptly he stood, swung his arms up and groaned at the pop that echoed through the tent followed closely by a rumble that came from his stomach. “Time for lunch.” He said, cheerfully flicking his sister on the back of the head and receiving a boot in the rear for his troubles. “Now I’m not bringing you back anything.” “My other foots waiting if you don’t!” He knew her threats to be true but covered his ears and pretended not to hear her as he strode out of the tent. Syna was still high, telling him it was probably somewhere around midday, and he covered his eyes as he surveyed the grounds. From the looks of things his brother was still in the process of making lunch, which meant disturbing him would end in an already kicked rear. Another grin crossed his face as he tucked in hands in his pockets and headed over regardless. That is when she caught his eye. She seemed vaguely familiar with her fire red hair but red heads weren’t unfamiliar. But she wasn’t from his pavilion or one of the ones camped out nearby, with a shrug he changed direction and headed over. As he got closer he noted she was pretty, and from what he could see she had no Windmarks unless they were hidden beneath her clothes. His grin grew as he wondered if he could find out or if she was already taken. Casually he stepped up beside her, falling into step and wondering if he did actually know her from somewhere. She was taller than him too. “Do I know you?” OOCShort opener is short? Sometimes I just cannot think of what else to say in these, apologies!

[Taylani]

She was avoiding him. She knew it, he likely knew it, and she did not try to deny it to herself. Taylani scowls gently as she wanders aimlessly, ignoring her own stomach rumbling telling her its been a while since she woke and had breakfast. She knew this could not go on, she couldn't spend the rest of her life avoiding him, it wouldn't do a lick of good considering that it was nights that he wanted, and got.

She sidestepped around a cluster of Drykas women, she could tell because of the intricate braids and bead work in their hair. Her own hair was loose and stubbornly without braids. Her dress was also plain, unlike the colorful Drykas clothing hers was not dyed, ending up a off white material that was sturdy, and serviceable but not much else. Her movements were lithe and agile, even if her face was a storm cloud of annoyance, thanks to her devoting her young life to Dance..before this.

Taylani jumps a little when a man moves up beside her, so lost in thought that she had not heard him approach. She assumed he was speaking Pavi, because of the gestures but also because she did pick out the I in there..possibly a too or you...More annoyance flickers in her face but she takes a deep breath and tried to remember that it was not unreasonable for them to always speak Pavi, assuming she knew Pavi.

"I don't speak your language." She says curtly, in common, her voice a little stiff. She does not stop walking, but then again she didn't speed up to get away from him either. This was because she had already decided she would not allow a Drykas person to dictate her actions any longer.

[Nkosi Sunrunner]

Nkosi ignored her tone, used to it from his sister which was her usual tone. Still he was surprised, how could she not know her own language? It struck him that she might be one of the new Drykas-to-be, which meant she was likely not free game either. He himself didn't care for Common much, too many words and not enough movement. But he still gave her a small grin, tilting his head up to her, "I am Nkosi Sunrunner, you are? He casually kept pace with her, making sure to keep glancing at the woman to show he was attentive. As they walked he took a better measure of her, paying more attention tells him he should have noticed she wasn't from the city. Her lack of color, her tension but she looked as if she had places to go. Belatedly he apologized for his Common, and kept an eye as to where they were headed so they did not actually leave the city. "Sorry. I speak Common not very well. Where you are headed?" His stomach chose that moment to make itself known and he glanced back to where food was cooking at this Pavillion, Are you hungry? Food in my...home. As he spoke he automatically accompanied the words with little flicks of his hands, the Pavi translating naturally in action if not in words. A hand towards his tent, and few fingers against his stomach to signal hunger and where to find the food. He let his offer stand, content to walk with the pretty young woman and trying to place her face. He wanted to know before he asked.

[Taylani]

The smaller man continued to follow her, and Taylani wondered briefly why he was taking interest in her. The auction was over, she was purchased, even the thought brought a scowl to her lips but she quickly smoothed it out. Her small frame often was mistaken for weakness, but years of grueling dance had left her muscles ropey and firm, so the walking had yet to tire her. She could do far more physical activity then she could hold her temper in and hold her patience.

"You speak it about as well as Fallan does." She returned dryly, "If I can understand him I am sure I can understand you." She finally stopped, pulling up short with her arms crossed defensively almost. "I am called Taylani." Again short, offering no surname to it, and if she was suspicious of him before when he offered her lunch in his tent that suspicion shown outright in her eyes. She didn't know this man, she was living in a city filled with people she couldn't understand well and didn't know. Clubbed over the head and dragged here, and this strange man was asking her back to his tent for 'lunch'.

With Fallan having already made it clear that she was breeding stock, Taylani steps back a step and now openly watches him warily. "Feel free to return ..for lunch...I am not hungry." She emphasized lunch with a snide tone in her voice though her own stomach gave lie to her words. She ignored the rumble, pressed her lips in a line but determined she was not turning to begin walking again, not if it meant possibly turning her back to him.

[Nkosi Sunrunner]

Nkosi smacked his palms together in a loud 'ah-ha' moment, and pointed to the girl, speaking rapidly in Pavi before remembering to switch back to Common. He was only slightly disappointed she gave away who she belonged to before he could remember. "You're Fallans' woman! I knew I--Sorry, again. Common is hard to say. I thought I known you. You are Fallans' woman. He is here too?" The man laughed as she denied her hunger and took a step back with his hnds held up in peace. He shook his head and made a gesture of no harm. The woman, Taylani, had no trouble showing her suspicion, and knowing Fallan to be her keeper he had not doubt of why the suspicion was there. He wondered how their tempers would mix. For a moment he watched her then shook his head when he realized she truly was uncomfortable around him. "Not harm you. I am being friendly." He signaled for friend, and gestured to his tent again, "You not look like live in this houses. Offering, not forcing but you sound hungry." He did not coax Taylani farther but cocked his head back in the direction they were walking,"You want keep walking? Or you want I go?" He kept his stance easy and open, his hands tucked into his pockets, and a friendly smile on his face. If she didn't want to eat he wouldn't force her but he was curious to know more about the woman his friend was keeping. Taylani did not look entirely happy with his company, and he wondered if it was the hunger or his company. While he waited a familiar horse trotted to this side, Rainrunner, his brothers. It nipped at his hair and stamped a foot before trotting back the way it came from. He laughed the horse away, and assured his brother with a shout,"I'll be there later.

[Taylani]

Most of the male Drykas left her to be, other then Fallan of course, perhaps it was because she was considered his she wasn't sure. However aside from Fallan's father and brothers she didn't really have much contact with the male members of the culture. Not that her opinion was high when it came to Drykas in general, but her opinion of the men were particularly low. She actually snorted when he corrected his Pavi and spoke again in Common, and referred to her as being Fallan's "woman", her hands go from crossed defensively to on her hips. "I am no one's woman. A few gold Miza's does not make it so." Though she would have liked more conviction in her words, instead they came out almost sounding like something she just kept reminding herself. Rather then something she really believed now.

She watched him for a long moment, watched his expression, and his body language. He didn't seem to have the predatory look in his eyes that Fallan gets, nor does he seem to be attempting to hide anything or being otherwise sketchy. Her judgment though has proven to be flawed of late, so she keeps a little bit of wariness about her, but her arms did relax a little and she straightened instead of keeping in the slightly ready to run position.

"No Fallan is not here. He is probably eating lunch with his family...or alone. He and his mother ...they don't seem to get along well." She shrugged a little, "I won't put you out but if your hungry I can walk you back." She offered to walk him back for two reasons, one was she was going to have to break down and get lunch, and she was now intrigued to find someone who knew Fallan outside of his family. Everyone else that had spoken to her -for she does not initiate conversation with Drykas- hadn't known of him much. Probably because of his trading trips keeping him out of Endrykas. "How do you know Fallan?"

[Nkosi Sunrunner]

Curiosity and disbelief were obvious on Nkosi's features when she protested. Then his grin widened and he let out a few chuckles, the woman would give Fallan a run for his miza, all right. He understood enough of what she was saying mixed with her ealier statement to, probably wisely, not ask if she wanted Fallan to join them. He tried to remember if Fallan had mentioned her when he'd seen the man last but couldn't. With a little nod of his head Nkosi began to direct them towards the Sunrunner pavillion, the faint smell of something meaty invaded the air. "We worked together, and drink and talk, now friends but not see lots. He is good man." While he spoke his hand signed friend and trust even if she couldn't understand, and looked her over carefully, he was not trying to talk his friend up just stating the truth as he saw it. The closer he got to the tent the quicker he walked, his stomach sending a low rumble to puncuate his words. "You eat meat? We have not meat too." He lead her to a small picnic looking section. A large blanket, covered in sparse, quick food and cups of water, and around it were pillows that sat the Sunnrunner's. Nkosi pointed out a few members with a few waves of his hand, and chopped Common. "Dad," A tall, stout looking man with Nkosi's hair only long, "family, Andrea; she is like you." Family encompassed everyone with a careless wave of his hand and was punctuated by a gesture meaning love, followed closely by trust. Whereas Andreas was said with a brief point and a solemn gaze. He gaze Taylani a universal gesture for sit, and sat down himself with a friendly smile.

OOCSorry this took forever! I get busy with my other PC and forget about him sometimes.

[Taylani]

Taylani's movement does not falter when the man speaks, her gliding pace remaining steady and the gentle sway of her gait never faltering. However she snorts at his words on Fallan. A good man her foot, none of these people were good. Good men did not take advantage of women, good people do not steal children. Nothing about this place was her definition of good, though she acknowledged even to herself that she might be a little biased.

When he led her to the tent and gestured for her to sit with his family she balks just a little. Perhaps his hearing was just as selective as Fallan's. Had she not claimed to not be hungry? Yet here she was, and here he and his family was. She watched his gestures, listening to his words trying to put together the gestures and the words not quite understanding that the Pavi gestures really added meaning rather then specific words. It did not escape her notice the flamboyant gestures given for his father, and the brief almost cold gesture of a simple point was reserved for Andrea who Taylani took from his words was a captive like she.

Now was the decision, should she leave without a word, should she sit and endure lunch amongst Drykas, or should she make an excuse. However, Andrea piqued her interest, having not had the opportunity to see how other families treated their captives, if it differed then Fallan's. So she chose a cushion, and sank to the ground slowly.

"Taylani.." She says by way of greeting, eyeing first Nkosi's father, and then Andrea before turning her features to Nkosi. "Andrea yours?"

[Nkosi Sunrunner]

No one seemed to be bothered by the guest, loud conversation echoes along with jostling, and Nkosi nearly spit out his water, ”No!” He yelped in hasty Pavi, his hands emphasizing the word strongly before he moved to wipe his face. Before he corrected his guest any farther he grabbed some bread, a bit of dried meat, and set it in front of Taylani. A wary grin crossed his face, and he gestured between his father and Andrea, who were now feeding each other. ”Not mine, Dad’s. He find her, she like him. They marry another in Spring.” He gave Taylani a look over while he dug into his own plate, ”You not marry, Fallan?” A bread roll met the side of Nkosi’s head, which he ate quickly back without looking, ignoring the whines of the children. He gave Taylani a small shrug when a bread roll went sailing in her direction. “They play instead of eat. They not eat. Where you go after? You want come riding?” Nkosi wanted to keep an eye on her, in case Fallan grew worried but he would not hold her against her will. He really was going to ride, it felt good to ride even if the Strider was not his. He quickly moved through the rest of his food, eating in a manner that spoke of someone used to eating on the go.

[Taylani]

Blue eyes widen at his sudden outburst, startled by the sharpness of the denial. She had met one or two Drykas who truly were affronted by the act of taking captives to 're-introduce' them into their new lives. He didn't seem like one of those, but then when he gestured to the woman and his father, her eyes drop to the plate he sat in front of her.

Despite her stomach arguing that it was hungry she does not tear into the food before her. Instead her fingers gently pick up the dried meat, tearing it into long strips, before she spoke. "Then she isn't like me, she want's to be here." She didn't really blame the other woman. She had made a choice, though Taylani was not sure if she had really had a choice or if it was just accept and survive or refuse and be miserable. She herself had chosen to accept a bargain Fallan had made, in the hopes he takes her back to Syliras, and still remain miserable. She could not let herself enjoy anything about these people.

"Why would I marry Fallan?" She asked, before she popped a piece of the torn dried meat into her mouth. She chewed it the same as she did most things now, with determination to finish the task at hand without enjoying it. Her face grimaced at the thought of tying herself to him for more then two children. "He is going to take me back to Syliras...after I give him two children." A blush raises in her cheeks, and she found herself silently cursing her fair skin, and it was actually the blush that could be blamed for her next words. She would have never said these things out loud in front of someone she knew let alone a family she didn't know. However feeling the heat rise through her features at her shyness she shored up her thoughts, and tried to prove if only to herself that she was no longer such a ninny when it came to bedroom matters. So she said something as frank as she could manage. "Why would I marry my rapist?" Her voice broke at the end of the sentence, causing a warbling sound and her light red turned to a flaming red. She also could not continue to meet his eye so she quickly ducked her head to stuff a piece of roll in her mouth.

Thanks to that. she didn't see the next missle, that bounced off her red hair toward Nkosi. This caused her face to raise once more quickly, looking at Nkosi accusingly almost as if he had thrown the roll at her. Yet she didn't accuse him of it, instead she notes the children giggling and simply shakes her head and finishes the last of her meat. "Thank you for lunch. I am not very good at riding..I don't even have a horse to ride."