Closed By the Lakeshore (Kaie)

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Fall 50, 513 AV The day was relatively pleasant. The sky was an endless, clear blue, and it was warm, almost as if it were still summer rather than almost winter. There had not been a lot to do at the Kelvic Research Institution, and thus Valerius had been able to leave work earlier. He had decided not to return to the Nitrozian Estate right away, but take his dog - a great Akinva Deerstalker – for a walk at the lakeshore. There were too many thoughts on his mind. His research project with Amolina Moletta and Inoadar – who he only knew as Nolan Parnell – was going well. Valerius had procured a laboratory for them, and Inoadar was helping with the „chemical“ side of things. He had promised the poisoner a body that had recently been abandoned by a Nuit so that he could continue one of his studies, but finding said body had been more than just a little complicated. He had also told him that he would look for creatures that could make themselves invisible or teleport themselves. He had, as always, made promises that he wasn’t sure he could fullfill in order to make himself look better. On top of that the meeting with the fortune teller Amelia Cross the season before was still fresh in his mind. He had allowed her into his life because it would be good for him to be seen with a woman in public, because her father was a member of the Black Sun, but he had already regretted the decision a thousand times. She had accussed him of wearing a mask. She had made assumptions about him, had told him that he needed to leave the city, that he needed a good slap. She knew. He was convinced that she knew, all those doubts, all those unwelcome, undesirable thoughts and feelings that he didn’t even dare to admit to himself most of the time. What was he supposed to do about her? How dare she even claim such things? The dog suddenly stopped and growled softly, pulling Valerius out of his thoughts. He looked at the animal questioningly. „Did you see something?“ he wondered and looked around, behind him, towards the Kelvic Research Institution that was still visible in the distance and towards the trees. Was he being watched?

[Kaie]

She was being undoubtedly stupid and she knew it. After the incident with the wolves and her past experiences in wild lands of almost all terrain, she was well aware going solo was never in one's best interest. Yet one could only tolerate the stench of hay and horse shyke for so long before escape was necessary. It's not like she had gone too far. Maybe a mile or so. Besides, there was plenty of Syna's light to go around for a few more bells anyways. All she needed to worry about was the wildlife and anyone who might stumble upon her. Prepared for either outcome, Kaie had brought her gladius along just in case.

The Myrian woman was never a great hunter in any sense of the term. If anything, she preferred to trap when she could. Experimenting with snares had always been a way for her to ease her mind. Sometimes she'd hunt down some new supplies, different kinds of materials, just to see how she could improve on what she already knew. There was always the looming possibility of failure and wasted time, but that was part of the trade's allure. Without risk, there's no reward.

Crouching in the brush beside the constructed snare she had been working on, Kaie had began to solidify the structure before she went on her way. With slow, careful hands she began to tie the final string from the trigger to the twitch up. A few times she stepped back to admire her work only to find a flaw. And then the tying would start all over again. Kaie was no perfectionist, but what was the use of a trap that didn't function to its full potential?

When all was finally set, the Myrian rose to her feet and paced away. Turning she eyed the thing, inspecting it. From afar, it didn't stand out too well. She had inspected the area carefully, studying the ground for telltale signs of game. This spot seems to show a crisscross of runs. It was perfect. Whether or not her trap would yield a meal, she'd just have to see. Yet the trick of trapping was patience. It was a virtue that was not strong to her personality. Maybe that's why she liked it all so much. It challenged her mentally rather than physically for once.

About a bell later she had returned to pace along the outskirts of the lake shore. It was an easy way to navigate back, she found, and it provided a decent view all the same. Often she would stare across the pristine surface and muse over the idea this would be as far as she ever got to Ravok. Honestly, that was perfectly fine considering she was sub-human.

Kaie tried to keep light on her feet and minimize sound, but sometimes the stray twig or leaf crinkled beneath her accidentally. It was one of those follies that arose a bark somewhere behind her. A dog, no doubt. In hindsight, she probably should've been thanking the Goddess Queen it wasn't another wolf. In that moment though, all she could do was internally groan at the prospect of being discovered. In an effort to give the stranger leave to pass her by, (hopefully leaving her undetected) she lowered herself toward the earth. Careful eyes scanned the tree line hoping to catch whatever was searching for her first. Peering through the foliage, Kaie could just make out a single figure with the animal. A male by the looks of it. Would he keep walking or would he investigate the dark forest against better judgement?

OOC:I promise I never forgot you. I haven't had internet access until today. Sorry for the delay!

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius himself was only armed with a slender rapier that was in a leather sheath at his belt. He had little combat experience – he had only ever fought for sport - and he knew nearly nothing about what awaited him in the wilderness. The few times he had been on a hunting trip he had accompagnied his family and simply watched as the dogs chased the prey. He was not dressed like somebody that was familiar with the forest either. Valerius Nitrozian was dressed in silk and velvet, after the newest fashion. His clothes were spotless, his boots had been polished until they shone, and his hair had been brushed and combed. He was not a fool though. While he knew hardly anything about the wilderness and had never set a snare or killed a wild animal with his own hands, he was observant, as he needed to be as a scientist and cautious, to some extent at least. As the dog growled – and refused to stop growling, he didn’t draw his rapier and charge at whatever creature lurked behind the trees, but waited and listened again, one hand on the dog’s back. The Akinva Deerstalker, a muscular hunting dog that weighed more than one hundred pounds, was tense. Fine tremors were running through his body. His head was upright, his tail was straight, and his eyes and ears were turned in the direction of the trees. Valerius heard a twig snap. Leaves rustled. Something seemed to be moving through the trees, but he didn’t know what it was. Was it a wild animal or a human, and was it dangerous or not? Was it just a citizen of Ravok out for a walk, much like him, an escaped slave or something worse? He made a step forward and then another one. In doing so he got close enough that Kaie could get a glimpse of him and the dog by his side. He was still carefully listening, wondering if he would hear another sound. Was there really somebody out there or was he only imagining things? No, he was not. His dog had clearly reacted to something. „Hello!“ he called out. His voice was firm and strong, but he did not sound threatening. „Whoever is out there – I mean no harm! You can show yourself!“ That was of course not entirely true. There were some creatures that Valerius did not mind hurting and killing at all, but for now it would be better to try and be as friendly as possible in case whatever was hiding in the forest was dangerous.

[Kaie]

The savage woman stared, eyes searching for the canine at the man's side. If she was about to be attacked she certainly needed a plan. Some kind of plan. Thus far she could gather the man was one more adept in mind than body. She didn't see him being an overwhelming physical adversary if it came to fists, but he seemed intelligent. Too well put together and clean. Far too upper class in style. Looks could be deceiving though, which brought her to instead study the dog. She'd seen one of its likeness before. But where?

Ah, yes. That's where.

Kayelin Mannering the Syliras Squire. She had a big brute of a companion just like that. The name of the breed was escaping her, but the memory of the slobbery animal did not. From what she had heard they were some sort of good hunting dog maybe. Probably had a good nose on it, too. No doubt it would know just how to pursue her if the man allowed it. And the last she wanted to experience was the weight of that full grown monster on top of her. There was a distinct difference between tackled by that and a puppy. And that's when she heard the voice.

Oh, as if I hadn't heard that one before.

Kaie remained in place for a minute, muscles tense with indecisiveness. Stepping out as the man asked could be harmless, but it could also be detrimental. The stranger could easily attack her or set his dog loose the moment he identified the threat. Friendliness could be a terrible trap. What was she to do?

Standing up slowly to minimize sound the best she could, Kaie slid behind the trunk of a tree before her. Back to its crackled skin she let herself peer around it. What she found was a little more comforting. Nothing in his hands. Sword not drawn. No bow aimed in her direction. Just himself and his dog staring in her direction. Maybe she could reveal herself, find out more about Rhysol and Ravok. His intel could certainly be of use. Or maybe she could pass herself for human, give him a wave, and be on her way. The latter might've been the easiest way out had her clothing not compromised that idea entirely.


"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to disturb you," She tried, hoping to pass herself off as a harmless passerby. Kaie raised her palms a bit to show she was unarmed, a slight attempt at a smile on her face. She waggled her fingers as if to reinforce that face and stepped forward into the open. "Solid dog you have there. What breed?"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius‘ eyes only widened slightly as the woman stepped out from behind the trees. He had come to the conclusion that it was better not to show too many emotions, such as surprise or worry, a long time ago. The tone of his voice was likewise slightly cool. „You didn’t disturb me“, he informed her. „I wasn’t doing anything important, but merely taking a walk with my dog here.“ As if he had noticed that his master was talking about him the dog in question started moving. He wanted to get closer to the strange woman that had appeared and smell her, but Valerius grabbed his collar firmly and held him back.

„He is an Akinva Deerstalker, a gift from my family“, he replied. The dog stared at Kaie for another couple of moments, but eventually decided that she posed no immediate danger to his master or him, and thus he lay down on the ground next to Valerius. Resting his head on his massive paws, he continued to watch her.

„You are not from here, are you?“ the Ravokian wanted to know. He had never seen a Myrian before and thus didn’t have any idea that Kaie was an entirely different race from him. He assumed that she was merely a human from a faraway part of Mizahar, which was unusual enough, everything considered.

He had never seen somebody with her coloring in Ravok. Her skin was darker than any native Ravokian‘s, her eyes almost reminded him of his Vantha teacher, Vanari, and her entire appearance was slightly barbaric. He didn’t normally associate with such people, but here, in the forest where it was just the two of them, things were slightly different. Here talking seemed to be the better choice, besides, he wanted to find out more about her.

„What are you doing here?“

[Kaie]

Kaie did her best to remain aware of the man's hands without making it too obvious. Her eyes remained on his face as best as she could. The last thing she wanted him to believe was that she might actually be someone to be actively wary of. However, her hand did hang a little close to her cloak where she could feel the gladius hilt. If he tried anything suspicious, she'd tear back the cloth and arm herself rather quickly.

"Good dog," She replied to the clarification on the animal with a nod. Her suspicions were then confirmed. A gift from his family, one she could know decide was surely wealthy. Such gifts that weren't necessities, economically elastic ones at that, could prove nothing else. And this man was no hunter from what she could see. However, he did seem to be the curious type. "No. I am not from here," The Myrian woman confirmed coolly with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. She was faced with another crossroads. She could lie to keep him from linking her heritage with their reputation, hopefully keeping him from anticipating any attack. Or she could tell the truth and avoid any chance he already knew exactly what she was. Yet what she realized was he never specifically asked what she was. Only what she was doing.

"Business. These woods are not kind. I figure what I catch can be sold for a higher price around here. You must know the area well to walk around later in the day with no one but your dog."

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„I see“, Valerius murmurred as the woman confirmed that she was not from Ravok and furrowed his brow. If she was not from Ravok, where did she come from then? „Do you come from far away?“ he wanted to know. „Forgive me my curiosity, but I’ve never seen a woman with your coloring anywhere in the Sylira Region, and you don’t look like a Vantha either, although there’s something unusual about your eyes.“

Could she be an Eypharian halfbreed? Eypharians often had darker skin and were exotic in appearance, but the strange woman seemed barbarian rather than elegant and graceful like the many armed inhabitants of Ahnatep. No, she probably didn’t have Eypharian blood.

Unlike Kaie Valerius didn’t keep his hand near his weapon. He was not a warrior. If she decided to attack him, sending the dog at her seemed to be the better option, besides he didn’t want to appear hostile. He simply watched her as she watched him, coolly and a bit warily.

„You are a hunter?“ he asked. „What kind of beasts do you hunt?“ Depending on what she replied, it might be beneficial for him to associate with her further, to even buy something from her. She looked quite a bit more capable than certain members of his family, although she probably wasn’t particularly stealthy, if the fact that his dog had discovered her was anything to go by.

„I do know the area quite well“, he confirmed. „I work over there and often go for a walk during one of my breaks.“ He pointed at the Kelvic Research Institution that was visible in the distance. „My aunt is the head researcher and quite an important woman in Ravok“, he added in case she was entertaining thoughts about hurting him. „And my dog isn’t a normal dog. He offers me better protection than any weapon.“

[Kaie]

What was that emotion on his face? Anger, curiosity, or displeasure? Kaie knew what she did of Ravok only through drunken stories of those who dared make the long journey south. Though someone had implied Ravok was very unkind the anything that wasn't completely human, Kaie wasn't sure how extensive that was. Did they mean they would enslave her kind on the spot? Kill them? So many possibilities the Myrian was hesitant to explore. She was nothing but proud of her heritage, however.

"Yes. very far. Across Suvan," She began to explain slowly, remaining a bit mysterious about her exact origin. The savage would give him only what he specifically asked. "My eyes unusual? How?" She questioned in edition, her own brow furrowing almost quizzically at him. It was moments like these she wished she could read his mind. Thus far, he did not challenge her too greatly.

"Whatever I can find. Hare. Deer. I set snares most of the time," Kaie answered easily with a shrug of her shoulders. Her hand remained close regardless of how amicably the nature of the conversation was headed. She would be foolish to believe such easy-going moments could not turn into terrible trials.

He works outside the city...There?

Kaie followed where his finger pointed, noticing the building that seemed to rise above some of the trees. A few times she had seen it from a perch, but she never dared approach. It looked like some sort of vicious hold whose fences she would not like to be on the other side of.

"Like I said. Good dog. Found me out very quickly, didn't he?" She praised, looking at the mongrel casually. It certainly seemed to have its advantages, this dog. Maybe she should think about acquiring one of her own...

Like any man of wealth alone with a seemingly malevolent savage, he threw his family's clout out at her like dart to a board. It seemed to go right over the Myrian's head.

"I've seen it before. Research, you say? What kind?"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„I’ve never crossed the Suvan Sea“, Valerius admitted. „I have only ever travelled the Sylira Region.“ He paused for a moment as he took a closer look at her, as if he could find out where exactly she came from this way, but of course her origins remained a mystery to him. „You must find the people of Ravok and their customs strange“, he remarked. The tone of his voice was almost friendly. Had they met in the middle of the city, where he was surrounded by his servants and the Ebonstryfe, he would have acted differently, but here, in the relative solitude of the lakeshore, Valerius acted as if he was not in any way prejudiced.

„Your eyes almost seem to change color, depending on from which angle you look at them“, he told her. „It’s quite fascinating. I’ve only ever seen something like that in Vantha before, although the way their eyes changed color is much more extreme.“ He watched her as she looked at the Kelvic Research Instituion. It seemed as if she didn’t know what it was, which proofed her claim that she came from far away. Most native Ravokians knew the Kelvic Research Institution well.

„We research Kelvic and their unique abilities“, he replied. He didn’t mention that some of that research involved poison, that it was often painful and that the creatures didn’t always survive. She might disagree, and right now he didn’t want to face a savage who disagreed with his views. „It’s quite a fascinating field. But tell me, who do you sell the animals that you kill to? Do you have any regular customers? Did you know that the Kelvic Research Institution sometimes hires hunters to provide them with meat for the creatures?“

[Kaie]

She definitely could've guessed he was a man who never ventured that far to the west. Very few did and there was little reason to. All that waited for the weary traveler past Riverfall was danger and death around every turn. If no Myrian inhibited their exploration, someone else surely would. Let it be known that Myri's people were not the only ones who weren't above torture and blatant murder in the jungle. Damn few made it out of a Dhani nest unscathed. Petch, few made it out at all. When it came down to it, anyone with the status this man seemed to possess had no business taking that trip. He did have one thing right, though.

"Strange, yes. I've heard a few stories about the city. Enough to keep me outside the lake," She responded easily and simplistically, shrugging her shoulders. As an inhabitant, she figured he'd get her drift. No matter what corner of the world one's from, the idea of being under lock and key was in no way desirable. Kaie was nobody's slave. She would make a point to ensure she would never be. "My eyes do? Well...I can promise they won't turn color to give you a warning of whatever I'm feeling," She teased in a sinister manner, tongue running along the inside of her bottom lip. Risky behavior in light of the fact he had the dog to let loose after her if he panicked, but since when was that a factor? In this world, one risks their life every time they walk out the door.

"I just got here not too long ago. I don't really have a...Regular set of buyers. But if your little research building pays fair, I'm willing to do business," Kaie considered fairly, crossing her arms in thought. It was an interesting proposition she wasn't aware of prior. Yet she wasn't so sure she was ready to sell blindly to a place whose business seemed almost shady. "How exactly...Do you research Kelvics?"