Timestamp: Fall 84, 513
Unable to get into their bedroom to get clothes, Vira was stuck with the garments she had on, wondering if maybe those at the baths would be willing to find her some clean clothes, or wash and dry the ones she had on. They were sure to be busy, though, as citizens came in and out throughout the day to get cleaned up. They might even be busier than usual today, considering the events of the storm! Before she went to the baths, however, Vira had made time to properly dispose of Tulaj, the sadness she felt at his death deep. She wanted to be sure that he would be treated properly and not simply tossed into the rubbish with so much other refuse.
Only after that had been seen to did the teen make her way to the public bath house, her gait a shuffle and leaden and her mind reeling from what had transpired. Part of her wanted Kovac to be with her at the baths, but she knew that that would be impossible right now as he was also off helping with clean up. At the cubbies by the entrance, Vira slowly undressed, her mud-caked hands making it difficult to get her sandals off. She had to sit down at one point and work her fingers under the heel strap in order to loosen it and slide it off.
She set these to one side before getting to her feet and undoing the knot of her bryda so that it could be removed as well. The mud-covered garment was then placed on the bench she had been using before Vira unwound the knot of her vinati. The material flapped loose and hung against her sides as she worked to free the secondary knot which held against her neck. This one she finished with a hand against her chest, holding the material close for a moment before pulling it off and setting it with her bryda. She then untied her mud-caked hair (which took nearly a chime to get a grip on the leather which kept it tied back) and tossed the item in the trash. It could more easily be replaced than a more important object.
Once finished, she gathered up her clothes and headed for a laundry chute to send it down to the attendants waiting below so it could be washed. Her body ached from a combination of exhaustion and exertion. She wanted to clean up and sleep, but she wondered, now knowing Tulaj was dead, if she was going to be able to. Vira walked leadenly out of the main chamber and to the first set of baths. This room had seven large pools, many of which were already packed with other citizens who were likewise as filthy as a hog in a slop bin. She recognized a few of the faces from the Endal quarter. But all of them were busy getting cleaned so they could move to the next baths for more relaxing cleanings.
Vira headed for the fourth pool where only six people were settled. A couple of them were Chiet, trying to avoid interacting with the Avora in the pool, as the Endal sat on the edge and slid her feet into the cold water. She took a breath and dropped beneath the surface, scrubbing fiercely at her face to get the worst of the mud off before resurfacing and exhaling. Afterwards, she grabbed one of the scrapes on the edge of the pool and began working from the bottom up. The teen sat onto the ledge in the pool and used the scrape to get the mud off the tops and bottoms of her feet before dragging it methodically up her legs. Each scraped pulled a thick layer of the ash-thickened goop which only served to stain the water even more. The current in the pool was strong, though, flushing fresh water in at the surface and draining old water out at the bottom in an attempt to keep it as clean as possible.
Vira continued scraping, placing first one foot on the ledge to her left and working the scraper up the front, sides, and back of her thigh so that more of the mud was removed. Then, she moved to her torso, using her free hand and the scraper to get the thickest of the mud off her hips and abdomen. Likewise, did she scrape around her breasts, using her fingers to clean the entire surface before finally coming up to her face and her neck. The woman took care with the scraped down her back, mindful of where the scarring near her kidneys was.
This part took several more chimes of the nearly bell she’d already gone through getting the rest of her cleaned up. She managed to, at last, get the majority off before turning to her hair. Part of it had been soaking throughout the cleaning and during this process, three of the current pool users had already moved on to the next pool. Their departure allowed for three more figures (all Endal) to join the pool and begin the process of cleaning themselves, too. These three looked fairly sooty, Vira noticed, though one appeared to have blood in his hair and down his face.
Rinsing her hair of the mud took another half a bell since a good portion of it had already dried and with the ash having mixed into it, she was having difficulty getting the gunk out. But, with patience, she persevered, at last removing the remaining clump at the top of her head with some vigorous scratching of her fingers. All that was left was to clean between her toes and then flush her ears.
Both spots Vira took great care around, her digits working between her toes to pull the clumps of mud out while she kept her head tilted down into the water first on one side, then on the other until the mud had loosened in her ears and simply washed out.
Unable to get into their bedroom to get clothes, Vira was stuck with the garments she had on, wondering if maybe those at the baths would be willing to find her some clean clothes, or wash and dry the ones she had on. They were sure to be busy, though, as citizens came in and out throughout the day to get cleaned up. They might even be busier than usual today, considering the events of the storm! Before she went to the baths, however, Vira had made time to properly dispose of Tulaj, the sadness she felt at his death deep. She wanted to be sure that he would be treated properly and not simply tossed into the rubbish with so much other refuse.
Only after that had been seen to did the teen make her way to the public bath house, her gait a shuffle and leaden and her mind reeling from what had transpired. Part of her wanted Kovac to be with her at the baths, but she knew that that would be impossible right now as he was also off helping with clean up. At the cubbies by the entrance, Vira slowly undressed, her mud-caked hands making it difficult to get her sandals off. She had to sit down at one point and work her fingers under the heel strap in order to loosen it and slide it off.
She set these to one side before getting to her feet and undoing the knot of her bryda so that it could be removed as well. The mud-covered garment was then placed on the bench she had been using before Vira unwound the knot of her vinati. The material flapped loose and hung against her sides as she worked to free the secondary knot which held against her neck. This one she finished with a hand against her chest, holding the material close for a moment before pulling it off and setting it with her bryda. She then untied her mud-caked hair (which took nearly a chime to get a grip on the leather which kept it tied back) and tossed the item in the trash. It could more easily be replaced than a more important object.
Once finished, she gathered up her clothes and headed for a laundry chute to send it down to the attendants waiting below so it could be washed. Her body ached from a combination of exhaustion and exertion. She wanted to clean up and sleep, but she wondered, now knowing Tulaj was dead, if she was going to be able to. Vira walked leadenly out of the main chamber and to the first set of baths. This room had seven large pools, many of which were already packed with other citizens who were likewise as filthy as a hog in a slop bin. She recognized a few of the faces from the Endal quarter. But all of them were busy getting cleaned so they could move to the next baths for more relaxing cleanings.
Vira headed for the fourth pool where only six people were settled. A couple of them were Chiet, trying to avoid interacting with the Avora in the pool, as the Endal sat on the edge and slid her feet into the cold water. She took a breath and dropped beneath the surface, scrubbing fiercely at her face to get the worst of the mud off before resurfacing and exhaling. Afterwards, she grabbed one of the scrapes on the edge of the pool and began working from the bottom up. The teen sat onto the ledge in the pool and used the scrape to get the mud off the tops and bottoms of her feet before dragging it methodically up her legs. Each scraped pulled a thick layer of the ash-thickened goop which only served to stain the water even more. The current in the pool was strong, though, flushing fresh water in at the surface and draining old water out at the bottom in an attempt to keep it as clean as possible.
Vira continued scraping, placing first one foot on the ledge to her left and working the scraper up the front, sides, and back of her thigh so that more of the mud was removed. Then, she moved to her torso, using her free hand and the scraper to get the thickest of the mud off her hips and abdomen. Likewise, did she scrape around her breasts, using her fingers to clean the entire surface before finally coming up to her face and her neck. The woman took care with the scraped down her back, mindful of where the scarring near her kidneys was.
This part took several more chimes of the nearly bell she’d already gone through getting the rest of her cleaned up. She managed to, at last, get the majority off before turning to her hair. Part of it had been soaking throughout the cleaning and during this process, three of the current pool users had already moved on to the next pool. Their departure allowed for three more figures (all Endal) to join the pool and begin the process of cleaning themselves, too. These three looked fairly sooty, Vira noticed, though one appeared to have blood in his hair and down his face.
Rinsing her hair of the mud took another half a bell since a good portion of it had already dried and with the ash having mixed into it, she was having difficulty getting the gunk out. But, with patience, she persevered, at last removing the remaining clump at the top of her head with some vigorous scratching of her fingers. All that was left was to clean between her toes and then flush her ears.
Both spots Vira took great care around, her digits working between her toes to pull the clumps of mud out while she kept her head tilted down into the water first on one side, then on the other until the mud had loosened in her ears and simply washed out.
