20th of Winter, 513 AV
Liana watched the three retreating backs of the Konti sisters who had comforted and counseled her on the voyage from Mura. Her heart felt heavy and she hated to see them go. They'd become rather close during those long talks when she would visit their chambers below deck in the late hours. Their reason for returning to Sylira was to seek out the eldest's two Akalak sons in Syliras, the capital of the region, and bring them back to Mura to meet some prospective brides. The oldest could have done so herself, but the other two wished to see the mainland again. Liana had asked them hundreds of questions about Zeltiva and its people; from the weather to what color the stones on the buildings were. Some were too specific to be answered. They couldn't remember every inch and every detail, but she'd learned a little.
For one, there had been some sort of plague. This was frightening news to her, but they assured her it would be safe. Secondly, there seemed to have been some sort of turmoil going on in the inner workings of the city. If she'd known this, she'd have stayed in Mura or chosen another city entirely. Perhaps she should have gotten off at the stop in Sahova. But as she stood at the ends of the dock watching the women disappear into the bustling crowd of sailors, fishermen, and civilians, nothing seemed to scream turmoil. Perhaps it was all over? A troop of four men jogged by carrying a bundled sail on their shoulders. Liana skittered out of the way, ducking despite there not actually being anything to duck under. She was too short for anything to hit her, and all four men were of monstrous proportions.
When she got turned back around, her eyes scanned the crowd for any sign of those three blonde heads. There was nothing. They were gone now. Liana hugged herself tightly and pulled her cloak snug around her shoulders. A biting wind was blowing off the waters of the dark bay. It wouldn't be too terrible out if not for that. A shoulder suddenly bumped her as someone squeezed past, making her stumble into the back of another walking by. They rounded on her in annoyance, shouting what had to be a curse in some foreign language. It wasn't Common. Liana shrunk away from the man's glare, turned, and ran into the crowd. She squeezed through milling bodies and stumbled over boots, getting a few more growls thrown her way.
The Konti stopped further down the docks, panting from the cold air that burned her lungs. The air smelled like oil, fish, and sweat with a hint of tobacco. It was overwhelming, all the people and sounds and smells. She'd stepped in a puddle of something and dirtied the hem of her cloak. Liana didn't want to imagine what it was. A woman was bustling by beside her, towing two children along and carrying a sleeping baby strapped to her bosom in a wrap. "Excuse me!" she begged in hesitant Common. The mother turned tired eyes on her. She was pale and tired looking, with messy brown hair thrown up in a bun and dark circles under her eyes. "Ay?" Liana frowned at the word. What is ay? she thought to herself. But the woman was staring at her accusingly and raised an eyebrow impatiently. "What do yee want?"
"Where is World's End Grotto?" she asked meekly. The sisters had told her that was the inn to seek out. The human's eyebrows furrowed, and one of the children started yanking on her arm and whining. A little boy with big green eyes and two missing front teeth. "I'm hungry! I wanna' go home!" he complained loudly. In a heartbeat, his sister started huffing away as well. The woman looked to be at the end of her rope. "Go sniff out a guard to help yee! I nary have time to help e'ry foreigner who steps foot off o' one o' those damned ships!" She turned and towed her children away, leaving Liana dazed and standing in her puddle of mysterious muck.
Liana watched the three retreating backs of the Konti sisters who had comforted and counseled her on the voyage from Mura. Her heart felt heavy and she hated to see them go. They'd become rather close during those long talks when she would visit their chambers below deck in the late hours. Their reason for returning to Sylira was to seek out the eldest's two Akalak sons in Syliras, the capital of the region, and bring them back to Mura to meet some prospective brides. The oldest could have done so herself, but the other two wished to see the mainland again. Liana had asked them hundreds of questions about Zeltiva and its people; from the weather to what color the stones on the buildings were. Some were too specific to be answered. They couldn't remember every inch and every detail, but she'd learned a little.
For one, there had been some sort of plague. This was frightening news to her, but they assured her it would be safe. Secondly, there seemed to have been some sort of turmoil going on in the inner workings of the city. If she'd known this, she'd have stayed in Mura or chosen another city entirely. Perhaps she should have gotten off at the stop in Sahova. But as she stood at the ends of the dock watching the women disappear into the bustling crowd of sailors, fishermen, and civilians, nothing seemed to scream turmoil. Perhaps it was all over? A troop of four men jogged by carrying a bundled sail on their shoulders. Liana skittered out of the way, ducking despite there not actually being anything to duck under. She was too short for anything to hit her, and all four men were of monstrous proportions.
When she got turned back around, her eyes scanned the crowd for any sign of those three blonde heads. There was nothing. They were gone now. Liana hugged herself tightly and pulled her cloak snug around her shoulders. A biting wind was blowing off the waters of the dark bay. It wouldn't be too terrible out if not for that. A shoulder suddenly bumped her as someone squeezed past, making her stumble into the back of another walking by. They rounded on her in annoyance, shouting what had to be a curse in some foreign language. It wasn't Common. Liana shrunk away from the man's glare, turned, and ran into the crowd. She squeezed through milling bodies and stumbled over boots, getting a few more growls thrown her way.
The Konti stopped further down the docks, panting from the cold air that burned her lungs. The air smelled like oil, fish, and sweat with a hint of tobacco. It was overwhelming, all the people and sounds and smells. She'd stepped in a puddle of something and dirtied the hem of her cloak. Liana didn't want to imagine what it was. A woman was bustling by beside her, towing two children along and carrying a sleeping baby strapped to her bosom in a wrap. "Excuse me!" she begged in hesitant Common. The mother turned tired eyes on her. She was pale and tired looking, with messy brown hair thrown up in a bun and dark circles under her eyes. "Ay?" Liana frowned at the word. What is ay? she thought to herself. But the woman was staring at her accusingly and raised an eyebrow impatiently. "What do yee want?"
"Where is World's End Grotto?" she asked meekly. The sisters had told her that was the inn to seek out. The human's eyebrows furrowed, and one of the children started yanking on her arm and whining. A little boy with big green eyes and two missing front teeth. "I'm hungry! I wanna' go home!" he complained loudly. In a heartbeat, his sister started huffing away as well. The woman looked to be at the end of her rope. "Go sniff out a guard to help yee! I nary have time to help e'ry foreigner who steps foot off o' one o' those damned ships!" She turned and towed her children away, leaving Liana dazed and standing in her puddle of mysterious muck.
