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[Caelum]

I get the feeling things have changed but the mystery to me is where and when along the way did anyone decide that they believed me. - Avett. Timestamp: 45 Winter 513 AV The sun was fresh in the sky when Caelum arrived at Message Square to harass the poor sea eagle who kept up Qalaya’s shrine in Riverfall. Caelum privately thought the name a sign of a stunted imagination, but he could hardly blame the pretty kelvic who hopped helpfully at his heels. He had already been by the Citizenship, Labor, & Aid Office and conducted a similar conversation with Malin. Now Caelum browsed through the notes and letters, the advertisements and advisories scattered in orderly fashion throughout Message Square, hunting up one thing in particular. Unfortunately, he found half a dozen of them. They were all real estate promotions announcing the sale of property around the city. Caelum was on hunt for a property, for a sizable property, and it of course needed to be absolutely perfect in order to measure up to the exacting expectations of both himself and Kavala Denusk. It was a high order to put to any property, but Caelum was determined to find the one that could perform it. He traveled up and down the cliffs of Riverfall throughout the morning, going down his list of available properties one by one. He had arranged them in geographical order so that he would not have to criss cross the city a million times, but after a series of disappointments he felt weary anyway. Larik appeared to stroll down an ally with Caelum about midway through the morning, the kelvic easily matching Caelum’s strides and his calloused hands gesturing broadly in illustration of a story about the miniature food fight that had happened at breakfast between a giggling Cadra and a playful Shayru. Caelum was secretly glad had had missed it, but then the only reason he ever attended breakfast at the Sanctuary was for company or business. Once the sun was in the sky, he had no need or desire for food. Together, he and Larik poked around a cavernous interior set deep into the cliff. It was certainly large enough for what Caelum envisioned, but it was entirely too dim for his liking. He needed a play with light, with open air, not just room to maneuver. It was not until noon that they found exactly what they were looking for. Larik knew Caelum was sold by the ethaefal’s broad grin and resigned himself to helping him persuade Kavala. A quick discussion between them sent Larik flying back to the Sanctuary to see if his aunt had the time to meet Caelum in the city.

[Kavala]

Kavala appeared fairly quickly, with Larik on her heels and Cadra trailing not far behind. It was obvious the twins enjoyed all the roaming around, especially Cadra who rarely left the Sanctuary. Larik had a need to fly daily, but the Kelvic Housecat liked her territory. And today her territory included a very dark baby with stark white hair that refused to be left at home. Kavala had Ia'del with her, which was a good sign. The Konti would not have brought the infant out into the world if she had thought there was a danger to it. The little girl had gotten stronger over the last thirty five days. Her breathing troubles had gradually stopped, and she'd began to put on weight. She was closing the gap between what a normal infant Konti should look like and what one born at least twenty days premature looked like. And that Kavala was willing to bring her spoke volumes on her mother's confidence for her to survive outside of the fortress.

"Hey.. Larik said you had some luck." Kavala said, following her nephew into the building, looking all around. Cadra grinned at Caelum, wandered over to him carrying Ralac to run her jaw down his in her own kelvic brand of hello, and stalked off to prowl the place as well.

Kavala spun in a circle, looking around, and took the initiative of Cadra's leave and started peeking into doorways and checking out the actual space. "Was this a restaurant or something else like a private residence? It almost looks like it was residential." She asked, looking thoughtful as she noted the high ceilings and the wide arches leading from space to space. She didn't want to open something in a space that had already failed as that thing already. So she was hoping it had been some sort of storehouse or other sort of retail space and not a Akalak hangout.

The stonework needed some work, Kavala thought, looking at it with her geomancer's eye. And there were other issues, though most minor. A wall faced the port with small windows. She frowned at this, wandered over to the wall, and peeked out the door at the water and back in at the building.

"These need to be windows, not walls. You won't be happy in all this dim." She said, tapping the walls. "But it's nothing we can't fix. A combination of clear and stained glass would be gorgeous. I think I can make it with reimancy if we want to loose this wall and change it to glass." She said, looking around.

"What are your inital thoughts? I haven't seen all of it... but it looks very promising." Kavala said, not asking what the price was. As far as she was concerned, if Caelum wanted it, she'd buy it for him. If there wasn't coin, there was horses that needed liquidated, so either way if this was what he wanted this was what he was going to get.

[Caelum]

"Hey, Kav," Caelum called when she arrived. His voice echoed from a back corner where the entire upper half of him was out of sight in what appeared to be a rather large storage closet. He paced out, loose hipped and edged with an air of excitement. It loaned him a hint of something wild, the glow off of him closer to sparks as Cadra gave him her greeting. He hummed at her, low in his throat, and gave a little pat to her arm and a rub to Ralec's head before she stalked off to investigate. This left him smiling widely at Kavala, hands propped on the slant of his hips as he came to a halt in the middle of the space. "Stained and regular glass," he agreed, dipping his chin in a nod. Golden brown hair razor bladed into his eyes until he scraped it back and then unwound his arm to gesture at the various corners of the space. "Maybe in an ascending sun patterns and I'm thinking shelves in the stone above and below for plants. Herbs, mostly, but I want to get some creepers to come down in the corners, yeah?" It was a lot of words for Caelum, and he paced with it, rolling out to amble in the direction of one such corner before he swung around to head in another. He lit up the shadows with his excitement. "It used to be some sort of repair and supply shop," he explained. "Catering mainly to shore leave sailors. This --" He pointed to the far corner. "Is where I want to put the bar. A high shine metal. I'm leaning toward copper, maybe patterned. A mirror shine to open it up further as it will be in a position to reflect from the windows." He began to step heel to toe, muttering numbers under his breath as he measured the space in that portion of the front room, considering the bar requirements. "There's more back there," he added, and tossed a hand over his shoulder. "Plenty of space." It was blatantly obvious he wanted it.

[Kavala]

Kavala wasn't sure what was more interesting, exploring the new place or watching Caelum's reaction to it. The Eth was lit up like a lantern in a storm, his excitement washing off him in waves. She coudl tell he wanted it, and the idea he was already laying out took a life of their own in her mind and she smiled, thinking the place...

"It's like it already exists... do you feel it, Caelum? It's like it exists overlayed in this musty shut up space and its dying to burst forth and that it's waited patiently since it was first carved out to be what you need it to be. I think it wants you as badly as you want it." She said, smiling, and spinning around once more. As he pointed out things, she obediently went to see. When she came to a halt she bent to nuzzle the baby in the sling in her arms and laughed out loud suddenly.

"I wonder if it will grow as fast as these two will." She said, glancing at Cadra and keeping a sharp eye on Ralac as well. The kelvic cat was busy holding the baby up in her arms and showing him glittering dust motes floating in the air. He was eagerly grabbing at them in the weak winter sunlight. The site brought a smile to her face before she turned back to Caelum.

"If its in the price range we discussed, I'll go by the labor aide office and file the paperwork to make it official. I'll note on there the title can be transferred to your name at any time without my signature. You know, in case something happens." Kavala said, spinning around once more looking the place over.

"It's a perfect location. So much potential. I can even get some work in on it before the season finishes. It's perfect to have more indoor projects to do. You'll have to order the bar since you want it in a metal - or at least the metal wrapping if you don't mind a stone one - but I can do stonework in here of any sort you want too. Just start brainstorming ideas." Kavala said, moving back out the door to look at the frontages as well.

She was back in a moment and had more thoughts. "I'll see if the labor office will allow us leeway to put in a dock and expand the patio out as part of the sale giving us several seasons to do so. That way in the summer it might be very nice to be able to throw open the doors and have clients outside if we plant some shade or put up some overhanging roof space." Kavala said, leanign back and wondering waht Caelum thought. She made sure she thoroughly investigated the other rooms, finding them great for retail and an infirmary.

It was actually perfect.

[Caelum]

"The bar can be stone," Caelum clarified, flashing Kavala a rarefied grin. "I was thinking the back wall of the bar, where the bottles and whatnot are all going to sit. That way they can reflect the light in the windows and off the bottles and beakers and --" He lifted his hands and then cut them outward, toward the exterior wall and the water beyond. The hand gestures Caelum tended to use had a habit of being about half Grasslands Signs and half something purely Caelum, whatever that meant. For all that he could be ruthlessly eloquent when incensed, he was also close mouthed as a clam and had spent a great deal of time with no one to talk to but his faithful horse and the glaring sky. His conversations could stutter and stunt and then launch ahead, full of teeth and explosive animation. With Kavala, he tended to fall into Pavi, the language best remembered by his tongue. He did so now, scribbling on the little notepad he had brought with him with a sharpened charcoal stick, taking notes of what all they were discussing. Exterior Wall: Windows -- Glass/Stained Glass (Ascending Sun Patterns) Recessed Planters: above and below windows. Bar: Stone, marble topped, copper backed. Reminder: Check with city for permission to extend toward patio and dock space in summer. "I think we can comfortably seat twenty in this space," he said while tucking the notepad back into his pocket. He whirled about, sort of patterning himself around where Cadra nosed, and headed for Kavala. "I'm thinking comfortable seating. Some couches, low tables. A few more standard ones. Mismatched chairs. Rugs. Yeah, we're going to need rugs for this floor." He stopped and peered down. His footsteps had tocked in reverberating echoes against the cliff walls. "Though, once we have furniture in here, some of that will diminish. Do you think there's a space for a hearth?" He twisted about. "Barring that, maybe we can do a central, iron oven. For heat in the cooler seasons." Suddenly, that grin flashed again, golden eyes meeting sky blue. "And yes. I feel it. It's already here. Isn't it?"

[Kavala]

Kavala nodded at Caelum’s words. She was still walking around, still thinking, her hands twitching where they were not stroking her daughter’s shock of white hair. The babe was tucked up against her chest, a sight that was natural for Kavala. The woman, as fierce as she was, manifested the term mother and took it to a whole new protective level. Blue eyes scanned the room as Caelum talked, drawn to him in brief butterfly wing flickers as his hands moved, emphasizing his words.

Cadra moved about as well, tilting her head now and then, catching a few words of pavi here and there. Her Pavi wasn’t as good, nor was Lariks… but they were creatures of feeling and they could both feel Caelum’s excitement. Ralac stirred, let out a mighty yawn, and grabbed a fist full of red hair. He grinned wickedly, even as young as he was, and yanked at it. Cadra yelped, glanced down, and laughed meeting the wicked yellow eyes with her near luminous golden gaze. She let out a very catlike pur, leaned over and licked Ralac’s nose. His shock and surprise was so instant that he dropped her hair and made a swipe for her tongue instead. Kavala couldn’t help but laugh.

“The biggest expense will be the stained glass. I’m good with Reimancy, but I don’t know that I can do glass yet. I think you should let me try though before you contract a glass artist. They might not be as clear or as precise, but it would be a good challenge for me to try and get close… maybe even something that does the same thing but is more unusual. In the end, its up to you. I like the idea of the copper, the bottles, the whole bit… it will be beautiful without being feminine.” She added. Then the Healer continued nodding as he spoke further.

She paced, looking at the floor he was examining as well, and nodded to his rug idea. “Definitely. We can redo the floors like I’ve done in The Within for sure, but I think area rugs here and there would be a nice touch. Eventually though, you’re going to want to seat more than twenty. If you want to have parties here, you’ll want more space. Punching it back or even adding another layer higher up into the cliff would be nice. We can do that with reimancy too. Space isn’t an issue, so long as we don’t move the direction of the retail space or the healing space… unless we remove walls between them and add that to the main floorspace and punch a retail space on a mezzanine or a healing space further back into the cliff. Anything works here though. I like the flexibility of the set up Caelum. And with a dock, it will be perfect.” Kavala said, walking back out front to see another view.. the sidewalk looking in. She drew all the nuisances in on her mind and nodded her approval.

The Konti had developed upper crust tastes since living in Riverfall. Caelum’s new business would definitely fit that bill.

She walked back into the room. Larik was busy now lurking in the retail space, looking around, envisioning the gods knew what. Her head came back, she looked thoughtful, and fixed on Caelum as he asked about a hearth. “The only issue I can see is venting it. If you put it on one of the walls that can vent out the cliff, there’s no issue. It’s tricky work, but it can be done. The only reason its tricky is venting out the side of a cliff rather than the top means that you need to block the vent so that wind doesn’t come IN and smoke out your room. That’s hard to do while still letting smoke out. I think we should do the hearth first, and test the way it burns as we remodel before you have clients. Straight up is much easier, but in this location at the bottom of the cliff at sea level, who knows how many homes and businesses you’d have to punch through. I wouldn’t want to attempt it.” Kavala said, not trying to discourage Caelum, rather just letting him know his options were limited.

“I think I should go finalize the sale. You want it. It’s nearly perfect. Enough talk. We can do that as we plan and remodel.” Kavala said with a laugh, bending down to kiss Ia’s head and rub it again. “We want this place open before these kids are walking right?” She asked, knowing they had a lot to do before spring and a very short time to do it.

"If you don't mind, I can go do that now and be back in a few chimes. The office isn't far from here since the twins are here to watch the children." Kavala said, implying she'd jog up the hill and leave Larik and Cadra with Caelum for a few minutes with the babies.

[Caelum]

Caelum wrinkled his nose as he relinquished his notion of a central hearth. Common sense had gotten lost in the shine of his excitement, but his smile returned all the same. He had nodded along, continuing to take notes regarding the space and particularly the concept of a mezzanine for expansion. Long fingers stretched, cracking a little at the knuckles, and he blinked up from his pencil scratching when Kavala suggested that she go this very moment to secure the location. Hastily, he stuffed the paper and pencil into a pocket of his trousers and rolled forward. Coming to a halt in front of his friend, Caelum lifted both hands to spill over her cheeks and brush back pale wisps of hair so that he could duck his chin and place a kiss full on her mouth. "Thank you," he said simply. His heart was in the words. This place and her willingness to help him obtain it meant a great deal to him, more than perhaps she was aware. This location, the planning of Alements and it's eventual grand opening was akin to the laying of another row of bricks for his new home. "Now give me this piece of work," he added, smile skewing towards a smirk as he leaned back and reached for the shoulder strap that held Ia'del to Kavala's chest. "She and Cadra can help me figure out what sort of equipment we're going to need for the kitchen. Eh, Cadra?" He turned his head to smile at the kelvic cat and his smirk only sharpened for Relac's antics. Larik's eyeroll was practically audible.

[Kavala]

Ia'del was passed to Caelum and the Konti was out the door with a lightfooted jog that she wouldn't have managed to handle half a season ago. Twenty days had done the Konti's health a world of good and she was regaining strength like crazy. And the little one tucked now against his chest was no different, waking up briefly to look up at him and smile with eyes that looked so much like her mothers. Ia'del was a miracle and it was fitting that she be here, witnessing the first day he'd found the place and claimed it as his own.

Larik and Cadra lurked, though Larik was soon passed the almost black Akontak in miniature as his sister gleefully shed her clothing and went about mousing. The place had long been unused and Cadra killed the time not in helping Caelum brainstorm what would best be done, but in what she did best... terrorizing the mice. And that in and of itself wouldn't be so bad, but there had been so many of them that after a few chimes of Kavala being gone, not only had the cat gotten full, but she'd started a fresh kill pile for Larik, who would enjoy the snack as soon as they traded places and she took the baby back and he took on feathers.

The twins were happy. And even Larik had something to say, though the Kelvic eagle didn't usually. "Has Elise seen it yet? She will... need a place like this. A place to make her own and to serve. My Aunt serves The Sanctuary and in a way it owns her. But this place... it has no one to claim it and serve it. You - I can see doing so - but Elise will give it the touch it needs." Larik said thoughtfully. He was more than a little obsessed with Caelum's new acquisition and spent many bells in Elise's quarters in his bird form, which oddly enough she seemed inclined to talk to more so than she did the others.

He bent, ran his hand over the white hair on Ralac's head, and chirped to the boy who stirred, had opened his golden eyes, and was watching Larik rather seriously. The Kelvic tilted his head and then watched the boy look away as his gaze tracked something that was unseen to everyone else in the building. Larik nodded down to Ralac. "He sees things. The dead I think. You should be cautious. His eyes have jumped around a lot in here, as if there are a lot of dead for him to see." Larik observed, trailing after Caelum as the Eth walked around continuing his plans.

Sometimes the kelvics said the darnedest things.

But Larik was interrupted from saying anything more with Kavala's arrival. In her hand was a complete bill of sale and an ownership title to the space and a permit to expand the front into a dock. It was all signed and notarized by The Labor Aid and Housing Office. There was a stipulation on it though.

Bill Of Sale ~ Deed Of Ownership

Owner:

Caelum

Address:

525 Punge Pool Lane
Berth Space 25
City of Riverfall, Cyphrus Region

Breakdown;

Tavern (Elaborate) 2,500 GM 400 sqft
Kitchen (Elaborate) 1,800 GM 400 sqft
Shop (Elaborate) 2,000 GM 400 sqft
Ice House 500 GM 250 sqft
Infirmary (Elaborate) 1,400 GM 800 sqft

Total: 8,200 GM 2.250 sqft
Minus 25% buying it all at once (-2,050)
Grand Total: 6,150 GM with new buildings, furnishings, stuff we need to open immediately besides booze and food and stock for the shop.

Attached to the back was an addendum.

Proposed Expansion Approval Pending Payment

Owner:

Caelum

Address:

525 Punge Pool Lane
Berth Space 25
City of Riverfall, Cyphrus Region

Proposed Expansion:

Dock (Elaborate) 3,000 GM (four smaller boats or two larger vessels)
Patio (Elaborate - Stone) 500 GM 400 sqft

Total: 3,500 GM
Minus 25% buying it all at once (-875 GM)
Grand Total: 2,625 GM with new structures, furnishings, and dock which we will actually need fairly soon.

"So... in case you don't understand. I put it all in your name. No need to pay me back in coin. Just help around The Sanctuary when you can. And you basically owe the Labor Aid and Housing Office 2,625 GM right away. We should be able to open with all the remodels ready if we get done as soon as we can." Kavala said, handing him the paperwork and letting him see what he needed to see.

To the others, she handed pieces of chalk after retrieving her daughter from Caelum's arms and kissing her son. She'd picked up the chalk on her way back to the new building, thinking it would come in handy.

"You both need to practice your writing. I want you to run around and take notes with the chalk all over the walls and where he says he wants stuff before we forget what he says. Maybe he can even outline where he wants the bar so we can get started on that. Then, basically once we get done, he needs to head to the Warren and put in some order for furniture so it is ready when we are. These things take time and we don't have a lot. So we'll need to get some furnishing orders in right away. Am I forgetting anything else?" Kavala said, looking thoughtful.

[Caelum]

Ia'del was cradled against Caelum's chest, his hold as easy as if he had spent his life rocking babies. One might wonder where and when along the way he had learned his way around children, but then that was but one of many miniature mysteries of his past. He watched Cadra with an air of bemused appreciation as she hunted down what appeared to be every mouse in Riverfall and piled them at her brother's feet. "You're going to eat all of those, aren't you?" Caelum said to Larik. He pulled a teasing face. In an absent motion he began to pace around the main room, continuing to envision every detail of what he would place where and what to purchase to make it happen. He wanted to go straight to the Warren this afteroon to begin the hunt for furniture and various items of equipment. "I should bring Elise here, let her see it, and take her with me to select the furnishing," he answered Larik after a little while. Some of the humor in his face had sobered with thought. The young woman did need a place, one to serve and to grow in, to assist in the redefinition of a life that had never before possessed the power to be named. "She talks to you," he went one, eyes dropping to the shock of Relac's hair where the baby was tucked in the kelvic's arms. He rocked forward a step and ducked down, golden eyes finding the infant's, searching with a faint smile. "Youu think? Stranger things..." Caelum looked up at Kavala's return, trailing off. He was silent while exchanging Ia'del for the papers in Kavala's hands. They were read thoroughly, eyebrows drawing together, and then turned over as Kavala talked about what should happen next and go where. Finally, he reached out and closed his hand around her arm. When blue eyes turned up to him, Caelum lifted an eyebrow. "You put it in my name," he pointed out to her. "You shouldn't.. Kavala." He pushed out a breath. "I can pay for the dock and patio today. That's not a problem. But the point is that it should be in your name. It's your mizas, and I haven't earned this."

[Kavala]

The infant couldn’t have been more content. She already thought of Caelum as more of a father than anything else because he kept her alive and safe the first half of the season of her life. When her mother’s soft sweet voice wasn’t there comforting her or singing to her, Caelum had been. When she couldn’t breathe, he had breathed for her. To Ia’del, he belong to her and in her world like the sun and moon belonged in everyone else’s. So of course she slept contented, waking periodically to peer up at him, her vision getting better day to day.

Larik laughed. “I won’t waste a good gift. It’s rare my sister hunts for me and they are a bit fat and delicious looking.” He commented, a rare string of words even for him. “I think cats have it easy, able to mice in buildings. She’s good at this. You might as well let her have at it.” He said with a grin. Then he nodded at Caelums words about Elise. “She likes my feathers. She won’t talk to me like this.. .but when I wear my feathers she likes to touch them and she isn’t scared of my beak or talons. Then she talks… a lot. I enjoy the sound of her voice. It helps me sleep sometimes.” He said softly, a smile playing across his face.

They started to talk of ghosts but Kavala returned before the conversation went too far. Larik was slightly relieved. His aunt had impeccable timing like that, bailing him out of awkwardness without much thought. When he was relieved of Ralac, he stripped off his gear and shifted, pouncing on the growing pile of dead mice. He gleefully started swallowing them whole, downing a good eight or ten before he paused to preen.

Kavala said nothing for a time, her arms around her son stroking his soft hair and looking down into his pale eyes. “Yes. Life is hard everywhere, even here Caelum. I want no questions asked if something were to happen to me. This is your work, your place… you should never have to be questioned as to who owns the building. The city doesn’t care where the coin comes from, only that they are paid what they are owed.” Kavala said simply, knowing she’d done the right thing.

She looked up finally, meeting his eyes with a soft apologetic smile. She noted how quietly and calmly her daughter slept in Caelum’s arms and offered the girl the same smile. “Well, its all yours now. Shall we get started or do you want to wait until another time? I can put a blanket down in the corner for the babies. It’s time they slept anyhow, and we can get a bit of work done now while we are here.” She suggested, glancing around and wondering where to start if that’s what he indeed wanted to do.