Closed [Cliffside Grotto] Sassy Things(Vanator)

[S'Essy]

AV 514, Spring 13th

Riverfall was so green and pretty in spring, S'Essy couldn't not notice it. Birds were singing once again, flowers and trees started to bloom. Weather was warmer and warmer and Syna was brighter with everyday. New life, new chances. Most people had regenerated their energies. It was afternoon, but it wasn't darkening yet.

The Cliffside's Grotto's flowers were colorful and were variety as always. Their scent were "flying" around the park. It could charm or distract anybody to smell more and more of it. Also their looks were distracting. A couple were enjoying their sight as well. Their love were inspiring. S'Essy was walking to the Grotto as well. She always wanted to check it. She tried to not disturb them and stare at them. But she took a little look at them. A half-smile appeared on her face.

She wished to practise her shielding. For that she brought her comb. Firstly she wanted to find a good place where she won't disturb anybody and other wouldn't her. She wanted to do this outside. She thought it would be a sin to do it inside. Beside, it was also a good trying to ignore the smells and the sights of the flowers.

She found the perfect spot, next to tulips. Before she sat down and starting the meditation she tried to smell them as much as she could. After a while she could get use to do the scent and it wouldn't disturb her, it would be natural to her nose. First deep breath and smelling, how charming it was. Second one, it was still delightful. Third one, it's effect was 'wearing off'. Fourth one, it wasn't special anymore. She was ready. The sight was no problem ,she just had to close her eyes.

She sat down and closed her eyes. She was still holding the comb. She started the breathing. It was the easiest for her because of the shielding as well. She was taking deep breaths, she was focusing only on her breathing. It took her at least 10 chimes to do that. She could try and extrude her djed. She was focusing her 'gas' as it was her air which she was breathing in and out. She was holding her comb close to her face and openned her eyes. She was manipulating her djed gas. She only wanted it to block djed. With her hands she was trying to make the djed, to take the form of the comb.
She felt lucky, noone had come yet. It would ruin it.

[Vanator]

Business had brought Vanator to Riverfall, but the beauty of the city in Spring compelled him to linger. He had brought in a small load of supplies for the Alements in the pony cart, not large enough to warrant bringing the catamaran, which was more than fine with the Drykas. He had hoped Reven would accompany him, but his daughter had absconded his bondmate for some morning chores.

The residue of the recent flood still left patches of mud in corners of the streets where water had gathered, but the flora of the city had recovered well, colorful flowers and blooming trees adorning couryards, street corners and window boxes. Vanator too a few chimes to indulge himself in the beauty of a specific park, on of his favorites. The Cliffside Grotto was beautiful not only in the bright array of blossoming plants, but in the landscape itself, clinging to the stark angles of the cliff, overlooking the falls.

The Drykas descended the stairs in a leisurely gait, experiencing the park with all his senses. The air was a filled with a plethora of sweet aromas lifting from the blooms, cast against the fresh, salty scent of the sea breeze. Song birds sang above the din of the nearby waterfall, the world around him a saturated rainbow of bright hues. The day brought many residents to the cliffside gardens, though the spacious park allowed each to have plenty of space to enjoy some privacy. The other visitors drew little of Vanator's attention, except a curious woman seated near a bed of tulips.

She was a Konti, a lovely one whose pale scales reflected an iridescent blue when catching the sunlight. But her behavior was strange, as she sat amid the flower, holding a comb in front of her face and staring at it with such concentration that Van wondered if she suffered some mental infirmity, or of she exercised some form of magic. He drew closer, curious to see if maybe some element would appear to prove she was a reimancer.

[S'Essy]

She felt that she was in a good track. She was muttering herself words like "Cmon... slowly... Yes yes, it will be good, just calmly and focusing." In Kontinese. It was a perfect day, it was the perfect time, she could perhaps finally manage a somewhat succesful shield on her comb. With her hands she was forming the sea blue, waving djed onto her comb. Slowly it was taking the shape of the comb. S'Essy was smiling slightly and was excited. When with her eyes she noticed someone.

Forgetting herself, she turned her head toward the man. A tall man was standing there and watching her. S'Essy was all confused. "Good da..." She didn't finish her greeting because she realized that she was in the middle of shielding. But when she turned back it was too late. All her djed had gone and the djed which she could cast on the comb was fading away just like her smile. "OH FOR THE LOVE OF...." She yelled and was waving her arms everywhere. She throw her comb on the ground.

She placed her palm on her face and tried to calm down. She was breathing slowly. One and two. One and two. It was better now. She didn't like when because of her foolishness she ruins her own work. It was annoying to her, she knew everybody make mistakes but she still was annoyed by it. She turned back to the man. She picked up the comb and sat closer to the tulips like it could help anything.

She greeted him again with an irritated voice. "So, as I was trying to say: good day..argh." But she noticed how rude she was and was trying to change tone. It wasn't his fault, but her own."I mean... I'm sorry about this scene. I was just practicing my shielding. Again I failed." She sighed. And tried to force a smile on her face. "But let's not ruin a fine day. Do you need some healing or just a company?" The question of healing always came to her mind since her healing mark could be seen perfectly on her forehead.

[Vanator]

Vanator was probably being a bit rude, watching the Konti do whatever she was doing, but the woman was so focused on the comb, he figured she wouldn't eve notice him. She was mumbling things he could not really hear, as if talking to the comb in her hand. Van did note a strange shimmer around the comb, distorting the air around it with subtle tint. What was she doing? Before he knew it, her head snapped around towards him.

The Konti's antics were amusing, though Vanator made sure not to laugh out loud. It seemed she allowed him to distract her and ruin whatever magic she was performing. The blond threw a small fit, casting down her comb and yelling, then pressing her hands to her face, panting as if she were going to hyperventilate. Vanator took a step back, to avoid the woman's wrath.

"I am sorry, I was just..." Then she interrupted, finally addressing him with a more calm voice. So, shielding was the art she practiced. "I am sorry I interrupted you, I was just curious, it looked, well, kind of strange with you staring at a comb and talking to it."

He continued, answering her questions. "No, I don't need healing," It was apparent the gift this Konti possessed, Rak'keli had marked her square on the forehead for all to see," and I was not seeking company, though I never turn down the opportunity for a companion. My name is Vanator Denusk." The Drykas introduced himself, extending a hand of greeting.

[S'Essy]

Her face's features softened as she calmed down completely. She could smile honestly now. She was waving her hands towards herself, gesturing Vanator to come closer. "Come! I will not bite you. Well..." She nearly forgot how she nearly shouted at him. "Sorry again! Let's just drop the formalities and sit down next to me. I'm S'Essy! " And she felt the same way like him. She never turn down the opportunity for a companion. Words out from her mouth.

"And neither do I. How about giving a chance also to become a friend this day?" She started pretty straightforward. She didn't like to wait or making things more complicated like they are. She also tried to explain her question before Vanator could get confused."Look, I believe if we are meant to be friends, we will be now, not another time. We don't need anything special to sense that we have something in common. That's the beginning of a.. a... How is it?" She was thinking for the word in Common. It came hardly but she found it. How could she forget it that easily? "..bond! Of course deeper bonds are different, it comes after time and in many ways."

She was smelling the tulips. The flowers' scents were still pleasent but they weren't as intense as before. She was also curious. Did he have any bond? They were talking about it after all. She just needed one touch to tell who this person was. Bonds could tell things. But she waited, he might tell it first. Hearing it was always better. People always put their feelings in their words, which tells more than her gift but she didn't mind.

[Vanator]

The Konti was outgoing, that was certain. She invited Vanator to join her with little thought, her demeanor gregarious and open. Vanator stepped closer, a hesitant few steps at first. S'essy's wide smile coaxed the Drykas further, and he settled into the fresh green grass next to her. She seemed nice enough, maybe a little strange, but a lovely person overall.

Vanator found it odd that she almost immediately started to mention bonds. S'essy wasn't speaking specifically of kelvic bonds, but the Drykas was aware of the bond with Reven, now only three days old, by the keen lack of her presence in his awareness. They had learned that distance decreased the connection. "Um, yes..." Vanator started, watching the Konti sniff at the tulips, "I suppose if we were to become friends, it could happen now as easily as later."

Vanator did not mention his own bonds, which were many. Instead, he turned the tables back to the curious, friendly woman. "But to be friends, one must know the other, to find things in common. Tell me about yourself, S'essy, how did you come to Riverfall, and what do you do here?"

[S'Essy]

She noticed that it was indeed strange for him first. No wonder she was actually really confusing today. Or just really stupid, perhaps both but it didn't matter. What mattered that he came and sat down, which made the difference. Not all that open like he was, or at least now. She was smiling which was not as bright after the question. She couldn't answer the second one. What did she do her exactly?

"Well... I lived in Mura and I travelled here with a boat." She started and stopped right there. She couldn't answer the question because the answer was simple, too simple. Healing and nothing. She looked up to the sky and leaned to the grass with her back. She made sure that she wasn't lying on any tulip. "Well I'm actually doing nothing particular other than being a healer like in Mura. Must be a suprise." She said it unenthusically. But before everything turned depressed or sad she changed her tone.

"But don't get me wrong I like Riverfall very much. I'm just not sure why I'm here." She was smiling brightly again, still staring at the sky. "Because why I enjoy the happiness when I could make a person's day better, something brought me here. I just felt I needed to come. Perhaps something or perhaps someone I need to meet." Then she wanted to turn back the question to him but first she couldn't stop herself.

With her finger she poked quickly his arm. It was enough because she already knew much. It was interesting, she rarely felt more than one. He was a drykas and he was bonding with a kelvic. "Soo... you are a drykas right? How about yourself? What do you do in here?"

[Vanator]

S'essy seemed very much a free spirit, her attitude light and unburdened, as if she were the kind of person unafraid to take a moment to smell a flower, or to watch a butterfly wing from one blossom to another, simply for the sake of appreciating it. It was refreshing, the Konti also seemed the kind who didn't know a stranger.

Mura. Kavala had been to Mura. She too traveled from the island to Cyphrus. Had her journey not been by land, but by boat, as S'essy's trip, maybe she would not have been taken by slavers, rescued by Akalaks and forced to repay them by going to Riverfall as a Nakivak. Maybe Kavala would have returned to the Pavilion, and to him. But then, she would be dead with the rest of them. Fate was sometimes cruel and kind in the same moment.

There didn't seem to have been much thought to the Konti's wanderings, and when she mentioned her current lack of direction, Van detected a hint of unease at her state. Maybe she was not so flighty. "Fate leads us to places often without reason, or at least, without revealing it. I did not intend to come to Riverfall, but fate brought me here, and I am glad. With patience, I am sure you will find your purpose in being here. Meanwhile, making people smile is not a bad reason to be around." Van's smile beamed at the Konti.

S'essy playfully poked his arm. She indeed didn't seem to know a stranger. She asked about his story, but her remark about him being Drykas caught him off guard. He didn't think she could see the Windmark on his back. Must have been his Pavi accent.

"I actually live at the Sanctuary, about two miles north of the city. We care for animals, and Kelvics there, and breed horses. I am the armsmaster there, and manual labor." He laughed. "I live there with my family, my half-sister, who happens to be a Konti, my bondmate, my twin children, who happen to be Kelvic, and nieces and nephews and friends and Akontaks and Vanthans and Sylirans and Benshirans and ....well...we are one big, strange, happy family!" He laughed again.

[S'Essy]

His smile totally confused her for somehow. She was just staring for a moment and she beamed a smile back at him. He was right, pretty much right. "S'Essy he has a bondmate... maybe even his lover don't let him." she thought. She shouldn't let herself get so easily seduced by others. If he wants to play, she can make him embarassed too. S'Essy smiled widely.

She sat up and listenned him. The Santcuary, might have heard of it, but she couldn't recall it. But she knew that sometime she have to visit it. She was impressed, what a place. And they were healing animals, a konti who used it that way. S'Essy thought it was the best idea. She laughed with him too. Kelvics, benshirans, and a konti half-sister. She raised her eyebrows.

With her back she leaned to Vanator's arm. She turned her head there and was still smiling. "Interesting, shall I join there also? It will be more colorful don't you think?" she laughed and turned her head away to the garden. Again she couldn't help but noticed the beautiful sight. She was distracted easily by their looks. Mura was pretty too, but this was something else. It was new, it was strange and exciting.

She was daydreaming for a bit. Because while she was playing with him, he was right. And that place was also encouraging her. Maybe she can find such a place too, or even create one. She lied her head on his shoulder, coming back to the real world. "I like this garden, I like this weather, I like your company, I like you. I know if I like someone. Perhaps I shouldn't trust people that easily but I believe in my instincts. " She laughed and was staring at the sky. "What is it like? What is it like having a bond? I could never have one, I just feel others have it. Like your strider or with your kelvic. Do you love him or her? I mean your kelvic? And what do you feel about your strider? "

[Vanator]

Vanator listened to the lazy ponderings of the Konti. She leaned easily against him, as if they were old friends or comfortable lovers. Rarely had the Drykas witnessed such a gregarious woman, especially among the Konti. His attention was momentarily sidetracked as Van tried to discern whether the attractive woman was coming on to him, or was simply that friendly and unabashed. While he could not say it was not enjoyable, Vanator felt a twinge of discomfort, being this close to a woman when he had given his heart to Reven.

The Denusk shifted a bit, clearing his throat and creating a bit more space between them. "My bonds, as you call them, are rather different from each other. A Drykas bond with a Strider is a subtle thing, an unspoken commitment between horse and rider. There is no real interaction through the connection, just a sense of belonging, I suppose is the best way to say it. They may be well in tune with one another, able to anticipate each other, since they are so close. My Strider's name is Sirroco."

The bond with Reven was a bit more complex. Vanator drew in a breath and laughed lightly. "Reven, well, she is the Kelvic to which I am bonded. It is a strong bond and it is based on the traditional Kelvic bonding. We are aware of each other, sense each other's emotions, know when the other is near. But we are also very much in love. That makes the bond doubly powerful. When we are apart, I feel her absence from me." Vanator could not help but smile when he spoke about Reven.

His gaze fell again to the Konti woman. "You seem curious about bonds, may I ask why?"