Closed A Sea of Strangers (Waisana)

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Timeline: 25th of Spring, 514 AV Seirei sat, trying hard not to fidget as she watched her mother work. She knew that once her mother told her about each tool used by a woodcarver, she would teach her how to use them. Seirei very much wished that she could start working with wood now. But her mother was very adamant about her learning about the tools first. And Seirei wasn't about to risk not getting any more lessons at all by trying to rush things. As she watched, Seirei saw the image of a deer begin to emerge from the block of wood her mother was working with. Entranced, Seirei watched every move her mother made with wide, eager eyes. After what felt like an eternity to the young girl, her mother stopped working, and looked at her. "I bet you're ready for your next lesson, aren't you?" her mother asked with an amused smile. Seirei nodded rapidly. This made her mother chuckle, and Seirei scowled at her. But her irritation was brief as her mother settled into what Seirei called her teaching mode. "The next tool I want to tell you about is the file. The file is the most customized tool in a carver's tool box. We often have to go to the blacksmith to get them because they can make files desgined exactly the way we want them. Doing so is usually more expensive than buying existing files, but it's worth it when you have the opportunity to do so." Seirei listened raptly, taking in her mother's every word, and committing it to memory. "The file is used for creating texture and polishing out rough lines that have been left from the chisel. You have to be careful when using a chisel because it can destroy a piece by taking too much material or splitting it. A file won't do that. It can, however, cause small surface cracks in the wood you're working with, or cause it to splinter. So you still have to be careful when using one." Seirei stirred in her sleep. As she shifted her position, her right shoulder protested violently, reminding her that putting any pressure on it was a bad thing. She groaned, knowing that any chance of going back to sleep and returning to her dream was lost. I still can't believe that she's gone. I miss Mother so much. I never thought that I could hurt this much. And to make things worse, I've lost Jared, too. Everyone who knew my mother, and could talk about her with me are lost to me now. she thought sadly. That's probably why I dream about her so much now. It's more than just dreaming about happier times...I'm dreaming about the link that cost me my world. Mother's death was the start of everything her. Losing her...made the others turn on my. That's when the rumors of my causing the bad luck that was plaguing us got worse. Seirei moved gingerly as she went about her morning ritual. Her shoulder throbbed painfully, a deep, dull ache that flared up fiercely any time she moved it too quickly, or raised her arm too high. This is getting ridiculous! It's been days since he wrenched my shoulder. Whatever he did to me...I don't think it's going to get better on its own. If anything, it hurts more now than it did the day it happened. Seirei carefully stretched her shoulder, testing its mobility. But she was forced to stop when the pain spiked unpleasantly. I can still work with wood with this injury...but it's not going to be comfortable. Seirei sighed. She realized that she needed to seek help for her shoulder. As a carver, she couldn't risk anything that might make it impossible for her to use her arm. And the injury to her shoulder was getting worse. That, or the muscles were just stiff. In either case, it hurt more now than it did a few days ago. And if that continued, she would eventually reach a point where she couldn't work with her beloved wood anymore. Before that happened, Seirei wanted to do what she could to prevent that fate. At the same time, Seirei was reluctant. She didn't know who she could trust. She was a captive of the Drykas people...a slave in actuality if not in name. How did she know that anyone she went to would try to heal her shoulder? Wasn't it more likely that they would side with him, and tell her that she deserved what she got for resisting him? That thought warred in Seirei's mind for several minutes. She was deeply hesitant to take the risk...but her love for wood decided her. Seirei knew that it was unlikely that her injury was so severe that it would cripple her, and leave her unable to work with wood. But even though she knew nothing about medicine, she did know that injuries often got worse if left untreated. Finally, Seirei got moving. After doing a good bit of exploring the day after Lian brought her to Endrykas, Seirei knew a little about the city. She knew a bit more from little tidbits her father had told her when she was a young child. From what little she had learned, she could guess that one of the Clans probably specialized in healing the same way the Emerald Clan specialized in hunting. But she didn't know which Clan, or what colored tents to look for. After wandering around for a while, Seirei gathered up the courage to ask someone. They gave her directions, and went on their way. Seirei continued on hers. She sang as she walked. The song she chose was one she had learned as a song. A teaching song of sorts. It told of all of the major cities, and what goods they had to offer in trade. Every child in her caravan had sung it. It had a simple, bright melody that was easy for a child to remember. There was an excitement in the air. People greeted each other, and talked animatedly when they did. Hands flew, emphasizing the words spoken by the people they belonged to. Seirei listened as she walked. In doing so, she learned that several strider mares had given birth early. They had produced healthy foals, and this was a source of happiness for those who knew about it. Before she knew it, she had reached the place she'd been directed to. The bustle of people coming and going intimidated her. Seirei hoped that she didn't look as lost as she felt. As she looked around, she saw people carrying baskets full of bandages. Some were clean. Others had clearly been used. Seirei continued looking around. She hoped to see a woman who looked as though she might be a healer. After being captured by Lian, Seirei was extremely reluctant to willingly place herself in a man's care.

[Waisana]

OOCSorry that it’s short and that it took so long to get a reply to you. I’ve been studying for exams IRL. I’ll try to be faster in the future.

“Waisana!” Her head had turned towards the source of the voice without her thinking about it. She cursed silently when she caught sight of the grinning young man. He’d come out of a pavilion as she’d passed; his family’s one she assumed. The young woman tried to keep her face blank but she couldn’t quash the scowl that had appeared at his appearance. “It’s great to see you,” he enthused, the grin somehow getting wider as he signed enthusiastically. Can’t say that I feel the same about you. The girl kept walking, hoping that he’d give up if she wasn’t able to see his signs. He just appeared in front of her, walking backwards as he kept talking.

The healer regretted volunteering to leave the Healing Tents to deliver some medicines. She’d thought that it’d still be early enough to avoid certain people. Apparently, she’d thought wrongly. Avin was impossible to avoid, or that’s how it seemed to Waisana. She couldn’t step outside her pavilion, couldn’t ride her Strider, or work without him appearing out of nowhere. The teen was convinced that he did nothing else but follow her around. It was creepy although she knew why he was doing it. The hunter was just a few years older than she was but he was also single. Considering her similar status meant that she’d attracted his interest. If he thought he had a chance then he was very much mistaken but she didn’t seem to be able to get that message through to him.

Is he ever going to leave me alone? she wondered as she tried to sidestep him. He ended up straight back in front of her again. It was the last straw. Coming to a stop, she stared him down. ”I have work to be doing, Avin and you’re in my way. I actually want to get back to healing before Leth makes an appearance again, understand? Now get out of my way,” she told him firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. The hunter gaped at her, taken aback by her attitude towards him. He’d probably been deluding himself up to this point. She stepped around him.

“Woah, Waisana, easy!” His tone irked the young woman even more than before. He sounded like he was trying to calm a spirited filly. “I actually have an injury that I should probably get checked, maybe-” Her temper spiked and she turned, cutting him off sharply. “Maybe you can shut up and leave me alone before I do you an injury.” When she continued on her way, he didn’t try to follow her.

Waisana regretted losing her temper but she’d needed to be a bit blunt with him. He was being incredibly dense. He’d try to avoid her as much as possible in the future so she wouldn’t have to put up with treating him all the time. At least she hoped so. She grimaced as the thought that she might have made an enemy entered her thoughts. She tried to ignore it and focus on other things. The healer made lists in her head of things that she needed to do as she made her way to her destination, hoping to distract herself until she could busy herself with work.

When she approached the tents, they were bustling with activity and she smiled grimly at the prospect of work that was probably ahead of her. There were a number of people from the Opal clan moving in and out of the tents, their status marked by their white clothing but there were also other Drykas coming and going. One girl stood alone outside the pavilion, not making any move to go in or to walk away so Waisana made a beeline for her.

”Are you here for treatment or are you waiting for someone?” she asked as she reached the girl’s side.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Seirei nearly jumped out of her skin when someone spoke to her. She had nearly lost her nerve, and convinced herself to return to Lian's tent without seeking aid for her shoulder, so while unexpected, the question was also welcome. Seirei smiled nervously as she turned to face the person who had spoken. "Um...I-I...I'm here for treatment. My shoulder..." Seirei said quietly in accented Pavi. Seirei's hands fluttered unconsciously, not knowing the proper hand signs to make. She rubbed her right shoulder ruefully. It was an absent, anxious gesture. "Everyone looks so busy, though. I...I wouldn't want to intrude. Maybe I...should I come back later...?" Again her hands fluttered, restlessly. She absently made the signs for uncertainty, doubt, and submissive apology. Seirei wasn't at all certain they were the right signs in the current situation, but they fit her mood perfectly. She was more than a little worried that Lian was going to find out about this, get angry that she had disturbed important people with what he would likely see as a petty concern, and punish her for it. She had felt more than enough pain lately. Seirei didn't want to suffer any more than she absolutely had to. The woman who had spoken hadn't sounded angry, though. And she was more of a girl than a woman. If Seirei had to guess, she'd say that the other wasn't much older than she herself was. As Seirei found herself studying the other girl, she noticed that she was considerably taller than her own small height. The other had a dignified air about her, and was quite pretty. She had long blond hair with white beads and strands of ribbon woven through it. Seirei wondered if the beads were meant to show what Clan she was from, or if they held some other significance. The other woman had bright blue eyes, that thankfully didn't seem to have an angry expression. Her white linen shirt was embroidered with complicated looking knot work. Seirei thought that the design was pretty, and wondered if it too had some sort of significance. As Seirei waited to see if she should come back later, she wondered just how much trouble, if any she had gotten herself into. At the same time, doing nothing about her injury wasn't an option. Seirei was willing to risk much to avoid losing her ability to work with wood.

[Waisana]

The girl was certainly jumpy. Waisana hadn't meant to startle her but she obviously hadn't been expecting anyone to come up to her. The healer smiled at her apologetically. The girl recovered quickly and let her know in accented Pavi that she needed some sort of medical attention for her shoulder. The way she spoke Pavi made Waisana raise her eyebrows. It didn't take much for her to realise that she wasn't a Drykas. Her Pavi was uncertain but she had a better grasp of it than most visitors did, at least it seemed that way although she had spoken very little. Had she been a captive brought to Endrykas? She didn't know but she thought that she should try speaking Common with her anyway. It might be an easier language for the other girl to speak. As she spoke again, she realised that Pavi perhaps wasn't her forte judging by her flapping hand movements. She didn't really know what she was supposed to be doing.

The horse maiden went to speak but he other girl voiced her uncertainty about seeking treatment right now. The healer looked at her oddly. She hadn't come across such a selfless individual before, someone who worried about being an inconvenience when they came for healing. It was something that surprised the teen.

"You understand Common?" she asked before launching into a form of chastisement. "Don't be silly, we aren't too busy. Come with me, I'll look after you. I'll see to your shoulder if you'll step in here." The teen gestured towards the tent opening but noticed that the girl still looked a little uncertain of herself. She'd been watching the healer with some intensity, weighing her up perhaps? Waisana didn't know but it brought a slight flush of colour to her cheeks under such scrutiny. The Drykas gir decided that it would be best to get her moving rather than leaving her lollygagging outside the healing pavilion. She remembered that the girl had rubbed her right shoulder and so she assumed that that was the shoulder that required treatment. With that in mind, she grasped the patient's left arm in an attempt to lead her into the tent. The healer pulled her arm gently but insistently, hoping that the foreigner would allow herself to be led. The horse maiden was more than willing to argue with her if necessary if she still felt that she was taking up someone's time.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

When the other girl asked if she understood Common, Seirei couldn't help but sigh in relief as she nodded. Although she could speak some Pavi, and make herself understood for the most part, it wasn't easy trying to translate from the language she grew up using to one that she only understood the basics of. "Yes, I do understand Common." Seirei allowed the Drykas girl to pull her into the tent without resistance. She was grateful that someone was willing to look at her injured shoulder, though she half expected the other person to scold her and send her on her way once she learned how she'd managed to get injured. Worse, the other girl might decide to tell Lian that she'd tried to get aid for her injury. Seirei was torn on how he would feel about that. On the one hand, he needed her to be healthy in order to breed her. But a shoulder injury wasn't life threatening, and he felt that she deserved it for resisting him. So he might be upset that she didn't just deal with the pain. Once inside, Seirei really wasn't sure what to expect next. "I almost didn't come." she said softly, in Common. "I'm still not certain that I should have. You might think that I deserve this injury. Maybe I do. Lian would say that I did. He's...well...he's my master. Sort of. Not that I'd ever call him that. It's...it's complicated. Lian's never called himself my master, but he seems to think he is anyway. Or at least he says that since he saved my life, I have to spend the rest of my life bearing his children. He injured my shoulder when I resisted him. Not that it did any good. He still..." Seirei shuddered at the memory. "He would say that this is a fitting punishment for resisting him. You might, too. I'm not sure how it works here. And maybe I do deserve it, at least a little. I did resist him, after all. And I knew that I would be punished if I did. But I can't just let him..." Seirei shuddered again. "I just can't. I wouldn't be me if I just let myself be bred like an animal without a fight. But it's not that I'm ungrateful. He did save my life, after all. I can admit that now. It's just that...he's asking too much in return." Seirei shook her head. She was babbling, and she knew it. But she was too nervous to stop. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have said any of that. None of that involves you. You don't know me, and you must have better things to do than listen to me babble. Still...I'd be very grateful if you'd be willing to help with my shoulder. The pain's been getting worse over the past several days, not better. I'm a woodcarver. If my shoulder doesn't heal right, I might lose some of the strength and mobility in my arm." Seirei had seen it happen once to one of the men in her caravan. His left arm had never worked quite as well after he got thrown from a horse, and his arm had been stepped on. And while that had been a very different situation from the one Seirei was in now, the fact that the pain was getting worse rather than fading as time passed couldn't be a good sign. Seirei didn't want to take any chances. "I can't lose the ability to carve. It's what I do. More than that, it's who I am." It's the last link I have left with my mother. Seirei thought, but didn't say.

[Waisana]

Waisana saw the relief on the other girl's face when she heard the Common tongue and she had to smile. It was good that she could provide some small comfort to someone who was trying to adjust to a strange new place. She led the girl in without encountering any resistance at all. The healer began to guide her over to a seat so that she'd have somewhere to examine her and question her about her injury. Questioning wasn't necessary however as the captive was more than willing to provide more information than was needed without any prompting. It was obviously on account of her being nervous (although Waisana didn't see why she was) but she had no way to stop her from telling what was clearly private information.

The young woman was left in an uncomfortable position. Perhaps this girl didn't even realise all that she was spouting and would regret her many slips of the tongue afterwards but Waisana couldn't help listening to the girl's doubts and fears. It was a common story although most captives in such circumstances didn't voice it. Multiple bruises sustained repeatedly told the story all by themselves. The reason for the captives being amongst them in the first place was practical but in practice things didn't work out well. Such a situation shouldn't arise when she found a partner for herself but that didn't stop her from sympathising with the captive's plight.

"He would say that this is a fitting punishment for resisting him. You might, too. The girl's words horrified her and she could only shake her head emphatically, stunned that anyone would ever think that fitting. Just the thought of needing to resist sickened her and she could imagine the amount of pain and injury that such aggression could inflict. She wouldn't ask, she didn't really want to know, but if the girl asked then Waisana would help with any additional injuries.

The only thing that the young woman seemed to still have for herself was woodcarving, or so she said and Waisana realised that it was the only distraction that she had from her new life of misery. It was probably a painful reminder of what she'd had as well but it was also all she had left of her past, aside from memories. The poor, poor girl.

"Perhaps it isn't my business but that doesn't mean that I don't care, feel for you, even," Waisana murmured, guiding the girl into a seat. "My name is Waisana. I'll be happy to look at your shoulder or anything else that might be bothering you. That's why I'm here." The healer smiled, squeezing her patient's good shoulder in a gesture of comfort. She would not push the girl anymore than necessary, would not make her relive her time with the man she called her master.

"I will need to ask you a few questions but they'll only be about the injury itself, not how it happened. Other than that, you're more than free to talk. You won't distract me or anything," the teen explained, her voice soothing to try to put the girl at ease. Her tone became more conversational as she reached for the girl's injured shoulder to begin her examination. "So woodcarving is what you do then? Is it a hobby, or work? How did you get into it?" she asked, not really interested but wanting to put the girl at ease.

Her fingers ran over the bones of the shoulder, probing gently for any signs of swelling or distortion. She frowned as she came into contact with swelling around the collarbone and probed around it, trying to work out if the bone itself had moved. Her hands moved to the same area on the good shoulder to compare. It was move out of place but only slightly. A sprain, possibly? There would be other signs. "Have you had a lot of pain when you move your arm at all? Is it very painful when I touch it?" she asked, keeping her touches light so as not to hurt it too much. If it was a sprain and the severity she thought then the girl was more than aware of every touch.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

The other woman's dismay at the thought that Seirei thought she might think the injury was a fitting punishment reassured Seirei more than a little. The fear that a Drykas Healer would automatically take Lian's side in such matters...and worse, might well tell him that she had sought help for an injury he'd caused while she resisted him had very nearly kept her from seeking help at all. Lian would likely punish her again for seeking help over an injury he felt she deserved, and Seirei was in enough pain as it was. Only the even greater fear of losing the ability to carve if her injury got worse was enough to overcome her fear of more punishment. "My name is Seirei." Seirei replied quietly when Waisana introduced herself. The "anything else" that might be bothering Seirei made Seirei blush in humiliation. It was true that she was in a lot of pain due to Lian's...attentions. But Seirei didn't think that she could bring herself to ask for help for that. What could be done for it, anyway? If her captor was to be believed...and the little she knew of such matters supported his words...it would continue to hurt as long as she didn't submit to him willingly. And Seirei knew that she could never do that. Not and remain herself. Seirei did thank Waisana for being willing to take a look at her shoulder, though. She nodded when the Healer said she would need to ask some questions about the injury. She had expected as much if a Healer was willing to help her. All the same, she was grateful for the distraction when Waisana asked her about woodcarving. "Woodcarving is...both. Work, yes. But it is work that I love. And I couldn't ever imagine doing anything else. So you could say that it is a hobby as well. You could even say that woodcarving is my life. It's all I have left now." Seirei paused for a minute, struggling with the renewed grief over her mother's death that her words brought up. The happiest times of her life had been spending time with her mother, learning her trade, and helping her work once she'd gotten skilled enough to be of some use. "My mother taught me how to carve. We lived with a trade caravan, and we did fairly well." Seirei flinched at the memory of the caravan that had been her home for as long as she could remember. Even now she could hardly believe that they had abandoned her, bad luck or not. A very real part of her longed for them to come back for her. She knew they wouldn't...not even her brother was likely to come after all this time. But her heart couldn't give up on that hope entirely, as impossible as it was. "She died not that long before I was captured. So now my woodcarving serves one more purpose. It is how I will honor her memory. Maybe a small piece of her will live on through the things that I carve. She taught me everything I know, and passed her own love of woodcarving down to me, so in some ways, my creations are her legacy." she said softly. Seirei couldn't help but flinch a few times as Waisana hit areas that were especially sore. When she asked about the pain, she nodded. "Yes to both questions. And it hurts more now than it did when I first got the injury a few days ago."

[Waisana]

Seirei was the name of her patient and she was a cooperative one at that. The girl did not complain as her shoulder was poked and prodded. She must have been in a lot of pain with every touch but yet she said not a word in protest. The girl could suffer in silence although Waisana wasn't sure that that was a good thing. How many times had the captive endured pain in silence? It didn't bear thinking about, especially considering the sort of pain it probably was. Instead, she ran over the girl's words, trying to gather some material from what she said that could be used for further conversation. She needed to keep Seirei distracted, even if she couldn't distract herself.

Some of her patient's memories of home were clearly painful so while she tried to choose questions that would be safe to ask, the healer decided to question her a bit more about her shoulder. It was an important topic anyway. "I have a fair idea what it is. You say that it hurts more than it did before? Have you been using it a lot? Lifting things, pulling, pushing, anything like that? Do you sleep on that side at all?" the young woman asked, thinking of anything that might be important to discern the full extent of the damage that might have been done. It helped to know what her usual level of activity was as well so that she could try to minimise the healing time necessary for such an injury. It was something that she would explain to Seirei before she let her go. Her medical questions asked, she moved on to distracting the girl once more. She was going to have to make her move her arm so she could test her mobility and she knew that her patient wasn't going to like it one bit.

"Can you lift your arm for me as high as you can and lower it again? Then bend your arm at the elbow and let me know if that causes you any pain," Waisana murmured, resting her hands on Seirei's shoulder so that she would be able to feel how everything felt underneath her skin. Frowning in concentration as she probed the shoulder, she probed more into her patient's life before Endrykas, hoping that she wouldn't upset her too much. She wasn't very optimistic about that though.

"So a trade caravan? That must have been an interesting life. You traveled a lot then? Did you see many places while you were with them? Other races?"

The questions came in a steady stream, the teen managing a slight smile of encouragement as she focused on both the girl and her work.

"I'm little traveled myself. I only move with the city and out into the Sea of Grass every so often. I have come across a Myrian before though who was visiting here rather than becoming part of the community," the horse maiden explained, sharing just a small aspect of her life so that the girl wouldn't feel like she was monopolising the conversation.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Seirei considered the question for a moment. What would the Healer consider "a lot?" "No more than usual." she said at last. "I do do some lifting, but nothing too heavy. A pouch of wooden beads, or a block of wood I'm planning to carve. The heaviest might be my backpack, which contains most of what I own, including my carving tools. Things like that. Working with wood requires some strength, though. Like when you're using the drill or the saw. Or even the chisel because you're pushing the tip into the wood. Or pounding it in with a mallet if you need to. I used to sleep on that side, but it hurts too much for me to do that now. I did try the first night, but I wasn't able to get to sleep, so I gave up." When Waisana asked her to lift her arm, Seirei did so without complaint, or demanding to know why it was necessary. She simply braced herself for the pain, took a deep breath, and obeyed. The other girl was a Healer, after all. She would know how much what she asked of Seirei was going to hurt, and she wouldn't ask it if it weren't necessary. But the pain she felt was visible in her eyes, and in the way her arm trembled as she tried to lift it. Seirei was only able to lift her arm halfway before the pain forced her to stop. Bending her arm at the elbow hurt too, and Seirei winced as she did it. "Yes, that hurts, too." she said softly. The questions about her life with the trade caravan made her smile a little. It was a sad smile, but a smile all the same. "When you live with a trade caravan, your home is the people you travel with. You don't stay in any one place longer than a few weeks, or a month at most. Sometimes you only stay a few days if you came to a place so you could sell your goods at a particular festival. You don't own many things because you can only take what will fit into the wagons, and most of that space is needed for things that we trade, and the supplies needed to get us to the next place. And it can be very interesting. Festivals are a lot of work, but they're a lot of fun, too. You get to see a lot of strange, and wonderful places, too. It can also be very boring at times, though. When you're traveling from one city to the next, there isn't always a lot you can do while riding in the wagon. I don't know how to ride, or drive the horses, so I couldn't help with that. And a lot of the work a woodcarver does can't be done in a moving wagon. Traveling can often be frightening, too." Seirei thought of several close calls the caravan had had over the years. "Bad storms, and flooding. Or wild fires. Dangerous predators. Bandits and slavers, and Zith raids. Or insects can get into your supplies and ruin them, leaving you with not enough left to reach the nearest city. If something happens to your guide, and your maps, you could get lost, and never find the city you're trying to get to. There are a lot of things that can happen." "I did get to see a lot of different people, and places, though. I think that's one of the best things about living with a trade caravan. There's a city called Riverfall. It's built on the side of an enormous waterfall where the Bluevein River plunges into the Suvan Sea. It's a beautiful city that welcomes travelers. A race of blue skinned men live there. They're called Akalaks, and there are no female Akalaks. I don't know why there aren't any female Akalaks...just that there aren't. The men have to marry women from other races if they want children. I've seen Konti there, too. Konti are pale, and beautiful. I've only ever seen Konti women in Riverfall, but every one I've seen is beautiful. I saw a group of Inarta there once before, too. They all had red hair, and although I never saw them, I heard people say that the Inarta had giant talking eagles that they rode to get to Riverfall. It sounds like an impossible tale, though. There were also rumors that they live in a volcano with their eagles, but that sounds even more impossible if you ask me. Traders hear a lot of rumors like that. And sometimes it's hard to know how much you hear is actually true, and how much is just stories told to impress strangers." Seirei paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "I've also seen Kelvics in Riverfall. They look like normal humans, but they can turn into animals whenever they want to. And when I was seven, I met a group of Svefra there. They were traders too. I think I amused them, so they taught me a few words in their language. Simple stuff, really. Svefra live out on boats in the Suvan Sea. If I remember what they told me correctly, they only come in to land when they want to trade." "I've also been to a city called Kenash. We only went there once. I was pretty young then, so I don't remember that much about it. There were a lot of swamps, though. And a lot of slaves. I think that's why we never went back. The people who live in the caravan I grew up in all believed that it's wrong to own another person." Seirei said quietly. Seirei most certainly agreed with that belief. While Lian never claimed to own her as such...what else could you call it when he raped her whenever he wanted to, and insisted it was his right to do so because she was his captive? "Our caravan came to Endrykas during the summer most years. My father is a Drykas, and he always made it a point to be in Endrykas during the summer so we could visit when my caravan came. That's why I know some Pavi. My father taught it to me when I was little. I know enough words to get by for the most part, but it often takes me a while to think of the right word to use, if I'm speaking Pavi. I don't really know many hand signs either. And the ones I do know are the ones a child would use. I haven't seen my father in a few years, though. We didn't come to Endrykas last summer because we'd heard there was illness here. And my father never showed up the summer before that." Seirei couldn't help but wonder if her father was still alive. Since he wasn't the type to just decide that he didn't want to see her anymore without telling her, she thought something might have happened to prevent him from coming to see her that one year. If he didn't come this summer, Seirei thought she might ask Waisana if she could help her find out. But she didn't know how likely that was when she didn't know what Clan her father was from. He hadn't even told her what his family name was. Or what he did. Her father had spent most of their short visits together teaching her Pavi, and telling her about striders. Things like that. All she knew was that his name was Tirak. "Syliras is a huge castle city with four tiers. I've only been to a few places in the city, because we always stuck to places where the other traders stayed. Syliras is very safe because of the knights who rule there, but you have to be very careful. If they even think you're breaking one of the laws there, you'll be in trouble. I've heard that mizas are made in Syliras, but I've never seen the place where they're made if that's true." "Sunberth is a city I've heard of, but I've never been to...and I wouldn't want to based on what I've heard. There are no laws there, and it's a very dangerous place." "The only other city I've been to is called Zeltiva. They build ships there, and it's a good place to go for trade. They also have a university there." Seirei thought for a moment. Having something to talk about helped to distract her from the pain she felt as Waisana examined her shoulder. "One of the people in our caravan is a Vantha. Her eyes are very beautiful, but they're strange, too. They change colors with her moods. She said that she comes from a city called Avanthal, and that it snows there all the time. Even in the summer. She said it's very pretty there because they have lights in the sky, and that it's always dark in the winter, and always day in the summer. It sounds interesting, but I don't think I'd ever want to go there. I don't like the snow much." When Waisana mentioned meeting a Myrian, Seirei looked interested. "I've never met a Myrian before. What are they like?"

[Waisana]

Waisana's approach towards the girl turned out to be the right one. Her patient could both follow the healer's instructions and keep a conversation going without much prompting. She hoped that she was being kept at ease with the opportunity to talk about something that she knew. It was also nice to listen to Seirei speak as she did her work. It wasn't just keeping her occupied, it was also something that Waisana found interesting. Her stories were enlightening after all so why not take an interest in them?

As Seirei began answering all of the young woman's pointed questions, Waisana focused on feeling around the girl's collarbone. As it was lifted, her fingers felt the way everything moved beneath the surface. Everything was not right but she had already known that before this more in-depth examination. Now she knew the extent of the damage, feeling the limitations and the loss of motion where a ligament was partly torn or completely ripped. The Drykas girl was able to confirm her diagnosis, which meant that she had a way of treating it but that treatment was going to be visible. She'd have to hope that the girl would adhere to it rather than neglecting herself so as not to offend her captor.

The teen knew what she had to do and could easily just finish up with her patient and get rid of her but instead, she pretended to still be checking while she listened to the girl talk. It was grossly unprofessional but she wanted to hear more rather than just getting rid of her. It was also nice to have a patient who was so different. The horse maiden was far too used to treating Drykas, who were just another dose of ordinariness. At least Seirei was somewhat of a novelty and more so than most captives because she was so well traveled.

The life that she had lived sounded unpredictable at times but also exciting. To be always on the move, meeting new people, being faced with new challenges. Endrykas moved but it followed a route that had been used for goodness knew how many years. The possible dangers were known ones, the sort of dangers that one could find in the Sea of Grass, like Glassbeaks. No real change in that respect but a trading caravan... She had sometimes felt jealous of those of the Drykas who traveled to places like Riverfall to trade with the Akalak. They got just a taste of change whereas she remained in Endrykas with different ailments to treat. That was all.

The healer listened to everything eagerly, even when Seirei talked about Riverfall, a place that was most often carried back in stories to the tent city. She did provide her with some new information though, even if some of it sounded untrue.

"I saw a group of Inarta there once before, too. They all had red hair, and although I never saw them, I heard people say that the Inarta had giant talking eagles that they rode to get to Riverfall. It sounds like an impossible tale, though. There were also rumors that they live in a volcano with their eagles, but that sounds even more impossible if you ask me."

The Inarta truly grasped her imagination, images of flying red heads filling her mind. Their origins didn't sound true at all, their mode of transport that got them to Riverfall or their home, but it was certainly an amazing image. Even if it was fanciful and ridiculous, she wanted it to be true. The Svefra was another new race to Waisana. They didn't grasp her imagination in the same way as the Inarta, although the idea of living on a boat seemed strange. She knew little about such things although she did understand how vast a body of water the Suvan Sea would be and the idea of it made her feel uneasy. She was a girl who preferred the idea of dry land.

Seirei had been to Kenash as well and Endrykas as well before her capture. She was part Drykas it seemed, which explained why she had initially thought the girl's grasp of Pavi had been good. The teen wondered who her patient's father was. It was something that hardly had a chance to settle in her mind before there was talk of other cities: Syliras, Sunberth, Zeltiva, Avanthal. Another race, the Vantha. The girl seemed to have such a vast store of knowledge that Waisana wondered how she had managed to accumulate so much when she was only about her own age. It made her own encounter with Kaie pale in comparison to what Seirei had seen. She was still eager to share what little she could though.

"Terrifying. I taught one to ride once. It was a year or so ago. She was visiting here with her father at about the age I am now. Her name was Kaie and when I first met her I thought she was going to murder me, spinning a knife in her hand like it was a normal thing to do," she told Seirei, shaking her head in wonder at the memory. "The language was a bit of a problem. She knew hardly any Pavi and only a bit of Common but we managed.

The healer straightened, releasing her light grip on the other young woman's shoulder. As much as she was enjoying the conversation, she needed to finish her work.

"I've worked out what's wrong with you. You have a bad sprain. It could be worse but it's not. It can heal with rest. If you look after it, you should be all right in about two weeks although even then you shouldn't put too much strain on it," the teen explained, glad that she could give somewhat good news; it could have been worse after all. Licking her lips, she continued, "You'll need to keep it in sling for that time to let it rest but I'm not so sure that you'll be willing to wear one. I may have to insist but I can't follow you around and make sure that you keep it on."

The girl shrugged, knowing that it was something that she couldn't change. She could only hope that Seirei would be sensible. Moving away from the girl to where the various herbs were kept, she collected tolm from where it was stored and wrapped it in a cloth before carrying it back to her patient. She held the little parcel up for her to inspect.

"Tolm. To ease the pain. You can make a tea with it and there's enough here for a few days," the healer told her, handing it to her. Moving off once more, she came back with a long piece of material for a sling. Taking the girl's bad arm, she cradled the girl's elbow in the cloth, adjusting it so that it would support her before reaching up and tying it carefully around her neck. Smiling, she took a step back.

"I'm finished unless you have anything else that you need to have seen to."