Familiar Faces [Clover]

[Atoll Northwind]

4th of Summer, 514AV He swore he was getting landsick or maybe he was just homesick. It could even be sun sick. But landsick seemed the most likely because there was nothing worse than being on a ship for seasons then stepping onto the land and missing the roll of waves under his feet. It forced him to overstep. Even now he clomped, lifting his legs exaggeratedly to compensate for waves that weren’t present. Atoll cringed when he stepped down exceptionally hard on a on a rock. His foot rolled, his arms wind milled and he nearly got deposited on his rump. But he didn’t mind so much because he would only be there for a few days. He hoped. Damned land-dwellers and their need to make the cities so large that he had to use a map! Atoll looked to the buildings then to the map. He was just passing the Kyole Butcher shop when he spotted colors out of the corner of his right eye. He pocketed the map and wove between the trees to find the Zhongje Warren. People walked from tent to tent bartering. This was exactly what he needed. At first he just wandered from stall to stall, listening to people has over pricing while surveying the goods quickly. Atoll only had need for a cutlass since he last went missing. He’d seen some so far, but they looked too ornate. The Svefra didn’t need decoration he needed something to cut. Something basic. He thought he might need to buy one from an weapons shop except he soon noticed a simple layout of swords by one tent. There was two cutlasses and some other swords he couldn’t name. “How much are ya gonna want?” Atoll questioned as he picked up the cutlass. He weighted it in his hand. It wasn’t as comfortable as his previous. The handle was slightly off from the way he was used to. But he’d get used to it, unless another person decided to rip his net to shreds. “I’ll give ya 10 for it.” The blue-skinned man shook his head with a smile, “No.” “It ain’t worth much more.” “Two more.” “One more.” “Two. See the cupped handle? Ten for straight, like that one,” he pointed to the other cutlass, “cupped and basket are twelve.” It took Atoll a second to work out the new words in the sentence but looking between the two swords he could see the difference. He picked up the straight but immediately set it down. With a curved blade it made for a hold that would make fighting difficult. “Alright, twelve.” Atoll paid the Akalak then turned to look for some fishing nets, instead he spotted a familiar head of white hair. There were many white haired women in Riverfall but this one was distinctive and he could just recall her name. “Clover! Lass!” The Svefra waved and jogged over, he clapped a hand on her shoulder in greeting, “How ya been? Still doin’ the plant….stuff?” His Common had probably gotten better since the last time he’d seen her. And they weren’t friends per se but it was nice to see a familiar face with his pod being gone for so long.

[Clover Na'tome]

Clover jumped a little when Atoll placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him through the corner of her eye and smiled, “Hello Atoll." She giggled, “You mean herbalism? Yes. And your common has gotten better as well, that's great. I can actually understand you now." She smiled and giggled again. Then she turned to look in his eyes while she talked to him. It's rude not to look at the person you’re talking to, that's what her mother taught her. "Heh, I knew I heard you over there arguing with that Akalak vender. What did you buy? Did you buy a sword?" She said wondering.
She remembered that she came to buy something too, but had forgotten what. Either way she still wanted to know what Atoll had bought.

- Clover Na'tome

[Atoll Northwind]

“Sorry, Clover lass, didn’t mean to…make ya jump,” He stumbled over the missing word then pushed through it with a laugh, “Aye! That’s the one, then ya couldn’t hear me praisin’ ya last time? That’s no good.” Atoll teased, they had stopped near the middle of the busiest walkway so the Svefra made to wave her to the side with him. As he did, he glanced around for some nets stalls and wondered how hard it would be to get someone to teach him knotting. He knew his cousin made them for the pod but his cousin wasn’t here. The stall they were beside held small trinkets but nothing that would do him any good. Unless he made repairs to his net with hairpins. Atoll returned his attention to Clover, flicking his gaze up and down to get a really good look at her. She looked the same from when he last seen her, a little shorter then him, purple-ish eyes with that same direct gaze. Last it had made him squirm like a child being caught stealing the last piece of sweet seaweed. This time it just made him look away while he spoke. “My Commons better but still no good at deal makin’. Damned Akalak wanted twelve gold. But it is a good sword and I needin’ a new one.” He had admitted grudgingly to her as pulled it from where he’d tucked it at his waist. Atoll held it up to the light then held then placed the flat of the blade in his free hand so she could see it. “Not bad, aye?” Before he got anymore stink-eyes for waving it around Atoll slipped it back in his make-shift belt. It was really only his casinor’s tell but when he wasn’t on board he kept it with him. It reminded him of his dad, who he was studiously not thinking about now. “Got some horse-woman stuck in my net in spring. Had to give Laviku my old cutlass for the little net-ruiner. Gotta get a new one of that too.” The Svefra complained then noted that Clover had no packages herself and nodded towards the other stalls. “What about ya, Clover? Ya buyin’ things for your herbalism.” He said the word with a bit of pride, pleased to have learnt a new word. Even if he’d probably forgot it sooner or later, “Did I…interfere with your buyin’?”

[Clover Na'tome]

Atoll held the sword so Clover could see. She looked at her reflection in the sword. It was a little blurry,but the bladed weapon looked very nice. "It looks as if it could be a mirror. It's a stunning sight. I don't see many weapons, considering the fact that I spend most of my time here in the market and at home." Clover chuckled and then looked back at Atoll's ocean like eyes. "I highly doubt that I'd be able to lift a weapon like that, I'm not very athletic."

Clover shook her head, "No, I was just browsing. I was thinking about buying that adorable tea cup." Clover pointed at the 8 ounce glazed tea cup without a handle. "I know I don't need it, but would be nice to have it. I drink a lot of tea. And it's only five copper mizas." She sighed and looked down at her toes for a few seconds,"Hm, I wonder what Atoll thinks."

"Excuse me, ma'am? Are you going to purchase something?" Clover turned her head towards the Akalak vender. "Don't pay any attention towards me, sir. I'm just looking." She smiled and then looked back to Atoll,"What do you suggest?"

- Clover Na'tome