Closed Insanity loves Company

[Estrellir Konrath]

Summer 63, 514 AV


Looking at Point Island Lighthouse, Estrellir couldn’t help but congratulate herself for that choice of location. Despite its gloomy name, Shipwreck Beach provided a gorgeous sight at the sea and two of the six islands Kenashians fondly called the ‘six sisters of sin’. She’d deliberately chosen a place far away from her bureau to enjoy a fresh view.

Contrary to her usual attire, the Konti was wearing an azure silk dress and a white hat to protect herself from the summer sun. The tip of her long braid brushed through warm sand whenever she moved. She was sitting at the beach with the water lapping up at her bare feet while leather boots were waiting a few paces away. Next to her the sand had been prepared to form a flat surface and a small water pipe had been set up on that. Estrellir was holding the mouthpiece between her webbed fingers and observing the sliver of smoke seeping from its depths. It emanated a sickly sweet smell immediately scattered by the salty breeze. The proximity of the sea reminded her of Mura, although the rest felt decidedly Kenashian.

So that was it. Carefully, Estrellir took a breath from the pipe and blew the thick smoke into the blue. The wind carried it back into her face, so she shifted a little to face towards the islands instead of the open sea. The smoke seemed to cloud her mind, yet her eyes widened and she looked at the environment with fresh interest.

How sharp the edges of the lighthouse stood out against the sky! How vibrantly painted were the houses by the shore! Looking at the waves became impossible as the reflections of sunlight nearly blinded her. One after another, she uncovered those impressions and observed everything around her to experience more. Kenash, her birthplace and home, was becoming a source of wonder and excitement as if the most talented artist had slapped fresh paint on everything.

Despite her excitement, Estrellir was still sitting at the beach, webbed toes half-buried in the sand, face overshadowed by a white hem. A few silvery locks were dancing in the wind. From behind, she looked like an ordinary citizen enjoying the view on a fine day (with a water pipe). Anyone who cared to walk around her and get a closer look, however, would notice her widened eyes and the strange light burning in them.

The experiment seemed to be working, so the investigator took another drag followed by a deep sigh of bluish smoke. “After this I’ll never touch tobacco again,” she confessed to the pipe and anyone else lingering nearby.

[Dor'gen]

One of the many things that the Akalak enjoyed about his new home was the view. While, in his honest opinion, the sights and sounds paled in comparison to those of Riverfall...Isley had come to appreciate the beauty of Kenash. In fact, enjoying the scenary was one of the many reasons that the warrior took the "long route" during his afternoon jogs. From the door of his relatively small villa down through the wealthy community of the East Bank, the Akalak swiftly jogged before making the decision to see one of the notable beaches with his own eyes. Due to his arduous schedule, Isley did not have the luxury of spending any sort of time at the beaches; but for now a jog-through would have to suffice. Heading northward, the Akalak maintained his pace until his boots thudded upon the warm sands of Shipwreck Beach. Surprisingly, despite the flawless weather, there was only a single individual standing upon the beach. Isley would have anticipated that there would be more, but this simply was not the case. Heralded by the thud of his boots and the scabbard bearing his sword, the Akalak slowed his pace to a simple walk. Conversation was not exactly the greatest strength nor past time of the warrior, but at the very least he could make the effort! Upon drawing nearer, his nostrils were invaded by a terrifying stench, born from the tobacco inhaled by the woman. It damn near caused the Akalak to cough, but he held composure quite nicely; electing to breath through his mouth in order to stave off the stench. Coming to a halt only a few paces away from the woman, Isley announced his presence verbally. "I sincerely hope so miss, the stench is terrifying." he said, folding his arms across his chest. Taking a moment, he indulged himself in a view of the ocean...and it was quite the breathtaking view. The waves rolled and crashed upon the shore, moving in tandem with the cool breeze which blew upon his face. To say the least, the beach was exceptional; despite its unfortunate name. In truth, Isley would have been quite content to stand there for awhile, but there was the matter of tact at hand! "Pardon my intrusion...and the slip of the tongue...I hope I'm not interrupting!" he added, lowering his head ever so slightly in greeting.

[Adelaide Sitai]

63rd Summer 514AV

After an early start that Morning, Adelaide had set aside five bells in order to go into Kenash, stop by Novak's shop and buy some fabric for curtains. Consequently, she had done neither of those two things and found herself instead spending a bell, and indeed five silver mizas, in the Ebb & Flow Bathhouse on Dry Island. It was rustic, and far from exclusive, but the cool water had done her good, allowing her to gather her thoughts and take a moment for herself where she was not meticulously planning the running of the Sitai estate or having meetings with the manager of the Playhouse. It was really a shame that she could not have stayed longer but to do so would have been an indulgence - not that she had anything against indulgences (quite the opposite) but she knew to avoid becoming too accustomed to them, lest it appeared nouveau riche and self-indulgent to uselessly gratify one's desires all the time. There was no need for that sort of vulgarity of spirit, where the mind should really be put to more intellectual and worthwhile past times.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Adelaide had stepped out, once again dressed in the blue culottes with pastel blue silk skirt she had put on that morning, while in an organised and generally optimistic mood, the sleeves rolled up and the collar popped open, even as a patch of water from her still-wet hair formed on the back of her blouse... not that she seemed to care. In her hand was a red parasol, to match her red shoes but, more importantly, to ward off the stifling Kenashian sun. Still, even that had not stopped her from blinking a few times when she emerged from the bathhouse, as though surprised by the brightness of the light.

"Maybe this is what going blind feels like..." she murmured.

'Maybe this is what going blind feels like
The darkness giving way to a blinding light
The turmoil of a gradually dying sun
Seen by one yet known by none.'

With an ambiguous smile, Adelaide turned away. The Lighthouse seemed so tall from this close, almost oppressive. It was different from a different angle, of course. Maybe an artist would be able to catch the spirit of the building, but not she. One would have to contrast the sharpness, the utility and the sentinel-like building towering over its surroundings with the charming shape it cut along the view of the Suvan Sea. Watercolours might be the way forward. Spurred by curiosity and a desire to take a little walk, Adelaide decided she would stroll over to Shipwreck Beach. Though not as elegant as the Glass Beach or as soft and pliable as Gold Beach, it did offer the best views of the Lighthouse and the Sea behind it. Five chimes later and Adelaide was on the East Bank, winding her way amongst people of the same social circle as her own, being smiling and greeting distant acquaintances that she was not in the mood to talk to, or even say Hello, to most people. She was in a pensive mood and such a thing made her slightly misanthropic, which was usually entirely out of character. Considering this, she was relieved when she passed Jakeepa's School of Feminine Arts and slipped along the alley next to Zulaca's Customisations.
There. There was the beach which, contrary to usual, seemed really rather void of living persons. Now that the air had hit her, dousing her lungs with freshness rather than the stagnant air which had been loading down on her, this lack of company disappointed her. Still, the lighthouse looked pretty, a beacon of Kenashian engineering and it looked well, sitting up on its rock. Adelaide knew, objectively, that it was possibly the best Lighthouse on the Suvan Sea, due mainly to it being lit up stormgems. Obviously, this meant that the best time to see it was at night, or rather at dusk.

It was while she was contemplating this that she noticed a person further along the beach. Not understanding how she had not noticed the woman earlier, Adelaide leisurely walked over, her red shoes in her right hand, moving relatively easily in spite of the sand crumbling below her feet with each step. As she moved closer, a man joined the woman and said something. Though what exactly, Adelaide could not tell, only catching the last word... 'interrupting'.

"Hello," she said simply with a good-natured smile as she crossed in front of the couple, as though only stopping on her way somewhere else, before adding with a note of irony, "The beach is the best place to be when it's this hot. Because of the breeze, naturally."

[Adrienna Lynint]

To be free for a day, that was certainly a divine sensation. She had spent the day simply enjoying the parks and the scenery of the canals, sampling Draer's milk chocolate. It had cost her, but it was more than worth it. Now, she was enjoying a beach. In the heart of the city at the furthest tip from the Suvan on Sun Island, Adrienna rarely had opportunity to see the Sea and smell the fresh, salty air it breathed onto the coast. She was used to the silent suffocation of the swamp and the sights and smells of people and stagnant water. She was used to the damp atmosphere of her business, even, and the rare moments she had to enjoy something as vast and expansive as the Sea were taken with pleasure. Although she did not tote an umbrella or anything to ward off the sunlight, the Lynint had drawn up her hair in a strip of cloth, using a ribbon to hold it out of her face. She was on Point Island and the Lighthouse pierced the sky behind her with pride. She was circling it slowly, taking in the salty air with obvious relief, but paused at the sight of a little cluster on the otherwise uncluttered beach. Her fingers closed tighter about the little parcel of cloth holding the slab of milk chocolate she'd purchased from Draer's little shop as she observed, from what she took to be a fair distance, and picked out the strange features on one of their number, recognising him from the plantation. Freeborn mercenary, that was what he was. Lovely, she thought to herself. What she said as she approached was, "Astute observation." Her tone was dry, lacking much in terms of humour but possessing enough to not be less than courteous. Up close, she had a better look at the assembled group and her brow furrowed in thought. The slight glimmer of scales gave the Konti away, the Akalak was the short piece of meat hired to guard Silverbite grounds, and this girl was vaguely familiar, a fact Adrienna attributed to a lack of curiosity when it came to interacting with other people. She could be of a Dynasty, a Freeborn, or some sort of traveler. Regardless, they all earned a little inclination of her head. "Good afternoon you three."

[Estrellir Konrath]

Although she’d directed the words at her pipe, Estrellir noticed they found at least one listener of flesh and blood. After a glance, she had to look away. The reflection of sunlight on the metal he wore stung in her violet eyes. Still, the crimson skin and dreadlocks didn’t go unnoticed. He was Akalak, although a less than proud example of his race. Even without her sixth sense, Estrellir would’ve known he couldn’t belong to her family. His words only confirmed that.

She waved the mouthpiece into his direction, painting a thin trail of smoke into the air, while laying the other hand on her breast. “Why, isn’t that fragrance the height of all sweet things produced in this fertile city? You must be a foreigner to say that. You’re not intruding at all… if you tell me where you came from and what brought you here, that is.” Of course, she had an idea of what he was, but her mind was swimming inside her head and mixing all the words up, so she left it at that.

Soon another figure was approaching, a woman with a parasol of beautiful color and a rather plain face under it. Estrellir’s bells went off as the woman spoke, memories of the soirée and its host flooding her mind. Roland’s daughter... If she shared his vices, that one’d be interesting company. Returning the smile, Estrellir presented the pipe with a little flourish. “It’s an even better place if one has brought the right equipment. Naturally, I’m willing to share with a Sitai.”

Tilting her head, she waited for some kind of reply. If the girl agreed, she’d even wipe the mouthpiece with a handkerchief produced from a hidden pocket. If the smell hadn’t raised suspicions yet, the taste would definitely confirm the Konti was smoking something other than tobacco.

Whether Adelaide agreed or not, Estrellir was rather impatient to take another drag and exhaled with a deep sigh. The world deepened as colors grew more brilliant. She could even discern single grains of sand between her feet! Suddenly the lines of her hand grew immensely interesting, resembling deep gashes or canyons in a rough landscape.

As the third greeting rang in her ears, she looked up though. Squinting through the variety of metal that one was wearing on her body, Estrellir recognized a Lynint clothed in black, with dark hair. She spread her arms with an exaggerated “Welcome!” and waved the girl closer. “If you came a little closer and stood right here, that’d be great. Your exotic beauty would serve as an excellent parasol… and you’d get one or two drags if you like.” Suddenly Estrellir started giggling under her breath. The situation was just too strange! Here they were, so what would happen now?

[Adelaide Sitai]

63rd Summer 514AV

Adelaide smiled warmly at the Konti and, without a further word, sank gracefully to the sand next to her. She had had the time as she spoke to note the signs that quickly revealed that what she was smoking was far removed from tobacco. First, the scent - more dizzying and lasting than mere tobacco, it was not unfamiliar. Then, the light trail of blazing smoke resting at the tip of the pipe, like an unburst bubble of all different silver colours, like the glistening scales of some exotic fish - all one colour and all individual. Finally, the Konti herself - her dilated pupils and her slightly trembling hands. Yes - a hallucinogenic was in her possession if ever Adelaide saw one.

"Naturally I would like to partake, since you so graciously offered," she tilted her head towards the Konti with a wry smile, taking the pipe to inhale deeply, "This is not too bad." She felt she had probably had finer quality stuff before, but it would have been tactless to tell the young woman so and handed the pipe back so she could revel in the effects of the drug

At that point another woman, young and dark-haired, joined them. Adelaide observed her unabashedly,cocking her head to the side, observing her unabashedly with dark eyes. In truth, she was quite intrigued by how three strangers had just come together without reason. It was not unlike Adelaide to randomly approach people, but unusual enough anyhow for her to remark it.

"Good afternoon." Adelaide raised her eyebrows, showing her surprise that there should be such a gathering on the beach, and inclined her head in return with a good-natured smile of amusement at this display of general niceties, "And is it not a lovely afternoon? The sun sizzles with an energy that lends colour to nature and lethargy to us mortal denizens of this world."

She paused before, tipping her head back and saying, in a breath, "Maybe this is what going blind feels like; The darkness giving way to a blinding light, the turmoil of a gradually dying sun. Seen by one yet known by none." She laughed, moving forward to put her parasol on the sand while she took off her little red shoes so as to better enjoy the waves gently lapping at her feet. The white waves, the sea horses and the rising froth of yellow foam, gently billowing over her toes, shimmering crescent moon nails and between the arches of her feet, their whiteness making them almost appear camouflaged, as though they'd sunken into the sand, while the subsequent wash of water turned them all different shades of blue.

Adelaide turned to Adrienna and said, "It's odd enough to see so many people here, at this time of the day and in the height of Summer. I think it's clear enough what Miss... Sorry, I did not catch your name... is doing." She turned back to the Konti, "I'm Adelaide." The young woman placed her hand over her heart and bowed her head with an urchin-like grin before going back to the crux of the matter, "So what are you doing here, if it's not an indelicate question? I know I should possibly not ask, for fear of being indiscreet, but my curiosity always manages to outplay all my endeavours to become more disinterested. Feel free not to answer."

The smoke had not had an effect yet and Adelaide wondered if she could take the pipe off the Konti without asking. After all, that is what one usually did with these sort of stimulants - but maybe the Konti had little knowledge of drug etiquette and would object badly to her taking liberties. With this in mind, Adelaide was quite content to throw her hands behind her head and lie back in the sand, having made sure to raise the legs of her culottes to avoid them getting wet and re-adjusted her parasol so that she would not be subject to the worst of the sun.

"Of course," she murmured, her eyes gently shutting as she soaked up the warm rays of the sun through the parasol's light protective barrier, "I was merely taking a walk. The six sisters of sin are sometimes too vibrant for thoughts or notions to flourish as they should."

[Adair Askara]

Every once in a while Adair Askara needed a change of scenery. That day it was so warm that he decided to order his slave to take care of his shop and head to the beach to go swimming instead. His outfit was appropriate for the occasion for once. He was not wearing one of his over the top outfits or excessive amounts of makeup, but a simple white shirt and brown pants. His feet ware bare so that he could feel the sand between his toes. He looked normal and nearly unrecognizable to those that were used to the loud, eccentric Adair Askara that wanted to be the center of every party.

Apart from a few feathers in his hair, that is. He rather liked wearing feathers, even though he wasn’t a Kelvic or a barbarian that lived in the jungle, but a respected or not so respected dynasty member.

He had intended to take his clothes off and go right into the water, but then the rather strange gathering on the otherwise almost empty beach caught his attention. He hadn’t seen a Konti, an Akalak and two human women together very often yet, and he couldn’t help but wonder what they were up to. Something naughty? The Konti was smoking something. Maybe they were getting high together? Either way, he decided at once that, rather than finding a faraway corner on the beach so as to give them the privacy they probably deserved, he would go and join them.

"I’ll join you, if you don’t mind", he announced rather than waiting if they invited him and gave them a wide smile. "I could serve as a parasol as well. I’m a little taller than her, so I could probably cover more." He pointed at Adrienna who he probably recognized from some previous meeting or other. "I can be exotic as well. Although I have to admit, I’m not particularly good at standing still for a longer amount of time, so I hope you don’t mind a parasol that moves a little every once in a while."

[Adrienna Lynint]

A smirk curled Adrienna's lips as she looked over the gathering, content with the Akalak's sudden disinterest and relocation. She was more at ease with other Dynasts, albeit it was an ease tempered with her brand of alienation. These were people, not scaled critters, and she had little talent with people.

"I may be enticed to have a taste of what you've there," the Lynint said, inclining her head to the Konti's pipe. She was enjoying her time, taking the warmth Syna provided with a pleasant energy, and so she was not offended and even angled herself, just slightly, to shade the seated woman. It was not a long-lived position, however, as the arrival of the Askara (Adrienna had an uncanny knack of placing names and faces she'd seen before) joined them and made his statement.

With no small amount of flourish, as she reasoned an Askara would be more at ease than she would with what she would do, she dropped herself down to sit next the Konrath and then waved Adair closer. "I encourage it," she said with that small curl of a mischievous smile overtaking the edge of her smirk. Whether or not he did, the Lynint reached to remove her shoes, feeling the earth beneath her and humming at the pleasant warmth of it. It was all very pleasant. Good company, which was rarely found in this city, was especially pleasant. Adrienna believed herself to be changing, if she was so willing to accept the presence of others who she had no relation to. "If you insist on moving, however, don't wander too far."

"You talk a lot." It seemed that it was not all good and well, for she directed this at Adelaide. Adrienna barely tolerated verbose companionship, perhaps because her normal choice of association included voiceless animals in a zoo or a slave that pretended to be mute due to a loathing of his own voice. "You may need a bit of heat stroke to calm your self."

To Adrienna, she was not being cruel. Well... maybe just a little. She offered no apology, however. Instead, she offered her task. "I wished to enjoy the afternoon and decided you were interesting company to do it with." Her lips pursed and she turned away from the two women to look out over the blazing sea, inwardly dreaming that she'd brought her own pipe and stimulant.

[Estrellir Konrath]

OOCAde, I edited my post to reflect that they know each other from the soirée. As for the rest of you, we could just go with the assumption that they didn't recognize each other under their costumes?

Estrellir watched with a mild smile as Adelaide accepted and took a deep drag. Fingering the pipe, she wondered at the wording of her comment. Of course, someone as spoiled as a Sitai would have a finer taste in such things. Could she pinpoint which drug it was that the Konrath was offering? Suddenly everything seemed brighter, the reflexes of sunlight on the ocean waves almost blinding.

As Adelaide ventured into poetic waters, Estrellir leaned back, took another inhale and gave a thoughtful hum that manifested as a cloud of smoke. It lazily drifted up and away. Going blind? The blind slave girl hadn’t looked as blissful as the words suggested. “It depends on whether the blind live in eternal darkness or white light though.”

Before the Lynint or really anyone else could say another thing, a fourth Dynast appeared at her side. Unmistakably a male, albeit a slender and petite one, he reminded her of something. Her sixth sense told of an Askara, an unusual one, and quite helpful too. Nodding enthusiastically, the Konti directed him with hand gestures to move between her and the sun. “Indeed, you’re very welcome to join us under such conditions. Keep the feathers on too. As long as you still do what a parasol was made to do, I don’t mind you moving around.” She’d offer the pipe to Adair as well, although he’d have to bend down a little as the hose’s length didn’t permit otherwise.

When Adrienna received the pipe, Estrellir narrowed her eyes and spit out a short laugh. “Perhaps it is you who talks too little. I seem to have missed your name, for once… Estrellir Konrath is mine.” Then she turned back to Adelaide, a curious creature stranded on the sand. The parasol colored her face and upper torso red which created a rather macabre effect. Estrellir took a moment to admire it before attempting to stick the mouthpiece between Adelaide’s full lips. “No, keep talking. Do you fancy yourself a poet? I dare say you have some talent in that field.”

With a sigh, she took another drag herself. The handkerchief had already been replaced in the hidden pocket as cleaning spit away during every round was simply too much of a bother. The warmth of summer still seeped through the shadows while the salty breeze kept humidity from the swamp at bay. The smile was still lingering in the corners of her mouths. “You seem familiar,” she said to the Askara. The curly black mane… but thick smoke muddled her memory. There had been sadness once, no, a game of pretended sadness. Nothing more though.

Boxcode by Verena

[Adelaide Sitai]

OOCActually, the soirée takes place after this. The reason why we would have had to know each other is if I employed you to find the Saffron thief. I can set up a thread arranging that?

Adelaide smiled as the young, androgynous man with the boyish figure and a relatively feminine face neared them, simply dressed. She thought she recognised him from somewhere but couldn't place exactly where.

"I used to have a feathered parasol." remarked Adelaide jokingly, with a wide grin as her eyes flicked to the young man's hair crowned by a circle of feathers, "But half the feathers fell out. I daresay, you'd be a suitable alternative."

She took another puff almost simultaneously to Adrienna's comment on her loquacious nature. For a moment, she looked straight ahead, at the sea. If Adelaide was offended by the Lynint's comment, not a shade of it appeared on her perfectly composed face and, finally turning towards the young woman, she contented herself with a wry smile. She was not unaccustomed to being told that she talked too much, but it was usually a teasing comment spoken playfully rather than with the slight cruel edge which Adrienna used. Did it truly bother her that much? Adelaide had been tempted to use the old phrase, 'when one has nothing nice, intelligent or interesting to say, one should not speak at all' but refrained from doing so just in time to avoid being a hypocrite.

"It is certainly idiosyncratic to seek interesting company, and then decree that company must be silent." Adelaide forced her comment to sound light, like gentle teasing serving to fill in an uncomfortable pause and show that she did not mind what had happened, rather than as sardonic as she dearly wished she could sound. She watched the Lynint's lips purse and, in that moment, she did not look nearly so pretty. Maybe nobody had told her that she looked ill when her lips pursed like that? As though liable to catch a disease.

"A Poet? Well, maybe. I tend to write plays, but I have been known to turn my mind towards poetry. Still, it is one thing to consider oneself a poet and quite another to be a poet, though I daresay I should not have to explain the nuances of that statement to you." she smiled, hoping Estrellir would catch the gentle compliment which the Sitai was paying her. After a moment, her mind turned back to the subject of blindness, "I heard a story once, though goodness knows where I heard it, about an impoverished toymaker with a blind daughter." Now she was going to talk some more, and too bad for the Lynint if she objected, "They say that he was very poor and his wife had died giving birth to this child. The idea that she might grow up in such poor surroundings, and with so little, seemed tragic to him, but then he realised that she was blind. Because she could not see the world around her, the misery and the suffering, he could create a world - a perfect, imagined world - for her. And she was always happy."

Adelaide took a breath and turned her face up towards the sun, looking at it for three or four ticks before pressing her eyes shut and casting her hand across her face. Blotches or red and orange and green and blue seemed to swim around on a dark current pulsing behind her eyelids.

"It's silly to ignore simple pleasures and maybe, in a way, when you can't see, you feel them more strongly. The heat of the sun, the smell of salt fried on the sea air and the sensation of the water gently lapping over the sun-ripened sand." The young woman opened her eyes very suddenly and looked straight ahead, her mind and eye resting on the sea with no small wonder at the sheer vastness and power of something so simple, "But I wouldn't give up this view for anything, and such a story engenders all sort of questions as to whether it is morally wrong to hide the truth of the world to someone. Whether to have them believe that all is purity and beauty and happiness can ultimately only lead to tragedy."

She turned back to the young man with a little nod and leant to the side, propped up on her elbow as she looked up to him.

"I'm Adelaide."