Completed Old Made New (Rue)

[Colt]

30th of summer, 514 a.v

It was late afternoon by the time Shahar made his way into the tent city of Endrykas. Syna blazed from her throne, but the choking heat of the season was beginning to recede as a cool breeze snatched at the sweat on his hide and brought a small but nevertheless welcome relief. There was some measure of shade between the pavilions, which also helped ease the burden, but neither of those did anything to quell the pounding thirst that was beginning to become worryingly constant as summer wore on.

Despite his thirst, Shahar couldn’t help the slight bounce in his step; he had finally brought down the creature that had brought him so much woe over his hunting. Breaking his traps, stealing his kills, even once burrowing into the travois and stealing some of the stored meat that lay there, the badger that had proven to be such a painful thorn in his side was now dangling limply from a hook on his belt, reign of mischief at an end.

He was in the Ruby district, trying to find the pavilion he’d been referred to in regards to new clothes. As a man of the wilderness, Shahar was no strangers to the tumbles and scratches that were inevitable in his occupation. He could work through them until they healed without a problem, but his clothes, however, were not so lucky. His pants were in a sorry state, with rips and loose thread sticking out at odd angles and bloodstains from when he had dealt poor shots and had to finish his prey up close. He needed new clothes, or at least repairs to the old ones, and he hoped that the badger’s pelt would be of bartering value to those he sought.

Right, left. Two rows down. Left again. If the directions were correct, then the pavilion he was looking for should be right…

… there. Woven with clan colors and images proudly displaying what Shahar could only assume to be sewing, the pavilion was either the one he was looking for or one that plied the same trade. Either way, it was worth the trip.

Assuming a posture of cautious openness, Shahar approached the tent, clearing his throat to alert anyone nearby.

Hello? he signed.

[Naiya]

The familiar colors of the shop were almost lulling to Rue, welcoming her with memories of many days spent among them. Yet they warned of struggles to come as well, bright colors and light fabrics that would fade into uselessness once the seasons changed falling into the bitter cold that was always a surprise after the slow burn of summer. Soon they would need to replace much of the clothing with winter weight clothing. Wools, satins, and velvets, some unadorned others trimmed or lined with fur. Soon, but not yet, for the heat not only troubled the people of the grass lands. The animals seemed to be suffering equally this year, and where there were less animals to be found, there were less felts and furs to be had.

She heaved a sigh at the thoughts circling her head. It was still worrisome to Rue that these troubles were quickly falling to her after such an absence from this place. She wasn't entirely sure she could heft the responsibilities that had seemed light to her in days long past.

All the same she was making her best efforts, which was exactly what she did when a small sound from the front of the shop caught her attention.

She turned from the clothing that had caught her mind in it's trap, spreading her lips into a rough imitation of the smile that used to grace her lips at the thought of a customer to help. The force or her turn moved hair out of her face allowing her to catch her first glimpse of the person lingering just outside.

"Welcome." She called greetings followed closely behind. Her smile faltered as she pieced together the familiar lines of the man. Quickly she replaced her smile, hoping he had not noticed its absence. Carefully neutral in her stance she welcomed him into the tent with a hand spread to encompass the space.

She would be cautious not to offend him, more so than she would with any other possible customers, because she knew her father sought to marry her off as quickly as he was able. It would not do to create strife between herself and a man of marrying age. Her father's displeasure at finding such a thing would be immense, and discipline would come quickly.

So she would strive to be as unobtrusive as possible... Just in case.

[Colt]

A young woman answered Shahar’s greetings, a young woman with bright copper hair and an oddly strained smile. Shahar tilted his head, and as he did so he noticed something else: a small, niggling sense of familiarity. Did he know this woman?

“Welcome,” she said, and Shahar dipped his head in respectful acknowledgement.

Clothing, he signed. New, required. He then gestured as his worn pants as evidence. These are dying.

Once his intentions were made clear, the hunter hefted the badger for her to see. This I bring, for trading. Thick fur.

When his piece was said, Shahar took a chance to look closer at the woman’s face. Yes, she was definitely familiar, although he was not yet sure how. As certain as he was that he had seen her before, he could not place where. Unsure if she recognized him in return, Shahar refrained from any signs of personal friendship; if there was any incident in the past that they shared, he would let her lead in any reminiscing. Right now he just wanted to focus on new clothes.

[Naiya]

He tilted his head in a vaguely animal way. The soft tilt of a concerned horse, or maybe a confused dog. It struck her again that there was a familiarity about him. A long forgotten gaze upon the contradictions that he posed with his body. The hard strength in shoulders that bent and straightened as easily as blades of grass, the gentle presence of speech in the hard lines of his torso and legs.

As a seamstress she often found it was the body of a person she remembered most, the lines and curves that made up a being. So it was more often than she would like to admit that she ended up with the sense of familiarity to a nameless person. She bit her lip unthinkingly as she tried to place the man in her memories.

It wasn't until he signed his request rather than spoke it that his name clicked into place in Rue's mind. She was pleased with herself for a moment as she placed a name to the shape of the man she recognized. Dawnwhisper. She only recalled the name because she'd thought it ironic that a man who spoke so little would carry a name of sound. Ironic, or maybe poetic. All the same her smile returned with a little less work as she ran through the answers she required from him. From Shahar.

Query. Require more. Her hands signed as she took a closer look at his clothing. "What season..." She paused a moment, considering her question better, "What fabric do you want?"

She turned a critical eye on his offering then, knowing she could go no further in her moves to help before he answered. It was a nice fur, something they would have great need of soon. Nice enough even to trim the hood of a cloak, or to line a woman's gloves. She would be lucky to acquire such for something so simple as new pants, maybe she could convince him he needed a tunic as well, or maybe a cloak for the winter.

That thought brought about another. She couldn't help but wonder how often he returned from a hunt with furs of such quality. This shop was still small, and many of the fur traders sought to trade elsewhere, they could benefit from his returned business. Maybe they could work out a deal.

[Colt]

The woman’s smile became a tad brighter at his signs than it had been a second before, more authentic in a way Shahar couldn’t define. Was it recognition, perhaps? Or something else entirely?

Either way, she responded to his question with a question of her own.

“What season… what fabric do you want?”

Shahar blinked stupidly. Fabric? Would he have to decide that? Shahar hadn’t expected to be required to decide things like fabric when getting new clothes. He didn’t know anything about clothes. Or fabric, for that matter. For a moment he simply stood and stared at her blankly, posture fixed in a signed equivalent of uhh…

After a few seconds, Shahar was able to sketch out a basic I don’t know along with a bit of embarrassment. What else could he do? He hoped he didn't need knowledge of fabrics to get what he needed, because it was a knowledge that he definitely did not have.

[Naiya]

Upset at her lack of consideration for his feelings Rue quickly signed apology, regret. Of course she couldn't expect him to know what fabrics she had or which he would like best.

She ducked behind her hair, letting the locks create a barrier between herself and the utterly confused looking man while she scrambled for a was to make up for her mistake - a mistake she wouldn't have made if she had been back for more than a couple days.

"I mean to ask if the cloth should be warm and sturdy against the cold? Or light and suited for summer heat?" More clear? her hands shaped the question with a soft hesitance that spoke of sadness.

She hadn't meant to embarrass him, in fact she had hoped to convince him to trade with her more often than this once, a feat that grew less likely with each bumble she made along the way.

She signed another apology, peering up at the much taller man, and continued on to explain. "It has been a long time since I was working here last, I am out of practice." Please be patient with me. She added with the lit of hope shaping the words.

[Colt]

The woman seemed to retreat from her previous exuberance, shielding her face behind a curtain hair and bringing apology to her hands.

“I meant to ask if the cloth should be warm and sturdy against the cold? Or light and suited for summer heat?”

She paused then, peering up at him from between her copper locks and restating her apology.

"It has been a long time since I was working here last,” she said quietly. “I am out of practice."

Please be patient with me.

Shahar tilted his head again, but this time it was in understanding rather than confusion. He had embarrassed her, it seemed, and that would simply not do.

Of course, he replied. Nothing to forgive, it’s my fault. Second one, summer, light. Protect legs, plants, scratches, but for summer.

[Naiya]

Rue nodded, a bit of confidence returning with his reassurance. When was the last time someone had responded so kindly to a mistake? She couldn't remember. She gave her self a small shake, it didn't matter, she should focus on his needs. He would want cotton, or maybe linen, depending on whether her would trade comfort for protection. Come this way, please? Still have choices. She hesitated a moment before turning to head towards the fabrics where she could let him feel the materials and decide which he would prefer. She would not sell him breeches of a fabric he wasn't familiar with, it was too likely he would be unhappy that way.

Linen, she signed carefully, or Cotton, turning to take a few backwards steps through the displays of different clothing and fabrics so that he could see her hands. I can show you.

oocI meant to ask, is this a beaver pelt, or an entire beaver Shahar is offering for trade?

[Colt]

His words seemed to reassure her, and she responded genuinely enough.

Come this way, please? Still have choices.

Shahar nodded and followed her into the pavilion. The area past the entrance was filled to the brim with cloth and garments and what appeared to be sewing projects that were not quite finished enough to be recognizable. She led him to where the uncut fabrics were, making signs of what Shahar assumed to be their names. I can show you, she said.

Yes, Shahar replied with a nod. It certainly couldn’t hurt to familiarize himself with different types of cloth, no matter the fact that he didn’t see himself using such a knowledge a great deal after today.

He looked back and forth between the materials, trying to pick out the differences. This one seemed thicker, that one thinner, another one coarser and another one softer. The yearning to touch them was almost subconscious, but it was a yearning he suppressed; he didn’t know if he was allowed to feel them, and he didn’t want to offend the young woman that was guiding him.

oocYes, it's a whole badger.

[Naiya]

"This is linen." She repeated softly, pulling a swath of the fabric free from the roll. Thin, cool, smooth. She held the small sample scrap of fabric towards him, offering it for his inspection even as she reached with her other hand towards a similar piece of cotton.

"And this one cotton." She messily signed around the fabric in her hands a rough description rough, thicker, but still cool enough. She once more offered the pieces for his inspection, and took the moment of quiet to look over him again.

It was difficult for her to see this man in her shop, when the most memorable of their meetings had shown her a Drykas more animal than man. He appeared so different now, standing amongst the many colors and fabrics of civilization when he himself was so.. uncivilized was the wrong word, for he was more than civil, but his behaviors and mannerisms were decidedly animalesque.

oocBadger, beaver. Apparently the same late at night and after a glass of wine.