The Chiet Girl (Khara)

by **Zhol** on August 13th, 2014, 6:12 am

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Follow you.

Once again his disparaging thoughts echoed through his mind with the voice of his father, as if it were the only one they had ever used. He felt himself sagging beneath the weight of it, as if shrinking in size to be as small as that voice made him feel.

This is what you are afraid of, isn't it? That they will realise the fraud that you are? That you'll prove how little your skills really amount to? That she will discover the lie you've both been living, and her obligation to be here will fade away? Look at what she thinks of you already. Your little girlfriend doesn't even think you can make it to the infirmary without an escort.

That word was it's mistake; it turned timid into temper. Zhol didn't know what about it earned his ire: perhaps it was hearing that word uttered in the voice of his father; perhaps it was the fear that any part of him, no matter how small, thought of her in that way. The guilt of that possibility would crush him eventually, but for now his anger fuelled his strength. The very notion, the very possibility, made Zhol's mind recoil: not because she was undeserving to be the subject of his affections, but because she deserved not to be. After how they had met, what Zhol had intervened in, and what Inarta society expected the members of the lower castes to permit, that was not a prospect that Zhol was prepared to let himself entertain.

It didn't matter the way she hid behind the sweep of copper that hung across her face, nor the way her eyes caught the sunset, or flickered in the light of a fire: to those eyes he would always be an Avora, and they would look at him as if she was just a Chiet.

"Okay," he said with a quiet nod, not sure how his behaviour must seem to her right now. He tried to muster a smile, but couldn't really manage the willpower to fully commit. "Let me finish up with Nameless here first, though. I think we can only get away with one of us having our hair half a mess."

"Pavi" | "Common" | "Nari"
This template was made by Khara. She was bribed with coffee and jammy dodgers.

by **Khara** on August 26th, 2014, 4:29 am

There was nothing she could do but nod her head in acknowledgement, trying to keep the small smile on her lips no matter how much she wanted to babble out an excuse to run back to her room and close the door behind her and sag against it. Other Avora looked upon her with disdain, or at best a mild sense of toleration, it was expected and she'd learned how to act accordingly. But Zhol's refusal to treat her any different than he would one of his own caste coupled with the poorly hidden melancholy at her unease towards it was something else entirely. Khara was never entirely sure why, but ever since they had first met she had always wanted to do anything she could to make that look vanish from him.

Today's remedy: a change in subject. Or at least something to take the focus off of his injury and the possibility of having to explain her own failures for the day. That only left one other party.

She put a quick end to the current nibbling on her bottom lip and forced a breath into her lungs that wasn't exactly uplifting. I'm never going to get used to that smell. Stupid stables, why can't you be more outside?

"So," Khara began, rounding on the horse that had Zhol's attention. "Aside from Troublecauser what else can we name you?"

She feigned a critical look over the animal before looking back to Zhol. "You cannot name him Horse, that is for certain."

A hand was brought up, one arm perching on the other as she rested the back of her knuckles against her lips as she continued to study the colt. It was all a play, one meant more for her friend's entertainment than her own, but Khara couldn't help but find herself holding back a slight giggle at how ridiculous she must have looked.

Her arms fell back to her sides as she looked back over at Zhol, the act dropping in favor of a genuine smile. Another soft shake of her head came just before she finally let the laugh out that had been building. Khara forced another deep breath before she reached out slowly, cautiously to see if the colt would let her touch him. Aside from being a sudden foolish act of courage, or stupidity depending on how you looked at it, it let her full attention be drawn towards the animal rather than it's trainer. More to the fact, she hoped it would stop the sudden surge of embarrassment that wanted to consume her. "Honestly, I told you I was bad at this. You'll have to tell me more about him. What lets him be special?"

"Nari" | "Common"

by **Zhol** on August 26th, 2014, 10:08 am

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What lets him be special? More of Khara's endearing turns of phrase. Part of him felt guilty for sourcing joy and enjoyment from her struggles with speaking a language other than her own. It was not judgement though, but rather something akin to pride, marvelling at the way she found new, almost poetic ways to construct her meaning from the mongrel lexicon of the common tongue; yet another of the thousand traits and mannerisms that made her a joy to be around.

Zhol was glad to have his attention focused on the colt's braids; he knew that without that distraction, his eyes would be lingering on Khara long enough to be considered staring. He pushed that thought as far from his conscious as possible, and turned his mind to addressing her question, a furrow forming in his brow as he searched his memory for anything useful.

"He's a colt," Zhol began to explain, repeating some of what he'd said already to help steer his mind onto the correct path, "Which means he's four or less; born in the spring of 510. They haven't decided if they'll geld him or not, but he's got good potential as breeding stock, so hopefully they'll let him mature into a stallion. I think I remember Hansi telling me he was the only male that entire season; all the other breeding pairs produced females. His mother -" He pointed across the stables. "Is that smokey-looking mare in the corner; but not really sure about his father." A thin smile tugged at his lips, a faint ghost of a laugh breathed out. "I guess he's a true Inarta, huh? Doesn't know who his father is."

He puzzled over what else he knew. "He's a little -" Zhol struggled for the word that would convey his point, without startling the surprisingly bold Khara into retreat. He couldn't really blame the diminutive Inarta from being wary around the large and imposing creatures, but at the same time it had always brought a hint of sadness to realise that Khara's hesitance around them robbed Zhol of the opportunity to share the largest part of who he was with her. If her confidence around the creatures grew, so too did his excuses to spend time with his only real friend.

"- sensitive," he decided upon, eventually. "The Inarta don't really think all that highly of horses like our friend. Mules and pack horses can at least serve a purpose that contributes in an obvious way to the city, but horses like this one are for riding, and that kind of travel is always going to be seen as inferior to riding a wind eagle. He doesn't like being thought of as inferior, much less treated that way; and he doesn't deserve it either. He's strong, fast, and he rides well, provided he respects you enough to let you."

Zhol felt the colt move as Khara drew slightly closer: not a sudden move of aggression, but rather a slow and measured one, a few steps taken to bring him closer to the edge of his stall. Careful not to wrench his mane from Zhol's fingers, the colt bowed his head, his nose mere inches from Khara's outstretched hand.

A smile blossomed on Zhol's face. "Looks like he likes you," he explained warmly. "I guess he recognises a kindred underappreciated soul when he sees one."

"Pavi" | "Common" | "Nari"
This template was made by Khara. She was bribed with coffee and jammy dodgers.

by **Khara** on August 28th, 2014, 5:47 pm

[left]

She listened to him as he explained, the occasional flinch or squint occurring as she stumbled over words that were unfamiliar. The overall idea was understood and she even let a small smile form at the comment about the mystery of the horse's father. Her attention kept switching from her outstretched hand to Zhol as he spoke, but the sudden movement towards her forced the choice. Khara had to fight every instinct to pull away and found herself once again holding her breath as she finally closed the gap between her fingertips and the colt's nose.

A nervous smile appeared and a small laugh left her as contact was made. It was true; she never really did pay much attention to the horses and even still had trouble thinking of them as intelligent creatures that had hidden personalities. The thought of actually riding one was still completely alien to her, despite having seen others do it. It just seemed weird.

As she ran her hand down the horse's nose she felt another wave of giddy anxiety pass over her that only widened her smile... that was, until her friend finished speaking. Zhol's last comment drew her attention and her eyes widened for a second only to be overtaken by a sudden self-conscious withdrawing. Underappreciated? What's that supposed to mean? Khara's hand pulled back to meet her other until fingertips interlocked and began their typical uncertain fidgeting that she never seemed to be able to control when the girl became overly aware of herself.

"Maybe." It was the only thing she could think to say, as if the sudden warmness she felt spreading through her cheeks had managed to knock every other word she knew in Common right out of her head.

She once more found herself trying to pull all attention away from herself, from what the Avora had said to her. Once more she relied on the mostly neutral party as a means of distraction. Khara had no idea if the horse was actually aware of their exchanges, but one thing was for certain: she was glad the animal didn't have the same communication abilities as a Wind Eagle, no doubt one of them would have berated her for her foolishness.

"You said he was the only boy born that season?" The question came out far softer than she had intended as Khara chanced a glance back towards Zhol. "That seems..." She had to search for the word again. Ominous? Important?Unique? Nothing seemed right and the words lost all meaning when repeated in her head.How do you say 'Destiny' without sounding so melodramatic? Like something that's not a coincidence but a...

A sigh left her as she realized her fidgeting had gotten worse, her right hand making subtle plucking motions as if it could snatch the word she wanted from the air. "It just seemed significant. He won't have the same fate as the others he grew up with. It singles him out from the rest a bit, don't you think?"

Khara regarded the colt once more, frowning a bit. You're trying too hard to sound smart. "He's the only one, an outsider among his own. A lone thing. You can't name him Lone or Solitary, they sound too sad."

She knew she was babbling, but it kept Zhol from saying anything that would make her feel uncomfortable, which in turn probably kept him from feeling the same so for once Khara was sure it was probably a good thing.

"What about..." her fingers snapped as the word came to her, chirping it out in Nari before she could translate. "Solo?"

"Nari" | "Common"

by **Zhol** on August 28th, 2014, 8:24 pm

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Zhol wasn't sure if it was the colour in her cheeks, the fidgeting that she couldn't seem to keep at bay, or the tirade of nervous ramble that seemed to tumble from her lips so very often; but something made it extremely difficult to keep a smile from forming on his features. He hid it behind a hand, smoothing his palm down his features in the hopes of quashing his expression before it became permanent.

"Solo," he repeated, mulling the word over as if it required consideration; as if he wouldn't have willingly called it absolutely anything she'd suggested after seeing her smile and hearing her laugh like that. He still remembered the awe that had graced his sister's expression the first time she had come face to face with a Strider, and he saw some of that same wonder on Khara's features. That realisation stabbed him with a brief pang of sadness, which if nothing else helped to keep his smile under control.

"What do you think?" he asked, securing the end of the final braid and sneaking his hand forward to fuss between the colt's ears. "Do you feel like a Solo, or do we need to keep searching?"

The colt's head bobbed twice, a breath of agreement sputtering out from his lips. Zhol allowed his grin to find purchase after all, clapping his hand against the side of the colt's neck. Finally freed from the burden of patience it had borne during Zhol's plaiting efforts, Solo shook his mane, the tightly braided hair locked firmly in place. There was something almost like surprise in the colt's reaction; Zhol couldn't help a chuckle.

"Seems that he likes it," Zhol enthused, glancing at Khara long enough to flash her a grateful smile. Suddenly conscious that only one of the humans was doting affection on him, Solo shifted enough in his stall to lean his head towards where Khara was still shuffling nervously. "And he definitely likes you; but then, always takes a shine to the pretty girls."

"Pavi" | "Common" | "Nari"
This template was made by Khara. She was bribed with coffee and jammy dodgers.

by **Khara** on August 30th, 2014, 8:38 pm

Khara cast Zhol a sidelong glance as she began a frown that refused to fully form. Hardly. Given the rather disheveled state the day had left her in, the disbelief in what he said had her wondering if he was mocking her. It was the only posibility that came to mind as the alternative seemed far too rediculous. Not that Khara thought herself ugly, it was just that she had spent so much of her life trying to appear as plain and unremarkable as possible to avoid unwanted attention that any compliment instantly seemed suspect.

"It isn't nice to tease. If you continue I'll start thinking that you're taking lessons from the other Avora." Her discomfort with the language left out most of the slyness she wanted to put into the remark. That fact was realized as soon as she finished it and left her hoping the amused smirk that played on her lips was enough to get the point across.

Khara watched him carefully for a moment before she finally shook her head, unable to fully judge if he'd understood she had spoken in jest or not. "Remind me to teach you more Nari."

Not wanting to let another uncomfortable silence build between them she reached out and gave a final pat to Solo's nose, her motions were still shy and uncertain but once more served to at least distract her mind from everything else.

"It is getting late, though. Unless you know how to cook for yourself, or have a particular love for the Chef's Soup, we should probably get going." Khara cast another wary glance over her shoulder and took a few steps back from the stall. There was an obvious apologetic look to her as she turned back to Zhol. "Or, you know, if you're not done I can stop distracting you and go by myself. I don't want you to get in trouble with Hansi."

She was overly aware of the fact she was suddenly backing away from everything she had previously said, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary when it came to her speaking with Zhol. He was a friend, or at least the closest thing she could really consider one, but at the same time his status made her constantly second guess every moment she tried to be more assertive. Any joke was instantly regretted on some level, every suggestion they do something together made her feel like she was overstepping her bounds. All the while he never really seemed to understand why it had to be that way. Khara was obviously glad for the fact Zhol didn't act like the other Avora, but she often found herself wondering if things would just be easier if he did.

"Nari" | "Common"

by **Zhol** on August 30th, 2014, 10:14 pm

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He hadn't meant anything by his comment, more a statement of the obvious than anything else; but her reaction to it was like a slap across the face. A rebuttal formed on the tip of his tongue; but his mind silenced it. Given the way they had met, and the difference in caste between them, no statement was ever simple; no compliment could ever be perceived at face value. How did you compliment a woman on her appearance, even when it was merely stating a truth known to anyone who possessed eyes, when there was every risk that it would be seen with an ulterior motive? If there was a way, Zhol had yet to fathom it.

Her retreat back into herself deepened the sadness he suddenly felt. He was different to the other Avora, and in the forefront of her mind she knew that; but somewhere towards the back lingered doubts that prevented her from acting that way. He found himself trapped amid a moral dilemma: her attitude towards him was born out of Inarta traditions that he was compelled to observe not just out of respect, but by requirement and law. In order to be accepted as a citizen of Wind Reach, obedience of Inarta laws and traditions was non-negotiable. There was nothing to say that he couldn't treat the lower castes with respect, or to force him to think of them as inferior; but Khara's respect and deference towards him was mandated, and to ask her or expect her to act differently towards her was to request that she abandon the traditions that she had known and been taught since infancy. Not for the first time, he wondered how things might have been different had he been Chiet as well; and wondered if it was too late for that to change. A few less pinions and a little less food would be a small price to pay to avoid ever having to see that conflict and doubt wash across his friend's features.

"This?" he asked, gesturing to the colt - To Solo, he mentally corrected - keeping his tone as light and jovial as he could muster. He offered a shrug and a smile. "I finished work two bells ago. This is just me doing a little something extra for my friend here." His hand patted against Solo's shoulder. "Just because someone has to do things for me doesn't mean I can take them for granted, and doesn't mean I'm not grateful when they do."

He hesitated, hoping his thinly veiled reassurance had been understood, pairing it with a faltering smile and a gaze that looked directly into her eyes. "You're right though," he added quickly, before any awkwardness had the opportunity to descend, "I really should eat something, and I could probably use some help from my favourite scout to make sure I don't get myself lost in the tunnels."

"Pavi" | "Common" | "Nari"
This template was made by Khara. She was bribed with coffee and jammy dodgers.

by **Khara** on September 1st, 2014, 11:05 pm

It sounded to Khara that her friend's words meant more than he was simply speaking, that he wasn't strictly speaking from the horse's perspective, or that he was talking about the other workers in the stables. Somewhere in the back of her head she knew he was speaking to her as well, but the forefront of her mind was slamming the door shut once more, attributing anything she was making of it to a misunderstanding due to language barriers. Still, when paired with his comment about the possibility of needing her help she couldn't help but find a smile once more creeping upon her. At least this time it felt genuine rather than something forced for both their benefit.

He was troublesome, that was something Khara had decided almost immediately after she had actually gotten to know the human boy. Not because he actively caused trouble for her, but more in that way that she could never quite put a finger on. Maybe it was just the fact that he was one of the few people who genuinely seemed to care about her and if Khara was really honest with herself, she knew the feeling wasn't entirely one-sided. The way he treated, not only her, but the rest of the lower caste members was something she always worried would one day draw too much attention. Hopefully it would always end with someone shrugging it off as an outsider not fully adjusted to Inarta ways. So long as Zhol treated the Endal with the expected amount of reverence, she doubted much would come of it. Of course, she often wondered just what her friend would do if confronted by the sight of an Endal making their displeasure at one of the lower caste members known in a violent manner. It happened sometimes, after all.

Khara shook her head slightly, mentally batting away the thought. It wasn't something she wanted to think about in general, and certainly not at the moment. Not when he'd basically handed her a task in his usual reassuring way. Besides, she still had to pry out of him what actually had happened to his shoulder, which would probably drag out her story of the day's failed scouting from her as well. Commiseration over supper and a trip to the infirmary, it was almost funny how the times they spent together seemed to follow at least part of that recipe. New traditions, I guess.

A slight blush returned to her as Khara realized she had been lost in thought, an equally embarrassed laugh left her before she forced a nod of her head. "That I can do."

Khara waited a chime or two for Zhol at the front of the stables before sprinting up the few steps to the Sanikas Gates. There she paused and cast another glance back at the Avora. Yes, definitely trouble. A small smirk came to her as she waited for him to catch up before they both headed into the warrens beyond.

"Nari" | "Common"

by **Neologism** on September 14th, 2014, 2:47 am

Grades

Khara :

Zhol :

Closed The Chiet Girl (Khara)