Closed The Swinging Door [Salumi Ahera & Caelum]

[Lynx]

Day 75, Autumn, 514 AV
~Nightfall

The day had given away to night and Lynx had been standing upon the beach, watching the moon as it rose up and above the horizon, the colours of peach, red, and yellow painting the sky and the ocean as Syna and Leth met for those precious moments. The moments that the two lovers could meet and enjoy each other’s company however brief it was. The ethaefal wasn’t feeling particularly kind to the two as she watched in angered silence. Why wouldn’t Leth show her, why wouldn’t he give light to the long lost memories of this earthbound form? It frustrated her to no end. While normally she would have been patient, believing that he would give her some insight eventually, when the time was right. What did she have to do in order to gain those memories? A question that plagued her, a question that she continued to think long and hard over as she slowly began to make her way back to her room at the Kulkukan Tavern. She had left her two beloved pets behind in the room, she had wanted to be alone. Alone had meant, no animals that would follow her, but now? Now she felt like sitting and drinking, with just her thoughts. The lethafal didn’t normally drink, but she figured that she might as well indulge a little, take a break from her normal routine for a while.

So instead of heading back to her room and to the two black Silkena dogs that she had left behind in that room, she found herself heading to a place called the Alements. She knew that drinks were sold there, amongst other things, but it wasn’t a place that she visited herself. In fact, she would normally visit parks or the library, so again this was most unusual for the woman. She hesitated before the door, taking a quick glance over her outfit. It was just a simple white dress, paired with a pair of black boots. Was she over-dressed for a place like this? Did it really matter as to how she dressed at such places? These questions frustrated her even more and the unanswered questions continue to breed inside of her mind. Doubling like they had a habit of doing. Questions! That’s all she had was questions, when would she find an answer to them all? Finally, after a pause, she pushed through the door into the Alements, her gaze settling upon the room that she suddenly found herself in.

It was… Different, she noted with a violet gaze glancing over the area, especially seeing as it had rugs. Why did it have rugs? Wouldn’t drinks spill? She questioned as she made her way towards a corner table, slipping her form onto a chair. The tavern didn’t seem to be a typical tavern, the atmosphere seemed different to Lynx and quietly she lifted her hands to place upon the table top as a server seemed to come over. Angling her head she noted the brown hair and the indigo eyes and the woman even spoke with a soft voice. Lynx brushed back her own ruddy locks, pondering for a moment as to what she should have. Finally, she settled upon a bottle of red wine and leaned back into the chair, a sigh upon her lips. She found her own frustration, frustrating and the cause for it was unknown. Leth continued to be silent every night as he passed over-head, refusing to give her answers. The fingers of her right hand gently played with the silver charm bracelet that was on her left wrist, the half-moon glared up at her, taunting her, almost daring her to scream at her one god. Instead she wrangled that temptation back as the server came back with the bottle of wine.

~LedgerHouse Wine (bottle): -10gm

.

[Salumi Ahera]

The season was shaping up to be a curious one, Salumi had found. There was definitely something off about her, the city and the people in it, although she'd not been able to put her finger on it. Mainly she felt a measure of annoyance and restlessness in her usual passions. Why sit in a dusty old library reading all day and night when it was a perfectly nice day outside? Of course, with the unseasonal frosts on the ground the day before, perhaps spoiling the city's grapes, it should have been all the more reminder for her to stay indoors. Instead she couldn't have rushed out faster.

Normally she'd grab a bite to eat before she hurried back to the bay and her watery camp, but she'd had enough of sitting alone at night, mulling over her day's learnings. She didn't want to explore the city area, she just wanted to enjoy the daylight and have a little drink... or three.

'Lumi had no problems with drinking usually, she certainly wasn't used to it- there wasn't a lot to be brewed underwater- but she'd become acquainted with sweet juices from fruits and alcohol from her dealings with traders and the city life. It stood therefore, she was something of a lightweight; a weight she had passed on her third mug of ale and not realized. She had a little trouble standing and wandering closer to the bar, stopping next to a violet-eyed woman *Lynx* and placing her webbed fingers down to prevent herself from swaying. She did a fairly good job of it; although she wasn't completely smashed, she certainly didn't need another ale. She did however, want one. She glanced at the red haired woman already standing there and her the yellow horns on top. How curious looking; she'd never seen someone with horns before.

"Ohh, are you Konti?" Her Kontinese was awful, truly poorly accented and pronounced in all the wrong areas. It was the sort of language skill that someone displayed after reading only a guide-book and never learning to actually use the words in tongue; which to be fair, was exactly how Lumi had learned what little Kontinese she knew.

The sun completed its setting behind them and Salumi blinked in the dimness, glancing with annoyance out the windows. Leth and Syna had finished toying with everyone and Leth took centre stage in the sky. Personally, Salumi had liked it more when the days were longer, she was used to the dark, but she'd enjoyed the day more. "Shells and foul water- Leth is so obnoxious this time of year, greedy guts gobbling up all our daylight." This, she said in common, more to herself but generally out there.

[Lynx]

Running a frustrated hand through her ruddy hair, full of the autumn colours of multiple reds and browns, being mindful of her yellowed horns, a sigh fell upon her lips. Her violet hues focused upon the glass held in front of her, it was full of the red liquid that filled the bottle beside it, however she had only taken one sip before she had settled the glass back down upon the table top. It had a very strong taste and she was still trying to decide as to whether she liked it before someone decided to sway very badly over to her table, settling a webbed hand down upon the table top. Silently, she moved to lean back into her chair, her violet hues narrowing in on the woman, what did she want? She questioned as her gaze drifted over the woman’s appearance. She wasn’t human, that much was certain by her appearance. Her skin was a dark blue, much like the colour of the Akalaks and it appeared rubbery. As well as her hands being webbed, a fact she can clearly see for the planted hand upon the table top but she also had fins, well the tops of her ears appeared to be finned shape. She wasn’t exactly a race that Lynx was overly familiar with really, but another fact soon presented intself to the ethaefal, the stranger couldn’t speak Kontinese very well.

Although, her curiousity went flying out the window when she made an obnoxious comment about Leth. How dare she accuse the god of the moon of gobbling up all the daylight! Syna and Leth both shared the sky equally. Syna’s reign was longer during the summer times and Leth’s reign over the sky was longer during the winter times. It was equal time and this… Her words drew off for a moment as she tried to find the right word to call her. Fish! That fish was ignorant, selfish and greedy! How dare she question the god without reason to! While Lynx questioned the god herself, she had every right to. For he allowed her to fall to mizahar with no recollection except images of the Konti isle, but she did not speak out against the god. No for she was his daughter and she wouldn’t do such a thing. Her hands had fallen into her lap, as her fingers opened and closed, frustration and anger filling every part of her form. She could feel it well up inside and coil up like a snake as it prepared to strike her violet hues glaring at the woman for a moment.

Suddenly, her right hand snaked out to forceful slap an open palm across the left side of the strange woman’s face and it connected with an odd sound. Pulling her hand back, she looked at her hand and wriggled her fingers. While it was the first time that she had slapped someone, because it was not in her nature to lash out physically, but the woman’s skin not only looked like rubber but felt like it. Finally she gathered her wits together as she turned her glaring violet hues back to the strange woman, her voice lifting to a scolding shout in Kontinese. ”Do not insult father like that!” Indeed, the woman had been enraged, but now that she had slapped the stranger, she had felt a sense of smugness settle over her. It was a strange feeling, especially seeing as it had stemmed from physically slapping someone, or in this case, something, across the face. It was exhilarating really and it got the blood pumping, she also derived some kind of satisfaction from the physical contact. It was an interesting reaction to say in the least.
.

[Salumi Ahera]

It had occured to Lumi that perhaps the woman in front of her, wasn't, in fact, a Konti- she had a moment to realize this as she remembered more of her basic Kontinese phrases that the Konti were all blonde and didn't have horns. Right, scales and horns- because she should have remembered that. The Charodae winced as she realized her mistake, but it was a little late by then- she'd already asked and besides, it was an easy enough mistake- land-dwellers all looked so similiar to her. Still, how embarrassing she hadn't realized the woman had red hair and a firey temper- Salumi soon realized. Lumi was aware her Kontinese wasn't the best in the world, to say it needed improving was true, but she wasn't sure what she'd said about the horned woman's father- when the other clearly took insult to the question. She stumbled back when the other hit her, shock and surprise all over her face as she gasped at the sudden physical connection. Her hand flew up, covering the spot she'd been slapped with incredulity. A hot, warm feeling spread under her skin from the sharp connection. The self-indignant, offended look on the other's face as she swung wildly at Lumi was shocking. "Do not insult father like that!” Normally, at any other time, Lumi would have become teary and backed away, she would have fled the obviously aggressive, primitive, unevolved land-dweller before the violence got worse- but to her own surprise, she found an equally gutteral flow of clicks building in the back of her throat. Salumi was a stranger to violence, she was equal parts disdainful and confused by the need for it; most predators you could outrun or outsmart; life was precious. But for the first time in her life as an adult, she felt something else now; a rage flaring inside her chest that made her want to show this barbarian who was boss! How dare she, when Lumi just asked if she was Konti (Lumi had already forgotten her throw-away remark about Leth, since it was just griping at the weather to her)- attack a stranger! This was why the land was so unsafe, they fought over the smallest things. Her eyelids flickered over her pale milky orbs, moistening them before she put her hand on the table and vaulted on top of it, knocking the pitcher of wine over and lunging at the horned not-konti barbarian with a snarl. She wasn't exactly a good fighter, or, hell, possessing of much experience with fisticuffs, but she wasn't just going to let the other person slap her for bad language skills! She'd rip this not-Konti woman's throat out!

[Lynx]

The strange looking woman, whose skin was rubbery to the touch, stumbled back and Lynx’s violet hues watched as the emotions crossed other the stranger’s face. Shock and surprise seemed to have been the main emotions and Lynx glared at the strange woman as she almost dared her to come back at her, watching her movements as she seemed to cover up the spot where she had slapped the stranger. She hoped that this woman had learned her lesson, no one insulted her father and she wouldn’t sit here and allow it happen right in front of her. However, as she had begun to turn back to her glass of wine, a strange sound had begun to flow forth from the stranger and a frown creased her forehead as she lifted her gaze to view her. What on earth was that noise? It was most definitely not a sound that she would hear coming from her dogs, she hadn’t even heard it coming from a human being either. But this… thing, seemed to be able to make this sound with an ease and as Lynx tilted her head to the right, she also noted that it seemed to be quite a natural sound to the woman. Was there something stuck inside of her throat?

As Lynx watched the woman’s face, she began to note that the shock and surprise had given away to something different, something that appeared to be an anger of some kind. If it was anger that she saw upon the stranger’s face, then how come it was making that odd guttural sound of clicking? When her dogs got angry, they growled and attacked each other with snarls and snapping teeth. When humans got angry they would attack with their first or shout words at each other. Lynx had found out, that when she got angry enough, or insulted enough, she would lash out. An action that had been somewhat surprising to her, but non-the-less it was a normal social reaction as far as she was concerned. However, this fish woman didn’t seem to think so. Well too bad Lynx had thought to herself as she reached for the glass of wine once again, thinking that the fish woman would back off and go away if she ignored her. Although, apparently that wasn’t the case and it was too late for Lynx to do much as the fish woman placed a hand upon the table and vaulted on top. Lynx had been in mid-rise when such an action had happen and the bottle of wine went crashing to the ground, the bottle breaking upon impact and the red liquid inside splashing across the floor.

Her actions had stopped in mid-pause as her violet hues widened at the sight of the broken bottle and the wine that had spilled, reminded her of a river, a river of blood. This was the only small thought that she could manage, before she felt the full weight of another person crashing into her own form and her body slammed back into the chair, the glass she had previously held, falling out of her grasp to also smash upon the floor. Never had Lynx ever been in a physical fight, in actual fact, the most she had ever done in regards to physical activities, was climb the side of a gazebo railing and she had fallen in the process. Other than that, she usually took nightly walks. So for someone to quite literally throw themselves at her, was something of a shock. However, she had lifted her arms to cover her face as felt the full force of the fish woman, bring her back into the chair. The chair broke underneath their sudden combined weight and both were suddenly careening backwards onto the floor. An Ump! Escaped passed her lips as she smacked into the floor and a dazed expression seem to cloud her violet hues for a moment before she shook her head to plant her hands upon the fish woman’s shoulders in an attempt to shove her off.
.

[Caelum]

Caelum had never once cried over spilled milk. Spilled wine, however, was a different story. Strange winds had blustered through the city since the changing of the season. Caelum had spent some consideration on Zulrav, a favored god of his drykas descendants. Often he considered Zulrav to be a god of change and of action and both these things had proven true in the past seventy five days. At the moment he was listening to wind clip the propped open kitchen door and peeling late season apples. His eyebrows were drawn together with concentration as he carefully drew the paring knife over the surface of the apple, attempting to remove just the speckled red skin and leave the majority of fruit behind. Considering how adept he was with knives when it came to matters of combat, it had not really occurred to Caelum that using a knife in cooking would prove terribly difficult. Syna love him, but he had been dead wrong. There was more fruit than peel in the scraps bowl he was working over. The skins he intended to use in a mixture to feed to the father of his neighboring shop-owner. Dontin was suffering from troubled bowels and had not been able to wander too far from the privy. Caelum had already instigated change in the aging Akalak's diet and administered a tonic to rid Dontin of the paralyzing stomach cramps. Yet now he wanted to extract the pectin from the skins of the apples Elise wanted to make apple turnovers tomorrow. Drawing on his rather empty knowledge stores of philtering but adding to it his extensive wisdom wherein herbalism and medicine were concerned, Caelum was sure that mascerating the skins could be added to a stiff brewed cup of fennel tea for a rather unpleasant but decidedly effective counter to diarrhea. He cursed as the paring knife slipped and nicked his thumb. A bead of blood welled up and the remains of the apple was dropped straight into the scraps bowl so he could suck at his thumb and -- yes -- scowl down at the offending knife. A soft tremor of Rak'keli grace was heaped upon his thumb with a thought, and he released a sigh as it worked not just to heal the minor cut but also to ease the aches in his shoulders. He rolled them back, popped his thumb out of his mouth, and shuffled over to the stove. He lifted a spoon and scraped at the bottom of the stew pot that he had left simmering on the stove half a bell previous. Despite the patient instructions of Elise to keep the flames low, he had stoked them with an extra cord of wood into the rounded belly of the stove. It only made sense in his mind, didn't it? If the heat was turned up, then the ingredients for the simple beef stew Elise had helped him put together earlier would cook faster. After stirring in a few pinches of salt, white pepper, and the dried crumble of tarragon leaves with which he was more familiar -- tarragon being a medicinal herb as well as a cooking herb -- he had walked away to start on the apple skins and consider his novice philtering abilities. "Elise!" He bellowed. Bellowing had become a thing he did since summer had left Riverfall to these strange winds of autumn. "The stew's bloody well scorched? What in the --" That was when he head the crash. He stood there and blinked at the ruined stew for a few ticks before setting the spoon down and whirling for the kitchen door. A clean towel was caught from the counter as he stepped into the warm light of his tavern and it caught itself in velvet dark eyes. The heavy, Drykas style braids he wore were knotted at the nape of his neck and his tunic, while simple in cut and color, was sewn from rich, warm fabric. The sleeves were shoved up to his elbow as he took in the scene playing itself out in the middle of his precious Alements. Without hesitation, the horse lord waved a hand to his wide-eyed waitress cum cook and strode into the middle of the mess that seemed, by all appearances, to have been caused by one of the blessed charoda and -- gods above -- another ethaefal. "Alright, alright," he raised his voice, pitching it with authoritative calm despite the fact that he had to step over shards of a broken wine bottle on the floor. A firm hand caught the charoda by the shoulder to pulled her back, intending to move her away from the daughter of Leth attempting to get back to her feet. "Enough is enough. Calm down before someone gets hurt."