Open Candied Salutations

[Estlin Holde]

Estlin Holde "You can't have everything at once," he corrected lightly. Though at the same time, he couldn't help but think of the things he couldn't have with his lifestyle. That list had grown uncomfortably long during his years traveling. His life was interesting, exciting, even, but not easy, and he did have regrets. More than he liked to admit to. Estlin couldn't help but roll his eyes when Aldebaran told him the sea 'wasn't a place'. She had asked where his favorite place he'd been to was, and he told her quite honestly. He might have been a bit harsh with his reply: "The sea is as much a place as the sky, and I know that means something to you. Though I can't figure out what exactly. I mean, for me its obvious; I'm a Svefra. The sea is where I belong, it makes sense." His unsaid question hung on the end of those words, possibly unnoticed: why don't you make sense? Soon after he said these words, Estlin let his attention be drawn by the garden of the Mhakula Tea House. The gardens lent the tea house a private, secretive air, and they were mysterious in that Estlin was unfamiliar with every plant and flower. He had never been much interested in horticulture, but he did appreciate that the trees and plants of different regions were often unique, and in this case; exotic. He didn't appreciate the statues quite as much. Statuary seemed to be everywhere in Lhavit, but most of it had a history he didn't understand, or it was dedicated to a god he didn't worship. Inside, Estlin seated himself across from Aldebaran. Leaning back in his cushioned seat, he surveyed his surroundings; it definitely wasn't a tavern. He actually wasn't sure exactly what it was; it looked like a quaint little tea house, but a tea shop that offered unarmed combat lessons? Lhavit was bizarre. It didn't take Estlin long to decide what he wanted as far as food went, but the tea was much more baffling; in all of his travels he couldn't once remember drinking the stuff. Eventually he settled for the fancifully named Twilight Dawn blend, to go with his Raspberry Pie. After ordering, he eyed Aldebaran across the table. He raised an eyebrow, his expression unconsciously shifting back to curiosity. "You do come here a lot, don't you?"

[Aldebaran]

Aldebaran merely furrowed her brow, refraining from carrying that conversation any further. You couldn’t at once, but you could one after another? What kind of opinion was that? As an Ethaefal, she understood that perfection wasn’t possible in the mortal realm. She’d felt it as soon as the Ukalas had spat her out and hurled her down into the cold sea. All she could do was try and try despite that knowledge. It might be less painful for people like Estlin, but the fact remained.

Her brow remained furrowed. While she did enjoy discussion and sharing opinions, that particular disagreement was going a little too far for her tastes. With the sky, he had indeed touched something she cared about, too much to lead a meaningful conversation about it anyway. She couldn’t return home. Hai, she couldn’t even pronounce the name that had been given to her, the name that belonged to her by right! Instead she had to work to get back to where she’d been before. Despite the change in time and place, it felt like repetition. She didn’t even know why a Svefra she’d never met before managed to wake frustration like that. In decades and decades, Aldebaran was trying to accept her fate, but for some reason whatever Estlin said prevented her from doing just that.

For now, however, she’d keep it simple without revealing too much about herself yet. “There are several seas though. Talking about the sea is the same as talking about the forest or the mountains. Each and every mountain differs in looks and other characteristics from the others. I’m sure the Suvan doesn’t have the same temperature or even the same feel to it than the outer seas you sailed to come here. Isn’t there some truth in that?”

As colorless eyes pierced his, Aldebaran feared she was going too far. Some people you could debate with, but some just didn’t have the right mind for it. So she added a casual gesture. “This is just my personal opinion anyway. It does make sense to me.”

While he was trying to decide what to order, Aldebaran was grateful for the short break. It took some weight and sting off her words, allowed her to collect her thoughts. Sliding her hood off, she ran long fingers through her hair. As it rippled over the midnight blue fabric of her cloak, it bore some resemblance to fresh snow, blending in with an early winter night. Eventually she shrugged. “I wonder… It’s a great place to spend time at, especially at night. I’ve been here for some time, it’s natural to pick favorites.”

She leaned back, amusement showing in the sparkle of her eyes and quirked lips. “As a resident, I’m curious though. What do you think of Lhavit so far? You already said you didn’t like the weather, but what about the city itself? The people, the lifestyle?”

[Estlin Holde]

Estlin Holde Estlin rearranged the seat cushions for a few chimes, fussing over them until they reached maximum comfortability. When Estlin got comfort like this, he made the best of it. Finished with the pillows, he resettled himself and crossed his arms comfortably on his chest. In reply to Aldebaran's comments on the sea he tilted his head, almost said something, then tilted his head back. He would have to think about that for a chime. As he considered her words, the server returned with their orders. Estlin's eyes lit up at the sight of the pie, but one glance at Aldebaran's more austere meal made him first reach for his teacup. The stuff was strong, and Estlin tried not to pull a face at its flavor, but his face inevitably showed his displeasure. Instead of complaining, however, he turned to the server and asked for sugar. He was surprised when the server brought back a small pot of the stuff, this was true comfort. After spooning several scoops of sugar into his cup, Estlin took another swig. "Much better," he noted before moving on to the pie. He hesitated though, deciding that he was ready to take up the debate on his beloved waters. "Well," he started, becoming philosophical, "That's all true, but there is another level to it. My passion for the sea is tied to the Suvan, but it is also tied to the things that are the same everywhere-that I've been, respectably-the sailing, the nights up on deck, the salty sea air, there is a lot to love about any ocean." He stopped, but then began again abruptly. "Its like magic. You find one type ye' like and ye learn everything there is to know about that type, but that doesn't mean ye don't want to learn about the other kinds-no, your desire to pursue those only grows the more ye know the first." Strangely, his Svefra accent returned when he spoke of magic, though it hadn't been present when he discussed the sea. Usually Estlin wouldn't so blatantly hint at his more exceptional abilities, but Lhavit brought it out. Slightly embarrassed, but hiding it well, Estlin turned to his pie. It was delicious; buttery, flaky, tart, but mostly sweet. Everything pie should be; at least that was something normal in Lhavit. He glanced up from his treat to nod when Aldebaran mentioned it was natural to pick favorites. He set down his fork when she began asking questions again. "Oh, well its pretty odd." He said in a off-hand way. "Lots of statues. The people are..." He paused again, realizing Aldebaran had her hood off again. He blinked at her snowy white hair and dark horns, as startled as when he first saw them. "Nice." He finally said.

[Aldebaran]

Aldebaran noted with mild amusement how he arranged the cushions and then asked for sugar to go with the tea. It was strong, she knew, and at first she’d reacted in a similar way. However, as an acquired taste it only got better with every cup she devoured and eventually she’d developed more than a penchant for it. Recalling the blend he’d ordered, she wondered what the sugar would do to the splash of alcohol included in it.

For the moment, however, she directed a part of her attention towards the sandwich on her plate. Lifting the top, she picked up a few cucumbers and slipped them into her mouth one after another. With only a thin layer of cucumbers left, she closed the sandwich again to eat the rest like any other person would. Licking her lips, she considered Estlin’s argument and found it to be significant. “Ah. So, if we use the metaphor of the sky again, its constellations change place depending on where you are, but there are things that stay the same. The soft midnight color, the brightness of the stars and the moon. I understand.”

Taking a sip from her tea, she lifted an eyebrow as he mentioned magic. Of all things, Aldebaran hadn’t expected someone like Estlin to address that topic of his own accord. As far as she knew, knowledge about Djed and its rules was recorded in books and few wise minds. It thrived in cities open to the furthering of knowledge and research, places organized and cautious enough to allow its use in a controlled environment. That didn’t mean it couldn’t be practiced anywhere else… just that it didn’t seem common.

Something about his explanation bothered her though. A long white finger was raised. “Magic… I have to disagree. While some types are similar and thus curiosity about all of them is entirely reasonable, I do think some types are just too different. Some types complement one another while some don’t. Also, some are just more dangerous than others.”

Tilting her head, she observed Estlin out of inquisitive quicksilver eyes. “After all this talk I’m curious though… What kinds of magic were you referring to? Don’t worry, Lhavit is open to a lot of disciplines. It relies heavily on some for survival.” If he was as well-versed in magical theory as he seemed to be, the Svefra would likely know which ones were shunned.

And then he fumbled for words as she sipped her tea. Each drop infused with the essence of green tea leaves left her refreshed and relaxed at the same time. Perhaps they helped her accept his statement like she did, with amusement. Soon first signs of a smile broke through her façade. “What were you going to say? Strange? Aesthetically challenging? I’m an Ethaefal, that is all. If you’ve more questions, just ask.” Despite her earlier grumpy attitude, Aldebaran had eased into a more relaxed and open mindset. Whether that was due to the magic talk or soothing atmosphere, however, was hard to say.

[Estlin Holde]

Estlin Holde Finishing his pie, Estlin reluctantly put down his fork. He picked up his tea-the slim remainders of it-and took a tiny, ridiculously careful sip, so as to make it last. He actually quite liked the tea now. Then he rested the cup on his knee, one hand holding it steady. He also observed how Aldebaran ate her peculiar sandwich. She didn't seem quite as stiff and proper anymore. The debate was going on a bit longer than he'd anticipated. He hadn't, in fact, realized it had become a debate until now. He considered it an interesting, if fanciful, conversation. He tried to steer it back in that direction, letting Aldebaran's reply about magic being too varied slip by him. Instead he took up her question. "Oh, well I was referring to all of them, in general...But specifically things more like Animation...and Reimancy..." He added Reimancy so as not to make it to obvious what magic he used. Though there wasn't any proof yet that he did do any such thing. All his magic was currently confined to the Stargaze. Mostly. After a moment, a thought occurred to him. "What did you mean by 'for its survival': is Kalea really such a dangerous place?" He then continued answering her next question, and the following remarks. "I did mean nice, and awfully polite. I can't remember the last time anyone was this polite to me. But, yes, I was wondering about your...appearance." An Ethaefal. Why didn't he know about this? He traveled to much to miss something so marvelous. Unless, perhaps they were incredibly rare? He couldn't help but wonder about them, and ask a few curious questions. She did say he could. He took another sip of tea, this time setting the cup on the table and steepling his fingers around it. "Eh-theh-fall" He said, struggling to copy Aldebaran's exact accent in the word. "Fascinating. Why haven't I heard of, um, you guys before?" Estlin was a bit timid to try and wrangle the word Ethaefal again. "And where do you come from? Lhavit?" After a moment Estlin grinned, "If you want to ask me any probing questions about Svefra, feel free."

[Aldebaran]

Even with the cucumbers gone, Aldebaran ate her sandwich in small bites. If a piece of salad or carrot threatened to slip out, she nibbled here and there to keep the thing from falling apart prematurely. Needless to say, she took her time and didn’t care for strange looks. On top of that, the conversation with this man of the tides was demanding her full attention.

When he mentioned specific disciplines, her eyes lit up. A subtle thing, one could also mistake it for fascination or admiration. Magic had helped found Lhavit, after all. Every resident who had walked the peaks for some time knew the story. An attentive observer, however, would notice that her excitement was directed at only one word. Reimancy. The most challenging, most dangerous and oddly shaped leaf on a magnificent tree. Taking a step back, she noticed how he’d mentioned two very different disciplines in one breath and quirked an eyebrow. “If you know a little about those two, you know what I mean by disciplines being vastly different. Animation works with tools and outside forces. It’s hardly dangerous as long as your calculations are correct. Reimancy, on the other hand, is said to shape the most dangerous and unstable kind of mage. It feeds on their Djed, no?”

With sparkling eyes, Aldebaran defended her opinion and was, at the same time, challenging him to protest and provide new arguments. In the thick of it, she completely forgot that he might not know as much theory as she had devoured over the decades.

When he asked about dangers in Kalea, she almost laughed. A tick later, she composed herself. Of course, he’d come by a less frequented route… but still. “Are there no dangers on the salty waves, no sea monsters, no storms? There is a reason they named it the Unforgiving. I wouldn’t go out there even if the secret to all magic lay beyond.” For a moment, her gaze grew distant and her fingers came to a halt. If her moon lord were out there… if He asked her to go out and fulfill an errand as His servant, she’d do anything.

And as if he’d heard her thoughts, Estlin began asking about the Ethaefal. Aldebaran wasn’t exactly sure what they were, if they could be called a ‘race’ like the Svefra or Inarta, not even after a century of living as one among many. With that, all the vigor seemed to trickle out of her. She took a small bite of bread and chewed before answering. “There aren’t many of us, although some seem to be drawn to Lhavit. It’s close to the sun and moon, after all. That is where we come from. The easy explanation. You know, I can remember being together with Leth… and then I fell and came here.”

Shaking her head, she covered her eyes with her palms. Just a moment of darkness. Even after such a long time, it was still hard to put into words. It’d always be. “This form is a shadow of what Leth gifted me with… and when He leaves the sky I revert back to the form I wore in my previous life.” Her voice was tinged with disgust there and just a bit of shame. In a city like this, Aldebaran’s disgust with her mortal form was amplified every day.