33rd of Winter, 514
There was someone outside the tent. Even if she hadn't heard the crunching of snow beneath their boots, Denviel's alert body would have told her. He growled lightly, the unfamiliar scent bothering him. A dark shadow settled over the entrance to the tent, announcing the fact that was already well known to her. She had a visitor. Merevaika swung open the tent door, a breeze of cold air instantly swirling around her. A woman, perhaps a little younger herself, stood in a thick woolen cloak, hood pulled over her face. With the sight of Mervaika, the visitor gave out a sigh of relief, pulling down her hood to speak. Her face was pale and freckled, thin blonde hair hanging loosely beside her ears. So she worked inside more than out. Curling up her neck were windmarks: flowers and leaves intertwined with a swirl.
"Are you Merevaika?" she asked, the Pavi seeminging uncomfortable on her tongue. Merevaika gave a sign of agreement, watching as the woman struggled to decipher the language spoken by hands. "I need a guide. They said you were the nearest?"
"I am. And you seek to go where? Why?' Merevaika asked bluntly, not wanting to waste time. The sooner she told her, the sooner she would get money. And Merevaika was hungry.
"There is trouble, at the Riverflower. 5 cases of scorpion stings, and it seems like there will be more. I need some more Darin Weed, to heal them. We're running out, and that could mean deaths. They said you could take me to them," she asked, pleadingly. She faltered with every few words, unable to think of the right words. She was desperate, but that was all Merevaika knew.
She asked for Darin Weed. But what was Darin Weed? Merevaika hadn't heard of the thing. Maybe it was another name for something she knew, maybe not. Maybe she passed it everyday in her way to hunt, maybe it was so rare she had never come across it. Either way, she didn't know where to find it, whatever it was. "I do not know of that name. Perhaps you could describe it to me? Show it, if you have any spare?"
According to the woman, it was green. With long leaves. She stopped her description there, as if thinking of a better way to explain. "There are thousands of green plants with long leaves!" Merevaika sighed, getting more irritated with the second. If she didn't elaborate on her description, Merevaika would lose another customer. And she needed customers. Realising her unclearness, the healer pulled a small book from under the cloak, flicking through pages of sketches and notes. Not Drykas then. No Drykas had books, for Pavi had no written language. She pointed to an image of a reed-like plants, long thin leaves ending in points high above the ground, tufted flowers surrounding the base. Notes were scribbled around, and Merevaika looked at it with a little jealousy of being unable to read.
However, having the drawing pleased her and Merevaika smiled. She knew it, or at least where to find it. "2 days. There and back. Get everything you need. Meet at the gates with a fast horse. And a tent. Travelling at night will be too hard." She didn't add the "with you". If the healer didn't guess, then letting her know wouldn't be a wise idea. Insulting a customer would do little but push them away.
The woman nodded with relief, turning to hurry away. She started to run off, putting away the notebook as she went. The healer didn't even bother to thank Merevaika, not even a second glance. But Merevaika didn't mind. She had a customer.
"And the money!" Merevaika called out behind her. She always demanded the money.
There was someone outside the tent. Even if she hadn't heard the crunching of snow beneath their boots, Denviel's alert body would have told her. He growled lightly, the unfamiliar scent bothering him. A dark shadow settled over the entrance to the tent, announcing the fact that was already well known to her. She had a visitor. Merevaika swung open the tent door, a breeze of cold air instantly swirling around her. A woman, perhaps a little younger herself, stood in a thick woolen cloak, hood pulled over her face. With the sight of Mervaika, the visitor gave out a sigh of relief, pulling down her hood to speak. Her face was pale and freckled, thin blonde hair hanging loosely beside her ears. So she worked inside more than out. Curling up her neck were windmarks: flowers and leaves intertwined with a swirl.
"Are you Merevaika?" she asked, the Pavi seeminging uncomfortable on her tongue. Merevaika gave a sign of agreement, watching as the woman struggled to decipher the language spoken by hands. "I need a guide. They said you were the nearest?"
"I am. And you seek to go where? Why?' Merevaika asked bluntly, not wanting to waste time. The sooner she told her, the sooner she would get money. And Merevaika was hungry.
"There is trouble, at the Riverflower. 5 cases of scorpion stings, and it seems like there will be more. I need some more Darin Weed, to heal them. We're running out, and that could mean deaths. They said you could take me to them," she asked, pleadingly. She faltered with every few words, unable to think of the right words. She was desperate, but that was all Merevaika knew.
She asked for Darin Weed. But what was Darin Weed? Merevaika hadn't heard of the thing. Maybe it was another name for something she knew, maybe not. Maybe she passed it everyday in her way to hunt, maybe it was so rare she had never come across it. Either way, she didn't know where to find it, whatever it was. "I do not know of that name. Perhaps you could describe it to me? Show it, if you have any spare?"
According to the woman, it was green. With long leaves. She stopped her description there, as if thinking of a better way to explain. "There are thousands of green plants with long leaves!" Merevaika sighed, getting more irritated with the second. If she didn't elaborate on her description, Merevaika would lose another customer. And she needed customers. Realising her unclearness, the healer pulled a small book from under the cloak, flicking through pages of sketches and notes. Not Drykas then. No Drykas had books, for Pavi had no written language. She pointed to an image of a reed-like plants, long thin leaves ending in points high above the ground, tufted flowers surrounding the base. Notes were scribbled around, and Merevaika looked at it with a little jealousy of being unable to read.
However, having the drawing pleased her and Merevaika smiled. She knew it, or at least where to find it. "2 days. There and back. Get everything you need. Meet at the gates with a fast horse. And a tent. Travelling at night will be too hard." She didn't add the "with you". If the healer didn't guess, then letting her know wouldn't be a wise idea. Insulting a customer would do little but push them away.
The woman nodded with relief, turning to hurry away. She started to run off, putting away the notebook as she went. The healer didn't even bother to thank Merevaika, not even a second glance. But Merevaika didn't mind. She had a customer.
"And the money!" Merevaika called out behind her. She always demanded the money.