.
50th Autumn 515 AV
The entirely glass building was set against the backdrop of the ocean and slowly setting sun, a pool of ruffled pink stretched out over billowing clouds like pursed lips kissing the froth of the ocean. A romantic affair between two that may never touch... Ayszel thought, feeling particularly ephemeral and thoughtful this night.
She had been so fully enthralled with work and the spotted raccoon Keesha she'd had little time to herself or to spend on her prayers to Caiyha, the candlesticks had barely been lit since she had settled in Lhavit and she was feeling painfully guilty. Though her work was all with Caiyha in mind and every action attuned to her desires the cuts along her side reminded her of the promises he had made. Thus, as she ascended the steps, her legs slowly adapting to the steep inclines and declines of Lhavits stairways, she sought a way to give thanks to the goddesses.
Inside the quiet tranquil rooms the faint sound of a harp and lute lit the background with a perfect harmony making Ayszel sigh, her shoulders relaxing when she hadn't even known she was tense. Oh to work in a place like this... she thought, rolling her aching shoulders. I have been hunched over a desk for far too long...
The man at the front desk introduced himself as Tain Shan. Every hair and clothing hem was perfectly in place, belaying his perfectionist nature despite the dried and crumbling clay that also decorated his clothes like a faint dust. "Hello Miss, what can I do for you?" He asked politely leaning over the desk engaging with her with ease.
"Hello, I'm looking to order a statuette of Caiyha," she explained.
"How lovely, what size are you looking to order?" He inquired, showing her the sizes they offered from a bound book of options.
"That one, small, something that will fit on a fire place mantle,"
"Would you like it to be hand painted or glazed?" He asked further,
"I'd like her to be painted if possible or with a deep pale green glaze if not," She suggested uncertainly. "I'd like to have her with an ixam," to honour the jungle, "A bat," to honour the first quest she has given me, "and an Okomo," to honour their guidance to my new home, she thought to herself as she laid out her order.
"That is quite a complex stature on something so small, would you consider allowing it to be of moderate size?"
"Whatever the sculptor would prefer, but nothing too large," Ayszel nodded, "I imagine this will be quite expensive?"
"Yes, likely. With this level of detail. If you would like it to be cheaper I can have a novice student work on it. But I can't guarantee satisfactory results." He explained carefully.
"I would appreciate that, though I don't mind spending up to 100 kina," She replied, uncertain what the price of a statuette would likely be.
"It shouldn't be that expensive. Actually, we had a model for a novice sculpting class that's just starting but they sent us word by courier that they had fallen ill. If you'd like to model for the class you could choose your own sculptor for such a fantastic piece. We'd of course give you a small discount on the sculpture for your time," He explained grinning, evidently proud her had just solved a puzzle.
"How much of a discount?"
"3-4% I'd think," He eventually said, tapping his chin pensively.
"6%" Ayszel countered, "If the modeling will take more than an hour,"
"Hmm...it will require nudity and perhaps several hours...I'll settle on 5%,"
"That is agreeable," Ayszel acquiesced, "What kind of sculpting are they doing?"
"They are practicing movement and speed sculpting. Generating general shapes relatively quickly and trying to capture movement. You'll have 2 hours and you'll change poses every half an hour. Does that sound okay?" He asked, guiding her into a change room behind one of the larger rooms in which several students had gathered in a circle about a moderately sized middle podium on which she would pose.
Ayszel nodded and began to undress the many Lhavitian layers of dress she donned. Her body was thick and bound with muscle, the traditional body of a constrictor dhani, while it was still softer because of her youth she was much thicker and taller than most human mortals. Ayszel gazed at herself, running her fingers over the body in the mirror slowly, exploring the fluff of hair below her navel. What an ugly body... she thought, turning away from the plainly coloured form. How she missed her dhani form with its pearlescent colouring and radiant scales.
As she stepped up to the podium she heard Tains introduction to the class, outlining the goals of the class and explaining that while it was practice the model posing was a potential client any of them may get to work with.
"She will look at your works at the end of the class, the one she likes the most will win the work order, a sculpture of Caiyha, so work hard everyone," he said as he left through the glass door. The glass wall and adjacent walls were covered with thick curtains to provide the model some privacy and reduce distractions but that wall that looked out over the setting sun and ocean could still be seen over the students head.
Ayszel gazed out at the sea as she imagined the butterfly fish she had caught on her first day at work, the beauty of the creation of Caiyhas and that which had led to her earning her position, Perhaps it is apt I figure out whom I wish to carve my patron goddess by testing their ability to capture Caiyhas creatures through me. she thought as she arched her left arm over her head and hooked it backward like the long elegant dorsal fin of the creature. The other she stretched out before her, resting palm upward out from under her chin so that her face was placed on the widened palm of her hand her cheeks pulled inward and her lips pursed like the fishes mouth. Stretching out her leg slightly she balanced on one leg, the toes of her other leg touching the ground to keep her steady.
Closing her eyes, struggling to hold the moderately acrobatic position she opened them again slowly, gazing out over the ocean as she turned within herself meditating on her faith.
50th Autumn 515 AV
The entirely glass building was set against the backdrop of the ocean and slowly setting sun, a pool of ruffled pink stretched out over billowing clouds like pursed lips kissing the froth of the ocean. A romantic affair between two that may never touch... Ayszel thought, feeling particularly ephemeral and thoughtful this night.
She had been so fully enthralled with work and the spotted raccoon Keesha she'd had little time to herself or to spend on her prayers to Caiyha, the candlesticks had barely been lit since she had settled in Lhavit and she was feeling painfully guilty. Though her work was all with Caiyha in mind and every action attuned to her desires the cuts along her side reminded her of the promises he had made. Thus, as she ascended the steps, her legs slowly adapting to the steep inclines and declines of Lhavits stairways, she sought a way to give thanks to the goddesses.
Inside the quiet tranquil rooms the faint sound of a harp and lute lit the background with a perfect harmony making Ayszel sigh, her shoulders relaxing when she hadn't even known she was tense. Oh to work in a place like this... she thought, rolling her aching shoulders. I have been hunched over a desk for far too long...
The man at the front desk introduced himself as Tain Shan. Every hair and clothing hem was perfectly in place, belaying his perfectionist nature despite the dried and crumbling clay that also decorated his clothes like a faint dust. "Hello Miss, what can I do for you?" He asked politely leaning over the desk engaging with her with ease.
"Hello, I'm looking to order a statuette of Caiyha," she explained.
"How lovely, what size are you looking to order?" He inquired, showing her the sizes they offered from a bound book of options.
"That one, small, something that will fit on a fire place mantle,"
"Would you like it to be hand painted or glazed?" He asked further,
"I'd like her to be painted if possible or with a deep pale green glaze if not," She suggested uncertainly. "I'd like to have her with an ixam," to honour the jungle, "A bat," to honour the first quest she has given me, "and an Okomo," to honour their guidance to my new home, she thought to herself as she laid out her order.
"That is quite a complex stature on something so small, would you consider allowing it to be of moderate size?"
"Whatever the sculptor would prefer, but nothing too large," Ayszel nodded, "I imagine this will be quite expensive?"
"Yes, likely. With this level of detail. If you would like it to be cheaper I can have a novice student work on it. But I can't guarantee satisfactory results." He explained carefully.
"I would appreciate that, though I don't mind spending up to 100 kina," She replied, uncertain what the price of a statuette would likely be.
"It shouldn't be that expensive. Actually, we had a model for a novice sculpting class that's just starting but they sent us word by courier that they had fallen ill. If you'd like to model for the class you could choose your own sculptor for such a fantastic piece. We'd of course give you a small discount on the sculpture for your time," He explained grinning, evidently proud her had just solved a puzzle.
"How much of a discount?"
"3-4% I'd think," He eventually said, tapping his chin pensively.
"6%" Ayszel countered, "If the modeling will take more than an hour,"
"Hmm...it will require nudity and perhaps several hours...I'll settle on 5%,"
"That is agreeable," Ayszel acquiesced, "What kind of sculpting are they doing?"
"They are practicing movement and speed sculpting. Generating general shapes relatively quickly and trying to capture movement. You'll have 2 hours and you'll change poses every half an hour. Does that sound okay?" He asked, guiding her into a change room behind one of the larger rooms in which several students had gathered in a circle about a moderately sized middle podium on which she would pose.
Ayszel nodded and began to undress the many Lhavitian layers of dress she donned. Her body was thick and bound with muscle, the traditional body of a constrictor dhani, while it was still softer because of her youth she was much thicker and taller than most human mortals. Ayszel gazed at herself, running her fingers over the body in the mirror slowly, exploring the fluff of hair below her navel. What an ugly body... she thought, turning away from the plainly coloured form. How she missed her dhani form with its pearlescent colouring and radiant scales.
As she stepped up to the podium she heard Tains introduction to the class, outlining the goals of the class and explaining that while it was practice the model posing was a potential client any of them may get to work with.
"She will look at your works at the end of the class, the one she likes the most will win the work order, a sculpture of Caiyha, so work hard everyone," he said as he left through the glass door. The glass wall and adjacent walls were covered with thick curtains to provide the model some privacy and reduce distractions but that wall that looked out over the setting sun and ocean could still be seen over the students head.
Ayszel gazed out at the sea as she imagined the butterfly fish she had caught on her first day at work, the beauty of the creation of Caiyhas and that which had led to her earning her position, Perhaps it is apt I figure out whom I wish to carve my patron goddess by testing their ability to capture Caiyhas creatures through me. she thought as she arched her left arm over her head and hooked it backward like the long elegant dorsal fin of the creature. The other she stretched out before her, resting palm upward out from under her chin so that her face was placed on the widened palm of her hand her cheeks pulled inward and her lips pursed like the fishes mouth. Stretching out her leg slightly she balanced on one leg, the toes of her other leg touching the ground to keep her steady.
Closing her eyes, struggling to hold the moderately acrobatic position she opened them again slowly, gazing out over the ocean as she turned within herself meditating on her faith.
