[Kulkukan Tavern and Inn] Time for a meal (Iredeth)

[Nisana Curare]

Nisana kept her head lowered as Iredeth spoke, partially to maintain the appearance of shame, but also so that any hints of a smile on her face would hopefully be hidden from the half blood. She'd known that if she could just calm down and think clearly then the conversation would be hers. Now she just needed to continue to speak honeyed words until she got close enough to find the true reason Iredeth had spoke such lies.

She kept her head down for several breaths after Iredeth had spoken, contemplating a response before she slowly lifted her eyes back up to meet the similar looking, sincere eyes across the table, "Yes, there are those who believe in that, but if I believed such a thing, do you think I would have asked you to sit with me?" she let the faintest hint of a smile slip through, hoping the half blood would take it as a sign of warming up to her, "As for believing you... I do not know if I believe you or not. As you say, I do not want to believe such a thing without proof, but... there is a ring of truth to your words Iredeth," she gave a sigh and shook her head, "Honestly, it is too much to decide upon just in the space of a few chimes. I'm sure you can understand, yes?"

[Iredeth]

Iredeth bit her lower lip again, her whole face a picture of indecision. There was a part of her that wanted to believe in Nisana’s sincerity. It was the same part that had earned for the other children to play with her when she was little, to be able to scale walls, and to have her mother come back for a visit. She had learned to hate that pathetic yearning, and had spent countless hours in meditation to lock it away as deep down in her conscience as she could. But even as Iredeth was so close to giving in to that feeling once more, she remembered why she had been suppressing it for so long in the first place.

It had hurt. It had hurt terribly when the Symenestra children walked away from her, and when she ran straight into a wall countless times with never a chance of making it up. And it had hurt most of all when Valvessa Curare left after one of her rare visits and never came back.

Something steeled inside Iredeth at the memory, making her sit up just a little bit straighter. She licked her lips, her eyes losing some of their bottomless sincerity. “Yes, I can understand. Perhaps you can understand that I cannot readily believe you either. You remind me a lot of her…” Iredeth trailed off, her expression becoming thoughtful. “I wonder… do you carry her bow now? I remember she showed it to me once. It was very black and very beautiful. It had engravings from the Viratessa on it, did it not? ‘Spilt blood cries out to me. It speaks of life and death. It sings of sins and blessings. Every drop is precious, but not all cries are holy,’” she intoned, slipping into Symenos as she quoted the holy line. “She passed it on to you, I suppose. She told me she was given it by her mother.”

A small smile hovered on Iredeth’s lips for a moment, as she indulged in a rare, pleasant memory of her mother. She didn’t seem to be paying much attention to Nisana at that point, lost somewhere in the past.

[Nisana Curare]

Nisana watched Iredeth for a moment, letting the faint smile return to her lips. She could feel it, she was so close to having this half blood right where she wanted her. Just a few more well placed words would be all that she needed.

She started to nod in agreement to what Iredeth was saying, already forming a reply in her head, but all that stopped when the woman mentioned Valvessa's bow. She froze as she listened to the half blood describe the bow, down to the words upon it. She could not have guessed such things, so how did she know!? Had the half blood been following her? Or maybe she had heard stories of Valvessa's bow... But even as Nisana's mind rushed to come up with explanations as for Iredeth's knowledge they sounded hollow and false to herself.

Even with that she would not accept it so simply, she could not! Standing up quickly, all pretense of pleasantness gone from her face, she leaned forward and grabbed for the collar of Iredeths shirt as she angrily hissed out in Symenos, "Don't play games with me half blood! How do you know of my bow? Have you been following me? What do you hope to gain by tormenting me with the rumors of the past?"

[Iredeth]

Iredeth hissed out a breath as Nisana’s hand closed around the fabric of her shirt. She sprang up as well, grabbing the wrist of the hand that was holding onto her collar. She gave Nisana’s wrist an angry tug, her black nails digging into the other woman’s skin. “Let go of me, if for no other reason than that people are beginning to stare,” she said through clenched teeth. Indeed, a few of the inn’s patrons were shooting curious glances their way. While her right hand was trying to remove Nisana’s fingers from the vicinity of her throat, her left was curled in a fist near a hidden pocket of her skirt, where her throwing knives patiently lay waiting.

“As if I have nothing better to do than follow you!” she snapped indignantly. “Valvessa herself showed the bow to me. Valvessa Curare, our mother, showed me that bow! Can you understand that?!” The last sentence came out in a kind of enraged, muted scream. People were really beginning to look their way now.

Iredeth’s eyes could have held a storm in them, for all the anger that was whirling around in the amethyst depths. She felt that if the table wasn’t separating them, she would have grabbed Nisana by the shoulders and shook some sense into her.

[Nisana Curare]

Nisana simply glared furiously at Iredeth as the woman spoke, refusing to let go of the collar of her shirt. In the back of her head she was screaming, wanting to sink her claws into the half blood's neck to silence her, to end her hateful words. Her left hand trembled with the desire, but it wouldn't move. She couldn't bring herself to strike, and it was for more than the fact that Iredeth had Symenestra blood. Nisana actually believed her.

This realization hit Nisana like falling into a frozen lake, and all the anger fled her. Her eyes went blank, her face showing a mild state of shock as she released Iredeth's collar. Numbly she sat down, staring in Iredeth's direction, but seeing past her, or through her, "It was all real... It was always real," she muttered in Symenos as she shook her head.

Slowly her focus returned to the world around her, her eyes centering on Iredeth as she said, once more in Symenos and a little louder this time, "You are my sister."

[Iredeth]

Iredeth sat down wearily, her eyes searching Nisana’s face for any signs of her anger returning. But the woman seemed to have gotten over her phase of denial. Iredeth licked her lips, unsure of how to proceed from here. She certainly didn’t want the woman going into some kind of shock. Iredeth felt a bit relieved when Nisana spoke. Hearing the admission in Symenos made it more real somehow. It no longer seemed like Nisana was playing some kind of game. What passed between them at this moment was real. Unfortunately, that reassurance of reality didn’t mean Iredeth had any more of an idea of what she was supposed to say or do.

So, she sat there, mirroring the woman across from her. It felt strange to hear those words uttered. Even though Iredeth had been the first to admit to the relationship, she now had felt as if she didn’t completely believe in it either. She had always known that Valvessa has had children before her. In theory, she was aware that she had older siblings. But to be sitting at a table with one in a foreign city made the entire concept feel unbelievably surreal.

“I’m glad you admit it,” she said bluntly, not putting any inflection on the words. For a while, an uneasy silence stretched between them.

Finally, Iredeth said, “I didn’t really mean to tell you about this. I wouldn’t have, if the realization hadn’t come as such a shock to me as well…” She paused again, absently tugging at a strand of black hair.

[Nisana Curare]

To Nisana the silence seemed to stretch on for almost an eternity as she looked at Iredeth, her half blood sister. It was a situation she had never even dreamed of, but there was no denying it now. Looking back on the conversation that had led to this point, Nisana had to admit a bit of embarrassment at her actions. Not that she had reacted unreasonably, but in the light of Iredeth being her sister it wasn't the best behavior.

Before Nisana could contemplate apologizing though Iredeth spoke her blunt words, and Nisana gave a half-hearted glare at the other woman. There was no real anger behind her look, but Iredeth's words did still sting. There wasn't much she could say, and so she just watched the other woman silently until she spoke again. Iredeth's next words washed away the glare, and brought a hint of a smile to her lips. Though their reactions might have been different, it seemed the core of their feelings had been the same.

"As you said, there is value in the truth," Nisana gave a humorless laugh and shake of her head, "Though now that we both know and accept the truth, where does that leave us?" she paused for a moment, looking Iredeth over with new eyes, "There is a sacred bond between us, as sisters, and yet we hardly know who the other is. I do not even know why you are here, in Riverfall."

[Iredeth]

Genuine surprise flickered across Iredeth’s features. Nisana was talking almost as if she believed their bond to be equal to that of full sisters, as if she was disregarding the fact that Iredeth’s blood wasn’t pure… For a second, she contemplated the possibility that the other woman was trying to deceive her again by lolling her into a false sense of security. But no, that didn’t seem right either. Nisana looked as uncertain as Iredeth felt.

“I sailed here straight from Kalinor. Riverfall is merely another stop…” she trailed off, waving her hand as if to illustrate some point. “I don’t know where I plan to go, only that I need a horse and proper supplies before I set out. Besides, I could do with buying some more thread and cloth to work with.”

Feeling that some explanation was needed, she elaborated, “I sew dolls. Then I animate them. It’s a hobby as much as it is a way to earn mizas.” She shrugged, seeming to place little importance on her work. Truthfully, she didn’t think the Symnenestra would understand her. After all, many people disliked magicians, including animators, and many disliked half-breeds. Being both of the above, Iredeth was surprised to see that she had survived this long.

“And you? You are really here on a harvest? Have you had any luck yet?” she asked, interest slipping into her voice once she spoke started speaking of the harvest again.

[Nisana Curare]

Nisana listened quietly to Iredeth’s explanation, though her silence was only partially out of respect and good manners. The recent revelation of her half blood sister still weighed heavily on her mind. Never had she contemplated that the rumors were real, or what it would be like to have a half blood sibling. While Viratas was clear as to the sacredness of blood, especially that of family, this situation was not so simple. There was her Mother’s name and actions, her father’s feelings, her siblings reactions, and in addition to that Iredeth was a half blood.

The darkening swirl of her thoughts was interrupted by something Iredeth said, and Nisana blinked in surprise. After a moment she gave a mirthless laugh and shook her head, “You practice the arts of animation?” shaking her head again she brought a hand up to cradle her forehead as she looked down with a sigh. Was a god laughing at her somewhere, enjoying the little unpleasant pricks she was being presented with? Though at least the memories of Velarian had some warmth to them despite the unpleasant taints and it had been somewhat nice bidding him farewell as she left on this journey.

Lifting her head back up at Iredeth’s questions Nisana gave a small nod of her head, “Yes, that is why I am traveling. I left much as you did, sailing from Kalinor directly here to Riverfall, and only just arrived today. I do not know if this meeting speaks of good or ill luck, but it is certainly an interesting way to begin, yes?” she gave a faint smile to Iredeth. Confusion or anger aside Iredeth was her sister by blood, and Nisana would not shame herself in Viratas’ eyes. Especially not with her Harvest having just begun.

[Iredeth]

Iredeth’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t exactly expecting total acceptance of her chosen hobby, but Nisana’s exasperation didn’t appear to stem from her general dislike of animators. It felt like something more personal. “What’s wrong with animation?” Iredeth asked rather defensively. She enjoyed the craft way too much to back down from it just because so many people disapproved. Besides, she has had reassurance about the appeal of the particular magic when she was still in Kalinor. The corners of her lips tugged upward in fond memory of one of the few Symenestra who had been kind to her.

“Certainly interesting,” she said, her words escaping in the same breath as a sigh. “But where does it leave us? Exactly where we started, I would think.” She paused briefly, rising her eyes from the table to look directly at Nisana. “You will continue on your harvest, collect a few women, bring them back to Kalinor, and earn honor and prestige. I will continue going on in much the same way I have been doing. Our passes have crossed, but they will diverge just as quickly. Or are you suggesting that this meeting actually means something? Some sort of intertwining of fates?”

The words were spoken blandly, with no inflection, and no sarcasm where Iredeth may have once been inclined to use it. In truth, the notion of their meeting being somehow important in the grand scheme of things had occurred to her. Things like this just didn’t happen. One didn’t meet her long-lost half-sister in a foreign city, miles away from home. But she didn’t want to insinuate anything – didn’t want to assume a bond where there was none. As powerful as blood was, it meant nothing when there was no will behind it.