[Sanctuary] Moving on [Kavala]

[Fade]

Fade accepted the food with a slight smile and a nod, she ate slower than before savouring the food.
She listened to the explanation not with some relief, the idea of having such a big debt had made her feel uneasy.
“I don’t mind sleeping with all of you, and I’ll be happy to do any chores I can…actually acrobatics is a good part of any combat, its not important such as necessary.”

She tore the bread with her slender fingers and said calmly “Once I thought my life was all planned for me, now all decisions hang on me, is it such a heavy burden as it feels for me? My goals were far different and more dreams and fantasies then actual plans, it’s strange to be living in a far away dream of freedom…”

She smiled apprehensively “I would love to stay here” She said between spoonfuls of soup. It wasn’t a decision as it was a feeling, she liked the Sanctuary and felt at home like never before.

She finished the bowl of soup feeling warmer and better “But I have no real good expertise that can help the Sanctuary in a substantial way…” She looked about and sighed softly.

[Kavala]

Kavala leaned closer. She understood the dream of freedom. When Fade said what she said, it spoke to Kavala. It really spoke to her. The konti was somewhat fascinated with people on the cusp of self discovery, and Fade definitely fit into that category.

"Fade, you are what you choose to become. Don't you understand that? What YOU choose. Your acrobatics will come in handy around here. I'd love to start learning as soon as your willing to begin teaching me. But don't sell yourself short. It sounds as if you haven't had a whole lot of time to even get to know yourself. Do that, then come back in a season and tell me you have no expertise that will help Sanctuary. I don't believe it now as your saying it even though I know you do. In a season, hopefully, you'll know how untrue your words are." Kavala said softly.

Frankly, Fade needed time and shelter. She needed a place to spread some roots and grow. Kavala wanted to nourish her just as much as she nourished everything that came into her field of view. There was something about Fade... perhaps it was her eyes or perhaps it was her humility... but it spoke to the Konti and whispered that the woman would be someone important someday. Nikali marked her, after all, just like Akela. There had to be something too that, something important.

"What did your goals used to be, Fade? I mean, why were they fantasies more than actual plans?" Kavala asked softly. She was curious and perhaps just wanted some insight into the other woman.

[Fade]

Fade looked down at her lap then looked at Kavala straight into her blue. She held the gaze and said “I understand”

Then she broke the contact and smiled “My goals were all children’s dreams” She smiled widely “You know…freedom, a good life, true love, maybe riches…” She chuckled “That’s why I said dreams, they are not plans, maybe they were hopes…I don’t know really” She shifted in her seat “I was born a slave and meant to die one, that knowledge doesn’t give much space to plans and goals, only dreams…”
The mirth had been drained from her voice as she said the last two words. “To think about all the time that was stolen from me” She tensed, her mouth forming a thin line. “I truly sometimes think there’s a child in me who wants to live a true childhood…”

She looked away for a moment then curiously asked “And what are you’re goals? Apart from what you are doing here, that is…”

[Kavala]

Kavala listened carefully. "I don't think being free, having a good life, finding true love, and finding wealth is a childs dream. I think those are all very reasonable." The konti said, smiling sightly. She looked for a moment as if she wanted those things too. "I don't think any of us, Fade, were born into what we were meant to be. I think life gives us a series of endlessly branching roads and we pick which fork we go down. You said you were a slave and now you are not... did something happen? Will you tell me how you got your freedom?" If she wasn't truly free, well then that was a problem Kavala and the people at Sanctuary needed to work on immediately. No one deserved to be owned by another, especially not in the capacity that Fade had spoke of.

"Why is it too late to relive a childhood? I mean I understand your grown now, but really what did you want back then? Security? Comfort? People to take care of you and see to your needs? Time to play? Time to explore the world and feel its newness? Why can't you have that now, Fade? Why does it have to be something you did as a child and not something you do now? You can have all that, easy enough, if you try." Kavala insisted. She lived each day with that innocence and the knowledge that things changed and life could change. Fade wasn't too old or too late to change hers.

"My goals? Simple. I want to be free and have enough power to maintain that freedom. I want to love and laugh and surround myself with family. I want the ability to choose my own way in life." She said passionately, looking Fade directly in the eyes. "I don't think our dreams are so different, are they?" She added, pausing to give Fade a chance to respond.

[Fade]

“I was born into slavery as I was the daughter on another slave, my father, he died soon enough life had certainly not given him much joy. Our owner died, and the circus, already a festering pit of snakes fell apart. I had two choices then: slip away or be taken by some heir or anyone really, and Ranuri are not often seen and very valuable to the wrong people….”

She sat back and smiled “I can try, but I will never see he world through a child’s eye again…But I would like to explore, to learn and most of all to talk to people freely. I think it’s the relationships that I miss the most…I can try…” She nodded to herself.

Kavala spoke with fire in her heart and her eyes reflected that passion and Fade could only smile “No, they aren’t so different after all…”

Fade then picked up the courage to ask something that had been bugging her “You’re not human…are you?”

[Kavala]

Kavala nodded, listening. She looked thoughtful and smiled. "We rarely choose the situations we are born too, however awkward they might be." Awkward might not have been the right word. Terrible perhaps might have been more appropriate. Kavala honestly wanted to comfort Fade but she wasn't sure the woman needed it or would welcome it. Kavala, as well, wasn't sure she could give the right sort. Sometimes her words came out wrong or insincere. Konti were seen often as cold, far colder than humans even though it was as far from the truth as possible.

"Fade, the only difference between a child and an adult is that the child has the ability to see what's possible and whats fantastical. Their imagination colors their world and fills it full of things both wondrous and frightening. They don't know things, so they imagine things to fill in the gaps. Its not too hard to see from their perspective if you shed your preconceptions and look for potential rather than what's actual." Kavala commented, hoping Fade understood what she was saying . Nothing in life was cut and dried. Everything could change and would in a heartbeat if you don't have life firmly by the reins. "Its time you made your own decisions and took your own pathway. It really is. Its time to take control and do what you want. You can work here too if you'd like... in any capacity you'd like. I'll pay you too Fade while you are figuring out what you want to do with your life. Take some downtime. Learn the ropes and train with your horse. Teach me acrobatics. I'd love to learn." She said, smiling, enthusastic.

"And no, I'm not human. I'm a Konti. We are from Konti Isle on the Eastern Sea up near Zeltiva. I'm from an all female race of seers and healers. The scales give me away?" She asked, gesturing to the ones on her hands, forehead and neck.

[Fade]

Fade could only nod slowly only too aware that sleep and fatigue were crawling into her senses.
She finished her meal slowly her eyes drifting to the iridescent scales on Kavalas body. “I guess they did give you away” She said smiling her best. She had never heard of them in so many words and her map of the land was quite hazy but she knew they would talk about it, she hoped so at least.

She hoped the konti’s words would turn up true, hoped with all her heart. She repeated Kavala’s words in her mind “shed your preconceptions and look for potential rather than what's actual”

She looked around and said carefully “I’m afraid I’m more tired than I thought, could you please show me how things work round here? It seems I’m going to be staying for some time” She ended with a small mischievous smile, happy but worn out. Happy because things seem to have turned into a child’s tale, happy because she felt oddly at home. And happy to see what the future would hold.

[Kavala]

Kavala nodded. She carefully showed Fade to one of the guest rooms, knowing that the girl was exhausted and had traveled a long long way. They could talk in the morning, for sure, after Kavala gave the girl and her horse both large breakfasts and a lot of time to simply regroup. Kavala worried what the world did to women alone. Fade seemed to know a lot of hardship in her life - a lot more than an average person should have to deal with that much was certain.

She'd give Fade time to breath, regroup, and to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Being free after so many years of being property wasn't an easy thing. But Kavala had called the place 'Sanctuary' for a reason. If Fade couldn't find shelter here to do just that - rebuild - then Kavala needed to change her facilities name.

The konti carefully gave Fade a nearby room, plenty of towels for the bath chamber near the veranda, and the promise of sending some food to her later in the evening before letting her sleep. She'd wake her bright and early in the morning to feed her again.

The girl had missed multiple meals. If nothing else, Kavala could put some weight back on her and would see to doing that immediately.

The EndThanks for the thread!

[Cayenne]

I hereby award the following: Fade: Rhetoric: 3 XP Philosophy: 2 XP Lore: What a Nakivak Is Lore: Dangers of a Human Mothering Akalak Lore: Where Konti Come From Lore: What Konti Look Like Kavala: Horsemanship: 1 XP Philosophy: 2 XP Medicine: 1 XP Herbalism: 1 XP Rhetoric: 4 XP Lore: Small Circuses and What They Entail