Solo Lady of Light, Lord of Night

[Job Thread] The completion of a set of windmarks comes with an unexpected story

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role playing forum. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

Not found on any map, Endrykas is a large migrating tent city wherein the horseclans of Cyphrus gather to trade and exchange information. [Lore]

Moderator: Gossamer

Lady of Light, Lord of Night

Postby Taurina on January 30th, 2017, 6:45 am


Afternoon of the 15th of Winter 516
Continuation of Skin and Bone


“It is Taurina, correct?” a soft voice behind the Eth questioned.

Taurina heard the gentle voice speaking to her directly rather than just searching for any in the tent. The Ethaefal felt a twist of familiarity with the voice and forced a pleasant smile as she turned from her work of organizing old sketching of windmarks to face the one who had spoken. There before her was a Drykas Taurina would not likely soon forget.

This woman had been the one who had brought tears with her instead of smiles when receiving the beginnings of her windmarks last season. Taurina remember her because of the complex tattoo, the tears, but mainly because the woman had hesitated when night had come and Taurina had shifted. It was not that the Eth was angry or even annoyed, it had just stood out as odd. Perhaps she should not have been so surprised. After all, she was the only Ethaefal she had seen around Endrykas and she doubted there had been very many before her. She was the anomaly, the one out of place. However, most had made her feel welcome until this Drykas had hesitated. It was not a moment Taurina would soon forget.

“Yes, that is me,” Taurina assured, moving her hands to tell the woman she had found the right person.

A look of relief suddenly came and spread itself over the Drykas female’s face. She actually smiled, a real one that reached her eyes, which sent a sudden pang of guilt down into Taurina. She tried harder to make her smile more genuine, the fake smiles were hard enough lately with most of her interactions. It was if she had a constant weight pressing down on the corners of her lips, forcing them into a permanent frown that she constantly had to fight.

“You were not here last time I came… I worried I would not see you again,” the woman replied in pavi, her hands creating signs to assist her language. Mostly there was just relief on her hands.

Taurina quirked an eyebrow, unsure why this Drykas had been searching for her. The Eth looked at the woman closer. She seemed less sad now, though maybe that was just the worry fading and the relief still running its course. Her eyes were brighter though and she even maybe looked a little bit stronger. It had been almost a season since Taurina had seen her last, perhaps she had bulked up a bit.

“How can I help you?” Taurina offered, unsure of how to handle this returning and strange customer.

The Drykas flushed at that, seeming baffled suddenly as if she had not thought this far ahead.

“I wanted to apologize...” those words perked up the Ethaefal’s interest, “for last time… when the night came… I had just not been expecting… well, you being… I’ve only ever seen one once before… your kind that is..”

The woman’s hands displayed her nervousness as she worked to form signs to accompany her words. Her hands shook, her voice trembled. It was as if she was unused to apologizing or perhaps, maybe, Taurina simply made her nervous. The Ethaefal did not think it was the later option. Especially in her Drykas form, she was not very intimidating. Her frame was small and short compared to most Drykas. She lacked confidence in a lot of areas and usually was just a shy assistant that did her job quietly. She had been that way the last time this woman was here especially. With all the tears, the weird presence of sadness that had been in the tent, no one had been talking much.

It was safe to say that the Ethaefal was surprised to receive an apology. While she remembered the girl and most of that night, much had happened since then. It was not like she dwelled upon those moments of silence this woman had taken to decide whether or not it was okay to continue with the creation of her windmarks every waking moment. She barely thought about them as they had been moments filled with fear. Fear that the woman and her family would walk out of the pavilion just because an Ethaefal worked there. Fear that she would be let go because her race had chased business away. The moments and that fear was not something she took pleasure in remembering. Plus there had been other uncomfortable things about that day. Like the guilt that had been eating her alive for nearly that entire session.

“Erm… it’s okay…” Taurina cracked a more real smile, feeling more uncomfortable and surprised than relieved.

Her hands signed all forgiven and that what had happened was forgotten. The Ethaefal’s smile grew a little. The apology had not been expected or necessarily wanted. She had been indifferent about it before, but now that it had come and settled within her, she felt warm inside. Like the world was a little brighter today because of this singular event.

There was obvious relief on the Drykas woman’s face when her apology was accepted. A brilliant smile lifted the corners of her lips and sent dazzling sparkles into her eyes. Taurina’s smile did not grow in reply, but simply staid the same. She was curious now about this woman. All her questions from the season before were returning along with some new ones. What other Ethaefal had this woman met before? What about that one had caused her to hesitate when seeing Taurina shift last season? What had made her pavilion cry as they surrounded her? What did the windmarks mean?

“So, what can I help you with today?” Taurina asked, pushing her questions to the side and getting down to business. It was unlikely the woman had just come to apologize.

“I have an appointment with Jarorra, we are finishing the rest of my windmarks today,” the Drykas explained before asking, “are you assisting today?”

Taurina smiled, the woman seemed to genuinely want her assistance now when before it had taken her many moments to decide on that same thing. Though, perhaps now she was just being kind. Taurina was not good at picking out differences such as those.

“I go wherever they wish. If you are getting more work done, however, than yes. I am sure I will be assisting,” that was her job after all, “I’ll go get Jarorra.”

Smiles were exchanged once more before the Ethaefal turned away and walked deeper into the tent. Her cheeks -tight from smiling more than usual- fell back into the usual frown, the only glimmer left of the warmth felt before remaining in her eyes. The Eth went to find Jarorra, glad that the Drykas woman was back to get the remaining pieces of her windmarks finished off. That meant she had time to talk to the woman and since there were so many questions she had to ask, the Ethaefal was looking forward to getting some answers.

Common | Pavi | 'Thought'


User avatar
Taurina
Lost in the Stars
 
Posts: 411
Words: 752473
Joined roleplay: January 18th, 2016, 4:18 am
Race: Ethaefal
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Guest Storyteller (1) Overlored (1)
2016 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Lady of Light, Lord of Night

Postby Taurina on February 13th, 2017, 9:18 am


“The faces, what do they resemble?” Taurina’s voice was soft and curious as she ran a cloth over the Drykas woman’s skin.

Jarorra had been gathered and things were beginning to fall into place for the appointment. Chisels had been brought out, ink poured from jars into low dishes, paint brushes brought over just in case, and the original sketch fetched for reference. Jarorra was getting herself prepared for the last leg of the tattoo, consulting the sketch and making sure the right colors had been pulled to complete the job, while Taurina focused on getting the client ready.

The skin needed to be cleaned and checked to make sure the ink already there had settled correctly. If it had already become faded than that meant it would need to be gone over again. There might have been something wrong with the dye itself or the way it was applied. A variety of possibilities laid beneath blemishes, especially in windmarks of this size.

“You do not recognize them?” the client asked, her body stretched out over the chair provided.

Taurina’s brow wrinkled as she gazed closer at the figures. They just looked like faces to her. One was surrounded by gold and red while the other was surrounded by grey, shades of blue, and black. The faces were created in the negative space that surrounded the tattoo, the flowers that made the border caving in to create the outline of the faces. One face was larger than the other and higher up. That face was more masculine in features and was the one surrounded by the deeper shaded flowers. The other face was softer, more feminine and looked up to the male face. That face was surrounded by the bright flowers that were colored like sunlight.

“No…” Taurina murmured softly, setting her rag down for she had finished cleaning the whole area surrounding and within the tattoo.

Somehow the faces had an extreme amount of detail even though they were just outlined. Jarorra had somehow made artwork on this woman’s skin from what had once been one of her sketches. If Taurina did not know any better, she would have told someone that it was magic alone that created such work. However, Taurina knew it was hard work and talent. This took a skill Taurina dreamed of and strived to gain one day. For now, though, the Eth just stared in awe at the work of her mentors.

“You of all people should,” Jarorra’s voice gently pointed out with a sign that told Taurina the answer was obvious.

When Taurina looked over to the artist she found the woman to be gaze at her with sparkles in her eyes and a light smile over her lips. Taurina just looked at her, confused. The Eth returned her gaze to the tattoo, struggling to figure out what the figures could represent. They were connected together by the flowers. At the top of the windmarks and at the bottom the flowers intertwined with each other and tied everything together. In the center of the tattoo there was more negative space. It was not quite finished there yet. Only line work had been added in. It was Taurina’s guess that that was what was being finished off now.

The negative space at the center of the tattoo, despite it being incomplete, looked to take on the form of a horse. Likely a horse meant to represent this woman’s new strider. Surrounded by the flowers, taking up the area where negative space was not wanted, was what could only be described as symbols meant to depict a story. In rings, the symbols changed with each layer. Some of the lines that made it up were filled in, but most were not. It was where the symbols that were absent that the horse could be seen.

“Why?” Taurina asked, pulling skin tight in the space where Jarorra motioned.

Taurina noticed that despite what had already been tattooed, the woman’s skin in this area was soft. However, it still had hard muscles lying beneath it. She was a strong woman, built for survival and used to the Drykas hard way of life. Taurina had to admire that. Despite very recently having joined a pavilion, Taurina lacked those tell tale signs of being Drykas. She held the windmarks across her back that marked her as one of their people, but it felt like she was a traitor. Like the windmarks were a lie in a way. Once. Once they had belonged to her. Not anymore. Now they were just a mark of another life.

There was a soft tsk from the client that made Taurina grimace. She fought the urge to dig her nails into the woman’s skin, letting Jarorra poke needles filled with ink into it instead. Taurina did not appreciate being left in the dark or being poked fun at. Though she did not believe they were necessarily poking fun at her, it felt like it to an extent. They refused to just answer, but instead tried to force her into guessing. Telling her that she should just know for some reason unknown to her.

“You are Ethaefal, you should now,” the client’s voice was soft despite Taurina’s frustration and annoyance with her.

Taurina wiped a clean, wet rag over the newly inked area. Jarorra was working with black ink mainly now. She was filling in the symbols that made up the client’s story. The story Taurina desperately wished to know, but also was scared to ask about. After this simple question, she was unsure if she wanted to ask anymore. Was the client going to make all questions asked like this? Taurina wanted answers, not a guessing game.

“Because I am Eth…” Taurina’s voice became soft as it trailed off.

The Ethaefal sighed softly, feeling the urge to give up. Maybe she could simply live without getting any answers. Just be content with not knowing. It was better than the headache this was creating. Still, she wished to know. Taurina looked carefully at the windmarks once more.

The way the two faces looked at each other, it was as if they were in love. The lips of the woman parted ever so slightly, the man seemingly ready to meet her. The colors too, they were opposite. One was surrounded by the colors of light while the other was surrounded by colors that reminded Taurina of the night. They reminded her a little of her lord actually. Her lord and …

“Syna… Syna and Leth.”

When the other two smiled in reply, Taurina knew she had gotten it right.

Common | Pavi | 'Thought'


User avatar
Taurina
Lost in the Stars
 
Posts: 411
Words: 752473
Joined roleplay: January 18th, 2016, 4:18 am
Race: Ethaefal
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Guest Storyteller (1) Overlored (1)
2016 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Lady of Light, Lord of Night

Postby Taurina on February 18th, 2017, 7:42 am


“Why?” Taurina’s voice was quiet as she asked.

The Ethaefal was perplexed and did not understand how her god and his opposite fit into this Drykas life so much that she wished for them to be forever marked upon her skin. Of course, Taurina could not and did not judge this woman because of her beliefs, but she was intrigued by them. The beliefs only made Taurina more interested in the woman’s story and she wanted to know more. Her curiosity was overwhelming.

“Next segment,” Jarorra’s voice was gentle, but authoritative as she called the Eth’s attention back down to the present.

Taurina’s felt her ears turn red with shame as she moved her hands to the next section of unmarked skin. She had been working here long enough that she knew how Jarorra worked. She knew the silent directions the woman gave and was able to follow the artist without instruction or added words. They worked in sync and that was mainly due to the fact that Taurina did not often talk much, she just focused on the task at hand. This time, however, things were different and it was not completely her fault.

Apologies the client signed before adding, “I think I distracted her.”

Taurina did not react, let alone release the glare she wished to. The woman had distracted her, but Taurina should have been better at not letting herself get distracted. This was her job and she needed to focus on it. The Ethaefal just sighed, still wishing to know the story behind these windmarks. What were the symbols being inked upon her skin? They did not match the symbols that the Eth had helped fix around Rufio’s arm last season, but they were not wholly unlike those symbols either. It was a similar style, but a different story was being told.


“There are many reasons for them,” the woman spoke, beginning to answer the questions silently burning on Taurina’s mind.

The Drykas woman, the only one with her hands free, signed that the story was long and complex. Taurina did not mind, her own story was similar. The Ethaefal moved to lift her hands and sign back, but then remembered her task. The skin was pulled firmed between her fingertips once more, a warning glance coming from Jarorra that made Taurina give an apologetic look. She was too distractible today. What was it about this set of windmarks that made her so easily drawn into the conversation rather than the work at hand?

“Go on,” Taurina said softly, her gaze fixed on Jarorra’s work of inky symbols over the woman’s tanned skin.

Focus. Focus. That was part of her job, keep focused.

“It was many season ago, I was still young,” the woman started again, her hands speaking of how naive she had been then, “I met someone. A walahk. He was beautiful in the sunlight. It was like he was touched by Syna herself. I’ve never seen another like him.”

Her hands worked to tell Taurina more about the details of the man and how they made this woman feel, but Taurina had to focus on her work. Her eyes were fixed on her own hands, making them continue to press down and pull the woman’s skin tight. Jarorra was able to work without disturbance then, though she was no doubt listening as well.

“He was like you, Ethaefal,” Taurina was surprised to hear that, she had not met another like her here before, “only opposite. His form came out during Syna’s reign rather than Leth’s time. I never saw him at night. He only came to me in the day, when he was beautiful.”

Taurina wondered why that was. Even she came out in the day, she had to in order to survive. Though perhaps one who was Eth in the daylight would just hide their earthbound form away during the night hours. Taurina understood those emotions. Not wanting anyone to see the flawed being that was her earthbound form. She had had to get over that, but she did understand the emotion. She could not blame this other Ethaefal for only showing himself in that celestial form.

“I spent a lot of time with him and it was not long before I grew to care for him.. my ankal, father, was not pleased,” the woman further explained, “He did not trust and was very weary of the beautiful man. I listened because he was above me, but that did not stop me from dreaming. Did not stop my heart from fluttering when I caught his gaze sweeping over me.”

Taurina listened, but kept her focus on the tattoo. Two of the rings had been completed. Only the three inner rings remained and so things were truly beginning to take shape. One could see the skin colored tendrils of mane branching off the horse depicted. The head was plainly see now, missing some shading, but that would happen later. Jarorra would go in with white and some shades of grey to truly make the horse stand out. It would be a beautiful set of windmarks upon completion. Truly, it already was.

“What did you do?” Taurina’s question came out in a quiet pavi as she focused hard in order not to loose her grip on the woman’s skin.

There was a silence that settled over the group for an uncomfortable amount of ticks. Taurina noticed that even Jarorra was silent, not moving to fill all the empty space. The artist just worked, letting the other two carry the conversation or choose to sit in silence instead. Taurina opened her mouth to ask her question again, thinking that maybe she had not been heard the first time. The moment she did, however, the Drykas began to talk once more.

“I wanted it all to end, so when he asked me to meet, I agreed. The strange part was that… he asked me to come just before Syna set,” the story continued, Taurina found her interest captured, but her hands did not move from her work, “I thought that could only mean one thing, he was going to reveal his night form to me.” Excitement. “I was finally going to see what he had been hiding. I was so eager, I arrived early. He was still beautiful then, but when night fell and Leth rose.. something else stood in his place..."

Taurina felt as a shudder rippled through the woman's body. "...he was no longer beautiful.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thought'


User avatar
Taurina
Lost in the Stars
 
Posts: 411
Words: 752473
Joined roleplay: January 18th, 2016, 4:18 am
Race: Ethaefal
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Guest Storyteller (1) Overlored (1)
2016 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Lady of Light, Lord of Night

Postby Taurina on February 19th, 2017, 8:26 pm


Zith.

That was what the man had become. The very thought sent a tremble of terror through the Ethaefal.

The woman described a creature covered in black with eyes like blood. Huge wings protruded out of his back and claws took the place of nails. His appearance had struck fear into her heart, the Drykas woman explained in her story, she moved to run and get away from him. He reached out to her, trying to explain that there was more than just the Zith. That he was the man of the Daylight as well and he had little clue as to how the form of the night was this one. The Drykas didn’t listen, she ran towards home. The only problem was, he ran after her.

Through the grasses the pair went, the girl running for her life and the man trying to stop her. Likely trying to explain. When the female told Taurina and Jarorra the story, she said how only fear griped her heart. How all she wanted was to get away for every time his image passed through her head, a new bolt of terror shot through her. Zith terrorized her people. They destroyed the lands, took Drykas that were never seen again. They were nothing but pests, deadly pests. The man had reached out for her and grasped her arm. His claws, either purposefully or by accident, dug into her human flesh. The woman twisted her arm, revealing the scars left behind. A scream rang out of her, one of terror and pain.

The claws released and the Zith fell back. A roar of agony consumed him.

“I was unsure if it was watch or some benevolent being, but whoever shot him with the arrow I was thankful for in that moment,” the story continued, “I clutched my bleeding arm and ran. Ran for home, to my ankal. He would be ashamed of me, that I hadn’t fought, but I had not been prepared. I was surprised, I should have known better. I do now.”

Jarorra was working on shading and any missed details now. All the symbols had been filled in and the Ethaefal was beginning to understand them now. The first ring was the beginning of the love story. Girl meets beautiful man whom she falls in love with. Within the ring were symbols of the sun, telling of Syna and her touch on the relationship. The second ring depicted the tragedy that was that man and the battle that had followed the discovery of what he truly was. Three more rings followed. The story had not reached the part that allowed Taurina to pick out their meanings.

“Days passed. Days and days. There was no word from the Zith and I believed him to be dead,” relief and regret were both formed in sign, “What if I had been wrong? What if he truly was different and I had been too stuck in the ways of my people to realize it?”

Taurina did not answer. Any Zith was an enemy to her. She was still torn, however, for the Ethaefal were kindred spirits. They were lost, searching, and longing for the past. They did not choose their earthbound bodies, just as a spirit did not choose the body it was reborn into after each of its deaths. It was the gods who decided who their spirits were meant to be. The Zith had likely not been a follower of Syna in that life, but somewhere along the way he had been. There was some reason he had been Zith during the night. Taurina did not know the explanation behind it all. Fate was all she knew to call it.

“Syna’s light made me feel guilty and the joy being within it used to bring me no longer came,” the Drykas female continued, “It was seasons before things were made right again. I found the man who had shot the arrow. He was strong, capable, and protective. He found me pretty and with dealings through our ankals, we were wed. He was the one that brought back my love of Syna and her light, told me of the story of her and Leth. How they loved each other, but were unable to truly be together except for those precious times when night shifted to day and day changed to night.”

The Drykas woman’s hands moved to better express her emotions, but Taurina was not looking to pay attention. Her brown eyed gaze was fixed on her hands pulling the skin tight and her mind occupied with wiping away excess ink before it stained the skin while still somehow managing to listen to the story. A new question formed and it lingered, the sadness that has been present the day the Eth met this woman, why had it been there? Who had the woman lost?

“Last season, in the rain with a stroke of irony, I lost my husband. The man who brought light to my eyes again and cared for me despite the fact I had not bonded to a strider yet nor brought him any children. A Zith killed him,” the silence that followed was charged by sadness and a sort of burning hatred.

Taurina saw it now. The first of the last three rings told of the marriage the woman had and the joy she had found once more wth her husband. The next told of his tragic death, of the hatred it brought her. The final and most inner ring that made up the shape of the strider, told of what happened after. The unbreakable bond that formed between two spirits. Strider and Drykas.

“I met her the day after. She was lingering, covered in dirt and dried blood that was not her own. Her coat was a pale golden and her mane shades of light caked with grime, same with her tail. I didn’t want her for I was consumed with grief for my husband,” the last chapter left the Drykas’ lips, “but there was something that even I could not deny. A connection we shared. It was not long before I gave in. We let the bond come and form between us. Both broken and weary, but healing from shared grief.”

Taurina’s gaze lifted, seeing the signs formed on the woman’s hands. Shared understanding, unbreakable, need, and love. A shadow of a smile fell across the Ethaefal’s features. The windmarks were finished and so was the story. It had been one of pain and grief, but there was a quiet strength at the end. The strength of the bond that had formed despite the tragedy. The woman had found a way to carry on.

“It’s perfect,” the woman was beamed as she stared in the mirror and signed her thanks, “exactly as it was always meant to be.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thought'


User avatar
Taurina
Lost in the Stars
 
Posts: 411
Words: 752473
Joined roleplay: January 18th, 2016, 4:18 am
Race: Ethaefal
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Guest Storyteller (1) Overlored (1)
2016 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Lady of Light, Lord of Night

Postby Jasmine Stormblood on April 13th, 2017, 3:59 pm

Image
let me know if I missed anything dear.

 
Taurina
XP
  • Socialization: 4 XP
  • Tattooing: 3 XP
  • Observation: 2 XP
  • Investigation: 1 XP
Lores
  • Ethaefal: do not chose their Earthen form
  • "The Bond" forged through pain and grief
  • Taurina: easily distracted by the Windmarks Story
  • Ethaefal: not common in Endrykas
  • Zith: widely feared on the plains
User avatar
Jasmine Stormblood
The Clan is Strength, The Clan is Life
 
Posts: 563
Words: 263067
Joined roleplay: December 5th, 2013, 2:51 am
Location: Endrykas
Race: Human, Drykas
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Overlored (1)


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests