[Mhakula Tea House] I like two clumps.[Soren]

[Emizal Silverden]

9th day of Spring, 511 A.V. As Emizal Strolled down the well lit streets, she couldnt help but notice the buildings. Coming from where she was from, building were a rare site to see. Most of the Drykas living quarters where tents and make too shelters. The craft that went into it amazed her. Her cold blue eyes bounced from one to the other, her long dark hair braided down on one side of her shoulder. Her skin was tanned, looking even darker in the nights light. you would think that she was like any other human if it wasnt for her White Great Dane walking abidingly beside her. She was highly noticeable because she was dressed in her clans colors, White and silver, with silver bangles and jewels decorating her body. Only making her Windmark appear darker, you could see the outline starting at her hip, slithering up her back, and peaking over the collar of her shirt, right up her neck. She looked down to Javi, and pat her head "We are almost there, they said its only a few more feet up" She was looking for the Tea house, someone told her the best they could where to go and how to find it. Unfortunately Emi came knowing only a little common, while she excels in other languages, she never seen it fit to learn it thoroughly. She turned a corner only to notice she turned the wrong way, back tracking she turned around and finally found it.Smiling down to Javi she smiled widely. She looked up the steps and started her way in. Emizal and Javi opened the door to a nicely decorated tea house. Not only was it a tea house but also a Dao, which is one of the main reasons that Emizal wanted to come here in the first place. A young woman came and took her to a low sitting table. At first she thought that it was a bed for Javi, but then the young woman set a napkin down. No that was indeed a table. Emizal bowed to her as she said the best thanks she could in Common "Tank yo." she smiled bashfully. Emizal took her seat only to look at Javi. Javi made herself comfortable right beside the window. Javi just looked over her shoulder at her Master and yawned. Laying her big head down and closing her eyes. Emizal smiled, "You are right Javi this is quite different then our normally route, lets just enjoy this night, Ok?" Javi just sighed, gushing out a stream of air. Just then the server walked up she knelt down and poored green herb tea into a small tea cut. She smiled at Emi as she offered what look like sugar cubes. Emizal smiled and nodded her head once. The waiter dropped one in her cup and placed the rest on the table, leaving soon after. Emizal stirred the tea and rest her head on her hand. She looked around as she tapped the stirrer on the side of the cup. There was no one here that looked worth the fight. She glanced over to the sugar cubes thinking she must take some back for Savian her strider that was in the stables.

[Soren Thundersong]

Soren had been following the woman for a short time now, Mika hot on his heels. He had seen the Drykas, for she could be nothing else, as he walked the streets of Lhavit. The woman had a windmark up on her neck and was wearing white and silver, and had a white dog. Soren desperatly wanted to meet her. He hadn't met another Drykas for almost eight years now, even though he was one himself. Half of his life Soren had grown up with the Akalak.

"I think we lost her Mika." The white fox looked up at him chittering, scolding him for being too slow. "Oh like you could have done better." They looked around and noticed that they had never been here before. Soren sighed and they started up the street, which unlike most of Lhavit, had fewer buildings but still alot of people. Reaching a crossroad Soren saw a squat, round building with ornate pillars and statues of Zintilla around it. A sign out front pronounced it as the Mhakula Tea House. "How about some tea Mika. I hear this place is the best in the city. They strolled over to the tea house.

Soren opened the door, finding the place much more packed than he would have expected. The tea house was one large round room, with yellow walls, low, round tables, and lots of gilded surfaces. People were at almost every table, talking and telling stories. He saw several waiters and waitress delivering tea, a jolly old man making it and over at a far table, the Drykas woman.

A waiter aproached Soren, speaking lhavitian. Soren waved him off. "I'm here with someone." He slowly walked across the room to the woman. Bowing low, he switched to pavi. "May I join you? I am Soren Thundersong of the diamond clan." Soren stood waiting for her answer, Mika sitting next to him.

[Emizal Silverden]

Emizal sat there, she took the warm tea cup and sipped the green herb tea. It was refreshing and quite good. She smiled as she set the cup down. As she sat there she took in some of the siights, people where here talking to eachother and having fun, just then a small bell rang, she looked to the door to see a white fox. At first she was puzzled, why was a wild white fox walking into a tea house? Then in stepped a man. He was young, tall, and had windmarks. The white fox must be his companion, much like how Javi was to her. "Javi look," she spoke softly to her companion, "that man." she nodded in his direction. Javi picked her large head up and perked one ear. She glanced at the man then her eyes went to the fox, her tail started to wag, thumping the ground loudly. Emizal giggled knowing that Javi was happy that there was another animal around. Emizals attention was brought to the man again as he walked up to her. He spoke perfect Pavi, yes a Drykas like her. She smiled to him. "Hello Soren, warrior of the Diamond clan, you may join me." she reframed from standing for she was confortable on the ground. That and she wasn't to sure that she would be able to stand up with out flipping the low laying table. She waited for him to sit before introducing herself. "Im Emizal Windsong of the Diamond clan." she offered her hand and shook it, a strong shake. "I'm impressed that another clan member is so far from home, and yet notice me, in a tea house of all places." She placed her hand back around the tea cup. "Yet you are bold to come over and ask to sit, not that I'm upset at that. After all we are kin to the Drykas." smiled to him. He was the first person to greet her in such a way. It was refreshing to have a fellowship with a perfect stranger. Her cold eyes warmed a bit, as she spoke. She brought the tea cup up to take a sip. Javi sniffed the fox as it came near, she was also very curious about this stranger. Her tail wagged even faster, Javi jumped up and let out a deep bark, knocking the tea cup out of Emizals had, spilling the contents all over Soren. "Javi!!" Emizal cried as the dog did this. "Im so sorry," she grabbed the napkin and handed it to Soren, great the first Drykas she seen out of Endrykas and she spills hot liquid all over him.

[Soren Thundersong]

"Hello Soren, warrior of the Diamond clan. You may join me." The Drykas woman greated him warmly. Soren smiled and sat across from her, his legs barely fiting under the low table. Introducing herself, she offered a hand to shake. He grasped her hand firmly and shook as she spoke, strong and proud. "I'm Emizal Windsong of the diamond clan. I'm impressed that another clan member is so far from home and yet notice me, in a tea house of all places." Putting her hand around her cup she continued.

"Yet you are bold to come over and ask me to sit, not that I'm upset, after all we are ki to the Drykas." She smiled at him. Returning her smile Soren replied. "To be truthful I saw you walking the streets and had to meet a fellow clan member. You see the last 8 years of my life I lived with the Akalak." Done speaking, Soren waved to a waitress for a cup of tea.

While Soren had gave little thought to the large white war dog, Mika sat next to him eyeing the dog with great contempt. Suddenly the obviously excited dog gave a loud bark, startling several other patrons and knocking the cup from Emizal's hands, only to have the tea splash onto Soren. "Javi!" Emizal scolded the hound and apoligizing, quickly handed Soren several napkins. Laughing lightly he accepted them and began blotting his shirt. "Its fne. He's just excited. And he's such a pretty dog. Javi you said his name was?"

[Emizal Silverden]

"Now now, Javi behave, this place is to small for you to run around in." She often wondered why her father saw it fit to give her this dog, but she was happy that he did. For she would be terribly lonely, that is her strider and herself, if it wasn't for Javi's antics. Emizal grabbed Javi's silver collar and pulled her back. "Javi is a girl." she corrected Soren with a bit of a smirk and playful tone. "and yes her name is Javi, my father breeds them, and gave me her when she was just a pup." Her white great dane was pretty, and special to her heart. After Javi finally calmed herself Emizal looked back to her guest. "Im sorry once again, Javi loves animal, especially small ones." she smiled at the white fox. "And you companion is quite rare and beautiful may I say." Javi barked again seeming to agree with Emi. Javi tried sniffing the white fox from her distance only to have Emizal's hand land on her collar. "So you say that you haven't been around our people for 8 years?" she tried to bring the conversation back, "and that you followed me." She smiled as she gave Javi a look like behave or else. She rested her head on her hand and looked into Soren's eyes, "So what have you been doing all that time?" The service girl brought two new tea cups and fresh napkins, poring both Soren and Emi a glass before walking away to make her rounds. Emi smiled as she left and picked up another sugar cube, dropping into her glass and stirring the green tea.

[Soren Thundersong]

As Soren blotted the last of the tea from his shirt Emizal told him Javi was a girl. "I'm sorry Javi, of course your a girl, how did I not know." Soren smiled sheepishly. Emizal didn't seem to mind his mistake and explained that the white dog was a gift from her father. "I'm sorry once again, Javi loves animals, especcially small ones, and your companion is quite rare and beautiful may i say." Javi barked in agreement. Mika smiled and seemed to preen under their compliements.

"So you say that you havent been around our people for 8 years. And you followed me. So what have you been doing all that time." A serving girl brought them new napkins and cups, filling them. "Thank you." Soren said to her, sipping the tea. The waitress left on her way. "I guess I should explain. I was twelve and was on a patrol with my mother and some other family members. A heavy storm overtook us and we were attacked by glassbeaks. Tal, my strider ran, carrying me away while my family held them off to save me. Tal went to where the clan last was but they had moved on by then I was collasp on Tal, exhastion overtaking me.


Soren paused, sipping his tea. "Tal took me to Riverfall. An old friend there, Artanis offered to adopt me after i explained what happened. Most of my family was dead so i accepted. I grew up with the Akalak, learning their customs and history. If theres anything more specific you want to know you can ask." Sren smiled sadly and stared into his tea.

[Emizal Silverden]

She listened to him as he spoke, She was astonish about his story. A proud Drykas, living as a Akalak, she wondered how he would far in battle. If he would find a wife, and extend his name sake. She pondered these things as she watched him with a huntresses watch. A man who might of lost all his roots of his people. She thought further into this, he still had his strider, and a fox as a companion. He wore the marks of a Drykas, and spoke Pavi very well. So maybe he didnt lose all of his pride. Emizal set down her tea cup and stood. Javi raised her head to her and growled, "Calm Javi, its ok." Javi was used to having to fight beside Emizals mother and father, and when she was given to Emizal she grew close to her. Javi knew that look in Emizals eyes, it was the look of a good fight, of pure joy. "I wonder if you lost your pride as a Drykas, not that growing up in the condition you did is bad, just a curiosity that I must seek out." A sly smirk came to her face as she crossed over to the side of Soren, She bent down as her smile grew, "can I challenge you in a friendly competition?" she waited for his reply as she leaned back up and crossed her arms.

[Soren Thundersong]

Soren gently put a hand on her cheek, his thumb softly pressed against her lips. Head slightly tilted, a look of pure confidence on his face, he spoke, his voice low, friendly with a hard edge. "Lost my pride?" A slight chuckle. "If anything its stronger. I hold the Akalak in great respect. They are strong and honerable warriors. I accept your challenge." He watched, gauging her reaction. The woman had become a rival, but Soren was happy even so.

It would be the first time in awhile he had gotten a chance to train against a true opponent. Plus he would also get to test himdelf against someone who had grown up with the Drykas and to see if his living with the Akalak had prepared him for combat better or atleast even. It all depends on what she has in mind. If its bow, we could probably draw even. In unarmed i bet I could take her. I guess we will see. His mind was racing. He let go and gulped down the last of his tea. Mika, sensing the change in the atmosphere, stopped preening and became all business. Soren stood and picked up his pack. "Well Emizal?"

[Emizal Silverden]

Her hair prickled on the back of her neck as his sweet breath hit her face, he reached up and touched her cheek, at that moment her demeanor changed. It went from friendly and open, kind and loving to the warrior she was born to be. Her eyes stayed friendly but with a sinister undertone to them. He trailed his finger on her delicate pink lips, tilting his head as he did this. She smiled slightly as she reached up and removed his hand from her face, "You seem to forget that no man has the right to touch a woman in such ways, unless betrothed to her." she remained calm as she placed his hand back on the table, she was a bit frazzled by his touch, but it was not evident in her voice nor her face, "Maybe you forgot," she stood up and looked down upon him. "After all you been away from our women for so long." She was confident that she would prevail as the winner of their friendly competition. She was always told not to take battle personally, that the opponent would do anything to throw you off. He was trying to do this right now. She smiled once more. "This is a tea house, but if you didn't know it also is the only Dao around." She looked away to the workers, raising her hand for a waiter to come over "Are you up for some sword play?" she glanced back and tilted her head. "Im sure I can use the practice."

[Soren Thundersong]

Soren's gambit didn't seem to have any affect on the girl. When she mentioned swordplay, he gre a bit more worried. His emotions were hidden behind his mask of confidence. If Emizal knew he was even a little off she would use it to her full advantage. He had only used a sword in battle maybe three times, trained with one only a little more than that.

"Really? I hadnt heard." He consider swords to large, clumsy weapons. What kind of sword a Dao was he didnt know. Mika stood next to him, her tail swishing back and forth. "Let's do it." He looked slowly around. The well kept tea house didn't seem to be a place for swordfighting....or any other style of combat.

"So where is this training area?" He briefly wondered if she knew how to use a sword. Probably. Why would shepick it if she didnt know how. Unless it was a trick to make him think she did and make him think he was at a disadvantage. Soren was confusing himself trying to figure it out.