[Surya Plaza] A Song to the Night (Haeli)

[Julian]

The cello was heavier than he was prepared to let on. As they walked through the Plaza, his arm began to tire and keeping the heavy instrument off the ground was becoming a challenge. Of course, he couldn't be good at a more convenient instrument, like a lute or a clarinet. It had to be the largest, bulkiest musical behemoth in existence. How dreadfully ironic that a large part of the reason he began playing a cello was because of how intrigued he was at mastering an instrument that was larger than he was (at least it was at the age of six). Swallowing his minor dilemma and trying to push it out of his mind, he watched her out of the corner of his eye and listened as she talked. The story she spun was unusual, but he believed every word of it. Less so because of her forthcoming honesty, and more because everything about her - from her choice of dressware to the very way she carried herself - seemed to announce her obliviousness in an environment like this. How she hadn't been mugged every single night was nothing short of a miracle. On the other hand, he had no doubt she could carry herself in the wilderness as gracefully as a fleet-footed feline. "I'm no connoisseur of cuisine," Julian responded with a shrug, smirking, "but I've grown quickly fond of the food in Lhavit. It's vastly different from what I'm used to. More... colorful, for the lack of a better word. Spicy, certainly, and with an interesting mixture of sweet and salty." Pausing, he laughed at himself lightly. "That must sound ridiculous. I'm a musician so I tend to overthink things as much as I analyze a musical score to its basic components. It's an unhealthy compulsion." Hearing about Brig easily reminded him of Liara again. She was no Kelvic, and definitely not a raccoon, but he did think of the animals as urban thieves. Already he could see what kind of appeal he would have to her. He must have been the source of her dwindling fountain of confidence. A raccoon would easily be able to find his way around any city and memorize the schedules of the people who lived there - or so Julian assumed from what little he knew about animals. He knew very little about Kelvics, other than they were in fact animals that could take human form, as opposed to the other way around. Having one for a pet was something he'd considered more than once. "I grew up in an orphanage, so I was always surrounded by people. Children, adults, prospective parents. I learned to navigate my way around them and gauge their intentions as a way of... well, surviving, in a way. It's very easy to feel ignored when you're one of dozens, particularly when the cream of the crop are chosen to live with nice, warm families." It was a brief period in his life, or at least it felt that way. When his parents had died, being placed in a completely new and strange environment until he reached adulthood felt more like an interim, a relatively brief arrangement in his life until he was ready to do things on his own. It taught him a great deal about living on his own, even before he left the orphanage. Every child, though they made friends, seemed strictly out for themselves. He'd learned quickly to be the same way. "Though, I never wanted to be adopted. I always thought the parents who came in to adopt were too old or too ugly." He added a short laugh, either to soften what he'd said or perhaps in embarrassment. He wasn't sure. As soon as Haeli mentioned a Dhani, and even more ridiculous implied that she had been raised by own, Julian's eyes snapped over to gape at her. Initially, he didn't believe it. Raised by DHANI? Sure, and he was raised by a family of Wind Eagles. And she spoke of it as if it were as ordinary as a cloudy day. It couldn't be the truth - a monstrous creature like that would sooner eat her. But she didn't seem like a liar - she was honest and genuine to a fault. If Julian were a more unsavory person, he'd see it as a weakness. The only possibility left was that she was mistaken. Perhaps someone had tricked her into thinking they were a Dhani as... some sort of scare tactic perhaps? What she spoke of was pure fantasy. "You were raised by a Dhani?" he asked incredulously once he found his voice again. Finding solace in the idea however that she was simply naive, he let the surprise pass relatively quickly. "That's probably the strangest thing I'd ever heard. Don't they eat humans?" Julian hoped that no one have overheard Haeli weaving such bizarre stories as they neared the Shooting Star Inn. It was good timing at least: her last question left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. "I was born and raised in Syliras. I spent my entire life there. I left last winter - I felt it was time for change. Here, let me get this for you." Glad for his timely interruption, he reached forward with his free arm and opened the door into the Shining Star Inn. Inside, the dazzling display of lights resembling falling stars from ceiling and the elegant white tables created a warm, rich environment. The tantalizing aromas of foods immediately greeted them, as it did whenever Julian returned to come back to his room. It occurred to him that, for all of Haeli's inexperience, she may have never been to a restaurant before. That was something he'd dealt with before. "We can sit anywhere you like. Perhaps that window seat, there?"

[Julian]

The cello was heavier than he was prepared to let on. As they walked through the Plaza, his arm began to tire and keeping the heavy instrument off the ground was becoming a challenge. Of course, he couldn't be good at a more convenient instrument, like a lute or a clarinet. It had to be the largest, bulkiest musical behemoth in existence. How dreadfully ironic that a large part of the reason he began playing a cello was because of how intrigued he was at mastering an instrument that was larger than he was (at least it was at the age of six). Swallowing his minor dilemma and trying to push it out of his mind, Julian watched Haeli out of the corner of his eye and listened as she talked. The story she spun was unusual, but he believed every word of it. Less so because of her forthcoming honesty, and more because everything about her - from her choice of dressware to the very way she carried herself - seemed to announce her obliviousness in an environment like this. How she hadn't been mugged every single night was nothing short of a miracle. On the other hand, he had no doubt she could carry herself in the wilderness as gracefully as a fleet-footed feline. "I'm no connoisseur of cuisine," Julian responded with a shrug, smirking, "but I've grown quickly fond of the food in Lhavit. It's vastly different from what I'm used to. More... colorful, for the lack of a better word. Spicy, certainly, and with an interesting mixture of sweet and salty." Pausing, he laughed at himself lightly. "That must sound ridiculous. I'm a musician so I tend to overthink things the same way I sometimes analyze a musical score to its basic components. It's an unhealthy compulsion." Hearing about Brig easily reminded him of Liara again. She was no Kelvic, and definitely not a raccoon, but he did think of the animals as urban thieves. Already he could see what kind of appeal he would have to her. He must have been the source of her dwindling fountain of confidence. A raccoon would easily be able to find his way around any city and memorize the schedules of the people who lived there - or so Julian assumed from what little he knew about animals. He knew very little about Kelvics, other than they were in fact animals that could take human form, as opposed to the other way around. Having one for a pet was something he'd considered more than once. "I grew up in an orphanage, so I was always surrounded by people. Children, adults, prospective parents. I learned to navigate my way around them and gauge their intentions as a way of... well, surviving, in a way. It's very easy to feel ignored when you're one of dozens, particularly when the cream of the crop are chosen to live with nice, warm families." It was a brief period in his life, or at least it felt that way. When his parents had died, being placed in a completely new and strange environment until he reached adulthood felt more like an interim, a relatively brief arrangement in his life until he was ready to do things on his own. It taught him a great deal about living on his own, even before he left the orphanage. Every child, though they made friends, seemed strictly out for themselves. He'd learned quickly to be the same way. "Though, I never wanted to be adopted. I always thought the parents who came in to adopt were too old or too ugly." He added a short laugh, either to soften what he'd said or perhaps in embarrassment. He wasn't sure. As soon as Haeli mentioned a Dhani, and even more ridiculous implied that she had been raised by one, Julian's eyes snapped over to gape at her. Initially, he didn't believe it. Raised by DHANI? Sure, and he was raised by a family of Wind Eagles. And she spoke of it as if it were as ordinary as a cloudy day. It couldn't be the truth - a monstrous creature like that would sooner eat her. But she didn't seem like a liar - she was honest and genuine to a fault. If Julian were a more unsavory person, he'd see it as a weakness. The only possibility left was that she was mistaken. Perhaps someone had tricked her into thinking they were a Dhani as... some sort of scare tactic perhaps? What she spoke of was pure fantasy. "You were raised by a Dhani?!" he asked incredulously once he found his voice again. Finding solace in the idea however that she was simply naive, he let the surprise pass relatively quickly. "That's probably the strangest thing I'd ever heard. Don't they eat humans?" Julian hoped that no one have overheard Haeli weaving such bizarre stories as they neared the Shooting Star Inn. It was good timing at least: her last question left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. "I was born and raised in Syliras. I spent my entire life there. I left last winter - I felt it was time for change. Here, let me get this for you." Glad for his timely interruption, he reached forward with his free arm and opened the door into the Shooting Star Inn. Inside, the dazzling display of lights resembling falling stars from ceiling and the elegant white tables created a warm, rich environment. The tantalizing aromas of foods immediately greeted them, as it did whenever Julian returned to come back to his room. It occurred to him that, for all of Haeli's inexperience, she may have never been to a restaurant before. That was something he'd dealt with before. "We can sit anywhere you like. Perhaps that window seat, there?"

[Haeli]

Haeli watched Julian struggle with his cello but said nothing. The instrument was beautiful but it seemed its cumbersome nature was more than enough to make it completely unfeasible in its portability. He would have been better off with a stronger form, perhaps an Okomo, to haul the enormous wooden instrument around and Haeli suggested as much.

"Don't you think that is a bit big to be carrying around? It's bigger than anything I've ever seen. It makes you vulnerable, carrying and protecting it. I wouldn't want to be vulnerable. People die here. Sometimes in the street for no reason other than humans like violence and the sight of blood." Haeli said softly, walking beside him. She kept her eye on the instrument, knowing full well that if Julian swung it wrong, turned his head and followed with his body or otherwise she'd be in the direct line of fire.

He talked about food then and Haeli smiled. Most people she knew were interested in food, and to her that seemed rather strange. "I've noticed since I've been here that a lot of people spend a great deal of time thinking and working on things that are food related. I used to eat most of my food raw and only thought about it when I was hungry. I can cook, but only soups and stews - things involved in brewing and philtering elude me. But here, nothing is what it is. Its always mixed with something else, caked with spices, and prepared so one one knows its true body. I sell spices and see it over and over again. I think some of the people living here don't even know where food comes from and that makes me sad. It makes them vulnerable too if they ever get lost or find themselves alone in the widls." Haeli said, glancing sideways at Julian.

When Julian changed the topic to where he grew up, she tilted her head and looked thoughtful. The word Orphanage wasn't exactly in her vocabulary, but she did get the fact that he was with other children and lots of adults. Dhani nests were like that. "I'm sorry... orphanage? Adoption? I don't know what those things are. I know common very well, but there are a lot of words here that are unfamiliar and did not come up in my lessons. Didn't you get birthed and raised by a mother?" She didn't want to admit her misunderstandings because by the way he talked this was something important and maybe shocking. She'd simply never ran across the term before, and was quiet a long time after that. She'd give him a chance to explain if he could, then she'd move on in the conversation.

When he asked if Dhani ate humans, Haeli laughed. "I suppose they could if they were hungry enough, but then again humans could eat humans if that was true as well. Ozantha and I ate a wide variety of foods, mainly plants and naimals, cooked in soups and stews. I didn't even know the differences between humans and Dhani for the longest time. I just knew I wasn't like her until she taught me how to be. Ozantha wasn't my mother though. I do not know who my parents were. She found me as a baby, very small and very sick, washed up on the beach after a series of terrible storms. I think there was ship wreckage as well, for the place I slept used to be a drawer from a dresser that had an emblem on it. I was lucky she took me in. I would not have lived if she was not a skilled herbalist and witch. She taught me what she knew. As much of it as she could, at least. She was not with other Dhani and was very lonely, so it was good I came along. She was not welcome in her home, with the others of her kind because she had once said something they thought was wrong about the Goddess of Snakes saying that Caiyha was far superior to her daughter." Haeli said softly. "She died a year ago and left me alone to do her work and continue trading with the ships that came up and down the coast. I missed people though and longed to see them, so I came to this place to live among them for a while, especially humans, and maybe learn things I didn't know." Haeli admitted.

At the threshold of the restaurant/inn Haeli paused. It was swarming with people and had the sort of crowded social stimuli that put her on edge. She waited two breaths then followed her companion in side until they were inside. She looked nervous, jumping out of people's way and keeping her eyes moving. Julian could tell she was skittish, uncomfortable, and fascinated all at once. "Everyone here is for a meal and to sleep?" She asked, darting out of the way of a couple who were getting out of the way of Jluian's cello. "I don't care where we sit though someplace quiet might be nice. And just give me a minute... I haven't ... this is really crowded its hard to even think." She admitted.

Once they were seated, wherever Julian picked, Haeli got back to his earlier comment. "Syliras is a big place. I have traded with quiet a few sailors that speak of it, but the trip for them was dangerous - around the jungles of Falyndar and up the mouth of the Suvan. I've never met anyone from Syliras because of that. But I have heard it is a shining city. A castle, of which I've only seen them in ruins." Haeli smiled, looked around, and Julian could tell yet again she had no clue what they were actually supposed to do. Even though her face was pleasant, there was an edge to it, as if her smile concealed her need to get out and get out immediately.

"I like Lhavit, but it scares me a lot. I have a business here, so it is hard to leave it, but I miss the swamp. I fly back there anytime I can. There is a holiday coming up that I might skip and go back to the swamp while everything is closed. Sales have been good so there is money anyhow if I close up for a few days." Haeli admitted. Running a shop was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. "What about you? Is your trade a musician? A bard who sings and tells stories? Or do you do something else as well?" She asked.

[Julian]

Julian smirked in amused chagrin - ah, she'd noticed. How frightful. Feeling only slightly emasculated, all he could offer her was a helpless shrug. "I've been meaning to get a case for it, instead of lugging it around. It's not for lack of funds, I'm just terribly irresponsible about that sort of thing. The last cello I owned had a lovely polished pine case with a velvet lining. When I choose a case for my new one, it'll have to be perfect." Haeli's thoughts about his cello went to violence alarmingly quickly. Perhaps she had been mugged recently, or at least seen it happen. When Julian was younger in the streets of Syliras, he certainly remembered being scared out of his wits at the thought of being victimized by a random thug. And when he'd seen it happen for the first time... if he was foreign to city life, he might have easily become fearful and resentful of the innate savagery people could possess. And certainly, there was some truth to be had in that. Julian was no stranger to the darker sides of humanity. "I'm sure you're right: I doubt a lot of people give a great deal of thought to where their food comes from. But that's the point of cities. Comfort, convenience, companionship. People are too happy to forget the minor, difficult things and focus more on life's rewards." The ridiculousness of the statement made him chuckle. Right. "Or they try to, anyway." Just when he thought he understood the depth of Haeli's naivety, she surprised him again. Hadn't heard of an orphanage? She really was alien to human society, wasn't she? Honestly, if she were truly raised by a Dhani, what would the creature have taught her? Proper dinner etiquette? Courtly dancing? He feared however that if he started treating Haeli like an oblivious child, it'd insult her intelligence - which despite her ignorance, she obviously she had no real shortage of. He would have to keep playing it by ear. "An orphanage is a charitable place that cares for orphans - children who have lost their parents," Julian pointed out flatly. He never talked about his childhood often. It was a subject that made him easily uncomfortable. But as curious and as clueless as Haeli was, he didn't see any harm in making her privy to a few details he'd otherwise prefer to keep quiet. "Not all cities have them, but Syliras does. My parents died when I was nine years old, so I spent the latter half of my childhood at the orphanage. Children staying there can also be adopted into new families. It's an excellent option for couples capable of raising families who for whatever reason can't..." A sudden stiffness in his throat robbed him of his voice for half an instant. He paused to clear his throat. "...can't have children of their own." Julian squeezed the neck of his cello as he looked down momentarily. Even before they said anything, he knew by the look on their faces that something was terribly wrong. "Mister Meredith, I'm sorry. Your wife is recovering, sir, but your daughter... she wasn't breathing when she was born. There wasn't anything we could do. She's dead, sir." Julian sat down so fast he hurt himself. With slow, deliberate care, he placed his head in his hands. "I... had... a daughter...?" As Haeli spoke of her adoptive mother, Julian was silent. It was easier to listen to her than deciding how he felt about the sudden rush of nostalgia. Her story sounded plausible, but to him it still felt more like a bedtime story or a Lhavitian fairytale. A Dhani showing pity on an infant? Possibly, if one felt lonely enough. How Julian had met a girl as unique as her by sheer chance simply baffled him. His idle curiosity in a pretty young girl had become an actual fascination by this point - he didn't think even she realized how bizarre her story was. And by the sound of it, though this Brig seemed to be a good friend to her, he may not have been equipped with the knowledge to prepare Haeli for a transition into civilized life. Did she even plan on staying in the cities, or running back to her swamp? Julian resisted an innate urge to offer his help. He couldn't afford the time, nor the patience to help Haeli become more adjusted city life. Though he was sorely needing in friends - a harsh truth to face - he would resist falling into the same trap he had with Liara. It was a lost cause trying to save a woman from herself. There was no need to fix something that wasn't broken. Though she was inept, Haeli was just fine the way she was. He would just offer his hospitality and keep a safe distance. As he looked into the Inn, he saw Haeli hesitate - the expression on her face something very close to fear. Even Julian had to shuffle his cello out of the way of an exiting couple. He looked into the restaurant area with mild dismay - it was a lot busier than he assumed it would be. Of course, the night was still early. With the Star Festival drawing near within the next couple of weeks, the city had surely experienced a surge in tourism. By now, he'd become used to the flow of the crowds at the Shooting Star. Even a bustling, tightly clotted throng of people posed little annoyance to him. He knew his room wasn't going anywhere, and present circumstances meant that there was seldom anywhere he needed to be. With a guest in tow, however, he suddenly felt foolish for suggesting such a bustling place. As she followed him inside, he kept a close watch on her. She was putting on her best face, keeping a up a smile, but it looked feigned, as if she'd been ordered to. The absolute fear in her eyes gave her away easily. She reminded him of a frightened hare, cornered in a burrow and waiting for its chance to go dashing madly in desperate search of safety. His guilt was magnified then, and he felt like a terrible person for ever offering dinner to someone he didn't even know. It was easy to forget that people here in Lhavit were different than Sylirans - not that Haeli matched either description by a long shot. When she requested for someplace quiet, he began ushering her toward a table in the far corner. The warm lighting from the extravagant decorations didn't reach the area as well as the rest of the dining area, leaving the table bathed in shadows. Julian rather liked it actually - too much lighting gave him a headache. Perhaps it had something to do with his nocturnal schedule since he'd arrived in Lhavit. Maybe he had been staying here a little too long. "It's all right," Julian offered, his voice deliberately gentle. If he was calm, perhaps she'd be able to feed off of it and calm herself as well. With his free arm, he tenderly reached around her back and attempted to shield her from the Shooting Star's other patrons. "Dining out is meant to be a special occasion. Usually the cuisine is artistically prepared by a master chef and designed to tantalize the palette more than home cooking. And some people find this kind of environment pleasing. If there were a place like this in Syliras, I would have been stunned." Julian moved around Haeli to pull out a chair for her, then set his cello against the table. The weight off his shoulders was an enormous relief, as if he'd shed a hundred pounds (that probably wasn't far off). The removal of the burden was such a dramatic change, he almost felt as if he could float off the floor at any moment. "But Syliras is a cesspit," he continued, responding to her account of the Syliran traders she'd known. He took his own seat at the table. Glancing around the restaurant, he eyed a wandering waitress. If she made her way over soon, that would be fine, but he was in no hurry to summon her to their table. "I'm glad to be rid of it. I don't think I'll ever go back." As Haeli asked about his music, he smiled for the first time since outside the restaurant. "I wouldn't call myself a bard, exactly. I just like to play music. It's the one of the few things that makes me unique - not counting the way people seem to mistake me for a woman on a nearly daily basis." He added a bitter smirk to the end of that comment. "I don't know any very good stories, though my father used to tell me some spectacular tales when I was young. I doubt I could remember them enough to do them justice." Suddenly he let out a heaving sigh. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up into Haeli's remarkably bright citrine eyes. "Look, Haeli, I shouldn't have pressured you into this. You look completely terrified to be here. I don't even know you; I should have just thanked you and let you be on your way. You looked different from the others so I wanted to know more about you. If you'd rather leave, I'd understand. I've been making a complete fool out of myself."

[Haeli]

He was very kind, but she had stood back all her life and survived in one of the harshest environments on Mizahar because she'd learned to observe things. Split second decisions had to be made about the shape of a strange snakes head and whether or not it was going to bite and if it would be fatal. If she'd been wrong, if she'd been less than careful, Haeli would have been dead a hundred times over. And as she watched Julian, some of the things she said bothered him for some reason. It was all over his face, his emotion, worn like a bird wore its plumage. There were old wounds on him, perhaps the death of his parents, but he was older and children forgot, so she wasn't so sure that was it.

"It is good that when people live together and accidents happen that their young get cared for anyhow. In the wild it is different. If the parents die, the young die as well. I would have been what you were then as well... an orphan? But I was not one for long. I am glad for that. I am also glad you had care in this orphanage so you did not perish. Life is never easy. It seems harder when there are no parents. I often wonder who mine are and if they would have cared for me. Ozantha did not like my humanity. She would have changed it if she could have. She often tried." Haeli replied, not sure what else to say. She didn't want to pry into his life either. Haeli had two reasons for it. One was simple politeness. If he volunteered information, that was one thing, but most humans did not for fear of showing other humans a weakness.

The other reason was selfish. She truthfully didn't want to give him the opportunity to complain about how bad his life was. Julian didn't strike her as the type - instead he came across strong and confident in a way that was peppered with humbleness and the ability to laugh at himself. But some humans were prone to complain about their lives, how bad they had it, and how much more they wanted from the world or thought they deserved. Haeli had been raised to believe that one got what one deserved by earning it and no more or no less. And if the truth were hers to speak, she'd have easily acknowledged the fact that humans loved misery and complaints even though they never truly seemed to have it as bad as they thought they did.

Haeli was glad for the distraction and followed him inside. It was true she was nervous, and stuck close but she wasn't nervous enough to want to leave. She did however flinch when voices were raised, and tended to duck her head or look the other way when anyone tried to catch her eye. She stayed out of everyone's space and tried to find a balance in the crowd. It was hard to do, terrifyingly so. She didn't understand humans, not at all, and in that moment wished Brig was there. He gave her confidence and courage - but it was borrowed courage. She wanted to find a measure of it for herself. Following Julian gave that to her somewhat.

And though she was scared, she didn't miss Julian's lapse - his very human way to fade from the present and get lost in the past or in places far distant. Blankness crossed his features and she knew... completely knew... that he was somewhere else.

The swamp witch didn't try to draw him back. Instead she let him review whatever it was he was reviewing and stuck close as he found a place to sit. She agreed with a nod and slid into the seat he pulled out for her. Brig had taught her that custom, so she didn't feel remotely awkward. It was just all the people in the place. Once seated, she studied Julian openly, as if his invitation to dine had been also an open invite to examine his person. After a moment, and witnessing his silence, Haeli spoke.

"Would you like to talk about it?" She said quietly. It was against her better judgement and completely against her common sense, but she found herself asking the question anyhow.

Haeli nodded to his comment about Syliras and his decision to never go back. He continued talking and she let him, content to listen to his thoughts spill from his mouth. So she wasn't the only one that mistook Lhavitians for either men or women when they were in fact the opposite. Humans in general gave her a hard time. She was learning though, that men were bigger, fuller of features and often had stronger limbs. Women were more delicate, fragile, had breasts and soft higher voices. Brig had helped with that, providing her a daily contrast between what he was and what she was even if he didn't realize it. But still, the dark skin and dark hair of the Lhavitians often threw her for even the men often had delicate features here. Julian was no exception, though she would not mistake him for a woman.

"I would not mistake you. Maybe some time ago, yes, but not now." She said, trying to ease his worry. Her lips curved upwards at his admission of not knowing any good stories or in fact being a bard, but she shrugged anyhow. "Stories tell themselves. It's hard for someone to exactly know one. I will share a few of mine with you and maybe you'll learn others, and before you know it a dozen or more will float around in your head as part of you and then indeed you'll be more of a bard if that is what you want and that is the criteria for such things." She added.

Her eyes continued to study him and darted upward to follow his hand as it slid through his hair. Nervous. Awkward. Suddenly the warmth between them turned cold and the man was letting words spill out of his lips again unchecked. Haeli listened, gravely, and only flinched slightly when a crowd of youth pressed by their quiet table to get to someplace they were not currently at. She furrowed her brow then reached back to push her hair out of her eyes. Watching him made her feel awkward too. She should have had her hair braided somehow or secured instead of flowing freely. It seemed improper to all but children. She hated being confined, either via her hair or in the tight clothing and elaborate embroidery some of the Lhavtian's wore.

"I will leave if you like. I know I do not look like everyone else, Julian, but that does not seem to be something that would bother you. I haven't been in an restaurant before and not especially this loud place. It seems loud and like it would be hard to enjoy food as you describe... for the scent and visual pleasure and the unusual exotic tastes. I wanted to try it and it is true I would never enter this place without someone at my side I considered a friend. I was grateful you invited me. I am glad to be here for all the strangeness that exists here. I was even planning on paying for my own. I could not do this without a friend... without someone who is a .. a guide... to the new for me. I am not good at trying new things on my own. There are too many rules, Julian, for people like me. I don't understand the rules in Lhavit and I make mistakes a lot because of it. I'm slowly understanding them, getting to know them, absorbing them, but I've only encountered so many. I might know one for every one hundred that exist. The ratio might be even bigger. I promise you something though. I promise that I am not simple or less intelligent because I don't know the things you do nor have I traveled like others. I don't know because I grew up knowing one person and living with one person and seeing only that person for the whole of my life." Haeli said passionately.

She took a breath, expressions crossing her face that ranged from frustration to anger to understanding and finally settling on sadness.

"I know this is hard. I know this can make you seem different than you are in other's eyes to be seen here like this. I understand. We can leave and there will be no hard feelings. But if you want, I would very much like to stay with you and try the food cooked by others just for the pleasure of food. And if we do not stay, I will keep watching this place and maybe come back in some day when they seem empty for another reason." She said sincerely.

She seemed to think about it a while longer and then took a rather deep breath. "I do not know what a fool is, Julian, but the way you say it means it is something terrible. I do not see you as terrible at all. You seem warm, kind, generous and very talented. You are also very funny and I enjoy talking with a person like that. If others think you are this fool than that makes them less than intelligent to begin with." Haeli said then looked around. She started to stand up, not knowing what else to do.

[Julian]

Haeli was right about one thing: it was indeed fortunate that Julian lived among such a mechanical society, providing options for a child who had lost his parents - whether it was because of an accident or not. The word "accident" actually made him cringe as it stirred up old memories. Of course the other children would ask how his parents died. "There was a fire" was the excuse he used most often without having to elaborate. The true story was much darker and far less interesting, but it was a long time ago. He barely thought about it anymore. The inherent disbelief he'd been retaining in regards to Haeli's claims about being raised by a Dhani was slowly evaporating. Not quite prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt, he was willing to believe it might have been more likely that some lonely hag had tricked her into thinking she was a Dhani. Regardless, it was clear now that Haeli truly was a stranger to society. Julian couldn't speculate on the motives of her parents, but despite the obvious differences between the two - one growing in a bustling city and the other in a treacherous swamp - they did share one thing in common. They were both orphans, and both thrust out on their own to make their own lives without any further guidance. Suffice to say, from what she told him, she was doing very well. Whatever the situation was regarding this Ozantha, she appeared to have taught Haeli well - particularly if she'd been trading with merchants and making a lucrative profit. She looked a good deal younger than Julian, so for Haeli to have such a strong grasp on her bearings, he could foresee a bright future for her. "Talk about what?" Julian replied to her expressed concern. Across the table, her eyes had become birdlike again, studying him with genuine curiosity. He forced a warm smile and shook his head dismissively, even laughing softly. "It's nothing, I just got lost in thought for a moment. Many of my friends as a child were adopted out of the orphanage into happier lives. It was always hard to say goodbye, though." He was relieved to know at least that Haeli never mistook his appearance to be feminine. His father's mother had been from Lhavit, and ran off to marry a Syliran merchant who'd visited the city. Her dark hair and soft features had been prominent in her only son, and again in her grandson. Occasionally it had felt like a curse, but eventually Julian had come to accept that if he was going to look womanly, that he'd do it with finesse. His deeper voice and height tended to accommodate for any masculinity lacking in his features. Or, so he told himself. As Haeli spoke of stories, he found his interest piqued, almost entirely against his will. One of the few things his father would do to share time with his family was tell stories of his childhood - he always claimed to be a lofty bounty hunter. He'd talk of battling the Zith, bedding Eypharian and Konti women, or riding with the Drykas on the backs of giant eagles. When Julian was young, he believed every word of it. Of course, by now he knew Rowan very likely made it all up. The charm was still there, though, and Julian was easily enchanted by adventure tales - be it through childish nostalgia or his Lhavitian heritage. Julian raised his eyebrows and watched Haeli become passionate, and even angry as she defended her dignity. So he was wrong about pressuring her into a place she didn't want to be - she'd definitely chosen to be here. He was surprised to find she'd actually thought it through - she was intelligent, yes, but she was also sure-footed, even if the place made her nervous and anxious. She was growing upset that he'd even lightly implied otherwise. "Hey," Julian interjected, narrowing his eyes in concern. "Listen, it's fine. I'm not judging you. And if anyone else is, then they're cretins. You don't make me uncomfortable at all and I'm glad you agreed to come with me. If you'd prefer to stay, then so do I. I didn't mean to upset you. For someone who's never been to a restaurant before, you're handling yourself quite well. And - for the love of valor - don't be afraid to shove back if people are pushing against you like that. Though we're all human here - to some degree - there is still danger and competition in society. It's just a different flavor." Julian glanced downward, tapping the table thoughtfully. She had an unusually high opinion of him. He couldn't help but smile, if only in embarrassment, when she claimed he wasn't a fool. "You're kind to say those things about me. But I've made mistakes that, looking back, I really can't understand why I did. Of course, anyone could say that everyone makes mistakes, but... there's no justifying the consequences of my actions. Or lack there of, as it were." He leaned back in his chair, pressing his hands together under his chin in quiet contemplation. There was a hesitation before he spoke, as if he weren't really sure he should say anything. Haeli's words rang in his head, phrased the exact way he'd heard them once before. "There are too many rules, Julian, for people like me." They reverberated in his head in a way he couldn't just ignore. He had to say something. "For a moment you sounded a little like my father. He was raised as a merchant, taught all the laws of Syliras regarding money and residence and countless other tedious things. And no matter how well he understood them, Haeli, he held a contempt for the way society operated. How it preyed on the unaware and rewarded those who took advantage of others. The same could be said for the wilderness, yes, but he said that as human beings, we should know better. We have the capacity for compassion, empathy, understanding, but we abandon these to pursue our own gains." He paused, then smiled briefly. "His words, of course. I was too young to understand when he tried to tell me, but I've read his journals as an adult. I wish I could have known him a little better. It feels as though he was so similar to me, that we're so alike at our core. If I could understand him, and why he... why he did the things he did, perhaps I could understand myself a little better." Such thoughts, however, were better meant for journal pages than mentioned in conversation. Perhaps Julian would one day write a novel about his ideas regarding society and, posthumously of course, they'd be more well understood. Fantasies, reveries at best. He had no interest in changing a world that didn't want to be changed. Every city was so different, as it was, that no one could make general judgments based on the operation of Syliras. "But that's all just mindless rhetoric. My father had that sort of thing coming out of his ears." Wait. Would Haeli take that literally? "Figuratively speaking, of course." Julian turned in his chair and spotted a waitress again. This time, he lifted a hand and waved her over. "The Shooting Star is my home while I'm staying in Lhavit," Julian said before he even turned around again. "I'm used to crowds, and though it's more colorful here, this is very much my element." He gestured to his cello. "I actually play music for the patrons here for a few kina a day."

[Haeli]

Haeli nodded, half relieved and half disappointed he didn't want to speak about whatever it was that was upsetting him. She truly wanted to hear about his life, but she wasn't sure how much she really wanted to know. Julian was one of the only people in Lhavit that had ever really sat down and talked to her despite her differences. So she was torn, wanting to hear his story and wanting to stay completely out of it. It was hard to know, too, what was the right decision when it came to culture. He wasn't Lhavitian, not really, though he had some blood in common. Instead, he was an outsider, so his boundaries might be different than theirs. Lhavitians were polite, quiet, and tended to not want to talk about anything internally.

"I imagine it was hard to loose friends, but easier knowing they went to families where they could thrive. I lost a few friends in the swamp as well, but mainly because they were careless or accidents happened. Nothing stays the same there, not for long, because weather and circumstance often can be challenging." Haeli said softly, then smiled. She glanced around, noticing the crowd was thinning a bit, calming down, as if some sort of rush was over.

But Julian... She didn't know what to make of him. He made her back bristle at times, and at other instances she wanted to laugh. "I don't care if you judge me. Everyone judges. I don't want to leave either. There must be something about this place that draws people in if they are pushing and shoving. It's just they remind me of flamingos crowding on a particularly good rush of sand shrimp. They talk and talk and if you blur your ears, it almost sounds like they are people in a crowd. I've seen sailors in a crowd, especially when they come to trade. They all talk at once. It's unnerving." She said, then took a moment to look around before her eyes rested back on him. "And I have bought food before, from the sellers outside, the ones that make the sweet berry pies that bubble and the meat that's glazed with honey and ginger. Those are extra good." She claimed, looking indecisive about this place however.

In regards to what he said about himself, Haeli just shrugged. "It's not up to me whether you justify or forgive yourself or not. If you live through it and learn from it, then its good enough for me." Haeli said softly, wondering what it was he'd done that was causing him struggles. She sat back and looked at him, studying him politely. He was ... she wasn't sure how to put it. Pleasant to look at. He had kind eyes and was artistic in a way that appealed to her. He was also confident about himself, but not too confident. She had a feeling he was putting on a brave face, and truthfully she wished he'd relax a little. Julian was busy. He was pretty much the opposite of what she was, which was silent, observing, watchful. He was animated, talking about this, that, confidently explaining things with a display of patience that was startling to her. Ozantha would have been upset with her questions long before Julian even remotely showed signs of tiring.

When Julian spoke of his father, Haeli had a feeling she would have liked the man or at least admired him. "Is he no longer living?" She asked, because Julian spoke of his father in past tense. "What happened to him?" She said softly, curious. Haeli would have asked more, but Julian waved to a strange woman and the swamp witch grew silent.

She nodded when he said the Shining Star was his home while he lived in Lhavit, but truthfully the girl couldn't understand why anyone would actually get any rest in such a noisy place. But he played... did he? "I will have to bring Brig here to hear you sometime then. He likes music, I think." Haeli said then studied the woman who came up to the table.

She had no idea what the woman wanted and grew silent, glancing between Julian and the waitress. She'd seen the servant moving food between tables, but she had no idea how to request some for herself. Perhaps this was what Julian was doing, requesting food. Haeli remained silent, watchful, having no idea what to do, say, or even tell the woman if she asked for a food request. Haeli would let Julian handle it.

[Julian]

"Is he no longer living? What happened to him?" As Julian waved to the waitress, Haeli's question seemed to interrupt his thought process. The arm he'd lifted wavered momentarily in the air, and he glanced downward, smiling at himself. Whatever came over him passed quickly, however, and he turned back to the table, apparently forgetting all about it. She was a curious girl, Haeli. It was difficult to tell whether she was just being friendly or if she was truly interested. Contrarily, he couldn't tell whether he was being aloof or just modest. Considering her origins, he really doubted that a virtual hermit would have the real wherewithal to "just be friendly." Talking about his father had been something he'd never really mastered avoiding. It wasn't that he was ashamed, or fascinated, or thought heavily about it. All of that was true, but it had nothing to do with any reluctance to speak about it. It just wasn't polite conversation, that's all. "My father killed my mother and then disappeared" was a phrase that inspired balking and awkward staring - unpleasant for everyone. On top of that, he always felt he thought far too much about his parents to begin with. He was supposed to be an adult at this point, thinking for himself, plotting his own life. His parentage should have been only a faded memory, especially considering that he was by most definitions an orphan. Still, even if he hated it, he knew that there was still some hidden part of him - perhaps not as hidden as he would have liked - that was still nine years old, still waiting for everything to get better again. "I'd like that," Julian replied. Having Haeli and Brig come into the Shooting Star just to hear him play would have been a great honor - an image that almost suggested he'd begun making friends and establishing connections in Lhavit. Though he had no intention of staying in the city very long, the fact that he could get a few people to know his face and remember his name was nothing less than heartwarming. "I've actually been meaning to learn some of the local music. I'm sure the library has some catalogue of Kalean folk songs that I could add to my repertoire. If I stay long enough to see the Star Festival, I'm sure there will be some fantastic musicians to listen to." As the waitress approached the table, she smiled and greeting them politely, even using Julian's first name. He didn't really listen to her rehearsed list of the day's specials. Spending most of his time at the inn, he'd already heard them several times earlier that night. He was used to watching the waiters flutter about the room, flashing warm smiles and making light jokes. It had almost become monotonous. "Can I start you off with anything to drink?" she finished. Her long dark hair bounced over her shoulders, curled so elegantly that it looked like she'd spent hours shaping her hair with heat and moisture. Intriguing flashes of dark red streaked through her rolling locks. "Just some water with a bit of lemon, please." Julian nodded at her. "And my friend will have the same, unless she has any objections? I shouldn't think you drink alcohol, do you?" She looked far too young for that - not that Julian didn't practically live in a bottle from the age of sixteen onto his twenties. But that was uncouth, Haeli wouldn't have known anything about social drinking. Still, she was more than welcome to decide for herself. "And I'm feeling a bit slight," he added. "A small plate of roast vegetables on rice is all I need. Do you have a copy of your menu for my friend?" Julian turned to Haeli. "There's a wide selection, and much to choose from. You can look over the list as your leisure and take your time picking something. Unless you have somewhere to be tonight, I'm not in a hurry to go anywhere." The waitress nodded, absorbing all the information she needed. Flashing a pleasant smile at Haeli, she hurried off to put in his order and to fetch a menu and their drinks. Leaning toward the table, Julian rested on his elbows and placed his chin in his hands. Though he'd dodged the question, he was beginning to feel rude. Avoiding talking about himself was one thing, but ignoring her questions was only going to make it worse. "Honestly, I'm not really sure what happened to my father." Julian had waited until the waitress was out of earshot. Not that she would have cared much, but if she came back and gave him some sort of knowing look, he'd be all the more embarrassed. "He disappeared just a few weeks before my mother died. Left everything behind - his family, his money, his possessions. When I was young, they told me he'd drowned himself in the sea, and I believed it. After all these years, I haven't received any word from him. For all intents and purposes, and in all likelihood, he is long dead. At least as far as I'm concerned." Julian gestured toward Haeli with one of his clasped hands, glancing up from his grim thoughts with a dismissive smirk. "But enough of that. What of your Ozantha? I'm sorry to hear of her recent death - it must have been truly painful if you thought of her as your mother. I can't imagine what it would be like to be raised by a Dhani, much less in a remote swamp. She must have taught you much about survival - and clearly she has if you do indeed sell herbs. Was she shrewd? The only image I can conjure in my head is a very large serpentine woman who can be nothing but irate." He briefly chuckled at the thought of a monstrous Dhani woman, constantly hissing and waving her arms about. "And one thing sticks in my mind. If she picked you up as an infant, did she truly know nothing of your parents? Especially considering your name; it doesn't sound Dhani. Did she pick it out for you?"

[Haeli]

Haeli never knew when she asked too much or pushed to far. Humans had boundaries animals didn't have, ones they were unwilling for her to cross at times. Humans didn't growl or show teeth or even begin to act nervous when pressed like animals did. Instead, they closed up or changed topics, a cue she was slowly getting used to. Julian's father was a topic closed to conversation. She nodded to herself, accepting that. His entire body language told her so, invited her to move on, go past it, and forget she had spoken.

Haeli did so, nodding, her eyes gentling when she sensed there was pain involved, though what sort there as no way of knowing.

And as she watched him interact with his surroundings, so obvious in his element here where as she was not, Haeli couldn't help but smile. There was a truth in what she was seeing and feeling. Julian was perhaps more human to Haeli than most humans she met had come across as being. He was enchanting, talented, and full of surprises. He was everything Ozantha had said humans were - the good things - and none of the bad things her mentor had cautioned her about.

Haeli liked him. He warmed something in her and had so much patience that she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps in some way they couldn't be friends. She wanted one badly, but she held herself back because he'd stated time and time again he was only here for a moment. Lhavit wasn't his home so was it worth growing close to someone and making a friend of them when their restless feet were just going to carry them away. Mizahar was a vast land. People didn't move about like wild things did migrating. Nor did they move about like morphers could. Friendships were fleeting and high risk when people were going to move on. He didn't have a home really, not like she did, where there was room to make the space her own.

And it amazed her that he didn't seem to mind. She'd ask him about it, Haeli decided, hen the conversation paused.

When the waitress came over, Haeli smiled at her and greeted her with a polite 'hello'. She was quiet while Julian ordered, curious why he flavored his water with a bit of lemon. Haeli shook her head. "Tea please. Something dark and rich, with a touch of honey." She said softly. Water she could have any time. But this was a new experience and one she wanted to enjoy. She'd not have the heart to brave a restaurant without Julian's presence, nor had she any idea what to eat. "Bring something you like from the list, something that you think is the delicious so I can try it. I do not know what most of this stuff is, for I've never been in a place like this before or know Lhavitian at all." It was true. The menu might have been gibberish to her for all she could read Lhavitian.

"But for all that, I'm in no hurry. My work for the day is done." She said thoughtfully. "That is why I was out wandering." The witch added. Her gaze turned sad though when Julian mentioned her father had been reported to have been drowned. "Many people drown. The sea is a fierce creature. Laviku demands those that use his waters respect him, and if they do not, they feed those in his world that do." Haeli added, looking thoughtful. "But humans lie all the time, either through words or actions. You can't ever know really what happened unless you witness it yourself. They do so not even meaning too at times. It's not really their fault. I think they convince themselves of things then it becomes truth for them." Haeli had a weird way, almost unconsciously, of referring to humans as other than what she was. She was certainly human, but it was painfully obvious to anyone looking at her or spending more time than just a few moments that she didn't consider herself one.

"Ozantha was a gentle soul, Julian. She was a priestess of Caiyha bearing three marks. She was cast out from her home city because she did not worship Siku, who I think is as you describe. She was already aging when she found me, and she named me for the ship that seemed to have broken up out to sea. There was part of a board that read 'The Haeli' on it. That's where I got my name. I was only a small baby, very hungry, and she herself nursed me from her own breast because she was so good at morphing she was able to change herself to produce milk. She raised me to be a Dhani because that's all she knew how to be. Ozantha was a beautiful constrictor and she taught me the ways of their people. Constrictors are lovely and good at hunting. She taught me how to fend for myself and because she could tell I had a tremendous amount of natural djed, she taught me how to morph as well. I am more comfortable in a Dhani body, at times, than I am as a human. It feels strange to have legs when other forms of movement are so much easier. Like flying." Haeli admitted.

"As I said before, that's why I came here. I wanted to learn about people. I'm failing miserably at it though. I've been here two seasons and still don't understand them. I'm not sure I ever will. But talking to people like you do help. I learn so much more by being... around and with people than just watching them." The girl said softly. "I do things wrong a lot. For one, I knew nothing about middens and latrines before I came here. Nor did I know baring ones body in public was prohibited. I had to ... release water from my body and did so in a poorly chosen place with a crowd around. It was not a pleasant discovery that humans are shy. They wear so many clothes here and put so much emphasis on status. Where I come from no one wears anything and status is earned not by what one wears but by how powerful one is. Big jaw taught me that, so did Fang. I learned their shapes because of it, so I too could be strong." Haeli said. Then she smiled as the tea and lemon water was delivered along with a basket of bread and fresh butter mixed with honey and a flower petal Haeli didn't recognize.

[Julian]

Admittedly, Julian was surprised when Haeli interjected and ordered her own drink. He had only assumed that she was unfamiliar with ordering etiquette or wouldn't know what to ask for. Inwardly, he felt glad for her and her sudden confidence, and wondered if he'd been hasty in presuming she wouldn't know how to accommodate a waitress. Either way, he'd gotten to know her enough by now that he could guess - even if had been - she wouldn't have been very offended. Or he hoped, at the very least. So, impressed, Julian watched the waitress leave for their drinks, keeping his eye line occupied until Haeli spoke again on the topic of drowning. A small, guarded smile crossed Julian's lips as he slowly turned back toward the table. He looked down as she voiced her thoughts on his father's alleged death, even though he thought he'd implied he didn't want to speak much of it. Politely, he said nothing, letting her finish her thought. She wanted to give her input; he understood. The truth was, Julian realized a long time ago that his father's drowning was just as likely as any other fate that could have befallen him. In his older adolescence, it occurred to him that there was no physical evidence, or any kind of indication at all pointing to his father's end. It had all been their speculation based on Rowan Meredith's self destructive tendencies. In his early childhood, he'd always viewed the man as indestructible, immortal, someone who could never die. When he disappeared, Julian had simply accepted that he was "gone." On the surface, he believed the stories the adults told him, but deep in his heart, so far down he didn't even know it, he was never truly convinced. He sat listening to Haeli talk on about Ozantha. The tale was something out of fantasy, but Haeli seemed too naive herself to have come up with it on her own. Out of necessity, and her persistence, he began to believe it. There were many stranger things in this world. How difficult it must have been for her to realize that her upbringing had been so abnormal, instantly painting her life experiences in an entirely new shade. It must have been quite the transition. Before Julian could respond, a tall glass was set in front of him - filled with iced water and topped with a slice of lemon. Across the table, the waitress set a cup of tea in front of Haeli. She flashed a polite smile as Julian nodded gratefully, then turned and left. "It was rude of me to order for you, I apologize," Julian offered to her, suddenly reminded of his earlier thought. "Bit chauvinistic, really. Sort of thing tends to run in my bloodline, not that that's any excuse." Julian reached in his glass and picked out the lemon slice, then squeezed its juices into his water. Afterward he dropped the spent, pulpy rind back into his water, nudging it below the layer of ice. He took a cautious drink and smiled. A light, pleasant flavor. Enough to make him forget the idea of a Dhani turning human to "produce milk." If ever there was anything shudder-worthy... Julian covered his mouth and tried not to laugh as Haeli detailed her problem discovering the existence of latrines. He shouldn't have laughed at her, but the idea was just too amusing. "I can see how that would be embarrassing. That sort of business is all very unsavory and no one likes to talk about it. It's no wonder you didn't hear of it, and it's hardly your fault. What a terrible way to learn that lesson." Julian took another drink of his water and set his glass down. Probably best to change the subject quickly. "You say you're a Morpher? That's a fascinating talent. Sometimes I've thought of turning into a bird and flying, but I'm sure everyone had at some point. To hear that you've actually done it is quite intriguing. I imagine it helped you survive in the swamps?" Human custom would be hard for any wild animal to grasp - which is very likely what Haeli was in her heart. Julian thought of detailing the tedious reasons for superficial statuses and the decency of clothing, but he wasn't sure how firmly he believed in such dogmas himself. Pondering on the futility of social custom would just make him start feeling too existential. "I'm sorry, Big Jaw? Fang? Are these Dhani friends of yours?"