"An Odder Chance Encounter" Log Date: 7/15/99 Log Cast: Tybio, Faanshi, Jazcek, Amipal Log Intro: With the settling of winter over Haven, Faanshi has found in her solitary rambles that the old city gardens draw her best each time she has the freedom to leave Atesh-Gah... even when she has the occasional encounter there with unnerving personages such as the Shakir of Clan Al'Samar. But among the gardens she has room for Kosha to romp as well as space for her own quiet reflections -- and every so often, in this relatively uncrowded refuge, the most unusual individuals turn out to be potential allies... *===========================< In Character Time >==========================* Time of day: Morning Date on Aether: Monday, December 15, 3904. Year on Earth: 1504 A.D. Phase of the Moon: New Season: Winter Weather: Clear Skies Temperature: Cool *==========================================================================* Garden Archway - Old City Garden - Haven The occasional foliage that lines the streets of Haven grows more expansive here, trees looming higher as one approaches the town garden. The road continuing east seems little more than a ruined path, the cobbles having been long since warped and broken by the bulge of tree roots beneath them. Crumbling stone benches are occasionally occupied by the elderly in a state of repose, quietly murmuring couples, or even trodden upon by children at play. A massive arch of stone marks the entrance to the garden proper; its detailed engravings have either crumbled away or have been concealed by the growth of vines and ivy--a subtle triumph of nature over the man-made structure. Contents: Obvious exits: Streets Town Garden Tybio travels in from Fairway Corner to the north. Tybio has arrived. Tybio wanders into the guarden slowly, a loaf of bread in one hand. With the coming of a winter morning, the gardens are fairly quiet under a dusting of snow. All that white, though, makes it rather easy to pick out the figure of someone in Varati-style garments of vivid red, blue, and gold, where she sits huddled on one of the benches by the walking paths. There is a young dog with her, a half-grown puppy with fluffy multicolored fur, and she's scratching the creature's head as he curls up in her lap. Tybio makes his way down the path slowly, as he comes closer it is clear that he is shivering from the cold dressed as he is. His head is bowed so he does not see any others present. Well, that makes two, for the maiden in her bright garb -- including a blue veil that conceals half her face from view -- also has her head bowed. The dog in her lap, however, does not. Kosha's alert little head swivels about as he sniffs at the air, his tail wagging, but his ears perking up. Catching sight of the passing figure, the puppy barks, making the maiden glance up. Tybio jumps at the bark of the dog, edging away from the noise as his eyes swing up to find the source. When he sees he his whole demener changes, he stands up tall, and his shivering is clamped down on as he smiles, "Morn'" Tybio What first appears to be a large smudge is, at second glance, a young mongrel boy. He's so covered in dirt and grime, it's impossible to guess the skin tone underneath it all. Set in a round face, wide green eyes almost make him appear owlish. His nose is small, lips thin and chapped. Surrounding his face is a mane of lanky hair, pulled into a strangled clump and tied at the base of his neck with a string. It's hard to say whether the dark color of his shoulder length locks is natural, or dirt-induced. Short, perhaps five feet tall, the boy has that long lankiness that comes from growing too fast with too little to eat. Covering his upper body is a dingy gray tunic. Small holes appear here and there, and one sleeve is entirely missing. The smudges of dirt on his skin actually make the defeated gray seem bright against it. Wrapped around his legs are a pair of black trousers that stop suddenly at his ankles, just a few inches too short to fit. One pant leg is torn as if something had chewed on it. The other is graced with an odd bright green stain of unknown origin. His left foot is bare, but his right has had better luck, and is clad in a brown slipper that is largely held together by a scrap of leather tied around the toes. He looks to be, perhaps fourteen or fifteen or so. A peek of green eyes above the blue veil, enough to reflect a measure of mild consternation of the figure so swathed in that flowing garb. A hand of a warm shade of gold curls about the puppy, who sniffsniffsniffs the air while watching the dirty, lanky stranger -- though if the dog has any judgement about dirt, it's impossible to tell from those apparently amiable liquid brown eyes. Equally impossible is it to glean anything from the maiden's veiled countenance, but her voice is nevertheless soft and polite as she murmurs with a slight uncertain tone, "Good morning to you..." Tybio tilts his head a bit as he studys you quite openly, he brings the bread up to his mouth and takes a bite...after chewing it and swollowing he says, "What ya doin out in the cold...thought ya stone people didn' like cold." Swathed up and down the length of her slim frame with that voluminous blue sari of hers, not to mention having a well-furred and largish puppy in her lap, it's possible the cold isn't bothering this girl too much -- but then again, as previously noted, not much can be read from her concealed visage. She had shyly lowered her gaze, but upon that question, she peeks up again and says softly, "I... had an errand to run into Haven... I am not due back yet... so I stopped in the gardens." This is punctuated by the puppy shifting around to nudge his head back under those slender golden fingers. Tybio shrugs a bit, "Ain't safe out here fer someone like you. Ya should go back ta yer cave lady, before someone finds ya." Underneath her sari, Faanshi shivers and it has nothing to do with the morning chill. Her green gaze peeks up again, though not at this strange youth; rather, she seems more to stare past him. "Thank you," she murmurs solemnly, with a kind of wise resignation that might perhaps seem a little at odds with her obviously young voice. "I will go back soon enough, but... till then, I wanted to see the sunshine and the snow. And my puppy needs the air, as well." Tybio tilts his head once more, "Don't get out often?" The blue-saried head shakes slowly. Underneath the scritchings of those golden fingers, the puppy swivels his head back and forth, surveying the boy with young doggy curiosity, and surveying the maiden with obvious adoration, each in turn. Tybio takes a few hesitent steps tward you, his shivering becoming more obvious as does his battle to not show any weakness at all, "Why not? Ya a slave or somthin?" A very quiet sigh sounds, somewhere behind that veil. "I am shudra," Faanshi answers softly. "Which means that I am a servant. But... no, I do not get out much." Tybio takes another step or two twards you as he speaks, "servent...kind word for slave. My kind knows lots about bein slaves. Ya know that ya can just walk away...we don't got much..but we have our lives." "You are a Mongrel," the girl murmurs. It is not a question, but rather an observation, without any trace of revulsion or disgust. Her gaze seems to have a habit of remaining pointed more or less downward, but it flickers back to consider the youth drawing nearer and nearer to her. Tybio shrugs, "Yea, an yer a statue. Don' make no diffrence to us that don' care. We just lives our lives." Though her veil hides it from view, Faanshi smiles tinily. "All the Mongrels I have met are very brave," she whispers, her hands still gently stroking the puppy who watches Tybio intently now. "I... envy you your freedoms." Tybio smiles, "Yea, well...some say it takes more ta stay in there /place/. Me? I think that everyone is doomed to the life they chose...so I chose ta lead me own life. Ya can to ya know?" Apparently assured that it will be all right to do so, the girl's leaf-hued gaze settles at last on the rumpled and lanky young fellow before her. "You sound like Thomas," she murmurs wistfully. Tybio blinks and looks around, "Who?" "Thomas Murako," Faanshi explains earnestly. Tybio looks back to you slowly, "I heard o him. bloody crazy he an his friends are." "He is the bravest, wisest man I know," the maiden says. As she utters those words her eyes, the one visible feature of her face, go slightly distant. But her voice strengthens with conviction, for all that she does not raise its volume. "I have been to Avalon, and seen what he and his people are doing. I... wish I could go back. But... my life is not mine. Not yet." Tybio blinks, "As long as ya think that then it aint. Ya been ta this new place? The one what there tryin ta banish all the unwanted ta?" Faanshi blows out a soft breath that ever so slightly stirs the layers of blue silk wrapped about the lower half of her face. Lifting up the puppy to hug him closer to her breast -- a slightly awkward proposition, for the puppy is a bit sizeable to easily fit in her lap, and from the size of his paws and ears he still has a good amount of growing to do -- she considers which of these comments to answer first. Since she is not entirely sure how to explain her thoughts on her former, she opts for the latter instead and begins to explain in tones of soft reverence, "I rode to Avalon at Murako's side and with Milane who is his Hand... they have a city. I saw much kindness there... people who work for themselves... because they can. Their... lives are hard, but they chose them freely and seemed so proud, so sure..." Perhaps this maiden is not used to putting such things into words, for her gentle voice expresses them with those little unsure pauses. But her eyes, though wistful, are clear and kind as she returns her regard to the boy before her. "They chose. Like you." Tybio frowns, "There standing up and waitn fer the purebloods ta smack them. I chose ta make my life inspite of them, not on there disguarded lands." Soberly, sadly, the maiden in Varati garb murmurs, "There _has_ been fighting in Avalon... I saw it. But Murako and his people, they did not wait to be... smacked. They fought for what they believe in, what they have made." Tybio takes another few steps twards you, "Well, I hope they do allright. I chose ta live my dream...not die fer it." "What do you dream?" the girl asks, apparently sincerely interested. She sits there on the bench with the big puppy in her lap, now with her attention steadily resting upon the youth. Tybio looks around the Guarden slowly, "I'm a thief...the best in haven. I wana steal enough that I don' gota care what no one thinks..I can' live my life as I wan." A thief. That somewhat catches Faanshi off-guard, in a way that Tybio's dirty frame and ill-fitting clothing had not. Uncertainty flashes across those green eyes; from that alone, it can probably be concluded that no one has ever outright called themselves a thief to her face before. "But," she blurts, "would you not make... those you, um... steal from angry with you...?" Tybio blinks and grins, his face lighting a bit, "Sure...but they can't catch me...the hounds have been trying for years. Aint no one what could catch Tybio." Faanshi considers this, and then asks thoughtfully, "You... know how to run away from people who... might be looking for you?" Tybio nods, his head tilting a bit once more, "Aye, though the best work is done without any knowing what I'm up ta. Why? Ya wana run from somone?" "I... might need to," the girl whispers, sounding troubled. The sound of her voice makes the puppy she holds whurf softly and try to start poking his nose in under her veil. Tybio nods and steps up to you, close enough to speak more quietly, "Yer in truble." "I..." Faanshi's green gaze averts itself again, off to take in the snow-touched landscape of the garden. Her voice, however, remains very soft. "I have done... certain things which... may cause... people to look for me. And some may... just because of... what I am." Tybio nods slowly, "Ya wana hide, or just get away?" This seems to puzzle the girl; perhaps she hadn't considered that far. Her head turns back round to consider this filthy young stranger, and at this proximity, it might be noted that delicately arched black brows, also visible between her veil and the sari which covers her head, draw together in consternation over her big green eyes. "I..." And she falters, then, searching for words. "I... need to get away, if someone might... wish to harm me." Tybio nods slowly, his eyes sweeping the guarden once more, "You want a way out should someone wish to harm you? You don't want to leave right now, you just want a way out if ya need it?" The blue-covered head once again nods once, softly, gravely. "Yes..." She considers, and then commits herself; this boy has ofered her a confidence. Naive in many of the ways of the world Faanshi might be, but she has learned during a year in Haven not to turn away any kind of help... and even before that, she had known never to judge someone who might choose to offer aid. And so, a confidence in exchange for a confidence. "I am... a halfbreed. I-I know that there are ones in Haven who... harm us." Tybios eyes narrow a bit as he peers at you for a moment, finaly he speaks, "Allright. I'll help ya if you need it. I can even get you out of the stone place if you wan...I been in there lots of times...but they don' know." In Faanshi's lap, the puppy whines, sensing the tension stealing over his young mistress. He nudges his nose further in under the veil, a gesture with which the maid seems long familiar, for she gently removes said nose without looking down at the creature directly. "I do not need to leave Atesh-Gah," she murmurs, "not yet... I... I am more worried about those who... harm people in the Rialto... and... " A golden hand comes up, gesturing about as if to signify the city at large. "And the rest of Haven. I cannot leave, I am needed, but... I must be able to go unharmed to help... do you see?" The green eyes turn back to Tybio, anxious, but carrying that same gentle conviction with which she had spoken of the man many have started to call the Mongrel King. Tybio shrugs slightly, "Not sure how much help I can be. I'm no good in a brawl, I can take a man down with me daggers though. An I can find information or items that people are wanting." There _is_ a particular kind of information that is of interest to Faanshi, and she straightens slightly where she sits. "Do you.. know of people who... need... healing?" Tybio blinks, "Yea, lots of them." "I can heal," the girl whispers then. "If you can tell me... where the safe places are in Haven. For your help... I will come and heal anyone you know who needs it." The voice coming from behind the veil has gone slightly strained and husky, as though the maiden to whom it belongs is speaking through a lump in her throat. Her gaze, though, is steady and sure, despite her overall shy demeanor. Tybio erms softly, "Ya can heal?" and he lifts his fingers and makes what is obviously /magical/ jestures...though they com off more as humorious. Her mouth is hidden from view, but Faanshi's eyes lighten ever so slightly -- as much of a smile as she can convey, perhaps, with that blue cloth that swathes her face. "I have not needed to... um... do that," she points out in a tone that might almost be called wry. "But... yes. I am a healer. If you know _anyone_... who is is need, and who would not mind a halfbreed touching them..." With those words, though, she trails off, again with that wistful tinge to her voice. Tybio grins openly, "I know people who would not care if it were a Hound healing them. Halfbreeds certenly rank above them." "Thank you... Tybio?" The girl's voice rises slightly, in query, seeking confirmation of the name. Beneath her gentle hands the puppy has settled down a little, curling up into a somewhat smaller size on her lap, making a large lump of fluffy fur. "There are so many people in need... and I am not good at finding them...!" Tybio grins, "Yea, I'm Tybio. An don't worry...I fall all over hurt people all the time. "My name is Faanshi," says the girl with the puppy, "and this is Kosha." That perks the pup up a bit. His pointy ears lift inquiringly, and his tail thumps against the girl's side. Tybio smiles, "It's a pleasure lady. I aint had someone who talked to me from the statues place sence Rory stoped comin around." Jazcek arrives from the eastern end of the main drag. Jazcek has arrived. Statues. Faanshi finds her mouth quirking a little behind her veil at the word being used to describe the folk to whom she owes her life and her allegiance, but then, it's certainly one of the kinder things she's heard said about Varati. And so she diplomatically ignores it, asking instead, "Rory...?" Tybio is standing infront of the statue lady...fairly close as they speak, he does not notice the other enter the area, "Yea, Mongrel...coulda been a good thief...but got enslaved by yer people." Faanshi remains there on that bench, and it might be noted that she is occupying only one small portion of its far end; her leggy, flop-eared puppy is still cuddled up in her lap, indulging in having his fluffy head scritched. At the words of the disheveled young fellow before her, she lowers her gaze to the pup, troubled for all that she is aware that the Varati take slaves all the time. "I do not... personally know a Rory," she murmurs, "but... I think that I have heard that name. One who had been slave, but who was freed..." She looks up again, ruefully, shyly. "I do not know more than that, though." A faint yawn drifts through the cool winter day, it's source seemingly distant and bored. Beyond the reaches of the park, a rather average looking man walks lazily down the street. His slow steps slowly take him in the direction of the Garden Archway, his hands buried deep in his pockets against the winter air. Tybio blinks and turns as he hears the yawn, becoming more then a little skittish suddently. He takes two quick steps away from the statue lady and looks at the man intently. The distraction of Tybio's attention is blatantly obvious to the girl and her dog. Faanshi blinks and peeks up, flustered. The dog isn't nearly so shy, and yips inquiringly as his head swivels around. Jazcek The darkhaired Sylvan you glance at is not especially tall or large in most respects. Not overly thin, the prescence of muscles is just visible beneith the darkly tanned skin that covers most of his body. In the middle reaches of his life, the man seems to have a pride in the gaze of his deep green eyes, and an ease in his manners that is almost rare in many reguards. Well kept and clean, he does not have the "dirty" feeling that most people get from his woodland counterparts. In this respects, he is clearly a man of the city. The middle-aged Sylvan's dress is fiarly simple, resembling more that of a worker then anything else. Covered in a combination of doeskin and knitted wool, the man's dress makes him less then noticable. Well-fit dark breaches rise up from the sturdy "boots" he wears to the wool sweater that covers his torso. A faint glimmer of metal may be seen on his ring finger, a small silver ring bearing the emblem of the Heralds. The man carries no weapons of any large size, but a long bladed dagger finds its place attached to one of his thighs. At his back is also a set of throwing knives, their lines plain but their function remains complete. Another yawn drifts through the air, the middle aged Sylvan moving into the garden's grounds. If he's really impressed by those who are about it really doesn't show, the man's eyes lazily glancing about the garden. By default, his path takes him in the general direction of the Varati on the bench and the mongrel smudge. He nods to them in passing, a rather indiscrete "Good day" comming from the Herald. His steps slow some, eyes narrowing slightly at the dog. One might doubt if he is going to actually stop... "Imphadi, Kosha, imphadi," murmurs the maiden, then, and this seems to mean something to the pup, for he sits still and patient for all that his liquid puppy gaze remains attentively pointed at the passing Sylvan stranger. Faanshi, after getting enough of a look at the fellow to determine that he is, in fact, Sylvan and probably significantly older than she, murmurs humbly, "Good day, imphadi." Tybio backes up another step or two...his eyes wide, and locked on the Herald. The Sylvan's head dips slightly, the man sending the polite gesture toward the Varati woman. "Imphada." The Herald's Varati pronounciation is fair, but nothing to be shocked by. The gesture seems more one of courtasy then anything else, the man's sharp green eyes look toward the mongrel, a brow raising. "What are you looking at, scruf?" The Sylva's attitude isn't all that unfriendly, the words comming across more questioning then anything else. Tybio frowns, "A tree rat...if ya gota know." though he does take another step back. Faanshi, as it happens, appears to miss that more or less polite dip of the head to her, for her own is now bowed, keeping her gaze on her puppy. More or less. Very aware of the words exchanged between the young Mongrel with whom she'd just been conversing and the newly arrived Sylvan, she grows a little more tense where she sits, pulling the pup a little closer to her. Jazcek says "Tree rats tend to bite... but dirt is seldom worth eating." The Herald's tone remains stable, a faint smile appearing on his face. The retort is rather quick, perhaps leading on to think the Sylvan has had his share of taunts in his years." Tybio grins a bit, but makes no responce. He only stands wairly watching the man. Kosha, the puppy in Faanshi's lap, alertly peers at both the Mongrel boy and the Sylvan man. The maiden, however, makes no sound. There is nothing, really, she can contribute to an exchange of taunts except the silent hope that they'll get no worse. She does, however, sneak an uncertain glance back at the Sylvan, trying to determine whether he is a man who might easily take offense from the lad's tongue. Jazcek seems to have had enough taunts for the day already, the Sylvan man straightening up and looking back toward the woman and the puppy. He looks a little distant for a moment the man glancing toward the woman, "It is permitted?" A somewhat detached curiosity seems to come to his voice, the man looking toward the veil. A brief flicker of bemused green eyes as Faanshi glances up in startlement is the Herald's first answer to his question. "Is... what permitted, imphadi?" she murmurs, taken aback. Her position shifts ever so slightly on the bench, like a nervous, brightly feathered bird might do if considering taking wing from a branch. Once more, trying to make sense of the situation, her puppy yips. "The dog... Imphada..." The shifts a little, the glance going back to Tybio temporarily before regaining Faanshi's face. As the dog yips a faint twitch surfaces near Jazcek's nose, the Herald otherwise remaining calm and stationary. "He was given me by the keeper of the kennels in Atesh-Gah because I... took care of him, imphadi," Faanshi replies then, her gaze once more lowered. This leaves little viewable of her countance except for the soft black curves of her brows and eyelashes against what little pale golden skin is visible, between the top of her veil and the edge of the sari which covers her hair. Her voice has changed, going toneless and neutral, the sort of voice a servant might use when asked a question by her betters. Kosha, on the other hand, peers steadily at the Sylvan, as if to inquire 'do you have a problem with that?' "Ah." It seems the primary responce the Herald comes up with, the man peering back at the puppy with a dilute interest. "Simply a curiosity... I suppose I am prone to such things." He smiles faintly, a slightly distance remaining in his eyes. Tybio says softly, "kills the cat...or the rat." Er. Not entirely sure how to react to Tybio's mutter, Faanshi peeks his way and then looks swiftly down again. She is not entirely certain how to react to the Herald's observation either, and so she simply murmurs by way of acknowledgement, "Um... yes, imphadi... as long as I feed him and train him properly... I am permitted to keep him." Jazcek says "And dust and dirt is swept off the stoop... only to be blown into nothingness." The Herald glances back at the mongrel smudge, that faint smile appearing on his lips, "And that leaves us with little." He glances back at the Varati, a brow raising toward her, "A... fair arrangement." He starts to step away, "I fear I have interrupted something... good day." His departure seems rather sudden, although one probably gets the feeling he has no where in particular to go." Amipal travels in from Fairway Corner to the north. Amipal has arrived. Tybio blinks and takes a step back as the man leaves, "Nice meeting you Statue...don trust no one, just 'member that." and with those parting words, turns and bolts further into the guarden. Faanshi glances after Tybio and murmurs uncertainly, "A-all right..." Then she remembers herself, starting, and bobbing her head reflexively at the Herald, adds in that same neutral servant's tone -- or at least as much of it as she can recover -- "Y-yes, imphadi, as you wish." All of this is staunchly watcheed by that obviously half-grown puppy with the big paws and ears. It would seem that dog has some growing to do, still, and will be rather sizeable when he's done. "Quit looking down, Imphada," the Herald calls over the crest of a small hill, "You might run into something..." His voice fades and he is gone. [End log.]