"A Different Kind of Teaching" Log Date: 2/4/00 Log Cast: Gaelius, Faanshi Log Intro: Heavy indeed is the heart of Faanshi, for she has suffered a blow to her heart that she never imagined she would have to take, a hurt that feels to her almost as grievous in some ways as the death of her beloved heart-mother... and in some ways more so. The old Arch-Magus Samein, who was as a father to the halfbreed maiden, has exploded in wrath against her that she would not forsake the wishes of her mistress Kiera and set foot in Delphi with him. He has refused to keep Faanshi as his student, and she feels now in her heart as a daughter who has been rejected by her own father. Rejection from strangers is a lot to which she is long accustomed, but rejection from one who had seemed to love her is doubly hard to bear. But there is a kindly Empyrean who has witnessed something before of this shy troubled shudra girl, and when chance makes his path cross with Faanshi's once again, the noble-hearted bard is ready to do what he may to ease her sorrow, even if it might mean taking her on as a pupil himself.... *===========================< In Character Time >===========================* Time of day: Night (Dawnside) Date on Aether: Friday, December 23, 3905. Year on Earth: 1505 A.D. Phase of the Moon: Waxing Crescent Season: Winter Weather: Partly Cloudy Temperature: Chilly *==========================================================================* Palisade and North - Haven Some have likened the Varati home to a geode--rough and plain on the outside, while opulence and splendor lie within. Certainly the first part of that analogy is true. The only hint that these buildings house the more prominent members of Varati society are their size. Massive structures loom on either side of the street, crafted from brick, marble, granite, and even metal. And here, also, is the grand embassy of the Varati. Only shaping magic could have created such a structure, for it gives the impression of having grown out of the earth itself. Like the others, its decoration is minimal, yet flowing curves and the use of obsidian and marble make such ornamentation unnecessary. Flanked by stone pillars, the entranceway is constantly guarded by sentinels who may as well be stone themselves, so humorless are they. Only guests of the kingdom and ambassadors from other realms may pass within. A gate leads out of the city to a road that eventually winds into the distant, northern mountains, though few ever dare venture that far. Contents: Gaelius Obvious exits: Atesh-Gah Streets Gate Gaelius Long golden hair, reminding one of sunshine, is touched with streaks of silver by the Sun's lover, the Moon, almost tenderly. It would be an unruly mass, cascading down his shoulders, if it weren't for the braid that he keeps his mane in. Equally as intense are his laughing green eyes, framed by slight tinges of crow's feet that doesn't do anything to detract from his demeanour, but rather adds to it. His smile is what defines his lips, dimpling his cheeks, wide and generous. If it weren't for the laughing eyes, and the smile, he would've been rather patrician. This Empyrean is garbed in warrior's armor -- a very worn looking, but serviceable set -- leather cuirass draped over his slender torso, greaves and gauntlets protecting his extremities. Like all Empyreans, he is slender, but he has well toned muscles that indicate that he keeps himself in some shape. Draped over one hip is the scabbard holding his short sword. But, what seems to be a marked contrast to his warrior-nature, is the lute that's slung over his back. An harmonious high whistling comes from around the corner, puncutated by claps of hands, and shuffles of feet, as the warrior-bard known as Gaelius passes by the entrance to Atesh-Gah, on the way to somewhere. Entrance into and exit out of the Varati citadel isn't exactly a steady stream at this hour. But every so often figures do pass to and fro under the watchful gazes of the sentries -- like the big dog loping determinedly at the side of the young shudra who slips out into the night, her sari wrapped close against her form to ward off the cold, an extra veil across her face to try to keep her features warm. Delmore steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Delmore has arrived. Delmore travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Delmore has left. Green eyes catch sight of the large dog, an almost wary sharp glance towards the pet. Then, the warrior-bard's smile grows, as he turns towards the pair, giving a whistle of summoning and greeting towards the hound. A clap of his hands makes sure that the dog knows where he is. Kosha's big befurred head swivels around at that whistle, his ears pricking up, and a low whurf of interest escaping him. He can be seen to pause, clearly torn between investigating the noise and leaving his mistress's side -- but as it happens, Faanshi hears the whistle as well. Green eyes peek furtively above the top of her veil, and then she starts slightly, even as her hound lopes off in Gaelius' direction, willing enough to verify whether he is a Safe Creature to Be Around Faanshi, at this hour of darkness. Gaelius lowers almost immediately to a low crouch, holding out a hand, even as his large wings rustle behind him, to estabish himself as a Good Person, to the big hound. He's grinning like a fool, as he croons warm welcome to Kosha. Green eyes flicker up towards Faanshi. The shudra girl is apparently rather less eager than her dog to venture near the Empyrean, for she holds back a few paces behind Kosha, her gaze still more or less diverted away even as the dog sniffs inquiringly at the proffered fingers. Wary, still, is the canine -- he doesn't quite close the distance between himself and Gaelius yet. But his attention, nevertheless, has been caught. Then, very tinily, comes an acknowledgement of the bard from the girl: "Namaste', Dominus Gaelius." The Empyrean Bard whistles once more at the dog, an almost silly grin on his face, hand still held out. Green eyes cast upwards at the shudra's greeting, a sudden flicker of recognition, "Ah, imphada Faanshi. So good to see you again." warm, dazzling grin towards the young girl, "I'd been wondering when I'd see you next, again." Dazzling though that grin might be, Faanshi does not see it, for her gaze remains lowered. In a very small, timid, and toneless voice, she murmurs, "I thank you for the gesture of kindness, but I am only a shudra, dominus, and it is not appropriate to call me imphada." At the sound of her words, the dog looks back at her, a little whine dropping forth from his muzzle. It would seem the dog has some concern about his mistress' state of mind and heart. A quick glance towards the dog, and then towards Faanshi, with those green eyes of Gaelius'. A thoughtful pause, even as his hand reaches out to touch the dog lightly. "Something saddens and grives you, imphada." he states, matter of factly. Delmore steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Delmore has arrived. Delmore travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Delmore has left. It is not a question, and innocent a lass though Faanshi is, she has in the last few days suffered a blow that has taken away just a portion of that innocence. So she senses that the Empyrean's statement is exactly that, even as a flush of shame crosses her cheeks that he should so easily read her -- and how has he done so? It is dark, and she keeps her gaze averted as a proper young woman should. While Kosha nudges inquiringly at the hand reaching for him, the maiden pulls in an unsteady breath through her veil, struggling to find an appropriate reply. What she says at last is a low and doleful "Yes, dominus" -- nothing more. Aearyn steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Aearyn has arrived. Aearyn travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Aearyn has left. Gaelius's hand reaches out to scratch at Kosha's head, and the hound can feel the wiry, and warm strength in his grip and fingers, as they ruffle his scruff. "Look at me." and then after a pause, "Why are you so sad, imphada?" he asks softly, and directly. Cepheus arrives from the south. Cepheus has arrived. Cepheus ventures beyond the city's walls and onto the road leading north. Cepheus has left. Aearyn arrives from the south. Aearyn has arrived. Aearyn ventures beyond the city's walls and onto the road leading north. Aearyn has left. Delmore steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Delmore has arrived. Delmore travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Delmore has left. Faanshi does not answer immediately, though she does look up, with all the wariness of a young animal who perhaps expects a scolding from its master -- or a blow. As Kosha looks back and forth between man and girl, tail wagging uncertainly a time or two and his breath puffing in white clouds in the chill air, the shudra finally requests dully, "I will... tell you, dominus, if you tell me first if you knew whether it was Imphada Kiera you had when you gave the hawk to the Maharani...?" Delmore arrives from the south. Delmore has arrived. Delmore ventures beyond the city's walls and onto the road leading north. Delmore has left. Eyes widen, green irises highlighted by an expanse of whiteness. And his skin seems to turn slightly gray, as a hand jerks to Faanshi's shoulder, "No ... " he breathes out, "Can it be?" truly shocked, his composure so pale. The touch to her shoulder does what the bard's request had not: brings Faanshi's gaze up, startled, nervous, shy. But she puts forth an awkward, earnest nod, nevertheless. "Imphada Kiera is graisha, dominus... I... have seen her hawk form many times." Her voice gets neither louder nor any less toneless, any less tightly restrained. "I did not know that the Maharani had her, until the khansamah sent me with fresh meat for the hawk to her rooms... but then I saw. The Maharani did not know either... Imphada Kiera became herself again. I told her that the Maharani did not know what she was... you... did not know?" As she speaks, her gaze drops again through most of her softly, sadly murmured words. But at the last, she risks a peek up again. A vehement shake of Gaelius' head, as the shudra girl's gaze cast upwards towards his face, "No." he breathes out. That's a really strange thing, that he should come so close to losing his composure, he, the man who had the boldness, and courage to face the Amir-al unflinchingly. A nasty surprise, this was. Delmore steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Delmore has arrived. Delmore travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Delmore has left. Despite her veiled features, despite the darkness of the wintry night, still Faanshi _is_ rather alarmingly easy to read for a maiden in Varati garb. Something that might be relief seems to lessen the bleak hollowness of her young eyes; she nods once, a single time, in acceptance of this claim. Then down goes her gaze again, as she humbly murmurs, "As I have promised, since you asked, dominus, I am... grieved because I... am..." She pauses, eyes still averted, but now closing as she seems to struggle to maintain her own composure. "Because I... am no longer wanted as a student by one of my teachers." The shudra girl utters this words in an even more toneless fashion, as if to try to divest them of as much emotional impact -- and any sign of importance to her or anyone else -- as possible. "Do you w-wish to know anything else, dominus?" A pause, as Gaelius closes his eyes, regaining his composure, almost as if he's struggling to put the mask of calm back on. And then his green eyes suddenly open. "Then, I shall be your teacher, so that you might count, and find that you have the same number, imphada." softly. Faanshi freezes. And then, too stunned to remember to keep looking down, the maiden shoots a wide-eyed gaze up at the winged bard. "Wh-what did you--" is all she is able to utter. "I shall be your teacher, so that you might count, and find that you have not lost any." Gaelius' words soft, even as he reaches down to scritch at the girl's hound. "Dominus, I..." Faanshi cannot help but blink several times, eyes gone round as coins above her veil. Kosha hasn't budged from beside the man and the girl, his muzzle periodically swinging back and forth as he does his doggie best to try to figure out what's going on -- but his attention is coaxed back by Gaelius' hand. And then, with acute awkwardness, the maiden blurts, "You are a healer?" "No." Gaelius shakes his head, "But I can teach you something more important. How to heal other people's hearts, and souls." a gentle squeeze of Faanshi's shoulder with his hand, "Including yours." "I... do not need..." Faanshi hoarsely whispers. Then she trails off, deeply bemused, thunderstruck by such a comment from a near-total stranger. And then she shakes her head with a sudden uncharacteristic force, tearing her gaze downward and reaching, seemingly instinctively, for the furry comfort of the big hound so loyally close beside her. And she mumbles in a voice beginning to grow less toneless and more unsteady, "Y-you are... most kind... to say such a thing, Dominus Gaelius, but... I am not..." Worth the time and trouble, the mournful soft words relay, though she doesn't actually put that sentiment into syllables. Another gentle squeeze of Faanshi's shoulder, "You are." Gaelius' voice coming with soft strength, brooking no real argument. "If you were not, then I would not offer, imphada." Faanshi's eyes slam shut, and then she reminds the Empyrean in a plaintive, ragged little voice, "I-I am not... I am just a shudra, dominus... not... you shouldn't call..." Oh dear. That's the hint of tears in the maiden's voice, and if she is now aware of how perilously close she is to sobbing, she tries to turn away, beginning to shiver with more than just the cold of the night. "Pl-please... excuse me... I-I-I..." "You are Faanshi, and you have met me." Gaelius' voice responds softly, "That is good enough to associate with me." a gentle smile, before his words turn towards one of concern, "Am I disturbing you?" Kasia steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Kasia has arrived. Kasia passes between the heavy stone pillars that flank the entrance to Atesh-Gah. Kasia has left. Is _Gaelius_ disturbing her? No more than anything else has in the last day or two, truth be told, but the shudra girl is a bit too distraught to come up with more of an answer than a stricken, confused shake of her sari-wrapped head -- which then turns into a momentary nod, as her honor protests even a small diversion of truth. Then she begins crying, visibly but silently, and mumbles, "I-I-I should go, dominus..." Next to her, clearly troubled by her disintegrating mood, the hound whines anxiously. "Ave, imphada." Gaelius murmurs softly, "But, I shall see you again, and teach you how to heal your soul, Faanshi." a snapping of his fingers in farewell towards the dog, before he touches the girl's shoulder lightly again. It's a very nice promise -- but the teary-eyed look the shudra gives the winged bard suggests that this slim woman-child does not necessarily trust the promise of a man she barely knows. "Ave," she mumbles then, not daring to meet Gaelius' eyes upon her, and with that she whirls unseeingly to go back the way she'd come. Never mind that she'd just emerged from Atesh-Gah as though needing to escape a pack of rabid wolves... now, she darts back towards the imposing shelter of the gates, not waiting for the hound, only able to call up enough trust to expect he will follow her. And follow her Kosha does -- but not before giving a considering nudge to Gaelius' hand, by way of what might be canine accepntance. Then, the big dog lopes off after the shudra... and in moments, both are gone. [End log.]