"The Shudra Becomes a Teacher" Log Date: 11/6, 11/13/00 Log Cast: Kerani, Faanshi Log Intro: Ever since she became acquainted with the young Ushasti Kerani, Faanshi has been almost friends with her. Their common bond of their both having worked to help save Clan Behzad was the beginning of Kerani's subtle working to help save _Faanshi_ from the wreck that circumstances always seem to want to make of her... and to be sure, the priestess has had her hands full. Her own life is brimming with duties of family as well as her service to Ushas, and so there is only so much time she can spare to a shudra in need of all the uplifting of heart and soul she can get -- especially as of late, now that Faanshi is in mourning for her lost love, Lyre Talespinner. But not all the circumstances of Faanshi's life conspire against her, and indeed, for once it seems that the plans of the Ushasti may see some progress. For Faanshi's own acarya has deemed her ready to try to train students of her own, and Kerani's more than ready to receive training in her healing arts. And if she can use such training as a opportunity to teach the halfbreed maiden sorely needed confidence, all the better. Thus, as Faanshi finally asks to meet her near the fountain of Atesh-Gah for a talk about healing magics, it remains to be seen as to who will learn more -- the Ushasti, or the shudra who has been coaxed to be her teacher.... *===========================< In Character Time >===========================* Time of day: Night (Duskside) Date on Aether: Thursday, May 9, 3907. Year on Earth: 1507 A.D. Phase of the Moon: Waning Crescent Season: Spring Weather: Clouds Temperature: Cool *==========================================================================* Fountain - Courtyard - Atesh-Gah - Haven Concealed within the ring of tall, carefully groomed bushes and the oddly comforting sight of droop-branched willows, is the merry and gurgling presence of a marble fountain. As meticulously cleaned as the rest of Atesh-Gah seems to be, the intricate stonework deceptively simple in appearance. Perhaps ten feet across, the fountain itself is filled with clear, cool water that bubbles forth from a raised pedestal in the centre of the great circle. Carefully tended gardens of bright flowers provide a colourful trim to the circle of trees, their combined scent filling the air with a subtle and sweet fragrance. The temptation to linger here and bask in the soothing feast of the senses is only increased by the presence of the four stone benches that are placed around the fountain. You notice, through the thick greenery of bushes and ferns, a small clearing to the north. Contents: Kosha Kerani Obvious exits: Courtyard Kerani is seated quietly by the fountain, one leg crossed over the other. She stares into the waters, with two fingers idly sitting in the cool liquid. Her other hand rests on her rounded belly. The soft tread of Faanshi is not hard to miss as the shudra girl steps into the open space around the fountain -- but Kosha couldn't be missed in the middle of a blizzard in the darkest night of the winter. The dog comes scampering in ahead of his mistress, in hot pursuit of a firefly that has somehow managed to get into Atesh-Gah; winking on and off, it appears to be driving Kosha to distraction. "Kosha," comes Faanshi's voice, gently admonishing, "be at peace--" Not to any real effect, though. Such is the way, with this big representative of the canine species. Kerani lifts up her head as she hears Kosha bound toward the fountain. Behind her veil, a gentle smile touches her lips. The canine's exuberance must be an attempt to make up for his mistress's timidness. "Namaste, Faanshi," she greets gently. "Kosha, _sit_," Faanshi proclaims with as stern a tone as she can manage, making the dog skid to a stop and whip around, tail wagging back and forth. But he _does_ actually sit down obediently, freeing the shudra to turn and bow her head respectfully to the young priestess. "And to you, Imphada," she murmurs. "Good evening...!" Kerani turns her attention to Kosha, and nods in satisfaction. "Good boy," she says to him. Back to Faanshi, she again smiles. "It is good to see you. I have been looking forward to this for some time." Kosha pants affably to Kerani, tail thumping against the ground, while his black-clad mistress pulls in a breath behind her veil, a small subtle sign of her likely nervousness. Faanshi has not yet claimed a seat either, nor she does as she answers earnestly, "I... hope that I shall serve you well in this, Imphada...!" She shifts from sandaled foot to sandaled foot, linking her hands behind her back and looking rather as if she were about to be the student here rather than the teacher. "I have thought much about how to begin... since I have never done this before... and I hope that you do not mind if we simply talk for a while, this night?" Kerani smiles gently, taking her fingers from the water and folding her hands in her lap. "I do not mind at all," she replies. "As I've said before, it is up to you to lead with regard to these lessons. After all, we have to start somewhere." It's not often that Faanshi is encouraged to take the initiative in something, and her discomfort with this strange situation can be read in every line of her slender frame as she stands there in the same sort of posture she might display awaiting orders about which section of the floor she is expected to mop tomorrow. "Yes, Imphada," she says slowly, "I... do remember. I have been trying to think about the ways I first began to learn... and it seemed that I should ask first of you... what you already know. What control you have... what you have done with your power." Kerani nods slowly, replying just as calmly as if her instructor was perfectly well composed. "I've only used my magical ability for the most minor of healing - and even that taxes my strength. I normally use it to supplement my nonmagical healing knowledge - detection and sometimes tending of injuries. My control was good when I was being taught ... but over the past year and months, it's started to ... work without me wanting it to." "You have been taught before?" If Faanshi can be said to say anything abruptly, this comes out of her just a trifle so, as it takes her by surprise. Kerani replies gently, "By seers - or those who are now Aether-elementals. They taught me control, but could teach me nothing more. We had no skilled healers among the Ushasti in vara Samar at the time." "So it was in Sarazen," Faanshi murmurs, green gaze going distracted for a moment above her ebon veil; then, she seems to shake herself as if rousing from a dream, tugging her attention back to here and now with a stern inward adminition to attend to the matter at hand. "Then... perhaps you know the same exercises of meditation that my heart-mother taught me...?" This question comes out of her a trifle gingerly; clearly, she's still trying to feel her way through this bizarre notion of possessing knowledge superior to that of a kshatri. "There are two that she gave to me, along with which herbs to burn or drink in teas, for clarity of mind. You... know these things, yes, Imphada?" Surely you must. You are far more Ushasti than she is. Kerani mms softly. "I do know some of the exercises," she replies, "but I do not know if I know them all. I know a few different mixtures for clarity of mind, one of which works better than the others for me." To this the shudra in black sari over Khalida's colors nods, finding a bit of comfort and confidence in discussing -- at last, with sympathetic ears within Atesh-Gah -- some of the few matters upon which she can be safely deemed knowledgeable. "There are three exercises that I know," she explains, standing up a little straighter, still on her feet. "One... meditating upon the hues of the rainbow, all seven... each in sequence. Two... placing yourself within your mind at the top of a hill, and counting backwards from ten, going down the hill into a valley. Both of these my heart-mother taught me, and she made me do them with my prayers each morning and night, and burn sage and sandalwood. "The third..." For a moment, here, Faanshi pauses. The slight grimace she makes behind her veil is mostly hidden by same, but the veil does naught to conceal the way her delicate brows knit together in that instant. But then her expression clears again as she stoically continues, "The third was taught me by the Imphada Nabi Devaki of the Atarvani, who made me erect a wall within my mind and take a brick out to let my power through when it was time to heal someone." Kerani listens with perfect attention as Faanshi speaks, nodding. "I've not used any of those techniques before - the ones I used were simpler. The mix, however, is one that I've used, yes." The shudra maiden bobs her head, that slight easing of her posture remaining. She still stands straight and tall and alert as a good servant should, but nevertheless seems to be growing ever so slightly less nervous. "The Most High commanded my heart-mother to teach me control, you see," she confides gravely, "and... so she taught me the exercises she used herself. They helped me in the first days... after the Amir-al delivered me from Sarazen. I shall teach them to you, Imphada... and if your power is growing past your current control... perhaps it will help. It is the first thing I did when I began to serve the Imphada Kiera." Kerani nods her acceptance. "I don't think that my power has grown any - but my ability to keep it controlled hasn't been kept up as well as I would like. Still, it will certainly be helpful." "I find," Faanshi offers earnestly, "that it is... almost like a dance." Let us ignore for the moment the fact that Faanshi has danced very seldom in her life -- but after having loved a Mongrel bard, she knows at least a little something of music. "You practice... and meditate, to sharpen your control... and your power grows to fill it. Or you practice your power... and your control expands, to contain it. But as I said... I, ah, began with the exercises." The halfbreed maid blows out a soft breath, trying to wrestle down the pang delivered her by memories of her old great-aunt. "The exercise of colors went like this..." Slowly, earnestly, the shudra healer elucidates. She was taught to clear her mind, to focus on nothing but the color red. To let the color build an aura in her mind, sweeping up from her toes to the crown of her head, until there was no other thought in her head. It was not enough to dwell upon red apples, or red fire, or the crimson hue of some of her own silks -- no, what was required was the more elemental concept of _redness_, and she was not permitted to open her eyes to find something red as a visual aid. If her attention faltered, old Ulima would strike her knuckles with a small rod. If she spoke of anything but what the concept of _red_ evoked within her, again would come a tiny blow. Only when the Shishya was satisfied would she be permitted to proceed to orange. Then yellow. And on along the hues of the rainbow. Kerani nods slowly, folding her hands over her belly as she listens dutifully. Her lips purse slightly as she considers the exercise as it is explained. "This is just a mental exercise, then? Not something specific to healing arts?" she asks curiously. "It sounds... strange, I know," Faanshi says then. Somewhere in the midst of her explanation, she's begun to fidget. Too well-trained a shudra to pace, she has to limit herself to slipping her hands behind her back, twiddling her fingers back and forth. It seems to strike her oddly to be questioned thus, and for a few moments she almost seems inclined to take this as chastisement before recalling that she is at least in theory the authority here. "But you see... my heart-mother was commanded by the Amir-al to teach me control and that is how she did it. With the exercise of colors, and the exercise of numbers. It, um, kept me able t-to withstand pain from others. And not to touch them until I was given leave. I couldn't do that, before." Kerani seems hardly in the mood to chastize her instructor. She instead nods acceptingly. "I can see the usefulness of that, yes." "I would suggest that if you find, Imphada, that your control slips..." Faanshi swallows momentarily behind her dark veil, a bit discomfited by the notion of herself striking the pregnant Maithuna's fine hands. Then she goes on, "That you practice the exercise of colors... in a quiet place, where you burn the herbs undisturbed. I-I will help to keep you focused, if you wish it and there is a time we both can meet." With that, then, Faanshi's dark delicate brows knit, and she pauses. It is with apparent hesitation that she finally asks, "When your control slips, Imphada... how does it feel to you?" Kerani nods at the last of the explanation, quietly. At the question, the young woman tilts her head. "I haven't really felt anything when I've lost my control - it only happens briefly. Usually, it's the normal sensation I get when I pick up someone else's pains, assuming someone that close is in any pain." "But what is it that you feel?" The question seems to be important, as at last, Faanshi dares to sit down nearby. Something at last seems to settle into place with her, steadying her gentle voice, giving her an assurance that manifests itself as unobtrusively as a fragile new wildflower opening petals to the sun. "Suppose... suppose that your husband cut his hand by mistake, with a knife... has anything ever happened like that, while you were near?" Kerani ponders that one for a few moments, thoughtfully quiet. "I've felt injuries from him before, yes, without my actually concentrating on doing so. It doesn't feel any different than normal - it feels almost as though I'm feeling the pain myself, but ... different." All too often when she speaks, Faanshi's words are hesitant -- when she is convinced that her words will fall unwelcome upon the ears of their recipient. There is no hesitation, not now, as she earnestly answers, "It is not lack of control when you feel another's pain, Imphada... or so I have been taught. It is the magic saying that something is wrong. Something it wants you to mend. I have learned that the secret of controlling it comes when you answer the magic as _you_ will... not as it wills. I used to be unable to fight it and it would make me sick." Kerani nods slowly, and purses her lips thoughtfully. "I was taught that I could even control those feelings," she replies, but nods again. "I've never had a problem where I've healed someone against my own will ... at least, not that I have felt." As comfortable as she's become in this young priestess' presence, still, Faanshi isn't quite at ease enough for humor. Or is she? There is a subtle relaxing of her voice, the only clue of her mood; there's no change in the earnest summer-green eyes above her veil. Her tone might, just might, almost be described as wry as she admits, "Then your control is already better than mine was, Imphada... at least when my heart-mother began to teach me. How often do you heal...?" Kerani smiles faintly. "You could do more with your power then, I am sure, then I can do now, or will be able to do for a while. I do not use my healing very often, though - maybe once or twice every couple weeks, beyond using it to detect health and injury. I do not get many opportunities to 'exercise' my powers." In utmost seriousness, though not once does she lose her tone of solemn respect, "Imphada... the most important thing I have learned in the years since I came out of Clan Sarazen -- I-I mean, at least when it comes to magic -- is that the best way I've been able to learn to use my magic is to _use_ it. I have had to go out into Bordertown... but you should not have to." She pauses, considering, and then she asks, very softly, "Are you willing to heal candala as well as the Children of Fire, Imphada?" Kerani nods her head slowly in reply. "I have done so before, though few actually approach me for soothing their injuries. I offer my comfort to any save the enemies of the Varati." "There are a great number of families who live in the Varati quarter of Haven, Imphada," Faanshi says then, eyes uncommonly clear and steady of gaze, with only a hint of wistfulness therein; she has long ago accepted that most of the People of Fire simply won't let her touch them to heal them. But this doesn't mean she doesn't want them healed, all the same. "Good families... vaisya, kshatri. I implore you... consider going to them. You are Ushasti, they will trust you. Or at least the women will. But for now..." To finish, the halfbreed maiden pulls in another breath. "I will suggest one last thing which you can practice. The first thing my acarya FallingStar bid me do when she took me as her student was to go to those who I trusted... and ask them to let me touch them with their magic, so that I could learn what a healthy body felt like... so that I could tell the right apart from the wrong, when I found one sick or hurt." Kerani nods her head acceptingly. "I will do so," she replies dutifully. It is strange indeed to Faanshi to hear a dutiful tone used to _her_, and the shudra maiden can't help but marvel at least inwardly over it for a moment. But she does not let herself marvel for long; it would be unseemly. Quietly she rises then, beckoning to Kosha while she says, "There are other duties to which I must attend tonight, Imphada... so if it pleases you I will attend to them...?" Kerani smiles gently and nods. "It would certainly please me. Thank you, Faanshi. May the dawn's rays shine on you and light your way." She slowly rises to her feet. That'd be a switch -- but, then again, the dawn has not held quite so much grief for Faanshi as it used to, not since she started the writings of careful, shy hymns to the Dawn-Mother... and to a bard who exists nowhere now except in her heart and her memory. A glimmer of peace about her eyes, Faanshi clasps her hands at her breast and bows to the young Maithuna, saying, "Be blessed, Imphada, you and your child to come. Namaste'." And on silent-sandaled feet, the shudra turns to retreat from the fountain's edge, vanishing with her loyal hound into the evening. [End log.]