"A Talk by the Shrine"

Log Date:
	5/22, 5/26, 6/6/00

Log Cast:
	Faanshi, Kerani

Log Intro:
	In recent weeks, Faanshi has entered the service of the Maharani
Thalia Tritonides Khalida... and as if that momentous shift in her status
were some sort of harbinger for oddities to come in her life, her day to
day existence has as of late been filled with strangeness indeed. She has
come to the attention of the Warlord of Clan Messala, who has proven to her
that even mighty men such as Warlords might have reason to converse with
humble ones such as she; she has found herself having to explain why she
heals to a vaisya artisan; she has run multiple times into a friendly young
Sylvan by the name of Prying-Eagle, and for that matter, into the infamous
Empyrean healer Cynara, who holds much of Bordertown under her control.
	And she has even stumbled across a morning ceremony of the Ushasti,
those women whose ranks the young halfbreed has long wished she could join.
But alas, so far as Faanshi can see, she is unworthy of such a lofty honor,
for she has never been able to fulfill a command given her by Khalid Atar
himself as a condition of her being permitted to seek to join that sect of
priestesses: the command to ensure that Kiera Khalida would spend more time
in Haven.
	But still, there is one Ushasti who remembers what Faanshi did for
Clan Behzad, and so far as Kerani is concerned, the young halfbreed healer
is still a cause that must be investigated... and for Faanshi, Kerani is
perhaps a means by which she can soothe a heart still greatly fretful over
her long-absent love, Lyre Talespinner...

*===========================< In Character Time >===========================*
             Time of day:  Late Morning
          Date on Aether:  Wednesday, July 7, 3906.
           Year on Earth:  1506 A.D. 
       Phase of the Moon:  Waxing Crescent
                  Season:  Summer
                 Weather:  Sprinkling Rain
             Temperature:  Comfortable
*==========================================================================*

Secluded Grotto - Atesh-Gah Garden - Haven
     Cupped within the delicate palms of serenity, this miniature grotto 
  offers a shelter away from the pressing demands of Atesh-Gah. Surrounded 
  within the velvety, quiet confines of billowing cypress and the weeping 
  leaves of willows, reality is left far behind. A flirty, intoxicating 
  fragrance drifts lazily throughout, brought forth from the sprinking of 
  powdered jasmine, creamy azalea, and a variety of other flourishing blossoms 
  which have taken root here.
     Half-hidden within a dense gathering of thriving, fanning ferns is 
  revealed a statue of unblemished white marble. Etched with a talented hand 
  from long past, care has been taken reveal the likeness of Ushas, Goddess of 
  Mercy, mother of Khalid Atar. Smooth, globular stones of slate hue have been 
  hollowed and placed within an arc formation about the sculpture for ritual 
  offerings. Interwoven, and within the clutches of iron shapings, are brazier 
  stands of a few feet in height, a rippling of flames licking the bellies of 
  each.
     The lush underfooting of grass carpeting offers, along with a scattering 
  of modest boulders, a few pleasant spots for rest and relaxation. Creeping 
  unobtrusively through this surreal enclosure are the persistant trailings of 
  ivy, vines tangling with the every surface.
Contents:
Kerani
Obvious exits:
Fountain <F>

She should, Faanshi knows, have come here at dawn -- but the shudra girl has 
  grown shy of encountering the Ushasti women at their morning worship, for 
  all the welcome she's been given. And thus has she lingered out of more or 
  less obvious sight until such time as the maithuna and kanya and chela have 
  finished their songs and gone about their business of the day, until such 
  time as the shrine stands alone... and a halfbreed girl with prayers to 
  utter to the Lady of the Dawn can feel as if she might have a chance of her 
  humble supplications being heard. Thus does Faanshi kneel before the image 
  of the Mother of the Hawk of Heaven, burning incense she's mixed with her 
  own hands in a tiny bowl, her heart full of the worry she's dared express to 
  none but Ushas Herself.
"Please let him come home safely," she whispers, eyes pressed shut, "and I 
  shall do whatever You wish of me..."

One of the Kanya comes toward the shrine not too long after the young 
  halfbreed has started her prayer. Kerani holds a sprig of small flowers to 
  her robes, head lowered as she enters the shrine well after the morning 
  worship has finished. The young woman lifts her eyes toward the shrine, and 
  sees that she's not alone. A faint smile touches her lips to see Faanshi 
  already there. Kerani softly approaches, moving toward one of the other 
  braziers, to kneel and set her offering to the gentle flames.

Soft are the footsteps of a woman of the Varati, but to the ears of one who 
  has learned that it is always wisest to keep half an ear out for her betters 
  -- and to Faanshi, this means practically everyone within Atesh-Gah -- even 
  the most delicate of footfalls can register upon her senses without too much 
  trouble. Kerani's approach sends a shiver of alarm along the shudra girl's 
  spine, and her prayer dies in her throat. Only after a moment does she seem 
  to recover enough composure to move, and then that is only to try to back 
  away from the shrine, her gaze still lowered, to give way to the newcomer.

Kerani
        This dusky-skinned young woman seems to barely be more than a girl, 
  with her smooth features and youthful vibrance - perhaps in her mid to late 
  teens. She stands at six feet, with the slender but solid build typical of 
  Varati women. Her dark brown eyes almost seem to shine with an inner fire, 
  and her wavy black hair flows to rest between her shoulderblades. 
        She is clad in a simple, snow-white silk robe that covers her from 
  neck to ankles. White slippers cover her feet. A veil of translucent white 
  covers the front of her face, held in place by a silver chain about her 
  head, and leaving her eyes unveiled. From each of her earlobes hangs a 
  simple silver hoop earring, circles about a finger wide each. Around her 
  neck are three silver necklaces - one of tiny links, one of small chain, and 
  one of larger chain. A tear-shaped, amber-red jewel hangs from her neck on a 
  thin silver chain. A small-chain necklace of less vibrant metal supports a 
  beautiful amethyst charm just below her neckline. On each arm, she wears a 
  pair of silver bracelets, one smaller than the other. Set into the smaller 
  bracelet on her left hand is a tear-shaped amber-red jewel.

Kerani lifts one hand up as Faanshi starts to get up, a gesture to say 'stay 
  put'. More gently comes the young woman's voice. "Namaste, Faanshi. There is 
  room enough for us both to give words to the Mother of the Dawn - there is 
  no need to move." Indeed, she does move around the shudra, without getting 
  in her way, giving both young women room for worship.

It is the voice that Faanshi recognizes, for she hasn't looked up to note more 
  than the most general details of the form. And again the shudra freezes, but 
  this time in startlement. Then summer-leaf green eyes rise up tentatively to 
  peek above her dark blue veil, to confirm what her ear as told her -- yes. 
  She knows this maiden -- no, this _woman_, she corrects herself swiftly, 
  recollecting in chagrin that Kerani is wedded now. "Namaste', Imphada 
  Kerani," she whispers, bowing as best she can there where she kneels.

As Faanshi looks upon the young priestess, her head is bowed toward the 
  likeness of the Dawn Mother, eyes closed. Her lips move silently, but only 
  for a few moments. Her eyes open, her head lifts, and she turns slightly 
  toward Faanshi, again offering a faint smile. "I was somewhat hoping I would 
  find you here," she says softly. "I did not wish to disturb your prayer, 
  however."

"It is--" Force of habit makes her want to say 'unimportant' to the young 
  imphada, but there's a memory of dark eyes and a rugged face and a warm, 
  gravelly voice lurking just behind her eyes, and with Lyre Talespinner so 
  present in her thoughts, Faanshi has no heart to utter that word. She 
  settles instead for murmuring tinily, "... a-all right, Imphada... do you 
  need my service?" Surely that must be why a married woman and a priestess 
  must be seeking her, aye?

Kerani smiles a little wider, only barely noticably even if Faanshi were 
  watching her face. That smile softens into a slightly more serious 
  expression, though no less pleasant. "I would almost think that you were in 
  need of mine," she replies gently. "But that is a matter for you to decide. 
  No, I was hoping to speak with you again." Her slender hands rest 
  comfortably on her knees.

"I... I am all right, Imphada," the shudra blurts, blushing vehemently behind 
  her veil. After all, her worry over a Mongrel man -- and more importantly, 
  what that Mongrel man is currently doing, an activity that'd be bound to 
  bring the wrath of the Children of Fire down upon his head if he were 
  directing his efforts at the Varati instead of the Empyre -- is beneath the 
  concern of a kshatri and a priestess, is it not? With an effort, she more or 
  less manages to regain her composure, turning about slightly so that 
  although her gaze is still humbly lowered, she is pointed a trifle more 
  towards the younger woman. "How may I serve...?"

Kerani quietly notes to herself that she just hit an uncomfortable chord - not 
  precicely what she'd intended, but something she's been doing all too well 
  with anyone of late. "I was hoping to find out more about yourself," she 
  replies. "As long as you don't mind, though. I do not wish to put you ill at 
  ease - that is more important than my curiosity right now."

Wait a minute. Kerani wishes to know of _her_? That, too, seems to strike 
  Faanshi strangely, and a few seconds pass before she is able to murmur with 
  something resembling equinamity, "I... do not mind, Imphada. What do you 
  wish to know of me...?" Is she still blushing? Quite possibly, but then, she 
  _is_ veiled, and her green gaze is averted, making it difficult to read 
  anything of her expression and stance save utmost modesty.

Kerani nods slowly as Faanshi replies - surprised but not too unsettled. 
  Hopefully. "I am curious about a few things regarding you." She gestures 
  about the grotto with one hand. "One being matters of faith. You obviously 
  aren't ill-informed about what the Ushasti stand for." She tilts her head, 
  smiling. "I'm wondering, though, what you do know about the faith."

That earns Kerani another startled peek above the blue veil, and a slight 
  widening of the slanted green eyes fringed by dark lashes. Uncertain how to 
  begin, equally uncertain whether this gentle-voiced girl may be about to 
  censure her for the time she has spent near the shrine of the Lady of the 
  Dawn, Faanshi answers in shy, awkward softness, "I... my... heart-mother... 
  taught me to worship the Mother, Imphada..." Another uncomfortable chord 
  there? "I know... a little."

Kerani's smile fades a little bit, as she realizes she's pressing in yet 
  another uncomfortable direction. She nods slowly, and says, "If I am making 
  you overly uncomfortable, Faanshi, tell me." There - that's out, in as much 
  of a direct order as she's allowed herself to go. The smile returns a little 
  more easily, even as she thinks on how to direct the topic around that 
  uneasy note. "We all know 'a little', particularly those my age - the elders 
  are the ones expected to know it all."

Faanshi's blue-saried head bobs earnestly to that gently phrased order, though 
  if the stoic set of her relatively small and slender frame is any 
  indication, getting this shudra to admit to any personal discomfort is 
  almost as difficult as taming a wyvern. "Yes, Imphada," she can be heard to 
  murmur, and after a moment, unsure whether she is expected to say more, she 
  timidly ventures, "I know... songs... the bhajana, a-at least, the part the 
  chela sing when the sun is coming up. And my heart-mother taught me of 
  herbs, though my teacher Imphada FallingStar does more of that."

Kerani tilts her head slightly, and nods. "That's quite a bit more than the 
  'casual worshipper' of the Dawn Mother tends to learn." She smiles. "How 
  long have you been worshipping the Mother?"

Behind her veil, Faanshi bites her lip. For all that the cloth shows signs of 
  much use, it is still think enough to hide that little expression of 
  nervousness. The veil does nothing, however, to hide the sound of the shudra 
  maiden's voice. "All my life, Imphada," she admits tinily. "As... as long as 
  I can remember. My heart-mother taught me to pray to Ushas each morning and 
  her Holy Son each night... so that I would not be..." She pauses then, gaze 
  ducking down a trifle further. And she finishes after a moment, "So that I 
  would be pure within the darkness."

Kerani slowly nods - her own veil is too thin to hide her smile, or any but 
  the most subtle of expressions. The young priestess turns her eyes from 
  Faanshi toward the likeness of the Holy Mother, as she says, "Even the 
  smallest ways of showing devotion can be enough to call down Holy Ushas' 
  soothing mercy on young girls and women." She looks back to the young 
  shudra. "Have you ever wanted to learn more than you do now?"

Amazement cannot be read in Faanshi's own countenance -- _her_ veil, worn in 
  places though it might be, the gold trim that fringes it mended in different 
  shades of thread, is too opaque to reveal the shifts of her mouth and chin. 
  But her sudden indrawn breath and the tremor that momentarily ripples across 
  her slender shoulders speak where her visage cannot, and so also speak the 
  sungolden hands that tighten their grip upon one another, at her breast. 
  "I... I am a shudra, Imphada, it has not been..." Is that hope lurking 
  somewhere under Faanshi's submissive tones, brightening them ever so 
  slightly? "It is... not my place...!"

Kerani tilts her head slightly, questioningly. She regards Faanshi quietly for 
  a moment, still smiling, before gently asking, "Are you aware, Faanshi, that 
  there are members of all the castes? Kshatri, vaisya, shudra, even some 
  naraki." She gestues with one hand toward the likeness of Ushas. "The 
  worship of the Mother of the Amir-al is for all women who wish it, no matter 
  how high or how low. Her mercies pay little attention to station."

Ushas might be blind to station -- but is She blind to blood? This question 
  has haunted Faanshi ever since she was old enough to understand that she is 
  simply just not made the same way that _true_ Daughters of Fire are. For a 
  few moments, the shudra girl swallows hard behind her veil, peering down 
  with a liquid gaze at her own hand, paler of skin and more fragile-seeming 
  of structure than a Varati's should be. And then she whispers, "My 
  heart-mother... Ulima... hoped perhaps I-I could be like her, but then she 
  passed on to her next life... and... I-I cannot think of such things, not 
  now..."

Kerani quietly folds her hands in her lap as Faanshi sits quietly. As the 
  softly spoken reply comes, the young priestess slowly nods. She considers 
  the reply silently for a few moments, wondering whether or not to press the 
  questioning further. This time, she decides against it, at least for now. 
  "We can all aspire to be something more," she says softly, "without denying 
  who we are."

Perhaps it is because of the sanctity and safety of this place... or perhaps 
  it is because of Kerani's own gentle demeanor, or the words she uses which 
  seem hauntingly familiar, a refrain one or two wide-hearted souls have 
  already sung to her. Whatever the reason, Faanshi risks a peek at the 
  taller, younger woman, green eyes simultaneously nervous, furtive... and 
  again, hopeful. "I am already blessed beyond deserving," she breathes. "The 
  Maharani has honored me by allowing me to serve her..."

Kerani smiles gently toward Faanshi and nods, showing no disapproval for the 
  shudra's upward glance. "For one of your station, that is a blessing 
  indeed," she replies. "It is not at all sinful or disrespectful, though, if 
  your heart wants something more - even if that 'something more' is to help 
  others in need."

Ah. There. That can only be a flare of barely controlled emotion within those 
  shy summer-leaf eyes: something somewhere between gratitude and relief, 
  something that might well be born of the potent need to hear those very 
  words. And is that a subtle trembling, there in the shudra maiden's hands? 
  With much effort, Faanshi strives to keep her voice steady even as her body 
  betrays her, and it may well be that she is either unaware of those telltale 
  little signs, or too overcome to keep full command of her composure. "I do 
  not... ask to be... better than I am... I know my place, Imphada... I only 
  want--" For a moment, for just a moment, her voice catches. And it takes her 
  a moment longer to continue awkwardly, her gaze shooting abashedly downward 
  once more, "--want to help... heal... but most people do not want me to." 
  These last few words drop down sharply in volume. There is no bitterness 
  there, no anger, but in their place an attentive ear may well detect a bleak 
  resignation.

The priestess's expression sombers a bit at the confession, though her smile 
  doesn't fade completely. She brings no attention to the shudra's unease. 
  "Some people allow the following of the surah of Pride to overwhelm their 
  ability to follow Wisdom." Her smile returns again, faintly. "You may want 
  to spend some more time among my sisters, and the other followers of the 
  Dawn Mother. You may find most of us to have similar motivations ... and 
  maybe we can help you help others, as well."

Slowly, unsurely, Faanshi's gaze creeps upward again. "There is... another 
  Imphada..." The words begin to creep forth from her with similar hesitation, 
  but something must have shifted in the mind behind those green eyes, for the 
  Kanya now has her actually _talking_. "She wishes to come with me... to 
  Bordertown, to heal the Mongrels... but I... Imphada Kerani, I... do not 
  understand why the Ushasti women want to help them..." And she trails off, 
  again into a near-toneless whisper, but there's a childlike, plaintive look 
  in her eyes now. The shudra might well be a much smaller girl, unable to 
  understand why she has just been offered a shiny toy, or a place at a 
  hearth-fire... or a mother's loving embrace where one has never existed 
  before.

Kerani tilts her head curiously as Faanshi begins speaking. At the innocent 
  question, the Kanya smiles gently. "Ushas is the goddess of mercy," she 
  explains. "It is as much our duty as our pleasure to spread that mercy to 
  those who need it. Obviously, we try to help the Children of Fire first, but 
  even the kafir can benefit from our assistance."

"There is... much need in Bordertown," Faanshi murmurs then, her soft tones 
  getting a bit more strength back, a bit more conviction. Perhaps it is 
  because the subject is angling away from herself? "Hunger... pain, 
  illness... they are allowed to have so little..." With that, then, her gaze 
  peeks up, daring a limpid glance at the image of the Holy Mother. "If She 
  could smile upon them, perhaps it could help... even a little...!"

Kerani turns her dark eyes toward the image of Holy Ushas as well, slowly 
  nodding. "Any help that can be granted to such people," she says softly, "is 
  a blessing from the Holy Mother, whether they acknowledge it so or not." She 
  smiles faintly. "I, myself, wish I could do more to help people like that. 
  More than just my skill at herbs and magic allows."

Oh yes -- the Imphada Kanya _is_ a healer, isn't she? Delicate black brows 
  knitting above her enormous eyes, Faanshi sneaks a peek at the young 
  priestess, memory flashing across her thoughts. Clan Behzad's crisis, after 
  all, was not so long ago that Faanshi has managed to get past periodic 
  uneasy dreams of the Warlord Sakhr rounding up his Clan's women -- though 
  sometimes, he is Hashim of Sarazen, instead. Involuntarily the halfbreed 
  maiden shudders, wrapping her arms about herself; anxious to exorcise both 
  those mad Warlords from her conscious mind, she seizes the topic of aid to 
  Bordertown as boldly as she dares. "They do not ask for much, Imphada," she 
  blurts then. "They are... used to being scorned, for their blood... and 
  their lack of magic. They make things, with their own hands... they do much 
  hard work. Sometimes the Mongrel people will not let me heal them until 
  th-they know me, and I have helped mend clothing or washed their babies, or 
  Kosha has killed rats in their houses...!"

Kerani nods again, slowly. In the back of her mind, the fright of choosing 
  that particular day to slip into the Behzad Clanhall still haunts her every 
  now and then. "I would expect that you would have an easier time earning 
  their trust than even I would, if only because of your station." She shakes 
  her head slightly. "Still, I am sure that to actually be addressed with 
  common courtesy, even from Varati, is refreshing for them."

Faanshi's clothing is Varati, and so is her demeanor, from her demure 
  inclination of her head to the unobtrusive way in which she speaks -- but 
  still, she is not entirely Varati. This, coupled with her comparatively 
  humble station, has doubtless contributed to her effectiveness among the 
  denizens of the poorest part of the city. But there is also the simple fact 
  that she is _Faanshi_, possessed of a blend of innocence and wisdom that has 
  without her knowing managed to win her more than a few trusted contacts 
  among the Mongrel race. That same strange, knowing guilelessness is what 
  prompts her now to murmur only, "Most of the Mongrels I've met have been 
  very kind to me... perhaps... if I tell them the Ushasti women wish to help 
  too... they would listen. I will try, Imphada...!" Another timid peek, and 
  then down goes her gaze once again.

Kerani again gently nods her head toward Faanshi. Perhaps, for all her 
  seriousness and calm poise, there's still some bit of an innocent young girl 
  left in the newlywed Kanya, which echoes to Faanshi's own innocence. "I do 
  not expect that the Mongrels would trust even one such as myself quickly. 
  Still, a good word might help so that deeds can speak for the rest of our 
  motivations." She turns her gaze again toward the likeness of the Holy 
  Mother, falling silent. Her dark eyes shimmer as if with an unasked question 
  - but is this question for Ushas herself, or the demure young halfbreed who 
  sits near the priestess?

"I will speak to some of the Mongrels I know..." Faanshi promises this again, 
  readily enough, but her voice trails off even as she speaks. Mongrels. 
  Reminded of the purpose of her prayer here, the shudra pulls in a breath, 
  eyes closing for a moment in fervent inner supplication. Then she dares to 
  open them again and ask, "Do you... want to know anything else of me, 
  imphada?"

Kerani tilts her head slightly as the question is asked of her, still looking 
  upward toward Ushas' gentle visage. She slowly turns back toward Faanshi, 
  smiling again. "There is more I would like to know, yes, but the words 
  escape me for now. If there is anything you would like to tell me, perhaps 
  anything that you feel may be important, feel free. As well, if there is 
  anything you wish to know of me, please ask - I've certainly asked you 
  plenty of questions, after all."

Free rein to speak to an Ushasti priestess and healer. Faanshi has to wrestle 
  with this one for a moment, trying to decide exactly how to handle such an 
  honor; at last, then, she settles upon meekly inquiring, "Do you know... if 
  the Imphada Devi... fares well? I have not heard anything out of Clan 
  Behzad..."

Kerani slowly shakes her head in reply to the question. "I have been tending 
  the Behzad greenhouse for some time now, and I have not heard any word, good 
  or ill, from the Imphada. I believe I'd have heard if something had gone 
  truly wrong, so I am not worried."

"And the women of the Clan...? They are... happier, with the new Warlord?" 
  Faanshi's voice does not grow braver, exactly, but concern gives it 
  strength, and there is a visible anxiety in the leaf-hued eyes that peek 
  over her veil.

Kerani nods to this, her smile returning. "The women - and men, or so I hear - 
  are much happier with their current situation. The Behzad clanhall has 
  become quiet by comparison, and the calm is comforting."

Apparently, this sits well with the young shudra. Her next question is a 
  trifle shyer, however. "I... remember that you are married now, imphada...?"

Kerani smiles somewhat more shyly herself, nodding. "For a few months now, 
  yes," she replies softly. It's clear that, to some degree, the pleasant 
  shock of being married hasn't yet faded.

Her gaze dropping down once again, Faanshi murmurs abashedly, "I beg your 
  forgiveness, imphada, for not coming... I got your invitation, and I... was 
  frightened to come. I should have tried to find you to apologize but I did 
  not know how...!"

Kerani lifts her eyes back up toward the young shudra, and nods her head. "You 
  just did," she replies. "I forgive you - I was hoping you would have been 
  there." She tilts her head slightly. "Do you mind if I ask why you were ... 
  frightened?"

"I did not want to..." Faanshi's voice turns rougher, if those gentle tones of 
  hers can ever really be considered rough. Her eyes close again, and a 
  measure of tension might be read from the dejected bowing of her shoulders. 
  "I... was afraid that I would shame the wedding, imphada. And I... would not 
  have known what to do... I've never been to a wedding before."

Kerani smiles reassuringly and nods. She speaks in gentle tones, "It is not 
  shameful to fear what you do not know." She slowly shakes her head. "I 
  assure you, you would not have caused any shame to the ceremony by 
  attending. Still, the past is past."

"The people at the wedding would not have minded that I am halfbreed?" This 
  question comes out of the shudra without hesitation -- but with a childlike 
  plaintiveness, and Faanshi's voice drops in volume.

Kerani slowly shakes her head, still smiling. "If they did, it is their own 
  shortsightedness. I saw fit to invite you, and my now-husband agreed. If any 
  wanted to make a point of it, I am certain Geridan would have put the matter 
  well into hand."

Mongrel men, to be sure, have stood up for her before -- and one such man is 
  lingering still in the back of Faanshi's mind. But the notion that a Varati 
  man might have done so for her if the need arose baffles the halfbreed 
  maiden, and she peeks up in bewilderment. "He is a good man, and kind...? A 
  good husband?"

Kerani nods emphatically. "He is a man full of both honor and compassion, a 
  man I am certainly blessed to be his wife. His kindness extends to those in 
  need, even those who are not Varati." She smiles with no small amount of 
  pride. "I could not have hoped for a better husband."

"Then I am glad," Faanshi murmurs, sounding a bit less nervous now, a bit more 
  assured. "I do not know many people who are married -- at least, not many 
  Varati...!"

Kerani smiles and nods slowly. "Many men prefer having concubines other than 
  wives." She shrugs. "I would have been satisfied becoming a concubine to a 
  vaisya man, but my fate had something much better in store for me."

For a moment, then, Faanshi is silent. And when she once more finds her voice 
  there's a different note within it -- one of shyness, still, to be sure, but 
  a trace of curiosity, nevertheless. Her green eyes venture with utmost 
  bashfulness towards the younger maiden's face as she breathes, "What is it 
  like? To be a wife...?"

Kerani continues smiling, though she folds her hands on her knee. Questions 
  like this, after all, are ones that most Ushasti Maithuna are asked often 
  enough. Still, this is the first time the Kanya has been asked. "In general, 
  or in my case in specific? I will be honest - I have it better than many 
  women can ever hope for, even more than I could have hoped."

"My heart-mother told me something of how it was for her," Faanshi ventures, 
  "but... I have never ever spoken with... if you could just tell me..." The 
  shudra catches herself, sighs, and then murmurs sheepishly, "There is very 
  much I do not know, imphada...!"

Kerani nods slowly, and smiles. "As much as it is a significant amount of duty 
  - particularly for me in keeping our rooms, since we have no shudra or 
  naraki - it is very pleasurable, on many different levels." She tilts her 
  head somewhat curiously, perhaps prompting.

It is difficult to tell when a veiled face is blushing -- but then, among the 
  women of the Varati, there are other ways that the sentiments that prompt a 
  pinkened cheek might be detected. There is, for example, the sudden swift 
  averting of Faanshi's gaze as well as the half-embarrassed, half-curious 
  tone of her voice as she says, "My... heart-mother did not speak much of... 
  what happens. Between husband and wife... since I will probably not ever 
  know... but I am curious... it is... pleasant, imphada?"

Kerani smiles slightly broader as the question is specified well enough. She 
  answers with calm that is likely expected from an Ushasti priestess on the 
  topic. "It is quite pleausrable, yes. Moreso if your husband is as 
  interested in pleasing you as he is in being pleased himself."

Drawing in a soft, almost sharp breath, Faanshi has to take a moment to let it 
  out again. "Then if you are blessed with such a man... I am happy for you, 
  imphada!" The shudra's mood seems to lift with these words, a simple and 
  guileless approval of what she has heard brightening her eyes even if only 
  just a bit.

Kerani takes her turn to lower her head slightly, her cheeks reddening 
  slightly, for all her good composure up to this point. "Thank you," she 
  replies, simply and softly.

It is reassuring, indeed, this evidence of the mercy of the Mother. Faanshi 
  lifts her attention once more up to the statue, thinking to herself that if 
  perhaps this young wife with whom she is conversing could have been blessed 
  with a magnificent husband... perhaps, just perhaps, Ushas will see fit to 
  guide Lyre Talespinner safely home from the Empyre. "The Mother's blessings 
  are to be treasured," she whispers. From someone else it might simply be a 
  platitude, but from this halfbreed shudra girl, those words have a clear and 
  gentle ring of truth, of belief. "I will think some... about your kind 
  offer, imphada. I do not know if I can..." Only now does her voice lessen in 
  surety, losing back some of the ground it's gained. "If I am permitted to 
  spend time with the Ushasti..."

Kerani lifts her head, only to bow it slightly at the whispered benediction. 
  Her smile may be visible, but the satisfaction behind it may not be quite so 
  clear. "Permission is not a problem. As long as your duties permit, you are 
  always welcome here, whether alone or with others." She brushes her sari 
  gently with her fingers. "But do think on it. I can see that the Mother 
  grants you strength - her handmaidens can aid that." She slowly starts to 
  her feet. "I should return home, before it gets much later. Namaste, 
  Faanshi."

"Namaste', Imphada...!" To this farewell Faanshi appends a deep bow, or at 
  least as much of one as she can give while kneeling there upon the ground. 
  Her sari-wrapped head inclines respectfully to the younger maiden, and she 
  holds that posture with all the deference one might normally show a Warlord.

Kerani smiles and nods her head politely at the bow. "I hope to see you again 
  soon," she says, before the young priestess quietly takes her leave.

[End log.]