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 Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:32 pm
Trying to catch a tintural sounded like a simple enough idea. The biggest catch to such a simple idea was tracking down the correct tintural with the rare herbs that Eudom was looking for while also leaving presents to the forest spirits for when he finally roped the correct one. However, the Yaeli teen was struggling to get the gentle giant to follow him and an exasperated sigh left his lips. Was this the correct thing to do if the creature was so against following him home? “I just need to borrow you until the herbs finish growing.” He advised as he approached the creature and studied it. Removing the herbs now would ruin them because even if he wanted to transplant them the roots were simply too delicate at this point in their growth. And he couldn’t leave the tintural to wander away more, not when his farm was on the opposite side of the valley and a decent hike away. He had gone farther than the local village for once, all the way down a hillside and through some woods until he found the creature in question lazing about a dry stretch of valley full of rocks and dirt more so than any water. Eudom had even brought some vegetables from his farm to try and entice the creature but it simply snapped at his fingers before turning away again. Rebuilding things, farming, memorizing journals and even crafting was far easier than trying to understand animals.
Eudom found himself letting out another sigh of frustration as he perched on a rock and studied the tintural thoughtfully. Eventually something would have to change and Eudom was determined to stick around until he could think of a good solution. If he had to drag the tintural then he would drag it. The teen just prayed to the spirits that it wouldn’t come to that since it would not be a fun experience at all for either party.
[Eudom 1]
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Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:40 am
"I can't believe you did that, Laksha!"
"Oh come on Varshana, it was just a little honey~"
"On my best dress!"
With two of her sisters bitterly tossing quips before her, much to the amusement and ire of her other sisters, Vaani was left to trail behind. Each of the girls held a basket of some sort with a variety of fruits, vegetables and wares to bring back to their home. Vaani herself had some of the most bitter fruit on Yael and normally it's bristly exterior would have been enough to scare her off, but she knew first hand that it made the best pies which set her heart a flutter.
Their family had little snippets of farmland spaced out over the less-than-ideal landscape to avoid others. It made life a little harder, but with so many of them they made it work. Vaani certainly didn't mind. It meant that she didn't have to talk to as many strangers or get spit on quite as often. All in all that made for happier days and-
"Did you hear something?"
"What?" Nakia pulled up to stop next to Vaani and the two looked out to their right. Someone was definitely over there. The longer the two remained frozen the more attention it got from the other girls until the entire gaggle was pressed cheek to cheek, gawking into the woods.
"It's a spirit. Has to be." Varshana commented.
"Well, all the better to check it out." Laksha smirked...then promptly pushed Vaani forward. "Go on then, we'll be right behind you."
"Why me?!" Vaani gaped. Instead of answering her sister simply ushered her forward and when the others did nothing to stop her Vaani's lower lip quivered. They were just too scared to go themselves so she was the sacrifice...Thanks a lot.
Clutching her basket for all it was worth, Vaani slowly picked her way closer. After a time she could make out a tintural and...a boy? "H-hello?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 9:53 am
"Forgive me." Eudom started as soon as he spotted someone like a spirit coming through the woods, but hearing the hesitation in the girl's voice made him pause thoughtfully. Would a spirit come out so fearfully? Surely she would have come out with demands or trying to tempt him further into the darkness like in the stories. So all he did instead was give a nod before looking back towards the tintural. "Hopefullly I'm not in the way but this beast has decided to take his time with wandering back towards my home." His silvery gaze swept back towards the girl thoughtfully, almost as if he could try to place a name with the face, but his attention was distracted. Did she have company hiding behind her? The Yaeli pursed his lips with almost disdain. He didn't need a distraction when he was already struggling with this tintural and a group of teens wouldn't help!
Even though technically he was probably around their age...he acted like an older, grumpier Yaeli honestly. Perhaps he had spent too many years alone with his grandfather and not enough time in the local village. Either way Eudom found himself letting out a sigh before he noticed that the tintural had shifted closer towards the Yaeli girl. Did she have something of interest? Eudom blinked before noting the basket. "Actually...yes hello. Would you happen to be carrying something tasty?" He bluntly asked as he eye'd the basket and took a step towards the girl with the tintural behind him, the rope connecting them gripped loosely in his hands.
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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 12:06 pm
"No, it's fine." Did that mean he lived around here? She wasn't aware that they had neighbors, even if there was still a fair amount of distance between them. The thought was as exciting as it was fear inducing. What if his family saw their curse and -
"Oh. Hello there." Vaani reached out hesitantly toward the tintural, assuming that it simply wanted pets, but came up short. Something tasty? "I have xirna fruit? It's too bitter to snack on, but I'm sure my sister's have something better." She could still hear them in the background, but for now it didn't sound as if they were getting any closer.
He was...well, very abrupt and Vaani was regretting coming forward.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:27 am
"Whatever the tintural likes." Admitted Eudom as he glanced towards the creature with a frown. "I'm trying to get it to go home to the farm but it's dragging its feet in protest." He tried to explain towards the stranger, his lips pressing into a tight line as he realized that maybe he shared too much information. What would she even do with a tintural? At this rate he was finding himself even more annoyed with the stubborn creature. Was it worth taking home to the farm? Though Eudom found himself glancing towards the fresh growth of rare herbs, another sigh leaving his lips at the realization that yes he did need to get the stubborn creature home.
Though his gaze did snap back towards the girl at the suggestion of sisters. How many were there? Eudom opened his mouth before closing it again thoughtfully. Did he even feel like dealing with one person let alone others today?
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:45 pm
"How...far away do you live?" She was trying not to sound too suspicious when she asked it, but Vaani was worried. What if he lived close? Then that would mean her families little sanctuary away from the world wasn't as secluded as they thought!
Gingerly she offered the creature a xirna fruit and smiled a little as it tentatively started to eat it out of her hand. It was hesitant at first, no doubt feeding off her own insecurities, but eventually she was able to feed the stubborn beasty. When she took a half step away she noticed that it turned it's head toward her; so, on a whim, she took a half step toward the boy. It took a slow step toward her.
"Um, if it's close, I could help lead it there? I just need to let my sister's know-"
"Vaani! Are you alright?"
Wincing a little, she looked back toward the hillside where her sisters were picking their way through the brush. Four young women identical to her in every way, save for their hairstyles and clothing, came to her side.
"When you didn't come back Laksha got worried."
"Was not, Varshana was the worrier."
"Whose that?" Nakia pointed out, and as the voice of reason the other girls turned to look at Eudom.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 3:41 pm
Eudom's brow furrowed thoughtfully as he pondered the best way to answer that question. What if it was a trick? Though he couldn't help but to notice the way the tintural reacted to the girl rather than him...another sigh left his lips as he took the risk. "Across the valley, there's a farm a few hours hike from town." It was a nice sprawling area that he much preferred to keep away from others when possible. Still, it would do him no good to waste a whole day trying to get a creature to move when it obviously was working better for the stranger.
The sudden name caught him by surprise. Vaani. So that was her name? He supposed that her sisters surely had caught up to them and that was whoever was yelling now. At first he thought it was a trick of the mind when he noticed the growing similarities between the girls as they got closer. Eudom was already uncomfortable dealing with one girl, but four more? Still, when all of them turned to look at him and he could not longer deny the identical features the teen found himself at a loss. So much for being safe from the strange and curses today!
"Spirits..." He managed before finding himself a bit overwhelmed and plopping on the ground as if in disbelief, his mind going blank as it tried to process the illusion before him.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 5:15 pm
Ah well, that was a relief. He was closer than she would have liked, but still far enough away that even if they did run into each other again it shouldn't be too soon. Honestly the fact that she hadn't seen him before today was also a good sign. Besides, he didn't seem like the type to snoop; if anything he wanted his privacy just as much as they did.
Oh, but there it was. Her heart fell a little at his reaction, even as her sisters started to sputter around her. They gave out a variety of reactions; some gasped, some murmured among themselves, but it was Laksha who spoke first.
"Spirits of the scariest kind; so you should stay away." She put her hand on Vaani's arm and tugged her sister back with her. There was a protectiveness about it; one that was born out of a need to watch over her sisters. She'd always been like that.
"But we're not..." Vaani bit her lower lip when Laksha gave her a look. Normally it would have been enough to quiet her, but this time... "It's okay....uhm, sir? Sorry, I don't know your name. We're not spirits; at least, I don't think we are. We won't hurt you."
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:57 pm
Eudom blinked and blinked some more as he tried to piece together the group of girls as separate entities instead of as some spirit sent to trick him. The young Yaeli found himself gazing across the group, a frown crossing his expression as he stayed on the ground for a moment longer before finally regaining some form of composure. "So you aren't spirits....relatives then?" He managed quietly as he crossed his arms. "You all look so alike." Like usual Eudom was blunt with the obvious as he studied the group. How could so many women look almost identical in both appearance and age? Even if they were sisters none of them looked several years apart! Cousins perhaps then? Truly he was baffled!
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 7:03 pm
"Wow, look at you, so smart-" Laksha started only to be shushed by one of their sisters.
Vaani smiled sympathetically. "It's overwhelming, isn't it? We're sisters and we were born at the same time. Like twins, just...more." It was hard to explain when they were the only case of it that she knew of existing. A few others had been conceived, from what her mother said, but they all either died in the womb or in infancy. The gods had wanted them to live and whether that was a blessing or a curse only time would tell.
"Are you going to be alright?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:46 pm
Eudom just shot the girl a look before looking back towards the original sister that he had spotted in the forest. "Just...more." He repeated with a raised brow. Like maybe three or four siblings was a little bit more, but seven? At least he thought he was counting seven though it was hard since it was easy to loose track while looking from moving girl to moving girl. They were mostly standing still but it was still a bit disorienting to go from an identical yaeli to another while counting.
"I'll be fine." He groused before standing and brushing the dirt from his leggings. "I just was not aware of any nearby family with so many daughters." Eudom managed before glancing across the whole group. The sound of crunching leaves caught his attention and the teen looked towards the tintural with a soft sight. "Is there anything you need help with or?" He found himself offering though he was slowly inching back towards the creature as he did not want to allow it to wander too far away.
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:39 am
When her sisters starting showing interest in the tintural rather than the stranger Vaani held some xirna fruit out for them. "We're going to help lead it to his home. He said it was a farm across the valley."
Nakia raised a brow, both at his statement and her sisters. "Yeah, same, we weren't aware that there was a farm so close."
To be honest that bit of knowledge had Vaani worried too. Still, there wasn't much she could do about it now so the little yaeli did her best to put up a brave face. "You said you wanted help," Vaani reached forward to pat the tintural, just to make sure it didn't wander off. "Or...do you not want it now?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 9:28 am
"Well there is." Replied Eudom with a frown. It wasn't completely his fault if they did not know, was it? Not like he was much of a social person in the nearby town anyways. Dealing with others was far too much a hassle when he would much rather spend his time tending to the farm and reading.
Eudom opened his mouth and then closed it again as Vaani reminded him of the offer to help. He did need to get the tintural to his farm. Surely a few more moments of company wouldn't hurt, right? The Yaeli held back a sigh before nodding. "I would...greatly appreciate some help." He finally managed before looking up at the group of girls. He had only thought he was getting help from one girl, but he supposed he would have to adjust any plans of rewards for this. "There's some spare fruit at the farm, I can spare a few pieces in return for you helping. There's autumn gourds as well which can be cut up for pies or whatever you'd like to use them for." The herbs on the back of that tintural were far worth that much at least to Eudom.
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 9:58 am
Vaani found herself a little taken aback by his tone. She'd already surmised that he was a naturally bristly person, but what if they were making it worse by being around? The thing of it was she didn't even think it was because they were quints, rather than they were just living talking creatures invading his space. Maybe he was a tintural in earthling form?
Smiling sympathetically, Vaani rubbed the beasties head and gave it a bite of her fruit. Surely a little teaser would get it going? "Of course, we would-"
"So long as you aren't so rude." Laksha smarted off, causing Vaani's ears to flicker. A few of their other sisters chimed in, some in agreement others in opposition, when she added, "I was under the assumption that when you helped someone they had to be nice."
"We're helping because I volunteered." For once, Vaani used her spine and stood up to Laksha...for all of a few seconds. Still, it was enough to get her steelier sister to quiet down. "Please, for a little while? He's our neighbor and we should be friendly." After all, it wasn't like they had any friends and getting to know others was so rare...
"Oh, really? I could make a lovely stew with gourds like that. Thank you. Would you mind leading the way?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:12 am
Eudom didn't really smile but he was an expert in frowning which showed as his expression continued to shift. The teen bristled at the chorus of commentary from the girls. Indeed, now that he knew they weren't some forest spirits the teen was more so just frustrated at the idea of having to deal with so many people at once regardless of how eerily similar they looked to one another.
He had a sharp retort ready to go before Vaani's words made him bite back the remark. At least she seemed to have some sort of patience for all of this madness. Eudom nodded his head in appreciation towards the girl before gesturing forward. "I am being nice, if that helps." He murmured as he walked past and started leading the way. "It's a little bit of a hike across the valley but if you need a rest then there's plenty of room." Though honestly he did hope that they didn't need to take their time before leaving again. If it wasn't for the tintural the man would have run for the hills already instead of dealing with this. Just endure for now. Worst case they filled up his kitchen while he made tea or something to show how nice he could be.
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