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 Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:33 am
 (Lines by Scarlett Arbuckle, Colors by Elyessi )
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:05 pm
♥ Table of Contents ♥
❣ Table of Contents
❣ Idania
❣ Relationships
❣ Rps & Adventures
❣ Inventory & Art
❣ Reqs
❣ Extra
❣ The Story So Far
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:07 pm
Name: Idania
Stage: 2 - Rogue (Minstrel)
Race: Leaf
Appearance:
Crystals: There are the ones across her collarbones and the two horn crystals with a central one. Other crystals are along her sides and on her hips with an additional spikes on each hip.
Body type Medium size with curves.
Personality : Meek - Self-Critical - Gracious - Seraphic
Ever since losing her father and relying upon her Aunt, Idania has developed a rather meek personality. When she's not singing she's very quiet and she rarely goes against anything that her Aunt suggests. If anything she's always willing to help and will question herself before thinking that anyone else is in the wrong. Being blind has forced her to rely on others while growing up and even though she's learning more and more about how to handle things on her own, the girl is still scared of what the outside world is like thanks to her Aunt's influence/stories. Such fear makes her push herself to hone the one skill that she does have which is singing/music. Idania is constantly working on her voice and would rather blame herself for any issues, doing her best to improve rather than think that someone else is at fault (for example if a musical piece falters then surely she missed a note rather than the instrument lacking, etc.) It makes her very shy and quiet around strangers especially since she doesn't want to feel like she's in the way or being a burden to others.
Idania knows what it is like to struggle and does her best to try and be kind to others. She's very forgiving and generous so that if someone needs aid and she can help she will try her best despite her disability. Her gentle spirit and beautiful voice makes her almost angelic to those who get to know her. Such warmth and love especially show themselves in her songs as she performs at her Aunt's tavern. Her care for others makes her loveable though those with worst personalities may just take advantage of her instead along the way. Hopefully though Idania's kindness will attract those who want to protect her one day as she hopes to spread joy with her music, the one thing that she adores above everything else as it brings life to her dark world.
History: Born blind to a mother who died for her and to a father who cherished her only to pass away when she was a youngling, the girl has experienced many heartaches. Her father, Laszlo, ran a tavern with his twin sister, Liesel and while her father was alive the three of them got along quite nicely. Originally the siblings had settled in Yera and opened a tavern together because they wanted to offer a place of refuge for travelers which would also provide for them. While Liesel was focused mostly on profit Laszlo was a bit kinder than his twin sister and often made more friends with his outgoing nature. However, that made him more gullible in Liesel's opinion and needless to say she despised it when he eventually brought in a strange woman named Calah who had no place to stay. While Calah offered to do jobs around the tavern it still bothered Liesel that the woman was growing closer to her brother. Eventually the two formed a romantic relationship and Calah became pregnant with Idania. Calah at first was frightened as she had never expected to stay long but Laszlo's assurances kept her from fleeing and so they prepared for the baby.
It was a tense time as Liesel tried to talk Calah out of staying, but Laszlo fought hard for his love and for the child she was carrying. Tense months passed and when an accident occurred Idania came early into the world, her frail body a result of many complications. Laszlo cherished his daughter from first sight, but when his twin noticed that the baby wasn't truly seeing anything she felt disdain. Liesel saw it as another person coming to take advantage of them, as she wanted nothing to do with moochers or charity work. Still, she said nothing as the accident unfortunately took Calah from her brother who relied upon his daughter to take him out of the darkness of his loss. He poured so much love onto Idania that at first she found nothing wrong with herself and grew a bit spoiled by her doting father. She adored singing songs with him and learned to view the world through other means since she couldn't see it like everyone else. Idania adored learning more about the world through sound over anything else and it was from an early age that she decided she would pursue singing.
For those first years of Idania's life everything seemed perfect. Even without a mother she still had her father and despite her aunt's prickly attitude she still found some warmth from the woman. While her family was busy running the tavern, Idania found herself passing time by learning all that she could to navigate the property. She would learn a certain spot by the way the floor creaked under her foot or by a sudden railing that she could feel with her hands. Even the faintest of drafts would alert her to a certain window or doorway as she grew more and more accustomed to feeling her way throughout her home. Her father even strung up strings for her to follow as a child and with their guidance Idonia felt comfortable roaming about on her own. Liesel mostly ignored her save for small rare moments of kindness, but Idonia didn't mind since she understood her aunt was busy running the tavern while her father did his part too.
Unfortunately when Idania was just thirteen years old her father went away on a supply run but never came back. The caravan reported that they were struck by bandits and the wagon tumbled over a cliff into the ocean along Matori's coast. Both Idania and Liesel were broken hearted and after her father's passing nothing seemed the same at home. The tavern was emptier and Idonia started to feel overwhelmed by everything. Nothing was in place, her father's laughter and warmth wasn't there to guide her...it was just so dark. Liesel's strict attitude and her annoyance at being left with her twin's burden made Idonia feel even more like a hassle as she tried to adapt to a life without her father's protection. Once after another failed attempt at helping to clean the tavern when Idonia accidentally broke a vase Liesel had been so angry that she yelled at Idonia and lectured her about getting in the way. Idania couldn't take it any longer and ended up fleeing in tears, her steps taking her far away from the property and through the woods where she stumbled around without any sense of her location. A wild witu had attacked but thankfully Liesel had realized her mistake and chased after the girl. Thankfully she arrived just in time to protect her from the witu and take her home where they both ended up spending a quiet night together, Liesel bandaging Idonia's injuries and making certain she was safe.
Needless to say, the pair had a strange relationship from that point forward where Liesel tried to hold her tongue while Idania did her best to stay out of the way and not irritate her aunt. When she was older the girl was singing out by the tavern and it was then that Liesel noticed some patrons stopping to listen to her niece. That was when the idea of having her niece perform started forming and from that point forward Liesel encouraged Idonia to sing and to learn more about music. As long as Idania could bring in patrons with her performances then she felt useful to her aunt and Liesel could no longer consider her a burden since she was helping out in her own way. Liesel also makes certain to keep Idania close ever since the witu incident and often tells her about the dangers of the outside world just in case she ever wants to wander away again. Losing Idonia's father and almost losing Idonia made something protective come out of the usually distant woman who in her own way has come to care for the girl.
For now Idania is just happy to stay in the place that she has known all of her life and does her best despite being blind to see the world in her own way. Singing inspires her and gives her purpose and she will continue to pursue music so that she can do her part in this world. Maybe one day she will consider branching out from the boundaries set by her aunt but it will take a lot of time and courage to overcome the terrors from the night she did run away.
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:09 pm
♥ Relationships ♥
❣ Family ❣
❣ Friends / Foes ❣
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:09 pm
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:09 pm
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:11 pm
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:12 pm
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:12 pm
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Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:05 pm
♥ Life in Darkness ♥
The world was interesting when it was in perpetual darkness.
Idania’s fingers tapped against the windowpane as she waited out the morning. She knew that the morning sun was moving through the sky because of how much warmer her arm was as time continued passing, the sunlight warming the worn down wood more and more as it got closer to noon. Even if Idania couldn’t see it the girl could at least feel it. Only cloudy or rainy days she would have to rely on other things to help her tell the time, whether it was the types of chirping birds she heard earliest in the morning or the evening hoots of the owls as they hunted in the nearby forest. Or if she was not in the mood to try and spend time using her other senses the girl would use what her father had given her, a specially crafted vase with notches that she filled with water every morning so that it could slowly drain throughout the day into the attached basin with each notch giving her some sense of what hour it was in the day. When her father traveled he found out about all sorts of things and this was one of her most favorite gifts along with the counting beads, the musical bells, harp and especially the wooden toys that she could twist in her fingers so that she could feel all of the edges and try to imagine the shape of local flora and fauna. The aldabuck was one of her favorites with its curved horns and little tuft that was supposedly its tail. Idania figured that much had to be true since she couldn’t imagine her father lying to her whenever he had walked her through the figurines and described them the best that he could, her fingers following his directions as she traced her way across the nose all the way towards the tail. He had originally tried to describe the colors but the girl simply tilted her head in patient confusion until he realized his mistake. Apparently orange and yellows were like the colors of the sun, which Idania simply associated with warm feelings while whenever she was cold or the sun was gone that was what created blue while green was the color of the earth beneath her feet.
“Green like the ground, Papa?”
“Green like the ground, Dani.” Her father would reply before reaching out to ruffle his daughter’s hair, the youngling smiling happily as she listened to his stories and tried to envision what things would look like. At least she still had the ability to touch things, to taste the delicious food that her father and aunt served at the tavern and to smell everything as it passed from the kitchens and out to the waiting customers. Sometimes she wished she didn’t have the sense of feeling and could see instead because of how bitter the cold winter nights could be, especially those following her father’s passing as he was no longer there to supply her with firewood and keep the fire in her room going. Her aunt refused to baby her and the girl eventually had learned how to handle the task, her fingertips getting burned over the weeks until she finally mastered how to take the iron rod and use it to push the pieces of wood around to stir the flames. Now that she was actively singing at the tavern her aunt thankfully helped out a bit more since it was risky to allow Idania to burn herself on the flames, especially with her precious hands that strummed the harp for her performances. Even with the long, jagged scars that crossed her upper right thigh, the stinging memories still haunting her dreams, the girl felt as if her aunt truly hadn’t noticed her until she began singing. Nearly being killed by a witu had admittedly shocked their relationship into something more than just mild tolerance but more acceptance and even some warmth came whenever she became profitable to her aunt, a feeling which was still foreign to Idania who had been treated as a burden most of her life by the prickly woman. At least she was useful now so she felt as if her existence wasn’t some curse on her aunt.
A soft sigh left Idania’s lips at the thought as she pushed away from the bay windows of the private apartment shared with her aunt, the few secluded rooms that were away from the rest of the second floor far more peaceful than the bustle of the tavern below. Thankfully they only had about five rooms to actually rent out to travelers with most of the business coming from those that spent their evenings in the tavern, the appeal of alcohol, food, music and stories constantly bringing in the locals and travelers. Her father had loved being in the midst of the crowd, his charisma constantly bringing cheers to the patrons with rounds of drinks being tossed about throughout the night. Her aunt ran things a bit more strictly but it didn’t dissuade those who enjoyed the woman’s delicious cooking and a good strong ale. Over the last year more patrons had appeared since Idania had started performing almost every other night at the tavern, her songs constantly bringing either sorrow or cheer to the crowds as she listened to their demands and tried to keep up with the moods of their guests. Unfortunately the fun could only last so long before the tavern closed and her aunt ushered her upstairs to be safely out of the way while she cleaned out the tavern and the lingering guests. Most days Idania just passed her mornings waiting for the evenings, her fingers trailing across strings that helped her to navigate the hallway until she was safely tucked away in her room where she could practice the harp and come up with new melodies. Over the years she had trained herself to sense subtle differences between the strings and after resting her forehead against the top of the instrument the girl could reach the different cords, her mouth silently counting each out until her fingers finally plucked the starting note and allowed her to center herself before playing the melody.
Today though the girl found herself inching forward, her bare feet touching each familiar floorboard. She recognized them from spending her whole life wandering these hallways, the worn wood with its variety of knots and the slightly different creaks of each step helping to guide her through the tavern. A wool shawl was around her shoulders and she kept tightening it around her shoulders to fight the morning chill as she slowly made her way down the stairs and towards where she remembered the backdoor. If she tried to leave through the front then that was far riskier because of the maze of tables and chairs that she would probably knock into. She had tried that a few times but usually alerted her aunt with one false bump if someone hadn’t properly placed the chairs back from the night before and the kitchen was too close with open doorways showing any movement in the main tavern hall. Idania did not feel quite like risking her aunt’s wrath that quickly this morning so she took the more subtle approach through the backdoor that her father had always used with her. It was nice because her body remembered the steps and there was always the familiar creak of the floorboard that desperately needed replacing right before you turned right into the kitchens. It always let her know that she had gone too far and that she needed to turn left instead. Idania was careful though today so she only touched the board with her toe, the hint of a creak starting before she bit her bottom lip and slowly backed away. The teen held her breath as she waited to see if her aunt would appear soon but the clacking of pans in the kitchen and the sloshing of water, the familiar sounds of the beginning of tonight’s stew, made her feel confident that her aunt was busy and hadn’t noticed the creaking of the floorboard this time.
Idania knew she had successfully made it when she felt the morning air against her skin. The crisp autumn breeze sent a shiver up her spine but at the same time it was so refreshing to smell the forest around her instead of the smoky scents of the tavern, the incense that her aunt constantly burned to cover up the smells of the evening patrons always lingering despite the tart citrus of the soap that she used to wash the floors every morning. Crystal grass clinked against her feet as she used it to direct herself towards the back of the tavern where her favorite tree rested, a giant thing that she could not hug her arms around...she had tried a few times before finally walking about it and seeing how many rotations it took before she touched the hairpin that she had left in the smooth bark. It surprisingly took somewhere between three and four hugs before she finally located the hairpin again so Idania liked to imagine that it was bigger than five of her put together. She liked how the twisted roots rising from the ground felt against her palms and were so large that she could nestle in them, a couple of spots almost feeling like she had someone’s arms around her. It was here that she liked to hide away some mornings, most of the guests still passed out in their rooms still or gone already, and she honestly liked to imagine that somehow her father’s spirit was within the tree since she could talk to it. The girl would tell him her stories while pressing against the solid trunk for comfort, almost like her father was there holding her in his arms and telling her that it would be okay. Her aunt always said she had been spoiled by him, but Idania cherished every memory she had of her father and would only trade it away if she could have him in her life again. “I miss you, papa.” She whispered as she twisted and prepared to sit in her favored spot, her body falling comfortably into something that was a bit too warm and leathery for the tree. “Oh!”
“Umm…”
Idania’s cheeks flushed as she realized that she had not plopped directly to the ground as planned. “I’m so sorry!” She gasped as she flailed and tried to stand back up, her fingers desperately reaching for the roots so that she could pull herself out and reorient herself. Right now she was floundering about in the darkness, her surprise making her too flustered to think straight as she just waved her arms about. Oh how embarrassing! Who was this even? She didn’t recognize the voice at all! Eventually she found herself being directed, firm hands holding onto her as the stranger lifted her and helped her out of the hiding spot. “You can let go now.” She managed as she reached out to touch the tree, her fingers digging into the bark for reassurance as she tried to direct her gaze towards the last place she heard movement.
“Okay, okay. Are you alright?” The voice was masculine? Idania could not quite tell since it was smooth with a slight huskiness to it. The hands had been calloused as well so it belonged to someone who was accustomed to hard work. Maybe a traveler who had stayed the night? If they had drunk too much ale last night then it would not surprise her that they would have a hoarse voice now.
“I’m fine, thank you.” She replied quietly with a nod of her head before pushing away from the tree and taking a few steps back towards the tavern, her brow furrowing as she hoped she was moving correctly and not making any errors in her haste. Her aunt would murder her if she caused any issues for a guest! Idania just wanted to flee from embarrassment and fear, but a hand at her elbow made her stumble.
“You’re heading in the wrong direction.” Ah, yes it did seem to be a man’s voice after all. Idania found herself freezing as she realized how strong the hands felt. Was she in trouble? Should she yell for help? The girl chewed at her bottom lip as she slowly nodded her head.
“Thank you, but I can get back on my own.”
“Can you?” She swore that if she could see then the man would be smirking, there was simply too much mirth in his tone. “You don’t have to worry, Idania.” The sound of her name made the girl take a sharp breath as she stood still and waited for him to say anything else. Who was this stranger exactly? “I’m an old friend of your aunt and late father. I would never harm their family.”
The air seemed to escape her lungs at the confession. She had never met someone who claimed to be an old friend of her aunt and father, sometimes friends of her father would appear but she never had someone who claimed both as friends considering how abrasive her aunt was. “Your name?” She finally asked as she stood still, his hand slowly moving from her elbow as the man walked next to her. Idania listened as his steps brought him closer and felt the warmth from his body as she stood next to him in the chilly morning air. He smelled like the forest and there was a faint herbal smell to his breath almost like he had a cup of tea before leaving his room this morning.
“Toivo.” The man offered before taking a step forward, his boots crunching the grass as he moved past her. “It’s nice to meet you, but should we go inside? You seem cold.” His voice was tentative almost as if he was nervous now that Idania listened carefully. He didn’t seem to have any maliciousness in his tone and if anything maybe he was worried about offending her? She could always yell if necessary but for now as long as they were both heading back towards the tavern then what was the harm?
“That’s fine.” She managed before walking alongside him, her delicate steps drowned out by the heavier sounds of his boots as they made their way to the tavern. The squeaking of the front hinges let her know that he had opted for the front entry and the girl braced herself in case her aunt noticed. Thankfully it seemed that the woman was busy and Idania found herself following behind the man, her hands reaching out to tap against any surprise furniture as she navigated the maze of tables before coming to the familiar creak of the hallway floorboards.
“Well we made it back inside...would you have time to spare an old man?” The sudden question had Idania pausing, her hands already on the stair railings. She had been prepared to dart up the stairs and through the hallway to her room so that she could spend the rest of the morning in silence, ready to hide away in her embarrassment. Even if he was some old family friend the girl had accidentally sat on him and nearly ran off into the forest instead of back to the tavern! How embarrassing!
Still, Idania found herself curious. What type of man was this Toivo that he was such a family friend to know her name? “I suppose I have time.” She managed before allowing him to take her hand and direct her to one of the tables, the man pulling a chair so that she could easily sit without worry. “What brings you here, Toivo?” She asked quietly as she listened to him moving a chair and sitting across from her.
“Longing.” Teased the man with a chuckle, “It had been a while since I came this way and I wanted to see how your aunt was doing. I had the feeling that things were a bit harder here since your father….well since your father passed.” His words trembled a bit, something so subtle that another may miss it but Idania was quite sensitive to even the smallest of changes in tone. He did seem sad then that her father had passed away. “We were childhood friends and while I went on adventures they created this tavern instead. I wanted to come back here but I only managed a few trips when you were a wee youngling, far too young to remember me.”
“Ah.” Idania found herself blinking with interest. “My aunt must have been happy to see you again.”
“She threw a pan at me.” Toivo answered honestly before tapping his fingers against the table. “Still, it worked out since she’s allowing me to stay and help around the tavern for a bit. I figured I might as well say hello to you but you already jumped into greetings with the tree incident so-”
“I’m really sorry about that.” Idania’s mind was already whirling. So this man was going to stay around and help at the tavern? She supposed that would be nice considering her aunt already had to take care of so much and Idania couldn’t help as much as she wanted.
“It’s fine.” Toivo brushed off the apology with a chuckle. “You still have those wooden animals?”
“Wooden animals?” Idania blinked in confusion before gasping as realization hit her. “Oh! You’re the friend that gave my father all of those gifts when I was a youngling! Vo-vo!” How could she forget? A smile crossed her lips as she made the connection finally. She had been so young and couldn’t say Toivo properly so she had called him Vo-Vo. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t remember….I loved those figures.” She wouldn’t admit that she had them still because surely that was too childish but the girl did treasure those figurines.
“Good.” Tovio leaned back in his chair, the movement noted by a slight creaking of the wooden frame as the larger man settled down with Idania across from him. Now that she remembered who he was, the teen was full of questions and prepared to spend the rest of the morning listening to his stories. Well for as long as he could talk before her aunt came from the kitchens to chastise him for lounging about and not helping already. Idania c0uld only smile as she listened to the pair, mostly her aunt lecturing him with a few witty comebacks from Toivo in turn. Maybe the tavern would be a bit livelier now that Toivo was staying with them. For now though she was prepared to return to her room so that she could get ready for tonight’s performance. Even with the appearance of Toivo the girl knew one thing that wasn’t changing, her decision to pursue music and to continue developing her talents as a bard.
[3185]
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Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 7:46 pm
♥ Aasim ♥
“Would you like to venture beyond the tavern one day?” Toivo paced along the front of the stage, his boots thudding against the familiar wooden floors as Idania sat still and simply listened to him moving back and forth. Her harp was sitting before her and she had been lightly strumming the strings until the sound of the front door opening had announced Toivo’s presence to the blind songstress. She had known it was him by the sound of his steps on the front porch and by the smokey and woodsy scent that lingered on his clothing, the smell almost reminiscent of a bonfire that her aunt sometimes held on autumn and summer evenings when she liked moving the crowd outside of the main lobby for some more fun. Like usual Idania had stopped singing, but her fingers had kept caressing each string to continue practicing until he finally spoke up with his question.
“How could I?” Idania quietly replied after a moment, her head slowly rising from where she had been resting it on the top of the instrument and turning towards where she heard him moving. “The last time I even dared to try and leave the tavern I got lost and attacked by a witu. Surely my aunt told you that story?” Her own voice quivered at the memory, fear laced in her very being as she recalled stumbling about in a strange place while trying to run away from the sounds of growling and the metallic stench of blood. Nightmares still haunted her as her mind tried to fill in the blanks of what she could never see for herself. Either way Idania was thankful that she couldn’t see the twisted creature that surely would have ripped her apart if not for her aunt’s interference. She would never forget the smell of its damp fur or the rough sound of its low growl as it cornered her in the forest that day and those memories still haunted her every time she thought about the world outside of her home. There was simply no way she could venture out like that ever again! Never again. She reminded herself before the sound of Toivo’s steps made her body tense. Even if he had been living with them for almost two months now the girl could not quite get used to having someone willingly approach her that wasn’t a drunk patron for her aunt to chase away. Her aunt did not even hug her save for that night when she had nearly lost Dani to the witu. But Toivo did not mean her harm, rather Idania simply wasn’t accustomed to human contact like this since her father had passed away. Why would anyone care about her when she was simply a burden? At least her songs could prove worthwhile but Toivo did not need to have her singing for him and her Aunt simply treated her music like payment for living at the tavern. So it was strange to think that someone actually cared for her just out of sheer affection and not because they benefited from her presence somehow.
There was a moment of silence before Idania heard Toivo take a breath before finally replying. “She did tell me.” He admitted quietly, the sounds of his hands twisting together catching the girl’s attention. “However, I do not think you should be locked up in this place forever.” Idania almost swore she could hear pain in his voice but the girl could not believe it. Who would suffer on her account like that? Her fingers tensed on the strings as she struggled to comprehend that Toivo truly did seem to care for her. Was it because he was her father’s friend and felt some sort of responsibility? Either way she was curious about what he would say next and she found herself leaning slightly forward as if her body was begging to pull the words from his lips. “Have you considered having a familiar to help you?”
“What do you mean?” Idania’s lips pressed into a tight line of confusion before she leaned back away from him. What sort of answer had she been expecting? It was not as if someone could magically repair her eyes, many healers had looked at her over the years but could not give her such a miraculous gift. The idea of a familiar was new to the girl though since her aunt usually despised the idea of raising and relying on animals. They got all of their produce and other necessities from the local village, the townspeople easy to trade with since they gained plenty of coin from passing travelers during the year.
“I mean during my travels I have encountered a few others who use animals as guides. A trusted companion to help you if you do happen to wander outside of these walls. Obviously an earthling companion is nice but a familiar can learn to love you with all of its heart and will fight to protect you without hesitation.” She listened to his tunic rustle as he gave a shrug, his approach to the subject somewhat casual even though she felt as if it meant a lot more to him than he was trying to admit. “I may have a friend nearby who has experience with raising and training animals. What do you think about the idea?”
“My aunt would probably be against it…” Began Idania hesitantly even though her heart had fluttered at the idea. Could she find a creature that she could love that would love her back and help her to navigate this darkness? A shudder threatened to crawl down her spine and her neck tensed as she resisted the feeling. The witu had been a strong creature but it had no interest in protecting her. Idania could not shake that terror, the feeling of being completely helpless before the snarling beast. A warm hand on her shoulder made her relax and a sigh left her lips. “I’m guessing you’ve spoken with her about it….what do you suggest?”
“I have.” Replied Toivo as he patted her shoulder and quickly moved his hand again. “A raptrix may not be the best idea since the wings will easily knock into things but I still would prefer a larger familiar for you just in case something happens.”
“You’ve really placed some thought into this.”
“Yes.” Toivo tapped his fingers against a table. “So since a raptrix was out of the question and I know a witu is too dangerous and traumatic for you….what about a sermal?”
“A sermal?” Idania’s brow furrowed in confusion. She had not truly heard about such a creature before. Was it common in Tale and somehow she had never heard of it?
“From Sauti.” Toivo explained. “It’s a feline with large fangs that is known for its strength. It’s not as large as a raptrix but is big enough to take down a grown earthling if given the chance. My friend has a tamed one which had kittens recently…I think one would serve you well as a companion.”
Idania tried to imagine it. A feline type creature with large fangs and sharp claws? “How dangerous are these sermal?”
“Fairly dangerous but if you raised it then I think you would have a good companion for life. They have jutting crystals so that you can feel along its back and Olian loves to sleep against your legs.”
“I don’t know if you’re trying to make me more comfortable with this idea or scare me away.” Teased Idania though she couldn’t help but to smile at the idea of having a familiar with her. Maybe it was not such a horrible idea after all. “Could I meet with the kit?”
“You can.” Toiva chuckled. “I may have already brought the kitten with me.” The floor creaked beneath his feet as he walked up towards Idania and gently tugged her hands away from the instrument. A flush decorated Idania’s cheeks as she slowly allowed Toiva to lead her out of the main hall and towards the outside. The sunlight warmed her skin and the fresh air allowed her to know that they had walked into the front yard and it was there that Toiva let go of her hands. “Hold on.” He let out a soft whistle before bringing over something small and soft towards Idania. Her hands hesitated before she took the little bundle, her brows furrowing in surprise when she felt the small jagged crystals through the softest of fur. A meow made her expression soften more as she raised the little creature towards her chest. “So ferocious, right?”
“He’ll grow up into one.” Replied Idania quietly, “But maybe it won’t be so scary.”
“I think you’ll be fine. He already seems to like you a lot.” Even though Idania couldn’t see the kitten she could feel how he pressed up against her chest, the vibrations as he purred warming her spirit as she held him close. “What about a name?”
Idania paused as she thought about it. “Aasim.” She murmured quietly. “If you’re so confident that he will guard me then I will name him accordingly.” Her own guardian that could help her navigate this dark world and keep her safe from creatures like the witu. A small smile crossed her lips at the thought as she held onto the sermal while Toiva helped her back inside before going to speak more with her aunt.
[1583]
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:01 am
♥ Venturing Forth ♥
Idania always wondered what it would be like to venture into the outside world. However, ever since she had been attacked by the witu as a younger girl the teen would always shy away from the idea of leaving the tavern. Lately it felt as if there was a shift in her life because of Toivo but Idania was still afraid of taking that first step forward. “Why should I leave, Aasim?” She mused as she tapped out a melody against the familiar wood of her windowsill. It was almost as if she could see when she was living at the tavern because everything had its place and nothing had moved from those places ever since she was a young girl. Despite her aunt’s harsher nature and the feeling that she had to continue singing to pay for her existence in this place, Idania was still more comfortable here than the outside world.
So why did the bard’s words from last night still bother her?
Idania chewed at her bottom lip as she pondered everything that had happened the previous evening. It had started out normally with the local crowd coming inside for drinks and food while she had promised to sing at least three songs that evening before retiring back into her room, hidden from the others while not providing entertainment as requested by her aunt. It was best to not be a bother since wandering the floors meant she could bump into more unruly patrons or get approached by others which her aunt did not enjoy. You’ll just distract both me and Toivo since we’ll have to watch after you instead of the patrons! That was usually what her aunt yelled at her whenever she tried to stay in the main room after a performance, the appeal of the warmth and noise of the crowd always making her feel more alive than sitting in the darkness of her quiet room. Aasim’s presence had helped her greatly with her loneliness but that night she found herself lingering at the bottom of the back stairs, the allure of a wandering bard catching her interest and making her risk the wrath of her aunt. Certainly there had been a few bards in the tavern before but the woman singing that night had the voice of an angel, something that inspired Idania’s own passions and made her want to jump in with the music. She had been simply listening until the familiar melody telling the story of the Oban war and a pair of lovers caught her attention and the girl couldn’t help but to sing along. While it didn’t catch the attention of most, the girl’s voice did catch the attention of the bard who sneaked upstairs after her that night.
“You really can sing well.” The woman’s soft voice floated through the thick wooden door that Idania had closed for the night. “Do you not venture out of the tavern?”
“I…” Idania’s voice was soft, her fingers trembling at her sides as she pondered how to respond to the stranger. She didn’t feel any harm from the woman but was so afraid of her aunt getting upset if she found them both upstairs in the more private area of the tavern, the protective place that she shared with her aunt and the place where Idania spent most of her time before the evening performances. Her aunt always threw a fit if she found out a patron had wandered up this way and Idania was surprised that no one had stopped the bard.
“Idania, right? I overheard some of the regulars talking.” The woman laughed softly, a sweet noise almost like a bell. “I didn’t mean to come upstairs but you disappeared so quickly and I wanted to compliment you. If you went somewhere like Oba or Belrea I’m certain that they would love a performance. My name is Timeko and I’ll be here for the next two days if you’d like to discuss the idea of traveling.”
“Traveling?” Idania blinked in surprise as she leaned against the door, her body pressed against it as if that could bring her close to the woman and the warmth that she promised. “My aunt wouldn’t like that….honestly you should be careful as well. She’ll get angry if she finds you here.”
“Understood.” Another chuckle left the woman’s lips. “I just had to let you know that I would be interested in an apprentice. It’s rare to come across someone with such a voice.”
“Th-thank you.” Idania whispered back, her gaze suddenly burning with tears. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“As you should. I’ll leave now since I did not mean to cause you any distress.”
“Have a goodnight, Miss Timeko.” Replied Idania softly as she listened to the retreating footsteps. That offer had haunted her for the rest of the night and far into the next day. Her aunt had already snapped at her for being distracted, her mind somewhere else as she stumbled into a vase. As Toivo picked up the pieces for her the girl found herself reaching out to tap him on the shoulder. “Do you think it would be foolish for someone like me to travel? To learn how to sing under a musician?”
Toivo’s movements stopped and Idania tilted her head as she listened to his slow breathing, there was no hitch to his voice or any increase to show that he was angry at her proposition or even doubtful. “I think you should do it. If someone talented offers to take you under their wing then go.” He was encouraging, his words warm as he spoke clearly regardless if her aunt could hear them. “I can deal with your aunt and even take you wherever you would need, Idania. You also have Aasim now. He would never let anything happen to you.”
“That’s true.” Idania’s lips curled into a small smile as she reached forward and found Toivo’s arm. “I think I may have to upset my aunt soon, but thank you!” She squeezed him into a hug before pulling away and following the strings along the wall back to her room. It seemed she would be finally pushing away from these familiar walls to overcome her fear and see what existed beyond this small tavern in Tale.
[1050 WC]
Idania has always been terrified of leaving the tavern ever since she was a young teen, but now she is finding her resolve and venturing forward to pursue her passion in music. This will be her first time taking charge of her own life and not allowing her aunt’s worries to control her.
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