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 Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:01 am
[ Zayana 1 ]
It was getting close to the end of their visit in Chibale and Zayana was uncertain. She had recently met her grandmothers on Zandala's side, and it wasn't the most exciting or heartwarming moment. Then, she heard that she had an aunt somewhere around here, someone who had been close to Lumikani. The question was, would the woman want to meet an Elaria niece, which represented arguably one of the most difficult moments of their family. The choice that tore them apart.
Yet, as she brushed her fingers over the letter from her grandmothers, Zayana knew she had to give the woman a shot. She didn't want to regret leaving without at least telling her about Lumikani, the world they were building, the family they had, and how it continued to grow.
So, as she approached the bright morning, Zayana set out to track down Elsheba, confident and certain with her choice and not looking back.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 5:15 pm
(1/10) All things considered, it was lucky that Elsheba was back in Chibale at all to even receive visitors. Her method of choice for keeping herself useful and busy these days was to provide support for an Alkidike traveling outside of the Isle, no matter how far that trip took them. In her earlier years, such trips had remained close... perhaps weeks at a time spent traveling Jauhar. But as time passed, she ventured further - as far as Sauti, almost to the border with Zena, then ... after meeting Mnyiri, as far south as Matori.
It had been years now since she stood, looking out over the water and knowing that her sister was somewhere out there, banished but not forgotten. So, even with an invitation to follow Mnyiri to Belrea to see more of their sisterhood, Elsheba had instead turned back.
These days, she still traveled frequently south into Oba and Matori, but had gone no further, and had told herself she was rather happy that way. Zena held its own... painful reminders, and Yael was off limits for obvious reasons.
But. She was home - kneeling infront of her small cottage, tugging up jungle overgrowth that had threatened to claim it, once again, in her absence, armed with a sharp blade and thick leather gloves.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:45 am
[ Zayana 2 ] It took a little time for someone to point her in the right direction, as even after the weeks they had lingered she still got the cold shoulder. Zayana almost dyed her hair a deep black, to mimic the hybrids that she saw running around, but resisted. She had washed out her dreads to the natural color and was happy being herself, for once. Even so, as she approached the dense area of the isle where space spread out between each home, she felt anxiety in the pit of her stomach. Would this be a repeat of her grandmothers? Would this be something that would bring shame. Would she discover a secret that would break her mother's heart. No matter what, she was determined to at least approach. So, when she saw the curvy woman tearing at what she assumed was a cottage...covered in vines and weeds, Zayana lifted her chin up high and took a deep breath to steel her heart. " Hello? Are you Elsheba?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:43 pm
Elsheba dragged a hand across her brow, smearing a bit of wet dirt and mulch across it as she did so. Until someone greeted her, that is. Without looking, the older Alkidike grunted in agreement, not even bothering to look at her guest as she tore at another thick chunk of the weeds - throwing them into a growing pile to her right.
"Yep, that'd be me. You here to help me out, or ask me to leave town again? I'd like to at least try to get this mess sorted before I roll out again."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 7:40 am
[ Zayana 3 ] Zayana felt a moment of relief that she found the right person, before the woman continued her rant. Blinking a moment to comprehend the words that Elsheba had called across the space, the Elaria debated how to reply. She knew silence would probably not be the best answer, so instead she approached slowly. " I'm actually here to...well to meet you I guess." She replied simply, " But if you need help..."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:27 pm
(3/10) There was a beat of silence, but no retreating footsteps, so Elsheba doggedly continued her work. The girl would either buck up and talk, or pad away soon enough. But then, when she did... Elsheba paused finally, propping her arm against her leg as she twisted around to look.
The very last thing she'd expected to see was an Elaria. Of course, she'd seen a few come through, once their mystics made their peace, but... none of them had had any reason to talk to her, specifically.
There was a tickle in her brain, a possibility for WHY one would seek her out, but she determinedly pushed it aside. Instead she pushed herself to stand, sizing the younger woman up with a tilt of her head, waving a hand dismissively towards the cottage. "No need. I rather think it's a lost cause at this point. Who are you? What do you want?"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2022 7:34 am
[ Zayana 4 ] Even after years of growing up with Lumikani, the abrupt interrogation was off putting, maybe because Zayana was so on edge. But she was older now, not a youngling, and so she lifted her chin and smiled lightly in reply. " I'm your niece. I've come to meet you and...well my mother didn't ask me to do this, but I thought you might want to know about her-Lumikani." Straight to the point, she held her breath to see how Elsheba would respond.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:58 pm
(4/10) Her niece. The confirmation of her suspicions still felt like a punch to the gut, as conflicted emotions churned within her breast. The woman, at first glance, couldn't have been less like Lumikani if she tried. She was, after all, an elaria - the colors were all different, but beyond that she didn't carry herself the same way, didn't have her markings - but then she saw it. The little dot at her chin, the build of her face - little similarities that spoke the truth.
Elsheba's breath hitched in, her c**k sure poise falling to more of a wary trepidation. For a horrible moment, she feared that meant Lumikani was dead - why else would this woman come here? But she'd said herself that her mother didn't ask her to come - that suggested that she still lived, somewhere.
"I see." The words came out more like an exhale, and Elsheba found herself flailing to try and come up with something to ask, or say. "Well. Shoot - my house isn't really fit for company, but..." Her hand fluttered uselessly towards it, in its state of disrepair. "Come on in. I'll make you something, and you can tell me about who you are."
It felt awkwardly, very painfully so, but Elsheba also found no desire to turn the woman away. Instead she tugged her door open and stepped inside. There was dirt and growth on the floors, but there was fresh food and water that she'd brought in first thing, and immediately she set to making tea.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2022 12:04 pm
[ Zayana 5 ] Zayana didn't approach more as she watched the elder woman - her aunt - process the information. She was sure this came as a surprise...after all, Lumikani had left when she was younger than Zayana was now. It's entirely possible that Elsheba had forced herself to forget her wayward sister...Zayana would have most likely done the same to safe her heartache. Then, she was offered to journey inside, and Zayana felt the anxiety release. She hadn't realized how tense she was until her shoulders loosened and a smile cross her features. As she followed her inside, Zayana glanced around curiously but didn't really make much comment. She was used to meager settings, all things considered. " I'm Zayana, by the way." She said helpfully as she moved to the side, " I've got a sister too, Kanika...and we both have daughters of our own." It was a lot, an information dump, but Zayana found herself anxiously wanting to get all the information off the table, " My daughter is here...she's an Elidae....you might have heard about her wandering around. She stands out quite a bit."
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2022 4:51 pm
(5/10) It was unbearably awkward, and just a bit uncomfortable to have a near stranger follow her inside. But the younger woman smartly kept her mouth shut in regards to the state of her place, and instead offered up more information, which Elsheba found herself starved for. She managed to light a fire in the chimney and set a pot over it to heat up, then turned back to Zayana again. "I can't lie and say I didn't wonder. I didn't know if ... she was even still alive, after so long."
She took a deep breath, then just... looked at Zayana, her heart aching. "But she is. And daughters... did she go to the goddess tree for you both, or-" Have a partner? It was so strange to imagine her little sister with a partner, with grandchildren now - but here was the proof.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2022 11:36 am
[ Zayana 6 ] " Oh trust me, Lumikani is hard to kill." She laughed a bit at that, "She didn't have many friends, and always seemed to toe the side of troublemaker, though not intentionally."
Zayana pictured all of the issues that her family faced right before her mother left. It felt like ages ago, but also yesterday. Especially remembering the fact that her mother was almost kicked out of the Extremist sisterhood.
"Oh, she has a partner. Zandala. Both of them are on Kiros now, living the retired life as they help a new generation bloom."
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 3:08 pm
(6/10) Well, that was a statement. Elsheba turned her head to her niece at that, arching a brow at her. That... somehow didn't surprise her. Then again, siding with troublemakers was what got her into this mess in the first place - although Elsheba had the sense not to say that. She had no clue just what beliefs this woman had learned from her extremist upbringing. There were rumors that they were much more mellow than they used to be, but still.
... Discussions of partners seemed a much safer topic, so Elsheba jumped onto it, smiling to herself at the image. "A partner - your mother?" She asked, tilting her head curiously.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 7:12 am
[ Zayana 7 ] She smiled at the follow-up question, "Zandala...yeah. From what I understand, she was a bit more...dedicated than mother was. They both had their reasons to go to Zinris, but now have figured out each other and are on the same page." The whole drama around them traveling to Kiros was such a nightmare, but it was over and they had healed. Maybe that's why Zayana wanted to reconnect with her aunt...because she knew the power of healing broken bonds. "You know...you should come see her sometime."
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 9:39 am
(7/10) Was Zayana purposefully giving so much information with her statements? From what Elsheba gathered, it sounded as if whatever views her mothers had, she hadn't been told them first hand. Or- at least there had been few stories shared about their past, before being exiled.
She was puzzling that over, when the suggestion came - and Elsheba fully turned to face her niece, her mouth slightly open in surprise. "I... would like that." She said, uncertainly, biting her lip for a moment. She crossed her arms, a closed fist resting against her mouth for a moment as she contemplated. As Zayana could see from the state of her house, it wasn't as if Elsheba was here often - though she'd rarely gone further than Tale, or brief trips into Oba. Zinris was... very far. She'd have to go much further into Oba than she ever had before, take a ship--
Travel the same path that her sister had, when she was so painfully young. "Be honest. Would your mother truly want to see me, or would showing up be... unpleasant for her?" She asked, frowning. "I can understand you being curious and wanting to meet this side of the family, but - if she's moved on and is content, I don't want to shake things up just for my own self interest."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 9:46 am
[ Zayana 8 ] The question had her furrowing her brows, and Zayana took a moment to ponder things. She had seen how her mother had changed, how the guilt of what she went through - their whole group went through, made her much different than the young and vibrant person she remembered from her past. Glancing at Elsheba, she really wasn't sure how her mother would react - they had been separated well before the Elaria was bloomed. But Elsheba did seem keen, hopeful even, and Zayana felt a bit of a draw to the reunion. That and her mothers were fine even after the trauma of the previous split. " My mother is...well she's settled now. She's content and at peace with her goal to build a brighter future through the Elidae. You're right that she's not looking to shake things up, but that's because she's not tolerant of conflict. Not anymore." Brushing her hand through her dreads, she looked away for a long moment. " She doesn't talk about the past, but she always is shouldering it. There's a lot of guilt...maybe you two working through your history would..." She waved her hand around a moment, " ...help with the healing?"
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