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 Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:39 am
It had been ages since the guest room at the farmhouse had been used. Eudom had to clear out the whole room, dusting off the cedar chest of quilts that had been nestled in a corner for the last decade and even bringing in a pair of fresh pillows that he traded for in town with Ivalyne, one of the older women in the village who kept in touch with him because of her connection with his deceased grandparents. The room was decently cleaned with the wooden paneled walls a golden color that brightened up the simple space with only a full bed to the side with some chests for storage, a small stone fireplace to the corner and an empty wardrobe and simple washstand with a porcelain bowl for anyone just wanting to wash their face before bed in the evenings. Eudom did clean the room on occasion, at least once a season, but it had not been properly prepared to keep someone warm since it was not in use. While it was midway through spring in Yael the evenings still had a bitter chill in the air as winter lingered and so Eudom did everything he could to make the place warmer for the strange foreigner he had picked up in town a couple of days back. Whatever had possessed him to offer room and board for someone’s help at the farm, the man didn’t know but for now he was stuck with his decision. Refusing to admit that he was wrong to invite someone into his home, his stubborn pride could not endure such a statement, the Yaeli finished cleaning out the dust and opening the shuttered window to allow in some more sunlight. Vephkia had been using the living room for the last couple of days with a makeshift cot in the center of the room by the fireplace to keep the evening chill away until he could clear out this room properly and get the smaller fireplace within it going again. The wood and stone farmhouse was surprisingly large and cozy, being made for a family of eleven years ago with hopes for more children in the future generations, and so there were actually four smaller bedrooms upstairs with one large master room off to the side where Eudom slept. A small washroom was attached to his room with a family sized one downstairs to the right of the wooden staircase, the carved railings hinting of local flowers and vines that his own grandmother had loved so that his grandfather carved them into their very home. Like his grandmother most of the wood was warmer in color and made of cedar so that the scent of the home was very woodsy and welcoming instead of simply smelling like a farm despite the barn over the hill just from the home. Downstairs besides the washroom was a large dining area with enough space to seat fourteen people, large windows taking up most of the dining room walls with pale cotton curtains tucked to the side allowing in plenty of sunlight on this particular morning. The stone kitchen was in a separate building but was connected by a covered pathway, a precaution to avoid any fires in case a meal went wrong, and the cellar was just a few steps away from the dining room on the left while the living room space with a large fireplace and seating was on the right. The living room though over the years of solitude had turned away from entertaining and more into Eudom’s study with shelves upon shelves of books and superstitions filling the walls with a desk tucked into the corner for any writing and calculations for the farm's inventory and profits. Sticks of incense slowly burned on the round table towards the entryway, the smell of cinnamon and birch filling the air pushing away any potential spirits wandering too close to the house.
At the moment Eudom finished cleaning the upstairs guest room, at the very end of the hallway towards the stairs and furthest away from his own room, and after making certain the smaller fireplace was acceptable enough to use the Yaeli started downstairs to check on his guest. He had asked her to scatter some feed for his chickens in the nearby coop and could only hope that she was on her way back, if not already back, to enjoy the biscuits and eggs he had left in the kitchen for her. Once they filled up on some quick breakfast then it would be off to walk around and show her more of the farm and potentially the woods which he knew the Shifter was interested in exploring, her whole goal of finding a rare herb or flower the very reason that the pair had been brought together in the first place.
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Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 3:25 pm
Vepkhia had only been staying in the farmhouse for a few days but she loved the character that the house had. She could see how the house had been lovingly lived in and knew her own family, or even her brother's family who had built their own home, would have loved the house's charm as well. Vep hadn't minded staying in the living room. The cot was better than some nights of sleep she'd had since leaving home and at least she was warm next to the fire. While she knew Eudom had been working on a room upstairs for her, she worried that she was putting him through too much trouble. Still, she couldn't say she regretted taking the risk so far. Kres might have chided her for going to stay at a stranger's house but for some reason Vepkhia didn't feel that way about Eudom. Sure he was a little different...kind of strange...not at all like the kinds of people she was used to...but not super unlike most of the yaeli she had met here on Yael either. For her part of the bargain, she had to help around the farm. These sort of jobs she was mostly used to doing. Her family had kept all sorts of beasts over the years so the yaeli equivalent didn't bother her much. Vepkhia might have taken a little too long feeding the chickens, she had tried to take a little extra time when she feed them to try and get them used to her. Maybe eventually she'd earn their trust! Having just finished up in the washroom on the main floor, she exited the room as she saw Eudom descending the stairs. "Morning!" She said cheerfully, giving him a smile and a short wave as she turned towards the kitchen. "Did you sleep okay? The chickens are very happy to have their breakfast." She commented.
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 6:11 pm
Ah, there was the chipper attitude that always battled with the chilly mornings. Eudom was still more accustomed to a quiet atmosphere at his own home and his personality itself was never so energetic this early in the morning. While he was a morning person, that came naturally after years of helping out on the farm, his personality simply was less inclined towards being a happy one so scowls came easier than the awkward smile he attempted before settling for a firm nod instead. “I slept fine. The chickens hopefully didn’t give you trouble.” He didn’t mind that she took longer feeding them, if anything it just made him curious about why. Was she afraid of them? Did they harass her while she tried to scatter the feed? Had she dealt with farm animals before this? Eudom wanted to ask, but at the same time wasn’t the best at expressing concern and so kept silent about his worries while just keeping an eye out for any potential injuries on the foreigner but so far he hadn’t seen anything to cause alarm.
Eudom realized he had been staring at Vepkhia and quickly cleared his throat. “As it is, I prepared some food. Hopefully you slept well enough because I thought we could wander the forest to see whatever herbs we can gather. Maybe we’ll find something that matches those in the book you bought.” That was why they had encountered each other, a simple book pulling them together and somehow inspiring him to invite her to his home while she studied and looked for some mystical herb to help cure illness. It was an insane idea, especially for a reclusive Yaeli, and yet here he was sharing breakfast with a foreigner who others worried could carry curses from the other continent. Eudom just hoped that the plant would show up quickly enough so that she could leave before autumn while he could also use the help to prepare for summer season, the fields needing plenty of work so that this year’s harvest could be more successful than before. What was a few months? He had already placed protective items throughout the house, the superstitious man well versed in protective spells and talismans that could keep away misfortunes. Surely it would be fine, right? He even used full moon water on the plants growing around the edges of the house, the flowerbeds with various flowers and herbs circling around the house flourishing now that it was spring.
Pulling out a chair for Vepkhia, Eudom moved to place down plates on the table and glasses of water for them both. “Feel free to eat as much as you like. You’ll be needing plenty of strength to hike the woods for the day. I don’t know how your forests fair, but these woods are dangerous enough on their own so there’s no need to decrease our chances by entering unprepared.” As he spoke he settled into a chair towards the end of the table, the Yaeli stabbing a fork into his eggs to begin eating.
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 11:09 pm
"Oh no, no trouble at all. They're more skittish with me since they don't know me. It helps that I'm bringing their food so I was hoping if I stayed a little after feeding them that it might help them get used to me quicker." She shrugged. Vepkhia remembered her parents and siblings taming some animals who didn't necessarily want to be tamed. Sometimes just being in their presence was enough. The thought brought a small pang of homesickness to the forefront of her thoughts. She missed home but she was also enjoying this amazing experience that her family had allowed her to embark on. It was hard for her parents to let her leave home so she had to make sure that she took full advantage of it! "I hope I didn't keep you waiting for breakfast. This looks delicious!" Her mouth watered as she looked at the food on the table and gave Eudom a small thank you when he pulled her chair out for her and sat down quickly. "A hike through the woods sounds nice. I've built up some endurance for hiking as long as we're not trying to set a record time." She joked. "I was born and raised on Jauhar, it's basically just a giant forest. So I'm pretty comfortable being amongst the trees. Yaeli forests are still quite interesting though." Vepkhia knew she had barely seen any of Yael but it was such an interesting land.
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Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 10:13 am
“Hmm.” Eudom nodded at the thoughtful answer. “As long as they aren’t causing you any issues and there’s no harm to them then feel free to do as you please.” Perhaps it was because he had known them since they hatched as chicks that Eudom didn’t even ponder such things like getting acquainted with the birds. They had always just let him in, minus some angry males over the years, and he had never thought about any issues with strangers. At least he didn’t have to worry about a thief easily making off with the chickens, at least that’s what he gathered from the sound of things.
Eudom shook his head in reassurance as he continued eating, picking at his food as he tried to smother the urge to quickly clear his plate and get along with his morning tasks. It was a habit created after years of living on his own with a lot of tasks on the farm taking so much time that sitting down to eat seemed like a waste when he could rush through things and enjoy a book instead. He did enjoy his tomes and writing his own journals about the strangeness of the world around him, the man collected far too many superstitions but it was only fair considering he had been born and raised in Yael which was so full of the mysterious. “Breakfast is an important meal, especially if we’re going out for the day. It’s best to eat all that you can without making yourself sick.” His silver gaze did gleam with interest though when Vepkhia mentioned Jahaur, the man’s fork pausing for a moment before he took another bite of eggs and pondered the revelation. She had mentioned Jahaur before and he recognized the country’s name, but honestly there was so little he knew about the outside countries since he preferred to just focus on Yael with no intention of ever leaving his homeland. Trading in the local village with only the occasional visit to the main city for the bigger harvest season was how he lived, a simple and quiet life on the farm taking priority over whatever adventures waited outside of home. It was an adventure enough dealing with the crops and farm animals while fending off whatever spirits or beasts tried to emerge from the nearby forest…
“Well, I’m assuming the basics would be the same though the plants here are different.” Else she wouldn’t be here looking for some rare plant and would have been in Jahaur searching instead. It was like different crops…Eudom had seen some strange fruits in Pajore’s market from overseas, not that he had ever tried one since he was far more wary and less inclined to trust anything unknown. It was still surprising he had taken in a stranger, Eudom had no idea what possessed him to do such a thing though Vepkhia had the dangerous aura of a baby chick. Perhaps that was why. It would have been a shame to leave her in the city, not when she looked like any dark alley would quickly make work of her. “Either way, I’m more familiar with these woods even though I warn you that they are far more mischievous than what you may find in Jahaur…at least that’s what I’m assuming. The spirits out there will trick you into false roads, dead ends and may summon beasts to track you down if you intrude on sacred ground.” He finished off his plate, standing so that he could take it to the kitchen before returning to sit down in a chair and finish his mug of steaming coffee. Early mornings, long days and late nights of reading had indeed given him quite a taste for the bitter drink since it did its job of waking him up just fine. He had also collected something else from the kitchen, necklaces of twisted and colored leather with a tiny vial hanging from the center with a pouch to the side. “I have some twisted herbs that we can wear along with a vial of pure water to try and keep anything evil at bay. Others may not think it's necessary but then it never surprised me to hear about them being lost for days once they venture into those woods.”
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2023 6:57 pm
"Mmm." Vepkhia was glad that he wouldn't have any issues with her trying to tempt the chickens to be her friends. The rest of her family had pretty good taming abilities, maybe she had inherited at least a little bit! It was interesting hearing him talk about breakfast. "I agree with you. Breakfast definitely sets the tone for the day. Back home though it wasn't always a worry since there were a lot of fruiting trees that grew. My eldest brother and I would always know there was something nearby if we did end up getting hungry on our outing." Vepkhia didn't think that would be the case here in Yael...everything was so different from what she called home. Vep listened to his description of the Yaeli woods. Eudom's description definitely lived up to the stories she had heard and the fact that it was coming from a local made her even more worried! It was something that she would have to keep in mind and make sure she had a guide she could trust any time she wanted to go into the woods. But it was what he did next that made her heart skip a beat, she wasn't sure if it was from surprise at his kindness or something else... "That...that's extremely kind of you. I greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness." She gave him a soft smile as she finished up the rest of her own breakfast before standing. "Why don't I go take care of these dishes while you finish your coffee and then we can head out?" She offered although she was already heading towards the kitchen before Vep heard his reply.
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Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2024 6:10 pm
Eudom shook his head at her musings of eating fruit while on an outing. It was baffling how different those from across the ocean handled things, he was surprised she had even managed it this far into Yael without any issues. "That's too risky. You never know what you can trust out in the forest. Even if your homeland wasn't ridden with spirits this area will not be as kind." She was fortunate that he knew more about the area. There were some cursed plants that could kill a Yaeli for simply sniffing them out there while some mushrooms could be safe while similar looking ones would knock you out for hours. Of course even safe plants had to be washed and purified with spring water before being eaten, unless you were truly desperate, because of potential interference from the forest spirits. Eudom had heard of one Yaeli who thought something akin to an apple was safe but then he was lost for days because he nearly lost his mind from it, at least that was how the story went.
"Vep...khia." Eudom simply shook his head once more as the shifter went to do the dishes. He was grateful for her help but his fingers curled back around the necklace he had picked up for her. He would give it to her before they went into the forest but now he wondered if he should just prepare a necklace for daily wear in general, there was simply so much to worry about with how lax she was in Yael. If he hadn't suggested taking her with him back in Pajore then would she....well it was best not to worry about such things since he had agreed to let her stay here instead. A soft sigh left his lips before he raised the mug to his lips and quickly downed his coffee that had cooled off enough to drink. It was bitter, but that was how he enjoyed things. Something too sweet would just make him more relaxed and lower his guard while anything bitter or sour would jolt his senses and keep him on high alert.
That finished, Eudom pushed away from the table and went to join Vepkhia in the kitchen. "Almost finished?" He questioned, gently nudging her over so that he could rinse out his mug in the water so that it could be cleaned and placed aside. "Thank you for doing that." The Yaeli didn't smile like usual but his tone was soft, not harsh or abrasive like most were accustomed to hearing from him. There was no need, not when the shifter had yet to do anything too bothersome and was even willing to help out on the farm. Still, though he did take a moment to step back and hold out the necklace towards her. "You should put this on right away, even maybe wear it after we're back from walking the forest...just as a precaution." The twisted leather was almost a faded blue with the vial hanging from it full of something that looked like fresh spring water, a smaller pouch hanging on a second string right behind it.
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Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 9:29 am
Vepkhia took a moment to look at the necklace that he held out for her to take. When he said he had some herbs and spring water for her, she didn't think it would be so...pretty. The amount of thoughtfulness that had gone into this and his own softer tone made her heart skip a beat. Here was someone who, from her understanding, wasn't a fan of outsiders and yet here he was giving her a gift to try and protect her from dangerous spirits. While she never had a reason to believe in the supernatural it didn't mean that she DIDN'T believe in it and she could respect Eudom's beliefs. After all, Yael was a very different place from home and she could acknowledge when someone knew more than she did. Carefully, she reached out and took the leather throng in one hand while gently holding the pouch and vial in another while she admired it. "While I know it's protection quality if what's important..." She paused as her thumb gently brushed the pouch. "It's beautiful, Eudom. Thank you." Smiling at him, she pulled the necklace over her head, navigating the twisted leather around the buns in her hair. Vep took one more moment to admire the color of the leather half wondering if he had picked it specifically for the color or just because that was what he had. Though Eudom seemed the kind to always have a reason for everything. "I'll make sure to wear it unless you tell me otherwise." She said kindly.
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:14 pm
Eudom glanced over at Vepkhia, her words making the back of his neck feel warmer with embarrassment at the reaction to his gift. This was why he didn’t deal with others often! How was he supposed to react in a situation like this? The Yaeli simply ended up coughing to try to hide his flustered state, shrugging off the gift as if it were only normal. “It’s better to wear something that looks decent than some of those bulkier things, other charms are simply too much.” Some villagers even wore petrified chicken feet or something to ward off evil, Eudom doubted she would have wanted to wear such a thing so he went with the blessed water and herbal route instead. And maybe the cord had been chosen after a moment of reflecting upon her appearance, the Yaeli thinking that the blue was fitting. After another moment, he nodded his head at her appreciation. “Feel free to wear it as you please, I just ask you to wear it today at least to save me any hassle while we’re in the forest.”
Speaking of which…Eudom grabbed a bag of supplies and another bag with a bit of supplies that had more room in case they did find that rare flower or any interesting herbs. “Do you want this?” He held out the lighter bag towards Vepkhia, having a water flask and some food in case of emergency when they entered the forest. “I packed it since it’s best to eat what we know and you can carry anything interesting back.” Unlike foraging within the forest there was nothing wrong with bringing things back with them as long as the materials stayed outside of the house for a moon, to let any curses wear off under the moonlight. “We can head out once you’re prepared.” He grabbed his own satchel, placing it over a shoulder and reached for his glaive so that he could protect them in case of any danger.
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2024 6:49 pm
Vepkhia noticed him looking a little off, perhaps he didn't like her compliments? Maybe they weren't quite to that point of being friends yet. Internally she shrugged, it would be okay as long as they mostly got along. "I understand." She wanted to tell him that she appreciated the thought but didn't want to make him uncomfortable again. "I'll keep this on during the entirety of our outing today, no matter what makes me want to take it off." She had heard from some people that sometimes the spirits could trick you into being someone you know and if she happened to see Kres or even his daughter Arianum she might have been tempted to do as they asked worried that there was trouble afoot. Vep would have to trust his judgement! With that thought in mind, she took the offered satchel. "That's good thinking. I'll take it and wear it so we have enough supplies should something bad happen. And then you won't have to be carrying too many bags on you as well." She sling the bag over her shoulder and wore it across her body as it was more secure that way. "One moment." Vep dug around in the small bag she normally kept on her for her journal and pulled out a couple of small metal pins with which she pinned her bangs back with so they would stay out of her face. "Ready." She said confidently with a small smile and a nod.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:24 am
Eudom hadn’t known what to expect after Vepkhia had asked him to wait a moment, the Yaeli already feeling a bit flustered from all the compliments. After being on his own for so long he wasn’t quite the best at conversation and any interactions with others often just focused on trading, not fishing for flattery or anything like that. And then for the bangs to be pinned back like that? Maybe he was getting possessed by spirits for thinking a foreigner could be cute! The Yaeli simply reacted with a nod, turning away quickly and heading outside to get some fresh air to cool his skin. Outside the farm greeted them, the rows of fencing dividing animals and his seasonal crops that spread out in the surrounding fields. It was an older property worn from decades of use and generations of his family, but he had been keeping up with it and patchwork was seen everywhere with newer fencing scattered between old poles and fresh stones placed into the ground to make a path of sorts to stop him from tracking so much mud in between buildings.
It was along that main stone path that he gestured for Vepkhia to follow him. Twisting past the barn and out towards the edge of his gardens, the sight of the trees making Eudom hesitate for a moment before going ahead. “Once we’re inside make certain you stay near me. No matter what you hear don’t go running off, got it?” He warned with a stern look towards Vepkhia before going forward, entering the shadows of the trees where only flickers of sunlight came in through the heavy foliage. It was almost like another world with how quiet everything suddenly became with only the slight rustling of bushes breaking that silence on occasion as a small creature would skitter across the path around them, darting from bush to bush and making Eudom’s fingers tighten around his glaive. Just in case. For now though he was fairly confident, this was the path he had marked himself over the years with wooden talismans hanging from several trees to try and deter spirits from the deeper forest from coming this way.
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2024 5:53 am
At some point between leaving Eudom's house and entering the forest, a sense of unease came over her. Vepkhia didn't remember feeling like this the last time she came through the forest with him and she had to wonder if he had spooked her more than she initially thought or if maybe even the forest was different today. It wasn't that she didn't believe what he felt to be fact about these woods, she could readily believe that spirits could exist. The question was, why would they want to do any harm to Eudom or herself? From what she could tell, Eudom was innately a good person, perhaps a little bit solitary but still a good person. As for herself, she had always done her best to be a good person. So was she the problem here? She sighed quietly while checking her distance away from Eudom. With him asking her to stay close, Vep tried to make sure she was within arms reach of him. She had been excited to go into the forest with him...but now she wasn't sure and they had just began their trip! "Eudom....it feels different this time....the forest that is." Vepkhia wondered if he felt the same.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:45 am
Nilah44 No worries! Sorry for my own delay.
“Just consider it as testing you.” Eudom replied, looking back at Vepkhia with a slight frown. Was she alright? Perhaps he had made her a bit too nervous with his beliefs, but the Yaeli didn’t want to take any risks. It was best to be cautious and not let anything strike at them whenever their guards were down. “As long as we stay on the path then it’ll be fine, it’s marked by talismans to dissuade spirits. I can keep us safe from anything else.” He twisted his weapon in his hands, the scar across his face proving that he had indeed fought and survived before. So why not trust in him to do so again?
“Focus on the task. Surely it’ll help us. What does this flower look like again?” She was always studying those books on rare herbs ever since arriving and so he hoped thinking about them could distract her from worrying about the surrounding forest. Eudom kept an eye out as he continued forward, making certain Vepkhia was right behind him as they passed deeper into the forest with the worn path guiding them along twists and turns past crooked trees and the darker surrounding foliage.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2024 12:34 pm
Vepkhia knew she should trust him and she did to a certain extent but she also knew from over the years that she should trust her gut as well. This was his territory though and he knew best when it came to the things in Yael. "Okay.." She said hesitantly. Focus on the task...that sounded like a good idea. "There's been a few I've been researching lately. One was a blue flower with red thorns but I couldn't find any information on where that one typically grew. However another one I've been looking into was a lilac mushroom that didn't grow very big. I think across everything I read the maximum growth size was no bigger than a finger. I did find that the mushroom normally grows on the underside of branches or exposed roots. So we at least have some direction with that one." Vep did feel herself calm a little as she was thinking of her research.
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Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2024 7:16 pm
Eudom listened to the descriptions as they continued forward, his frown growing with each word. Did such plants truly exist? They sounded strange enough to nearly be like something from the spirits. “I hope those are god blessed plants and not something cursed.” He murmured quietly, using his glaive to clear some vines that were growing towards one of his talismans that hung from a tree. The last thing he needed was for the forest to claim some of them and ruin the protection he had worked so hard to keep on this trail. He did take a moment to move a branch with the glaive, checking for the mushroom in question before pulling his weapon back to his side.
“We have a direction, but does the book describe what the benefits of these plants are? Finding a mushroom that small will be quite a task.” His forehead furrowed as he pondered it, Eudom reaching out to carefully move another branch from a random tree as they walked past. Nothing there either. All he could see so far were the normal spotted mushrooms that grew along some of the tree roots, the sprawling roots nearly reaching for the path before stopping abruptly with the deep green moss and pale mushrooms decorating them at random. Reddish brown vines hung from the branches of some trees as well, gray leaves spiraling out from them with dark crystal growths scattered in between. Nothing violet though and nothing blue with red thorns, that was for certain. Unfortunately for the pair though Eudom also did not see the sky well through the forest, the trees growing closer the further they ventured into the forest and blocking most of the sky. While he believed the dim lighting in the forest was caused by the overhead branches, the darkness growing the deeper they went into the forest, it was also partly caused by the gathering of clouds that had secretly sneaked up on them as they wandered further along. For now the sky was quiet, the path clear while most animals sensed the oncoming storm way before the pair of earthlings as they continued forward.
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