|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:02 pm
Odina stared at the ocean waters that gleamed across the horizon. Somehow Briallen had convinced her to travel to Chibale instead of Belrea, the Vandrea finding herself on a boat sailing overseas since she absolutely refused to trust an earthling contraption in the sky. There was only so much that she could agree with and that was the breaking point. She was much more confident on the ground, less okay with so much water but capable of swimming, whereas falling from the sky didn’t seem to give her many chances in comparison to the ocean. So here they were, bonding. “If it wasn’t for the offer to study under Anoud I wouldn’t be here.” She grumbled, leaning against the railing as she swallowed against a rising wave of nausea the rocking ship on the rough waves making her uneasy.
[Odina 1]
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
“I know.” Briallen smiled, the Alkidike much more comfortable with the feeling of the rocky waters and simply leaning against the railing to keep Odina company. Of course she had left some room between them just in case her sister needed to empty her stomach, Briallen not wanting to be too close for that type of mess. “Still, I appreciate that you did decide to tag along in the end.” It had taken a bit of arguing, Anoud’s offer tipping the scales eventually even though Odina was still wary to leave Chiume for long. If Briallen hadn’t gone all out against her sister in that sparring match then this journey probably would never have happened. Sometimes it seemed it took a bit of bruising someone’s pride, especially someone like Odina, to have them listen. It was almost enough to ease her guilt at having defeated her sister in the first place, Briallen still caring about her sister’s feelings despite their differences.
[Briallen 1]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
“Mmm.” Odina didn’t feel much like speaking more, not with her stomach rocking back and forth with the waves. Weren’t they close yet? She was tired of evenings spent over a bucket with Briallen rubbing her shoulders while she had to get medicine for her as well. It was so shameful and Odina’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment the whole time. But it was admittedly touching that her Alkidike sister would deal with such a situation despite all of their recent arguments. It made her realize that they weren’t needlessly cruel towards one another as some could be, but that her prickly attitude was partly at fault for causing so many issues with their different opinions. It simply wasn’t fair that Briallen could always seem like a saint and make her feel like some sort of villain in the end. Odina knew that she probably couldn’t stomach rubbing her sister’s shoulders while she was sick like that, at least she couldn’t imagine doing such a thing. Not that she had to worry with how energetic and carefree her sister appeared even on the ocean, she seemed to thrive while Odina grew paler with each passing day at sea. It would be enough to frustrate her into picking another fight if the rocking waves didn’t make her lean further over the railing instead, the Vandrea emptying her stomach just as the docks finally came into view on the horizon.
[Odina 2]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Yep, there it was. Briallen backed away from the railings and gave Odina a moment to recover before nudging her along to gather their belongings. They would be docking soon and she was certain that her sister would want the feeling of steady land beneath her feet as soon as possible. It was a smaller port at the edge of Jahaur, the ocean voyage being quicker than heading to any Matorian docks and traveling by land, so Briallen did not expect much to be there when they arrived. But it would give them a chance to get their land legs back after days on the ocean, with Briallen even looking forward to walking around on something more solid again.
[Briallen 2]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Spitting into the ocean one final time, Odina backed away from the railings and trudged after Briallen to help gather their supplies as the ship finally docked. While others took their time walking down the gangway, Odina basically rushed down it. The movement though was a bit wobbly, her body still feeling like it was on the ocean and she nearly found herself falling down as her boots touched the wooden docks. It took all of her willpower to not fall, Odina throwing out a hand to catch herself on a stack of sturdy crates. “Do we stay at an inn here?” She asked, looking around at the smaller settlement that seemed lacking in comparison to the Belrean port cities she had grown accustomed with.
[Odina 3]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
“We could.” Briallen mused, the Alkidike having taken her time to catch up to Odina and steadying herself as her own legs grew accustomed to land again. It still felt like the ground was swaying beneath her feet but traveling for so many years had gotten her more familiar with the feeling, Briallen knowing how to deal with the sensation unlike her sister who was currently supported by crates. “It was unfortunate that Uilan didn’t have time to send notice ahead of our arrival, we can either stay the night here or continue on towards Chibale” In a more ideal world, Uilan’s relatives could have met them here and they could have traveled back together. Apparently her relatives often went to Neued for trading, the flow of merchants there offering more options than the settlements further inland. This little port was along the way back from Neued, but without notice it would be only pure luck for such a meeting to work out. And from her current survey of the surrounding area it looked like they were the only pair of Aishans in a sea of earthlings, many of which were Shifters minus the crew of Belreans that had brought them here.
[Briallen 3]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Odina made a face as she considered their options. If there weren’t any other Aishans here then she doubted that they would be so lucky to run into Uilan’s relatives today. “I’d rather get to Chiable quickly, it’s still early in the day.” She managed after a moment, trying to push away from the crates and nearly falling back into them as the world wobbled beneath her feet. A soft curse left her lips as she glared at any that dared to look her way, the Vandrea’s foul expression causing several to avoid that particular path.
[Odina 4]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Briallen watched her sister, a brow rising at the display. “If you think you can handle it.” She mused after a moment, considering their options. “We could always camp further inland, maybe we could cross paths with other Aishans coming from Neued.” It was a shame that they didn’t have mounts like other sisters, neither having a beast to take across the ocean with them. She could easily imagine taking a flying mount across the jungle within a day rather than spending a few days walking all the way to Chibale. Still, spending time together was the purpose of this journey and they would do just that.
[Briallen 4]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
“I’ll be fine.” Odina huffed, forcing herself to walk even though the world still moved beneath her feet. It would go away eventually, right? She was too embarrassed to ask such a question and so she just kept pushing forward until the pair of them found a spot to make camp for the evening, the jungle growing darker the further they walked away from the port and towards Chibale. Thankfully she finally got her land legs after they rested that night, the Vandrea feeling stronger as they continued traveling through Jahaur until they finally reached Andile. “Finally.” Odina breathed, shifting her travel bags as she spotted several houses spread throughout the trees. It wasn’t as if their journey through Jahaur had been awful, the pair had spent some good time together while hunting and passing the evenings by a campfire where they talked and told some stories. Briallen was more of the story-teller and for once Odina listened to her tales, not having anything else to do since storming off into the jungle was reckless even for the Vandrea. The one time she did actually argue with Briallen and storm off they had to fight a pack of radaku, the experience somehow helping her opinion of her sister who fought alongside her. They did say warriors bonded when defeating a foe together, right? So perhaps that was what they needed more of. Odina chuckled at the memory, the weight of the fresh pelts in her bag a reminder of their recent victory.
[Odina 5]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Maybe this journey was a good thing after all. Briallen had actually enjoyed their time together despite having to fight a few wild beasts along the way and saw that Odina seemed a bit more relaxed around her after they defeated some radaku together. Was fighting together truly the way to get through to her stubborn sister? I suppose in her case actions truly do speak more than words. Briallen mused that morning as they packed their belongings and prepared for the final stretch of their trip towards Andile. Once they arrived there they could meet with Uilan’s family and stay a few nights while discussing what to do next.
“I’m ready for some fresh stew or something. What do you think?” Briallen flashed her sister a smile before skidding down the small incline towards the settlement, the Alkidike following the instructions her mentor had given her for finding her relative’s home. Soon enough she turned on the path towards a house that was on the edge of the settlement, the large yard with worn grass and rough looking training posts showing that someone was outside constantly training.
[Briallen 5]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Honestly? Any cooked meal sounded good. They had been living off of the remaining bread and such that Briallen had brought along, only cooking some meat and gathering fresh berries along the way as needed. It would be nice to have something spiced for once, perhaps even over some grain or with actual sweets afterwards. Odina only grunted though in response, quietly following Briallen as she glanced around at the majority of Alkidike wandering around the area. Very few seemed to question them despite a few stares at the Vandrea who was a rare sight in the area with Briallen only stopping once to confirm that they were on the right path towards Anoud’s home. She was optimistic though once she saw the state of the yard surrounding the home, recognizing the marks from weapons on the posts spread out across the area. A warrior definitely resided inside and hopefully it was the one that would be teaching her how to stand her ground against anyone who fought like Briallen.
[Odina 6]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
“Hello?” Briallen knocked on the door, taking a step back as it opened and revealed a bulky Alkidike warrior. “Are you Anoud?” She held out a letter towards the other Aishan and offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry for arriving without much notice, but I was recommended by Uilan to come here.” She explained, giving the Alkidike a moment to review the letter. The longer they lingered on the doorstep the more she could see the similarities between her mentor and the other Alkidike, both shared similar face markings with dots under their eyes and twisted markings across their upper arms. Briallen only had so many moments to study the other Aishan though as the woman gestured for them to follow her inside.
“Uilan hasn’t sent a new warrior to me in a while.” Anoud admitted as she guided them inside, the Alkidike’s voice a lot smoother than expected from her gruff appearance. She had apparently been in the middle of cooking, a lingering scent was filling the air within the spacious home that spoke of spices and warmth. “Which of you is Odina? The Vandrea? That would mean you are Briallen, correct?” She glanced over her shoulder towards the pair as they entered a wider room with a long wooden table, the knotted wood smoothed out along the top but otherwise left alone to look mostly as it did when it was a living tree. Simplistic chairs lined up alongside both sides, seating six total, and it was there that Anoud motioned for them to sit. “We’re in the middle of preparing to eat. I’m assuming you’re also hungry, feel free to join us.”
“Sure.” Briallen nodded her appreciation as she settled into a chair and glanced around the room. “Is it truly alright if we join you? I didn’t mean to impose on your family like this.” She had been prepared to make introductions and then seek shelter at an open space for visitors or even make camp outside of the settlement again.
“You’re fine. Sasi, we have guests.” The Alkidike called out towards where the kitchen surely was, the smell of curry stronger towards that hallway. Shortly enough a Shifter appeared, much to Briallen and Odina’s surprise, the Alkidike having to nudge her sister beneath the table as a warning to behave. “Sasi, this is Briallen and Odina. My aunt sent them this way, Briallen was her student and she wishes for me to teach her sister, Odina.”
[Briallen 6]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Odina had just relaxed at the table, figuring she would allow Briallen to handle most of the speaking while she simply looked around the place. It was a cozy enough home built into one of the larger trees in the area, the carved stairs towards the entrance showing that there was a floor above them where she supposed the bedrooms were, and the dining hall was wide enough for a decently sized family. Of course she had suspicions that the Alkidike had a partner, but the revelation that her partner was a Shifter had the Vandrea freezing in place. Out of all things! She held her tongue though, shooting Briallen a glare at the nudge even as she realized it was only proper if she behaved here. She was visiting to ask for mentorship and even Odina didn’t want to mess up the opportunity to train under someone who was praised for her fighting skills.
So she simply curled her fingers against her palms, her hands tucked under the table to hide her frustration. Why was a great warrior sharing her life with an earthling out of all things? One would have thought that Uilan would have said something about that! Maybe she didn’t know? Odina wasn’t certain, especially since Uilan had lived in Chiume for decades now without ever leaving for Chibale nor had she heard of her family visiting. Maybe Anoud kept it quiet from others?
[Odina 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:03 pm
While Odina was despairing over the revelation, Briallen was beaming towards Sasi. “Nice to meet you. I’m grateful that Anoud is taking my sister in like this. She’s hoping to spend a few weeks here to train and learn some new fighting techniques.” That would keep Odina in place, Briallen trying her hardest to avoid looking at her Vandrea sibling even as she felt the silent frustration because of how well she knew her sister. Uilan truly had surprised them with this! While Odina didn’t know Uilan as well as Briallen, the Alkidike was certain her mentor already knew about Sasi and simply wanted to get them across the ocean when it was too late to back away.
“Oh? That’ll be great! I know Anoud loves teaching others, you both look like strong warriors.” The petite Shifter smiled as she started to place wooden bowls down on the table for everyone. “I made plenty so please help yourselves. Our daughters should be home soon and they’ll just have to join us then.”
Ah, daughters. That definitely meant Sasi and Anoud had been together for quite a time. “Oh? It’ll be great to meet them. Uilan always praises her family and says that everyone in it should be valuable warriors one day. Are they training as well?” If they were out and about then she could only assume their daughters were at least teens, not children sleeping upstairs or something like that.
“They are.” Anoud acknowledged, accepting a bowl from her partner before the Shifter disappeared again and reappeared with a pot of fresh curry for everyone to serve themselves. She even placed a tray of fresh bread and spiced nuts to go along with the meal, the flatbread being perfect for dipping in the curry and scooping out a nice bite. “Thank you, Sasi.”
“Mmhmm.” The Shifter settled down next to her partner, the earthling glancing between the two sisters. “So if Odina is here to train, what about you?” She glanced over Briallen with interest. “Are you not planning on training as well? There’s also a hunting party happening soon, I hear the event is always exciting especially when they go to clear out any menzuri from the area. The last thing we want is for some poor younglings to wander into something like that.”
“Me?” Briallen paused, her hand stopping and holding a piece of bread that was halfway to her face in the air as she thought about her answer. “I’m not sure. I think I’ve had plenty of training, not that I think I couldn’t learn something from Anoud…I simply don’t know if that’s my main goal.” She expressed after a moment, feeling a bit sheepish as she acknowledged that her desires lay elsewhere.
“Oh? Then what are you interested in, if I may ask?”
[Briallen 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:04 pm
“Treasure hunting.” Odina replied, that being the first thing she said as she finished chewing through a piece of bread. If she was going to endure the presence of an earthling and train under Anoud while living with the earthling and their hybrid children then she was not going to let Briallen skirt around her own differences. Odina had simply been trying to reign her temper in even though her tone was a bit more rough when she did answer the question that was aimed towards her sister. Still, it seemed to be sufficient enough as Sasi simply smiled towards them and didn’t even seem bothered by the Vandrea’s gruff nature. Briallen though had frozen, lowering her food as she settled in her chair and waited to see the response.
“Treasure hunting?” The Shifter looked between the two before nodding. “That’s so interesting. I’ve heard some about treasure hunters, my brother has connections in Oba so he tells me a bit about their digs and the like.” Anoud seemed a bit more perplexed by the situation, the Alkidike focusing on her own plate as she surely tried to figure out why a mystic’s daughter who was a talented sacred heart would be interested in treasure hunting enough to prioritize it over warrior duties.
[Odina 8]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
