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 Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:20 pm
He had just met this man, but already was learning so much! The fact that he had grown up here made... a lot of sense to Uquin, considering how happily the others here had greeted him. It hadn't been clear to him, before, but the longer he looked at this man the more he realized he didn't meet the descriptions for Alkidike, exactly- not that he'd met one before, but he definitely was not a woman, as his bare chest proved. A thought that made Uquin feel guilty for his previous 'hostility.' He listened to the explanation, and nodded, his stance and features relaxing somewhat.
What really pleased the younger man was Yaholo's accepting reaction - it seemed he understood, to an extent, how this move had felt for Uquin. He released the tiniest of pent of breathes of relief, then turned his eyes to look down at the two boys. Why exactly he cared what this stranger thought he wasn't sure - but he wanted the locals, which evidently included these three, to come to accept him eventually. "We need a lot of warriors back here, at home - in case they break through." He pointed out very quietly, looking around at the bustling area - which he knew, depending on the outcome of the battle, could be raided by enemies. While he knew he wouldn't be much help himself, he couldn't imagine some of these merchants raising a spear with any hope of success. It was a scary, sobering thought.
"If it were my father, I would urge him to protect what was here, instead of risking all those with skill on the front lines."
Somewhat embarassed by his presumption to try and give advice to someone who was older and more experienced, Uquin ducked his eyes down to the boys again, finding himself tilting his own head, just slightly, at their 'game'. "It means - I'm not as impressive an adventurer as your father is. I'm new to it." He said with a very small smile.
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:06 pm
Yaholo nodded. Yes, Yera needed quite a bit of backup here in the event of an attack. He hoped that his elder, Kuthun, had trained the remaining young people well enough and taught them everything they would need to know. If the walls crumbled around them because they were unprepared, Yaholo would be as disappointed as he would be devastated. Kuthun was an excellent teacher, but he was getting on in his years. Hopefully he had no reason to doubt his capabilities.
"I know we have an emerging force of new warriors around here, somewhere." He replied, glancing to the side. "My elder is supposed to be training them for defense purposes, but I'm not sure how well he's going to do with them. I've been meaning to go look for the group to observe..."
He paused and shook his head at his boys, amused with their mirrored postures.
"Ah, but it doesn't take much to impress children, am I right? They idolize anyone who can wield a weapon and tower over them a few inches."
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:13 pm
Samoset's arms fell to his sides as the word was explained, but kept his confused expression. He blinked, once, twice, and pursed his lips. It appeared he didn't quite understand just yet.
"So... You're like us?" He asked. "Kenny and I are new to adventuring, too! Maybe we can show each other stuff?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:22 pm
Kennet's arms fell as his brother's did, and he returned to his typical stoic gaze. He was getting bored with this conversing, but he wasn't about to wander away from his father and brother like he knew what he was doing. He knew that he wasn't in Jauhar, his safe space, his home. This was a strange place, filled with browns, tans, yellows, and cushion-like sand that bothered his feet. He puffed out his cheeks and blew out a huff of air.
"I'm hungry." He grumbled, gazing up to Uquin. "Do you have food, adventure man?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:52 pm
Hm. Uquin had seen prentices being preened for training, numbers of them trying to earn rights to weapons and be recognized before the imminent war. Then there were prentices like him who had no chance of earning such regard, especially by wartime. These were the ones who were trying to scramble to help in any way they could - him by mending clothing, others by tending stalls at markets or taking on the jobs of gathering food and goods.
Yera was a large settlement, so the hope was there were just enough people left over to keep the town defended. Smaller villages could be fully wiped out if their enemy was particularly bloodhungry, and yet in that same vein larger settlements (again, like Yera) could be targeted simply due to their size.
It was a precarious situation, and Uquin wondered how his new acquaintence felt about leaving his children here. 'It's better, with family at least and some chance of protection', Uquin thought to himself, nodding at Yaholo's spoken intentions to survey the new warriors. After, he allowed Yaholo to change the topic from war back to the boys - Samoset and Kennett, his mind reminded. If he was to see them in Yera in the future he had best get to telling them apart - they may be small now, but that wouldn't last forever and any offense at this age could live on through adolescence and be of hindrance further down the road.
At Kennett's questions, Uquin thought of the few foreign nuts and local pods he'd been traded in exchange for work well done, and fought past a brief moment of stinginess to instead kneel down and open a small pouch full of the treats for the children to take. He felt nurturing friendships was more important than a handful of nutrition. "Yes - then I look forward to learning from you both too. And my name is Uquin." Uquin scolded quietly, waiting until both had picked over the food and taken what they wanted (if anything, the food was strange and foreign to them) before standing and tying the pouch back onto his belt, at his hip.
"I don't have much to offer in support or aid, but I can promise to keep an eye out for them, for you and your sister. Uquin finally mentioned, lifting his gaze back to Yaholo again, the smile falling away - but only back to his more neutral expression, an appraising gaze set on Yaholo.
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:48 pm
Yaholo tousled the dreads on his boy's heads as they were offered a snack, and smiled gratefully towards Uquin. He hoped they would be alright here and fit in as easily as he had, perhaps even easier due to how young they were. He gazed lovingly toward the twins as Uquin spoke, before sighing.
"Thank you, it makes me feel so much better to know someone else will be looking out for them while I'm gone." He replied. "I've worked my entire life to find my place and be comfortable enough with my position to become a parent. The last thing I want is to see them harmed or lose them now."
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:52 pm
Though it was Kennet who had asked for the food in the first place, Samoset was more than eager to dive into the bag Uquin had presented them. The first few things he pulled out were odd, but none-the-less satisfying. He wondered just what he had eaten!
"What's in there, Uquin?" He asked, pointing to the bag. "I like that round thing, it's salty!"
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:59 pm
Kennet waited for his brother to finish picking what he wanted and gazed skeptically at what was offered. Hm... He'd never seen such odd food before. What was that tan thing, with the grooves in it? Tiny hands plucked it out and popped it in his mouth, before a wild grin formed on his face. It tasted like the nuts from Jauhar, but spicy! Quickly, he dug out a few more.
"I thought it was going to taste bad, but it tastes good!" He exclaimed. "Where do you get them? I want to bring some home!"
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:25 am
How odd must it be to seem so young, and yet have children of your own? It must have been stressful, especially for a father off to war. Uquin couldn't really imagine it, from either perspective, but surely these boys, so keen on adventure, may not understand just what their father leaving them here might entail in their future. Yaholo didn't want to lose them, but in these next few days, possibly their last with Yaholo if the war went badly, they may not even understand how dear those days were.
To Uquin, the idea of a father leaving home and finding himself unable to return to his child broke his heart, even if by the rather calm expression it wasn't obvious.
'I seem to have quite a flare for drama and morbidity.' He thought with a soft snort.
To the question of the salt grains, Uquin's lips pursed slightly in thought and he tilted his head, a hand raising to settle lightly against his chin. "I believe it is from Sauti, the merchant said - I'm not very familiar with their plants, or I'd tell you more. But those nuts, Kennett, are dried nuts from one of the local plants. They don't always grow, but sometimes if you check the roots just right...there will be a handfull of these nuts." He wouldn't mention that the fact they had been dried, and handed out so idly probably meant they had been in that merchant's possession long enough to not be sold, so they may have been somewhat past their prime. But Tale didn't have the possibility of being poisoned, like Jauhaur plants often promised.
After explaining the nuts to the two children, however, Uquin glanced to their father, feeling nervous to have taken up so much of their time. "I must be holding you away from your sister - it wasn't my intention to detour you, especially since you all must be tired from coming to town." It wasn't even, necessarily, that he wanted to end the conversation, but with a sudden start Uquin realized they had been standing to the side of the small marketplace, talking about nuts - and Yaholo, with apparent patience like a saint, was casually letting Uquin ramble on about nuts. He didn't know if he should be touched that he hadn't been brushed away brazenly, or annoyed that he'd gotten himself carried away and imposed on the man's patience for this long.
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Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:45 pm
Little did Uquin know that Yaholo was actually enjoying the conversation he was having with him. He didn't mind what the topic was or if he needed to be somewhere, as long as Uquin didn't suddenly try to attack him, he was good with standing around and chatting. He did this a lot when he was younger, standing around, chewing on nuts and berries, and chatting with his buddies until they were told to get back to work. His younger days were brought back into view again and wavered, bringing nostalgia back into the town around him, before he sighed.
"Yes, she might be a little worried about us, I'll admit." He chuckled. "I suppose we should get going up to my father's home... Will you be staying in Yera for a while?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:50 pm
Sauti, where was Sauti? Samoset puckered his lips again and popped another ball into his mouth. Where ever that place was, they sure knew how to make good snack foods! He smiled towards his brother, who was still enjoying the spicy nuts, and poked his shoulder.
"We should get Jauhar snacks for Uquin!" He exclaimed. "Then, maybe we could trade them for a bunch of those things he has!"
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Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:55 pm
A local plant with roots that sometimes left nuts if you checked at the right time? That sounded like a game, looking for the nuts that may or may not be under a bunch of roots. Kennet gave a smirk and popped another nut into his mouth. That almost sounded like fun!
"Trading snacks for snacks?" He pondered, blinking at his brother's proposition. Hm... That did sound like a nice idea, trading snacks from home for new stuff they never tried. He was pleasantly surprised by the nuts, who was to say he wouldn't feel the same about something else? He gazed up to Uquin and smiled. "The next time we see you, we'll trade snacks, okay?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:03 pm
Uquin nodded uncertaintly at the question, his mind instantly turning to the war to come. He hadn't decided if he would be staying in Yera for the war - or if he would go to the front lines and offer what aid he could. But... assuming the best, that he would come home safe and sound from the battle, and Oba hadn't taken over Tale and beyond, then he would return here to his new home.
"I have never been too fond of traveling." He admitted, ducking his head and rubbing a hand over the short hair on the side of his head, "I assume I'll be here for a long time - if everything goes well, that is." Once he became a Healer... maybe then he'd be able to earn a living and try and forget about his old home. For now, it was just hard being a prentice and scraping by a living, even with the very generous citizenry of Yera. "When you... left here, to go wherever it was you went -- how did you handle it?" He asked, suddenly, biting his lip and looking away, shifting somewhat in discomfort.
Once more, though, his eyes turned down to the two boys, and he snorted at the 'question'. Then again, it didn't quite sound like a question but more like the way children ordered others around sometimes. But he didn't mind - children were so much easier to interact with, compared to adults or even people his own age. "You've got a deal." He agreed with a quirk of his lips.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:14 pm
Yaholo's eyes went a little wide at Uquin's question, and he gazed down the path towards his old home, which was just within his sight, before turning back to Uquin. How had he handled it? He brought a hand to his chin, tapped it, and laughed.
"My step mother was a terror, so, I just did what I felt was best for myself at the time." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I was fed up with being ragged at by her all the time and... Yeah, I just ran away to be with my mother, really." He let out another laugh, before looking towards his home again. Was that Pahana waving at him? He shook his head, better meet her in the middle in case she slipped!
"My sister's spotted us, I'm afraid!" He chuckled, tapping his boys on the heads. "I'm sorry we have to cut this short, Uquin, but I hope you enjoy your time in Yera! This was my childhood home and I can only say the best of the people here, so I'm sure you find a roost here soon enough."
He turned, taking the boys by the hand again, and motioned to Uquin.
"Say goodbye, boys! I'm sure you'll see him again later!" He said, smiling.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:18 pm
Samoset pouted a little as his father lead he and his brother away. Aw, why did they have to go? Couldn't auntie Pahana wait just a little bit longer? He sighed and turned to grin towards Uquin.
"Take care Mr. Uquin! I hope to see you later!" He chirped, waving goodbye with his free hand. "Thank you for the snacks!"
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