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 Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:09 pm
The gypsy woman's smile widened. "Gwynna, yes. I'm sorry we haven't had the chance to meet yet, but I have a... a rather odd request." She held out one dark hand to shake and joined Silver on the steps.
"Oqaia came to me the other day with a dream about Nusa..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:21 pm
Silver shook Gwynna's hand and moved over to allow more room on the step for her guest. "Oh? Well, it never hurts to ask, even if it's an odd question." Silver had never minded odd requests, but these days when dreams were involved - especially ones from Oqaia or Valelldia - she became a bit wary. "I must ask, though... You said it was about Nusa, but does this dream of hers involve Aisrhan or Khevashi?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:30 pm
"Not exactly," Gwynna admitted. "Oqaia mentioned Nusa having some items in her possession, and one of them was 'smooth and shining.' I suggested a stone of some sort, and Oqaia said perhaps it meant one of the stones you might have."
She watched Silver carefully for her reaction, remembering how vague Oqaia had been regarding the "incident" in the forest; perhaps it would be somewhat of a sore spot with her.
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:19 pm
Silver's smile faded, the image of her daughter sinking her razor sharp fangs into Vanna's leg still fresh in her mind. She had been bitten by those fangs once herself, but it had been out of fear and Aisrhan had only wanted to be put down so she could hide from Val. When she bit Vanna, it had been intentional, and malicious. Silver tried not to think about what that might mean. The meij might grant her actual venom one day. That bite wouldn't be so "harmless" then.
"Um... yes... Aisrhan found some stones around the time that we had all the trouble with the fairies. They're quite beautiful, really." Then she mumbled, "So much trouble for such little things..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:17 pm
Gwynna bit her lip and glanced at Silver out of the corner of her eye. "Would it be too much to ask if Nusa could have one?" she ventured. "I know we've only just met, but.. If Oqaia's dream was from the meij, and the stones you have are like the one she saw..." She shrugged. "It just seems important, although I certainly have no idea why they would be," Gwynna finished lamely.
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Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:32 pm
"Oh, it's fine." Silver attempted a new smile, hoping to put her guest at ease. "I certainly wouldn't mind parting with those stones. Give me a moment and I'll go get one for you." She retreated into Weathered Melody and walked over to the cabinet where she was keeping Aisrhan's doll and the pouch of stones. Silver opened the cabinet door and reached in to grab the pouch. She retrieved one of the gleaming stones and closed the cabinet again. Silver got halfway to the door before she felt a pair of serpentine eyes on her back. She turned, half expecting Aisrhan to be asleep, but knowing that she wasn’t. “Mama... what are you doing?”
Silver sighed. “I’m giving one of these cursed things to Gwynna. Oqaia dreamt that Nusa would need it.” She didn’t get one more step toward the door before Aisrhan jumped out of bed, a look of shock on her face. “But Mama! It’s mine!” she hissed. Her red eyes flashed indignantly. “Aisrhan, be quiet! You’ll wake your brother.” Silver looked over at her sleeping son. He didn’t move. She continued in a hushed voice. “We’ve talked about this. You said the tree told you they weren’t for you.” Silver walked over to her daughter, but Aisrhan flinched when her mother touched her arm. Her patience running low, Silver set the stone down on the table and picked up Aisrhan, sitting in a chair with the girl on her lap. “Ais, how do you know that you weren’t meant to pick up all those stones to give them to other people?”
”I...”
”You don’t, now, do you?”
Aisrhan folded her arms angrily and pouted, but reluctantly shook her head.
”That’s right. Now, you are going to go out there and give this one to Miss Gwynna yoursel-“
”But MAMA!”
”Yourself,” Silver repeated angrily when Khevashi began to cry. Silver set Ais back on the floor of the wagon and shoved the stone into her hand before pointing toward the door. Aisrhan thrashed her tail against the floor in protest as she slithered toward the doorway. Silver hoisted Khevashi into her arms and rocked him gently, in an attempt to stop his raucous squalling while following Aisrhan to the door.
A young blonde-haired snake child appeared in the doorway behind Gwynna. “Miss Gwynna?” Aisrhan stared down at the steps grumpily. "Mama said I had to give this to you." She looked back at Silver, thinking that maybe if she asked one more time she would be able to keep it. Her mother merely nodded and Aisrhan knew there was no room for compromise. She slowly extended her hand and held the stone out to the gypsy perched on the wagon step.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:23 pm
Gwynna stood up swiftly when she heard Khevashi's crying and the faint sounds of an arguement from the inside. She began to think this had been a bad idea, when a sulking snake-girl approached her and reluctantly held one of the highly-disputed stones.
Before Aisrhan could change her mind or dash away, Gwynna accepted the stone and slipped it into the bag she wore on her belt. "Thank you," she told her, bobbing her head in a sort of bow. "I know it's no fun to give your possessions to strangers, but..." Gwynna shrugged to show her helplessness when it came to the whims and wishes of the meij.
Her eyes flicked up to meet Silver's. "Well. I hope we won't be such strangers in the future, Silver. Should you and your family wish to visit me and Nusa, you are all quite welcome any time."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:08 pm
Aisrhan grumbled, "Yeah," and dashed back into the wagon. Khevashi was still sniffling, but was pretty calm as Silver continued to rock him in her arms. "I'm sorry you heard that, Gwynna. Aisrhan's attitude has been... pretty poor lately." She frowned. "Maybe someday soon, when she's more willing to behave herself, she and Khevashi could meet Nusa. I really think she'd like that, even if she won't admit it." Silver winked. "Anyway, I'm glad I could help, and it was really nice to finally meet you," she said, smiling once more. She shifted Khevashi, freeing an arm so that she could reach out to hug Gwynna. "You're always welcome in my home as well. If you ever need anything at all, just ask."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:23 pm
"That would be wonderful, especially if Nusa is to grow soon." Gwynna returned the hug, giving Khevashi a quick pat in the process. "Thank you again," she called out, as she skipped down the steps and back to The Singing Bird.
For all the trouble those stones had caused in the past... perhaps this one could be redeemed.
[Fin]
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:06 pm
Rojiza had gotten bored, just sitting in the wagon, and decided to fashion a little lead for the Banyas. They seemed bored, all cooped up in their cages, and so she'd worked long and hard on them, and today was the day she'd decided to try them out. She sinches the loop gently around Taog's scaly ankle, as he seemed the least likely to try and escape--he liked Ro, it seemed-- and the other end of the long leather string to her wrist.
Wandering around in the camped wagon circle, she lets the string out to let Taog fly around. He lets out a low cry of happiness before soaring as high as the lead would let him. He then circles back down and settles stoically on Rojiza's shoulder, nipping affectionately at her ear.
Rojiza smiles, and then comes across a gypsy she doesn't know very well, sitting on the steps to her wagon. She's holding a furry red-brown creature that must be her Fortunette daughter. Rojiza approaches them, tipping her head curiously at the animal. She'd seen the pair around, and knew that the Fortunette's time to transform into an infant was drawing near.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:39 pm
Nusa chittered a greeting at Rojiza, her dark eyes entranced by the Banya on her shoulder. She stood up on Gwynna's lap, sniffing intently. The red panda sneezed and Gwynna giggled.
The red-headed gypsy smiled at the little squirrel-girl. "Well hello there. What's your Banya's name? He's a lovely one."
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:44 pm
Rojiza starts a little at the direct question. She'd forgotten not everyone knows. Sitting down beside the gypsy, she leans down and writes in the needles on the forest floor: TAOG.
She looks back at the gypsy woman and gives the fuzzy thing a friendly scritch behind the ears.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:55 pm
"Oh!" Gwynna exclaimed, watching her arrange the needles carefully. "Taog," she read, scooting over slightly to give Rojiza more room. "I'm Gwynna, and this is Nusa. What's your name?" She leaned forward and cleared off a spot in the dirt with her foot. Spotting a small twig, she handed it to Rojiza- it would make a much better writing utensil.
Nusa chirred happily at Ro and gave the little girl's fingers a tentative lick, still keeping an eye on Taog.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:06 pm
Rojiza giggles, put into a better state by Nusa's greeting. She thankfully takes the stick from Gwynna and scratches her name into the dirt. She smiles at Gwynna and points at it.
Taog blinks his sharp eyes at Nusa before ignoring her completely.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:17 pm
Gwynna squinted at the letters and decided she would probably mangle it. "Ro," she said with an apologetic grin. "It's very nice to meet you. Did you make that lead for Taog yourself?"
Nusa pouted for a moment at being ignored by the bird and relegated him in her mind to a (very short) list of Things Not To Be Bothered With. Distracted by the pointing and gesturing, she climbed down Gwynna's legs and scratched in the dirt with her claws. Of course it didn't produce anything other than a few meaningless lines, but Nusa looked proudly up at Ro and squeaked.
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