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(( I guess I'll make a post to move things on to the next morning, then..))





Lorika was not entirely surprised to find the Captain sitting in the kitchen the next morning, peeling and eating an orange. After the day she'd had yesterday, nothing would surprise her. She'd taken too much potion that night and overslept - it was now around 8 in the morning, and technically time for morning prayers. But noone seemed to be up yet. It was strange, but strange things just kept on happening.

"Good morning," she intoned cheerfully, seating herself opposite him on the island counter "I trust your migraine has improved by this morning?"

Jessie didn't look up at her. He continued to peel the orange, painstakingly picking off all the white flakes of skin. "Not particularly. These accursed things are very annoying, aren't they?"

"Maybe you'd be better off with a banana," she answered, and reached out to touch her fingertips to his forehead. "Here."

[Alleviate Pain]

The Captain sat still for a moment as he felt the effects of the headache lifting. "Thanks, but the stringy bits on them annoy me just as much."

"You can't be too good with celery, then."

He made a face, and she laughed. "I shall take that as a 'most definitely not', then."

Jessie set aside the orange and looked into her eyes, determined to get down to something that had been bothering him - the entire reason he'd hung around the Temple that morning.

"Where did you learn to speak our language?"

The High Priestess shrugged. "It's no big secret. The language is uncommon on the surface, but I grew up in a small town that happened to have a lot of travellers and merchants wandering through throughout the year. You're bound to pick up one or two things if you pester the wanderers enough," she smiled "One of your kind, a female, passed through one year and we had a great chat. When she returned several months later she brought me a book she'd compiled specially for me on the language. It was not a very big book... only a notebook she'd scribbled in whenever she thought about it, really... but it was very helpful, and gave me a lot of insight."

Jessie pondered over this for a few moments. "What was her name?"

Lorika let the name roll over her tongue. "Luathrae Melzynge. House Melzynge, that is. She didn't take a human name. I think she was rather attached to her original one."

"'Bright charmer.' Yes, I can see how one would be attached to a name like that," he smiled thoughtfully. "What other languages do you speak?"

The priestess was surprised to see the smile, but returned it gratefully. "Not too many, really... some Orcish, but mainly other human languages. About five of them, in varying degrees of fluency."

"That's an awful lot of languages. I don't suppose you picked up any Zurg?"

Her face fell. "I'm afraid not."

He leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter. "You needn't look so upset. Shlu'ta dos kampi'un uns'aa nin?"

Lorika's eyes widened a little, and her mind raced. She really should have expected this, but... oh well. Time to make a fool of herself. "Ummm... siyo. Jhal qualla telanth, um, kiel'urne."

The Captain seemed very pleased by this. "Dos ph'xundus ves al. Usstan inbal ulu telanth nindel usstan tlun mzilst toun."

Lorika flushed a little at his compliments - his compliments as she understood them, anyway. She might have been way off the mark. "Bel'la dos. Do you mind if we stop now? It's too early for my brain to be working so hard."

"You'll never learn if you don't practise..." he answered teasingly.

She giggled, picking up the abandoned orange and breaking off a few pieces for herself. "I have plenty of time for practise - just not so early!" She popped the sweet sections into her mouth. "So, what House are you from?"

She knew at once she'd made something of a mistake. His single eye flashed dangerously, and he drew himself up even straighter than he'd been sitting.

"I wasn't a member of a House. Not for most of my life, anyway."

She managed to hold his gaze for a second before dropping it. "Oh." She knew there were some implications to that, but didn't dare to ask any further.

Instead, she quickly changed the subject. "I'm going to go and tend to the Overseer momentarily. I still don't think it would be a good idea to bring him in front of everyone just yet, but... we'll have to see how he feels. You wouldn't mind him lodging in your apartments for just another night, would you?"

The coldness that had momentarily gripped the room seemed to dissipate. He leaned back a little. "Of course I have no objections. The rooms here in the temple are wonderfully comfortable."

She chuckled sweetly. "Only because you stayed in the rooms reserved for priests. Unfortunately, the regular dormitory beds are a rather different story."

He was on his feet suddenly, and preparing to move. "These children do not know when they are well off; having a bed at all is a luxury."

"Ah, yes - I forget that you are old enough to be insufferably superior. Was it better in your day, when the dinosaurs were still plodding around?"

He rolled his single eye. "I am not that old. Anyway - I shall leave you to your day, and retreat to my own routine," he bowed his head and shoulders slightly, and she returned the gesture, bidding him goodbye. Then he was out through the door with no noise other than a gentle swish.

Lorika finished off the orange by herself, savouring it slowly, before standing it. It was time to go and see what the day would bring her.

(( Hmm, do I run out and accost him now?

I think so =3

Oh, and sorry for my clipped responses.. I'm actually trying to do some digital painting. It is an inetresting experience! ))

Y'know, I buy all the presents I give out in aquariums..

(( *points at second post of the thread* ))

Confused that someone else was shouting a strange name at him, yet this time from behind him, he nearly bolted towards the closest hiding spot. He did a small skip, hop and a jump as he stopped himself from the his initial fight-or-flight response, and as he turned around, at first sight of Lorika, the Overseer smiled faintly.

He walked towards her, and started with, "Is everything well with you this morning?" That is, until he sensed her lingering annoyance with him, confused that she was also so happy to see him, and he glanced away to save himself further embarrassment. Scrambling for words, he asked, "Where you searching for the Captain?"