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 Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:55 am
“I’ll have to think about it, Qazam. Though it is beautiful.”
As was to be expected, Khalel was off on her daily adventure to the bazaars of Sulburi. This day in particular she found herself in the crafter’s section, gazing about the various fabrics that had been spun, shirts that had been sewn, and jewelry and perfume that had been crafted. She stood in front of a jeweler’s stand, for the moment, holding an elegant necklace made of gold and adorned with amethysts. It was quite the sight to behold, but as one could expect, it also carried a hefty price tag to go with it. Most wouldn’t have been able to afford such an item. Khalel could manage it, but it would deplete a good chunk of money she had saved up for herself, and that was why intense thought was necessary.
“Of course, Miss Khalel,” the jeweler said, bowing his head to the prentice. It was no surprise that the two of them were on a first name basis. Khalel often enjoyed learning not just the names, but about the personal lives of the vendors she frequented as well. It allowed her to be close to them, as she felt was necessary when having a go-to person for certain products. It also helped to build trust among client and crafter. “Though I’ll truly be sad to see you pass it up. You would wear it well.”
Khalel smiled at this, beaming from ear to ear, and she nodded her head to him in thanks. After that, she continued along in her venture of the market, allowing herself to take in as many sights and sounds as possible. Before going to Qazam’s stall, Khalel had already purchased a bottle of perfumed oil for herself. Balil, the perfume vendor, always loved when she stopped by for business, even if she didn't purchase anything. The two would chat, joke, and talk about their goings-on, while Khalel would examine and try some of the perfumes that he had to sell. Luckily for him, her favorite perfume had just run out only a few days before, so she had to restock on that. If she hadn’t bought more of it, maybe Qazam’s necklace would be a little more feasible. Maybe – but probably not.
Although the sun didn’t really reach the bazaars in Sulburi, the streets were still quite hot from all the people that stopped by. Thirst was nagging at Khalel, and she was eager to n** that in the bud while she had the chance. Eager to quench her thirst, she headed to her favorite juice vendor and got herself a glass of fresh fruit juice. Fine necklaces and perfume were all well and good, but sometimes a refreshing glass was even better, especially on days like today.
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:36 am
Things always turned out to be harder than they were imagined to be. Skadravi hadn't been fond of the idea of staying in Juahar. He didn't appreciate his scuzzy half-sister calling him worthless, but first and foremost, he did not enjoy bugs for dinner. So he'd returned to Oba, knowing full-well that he couldn't make an appearance at his step-father's home without his mother or sister alongside him. During the whole ride back, he'd considered what to do with himself. Most people of his age and... upbringing worked for a living, but again, thoughts of some Fire a*****e barking at him for the duration of the day did not appeal to Skadravi's tastes.
Neither did starving, but there were ways of obtaining food that didn't require money. These particular methods were best executed around lots of people, when attentions could easily be diverted, and a halfling boy could be overlooked without a second thought. The streets of Sulburi's market were crowded and bustling. It wasn't frequently that Dravi had ever made his way out here. His step-father disliked the idea of his mother being seen with him in public, so he wasn't permitted to join her when she went. And when he was alone, he'd preferred to spend his time with the young servant boys that lingered in their neighborhood, throwing rocks at waste bins and whatever creature was trying to eat from them that day.
Of course, that had been a long time ago... Or it felt like it, anyway. SO today, as he strolled down the streets with his arms crossed behind his head, he spared a moment to marvel at the things he'd missed as a youngster; fine, silken fabric of deep reds and purples, thick globs of juicy fruit imported from the former-colonies, golden trinkets adorned with glittering jewels, beautiful wome-
Dravi's gaze landed on the petite young women standing before the jeweler. From behind she looked... not much different than any other Oban lady of noble birth; deep mahogany hair, brown skin, and dressed in the finery of someone of the upper class. But as he moved to walk by her, he noticed (and not because he was staring) the distinctive patchwork markings of a Matori citizen. A hybrid girl, conversing with merchants and adorned with all the finery of a high-class citizen.
Needless to say, his interest was peaked.
Perhaps at one point, sustenance had been a priority, but as the lady headed away from the jeweler, Skadravi couldn't help but veer after her. Plans were overrated, anyway. Tottering up to her side and falling in-step beside her, Dravi commented, "I dunno how one as beautiful as yourself gets around without an entourage of lads at your heel." With a tilt of his head and a beaming smile in her direction, he added, "But I guess that's just my luck."
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:54 am
A soft laugh, one with amusement and a slight tinge of a scoff, escaped the hybrid’s mouth. Well, this was great – just great. As the young man had mentioned an entourage of other lads following her, all she could do was thinking about the times when there had been gaggles of them tailing her. It had happened far too frequently than Khalel would have liked, and luckily for her, she had gotten quite skilled at dodging them. Just in case any instances such as this one would pop up, she could easily duck away and give them the slip. Though, this time, for some reason, that seemed like it wouldn’t be the case.
”Just your luck,” she repeated, not even bothering to glance at Skadravi. He was probably like all the others. A haughty, arrogant Oban boy who thought he was all that. Those sorts of lads felt that they had nothing to lose by trying to woo her, and would often find themselves returning home with nothing but the sensation of failure as their reward. It was these sorts of men that Khalel didn’t want to give the time of day. It would have been the same for Skadravi, had something not caught the young girl’s eye.
His skin was peppered with dotted markings.
A hybrid?
Intrigued, Khalel’s exotic eyes met with ones that looked just like hers, and she couldn’t help but smile widely at that. Well – this was an amusing turn of events, wasn’t it? Not an Oban boy, but a hybrid, and not just any sort of hybrid: an Oban and Matori hybrid, just as she was. The God of Fate was looking down at her yet again, or so it would seem, with the meeting of the two of them. Then again, the gods did work in mysterious was, so who was she to question it.
Others of her standing probably wouldn’t have thought it, but Khalel found herself drawn to this stranger. Based on first glances alone, she also found him to be quite handsome, a view that other Oban girls most assuredly wouldn’t share. Khalel wasn’t like other Oban girls, however, and she couldn’t help but be secretly glad that there was someone else out there who was like her. She didn’t show this outwardly, of course. To Skadravi, she appeared calm and composed, her hips sashaying from side to side as she walked down the streets of the bazaar. ”Can I help you with something,” she went on to ask, an elegant brow quirk.
Oh, she knew what wanted. He wanted to try and get to know her, possibly flirt, and all of that good stuff. She had no doubt about that. Yet at the same time, she also wasn’t going to give the lad the satisfaction. If he wanted her attention, then he was going to have to work for it. This was going to be fun.
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:27 am
Oh. Dravi's yellow eyes narrowed slightly as his grin widened. She liked to play hard-to-get, as he expected most ladies who were fawned on day and night did. But she'd at least done him the kindness of offering him a smile in return, which was more than he could say for most females. Geniality must be a trait shared by hybrid children, as it certainly wasn't something he'd ever noted in the Oban lasses. They certainly had a way of expressing distaste and disinterest at an alarmingly immediate quip. Whereas this woman, who admittedly still bore a touch of the haughty expectancy of all nobles, had the decency to engage him more politely. A rare find, if not amusing in its own way.
"You could start with your name," he offered, sliding out in front of her and turning his back to the rest of the bazaar as he strolled carelessly backward against the crowd. Never mind that sure-footedness wasn't innately a strong suit or that the other passerby would likely not take kindly to being bumped into by a hybrid. He wanted her attention, and that was more easily obtained from right in front of her. His lashes lowered a bit as his toe took on a coy edge. "Aaand I imagine everything else will come in time." He gave a careless shrug, accented with an almost teasing quirk of his brow.
What was truly impressive was the way she carried herself, like an actual noble. Confidence, ease of practice, dignified, despite her heritage. Dravi's lips swished to the side in thought. Even if one of her parents had been a noble, the other was decidedly not. But that didn't seem to affect her, as it did others; as it did him. Briefly, his gaze flicked over her frame, landing fleetingly on the beaded bracelet tied about her wrist, the only thing that stood out from the gold and silks of the rest of her Oban-themed wear. With a quiet hum, he commented, "You're really something else, aren't you?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:16 am
Skadravi moved fluidly out in front of her and began walking backwards so he could get a better look at her. This took the girl by surprise, and she found herself pausing with her own steps. This allowed her to get a better look at the other hybrid. He had mottled skin like her, but it wasn’t as brown as her own. There was a blue hue to it, which showcased more of his Matori heritage. His ears were also the signature fin-like shape of the Matori as well, which Khalel found quite striking, though she didn’t tell him out loud.
Having gotten a good look at Skadravi, she continued on with her walking as well. He had wanted to know her name, hmm? Well, she supposed she could give him at least that much. What could it hurt, after all? ”Khalel,” she told him, her brow quirking as she gazed at him once more. ”My name is Khalel. And yours is?” She could only hope that he would be more straightforward than she had been with him. If he was feeling vindictive, he could have played hard to get like she had, but who knew what he would do? She didn’t know him that well yet.
The young man commented that she was something else. Was she, really, though? The prentice never really saw herself in such a way. She was just normal, like everyone else.
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:53 pm
Was she surprised to see a trashy hybrid boy instead of the usual trashy Oban boy? Dravi wasn't entirely sure, but if she was, it seemed more likely to be a good kind of surprise. She'd smiled at him, after all (which he seemed weirdly inclined to cling to that fact, even though the girl- Khalel had yet to use such an expression again). She paused to look at him, and he stilled as well, trying not to shift abut like some awkward, pasty-faced lad beneath the critical eye of his suitor.
Before she had the chance to move very far, he dipped down, dropping to one knee before her and bringing there trek to a halt. "Awfully rude of me, my lady," he admitted, peering up at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes as he collected her hand in his own. "My name is Skadravi." He dipped his head, dusting his lips across the back of Khalel's knuckles only briefly before quirking her another grin. "Most call me 'Dravi,' though. Or at least they would, if I knew a 'most' amount of people."
he righted himself, sparing a moment to dust the film of sand from the knee of his breeches before offering her his arm. "Would you mind terribly if I escorted you to your destination, lass? You can say no, of course, but it'll take a little more than that to be rid of me."
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:05 pm
One moment he was walking and the next he was not. He stopped when she stopped, and that came as no surprise. What did catch her off guard, however, was when he dipped down on one knee. What? What did he think he was doing? Was he seriously going to-…oh, no. The moment he took his hand in her own, she knew. He brought it to his lips, and Khalel had to bite down on her own not to let out a groan in response. Good gods, this boy – Dravi, was it – thought he was fresh.
The kiss to the hand, coupled with the ‘my lady’ and the offer to escort her to her destination were finally enough to make her laugh. He thought she was something else? Really? It was more like the other way around, though she kept that comment to herself. She didn’t want to come off as totally rude, mind you. Dravi was amusing her, after all, she just never expected him to be so slick.
”Drop the ‘my lady’,” she replied curtly, her hand pulling back from his grasp once he had kissed it. ”If you want any sort of chance with me,” she went on to say, a playful glint in her eye, ”then you’re going to just call me Khalel.” Once she had pulled her hand back, the hybrid girl moved fluidly around her newfound suitor and started to walk again once more.
The streets were a bit too crowded and loud. With so many people, it was hard to get any sort of privacy, but Khalel had an idea in mind. Wordlessly, she slipped down a side alley and continued on her way, smirking at the idea that Dravi would escort her. How could one escort her when she had no destination to begin with? Ah, well. If he really wanted to get to know her, then she would lead and he would follow, and that was just how she liked it.
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:49 pm
Females were truly a gift from the gods to this world, particularly the young noble maidens who hadn't quite yet picked up on the deceptive ways of the commoners. As Khalel moved forward and away from him, Dravi barely restrained the smirk that slipped onto his features. In the brief interim that she had her back to him, he blinked down at the beaded bracelet so easily unloosed from her wrist. Needless to say, her attention had been on other things as the trinket slipped from her frame, and as 'slick' as the hybrid boy was, he was never one to shy from a game.
It seemed a peculiar thing for a woman to wear, though. Clearly not of Oban make and definitely below the tier of value from any of her other trinkets. Despite his mischief, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was likely of some higher form of worth to her, and as he wove between the passerby to catch up to her, he kept the bracelet close at hand.
As the girl dipped to the side and disappeared from his vision, Dravi's eyes widened the faintest of fractions. It wouldn't do to lose sight of her now. If she really did get away from him, he didn't imagine they'd be on favorable terms during their next meeting, should they even encounter one another again. Particularly if he still held her bracelet in his possession. Swallowing, he dipped down the alley after her, trying not to appear too eager, but likely failing in that regard. "Careful, Khalel," he warned, tone light and teasing. "You dunno what happens to beautiful young women down dark allies."
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 2:02 pm
Had it been in any other tone or from any other person, she probably would have taken those words as a thread. Yet Skadravi didn’t seem to be the particularly threatening type. He was more playful than serious, so it was easy to not heed his words. Besides – every woman knew what could happen if they stepped into a dark alley. Such horrors could happen to anyone: man or woman alike. Such things weren’t going to happen to her, anyway; she’d fight tooth and nail to prevent it.
”I’d doubt you’d allow such things to happen,” she said, turning back to look at him with a smirk. ”Nor could you, yourself, do such things. You don’t seem the typ-..”
The young hybrid was about to finish her sentence when she cut herself off midstream. Something had caught her attention, and she didn’t like it at all. Her bracelet was missing. But it wasn’t just any bracelet: it was her mother’s bracelet, and the only thing she had to connect her to the woman. Instinctively, Khalel found herself looking around her, in case it fell. A wave of panic rushed over her, and she had to do her best to push it downward and back into hiding. There was no way she’d want Dravi to see her like that.
The loss of her beloved piece of jewelry had thrown her for a loop. Confused and taken back, she looked at the boy with a look of worry and sadness on her face. ”I-…have you seen my bracelet? I was wearing it and now…now it’s gone.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:28 pm
Allow it to happen? Skadravi tried not to snort derisively at the thought of him being much of a physical match for anyone that lingered about in a place like this. But even though he doubted he would be... She was probably right. It seemed unlikely that he'd be able to turn a blind eye to someone in need of his aid, however small it was. Even better that he didn't have to worry about it for now, though., because while they alley was dark and uninviting as a whole, it was also blissfully unoccupied, save for the two of them. And besides that, Dravi was only just barely willing to breach over the threshold, lingering nearer to the exposed street.
Fortunately, as Khalel paused and inspected her wrist, twisting about to get a good look around herself, Dravi forgot about things that may happen in alleyways and instead turned his focus on the game ahead.
He slyly dipped his hand into his pocket, producing the strung beads for her to see. "This one?" He hummed in question, giving it a rattle for enunciation. "I'd wondered how important it was to you. Enough to make you stop in your tracks, at any rate." He quirked her a cocky, teasing grin and took a step back out into the street. "I prefer my ladies chasing me, if it's all the same to you." With a bright laugh, he ducked out, moving back into teh throng of people in the bazaar.
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:59 pm
Oh, no, he didn’t.
By the gods – he had!
That little…oh, he was something.
The moment that Skadravi pulled her bracelet from out of his pocket a lot of colorful words ran through her head. Most of them were not so kind, but she didn’t vocalize these outwardly. Instead, she just couldn’t help but stare in disbelief. How had he managed to get it off of her wrist without noticing? She was wearing it, after all, and surely she would have noticed. Right? Well, clearly he had some sort of advantage or was a magician or just…well, she didn’t rightly know. All she knew was that the hybrid boy had her mother’s bracelet, and he wasn’t going to give it up so easily.
”You’re something else!” The moment he began to back out into the bazaar, she called this out. She then, instinctively, went after him and headed back into the throngs of Obans as well. If he wanted her to chase him, he had accomplished that. The bracelet that he held in his hand was her most prized possession, though he wasn’t aware of that fact. He just thought it was a pretty item that she wore. Although it was totally unlike her to chase after men, for her bracelet, she would chase Dravi to the ends of Tendaji, so long as she got it back. With a stern look of determination, Khalel began to run at her suitor, and officially began the chase through the streets of Sulburi.
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:20 am
This was more like it! Skadravi wove through the shoppers with practiced ease, slipping between the moving bodies with all the grace his slight figure could manage. If he had to give someone an encouraging nudge to move out of his way, so be it. And if you received slightly less-than-thrilled snaps in response, well, that was fine too. It wasn't as if he was going to linger around. He cast a delighted grin over his shoulder, peeking back behind himself to see Khalel charging after him, as he'd expected.
A noble lady running through the streets after some disgusting hybrid slime. What a sight they made, indeed. And that nearly thrilled him just as much as the chase! Still, it was unlike him to take something precious without any hope of having it returned. And the desperation Khalel wore like a shroud spoke of the trinket's importance.
He wasn't a great deal apt at sprinting particularly long distances, so if he was going to end this on his terms, he should probably consider doing so quickly. With a last fleeting glance behind himself to make sure that Khalel still had eyes on him, he dipped down a side-street. The are was smaller than the main bazaar, though still contained a few lingering shoppers and merchants. Sucking in a gulp of air, he pressed himself into the indent of a nearby doorway, peering out of it expectantly with widened yellow eyes.
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:36 am
She hated running.
She hated running.
She hated running!
As was probably obvious by her overall appearance and stature, Khalel was not one for large amounts of strenuous activity. Noble ladies didn’t take up physical pursuits, her father often told her. It was much preferred that they learned proper etiquette, bearing, and the ways of courtly intrigue or politics. None of those things required any real exertion whatsoever, and honestly? Khalel was totally ok with that sort of lifestyle. She preferred her books to training and practicing with a weapon, unlike her older brother. Let Rajiik be the soldier. She would be the treasure hunter, and everything would be right as rain.
How was he so fluid at moving through the people? The young woman had a more difficult time, unfortunately. While he moved fluidly around the people and dodged them gracefully, Khalel had to occasionally slow down in her running so as to not bowl into people. She often found herself apologizing as she pushed through them, hoping she didn’t come off as too entirely rude, but tried to push such thoughts in the back of her mind. There were more important matters at hand than being polite and courteous; she needed to keep up with Dravi and get her bracelet back!
Luckily, despite her slower speed, she had managed to keep tabs on the other hybrid at all times. A sigh of relief escaped her when she saw him duck a corner, and Khalel followed along dutifully, though she was down to a poised walk once more. As she walked in his direction, the young woman couldn’t help but smoothed her waved hair back down. All that running had made it totally askew, flying every which way as she darted after him, and that did not please the young girl at all. She liked to look nice; not like a hot mess.
”Please give it back,” she found herself saying, only to pause in front of him from where he stood in the doorway. ”I’ll do whatever you want.” Those were words she was probably going to regret, but at this point, she didn’t really care. All she wanted was her beloved bracelet returned to her.
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:21 am
Skadravi dipped his head, tucking a grin low against his collarbone as the girl ran up to him; panting, hair disheveled, dress askew. He hadn't realized what an arduous task this would be for her until it was too late. Though if his grin was any indication, he clearly didn't feel bad about it. "Perhaps you should take a moment to breathe, milady," he encouraged with a sheepish smile. "Before you say things you don't mean." The lack of oxygen was likely getting to her brain. No respectable woman would offer the promise of 'anything' to someone who'd just stolensomething from them, surely.
But since the cards were on the table, he may as well play the game. "But alright, since you offered. Anything, hm..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, dragging out their time together as he thumbed over the beaded bracelet tucked securely in his pocket. It would be nice to have something to eat. If he could coax the woman to find a large enough meal for his bushi, that would be truly worth their little escapade. Or he could of course scrabble about and obtain that on his own by some other undecided means.
Bartering like this wasn't exactly in his repertoire of skills, and it seemed foul-spirited to ask for something he could actually use. It really ruined the game, that way. So, heaving a sigh, he pulled the trinket from his pocket, extended his arm, and dangled it overhead. "You'll have it back if you kiss me," Dravi promised, cocking her a grin and an 'I dare you' quirk to his brow.
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:36 am
And that was when she heard the words she knew would eventually come out of his mouth. He wanted her to kiss him. In the grand scheme of things, something as simple as a kiss was totally manageable, in her mind. He could have asked for something a lot more colorful, had he truly desired such things, but that didn’t seem on his mind. Khalel was thankful for that. What he didn’t know was that she hadn’t kissed many men before, though she had no intention of letting that piece of knowledge slip. A kiss was a small act, and if it would get her the bracelet back, then she would easily oblige.
A frown tugged her lips downward when he held the piece of jewelry above her head. If he thought she was going to jump for it, then he was sorely mistaken. Despite being an illegitimate daughter, she was still brought up in a position of standing, and ladies did not jump like animals. The hybrid girl couldn’t help but roll her golden eyes at him as he dangled the bracelet. He wasn’t really doing himself any favors by acting in such a way. And the ‘milady’ comment was irksome as well. All she wanted was to be called by her name.
”Not a problem,” came Khalel’s cool response. If he thought she would chicken out, then he was in for a surprise. She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, especially when the stakes were so high for her. Although the bracelet didn’t look like much, it was her most treasured possession. It meant way more to her than any amount of silver or gold, and she was going to get it back. Well, best to get the show on the road and not dawdle anymore. Expelling a sigh and straightening up her posture, the young girl walked closer and closer to Skadravi. With him up against the door, she leaned in close to him with no difficulty at all, her elegant frame pressed up against his. Then she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his without complaint or question, clearly eager to appease her fellow hybrid.
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