[PRP Oba] just how things are done [Bahari + Ichil] [FIN]

[Stereochrome]

There were guests!

Bahari had been playing in the courtyard when he heard them coming. More precisely, he had the resulting commotion from the manor’s staff. In a matter of moments, they went from calmly doing their work to scurrying about to prepare for the guests’ entrance -- making tea, setting up cushions, closing and opening doors, that sort of thing. The hybrid boy watched all this with a calm half-understanding. He knew the drill very well, although he was never quite sure what the big deal was. Most times the guests were so busy talking business with Buthos, they scarcely noticed the cushions.

Routine as it was, though, he was still plenty curious. Who was it this time? Knowing full well that he was supposed to appear proper, he went to the fountain to wash the garden-dirt off his hands, patted down his silvery hair and trotted over to the lattice-screen doors that looked out onto the outside gate.

There, through the fancy pattern of the lattice, he could spy the new arrivals as they passed through the gate, greeted by Buthos (the lord of the house) and his wife, Myranda. Since they were greeting these people themselves, Bahari figured they were important. If it were just tradespeople, Buthos would have waited inside, and let the servants bring the new arrivals to him. A personal greeting like this was reserved for noble folks, although Bahari hadn’t any clue why, beyond the fact that that was just how things were done.

There were a lot of rules that worked that way, though, so he didn’t find this particularly odd.

grasshopper pie

sorry for the delay! i'm sloooow. hope you're still down for this!

 

[bobaTJ]

Ichil and her father had come to a state of mutual respect. Really, the young woman felt closer to him than she ever had before. He didn't ask her to pretend to be someone she was not, and thus she was more willing to bend to the expectations of noble life set upon her by others. She came to the manor and greeted the master and his wife, giving a polite bow and a smile. Her reputation was not the best amongst her peers, but she could at least give them less to talk about.

Once inside, however, she quickly lost interest in small-talk. Propriety was lost on those who thought they knew her and so she lingered by the wall with a drink, happily people-watching. She would resist the urge to tease the servants or wander off for her father's benefit. It could be worse. All she had to do was pretend to be interested for a few hours and then go home.

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

He slipped out of sight when the guests were brought into the courtyard, wanting to watch the happenings for a bit. Bahari did like watching his patron’s guests. All sorts of people came here, and some of them were fairly interesting… and if not interesting then at least interesting-looking, like the fat trader with one big crystal in the middle of his forehead. He was a funny one!

These guests, however, seemed much less funny -- rather proper by the looks of them. They nodded in appreciation and did all the expected things as food and drink was brought out to them, and soon they began to talk about the sorts of things Bahari hadn’t yet been able to understand in their entirety. It seemed very complicated, all about the lives and affairs of other important people, but as to why the lives of other people mattered quite so much he was at a loss. Sometimes there would be mention of distant lands or battles, which did interest him, but today the conversation was rather mundane and local.

But there was this one other woman. She had come with the group, and she was well-dressed… but not perhaps as delicate as most of the other Oban ladies he had seen. And she seemed quite bored with the topic. Maybe she would also like to talk about battles? Or maybe monsters?

He stepped out of the corner where he’d been hiding, and moved quietly along the wall towards her.

“I have a new book.” He announced, with all the abrupt immediacy of children his age. “It’s got pictures of all sorts of monsters. Even ones from Yael.”  

[bobaTJ]

Ichil didn't startle easily. It wasn't uncommon for soldiers to simply take you by the hand or shoulder and lead you into dance, so she was used to sudden appearances. She was even less skittish now, having seen the world in war and fought in the latest battles. A child's voice was the least worrying, and so when the small hybrid sneaked up and addressed her she merely turned her head and smiled. She still held her cup with the delicacy of a lady, but the rest of her mannerisms spoke toward Bahari's assumptions.

"Oh, do you?" she asked, "I was told that bringing my janarim would be too unladylike." Her voice intentionally held an air of mystery. The noblewoman crouched down then to speak softly.

"Did you know that my boyfriend is a beast tamer? He's one of the best. He and I, we found a tintural one day, trying to bury itself under the sand. Have you seen any Yaeli creatures yet?" Her closeness to his height was partially habit and partially a bid to get a closer look at him. oh, yes, this boy was a hybrid. What sort? Pale skin, gems, but those ears... Shifter? Shifter and Water, she'd be willing to bet. This was a free Oba, after all. There were plenty of Matori people to meet.

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

“M-hm. I do. Some of the pictures even have colours.” Bahari reassured her, then narrowed his eyes when she mentioned her Janarim, sort of half-impressed and half-suspicious. Although he had read all about people using Janarim for riding and things like that (some of his favourite pictures were of riders!), meeting a person like that in real life seemed sort of far-fetched.

She crouched down beside him then, her face close enough now that he didn’t have to crane his neck up to see her. She had her hair done up in those special kind of braids that meant you were important, and pretty red eyes. His own were pale silver, and he held her gaze unflinchingly as she told him about her boyfriend (maybe giggling a little at this part, because ewwww).

“I know what a tintural is!” He grinned wide. “They are leathery, with a big shell. But not as big as librara. They can get taller than you. And they have lots and lots of teeth. What did you di with the tintual? Did you keep it also?”

On the subject of his own having seen animals, he shrugged and pursed his lips. “No. I want a keldari. There are pictures in the book of people carrying them around on their necks, like a scarf! But all I have it a perzi. And she’s not even my perzi. And she’s old and boring.”

“Do you reaaaaally have a janarim?” He returned to the earlier topic, still curious. “What colour is it?”
 

[bobaTJ]

Ichil didn't mind the giggling. She had been the same way when she was younger! Really she'd even gotten to a point before Kiyelt when she thought she'd just grow up to be an old, lonely spinster and a disappointment to her family. Of course they may still not like her marrying a Zenan man either, but they didn't get any say in that.

As for libara, she had never met one. "They can, really? That's quite big." She nodded at the remarks on tinturals though and smiled. "Kiyelt kept it. He's my boyfriend," she said. "I don't know how it got so lost!"

Again she nodded. "My sister has a perzi...or, well, I guess it's just the manner cat. It's very stubborn and doesn't seem to like people much." So much for well-bred perzi.

Finally she laughed. it was a gentle sound so as to not bring on any unwanted attention. "Yes, I do. She's very big, and she's mostly a light cream color, but she has some pink bits as well, and some golden markings."

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

Bahari stuck his tongue out and made a ‘gross’ face at the mention of ‘boyfriends’ (because, uh, eww), but seemed overall quite impressed by the idea of keeping at tintural as a pet.

“I’d like to have one of those, I guess. We could sit in the garden and I could read my books and it could do… tintural things. Maybe I could put books on it’s back and then it could follow me around and I wouldn’t have to carry them all but I could have lots of them, so I can put one down and pick another one if I get bored, you know?” This was a somewhat specific idea, but the hybrid seemed pleased enough with it.

“I don’t think perzi like people much.” He huffed when she told him about his sister’s pet. “Ours is very stubborn also. She only likes to sit on my cushion after I’ve got up, because it’s warm. And then she won’t let me sit back down! Sarii likes her, so she never let me push her around. But she’s just a cat!”

“I wish you got to bring your janarim.” He sighed then. “It would have been cool to see her. I’ve never seen one up close, you know. Do you ride her? Do you go to places far away?”  

[bobaTJ]

Ichil laughed at the disgusted face. Yeah, she had been there too once. She'd grown out of it. Granted, it hadn't really come to much before Kiyelt had appeared in her life.

"I like that idea," she said then, "You read a lot of books? I don't think that I know many people your age who read so many books." Especially not in manors. Of course a little Shifter-mix wasn't necessarily nobility, but they came in all shapes and sizes now.

"I'll bring her next time," Ichil said with a nod. She couldn't be sure if there would be a next time, but if there was she would be sure to bring Imari. What harm could it really do? Besides, the janarim would be even better-behaved then. }I haven't gone very far, no. I will some day. I do ride her, though. I ride her, and she can carry my things for me." Kiyelt had taught her how to properly pack up and animal so it wasn't unbalanced.

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

Bahari grinned when the woman agreed with his tintural idea. If she thought it was good, then no doubt it was -- after all, she had a real live janarim!

“I like books lots. Uncle Buthos has lots in the library -- I haven’t even read all of them. I mean, some of them are kind of boring. I guess they’re for grown-ups only. He buys me new ones when he goes about town, too. Especially if they’re about different places and adventures and things. And if they have maps and pictures in them. I know what all of Tendaji looks like, do you know? There’s mountains in Zena, and in Jauhar there are trees so big you can live in them.”

He was also very enthusiastic about the idea of Ichil travelling one day.

“Maybe one day you can go somewhere very far and write a book. Then I will read it. I hope you put pictures in it, though. And maybe maps. And maybe you can get into fights, so that there are exciting parts. You can fight bad guys with your janarim. And maybe with a big sword. Or something.”  

[bobaTJ]

Uncle Buthos? That was the master of the house. She had simply assumed that Bahari had been a product of all of those years of slavery, but maybe not. Maybe he was something else entirely. That was barely something to bring up with a child, however. At least Bahari seemed to be fond of the man, even if it'd been implied that he didn't get to go into town too.

"Well, if I write a book I'll be sure to let you know," she assured the boy. "I don't use a sword, though. I use a bow. A crossbow. It's like a bow on its side, and it's got a string you pull all the way back behind a little latch, and then you push a button and whoosh, the arrow flies!" She gestured the pull back with the use of her hands and one sandaled foot, and then gestured the arrow with both hands, and then spread it out at her little onomatopoeia. "I've gotten in fights before. I always win, though."

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

He watched with great curiosity as she mimed the firing of a crossbow, trying to imagine a weapon like that. He didn’t have many books about weaponry -- Buthos didn’t buy him that sort of thing. At the most, he had some history books that talked about war… and of course a good stack of swashbuckling adventures. But he didn’t know very much about the details of swords and bows and these fancy crossbow things.

“That sounds neat. Clever-er than a sword. With a button, and everything! Woosh!”

He waved his arms, mimicking her gesture and imagining an arrow flying at her opponent.

“I bet!” He nodded when she told him she won all her fights, not doubting her claim. She was clearly a good guy, after all -- like a hero in a book -- and good guys always won. “You can just shoot all the bad guys before they even get close. Woosh! Woosh!”

His enthusiastic movement finally caught the attention of Buthos and the others gathered about on the cushions. The big oban man waved at them.

“Bahari! Lady Ichil! Why don’t you come join us? They’ll be bringing out dinner in just a moment.”  

[bobaTJ]

Ichil grinned. This kid sure was enthusiastic, she had to give him that! Hopefully he'd grow up and be allowed to explore on his own. He'd undoubtedly become an excellent explorer at the very least. Maybe he even had a warrior in him.

She decided to not mention the insectoid people pouring out of the ground, nor the crumpled heap of a man that had taught her how to use her bow so quickly. Maybe when he was older, if they saw each other again, when he understood. Maybe then.

A noble's sudden attention struck Ichil immediately as dangerous, but it was only reflex. Clearly this Buthos fellow had a good heart and she had yet to do anything worth getting in trouble for. Was talking to the child bad? No, apparently not. She smiled and stood and then offered the little boy her hand. "Come on. let's go eat!"

She perched herself on an empty cushion near the end of her familial group. Her sister had clearly saved her a spot, but there was no empty place beside it! She'd rather prefer to stay with the child, and so sat where he could sit beside her.

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

Bahari, no doubt, would have been content to stand there all day and talk about arrows and books and janarim -- perhaps something that Buthos had picked up on, when he chose to rescue Ichil from another hour of conversation with the youngling. Entertaining the guests was certainly one of Bahari’s primary duties, in a way, but the Oban noble wondered if the lady wouldn’t rather have some adult conversation.

Bahari, however, seemed just as pleased with this turn of events.

“Ok.” He grinned, taking her hand after only a moment of boyish shyness. “I saw them making dinner in the kitchen. There’s gonna be meatballs! And then there’s going to be sweets, you know, the layery crispy type with nuts in them? And some fruits all the way from Jauhar. Big green-yellow ones like a ball like this. And when you cut in them, they’re orange on the inside, and super sticky. If I went to Jauhar, I think I’d eat so many fruits that I’d explode!”

With this cheery thought, he settled on the cushion beside Ichil, appearing unconcerned that he was not seated beside the other members of his household. Buthos’ family were all arranged in proper fashion, but the hybrid seemed free to flit around and alight wherever he liked.

He looked over at the rest of Ichil’s family and gave them a shy smile.

“Do you have siblings? What do they do? Does anyone else in your family ride janarim and shoot crossbows?”
 

[bobaTJ]

Ichil had never really been one for propriety, but she did try nowadays. Luckily, the fact that she had invited Bahari to sit with them didn't seem to bother her father. He'd loosened up as she'd tried to fly straight and that was all either of them could ask for.

She listened to the child chirp about food and smiled, and when asked a question she nodded.

"That's my elder sister," she said, not pointing but nodding to Dalani. "and that's my eldest," she nodded to Sita. "They aren't archers, though. They're proper noblewomen. Sita's going to get married soon. Me, I never liked that sort of thing."

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[Stereochrome]

grasshopper pie

Bahari looked at the two women whom Ichil indicated to be her sisters. They didn’t look quite as fun as her, and when Ichil told him that they weren’t archers, he nodded as if this explained everything.

“Sarii is like that too,” He leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, pointing (for he was not quite old enough to have properly learned that lesson in manners) at a plainly pretty girl sitting near Buthos. “She isn’t even old enough to marry yet, and that’s all she talks about. She’s had two boyfriends already, and now there’s another boy coming to meet her. She says he’s handsome enough, but his family isn’t so rich. I think he’s ok, but she doesn’t want me to talk to him. I wish she’d just pick one and get it over with. Weddings are fun to go to if you’re not the one getting married. There’s special food and dancing and all that stuff.”

Platter of toasted flatbreads were brought out, accompanied by bowls of nutty dip and stacked pyramids of dates. Bahari popped a date in his mouth and looked back up at Ichil.

“But you have a boyfriend. And he’s a beast tamer, so I guess that’s cool. Are you going to marry him? You can have all your animals at the wedding. That would be fun!”