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 Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 10:59 am
The trip out to see her aunt was nearing its end. Everything had turned out so much more exciting than the youngling had ever dreamed. Not only did she meet her mysterious aunt, but it turned out there was another aunt and two cousins! Then there was the land itself. Pale'iko was so different from Yael and Lu was more than eager to explore it.
She ran back and forth through the shallows, happily disturbing the quiet serenity that usually enveloped the long lake. She may have felt a tiny bit guilty for bothering them, his was the easiest way to see everything quickly! Creatures that would have remained hidden scurried away from the tank of a girl, and she delighted in watching them hurry about. It was almost as cool as hanging out with her newly discovered family.
Turning around to run back again, Luleta saw something floating in her wake. Eager hands grabbed up the smooth and hollow shell for inspection. "I found something!" She hurried over to Pyrrha and held up her discovery. "What is it?"
((LAKINU (pl. Lakinas) - These small little creatures commonly can be seen lifting their head above the still surface of the lakes and calm streams. Preferring to sink below the waters, they grow not more than two palms, and have smooth shells that protect their bodies. Fins that look like wings help them dart through the waters and away from predators. It is believed if one finds an empty shell, it is a symbol of good luck.))
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 1:42 pm
Of course Pyrrha had known that the reunion couldn't last forever, but as time drew closer for her family to return to Yael she felt herself at a loss. It felt like all those years ago when she'd left home, knowing what she was leaving behind but still choosing her own path. In a way she and Pruu were walking parallel roads despite the differing methods of travel. As much as she would miss having her family with her she understood that Pale'iko would never be their true home and knowing they were happy helped ease the incoming loss.
Still, that didn't mean she wouldn't miss seeing her nieces everyday. Watching all four girls play with one another was something so surreal she never wanted it to end. It was very likely that the next time she saw her nieces they would be grown and she had to wonder if they would be as excited to see her then...
"Oh, that's a Lakinu shell. You should keep it; it brings good luck." Pyrrha waded into the soft muck, crouching at the waist to get a better look at her niece's prize. "I bet if you look hard enough you can find one."
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:34 pm
"Laniku?" she repeated, peering closer at the shell. While it wasn't very large, it was still quite sturdy. Whatever the lukani was, this shell had surely kept it safe. "Good luck.. Oh, maybe it means we'll get to come back soon to see you again!" She smiled up at Pyrrha hopefully. "We saw good luck flying stars earlier this year, and then we got to meet you." She raised the shell so that she could look through the empty space. "We flew here with flying stars... I mean, we came on a ship, but close enough. I bet a shell means home, then. I definitely wanna find more!" Home...
"Are you sure you all can't come back with us instead?" she asked suddenly; probably for the fifth time during their stay. She knew the answer, but maybe this time would work?
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:51 pm
"They're a little smaller than this-"Pyrrha put her hands side by side, showing a comparison to just the shell itself. In comparison to a local's hands they might have seemed the same size, but to an Elarian it was a pretty small creature. The spoken sentiment went straight to her heart and it caused her hands to dip just a little. "Maybe it will. We'll just have to hope so, won't we?" Of course her smile never faltered; Pyrrha had learned long ago how to keep her emotions at bay when need be.
She didn't want her last memories of her niece to be swamped in anything other than smiles. Still, every time she was asked she felt her heart ache just a little bit more. They didn't know what it was doing to her; how could they? Little Luleta was just being sweet. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm sure. Maybe one day when Pyanka and Enya are bigger they can come to see you, but for now it's best if we stay here."
Of course she didn't mention how sick it made her feel to think of her daughter's going to Yael. Travel didn't bother her as much; it worried her, of course, but she would never deny them that pleasure. But Yael...? Pruu and Akeldama would protect them. Yes, but...
"Have you had fun visiting us?"
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 3:04 pm
Luleta sighed heavily and nodded. Well, it had been worth a try. "I wanna show them around Yael. Our house and the training grounds and the caves and the Yaeli with their glowing eyes." Yes, it was so very different here...
The question pulled her back easily from her thoughts, and she smiled brightly. "Yeah, it's nice here. Your lakes are a lot brighter. I think everything here is brighter. It hurt my eyes at first." She giggled lightly and tipped her head. "You're a lot brighter, too. You and Aunt Kanika and Pyanka and Enya are all brighter. I like Yael, but I like being here with you, too."
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 4:53 pm
Pyrrha reached forward to run her hand along the top of Luleta's hea and settled with cupping her niece's head affectionately. "I think they would really like that; especially Enya. I'm so glad that the two of you get along so well." She could only imagine how pleased her rambunctious daughter would be to explore a 'new' land. To see the places where stories from the past were made real..."If they ever go, will you make sure to take care of them? Like they did for you?" Regardless of whether her daughters were a surprise to the family or not they'd tried their best to make their cousins feel at home. She knew Enya had shown them all her favorite places as often as the adults had allowed her and been thoroughly chuffed when told to slow down.
"I'm brighter?" The lakes and her elidae daughters made sense, but hearing the bit about herself and Kanika was surprising. "I look just like you, little bug."
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 5:28 pm
She couldn't help nuzzling lightly into Pyrrha's hand. She would have to remember this feeling until she could come back... When asked about taking care of her cousins, Luleta puffed herself up confidently. "I will!" she assured. "We'll all take care of them, but I'll especially make sure." No one would mess with her cousins on her watch!
Luleta giggled at her aunt's confusion and shook her head. "Yeah, but not really. There's something different." She reached with her free hand to gently run her fingers over Pyrrha's arm. "I don't know what it is.. but it's brighter. Maybe it's because of all the sun here? ..I can really see it when you're next to Mata and Oma." Another grin lit her up happily. "Mata looks brighter when she's with you, too." She had never seen Pruu as anything other than a loving mother, but even she could tell that the woman's smile was different here. Frankly, she loved how it looked.
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 5:46 pm
"I knew you would." Pyrrha gave a little breathless laugh and ruffled Luleta's dreads before pulling her hand back. It went without saying that her family would care for the girls, but there would inevitably be those, both within their own camp and the outside world, that would treat them poorly. She couldn't stop it all from happening, but Pyrrha could try.
Pyrrha turned to watch her niece's fingers play out over her skin. For a moment she thought she might have been talking about a spiritual brighter, almost as if Luleta were as connected to the world as she was, but then it sounded more of an actual physical difference. Maybe it was both? "Maybe? We do have a lot more sun than Zinris." The comment Luleta had made earlier about her sensitive eyes had been something that Pyrrha herself had taken a while to acclimate to. And all of the colors! There were shades she'd never seen before coming here.
"Your Mata is an amazing lady, you know? She's one of the best." Suddenly, Pyrrha's eyes widened and she grinned. "Do you want to help me with a gift for her? I really want to surprise her before she leaves, but you can't tell her."
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 6:04 pm
Luleta smirked lightly. "Lots more sun... but I bet you were brighter than everyone back home on Yael, too. You just get to be really bright now!" Pyrrha and her family were radiant in Luleta's eyes, definitely sporting an inner warmth that was unique to them. She certainly didn't know the details, but she understood the gist of Pyrrha's treatment back on Yael. Anyone would shine brighter after getting away from that...
Of course, her mothers and sister had a shine all their own, and the girl was nodding with agreement without question. One of the best, indeed! When Pyrrha mentioned a surprise gift, Lu instantly leaned forward with interest. "I'm good at keeping secrets, really!"
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Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 12:09 pm
Pyrrha's smiled warmed. It was so hard not to scoop her niece up and never let her go when she was being this sweet. "The Kahikinans have weapons just like ours, but the way they make their blades are unique. You can't find them anywhere else in the world." She dipped her hand down into the water just enough to collect a bit of water in her palm. "Sometimes the blades can look just like seaglass and I was thinking it might be nice for your Mata to go home with a pair of new swords."
She'd seen plenty of kahikinans with spears and lances, but never a sword. Would they even know how to make them? It couldn't be much harder and if she showed them an example they could do it, right?
"Do you think she would like that?"
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Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 10:59 am
"Oooh, that sounds neat!" she chirped. New blades! But wait... Would Mata be okay taking something made by anyone other than Elarians? She knew her mother was trying, but watching her try opening herself to the Yeali was.. painful. Oma was much easier to talk about the Yaeli with. Maybe it would be different with the Kahikinans though? "If they're really good, I bet Mata would be happy with them," she finally announced after her inner debate. "What do we have to do to get them?"
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 10:54 am
While Pyrrha didn't exactly expect her twin would use them the blades might be just novel enough for her to keep up as decoration. They would certainly be real enough to do some damage, but the color of the metal might be a little...brighter than her sister's current aesthetic.
"We'll need to bring something worth trading for them." Pyrrha had to think on that. She didn't exactly have a lot of possessions, since she'd come to the island with scarce little, but there might be a few things she could spare... Still, while she had a good idea on what she was planning on bringing, curiosity reared up for the elarian. "What do you think would be worth two swords?"
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 3:38 pm
Something to trade with... Luleta's expression fell with dismay. "We only brought what we need," she murmured. They didn't have anything extra on hand to give away.. She had her necklace with the foreign keldari skull hanging on her chest, but there was no way anyone would compare it to swords. Bright eyes lowered to look herself over. There had to be something she could help with. Oh! Expression instantly flipping back to cheerful and hopeful, she raised the lakinu shell to display it. "What about a good luck charm? Would they like this? They can have my necklace too, if that would help. I can make another when I get home, but they don't have keldari here, right?"
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:06 pm
"Oh, oh no little one, that isn't what I meant!" Pyrrha reached forward and wrapped her arms around Luleta. "If we traded anything it would be from things that I have; I would never ask you that of you." Looking down at the lakinu shell caused Pyrrha to just smile a little sadder. She hugged her niece tighter and placed an affectionate kiss on her head before giving the child some room to breathe.
"You'll need that good luck going home, remember? But maybe if we can find a few more then we can trade those shells." And if they didn't then they could just go with Pyrrha's original plan; trading her own bow. A fine weapon made of foreign material would fetch a handsome price, especially for something locally made. It wasn't as if she needed it, anyway. When she did pick up the weapon again she could do very well with a locally sourced weapon herself.
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:30 pm
Luleta's cheeks warmed with relief to learn the shell was able to remain safely in her clutches. Her free arm easily reached to open and return the new hug happily. If only she could use the luck to get Aunt Pyrrha and the others to come home with them.
Still... her lips pressed with an eager smile as she looked back to the water. "I want to help you find as many shells as we can!" she announced. "Then you can trade them for some nice swords, and maybe even have extra to keep for luck for you!" She cocked her head curiously. Did her aunt have a special wish? "What do you want good luck for, Aunt Pyrrha?"
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