The Ties that Bind

The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:00 am

Kals had been back to the Rain Wilds again, managing family affairs and business as he must, but in this instance he'd had an ulterior motive to the trip. He'd needed to speak with his parents in regards marriage and corn cakes.

He'd been gone several days longer than he'd anticipated, but he was back now. The trader was near that strange, black obelisk of stone hidden the woods that he and his sister could use to travel back to the land of their birth and just beginning the long trek through the woods of Myrken back to the Dagger. He walked as if tired, his shoulders slightly drooped and his strides not as long as they often were, but his spirits were still high.

There was no way for him to know if Kacela would be about this part of the forest just now, but he made every effort to be obvious in case she was. He needed to speak to her. Thus he'd worn bright reds and oranges that would pierce through the cover of the surrounding foliage for his robe and veil. The trader also made it a point to stomp on any poor twig he noticed on the ground and whistle occasionally. And if that proved insufficient he'd even begin reaching out with his skill for her.
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:24 am

It wouldn't take the wild woman long to find the trader. The forest was sometimes more of her home than the room that they shared was and with Kals gone she had little reason to linger about the tavern save for a few occasions where some of the maids had taken pity on her and given her a few pointers about her stitching and her bead work. It seemed they had forgiven her for some of her less popular antics in the tavern in favor of those she was engaged in more recently that were more in line with things that they could relate to.

She had spent the night in the forest hunting and had recently awoken in the cave that she liked to make use of on days like this one. It was well stocked with spare clothing, food and some of the other supplies she needed in her human form. She needed hands today, intent on finding some more fallen quills or good sized seeds that she could turn into beads for her dress and as her dark hands searched over the ground that she was kneeling upon she'd pause, tilting her nose up to the air to sniff, sensing the familiar scent that was carried on the breeze. Within minutes she'd be on her feet, quiet as she took in the sounds and scent of the forest and the man that she cared about so dearly. He wasn't far away and yet she ran, eager to see him. It wouldn't be long before she'd emerge from the brush of the forest, grinning at the bright colors and the stomping of the twigs. She knew that he had wanted her to find him and even though she'd see the tiredness of his body and feel how weary he seemed she'd still come running over, trying to catch him in a large hug. She had missed him.
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:39 pm

Catch him in a hug you could, Kacela. But you are ever so ferociously built and strong, and the trader is both tired and unaware of you initially till the force of that joy reaches him moments before you collided.

Kals toppled to the ground with a grunt of surprise, his arms snapping out to catch around the hugging wild woman as he toppled to the earth with a loud thump. He'd honestly not been expecting such a firm greeting, even if she'd missed him. Not that he'd complain about it one way or the other, but he needed a moment to regain the wind she'd knocked out of him and shake his head free of the shock on it.

Then he'd grin behind that veil and return the hug with warm earnest. "Honestly, if I knew you'd react this way Wolf Star, I would have gone away a bit more often." Her mood seemed to match his attire, so he'd chosen well. He'd lay there as he considered her face, the fatigue fading ever so with his realization that dealing with family was worth the effort. He gave her a quick wink, a flicker of the glow behind the veil. "Did you miss me?"
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:19 am

She hadn't expected to topple him in such a manner. Kals was strong and she wasn't used to seeing him tired and exhausted and so as she collided into him for her hug she'd go falling down to the ground with him as his arms wrapped around her. Had she been anticipating it she might have rotated their bodies in the fall so that she could have hit the ground first, but she hadn't and he'd hit the ground with that great thud, the wild woman wincing at the sound. She knew she was heavy and he not only had the displeasure of hitting the ground, but also her added weight on top of him. She'd move over to the ground almost immediately, settling herself on her knees as she watched him trying to suck the air back into his lungs, her gaze intent as if she was trying to figure out how badly he was injured. Silent and vigilant in her stare.

Once he started shaking his head and speaking she'd seem to relax and she'd return the hug that he reached for gingerly, almost as if she was afraid that she was going to hurt him, though he had nowhere to go laying on the ground as he was. She seemed puzzled by the sentiment he expressed drawing back a little so that she could study his face. "Why would you go away often and make me missing you? It is better not missing. I did not like you far away." In fact she hadn't realized how she dependent she had become on knowing that he was near. Even when they were apart she could still count on picking up his scent, or feeling him searching for him with her skill. With his being gone there was none of it. His last question was puzzling as well, though she'd answer it in earnest.

"Yes I was missing you. Did you missing me?" She knew the correct grammar, she really did but she was far too busy trying to figure out his first comment to remember to correct the way she said it. She didn't wait long before her next question though, the one that had been burning in her mind since he had left. "What did your family think?"
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:38 pm

Perhaps he'd not put up as much of an effort to stay standing as he could have, and perhaps he'd had the wind knocked out of him a bit more firmly than he'd anticipated upon. But all in all he wasn't particularly put out by the fall, and rather amused by the looks flittering across her face. He sat up and dragged the veil and hood back over his head, showing his face and the small smile present there to her.

"It's a joke. I was saying if I'm going to get such massive greetings it might be worth it to go away a while and come back just to get them." Despite his best efforts he still often forgot that she didn't have the same sense of humor as him. The cultures were too different for her to catch every quip and quirk he offered up. "Don't worry, I'm not going to run off again for a while." He'd missed her as much as she him, and she'd be able to sense that sentiment through his skilling, particularly with him so close now.

Kals shifted his position to face her though with his knees kicked out to either side rather than curled beneath her. His face did indeed look tired, he'd been running around his home handling a good deal of business while he was home on top of talking with his family, parents and otherwise. At her question he debated stringing her along, but the idea was thrown out after the failure of his last attempt at humor.

He settled back onto his arms for support and smiled a bit. "My father huffed around a bit about me not finding a nice trader girl to give the family better business ties, but my mother shushed him and acted like a pleased mother who asked a lot of question." Here he pauses and managed an awkward shrug with how his arms currently rested. "They don't quite believe you can turn into a werewolf. It's something out of legends where I'm from. They know you're from a rustic culture, but they won't believe the rest of your nature till they see you, I think. My ship seemed to accept that fairly readily, though she seemed a bit huffy, she might be jealous."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:08 am

She seemed further comforted once she could see his face. Expressions were important to her after all and the smile seemed to put the wild woman at ease, some of the tension that still remained in her shoulders melting away until she seemed more relaxed. She'd pull herself into a more comfortable seated position, sitting cross legged across from him as she watched him become more settled as well.

She listened carefully with that intensity that she always had when she was trying to understand something, considering what he said about the joke. She'd furrow her brow a little as she considered it's meaning. "I do not understand these jokes. Why do people not say what they are meaning? It is confusing." Still she smiled however, pleased with the fact that he was pleased with her form of greeting despite the fact that she had bowled him over.

Although she had noticed before that he seemed fatigued this was the first time she would comment on it. "You are tired. The journey is difficult?" She knew that they had discussed her travelling to the Rain Wilds with him sometime, when the wolf became more comfortable with him, thought he way he had described it sounded utterly magical to her, not like something that would be exhausting. It showed what little she truly understood about magic.

Her questions were quickly silenced once he began answering the one she had asked previously. Her shoulders would tense a bit again and she would almost seem as if she were nervous, watching his expressions intently as she took a long slow breath in as he told his bit of a story. She could smell if someone was lying, not that she was expecting Kals to do so, but she wanted to understand every hint of emotion that came along with what he was telling her, and she was clearly using all of her senses to do so. She would pause, longer than it would be comfortable to experience before she spoke again.

"I do not know this word 'rustic' but I am thinking it means different yes?" Another pause and her dark brow would crinkle again before she'd look down at a blade of grass that her fingertips had captured. "They do not believe what I am, what will they think when they know it? Legends are Great Spirits and Monsters. I am not a Great Spirit." She'd say finally, looking back up at him with a true look of anxiety. She was already assuming what they might think once they knew for sure exactly what she was.
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:55 pm

And he was an expressive man when he wasn't hidden away behind layers of cloth. She wasn't the only one that preferred the lack of masks, either. It was odd to see the world through the different hues of fabric, and though he'd adjusted he still would rather look at things without the barrier. Kacela in particular. He nudged her with one of his feet and grinned wider at her opinion of jokes. "Because jokes are just meant to make people life, or have good humor. They don't work as well if people are just straightforward with what they want to say."

For her concern about his fatigue she first got an uncovered yawn in response as he collected himself. Once that had passed he jerked his head over one shoulder back the way he'd come and reached a hand to rub at one side of his nose and beneath an eye. "Had a lot of work to do on the other side, but the journey isn't so bad. It just takes a lot out of you. Not a lot of effort to get going, but once it does it'll take until you're done with the trip." And both together had left him feeling drained.

She paused, he watched her reaction as intently as he was being watched himself. He didn't have the nose for it the way she did, and damn that disadvantage on his part.

"Rustic is... not fancy. Less lace, and frills, and tea parties, and dressing up a lot with many rules of how to act, and more part of nature, away from cities. Different to them." The hand by his face switched actions from pushing away the sleep to point at the scales around his eyes. "Love, a few years ago my people didn't believe in dragons. Now we have them all over the place and half of us have figured out all our strange appearances are because we're marked by them. Don't worry."

He gave her leg another nudge with his own and dropped back into the grass to stare at the forest canopy. "But seeing is believing, so they're a little skeptical. I think they'll adore you once they meet you."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:52 am

The fact that he was so assured was something of a comfort to the wild woman and she offered him at least a look up and a slight smile at his words that his family would adore her. Still, something on her face indicated that she wasn't altogether as convinced as he was. She'd reach out lightly, moving to let one of her fingertips trace down along the scales that he had just pointed to, the movement soft and tender as she watched the filtered light of the forest upon them, thinking first before she spoke.

"The rustic is sense making." She agreed, nodding her head a little finally at his assessment of how he could describe her culture. "It is good that they know I will not be...frills as your words are saying." She'd let her hand abandon the scales that she had been touching then and she'd move to try to capture one of his hands in her own. "When I go with you, " As it was now a question of when and not if, "I will need you strong." Another pause, thinking of just how she wanted to phrase things, what words she wanted to use and how she wanted them to sound. Her language was improving and by virtue of that it was easier to consider such things. "I do not know what the wolf will think of the Rain Wilds or your people. I am worried the frills will remind her of Glenn."

She'd seem to consider something else then, something he said and she'd even repeat it. "Seeing is believing. I hope they do not have to see."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Sat Jul 14, 2012 8:33 am

He permitted the touch to his face without concern and gave her a larger smile at the contact. And when the hand fell away to find one of his gloved ones he'd give her a reassuring squeeze, trying to encourage the idea she didn't have to worry. "It's not as different from here as you think... except people are less pigheaded. I know I probably don't give you the best impression of what we are." Kals made a gesture down to the excesses he wore, the bright colors of strange fabric, boots of strange material, and even a few gems that glowed with fire trapped within. He leaned forward some so he could tug on the front of his shirt with his free hand.

"All of this is a display, a sales pitch for me. My parents are very high society with the frills, but a lot of the Rain Wilds is full of just regular people; hunters, fishers, traders, seamstresses, anything you might expect." The biggest worry he had about the wolf's opinion would be the water, and possibly the way the place smelled. And the trees. He'd seen Kacela climb a few, but these were very big trees. "The frills are very different from what Glenn tries to play with. If you're willing to wear boots I can show you the forests, too."

"They'll see you, however you show yourself there, and I know they'll like. There's so much variety and to look at in Trehaug I doubt you'll draw excessive attention. Maybe some flirting, but I'll just scare people off for you." There was no great worry for him about how the wolf would react, he wouldn't shove her into the proverbial deep end.
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:05 am

He could certainly see her mood improving, his assurances going a long way to making her feel a little more comfortable with the idea. She'd finally smile when he squeezed her hand, though when he described the excess that he wore and the impression he gave her of Rain Wilders she'd shake her head slightly, reaching out with her free hand to gently try to touch the place on his shirt that he had just been shaking. "I do not think this is frills. This is you and I like it on you, you are Ocean Walker." It was those billowing brightly colored clothes that had at first made her think of the name after all. "But I would not like them on me." She'd explain, clarifying the difference of what concerned her. "Except to win the jokings." She'd add, a wry grin coming to her lips then as she remembered the reaction he had when she had worn his clothing that one day. It had certainly been worth it.

"What is this 'flirting'?" She'd question, giving him that little cock of her head that she tended to do when she couldn't quite puzzle something out. The way he had said it didn't make it sound violent, but then he talked about fighting people off for her and it was rather confusing. "And why do I need boots in the forest?" She'd question, looking down at the feet that she had bare now. "I do have boots, some humans do not like if you come into their shops with no boots." She occasionally adhered to social norms after all, at least when she had to.

"I would like to meet your family and your ship when we can."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:03 am

He let her touch him and returned the favor with a light tug on a few of her braids. "And this is you, and I like you this way. No one will make you dress up like one of us, it would be a bit unusual to be honest." He couldn't stay with his legs kicked out the way they were with his leaning towards her and using his hands, so he curled his legs up before him to cross and started pulling off his gloves. "Only the Rain Wilders in Trehaug dress this way, to show off wares, class, and the veils and such to hide our differences. Though it's less common back home than out in the world." Even with all the strangers, people were becoming a bit more comfortable with what they were.

"And they're a bit of frills, some of this. The colors not so much, I just like those. But the jewels and other accessories aren't really me." The worst he could see his parents doing was trying to mix the way Kacela dressed with something fancier and more fitting to a Rain Wilder gathering. He'd worry about it later.

Her comment about the joke got a snort and a faint tinge of red in his cheeks as a response. A redness that grey a touch when she asked about flirting. He tucked his gloves into a pocket with one hand, waving the other hand vaguely. "Flirting is... courting, sort of. A man or woman displaying initial interest in someone. I have to defend what is mine, I guess." That sounded sufficiently wolfish.

As for the boots, he pointed to one of his own, at a part that looked noticeably worn. "Remember, the forests there are marshy, and the water is from a river that's rather acidic. It eats through everything but the plants. And it gets those too if they take damage to their bark and such." This pair he was wearing now he'd started wearing the day he'd left for the Rain Wilds, they were cheap because they wouldn't last long when he went down to the forest floor. "Up in the trees you'll be fine barefoot, though."

"And you will, when you're ready."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:01 am

"Your people trade strangely." She'd say, considering what he said about wearing their wares and the things that the colors and jewels signified. She'd glance at the few that he pointed out, her eyes more for their settings than the gems themselves, anxious about the presence of silver even though she knew that he wouldn't intentionally bring any of it near her. "In my village people gave to each other so there was enough. There was not coins and trading." The concept of it, while it was something she had to adapt to out of necessity still seemed to baffle her. Why the people in these places couldn't just take care of each other. "There is plenty in this place. The gift of the people who tend the plants is so great for the humans but they do not have furs to keep them warm in the winter or walls without holes. It is very strange." And something that had been bothering her for sometime, though was she any different? Trading furs and game in exchange for coins that kept her fed and safe in the inn?

At the comment about flirting she would narrow her eyes a little. "It is not sense making to court someone who has already decided on a mate." Though she got a little satisfied look on her face at the comment about defending what was his and he could sense from the wolf that there was great pleasure that her dominant spirit took with this. "There is no worrying. I am yours and you are mine. There will be no flirting." Though the way she said the last word sounded a bit strange as it was a strange word to begin with and she was working to try to say it properly.

Eyes would be turned to the boots next and she'd reach out to poke at one of them where they were worn. "My boots are not strong like these ones." Soft leather boots wouldn't make it far in acid at all. She'd be rather caught up in inspecting the soles, looking at them curiously and moving to flex the bottom of the shoe, even though his foot was still in it. "Strange things that boots are made of."

"When is that?" She'd ask about the when she'd be ready. "I was in water and lived. I am very brave."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:11 am

The settings were unusual, but none of them were silver. Kals had at least a touch of sense in that regard, and she had no need to worry. At her comment about trade habits he raised his hands helplessly. "People are greedy, and put value on odd things." He tugged on one of the jewels hanging from his collar. "This is useless, but people will pay a fortune for it just because of how it looks and the fact it's rare. That's how my folk have our wealth. We trade this and get coin to buy food and supplies we can't get in our own lands." It was notoriously difficulty to grow anything in the Rain Wilds, and much of its food came from trade with other groups.

"Everyone trades, even if people are simply sharing. It's just in those cases you have good faith with those you do it with, you know everyone shares the work and the results and the needs equally. Most people are too greedy for that."

He snorted when she addressed the topic of flirting and pointed at his own head. "Most men are pigs with no sense. They simply want to get whomever and whatever they can into bed. And they don't care if you're single, mated, or anything else. They just want to rut and will try to sweet talk a woman into it." He gave her a smile. "No trouble from you, but we'll from the other side. I'll just act scary." And to prove his point he made his best intimidation face. With no seriousness behind it the expression was more absurd than terrifying.

When she toyed with his boots he didn't protest beyond wiggling his toes a few times. "These are specifically made for the water there. And they're made of leather, like your own. It's just more hardened and compressed in these boots." And then layered with a myriad of thing to help protect them from the acid.

Her last question surprised him and he blinked, not precisely aware he needed to respond at first. When he finally did he chuckled first. "I didn't think you were ready yet. If you want to it could be in a few days. But your wolf would have to be willing to let me drag her through the skill pillar. It'll probably disorient and upset you both, it might make you sick too. At least the first few times until you get used to it." Which is why he hadn't tried already. He didn't want the wolf reacting poorly or lashing out. He particularly didn't want it to think it was in danger or being tricked.
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Dulcie » Tue Jul 17, 2012 1:33 am

She'd watch him as he explained the wealth and the gems on his clothing, shaking her head a little with the clatter of her braids. "It is like beads yes? We do not need beads but they are wanted sometimes." She'd say with a little smile, glancing up at the one that was still woven into his hair. It was a bit of vanity much in the same way that the gems were, though she felt hers had much more meaning than something that just sparkled. She paused a little then, hands still resting on his boot as she was thinking about something. "When I meet your family what is a good gift?" It had been easier to choose one for Agnie's family after all, farmers need fur and food, those were simple things, but what would be good for a wealthy trader family? Normally she'd just choose something that she thought would be a good gift but considering the reactions she got at the tavern sometimes she really didn't want to make a mistake with his family.

When he went on to further explain men and flirting she'd break into a hearty round of laughter at his "intimidation face". It was a good long belly laugh, one that made her draw her hands away from that boot to rest one on her midsection. It was the kind of laugh that made you hurt all over, but in a good way. By the time she had stopped laughing her cheeks were sore and she'd look back at him with that huge broad grin of hers. Clearly from the feel of things the wolf was amused as well. "I think that I am glad you are not like the other males then. But I do not think that face would scare away even a rabbit." She chuckled again, finally taking a deep breath and calming, just the smile remaining on her lips.

Finally she'd get around to addressing the more serious of the topics, the visit to the Rain Wilds, though the smile still remained on her lips while she talked. "I think I would like to go soon. I do not like the waiting, it makes me think many things. And your life is short." Perhaps more bluntly pointed out than it should have been, but she had a vested interest in trying to make things work quickly. He had but one life to share with her and she was intent on sharing as much of it as she could. He'd feel a bold feeling from the wolf, something like bravery and projected strength, though from Kacela he would get a little wrinkle of her nose. "That I do not think I will like, but I am brave. It has been many years since I have felt sick." She'd shrug then as if it was something she could get over and would look back at him. "I think she wants to go. When you were gone all I could feel from her other than wanting to hunt was about pack. I think she wants to meet yours."
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Re: The Ties that Bind

Postby Suede » Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:29 am

"A bit like beads, except taken into far more excess." Some people dedicated their entire lives to shows of wealth. His family certainly didn't shirk from the displays, but he didn't think they went into overly much. But his opinion may be biased, they did certainly live a life of luxury by most standards. She asked about a gift for his family, he opened his mouth to respond and paused. Kals closed his mouth and crossed his arms, his eyes drifting off to the side as he thought about her question. Usually traders offered things to show their wealth and value in a match between the families. But Kacela didn't bring that sort of wealth with her. "Something we couldn't get there, I think. Fruit or meat not from that part of the world, maybe. Oooorrrr, feathers from a colorful bird might work. My mother could use those to make something she'd want to wear." They were just ideas, suggestions, she could tell he was just brain storming and throwing out different ideas for her.

Kals was terrible at gifts, himself.

He furrowed his brow and pursed his lips at her while she had her laugh at his expense. It was a show just to drag her laughter out longer, because he knew he could scare off rabbits! "My mother wouldn't let me be that way." He stifled his own chuckling at her reaction and shoved himself to his feet, a hand held out for her to take so she could rise as well.

"Well it's not -that- short, especially not if I'm a little lucky. But I can understand not wanting to wait. I don't either." Kals could feel all the emotions of the wolf, and despite the discussions about her and interactions with her he still wasn't entirely certain how she played into their relationship, he just knew she was part of it and her opinion mattered as well. Even if he had reservations about taking her, he was outvoted two-to-one. "They want to meet you too. If you're okay with the side effects we can leave in a few days. They won't be expecting that, so it'll be an interesting surprise. They're not as tough as I am, though." Except perhaps the ship. Definitely the ship. It was hard for him to wrap his head around the idea of his life being short, but he saw things from a different viewpoint since he was far younger.

"Want to try the river stream again?"
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