Open Chronicles A Day in the Sun

[Luna Griffinsbane]

The sun shone down on her, the feeling unfamiliar after long weeks spent in a nondescript room receiving aid for the injuries that even now still ached in a dull way. Months before that, it had been the hold of a vessel slowly rocking back and forth, chained to a bulkhead except when it was time to be taken above decks to exercise and be sluiced down with cold, salty water.

The sun was welcome, and the young lady stood in the doorway with her eyes closed and the hood of the ragged shawl tossed back enough that she could enjoy the warm caress for a moment. She became aware of her surroundings, though, and drew the hood down over her head so it obscured her face in shadows, hiding the unpleasant reminders of things so recently experienced.

Not for the first time, the country girl marveled at her surroundings. This was a real city, so different from the towns and villages she was accustomed to from a past life, before everything became so complex. People moved through the street, if not in throngs, then in numbers that still dwarfed her imagination of how many people could live in an area comfortably. The scent of the city was fetid; chamber pots gave the air a sharp ammonia twang, the the stagnant brine in the marshy pools of the Shallows lent the air an even different character.

She shook herself for a moment, and stepped into the street.

The clarity of her thoughts were returning to normal, and she was confident she was almost there. Even so, she had no idea what to do. She had been captive for a long time - more time than she could count, as days had blended together into an endless melange of misery that had felt like an eternity. She had never dared dream to escaping, not since the first week of the nightmare. And yet...

...and yet, here she was. In the streets of a foreign city with only a few coppers to her name, generously given to her by the Guards. The coarse wool of the dress she wore, which was more of a sack with sleeves, paired well with the ragged shawl. Both were uncomfortably warm, in this climate. They would have to do until...

Until what? That was the question. What was she to do? She had no idea where this was; sure, it was Alliria, but that meant nothing to her. She didn't know anything beyond the fact that the mountains she had called home were the Dragonspine. Where was that in relation to this city in the warm southlands, she couldn't say.

Her eyes shifted uneasily at the people that passed her, and she seemed to shrink in on herself a little more. That was a feat; she was already small enough on her own without trying to take up even less space. So many people! She wondered if they were decent people, or if they were like...like the ones she had met on the way to this place. An errant memory made her shiver a little, her chest tighten and her hands clench into fists for a moment. Something dangerous stirred in the back of her mind, and if the memories had been horrifying, then the thought of that was even more terrifying to her.

She continued down the street, wary of the people at the same time she was in awe of the grand scale of the city itself.

 

[Greedy]

Aside from the ugly humans, Alliria was a place a goblin could get used to. Coin flowed from the ports, the merchants, and most importantly out of the pockets of wanderers. Today had been good so far, but Greedy was always on the lookout for the next sucker. And there she was, seven o'clock. A tourist, obviously. Shrinking up and trying to survive the crowd rather than push through it. The tip of Greedy's ear twitched as he puckered his lips.

Maneuvering through a crowd was a skill that came naturally to goblins, and Greedy was a true goblin's goblin. He wove through the crowd with the skill of a serpent, and gave Luna Griffinsbane a slight nudge. He timed it with the motions of the crowd, hiding the feeling of his own contact with the bustle of the crowd. But when his hands met her pocket, they felt only a couple twinges of copper.

That was it? Greedy nearly scowled, but kept his cool. It would not do for an errant face to undo a day of progress.

"You look lost. Where are you off to pilgrim?" He had left the copper where it lay. A glutton might go after a fawn, but a wise hunter knew to leave it be for another season. He got the feeling this mark would need encouragement to bloom.

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

It was a near certainty that the sneak-thief would have managed to take all of her possessions, if she'd had any to start with. She did not, beyond threadbare clothes and nearly empty pockets. At his words, her eyes darted to the left and found the face of...of...

She gave an involuntary gasp, and stepped back quickly. She did not know what this creature was, and it was hardly the first time she had seen a non-human since leaving the mountain fastness, but much of her experiences with inhuman beasts had not been pleasant. Involuntarily, she kept her head down and pulled the hood closer still. The motion left her arms bare to the elbow; both wrists bore the scars of shackles, but the left arm was covered in pink, new scar tissue. It looked as though she had been cut a dozen times - nay, a hundred - with glass or steel. The lines were narrow, but angry all the same.

She held her breath a moment. Her head might be down, unwilling to look the stranger in the eyes, but her eyes still snuck peeks of whatever this creature was. She wondered, deep down, if it was like the tusked beasts that had carried her from the wastelands to the sea.

"Lost," she said, and let one hand fall to gesture expressively at the grandness of the city. Her voice was as quiet as a mouse. She pointed to the shimmering waters of the bay, and then back at the city - both gestures cautious - and then shrugged. Her eyes continued to dart curious glances at the strange creature, but it was clear she was ready to bolt in a heartbeat if need be.

Greedy

 

[Greedy]

The girl, for Greedy found it difficult to call her a woman, was more than shocked at his greeting. More than that, she was scared. He wasn't sure why. He wasn't the ugly pinkskin.

"I could tell that." Greedy replied, his tone sarcastic sure, but lacking hostility. "And yes, I'm a goblin. Not all of us live in huts." His eyes noted the scars on the girl's arms. A former prisoner? Or a slave perhaps? Nasty business that. Profitable sure, but all it took was one loose fireball from an unidentified mage or slipped-through manacle from a shapeshifter and everything came to an end. Greedy preferred honest stealing.

"Look, I know a guy with a tavern three blocks from here that owes me a favor. Let's get you some food, and figure out where you want to go." He neglected to mention that his friend paid a finding fee for 'pretty' barwenches. Profitable altruism was Greedy's favorite kind.

Luna Griffinsbane

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

Goblin. Heard of, but not seen. She knew nothing of these creatures, anymore than she had known of orcs before being in the custody of one or two. She had never really met anyone other than humans and an elf or two in her life. Clearly the world was full of people she had never dreamed of before.

She noted the attention to the scars, and quickly dropper her hands so that the sleeves covered the worst of it. Her entire left side burned, suddenly. It was as if she was in the ocean again, the burning pieces of ship's wreckage bobbing in the water all around her. Along with the dead and the dying, of which she had assumed she herself was among at the time. Yes, fire burned along her left side, in the torn and slashed flesh that she had unwittingly inflicted upon herself (and everyone else on that dreadful ship). But it also burned in the back of her mind, a haunting thing beyond comprehension.

I am an abomination!

Her mind recoiled from the memories and the sensations, instead returning to the here and the now and the equally unnerving conversation with a stranger.

She shrugged at the comment of the huts - she didn't know what a goblin was, let alone anything else about them - and then shook her head softly in negation. "Not hungry," she said, voice a soft rasp. It was almost a lie, too. Just not quite. She did not move an inch, though, when he invited her to accompany him to a 'tavern'. She at least thought she knew what one of those was; Chert to the south of her home village had one, if she remembered correctly, as it was on a seldom used trade route. "I know where I want to go," she said. It was the most words she had strung together in days.

Greedy

 

[Greedy]

Doesn't want food, the nerve of this human. Greedy offers a kindness, and she shies away. Hiding her hands, avoiding his eyes. She was more than hungry, she was broken worse than a warg under Derak the Wolf-Wrestler, may he rest in peace.

"Look, I'm no fool." Greedy's voice softened. "You're hungry, or at least at a point where you shouldn't be turning down meals. You're telling me you're not hungry because you're scared. Scared of me, probably scared in general. I get it. So how about this, I'll give you some leverage."

Greedy's hand went to his side and pulled out a small dagger. He offered it to the girl, his hand on it's blade and it's handle near her hand.

"You hold on to this for me till we get you some food. The tavern, a stall, wherever, and then you can go to wherever it is you're going."

Luna Griffinsbane

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

She eyed the dagger offered to her without turning her head. Iron, of average craftsmanship. It was a workman's tool, not really suited for use as a weapon. It was just as well, because she doubted that if it came to a fight, she would be doing anything other than being bested. She knew very well how strong she was.

She took the dagger, but if she had appeared hesitant before, she was not now. She took it and then held it properly close in to her body. She still seemed to be trying to draw in to herself, but at least now she was armed.

"...", she said, the words unintelligible. She shifted her shoulders and used her eyes to indicate that he could move ahead. It wasn't that she was trying to keep a knife at his back; the weapon vanished into the folds of her dress almost as soon as she had it in hand. She did not want to walk abreast of him, nor in front of him. Sweat ran down her face; it was so hot here, close to the sea. It didn't matter the season, it was never this warm up in the mountains.

"You know the city," she said, eyes face downcast. It was not a question, even if it was quietly delivered. There was no need to add to that, though; it was clear enough that she wished him to take the lead.

Greedy

 

[Adagium]

Ace shoved his way through the crowd grumbling as he finally made his way out of the waves of people. The sun luckly wasnt able to burn him to a crisp yet so he was able to move about without worrying about such side effects. The vampires sighs and rubs his eyes as he walked down the more clear road looking for atleast somewhere to relax some before heading out later tonight to Elbion.

He’d look up and see a goblin and a young woman walking the same way he was. But she seemed a bit tense and the goblin seemed to be trying to reassure her. The scholar didnt want to approach them because he had a feeling if they figured out what he was that the woman would freak out and be scared even more.

So he decided to follow them at a good healthy distance, using their scent trail to follow them and yet remained out of sight for the time being.

 

[Ōjo Akane]

Akane had left her guards at their tavern, though she could hear the quiet clinking of armor, probably one of the guards keeping an eye on her, over the loud crowd she was working her way through. She caught a few glances, a woman with the ears of a cat and six tails wearing a strange style of draws was definitely an eye grabber. She didn’t much care, she’d be able to disappear if she had to.

Then she spied a goblin, she recognized him as a goblin because of her readings into the species’ of this western land, and saw a frightened girl with him, and knowing that goblins were often either bandits, raiders or otherwise unpleasant and greedy creatures who don’t usually value the lives of even their own kind. Or at least that’s what she had read, she didn’t know how true this was but something didn’t come from nothing, an exaggeration perhaps but there was always a grounding in reality. So she decided to keep an eye on them, and if the goblin proved to be with unsavory motivation, she’d intervene.

She peeked behind her and saw the guard following her, his Tōsei Gusoku armor and sheathed Daisho gave him away, that and the seven tails behind him. His ears were tucked into his Kabutō helmet, and his face hidden behind the frankly terrifying steel mask. She glanced with her eyes at the goblin, and the guard nodded understanding. Then she’d proceed to follow them with her, quietly.

 

[Greedy]

"Well enough I suppose." The goblin replied to the quiet girl. "We'll hit Qurob's Kabobs. Not far from here. If you can think of it, he sells it on a stick." The goblin let out a smile. "My name's Gorvathk, but most call me Greedy. Best translation in the common tongue."

Greedy would wait a moment, but not longer, for the girl to give her own name in introduction. Such things were common, but he wouldn't press. Before things became awkward he'd turn his back, heading for Qurob's and keeping his ears open. Goblin ears weren't just for show after all. He'd hear sudden movements if the girl decided to charge him with the knife, though he thought it unlikely. He knew a beaten dog eventually lost it's bite, and the girl seemed quite shaken.

As for Acearin and Ōjo Akane, Greedy hadn't quite caught on to them yet. Vampires were quiet, as were fox-kin. If Ojo took her armored guard with her however, he'd be onto them in an instant. Goblins knew well the sound of armored footfalls. Seemed every human, elf, or dwarvish slop with enough coin for armor and a sword though Goblins the scourge of the earth, and the legal target of 'adventure'.

"If you're looking for coin, Alliria's the place to get it." Greedy would holler at Luna Griffinsbane behind him. "Several bars, tailors, even forges are so backed up with work they're willing to take on any help they can find. More than a few craftsman who came as farmers, learned a trade, and struck it out on their own. Any place this wealthy can also afford to have their own churches, shelters, and the like as well, if you're looking for more . . . 'fulfilling' work." There was a slight hint of disgust at the term, but he kept cordial. He decided not to probe for the girl's intentions, but rather propose possibilities. He somehow doubted she was looking for work, but every mission needed some degree of coin. Perhaps she'd need it anyways.

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

"...", she replied to him. The words were again muffled and impossible to make out. "Luna," she said in her customary low tones. Her voice rasped a bit, though.

She was wary in the highest about the goblin - wary of all the people on the street as it were - but she also lacked the street wisdom that most of the people who were born and raised in Alliria had. The tails had little to fear from discovery by her, and likely they could have been sloppy and still escaped notice.

She cast glance after glance at the creature called Greedy, unsure of what she felt about the beast. She was not poisoned, as many were, with the tales of vile beasts by the name of goblin. Or orc, or troll, or any of the other classic bogeymen that populated the tales taught to young children. Her parents had not seen any purpose to such things, instead teaching of a wider world filled with varied peoples and many dangers. When they taught anything, of course; the homestead required a solid diet of work, and idle time was spare.

The upside was she knew her letters, and she had not acquired any prejudices against other races. There was only the natural inclination to distrust the unknown. She had no worldliness to recognize intent in people like this goblin; her upbringing had been simpler. All of her outland experience had been unpleasant, but of a personal nature. Sheltered, in a way.

"...", a pained series of sounds that might have been words. She followed his words easily enough, although she could not understand why he thought she would want to stay in a place like this. He was not incorrect in that she needed money; everything here was so expensive, after all. But she had no relevant skills, certainly nothing worthwhile in a city.

"I want to go home," she said, voice raspier now than before. She was grimacing as if in pain, though she was careful to conceal it as much as possible, not that he was looking at her anyway.

Greedy Akane Acearin

 

[Greedy]

Greedy gave a quick glance back to the traveler, and let out a small sigh. "Home hunh? I get that." Greedy had been exiled from his home for a while now. He'd gotten over it, and quite enjoyed the prosperity places like Alliria could provide, but he understood well the feeling of homesickness.

"You'll need more than a full belly then." Greedy commented. It was obvious this city wasn't her home. "There's a portal stone a few days ride east of here that can take you all across Arethil, or at least to it's biggest cities. You'll want a mount, some storage of rations, some form of protection . . . and probably a map." Greedy was careful with his words, not bothering to ask or even imply where Luna might be going, only letting her know what would be needed. Travel wasn't just costly, but also dangerous.

"One of the benefits of starting in Alliria is there are always caravans traveling in and out of the city. Chances are they won't give you food or mounts, but there are strength in numbers, not to mention the mercenaries they often hire." Greedy would let the thought hang in the air. He got the feeling the girl didn't trust anyone, but joining a caravan was probably her best shot at some sense of security.

"That's Qurob's up ahead." He pointed to a stall up ahead manned by an elf. On an iron slab he cooked all manner of food, from pepper to mushroom to chicken to large exotic beetles, a favorite of some orcs who frequented the Ixchel Wilds. Around the slab were various options, some with little stars around denoting they cost extra to include. A favorite in this part of the city, it was a hopping stall, but Greedy would get them through soon enough.

Luna Griffinsbane Ōjo Akane Acearin

 

[Ōjo Akane]

Akane watched from a distance, and followed silently. She, like all of her feline kind, were light of foot, even when running or burdened by heavy things, or both. The clanking of armor wasn’t so easily silenced, so she instructed her guard, Kenjin, to hang back a little further, so as not to grab the attention of the goblin. He’d be able to make a swift entrance and decisive end should he need to, and he’d only need to see a flick of one of her tails.

But she was not rash or hasty, she just calmly watched as they approached a stall manned by an elf cooking on a broad, iron plate of some kind. She wondered if he cooked tuna.

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

Her head whirled at the list of needful things, and the truth of it was that she knew well enough that the funny little green thing was not lying about any of that. She was not of the city, but rather of the world beyond. She knew plenty of trail craft, and of survival in the wild lands. She might not last a day in Alliria proper, but she could survive long enough out on the wilds. Provided she was provisioned properly.

"My own feet suit me fine," she muttered sullenly as he finished detailing the items she would need. Horseflesh was not cheap, and she did not have any money to speak of. Had, in truth, not had much need for it before being drug involuntarily from her home. She would need a map, a bow, and a knife and maybe some salts and a few other odds and ends. That would do well enough to cross vast stretches of ground. And that was the problem, of course.

Where was Alliria? She had heard of it in conversation, albeit infrequently. The uncommon peddler or merchant and even more infrequent traveler would sometimes mention the names of great cities beyond the mountains. Beyond a dusty relic of a map kept in the taphouse, there was little to assist in visualizing the world beyond the secluded village. The people there were fine with being kept away from the ills of the world.

"Probably," she added quietly.

The scent of cooking meat, lightly seasoned, caught her nose. For a moment, she was caught in a memory of a different time, but the memory was shattered swiftly by the dull ache in the flesh of her left side, of the constant throbbing at ankle and wrist.

She looked at all the varied people that were here at this place, this stall for food. People from all across a world that had only become larger and larger to her as the previous years had worn on. Larger, and darker. The splendor of a great city was lost to her, seen through a lens of lingering pain and distrust. She hung back from the goblin, unsure of herself among so many others, eyes darting left and right as people, oblivious of her presence, moved about their business.

"?" The sound was questioning, although without looking at her it would be difficult to discern what the question even was. She was looking meaningfully at the exchange of coins between purveyor of steaming meats and vegetables and customer, unfamiliar with the denominations of the coins or the coins themselves. She gestured subtly with her hands, and shook her head in negation. Hunger stirred by familiar scents did not necessarily lead to satiation; she had an idea that she did not have near enough money for this, let alone anything else she needed.

Frustration, an unwelcome but ever present companion, started to lay cold hands on her shoulders.

Greedy Akane Acearin

 

[Greedy]

The girl continued to push her independence. Before he would have attributed the behavior to fear, fear of the devil stranger and the unknown in general, but now her statements had a bit more oomph to them. Some modicum of confidence? Perhaps the woman was more comfortable in the great outdoors.

"Lots of maps for sale in this town. Some of the more fancy ones have colors and magic ones can show the weather and other coming dangers, but if all you need is what's where then a map can be had for a couple of copper." Greedy replied. Shortly afterwards a spot opened at Qurobs.

"Now's our chance." Greedy said, and authoritatively stepped forward. He'd widen his stance as he did so, trying to clear some room for Luna, but goblins weren't built for such actions.

"Greedy! Who's the girl?" The two words that best described Qurob were energetic and friendly. A somewhat distance third adjective was curious.

"An old friend I owe a favor. Told her a good kabob should cover it." He avoided names or even stories, but casually danced around Qurob's question. "You just pick some veggies and a meat and Qurob'll fry it right up for you. I prefer the plax beetle myself, but I find most humans like the chicken." Greedy would look over at Luna Griffinsbane, waiting for her reply. Qurob, like any food stall chef, would advertise his goods and make suggestions he thought were good enough to make Luna beg to come back.

As a goblin and a thief, Greedy's eyes and ears were always open, but he still hadn't noticed Ōjo Akane, as she'd been content to silently observe. If Greedy were aware he'd probably find it creepy, but most beastmen gave him at least a little pause.

 

[Ōjo Akane]

Akane decided it was time to meet with this girl, and see what was going on. She heard the goblin mention chicken and her mouth watered. But now was not the time, or was it? She approached the stand, and stood by the girl to wait until she was done, which would give her a chance to take in details, such as her scent so that she might find her more easily if she lost sight of her.

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

She did not shy back from the owner of the stall, but she did draw the hood about her face a little closer. This time she seemed to be uncaring of the livid scar tissue. The wash of words from the goblin ran over her like water over a stream bed. She picked through the words all the same; money was brought up, but it was a thing she did not have much of. She had already decided to steer clear of anything that cost. She wanted out of this city more desperately than was probably reasonable, and purchasing things would require money, which would require work....

...which would require her to stay.

She wordlessly gestured with an unscarred hand towards the chicken and onion, eyes downcast. The words of the stallkeeper were likewise so much babbling of a brook. She could hear the questions behind his words, but did not offer any more answers to him than she had offered to the goblin.

"I just need to see where I am," she said as she waited. There were many questions floating in her own head, too. Chief among them, what it was that this goblin was going to charge her for the meal about to be given to her. She did not think anything was freely given in the world. The harsh past years had proven that, if nothing else.

---

No grand design, no special nemesis. No great cult or clan, no special plans for any of the many charges that had been held aboard their vessel.

K'yolgr was in such a state of fury as to be nearly incandescent. The vessel she had just lost had been worth money - not too much, because she was not keen on comfortable surroundings for her charges, and did not much care for them herself out on the blue water of the deep oceans. Still, the slaves that had been lost, as well as the goods stowed aboard, had set her back hundreds. t was a catastrophic loss that would take years to recover from.

The city bustled, as it always did. The orc, decked in scant clothing to reveal a patchwork web of scars crisscrossing her entire frame, as well as tribal markings and rings and earrings - not to mention many fetishes, that it was probably best not to dwell on too long - sat at an open air wine shop, drinking the swill that they called wine here. The Shallows were not best suited to someone of airs, feigned or not, but to the orc all of it was as good as any other.

"Sure?" she growled to her companion, standing across from her. The human, sallow and shifty looking, nodded in the affirmative, and she snarled around tusks. "Only one?"

The nameless human nodded vehemently. "Yes, K'yo, sure it is. Was the one in the hold, from up north."

Sorceress. The hidden threat among the passengers of her vessels on their way to the markets. Most were ostentatious in their display of power, but this one had kept it hidden. In one fated night, she had unleashed a storm of sorcery that had smashed her precious blue water vessel and killed half her crew and sent the majority of her trade goods into the deep waters off the coast. She could care less about the men lost; it was the material things that bothered her.

"Show me," she said. The sallow man smiled, a sickly thing without mirth.

 

[Greedy]

"One Flax beetle and one chicken coming up." Qurob replied, and started cooking the kabobs. "What can I get for you ma'am?" Alliria was a place of business, and the amount of coin in Ōjo Akane's wallet was far more concerning to Qurob than the amount of tails she sported. Likewise Greedy would let her be, unless she made a move towards Greedy or Luna.

"Excellent." Greedy replied, and tossed him a few coppers, then turned over to Luna Griffinsbane. "Alliria sits in a bridge of land that sits between Liadain and Epressa. The wealth of this city comes from this being the only real route between them." Greedy spoke freely, giving her some basic knowledge before Qurob presented the pair with kabobs. Greedy took a hearty crunch out of his beetle.

"Crunchy shell, meaty interior, little bit of spice. Quality stuff." Greedy said in satisfaction. "There's a portal stone over in the reach, about halfway between the city and the Spine. Helps quite a bit with trade as well." He looked over at the girl.

"How far is home?"

 

[Ōjo Akane]

Akane continued to wait nearby. Listening closely. It seemed normal enough, and the woman didn't appear to be in any danger. So she let herself consider the possibility that the woman may not be in danger from her current company, but there was still the question of why she was so nervous.

She was asked what she'd like and she said. "Do you cook fish of any kind? If not, I'd like the chicken please."

 

[Luna Griffinsbane]

The little green one talks too much. The thought flitted through her mind quickly, and without being uttered. She accepted the skewered meat and vegetables and stared at it as steam wafted off of it. There was little in the way of hunger, as she had stated before.

"I do not know," she said simply. There hadn't been what would be called an accurate map in their little village, and it was too far from major trade routes to be of any interest to traders. No king or queen, no noble family, and certainly no empire had laid claim to their little stretch of wilderness. For all she knew, it was truly no-mans land, claimed by none.

A strange creature stepped forward, something with many tails. She eyed the thing askance. Merely another oddity in a world that was filled with them. She had to wonder if it was dangerous, and could only conclude that it was likely.

"Home is in the mountains," she said. And that was the extent of her knowledge. "Very tall mountains."

Others joined the crowd gathered at the grill, of all shapes and sizes. A sallow looking human with shifty eyes joined the throng, calling out for some kind of food in a language that she was not familiar with. The dark markings that marred his pallid skin stirred a memory, but not with enough force to pull her from her contemplation of the steaming meat that rapidly cooled in front of her. She was taken slightly aback by another arrival, a creature she had not yet seen before. Tall, broad shouldered and reptilian, the Komodi seemed out of place here, standing head and shoulders over the rest of the crowd. The massive sword on its back looked as it it had been beaten into a blade with rocks, and was scarred and had the appearance of being more a blunt object than a sword.

She shied back a step at that arrival, bumping into Akane without meaning to.

 

[Ōjo Akane]

She shied back a step at that arrival, bumping into Akane without meaning to.

Akane felt a small bump on her back shoulder, there wasn’t a lot of force behind it and it didn’t to much to move her. She turned and saw the girl that she hadn’t been watching. “Oh, hello. Sorry about that, are you alright?”

She had a look of slight concern on her face, and with a slight undertones of curiosity. She’d see that everything except for her ears and tails were human. She had the lights skin of most people of the northern lands of the western continents. Her dress was clearly foreign, a kimono of eastern silk.

One ear was down and the other up, her head tilted slightly in curiosity. “Why so shy? Are you okay?”