Open Chronicles Among the Solemn Grove of Honeyed Dreams

[White Swallow]

(this is a peaceful rp for the moods, ok?)

Midnight in Sey'Kube. The garrisons.

To break things which cannot be fixed.

A child of no more than three wailed upon a grave. Too young to understand, too young to truly feel. So the elders would have said; too young to remember, too young to truly care.
His eyes were dark from tears, mouth wide from anguish and words that had to flee. A brave warrior had fallen for a cause and a son left robbed in a movement's wake.


And there lay the visage of the father upon the grave, the image of himself.
The Swallow could not shut a single eye that night.


Sey'Kube, in the hidden gardens, late morning.

Among groves of oleander pink and red, where the peacocks display their colours in bright emerald and gold, where gazelles freely move among guests without fear. There where the sweet scent of blossoming trees intoxicated all that lay within.

There, a solemn thought grows among the peaceful bushes.

I would have loved to have children of my own,
to have raised them back in Sahkrizil,
to have two, three, no, five from a loving wife,
in a home that is all my own.

Azrana lifted little Aisha high into the air. She lept into the sky like a dove, and her orange dress fluttered among the scented breeze of the grove. For a moment she even looked like a bird of paradise, dancing in the sky, before landing safely in the Kherkhanite's gentle blue hands.
Again and again, the little girl of amber skin embraced the air. Azrana almost feared that she would have flown away. Far from the fringe of Seret, travelling across the gulf of Liad to lands unknown. Perhaps even into heaven where honeyed dreams live.
Yet she returned with each of his throws.
And her cheerful laughter that filled the grove when she left his arms.
Azrana was at peace.

»Higher, Azrana, higher! I want to touch the clouds!«
»But if you get stuck on a cloud, how will I get you down?« The ogre chuckled, met with even louder laughter from the girl.
If only this moment could last forever.


Fatigued, Azrana fell to the ground, huddled among expired blossoms and decaying leaves. Aisha silently perched atop his chest, her eyes travelling from tree to tree before ending glued at the tallest tower on Sey'Kube.
»Azzy, you work for the Sayyiduna. What is he like? Is he Beautiful? Do you think he has many wives?«
Azrana left the girl to sit on his chest as he lay his head against the sturdy apricot tree, gazing back into her black eyes. »Beautiful? I wouldn't have thought of ever calling him that,« he chuckled warmly with his husky voice. »You're too young to think of such.«

»And he's not ugly, I think. I'd sooner call him intimidating.«
»But how can you be intimidated by him, you're not scared of anyone!« Little Aisha pouted her lips together.
How could Azrana, biggest of the Kherkhanites that she had ever seen, fear anyone or anything?

»He's three heads shorter than me, and I could lay him to the ground with a single arm, that is true. But that is a different kind of hold on people.« He lifted the girl into the air among the oleander blossoms, colouring her in intricate pattern displays between the shadows and speckles of light.

Aisha spread her arms as if they were wings. »But my little silverine gazelle, he's the kind of man that sees straight into your being. As if he'd known your every hardship and comfort before you'd even utter a single word.«
Azrana rolled his head lightly in the soft earth, his head nested between two smooth roots. »Such a man brings fear even to his enemies. But the Sayyiduna is a kind man.«

He could enjoy this forever.
Yet horses cried out in the distance, and Azrana's eyes have set upon the rising sun. In silence, his heart sunk a little.
»Aisha. I have to leave.«

 

[Odessa]

In a small clearing that was away from prying eyes, a large shrubbery glowed a beautiful blueish silver color, then it faded away leaving the lush green bush as it once was before. The sun had awakened from its slumber and graced the morning sky with its presence.

Odessa, lay under the large shrub among the very cold earth naked as the day her mother had birthed her. She opened her eyes slowly looking around and quickly she searched for her satchel, in which she found it. A soft sigh escaped the lips of the young woman as her bag was there and soon, she rummaged through it, finding her clothes.

Quickly she dressed herself and gently placed the bag around her shoulder and quietly moved away from her hiding spot looking around and taking in her surroundings, she was glad that in her other form she still was herself and full on swan.



Another deep breath and soon she’d make her way through what seem like paradise, as she had never been to this area and was simply passing through, as bards tend to do. The sound of Odessa’s stomach protesting the fact it needed food, could be slightly heard with gurgles and groans. She’d place her hand on her stomach out of instinct to try and quiet the noise, perhaps she could find something for breakfast?

 

[Focraig'Diin]

The fruit was slightly bitter, but nonetheless a meal he could stomach. He had been walking again for many long days, and could use the rest. The woods chirped and thrummed, as the creatures of this place rose with the morning sun. But even in this cool air, did mist radiate from his body. The Cryomancy was quirky as such. He had another bite of the fruit, from the pile he had collected beside him, an assortment of delicacies he had picked from what fruit-bearers he could find.

The nearby shrub rustled, normally a bit of a shock for most men, he simply eyed it curiously, but not with caution. He had made sure of no predators minutes earlier. What could he have missed?

 

[White Swallow]

The Garrison, a few hours before daybreak.

The last hour was spent in shallow sleep until Nadim had roused the Swallow when he had not awoken on his own.
»Khaleel, you barely shut an eye, I see it in your face. Were you deep in worry?«
The swallow quietly shook his head, not even groaning or complaining as he rose. »Only bad dreams.«
»They will pass. But let's get ready; honoured commander Arsalaan summoned us for training.«
They joined the other soldiers in their morning bath before rallying sometime after daybreak at the yard where the honoured Arsalaan awaited his men.



Late morning at the hidden gardens of Sey'Kube.
The morning mist had nearly disappeared from the distant valleys, uncovering quiet pastures in its departure.

Birdsong was the loudest at these hours, yet to Aisha, it sounded solemn and brought her no delight when Azrana was not by her side.
Her sad eyes focused at the sky, past the branches of the apricot and oleander trees.
There, where the clouds drifted slowly across the eternal blue heaven. Where were they going, where were they destined?
If only she could take a ride and wander beyond the walls of Sey'Kube. Oh, where would they have carried her?

A person bound to earth would never be as free.



Perhaps Abu Halim has already roused. Zarrin, Marjan and Samir were already in the gardens at this time. If not Abu Halim, then either of her friends could give her company today.
Aisha picked up some bleeding apples of paradise along her way, taking them along as she began to search the enclosed gardens.
Her trip was not long when a silken blue dress with gold trim fluttered behind a lonesome golden oleander. »Zarrin?« Aisha called out, picking up her pace as she skipped closer in delight.

But what she found was not Zarrin, it was a girl as white as a great egret, and not far behind her... she briefly shrieked, a man as pale as snow that seemed only wither from his hair as dark as nightsingers feathers.

 

[Odessa]

Odessa did another brief dusting of her clothes before taking a deep breath, exhaling and off she was with her bag. As she took a step from the bushes, she paused.

The idea that she was alone, vanished and reappeared as the image of a man, laying near her, eating some fruit. A warmth began to slowly move from her toes to her cheeks, and the alabaster skin began to turn a very pink color.



“I . . . I’m, S . . . Sorry, I didn’t know there was, a person here.” Did he see her naked? Oh, she hoped not, oh goddess, what if he knew what she. . .No, no he couldn’t have known. The thoughts would go over and over in her head.

She tried to keep her calm, but it was very hard, and the situation continued to get even more awkward as her stomach again protested with a very loud growl, again she’d put her hand over her midsection to hide the sound if possible.

Odessa turned to glance toward the side, something moved in the corner of her eye, as she turned she saw a small girl. Now, she was getting even more concerned on where she did land, and what was seen, she scolded herself more for not being careful.

"Well, hello there."

 

[White Swallow]

(if you're still not listening to the attached music by now, shame on you! )
The yard before the garrison.

The man had gathered in long rows. Before them stood the high commander of all soldiers in Sey'Kube. He may have once served in Stakhmat and As Nineban as well, but now even those soldiers and commanders lay subservient to him.
Arsalaan was a man that supposedly knew the Sayyiduna personally. But few men were quick to say that the Sayyiduna may not even be real, or perhaps he was long dead.
Yet everyone believed. They had to.

Arsalaan announced today's regime and the men were quickly put to work.
One last time The Swallow and Nadim Ibn Adil gazed at eachother as trusted friends, before parting in separate units.


The yard before the garrison, a few hours later, current time. Off-limits to the general populace.

Azrana's tall, blue visage was hard to miss as he made his way into the yard. Human cities made him feel uneasy, but in Sey'Kube, he almost felt as if he were back in Sahkrizil.
Past Azrana charged horses, as wild and loud as the day they were born. Atop them were riders wielding lances, swords and maces. Others were shooting arrows at floor-mounted targets.
It seemed as if honoured Arsalaan commanded each tact of the horse gait as his voice periodically ordered the soldiers to charge and disengage.
»Halt,« and the many horses came toa thunderous stop as if a small earthquake had rattled the floor.
Azrana, however, like a mountain was unmoved.

Arsalaan waved his hand, »come closer, honoured Azrana.«

The ogre moved to the commander. He was a man of sandy skin, his face was worn but chiseled, still holding a sliver of beauty about him. His beard was dark with a slight wave, and he wore clothes white as snow. Atop his head was a light grey turban while the gaze from his eyes was as mild as that of a content lion.

Azrana bowed before the esteemed commander. »Apologies for my lateness. I have not expected you'd start with your training this soon.«
»It is not me that requests your presence this time, Azrana.« His hand motioned to the castle behind them. »You know where you must be.« His tone was as calm as ever but direct in its delivery.
Arsalaan was not a man to mess with, even if he seemed to possess a kind facade. The countless men that died by the whip were proof enough of that.


»Alsanunu of Narra,- Ibn Adil.« Just as Azrana made his way towards the castle, Arsalaan's voice donned through the crowd. »You are dismissed for today. You are expected at the castle at nightfall. Prepare yourself until then.«
His was sharp and directed at the two lesser Warband leaders, who promptly left and dismounted from their horses.

Their day had just begun, and now they knew not how it would end.


Back in Sey'Kube's hidden gardens.
Little Aisha gazed at the pale girl with wide eyes, focusing her mind away from the man.
Her face was quick to soften and she smiled wide, still holding the bleeding apples of paradise in her embrace.

»You are very pretty. Are you a Huriya?«

 

[Focraig'Diin]

He, himself, maintained composure to not blush so red he resembled the apples he ate. Instead he... coughed out what fruit was in his mouth, inadvertently freezing the pieces with his breath. Blast, such a waste, though the reason was entirely warranted. He expected a fellow camper or just a curious animal, not a half-dressed nymph. He had only seen a white swan napping nearby last night. He had checked again mere minutes before, with a simple sweep of his frost. Not enough to chill, but still enough to rustle whatever was hiding.

This... this was a bit beyond his average mishaps. Anyone else, Traecon moreso, would be ruled by the hot blood in their veins. He simply sat up and mumbled incoherently for a moment. Why, oh, why did he - bah, nevermind that. The woman seemed a little starved for food, if the growling was anything to go by. Making sure his gaze was averted from the woman, and keeping one eye on the little girl, he gestured to both the fruit pile beside him, and the apples in the child's hands.

"Fill yourself first, lady. We can... agree to not mention this incident ever again once you've had your meal."

Then he turnes to face the child fully, his icy blue eyes open with curiosity and what he hoped was harmless interest.

"And you too. Dig in there, along with those apples."

 

[Odessa]

An expression of relief the accompanied by a smile of thanks appeared on her still pink face, a quick nod was Oddessa’s way of a silent agreement to man’s bargain. Her eyes moved back to the girl, as the little one was asking such a question.

The smile of hers deepened into a warmth as she shook her head.

“Thank you, but no, I don’t think so, I don’t quite know what a Huriya is?” a soft gentle laugh followed. The voice that flowed from the lips of this woman, was sultry, it was pleasant to the ears. Odessa took this moment to politely move toward the pile of fruit and began to try and not devour it all in one big tornado of hunger.

She gently seated herself down on the other side of the fruit and began to pick one delicious looking apple up.

CRUNCH!

The white juices spilled a little out of the sides of her pink lips as she chewed, gently she’d brush the juice off with the back of her hand. Odessa had closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of finally satisfying her hunger and just relished in the sweet taste, with a soft moan of bless escaped her.

“Mmmm.” Then the flood of the fact she wasn’t alone came back to her, and her eyes snapped open and a sheepish look appeared on her face.

“Pardon me.” Another crunch as she bites into the apple again, watching the two, before her.

 

[White Swallow]

Aisha smiled wide, »they are beautiful virgins in heaven.«

The stranger lady must've been very hungry to eat this ravenously.
As appetite came to her as well, she was quick to remember what fruit lay in her embrace.
One with a hard shell and the fruit that lay within had a taste between sweet and sour. It had a tendency to 'bleed' when opened.

The little girl then approached the man, but she jittered slightly as it felt colder. Was it perhaps the wind?
»Can you open these for me?« She offered the man her pomegranates.
»And you look like a demon from Seret. They say the mist coming from the mountains is from the demons boiling sinners in kettles.«

»My name is Aisha, and who are you two?«

 

[Focraig'Diin]

Taking the fruits, he rapped his knuckles upon the shells. They split in half clean along the middle. A handy trick, and it helped with practical applications of magic. He handed one open half to the child, smiling from behind his hood. Her observation was... somewhat accurate, as he once came from the mountains of Eretejva. As for the 'demon' aspect... he'd definitely call Mentor one. Called it 'baptism', the training.

Focraig called it 'exorcism'. He was fairly sure instead of mist, those in the Tundra heard cries and shouts of horror. He imagined the folktales to come of that, inwardly chuckling.

"Never had the misfortune of meeting demons where I am from. I hope I need not, in the time to come."

He turned to the eating woman, now more curious than embarrassed. "And what of you, little swan? What brings you to this corner of the world?"

 

[Odessa]

Odessa began to cough and choke on a piece of apple, as the girl spoke the words that now furthered the blush on her cheeks.

She let out another large cough that finally dislodged the piece of fruit from her throat.

" A p . . . Pleasure, t . . . to meet you." She replied. Her voice wsa a little strained from the choking.

"I am Odessa and assure you that, I am just a simple human, nor do I come from the heavens." As she spoke her voice began to sound normal again.

Odessa turned her head to the side as the man whom already seemed odd and the way the girl described him, did fit him spoke.

Odessa's felt a Knott in the pit of her stomach as the words little swan hit her ears. Her heart began to race. He knew, he had seen her, what was going to happen?

Is she safe?

Should she run?

Maybe he hadn't really see her in her other form, maybe it was just a good guess? The statistics of that was very low and she knew it.

So, many thoughts ran through her mind as she tried to keep calm.

"I, I'm a Bard, I seek inspiration and adventure seems to help with that." Odessa replied with the truth and with that she decided to see this through.

A warm smile graced her features again as she picked up another apple, and stared at it a moment before looking back to the pair before her.

 

[Focraig'Diin]

"A bard? Hadn't the pleasure of meeting one in my travels! All the taverns I visited seemed to lack that one aspect. Focraig'Diin, traveling archivist and ice mage."

He held out a hand in greeting, the air misting off his hand in tufts of white.

"Apologies in advance for my cold hands. My craft has such side-effects."

To demonstrate, he tussled up his hair with his other hand, sending little frozen drops of dew that had collected within in a shower of sparkles. Bit too much dramatics, but he wanted to ease up on the woman's tension. Waking up naked next to a man? Out of context, that was disturbing.

He then took a glance at the frozen juice at his feet, from the fruit he had cracked open. Maybe his control was a little frayed than usual. It was justified, he supposed, by the outrageous situation. He had meant to crack the fruit, not freeze the juice within too. At least the one the little girl held was largely untouched, though he could see strips of ice floating in there.

Fruit punch!

 

[White Swallow]

Aisha picked the fruit kernels and munched them as the adults conversed.
Watching them with wide eyes.

The bleeding apples of paradise were truly fragile pomegranates. A slurp of the slightly chilled juice refreshed her all too well.

The man might say what he wants, but he really seemed supernatural! Ice mage up or down. Didn't matter too much to her.

A bit late in the conversation she exclaimed: »You are a bard! You sing? My friend Zarrin loves to sing poems and rhyme. Do you two want to hear her?«

In Sey'Kube above the yard
Azrana walked the many stairs that led to the highest of levels in Sey'Kube.

Each step with his boot loudly resonated in the spiral staircase.

Each passing window had him longingly gazing at the gardens.

Azrana came to a room, half a square half and half a cirle. It's curved side consisting of wonderful arcades. There stood a man, watching over the soldiers that drilled beneath.

"Sayyiduna?"

 

[Odessa]

Odessa’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as the mage introduced himself. She leaned over to shake his hand but paused for a brief second as he gave her his warning. She’d be lying if she didn’t find his gift fascinating as the wave of his hand, made the fairies' frost kiss his locks.

She gently took his hand, and her curiosity was confirmed, her hand began to grow cold and soon a memory of when she was a child and touched her first snowball, with unprotected gloves filled her mind.

The stranger though would feel warmth and softness like spider silk in his grasp. She’d shake his hand quickly before letting go, before the burn could set into her flesh.

“A pleasure, Focraig’Diin, I’m honored, as I’ve never myself met an Ice Mage before, so it seems we have something in common.” Her smile grew deeper as she looked to Aisha. She ran her hand gently along her clothes, trying to warm her hand back up.



“Yes, and Yes.” She chuckled a little at the girl’s excitement.

“Does, she now, I’d be honored to meet a fellow lover of music.” She glanced back Focraig’Diin pondering a moment before looking back to Aisha.

 

[White Swallow]

Back at Sey'Kube proper.
A quiet tapping echoed from the man.
»No. But you're answering to me now.«

Azrana stood still before briefly shuddering. »I apologise, honoured dai Rahman.«
He knelt before the man in pristine white.
»The Sayyiduna spoke to me yesternight, now I have a task for you. «

Rahman Ibn Zaromar Ibn Shahnaz Al Arda remained turned away from the ogre. His hand lightly trailing the railing on the arcade. »Our men have met with an adversary and stood victorious against him.« Nothing too unusual, Azrana thought to himself, but why would such a man garner attention. »And now we have word that he rallied the sand elves and took for the west.«

»Who are those men, honoured dai. «

»A man, only known as The Swallow of Narra and Nadim, Adil's son. Find them and bring them here in the evening.«

 

[Focraig'Diin]

The mage felt her skin and mentally wondered for a momeny. It was like handling some those exotic cloth he had seen in a couple trading posts. A silk sensation. Curious. He took an absent-minded bite of his own apple, watching the woman and child interact. Apparently the location he had chosen was now a gathering place. Only thing to complete it now was some random guard popping in, and he'd have a migraine to last for the day.

He was digressing. Back on topi

With another bite, he breathed mist onto the two in jest. Ad as they turned, he gestured around them, at the area. And covered his mouth - he would be spitting iceballs from his mouth if he wasn't careful.

"Apologies again for my interruption, but where exactly am I? I presumed this place was far from any villages or cities."

Swallowing the fruits, he constructed a small snowball in his now free hands. Juggling it between them, he added.

"A bit of ball to pass the time? This one is less cold than the rest, i assure you."

 

[White Swallow]

»Zarrin must be by the paviolions.«

Little Aisha briefly turned to the man as he posed his question. She was surprised, many wayfarers knew of this locations. So this man must have come from a very distant land.
»Oh? You don't know? This is Sey'Kube's gardens., this land belongs to the Sayyiduna.«
Just in time she catched the little ball of forst, passing it away to Odessa.
She shrieked loudly, from excitement in fact.

»It's so cold!«

 

[Odessa]

Odessa’s lips parted as she was about to say something but stopped as she closed them turning her head to the side to look back to the Mage. She was also curious where she was and showed a slight relief that he asked the same question that was in her mind.

She did study him in those mere moments, and her imagination began to run wild with inspiration of making him either a villain who goes good later or just simply a villain. She couldn’t help the thoughts that ran through her mind.

Dessy, turned her head back to the girl as she answered the question set before her, the name of this place was indeed exotic and interesting, perhaps there was much she could use here for her stories. It was good that Dessy had such quick reflexes as she caught the snowball in her hand.

The snow was still cold to the touch but as the Mage said, it wasn’t so bad, but she didn’t want to wait and see how bad it could be, she quickly tossed the ball back to its owner, with a mischievous cut smile on her face.

“I’d love to see what other tricks you have up yourself.” She winked playfully tossing the snowball back to the Mage as she turned her head back to the little girl.

“Do, you happen to know in what direction there is a village?” She wanted to see how the taverns were here and she needed coin.

“I wouldn’t want to make anyone mad being here.” She added with another warm smile. Dessy, had a gift well more then one but that will be explained later, no she had a knack like no other that just with the way she moved, looked at you, just being there made many feel as if they were the only thing that mattered to her.

She was indeed very charismatic and wreaked of just a light that refused to go out.

 

[White Swallow]

She pointed past some taller decorative trees, where plastered surfaces glistened in the rising sun.
»How did you two get inside without knowing of Sey'Kube, there are walls all around us!« Aisha stood upright, tilting her head as she brought her pointer up to her face and tap at her lip.

»Hu? Perhaps I could ask Zarrin, and you might stay with her.«
To be quite frank, Sey' Kube was a little too big for Aisha to know of any inns or taverns, nor did the little girl need to know of their existence.

 

[Focraig'Diin]

Now that, the mage did not expect. Walls? The snowball puffed into mist as it met his face, but he did not even register, his mind recalling his actions the previous night.

He... distinctly remembered burrowing through a hardened structure in the dead of night, a bit of training to rehone his senses. The sturdiness of what he had presumed to be a mountain proved perfect enough to focus his will and ice. Drilling through the stone via destabilizing its foundations with sub-zero temperatures. Emerging from what he presumed to be part of the mountain, he had taken refuge in the small forest clearing where he was now conversing with the bard and the child.

It was a Herald-damned city wall.

And he had inadvertently performed a break-in.

...He supposed men had been arrested for less. He would deal with that as it came. As for the bard's teasing question, the mage had a variety of answers. He did not feel inclined to answer with a ridiculous "I can make ice half-giants."

Boasting was Traecon's forte, not his.

"Many are my tricks, Miss Bard, but some are not suitable for enclosed spaces."

 

[Odessa]

Dessy turned her head back to the girl as she spoke and a sudden blush came to her cheeks as the girl asked how not only the mage got into the walls, by herself.

She couldn’t come right out and say she can turn into a swan by a curse, also it was a secret, though she can bet the Mage already knows, again worry starts to form a knot in her stomach she again pushes away and keeps the smile etched on her face.

This was going to be tricky; they were either going to get locked in jail or they may not, the odds were not in their favor, but then again.

“That might be an idea, hmmm. . .” She avoided the first question as she turned her head back to the mage.

“Fair enough.” She gave him a genuine I understand smile. She took in a deep breath and pushed off the grass raising herself up and standing before them. The shapeliness was easier seen, as the fabric in which her clothes were made of, hugged just the right areas.

She’d dust off her hands and gently brush a few loose strands of hair out of her eyes and looked toward the mage at first and then back to the girl.

“Well, can’t chat here all day, I guess its time to face the music, lead me to this Zarrin.” She turned and gestured toward the mage.

“Care to join us my friend?” Her voice soft and gentle, it was obvious Dessy had a plan maybe, but either way, she was willing to help him out too.

“I do not mind at all.” She added before looking back to the little girl.

 

[White Swallow]

She wouldn't press them too much, for, in all truth, there were better things to discuss than how people got into a garden that is open to the public.

»Lets go!« She excitedly looked at both.

The tops of some pavillions could be seen, glistening in the sun as it shone light at them at just the right angle. From the other side, an elder man was seen walking about, but he was probably too old to see them and a bit too far to notice them on his own.

 

[Focraig'Diin]

He rose from his seat, mist trailing off his robes in tendrils of white. He gestured once, and the morning chill seemingly vacated the atmosphere, leaving only the warmth of the morning sun and the humidity of the garden around them. A handy trick.

But not one he was to unveil... yet.

"By your lead, young child. We will follow."

Odessa White Swallow

 

[Odessa]

The trick was not unnoticed by Dessy and she gave the mage a look that could only mean, no more then, I saw what you did there. A wink and she continued to follow the girl as she glanced about taking in everything.

It was a beautiful garden, and it was very well taken care of, the love that was woven into the soil was seeping through in abundance. She glanced ahead seeing the figure so far away, and she’d prepare herself in case they were stopped.

She was in fact a trespasser and a mere child couldn’t really stop what could potentially be a bad situation, but she hoped maybe this all would go positively. She’d glance toward the mage occasionally, studying how he moved and her character in which she wrote for her song would soon come to life.

A smile would curl up on her lips as she honestly had no clue that she was doing so, as she was lost in her thoughts of her character, which probably looked odd as she was staring at him for a bit longer than normal.

Soon, she’d snap out of it as she glanced back to the girl, with a slight blush on her cheeks now that she knew, she must have looked so dumb.

 

[White Swallow]

Some gazelles would cross their paths and Aisha decidedly made a short detour to an older man that looked as if he'd crumble into dust any moment now. He was feeding the peafowl that gathered around him.

»Abu Halim, these are my new friends,« she beckoned with her arms towards her two companions.
Halim appeared as a very pleasant man, shining a brief but sincere smile as the two.