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Private Tales Forastero
- Thread starter Amorea Delarosa
- Start date
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- amore cortos kishou radiant church
A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
"I don't know," Kishou said, "I am no bard."
He frowned. He knew that Toji would be content with only the pair knowing of his passing. The old monk was just like that.
"I suppose we could start with the village below."
He frowned. He knew that Toji would be content with only the pair knowing of his passing. The old monk was just like that.
"I suppose we could start with the village below."
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"Then that is what we will d-do-" she stifled a yawn into a hand, then reached forward with both to wrap her arms around Kishou's near arm. They were not strangers to closeness and there had been plenty of times they had shared one another's space, just not quite like this before.
It was a cold evening in many ways, though, and Amore felt drawn to the warmth shared between them. She nestled her face in against his shoulder, huddling a bit further beneath the blankets, and released a deep sigh.
What a long and exhausting day.
It was a cold evening in many ways, though, and Amore felt drawn to the warmth shared between them. She nestled her face in against his shoulder, huddling a bit further beneath the blankets, and released a deep sigh.
What a long and exhausting day.
Kishou turned his head towards her as she burrowed deeper under the blankets. There in the dark, he broke a smile as he drifted to sleep.
It truly had been a long and exhausting day. Despite Toji's loss weighing heavily on the swordsman, he had gotten a full night of much-needed sleep. He woke on his side with his arm slung over the Priestess who was tucked into his chest. Summer was undoubtedly far off, yet under the blankets, it felt as if the scorching sun was burning a hole in his chest. His chest?
Kishou looked down and pushed the covers down to his legs. He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead and immediately pulled it back. The priestess was burning. He gripped her shoulder and gently jostled her awake.
It truly had been a long and exhausting day. Despite Toji's loss weighing heavily on the swordsman, he had gotten a full night of much-needed sleep. He woke on his side with his arm slung over the Priestess who was tucked into his chest. Summer was undoubtedly far off, yet under the blankets, it felt as if the scorching sun was burning a hole in his chest. His chest?
Kishou looked down and pushed the covers down to his legs. He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead and immediately pulled it back. The priestess was burning. He gripped her shoulder and gently jostled her awake.
Amore awoke nigh instantly, startling out of a deep, dreamless sleep with a racing heart and adrenalin pounding in her ears.
"Wha-what is it?" even in those first few moments of wakefulness, the Priestess felt nothing but peace and warmth, "Is there s-something wrong?" she stammered over a yawn. Felt quite comfortable to her.
"Wha-what is it?" even in those first few moments of wakefulness, the Priestess felt nothing but peace and warmth, "Is there s-something wrong?" she stammered over a yawn. Felt quite comfortable to her.
The swordsman held her face in his hands. It was like holding a heated pot.
"Something wrong?" he echoed, "You're burning up!"
"Something wrong?" he echoed, "You're burning up!"
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"What do you mean?" today it was difficult to wake up. Most days Amore had no trouble rising with the sun, even if she could not see the sunlight pouring through the slats of shutters. The routine fostered here at the shrine was that of challenging practice and regular work. No day was wasted, and no sleep was lost.
For the most part.
But today ... today she was sleepy. Very, very sleepy. Amore would have liked to sleep several more hours snuggled against Kishou's warmth.
"I feel fine, nnf-" just so sleepy, "I'm just ... very tired."
And hot. To him.
For the most part.
But today ... today she was sleepy. Very, very sleepy. Amore would have liked to sleep several more hours snuggled against Kishou's warmth.
"I feel fine, nnf-" just so sleepy, "I'm just ... very tired."
And hot. To him.
"I mean...!" That a fever would be putting it lightly? That there was no reason anyone should feel so warm? Kishou couldn't quite say. "Do you really feel fine?"
His hand dropped from her cheek. The swordsman gathered himself and sat in front of her, legs crossed.
"You are hot." He said matter-of-factly. "It is concerning, how hot you are."
His hand dropped from her cheek. The swordsman gathered himself and sat in front of her, legs crossed.
"You are hot." He said matter-of-factly. "It is concerning, how hot you are."
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So concerning, in fact, that he felt it prudent to toss Amore into a snowbank outside. She cooled down quickly after that and left a rather melted snowbank behind.
Shenanigans aside, time passed with a presence as fleeting as the old man's had seemed to be for them. To Amore it felt as though they had only just arrived to his hallow grounds, and now their time here was over. Grateful as she was for every minute spent there, she could not help but feel that they were meant to push onward. They'd stayed just long enough.
After Toji's spirit lifted, released, into the skies with the smoke and flames of his pyre, they gathered their remaining supplies and closed up the temple grounds. Before long, they were making their way down into the village where they arranged to speak with the village elder and tell him the news.
Before she knew it they were once more on the road. Amore lost track of the time and the number of small villages and towns they'd passed through. Eventually they caught a ride on a trader's wagon into the city of Kozai.
They'd made some money along the way picking up odd jobs and entertaining in town squares. Amore had learned to play the samisen with Toji and taken the instrument with her. While she knew very few songs of this land, she could sing songs of her own, in her own Cortosi language. The mixture was enough to draw curiosity and a bit of coin. Though not everyone appreciated her foreign tongue. Sometimes she remained silent when she played.
"Do you believe there to be some of your family in Kozai?" she asked as the wagon passed through crowds of walking people over a bridge that crossed a river into the city, "Do you think they will recognize you?"
Shenanigans aside, time passed with a presence as fleeting as the old man's had seemed to be for them. To Amore it felt as though they had only just arrived to his hallow grounds, and now their time here was over. Grateful as she was for every minute spent there, she could not help but feel that they were meant to push onward. They'd stayed just long enough.
After Toji's spirit lifted, released, into the skies with the smoke and flames of his pyre, they gathered their remaining supplies and closed up the temple grounds. Before long, they were making their way down into the village where they arranged to speak with the village elder and tell him the news.
Before she knew it they were once more on the road. Amore lost track of the time and the number of small villages and towns they'd passed through. Eventually they caught a ride on a trader's wagon into the city of Kozai.
They'd made some money along the way picking up odd jobs and entertaining in town squares. Amore had learned to play the samisen with Toji and taken the instrument with her. While she knew very few songs of this land, she could sing songs of her own, in her own Cortosi language. The mixture was enough to draw curiosity and a bit of coin. Though not everyone appreciated her foreign tongue. Sometimes she remained silent when she played.
"Do you believe there to be some of your family in Kozai?" she asked as the wagon passed through crowds of walking people over a bridge that crossed a river into the city, "Do you think they will recognize you?"
Kishou's gaze fell on a short man of middling age. He balanced a curved wooden pole with buckets hanging from both ends over his shoulder. His sandals were caked with dried mud.
"I don't know," Kishou admitted. "My home burned during one of the largest and most prolonged conflicts of the war. Kozai was the fiefdom of a great warlord loyal to the late Emperor. That warlord's army met its match during that battle. If my family is not here, I do believe the first step to finding them is."
The sword-less warrior fell silent and looked ahead towards the riverbank. There was a group of children playing in the water some ways off from the bridge.
"I was the only to take after our mother," he said, "It's not impossible that they have forgotten me, but they would never forget our mother's face."
"I don't know," Kishou admitted. "My home burned during one of the largest and most prolonged conflicts of the war. Kozai was the fiefdom of a great warlord loyal to the late Emperor. That warlord's army met its match during that battle. If my family is not here, I do believe the first step to finding them is."
The sword-less warrior fell silent and looked ahead towards the riverbank. There was a group of children playing in the water some ways off from the bridge.
"I was the only to take after our mother," he said, "It's not impossible that they have forgotten me, but they would never forget our mother's face."
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The wagon wheels rumbled over the wooden slats of the bridge. Amore sat at the back of the wagon, legs dangling off the end, facing the swordless warrior that walked just behind them. The sounds and scents of the city were drifting in ever more strongly, overwhelming the sounds and scents of the river below. It felt good to return to something of vague familiarity - even if it was a city in a foreign land.
The bustle of it reminded her of home.
Amore smiled, "Your mother must have been a handsome woman," if indeed he did take after her.
At the end of the bridge the wagon came to a stop. Gathering her staff in one hand and her satchel in the other, Amore hopped off and bid the trader thank you.
"So ... where do we start?"
Her red hair was catching quite a lot of attention from passerby.
The bustle of it reminded her of home.
Amore smiled, "Your mother must have been a handsome woman," if indeed he did take after her.
At the end of the bridge the wagon came to a stop. Gathering her staff in one hand and her satchel in the other, Amore hopped off and bid the trader thank you.
"So ... where do we start?"
Her red hair was catching quite a lot of attention from passerby.
The tip of Kishou's nose reddened. He remembered her as an incredibly beautiful woman, one that had married an ox of a man.
"Perhaps we should wander aimlessly and hope an answer falls from the sky and lands atop my head," he flatly responded, "Or we find an inn. Come."
Kishou smiled and placed a gentle hand on Amore's shoulder.
The city was a claustrophobic one. With tightly packed buildings that left little if any space in between and a dense population, Kozai possessed an atmosphere quite unlike any other cities found on the southern continents.
"We draw many eyes," Kishou remarked at one point. "By we, I do mean you."
The pair eventually stepped into a two-storied inn. The bottom floor and first room was open to the highway, and they were almost immediately greeted by the inn's proprietor, who deeply bowed as he welcomed them. As he spoke, his hands were, almost timidly, clasped above his abdomen. "Dear travelers, how may I serve you?"
Kishou lowered his head in return, "A meal would be greatly appreciated."
They were seated at a long table where food would shortly be served to them. They shared the table with other guests who sat further down the benches.
"Perhaps we should wander aimlessly and hope an answer falls from the sky and lands atop my head," he flatly responded, "Or we find an inn. Come."
Kishou smiled and placed a gentle hand on Amore's shoulder.
The city was a claustrophobic one. With tightly packed buildings that left little if any space in between and a dense population, Kozai possessed an atmosphere quite unlike any other cities found on the southern continents.
"We draw many eyes," Kishou remarked at one point. "By we, I do mean you."
The pair eventually stepped into a two-storied inn. The bottom floor and first room was open to the highway, and they were almost immediately greeted by the inn's proprietor, who deeply bowed as he welcomed them. As he spoke, his hands were, almost timidly, clasped above his abdomen. "Dear travelers, how may I serve you?"
Kishou lowered his head in return, "A meal would be greatly appreciated."
They were seated at a long table where food would shortly be served to them. They shared the table with other guests who sat further down the benches.
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To be guided through the throngs at Kishou's hand and arm was not so terrible for the Priestess who had slowly come to regain her independence of such assistance. Her staff could not go far before bumping into passerby, be it person, cart, or animal, and she needed no reason to draw more attention than she already did.
Not that she could see the eyes on her, but Kishou's remark was the only evidence she needed for what she thought she felt.
Normally her intuition told her if danger might be lurking, but in these foreign lands and their foreign culture it was hard to peg. She waited until they were seated before leaning closer to Kishou to ask after it.
"These eyes I am drawing, is that a bad thing?" In the small villages it was easy to keep out of trouble, but with so many people packed into this city it behooved her to stay ahead of such things, "Should I draw my hood?"
Not that she could see the eyes on her, but Kishou's remark was the only evidence she needed for what she thought she felt.
Normally her intuition told her if danger might be lurking, but in these foreign lands and their foreign culture it was hard to peg. She waited until they were seated before leaning closer to Kishou to ask after it.
"These eyes I am drawing, is that a bad thing?" In the small villages it was easy to keep out of trouble, but with so many people packed into this city it behooved her to stay ahead of such things, "Should I draw my hood?"
Kishou set his elbow on the table, his chin resting in his hand.
"No," he said, "let them look."
The swordsman's gaze swept around the room. They were brought a simple meal. Grilled fish, soup, and steaming rice.
"They've just never... They are used to people looking the same as themselves."
He didn't have much of a plan in case a problem did arise, quite like everything else that has been thrust their way so far.
"Forget about that," he sat up straight, "let's eat."
"No," he said, "let them look."
The swordsman's gaze swept around the room. They were brought a simple meal. Grilled fish, soup, and steaming rice.
"They've just never... They are used to people looking the same as themselves."
He didn't have much of a plan in case a problem did arise, quite like everything else that has been thrust their way so far.
"Forget about that," he sat up straight, "let's eat."
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Forget about that.
"Easy for you to say," Amore quietly rebuked as her hand delicately smoothed fingertips across the surface of the table for her chopsticks and rice bowl, "you are not the one they are looking at."
But she would try, if only in the way she knew how: to move on to other concerns.
"We do not have much money," she took up the rice bowl and with practiced ease positioned the chopsticks in her right hand, though the tips missed the bowl the first time. Her lips twisted in momentary annoyance as she tried again, "We must be careful with what we spend."
No more swords to sell... she didn't say, but she was thinking it and she still felt terrible about it.
"Easy for you to say," Amore quietly rebuked as her hand delicately smoothed fingertips across the surface of the table for her chopsticks and rice bowl, "you are not the one they are looking at."
But she would try, if only in the way she knew how: to move on to other concerns.
"We do not have much money," she took up the rice bowl and with practiced ease positioned the chopsticks in her right hand, though the tips missed the bowl the first time. Her lips twisted in momentary annoyance as she tried again, "We must be careful with what we spend."
No more swords to sell... she didn't say, but she was thinking it and she still felt terrible about it.
Kishou's lips drew into a thin line. He gently split the fish's skin with his chopsticks and exposed its shiny white flesh.
"You've gotten quite good with the shamisen," he said in between bites of rice and fish. Kishou had helped with their lodging where he could, but Amore had done the bulk of gathering their funds. His skills were limited to those needed for slaying men, and that was always how he scraped by.
It was something he felt sorry about as he would watch Amore play her instrument and sing her songs.
"Perhaps I should see if there are bounties to be taken?" A city of this size would have no shortage of petty crime, he thought.
"You've gotten quite good with the shamisen," he said in between bites of rice and fish. Kishou had helped with their lodging where he could, but Amore had done the bulk of gathering their funds. His skills were limited to those needed for slaying men, and that was always how he scraped by.
It was something he felt sorry about as he would watch Amore play her instrument and sing her songs.
"Perhaps I should see if there are bounties to be taken?" A city of this size would have no shortage of petty crime, he thought.
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She wasn't one to blush too easily, but the compliment was unexpected. Though her skills with the shamisen had certainly improved, Amore felt them only to be rudimentary compared to those that had practice for many years. Often it was her songs that took the stage with only a gentle tune behind them.
"Without your swords?" she tried to hide the faint wince with a bite of rice, "Kishou - you cannot risk your life. What am I to do if you get yourself run through by a criminal?"
"Without your swords?" she tried to hide the faint wince with a bite of rice, "Kishou - you cannot risk your life. What am I to do if you get yourself run through by a criminal?"
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Just things, he said. Amore paused over her meal, brow furrowing over her unfocused, silvery eyes.
"You are skilled at a great many things that do not involve potential violence. Perhaps there is someone in need of a strong arm for building or fixing. Deliveries?" Of course it occurred to her that if he left her side to seek a means of earning pay, she'd never know what he did to get it anyway. She was remiss to admit she would be uncomfortable left by herself - Amore was trying to regain her independence, but the challenge of the unknown surrounding her was particularly daunting.
"I fear that my foreign songs may not be as well received in the city as they were in the smaller villages. I do not know any songs of this land..."
"You are skilled at a great many things that do not involve potential violence. Perhaps there is someone in need of a strong arm for building or fixing. Deliveries?" Of course it occurred to her that if he left her side to seek a means of earning pay, she'd never know what he did to get it anyway. She was remiss to admit she would be uncomfortable left by herself - Amore was trying to regain her independence, but the challenge of the unknown surrounding her was particularly daunting.
"I fear that my foreign songs may not be as well received in the city as they were in the smaller villages. I do not know any songs of this land..."
Kishou made an unpleasant face at the picked-apart fish. "I'm sure there's no shortage of- of restaurants that need bags of rice carried across the city." He sassed.
The swordsman picked tiny bones out of the fish's white flesh. "Whatever means of work I find, I would prefer if it didn't draw me from you for too long." Not that he didn't think she wouldn't manage on her own for a short while. He just enjoyed the priestess' company.
"I... Well, I don't know any either."
The swordsman picked tiny bones out of the fish's white flesh. "Whatever means of work I find, I would prefer if it didn't draw me from you for too long." Not that he didn't think she wouldn't manage on her own for a short while. He just enjoyed the priestess' company.
"I... Well, I don't know any either."
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Her movements stilled, first due to the sass and second to his admission. He had a knack for doing that - throwing attitude her way in such a manner as to fire up a nerve and then almost immediately after cool it with some wholesome utterance. She'd yet to figure if he did this on purpose. He almost certainly did because lately he'd been getting away with a great deal of sass.
"Surely there is," she quipped back at him, brow furrowed, but she hadn't the edge to really follow through with anything else and her shoulders sagged slightly at the second thought of him leaving her side, "...I would prefer that as well."
["More tea?"] an attendant arrived with a fresh pot. Amore opened her mouth to reply but her experience thus far had shown her that in these lands, within this culture, the men were expected to do most, if not all, of the talking. This did not spurn her ire so much as humble her greatly. In Cortos she had been a woman of power who commanded respect of even the King.
Here she was nothing more than a curiosity.
Instead, she leaned over to whisper to Kishou, "Ask her if she knows of any work in the area."
"Surely there is," she quipped back at him, brow furrowed, but she hadn't the edge to really follow through with anything else and her shoulders sagged slightly at the second thought of him leaving her side, "...I would prefer that as well."
["More tea?"] an attendant arrived with a fresh pot. Amore opened her mouth to reply but her experience thus far had shown her that in these lands, within this culture, the men were expected to do most, if not all, of the talking. This did not spurn her ire so much as humble her greatly. In Cortos she had been a woman of power who commanded respect of even the King.
Here she was nothing more than a curiosity.
Instead, she leaned over to whisper to Kishou, "Ask her if she knows of any work in the area."
"Please," answered Kishou. As the server poured the tea, he looked up at the young woman. "Say, where would two travelers short of coin find work?"
She was short and had a rounded face. The longer Kishou's gaze lingered, the more her face reddened.
"Um," a strand of hair had fallen loose from her work, and she shyly tucked it behind her ear, "there was recently a fire by the eastern side of the city, near the castle, and strong arms are needed for reconstruction."
Kishou's face twisted up.
"Th-there's also always jobs needing to be done in the Pleasure Ward. Aside from that, perhaps the Merchant Ward?"
"Thank you," he smiled.
"Weeell," Kishou faced Amore as the young woman curtly bowed and left to attend to the other patrons, "you wouldn't happen to have experience overseeing construction sites, would you?"
Whether she did or didn't was inconsequential. There was almost no chance a woman would ever supervise a group of working men in these lands. And a foreign woman? None.
"She also mentioned that there might be work in the Merchant Ward."
She was short and had a rounded face. The longer Kishou's gaze lingered, the more her face reddened.
"Um," a strand of hair had fallen loose from her work, and she shyly tucked it behind her ear, "there was recently a fire by the eastern side of the city, near the castle, and strong arms are needed for reconstruction."
Kishou's face twisted up.
"Th-there's also always jobs needing to be done in the Pleasure Ward. Aside from that, perhaps the Merchant Ward?"
"Thank you," he smiled.
"Weeell," Kishou faced Amore as the young woman curtly bowed and left to attend to the other patrons, "you wouldn't happen to have experience overseeing construction sites, would you?"
Whether she did or didn't was inconsequential. There was almost no chance a woman would ever supervise a group of working men in these lands. And a foreign woman? None.
"She also mentioned that there might be work in the Merchant Ward."
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She was still learning the language. Most of their conversation was beyond her understanding, aside from the basic words needed to sew a sentence together. One more reason why parting company with Kishou would likely turn out badly for her.
"As a matter of fact I have," Amore returned to him, gently and carefully placing down her bowl of rice to seek out her tea. As she'd come to learn, his people were very traditional in the ways they enjoyed their customs. Rarely were plates and bowls placed differently from table to table. It reminded her a bit of how the royals of Cortos dined - the place settings were very ornate and very specific. Curious how such a tradition had managed to seep into all corners of society here.
"Back when I could see," she added with a small smile, "I oversaw the construction of a holy site just outside of Cortos city proper."
Though she was certain that made no difference here. She couldn't see and ... well, she couldn't see. Nevermind the fact that she was a foreign woman.
"I'm not sure what help I could be in the merchant quarter, but perhaps if I join you I can find a place to set up and play at?"
"As a matter of fact I have," Amore returned to him, gently and carefully placing down her bowl of rice to seek out her tea. As she'd come to learn, his people were very traditional in the ways they enjoyed their customs. Rarely were plates and bowls placed differently from table to table. It reminded her a bit of how the royals of Cortos dined - the place settings were very ornate and very specific. Curious how such a tradition had managed to seep into all corners of society here.
"Back when I could see," she added with a small smile, "I oversaw the construction of a holy site just outside of Cortos city proper."
Though she was certain that made no difference here. She couldn't see and ... well, she couldn't see. Nevermind the fact that she was a foreign woman.
"I'm not sure what help I could be in the merchant quarter, but perhaps if I join you I can find a place to set up and play at?"
Kishou rubbed his chin in thought.
"Yes, well, the only experience I have with merchants is protecting their wares." That was when he had swords, and armor too. "For now, perhaps we could set up outside the city near the bridge? The day is still young. As people stop their travels, we could return here and I could step out to find other work."
He picked at the fish's bones, plucking away and eating every small flake of meat as he finished his meal.
"Yes, well, the only experience I have with merchants is protecting their wares." That was when he had swords, and armor too. "For now, perhaps we could set up outside the city near the bridge? The day is still young. As people stop their travels, we could return here and I could step out to find other work."
He picked at the fish's bones, plucking away and eating every small flake of meat as he finished his meal.
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That sounded like a good plan to her, and she said as much.
Their meal progressed at a calm and peaceful pace, which suited her just fine considering how long their journey had been. It gave them both some time to rest and relax before pushing into the next phase of finding Kishou's family - something she'd not forgotten about, but as it stood they needed money to continue forward.
An afternoon spent playing her shamisen and singing her Cortosi songs had earned then enough for a few nights keep at the inn, but not enough for much more than that. Meals would be small if they didn't managed to bring in a bit more.
A setting sun marked the end of the afternoon and the start of the twilight hours. The foot traffic of the bridge slowed to a trickle of locals coming in from working the fields, making their way home. Amore nodded as Kishou suggested packing up and began to tether her shamisen as he pocketed their earnings in a pouch.
"At least we ate earlier," she remarked as she pushed herself to her feet with her staff.
Their meal progressed at a calm and peaceful pace, which suited her just fine considering how long their journey had been. It gave them both some time to rest and relax before pushing into the next phase of finding Kishou's family - something she'd not forgotten about, but as it stood they needed money to continue forward.
An afternoon spent playing her shamisen and singing her Cortosi songs had earned then enough for a few nights keep at the inn, but not enough for much more than that. Meals would be small if they didn't managed to bring in a bit more.
A setting sun marked the end of the afternoon and the start of the twilight hours. The foot traffic of the bridge slowed to a trickle of locals coming in from working the fields, making their way home. Amore nodded as Kishou suggested packing up and began to tether her shamisen as he pocketed their earnings in a pouch.
"At least we ate earlier," she remarked as she pushed herself to her feet with her staff.