Open Chronicles Rest for the Weary

[Avrael]

Avrael smiled at T'suris as he welcomed her suggestion. She had honestly not known how he would receive it - he made it clear enough that he spared no love for his clan, but family was still family.

"The last message I received from my clan, they were travelling across the center of the Allir Reach." Heading to the farmland suffering from poor growing conditions, as always. If one were to map weather patterns and the paths of Ri'ad Nya, they would see the trails following drought and famine. "My peoples do not tend to move with haste, so it would be no great chase to meet with them."

Avrael was touched that T'suris was willing to give detail of his Skalla. She had admired them often over the last day, especially the colour and intricacy of the design. Given how personal a komodo's skalla were, she was surprised he was willing to speak of them. She was even more surprised that his sibling had been the one to apply them - in Avrael's own tribe, only the elders were permitted to administer the sacred tattoos. "She has great talent," was the feminine komodo's earnest response.

She hefted her pack more comfortably as the footing changed and the walls of Elbion began to loom ahead. This would be her first time in the city, and her stomach was a mix of nerves and excitement. "To see what there is to see. And to sell my wares." She would also be replenishing her needs for travelling, but that hardly needed to be said.

 

[T’suris Flameblade]

"Yes, she does," T'suris nodded. He had little doubt that she would become a great elder one day - even if that day was a considerable ways away.

"Have you traveled much outside your caravan?" he asked, a little perplexed at her interest in seeing the city. What was there to see? All cities were inevitably the same - they all had markets, houses, and various other buildings, hewn out of stone or clay or whatever material was most easily accessible. The weather or the climate or the colours of the city might change, but T'suris didn't see that as being terribly remarkable - the wilds, on the other hand, and freedom: those were things that truly interested him.

T'suris began to follow a path that looked at least somewhat worn, and was in the general direction of the one of Elbion's larger gates. He meandered towards a line up of carts, horses, merchants, and travelers all attempting to gain access to the city. He pursed his lips at how slow the line was moving, but at the very least it was short, likely because it was still relatively early in the morning.

 

[Avrael]

Avrael shook her head at T'suris's question. "I only left my family recently - I have been travelling with other caravans for the past year, making my way west. I have heard stories of great structures of stone and wood, and strange lifestyles where people stay in the same village their entire life." Her canary eyes with alight with intrigue. "It is unfathomable, and yet here is a great wall and many peoples trying to enter."

The komodo had in her journeys visited small villages and farming settlements, but those she understood. Those, at least, were lives that were still ingrained in the workings of nature and bent to the will of the gods and the fury of the weather.

Her gaze scanned the crowd, interested at the varied wares and attire and faces among the sluggish procession. Her expression fell slightly at a realization, and she stepped slightly closer to T'suris so she could speak to him quietly.

"I have heard rumour that the city-dwelling humans are often unkind to us," she murmured, a touch of concern evident in her tone. "Do you know if that's true?" She did not want to make assumptions when she herself had no personal experience with what she had been told, but Avrael also knew that caution was wise.

 

[T’suris Flameblade]

"If great cities are what you seek, then you will enjoy Elbion," T'suris stated, "It's one of the more...friendlier...of the human settlements."

He raised a questioning eyebrow when she stepped closer to him, almost brushing against his scales. He glanced around and noticed there was a small, but noticeable, distance that the other travelers kept from them. T'suris decided not to mind, and instead kept his own distance from those in front.

"Yes," he nodded gravely, "But if anyone can overcome their prejudices, I think it would be you." He surprised himself at the admission even as he spoke it - but it was true, once he took a moment to reflect.

"Your business?" asked a guard tersely. T'suris hadn't noticed they had come to the front of the line already.

"I'm meeting my employer," T'suris said, returning the guards tone in turn. He gave some further details - where they were to meet, the journey they were conducting. The guard rolled his eyes. "More fools to try for the Forbidden City? It's your funeral." The guard turned to Avrael.

"And you?"

 

[Avrael]

Avrael tilted her head quizzically at T'suris's comment, a slight crease in her jeweled brow. Overcoming prejudices? Avrael? She wanted to ask her companion to clarify why he thought that, but it was at that moment they stepped forward, T'suris slightly ahead, and met with the guard.

The komodo had not realized they would be questioned upon arrival at the gate. Not that it was problem - she had good reason for being here. But there was something unsettled in the fact that it was unexpected.

Her gold eyes glanced to T'suris with some concern at the guard's flippant warning. Would he be in danger where we was going? Was his employer not to be trusted?

Lifting her chin, she smiled slightly at the guard. "I'm looking to set up a stall for my wares," she replied with some pride in her voice. "And also looking to replenish my travelling needs, of course." The guard sized up the russet komodo and grunted, nodding the pair of scaled folk through the gate. He appeared to have little care about her wares, or truly any about what purpose either of them were entering the city for.

When they were through the massive gate and into the streets proper, Avrael paused and turned to T'suris. "I need to explore this place and see where best to set myself up." Shifting her pack, she pursed her lips and sighed. "So I suppose... this is goodbye?" Avrael held out her hand to her companion.