70th of Ashan, 719
*Speaking Rakahi
*Speaking Common
After the soup incident her finger was not quiet the same. It also occurred to the BIqaj woman that the stiff finger was often in her way but not having anything there at all left her phantom pains she would didn't want to deal with. Not to mention it's tying abilities left something to be desired, as Ashan had put so delicately when her wooden pinky end up in the fish guts bin. Now she had yet another, thinner piece of wood in her hands while she curiously stared at the mangled lump that was once a finger.
"No matter how long you stare at it, it isn't going to reappear." Ashan said tartly, rinsing off her finger for the umpth time that trial. Korva grinned at her cheerily as the girl struggled to not soak the wood too much and have it swell more than it had while simultaneously removing the the blood from the cracks.
"Ah, just go offer it to U'frek, ain't gonna need it no more."
"Then why did you want me to wash it?!"
"Punishment for yer sass."
Unsure if the woman was joking, Ashan waited all of five seconds before chucking the finger over the side of the boat in annoyance while Korva laughed and began to round out the edges of her soon to be new, and improved, finger. Sulkily the girl sat across from her but curiosity got the better of her. "Why is it a different color?"
"'Cause it's different wood."
"What kind though?" The girl pressed, used to the older woman's evasive ways.
"Lucky kind." The Biqaj said, no small amount of fondness in her voice, which only served to raise her daughters curiosity more. Which, if the Biqaj were being honest, was the whole point.
"Why is it lucky?"
The Biqaj hummed then spoke softly, just loud enough to be heard over the waves, making Ashan lean forward so Korva could set the tone, "'Cause Moseke made 'im that way. Moseke gives all 'em plants and things special powers, things to help 'em and us. 'Em powers is why we use 'em but gotta be careful not to abuse 'em, ya see? So we ask 'er for 'er blessing then we gotta use it like it's 'sposed to be. And this one is special, special. It's made for protecting, and for life and got 'em roots going all the way down, even under water. Means even U'frek gotta it blessed. And that ain't even all, names is special. So I got one that had the most special name, so it's gonna protect me even more, and ya know why?"
"No, that's what I keep trying to ask you!" The girl said exasperated but her eyes were alight with curiosity and skepticism as she leaned forward, so close now that one wrong wave would send her nose first into the sharp carving tool. "So--"
Smoothly she cut the child off, "'Cause it's got yer name in it. Is called Ash, so just like ya it'll always be with me and be keeping me safe, so ya ain't gotta worry 'bout nothing no more."
The Biqaj expected Ashan to be happy with her story, most kids like her stories but when she looked up her daughter was crying. Not just quiet soft crying but large heaving sobs that made the woman nick her finger as she dropped her tools to wrap Ashan in a hug as quickly as possible. "Aye, whatcha crying for? Thought ya'd like it!"
"I do!" The girl protested wetly, clinging to Korva, "But you're always going off so I thought--I thought you didn't want me with you!"
That had never occurred to the Biqaj. Hushing the girl she winced a bit then pressed her lips in Ashan's hair until the girl was able to calm down. When she had Korva spoke as seriously as she could, "I told ya 'fore I ain't going nowhere but it ain't always safe. Don't mean I'm gonna leave without ya."
"Asher said that too."
"I ain't Asher." Korva replied, a little sharper than intended before she sighed, "How 'bout I take ya with me? Long as ya promise yer gonna listen ya can come next I go with the Mer."
"...you promise?"
"'Course!"
It was a bald faced lie and one she had no problems making. The Mer was more trouble than she was worth meeting, and there was no way she was getting her daughter involved with that till she was older. She didn't even like Kes involved with half of what he was but he wasn't entirely hers to argue. In the brief time she'd had him she'd begun to realize he'd slip away from her just like she had from her own ma, and she wasn't his real ma no matter how much she wished she had been or could be and as much as it pained her she would have to deal with it. With Ashan, the girl was hers, brother haunting or not.
A few more minutes of silence between the two and Ashan pulled away and handed Korva her tools, embarrassment clear on her face she awkwardly changed the subject, "How are you going to make it bend?"
As tempted as she was to tease the girl, the Biqaj and took the subject change in stride, "Watch and y'll find out."
Finishing a rough shape, longer than her pinky actually would be the woman cut the finger into three parts but before she could explain a cry of protest squeaked out of Ashan.
"What are you doing?!"
"Hush," she laughed, "and watch, I ain't done." Having said so she began to round out the middle, then drilled small slits on the each side. When another protest sounded she held up her finger without taking her eyes off the two finger pieces she grabbed next, "Gonna whittle 'em shorter here, so when I put 'em in, it'll slide."
"Oh!" The girl watched quietly for a few minutes then pipped up again, voice a little smug, "But how will you make it bend?"
"...you ain't gotta be worrying 'bout that."
Ashans laughter rang out at the sheepish statement while the Biqaj just continued her on her finger, ignoring the blush on her cheeks that gave her away. She guessed if she drilled some extra holes, there was a possibility she could connect to her ringer finger so it bent at the same time she bent that finger. But she'd have to wait till she went to the leather workers to see if they could add the piece on. This time her next main concern was--"Hand me the jar."
"Ugh!" The girl sniffed it as she did, "It smells horrible! Are you really going to put that on it?"
"It ain't gonna smell when it dries," Korva said as she dipped the finger pieces in then lightly wiped them down, "and it's gonna keep it from getting all like the other one."
"I can't believe you were still putting that one on your hand, why didn't you just put this stuff on it?"
"It weren't that bad and I didn't have none."
"That's because you were used to the smell." Ashan said primly, leaning away from the finger parts with a crinkle of her nose.
"Yer just sensitive."
"I am not!"
"Ya are."
"No, you just stink all the time."
"Oy! I'm yer ma, ain't telling 'bout stinking when ya haven't even bathed today."
"I did too!"
"Ya don't smell it."
"You don't either!"
Back and forth the two continued, straight through dinner time until Korva revealed Ashan would be going with her into tow to get the straps attached and see the final product. At which point the conversation turned to whether or not it would be creepy to pain the finger flesh colored but they both conceded it might look terrible since neither of them painted and no matter what it wouldn't look like a real finger since it wasn't a real finger.
*Speaking Rakahi
*Speaking Common
After the soup incident her finger was not quiet the same. It also occurred to the BIqaj woman that the stiff finger was often in her way but not having anything there at all left her phantom pains she would didn't want to deal with. Not to mention it's tying abilities left something to be desired, as Ashan had put so delicately when her wooden pinky end up in the fish guts bin. Now she had yet another, thinner piece of wood in her hands while she curiously stared at the mangled lump that was once a finger.
"No matter how long you stare at it, it isn't going to reappear." Ashan said tartly, rinsing off her finger for the umpth time that trial. Korva grinned at her cheerily as the girl struggled to not soak the wood too much and have it swell more than it had while simultaneously removing the the blood from the cracks.
"Ah, just go offer it to U'frek, ain't gonna need it no more."
"Then why did you want me to wash it?!"
"Punishment for yer sass."
Unsure if the woman was joking, Ashan waited all of five seconds before chucking the finger over the side of the boat in annoyance while Korva laughed and began to round out the edges of her soon to be new, and improved, finger. Sulkily the girl sat across from her but curiosity got the better of her. "Why is it a different color?"
"'Cause it's different wood."
"What kind though?" The girl pressed, used to the older woman's evasive ways.
"Lucky kind." The Biqaj said, no small amount of fondness in her voice, which only served to raise her daughters curiosity more. Which, if the Biqaj were being honest, was the whole point.
"Why is it lucky?"
The Biqaj hummed then spoke softly, just loud enough to be heard over the waves, making Ashan lean forward so Korva could set the tone, "'Cause Moseke made 'im that way. Moseke gives all 'em plants and things special powers, things to help 'em and us. 'Em powers is why we use 'em but gotta be careful not to abuse 'em, ya see? So we ask 'er for 'er blessing then we gotta use it like it's 'sposed to be. And this one is special, special. It's made for protecting, and for life and got 'em roots going all the way down, even under water. Means even U'frek gotta it blessed. And that ain't even all, names is special. So I got one that had the most special name, so it's gonna protect me even more, and ya know why?"
"No, that's what I keep trying to ask you!" The girl said exasperated but her eyes were alight with curiosity and skepticism as she leaned forward, so close now that one wrong wave would send her nose first into the sharp carving tool. "So--"
Smoothly she cut the child off, "'Cause it's got yer name in it. Is called Ash, so just like ya it'll always be with me and be keeping me safe, so ya ain't gotta worry 'bout nothing no more."
The Biqaj expected Ashan to be happy with her story, most kids like her stories but when she looked up her daughter was crying. Not just quiet soft crying but large heaving sobs that made the woman nick her finger as she dropped her tools to wrap Ashan in a hug as quickly as possible. "Aye, whatcha crying for? Thought ya'd like it!"
"I do!" The girl protested wetly, clinging to Korva, "But you're always going off so I thought--I thought you didn't want me with you!"
That had never occurred to the Biqaj. Hushing the girl she winced a bit then pressed her lips in Ashan's hair until the girl was able to calm down. When she had Korva spoke as seriously as she could, "I told ya 'fore I ain't going nowhere but it ain't always safe. Don't mean I'm gonna leave without ya."
"Asher said that too."
"I ain't Asher." Korva replied, a little sharper than intended before she sighed, "How 'bout I take ya with me? Long as ya promise yer gonna listen ya can come next I go with the Mer."
"...you promise?"
"'Course!"
It was a bald faced lie and one she had no problems making. The Mer was more trouble than she was worth meeting, and there was no way she was getting her daughter involved with that till she was older. She didn't even like Kes involved with half of what he was but he wasn't entirely hers to argue. In the brief time she'd had him she'd begun to realize he'd slip away from her just like she had from her own ma, and she wasn't his real ma no matter how much she wished she had been or could be and as much as it pained her she would have to deal with it. With Ashan, the girl was hers, brother haunting or not.
A few more minutes of silence between the two and Ashan pulled away and handed Korva her tools, embarrassment clear on her face she awkwardly changed the subject, "How are you going to make it bend?"
As tempted as she was to tease the girl, the Biqaj and took the subject change in stride, "Watch and y'll find out."
Finishing a rough shape, longer than her pinky actually would be the woman cut the finger into three parts but before she could explain a cry of protest squeaked out of Ashan.
"What are you doing?!"
"Hush," she laughed, "and watch, I ain't done." Having said so she began to round out the middle, then drilled small slits on the each side. When another protest sounded she held up her finger without taking her eyes off the two finger pieces she grabbed next, "Gonna whittle 'em shorter here, so when I put 'em in, it'll slide."
"Oh!" The girl watched quietly for a few minutes then pipped up again, voice a little smug, "But how will you make it bend?"
"...you ain't gotta be worrying 'bout that."
Ashans laughter rang out at the sheepish statement while the Biqaj just continued her on her finger, ignoring the blush on her cheeks that gave her away. She guessed if she drilled some extra holes, there was a possibility she could connect to her ringer finger so it bent at the same time she bent that finger. But she'd have to wait till she went to the leather workers to see if they could add the piece on. This time her next main concern was--"Hand me the jar."
"Ugh!" The girl sniffed it as she did, "It smells horrible! Are you really going to put that on it?"
"It ain't gonna smell when it dries," Korva said as she dipped the finger pieces in then lightly wiped them down, "and it's gonna keep it from getting all like the other one."
"I can't believe you were still putting that one on your hand, why didn't you just put this stuff on it?"
"It weren't that bad and I didn't have none."
"That's because you were used to the smell." Ashan said primly, leaning away from the finger parts with a crinkle of her nose.
"Yer just sensitive."
"I am not!"
"Ya are."
"No, you just stink all the time."
"Oy! I'm yer ma, ain't telling 'bout stinking when ya haven't even bathed today."
"I did too!"
"Ya don't smell it."
"You don't either!"
Back and forth the two continued, straight through dinner time until Korva revealed Ashan would be going with her into tow to get the straps attached and see the final product. At which point the conversation turned to whether or not it would be creepy to pain the finger flesh colored but they both conceded it might look terrible since neither of them painted and no matter what it wouldn't look like a real finger since it wasn't a real finger.
