• Closed • The longway home

[Rita Fenyo]

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Rita

103rd, Vhalar

Andaris

The Ithecal stepped down from the waggon, thanking the driver and making the rest of her payment before moving on into Andaris city. The people were recovering quite well after everything that had befallen the once great city. She understood that some injuries took a long time to heal. The war and shadow monsters that followed were still fresh in the minds of the people even though it had been over a hundred of trials. Rita still wearing a black armband as was the seasonal fashion. Another season, a cycle, maybe longer, maybe never. Still, she found the main street to be quite active with markets selling their wears and preparing for the midday rush, fresh food and exotic flavours that made her mouth water and stomach rumble. The Ithecal would eat later, for now, she had a meeting to attend with a close friend. With fresh supplies and clothes, Rita headed deeper into the city heading ultimately for the housing district where Aelius lived. She had decided on a holiday to Ne’haer, see some new places on the western continent and felt company on the trip would be much appreciated. Something out of the corner of her eye caused her to stop and look closely. A shop front display with fine clothing, much too expensive for what Rita could justify. However, front and centre was a long sparkling emerald dress with golden patterns across the navel, short hanging sleeves and a v line neck down to the lower sternum and extending into a feathered collar. It was incredibly pretty but far too showy for an Ithecal. Rita liked it Well nothing wrong with looking and trying it on?
She stepped into the small shop, a small bell signalling her entrance. The rest of the clothes on offer were just as the window display had promised, finery and fancy. New season apparel placed on show at the back to let the customer sink in the rest they had on offer before seeing the new apparel.
“Excuse me, Madam, we don’t serve your type here” She looked at the tailor, dressed in a fine half suit and reading the paper. This struck Rita as unprofessional to be racist especially in his type of work.
“What is Ithecal coin not good enough for you?” She kept her voice even watching him and planning her next move, she wanted to try on that dress.
“No Madam you misunderstand. I mean we don’t serve riff raff.” She was glad that Esha had taught her a few things about the upper class. She adjusted her stance and put on a persona of elegance, whilst keeping her values.
“Hmmm fine I guess I’ll take my thousands of gold earned this season elsewhere.” He perked up and took a moment or two to see if she was blushing or not, then noticed the band on her arm and the healer's patch sewn into it. “I mean dressing fancy makes you a target for those less honest.”
“My apologies madam” he moved forward into the shop floor hands together, head bowed. She was much taller than him. “What can I help you with today.” She waited for a few bits, unsure whether she actually wanted to support this rude man's business.
“Well I quite like the blue one. I would very much like to try it on and see how it looks on me” He hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether to suggest a more in fashion dress for the Ithecal, but thought better of it.
She stood on a pedestal, surrounded on all sides by mirrors. I love it, I absolutely love it, it goes well with my skin and feels amazing. Is it wrong, though? To want something this fancy is… well, un Ithecal.
“The dress is made from a mixture of velvet and cotton, the collar is fake fur but the quality is just as good as the real thing just better for those allergic to such things. The decoration is technically a bronze and works better with the blue than gold did. It needs a little adjusting for your form, shorten it and an overskirt for the tail. “ She looked herself over and over in the mirror.
“I’ll need some adjustment to work with my body” Watching how it dragged on the ground when she slithered.
“Of course, not madam, the overskirt will be crafted to suit the Ithecal way of moving. Are you sure you don’t want to try on something more recent or more towards your worth?” She couldn’t afford this dress let alone anything with real gold and fur.
“I’ll consider it, however, this has a certain... charm to it. Not overly showy yet at the same time able to stand out and… well, it works. So what sort of price would you charge after adjustments and everything” Doing everything to hold her composure, knowing full well it was going to be too expensive.
“I have been trying to sell it for quite a while now. Shall we say… one hundred and thirty-eight gold, sixty silver. “ Immortals that’s a lot
“I Shall have to consider it further. ”
“Well plus labour naturally?” she turned to look at him, a sly grin on his face
“I did ask for the price after adjustments. So just tell me how much I have to pay, everything included.
“Around one hundred and fifty gold” She sighed and glared at him, frustrated at his way of working
“Around? “ Perhaps this is how they work up here
“one five two and forty silver precisely madam ” She could afford it but the expense was quite unreasonable.

Rita left the shop and continued down the main street. She was considering it but perhaps would see something better in Ne’haer. It will be nice to see how things have changed since the war. Such a lovely city and beautiful coastline. If an Ithecal could skip she would have. With a bit of asking around she found the apartment block that Aelius was in, following his directions on the letter and coming to a wooden door. She knocked rapidly and waited.

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[Aelius Callistus]

Much like any other day, Aelius kept to himself. With no errands to run, the day was filled with otherwise boring activity, but not boring to him. He had a good room at Ye Olde Inn in Andaris City, a spacious studio apartment that held everything he needed not much more than a few long strides away. It was quaint, simple, yet lavish enough for him to feel at home. Though it was nothing like his family’s home in Viden up north, it was close enough in his opinion; the room was nearly all wooden, from its floors to its furniture and décor. The hearth was made of cobblestone with a metal grate inside above the fire so he may boil pots without the need for hooks, and right then it crackled with its open flame, the smell of burning wood wafting in with each bursting ember.
Nearby, Flavia was curled up on the mantelpiece above the hearth, absorbing the heated air with her thin, shining coat. Napping, the feline served little disturbance for the quietly residing Aelius, who sat near the fireplace in a comfortable armchair, two closed books on the stand near the chair and an open one in his lap. With one leg cross over the other, the spine of the book nestled in the space between them, his head lulled off to one side, propped up by an open palm, whose elbow was notched into the arm of the seat. The freehand held one of the page loosely like a leaf, gently waiting for his wandering eyes to take in the literature, waiting for the next page to be beckoned.
He wasn’t exactly reading; though his eyes followed the words printed on the page and his mind said them in a whisper to his conscience, his thoughts were elsewhere entirely. He read this book once before, thusly it wasn’t imperative to soak in the story being told by the acclaimed author. His thoughts resided on the very beginning of that season, when the Immortal woman spoke to him in a dream, asked of him subtly to venture to the docks of Andaris where a journey awaited him. He returned from that journey relatively unscathed, despite it being riddled with hardship and tribulation. His mind, however, remained active on the events that unfolded on the ship during the trip.
Distracted, he closed the book and slouched back in the chair, his fingers idly drumming on the hard cover. The book was aged, pages like pale corn kernels, leather backing cracked like a salt flat, in need of repair. The spine’s print was dull, the gold glint faded and worn. A hand-me-down, it was – stolen, actually. It was his mother’s favorite book. He took it before he left Viden for Rynmere with his tutor, his mother none the wiser. He wrote to her not so long ago when he stumbled upon it on his bookshelf, admitted to having stolen it in the letter. Forgiveness wasn’t hard to receive, though she confessed to have been worried she misplaced it. Her mind was quieted by his letter, one of the first he wrote in quite some time. He withheld his most recent history from her, not wanting her to worry all the more about his wellbeing. Instead, he spoke of Flavia and how they were growing together since he received her from her breeder those few years ago.
Aelius rose from the chair, setting the book atop the other two on the stand before he left the homely seating area in favor for the wooden-floored desk. He didn’t sit down, choosing to stand over the orderly and organized space as he searched for the letter received from his mother. He yearned to see her writing, to hear her smooth, soft voice through the parchment, to imagine the quill strokes as she wrote. His chest ached in reminiscence, heart painfully longing for the connection once again. He could see her still in his mind, vividly as ever, with her burnt marron hair, shaded chocolate skin, almond shaped eyes that held citrine gems for irises. He missed her gentle smell, delicate and frozen lavender mixed with shining marigolds.
His chest was heavy with held, weighted breath. Releasing it, he recalled where he left the letter: on his bedside table. He went there, soles near silently padded across the laden floor. Folded gently with the Academy’s seal imprinted in indigo wax, was the letter, creased and folded meticulously as to not harm its shape. He picked it up, the parchment like history-woven fabric on the buds of his fingers. A rap at the door caught his attention, jostled him from the tender moment, forcing his head to whirl and his eyes to widen. Vocally, he didn’t answer. He was quiet, wondering who it was and why they knocked so hurriedly. A quiet fright was held in him. He set the paper down on the table and turned towards the door, treading over the rug placed at the entryway. His hand gripped the knob and turned, the mechanism inside the door clicking and unlatching to grant him his want.
The door opened just a crack, his head appearing in the gap, gleaming alabaster eyes on the visitor: Rita. Pleasantly surprised, his brows rose and a low hum of acknowledgement came from him, something that sounded like “oh.” He pulled the door open to reveal himself and the abode to her. He was dressed plainly for lounging: fine wool pants encasing his legs and waist, his chest bare, as well as his back, sockless feet on the floor.
“Rita,” he said with the door open now, “come in, please.” He gestured with one hand, the other holding the door open above the Ithecal’s head so she may pass under unhindered.
The entryway held a small, low standing rack for shoes, though Rita didn’t have any, and there was a shelf at his shoulder height that possessed hooks for coats, hats, and other garments not wanting to be worn in the warm room.
“What brings you?” he wondered at her, closing the door when she came in. His gaze trained on her scaled form.

Special thanks to Ciarán

[Rita Fenyo]

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Rita

The door opened just a crack with a familiar face poking around the door frame, completely white eyes looking over the Ithecal while his brain processed what his eyes were seeing. Aelius made a small noise of surprise before fully opening the door to his friend, his hand high on the door so she could pass underneath.
“Rita, come in please” Beckoning her in with a wave of his arm, to which she replied with a smile and slithered under his arm. Shifting her cloak off and onto the hook just behind him.
“Hey, Aelius. It's so good to see you face to face again. What was it the 17th when I last saw you? Almost a hundred trials.” She offered a hug before shifting the rest of her gear and slithering to beside the hearth. It was far too cold for the Ithecal, the cold coming quickly this year and could put the harvest at risk back in Krome she thought.
“What brings you?” He enquired, distracting Rita from her tangent. Stroking the feline resting on the hearth.
“Oh you know, spontaneously felt like coming to see an old friend in a completely different city.” She replied sarcastically, giving a small chuckle. “Our letters remember? A holiday in Na’hear for a few weeks then back before Cylus.” Watching her friend and then casting her eye over the room, it was well kept but with books spread over the room, one resting on the arm of his chair and she presumed it was currently being read. It was a nice homely apartment. She pulled the letter from her pouch and offered it to Aelius to help remind him.
“I know it’s been a weird season so I get that you forget.” Taking note of the other letter he had but not bringing it up, his business was his own. She moved and sat in one of the chairs, letting him read the letters she had given.
“Any questions? I can help you pack if need be.” Putting her tail up and smiling.

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[Aelius Callistus]

Rita’s sarcastic jut found humor in the half-blood, as shown by his smirk in reply to her chuckle. She reminded him of the letter, to which he squinted in thought. Those bright eyes opened widely once he remembered, a small noise of recollection coming from him. “I remember now,” he said quietly as she gazed around his room. He did the same, making sure there were no glaringly obvious dents in the otherwise spick and span, yet small, abode. His eyes came to her once more as she offered the letter. Taking it into his hand, he moved from the doorway towards the sitting area in front of the hearth, his bare feet thudding quietly on the floor before being near silenced when he trod across the rug.
“Thank you for understanding,” he said to her as he opened the letter to gloss its contents. He recalled the one sent to him a while ago by Rita more and more with each word he took in. He didn’t finish the piece, simply nodding to himself before folding the paper back up.
Aelius set the letter down atop the end table beside his chair. He shook his head at her offering then scratched the nape of his neck, his eyes going around his room. His mind went through the quick process of understanding what needed to be packed for the trip, what was necessary and what was superfluous.
“Are we planning on leaving today?” he posed to her, moving to the trunk at the foot of his bed. On the way, he grabbed a bound rucksack from one of the hooks near his front door, letting it sway slackly in his hand as he walked. At the trunk, he kneeled and pushed it open, the hinges creaking slightly from age and wear. He had much in the way of simple clothing possessions: undergarments, socks, senseless shirts of varying plain, monotonous colors. “How long will we be gone?” He wanted to know so he could pack accordingly, both for the travel there and for however long they would be gone. If he couldn’t pack enough, he foresaw the need to bring coin as well, should he need to buy clean clothes.
Aelius locked the thought into his mind, pushing it aside to focus on packing. The half-blood grasped for a handful of underwear, setting them on the floor at his side before doing the same for socks and shirts as well. When he felt they were enough, he closed the trunk and sat back on the floor with his bottom, his legs open but loosely crossed at the ankle. He went about rolling the individual pieces of clothing up tightly to pack them into his rucksack so they didn’t take up too much room.
“May I get you some tea? Water?” he asked Rita, having realized he ignored her presence almost wholly aside from her answers to his questions. It was only polite; his mother would’ve told him should she have been around. He remembered it was what she did when his father had associates over, so he thought he should do the same.

Special thanks to Ciarán

[Rita Fenyo]

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Rita

A smile escaped her lips watching her old friend flustered around the room, overworking things in his head. Slithering over to watch him pack, leaning back on her own tail by the window, looking out onto the city streets below and the life inside them. Mind drifting to be brought back by his questions that seemed more rushed than what he intended them to be. She let him ask anything before drifting her gaze back to him and the slight worry that was showing on his faith. Shaking her head in amusement before standing, hands behind her back.
“ Traditionally ships come in and leave with the tides. Neap is a few hours yet and the captain will not want to be too delayed with her cargo nor the return. We have say… four hours. The trip is around sixty trials. Maybe more, maybe less all depends on the currents and the winds. Immortals forbid we come into any trouble. Probably stay till...Ashen. I mean we can leave in Cylus but it’s hard to get a ship willing to travel. You uhh… you can wash your clothes you know.” Taking note of him trying to count the coin he had.
Aelius sat back on his hunches, closing the trunk. Rolling his clothes neatly away into his rucksack. Head coming up to look at Rita as a thought passed through his head.
“May I get you some tea? Water?” He inquired, perhaps thinking himself a little rude for ignoring the Ithecal.
“Tea would be perfect thank you.” With a nod, he went about preparing the drink. “I think it would be good for the both of us. To get out and see a bit of the world that we haven’t seen before. Well, in this case, see the same part of the world in different circumstances. I don’t know much about the wide world as it never interested me. Following recent events, however, I feel it would be best for me to broaden my knowledge beyond stitching wounds and treating fever. Who better to teach me than an Eídisi scholar and one I consider a very close friend. “ Moving close to Aelius, keeping the conversation going. “Something I didn’t mention was that I would like a teacher. Whether I like it or not the immortals are very much real. They are a dangerous force and very unstable in their own agenda and wants, I need to know as much as I can about them because I need to if I am going to survive the coming arcs this way. I want to live Aelius.” Not paying particularly much attention to what he was doing except where it was needed, she worked over everything she had said seeing if she had missed anything. “Perhaps… Perhaps we need to take a stand against these… Venutian beings. You have seen their destruction first hand, what’s to stop that happening on a global scale and annihilating everything we have achieved.” She watched her friend, shifting back to signal she had finished.

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[Aelius Callistus]

Four hours; he made a mental note as he continued to roll up his clothes, stuffing them orderly into his rucksack. Sixty days though, he thought. It was quite a long time to be at sea, quite a long time to be away from a land he knew a great deal better than this Neap they were going to. “I know I can wash my clothes,” he said. He wondered if she read his mind, understood he was considering purchasing more clothes if what he had wasn’t enough. “It’s just in case.”
She accepted his offer of tea, causing him to stand and place his sack temporarily onto his made-up bed. He trod from the sleeping area of his room towards the seating arrangement in front of the fire again, moving with more purpose towards the hearth. Grabbing the water kettle from atop the mantle, he went towards the water basin nearby and filled the kettle halfway – enough water for the two of them to have a cup while they waited. Once the kettle was filled he doubled back towards the hearth and placed the container on a hook so it hung over the fire, allowing the rising heat from the crackling flame to warm the kettle’s metal body. To speed up the process, he threw another log carefully into the already crackling, licking flames.
The half-blood listened to Rita all the while as she explained why she thought the journey would be for the betterment of them both. He kept his opinions to himself, focusing himself on the task of preparing tea. In his kitchen, he opened the cupboard holding a few small earthenware jars. He grabbed the greenest of the solid vessels down, setting it on the counter. It was then Rita’s words caught his attention: her calling him an Eidisi scholar, a worthy teacher to someone like she. He turned his white gaze on her, a dark brow rising in question as a hum full of that same curiosity came through. Aelius paused in his tea-making, turning his back to the countertop, using the small of his back to lean against it, arms crossed over his bare chest, legs crossed at the ankle. He did not know she considered him such a close friend or held him in such high regard.
His blank, alabaster eyes watched the Ithecal woman as she slid from the armchair, slithering towards him in what he thought was a hurried manner. Her words came further still, telling of how much thought she had put into them. He was surprised, to say the least, though he could understand where Rita’s fears were rooted, how deeply they were sown.
“Nothing,” he answered. “Nothing is stopping them. Like you said, the Immortals are real and they are dangerous. They are unpredictable in their motivations. We are mortal, however, so what power do we have to stop them without risking our lives as well? Perhaps it is the Immortals who seek to have us annihilated, wiped from the world. It wouldn’t be the first time.” He took a breath, a thoughtful one. “One came to us in a dream though… warned us about this encroaching and coming darkness, did she not? It leads me to believe they are not all conspiring to have us mortals erased from the land.” His tongue ran over his plump lips.
“Perchance we have allies in this new disturbance against mortaldom, it is a good idea that we experience all the world can offer, a good idea to strengthen ourselves for any coming onslaught so that we may handle it,” he said. There was a subtle hint of inspiration and determination in his voice but it calmed quickly.
“Here, calm down,” he said to her. “Look in that cupboard there for cups for me, will you? They’re on the lower shelf so you should be able to reach them without a problem.” He sought to distract her, if only a little, from the despair seemingly gripping her heart and being. Some tea would be nice, he thought.

Special thanks to Ciarán

[Rita Fenyo]

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Rita

Fire burned in her eyes and her heart, moving with emotion discussing all she had to say. Aelius just prepared the tea, not in any way being dismissive, she had his full attention, she just wanted her friends opinion on the matter. She found that if she let her thoughts out and had someone respond, was the best way to get them organised. Aelius knew her best and wouldn't dismiss her as a stupid woman or a weak healer. Calling him a scholar and a close friend got him to respond. Leaning himself against the counter with his arms and legs crossed, at the ankles. She advanced and kept the momentum, working her words to show how she thought of the half blood, whilst also conveying her fear at the Immortals. Reflecting back on this she found it to be rather childish, being scared of what she didn't understand. Though that was a flaw that everyone kept, yet learned to hide. Rita gulped slightly, a little parched after her speel, watching Aelius think for a moment. He spoke, both confirming her words but also questioning them, though Rita was unsure if that was rhetorical.
" I find that a confusing... uh, anomaly of the common tongue. They are not invulnerable just... ageless" Ithecal had a clear distinction from the Immortals and being undying. She disagreed with what he said about the Immortal that came to them, what a season ago, feeling that they had been used instead of warned. Still, it wasn't worth arguing on. He summarised by agreeing with her plan to strengthen themselves against the unknown, least they be unprepared when it came. She smiled at the determination in his voice. Wisely the half blood decided to distract the passionate Ithecal
"Here, calm down. Look in that cupboard for cups for me, will you? They're on the lower shelf so you should be able to reach them without a problem." Whether intentional or not this had the desired effect, causing Rita to smile and give him a look raising herself till she just nudged the roof with her head. Sinking down and darting across the small space grabbing the cups from the shelf he had indicated. It had taken her a while to get used to the different layouts of the Rynmerian kitchens but soon enough was able to move around better than most other species. Still had a long way to come when it came to cooking, she knew enough to keep her fed and do the odd bit of baking every know and then, which was enough.
"These two will do?" Towering over her friend but smiling in good humour, "I've tried quite a few teas actually. I find the brown and a little milk to be the best for relaxing with a good book." Moving back, giving Aelius more space to prepare his brew. She had much to talk about, a thought clicking in her head as she slithered to the door and grabbed her stave. Moving back to show it to Aelius, almost like a child showing off their favourite toy.
"Oh I got this fixed after last season's fiasco." A smooth metallic binding around the break, sticking out next to the weathered wood. Leather wrap around where she'd grip the stave. The missing length was compensated for by the weighted belaying pin secured to the end. Skillfully the ithecal spun it around to present it to Aelius, on closer inspection the metallic band was detailed with details of their adventure. "So what do you think"

Four hours later

Time passed quickly with the two friends catching up on all that had happened, soon it was time to leave for the ship. With everything they needed, and a little more, packed and ready the pair set off for the docks. Rita losing her bearings and trusting Aelius to get them to where they needed to be. In all likelihood, the Eidisi knew the city better than the back of his own hand. Eventually the harbour came into view, however, it wasn't till they were close that Rita was able to spot the ship.
"That cargo galleon there." Indicating the large vessel with its equally large stack of cargo being hauled up into the hold. "May not be the grandest ship ever made, legend is that's at the bottom of lake Krome" She joked "But it will get us where we need to go without any issue, we'll have our own rooms and food was included in the price. The captain, she knows the captain that got me here and a friend of his is a friend of hers. Even if he does owe her a few drinks. Come on, no point standing 'round 'ere gawking." Smiling as she put on a pretty good impression of a seafarer, slithering across the cobblestones towards a woman conversing with a harbour official.

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