1629, Sea Season, Disorder Week
Context
Riding towards the Orlamani, Berra and Lenta talk about mostly whether Lenta is wet, and also being Vingan and In A Mood. Session SA4.04.
Events
It is a damp day, and Berra is on a wet horse, riding like someone who actually knows which end is which. Her posture is good, and she seems alert. Most of the time she is at the back of the trail, but she has caught up with Lenta now. “Hey. How’s it going?”
Lenta turns to look at the little Humakti “oh, hi, Berra.” Hood of her cloak is thrown back despite the freezing rain. Her hair looks soaking wet and the kohl outlining her eyes seems to be losing a heroic battle resisting the elements. The smile she flashes at Berra does look warm though.
“I was coming to see if you were really wet. You are.” Berra gives a brief smile. She hardly every huddles up in her cloak – she likes to be able to see all around her. “Also, I managed to itritate … irritate Varanis earlier. I wanted to warn you she might be in a very Vingan mood.”
Lenta nods. “Thank you for the warning. And how are you this morning?”
“Uh…” that seems to catch the Humakti by surprise, but she rallies. “Chilly. Wet. Wanna fight everything. Worried about getting back to the Temple. Wondering why my horse actually does what I ask of her. That one didn’t happen for long but it does puzzle me. Most horses don’t.”
Berra is ordinarily not good at staying on a horse, but the part-bred goldeneye mare is a wonderful and apparently very patient horse.
“Maybe you are learning? It does take time…” Lenta looks at Tyr “with a chariot you can rely on the prowess of a professional and it is more dignified, but riding does give me more sense of freedom.”
“I think I like walking for the same reason. Right now maybe not, but you can go straight up slopes on foot and you’re the one you’re looking after.”
Lenta nods, slowly. “Why would you want to fight? The… band made amends. Something else bothering you? “
“Everything.” Berra sighs. “I’ve had a lot of wanting to fight lately. But it’s not people. It’s everything. I wanna punch the moon.” She shrugs, like that is just a boring and normal state for people she knows. “Do you ever wanna?”
The Ernaldans looks at the road ahead. Waterdrops flow past her eyes. “No. Not really. Some things make me frustrated or angry. I know some things require use of an axe. But I don’t want to use it. I accept it is sometimes needed.”
“I don’t think fists and weapons are the only way to fight things.” Berra muses that over aloud, where it cannot be unsaid.
Lenta shrugs “That may be so. But you talked of punching. No, I don’t wanna.”
Berra nods. “Prob’ly wise. You ever been… you wouldn’t’ve been. I’ve been to this place once. I was a kid.”
“The Nunnery? No. What is… What was it like?”
“I was pretty small and they were worried about getting me home. But it’s a great big place carved into the rock. Right in, a carved cave. It’s got a lot of women and female animals on the walls.” Berra speaks happily, like the memories are good.
Lenta nods. Kohl is finally losing the struggle and a black streak flows over her cheek.
It’s raining. Berra pays side-eyes the makeup, and then asks outright, “Are you getting wet so nobody can see you crying?”
Lenta glances at the Humakti and answers slightly bewildered. “No?”
Berra nods. “In that case, you’re gonna wanna wipe your face. You’re about to have the full Humakti look and it’ll get onto your clothes.” It seems that she would not have minded either way.
Lenta touches her cheek with her finger and looks at it. “Thanks for pointing that out. I am no match for Marta. Yet.” she adds after a while and smiles at the Humakti.
Berra has found a nearly-dry rag in one of her pouches, although it is wet as soon as she offers it over. “I always mix in too much oil and it gets everywhere as soon as I get hot.”
“My work can take heat and light drizzle… But not a full love of Orlanth in Sartar it seems.” she nods at Berra as she returns the now dark grey rag.
Berra folds the thing neatly, looking at it with interest. “Does she use magic?” Her interest moves back to Lenta.
Lenta shrugs and smiles. “It feels like it sometimes. But I think it is skill.”
“I mean, if your eyes can stand up to you dancing all day, that’s impressive itself.” Berra might even be defending the little Ernaldan.
She smiles a bit and nods at Berra.
