Freezeday morning, Geo’s : Season 6 Prax after session 8
The next morning, after breakfast – also loud, but not nearly so much as yester eve – a messenger approaches Varanis’ table. He has a cleft stick into which several letters have been tucked, meaning he is the sort of person who makes a living from this, among other ways. His yellow robe and travelling hat say ‘Issaries’ and his dark skin and long bones say ‘High Llama’.
Varanis greets him. “Are you looking for one of my people?” she asks in Trade Talk.
“Thayn Varaanis?” he asks. “And Preest Berra.” His accent is very High Llama, but he seems to understand well. Of course he does. It’s his holy language.
“I am the Thane. Berra is currently busy with the Humakti temple, but I can take the message on her behalf,” Varanis rises accept the letters.
“Into the hand of the Recipient, always,” he says with a disarming smile. “I will go to thee Temple.” Varanis is offered a simple folded letter. It is written on papyrus, as is another that is still held in the tight embrace of the wooden wand.
“As you wish,” she replies.
He does not wait to be given a gift, but bows and retreats.1hobbitomm: ((It was at this point the messenger realised that when Varanis said “as you wish”….))varanis: ((But wait… I was looking up how much to tip!))bleysrex: (( What she really meant was ‘get stuffed I am in mental anguish!’ ))amphelise: ((God damn it I had a mouthful of squash))bleysrex: (( Juice or vegetable? ))varanis: ((Should be 5 L. Per week for pay… I could hopefully assume he was paid, but he should still get a tip!))
Varanis follows after the man, “Wait!”
He stops, turns, asks, “Have I done a thing wrong? What may I assuaage?”
“You have done well,” the Esrolian Vingan tells him. “I just want to give you a token of thanks.”
He bows again. “While it is not requiirred, I thank you for the thought of me.”
She hands over a Lunar. “I appreciate the work that you do,” she tells him.
“Worss bring us together.”
“Indeed.” She returns his bow and then takes her letter back to the table… where she cannot read it. It is probably from Mellia, but while she is learning to write, she is … learning to write. Someone who is almost certainly Venlar has helped with the word formation, but he is trained in a poetic hand, and he has not so much helped as added an extra layer to the puzzle.
Varanis stares at it and sighs. “How long until Xenofos gets back?” she grumbles. “Or has he just not broken his fast yet?”
“Do I hear my name called?” Xenofos enters the common room from direction of the stables.
Varanis turns and gives him a welcoming smile. The irritation of the night before has vanished, at least for now. “I need help reading Mellia’s handwriting.”
“She writes? I have not seen that.” Xenofos looks at the food but reaches for the letter.
varanis: “She’s learning,” Varanis says as she hands over the letter.
Dearest cousin,
On Fireday of Fertility Week I gave birth to fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. Lyrast and Tenriya are both delightful, except when one of them wants something in the middle of the night. I confess that I am looking forward to the time when they will sleep through the night.
I wish you were here in Cinder Fox Tula to see the babies. Mother Thenaya’s been a great help and we have other helpers as well. It’s just not the same as having you here.
I hope you and Xenofos are well. In particular, I hope Xenofos is sleeping well. Please give him my apologies for not writing to him, but getting letters out is expensive.
I will be at Mother Thenaya’s house for some time. Please write to me and tell me all about your journey.
Love, Mellia
Note: Fatherhood is wonderful and I am the happiest man alive. Lyrast has my hair and indeed my heart and soul. Tenrya is a wonderful mixture of us both.
— Venlar
“As you heard, cousin. Rather splendid news I say.” Xenofos beams after reading the letter out loud.
Varanis swears.
Xenofos makes the sign to ward of evil eye. “Please mind your language Ranie. They are newborn even if they have been named already.”
“What? No! I’m not cursing the babies. I’m cursing myself. I sent letters to Venlar at Blue Tree last week. I’d forgotten that Mellia had said they’d be staying at Cinderfox.” She shakes her head. “It was careless of me.”
“I knew you were not cursing them. But you should not attract notice of ill spirits towards them.”
And as afterthought he adds “or towards yourself.”
“I have to decide if I need to send new letters,” she grumbles. “The seasons are changing quickly and heralds won’t travel much longer.”
“Word will probably get to them even from Bluetree? Eventually.” He strokes his beard “But if your news is urgent, sending new letters may be prudent.”
“Maybe just one,” she says. “If you’ll help me write it.”
The scribe nods. “After breakfast? I went to check the mounts before eating.”
varanis: She nods. “How is Zephyr this morning? And shall I order us some food?”
“Seemed quite hale to me. Might do with a short walk or run later? And yes Please.”
varanis: Varanis steps up to the counter to order food directly, rather than wait for someone to come to them. She gestures at the table as she places her order. Then she heads in the direction of the room she’s been sleeping in.
When the food is delivered, it’s a range of things to suit multiple diets and includes bits that can be packed up for the day. The young woman who lays it all out says I’m careful Trade Talk,“Thane said she’ud come back soon.”
- 1hobbitomm: ((It was at this point the messenger realised that when Varanis said “as you wish”….))varanis: ((But wait… I was looking up how much to tip!))bleysrex: (( What she really meant was ‘get stuffed I am in mental anguish!’ ))amphelise: ((God damn it I had a mouthful of squash))bleysrex: (( Juice or vegetable? ))varanis: ((Should be 5 L. Per week for pay… I could hopefully assume he was paid, but he should still get a tip!))
