Harvest While Ye May [Sivan]

[Rivin]

Rivin listened carefully, trying to assess the merit of each statement while also listening to the next as they came. The only person who had ever liked him, to his knowledge, had been Ilex. It had not been stated thus, but his preference had been obvious in both his choice of Rivin as personal assistant, even over free beings, and his resiliency with Rivin's disobedience both showed the fact. If some emotion rose at the idea that Sivan also liked him, it was a complicated by Ilex's being the first to express the feeling towards him.

Did he like Sivan?

This thought brought his attempt to listen and process at the same time to a brief halt as he devoted all his mental energy to answering the question. All their interactions flashed through his mind's eye rapidly, and his assessments of them. Stripping away his fear that he might be betrayed and his worry that, even if he was not betrayed, his oddities would cause the elf to choose to end their association he examined Sivan for himself and found that, yes, he did like him. The acknowledgment was a bit of a revolutionary one in that he could like someone, that it was an allowable thing, even, perhaps a nice one.

Keeping the relationship open for discussion and adjustment as they went settled Rivin out of his hyper vigilant negotiation mindset and settled him into something calmer, almost relaxed. It felt good, just sitting and talking to someone who was, it seemed, to be his friend.

He gave a nod and then realized that more would be required, as his thoughts were not visible things.

"I do. Want that, I mean. And also, I do like your company, and would like to sometimes just... be here?" He thought about this and then added, "You do not have to accommodate me you can just continue to do what you would otherwise and I can just be in your garden or elsewhere, unless we wish to talk or otherwise interact. Would that be good, ehm... Would that be acceptable, also?

[Sivan]

"Yes," he said, his smile embarrassed, but pleased. "That would be acceptable. The spirits are already used to you, and you will eventually meet my other friends if you are around when they visit. I don't suppose you know anything about making mead, do you? I have been thinking about doing more with the bees' honey—mead, propolis tincture, which I could augment with alchemy, that sort of thing. It might be nice to cultivate a shared interest that isn't centered around magic and meditation."

After a moment, he stood up, his towel held at his waist with one hand, the other offered to help Rivin up.

"We could find something else, though. Something you're interested in."

He paused again once Rivin was on his feet again. This time he flushed, not because of hang ups about his body but because he knew it might make Rivin uncomfortable.

Indicating his towel, he said, "I'm just going to put some trousers on."

At least this way, Rivin needn't look if he didn't want to. Sivan didn't think he needed that level of comfort with someone to be their friend; it was interesting how different his friends were, though. As good as his word, the elf only put on some short trousers and then went to hang his blade upon the hooks he had mounted on the wall near the door to the garden. With as much time as he spent in the garden, it seemed a good place to keep it in case someone came crashing through his front door. And Laurevere had insisted he treat the blade with respect.

"Was there anything particular you wanted to work on today?"

[Rivin]

The knowledge that the spirits of the house had been telling tales of his clandestine encroachments into the elf's domain should not have come as a surprise. But, for some reason, when he'd bribed them with his aether he had not thought that they could lie. Perhaps, in their minds, they had not lied. Rivin had never make a pact with any of them, after all. He would have to determine if they were intelligent enough to take his gifts and still betray him, or so lacking in intellect that, without the formality of a pact, they hadn't even understood his proposal.

Sivan did not seem to be angry, and knowing that he could have stopped it at any time, had he chosen actually comforted Rivin a great deal. It also inspired him to find a type of spirit to bind that would blind others of its kind to his presence. The best stealth in the world wouldn't protect him from magical or spirit surveillance. A fact that should be remedied as quickly as possible.

Tilting his head a little to one side as he did when seriously considering something he said, rather unexpectedly,

"Do you know of a Runesmith that takes small commissions?" The item he wanted would likely be quite expensive, but most Runesmiths only survived by having large contracts with noble houses and rarely seemed to take single instance jobs.

Confronted by an equally seemingly random question he shook his head. He knew about alcohol vintages to an extent, but he didn't even usually drink intoxicating beverages. Propolis tincture, however, he did know how to make and said so. Realizing that he hadn't actually told Sivan that he was medically trained he did so now. The information had seemed too dangerous before, and perhaps it was still so now. A Lysanrin who had a Cardinal Rune was information enough to betray him though, so hiding the rest was pointless.

"I studied under a doctor. I am no surgeon but chemistry and medicine I understand. I can make propolis tincture. I could show you how."

Even though he was paying Sivan for his lessons, that he might have useful information to share felt...stable? No. Balanced. Standing he shook his head, then nodded, not sure which was appropriate he used the hand not allowing the elf to pull him up to gesture, this thing is agreeable in Rivach.

"I have not ever studied Alchemy, but my knowledge of chemistry is enough that we could share our knowing." Thinking about this distracted the Lysanrin enough that he only nodded to the knowledge that Sivan was going to dress. When his mind was in Research mode a body was just a body.

The meditation he'd been intending to request had been done, and while the idea of them making potions and tinctures together was a good one, it wasn't one for that very day. Looking at the bag of food he'd brought with him, still sitting on the table his stomach grumbled and he said,

"Perhaps we could eat and speak to each other what of our previous lives we are comfortable telling?"

The full story of how he'd gotten his Rune would probably be helpful in Sivan was going to keep teaching him. The story of how he'd ended up with an aidolon was also important, but Rivin wasn't ready for that yet.

[Sivan]

"I do," he said, taking the tangent in stride. "One of my good friends is a skilled runeforger. He has regular custom from a noble house, but if you need something small, I can have him put it in his queue."

Sivan nodded slowly, taking in the information about his new friend. Perhaps he wasn't aware how much herbalism went into the study of alchemy, or perhaps that was just Master Jacun's style. He too knew how to make a tincture of propolis, especially given how much he had been helping supply the Tranquil Gardens to prepare for any violence with the Zaichaeri. But he would feign ignorance, learn a different way of doing things. He didn't mind that at all.

"My alchemical equipment is at Torin's forge," he explained. "That's the friend... He made space for me to work there so I can supply him with alchemical solutions to support his work, and clockwork things now that I am returning to my study of artificing." It occurred to him that a medically trained mind like Rivin had might take to world magics, but he would wait and see whither Rivin's interests led him.

Sivan changed with Rivin's consent, and the Lysanrin seemed more interest in whatever was going on in his head than what was happening before his eyes, which was comfortable for the elf. He supposed he ought not to think of him as a Lysanrin since he was, apparently, a hybrid of at least two things. He wondered whether people thought of him as Hytori for his coloring, or Dratori if they knew and looked down upon the dark-marked cousins of the High Elves. The mind wanted to categorize people and things, the better to make sense of things, the better to have an idea of control over one's surroundings. It was a fallacy, he supposed.

Once dressed—albeit not entirely because the air was balmy—he hung up his towel for Nut or Khal to dry, and led the way to where the food was stowed.

"Is there anything in particular you wish to know about me?"

[Rivin]

Sivan having a Runesmith as a friend and colleague was fortuitous, and welcome, since his own knowledge of the art was extremely limited. He had learned what things were possible, at least, some things that were possible from books, and while he was sure that amulets of protection, he wasn't sure all what could be put into one. If the elf worked with a Runesmith it was likely he would be able to answer Rivin's questions before he made a purchase, saving himself from either looking foolish or being overcharged.

Thoughts still on what he wanted to ask about items of magical protection, he was taken unaware by Sivan's last question. The possibilities opened before him in a huge gaping maw before his logic came in and put boundaries on the possibilities. It was unlikely a totally open ended query, more likely associated with their recent conversation concerning their newly established friendship.

Rivin had a friend. The thought was elating as it was unexpected. Despite the conversation some part of him had not put together that he was allowed to have an emotional response to the situation. The size and shape of that response were unknown and not easily calculated so he attempted to clamp on it but was still left with a bubbling sort of feeling in his chest that made him smile. He did not smile often, it felt vulnerable to do so now, but not in a bad way, so he left it.

"I would like to know many things about you. Possible all things. But I will try to keep my inquiries productive." He pondered for a moment and then said,

"What are things you like to eat? I have seen you eat fruit and bread and honey, but that does not mean you like those things." If he was going to continue to purchase food for them to share he would rather have direction. His stabs in the dark at the marketplaces hadn't ever been rejected but he preferred to be efficient when possible.

[Sivan]

Sivan laughed. It was light, nonjudgmental; mostly he was amused because Rivin's mind seemed to gravitate toward deeper things.

"I like a lot of things to eat," he admitted. "I tend to like what is fresh and local, though. So my diet changes with the seasons. I have less meat in the winter months because much of it is too salted for my taste. I have become a bit spoiled. The spirits keep my garden producing far longer than it has any right to this far north, so I tend to have some fresh things on hand. The bees have taken to overproducing honey, so I needn't buy sugar at all. I can be on the fence about fermented things... I enjoy alcohol and cheese... but there are other dishes that turn my stomach. But I also work so much I don't have a lot of time for cooking. Time or energy. So often it will be things that don't require more effort on my part—bread, fruit, cheese. I have taken you to a couple of inns where the meals are simple, but enjoyable. I am open to trying new things, of course. Kalzasern cooking uses different seasonings than I grew up with, but I enjoy them."

Sivan paused. "What about you? What pleases your palate?"

As they spoke and Rivin produced those foods he had brought, Sivan took out a few things to supplement them and add variety. He wasn't a healer, but he had some understanding of the body's needs, and variety was the best way to cover them.

[Rivin]

Listening Rivin nodded his brief, precise nod but then ruined it by smiling his new, shy smile.

"I am spoiled also. I did not know till coming to this city that the food I was used to was considered very fine by the standards of the common people. I am learning to like simpler things, but I am...picky about the quality."

Meals of fruit and bread or cheese were filling and felt surprisingly good to eat in some primal part of him, but anything that wasn't of a certain quality put him off immediately.

"I will have to see what I like as the seasons change, perhaps you can recommend things when I have not tried them."

The crops were different here than they were in the Imperium and while some things were mutual, some were decidedly not. There were both fruits and vegetables that were absent from Kalzasi that he missed, not to mention a variety of dishes that no one had heard of or knew how to make. He wondered if, were he to obtain cooking manuals, he might recreate his favorite things himself. Considering what flavors it was that he often missed he said,

"I like spices, hot ones, but also just dishes with a lot of flavor. I do not like sweet things very much. I did not have them as a child so I think I never developed the desire. I like coffee, teas, but not sweetened. I like..." He thought about how to describe what he was thinking for a moment, squinting his eyes at his own brain.

"I like when the spices bring out the flavor of the food itself? A simple vegetable can be exquisite if spiced correctly, but the additions need to enhance and draw out the innate flavors, not mask them."

The Lysanrin rose and stood near enough to the elf that he could observe his preparations but not so close as to ever be in his way. Suddenly, the possibility of making dishes from home felt less like something hidden that special people did and more like chemistry. Perhaps he would try.

[Sivan]

"That makes sense," he said after some consideration. "When forced to consider an answer, you answer like a poet. That is interesting..." He considered. "Perhaps we could find some chef who would be willing to give us cooking classes. The finer ones might even know how to cook things from our homelands. I know a few dishes from Sol'Valen and Dalquia, although perhaps not fine enough for my neighbor from Silfanore."

Sivan chuckled.

"If there are things you require that aren't normal in Kalzasi, I could probably find them given time, and I could purchase from a list if you provide one. That way nobody will see a handsome horned man making purchases of goods only found from whence you came..." His smile went a bit diffident at that. He didn't want to delve into parts of Rivin's past he didn't feel comfortable sharing, but he did want him to know that as a friend he would seek to keep him safe from harm and discovery.

"And if you want to learn how to defend yourself, I'm certain Laurevere would teach you as well. He says I need more people to practice with anyway..." He threw that out with a tentative smile. It was good to see Rivin smiling, and while he knew bringing up weapons might dampen that for a while, he thought the training might make him feel safe enough to smile more often, which might be worth it in the end. "I think I said, but the practice can be meditative, as well. It might help you channel emotions into something better than violence... I know that might sound antithetical, but... it seems that knowing the proper way to do violence helps rein in... violent urges. At least, I have found that to be true."

[Rune]

R E V I E W

Lore: 14 Each

Points: 10 each
Rivin may use for Summoning
Sivan may use for Semblance

Injuries/Ailments: None

Loot: None

Notes: