Noble Advice (Kala)

[Torin Kilvin]

42nd Ash, 123

Stardew Valley, Astralar Mountains

Torin was nervous.

Even though he knew Kala, personally and professionally very well, she wasn't coming to meet him in either of those capacities. Of course, Kala was still Kala whatever the intention of the visit and that did help. He'd struggled with the concept of the changes that she had undergone since they had met and become friends but had realized that any time they were together she wasn't different, didn't treat him differently, so he'd decided that it didn't really matter. The smith considered this a very mature response to finding out that one of the only two friends he had who were actually his own age (the other being Kaus) was a goddess. There was so much that messed with his head and made him overthink that there just hadn't ended up being enough energy to try and freak out in the presence of one of the only people who he had always felt instantly comfortable around.

He couldn't wait for her to arrive at his shop, where they would step together through his magical portal to the valley, because then he might stop feeling jittery and gut-clenchy about the representative of the noble house to whom he had sworn allegiance coming to inspect what he'd done with the land they had granted him. It wasn't like House Leukos might decide that he was failing and take the valley away from him. The inspection was something the house did with all its nobles and was more of a way to offer aid when it was needed than something that resulted in disciplinary actions. If a noble was abusing their people, he supposed, it might be a check to stop it but he wasn't abusing anyone.

For a flash, his brain tried to question whether he was or not, but he quashed that with the version of Aurin's voice that lived in his head. It was quite a helpful voice, even if it sometimes spoke at unexpected moments of things that still made him flush.

Tucking his hands into the folds of his Cloak of Comfort for warmth he turned his mind to the promised Elementalism lesson that would come after they'd explored all his additions to the valley. It was very nice of Kala to spare the time for him, both to advise him about his very new lordship and to check on his progress with her gifted rune.

[Kala Leukos]

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The door opened without fanfare, and two full-sized young Avialae ducked into the shop. Ceran and Indric had easy enough smiles; though they were common-born and shy, they had spent enough time here and received the benefits of Lord Kilvin's expertise. They knew Kala had nothing to fear in the shop, but they took their self-appointed duties seriously. As such, they would accompany her to Stardew Valley. Kaus, who followed her in, would likely stay to shoot the shit with young Timon or test the balance of various weapons before they were sent to Starfall or one of Torin's other buyers. 'Quality control, he called it. Asallon closed the door behind him, inclined to discuss summoning with Master Sivan.

Torin might notice how all the taller men moved around her, aware of her always, even when not looking in her direction. They parted so that as soon as she walked in, no bodies stood between her and her mother's vassal. All the same, in less than a minute, the lobby of the shop became quite crowded. Her smile was warm when she saw him.

"Good day, Lord Kilvin," she greeted him with a shallow bow. If she was formal for a moment, it was so that he would learn to expect a certain amount of respect. He ought to anyway, to her mind, but now if someone disrespected him, they disrespected House Leukos as well.

Her wings were hidden under the cloak he had bespelled for her, but Asallon helped her out of it. Here, they knew she had wings. Here, they knew she had the spark of the divine indwelt. Her wings flexed slightly once free, and Kaus casually ran his fingers through them to straighten one that had gone slightly awry.

Since she would have Torin for the day, she let the boys say what they would say, bending to offer her hand to Huntress to scent.

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[Torin Kilvin]

The smith greeted the two Silverwings by name when they entered, seeing no insult in their thoroughness. He liked Ceran and Indric, though he was human and they Avialae he felt a sort of kinship between himself and them. Besides, his shop might be a good place to ambush his noble guests if anyone wanted to do so. Assuming none of Torin's other frequent guests were on hand when they tried. Aurin or Sivan could easily handle any ill-intentioned miscreants who attempted to take over the property.

Regardless of her stature, Lady Kala was never the smallest person in a room, and anyone who couldn't feel that would quickly be informed by her guardsman, her liegeman, or her brother. When she entered and greeted him Torin offered her the bow that was the currently correct in the court from a liegeman to his Lord or Lady. Timon had insisted that he learn several types of bows, worried that, now that he might encounter nobles as a noble, even the lowest ranking among them, he might embarrass himself. Timon had learned his courtly manners from Kala and Kaus themselves. Whether he chose to use them on any given day seemed to be as much up in the air as the wind itself.

The smith performed the bow well, murmuring 'My Lady' as he straightened but his young teacher appeared out of the backroom just as he was standing and showed him up by making the same movements with greater grace and obvious practice. The whole show was only slightly ruined when the lad flashed a deeply mischievous grin at Kaus as though he were the only one who had walked into the shop rather than the small space being all but crowded.

Huntress observed the happenings as though they were all beneath her and, in her opinion, a bit silly. All except Kala's greeting, which she accepted with a lowering of her head that looked almost like a bow itself. Torin, not sure what could be said about being shown up by his apprentice, let alone his canine, just offered everyone a pleasant smile and said,

"Shall we be going?" Knowing those who were going would follow him he went out the back entrance and the couple of steps between that door and the front entrance to his home. The group would not be entering the home, but they would be walking through the door. Taking the knob in hand he turned it first one way and then the other before releasing it. When he did so a faint glow surrounded the door as though something very bright was shining inside, then it opened. What could be seen through the opening was a lush, green expanse, filled, for those with the sight of Semblance, with an abundance of aether swirling through it. Keeping enough of the Valley verdant enough to grow the crops that were desperately needed throughout the seemingly never-ending winter had taken quite a lot of the combined power of those Torin cared for, Kala and Kaus included.

Stepping back he allowed the Silverwings to again proceed Kala, and now himself, through the portal. When they had given the signal that it was safe to follow he gave another half bow to indicate that Kala should, of course, proceed him, then, in they went.

[Kala Leukos]

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"Ahem!" Kaus said, pale blue eyes twinkling like morning sun on ice, but his mock affront was only for the more graceful Timon, who had only bowed to Kala. He sniffed, looked away, and held out his hand as if he expected Timon to kneel and kiss his signet.

Kala only smiled, bringing her fingers and the faint, lupine scent of Huntress to her nose. That nose was not so keen as Huntress', but what she smelled was combined with what her arcane senses picked up and so she might be able to tell Huntress out of a pack of wolves by scent alone at this point.

"Be nice," she said, then nodded to Ceran, who led Indric through the portal. The latter gave Torin a friendly pat on the shoulder as he passed. Kala rested her hand upon Torin's arm, rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek before she passed through.

Domain was a subjective thing that far out into the mountainous wilds. Her family didn't claim much land, but looked out for those who were nearby and needed aid. But there weren't many who lived out there and so it was, by default, theirs. She inhaled the smells, snow from beyond the bounds of the valley still carried by the warmer winds. Between the wards and her Fire, she could have maintained this climate, but it seemed a more elegant, natural solution for Master Len'Myren's spirits to do the job, though she and Master Kavafis had both lent their wards to the great canyon valley. Thankfully, Torin could create permanent anchors for them, making such a large job manageable.

"For all that the cold doesn't harm me," she said when Torin stepped through, "I have to say that this warmth is preferable. Wither to first, Lord Torin?" She smiled, whimsical but hardly mocking.

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[Torin Kilvin]

Stepping to the side to allow the exiting group to make their way, Timon adjusted until he was standing across from Kaus in the rapidly emptying room. Once there he made another bow, just as graceful but somehow more fluid, it spoke of dancing, or fencing, and when he came out of if he grinned and winked in a way that was rather shocking on a face that still looked younger than its years.

From there they did what all young men do when there is no one to tell them otherwise; whatever they wanted.

~~~
Torin was trying to contain both the level of connection he felt when shown affection by those he admired, and the combination of his pride and his somewhat anxious anticipation of what was to come. He was proud of the little village that had come to being on the land he'd be given to tend, but he wasn't sure how it would look through the eyes of nobility. Starfall wasn't Kalzasi, but nor was it anywhere close to the type of village the smith had grown up in. Compared to what he'd known as a child, the village was still quite small, but it was laid out with intention, an understanding of how it would be used and a great deal of both care and expense. It was probably foolish to spend as much as he had but he wanted it to be the ideal of his youth, not the reality of how it had been. The wood and stone used in the construction was from the valley but he had had alchemical substances applied to ensure that it was all waterproof and would last. The mortar was waterproofed, and the nails were made by his own hands. A waste of time considering how else he might have spent it, he was sure most anyone would say, but it had felt right, like he was holding the buildings together with a part of himself.

The complex combination of Negation, Elementalism and Summoned Spirits that were keeping the weather in the valley to what it would have been, should have been, without the Eclipse, meant that the temperature wasn't hot, but still significantly warmer than it was outside of the magic. The valley was showing off, all the trees decked out in what seemed to be gowns of crimson, gold, orange, and every shade between, some even looked purple. The wheat and other grains had been harvested a month before but the large vegetable crops were still covering many of the fields. The houses that were already occupied with the families Torin had invited from Kalzasi were well stocked, with bright painted doors and massive piles of firewood all along the sides. Smoke poured, white and welcoming from those chimneys, while more homes waited, finished or still being built, for the immigrants that Kala had informed him were interested in relocating from Starfall or its surrounds.

Smiling down at his benefactress he got lost, for a moment in her returning smile and the stars that lit her eyes before he lifted his head and nodded towards the village, which could be seen down the gently sloping valley side.

"I want to show you the houses, and the village, so you'll know your people will be well seen to."

The group began the way down and he pointed things out as they went. They didn't go into any of the occupied homes, of course, but he did explain who lived where and what jobs they were doing. When they reached the center he showed her the common areas, the green and the tavern. Typically there would have been a smithy but, of course, that was elsewhere. There might also have been a church, or several, to different gods, and in a large village there would likely be a meeting hall and an inn. The tavern was serving both those purposes for the moment, or would, when it was actually in use. The facilities for a brewery were in place but, with the exception of Sivan helping with some tests, there was no brewer. Torin was happy to give the entire place to whoever was able to run it, so long as they allowed it to be used for meetings when the villagers needed them.

They walked a little ways out afterwards so he could show off the sheep pasture and the growing gourds and other vegetables. With the aid of the spirits and the great spirit of the valley itself the growing things were thriving beyond reason. Some of the pumpkins looked large enough to curl up inside, at least for someone Kala's size.

Torin was highly attentive to Kala's advice and commentary, as he had been to that of his villagers. Growing up in such a place makes one familiar with the workings but he was a long way from having the expertise of either a farmer or a shepherd.

[Kala Leukos]

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Kaus was content to hang around up front and shoot the shit with Timon, but if the lad could close up shop, there could be sparring or the shop boy could take him to the kitchen and fuel his furnace with whatever he had been baking or cooking. Avialae seemed to burn through whatever food they ate like it was nothing; their bodies seemed to convert fuel to muscle, which was the envy of their parent races.

Kala walked with Torin while the boys took wing to view the place from on high.

While she was no spiritist of Master Sunrunner's ilk, through her semblance and her growing divine nature, she was able to sense spirits more clearly—the sort of spirits Dratori seemed to know instinctively. They greeted her, and she smiled to them as she did to Torin. He was curating the tour and the spirits were happy to oblige him. The Gritaeri rumbled below them, and would rouse to speak to her if she was in the valley long enough.

Her advice and commentary were minimal, really. More than anything she was gently supportive and complimentary, although she was careful not to be too vociferous, lest her friend turn beet red and silent.

"I just wish we had thought of this earlier," she admitted. "Or, at least, committed to spreading out. You have seen the illumite fields, but we did not set up a permanent station for mining and minding. Perhaps we ought to." She would, of course, report to Akshara and Aquilios as they would be the ones to oversee things—they and their progeny. It felt strange to still feel such a strong hold on her home and her inherent responsibilities knowing that they were meant to fall away from her, the chrysalis falling away from a butterfly. She would enjoy the mortal things for as long as she could, though.

"And I do hope that Sivan will make more cider. I don't suppose you had an opportunity to look at those schematics I brought from Solunarium? I had thought alchemy would be the magic of choice for alcohol, but they runeforge their stills and such."

A young woman crossed their path. Startled, she bowed. "My lord, my lady."

She fled even as Kala gave her a gracious nod. They were Kalzasern settlers, perhaps still startled to see a woman with wings. Or, it was possible, the revelation of her divinity had spread. They were isolated, so she wasn't too worried about it, but it was something to remember. She was a different person to different people; that had always been true, but now it was still greater.

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[Torin Kilvin]

It hadn't been until that moment that anyone had refereed to Torin by his title at the same time that they did Kala. They were not the same rank, but the colloquial usage of 'lord' and 'lady' were appropriate to them both. For whatever reason the idea made him blush and wonder if he should step away from the familiar, arm-in-arm stance they had been using as they walked and spoke comfortably together about the valley.

The people that he had invited to the valley had been formal with him at first, not sure what he would expect of them, but after he had spent a year working alongside them when they needed the extra help they mostly greeted him by name or 'Master Kilvin'. Kala's presence seemed to have reset that a bit but he hoped that people who had seen him doff his shirt to help bring in the hay or climbing around on their roofs to ensure the wooden shingles were all placed correctly would quickly remember that version of him. The elders of the group had even started to realize that he was really, all things considered, quite a young man still and give him, sometimes pointed, advice.

Thankfully, just before the girl had spoken Kala had asked a question that he was quite interested in answering so he cleared his throat and looked ahead to where he was leading her around to, the place by the river's edge where he'd set up his foundry.

"I did! They were a challenge at first, the notations they use in Solunarium, or maybe they are just those of that specific runesmith, aren't like any I've used before. They were fascinating once I figured it out though. I'm very glad I studied a little of brewing for the tavern before you brought them because the concept is actually fairly similar. The runeforged still concentrates aether while it concentrates the alcohol. The spirals of the still are set so they pull latent aether out of the air which means that, just like brewing in different places produces different flavors due to the water and soil, rune-brewing is also different depending on where it's done."

His excitement was obvious even if he was holding himself back from gesturing so he could keep ahold of Kala's arm and keep walking. He had already been excited about the idea of cider and beers from the valley having their own unique flavors, but there would be a distinct flavor to their magically enhanced alcohol as well, even if they imported the product that they started with.

"I want to set up the rune-brewery in my cellar once I get the house up." He was still a little embarrassed that he had neglected to even bother with a house for himself on his own land but it was, at last, coming along. He would rather have the village set up to receive the new people than have another home for himself but it was expected and a part of him did want to have somewhere nice to bring his friends or if he needed to have an official guest.

Stopping just beside the entrance to the foundry he pointed to where land had been cleared and digging was being done. "They're digging the cellar now. I try to help myself sometimes. We need to get it done before the spirits let the Frost back in and the ground freezes."

Once the foundation was set they could build on it whenever. Having shown that he was at least beginning on the house he turned with his guest into the multi-room complex that was quickly becoming the place he loved most. Kala would know what she was looking at, both through training, observation and her magical senses, so he let her wander, only stopping now and then to point out something he was particularly proud of.

[Kala Leukos]

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Kala was glad that the runeforging schema had brought him out of whatever spiral of nerves he had nearly fallen into. She provided what knowledge she had from Solunarium, as well as her appreciation for his ideas and mastery of the new wrinkle in his craft. She wasn't certain exactly why she suddenly imagined him toiling without his shirt on, but she attributed it to how their sembling worked when in each other's vicinity and left it alone. It wasn't illegal to appreciate the thought of a vassal in only his trousers.

"I like the idea of a spirit that reminds one of home with more than the normal nostalgia," she added quietly. "The desert people know a thousand and one ways to debauch, but I wouldn't mind a drink that allowed me to relax and enjoy myself, but wouldn't make it impossible for me to act in an emergency, and wouldn't leave me in pain the next morning." She led quickly to the last, not wanting to dwell upon the tragedy of the day the Shokaze had been assassinated.

"I suppose the Gritaeri would know best how long to keep winter at bay without endangering the longer cycle of things," she posited. "But, even if you allow winter in when granaries are full to bursting, you needn't worry about the ground freezing. We are both creatures of Fire, remember? I suppose now we know one thing I can teach you before the day is over." She smiled. Of course, she understood the wisdom of the classical training she had received. At the same time, she did enjoy teaching him the things that gave him delight. As a blacksmith and a runeforger, he already understood the dangers inherent in creation. It was good to remind him of the joy that came of it, too.

"And, you know, we can send master builders from Starfall. They often complain that their talents are wasted on annual repairs, and surely they would enjoy building a modest lord's castle." She winked. "I know you do not wish to live in a castle, but I would advise you speak to them, at least. Your valley is well protected and you have help in Starfall, but as many times as seemingly world-ending catastrophes have happened in world history, it would behoove you to make your home something of a fortress as well—a safe place to hold your people should a disaster occur. One of the sad duties of a lord is to plan for tragic eventualities. Plan for the worst and hope for the best, as my father used to say."

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[Torin Kilvin]

Torin nodded to her comments concerning the alcohol, not understanding the brief flash of sadness over her face and not asking. He replied with explaining how he intended to cultivate the wild berries of several kinds that grew in the valley and how he had already started a fruit orchard (non-magical to go alongside the magical one).

"I don't know if I'll ever be up to making wine but," One thick shoulder shrugged, "Maybe. Ciders, I know I can do with Sivan's help and his bees have said they will make another queen so I can start a new hive here. I want more than one but I'd rather see how the settle." It would be awful to bring in several queens only to place them wrong and have them swarm or die. He stopped by his Runeforging table while Kala explored, making a few notes about possible magical additives.

He was back close to her when she brought up an optional cure for frozen ground. One bright blond brow perked and his eyes went introspective again as he considered the possibilities.

"I... hadn't thought about that." Glancing down and then back up because he was a little embarrassed but trusted her more than it mattered, "I haven't bee combining the elements, at least, not like that. When I do it I draw them together equally. I haven't been pouring one into another. Pushing that much Fire into Earth seems... rude?"

Torin knew he was being silly but he wanted her to tell him he wasn't so that he didn't feel like he needed to apologize to Earth when he tried.

Her offer was a good one and he knew he should take her up on it,

"You'll have to tell me what to pay them. I'm happy to employ them and I don't care about the cost but I wouldn't know what was fair and they might not charge me enough."

Masters of any craft deserved the highest of respect and compensation for their time but he knew only what his own work was worth and the more he came to realize that there were few, if any, professions that paid higher the more he felt sort of like he was cheating at something. Her advice was good and he re-evaluated what his home might look like. It could still be 'rustic' he supposed, but with more stone and less logs.

Laughing at himself a little he said, "I suppose it isn't practical to live in just a really big cabin, is it?"

[Kala Leukos]

.

"Grapes don't like these mountains very much," she admitted, "although our people do ferment cloudberries and such similarly to wine, as well as into more potent spirits. I am certain you and whoever settles here will do wonderful things, one way or another."

As for the feelings of the elements, "Well, I do not speak to them as Sivan does. But I am also beginning to understand the world in a new way as my awareness... expands? When it expands. Some days I wake up and feel like I would rather just go back to sleep until my mind is recognizable as itself." She laughed softly. "But these are just new growing pains, I think. But the elements... even the ones we think of as opposed, they are really just different states of the same thing. If you take the Fire out of the Air, parts of it condense into Water. If you take the Fire out of Water, it becomes solid... ice, but like stone. And fire itself is... hmm, like air that is agitated until it becomes something else. Another version of itself. I think nothing is truly created or destroyed any longer; it just takes on new forms."

She laughed again.

"I go from counting the nation's coins to wondering at the philosophy of all things. No wonder my mind doesn't always recognize itself. You might have Sivan ask the Earth hereabouts if it minds you keeping it awake a bit longer with some Fire, but... rain puts Water into Earth. Air is always caressing it. Inside the Mount Sorokyn, the volcano upon which Solunarium is built, the Earth carries so much Fire that it is liquid. Like water. So hot that it would light flesh on fire just to be near it, but stone made liquid. Earth made Water. But not quite.

"In any case..." She shook her head, shaking off those topics so as not to lose the entire day in them. He had questions about coin. "The builders will bill you, I am certain. Our House will merely ensure they do not take advantage of you, nor you of them. Not that we anticipate it, but we are the mediators in such cases. They might be keen on working in trade for things only you can provide them. From your foundry."

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