Exploring the Market [Lykos]

[Hilana Chenzira]

25 Ash, Year 123

[Closed- Lykos]

Some days after their first trip had them ready for another one. Lykos' accent did match those of the Kalzasern natives, just as Arvaelyn Princeps had said, and that meant that they were on the right track. However, with a city as big as it was, well... Well, they'd figure it out. Armed with their cloaks and boots again after a good breakfast, they had set off to the northern city through the Traversion Ring now that the girl had familiarized herself with the place enough to get them there.

The only real plans they had were to sight-see, explore the place as much as they could, and see if anything, anything at all, jogged Lykos' memory. A taste, a scent, something. Lia didn't mind the opportunity to do some shopping as well - it did amuse her how Kalzasern fashion was becoming popular in Solunarium, though she was a bit askance about the severe Zaichaeri fashions also being so eye-catching, but it didn't hurt for her to have a look around and see what was in-style here. The colours, the cuts, the fabrics, the materials... because if she had a mind to open her own little tailoring and design shop, then importing such things, especially with their father's trading partners... It could work. She had her own style, and if she could merge that with the interests of the exotic, it could do well at home.

The three of them, with Lykos looming a full head over Hilana, who had a fair few inches on her elder sister, made for perhaps a funny picture as they headed for the Plaza of Jeweled Arches. Finn had mentioned it the last time, and since Lia wanted to go shopping, and the rest of them didn't have further ideas and plans just yet about delving into Lykos' origins, it was as good a place as any to start. It was bound to be a busy place like the Forum at home, well, something might just turn up.

[Rickter]

Exploring the Market

Ash 25th, 123rd Year, A.o.S.

The last time they had came to the Jewel of Karnor, what Lykos had seen there had created a sense of awe and wonder. Truly. For no matter how much he would've considered Solunarium a home, second at the least, the return to the North had only somehow reinvigorated him with every visit he made.

That did not stop him from sensing the tribulations that permeated the air of the city though. As presentable as Kalzasi was to visitors and tourists, there was an air about it that Lykos had yet to discern. A feeling of something heavy that he hadn't quite determined yet, along with another indescribable omen that would only be an obstacle in their path. Their previous venture here had left him baffled to be sure, and having a taste of life in the North once more may have refreshed him.

But the sights, the sounds, and even the smells failed to do anything for him. He truly felt like a stranger in a strange land, a foreigner so far out of place that it almost wasn't home. Probably why he remained a bit vexed since that first visit to Kalzasi, needless to say, he did not give up hope that they would find something of his past here.

As they walked down the street of the Plaza he could only admire the sights going further down, appreciative of the smells that tickled his nostrils as seared meat and roasted veggies tantalized his nose. There was hardship and a sense of community that rested on the shoulders of every local that passed, and while the trio from the South marched onward, Lykos could only slow down a little to gaze around and take it all in once more.

Truthfully, he was feeling overwhelmed at this point. The sheer immensity of this newfound environment for him almost made him want to leave, surprisingly, to retreat back into the solitude of the citadel where he knew he was safe. But the sisterly pair with him had come this far in bringing him here, and he would not let all their effort be in vain on his behalf. "So what's on the shopping list for this visit, ladies?" He humbly inquired as he slowed his breath, and quelled the trembles that nearly rattled through his hands and fingers.

It did rather amuse him, actually, that the pair required more clothing here to keep warm. That was another issue that the lupine draegir pondered about, and how difficult it had made life here, or if Kalzasi remained as resilient as ever against the long winter. While he himself only needed the simple fur and leather vestments that allowed his arms to breathe, Lykos knew the change of climate would challenge the Vastiana sisters for a while yet.

At least until they acclimated to it a bit.

"Every side attacks you when you don't pick sides."

[Hilana Chenzira]

It was clear that the northern air agreed with their Rathari, and the Vastian women took their time and let him enjoy it. There was no point in rushing, not right now. They had time, be it trips in the evening when Hilana was done with work and she didn't have lessons, or a day off to visit and explore. Permission had been arranged with the Sentinels to get clearance to go, and they would of course check back in upon return. Jaunts abroad, after all, were watched. They would know immediately regardless, though Hilana never understood all of the arcane intricacies that went into maintaining the security of their nation. She trusted them all the same.

"Clothes," Lia answered before Hilana could. "I want to see what people are producing and wearing, to see the patterns and materials and fabric." Hilana just grinned and shrugged in agreement. Lia had spoken, and there wasn't a whole lot that her sister had asked for, so that was the first step of their agenda. They could start with that. And it would probably progress to looking at jewelry and other such things; there was a ball to attend later in the season, and Hilana would not be shocked if Lia chose to twist and tweak their attire until the eleventh hour before they went. She'd seen that happen before with the other Athalia, and had had to stand there while her elder sisters picked and fussed and prodded, silently hating every bit of it and resolving to mess things around later, but that wasn't a stunt that she was going to perform now.

"Are you hungry?" Hilana wanted to know, glancing at Lykos as they moved past some carts of food. She was certainly amenable to getting them some street fare, and she also didn't want the big man to get a growling stomach. Not on her watch. Lia's common was more accented than Hilana's, which was more noticeable in this environment, while Lia adjusted her cloak and checked over a silken hanfu with embroidered icewing phoenixes on it in the window of the shop that they were passing by. This could take a bit...

[Rickter]

Exploring the Market

Ash 25th, 123rd Year, A.o.S.

As Lykos walked with the pair of them almost with a soft smile rested in his lips, his uneasiness with the overwhelming reality of the situation alleviated just a little. It made it easier to hide the underlying apprehension he'd felt indisposed with earlier, but all the more, the lupine draegir couldn't help but enjoy the present moment before him.

The Vastiana sisters who were both important people to him, were both spending time touring his very homeland with him. Were it not so surreal he would've appreciated the irony of the situation a bit more, since he could not even be bothered to provide them such an actual tour. This was his homeland and he was learning more about it just as they were, which probably grounded him all the more when he chuckled lightly to Athalia's quick-witted answer.

Clothes. Inspiration and materials for the return home. Lykos should've guessed now that he'd fulfilled that monumental task as promised, and regardless of her beliefs, she still found freedom in choosing for herself what the Void denied her. "I should've figured." To think he'd refined his scrivening just for the cleansing ritual itself, but even after, he'd still find other clever ways to apply his knowledge with other crafts. Athalia's tailoring somehow suddenly seemed like another avenue he could help her pursue.

Admittedly he didn't think on it before when he'd slowed his pace, but now that the question had been asked, Lykos did feel a bit peckish from smelling the food nearby. And there did seem some rather delectable meals being cooked throughout the vendor stalls, after all his nose never did fail at picking up delicious cuisine. "You know what, yeah actually, I could go for a bite to eat!" The thought of it actually brought out a bit more enthusiasm within his tone, as the idea of eating also venerated a comfort he could use right about now.

"Did we all want to grab a bite? Or should one of us accompany Lia into the shop nearby?" The wolf mused light-heartedly as he diverted his gaze from the younger sister to the older.

"Every side attacks you when you don't pick sides."

[Hilana Chenzira]

"I will be fine," Lia chuckled, waving at them. "Just don't go too far." Not that they'd have to, there were enough carts with food for them to select from, and if anything, Hilana and Lykos could sample different ones at a time while Lia did her shopping. Hilana had yet to find a place that she wanted to look at, but then again, her tastes and desires were different from her sister's. Same family, same love of Elementalism, same care and commitment to their friend and finding his family... but beyond that, the two of them were quite different.

"See you in a bit," Hilana was cheerful. She had her Featherlight satchel ready for whatever purchases of fabric or outfits that Athalia wanted. Or if Lykos found something that interested him, too. He had an allowance considering the efforts he had put into play in Solunarium, and even if he hadn't, the Vastiana would have happily gotten him whatever it was that he needed or wanted. The elder sister headed into the shop, and Hilana eyed the carts. "So, what are we sampling first?" she grinned up at him.

There were plenty of options, and something she was realizing was that seafood was a rather prominent staple in the Kalzasern diet. Shrimp skewers - big ones, too, the skewers over a foot long and packed with the grilled, sauced shrimps that looked pretty plump, all things considered, another vendor had some sort of round battered balls and Hilana was rather certain it was octopus in those, from what she had talked about with Finn. There had been a lot of questioning about Kalzasi food because she had been determined on more than one occasion to make some for him, or at least, do her best to try. She'd made some for Lykos, too, but this was almost certainly bound to be more authentic than what she had made. "Shrimp, octopus, I think that one might be pork or chicken," she indicated a third stall a bit further up the street. They wouldn't go far. Sample food, Lia shopped, move to the next stop, try something else, and keep on looking.

It wasn't like she could jump up on an arch and ask the wind to carry her voice to all and sundry, asking if anyone knew the Lord of Frost... but Hilana wouldn't put that option to rest just yet...

[Rickter]

Exploring the Market

Ash 25th, 123rd Year, A.o.S.

It did little to surprise Lykos that Athalia's interests were better situated elsewhere, given that she did spend her time sewing and tailoring whenever study or duty did not occupy her. She was always a creative spirit when it came to her crafts, and to a degree, Lykos found that aspect about her all the more alluring as he watched her begin to saunter off toward the nearby shops. "We won't be far." He guaranteed after having watched the sister take her leave for now, before his gaze shifted back to eye the plentiful choices available for cuisine.

Northern food. He could smell the cooked seafood and the boiled stews and dumplings, the way the aromas permeated the air with different takes on spices available within them. Kalzasi likely didn't have many super hot foods like Solunarium did, somehow, but regardless of it all the Lupine Draegir had found his nose in heaven right about now. "Well, which ones were you thinking first?"

His inquiry came with a chime of mirth underneath the tone, a sure tell sign that he was highly amused with the woman before him. Hilana was always the connoisseur when it came to food in general, her expertise in dabbling with every flavor imaginable enough to stir excitement in the wolf's posture. Naturally, he kept such impromptu twinges under control but the ghostly wags of his imaginary tail were nearly there.

Beef had always been his natural go-to as a hungry individual, although, Lykos was never against expanding on his own palette of taste in general. Especially when it often came from excellent sources like Hilana herself. "I'm thinking about the shrimp, actually." He mused with a thoughtful look at the kebabs that they were serving, impressed with the length of the wood skewer as well as the size of the pieces pinned on it. "I'll try at least one of those first."

He presented a warm and hearty smile to Hilana after expressing that bit of interest, apt to take it a bit easy before going wild with whatever their next choice of meal they were going to sample. For a wolf who felt well out of his element, Lykos had already grown somewhat comfortable with visiting the city now. Then again, food was always a source of comfort when it needed to be felt, and traditionally, Lykos favored both food and affection based on his past experiences so far.

"So, everyone you reached out to came up with nothing?" The voice of an individual inquired in passing as a pair of humans walked behind Lykos, both of them dressed up in furs and leather to ward off the natural chill of the mountain air.

"Not a damn thing." The brunette accompanying him responded with a bit of annoyance, also with a rather hefty sway in her hips as she and the man approached a stall where pork chops were being grilled. Neither one of them really sparked anything when Lykos had glanced toward them, and for a moment, he considered ignoring the rest of their conversation as to avoid prying into business that wasn't his own. Besides, he had Hilana to keep an eye on... even if she weren't in any immediate danger.

"That's gotta be weird, right? I mean, no pun intended, but how has every trace of him gone cold?" The muscled hunk next to her remarked with a slight dialect to his tone, suggestively indicating that he wasn't naturally from the North like one would expect. Still, Lykos had almost put it completely out of mind until...

"Yeah, well, 'Lord of Frost' or not he's certainly nowhere in Kalzasi anymore." That statement between the pair of them had nearly been missed within the ambiance of sounds on the street. The sizzles of meat and oil, the crackling of wood as it burned to cook meals, the laughter and chatter of locals as they enjoyed their own desires with the cuisines available. Everything nearly drowned what he heard out until his hearing had caught that much, and when it did, Lykos paused with a mindful glance in just their general direction.

He didn't wish to alarm Hilana given the reaction it venerated within him, but to hear a reference to his moniker itself meant that these two... possibly knew something about his original self. It had admittedly sparked a moment of excitement as well as terror, after having come here a few times only to discover nothing during each visit. Needless to say, he kept his own cool and remained smiling at the younger sister, curious to see what exactly she had elected to grab for them before he might distract her from his subtle prying.

"Every side attacks you when you don't pick sides."

[Hilana Chenzira]

"A shrimp skewer for him, please, and I'd like to try that one," Hilana studied the meat on the stick. "This is chicken, I think?" she asked brightly. It looked like it, and it smelled like it. The skewers were a good size, but considering the Avialae who lived here, she was pretty sure they had solid appetites. Those she had cooked for always seemed to, at least, so there was that.

"Yes, chicken, with a hoisin glaze," the vendor nodded. "It is a rather traditional flavour here... a little salty, savoury, and sweet all rolled into one. Not too spicy, miss." He reassured her. Spice was fairly frequent here, as she had learned from Talon and Aoren, but when she came across as someone with a different accent who might not be used to it, well, she could understand why they might have thought she couldn't handle it. It wasn't like there were many Solunarians running around up here in the Northlands, and Vastii could look fairly different from each other based on their skin tone. Hilana also had a much less accented fluency in Common that many of her fellow citizens did not share, so no offence was meant.

And none was taken. Hilana liked spice, and she didn't mind that. But she beamed at him. "I'll try the chicken skewer, please. And these dumplings, can we get a triple order, please? Thank you so much," she passed over the coins and paid. Lykos was given his shrimp skewer, Hilana had the chicken, and she had a large leaf bowl heaped high work pork and prawn dumplings for them to share. "Do we want to sit over there?" There were others coming up towards the vendors, and Hilana figured that they didn't need to stay in their way.

The woman was just slightly taller than she was, and so was the man. With her thick curls bundled up on top of her head, that gave the Vastiana some extra height, though her skirts underneath her cloak were clearly not meant for this kind of weather. But it didn't hardly matter - armed with Negation enchantments as they were, the sisters were perfectly comfortable in this climate since the cold was kept out of their clothes and they were nicely warm. Even if she did have to deal with sleeves.

She wanted them to sample whatever they could, and see what, if anything, prompted a response in his lack of memory. Possibly some sort of taste or texture might help - considering how food-oriented he was, they might yet find a favourite, and they may be able to work backwards from there. But over to the bench they went, and she took note of the pork chops at the next vendor. They could see how those came out and then go and try those next. Lia might be out in a bit, and she could help with the dumplings, but that all depended on what was in the shop. Besides, she knew full well that food tended to make him feel better in this sort of situation, and if it was an option, why not? She liked to eat and sample things, too. It might be something fun to take back home and maybe they could find this hoisin sauce at the market somewhere if she liked it. Otherwise, she could surely learn how to make it through Semblance.

The food gave them a bit of cover, and they were fortunate enough that Kalzasi was seemingly enough of a melting pot that they could get away with looking like they didn't quite belong here. Lykos fit in, but she and Lia normally would not. Her chicken skewer was brought to her lips, and she paused before taking a bite when she heard what they were talking about. Hilana kept her face relatively bland, and she needed Lykos to not react too much to this, lest it get them on their case. Though, admittedly, they were likely about as safe as could be; she had enough friends here that they might be able to wander off or go back home when Lia came out if this went badly.

But this was an opportunity, and sometimes Fate had her own plans.

"What is the Lord of the Frost?" she spoke up, playing up her accent a bit to make it seem as though she might be just wanting a story. Her big brown eyes making her seem younger than she was as she tilted her head. Hopefully, Lykos looked suitably different that it wouldn't be too obvious if they had some way of knowing what exactly he looked like without being able to make the connection. But Finn had had a block, too... but they would just have to see how the bones rolled.