1 Frost 120
In her autumnal wanderings, Kala Leukos had marked on the map in her mind where the Skyforge stood. She didn't know when it might be important to know, but it was another bit of knowledge she filed away for later use. Kaus had suggested they get each other new weapons forged by the Shinsei — who was, if not yet a master of his craft, certainly quite skilled — as gifts for surviving their upcoming Warren March. She did like that idea. Already she imagined requesting certain alterations from the curve of the daggers she carried now from a more elegant curve to etchings that made them look like feathers, and she would have plenty of input for Kaus' armor. He was built for agility, not brute strength. His armor should play to his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. If she wasn't an armorer herself, she certainly had opinions. She had seen him learn to fly, after all.
But today was for a different purpose. Her winter wanderings weren't much different, except she had to be surer of her footing in the morning when the ice might have accumulated, barely noticeable, upon the ground. She wore a heavier cloak, the shoulders embellished with Kaus' old feathers. Someone had accosted her the first time she wore it in Kalzasi, just recently, to ask if they were Avialae feathers, and then to express disgust. It didn't bother Kala overmuch, whose personal style was singular back home and so even more strange here in the capital where certain things were de mode or even de rigueur, while others were weird. Anyway, the woman made it sound as if she were eating her own toenail clippings when it was really no stranger than saving one's hair to make a hair rat or save a braid to add structure and ornamentation to a more intricate hairstyle.
The city folks were strange but didn't let it bother her. Instead, she let herself into the shop and quietly looked around at all the things on display until such time as someone came out to greet her. If nobody heard the door, she could still be patient. In any case, she enjoyed looking over everything, wondering how much of it was crafted by the Shinsei's own hands and how much was the work of apprentices or fellow smiths in his employ.
She knew that those responsibilities for House Leukos that were being slowly handed to her were enough to deal with as she studied at the Academy and prepared for her Warren March. As she became accustomed to balancing her responsibilities, they would add more. Talon Novalys was her elder and much higher in station; surely his responsibilities to House and State were even greater than hers. She didn't know how he managed without delegating, but perhaps this was an outlet for him, a sort of work that brought joy from the doing. She felt that way when she was dancing. Sometimes she had an audience, but for the most part, she was doing it for herself, expressing something ineffable with movement, embodying it.
And anyway, if he wasn't here, she was sure there would be someone who could help her with her special commission.
