The Silver Lady [Torin]

[Kala Leukos]

Cintamani Pavilion
43 Searing 121

It had been three days since Kala Leukos had received a note from Master Torin. Young Timon brought it that evening and Kaus gave him an impromptu lesson with the longsword while she penned a quick reply. She had plans to meditate at the Temple on the morrow, quite a few business engagements and errands the following day, and though Timon said Torin would be working on the day following, she invited him to sup with them on the 43rd, giving him plenty of time to finish his work, wash up, and come to the Pavilion for a later meal without rushing. She even invited Timon at his discretion, as they liked the boy and she wondered if he might follow Torin to his own forge when the time came. Relationships were important and needed to be built just like a building, one piece at a time.

The events at the Temple had thrown her. Throwing herself into her work the next day had exhausted her. But today she had been easy about things, taking care of business, but also allowing herself time to recuperate from the divine revelation that had been laid upon her. It was a blessing to be sure, but blessings and curses were only delineated by one's perspective sometimes. They each carried a weight that challenged mere mortals.

A table for three—or possibly four—was set in the courtyard where they had entertained him previously. While the servants busied themselves with the finishing touches, Kala sat on a stone bench, eyes on the starry sky bowl above. The air was redolent with fruit on tree and vine, spiced with the flowering shrubs. The gardens were beautiful, but also utilitarian. If the city came under siege, the gardens could augment their food stores for a time.

Neither a knowledgeable astronomer nor astrologer, she thought perhaps she ought to change that as an Ara had bid her look to the skies. Surely, it was a metaphor—unless it wasn't. The great door had seemed subterranean to her, though she couldn't be certain of anything, really. All the same, she could tell by the light in the sky that the appointed hour approached, and through their bond, she could sense Kaus moving closer to join her. The servants would bring Torin directly to them, of course.

She had but to wait. Patience, it seemed, would become her virtue will she or nil she.

[Torin Kilvin]

Timon returned to the forge, note tucked into his coat pocket, hand pressed over it, just to be sure, with the air of a prince returning victorious. Torin had managed not to laugh and his grin was taken for approval and joy at the safe delivery of Lady Kala's reply. He read it aloud, feeling it was only fair to reward the lad with a share in the information he'd retrieved. At the mention of Timon himself in the invitation, a look of such puppyish longing covered his face that Torin had to clear his throat to stop a second laugh. Before the younger apprentice could begin begging Torin put on a seriously considering face and said,

"I suppose you'd better wash your best clothes and not piss off the master for the next three days, hmm?" The boy leaped into the air and whooped, turning toward his rooms to pick himself out the outfit he would wear before he'd gotten his feet properly back under him. Torin did laugh then, deep in his belly, but it was doubtful the cause of it had enough cognitive power to spare on understanding why.

On the day of their appointment Torin waited by the gate until Timon, looking a tad silly in his very badly overly starched clothes (he'd starched breeches, shirt, and coat, leading Torin to wonder if even his small clothes had been spared the treatment) joined him for the walk to the Manor House. They'd made plans to meet more than an hour before they were supposed to arrive so there was plenty of time for the walk. Even so, Torin had to keep pulling Timon back, reminding him that if he ran the whole way, not only would they arrive far too early, but he'd also sweat through his clothes and ruin all his hard work.

When they arrived it was the opposite, Torin practically having to pull the boy along as he kept stopping to gape at everything inside the, admittedly grand and colorful home of the Luekos family. Torin understood the response, It was a marvel to him still, but he'd been taught at a young age, intentionally and otherwise, that staring was rude and brought unwanted attention. When they were brought to the courtyard it was to a similar setup as it had been on his first visit and he made his way over to the twins with less hesitation, a smile of genuine friendship on his face. Timon practically galloped over to the table, skidding to a halt a few feet away, his face suddenly becoming a mask of put on solemnity as he performed an elaborate, and surprisingly well-executed courtly bow.

"My Lady," He said trying for a deep tone, "My Lord, my thankth for your kindthome invitathion to thup with you thith evening."

Torin pressed his lips together as he stepped up beside Timon and made his own, much simpler bow,

"I too thank you, My Lord, My lady." His eyes were sparkling, knowing the kindly pair would know he was trying not to embarrass the boy.

[Kala Leukos]

When Kaus reached her side, they didn't speak. They didn't need to. He offered her a hand up out of courtesy; she often did the same for him. Now that he was here, they walked over toward the table and the pool of light its paper lanterns made. Toro lanterns spread throughout the gardens made more pools, and some of the trees had fanciful fairy lights within them. Only the table was fully lit, though, the rest mostly to add texture to the vespertine darkness that deepened with every passing moment. They didn't want to diminish the glory of the stars and the moon.

Their arrival was fortuitous, aligning with that of their guests. There was no need to put on a social mask to hide her deep feelings; the sight of them made Kala smile. Feeling her mood lighten, Kaus smiled too. They bowed as one.

"Master Timon," she said with the respect she would give a master craftsman. "Master Torin." The latter would be his own master before the former, but hierarchies didn't greatly interest Kala. Here they were guests and would be accorded every dignity.

"Welcome to Cintamani Pavilion," Kaus added.

"I suppose it might be premature to call you master, but when you dress the part, 'tis difficult not to," she noted, directing it entirely at Timon. And she wasn't being insincere. He did look fine, and whether it was starch or pride, he was standing up straight and taking space for himself with a dignity most boys his age didn't own. The twins were garbed in their mountain style of layered robes. Even in the Searing months, the nights here grew cool, and while Kaus would have happily sparred with Timon, it was clear he had gone to such trouble with his appearance that the slender Avialae couldn't bear to send him home with grass stains and dirty smudges.

"Would you gentlemen care for a little refreshment and a stroll or are we hungry for supper after a long day at the forge?"

[Torin Kilvin]

The gentle, and surprisingly sincere way the twins spoke to Timon amazed Torin. He had never been treated that was as a child, nor seen any other, nor seen nobility treat anyone that way. He hadn't ever seen nobles interacting with their peers at all, so perhaps that was it, but still, it was so unexpected as to confuse him even as he was grateful.

The painful sincerity of childhood was not so far from him that he did not remember how it felt to be brushed aside or ignored in the moments he felt he had something important to share. Placing his hand on the beaming boy's shoulder he looked down at him for confirmation when he said,

"I could do with a bit more walking, it really isn't far at all to your home."

Timon nodded, trying not to seem too eager with middling success,

"Yeth, pleathe, will you sthow me around Thinnamin Pavilion?" He looked up at Kaus as he asked, seeming to have formed more of a bond with the masculine twin even as he remained in awe of the feminine.

As the boy skipped ahead Torin moved to walk beside Kala.

"I hope you are well, my Lady, uhm, Kala." He was still uncomfortable using her given name in the initial moments of their meetings. His hand came to rest on the satchel that was on his hip as was becoming his custom. Tonight the soft leather held something more precious than it usually did, and now that he was so close to the one who might test his work he couldn't help but be more aware of it.

"I have brought you a gift, but perhaps that should wait until after dinner?" As evening fell little pools of light spilled out from the inner windows of the courtyard through latticework covers, creating pools of fire-and-shadow lace on the ground at set intervals. "It is made for you, with the aether you gifted me, so, you see, it's really yours already."

[Kala Leukos]

As the family business fell to Kala's shoulders, Kaus was only too happy to entertain the youngling so she could converse with the artisan she hoped to patronize in the long-term.

"You may use honorifics if it puts you more at ease, Torin," she said. "I offered a more familiar tone to our working relationship with that in mind, so I hope you will feel free to tell me what makes you comfortable now and going forward." She smiled, knowing only too well how maddening the intricacies of etiquette could be. But that warned her away from taking his arm for their informal promenade around the dimly, artfully lit gardens.

"Such a speedy turnaround," she remarked. "You must have been inspired. That pleases me as much as any gift. I leave it to you to decide when and how to present it, whether you would like Kaus and Timon's attention as well. And, not to distract from that, but to answer your question honestly... I find myself in a quandary. I don't know whether you are the sort of man who keeps an idol of Fyraea for luck with your work or a more devout person." She paused. "Even though I haven't wings of my own, I am Avialae. We have a certain relationship with some Gods." She paused again, then glanced over and up to read his reaction. "I have been given a quest."

That said, she gave him some time to process whether he wanted to call her Lady even in private, whether he wanted to give her his gift now or later, and whether he would think her mad, blessed, or cursed. Perhaps she ought to have put off this meeting for another few days; it had been difficult to focus on her work, on anything really, since her second visitation from Saedene, this time heralding the Masked Queen Herself. The Ara had been a numinous enough experience, the Lady of Midnight Mourning offering succor to the twins while paying respects to their father's spirit. That she had given them a gift and then returned—well, it was almost a pattern.

But she had long ago learned to trust her informed judgment and her native intuition; both said that Torin Kilvin was a good, honest, and trustworthy man, and so she confided the tip of that iceberg. It was a yoke she would carry regardless of how he reacted, but perhaps he might have the perspective she lacked.

[Torin Kilvin]

"I don't need it, I'm just not used to being on first name terms with..." He hesitated, embarrassed and not sure what it might imply about him but eventually, he finished the sentence, "Women."

His worry over how she might take the notion was plain, and he went on in some haste. "I've never been close enough to call a woman by her given name, or, I suppose, felt like it would be polite of me to do so. There were girls in my village growing up, of course, but none were friendly with me. My first teacher, his wife helped care for me when I was small but it felt like she deserved the honorific." His eyes followed her keenly, wondering if she would think that a man who had never befriended a woman was either uncouth in ways that hadn't revealed themselves yet or else a lecher who frightened them away.

He blushed but only a little when the topic changed to his gift,

"You are inspiring, truly, but it's not much, not enough to take time in the forge like grand armor, wands or amulets and such. It's just something that came into my head while you were sparing with Kaus and I thought you might fancy." The sudden realization that a simulacrum, however vague, of the Lady, that possessed a physical asset that she seemed to crave might actually upset rather than delight her and his hand came unconsciously over the place where the little silver lady rested in his satchel.

The worry fled to the back parts of his brain, forgotten for the moment when they moved on again, this time to matters of serious import.

"I respect the gods." His voice was careful but still honest, "I've not felt any special calling to a specific one but I try and do what's right by them." It made all the sense in the world to Torin that gods would be speaking with a woman as obviously noble, by both blood and personhood, as Kala. A solemnity came into the young man and he stopped walking and turned to face his hostess.

"I don't know what sort of quest you've been set on, but I hope you succeed. More than that, if you've need of my aid, in my craft or otherwise, and I can give it, I'd like to try." He wasn't pledging himself to her cause, not declaring himself her man, for he had already made what vows of fealty were in him to give. Helping her felt right though, as forging the gift had felt right, so he reached into his bag and pulled it out, wrapped in a piece of clean linen for he had no better package, and tied with a bit of string.

"I know Starfall has much grander gifts, I'm sure you've nicer ones in your room even, but I felt like I should make this, and, who knows, maybe the gods put it in me to make it."

Once opened the package would reveal a finely crafted silver statuette that resembled Kala herself, if she had been somehow washed as a stone was in the river until her features were impression only. The tiny lady looked as though she was thinking of leaping, gave the impression of dancing almost. The apprentice let her examine it before explaining in a quiet voice. He wasn't whispering but it felt like he shouldn't be boisterous.

"It's keyed to you. You have to be touching it, but if you are, and you speak its name, 'Ealain', you'll be able to see through its eyes and control it if you concentrate. You can break the connection any time you wish by just pulling away. It might take some getting used to and I couldn't test it so... I'm only hoping it works."

He said nothing of the main ability of the item, not wanting to disappoint should it not work or upset if it did.

[Kala Leukos]

She laughed, but not at his expense.

"I suppose I should be happy at your discomfort because most men, especially those of your stature, see me as a child yet." Her smile persisted after the laughter had faded. "But I do not take pleasure in your discomfort, so I hope with time, you will feel easier around me. You may call me Lady if you wish. In public, certainly. But in private, you may dispense with some formality. You will see when you come to Starfall, we see leadership as a role of service and if we learn to dress fine and speak eloquently, 'tis in service of our people when treating with others of the ruling class. Starfall is almost a tribe more than a city. More like family. So perhaps when you can contract with us, you will feel as though I am more like family."

He gave good answers that reinforced her belief that he could be trusted. But when he chose to offer his gift, she put her thoughts aside to revisit later. Treating it with care, she untied the string and unveiled the statuette, holding it with the linen so as not to smudge the sheen of the silver with her hands. She smiled with quiet delight and looked up at him.

"She's lovely."

She was also quite magical from the look of her. She could sense the power of the lodestones in her almost without her rune, though she engaged it to more fully appreciate what he had crafted for her.

"Let's try hear out, shall we?" It was almost conspiratorial.

She touched her fingertips to the silver lady's feet and said the command word, "Ealain."

The burst of magical activity coupled with her doubled vision was startling, but she ought to have expected that. She closed her eyes and pointed Ealain at Torin so she could see his face. It wasn't quite like seeing with her own eyes, but it was seeing and that was marvelous.

"It would seem that she does work. Congratulations."

[Torin Kilvin]

"Pull back from her eyes, look."

The simple instruction was tinged with hopeful wonder as he pointed, despite the fact that she could not currently see him, at the silver statuette. A set of silvery wings made of elemental Air and magic has sprouted from her tiny back. Once Kala had opened her eyes and stood back, let the diminutive woman open her hand so his gift could hover just over her palm.

"You can control her flight when you concentrate on her. The range isn't much, only perhaps two hundred yards, but I wouldn't test it while she is high in the air. If you desire to find out the exact range by feel I suggest you try over shallow water or something quite soft."

The image of the entire courtyard being filled with cushions briefly flashed into his head, causing an amused little smile to shyly appear.

"I know it isn't much, not anywhere near what you want," He took care to acknowledge her need and how woefully short his tiny gift fell from it, "but it might be nice to be able to make your own observations. I thought of it when you showed me the privacy runesmithing here in the courtyard. If they can fly up and peer down at you, it seems only fair that you can do the same." There were myriad other uses that a clever political agent might find for the trinket, but Torin was not a clever political agent, nor anything like, and his mind thought only of a balm to the pain he felt from Kala when she looked at those of her race who had been granted what she had been denied.

"I hope she pleases you, and may be of use sometimes." He imagined trips to the lake where stunning views could be obtained, of Kaus being able to show his sister things normally he could not. He said nothing more, unless she asked questions, while she learned the use of her gift, only smiled, content and pleased with the fruition of his labor. When she came back to earth, so to speak, and they continued their walk he spoke of practical things.

He, or rather Aurin, but she knew not of him, had located what seemed a good place to set up his shop. It wasn't inside the Arches, but not too far off. An abandoned shop and house with a smithy out back, left to go back to nature for a long time. Why the previous owner had left it he had no found out, and he had not yet seen it himself, but the description, and certainly the price, fit what he needed. He'd hoped only for a tiny building that he might use to sell things while he slept in the back room until he could afford better, but Aurin, as always, wanted better for Torin than the lad knew to want for himself and had sought it diligently.

Torin explained about the shop to his hostess, laying out in his careful way the things he needed and how he intended to afford them, ending with,

"I will have to build up my runeforging items slowly. Finding a Scrivener to make my runeforge will take the rest of my savings. I won't be able to do much real magical work until I can get all the other, smaller Scrivening pieces I need made. I am hoping to find some second hand but it's not a common profession and those who have what they need are unlikely to give it up."

[Kala Leukos]

When Kala opened her eyes, she realized that the figurine was hovering over her hand. Laughing with quiet delight, she directed it to flit hither and thither, though she was careful not to try anything too agile until she had more time to practice. Even runeforged things could be broken if they slammed into a wall with enough force.

"Perhaps I will have to borrow young Timon some afternoon and have him chase her for me and make certain she doesn't hit the ground when her flight gives out." She brought Ealain back into reach and held her like a bouquet of flowers in her arm. She touched his powerful forearm. "Thank you, Torin. This is quite a thoughtful gift. I feel as though you know me rather well for such a short acquaintance."

As they walked, she listened attentively to what he said, smiling and glancing at her brother and Timon from time to time when one of them let out a jubilant yell, but her serious mien always returned. When he paused and it stretched for a time, she replied.

"I would be happy to see this place as soon as is convenient, but I would also understand if you want to have everything more set up before showing your would-be patron. I can also offer my eyes to look over any contracts you might sign for the place. I'm certain you have other eyes you trust, but no contract has ever had too many reads." She knew this from experience. "As for your forge and your tools," she continued more slowly, "while I am not a master scrivener, I do have some skill. If you give me a list of what you need, I can do some research for appropriate schema. Even if my works aren't of the highest quality, they might do until my skill improves and I can improve your tools.

"And before you think of demurring," she said, putting her hand on his arm again, "I would not offer if I did not have the time and the desire to help. It would be a learning experience for me, and I would feel like a more active partner in your business. I want you to trust that our patronage is not pretty, empty words. We can also help defray the costs of any tools we cannot help you with, as well.

"I could even get started on the simpler projects quite soon." She put her hand back upon Ealain to support her. "Build up to the more complex things you will need."

[Torin Kilvin]

Kala's delight was Torin's as he watched it. His hopes that the gift would be well received were elated and his fears that the trinket would cause his soon-to-be patron only to remember what she long for and was denied died out like embers in a fire left untended.

"You are welcome, Kala. Making it was... a joy."

When she spoke of Timon he glanced over at where the lad was alternately frisking about in excitement at the tale Kaus was spinning for him and recalling his dignity, posing and strutting.

"I have asked to purchase Timon's apprenticeship from the runesmith we are, or were, both bound to. He seems amiable to the idea." There was something wry in the words as he spoke the last sentence. It was true enough that the man was willing to part with his young charge, more than. Timon was too open with his emotions and too easily distracted by his own clever mind to get along with the stoic, stern master his aunt and uncle had paid to teach him a trade.

The young runesmith was unsure how to respond to Kala's offer and then gentle chastisement, knowing he would object to being offered assistance. She was right, he could use the help, and more, if they were to go into business together, particularly as Patron and Craftsman, he would need to learn how to accept her help without feeling as though he were taking advantage. When she commented on her skill he said,

"Perhaps, in the making of the tools, physically and magically, we can grow better together." A homey sort of help, working together, felt better, more real and less dangerous than accepting help with no price from someone higher than himself. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kala, but she wasn't the only power in her house that might claim ownership of him in some way, nor even the head of it. Aurin was teaching him caution even as he taught him how to be open.
"I could start working on what tools you already have the skill to enchant if you get me a list of them." It was expected that he would spend a good deal of his free time in his last season as an apprentice creating the tools he would need to set himself up in his own business.

"I do not have the forge yet, I haven't even seen it. A friend is seeking out the owner and making inquiries as to what it might be worth. He, my friend, is looking for other places as well, in case it doesn't work out. As soon as I have settled on a place and made it at least marginally presentable I would appreciate you coming by and assessing it. If the location is bad in some way I don't understand it could ruin my prospects."