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Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:46 am
by Hilana Chenzira
Hilana didn’t seem taken aback or about to turn her nose up at that revelation, she just nodded. She could understand - maybe it was another income, keeping busy, networking, building her skills… the reasons were endless. “You must be an incredible dancer, Domina. I might dance with water… but never with an audience. But I will be sure to come and check it out, thank you. All work and no play makes for a dull girl.” The young woman beamed. As careful as Hilana was trying to be, the Starborn had been easy to talk to, and the Vastiana loved to talk.
The snake, while substantial, was surprisingly soft for something so composed of thick muscle. But his symphony was one of a relaxed, contented creature, who was perfectly happy being petted and loved on in his owner’s arms and lap. He seemed curious about her, too, though he curled up a bit on Hilana’s arm when the senior priestess’ voice cut through the serenity of the gardens. The Vastiana, who had been about to speak up, kept her mouth shut and lowered her head respectfully as if she was not listening to this and would prefer to give them privacy for this discussion. If anything, she did so, sectioning off some more of the pannelus and guiding them into jars, filling a few more quietly and tucking them away into her Featherlight Satchel. Between her efforts and Domina Astraea’s, she had plenty of the bioluminescent fungi - she would be able to get more than a few batches out, which would allow her to refine the process and improve on the efficacy of her craft. The python had remained where he was while Astraea and Petra spoke. But even as she focused on her work, she could see from the corner of her eyes the way that the younger priestess's back had stiffened. Maybe it was from being spoken to that way. Maybe it was something else.
When the priestess extended the offer to accompany her once the Sunborn went back inside, Hilana, who had managed to make herself properly quiet and subdued so as not to disgrace herself by interjecting, brightened right back up. She bowed her head to her in agreement. “I would be honoured to accompany you,” she affirmed, gathering up the last of her equipment and tucking it away into the slightly glowing Satchel. She opened a squirming cotton bag inside of her rucksack and withdrew yet another python, though this one was considerably smaller than TIaz. “This is Fiya,” she introduced the paler python to the Starborn. Fiya was not as content to sit still like Tiaz was, and she left Hilana's hands to move up to her shoulders, starting to work her way around the girl's bun, while the bottom half of her was resting on her shoulders still. However, even with the snakes, Hilana was able to get her rucksack on her shoulders while Tiaz remained on her skirts, and then got her Featherlight Satchel over a shoulder to rest on a shapely hip. With the straps in place, Tiaz was moved to her shoulders as well, underneath Fiya, and the bigger python was pleased to be back into position.
With that rather process handled, the girl stood up easily, and the air spirits dusted off her skirts for her - the length and fullness of the vividly-dyed garment that hung off of her hips rather shocking now that she was finally up on her feet. Those long legs of hers gave her some height, and the bun and snake on her head added to it, and Hilana's hands went to the straps of her rucksack. She considered offering the use of her Ring of Traversion, but considering the way the Sunborn had spoken to her... Well, perhaps the Deiori would prefer to take the long way. "Do you want me to put the box in my Satchel, Domina?" she offered, patting the flap of the bag. If she agreed, Hilana would put it away for the time, and if she preferred to carry it, then so be it.
But when she was ready, they could start the walk to the lift that would take them from the Umbrium up the Luxium. "Would you prefer to stick to the Umbrium for as much as possible for the way?" Hilana inquired. There were lifts in every district, but if they went from the Sanctine district, they would have to cross the Luxium to get to the Templum Solis Radians over in the Palatine district above. It was in the Vastiana's experience that Umbrian denizens preferred the coolness of the lower city rather than the blazing sunlight of the Luxium above.
Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Sat May 04, 2024 9:35 am
by Astraea
Astraea gave the Vastiana a genuine smile when she had accepted the invitation. “Lovely.” It would make this trip a whole lot more painless. Hopefully, the human woman hadn’t picked up her reluctance to do the task - or if she did, maybe she would chalk it up to Astraea not liking being ordered around. Despite her overthinking, Astraea knew that no one in their right mind would be able to guess the real reason for her behavior.
“Oh it’s fine,” Astraea replied at her offer, toying the box gently in her hands. She wondered once again what it might contain. She would also prefer to keep it in her line of sight. “It’s not the slightest bit heavy.”
“We can go up once we’re close to the Subpalatine District,” the elven girl decided. Despite being born in the brightness of Luxium, Astraea had quickly accustomed to the cool darkness of Umbrium. Here she felt like there were fewer eyes on her. Not to mention, there would be very little chance of accidentally encountering her mother down here. “But, can you give me a few moments? I need to get something.” Without really waiting for Hilana’s answer, Astraea walked into the building with hurried steps.
The starborn would emerge from the temple with a black veil over her head. It was thin enough to show the outline of her face but not enough to show specific features. If one was not looking too closely, her pale hair would mostly pass as blonde under the dark fabric. A priestess of Varvara wearing a veil was not uncommon. Despite the heat that she would have to suffer, it gave her more peace of mind. Looking at Hilana’s colorful skirt and her snakes, they would certainly be quite an interesting pair to the passing citizen.
“Let’s get this over it,” Astraea said with a huff as she began leading their way through the Sanctine District.
Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Fri May 10, 2024 3:31 pm
by Hilana Chenzira
Hilana couldn't know why the Priestess had invited her along, but she was delighted to go all the same. Domina Astraea seemed quite interesting, and while Hilana couldn't imagine they'd discuss personal things on the walk, considering that they were leaving the safety of the gardens surrounding the Temple of Midnight's Mother, she was eager to see where the day went. She loved meeting new people, and she wondered what drew those to service in the Temples, of either Avaerys or Varvara. Was it true believe? Was it devotion? Was it something else?
Religion was power. That much she knew. And Solunarium was strictly ruled by Varvaerynism and the Re'hyaeans... but the ones who controlled the doctrine controlled the populace. That wasn't something that Hilana would spend too much time thinking about, it was simply an incontrovertible truth.
But Hilana answered in the affirmative when the Starborn asked for a few moments, and when she came back with a veil, the Vastiana gave her a sunny smile. That wasn't out of style; she'd seen some wear them before. Especially going topside with the heat of Glade, such as it was. It wasn't as hot as it could be, not yet, but it would be hot compared to what the denizens of the Umbrium were used to, especially some distance away from the Mount as the Temple was located. But it was all relative, after all.
Hilana's hands went to the straps of her rucksack, apparently not needing to hold onto her snakes - the big one had settled himself over her shoulders and bags, and the little one had the tip of her tail anchored under the much larger male while she took her vantage point from the botanist's head to inspect things as they walked. Sociable snakes, considering their Symphonies were quite normal and unaltered. She walked along beside Astraea, letting her lead, the colourful girl's long legs beneath those outlandish skirts of hers eating up the ground just as the Starborn beside her did. For all that she had been so talkative before, if the silence was peaceable, she was content to let it be. Though she did have so many questions. The way she'd reacted to going up into the Luxium had Hilana wondering if she didn't like it, or what the issue was there, but that seemed a rude question to ask. She wasn't about to ask about citizenship; that was another personal and private thing that some certainly took issue with.
Food was safe, but she was also aware that it was one of those topics that might well be looked down upon. "Do you have other Runes beyond Elementalism, Domina?" she figured magic might well be a safe topic, considering it was proper and respected within this Kingdom, and it was considered a divine gift.
Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Fri May 24, 2024 7:19 am
by Astraea
Certainly, this was not how Astræa imagined that her day would go. Visiting her brother’s temple with a Vastiana she had just met this morning. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, just rather unexpected. If she was lucky, she could drop off the item quickly and be on her merry way.
“My first magic is Mesmer, actually,” the priestess shared as she spotted the portal that members of the temple would use to travel to the sun-scorched lands. Astræa gestured at Hilana to follow her. “My parents had urged me to be initiated in the hopes that I would be as talented in it as my brother is. Unfortunately, I wasn’t.” Over the years, the starborn had realized that it was easier to create stories that had a bit of truth in them - without revealing too much, of course.
“Elementalism, on the other hand,” Astræa mused, turning over in her hands. She still remembered the first time she had seen the performers in her father’s home, the firepainters. They created dragons and phoenixes and giants with their flames. Young Astræa had watched the show in awe, her eyes never leaving the fiery “I chose it for myself and it’s solely mine.”
Her mood sombered a bit as the train of thought naturally led her to her parents and Vrædyn. It was good that her face was covered, or Hilana would have noticed the grim tightness on her lips. Unwilling to wallow in the ache of missing her family, Astræa wove through her own symphony, quieting the melancholic melody.
Before the silence stretched too long, Astræa decided to divert the conversation back to her companion. They were standing only a stone’s throw away from the portal by then. The priestess lifted her veil to let the guards see her face. “And how about you, Hilana? Do you have any other tricks besides elementalism and snake-handling?”
Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2024 11:11 pm
by Hilana Chenzira
Hilana was attentive as she listened to the Priestess, nodding along as she explained. It didn't shock her that the Starborn would have the Rune of Command as her first Rune, but it also didn't surprise her that there were familial expectations that were placed on her and summarily not met, as far as her parents were concerned. She had been in that position many times, and she'd never bothered herself with the comparison. Her sisters were her sisters, and she was Hilana. She was never going to measure up to them in her father's eyes; but the important thing to remember was that what other people thought of her was none of her business. She just had to keep doing the best that she could.
But she was nodding as Astraea added that she had chosen Elementalism for herself, and her affection with that Rune showed. So few choices were theirs to make in this world; and choosing one that brought her pleasure was a gift. She had to wonder what the Re'hyaean's life was like before taking her vows to Varvara, or outside of it. But the Vastiana could tell by her tone that offering her words meant as consolation might well come across as her being too familiar and overstepping, or offering unsolicited advice and overstepping. And that was absolutely the last thing she wanted to do. But the nod of commiseration said plenty.
The guards, taking note of Astraea's position, and the fact that Hilana was apparently accompanying the Priestess, waved them through. "Well, Elementalism was my first, Domina," she lifted her right palm, looking at the golden Rune that had been bestowed on her by His Divine Radiance. "A bit recent, but better late than never," she smiled at that, letting her hand go back to her rucksack strap. Tiaz's tongue flickered, and he seemed to be tasting the scent of the veiled woman in the air. But the symphonies of both snakes held no aggression, merely mild curiosity. "I also have Semblance, but I'm middling at best with it. It's a lot slower going for me than Elementalism was, but that might be because I like to take my time with it," the Vastiana was thoughtful.
She had somewhat rushed her Elementalism training, due to what was required of her. But she had been a quick study, and she had taken to it like a duck to water. There was also a lot of learning and understanding with Semblance that took a while longer to learn to see and analyze what she was looking at... processing and sorting that information. She didn't want to overthink it, or overrun the trail... but it was slow, steady progress. And while she liked to play with Alchemy and Scrivening... her skills had a very long way to go. "I'm practicing Alchemy as well to enhance what I make for my jobs.. But I do love my snakes. They're darlings... and I can't really take the cobras out and about with me when I go to work, can I?" she grinned.
Well, that might have been a bridge too far, true...
Up in the sunlight, Hilana's skirts seemed even brighter. The girl definitely stood out with her attire, and if Astraea thought about it, some Vastian dancers might well have worn that style, too. Any which way, it was an intense amount of fabric to be hauling around in the heat, but who knew with the desert rats? Any which way, they were now in the Palatine district, and could proceed towards the Templum Solis Radians.
Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2024 8:48 pm
by Astraea
“It sounds like you’re a natural at it then, considering that you’ve only learned the magic recently,” Astræa pointed out as Hilana spoke of her Elementalism. She listened keenly as the human woman elaborated on her other interests. Astræa, on the other hand, had little interest in learning more magic for now. The two she already had were enough to make her life easier. Besides, the thought of another initiation still made her recoil.
Before she knew it, they emerged in Luxium. The beating heat was always a surprise after a few days without seeing the sun. Even with the veil hiding her face, Astræa squinted as she looked up to the skies and then at the robust city in front of her. The Palatium Furarium, demanding most people’s attention upon entering the Palatine district, held little interest for her. Instead, her eyes settled on Prædium Vlahos.
For a moment, the young woman had entirely forgotten that she was not alone. Her steps slowed out of habit as she gazed at the gardens in which she used to play in. Astræa could even spot the fountain where she liked to dip her legs during particularly hot days. She wondered what would happen if she just walked up to it. The servants and guards could probably recognize her, the ones who had worked for their family for a while at least.
The flash of colorful movements in the corner of her eye reminded her of her Vastian companion. The priestess realized that her behavior probably raised some questions. Fortunately, her expression was mostly hidden under the veil. “Such beautiful places to live, isn’t it?” Astræa said softly, trying to attribute her odd behavior to an appreciation for the scenery.
Prædium Vlahos was fittingly the one that sat closest to the solar temple, so it didn’t take long until they reached its massive entrance. A handful of devoted were heading inside and she could see priests meandering down the halls. She just needed to get one of them, hand over the box and leave. It would be painless and quick. People were already starting to sneak glances at her since her habit was a stark contrast to the white and gold of Aværys’s followers.
Astræa turned to Hilana. “Would you like to come with me inside? If you prefer to wait outside, that’s fine too. It should be quick.”
Re: Revisiting the Gardens [Astraea]
Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2024 10:51 pm
by Hilana Chenzira
She was too kind, really. Hilana was fond of the elements and in love with the natural world, and with that came the spiritual world. She had lived out and about in them for nearly the whole of her life, and it was where she had always felt the most at home. Sure, she loved the kitchens and the ability to do all kinds of magic with a myriad of ingredients. To make bread from the basics and heat... But her first love remained the wilderness of the Atraxian Expanse. That was home.
The Palatine District was not one Hilana visited often beyond going to the Museum Draconum or the Templum on special occasions. She did prefer some of the smaller shrines to Avaerys, with altars where she could leave her offerings. There, at least, she didn't feel quite so out of place amongst the hoi aristoi. She may have had friends in high places, but she also knew better than to depend on them for everything. But she was a fan of the Museum, and she made it a point to visit it at least once a month and study and read again about the different flights and the histories thereof with the crown of Sol'Avaerys.
"Yes, Domina, it would be," Hilana agreed. She wasn't about to dissent with her companion, with whom she was here on invitation with. "It is very different to where I grew up and where I live now, but it is beautiful." She liked to look, but she felt that she would probably be woefully inadequate in such luxurious settings as these. "I will come," she reassured her cheerfully. "I've attended services here a few times." Her family had made the trip once, and then Hilana went to the Equinox services, and occasionally to the larger holiday ceremonies there. There was something about the atmosphere of the place on such solemn occasions...
Well, it would be different to see it now that there wasn't an active service going on. When Astraea was ready, Hilana's easy stride kept the pace with the veiled priestess, making their way to the enormous temple and up the steps. Time to find a Priest, and get the parcel handed over. The overly colourful Vastiana might well be an eye-catcher, but the dark-robed priestess was even more out of place than the boisterous young woman. A younger Sunborn acolyte wearing robes of white with gold approached the two of them. "Sister," he greeted her. "How may I assist you?" Hilana, although she had not been spoken to, and knew better than to open her yap in this case, merely bowed to him, her snakes hanging onto her shoulders and hair.