1st of Searing, Year 122
[Closed, Solo]
“Here we are. Solunarium again…and this time, your home for the duration,” Asher, her escort remarked as they passed through the houses of the sprawl that made up the entrance of the city. The sun had not yet risen, as dawn was perhaps another hour away. Even with the saddles with sun shields, they had gotten the larger portion of their traveling done during the night on the arduous trek from Tertium to the Capital that sat at the base of Mount Sorokyn. It was a well-traveled route that they were familiar with, having taken it enough times over the years for business or for festivals and events. Asher normally made the trip with a larger convoy; but in this instance, there were fewer camels and one Hilana. They were familiar with each other; Asher had been one of the senior hands in charge of the massive cattle herd when Sarala had dropped the four-year-old off with a backpack of supplies and instructions from Leboath, his employer, to put her to use and keep an eye on her. Wild and bursting with energy to spare, that hadn’t been a small task, and within a month, half of the herders and flock guardians were surprised she had lasted as long as she did, and a season later, most of them were still shocked. Especially when no one came to collect the child. But Asher found in the girl a willing learner, particularly with her hands, and once they understood how to harness that energy… things got better. Still, he’d remained in charge of her for a few years until he took a promotion from herd management to making the trips into the vast Expanse. “I’m going to go get these camels to Port Vasta and get them unloaded. They need a break.”
Hilana nodded. “While you’re doing that, I will go find that apartment building in Margaritae Albae that you were telling me about… then I will come and find you in Port Vasta before I go see the herbalist that Aunt recommended,” she offered, her long, black hair bound in thick braids, woven flat against her scalp, and hanging down in front of her shoulders.
“You don’t need me for that. You can find him on your own and talk to him. You know what you’re talking about with it.” Asher laughed. “Go on with you.”
“I know I don’t,” she grinned, “but we can at least eat together before I do.”
“After. Come and find me after,” he told her, indicating a street. “Go that way, and follow the signs. You’ll see where you need to go, Hilana.” He knew her well enough to know that she was stalling. They’d told her enough stories about the place to make sure she was wary, because it was far better for her to be on her guard here rather than relax and slip into complacency and abandon the manners that had been drilled in… and she would need those manners to protect herself here. He knew she wasn’t as nervous as much as she was wary, and that was how they had wanted her. Better to be on her guard and keep her head down and get through it. This wasn’t her first trip to Solunarium, but it was the first time that she was expected to go out and take care of her own business here. Hilana steeled her nerve, and made the turn on the piebald camel, moving her bull out of the line of the convoy and off towards the Antiquine District.
“Let’s go, Hayima’el,” she urged him quietly, her shoulders back, her head up, guiding the tall beast along with the flow of traffic. Wide feet that made easy work of the burning sands of Atraxia served him well even on the sandy streets of Solunarium. In time, by the end of the season, she knew she would know these streets like the lines in her palm. It was just a matter of time and practice. Even if her goal was simply to stay until she had mastered everything she could about herbalism, mixing botany with medicine in order to be as effective as possible out in the sands. She could serve her pack that way. It was a skill they needed, and one that was valuable enough for survival of the nomadic clans that even if her father put his foot down and insisted she join her sisters in marriages to the merchant families that were perfectly happy in the walls of Tertium… more than one of the clans that traveled still would be willing to take the chance with her. The gods had been looking out for her when the news about Ahroan’s dealings with the Commonwealth had come out. She had caught and killed a fine pair of sandcocks in thanks to them when her engagement had been broken. Whatever they had seen fit to plan for her, it wasn’t going to be in Tertium.
Careful guidance and a lot of patience got her and her companions deep into the Old City. As she moved through the neighbourhoods, Hilana was understanding why Asher had told her to go to one particular one. Some of them were rough - not that that bothered her, if only because it meant most of the people who could cause the most amount of trouble for her would not want to be in those areas. But on the downside, having to constantly deal with criminal activity was a stressor she did not need nor want. When one teenager came out of an alleyway and got too close, Hayima’el let out a growl loud enough to stop him in his tracks before he could reach for the decorated lead of the halter. Some of the pack camels had wire baskets over their muzzles to reduce biting, but Hilana left her bull’s mouth unrestrained for that reason. If he bit… someone got closer than they had any right to be.
The buildings here looked cleaner, and the roads, she could tell, were better taken care of. That was a good sign to her, it was an indication that money lived here. And if money lived here, the guards were like as not more active. Winding her way along the streets, she could see vague silhouettes of what she thought was the far more elegant Sorokyne District in the distance in the morning light. Now it was just a matter of navigating to the right street and finding the building Asher had told her to find.
Around a corner, and there she found it - along with a shaded, temporary shelter for Hayima’el. She slid down from her mount’s back, stroking his neck and side once she was on solid land again before securing him to a post. “I’ll be back,” she promised him. She had always talked to her animals like they were people, and the camel pushed his face against her hands. You needed that respect and connection on the sands, because if you didn’t have it... you were just at a disadvantage. Hilana knew it, her friends knew it, those who traveled far and depended on their mounts knew it.
She inquired at the first door, before a servant brought her inside the landlord’s office on the first floor, motioning to a seat across from an expansive desk. The older man, heavyset from a bit too much of a good diet, looked up from his ledger and papers. “Salve,” he greeted her. “How may I help you?” She seemed clean and tidy, and possibly quiet. Aside from the brightness of her skirt under her traveling cloak, she seemed respectable enough as she approached the desk and bowed her head respectfully, her onyx braids contrasting with the lighter fabric.
“Salve, sir. Thank you for seeing me. My name is Matsi Chenzira Hilana,” she began once she straightened, and took the seat when he motioned for her to sit, smoothing her cloak and shifting rucksack to her lap. She could feel Tiaz’s weighty length within as the python coiled. Play the part. Calm and quiet. She was calm, he was calm. But he was also fed, warm, and lazy. “I am looking to rent an apartment while I continue my training in the practice of herbalism.”
Chenzira. Those who were more familiar with the businesses in Port Vasta might well recognize the name, and he looked her over. “From Tertium?” He sat back in his chair. They had money, and were of a decent Caste: Equestris, as he was. Like knew like, after all.
“Yes, sir,” Hilana nodded. “That is where my family is, but I have been apprenticed under Leandris Xandros Vasilei here in Port Vasta. He was trained by one of my father’s aunts… she has arranged for me to continue my apprenticeship under him now.” Gainfully employed, at least, Busy and quiet, and actively earning in addition to family money. He understood the hustle; it was hard enough to get children born into generational wealth moving. Apparently this one had no such qualms.
[Part II]
[Closed, Solo]
“Here we are. Solunarium again…and this time, your home for the duration,” Asher, her escort remarked as they passed through the houses of the sprawl that made up the entrance of the city. The sun had not yet risen, as dawn was perhaps another hour away. Even with the saddles with sun shields, they had gotten the larger portion of their traveling done during the night on the arduous trek from Tertium to the Capital that sat at the base of Mount Sorokyn. It was a well-traveled route that they were familiar with, having taken it enough times over the years for business or for festivals and events. Asher normally made the trip with a larger convoy; but in this instance, there were fewer camels and one Hilana. They were familiar with each other; Asher had been one of the senior hands in charge of the massive cattle herd when Sarala had dropped the four-year-old off with a backpack of supplies and instructions from Leboath, his employer, to put her to use and keep an eye on her. Wild and bursting with energy to spare, that hadn’t been a small task, and within a month, half of the herders and flock guardians were surprised she had lasted as long as she did, and a season later, most of them were still shocked. Especially when no one came to collect the child. But Asher found in the girl a willing learner, particularly with her hands, and once they understood how to harness that energy… things got better. Still, he’d remained in charge of her for a few years until he took a promotion from herd management to making the trips into the vast Expanse. “I’m going to go get these camels to Port Vasta and get them unloaded. They need a break.”
Hilana nodded. “While you’re doing that, I will go find that apartment building in Margaritae Albae that you were telling me about… then I will come and find you in Port Vasta before I go see the herbalist that Aunt recommended,” she offered, her long, black hair bound in thick braids, woven flat against her scalp, and hanging down in front of her shoulders.
“You don’t need me for that. You can find him on your own and talk to him. You know what you’re talking about with it.” Asher laughed. “Go on with you.”
“I know I don’t,” she grinned, “but we can at least eat together before I do.”
“After. Come and find me after,” he told her, indicating a street. “Go that way, and follow the signs. You’ll see where you need to go, Hilana.” He knew her well enough to know that she was stalling. They’d told her enough stories about the place to make sure she was wary, because it was far better for her to be on her guard here rather than relax and slip into complacency and abandon the manners that had been drilled in… and she would need those manners to protect herself here. He knew she wasn’t as nervous as much as she was wary, and that was how they had wanted her. Better to be on her guard and keep her head down and get through it. This wasn’t her first trip to Solunarium, but it was the first time that she was expected to go out and take care of her own business here. Hilana steeled her nerve, and made the turn on the piebald camel, moving her bull out of the line of the convoy and off towards the Antiquine District.
“Let’s go, Hayima’el,” she urged him quietly, her shoulders back, her head up, guiding the tall beast along with the flow of traffic. Wide feet that made easy work of the burning sands of Atraxia served him well even on the sandy streets of Solunarium. In time, by the end of the season, she knew she would know these streets like the lines in her palm. It was just a matter of time and practice. Even if her goal was simply to stay until she had mastered everything she could about herbalism, mixing botany with medicine in order to be as effective as possible out in the sands. She could serve her pack that way. It was a skill they needed, and one that was valuable enough for survival of the nomadic clans that even if her father put his foot down and insisted she join her sisters in marriages to the merchant families that were perfectly happy in the walls of Tertium… more than one of the clans that traveled still would be willing to take the chance with her. The gods had been looking out for her when the news about Ahroan’s dealings with the Commonwealth had come out. She had caught and killed a fine pair of sandcocks in thanks to them when her engagement had been broken. Whatever they had seen fit to plan for her, it wasn’t going to be in Tertium.
Careful guidance and a lot of patience got her and her companions deep into the Old City. As she moved through the neighbourhoods, Hilana was understanding why Asher had told her to go to one particular one. Some of them were rough - not that that bothered her, if only because it meant most of the people who could cause the most amount of trouble for her would not want to be in those areas. But on the downside, having to constantly deal with criminal activity was a stressor she did not need nor want. When one teenager came out of an alleyway and got too close, Hayima’el let out a growl loud enough to stop him in his tracks before he could reach for the decorated lead of the halter. Some of the pack camels had wire baskets over their muzzles to reduce biting, but Hilana left her bull’s mouth unrestrained for that reason. If he bit… someone got closer than they had any right to be.
The buildings here looked cleaner, and the roads, she could tell, were better taken care of. That was a good sign to her, it was an indication that money lived here. And if money lived here, the guards were like as not more active. Winding her way along the streets, she could see vague silhouettes of what she thought was the far more elegant Sorokyne District in the distance in the morning light. Now it was just a matter of navigating to the right street and finding the building Asher had told her to find.
Around a corner, and there she found it - along with a shaded, temporary shelter for Hayima’el. She slid down from her mount’s back, stroking his neck and side once she was on solid land again before securing him to a post. “I’ll be back,” she promised him. She had always talked to her animals like they were people, and the camel pushed his face against her hands. You needed that respect and connection on the sands, because if you didn’t have it... you were just at a disadvantage. Hilana knew it, her friends knew it, those who traveled far and depended on their mounts knew it.
She inquired at the first door, before a servant brought her inside the landlord’s office on the first floor, motioning to a seat across from an expansive desk. The older man, heavyset from a bit too much of a good diet, looked up from his ledger and papers. “Salve,” he greeted her. “How may I help you?” She seemed clean and tidy, and possibly quiet. Aside from the brightness of her skirt under her traveling cloak, she seemed respectable enough as she approached the desk and bowed her head respectfully, her onyx braids contrasting with the lighter fabric.
“Salve, sir. Thank you for seeing me. My name is Matsi Chenzira Hilana,” she began once she straightened, and took the seat when he motioned for her to sit, smoothing her cloak and shifting rucksack to her lap. She could feel Tiaz’s weighty length within as the python coiled. Play the part. Calm and quiet. She was calm, he was calm. But he was also fed, warm, and lazy. “I am looking to rent an apartment while I continue my training in the practice of herbalism.”
Chenzira. Those who were more familiar with the businesses in Port Vasta might well recognize the name, and he looked her over. “From Tertium?” He sat back in his chair. They had money, and were of a decent Caste: Equestris, as he was. Like knew like, after all.
“Yes, sir,” Hilana nodded. “That is where my family is, but I have been apprenticed under Leandris Xandros Vasilei here in Port Vasta. He was trained by one of my father’s aunts… she has arranged for me to continue my apprenticeship under him now.” Gainfully employed, at least, Busy and quiet, and actively earning in addition to family money. He understood the hustle; it was hard enough to get children born into generational wealth moving. Apparently this one had no such qualms.
[Part II]
