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Calling Down the Moon [M]

Started by Rhindeer, September 09, 2014, 10:34:10 AM

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Rhindeer

Misae made a soft sound in the back of her throat, something between a mortified choke and a laugh. Oh, he had no idea. Though, her master had other reasons for keeping her aside from her novel appearance and pleasures of the flesh; he could get that from any slave, and he had plenty of those. Well, maybe he couldn't get a slave that looked like her, but the point was, he was never wanting for women. It was her astromancy he truly wanted her for, and the high bounty was for that--and the fact that she'd robbed him, adding insult to injury.

"You could say that," she said, and followed after him, reassured by his reaction to the news.

At the door, she paused, and waited for him to lead the way inside. "You'll do the talking, won't you?" she asked, just to be sure, and then added, "I really appreciate what you're doing, by the way, and...I just want you to know, I can foot the bill, if needed. I have money! I just, I'm worried they might have been alerted, and I know I'm dressed strange, so--if they ask, just tell them I'm scarred, and ashamed of it."
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DaGlobster

Ky nodded. "I understand. I owe you an explanation, as I mentioned something earlier I should not have." He made to open the door, and stopped, almost as if remembering something. "I will handle things. Help with the payment would be appreciated." He added, and opened the door, going in first so Misae could follow behind him.

The small tavern on the first floor went silent for a few moments as the newcomers stepped inside. Funnily enough, both Ky and Misae were bundled from head to toe in robes and rags, so although they both stood out, none stood out in particular. If anything, it was Ky who stood out the most, with his prodigious height.

In the light, Misae would be able to see that his skin was pale as well, from what could be seen by looking at his eye area.

He walked over to the innkeep, and laid his visible hands on the counter. "How much for a room for the night?" He said, and awaited the innkeeper's response.

Rhindeer

The innkeeper gave them both strange looks--but it was a brief consideration before he went back to looking bored and tired, like he'd much rather be sleeping. And from the bags under his eyes, he needed it. With a yawn, he told Ky the price, then rested his chin on his hand as he waited for one of them to produce payment.

Stepping closer to her helper, Misae gave Ky's clothes a light tug to get his attention, and to stop him from paying if he was planning on it, then set several coins on the counter, making sure to keep her head bowed and her hand covered by her sleeve as she did so. It was enough to cover the room.

Might as well put the money that crazy man had given her to good use!

The innkeeper took the coin and counted it out, then nodded upstairs. "First room on the left," he said, sliding a key across the counter to Ky and giving them both a knowing look.
Adamaris // Aderyn // Aki // Alexander // Angel // Axieva // Beatrid // Briar // Cadmus // Corryn // Einin/Owl // Emery // Fang // Faolán // Faris // Frost // Hayate // Ife // Jayari // Jirou // Juniper // Katxiel // Khaiya // Kota // Kyran // Liam // Makani // Max // Maya // Mei // Nakato // Naovi // Nasrin // Niaaki // Niamh // Noor // Pepper // Qiana // Qismat // Quinn // Raxta // Riyarin // Rook // Sachi // Sahar // Siobhan // Simonea // Sita // Song // Summer // Valor // Yasmin // Yiroa

DaGlobster

Ky took the key, and nodded his gratitude before placing one hand on Misae's shoulder and moving towards the stairs. Might as well keep up the facade as long as possible.

Once they reached the room, Ky let out a sigh of relief. He was half-expecting assassins, or mercenaries, but it seemed the coast was clear for now. He stepped inside first, eyeing the room for anything peculiar, before deciding it was safe by his judgement and closing the door behind them, placing the key around his neck.

Even if they were planning on both using the bed, the smallness of it offered only the most intimate sleeping conditions, and Ky distastefully regarded such a design option. Apart from that, it had all the characteristic amenities of a shabby, mid-city inn. Ky supposed he could tolerate it, for the time being.

He gestured towards the bed, and occupied an extra chair that was in the room. He slowly unwrapped his head, his eyes gauging Misae's reaction to his appearance.

Rhindeer

Once inside the room, Misae could finally breathe again. She, too, had been expecting a disaster--but that had gone without a hitch. And now, finally out of danger, she just felt tired. It had been a while since she'd had a proper night's sleep.

Heading for the bed at her rescuer's gesture, she started to undo her many layers. "I hope you don't mind, but I've been wearing this all day, and I'm going to take full advantage of not having to wear it," she said. "Just as a warning, so you're not caught off guard, I was born...white. I've been told it can be jarring."

Because when she said white, she didn't mean a peachy skin tone, which was less common in Essyrn, but not strange. As she removed her head covering and veil, she revealed stark white skin, though it was a bit pink from sunburn. Her braided hair tumbled free, also stark white, but just as curly as many Essyrni's, and her physical features, despite her coloration, also looked very Essyrni. She shed the rest of her clothes, down to the loose, sheer robe she had escaped her master's home in, and took a seat on the bed with a relieved sigh, already feeling much cooler.

And that was when she also looked up at her new "friend" and saw...

That he was unusually pale, too, and that there was something...

Odd about the shape of his head, which seemed...

Bald?

He was a little blurry at this distance, but Misae found herself staring without realizing it, trying to puzzle it out.
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DaGlobster

"White?" Ky asked, before going quiet as she took some layers off. She was indeed white, almost...

...Almost Kathractian white. Ky himself was a bony white color, and her appearance actually visually stunned him. "It's...it's not jarring at all...actually..." He said shakily, before shaking himself out of it. By Kath's white deserts, he could almost see his mate in her face...

Let go, Au'Nvratyis. You will never see your people again. He told himself, before steeling himself properly.

He focused on her eyes. Was...was there something wrong with them? He had looked into the eyes of many a man and woman, but never seen any like Misae's. He scooted his chair a bit closer, before resuming taking off some layers, removing everything except what covered his lower body. She'd be able to see his physique, now, and not to mention the fact that he had four arms.

Rhindeer

Misae was so distracted staring at him and wishing her eyes worked better, that she hardly noticed the way the man's words faltered. And when he moved closer and stared back at her, it was a bit unnerving, but nothing she wasn't used to. People stared. They had stared at her all her life, some finding her novel and exotic, others calling her ugly and weird. She'd heard it all, and though she'd learned to hide the hurt in her face, she'd never learned to stop caring.

But she held still and let him look at her, while she squinted and took him in, surprised. He was...really, really pale. Unnaturally so. Was he...did he have her same affliction, or...?

And then she saw his arms.

And that there was an extra pair of them.

With a startled gasp, Misae jerked backwards and gripped at the bedsheets, her eyes going wide when she realized, no, she wasn't seeing things, his head was shaped weird, his skin was bone-white, and his arms--he had four! She should have realized when he talked about his home and humans and such, and she did, but she'd been so worried about other things that she hadn't really processed it.

Realizing how she'd reacted, and how rude that was, she brought a hand to her mouth as though to take her gasp back. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't...I didn't mean...I've just never seen..."
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DaGlobster

Ky sat there as she reacted in such a strong fashion. It wasn't new, but unlike Misae, a lot less people got to see how he looked in this sort of manner. He waved a hand, as if to dismiss the matter. "Do not fret, child. I have become accustomed to it." He said, a hint of bemusement in his voice. 

Presumably, she wouldn't be able to make out that he was more than impeccably built.

"I must apologize as well, for you left me without speech." He added, and gave a solemn bow of his head. He placed two of his hands onto his chest, and extended the other two arms in what was a gesture of proper greeting, and held the offered hands open. If Misae figured out what it was, she might just figure out that she had to place her hands within his.

"I was born Au'Nvratyis Ky'For'Ua, but your species has taken a liking to calling me Ky, for simplicity's sake. May I learn your birth name?"

Rhindeer

Thank the goddess he wasn't offended! Misae relaxed at that, and watched him perform his greeting. Though unfamiliar to it, the formality of his gesture and speech made it easy to figure out what it was. She glanced down at his open hands and, after a pause, placed hers in them. Maybe she was completely wrong about this and she wasn't supposed to do anything, but the Essyrni greeting involved clasped hands, so that's usually what that meant!

"Ky," she repeated, thankful for the shortened version, because there was no way she'd ever be able to wrap her tongue around his full name! At least, not without slaughtering it and embarrassing herself. "I'm Misae."

And then, after a pause, she added, "Misae, of the Hjarai." It felt good to make that claim, for her master had tried hard to make her Essyrni, make her forget where she came from.
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DaGlobster

"Misae of the Hjarai..." Ky repeated, and smiled one of his rare smiles. "I am Kathractian, from the world of Kath. I came from the stars to escape the slaughter of my people, but was stranded here. I am their last king, the last Ky..." He said, taking on a sullen tone. "But my emotions are meaningless now. It is not my place to show them. You must get some rest." He said, finally breaking his hands away from hers and standing up.

He pushed the chair to the side, and sat down on the floor, cross-legged.

Rhindeer

"The stars?" Misae repeated, her eyes widening. He...came from the stars? And was a king? Even as Ky dismissed the subject and told her to get some rest, Misae continued to sit there, trying to absorb what he was telling her--and make it make sense with her own understanding of the world.

She rubbed her head, feeling a little overwhelmed, and slowly turned and pulled her legs up onto the bed, shifting and adjusting to prop herself up against the rather flat pillow. The bed was hard, and creaked with every movement.

"To my people, the stars are small gods," she said at length, and cast him a curious glance.
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DaGlobster

Ky sat in silence, until Misas spoke to him again, sharing that bit of information. "On Kath, my people believed that although the stars themselves bore no life, it is through them all life may exist. Our world was borne from the fiery creation of our star, and our star gave us warmth, like a mother. We called it Kath'Ia. Mother of Kath..." He said. "Our beliefs are not so different, Misae of the Hjarai." He added. To supplement the cross-legged position he was in. He placed the lower set of arms on his legs, and clasped the upper pair's hands together.

He was preparing to meditate throughout the night.

"Tell me of your people, Misae of the Hjarai. My curiosity has been sparked."

Rhindeer

"Please, just call me Misae!" Misae said with a laugh, not realizing he'd take that whole thing so literally! "Anyway, about my people? Ah. That's a rather broad topic."

She paused for a moment in thought, then continued, "I guess the big thing is we, the Hrajai, we're travelers. We didn't settle like the Essyrni did. We could never be happy staying in one place, when the entire desert is our home and always has been, for generation after generation. We live off of our animals and the land, and map the desert by the stars. And..."

And I miss it.

She trailed off with a laugh to hide the pang of sadness, and shook her head. "It's difficult to know what to tell! I can tell you that the sun is also our mother, and the moon is her little sister, and the many stars are her children. I guess that's not too different from your story."

With a little shrug, she tilted her head curiously. "I suppose I should ask, what do you want to know? Feel free to ask whatever you like, because I plan on doing the same to you." She paused, looked over at him. "If that's okay?"

Because she was eager to learn more about this...other world thing. A person that came from the stars? Her first thought had been that maybe he was a god--but now, after his explanation, she felt a little silly for that.
Adamaris // Aderyn // Aki // Alexander // Angel // Axieva // Beatrid // Briar // Cadmus // Corryn // Einin/Owl // Emery // Fang // Faolán // Faris // Frost // Hayate // Ife // Jayari // Jirou // Juniper // Katxiel // Khaiya // Kota // Kyran // Liam // Makani // Max // Maya // Mei // Nakato // Naovi // Nasrin // Niaaki // Niamh // Noor // Pepper // Qiana // Qismat // Quinn // Raxta // Riyarin // Rook // Sachi // Sahar // Siobhan // Simonea // Sita // Song // Summer // Valor // Yasmin // Yiroa

DaGlobster

Ky lowered his head, contemplating the questions he could ask. Their cultures definitely had some similarities, and he momentarily contemplated what this could mean. The chances of such a connection going past coincidence were quite literally astronomical, yet he held onto some semblance  of hope. He knew it was silly, but he could do nothing else.

His Ky'Dr'Ik, the device that transported him, was not the first of its kind, after all.

So, with all that hope he held in his twin hearts, he decided to carry on with his questions. "It is only fair that I answer your questions as well. There is so much I would like to know, Misae...how do your people fare now? Do they thrive out there, in their desert?"

Rhindeer

Misae couldn't hide her wince.

"My tribe no longer fares at all," she said, deciding to put it delicately. She pushed on with a smile, deciding to hurry past the unpleasant subject, "But there are other Hjarai tribes, and as far as I'm aware, they're still thriving. We've been doing it for centuries, after all! It's been years since I've seen another Hjarai, but we tended to keep to ourselves so the likelihood that I will is slim."

Then she gestured at him. "And your people?"
Adamaris // Aderyn // Aki // Alexander // Angel // Axieva // Beatrid // Briar // Cadmus // Corryn // Einin/Owl // Emery // Fang // Faolán // Faris // Frost // Hayate // Ife // Jayari // Jirou // Juniper // Katxiel // Khaiya // Kota // Kyran // Liam // Makani // Max // Maya // Mei // Nakato // Naovi // Nasrin // Niaaki // Niamh // Noor // Pepper // Qiana // Qismat // Quinn // Raxta // Riyarin // Rook // Sachi // Sahar // Siobhan // Simonea // Sita // Song // Summer // Valor // Yasmin // Yiroa

DaGlobster

Ky visibly sagged, this being one of the few times he ever broke his meditative position. His eyes searched the floor, searching for something he knew wasn't there.

"It's...it's stunning when I think of it, even to this day. An entire civilization...slaughtered. A moon and it's sister planet...cleansed completely of any life, and a star...destroyed...all in a few short years..." He trailed off. Although his face showed no emotion, his voice carried with it the deepest kind of sorrow.

"...I am all that's left."

Rhindeer

Misae couldn't really grasp all that. Imagining the loss of an entire world was too big for her, when her own experience of the world was so small. But she did know something of loss, and losing one's people--and she knew that there was no real appropriate response to something like that. Condolences were weak in the face of that kind of crippling devastation.

But saying nothing was also awkward, so after a long pause, she quietly said, "I'm sorry."
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DaGlobster

Ky remained silent for much longer than she did, caught in a state where he wished he could emulate the humans with their ability to release emotion through glands in their eyes.

"I'm sorry"

"You don't need to be, Misae. I'm the one that failed them, their greatest king. You have nothing to apologize for..." He said, before turning his head towards her. "I had a queen. Chi'Ia Ky'Wen. You...you have her eyes." He added, his voice trailing off into a near-mutter. "That was why your appearance stunned me. You remind me of her effortless beauty..."

Rhindeer

Misae winced at that. Yet another thing they had in common, just reverse the genders. Judging by his use of past tense, and the fact that she wasn't with him, she knew better than to ask if his queen had managed to escape.

"I lost my husband, too," she said, and offered up a weak smile. "I understand."
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DaGlobster

Once again, Ky fell into a deep silence. He made as if to stand up, placing a hand against the wall to  push himself up, but he stopped, slowly sliding back down. Instead, he took a deep breath, releasing it through the two short nostrils he had above his mouth. He returned his arms to their meditative positions, and closed his eyes.

"Enough sorrow. You must rest now." He said, going almost completely still save for the light movement of his chest when he breathed.

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