Are You Up For A Journey? [Auer, Private]

[Badb]

TS: 15th Kalendryas, Season of Winter, Era I of the Celestine Mandate, Era XV Post Fractum.


Posted on the door of the of the Delicate Frond Herb Shoppe was a notice that read as follows:

HELP WANTED A messenger is needed to deliver a small parcel to Jaedaxia. Please inquire within.

The door would open easily, though opening it produced the sounds one might expect to hear from a delicate wind chime. The air inside was vivid, heady, and filled with uncountable numbers of heady aromas. The dominant scent seemed to be some odd, intoxicating mixture of cherry and vanilla, among other unidentifiable things, with a tangy, spicy overture. Rows and rows of plants, in trays, pots, and baskets filled the Herb Shoppe. They ranged from spine-covered cacti to bushy plants of a multitude of sizes. From the ceiling, aromatic bunches of herbs hung, tied in loosely-woven cloth and with string.

Neat rows of dried plants, loose, some tied in silk, some in bottles and jars rested by and under a clear glass counter top and display cabinet. A young woman stood behind the counter. She was clearly Kemite, but something seemed to have happened to her hair to turn it from the customary black to a rich reddish orange. It was thick and bushy, tied back and bound with what appeared to be a somewhat short, black leather tube laced together with a leather string. and exposed a tattoo of a fox. It covered one side of her face and continued down her neck.

Her clothing wasn't particularly traditional for a Kemite, either. She wore a black tunic, with a pattern of fire embroidered upon it in reds, oranges, and yellows. It had rather tight sleeves, although there seemed to be some flare at the wrists. These were folded back over to her elbows while she worked. She wore matching pants in black seemed more like skirts than what the garment actually was.

She was working carefully with a mortar and pestle atop a sturdy wooden plank to one side of the glass counter top, although she looked up upon the sounding of the chimes.

Sharp brown eyes took in the newcomer. "Serale, welcome. How may I help you today?"

[Auer]

Auer and her dog took a casual stroll down the Zinn’Sunn Street. Her violet eyes gazed upon the different shops in an absent-minded manner before she passed them by. The female Elf and her dog merely enjoyed the walk for the sake of the exercise it gave them both. Auer’s lifestyle consisted of constant flight and when she spent time in a city she often found it hard to stop this constant flow of movement. After only a short period of time the female would often start to feel restricted. On this particular walk the feelings of restriction gripped at her heart causing a heavy-hearted sigh to issue forth. Every city reminded Auer that somewhere amongst the population of citizen’s, the cult were coming closer to her; it was then only a matter of time before they would walk the city’s streets jut the same as the city of music's and sight her.

Recently it was upon these walks that Auer thought upon her need to leave the Kermit city behind and move onto the next. Auer tried to decide upon which direction she would go but on this matter, her mind simply could not decide. Truthfully it mattered not, she had travelled through so many cities that one soon blurred into the next. She had once held the hope to find a place she could settle down in but as the terror continued to stalk her through the flight of time, Auer had shut off the whispers of her heart that cried out for the unattainable. She now settled for the brief times she spent within a city before she was forced to move on. Zinn'Sunn's time was drawing near.

Auer’s violet eyes left the current shop to scan the surrounding area. Her gaze roamed past the Zinn’Sunn citizens as they tended to their daily tasks; she checked in every shadow the area held before paying close attention to the concealed entrances and paths. Upon observing nothing to be concerned by, Auer’s gaze returned to the next set of shops absent-mindedly whilst the rhythm of her steps continued on. Auer probed the void of darkness within her; it was both a curse in its own right but also that of a blessing. It meant the same chaos and menace as her captors now resided within Auer and yet it also meant she had a connection with her torturers. She could feel out how close they often were giving Auer just enough time to flee. She frowned slightly as she concentrated. A few long moment passed by in the counting of her steps before she gave a sigh; a few day she determined, no more than that. The sooner she pressed on the better. In truth, she should have already left.

Her eyes turned back to the shops as she fastened her pace. It was at this moment that Auer came upon a sign posted on a shop's door. She paused as her violet eyes flittered across the parchment, each word became absorbed before the next was processed. If Auer was one to believe in higher powers she would have believed this job was a sure sign, but alas, she placed no such belief in gods or deities. After all, how could she when they had ignored her endless prayes offered through nine era’s off emotional and physical torment? She thought it was but sheer luck alone and it was this that Auer now placed her faith in. Auer commanded her dog to sit before she opened the shop door and slipped her sensual figure through.

Inside the store, Auer’s soft footsteps were faintly heard after the chime had announced her presence in its sweet timbre. The whisper of her black silken dress was heard as Auer walked further into the building. Her violet irises gazed about at all the different objects longing to be brought. Auer’s eyes then fell upon a Kermite woman who voiced customary words of greeting whilst her eyes watched Auer slowly make her way to the counter. Auer was pleasantly surprised upon seeing the Kermite female appeared differently to the usual petite and demure ways of the Kermite women whom Auer saw walking the Zinn’Sunn streets. She could only hope this female took delight in difference and give her the job. But perhaps of more importance, a set destination would then be given to Auer that the fallen Angel could reach in a speed of flight.

Auer smiled pleasantly at the female as she arrived at the counter. In a silken tone she finally replied to the female’s words. “Serale my name is Auer. I saw the notice on your door about the Jaedexia delivery. If it is not already taken I will like to offer you my services.” Auer ended her sentence with a graceful smile. The Elf then waited in silence for a response as she crossed her fingers behind her back in one final ask for luck.

[Badb]

The young woman seemed to be sizing Auer up. Finally she offered a slight bow from behind the counter, wrists crossing briefly in front of her, though her eyes never left Auer. Hmm. She might do. She might just do. This woman, this Auer, as she called herself... she stood out from what you'd expect to find in Zinn'Sunn, and Kohana needed someone to carry the parcel.

"You are, are you?" She seemed to like what she saw, at least, as she tilted her head slightly, still studying Auer. Her hands went back to work, though, feeling the crushed leaves to judge their consistency before lifting a small, empty glass jar. She carefully dumped the leaves into it, tapping it down on the wooden plank to settle it, and began to crush yet more of the dried herbs and white flowers. She was well-used to what she was doing, after all - this hardly merited a glance, unlike a customer. It would be rude to stop paying attention, but also because some people, Kohana knew, knew what they needed in a shop like this, and that was for her to take her eyes off of them so they could filch something.

"I am called Kohana. I have a package that needs to go to Jaedaxia fairly imminently. The contents are hardly of value to anyone but the recipient. It is not a large package, either," she gestured with her hands, still holding the pestle in one of them to indicate a box not bigger than a hand's length and width.

"Why, though, would you be willing to make this trip in this weather? Jaedaxia's a good 850 miles or so from here... which is why the job's still open. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself, Auer? I like to know who I'm doing business with."

[Auer]

Auer listened attentively as the Kermite female spoke. Her eyes of violet moved from the female's eyes down to her hands as she crushed the plant up and then Auer's gaze returned back to the female's face. Her crown of long thick lashes fell before rising again, each time revealing her unusual eyes that seemed privy to many dark secrets untold. It was seen in the hollowness that reflected there. At times it seemed as one gazed into her eyes, the mixed Elf's pupils seemed to dilate unexpectedly revealing in the action dark elements of the female that seemed to swirl in their bleakness. But upon the next fall and rise of Auer's lashes only the brilliance of her violet remained.

Yes, Auer was a distinct soul. She was the type one could tell had been through many struggles in her time and yet a certain characteristic could be noted almost instantly about her... She was someone that would hold to her word; be it the vow of death and bloodshed, or merely her word that the package could be trusted in her hands and delivered as promised...that is, if Kohana decided to trust the service of such a unusual person. Many were unsettled by what was conveyed in the violet of her eyes, let alone when those eyes turned to look directly at the person.

Auer blinked upon hearing the female's necessary questions that needed to be asked. Auer flicked her tongue over her parched lips as she contemplated what type of answer to give Kohana. Auer was not ashamed of her life and she cared not what another thought of her. She had, after all, spent eras upon eras dealing with the constant foul thoughts and judgements the cult had so generously spat her way. Auer was also a rather truthful creature, most of the time blatantly so. After a few moments had passed Auer nodded her head at Kohana and replied in her silken timbre. "There are worst things one must face out there than just the mere weather. I am used to travelling. You could say I'm searching for some-" Auer paused and then smoothly continued until one could easily see past her near slip of the tongue. "-something. I find home in every place I go to because home for me is not in a building - home is in freedom; home is in a cooked meal over a crudely constructed fire; home is in the open air and the starry sky..."

Auer gave the female a charismatic smile and then she continued on to softly answer the most hardest question that was asked of her. The female would most likely never know just how hard it was for Auer to answer such personal questions. Personal means getting to know a little more about the person; knowledge was power and that was power that could be used against her. Auer frowned slightly but forced herself to speak. "What is it that you would like to know Kohana? I can give you the sugar coated version or I can serve it to you raw and straight. What would be more agreeable to you? The most important thing to know about me is that I am a survivor. I trust no one. I know when it is best to fight and when it is wiser to take flight. I feel it is time to take flight now, but to where? I did not know. You have given me that answer and in exchange I now answer your job. It seems then I am your best and only chance..."

Auer arched her brow at the female and gave her a small smile before she tilted her head slightly to the side exposing the milky white of her neck. She then voiced a few questions of her own. "Is there anything else you would like to know of me? Perhaps something in particular that interests you? Is there some type of test you will put me through to determine my worth? Perhaps you will mix me a herbal concoction and see if these words I now say are the actual truth?" Auer placed her hands on the curves of her hips and waited whilst amusement shone through her eyes and playfulness showed in the blood coloured smile.

[Badb]

Kohana was different herself, and that was part of what made Auer an attractive courier. This woman reminded her of her aunt. All business. Her eyes flicked, only for a mere instant, to something behind Auer before they were resting on her again. The mixed elf might not have noticed, but that depending on just how closely she was watching the proprietess of the Delicate Frond. Behind Auer was a large, potted tree, a a few feet taller than Auer herself. Its bark and limbs were ivory in color, contrasting sharply with the black leaves, which were tightly screwed up into points.

She listened to what Auer had to say about herself. She noted the hesitation, listening just as closely to what she didn't say to what she actually said. Her tone, inflections, and body language told a story, too. A story that could be just as important, if not more so, than what the woman across the counter said aloud.

"You've told me what I wanted to know," the redhead smiled slightly. It was hardly a smile, really; it was far more of a grin. "But yes... perhaps, perhaps..." the sharp brown eyes left Auer, then, and she opened a cabinet on the wall behind her, pulling out a vial of colorless fluid. She turned her attention to Auer once again, studying her like she had earlier, thoughtfully. "Indeed you are. The only person who is willing to travel to Jaedaxia, so far. But since I am dealing with time constraints... it's a bit difficult to find good help."

She shook the vial gently, one thumb over the cork holding it. At the shaking, bubbles began to rise from top to bottom. They were vibrant, each one a different color, from yellow to red to blue and all varieties in between. The potion looked almost magical. Kohana uncorked it, then, and offered it to Auer. "But how much do you trust me to accept one such concoction?"

[Auer]

Auer's violet eyes stared at the vial. Her blood red lips stayed firmly pressed together as a frown showed upon her pale forehead. Long moments flew on the wings of time before Auer replied. Her violet eyes looked up at Kohana and within those orbs one could glimpse a brief view of the Elf's bleakness, horror and tragedy that had befallen her. Emotions of caution, uncertainty and the smallest taint of fear, swirled in her violet irises. Auer blinked and with that action acceptance, determination and the endurance the female had so skilfully developed through eras of torture, shone forth.

Auer gave a firm nod of her head as her gaze returned to the vile. She attentively watched as Kohana uncorked the vial and held it out to her. "But how much do you trust me to accept one such concoction?" Upon hearing those words Auer's eyes returned back to the female as she answered in a silken tone; the sound of what could only be described as the slip of sanity, left its distinct taint on her words. "What reason would you have to posion me? If that is your intent you shall not gain the satisfaction of hearing my pleas for this life to be spared. Death and I have become....close... through the times I have visited him outside those black gates. I now patiently await the day I am allowed entrance inside."

Auer gave the Kermite female a smile that held the essence of winters chill. "So I accept the concoction of yours not out of trust...that must be earned...but because I want this job and the destination it offers... and because I hold no care for my safety. You may have all of my locked secrets but I warn you for your own safety, tread carefully... There is a side to me but has an awful bite and a poisonous sting. I will not apologise for what you may become privy to. I carry regret but never embarrassment, caution yes, but no longer fear..." And indeed fear could no longer be sighted in her eyes of violet, only a brazen airiness and steely determination remained in the lure of her eyes, visible to view.

[Badb]

She met Auer’s gaze steadily and easily, her sharp dark eyes taking her in as the moment of silence stretched out, and seemed to last an eternity. She could see the emotions working in her eyes, defining each, defining her. But Kohana had dark times of her own, a darkness that was hinted in the depths of her own eyes. But the other emotions, sadness, loneliness, heartache… those were long gone. She had learned to control them a long time ago. Even hinting at them was reason enough to give someone a chance to do something about her, she’d found growing up, and in her family, one did not just give those chances away.

When Auer took the vial, Kohana raised her eyebrows briefly, as if in challenge. Her lips quirked in a grin as she heard the elf out, but other than that she seemed rather taciturn, and let the words wash over her, and out again. Such fighting words, those, and she was hardly spoiling for a fight. Still, though, the Kemite was faintly pleased at this one. Well deserved suspicion.

The vial’s contents smelled interesting, to say the least, and up close the scent was discernable from the aromas mixing around her in the herb shoppe. As the bubbles broke the surface, the liquid fizzled and bubbled even more at the top. Drinking it produced a feeling of warmth, from the tips of her ears to her toes. It was ultimately a rather pleasant sensation as tendrils crept through her system. It felt good. Relaxing… really relaxing. Her senses were heightened, if only for a few moments. The mixture of smells in the shoppe, from the rich dirt to the beautiful flowers went to the next level and were almost overpowering. Bright colors grabbed at Auer’s eyes and attempted to distract her from the vibrant redhead standing across the counter from her. Pretty flowers…

But Kohana grinned broadly after a moment. By the time she spoke, Auer’s senses had stopped trying to overwhelm her mind and had become manageable again. “Indeed,” she agreed. “I need a messenger, don’t I? Poisoning you would serve no purpose. No, no. But tell me truly… If I entrust my parcel to your hands, will you deliver it?” When Auer answered, she would find she would only be able to speak the truth, and nothing but the truth.

[Auer]

Auer's milky white hand clasped around the vial yet her eyes remained fixed upon Kohana's. Upon seeing the female’s challenge Auer’s eyes of violet seemed to become ablaze with confidence as a smirk showed upon her blood coloured lips. Finally her eyes averted as she lifted the vial closer to her nose and took a tentative sniff. It did not smell bad, in fact she could not really detect a distinct smell to it at all and yet Auer still pulled the vial away and wrinkled her nose distastefully. In the next moment Auer brought the vial to her blood red lips and with her violet eyes trained upon Kohana's Auer swallowed the vial's contents down in small delicate sips.

Auer smiled as she moved the vial away from her lips and handed it back to Kohana. Her smile was spontaneous and true; revealing her unfamiliar carefree existence she had not experienced since the brightening before Xeno and his tarnished name entered into her life, slaughtered her heart, crushed her spirit and corrupted her being. The relaxed state Auer now euphorically experienced was a foreign feeling. At the back of her mind the curse desperately tried to keep its firm grip on her but it could only desperately grasp and clutch onto fragments. It now knew that the biggest threat was no longer Auer herself but this unwholesome void Auer had entered due to the concoction that now swarmed and washed through her body.

It was dangerous. The corruptive nature within urgently whispered to not dare trust; do not let anything slip off her tongue. It warned her to stay on guard but everything had so quickly spun out of the curse and Auer’s control. The mixed Elf embraced her newfound freedom and as a result Auer’s locked doors had fully swung open admitting entrance and inviting trouble.

Auer ran her milky white fingers through her black hair and a reply issued forth wrapped in the silken attire of her timbre, “Perhaps if the contents of the package was poison...or if it consisted of weapons, I would then contemplate whether to deliver or whether to claim...once you have killed and been tarnished by unspeakable horrors it is hard to grasp at morals and values especially when there had been no evidence to the contrary that good exists...or that it ever did exist.”

Auer paused. The curve of her smile greatened before she continued to speak. “But if I give you my word that I will deliver it then you can take belief and comfort in that.” She gave a firm nod of her head and then embraced silence as though she was a subservient slave again, awaiting another question or to be given a command.

[Badb]

Kohana’s dark eyes never left Auer’s lighter ones while she downed the contents of the vial. She accepted the vial, recorking it and let it seemingly disappear from her fingertips. Auer’s heightened sense of vision allowed her to follow the faster-than-humanly-possible movements that revealed the sleight-of-hand trick. The propriestess certainly didn’t seem to be your normal, average Kemite.

She seemed to enjoy the change in Auer’s nature, however temporary it may…or may not… have been. Instead, she went back to grinding the dried herbs she’d been working on when Auer came in, watching her with her sharp brown eyes and sensitive ears. “So it is. So it is,” she seemed agreeable enough to philosophy. It never had been a strong urge within her, to philosophize, unlike her youngest sister. Kohana, on the other hand, was rather focused.

“The parcel which I would enlist you to carry contains neither poison nor weapons. As I said, it is something that is rather useless unless you understand how to use it, or what it is for. It is not widely known, either. Neither is it in a form that would be easily recognized by anyone who was not an expert in herbalism and the more arcane arts of potioncraft,” Kohana told her conversationally, feeling into the crushed herbs she was working on.

Kohana's eyes went again to the weird tree behind Auer again, a mere flick of one eye that would have been missed before the potion, or when it would wear off. The leaves were still tightly closed. She smiled back at Auer, then. She was satisfied – that little mixture never led her wrong. “And do you give me that word?”

[Auer]

The smile continued on Auer's face as the violet of her irises danced around her dilated pupils. They seemed to whisper of so many secrets; so much morbid knowledge gained at the expense of her heart that once laughed and her soul which once soared. This particular smile penetrated through her attire of darkness; it temporarily shone upon her face, bringing forth warmth to her milky white face of delicacy and breaking her season of winter with the pure rays like that of the suns.

Her lips that once curved in a smile of cool politeness and once passed words of frost now articulated the raw essence of truth naked and stripped of severity."Do I give you my word, why yes my word is all that I can give, is it not? Will you accept the worth of my word and the promise it holds? I have no use for herbals. Whilst the package is in my care it shall be left unopened, its privacy and your trust will not be breached."

Auer gave a firm nod of her head reinforcing her silken words. Her violet eyes continued their dance as her gaze moved from Kohana's hands, set to the task of crushing the dried herbs, back to meeting her eyes. Auer moistened her parched lips and spoke again in a tone of playfulness. "Is that all? Or am I to jump through hoops for you as well?" Auer arched her brow at the Kermite woman whilst the smile remained, for the moment, a permanent feature of her polished face.

[Badb]

Kohana seemed satisfied. Between the potion, the weird tree behind the would-be messenger, and the frankness of the woman’s manner even before she ingested the potion, her point was proven. She did need this parcel delivered, after all...

“No, I think that’ll do it,” Kohana said with some amusement at the very idea of Auer jumping through hoops. She could. Oh, she could. As humorous as she may have found the idea, it was unnecessary. “As cute as the idea of such a pretty woman like yourself doing it is, watching an enslaved Omnikatta do it is much more fun,” Kohana admitted. One of her aunt’s business associates had one, and watching her break the katta in had been quite fun.

“When do you plan to leave?” Kohana wanted to know, then.

[Auer]

Auer smiled in satisfaction upon hearing that the questioning was over; she never fully opened up and exposed herself or her past to anyone, she dared not, not even to her own self. Knowing that the concoction could potentially reveal everything scared her more than she would ever admit. But it was over...she had survived, she was intact.

Upon hearing Kohana's next words Auer's flawless face became creased and ruined by her frown. Her blood read lips parted. Words of disapproval and words of contempt hovered on the edge of her tongue ready to take flight into the air. She did not know who these Omnikatta were but that mattered not, no one deserved to be enslaved. To Auer Kohana was just as bad as the slave master for watching such an event.

Auer thought of enslaving Kohana herself, watch her jump through hoops and see how fun she found it to be. Auer's lips pressed together before her lips curved in a smile at the very thought and the accompanied image that came to mind. Auer remembered she was about to voice her scorn of her potential employer but Kohana had already spoken. Auer found that she had to put everything into concentrating on the Kermite's words.

With effort the words came, 'When do you plan to leave?' Auer's violet eyes widened at the connotation the words held. Why, it seemed as though Auer had the job....

And with the connotation all of Auer's criticism became forgotten.

Auer spoke almost in disbelief. "So does this mean that I have the job, truly?"

Auer did not wait for a reply. "I can leave upon the suns first appearance tomorrow. You best give me the delivery address then...and tell me, pleease how long until this awful concoction wears off?"

[Badb]

Kohana really didn't care about what Auer may or may not have thought about an enslaved Omnikatta. It was nothing personal. Just business. Not that any of that mattered to the katta. One did not enter into, and back out of, business deals with her adopted mother and leave debts owing. It had been a tenet Kohana had cut her eyeteeth on.

Of course, if one was stupid enough to try it, then they got what was coming to them.

"The next brightening... very well. That suits my purposes. So come around here tomorrow, and I'll have the package ready to travel. The location it needs to go to is the Le Jardin d'Hiver, in Jaedaxia's Merchant Row. As for how long..." she paused, considering. "About a cycle," Kohana deadpanned. "It's powerful stuff," at the look on Auer's face at this revelation, the redhead laughed. "I kid. About a candlemark."

[Auer]

Auer nodded her head and then gave a small smile. "Upon suns' rise tomorrow I will be here." With nothing further to add Auer exited the store and made for her accommodation to pack up the last of her belongings. Auer walked the streets finding herself in a better mood. She smiled at strangers, an act that was entirely against her new nature and frame of mind. The candlemark until the concoction wore off could not have come soon enough. Auer found, however, that a few smiles and the risk of opening Pandora's Box had paid off; A weight felt as though it had been lifted from her shoulders.

Yes...she knew deep in her soul that the time had come for her to make her leave.

Upon the early candlemarks of the next brightening Auer arrived at the shop. Auer wrapped her cloak about her tighter and gazed about; there were not many people up this early. It was for this reason that the half Elf preferred to make her leave at this particular time. Auer knocked at the door and tried to peer inside for any sign of movement. Zareh whined and pulled at the lead Auer held in her hand just as eager to be off. Ever since their destination has been set Auer had found herself restless; Auer knew she was pushing it close. She was walking a fine line between mere danger and that of death, danger had been no stranger to her, neither had death but upon finding her freedom Auer realised there were a few things she wanted to do before Death accepted her on a more permanent basis. One had to do all they could to survive and so Auer continued to survive on. Thus, here the half Elf was doing what was needed to be done for a few crowns in order to survive a little longer.

Auer shouldered her travel pack and knocked again at the door.

[Badb]

Kohana watched Auer go, continuing to crush leaves as she did, smiling a little at the side of her mouth. This would suit her just fine.

When she got there the following brightening, though, Kohana was inside sitting on the counter, relaxing with a cup of tea. It was early. She'd been up late. She was entitled. Beside her was a box of the same dimensions she had mentioned to Auer the other day. It had been wrapped and stitched in sturdy oilcloth, and it was ready for transport. She waved Auer in at the knock. "Good brightening. No second thoughts? Ready to go?" she smiled a bit in the corner of her mouth. "Want some tea?"