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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 7, 2011 20:34:15 GMT -5
I settled down on a bench in the city center and sighed deeply. There was a dull pain in the back of my head that I could tie directly to my employer and it was due to him that I was here for a break and not still on the work site overseeing things.
Opening my bag, I took out one of the chocolates I’d bought on the way over. I let it melt on my tongue, enjoying the flavors as I tried to relax.
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 9, 2011 20:36:02 GMT -5
After a few days in this busy city I was finally starting to adjust to the noisy, messy ways of the people, though I still wasn't fond of it. Nevertheless I had to make my way, so I'd washed my skirt and blouse I'd gotten from the Tsingani and left them to dry, dressing for the day in one of my few remaining kimonos with a simply-tied obi, my hair held up in a bun with wooden pins. There were still more jobs to find, since the one I'd gotten so far wouldn't give me as much to save as I wanted- but there were more shops here than I'd seen in many of the rural places the Tsingani traveled and that meant more opportunities.
My clothing and manner still brought some strange looks but with my head bowed slightly it was easy enough to act as though I didn't notice. The further west I'd gone the more of this I'd seen, but that only showed that my people weren't see here often enough to be familiar and that meant the chance of anyone taking me back for retribution was small. Perhaps even the ancestors and gods couldn't travel so far, which was even better. The sound of splashing water drew my attention and I glanced over at a fountain with a statue that was done in this country's style with its strange writing underneath, but after a moment I looked sideways again. A woman with the odd, pale hair of this place was sitting nearby, but I repressed the urge against doing a sign to ward off bad luck. Among some of the elders it was said that a young person with white hair carried bad luck with them, but if that was true then this place could never have gotten so prosperous- unless they were demons, of course.
The sun was still hot here though and with the fresh water close by I couldn't help but move to the side, pushing up my sleeves slightly to keep the silk from being water-spotted and put my hands into the water, then pulling them free and placing the cooler skin against my cheeks. Perhaps that was the wrong thing to do, since this may have been some sort of shrine to their gods, but then would people have been using it for a bench instead of praying? I was probably safe enough.
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 10, 2011 14:13:02 GMT -5
Among the people traveling through the square, the Ch’n girl stood out like drop of ink in a bowl of milk. It was not just her dress, but the way she moved. In all my dealings and travels I’d had the opportunity to meet a few people from Ch’n and I had always found them interesting.
I watched as she splashed water on her face, trying not to stare. If she looked my way, I was ready to bow my head to her in the proper manner I had learned.
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 12, 2011 22:11:24 GMT -5
When you were always looking over your shoulder, convinced that ghosts and spells may have been following you, there was always a moment of uncomfortableness if you didn't keep well enough aware of your surroundings. As soon as my slightly flushed cheeks had started to warm my hands back up again I lowered them, the wide sleeves of my gown falling down to my knuckles as I took another look around. The pale-haired girl who had been sitting by the fountain with one of the books they had here. Even with all of the traveling I'd done there had been very little opportunity to meet someone with that sort of coloring but I was too far outside of my old life to put stock in superstition. Giving her a solemn look I watched for a moment to see what she was going to do, not moving or doing anything but waiting.
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 13, 2011 0:26:18 GMT -5
The girl looked my way and I met her eyes for the briefest second before bowing my head to her respectfully.
When I lifted my head again, I motioned to the empty space on the bench next to me. If nothing else, there was shade here and she seemed rather warm in all her clothing.
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 15, 2011 21:40:21 GMT -5
It seemed as though this girl had at least some idea of decency, and even if she stayed seated she bowed her head politely. Some of the people in this land may have heard of Ch'in, and there were stories of members of the imperial family traveling here, so perhaps she knew more than most. Bowing politely back, hands clasped, I rose and then looked at the spot she was offering me, considering it for a moment. Was I going to chance sitting next to a strange woman who may be some sort of witch? But then, perhaps it was a good thing to have one on your side here and I had very little left to lose. A moment later I walked over and sat down on the edge of the fountain a little further away than where she'd indicated, the robe falling smoothly into place and my posture straight though my head was slightly bowed and my hands clasped politely in front of me. "Thank you, offer is most kind," I said in a quiet tone.
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 17, 2011 19:09:53 GMT -5
“You are quite welcome,” I said, keeping my tone soft and non-threatening. She almost seemed like a bird that might startle away at any second. “The day is quite warm and some shade helps make it bearable.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 18, 2011 13:09:03 GMT -5
From the way the girl spoke she had noticed my hesitation, which made me both embarrassed and annoyed. What reason did I have not to be cautious? But from the fact she held a book and her clothing this woman was at least wealthy if not noble and that tended to make ladies a little less aware of things. I'd probably been the same way once though I didn't have much reason to remember. I kept such thoughts from my features though and simply let the flush on my cheeks from the heat remain where it was. "Does get hot here, but are hotter places," I admitted in a soft, polite tone, clasping my hands politely in my lap.
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 19, 2011 17:26:19 GMT -5
“Indeed,” I agreed, nodding a little and smiling softly. “My name is Tabitha; it’s nice to meet you.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 20, 2011 10:29:17 GMT -5
This girl didn't seem to want to rush to a conversation, but I usually wasn't either so I simply sat next to her and waited to see if there was anything outside of kindness that had drawn her to beckon to me. "Am called Ai, good to meet too," I replied courteously.
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 22, 2011 17:43:40 GMT -5
“It is good to meet you as well, Ai,” I said, still smiling. “Your clothing is very lovely,” I added.
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 26, 2011 11:50:38 GMT -5
"Thank you," I replied automatically in a polite, respectful tone, though I cast my eyes sideways slightly. Of course they were fine robes, they were Ch'in silk and embroidery, but the people here didn't usually recognize how superior it was for those reasons. "Are wearing nice gown yourself, for the style."
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on May 27, 2011 14:47:51 GMT -5
“Thank you,” I replied, smiling and inclining my head a little.
I reached into my bag for the box of chocolates and taking off the lid, showed it to her. “Would you care for a chocolate? I just bought them, they are lovely.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on May 30, 2011 15:28:31 GMT -5
She seemed pleased by my compliment and I relaxed slightly as she picked up a box and opened it, showing me an assortment of oddly-colored almost bauble-like foods. In Ch'in we often had tiny things to eat but these weren't at all familiar. "Am sorry, don't know what that is," I replied cautiously, mouth turned down slightly at the corners as I looked at them intently. "Is like bun?"
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 2, 2011 15:36:49 GMT -5
“They are chocolate,” I explained with a smile. “Some have nuts, the others have fruit in them. They are sweet.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 6, 2011 19:38:15 GMT -5
A sweet food that a person ate between meals was an interesting concept. In Ch'in we'd had things made with rice and fruits but this somehow seemed much richer. It was rude to refuse food and I rarely had the money to keep myself fed on luxuries so I murmured my thanks and carefully reached into the box, picking up a single piece delicately without touching any of the others and took a small bite. Whatever it was tasted like it might have been a fruit but with a very earthy, sweet, almost bitter flavor with it, which must have been the chocolate, and I chewed behind my hand as I tried to pick out what it could have been, then swallowed. "Is good. All foods like this here?"
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 7, 2011 0:03:15 GMT -5
“No,” I said, shaking my head a little. “Most of it is good, but you have to be careful, some of it is awful.” I smiled and set the box between us on the bench. “Help yourself to more if you’d like, I bought more than I should have.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 8, 2011 16:07:40 GMT -5
The chocolate was good for a treat and I watched as she set the box down next to me, then behind my free hand put the rest of the chocolate I still had in my mouth, chewed and swallowed. I wouldn't want to eat things this sweet all of the time but I could understanding wanting it from time to time. Once I was done I placed my hands back on my lap. "Where from have different kinds of sweet foods, like sticky rice with fruit," I explained quietly. "But chocolate thing reminds me of almond paste, rich."
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 9, 2011 17:57:12 GMT -5
“Yes, it’s very rich,” I agreed. “Sticky rice with fruit? That’s sounds very intriguing. I’ve never seen such a thing, but I can imagine it’s quite good.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 14, 2011 16:47:17 GMT -5
"Don't even know if get good rice here," I replied after a moment, my hands still kept politely in my lap. "But have other sweets, or eat fruit after meals. Much food where I lived was spicy so juicy things made less hot."
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 15, 2011 15:45:34 GMT -5
“I have had some really good rice here, but I don’t know how it compares to what you had at home,” I replied. “I can understand how the juicy food would help with the spiciness; I usually try to have milk around if I am going to be eating a spicy food.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 19, 2011 10:14:04 GMT -5
Milk was more something we cooked with rather than drank, at least once we were past childhood, but I nodded in understanding. "Miss some spicy things but has been so long am not expecting any here," I replied simply, shrugging my shoulders a bit. "Are different things everywhere, even food."
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 19, 2011 22:51:47 GMT -5
“Oh, there is an Aragonian restaurant over there,” I said, pointing done the street where Casa Abulea was. “They have some very spicy food, you should try it.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 22, 2011 12:57:35 GMT -5
When she pointed to the restaurant I looked at it, then nodded politely though I knew it would take a good deal of money to do just that. You didn't tell other people about your money woes though, especially not one you'd just met and should be returning the favor of food for. "Will have to look," I replied with a bit of a smile, smoothing down the front of my hanfu though I was careful to keep any of the chocolate on my fingers from marking the delicate fabric. "Aragonia is west, yes?"
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 22, 2011 13:22:14 GMT -5
“And south, yes,” I said, nodding.
“It’s been very nice meeting you,” I told her. “Unfortunately, I have to return to my work.”
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 23, 2011 15:29:31 GMT -5
The fact that I'd been able to sit down and rest at all was a blessing and I nodded in understanding, then stood and gave Tabitha another bow. "Should be going too, have work to find," I replied as I rose, then gave her a smile. "Many thanks for kindness, and chocolate things."
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 24, 2011 15:06:57 GMT -5
“It was my pleasure,” I said, smiling and bowing my head to her. “Good luck with your search.” I put all my stuff back together and rose as well.
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Post by Sayuri Ai on Jun 24, 2011 17:52:10 GMT -5
"Much luck to you as well," I replied, then clasped my hands back in front of me and started to walk back toward the poorer districts. So far I hadn't had much luck finding steady work that would pay well, but hopefully that would change soon enough.
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Post by Tabitha d'Armel (R) on Jun 25, 2011 17:05:16 GMT -5
Not looking forward to having to deal with certain people again, I nevertheless headed back to the job site.
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