Silence
Anonymous Me
Illya already knew what the house had looked like and it was good for Kalizda to have something nice. She deserved this. The woman had selflessly taken risk on their behalf and committed dangerous deeds to aid the cause. Though her father was a more reluctant figure, he had been good to them and ensured that they received a new land at a reasonable price.
Carefully Illya nodded and let Yvonne translate for Edgar a traditional Chippeqouti wish for the night. "We wish you to sleep well and wake with warmth and strength to your bones." With that the three of them left the home. Yvonne went to her small and modest hut while Edgar returned to his own hut as well. Illya had pitched a tent and he wrapped himself in layers of blankets. The night felt a little rough on his bones. Mostly it was his back that hurt when he woke up. Sitting up Illya pushed against the blankets that had wrapped tightly around his body. Growling a little he glanced at the ground to see that where he had lain all night was a tiny pebble. No doubt it was the pebble that felt like some sort of massive boulder grinding into his spine.
First thing on the list was to shake out his clothing and blankets then head to the bath house. It would feel good to get all the sand out of his hair and off the scars. So far that was the most tender part and something that Illya had not quite accounted for. Heading into the bath house a few moment after some of the others had already gotten washed he pulled his shirt off and then stepped out of his pants. Hanging the clothes on the nearest empty hook Illya waited in the line to get a bucket full of water and then started to wash up. It seemed her father was trying to look every direction that was up and no other. It was a bit odd to see a man acting like that. At first Illya wondered if Thomas had a bloody nose or if there was a reason he kept tilting his head at such strange angles. Finally, the Chip noticed a slight tinge of pink to the man's face. Was he really that embarrassed to be in a bath house? Since there was nothing that Illya could do about the situation for now he just finished washing and then got into his own clothes again.
The incisions along his back were sore and his leg was needing some work. Though the suggestion had nearly gone awry with Ayrn it was simply brilliant. Illya fully expected having a Chip work on his back and leg would improve both of them tremendously. While he tried to explain the pleasure house to Thomas it didn't really seem to help. This time he was sure to specify and he even explained it very carefully. Still it seemed to offend the man.
Was it not acceptable among his people to have any kind of physical contact? That couldn't be the case considering they had children and the fact that Ayrn was so eager to put his hands on anything that looked like it could be female. Then again it could have been a religious thing. There were plenty of women that tried to grab him that first night they landed. Maybe if you were a certain status you just weren't touched? Whatever the issue was there seemed to be little he could do to resolve it. Illya stood by quietly while Kalizda and her father talked in Kaereal. When she was finished Thomas seemed far less skeptical about it. Momentarily a tinge of pink strode across Illya's face and then burnt the tips of his ears before fading. Her father thought that it was that kind of deal too? Why did all the foreigners think that? There was only so many ways to describe it. Getting a massage was quite pleasurable and if there was anything that Illya enjoyed and would happily have done everyday it was a massage. Despite the bones healing well some of the muscles still had scar tissue that made it difficult to bend or move certain ways if he didn't have it worked and kept pliable.
Inside the temporary structure Illya got stripped again and he took a clean towel to wrap around himself before heading into the main room. Most of the tables were empty and one of the men came over to where he was and a man also stepped over to Thomas's table. It was a woman that had stepped over to work on Ayrn. Since the man that was working with Thomas didn't know him well he asked a few questions before starting. "What yah want soothed today?" Nodding a little he pulled out a drawer full of oils and creams. "Uh huh," glancing up at Thomas he continued, "Any pain in the knee?" Nodding again he pulled another small bottle out and dumped a few drops into the miniature canister of cream. With one finger he mixed it well and then got started.
Illya laid on his stomach and closed his eyes. "Might want to use more of the clove. Hurting today." Because he didn't really want Thomas to hear what he said Illya spoke in Quoti.
The man gave a grunt and put a few extra drops in. "I need to be careful. Can't work you too hard today."
Nodding in agreement Illya relaxed and let the man begin with gently rubbing some of the oils into his skin. It smelled good too. Gradually as the oils were worked in and more was added the pressure became greater. As soon as Illya started to tense the man would ease up and gently rub in a circular motion to get the muscle to loosen up again. "You need to come more often. Its bad in your leg."
"I know," groaning in response Illya tried to relax a little more. When they were done he felt almost dizzy, but much improved. With a few moments of relaxation after the massage he was finally ready to get up and meet the day. It was a rather slow day for Illya and he was still forbidden from most work. Most of the Chippeqouti were still afraid his leg wouldn't withstand even his own weight especially since he was still using a cane from time to time. Rolling off the table Illya walked a little easier to the hook with his clothing and got back into the pants and shirt before tying his boots on. Glancing at Thomas he thought it almost appeared the man was shocked and he kept bending his one leg and then straightening. "Eh, oil and massage work wonders. Why we call it a pleasure house. Can work for injuries and sometimes just for pleasure. Very good for health."
Illya's gait was a little easier and he felt more stable on his feet. It was too bad he was only going to be here for another 3 days with Kalizda and her father. However, in that time he could get some work done on his leg and back. At least it would start getting the muscles to behave.
************************************************
While some of the others were planning for the night's festival Markus sat by himself and he laid out a strategy for potential disaster. They had only recently received word of more Chippeqouti coming and they were supposed to be arriving by ship this afternoon. It left very few at home and there was likely to be a mass exodus of the Ehaui once the military was assured that their families were here and safe.
Besides planning the defenses he needed a head count to determine how many of the soldiers were remaining and which if any new Chippeqouti would have to trained in the event that they were called to war. Illya would be a good person to train. He pushed men hard and he was going to be in the shape to do it for the first time since the war. Busily the man drew on the tablet. His large frame created a nearly monstrous sized shadow on the ground. Every now and then someone would pass behind him and another shadow would be cast across the ground in front of him. Markus ignored most of them. They were all the same size as himself and they knew not to say anything unless it was serious.
After a while he noticed a much smaller shadow had stopped and he slowly lifted his gaze. The thick black hair on his head rumpled rebelliously and the strands of silver highlighted the otherwise dark hair. His face barely showed his age though there were wrinkles started near the corners of his eyes and far more prominent wrinkles on his forehead. Markus' steely grey eyes searched the face of the woman. She seemed to want to sit so he moved over and patted gently on the seat next to himself.
Unfortunately he never knew what to say to women and all these years later he still didn't. It was a fine thing that women in Chippeqouti culture asked the man, or he doubted that he would have ever had the courage to ask a woman. Often Yvonne would scold him and say that he shouldn't be so nervous to talk. If he could go into battle then what made talking anymore difficult? Truly Markus didn't have the answer though he wished that he did. If nothing else it would stop her constant attempts and prompts to try and get him to talk to outsiders or anyone that he didn't know. She was the diplomat and that was her job. Markus preferred to be left alone to his job. Kalizda was however going to be agreed with his son soon and he hadn't even done so much as say hi to her. Instead she had come and she was just sitting with him. He liked the way she had a quietness about her.
Picking up his tablet again Markus tapped in a few more commands and then set it aside. "Hi." His deep, rich rolled out and caught the breeze. Meeting the woman's gaze he gave her half a smile though it was hardly considered even that.
Carefully Illya nodded and let Yvonne translate for Edgar a traditional Chippeqouti wish for the night. "We wish you to sleep well and wake with warmth and strength to your bones." With that the three of them left the home. Yvonne went to her small and modest hut while Edgar returned to his own hut as well. Illya had pitched a tent and he wrapped himself in layers of blankets. The night felt a little rough on his bones. Mostly it was his back that hurt when he woke up. Sitting up Illya pushed against the blankets that had wrapped tightly around his body. Growling a little he glanced at the ground to see that where he had lain all night was a tiny pebble. No doubt it was the pebble that felt like some sort of massive boulder grinding into his spine.
First thing on the list was to shake out his clothing and blankets then head to the bath house. It would feel good to get all the sand out of his hair and off the scars. So far that was the most tender part and something that Illya had not quite accounted for. Heading into the bath house a few moment after some of the others had already gotten washed he pulled his shirt off and then stepped out of his pants. Hanging the clothes on the nearest empty hook Illya waited in the line to get a bucket full of water and then started to wash up. It seemed her father was trying to look every direction that was up and no other. It was a bit odd to see a man acting like that. At first Illya wondered if Thomas had a bloody nose or if there was a reason he kept tilting his head at such strange angles. Finally, the Chip noticed a slight tinge of pink to the man's face. Was he really that embarrassed to be in a bath house? Since there was nothing that Illya could do about the situation for now he just finished washing and then got into his own clothes again.
The incisions along his back were sore and his leg was needing some work. Though the suggestion had nearly gone awry with Ayrn it was simply brilliant. Illya fully expected having a Chip work on his back and leg would improve both of them tremendously. While he tried to explain the pleasure house to Thomas it didn't really seem to help. This time he was sure to specify and he even explained it very carefully. Still it seemed to offend the man.
Was it not acceptable among his people to have any kind of physical contact? That couldn't be the case considering they had children and the fact that Ayrn was so eager to put his hands on anything that looked like it could be female. Then again it could have been a religious thing. There were plenty of women that tried to grab him that first night they landed. Maybe if you were a certain status you just weren't touched? Whatever the issue was there seemed to be little he could do to resolve it. Illya stood by quietly while Kalizda and her father talked in Kaereal. When she was finished Thomas seemed far less skeptical about it. Momentarily a tinge of pink strode across Illya's face and then burnt the tips of his ears before fading. Her father thought that it was that kind of deal too? Why did all the foreigners think that? There was only so many ways to describe it. Getting a massage was quite pleasurable and if there was anything that Illya enjoyed and would happily have done everyday it was a massage. Despite the bones healing well some of the muscles still had scar tissue that made it difficult to bend or move certain ways if he didn't have it worked and kept pliable.
Inside the temporary structure Illya got stripped again and he took a clean towel to wrap around himself before heading into the main room. Most of the tables were empty and one of the men came over to where he was and a man also stepped over to Thomas's table. It was a woman that had stepped over to work on Ayrn. Since the man that was working with Thomas didn't know him well he asked a few questions before starting. "What yah want soothed today?" Nodding a little he pulled out a drawer full of oils and creams. "Uh huh," glancing up at Thomas he continued, "Any pain in the knee?" Nodding again he pulled another small bottle out and dumped a few drops into the miniature canister of cream. With one finger he mixed it well and then got started.
Illya laid on his stomach and closed his eyes. "Might want to use more of the clove. Hurting today." Because he didn't really want Thomas to hear what he said Illya spoke in Quoti.
The man gave a grunt and put a few extra drops in. "I need to be careful. Can't work you too hard today."
Nodding in agreement Illya relaxed and let the man begin with gently rubbing some of the oils into his skin. It smelled good too. Gradually as the oils were worked in and more was added the pressure became greater. As soon as Illya started to tense the man would ease up and gently rub in a circular motion to get the muscle to loosen up again. "You need to come more often. Its bad in your leg."
"I know," groaning in response Illya tried to relax a little more. When they were done he felt almost dizzy, but much improved. With a few moments of relaxation after the massage he was finally ready to get up and meet the day. It was a rather slow day for Illya and he was still forbidden from most work. Most of the Chippeqouti were still afraid his leg wouldn't withstand even his own weight especially since he was still using a cane from time to time. Rolling off the table Illya walked a little easier to the hook with his clothing and got back into the pants and shirt before tying his boots on. Glancing at Thomas he thought it almost appeared the man was shocked and he kept bending his one leg and then straightening. "Eh, oil and massage work wonders. Why we call it a pleasure house. Can work for injuries and sometimes just for pleasure. Very good for health."
Illya's gait was a little easier and he felt more stable on his feet. It was too bad he was only going to be here for another 3 days with Kalizda and her father. However, in that time he could get some work done on his leg and back. At least it would start getting the muscles to behave.
************************************************
While some of the others were planning for the night's festival Markus sat by himself and he laid out a strategy for potential disaster. They had only recently received word of more Chippeqouti coming and they were supposed to be arriving by ship this afternoon. It left very few at home and there was likely to be a mass exodus of the Ehaui once the military was assured that their families were here and safe.
Besides planning the defenses he needed a head count to determine how many of the soldiers were remaining and which if any new Chippeqouti would have to trained in the event that they were called to war. Illya would be a good person to train. He pushed men hard and he was going to be in the shape to do it for the first time since the war. Busily the man drew on the tablet. His large frame created a nearly monstrous sized shadow on the ground. Every now and then someone would pass behind him and another shadow would be cast across the ground in front of him. Markus ignored most of them. They were all the same size as himself and they knew not to say anything unless it was serious.
After a while he noticed a much smaller shadow had stopped and he slowly lifted his gaze. The thick black hair on his head rumpled rebelliously and the strands of silver highlighted the otherwise dark hair. His face barely showed his age though there were wrinkles started near the corners of his eyes and far more prominent wrinkles on his forehead. Markus' steely grey eyes searched the face of the woman. She seemed to want to sit so he moved over and patted gently on the seat next to himself.
Unfortunately he never knew what to say to women and all these years later he still didn't. It was a fine thing that women in Chippeqouti culture asked the man, or he doubted that he would have ever had the courage to ask a woman. Often Yvonne would scold him and say that he shouldn't be so nervous to talk. If he could go into battle then what made talking anymore difficult? Truly Markus didn't have the answer though he wished that he did. If nothing else it would stop her constant attempts and prompts to try and get him to talk to outsiders or anyone that he didn't know. She was the diplomat and that was her job. Markus preferred to be left alone to his job. Kalizda was however going to be agreed with his son soon and he hadn't even done so much as say hi to her. Instead she had come and she was just sitting with him. He liked the way she had a quietness about her.
Picking up his tablet again Markus tapped in a few more commands and then set it aside. "Hi." His deep, rich rolled out and caught the breeze. Meeting the woman's gaze he gave her half a smile though it was hardly considered even that.