[PRP] Smoking Weeds (Fai/Na'ima)

[Lucyal]

Hel grinned, and tilted her head, batting her lashes as Fai stated that other things were noted. “Like my charismatic personality, right?” She stared at the Famine male as Na introduced him, and only gave a curt nod of her head, but said nothing further to him, luckily. Her business was with Na’ima.

The ghoul looked back at the horsewoman as she spoke with such an authorative tone, and Hel just gave her a little smirk. It said our deal only applies to you. The ghoul waved a hand at her words. “Ya, ya, ya…long and tedious and complicated you do not need to keep reminding me.” She took the pages, seemingly not phased there were five of them and they were front and back. She watched Salbei mix things a lot, and it was always seemed to involve a lot of preparation, so she didn’t question or doubt the number of pages needed to make someone spill their proverbial guts. “I will get everything.” She vowed, and nodded her head. “Ya, if I have trouble, I will come back and ask…” She trailed off for a moment, and just smiled cheekily at the horsewoman. “Ya, it is rude…good thing this is not your home.”

She folded up the pages and tucked them away into her apron for now, looking rather amused at…actually how caring Na was. The reaper came closer, and bounced on the tips of her toes, and pressed a kiss to the horsewoman’s cheek. “I am so touched.” She cooed, and then bounced back, waving at the two.

“CIAO!” Thankfully, she was gone after that.  

[Ice Queen]

Fai stared after the scareling with an expression that hadn't changed from cold. "And she is a friend of Sal's?" he said finally. "Perhaps I overestimated his taste in friendships," he added coldly. "She is disrespectful--and clearly ignorant if she is believing that the entire five pages of ingredients are required for a truth serum," he said, a flicker of amusement entering his expression.

"Does she know NOTHING about Famine save that we can make potions?" he asked the sage.  

[Eight]

Na'ima could only smirk behind her veil at how easily Hel accepted and dismissed her five page list to be completely normal. Good ghoul, you keep it that way. "The humans have a saying, 'home is where your heart it'. It may be temporary and belong to my Mentor, but for now this is what I call my home." Brat.

She tried to wave the filly away until suddenly Hel was coming closer to her. What?

What.

The Sage tensed as she felt Hel's lips against her face. She was very, very glad for her veils. "Touched?" Her brow furrowed and she narrowed her eyes, watching Hel leave.

When Faiyum spoke up she relaxed and looked back at the Alchemist. Despite her dislike for Hel the corner of her eye did twitch when Faiyum insulted Salbei's taste in friendships. Oh no, one did not speak ill of Salbei even in jest in Na'ima's presence; Faiyum was lucky Na'ima liked him. "Salbei has several students from the neighboring academy who he considers his children, I believe that one has even taken on his name...and yes, she is very disrespectful, very gullible as well. I will give her this, she has spirit, and determination...as misguided as it may be." Hel did not grow on her. She was annoying, she ruined everything that Na'ima loved. Peace, quiet, tranquility, sanity, controlled environments. She ruined everything Na'ima was simply by being in her presence.

"Perhaps not, and I am using that to my advantage. I lost most of my research when the islands fell, and she can help me start anew. I'm looking forward to it." Na'ima shrugged and moved to relax on the couch again, patting the cushion as a silent invitation for Faiyum to sit.

"So, before we were interrupted, what was your request?"

Ice Queen

 

[Ice Queen]

"He has given her his name?" he asked, a hint of shock showing. "Yet she knows nothing about his culture, is--" No, he thought, this was not something he should go to Na'ima about. It was Sal that he needed to discuss it with. But even then, he had no doubt the other male had some grand scheme--or was stuck. He shook his head. Then he looked at Na'ima, thinking it through.

"No," he said finally. "I see now that you both have more than enough on your plates. I believe that with Falair's help I can recover... enough," he decided. "It is weak to try and depend on all you know for something such as this," he said. "I am not the stallion I once was, but I am still a stallion of Famine. I must have some semblance of pride. But there IS one thing I would ask of you--if you are free at the time. When making my wine, would you be willing to be one of my taste testers? I trust your palette."

Eight

 

[Eight]

"Children," Na'ima shrugged and dismissively waved a hand as if that would make the topic go away. There was no use talking about it. Her Mentor's decisions were her own and she had no right to nor did she want to change his mind on anything. She would tolerate this annoying little Valkyrie until she was no longer useful.

She looked disappointed when Faiyum decided not to ask for help. "That is hardly true. Hel is most self-sufficient, she just comes and bothers Salbei every now and then, or she bothers me if Salbei is absent. It's hardly any trouble." What was she being denied? This was hardly fair.

Na'ima brightened considerably at the offer to test the wine. "I would be honored, Faiyum. I shall ask Salbei if that's something he would be interested in as well. Will you be selling your wine then?"

Ice Queen

 

[Ice Queen]

"It would hardly do to let the grapes rot," Fai said, waving a hand lightly. "A small profit will be nice, even if its only from other horsemen. I will inform you when the wine processing has gotten to the point where I need a taste tester," he said with a slight smile.

He could handle his own rehab, he decided. There was no point in dragging more people into it. Besides, some evil part of him enjoyed the tiny hint of disappointment. He was, perhaps, a tad sadistic.

Eight

 

[Eight]

"Good, it has been some time since I had wine.." She looked at the bottle she had been given. "May I keep this one?" It would do no good for Faiyum to keep it if he was going sober. It would be a waste, a temptation.

Na'ima fell quiet after that. She picked up the bottle, uncorked it, and sipped from it again. "I will speak with Salbei.." she repeated after a moment. Her nails tapped idly against the glass bottle. "Salbei does not know of our..arrangement, by the way," her eyes turned toward the tent flap. Salbei had already warned her against dealing with Hel. He had made a point of telling her not to encourage Hel...

"See to it he never finds out my involvement with her, will you? It may upset him that I am using one of his children for my own gain." It was a lie. He would be upset about what she was promising Hel. Faiyum didn't need to know that.

Ice Queen

 

[Ice Queen]

"My lips, my dear, are sealed," Fai said easily. He could see where that would be an issue. Besides, just as with any relationship, he fully believed that what happened between (or behind, in this case) a mentor and his mentee was private, and should be left to them to resolve.

"I will take my leave, then. I am sure I will come visit again, of course. It has been lovely speaking with you, Na'ima," he said with a polite now of his head and an honest smile. "Thank you."

Eight