[PRP] The Scholar and the Sage (Yuzhi & Salbei)

[Pales]

Yuzhi wasn't particularly busy these days. She should have been but perhaps she was hiding herself away because that was what she had become used to. Most of the time a scholar didn't need to work with a large group of people and often times Yuzhi was just staring at a book and remembering past tales of glory.

Except now she was kind of wandering about as if she was lost.

Maybe she was a little lost? She couldn't quite decide. Yuzhi only knew she felt listless and as if she wasn't doing enough to help. She'd failed when it came time for vengeance - perhaps she just didn't have the heart for it as she thought she did. Her face scrunched slightly.

She wondered if she told her brother, Lifen or Mengyao if they would be disappointed in her.  

[Enoh Love]

There was someone else wandering about, but it wasn't as if he were lost. Because he was lost. He had strayed from Famine and the school and ended up in another section of the Lost Clans he was by no means familiar with. After a while of wandering he stopped, holding an elbow and stroking his chin. Something had to give for him soon, it usually always did. Instead of walking more he stayed put and looked around, which eventually worked out for him, as he knew it would.

There was ---

"My Dearest, Little Small." Sal crooned out happily, sliding on over to the poor Horsewoman unfortunate enough to be in his line of sight. Of course now that he was close enough... "Is something the matter, my dear? You look awefully troubled for such a pretty little filly."  

[Pales]

Thoughts became interrupted as soon as she heard the term of endearment that Salbei saw fit to bestow upon her. The reflex came over her before she knew what was happening as her jaw clenched a bit and her head gave a small tilt away from him, as if she was about to pretend that he did not exist just then.

Her cheeks puffed out and she let out a bit of a sigh shortly after deflating them, color dusting over her cheeks as Salbei called her pretty and inquired about her well being.

Damn him.

"It is nothing important," she said quietly, "I am just struggling with a bit of inner turmoil."

The answer was vague but honest.

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

Salbei noticed the indignation, but he didn't comment on it, nor did it affect him in any other way other than finding her more endearing than she had been before. So cute, so tiny, so...Yuzhi! Her vague answer made him click his tongue and shake his head slowly in disapproval.

"My dear, dear friend. How is that not important?" He sighed and took a seat on the ground, folding his legs and patting his knee in an invitation for her to sit down. The amount of various fabrics he wore made him a little less of a totally bony santa, thankfully. "Come come little one, tell me all about it~"  

[Pales]

She eyed Salbei quietly for a moment even as he went down and offered her a seat upon his lap. Was he treating her like a child? Why was he doing this? It made her feel a bit of confusion with an undercurrent of frustration. Yuzhi had not witnessed all of Salbei's treatment with others to know if this was just with her like a jibe hidden under folds of numerous meanings. Meanings as numerous as the cloths he wore.

There was a shuffle and eventually and casually she took the bait. Her body quietly settled upon his lap. She felt awkward and comfortable all at once.

"Why do you care, Salbei?" was the blunt question she required an answer to first before she rewarded him with an answer he sought from her.  

[Enoh Love]

Salbei kept his invitation - and arms - open for as long as Yuzhi needed to decide her next move. He was patient as always, and even as his limbs started to get tired he never waivered, never adjusted his clothing or fidgeted. Always open, always available, always welcoming. Yuzhi's first steps towards him proved that she made her choice, but again he didn't quite move until she had taken his offered seat. Once she was settled his arms lowered, one draping on his free knee and the other wrapping around the horsewoman's back, resting lightly on her side.

"How could I not?" He responded smoothly, shrugging his thin shoulders. "Troubles are troubles, no matter who you are. Our already small world would be even more lonely if nobody ever opened an ear to someone in need." That was his official stance anyway, given with a pitying shake of his head. "However," He added - rather, started - with a smile. "I have seen your sad face over losing our islands, but this is a different face, and therefore different worries, and as such I'm very concerned for you, my charming friend." And therefore, she got the lap treatment. "I would like to help if I can, and if you would be so kind as to let me."  

[Pales]

She was not entirely used to such things from someone she barely knew at all. It wasn't that Yuzhi was mistreated by her peers at large, but she was also used to being pouty and resentful toward many simply because how they deemed fit to behave toward her because of height, status, or appearance. Sometimes there were pleasant surprises or those she allowed to 'get away' with such things.

Sal was probably a shining example, despite Yuzhi's occasional twinge to want to swat him for his behaviors.

He was just lucky that he managed to endear himself to her.

Yuzhi sat there and listened her fingertips reached and toyed with a bit of Salbei's scarf just simply out of the need to fiddle with something as she listened; there was plenty of scarf to go around after all. As he explained her expression was thoughtful, "I do not think you can assist me, Salbei. It is something I must seek for myself. I don't think you can help me be more useful. Brother says I am too hard on myself."  

[Enoh Love]

Salbei was an ever-patient sort of horseman, waiting in attentive silence for her to finish speaking before even making a single noise of his own. His gaze never left the profile of her face, but he could see - and feel, somewhat - out of his peripheral vision the way she continued to play with his scarf. Well, no matter; she wasn't harming anyone, and if fidgeting helped who was he to deny her? Even if it was his favourite scarf, and even if it was spotted with both old and fresh blood.

"You are too hard on yourself." Salbei agreed verbally with her absent Brother, amused that something so true could come out of someone so headstrong and loud. "You are correct in some way, though. I certainly can't tell you how to be more useful, but I do have enough faith in your skills as a bright young female scholar to assure you that you will figure out what 'being useful' means to you. In time, at least." He paused, just enough to pat her side with the hand that remained draped there in a somewhat final 'there, there, it will be fine' type motion. "Not everyone can be useful in the same way, Yuzhi. Take myself for instance; I am useless when it comes to Hunting or other deemed-important tasks, but I am quite quick to travel and meet others. I can't supply my clan with the sustenance it needs, but I can help form bonds of friendship or agreements with other clans and peoples. That is how I am useful." Coincidentally, that was how he became a Sage in the first place; he networked, strengthened bonds where he needed, and the Leaders deemed him useful enough to promote him to Sage.

"It isn't my place to tell you where you are useful and where you aren't, you would know better than I would, that much I am sure...But I am a friend, and I will listen - I am a great listener, if I may say so myself! - and I will do what I can to help you solve this little riddle of yours, if you will let me." Something mischievous glittered in his red eyes, his bony fingers giving a light pinch to the Horsewoman's side. "You young ones are always so keen on doing everything alone! We are not a solitary sort of people, and it might be best if you remember that."

Pales