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 Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:32 pm
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Small talk had been easy, but now it was getting a little more serious. One of the regular guards had asked about Jyotika....no, Lien-hua's guest. Still pledging that he was a possible trader for the West, the guard let it go. He wasn't as interested as a guard should be, but life out here was good. Easy. The red lioness exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.
After a few more careful glances around her, she lead Beara to her small tree that housed her crafts. There were many necklaces and wraps hanging from the low branches, bits of shiny rocks catching what sun's rays pierced through the tree's leaves. Near the trunk, some messily made baskets held other items, mostly unfinished things, or heavy necklaces that Lien-hua didn't want to risk breaking if they fell from the tree. Barely begun projects littered the ground inbetween, and the lioness hastily swept them in a basket.
"Ahhh, yes," she said, smiling embarrassedly. "This is the workshop," she said, her eyes going back upwards to the trees. Most of what he may be interested was up here, barring the ones with the shiny rocks. Strips of leather with feathers tied in, some with beads, some without. All different sorts of feathers were used in her work, many donated by the birds that lived within the pride. A shed feather was useless to them, and it was better than to rot under the earth. |
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:04 pm
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He had kept quiet when they had met the guard, answering anything asked of him with courtesy and aplomb. Apparently they were bending the truth a wee bit, but as the guard seemed unconcerned, it appeared that this was alright. He was a little surprised to watch this shy, reserved lioness handle the guard so deftly. She had talent! But he kept his expression straight and bland, and followed her when she moved on.
When she led him beneath the tree that was her workshop, he stared in open-mouthed astonishment. "All this is yours? Your work?" he asked in genuine awe. Even the bits of unfinished work that she swept aside showed evidence of a flourishing and avid imagination. After giving it all a slow and reverent look, he followed her gaze upwards once more. Thongs and charms swung gently, while beads and stones clicked and clattered softly. The whole had an air of serenity and potential. He sat down, very nearly overwhelmed with the sheer amount of creativity that surrounded him. "Oh my," he murmured, eyes shining as he continued to crane his neck to look at shining stones and fluttering feathers.
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Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:02 pm
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"Ah, yes," Jyotika confirmed, flattered that Beara was impressed with her trinkets. "I do like to share with some of the artisans at times, but I think I'm the most active one right now." A few of them would take breaks when their creativity dried up, and return to it after a couple months. Jyotika thrived on creating, and she was slowly getting better as she continued to practice.
"It looks different in the moonlight, but its always a pretty sight. Sometimes I wish I spent more time finishing everything rather than jumping from project to project, but..." Her dark eyes jumped from beads, to feathers, to half-done necklaces and earring that dotted the lower-hanging trees.
"I finish them at some point," she said lightly, a hint of laughter escaping her throat.
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Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:17 pm
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He turned a beaming look to her, eyes still shining. "You are incredibly gifted," he told her sincerely. "All of this... it's so beautiful!" He again gazed around himself, reaching a paw to tap at a few necklaces that clicked musically together. "How do you think of it all?" He turned his head and breathed lightly at a tuft of feathers on a thong, making them flutter and swing. He grinned, thinking that not only was it beautiful, but also likely to be good fun to play with. Not that he did much playing anymore, but a hint of the cub still lingered in the back of his mind.
He again turned to her, his expression genuinely interested. "Surely you are well recognized for all this?" He gestured with a sweeping paw. "I can't imagine there being many who could do anything more lovely, more imaginative, than what you show me here!" It sounded like flattery, but Beara was not one to be so manipulative. If he said it, he meant it, plain as that. He honestly had never seen so much creativity expressed in a single place before.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:11 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:41 pm
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He smiled yet more at her, somehow all the more glad that she was owning up to her work and accepting his compliments. It would have been a shame if she'd demurred and not claimed rights to her creativeness. But it sounded like she had a problem. If she took time away from creating these pretty things, perhaps her creativity would falter. He hated to think of that, and began to think rather long-term thoughts. It wasn't easy to consider settling down... but perhaps he had been running away from his past with his travels? It was a sobering thought, and one he wasn't very comfortable with. Perhaps settling down would be good for him, and healthy for his emotional being.
He cleared his throat and jumped in with both paws. "Well then," he began slowly, "would taking your jewelry to other... houses was it?... be something a trader would do?" He suddenly flushed and felt a little awkward. Here he was, having just met her, and now he was asking for a sort of partnership, while privately thinking of another kind of partnership altogether! He wasn't sure if he was embarrassed or ashamed, but he had to own up to his feelings, at least privately. Face it, you old lion, he chastised himself, you want a chance to spend more time with the pretty lady. Ayup, that was very true! "I know I was just coming here to see your work and get something for myself," he added self-consciously, "but it sure sounds like you could use... a partner." There, it was out. He tried not to show his anxiety over her answer, but his ears folded just slightly, giving him an appealing, worried look.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:06 pm
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"A...trader?"
The word hung in the air for a moment as she was considering this proposition. It was certainly one that was plausible, though she wasn't sure how open the markets were in the other houses. It was an opportunity for her to become more popular, though...Her name, known in other houses?? She flushed at the thought!
"Its....its certainly possible," she said, quite surprised that he shifted from seeing her work area to possibly becoming a business partner. He seemed a little, dare she think it, surprised as well? The red-brown lioness wasn't sure what to think, except even more flattered.
"W-well, I'm certain that we could get the Lady to help us negotiate an easy way for you to enter into each house so they know why you're there," she added carefully, thinking about the best way it may work without anyone being alarmed. Though there were some means of communication between the houses, she figured there had to be a way for identification by sight so guards wouldn't be alarmed.
"This is such an interesting proposition," she mused quietly, smiling up at him.
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:45 am
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As he gazed down into her beautiful eyes, he felt a surreal thrill up his sine that went tingling out to the tip of every hair in his mane. He gave the tiniest of shivers and huffed a soft breath before his mouth opened of its own volition. "It isn't an entirely unselfish proposition," he admitted quietly, still caught in the depths of her eyes. "It would keep me close to you. I would get to see you every day, work beside you, hear your voice, be surrounded by your scent." A bashful part of him was dying an agony of mortification that such would be uttered from his own tongue, but somehow this mattered too much to him to let that part dictate to the rest of him.
"I do think we'd make wonderful business partners," he went on slowly, watching her lovely face for signs of hesitation, dismay, or rejection, "but I think our partnership could be so much more than that." He paused and swallowed, his tail giving a nervous twitch. It wasn't as if he'd never had a mate before, but to choose one so impulsively? To have this adolescent thrill at speaking his heart? Misgivings abounded, but mostly it was worry over how she would react. "Do... do you think we would make good... life partners... perhaps?" All his hope and new-found wishes showed in his face, his brow wrinkled up and his ears curled a little back. Oh, what would he do if she said no? Well, then he could die of mortification.
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:19 am
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Jyotika was shocked, and flattered all the more! She laughed lightly, but heartily, and looked at Beara a little more closely. "My, so bold!" she said between laughs. She felt like she hadn't for a while; desired for more than a fleeting moment. Though she wasn't at all ashamed of her past, it was hard to deny it when she herself had so many adult children running around!
"I believe that the best partnerships start slow," she answered, but moving a bit closer to him to clearly not deny him. "But that's how they become the strongest!" Perhaps, in a lot of ways, this was moving fast, but Jyotika wasn't one to wait for life to happen. No, though she could be a bit quiet, it was more because she wanted to gauge a situation rather than being shy. Her violent entry into Tianxia was a mistake, and though she lived as if it didn't happen, encountering new situations here always asked for a bit of caution.
Now, she didn't need that caution!
She laughed again, more relaxed this time. "I'm afraid that though I make pretty trinkets, I am not so pretty with my words. You are quite honest, intelligent, and respectful. You are something amazing, and I would love to. Then you can be my exclusive trader!" she said with a wink.
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:43 am
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He listened intently as she began to answer, almost holding his breath as she sidled closer. It wasn't an answer yet... but then she went on. Oh, her laughter was wonderful! He found himself smiling in response to her laughter, but the smile widened as she complimented him back. Another thrill went through him as she agreed to his proposition, though his smile softened. "Perhaps we can take things slowly in our more personal partnership... get to know each other better before we leap in with all four paws." He dared to reach down and touch noses with her gently. "I am content to wait and work together, so long as I know I might win your heart." It was a pretty speech, but it was also heartfelt. If she would rather take things slow, he was whole-heartedly willing to do just that.
He paused then, glanced around, then back down at her. Almost sheepishly, and with a touch of concern, he inquired, "Is there anyone I should ask permission from first? Your father, perhaps?" There was so much he didn't know about her still. He looked forward to learning, but for now it left him feeling awkward and brutish in his ignorance. He also knew nothing about the pride itself, what its traditions were concerning marriage, much less anything else!
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:58 am
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"Ah!" she breathed, not expecting that small 'kiss'. "Well, I appreciate good work...so I think this is going to work out beautifully," she said with a smile. She was already working out how this trading business would go...it would mean he would spend some time away from her, but perhaps if it was profitable enough he could stay here and direct others...well, wasn't she getting ahead of herself!
"Ah, no. None of my family lives here with me," she answered carefully. She hadn't seen any of them in a very long time, but she didn't feel too much of an absence from them. Her children filled that void. "I think it would be best to introduce you to the Lord and Lady, and state that you'd like to work as my agent and trader. I can't imagine them saying no, it would only make the West look better!"
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:09 pm
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His expression turned sympathetic as she admitted she had no family here. Well, they'd match then, since he wouldn't either. They could keep each other company. He'd bring up his daughters later, so she knew he'd been mated before, but right now he didn't want to mar the comfortable flow between them. Gingerly, being careful not to dislodge or knock anything over, he settled himself down among her pretty things. "Lord and Lady of the West House," he said slowly, checking with her expression to be sure he got it right.
"I have a lot to learn." He smiled at her, despite the rueful tone of voice. "Why don't we take a little time before we go do that. I have so many questions, both about the pride and about you." He tipped his head to the side in her direction, his mane falling briefly across his brow in a boyish fashion. "I want to know everything, but that'll take time. Time I'm willing to endure with you." He grinned and rolled his eyes as if conferring a great boon, then broke into a deep-chested laugh. He let the laughter trail away as he smiled at her. "Thank you," he said quietly, his voice a soft rumble. "Thank you for a new home, and new hope... a new life. I know I am going to love it here."
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