Nora had set about preparing a pot of tea, preferring to let her clothes dry through movement rather than sit too close to the fire. When Keris pulled out the hidden necklace, she set the kettle back down leaned forward with interest. She brushed her fingertips against the polished metal surface, feeling the edges of the delicate engraving.
“It’s very beautiful,” she said, unsure what sort of answer Keris was looking for. There was earnestness in her brown eyes that didn’t match a desire to show off a pretty charm. The necklace was obviously very special to the girl. “I’ve never seen anything exactly like it,” Nora continued. “Where did you get it?”
An Open Door
Re: An Open Door
The light in Keris' eyes vanished as quickly as it had formed, and she quickly slipped the necklace back under her dress. "Oh... it was just something my... parent's gave me. They did not know where it came from, but it is how they chose my name."
Any courage Keris' had felt in asking about the necklace was gone. She realized it was silly to assume that just because Nora's aunt was a jewler the girl might have information about a strange charm that had been found on an infant on the banks of the Ofriyu Mar. It was too soon... far too soon to detail her past to a stranger, even one who had been as kind as Nora. Speaking more of the necklace would only lead to questions... questions that Keris knew she would not be able to answer.
Changing the subject, Keris motioned to the brewing tea. "That smells wonderful, especially after the bitter stuff they had at the Drunken Rat. Thank you for taking me in... I was not sure where I was going to end up tonight..." She smiled gratefully, wondering when she would meet Nora's aunt and hoping that the woman would not turn her away as a homeless waif.
Any courage Keris' had felt in asking about the necklace was gone. She realized it was silly to assume that just because Nora's aunt was a jewler the girl might have information about a strange charm that had been found on an infant on the banks of the Ofriyu Mar. It was too soon... far too soon to detail her past to a stranger, even one who had been as kind as Nora. Speaking more of the necklace would only lead to questions... questions that Keris knew she would not be able to answer.
Changing the subject, Keris motioned to the brewing tea. "That smells wonderful, especially after the bitter stuff they had at the Drunken Rat. Thank you for taking me in... I was not sure where I was going to end up tonight..." She smiled gratefully, wondering when she would meet Nora's aunt and hoping that the woman would not turn her away as a homeless waif.
Re: An Open Door
“Oh, think nothing of it!” Nora said with a casual flap of her hand. Outwardly she gave her attention again to the tea kettle, but her smile slipped more to one side. She wasn’t fooled: Keris carried a secret with her. Something about the mysterious necklace? Perhaps it was a charm or had a protective spell on it, or it was a symbol of royalty. Could her new friend be a noble, and kept her identity a secret for fear of people that might bring her harm? Nora smothered up a soft laugh. She knew she was being silly, but she couldn’t help it. Imagining came as naturally to her as breathing.
The kettle began to whistle shrilly. Nora took down a pair of cups, cream, sugar and honeypot and encouraged Keris to take as much of each as she liked. The girl was far too thin for Nora’s liking. She added a liberal amount of honey to her own cup, then wrapped her fingers around the heated ceramic, letting the scented steam curl about her face. “Mmm, this is nice,” she murmured. “Have you ever noticed that tea smells so much stronger than it tastes?”
There came a sound of a door opening and closing downstairs, and two voices talking. “Oh… Uncle Tonas is out of the workshop early.” Nora smiled at her new friend. “He’s the artist in our family. He designs nearly every piece that the shop sells. Perhaps you should ask him about your necklace. He can probably tell you a lot more than I can.”
The kettle began to whistle shrilly. Nora took down a pair of cups, cream, sugar and honeypot and encouraged Keris to take as much of each as she liked. The girl was far too thin for Nora’s liking. She added a liberal amount of honey to her own cup, then wrapped her fingers around the heated ceramic, letting the scented steam curl about her face. “Mmm, this is nice,” she murmured. “Have you ever noticed that tea smells so much stronger than it tastes?”
There came a sound of a door opening and closing downstairs, and two voices talking. “Oh… Uncle Tonas is out of the workshop early.” Nora smiled at her new friend. “He’s the artist in our family. He designs nearly every piece that the shop sells. Perhaps you should ask him about your necklace. He can probably tell you a lot more than I can.”
Re: An Open Door
For a moment Keris considered Nora's offer, then she shook her head slowly. "Maybe another time..." she replied, a sudden feeling of shyness and uncertainty coming over her. Perhaps Nora's uncle could tell her more about the piece... maybe he knew an artist who did such work... but it was also likely that Keris' necklace was from some far away place - or worse, so common its origin could not be determine by inspection alone.
For now, Keris was less inclined to discover her roots and instead chose to focus on not bothering her hosts, who might or might not be willing to allow her to stay. Sipping her tea again, and enjoying the sweet warmth as it travelled down her throat, Keris forced a smile that dismissed their previous topic of conversation.
"So... do you think I could really help your Aunt and Uncle in their shop? Do you think they might let me stay?" she asked hopefully.
For now, Keris was less inclined to discover her roots and instead chose to focus on not bothering her hosts, who might or might not be willing to allow her to stay. Sipping her tea again, and enjoying the sweet warmth as it travelled down her throat, Keris forced a smile that dismissed their previous topic of conversation.
"So... do you think I could really help your Aunt and Uncle in their shop? Do you think they might let me stay?" she asked hopefully.
Re: An Open Door
That heartbreakingly hopeful tone in Keris’s voice nearly brought tears to Nora’s eyes. Instead of answering outright, she reached across the table and gave the other girl’s wrist an encouraging squeeze. “Don’t you worry. Even if this plan of mine doesn’t work, I’ll make sure you land on your feet. I promise.”
The voices below grew louder. Nora stood up from the table and stood in the doorway to the kitchen, inviting Keris to come stand beside her.
The door separating the upstairs apartment and the staircase opened. Two figures appeared, and Nora couldn’t help thinking that her aunt and uncle were as different from each other as night and day. Tonas topped Kaylith in height by nearly a foot, with a frame that was so gaunt and stretched he resembled a poorly stuffed scarecrow. Even his hair was like straw, pale yellow and straight, and had a tendency to stick out at odd angles. Kaylith was full-figured and strong, two inches shorter than Nora, with curly hair the color of ebony that contrasted with her pale blue eyes.
Both of them looked surprised at the appearance of a second girl in their kitchen. Aunt Kayli set down the bundle of papers she had been carrying and glanced between Nora and Keris with a coolly raised eyebrow, while Uncle Tonas gave a lopsided smile. “Inviting friends for dinner, Shenora?” he said. “You might have asked permission first.”
Nora glanced at Keris, feeling that familiar sensation of butterflies, and silently asked her father’s spirit, if he still watched over her, for help in making this work. “Aunt Kayli, Uncle Tonas, this is my friend Keris,” she said and put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. She tried making her voice sound soft, sympathetic. “She’s in a bit of a pickle. She’s just newly come to the city and was looking for a place to stay for the night. And you know how the inns are!” Her voice soared with implied protest. “The ones near the docks are no better than shacks, and the city inns will gouge diamonds from you!”
“So you offered her a night’s stay here?” Kayli cut in. Nora chewed the corner of her bottom lip, trying to gauge her aunt’s mood. Her eyes were half-lidded, with her eyebrow still arched. She wasn’t angry, but she wasn’t pleased either.
“We have space in the attic,” Nora replied. “I thought… just until the rain clears?”
“And what of the girl’s parents?” Uncle Tonas inserted. “Won’t they be worrying themselves to death?”
Nora opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She hadn’t even given thought to Keris’s parents, or whether she had any at all. She tossed Keris a slightly panicked glance, desperately trying to think of something to say.
The voices below grew louder. Nora stood up from the table and stood in the doorway to the kitchen, inviting Keris to come stand beside her.
The door separating the upstairs apartment and the staircase opened. Two figures appeared, and Nora couldn’t help thinking that her aunt and uncle were as different from each other as night and day. Tonas topped Kaylith in height by nearly a foot, with a frame that was so gaunt and stretched he resembled a poorly stuffed scarecrow. Even his hair was like straw, pale yellow and straight, and had a tendency to stick out at odd angles. Kaylith was full-figured and strong, two inches shorter than Nora, with curly hair the color of ebony that contrasted with her pale blue eyes.
Both of them looked surprised at the appearance of a second girl in their kitchen. Aunt Kayli set down the bundle of papers she had been carrying and glanced between Nora and Keris with a coolly raised eyebrow, while Uncle Tonas gave a lopsided smile. “Inviting friends for dinner, Shenora?” he said. “You might have asked permission first.”
Nora glanced at Keris, feeling that familiar sensation of butterflies, and silently asked her father’s spirit, if he still watched over her, for help in making this work. “Aunt Kayli, Uncle Tonas, this is my friend Keris,” she said and put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. She tried making her voice sound soft, sympathetic. “She’s in a bit of a pickle. She’s just newly come to the city and was looking for a place to stay for the night. And you know how the inns are!” Her voice soared with implied protest. “The ones near the docks are no better than shacks, and the city inns will gouge diamonds from you!”
“So you offered her a night’s stay here?” Kayli cut in. Nora chewed the corner of her bottom lip, trying to gauge her aunt’s mood. Her eyes were half-lidded, with her eyebrow still arched. She wasn’t angry, but she wasn’t pleased either.
“We have space in the attic,” Nora replied. “I thought… just until the rain clears?”
“And what of the girl’s parents?” Uncle Tonas inserted. “Won’t they be worrying themselves to death?”
Nora opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She hadn’t even given thought to Keris’s parents, or whether she had any at all. She tossed Keris a slightly panicked glance, desperately trying to think of something to say.
Re: An Open Door
Fortunately, Keris was not taken completely off-guard by the question. She had realized while making her way towards Marn that she would need some explanation as to why she, still considered a young girl by some, would be travelling alone. Few, she knew, would willingly harbour a runaway, fearing repercussions by family members or even the law. Keris also knew it was likely her parents would look for her… and she could only hope they would not find her anytime soon – or worse, contact the law and tell them she was a magic-user…
“I have no one,” she offered quietly. Keris thought it was best to avoid a blatant lie – one she could be caught in later. “Please – I am a hard worker,” she continued, “I would not be any trouble… Or even just a place for the night… I have a few Bishan left…” Her tone was weary and pleading, and she could not stop her eyes from misting – which could easily be taken for grief at the mention of her parents, though it was more from the thought of being forced back onto the streets this late at night.
“I have no one,” she offered quietly. Keris thought it was best to avoid a blatant lie – one she could be caught in later. “Please – I am a hard worker,” she continued, “I would not be any trouble… Or even just a place for the night… I have a few Bishan left…” Her tone was weary and pleading, and she could not stop her eyes from misting – which could easily be taken for grief at the mention of her parents, though it was more from the thought of being forced back onto the streets this late at night.
Re: An Open Door
At the mention of Keris’s coin, Aunt Kayli raised her hand palm out, making a sound of disapproval as she frowned. “My business is baubles, girl, not charity,” she said. “That is never bought or paid for.” She stepped forward and studied Keris, her gaze remaining cool and detached, though not devoid of kindness. “You mentioned specifically that you’re a hard worker. I take it you mean to offer some service?”
“She could take over Tiri’s duties,” Nora ventured. “You’re always complaining about how she’s never on time, anyway.”
Kayli nailed her to the floor with a look that clearly meant she was to keep silent. Nora winced and glanced at Uncle Tonas, who seemed halfway between bewilderment and amusement. He shrugged his shoulders at her as if to say, “Best do as your aunt says, you brought this on yourself.”
Kayli continued her inspection of Keris, top to bottom, from her rain-soaked and bedraggled appearance to the look of silent beseeching in her brown eyes. Then she glanced at a window, its view nearly black and smeared with moisture. With pursed lips she turned back to the girl. “As you are already here, Keris, I’ll not turn you out in the middle of the night. We’ll put down a pallet in Nora’s room, and neither of you will move from there until tomorrow. In the morning, we shall decide how best to handle this…situation.”
Nora ducked her head to hide a grin of victory.
“Shenora, take Keris to your room,” Aunt Kayli ordered. “Supper will be brought later.”
Like prisoners in a jail cell…but Nora didn’t mind so much. She took Keris’s hand again and nudged her toward a short hallway. “This way.”
“She could take over Tiri’s duties,” Nora ventured. “You’re always complaining about how she’s never on time, anyway.”
Kayli nailed her to the floor with a look that clearly meant she was to keep silent. Nora winced and glanced at Uncle Tonas, who seemed halfway between bewilderment and amusement. He shrugged his shoulders at her as if to say, “Best do as your aunt says, you brought this on yourself.”
Kayli continued her inspection of Keris, top to bottom, from her rain-soaked and bedraggled appearance to the look of silent beseeching in her brown eyes. Then she glanced at a window, its view nearly black and smeared with moisture. With pursed lips she turned back to the girl. “As you are already here, Keris, I’ll not turn you out in the middle of the night. We’ll put down a pallet in Nora’s room, and neither of you will move from there until tomorrow. In the morning, we shall decide how best to handle this…situation.”
Nora ducked her head to hide a grin of victory.
“Shenora, take Keris to your room,” Aunt Kayli ordered. “Supper will be brought later.”
Like prisoners in a jail cell…but Nora didn’t mind so much. She took Keris’s hand again and nudged her toward a short hallway. “This way.”