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"Witches all have two names," it occurs to Ranata to say. "We mostly use the first, unless we're being formal or distinguishing between two with the same first name, and then it's both. Ranata Ekamma; Isabella Amariah. Like that. What's your full name?"
headunbowed
"You're welcome. Zeviana just finished with inspecting the fields, she'll get started soon."
Then Lecasryn inclines her head, and if he has nothing left to say, flies off.
Then Lecasryn inclines her head, and if he has nothing left to say, flies off.
kindestgarden
He indeed has nothing to say.
Ranata has finished her lunch and hasn't yet gotten bored enough to wander off again.
Ranata has finished her lunch and hasn't yet gotten bored enough to wander off again.
headunbowed
Zeviana finishes hers, too! Lecasryn returns soon after, and gets an affectionate pet on her return.
"It works. Thank you," says the daemon.
She nods, and there are more pets - then Zeviana'd like to get to work on the field.
"Alright, I'm going to get started - it'll just be a lot of me sitting around, though you'll see some changes as I work. I don't mind if you watch."
"It works. Thank you," says the daemon.
She nods, and there are more pets - then Zeviana'd like to get to work on the field.
"Alright, I'm going to get started - it'll just be a lot of me sitting around, though you'll see some changes as I work. I don't mind if you watch."
kindestgarden
"I might wander off again but I'll leave Castarilan if I do," says Ranata. "We'll see."
headunbowed
"Mhm!"
Then she finds a comfy place to sit, and gets to work. As promised, it doesn't look like much at all. Just her, sitting in a field.
But underneath, there's so much more. She's busy cutting off the weeds' life support, then telling them to shred themselves to mulch. Slowly, the weeds just crumple up and die, crumbling to a fine powder. Their leftover nutrients go to the plants around them, because Zeviana's practical and this is probably going to be a long-term project. Waste not, want not, and all that.
Then she gets to work making sure weeds won't come back. That one's a bit tougher. She finds the offending species of weeds in the area - and engraves into their being that they don't want to grow in the fields. The fields are death, they should give up trying if they touch them. They should try to find other places to grow, better places, places that aren't so resolutely their tomb. Any seeds that float there will never sprout, they'll just simply waste away. Roots won't touch the area around it, they'll stop because it means certain death.
(For weeds.)
She blankets this towards the fields present. The mint, the rosemary, and she even manages to get the watercress, though not quite as absolutely as the first two. Eventually, she does start to run low on mana, but her job's finished pretty neatly by that point. So she wraps it up - one last check for weeds or un-engraved weeds, then she grins and gets up.
"Done," she pronounces.
Then she finds a comfy place to sit, and gets to work. As promised, it doesn't look like much at all. Just her, sitting in a field.
But underneath, there's so much more. She's busy cutting off the weeds' life support, then telling them to shred themselves to mulch. Slowly, the weeds just crumple up and die, crumbling to a fine powder. Their leftover nutrients go to the plants around them, because Zeviana's practical and this is probably going to be a long-term project. Waste not, want not, and all that.
Then she gets to work making sure weeds won't come back. That one's a bit tougher. She finds the offending species of weeds in the area - and engraves into their being that they don't want to grow in the fields. The fields are death, they should give up trying if they touch them. They should try to find other places to grow, better places, places that aren't so resolutely their tomb. Any seeds that float there will never sprout, they'll just simply waste away. Roots won't touch the area around it, they'll stop because it means certain death.
(For weeds.)
She blankets this towards the fields present. The mint, the rosemary, and she even manages to get the watercress, though not quite as absolutely as the first two. Eventually, she does start to run low on mana, but her job's finished pretty neatly by that point. So she wraps it up - one last check for weeds or un-engraved weeds, then she grins and gets up.
"Done," she pronounces.
headunbowed
"Thanks!" says Zeviana with a grin. "Nothing too fancy, the key's in keeping them from coming back. Think your queen will be happy?"
headunbowed
"Hurray! So, I think I'll goof off a bit and check out how witches live here, before I go tell her. Because I've spent a large amount of time staring at the insides of plants. I should probably go actually talk to the people I'll be staying with if I'm accepted!"
kindestgarden
"Let's see, who do I know who's around... Luzia is here, I think, but if I introduce you to just her it probably winds up looking like I'm trying to set you up... Anirea might be back from visiting her son by now..."
headunbowed
"Any's fine. I don't mind being set up, but I reserve the right to say no," says Zeviana, amused.
kindestgarden
"Sure, but I'm also wondering what Luzia would think. I've never managed to find another witch I wanted to set her up with, mostly because we know all the same witches, and she rolls her eyes at me if I suggest mortals and I'm not sure how you'll count. I suppose it's worth a try."
kindestgarden
"I think everyone's beautiful, personally, so I'm not a good judge. Tall, looks exactly like she practices dagger for an hour or two every day because she does, pale, black hair, blue eyes?"
headunbowed
"Ooo. She practices with a dagger a lot? I think I approve of her already. I'll see if she's hot. She sounds hot, but I won't know 'til I see her."
kindestgarden
"She does, she's very good at it. Maybe there'll be a sparring tournament soon you can watch. Do you have more questions about her or should we go find her?"
headunbowed
"Nah, let's go find her! Watching, maybe, but I might also ask for lessons. I have to look like a witch, after all."
Daggers aren't usually her thing, but hey, new world, new rules.
Daggers aren't usually her thing, but hey, new world, new rules.
kindestgarden
"She doesn't teach the kids, but she might be willing for an adult."
Off they go looking for Luzia.
Eventually she is located!
Stark naked in a grassy practice area, practicing footwork, stance, and potentially gratuitous amounts of dagger-tossing. Her daemon is lurking nearby, occasionally bursting into short flights but mostly just loitering.
Ranata lands.
Off they go looking for Luzia.
Eventually she is located!
Stark naked in a grassy practice area, practicing footwork, stance, and potentially gratuitous amounts of dagger-tossing. Her daemon is lurking nearby, occasionally bursting into short flights but mostly just loitering.
Ranata lands.
headunbowed
...Yup. That's a gorgeous stark naked woman practicing with sharp objects. That is a thing that Zeviana is now witness to. This is the best place. The absolute best. Fuck this was a good idea.
She'll let Ranata make introductions. Right now words are kind of escaping her and she's just - going to enjoy the sight. Not in a rude manner, not like she's looking at Luzia like a piece of meat, but like she's beautiful - because she is.
kindestgarden
"Luzia!" calls Ranata.
Luzia catches her dagger and tucks it away into its sheath where it's hiding in her silks, and turns in their direction. "Ranata! Who's your friend?"
"This is Zeviana. I'm giving her a sort of tour."
The mousebird flies forward; Castarilan zooms down to greet her.
Luzia catches her dagger and tucks it away into its sheath where it's hiding in her silks, and turns in their direction. "Ranata! Who's your friend?"
"This is Zeviana. I'm giving her a sort of tour."
The mousebird flies forward; Castarilan zooms down to greet her.
headunbowed
"Hi," says Zeviana, waving a bit. She's grinning and looking just a bit enamored. "Nice to meet you. I'm new around here."
Lecasryn swoops down, landing nearby. She's not as taken as her mage, but she is distinctly interested.
Lecasryn swoops down, landing nearby. She's not as taken as her mage, but she is distinctly interested.