Twin Secrets

Log Info

• Title: Twin Secrets
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Aya, Seyardu, Venom
• Place: A10: Temple District
• Time: September 23, 2021
• Summary:

It was a pleasant afternoon in the temple district of Alexandria. The sky was clear, but the heat of summer gave way to the slightly chill wind of fall. It was the perfect day to enjoy one's meal outside.

Which is precisely what a certain silverscale was doing. They had stopped by the temple of Althea, and left with a large tray of food. At a shaded bench under a tree nearby, the silverscale was quickly making their way through the meal.

On such a day, it was prudent to be prepared for the bright sun and the fair temperature. Either on a walk, or with some other objective in mind, a figure in a long grey skirt with a long-sleeved green shirt and a black shawl strolls through way through the square, a wide brimmed sun hat with a set of scarred ears poking through some holes in it atop their head. The figure stops as they pass by the silverscale, and a scarred grey hand raises in greeting. "Peace on your nest."

Oh. It's Aryia. <Handspeech>

Aya has been in and out (perhaps mostly out) of the temple district as of late. She makes her way purposely through, now, eyes scanning the surroundings. Upon spotting Seyardu, she alters her path towards... though her steps slow and falter when Aryia joins her. After a pause, she resumes her approach. "Peace on your nest, Seyardu, and good day, sister." She offers a slender smile.

It's not a common locale for another soul, this one predominantly shrouded in black, one more likely to be a thoroughfare than destination, but the venue has found reason to become the latter.

Certain of her activities...

...and certain of her other activities...

...have had sightings of the 'clerical' silhouette of the veiled woman rather sparse, lately.

Perhaps deciding enough was enough, she comes to track a certain acquaintance down. It comes to her benefit that her quarry is of such visual distinction, as she quickly notes the silverscale near one of the temples, and her course alters to this new vector. To extra fortune, it seems, there are other fondly regarded souls, well one moreso than the other(largely due to the freshness of such things), and so it is that the poncho'd figure waves a greeting to the group as it congeals

Seyardu's tray was loaded with more food than usual, and she was working on getting through it. She looks up however, and smiles.

"Peace on your nest, Aryia!" She greets, taking a chocolate scone and offering it to the Mul. "You are wearing more different clothes today. Where you going to see your, sweetie, I believe they were called?"

her attention is quickly taken by the arrival of the others. "Peace on your nest, Aya, this one hopes you are well. And Venom, correct? it is good to see you too. This brief break is better for all of your presences."

The sun hat lifts some, showing familiar looking silver shades underneath as a warm smile crests her lips. She steps forward, giving Aya a side hug as her manner of greeting. She takes the scone with a happy sound and nibbles on it. Though, she coughs at the mention of the word 'sweetie'. Her face flushes slightly, and she answers with, "No, I am trying out new clothes fo-"

She turns. Stills. And a bashful smile grows on her face as she raises a hand back in greeting, only for her to point to fingers at Venom with a thumb up, as she makes a clicking sound with her tongue. <Handspeech>

Aya returns Aryia's greeting somewhat casually, and actually manages to maintain that casual attitude even as Aryia coughs and flushes. Perhaps it is a show of solidarity. Perhaps she is just saving it for later.

Regardless, with Aryia briefly directed to Venom, Aya looks to Seyardu, her expression firming from casual to business. "I would speak with you for a moment, alone."

Venom repeats her wave, and hesitates a moment to elaborate on her return greeting to Seyardu, giving the bebonneted Mul'niessa a lookover. Either the novelty, or, perhaps the invocation of the word 'sweetie' prompts a cock of her head.

There is a subtle flicker in the tiny sparkles behind the veils. Maybe she blinked?

She seems to regain her poise as Aryia finger-guns in her direction, and the shrouded one briefly holds up her hands in the classic 'don't shoot' posture.

Levity aside, she bows to Aya then, but her preliminary gestures, rising as she then faces Seyardu, go still stillborn as Aya beats her to the punch.

She nods and folds her hands, then. Looks like she waits her turn. Meanwhile, a hand reaches out to gently bump knuckles against the green sleeved arm.

"For Venom?" Seyardu asks, tilting her head slightly. "Is that who? This one noticed the scent of linseed oil on you a few times. I am glad you were both able to become friends." She says, meaning well and smiling. Though she turns to Aya, and stands up with her tray set aside. "You need to speak with me? Very well, I am sure I have time to listen, Aya. Can you watch my meal a momsnt Aryia? you are welcome to another scone or sandwich if you wish. You too, Venom." She responds, before stepping off and away, to the back wall of the temple.

Aryia's face grows bright red at the finished sentence, her glancing back to Aya and Seyardu. She doesn't confirm or deny the question as she shifts on her feet some and steps a bit away, watching the silverscale's meal. Curious. Maybe a twinge concerned as well. Private conversation with Aya being so serious was never a good sign. But Venom's antics allays those worries just a hint. She lowers her hand prop and slides closer to her fellow silent folk.

Her smile blooms a bit more at the gesture, and a scarred knuckle does the same gesture back, a gentle nudge on the arm. She folds her hands together and just stands there sweetly. She must not dote. There cannot be any doting. No doting allowed.

"... It's good to see you," she gestures on the sly with her free hand, the other occupied with a chocolate scone. Maybe a little doting. <Handspeech>

Venom's head pivots toward Aryia as Seyardu begins to speculate to the Mul'niessa's intentions. Then her presentation of evidence gets a slight shift in footing.

Well, now.

There went that.

She takes the returned knuckle bump quietly before turning to look to Seyardu and Aya, giving a deep, considered nod.

As the two make to more discrete conversation distance, she signs a sly, "Trouble." <handspeech>

Aya nods to Seyardu and steps back to allow the sith to move freely. She offers Aryia a flash of smirk before she follows, perhaps to inform her that she did not miss the prior comments. Once she joins the silverscale, her voice lowers to a whisper.

Off to the side, Seyardu joins the mul'niessa. At the question, she tilts her head.

"Of course I still do, Aya. For your sake, Aryia's, and Cryosanthia's, as well as my own, I do. And I remember offering to help you if you were in need before, so I would not break that offer and promise." She whispers back.

Aryia just gives a small sigh, her brimming energy stunted briefly as she glances to the two conspiring folk. "Yes. I know. Whenever sister acts like that, it's always something serious."

She frowns a bit, and gives a motion to get Venom's attention. "... Aya knows about... how you and I are. Seyardu does not. I haven't told her yet," she gestures with small signs so it'd be hard to pick up from a distance. Best to clear the air. She hadn't had time to give the enigma all the information yet. And she knows that Venom likes having all the cards on the table, despite how small they are. "The... only other person that might know is Vaera." <Handspeech>

Aya nods to Seyardu. "You did offer, and I would now gratefully accept that offer." She pulls a small wooden box from her clothing, perhaps two hands wide, one deep and a half high. It is extended to the silverscale. Her eyes lift to meet Seyardu's insistently, even urgently. "This is for Cryosanthia. Take it and keep it safe. Meet me here, in the plaza, in a few hours time. If I am not present, I ask you to wait, as I would have you ready. If I do not arrive before sunset, take that to her. Tell no one of this until after I arrive or the sun sets."

Venom's head shakes after Aryia is finished her first comment, but only a little.

She is very still after the second string, and even well after the third.

After a few heartbeats, a subtle flutter in her fingerstips at first as she tries to frame a reply, "Dangerous."

Then, steady, a firmer gesture, "Secret."

The veiled one shakes her head again and she sighs, a soft note in the sound to close enough ears."Rumors. Someone's looking for Seyardu. Tell her." she signs, half turning, but hesitates.

<handspeech>

"Very well." Seyardu replies quietly, taking the box and quickly stowing it in her bag. "Cryosanthia knows I use that time to run errands, so it should be no issue." she adds. But there is a look that meets Aya's eyes. "Is there anything else I should know? If it comes to that, should I deliver it while she is alone?"

Aryia's face falls some as her shoulders sag. "...I... I know. I'm sorry. They only know because I asked for help on what to do before. I won't be telling anyone else. And I haven't. I promise." She is honest, and serious. If a little saddened.

She fidgets with her fingers, chocolate scone having been eaten. The directive makes a brow raise, and she gives a little nod. "Ok. But why can't you? I know even less than you about that." <Handspeech>

Aya shakes her head. "No, she need not be alone." A thought catches and tugs the corners of her mouth and pulls them upwards into a grin. "In fact, I have every reason to hope that she shall not be."

The smile lingers a hair longer before fading back to firmness. "I am most grateful to you, Seyardu; for your aid, for your trust. Be ready. I will not keep you further."

Venom hasn't been keeping tabs on the other conversation, and misses a good deal of Aryia's explanation as she looks around in a slow, sort of methodical sweep.

"I didn't want you to be a target, again." comes the eventual response from the hand visible at her side, the other doing something under the poncho.

"What if the wrong ears hear what you are to Venom?" <handspeech>

"I will not ask for more at the moment." Seyardu nods, offering a smile in return. "I trust you. And I trust I will see you here at that time, as I want nothing to happen to you."

With that, she returns, not seeming to catch the tail end of the conversation. She sits back down, looking to the two still there. "Thank you, Aryia. Are you not a fan of chocolate Venom? The althean temple has excellent bakers."

The dressed up mul'neissa deflates further, her clasping her hands together in front of her as she watches both subtle and regular 'spoken' gestures. "I don't want to be a target again either..." she agrees dejectedly.

The question makes her pause overlong. "... then such ears will only hear the name of someone else," she answers with small motions.

Taking the moment to gather herself as she hears the loud footsteps of the silverscale approaching, she pulls her hat down further to block out more of the sun, as well as gird her face. She turns back to the conversation at hand, and gives a small, sweeping motion of: "You're welcome." <Handspeech>

Aya steps after Seyardu and towards Aryia and Venom. More specifically, for Aryia. Her posture and expression are relaxed, now. Business and now pleasure?

She even cracks a smile as her eyes shift to Venom and back to the girded mul'niessa. "You are even beginning to dress alike, sister..." she opines of Aryia's coverings, clucking her tongue as if this is some apocalyptic sign.

Venom starts slightly as she's inquired of aloud, and it takes her a second to turn back toward the Silverscale.

Her head cocks at a slightly odd angle and a silent sigh ruffles the veils before she signs, "Thank you, but I'm not hungry."

She gives that a second, then continues signing, "I don't have details, but there's rumor someone is curious about you."

She shifts her weight slightly, then reaches out to slightly bump Aryia's arm with a knuckle.

The gentle ribbing of Aryia on Aya's part straightens her posture a notable bit, a certain anxiety at work, and she signs, "Not so loud."

Then, after a pause, "Unsafe for her." <handspeech>

"Someone is looking for me?" Seyardu asks with her head tilted. "There are many in the city looking for me, it feels."

Seyardu looks around after that, before she sighs. "And I would not be surprised if someone was watching me now."

"I am not sure what there is to be curious of, to be honest. What were they saying about me, then? Some lie from lord Altay to discredit whatever I try to say?"

Aryia's lips pull down to a pout at Aya's ribbing. "It's getting colder outside, " she answers defensively, the nudge to the arm making her relax some. She glances to the signs, then back to Aya. "Need a sister to sister chat, later," is all she elaborates off of the veiled woman's gestures. A hand does come out and pat Seyardu on the shoulder. "I don't think its that prick. His head is too far up his ass to care." <Handspeech>

Aya's smile gains wry and uneveness as she switches to less loud signing."A wise teacher once told me it is better to enjoy new things with the wonder of a child, than wait until all has passed by. On that advice, I must go. Fare well, all of you. Until next we meet." her gesturing includes all three.

Then, perhaps wholly surprisingly, she vanishes. <Handspeech>

Aya has left.

Venom shrugs and her hands come together to sign their way through what little information she has, "Posted notes amongst guilds, in Dragon, looking for female with silver scales. A Keeper from M-I-C-T-L-A-N."

She turns some to consider Aryia as she signs in turn to Aya, following that line of understanding to her friend's new sister, absorbing her sign in turn. She has just about enough time to lift her hand to wave, when the Mul'niessa vanishes. <handspeech>

"Peace on your-"

The mul is gone. Seyardu sighs. "Ah. I am sure she has things she needs to do." Seyardu notes, reaching for a sandwich. "A keeper in Mictlan? I have not been back for some time. Perhaps it is related to the one following me around." She sighs. "I think I should go back to Mictlan and see to this. You have not been yet, have you Aryia?"

Aryia glares at the leaving shadows. Purses her lips. And sighs. Shaking her head, she turns back to the conversation at hand. "No. Haven't had a reason to. Maybe it is related to that. I can go with you if you want." <Handspeech>

Venom shrugs, "That's all the information I have." she signs, then looks between the two as they discuss travelling to another land.

Hmmm.

She reaches out to gently bump knuckles to the arm of each of the ladies, but doesn't remark on the topic. <handspeech>

Aryia gives a bit of a light smile and bumps Venom's arm back. "It was good seeing you two. But I need to get back to something. Have a good one."

With that, the shadow elf walks off, her looking over her shoulder to watch Venom for a moment before continuing on into the city. <Handspeech>

Aryia has left.

"Good to see you too, Aryia. Peace on your nest." She offers with a parting wave.

There was only Venom left now, she did not know them well, but they had worked together before. "Thank you, for letting me know. If you ever see a black sith-makar around, that is who is following me, if they can be found."

Seyardu sighs. "Long story. I don't think they're hostile, but I don't know what they want either."

Venom clasps hands for a moment, then signs a quick, "Alright, I'll see you around. Be well." as Aryia makes her way off to her tasks.

She stares after for a moment, then turns back to Seyardu, "I'll let you know what I learn." <handspeech>

"That would be appreciated Venom, but you need not go out of your way to do so, either."

Seyardu pauses, and smiles to the veiled woman. "Thank you, by the way, for being Aryia's friend. She did not have many before, but she seems much happier for it. Now she has you and Aya to fall back on if in need as well."

The veiled woman nods in return, signing a slow, "You're welcome."

With a moment or two of thought, punctuated by the notable dip of her chin, she starts to sign further, "I'm glad to hear she's happy."

Her hands close for a moment, and, a more discretely signed, "Thank you for looking out for her." <handspeech>

"Well, we both ended up in this city around the same time. But I do not know how much looking out for her I have truly done." Seyardu admits, pausing to take a bit of her sandwich. "It seems she is more likely to rely upon Aya, or perhaps you, and I can not blame her. Aya likely understands her a lot better than I do."

Venom's poncho rises and falls with the likely impulse of her shoulders shrugging, then she signs, "More than likely, better than most people here."

She lets that hang for a few moments, then continues on the earlier track, "You must be doing something right. She likes you." <handspeech>

"Perhaps. Despite the amount of times I've bothered her." The silverscale sighs. "I am glad I have not managed to push her away at least. But anyways, yes. It is good she has others now."

Venom huffs out a breath that ruffles her veils at the first remark, before nodding and reaching out to bump the Sith's arm with her knuckles again. It is good, indeed.

Seyardu looks to Venom, and she returns the bump to her arm. "You are doing well, I hope? We have not spoken much since returning from those ruins. I am, sorry about your weapon, I know those are difficult to make, and acquire

Another shrug, "I managed to replace it." she signs in her string of gestures, then, "I've been well enough. I'm glad you're doing well, too. It was an interesting trip." <handspeech>

<OOC> Venom says, "likewise ty for the scene! *hugs*"

<OOC> Venom says, "and i should have put an identifier in there somewhere, fixing"

Another shrug, "I managed to replace it." Venom signs in her string of gestures, then, "I've been well enough. I'm glad you're doing well, too. It was an interesting trip." <handspeech>

"That is good then. I am, still not sure what to make of the results. I hope they will be alright, I will trust the explorer's guild to handle it well."

She looks to Venom, and seems to sigh. "While I would like to talk more, it is likely best if I am left alone for now. Peace on your nest, Venom."

With that, she waves her away, a bit weakly, and returns to her meal.