Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Yumi - 16

After a few hours of barely getting any sleep, Yumi gives up and sits up on the bed mat. I do feel a little better, but this damn bed is way too soft for me... She chastises herself for complaining, knowing full well the bed would be suitable any other time. Every time she faded away, she's taken back to the previous night. Those dreams can fuck off... I'll feel better when I get home. Hopefully the fire didn't burn the whole dojo down. I'm sure someone put it out in time. Maybe Kaiya... No... Don't think like that...

She remembers there was a bar when Favian led her in. As much as she's anxious to get back home, she knows better than to not find some hydration. Even if no ones out there yet, I'm sure I can find tea... Maybe Favian will make it back before I leave, I wouldn't mind the company... And I really should figure out where he got that book. Sensei said that language wasn't for anyone else, an ancient tongue just like he said. She heads out of the room and down the hall to the bar. It's still empty, but it sounds like some of the townsfolk are active outside. Stepping behind the bar, there's a multitude of liquor choices, wines, and luckily for her a couple jars of tea leaves. If they have the leaves, there must be a kettle somewhere. A doorway by the bar seems to lead into a kitchen, another room in the back is open where the innkeeper is still sleeping. A fire is lit in the ceramic oven, heating the room, and to Yumi's benefit a small kettle filled with water. At least I don't have to bother the keeper... She takes the kettle quietly and returns to the bar, preparing a large cup before returning the borrowed water. Closing the kitchen door behind her, she settles at the bar happily and warms her hands on the cup while the tea steeps.

A moment to think is one too many as her mind wanders to home. The quiver in her eyes starts to draw out tears before she shakes her head. No, enough... I need a distraction... She perks up and pulls the poetry book Favian gave to her earlier. Opening to the first entry she's pleased to see the poems are written not only in the common tongue, but repeated in Nuvian. Perfect, poetry is so dull in common... She reads the page under her breath, sipping away at the tea as the prose whisks her imagination away to another world where the sun shines bright year round, the sand on the coast is black as a raven's feathers, and Favian was not joking about the impressively various ways to mention wine. If it sounds like this? What do I care? Compare me to a winery... She turns to the next and continues reading quietly aloud. Halfway through she's startled into nearly dropping her tea by a sudden voice from the hall back to the rooms.

"Your Nuvian sucks."

Yumi looks up and sets the book and cup down gently as she's a little stunned. The words were harsh, but this girl's emerald eyes are glittering with a nostalgic cocktail of mixed emotions. Struggling to find any words to speak, the leather-clad mercenary pushes away from the doorframe she was leaning on. Walks over as the tails of her cloak flow, her face hidden within the shadows of her hood, her knee-high boots not making a sound as she takes the stool a few down from Yumi. I fell asleep reading and this is a dream, right? Gods, those eyes... "Who... who are you?"

"Why would I tell you?"

Yumi fails with her response attempt. "I... because... um..."

The mercenary scoffs, "Oh shut up... if you're going to read that? Don't embarrass yourself and keep it fucking quiet."

"I'm sorry... I've never heard anyone speak it before, just from learning it by reading on my own. The words are so pretty, you can't blame me for trying."

She rolls her eyes, "That's your problem, it's not pretty."

Yumi giggles, "You think I made it pretty?"

The narrow-eyed glare in response silences Yumi instantly, "Fuck off, where's the damned keeper? I'm hungry, he made your tea didn't he?"

Yumi shakes her head, "I didn't want to wake anyone..."