The Tower

Chapter Four- Khari

Present time
Mabon
Early  Autumn
25th September
High Moon's bell

Khari turned the corner hoping to find themselves back on the main road but experienced no such luck. They turned the map of the city around hoping to find some sort of understanding of where they were going. Khari and Mateo had split up hoping to find lodgings for the night. The que at the Guard Farm Gate had been so long that by the time they reached the front, evening had already started her climb over the walls of the capital. Khari attempted to make sense of their surroundings, on both sides stood mountains of brick, each building a different shade than the last. The buildings were clumped together in an ugly fashion, suggesting that whoever designed these streets cared little for the end result, much like a school boy completing a task to the lowest standard in the hopes of finding something more interesting to occupy his time. Khari furrowed their brows in frustration, human systems made little sense to them. Why create such a complex machine of people? The word complex was hardly a compliment, if anything it made human societies so fragile, the moment one cog in the machine failed the whole thing came tumbling down. Khari had been around long enough to see it happen dozens of times, and yet, no matter how many times it collapsed- humans found a way to pull it back together while simultaneously  changing nothing that made it break... Khari sighed, a puff of frozen air dissipating in their wake as they trudged along the pavement. They came to a stop just before a corner and looked up. The sky was clear, and the moon had lit little silver patterns along the rooftops making the world above sparkle in a shimmery silence. Khari rested the back of their head against a wooden cart filled with hay.

"Did you find something?"

"Well I didn't follow you for a guided tour" Mateo said in a sour tone. He leapt down from his perch upon the roof and swan dove three stories into the hay Khari was leaning against. The maneuver was done with little grace or effort, not because he wasn't capable of such a feat but because Mateo had been awake for far too long to give two f*cks about how he moved.

"Don't worry Grandpa, you'll be in bed soon enough" Khari said in a jovial tone, attempting to lift the mood. What Mateo released next couldn't be called a reply. Instead he proceeded to release a series of undecodable grunts and squeaks strung together with an eye roll. If one was to translate these noises it would convey something to the effect of-

I bloody well hope so since right now my brain has gone to mush and I'm too irritated to even think of a witty response and if I'm not asleep in the next 10 minutes I will kill everyone in this godforsaken city and then myself so that I may finally have some peace and quiet.

After the non verbal episode stopped, Mateo began to lead Khari down a series of winding side streets until they reached a pale purple building. It was smaller than most of its neighbours and stood out since it was the only house with all of the lights still on. A sign by the entrance read - Blooming Bakery- In a neat little cursive. The writing was gold against a black background and underneath a wooden slab read - Vacancies-  In a much more scruffy font.  The large windows gave the building a calm and homely feel, inside Khari could see several display stands of swiss rolls, fluffy muffins and a range of sugar cookies iced and cut to look like little flowers. Below them Khari could see rows of adorable animals rolled from soft fondant and cream puffs stuffed with jam that made Khari's mouth water at the idea of stepping inside. Khari pulled their courage forward, hoping they could still book a room this late at night. If the lights were on, surely it was open. Khari took a deep breath and opened the door.

They saw the hair first. even from the doorway, that sharp shock of strawberry red was the loudest thing in the little reception room. noticeably cut with the woman's own hand, short and rough but delicately enough to deceive the causal looker into seeing craftsmanship. She looked up to acknowledge Khari and Mateo as they walked in, her eyes fixed on Khari with the same stare Khari used before calling on Valkyrie, but it softened after Khari's

"Hello". Their eyes attempting not to convey any threat. Her demeanour warmed, it was like the air around her had suddenly become sweeter. Her ivory skin not lifeless or cold, but glowing and pearlescent. the brown of her eyes like the strongest bark of an oak tree, moulded like soil to bring life to all she gazed on. An extraordinary aura surrounded her, one Khari had never encountered before and couldn't put their finger on. Their once confident demeanour was slightly shaken by her seemingly small frame. Despite the fact she was dimensionally small, her essence filled the room, stretching her power over everything within, like a kind but firm ruler.

They hadn't noticed the gem hanging perfectly on her chest, until they approached the counter. "Nice necklace,'' Khari said, their voice coming out more shrill than anticipated.
She giggled at that, evidently seeing the crimson building up in Khari's cheeks. She smiled, before asking them something about a room but Khari hadn't heard. They were too focused on that smile. Though momentary, it had left its mark and Khari knew there was no going back. But the lady couldn't know that. Khari asked her to repeat the question. only a couple seconds had elapsed since her smile but it felt stretched into eternity. She asked if they wanted a room for tonight.

"Yes" They blurted,"'but we have little money, I- we could do some work here to cover our cost, we'd be happy to, if you'll accept such payment" At that, she smirked to herself.

"We?" She asked almost accusingly.

"Well yes, me and my friend, he's travelling with me" The petite woman cocked her head to the side and saw Mateo slouched against the door frame. She gave them a swift calculating glance
and with that she went behind into a room to retrieve what they assumed, or rather hoped, to be keys. It was only then Khari saw her attire. fully black, with only a small purple ribbon around her waist to keep her simple but decorative dress in place and a baker's apron. captivating, the air of sophistication she kept about herself while in seemingly mundane clothes was breathtaking. So much so that Khari hardly knew they were staring until Mateo jabbed them in the side. It seemed the woman had been holding the key for quite some time while they were lost in trance. Mateo acknowledged her with the most thankful nod he could muster at such an hour and schlepped up the stairs to the room, not waiting to see if Khari followed. Which they didn't. They'd join shortly, but for now Khari wished to learn more about this woman and why she seemed so... Odd, in all the best ways.

"So..." Khari began, dropping their voice an octave lower in hopes it provided some sort of masculine charm. "I never caught your name."

"Lei, the woman said with a warm smile."

"What keeps you up at such an hour Lei?" Khari asked, each letter of her name sounding poetic on their tongue.

"These are pretty regular hours for me, I don't sleep much at night. Headaches." She explained with a gesture to her forehead. Khari opened their mouth to give a sympathetic reply when a woman crashed through the door with a lantern. Her sleepy expression matched Mateo's as she fumbled inside. Her pale face was littered with freckles and Lei walked to her with familiarity in her stride. Did she know this woman? The Auburn haired girl mumbled some apologies for the late hour which Lei dismissed with a fick of her wrist. The two looked one another in the eyes and embraced. It seemed odd, the way they conversed made it seem as though they were equals despite the drastically different look of them both and the substantial height difference. The girl was glad in a jade coloured robe outlined with lace. The silk appeared expensive. Perhaps she was a prostitute? After all who else would be in the center of town at this hour. As Khari pondered they assumed that to be the most likely scenario however, this was the most humble hussy they had encountered. Her face had next to no makeup on it and her thick hair was piled atop her head in a messy bun, and while it looked rather pleasant, it wouldn't stay in place where she too indulge in a prostitutes... Duties. Khari shook their head, the girl looked much too pleasant and timid to have such a career. But that still begged the question, why was she here? Lei pulled the girl by the waist into the backroom after sensing Khari's curiosity. While faint mumbles could be heard through the wall, Khari knew they weren't going to be able to talk to the mysterious Lei until the next morning. With defeat in their heart and sleep in their eyes, Khari went to bed.