[Yael] On A Path To The Gods [Zekiel | Fallon]

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

She let out a cute giggle as she remembered being assigned to help Zekiel with his studies. Fallon had found out that her peer had no problem learning at all, he just needed to be kept on track. As he was getting the place ready her fingers started to make the all too familiar swirling pattern on her dress.

"That sounds delicious!" The acolyte chimed. "Do you need help with anything Zekiel?" Fallon didn't want to simply take when she could help.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“No,” he said easily, “it’s all but done. Your task is only to eat as much as pleases you.”

Augmented with the spices of the island—sometimes naturally growing on its own shell, however ironically enough for the tintural—and supplemented by vegetables and sometimes fresh oysters or clam from the shore, the soup was a common staple in the Yaelian diet, particularly for those who did frequent business with the sea. Zekiel had been familiar with the taste for as long as he could remember, and the smell of it, commingled with the characteristic scents of Marleya’s home, was nostalgic to him as he ladled bowls full for each of them and set them out. The bread, he set on a small table napkin.

“It has been long since we’ve sat to speak,” he said as he came to join them at the table. “I would love to hear of what busies you each day…” He eyed her, curious. “And if anyone of special importance has become a part of your life.”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

If all she had to do was eat then she could certainly do that. Fallon hadn't had anything on the trip down so her stomach was plum empty. All the swaying and bouncing around in the wagon hadn't made for ideal eating conditions anyways. Knowing her she'd have dropped any food she had been holding.

Fallon nodded her head at his words. It had been a long time. It also didn't help that she spent a lot of time in the greenhouse. "Nothing too exciting. I still help with the greenhouse and lately I've been going to the library more often." She was trying to focus more on her studies than anything else. When Ze asked if there was someone who had become important to her she thought of Jolanta and frowned. Looking down at the table she felt a pang of loneliness. She often wondered how her friend was doing and where he was at.

After clearing her throat she put her smile back into place and looked up at Zekiel. "I made a new friend in the library." It was worth a mention.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Zekiel watched Fallon’s expression as she answered, and where once upon a time he may have missed the subtler distinctions, he wasn’t blind now to her upset, regardless of how quickly she moved on from it and smiled.

“Oh?” he asked.

He was aware there had been—something there, once upon a time, between Fallon and one of the citizens of Pajore. A young man he had never gotten the chance to know personally, and he had a fleeting thought that her upset now may have been related, as the man had not parted under the best of circumstances.

But, evidently Fallon did not wish to pursue the inquiry, so he let it slide for the moment. It wasn’t his business to push beyond what she wished to speak of. She was here on his invitation, after all. “I would love to hear about them.”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

Her head gave a small nod. "He was quite nice." She recalled the young priest that had helped her many times in the library. "Uhm, lets see.. his name is Glain and he's taller than me." Her hand came up to show just how much taller the man was. Of course the height she reached to was way taller than the man actually was.

"He usually helps me reach the top shelf books." A smile lit up her features. Fallon had been working more and more on her studies recently since she needed to advance in her training. It seemed that she had let the greenhouse take over when really she should have been focused on other things. "He said I should avoid the ladder as much as possible."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

Zekiel watched with soft interest, his attention more on Fallon herself than the tale of the boy, though he did pay that mind, too. It had been too long since he’d had proper opportunity to interact with her, and it was good to have her out and back with him. He knew, despite them being apart and her still maintaining the rank of acolyte, she had experienced much in the time between.

“And why should you avoid the ladder?” Ze asked, a smile tugging at his lip with the inquiry. She wasn’t the tallest, but neither was he for that matter, and ladders were useful for those not so vertically blessed as others. “Was there an incident?”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

With the question being asked about an incident she colored a little in the cheeks and looked down at her hands as they came together in her lap. "Ah, yes.." Fallon was embarrassed to admit it but her clumsiness was the sole purpose of her getting to know the other acolyte. After clearing her throat she reached up with one hand and brushed her bangs to the side using just two fingers. "I'm afraid I have poor balance." At the tail end of her explanation she gave a small giggle.

"I didn't get hurt. Glain caught me before I hit the floor." Likely a good thing too since she had a very poor reputation with ladders. It also didn't help she often would try to stretch and reach things that were just outside arms length.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

Ah, yes.

Zekiel’s eyes warmed, and he couldn’t feel surprised, watching instead as Fallon tucked at her hair. “It makes heights more exciting,” he said, and it was good to hear her laughing. “He sounds like a blessing,” Zekiel concluded.

“Sounds like a man,” Marleya interjected, eyeing Fallon herself with a keen glow to her eye. “Wanderin’ about under ladders for falling women…and got an armful for his work, too.”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

Exciting certainly wasn't a word she would use for it but she smiled either way. That was, until the older lady said something and it caused Fallon to become flustered. She looked at Marleya with wide eyes and brought her hands up to wave in front of her. "N-no, not like that. He wasn't.. I mean.. He was just turning down the isle and.. I was reaching too far out.." Finally she gave up, giving a soft whimper and slouching in her seat. The blush had gotten worse and now spread over the bridge of her nose and even reached her ears.

Fallon was sure the Gods were laughing at her right now. Allowing herself to become so bothered by such comments. It actually made Fallon wonder if she were cut out for Priestesshood. She never saw any of the others get so caught up in trying to explain things. Not even Zekiel.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

Zekiel glanced to Marleya at the words, and got a sense in the first moment that this was one of those such comments which would inspire some flutter of reaction in his female company—and surely enough, it was. Spurned by it, Fallon’s cheeks colored and her hands waved as she began to stutter denials-

At the whimper of sound and slouch, however, Zekiel felt a pinch of—guilt? He truly hoped she wasn’t overly uncomfortable, and he shook his head.

“He sounds like a very kind and fortunately-timed man,” Zekiel said. “I am sure the gods put him there for a reason and he must have appreciated your company.”

If Marleya had anything further to say on it, it was drowned in a knowing grunt and hum as she returned to her food.  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

Fallon looked at the older lady when she made a sound and opened her mouth to say something more but closed it almost as quickly. What could she say? In truth she didn't know. So instead she looked over at her friend with a lost look. "T-Thank you." She didn't bother to mention that he was the one who got up on the ladder for her now.

"And you? Have you met anyone special here?" Since he had hailed from the area previously she wasn't sure if there were any new faces for him to meet or not. Fallon wasn't so sure how busy the place was or if travelers passed through the way they did in Pajore.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

And you? Have you met anyone special here?

Zekiel took brief pause in his meal, surprised to be asked, though perhaps he shouldn’t have been, and with the question before him, it begged inquiry: had he? Everyone was special in different ways, though Zekiel knew at least by now better than to think it was intended so generally. She meant someone ‘special’ in the way Jolanta had been to her or more so, and while Zekiel felt great attachment to his village and the people here, he couldn’t say anyone stirred that variety of interest or closeness.

“There are many wondrous people here,” he said at length, “and I love serving them and learning the village as my own…but I think the gods have bid thus far that I wait before pursuing such things. I have actually…”

He had invited Fallon partly with the thought that he would speak of Malta, and his progressions on that front, but after the Sanctum’s denial of his initial request, he had allowed some time for space and reflection. He was busy, and so was she, but perhaps still he spent too much time thinking on it.

“I was intending to tell you I’ve been courting a woman,” he said, “though she is not of this village and now that I have come we only have rarer occasion to see one another…”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

She listened as he spoke. Fallon was very much interested in learning whether or not her friend had met someone worthy of mention. Then he paused for a second and she tilted her head, sending her pigtails to one side like a great purple curtain. When Zekiel continued she blinked; surprised. At first she was going to say congrats to him but then he said that since his move they had seen less of one another. So what did one say to that?

"I am sorry to hear that seeing her is such a rare occasion. Do you intend to pursue courting her or have the gods deemed something different?" Fallon knew that with Ze being so far away it was hard to see him regularly and if the girl he spoke of was in Pajore, as she was, then it would be a trial to be sure.

Straightening just then she smiled at her peer. "If you need help let me know. I would be willing to take her letters or any number of gifts for you." Just because she had lost Jola did not mean someone else had to lose their version.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

“I am not yet certain,” Zekiel admitted. “She is a good friend, and blessed with a great talent for beasts — both of our gods and those from foreign shores. I had thought to ask the Sanctum’s permission for her hand, such that I could begin a family…but the council deemed that it is not time for such things and denied me.”

At Fallon’s offer, though, he found himself smiling.

“I do thank you for that…and if it seems at some point it may be useful, I will not hesitate to ask. I think it is the gods’ will that for this moment at least, I dedicate my focus to our people, and let other matters come as they will.”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

Her smile faded just a little into one that showed a hint of sadness. Fallon didn't like that her friend might not get what he wanted. She had never thought of starting a family of her own but hearing him say it made it sound nice. Fallon may have once considered being close with Jolanta, as she'd certainly liked him, it had never crossed her mind that a family could have been started with him.

She was silent for all of a single moment before she made her smile bright again and looked at Ze. "I am sure the gods have something wonderful planned for the future." Why else would they deny him now?

Giving her attention back to her food she took another bite or two before looking at the woman. "What about you ma'am? Have the gods put someone in your life?" Since they were in her home it would be rude not to include her in the conversation.