[SE] Oh, Valley of Plenty

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies The gryphon was more than welcome to rest on her, and Maea wrapped her arms about the cub, cooing softly as she made to run her cheek over Haai's back. She'd always had a weak spot for animals, far more so than children. This kind of simple, trusting affection melted her heart far more than any sticky handed, snot-faced brats ever could. "You will grow to be a magnificent terror, I'm sure!" she told it. "Burning enemies and saving your human when it pleases you." She offered Sunjata a sly grin. "Or not. Sometimes it is better to let them sort out their own messes." An empty taunt, in her mind, said with a smile to take the edge off any insult - she was growing more comfortable, less intimidated by this person. Perhaps he was not dangerous, after all. "I think it has to do with my size," she shrugged, "or perhaps lack of practice. My da was strict about drinking, seeing as mother lost her family to it. They were outlanders, and did not cope well with a life under the barrier." Sipping at the juice, finding it fresh and just on the right side of sweet, she considered her host. If he'd arrived after the barrier fell, he wouldn't know what it had been like before. Unable to recall his face from earlier, she assumed it to be the case, and felt a brief tug of envy at the thought. What was it like, to remember only horizon and the option to go where he pleased? "How do you like Caido?" she asked him, after a moment of silence. "I hear many say it's different from their original worlds."

SUNJATA

A chuckle leaves him as Maea speaks to Haai, who clearly agrees with all the sentiments with the way the griffin nuzzles in and settles in. Sunjata on the other hand, watched the griffin with no small amount of amusement before he shakes his head. “She’d absolulutely agree with that.” He offers. But he focuses on her next when she speaks of drinking, how it had taken her mother, and he nods in some amount of understanding. He didn’t know what it was like to lose someone from drinking, but he does know what it’s like to lose a mother.

“It’s not healthy to delve into it to ease burdens.” He says, but there’s a hint in the accent of his voice that he chooses to do it anyway, that the only reason he can’t right now is the slight rasping within his chest, the sickness he suffers from.

The question, however, causes his gaze to return to her. A small wry smile crosses his face as he nods. “It’s very different from where I’m from. Aside from the constant tragedies, well… I wouldn’t want to go back to my home world.” He offers honestly. “I’m from a place called Korofi.” He begins, voice much more thickly accented on the name of his home. “It was a pretty backwards place in terms of traditions, and after I turned… Nineteen I think I was, I started to fight back against it.” A shrug as he pours himself a glass of water, hearing a call from the kitchen that the foods almost ready. “Made it a while until I popped up here last year after the barrier fell.” His gaze returns to her.

i'll never be that me again

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies Nodding her agreement, Maea did not linger on the topic. She'd never known her mother, nor her maternal grandparents, but the stories her father told were not kind. In the end, it had been Maea's own birth that killed Neema, and for all that she'd never known her, it was still a loss keenly felt. All the more now that she had no true blood relations left that mattered. Petting Haai, she listened with some wonder to Sunjata's description of his home. Few outlanders seemed inclined to speak of their old worlds, in her experience and this was a rare treat. She tried to imagine any place where tradition might hold stronger sway than the Grounds, but failed; she knew nothing else, had never seen other cultures or lived anywhere but here. "I don't think this place is much different," she mused. "We naturals can be a stubborn lot. Many of the changes in recent years have been hard earned and still rankle with many, though they've stopped being so vocal about it. It just about came to blows, once, when one group tried to make the barrier come down, and the other tried to stop them. "Not because they didn't want out, mind you, but... if the gods put it up, it was believed that it ought to stay that way." Personally she was still torn. Freedom was a beautiful thing, but what would it cost the world in the end? Now that the Voice was free to act upon it again, and the borders ever expanded as the portals were discovered... It could end in so many ways and few were outcomes Maea liked to think about.

SUNJATA

There’s a wry smile that crosses his face as she mentions that Naturals can be stubborn, but doesn’t know how much different it is from his home. There’s a slight tilt to his head at that as he listens to her explanation. “It makes sense.” He offers quietly, thoughtfully. “Comes to a point where deciding what’s best for the people comes first I imagine. With all of us landing here, your farms were already struggling, let alone add more and more outlanders each day.” A slight shrug. It reminds him of when he joined the resistance of Korofi, where nobody had trusted him because of his bloodline, because of what he’d done.

He’s quiet for a moment as he thinks on it. “It is a lot different, really. We had traditions where you could only have one daughter and one son for each household. Any more than that and they were sent to a different country.” A shrug. “Then when we could walk decently, they’d toss us into the floodwaters to see if we could swim. If you didn’t, you drowned, and parents moved on trying to conceive another to replace you.” He offers, before letting her mull that over to get her food.

He returns with it, something somewhat light and not too warm with the heat of the outdoors. Venison with vegetables from the farms produce, a few fruits from the Greatwood as well. And he sets it down in front of her as he goes to sit across from her at the bar, beckoning Haai into his lap to let Maea eat in peace. Meanwhile, he works on checking the bottles, scrawling something on a sheet of parchment.

i'll never be that me again

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies Maea balked at that. Something so cruel! In the Hollow Grounds, children were far too precious to be risked, as their numbers always dwindled no matter how much they farmed or hunted. Between the losses of LongNight, dangerous creatures and a short life expectancy in general, it was more the crime not to conceive. She told him as much when he returned with the food, and eyed the plate hungrily as she went on; "I suppose it might change now, on account on us being able to spread more, but still... You're right. In comparison, our little games of capturing suns and making lanterns sound happy indeed." Breathing in the scent of the food, Maea began to eat. Far hungrier than she had expected, there was a moment of peaceful quiet as she sampled the meat and sides, humming in delighted approval as she found it delicious indeed. "I suggest you guard whoever cooked this meal with your life," she commented between bites, "because this is amazing."

SUNJATA

He returns with the food, hears what she has to say with a light smile crossing his face. Haai curls up on his lap, her head resting on his side of the bar as he nods. “It’s not so bad in the end.” He shrugs, going to gesture toward the back wall for her to see. “We've set up a small space for people to put lanterns and knickknacks if they want to.” He turns to look back at her again. “A conversation piece in a sense, tell the stories of those lost to keep them in mind.” He glances back at it, lingering on the bronze and fiery lantern he’d created for Lusea, before he manages to find her gaze again as she comments about the food.

The compliment though does have a slightly wider smile crossing his face. “It’s amazing what little things you can do when you combine some outlander things with the traditions of the Grounds.” He shrugs to that. Venison wasn’t new here, but the slight twist of food from home is what helped make this particular thing shine. A bit of give and take, in a way. “There’s stew as well, a few other things too.” He offers before taking a sip of his water and strokes Haai’s head.

i'll never be that me again

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies "I think I'm going to like it here very much," she said with a grin. If the food was anything to go on, the apparent pride of the proprietor as she complimented it was even more of a giveaway. Here was someone who cared about what they were doing, and good at their job as well. The attitude was one she approved of very much, and Maea allowed herself to relax into the simple enjoyment of eating, the scrape of her cutlery a counterpoint to the gentle clinking of bottles as Sunjata made his inventory. Meanwhile, she looked at the far wall he had indicated, taking in the memorabilia with quiet interest. It was a nice touch that added a personal feel to the interior, that could easily have felt stiff and overpolished without it. Maea thought of her loved ones, who had no place to remember them by, and soon would not even have the farm to their names anymore. Perhaps she would bring something to add to the space here. It was not the Rathskeller they remembered, but many of the old crowd would no doubt find their way here eventually. "Is that a custom from your homeland? To make spaces for those who passed?" she asked, as she reached for the glass.

SUNJATA

He scours through the bottles, scratching on a pad of parchment to keep everything in order, that he only looks up once more when she speaks. The question, about the section for a memorial of sorts, and he glances back over at it briefly with a faint smile. “Not exactly. It’s sort of mixed with the lantern custom here.” He shrugs at first. “I made that bronze lantern last year for… Well, my ex-girlfriend from Korofi.” His gaze returns to her. “The one next to it is for a niece of mine.” Because it’s easier to explain Clementine as his niece just as much as Melita was.

“But the things around it were added as sort of memorial pieces, that’s a bit more custom to home for me.” His gaze softens a fraction, no longer the hardened steel it had always seemed to be, a lightness settling over him briefly. “But… I did arrive a week before LongHeat ended last year so I’m not too familiar with what the Naturals do during this season.”

He places the quill back into the ink pot, scratching at Haai between her ears as he regards Maea once more. “I’d like to incorporate as much of the traditions from here as I can despite my own touches, but I’ve yet to learn much about it.” A rough hum of a chuckle at that.

i'll never be that me again

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies Maea didn't ask for specifics, simply nodding with sympathy as he revealed personal connections now lost. She could relate, and knew she was too fresh of an acquaintance to ask about such personal matters - she'd not appreciate a stranger prying into her grief, after all. "Well, here in the Grounds we usually don't do much for LongHeat. Try to keep the place from burning down, mostly," she explained. "But there's a new custom spreading from the fae, it seems, about capturing the sun to make LongHeat last and prevent LongNight from coming back. "I only heard about it recently myself, but it seems fun enough. Sure is catching on quickly, at least." Any excuse to celebrate and make merry was usually picked up eagerly by the hard-working people of the Grounds, Naturals as well as others. It was a good thing that this one existed, especially after the terror of their usually so happy Fiat Lux... The memory of that light would be dimmed for many years to come, after what happened. ----- Maea is learning about the tradition here: {open SE} let me tell you about the sun...

SUNJATA

She only nods, and he is internally grateful for that alone. Regardless, she charges on and explains that they really… Didn’t do much here until recently. A wry smile is given to the comment of keeping the place from burning down, a nod in understanding. When it wasn’t flooding in Korofi, the heat was enough to cause quite a bit of a stir, and even still the prolonged dry times often brought out a variety of different kinds of scorpions.

His head tilts as he listens to her, giving a quiet nod. “What are you supposed to do?” He asks, wondering how people go about capturing said sun, or if it were more of a metaphorical sense. Were there other customs that were incorporated within it? Regardless, he couldn’t deny the fact that keeping LongNight at bay was sorely wanted and sorely needed. Last LongNight had been a nightmare for him, having spent much of it drunk and mostly out of his wits.

He was thankful to have the sunlight on his face one more. And now? Now instead of Lusea charging ahead, this coming LongNight would be difficult with Phoebe at his side after what she’d endured. “I’d be totally fine without another LongNight for a while.” He rumbles with a quiet smile.

i'll never be that me again

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies Maea tilted her head and nibbled the fork as she thought, trying to recall all that Wessex had told them. It was not fun, because the information was overlaid with the ascended woman's cold attitude, but... "You're to weave a basket, and fill it with water. Then capture the sun in it - a metaphorical one, or the real one, somehow, it wasn't entirely clear. And while you do this, you're supposed to sing to Safrin, distracting her so she won't bring the night back..." Frowning softly, Maea considered it. There were a lot of things that did not make sense to her, proceedings that weren't entirely clear or so up to interpretation that there was no choice but to wing it. "Also, there's a tradition of giving gifts at the end of the season, so they would make or procure gifts for friends or loved ones. That one is pretty universal, it seems, though we do it at a different time of year." She went back to eating, finishing off the last crumbs on the plate with some regret. A contented sigh escaped her as she leaned back, sipping on the water. Much better. She was feeling so much better already.

SUNJATA

The tradition does inspire the slightest raise of a dark brow. To fill a basket with water and capture the sun within it – he imagines something like the sun’s reflection being what in theory needed to be captured. But it was interesting, perhaps a bit sweet, he thinks as he smiles lightly at the mention of Safrin before snorting lightly. “I imagine that if I were to sing to Safrin she’d likely take my attuned status back.” A hum of amusement leaving him at that before he shakes his head lightly.

Still, it’s something to consider at least.

And the follow up information on making gifts has him realizing that he should probably get started on that. One for Melita of course, one for Phoebe (because regardless, he couldn’t not give her one), and perhaps one for Hotaru. An apology of sorts, that he hadn’t married her instead. Exhaling quietly he nods to that, though and offers a small smile before refilling her glass with the juice and settling in a bit more. “Any kind of gifts?” Just to be sure he does it right, after all.

Wouldn’t want to cause offense due to his ignorance.

i'll never be that me again

Maea Big dreamers shoot for open skies Even though she laughed with him, Maea wondered quietly if the Lady of Stars indeed would be offended. Or if, perhaps, she'd like nothing more than for one of her beloved chosen to sing to her. It was more likely that she would cause offense, undesirable as she was, and the thought made her laughter die away prematurely, birthing a slight wrinkle between the brows in its place. This was a Fae tradition, after all. Not one born within the Hollowed Grounds out of necessity, but rather a whimsy Maea couldn't quite understand. To honor the gods was one thing, but try to bribe them, trick them? "You should try, and let me know how it goes. I'll make a record of it for future reference," she teased, only half joking. "It would be interesting to compare out Lady's reaction to singing from an attuned versus, say, an accepted. Though likely, the abandoned would just chase her off..." Nodding her thanks to the refill, Maea considered the question for a moment, but only shrugged in the end. "I didn't think to ask, but I would assume so. You know the receiver best, after all. I doubt anything that makes people happy would ever be inappropriate."

SUNJATA

Giving her a small smirk, he concedes. “I’ll give it a go.” He muses, though there’s amusement in his voice at this. “If I have to go ask to Attune again, perhaps it’ll be as enjoyable as the first time.” He says with some hint of nostalgia – kissing the goddess of the stars, of the sky, of life, and he can’t quite keep that hint of a smile from edging across his lips. “I was accepted when I first arrived.” He says after a moment of nostalgic memories, turning his gaze back to her.

“And right before LongNight I went to the shrine in the Glade and asked to Attune.” He shrugs at it briefly as though it hadn’t meant anything – when it had indeed changed his life completely.

He slides the glass over to her with a nod of his own in return as he listens to see what kind of gifts. Anything worked, and that seemed to work out wonderfully enough, seeing as he didn’t have to try and theme them. It makes sense, in a way, and he can’t help but to start to think of what he could create for those he cares about, those he’s obligated to as well. “Mmm, I might have a few ideas. Just wasn’t sure if they needed to follow some sort of sun theme. Good to know, though.” He offers with another bob of his head.

i'll never be that me again