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Post by Meta on May 7, 2019 1:27:48 GMT -4
A verdant plateau in the southern area of the Gerudo Desert, the oasis once housed a handful of houses, a humble settlement compared to Gerudo Town.
However, a few months prior the local residents were given a quite generous offer to sell their property rights to the Soleil Trading Company. Mr. Soleil let the residents keep living in the oasis as part of the sale agreement, but now he holds the rights to build as he desires in the area.
In the present, the oasis is filled with caravans. Shipments coming from as near as local quarries and as far as Froshemdel itself. Construction crews composed of Goron and Gerudo, but nearly no Hylians in sight apart from the traders.
The most prominent feature at the moment were the large stones being aligned and held by cranes and scaffolding, extending beyond the plateau and down into the lower levels of the desert floor.
Within the greenery of the oasis was a large tent with the Soleil Trading Company seal on it. On the inside, a grand mess. As if a study, a bedroom and living room had been ripped from a manor then put together in this limited space.
Soleil set down a mechanical device on the study's desk. Looking at the neighboring pile of documents, as well as a larger pile of empty parchment, the sheikah reflexively grabbed his wrist and rubbed it, sighing.
He was about to reach for his inkwell and sit down when he picked up a commotion outside. Opening the fold on the tent and protecting his eyes from the strong sunlight, he took a tentative glance outside.
Mercenaries, arguing among themselves on some irrelevant subject. By this point Soleil knew the key words of their general conversations to know what to filter out. But he narrowed his eyes at their uniforms. Scarves, shovels, long robes...he had a feeling on what this may pertain to.
Stepping outside, he cleared his throat to get their attention.
After a handful of minor heated exchanges between the trio, one of them shuffled forward. "Boss. We've found one...but it wasn't exactly easy." The mercenary said, handing off a small burlap sack to him.
"It's a start." Soleil said, getting a firm hold of the bag under his arm. "You will be properly compensated for the effort...but this contract isn't over until I have at least a dozen. I would be glad to produce a copy of what you've signed if you need the reminder." He then paused, looking around. "That being said, as an incentive, you have leave for the remainder of today and tomorrow. Enjoy the amenities of the oasis, and I will continue paying you by the week."
With that resolved, the conversation devolved into baser pleasantries and boorish conversation, and so Soleil made it as short as possible and returned to his tent.
Once there, he set down the bag in the table and undid the knot, lowering the bag to reveal a hexagonal stone with intricate designs. He dusted it off, careful to not tap it too hard, and slowly examined all its facets.
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Post by NajaSide on May 8, 2019 1:31:10 GMT -4
A voice called back over a travelling caravan as it neared the trade village that day. That of the transport company's leader, a woman named Firope. Nearby herself, the old woman could see some of the others walking give looks of relief as their leader's orders were carried back through the company. Some were lucky to be told to take to their local deliveries before finding places to stay the night– mostly the men –while others that remained were given the relief of a break for the day, a time to tend to their own business and relax, before the final stretch of their passage to Gerudo Town. It was both here in the oasis and in the Gerudo capital that the Company would pick up more shipments to be delivered out to the land beyond the desert.
Among those that passed through– among the traders and merchants, the travelers that accompanied them and wandered the land, the caravans that transported goods throughout the realm –among those that traveled there to the oasis was an elderly Hylian woman, her form hunched over and leaned sideways upon a walking stick, whose head branched outward into many teeth. As they stepped into the settlement, the elder glanced up, taking a deep breath of the dry desert air. They had been traveling long through the wastes, and it was undeniable that any sort of relief was indeed welcome, even for her.
She shuffled away from Company's wagons, joining the other women in grabbing food and drink to replenish themselves. Whatever it took for the each of them to recover after traversing that morning desert in preparation for that evening. They had time to relax, after all, but not too long. They would have to leave again for Gerudo Town well before night truly fell and its chill swept over the Gerudo Desert. But in the meantime, they would have time to take some time for themselves.
As the woman made her way through the settlement, she heard the voices of several people in argument. Many did, she supposed. It really was not hard to hear them. She looked in their direction, coming to a stop as she did so, and a frown crossed over her wrinkled face. She leaned over her walking stick as she watched intently, staring as the mercenaries argued back and forth. It didn't take long for other people around the area to stop and watch as well, though unlike them, the woman's eyes were less focused on the participants of the argument rather than the satchel that they held. A satchel which was soon removed from their person when another man stepped in and broke up the fight. Fortunate for them, perhaps. For her... well, her curiosity was taken away.
The woman stared off into the distance, gazing at the tent into which the satchel had vanished. After several moments, she nodded to herself and shuffled over toward the tent's entrance. She gave a short look around, but even those that seemed aware of her presence there hardly seemed concerned with her. It didn't seem to unusual to find people talking with its owner. Certainly for the better.
Pushing open the entrance of the tent, she looked inward beneath its canopy. She studied the scene inside for several moments, but did not waste much of her time. Without moving any further inward from the entrance, she spoke up. "You vill be keeping zat in safe place and taking good care of it, young man, vill you not? Is dangerous item to be leaving lying about. ...I should hope you already know to take good care vith handling it."
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Post by Meta on May 9, 2019 1:51:48 GMT -4
Soleil looked back, raising an eyebrow at the elderly woman and her words. He left the stone on the table, not bothering to cover it up. "I do not see the danger in looking vividly into the past." He answered, pacing to a table near the entrance.
He opened a small metallic box while reaching for a butter knife. Slowly and carefully, he took the knife and took a generous swab of the red chu jelly within it, spreading it on an iron surface on the table. As he did so, the jelly began to glow. Soleil reached for a small pot with water and put it over the heating jelly. He then threw a casual glance towards the woman, awaiting her response.
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Post by NajaSide on May 11, 2019 2:39:34 GMT -4
The woman squinted through the tent's shadows in the general direction the young man had come from. From where she was, she couldn't see the shape of the object directly, but she did seem to see something. She averted her attention away toward Soleil, stepping over to him and peering over his shoulder. "Niet. Past is not problem. Nor is future or present for zat matter. Time is not ze problem, young man. Ze problem is people.
"People get access to time. Zey make mistake zey vant undone, zey learn something might happen, zey learn something zey don't vant– or vorse something zey do –and zey try to do something about it. And zen zey make mess." The old woman's grip on her walking stick trembled and she placed a hand on the table and she let out a low breath. "I am visionary. Ah, niet..." She paused, a flummoxed expression crossing her face. "Vord in your language is forecaster? Medium? Fortune teller. Am fortune teller.
"You look into past all you desire. Ze past is ever greater fortune teller zan von vith foresight is." She bent forward, tapping a talon-like finger upon his chest. "But you be careful who you surround yourself vith and who you privilege access to time. You may not be dangerous to past, but zere are zose who are. Zat item vill attract very special attention, and you had best be ready for zat."
She withdrew her nail from Soleil. Her eyes were distant again, as though she could see something that was not there.
"Am not only von who can see."
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Post by Meta on Jun 12, 2019 2:22:34 GMT -4
Soleil observed and listened, eyeing the talon as it touched him. Then, he turned his attention to the pot, lifting it from the glowing surface, grabbing two ceramic cups and carrying the items to a table, setting them down then grabbing a wooden box amidst the mess of items in the makeshift kitchen area of the tent.
He opened the box, filled with an assortment of herbs, duly categorized and placed in small paper satchels. Afterwards, he took a seat and gestured that the woman do the same, as he picked a satchel and put it inside of one of the cups before pouring the hot water from the pot.
"If you were a fortune teller in the way you suggest, you would know my purpose." He spoke, eyes upon the cup as the hot water mingled with the herbs as they let out their essence, a fragrant aroma rising from it.
"So either you are lying..." His eyes fell upon the woman's own. "...or you are here to negotiate."
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Post by NajaSide on Jun 23, 2019 22:13:38 GMT -4
The elder looked to the side, following his hand. She paused for a moment, looking around the tent– she had not planned on making this a lengthy visit, but the more she saw, the more she could see.
Her eyes failed to meet his.
Was it out of fear of betraying her thoughts? Of what she might see in his own? Perhaps both?
Maybe neither.
But what this mess of a tent did tell her. Well, it seemed to be enough to keep her around. Either that, or she had been standing long enough and perhaps a rest was indeed worth her time. Slowly, she lowered herself into the seat opposite Soleil. "Negotiations are tiring, and I haf been traveling long time. Ve relax first, for just moment. Get to know each other, zen ve talk business, da?
"Mm, but ve are leaving soon as vell. Stratling makes for town by nightfall, before ze cold settles in." She took in a deep breath, leaning sideways upon her walking stick. Then she gave a quick nod, holding up a hand. "Three questions each, Mister Soleil. Of course, name of Madame Knigi is given." |
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Post by Meta on Jun 28, 2019 0:36:49 GMT -4
Soleil maintained an upright pose in his seat. "Stratling Company..." He speaks up, examining his cup. Then, his gaze shifted back to Madame Knigi.
"Where lies your allegiance, Madame?" He spoke up, firmly looking onward. Then, he grabbed the cup before him, took a sip, and set it back down again, without breaking eye contact with the fortune teller. "And where does your supernatural ability come from?" He then fell silent, placing one hand over another calmly as he awaited the answers.
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Post by NajaSide on Aug 15, 2019 2:46:55 GMT -4
As he spoke aloud his questions to her, the elderly woman looked down upon her own teacup. She held her eyes down on the tea, watching as the black leaves diffused into the crystalline liquid, as the minuscule clouds of red spread and spread and spread. She reached down and lifted the drink in hand, a pair of her fingers pressing the teabag to the teacup's side as she held it up to her face; she inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of the drink, before taking her own sip of it. Then she rested the teacup in her other hand, walking stick resting against the side of her head. She raked her beard a moment, a dissonant smile on her face, and then replied.
"Zere are orders, demands... Commands, vich I must meet, but none of vich call me. My loyalty not zat of any person you meet; not zat of any, ven I belong to concept," the Madame stated. "Am servant of darkness. I assist in preservation of vorld's natural order. Of balance. I am safeguard.
"It vas position I vas born as. Not so as vone vich I have inherited. It is me. As you may say it... ah... I am concept. What I can do is... Is ah... It from– It from what it takes to accomplish vat I am. Am not within, am without? Out of doors?"
By the end of her response, her face had scrunched up a bit as though she had run out of familiar words she could use to explain the meaning of what she was trying to say. Madame Knigi remained still for several moments, then gave several small nods. And then she gently lifted her teacup and gestured toward Soleil with it.
"Now, Mister Soleil. What is it zat you hope to accomplish here? I can see what you do, but is strange... What you do tell nothing of you. What purpose in you do you fulfill?"
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Post by Meta on Oct 8, 2019 1:43:33 GMT -4
The sheikah's brows furrowed as the visitor explained the rather peculiar circumstances of the truth he inquired. His motions were slight, not even as much as shifting in his seat.
Afterwards, his face relaxed, and in a practiced manner adjusted his cravat. "That which others find impossible. Something beyond destinies, blood and heroes. This land is untainted, though nearly barren."
With a simple gesture, he waved his arm towards the outside. "Here lies a unique location...", in the same fluid motion he then lowered his arm and reached for his cup, taking a sip of the tea. "My purpose is to envision how such a place could be, capitalize its essence, make it greater as I bring it to reality.", he said as he set down his cup. "That is the purpose I fulfill with this."
Soleil tilted his head slightly to the side as his eyes fell upon Madame Knigi's. "It seems we are, then, at the most interesting point of this exchange. We have each but one last question."
With purpose and a stern look, he leaned forward on the table. "Do you believe what is is what is meant to be, and if not...how could you ever believe there is something such as balance?"
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Post by NajaSide on Oct 11, 2019 0:51:16 GMT -4
The Madame adopted thoughtful expression as Soleil began to provide his answers. "I do vonder," she murmured, though did not expand on the thought, perhaps distracted by the man's outward motion. She did however, take another sip of her tea as he continued, allowing him her attention as she drank in his words.
She nodded back to him at first.
"Ah, here is appropriate time to call vone a visionary." Then she laughed lightheartedly, and when she heard his question, she continued to laugh. It was old and gentle and full of life.
And she too leaned forward, placing a hand upon one of his arms. "Vell, little visionary, I do believe you are vone who said you hope to accomplish impossible. You ask me for what I zink in vays which I cannot See. To philosophize is Man's insight, but my sight is not one which I can share. If zis is goal you seek, I'm sure you know zat zis imbalance is incorrect." She pat the talon on him a couple times.
Speaking of this imbalance, it was not hard to hear of such a thing growing in this realm. She set her hand upon the table, supporting herself against its edge. "Zere is vord of rebellion zat I have heard of in ze Kingdom. I'm sure you know much of it as man of your position, but I just mere fortune teller from beyond zis land. Can you tell me vere I might find zis rebellion?"
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