The palace taken care of - Chyril 25th GT - Callara

[Callara]

Chyril 25th Gravetide
The Summer Palace

OOC: I'll leave open what Cal and Ushuaia discussed and assume it took a long time for her to get back here. If I'm dropping any balls, let me know.

Callara was exhausted. The trek back through the city had been easier this time round. It was late and not many people were out and about anymore. After her encounter with Motley in the city she had joined Ushuaia at his home and told him about her issue. About the blood swallowing her senses to the point she could not focus anymore. She had asked him if there had been ways to block this in some way, or maybe even replace one sense with the other. She had no clue and his answers had been shocking yet a relief at the same time. The sheer fact that he still gave answers, knowing what she was or carried inside her had made her more determined to join him for more lessons on a more regular basis and new arrangements had been made.

Now the darkness had covered the city and Callara climbed the cliffs to the gardens, passing the Libram Excellence on her way up. The higher she got the less blood she had to deal with and she got some room to breathe and focus once more on other things than keeping her head screwed on straight. It took a lot out of her and the blood called for new energy all the time. She had no urge to resist it, she craved the sensation it brought. Taking life gave her energy, energy she needed to focus.

Inside her mind she was argueing with herself.

"I could go out to some inn and find some drunk or feeble peasant to slay."

"But at the palace there's a lot to explore aswell..."

"Remember what Ushuaia said."

"Tomorrow is the Blue Parrot festival, have to gather some strength for that."

"Enough time to do so tomorrow."

"We need some rest."

She wasn't actively aware that her inner conversations, the ones she had had since she was a little girl, were turning to plural as she ascended through the gardens, the gates to the Summer Palace looming in the distance.

[Syra]

Ushuaia had not been amused. Yet there was very little choice in the matter: either he educated her or he'd let her explode in yet another disaster. To prevent the latter, the first was an absolute priority.

Of course it was logical that her new senses tried to swallow her whole. As he explained it, a blind suddenly seeing would probably faint from all the impressions. After so many yahren of trusting her normal senses, Callara now had to get used to a very ugly truth: people were nothing more or less than a vessel of the very power she tried to control. In order to gain that control, she'd somehow have to draw on it.

The man had of course taught her about how to use her own blood for it, spilling some of it. He never once asked her about other options. Maybe he knew, maybe not.

Whatever the case, it was going to take time. It was a perfectly normal proces, even though the outcome might not exactly be the path most trodden.

The excitement about the parade was almost tangible that evening. Blood was pumping faster all around Callara and it was a true miracle that she made it into safety without falling over from sheer exhaustion.

The Summer Palace was less dark then the outlined trees, with a faint glow moving behind one window, then the next.

Below in the city, life buzzed.
Inside the palace, Sun buzzed.

[Callara]

Callara greeted the guards at the gate. Surely they had changed shifts so she identified herself if neccesary and then made her way to the entrance she'd been shown before. Noticing the light behind the windows flicker she could not help but wonder if anyone else had ever noticed it before.

"Then again, probably not to many people can actually see emotion."

She walked inside and followed the path that took her through the servant's quarters and into the main hall. She hadn't been in the lobby before and stood for a burn or two to take in the sight and to get her bearings on the interior and the possible chambers to explore. The place was truly magnificent, though she still could not shake the feeling of despair that emanated from the stone. "If these walls could talk..."

Looking around she sought the sparkling appearance of Sun. Unsure if the little critter would be able to sense her presence now she decided to call out to the little wisp.

Sunny, I'm home!

[Syra]

For a city that had suffered such an insane bout of paranoia and agression only half a yahren ago the people were remarkably easy going. It was of course a very human trait to try and surpress anything that did not fit regular life, yet it was almost ridiculous to see how easily Callara had been accepted as the new caretaker -which was due to arrive somewhere next week.

None of the four guards were bothered by the lights playing behind the windows. None of them probably noticed at all.

The lobby was friendly, if one had to describe it in one word. Warm colours had been chosen to depict summery scenes on the walls, each scene appearantly having some relation to the room they were closest to. A sunny picknick pointed to the kitchendoor, a great rendition of the Mer probably lead to the bathing room. It was all neatly taken care of, all in perfect order.
All very empty.

Callara called out and was rewarded by a whoosh of light coming down the stairs.

Homehomehomeclara!

[Callara]

"Hello little Sun. Good to see you." She was actually very glad to greet the chipper little thing that rushed at her with great energy. She'd never seen anything like it and hoped to learn about it and the palace it lived in a lot more over the coming days.

"It's getting late, hope you don't mind but I'd love it if you would show me around." A tour of the palace would be something she'd enjoy, even though the darkness had already covered the world and the new day was approaching swiftly. She observed the orb of light as it whooshed around the hall, which was a lot less imposing as she'd imagined it to be. Very nice looking, but hardly threatening.

"Just...don't go flying off through walls." She smiled. "I can't quite do that yet you know. I'm only human...sort of..." She guessed achadhiel counted.

[Syra]

flowflowflowclara!

The little ball of light shot away, illuminating it's path along the way. It hid behind the stairs in the hallway for a flicker or two before moving on again to the next room. In all honesty the hall might be nice and large, it was not decorated decadently. It did show signs of being used for festivities, yet it's main purpose seemed still to be to just get to the next room.

On the right side the little sphere showed Callara the library, which was nice and welcoming, quite a number of books gathering dust on the shelves against one wall and a fireplace against the outer one. There actually seemed to be a door that opened to the gardens from here, although right now it was locked.

Next to that was the drawing room, a spacious place with enormous windows. It was actually big enough to hold another party in here! Once again there were doors to the gardens, a favourite feature of the mansion -not surprisingly with such a lushious green area around.

Attached seemed to be a little greenery, filled with pots and plants and a couple of actually recognizable herbs. Since the list of tasks did not mention this in any form or capacity, there was a good chance a gardener was taking care of it.

Little Sun jumped from plant to plant, taking on various colours and hiding as if he (she?) were a flower amidst the green. It clearly was a favourite spot, which would explain why Callara had noticed it right below her...since right over this room the young woman's bedroom would be situated.

The left wing consisted of the dining room -which sported a huge table that might sit about twenty people- and of course the kitchen, the storage rooms and the bathing room. So close to the kitchen it would be easy to get hot water. It made a certain kind of sense to have it down here instead of upstairs.

Sunny skipped the pantry and the cellars, but it was clear enough what these were.

The upstairs floor was mainly divided into bedrooms, although there was clearly place for a dressing room and even some areas that were designated bathrooms, just very much not in use judging from the stale smell of old water. Whoever cleaned this place clearly did not cherish cleaning up old bathrooms.

All the while Sun kept nicely to the human paths to make life easier for Callara, although he once did delight in simply moving straight down instead of taking the stairs.

All in all the mansion could have belonged to a noble instead of the King, the only difference being in the details, the fine sculptured balustrades and the immense work that had been put to make every practical object a fine view to the eye.

[Callara]

As the tour neared it's completion Callara had already made several mental notes of which rooms to explore more carefully. The library was first on her list. She had no patience left to sit down and peruse the tomes of the king of this land. What intrigued her more was the little thing showing her around. It seemed overjoyed at her presence and more than happy to do what she asked of it. It understood her, so its measure of intelligence exceeded that of a common animal.

It's appearance and entire form exceeded that of a common animal. Whatever Sun was, he or she was not natural. This intrigued her and as they progressed throughout the building and noted the decor and the size of the place aswell as the potential for several of the rooms for training her abilities she also tried to come up with something to ask little Sun.

"Thank you Sun, this is a marvelous home you have here." She started off with as she stopped for a moment when they got back to the main hall. "It's really very nice of you to show me around. You know the place well." She observed the little figure in the orb of light as she spoke. "But tell me, since everyone is gone now. Does anyone know you live here besides me? How did you get here?"

[Syra]

The little sphere grew twice it's size, beaming in delight at the compliments and attention that were lavished upon it. Bobbing up and down it made it's happiness abundantly clear.

Yesyesknowwell...nononoone sees. Blind and deaf. Deaf and blind. Noone sees, not even kings and queens.

FLASH
A ball.
People talking and dancing in fancy outfits, outdated for the present yahren.
A little girl alone.

FLASH
A summer garden.
Fancily dressed gents and ladies laughing and chattering away.
A young woman alone amidst the yellow buttercups.

FLASH
An evening's dinner.
People discussing the matters of the world.
The old servant alone around the corner.

FLASH

The images were gone.

[Callara]

That was you?

Callara had watched the images with great interest, and the picture they painted was disconcerning to say the least.

The girl, the woman, servant at the palace? Seen by no one, that was you once?

The magic she was confronted with on a daily basis now kept surprising the young woman. This city was apparently so teeming with the flow of magic that it managed to turn spirits of people into magical beings? Remnants of a place, living memories and guardians? Hidden from the human eye but visible to the magically awakened? She was trying to make sense of it all and awaited the answer of the little sprite anxiously.

[Syra]

FLASH
Little bubbles like fish in the water.
Colours swirling around the lonely and the weary.
Dissociated colours coming together.
Swirling
Twirling.

*pop*

A little fleck of light, attracting all the dwindling bubbles, slowly growing and learning from the bits and pieces it collects.
FLASH

The sphere's happy light weakened, as if tired by the excercise.

[Callara]

So, you're not one person then...

She noticed the strain it took on the little sprite so Callara tried to keep her thoughts as plain as possible, her emotions level with them as she knew for a fact now that Sun could actually see it all, feel it all. Like a little cleaning fish clinging to the teeth of a shark Sun appeared to have come into being out of feelings of loneliness. A singular emotion felt by many different people over the course of time had been so powerful to actually give birth to a thinking entity...

"This city is strange..."

Then something struck her. Sun had come to visit her when she just arrived. Only visible to Callara most likely because of her gift, it had singled her out when she entered the palace. It had come to see who had arrived in the palace this time.

Who felt so alone...

You came to me because I felt alone, didn't you?

It made perfect sense. Sun existed because loneliness had created it, so it must have been especially keen on the emotion presenting once more in the palace. Callara's mind puzzled the information together quickly. She thought back to how she had felt, estranged from the city, angry at it's inhabitants and the few she had met who had scorned her. She had felt alone...alone and vindictive.

She looked at the orb which seemed to glow less bright. The visual aids had cost the little ball a lot of energy apparently and Callara actually felt sad for the little creature.

Well, at least we're both a little less lonely now.

That was the single most humane thought she'd had all day. The new Callara cringed.

[Syra]

The sphere flickered in response, a soft blue confirming Callara's thoughts.

Claralonenomore no more no more

For a moment it went dull, the light going right out of it.
Lifeless

Somehow the pressure in the room changed, the center being Callara's newfound friend. It pulled. It pulled, putting enormous effort in. And there, from the left corner a little undefined whisp of a light came drifting in, straight towards Sun. A last strained pull and the light went into the sphere. Immediately Sunny lit up again and the pressure disappeared.

lesslonely

[Callara]

Her gaze strayed towards the corner where the sliver of light had come from, be it intentional or not Callara couldn't help but wonder where Sun drew the energy from to recharge herself after such a sudden lapse. She decided not to question it anymore, though reminded herself that the magic at work here would be something worth investigating at a later time.

It was getting late, and even though Callara felt like doing a ton of more exploration, she decided against it.

I am getting tired. Thanks again for the tour little Sun, but I should get some rest, tomorrow will be a busy day.

It would be a busy day indeed. The Parrot Parade was coming up and even though Ushuaia had mentioned he'd be busy then, most likely watching over the precious Blue Parrot, Callara had a lot of plans that required execution. Some in a literal sense.

So she started to make her way back to her assigned bedroom. Not yet forward enough to pick something more substantial she felt content with what she'd been presented with and made a mental not to establish somewhat of a more sizeable foothold on the palace once she had the Roques where she wanted them.

She yawned and started to get ready for bed.

[Syra]

The little companion floated at her side until Callara reached the bedroom. There it hovered, waiting until she was safely inside before it shot down through the floor and find it's own place to rest.

ooc
And thus endeth another productive day...

[Turi]

locked, skilled, archived