"Shopping for His... 'Sister'"

Log Date:
	8/13/00

Log Cast:
	Shalestra, Benja

Log Intro:
	For many years Benja has watched Kaiulani from afar, and sometimes
he's been brave enough to present her with tokens of his affection, at least
when he can slip them into her path without her being aware. As of late,
though, now that the young maiden of whom he is so enamored is now living in
Haven and is more within his reach than she has ever been before, he has
begun to get more elaborate with his offerings. With his own hands, the
shark hunter has crafted the maiden a comb to wear in her hair... and moreover,
this comb he's given her carried upon it a clue to a far finer gift he's also
made her, a set of pipes meant to answer Kaiulani's demonstrated love of
music. Much to Benja's delight, the Pandion princess has fathomed the clue
he left her on the comb... and discovered the hiding place some distance out
in the ocean from the Korallion, a rock on which he etched a shark-tooth
symbol. He knows she has discovered the place, for the pipes are no longer
there.
	Something even more delightful has happened as well. For the first time 
_ever_, Kaiulani has given _him_ a gift -- a pendant of deep blue sandstone, 
decorated with delicate traceries of coral and a tiny, perfect pearl. And for
all that he is an uneducated, unlettered near-barbarian, Benja is a pragmatic
man. He tells himself he has no illusions that this treasure he's discovered
by the rock with the shark-tooth symbol can mean anything special, anything
more than a thank-you from the maiden he adores, for the gifts he has given
_her_.
	He tells himself this... but he cannot keep his spirit from soaring
regardless. Nor can Benja stop his great good cheer from catching the eye of
a curious Atlantean in the Rialto....

----------
The Rialto is full of the usual afternoon activity; buying, selling and plenty 
just milling around rather aimlessly. One with a definate aim, is the tall 
Atlantean who sits on a bench over to one side of the square, hunched over a pad 
of paper. A stylus moves against it in careful movements, adding detail to 
whatever it is she puts to the paper. Pale eyes lift their gaze frequently, 
seeming to focus on a small group of Sylvans who stand by a stall selling cloth. 
Despite the distinct chill permeating the air, the Atlantean wears nothing other 
than her usual light garb of vest and sarong, seeming only aware of the cold 
through her observation of the thick cloaks donned by others.

Similarly, Benja does not seem to notice the cold either. He wears no cloak to 
cover his wet clothing, and he strides along with his head up and a rather silly 
looking very broad smile on his face. Stopping in the midst lane of shops, 
pretty much in the center of all the traffic, the man puts his hands on his hips 
and inhales deeply, his chin raising as he does so and then lets the breath out 
in triumph. For a man who usually sticks to the shadows, this shark hunter is 
positively beaming today. If he could whistle, he looks like he would be.

Frantically does Shalestra's hand try to add the final details to her work, as 
she notes the Sylvans paying for their wares and making preparation to move. A 
tiny frown crinkles her brow as she watches them merge into the crowds, rapidly 
becoming lost to her sight. The hand holding the stylus lifts slightly as her 
gaze follows them for as long as possible, and for a short moment, it might 
appear as though she were about to actually call out and ask them to wait. Of 
course, she doesn't, instead flipping over the sheet of paper and preparing for 
a new study.. which means she needs a subject. Crystalline eyes scan the crowds, 
lingering on a likely subject here and there, passing over the Atlantean, then 
returning for another look at that smile. Boy, he sure looks happy, not often 
you see a smile like that on an Atlantean's face. *Greetings* she offers in a 
lightly casual touch of her mind.

There is no response to her mindspeak, and no indication that it was even 
noticed. Benja the Beaming takes a moment to look around at all the shops that 
surround him, though he does not lose that victorious pose he seems to have 
adopted, its rather comical, though he is completely unaware of it. Pale green 
eyes scan every shop in contemplation, as he stands in the middle of the crowds 
who are all trying to get past him, his elbows sticking out, unintentionally 
causing people to swerve around him.

Silvery tresses tumble over her shoulder, as Shalestra tips her head to one 
side, a mannerism she quickly adopted from the land-dwellers. Her gaze lingers 
on the curious Atlantean, a faint smile even forming as she watches. Her legs 
stretch out before her momentarily, flexing restless muscles, causing a passing 
mongrel to swerve quickly out of her way. As she tucks them back under the 
bench, ankles crossing, her hands absently resettle the pad on her lap.

Benja spies some sparkling little baubles at the shop that is near where 
Shalestra sits. With his broad, happy grin still firmly in place, he makes his 
way in that direction and looks over the array of pretty shiney things. A glance 
is sent toward the woman on the bench and his smile falters just a little as a 
tremor of worry runs through his brow. Quickly, he averts his gaze and returns 
it to the wares on the table.

Following his progress to the shop with her pale eyes, Shalestra is a little 
startled by his response on seeing her. She blinks slowly, not quite sure what 
to make of the man. Certainly, she sees no reason why he might be worried about 
her, she's no threat to anyone. "Good day," she greets in a soft voice, words 
whispering across the short distance towards him. Having failed to respond to 
her mindspeak, perhaps he'll be more comfortable with landspeak.

In that she is Atlantean and bound to try to communicate with him via her mind, 
which he cannot hear, she is a bit of a threat. She could identify him as the 
one who cannot mindspeak. A quick glance is sent back over the rialto, finding 
the fastest escape route instinctively, and the one that holds the most shadow. 
That done, he turns a tentative smile that is only a vague rendition of the 
other he wore in Shalestra's direction. He nods politely and clears his throat. 
"Good day." He returns, his voice is rich, smooth sounding.

The faint little smile on Shalestra's lips seems now brighter than the one he 
wears, though still it is a far cry from his earlier expression. "I'm sorry if I 
startled you. I didn't mean to. You just looked so.. joyful." Not easy to put 
feelings like that into words, far better to communicate them through mindspeak. 
But the man appears to be more willing to speak like the landers, and he isn't 
the first she's met like that. Her curiosity grows as she watches him, the pad 
in her lap and stylus in her hand forgotten for the moment.

Benja seems only mildly self-conscious as he offers her another smile, a bit 
brighter yet again, the purpose for his joy coming back to mind. "No startle." 
He assures quickly. "Bet would no speak." He taps his head to indicate mind 
speak, "For year. Some get mad." He explains with a shrug, hoping she buys it.

"Ah, I see," Shalestra remarks gently, eyes fixing on his as she holds onto that 
smile she wears. A touch of concern for the man shows briefly in their clear 
depths, but she's not going to question him any more on what could likely be a 
painful topic for him. A quick glance to the shop he was looking in, before she 
refocusses on him. "They have interesting things here, no? Some many things the 
like of which I've never seen before.." she muses, her thoughts beginning to 
wander onto different paths.

Benja's webbed fingers pick up a sparkling necklace as he nods to her question. 
"Very pretty things." He agrees, casting another smile toward her. "You wear 
these?" He asks, showing her some sort of thing that looks like it /should/ be 
jewelry. He fiddles with it a bit to see how it would actually work.

Putting her pad down on the bench, Shalestra stands up to better see what it is 
that he holds. "Oh, that's very beautiful," she remarks, a touch of admiration 
in her voice for the item. Her hand lift to the coral necklace about her throat 
and she give a sharp little nod. "Not ones made of metal though. They would be 
no good in the water. They would.." She struggles for a moment to recall the 
word that the Varati merchant used to explain why metal is destroyed in the 
water. "Rust," she informs him. "Unless it is gold or silver.. and I have not 
the coin for those."

Furrowing his coppery brow, Benja looks down at all the things laid out before 
him and mutters confusedly, "Gold or silver?" Looking about for something that 
might be one of these items that isn't harmed in water, he turns a questioning 
look at her, then drops his gaze to her necklace and then back to her face. 
"What Gold?"

"Hmm, I am not knowing metal things well, but the gold I saw was very pretty," 
Shalestra murmers, her gaze running over the little display. The frown returns 
to crinkle her brow as she tries to locate something that might be suitable. "Do 
you have much coin? These are all very nice, but the best things I have seen 
were on a Varati's stall.. and he would be able to help you find something 
suitable for the water." It suddenly strikes her that the necklace would perhaps 
look a little out of place on the man stood before her, and she asks curiously, 
"You wish it for yourself?"

Benja looks over the things as well and then asks, "Show me Varati?" He nods to 
her question, digging into the front of his sideless tunic and pulling out a 
rather large jingling pouch. "No for me." He shakes his head, the smile that was 
originally on his face slowly creeping back toward the beaming status.

Eyeing the jingling bag of coin, Shalestra give s little nod of her head. 
"Alright. That sounds like a lot of coin. Perhaps it will be enough." She 
recalls all too well just how expensive the merchants wares were. Her gaze roams 
over the Rialto, seeking out the stall where the Varati merchant displays his 
wares. "So, who might the necklace be for?" she asks curiously, beginning to 
step through the crowd. So intent is she on her goal, that she completely 
forgets about the sketchpad that she placed down on the bench.

Benja nods to her assumption, the bag is filled with quite a treasure, though he 
really does not have much understanding of money. They are all just shiney 
trading things to him. Following along beside her he grins again, all big, and 
then lets it fade. He has longed to speak her name aloud to somebody else ever 
since the moment he heard it, and now he has his chance! But... if he speaks it, 
he will give away his identity, and so he must keep it to himself... "Sister." 
He mutters after a while of trying to think of the word. Though his mind races 
with the name Pandion Kaiulani.

"Ah, your sister. She will be very pleased with the gift I am sure," Shalestra 
murmers, gaze finally alighting on the Varati's stall that she is looking for. 
"This way," she remarks, turning to ensure that he follows. Muttered apologies 
ensue, as she bumps into several people along the way, not intentionally, but 
her feet just failing to respond with the finesse needed to sidestep the 
approaching bodies. "What is you name?" she asks, as the stall nears. "I am 
Akorial Shalestra." She looks to the stony faced Varati with a little smile. 
"Namesta Imphadi," she greets, confident in that little phrase now.

Benja smiles a bit to himself and nods. "Happy." He agrees. She will be happy. 
Following along next to her, the large, rather imposing Atlantean man frowns at 
an approaching sylvan who seems about to bump into Shalestra, making him change 
course at the last minute. Once the stall is spotted, Ben moves half way in 
front of her so that he may clear the way for her, and avoid any bruises to her 
body. He nods to the man behind the counter silently and turns back to her, 
"AAaaakkorrreeealll" He tries to sound out. With a thump of his flat hand 
against a broad chest, he answers, "Benja."

"A pleasure to meet you, Benja," Shalestra responds as she draws to a halt 
before the stall, quite grateful for his action of clearing a path for her. 
"That's right, Akorial. But that's my family name. You may call me Shalestra," 
she explains to him, growing more intrigued by the moment with this strange 
young man. After a moments thought, she looks back to the Varati who responds to 
her greeting with a gravelly voiced, "Namesta, Imphada," stony features barely 
moving as he utters the words. "My.. friend here wishes to buy something that 
would not become damaged in the water. A necklace for his sister," Shalestra 
imforms him, glancing to Benja to see if there's anything he cares to add.

Benja casts another smile in her direction as he nods and echoes the word, 
"Pleasure." As he's seen others here do. "Shhhaallllllstrahh" He sounds it out, 
though he does so very quietly so as not to draw too much attention to himself. 
Turning to the Varati, he beams a big smile at the stoic man and blurts out 
"Silver!" Then plots the heavy pouch of money in front of the man, turning a big 
happy smile toward Shalestra. Did he do that right?

Shalestra's smile increases as she nods to Benja. Truth be told, she's not much 
knowledge about purchasing such thing herself, but against him she seems rather 
the expert. "Silver," she murmers to the Varati, reinforcing that specific 
request. A leathery hand extends forth, sweeping across a particular section of 
the stall, the Varati eyeing the chinking sack briefly. "These items are all 
silver," he informs simply, before resuming his observant silence. Shalestra 
looks to Benja and then the indicated part of the display, not just necklaces, 
but bracelets, anklets, rings and earrings all shining in the faint sunlight.

Benja shifts over toward that side of the display along with his new friend and 
peers at the wares curiously. "You like?" He asks, gesturing to the section. He 
has no idea what women like. Although, Kaiulani is wearing the comb he made her 
in her hair. But as far as jewelry, he's a bit lost.

A soft little sigh escapes Shalestra's lips as she nods her head. Indeed she 
does like the jewellery on display, though she knows she hasn't the coin to 
afford any. "What would you like to buy her. A necklace.. or something 
different?" she asks, stooping slightly to better see the wares. "What colour 
are her eyes? The same as yours?" A webbed finger reaches out to brush a 
delicate necklace, a trio of turquoises evenly spaced toward the front section 
of the links.

Benja has only gotten close enough to see Kaiulani's eyes one time, and that 
time, they were closed. Looking a bit stricken by the question that a brother 
should probably know about his sister, he draws on the typical cluelessness of a 
man routine and shrugs his broad shoulders in response. "What you think 
...prettiest?" He asks, unsure as to where these different lengths would fit on 
the body.

"Prettiest? Hmmm.." Shalestra examines each of the pieces in turn, seeming to 
find some merit in them all. Finally, her attention returns to a necklace, a 
teardrop shaped emerald suspended from its delicate links. She glances to the 
Varati as she gently lifts the item up, holding each end of the chain to show 
Benja how it looks. Beautiful in its simplicity and craftmanship, nothing too 
flashy or ostentatious about it, though there are other items that would better 
fit that description. "I think this is quite the prettiest. What do you think?" 
she asks, head inclining as she awaits his verdict.

Benja furrows his brow as his eyes move over the item thoughtfully. Strong 
fingers reach up to catch the gem and look at it more closely. He takes his 
time, almost as if mesmerized by the sparkles of the emerald. At last, he smiles 
and nods, "Like!" He agrees, and then nods to the shop keeper that he will take 
that. Once more he turns to the necklaces and looks over them, at length, he 
picks up a delicate, plain silver chain. Holding it up for Shalestra's opinion 
he asks, "Like?"

The Varati reaches out a hand to take the necklace, the item looking even more 
delicate in his grasp. Shalestra's lips form a little smile, about to enquire 
the cost of him, when Benja's query catches her attention. She looks across to 
the chain he holds up, nodding her head. "Yes. That is very pretty too. You wish 
to buy her that one instead?" she asks, as the Varati watches with no small 
amount of patience.

A little surprised to find that Benja wants both necklaces, Shalestra 
nevertheless reamins silent. It is his coin after all, and when he opens up that 
pouch and begins handing it over, she can see that he certainly appears to have 
no shortage of it. She watches the little exchange with a fair amount of 
interest. Only on a couple of occasions so far has she spent coin and so the 
practise is still novel enough to engage her. The Varati nods as he slips the 
coin into his own money pouch, his attention quickly turning then to a young 
Sylvan who browses the stall. "I'm sure she'll like them very much," Shalestra 
remarks in a gently reassuring tone to the young Atlantean, as she begins to 
step away from the stall, not wanting to anger the Varati by blocking the way 
for any futher customers.

Benja looks at the chains in his hand and nods with certainty. And after he has 
stepped out of the way of the stall as well, he holds up a hand for Shalestra to 
wait a second. Pulling from within his vest another, smaller pouch, he opens 
this one carefully and drops the emerald necklace inside, then digs through it 
with little delicate clicking sounds moving against the one finger that searches 
through the contents. After a moment, he withdraws and small, almost pure white 
shark tooth. There is a hole in the top of it, and along its length, there are 
miniscule etchings resembling coral, and inlaid with a pale blue ink. Obviously 
the ink is permanent, as the the bag it was in is soaked and still the ink 
remains. Benja takes the plain chain and slips it through the hole, then shoves 
the little pouch back into his vest and holds out the necklace to Shalestra, 
"Thank you for help me. ...I make." he nods, "Bring strong and luck." Or at 
least that is the legend of the shark tooth.

Curious as to what Benja is doing, Shalestra waits and watches, that curiosity 
only growing as he pulls out the shark's tooth. She takes a step closer to him, 
eyes fixing on the little item he assembles, widening in surprise as he offers 
it out to her. "For me?" she asks, a touch of bewilderment in her voice. "That's 
very kind of you, but its really not necessary. I'm glad that I could help you. 
It was a pleasure." Nevertheless, her hand reaches out to the chain, fingers 
lifting the tooth up closer to her eyes so that she might study it more closely. 
"You did this? Brings strong.. I could certainly use a touch of that," she 
murmers wryly.

Just full of smiles today, Benja nods enthusiastically to her and takes both 
ends of the chain while she examines the tooth. It is what he does with his 
spare time. And being a shark hunter, he has virtually no end to his supply of 
teeth. Gesturing that he will put it about her neck, he gives her a hopefully 
questioning look. "Yes, bring luck and make strong."

Nodding her head, smile increasing, she reaches up to holdy her hair out of the 
way, so that he might fasten the shark's tooth in place alongside the coral band 
she wears. Her gaze lingers on that scar he sports, perhaps explained by the 
tooth he's decorated. "Thank you," she remarks. "I'm sure it shall bring me much 
fortune." As he fixes it in places, she asks curiously, "What is your sister's 
name?"

Sister? What sister? Oh! Benja's blank expression is quickly overtaken by the 
need to think and quick. "Vati." He starts with, the only name he can think of 
at the moment, then adds to it slowly, "Vatiannalee." Yeah. That's it. Thats the 
ticket. His smile falters just a little as he looks at the pale tooth against 
her pale skin, the etchings complimenting her hair almost perfectly. "Thank you 
for help me." He gestures again to the shop.

"It was my pleasure, Benja," Shalestra responds with a warm sincerity, as she 
lets her hair fall back into place. "Thank you for the tooth. Vatiannalee? I 
shall have to watch for her." She gives a little nod as she adds, "I'll be able 
to recognise the necklace at least." Glancing about the Rialto, she slowly turns 
her mind back to what she was doing previously.. her sketching and it is at that 
point that she realises her sketchbook lies somewhere through the crowds. "I 
have to go. My pad.. I must find it," she tells him, beginning to step away.

Again the smile falters a bit at the name, trying not to wince at the ridiculous 
sound of it. Benja nods and is stunned yet again at the mention of recognition 
of the necklace. Oh Great. He nods and waves as she begins way. "Bye." He calls 
and starts in the other direction, the smile creeping back to his face with 
every step he takes. He just can't help it.

His concern over name and necklace pass unnoticed by Shalestra, as she pushes 
through the crowds to return to the bench where she left her sketchpad. "Good 
bye," she calls, turing to look over her shoulder briefly, quickly losing sight 
of the disappearing figure.

[End log.]