Welcome to Desamarai

[Akira]

She felt the world around her dimly, the distant roar of sound in her ears drowning out thought for a time.
Inhaling only bought the rough burning sand choking into her lungs, forcing her to raise up enough from the coarse ground, palms sinking into the dune while she coughed and gasped.
Her limbs ached, as if beaten all over with a padded mallet.
Thought came slowly, trickling like sand into the dark, a tiny stream that gushed into a flood, an open wound.

The storm tugged at the ship, pulling it every which way, the ocean trying to drag them down as the wind tried to pull them up, timbers groaning from the twin forces.
Perhaps the gods were angry with them for running. But what hope was there otherwise?
Her gaze, filled with fear found Veron's and she smiled faintly, though pale from fear, hse squeezed his hand reassuringly where they had tied themselves to the mast.
They must have hope...they were at the mercy of the elements now...

There was warmth here, so much so that her back itched from the heat, the merciless sun beating down on her, sapping her energy away and she forced her limbs to obey, pulling her into a kneeling positon, half blind with the sudden glare.

Timber screeched as the ship collided with a sudden spur of rock, hidden in the darkness, the sharp earth tearing easily through the hull and making space for the hungry sea as she rushed to fill the yawning gap in the side, the wind howling as it added to the chaos, bending and breaking the planks back.
Aluniira's voice was lost in the gale, a frightened whisper, hand tightening on his.
"Veron.."

Niira rubbed her forehead and pushed her hair from her eyes. That was...how long ago?
Four days. Four days since she had turned up, clothes stiff with salt and sand, exhausted and suffering from dehydration. It hadn't taken her long to read the wind, no, what had taken her so long was to force her screaming muscles to obey and start the trek here.
And she'd spent hours trekking up and down that beach searching...without success.
All she'd found was wreckage, and not much else aside from a few strange hard scales which she'd thought to throw away but sighed and tucked into her belt.
The memory bought with it fear, welling up from within, clawing at her insides painfully until she forced it back down, though it did not quell the shaking of her hands.
She was glad at least, these people seemed to want the scales she'd found and traded her many things, simple things but in a fair quantity. If she had known how valuble they were perhaps she'd have searched for more.
Plucking at the tight cotton she wore now, she pulled her hair back and sighed, feeling a dry breeze tickle her skin.
Simple light clothing, hugging the body and ending near the floor, a dress of sorts..the women around here wore them, and stared when they passed, as if they had never seen her kind.
At least they spoke the same language..well..more or less...again she peered down the street, biting her lip, unsure of what to do now. She could return to the inn but what good would that do to sit around moping?
'Lost...Veron...light what am I going to do now?'

[Lyra]

It wasn't often that he came here.
Humans weren't of much interest to him- they were too frightened, superstitious, always watched him with trepidation. But every once in a while he tired of the desert- it was mostly the same and the chances of him running into other of his kind were low. And when he did- well, they weren't the talkative type.
So sometimes he resorted to visiting a human settlement- getting extremely drunk, listening to music, gambling off his scales for money to buy food, watching people pass by.
He was doing the last right now, sitting comfortably against a nondescript tavern and staring with slitted amber eyes. He had a peaceful air, his song low thrums of drumbeat and pulsing flute. People would glance fearfully at him, the way he seemed full and happy, at the golden snake-tail curled beneath him, at the muscles under his arms, at the long tawny-gold hair in his eyes. But he didn't mind- his belly was full, the sun was pleasantly warm on his skin and these people would forget about him before long.
So he watched them pass by, met their nervous eyes with an amiable smile that only made them walk faster and every now and then stretched in the sun.
But one girl...she caught his eye.
She didn't seem to belong here- she was uncomfortable in her clothes, worried, disoriented, light-haired and...feathered?
There were few angels here and there was something in this girl that made him want to help her.
So Guyabhr rose- gracefully but nonchalantly- and slithered towards her, head tilted, and then touched her lightly on the shoulder.
"'Scuse me miss," he said politely in his gruff little voice, "but I can't help wondering. You seem worried and...well...is everything alright?"
He found he was nervous and already cringing. She was a very pretty girl indeed- though he rarely showed interest in any female, much less a humanoid- and if he offended her or scared her then, he couldn't...

[Akira]

Niira jumped at the touch and bit her tongue, surprised that someone had actually approached her, most so far had backed away muttering hurried excuses that they had somewhere else to be, or as such in the busiest part of the market pulled her this way and that until she became so confused she had curled into an alley and squeezed her eyes tightly shut, having to follow the wind back to where she started.
Though this creature didn't seem interested in spiriting her into one of the dark rooms with the strangers in bright veils and body hugging silks, where heavy inscense made her head swim. He merely seemed worried. Maybe he thought she was suffering from some mental ailment.
For a moment she hung undecided, a blush creeping into her tan cheeks, though once the decision was made she stood proud, grey eyes fierce as a hawks.
"I am Alauniira Ashtoreth, and I am lost! ...Oh."
She sighed, the momentary pride gone, the worry back, gnawing at the pit of her stomach.
"I'm sorry..."
Niira took him in with one appraising sweep of her eyes, a little wonder entering her gaze before she grew distracted again, brushing the downey feathers on her arms and chewing her lip.
"I am..really am lost this time...where is this..?"

[Lyra]

He blinked at her, several times, trying not to stare too much, trying not to scare her.
"Alah..Alau..."
Her name was strange on his tongue and he stumbled over the syllables then just gave up.
"Kuntam. You're in Kuntam."
He smiled helpfully, wondering exactly where this woman came from and worrying that she was scared at him. She had looked at him oddly- as if well. As if she'd never even seen a naga before. Or never even heard of one. And what was she doing here if she didn't know what a naga was and...?
He looked down, licking his lips and shifting his tail about in the dust in the street, making small clouds rise.

[Akira]

"Kuntam.."
She gazed off down the street through the dust for a moment, before drawing a hand swiftly over her eyes and looking back up at Guybhr, trying to keep the confusion out of her voice.
"I don't know where I am..I've never even heard of...or..have I..?"
The name tickled memories locked in the back of her mind but try as she might, she couldn't reach them.
One hand strayed to her belt and she fumbled with the buckle on the satchel a moment, taking out a small velvet bag and emptied the coins into her palm, shining in the bright sunlight.
"I'm not sure how much this is worth...but could I..offer you my thanks or..or perhaps buy you a drink or...I don't know...I'm sorry..I don't even know your name Sir.."
Perhaps if she got to know the locals she might be able to discover a little more about this place. Her limbs still ached a little from the battering the storm had given her but not enough to put off taking wing if she felt like it...perhaps when it cooled down and her clothes were dry she could..
And where will you go? Listen to the wind? How far will it take you in a place like this?
"There's not much else I can offer...I'm rather..new..around here..I lost almost everything in the storm.."
The storm...
Niira hadn't thought of that until now...vague memories of floating in the sea brushed her mind. It was clear the storm hadn't reached these shores but..perhaps she could talk to it..dangerous but possibly...

[Lyra]

Guyabhr tilted his head at her, bemused. How could she not have heard of Kuntam? It was the largest proper settlement in the Ahazar Desert.
But then again, he didn't really know much of the world outside Ahazar. Maybe it didn't come up in conversation much.
As soon as she offered money to her, he backed away like it was something tainted and shook his palms at her. "No no, I have no need for this it's-I'm Guyabhr." He offered a sheepish grin to this angel-lady.
"A storm?" he asked her then. His brain was set into motion. Looking at her with narrowed eyes, "Where exactly are you from, Miss?"

[Akira]

Niira seemed to wilt.
"If only I could tell you..somewhere over the sea..at least that's where I came from. But..I wasn't born there..I got there by travelling across the sea in the first place.."
She tucked the coins away and smiled faintly.
"Not Miss, just Niira...someone so kind has no need for formalities with me."
It was perhaps mid afternoon...if she changed and aquired some supplies now, she could perhaps talk tot he winds and be ready to leave by nightfall..there was no way she would attept a long flight in a dress anyhow, no matter what old paintings showed of angels flying about in fancy white robes.
Rubbing her palms together slowly she tilted her head to one side.
"Yes...a storm..but not a storm of sand...and..I need to find it. It was unusually violent...so it should not be hard to...ah..I'm sorry..."
She looked embarrassed a moment, smoothing the feathers on her arms.
"I can listen..and talk..in a fashion..to the natural energies around us..particularly the air..the winds...I'm looking for someone..."

[Lyra]

Perhaps she means Echydnis?
Though that made no sense- if she was coming from Echydnis, she'd not be here anyway, she's be on the eastern coast.
No. She's from somewhere else.
And at that thought, a shiver ran up his back. The idea opened the world up much farther than he would've liked. It was almost comforting, believing, knowing that Desamarai and Echydnis were the only kingdoms in the world, other than the long gone Old Land.
"Well, if its any help, you're in Desamarai, in the Ahazar Desert, ehm, Niira."
She went on, describing the way she listened to the wind and he smiled. That at least was familiar- she was, without a doubt, a wind element.
"Who're you looking for?" he asked helpfully. Maybe he'd seen the person passing by and could help her find whoever it was.

[Akira]

"Who're you looking for?"

She clenched her hands tightly as she thought about how to answer that question. So tightly that she didn't feel the pain until she blinked, snapping out of the reverie and feeling her sharp little nails digging into her own palms.
"His name is Veronion Alaven...I couldn't find him on the beach...perhaps he washed up elsewhere.."
She couldn't keep the desperate hope out of her voice, and didn't bother trying. It really was desperate. He just had to be alive. If he wasn't...

No! Don't think about that! He has to be!

"He's tall...about..this tall..taller than me.." she used her hand to demonstrate the height.
"And his hair is..sort of short..long..this length! And the color of fading leaves..."
She sighed. This was harder than she thought. It hurt just to breathe without him there.
"Tall, hair about to here and blonde, sort of, he's very sweet, and gentle..and kind...and..and..and I love him..and I couldn't find him..."
Her wings quivered as she folded them around herself delicately, shaking and trying to stop the tears.
He wasn't there, he's probably dead now. You'll never see his face again, or hear his voice, or feel his touch..
STOP IT!
"He has to be alive..he just has to...it's my fault we're even here...if I hadn't.."
Niira shuddered, clutching her wings to herself and trying to control her panicked breathing.
"I'm so sorry..so sorry...I didn't mean to frighten you sir...I didn't mean for any of this.."

[Lyra]

Guyabhr tried to recall. Had he seen any blonde men about when people-watching?
King almighty, he couldn't help himself thinking though, The one lady who isn't more interested in my throat than my heart loves some other man?
But no, he'd seen no blonde men, only dark-haired people, all wrapped up in linens and anything but lost and just washed up in a storm.
He has just come to conclusion when he realized she was panicking, trying not to cry. And he realized that he didn't know what to do, and he also panicked.
King almighty! What in all of sky do you do with a crying girl?!
He paused, blinking his golden eyes at her, and then held her arms firmly, trying not to betray his shaking, his confusion. "Come on," he said, "Maybe you should sit down."
He pulled her gently towards the tavern he'd sitting in front of before, looking back to make sure didn't react adversely to this.

[Akira]

Niira allowed Guyabhr to lead her easily to the tavern, drawing one hand across her eyes to stem the tears.
Here he was helping her, kinder than any of the other people who had merely stared at her in a funny way and then swiftly pretended that they hadn't seen anything. And she was fast turning into a wreck, losing her calm composure and embarrassing him.
And the nagging feeling that this place was supposed to be known to her still tickled at the back of her mind. The name certainly...though she doubted she'd been here before.
Unsteadily she trotted after him, trying to calm herself and take comfort in the cool dry grip holding her arms as she was led inside.
"Thank you...Guyabhr...I've never met a naga before, nor one so kind. I'm sorry for causing you this bother."

[Lyra]

The tavern was immediately cool, painted smoothly with blue black shadows. Several hunched over tables, holding low conversation and laughing softly. A small, empty stage was in the corner, with unlit lanterns all about it.
Guyabhr led her to a table and sat her down carefully before awkwardly taking a seat himself. His tail curled beneath the table, tailtip twitching in the only betrayal of his distress.
He looked at this poor girl and sighed. "It's no bother really."
A tavern wench was at their table moments later, looking at them with eyes lined in black, curls of black hair falling about her pretty face.
She said nothing, only watched them with soot eyes.
"Ah...Just a pint for me and..."
He looked questioningly at Alauniira, eyebrows raised.

[Akira]

Niira blinked, her train of thought crashing roughly into reality and pulled her eyes away from the waitress. She really was very pretty...
Opening her mouth she was about to say 'mead'..but what if they didn't make good strong mead here?
Instead she murmured "a pint, please."
Meeting Guyabhr's gaze she smiled ruefully blushed a little, crossign her feet beneath her chair and staring at her hands, her wings rustling as she tried to adjust them so that they would not get in anyone's way while still being comfortable enough to sit on the chair without having to unfurl them too much.

[Insert Headdesk Here]

[Lyra]

(...Five pints of ale? xD)

The girl nodded silently and swayed off, her hips twitching from side to side. Guyabhr watched her a moment and then turned to look at Alauniira. His eyes were full of sincerest sympathy, his eyebrows arched into unhappiness.
"I'm sorry...I haven't seen this...Veronion and I wish..."
He sighed. Why msut words be so difficult? he found himself asking.
"I just wonder if well...I can help in any way."
He smiled sheepishly, hoping this didn't sound like flirtation to her. It always seemed to sound so with she-snakes, in any case.

[Akira]

A smile touched her lips as she gazed at Guyabhr, reassessing her first thoughts of him.
"Why'd you help me..? If I'm not being rude to ask of course...everyone else just.."
She waved her hands vaguely and slumped in the chair, folding her arms.
Truly the people hadn't been much in the way of responsive, blank stares if they didn't mumble some excuse and dart away, only really catching interest if she waved money under their nose as a potential customer.
It wasn't that this place was inhospitable, it just seemed...hostile, to outsiders. More or less.
And she did feel like an outsider, at least, more out of place here than ever before. She might not have had a permanent home in Han'sh but the Blue Temple and several various inns were good as..at least there she knew roughly where she was.
Even so in this dark hour of need one kind soul had stepped forth to shine and guide her. A light warmth filled her at that, the warmth of hope.