The Lead Crown: Ch 3a, "By the Spirits" (Pt 2)
Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown
Ch 3-2, By The Spirits
Gift-of-the-Earth enjoyed his quiet breakfast with his daughter. Keiara spent most if it talking about this-or-that... the usual way of a young woman without a husband... which she was... and had been... for over three years. Unlike most fathers, however, the trader was not concerned with the fact that his daughter remained unmarried for so long; she had always been a free spirit... much like her mother.
He finished chewing the acorn cake in his muzzle before he swallowed, and brought his daughter's casual rambling back to an important topic, "Did you find time to practice your Stone Tribe tongue with the human?"
Her mischievous smile was not entirely unexpected, "Some, father... it WAS the night of a ritual, after all."
Gift-of-the-Earth consumed another acorn cake while she gave her excuses, and took another moment to chew it carefully before sending it down to join the first already in his stomach, "There is time before... or after... even between... Daughter, do not tell me that you did not exchange at least a FEW words with the man... how do you ever expect to practice their tongue if you do not speak it?"
Keiara's smile grew wider, and switched over to the Stone Tribe language for her next comment, "We did speak some, father... and Nih-kol-us spetd some time showing me how the Stone Tribe tongue works."
The trader did not need to see the expression she hid behind her ceramic cup to realize that her words could have signified a number of things... specifically because she chose to speak it in a language where 'tongue' had more than one meaning. He eyed another one of the small cakes, but said what he had to say before picking it up, "I see..." and that one too went the way of its brothers.
His daughter continued her search for information, picking up where she left off before breakfast with more questions about the group of Stone Tribesmen "Will they be staying with us long, Father?"
Gift-of-the-Earth swallowed his newest mouthful_, "I do not know, Daughter. That is for the Shaman to decide."_
"Are they going to continue as guests, or will you invite them to stay with us? If you have traveled with them then you may claim the right of--"
The trader cut her off, "I know what I can claim, Keiara."
She sat back in her seat, looking over the collection of food that she had barely even touched, "I would like to learn more about them... and I think they would be better off learning more about us. Do you think the Shaman will allow them to stay with us here in the village, or will he send them along?"
Gift-of-the-Earth sighed, wiping his paw off on his knee before turning to regard his daughter, repeating his earlier statement, "Whether they stay or not is for the Shaman to decide... you can ask me if there will be fish this season, or when the elk will return to the valley, but I could not answer the first as well as the river, or the second as well as the vale." He stood slowly, grabbing one final acorn cake as he did so, "Know where best to direct your questions, Daughter... I will be back soon."
She smiled, offering a wave of her paw, and the customary parting phrase among the women, "I will wait for you." and she FINALLY decided to start eating breakfast. He smiled to himself when she started in on it with purpose.
Having already visited the Shaman that morning, Gift-of-the-Earth knew that the bear was ready and waiting for the Stone Tribe guests. The dragon, Kesst, was already with him, and it would be the trader's responsibility to get the rest of them. Although they had been invited to his daughter's home, his traveling companions had chosen instead to eat breakfast with Roaring-Flood. The fisherman had a way with people, so it was hardly surprising. The black bear's loud voice boomed from within the walls of the hut; Gift-of-the-Earth assumed he was most likely telling one of his only-mostly-true stories.
The trader approached the entrance and waited for a break in the tale before gently tapping the wooden frame three times. Once he was certain he heard silence he called in, "Hello, Friend Roaring-Flood!"
The large fisherman shouted out heartily, "Hello Friend Gift-of-the-Earth! Come in! We were wondering when you would join us!"
The trader stepped into the building and looked around at the gathering. Nicholas was given a place of respect directly to Roaring-Flood's side... most likely because, according to the human, they both had respect for fish... or something of the sort-- the specifics had been lost to the bear in translation. An empty place by the fire pit across from Nicholas was most likely where Kesst the dragon had been sitting; Gift-of-the-Earth took note that nobody seemed to pay it any mind.
Tobias sat directly across from Roaring-Flood, a position honoring the host of the home seeing as it left the antelope as the one closest to the door, and he greeted the trader respectfully as he passed, "Hello, Friend Gift-of-the-Earth."
Gift-of-the-Earth responded in kind, "Hello, Friend Tobias."
"Some day you're going to have to treat me greetings, Tobias." Theo stated in the Stone Tribe tongue. The ermine had a spot between Nicholas and Tobias, while Sanmer was seated directly on one Roaring-Flood'_s knees. The fisherman was paw-feeding the fox a whole smoked _Silver-Finger.
Gift-of-the-Earth had never particularly enjoyed Silver-Fingers... he found the small fish's texture too soft.
Roaring-Flood spoke up, using the Stone Tribe's words for the benefit of his guests, "Come! Sit! You will join us for food and story!"
Sanmer took the Silver-Finger right out of Roaring-Flood's grasp using a combination of his lips and tongue; Gift-of-the-Earth noticed that there was far more contact than necessary. It made the trader wonder if the big fisherman had finally found a willing participant for the rituals. Clearing his throat, Gift-of-the-Earth realized it would be up to him to bring focus back to the group, "The Shaman is ready to meet with you."
Nicholas looked up from his bowl, "Ready... as in... right now?"
Gift-of-the-Earth nodded, "Yes. Now."
Roaring-Flood's muzzle was a mask of confusion for a moment as his mind caught up; although the big fisherman spoke some of the Stone Tribe language, it wasn't nearly as half as good as the trader's... and Gift-of-the-Earth was only barely skilled at it. When Roaring-Flood did manage to decipher the topic of discussion he spoke up in The People's tongue, "They are going to see the Shaman?"
Tobias addressed the fisherman's question, "Yes. Gift-of-the-Earth is speaking for us."
The trader stood his ground as the fisherman turned to regard him, "We caught in fire, and these Stone Tribe saved my life."
Roaring-Flood's rounded ears perked up, "You could have given them Favor, and sent them along... isn't that the way of their people?"
The antelope smiled, "We are not looking for Favor, Friend Roaring-Flood... if we were we could have that at home. I am looking to learn more about your people..." Tobias cleared his throat, covering his muzzle with a cloth before coughing.
Gift-of-the-Earth rested a paw on the door frame, "And releasing the hold the Spirits of Fire have on him."
The prong horn nodded, "That too."
The expression on Nicholas' face had continued to slide further toward displeased at each word not spoken in the Stone Tribe tongue, and he took the opportunity to address it, "Most of us here don't have any idea what yer all sayin'... ya know?'
Roaring-Flood fed another Silver Finger to Sanmer, who accepted it happily like a little cub. The fisherman then relocated the fox to the ground and stood, still speaking in the language of The People, as if Nicholas hadn't bothered objecting, "If they saved you, then I would stand with them too... What say you, Brother?"
Tobias paused, then glanced back to the rest of the Stone Tribe, speaking in their language, "They're brothers..."
Theo looked confused, "Like... brother brothers, or more like--"
The antelope answered before the ermine could finish the question, "Family brothers. That's the only meaning of 'Rost' in their tongue."
Nicholas set his empty bowl aside, "Yea? Well in Common 'rost' is what you clean offa metal that got wet."
Roaring-Flood didn't seem to mind the banter; he embraced it instead, "Yes... Gift-of-Earth is a brother. We share ... ah... what is a word? ...Rohn."
Tobias answered for him, "Father."
Gift-of-the-Earth nodded, "Yes. We have different mothers, but we have the same father."
The antelope was quick to add in his own words, "Among the tribesmen that is not a mark of shame or of concern... they do not have the same marriage rituals as we do."
The human finally started to smile again, "Well... that's another thing they have goin' for em then, isn't it?"
Sanmer's smile only grew, "I'm sold. Where do I sign?"
Roaring-Flood was obviously confused, turning to Gift-of-the-Earth to ask, "What is it they are saying?"
The trader shook his head, "Nothing important."
Once everyone had gathered up their few belongings, Gift-of-the-Earth led the procession out of the hut. Tobias remained near the trader along with Theo while Sanmer walked alongside Roaring-Flood, who remained at the back of the group. Between them was Nicholas, who only FINALLY realized that someone was missing, "Hey... where's Kesst?"
Gift-of-the-Earth was ready with an answer, "He is already with the Shaman... come."