• Closed • Old McFaith She Had A Farm

[Nir'wei]

10th of Saun, 717.

Attempting to start their previous business together - which he still had the contract for, a fairly decent plot of abandoned land on the outskirts of Andaris - had been pretty damn exciting, he had to admit. He'd never had his own business. To be frank, he'd never really had much that belonged to him as a child, seeing as his care constantly flickered between various members of the family and close friends. He'd never really needed anything back then, though. He had a roof over his head, food on his plate and plenty of friends to play with; he never really owned anything, but he never really wanted, either. Only upon setting out on his search for Archailist, travelling, getting jobs along the way, earning money and actually collecting belongings had he found the joy in... having. Despite all that, he was even more excited to see what Faith had been busy building during his time in Rharne. All she'd told him was to meet outside a restaurant known as Cally's Fine Dining and she'd reveal everything later.

So there he waited, bouncing on the tips of his toes and grinning from ear to ear. He'd heard nothing from the few people he'd asked. She'd never mentioned any of this in the echo scroll messages they'd sent between each-other, although he'd never really taken the time to ask her, in all honesty. Not that he didn't think she could handle something like this. Time and time again she'd exceeded all expectations, until he was quite certain there really wasn't anything that woman could do if she decided to put her mind to it.

"Would you stop doing that, you're going to give yourself a haemorrhage." Archailist's nattering in his ear did little to stop Nir'wei's bouncing, but he did calm it down at least a little. The spirit-squirrel was considerably guarded at the moment, although that was probably because he was very self-centred and found it beyond belief that Nir'wei could actually want to help people less fortunate than himself without garnishing some sort of profit from it. "Maybe she's not coming. Then you can go and find something more productive to do." Just to spite his negative attitude, Nir'wei started bouncing violently again, making the little spirit bounce against his shoulder almost to the point that he looked like he was about to fall off. "Alright, alright! Pack it in."

With a quick glance to make sure nobody was nearby, he answered vocally instead of through their connection, for once. "Look. This is more than just sitting down and handing out free money to everyone who walks by. This is genuinely making a difference in the community and providing some positive influence to the city and the world beyond, alright? This is big, and important. It's got the opportunity to make change for a lot of people, and it's beneficial for everyone. Everyone." For a change, the spirit squirrel turned quiet and thoughtful; through their mental connection he could feel tiny cogs turning in his non-existent brain. Nir'wei let the little spirit think what he wanted to think. In all honesty, it never hurt to have a little voice always looking out for his own self-interests over the opinions and expectations of others. He couldn't help others if he couldn't help himself, and vice versa.

Suddenly Faith walked into view, and Nir'wei couldn't help himself - he literally FLUNG himself face-first into her, crashing face-first into the smaller woman and nearly crushing her in a vice-like grip. His time out of bed and out and about had done wonders for his body. He no longer looked like a malnourished child with bones sticking out everywhere and paper-thin skin stretched too far over his body. His limbs were starting to pack on flesh, muscle and fat; his gaunt face had a healthy red glow, partially from his time in the sun and partially from the literal sprint he'd taken this morning, and the several laps around the restaurant he'd made when he arrived to make sure that all the doors and windows were locked. "FAITH!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs. "It's been BREAKS! Come on, come on! You can't just tell me something like this and then leave me in the dark! What, did you grow a cruel streak or something?" He tried to sound hurt, but his words were so rushed that it completely ruined the atmosphere. Jittering like a cocaine-fuelled rabbit didn't help the image either. "Come ooooooon! Show me show me show me show me!"

[Faith Augustin]

Faith could hardly wait to show Nir'wei what she'd done here. The excitement which she felt was hard to describe, not least because it was something that she had prayed to be able to do since she had diagnosed him with that awful disease. The chance to show him Cally's and the surrounding land was something which she had dreamed of and now, that trial was here. She had to resist the urge to run to meet him, pleasure at seeing her friend again mingling with excitement at showing him what she had done.

"Nir'wei!" Faith beamed in delight and let out a squeal of surprise as he hugged her. Why she was surprised, she did not know but he always did get her that way and she laughed and hugged him back. "I know, I know! I'm sorry! And yes, I did! I got cruel and mean." She moved and opened up the restaurant. "Come in, come in."

The restaurant was beautiful, an obviously high-end establishment and she let him explore, "It's what we talked about. We've got an eleven acre farm. A vineyard, fruit and vegetables, bees. Also pigs, chicken, livestock. Eight homes for the trainees, it's making a difference, a very real difference." She would very happily make the short walk with him to the farm, she said and show him.

"I was hoping you might want to be involved, Nir'wei. It should be ours, we thought of it together, that trial when it was so cold and I made you gloves. Do you remember?" She shook her head slightly, "I was newly free and it was all so confusing. Most people here don't know I used to be a slave. Moseke healed all my brands and scars." So many things had happened, since the last time she had seen Nir'wei whole. Things which she hadn't spoken to him about because he was so unwell. Now though?

Well, now they had the rest of their lives to do what they wanted to. "I was hoping you'd help with the animals, make the livestock part of the farm more productive. Help with teaching the trainees, that kind of thing. If you'd like to?" The earnest young woman looked at the Sev'ryn who was as close to a brother as she would ever have, she knew, and she smiled, tears springing into her eyes. "I have missed you so much. You look like you again." Just in case emotion overwhelmed her, Faith smiled and gestured in the vague direction of outside. "Want to go see the farm?"

[Nir'wei]

It was amazing how Faith always seemed to look the same as when he'd first seen her. Startlingly black hair, pale white skin, very few blemishes and a bright cheerful smile on her face. He couldn't remember her any other way as he hugged her tight enough to draw air, resisting the urge to lift her up and spin her around in the air. "Pffff, never took you for a liar, of all things..." he teased with a shit-eating grin. Damn, he'd really missed this. All of this; having friendly relationships again, going out and meeting people. Apart from Faith and the various workers at the Rharne Outpost, both new and roaming elders, he'd never seen anyone else over the past few seasons. Now, all of a sudden, it was like emerging from a prison and finding so much had changed in his absence.

It really was difficult to imagine that this high-end restaurant, with expensive furniture, open spaces and finery displayed openly all around could be owned by an ex-slave. Not at all difficult to imagine it was owned by Faith, though. "It's smaller than I imagined," he chuckled quietly. With her talents, it was no surprise at all that she'd managed to accumulate all this during his absence... and on the side of finding a cure for his ailment, at that. It really was exactly what he'd envisioned. A place guaranteed to appeal to the most elite of those gathered in Scalvoris, either taking up permanent or temporary residence. Providing services they'd all clamour for, and using all of their profits to help those in need. A rather poetic thing, even considering that both rich and poor benefited from the scheme; although the poor probably benefited quite a lot more.

"This is more than a business, this is a community," he muttered in awe, listening to her list off all the resources they had at their dispose. "Farms for crops, pens for cattle, people to care for both. You do realise this is how villages are started, right?" Minus the whole restaurant thing, at least, although that at least meant there'd be a reason for more people to start coming over.

Brought from his deep thoughts, he chuckled loudly. "Of course I'll help! Just lead the way and I'll do what I can. I'm not much of a teacher, but... hey, there's a first time for everything, right?" At the very least, working here and maintaining the flocks and cattle, they could learn by watching and emulating what he did. Who knew, in time perhaps they'd all be succeeding him, talking about the time they spent on a small farm with a young Sev'ryn mentor before they ended up riding Jacadons and... doing whatever else. "I remember, of course I do... and I noticed, as well I didn't know it was Moseke though. Heh, to think, you meet Moseke before me! And she healed you, as well! Hrmph. Guess she just doesn't show the same love for her own people." He was joking, of course... but if he ever did meet Moseke, he'd have a thing or two to say to her about how she let all this happen.

"Anyway, come on, enough chatter!" He walked behind her at such a close distance that he practically stepped on her heels. "I wanna see this farm first, but I wanna see these houses that you've got the trainees in as well. Have you ever considered adding another layer to this place and making it a hotel as well as a restaurant?"

[Faith Augustin]

It was a community? Faith glanced at Nir'wei and she shook her head, about to argue that he was a very silly Sev'ryn, that this was not in any way a village or a community that she was starting. Then, she thought about what he said and her face showed her surprise. "I had never considered it like that. It seems like a very small beginning to me." After all, they had such big dreams the two of them. To make a difference, a real difference to the people of Andaris, of Scalvoris. Of everywhere.


They walked together and Faith felt a sense of contentment which was hard to put into words as they made their way just outside of the town and through the gate."Our land starts here. This fence shows the demarcation line, currently. Good job," she added with a grin. "I have zero sense of direction. But when I get lost, I just walk in a direction until I find the fence."

The farm, eleven acres in total, had a central area which housed an office and storage buildings. Faith showed him the map of the place, how the crops and livestock were laid out. There were maps on the walls which showed all of those details. Faith knew the map, although she could not read it to save her life.

When he spoke about the houses, though, Faith raised an eyebrow. "An Inn? Honestly, I hadn't thought of that. I.." Faith glanced at him and she looked rather embarrassed. In all truth, it was because she felt it. "I know it sounds silly, Nir'wei, and probably selfish, too. But I'd thought that one trial the houses could be used differently." She gave a slight sigh and pointed to the map.

"One trial, maybe soon, I want to end slavery. Starting on Scalvoris, but not ending there. If I can do that, if it can happen, the existing slaves will need somewhere to live. Land to grow. I.. " Faith looked at her friend and she smiled, then gestured out to where the houses were. "It's probably just a dream, but I believe it can happen. Does it sound ridiculous to you?" Faith smiled. "Come on, I'll show you the houses."

[Nir'wei]

He couldn't stop the light chuckle bubbling in his throat from escaping at her surprise. "Well, no wonder. You've been too busy making it to notice." He still couldn't get over the fact that she'd done all this, at the same time as finding a cure for him. Of course he'd known that she had more to her life than just his needs, but before her, the Rot had been an incurable thing! She didn't just have time to cure him, she had time to do something that no other doctor had done before her, and start off all of this in the process? "Besides. Even the biggest cities have very small beginnings."

The farm seemed to go on forever - both on the maps, and walking through it. Together they saw it all; Nir'wei would settle for nothing less. He wanted to see the storage hut that took all the crops, the barns for the livestock, all of it; and he wasn't a good map-reader either, but considering how these buildings were little more than blips on the map at large, he could get a pretty clear reading of just how much land they were talking about here. "To think where you came from, now you own so much that you get lost in it." He knew she probably didn't like thinking that much about her past, but where she was now, it stood as a testament to just how much could be done when she put her mind to it.

Which was why when she gave her explanation, he only smiled and nodded. "It doesn't sound ridiculous at all. It sounds like exactly something you would do." If she really was serious then... well, she was always serious. "If you want to end slavery in Scalvoris, you're right, you'll need houses to put them in. You'll need crops and livestock for food. You'll need to give them jobs; new jobs, things they enjoy doing instead of being forced into it." It could certainly work. But...

"When you free those slaves... you realise their masters, the people that stake their livelihoods on using slaves, selling slaves, trafficking slaves... they're not going to be quiet, and they're not going to be peaceful." He knew how Faith probably wouldn't like what he was going to say, but he kinda needed to. He owed that much to her. "When you free the slaves, there's a good chance you're going to need a forceful hand in some cases. And when they're freed, you're going to need protection, both for yourself and the slaves, to make sure they're not taken back into chains afterwards. You need to either teach them how to fight, or you need a fighting force that's got your back."

[Faith Augustin]

She looked at Nir'wei and considered it. Was he right? Maybe, Faith wasn't sure. She smiled though and admitted something to him, which she could admit now that he was cured. "It was like.. when I doubted myself, or felt that there was never going to be a cure at all, I felt like I couldn't do what I needed to." With a gesture around the land, she shrugged slightly. "When I was afraid that I wasn't good enough or lucky enough to save you, I told myself that you had to live. You had to, because I had to show you this one trial. It was my charm against giving in to fear." Padraig knew that, had known it from the trial she started it, but she'd admit that to no one else, except Nir'wei. She looked at her friend and smiled, though the emotion which shone in her eyes told of how worried about him she had been, and how much she had doubted her ability to cure him.

They explored the place, every last inch of it and Nir'wei would be in no doubt just how absolutely abysmal Faith's sense of direction was. She got lost a lot of times, but she was more than happy to just find a fence or rely on him. Her ability to get lost or turned around might well border on legendary. "I don't feel like I own it, really," Faith said, with a shrug. "It's for the people, it serves them. I funded it with my own money that I'd saved and I'm taking that back, one season at a time. That way, it will be an entirely self-sufficient entity." As for where she was now, compared to where she had been? A shrug was her response to that, "anything I've achieved has been because people have believed in me. Empowered me to do it. This was our idea, not mine."

His thoughts on slavery were ones which Faith understood, and she nodded. "I'm not going to be someone who frees slaves illegally. I'm going to change the laws. My friend Kura, she's got me a place on the council, looking after the welfare of the citizens of Scalvoris. I'm going to try," Faith said with a smile and an emphasis on that word, "to end slavery legally. Make it illegal, change the law. " There was no doubting it, she knew that this was not the easiest way, but it was the right way to do it.

"But at the moment, it's all what ifs and might be. But what is, without a doubt, is that you can work here. You still own the land in Rynmere, too, yes? Maybe we can set up a joint, international venture? There's nothing we can't do, Nir'wei. After all," she said with a grin at him, "we've got the rest of our lives."

[Nir'wei]

Turning his attention out to the field again, he smiled to himself. "I'm glad that you did," he answered simply. Words he never thought he'd have to say, but he said them all the same. He was glad that she'd saved his life. Not just that; she'd now given his life a whole new purpose as well. He'd been worrying how he was ever going to make up for this debt to her; now he was starting to accept that it'd just be something he'd never be able to repay, but he'd always be able to find some way to help work towards that ultimate goal. Thinking about it, though, he hoped he never would, for Faith's sake. She'd gone through enough, both at his expense and simply through her own life, through what he'd heard from her mouth and others. "I'm glad for a lot, but I'm the most glad that you did," he added after a few moments of silence, laughing softly.

As they walked around, he shoved his hands into his pockets and rolled his eyes. "Well of course you don't," he grumbled, with an emphasis put on 'you'. "It's for the people, it serves them, but it doesn't change the fact that you gave it to them with your money." He knew she was just trying to be humble, just like she'd always been, and push accomplishments onto others instead of herself, but this was one thing she wasn't going to sweep under the rug. "The truth is, this wouldn't exist without you. These people could have gone out into the world, found a plot of land not owned by any of the leading factions of the world and claimed a spot for themselves. They could have planted the seeds of fruits in the ground and started their own farms. There's nothing stopping them from doing any of this by themselves."

He threw a hand out, gesturing to all the farms. All the people working the farms, the houses that those people lived in, the restaurant that those people worked in. "They could have done all of this without you, they could have come up with the idea and you could have just helped them achieve their goals, and then it would have been 'our idea'. But this truly was your accomplishment here. You built this. They work here, and they live here, but you're the powerhouse that put all this in place and gave them this. They believed in you because you made yourself into a person they could believe in." He shrugged slightly. "People look at you and what you've already done and think you can do anything if you put your heart to it. So they put their hearts to it too."

"That's why... I think you really can end slavery the legal way," he concedes after a long moment of thought. "I'll set up my place in Rynmere when I go back there. With both of our places running, we'll be able to gather a significant workforce to do whatever needs doing." He nodded to himself. "But... look." His mouth twisted slightly. "Ending slavery by changing the laws is the right and honest way to end slavery... but slavery isn't a right or honest thing to do in the first place. Even if it's illegal... it's still going to happen. Even if it's not here, it's going to be elsewhere. And when you go out there, to those other cities, let me know in advance? I know you might not like it, or to think it, but these people you're pissing off won't play nice. I don't want anything to happen to you." Memories came back of those three noble women he'd found one night in Rynmere, their tongues cut out and their corpses nailed to a wall. "And if it doesn't work out, legally... that you won't stop. Slavery is a real issue, and I want to get rid of it. I can't help you in politics and legal mumbo-jumbo but I can still help, if you'll let me."

[Faith Augustin]

He was glad she did? Faith smiled at him and shook her head. "It was a very selfish act, I assure you." Faith didn't, as a rule, speak about her emotions particularly. She found it difficult in the extreme, and she quickly became overwhelmed. However, it was true what she said and she shrugged slightly, "this is our dream. Together. I need you to be able to do it." She had no notion of him owing her anything, she did for him what he would do for her; the best she had.

His words of what she'd done, though, and what people thought of her caused Faith to blush, stutter and then frown at him with a very genuine smile on her face at the same time. "Stop that. I have no notion of how to respond to that. I'm just using my skills is all. You sound like Padraig." And Kura and Katie, in fairness. Cally, too. Faith felt the flaming of her cheeks and she gave Nir'wei a wry grin. "It's Saun. I'm hot."

They were teasing each other and they both knew it. Faith looked at him as he said 'but look' and she knew that he was being serious, so she listened to him with an earnest look on her face. What he said about slavers and so on was certainly true and she nodded. He was absolutely right and she knew that she had to be careful. When he asked her to keep him informed, she nodded her head immediately. This was their dream, this was their creation together and Faith felt, most strongly, that she couldn't do this without him.

"Let you?" Faith shook her head with a bewildered expression. "Help if I'll let you? Nir'wei I need you." If it seemed strange to say that to another man, Faith didn't consider it. Nir'wei knew how she meant it. "I have very limited notions of what family really means, other than those I am building now, but I believe completely that you are like a brother to me." He certainly was as far as she was concerned. "Therefore, I will always let you because I will always be happier if you are there." She smiled and dug an elbow into his side. "And no, I won't stop. We won't stop. You and I and Padraig and all the people who have seen it and lived it and are determined to end it." Nodding her head she looked seriously at him, all teasing gone. "I promise."

[Basilisk]

As the pair spoke about their plan to bring slavery on Scalvoris to an end, another voice sounded from nearby. "And the people who profit off the exploitation of others are going to be equally determined to keep it going. Words alone will not accomplish that goal, doctor." Karem said, stepping out of the shadows. Still despite her words, she was grinning slightly. "Of course, nothing worthwhile is ever accomplished with words alone. And even freeing slaves via changing the laws will not mean they're safe. There are those to who an ex-slave will always be a slave." she said, her tone serious.

Then she paused a moment and took a deep breath through her nose. After a moment, she smiled at Faith. "Congratulations, doctor." she said, before turning to Nir'wei. "I do not believe we have met yet, but you smell of wolf. You are not one of my own Blessed, though. You must be Nir'wei, the Sev'ryn my daughter told me about. I've been wanting to meet you, and this Greyhide she mentioned, for some time now." she said, before turning to look at Faith again.

"Partially the reason I came was because of the gift I left your beloved last time we met. Has he accomplished anything with it as of yet?" she said, before frowning slightly. "Also, Kura mentioned that you have a...propensity for finding trouble, especially when you are not looking for it. Is this true?" she asked, her tone more curious than anything.

[Nir'wei]

For a moment, Nir'weis face contorted into an unreadable expression. He knew how that probably must have sounded, but it was the truth all the same. "I'm not saying it was selfish, but it doesn't change the fact that you did it. You shouldn't feel obliged or afraid to take credit for it. You did a damn good job, and you'll do even better when you take responsibility for what you've already done and use it to move forward." His voice almost took a mentoring edge to it, although for what reason he couldn't possibly say. He wasn't a leader; she'd done all this, and he'd sat around and moped through it all. If anyone was going to be a mentor, it was going to be Faith teaching him! "I'm not saying you need arrogance, just confidence. Hah, sometimes I wonder if you even really need me." All he ever seemed to do was distract her with his own everyday problems while she went about changing the world.

"I mean, that's exactly what you're doing. Using your skills. And you've got plenty of them! And know how to use them, to boot!" he replied, almost exasperated at how Faith continually refused to take ownership of her own accomplishments. She might think that he was just teasing him, and she showed it too with all those looks she threw his way, but he was actually being very serious for once! "Just think about it. And think about my offer. What I said. It's an offer I make because I love you like family, like my own sister, just like you love me." Strange that she couldn't see how much danger she was putting herself in, throwing herself face-first into the seedy underworld and trying to wipe them all out by throwing a little signed piece of paper in their faces.

Funny to think, at that exact moment, someone should appear to support his views. They must've been watching and listening from the shadows, for whatever reason. Likely an acquaintance of Faith's, since she kept referring to her as 'doctor'... but then again, as the talking continued, and he listened intently, it seemed that she knew a fair bit more than he thought. "She's right," he said in a gap between breaths. "Words help, don't get me wrong. Without words, all you've got are a rough bunch beating each-other senseless for no apparent reason. But it... it can't help to have a little action behind your words."

Conversation turned swiftly in a direction he'd really not anticipated after that was sorted. "We have not," he answered in a guarded tone. How did she know about Greyhide? "Greyhide is likely hunting, around now. He might have returned to our campsite, though." He shrugged slightly. "Sorry, I'm... a bit lost. Who are you?" He threw questioning glances towards Faith, but with conversation aimed at her as well, he didn't know what kind of response she'd give, if any.