• PM To Join • Ivy in The Garden

[Ashira Ward]

Zi'da 15

On my velvet couch reclining,
Ivy leaves my brow entwining.
While my soul expands with glee,
What are kings and crowns to me?

Ashira liked to think of herself as merciless. As a hard nosed business woman, ruled by logic rather than emotion. Largely because this was what she felt that Everett needed, and what the rest of the Wards would accept. Not that that mattered in the long run... A slight smile accompanied that sly thought, but that was not something to even dwell on in public, that was a thought best kept buried. In any case, Ashira liked to think of herself as far more pitiless than she was. If she was truly pitiless, she'd not do her best to treat people who couldn't pay the traditional prices.

Don't get the wrong idea, she never worked for free. Never. But she did try to charge people according to their means. One of the ways she could manage this was because she was 'just' a herbalist, rather than a full fledged surgeon or the like. You couldn't go scrounge up a complicated surgery, conveniently find a new arm or bladder in good working condition and just use that. You could however go scavenge some common plants that had a myriad of uses and process or otherwise use them in a cost effective manner to treat whatever ailed you.

With the cold cycle truly upon them though, this was getting more difficult. One thing Ashira had always been however, was brazen. Well, that may have been putting something of a positive spin on things. She was also extraordinarily entitled. So she did some things that some people may have seen as stealing, and if called on them, would explain to anyone's face precisely why she was entitled to do what she was doing and should in fact be thanked for doing it.

Currently Ashira was in the Monastery gardens, certainly less populated, now that it was colder and flowers no longer perfumed the air, but hardly deserted. Some people were actually ought precisely because the temperatures had just dropped and the snowflakes were still falling prettily rather than oppressively. She however, was not here to stare at snow. That was stupid. And a waste of time. Instead she was prodding at snow covered mounds within the garden beds to see what they contained. Most were useless ornamental junk of course, but there might be some dried leaves of something useful. It had seemed worth checking.

Ashira hated the start of the cold season with a vengeance. It was these times, when it wasn't warm, but wasn't properly cold, when the temperature fluctuated that the most people got sick, and seeing as the two options seemed to be fine and exceptionally annoyingly whiny and fine, or dying. There wasn't a lot of middle ground. And do you think you could convince most commoners to wash their damned hands when the water was so cold and had to be warmed over a fire? Disgusting. Sickness just allowed to spread everywhere.

"I don't think you're supposed to be in the garden beds..."

Some toff who looked a bit like a frog wearing the seasons oh so fashionable olive commented disapprovingly.

"I don't recall asking you. Go hop in a pond you toad, some of us are busy." Came the snapped reply.

[Ivy Gawyne]

Ivy wandered the gardens with a bitter sigh. It was a comfort to be here considering it was often one of the less populated places to be in the city during Zi'da. A lack of people meant Ivy could spent less time shaking in fear and more time getting over her last spurt of shaking in fear. Was that really all she could do now? Sit pretty and shake like a faun every time someone came near? She hoped not, in her heart she prayed that one day she could get better. That hope was little more than a bitter dream, but oh how she yearned for it to be reality. To once again wander bravely and not even bother to bat an eye at those who caused her trouble! It was a hope that she could dream for, but a hope that didn't seem likely to become reality any time soon.

Ivy just couldn't deal with people anymore, she didn't have the strength even to look people she knew in the eyes. Her voice would shake if not die in her throat. Immortals forbid she crossed the path of another noble! She would simply choke and die before she could breath a single word. She smiled bitterly to herself at that thought, laughing lightly. The comedy lied in the fact she'd done such a thing. Maybe at one point her future was promising. There was a lot of things people of a nature like hers could have done with life. She could have become a sailor, or maybe a knight. Perhaps the life of a court official could have struck her fancy should a different way of softening her temper come about. Alas, fate had not been so kind and she didn't have the strength to go against it. So she was bound to the life of sitting, waiting and watching and hoping that nothing bad would happen to her. She called herself a philosopher, but really she was just a watcher. She watched people, she learned how they worked, skills like that would be useful if she had even a chance of being exposed to power. The knowledge she had was a good base for the power to manipulate others into the palm of her hand. One day she could even learn how to make kings dance on her stage, but Ivy would never be that person. It was too late for her to become that person.

So instead she stayed in the garden quietly watching the people. Until her feet flung themselves out from under her. Ivy was walking past the toad looking man and the strange woman in the flower bed. She didn't like the idea of walking past them, neither seemed friendly by their interactions with each other. She tried to slip by quietly ducking her head down before she got to the pair. She quickly folded in on herself bringing all of her limbs closer to her body. Her eyes darted about cautiously. Unfortunately while her attention was on the people around her she forgot to keep an eye on the ground under her. A patch of ice led to the outburst, destroying any hopes of remaining unnoticed. She gave a slight cry as she flung her arms out wildly in an attempt to right herself. She was able to right herself slightly, avoiding falling face first into something hard. But she couldn't stop herself from falling completely. The foolish Gawyne in the end flung herself right into Ashira and the snow the other woman was poking about in.

Ivy was dazed for but a moment, quickly realizing the folly of her actions. She scattered away at the remarkable speed practically flinging herself away from the other body. "Oh my, oh my, sorry! I'm so, so, remarkably sorry!" Ivy cried out lowering her head and not daring to make eye contact. She shivered slightly, the bitter taste of fear lingering in her mouth. "I'm so sorry," she murmured once more. She continued to whisper the phrase under her breath like it was some sort of prayer that would keep her safe from whatever bad thing was about to happen for her foolishness.

[Ashira Ward]

Ashiras ire and venom were cut short when a slip of a girl, noticed only out of the corner of an eye as she glared at the fop for all the world like an angry cat telling off a perhaps somewhat dim dog that insists on poking its nose where it's not wanted, slipped and fell. Directly into her. Already slightly off balance from turning to take the fop in, Ashira went down, landing hard on her behind, the light snow doing little to cushion the frozen ground.

There was a moment of what felt like silence to Ashira as she digested this turn of events. It was not in fact silent. The blonde girl was apologising profusely while jumping away like a water drop on a hot stove. The fop muttered something that sounded very much like 'Serves you right' before strutting away, likely back to more civil company. The snow fell of the white mound she'd very nearly gone face first into with a thump.

"Oh. Comfrey." She commented. Practicality kicked in. She reached out and broke the plant off roughly two inches above the ground. They really ought to have done it before first snow anyway, otherwise next growing season it would be out of control. Dead, dried plant in one hand she rose, brushing the snow off of herself. It was at about this point that the immeasurable sorry's started to make themselves heard.

Ashira eyed the girl, one eyebrow raised. Fully grown but still young. Blond, pretty, eyes of an indeterminate colour since she kept them glued on the ground. A slight hunch to her shoulders, as if she was trying to draw in on herself, make herself as small as possible. Ashira might have been inclined to snap at her, but it would be a bit like kicking a puppy, and while she might not like puppies, she didn't go about kicking them.

"I'm not going to beat you girl." She commented wryly, trying to figure this other out. The slight condescension wasn't particularly intentional, it was unfortunately one of the tones that came most naturally to Ashira. Did the girl think she was going to be beaten? Was she a slave then? She was remarkably pretty and well cared for for a slave. Perhaps she was some minor noble married off to a husband who had her cringing away from every hand. That seemed the more likely of the two.

She was so young for such a fate though. Ashira wondered idly if she knew the husband, and in the back of her mind the Dolls Eyes rose unbidden. Why should this little one be condemned to a life of fear? There would be many dark arcs left ahead of her if both were left to their natural life spans. Why not shorten one then? Set this one free? It might not be possible of course. Perhaps her husband was too high for Ashira to ever have access to him. It could be so. It wouldn't hurt anything to find out though.

"I suppose having been so abruptly introduced to each other we had best finish the job properly no? I am Ashira Ward." She extended a hand, as the men did. She might curtsy normally but perhaps the girl was just clumsy, and would fall again.

[Ivy Gawyne]

Ivy looked up cautiously. Her eyes at that point in time shimmered a blue green, watery like the sea. But they were constantly shifting to a sky blue, there was something unsure about they way they darted to the color hesitantly for only a moment before returning to a reflection of the ocean. She was at the least partially Biqaj. Those colors however seemed to be the only color her eyes shifted between, or at least the only colors Ivy herself was aware of. "I'm Ivy," she said as Ashira took on a more friendly nature. She wanted to say her last name, but the words died in her throat before she could get them out. Her voice cut and trailed awkwardly in a way Ashira was sure to pick up on. That seemed to be happening a lot as of late, her mind had convinced itself she didn't deserve to be a Gawyne. As such she choked every time she tried to claim she was one. "I really am sorry, I need to watch where I'm going more," she said with a nervous laugh. Her cheeks flared crimson with embarrassment. She was glad Ashira extended her hand, Ivy most certainly would have fallen should she attempt to curtsy. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said. That was the farthest she'd gotten in a long time towards acting at least slightly normal.

Upon closer inspection of Ivy she did look noble like to a certain extent. Her cloths weren't poor quality by any means, but they were old. She herself was well taken care off with hair brushed to a fine silk like texture. But she looked to be as skinny as a rail, underfed to an extreme. A powerful wind could very well sweep her off her feet if she wasn't careful.

In all honestly Ivy would be in better shape if she had been a lesser noble married off to an abusive husband. The trauma she lived with on a daily basis was far worse. She felt like she was dying under the pressure of trying to be proper, she wanted to be a good noble and make her family proud. She wanted to be a Gawyne that would be remembered instead of just another mother or wife that faded into history. At this rate she wouldn't be either unless she fixed herself. That was a task a lot easier said than done. Her mind was long beyond the point of an easy fix. Every day she felt like a disappointment, a pathetic tainted creature that was too meek to ever do her family any good. There was little way of arguing against it either. What good could she do her family. She refused to marry anyone powerful and she couldn't hold her own in court. She might have a chance if it was just her skills in question, but it wasn't. Her confidence was what barred her from becoming a proper noble, her weakness lied in the fact she could barely form a proper sentence most of the time.

"Ahh, I should really head home. I have work I need to finish and if I don't get it done..." she trailed off quietly as she thought about the repercussions. If she didn't finish that damn paper then she wasn't going to get fed. "Again I'm truly sorry for tripping into you. Especially considering I embarrassed you in front of that... Unsavory character," she said the words with distaste. It was the closest she'd gotten to anger in quite a while.