Ryon moved a little to the side so Elann could see clearly through the window pane. Truthfully, Ryon could smell Noah’s scent on Elann, the smell lingered with what she smelled like naturally and the smells from what bath items she may have used very early that morning.

He moved the curtain a little more open, giving both of their heads passage. In the green, risen yard they could see Noah standing with the mysterious Jocelyn. In the growing light it was apparent her skin was a shade darker than Noah’s, her hair had been cut, not as long as Aimee’s or Isabella’s, only going a little way past her shoulders. The tresses themselves were straight and a fairer shade of Noah’s, a mix between Viktor’s dark locks and Isabella’s blonde. They stood side by side on the edge of the yard. Side by side, it could be seen Jocelyn was rather tall, taller than Aimee (who was already taller than Elann) yet shorter than both Noah and Ryon. It seemed the two Kelvics outside were talking, both of them acting out stories in large exaggerated ways. Noah waddled along the yard, acting out one of the stories, before both of them threw their heads back in laughter, the bond between Noah and Elann sparked with happiness as it happened.

As Elann made her comment on Jocelyn’s age, Ryon let out a hum of growing disagreement. “Not really,” he told her, letting the curtains close as they both pulled away. “Jocelyn’s only three years older than him, but she was pretty much grown by that time, isn’t that right, Aimee?” Ryon looked to his sister for clarification.

Aimee hummed in agreement. “She’s a year older than me and I’m two years older than Noah,” she said.

As Elann approached her the she-wolf looked readily at the Benshira, considering her offering of help. “You could grind up the coffee or start the eggs, otherwise things are pretty much done.” Aimee pointed to either ingredient, the eggs in the bowl near the hearth or the bag of coffee beans set on the counter waiting to be ground. “There’s the tea that needs to be made too, so the kettle should probably be put on the grate in the hearth.”

She left it up to Elann on what to do, figuring she wanted to participate since she had asked. Really it was just Aimee and Ryon tasked with feeding the house that morning since their mother was gone. They were bending tacit rules to be polite, though the rules didn’t matter much that they were bent, they were simply a part of the Kelvics’ lives, a system that had become tradition.

Elann knew that Ryon and Aimee, and likely other members of their household could smell far beyond what was normal, but she never considered that they could smell the scent of her and Noah even after a bath. If she had, she would have never had relations with him, regardless of her want for it. That want had now subsided once more; the crazed desire for her husband had simmered to a low burn, and even as she moved about the kitchen toward Aimee, she could feel the soreness of last nights events.

That minor pain was hindered from bothering her by the much more jovial feelings coming from her husband. She moved away from the window, but in her heart she was a little disappointed. She had seen him treat others so harshly, and her as well at times, but what her eyes just beheld was something new. While at times he was jovial with her, it was far more dead in comparison to Jocelyn. That disappointment came strong within her as she longed to have that relationship with him. Instead they would always fight. Things showed signs for the better last night though so she couldn't dwell on it long and instead distracted herself from the window by speaking with the others.

Ryon disagreed with her, but seemed to also agree with her point. Jocelyn was grown by the time he was born, which was why she made the point that she was like a mother to him. Elann just nodded and hummed in interest and went about doing the coffee, tea, and eggs. Each type of egg would be specifically asked how they were making them, and if scrambled that would just make her life easier. For her own tea and coffee, she would find the sugar and add some cream if it was available; drinking it while cooking.

"I am really looking forward to shopping today. I would like to get an idea of the fashion of Zeltiva, maybe buy some dresses. Are you coming Ryon? We could buy you some dresses too," she asked with a playful look on her face as she tested the waters.

A quiet drew over the three as Elann found her niche and began working. Aimee showed her around the kitchen when she couldn’t find something she needed. There was idle chatter between the two Kelvics as they regarded one another in Fratava. Ryon took on a more observational role now that Elann was there, defending himself by saying that more than two people was unnecessary for what they were doing seeing as things were nearly done. Towards the end when Elann was scrambling all the eggs, having prepared the water for the coffee and tea, Ryon was sitting down entirely. Since the eggs were the last thing to be cooked, Ryon got up and moved the tea kettle and pot of boiling water for the coffee once the kettle started whistling. Upon being asked, he retrieved the sugar and cream for Elann while she cooked the eggs.

Ryon was sipping on his freshly brewed cup of coffee when Elann spoke up, asking if he was coming and making a joke out of it. He clicked his tongue in playful annoyance, settling onto the countertop with his elbow, his eyes rolling.

“I’ll be coming,” he said, “I won’t be staying though; some of my friends will meet me by the bell tower by the time we’re supposed to get there.”

“Should we be getting Noah and Jocelyn?” Aimee asked, wiping her hands off on a towel. The table had been set for the most part, food in its correct places and utensils ready. Pitchers of water and ale had been set up on the table. “Nevermind.” The change in attitude and motivation was quick on Aimee’s part, all explained by the front door closing with a thud.

Coming through the archway of the kitchen was Noah, trailing behind him a short distance was Jocelyn. Their footsteps had been all but masked by their bare feet and the rug out in the hall. Jocelyn tucked her hair behind her ears and gave the room the same calculated look over as Noah did beside her. It was very clear they were siblings in that moment, they both held the same facial structure as Isabella, her calculated gaze, her high cheekbones, even the way her lips sat upon her face were seen in the two avian Kelvics there. Outwardly any emotive happiness they once displayed was gone and they both looked hard.

Jocelyn stood in a simple skirt, her top long sleeved but shorter in the front than in the back, exposing her midrift while her back remained obscured. Her eyes fell upon Elann, as did Noah’s, but it was him that moved towards the Benshira first, Jocelyn following slowly soon after to take a seat.

“We were just about to come get you,” Ryon said to his newly arrived siblings.

“We have perfect timing then,” Jocelyn replied, her voice smooth yet strong in talking.

Noah came to Elann, bending down to partially embrace her but mostly to kiss her on the temple, whispering a, “Good morning, love,” in her ear. He kissed her again, this time on the lips, before standing straight and in front of her. “Did you sleep alright?” he asked her, reaching out to grasp at her dark hair, running the length between his fingers.

A small giggle came from Elann at the eye roll, as she was glad he could at least play along. She had hopes for her newfound family, and though Jocelyn was the chief concern of the moment, she was sure that even the relationship with her would be fine.

"Good. So this bell tower...it is for keeping time? Or is it like a warning bell?"

Upon Aimee inquiring after the others, Elann was prepared to go get them, but it seemed there was no need. Connecting with Aimee's eyes, Elann followed to the unseen husband about to make entrance as she scooped out the remaining eggs into a bowl.

There he came, curly hair in all, and though she had her issues with him, she did love him and it could be felt strongly warming their bond as her eyes connected to his. Next came the beautiful figure of a woman who looked sunkissed enough to be her own sister. The blueness of her eyes seemed to stand out even moreso than the other siblings. Both seemed very unlike the giggling pair outside as they looked about the room, and Elann wondered why that was.

It was strange to hear Jocelyn's voice, just as it was to hear Aimee's or Isabella's at first. It registered in her mind as a new series of notes, ones that her pitch perfect voice could match if she tried. The singer that she was gave some insight into who was who even without looking, something the quadruped family members likely shared with her.

"Morning," she whispered back, literally beaming with the light of the window and her bright smile toward his kiss. Melting sensations quivered over her at his touch and there was a minor longing in their bond before their shared kiss, but disappeared shortly afterwards.

"I slept good, just not much of it, I'm not tired though."

Her hand crept along his back in an embrace and she nudged him toward Jocelyn. If he moved her way, Elann would smile kindly to the kelvic woman and come go to meet her.

"Morning...I take it you are Jocelyn?"

There was mirth on Ryon’s face that remained throughout the sipping of his coffee. While he didn’t know Elann at all, he enjoyed what little conversation they had last night and this morning. He let out a little hum, giving no particular inclination except acknowledgement, as he swallowed what was in his mouth.

“It’s both,” he told her. “We get really bad storms in the summers from time to time, so the bell rings to let us know if one is coming. It also keeps time, ringing every hour.” He paused, considering. “I guess since Noah’s here we won’t need a warning bell for the weather, he could just let us know with his storm senses or whatever.” He spoke in joking dismissiveness.

With Noah in the room now, preparations for breakfast were being wrapped up in full. Elann had finished the eggs, so Aimee swooped behind her and picked up the bowl to set it in its predestined place on the table. Jocelyn moved over and leaned over the back of one of the chairs, her own avian eyes looking at the spread neutrally.

As he had seen his bondmate, Noah’s own love warmed for her, compounding on top of what Elann had started to feel for him upon seeing him in the archway. The feelings led him to kiss and smooch her, sharing gentle care in asking how she slept. With her telling him her status, he nodded, partly concerned that she didn’t get much rest, that was felt in their bond, if only as a lingering glimmer. He knew he had all but passed out the night before, thanks to their prolonged lovemaking and then her graciously given massage.

Being nudged, Noah turned with Elann to go up to Jocelyn. Upon Elann’s speaking, the she-Kelvic looked up and over to her, giving her a lingering look over from top to bottom. There was clear judgement in her eyes, that much she wasn’t hiding, what didn’t show on her face though was how she felt about the Benshira upon seeing her for the first time in full.

“I am,” she said finally, “and I take it you’re Elann, the newest Amuel?” The question was asked rhetorically but she figured Elann would answer it anyway. “Welcome to the family.” The Kelvic stood up, standing a whole head taller than the Benshira before her but regarded Elann with a consistently plain gaze. “I apologize for not being able to meet you last night. I took the shift at the tavern having forgotten that you and Noah were possibly coming home.” Her face finally broke into a small smile, one made in politeness. “I’ll make it up to you; I’ll buy you a pair of sandals today when we go out. How’s that sound?”

Jocelyn’s gaze flitted up to meet Noah’s, her smile remained and evoked one out of Noah as well, equally as small, though Elann could plainly feel the piquing of happiness in their bond coming from him. He had his hand set on Elann’s upper back, and there he rubbed softly now as Jocelyn looked back down at Elann, awaiting her answer.

Elann nodded. She had seen Noah's sense of the wind, of the rain, and as she very briefly closed her eyes, the image and warmth in her heart of Zulrav showing himself to her sprung to mind. A smile spread and she nodded.

"You certainly won't. He likely knows what the days weather is before the day even rolls around to being day. He is very in-tune with Zulrav."

As Jocelyn spoke Elann obviously answered the simple rhetorical question with a kind vocal chime, but Jocelyn made her curious. She stared at Elann like most of the family members, but it was more like how Noah stared at her; with deep intent. It was a plain gaze, but Elann felt as if all the angles, her eyes, and her other features were taken in, analyzed, and processed in the she-kelvic's steady look.

"I love sandals. I look forward to it."

The piquing happiness in her husband's bond, and the gaze turned to him made Elann guess that there was more delivered in the look than just was on the surface. She rested her head on her husband and pulled him tightly around the waist, which wasn't very tight at all given the weakness in her clinging grasp, but likely stronger than when he had first met her. The bow was a good strengthener for her, but still, she had no muscle to her body elsewhere.

Elann had made the eggs according to the way the majority of the family would normally have made them and so she hoped they enjoyed them. No shell had fallen in, and no portion was too dry so that it tasted like rubber. Having made the coffee in the same way, it was likely they would all have coffee the way they normally did and not as thick as tar like how she normally drank it.

"Is your work difficult? I imagine dealing with sailors can be fun and stressful at times."

She had been given a unique perspective on her 3 month journey there to Syliras. While in the hold, sailors did come down occasionally to chat. They were brazen and wild men, without apparent honor, but retaining a fearsome loyalty. She thought them quite curious.

“That’s good then,” Jocelyn said, nodding slightly. Her small smile slowly faded as she turned away from Elann and Noah briefly, pulling out the chair she once leaned over in order to sit down.

Across from her sat Ryon, his wolf’s gaze on the meeting as if he was anticipating something. There wasn’t a look of disappointment on his face but there was a drooped brow over his eyes. Jocelyn went about adjusting her plate and utensils set out before her, putting the most used utensils over on her left side as opposed to the right. As Elann spoke up again, she looked up from her empty plate, moving her hair off to the side with her hand, before looking up at the Benshira.

At Elann’s question, Jocelyn shook her head slightly. “I wouldn’t say difficult as much as it is time consuming and patience straining,” she explained, a small grin cracking on her face again. “There’s never a dull day or night, that much is for sure.” Her gaze flickered up at Noah and then back down to Elann, an action made in pause. “He told me you were a weaver in Syliras, you made rugs and things like that. Do you think you’ll be continuing that here?”

Noah’s attention on the conversation seemingly lapsed after Jocelyn dropped her gaze from him and back to Elann. He didn’t move since Elann had her arm wrapped about his waist, a tighter grip than something he usually felt coming from her. He assumed she wanted him there during the meeting. Whether the thought was subconscious to Elann or not was unknown to him, so he remained without question, though also without paying much attention. It was easy to tell he wasn’t in the moment, his head swiveling as his eyes seemingly wandered the room in another examination made during the daylight rather than the candlelight of yesterday night when they initially arrived.

"We aren't sure yet. At least not professionally. I will always be making rugs and new clothes, but as for a job, I'm not sure. I am really interested in learning hunting, but I am afraid I don't know much. It is the most fun thing I've ever done though."

Without even looking to her husband, she could tell his attention was lapsing. It wasn't that she could feel him move, it was just that she knew him in the few conversations they had been in with other people; so as a way to wake him up and take part, her fingers loosened at his side from her hug and drummed there lightly against him. It wasn't hard enough for a tickle, but was definitely meant to draw his attention.

"Noah and I have to somewhat gain a perspective of the city and see what it has in store for us first, then we can start making plans."

Waving to the breakfast, she gestured for Jocelyn to join them.

"Are you ready to eat?"

If she would join them at the table completely by sitting, then Elann would pull Noah aside and speak to him in a soft voice, one that would mostly be read on lips and directly to him.

"What do you call your father when calling out for him? Dad?"

Noah all but glimpsed down at the conversation at Elann’s prodding with her fingers. No one was directing words at him, so he went back to taking in his surroundings. He wanted to see what had been changed and what stayed the same in the three years he had been gone, something he was determined to do as an animal in a semi-new setting. No prodding or beckoning from Elann, casual as it was done, could stop him from doing that, lest she commanded it. Since she hadn’t, and Jocelyn didn’t give off an air of neglect because of his lapse in attention, he continued to do what he set his mind to.

Jocelyn nodded at Elann’s words, not paying much attention to Noah in the moment since her attention was on the Benshira before her. As said Benshira gestured to the food and asked if she was ready to eat, Jocelyn nodded and sat down properly, scooting up her seat to the table but not taking any of the meal. While Aimee and Ryon had sat some time ago during the start of Jocelyn and Elann’s conversation, they had yet to touch the spread of food.

Pulled aside, Noah’s attention then went to Elann. While his survey of the kitchen had yet to be complete in full, he figured what Elann had to say or ask was perhaps more important. He raised his brows to her question, looking up to the archway towards the main hall of the house, considering Elann’s whispered words.

“Papa,” Noah called through the archway in a voice only a little louder than casual conversation in a loud room. It was all that was needed for there was soon shifting coming from the archway before Viktor appeared, his book folded over his thumb to keep his place. He held the book to his bare chest, looking at Noah with question, singling out his son’s voice with precision.

“The food’s done,” Noah continued, his voice lowering. Though his father was technically across the room, he knew he didn’t have to keep up the elevated tone in order for the dire wolf to hear. “Did you want to eat?”

Viktor’s pale gaze turned from Noah and Elann towards the spread of food he had long smelled. He nodded and opened his book, tucking back the corner, before tucking the entire thing under his arm and holding it there. He moved past Elann and Noah towards the table where he took up his place and gathered hefty portions of the dishes being served, kissed Aimee on her temple and patted Ryon on his head affectionately before rounding the end of the table and going back out of the archway into the main hall. His faint footsteps were heard until they weren’t. It was upon his total disappearance that Ryon, Jocelyn, and Aimee began to fill their plates.

Noah nodded towards the table. “Let’s eat,” he said to Elann.

It wasn't long and the whole of the family had gathered together, minus those who were not present, and with Noah having answered her, she now had to consider what she was going to refer to him as. If it was her own culture, she would know, but it seemed everyone was so laid back in their society there in Zeltiva.

The day loomed before them, and with some conversation at the breakfast, they would learn more about her personality. She was a goofy kind of girl, fun, but traditional. Her culture had many twists and turns, being very adhered to, and yet she had chosen to marry a nonbeliever and foreigner. Some of the time would be spent answering small questions in between the shoveling in of food and the small bites coming from Elann, but for the most part - on her side- she didn't have anything too personal to ask.

Elann made it clear that she couldn't wait to get out of the house and to experience the city in the daylight, to see the fashions, to go do what they were set to do. When breakfast was done, Elann rose because she wanted to get some laundry done and to bleach their clothing in the sun before they left for the market, but if urged, she would consider other alternatives.

With Viktor absent from the table and Isabella at work, only the Kelvic siblings and Elann were left. At first there was little conversation as everyone passed around the food, each getting what Viktor left, which was still a good portion for all of them. Once the food was divvied up, conversation slowly started to take each member of the family, though Noah and Jocelyn were very quiet during the start. Aimee and Ryon made up most of the conversation, engaging with Elann whenever she spoke up and asking questions about her seemingly boring lifestyle before she arrived in Syliras last summer season.

Elann could begin to discern shared traits between all the Kelvics, even their manner of speaking was similar in some areas, especially when Noah and Jocelyn spoke. It was clear the eldest sister had a large impact on who Noah was as a person to that date. Already Noah’s Zeltivan accent began to return, especially when Fratava was seamlessly intermingled with Common. Though said accent had lightened incredibly since his stay in Syliras, even then it was noticeable when he spoke in a prolonged way, of which Elann had witnessed. Overall, the breakfast conversations were light, not touching on anything too deep. It seemed all were anxious to go out on the town, though it was mostly seen in the more excitable Aimee and Ryon more so than the cool avian Kelvics.

Once breakfast was done and everyone had their fill, Jocelyn and Noah rose to collect the plates and to clean up the kitchen as Aimee, Ryon, and Elann went about to do their own activities. No one stopped Elann once she expressed she wanted to launder her and Noah’s clothes. Aimee decided she wanted to go along with the Benshira, wanting to wash the several garments she went through while in Syliras and on the road, which were quite a few. Ryon disappeared up into his room, the door closing. He expressed he was going to nap and wished to be woken up before they all left the house. Before they all managed to sneak away though, Jocelyn informed them all to be ready to go out on the town by the thirteenth bell; they would go by the tavern to pick up Isabella before continuing into the city.

With her sister nearby, the Benshira knew it was going to be a bit crazier of a time washing than normal. Usually a task set in silence, the two of them likely wouldn't keep it that way. After gathering her and Noah's belongings and carrying them down in a wrapped up blanket, she headed outside to a washing area so their clothes could be dealt with. It was there she caught her first real glimpses of the true city around them.

Earlier, she had briefly looked out the window upon rising and even when she had looked with Ryon out the window, but the resin glass obscured much more than her natural sight could perceive. The smells of the ocean, the warm breeze, and the sun's rays all make warmth and love fill her bond. Zulrav would have been pleased at her reaction as she stood a moment, letting the wisps of wind call to her like on the night she had met him. Slowly she would follow them where they tugged and whipped as a she seemed to dance a little while she waited for Aimee.

When both were outside, she would defer to Aimee to know where the water spout was and where they kept their lye and soap. Her white clothing had become horribly stained and needed whitening and to be bleached by the sun and lye. Her hope was that the fabric was not too far gone. When her sister did come out, she would look to how much she had brought with her with a small smile on her face.

"It's hard to believe we are really here. It in my mind seemed to not take that long, and seemed to take forever at the same time...if that makes any sense. Is it always like this? It's so refreshing..."

With that, she took in a cute, deep and swift breath excitably and flopped her arms as she let it reluctantly out.

Aimee managed to collect her garments into a hulking bag that she brought downstairs. She showed Elann the backdoor of the house, of which they funneled out of with their clothing in tow. The outside air was warm to the touch, even in the shade, and only was made more so when the sun was shining brightly, unhindered by buildings or trees. There was a lonesome tree in the backyard, small in stature compared to what was seen in the Bronze Woods during their travel, but it could be inferred that the avian Amuels often perched there from time to time. While it was seemingly thin, it was tall and far reaching into the sky. It had greened fully and buds of flowers began to tease the branches though nothing bloomed. The skies were sparsely cloudy, each breeze pushing them across the sky with a salty aftertaste dwindling in the air. Elann could discern that Zulrav’s heavenly body was not entirely present in that moment, but she also knew he was omnipresent in the breezes that gently lapped at the area.

Once she was outside, Aimee heeded Elann’s words and led her towards something of a makeshift shed, something made up of three neat brick walls with an open side topped by a slanted roof so rain slicked right off when it came down. There was an awning over the open side giving shade. Inside the makeshift large, waist-high shelves. Under one of them was a cupboard, and from there Aimee produced Elann’s requested lye, soap, and bluing agent. Under another one of the shelves was a collection of small, wide buckets for their clothes to soak. There were six in total, making it so two people could soak their clothes in lye, secondary wash with soap, and then rinse finally with fresh water treated with bluing agent. The water spout was stuck into the ground, though it did draw from the city’s source of water held underground instead of ground water alone.

Aimee set her bag of clothes down atop one of the hefty shelves and let out a tired sigh before walking back out into the openness of the fenced yard. The fence wasn’t high; therefore, little privacy was granted. It acted more as a property boundary for the other houses that were next door. Elann’s words caught the wolf’s attention, bringing her pale blue eyes to the Benshira as she expressed what seemed like happy words. Aimee watched on as Elann took her breath and took in the world around them.

“That makes sense,” Aimee admitted. Her hands came up and collected her hair to put into a ponytail atop her head, bound together by her hair alone without the use for ties or contraptions.

What she wore then was but a glimpse into what was worn usually by the women of Zeltiva in the late spring months as well as the coming summer season. It was a flowy dress, forest in color with small decorations of white dotting the garment. While her feet her bare there was a bracelet clearly seen on one of her ankle as the dress seemed to stop at the lower portion of her shins. Aimee was a warm blooded individual like the rest of her family, not one to easily get cold, but it was also warmer this day than what they were afflicted with on their days of travel.

“It is rather nice,” she said, sighing again, this time in remembrance and in missing Zeltiva. “It’ll be better at the beach. Maybe we can go if we get to the tavern early and momma’s not done with her shift.” She paused, looking back into the shed. “I usually take my clothes to the launders every week, but there’s just so much, I didn’t want to bother them with it all, nor spend the coin on it.”

Aimee turned on her tiptoes again, her hands on her hips as she practiced an absentminded twirl, thinking quietly. Her sights fell on what Elann had brought, her head nodding towards it. “Are you washing both your clothes?” she asked, question in her voice.

"Yeah," she answered about washing both Noah's clothes and her own. Elann was pretty picky when it came to cleanliness, which knowing her husband, was likely appreciated when it came to his clothes.

"Who are the Launders?" she asked, thinking them a family name of sorts. It was not very common for other people to wash another family's clothing where she was from, so she hadn't really heard the term before; even if it was available in Syliras.

Aimee hummed in acknowledgement, resting her bottom against the edge of one of the shelves in the shed. She let out a small breath, partially dreading the washing of their clothes but knowing it needed to be done, and relatively quickly before Jocelyn called them all back in to dispatch for their mother down by the wharf. She was unsure how much she would get done in the time between now and then, Elann would surely be done before her. Elann’s words seemed to draw her out of her thoughtfulness, the she-wolf sharply humming at the Benshira’s question.

“There are businesses here that’ll wash your clothes for a silver or more, depending on how much you want them to wash,” she informed. “Usually if momma can’t get to everything, or we don’t feel like doing it, we’ll send it to the launders to get it all done and just pick it up when it’s ready. It’s pretty cheap since no one likes washing their clothes, and they do a good job. I swear whatever they use as their bluing agents makes the whites shine as if there was never a stain in them.” Aimee smiled to emphasize just how much she did enjoy having her clothes whitened by the cleaners.

“Well, we should get started, yeah?” she asked rhetorically, the playful Fratava suffix twanging out at the end of her statement.

She pushed herself away from the shelf of the shed and turned, pulling out the shallow tubs that would hold their clothes as they went through the various steps. She took one of the tubs and came outside into the beaming sunlight, rounding off to the side towards the spout, which was in the ground.

“Now,” she went, setting the tub on the ground under the spout, “you have to crank this one by the lever on the back here, like this.” She went on to demonstrate, taking the lever in the back and working it up and down a few times before the water started to flow out. First it was a sputter and then a smooth draining down into the tub on the ground.

She released the lever, letting it return to its resting position. She then heaved up the tub of water and moved it off to the side near the entrance of the shed. “Do you want to give it a try?” she asked Elann, glancing to the Benshira and then the spout. “It’ll be easier this time since I got it started for you. The longer you let it sit though, the longer the water will take to come up.”

Aimee stood up straight and dusted off her hands. “I’m going to get the lye and soap and set them on the shelf. It’s soft soap but it’s a little thick, so it might not come out the jar easily. We have paddles in here too,” she continued as she walked into the shed, her voice growing louder so Elann could keep on hearing her, “so you don’t muck your hands up with stirring it all around.”

Elann nodded to her sister about getting started. She seemed to be deep in thought at the idea of someone else doing her laundry for a silver. Why in this region of the world were people so blessed to have the things they did? Surely the Valterrain had affected them like everyone else, right? There didn't seem to be a fight for survival in Zeltiva and she felt like a fighter who was being told to let her guard down.

Curiously Elann watched as water came forth and how it slowly diminished once Aimee stopped pumping. It was not a joyous event for Elann, but still, she moved the lever up and down. Feeling the rumble of water as it came toward the spigot brought a deep sadness to her eyes.

As Aimee went to get the various elements, she answered back with an "alright", but pumped the lever a couple more times to see the free flowing water once more. How many people had she known or heard of who had died for the substance was beyond her, yet there it was, so free. Deciding not to focus on it lest she start crying, she decided to start cleaning their clothes.

Elann worked fast and hard, showing that while she was about as weak as they come, within her was great determination and fight. She had an inner reserve of strength that seemed to be reserved for her womanly duties that was just not seen elsewhere; and as a result, her laundry was done in no time and set out to dry or bleach.

Aimee was seemingly oblivious to Elann’s silent plight, though upon coming outside of the shed once more she could tell something was amiss with the girl. She could sense the off-air about Elann but couldn’t pinpoint what was making her so upset as the Benshira managed to swallow whatever was amiss before Aimee could get to the bottom of it. Since Elann appeared to be rather quiet, and focused her attention on the task ahead of them, Aimee did the same, dropping the subject in her mind rather than broaching it. She trusted Elann had the strength to overcome what weighed on her heart, and if not, then she had the courage to speak up before the weight became too much to bear.

The Valterrian was a terrible catastrophe that struck Mizahar more than five hundred years ago and it did seem Zeltiva was thriving moreso than Syliras by leagues at a time. This much was true, but Zeltiva was also immensely sheltered from the catastrophic blast that broke apart Mizahar at its center. The mountains defended the city from the tumultuous magic that plagued everywhere else, leaving much of the structure intact while its previous denizens hid underground like the rest of Mizahar. Upon resurfacing, they saw their city in much better shape than they had once presumed it to be, and resumed their way of life, much more isolated than before.

Zeltiva then was just as enlightened as it was now. Great minds led the rebuilding and kept Zeltiva ahead of the curve that many other isolated pockets of civilization were set behind. The city was but a glimpse at what it once was when two grand empires ruled the land of Mizahar. This was as close as one would get to the olden days of glory, greatness, and knowledge. Other cities, like Lhavit, were technologically ahead of places like Syliras as well; the difference being Lhavit was a city for the spiritually enlightened and not those privy to textbooks and lectures of academia.

As the two young women worked away at the laundry, Aimee sang and hummed tunes in both Common and Fratava to keep time. They were of varying moods, soaring happy hymns or more melancholy verses that seemed to detail hard times of either Zeltiva the city or of her personally. Midway through their working Elann could feel the plain and perhaps startling feeling of a sudden onset of sadness streaming through their bond coming from Noah. If she reached out, she could plainly feel him in the house, though at the uppermost floor. The feeling lasting longer than possibly anticipated but seemed to die down into a soft buzz of unknown longing.

Elann managed to finish her clothing entirely while Aimee made a massive dent in her own workload. As Elann hung her clothes on the line to dry in the sunlight Aimee started to do the same with the majority of what she washed. Huffing, the she-wolf used the back of her hand to wipe away the bit of sweat threatening her brow and admired her clothing as it swung back and forth on the line.

“I’m going to take the rest to the launders,” she said aloud.

She turned to gather the remaining garments of clothing she had and started to put them away back into the sack she brought outside initially. Once done, she came back out of the shed and nodded towards the shallow buckets that held the water for their washing.

“We’ve got to take these out to the street to dump,” she said. “After that, we can go inside.” She showed Elann a smile then pointed to the gate on the side of the house, telling her silently they were to go that way past the house and out to the front where the street lied. “Ready when you are.”

Who knew what was in the mind of her husband, or why he felt longing and sadness. Something perhaps had happened, but she surely would find out soon. Her eyes trailed toward the house briefly as she thought on the emotions coming from him, and likely he had felt the sorrow within her for her people. Instead, she decided to linger on the happy thoughts of Aimee's humming, and by the end of cleaning, was smiling.

It almost seemed as they were hanging up clothes, that Aimee really didn't like laundry, or found it exhausting. Elann was not bothered by it, nor seemed to tire from the chore.

"Oh?" she questioned in response. "Alright."

Elann finished up hanging her clothing and then moved to take up some of the buckets with Aimee to dump the water. She found it interesting how the roads had the grooves and how it led to some sort of sewer system. It kept a lot of the stink out of the air, unlike Syliras.

After carrying the buckets back, Elann stretched to ease the weariness in her back and then set a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"I'm going to go check on Noah before we head out. I'll be down in a little."

With that, she headed up toward the house and giving a smile to those inside, headed to find her husband.

The short trip to and from the front of the house was done with relative ease and haste. Aimee wanted to clean up a little more again before they had to set out as a group towards the wharf and so she settled on waiting to take the clothes to the launders. She nodded to the Benshira as she stated she was going to check on Noah, leaving Aimee to put away the rest of the things before heading inside herself, of which the she-wolf didn’t have a problem with. With Elann leaving, she did just that, tidying up the shed and making sure everything was in order before following suit, though Elann was in the house by that time and probably well up the stairs, if not with Noah already.

Elann passed Ryon sitting on the first flight of stairs, all dressed up but casually. It was the first time she had seen him in full garment, properly ready to go on the town. He had yet to put on his shoes though, leaving him barefoot as he sat idly on the steps. He smiled to Elann as she passed, going up the stairs further. If she checked Donavan’s room she’d find it void of Noah’s presence. Instead, she would feel it further up in his old room, where she’d stumble upon him, the door cracked and a gentle breeze flowing out in the small hall of the uppermost floor.

Furthermore, she’d find him perched in the windowsill. He sat in the corner, his back to the side of the frame with one leg draped atop the bottom ledge. His other leg hung out, swinging back and forth as his sights, and mind, were out staring at the city’s skyline. The bell tower rang loudly in the distance, its gongs coming through clearly to denote the eleventh hour of the morning before dying out and letting the city resume its quiet chatter and bustle. Should Elann be perceptive enough she could notice the sealed parchment lying on his desk, the inkwell and the quill sticking out it, along with a few crumpled pieces of discarded parchment as well. The drawings that were once on the desk on the previous evening were gone and perhaps put away in one of the various boxes on top of the dresser.

Elann’s growing presence alerted the Kelvic to her advances, quiet as they may have been, and his head turned to her, greeting her with his eyes. The emotive features were vaguely reminiscent of the sorrow he had once felt but any signs of crying weren’t present, for he hadn’t been crying. The feelings of longing still remained quietly in his being but were nearly banished at her appearance. A soft joy crept into him upon laying his eyes on her and it was clear to her, if no one else, he was glad to see her.

“Hello,” he said in case the silent greeting of his look wasn’t enough.

Noah sat in the open window mostly dressed for the coming day. He wore shorts and a simple but nice shirt in that moment, it was one Elann had created for him a long while ago, one he had hardly worn. His feet were bare and his hair was done in the way he did it; wild curls were tamed and organized, the shelf of them rolling over his forehead in a kempt fringe that gently swayed when the salty wind moved in from the window into the room. All in all, he was casually put together, his fashion akin to what she saw Ryon wearing on the steps leading upwards.

His shirt fluttered briefly as a gust came in just then, as if in another greeting from one of his tertiary languages or perhaps Zulrav himself, though the god’s presence was weak in the region, told as much by the lack of heavy clouds in the sky. “Are you okay?” he asked in vague reference to what sadness she filtered to him a short time ago when she was washing their clothes. He figured she would know what he was referring to and would answer honestly.