In no time, we're outside of Karmm. I park outside of town this time. I don't particularly want to pay for a hotel. Entering the city is just a matter of paying a fee, and it's cheap, so I don't change my mind.
The first order of business is a mattress for Hana. She's amused and claims she will never use it, but I really do want her to feel she has the option. "Besides, this way we can make love in your room for a change of pace."
Hana blushes slightly, and play-punches me. "You wolf, you would say that."
I ask around, and there is a store in town that provides mattresses. The prices are a bit eyebrow raising, but there's no issue. I connect to Hana. ¬pick the one you like most. I may upgrade mine as well. Cost isn't an issue here)¬
¬no problem I'll find the best ones then# but will they fit¬
¬a good concern# getting them in will be fine I'll just open a hole in the side# overall size may be an issue so try not to go overboard)¬
The mattress shop fellow, perhaps its owner, looks upper class. We don't, so he's a bit dubious of us. I flash several silver and one gold from my purse, and he shifts immediately to jovial and kind. Smart man.
Hana happily tries every mattress the owner recommends, and more besides. It turns out that she prefers a softer mattress while I prefer a firmer one. After she's satisfied she has found "The perfect one! It's so comfy." I let him know we'll buy this one, and he has a worker haul it elsewhere for us. Next, I try to pick out a mattress for mine that is halfway between her preference and mine, but she marches over to me and jabs her finger on my chest ¬no way# this is
your
mattress# get one that suits you)¬
¬but we will both be sleeping on this mattress most of the time right£ don't you want one that's comfortable for you too£)¬
¬don't wanna hear it= there's only one thing I care about in your room and that's you# the rest of it should suit your preference)¬
¬I guess but)¬
¬no buts# you will get the other mattress and that's that)¬
I give a lopsided smile, and then turn to the presumed owner.
Owner, "A telepathic couple, eh? That's cute. Not too many of you. I take it you lost that argument. Shall I get the firm mattress you liked?"
Hana answers, "Yes! That's the one he's going to get."
I grin, "As she says."
He grins too, and claps my shoulder as he walks by, leading us back to the front.
After agreeing to a few sets of extra sheets he recommended, I pay with coin. "A bit unusual, but you're an unusual guy huh? Where would you like these sent?"
Me, "I've got a small caravan outside of town. Can they be delivered there?"
Owner, "Hmm, that's also unusual. But you paid up front, so there shouldn't be any issues. The hauler will charge you extra, and it has to be up front also. How far out are you?" We discuss the finer details and I hand over a little more money.
He shouts "Koh!" to the back, then turns back to us. "Unusual though you are, you've likely never met a Kengen. Try not to be surprised, he's a good sort."
Curious, I watch the door to the back. From it emerges a man who had to be 7 feet tall, and his skin is nearly pitch black. He's dressed well, in similar garb to the owner, but he's built thick, entirely with what appears to be corded muscle. He has to weigh 300 pounds at least.
¬he's huge=)¬ Hana is as surprised as I am.
Owner, "Koh here will deliver your mattresses to your encampment."
I try to school my face and voice. "Pleased to meet you, mister Koh."
Koh responds with a gravely voice, "Likewise, sir."
The owner explains the task to his employee, and Koh effortlessly picks up both mattresses and carries them under his arms. Neither mattress touches the ground. "If you would lead the way, sir and madam."
We walk a bit. It's probably okay to make small talk right? I've never heard of Kengen.
Me, "So, mister Koh. I've never been to Kengen. What kind of country is it?"
Koh, "Mother Kengen, very far from here. It is brutal place, honor and strength are all. Valuable customer, do not visit. Your arms, torn from your body. Your woman, taken from you. Unless ((())) eats you before then. Unless scythe weed open your belly before then."
Geez, what a vicious place. What was that first part though? It was some gutteral pronunciation that was clearly foreign. I consider telepathy to get a better unders-
¬he's talking about a native beast that eats humans# my love please do not attempt telepathy with others today# let's talk about it later)¬ I pick up no urgency from her mind, so I simply accept and do not attempt telepathy with Koh.
Me, "Duly noted, thank you for the warning. If I may ask, how did you come to be here?"
Koh, "Traveling mage. His arm, weak, but magic, terrible. He, feared and respected. One day he produces ritual. To bring treasures, food, and weapons from the Jensin Kingdom. Chief wishes me guard him. I laugh, who would dare attack him? Who would invite sure death for themself?. But I guard. Ritual goes wrong. Fire takes mage. I know I will die. I begin my prayer to Tekek, God of Death, when I am taken. But I wake up here, Jensin Kingdom."
He pauses. "Things happen. I bear deep shame of
pity
and
charity
from those who are not my clan. And now I work. Honor demands debt repaid, or Ghith torment me in death. I return to Mother Kengen one day."
Me, "Interesting! It is indeed honorable to repay ones debts." He nods. "Since it's too dangerous for someone like me to visit-"
¬do not refer to it as mother he will not appreciate it# we aren't natives)¬
I cough, "Excuse me. Since I can't visit your homeland, would you tell me about your favorite parts? Beautiful views, or places of cultural significance?"
He considers it. He mentions an overlook where his coming of age ceremony took place. The view overlooks a deadly mushroom patch that will kill you from the inside out if you come to close to it, but the way they glow from a distance was supposedly incredible. He spoke of the ceremony ((())), another indecipherable word, where the strongest fought. The top man would be the the new leader, and would be the mate to many women. Runner ups would receive other honors and attract fewer mates.
He speaks sadly of another unpronouncable-except-by-him event where many people came together to hunt large beasts. It happens once a year usually, but the leader could call an extra one or even two if the beast population was out of control. Koh himself had done several, but he would be missing the one this year. He would accumulate no honors while in Jensin.
I don't know what to say to that. But his face returns to impartial soon afterwords as he talks about the food he missed. He misses some nuts and meats he grew up eating. "But when I return, will long for honey and bread. Honey in Mother Kengen, guarded by very dangerous bees. Not so here. And, no bread in Mother Kengen at all."
We arrive at my caravan. "Koh, I'll take one mattress from you, please?" He gives me a curious look, but loosens his grip on the left mattress. I take it with telekinesis, and place it on top of my home.
Koh sees them and his expression becomes complicated. After a moment, he takes the other mattress and holds it out in both arms so I can easily take it. I do so, and put it on top of Hana's cart.
¬I guess he doesn't like magic users)¬ I comment to Hana.
Me, "Koh, thank you for the delivery, and for teaching me about your homeland. May you find your way to your home soon," and I hand him a silver. A bit heavy for a tip, probably, but I got some interesting information out of him.
His expression eventually settles back into professionalism. "Thank you sir. Please come again." A bit odd, but the grammar was right. He turns and goes back to town.
Me, "So, what did you want to talk about? Is telepathy a Kengen taboo or something?" I connect to Sentral and start ripping the side of my cart open.
Hana, "No, nothing like that. We just need another telepathy lesson before you go talking to strangers."
Hana continues ¬after contact you try to merge deeper than is necessary# it's probably my fault because I encouraged you to do it with me# but if you try to do that with strangers they'll get really angry)¬
Sentral lifts my old mattress out of the hole I opened in the wall, and switches it with the mattress on top of the roof.
Me, "Huh. So, how do I fix that?"
¬after you connect don't scramble# you have this idea you need to grab more after contact or you'll slip off somehow# try not scrambling so you can see it won't happen)¬
She closes and knocks again. I let her in. I do indeed feel like I'm slipping, but I force my... 'hands' to still.
¬how I can explain this# it feels lonely)¬
¬this is how most people talk via telepathy# I talk to everyone besides you and my mother like this)¬
I am still connected to her, but I couldn't feel her emotions at all. The feeling of closeness, of warmth that I was used to feeling from our connection was replaced with...
¬this is what Sentral feels like to you, isn't it£)¬
Hana switches to verbal. "Similar, yes. For me, when you connect to it and me, it feels like you've moved me from a warm bath, but dipped my cheek into something gross and cold. It's why I reacted poorly last time. Now that I'm familiar with it though, I can brace myself and it's not bad at all, just slightly unpleasant.
"Anyways, here's the important part. Connect with me this time." She drops the connection.
I knock, and she lets me in. I can't help but to scramble, but now that I'm aware of it, I slow it down and stop. She bluntly shuts down my attempts to deepen the connection. Logically I understand, but it stings a little.
She gives me an incredulous look. "Don't give me that look! You're making me feel guilty! Like I just took a puppy's toy... We were just connected not 10 minutes ago."
I didn't think I'd let it show... Maybe she's just perceptive. "Please let me back in, it's cold and rainy out here."
¬geez what am I going to do with you# I thought you were a wolf but you're just a puppy dog in the end# come on in# but only for a little while= you need practice)¬ the connection deepens again. It's pleasant. I want to feel it more.
Hana laughs, "You're so needy!" So she says, but she's enjoying it too, so it's hard to feel insulted.
Me, "Alright, that's enough of that. Let's do this thing." I break the connection, then re-initiate. She accepts.
