Ten-Thousand Cuts

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

Nehaalista was just where she'd promised she'd be. Most days she spent were on the Observation Deck, watching the Bleed go by much the same way she'd watched it pass on the Exodar before the crash. Back then, however, she'd also been occupied with proper duties, and proper training. And family.

She shook her head and looked at her wares. Necklaces, rings, small loose gems, large loose gems, settings, bracelets and cuffs. It shone and glinted in the light. She toyed idly with one of her curls, pulling it straight and letting it snap back.

Well, if they wanted them, they would come. In the meantime, Nehaalista picked up a book and read, The Light and How to Swing It

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[maguspuparum.livejournal.com]

Evangeline did not come up to the obs deck too often; she always felt an unpleasant tension here brought on by her curse, the confused governing spirits of which became increasingly agitated when she moved to the extrema of the ship. Infrequently was not never, though; the view was nice, even she would admit, and she would be damned if she'd let the same curse that had confined her for fifteen long years keep her penned up any more than she had to be now.

And today her obstinacy was rewarded with handicrafts. The little vampire crouched wordlessly in front of Nehaa's display, studying it with an appreciativeness she rarely showed actual people, before finally offering a few words for their vendor.

"What are you taking for trade?"

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

Nehaalista looked over the top of her book and raised an eyebrow. She shook her head. Hm, hadn't anyone read her note? Well, maybe not. She motioned to her wares again and shook her head.

[maguspuparum.livejournal.com]

"What, they're free?" Evangeline raised an eyebrow back. Even barter was sparse when the ship provided basic necessities, it was true, but IOUs or favors were always an option.

Well, now that she knew she wouldn't be giving away the object of her interest to some too-cunning saleswoman she felt free to inspect the individual pieces more closely, occasionally picking one up carefully.

"They're good work. Where did you find tools? I know those idiots are still fighting over that forge."

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

Nehaalista signed at her with one hand, then tapped the fine wooden case at her side. It was old, very, very old if the dark, aged sheen to the wood could be believed. With a finger, she opened the case and showed her the tools that had been used to create the pieces.

As for the forge, well, she was keen to waltz in when she liked.

[maguspuparum.livejournal.com]

Old. They'd been brought with her, then. They must have been an object of great importance to her; not many possessions followed their owners to the ship. Evangeline, with her few attachments, had found nothing at all.

"Are these enchanted, or for adornment only?" She asked, then added. "If you think clearly, I'll hear."

[governorkang]

Ah, Nehaalista. Kang had been wondering when she would be contacting him about his necklace; she'd been adamant about repairing it. So, when he saw the draenei woman sitting there with her wares, he smiled and came over to take a look at her work. "If we had money on this ship, I bet you'd make a fortune. These are good quality."

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

Nehaalista put down her book and smiled widely at Kang. [Thank you, very much. I have your necklace, if you'd like it now.] It hadn't been that hard a fix, really, but she couldn't leave sleeping dogs lie and had to improve it a little bit.

But only a little!

[governorkang]

"Yes, I would. If you need anything from me, just ask," Kang nodded in thanks. He could almost swear he sensed magic from a few of the items on the table.

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

She nodded and opened the tall wooden box that held her jeweler's tools, and removed his necklace... and something else. A pair of horn caps, in the same silvery-blue metal most of the jewelry was set in, chased with the remaining gold from her cuff. [Here.]

[governorkang]

As soon as he touched the necklace, Kang felt the magic in it, and trusting that Nehaa wouldn't do anything to harm him, he put it back on, "You enchanted it, didn't you? I can sense the magic. And what are these for?" He took a closer look at the caps, unsure of what they were supposed to be.

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

"You're a jewelcrafter."

Choline had a habit of just popping out of the shadows that way. She was wearing a sad smile on her face as she fingered some of the items on the table. The craftsmanship; the style of them were achingly familiar.

"So was he."

And she'll leave it at that.

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

Nehaalista raised her eyebrows as she watched Choline finger the objects. It was times like now she wanted a voice to question, though something told her it would be better to simply listen to Choline. She picked up a gem and turned it in her fingers.

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

Choline was feeling exceptionally contemplative. "There'd be days where I wouldn't see him at all; he'd always be playing with his rocks. And just when I'd get annoyed, he'd --" She fished something out of one of the satchels on her belt and held it up.

"Well, there'd be something like that on my pillow."

It was a tiny elekk, cut from what might have been a chunk of red quartz or ruby. It reared up on its hind legs, trumpeting in silent triumph.

"In the end I had a small herd of the things." She smiled. "And of course the baubles and the gems. The work you all do -- it's wonderfully diligent. These are beautiful pieces."

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

She smiled and lifted her loupe to her eye to better inspect the little elekk. It was no secret between her friends and family how much she loved the majestic, elephant-like creatures that had been used on Draenor for everything from transportation to heavy labor.

She touched her lips and drew out her hand as though she was sending a kiss towards Choline. Then she remembered she had her omnicom and wrote, [It is lovely, your elekk, I mean. And thank you, but I'm not as good as my father was.]

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

Choline loved the elekks too.

"It's not difficult," Choline said after reading the omnicomm, with a wry grin, "to tell when something has been crafted with care. Or love. Each of these always were." She picked up the elekk and pocketed it again. "And yours."

She picked up another gem and admired its facets. "Your parents. Did they live after you came to Azeroth? Did your father teach you?" Choline looked totally engrossed, as though she wanted to hear more.

Any familiar story of home would put her at ease.

[curiousredsoul]

Celena hadn't taken too long on taking up the offer Nehaalista had put out. Quite interested in both the jewelery and gems she had made and meeting the one who had made them herself. Thus the dragon was now padding her way through the halls and up into the Observation deck, pausing at the threshold to sweep the room with her gaze, a thoughtful ripple of light running along her markings as she spotted the one she was looking for.

Stopping a respectful distance from who she could only assume was Nehaa, the dragoness dipped her head in greetings, "Nehaalista I assume? A pleasure to meet you, I am Celena," Introducing herself with a smile as she let her gaze travel to the many pieces of jewelery and gems the other had set out, well crafted and beautiful indeed.

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

There was a dragon in front of her. And while normally that would've worried her, she remembered they were suppose to be working with the Accord, rather than against it.

Unless they were black. The black dragons could all off themselves somewhere and it wouldn't bother Nehaalista in the least. She bowed low from the waist, and nodded.

[curiousredsoul]

Celena bowed her head low in return to Nehaa's low bow, tilting her head slightly at the lack of spoken reply the other gave. Merely curious as ever, though her attention was soon drawn back to the many pieces of jewellery and gems that were layed out beside her.

The dragon couldn't help but marvel at the craftsmanship and the beautiful designs amongst the many pieces of jewelery on offer. A slight sense giving her the impression that some of the gems even had some magical presence, interesting, "Your works are beautifully crafted if I may say," She complimented with a warm smile on her snout before she rose a fore paw to indicate one of the larger gems, one of those that had given her a sense of more, "May I?"

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

Nehaalista nodded and motioned to her items. She signed, [By all means!] Still, she was fairly sure she wouldn't be understood. Still, it wasn't alien territory for her.

Just the dragon-looking-over-her-wares was. Goodness, if her father saw this, Nehaalista was sure that he'd probably throw his arms up and flee to the nearest part of the ship he could ostensibly hide himself in.

[curiousredsoul]

Celena smiled at the indication, though she couldn't help but tilt her head at the signing. Though she did not understand it, a means of communication she had rarely come across, "My apologies, I do not quite understand your sign language, not a language I've had the chance of coming across before" She admitted with a cheerful smile.

Assuming that it was okay held a paw palm up toward the gem that had held her interest, a soft glow playing along her markings as she carefully had the gem lift from its place on her stand drift over to sit in her paw where she could examine it more closely, "You must have great skill to craft a gem of such quality," Curious though Celena drew forth her true sight, viewing the gem in her paw in terms of energy and magic, a soft glow given from her eyes as she inspected it. The aura of magic surrounding the gem not the strongest, but notable none the less as she returned her sight to normal.

"Would I be correct in assuming some of these gems have contain some form of magic worked within?"

[sonofether.livejournal.com]

Even Scientists needed to eat. It meant that Stephen passed through the Obs Deck on his way from his lab to the mess hall. And of course, Nehaalista's display caught his eye.

So he sidled over, and spent a few minutes or so quietly looking over the wares. Much like a little boy who's been instructed by his mother to "look politely, but don't touch."

[I see you've been very busy, haven't you?] he signed.

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

[Very, very busy. This is the art of boredom.] Nehaalista signed in reply with a grin. [If you like something, you are very welcome to it, you know.] She liked him and if he wanted to pick up a piece or two (or three), then he was happily welcome to it. [I was only doing this to become more familiar with the faces I see.]

[sonofether.livejournal.com]

[If you're that bored, you could always come bother me in the lab. Not that it's finished yet,] Stephen admitted. But Nehaa was one of the people who actually knew where it actually was.

Not that the lab wasn't still a wreck.

[I've never been much of a jewelry wearer. Do you have any suggestions? I know that sounds silly, but it's true. I think the only thing I'd avoid are rings, considering what I usually work with. I'd rather not get one caught on a piece of moving machinery.] He smiled, and lifted a hand to rub at the back of his head, self-conscious.

[dearest-nehaa.livejournal.com]

She looked up thoughtfully at Stephen before looking down at her wares. She very rarely heard of a ring catching in machinery, and decided (in that case) a bracelet or a necklace would also be out. [I do not have anything for you, in that sense, but I could think of something.] At least, she was fairly certain she could.

After all, she was a Master, if she couldn't think of something, she needed to go right back to apprentice basics. [It wouldn't be a problem.] In fact...

Nehaalista looked at her wares, glanced at Stephen, then picked up a square cut gem and blue-silver band from her box. It had a socket for the gem, and was decorated with a hard, complex geometric pattern. As she pressed the prongs into place over the gem, she held her hand out for his.

[sonofether.livejournal.com]

Stephen certainly trusted Nehaa, and so without any argument, he held out his right hand to her, using a more abbreviated form of sign with his free hand.

[Did you make that from the ore I gave you?] Mostly curious. Really, he was flattered that he'd earned a gift from her.

[I'd almost like to watch you work, some time.]