Public Warming Hearths (Enclave)

[Milla Caranthyr]

Location: Tor Valum, Kestri


The snow danced slowly around her, carried by the cold winds that were trying to bite through the thick cloak she had wrapped tightly around herself. Her breath drifted out from under her hood in thick clouds of steam, mixing with a few loose strands of light blonde hair before disappearing into the cold air. Only bright blue eyes were visible between the hood and the face covering, as they stared up at the city she saw in her dreams. A city built into a mountain that towered above the landscape. Tor Valum, the last Mandalorian city.

The cold bit at her again. She breathed in, holding it for a few seconds as she focused on the fierce fire that burned within her. Like stoking flames of a forge, the heat rushed through her body, warming her core all the way down to her feet, which were surprisingly bare at the ankle and ball of the foot, the rest covered in thick black wrappings that ran up her calves. The cold retreated against the heat, biding its time before moving in again. The breath was then released in a thick cloud of steam.

Like the steam that was carried away by the wind, she to made her way off the landing pad and towards the city itself. Some said she came here on a whim, but she felt it was a calling. Dreams of warriors in the snow and a vast city mountain played in her head on a nightly bases. This was something she needed to follow, something she needed to figure out. Exactly what it was, she didn't know.

The small Kiir wove her way through the crowd of beings, both Beskar clad and not. A majority of which paid no mind to the small cloak wrapped figure with a duffel bag strapped snuggly to their back. Writing her off as a foundling or a youngling just trying to get through the crowded streets. This was just fine to her, she didn't need a lot of attention brought to her, especially she wasn't entirely sure what called her here in the first place.

The real question was where to go now. She couldn't keep running aimlessly around leaving little footprints in the snow. Quickly sidestepping to her left, she avoided a group of several people who weren't watching where they were going. She also couldn't keep dancing around people out in the streets, everyone seemed to be bigger than her and oblivious of her presence. It was only a matter of time before she got knocked over, or worse. Getting back on track, she continued her search for a place to take refuge.

 

[Jiriad Galaar]

Milla Caranthyr ​

Another successful day, Jiriad thought. He had delivered completed pieces various others had commissioned from him, and was also able to deliver a new shipment of his Clan's power hammers to the capital's armories. He finished closing shop in the Ji'yr Market, taking a deep breath of the cold Kestri air. Just like home, he thought, before correcting himself. No, this is home. As he wheeled around preparing to return to his skiff, he unexpectedly slammed into Milla. Surprised, he shook his head quickly before looking down and seeing her. If she had been knocked down, he would kneel and extend a hand to help her up. "Oh, my apologies! Sometimes I forget my size," he said with a chuckle. The man clad in furs and light beskar stood just over a foot and a half taller than Milla but his mood and tone were surprisingly kind, at odds with his imposing warrior exterior. "I hope I did not injure you." Jiriad's personality had a habit of catching people off guard, as many expected him to act as the fearsome raider he looked like, which was typically far from the truth. ​

 

[Tawnita Wren]

Milla Caranthyr Jiriad Galaar

Kestri was...that was it. Kestri was.

It was where she had built a home, finally. A place she could live and grow. With friends and with compatriots, dedicated to the cause. She and Vren Rook and a whole host of proud folk had made their stand with the Enclave and the fruits of the labour grew around them daily. She could see the settlers and the families and the Foundlings, mingling in their way, all guided by the Creed that bound them together as one people. She had laughed all those years before, thinking of joining something as 'noble' as the Enclave. But it had worked. She had been won over. She was pleased.

And now she was interested, watching as Jiriad, the bull sized hulk of a smith who produced high-quality goods, ran down a small bundle of a thing. Tee near spat out of her tea, stifling not quite a laugh but also not quite surprise. She sat from the comfort of the roadside café, her hot tea keeping her hands warm, the cold air free on her face for once. She had taken to living more and more in her helmet these days but still relished the chance of a warm drink when it was there. She hadn't much else to do that day.

She called out to Jiriad.

"Ten points only! If she'd backflipped you'd have gotten more!"

She laughed to herself once again.

 

[Milla Caranthyr]

Vigilance is the key to survival in unknown territories. A quick glance away or letting ones guard down for a moment can be a fatal mistake. While not fatal, Milla did turn her attention to what surrounded her rather than where she was going. This momentary lapse caused her to collide with something much larger than herself.

Her back met the ground with a soft thump. Luckily her duffel bag cushioned the fall, resulting in more embarrassment than injury. She quickly regained her bearings to see what she had run into. It was a who rather than a what. A very tall and large who to be exact. He was clad in furs and light beakar, looking every part the fierce warrior. The tone of his voice was kind despite his appearance.

Milla cautiously took his hand was easily pulled to her feet. "I'm find, I just...should have been more careful." The chill of the air tried another assault now that she had momentarily let down her guard. Focusing her breathing again, another thick steam cloud rolled out from under her hood, chasing away the cold. "Everyone here is a lot bigger than me. So I shouldn't have let down my guard like I did."

A voice nearby caught her attention. One that gave a score to her being knocked over. Milla narrowed her eyes, bit her tounge. She was in unfamiliar territory. Making a comeback now might cause more trouble. Speaking of problems. She turned her gaze back to Jiriad Galaar . "Umm....you wouldn't happen to know of a tavern or someplace I could stay for the night?"

Tawnita Wren

 

[Jiriad Galaar]

Milla Caranthyr Tawnita Wren

Jiriad glanced at the woman who called out, then shook his head and turned his attention back to Milla. "It was my fault, truly. No need to beat yourself up, little one." He regarded Milla with curiosity, unsure of what to make of her, and took notice of her bag. "As for a place to stay, the Surbhir Tapcaf may have rooms for rent. What brings you to Tor Valum today?" The tone of his voice was not one of interrogation, but curiosity. After all, it's not often travelers come to Kestri without a place to stay planned. He also took note of the fact that she wasn't wearing boots, or much of anything, to protect her feet. Strange, indeed. Surely she must know how frigid Kestri is, unless she had a resistance to the cold like him.​

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[Milla Caranthyr]

Milla made a mental note on the tapcaf called the Surbhir. That was a good start, well her only start but that was beside the point. She gave the man in front of her a nod when he took the blame on who ran into who. This was something she would leave to rest, rather than go back and forth on who was at fault. His next question was a little more difficult to answer, as she herself really wasn't entirely sure what drew her here. "Well, that's....kinda hard to explain actually. I've been having strange dreams for a while now and they've all been about this place. I can see the city, the mountain and a few other things. Kinda like grainy pictures or fragments of things. I'm not sure what it means, but I came to find out." She shifted from one foot to the other nervously. Hearing her reason out loud made it seem.....unbelievable. Like she had zero plan when she departed for Kestri, which was kinda true in a way.

Jiriad Galaar Tawnita Wren

 

[Jiriad Galaar]

C U R I O U S

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Milla Caranthyr Tawnita Wren ​

Jiriad nodded, listening to Milla's reasoning. "Ah, you have been having visions." He could tell the girl was nervous, the way she shifted her weight. "I hope your visions have given you more than 'mountains' to go off of, about a third of Kestri is mountains. There are many clans that call them home, including my own." Visions. It was possible the girl was Force-Sensitive. He wondered what kinds of visions would lead the girl to Kestri, and now he was curious about that which she sought. The mountains stretched far and wide, indeed; the person or place she was searching for could take quite some time to find.​

 

[Milla Caranthyr]

A third of the planet?! That was a lot more than she was expecting. Although it couldn't be, she saw the city. "It's gotta be Tor Valum, I saw the city in the mountain with warriors in beskar and lots of other things! I..." Then it started to occur to her that maybe Tor Valum was just the starting point of her journey. What if she was year for a lot longer than she expected. Days, weeks, maybe even longer. This whole trip wasn't thoroughly thought out and that may cost her big in the long run. She looked up at Jiriad Galaar . "I...might have messed up and not thought this completely through." Pulling back her hood, she ran a hand through her hair that was tied in a messy ponytail. The cold now even bit at her horns.

 

[Jiriad Galaar]

A I D

Milla Caranthyr
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"That seems like the case," Jiriad said, nodding with a chuckle. "If you need any aid, all you need to do is ask. I will aid you to the fullest of my ability. My Clan would be more than happy to host a lost visitor and help them find their way. We crossed paths just as I was about to return to them, as fate would have it." Putting his hand over his heart, he continued, "You have my solemn vow, as long as I still breathe no harm will come to you." Jiriad was aware of how the situation may look to an outsider, so did his best to ensure Milla didn't think he was some creep.

 

[Milla Caranthyr]

Milla perked up a little when Jiriad offered help. Finding aid so quickly was a little unexpected, but welcoming given her current situation. Jiriad's display of offering her a place to stay and a vow to protect her was nothing unusual for Milla. Spending her early years on Mandalore and being around Mandalorians made this pretty familiar.

"Vor entye!" She gave a small bow as she thanked Jiriad. "I'll try to not burden anyone or get in the way." The chill of the air bit at her again. Breathe in, build up the fire, breathe out. Steam rolled out of her nose in large amounts as she breathed out, the warmth of her internal fire warming her up. "So, what clan are you from?"

*Vor entye = Thank you

Jiriad Galaar