TRP: Gavi and Luci (Zahra)

**ABBY**

[Setting: The castle, day 254]

Gavi'd been eager for her two boys to meet, so she'd hauled
Timur up to the castle bright and early. It warmed her heart seeing 'em get
along-- and she woulda smacked them if they hadn't, and they both knew it.

They'd did some gardening, and that was fun, but Gavi'd kept
catching herself suffocating poor Timur. So she'd left him with Griffin and
went for a walk. (He needed time to process too-- he was the one that'd...)

During her wandering she happened across Luci, looking like
she was fixing to head out. "Hey, Luci!" she called, lifting her hand
and making her way over to her. "What're you up to?"

**IZZY**

Luci looked up at her blankly, then adjusted the strap of
her bag across her shoulder. Ah. Yes, right. Even though she'd clearly punched
him in the face, Hansel has still told Gavi she could bring Timur around the
castle. Bizarre.

"Going into town," she said.

**ABBY**

"Yeah? Hey how about I come with you?" Be a good
excuse to get out, clear her head some more. And let Timur clear his. Plus,
time with Luci.

**IZZY**

Well, Luci certainly couldn't stop her, but she didn't
understand the motivations, either. Then again, she rarely did. "That
would be all right," she said, blinking, and turned to head out the door.

**ABBY**

Huh. Was Luci always like this or was she mad or something?
Gavi shrugged and followed her. They walked in silence for a short while, Gavi
shooting Luci considering glances. What was going on in that head of hers?

Well, good way to find out was askin'. "Hey are you
gonna stab me if I touch you?" she asked. Good to establish a baseline.

**IZZY**

"Oh." Ah, she had met Jonn. "No, but I would
prefer it if you didn't. It's nice of you to ask. Why did you punch Hansel
yesterday?"

**ABBY**

Well if that didn't come practically outta no where.
"Shit, uh, to be honest I kinda forgot I even did that." Gavi ran her
hand through her hair, thinking back. "Oh uh. We were talking about
Gruumsh. I got pissed off, took a swing at him."

**IZZY**

"Hm." Gavi hadn't seemed injured when they got
back. Hansel must not have retaliated. Luci was torn on whether that was good
or not. "You should probably avoid talking about Gruumsh with my
family," she suggested. "We have strong opinions and most of them
are. Stabby."

**ABBY**

Gavi chuckled. Stabby, now that was one way of putting it.
"Yeaaaah. Me and your dad kinda agreed to that. Cept then we didn't hold
to it."

**IZZY**

Luci nodded solemnly. "Yes, that sounds like
Hansel." The two of them seemed quite alike, in some ways. It was
unfortunate that there was a major, key difference between them.

**ABBY**

"Don't worry I'll try to do better, going
forwards," Gavi said. "I like your dad, don't want to stab him. Or
have him stab me."

**IZZY**

That satisfied her. "That would be ideal, yes. If
something happened to you, I could take Timur to the Sanctuary of Eldath, where
I grew up, but they're pacifists. I don't think you would approve of
them."

They had reached town, by now, and Luci started for the
little apothecary. Hansel collected what herbs he could in the woods, but some
of her medical supplies had to come from further away -- and they had candles
and incense there, as well, which she needed for her altar.

**ABBY**

"Pacifists huh?" Yeah. Just like Little Creek.
"People like that don't know how to protect themselves. It's not safe. You
know well as I do what woulda happened to Little Creek if we hadn't been
there." Ah, she was gearing up for a good old rant again. "Well--
anyway. Prefer Timur stays somewhere where people know how to fight."
Ideally, back with the orcs, but Gavi wasn't sure he'd stay right now. When she
was gone, what guarantee would there be that Timur wouldn't just run on back to
his dad? The thought sent a fearful chill down her spine.

**IZZY**

Luci watched her with interest. She still habitually wanted
to defend the Eldathyns -- possibly point out that she had turned out all right,
after all. But she likely would have died when she and Jonn were younger,
without him, and other children would have too, because of the Eldathyns'
refusal to fight. It wasn't safe. She understood that.

She wondered if Gavi had noticed that Luci, herself, was not
a pacifist.

"There are paladins at the Sanctuary," she
offered. "They're not Eldathyns, but they do help to keep things safe. I
understand your reluctance, though."

**ABBY**

"Lemme tell ya, when you're a mother who's lost a kid,
there's no such thing as safe enough," Gavi said wryly. "Thanks
though. For the offer." Some people, Gavi might have clapped on the
shoulder about now. Luci'd asked that Gavi not though, and she'd respect that.

**IZZY**

She tilted her head a little, wondering if that was true for
all mothers, or all parents.

# # #

Luci was no good at haggling, but she'd made a little gold
healing some sick people in town, and Hansel had given her some more. It was
more than enough to cover the herbs she needed, and pick up her candles, too.
Gavi tried to carry them for her, which puzzled Luci severely, and she
declined.

When they stepped outside again -- Luci patting her bag to
smooth it out because Jonn had told her it was better to not look as though you
were carrying much -- she paused for a moment, trying to remember if they
needed to restock anything in the castle kitchen. She thought they might be out
of that cheese Mishka was always eating. Perhaps she ought to go ahead and get
some, so that he didn't wanted off in the middle of the night.

**ABBY**

Luci was terrible at haggling. It was kinda adorable. Gavi
figured she'd help out, and hung back just out of Luci's eyeline and shot the
storekeeper dangerous looks any time he brought the price up too high. Didn't
take long for Luci to get her things, and then they were out again. Gavi hung
back, watching Luci to see if she was going to take off to another store, 'cept
then a familiar face caught her eye.

"Zahra?" It was her! "Zahra
Headsplitter!" Gavi crowed. Upon hearing her name, Zahra turned. Also
grinning widely when she recognized Gavi.

"Hey if it isn't the Rotcatcher!" she mocked.
"What are you doing still alive, thought you'd have been long dead by
now."

"Yeah yeah fuck you too," Gavi said
affectionately, pulling Zahra into a hug. "Hey, hey Luci look. S'my friend
Zahra. Zahra, this is Luci. Say hey."

Zahra sized Luci up, and then in a very flat tone, said,
"Hey."

**IZZY**

Luci raised a hand, just as flatly saying,
"Hello."

**ABBY**

Zahra's eyes narrowed, not that Gavi noticed. "Oh c'mon
you two don't be boring." Gavi rolled her eyes, elbowing Zahra. "Hey,
hey what are you doing in town? Didn't expect to see anyone here. It's the
middle of fuckin' nowhere."

"Oh you know," Zahra said, still staring Luci
down. "Stuff. Things. Hey, what's the deal with the human anyway?"
she asked, glancing at Gavi and jerking her thumb towards Luci. "She your
new pet or something?"

**IZZY**

Ah. This woman was either rude or didn't understand how
things worked outside of orc territory. "I'm not a pet," she
explained helpfully. "I'm an independent person. Gavi is friends with my
dad." That was, perhaps, an oversimplification.

**ABBY**

Zahra gave her a flat look. "Yeah nobody asked you,
pet."

"Hey!" Gavi shoved Zahra, scowling.
"She's--" what was Luci, to Gavi? "--my friend. So you better
fucking behave before I gotta make you."

**IZZY**

Luci stared at Zahra. She wasn't a fearful person; the woman
was taller and stronger than her, as most were, but she had magic.

It also seemed that Gavi was willing to stick up for her,
which was a safety net not unlike standing next to Hansel.

"Oh," she said. "You're an asshole. I
understand."

**ABBY**

"Hey you watch your mouth you little--" Zahra
managed one step towards Luci before Gavi planted herself between them.

"I said fucking behave!" she snapped. Now she
remembered why she'd quit hanging out with Zahra so much. So fuckin' easy to
provoke. "Ya kinda are being an asshole y'know!" Fuckin' Luci though too.
Kinda encouraging it. "Look we're all gonna take five seconds and chill
the fuck out before I gotta punch somebody, got it?"

**IZZY**

Luci took an automatic step back. She tapped her staff
against the street and commanded: "Leave."

Before she had even registered whether the spell took or
not, she'd tapped again to summon a floating spectral dagger by her shoulder,
poised to lunge.

**ABBY**

Zahra's face blanked for a moment, and then she turned
around and walked away. Gavi gaped after her a second, looking at the spectral
dagger Luci had summoned and yep. This was gonna get messy. "Okay time to
go now," she said, placing her hands on Luci's shoulders and steering her
up the road back towards the castle. "Zahra ain't gonna like that and I
would rather avoid having to stab my friend, aright?"

**IZZY**

Luci rolled her shoulders away from Gavi, but started to go
along with it, muttering, "Well, I didn't like being called a pet."
Then she stopped, and turned  to face
Gavi instead, looking back towards town. "I'm not done shopping," she
said firmly.

**ABBY**

"Oh for fuck's-- look. Luci. You're not a pet. You're a
great young lady. But Zahra is a jackass and she's gonna be real pissed at you
for that stunt you just pulled, okay?" As if on cue, a bellow of rage
could be heard a short distance away. Aw fuck it. "Look, we can come back
later okay but can we please leave right now."

**IZZY**

Luci narrowed her eyes. Her jaw tightened. "I live
here," she said lowly, and cracked her staff against the street again,
pointing it towards Zahra without looking, sharply commanding: "Run."

Then she turned on her heel to sweep off, stewing.

**ABBY**

Well. That was certainly something. Gavi watched,
slack-jawed as Zahra took off down the street. And then snapped her mouth
closed and scrambled after Luci. "Okay but how often are you gonna be able
to do that? Cause you're gonna run out and then what, huh?"

**IZZY**

"I won't run out," she said, her tone clipped.
"And if your friend doesn't get the message clearly enough, I am not a
pacifist."

**ABBY**

Aw, well, shit. Gavi really hoped Zahra didn't get lucky and
shake one of those things off. Cause then she'd have to pick a side-- and she
wasn't sure which one to pick. (Huh. Bout a week ago that choice would have
been obvious.) "Well- all right then- but can we hurry at least?" she
asked, glancing back at where Zahra had stopped running away and was running
back towards them, warhammer clenched in both hands. "She's not gonna get
any less mad, and all."

**IZZY**

Luci clicked her tongue, glanced over her shoulder, and cast
it again, making Zahra bolt in the opposite direction. She scoffed. "What
an unpleasant person. Why are you friends with her?"

**ABBY**

Gavi watched Zahra running off again. On some level this was
comical. On another she was worried about Luci's head staying attached to her
shoulders. "She's a cousin or some shit. Same age, we trained together for
a bit. Always had got on my nerves though."

**IZZY**

She grumbled. There were other clerics at the Sanctuary that
were like that, for her, but at least they were merely annoying and not
violent. "Well, I greatly prefer you to her."

**ABBY**

"Yeah? Well, thanks," Gavi said, wincing as Zahra
stopped running, but took a moment to smash a barrel with her hammer and cuss
up a storm. "But really yeah can we please hurry."

**IZZY**

Luci huffed. She didn't appreciate being rushed. Actually,
she didn't appreciate any of this. The more she interacted with people outside
of the Sanctuary, the more she understood why Hansel and Jonn had turned out
the way they were.

She cast the spell one more time before they reached the
castle, and stepped inside briskly, bolting the door behind them. Shifting the
strap of her bag over her head, she flatly said, "If she's the reason that
my stepdad doesn't have cheese to eat later, he may incinerate her." She
paused. "I suppose I could just not tell him about it." Yes, that
would probably be best.

**ABBY**

Gavi groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Can
we please go with that option? I really want to like you guys but if you go run
around murdering my tribe then shit. I don't know what I'm gonna do about
that."

**IZZY**

"Well, I'm not in favor of incineration," Luci
clarified. She started towards the kitchen, to grind up her new herbs, looking
back at Gavi. "But she probably shouldn't go around calling people
pets."

**ABBY**

"She doesn't back home," Gavi commented idly,
following Luci. "Maybe it's cause you're human. Want a hand with
those?"

**IZZY**

"She called me 'the human'." Luci did air quotes,
like she'd seen Goro do when he was being sarcastic. "That seems likely.
I'm all right, thank you." She started to stand up on tiptoe to grab the
mortal and pestle -- Hansel always forgot that he was taller than everyone
else, somehow -- then dropped back down. "Actually, could you get that for
me? It's quite heavy."

**ABBY**

"Sure." Gavi grabbed it and glanced around, found
a clear counterspace and set it down for Luci. "Yeah uh. Y'know how it
is?" she said, scratching the back of her head. "Or, well, probably
you don't. She just didn't know you is all. Y'got an orcish soul," she
said, grinning at Luci.

**IZZY**

Luci gave her a puzzled look. "You said that like a
compliment, but I don't understand it." She flipped her bag open to pull
out some dried mint leaves and started grinding them up, adding, "Thank
you," and tapping the side of the mortar.

**ABBY**

"Oh well, I mean like... you're fierce. Got a warriors
spirit. Just a little hard to notice at first." Gavi leaned against the
counter, making sure there was enough elbow room where she wasn't in Luci's
way. "And you're welcome," she added.

**IZZY**

"Oh." She paused, and considered for a moment,
then went back to grinding. "Is this a reincarnation thing? I don't know
much about reincarnation."

**ABBY**

Gavi snorted out a laugh. "I hadn't meant it that way,
but it'd make sense. Probably were an orc in your last life. Carried over
strong."

**IZZY**

Fascinating. Luci pondered that. She should do some research
about reincarnation. "Maybe Jonn was, too. Maybe we were still
siblings." Then, thinking about the fight with the hydra, she commented, "I
imagine Mishka was, as well, if that's how that works."

**ABBY**

Gavi scowled. "Not him," she said sharply. Ah shit
they were both hims, she should clarify. "The elf I mean. Orcs don't
reincarnate into elves, and elves can't reincarnate into orcs. Orcs got a lot
stronger souls," she explained, rapping her chest.

**IZZY**

"Oh." She'd have to investigate that claim
herself. Then she squinted, looking up from her work, as a ramification of that
statement sunk in. "Does that imply, then, that human souls and orc souls
are of the same ... strength?" Did souls have strengths? Puzzling.

**ABBY**

"Well-- no, not really. See, orcs have the strongest
souls, and elves got the weakest," Gavi explained. "I ain't sure what
the rankings are really between 'em but, they'd be weaker. Sorry." Why was
she apologizing anyway?

**IZZY**

"This seems very complicated." Content with the
consistency of her mint, Luci brushed it out into a little jar, cleaning the
mortar with a sleeve, then reaching for another bundle. "How could I be a
reincarnated orc, but have the weaker soul of a human, and Mishka not, because
he has the weaker soul of an elf?" she thought aloud, absently.

**ABBY**

"Uh, shit, I don't think I understand it too good
either," Gavi admitted. "I'm a paladin, I'm the punchy type of religious."

**IZZY**

"Ah." Luci nodded. Yes, that did make sense. "I'll
do some research on it, then. Maybe we have books about reincarnation in the
library."

**ABBY**

"I'd offer to let you tell me 'bout what you find, but
I don't trust those scholars to get it right, and then I'm gonna get mad about
how they get it wrong."

**IZZY**

She perked up a little bit, glancing Gavi's way. "Yes,
I agree. I always get as many sources as I can. It's irresponsible to trust
just one."

**ABBY**

"Unless your one source knows what he's talkin'
about." Gavi trusted Bloodgrut to know. After all Gruumsh talked to her
too sometimes, and the two had yet to contradict.

**IZZY**

"It's difficult to verify the truth, though," Luci
said. "Upstairs, in the library, there's a kitsune who lives under a table.
She's friends with Goro. Anyway, she was alive before the Calamity happened, so
one time I asked her some things about the Golden Age, and it contradicted what
I'd read in a book written by an elf who was alive then, too. When I mentioned
that, she realized she'd just misremembered. Facts are funny things."

**ABBY**

Gavi crossed her arms, scowling again. "I know what I
believe," she said sharply. "I got my facts. I don't have to go
digging everywhere to find new ones."

**IZZY**

Luci stopped to look at Gavi, and blink at her. What an odd
woman. Luci really didn't understand her. Maybe she'd ask Jonn for help; he was
better at this sort of thing. "All right." She went back to work.
"I like digging."

**ABBY**

Gavi slowly untensed. What was she doing, snapping at a fuckin'
kid. She was better than that. "Hey uh. Sorry. Just get... touchy, you
know? You have fun with your research. S'good to stretch that brain of
yours."

**IZZY**

She nodded. "Mm. I agree." And after a second, she
added, "At least you didn't insult me and threaten me with a
warhammer."

**ABBY**

Gavi laughed. Now that was a good one. "Yeah, at least
I didn't do that."

**IZZY**

[END]

Title: Zahra. Summary: Gavi goes into Glimmerton with Luci,
defending her from an old friend who isn't a fan of non-orcs. The two talk about
reincarnation briefly.