Vesta reaches for Zukar’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze. She smooths her skirts with her free hand, and gives Stella a smile.
“Of course,” she says warmly. “Let’s go.”
Together, the three of them make their way towards the Guild of Light.
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“A healer?” Vesta’s face brightens instantly, her whole demeanor shifting as excitement slips easily into place. “Oh, that’s perfect!”
She leans forward, hands coming together lightly on the table, as if an idea has already taken hold.
“I have a friend in the Guild of Light who’s from the Elven Kingdom as well,” her smile widens. “Her name is E’ni’cala. You have to meet her, she’s one of my dearest friends. I think the two of you would get along wonderfully!”
She gestures lightly, already halfway standing.
“I was planning on heading there this morning anyway. You should come with me,” she says, expectant. “If there’s anyone who would know how you could help with all of this, it’s her.”
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Vesta nods, though there’s a slight tension behind the motion.
“Yes,” she says, smoothing it over, “I’m working on the famine. We have leads, but it’s… complicated.”
Her gaze drifts over Stella, taking her in.
“Are you a mage?”
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Vesta nods once, slow and certain.
“Alright.”
Her attention drops fully to the pouch in her hands. She brushes her fingers around the stones, searching for subtle pulls. One by one, she draws out three runes and places them carefully on the table, aligning them with deliberate precision.
She studies them in silence for a moment.
“Wealth. Life. Star.”
A soft, pleased chuckle escapes her, her gaze flicking up briefly to Stella.
“How fitting,” she murmurs. “Stella draws the star. This is a very positive reading.”
Her finger taps the first stone.
“Wealth does not always mean coin.” She says smoothly. “It is abundance. Prosperity. Opportunity.” Her eyes narrow slightly in thought. “Doors opening. Paths presenting themselves.”
Her nail traces the edge of the rune.
“But abundance is meant to be shared. Remember that.”
Her hand shifts to the next.
“Life,” she continues. “Growth. Change. New beginnings.” A small tilt of her head. “Whatever brought you here, it is not an ending. It is a beginning that hasn’t fully revealed itself yet.”
She leans in slightly, voice lowering just a touch.
“These kinds of changes are rarely gentle.”
Then, finally, her finger comes to rest on the last rune.
“And the Star.”
She pauses.
“Guidance. Destiny. A pull towards something greater than yourself.” Her lips curve faintly. “The sort of path that finds you, even if you try to walk another.”
She sits back, studying her.
“It seems to me that you were meant to come here, to Volaire. This place will shape you. It will offer you the chance to grow into whatever it is you are meant to become, and prosper in it.”
She smiles and begins to gather the runes, but as she lifts them, another slips free from the pouch, striking the table before dropping to the floor with a sharp clatter.
Vesta stills.
She bends to retrieve it, turning the rune over in her fingers. Her brow knits as she studies it, and she frowns.
“Hm.” A beat. “Shadow…”
The word leaves her quieter than the others. She looks up at Stella, searching.
“Hidden truths.” She says slowly. “Secrets. Fears…”
Her thumb brushes over the carved surface of the stone.
“Sometimes they are hidden for protection… and sometimes because we are not yet ready to face them.”
Her expression softens, but only slightly.
“But facing such things is part of growth, isn’t it?” She tilts her head. “So whatever it is… it is only another step along your path.”
She turns the rune once more, then slips it back into the pouch.
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Vesta lets out a giggle as if he’s said something funny, and leans in to press a quick kiss to Zukar’s cheek.
“Don’t worry,” she murmurs. “I’m only using runes to distract her. Storm looks uncomfortable.”
She pulls back, clapping her hands together.
“Now then. Let’s see, shall we?”
Her fingers slip into the rune pouch, the faint clink of stone following as she stirs them absently. Her gaze lifts to Stella, sharp with interest.
“Is there anything in particular you'd like to know?” She asks. “Or would you prefer a general reading for your future?”
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Vesta watches the exchange between them, surprise flashing plainly across her face, but just for a moment. Then she smooths it into an easy, practiced smile as she clears her throat softly.
“Secrets about Storm?” She echoes, giving a light, dismissive wave of her hand. “I think the far more interesting topic of conversation is you.”
She leans forward, one hand reaching for Zukar’s to give it a light squeeze before resting her chin in the palm of the other. Her attention settles fully on Stella now, bright and deliberate.
“Are you from the Elven Kingdom? What brought you all the way out here? Is Volaire what you expected, or is it disappointing so far?” She asks, the questions quick, not quite leaving space for the conversation to drift back.
“Oh-”
Without breaking eye contact for long, she reaches into the bag at her hip and draws out her rune pouch, setting it neatly on the table between them.
“Have you ever had your fortune read?” Vesta’s smile widens. “If you’d like to try, I’m quite skilled.”
Her fingers tap lightly against the pouch.
“The people here have become far too predictable to read. It would be nice to have something… new.”
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Vesta looks between the two of them, one eyebrow raised. Whatever conclusion she comes to, she keeps to herself, offering only a small shrug as she slips into a seat and tugs Zukar down beside her.
Her nails tap idly against the table as her gaze shifts to Storm.
“I see your shadow isn’t clinging to you today.” Her head tilts, just slightly. “Not that I’m complaining. She kind of creeps me out, if I’m being honest.”
She leans back, settling in, then turns her attention to Stella.
“So, Stella,” she says, her voice lighter now. “Are you new to Volaire? I don’t recall seeing you before.”
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A few minutes later, Vesta and Zukar descend the stairs side by side, deep in conversation in the Ramtovi tongue. Her expression falters when she notices Storm and the elf. Her lips press into a thin line, and she leans slightly towards Zukar, muttering something to him.
Then, she steps forward and crosses the room, hesitantly approaching the table.
“Good morning...?” She says, her tone polite, but edged with uncertainty.
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Vesta offers the guild member a polite smile and nod before stepping towards the circle. She draws the letters from her pouch, fanning them lightly as she considers them, then selects one.
“This one is the most important,” she says, holding it out. “I’d like to send this one first, please.”
She remains nearby with Zukar as the letters are sent, her posture composed. When it’s finished, she gives the guild member a grateful smile and word of thanks.
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“Of course,” Vesta says with a small nod.
She slips a hand into her bag, fingers brushing past its contents before finding the coin. A moment later, she draws it out and places three gold pieces neatly on the counter.
“Just let me know what’s required of me.”
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Vesta and Zukar leave the tavern and make their way to the Mage’s Guild, the noise of the street replacing the drama they left behind.
Once inside, Vesta scans the room briefly before approaching the nearest guild member. She smooths her skirt and gives a small, practiced curtsy.
“Hello there,” she says with an easy smile. “I’m looking to have a couple of missives sent. I was hoping someone here might be able to help with that.”
She tilts her head slightly, her tone polite but confident.
“I do have coin,” she adds. “I know the rates have gone up, but I should be able to cover it.”
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When Vesta catches Storm’s gaze, her brow lifts slightly. She doesn’t move at first, just stands there, momentarily caught off guard by the sheer abruptness of it all. Her eyes follow as Storm drags the elf upstairs, confusion flickering plainly across her face.
“Wha-” she starts, the word slipping out before she can stop it. “Who…?”
The question hangs there, unanswered.
After a moment, she exhales and lifts a hand to her temple, rubbing lightly as if to stave off a headache.
“Not my business… not my business…” she murmurs under her breath.
She lets the thought go with a small shake of her head before turning back to Zukar, her expression softening as she slips into the Ramtovi tongue.
“Sometimes I really regret coming to this city, you know?” She admits quietly. “There’s always something happening. Too much. All at once.”
She throws a hand up in exasperation before her other hand finds his, her fingers lacing together with his.
“Let’s just go, shall we?”
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Nill reacts immediately to the draconian’s snarl, flinching hard as she jerks backwards. She stumbles onto the floor, frantically searching the room for another place to hide. Finding nothing, she bolts.
Vesta startles at the ordeal, her hand tightening reflexively in Zukar’s as she tries to process what just happened.
“Nill, what-”
But the pixie is already out the door.
Vesta stares after her, hesitating for a moment as if considering following, but ultimately shrugs and stays where she is. Her attention shifts back to Storm, lips curling into a slight frown.
“If you’re in that bad of a mood, I won’t bother you with it.” She says, her tone neutral. “I’m trying to avoid another conflict with the party.”
She rises from her seat, smoothing her skirts as she does, then reaches back for Zukar.
“We can just head to the Mage’s Guild, esha vel.”
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Vesta’s voice drifts down the stairs ahead of her, lilting in the Ramtovi tongue, light with laughter as she speaks to her companion. When she steps into the room, she’s smiling brightly, her hand laced with Zukar’s. She leans in to murmur something else to him under her breath, a playful grin tugging at her lips before her attention shifts.
“Storm!”
The moment Vesta spots the draconian, she’s moving in her direction and tugging Zukar along with her.
“I should’ve known you’d be here,” she says, amused. “We were on our way to the Mage’s Guild, but I’d love to sit and chat first.”
She slips into a nearby seat, pressing close to Zukar without a second thought, her shoulder brushing his as she settles in.
“Are you feeling any better? I know the room with the door was bothering you pretty badly."
Before Storm can answer, the tavern door opens.
Nill rushes inside in a blur, trying not to be noticed, but just a bit too frantic to pull it off. Her eyes dart across the room until they land on Storm, and immediately she makes a beeline for her.
In one quick motion, she scrambles up the barstool and clings onto Storm’s back. Then, she goes perfectly still.
Her expression is carefully blank, but her breathing is erratic, her shoulders tense, and her heart races like a trapped bird.
She says nothing.
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Vesta smiles and presses a gentle kiss to his lips.
“That goes for both of us.” She murmurs. “I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep since you left.”
She kisses him again, lingering just a moment longer before pulling back. Then she stands, offering both hands to help him to his feet.
“I think the tavern would be safer,” she adds, her tone more practical now. “The Leib Olmai soldiers didn’t find me, but they certainly tore the vardo apart trying. I think it would be best to sleep inside the city, since we’re both too exhausted to fight back right now.”
Her fingers curl around his, steadying him as she gives a small, reassuring squeeze.
“Let’s go have a bath, esha vel… then we can rest.”
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