RP:When All Else Fails, Make Cookies

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc

Summary: Pilar is attacked on her way to the Palace in Alithrya. Yozenra manages to save her, and help the vampire back to the gardens without further incident. The water gardens have been trashed in a recent act of vandalism, leaving Reginae to pick up the pieces. The small group talks about Pilar getting her powers back, thanks to Valen and Pilar makes the naga ladies some polvorones. Reginae asks Pilar not to to attend the meeting, for fear that she'll be targeted again. Baking is the best therapy.

Road to the Palace

Pilar was not in good spirits as she wandered the streets of Alithrya. Her grief was too fresh, and even Valen's help recovering that which was precious to her could not heal her heart. But still, good news was so be shared, and Pilar used this as an excuse to go to visit her friend and teacher. Walking through the naga city as a non-naga was not always the best idea, and wherever she went, she got scowls and glares. She was used to it by now, though. She had her knife on her hip, just in case, though it hardly matched her dark blue halter dress and white sandals. Her hair was combed and tied up, and she barely resembled the disheveled, grieving mess she had been... and still was.

Reginae was farther along the path to the west, quite a good way out of sight of the vampire as she worked with Yozenra to clear some of the water gardens of debris. There had been some sort of attack on the palace, a small one by the scale of things, but someone had dumped trash all along the gardens and various little threats burned into the surviving grass. Reginae was sighing, about the time that a small gang of nagas spotted Pilar making her way to the palace. "Oy, what's this we got here?" The tallest male asked, slithering forward to block Pilar's path. His eyes were black, blending with his pupils, making it impossible to tell where he was looking. His chin was pointed down towards the woman though. He wore black robes, pulling the hood back to reveal a punkish green hair color, and several piercings in his humanoid nose. His gang surrounded Pilar from behind, circling wide to keep her from panicking immediately. "Wussa Human doin' 'round here?" He asked her, furrowing his brow as if disgusted.

Pilar stopped and backed up when the naga strayed into her path. She glanced at the nagas around her and sighed softly. She really didn't want to do this right now. "I'm... I'm going to see my friend. Please, I mean no harm." This was the kind of behavior she had gotten used to well in her childhood. This and worse. The tattoo on her back was a memorial to what she'd lost to hatred. Even among elves and other humans, she'd been an outcast, her and her family.

The male put his hands up, as if surrendering. “Oy don’t mean any harm,” he mocks her, a smile curling his lips. “Get a lot of that mates, ‘he don’t mean us no harm.” One of the nagas behind Pilar, a female from the sound of her voice chortles. Her scales are a muddied brown, her hair a dull grey, knotted and dirty. “She’s just a precious gem, Atlas. Betta’ let her run off to the pretend Queen we got now. Don’t wanna make miss priss mad at ya.” Another male, cloaked in a black robe reached his tail at, grabbing at Pilar’s exposed legs, to cause her to lose her balance. “Ay, boss, lokkit there. This human knows what to do with them legs. Maybe we should keept it ah?” Back at the palace, Reginae huffs, “Yozenra, could you go down to the tavern and look around for any information on who did this?” The olive skinned naga nodded, slithering over to pick up her trident and rolling on black scales towards Alithrya’s rundown tavern.

Pilar hit the ground with a grunt, then kicked at the naga's tail with her metal leg. If she hit, it would leave a hell of a bruise. She could hit much harder than a mere human. She got back to her feet, pulling her knife. "Leave me alone!" she said, voice cracking.

Yozenra was at the tavern when she heard the commotion. Pilar shouting for them to leave her alone, even as her voice cracks. The leader of the small gang grinned at Pilar’s misfortune. “Doesn’t seem like she’s too good at it, Robbie. Maybe we should get her a tail so she can move around like a normal average citizen of this here lovely cit-” His words are cut off by a blow to the back of the head. Behind him, Yozenra flips her trident back around after hitting him with the butt of the polearm. She didn’t have to say anything, for the rest of the crew to scatter like flies. They left their fearless leader, passed out on the street in a muddy puddle. Ebony scales cut the distance to Pilar, reaching down to help the vampire back to her feet. The naga is tempted to say something chiding, that Pilar should be more careful, but she doesn’t say anything of the sort. Pilar already looks a bit on the edge as it is. “Cute dress,” She opts for instead. “Here to see the Queen?”

Pilar didn't want to use her knife, and was glad when Yozenra spared her that bit of unpleasantness. Once the other nagas were gone, she sheathed her knife and took the offered hand. The compliment came a bit out of left field, to her, but, well, it was still nice. "Um... th-thanks... Yes, I, uh, I am..." She looked down at Atlas. "I've been... stopped here before, but... never thought I was in real danger until now..."

Yozenra frowned. “Things have been getting worse. A lot of unrest stirring. Nagas are complaining because the Queen encourages outsiders.” It sounded a little harsh, but the naga was just being frank. It was her way. “I can tell you’re strong and could handle yourself. Kid is just annoying, had it coming. Sorry to interrupt.” Her empty hand pulls back one of her purple dreads, against her shoulder. She tries a smile, but it looks unusual on her normally stoic face. “We’re in the garden if you want to come?” Her black scaled tail pushes Atlas’ unconscious body out of the way, clearing the path. He’d wake up with one hell of a headache later.

Pilar blushed. Strong. People kept telling her she was strong. Why did she never feel that she was? She wanted more than anything to feel strong, just for once. The smile was unusual, maybe, but Pilar also thought it looked kind, and beautiful. "Yes, of course." As they started down the street, Pilar asked, "Why are people so... so scared of outsiders? Everywhere I go it's the same..." She looked down at her feet. It was disappointing more than anything else, to her.

Yozenra scrunches her brow as they turn the corner, considering an answer. “Because they are afraid. It’s easy to be afraid when you don’t understand something. Humans treat naga the same way most of the time. If we go out into the world, humans think we are monsters and will try to slay us without questions. Similar situation with Humans here I think. Humans were not around when we were made, so some naga see them as a food source or some kind of...pet.” Pilar should be able to tell Yozenra does not feel this way, and feels bad admitting it. “It’s a survival instinct. Destroying what you don’t understand is safer than trusting. Most creatures don’t trust.”

Extravagant Water Gardens

Pilar considered Yozenra's words, and wondered how it applied to her. She tried to trust and sometimes it didn't work out, and when it didn't, the results were disastrous. But sometimes, it worked out better than she could have dreamed. Trust was a precious thing, and not something she gave away so easily anymore. "It's so hard to trust, when so many people in this world will abuse it. But I wouldn't be half as... as..." Half as what? Happy? Comfortable? Pilar didn't feel she was any of those things, but she couldn't deny how much worse things had been before Hollow. "If I hadn't trusted, things would be so much worse."

Yozenra nods, as if she understands the conflict all too well. “Someone who has never trusted would argue that it’s better. Because they don’t know how good it can be when it works out.” A small smile and the woman slithers ahead to Reginae, who is picking more bits of trash out of the pond. “Your majesty…” She says, when Reginae turns to greet her. “Yozenra, that was - Pilar?” The white scaled naga straightens and throws the trash in her hands into a pile, approaching the vampire with a welcoming smile and an awkward embrace (she’s still learning how these hug things work on greetings). “So glad you made it safely…” Yozenra interrupted their hellos to dispute this fact. “Atlas and some others….” A pause, “Got a taste of how spirited she is.” Yozenra said, before moving away to start removing more trash from the pond. “Pilar...I’m so sorry…” Reginae added, frowning.

Pilar 's eyes widened at the sight of all the garbage. She hugged Reginae fondly, having missed the would-be queen very much. She blushed again as Yozenra gave her credit for protecting herself. "I-It was Lady Yozenra, really..." she murmured, follow by, "Don't be sorry, Reginae. It's nothing I'm not used to."

Reginae frowned. "That doesn't make it right, Pilar...ugh, I swear. I'm going to have to strong arm every naga in this place..." And after that, a smile towards Yozenra, who is now out of earshot. "She'd never admit it, she's too nice. A lot like you Pilar. Now tell me, what brings you all the way here hmm?"

Pilar managed a small smile for Reginae. "I have wonderful news." She stepped back, and held out her hand, palm up. A small Reginae appeared. "I have my magic back."

Reginae’s eyes widened at the news. “Are you pulling my tail right now?” Her grin overtook her face, and she swept Pilar up in another embrace, spinning her around a time or two before setting her back down on the ground. “Congratulations!!!”

Pilar smiled as Reginae spun her around in joy. "Thank you. A vampire named Valen helped me. My own mind didn't want me using magic anymore, I guess, but he helped me move past it. I'm so grateful. I can... I can see my family again. I can see Cassy again..." Her eyes flickered down and the smile vanished. "I miss them all so much…

Reginae isn't quite sure what Pilar means by 'seeing'. Did she mean conjuring illusions that look like these people or did Pilar have some connection to see the dead? "Pilar...?"

Pilar looked up at Reginae, tears brimming her eyes. "It... it's not the same as actually being with them, but... I can look at their faces, hear their voices... it's enough..." She wiped her eyes. "I... I almost went to see them, permanently. Valen stopped me. I just... since Cassy died, it's been so hard, wanting to live."

Reginae frowned heavily, lowering herself to be at eye level with Pilar before speaking. It wasn't the best way to go about using her magic. But who was she to tell Pilar? What grief did she carry? "I don't have answers about life and death, but I do know that you have a lot of love in that heart of yours. It would be a pity to let it go to the gods unfulfilled in this world."

Pilar embraced her friend and teacher. "Thank you, Reginae..." She held Reginae for several moments, as long as she was allowed to. "I'd... I'd like to be your student again, if you'll have me." There was no doubt in Pilar's mind that Reginae would accept her, but she didn't want to make assumptions.

Reginae pretended to mull it over with a frown, but her eyes were bright with good natured trickery. "I don't know...." She said, elongating each syllable, her pitch too high to imply that she really didn't need to think it over at all. "You're probably rusty," She mentioned, in a bright tone. "Going to need a lot of practice to get going again I imagine..." The smile reveals itself before she's through, too excited to have her student back. "Of course, you are forever my student Pilar."

Pilar smiled back. "Thank you, Reginae. I hope we can start lessons again soon. But..." She looked around at the garbage strewn about. "... It looks like you have other things to deal with. What happened?"

When Pilar mentions the garbage, Reginae looks away from her at the gardens. "Seems the naga aren't ready to recognize me as Queen. It's understandable, I really haven't -done- anything to prove my worth here besides take up residence in the Palace and try to form alliances. The naga aren't a very diplomatic people. They prefer the trials of combat to make their decisions, instead of floral speeches with distant Kings and Queens." She sighs, resting her hands on her hips, where her white scales began. "They are still wounded from the last Queen, my sister...Jaize sold out the city and all it's resources for a war that didn't concern the Naga. She traded everyone here for power. It's part of why they don't like outsiders...since we've been burned before." It goes without mentioning that there is some xenophobia as well. A common naga complex that Reginae herself had to struggle through on various occassions. There were some situations she still wouldn't budge on though, including marriage or romantic entanglement. "We're nearly done cleaning it up!" She says, turning back to the Vampire with a tired grin. "Why don't you come inside with us? We have a guest and I think he's feeling better..." She was of course, referring to Hureig. The Frostgiant that had weeks ago been screaming about being a dolphin.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Pilar said. "If... If there's anything I can do to help, let me know." At the mention of a guest, Pilar cocked her head. "Feeling better? I didn't realize you had a wounded person here. I would have loved to have helped, if I'd known. I... I'm sort of a healer now."

Reginae's eyebrow lift in surprise. "Well he was mostly just starving and delusions but we've had Lita looking in on him from time to time. He had to be sedated...causing a ruckus in the city center and all..." She leaves out the bits of his own self injury; blooding hands and dishelved appearance. He'd been healing just fine under their adorable medics attention. "You can feel free to visit him now, since he's better. Sorry if I kept it secret but he showed up the last time you were here and...it's hard to wrangle a Frostgiant." She sighs. "Do you know him? Hureig?" She offered his name, in hopes Pilar might also know him. "He'd do well to have visitors that know his name and trade."

"Hureig? Yes, I know him. Not well, but... He came to visit me while I was recovering after losing my leg." Pilar frowned. "I'd heard he was missing, but I never imagined he'd be here."

Reginae shrugged her shoulders and looked back at the Palace. "I couldn't imagine it either, especially if it wasn't on purpose. Come...Let's get some rest after your long journey. Yozenra? Ready for a break?" The black scaled naga finished depositing a piece of trash into a container, and slithered over with a nod. She gives Pilar a kind of smile, the edges of her lips turning up for a fraction of a second. "All right gang, to the kitchens.

Kitchens

Pilar gave Yozenra a smile of her own before following Reginae into the palace. She noticed some of the residents looking at her oddly and she took a breath, concentrating hard. Her legs began to fade from view, replaced with a goldish-yellow naga tail. The looks stopped after that. It was her first big illusion since getting her powers back, and by the time they reached the kitchen, she was drained.

Reginae saw the tail but didn't say anything. When they stopped in the deserved Kitchen, she frowned. "You don't have to do that, you know. -They- should change how they think about nonnagas...You shouldn't have to change how you are for their approval."

Pilar let the illusion fade with a sigh. "I know... It just gets old. The stares. Even back in Granceval, people stared at me. Gitanos were always outsiders. Always under suspicion." Pilar didn't remember if she'd talked about her past a lot with Reginae. She knew her teacher knew what happened to her family, but other than that... "It's not as bad in Lithrydel, at least. But I think that makes it worse, when it does happen. Because I'm not as used to it anymore." She shook her head. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

Reginae shook her head, Yozenra remaining silent as she went through the Palace Pantries for fruit. "No need to apologize. It's a sad state because here you think you are different, but up there they are different. And have to shape into safer forms. We all do it...I just don't necessarily like that we all feel we have to do it." Reginae said, in a resigned tone. "Just don't take crap from anyone," She waves her finger at Pilar, cracking a smile before handing her an apple Yozenra passed over. "Apples, and...what else maybe? We had a cook at one time but they up and vanished I guess." Another sigh, shaking her white hair away from her face. "Why can't anyone stay in one place?"

Pilar smiled and looked over the apple. It was fresh, and crisp. She took a bite. It was good. She chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. "Hmm... May I look through your cabinets? If you have the ingredients, I'd like to bake polvorones for you. They're like an almond cookie from my homeland... Neither of you are allergic to nuts or anything, are you?"

Reginae shook her head and so did Yozenra. "Feel free, use whatever you like." Pilar would be able to find almost any common cooking or baking ingredient. Nuts of all varieties, oils, flours and powders galore. If Pilar asks where something is, Yozenra will show her where to find it. Seems the naga spend a lot of time doing their own cooking here.

Pilar gathered her ingredients: sugar, flour, butter, salt and almonds. She got out the baking sheet and the mixing bowls, and started making her cookies, with a little help from Yozenra and Reginae. Soon, the polvorones were baking in the oven, and they just had to wait. Pilar started the process of cleaning up, also with the help of the naga women.

Yozenra watches the polvorones in the oven while Reginae helps Pilar wipe down the counter. "Pilar, there's going to be a meeting here soon and...Please don't take it the wrong way but I think it might not be safe for you to go just yet..."

Pilar didn't pause in her work while she responded, "I... see. This is naga stuff, I assume? What is it about?"

Reginae lowered her head, tossing her dirty rag into one of the wicker bins by the entrance. "It's about some of the violence you've seen firsthand." The woman's face is stone, riddled with disgrace. "If I don't address it publicly, it's easy for the naga to pretend it's not an issue. And I don't want them to see you and try to make a statement...I'm concerned it wouldn't be safe."

Pilar did the same with her own rag, then put a hand on Reginae's arm. "I understand. I'm glad you're trying to stop it." And not encourage it, like SOME rulers she knew. She glanced at the clock. "The polvorones should be about done, I think." She went to the oven and smiled at Yozenra before checking. "Yes. Done." She grabbed the oven mitts and pulled the cookies out. She moved them to a cooling rack, fighting the urge to nab one. They smelled heavenly.

Yozenra hovers over the cookies while Reginae keeps a thoughtful distance, her white hair cutting her vision of the two. Pilar was smiling, Regi thought, and how long had it really been since she’s seen her this happy? The naga woman slithered over to join them after a few minutes passed, the scent of freshly baked goodies hovering overhead. Surely more naga would come to investigate if they smelled food in the words. “They look beautiful.” Regi said, while Yozenra nodded, disturbing her purple dreads with each dip of her chin. “Thank you Pilar.”

"You're welcome," Pilar replied. "I hope you like them. It's my sister's recipe. She used to sell them, but always saved a few for us. It was one of the few luxuries we had." What kind of life had she lived, where cookies were considered a luxury? Pilar took a polvorón and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened. "Hot! Still hot!" She covered her mouth, chewing with her mouth open to get cool air in.

Reginae might have asked if being together was also a luxury but...it felt like a cruel observation. Pilar had a sister? Had they gotten along or did they fight all the time like Reginae and her sister had? Yozenra looked concerned while Pilar fans her mouth, and Reginae shakes herself free from her thoughts. "Tell me about your sister?" She asked, hoping to keep the conversation light. "My sister and I never really got along and she never -ever- made her own food. Aramoth forbid." Reginae laughed while Yozenra gave her a curious look.

Pilar eventually swallowed. Patience, silly girl. She smiled at Reginae and held out her hand. The image of a young woman appeared, similar to Pilar in features, except much more womanly. "This is Inez. She was the oldest of all of us. I looked up to her so much. She could dance and sing and play guitar, and was everything I wanted to be. She butt heads with our parents a lot for her... wanton ways, but that stopped when she settled down and got married. Then they butt heads because she married a payo. That is, a non-gitano. But Mami and Papi got over it eventually." Pilar's little Inez began to sing, in the most beautiful contralto. "She was confident, headstrong, and fearless. Everything I'm not. But we got along anyway. I miss her. I miss all of them." She looked to Yozenra. "You know the tattoo on my back? It's for my family. They were all killed... For being gitano."

Yozenra blinks, hovering her hands over the polvorón to see if they've cooled. "What's a gitano?" She asked in a cautious voice while Reginae studied the little Inez with affection. This is what Pilar would look like, if not trapped at her current age. It caused a small prick of grief in the naga's mind. What would her own sister look like now, she wondered. Reginae lets Pilar explain, giving Yozenra and the vampire a moment while Regi is displaced with her own thoughts. She's trying to recall Jaize's face with little success. All she can summon in her mind is the back of her sister's head, long white hair matching her own and the sound of her spoiled voice echoing through the halls.

Pilar had no problem explaining what a gitano was. "The Common word is 'gypsy' but that is a name given to us by outsiders. Some find it offensive and prefer the term 'Romani.' Gitano is the Grancevalian word for it. There are many of us all over Granceval, and other countries back where I came from. We don't remember our origins, and it's hard to settle because no one wants us. We have a reputation for thievery and such, you see. But we only steal as much as anyone else. It's not fair to generalize us all."

Yozenra nods, understanding the generalitzation of a culture very well. "Same goes for naga," She said, though she's sure Pilar already knows. "That's why we shift if we go to the surface. Since rejoining the flow, people have a tendency to attack us on sight as monsters." Yozenra sticks out her serpant tongue, hissing playfully to make Pilar laugh. The ebony scalled naga wears a lazy smile and looks towards Reginae. "Your sister was older than you too." But Reginae waves this fact away with an empty palm. "She was, is." There was no confirmation that Jaize was dead but everyone assumed because she'd left and never come back. Reginae creatures her own little image next to Inez of Jaize. The naga looks very much like Reginae but her facial features are more delicate, rounded angles of her nose and jaw line where Regi had stiff lines. A warrior's face. Jaize looked more like a magazine model, the little naga figure posed dramatically, leaning forward and bouncing around. All energy and no direction. Yozenra laughs, because Jaize was just as serious as Regi was and it's a little insulting to the previous Queen to use the image of her this way. "We did not get along."

Pilar did giggle when Yozenra hissed. The serious woman had a soft side, it seemed. She looked at Jaize curiously, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry to hear that. So, she was the... the last queen, right?"

Yozenra clears her throat and tries to eat one of the baked goods with some success. Not as hot now, but very delicious all the same. The little image vanished, dispelled by Reginae's hand. "She was. She sold the whole city out for the title she was born to have. She was selfish and just wanted the namesake and none of the work. She didn't care for fighting or getting her hands dirty. That's why she isn't here anymore. Dead or gone...to some shameful hole in the ground for betraying her people. They trusted her and now they feel used. It's just like her to act without thinking of the consequences..." Reginae's mood was soured but she tried to smile. "I'm sure your sister was marvelous, but I'm a bit more fond of you. It's nothing personal." She shrugged her pale shoulders and offered a low chuckle. "Yozenra? Grab me one will you? We've got to get back to it before the event starts...Pilar, you are welcome to stay in the castle if you like while the meeting happens." Yozenra passes Reginae one of the small cookies and she eats it. "Oh, marvelous, you should be our new cook..." she laughed, whole heartedly in the doorway.

Pilar frowned. "You'll be a better queen, I know it." Still, she wondered at the pain Jaize must have caused her sister. She smiled at the compliment. "Heh, thanks. I, um, ought to return to Frostmaw though. I have duties to fulfill. It was nice to see you two, though." She smiled at Yozenra, then snagged another cookie. "I'll be back soon. We have lessons to start, Reginae."

Reginae smiled, as if she'd forgotten. Pilar was her student again. "So we do. Yozenra? Make sure Pilar makes it back all right?" With that, Reginae heads off to finish cleaning the gardens and Yozenra will make small talk with Pilar all the way back into town to the portals.