[She lets him flutter about and smiles bowing her head in greeting.]
You wear your own with much grace. My robes are what I wear from home, the hairstyle as well. It is much less messy when I have so much of it pulled back. [She grins and lets out a soft laugh.]
I am pleased you like them, my new friend. I am called Arha.
[Huaisang steps back and gives her a formal bow in greeting.] Nie Huaisang of Qinghe. It's a pleasure to meet you.
[His apartment is beautifully appointed, all dark wood and silvery fabrics. He's done a variety of paintings all in a swift ink-brush style, birds and flowers, but the painting in progress on a side table is a much more detailed landscape painting.]
Please, come and sit.
[He gestures to a low table in the middle of the room with cushions on either side, then he goes and fetches the kettle, setting it to one side of the table. Bringing forth a small chest of tea, he opens it and turns it to face his guest. It contains an array of excellent teas in traditional Chinese blends and preparation.] Would you like to choose one, or shall I?
[It was beautifully done, everything was, from the paintings to the furnishings. The low table was familiar, something her world had more often than not. She sat carefully and debated the tea selection for a long moment, then gestured.]
I will have your favourite tea, Nie Huaisang. I am sure it will be perfect. Your apartment is beautiful and the paintings are quite stunning.
I could never have just one favorite. Different teas evoke different feelings. The scent and taste of them becomes a sense-memory for all the times they have been shared.
[The table is laid with Huaisang's tea set, which he acquired here. It isn't up to his standards from home, but he's pleased with it for adequate basic function. He chooses a pu-erh tea cake pressed with roses, and carefully breaks off pieces of it with a little chisel, setting the pieces into a little wooden scoop and then holding it out for her to smell. Though he often makes tea with nothing more than pot, strainer, and cups, when he has time he prefers to indulge in a full traditional tea ceremony.] Every part of the tea ceremony awakens the senses and soothes the soul.
Oh! [She breathes in the scent of tea and smiles, nodding. That one was a lovely fragrance and made her mouth water. Everything here, even the tea, was so well chosen.]
That's such a wonderful scent, so delicate. [Arha nods.] Tea ceremonies are an important part of my culture as well. We use them for invocations and definitely recording memory for the next generation. It is also part of a healer's task as well. I use it a great deal for helping patients recover.
Different cultures make tea differently. [She inclines her head slightly, all doubts are forgiven.]
I am, all my life. If anything is ill or not right, it is my job to investigate and remedy it to the best of my ability. Sometimes, it is by voice, some with medicines, and sometimes the clarity of mind activities like this can give.
[Arha thinks it's important to come back to one's senses in a ceremony of this nature.]
There are specific types of teapots and cups that only tea itself can keep from deteriorating and thus a tea ceremony must be held to keep them beautiful. The tea flavour soaks into the ceramic and becomes part of it, enhancing the tea consumed the longer it is used to make that flavour.
I have some like that back home. I trust that they are being well tended in my absence.
This set functions well enough in their stead.
[He pours and waits, glad enough to be quiet for a minute. The peace of the ceremony is soothing, and he likes it better than the honesty that had afflicted him. He suspects some of the compulsion remains, but it's at least soothed enough to keep him from blurting things out.]
[She nods wordlessly - that's the best part of tea sets like that and lets herself become absorbed in the ceremony itself. The best part is the peace that comes from it and making sure that peace is instilled with the tea that will be sipped. Arha's barely noticed the truth compulsion as her own truth-telling is something that is close enough to the compulsion that there's not much more truth left to be compelled.]
[When the tea is brewed and everything is ready, Huaisang fills each cup and sets one down in front of each of them.] Will you tell me about your homeland?
[He'd rather talk about her than himself. He always prefers to avoid vulnerability, but now more than ever he wants to avoid speaking about himself.]
The world I came from was a city, the whole thing. I do not know where I was truly born but that was where I grew up, where the Witches of my time gathered. I prefer more peaceful places, little ones I found that are all grass and water and fresh air. The only peace of my home was inside the Temple where it was much quieter.
[She smiles, cradling the cup for its warmth between her palms.]
I'm glad. [Huaisang sips at his tea, pleased.] I almost begin to feel rather settled here. With my friends, their temple, my business, my submissive. I almost feel as though I belong here.
At ease might be overstating things. I don't recommend that anyone feel at ease here. This place has a way of tripping up and overthrowing even the most powerful and comfortably-settled LIERs. I feel fortunate in many ways, but I remain on my guard.
Well, as at ease as one might be. [She sipped her tea carefully.] Of course, being on guard is always recommended in any situation. Safeguards are the best defence.
It's true, but I also want to have fun. [Huaisang looks down, chewing on his lip.] A couple of the parties I've been to here have ended in... Well, I'm getting used to being drugged with aphrodesiacs around here.
I went to a party like that recently. I did not know there was such things until it was too late but I managed to make it as enjoyable as I could. Is it too unpleasant? I found my libido...significantly higher than I might have wished but talking to my partner of the evening and being very careful with them seemed to help matters.
I find I have... mixed feelings about it. The desire is quite enjoyable, and I like freely having sex. But ... last month I was still trying to remain exclusive to my two partners, who felt that exclusivity is important. So one of those parties resulted in me breaking my promise.
I find that no so much breaking as being forced to do so by chemical means. I am sorry your partners felt it was something that was your fault. I see little logic in that.
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You wear your own with much grace. My robes are what I wear from home, the hairstyle as well. It is much less messy when I have so much of it pulled back. [She grins and lets out a soft laugh.]
I am pleased you like them, my new friend. I am called Arha.
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[His apartment is beautifully appointed, all dark wood and silvery fabrics. He's done a variety of paintings all in a swift ink-brush style, birds and flowers, but the painting in progress on a side table is a much more detailed landscape painting.]
Please, come and sit.
[He gestures to a low table in the middle of the room with cushions on either side, then he goes and fetches the kettle, setting it to one side of the table. Bringing forth a small chest of tea, he opens it and turns it to face his guest. It contains an array of excellent teas in traditional Chinese blends and preparation.] Would you like to choose one, or shall I?
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I will have your favourite tea, Nie Huaisang. I am sure it will be perfect. Your apartment is beautiful and the paintings are quite stunning.
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[The table is laid with Huaisang's tea set, which he acquired here. It isn't up to his standards from home, but he's pleased with it for adequate basic function. He chooses a pu-erh tea cake pressed with roses, and carefully breaks off pieces of it with a little chisel, setting the pieces into a little wooden scoop and then holding it out for her to smell. Though he often makes tea with nothing more than pot, strainer, and cups, when he has time he prefers to indulge in a full traditional tea ceremony.] Every part of the tea ceremony awakens the senses and soothes the soul.
excellent tea choice
That's such a wonderful scent, so delicate. [Arha nods.] Tea ceremonies are an important part of my culture as well. We use them for invocations and definitely recording memory for the next generation. It is also part of a healer's task as well. I use it a great deal for helping patients recover.
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You're a healer?
[Huaisang pours as they speak, warming the pot and cups, waking the leaves, discarding the excess water and pouring again.]
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I am, all my life. If anything is ill or not right, it is my job to investigate and remedy it to the best of my ability. Sometimes, it is by voice, some with medicines, and sometimes the clarity of mind activities like this can give.
[Arha thinks it's important to come back to one's senses in a ceremony of this nature.]
There are specific types of teapots and cups that only tea itself can keep from deteriorating and thus a tea ceremony must be held to keep them beautiful. The tea flavour soaks into the ceramic and becomes part of it, enhancing the tea consumed the longer it is used to make that flavour.
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This set functions well enough in their stead.
[He pours and waits, glad enough to be quiet for a minute. The peace of the ceremony is soothing, and he likes it better than the honesty that had afflicted him. He suspects some of the compulsion remains, but it's at least soothed enough to keep him from blurting things out.]
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[He'd rather talk about her than himself. He always prefers to avoid vulnerability, but now more than ever he wants to avoid speaking about himself.]
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[She smiles, cradling the cup for its warmth between her palms.]
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One of my friends from home is planning to build a temple here, similar to what we knew at home. You might like it there.
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I am, yes. I would very much love to see this temple when it is complete. I have no doubt it will be quite elegant.
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