Begging Your Pardon Who: Paziter and Tayne When: Anesus 2, shortly after the meeting Where: Main Hall
Gods, it had been an awkward meeting, and not just for Tayne. After risking himself on such a faux pas, Paziter had sat silently on the bench, aware that the occasional person was darting him a look. Calculating, curious, or maybe even sinister? He wasn't sure, but he had decided then and there that he really ought to learn to refine his grasp on shadow walking... if he'd known how to sink into the shadow under the table, he probably would have simply disappeared for a few hours. What a way to start a night.
On the other hand, Paziter felt that he was committed now, so when everybody was told to come up and choose chores, he shuffled up with the rest of them, somewhat comforted by the fact that though the non-Vrykolas around him smelled and sounded very much like prey, Harlan's contribution was enough to keep him from distraction. He had seized chores that dealt with repair, and though he thought about taking up a free shift in the stables, when he realized that it was mostly Lykos who intended to work with horses... it seemed like more effort than what it was worth. If he really did sink so low as to feed off of animals, he'd just have to do it on his own time.
He kept an eye and an ear on Tayne Peregrine, intent on catching the human to follow up on his goof-up, to apologize if it was something that really was in the wrong to mention. When he noticed that the dubbed leader was free for a moment, he swooped up in a way that was distinctly Vrykola. "Begging your pardon," he tried to catch the older man's attention by meeting his eyes, though he found it difficult to look up, "I was just wondering if, uh, about that list and everything..." he trailed off, ready to apologize in a snap if it was needed.
Tayne had just managed a moment to step back and have a drink-- his poor mouth was so dry, and his throat getting on towards sore, with all the talking and all the people looking at him and judging him for... whatever. How in the world had Torehl managed it? It was horrible. All he wanted right then was to slip off and back to his room, where it was quiet and nobody was staring at him or expecting answers out of him or--
He actually jumped a little when Paziter suddenly appeared next to him. "What-- oh." He recognized the face, now, even if it took him a moment to remember what "list" he was talking about. "Oh, that list. Yeah. Well, like I said, I need to look into some things. We've never had anything like that before, I don't know how people will feel about being put on a list of people willing to give you folks blood. Most of us prefer to do it on a personal basis, find folks we like and donate to friends, that sort of thing. A list just seems so... I don't know. Impersonal." He set down the water and scratched his head a bit. "You might be better off with word-of-mouth. Get somebody older to tell you, personally, who you might talk to, rather than just have this list of people you can walk up to and demand blood from. --Not that you would," he added hastily, "just that people might well think that's what'll happen."
Paziter hunched his shoulder a little, embarrassment evident in his posture. 'Impersonal'? Wasn't that supposed to be the point, or something? As far as the Vrykola knew, humans preferred 'impersonal' to the very personal encounters of actual hunting, or at least that was what he assumed. Maybe he'd been wrong. It had been nice to meet Harlan and talk to him, but Paziter really only reflected on the time after the feeding. Before it had been tense and awkward and the Vrykola still clearly remembered that feeling of faintness, stretching belly and lengthening teeth. He didn't know how that could bee seen as better!
"It's just that, it's just that well I already tried that when I first got here and even though I met other Vrykolas they said that their best bet was feeding from animals and that's like, that's like... I don't know, it's like drinking a cup of wine that's gone vinegar, or bread that's been left out too long." He was rambling and he knew it, but he wanted to get his point across. Somehow. "Maybe... maybe a list of Vrykolas who are willing to do work, and a human -- or a Lykos I suppose, I don't know, are they drinkable? -- can have their pick instead?" It wasn't a very clear or probably a very good idea, but Paziter had had the whole meeting to sit and think and that was the only other solution that he could come up with. "That way, ah, if there were, say, two lists, nobody would have to go hungry and, uh, resort to... hunting. Or attacking. And I know that, ah... I think I'd feel safer knowing that I didn't have to drink as much as I could from meal to meal because I didn't know where the next was coming from."
Paziter, wringing his gloved hands together, added in a list, final defence, "I'm... not very good with people, I'm sorry. Back home, servants lived in my sire's house. I know human limits, I wouldn't try to demand anything. I just... I just don't want to get run out because I asked the wrong question of the wrong person." He was quickly beginning to think that that was exactly what he was doing right now. If only that... Torehl, was it? Was still in charge. Why were their no Vrykolas amongst the three who were leading this meeting?
Tayne felt a little overwhelmed by anxious chatter. After the night he'd had so far, he felt like he couldn't hardly keep up. He forced himself to focus, put on a reassuring smile, and come up with something to tell the poor boy. "Whoah, whoah, slow down there, son," he said, holding up a hand to forstall more chatter. "It's all right, and no one's gonna run you out, no matter who you ask about a feeding. Anyone tries, for whatever reason, you come to me and I'll deal with it." He sincerely doubted a nervous thing like this would get people angry with him on purpose, so anyone picking on him would have to be doing it out of spite. Or arrogance. Or prejudice. Anything punishable, really.
"First off," he began, trying to remember and address everything that had been in that long ramble, "yes, Lykos are edible to your folk, just like humans. Second off, I didn't say I wouldn't help you, I just said that some people might not like their names on lists even if they might be willing to once they got to know you. A lot of people prefer to make friends and then donate, see? But I never said I wouldn't ask around-- I just can't give you your answer right now, you know? Some things take a little time."
One last thing to say came to mind, and hopefully that'd calm him down a bit. "And even if I don't get enough people willing and interested in being on a publicized list, I promise I'll introduce you to some of the people I know who are all right with that sort of thing, myself. Will that help?"
Paziter stared at Tayne for a moment, answer not immediately forthcoming. "Oh. Yeah... yes, that would be very appreciated." He deflated a little. "Sorry to bother you all at once," apologized he, "I'm just..." 'new?' 'hopelessly lost?'' "I'm just getting my bearings... is all." He cleared his throat. "Um. Thank you for your time, sir." This was, as far as Paziter was concerned, his cue to back away. He didn't want to stick around, as he didn't really feel comfortable around the human.
"Just Tayne," he said, trying to smile again. Now he'd gone and, what, frightened the boy? Winds, he was going to crash and burn if he couldn't even soothe the worries of one young Vrykola. "No 'sir' necessary. I'll get back to you soon as I've got an idea of what's gonna happen, promise-- ah, what was your name?" He had to at least catch that before the Vrykola disappeared completely on him, or he'd never find him again.
"Tayne," Paziter repeated, pausing about a half a step away. "Paziter Ingret. I'm in the basement... block twenty-three, room two?" that was what Harlan had mentioned, and looking on his door after he'd returned to his room this morning, Paziter had confirmed the address.
"Block twenty-three, room two," Tayne repeated, then smiled again, only a little wearily. "I'll be by in a couple days-- nights," he ammended, knowing he wouldn't want to wake anyone up, "with what I can round up. Anything else you're worried about I could help with, in the meantime?" Just in case. Poor boy-- Paziter-- seemed like he was worried about everything at this point. Tayne doubted he could do much about "everything", but hey, might as well offer, right?
'Worrying about everything' was pretty close to the gist of things. Paziter wasn't sure what else to even ask about right now. He'd need to actually sit and think about it. One thing did crop up, however. "Is there something, a book, someone, I don't know, who knows how to deal with Lykos? I was, um, confronted by one on the first night. I didn't really know what to do or to say..." He was a little red in the cheeks, just a faint pink pallor. Paziter thought that he should probably simply have asked Tayne if he could come up and talk to him in private... but he didn't think of that.
"A book," Tayne repeated, trying to think. There were a couple books upstairs that concerned Lykos, but most were from a Vrykola or human point of view and were more superstitious or derogatory than helpful. There was one, though, that he could recommend. "Not on how to deal with them, exactly, but there is a small one of Lykos tall tales and oral traditions that could give you a good look into their culture, help you understand where they're coming from. There are no how-to manuals or rulebooks, but I found that one helpful. I think the title is something like... Anth-o-lo-gy," he said the word carefully to be sure he could get it out properly, "of oral tales. Or something like that. It's handwritten, but not too hard to read, bound in dark green."
After all that had happened, Paziter was almost certain that Tayne would tell the Vrykola that he just couldn't help him. The fact that there was anything, then was a bit of a pick-me-up for the younger blonde. He seemed a little relieved; if he had somewhere to start to understand how they thought (without actually having to learn the hard way) then he would feel more confident if someone like Raven went out of her way to taunt him again.
He still had a feeling that he wasn't ever going to be able to reconcile his ways with those of a Lykos... but it was a start. "Thank you, si...er, Tayne." Paziter gave a bow, backed another step away. "I'm sure that you're busy. I'm just going to go... thank you again."
It was a bit of a relief to Tayne, too, seeing that he'd done a little good. He was starting to worry a bit, himself. He was unsure enough of himself in this new role as it was, without winding up not helping anyone who came to him with a concern-- or worse, making them feel worse. His smile came a bit easier in the face of Paziter's farewell and thanks. "Any time-- friend," he finished, not willing to try Paziter's name aloud just yet. Winds, he'd have a lot of practicing to do with new names....