#Yoshinari Naeuri

[afreesworn]

11: Ultracrepidarian

“He’s a pirate. Why is he always visiting the stall?”

There was very little that escaped Mimiyo’s notice, and Yoshinari was privy to all of it. Whether it be a ponze of grains that the shipment was short on, or observations on the disposition of the newest company that Nabi was keeping, his wife of thirty-two years always made sure that the Hingan merchant was in the know. Yagiri affectionately called her a koel, warbling about something from dawn to dusk.

“I don’t like the way that Nabi looks up to that woman. First of all, she is another Xaela, and you know how Chanai felt about others from the Steppe, and secondly, she looks…” the hyur searched for words, unhappy with the one she settled on. “A bit too well traveled.”

Yoshinari didn’t say a word. He rarely did, always electing to just listen to his wife’s abundant opinions on matters. He knew he would just get an arched brow of annoyance if he were to ask what was so bad about being ‘well traveled.’ 

And while Yoshinari would never admit to it, he too sometimes shared her not-so-favorable impressions. Like all Hingans, his opinion of foreigners held some wariness, and Ishgardians had their own reputation of being rigid and haughty. He was both surprised then disappointed, when the mercenary calling himself Tserende, endeared himself to their adopted daughter, helped to find her when she got lost in the Steppe, but then disappeared after what sounded like Nabi’s most harrowing ordeal.

Then there was the other ijin, the one that smoked too much and carried a weapon like the Imperials in the city. The woman called Stormchild even fessed up to having wrecked their stall! Yoshinari would have had her arrested by the Sekiseigumi, if it wasn’t for Nabi’s desperate plea for mercy. But even more importantly, the Highlander played a pivotal part in returning Nabi back home, after the worst ijin of them all ensnared and stole away the Xaela. 

In truth, if it wasn’t for these gaggle of misfits that Nabi had befriended, the Hingan couple doubted that the Xaela would be returned to them all, much less alive. But even as they listened to Nabi’s retelling of all that happened after she went missing, Yoshinari could see the warmth returned to the Xaela’s eyes, that light that had been absent when she was returned the first time. Even though they now saw her significantly less than before, every time he saw their adopted daughter, there was more color to her cheeks, and her smile was beaming brighter.

Yoshinari suspected who and what was behind her recovery, and he was fairly certain that his wife did too. But one would never know it from her verbal jabs.

“The man always looks a little ill, don’t you think? Who knows what kind of diseases pirates pick up on the seas? With all their cavorting and looting.” 

He said nothing as the woman droned on. “And really, we haven’t even seen where she lives. It could be a hovel, and she’d never complain! And does that lord that employs her, does he pay her enough? And you’d think she could visit more often once her new clinic is settled!”

But her tone always softened just a touch whenever Nabi came to volunteer at their stall. Mimiyo usually had a parcel prepared, with bags of Xaela’s favorite teas. And there were some medicinal herbs included. “I accidentally ordered some of your old herbs, even though you are mostly at the apothecary now.” 

Nabi grinned wide, giving the Hingan woman a hug. “I’ve missed you too, aunt Mimi.”

The corner of Yoshinari’s lips quirked upwards as Mimiyo’s arms closed around the Xaela’s petite form. “Well, those extras I put in, supposedly my sister swears by them that they are kami-sent. It helped get her son over a sickness. He was nothing but bones, but now strong as a dzo.”

Nabi blinked up at her curiously, before a knowing smile slowly crept across her lips. “I’ll see if he likes it.”

“Just make sure you two are both eating well?” Mimiyo sighed, tucking the Xaela’s hair behind her horn. There was a hint of affection in her voice. 

Yoshinari looked up from his work, pointedly not watching them but still catching a glimpse of their exchange, and saw Nabi bobbing her head. A sense of satisfaction settled in his gut, and he returned to taking inventory, as the two women conversed on for another bell.

When the Xaela finally took her leave to catch the last ferry bound for Shirogane, Mimiyo turned to her husband, who gave her long look of approval. 

“What?” Mimiyo scoffed as she took the log book from him. When he just shrugged, she turned to the bags of grains behind the stall as if to double check his work. But after a moment, she murmured under her breath. “So what if I want the boy to stay healthy?” Her voice grew quieter, losing its usual sharpness. “She hadn’t smiled like that since Chanai.”

But a tick later, she frowned and tapped the wooden end of the brush against the bags of grain. “What is this? Did they put koshu and bomba rice together in the same pile?”

[afreesworn]

About The Muse: Nabi Kharlu

NAME OF YOUR CHARACTER: Nabi Kharlu

ONE PICTURE YOU LIKE BEST OF YOUR CHARACTER’S FC:

I usually don’t do face claims (mostly because I am horrible at finding one) but I think this smile fits her spirit well enough?

TWO HEADCANONS YOU HAVE FOR YOUR CHARACTER:

1. Nabi was never formally trained in alchemy, but because of her inherent abilities and affinity to the earth, she has an uncanny knack for it. Her mother, a skilled shaman in her own right and an herbalist, did pass on much knowledge onto Nabi before she passed, and since then Nabi took it upon herself to study from what books she can get her hands on and experiment on her own to gain the knowledge she has now.

2. Nabi has known no other family than her mother, but grew up as an adapted daughter to the childless Naeuris, Mimiyo and Yoshinari, after the two Hingans took her mother and her young daughter in when they arrived in Kugane with nothing but the clothes on their back. To this day, Nabi enjoys sharing afternoon tea with Mimiyo when she can, as the two talk about anything that comes to mind. Lately, Mimiyo has been awfully curious about the man Nabi has moved in with, and while Nabi has shared the important details, the Xaela has yet to share with the Hingans, Anchor’s not so legal activities.

THREE THINGS THAT YOUR CHARACTER LIKES DOING IN THEIR FREE TIME:

1. Studying nature. She just likes to spend the time to absorb what is around her with her senses.

2. Reading. She is always curious about what she doesn’t know in the world.

3. Experimenting with recipes. She is trying to come up with various tasteful dishes to surprise Anchor with. He never seemed to like eating much, but she’s starting to see little changes here and there.

SEVEN PEOPLE THAT YOUR CHARACTER LOVES/LIKES/RESPECTS:

1. Anchor Saltborn

2. Yoshinari Naeuri

3. Mimiyo Naeuri

3. Shael Stormchild

4. Ghoa Mankhad

5. Batuhan Kharlu

6. Marius Aventine

7. Chanai Kharlu

TWO THINGS YOUR CHARACTER REGRETS:

1. Her mother’s death - Nabi was not skilled enough in either healing or alchemy to be able to figure out from what illness her mother’s sudden death came from. She was also too emotionally distraught at the time. But now she wishes that she could have done something to prevent it.

2. Not realizing Anchor’s sickness soon enough. Nabi is still pained over the fact that she did not understand the nature of the energy that circulates inside Anchor. Not under the mountain where he was forced to use it so many times, and not since then when she thought the gauntlet on his arm was inert and not doing harm nor drawing upon that energy. Irreversible consequences rose from it and Nabi will forever regret that.

A PHOBIA YOUR CHARACTER HAS:

1. Drowning. She nearly drowned as a child crossing the Ruby Sea. It is something she doesn’t consciously remember, but has nightmares about it now and then.

Tagged by: @wood-warder and @moonlifter Thank you~!

Tagging: @anchor-management @jaliqai-and-company @shaelstormchild @sentryandco @eastraen @liadanswhisper @shroudblessings @mirkemenagerie @zhauric @shitteadrinkersays @whispersofawindwitch @jancisstuff

[afreesworn]

Shh: Three things they wouldn’t want their parents to know.

1) Nabi would not want her mother to know that she has gone against her wishes, shedding the protective ward woven within the special metal bracelet that was given to her as a child, to try and draw upon the earth’s aether. Her mother warned her against this, telling her that it would make things much easier for her tribe to find her. But in recent times of great need, Nabi took off the bracelet, knowing full well the risks. She still does not regret that decision.

2) Nabi’s current guardians are a Hingan couple, Mimiyo and Yoshinari Naeuri, who took in her mother and her when they first arrived in Kugane. When Nabi was being courted by Tserende, an Ishgardian mercenary, there was much disapproval and suspicion on the part of Mimiyo for this foreigner whom Nabi was enamored with. Eventually the Ishgardian won the approval of both the Hingans through his actions, but now that he is gone, they are most likely to be quite protective of her again. 

Nabi doesn’t know how they would react to her undeniable feelings for a Conferderate pirate, much less one with a disposition like Anchor Saltborn. She has not quite shared with them this new development yet.

3) Nabi has become more curious about her origins, and the people her mother used to call her own. She still does not see the Kharlu as her kin, but there are certain questions of her heritage that she wants answers to, that only the Kharlu can provide. Her mother would never want her to seek out these answers for the risk of being returned to the tribe, but Nabi would likely consider at least a conversation with those who may hold the knowledge she desires.

((mentions: @anchor-management ))