Rad watched Velvela for a moment "I need smaller tools, there's a lot of really tiny pieces in this" He said holding up and flipping it over, "And no...its not for calculations...its for telling time"

Demari leaned over looking at the watch "How's it tell time does it do something with the sun?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

Rad gently pushed Demari away a little "Personal space please" He said gruffly "And no...it doesn't read the sun..."

Demari frowned at being handled so rudely, He looked back at Velvela "I'm sure we have time to eat before we go to fix this.."

Velvela nods, knitting her brow at the device. She shrugs, it was a bit of a let down really. A time telling device. She didn't know how to feel about that. She didn't honestly see the point of it. Maybe people were more concerned with times other than sunrise, midsun and sunset elsewhere. "Huh...well..."

It took her a moment to realize that the storm had finally broken outside- it only came to her attention when her father mentioned it. "Ah- the storm has come. I don't think anyone will be walking home for a bit. You'll have to wait for a lull- too dangerous right now. Coming down real good." Velvel went to the door and opened to look at the storm. As much as the storms interrupted life, she still had a fascination for them- and maybe even loved them a bit.

She blinked as she found a girl on her doorstep upon opening the door. She blinked at the girl for a moment. It seemed somehow out of place to find someone there unexpectedly. She stood blinking for a moment, then came to her senses when she realized the girl was soaked and shivering. "Ah! Goodness! Get in here, you'll catch you death. Come on..." She reached out to grab the girl on the arm to bring her in. "We'll get you dry by the stove and I can get you something a bit less wet to wear until we hit a lull. I'm making dinner- barley stew with meats and some fresh flat bread. Come on then."

She turned to her parents, "Seems we've found a straggler this year. I'll get her squared away." She looked at the girl again and grinned, "We haven't had a straggler for a couple of years now. Don't you hate when the sky turns ugly on you?"

The youth just smiled at Velvela's father a bit when he'd mentioned the rain, "I don't mind the rain...but I've got a ways to run so I'll have to leave as soon as it breaks for a bit. I was just telling Velvela that I usually end up caught in the rain anyway...so my parents won't think to much of it. So long as I'm home before it floods"

Demari raised his head a little at the admittance of Lusalma, he'd seen her a couple of times in the market but had never really registered her. At first glance she didn't look much different than they did, but there was something about her face that gave away that she at least wasn't from this part of the gorge.

Demari looked over at Velvela "who is that girl?" He asked tilting back in his chair a bit.

Rad's sleepy eyes lifted slowly following Lusalma as she walked in and away, but they weren't so much following her as the box she carried. He rose from his seat and set the pocket watch on the table gently. Taking a swig from his flask he shuffled quietly towards Lusalma.

Velvela didn't register Demari's inquiry, she was already scuttling about the house gathering things. She went to one of the back rooms and gathered a towel and some of her own clothes- most of which were brightly colored and fairly thin- like those she wore in the hot market. She brought the towels to Lusalma, handing them to her. "Come over to the stove and warm up a bit."

She paused slightly as Rad approached the foreign girl. Then she went ahead and handed her the towel. "You can set your things on the kitchen table if you like. They'll be safe there." With that, she set her folded clothes on the table as well. "If you want, you can borrow some of my clothes until yours dry a bit. There is fresh bread and jam on the tables over there." She waved over to the low table in the common room where her father now sat along with Demari. "Help yourself until dinner is ready. If you need some, I can probably put on the kettle for some warm cider."

With that, Velvela got back to preparing dinner. She paused and looked at Lusalma, "You know, I don't think I actually know your name. I'm Velvela, this is my mum Temmi and over there is my father Guron. That's Demari and this here is Rad the Tinker." She smiled and went back to work, watching the girl in her kitchen. When she finished cutting all the vegetables she tossed them into a pot with some water along with the dried meats. She added spices from several jars near the stove. Then she went about collecting what she needed to make flat breads.

Rad had been discretely watching Lusalma for a while now, the box, looked incredibly familiar. The faint glimmer on Lusalma's clothes from the knives really caught his interest now. He kept quiet though, he'd approach her about it in due time.

Demari was quickly distracted as he picked up a slice of bread and spread jam over it's surface with a slight smile. It smelled so good and it tasted even better as he bit into it with a smile.

"This house got mighty full mighty fast" Demari joked as he swallowed his more recent bite, "I suppose the rain does bring people closer together" He muttered with a slight smile.

Velvela started kneading together the ingredients for the flat bread, setting it aside when she was done. She wiped her hands on a damp cloth to clean them, then on her apron to dry them. She moved toward Lusalma, her face awash with curiosity. The Tinker had also moved to the more recent guest.

"What have ya got there?" Velvela asked, leaning forward, but careful not to touch. The stew simmering on the stove was starting to create a rather pleasant smell- but it was no where near ready- the vegetables needed to cook and the meat reconstitute.

In the meanwhile, Velvela's father moved back toward Demari, hoping to interrogate him some more about his life, his family, his means of support, his skills- etc etc etc. There was a definite gleam in the man's eye- one that was best to be avoided by those unwilling to tie themselves down.

Rad stood up slowly and waddled towards "They probably aren't knives" He said pointing to the box "Let me have a look?"

Demari stood up slowly and walked over to the slowly forming group, he was naturally curious about what ever it was Lusalma had. Even though he really had no business snooping like that.

Rad eyed Demari a bit and sighed as he got close to him again, the young man really didn't understand the concept of personal space. Rad reached out and pushed him away a little.

((OOC: Sorry for the little posts I'm still getting used to Rad D: Also is it okay if I do something with the knives?))

"I dunno what the scroll is, maybe a letter? Or umm...a note from the maker? Or umm... a map?" Velvela was intrigued by the box and the scroll and even the knives- or were they daggers or maybe even something else like the Tinker implied? She looked between Rad and Lusalma. Finally her eyes darted to Demari who seemed to be nearly as curious as she.

She grinned at him, taking a step closer. "I haven't had such an exciting evening since a beggar tried to steal my camel several moons back," she said in a soft voice. She took a step back from the table, letting Rad get a closer look- after all, he was more experienced in such things than she.

Mrs. Fleet harrumphed by her pot of cooking fruit that would soon enough become preserves. She looked over to Mr. Fleet who was shaking his head slightly. She covered the fruit and went over to her husband and the pair started chatting in soft voices before they disappeared into one of the back room. "Watch the preserves will you? your father and I need to talk about some things." Velvela turned to her parents with a frown, but nodded. "Of course."

Rad looked over the knife and frowned "I don't know that much" He said in response to Lusalma, ".."

Demari knelt down and picked up the scroll from the floor, he held it in his hands looking it over "It looks relatively harmless to me..." He muttered turning it in his hand a little.

Velvela held back, watching Lusalma, Rad and Demari around the items. It worried her that her parents had left the room whispering in hushed tones. She glanced to the hall where her parent's room lay. She knew better than to go check on them, but she felt nervous- a feeling she rarely indulged in. In her wariness of the matter, she didn't catch everything Lusalma or Demari were saying.

Her mind wandered. "What are they talking about in there? What is so important that they can't tell me? Is something the matter? Have I made a mistake by offering the girl shelter from the rain? We've done this before…" The questions tumbled around in her head, rolling around leading to more questions. The pot behind her bubbled slightly, the lid suddenly jumping a bit from the collection of steam. She jumped at the sound and turns to stir the pot.

The stew was coming together nicely. She went to one of the large jars and opened it, retrieving a scoop from inside. She scooped up some barley and added it to the stew pot. "I should start on the bread…" she told herself. She could hear the voices of her parents in the room down the hall and hoped that the others didn't notice the slightly raised voices. She got out the ceramic pan specially made for flat bread and set it in the oven to heat it. She separated the dough into even portions and started stretching them out into round discs with a easy practiced hand. But her hands simply moved as busy work- her mind was really focused on trying to hear the words her parents were saying. Unfortunately, she couldn't quite make them out.

When all the bits of dough were stretched properly, she went to the cabinet and pulled out enough bowls for everyone along with a serving dish for the stew. She got out the bread plate with the stone in the bottom to keep the bread warm. She set the bowls on the counter since the table was currently in use and surrounded. She opened the oven and tossed several of the prepared breads onto the ceramic plate. She also placed the warming stone in the oven, closing it again. Soon- Velvela had a plate full of steaming flat bread resting upon the warming stone. She covered the plate with a cloth and set it on the counter. She was scooping the thick barley and meat stew into the serving dish when her parents came back out of their room.

They looked slightly upset, but also determined. Her father held something in his hands. It was wrapped in a pure white cloth. It was round and flat, about the size of the preserves pot on the stove in diameter. He walked it over to the group at the table, avoiding eye contact with his daughter, concern wrinkling his sun toughened face. "We have had this in the Fleet family as an heirloom for generations." He unwrapped the item revealing a shield that was made in a similar style to the blades and box that Lusalma had brought into their house. As he set it down, it became apparent that it must have a related origin to the other items. "We…" he cut himself off, for the first time looking to his daughter and shaking his head. "We don't know where it came from, but it has marking on it. We… we think it the time told in our family that it is to be passed on."

Velvela looked at her parents. Her ladle stilling for a moment. She didn't know what to say about this. She hadn't even heard of a heirloom like this in her family. It must be what her parents had been arguing about. She realized it must have been intended to go to her brother when they passed on and not to her. Velvela finished ladling the stew into the serving dish and placed it on the counter. "Why don't we talk about such things over food- all conversations are easier when talking over fresh bread and a warm, hearty meal." She moved the plate of bread and bowls to the table and her mother moved the stew dish. Velvela smiled at those around the table. "It seems we have a grand mystery on our hands. Perhaps it was the rain that brought us together- or maybe it was something more predetermined."

((OOc: Demari had picked up the scroll not Rad))

Demari fingered the lip of the scroll and pulled it open just as the Fleets had returned. His eyes went a little wide as they revealed the shield, but not because of the oddness of it, because the markings on the shield were the same as on the scroll. The shield was just more complete and didn't have all the little notes that were scrawled on the scroll.

Rad had gently guided the knives back in the box, "This....is truly a day predetermined by fate..." He said softly "All of this" He said softly now looking over the shield, but also making his way to the kitchen table. "All of these artifacts..." He sat down in front of one of the bowls now clearly distracted by the smell of food. "mmm this smells so good" He said taking a deep breath and leaving off from what ever explanation he'd started.

Demari re-rolled the scroll, and did not say anything. He'd wait till the tinker was more in the mood to concentrate. But then, the fact that the scroll matched the shield bothered him, it meant that the shield must be important in some way.

"Come, come then. Let's eat and talk of these items. I am very curious about them." Velvela says with a smile. She places bowls on the dining table at each of the spots, moving some of the chairs so everyone has a place. Her parents sit next to one another and Velvela next to them. She smiles, waving everyone to the table for food.

"Help yourselves. Help yourselves." she says, picking up the plate of bread and passing it around. She ladles some stew into her mother's bowl, then her father's, then her own, taking a piece of bread for herself. "Rad, please, join us. I think we all have much talking to do before the night is up."

She looks to the shield, knitting her brow slightly, she opens her mouth to say something, but lets it go. She instead dips some of the fresh flat bread into the warm stew and takes a bite.

Rad sat down at end of the table a smile on his face as he claimed his bowl of stew and a chunk of bread smiling contentedly as he dipped the bread in the stew. He had not quite mastered the desert cuisine and was always delighted when he could sit and eat something that one of the natives cooked.

Demari sat at the other end of the table away from Rad and Across from Velvela, not out of dislike for the Tinker. He ladled stew into his own pot "So...Rad...are you going to continue what you were saying?" He asked as he picked up a piece of bread.

Rad held up his hand bidding silence while he ate.

Velvela dipped her fresh, warm bread into her stew, scooping up a little bit of it before taking a bite. A bit of the rich, stew dribbled on her fingers, but she didn't seem to mind overly much- licking them happily.

She glanced to Demari and Rad. The Tinker didn't seem overly interested in chatting while eating. That confused Velvela a bit. On the other hand, her parents were chatting away with their guests. Her mother quietly probed Lusalma about her parents and what they did. Her father was trying to corner Demari to figure out his prospects.

Velvela, felt she had to rescue them both from her overly loquacious parents and their interrogations. "So, I saw Avri in the market today. She was looking a bit peaky, chubby in the face and…bosomy. I think you both might be grandparents soon." She knew that would stop her parents from their lines of questioning. Any news of her brother and his wife always sent them into a titter of excitement. They had been hoping for grandchildren for almost a season and had pestered poor Avri every time she came over.

Her parents immediately began talking to each other about all the plans they would have to make for a new grandchild.

Velvela grinned, then winked at across the table at Demari and Lusalma as she returned to her meal, waiting for Rad to finish so he would begin his explanation of the items.

(( is this a purely real RPG or can there be anime aspects inside?))

Lusalma smiled in appreciation of Velvela's wink of reassurance and continued eating her nice meal while waiting for Rad to continue his explanation of the items and what he knew.

While eating Lusalma clutched the knives closer and feeling a reassurance at the feel of the blades in her hands looked towards her fathers letter. Curious Lusalma glanced up to see if Velvela or Rad was ready to begin explaining, or if she had enough time to read her fathers letter. Lusalma curiosity grew and grew, probing her impatience and temper. After several minutes of eating and waiting Lusalma started fidgeting, nudging the letter up and down fast enough to make a slight breeze against her leg. Feeling the breeze Lusalma stilled and her eye twitched.

'This is stupid.' Lusalma decided and taking the letter, Lusalma opened it over her empty bowl of stew. Peering down at the weathered and blotched parchment Lusalma sweat dropped in embarrassment and a rising anger...she couldn't read the letter...

Rad looked up, he was finally finished with his meal. He leaned back in his seat patting his stomach a little, "Ah Delicious" He said with a smile.

"Now then...As I was saying...these really are fortuitous circumstances" Rad began, "I hardly consider these coincidences....Those aren't knives, well they are, but their quite a bit more, If you look at the blades there are small ridges along the flats of them, and the ridges are each unique..." Rad rubbed his stomach a little "And the make of them...well I would go so far as to suggest that perhaps they belong to a certain legendary treasure, and that they were intended to be used to access it"

Demari raised an eyebrow a little "And ...what about the Fleets plate?" He asked softly before taking another bite from his stew and bread.

Rad grinned a bit and nodded a little "mmmh That's the most intriguing part...It almost looks like some sort of map...though I can't say just what the land marks are. I can't even imagine landmarks out there in the desert..."

Demari set the scroll he'd picked up off the floor "Because this....Looks really similar" He said softly. He spread the paper on the table for every one to see.