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[Lunarisse Aspenstar]

After the Scriptures are returned to their places, the Prelate and Abbess conclude the service with a series of prayers and a benediction upon the assembled.

The Sarumite sisters raise their voice in song and the celebrants file out with the Abbess and the Prelate leading the way, the sisters following, the acolytes last.  As they process past, the assembly likewise follows - from front to back.

Outside the Chapel on the steps, the Abbess and the Prelate greet and speak with the worshipers as they file past and enter into the square.  After they conclude, the Abbess would remain on the steps until she makes her way to the adjacent administrative offices, and the Prelate to his.

[Aria Jenneth]

"How often are these services held? Is it because we're arriving at dawn that we happened to see this one?"

[Arkon Sarain]

"Services like this are held throughout the day at regular intervals." As he winds his way down the stairs back out of the chapel. "The first and last service of any day are always the most resplendent, and the most heavily attended, though."

As the crowd is exiting Arkon stands off to one side, asking again. "Ms. Jenneth did you want me to see if the Abbess or one the sisters could explain some more of this particular service to you?" He smiles genially.

[Aria Jenneth]

"Well ... the sermon seemed pretty clear: humanity generally under True Amarr; True Amarr under Sefrim; absolutely everybody under God. I doubt being ... troubled by the likes of me would improve the Abbess's morning. Let's ... continue on, for now. Ah ... although, who are Garrulor and Frisceas? Are they Sefrim, or spirits of ... some other sort?"

[Arkon Sarain]

Smiles and nods, "Of course I am sure the Abbess will be quite busy preparing for the next service and tending to her duties."

He leads the small group down the steps away from the chapel and into the throng of people busily making their ways to and fro. Arkon keeps his pace leisurely.

"Garrulor and Frisceas, according to most scholars and theologians, are Sefrim." He turns to check that the MIO officials and the Kameiras are still with them, and they indeed are. "Are you feeling hungry? We could stop for a morning snack before pressing on, otherwise we can wait until lunch."

They keep walking on through the crowd.

[Lunarisse Aspenstar]

In another location on the island, the Torsad-Laur District, the late morning crowds are filling its narrow medieval streets between the mud-brick buildings of a prior age.  Some of the buildings have ivies and other climbing vines and small birds dart and in and out through their leaves.

As one passes through the winding streets, greetings and small talk can be heard between groups of neighbors, vendors,  customers, and even slaves and visitors as they encounter each other in the tight spaces and stalls.  All sorts of goods from across the Empire - and elsewhere - can be found here.  Plumes of smoke rise from the stalls and chimneys. A thousand smells wrapped around each other in the thick air from the myriad restaurants with cuisines from all the diverse and assorted peoples of the Empire.

Periodically, the alleys dip and pass through some of the buildings, the upper floors serving as bridges for the tunnels of the alleys below. The alleys then divide and twist in almost random fashion thereafter.  Some of the buildings’ windows have planters and the blossoms lean to catch what snatches of sunlight make their way into the alleys.  Banners or pinwheels on other buildings flutter or spin in the breeze.  Itinerant musicians can be heard somewhere in the distance.

Lunarisse Aspenstar Daphiti is clad in a red cloak, her long blonde hair peeking out from underneath.  Her boots can be heard as she quickly walks over the cobblestones.  She is thoughtful as she has just left morning services at one of the many chapels in the district.   She has a sizeable purse held tightly to her slight  lithe body under one arm, containing all that she needs for a day planetside, including a personal protective spray.

As she passes the Salvation Church Clinic, she gives a quick, pitying glance at the line of bedraggled beggars and former slaves queing up outside the mission and she tosses something into a kettle held by a supplicant for the mission outside its doors.   The supplicant says in a bored monotone and without any meaning infused in it “thank you.  by his light and his will.”  Then the supplicant’s eyes bulge as she sees the ISK credit left in the kettle by Lunarisse and blurts out “Empress!” Overhearing, Lunarisse gives herself a small smile of satisfaction.

Further down the winding street, after smiling at a group of children chasing after a ball bouncing between cracked statues, Lunarisse enters into the garment district and her eyes light up with possibilities as she sees their wares displayed in windows lining the ways.  Entering into one, she slips her hood back and is warmly greeted with two air kisses and a hug by the proprietor and such greetings are returned in kind.  The store is filled with fabrics and weaves and ornate and elegant dresses.  The proprietor seems pleased to see Lunarisse, perhaps the visit of a wealthy commoner and capsuleer with almost limitless coffers are warming her heart with thoughts of coins filling her registers.

Greetings exchanged, Lunarisse browses for a while running the fabrics through her hands with a content smile.  Then the time for haggling begins!

[Aria Jenneth]

Smiles and nods, "Of course I am sure the Abbess will be quite busy preparing for the next service and tending to her duties."

He leads the small group down the steps away from the chapel and into the throng of people busily making their ways to and fro. Arkon keeps his pace leisurely.

"Garrulor and Frisceas, according to most scholars and theologians, are Sefrim." He turns to check that the MIO officials and the Kameiras are still with them, and they indeed are. "Are you feeling hungry? We could stop for a morning snack before pressing on, otherwise we can wait until lunch."

They keep walking on through the crowd.

"Hm. Food ... I did eat before the drop, but, um, lightly. I think I can make it a little longer, though. Let's keep going."

[Arkon Sarain]

"Of course, I think you will enjoy Torsad-Laur district."

After a little while they find themselves leaving the modern area around the landing dock, the modern street narrowing and it's comfortable and clean pavement giving way to cobblestones worn smooth and dirty by centuries of traffic.

Arkon is a regular visitor to the Torsad-Laur district, finding the atmosphere so utterly laden with history, the maze-like streets winding this way and that, the sheer number of sights and people to see meant that every visit brought something new.

He waves off the hawkers of various purloined and other suspect items lazily, he chuckles a little that they don't even worry about the MIO officers trailing behind them. He slows his pace so that Aria can stop to look at any stall or store they pass, he is careful though to ensure she isn't swamped by hawkers.

"Torsad-Laur is one of the older areas of Dam-Torsad, it is also primarily inhabited by commoners and slaves." A small nod to a collared slave who walks by them. "It is usually simply called the Cauldron, I am sure you can guess why." They pass a row of stalls selling numerous varieties of street food. "You will actually find some very good artisans and craftsmen here, as well as the more dubious types of course."

Arkon continues walking at his slow pace.

[Aria Jenneth]

As they move from clean pavement to ancient cobblestone, Aria's eyes slowly widen. By the time the hawkers have been waved off, those little almond-shaped eyes seem to be trying to swallow the world. Her lips curve gently upward at the edges, but this, too, widens slowly into a grin as they proceed.

No sooner has Arkon finished speaking than Aria is nose-deep in the nearest stall. Five seconds, and, she's moved to the next, and then the next, as one new discovery after another seizes her attention. She stops neither to haggle nor to sample, but accelerates through the crowd, sights and smells pulling her kinetically, like magnets in a rail gun barrel.

Only rail charges move in a straight line.

Her grin splitting the difference between academic fascination and childish wonder, the tiny woman darts from point to point in an erratic zig-zag, absorbing everything as though she were intent on devouring the entire district piece by piece. Between her small size and unpredictable movements, keeping track of her quickly gets to be a real problem.

[Lunarisse Aspenstar]

Lunarisse steps out of the shop back into the busy alley, slipping the hood of her cloak back up.  This time, however, she is carrying a tote bag with some fabrics and a receipt for more fabrics and some dresses to be transported to her shuttle.  The shopkeeper cheerily bids Lunarisse a Blessed day.

As she steps through the threshold, she notes the time to herself and glances at the alley as if looking to see someone.  Not yet seeing who she seeks, she begins to browse the outside stalls and meander her way back into the main part of the Cauldron, perusing items of interest as she does.

[Arkon Sarain]

Arkon chuckles to himself as he watches Aria dash this way and that. The MIO men seem to be worried and want to move closer to keep better track of her, but Arkon waves them back. He follows behind her at a leisurely pace with little apparent difficulty in following her movements.

In the distance he spots a familiar looking figure ahead of them. With a cheerful smile at the prospect of seeing Lunarisse once more, though mentally making a small prayer that she won't again try to ensnare him again in her matchmaking. The prayer offered he pressed on.

[Aria Jenneth]

Indeed, Aria's orbit doesn't take her particularly far from the center of her party, at least with Arkon keeping track and it doesn't take too terribly long for Aria to reappear at Arkon's elbow. This may not be very much to Arkon's surprise, but it's certainly much to the relief of her Kameira escort.

A bit pink about the cheeks, but smiling happily, she strolls along beside him, though her eyes keep scanning back and forth among the buildings for any sights she hasn't already scouted.

[Arkon Sarain]

Looks down at Aria as she finally stops her rapid orbit, and with a cheerful smile adds.

"Please by all means if you wish to stop at a stall let me know, I always have to stop myself buying things when I come here - I once found a genuine Adakul meditation manual here, centuries old. So many treasures hidden around here."

He continues to walk slowly along, a nod or smile to the stall owners who remember him or are just being polite. Even in the great din of life here you can still hear like a baseline prayers and hymns. Up ahead he can see Lunarisse Aspenstar their paths already set to cross Arkon continues walking forward.

[Aria Jenneth]

"There do seem to be a lot of very old things for sale. Or ... maybe I'm having trouble telling the new from the old, Your Honor. ..." She gestures at the air. "Ah-- there are ... aging techniques? To make wares seem older than they are?"

[Lunarisse Aspenstar]

Lunarisse sees Arkon and Aria finally.  They seem to be in conversation.  She makes her away over with a bright smile and perky step.  As she does, she also sees that Aria has 'followers' and gives them a cautious look as she slows down and composes herself into a more reserved countenance.