Repaying the favor

[Jehan Chumomisto]

Timestamp: The third brightening in Aperitus in the Season of Summer, Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum, the Second Era of the Regency of Milo L'Evienne. –Late at Night

Jehan law awake at night, he had done the drawing for his sister so that she may be blessed with good luck, or at least better than what she had now. He kept the drawing in a book that nobody had ever read, he wanted to surprise her with it in the morning. She would like it he knew that much but he still wasn’t sure if she would allow him to tattoo her skin. He couldn’t see why she wouldn’t but stranger things have happened and Jehan knew of the meaning that was behind the tattoo. He wanted to be the one that inked her skin.

He sigh as he closed his eyes again.

Flashback

It had been a cycle since he had learned from Anagaja, he had been bandaging and cleaning anything that he could get his hands on, excited for when he would be ready to advance with his lessons. He hadn’t heard any word from the baba since the brightening that he had left so he had assumed that she hadn’t had any people come looking for tattoos, but that didn’t stop Jehan from being ready. He himself shaved everyday, even though he was young and clearly didn’t need to he did as his parents asked him not to shave a bandage the animals.

Near the end of the night however after they had made a new camp Anagaja opened her door and Jehan seen her. He ran over as quickly as he could with a large smile on his face which was returned by the old woman. “I will be requiring your assistance next brightening when the suns reach the top of the sky” she told him

“I will be there” he said calmly, containing the excitement that threatened to explode within him. She would get to see how much he had been practicing and what he had learned it doing so. Joints were hard to do, anything that moved a lot was but he was slowly beginning to master the art of bandaging. “Who will be getting one?”

“It is a young girl, she is my granddaughter. She will be visiting and I am to give her, her first tattoo. I am not sure how she will react so it is good that I have found you, rather that you have found me. She may have her grandmothers tolerance for these things, or she may not. Either way it will be good practice. She is my sons youngest daughter” she informed Jehan offering much more information than she needed to. He appreciated this, it was a sign of trust.

“Very well, I will see you next brightening” he said as he turned away and the old woman closed the door to her vardo.

[Jehan Chumomisto]

The next brightening Jehan had woken up early. He didn’t know why and as the day progressed he wished he hadn’t. They had planned to spend the brightening in this spot as some of the kumpania was still a brightening behind. The summer weather was nice though and Jehan enjoyed the fresh air but he couldn’t stop looking at the vardo of the old woman waiting for this girl to arrive. Nobody came…

Finially when the suns were at their highest point Jehan knocked on the door of the vardo. This time he wasn’t greeted by the wrinkled face of an old woman rather it was the beautiful face of a young gypsy with a brilliant smile. She was older than him by at least two Ordinances older than he. He was speechless at the time, it had caught him off guard. She was…stunning to which didn’t help the young Jehan. “Sastimos” her voice chimed greeting him. “My name is Apala, you must be Jehan?”

She asked, Jehan only nodded his head feeling the redness burn in his cheeks. He had never done this before, he had seen many beautiful girls but for some reason she was different. She laughed and led him in as she sat down in a chair and Jehan just stood there. Anagaja could see what was happening and smiled. “This is my granddaughter that I have spoke with you about” her voice held in it amuzment. Jehan had prided himself on being level headed, but now he was thrown off and he couldn’t explain why. He tried not to look at the young girl but his eyes always wandered back.

He cleared his throat to break the spell that he had been under which worked for the most part. He was at least able to talk. “Where, where is it going?” he asked to the old woman. Apala lifted her shirt so that Jehan could see her stomach.

“Right here” the young girl said with a laugh pointing to her ribs. It was going to be a big one as she circled the area. Jehan swallowed and looked at the table. Everything had been set out. He nodded and picked up the blade to shave her, from what he seen, hairless ribs. Once he picked up the razor however it became business.

“If you are ready now then I will begin” he told her, his voice normal. She nodded and so he began running the blade carefully along her ribs shaving off the very fine hair. She giggled at the first touch but it didn’t break Jehans concentration. This was his life, well it was going to be hopefully. He wasn’t going to be able to be distracted by pretty girls or he would never get far.

[Jehan Chumomisto]

Once the saving was done Jehan washed the area with a wet cloth after wringing it out. He was a professional, well as professional as a 15 year old child can be when he is very attracted to a girl but he didn’t shy away from touching her. As far as he was concerned this was a job, he did however remain silent during this process as the two ladies talked to one another. Surprisingly to Jehan they were conversing in common as well which made it hard for him to follow their conversation.

Once the area was clean he also rubbed the alcohol over it so that the area was sterilized. That didn’t take long, but once it was done he began to heat up the bone carved needle over the flame of the candle. He hadn’t been tattooed yet in his life and so he couldn’t help but stare at the sharpness of the tip and wondered how the old lady could stand there still as stone while she was getting her own done.

Now came the time that Jehan was expected to figure out the person and keep them calm during the session. He handed the needle to the tattooist who took it and let it cool a few moments. “Where are you from?” Jehan asked trying his best to use common fluently as she got pricked with the first poke and squinted moving in pain.

“That is a question only gaje ask” she said seriously even through the pain. When she seen the look of terror on Jehans face she laughed a little but was cut off as the needle penetrated her skin again and her whole face squinted.

“Keep her quiet!” The old woman intoned harshly at a whisper. Jehan wasn’t sure what else to do but he could tell that she was in a lot of pain and was moving around too much. Jehan took her hand and held it in the two of his massaging her soft delicate skin. The effect was calming for both him and her, he didn’t want to every let go of that beautiful flawless hand. This calmed her down some and caused her to look into Jehan’s eyes and he looked right back at her and they both smiled this time.

It was nothing, perhaps a moment in time that was created because of what was happening right then. They were not one another’s and nor would they ever be for she had a braid in her hair. She was promised, but for these two candle marks (at least) they were each others. Nobody spoke a word and Jehan never stopped massaging her hand. Not until the tattoo was done and they both stopped looking at one another as if nothing happened.

[Jehan Chumomisto]

Jehan looked down at the tattoo, it was magnificent. It was a very large falcon with it’s wings going upwards. It was as if he were looking at the bird face to face, it was perfect as far as Jehan could tell. “Thank you baba! It is amazing” Apala exclaimed to her grandmother with a cheer as the old woman showed her with a mirror. It really was a work of art, one of the most beautiful tattoos that Jehan has ever seen.

Jehan looked at it for a few more moments before he started cleaning it up. Surprisingly it hadn’t bled much which was a good thing because Jehan had been busy keeping the girl silent. He washed her off with water and then again with alcohol the way that he had done for Marko and to Anagaja herself. He was gently, it looked like it hurt and he didn’t want to cause her anymore pain than what she had just gone threw.

When it was clean he showed it to her again with the mirror and the two ladies went back to talking to one another again. Jehan bandaged the area keeping the cloth tight. It was an easy place to bandage and had done so quickly. When he was done he sat around for a little bit listening to the two speak in common as if he weren’t there at all.

“I will take my leave now” Jehan finally said in the tongue of the gypsies. “Thank you for giving me the time to practise” he said as he rose. They all said farewell but when he opened the door and stepped out he was tapped on the shoulder.

It was Apala. “Thank you” she said with a grin kissing Jehan on the cheek before closing the door. Jehans cheeks turned red as he made his way back to his vardo.

Real Time

Jehan smiled as he rolled over and fell asleep.

[Kalinda]

1 XP in tatooing for Jehan!