Magnolia
*That did not go well at all.*

*The dark elf was probably wondering what the hell she was talking about. Introducing with a request to someone whom she had never met, and not even for a fee? Right now, Ling was as open as she could possibly be, either willingly or not, and her face turned red with embarrassment.*

*Her expression turns to confusion as Ehakli salutes her, though she doesn't know what the movement means. Neither did she know what 'mannerisms' were, or 'destinations' or 'greeting' or 'guidance' or 'respite'—too many big words made her head start to hurt. The Tholian might as well be speaking another dialect.*

*But it seems that she got what she came for. For the second time in her life, she was lucky to find someone that could help her. All the other times was due to her own skill. Her own skill wouldn't seem obvious though, as her speech is short and even a bit timid, for someone who acted so confidently earlier.*

"Manawhat? Oh, ok. Just a mixup then."

*Phew.*

*A tea place? Ling wasn't a fan of tea; it reminded her of what her family drank at home. She tended to go for sake herself; much stronger, and definitely more expensive, though she had heard of pricey teas before. It was common for restaurants, bars and drink areas to have both options, so Ling simply nodded.*

"Thank you. It really means a lot to me."

*That was the second time she had said that, ever.*

*Ling begins to gracefully stroll towards the nearest bar, the 7 Leaves. She knew that tea was popular around there along with alcohol, so she hoped that it would suffice.*
Keisha
*Now here was a more discernable text of subtle facial expressions that Ehakli could work with! Privately in her mind, Ehakli thanked the varied lessons of other courtiers she outlived that would bring her a sensibility to glean something even from the facial ticks of a foreigner with the hints of confusion that practically waved flags from this blushing swordswoman's countenance. As gifted as silnarian were in these things, they could not read minds, but perhaps the 'certain something' about this runran before Ehakli was in discovery a direct sort of simplicity in Ling's apparent intentions.*

*It was interesting to the tholian, that someone moved for something so potentially simple could be so bold. Or, perhaps this was the particular artistry of an assassin's net one does in this land, but, it seemed to pique this Lymian well enough to follow. On Ling's more immediate facial reactions to the mention of tea, Ehakli voiced quickly after the runran's nod.* "-Or really *Anything* One might find kind after a long travel." *She gestured a hand in some strange way as if to encourage Ling to move lest be possibly touched by hand at the small of her back* "I simply wish to not sweat too much into my finer dress clothes, wherever we go, but let us go."
Magnolia
*And there it was. Noble privilege again, not wanting to dirty their 'fine clothing'...Whatever, the elf was helping her. She wasn't being cruel or demeaning either. Her footsteps become ever the more harder on the wooden dock, which soon transitions to cobblestone as they move into the marketplace.*

*The 7 Leaves is marked by a symbol of, well, 7 leaves, arranged in a fan. The weird symbols Ling ignored; she didn't understand them anyway. Barstools were neatly arranged at the bar, and several tables were elevated, with various people chatting and drinking.*

*Ling catches a few odd looks, and comparing her to others, it's clear that her 6 foot stature isn't normal, and neither is her red, flowing clothing. But Ehakli would definitely have more eyes on her; her form of wear was obviously foreign. Her method of walking, her look, and the overall aura she exuded was different.*

*Someone attempts to whistle towards the two women, but is quickly shut up by a razor sharp glare from the swordswoman.*

"Sake, for me."

*The bartender nods, having seen Ling a couple of times before, and slides over a cup and a gourd. The woman quickly downs a shot before exhaling loudly. Ignoring Ling, the bartender then nods to the Tholian.*

"What can I get for you, Ma'am?"
Keisha
*The small journey to the marketplace on the tholian's end to Ling was marked with an unexpected shift in position after she had noticed another official from the ship out looking about from the dock trader's area they had just left behind. If Ling was the sort to pay attention to this sort of thing, she might have caught Ehakli strangely giving a wink to the other dark elf in the last moment before moving around a stacked stone wall, strangely as if to betray the previous effort to slip away unnoticed.*

*From there to the Seven Leaves, Ling was spared much peace from Ehakli, as the dark elf said no words unprompted by Ling herself. There was even a moment where an outskirt merchant between the docks and marketplace tried to entice the tholian with cheap baubles, but the dark elf replied defensively in a much cruder runran tongue that she doesn't understand the language; an obvious lie. At least, to some degree.*

*Inward, Ehakli found herself to enjoy the strange pleasure of following this determined local into an establishment. Normally she would hesitate at the threshold of a new place while carrying a smoking pipe, but if Ling had not flinched, so too not she. Really, the whole affair left the impression of an idle tourist, ripe for the picking of opportunists, but that changed when Ling severed clean a catcall with only a sudden glare. This move brought the tholian's attentions back into more acute focus. She reminded herself of coming into Hombaxia in the mid 850's, and let herself relax on the surface, keeping a sharp but subtle eye on Ling's social cues, intentional or otherwise.* 

"Sake, for me also." *She said, in perhaps the simplest form of runran tongue she'd express since their entire encounter together.*

"So," *She looked to this very strange stranger.* "You are, learning poetry?" *It was somehow difficult to form the question. Ehakli still wasn't quite certain what this was all about, the bold statement at the docks aside.*
Magnolia
*The macen seems a bit lost in thought as the pair walk towards the bar, not noticing Ehakli making a last wink. Indeed, in her head were thoughts of someone else, and who the poem was to be about. Fluffy tails, a kind face, a large blade, absolutely adorable ears-*

*Only to be cut off rudely by that blasted catcall. She considered whacking him upside the head or chopping off a finger for the insult, but as always, decided he wasn't worth the trouble. Some of Ehakli's pipe smoke gets in her face, causing her to hack and cough and down another cup of sake.*

"I thought you wanted tea. Guess no one truly likes that over some good drink, huh?"

*A small smirk appears on Ling's face as she pours herself another cup, though sighs once she sets it down, and looks around, making sure the bartender is serving someone else. Leaning in close, the swordswoman would whisper quietly, with her head down.*

"I... I just need to write one. But I don't know how to read or write. At all. I can't write anything, but I need something on a scroll for her."
Keisha
*Perhaps comforted by the otherwise seemingly rigid demeanor of this macen, Ehakli couldn't help but play into the smirk, a reserved coyness spreading over her own expressions to the joke and the pouring.* "Oh, is sake not a tea? No wonder everyone gives a queer look when I go on about it." *A drip of sarcasm, though she wondered if such affects translated well from silnarian to the runran tongue. In any case, she was certainly happy to enjoy the rice wine.*

*She let the playfulness drift from her demeanor as she listened to Ling explain the situation a bit. When the swordswoman ended with a mysterious 'her', Ehakli thought there would be more to follow, but left just as that, her imaginations began clicking turns in her mind. Perhaps this was embarassing for Ling in more ways than solely illiteracy.* "I see. Is that common here? You carry a sword, a decent one by my cursory observation, which must mean you make some means for yourself and aren't left merely raising chickens for selling eggs. Tell me a little about yourself, curious stranger. I am Ehakli, by the way, of Lymia in Ramul Ta."