Oxanna sits in a small roadside Inn somewhere within the moonglade. The inn given its size is without name, having always simply been the 'inn'. It is a quiet place for wary travelers to kick up their feet and take a break from the road. This particular evening the tavern is quiet, with few visitors passing through that night. The quiet only broken by the occasional dim chatter of the inn's guest making polite conversation, or the keeper offer drinks or food for those in need.

Sitting at the end of the bar Oxanna lets out a soft sigh, a variety of texts laid out before her on the counter. A large glass of water sits untouched beside her as she focuses upon the texts. Pouring over them. She apepars to be in a relaxed state, uncommon for her, as her mask sits upon her lap. Having been replaced with a simple veil to hide most of her face. Only the edges of her burns unhidden. She is pale and her hale pulled up into a braid around her head, her ears poking out from the side revealing her elven heritage. Making little motion to abandon her comfortable seat at the bar.

The day was late, with the nighttime gradations slowly but surely bleeding into the sky. Ambika had hoped to make more progress through Moonglade today, but it was not to be. So she checked into the nameless inn, and entered the tavern for a brief meal before hitting the bed.

There were few tables in the first place, and unluckily for Ambika, the few corner tables were either occupied by people or miscellaneous items, so Ambika had little choice but to take a seat at the end of the bar... And it so happened a Moon Elf had taken the spot she wished to take. She sighed internally as she weighed her options, and ultimately decided being able to see the ins and outs were still more important and so she made her way to the seat next to the Moon Elf, casting a brief scan of her neighbour in the process and caught hints of burns on her face that were mostly hidden. Assuming that the Moon Elf did not want the burns to be seen, Ambika decided to not touch on the matter and ordered a simple glass of red wine along with a bread bowl as she took her seat and placed her instrument case on the floor.

Oxanna humms as she flips through the books laid about before here. The pages filled with intricate drawings of various plants and medical herbs. Detailing their properties and the processes needing to transform them from mundane herbs into various medicines and mixtures. The book itself is well worn, the binding degraded and the pages filled with various marks and notations on every pages in elegant script. The pen and ink that left such markings sitting not to far from the book upon the bars counter, a posistion she had largely choosen due to the limited light within the room being concentrated here.

She'd spare a glance as the stranger sat beside her, not quite use to others choosing to sit beside her. Her eyes would wondered down to the instrument the stranger had brought alongside her. Offering a polite bow of her head to the older woman, giving her a moment to settle in before she'd turn to ask her question.

"Good evening." She'd say, her voice quiet as she looked over to the other woman. "I'm Oxanna Delin, its a pleasure to meet you, if it would not be to forward. Are you perhaps a musician?" Gesturing to the case she had set down.

"Ambika Shanti Phairot. Travelling bard. Mainly with the lute." Ambika lifted her instrument case onto the bar and opened it up, which presented a crossbow with its bows folded. On the opposite face of the instrument case held a well cared-for scroll containing the sketch of her son, tied neatly with a decorative string that would not be out of place in a noble house. She flipped the crossbow to its opposite side, showing the silhouette of a lute without its strings and an intricately carved sound hole around the middle.

Allowing some time for Oxanna to appreciate the instrument, she then reverted the lute crossbow back to its original orientation and closed the case, placing it on the floor once again.

The keeper would then arrive and serve Ambika's wine. Eyeing the medicinal tome Oxanna was reading, the type similar to those that occupied a few rows of the bookshelves in her partner's study, she decided to ask, "Are you looking for a career in the medical profession?" before taking her wine and savouring it.

Oxanna would spend a moment to admire the combination of instrument and weapon, blatantly surprised at the initial crossbow aspect. Her surprise quickly recovers as she returns to her plain expression. Mouth hidden behind her veil. Her gaze would linger upon the sketch of the boy, yet make no comment. At least not yet.

"Strange, I've not met many Bards so well armed. Though in truth, I've not met many bards in general. It is an honorable trade though, I imagine you're welcome in many places carrying such an instrument."

She'd raise a hand ask the keeper return. Quietly requesting a refill of her water before turning her attention back to Ambika. Adjusting her books as the bard asks her question. With a nod she'll respond "In part, my understanding is more based in alchemy than medicine. Yet I do hope to develop my skills in order to treat the injuries of others. As most of the knowledge I have is...less than useless now." Taking her cup of water when the keeper returned.

Carefully adjusting her veil to sip from the cup, revealing further the extent of the burns along the entire left side of her face, up to her hairline.

"Who will protect me if not myself?" Ambika replied plainly in response to her equipment. "It is a convenience, in earning passage and in earning money." Her passion was largely reserved for the ears of those she loved, and none of them were with her now.

"I hope you find the knowledge you desire, though a fair warning, it will most likely be an arduous journey. My partner and I never found what we needed in 22 years." Ambika's memories rewound back to her family's final anniversary dinner. They never found the courage needed to tell their daughter Cordelia, but she probably already knew there wouldn't be a next year. After all, she knew her body better than either of them ever could. "I would not discount knowledge as useless just because it does not serve your immediate needs. You may find use for them elsewhere." They never did make all that much headway into the Wasting Disease aside from better palliative care, but Florentio certainly managed to save a number more people thanks to his research into other fields in their quest to decipher the disease.

Ambika took another sip of her wine, not paying particular attention to the burns on Oxanna's face being exposed by her movements to avoid bringing about unintended offence.
"If you have a story, I shall hear it. The night is still early," she offered, positing that it would be much easier to have a conversation with her being forthcoming.