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 Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:09 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:18 am
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Whew! Prologue time, just a taste.
Before time began, before spirits and life existed…
In the space between spaces, where light and darkness were a concept explored, and manipulated, three beings raced. Glowing, shroud less entities cast the noise that only echoed if one willed it, cast the only light for one who desired shadows, and left the only method of touch if one so believed in it. It just so happened, these three did.
Din, the Goddess of power…
A form with no form shot blazing through the space. A long core that held everything together, a sphere on top for observation and awareness and four extensions of spirit. A single ray of light, the color recognized by English language as red, reached out through the darkness manipulated. The ray touched another collection of magic.
“Tag, you’re it!” the musical language taunted.
Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom…
The second collection of a slower speed whirled at the contact. It burned brighter blue yet with the positive emotion of glee.
“You are too fast.” the energy pulsed to the other. “I cannot outrun you.”
The entity of Red burst with its laughter.
“Haha, catch me if you can!”
She gathered a burst of energy and zoomed forward.
The usually silent brother did not chase after. One extension reached out to the speeding red blur. “Sister, wait!”
A great thunderous clap echoed. A rift from the space between spaces ripped through, allowing an opening.
“Ow… what on…”
Farore, the Goddess of courage…
There was a third entity, one that had been preparing for it’s own escape, but stopped at seeing the new doorway. A green twinkle from the sphere gave away a sigh. The third spirit flew through the opening after the brother.
“Oh smooth going Din.”
“Shut up, Farore!
“Now where are we?” the blue glided smoothly through the opening.
Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.
“Oh crud, I ripped through the dimensions again, didn’t I?”
“Again?” the green whirled to meet the sister’s red evenly. “When else did you do this?”
“Oh look!” the spirit glowed brighter at the discovery, “Undefined matter of potential!” the energy zoomed into the cloud.
“Din!” both cried.
Din
She zoomed among the shapeless cloud. Quickly he drew the microscopic matter together to form larger masses. Two of the long extensions spread out around her, to capture and draw in the invisible bases, the shapeless formless matter that would give him energy to sustain the creation. The energy twirled deep into the center of the cloud. It stilled, and the red energy it emitted dimmed to a barely visible twinkle.
“She will do it.” Farore said flatly.
The blue energy beside her flickered her affirmative.
The twinkle exploded in an uncontrolled mass of heat, energy, and light. The fire that threatened to escape into the cold reaches of space halted. Slowly the flames moved and drew back in, swirling and spinning patterns. The clouds of minerals and materials floating about changed their pathless course, and headed for the slowly shrinking sphere of fire. The free and formless began to draw and mix into a more solid liquid, spinning and turning, all according to the movements of the energy being. Her light flickered and glowed with delight as she danced within the heat of everything, her power releasing in reddened spirit and exploding with each step, with each change in position. She attuned herself with the rhythm of the forming molten planet and danced away happily as her energy slowly solidified into a different form, a new type of body.
Green Farore glowed angrily at the antics of her sister, even as her dance ended and she burrowed through the molten material of the ridged new planet. Honestly, every time!
With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth.
Finally, her body extinguished it’s flames, leaving her pure form once more. Altered. The energy became encased in a soft though durable material, the lighter color of the brown earth she had just created. The core was long and slender, keeping together the extensions and the sphere of awareness. Near the top, just a step below the sphere were two extensions with tiny branches at the very end, with the intent and purpose of reaching out and feeling. At the end of the core were longer extension with flat bottom surfaces, for the intent to support the body upright. She let out an obnoxious sigh of exhaustion and fell back. The rich scarlet energy that collected and formed into thin delicate threads sprouting from the sphere of awareness flowed as a scarf around the descending body, just before it landed, and kicked up a cloud of dust. The thick mane settled, and orbs of sight with rusty red opened to gaze at the black infinity of space.
“So tiring.”
Farore flew down to meet the brother and scowled at her lying form. The form taken only after the act of creation. She stayed aloft.
“Maybe if you stopped creating useless planets every other day you would be more rested.” she snapped.
Din looked up at her innocently. Her only defense made Farore glare that much stronger.
“But it’s fun…”
As the sisters bickered, the third and smallest brother touched the floor. The moment her energy made contact, a blue spark twinkled in a tiny gasp.
Farore turned, the voice of her sister so rare it caught her attention, no matter how soft. “Nayru? What is it?”
Din sat up suddenly and watched the blue cloud warily over her long pointed bump for smelling. The collection of light rose slowly from the surface of red earth, into the close reaches of space.
Nayru
Her spirit became calm. Her extensions rose from her sides, up into the black abyss. Her magic glowed outward, and slowly drew in- a breath.
Both of the siblings observed as a pure serenade, a chorus of sweet beauty poured from the beacon glittering above. An instrument to carry across the leagues and acres with a sound that was the embodiment of her power. Drops of water- gentle, clear, undemanding- dropped onto the earth. Pure gentle water flowed down the rock, ebbing away crude edges and smoothing the surface. Her hands came together, not quite touching, her fingers as light and gentle as petals. She spread her hands slowly. From the center a blue orb formed. Her arms lowered to her shoulders-
“Nayru stop!” Farore cried.
-And the orb exploded.
A wave of blue energy swept above the land. The black became veiled, softening the hue to cerulean. The wave radiated beyond sight, only to encase the entire rough sphere in a powerful barrier. Her spread body relaxed as she let out a tired breath. The light diminished, exposing Nayru’s vessel of creation. Farore raced up to meet her sister, for the woman’s body was quickly falling. She caught her with her hands, and stared down at her tired form. Pure ivory, a white skin that held her essence. It was quite a bit smaller than Din’s, though still proportional, from the flat slender core down to the hinges built within the extensions to allow better, though still limited flexibility. Long gentle waves of azure flowed from the pale sphere, and curled around the front surface of her head. The opening for speech was slightly parted for a new heavy jaw beset by gravity. The new tiny orbs of her sight slowly opened to cast a deep navy gaze onto the collection of magic and energy that was her equal.
Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world
The sisters translated the code of her song easily. Each note a guide, each flat a rule, each sharp, a consequence. Each dissonance, a warning. Each harmony, a hope. But the knowledge of such ideas were useless in the barren world Din had created.
“Nayru, why?”
The wisest of the three blinked. Her face pulled the corners of the opening for speech in an expression of tired glee.
“They cry for life.”
Farore stilled at the news. Din‘s creation… was a call for life? She turned to her silent sister. “Din? You truly wanted…”
The brick red eyes glanced over, to the pair, then looked to the rocks beneath the flat of her hands. She scooped up a handful of dust, and let it trail from her fingers.
“I’m just a little yearning. Must have come through in my creation.”
Farore’s gaze softened and she descended. She let down the body of her sister.
“For how long?”
Din shrugged. “A while now.”
“Nayru?”
She was silent for a moment. That was enough. She pleaded to the only remaining pure entity standing among them now.
“We can’t do this without you Farore.”
Farore did not touch down to follow the request.
Din looked up at her hesitantly. “Are you angry?”
Of course she was angry. Furious really, but it had all come too far now for her to let her selfish desires stop everything.
“Well…” the energy pulsed and sensed around her, “it might have been nice to receive some sort of warning.”
She merely looked around, silently pondering. She supposed this time was to come sooner or later. They could not be so carefree for all of eternity. After all, they were given the power of creation, in the eventual goal to give birth, and guide. It seemed that the time had come for them to no longer be entities, and to instead become deities. Perhaps a part of her resented Din for pulling them into this without so much as discussing it first. The truth was, she could not bring herself to be angered. She was going to miss their childhood.
The woman came down slowly. The moment her bottom extensions touched he soil, she felt it. The overwhelming urge to create. It was no wonder Nayru could not resist. Din’s desire was strong, and could not be ignored. Already her power was beginning to stir and form. She could sense it, the perfect materials and spirit to create life. She wondered briefly, did all of Din’s creations have this same make-up? She stepped away from the exhausted pair, and took her turn. She had no passion and power like Din, or beauty and wisdom like Nayru. She would never feel the intense power of creation the way the other two had. But there was no hierarchy based on this, for Farore in the end was the most important of all.
She was life.
Farore
She calmed her spirit, and reached deep inside for the needed inspiration. Her green energy collected and entwined deep inside her. She dimmed and glowed brighter- a breath. She jumped forward, into the reaches of the newly formed sky and started her journey. She blew.
A torrent of wind tunneled out from her form. Green specks of her magic scattered and followed the gusts created. The glowing rain fell onto the surface of the dust, taking forms of seed. She flew around the sphere, within the protective shell. Soon the magic formed on her own sphere, a long silky thin trail. She ducked low, on the surafe of her sister’s seas. She touched them with grace, her intents and magic mixing and swirling in potential forms.
She came back, tired and taxed. She rested momentarily next to her sisters, who had mostly recovered by now. Din looked at Farore, a bit guiltily.
“Thank you.”
The panting Farore glanced over. Her full exhuastion met, the full extent of her anger and annoyance flared.
“Blast it all Din!” a great mountain that had been close by exploded at the powerful curse from her powerful lips. It obliterated into tiny particles that could not even be called rocks and rained over a great majority of the land. “You can’t just go-”
“Hey!” The dancing girl smiled up and collected a bit of the dust with a swirl of her hand, and examined it. “We can use this!” She let the dust flit through her fingers and pat the girl’s head. “Thanks Farore!”
Farore blinked and plopped back with a tired sigh onto the rocky surface.
With her rich soul produced all life forms who would uphold the law
“I can’t wait to see what you’ve painted.” Nayru chirped.
“Well, it should only take a few million.” Farore said thoughtfully. “I guess we can have one more round until then. For old times sakes.”
The two sisters nodded. They could have at least one last bit of fun before they completely took on the responsibility of a planet.
“We ready?” Din asked as she stood.
Farore nodded. “Yep. Ready as I‘ll ever be.”
Nayru smiled and took the hands of her sisters. They smiled with her, and linked their own hands as well, creating a circle of three.
“Let’s go.”
They gathered their energy, stirring the air and dust of four centuries. They took off.
The three great Goddesses, their labours completed, departed for the heavens.
As they gather energy, the three deities experienced friction, and heat, and resistance, something they had never felt before with their new bodies. They kept their eyes ahead at the rift they had entered through. As they neared, Nayru began to become fearful.
“Sisters?” she called over the roar.
“What?” They both asked.
“We’re not malleable in these forms, are we?”
There was a moment of confused blinking as the two sisters took this in. At the exact same second, their eyes widened.
“Oh shy-”
All three noggins collided into one another. Farore’s nose against Din’s forehead, and Nayru’s mouth against Din’s chin. They all dispersed quickly, holding their own injuries.
“Ow!” Farore clutched at her rounded nose. “Watch it!”
Din glared at her sister, rubbing the top of her head and under her chin.
“You bumped in me!” she argued. She glanced at Nayru. “You okay?”
The smallest one nodded, her tiny hands over her lip.
“Ah well, It’s try that again, one at a time.” Din said.
She entered through first, Farore followed, and Nayru came up at the rear. Once on the other side all three used their power to mend and seal the entrance once more.
“Am I bleeding?” Farore asked and lifted her fingers.
Din looked at the shining golden liquid and nodded. “Just a little.”
She drew her own fingers away from the cut Nayru left, and looked and the glittering essence. “Damn, hope we don’t leave any in here on accident. If that doesn’t spell disaster I don’t know what does.”
Nayru nodded in agreement as she pressed her fingers against her busted lip.
One the other side of the repaired crack, three golden droplets, one from each Goddesses fell as rain. They drew together, and congealed into a sharper form. Each took form of the strongest and most balanced shape of the known universe: the triangle.
And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the Goddesses left the world.
“It seems our power has increased the development in this particular area.” Nayru observed.
Except the creatures were not sufficient at all. The limbs were knurled and mutated in a way that made movement difficult and slow. The anatomy and body structure were poorly developed, and the creatures rarely last very long. Pain filled their brief life. The creation of life rush without the needed time for perfection. The great Gifts of the Goddesses.
“Blast-” another mountain from afar exploded, “looks like it’s already attuned itself with the earth.”
Farore grew serious as she pondered this over. “We just need to seal it off. Enough to keep it away from life until it can grow at a more decent rate.”
Nayru observed the failed experiments. Their behavior to the glowing three triangles attached to each other. She noted with some amusement that Din’s essence was on top. The three descended. They encircled the triangles. They held their hands out, and carefully formed a fortress, and crude holding with only the intention to keeping out diredt contact with life. The essence and intention and power still leaked through, subtly influencing life forms for years to come.
Since then, the sacred Triangles have become the basis of our world’s providence.
And the resting place of the triangles has become the Sacred Realm.
“Alright, we did it!” Din grinned and threw her arms up. “With that problem fixed, we should be a-ok from here on out!”
“But they still need light.” Nayru murmured. “A source of warmth and sight.”
The sisters followed her gaze to the creatures now stumbling in darkness. Farore turned to Din with an amused grin.
“Guess what you get to do.”
Din blinked. Then groaned.
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:59 am
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Okay, next Chapter up, the answer to many many questions (two in all, I think) shall now be answered! Enjoy.
It was dark outside. The starry sky created a milky screen against the midnight blue of the heavens, giving the curved appearance of a dome ceiling. A right half moon glowed in the eastern hemisphere of the sky, giving some guidance to those creatures with superb eyesight. Still, the different shades of the landscape blurred to monochrome shadows. The nocturnal insects, birds and rodents made their nightly prowls through the branches, leaves, and trunks. Their occasional calls echoed through the wood while the diurnal animals rested within the comforts of their beds.
Four houses nestled in scattered plots in the grove deep beneath the sacred temple grounds of the forest. So secluded and sacred, fireflies still flew and traveled here, though not for this season. The small cottages attained a circular perimeter with their pointed tile roofs. One tiny building, more of a square than circle rested at the far end of the grove clearing. In the wall of mossy and vine covered cliff wall was a small tavern, a half-scale inn abandoned for it’s true use long ago. Each light was out, casting the village in darkness. Though the quiet that had soothed the village was slowly disrupted by a slow, weakened cry.
The woman in the greatest room on the second floor of the inn sat up suddenly.
“Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” a slightly groggy deep voice replied.
“That… a baby crying.” she whispered.
“That’s just one of the other children crying. Let their parents take care-”
Her small finger hushed the man’s persuasion. “I know their cries, this isn’t one of them.”
Despite her exhaustion and sticky body she swung her legs over the mattress and hopped out of bed. She rushed through the darkness as her husband sat up hunched half under the blankets.
“You’re imagining things.” he said to her. “It‘s your wishful thinking gone array.”
“Don’t patronize me.” She grabbed a linen gown and slipped it over her naked body. “I can tell the difference of fanciful worrying and a true baby in need.”
She picked up the lantern from the cabinet with the stored clothes. She turned the dial, lighting the oil in the glass and iron container and sparking a soft yellow orange glow, lighting her tousled flaxen hair, blue eyes and white gown. The man sighed heavily as the woman left through the double square doors. He threw the blankets off and rose as well, walking to his own cabinet of clothing to slip something on for modesty. As he rustled through, he thought he might have heard a baby too… no, not a baby, but a child non the less.
The woman stepped out into the dark, not bothering to close the doors behind her. The room this couple slept in was on the western wall, the grandest on the top floor of the small two story tavern. The floor was a simple rectangle of ten meters wide and thirty meters long. A rectangle of smaller size though similar proportions cut out from the middle of the birch floor to let on a view of the round tables and chairs of the first floor. A rail four feet high with beige spokes and a smooth mahogany hand rail bordered the edge of the opening. The lantern glow lit the colors of the meter and a half wide walkway as the woman traversed through the darkness. On the wall to her left was an array of single doors; simple brown wood with black, round iron handles, each with a keyhole under each doorknob. She traveled to the end, and turned at the corner to hurry down the steps.
The tables were four feet above the ground, and a meter around. They were crude oak sanded and smoothed with four chairs each to match. She ignored the chairs and tables, dodged between them to reach the rounded double doors; the front entrance to the Tavern. The wailing of course grew louder as she neared, and as she lifted the heavy wood beam from out of the holding slots, propped it, and pushed a single door open, she stared.
A tiny little thing, barely reaching up to her knee was sitting half cross legged on the step. She was pale, lightly plump with baby fat and had a healthy head of vivid red hair. Her tearful eyes reflected green in the light just before she squinted, and covered her eyes with her tiny fists. She kept crying, but whether it was from the pain of the bright light, or a continuation of the earlier bout Hera could not tell. She set the lantern onto a table at least a meter from her before kneeling in front of the child. Gently she shushed the little girl as she slowly picked her up.
“Now there, it’s all right, you’re okay… except you’re freezing, sweet mercy how long have you been out there?”
The young woman moved to close the door, except to find old lady Heida waddling over, dressed in a cotton nightgown and shawl. She held the lantern up and wheezed as her old bones moved as fast as they could go. She finally arrived at the household and put a hand over her quickly beating heart as she heaved to catch her breath. Her face turned into surprise glimpsed at the crying girl.
“Sweet Mercy.” she breathed.
“Now Lady Heida,” the young man said sternly as he moved down the steps, “an old respectable woman like you should not be uttering such language. Not with you so close to death.”
“And this old crone will be laughing at you from my spot in the throne chairs when my time is up.” she snapped as she closed the ends of her shawl together. “Hurry, let’s get inside and warm the child.”
The woman entered behind and Hera closed the door. When Mitulo actually caught a glimpse of the child, a scrutiny of confusion crossed his features. The women were too busy to notice. Heida took the warm shawl from her shoulders and used it to wrap the toddler. She was so small it could be wrapped several times around her frame and come up over her head. Her crying slowed to sniffles as she felt more awe the more the strange foreign women coddled and fussed.
“How long has she been out there?” Hera asked Heida.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” the old woman whispered as she rubbed the body through the material. “She only started crying a few minutes ago.”
“Oh thank goodness. I was afraid she was outside for longer without me knowing.”
“Afraid you could not hear her over your rutting? Don’t worry, she would have been
taken care of.”
Hera sighed heavily at the language and focused back on the little girl. “Do you think she got lost, or was dropped here on purpose?”
“Considering she is Gerudo, I would assume on purpose. Really, how could a child wonder in on their own through the grove?”
Hera looked up suddenly. “Not possible, they died out years-”
“Do you know any other race with red hair?”
“Well no… but if that were true that would mean…”
They looked to Mitulo suspiciously. He did not say anything. They shook their heads simultaneously.
“Surely she would have had more taste than that.” Heida murmured.
Mitulo scowled.
“Remember who he’s married to.” Hera mentioned lightly, as though it did not bother her.
Both of the women noticed the girl’s focus on a completely different face. There was a staring contest between Mitulo and the tiny girl. She looked up with awe, he looked down with wary confusion.
“Well, look at that. Maybe she likes you.” Hera said.
“Or maybe she’s fascinated because she’s never seen a man before. I regret it had to be him as her first vision but-”
“Lady Heida, please.” Hera murmured. She did not want this as this time of night.
Mitulo paid no mind. Hesitantly he reached his hands out to pick up the child. “Hello there little-”
“Siya!” She shrieked and rolled away on the table.
Just before falling and crashing into a chair Hera picked her up. She still squirmed within the wrapped shawl and tried to get away from the man.
“I rest my case.” Heida chuckled.
“Goodness, she’s strong!” Hera breathed as she held on.
“How old do you suppose she is?” the old woman asked.
“Oh how should I know? You would be a better guesser than me.”
“I would think…” she studied the girl carefully, as she cried out in babble. “Well she
can‘t be one yet, she is so small, and can‘t seem to speak yet.”
“Siya!” the girl said again, glancing at Mitulo, then turning away to bury her head in
Hera’s shoulder.
“It’s the beard.” Heida said.
Mitulo lightly rubbed his whiskered face almost self-consciously. Surely he was not that frightening…
“Well I wish you both the best of luck.” Heida yawned as she picked up the lantern. “I’ll
be off to bed.”
“What?” Mitulo looked to Heida with something akin to horror. “You mean to leave her
here?”
Hera looked slightly frightened as well. “Surely there must be another household-”
“Well, she was left to you.” She looked sharply at them. “And you both have been trying to conceive children for many months now. You should be looking to this as an answer to your prayers.”
Neither of the parents said anything, Though Hera’s face softened as she looked to the sniffling little girl.
“Take good care of her,” was all Heida said before slamming the door with more force than her old frame was thought to hold.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:29 pm
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Well, I need someone to compare these two chapters and tell me... the imagery seems a bit rocky, I'm not sure how I'm doing here... oh, and tell me how characterization is doing.
It was a long day, even if the labor was easy for Hera compared with most women. That did not mean it was less painful. Still, when all was said and done, the baby and mother made it out alive and healthy, all had gone well. Mitulo was incredibly relieved. Everyone congratulated and looked over the new babe, until one (the old woman could not remember who) realized someone was missing.
When Strawberry was finally sought after, (well into evening) no one could find her. The brothers Deron and Goro were sent, but the sisters Keian, Miren and the single child Shelen had to join the search. When the other adults of the village noticed the children’s calls, they also had to join. Soon they started fearing for her well being. Mitulo and Hera were happily cooing over the new arrival up in their room, for they were too focused on the new arrival to notice anything amiss.
Darkness had descended, so oil lanterns were required for the search. Jaren was the mother of the sisters Keian and Miren. She was several inches shorter than six feet, and slender with a shapely figure. Her pale left hand pulled at the brown shawl around her shoulders. The other hand raised the lantern higher, casting a yellowed orange light on her dark brown hair and blue eyes. Her pink lips trembled with the cold as she moved down the pathway with the other searchers. She strode past the large houses blanketed by the curtain of night. She followed her worryful maternal instincts and left Aishi completely while the others stayed inside and spread out around the settlement. She went through the trees that served as the gate to the left of the little shop at the end of the path, and spotted the girl sitting on the rocky wall some fifty feet away from the entrance. As she neared, she heard the pained sobs emanating from the tiny frame. Her anger dissipated, her brown eyes softened while she turned guilty, and sympathetic. It had been a long time before anyone sought after the girl, no doubt she must have felt abandoned and forgotten.
“Strawberry.” she said softly.
The girl did not pause her sobs, but peered her sharp, shining yellow-green eyes from behind her hand through the dark at Jaren.
Strawberry was four, and very short. Her short orange hair fell to midway down her neck,
and was found to be rather flat. Her face was still round with baby fat, and her structure had not developed enough into definite features. All except her big pointed nose. Her eyes were odd as well, they almost looked exotic. Her skin was darkening; right now it was several shades darker than the other villagers. And she did not talk. Well, she spoke, but very little, she seemed to have more trouble with it than most children, and with her difficulties at the age of four, the adults feared she would be a slow child. Altogether, she was an oddball among the other offspring.
“Strawberry, you’re a big sister now…” she said slowly. “Want to see your little brother?”
The girl for some reason seemed absolutely devastated. She didn’t answer at first. She rubbed her eyes and kept her legs close. She finally nodded.
“It hurts…” she murmured.
Jaren kneeled down, mentally translating that the girl meant her internal pain at being ignored. Often she spoke in small phrases that one would have to be used to hearing to understand.
“I know, and I’m sorry.” she rubbed the girl’s shoulders. “But believe me, things will get better, you’ll learn to love him.”
The girl only stared blankly, even as she sniffled and tried to dry her tears, and Jaren wondered if she even understood her. She would not be surprised if she had not. The girl’s awareness in her eyes indicated intelligence, but her actions and lack of speech indicated stupidity.
“Come on,” the woman coaxed. “Let’s go.”
Jaren stood and held her hands out to the little girl. Little Strawberry saddened at the suggestion. She grabbed onto the woman’s hands and stood. It only took a few steps of staggered walking for Jaren to sense something wrong. The girl winced and seemed to be trying to keep quiet, even though it was not working.
“Strawberry? What’s wrong?”
“It hurts.”
Jaren suddenly frowned. “Wait… what hurts?”
“My foot.” she whined.
Jaren blinked. So… the girl had been crying because she hurt her foot? Not because she felt abandoned? Oh dear, no wonder the girl was confused. So much for her translations. The woman bent low and hoisted her up.
“Alright, you won’t have to walk. We‘ll look at your foot when we get inside.”
“Good.” she replied in satisfaction, in almost a perfect impression of Mitulo.
Jaren chuckled. She could not help it, the little voice mimicking authority was just too adorable. As they made it into the light of the Tavern entrance, the brunet called to the scouts searching the outside. The children who went back to the tavern were told to go home where their parents had been advised to retire. The family was tired and needed rest. Only Jaren continued down the path lighted with lanterns to the great building of the Tavern.
The building was crisp, and clear cut in a rectangle fashion; naturally it seemed out of place next to the round village homes. Peeled and sanded white wood logs served as the posts in the four corners, which was the basic molding for the construction. The roof slates slanted up to a horizontal edge parallel to the front. Wide double doors with rounded tops and smooth iron ring knockers sat in the middle of the row of four windows along the front. She grabbed the iron round knobs and turned them to open the entrance.
The initial room was a wide welcoming room filled with round wood tables with smooth but stiff carved chairs- four chairs for each table. She drew out a chair and set Strawberry onto it.
“Which foot hurts?” she asked.
Strawberry pointed to her left foot. Jaren gingerly lifted it up, even when the girl pulled it back away.
“Stop that now, let me see it.”
Strawberry begrudgingly held her foot still for it to be inspected. Jaren saw it was a shallow cut, the shiny red surface of the under skin was showing from under the dirt and dust. It was long though, about five centimeters. It certainly looked like it hurt. Just what had the girl cut her foot on?
“Here, I’ll wash it up, then take you upstairs, how’s that?”
Strawberry did not answer. It was not needed for the woman had already stood. Ten minutes later Jaren stood with Strawberry on her hip, with the cut properly rinsed and bandaged. At the wall directly across the entrance way was the tavern’s serving bar. High wood stools sat under the straight fifteen-foot polished counter. Old and new bottles of ale, beer, and rum sat grouped on the long shelf on the wall directly behind the counter. In the center directly above the shelf were two hooks was a very small, beautiful white shield. Jaren ignored the alcohol and shield and moved up the staircase jutting out from the wall at the far left of the room.
Her steps were heavier against the wood with the added weight of Strawberry in her arms. The girl was very quiet and did not mention her hurting foot again. The woman ascended up onto the wood floor of the second story, slightly out of breath. The top floor was a rectangle that bordered the opening of the stairwell. The wall wrapped around in the same rectangle shape. On the wall was an array of single doors; simple brown wood with black, round iron handles, each with a keyhole under each doorknob.
She walked left and turned left again at the corner six meters from the staircase. The room she searched for was the large one at the back of the walkway. It had double doors, though they were square instead of rounded and the handles were iron levers. She knocked.
“Come in.” a male voice called.
She pressed down the lever and opened the door.
Three-no four- people were within the room. Old woman Heida sat in a comfy chair in the farthest right corner from the door to give the couple space. They both laid comfortably on the double size mattress up against the right wall. while Mitulo lay on top of them.
The poor woman looked completely exhausted. Hera the multiple soft blue covers were drawn up over her swollen belly. Her face was flushed, but her skin was pale. The full curtain of sliver-wheaten hair was a terrible mess, and still stuck to the back of her neck, even with her skin wiped down from the sweat. Her delicate white arms were flat at her sides. She had rested enough to catch her breath, but she still sat back against the big fluffed pillows with closed eyes. She listened contently while her husband cradled the cloth bundled baby in his strong arms.
He sat back against the pillows next to his spouse, but keeping himself on top of the blankets. His belt and waist cloth were discarded, leaving him in his sleeveless top and brown calf-pants. His brown hair was loose in its bouncy locks, though not to the point where they looked disheveled. His right arm curled under the tiny bundle of blue cloth while his left hand held the rounded back from underneath. His lips curled in a ghost of a smile while his eyes tenderly gazed upon the fussing face.
Only old woman Heida looked up when Jaren entered.
“Find her alright?” the woman asked. “You were gone a long while.”
Hera opened her eyes and Mitulo looked up.
“She was outside the village.” Jaren explained as she ambled over. “Just by the entrance.”
Mitulo frowned while Jaren placed the little girl at the end of the bed.
“Strawberry, I told you to stay in the village.” he berated. “Especially at night, its dangerous for a girl out in the woods-”
“I think she already learned her lesson.” Jaren pointed to the girl’s foot. “I doubt she’ll go back out any time soon.”
Strawberry peered up over her large nose at him, but her gaze was quickly drawn to the bundle. His agitation subsided. Given the newest set of events he was not in any condition to stay angry, even if he knew the best way a child was to learn was to verbally beat it into them. He watched as she crawled over the covers of the bed, but stopped at the feet of the adults, not going any further but still trying to stretch her neck to see the infant. Heida frowned in confusion at the display.
“Come here.” Mitulo sighed to her.
She climbed up over his legs. The small dark face finally moved up over the arms to see into the tightly wrapped blankets. She only had a moment to scrutinize before being pushed away.
It was the smallest person Strawberry had every seen. It had a pudgy round face, and it looked more pink than white. Its puffy eyes looked as though they were sealed shut, plus its face was scrunched in aggravation for some reason. She could not see any resemblance between the baby, and herself. At least, she hoped there was not any resemblance.
“He’s beautiful,” Jaren whispered from above Mitulo.
Personally, Strawberry thought it actually looked kind of ugly.
“Now don’t get too close.” Hera pleaded and put her hand on Strawberry’s shoulder.
“You’re dirty and the baby could get sick easily.”
Strawberry recoiled away from the baby in the man’s arms. Her lips twitched, and her eyes were hurt.
“Have you thought of a name yet?” Jaren took the attention of the parents.
“Banana.” Mitulo said.
“Beg your pardon?” Hera spoke, though both women furrowed their brow.
“Banana.” He repeated. “He’s already long for a baby, and you can already see the blond fuzz.” He defended.
Strawberry slowly looked down to the babe and saw her father was right, you could see tiny wisps of yellow on the infant‘s soft head. He still looked tiny to her. Her name had been thanks to her tiny body and red hair.
“Absolutely not.” Hera’s voice quickly responded. “I will not have my son named after a piece of fruit.”
“What’s wrong with it?” he asked innocently.
“It’s silly, and cruel. I mean really, think of what others will think of him?”
“As being fruity.” Jaren emphasized.
Strawberry lowered her head. Her lips twitched and her eyes watered.
“Well, what do you propose then?” Mitulo asked a bit miffed.
“Well…” she looked down at the face of the baby. “What about… Taro?”
“That‘s worse than Banana.” Mitulo argued
“Well then…”
As the adults discussed the idea of a suitable name, Heida watched with absolute maternal horror as Strawberry drew back and sat at the end of the bed. She looked at the grown-ups discussing the babe’s future. She looked away as the tears that had built up spilled over. Her face grew red as her miniature fists rubbed against her eyes. She hopped down from the mattress, unnoticed. She limped across the wood floor around the bed. She reached the doorway and paused. She looked to the bed once more with desperate eyes. Her absence was not noted by the young adults. However her eyes finally flickered over to Heida. She turned away suddenly, seeing that her emotional display had been spotted.
She rushed out the door down the halls. Heida felt a pang of sympathy at the neglecting cruelty, but figured it was her old senile imagination working up again, and focused instead on the scene at hand. Only later would she regret her own neglect.
Looking back, Heida felt the same way then that she did now. The girl had been four at the time. Four years old, and already she had felt shame at her own tears, not like other children who used their crying to get whatever they desired from parents. But what tapped her heart most was the blatant neglect her stand-in parents had shown. Even with excitement from their own child, no one should ignore the needs of another offspring, even if not their own. Even her own tears had gone unnoticed. Though when she thought on it… the girl had made no sound. Not one shuddering breath had passed her lips, and even walking with a limp, her feet made no thuds against the ground. It was almost though she had never been there in the first place.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:41 pm
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