Post by gathera on Sept 16, 2015 5:30:10 GMT -5
This follows a short time after the 5th offering passage.
The fifth offering
I had been shaken to the core by the events that transpired in the ice-grove. My world had been turned upside down. The whole caravan trip back to Great Gaunt was spent staring into a small mirror until I could recall my face by simply shuttering my eyes. I had even gone so far as to pester strangers in the street what they thought of my eyes. Well they certainly did not think much of me save I was some raving mad-woman. I know what I heard that night, those whisperings in the wind, I might not be certain of anything now but I am certain of what I heard. I am becoming frayed at the edges.
I was asked to leave the inn today. Berating the help, disturbing the guests I was bad for business. I spent the rest of the day looking at my face in the streams reflection.
The world slipped by, day falling into night as I stood in the village square transfixed staring at eyes. Were their eyes pretty?
I caught myself screaming at the wind today. Shouting until my voice cracked and I collapsed to the ground sobbing. I need to ask someone, yes someone I trust but who?
The fates are kind, its Daphene in the square today, Daphene and Ariean speaking with some elf in blue. I have to wait until he is gone. That blue shiny, blue glowing blue elf. Even his eyes are blue. Wait, wait, wait until blue-elf is gone. I ask another woman in heavy plate-mail while I am waiting. Are her eyes pretty?
Gods be good Blue-elf is gone. I stare down looking at my feet. I must steady myself, gather my thoughts. I bite my lip so hard the metal taste of blood fills my mouth. Deep breath deep breath, you can do this. One foot after another I step towards Daphene and Ariean. Slow shuffling steps but don’t stop else … there is no else now. Just don’t stop.
There is alarm in Daphene’s eyes, apprehension; she is speaking to me, focus, focus now.
“Are you alright? ... Is there anything I am able to help with? Seems you have been troubled the past eves I have seen you. I am worried.”
“Yes and no. No and yes, my eyes; my eyes how do… how do you find them?”
I could see and sense the concern and curiosity in both of them. Both Daphene and Ariean drew close and examined my face intently. After a moment Daphene stepped back clearly still conserned.
“Well, each are different in colour, I see that much. One blue and one green, though deeper, I can see you are troubled by something...”
“It is a silly question, except it isn’t. A voice, it was ...troubling.”
Ariean nodded to Daphene, “Why isn't it? And yes, one is blue, and the other is green. Usually you look rather curious… but more troubled today, yes?”
“My eyes are like me I guess one thing or another and never the same.” A small nervous laugh slipped out my lips.
“But yes something has changed. I don’t know what just ... something.”
With a worried smile Daphene reached out lightly touching my arm
“You were very troubled last eve when I saw you... You've been on my mind ever since.”
“Silly me”, shaking my head, “All worked up over nothing”
“What is it that worries you so? Has something happened to cause such?”
“I thought I heard something. Maybe it was nothing just something… well nothing specific.”
“You heard a voice?”
“Just ... My eyes, something about my eyes is all.”
Ariean furrowed her brow, “Something speaking of your eyes?”
“Yes; maybe … maybe no. It was windy.”
Daphene leaned forward once more staring at me, studying me with an intense deliberation.
“They seem well to me though, they do not prism or dilate without cause. The voice in the wind, could you understand what was said? What did the voice say?”
“It is silly, just … well just they, my eyes, they were pretty, my eyes were pretty. Silly right, it was just a compliment.”
Daphne grinned shaking her head. “I do not think it silly. Have you not seen your eyes before now?”
“Oh yes I know they are not like most. Few have different coloured eyes.”
“Indeed, you are the only person I have met with different coloured eyes.”
“Most ah well think that odd and me with it I wager.”
I jumped startled as Bentin’s gruff voice rang out over the square, “Keep the roads clear...” With a half-hearted yes I cringed and shuffled to clear the way.
Ariean turned to Daphene laughing, “I think Bentin’s telling us to not start frolicking to make the evening feel better...”
Daphne gave Ariean a knowing lopsided grin, “but Ariean I -love- to frolic.”
Ariean paused and reached over to tenderly brush the side of my face. “Your eyes are unusual and they are pretty. Being unusual isn't necessarily a bad thing. It was a compliment”
I bit my lip squeezing my eyes tight, “Maybe.”
Speaking to Daphene and Ariean had helped. I could feel the madness gradually begin to recede; the cold dread that had so tightly griped my heart broken. With each passing breath the terrifying memory of that night faded away. Maybe, just maybe they were right.
“Yes, just a complement is all. Maybe you are right, pretty eyes, like a pretty smile, just a compliment.”
I shook my head and with nervous tentative laugh, “Aren’t I the silly thing. Eyes”
With a tender smile Daphene clasped my hands in hers, “Of course not, you are but a woman.”
Trembling I collapsed into Daphene’s arms, my eyes blinking back the welling tears. Soon I also felt the warmth of Arian cradling me firmly as well. Desperately I clung to both just as a sailor would to a raft in a storm. Tears streamed my cheeks as I took refuge in calming comfort of their embrace. My body shuddered as muffled sobs escaped my lips.
“You have no idea what a weight off my shoulders this is, more than you know… more than you ever, ever will know. If either of you, ever, ever need anything ...anything at all. Thank you” Trembling my voice trailed off into silence.
After a time Daphene brushed away a tear smiling “You are most welcome, dear. I am glad we were able to help. Just remember, it is never silly to enjoy compliments.”
Ariean smiled at me warmly clasping me tight. I stared at my feet steadying myself then with a small thankful nod to each I slipped away from the embrace.
“The winds call me now but I will remember this night always. If you ever need anything.. anything.”
“I hope the winds sing happiness for you this day.”
“If they sing not happiness, then it will be a song of relief.”
The prior passage is based on in-game conversations. I would also like to give a special thank you to both Emma and Mandene for their generous permission to use the conversation. Some in-game happenings just need to be told.
The fifth offering
I had been shaken to the core by the events that transpired in the ice-grove. My world had been turned upside down. The whole caravan trip back to Great Gaunt was spent staring into a small mirror until I could recall my face by simply shuttering my eyes. I had even gone so far as to pester strangers in the street what they thought of my eyes. Well they certainly did not think much of me save I was some raving mad-woman. I know what I heard that night, those whisperings in the wind, I might not be certain of anything now but I am certain of what I heard. I am becoming frayed at the edges.
I was asked to leave the inn today. Berating the help, disturbing the guests I was bad for business. I spent the rest of the day looking at my face in the streams reflection.
The world slipped by, day falling into night as I stood in the village square transfixed staring at eyes. Were their eyes pretty?
I caught myself screaming at the wind today. Shouting until my voice cracked and I collapsed to the ground sobbing. I need to ask someone, yes someone I trust but who?
The fates are kind, its Daphene in the square today, Daphene and Ariean speaking with some elf in blue. I have to wait until he is gone. That blue shiny, blue glowing blue elf. Even his eyes are blue. Wait, wait, wait until blue-elf is gone. I ask another woman in heavy plate-mail while I am waiting. Are her eyes pretty?
Gods be good Blue-elf is gone. I stare down looking at my feet. I must steady myself, gather my thoughts. I bite my lip so hard the metal taste of blood fills my mouth. Deep breath deep breath, you can do this. One foot after another I step towards Daphene and Ariean. Slow shuffling steps but don’t stop else … there is no else now. Just don’t stop.
There is alarm in Daphene’s eyes, apprehension; she is speaking to me, focus, focus now.
“Are you alright? ... Is there anything I am able to help with? Seems you have been troubled the past eves I have seen you. I am worried.”
“Yes and no. No and yes, my eyes; my eyes how do… how do you find them?”
I could see and sense the concern and curiosity in both of them. Both Daphene and Ariean drew close and examined my face intently. After a moment Daphene stepped back clearly still conserned.
“Well, each are different in colour, I see that much. One blue and one green, though deeper, I can see you are troubled by something...”
“It is a silly question, except it isn’t. A voice, it was ...troubling.”
Ariean nodded to Daphene, “Why isn't it? And yes, one is blue, and the other is green. Usually you look rather curious… but more troubled today, yes?”
“My eyes are like me I guess one thing or another and never the same.” A small nervous laugh slipped out my lips.
“But yes something has changed. I don’t know what just ... something.”
With a worried smile Daphene reached out lightly touching my arm
“You were very troubled last eve when I saw you... You've been on my mind ever since.”
“Silly me”, shaking my head, “All worked up over nothing”
“What is it that worries you so? Has something happened to cause such?”
“I thought I heard something. Maybe it was nothing just something… well nothing specific.”
“You heard a voice?”
“Just ... My eyes, something about my eyes is all.”
Ariean furrowed her brow, “Something speaking of your eyes?”
“Yes; maybe … maybe no. It was windy.”
Daphene leaned forward once more staring at me, studying me with an intense deliberation.
“They seem well to me though, they do not prism or dilate without cause. The voice in the wind, could you understand what was said? What did the voice say?”
“It is silly, just … well just they, my eyes, they were pretty, my eyes were pretty. Silly right, it was just a compliment.”
Daphne grinned shaking her head. “I do not think it silly. Have you not seen your eyes before now?”
“Oh yes I know they are not like most. Few have different coloured eyes.”
“Indeed, you are the only person I have met with different coloured eyes.”
“Most ah well think that odd and me with it I wager.”
I jumped startled as Bentin’s gruff voice rang out over the square, “Keep the roads clear...” With a half-hearted yes I cringed and shuffled to clear the way.
Ariean turned to Daphene laughing, “I think Bentin’s telling us to not start frolicking to make the evening feel better...”
Daphne gave Ariean a knowing lopsided grin, “but Ariean I -love- to frolic.”
Ariean paused and reached over to tenderly brush the side of my face. “Your eyes are unusual and they are pretty. Being unusual isn't necessarily a bad thing. It was a compliment”
I bit my lip squeezing my eyes tight, “Maybe.”
Speaking to Daphene and Ariean had helped. I could feel the madness gradually begin to recede; the cold dread that had so tightly griped my heart broken. With each passing breath the terrifying memory of that night faded away. Maybe, just maybe they were right.
“Yes, just a complement is all. Maybe you are right, pretty eyes, like a pretty smile, just a compliment.”
I shook my head and with nervous tentative laugh, “Aren’t I the silly thing. Eyes”
With a tender smile Daphene clasped my hands in hers, “Of course not, you are but a woman.”
Trembling I collapsed into Daphene’s arms, my eyes blinking back the welling tears. Soon I also felt the warmth of Arian cradling me firmly as well. Desperately I clung to both just as a sailor would to a raft in a storm. Tears streamed my cheeks as I took refuge in calming comfort of their embrace. My body shuddered as muffled sobs escaped my lips.
“You have no idea what a weight off my shoulders this is, more than you know… more than you ever, ever will know. If either of you, ever, ever need anything ...anything at all. Thank you” Trembling my voice trailed off into silence.
After a time Daphene brushed away a tear smiling “You are most welcome, dear. I am glad we were able to help. Just remember, it is never silly to enjoy compliments.”
Ariean smiled at me warmly clasping me tight. I stared at my feet steadying myself then with a small thankful nod to each I slipped away from the embrace.
“The winds call me now but I will remember this night always. If you ever need anything.. anything.”
“I hope the winds sing happiness for you this day.”
“If they sing not happiness, then it will be a song of relief.”
The prior passage is based on in-game conversations. I would also like to give a special thank you to both Emma and Mandene for their generous permission to use the conversation. Some in-game happenings just need to be told.
