Post by Allison Kazim on Jul 25, 2018 17:15:18 GMT -8
If she closed her eyes, Ali could almost imagine she was back home. Birds sang outside the window, people’s voices wafted in from the office outside her door. There were little differences, though; more woods and trees outside her window than buildings or open sky, and the voices were closer to a place of healing than would be back home. She’d barely spent time in Cabal’s infirmary more than she absolutely had to, remembering the silence and little else. Unlike now, where she had a pen and several sheets of paper laid out before her, staring at her with blank faces, waiting patiently for her to put her thoughts down and update her family on what had been happening so far. Most of it, anyway.
The first two were the easiest: letters to her parents asking their health, general news, and if they needed anything. Asking her father how he was doing with his recovery and telling him about the proposition she had made with the King of Territory 63. Assuring her mother she could send additional funds if needed since they were down to a one-income household for a while. Sending a notary slip to have some sent anyway when she remembered Maeve’s coughing fit the last time she’d come to visit.
She wondered what life was like now under the rein of King Salabim, frowning as she tried not to dwell on the horror and shame her family would feel if they knew that she had taken out her feelings on sight when they were in proximity of each other like she was some kind of savage, herself. She shuddered at the mental comparison, recalling how some of her recent spars that, in turn, lead to more uncultured forms of fighting. The kind of fighting that got sideways looks back home, even from her. It was just…odd. Clunky and unrefined. Even if she had taken a thing or two from it to apply to her own style of fighting.
The third took more time, a formal letter of introduction and recommendation to the business her father worked for. Regardless of their prejudice, it was a solid business deal. If Aurora was already growing this rapidly, then getting a foot in now would help business, and hopefully her family as well.
Somewhere along the way, morning had melted into afternoon, the shadows on the walls starting to stretch and grow. Blinking as the light hit her eye, Ali set the pen down and stared at her morning’s work as she gingerly massaged the crap from her hand and wrist.
There was one letter left, the greeting half formed as she gazed at the paper.
Mae,
Congratulations on your last exam! I could feel Mom’s pride bubbling up out of her last letter – not to mention the music that came with it.
It had been an amusing little cantrip, and one that had made her smile hearing it. She almost wanted to open it again to hear the melody, but the Ali opted to push past the awkward beginnings of the letter to her little sister. Her pen tip drew up from the paper as she played with it, weaving it in and out between her fingers with a slight flick as she went.
I’m glad you’re feeling better. The trip your class is going to take sounds wonderful. You’ll have to tell me all about it; I’m still on the west side of our world out here for now. I’ll be in Aurora for a while; our maps still show it as Territories 63 and 64. It’s surprisingly resilient, and from what I hear, it’s growing still. I imagine I’ll return to Cabal once my business is done here, but that may also take time.
I’ve decided to take up training here for now. The people at the Academy aren’t all that different from those back home, surprisingly. They have very differentviews on the world, and some Mother woudln’t leet near the dishes if she could help it. The focus is very different, bu refreshing, too. It wil be interesting to see what I can bring back home with me.
She trailed off again at the thought, staring at the paper without seeing it. Return home, but with what? Stories, trade? More?
There Chunin Exams are on people’s minds; I saw some of the leaders arriving one night before everything else happened. One was practically tall enough to not fit inside our home. Another reminds me of Lord Farrin’s daughter. Speaking of which, don’t let her get to you. If she thinks you’ll let her walk all over you, she’ll just try for more. Just try not to get kicked out while you’re at it, okay? It’s your chance to shine – that’s more important than she’ll ever be.
It happened mid sentence – the pen tip cracked and the ink inside it burst, leaking all over the page as she gave a frustrated cry and tried to svave what she could. But there was no saving the lost words, and eventually even Ali had to admit defeat, setting the garbage aside and grateful she could ave the ones she’d finished, anyway. It was okay, though, at least after several moments of seething and tring to convince herself.
She could start again. Make it better. Make it feel less...forced? Whatever the word was.
It could be better.
So could she.
The first two were the easiest: letters to her parents asking their health, general news, and if they needed anything. Asking her father how he was doing with his recovery and telling him about the proposition she had made with the King of Territory 63. Assuring her mother she could send additional funds if needed since they were down to a one-income household for a while. Sending a notary slip to have some sent anyway when she remembered Maeve’s coughing fit the last time she’d come to visit.
She wondered what life was like now under the rein of King Salabim, frowning as she tried not to dwell on the horror and shame her family would feel if they knew that she had taken out her feelings on sight when they were in proximity of each other like she was some kind of savage, herself. She shuddered at the mental comparison, recalling how some of her recent spars that, in turn, lead to more uncultured forms of fighting. The kind of fighting that got sideways looks back home, even from her. It was just…odd. Clunky and unrefined. Even if she had taken a thing or two from it to apply to her own style of fighting.
The third took more time, a formal letter of introduction and recommendation to the business her father worked for. Regardless of their prejudice, it was a solid business deal. If Aurora was already growing this rapidly, then getting a foot in now would help business, and hopefully her family as well.
Somewhere along the way, morning had melted into afternoon, the shadows on the walls starting to stretch and grow. Blinking as the light hit her eye, Ali set the pen down and stared at her morning’s work as she gingerly massaged the crap from her hand and wrist.
There was one letter left, the greeting half formed as she gazed at the paper.
Mae,
Congratulations on your last exam! I could feel Mom’s pride bubbling up out of her last letter – not to mention the music that came with it.
It had been an amusing little cantrip, and one that had made her smile hearing it. She almost wanted to open it again to hear the melody, but the Ali opted to push past the awkward beginnings of the letter to her little sister. Her pen tip drew up from the paper as she played with it, weaving it in and out between her fingers with a slight flick as she went.
I’m glad you’re feeling better. The trip your class is going to take sounds wonderful. You’ll have to tell me all about it; I’m still on the west side of our world out here for now. I’ll be in Aurora for a while; our maps still show it as Territories 63 and 64. It’s surprisingly resilient, and from what I hear, it’s growing still. I imagine I’ll return to Cabal once my business is done here, but that may also take time.
I’ve decided to take up training here for now. The people at the Academy aren’t all that different from those back home, surprisingly. They have very differentviews on the world, and some Mother woudln’t leet near the dishes if she could help it. The focus is very different, bu refreshing, too. It wil be interesting to see what I can bring back home with me.
She trailed off again at the thought, staring at the paper without seeing it. Return home, but with what? Stories, trade? More?
There Chunin Exams are on people’s minds; I saw some of the leaders arriving one night before everything else happened. One was practically tall enough to not fit inside our home. Another reminds me of Lord Farrin’s daughter. Speaking of which, don’t let her get to you. If she thinks you’ll let her walk all over you, she’ll just try for more. Just try not to get kicked out while you’re at it, okay? It’s your chance to shine – that’s more important than she’ll ever be.
It happened mid sentence – the pen tip cracked and the ink inside it burst, leaking all over the page as she gave a frustrated cry and tried to svave what she could. But there was no saving the lost words, and eventually even Ali had to admit defeat, setting the garbage aside and grateful she could ave the ones she’d finished, anyway. It was okay, though, at least after several moments of seething and tring to convince herself.
She could start again. Make it better. Make it feel less...forced? Whatever the word was.
It could be better.
So could she.