[Flashback] Music and Nightmares] (Open)

[Tessa Poe]

OoC: This is my first ever thread so if I've made a mistake or something just let me know, thanks. Also if you'd like to join this thread please bear in mind Tessa's all of 10 years old at this point.

BiC:

15th of Fall - 502 AV - Midafternoon

Location: Along the South Karbin Road

Tessa started awake with a silent scream, half rising before the pain made itself known, burning pinpricks that danced over her ribs and refused to ebb away until she collapsed back again. She kicked her legs free of the entangling blankets with the accompaniment of fresh outbursts of the same pain and blinked rapidly, trying to bring the inside of the covered wagon and the little snug made of blankets and crates back into focus again. Her eyes darted this way and that, making sure that all was safe, that they hadn't come back for her. Her dream, no, her nightmare had been so real. They'd been there again, howling with their joy of the chase, drawing closer and closer, so close she could feel their hot panting breaths before their jaws closed around her. Their growls still seemed to echo around the enclosed space she was in as she carefully brought her knees to her chest, wincing as the scars around her thigh protested and wrapping the blanket tightly around herself. It had been comforting before in here before, safe, she remembered smiling up at Ma as she’d carefully brushed the hair from her face and leant forwards to brush her lips across her forehead… but now every shadow seemed to have one of them lurking in it, waiting for her to let her guard down before they pounced. She knew she shouldn’t cry, that Ma and Pa were busy, they had work to do. She knew she mustn’t cry, they’d get in trouble with Mr Jones the foreman. She wouldn’t cry; she just wouldn’t.

It was no good though, no matter how she tried she couldn't keep the tears away, she felt them gather at the corners of her eyes, hanging fat and wet there before they started to trail down her cheeks and still her scars hurt. Every time she tried to move, to curl up into herself that little bit tighter a ripple of pain would run down along and across her ribs. She knew without having to look that there'd still be that angry scarlet shade surrounding each of them, those long puckered scars that seemed to pull and twist with every breath she took, breaths that were coming faster now as she gave up all resistance and let the sobs come, each one agony as her chest heaved. Mother Treville had said that she wasn't supposed to stretch them; that she should rest and give them time to heal, but she couldn’t help it now. They were coming to finish what they’d started and she was all alone.

And then she felt arms wrapping around her and drawing her close along with her Da’s voice speaking softly. Apparently her scream hadn’t been silent after all. She couldn’t make out what he was saying and it didn’t matter, all that mattered was he was there. She turned her face into his cloak, the reassuring scent of oil, pipe weed and the road clinging to it as her small arms wrapped around him, fingertips not even close to touching each other but she didn’t care. She didn’t care that in trying to reach she was pulling on the scars again and bringing more of that stretching pain, he was here and that was all she needed.
“Now Poppet what’s the matter? Was it the dogs again? You’re safe now Poppet, you’re safe, it’s alright…” his low voice with a touch of rasp to it carried on with more the same kind of platitudes as she cried, her sobs finally starting to slow as he rocked her back and forth with the motion of the wagon.
“I’m… sorry… Da” she managed to mutter through the last of her sobs, her forehead still pressed against his cloak as she felt his calloused hand running slowly through her hair.
“Don’t be daft, we all have bad dreams, it’s alright, you just rest a minute now.”
“B..but… I…”
“Shhhh… rest now, you just rest. Come on now, Mother Treville said you had to get your rest if you want to get better, and you want to get better don't you?”
"Yes Da... but..."
"No buts young lady, now come on, you lie back. I won't go anywhere, I promise."

She felt her eyes starting to close again, still trying to mumble something as he lowered her back down onto her cot amongst the crates, the touch of his handkerchief brushing her tears away and drying her nose somehow managing to make her keep quiet far more than his words did. As he tucked her in nice and tightly she squirmed her hand free and blindly groped for his, smiling at last as she felt it envelope hers and give it a comforting squeeze. She sighed happily, falling back towards sleep without any fear at all. She knew her Da would be there to look after her this time; that they wouldn’t get close to her with him there. He was the strongest man in the world after all. He was her Da...

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa slowly came back to consciousness again, rocked from her sleep by the wagon’s motion and the sound of its wheels creaking over the road beneath them. Overlaying it all was the low melody of her Ma's flute, that low lilting tune that she knew Tessa loved so much. For a moment she didn't move, she didn't want to move because if she did she'd disturb this moment. But then the scars the curled round her thigh started to ache again and she had to shift to ease them, stretching her foot out past the edge of her blanket and as soon as she did her Ma stopped playing.
"You awake there then Poppet?"
"Yes..." Tessa replied quietly, still keeping her eyes shut, "Where's Da?"
"Mr Jones called him to check on something, no need to worry, he'll be back soon."
"But..." and then Tessa's eyes snapped open as she realised that if Ma was in here with her and Da was away with Mr Jones then... "Who's driving Ma?"
Her Ma chuckled softly as she reached out to smooth Tessa's hair, brushing it away from her face again as she always did. "Mr Adams said he'd take a turn for me, you feeling better for your sleep?"
"No, still hurts." There was a slightly sulky tone to Tessa's voice and she knew it, but then she was in a slightly sulky mood. She knew Da had to go if Mr Jones called, but still he'd promised to stay with her until she'd woken up and he'd gone and left her.
"I'll see Mother Treville later, see if we can't get you some more of that brew of hers, that should help."
Tessa stuck her tongue in response with a little sound of disgust "It tastes awful though."
"I know, but it's good for you, it'll make you feel better."
"It'll make me feel sick," "I'll see Mother Treville later, see if we can't get you some more of that brew of hers, that should help."
Tessa stuck her tongue in response with a little sound of disgust "It tastes awful though Ma."
"I know Poppet I know, but it's good for you, it'll make you feel better."
“You promise?”
"Promise, part of being a big girl is doing things you don’t like.”
“I know... but I don’t wanna…” Tessa was smiling though as she tailed off and her Ma started to laugh again, she always liked to hear her laugh. It was one of those sounds that just seemed to make everything right with the world while it lasted.

Her Ma handed her a water skin and she took a grateful sip from it, the cool tang washing away that always slightly bitter sleep taste from her mouth. She'd always hated that taste. She carefully shifted, pushing the blankets aside as she realised how warm she was and raised herself to lean back against the wagon’s side before taking another little sip.
“Are you feeling up to playing again Poppet?”
“Ermm… I guess Ma, I’m not very good though, not like you.”
“Well I wasn’t always this good, and you know how you can get better don’t you?”
“Yeah…” Tessa hung her head, flexing her toes carefully, feeling the pull at her thigh, though the pain had faded a little now. It wasn't like before at least.
“Come on then, you remember how to hold it?” Tessa’s Ma smiled widely as she handed the flute over to Tessa’s carefully waiting hands, both because she didn’t want to damage the instrument and so as to avoid bringing the pain back across her forearm again.
“I remember, it’s like this isn’t it?” Tessa wrapped her little fingers around the flute, pressing the keys gently, liking the sound of them as they clicked lightly against the body of it. She brought it to her lips as her Ma reached out to lift the end slightly higher.
“There you go, you almost had it right that time.”
Tessa could only nod in reply as she set her lips to the flute and blew softly over the hole with a resulting squeal of protest. She pouted as she lowered it slightly with an accusing look in her eyes as if it was the flute’s fault. “I did it before… what’s wrong now Ma?”
“Try again Poppet, you just need to get used to it.”

Tessa nodded as she brought it back up, her Ma watching and nodding approvingly as she got it into the right position this time and blew gently again, a soft note sounding out this time. Tessa smiled as she tried to remember the notes of the first scale her Ma had taught her, starting to blow evenly again as her fingers pressed the keys still so very carefully, the notes sounding clear and bright, if a little slow, as she worked her way through, well until the last one at least. Then it was back to the squealing noise again. She growled in frustration, eyes flicking down to the flute, daring it to do it again as she started to run through the scale once more. She’d get it right this time, she was sure of it.

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa kept going at the same slow, steady pace for a while quite losing track of the time as she focused on what note was supposed to come next, and even with concentrating as she was she had to pause occasionally to remember where her fingers were supposed to go next on the keys. Each note was played and sometimes squealed in turn, the first couple of times that had happened she'd stopped and tried to work out what she'd done wrong, but her Ma had said she should just carry on until the end no matter what so that's what she was doing. As she came to end of the scale, the first time she'd managed to play one through without a mistake her Ma reached over again and gently moved her fingers, giving her another encouraging nod to keep playing as she shifted Tessa's fingers from key to key, the notes climbing higher and higher until... more awful squealing.

Her Ma laughed softly as she took the flute away, carefully taking it apart to pack it away into its case. "I think that'll be enough for now, you did very well Poppet."
"I'm still not any good though," Tessa pouted in reply while her eyes carefully followed her Ma’s hands as they packed away the flute, unscrewing each of the sections and laying them in their padded case after wiping the inside clean with a cloth she kept for just that.
“Why d’you have to clean it Ma? Nothing got in there did it?”
“Just a little spit Poppet, it happens whenever you play.”
“Why?”
“Because it just does, now hush while I get this put away.”

Tessa sat obediently quietly as her Ma snapped the catches shut and stowed the flute case in the netting above Tessa’s little snug. She supposed she should thank Mr Jones for letting them shift the crates and sacks in here so she could sleep, not that she wanted to sleep so much but everyone kept telling her she should. “Ma, when can I go outside again? It’s boooring in here.”
“Mother Treville says you’ll have to wait a little while longer, til the bandages come off and it stops hurting. She said she’d drop by later to have a look at you and make sure it’s all healing well. You be sure to thank her when she does now.”
“I know, I will.”
“There’s a good girl, I’ve got to get back up front, Mr Adams can’t keep doing all the driving.”
“Do you really have to go?”
“Yes Poppet, I’ll be back later, and your Da should be back soon.”
“But…”
“Have you finished your reading for the day?”

Tessa blinked at the sudden change of subject, knowing full well that the book she was supposed to be reading was lying entirely ignored from before she'd had her nap. “Umm… yeeees?” Her Ma’s only response to that was a raised eyebrow that Tessa shrank back from, her hand darting out guiltily to pick up the book her Ma was talking about. She smiled as Tessa opened it to where she’d been before and made her way carefully to the back of the wagon, picked her moment and climbed down and off, leaving Tessa with the book. The book that really didn’t make much sense. It was all just… words. Some of them she understood, and some of them together too, but most of it was just a big jumble of letters that seemed to go on forever. She tilted the book to the left, squinting her eyes at the words before giving up and looking at the picture again.
“Arrowroot… a… something… something plant with something… something and a fern top. Used for… flour?” Apparently reading out loud didn’t help much either, but it was the book’s fault! It was stupid, everyone knew you got flour from corn. With more grumbles Tessa went back to trying to figure out the words again, reaching out for her quill and ink to write down every word she didn’t understand, just like Ma and Da had asked her so they could explain them later. She was going to have to write out a lot of words. She sighed and stared at the book for a moment or two more before starting up again. "Some believe that the Arrowroot was… something… something…”

[Tessa Poe]

The book was still stupid, and boring, that much Tessa could say for sure. The pictures were pretty, there'd been of these pretty blue flowers that did something if you mashed them up, or at least she thought that's what the book had said. It was something like that anyway. It was getting to the point where she'd gladly drink some of whatever Mother Treville brought with her if only to get out of having to read this book! Tessa muttered something she'd heard one of the guards say when he'd dropped one of the crates on his foot, something her Ma had told her never to repeat, and then went back to trying to understand the book again.

"Willow bark can have... something... something... ef..fects on..."
"Ahhh I see you're keeping up with your reading then child?"
Tessa looked up to see Mother Treville's slightly lined face peering into the back of the wagon and tried to smile as she replied.
"Well... I'm trying, but it's a stupid book! It doesn't make sense!"
"Really? We'll have to see if we can help you understand it later. it is a very useful book after all."
"That's what Ma said but..."
"Never mind the book for now, how are you feeling child?"
"Ummm... better, I guess, it still hurts though."
"Of course it does, that’s just your body’s way of telling you you need rest.”
“I know… oh, I umm… thank you Mother Treville for looking after me and…”
“You’re most welcome, now I’m going to come in and have a look at how you’re healing and then I’ve got something for you to drink.”
“Does it taste nasty like all the others?”

Mother Treville chuckled in reply as she clambered inside the still slowly moving wagon and made her way back to Tessa’s little snug. “Oh it probably will, it’s how you know it’s good for you. Now then, lift your shirt and lets have a look at those cuts.” Tessa nodded and let Mother Treville examine her, wincing a little as raising her arms even that little bit pulled at them and turning away so she wouldn’t have to see them.
“Well they seem to be healing nicely, lets have a look at your arm now, and then we'll check on your thigh. It shouldn’t be too long before you’re ready to go back outside now.”
Tessa shifted to let her examine the marks they'd left, still refusing to look at them. “Really? You mean I won’t have to stay in here all the time?”
“No child, now drink this.” Tessa took the offered cup after Mother Treville poured it, sniffing slightly suspiciously at it as she brought it to her lips.
“What’s in it?”
“Well willow bark for one thing.”
“Why?”
“Drink child and I’ll tell you.”

Tessa grimaced and hesitated for a moment, taking another suspicious sniff at the brownish liquid before lifting the cup and swallowing its contents as fast as she could. It really did taste awful. As she finished Mother Treville smiled and handed her a little bundle around a handkerchief
“Since you were a good girl and drank all your medicine you can have these. I was going to save them til later but I think you need them more than I do.” Tessa quickly unwrapped it to find a little pile of bright red berries and stuffed a few into her mouth, chewing them noisily. Their sweet taste banished the lingering medicine and she couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear as a little juice ran down from her lips.
“What are they?”
“They’re red currants, can be hard to find sometimes, especially at this time of year.”
“Can we go looking for some when I’m better?”
“Of course we can, but didn’t you want to hear about the Willow bark?”
“Ohhh… yes, it was in the book but…”
“But you didn’t understand all the words? It just takes practice, like everything else. Now, Willow bark is a very useful thing, people have been using it for years to help ease their pain. You strip the bark from the tree and then you…” Tessa listened raptly as Mother Treville spoke, she had that sort of voice that made you just want to listen to it forever... and it was interesting too. Why couldn't the book make everything nice and simple like this? It'd be a much better book if it did.

[Tessa Poe]

Mother Treville stayed for a while longer to keep her company, which was something Tessa couldn't have thanked for her enough. It was lonely in the back of the wagon by herself, and while they might not be talking about anything in particular, it was enough that they were talking. Each time Tessa had a question for her, and she had an awful lot about the book and the words she'd not been able to understand, she would simply smile and answer it. She always so good like that. A bell or so must have passed as the two of them sat as comfortably as you could on sacks and crates covered in blankets until the time came for her to leave. Finally, just as she was picking herself up to go there was just one thing Tessa had to ask, just as she did every time the two of them spoke.
"You know everything, don't you Mother Treville?"
"Not quite everything child, there's always more to learn."
It was a lesson she'd never forget, there was always more to learn, no matter how far you wandered or what wonders you saw, there was always more, just around the next bend in the road.

Tessa snuggled back up under her blanket as Mother Treville left and was trying to work out what to do with herself when her Da peered in and gave her a little wave.
"She all done with you for now Poppet?"
"Yes Da, she said I might be well enough to go outside again soon!"
"Well there's some good news, do you feel up to walking to me? Your Ma and I thought a little fresh air might do you some good."
"Ummm... I think so, Mother Treville gave me something that had Willow Bark in it, did you know that if eat it it gets rid of your pain Da? All you have to do is..." Tessa launched into a repetition of what she'd been told about the fascinating uses for Willow Bark, grinning all the while as she spoke and her father simply couldn't help but smile in return. He'd been worried about his little Poppet since those dogs had gotten to her... she'd been so close to... he took a breath and turned his thoughts away from that. He couldn't let her see him getting upset, not when she seemed happy again. It was a relief to see her so animated, especially with how quiet she'd been after she'd woken.
"...so can I?"
"Can you what?" He asked, having missed the question.
"Weren't you listening Da? I said can I hear a story?"
"Sorry Poppet, was away with the fae for a moment there, anyway I'm sure your Ma'll tell you one, d'you need me to help you up there to the front with her?"

Tessa wasn't sure if she needed his help or not, but that didn't mean she didn't want it. She nodded happily as he climbed in and scooped her up easily, blanket and all, before carrying her back out and up to the front of the wagon. He handed her over to her Ma before taking up his usual position beside the Wagon and matching its pace. Her Ma settled her next to her at the front of the wagon on the coarse wooden bench and flicked the reins to keep the horses moving at their steady, ground eating pace.
"Nice to see you out of there Poppet, you sure you're feeling right for this?"
"Yes Ma! It's realllllly boring in there you know!" Tessa was still grinning from ear to ear as she snuggled up against her Ma's side, laying her head against her shoulder as she felt her Ma's arm rest lightly on her shoulder and cuddle her close and for a moment she forgot what her Da had said as her thoughts went all warm and fuzzy, but that didn't last long, the promise of a story was too good to forget about.

"Oh, Da said you'd tell me a story!"
"Did he now? Well if your Da said so then I guess I'd better do it hadn't I?" her Ma said as she turned her head to softly kiss Tessa's cheek, "What story would you like though, hmmm? I know, would you like to hear about Kenabelle Wright?"
"Who's that Ma?"
"She's only the most famous explorer pretty much ever Poppet."
"Where did she go then Ma? Did she go as far as Endrykas?"
"No, she went much further than that."
Tessa tried to think of anywhere she knew that was further away than Endrykas and just couldn't. "So where did she go?"
"All the way round the world Poppet, all the way round the world."
"Really?" Tessa glanced around the caravan, trying to imagine it travelling all around the world, "Did she go on a caravan? That would take an awful long time... the horses never go all that fast and..."
"No silly, she went on a ship, are you going to let me tell the story?"
"Sorry Ma..."
"That's better Poppet... now, where to begin? Let's see... Kenabelle was born for the ocean, which makes sense since she's from Zeltiva..."
"The place behind the mountains? With all the big ships?"
"Yes, now shush and let me tell the story... so by the time she was 17 she was already captain of her own ship, and her crew loved her. They say she always knew just what to say, whether she needed to make people laugh or set them to work, and she wasn't shy about working herself either. People respected her for that, she'd always pitch in with whatever jobs needed doing, and that was what made them love her. Never had a more loyal crew out there on the seas than hers and that's a fact Poppet."
"She was only seventeen when she got to be a captain? That's amazing Ma! Was she pretty?"
"Almost as pretty as you," her Ma replied as she cuddled Tessa close again, grinning as she winked down at her Da striding alongside the wagon.

"She spent two years sailing the seas, and she had many adventures but they're stories for another day, you want to hear about how she sailed round the world don't you?"
"Yes! How did she get so far? Weren't there monsters, or pirates, or ooo ooo pirate monsters!?"
"There were pirates, and monsters, no pirate monsters though, but if you keep interrupting I won't get to finish the story."
"Sorry Ma... I'll be quiet, I promise."
"Good, so while she was earning her reputation working the seas with her crew the people of Zeltiva were building a ship, the biggest and strongest ship they'd ever built, and they build a lot of ships in Zeltiva. They have to because like you said it's the place behind the mountains, the only way for them to get out is by sea. But they wanted to go further than they'd been before, see more than they'd seen before..."
"Because there's always more to learn?"
"Yes Poppet, because there's always more to learn. So the people in charge of Zeltiva had lots and lots of captains to choose from, but there was only one name they could ever choose, and that was Kenabelle Wright. There wasn't anyone else in the whole city that they thought could make the trip, so just after she turned nineteen they named her captain of the Seafarer and gave her a crew of hundred men, trusty and hardworking, a crew that any captain would be proud to be in charge of. They set out and there was the biiiig party all through the streets of the city to see them off. There was all kinds of food, and music and dancing and they were all cheering to see the ship set sail, because it was going where no-one had gone before.”
“Wasn’t she afraid? It must have been a really long way to go…”
“I imagine she was a little, they say she was a very sensible woman, and a little fear’s always a good thing Poppet. It keeps you careful, keeps you safe. You remember Mr Ferro?”
“The big man with the beard? The one who…”
“Yes… and you know why that happened to him?”
“No Ma… but it wasn’t very…”
“No it wasn’t, but it happened because he stopped being at least a little afraid, he stopped being careful.” Her Ma kissed Tessa’s forehead with a little smile to reassure her.
“Is Da…”
“Yes, all the time, aren’t you dear?”
“Of course, only way to make sure you see Syna’s next rise.” He smiled easily as he walked along, but now that Tessa was looking closer at him as she peered round her Ma she could see his eyes never stayed still for long. He was always looking around, always checking... maybe that's what Ma meant?
“But we should get back to the story, where were we Poppet?”
She grinned, her thoughts on her Da forgotten as she practically bounced in her seat, excited to hear the rest of the story. “They’d just had the big party! With the food and the dancing and all!”
“Oh yes, so… at first all was well, the weather was good and the wind was in the sails. There was nothing to be seen but the waves and the sky…” Tessa sat in rapt attention as her Ma's voice carried off to places far, far away, her eyes as wide as saucers as she followed the story, and there were pirates, and monsters, but there weren’t any pirate monsters. Tessa was sure that adding those to the story would have made it even better than it already was. Or maybe they came later in Ma’s story? She hoped so… but even if they didn’t that was alright. She had her Ma and her Da with her, the story was good enough so far even without them, the sky was overhead and there was a nice breeze that made her want to cuddle closer to her Ma... this was the way things were supposed to be.

[Archelon]

Thread Award “Hey, I got's an idea: You play I caterwaul a little: *clears throat* Ohhhhh. I know a whale of a tale to tell you lasssssss, A whale of a tale or two...!" And the Results!!!!: Tiki : SkillName 1-5 How/why Musical Instrument:Flute 3 Herbalism: 3 Wilderness Survival 1 Only a point since little actual demonstrations used. Medicine 1 Coincides with herbalism Reading 2 Observation 1 Negotiation 2 Negotiation with parents. Socialization 3 interactions with people. Meditation 1 Calming a childish mind to obey their parent{s} Lores: Uses of Willow Bark in herbal remedies(basic) Listening Attentively. Would you like some extra turtle sauce ? : This was a delightful read about the characters childhood. Excellently done. I couldn't find much else to work with, but I hope you come back soon. ^-^ Otherwise: happy traveling.