|| 75th day of Fall, 500 || The Scattered Bones' home, Taloba || 1st Bell, nighttime ||
”You are a night child, Ayatah.”
The young girl jumped and spun around, coming face-to-face with the hunched figure of her Great-Grandmother. Instantly, her head dipped respectfully. ”I… could not sleep.”
Instead of scolding the child for leaving her bed in the midst of night, Quinneth of the Scattered Bones merely smiled. Her face was wrinkled already, but it became even more so when she grinned. It did not stop the old woman, however; Ayatah had only seen Quinneth truly angered twice in her young life, and the sight had been terrifying. The matriarch of their clan was old, patient and kind most of the time. But when infuriated, she became every the fearless Myrian solider she had once been in her youth.
”That is alright, Ayatah.” She winced a little as she sat down next to the remaining embers of that night’s bonfire. Old bones creaked and muscles ached, but Quinneth refused to be treated any differently just because she was old. ”Although I should send you back to bed - you have plenty to do tomorrow.”
The old woman was right; Ayatah would be learning the basics of fighting with her birth weapon - the double bladed dagger - the following morning. Not to mention there were the usual number of chores to be done, as well as Ayatah furthering her knowledge of the world outside of Taloba and learning the Common language.
The latter of these tasks were additional jobs that Ayatah had requested, though. Whilst her cousins and other young clanmates would be practicing their sparring, she would be reading and writing.
”Yes, Quinneth.” She bow her head once again, and stood up onto her feet.
”Ah-“ The older woman held up her hand and signaled for her Great Granddaughter to sit back down. Ayatah obliged, confused.
The two sat in silence for a moment, with the elderly woman watching the mixed-blooded youngster, and Ayatah shifting a little uncomfortably under the gaze of her Great-Grandmother.
”I said I should tell you to go back to bed, not that I would.” A knowing smile pulled at her lips, and she lent forward - grimacing again as she did - to poke the dying fire with a stick. ”You are coming along well with your Common, Aya.”
”Thank you.” Her quiet words were said in Common. It was Quinneth who had volunteered to give Ayatah her extra-curricular lessons, having lived outside the jungle for some time in her youth (albeit many, many years ago).
”Why is it that you are you unable to sleep?”
Ayatah shrugged her shoulders, and then frowned. ”I… do not know. I could see the moon from the window in our lodge.” Although the ‘window’ she had described was nothing more than a rectangular hole purposefully built into the side of her family’s hut. ”When the moon is full, it’s light wakes me up.”
The old woman nodded fervently , that mysterious smile on her face once again. ”You are a night child, Ayatah.” She repeated, then continued.
The young girl jumped and spun around, coming face-to-face with the hunched figure of her Great-Grandmother. Instantly, her head dipped respectfully. ”I… could not sleep.”
Instead of scolding the child for leaving her bed in the midst of night, Quinneth of the Scattered Bones merely smiled. Her face was wrinkled already, but it became even more so when she grinned. It did not stop the old woman, however; Ayatah had only seen Quinneth truly angered twice in her young life, and the sight had been terrifying. The matriarch of their clan was old, patient and kind most of the time. But when infuriated, she became every the fearless Myrian solider she had once been in her youth.
”That is alright, Ayatah.” She winced a little as she sat down next to the remaining embers of that night’s bonfire. Old bones creaked and muscles ached, but Quinneth refused to be treated any differently just because she was old. ”Although I should send you back to bed - you have plenty to do tomorrow.”
The old woman was right; Ayatah would be learning the basics of fighting with her birth weapon - the double bladed dagger - the following morning. Not to mention there were the usual number of chores to be done, as well as Ayatah furthering her knowledge of the world outside of Taloba and learning the Common language.
The latter of these tasks were additional jobs that Ayatah had requested, though. Whilst her cousins and other young clanmates would be practicing their sparring, she would be reading and writing.
”Yes, Quinneth.” She bow her head once again, and stood up onto her feet.
”Ah-“ The older woman held up her hand and signaled for her Great Granddaughter to sit back down. Ayatah obliged, confused.
The two sat in silence for a moment, with the elderly woman watching the mixed-blooded youngster, and Ayatah shifting a little uncomfortably under the gaze of her Great-Grandmother.
”I said I should tell you to go back to bed, not that I would.” A knowing smile pulled at her lips, and she lent forward - grimacing again as she did - to poke the dying fire with a stick. ”You are coming along well with your Common, Aya.”
”Thank you.” Her quiet words were said in Common. It was Quinneth who had volunteered to give Ayatah her extra-curricular lessons, having lived outside the jungle for some time in her youth (albeit many, many years ago).
”Why is it that you are you unable to sleep?”
Ayatah shrugged her shoulders, and then frowned. ”I… do not know. I could see the moon from the window in our lodge.” Although the ‘window’ she had described was nothing more than a rectangular hole purposefully built into the side of her family’s hut. ”When the moon is full, it’s light wakes me up.”
The old woman nodded fervently , that mysterious smile on her face once again. ”You are a night child, Ayatah.” She repeated, then continued.
|| Ayatah's speech || Ayatah's thoughts || Others' speech ||