75 Winter 512 The wind was blowing strongly, more so than she had expected, enough to force Eilea to tie her hair back in one, thick tight braid. The morning mountain air was cool and crisp. She sat against the smooth stone wall, looking out at the area. Remembering Avanthal, her home, Wind Reach seemed so foreign, so different. But it also had a sense of homeliness about it. Wind Reach was exactly how Eilea had imagined it from her mother's stories, minus a few changes in the geography. Eilea’s eyes brightened into a yellow green shade as she reflected on her past. It had been such a dangerous journey for her to get to such a secluded area. Part of her was extremely happy that she had finally made it to her mother’s favorite place. The other part was worried. Would she be able to survive and contribute enough? She knew how dangerous this area was. Her mother had told many stories of starvation and death. Eilea couldn’t help but wonder if Wind Reach would be the end of her journey due to starvation. With a quick intake of breath, she leaned forward and looked over the edge. For, the Vantha girl had climbed onto a ledge against the mountain. It wasn’t too far of a drop off, she had climbed after all! But for the life of her, Eilea couldn’t figure out how to get down. She could see the trail, clearly, but she couldn’t exactly remember how she had gotten herself unto the ledge in the first place. There were a few rocks and uneven parts along the side of the wall, but she wasn’t sure how to navigate her way back down. It was incredibly frustrating and nerve wracking! At least below her was a well-traveled walking trail. She hoped someone would help her. Frustrated even more, her eyes darted around the area, pausing on everyone she noticed. They all had so much in common, the people of Wind Reach. Many red heads were running around, getting things done, being productive. Eilea bit her lip as she saw a few Inarta being shunned by others in the society. They sat in the dirt, away from everyone else. The Vantha girl frowned, leaned back and looked up. That was something she’d have to get used to, the way the city separated their people by castes. Some of it was for the good, others not so much. Just because she could handle herself with an art form, put her in the caste of Avora, the artisans. But that didn't give her anything special, at least in her mind. She would be doing something she learned in childhood. In a way, it was odd that such a skill was consisted "unique", since she was used to that being so common back in the city of Avanthal. She wrapped her arms around her, hugging herself and just observed the sky. Birds were soaring against the blue, leaving beautiful mental trails right below the scatted light grey pigments of clouds. The girl lifted her hand and drew out the imagery with her pointer finger, something her mother used to do when Eilea was a child, drawing out the beautiful Aurora Borealis above their home at night. She smiled and closed her eyes, getting lost in her own thoughts. Without warning, the wind picked up again, sending strong gusts against Eilea’s body. She struggled to fight it, her hands desperately searching for something to grab onto. But there wasn’t enough time. Her body flew forward without anything holding her back. Panic! She shrieked with no time to swear as she tried to twist sideways, to catch herself, but it was no use. All contact with the rocks were severed. Eyes as white as the snow from the land she came, Eilea fell from her perch. |