Spring 32nd 507
Merevaika awoke to Alese's arm over her face, the young girl sprawled strangely on her bedroll, hogging all the blanket. The girls, all six of them, shared a compartment in their pavilion, huddled under several blankets and skins, pressed against each other like sardines. It wasn't the best situation, as they often awoke to find the bed wet with one of the younger girls crying with shame, or struggled to sleep as their neighbour had pulled the blanket of them and over themselves, but no one complained about it too much.
Ywana lay awake on the other side of Alese, also uncovered by the blanket, and stared up towards the ceiling, fiddling with a small silver pendant. No one knew where it came from, or who gave it to her, just that her mother strongly disapproved of it. The fight still burned in her memory. Rowena had demanded that Ywana give it to her, to sell or get rid of, but the young woman had refused to, standing still and strong. Rowena had lashed out with anger, slapping her around the face, and although Ywana's cheek had turned red, she refused again.
"You'll bring shame on us all!" the older woman had shouted, disappearing to her work, and Ywana had sunk to her knees, crying. Merevaika didn't understand. Her sister was getting married next season, certainly a reason to be filled with joy and celebration. After all, it was about time. Her first engagement had ended badly with Tunc breaking it off, realizing the Ankal's faults. After that, no one had approached them for her, and she had disappeared for days on end to train with her quarterstaff or sword.
Then, two years later, Tunc had managed to find her another husband, in a good Emerald pavilion. Complications had arisen and the wedding was postponed to much later, but Ywana had never been happy with it. In fact, she had tried to extend the date, coming up with excuses and disappearing to Riverfall for a couple of seasons.
Merevaika rolled over to face her sister, admiring the windmarks spiraling across the side of her face, marking her as bonded. The mare she had bonded to was a strong and fearless strider, with a pale mane and reddish coat, matching the colour of the tattoos.
"Ywana, what's wrong?" the girl asked, sitting up to face her properly. Ywana stared up at her curiously, hiding the pendant away. She shook her head, making the sign for nothing.
Hide pendant, why? Merevaika signed back, not wanting to wake the other girls. Now that she had Ywana's attention, there was no need to speak.
Ywana thought, giving away that she had a real reason that she didn't want to reveal. You said, will look at wild horses. Go now, parents asleep. She avoided the question completely, changing the conversation to something Merevaika had mentioned the previous night. The drykas had spotted a herd of wild strider half a bells ride from their tents, and had mention how beautiful they had looked. She had suggested that she would go visit them, and Ywana had encouraged her, reminding her of their beauty.
Come with?[i]
[i]No, sleepy, take To'res, she replied, mimicking falling asleep. Merevaika frowned, annoyed that the girl who had suggested her trip away from the pavilion was too cowardly to join her. They wouldn't be gone long, back before anyone started missing them. They would always tell the Ankal that they had gone to see if they could catch something or forage something to help out.
But To'res was a good substitute. He also had a strider, rather annoying actually, and Merevaika was insanely jealous. The boy had rubbed it in her face whenever he could, but he was a good sport, willing to have some fun once in a while. Coward, Merevaika signed as a goodbye, receiving her clothes in the form as a bundle to her face.
She slipped out of an old shirt of her father's, which hung to her knees, and pulled on her clothes, the trousers and shirt she had long worn in, covered in stitches where they had to be repaired. She was glad that her mother let her wear trousers and men's clothing, rather than forcing her in those long impractical skirts and dresses. This was much less unrestricted, letting her run and hunt and ride comfortably and easily.
Merevaika awoke to Alese's arm over her face, the young girl sprawled strangely on her bedroll, hogging all the blanket. The girls, all six of them, shared a compartment in their pavilion, huddled under several blankets and skins, pressed against each other like sardines. It wasn't the best situation, as they often awoke to find the bed wet with one of the younger girls crying with shame, or struggled to sleep as their neighbour had pulled the blanket of them and over themselves, but no one complained about it too much.
Ywana lay awake on the other side of Alese, also uncovered by the blanket, and stared up towards the ceiling, fiddling with a small silver pendant. No one knew where it came from, or who gave it to her, just that her mother strongly disapproved of it. The fight still burned in her memory. Rowena had demanded that Ywana give it to her, to sell or get rid of, but the young woman had refused to, standing still and strong. Rowena had lashed out with anger, slapping her around the face, and although Ywana's cheek had turned red, she refused again.
"You'll bring shame on us all!" the older woman had shouted, disappearing to her work, and Ywana had sunk to her knees, crying. Merevaika didn't understand. Her sister was getting married next season, certainly a reason to be filled with joy and celebration. After all, it was about time. Her first engagement had ended badly with Tunc breaking it off, realizing the Ankal's faults. After that, no one had approached them for her, and she had disappeared for days on end to train with her quarterstaff or sword.
Then, two years later, Tunc had managed to find her another husband, in a good Emerald pavilion. Complications had arisen and the wedding was postponed to much later, but Ywana had never been happy with it. In fact, she had tried to extend the date, coming up with excuses and disappearing to Riverfall for a couple of seasons.
Merevaika rolled over to face her sister, admiring the windmarks spiraling across the side of her face, marking her as bonded. The mare she had bonded to was a strong and fearless strider, with a pale mane and reddish coat, matching the colour of the tattoos.
"Ywana, what's wrong?" the girl asked, sitting up to face her properly. Ywana stared up at her curiously, hiding the pendant away. She shook her head, making the sign for nothing.
Hide pendant, why? Merevaika signed back, not wanting to wake the other girls. Now that she had Ywana's attention, there was no need to speak.
Ywana thought, giving away that she had a real reason that she didn't want to reveal. You said, will look at wild horses. Go now, parents asleep. She avoided the question completely, changing the conversation to something Merevaika had mentioned the previous night. The drykas had spotted a herd of wild strider half a bells ride from their tents, and had mention how beautiful they had looked. She had suggested that she would go visit them, and Ywana had encouraged her, reminding her of their beauty.
Come with?[i]
[i]No, sleepy, take To'res, she replied, mimicking falling asleep. Merevaika frowned, annoyed that the girl who had suggested her trip away from the pavilion was too cowardly to join her. They wouldn't be gone long, back before anyone started missing them. They would always tell the Ankal that they had gone to see if they could catch something or forage something to help out.
But To'res was a good substitute. He also had a strider, rather annoying actually, and Merevaika was insanely jealous. The boy had rubbed it in her face whenever he could, but he was a good sport, willing to have some fun once in a while. Coward, Merevaika signed as a goodbye, receiving her clothes in the form as a bundle to her face.
She slipped out of an old shirt of her father's, which hung to her knees, and pulled on her clothes, the trousers and shirt she had long worn in, covered in stitches where they had to be repaired. She was glad that her mother let her wear trousers and men's clothing, rather than forcing her in those long impractical skirts and dresses. This was much less unrestricted, letting her run and hunt and ride comfortably and easily.
