Ra’eesah sat at the edge of camp on a log watching the striders frolicking out in the field. The corral was just one of several that had been built to house the many horses for sale and that needed to be claimed. The air was hot on this early summer day but the breeze that was blowing through the grasslands made it almost seem pleasant. She was beginning to think there was not a horse for her. She was a good horsewoman, always kind and considerate to whatever steed she happened to be riding. There were usually horses around that she could ride but they were not hers. Even her younger brother had found his strider. She felt at times she was not taken serious as an adult because she lacked her wind-marks.
Ra’eesah’s father and mother stood at their tent watching their daughter. They knew what was troubling was her and it frustrated them. It was just something that would happen in its own time. There was no magic formula; it was a spiritual thing. “You know your daughter was teasing the Kelvic boy about being his own horse and not having to go through this. I do not think she was teasing, I think there was a little jealousy in the words though. Of course S’hazende took it good naturedly but she worries me my husband.” The man held his wife close taking her words to heart and they confirmed to him what he had been thinking for a while; this was bothering their daughter more than either of them knew. “I think it is time I had a father and daughter talk with her.” He kissed his wife tenderly and then smacked her backside playfully and winked at her as he headed out to talk with their daughter.
The site of the horses running and grazing was a beautiful sight and never ceased to amaze the large man. He was every bit a Drykas and loved the land and loved nature. He had never lived another life nor did he even want to try. He sat beside his daughter and draped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her close to him, kissing her forehead. She laid her head on his shoulder. “They’re beautiful baba” she commented to her father.
Her father stroked her hair. “I know what you are thinking my little desert flower. Wondering if one of them is yours, wondering if you will ever find yours.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I can tell you there is or will be a strider for you. You are a Drykas and for every one of us there is always a strider. I know it is difficult for you seeing the others with their wind-marks but yours will come. You must be patient. You know some do not get their horse until they are old. You must face the fact that it could happen.” He hugged the girl tightly remembering when he was waiting for his bonding. It was a hard and frustrating time in a young Drykas life.
Ra’eesah sighed loudly. She was normally a very happy girl, bubbly, full of life, and always smiling. Today she just wanted to feel that connection. Maybe it was because two of her friends had recently married. It seemed the boys wanted girls with wind-marks. She was an adult now and many would expect her to start her family soon. She just felt like she was being left behind a little bit. “Baba, I feel that I am being left behind. I cannot be a full member of our clan until I have my wind-marks. What man wants a wife that cannot be in their clan or one without wind-marks? I can do so much but yet if I am not a full member of the clan it holds me back.” She looked defeated as she poured her heart out to her father.
As only a father can do he pulled her onto his lap and held her like he had done when she was a little girl. He looked at his daughter as the tears began to flow and just held her while she cried, waiting for her to crying the feelings out. Her parents were very proud of her and the woman she had become. She was driven to always be the best that she could be but this time she was pushing herself hard on something that none of them had control over. Soon the tears subsided and he stroked her hair has he had done many times in the past. “Honey, you are giving yourself expectations that no one can accomplish. I know many are moving on to the next phase of their life but you are not missing out on as much as you think you are. Be content my child with who you are. Remember what the gods teach us? Hmm?” He questioned her, tilting her face to look into his. “To be content where we are in life and only when we realize that lesson do we get to move on to the next?” He smiled tenderly at his daughter watching the conviction begin to show in her eyes. She had forgotten the lesson and was ashamed of the fact.
Ra’eesah watched the horses pondering what her father had told her. He was right of course, he always was. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. “You are right baba. I need to follow the teachings of the gods and be content and they will give to me when the time is right for me.” She climbed off his lap and walked a few feet to the corral fence that had been set up and leaned on it looking to the sky. “I am sorry, I will try and remember what you have taught my people and be patient.”
Father sat watching his daughter, pride written upon his face. He knew it was all a part of growing up. He had reminded her of the tools she possessed to deal with this situation and now it was time for Ra’eesah to struggle and learn. Many times the lessons you learned the best, were the ones you struggled with the most. He quietly walked up to her and hugged her from behind, kissing her head as he did so. “I love you Ra’eesah, you will find your way. Come when you are ready”, he walked back to his watching wife.
“Well?” the woman asked of her husband. “Our daughter will be fine. She just needed to be reminded of the tools she already possessed. She is just being impatient and this is a good lesson for her to learn.”
Ra’eesah’s father and mother stood at their tent watching their daughter. They knew what was troubling was her and it frustrated them. It was just something that would happen in its own time. There was no magic formula; it was a spiritual thing. “You know your daughter was teasing the Kelvic boy about being his own horse and not having to go through this. I do not think she was teasing, I think there was a little jealousy in the words though. Of course S’hazende took it good naturedly but she worries me my husband.” The man held his wife close taking her words to heart and they confirmed to him what he had been thinking for a while; this was bothering their daughter more than either of them knew. “I think it is time I had a father and daughter talk with her.” He kissed his wife tenderly and then smacked her backside playfully and winked at her as he headed out to talk with their daughter.
The site of the horses running and grazing was a beautiful sight and never ceased to amaze the large man. He was every bit a Drykas and loved the land and loved nature. He had never lived another life nor did he even want to try. He sat beside his daughter and draped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her close to him, kissing her forehead. She laid her head on his shoulder. “They’re beautiful baba” she commented to her father.
Her father stroked her hair. “I know what you are thinking my little desert flower. Wondering if one of them is yours, wondering if you will ever find yours.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I can tell you there is or will be a strider for you. You are a Drykas and for every one of us there is always a strider. I know it is difficult for you seeing the others with their wind-marks but yours will come. You must be patient. You know some do not get their horse until they are old. You must face the fact that it could happen.” He hugged the girl tightly remembering when he was waiting for his bonding. It was a hard and frustrating time in a young Drykas life.
Ra’eesah sighed loudly. She was normally a very happy girl, bubbly, full of life, and always smiling. Today she just wanted to feel that connection. Maybe it was because two of her friends had recently married. It seemed the boys wanted girls with wind-marks. She was an adult now and many would expect her to start her family soon. She just felt like she was being left behind a little bit. “Baba, I feel that I am being left behind. I cannot be a full member of our clan until I have my wind-marks. What man wants a wife that cannot be in their clan or one without wind-marks? I can do so much but yet if I am not a full member of the clan it holds me back.” She looked defeated as she poured her heart out to her father.
As only a father can do he pulled her onto his lap and held her like he had done when she was a little girl. He looked at his daughter as the tears began to flow and just held her while she cried, waiting for her to crying the feelings out. Her parents were very proud of her and the woman she had become. She was driven to always be the best that she could be but this time she was pushing herself hard on something that none of them had control over. Soon the tears subsided and he stroked her hair has he had done many times in the past. “Honey, you are giving yourself expectations that no one can accomplish. I know many are moving on to the next phase of their life but you are not missing out on as much as you think you are. Be content my child with who you are. Remember what the gods teach us? Hmm?” He questioned her, tilting her face to look into his. “To be content where we are in life and only when we realize that lesson do we get to move on to the next?” He smiled tenderly at his daughter watching the conviction begin to show in her eyes. She had forgotten the lesson and was ashamed of the fact.
Ra’eesah watched the horses pondering what her father had told her. He was right of course, he always was. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. “You are right baba. I need to follow the teachings of the gods and be content and they will give to me when the time is right for me.” She climbed off his lap and walked a few feet to the corral fence that had been set up and leaned on it looking to the sky. “I am sorry, I will try and remember what you have taught my people and be patient.”
Father sat watching his daughter, pride written upon his face. He knew it was all a part of growing up. He had reminded her of the tools she possessed to deal with this situation and now it was time for Ra’eesah to struggle and learn. Many times the lessons you learned the best, were the ones you struggled with the most. He quietly walked up to her and hugged her from behind, kissing her head as he did so. “I love you Ra’eesah, you will find your way. Come when you are ready”, he walked back to his watching wife.
“Well?” the woman asked of her husband. “Our daughter will be fine. She just needed to be reminded of the tools she already possessed. She is just being impatient and this is a good lesson for her to learn.”
