80th of Winter, 505 AV
The Shrine of Those That Have Passed
Brunhild sat at the very front of the shrine, hands intertwined together in prayer. She wore her usual attire, only instead of her favored white Katinu, she sported a black one. The hood was heavy on her head, shadowing half of her face in a mysterious fashion. Apart from the dangerously appalling look in her eyes, she also radiated a particularly terrible aura of distraught.
Forest-green eyes scanned the magnificent structure of the shrine, half of her mind praising its splendorous and intricate design, and the other half contemplated on her loss. Just a year ago, she had lost her father in an accident. No one could explain it to her, no one dared to elaborate, or even to console her. Her only source of solace was Axel, who was currently waiting patiently for her outside.
She prayed. Not because she had to, or because her dear father had just passed, but because it was a routine for her. Once a month, she'd go to the shrine and pray for every single soul, wish for their betterment, and hope they are at peace wherever the are. This month, however, she had reserved her prayers for her one and only dad.
"Hello, father..."
A soft gush of wind blew in the area, but she paid no mind to it. She closed her swollen eyelids, which were heavy and painful due to sleep deprivation. She would never let herself cry, for she took pride in the intimidating image she'd procured over the years. She would never allow her tears to spill, not when she was in a position that required immense strength both in the inside and out.
"I hope you're doing alright,"
The wind blew a little stronger, but she refused to turn around and look. She glanced up; a strange, misty white silhouette moved swiftly from her peripheral vision, but once again she paid it no mind. There were thousands of rumors of ghosts in the shrine, but she wasn't afraid of anything like that.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I promise, I won't let you down,"
The wind blew off her hood, and her eyes flashed open in panic, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shutting her bloodshot eyes once more, she resumed her prayer to her father.
"I'll promise, I will be a great Endal, I promise."
She walked out then, her hood back on her head, which was held high with pride. Honestly, she felt a little conscious, silently hoping people would not misconstrue her actions, but she needed to exude the confidence that she had inside of her, albeit just a little bit. Axel flapped her wings jovially at her approach.
"Are you alright now, Brunhild?" the slate-blue Wind Eagle inquired, her iridescent black feathers shining brightly, giving a sort of strange hope to the Inarta. "Yes," she murmured slowly, removing her hood and beaming a bright and positive smile at Axel, who chirped a happy approval. She mounted on her, and they flew back to their Aerie. The winds that blew against Brunhild's skin just a while ago had given her a strange and strong feeling of peace and renewed hope. Suddenly, every little ruction in her life had dissipated into the air, and hopefully perhaps it will be gone forever. The subliminal messages her mind kept telling her on and on was that, starting today, things will be completely different. |
5th of Spring, 505 AV
The Eagle Aeries - Ambros Household | The Unforgiving
"Are you merely going to sit there and watch the clouds go by?" Axel asked, perching next to the Inarta, who sat on the edge of the cavernous home, her legs dangling past the rocky edge. "We should go out, it's been a month..." the Wind Eagle added, flapping her wings happily, "And it's springtime!"
"What of springtime?" Brunhild replied with a dull tone, eyes intent on the fluff that floated in the sky. "Well, we should be out hunting!" Axel retorted, standing up and turning to the Inarta. "What would we hunt?" she turned to the Wind Eagle, eyes flashing with interest. "Yukmen, of course!" Axel chirruped with laughter. "You and your obsession with killing those," she giggled in agreement, standing up and gathering her things, taking her white Katinu instead of the black one. "This sudden change of outerwear, am I supposed to assume that you feel better?" the Wind Eagle inquired, wings flapping for a moment as the Inarta mounted on her. "Yes, you could say that!" she grinned, and they flew off.
"So, I am pretty sure our usual spot before would be completely devoid of those fiends," Axel said casually as they flew out of the Wind Reaches' region, and were now out in the open. "Yes, so I suppose we could go a little farther into the open!" she exclaimed excitedly. When she was with Axel, she could be herself, and no one was there to judge her, or be cross with her. She could be as excited and jovial as she pleased. "Lets take a look around, find some ruins, or a nice field filled with them!" the Wind Eagle chirped, and they giggled in unison at the gleeful thought. This was like a party for them.
"We're nearing Denval," Axel affirmed, slowing down for Brunhild to take a better look at the terrain. "Don't get to close," Brunhild murmured protectively. "See anything?" the Wind Eagle queried, and began to spin around in a large circle like a vulture scoping for prey. "What do you think of that area?" Brunhild pointed over to a patch of overgrown grass littered with rubble and rocks, "see those specs? Definitely Yukmen." They soared down a little lower, low enough to see clearer, and high enough not to be spotted.
"There are... five of them?" Brunhild whispered, pointing a finger at each one as she counted. "No, there's more over there..." Axel nodded over to the far end of the field, where a large broken walls of rock stood tall, dividing the Yukmen in fives, making them twenty all in all. "I wonder what this place used to be," the redhead pondered, eyes scanning the scenery. "Tell you what, why don't you kill the first half over there, and then we can do a little reconnaissance per division?" the Wind Eagle suggested excitedly, already preparing to land. "Hmm no... I'm not quite sure, perhaps next time?" Brunhild shook her head. They were in an entirely different region; it wouldn't exactly be proper to just jump in.
"We're never going to find a proper training spot..." Axel sighed solemnly, soaring past the ruins and turning back to go home. "Think of it this way; you're getting exercise, and we've had a good look around!" Brunhild giggled profusely. "Are you alright?" Axel laughed, gaining speed, "you're suddenly so... energetic." Axel did a few tricks in the air, causing Brunhild's laughter to heighten. As they approached Wind Reach, her smile faded.
"Land here please," she murmured quietly. |
5th of Spring, 505 AV
Wind Reach Outskirts - The Old Training Spot
"... Brunhild," Axel whispered worriedly as she landed on the usual large tree facing a small, oval-shaped patch of grass. Strangely enough, the grass was not overgrown. A neat slap of rock stood at the center, with a frivolous and sloppy drawing of a target at its front. "Shh, no it's alright Axel..." she smiled a sad smile, taking out her bow and arrow and slowly approaching the rock.
This is where she trained with her father as a child. On that beautiful spring day, when he first taught her how to use a bow and an arrow, and how she'd learned it so well. Now, she's competent, yet she does not feel good enough.
Axel remained silent. She rested upon a stack of leaves nearby, that oddly felt familiar. "Euphimé would lay here," she whispered. Brunhild nodded, but did not take one look at her Wind Eagle, in fear that she may burst into tears at the nostalgia. She began to continuously shoot arrows onto the target, hitting the bulls-eye in every one. She was angry, hurt, and sad. All the negative emotions that broiled throughout her body turned into hot tears that flowed down her cheeks, and all the pain burst into energy which she released with the arrows. One after another, she followed her father's old teachings of how to use the arrows. For a moment, she felt like the little 9-year old girl who shook and wobbled messily, but still got her bulls-eye.
She began to rapid-fire, the arrows coming faster and faster. Axel began to worry that she would hurt herself. When she ran out of arrows, she quickly picked them all up and shot them again. Her hands were swollen and red, and they were sore from overexertion. "Brunhild," Axel exclaimed authoritatively, but the Inarta did not stop. Brunhild's muscles were aching, but she kept on firing the arrows at a quick pace, faster and faster. She was supposedly incapable of such a speed just yet, but the surge of adrenaline had caused her to move against her body's wishes. "Brunhild!" the Wind Eagle flew over at once as the young Inarta fell onto her knees in a mess of tears.
"I'm sorry, I'm..." she sobbed, wiping the tears that would not stop flowing. She felt embarrassed, ashamed, and weak. But the tears would not cease. "I miss father," she whispered lugubriously. "I know, I understand... But you don't have to hurt yourself like this," Axel whispered, wrapping her indigo-black wings around the Brunhild in a comforting manner. "You don't have to go through this alone, you know that. I'm here, remember?" the Wind Eagle murmured positively. Brunhild's frown reverted into a faint yet genuine smile.
"You're right, I apologize--"
"No, don't apologize, I understand..." Axel chuckled, relinquishing the Inarta and preparing for flight. "Now, hop on. It's time to go home!" she cheered. Brunhild gladly complied, fixing her things and hopping onto Axel's back. "But, isn't it a little too early?" she teased, feeling the weight on her shoulders lighten. She always finds solace in the company and reassurance of her Wind Eagle, "look at the sun, darling, it's setting." Axel took off, doing silly little flips in the air to amuse the young girl as they neared home. Home, a place Brunhild didn't find so comforting. But when she remembers that Axel is there for her to trust and confide in, she stops feeling so lost. |
5th of Spring, 505 AV
The Eagle Aeries - Ambros Household
"Tell me a story," Axel whispered sleepily, huddling close to Brunhild as they sat at the foot of the cavern's opening. Brunhild buried her tired body close to the Wind Eagle, the warmth of her feathers soothing her sore body as the cool winds breezed through. "No," Brunhild giggled. Axel flapped her wings and wrapped one around the Inarta. "Please? You're having insomnia again, it's best use the time!" she exclaimed.
"Fine fine, what about?" Brunhild yawned, tucking her bare legs under her long white nightgown and leaning her head on Axel's side. The Wind Eagle turned her head to the night sky, glittering with shining stars. It was silent for a moment, before Brunhild sighed once more and began to speak.
"When I was four..." she began slowly, stifling a yawn as she looked at the full moon up above. "Father used to play this strange wooden toy... it made strange yet wonderful music," she continued, "he gave it to me after teaching me how to play it, but I lost it."
"What was it?" Axel interrupted, glancing at the Inarta, who was finally falling asleep. "An ocar... ocarina? I'm not quite sure," she yawned again, "He said that if ever I'm in trouble, all I'd have to do is play it."
"I'm tired." she whispered, standing up and making her way towards the bedroom. "Good night, Axel..." she smiled faintly, waving to the Wind Eagle. "Good night!" Axel chirped happily, making her way to her nest. It was going to be a nice long night.
END. |
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by Brunhild Alalia Ambros on August 19th, 2010, 1:07 pm 
