43rd Fall 514AV
The day's hunting had been frustrating and the girl had returned to the city early and empty handed. A brief trip had been made to her room to drop off her stuff and wash using the basin before going to the Kitchens. It was a time when there were a few individuals around who were having dinner before the rush. There were a few Endal, Avora and Chiet but no Dek as yet as their meal bell hadn't come along. The huntress watched the interactions between the occupants morosely as she picked at the meal that she'd chosen for herself.
It didn't feel right to her to be eating meat - she thought it might be deer - when she hadn't brought in any of it herself. It was only coming up to the halfway point in the season and she was becoming paranoid that they would run short again, that there wouldn't be enough meat to come around come winter. The idea of another famine was something that the Avora couldn't bear. Another riot of the lower orders couldn't happen, not again as such an eventuality had been safely guarded against. Any inkling of a future rebellion would be mercilessly crushed before it was allowed to germinate, let alone take root. The huntress was still afraid. A repeat of what had happened during those few days at the end of the season had been truly terrifying and such events weren't likely to be forgotten, even after a reassertion of the proper order. The fear, at least for Azira, remained.
It had been quite some time since she had had any reason to fear others, not since her Yasihood and it made her feel just as weak now as it had made her feel then. It was different though. Now she was afraid of an idea, of a faceless mob rising up once more and trying to do unspeakable things to her. In the past her terror had always been connected to individuals, some more than others. Time would soften the edge of her fear though and in time it would be blunted and she'd wonder what she'd ever worried about. The bullies of her childhood years were like zynx without teeth or claws now, powerless to hurt her even if they'd wanted to do so.
Her meal was forced in slow increments to vanish down her throat until she was finally done and could retreat to her room to be miserable in peace. Her dishware was returned to the counter as a group of Endal came in. Their loud and brash manner marked them as the eagle riders that they were, coming into the place as if they owned it. Azira was extremely glad to be on her way out or else their presence would have put her even further off her meal. She'd made it halfway across the room when something on the floor caught her eye. Disregarding the rowdy bunch talking about "the new guy" the Avora took a brief detour to examine the object.
A miza, not a pinion. It was a copper one, a trivial bit of coin but she took the time to pick it up all the same while murmuring to herself, "Find a copper, pick it up. All the day you'll have good luck." Fingers grasped the small coin and let it slide into the middle of her palm as she turned her hand over. She looked at it wondering why she hadn't found it earlier when she'd needed the luck. Without thinking about it, she flipped the coin into the air and made to grab it as it came back down. It glanced off her fingers as she grabbed for it and was sent flying forward. It landed on its side and rolled and bounced its way across the floor until it arrived beside the Endal party. No way was Azira going after it.
Instinctively she'd taken a step to follow the coin, a movement that she aborted as soon as the miza was given up for lost. A glance up showed that she'd attracted the attention of one of the men among the Endal, one who was looking at her with interest before their eyes met. As soon as they saw each other properly, there was a moment of shocked recognition before he said something that she couldn't hear but she saw the words form and she had an idea what was said: Eagle Eyes. The sneer that broke out on his face was one that was recognisable to her even after the passage of years. It was Cedrin.
There was no thought, no decision made, the teen just ran. She was out of the Kitchens and out in the twists and turns of the Warrens within ticks, moving blindly in her panic. The past that she thought she no longer had to fear had come back to haunt her. Her old tormentor had gained a position where he had power over her once more. When he'd been a Chiet she'd had nothing to fear but now... He'd been reminded of her existence too.
She had no idea where she was going, had no destination in mind. Her sense had left her, she couldn't focus on anything at all. She just ran until she reached a quiet section of tunnel and found herself collapsing panting against the wall, unable to figure out where she was and unable to care. What was she going to do? Was he going to come after her? Tears began to flow down her cheeks, the girl quickly becoming hysterical as she slid down the wall and hugged her knees.
The day's hunting had been frustrating and the girl had returned to the city early and empty handed. A brief trip had been made to her room to drop off her stuff and wash using the basin before going to the Kitchens. It was a time when there were a few individuals around who were having dinner before the rush. There were a few Endal, Avora and Chiet but no Dek as yet as their meal bell hadn't come along. The huntress watched the interactions between the occupants morosely as she picked at the meal that she'd chosen for herself.
It didn't feel right to her to be eating meat - she thought it might be deer - when she hadn't brought in any of it herself. It was only coming up to the halfway point in the season and she was becoming paranoid that they would run short again, that there wouldn't be enough meat to come around come winter. The idea of another famine was something that the Avora couldn't bear. Another riot of the lower orders couldn't happen, not again as such an eventuality had been safely guarded against. Any inkling of a future rebellion would be mercilessly crushed before it was allowed to germinate, let alone take root. The huntress was still afraid. A repeat of what had happened during those few days at the end of the season had been truly terrifying and such events weren't likely to be forgotten, even after a reassertion of the proper order. The fear, at least for Azira, remained.
It had been quite some time since she had had any reason to fear others, not since her Yasihood and it made her feel just as weak now as it had made her feel then. It was different though. Now she was afraid of an idea, of a faceless mob rising up once more and trying to do unspeakable things to her. In the past her terror had always been connected to individuals, some more than others. Time would soften the edge of her fear though and in time it would be blunted and she'd wonder what she'd ever worried about. The bullies of her childhood years were like zynx without teeth or claws now, powerless to hurt her even if they'd wanted to do so.
Her meal was forced in slow increments to vanish down her throat until she was finally done and could retreat to her room to be miserable in peace. Her dishware was returned to the counter as a group of Endal came in. Their loud and brash manner marked them as the eagle riders that they were, coming into the place as if they owned it. Azira was extremely glad to be on her way out or else their presence would have put her even further off her meal. She'd made it halfway across the room when something on the floor caught her eye. Disregarding the rowdy bunch talking about "the new guy" the Avora took a brief detour to examine the object.
A miza, not a pinion. It was a copper one, a trivial bit of coin but she took the time to pick it up all the same while murmuring to herself, "Find a copper, pick it up. All the day you'll have good luck." Fingers grasped the small coin and let it slide into the middle of her palm as she turned her hand over. She looked at it wondering why she hadn't found it earlier when she'd needed the luck. Without thinking about it, she flipped the coin into the air and made to grab it as it came back down. It glanced off her fingers as she grabbed for it and was sent flying forward. It landed on its side and rolled and bounced its way across the floor until it arrived beside the Endal party. No way was Azira going after it.
Instinctively she'd taken a step to follow the coin, a movement that she aborted as soon as the miza was given up for lost. A glance up showed that she'd attracted the attention of one of the men among the Endal, one who was looking at her with interest before their eyes met. As soon as they saw each other properly, there was a moment of shocked recognition before he said something that she couldn't hear but she saw the words form and she had an idea what was said: Eagle Eyes. The sneer that broke out on his face was one that was recognisable to her even after the passage of years. It was Cedrin.
There was no thought, no decision made, the teen just ran. She was out of the Kitchens and out in the twists and turns of the Warrens within ticks, moving blindly in her panic. The past that she thought she no longer had to fear had come back to haunt her. Her old tormentor had gained a position where he had power over her once more. When he'd been a Chiet she'd had nothing to fear but now... He'd been reminded of her existence too.
She had no idea where she was going, had no destination in mind. Her sense had left her, she couldn't focus on anything at all. She just ran until she reached a quiet section of tunnel and found herself collapsing panting against the wall, unable to figure out where she was and unable to care. What was she going to do? Was he going to come after her? Tears began to flow down her cheeks, the girl quickly becoming hysterical as she slid down the wall and hugged her knees.
Nari | Common
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