Summer 42nd 509AV
Late evening
Noor family home
Penny had come home that day to an awful lot of visitors. Some whom she did instantly recognise though the rain drop laiden window. Others whom she had not. It was a strange sight to come to. Her home, once a peaceful abode, was not bustling with life of a certain morose kind. A gloom hang over every single person there. It was painted on their faces, in their tears. Many wore black and even those dock workers like Jager and Miles, whom Penny often chatted to when waiting at the docks for her father’s ship to appear on the horizon, took a little more care in their appearance than the usual undyed linen shirts Penny was so used to seeing them wear. Miles even wore a hat.
The girl hesitated before knocking on her own front door. Something hadn’t felt right. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to find out the purpose of this visit by so vary many people but what else was she to do? It was late. Mama was expecting her before lights out.
Alas she whacked the cast iron knocker on the wood free times before finding the door unlocked, pushing it slowly ajar and walking into a room full and all eyes on her. She grasped at her wrist, uneasy, uncertain and uncomfortable. “Good evening.” she muttered, watching the crowd part to reveal her mother, sitting on the bed in fits of tears.
Penny immediately ran over to the woman, grasping her by the hands and kneeling on one knee before her. “What’s wrong, mama?” she pleaded, her voice shaking. Vailena was not a woman for such public spectacles of emotions. Penny had only seen her cry twice and never had it been over something small. If her mother was crying, especially in front of all those people, Penny was certain that only one thing could be the cause of her tears… something had happened to her father.
Quickly she banished the thought from her mind as she had done every time his ship had gotten held up at it’s destination or sailed through a treacherous storm only to return later than expected. Being a daughter of a sailor meant she couldn't let the ‘what if’s and ’but’s bother her. She had to keep faith that he would return in one peace as he always did.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was a well dressed gentleman in a black frock coat and a top hat. “Are you miss Penelope Noor?” he asked. She looked between him and her mother who nodded, still sobbing frantically into a tissue. “I have some awful news child. Truly terrible. There’s been a storm in the Suvan some good 35 days ago. Your father’s ship was caught in it.”
“But he’s alright? He’s back in Alvadas!.” Penny interrupted him abruptly. She didn’t want to hear the rest of what he had to say. A pump in her throat built the size of a large apple and her eyes filled with tears for she knew what he was going to say next. She knew it but she did not want to hear it. “He’s fine.”
Late evening
Noor family home
Penny had come home that day to an awful lot of visitors. Some whom she did instantly recognise though the rain drop laiden window. Others whom she had not. It was a strange sight to come to. Her home, once a peaceful abode, was not bustling with life of a certain morose kind. A gloom hang over every single person there. It was painted on their faces, in their tears. Many wore black and even those dock workers like Jager and Miles, whom Penny often chatted to when waiting at the docks for her father’s ship to appear on the horizon, took a little more care in their appearance than the usual undyed linen shirts Penny was so used to seeing them wear. Miles even wore a hat.
The girl hesitated before knocking on her own front door. Something hadn’t felt right. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to find out the purpose of this visit by so vary many people but what else was she to do? It was late. Mama was expecting her before lights out.
Alas she whacked the cast iron knocker on the wood free times before finding the door unlocked, pushing it slowly ajar and walking into a room full and all eyes on her. She grasped at her wrist, uneasy, uncertain and uncomfortable. “Good evening.” she muttered, watching the crowd part to reveal her mother, sitting on the bed in fits of tears.
Penny immediately ran over to the woman, grasping her by the hands and kneeling on one knee before her. “What’s wrong, mama?” she pleaded, her voice shaking. Vailena was not a woman for such public spectacles of emotions. Penny had only seen her cry twice and never had it been over something small. If her mother was crying, especially in front of all those people, Penny was certain that only one thing could be the cause of her tears… something had happened to her father.
Quickly she banished the thought from her mind as she had done every time his ship had gotten held up at it’s destination or sailed through a treacherous storm only to return later than expected. Being a daughter of a sailor meant she couldn't let the ‘what if’s and ’but’s bother her. She had to keep faith that he would return in one peace as he always did.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was a well dressed gentleman in a black frock coat and a top hat. “Are you miss Penelope Noor?” he asked. She looked between him and her mother who nodded, still sobbing frantically into a tissue. “I have some awful news child. Truly terrible. There’s been a storm in the Suvan some good 35 days ago. Your father’s ship was caught in it.”
“But he’s alright? He’s back in Alvadas!.” Penny interrupted him abruptly. She didn’t want to hear the rest of what he had to say. A pump in her throat built the size of a large apple and her eyes filled with tears for she knew what he was going to say next. She knew it but she did not want to hear it. “He’s fine.”
