[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

A turning point for the young Konti. Does Naeya truly have the courage to leave the familiar behind?

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role play forum. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

Postby Naeya on August 16th, 2012, 7:46 pm

"What was said to the rose that made it open
was said to me here in my chest."


Timestamp: Season of Summer, 38th Day, 512 AV - Morning

"I thank you, Goddess, for your kindness and wisdom. I thank you for your far-seeing sight and the gifts you have generously bestowed upon my sisters and I." Naeya bowed her head in prayer and blonde hair fell in soft strands across her pale face. She knelt amongst the vibrant flora of Cliffside Grotto, hidden from the main path by well-tended shrubs.

The hour had finally arrived.

The young Konti was to leave Riverfall that afternoon. She was to go by sea to Syliras, and from there she would make her way to the city of Mura. Mura: the land of the Konti. The land she hoped would train her Sight and allow her the control over her visions that she so often sought. But now, she felt the hesitation that had snaked its way into her mind. Could she truly leave everything she knew and loved behind?

"Please, Avalis. Guide my thoughts. Am I making the right choice?"

Her words were whispered in Tukant, as if she were afraid to disturb the garden itself. Morning shadows danced around the small figure as Naeya contemplated her uncertain future. She had never before travelled away from her place of birth. If she left with Brim and Ayanna today, she might not see her family for months. Fall would come, and Winter would soon follow. Could she stand to be away from Riverfall until Spring? She closed her eyes, shutting out Syna's light.

Naeya exhaled a long, slow breath. With the doubt came certainty. While she loved her home, she was curious about lands outside of Riverfall. She wanted to learn of other lives and to experience the beauty that was said to thrive throughout Mizahar. She wanted to see the Knights Syliran and travel the Suvan. And, of course, she wished to know her mother's birthplace. She yearned to become familiar with the home of her sisters, of her Goddess.

She'd frequently dreamt of this adventure, but both fear and desire coursed through her veins as she thought of it now.

Avalis, I trust in you to give me the courage to Know. I trust in you to show me my Truth.
User avatar
Naeya
And yes I said yes I will Yes.
 
Posts: 399
Words: 214237
Joined roleplay: June 25th, 2012, 3:25 am
Location: Sunberth
Race: Konti
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Lore Author (1)

[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

Postby Naeya on August 17th, 2012, 4:28 pm

Silence filled the Konti's private corner of the Grotto as she opened her heart to Avalis' wisdom. She had complete faith that the Goddess would lead her on the correct path, whether it meant staying in Riverfall or travelling to Mura, In order to determine this path, however, she believed it was essential that she look deep inside herself to connect to her revered deity.

Naeya inhaled a calm, slow breath, and shifted from her knees to a cross-legged position. With her eyes still closed, she placed her hands palm-up on her knees and straightened her back. Shoulders were fluidly rolled upwards and back as she quietly let out an exhalation. She was ready for her meditation.

It was a struggle, as always, to give up the sense of control that her thoughts gave her and to just let her body and mind be. Worries, fears, and hopes each fought for a place in her conscious, tumbling over one another like small children begging for their mother's attention. The natural world that surrounded the pale woman also struggled to be noticed, and appeared to take on a will of its own. Birds began to argue in their secret, chirp-filled language. The still air turned into a light breeze, and rustled her loose locks. A bee buzzed curiously around her bare skin.

Naeya squeezed her eyes tight, and attempted to block out the distractions from both around and inside her. Rather than trying to completely empty her mind, Naeya chose instead to focus on tallying her cycles of breath. On every inhale she breathed deeply with her stomach, and on every exhale she counted.

One.
Two.
Three.


At first, the breaths came quicker than she'd wanted and the Konti had to calculatedly slow them down. She tried to leave five seconds between the inhale and exhale, and focused intensely on the rise and fall of her stomach. Inhale. Exhale.

Four.
Five.
Six.
User avatar
Naeya
And yes I said yes I will Yes.
 
Posts: 399
Words: 214237
Joined roleplay: June 25th, 2012, 3:25 am
Location: Sunberth
Race: Konti
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Lore Author (1)

[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

Postby Naeya on August 18th, 2012, 1:43 pm

Seven.
Eight.
Nine.


As Naeya counted, her conscious began to drift from stray thoughts and worries to a more singular focus on each breath that entered and exited her body. It was, however, a slow process. Her mind was cluttered. She had come to the garden feeling unbalanced and filled with uncertainty, and the moment she let go of one thought, another immediately appeared in its place. A number of chimes passed as she gradually peeled back the layers, all while doing her best to maintain a steady breathing pattern.

Did she pack the right items for a trip of this magnitude?
Let it go. Breathe.

How would she get from Syliras to Mura?
Let it go. Breathe.

Naeya was not yet capable of fully emptying her mind. Due to her inexperience, she found that staying focused on her meditation meant having to constantly count her breaths and pull herself back from the brink of distraction. Numbers continued to run through her mind as she inhaled and exhaled.

The world around her began to fade into the background. The birds were no longer intrusive, and became a welcome metronome with which to guide her. She barely noticed the light breeze swirl around the surface of her skin, and the bee had begun its daily work of pollination. The sun became a memory as her closed eyelids lured her into their calming darkness.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Her body softened. The small frown of worry that her lips had worn changed into a line of neutrality. The tips of her fingers curled inwards towards the center of her palms, and her shoulders lost their initial rigidity.

Still, an inner voice continued to whisper: what if she couldn’t learn to control her Sight?

Let it go.
Breathe.
User avatar
Naeya
And yes I said yes I will Yes.
 
Posts: 399
Words: 214237
Joined roleplay: June 25th, 2012, 3:25 am
Location: Sunberth
Race: Konti
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Lore Author (1)

[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

Postby Naeya on August 18th, 2012, 6:14 pm

A feeling of calm washed over the Konti woman as she moved further into her meditation. She’d been unable to access the deeper trance that she sought, but taking the time to release her pent up anxiety had already helped to level her emotional state. A distinct clearness spread through her mind, and she knew that she was ready.

She inhaled again, and with the breath she allowed a single question to enter her conscious.

Am I making the right decision?

Naeya believed that meditation and prayer were two important aspects of accessing the spiritual connection between the goddess Avalis and her followers. She didn’t expect Avalis to suddenly appear in front of her. In fact, she did not necessarily expect the goddess to respond – at least not explicitly. The meditation simply strengthened Naeya’s feelings of devotion towards her deity, and gave her the courage to face the conflict at hand. She had always attributed Avalis as the force behind the feelings of stability and peace that occurred during her prayer and meditation. Even without a tangible response, she knew in her heart that her deity was listening.

Anticipation arose, but she let it flow away as quickly as it had arrived. She breathed deeply, and did her best to focus on the question she had asked. She repeated it, over and over and over.

Am I making the right decision?

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Am I making the right decision?

Naeya continued to meditate on this one thought, and the repetition engulfed her. She lost track of time. Even though it had only been a few chimes, she imagined it had been hours. An eternity, even. And, when she finally stopped, it just felt right.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

The Konti had her answer.
User avatar
Naeya
And yes I said yes I will Yes.
 
Posts: 399
Words: 214237
Joined roleplay: June 25th, 2012, 3:25 am
Location: Sunberth
Race: Konti
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Lore Author (1)

[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

Postby Naeya on August 18th, 2012, 7:30 pm

Naeya squinted and blinked in surprise as the sunlight filtered into her vision once more. Her gaze was still glassy, and she was in no rush to return to reality. She slowly moved her fingers, as though testing to see if they still worked, and rolled her neck from right to left. Her steady breaths continued, but they were coming at their usual speed instead of the slow pace that the meditation had induced.

Neither a smile nor a frown graced the Konti’s lips, but a decisive look had made its home in her green eyes. There would be no more flip-flopping and no more questions. An answer had been given, and she needed to trust in its wisdom.

She linked her fingers and stretched her arms above her head in order to release the muscles that had inadvertently tautened in her seated position. Her hands then found contact with the soft grass beneath her, and she pushed herself up onto her legs.

Her level of happiness was unclear, even to herself. She was still experiencing mixed feelings about leaving Riverfall, but the verdict that she’d asked for had been made. And, to be honest, any decision was better than the indecisiveness that had previously clouded her mind.

Naeya looked around the garden as though she were seeing it for the first time. She felt like something in her had changed, and half-expected the rest of the world to have changed with it. Today, she would conquer her fear and worry. Today, she would begin her journey to Mura.

“Thank you, Avalis” she murmured gratefully, and began her descent.

End.
User avatar
Naeya
And yes I said yes I will Yes.
 
Posts: 399
Words: 214237
Joined roleplay: June 25th, 2012, 3:25 am
Location: Sunberth
Race: Konti
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Lore Author (1)

[The Cliffside Grotto] What Was Said To The Lily (Solo)

Postby Mist on August 19th, 2012, 9:43 pm


Image
Thread Grading!

Naeya
XP/Skills: +5 Meditation,

Lore: An uncertain future, Giving up control, Common distractions in meditation, Using meditation to find an answer,

Item/ Consequences: N/A

Additional Notes: An interesting little meditation thread. I really liked how you pointed out your own weaknesses, and realistically rped them, considering your newness to meditating. And how you explained things out, her logic behind it. It really helped to get into her mind a bit better, for me the reader.

-If you have any questions about the grade, don’t hesitate to PM me.

User avatar
Mist
AS of Riverfall
 
Posts: 97
Words: 66664
Joined roleplay: July 10th, 2012, 9:07 pm
Race: Staff account
Office


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Yandex [Bot] and 0 guests