Ayatah smiled at the other woman’s reaction to her name - especially the part relating to her clan. In Zeltiva, people seemed to be known by their family name, but ‘Smith’ and the like were completely different to what Ayatah was used to.
A drunkard had once suggested to her that she should attach a new surname to herself, to save those awkward moments where a person considered what ‘Scattered Bones’ meant. But the idea had repulsed Ayatah instantly. Her clan was her family, and the people she loved most in the world. Their history and traditions had made her… her. To ignore them or give herself a different title would be like turning her back on her mother, cousins and half-siblings.
No, an impossible thought. She could not, would not, do it. She would simply deal with the slightly concerned expressions people always gave when she introduced herself.
"So do you know how to do the dances of your people?"
It was a little more of a cheerful topic, and Ayatah smiled and nodded in response. ”Yes, I do.” She said, ”we use them to tell stories, of battles and adventures that our people have gone on. Then as we grow up, we begin to create our own dances to share.”
Ayatah had thought about telling her own story by fire dance before. But she had only just moved to Zeltiva; not enough had happened to tell a story just yet. But still, it was an excited prospect that in years to come, her grandchildren might be practising the same dance and same story.
”What about you peoples’ dance? Do they tell stories?”
A drunkard had once suggested to her that she should attach a new surname to herself, to save those awkward moments where a person considered what ‘Scattered Bones’ meant. But the idea had repulsed Ayatah instantly. Her clan was her family, and the people she loved most in the world. Their history and traditions had made her… her. To ignore them or give herself a different title would be like turning her back on her mother, cousins and half-siblings.
No, an impossible thought. She could not, would not, do it. She would simply deal with the slightly concerned expressions people always gave when she introduced herself.
"So do you know how to do the dances of your people?"
It was a little more of a cheerful topic, and Ayatah smiled and nodded in response. ”Yes, I do.” She said, ”we use them to tell stories, of battles and adventures that our people have gone on. Then as we grow up, we begin to create our own dances to share.”
Ayatah had thought about telling her own story by fire dance before. But she had only just moved to Zeltiva; not enough had happened to tell a story just yet. But still, it was an excited prospect that in years to come, her grandchildren might be practising the same dance and same story.
”What about you peoples’ dance? Do they tell stories?”
|| Ayatah's speech || Ayatah's thoughts || Others' speech ||
