Timestamp: Winter 71, 501
The day was somber.
Endal Chaska had been killed in a bear attack in the mountains. The woman had been a close friend with her parents and had often invited the Avora couple over to events she had held in her own home and her parents had frequently brought her with them. Chaska had been very funny, a flight leader from the White Owls who just had a way with people. She was kind and inviting, always willing to teach those who but asked it of her. And now, she was gone.
Vira was supposed to turn six tomorrow and now she knew that her birthday would not be as good with Chaska gone. She clung to her mother's leg, watching the great burning pit where all of the deceased to sent if they were recovered. Chaska's body had been wrapped in a soft white shroud, hiding the grievous wounds that had been inflicted. It was scary seeing her laying there so still and quiet, knowing that she would never get up and smile at her again or laugh and give her a caramel chew (for Chaska liked caramels as much as her bird did).
The little girl sniffled, the toy bird she had carried with her since before she could remember hugged against her chest and her hand enclosed by her mothers. The bird looked like Chaska's eagle, the gold-headed beauty standing silent nearby, her massive head bowed. "Mommy?" The child whispered, looking up at the woman beside her. "Why do we burn them?"
"Because it is what we do, sweety, no hush. Your father is going to read his eulogy."
"What's a you laggy?"
"Eulogy, sweety. It's something people say when someone very special dies."
"Chaska was really special..."
"Yes, Vira, she was. Now quiet and listen."
A man with ink-colored hair, the tips glinting red, was standing beside the body, his eyes moist and cast down upon the Endal they had known. He wore an alpaca-lined katinu with black and gold feathers at its trim and his hair had been donned with a few bits of down from the massive bird nearby, a show of honor to the one who had died. His bryda was black, a brown belt around his waist holding it in place.
"What can I say about Chaska? He began softly, lifting tear-filled eyes to the gathered. "She was good, yes, and honest, and kind, much more so than some of us have been in our lives. She loved unconditionally, going out of her way at times to see to the needs of the People. Some would joke that she might one day take Kaden's place as Valintar, but she would never take such a mantle. She was too humble. Chaska had such a way with people; she could interpret their needs in a way that almost made her seem divine! Such a nice woman should not have died in such a brutal way, and yet, for that, another lived. She was sacrificial to a fault and embraced others when often they were cast aside. She was an inspiration to many, myself and my family included. She will be missed..." The man bowed his head again, exhaling slowly to keep a sob from clogging his voice.
Vira pressed a little more against her mother, seeing daddy sad was hard. But eventually, she pulled away from her mother and went to him instead, wrapping an arm around his leg with the toy bird still held against her chest. "Daddy, can I say my oolaggy too?"
The man had looked down at his daughter when she came up, the green and gold eyed girl looking as hurt as he felt. "Alright, sweety, say as you will. But remember, this is a humble thing we do. We honor her."
"Yessir." She replied, looking at the covered figure then stepping away and wrapping her arms around the bodies neck. "I'll miss you lots, Auntie Chaska; you were my bestest friend." She looked back to her father. "Can I give her something to take with her?"
"Sure, sweetheart. What do you want to give her?"
The child reached out and placed the toy on the womans chest then looked back up at her father. "She can take Liska so that she can fly again when Dira comes for her."
The man laughed sadly and bent, stroking her hair and hugging the girl. "That is a very kind gift, Vira. I am sure she will like it very much. Liska was really special to you, wasn't he." The child nodded somberly, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him pick her up. "Liska will keep her safe just like Tiapham did for her." It seemed a simple sacrifice, and yet the significance was great for the girl. Liska was her favorite! She took him everywhere with her. But Chaska needed him more than she did now; it was only right that he go with her instead. "Bye bye, Chaska. I'll miss your stories and songs..."
The day was somber.
Endal Chaska had been killed in a bear attack in the mountains. The woman had been a close friend with her parents and had often invited the Avora couple over to events she had held in her own home and her parents had frequently brought her with them. Chaska had been very funny, a flight leader from the White Owls who just had a way with people. She was kind and inviting, always willing to teach those who but asked it of her. And now, she was gone.
Vira was supposed to turn six tomorrow and now she knew that her birthday would not be as good with Chaska gone. She clung to her mother's leg, watching the great burning pit where all of the deceased to sent if they were recovered. Chaska's body had been wrapped in a soft white shroud, hiding the grievous wounds that had been inflicted. It was scary seeing her laying there so still and quiet, knowing that she would never get up and smile at her again or laugh and give her a caramel chew (for Chaska liked caramels as much as her bird did).
The little girl sniffled, the toy bird she had carried with her since before she could remember hugged against her chest and her hand enclosed by her mothers. The bird looked like Chaska's eagle, the gold-headed beauty standing silent nearby, her massive head bowed. "Mommy?" The child whispered, looking up at the woman beside her. "Why do we burn them?"
"Because it is what we do, sweety, no hush. Your father is going to read his eulogy."
"What's a you laggy?"
"Eulogy, sweety. It's something people say when someone very special dies."
"Chaska was really special..."
"Yes, Vira, she was. Now quiet and listen."
A man with ink-colored hair, the tips glinting red, was standing beside the body, his eyes moist and cast down upon the Endal they had known. He wore an alpaca-lined katinu with black and gold feathers at its trim and his hair had been donned with a few bits of down from the massive bird nearby, a show of honor to the one who had died. His bryda was black, a brown belt around his waist holding it in place.
"What can I say about Chaska? He began softly, lifting tear-filled eyes to the gathered. "She was good, yes, and honest, and kind, much more so than some of us have been in our lives. She loved unconditionally, going out of her way at times to see to the needs of the People. Some would joke that she might one day take Kaden's place as Valintar, but she would never take such a mantle. She was too humble. Chaska had such a way with people; she could interpret their needs in a way that almost made her seem divine! Such a nice woman should not have died in such a brutal way, and yet, for that, another lived. She was sacrificial to a fault and embraced others when often they were cast aside. She was an inspiration to many, myself and my family included. She will be missed..." The man bowed his head again, exhaling slowly to keep a sob from clogging his voice.
Vira pressed a little more against her mother, seeing daddy sad was hard. But eventually, she pulled away from her mother and went to him instead, wrapping an arm around his leg with the toy bird still held against her chest. "Daddy, can I say my oolaggy too?"
The man had looked down at his daughter when she came up, the green and gold eyed girl looking as hurt as he felt. "Alright, sweety, say as you will. But remember, this is a humble thing we do. We honor her."
"Yessir." She replied, looking at the covered figure then stepping away and wrapping her arms around the bodies neck. "I'll miss you lots, Auntie Chaska; you were my bestest friend." She looked back to her father. "Can I give her something to take with her?"
"Sure, sweetheart. What do you want to give her?"
The child reached out and placed the toy on the womans chest then looked back up at her father. "She can take Liska so that she can fly again when Dira comes for her."
The man laughed sadly and bent, stroking her hair and hugging the girl. "That is a very kind gift, Vira. I am sure she will like it very much. Liska was really special to you, wasn't he." The child nodded somberly, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him pick her up. "Liska will keep her safe just like Tiapham did for her." It seemed a simple sacrifice, and yet the significance was great for the girl. Liska was her favorite! She took him everywhere with her. But Chaska needed him more than she did now; it was only right that he go with her instead. "Bye bye, Chaska. I'll miss your stories and songs..."
