(Flashback) [The Fool's Errand] Little Miss Fortune

by **Sydelle Faraway** on August 11th, 2014, 10:36 pm

87th of Summer, 504AV
early evening

"Scaredy Sydelle. Go on."

Sydelle felt hands pressing into her back, urging her toward the tavern and the group of men and boys gathering outside the door. The gangly girl stumbled a bit, then turned to glare at her friends. 'Scaredy Sydelle,' she thought, smarting a bit from the nickname, 'no way!'

Making a show of it, Sydelle sniffed disdainfully and turned back to face the tavern. Stiffening her spine and taking a fortifying breath, she forced her feet to head straight for the off-duty Knights and Squires. The further she strode from her friends, the more her courage wavered, until the only thing keeping her moving was the thought of being labelled 'Scaredy Sydelle' for the rest of her life.

'It's your own fault, anyway, stupid, with all your big talk about fortune telling and predicting the future.' Her hand reached down into her pocket, feeling the familiar edges of her father's tarot cards. He'd been showing her a few things, true, but in her heart of hearts, Syd knew that she was no expert fortune teller. She'd just been trying to impress her friends and they'd called her bluff. Really called it. Self-pity so absorbed her that she nearly ran into a Squire, saved from that embarrassment only by the older boy's quick dodge.

"Oh! 'Scuse me!" Syd hated the blush she knew was painting her cheeks, almost as much as the nerves that threatened to silence her. Before that could happen, she pulled the cards from her pocket and rushed on. "Care ta have yer fortune told, ser? My dad's cards never lie, and it don't take too awful long..."

The squire she'd nearly run into just stared at her, and Sydelle felt her blush deepening under his gaze. 'Well, so what if he is staring? Prob'ly don't even have a fortune to tell yet, anyway.' She narrowed her eyes at him, taking his silence for a challenge and turned to face the nearest Knight. He was an older, grizzled man with kind eyes; Sydelle felt her nerves fade the tiniest bit. Dropping a curtsy, which wobbled only slightly, Syd forced a bright smile to her face and tried again.

"Or you, Ser Knight? I could tell you about glory or wealth or love, mebbe?"

by **Sydelle Faraway** on August 11th, 2014, 10:37 pm

The old Knight didn't smile, but his face took on a serious expression as he studied the would-be fortune teller. His companions joked and chatted, some mocking Sydelle, but the Knight finally nodded, slowly, to her.

"A little more knowledge is never a bad thing, young lady," The old Knight's eyes crinkled at the corner, giving his face an even more comfortable look. With a stern shake of his finger, he admonished the small gathering of knights and squires and continued, "No matter where that knowledge comes from."

Though Syd knew she was simply being humored, she threw the Knight a grin that was equal parts gratefulness and excitement. This would be the first time she'd read the cards for anyone outside of family or friends. In mere ticks, her mind had painted a glorious future where she was a sought after seeress, advising and guiding the Knights and castle officials on everything from matters of war to holiday festivals. Caught in her reverie, she didn't realize the old Knight had been speaking to her until an expectant silence fell.

Patiently, with brown eyes twinkling in amusement, the Knight repeated himself. "I wondered, young miss, if this humble crate would suffice for your workings?" His arm swept toward a rough crate that would have been equally humble as a seat, a table or a garbage bin.

"Oh! Yes, of course, Ser," Syd bobbled off another curtsy and took the few steps to the crate the Knight had indicated. Glancing at the Knight shyly, she offered the cards to him. They were old, and well-used. Her father had done the drawings on them himself, and they were Syd's most treasured possession. "Will you shuffle, Ser? It helps the cards to know you."

"Oh, I see," the Knight nodded, accepting the cards gravely. A chuckle escaped from another knight nearby, and was immediately silenced by a look from the elder Knight. Syd was relieved to see that he handled the cards with great care; no new creases or wrinkles found their way onto the precious cards, and after a few ticks, the Knight set the cards firmly onto the crate.

by **Sydelle Faraway** on August 11th, 2014, 10:38 pm

Brow furrowed in concentration, Syd went over her father's instructions in her head. She'd promised that the reading wouldn't take too long, so it would have to be a simple pattern. The Horseshoe would be perfect, and it had the added bonus of being a spread Sydelle was very familiar with, having been the first one her father introduced her to. "Ser, specific questions take more time, but I can read for one if you'd like? Or d'you just want a general hint of what the future might hold for ya? That's the quicker one," she added hastily.

Sydelle looked at the old Knight earnestly; he'd taken her impetuous offer seriously and even made his friends at least pretend they were interested. She desperately wanted to repay his kindness with the best telling she could offer, but secretly she hoped he'd just ask for a general read. So far every attempt Syd had made to answer a specific question had been exactly the opposite of 'right'. So she waited nervously, shifting from one foot to the other, while the Knight seemed to give the question heavy thought.

"In the interest of time, little one, shall we just get a general idea? I don't want to know too much, after all," he teased, but gently, chuckling at her obvious sigh of relief.

Course decided, Syd bit her lip a moment, settling her nerves, and risked a sideways glance to her friends. She stood a bit prouder when she realized they were still there, watching with a mixture of awe and jealousy, as she prepared to tell the old Knight's fortune. Reciting in rhyme, under her breath, Syd began to lay the cards over the roughened surface of the crate.

"First the Past, then the Present, then What's Coming Fast," the recitation accompanied the first three cards of the layout. 'What's coming fast' wasn't entirely accurate, but, as her father had explained, it was a card that represented the not-too-distant future. And it fit the rhyme. Syd laid the top of the Horseshoe down and continued.

"Then comes the Person of whom the question's Asked." Syd stopped for a moment to note that the card she'd flipped for this position was the Knight of Swords. A giggle threatened to escape, causing the actual Knight to raise an eyebrow at her. Syd coughed to clear her throat and continued with the cards. "The Opinion, then Hopes & Fears, at last the Outcome's loud and clear."

With a flourish, Syd flipped the last of the seven cards into place and stood back to admire her 'Horseshoe'.

by **Sydelle Faraway** on August 11th, 2014, 10:39 pm

Staring at the cards, Syd's shoulders slumped a bit. She knew the major cards, the ones without numbers - those ones would be easy for her to tell about. But the minor ones - and there were a lot of them - she still had to work to remember. The Knight's hand suddenly appeared at her shoulder, as if the old man knew that she'd hit a snag. Not wanting to disappoint, Sydelle began, quietly, to read what the cards had to say.

"First is the Past," one slender finger tapped out to indicate the card she was talking about, and Syd looked up to make sure the old Knight was paying attention. "And this is the Chariot; it means there was a struggle to get what you wanted, but then - you got it." The explanation sounded thin, even to her own ears, but without knowing more about the Knight's past, there was little detail she could add. 'And, prob'ly he struggled. At least to become a Knight. Squires have it rough,' Syd glanced at the squire she'd nearly bowled over, noting that he had moved in just a bit closer while she'd been laying the cards out.

Tapping the next card, Sydelle picked her words carefully. It wouldn't due to make mistakes this early in the reading, and this card was a tricky one. "This is the Present, the 3 of... Pentactles? Pentacles," Syd corrected herself quickly. "Something that you're doing is getting attention. Good attention." Syd beamed up at the old Knight, as though sharing in whatever good works he was doing.

"The 7 of Cups is telling you not to get carried away," here Syd made a face. It was a phrase her mother used on her often, and one she had long since grown tired of hearing. Syd, at least, wanted to get carried away. But probably it was different for adults. "And this one is you: the Knight of Swords. Logical, smart, and clever on the battlefield."

At this, some of the other knights nodded and laughed, slapping each other's shoulders. Clearly they saw how fitting this card was and even the old Knight's face broke into an actual smile. This time Syd's grin was meant for the whole group, and she offered it around before bending her head back to the cards.

After studying the next few cards, Syd looked up at the Knight curiously. Though she desperately wanted to ask him a million questions, she managed to hold back the flow of words and simply move through the explanation.

"The Empress stands for creation; so you'll create something? Or start something? And then the Ace of Cups is new passion," here she blushed anew; 'passion' was not the thing a girl should be discussing with a Knight, even Syd knew that. Hurriedly, she moved on to the final card on the crate. "The last card is the 6 of Swords, what says you will need help in finding answers, or solutions to... Something." 'I think.' A sigh to let loose the last of the breath she'd been holding, and Syd looked up at the Knight with a pleased smile.

She was sure her father would have done a better telling, but Syd also knew she'd made a decent showing for herself. And she'd even remembered what those pesky minor cards meant! Pride glowed in her eyes as she met the old Knight's gaze. "See, Ser, it dint take long at all. And its helpful, right? About the starting something new and the pa-- All the rest?" Syd gulped - she'd almost mentioned the bit about passion again, and that would have been awful.

The Knight and his companions laughed, but not unkindly. "Yes, child, it was helpful, and no it 'dint' take 'too awful long'. You're quite the little fortune teller, eh? But I can tell you your fortune, too," the Knight smiled knowingly, with a nod to the setting sun. "It is to be doing the drudge work for the rest of the season, should your parents catch you running around much longer. Now gather up your cards, and your friends, and go tell your father you've read an old soldier a most agreeable fortune."

With a gruff pat on the back, the Knight turned, making his way into the tavern. Syd could hear the others, as they followed, joking and commenting on the cards and how she'd interpreted them. More than one made a joke about the Knight's passion and his sword, though Syd couldn't figure out why it caused them to laugh so loudly.

by **Archailist** on August 15th, 2014, 6:50 pm

Sydelle :

Notes :

Was I a little too nuts in my grading?
If you've got concerns, just call me.