80th Summer, 514AV
A weight pressed down on Anouk's mind and soul. Euterpe had left the family home a season ago now, and since then the oldest remaining Pavarti girl had felt like a part of her had joined her sister in leaving Mura. It wasn't just that she missed her sister (though Anouk certainly did) -- it was something more. She felt torn, doubtful of everything and every day since she had stood on Mura's harbor waving Euterpe off.
Even her art had suffered. In the past season, Anouk had worked only one piece of art, and it was disappointing to say the least. Inspiration almost always evaded her, and when it didn't, the artwork that Anouk created was bland and shallow.
Worse, the most puzzling of dreams haunted her. In the dream, she and her sisters were painting in a circle, much like they did when they were younger. A pot of fruit stood in the center of their circle, or sometimes it was a vase of flowers. Regardless of what Anouk should have been painting in her dream, whenever she turned to her canvas, she saw the same, half-painted scene: a great, pale yellow stronghold, surrounded by fields upon fields of flowers.
Even stranger, when her sisters or mother came to view her art, they complimented Anouk on how she had captured the dappled surface of the orange peel, or how well she had shaded the flower petals. They were obviously seeing an entirely different image on her canvas to what Anouk saw.
"You feel that your artwork isn't fully appreciated." Explained Okanis with an indignant sniff when Anouk explained the bout of strange to her sister, "when we look at your paintings, we see one thing but you wish us to see something else."
"I certainly do not." Anouk huffed, insulted that her spunky younger sister would think so little of her. "I do not paint to get credit, Oki, and it's very sad that you think that." Had their other sisters been there, Thalia and Euterpe would have buffered this blossoming conflict. Thalia would have laughed, explaining to Anouk that their youngest sister's meaning had been well intended but poorly said. Euterpe, in turn, would have scolded Okanis and complimented Anouk on her selflessness.
But Thalia and Euterpe were not there. So Anouk and Okanis were left staring at each other, a growing void of awkward silence spanning between them. The former felt that her sister had something to apologize for, but the latter did not share this sentiment. The younger Konti shrugged her shoulders before declaring, "you're the one who asked what I thought about your dreams."
"Yes, but I didn't expect you to be so... blunt." Why was it that Okanis enjoyed defying the most basic rule of sisterhood - to be respectful and kind? More than ever, Anouk wished she had joined Euterpe on that ship to Riverfall. "I was seeking advice, not criticism."
Even her art had suffered. In the past season, Anouk had worked only one piece of art, and it was disappointing to say the least. Inspiration almost always evaded her, and when it didn't, the artwork that Anouk created was bland and shallow.
Worse, the most puzzling of dreams haunted her. In the dream, she and her sisters were painting in a circle, much like they did when they were younger. A pot of fruit stood in the center of their circle, or sometimes it was a vase of flowers. Regardless of what Anouk should have been painting in her dream, whenever she turned to her canvas, she saw the same, half-painted scene: a great, pale yellow stronghold, surrounded by fields upon fields of flowers.
Even stranger, when her sisters or mother came to view her art, they complimented Anouk on how she had captured the dappled surface of the orange peel, or how well she had shaded the flower petals. They were obviously seeing an entirely different image on her canvas to what Anouk saw.
"You feel that your artwork isn't fully appreciated." Explained Okanis with an indignant sniff when Anouk explained the bout of strange to her sister, "when we look at your paintings, we see one thing but you wish us to see something else."
"I certainly do not." Anouk huffed, insulted that her spunky younger sister would think so little of her. "I do not paint to get credit, Oki, and it's very sad that you think that." Had their other sisters been there, Thalia and Euterpe would have buffered this blossoming conflict. Thalia would have laughed, explaining to Anouk that their youngest sister's meaning had been well intended but poorly said. Euterpe, in turn, would have scolded Okanis and complimented Anouk on her selflessness.
But Thalia and Euterpe were not there. So Anouk and Okanis were left staring at each other, a growing void of awkward silence spanning between them. The former felt that her sister had something to apologize for, but the latter did not share this sentiment. The younger Konti shrugged her shoulders before declaring, "you're the one who asked what I thought about your dreams."
"Yes, but I didn't expect you to be so... blunt." Why was it that Okanis enjoyed defying the most basic rule of sisterhood - to be respectful and kind? More than ever, Anouk wished she had joined Euterpe on that ship to Riverfall. "I was seeking advice, not criticism."
