A few breaks after Dawn, 90th Fall 521av
Denvali Quarter
Denvali Quarter
Faint light drifted in through the tattered curtains lazily drawn across the dainty window, filtering across the wooden floor boards of Lina's little cottage. The flicker of daylight irritated her eyes as she attempted to cling to slumber, not yet ready to shirk the sweet release of sleep.
Groaning, Lina submitted to the will of Syna and with a broad yawn stretched the length of her bunk. Her toes peeked out of the bottom of her warm blanket to be greeted with a frosty chill as winter was surely on its way.
Shivering Lina rolled over onto her back as she opened her eyes, drinking in the singular room, thoughtless sleep giving way to a torrent of fraught notions. Two seasons she had lived in the sea city of Zeltiva now.
Sometimes it felt like only a few days ago she had landed on the pier with her mother. Other times it felt longer and drearier than it had been; the mundane of daily life seemed to have robbed her of the time she sought to improve relations with her distant mother.
There had been that one glimmer of hope last season. When she had been rescued from her nightmare in the wilds, Lina had experienced a glimpse of what could be between her mother and herself.
The time Lula had spent by her daughter's bedside, healing what she could with her gift from Rak'keli, was probably the most time the two had spent together in one sitting.
A wisp of a smile graced Lina's rosy lips at the fond memories of her mother's loving touch and of the sweet stories of home, Mura, her mother had told her as she drifted into slumber. It was a joyous time and one she would treasure deep in her heart; despite the pain Lina had been in at the time, from her close encounter with the wild's more carnivorous inhabitants.
The image of the coyote's snapping maw flashed before her mind's eye, sending shivers down her spine.
Glancing to the spare side of the bunk beside her, the impression of a body still dented in the blankets, was empty. Her mother always awoke before dawn and left hastily for the asylum, oft not returning until Lina herself was already fast asleep.
Disappointment settled in the dark pit in her stomach. Not long after Lina had healed from her ordeal, had her mother once again turned all of her attentions to the other sick, cooped up in that asylum.
She had followed her mother on this adventure to Zeltiva in the hopes of gaining a closer relationship and perhaps an understanding with her mother, whom she had barely seen much of since birth. Was it fruitless to desire to know the woman? Was she even worth getting to know?
Resting her hand on her forehead Lina sighed in resignation, even she knew not why she craved it so. Thinking on the vastness of the world, the complexities of life and death, she wondered what was the point?
Shaking herself mentally away from the deep despair she felt in her heart, Lina rolled herself to the edge of the bed and began pulling on her thick socks. That was the ultimate question though wasn't it.
What was the point of life, what was the point of death and then many believed in reincarnation, to begin the cycle all over again. Lina shook her head as she smoothed her wild mane back out of her face and forced a smile onto her face.
She shouldn't be so serious and depressive, especially today! Today was one of her favourite holidays. Today marked the beginning of the Pumpkin Festival, at least, back in Mura it would be the beginning of the ten day festival.
Oh to see the flurry of colours and decorations adorning the city back home. To smell the sweet spices of fall all through the streets, with treats of every variety pawned zealously at every stall.
Pausing at the edge of her bed, Lina stroked her rosy lips with her finger tip as she wondered if Zeltiva would celebrate the festival with as much child-like fever as Mura. Now that she thought about it, she really didn't know much about Zeltiva and it's customs.
Shrugging to herself, Lina shuffled towards the chest at the end of the bunk and began swiftly undressing before pulling on her burgundy dress and warm cardigan, shivering in the foreboding winter chill.
The hearth not yet lit, Lina dared not submit her flesh to the icy water and deemed it perfectly reasonable to save washing until she returned and could enjoy a warm soak.
Even if Zeltiva didn't celebrate the pumpkin festival Lina certainly was! And it would be the perfect opportunity to get her mother involved and perhaps recreate the wonderous glimpse into a relationship that could be.
Swiftly throwing on her warm coat and hopping into her boots, Lina burst through her front door, with renewed purpose and joy. Now, she just needed to try and find some pumpkins... To the market she guessed.
Groaning, Lina submitted to the will of Syna and with a broad yawn stretched the length of her bunk. Her toes peeked out of the bottom of her warm blanket to be greeted with a frosty chill as winter was surely on its way.
Shivering Lina rolled over onto her back as she opened her eyes, drinking in the singular room, thoughtless sleep giving way to a torrent of fraught notions. Two seasons she had lived in the sea city of Zeltiva now.
Sometimes it felt like only a few days ago she had landed on the pier with her mother. Other times it felt longer and drearier than it had been; the mundane of daily life seemed to have robbed her of the time she sought to improve relations with her distant mother.
There had been that one glimmer of hope last season. When she had been rescued from her nightmare in the wilds, Lina had experienced a glimpse of what could be between her mother and herself.
The time Lula had spent by her daughter's bedside, healing what she could with her gift from Rak'keli, was probably the most time the two had spent together in one sitting.
A wisp of a smile graced Lina's rosy lips at the fond memories of her mother's loving touch and of the sweet stories of home, Mura, her mother had told her as she drifted into slumber. It was a joyous time and one she would treasure deep in her heart; despite the pain Lina had been in at the time, from her close encounter with the wild's more carnivorous inhabitants.
The image of the coyote's snapping maw flashed before her mind's eye, sending shivers down her spine.
Glancing to the spare side of the bunk beside her, the impression of a body still dented in the blankets, was empty. Her mother always awoke before dawn and left hastily for the asylum, oft not returning until Lina herself was already fast asleep.
Disappointment settled in the dark pit in her stomach. Not long after Lina had healed from her ordeal, had her mother once again turned all of her attentions to the other sick, cooped up in that asylum.
She had followed her mother on this adventure to Zeltiva in the hopes of gaining a closer relationship and perhaps an understanding with her mother, whom she had barely seen much of since birth. Was it fruitless to desire to know the woman? Was she even worth getting to know?
Resting her hand on her forehead Lina sighed in resignation, even she knew not why she craved it so. Thinking on the vastness of the world, the complexities of life and death, she wondered what was the point?
Shaking herself mentally away from the deep despair she felt in her heart, Lina rolled herself to the edge of the bed and began pulling on her thick socks. That was the ultimate question though wasn't it.
What was the point of life, what was the point of death and then many believed in reincarnation, to begin the cycle all over again. Lina shook her head as she smoothed her wild mane back out of her face and forced a smile onto her face.
She shouldn't be so serious and depressive, especially today! Today was one of her favourite holidays. Today marked the beginning of the Pumpkin Festival, at least, back in Mura it would be the beginning of the ten day festival.
Oh to see the flurry of colours and decorations adorning the city back home. To smell the sweet spices of fall all through the streets, with treats of every variety pawned zealously at every stall.
Pausing at the edge of her bed, Lina stroked her rosy lips with her finger tip as she wondered if Zeltiva would celebrate the festival with as much child-like fever as Mura. Now that she thought about it, she really didn't know much about Zeltiva and it's customs.
Shrugging to herself, Lina shuffled towards the chest at the end of the bunk and began swiftly undressing before pulling on her burgundy dress and warm cardigan, shivering in the foreboding winter chill.
The hearth not yet lit, Lina dared not submit her flesh to the icy water and deemed it perfectly reasonable to save washing until she returned and could enjoy a warm soak.
Even if Zeltiva didn't celebrate the pumpkin festival Lina certainly was! And it would be the perfect opportunity to get her mother involved and perhaps recreate the wonderous glimpse into a relationship that could be.
Swiftly throwing on her warm coat and hopping into her boots, Lina burst through her front door, with renewed purpose and joy. Now, she just needed to try and find some pumpkins... To the market she guessed.
