Post by purnip on Jan 23, 2010 13:37:58 GMT -5
Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, but don't leave me
Look around and chose your own ground
Tonight's the night.
In anticipation, every day that crept along during this long and lonesome summer, Wrynri prepared to be re-born. This was his pack. His change of clothes. Running a sharp blade along his long and delicate blonde hair, strands littered the floor around him--remnants of a dying young woman. She deserved a decent funeral but Wrynri couldn't bring himself to give her one. She was still a part of him as his body would never allow him to forget.
Of course, not everyone in his family was sleeping. Bo-bo, his beloved grandmother, was mending clothes with the other elderly women of Crescent, and there weren't many. This was a new Hold, and most of those who inhabited it were fit men and their wives and children. Bo-bo was still a dear member of the community. She told such stories.
But Wrynri didn't have to worry about bumping into her. She was going blind, you see. It was Yenmerie that concerned him. His uncle had issues lately with insomnia, and so he would spend late nights pacing around the entrance to their family quarters. He was naturally paranoid and sometimes he had these fits, but people put up with him because he was very strong and very useful in construction and manual labor. Had not the uncle found Wrynri strange, they might have been good friends. As far as Yenmerie was concerned however, Wrynri was still a young woman. Just the gender alone had put distance between them.
There were no windows in his room, and so the youth needed to go by sound. When the sound of footsteps outside his door had been heavily reduced, he could risk an exit. Being raised as a girl did some bit of good for him; he had his own room. His brothers needed to share one with their cousin. Wrynri needed not to worry waking anyone in his preparation. He only stopped when footsteps grew close to his door. He did not have much to take with him. Wrynri was never all that materialistic. Half of his clothes was now obsolete. He wasn't entirely sure what he would need on the outside, but it was set in stone that he could no longer stay. It hurt him to desert his family, but he could not bear the masquerade any longer.
Was he male, or female? Time had yet to answer this question. If he had to go by what he fancied, he would still draw up no conclusions. He found many girls attractive and some boys made him uncomfortable as infatuation would set in. Both cases made him feel so weak. Wrynri was torn. He knew for certain that pretending to just be a girl left him empty and resentful. Wrynri was slowly convincing himself that he was more of a man than anything else. He could no longer stay.
Outside, there was silence. Wrynri placed an ear against the door as he listened for his uncles heavy steps, but heard nothing. He hoisted his bag upon his shoulder. He was wearing his younger brother's dark clothing. According to the mirror Wrynri kept tucked away, he looked well enough like a boy, but he would never look it in his eyes. He still saw that disagreeable stare of a brooding girl looking back at him, only with shorter hair. This would have to do.
His fingers carefully pressed against the door to push it open and he peeked outside. It was dark, nearly pitch black, but Wrynri was prepared for this. His eyes were already adjusted to the dark and he knew where his family put this and that, more or less. His steps were careful, sliding, making no more noise than a rat would. He stuck out his hands to feel for the door that would lead to the main corridor. Running alongside the wall, he had found it and opened it with care.
The hall was empty with glows lined up along the walls in great intervals. Just enough light to see by and not enough to stream inside their quarters and disturb Yenmerie, who slept on the couch when he was able. Wrynri spared one final glance back to the darkness before his frown deepened. He might just miss the lot of them. Might. With a heavy heart he closed the door delicately behind him and walked down the corridor, making for the inner yard. This would not be an easy place to sneak out of, but he knew of some traders who arrived at the break of dawn. Until they arrived, he stood by the wall of the vast inner sanctum, staring up at the sky once and a while. In the shadows, there was little likelihood that he would be spotted by one of the guards. This wait would be a long one. Wrynri let his pack slide to the ground and slid down to sit.
Where to go...he only knew so much geography. There was Western Hold to look to, but Wrynri was not sure how they would receive a sole mysterious stranger with no background. He knew of a dragon's weyr to the north. Perhaps he could work as a drudge there for some time until he got his footing. Then he might be able to take a vessel to the east for the mainlands. What he'd do next...he was not entirely certain. Yet it would be a new life. A chance to start over. Wrynri looked to the skies once more, admiring its vast expanse. His opportunities would become just as vast, right outside these walls, with that much air to breathe.
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be.
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, but don't leave me
Look around and chose your own ground
Tonight's the night.
In anticipation, every day that crept along during this long and lonesome summer, Wrynri prepared to be re-born. This was his pack. His change of clothes. Running a sharp blade along his long and delicate blonde hair, strands littered the floor around him--remnants of a dying young woman. She deserved a decent funeral but Wrynri couldn't bring himself to give her one. She was still a part of him as his body would never allow him to forget.
Of course, not everyone in his family was sleeping. Bo-bo, his beloved grandmother, was mending clothes with the other elderly women of Crescent, and there weren't many. This was a new Hold, and most of those who inhabited it were fit men and their wives and children. Bo-bo was still a dear member of the community. She told such stories.
But Wrynri didn't have to worry about bumping into her. She was going blind, you see. It was Yenmerie that concerned him. His uncle had issues lately with insomnia, and so he would spend late nights pacing around the entrance to their family quarters. He was naturally paranoid and sometimes he had these fits, but people put up with him because he was very strong and very useful in construction and manual labor. Had not the uncle found Wrynri strange, they might have been good friends. As far as Yenmerie was concerned however, Wrynri was still a young woman. Just the gender alone had put distance between them.
There were no windows in his room, and so the youth needed to go by sound. When the sound of footsteps outside his door had been heavily reduced, he could risk an exit. Being raised as a girl did some bit of good for him; he had his own room. His brothers needed to share one with their cousin. Wrynri needed not to worry waking anyone in his preparation. He only stopped when footsteps grew close to his door. He did not have much to take with him. Wrynri was never all that materialistic. Half of his clothes was now obsolete. He wasn't entirely sure what he would need on the outside, but it was set in stone that he could no longer stay. It hurt him to desert his family, but he could not bear the masquerade any longer.
Was he male, or female? Time had yet to answer this question. If he had to go by what he fancied, he would still draw up no conclusions. He found many girls attractive and some boys made him uncomfortable as infatuation would set in. Both cases made him feel so weak. Wrynri was torn. He knew for certain that pretending to just be a girl left him empty and resentful. Wrynri was slowly convincing himself that he was more of a man than anything else. He could no longer stay.
Outside, there was silence. Wrynri placed an ear against the door as he listened for his uncles heavy steps, but heard nothing. He hoisted his bag upon his shoulder. He was wearing his younger brother's dark clothing. According to the mirror Wrynri kept tucked away, he looked well enough like a boy, but he would never look it in his eyes. He still saw that disagreeable stare of a brooding girl looking back at him, only with shorter hair. This would have to do.
His fingers carefully pressed against the door to push it open and he peeked outside. It was dark, nearly pitch black, but Wrynri was prepared for this. His eyes were already adjusted to the dark and he knew where his family put this and that, more or less. His steps were careful, sliding, making no more noise than a rat would. He stuck out his hands to feel for the door that would lead to the main corridor. Running alongside the wall, he had found it and opened it with care.
The hall was empty with glows lined up along the walls in great intervals. Just enough light to see by and not enough to stream inside their quarters and disturb Yenmerie, who slept on the couch when he was able. Wrynri spared one final glance back to the darkness before his frown deepened. He might just miss the lot of them. Might. With a heavy heart he closed the door delicately behind him and walked down the corridor, making for the inner yard. This would not be an easy place to sneak out of, but he knew of some traders who arrived at the break of dawn. Until they arrived, he stood by the wall of the vast inner sanctum, staring up at the sky once and a while. In the shadows, there was little likelihood that he would be spotted by one of the guards. This wait would be a long one. Wrynri let his pack slide to the ground and slid down to sit.
Where to go...he only knew so much geography. There was Western Hold to look to, but Wrynri was not sure how they would receive a sole mysterious stranger with no background. He knew of a dragon's weyr to the north. Perhaps he could work as a drudge there for some time until he got his footing. Then he might be able to take a vessel to the east for the mainlands. What he'd do next...he was not entirely certain. Yet it would be a new life. A chance to start over. Wrynri looked to the skies once more, admiring its vast expanse. His opportunities would become just as vast, right outside these walls, with that much air to breathe.
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be.
