Post by Shari'Adune Forestsong on Nov 2, 2010 8:50:35 GMT -5
((RP that happened in game. The name of the bull has been changed to respect the player. Timeline wise this happened before the Day of the Dead.))
"You did not reply to my letter sir, *looks down.* I can only assume it is because you didn't wish to see me again. I do wish you well." she said quietly, her hands pressed together over her chest as she bowed from the waist.
The eleven foot grey bull regarded her for a moment before he shook his great head, a hand stroking his chin. "I'm not one who is too big on letters Ma'am. Please forgive my unwanting of relaying information in any other way other then in person."
She shifted uneasily trying to smile, though it was hard to banish the nagging feeling in her belly that he really didn't want to talk to her. The other night they had spent together talking under the stars of Stranglethorn seemed like such a distant memory now. So distant that it even might have been someone else. She nodded quietly, ears drooped. "Yes of course."
He knelt down slowly with a soft smile which softened his aged, haggard appearance. Peering through strands of his pepper colored mane which hung in coarse clumps over his head he perked his ears at her. "You will forgive me then?"
Shari peeked at him, noting that in his kneeling position they were almost eye level. Her nose flushed with color making the freckles there burn. She nodded quickly reaching for his broad shoulders, her little hands fumbling there to try and get him to stand. "Oh p-please! You n-needn't kneel sir!... Yes of course I forgive you."
He rose slowly, gently wrapping an arm easily about her small shoulders. The action practically engulfed her. "I will be more informative in the future Ma'am."
Her glass blue eyes widened as she looked at the bulky calloused hand gripping her shoulder and upper arm. Dipping her head then not daring to look at him her lips twitched with a faint smile, "As you s-say sir."
A soft chuckle resounded in the depths of his throat as he tilted his head to get a good look at the small white thing beside him. "No need not be so proper Ma'am. Please. Call me Marne."
His breath was a warm breeze upon the delicate hairs of her furry ear making it twitch and flick. "But it is not proper to act so familiar with someone whom I b-barely know sir."
"But I insist. Is it not proper to respect the wishes of those of who respect you and you in turn respect by calling them by that which they wish?"
There was a long pause before she carefully nodded, peeking up at him once then down again. " As you wish."
Marne smiled and nodded, pleased. "And is it not proper to look into ones eyes who you are addressing? Or in this case, eye?" He winked his one good eye, the other hidden beneath a worn eye patch.
Her answer was earnest yet careful. She didn't want to appear disrespectful or sharp, "No, sir, uh, Mister Marne. It is not proper to look one in the eye."
He raised a brow and shook his shaggy head a moment before fixing his curious gaze back on her. "I was always told by my father that it is. It shows respect."
"I understand, however that is not how I was taught."
A frown clouded his dusky features then. It made him look his ripe age and he suddenly seemed much more imposing then he had moments ago. He thought back to his time with her in the Vale. How strange some of her mannerisms and even her indiscernible accent was. His good eye fixed on her, "Once more, I've never heard of Tauren being taught such things..."
Shari winced and tried to smile. She certainly could not look at him now. It was as if a storm cloud had become sentient and was upset with her, just looming waiting for a moment to strike her with lightening. "First time for everything hmn?" Her ears swiveled toward him hopefully.
The bull was not deterred or sated with such an answer. The playful air lost on him. He spoke clearly then, his face turned forward as if addressing a room. Though surely there was no one else within earshot of them near the fountain in Silvermoon. "After generations of teachings being passed from generation to generation, and the state of our people, would such change be absolutely needed?"
"It is just what I was taught." she mumbled shifting a bit. Sometimes Shari prayed to Elune for the ability to lie. She revered those who could. Twisting truths like they were made of the most malleable clay, eager to suit whatever situation arose. "I was groomed and raised to be the perfect mate to the person I was betrothed to from birth." Her eyes dropped then as memories from long ago began knocking on her mental door wishing to be let out.
His eyebrow twitched upward as she regarded her skeptically, "I thought only Humans and Elves did such a thing."
"And, perhaps druids." she retorted quietly now twisting her tail.
"I've studied quite abit on the denizens of Azeroth and I've never heard of such a thing happening for Tauren." he countered keeping her pinned beneath his one eyed stare.
"With all respect," she began weighing her words carefully as not to insult his intelligence or upbringing, "The honors and traditions of some families are not written in history books for all to see, as such things are private. That is especially true for druids."
He huffed and flicked his thick tail sharply, "I mean no disrespect. I've simply never heard of many of the things that you have been taught being taught by any Tribe of Tauren."
" And now you have." Shari said breezily daring to look up at him again her ears perked forward, hoping that the subject would lighten.
His next words quite swiftly squashed those hopes. His tone was self righteous, "I am not sure if I quite believe it. As I said. I mean no disrespect. I just do not sense whole truths in what you tell me."
She dropped her tail at that her shoulders stiffening proudly. The female tauren could count how many times she had ever lied on one hand. On one tauren hand. And even then those times were at the behest of someone close to her just to see if she could do it. Her tone became level and she tilted her head so she could look him in the eye. "Sir, I do not lie." she snorted softly through her nostrils and tossed her head in such a way the beads within the strands of her mane clicked together, "You claim you mean no disrespect, and yet you openly tell me you do not believe in things I tell you were a part of my family." her gaze was imploring now, begging him to understand how he was hurting her. Her lessons and teachings were all she had left of her people now. She would defend them fiercely. "Cherished beliefs and marks of honor held dear between a very small group... Just because you have not heard of it, does not make it any less true."
His eye stared right back into hers unwaveringly. "Nor does it make it any more so."
For the first time, Shari frowned, hurt began to ebb its way onto her usually serene features. She twisted away from under his arm without a challenge from his hand which fell away easily. He smacked his lips, "I am entitled to having my own opinion. Though unlike most of this world. I will proudly state mine. I gladly accept the same and in fact welcome it. To have ones own customs challenged in authenticity is commonplace. I take no ones word at face value. Such is the world we live in. If you feel slighted by what I personally think, then i apologize for that, but I will not retract what I say." His tone was anything less then respectful.
"It is not proper to challenge anothers customs." she shot back stiffening. "It is a sign of disrespect to do so."
He gave her a cruel mocking stare, "As is not looking at me when you speak with me, but it seems that is what is taught to you. I have much difficulty in believing any self respecting Tauren would raise their child to look away when speaking to others."
The beast didn't understand. It was not his fault his brain was not open enough, or possibly even developed enough, to comprehend the finer intricacies of Kaldorei and Druidic ways. Yet as much as Shari tried to remind herself of those things it did little to ease the sting and impression he was full facedly attacking her people and the druid way Krae'sharel had held so dearly to his heart and soul. Her jaw twitched and she took a deep breath letting it out very slowly as if the act would dispel the bitter feelings that were building. The pain however still colored her words, "You are not a druid, so I will not think less of you for not understanding."
The bull shrugged as he moved to stand before her, looking down on her, "That is fine by me. But please, simply answer one question for me. Since Tauren have not been accepted into the Cenarion Circle in over one hundred generations, how is one born into it and taught customs that our own people would not have adopted so soon?"
She stared at him like he was a child getting an answer wrong on a test. It was true she may not know the finer details and histories of the druids as her mate had, but this was something that was readily available to her. "But Mister Marne, Tauren druids have been accepted into the Circle. They have been for a time now. As I said though, you are not a druid, so you cannot understand certain things."
"Only since the Third war. Hammul Runetotem was the first Tauren Druid in over one hundred."
"Then if you know, I don't understand why you would say they are not."
He shook his head with a gruff clearing of his throat. "Forgive me. My mind is simply fuzzy. Hamuul Runetotem is the first recognized druid of the Tauren people in over twenty generation. My numbers were slightly off."
She wasn't about to stickle him with exact numbers, she was debating whether or not to challenge him on how a simple warrior would even know such druid lore to begin with. But she decided it would do no good to start jabbing at each other. One of them had to act like an adult. Another sigh passed her lips and her head dipped down again. "As for customs. I will not say this again, so please listen carefully. There are some things taught in families that are not in history books. Customs and traditions that have been taught for private and powerful reasons. Reasons that are dear to the hearts of those in the respective families." It was baffling her how he seemed unable to grasp this.
His arms crossed over his chest, "And as I've said, no self respecting Tauren would teach their children to look away while speaking with someone. You can say all you wish, and seeing as you are willing to talk to me like a child, you can say it to someone who will be disrespected as such. Good-day." With that he turned to go.
Shari continued, talking to his back, adamant to educate him, "And since you are not a druid, some of those customs will sound alien to you. I understand that. But for you to question them, like they are wrong...that is hurtful. I am not placing you under one of those things that sees small details. I am not treating you like a criminal or a child."
He kept walking. Her little hands bunched into determined fists as she took a couple steps after him. "Sir!" she called to him passionately, "Would you like to know why one is not to look into the eyes of another! Do you truly wish to know!?"
The bull stopped in his tracks making her stagger to a halt. He didn't turn around and his tone was final, "No. My inquiries have ceased. As I have said Ma'am, good day." His tail twitched and he began lumbering away again leaving Shari to stagger back as if she had been slapped.
"As you wish, sir..." she whispered, hugging her hands to her chest.
Later that night as Shari lie under the stars in Nagrand in a bed of soft grass she recounted the days conversation. Tears stung her eyes. Deep in her heart she wondered if she would ever find true happiness here in this new body. Thrust into expected cultures and traditions she had no idea how to fake her way through...and if she somehow managed to... would all that made her who she is be lost.
"You did not reply to my letter sir, *looks down.* I can only assume it is because you didn't wish to see me again. I do wish you well." she said quietly, her hands pressed together over her chest as she bowed from the waist.
The eleven foot grey bull regarded her for a moment before he shook his great head, a hand stroking his chin. "I'm not one who is too big on letters Ma'am. Please forgive my unwanting of relaying information in any other way other then in person."
She shifted uneasily trying to smile, though it was hard to banish the nagging feeling in her belly that he really didn't want to talk to her. The other night they had spent together talking under the stars of Stranglethorn seemed like such a distant memory now. So distant that it even might have been someone else. She nodded quietly, ears drooped. "Yes of course."
He knelt down slowly with a soft smile which softened his aged, haggard appearance. Peering through strands of his pepper colored mane which hung in coarse clumps over his head he perked his ears at her. "You will forgive me then?"
Shari peeked at him, noting that in his kneeling position they were almost eye level. Her nose flushed with color making the freckles there burn. She nodded quickly reaching for his broad shoulders, her little hands fumbling there to try and get him to stand. "Oh p-please! You n-needn't kneel sir!... Yes of course I forgive you."
He rose slowly, gently wrapping an arm easily about her small shoulders. The action practically engulfed her. "I will be more informative in the future Ma'am."
Her glass blue eyes widened as she looked at the bulky calloused hand gripping her shoulder and upper arm. Dipping her head then not daring to look at him her lips twitched with a faint smile, "As you s-say sir."
A soft chuckle resounded in the depths of his throat as he tilted his head to get a good look at the small white thing beside him. "No need not be so proper Ma'am. Please. Call me Marne."
His breath was a warm breeze upon the delicate hairs of her furry ear making it twitch and flick. "But it is not proper to act so familiar with someone whom I b-barely know sir."
"But I insist. Is it not proper to respect the wishes of those of who respect you and you in turn respect by calling them by that which they wish?"
There was a long pause before she carefully nodded, peeking up at him once then down again. " As you wish."
Marne smiled and nodded, pleased. "And is it not proper to look into ones eyes who you are addressing? Or in this case, eye?" He winked his one good eye, the other hidden beneath a worn eye patch.
Her answer was earnest yet careful. She didn't want to appear disrespectful or sharp, "No, sir, uh, Mister Marne. It is not proper to look one in the eye."
He raised a brow and shook his shaggy head a moment before fixing his curious gaze back on her. "I was always told by my father that it is. It shows respect."
"I understand, however that is not how I was taught."
A frown clouded his dusky features then. It made him look his ripe age and he suddenly seemed much more imposing then he had moments ago. He thought back to his time with her in the Vale. How strange some of her mannerisms and even her indiscernible accent was. His good eye fixed on her, "Once more, I've never heard of Tauren being taught such things..."
Shari winced and tried to smile. She certainly could not look at him now. It was as if a storm cloud had become sentient and was upset with her, just looming waiting for a moment to strike her with lightening. "First time for everything hmn?" Her ears swiveled toward him hopefully.
The bull was not deterred or sated with such an answer. The playful air lost on him. He spoke clearly then, his face turned forward as if addressing a room. Though surely there was no one else within earshot of them near the fountain in Silvermoon. "After generations of teachings being passed from generation to generation, and the state of our people, would such change be absolutely needed?"
"It is just what I was taught." she mumbled shifting a bit. Sometimes Shari prayed to Elune for the ability to lie. She revered those who could. Twisting truths like they were made of the most malleable clay, eager to suit whatever situation arose. "I was groomed and raised to be the perfect mate to the person I was betrothed to from birth." Her eyes dropped then as memories from long ago began knocking on her mental door wishing to be let out.
His eyebrow twitched upward as she regarded her skeptically, "I thought only Humans and Elves did such a thing."
"And, perhaps druids." she retorted quietly now twisting her tail.
"I've studied quite abit on the denizens of Azeroth and I've never heard of such a thing happening for Tauren." he countered keeping her pinned beneath his one eyed stare.
"With all respect," she began weighing her words carefully as not to insult his intelligence or upbringing, "The honors and traditions of some families are not written in history books for all to see, as such things are private. That is especially true for druids."
He huffed and flicked his thick tail sharply, "I mean no disrespect. I've simply never heard of many of the things that you have been taught being taught by any Tribe of Tauren."
" And now you have." Shari said breezily daring to look up at him again her ears perked forward, hoping that the subject would lighten.
His next words quite swiftly squashed those hopes. His tone was self righteous, "I am not sure if I quite believe it. As I said. I mean no disrespect. I just do not sense whole truths in what you tell me."
She dropped her tail at that her shoulders stiffening proudly. The female tauren could count how many times she had ever lied on one hand. On one tauren hand. And even then those times were at the behest of someone close to her just to see if she could do it. Her tone became level and she tilted her head so she could look him in the eye. "Sir, I do not lie." she snorted softly through her nostrils and tossed her head in such a way the beads within the strands of her mane clicked together, "You claim you mean no disrespect, and yet you openly tell me you do not believe in things I tell you were a part of my family." her gaze was imploring now, begging him to understand how he was hurting her. Her lessons and teachings were all she had left of her people now. She would defend them fiercely. "Cherished beliefs and marks of honor held dear between a very small group... Just because you have not heard of it, does not make it any less true."
His eye stared right back into hers unwaveringly. "Nor does it make it any more so."
For the first time, Shari frowned, hurt began to ebb its way onto her usually serene features. She twisted away from under his arm without a challenge from his hand which fell away easily. He smacked his lips, "I am entitled to having my own opinion. Though unlike most of this world. I will proudly state mine. I gladly accept the same and in fact welcome it. To have ones own customs challenged in authenticity is commonplace. I take no ones word at face value. Such is the world we live in. If you feel slighted by what I personally think, then i apologize for that, but I will not retract what I say." His tone was anything less then respectful.
"It is not proper to challenge anothers customs." she shot back stiffening. "It is a sign of disrespect to do so."
He gave her a cruel mocking stare, "As is not looking at me when you speak with me, but it seems that is what is taught to you. I have much difficulty in believing any self respecting Tauren would raise their child to look away when speaking to others."
The beast didn't understand. It was not his fault his brain was not open enough, or possibly even developed enough, to comprehend the finer intricacies of Kaldorei and Druidic ways. Yet as much as Shari tried to remind herself of those things it did little to ease the sting and impression he was full facedly attacking her people and the druid way Krae'sharel had held so dearly to his heart and soul. Her jaw twitched and she took a deep breath letting it out very slowly as if the act would dispel the bitter feelings that were building. The pain however still colored her words, "You are not a druid, so I will not think less of you for not understanding."
The bull shrugged as he moved to stand before her, looking down on her, "That is fine by me. But please, simply answer one question for me. Since Tauren have not been accepted into the Cenarion Circle in over one hundred generations, how is one born into it and taught customs that our own people would not have adopted so soon?"
She stared at him like he was a child getting an answer wrong on a test. It was true she may not know the finer details and histories of the druids as her mate had, but this was something that was readily available to her. "But Mister Marne, Tauren druids have been accepted into the Circle. They have been for a time now. As I said though, you are not a druid, so you cannot understand certain things."
"Only since the Third war. Hammul Runetotem was the first Tauren Druid in over one hundred."
"Then if you know, I don't understand why you would say they are not."
He shook his head with a gruff clearing of his throat. "Forgive me. My mind is simply fuzzy. Hamuul Runetotem is the first recognized druid of the Tauren people in over twenty generation. My numbers were slightly off."
She wasn't about to stickle him with exact numbers, she was debating whether or not to challenge him on how a simple warrior would even know such druid lore to begin with. But she decided it would do no good to start jabbing at each other. One of them had to act like an adult. Another sigh passed her lips and her head dipped down again. "As for customs. I will not say this again, so please listen carefully. There are some things taught in families that are not in history books. Customs and traditions that have been taught for private and powerful reasons. Reasons that are dear to the hearts of those in the respective families." It was baffling her how he seemed unable to grasp this.
His arms crossed over his chest, "And as I've said, no self respecting Tauren would teach their children to look away while speaking with someone. You can say all you wish, and seeing as you are willing to talk to me like a child, you can say it to someone who will be disrespected as such. Good-day." With that he turned to go.
Shari continued, talking to his back, adamant to educate him, "And since you are not a druid, some of those customs will sound alien to you. I understand that. But for you to question them, like they are wrong...that is hurtful. I am not placing you under one of those things that sees small details. I am not treating you like a criminal or a child."
He kept walking. Her little hands bunched into determined fists as she took a couple steps after him. "Sir!" she called to him passionately, "Would you like to know why one is not to look into the eyes of another! Do you truly wish to know!?"
The bull stopped in his tracks making her stagger to a halt. He didn't turn around and his tone was final, "No. My inquiries have ceased. As I have said Ma'am, good day." His tail twitched and he began lumbering away again leaving Shari to stagger back as if she had been slapped.
"As you wish, sir..." she whispered, hugging her hands to her chest.
Later that night as Shari lie under the stars in Nagrand in a bed of soft grass she recounted the days conversation. Tears stung her eyes. Deep in her heart she wondered if she would ever find true happiness here in this new body. Thrust into expected cultures and traditions she had no idea how to fake her way through...and if she somehow managed to... would all that made her who she is be lost.
))
Founded April 26, 2005