Post by Shalyra Saelyth on Nov 10, 2010 16:59:02 GMT -5
Silent silver moonlight streamed through the dust-covered window in the small room Shalyra had rented. It caressed the smooth skin of Shalyra’s arm, lying as it was over the bed covers, as if trying to gently wake her. The elven maid was lost in her dreams though or rather, to the dreamer; nightmares.
The sun was shining, washing the court in its golden light. There were many high elves enjoying a pleasant afternoon near the large fountain but Shalyra’s laughter was the more musical, the most pure. The maid was sitting on the edge of the fountain, gazing with her brilliant eyes at her small niece as the child tried to catch a cat. Her twin-sister AnAnurielwas keeping an eye on her daughter with a mother’s ever-watchful gaze. Presently the two sisters were discussing a matter most secret, as twin sisters were wont to do.
‘’Really Shal, you should have told Father! Betrothing yourself to a commoner, you know he will be furious!’’ Anuriel said in a hushed voice, full of concern. Shalyra looked at her a moment before gently tucking a lock of fire-red hair behind one ear and shrugging. ‘’Sister, I love Alinar. He is a talented musician and he has such a noble spirit with good values. Father will understand, he must.’’ The young elf maid said as much to convince herself as to express her wish that her father, Haeseth Sae’Lyth, would see past his misgivings.
At the moment her sister’s daughter arrived and dumped a mangy looking orange tabby on her aunt’s lap. The cat was doing it’s best to flee and did not object to using its claws. It finally found freedom but not before it managed to shred a long gash across Shalyra’s richly embroidered dress, an elegant confection of the smoothest green silk. Aelinn reached down and picked up her squirming daughter, looking at her sister’s robe with dismay. ‘’I’m so sorry Shal, I’ll see about replacing the dress. Such a pity it is ruined now.’’ She said, apologetically.
Shalyra laughed her clear, musical laugh and gently shook her head. ‘’Worry not sister, I’ve plenty more at home. Though I daresay it is giving me an immodest look, with so much of my legs showing now. I should hurry home and change.’’ With that she stood and did her best to gather the hem of her shredded robe. Smiling at her sister she turned to leave and came nose to chest with an armored guard who proudly bore the insignia of House Sae’Lyth – a glowing blue dragonhawk surrounded by a purple halo.
‘’Mistess Shalyra, your presence is requested at the mansion. Your father desires an audience. You will come with me’’ The guard said stiffly, his eyes looking at a spot just above the maiden’s head. Shalyra frowned slightly, hating these kinds of summons. Her father always preferred using his guards to relay his messages, believing it gave his family more power. Power was always on the mind of her father.
‘’I don’t need an escort, thank you.’’ She said, shouldering her way past the male. But the guard has specific instructions and would not be turned away from his duty. He reached over and grabbed Shalyra’s arm. ‘’I am to accompany you home.’’ He repeated. Shalyra’s frown deepened but quickly turned into the beginnings of an impish smile. Winking at her sister she muttered a few arcane words and before the guard could object was gone transported away with a magic spell. Had Shalyra been spared the time to think about it she would have realized that that had been the very last time she had ever uttered a magical spell. However she was still trapped in her nightmare, reliving the painful memories. In the room she tossed and turned a moment, letting out a low moan of despair. The nightmare did not relent.
‘’Father! What is the meaning of this? I am not to be fetched like some lowly servant and...’’ Shalyra’s furious rant was cut short when she stepped fully into her father’s study. The maiden’s eyes were wide in shock, she visibly trembled, her mind warring between rage and grief.
Her father seemed much less perturbed however, gazing as he was into the lifeless eyes of his daughter’s lover. He calmly turned toward Shalyra and tossed the head to his pet dragonhawk who was watching with impatience. It quickly took the head in its jaws and swallowed it whole, licking it’s jowls with delight. His father’s gaze settled on his daughter, his piercing eyes blazing with anger. However it was the only outward sign of his mood. ‘’We will have no more of this foolishness, Shalyra’’ was all he said before sitting in the large chair near his desk and looking through some parchments. He did not look up at her again, she was dismissed.
Shalyra wanted to say so many things at him at that moment, to shout out her anger, the unfairness of the situation. Instead she nodded slowly and left, closing the door calmly behind her.
That night Shalyra left the mansion through her chamber window, bearing only a few necessities. She managed to rip her robe as she was climbing down but did not care.
The following days were a blur to her. She survived as best she could, keeping to the shadier parts of the city, avoiding her father’s guards as they searched for her. It became quite clear that the only option left was to leave the city for good. Learning to survive in the wilds did not come easy. Danger and loneliness were her constant companions. She did not return however. She had her freedom and had shrugged off the shackles of the life she had before, for now it was all she needed.
She never saw her family again. Shalyra’s eyes slowly opened. She looked around and finally recognized her surroundings; just another room in a typical inn bordering a small village near the border. The elven maiden quietly slipped out of her bed and found her leathers on the floor where she had carelessly tossed them earlier that same night. Donning her armor and weapons she left her room. She had never been able to sleep after reliving that part of her in her nightmares and she would not find sleep again for quite a while. The hunt called her, the only solace she knew.
(Edits requested by author.)
The sun was shining, washing the court in its golden light. There were many high elves enjoying a pleasant afternoon near the large fountain but Shalyra’s laughter was the more musical, the most pure. The maid was sitting on the edge of the fountain, gazing with her brilliant eyes at her small niece as the child tried to catch a cat. Her twin-sister AnAnurielwas keeping an eye on her daughter with a mother’s ever-watchful gaze. Presently the two sisters were discussing a matter most secret, as twin sisters were wont to do.
‘’Really Shal, you should have told Father! Betrothing yourself to a commoner, you know he will be furious!’’ Anuriel said in a hushed voice, full of concern. Shalyra looked at her a moment before gently tucking a lock of fire-red hair behind one ear and shrugging. ‘’Sister, I love Alinar. He is a talented musician and he has such a noble spirit with good values. Father will understand, he must.’’ The young elf maid said as much to convince herself as to express her wish that her father, Haeseth Sae’Lyth, would see past his misgivings.
At the moment her sister’s daughter arrived and dumped a mangy looking orange tabby on her aunt’s lap. The cat was doing it’s best to flee and did not object to using its claws. It finally found freedom but not before it managed to shred a long gash across Shalyra’s richly embroidered dress, an elegant confection of the smoothest green silk. Aelinn reached down and picked up her squirming daughter, looking at her sister’s robe with dismay. ‘’I’m so sorry Shal, I’ll see about replacing the dress. Such a pity it is ruined now.’’ She said, apologetically.
Shalyra laughed her clear, musical laugh and gently shook her head. ‘’Worry not sister, I’ve plenty more at home. Though I daresay it is giving me an immodest look, with so much of my legs showing now. I should hurry home and change.’’ With that she stood and did her best to gather the hem of her shredded robe. Smiling at her sister she turned to leave and came nose to chest with an armored guard who proudly bore the insignia of House Sae’Lyth – a glowing blue dragonhawk surrounded by a purple halo.
‘’Mistess Shalyra, your presence is requested at the mansion. Your father desires an audience. You will come with me’’ The guard said stiffly, his eyes looking at a spot just above the maiden’s head. Shalyra frowned slightly, hating these kinds of summons. Her father always preferred using his guards to relay his messages, believing it gave his family more power. Power was always on the mind of her father.
‘’I don’t need an escort, thank you.’’ She said, shouldering her way past the male. But the guard has specific instructions and would not be turned away from his duty. He reached over and grabbed Shalyra’s arm. ‘’I am to accompany you home.’’ He repeated. Shalyra’s frown deepened but quickly turned into the beginnings of an impish smile. Winking at her sister she muttered a few arcane words and before the guard could object was gone transported away with a magic spell. Had Shalyra been spared the time to think about it she would have realized that that had been the very last time she had ever uttered a magical spell. However she was still trapped in her nightmare, reliving the painful memories. In the room she tossed and turned a moment, letting out a low moan of despair. The nightmare did not relent.
‘’Father! What is the meaning of this? I am not to be fetched like some lowly servant and...’’ Shalyra’s furious rant was cut short when she stepped fully into her father’s study. The maiden’s eyes were wide in shock, she visibly trembled, her mind warring between rage and grief.
Her father seemed much less perturbed however, gazing as he was into the lifeless eyes of his daughter’s lover. He calmly turned toward Shalyra and tossed the head to his pet dragonhawk who was watching with impatience. It quickly took the head in its jaws and swallowed it whole, licking it’s jowls with delight. His father’s gaze settled on his daughter, his piercing eyes blazing with anger. However it was the only outward sign of his mood. ‘’We will have no more of this foolishness, Shalyra’’ was all he said before sitting in the large chair near his desk and looking through some parchments. He did not look up at her again, she was dismissed.
Shalyra wanted to say so many things at him at that moment, to shout out her anger, the unfairness of the situation. Instead she nodded slowly and left, closing the door calmly behind her.
That night Shalyra left the mansion through her chamber window, bearing only a few necessities. She managed to rip her robe as she was climbing down but did not care.
The following days were a blur to her. She survived as best she could, keeping to the shadier parts of the city, avoiding her father’s guards as they searched for her. It became quite clear that the only option left was to leave the city for good. Learning to survive in the wilds did not come easy. Danger and loneliness were her constant companions. She did not return however. She had her freedom and had shrugged off the shackles of the life she had before, for now it was all she needed.
She never saw her family again. Shalyra’s eyes slowly opened. She looked around and finally recognized her surroundings; just another room in a typical inn bordering a small village near the border. The elven maiden quietly slipped out of her bed and found her leathers on the floor where she had carelessly tossed them earlier that same night. Donning her armor and weapons she left her room. She had never been able to sleep after reliving that part of her in her nightmares and she would not find sleep again for quite a while. The hunt called her, the only solace she knew.
(Edits requested by author.)
But very well done. Thank you for posting, and welcome to the site!))
Founded April 26, 2005