ToC ▼Staff Post Cert, Link to Official Uncert & Inventory ▼Table of Contents & Rules ▼News/Updates ▼Taijana Basic physical info, personality, etc. ▼History "You want to know about me? Why? Is it for a curse?! You're cursing me aren't you?!" ▼Relationships Family, Friends, Lover(s), Enemies, etc. ▼Familiar(s) ---, ---, ---, etc. ▼RP Log ▼ Battle Log ▼Art (Official and Non)
Rules Do not post in this thread unless you are staff, myself, or invited first. By posting this I am agreeing to follow ToS and shop rules, so I would invite the reader to do the same.
Contact Information I am always open for plotting/rps! That being said, some ways you can contact me are listed below;
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:00 am
▼Updates▼
August 26, 2015 - Taijana has been won from a superstitious rp contest and dropped in the thread. <3
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:26 am
▼Taijana▼
Nicknames: Tai Race: Yaeli Gender: Female Description: Taijana is a very tiny woman, with a very petite frame. Her crystals resemble that of her mother's, even if the other woman isn't too keen on acknowledging it. They trail down her neck on the right side, with a smattering on the backs of her forearms and a few just under her eyes.
3 Base Traits: Superstitious, Sensitive, Nature Lover Personality:
Superstitious --->Like most of her people, Tai believes in a variety of old wives tales as if they were written law. It doesn't help matters that her mother filled her head with false superstitions just to purposefully scare her. Her father has tried to convince her more than once to try to disprove the falsehoods, but Taijana refuses. She's got enough bad karma going on in her life as it is without angering the spirits further. Some of the superstitions she knows to be true are; 1) Kissing a boy outside of wedlock will cause you to become pregnant with a two headed baby on contact. 2) Multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) share one soul among them. So, when one of the set dies, one of two things can happen. If this is the body without the soul then everyone else will be fine. However, if this is the body with the soul then the remaining siblings will die as well. 3) If children speak ill of their parents then monsters will eat their eyes.
--->Sensitive Taijana is prone to over thinking situations and worrying herself into panic attacks. Most of this is due to a lifetime of trying to please her overbearing mother, but the recent addition of strangers to her homeland has only given her more issues. She's quick to cry when teased, and will cower underneath dominant personalities. While not entirely a doormat, Taijana rarely sticks up for herself and is much more content with avoiding confrontation since angry voices upset her.
--->Nature Lover Taijana finds being out among the flora and fauna to be deeply relaxing. There's less people to please among Yael's creatures, though she always has to keep an eye out for beasties who want to do her harm. It's one of the few traits her siblings share among one another. Often times when things are stressful between their parents the triplets will venture out for a hike, an extended hunt, cave crawling; anything to explore the world around them.
Interesting facts --->Loves children, but is terrified of babies. If it's under a year old she's afraid she'll break it. --->Faints a lot. Jump scares are the worst culprit, but Tai is also prone to hyperventilating from panic attacks. --->Her voice is often so soft-spoken you have to concentrate to hear her. It only raises when she's upset.
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:27 am
▼History▼
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:32 am
▼Relationships▼
Dolos : Father - An older guard with a soft spot for his kids. He's often absent from the home because of work, but once with his family he makes the most of it. Keira: Mother - A bitter, sharp tongued woman who expects nothing but perfection from her children. That is, when she bothers to notice them. Dulci : Paternal Aunt - An ailing woman who never married, nor had children of her own and is thus being taken care of by her younger brother's family.
Siblings: Taijana's only surviving siblings are the two others that make up a triplet set. It has been hinted at more than once that they were not her parents only children. ---> Tyrios: The only brother out of the set, he is what his sister's might have looked like as a boy. He's usually quiet, but that just hides his explosive nature. ---> Trilanna: Tai's physical double. Trilanna is more exuberant than her siblings, and has all the charm her mother left behind after getting married. She can be selfish at times, and vain.
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:33 am
▼Familiars▼
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:37 am
▼RP Log▼
Prentice [WE] At Large - Len [Yael] Strange Tides - Len [Yael] Into the Abyss - Matchitemin
Stage 2 [Yael] Odd Jobs and New Friends - Jalase [Yael] Adventures into the Unknown - Kieran [Yael] Night Play - Tacrith [Matori] This is Not Okay! - Kieran [Matori] Heathens - Shadiya [Matori] Casual Conversation - Shadiya
Taijana wrung her hands together while her family hashed gossip. Not even a moment ago her father had returned with news of people suddenly taking refuge on Yael; large people. Large green women, to be exact. Her father seemed more content with fussing over the installation of border patrols than the actual necessities. The screaming, searing questions that caused the young girl’s blood to clot.
Why were they here?
She had never seen a single soul who wasn’t yaeli in her entire life, nor did she think her parents had either. How could her father remain so calm? Her mother was trying to temper her panic, but it was thinly veiled. The woman’s arms were shaking, hands jutting out to motion towards invisible walls as if she could shield herself away from them by thought alone.
Maybe if she tried hard enough she could.
Spirits help her.
“Monsters with skin,” Taijana heard her father murmur. Were these the monsters that ate the eyes of young girls who spoke ill of their mothers? She cast a frightened glance at her own mother. Taijana had never spoken ill of her, not after hearing the tale of her great-grandmother, but what if her mother had taken something she’d said the wrong way…
Her eyes weren’t the best, but she wanted to keep them!
Or maybe this was her punishment for dreaming about kissing Eyvik. She couldn’t kiss him in the waking world, lest she become pregnant with a two headed baby on contact, but Taijana had thought her dreams were safe, at least! Perhaps if they were joined in the Sanctum then the gods would call back their monsters. All would be put back to right and if she needed to offer up her first born, like her mother did, then she would do it. Nothing came before the gods or the spirits; no matter how painful the sacrifice.
“It’s because we’ve been far too blessed.” Taijana turned to look at her ailing Aunt, huddled in a corner of the dwelling with a thick black wrap about her shoulders. When Auntie start to cough she went to her, and held the older woman steady until the fit subsided. “I warned you when those kids were born-”
“The triplets are a gift. The gods knew we were faithful and they-”
Taijana’s father was hushed by a sharp exclamation from her mother. “She speaks of all the yaeli, fool! How many babes do you know that have died? How many mothers have passed in childbirth? Our numbers have been growing and the Gods are not pleased. Without the presence of death, how are our children supposed to remember to pay their respects? They’ve grown dull; ignorant!”
Taijana winced when her mother brought her fist down onto the table. “...Mother is right. Father, you said yourself that we all should have died when she carried us…” Taijana looked to her siblings then. Triplets; a great gift, but a much larger curse. They had cheated death, and the spirits would be avenged. “They sent these...monsters to thin us out. To make things better.”
Auntie nodded sagely, and pulled the worried girl down to sit on her lap. Taijana couldn’t stop from shaking. It was only when her Auntie wiped the tears from her eyes that she realized she’d been crying. “Shh, child, there is no sense in panicking. You mustn’t faint now.” Taijana nodded. She fainted all too often and always when spooked. Every time her siblings played a prank on her, or jumped out in the night Taijana would shriek loud enough to wake the dead...then drop into a dead faint. Her mother said it was part of a ‘nervous condition’, but Taijana knew she was the only sane one in the family.
“They’ll start with us…” Her voice was unsteady; unhinged. She had already begun to hide her head in her hands. “...they’ll come here and make an example of us. We’re the ones who did it, right? Triplets are bad...very bad..We all look alike so only one of us has a real soul, the rest are just...just…creatures in yaeli flesh!” Taijana shrieked. She stood up, rocking her poor Auntie back into her seat. “We have to go to the Sanctum! NOW! If we pray hard enough then they won’t come-”
“Tai, honey, breath.” She hadn’t even been aware of her father’s movements until his hands were on her shoulders. The older man’s face was awash with worry; not for his people, but for his daughter. “I won’t let them take you, sweetheart.” Taijana noticed that he didn’t contradict her worries. Her father didn’t know anymore about the Gods’ will than she.
Burrowing her face into his chest, the young girl was overcome with heavy sobs. Why was this happening? She lived her life for the Gods, and visited the Sanctum three times a day like a good girl. This is it. This is the end. At times her breathing would hitch so violently that her father would act as if he expected her to faint. It took a while to calm her, but Taijana was conscious, though barely so.
“I’m going to leave for a while, and see what can be done. Maybe someone will know more about these beasts...if we’re lucky, they’ll know how to kill them.”
“WHAT?!” Taijana and her mother shrieked in unison. Her father seemed stunned by the loud, piercing wail and was temporarily paralyzed. Her mother was the first to speak. Having rushed to her husband, she grabbed him by the arm and said, “You can’t kill a messenger of the Gods! I knew you were stupid, but do you have a death wish as well?!” Her nails were like talons in his skin. She looked to Taijana, who reflexively shrank from her heated gaze. “They must be appeased. We’ll send them a sacrifice, and pray that they do us no further harm.”
“And what would you have me send them, your own children?” Her father snapped back. When he was met with silence the man threw his arms into the air, effectively breaking the hold both women held on him. “How many children must we give up to fix your mistake.”
Taijana furrowed her brows and looked between the two. It was common knowledge that her parents fought more than they ever smiled, but this was a deeper level than spats about how short a skirt was.
Her mother sucked in a harsh, spiteful breath, but one look at her children quelled whatever insult she had prepared. When she exhaled her tone was eerily calm. “OUR mistakes mean little now. We’ve been sent a message, and we can either accept it or fight it. I, however, will NOT go against my Gods again.” With her words spoken, her mother picked up her skirts and fled the home.
Auntie seemed to retreat within herself as Taijana’s father moved towards his children. He gathered all three of them together, hugging them all as best he could. “When did you get so big?” His far away tone scarred Taijana. When he looked at her, she knew what he saw. Three living corpses, and three souls to pray to Lurin about. “No matter what happens, Papa will protect you. I’m not letting you go while I still breath. Stay safe, and stay together.”
Taijana couldn’t breath when he placed a dagger in each of his children’s palms.
“...And if you are to pass on...take one of those bastards with you.”
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 12:54 pm
▼Prentice Solo 2▼
Being a triplet wasn't easy.
Ever since Tai was little the people around her, both those she did and didn't know, always commented on how similar the triplets were. Some days were better than others because of that. If they were being particularly cute, had done something worth praise, etc. - all of that was met with a burst of self-esteem. The siblings would talk and coo about it for hours afterward. In their younger years it was easier to be lumped in as a unit instead of being seen as an individual.
It wasn't so easy once she turned ten.
Tyrios was beginning to shine as papa's heir. He wasn't the oldest, just the middle born, but his anatomy set him apart from his sisters. By ten he was a little shorter than the girls, though his shoulders had already begun to broaden. While all three started to learn how to hunt, track, and appreciate nature under papa's guidance Tyrios was the one Papa always left in charge when he was away. This didn't change through the years. Tyrios grew into a quieter boy, but one prone to explosive bursts of anger when pushed too far. Taijana tried her best to stay away from him during those moments. He rarely let loose around her, but the one time he did she'd passed out in a dead faint. She hadn't meant to make her brother feel guilty; his voice had just spooked her.
It was obvious by ten that he was going to grow into the brave one. The silent protector, as it were, and the rock that would solidify the family should anything happen to Papa.
Trilanna, at ten, was already an exuberant girl. What Taijana lacked in volume Tri gained twice over. She was loud, often in a squabble with Tyrios (as she was usually the one to push him over the edge) and her moods often set the tone of the house. Like Mama, Trilanna could bend the will of the entire family to suit her needs. If she didn't get her way she would shriek, whine, and throw things until Papa eventually caved in. While virtually identical to Taijana, Tri carried herself as if she were more beautiful, and in some respects, much more cultured than her sister. Mama fussed when either of her girls wore makeup, but Tri did it anyway. She purposefully kept her hair longer than Mama (even though Mama threatened to shave her bald), talked with boys, and stayed out late. It infuriated Mama to the point that Taijana thought she would punish Tri for existing, but it never happened. Taijana knew Mama didn't like her daughters being prettier than her, so she tried to keep herself as plain as possible, just so Mama wouldn't throw a vase at her too.
By then it was obvious that Trilanna would be the trend setter. She would marry young, marry wealthy, and carry her family name into the next era. Tai knew that Trilanna would never forget her, as her sister had always been very close to her, but Tri was destined for bigger things.
By ten Taijana had found her place, and was happy enough to settle.
She kept her hair short and unadorned. Her face was scrubbed clean, though noticeably lacking the makeup that the other women in her household wore. Her clothing was plain, without the little accents sewn into the fabric that Mama displayed so proudly. Taijana wore neither necklaces, nor any other jewelry, and kept herself from piercings.
As her siblings grew more independent Taijana had spent more time in the home learning the skills of a seamstress with her mother. Unfortunately for her, that always meant spending more time than necessary with the toxic woman who had chipped away at Tai's self-esteem until all that remained was a meek little waif. She lacked the boldness of her sister and the strength of her brother; instead, all Taijana had was her patience.
But it wasn't as if she bemoaned a life left unlived. She was happy, content, with what she had. Her family was stable (for the most part) and she spent a lot of time out on the hunt with her siblings. Out there she could be free. Tyrious encouraged her to come out with him and Papa more often, but time and time again she refused. That was a man's work; Mama wanted her to learn sewing so that's what she would do.
It was when Taijana had overheard a group of boys talking that she learned her life wasn't as 'okay' as she thought it was. "What do you mean Trilanna has a sister?"
"I'm telling you, she has a sister. Looks just like her."
"No, she has a brother, but not a sister - wait, no, I think I've seen her. I thought it was a spirit. Real quiet, never speaks up, just kind of hangs around?"
"Yeah, that's the one. Kind of pathetic, huh? Pretty enough, but sheesh, she's so dull."
The life of a triplet was full of ups and downs. Once you came into your own the world compared you to your siblings, thus making it difficult to even figure out who you ever were to begin with.
Taijana knew she was dull, that she was quiet, and did as she was told like a good girl - but that didn't' mean she liked it. When she returned home she asked Papa and Tyrios if they would take her out with them the next day. Mama started up a stink, saying it wasn't a girls place to go out on a three day hunt, but Trilanna got louder than Mama. Her siblings were fiercely protective of her, and both said they wanted to see Taijana succeed. If this is what she wanted then she should have it, right? After everything she did for them she needed a break.
Dull or not she was loved. That much was obvious. Taijana wanted to shine a little brighter, just a little, but if being dull meant that she could stay closer to her shining siblings then she didn't mind it one bit.
(WC: 1,024)
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Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:56 am
▼Prentice Solo 3 - Class Choice▼
Mama didn't like it very much when Taijana decided to go hunting with her father and brother.
When Trilanna did it Mama was happy, mostly because it got Tri out of her hair, but Tai? In Keira's eyes her daughter belonged in the home, underneath a firm thumb, away from anyone who might tell her otherwise. It was because of this reasoning that Taijana found herself sitting indoors, mending a pair of her father's trousers when she would much rather be outside. The young yaeli kept her mouth shut, moving her nimble fingers through the stitching with a practiced, if not mechanical, hand. She lacked her mother's finesse and Trilanna's creativity, which only served as a base board for Mama's criticisms.
"Spirits, girl, pick up the pace. I'm likely to die of old age before you finish patching that hole." Her mother groused. Keira's patience with her daughter was near non-existant leaving her with only a very bitter tone in which to address the girl. The older woman looked at her own work, an intricate quilt featuring local flora, before sitting it back down onto her lap with a huff.
Her attitude was the only thing that made Keira 'ugly'. Even in her older years she was a prime example of classic beauty, and despite the white working it's way into her hair she still turned her fair share of heads when at the market. Mama had aged well physically; mentally was up for debate. When Taijana had been younger all she had wanted was to be just like her mother. Now...well, now she would be lucky if she didn't turn out like her. "You shouldn't be so cross with her, Keira," Aunt Dulci piped in. Tai might have forgotten the woman was in the room if she hadn't spoken up. "Jealousy doesn't suit you."
Keira gave a bark of laughter. "You think I'm jealous of her? Of this waif of a girl?" "Yes, I do," Dulci looked up from her own stitching to give Tai's Mama a look filled with pure loathing. "You're hateful with her because she isn't as submissive as you thought, and you're jealous because she's doing what you never could. You've trapped yourself in a mundane life by spreading your legs to the world, but she's happy. Aren't you, baby girl?"
Taijana wanted to bury her head in the ground and pretend she hadn't heard a thing. Both her mother and Aunt were looking at her, waiting for an answer, when all she could do was make a desperate squeaking noise.
Keira clucked her tongue. "Oh yes, she's proven me wrong." Her sarcastic tone heralded a string of insults murmured under her breath, all of which made Taijana's heart sink further into her chest. She couldn't understand what she had ever done to make Mama so mad. All she had ever tried to do was be the perfect daughter so that her mother might dote on her life she never had with her siblings. Was that so much to ask for? To hear the woman praise her for one thing, or even say 'I love you'?
Match wouldn't have stood for it.
Lennart wouldn't take it.
So why should she?
Gussying up her courage, Taijana set her mending to the side and looked at her mother. Her heart felt as if it were running circles inside of her chest, but there was no other way. This had to be done.
"Mama, I..." She clammed up the instant the hateful woman turned her gaze onto her. It took her a minute of licking her lips and dry swallowing to get her nerves back. "I don't want to be a seamstress. I like being outside; I like hunting with Tyrios, Trilanna and Papa. I'm a good shot, so I know I could be a good sniper in tim-"
"Absolutely not. You're too weak of spirit to do something like that. As soon as we're done here we're going to the market and selling that cursed crossbow. Your father was a fool to buy it for you; it was a waste of coin from the start."
"B-but-!" "But nothing! I'm not arguing with you, Taijana!" Keira's bellowing voice carried out into the world beyond their home. The atmosphere around them became so thick with tension that Taijana thought she might drown in it. What was she going to do? Mama had said no; that meant her order was absolute. Right? Taijana bit her lip as tears sprang to her eyes. She couldn't help breaking down in that instant. She had always been a tender child, easily prone to weeping, and now she felt like a fool to show that kind of weakness in front of Mama.
For a heart breaking moment she realized her mother wasn't standing near her anymore, but had gone to retrieve the crossbow. Her Auntie was trying to fight her for it as best she could, but Auntie was no match for Keira. She held on tight with her clawed hands. "I'm getting rid of this thing once and for all!" For all of her beauty in that one moment, snarling as she was, Keira looked like a wild beast. As terrifying as the image was to her Taijana couldn't let her mother succeed. Papa had bought that crossbow for her; he wanted her to learn and grow. Mama only wanted to take that all away from her.
"No!" Taijana scrambled onto her feet and pounced on her mother. The older woman hadn't been expecting any sort of resistance form her, and thus, hadn't been able to keep her balance. Tai snatched the crossbow from her flailing hands, barely managing to keep herself up right in the process.
When Mama hit the ground there was a shift in the home. All three of the women could feel it in their cores, and none more so than Taijana. As Keira's venomous gaze opened all she knew to do was cry. "Get. Out." The two words were spoken through grinding teeth, as if it were taking all of Keira's sanity not to murder her daughter where she stood. When Tai didn't make any moves she shrieked, "GET OUT."
Taijana bolted out the door and didn't look back. She was too afraid that Mama would change her mind, that she was running on her heels, and Taijana didn't doubt that things would get physical if the woman were to catch her. A rock was caught on her toes, causing her to fall with a sharp cry, and Taijana couldn't find the inner strength to get back up. She clutched her crossbow to her chest like a lifeline.
She was going to be a Sniper someday; but what would she have to lose to get there?
(WC: 1,132)
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 6:35 pm
▼Prentice Solo 3 - Class Quest Solo▼
Taijana's entire life has been shaped by her mother's cruel superstitions. Even though the yaeli are naturally a superstitious people her mother purposefully made up false tales just to ensure that her daughter wouldn't think to slip away from her. It was a method of control, of manipulation, and one that Taijana is learning to break away from.
I wanted to use this as the focus of her solo because of the significance this will mean for her personally. Taijana has taken a path that will allow her to grow into the kind of woman she wants to become and not a puppet manipulated by her mother. The final confrontation with Keira will be the final stray for her, and will mark a 'coming of age' for the little yaeli girl.
Taijana had been an absolute mess by the time her siblings found her. Her sister's shouts had vibrated in against the crystallized trees, coupled with her brother's desperate pleas for her to come out, that it would be alright. If she wasn't so worried about hurting them then she might have stayed hidden in her little cave for the rest of her natural life, but her siblings drew her out. That night they had treated her like a wild, skittish animal as if she were a flight risk. Maybe she was. Being yelled at by Mama like that had caused her to have one long, continuous panic attack that not enough her siblings could work through.
All she could do was sob like the hysteric child she was until she was too exhausted to stay conscious. The next morning Trilanna told Tyrios to get all of her things from the house, and to meet her in the city. It was a short walk, made shorter by the fact that she couldn't concentrate on anything at all. Taijana just...didn't care. She found herself in a mix of despair and outright fear. Her entire body screamed at her to return home, to make things right with Mama, but Tai knew that if she went home now that her mother would just make good on her promises to kill her.
It was enough to keep her tucked close to her sister, who murmured soothing nonsense and pulled Tai along when she couldn't find a reason to keep going.
Trilanna took her to a little building near the edge of the city; a little solid establishment without any of the embellishment or draw of some of the more well known businesses. It didn't suit her sister at all, so when Taijana was drug inside she couldn't quite figure out why. The interior was lined with different leather working apparatus', as well as a little counter where a rather plump woman counted out gold coins. She looked up to watch the two girls enter, shrewd eyes watching them over the rims of her lenses. After clucking her tongue she pushed the coins off the counter into a drawstring satchel and tied it to her waist. "What's this now, girl? Bringing your sister in here to meet the family?"
Trilanna plastered on her brightest smile and sauntered over to the counter. She leaned against the worn wood, batting her eyelashes at the older woman. "Jinora, do you remember when you told me that if I needed a fav- " The whole situation was more than a little confusing until her sister squealed and nearly bowled Jinora over to get behind the counter. Taijana couldn't figure out why until she spotted a young man crouched low to the ground, picking up what looked like bits of scrap leather. He made an 'omph!' when her sister jumped atop his crouched back, barely keeping his balance, but when she put her arms around his neck, plastering his head with kisses, he seemed happy enough.
He laughed, sat the scraps back on the floor and stood with his hands underneath Trilanna's rump to keep her aloft. Taijana's cheeks couldn't have been darker had she tried. Who was this guy to touch on her sister so casually? Didn't Trilanna know what she was risking being near a guy like that?!
"Tri, maybe you sho-"
"Tai, hush! This is my fiance, Dennet; he can do whatever he wants with me." To prove her point Trilanna ran her fingers along his bicep, causing the boys breath to hitch and Taijana's eyes to bulge. Spirits preserve us.
"H-How long have you two been-?"
"A few days," Dennet supplied. He looked apologetic when he added, "We were going to tell your parents, but Trilanna thought your mother might..." The young man seemed at a loss for words, though the girl clinging to his back finished for him.
"I knew mother was going to throw a fit because I'm so young and blah blah blah." Jinora snorted. Tai looked over to the older woman, noting with a small smile that she'd already dismissed her sister's antics in favor of returning to her coin counting. "But Dennet insisted, so we were going to tell her, but then Tyrios told me about what happened at home and....well things were post-poned." "I'm sorry, sister...if I had known then I-"
Trilanna nudged Dennet to move forward, and when they got close enough she placed a finger over Taijana's lips. "Shhhhhhh. Nonsense. Mother's fits aren't your fault, and it was only a matter of time before you slipped away from her. It's natural; it's healthy. I know it's hard for you, but really, I'm so happy that you don't have to stay with that wretched woman anymore." As his arms began to tire Dennet moved his fiance to sit her atop the counter. She easily positioned herself like the priceless gem Trilanna knew herself to be. "Which brings me to this; how about you stay with Dennet, Tyrios and I? Tyrios and I are tired of mother, so we were going to move anyway, but we didn't want to leave you. Now that you're exiled....Tai, why are you crying? Dennet, don't just stand there, go get something for her eyes!"
"Oh yes, nothing like reminding your sister about her ejection from the family home to endear her to you." Jinora quipped, taking a quick peep over at the trio. It didn't take long for Dennet to return with a mostly clean cloth that he handed over to Taijana.
"Why don't you just feed off her sorrow like you do with everyone else, Jinora? Or are you too full?" With her hands on her hips, mouth firmly pressed into a disapproving frown, Tai might have thought her sister was a miniature version of their mother. She didn't have the same fury in her soul though the spirit was just the same.
It was enough to make Tai attempt a smile. "It's alright, Tri, I'm fine. Just a little...a little not fine." She dabbed at her eyes with a deep breath. There was a lot about her life that wasn't okay at the moment, but at least her siblings were trying. Tai hated the thought of leaving her father behind to deal with Mama all by himself, but he'd picked her for a wife; Tai had no choice about who birthed her.
Jinora handed her a glass of some foul smelling liquid, which after a few choking gulps Tai found to be alcohol. It didn't matter to her, though; it wasn't like she could have stopped crying without it if she'd tried. The more she drank the braver she got. Mama threw her out; that was bad, right? Taijana had been nothing but loyal for the entirety of her life, so who was her mother to just toss her out like that?!
If she stayed her she could have a job, and a real family! She'd found out that while Dennet's family mostly dealt with leather working Trilanna and Tryios planned on being the ones to bring the actual leather to them, while storing the meat back for sale and consumption by the family. With Taijana's help they could really have a good, stable system which sounded a lot better than going back to a house with a harpy who yelled at her nonstop.
The alcohol served as a catalyst to help her sleep. Once Tyrios showed up with as much of her things as he could manage, Jinora led her to a little shed in the back, stuffed to the brim with furs and fresh leather. It wasn't permanent, she added, but just someplace safe for the night. Her siblings stayed with her that night; one curled up on either side of her, almost like how they had been in the womb. Taijana couldn't remember feeling so warm, even as her heart felt so very, very cold.
Over the next few days Taijana found herself adjusting; albeit, slowly. The four youths purchased a little home near Dennet's family. It was an older dwelling, having been owned by family members just a few month's prior, and was in sore need of repair. Still, Dennet and Tyrios were sure that they could fix it up, so Trilanna was happy enough.
Taijana...was not.
Her episodes gradually increased the longer she was away from home. Even seeing her sister in the half-light of a candle reminded her of Mama, and it was enough to send her into an attack. She hated seeing that sense of guilt and helplessness on her sister's face, but what could she do? What could any of them do? They were living against the spirits, and things were only going to go down hill from here! Taijana stayed inside for days at a time, doing scarce little more than leaving her little room. She barely ate and that was enough to cause her brother to step in.
One afternoon, when she was sure he was on the hunt, Tyrios showed up at her bedside. Without saying much he helped her up, told her in simple terms to get dressed and meet him downstairs. When she tried to politely refused he asked if she would rather have him help her, which would have been more than awkward for both of them, and she quickly decided to just give in.
By the time she made it down to the first floor he had a full breakfast stretched out for them despite the height of the sun in the sky. He encouraged her to sit, to take on more food than she would have chosen herself, and sat beside her, keenly watching as Taijana picked at her food.
"...Why isn't she pregnant yet?" Taijana murmured. When Tyrios just quirked a brow her way, she flushed and went on to say, "Mama said that if you kissed a boy before marriage then you would get pregnant with a two headed baby. Trilanna should have...especially since she and Dennet...you know..."
"Is that what's been bothering you so much, this whole time? Mama's superstitions?" "They're not superstitions; they're facts. With everything I've said about her the spirits should have eaten my eyes by now. I should be hung up by my toes in the woods with keldari for hair, and I...I...I just don't understand why it hasn't happened yet."
It took Tyrios longer that day to quiet her sobs than usual, and it had really only ended when she could no longer breath, thus leading to Taijana falling into a dead faint. Later, upon awakening, she was alone in the home. It didn't surprise her, to see that they had all chosen to go about their days instead of doting on a worthless sister, but a part of her wished at least one had stayed.
Life didn't make any sense to her now. Trilanna, Tyrios, even Dennet had assured her that half the things Mama told her were nothing more than lies. A part of her must have always known, because it wasn't as if the older woman had ever bothered to hide her cruelty, and yet...
Maybe she really was a fool for hoping that Mama had actually wanted to look out for her.
With her mind a whirl of thoughts, Taijana slipped into her flats and opened the door of their home to go to Jinora's shop in search of her family.
What she found instead was her Mama.
Keira was standing just outside the front door, a shawl draped around her delicate shoulders and a harsh look about her face. "Well, are you going to invite me in?"
Taijana had never wanted to slam the door shut so badly in her life.
"N-no, I'm not." It was so hard not to just cave underneath the pressure. What was Mama even doing here?! She had hoped that Papa might show up for a visit, but this monster? Taijana could feel her limbs shaking as she leaned against the door, hands clutched to the well worn wood as if it would save her from Mama's wrath.
Keira snarled. "Then tell me where your sister is. She's gone and ruined herself so I-"
"She hasn't! S-she just got married...that's a good thing. The Sanctum says that-"
"The Sanctum says that you shouldn't so much as touch a man's skin before marriage, and your sister has broken that rule ten times over. Just by staying in this house you've ruined yourself, but, you already did that by treating me as you did. Was that always your intention, Taijana? To abuse your mother and then run away so that I would die with a broken heart? You're such a selfish, ungrateful child." Keira stepped forward, and found her ire rising when instead of backing away, Taijana stood firm. The smaller yaeli had begun to cry, though, which was enough for Keira to feel some semblance of superiority. "What is it? You've had this look on your face for a while now, and I'm getting sick of looking at it." "W-why did you lie to me...? I don't know what parts of my beliefs are real and what aren't because of you. So..So...I'm just going to...not listen to you and see where it gets me!"
Keira wasted no time in snatching Taijana's chin betwixt her bony fingers and jerking the girl's head up to meet her eyes. "I did what I did to protect you from the world, but you seem determined to fight me every step of the way. I've given you everything you could ever need or want. I made you, and I will not allow you to back talk me, do you understand?" By the time Keira had finished speaking her voice was a loud, shrill shriek that turned her daughter's blood to ice. When Taijana wasn't fast enough with her response she pushed the girl away, watching with no small semblance of accomplishment as Taijana landed on her rump on the dirt floor. "You should be grateful that your mama loves you so much; pack your things, and you can come home. You aren't strong enough to stay on your own, and using your siblings as a crutch is pathetic."
Something inside of Taijana had changed since that first meeting with Match.
That same something began to grow after meeting Len.
She cried over a lost lifestyle, but not over her mother. Taijana realized in that moment that while she was still afraid of Keira, she no longer feared her enough to be manipulated. When she looked up into the imposing gaze of her mother all she saw were the cold, dead eyes of a keldari posed to strike. There was no love in that look; no warmth or comforting to trick her into coming home.
So it came to pass that Taijana wiped her nose off with the back of her hand and stood, even going so far as to take a half step towards the older woman.
"I don't care if I'm using them as a crutch. You used them too, but at least I'm being nice about it." At first her voice was small, so very like a whispered wind, but over time it began to grow. "They love me, but y-you...you never did. Love is wanting the other person to be happy, but you only cared about yourself! I'm-I'm gonna grow my hair out so I can be pretty like Trilanna a-and I'm gonna get a tattoo, right on my arm and my skin won't rot off because that doesn't happen! A-and I'm gonna get a boyfriend or a girlfriend, I don't know yet!, but I'm going to be happy because I won't be stuck with you."
The longer it took Keira to respond the more Taijana feared for her life. Her crossbow was propped behind the door; the door that Keira currently stood in front of. There would be no way for her to reach it before her mother did, and Taijana didn't doubt that the woman wouldn't turn a bolt on her.
Instead, all the woman did was spit at her feet and snarl out a threat. "I've been burying children since long before you were born, and mark my words, the next time we meet, you'll be next."
In an instant she was gone. Taijana slumped back to the ground, one hand clutched in the fabric above her heart. What did Mama mean by that? It was obvious enough that the woman wanted her dead, but what about the others? At that moment she couldn't bring herself to care much about long dead siblings; all she could do was consume herself in overwhelming feelings of relief and fear.
From now on she would have to watch her back, but at least it was her own to watch. Keira would hold no sway over her daily decisions and for now, that was enough for Taijana.
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