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 Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:30 pm
Ujiri 1
A scowl sat on his face as he once more looked around the house to find that his leaf mother wasn’t there. A scoff left him before he brought his eyes over to look at his Alkidike mom. “Why are you still sitting here waiting for her?” He’d never really outright asked Ariya that before but today seemed to be the day he felt bold. Like he was old enough to broach the subject without hearing his mom shut him down with promises of ‘when you’re older.’
“Why do you take care of her tavern?” Ujiri had never gotten the whole story from either of them; he'd only just watched things unfold. He’d always taken it the wrong way and it had led to him being resentful of some things.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:35 pm
Ariya 1
Hearing the questions that were asked of her she paused in her sweeping of the floor, a weekly chore, and set the broom aside. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I wait for your Mama?” This confused her greatly. Ariya knew Ujiri often complained about Ujana’s absence, expressing his lack of understanding for it, but she’d always pushed it off as something he just needed to vent about. Out of all their children he was the youngest and appeared to be the one who needed home the most. “I take care of the Tavern because it was something she’d always wanted and created for herself and her family.” To her, letting it fall apart would be like spitting on her wife’s dreams. It wasn’t something she planned to do.
“You always get this way when she’s gone. When she comes back, why don’t you spend time with her.” It was a suggestion. Something she thought might help him.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:41 pm
Ujiri 2
His mom’s answers weren’t enough. It didn’t explain anything to him. So what if Ujana had wanted to make something. She wasn’t around for it! And the suggestion to spend time with her only made him more mad. So much so that he swung his hand out and slapped the back of a chair, sending it toppling over and clattering to the floor. “Why would I spend time with her!?” He yelled.
Angry with himself for snapping at his mom he turned away from her and took a deep breath. “If she doesn’t want to be here with us then why does she get the privilege of being family?” He muttered under his breath.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:45 pm
Ariya 2
She blinked when she watched her son swat the chair. That didn’t really surprise her. Ujiri did have Ujana’s temper. Swing and destroy. It was a wonder he didn’t pick up the hammer, honestly. However, his words caught her attention. “Because she’s your Mama.” It answered both of his questions. The alkidike stepped over, picked up the chair so that it could be put where it belonged, then stared at her son with a narrowed gaze. “What has gotten into you? It's been months that you have reacted this way, I thought you’d have gotten over it by now. So what is your problem?” Her hands went to her hips as she spoke. Clearly it wasn’t an issue that he could just rant about and be good with but something more. She wondered what it was that really bothered him.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:51 pm
Ujiri 3
“She doesn’t act like it!” He snapped at Ariya. If he were more level headed he would have seen that as a mistake but as it was his anger was in the way. He didn’t like seeing his mom at home by herself when she had a wife that should have been spending time with her. “If she wants to run off to whatever secret lover she has and leave us all here then let her! Stop waiting for her! Stop letting her back!” The more he spoke the louder he got. Ujiri was at the point of yelling now. His right hand pointed toward the door aggressively to make his point.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:57 pm
Ariya 3
Smack.
Her own hand flew up and made contact with her son’s cheek as he yelled at her. The usually laid back Alk now wore a scowl of her own in response to her child’s words. “Ujana has always acted like your mama so you will show more respect than that.” Her voice had become stern as she looked at Ujiri. “She does not have a lover that she runs off to, and even if she did that is between me and her.” Ariya grabbed Ujiri by the arm and moved toward the door he’d been so angrily pointing at. It was shoved open to allow them both to exit but she kept her hold on him as she dragged him to the training yard by their house. Once there she pushed him hard into it. “You are going to work out that anger right here and now. Since you want to snap at me and speak of your mama that way you clearly need disciplined.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:00 pm
Ujiri 4
He was shocked that he’d been smacked but even more so by the look on his mom’s face. When she grabbed him and started to move him out the door he thought he was being kicked out. So when they arrived at the training yard he stumbled a bit, almost falling. He turned toward her, still angry at the whole thing. “Stop defending her!” He shouted.
“She’s never here for you! All I see is you working hard while she gets to run off.” He didn’t understand why Ariya reacted in such a way. “She clearly has someone else she wants to see more than you. More than us.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:05 pm
Ariya 4
She grabbed her practice spear and glared at Ujiri. “Is that what you think? Has that been your issue this entire time?” It would explain so much. Why he seemed to be resentful of Ujana leaving to travel. She shook her head as she moved closer to him and made to sweep at his feet. If he wasn’t quick he’d end up on his back.
“Your mama and I talked about her wishes to travel. She offered for me to come with her.” Ariya didn’t have to explain anything to her arrogant son but figured it might help him. “I declined so that I could keep the house and tavern open for you and your siblings but I never resented Ujana for her desires.” And if anyone had the right to it was her.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:08 pm
Ujiri 5
When his mom grabbed her spear he knew she was serious. So he pulled out his daggers so that he wasn’t unarmed. Of course he watched her go for his feet and hopped over the thing easily enough. He focused on her words as she spoke and furrowed his brow. So they had talked about it but didn’t say anything to them? What if the others felt the same way? He didn’t see signs of it but then again they had all left home to do their own thing and even he wasn’t home much anymore because he didn’t like seeing Ariya alone. “It shouldn’t be left to just you to take care of us! She should be here too!”
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:11 pm
Ariya 5
When he jumped over the spear she let him think he’d done the smart thing. Until he opened his mouth again and she brought the spear back around to smack him upside the head without warning. The look on her face was still one that showed she was over his yelling and quiet done with his attitude. “That is enough Ujiri.” Her tone dropped to show she was not having anymore of it. And before he could come back with more sass she took a half step toward him and made to have the other end of her spear hit him in the chest.
“You and your siblings are old enough to take care of yourselves.” It had only been Ariya’s concern for them and her obvious dislike for a lot of physical activity that she stayed. Had Ujana really pushed then she would have traveled with her.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:16 pm
Ujiri 6
The hit to the head caught him off guard and he ducked forward while moving his left hand up to rub at the now sore spot. He watched his mom move and issued a half growl when she told him that was enough. Both hands moved quickly to block the non-bladed end of the spear. “Yeah we’re old enough but you are still here so why isn’t she?” He still didn’t understand. Shoving the spear end away he took a step back from her and glared again. “I just don’t see what is so nice out there that she can’t be here with us.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:28 pm
Ariya 6
She was glad he blocked her on coming attack, it meant his focus was coming back. And he was losing some of his anger. Still not enough to keep him from yelling and repeating the same point, but they were getting somewhere. She stepped toward him and swung her spear out wide, trying to strike him in the side with the flat of her blade. “Ujana can travel without worrying about you and your siblings because I give her that security. It’s what couples do. When you have someone you will understand.” The problem was her son was selfish. He’d never really had much beyond his mothers and siblings. Always surrounded by them and always spoiled. Even his twin would give in to things for him. Although he did the same for her when they were younger.
“She travels to see family and to bring home goods that she can’t get in the next town.” Ariya had been telling her what worked for the customers and what didn’t. It was like a trial and error thing.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:39 pm
Ujiri 7
Once again he used his blades to block, though the strength behind the swing cause him to grunt with some effort. “Can’t she just order stuff from home?” His was no longer yelling. His concentration was more focused on not getting beat up by his mom. He braced one foot on the ground and used it to help him push the spear away.
“I just don’t get why she has to leave us here.” He huffed a bit with the effort of avoiding strikes and speaking.
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:44 pm
Ariya 7
She was glad he was focusing on their little spar rather than ranting. So when he pushed her spear away she smirked at him and pulled it away, making his effort go farther than he wanted. When he over-reached she brought her spear up and around so that she could slam it down over his shoulder. The strike would be quick and enough to stun the one arm. “Are you a tavern owner? Are you a merchant? No? Then stop acting like you know how things work.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:48 pm
Ujiri 8
He almost fell flat when she pulled her spear away from him, no longer giving him resistance. When the weapon came around and smacked him in the shoulder he yelped and felt that arm sag down, stunned for the moment. His hand relaxed enough to drop his blade. “Alright. So it doesn’t work that way. Why can’t she hire someone?” Wouldn’t it make more sense? He might not be business savvy but surely there were other ways.
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