News and a Decision
Rosetta sat quietly in her little nook inside the cottage. Her gaze wandered around inside, from the small fire blazing away in the hearth, to her unmade bed, to her father’s bookshelf filled with scrolls and notes and diagrams from his studies on Drakeins and their larger dragon brethren. Her eyes drifted across her mother’s desk, still scattered with unfinished drawings and scribbles. On the kitchen table still sat the unfinished model of the wing of a Ysali Drakein. All of these things had been untouched for a long time.
Rosetta let out a deep sigh she didn’t know she was keeping. She didn’t have the heart to move any of her parent’s belongings. They had been missing in action for three seasons and she had started to assume the worst. Yet, she still didn’t move anything, clinging to the small hope that her parents would still return.
Suddenly, three solid knocks sounded on the cottage door. Emerging from her thoughts, Rosetta glided over to the door and opened it. Before her stood three Orderite men, garbed in dusty, battle-worn armor. All of them wore solemn expressions, mixed with another emotion that was swimming in their eyes. Rosetta then realized that two of the men were holding things. As soon as Rose recognized them, she felt a deep ache curling around her stomach.
They were her parent’s weapons.
Rosetta too late recognized the unknown emotion that shone in their eyes: pity. Pity for the young girl who had lost both of her parents in the bloody war against the Oblivioites. Pity that she was left alone with no one left to take care of her. Pity that she would have to raise herself in this cruel world stricken with bloodshed and loss.
Rosetta could faintly hear the soldiers explaining how her parents had given their lives for the sake of their race and how much of a difference they made in the war. The two soldiers gave her her father’s bow and sheath of arrows, and her mother’s sword. She could feel herself nodding numbly, words spilling from her mouth. Thanking them for returning their weapons back to their home and for giving her the tragic news. Softly they apologized for having to relay the information to her and the left, bidding her a good day.
Rosetta closed the door slowly and turned so her back was to the door. She slowly slid to the ground, cradling the weapons as if it was a newborn baby. She let the ache in her stomach spread to her heart before scolding herself for feeling this way. She should have known that such a long absence meant that they were likely dead. She had steeled herself for this moment. It was silly of her to think that they would just appear out of the blue.
The young Orderite bit her lip. Closed her eyes. Clenched her jaw. She made herself accept her parent’s death, and move on. She opened her eyes and gazed at her parent’s weapons. Her dad’s bow strung and balanced perfectly. Gold to match his eyes. Her mother’s sword, long and elegant and deadly. Red and white, to match her hair. So much energy inhabited those weapons, the very essence of her parents lived within them. Rosetta decided then and there that today was the day she would choose her own weapon.
The flight to the Citadel of the Order went by in a blur, as Rosetta’s mind was elsewhere. She glided into the Citadel and waited patiently for her leader, Aveah Avi’s attention. Once it was received, Rosetta quietly informed her that she was ready to choose her weapon. Aveah nodded and smiled, leaving the girl momentarily to gather the weapons. When she returned, four pale instruments laid before her. Aveah explained the purpose of each one, lecturing on about their strengths and weaknesses.
Rosetta took a moment to think deeply about her decision. She quickly ruled out the mace; it was too barbaric for her taste. She came to the conclusion that she was unable to choose between the sword and the bow, preventing herself from leaning too far to one parent. She liked to think of herself as the perfect mix of each, and would not want to tip the scales in favor of one over the other. So that left her with the wand, and once her eyes fell upon it, she felt certain that it was the right choice.
Rosetta quietly but confidently informed Aveah of her decision on the wand. The leader smiled gently and reassured the girl that her choice was a wise one. She then gathered up the remaining weapons and returned to her daily duties.
Rosetta gently picked up her weapon and immediately felt the essence of her being transfer a part of itself into the wand. The orb turned gold, the staff a snow white, and the dragon-esque details turned as red as her hair.
Pleased, Rosetta stowed it in her bag and decided she needed to get a couple of things from Ashen City, while she was in the area. Rosetta took to the skies and started her journey with her new weapon safely tucked away.
