There had been scolding to follow after Ichil's adventure with Shalvesta, but it was less then it might have been. They had run back at an appropriate time, considering that Ichil's father had come stomping around the bend, demanding to know where she had been. Ichil revealed very little, informing him that she had simply been out socializing with a friend. She should have been at the party, he insisted. She should have observed her duty to the family! He only got crossed arms and rolled eyes in return, which he really should have expected. Ichil's father expected his wife and his daughters to be ladylike and prim, but Ichil was not. If not proper, then he expected at least dutiful. They had long since crossed that line as well, and he had turned more toward demanding a sort of basic obedience to his word. Ichil thought that that was perhaps born from his time in the military, because she certainly had no interest in going to a stuffy party and then going straight to bed. Sure, ladies slept early to get enough rest for the coming day and Ichil was technically a lady, but she didn't much like the whole early-to-bed early-to-rise mentality. The city came alive in the afternoon and evening. Mornings were really only for breakfast and baths and there was nothing particularly exciting about either of those things.
So it had ended like it usually did: "I expect you to return to your tent, young lady!"
A sigh.
"No 'but's! For once in your life, be a proper lady! Go to bed, and quietly!"
There was no verbal response, just another roll of the eyes as Ichil turned and headed for the tent she shared with her mother and sisters. It was an uncomfortable sort of place and not one that was easy to escape. What she wouldn't give to be a common woman, or better yet some skilled artisan or valiant warrior! The noble life hadn't felt right in quite a long time. Her mother called it a "phase," or at least she once had in a conversation with Ichil's father when they thought no one was listening. Ichil was certain that this was not a phase.
It had been years since she had partaken enthusiastically in a tea party. She saw no joy in physical possessions, save maybe a good sari. There was no interest in sitting idly by, putting on a good face for everyone else until she was inevitably married off and expected to pop out pretty little noble babies to keep the bloodline alive. With no sons, her father often worried that their name would die when his daughters were married. Somehow he couldn't see the good in Ichil planning not to marry. She would keep his name so long as she was alive, no ifs-ands-or-buts! Apparently a single woman was a detriment to the name, though, and he would rather try for an heir while his daughters continued to be exactly what he wanted them to be. Ichil was shameful with her wandering and impropriety.
Sometimes she felt bad. Not guilty, because that would suppose that she was doing something wrong or unfit, but bad for the strain that she put on her father's heart. It would have been so much easier for the both of them if she were some fancy lady in her elaborate dresses, appearing at social venues only when they were apt for her status. She tried to dress like a commoner sometimes in the hopes that nobody would recognize her, and they only rarely did. Her father still knew, though, that she had been missing, and he knew her well enough to assume that she had been up to no good. This all upset her mother as well, she was sure. The poor woman was so quiet and withdrawn, though, as ladies were meant to be. Her opinion was of no concern, and she had never voiced it in so long as Ichil had been alive. The girls had been raised mostly by nannies, and Ichil regretted being unable to form a deeper connection with her mother. She loved her, of course, but she had no idea who she really was. Didn't she have passions outside of her duties? What had her dreams been? Who had she known? Where had she come from, and really come from, not just where was she born? It pained Ichil to think that she could ever become such an empty vessel. She could not let her spirits die. She refused to flicker away until she was a gentle accessory for her husband's arm.
She shuddered to think. A husband! Ichil had felt the excitement an attractive man caused in her, but she had never met a man she was so fond of, not even once. She had never gone on a real date, although sometimes she favored one man or another when she arrived at some local hotspot. The idea that she may be simply assigned to a stranger horrified her, and her conversation with noble Naevius had made her think that all women felt some part of the same emotion. The man could be any noble, whether he be immature or rather old, whether he had past wives or children or a thousand affairs. Ichil didn't want any of that, and she frowned and clutched her sari even as she thought of it. To have a marriage without love and loyalty was to not have a marriage at all. It was just a business arrangement, as if a woman could be given as a gift for teh rest of her days to whatever man could benefit her father most.
When she arrived at her tent, Ichil curled up on her cot and pulled her legs to her. She thought she caught Dalani's eyes on her, but when she looked up her sister appeared to be asleep. Her mother slept in the corner, breathing softly, never snoring. No, Ichil decided. Even for the hurt in her heart at her father's disapproval, she would never become a proper lady.
word count- 1021
Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 3:54 pm
Violence Cometh.
So there was to be another push. It would have been difficult to avoid hearing the news, especially with her father acting as an officer in the military. The first battle had gone so well she thought that they were likely to win again, but she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Was overthrowing the rest of Tendaji really worth it? They were going to lose soldiers in droves, and for what? Some barren land covered in tents? She was not one to question the motives of the king, though, even if she sometimes questioned his actions. There were some lines better left uncrossed lest you end up languishing in a jail cell for treason.
The only real question was: what would she do? Her family still lingered at the victory camp, but she was certain they would try to leave before battle riled up again. Her sisters would never be able to handle the sight of blood, let alone grievous battle wounds. Still, it wouldn't be out of the question to stay and help the wounded. Her eldest sister was a dancer, and she would undoubtedly see it within her duty to entertain the soldiers. Maybe Ichil herself would linger, but she didn't have much skill in healing. Maybe that was the way her life was going to go or, more likely, it would only be a cover for her true actions.
Imagine, to see battle from the inside! To wield a weapon against those who threatened her kinsmen! What weapon she couldn't be sure, but it would be against her very nature to remain uninvolved. Her father would kill her, for certain. He'd killed her plenty times over now, though, and the sting had scuttled away with puberty. What would Shalvesta say? What of the noble Naevius? She would have to confer with them on the subject in private. word count- 312
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bobaTJ
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 3:28 pm
Wanderlust.
It hadn't taken long for another improper little idea to wheedle its way into Ichil's head. She had seen war or, no, that wasn't right-- she had seen the effects of war, and she had seen captives and their captors. She and her friends had been taken against their will, had been bound and left to rot in some tent while the battle progressed, and it had changed her. Certainly the prentice had been frightened as much as she had been brash and stubborn, but the whole experience had awakened something inside of her.
For half of her life now (which admittedly had not been long), Ichil had not been so very fond of the noble life. Sure, it was nice for people to pretend to respect you, and to live in a big house with fine clothes, but it wasn't for her. She had something her sisters did not, or maybe it was the other way around. Some might call it "attitude" or "propriety," but so be it. Ichil liked to think of it as fire. Not everyone was made for the role they were born into after all.
The rebellion had started young and continued without true purpose for quite some time. The girl went out to socialize with civilians and explore her world. She broke curfews and social rules on a near-daily basis for years. Her father was sprouting grey hairs like it was his hobby and Ichil had grown a thick skin against his admonitions and the full-out shouting matches. It had all been for no good reason but desire in the end, something inexplicable. The young woman herself couldn't explain her actions and in truth she still couldn't! She did think she saw an outlet, though. Maybe it had been boredom all along. Carved wooden chairs and broad fireplaces were nice and all, but there was very little to do as a lady but sit and and drink wine and wait to be married off. She had no hobbies, no particular joys but breaking through that world and into another. She doubted that her decision would be seen as reason, however.
There had been a lot to see in the rebel camp. Some of their people held swords or maces and others sported only shields or thick grieves. More still were able to conjure water or fire or glittering air that healed wounds and bolstered defense. It was much the same as the Obans, but something had struck her there. Maybe it was the change in setting. Maybe it was the general jolt to the system that a kidnapping rendered. Whatever it was, it had been enough to spark a dream. The archers, they were her favorite. They stood so poised and elegant, their weapons quite the same. The way the arrows flew... maybe it was just a temporary fantasy, but Ichil had never had a particularly good defense against those.
This time she had wanted to go about it diplomatically. She couldn't be certain of her father's disapproval just yet; maybe he'd see it as an opportunity to get the girl out of his hair for a little while. Maybe he would be glad she had found something to do aside from "shame the family," as he put it. It was for this reason that Ichil arrived, hands folded, at the door to her father's study. The man sat there at his desk, setting something down to a scroll. It was undoubtedly some official document. Her father really wasn't one for personal relationships.
"Daddy," she said to get his attention. He turned to see her, but he was already looking at her from beneath his brows. He always got that look like she was going to ask for something impossible. ...it usually was but that didn't mean he should doubt her this time! Understanding aside, though, she was going to try and lead this conversation as a true lady. It'd help get on his good side, she thought. "I have something to ask you."
He sighed and tilted his head up. "Yes, Ichil. What is it?"
For a moment, Ichil's lips stretched to a straight line, but she recovered and relaxed.
"I want to become an archer, Daddy." She had almost expected him to fly off the handle instantly, maybe to throw a book or two (not that he had ever been abusive toward her), but he just sat there. Watching. "Um."
For a moment longer, there was silence. The lord closed his eyes and set a knuckle gently to his forehead. He remained that way for a second, and then his eyes popped open again as if a lever had been flipped. "Well, obviously that is out of the question."
Ichil bristled. Her brow furrowed and she threw up her hands. "And why is it out of the question? There are plenty of nobles who know how to use a weapon! Look at you, you're in the army!"
"I'm a man, Ichil, and I've been one as long as I can remember."
"Well what does that have to do with anything?!"
Again came that silence. He was thinking of what to say next, or else how to word it so Ichil wouldn't hide his slippers.
"Men are in the military, darling. Women are home holding down the fort. No man is going to want a noble soldier as a wife."
Ichil's voice raised in volume and pitch. Well, maybe I don't want to get married, Daddy! Maybe I want to make my own life!"
Another put-upon sigh and the lord's hand went to his forehead. "Ichil, please don't. We've talked about this."
"No. No, we haven't. You've sat and told but you've never listened! What about what I want? When is something going to be about me?!"
"Now is not the time."
"It's never the time!"
"Don't shout at me, Ichil."
"You deserve to be shouted-at! You're just arrogant! Stubborn! I can't believe you!" Just like that, the conversation had devolved. It was amazing how quickly it could happen between the two.
"ICHIL." Ah, and here would come his request. Would she be sent to her room? Perhaps to wither away at the window with her mother. The lord tried to reign himself in but was still grimacing. "You are not going to be a soldier. I'm sorry."
"You aren't," she rumbled. There were no tears to well in her eyes, only betrayal in her heart.
"Go to your room."
"Please just listen."
"Go to your room."
"You won't stop me."
"Go. To your room."
With that, Ichil left. Her angry footsteps could be heard echoing down the hall. She went up to her room and packed her things into a sack and slipped out into the city dressed in peasants' robes. Her goal was to travel to the next city and find herself a trainer, somewhere it would take a while for her father to find. She hopped onto the back of a hay cart with the farmer's blessing and tucked her head scarf under her chin. She was afraid, but wouldn't show it. She was afraid, but it seemed like everything was going to be okay.
Behind her she left a simple note: "I will be back with bow and arrow, mark my words," and that was that. word count- 1233
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:40 am
Class Quest - A New Life.
The walk back home was awkward, to say the very least. Ichil had tried to ride Imari a part of the way, but the janarim seemed nervous when they reached a more populated area and stopped obeying entirely. Ichil wasn't mad, of course. The poor thing had only been tamed earlier that day and such a big change had to be hard on her. With all of this in mind, Ichil slid off of the beast's back and led her gently by her harness, trying to avoid the larger groups accumulating in the streets as the day wore on. She was dressed in her commoners' clothing and so it was unlikely that anyone would be able to mark her for nobility, but she still felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb. People were watching her pass by with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Janarim belonged on ranches and in battle after all and here she was leading one through the back roads of Jatine. She actually felt a little self-conscious and pulled her cowl more closely around her face as she made her way toward the manor. Imari grunted and huffed her displeasure from time to time and Ichil stopped to calm her right there in the street, so returning home took a bit too long for her tastes.
When she reached the front gates, the guards took pause. Sure, they'd seen the young Lady reappear after however long an adventure more times than they could count, but rarely did she returned with some new accessory, let alone a hulking war beast. Ichil inclined her head slightly toward them though and it sparked some proper reaction. The rushed to the gates and allowed her inside the property. It was there she saw her father and his assistant mulling over one thing or another. They both seemed to spot her at the same time, but while annoyance flashed through the assistant's eyes, her father's expression was blank. That usually meant trouble. Both approached, the assistant with that same mincing gait and her father with his steady, controlled officer's stride.
"Come with me," her father said, "Leave that creature out here."
Ichil shook her head. "She has to come with me," she insisted, "She isn't used to strangers and I don't want her causing any trouble."
Her father put the fingers of one hand on either side of his forehead and closed his eyes. His brow furrowed deeply. For a few long moments Ichil thought he was going to explode at her, but he just took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "Fine. Come with me."
Ichil's father was on and off a man of few words. After all, he had to be concise when giving orders to his men. With his family, though, it was different. At least it usually was. Ichil couldn't help but notice that he'd simply repeated himself this time. She was used to trouble, though; to raised voices and near-curses and shouting matches. This time thought she came armed and ready. She knew what had to be done, or at least what she hoped could be done.
In these past few weeks, Ichil had seen something new in life. Parties were one thing; the shallow sort of interactions and alcohol buzzes and adrenaline rushes that came with escaping for the night and returning in the morning. To actually connect with someone was something else entirely. Her romantic interests had never been with nobility. In fact they had never been much of anywhere. Arranged marriage seemed to be her future if any family would take her, but Kiyelt had opened her eyes to a new sort of living. She had seen the quaintness of small towns and for once felt the passion emanating from a man who wasn't trying to get into her pants. The world had seemed so much larger with him around. It seemed so much more meaningful. There was more to life than just riding hollow clouds back and forth. There was more to life than rebellion. There was actual living to be done. She couldn't say she was in love, but Kiyelt has certainly opened her eyes. They had connected on some level other than physical attraction and a desire to get tipsy and dance, although they had certainly done the latter anyway.
The young woman followed her father to his office, the same place they always had their little "chats." She coaxed Imari to sit and then uncharacteristically took her own seat across from her father's desk. Usually she stayed standing. Usually she was the one to escalate things. Not this time, though. She was going to try her best to keep calm and really talk it out. In fact, she was the one to break the silence this time.
"Father, I can't do this any more," she said. That in and of itself was enough to catch er father's attention, and rather sharply. He looked to her with confusion, his head snapping up from its place resting on his hand. Ichil continued. "I may have been born of noble blood, but you and I both know that I am far from the noble type. I don't want to live this charade any longer."
"What are you insinuating?" her father asked, now leaning forward and paying close attention.
"Let me go. Disown me if you must. I don't belong here. Sita and Dalani will serve the family well, but I bring shame and earn my own punishment. Let them talk about me with lashing tongues, I don't care. I can't live cooped up here when there is all of Tendaji waiting just outside my reach." She gestured widely toward the window. it was the same old scene again and again, but she had seen beyond it once and wanted nothing more than to travel that way again.
"So you're looking for the easy way out," her father said, straightening his back, "Ichil, you were born into noble blood, as you said, and such heritage brings with it a great responsibility. Lacking a son, I tried to raise respectable young daughters into domestic and desirable women. You, though, you run off in the middle of the night and don't come back for days."
Ichil's gaze moved down and she hung her head. This wasn't going as she had wanted it to. a clean break would hurt like hell; she loved her father, her sisters, even her mild-mannered mother and she had no idea what she'd do to make a livelihood, but it seemed like the right thing to do. All she brought was gossip and shame to the family. It would be best for everyone involved if she just...left.
"I know, and I wish I could say I was sorry, but I enjoy my life outside these walls. It was shallow once, perhaps for a long time, but I've seen the world in a new way, Father." She paused and swallowed, unsure of how her father would take this next bit of information. "There is a man. We are not courting and we have not done anything... improper, but he has shown me more than I could ever have found on my own. I went with him most recently, and we met again at the party."
Her father's voice was dark. "A man?"
Ichil nodded. "He lives in Tivrod. He's a beast tamer, and an incredible one at that." She gestured to Imari, who was now sitting and surveying the room. His race needed to remain outside of the equation for now. She knew her father wouldn't approve of an Iceling impressing upon his daughter.
Her father's jaw worked. He looked angry from the nose down, but thoughtful from the bridge up. She had no idea what was happening until he finally spoke.
"No daughter of mine will live like a peasant for dreams of a better world," he said firmly. Ichil's face twisted. Her nostrils flared momentarily. She felt more like crying than exploding in her usual fashion. "Ichil."
She felt a gentle finger under her chin lift her had back up to look her father in the eye.
"I cannot hold you to the life that your blood demands you live. It is not for you. It never was. If you wish to travel, to...adventure or love or whatever it is you want to do, then go. You will always have a home here. I will not disown you simply because it's the easy way out. Let their tongues wag about our family and our rogue daughter. You will always be mine, Ichil. You will always be a part of this family, regardless of where you may wander."
Now Ichil did begin to cry, and that was an activity she had left behind well before puberty. "Daddy--" she choked and came around the desk to throw her arms around him. He stood to meet her and kissed the top of her head, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him.
"I love you, Ichil. First and foremost. Never forget that."
word count- 1530
Most of Ichil's character growth had happened in her last few rps, which I tried to harken back to here. Hopefully the changes in her are obvious, especially compared to her last fight with her father! Then of course the quest itself has brought her into a whole new life, relatively unfettered by the chains of nobility. Her father has granted her the freedom she has ached for for so long and her life will undoubtedly be different for it.
