Mama-1550
Kital sat back and watched his mother cook. She was good at it, the smell permeated the kitchen every time she did and he never had any objections to eating her food. Other people he may pick and whine but when his mother set something out he would be hardpressed to not want to "Stuff his gob" as she so often put it. He pushed the chair away from the table and leaned it back on two legs as he closed his eyes.
Today had been a good day. A VERY good day. He had gone out this morning to tease some of the village girls (Mama hadn't been too happy about that one) He hadn't had too many problems today. Just the boys that he usually quarreled with. And... He closed his eyes irritated. A new boy had come to town with his parents who were Merchants. The boy had gotten in the way when Kital was playing a prank on the village boys and ended up rump first in a pile of manure. He remembered the face of the boy's old man had gone a deep red like he was suffocating. Kital had beat it out of there fast. He didn't want to know what the boys father would say. And luckily he was just a merchant. He wouldn't know where Kital had run off to and in this town he would be far too busy selling his wares than he would be to chase after an irritation like him. They would clean up their kid, Kital would stay home and relax for a few days and they would leave town when they were done none the wiser. The Childish Charlatan chuckled to himself as he rocked the chair back and forth.
*Knock Knock Knock* A light knocking came from the front door. The Young man looked up at his mother who didn't appear to have heard it over the sounds of the kitchen around her. *Knock knock* The tentative knocking started up again however at the second knock it was replaced with a harsh pounding and a rough voice. *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK* "OPEN UP YOU ***** I KNOW YOUR IN THERE"
Kital paled considerably. He could tell from the way the utensils stopped moving behind him his mother had heard that one. A towel rustled behind him and out of the corner of his eye he could see his mother go from the kitchen to the door. When It swung open the merchant from earlier was staring back at him glaring. His wife tried to wave at Alyiaha to speak but his mother turned immediately to the husband. "Do we have an issue sir?" She asked curtly.
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Kital sat in his chair facing the corner his cheeks bright red as he leaned against the walls of his time out spot in embarrassment. Every once in a while he couldn't help squirming on the hard seat and he'd attempt a look behind him to see what was going on. The pain in his rear kept his usually rampant attitude in check. Kital had headed for the stairs as soon as he saw who was at the door but was apprehended on the way up. His mother listened carefully to the man before dragging her boy into the kitchen for his well deserved comeuppance. When she was finished and everything was quiet she had asked the merchant and his family if they wanted to stay to eat. No longer angry about the earlier dispute the man heartily agreed (Her food smelled so much better than the way-house food he said quickly) She deposited Kital in his usual spot before returning to her stew chopping vegetables and tenderizing the meat pieces. Kital could hear her and the merchants family talking behind him and he strained to hear the conversation.
"I'm impressed" he could hear Qasir the merchant say to his mother. "You handle the boy well"
Alyiaha shook her head. "I can't just leave my son to run rampant on the town. I do hold him responsible for his actions when they are brought to my attention."
The man grunted and they began to talk of other things, The weather, people outside of town. Kital zoned off trying to keep his sore hindquarters off of the chair without seeming obvious. A few moments into his daydream and he could feel someone push him down into his chair causing his sore hide to hit the wood and eliciting a squeal from the young man. "Now now dove" The woman said into his ear. "Your supposed to be learning a lesson not daydreaming grand adventures."
His cheeks turned bright red at the attention. He could feel his mothers eyes drilling into the back of his head and knew he wouldn't be getting off as easy as he thought he was. However the woman standing next to him reached up and in moments her hand was in his hair. She was silent for a moment before posing her question. "What is his parentage besides for you?"
She was far from rude about it but Kital was worried about his mothers reaction. She rarely if ever answered questions about who Kital's father was and he was curious as anything.
Alyiaha paused before determining her answer. "Ice" She said so softly Kital barely caught it. "He was an Ice hunter of the northern mountain in Zena."
Kital choked as he heard her answer. ICE?! He wasn't aware that his father was anything different than his mother! Sure he had the dark hair and....
He felt himself being lifted out of his chair and a sharp smack landed on his backside before he knew what was happening. He looked up into the angry eyes of his mother as she spoke. "You are being punished young man." She said sitting him back down. "You don't want to be in this corner all day ACTUALLY think about what put you there or you won't enjoy the next time we have a talk."
Kital nodded and said "Yes mommy" so she knew he was listening.
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Later that night both boy and mother sat up on Alyiaha's bed in silence. He had joined her a few moments before curious and interested in knowing more about this man she said was his "Father" He leaned against her shoulder as she held her piece of sewing before her and tried in vein to ignore him. "Kital love i'm working" She said exasperated. Her son crawled into her lap as he had done many times as a child to cuddle his head under her chin. Giving up on the mending she was trying to do she pulled him fully into her lap before asking what he was looking for.
"You want to know about him?" The boy nodded and she let out a soft sigh. "Alright come here." she reached over to the lone nightstand and pulled out a book. In it were beautifully written journal entries and drawings that she had done since she left home. Her sons eyes scanned the pages hungrily. He never came in his mothers room on his own so he didn't snoop in here. This was one treasure he had never seen before and he was just itching for his mother to show it to him. He looked up at her as she prepared the book and started reading from one of the first pages.
❧ "I have just left home. It's so lonely here I can hardly believe it! My sisters said that there would be grand parades and festivals and things back in the big city however... I cannot bear to live there any longer I have decided to etch a life out in the farmlands. There are small towns all over soon I will find a place for myself. I can't live here my whole life. "
She turned a few pages of drawings before settling on a new page with words on it.
❧ "I have made a home for myself. These past few months I have neglected writing and turned instead to drawing what I see and feel. It makes it easier to pass the time and days. However today was different. I met someone today and I would like to write about him. He comes from the mountains. His hair is dark and handsome and his skin is Bluish! If you can even imagine that. he isn't staying forever. He said he had come to hawk his wares. I think I will draw him. He sells pets! Beasts he captures himself. Fancy that I have fallen for a beastmaster. Being away from the city really has done a number on me.
On the next page was a drawing of a man. His dark hair hung long in a horsetail down his back and his eyes looked menacingly at the boy as he stared down at him. Kital now began to wonder what had drawn her mother to this fierce looking person. He put his face close to the book to get a better view and his mother snapped it shut on his nose.
"Off to bed with you love" she said gently. "We read what you were looking for now we have much work tomorrow so I need you ready" Kital went off to bed then mind reeling with this newly revealed information.
