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 Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:12 am
Beri'ah watched the flicker of metal as the blades glided through the air, the motions long trained with a force behind it. Was that how Roz had to be? Forceful for her job to be completed? She couldn't imagine the kind of pressures the woman would be subjected to in that line of work.
Jumping up in alarm as her warrioress fell, Beri'ah began to rush to her side, "Are you alright?" Though she paused mid-rush at the sudden accusation. Staring in silence for a moment, Beri'ah's face flared to life, "Why did.. I trip you?"
It felt like a chill had descended over her shoulders, though it was by no means cold out, "I don't even know why I bother! I finally think I accept my feelings, but no! Go ahead, trample them. I don't care anymore. You can go back and sit in your little shadows."
She knew she was overreacting, but she couldn't hold herself back. Beri'ah wanted so much to feel accepted by this woman, so much that it scared her. Yet here they were, already yelling at each other and the sand in the hourglass wasn't even half way down. Laying her emotions on the line was new to her, making her feel fragile all the time put her on edge, and she couldn't help but lash out when she fell under attack.
The Beri'ah of one week ago would have been able to stand back, note that the pride as a fighter had been hurt. She would have accepted it at that, moved on with a simple explanation that gravity and a root had their turns at a play, sympathized even, but the Beri'ah of now seemed unable to do that. At least, not with her. No matter what she tried to do, she couldn't manage to distance herself from that Ursari, to look at her objectively as a third party observer. It was frustrating at how much she allowed herself to become ensnared.
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:40 am
Roz stared at the girl, “You don’t…care?” A wave of emotions flew over the fighter, emotions including anger, frustration, and somehow betrayal, all emotions that her face expressed in one fluid motion. Why wouldn’t she care, she asked her to do something for her after all? She was the one who had asked to spend her afternoon with Roz, not the other way around! It irked the Ba’al to no end hearing her utter those words especially with the news of tomorrow her master brought.
Quickly standing up and grabbing her swords she winced slightly at her side, putting her pain aside to retort, “If you don’t care so much then I bet you’ll love to hear that I won’t be here tomorrow, so you can just forget your little show or whatever you want to call it ’cause I’m done; all I seem to be doing is putting on a show for you!” She snorted in disgust, anger getting the best of her, “I bet I was nothing more than your daily entertainment, isn‘t that right?” Roz glared back at the smaller woman, for once glad at her slightly taller than average height to give her the upper hand of intimidation as she looked down on her, “You can just find someone else to not care about.”
And with that she stormed off, heading away from the tree’s cover and returning to the ursari flow of time. She didn’t much seem to care that their, no, her hour of free time was not even halfway through, trying her best not to recall a single memory of her as she fought back the hot tears that wanted to flow freely down her cheek. Giving everything up to reckless abandon with her swords in her hand she gave a few angry slashes to the trees nearby. Why, why, why?! Why had she cared so much about this insignificant girl? She had always been hurt in the past and this wasn’t any different. Roz cursed herself under her breath; she thought she had done away with emotion long, long ago.
Unaware of the path she had taken, her body had subconsciously brought her back to her master’s small camp. She looked overhead into the sky, the sun wasn’t even close to setting. Collapsing to her knees, she put her swords away in their sheathes, she had better start packing. Returning back to her regular flow of things, she put her mission ahead of all else.
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:15 am
Flashing blue eyes watched as the other stormed off, words unable to form long enough to spit out a retort. Beri'ah began stomping back towards the post office, her mind clouded over. Wait, what did she mean she wouldn't be here? The more Beri'ah thought about it, the more it sounded like the warrior was leaving, rather than just planning on avoiding her. A cold brick fell through her mind, numbing her knees in place.
Sure she never wanted to see Roz ever again, but that didn't mean that she never wanted to see her again, nevermind the fact that it was a contraditory feeling. The paradox that was her brain seemed to flounder under the cascade of emotions before gradually deciding to settle upon anger. Her face was a stone mask as she went back to work, her lunch break not up yet. Their words to one another echoed in her head, and she knew how pointless they had been. Still, it was hard to hold back with her. It felt like the flood gates she had kept neatly polished every day had been forced open for Roz and refused to hide anything from her to the point that she didn't know how to control those gates anymore.
As the day went by, Beri'ah made sure to keep up on her work with a polite demeanor. To keep up the face, she felt her body becoming more and more drained, as if she was a walking marble sculpture by the end of the day. At least no one could say she was slacking. The depressed Thetana made her way home, flopping on her cot she had set up by the fire outside. She drifted into a sort of half waking world, where her memories lulled forth as if dreams of their own. The first time she had laid eyes on Roz, she had thought the woman was as graceful as a bird in the sky, sweeping through without boundaries or guides. Their first lunch together had been a fascinating tale as they exchanged little tid bits of their life's story. It dawned on Beri'ah that she had missed their conversations, bantering and all. Wasn't it just a matter of her learning how to control herself when around Roz?
Before she could set her determination to improve, Beri'ah felt herself deflate. Roz had said she was leaving. When? For how long? Stuffing her face into her pillow, Beri'ah mentally groaned. It didn't matter, she had pushed the warrior away again. If they were just going to yo-yo back and forth with each other, maybe it would be better to let things drop as they were. It would be easier to part in anger, so that they wouldn't want to look back, right?
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:52 am
The female stood before her large sack, proud that she had gotten everything she needed for the trek. She had also tended to her wounds, placing healing balms over her cuts and scrapes to speed the healing process. And what’s more is that she did it all without thinking about that silly little girl. Wait…damn. Roz let out a small groan, sitting down beside the fire and mulling over her thoughts for a moment. Had she been rational? Screw rationality, that girl hurt her feelings! Her mouth squirmed, but perhaps she hadn’t been fair at all; even if what she had said to her was true, that she didn’t care about her Roz still found their time together fun and light hearted even though they did fight. She didn’t tell the Thetana that she liked being with her, but maybe she already knew? Somehow she thought it hard to believe that a knowledgeable child of the scholarly family wouldn’t be able to piece things together. That is, unless she was similar to Roz in a few ways; she had never seen her interact with anyone other than herself so maybe she wasn’t great at speaking with others.
She let out a small sigh as she relaxed her back on her travel bag, thinking back to when she first laid eyes on the seemingly harmless female. Somehow the memory of a pure maiden surrounded by the soft flutters of white birds didn’t quite match up to her current view of the woman she had grown to know. She had only tended to the birds her whole life, Roz didn’t think she’d be the cold hearted type to snap back at her for something so simple.
Birds. She smacked her forehead lightly, she had forgot all about the satchel during their spat! She quickly rose, looking towards the sky. There was still time before she had to leave; she picked up her sack, heading back into town through the illuminated paths.
Standing by the back entrance to the post office wagon she removed the small brown leather bag from her chest, taking the time to open the drawstrings. She examined the small glass specimen, her eye roaming over the dainty curls and curves the glass the Pitivo had crafted for her. She had also asked that a small silver chain be attached, creating a necklace with a glass bird charm; Roz couldn’t help but grin as she watched it sparkle in the moonlight. She had bought it to make up for her bad mannered first impression. Putting it back into the bag she reached into the wagon and promptly tied it to one of the gagan bird’s leg, hoping her gift would make it towards the intended ursari.
Turning her back to the caravan, Roz quickly made her escape, heading towards a town her target resided in.
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:30 am
Morning came with an abundant helping of sunshine with a side dish of an aching head. Sitting upright, Beri'ah took a deep breath of the morning air, the chill in the air stinging her lungs. It was still too early to go to work, but Beri'ah wanted to leave before the rest of her family woke up. After a brief routine of brushing her long hair and cleaning her hooves, Beri'ah pulled on her clothes and made her way out towards the post office. She knew her master Talon would still be asleep, so she made sure to step lightly as she gathered food for the birds. Pausing, Beri'ah noted one of the gagan birds sitting on a perch with a pouch that didn't look familiar.
Curious, she pulled the little pouch off and eyed it. It wasn't from one of the post offices as they all used the same ones, and she didn't know of any night arrivals this week. Talon was still asleep, so she couldn't ask him, and she certainly didn't want to chance it being an emergency. Peering into the bag, Beri'ah pulled out a thin silver chain, the end dangling an elegant glass bird. It was small, but the detail was surprising as it reflected the light as if little fairies were twirling about it. Reaching in again, she pulled out a small rolled paper, opening it, "Let your wings carry you high... Roz."
Her voice choked as she read the short note. Did this mean that her warrior had already left? Everything came rushing over her, a torrent of memories and emotions, but she didn't succumb to it. Instead, Beri'ah clipped the necklace on, the note in her pocket as she broke out into a run. She wasn't much for physical workouts, but she made it back home in record time, panting out of breath as she stared at the surprised look on her waking mother's face.
"Mother, please," She rasped in between breaths, "Tell me how to find Roz's master."
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:36 pm
Something hung in the town air that bothered Roz; perhaps the air surrounding the caravan seemed cleaner with the large amounts of vegetation around or maybe it was the absence of her Thetana girl. Either way she wasn’t enjoying herself too much as she set up camp just outside the town’s high stone walls.
The town wasn’t exactly clean, but it wasn’t dirty either it just seemed to have that city air about it. Her master had asked her to go to the town first and a letter would be sent to the post office shortly after she arrived to brief her on her mission. She looked to the sky as she walked towards the designated wagon, watching the birds soaring high above. Her mind couldn’t help but wander and thought back to the small charm; she had to have found it by now. I wonder if she liked it… she thought, chuckling and shaking her head lightly, Whatever her name is. She probably wouldn’t run into her again, more like she hoped she wouldn’t run into her again. Roz was one for fighting but never for verbal confrontations; she didn’t much like it when she got nasty for such stupid things, she mostly kept her mouth shut to avoid such instances. She would have to use her family post office as well as practice elsewhere in the mornings, perhaps it was for the best? ’I don‘t care anymore.’ The words still stung her even after she had fled from home, after a month or so she’d have no problem forgetting those damned words as well as the girl.
Her black hooves stopped at the front of the wagon opening, her injuries still bothered her though not as much as the day before, dull stinging sensations sent to her nerves. Her single red eye glared at the bearded male ursari worker as she promptly spoke her name, “Roz.” She watched him carefully slip back into the recesses of the cart only to come back with two scrolls. Her brow instantly furrowed, two letters? She had only expected one… Her master must have sent another message shortly after the first so she paid the man accordingly.
Turning her back and slowly walking back towards her camp she opened the case that held the smaller letter and quickly eyed the sky blue ribbon tied around it. With a bit of caution she untied and unfurled the letter, reading to herself..
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:42 pm
My dear Roz,
We have exchanged many words since we first met. Some have been wondrous, some have been intriguing, and others have been cruel. I have spent my entire life denying the existence of my emotions, and when you came into my life, you introduced them to me. I've never had the chance to learn how to deal with my emotions, and I have taken it out on you. For that, I sincerely apologize.
Since we met, I have found that I can let myself care a little about others. I suppose I have always been self centered without even realizing it, standing on a step above others and calling myself neutral, hiding behind my status as a Thetana. While I continue to pride myself as a part of the Thetana family, I wish to become more considerate and truly listen to what others have to say, and it is thanks to you that I have been able to look not only at others with a critical eye, but at myself.
I hope that when you return, you may forgive me enough to allow me to see you, at least long enough to thank you for the trinket you left. As a matter of fact, I saw a hoof print on the back of our wagon that looks suspiciously like yours. You had better get back here safely to clean it.
Fly swiftly,
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:33 pm
“Beri’ah,” she uttered to herself, the name sticking in her mind as she repeated it a few more times. Her spirit somehow livened, a small wave of glee flooding over her. It wasn’t exactly the way she had wanted to learn her name but it would do for the time being. Roz could see the girl in her mind now when she returned back to the caravan and called her by name, she’d love to see the emotion (if any) on her face. If she had torn her from her shell in one short week, imagine what she could do in a--wait, how long would she plan on keeping up-to-date with the girl? I suppose I‘ll tackle that hurdle when it comes.
At least she wanted to see her again, she didn’t much care about cleaning up the mark she had made the night of the gift-giving as long as she would hear her melodious voice once more. She reread the last line in her head again, ”You had better get back here safely.” Oho, was this her caring? If it was she succeeded in hiding it just as she did her emotions towards the Ba’al fighter. She suddenly had a sense that she needed to fight and return in one piece even if it was only to bicker with Beri’ah once more; it gave her something to look forward to after all the fighting was done.
Bringing her hand up to the opposite arm she trailed a long tan finger over her healing cut, recalling the goose bumps her body had experienced when she felt the other’s touch. Her injuries would heal completely by the time she returned to the ursari caravan, a small frown falling on her face. Turning to the sky, she eyed a small ray of hope, two gagan birds were flying alongside each other, twisting and turning through the air’s currents as she flew higher and higher into the bright Sun’s light. Roz chuckled, stopping before her campground, “I’ll just have to be sure to return to my Beri’ah with more wounds.”
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