Welcome to Gaia! ::

Annabelle watched the sun rise as she was walking towards the barn with her milking stool and bucket. She always loved mornings like this, the cool wind blowing softly, the animals just starting to stir everything wasnt exactly quiet but the real noise had yet to start as well. She reached the barn and opened the door just enough for her tall muscular body to slip in, the barn was warm as the sleepy animals shifted and began to wake. Just like everything else on the farm Annabelle loved it. She found her favorite cow Jessie and sat down to collect the mornings milk. She would come back to milk their other two cows a little later on in the mornings but she always liked to wake up before the family and milk Jessie so that breakfast always had fresh milk.

At the breakfast table Annabelles father beamed at his daughter as he ate.

"Ah Child you spoil this family with your habits, gettin milk and sometimes even makin the bread! HAH Who wouldn't give to have a child like you Right Hon." Her father gave a loving look to her mother who was sitting across the table. Her mother did not look even a quarter as pleased as her father was, no, she gave Annabelle a stern and tired look as she assessed her dirty shirt and torn pants. "Well if she doesnt even come to the table with presentable clothing I cant see why she deserves such praise." Her mother said seemingly devoid of emotion then went back to eating her breakfast. Annabelles father laughed it off and began to banter with her two older brothers about who would do what chores that day.

Annabelle knew that her father always assumed that her mother didnt really mean what she said, how could he know, he was such a simple and sweet man! Bless his soul! She knew he could never imagine that some people were capable of such disgust and hatred, but Annabelle knew what her mother thought of her. She knew she wasnt the prissy and prim daughter she was supposed to have been but she didnt care. She loved her mother she really did and once in a while she gave in and let her hair be combed and wore a dress to please the woman but she loved the farm and her father more and refused to let that part of her be smothered. Annabelle swallowed her last mouthful and stood up to collect the empty plates, her mother already standing at the wash bin taking care of the pans. "father is there anything you need me to do today?" She asked hoping that she wouldnt have to be left in the house with her mother, after such a rocky breakfast she wanted to go train the horses, help weed the crops, or even clean the stables just to get away from that woman for a while. Her father caught her mothers eye and sighed before looking at his one and only daughter.

"Now Annie ya know I love you but yer mother thinks I work you too hard. She says ye should keep up on yer sweing and reading before I let you do any of the chores again." Annabelles face fell, her mother had already gotten to her father...damn...but before all her hopes were dashed her father added "But I dont know anyone who deals with those cows quite like you, so you can finish the milking and feed the cows then git to yer housework." Annabelle gave her father such a love filled look that she didnt even care that her mother was glaring at her for being so happy to be doing the duties of a dairy maid. She flew through cleaning and raced to the barn as soon as she could to avoid her mother for as long as possible.

She gave Jessie a short pat and a few crooning words before sitting under the next cow and starting to milk. Her hands were so practiced at all of the subtle movements involved that it left her free to think about what her father had said. Her mother thought she was working too hard well that was laughable, after all her mother never even left the house unless it was to market! Her mother had kept her under as tight a reign as possible since she could remember and she couldnt understand why. Her father always gave her the lightest of chores he loved her dearly and let her watch the harder chores and attempt them once in a while so that she knew how to do them but they were never her responsibility. He wanted to keep her happy, innocent, and knowledgeable about her life. Her mother always seemed the opposite! She wanted to keep Annabelle in the house to talk about silly things like who the butcher fancied to marry and why her father wouldnt stop giving to the old widower with the sheep. Annabelle hated when her mother gossiped, she always spoke of everyone they knew as if they were all beneath her and often told stories of her childhood as if she had been raised in the garden of Eden itself! What a woman....

Annabelle milked all three cows expertly and layed down the hay for them to feed, adding a few oats to jessies just because it was her favorite cow. It was one of the few animals on the farm that she could allow herself to love and really ccare about, because as much as she cared for all the rest she knew that they raised some for food. Annabelle slowly walked down towards the house, she knew what waited for her, sewing, gossip, and taking care of her younger brother who was only2 years old. Womanly things that her mother deemed important for a young lady of society. Annabelle could never figure out what society her mother was talking about, around here everyone was equal and happy but that woman swore there was a different place that both women belonged. Annabelle would never go anywhere with her mother she was nothing like her and she would never be like her.

The visit itself seemed nice enough, Annabelle was living in her grandparents lavish house, with its lavish and manicured gardens and there was a party in someones honor every night in the parlor or grand hall. It was a rather ridiculous and well tiring lifestyle. Annabelle could not understand how people chose to live like this, sure the first week was ok even fun because there was so much to do, but to do it forever just seemed...unproductive. Annabelle hated how much down time there was in this place. But she couldnt complain, she had to sit pretty like the good little ornament that she was. She would hold her mother to their deal and give her ABSOLUTELY NO reason to say that She didnt do everything in her power to be perfect. The only fun she had been having lately was with the servants. During the day no one was around, everyone was sleeping off the night before or just dozing about in the garden like ditsy sculptures. She had tried numerous times to have an intelligent conversation about anything with others her age that visited or stayed the night. But the girls all seemed obsessed with weddings and who they would marry and the boys...wel they were obsessed with who was wooing who and how to read poetry the best to get...well to get rewards. It was disgusting.

But the servants were just like her and a few of them could read and took advantage of the library in the house. Annabelle rather liked her grandparents and how they treated their servants. They even paid them fairly well which was something she had not expected. So the servants were always up for a good discussion and a few times Annabelle had managed to sneak away to their quarters (another house close by) and danced the night away with them in an impromptu party. It was the best night she had here! The dances had been just like the ones at home, line dances, fast and fun dances, all kinds of things she knew. It was great! Way better than the slow waltzes that the so called "upper class" did when she was in the parlor. Those were not fun. But had only been for one night, the servants were good people they knew they had jobs and just like her they were up at dawn. She uaually helped a the kitchen maids and cooks when she woke up in the morning since they woke up at the same time and no one else in the house would wake for at least 4 more hours. Oh how lazy the rich were. Annabelle refused to think less of them because she had found that she rather liked her grandparents so she decided to just make sure that she wasnt lazy.

She always did the best with her time and since she always had so much free time, the parties started when the sun began to set and she did her best to avoid the love hungry air heads she found herself in the library more often than not. She would sit and read books since reading was one of the few ways that wasting time was acceptable. Reading allowed her to learn and so it was a good waste of time. She even took to teaching a few of the servants she came to like how to read if they couldnt. It was a rather interesting way to pass the time. Once her grandfather caught her in the Library teaching one of the younger servants how to read and both of them thought they were in trouble. But all that the Grandfather did was congradulate the boy on his studies and give Annabelle a wink and a happy nod. He was such a sweet man! He always told the best stories and Annabelle always hovered within hearing range of her grandfather in case he began to tell a story about his youth or just a story in itself! Everyone always loved them and she wanted to make sure she didnt miss a single one. She did have to admit it was a feat to hover around her grandfather and avoid the oggling bachelors. Apperently the old rich men wanted to marry young girls and she was on the market! The young ones were not much better and so she had to keep turning them down and looking for groups of girls to lose them in. It was so tiring!

Finally the last night came and with it one last party. Annabelle couldnt wait to get back to the farm! Every night she had pulled out the locket to look at the seeds and remember her father and brothers. Oh how she missed them and couldnt wait to tell them how ridiculous the rich people were. She had hardly seen her mother the whole time which was a relief and a curiosity. She had thought that her mother would be watching her with hawk eyes to make sure she was keeping her end of the deal but her mother was always away or talking with her grandparents. It was such an oddity! But the final night came and with it the last morning of helping the cooks and maids. She did her work with gusto and the cooks even made her a special (and quiet) breakfast party for her and the servants to say thank you and good bye. It was all nice and she was happy to have made so many friends! She spent the whole day with them adn then got ready for the last party. She had made a promise to herself to make the best of this last party since she would never have to do it again it was such a freeing feeling.She felt like a caged bird being set free! The party went on as usual and Annabelle did manage to have fun and even flirt with a few guys (knowing she was leaving the next morning made her bold) but as it started to wind down her mother pulled Annabelle towards her Grandparents and a group of people she didnt quite know. Her mother introduced her and informed her that this group was all family and that she had an announcement. Annabelle moved away from her mother and stood between her grandparents for comfort. Her mother moved towards the middle of the group and pulled Annabelle away from her grandparents to be the center. "I would like to inform you all that my dearest daughter was just accepted at Jaradin! And that she will be leaving for the new school year tomorrow! Thank you for all the gifts and encouragement she is very honored and excited that her life is finally evolving and blossoming the way we always imagined."

Everyone closed in on Annabelle to offer congradulations and boast about how much they helped. Annabelle herself was completely and totally shocked. Jaradin? She had heard that name on the lips of the bobble headed boys, it was a school...a boarding school! What had her mother done, what had she done! What was GOING ON!! She was confused she was scared and lucky for her everyone took it as happy tears when she felt the wetness start to roll down her cheeks. Everyone knew she was intelligent since she had managed to get some conversations in with the adults and it was no surprise that she was going to school, for them it was the logical thing to do! The whole crowd insisted that she go and rest up for her trip tomorrow. The school wasnt more than half a day away from the house with a good horse!

Annabelle was lead to her room by her mother and once the two of them were alone Annabelle gave her mother a glare that would have killed anyone with a weaker will. "Dont look at me like that Annabelle" Her mother scolded. "What did you do mother?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Annabelle screamed in rage at her mother. "You have ripped me from my home, from DAD from EVERYTHING I LOVE! How could you DO this to me?! You said that if I was good for these three weeks you would leave me ALONE!" Annabelles mother gave her daughter a condescending look as she spoke. "I got you into one of the most prestigous schools, where you will meet the cream of the crop, you WILL be a lady GODDAMNIT! you are NOT a farm girl, i did you a FAVOR!" Annabelle balled her fists in rage and stood up her whole body shaking. Annabelles mother crossed the room in long quick strides, when she reached her daughter she slapped her across the face without warning. The force of the slap made Annabelle take a step to the side to keep her balance and left her face stinging. She turned to look at her mother, her tear stained face full of a mixture of fear and anger. "I never said you would only have to be a lady for three weeks, I said you would have to be a lady as long as you were here, your time is not done yet young woman and I am your mother. Untill you marry I decide what you do." Annabelles mother pushed Annabelle back onto the bed in a sitting position and leaned in close to add in a hissing whisper "you are MY daughter and you will become what I want you to be. Got it. I am going to go outside and tell everyone how happy you are to be going to school, and you better not show them anything else or you WILL pay for it in ways you arent yet able to imagine." Annabelles mother then swept out of the room, all evidence of the fight washed from her face.

Annabelle watched in stunned disbelief as her mother swept from the room. She had always known that her mother thought ledd of honest farm people, always seen how her mother assumed she was of a higher class. But to do this. To force her daughter to be like her?! Annabelle could not believe how the woman had tricked and betrayed her. She couldnt hold it in any longer Annabelle rolled over onto her bed and began to cry. She let her sadness and hurt pour out of her in the only way she was allowed. She felt her world topple with every cough and tear. Her father her brothers, what would happen to them. Was her mother even going home?! Or did her mother plan to never go back to the farm and keep her here a prisoner?! maybe her mother planned on marrying her off and trapping her here with one of those men. She had been played like a piano and hadnt even known! She should have NEVER come on this trip! She scrambled clumsily to grab the locket against her chest and hugged it tightly, she would never see her loved ones again, those seeds were the last thing she had to tie them together. She hugged the locket and suddenly began to hear a voice.

Dont worry love, it isnt as bad as you think, your smart maybe you'll like school

Annabelle looked around but couldnt find a source for the sound. The voice seemed to be coming from her. She guessed that her mind had just created something to convince her of good things, so she went with it, anything to make her feel better. "But why, why would she do this to me, my own mother just rippedmy life apart, I have no one left." Annabelle cried and once again just dissolved into tears. In her mind her mother wasnt even family anymore, family wouldnt do this.

Its ok, like I said maybe you'll like school, its full of smart people. Your mother is just...disillusioned. She wants you to be rich, you know she thinks its better, it isnt right what she's done but dont hate her. You are never alone, you will always have me.

Annabelle felt a warmth touch her but dissolve almost right away. It was comforting and she hugged a pillow pretending it was whatever the voice was. She felt a little less alone now and was finally able to fall asleep.

Annabelle sat under a tree in the college courtyard while Iñaki did his best to be visible to her. They had just spent hours in the library pouring over books and pictures and all manner of articles to figure out just what exactly he was. Annabelle had managed to compile a list of the forms that Iñaki could take. Grizzly Bear, Red deer, a big Shepherd dog, a kangaroo rat, and a barn swallow. She still refused to acknowledge his cheetah form because she was sure it was her mothers daemon not her own and refused to even let him take it if possible. But of course that was impossible and since she was always so preoccupied with thinking about how to avoid the form he kept turning into it since it was the only thing on her mind. That in itself had led to many frustrating hours in the library as well. But now there they were. With a full list and trying to figure out why she had these animals as her Daemon. "So each of your forms is supposed to be a part of me and reflect my personality....right?" She asked Iñaki suspiciously.

Iñaki bobbed his head as a Shepherd dog then whiped himself into the small kangaroo rat form and hopped over to her turning into a swallow before he quite made it to her knee and flying off to stand in the distance as a regal and proud red deer. He then Lumbered over as a Bear and rubbed up against her knee as a cheetah. Annabelle had seemed fine with the show of forms up until the cheetah as he had suspected and so reverted back to the swallow shape and perched on her knee to settle.

Thats right, ALL of my forms are a part of you he made sure to emphasize the word all not just to mock her but because he really wanted to teach her. No matter how much you might not like one of them.

Annabelle grumbled at Iñaki and the way he wanted to make sure she accepted the cheetah shape, she would never accept the face she had come to associate with her mother it just wasnt done. She was too stubborn and she would not budge on that. "Come on Iñaki stop fooling around! We are gonna think about this, cause from what I hear eventually your gonna settle and I wanna figure out what your gonna settle into." One of the things she had read in the Library was that Daemons eventually settled and revealed the true form of the person that they were attached too. There was also something about learning to use magic and other stuff but she cared little about magic. If it didnt get the chores done it wasnt important. She sat and thought about Iñaki's forms.

"Well I can see the bear, thats easy, its my pa! All the lessons he taught me, how to be gruff and get your way, but also to be kind when needed and to love your family. Thats why you got that form." Annabelle knew she could be bear liike in many ways, she was always caring for her younger sibling and fostering animals on the ranch. She loved to be a mother and one day when she was done with this school she would have her own farm and family and she would be a great mother, much better than the one she had.

Iñaki was interested in what Annie was saying, he himself was still so much a part of her that he understood what she meant immediately but he was beggining to think for his own and to compliment her so he still liked it that she explained things to him. He suddenly got an idea. Are there any other shapes that you relate to a family member....?

Annabelle gave Iñaki the meanest look she could muster. She knew where he was going with this and she sighed. Since they were on the subject there would be no way to avoid it. "ok ok FINE that cheetah shape is my mother and I guess I can be a little like her...catty.....vain .....impulsive....crafty...lazy.....happy now?!" Annabelle glared at the satisfied Iñaki and thought about it. As much as she hated to admit it she could be like her mother, but she still refused to end up like her, hence why she only focused on the bad traits the cheetah embodied. But what about the other shapes? Her mother and father had been strong influences in her life so she completely understood that they would have a stake in her personality, people always grew up to be just like their parents, that was normal. But she had four other shapes in there that werent like her parents at all. Were those her own shapes? Could she grow up a completely different person than both her parents?! It was an exciting prospect, Annabelle loved her father but he was a man and a gruff one so she couldnt really see herself growing up to be like him just like she couldnt see herself turning into her mother. No she would be herself and find out who she really was!

Iñaki could sense Annies excitement and he flew into the air as a bird before landing as the graceful deer and prancing about, then returning to his Shepherd dog form and finally perching on her palm as a mouse. This was going to be a fun adventure to figure out what Annabelle and in essence he was going to turn into.

Annabelle sat in her room staring crossly at Iñaki who was lounging on the floor in a mostly cheetah form. She hated when he took that form it reminded her of her mother and therefore it was bad. She bristled when Iñaki began to clean himself and seemed perfectly at home in that offensive form. "Iñaki can you PLEASE Take a different shape? I know you can control it." She added that last part stubbornly because she knew that he could take any form he wanted so why did he INSIST on taking the form that bothered her the most!

Iñaki turned his feline head as far back as he could to get a better view of Annie. He looked at her and his eyes portrayed his annoyance and tiredness. Yes it was true he could control what forms he took but that required effort! He usually just let his body take the form that reflected Annie since that took alot less out of him and he was supposed to be figuring out what Annie was going to eventually have as a companion anyway. He could feel her curiosity and so he was only too happy to just take whatever form she reflected and note which forms were most common. Unfortunately she was always so cross at him for taking the cheetah shape.

Annie calm down I'm only taking the shape that reflects you, if your doing something you dont like then stop doing it and I'll change.

Annie looked at Iñaki and gave an angry sigh, she was NOT like her mother! She had to figure out what she had been doing that made him take that shape and never do it again! She mentally went through what she had been doing. She had been planning out some things and had noticed Iñaki bustling around as a barn swallow, then she had started cleaning and lost sight of the daemon...then she had sat on her bed and looked out the window to relax, she had been daydreaming oh is had been so nice and relaxing...then the next thing she knew she looked over at Iñaki and he was a cheetah! So then she could never relax again?! That was impossible she loved her lazy moments even though she kept them few and far between. It must have been her daydream, Annie laboriously tried to remember what she had been imagining.

Iñaki rolled over onto his back and felt himself becoming more birdlike as Annie began to work harder and harder. His companion was being so silly! When he was properly bird shaped and small he hopped up onto Annies knee and twitched as he looked at her.

I dont know why you relate the cheetah shape to your mother....isnt it possible that it isnt her?

Iñaki spoke to Annie jarring her out of her thoughts. She stared at him open mouthed, her mind thinking rapidly for an answer. "Well..... because...... I mean obviously......" Annie found herself at a loss for words. She knew deep down why she related the cheetah to her mother but she didnt want to say it. She knew it was a dumb reason but she was stubborn and hanging onto such a reason seemed perfectly plausible to her. But here was Iñaki sitting on her knee and watching her with curiosity. She felt silly having to explain herself to her daemon but she also felt like she had to.

"Well because it LOOKS like her!" Annie finaly replied stubbornly. "Its got those wide eyes and its all regal and pretty. It always lounges around and just looks so proud!: Her mother had always carried herself with such grace and beauty that Annie had always been glad she had inherited that. Her mother was a beautiful woman she really was an proud and graceful to. Her mother could be kind and cruel within minutes and often her moods were the same way, changing rapidly like the wind. Her mother hadnt been lazy she just did the work nessesary and nothing more prefering to relax. Her mother always did like to relax near a window and stare off into the distance or read a book in the soft light of the morning and Annie had always admired her mothers silhouette in the sunlight. She had always wished she could look so beautiful, and it wasnt that her mother was a Gorgeous woman it was just the way she held herself, with confidence, as if your opinion of her didnt matter, that made her beautiful.

Annabelle could feel Iñaki reading her thoughts and half laughed at his surprise seeing her memories. Annie had been sure to only focus on the bad of her mother since he had manifested and that was all he had seen. But to see Annies mother in such a light was a completely new experience. Annie gave an unhappy laugh. "My mother betrayed me I dont want anything to remind me of her." She stated clearly to him but to her surprise he didnt argue and sensing her need for a cuddle became the large shaggy Alsation and nuzzled what parts of her he could since he was still transparent.

I know she betrayed you and I'm not asking for you to forgive her but maybe you did inherit some things from her, couldnt you look at it like this, that you took the best of her and avoided the worst?

Annie wished that Iñaki was m ore settled so she could properly touch and hug him. But what he said made something click in her mind. Maybe she could look at things that way, it wouldnt be her mother that she was becoming but herself a better, nicer, version of her mother. She was melding both her parents and taking the best they had to offer her. She smiled and Iñaki felt the Alsation shape settle in naturally. Annie could look past the betrayal and just look for what she was now. They both smiled and were half glad that this had happened. Annie then unexpectedly stuck her tounge out at Iñaki and said "Ok fine I'll not care so much about you taking that form but I refuse to like my mother."

Iñaki laughed. Your so silly Annie and he was happy.