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insecure-amphibian · 6 years

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Thunder Chapter 1: Once upon a time

Rough draft of what will be a long time passion project of mine. I’d love feedback if you could or to point out any mistakes I make in my writing. Please enjoy.

The east most part of the land of Alderfal stood the city of sun, a grand city with a grand castle, it was vast, the largest civilization in the harsh land of Alderfal. The civilians we're up an about before even sunrise, filling the streets of Tal'shal with life. It's Nickname was clear when the sun rose. As the sky began to streak with pinks from Talsha's day and consumed the blues of Alzral's night. And when the sun had become visible, engulfing the warriors that sat in the stars, for a brief moment the sun peeked over tallest peak of the tallest spire, and a grand ellipsis surrounded the diameter of the star. At this moment the bells of the city rung four times and the city fell silent for just a few heartbeats until the last echo of the fourth bell faded into oblivion.

Then life continued. Merchants bustling, civilians sweeping the streets, stable hands feeding horses, all in turn for a grand celebration. A celebration of peace that all men and gods of both day and night would gather for.

The lady of the Castle was to bring this long sought peace. The King's sister, younger by only a few hours. She currently laid in a grand chamber fit for her royal heritage. The room was a silver hue stained gold by flooding sunlight through the thin curtains over the window. Items a knick-knacks strewn across every dresser in the room. Despite her role there was surprisingly little in her room. Boxes stacked in the corner of her room stood belongings which would soon be given to the people as things the Princess wouldn't need anymore.

A soft knock sounded on the door. The Princess stirred throwing silk blankets off her revealing her face to the sun. She was small, thin, short, petite, just over five three. Her face was round and her features soft. Her hair long and flowing sprawled across the bed like a web built from the careful legs of a spider. Her eyes fought off the mornings sleep with vigor, but ultimately failed. A soft knock sounded on the other side of the great wooden door and an elderly sounding voice peeped on the other side if it.

“Tarryn! Today's the day, please, let me help you get ready before the carriage sets off.” The lady asked, her voice was sweet and kind but it had an undertone of sadness in it. Tarryn barely stirred, waving her right hand towards the door and on the handle a golden transparent space-like cloud grasped the handle of the door like a hand and turned it, popping the lock free and revealing a short and stout woman on the other side of the door. Her dark hair was pulled back into a bun that looked like it had been done in mere seconds, the apron was even too big for her body and hung loosely around her poor-knit gown and she waddled over to the woman who still laid in bed with closed eyes.

“Comeon’ my dear!” She cheered her on grasping the princess’ small hands in her own worn and callused ones. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us now don’t we!” Tarryn only responded with a tired groan and sat in silence for a moment before accepting the fate of the daylight and sitting up, one of her hands still cupped in the older woman’s.

“We’ve got some time to get you ready but I’m sure your brother will want to see you before we all head out!” The woman spoke waddling over to a nightstand and grabbing a brush. As if the pair had done this a million times Tarryn moved to the ground and the woman grabbed her hair and placed it on her lap as she took Tarryn’s place on the bed, carefully brushing it out as she hummed a little tune.

“What are you going to do without me Mrs. Norris?” Tarryn asked rubbing sleep from her now open golden hues. Mrs. Norris looked at Tarryn and smiled.

“Well, I think I might just retire. I served your mother for a long long time and I feel I’ve done more than my part for you and your brother.” She let out a sweet and hearty laugh which fOrced a smile at Tarryn’s lips. Tarryn nodded in agreement.

“Other than my brother, I think I’m going to miss you most.” “I will miss you too my dear. But I’m sure my own children and grandchildren will be happy to have me around more.” Norris spoke continuing to run the brush through the princess hair, fighting through the few knots that made their way into her pink locks through the night. “On the bright side our people will finally have peace with the Hawkmaw Orcs. This sacrifice is such a great one and I think you’ll be seen as a hero from it, really.” Tarryn sighed, standing up from her place on the ground, her hair still sitting well in Norris’ lap due to its length.

“I am just upset.. That this is the only agreement Drak’tor and our kingdom could come up with. But I’ll do anything to keep my people safe. I have no chance at the throne, but it’s still my duty to be a leader to my people.” The smile had fallen off her face and her gaze fell to the ground. Mrs. Norris stood up and waddled over to the princess and took her left hand into her own two and held it close to her chest.

“You know, I’m very proud of you either way. You’re so much like your mother. She would have sacrificed anything to keep her people safe and she always learned from her mistakes. I really wish you had gotten to meet Nora. You two would have been best friends. But even then, despite her... Untimely death I am blessed by Goddess life, Hua herself to have raised both you and Tyrell to this point!” Mrs. Norris spoke. A tear formed in her eye but she wiped it away before it could fall down her cheek. “But get undressed now, I found the perfect gown for the occasion!” Norris swiftly waddled back to the door she had come in from ad wheeled in a small rack, from it hung a gown, gold in hue. It was short in the front but grew long in the back and the skirt was adorned with gorgeous silver embroidery thread. However simple it was in terms of royalty wear it was still gorgeous. Tarryn looked at the dress and walked over to Mrs. Norris with graceful strides, lifting the dress in her hands and feeling the soft silky material as it glided over her fingers.

“It's gorgeous…” she murmured, a soft look on her face. A feint look of sorrow sneaking through her expression.

“It's okay dear. This is for the better though.” Mrs. Norris spoke patting her shoulder. Tarryn nodded, reaching to the bottom of her nightgown and lifting it over her head and fishing the last of her lengthy hair from the neck hole.

“Let's just get this done and over with so everyone can go on with their lives.” The Princess said with a very breathy somewhat sarcastic laugh. Mrs. Norris took the gold dress from its hanger and held the skirt open for the princess to wiggle her way through. When Tarryn was through she grabbed at the strapless top to hold it over her chest as Mrs. Norris went behind her and filed her hair through the neck of the dress before tying the corset back to stay attached to the princess's body. She twirled around to let the asymmetric skirt spread out along with her knee length pink hair which wrapped around her shoulder before falling along to her back. Tarryn smiled a gleeful grin as her arms fell to her side. Mrs. Norris clasped her hands together over her chest and smiled before rushing over to Tarryn and spreading her arms out.

“Oh look at you! So pretty!” She said, her voice choked by her own tears of happiness as she grabbed Tarryn in a tight hug. For a moment they stood there, Mrs. Norris swaying from side to side with her practical daughter hugged tight in her arms. When Tarryn was released Mrs. Norris wiped her eyes with her sleeves before regaining her own composure. “Come on, we don’t want to keep your brother waiting.” Mrs. Norris’ aged face was hidden by her wide smile as she held the door open for Tarryn to leave her rather bare room.

The castle that homed the king and his sister was close to the ocean that bordered the city, the large windows in the hallway leading to the dining room looked over the ports where ships docked filled with visitors all over the land of Alderfal. Tarryn found herself staring out at the distant restless ocean as she neared the dining hall where two servants opened the large gate-like doors for the princess to enter. She offered a nod to both of them as they bowed before her.

“Welcome my lady!” One of the two said as she passed. The other butted in with the menu for the morning.

“With the celebration on the day we kept breakfast simple eggs toast and sausage, enjoy your meal your highness.” He said as Tarryn once again nodded her thanks.

“That’s enough, you’re dismissed let me and my sister talk will you!” interrupted a voice from across the room. It belonged to a man, no more than twenty five. His face was young, his hair much darker than his sisters, adorned with a gold circlet, which had a hollow circle much like the one that hugged the sun each morning, at his forehead. He was built like a man, dark stubble along his chin. His clothes simple, but clearly noble. His eyes were a soft blue and they looked with a certain fondness at his sister as she entered the rather small dining room. A meal was placed in front of him with a second meal at a chair directly to his left. The king stood up and pulled out the chair for his sister.

“Look at the bride to be! It’s my favorite dork!” He grinned as his sister sat in the chair. He brought his hand up and ruffled her hair. Tarryn chuckled but ultimately looked back at her meal with a frown.

“How are you so cool with me doing this Tyrell?” Tarryn asked quietly as to not alert either the guards or servants standing outside of the doors. The dining room was small for royalty. It could comfortably fit about fifty people in it. The walls were decorated with soft white walls, windows flooded the room with light despite the lit chandelier in the middle of the room. A tapestry draped on one of the walls depicting the sun in its false corona. The gorgeous room fell silent as the king took his seat, hearing his sister loud and clear but not wanting to accept her fate.

“Because the people need peace Tarryn. Our towns outside of Tal’shal are attacked weekly by the Orcs. How many did we lose? Ashenmire, Norcrest, Ellarill? All those towns are destroyed, Ashenmire’s farms were ravaged sending all of our settlements into a severe famine.” Tyrell paused for a moment. His voice was a whispered yell. They had this conversation many, many times before. When Drak’tor, the beast god himself demanded a sacrifice in both blood and union, and Tarryn offered herself, Tyrell went along with it nearly without hesitation.

“I love you Tarryn, I hope you know that. The loss of your life to that awful creature is the worst loss I could ever have as king. But it’s not worth risking the lives of all our people. Neither of us signed up to this… I don’t want you killed, much less do I want you married off to some pompous god statused half wolf. But I don’t want to lose our kingdom.” He admitted with a sigh. Tarryn offered herself as a sacrifice when he first emerged from the sea demanding the finest maiden in the land as sacrifice for the wrongs the humans had committed. He wasn’t the only one who sought blood for man’s wrongdoings, and both siblings knew somewhere in their hearts which man it was that did this in the first place.

“It isn’t our fault that father’s blood wasn’t enough, but it’s our job to make it up to the people for what he did. I know I won’t make it to the throne, Jualee is already expecting your first child and gods know our healers will keep her alive when she gives birth.” Tarryn said picking up a fork and enjoying some of her eggs before they got cold. “You and I both know I won’t be stopped. I’m willing to die for what dad did wrong, and your kid can’t grow up without a father like we did. I’m content with the choice, I’m just upset that you didn’t try to stop me.” Tarryn whispered once again under the ears of the men and women attentively awaiting their next order. But Tyrell didn’t answer. He knew his sister too well and even then though he knew she didn’t want to die, he knew she wanted to make up for their father’s wrong doings. Even if it meant losing her life.

For the rest of the meal the two sat in silence. Nothing could be said between the two siblings that hadn’t been said before.

The sun continued its voyage across the sky while the royals arranged final preparations and the townspeople gathered their things, shop owners attached carts to horses and people gathered in wagons as a large line gathered at the drawbridge over a shallow river that separated the city from the mainland. A gathering place was marked, to the north was a grand standing stone that looked over the ocean, historically where the four orgins themselves first landed when they created the land of Alderfal. It’s said the ground itself showed it’s respect to the gods by lifting all four of them over the horizon to gaze over the land they had built. But for now the rock stood as the perfect ceremony place to bring peace between man and Orc. When the sun reached its highest in the sky the convoy set out led by a horse drawn carriage carrying the King, his consort and the Princess. Tyrell’s lover leaned over her bump to place her hands on the princess’ knees.

Jualee was a sweet woman, her hair soft as owletts down, dark as the most gorgeous night, eyes filled with the kindness of thousands of men, and belly with the future ruler of Alderfal.

“Tarryn.. I know they can’t say it themselves but our child, they will grow up knowing your sacrifices and see you as a hero, all our future generations will. Under-” “Let’s enjoy the celebration. Don’t get sentimental, please. You know I cry at weddings.” Tarryn joked. Tyrell sarcastically scoffed.

“I cry at funerals. We’re both doomed!” The King added in which left the two siblings giggling like school children.

“Listen growing up I wasn’t ever expected to rule, I got to go around playing in dirt and practice magic while you had diplomacy lessons. Save face for the people and kiss the little one every day for me.” Tarryn grinned. Jualee looked at her with concern in her eyes.

“How are you so content with.. Death?” the pregnant consort asked, worry in her beautiful blue and green eyes. Tarryn shrugged, looking out the back window of the carriage at the crowds following behind them. All the happy faces talking with family over the journey to the standing stone. Her golden hues falling over them with a soft kindness in them before they looked back at Jualee.

“Because I’m helping them. That’s my duty. Besides, all our heroes bodies get put in the stars when they die. I’m no hero but I’m making a noble sacrifice. I’m sure Meros will at least let my body go to his playground. Even if my soul is stuck with the beast god as his wife.” Jualee smiled a wide, beautiful, perfect smile. Her ravens hair falling around her cheeks gently as she tilted her head.

“I wish you could be my child's literary teacher. Really. You have such a way with words. Please tell me you have a speech planned to say goodbye to your people!” Jualee nearly pleaded. Her voice was soft and gentle like the wings of a butterfly, commanding like a war veteran, and loving like a mothers all at once. Tarryn felt a soft spot in her heart for her. She was perfect for her brother and the best second hand for the worst ruler she knew.

“Come on, you’ve got king fairy floss over here to teach your kid how to speak good! Of course I’m going to say goodbye to them. I’m leaving them with my brother after all.” the Princess snickered patting her brothers knee before leaning back into her spot. Tyrell smiled and reached over the carriage seats to see his sister at eye level. His face fell stern as he looked at her.

“Listen here, as your king and older brother by like half an hour I’m going to order you never to call me king fairy floss ever again or I’ll personally hunt down Meros and make him hurl your body from the sky so you are buried like a normal person.” his facial features read entirely serious. Tensions were high in the carriage before he burst into laughter following with Tarryn pushing Tyrell away. The two siblings laughed together as the trip carried on, picking on each other as their convoy grew, adding men and women of all races to their march to the standing stone. Dwarves left their underground utopias, a handful of Orcs gathered in the train to see the to-be wife of their god, Etzal who weren’t affiliated with one of their forest villages fluttered along side carriages, even a few Fae and Elves ventured from their kingdom in the clouds to wave off to the princess to one of Alderfal’s most extraordinary inhabitants, human. And with so many gathered, they all readied themselves for a grand celebration!

The Etzal were a unique race. While most races built relationships of trust with others of their kind, the Etzal kept to themselves. It was more than a rarity when they would leave their colonies, but those outcast from one Etzal village was outcast from them all. Though they kept to themselves they gossiped and words spread through the colonies fast. Even when they all faced different enemies and refused to aid each other based on the basic principle of ‘not our threat, not our problem’ they all shared a common enemy. Word of mouth. Such was the case for one of these elusive creatures who had followed the caravan for the last hour of their journey. While merchants of all kinds worked to set up stands the cloaked Etzal slunked through the gathering crowds. The stands and stalls were set up in a layered circle around the standing stone while the Alderfal royalty set up their own at the part of the standing stone facing the ocean. It was a rather tall flat rock, about three times the size of even the biggest Orc with a carved staircase spiralling from the top of it down to the ground where it could be seen that the King, Princess, the King’s consort and a small squadron of guards climbing the rock, and the attention from the royalty preparing to start the ceremony gave a perfect time for her to find items that wouldn’t much be missed.

It was hard for one of them to live the life of a thief. They were tall, even the shortest ones peaking six foot. Their skin black and tough providing natural armor, eyes large and insect like with dark scleras and darker irises. They had antena that added a good extra half a foot to their height, their heads were smooth and round with flat chins where mandibles acted as their mouth. The females had thick fur on their chests, they all had four arms that connected to their shoulders, and most of them had large, blaring colorful wings. But not this one. The cloak she wore hid most of her body and shadowed her face, the hood seemed to deliberately have holes in it for the antenne to peek out and not be constricted, as well as keep the hood in place. Her arms which could be seen were covered in faint purple iridescent dents in her armor like skin, which seemed to be an equivalent of scars on the insects bodies. It was safe to assume she had a satchel slung over her shoulder as the bag pushed out against her cloak. In the satchel was stray coins dropped by the people, goods and jewelry that for even the briefest of moments didn’t have eyes on them, food left unattended for even the quickest heartbeat while the excitement of the few hour long journey settled. But not a person noticed a thing, so she thought. She fished her way through the crowd. Clumsy and charming she would bump into people carrying things and offer to pick stuff up for them, and slip anything of value into a pocket while distracting them. Only for her to return to her own little rug laying on the ground in the outermost circle and lay out her hard earned goods for sale.

Her long legs crossed as best as they could with the very goat-like shape their legs were built as she leaned back on one set of her arms, her cloak flying out behind her. Her chest was wrapped, and a leather belt covered her lower body, but her face was still covered while potential customers walked by.

“Genuine Etzal ceremonial jewelry for sale! No celebration is complete without the beauty of Etzalen rings! Got a special someone, see my one of a kind sapphire and gold necklace to show them how far your heart soars!” She called out, the mandibles right under her chin moving with the words as she watched people walk by. Some stopped, children often stopped to look at the weird creature at their level that wasn’t at all common in the human cities. Many young women with their lovers stopped to get the attention of their other to hint about something with the rings. Few people actually bought things but they were often for much lower prices than what other carts sold, while still being enough to drive a profit for living, and anything that didn’t sell would go on to her next target town, or be bribed to guards to let her go.

Life wasn’t easy for a lone Etzal, the other colonies gossiped and even other outcasts were hard pressed to help each other. Being born to the wrong parents or being at the wrong place at the wrong time doomed even the youngest larvae. As the last members of the caravan set out their things, every being surrounding the standing stone looked at the top of the rock at the King who watched over with a mix of somber and acceptance on his features. A trumpet wailed from the top of the rock as everyone turned their attention to the King and Princess. The Etzal barely moved from her spot, looking in the direction of the sounds despite being unable to even see the speakers she twitched her antenne to listen in as the king called out.

“Subjects, Family, Friends, guests of all race and species! We’re glad to have the company of so many friendly faces for this glorious time!” The King paused for a moment, hesitation in his voice, the Etzal assumed he was looking at the group of Orcs standing behind the crowd near her stand. Hawkmaw Orcs. Their leathery wings raised in anticipation for battle. That’s all those beasts were, bloodthirsty creatures looking for war, and the Hawkmaw weren’t even the worst of the bunch. But their hostility and the princess’ sacrifice brought plenty of gold to her pockets., so they couldn’t all be bad.

“We’ve gathered together to celebrate the loss of a dear life, but the beginning of a new era for all of Alderfall and we are very glad that many of the leaders of our respective races have allowed for this truce. As any Human, Fae, Etzal or Dwarf is aware, the Orcs of all tribes have been pushed by Beast God, son of the Wolf King and Life Goddess Hua, Orc father, Drak’tor himself for a wrongdoing done to him by my own father many years ago. He asked for blood, and when he wasn’t satisfied he demanded more.” The King paused again. She could feel the shaking in his voice, one of sadness. And when he spoke again his voice cracked.

“Princess Tarryn herself has offered to fulfill this blood sacrifice and Drak’tor agreed that this could bring a peace to his own sons and daughters and the creation of the four orgins. I am glad to wel.. Welcome Orcs of all tribe into the Alderfal family…” His voice trailed off and she could hear his breath quiver and the sound of heavy cloth sleeves wipe at his face.

“Tarryn, please come here.” The King spoke. The group of Hawkmaw Orc’s looked at the top of the standing stone, and the Etzal could only assume the-to-be queen of their people had done as her brother asked as all of them took a knee, and followed by them, the pressure of such scary beasts showing respect mush have scared the rest of the crowd into submission as everyone else watching the ceremony too, fell to one knee, allowing the hooded Etzal to see the King and Princess. His hands were rested on her shoulders, his eyes were welling with tears and his lips seemed to fight between a smile and a frown.

“I can’t put into words about how proud I am to have you as my sister. About how proud I am you are willing to stand up not only for your people, but for every living being on Alderfal. I know you said you didn’t want a big memorial. But I’d like to announce here, that Tarryn Alderfal’s name will be placed alongside our mother’s on the shrine of the Thunder mage at the gates of Tal’shal. Honoring her sacrifice and letting her memory rest with our mothers, a woman who was a true hero to Alderfal, who I’m positive would be very glad to have a heroic soul like yours as her daughter.”

Despite the speech, a sudden.. Unrest filled the land. A mixture of hesitance but also glee.. As if the name of the late queen brought a landslide of mixed emotions to every person but the youngest in the crowd. Etzal lived at most twenty odd years, she was five, and Queen Nora died twenty six years ago. She was one of the young ones who didn't understand. It seemed like no one quite understood this.. energy that showed up any time the late Queen of Alderfal was spoken about. No one knew why they felt that way, she was loved after all. But even then the Etzal would never have any reason to understand, the queen was dead long before she was born, even the oldest of her kind wouldn't know. Sure the Queen brought every race together and united everyone on the land of Alderfal. But that didn't excuse this palpable feeling of discomfort. Either way.. it wasn't something she could ask to the people, and instead her large eyes fell to the Princess and her brother. She had missed the two siblings when they engaged in a hug, but it must have happened a while ago as the king had completely lost his composure and had his face buried in the crook of his sister's neck as his wife patted his shoulder. The people around could feel this sorrow in their hearts as they all grew upset, but no one dared interrupt a sweet moment with to be departed siblings. The Princess, Tarryn saved face though and comforted her brother.

It almost tore at the heart of the Etzal, even when she had no one like that close to her heart. But no matter the sweetness of the moment it couldn't last forever.

The day continued on. The Princess walking through the circles of food and stands and entertainment. People of all ages and race came up to ask for hugs or to thank her despite the fact that she really didn't think what she was doing was heroic. It was just the right thing to do. Only one person followed her. A cloaked man. He stood tall and had a demeaning figure. The cloak itself was a dark blue with a striking, shimmering jagged gold button up that resembled a bolt of lightning that connected at a ring around the neck with a round collar of the same corona of Tal'shal that decorated the tallest tower and Tyrells crown. He wasn’t scary and clearly a guard of some sort set to keep the princess safe as they waited for the sun to grace the horizon when everyone would be set to pack up. She had stopped to watch a show. A group of dwarves who stood in a small quartet. They all sang a song, something in their own language that the Princess couldn’t understand. Their voices acted in harmony to create an instrument-less symphony. One that graced the ears of everyone that passed by. Tarryn had paused, the cloaked guard giving her enough room to not feel crowded. It was a peaceful moment and despite the language barrier she knew the sound of a joyful song with less-so lyrics. It was likely a song about celebration in a time of sadness as the traveling dwarf quartets were usually good about selecting their music to set the mood. They were a musical culture, one she respected very much as they all found harmony to the sound of hammer and anvil, the perfect metronome. Her infatuation with the group had caused her not to notice the figure that slowly approached her. An Orc. The Orc was big, she was intimidating like all of their kind. Hawkmaw with the toothed wings that folded against their back, muscles built over years of hard work. Tusks protruding from her square face, yellow and stained from blood. One of her large clawed hands reached out to grab the shoulder of the Princess, but such was a grave mistake. The cloaked man guarding the Princess reached out, a hand plated in a metal glove rested on top of the Orc’s hand who had just made contact with Tarryn’s shoulder. Under the hood golden eyes glared at the Orc. Tarryn had turned around at this point to face the Orc who had grabbed her attention, her large clawed hand hovering in the air while the cloaked man’s hand didn’t hesitate in it’s spot.

“Kai shok anawl, gor Drak’tor ees Ghalla.” The Orc spoke, her voice shook, almost as if she was terrified of the man. The hooded guard didn’t move his hand but looked to the Princess and spoke in a low, deep growl of a voice.

“She has a message for you.” Tarryn looked back at the Orc who’s wings had fallen to the ground, her features present with worry and regret. Tarryn looked at her, and smiled.

“You don’t have to threaten her, it’s no way to treat our to-be allies.” She assured the cloaked man who had then retreated back into his cloak. “Please, what’s your message?” She asked. She didn’t understand Orcish too well, it was a very throaty language and was built around the speech impediment the tusks forced onto Orcs. In turn she tried her best to make her voice seem welcoming, a universal sign of ‘it’s okay to talk no one will hurt you’, and he Orc seemed to pick up on this. She had approached slowly and kneeled to the ground.

“Gashook, Human tolk is.. Not good. I bring to you honor in our Kan’aal. Beast god treat well.” she spoke in a rough voice torn apart by the years their people spent practicing their war cries. Tarryn smiled at her attempt.

“Tolk Orchash nor halgo. But Thank you very much. I hope Drak’tor brings as much peace between our kinds as my people do.” Tarryn spoke softly. The Orc looked up at the princes and smiled a toothy smile before standing up and offering a firm nod which the Princess returned before the Orc turned away to leave the crowd.

By this time the music had quieted down, the Dwarven group had just called a break as they had been going on for a good few songs. The cloaked man seemed to try to pull Tarryn's attention away.

“We should meet back up with the King, Tarryn.” He suggested. Tarryn looked at him and furrowed her brows.

“The least likely person to attack me right now would be an Orc. You need to calm down before they think we're suspicious and don't accept my sacrifice to their god.” She had scolded. But the shadow of the hood hid the man's expression and whatever he was feeling wasn't verbally announced. Despite her discouragement she agreed about her brother likely wanting to know where she was. So the two began to back pedal through the crowds as the group of dwarves entered their little stage once again.

When they had made their way back to the base of the standing stone a familiar plump old woman stood holding a young child in her arms while talking to the King. A young woman stood beside her holding hands with a man as a few other children ran about playing in the small circle where the King and his wife stood talking to guests.

“Here’s the princess my liege. I'm going to report to Genesis. Please enjoy the rest of your day.” The cloaked guard spoke. Tyrell nodded his dismissal before beckoning his sister over to him.

Mrs. Norris smiled at the princess using her free arm that didn't cradle a child to hug the young woman.

“Speak of death and here come they! We were just talking about you my dear! Welcome back, how have you been? Enjoying the celebration I hope? Anything interesting?” Mrs. Norris bombarded her with questions while the toddler reached out with his short chubby fingers and reached for the princess's long hair, pulling at a hank of it. The strip of hair falling through his little fingers and across her face, Tarryn giggled, tucking it back behind her ear as she lifted a gentle hand to offer to the small toddler who had grasped his tiny fingers around her pinkie.

“This is Egyild. We call him Eggy.” Mrs. Norris introduced, bouncing the boy up so she could adjust her hold of him. Three other boys played around the two parents two who looked identical and a clearly oldest who was picking on both of his other brothers. The woman looked at the three.

“Hey! Get off them right now Connor! We're in the company of the King! Have some respect!” She snapped. The young woman who had her hand on Mrs. Norris’ shoulder tensed.

“Mother, please let me deal with my own kids.” She spoke. There was a silence for a moment as a trace of hostility in her tone settled between them all. The mother of the four boys looked at the three that wrestled and shot them a cold glare, as if a snap of the fingers they were all standing by their mother's side brushing off dirt and covering bruises. Tarryn smiled and exhaled with a soft laugh at the three boys.

“I'm very glad to have you here Mrs. Norris. Did you talk to my brother about retirement?”

“Actually that's what we were talking about when you arrived! He was just about to answer my request.”

The two women turned their head to the King expectantly who had smiled a toothy friendly smile and crossed his hands over his chest.

“Of course Mrs. Norris. It's the least we can do. I'd love an address though, as a father to-be Hua knows I need help learning to raise a child.” He chuckled.

The day continued, the King, his wife, the Princess, and Mrs. Norris and her children and grandchildren carried on through the rest of the sun's long travel across the sky. Smiles were shared from the small family as they realized time was weaning with the Princess, and before they knew it the sun graced the top of the standing stone and Alzal would let his sister rest. The trek up the stairs to the top of the standing stone felt so much longer this time. Slower. Grim. Somber. But so joyful at the same time. The Princess herself would address the civilians this time. From the top of the standing stone she could see people already packing their stuff into carts, ready to hear the final words from the princess before they began the travel home. Tarryn stood and looked over the crowd, feeling hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of eyes looking at her. The wind had picked up blowing her hair and dress to her left. On top of the standing stone she could see four cloaked individuals. All in the game cloak as her guard earlier who stood in the four cardinal directions and after a brief moment they all turned to her. The princess nodded her head and in unison the five men and women raised a hand to the sky. Thunder shook the ground and bolts of light tore through the darkening sky landing at the very place each of them held their hand. The roar of thunder silenced every man and woman and after a heartbeat all five bolts of lightning stopped before four, coming from their directions strike directly behind the princess.

“Men, women, children. Inhabitants of the deepest caverns, darkest forests and highest mountains. This festival has brought a peace we've all waited for, for too many long years. No longer will the human incompetence lead to the suffering of other races at the hand of a God's wrath. I address you as your princess one final time to tell you all, that despite my mother's absence the last twenty six year and the sins of my father, I'd be damned if I didn't offer my life to the people. You are all my people. Are heart the God's created us all to live in a harmony under one pantheon. And however much we've followed the latter half, we have been missing this eternally sought for harmony for just short of three decades.” There was a pause in Tarryn's speech.

“When we were begging out our neighbors doorstep in our time of need they told us to beg. When we saw the worst of our world's earliest wars entire towns were crushed under the foot of an imbalance in rule. And when my mother Nora Alderfal left our land after finally bringing every one of us together, we were left in the shadow of a looking war that we fought with vigor. Your father's, mother's, sons and daughters, siblings and spouses died at the hands of a beast called fear. Fear which drove my father to attack the Orcs and invoke the wrath of Drak'tor. And finally. Twenty years later I am proud to give my life to end this war. End the fear and bring the peace we all lost so many people to.” Her voice had stayed strong through the whole speech and when she had fallen silent the entire crowd cheered. Tarryn looked over the people, and it took all her might to not cry. And with one goodbye she stepped back from the ledge turning to her brother and family.

“Please.. go with them. Drak'tor will be here by sunfall.” She had smiled once again, her gold eyes filling with tears as she took her brothers hand.

“Go be a great king and an even better father.” She spoke pulling him close to her in a tight hug. Her throat had tightened and the princess fought against every urge to cry. Not until he left. When he had finally taken his wife's hand and reached the very bottom of the standing stone, that's when she finally let go of the emotions she had hid since the very day she offered herself just less than a year ago.

Everything had cleared out just as the bottom of the sun reached the horizon of the water. A shadow in the growing night sifted through the forgotten about garbage and few valuables that still scattered around the ground in front of the standing stone. Trinkets worth a few coins she could afford to just leave behind if she needed room but not much more. She had made rounds around the place where the carts had been. But as she got closer she could hear the unmistakable sounds of sobbing from the standing stone. Hesitantly the cloaked Etzal approached the stairs of the standing stone. Her antenne twitched as the feint sobbing grew louder, but when her head peered over the top of the standing stone, the cries stopped. A voice had called out in the darkness, one filled with a shakiness and months worth of sorrow finally expressed in one evening.

“Shouldn’t everyone have packed up and gone home by now?”

The darkness that consumed the far horizon and his stars with light that reached out like searching fingers were the only thing watching the two women who stood opposite ends of the standing stone. Though there was silence it was filled with the sound of sniffling coming from the woman who sat ontop of the stone. Her pink hair dishevelled from the day’s long hours as it covered her curled up body. Her shoulders shivering from a mixture of the absence of the setting sun’s warmth and her own tears.

“Why haven’t you left?” The princess lashed out, turning her head to face the Etzal. Large bug eyes looked through the hood of a cloak, faintly glowing in the coming darkness. The Etzal made her way up to the top of the standing stone, head tilting as she slowly approached the princess who had watched in confusion. The long legs of the beast taking short smooth strides to seem as less intimidating as possible, a set of her arms hanging open by her side while the other reached up and fished her antenne out of her hood before moving to undo the one button that kept it around her neck.

“It’s cold Princess. Do you want some company?” the beast asked quietly. Tarryn didn’t respond but when the cloak was placed around her shoulders she did nustle up into it. The Etzal slowly moved to sit by the princess, a pang in her heart feeling such an incredible amount of sympathy for her.

“Why haven’t you left?” Tarryn asked again.

“Because I don’t want to.” “Why did you come up here?” “No one should be alone on their deathbed, and it looks like your people abandoned you.” Tarryn sniffed after the Etzal spoke and dug her face back into her knees.

“Don’t get caught up in our politics Etzal.” She murmured under her breath peeking from under her arm up at the beast.

Nothing about her was.. Strange. All Etzal looked similar body wise.. The most noticeable difference was…

“Where are your wings?” She asked, but the Etzal didn’t reply. The bug looked at her chest bound by bandages that covered where her wings should have been. Tarryn understood that wasn’t the right question.

“I don’t expect someone called the Beast God to be very up for negotiation for keeping you alive.” The insect admitted patting the princess on the shoulder. “Do you want someone to try?” The Princess shook her head which was still buried between her knees.

“It’s not worth the emotional trauma. Besides, as much as I don’t want it to happen, we all die anyway.”

The Etzal nodded. Many of her people went with the flow. Their lives much shorter than any other race. They accepted death within their first three years.It was something all of them faced and they only had so much time to make their mark. Only about a third of a human’s natural lifespan was all they had and when they were gone they were left in the forest to give back to what had given them life in the first place.

“Good luck facing Meros, Tarryn. It takes a brave heart to see death face on.” The Etzal stood up once again and looked down on the princess. There was a faint malevolent look in her eyes as she turned her back on the princess. “I'll find your star tomorrow night if this is how you want to spend your last few hours of life.” She spoke approaching the stairs of the stepping stone and leaving the sobbing princess to her lamenting.

#Thunder #my writing #personal story #story #passion project

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chaotic-confused · 5 years

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Unlike the last few meals Talsha had arrived to with her brother and father, this one seemed nostalgic. There were no armed guards waiting just inside the double doors to the banquet hall for the first time in a long while, and both her father and brother had gathered before nightfall. She couldn’t help but hope that this was a positive sign for the night.

It was still strange to see only a single table in the spacious banquet hall, but tradition needed to be followed in this case. Besides, her father’s steadily declining mental control would place any guests at risk if they invited guests in to dine with them.

Talsha marched over to the open seat across from her brother, pulled the chair out, and sat down before any of the palace servants were able to bring in drinks.

“I would assume your training was beneficial, correct?” Sahe was never one to play to small talk, but Talsha would most certainly have preferred some time to comprehend what she witnessed earlier that day before speaking of it.

She gathered her resolve as much as she could, knowing that her father wasn’t one to back down from a subject of conversation. “The sisters taught me much,” she said, pausing only to choose her words carefully. “They even showed me how to control the visions in times of duress.”

Her father simply nodded as if to end their brief conversation. He threw his hand up moments later and clicked his claws together, calling the staff out to serve the prepared meal. The most delicious scent poured into the room as the double doors swung open, revealing a line of four servants who marched in to deliver the dish.

The first brought their pitcher to the line of intricately carved cups at the head of the table opposite Sahe; with great care, he poured out what appeared to be a frothing blood wine. The other three were each carrying a plate just larger than Talsha’s head, with steam rising off the still warm contents. They swirled the table in unison, one pausing at each of the seats before gingerly placing their heaped plate at each setting.

“He has prepared your suggestion for the night to the best of his ability, lord,” the servant standing behind her father’s high-backed seat announced. “May it meet your standards.” The servant pouring drinks set his pitcher down and hastily placed a full cup down by each of the guests.

Sahe rushed the servants out of the banquet hall with a brisk hand wave. Talsha, meanwhile, found her attention drifting to the impressive spread laid out before her. Just the scent alone rolling off the basted ostani filet before her was tempting enough, sitting in a shallow pool of dark and glistening jus, but her father had apparently taken the time to ask for her favorite succulent to be roasted as well.

“If you would,” Sahe called to his children, “we must take the time to offer thanks.” Both Talsha and Ciras followed along as their father raised his hands up in front of him, as he reverently gave a prayer to the gods.

“We offer praise to you, Im-Norden, if not for whom we would not exist. We humbly accept the offering you have given us, and in thanks, promise to uphold your will, and the will of your kin.”

While Talsha never truly understood why her father was so focused on religion as compared to his early opinions, she wasn’t in much of a position to argue. Some of it may have been to do with the emergence of her foresight, though such superstitions had never stopped him before.

With their prayer to the gods finished, Talsha returned her attention to the food. The first chunk of meat from the filet fell away from the rest under her index claw as if slicing through rendered fat. It was even more delicious than she imagined, and perfectly seasoned. She almost thought there was a bit of spice mixed in for a second behind the more traditional herbal seasonings.

“If I may ask, father…” Ciras asked, curiously, “You taught me that wine was reserved for special occasions. Is there something we have not been told?”

Sahe couldn’t help but chuckle for a moment. His unusually cheerful demeanor hadn’t fallen apart yet, though there was always concern. “In but a few months, you will be of age to begin training for the throne. Is that not reason to celebrate?”

Ciras considered the point for a moment. “But will that mean that I can no longer speak with Rami?”

Sahe’s jovial smile vanished in an instant. Talsha had seen this one too many times with careless servant; she almost considered stepping in and changing the subject, but given what happened to the last person who intervened, she wasn’t ready to place herself in harm’s way.

“Who are you talking about, Ciras?” Sahe only let the silence sit for a few moments before he continued, “I know every servant and–”

“Please, father,” Ciras interrupted, sealing his fate. “I should not have asked. You wish for this to be a celebration?”

An oppressive silence rolled over the banquet hall like a thick blanket. While their father’s previously glib demeanor gave way to a paranoid glare, Talsha and Ciras exchanged nervous glances between each other. Talsha couldn’t help but wonder if her younger brother had let his news slip unintentionally; he’d never shown this kind of reckless abandon in conversation before.

The tension became too much to take in the moment, and she chose to focus on the succulents on her plate that she hadn’t touched yet. The palace cook had done exceptionally well tonight, finding the perfect middle ground with a slightly tough outer skin, but still soft and moist flesh inside along each of the finely stripped layers.

“If someone has found their way into the palace, then I must know about it.” Her father’s voice sounded on the verge of feral to the point that she didn’t need to look to tell that he’d bared his teeth. Ciras shrunk back in his seat, clearly desperate to take back everything he’d said.

Talsha speared a succulent on her index claw, trying her best not to get involved in the argument. It was difficult, however, considering that she’d seen everything that could possibly distract her since she was first invited to dine with her father in the hall as an incredibly young child, and the evening light streaming in through the windows at this time of day was perfectly positioned to catch her directly in the eyes if she weren’t looking toward the table.

Her father’s steely glare could be felt even without seeing it. “This means that anyone could find their way inside. Imagine the threat that could befall either of us should a citizen have hostile intentions!”

“I did not realize, father.” Ciras was by no means mature, but he should have known better. Yet she found herself struggling to look away, if only for the love for her younger brother. He didn’t deserve the level of anger brought out by their father’s advanced age.

Sahe stood from his seat at the head of the extended rectangular table. He left his chair pulled away for the sake of walking over to Ciras, holding his son’s shoulder, and saying in a dire tone, “Such a threat cannot be explained away as not realizing the risk.” Without warning, he reared his other hand back, claws glinting for just a second in the sunset shining into the dining room.

He swung as hard as he could. Ciras recoiled the moment his father’s claws came down, reflexively clutching at his cheek from the impact. The glass at Ciras’ setting toppled over, spilling the blood wine down through the shallow cracks in its surface.

Talsha finally decided that her father had gone too far. She forced herself to her feet, toppling her seat backward to the floor with a crash. She slammed her claws onto the table, fully prepared to leap over it if necessary. “You go too far, father. Back away… now.”

Whereas the last few instances of his loss of control ended moments after someone stepped in and brought him to reason, the immense rage in her father’s eyes shocked her; he showed no signs of coming down from the disease’s effects whatsoever. Ciras tried his best to weasel out of his father’s grasp, but Sahe’s grip tightened all the more, the dangerously sharp claws almost digging through to his son’s flesh.

“You would dare speak against me,” her father growled through clenched teeth. Talsha glanced over at the now open doors to the banquet hall, where Regent Protector Nali entered, flanked on either side by heavily armored royal guards.

The three of them stepped to the head of the table opposite where her father had been sitting. “Return him to his private chambers. I will speak to him personally once he has shown to be sensible.” In near perfect unison, the two guards flanking him moved to grab her father by either arm, tearing him away from Ciras as best they could.

Sahe actively struggled against the guards’ grip as he was hurried out the double doors and toward a place where he could be kept from anyone who he might injure in his current state.

Talsha hurried around the table past her father’s empty chair. Ciras had chosen to say seated, even trying his best to avoid looking in Talsha’s direction while one hand covered the right side of his face.

Talsha wrapped her arms tightly around her younger brother, trying her best to console him after one of the worse breaks in their father’s mental state. She could still feel Ciras quivering in her arms, each shuddering breath making it worse.

“You did not deserve it,” she said, quietly trying to help her brother cope with the fear he still felt. “Father may not agree, but you are not to blame.” Nothing she said seemed to help, though Ciras finally pulled his hand away from the side of his face after what felt like an eternity.

Talsha took the chance to examine if any harm had come from the impact. Surely enough, there were two cuts at least as long as her claws just above the spines along his jaw. A slow dribble of blood inched its way out from the deepest point of the highest cut.

She looked toward Nali to tell him, “Blood was drawn this time. How long will we ignore the issue at hand?”

Nali showed much more concern than his usual minimalistic deflection. He shook his head, took a few moments to consider everything, and replied, “There is no more time. I must take the mantle from him… but he is required to approve of it. Once he has calmed, I will discuss it with him.”

“That will not be enough!” Talsha recoiled at her raised tone, not realizing that she was agitated enough to lose control toward the one man who was in a position to help. “I am sorry, but what if he does not come down from his rage this time? We have waited for long enough; we cannot afford to wait longer.”

#writing #original project #gods of the colasti #fantasy #starting out #what am i doing #i've put way too much work into this

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