The first time i had ever seen a Lasaeri, i thought i was looking at some strange demon. I found myself somewhat displaced in the sandstone hills of MiddleGround when i spotted him. He was a fierce looking creature, nearly one and a half of me tall, all muscle too. His ears were long and pointed out just slightly. It was have been almost comical if he didn't have such a serious look on his face. Such a severe face he had! He held a small bow clutched in one clawed hand, a sling of arrows on his back. This creature was hunting small game. I could tell by the sack tied to his belt.
He must have known i was hiding because he stopped for a moment, turning around slowly. That was when i saw the thing that scared the living Zchi out of me! He had these giant hide-like wings folded to himself. I was too afraid to come out of hiding at first but all at once i realized my mistake. This creature knew i was here.
"Doli e Tirdis!" He shouted at my direction. I didn't understand what he said so i just stayed in place, afraid it was a challenge to arms.
"Show yourself" He repeated, his words heavily accented. He took two more steps toward me and i had no choice but to stand as i was told. The Creature laughed heartily and set his bow to the ground to show he meant no ill toward me.
"An ANDROGEN, here of all places" he chuckled and stuck a claw up in salute. I mimicked the motion and smiled in return. He seemed friendly enough.
"Well, you certainly aren't a demon, even though you have the wings of one." I said almost too quickly.
"These wings." the creature mused as he fanned them out for me to let me have a better look. "They're useless for anything other than the spectacle of death." I could see light filtering through a thin intricate networks of blood vessels. Suddenly i was almost convinced these wings were almost too fragile to be on such a stout figure.
"I am Lasaeri, dear Androgen, and if you keep travelling south you will see many more of us."
He must have known i was hiding because he stopped for a moment, turning around slowly. That was when i saw the thing that scared the living Zchi out of me! He had these giant hide-like wings folded to himself. I was too afraid to come out of hiding at first but all at once i realized my mistake. This creature knew i was here.
"Doli e Tirdis!" He shouted at my direction. I didn't understand what he said so i just stayed in place, afraid it was a challenge to arms.
"Show yourself" He repeated, his words heavily accented. He took two more steps toward me and i had no choice but to stand as i was told. The Creature laughed heartily and set his bow to the ground to show he meant no ill toward me.
"An ANDROGEN, here of all places" he chuckled and stuck a claw up in salute. I mimicked the motion and smiled in return. He seemed friendly enough.
"Well, you certainly aren't a demon, even though you have the wings of one." I said almost too quickly.
"These wings." the creature mused as he fanned them out for me to let me have a better look. "They're useless for anything other than the spectacle of death." I could see light filtering through a thin intricate networks of blood vessels. Suddenly i was almost convinced these wings were almost too fragile to be on such a stout figure.
"I am Lasaeri, dear Androgen, and if you keep travelling south you will see many more of us."
Ya Embaela fidgeted as her handmaidens affixed the final touches to her dress and hair. She thought it was fun sometimes to see what they could do to make her even unrecognizable to herself. Today she wore a dress picked out by the people made of layers of thin orange and yellow fabric. The people always picked her clothes for her; for now she was Pell's living doll. One of the younger handmaidens gave a short tug at a wandering strand of hair. Ya Embaela's tried her hardest not to cry, but she just couldn't hold back her eyes from watering. Instantly the poor handmaiden had a volley of angry voices upon her, admonishing her for her mistake. No matter how much Ya Embaela tried to speak her own forgiveness, she simply couldn't be heard over the din. To her rescue, Dannic poked his head in to see about the commotion.
"You girls aren't arguing again, you know how much it bothers little sister." He began to chuckle and made a path through the mob of handmaidens to Ya Embaela. He gently wiped a tear from her cheek and kissed her forhead.
"It's okay, little one, it will be over soon. Do you want me to stay here until they're done?"
Ya Embaela nodded slowly and at once the handmaidens rushed back to her to do their job. Dannic took a seat in the corner of the fitting room and watched, making sure to smile each time Ya Embaela looked his way. This was the reason why she loved her big brother so much. He always knew what to say to people when she herself couldn't say it. She was too little to be anything but a doll, Only 5 Cold Seasons old. All at once the hot stale air of being crowded subsided and the handmaidens backed up, all nodding their heads in satisfaction.
"Does it please you, Ka Dannic?" the eldest of them said sweetly.
"You ask the wrong person. Why not ask the person you've been poking and prodding at since the break of day?" Dannic gave a wide grin and winked at Ya Embaela. They never asked her what SHE thought about anything unless Dannic came to her rescue. Ya Embaela attempted to walk to the full length mirror but the layers of skirts inhibited her. She fell, suddenly picked up by one of the maids.
"Ooh child, you don't want to get this fabric dirty, do ya?"
Ya Embaela shook her head and was much more careful this time. It was hard to walk at first while lifting her legs ridiculously high to clear all the layers. She looked at herself in the mirror. For a moment she thought she was looked at a giant walking camelia bloom and giggled. The handmaidens in the mirror behind her, awaiting approval, shot her a warning glance and she adjusted her mien to that of seriousness.
It really was a pretty affair. Layers of skirts curled about in leaves around her short legs, her hair, which was already almost floor length, was braided in intricate loops, decorated with small marigold blossoms and dandelions, hanging jade ornaments dangled against fine gold chains as she turned to look at her brother. She smiled and nodded just once to signal her approval to the handmaidens. Soon, just like a doll, a new crew of women would come in and dust her cheeks and wings with powder and she would be carried to her rikshaw to sit with her mother.
She waited until the women left the dressing room and began scratching furiously at her legs.
"Brotherrrr.... it's SO itchy." she whined piteously. It was going to be a long journey of itching. Dannic put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
"I know. If it wouldn't be too weird, i'd wear the big dumb dress instead." They both gave a good laugh at that one.
"Imagine! Brother wearing the doll's dress! I don't think the people would be too happy about that one at all." She giggled and for a moment, her stony demeanor gave way to one of a small child who wanted to go outside to play.
Suddenly she heard the horns in the distance. One, Two... It was nearly time to begin the procession. Dannic didn't wait for the powder girls to arrive; he scooped up Ya Embaela in his arms and proceeded down the ornate sconce lit hall to the courtyard where the rickshaw would be waiting. The girls that had arrived late scurried down the hall after him, begging him to stop, but he kept up pace. They both laughed at the chase, knowing it would be the last time either of them could show any outward joy for many days. Ya Embaela felt herself nearly being thrown into the waiting rickshaw, caught by the fluffy layers of her skirts. She smiled at her brother.
"Why can't you sit up here with me, you did last time?" She pleaded, but he looked away quickly.
"Father says i'm becoming a man and that i owe it to Zchi and my people to prove it by taking the walk at the head."
"Oh, Dannic, it's a looong walk. I feel bad for brother."
Dannic smiled softly at her and whispered "It's what we have to do to keep order around here. Just be a good girl and do as you're told." suddenly he was gone in a blast of wandering light particles. For the first time since she awoke, she was alone in the courtyard. She leaned her head back, watching the clouds drift by. For a moment she thought one of them looked like a bird trying to fly free of the sky.
"Ya Embaela, please don't sit back like that, you'll muss up your beautiful hair!" a worried voice came from the entrance. Suddenly she was swarmed by the powdergirls, followed by her mother's procession of worrywarts. So much for enjoying a moment alone, she thought.
"You girls aren't arguing again, you know how much it bothers little sister." He began to chuckle and made a path through the mob of handmaidens to Ya Embaela. He gently wiped a tear from her cheek and kissed her forhead.
"It's okay, little one, it will be over soon. Do you want me to stay here until they're done?"
Ya Embaela nodded slowly and at once the handmaidens rushed back to her to do their job. Dannic took a seat in the corner of the fitting room and watched, making sure to smile each time Ya Embaela looked his way. This was the reason why she loved her big brother so much. He always knew what to say to people when she herself couldn't say it. She was too little to be anything but a doll, Only 5 Cold Seasons old. All at once the hot stale air of being crowded subsided and the handmaidens backed up, all nodding their heads in satisfaction.
"Does it please you, Ka Dannic?" the eldest of them said sweetly.
"You ask the wrong person. Why not ask the person you've been poking and prodding at since the break of day?" Dannic gave a wide grin and winked at Ya Embaela. They never asked her what SHE thought about anything unless Dannic came to her rescue. Ya Embaela attempted to walk to the full length mirror but the layers of skirts inhibited her. She fell, suddenly picked up by one of the maids.
"Ooh child, you don't want to get this fabric dirty, do ya?"
Ya Embaela shook her head and was much more careful this time. It was hard to walk at first while lifting her legs ridiculously high to clear all the layers. She looked at herself in the mirror. For a moment she thought she was looked at a giant walking camelia bloom and giggled. The handmaidens in the mirror behind her, awaiting approval, shot her a warning glance and she adjusted her mien to that of seriousness.
It really was a pretty affair. Layers of skirts curled about in leaves around her short legs, her hair, which was already almost floor length, was braided in intricate loops, decorated with small marigold blossoms and dandelions, hanging jade ornaments dangled against fine gold chains as she turned to look at her brother. She smiled and nodded just once to signal her approval to the handmaidens. Soon, just like a doll, a new crew of women would come in and dust her cheeks and wings with powder and she would be carried to her rikshaw to sit with her mother.
She waited until the women left the dressing room and began scratching furiously at her legs.
"Brotherrrr.... it's SO itchy." she whined piteously. It was going to be a long journey of itching. Dannic put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
"I know. If it wouldn't be too weird, i'd wear the big dumb dress instead." They both gave a good laugh at that one.
"Imagine! Brother wearing the doll's dress! I don't think the people would be too happy about that one at all." She giggled and for a moment, her stony demeanor gave way to one of a small child who wanted to go outside to play.
Suddenly she heard the horns in the distance. One, Two... It was nearly time to begin the procession. Dannic didn't wait for the powder girls to arrive; he scooped up Ya Embaela in his arms and proceeded down the ornate sconce lit hall to the courtyard where the rickshaw would be waiting. The girls that had arrived late scurried down the hall after him, begging him to stop, but he kept up pace. They both laughed at the chase, knowing it would be the last time either of them could show any outward joy for many days. Ya Embaela felt herself nearly being thrown into the waiting rickshaw, caught by the fluffy layers of her skirts. She smiled at her brother.
"Why can't you sit up here with me, you did last time?" She pleaded, but he looked away quickly.
"Father says i'm becoming a man and that i owe it to Zchi and my people to prove it by taking the walk at the head."
"Oh, Dannic, it's a looong walk. I feel bad for brother."
Dannic smiled softly at her and whispered "It's what we have to do to keep order around here. Just be a good girl and do as you're told." suddenly he was gone in a blast of wandering light particles. For the first time since she awoke, she was alone in the courtyard. She leaned her head back, watching the clouds drift by. For a moment she thought one of them looked like a bird trying to fly free of the sky.
"Ya Embaela, please don't sit back like that, you'll muss up your beautiful hair!" a worried voice came from the entrance. Suddenly she was swarmed by the powdergirls, followed by her mother's procession of worrywarts. So much for enjoying a moment alone, she thought.
