(no subject)
Jaedyn was being a total brat yesterday. I'm so glad that scene is over. Maybe now she'll be normal? Of course, she's only twelve, so I should probably cut her some slack. And I guess she is atually being betrayed by the whole world...
Is it weird that I'm really kinda proud of myself for getting to where I am right now? My word count is 3,356 and I'm only a little less than halfway to my daily goal (I set myself to write 2000 words every day), but the scene I'm working on is flowing pretty well. Want to read it? Good. Here it is, but first a couple notes: Faus is Jaedyn's horse, and 'Faru' is what Jaedyn calls her father.
Faru’s servants found Jaedyn in the stable a little past mealtime. Apparently, Faru had expected Jaedyn to eat with him in his room, a sure sign of trouble. Rarely did the man ever want company when he took his meals. She had gone in with a great deal of trepidation, and had been met with only soft silence, after he greeted her.
Jaedyn was extremely confused by his reluctance to speak to her, not to mention more than a touch hurt. Her father had always spoken to her when she was in his presence, at least a little. His smiles for her had always been warm and loving; he’d never outright ignored her like this, especially after insisting on her presence.
The meal was spread out over low tables, and heavy with fruits and flat breads. A small number of meat dishes were scattered throughout the selection, but Jaedyn ignored them in favor of the more rare spiced fishes and candied fruits. Her favorites were all here; she wondered why. Perhaps he was spoiling her one last time before they had to leave and before she was accepted into the temple and taken from him?
As the time passed, Jaedyn kept stealing glances at her father, hoping he would acknowledge her in some way and trying to puzzle out his actions and behavior. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed ahead, moving to eat and drink only. It was difficult to keep her tongue, especially when she had never seemed to have a problem with speaking her mind to him before. She wasn’t sure why she was trying to be a respectful daughter now of all times, when he was making her leave.
At last the food was being cleared away by one of their few servants and large cups of cool, clean, clear water were being set in front of them. Jaedyn grabbed eagerly at her cup and drank deeply. Wine was well and good, but there was nothing like fresh water. Bemused by a chuckle, she nearly spilled the last few swallows of water down her front.
“Always so eager for the cleansing drinks, my daughter,” Faru said. “So like your mother that way. She loved water, too. It broke her heart when she came here, away from the-how did she call it?-ocean. She could swim like a fish, that woman. Adored it.” His voice was warm with happy memories, his gaze distant.
Jaedyn was afraid to speak, worried that if she broke her father’s mood, he might be angry with her. At the same time, however, she desperately wanted to ask questions-he hardly ever spoke about his wife. Her throat burned with the urge to say something.
A great long while passed in silence, it seemed, though in reality it was probably only a few minutes at the most. Faru smiled, a bitter smile, and shook himself to look at Jaedyn.
“Well, now, daughter,” he announced, looking around and snapping his gaze onto her face. “Have you packed your belongings yet?”
She looked down, tracing the grain of the smooth wood and lowering her head as was proper for a girl. Her anger had calmed; her need to be defiant dissipated like mist.
“No, Faru,” she answered. “Not yet. I was grooming Faus, because he never let anyone else near him and he needed it. I apologize, Faru. I will do so right away.”
But they wouldn’t be going anywhere, since she was leaving in the dead of the night tonight, anyway.
“Would you look at me?” he asked gently.
“I’m sorry?” Jaedyn was startled.
“Meet my eye,” Faru said patiently. “I have encouraged your free spirit because I value your independence, Jaedyn. But I am afraid that it has damaged the authority I should hold over you. Now, that seems to have vanished, and a meek little thing has been left in my stubborn daughter’s place. Truly, I do not like it as much as a good father should.” He sighed, a windy sound that swirled to Jaedyn’s ears. “Now, on this last night with her, I would have my fiery Jaedyn meet my gaze with all the headstrong insolence I know fills her.” He sounded almost…proud.
Utterly baffled, Jaedyn lifted her brown eyes to her father’s. He grinned. “I would have her speak her mind to me.”
“Faru-” Unsure of what to say that hadn’t been shouted at the top of her lungs already, Jaedyn bit off her own words and glanced away. Her lower lip caught between her teeth; she nibbled at it worriedly.
How are you doing?
Is it weird that I'm really kinda proud of myself for getting to where I am right now? My word count is 3,356 and I'm only a little less than halfway to my daily goal (I set myself to write 2000 words every day), but the scene I'm working on is flowing pretty well. Want to read it? Good. Here it is, but first a couple notes: Faus is Jaedyn's horse, and 'Faru' is what Jaedyn calls her father.
Faru’s servants found Jaedyn in the stable a little past mealtime. Apparently, Faru had expected Jaedyn to eat with him in his room, a sure sign of trouble. Rarely did the man ever want company when he took his meals. She had gone in with a great deal of trepidation, and had been met with only soft silence, after he greeted her.
Jaedyn was extremely confused by his reluctance to speak to her, not to mention more than a touch hurt. Her father had always spoken to her when she was in his presence, at least a little. His smiles for her had always been warm and loving; he’d never outright ignored her like this, especially after insisting on her presence.
The meal was spread out over low tables, and heavy with fruits and flat breads. A small number of meat dishes were scattered throughout the selection, but Jaedyn ignored them in favor of the more rare spiced fishes and candied fruits. Her favorites were all here; she wondered why. Perhaps he was spoiling her one last time before they had to leave and before she was accepted into the temple and taken from him?
As the time passed, Jaedyn kept stealing glances at her father, hoping he would acknowledge her in some way and trying to puzzle out his actions and behavior. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed ahead, moving to eat and drink only. It was difficult to keep her tongue, especially when she had never seemed to have a problem with speaking her mind to him before. She wasn’t sure why she was trying to be a respectful daughter now of all times, when he was making her leave.
At last the food was being cleared away by one of their few servants and large cups of cool, clean, clear water were being set in front of them. Jaedyn grabbed eagerly at her cup and drank deeply. Wine was well and good, but there was nothing like fresh water. Bemused by a chuckle, she nearly spilled the last few swallows of water down her front.
“Always so eager for the cleansing drinks, my daughter,” Faru said. “So like your mother that way. She loved water, too. It broke her heart when she came here, away from the-how did she call it?-ocean. She could swim like a fish, that woman. Adored it.” His voice was warm with happy memories, his gaze distant.
Jaedyn was afraid to speak, worried that if she broke her father’s mood, he might be angry with her. At the same time, however, she desperately wanted to ask questions-he hardly ever spoke about his wife. Her throat burned with the urge to say something.
A great long while passed in silence, it seemed, though in reality it was probably only a few minutes at the most. Faru smiled, a bitter smile, and shook himself to look at Jaedyn.
“Well, now, daughter,” he announced, looking around and snapping his gaze onto her face. “Have you packed your belongings yet?”
She looked down, tracing the grain of the smooth wood and lowering her head as was proper for a girl. Her anger had calmed; her need to be defiant dissipated like mist.
“No, Faru,” she answered. “Not yet. I was grooming Faus, because he never let anyone else near him and he needed it. I apologize, Faru. I will do so right away.”
But they wouldn’t be going anywhere, since she was leaving in the dead of the night tonight, anyway.
“Would you look at me?” he asked gently.
“I’m sorry?” Jaedyn was startled.
“Meet my eye,” Faru said patiently. “I have encouraged your free spirit because I value your independence, Jaedyn. But I am afraid that it has damaged the authority I should hold over you. Now, that seems to have vanished, and a meek little thing has been left in my stubborn daughter’s place. Truly, I do not like it as much as a good father should.” He sighed, a windy sound that swirled to Jaedyn’s ears. “Now, on this last night with her, I would have my fiery Jaedyn meet my gaze with all the headstrong insolence I know fills her.” He sounded almost…proud.
Utterly baffled, Jaedyn lifted her brown eyes to her father’s. He grinned. “I would have her speak her mind to me.”
“Faru-” Unsure of what to say that hadn’t been shouted at the top of her lungs already, Jaedyn bit off her own words and glanced away. Her lower lip caught between her teeth; she nibbled at it worriedly.
How are you doing?