Writing Mission #4
I was struggling for a while to come up with anything that would actually put Roa into a rage. The little Telgari didn't want to reveal her buttons. Then, in the shower this morning, she told me. For once, I don't have to be angsty.
There was something about the fish. Every time it was served, the Living Cavern was full to teeming at dinnertime. Instead of the usual crowd, Roa was surrounded by a thick press of people as she stood, mug of steaming tea in one hand, waiting in line for her chance to get food. Somewhere, Morley was watching over her. Fish had never been her favorite, but she found herself more and more fond of it as of late. Or, really, maybe she shouldn't eat it. If one liked fish as a species, wouldn't it be better to illustrate that preference by abstaining from devouring them? Or maybe--
"Oh no, he's too short," said the girl in front of Roa. She was a lovely, blonde-haired thing that had been tittering with two other girls waiting in line with her. Mostly, Roa had been able to tune their ramblings out, but there was something about the particular tone of this one squeal that drew her in again. Roa glanced off to the side, and pretended not to evesdrop.
"He's not too short," said the blonde's companion: a brown-haired Blooded girl from Ista. "You're just too tall."
"No," says the third. Black hair. "He's short."
"Well, who do you fancy, then?" quipped the blonde.
"I don't know about fancy," giggles black-hair, eyelashes fluttering, "but have you noticed if you go for a walk out early, those guards are training?"
"Guards!" The blonde is wrinkling her nose. "Eew. They're sweaty."
"In a good way," black-hair whispers. "And sometimes...they take their shirts off."
There is scandalized gasping from all three girls. Then, meekly brown-hair puts in, "The Captain's cute."
"I like the pale one the best. Tall and skinny. Blue eyes. The Lieutenant." Now that secrets are being revealed, the three have clustered together.
Roa inches forward. The line is moving. Maybe.
"I've seen him," says blonde. "He's so quiet."
"Well, he wouldn't need to talk."
"Minna!" chides brown hair.
"What? He wouldn't. Did you see he has a scar? It's rugged," black-haired Minna goes on boldly. "All that quiet's got to hide something underneath. Bet he'd just go crazy. Tear off clothing. An animal. I bet he-"
It hits Roa rather like a stone wall. A stone wall when you are looking the other way. She cannot breathe, and while she had thought the phrase 'seeing red' was only a metaphor, crimson spots do indeed dance before her eyes. Her body moves without her consent, jerking forward. Steaming tea goes flying, landing all over Minna and her fine dress and her whispered speculation. The girl begins screaming. Everyone looks.
"Oh...oh Faranth." The sensation goes as quickly as it arrived, leaving Roa feeling embarassed and a little queasy. "I'm so sorry. Are you all right? Let me go get some napkins..." She pushes through the crowd and towards the linens, leaving sobbing Minna and her entourage behind. And one, burning question ringing in her thoughts:
What the shells was that?
There was something about the fish. Every time it was served, the Living Cavern was full to teeming at dinnertime. Instead of the usual crowd, Roa was surrounded by a thick press of people as she stood, mug of steaming tea in one hand, waiting in line for her chance to get food. Somewhere, Morley was watching over her. Fish had never been her favorite, but she found herself more and more fond of it as of late. Or, really, maybe she shouldn't eat it. If one liked fish as a species, wouldn't it be better to illustrate that preference by abstaining from devouring them? Or maybe--
"Oh no, he's too short," said the girl in front of Roa. She was a lovely, blonde-haired thing that had been tittering with two other girls waiting in line with her. Mostly, Roa had been able to tune their ramblings out, but there was something about the particular tone of this one squeal that drew her in again. Roa glanced off to the side, and pretended not to evesdrop.
"He's not too short," said the blonde's companion: a brown-haired Blooded girl from Ista. "You're just too tall."
"No," says the third. Black hair. "He's short."
"Well, who do you fancy, then?" quipped the blonde.
"I don't know about fancy," giggles black-hair, eyelashes fluttering, "but have you noticed if you go for a walk out early, those guards are training?"
"Guards!" The blonde is wrinkling her nose. "Eew. They're sweaty."
"In a good way," black-hair whispers. "And sometimes...they take their shirts off."
There is scandalized gasping from all three girls. Then, meekly brown-hair puts in, "The Captain's cute."
"I like the pale one the best. Tall and skinny. Blue eyes. The Lieutenant." Now that secrets are being revealed, the three have clustered together.
Roa inches forward. The line is moving. Maybe.
"I've seen him," says blonde. "He's so quiet."
"Well, he wouldn't need to talk."
"Minna!" chides brown hair.
"What? He wouldn't. Did you see he has a scar? It's rugged," black-haired Minna goes on boldly. "All that quiet's got to hide something underneath. Bet he'd just go crazy. Tear off clothing. An animal. I bet he-"
It hits Roa rather like a stone wall. A stone wall when you are looking the other way. She cannot breathe, and while she had thought the phrase 'seeing red' was only a metaphor, crimson spots do indeed dance before her eyes. Her body moves without her consent, jerking forward. Steaming tea goes flying, landing all over Minna and her fine dress and her whispered speculation. The girl begins screaming. Everyone looks.
"Oh...oh Faranth." The sensation goes as quickly as it arrived, leaving Roa feeling embarassed and a little queasy. "I'm so sorry. Are you all right? Let me go get some napkins..." She pushes through the crowd and towards the linens, leaving sobbing Minna and her entourage behind. And one, burning question ringing in her thoughts:
What the shells was that?