Above Our Nation (Summer Challenge, Strawberry Banana, Blue Raspberry, Whipped Cream)
‘Verse: ☼ The Sun, Radiant ☼
Challenges/Toppings/Extras: Summer Challenge ‘14: Special Brownie #25 (And I don't know who I am but life is for learning), Strawberry Banana #24 (birdwatching), Substitute-FOTW Blue Raspberry #18 (bad omen) + Whipped Cream
Rating: PG
Title: Above Our Nation
Summary: The trouble started, oddly enough, with…
Notes: “Shan” is the formal term for fate; in this case a kind of personification (as in Greek mythos, but not quite to that extent).
Later, Ruhana would realize it started with the peacock.
At some point in the history of the kingdom - no one knew exactly when - a flock of them had become a standard feature of the palace gardens. The story went that the flock was a nuisance at first and was to be exterminated, until a particularly clever gardener tamed them. Since then, those peacocks and the peacock in general became a symbol of the grace and pride embodied by the nation. They even got so popular that the Peacock Crown, made generations before, stopped gathering dust in the treasury and became the official state headgear of the regent.
But, at the time, all Ruhana, Second Princess of Arambh, knew was that one of the birds - the biggest, most resplendent male - hated her sister. When thirteen-year-old Jalenashi would stroll through the gardens, fan in hand, Bahurai (for this was the peacock’s name) would stalk after, pecking at her heels. Ruhana rather thought that if any bird had the nerve to do that to her she would have it killed, but Jalenashi didn’t give Bahurai so much as a glance. And she did not avoid the gardens, either, which was Ruhana’s second choice. No, she seemed to revel in taunting the peacock by doing absolutely nothing about him. Every day, a walk, and every day, peck peck peck, and every day, Ruhana would watch through the window of the room where she was supposed to be learning her letters and think, today, Sister will kick him.
She never did.
Later, Ruhana would realize it was the first sign that something was very wrong.
~☼~
Ruhana had always expected to be in the shadow of her sister, the Queen-to-be. From a young age she had been conditioned to be okay with that, as the royal family’s history of backstabbing for power was far too long and shan knew her father would really rather not have his daughters, the only things he had left of the late Queen Ashvani, rip each other apart. But while she knew she was not to be a ruler by any means, Ruhana wished for more than a political marriage or a life spent in service to the gods or the Crown.
She just didn’t know what more she wanted, not for a long time, and it was too late when she did; destiny had moved its pawn as it would and she was trapped without the freedom-from-responsibility she’d been craving the entire time.
Challenges/Toppings/Extras: Summer Challenge ‘14: Special Brownie #25 (And I don't know who I am but life is for learning), Strawberry Banana #24 (birdwatching), Substitute-FOTW Blue Raspberry #18 (bad omen) + Whipped Cream
Rating: PG
Title: Above Our Nation
Summary: The trouble started, oddly enough, with…
Notes: “Shan” is the formal term for fate; in this case a kind of personification (as in Greek mythos, but not quite to that extent).
Later, Ruhana would realize it started with the peacock.
At some point in the history of the kingdom - no one knew exactly when - a flock of them had become a standard feature of the palace gardens. The story went that the flock was a nuisance at first and was to be exterminated, until a particularly clever gardener tamed them. Since then, those peacocks and the peacock in general became a symbol of the grace and pride embodied by the nation. They even got so popular that the Peacock Crown, made generations before, stopped gathering dust in the treasury and became the official state headgear of the regent.
But, at the time, all Ruhana, Second Princess of Arambh, knew was that one of the birds - the biggest, most resplendent male - hated her sister. When thirteen-year-old Jalenashi would stroll through the gardens, fan in hand, Bahurai (for this was the peacock’s name) would stalk after, pecking at her heels. Ruhana rather thought that if any bird had the nerve to do that to her she would have it killed, but Jalenashi didn’t give Bahurai so much as a glance. And she did not avoid the gardens, either, which was Ruhana’s second choice. No, she seemed to revel in taunting the peacock by doing absolutely nothing about him. Every day, a walk, and every day, peck peck peck, and every day, Ruhana would watch through the window of the room where she was supposed to be learning her letters and think, today, Sister will kick him.
She never did.
Later, Ruhana would realize it was the first sign that something was very wrong.
~☼~
Ruhana had always expected to be in the shadow of her sister, the Queen-to-be. From a young age she had been conditioned to be okay with that, as the royal family’s history of backstabbing for power was far too long and shan knew her father would really rather not have his daughters, the only things he had left of the late Queen Ashvani, rip each other apart. But while she knew she was not to be a ruler by any means, Ruhana wished for more than a political marriage or a life spent in service to the gods or the Crown.
She just didn’t know what more she wanted, not for a long time, and it was too late when she did; destiny had moved its pawn as it would and she was trapped without the freedom-from-responsibility she’d been craving the entire time.