Peanut Butter. Ambrosia. Whipped Cream. (Horizon Tales)
AUTHOR: Shrimp
CHALLENGE: Peanut Butter 6: metal; Ambrosia 29. Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper ; whipped cream
WORD COUNT: 1577
RATING: PG
NOTES: More of Vala and her father. Derwyn Dorsett is a good guy.
Vala glanced up from her journal at the sound of knocking. She stayed silent, hoping that she might be left alone. There was no one in all of Shore Shine she wished to see. It was either someone come to scold her or someone sent to make sure she was accepting her punishment. Go away, she wanted to yell, this is my room. Only it barely felt that way to her. Servants were constantly rummaging, straightening, touching anything that was left in sight. Her sister pushed her way inside whenever she felt the urge for company. Her mother would open the door and walk away, denying Vala of even her privacy. A child didn’t need privacy, she had heard her mother say a hundred times. If Vala wanted privacy then it meant that she was doing something she wasn’t supposed to be doing. That was everything she wanted to do though, wasn’t it? None of things that interested her seemed to be the things she was supposed to be doing. All of her favorite pastimes were best hidden from her mother and all the other prying eyes on Shore Shine. Elisa was her only ally but that was only because her sister was too young to know that Vala’s hobbies were… unladylike.
Hope rose in her chest and lifted her from her reclining position on the bed. Just when it seemed possible that the person would not barge into her room unwelcome, just when Vala experienced the slightest feeling of relief that this was indeed her domain the door pushed forward. In stepped Derwyn Dorsett, the lord of Shore Shine, her father.
“Da!” She yelled happily as she jumped from her seat on the bed and dashed across the room. He bent to one knee as she ran to him and opened his arms to receive his daughter’s hug. When she had wrapped her arms around his neck he lifted her and walked her back towards the bed. Soon she would be too big to be carried by him. How would she greet him then? There was no other way that came to mind that underscored the depths of her affection. “When did you get back?” She asked eagerly. He smiled and kissed her on her cheek.
“Earlier today. My whole way home I kept thinking how nice it would be to be home and relaxing in the company of my loving wife and darling daughters.” He sat down on Vala’s bed and shifted her so that she was sitting on his knee. He sighed dramatically. “But the moment I got inside the castle I was accosted by tales of a terrible fight between you and your mother. I never wanted to be the sort who kept my daughter locked away in a tower, but your mother says you beg for such punishments.” He let the idea hang in the air for a moment. “Vala, why do you vex your mother so?”
“She vexes me!” The young girl insisted. Her father gave her a look of low amusement and mild warning. “I never get to do any of the things I want to do,” she explained in a whine. She tried to quell the burning feelings of injustice that she felt. She wanted to scream and cry and throw a tantrum until her father gave her what she wanted. She was too old for that now though. Those were the things that Elisa could do when desperate for something to go in her favor. Vala was growing up now and had to leave such things behind.
“What do you want to do?” He asked patiently. She shrugged, not because she had no idea of what she wanted but because she felt overwhelmed by the amount of things. Where to begin? No one ever asked her what she wanted. Her opinion wasn’t important because she was a child and she was a girl. Her life was meant to be dictated by everyone else around her. She wondered if she would feel so suffocated if everything she wanted didn’t seem to be the exact opposite of what was wanted of her. Elisa seemed happy enough. Sewing and singing and picking flowers were enough for her. Vala wanted more. She wanted adventure! Danger! Her name written down in the histories!
“I want to learn to swordfight.” Her father rose an eyebrow at her response. She nodded her head to underscore that she was serious and continued, “That’s what Ma and I fought about this time.” Her father rubbed his free hand over his face. He seemed tired. Vala felt guilty that after having been away doing business with their liege lord that he had to come home to domestic unrest.
“I know. Your mother told me about the argument.” Vala bristled slightly, wondering what her mother had exactly said to him. She had barely let Vala explain herself when they fought. Mostly it had been yelling and shouting and then she had been banished to her room. But her mother had overreacted! “She said that you were caught stealing from the blacksmith.”
“I wasn’t stealing!” She jumped to her own defense. Her mother had gotten the wrong idea out of it and she didn’t want the same to happen with her father. “I was just going to borrow the sword. I wanted to practice.” Her father let her talk. He listened. It made her feel self-conscious of her story. It was the truth, but didn’t it just sound ridiculous?
“Your mother worries about you, Vala.” His voice made her look down at her hands. She knew that her mother worried. She knew that her mother loved her. She just wished that her mother didn’t worry so much and could love her without trying to change her. “I worry about you.” She looked up at him and saw that he was starting to stand up. She reached out to stop him. She wanted to reassure him that there was nothing to worry about. She wouldn’t go near the blacksmith again if that’s what he wanted. She would stay in her room and just read books and never bother anyone. She didn’t want him sad or scared or stressed because of her. Her father already had so much to think about. She didn’t mean to be another annoyance in his mind. “Stay here. I have something for you.”
Vala sat anxiously as her father stood and exited her room. She didn’t know what to expect. Normally she would have assumed that his words were going to be followed by a gift of some kind. But they had been talking about her bad behavior. He had been about to give her a lecture. She could feel that much. This sudden interruption had thrown her for a loop. She waited, guilt and fear all piling in her guts. She waited until she thought she wouldn’t be able to take it anymore. Right as she was about to spring to her feet and go looking of her father he returned. She settled back, the feeling of impatience retreating somewhat.
“What is it, Da?” Her father sat back on the bed next to her. In his hands he was holding something long and thin, wrapped carefully in thick fabric. “What is it?” She was bouncing on the bed with excitement. The lecture and her trouble forgotten in lieu of the present that was looming in her future. Derwyn sighed, his shoulders slumped and his face lined with thought.
“I bought you a sword, Vala,” he admitted. His distressed tone fell on deaf ears for Vala. She was beyond ecstatic. Her mind reeled. There was nothing she wanted more than to have her own sword, to learn to use it, to be brave and capable of protecting herself. She reached out and touched the package gently. She was almost afraid that it was a dream. She would wake up and find out that nothing had changed. “But before I give it to you I want to make sure you understand some things.” Vala pulled her hand back and gave her father her undivided attention. There was always a catch. “I want to give you everything you want. I want you to be able to do everything you want. It’s not as simple as all that though. Your mother is right when she worries about you.”
“Da, I-“
“No, Vala, just listen.” He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and she calmed herself. “People aren’t going to be happy that you’re trying to live outside their expectations. They’re going to expect the worst of you. They’re going to be waiting for you to fail. It won’t be enough for you to be good at sword fighting. You’ll have to be good at all the things that are expected of you as well.” He squeezed her shoulder and Vala saw the shine of tears in his eyes. “It isn’t fair, Vala, and I’m sorry. I wish I could make this a better, more accepting world for you but I can’t.” She thought about, looking from the bundled sword to her father’s face. She took a moment and then smiled up at him.
“So all I have to do is be good at everything I do? I can do that!” She laughed and soon enough her father was laughing too. He wrapped his arm around her in a hug, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
CHALLENGE: Peanut Butter 6: metal; Ambrosia 29. Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper ; whipped cream
WORD COUNT: 1577
RATING: PG
NOTES: More of Vala and her father. Derwyn Dorsett is a good guy.
Vala glanced up from her journal at the sound of knocking. She stayed silent, hoping that she might be left alone. There was no one in all of Shore Shine she wished to see. It was either someone come to scold her or someone sent to make sure she was accepting her punishment. Go away, she wanted to yell, this is my room. Only it barely felt that way to her. Servants were constantly rummaging, straightening, touching anything that was left in sight. Her sister pushed her way inside whenever she felt the urge for company. Her mother would open the door and walk away, denying Vala of even her privacy. A child didn’t need privacy, she had heard her mother say a hundred times. If Vala wanted privacy then it meant that she was doing something she wasn’t supposed to be doing. That was everything she wanted to do though, wasn’t it? None of things that interested her seemed to be the things she was supposed to be doing. All of her favorite pastimes were best hidden from her mother and all the other prying eyes on Shore Shine. Elisa was her only ally but that was only because her sister was too young to know that Vala’s hobbies were… unladylike.
Hope rose in her chest and lifted her from her reclining position on the bed. Just when it seemed possible that the person would not barge into her room unwelcome, just when Vala experienced the slightest feeling of relief that this was indeed her domain the door pushed forward. In stepped Derwyn Dorsett, the lord of Shore Shine, her father.
“Da!” She yelled happily as she jumped from her seat on the bed and dashed across the room. He bent to one knee as she ran to him and opened his arms to receive his daughter’s hug. When she had wrapped her arms around his neck he lifted her and walked her back towards the bed. Soon she would be too big to be carried by him. How would she greet him then? There was no other way that came to mind that underscored the depths of her affection. “When did you get back?” She asked eagerly. He smiled and kissed her on her cheek.
“Earlier today. My whole way home I kept thinking how nice it would be to be home and relaxing in the company of my loving wife and darling daughters.” He sat down on Vala’s bed and shifted her so that she was sitting on his knee. He sighed dramatically. “But the moment I got inside the castle I was accosted by tales of a terrible fight between you and your mother. I never wanted to be the sort who kept my daughter locked away in a tower, but your mother says you beg for such punishments.” He let the idea hang in the air for a moment. “Vala, why do you vex your mother so?”
“She vexes me!” The young girl insisted. Her father gave her a look of low amusement and mild warning. “I never get to do any of the things I want to do,” she explained in a whine. She tried to quell the burning feelings of injustice that she felt. She wanted to scream and cry and throw a tantrum until her father gave her what she wanted. She was too old for that now though. Those were the things that Elisa could do when desperate for something to go in her favor. Vala was growing up now and had to leave such things behind.
“What do you want to do?” He asked patiently. She shrugged, not because she had no idea of what she wanted but because she felt overwhelmed by the amount of things. Where to begin? No one ever asked her what she wanted. Her opinion wasn’t important because she was a child and she was a girl. Her life was meant to be dictated by everyone else around her. She wondered if she would feel so suffocated if everything she wanted didn’t seem to be the exact opposite of what was wanted of her. Elisa seemed happy enough. Sewing and singing and picking flowers were enough for her. Vala wanted more. She wanted adventure! Danger! Her name written down in the histories!
“I want to learn to swordfight.” Her father rose an eyebrow at her response. She nodded her head to underscore that she was serious and continued, “That’s what Ma and I fought about this time.” Her father rubbed his free hand over his face. He seemed tired. Vala felt guilty that after having been away doing business with their liege lord that he had to come home to domestic unrest.
“I know. Your mother told me about the argument.” Vala bristled slightly, wondering what her mother had exactly said to him. She had barely let Vala explain herself when they fought. Mostly it had been yelling and shouting and then she had been banished to her room. But her mother had overreacted! “She said that you were caught stealing from the blacksmith.”
“I wasn’t stealing!” She jumped to her own defense. Her mother had gotten the wrong idea out of it and she didn’t want the same to happen with her father. “I was just going to borrow the sword. I wanted to practice.” Her father let her talk. He listened. It made her feel self-conscious of her story. It was the truth, but didn’t it just sound ridiculous?
“Your mother worries about you, Vala.” His voice made her look down at her hands. She knew that her mother worried. She knew that her mother loved her. She just wished that her mother didn’t worry so much and could love her without trying to change her. “I worry about you.” She looked up at him and saw that he was starting to stand up. She reached out to stop him. She wanted to reassure him that there was nothing to worry about. She wouldn’t go near the blacksmith again if that’s what he wanted. She would stay in her room and just read books and never bother anyone. She didn’t want him sad or scared or stressed because of her. Her father already had so much to think about. She didn’t mean to be another annoyance in his mind. “Stay here. I have something for you.”
Vala sat anxiously as her father stood and exited her room. She didn’t know what to expect. Normally she would have assumed that his words were going to be followed by a gift of some kind. But they had been talking about her bad behavior. He had been about to give her a lecture. She could feel that much. This sudden interruption had thrown her for a loop. She waited, guilt and fear all piling in her guts. She waited until she thought she wouldn’t be able to take it anymore. Right as she was about to spring to her feet and go looking of her father he returned. She settled back, the feeling of impatience retreating somewhat.
“What is it, Da?” Her father sat back on the bed next to her. In his hands he was holding something long and thin, wrapped carefully in thick fabric. “What is it?” She was bouncing on the bed with excitement. The lecture and her trouble forgotten in lieu of the present that was looming in her future. Derwyn sighed, his shoulders slumped and his face lined with thought.
“I bought you a sword, Vala,” he admitted. His distressed tone fell on deaf ears for Vala. She was beyond ecstatic. Her mind reeled. There was nothing she wanted more than to have her own sword, to learn to use it, to be brave and capable of protecting herself. She reached out and touched the package gently. She was almost afraid that it was a dream. She would wake up and find out that nothing had changed. “But before I give it to you I want to make sure you understand some things.” Vala pulled her hand back and gave her father her undivided attention. There was always a catch. “I want to give you everything you want. I want you to be able to do everything you want. It’s not as simple as all that though. Your mother is right when she worries about you.”
“Da, I-“
“No, Vala, just listen.” He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and she calmed herself. “People aren’t going to be happy that you’re trying to live outside their expectations. They’re going to expect the worst of you. They’re going to be waiting for you to fail. It won’t be enough for you to be good at sword fighting. You’ll have to be good at all the things that are expected of you as well.” He squeezed her shoulder and Vala saw the shine of tears in his eyes. “It isn’t fair, Vala, and I’m sorry. I wish I could make this a better, more accepting world for you but I can’t.” She thought about, looking from the bundled sword to her father’s face. She took a moment and then smiled up at him.
“So all I have to do is be good at everything I do? I can do that!” She laughed and soon enough her father was laughing too. He wrapped his arm around her in a hug, planting a kiss on the top of her head.