Passage Ch.2 Coren's Bird
Summary: Life is a journey with snapshots kept in your memories
Coren is Alfred's Sartan name which I had totally forgotten about until I re-read the books.
Alfred here is about 9 I think.
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Coren was playing with some of his rune toys when the maid bustled in. “Your parents have left, and they want you to be studying these books while they’re gone. You seem a mite small for some of these big thick books, but your parents know best, I’m sure.”
She spoke funny, but his parents had shown him the runes to trace in order to understand mensch when they had hired her a few years ago. They had told him that having a mensch maid would free them from having to watch him while they worked since he could study well enough on his own now. He had complained, which they had tolerated, but father said to mother that it would be good for him to become accustomed to the mensch early.
She was nice, even if he had to be careful what magic he did when she was around. When he was younger he had tried to play with some mensch children once. His parents had been giving their parents lessons and they had started to kick a ball around. It had seemed too easy to Coren, so he had used his magic to make it harder by making fires in front of the goals. One of the other children had been hurt badly and his mother had had to heal him. His parents had been very angry and forbid him from playing with any mensch again. They told him that since they were so powerful and the mensch so weak that it was their duty to protect them, not hurt them. Horrified by the smell of burned flesh still wafting through the air, Coren had simply nodded through his tears.
He didn’t really understand why the mensch didn’t have better magic. After all, magic was something that just came to Coren. When he asked his parents they had said that the Sartans had been born with the power and the ability to care for the lower races. That in the hands of the mensch such power would lead to disaster. Coren didn’t think that quite answered his question but he couldn’t be sure. Although… his father often complained that mensch had less sense than his pet bird, Feathers. Coren eyed the gold cage hanging from the ceiling thoughtfully. So, maybe giving the mensch magic would be like giving Feathers magic. The poor thing just wouldn’t know what to do with it! Coren nodded decisively, yes that made more sense.
“Now come along to the study Alfred dear.” Overcome with pity and new understanding for the maid, Coren smiled brightly at her, deciding to be especially good for her.
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My brain went blank, so this one's short. It is now my head canon that a lot of Sartan on Arianus had pet parrots because a philosopher compared them to the mensch. After all, since a parrot can speak some words someone who didn't know better might think they're intelligent, just like a Sartan who didn't know better might think that the mensch are intelligent.
Coren is Alfred's Sartan name which I had totally forgotten about until I re-read the books.
Alfred here is about 9 I think.
-------
Coren was playing with some of his rune toys when the maid bustled in. “Your parents have left, and they want you to be studying these books while they’re gone. You seem a mite small for some of these big thick books, but your parents know best, I’m sure.”
She spoke funny, but his parents had shown him the runes to trace in order to understand mensch when they had hired her a few years ago. They had told him that having a mensch maid would free them from having to watch him while they worked since he could study well enough on his own now. He had complained, which they had tolerated, but father said to mother that it would be good for him to become accustomed to the mensch early.
She was nice, even if he had to be careful what magic he did when she was around. When he was younger he had tried to play with some mensch children once. His parents had been giving their parents lessons and they had started to kick a ball around. It had seemed too easy to Coren, so he had used his magic to make it harder by making fires in front of the goals. One of the other children had been hurt badly and his mother had had to heal him. His parents had been very angry and forbid him from playing with any mensch again. They told him that since they were so powerful and the mensch so weak that it was their duty to protect them, not hurt them. Horrified by the smell of burned flesh still wafting through the air, Coren had simply nodded through his tears.
He didn’t really understand why the mensch didn’t have better magic. After all, magic was something that just came to Coren. When he asked his parents they had said that the Sartans had been born with the power and the ability to care for the lower races. That in the hands of the mensch such power would lead to disaster. Coren didn’t think that quite answered his question but he couldn’t be sure. Although… his father often complained that mensch had less sense than his pet bird, Feathers. Coren eyed the gold cage hanging from the ceiling thoughtfully. So, maybe giving the mensch magic would be like giving Feathers magic. The poor thing just wouldn’t know what to do with it! Coren nodded decisively, yes that made more sense.
“Now come along to the study Alfred dear.” Overcome with pity and new understanding for the maid, Coren smiled brightly at her, deciding to be especially good for her.
----
My brain went blank, so this one's short. It is now my head canon that a lot of Sartan on Arianus had pet parrots because a philosopher compared them to the mensch. After all, since a parrot can speak some words someone who didn't know better might think they're intelligent, just like a Sartan who didn't know better might think that the mensch are intelligent.