Blade Archer ~ Fifteen
Dec. 7th, 2004 12:58 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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yrae
It was going to be a hectic Summer for Kael. Not only was there Ynuk’s hrai-dani and wedding to think about, but Elara had also accepted the proposal of her fiancé. Granted, weddings weren’t half the celebration of the hrai-dani, but it still meant both of Kael’s older siblings would be moving out and finding a house of their own. The one-room house, which normally felt cosy if not a bit cramped, would feel empty.
While his mother prepared the wedding feast for Ynuk, he stared at the four piles of bed sheets lying on the floor, trying to imagine what it would be like with only two. He’d be able to visit his brother and sister of course, but it wouldn’t be the same.
“Kael?” Kathani called from the roof where she was slicing vegetables.
Kael stepped out of the house and looked up at the roof.
“Ye knows most of the healers at the palace, don’t ye?” his mother called down again.
“In a way.”
“Could ye get one of them priestess-healers to be here tomorrow?”
“What, now?”
“Of course now! Of ye shoot, boy!”
Kael went back into the house to slide his sandals on, then made his way to the palace. At least he hadn’t been asked to chop vegetables again.
It appeared to be a slow day in the healing house. Four of the healers were chatting while the fifth bandaged a young boy’s arm.
“Could it be true?” Ronanen feigned shock as she detached herself from the group and walked over to greet Kael. “The blade archer from the southern districts is in the healing house without an abrasion?”
Kael poked his tongue out at the young healer. “Ynuk’s got his wedding tomorrow. Mama wants to know if ye could come.”
Ronanen clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, I’d love to! This shall be the first time I will have officiated at a wedding, how lovely!” She paused, a vaguely worried expression on her face. “Your brother doesn’t mind that I’m not yet a full healer-priestess?”
“Aeia, no. Sorry,” he added guiltily at the curse that had inadvertently escaped his lips.
Ronanen giggled and slapped him playfully. “Naughty boy! Am I right in assuming this will be a lunchtime affair?”
Kael nodded. “Wait at the palace gates at noon, I’ll come and get you, since ye don’t know where I live, and ye could get killed on the way.”
The healer giggled again, completely unaware of how serious Kael was with the warning. “I’m sure the lands south of the Main Road can’t be as bad as they’re made out to be.”
Kael shrugged. “Probably worse.”
Ronanen raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Either way, I would not know the route to your house, so I’ll meet you there.”
Kael grinned and pressed his hands together in thanks. Ronanen did the same, though he wasn’t quite sure why—she was the one performing the favour.
Ronanen was already waiting for him by the palace gates when Kael arrived there the next morning. He squinted up at the sun, then down at the shadows it cast to try and gauge the time.
“I thought I was early,” he exclaimed.
Ronanen shrugged and got to her feet, brushing the dust from her green healer’s robe. “I’m not one for keeping people waiting,” she explained.
“Fair enough.” Kael jerked his head in the direction of his home, indicating Ronanen should follow.
The healer’s eyes were wide as she took in the ragged houses of the lower end of town. “Do you all live like this?” she asked, disbelieving.
Kael snorted. “Hardly. Most of these places have two rooms.”
Ronanen nodded satisfactorily. “You have three then?”
“Nah, just the one.”
“Goodness.”
Kael frowned as a thought came to him. “Ye didn’t bring any coin with ye, I hope?”
“A few, why do you ask?”
The boy shook his head and gave a wry smile. “Because ye surely won’t have it anymore.”
Ronanen’s hand flew to the coin pouch about her waist, and she whined quietly when she realised there was no jingling from inside it.
“Welcome to the third district,” Kael told her cheerily, slinging an arm around her shoulders and spreading the other wide to encompass his home suburb.
“Apparently so,” the healer muttered, eyes still wide. “Is nothing sacred in these parts?”
“Not really, no. Ye take yer dagger with ye everywhere, even to bed, ye trust only those ye’ve known yer whole life, and even then they can turn their backs on ye.” He frowned in thought. “Dagger throwing competitions are respected enough, I guess.”
“Goodness,” Ronanen breathed quietly, hand gripping her coin pouch as though that too would be stolen. In all honesty, Kael wouldn’t put it past his neighbours to snatch that from the young healer.
When they arrived back at his house, Kael saw a group of people gathered on the roof—his mother, Elara, Ynuk and his wife-to-be, along with her parents and siblings. He was welcomed warmly when he climbed the ladder, wide-eyed healer-priestess in tow.
“Ooh,” Ynuk’s mother-in-law exclaimed upon seeing the healer appear at the top of the ladder. “Got yerself a priestess and everything!”
Kathani smiled modestly, tapping the wooden spoon on the edge of her iron pot to remove any sauce still stuck to it, then she removed the huge pot from the fire and set it on the rooftop. “Take a piece of bread, everyone, and start eating.”
Ronanen was evidently more accustomed to extravagant meals than the one that the two mothers had prepared—Kael could tell by the look on her face. Or perhaps she preferred to use cutlery rather than bread to scoop up her food. Whatever the reason for her slight discomfort early in the meal, it had well and truly faded by the time the last of the stew had been soaked from the bottom of the pot.
When they had finished eating, all eyes turned to the young healer. Kael hid a grin as her own eyes widened. Apparently she’d forgotten exactly why she was present. Her eyes flicked from one face to another before finally finding Ynuk’s, and the realisation washed over her face in a red wave.
“Oh, yes, of course,” she mumbled, then sat up straight, holding one outstretched palm each to the bride and groom.
“May Lin bless you,” she said strongly, though Kael could hear the flicker of uncertainty and nervousness behind the rehearsed words, “and may she give you and your families healthy and prosperous lives.”
It was hardly a long speech, but it had obviously taken great courage for her to say it in front of so many strangers who, Kael suspected, she thought could very easily steal the clothes from her back. Elara certainly looked like the type, Kael reflected.
The two families, who were now one, pressed their hands together to thank the priestess, and the ceremony was officially over, though they remained for some time to just talk amongst themselves.
Midway through the afternoon, Kael overed to walk Ronanen back to the palace. There was no way she would be able to make it back to the Main Road alone without at least one broken bone. He’d have to teach her to use a dagger sooner or later.
“You’ll do nothing of the sort!” the healer protested, aghast.
“Everyone in the kingdom owns one, Rona,” Kael countered, “it wouldn’t be as though ye’d be out of the ordinary.”
Ronanen tilted her head back indignantly. “I’ve not yet had a single blade brandished at me in anger.”
The blade archer shrugged. “It’ll happen, that much I can guarantee you.”
“I heal wounds, master blade archer. I don’t create them.”
“I’m not saying ye should make out to spill blood, just know enough to scare anyone off.” He kicked thoughtfully at a pebble. “You see, it’s much easier to rob someone who’s not going to try and stop ye from taking their coin.” He shrugged again. “I know I’d back off soon as a healer shoved her dagger at me.”
Ronanen laughed incredulously. “Because you’re one of those unsavoury southerners who’s week isn’t complete unless he’s mugged at least two northerners.” She sounded disbelieving, as though she imagined all the rumours she had heard were merely rumours, regardless of her journey to Kael’s home.
Kael stared at her in mock astonishment. “Please!” he cried resentfully, “I’ll not have ye thinking such things of me family!” He continued walking silently for a moment, watching the healer nod to herself in satisfaction. “We couldn’t live without at least four a week, though five or six makes life much more comfortable.”
Ronanen stopped dead in the street and stared at him openly. Her frown told him she didn’t know whether he was being serious or mocking her.
Kael just laughed.
~ ~ ~
Chapter~ 1476
Total~ 25 233
Time~ 2hrs, 23mins
Total~ 34hrs, 37mins
Notes~ Yes, I'm welll aware that November's done and I finished with a total of about 25 000 (I had most of the chapter written up, just finished the last page now) but like hell I'm going to just leave the story hanging. Haven't even gotten to the interesting stuff yet =0 So yus, shall keep with the one chapter a night thing until it's done, whether that be at the 50k or not =D
While his mother prepared the wedding feast for Ynuk, he stared at the four piles of bed sheets lying on the floor, trying to imagine what it would be like with only two. He’d be able to visit his brother and sister of course, but it wouldn’t be the same.
“Kael?” Kathani called from the roof where she was slicing vegetables.
Kael stepped out of the house and looked up at the roof.
“Ye knows most of the healers at the palace, don’t ye?” his mother called down again.
“In a way.”
“Could ye get one of them priestess-healers to be here tomorrow?”
“What, now?”
“Of course now! Of ye shoot, boy!”
Kael went back into the house to slide his sandals on, then made his way to the palace. At least he hadn’t been asked to chop vegetables again.
It appeared to be a slow day in the healing house. Four of the healers were chatting while the fifth bandaged a young boy’s arm.
“Could it be true?” Ronanen feigned shock as she detached herself from the group and walked over to greet Kael. “The blade archer from the southern districts is in the healing house without an abrasion?”
Kael poked his tongue out at the young healer. “Ynuk’s got his wedding tomorrow. Mama wants to know if ye could come.”
Ronanen clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, I’d love to! This shall be the first time I will have officiated at a wedding, how lovely!” She paused, a vaguely worried expression on her face. “Your brother doesn’t mind that I’m not yet a full healer-priestess?”
“Aeia, no. Sorry,” he added guiltily at the curse that had inadvertently escaped his lips.
Ronanen giggled and slapped him playfully. “Naughty boy! Am I right in assuming this will be a lunchtime affair?”
Kael nodded. “Wait at the palace gates at noon, I’ll come and get you, since ye don’t know where I live, and ye could get killed on the way.”
The healer giggled again, completely unaware of how serious Kael was with the warning. “I’m sure the lands south of the Main Road can’t be as bad as they’re made out to be.”
Kael shrugged. “Probably worse.”
Ronanen raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Either way, I would not know the route to your house, so I’ll meet you there.”
Kael grinned and pressed his hands together in thanks. Ronanen did the same, though he wasn’t quite sure why—she was the one performing the favour.
Ronanen was already waiting for him by the palace gates when Kael arrived there the next morning. He squinted up at the sun, then down at the shadows it cast to try and gauge the time.
“I thought I was early,” he exclaimed.
Ronanen shrugged and got to her feet, brushing the dust from her green healer’s robe. “I’m not one for keeping people waiting,” she explained.
“Fair enough.” Kael jerked his head in the direction of his home, indicating Ronanen should follow.
The healer’s eyes were wide as she took in the ragged houses of the lower end of town. “Do you all live like this?” she asked, disbelieving.
Kael snorted. “Hardly. Most of these places have two rooms.”
Ronanen nodded satisfactorily. “You have three then?”
“Nah, just the one.”
“Goodness.”
Kael frowned as a thought came to him. “Ye didn’t bring any coin with ye, I hope?”
“A few, why do you ask?”
The boy shook his head and gave a wry smile. “Because ye surely won’t have it anymore.”
Ronanen’s hand flew to the coin pouch about her waist, and she whined quietly when she realised there was no jingling from inside it.
“Welcome to the third district,” Kael told her cheerily, slinging an arm around her shoulders and spreading the other wide to encompass his home suburb.
“Apparently so,” the healer muttered, eyes still wide. “Is nothing sacred in these parts?”
“Not really, no. Ye take yer dagger with ye everywhere, even to bed, ye trust only those ye’ve known yer whole life, and even then they can turn their backs on ye.” He frowned in thought. “Dagger throwing competitions are respected enough, I guess.”
“Goodness,” Ronanen breathed quietly, hand gripping her coin pouch as though that too would be stolen. In all honesty, Kael wouldn’t put it past his neighbours to snatch that from the young healer.
When they arrived back at his house, Kael saw a group of people gathered on the roof—his mother, Elara, Ynuk and his wife-to-be, along with her parents and siblings. He was welcomed warmly when he climbed the ladder, wide-eyed healer-priestess in tow.
“Ooh,” Ynuk’s mother-in-law exclaimed upon seeing the healer appear at the top of the ladder. “Got yerself a priestess and everything!”
Kathani smiled modestly, tapping the wooden spoon on the edge of her iron pot to remove any sauce still stuck to it, then she removed the huge pot from the fire and set it on the rooftop. “Take a piece of bread, everyone, and start eating.”
Ronanen was evidently more accustomed to extravagant meals than the one that the two mothers had prepared—Kael could tell by the look on her face. Or perhaps she preferred to use cutlery rather than bread to scoop up her food. Whatever the reason for her slight discomfort early in the meal, it had well and truly faded by the time the last of the stew had been soaked from the bottom of the pot.
When they had finished eating, all eyes turned to the young healer. Kael hid a grin as her own eyes widened. Apparently she’d forgotten exactly why she was present. Her eyes flicked from one face to another before finally finding Ynuk’s, and the realisation washed over her face in a red wave.
“Oh, yes, of course,” she mumbled, then sat up straight, holding one outstretched palm each to the bride and groom.
“May Lin bless you,” she said strongly, though Kael could hear the flicker of uncertainty and nervousness behind the rehearsed words, “and may she give you and your families healthy and prosperous lives.”
It was hardly a long speech, but it had obviously taken great courage for her to say it in front of so many strangers who, Kael suspected, she thought could very easily steal the clothes from her back. Elara certainly looked like the type, Kael reflected.
The two families, who were now one, pressed their hands together to thank the priestess, and the ceremony was officially over, though they remained for some time to just talk amongst themselves.
Midway through the afternoon, Kael overed to walk Ronanen back to the palace. There was no way she would be able to make it back to the Main Road alone without at least one broken bone. He’d have to teach her to use a dagger sooner or later.
“You’ll do nothing of the sort!” the healer protested, aghast.
“Everyone in the kingdom owns one, Rona,” Kael countered, “it wouldn’t be as though ye’d be out of the ordinary.”
Ronanen tilted her head back indignantly. “I’ve not yet had a single blade brandished at me in anger.”
The blade archer shrugged. “It’ll happen, that much I can guarantee you.”
“I heal wounds, master blade archer. I don’t create them.”
“I’m not saying ye should make out to spill blood, just know enough to scare anyone off.” He kicked thoughtfully at a pebble. “You see, it’s much easier to rob someone who’s not going to try and stop ye from taking their coin.” He shrugged again. “I know I’d back off soon as a healer shoved her dagger at me.”
Ronanen laughed incredulously. “Because you’re one of those unsavoury southerners who’s week isn’t complete unless he’s mugged at least two northerners.” She sounded disbelieving, as though she imagined all the rumours she had heard were merely rumours, regardless of her journey to Kael’s home.
Kael stared at her in mock astonishment. “Please!” he cried resentfully, “I’ll not have ye thinking such things of me family!” He continued walking silently for a moment, watching the healer nod to herself in satisfaction. “We couldn’t live without at least four a week, though five or six makes life much more comfortable.”
Ronanen stopped dead in the street and stared at him openly. Her frown told him she didn’t know whether he was being serious or mocking her.
Kael just laughed.
Chapter~ 1476
Total~ 25 233
Time~ 2hrs, 23mins
Total~ 34hrs, 37mins
Notes~ Yes, I'm welll aware that November's done and I finished with a total of about 25 000 (I had most of the chapter written up, just finished the last page now) but like hell I'm going to just leave the story hanging. Haven't even gotten to the interesting stuff yet =0 So yus, shall keep with the one chapter a night thing until it's done, whether that be at the 50k or not =D