But delay the mournful words
Of complicated overcast
Please take the message
That you taught me how to live at last
But I said my confidence
It gets stronger when you're next to me
But we wave respect goodbye
In quest for what we long to be, but
I might crumble, I might take a fall again
Blue October- Everlasting Friend
She stood high upon the walls of her home, gazing out over the hills and valley that laid a distance beyond. The looming keep was built into the side of a cliff face making it a highly defendable position and allowed for a grand view of any that might seek to march upon it. The sky dark with the rolling of heavy clouds, a summer storm building in strength and intensity, and bringing the scent of electric and dampness to the dark air.
Auburn curls danced under the fingers of the wind, teasing and tangling the silken locks without prejudice. But she didn't really seem to notice, for her gaze was drawn inward. Deep thoughts bring a marring of a smooth brow. Thinking over the many considerations brought up recently. From the past to now, and everything.
She was a product of her upbringing. A daughter of Chaos Undivided, a sister, a Shadow Mage apprentice, a warrior, a member of the Blood House Onyx and all came to her by her rite of birth. The blood in her veins was much a part of who she was. Part Demon, part Elf and raised in what her grandfather called an undisciplined and chaotic manner.
Her parents had taught her how to control her unconventional and often duel natures, but hadn't expected her to bind it up to the point it would become lost. She often suspected it was how her mother had been raised and had not wanted to create the same dangers in her own children. To the outside world, Fiona wasn't a motherly sort. She allowed few to see beyond that mask she wore, but her children knew the truth, for they had grown up surrounded by love.
Fear was only something she was recently coming to recognize but didn't fully understand it. While her grandfather didn't approve of how she or Daniel had been given lessons in managing their natures, he couldn't complain about how sheltered both had been. Unlike many others, they had not been allowed to wander off away from their home. Lucky for them, Gharnholme and the lands it encompassed was large and spread out over a vast area. It was a grand playground. It was safe, loving, peaceful, and familiar, without the shadow of fear that was said to rob some of their innocence.
Cieara had been 16 the first time she had been allowed to accompany her father to the realm of RhyDin. Daniel had already been there but always in the company of one of their parents. They had both fought in battles, facing some that were wiser in the ways of war, but they had taken knowledge from victory and defeat. She often saw that time as a turning point. Freedom to explore beyond the world they knew into something all together different.
She now faced another turning point. The Trials. A rite of passage where she would either embrace her shadow gifts or end up destroyed by them. That is if the Shadows deemed her unworthy to wield them. Her mother had told her each one was different. Each journey was as unique as the one passing through that dark veil. So all she could do is train for all events and hope she would survive it.
Oddly, while her family felt concern, many unvoiced, she found it an appealing challenge. She had sought her father out upon learning he was very worried and after a talk he was willing to let her try. She suspected he had been more troubled about her taking the mantle of the Order then surviving the harrowing tasks. She had been honest with him about that. Her grandfather didn't think she was suited for that life, but since she was related and had the aptitude, he would allow her to expand her gifts and the only way to do that, was to walk into the Ritual Trials. She could grow no further without it.
She was undisciplined, uncontrolled, emotional, and unpredictable to be a suitable candidate and those were just a few of the reasons given. True, she had felt a bit insulted, but then she realized, she didn't wish to be any of those things her grandfather required and while the older male would like to ignore it, Cieara did have a lot of her father in her along with the color of her hair. She carried much of her mother as well, but suspected Fiona would have been very different had Lyllianne raised her instead.
She had spoken at length with her mother about her decision and with Sorcha and her Grandmother as well. Learning all she could from all three. They had helped her train for what was to come. Methods very unconventional but more then effective as her speed had increased over the past few months. She could read body language, along with emotion and use that to her advantage. Cieara's skills grew with each lesson and then her teachers decided she was ready.
Now, she had only had two left to talk to about her choice. One she felt confident would support it, the other, was already avoiding her. Daniel wasn't happy. She felt that through the link they had shared since before she had been born. What was even more baffling, she wasn't sure why. He was blocking that from her and seemed to have become quite adept at avoiding her. Several times she had tried to catch him, but with each attempt she made he had ducked from sight. Cieara didn't know if it was sibling jealousy or a genuine fear she wouldn't survive. Considering she was four years younger, it was possible his pride wasn't handling this well either.
She suspected it was the idea she could die that drove him now beyond anything else. There wasn't any way to bring her back if that happened. Those that failed during the Trials, never returned. Their bodies lost within the maze. After that last battle and she had gotten hurt badly enough that the connection had been snapped off, she had heard he went a bit wild.
There was also a promise she had forced from him. A promise she now realized she had no right to demand. He too should have the right to pick what path he wanted to walk and not let anyone, or anything, not even a promise to her stop him. Now, if she could only catch up with him, she might get a moment to tell him that very thing.
"Daniel, we need to talk." The thought sent free to travel along that unseen thread to find her brother.
Blue October- Everlasting Friend
She stood high upon the walls of her home, gazing out over the hills and valley that laid a distance beyond. The looming keep was built into the side of a cliff face making it a highly defendable position and allowed for a grand view of any that might seek to march upon it. The sky dark with the rolling of heavy clouds, a summer storm building in strength and intensity, and bringing the scent of electric and dampness to the dark air.
Auburn curls danced under the fingers of the wind, teasing and tangling the silken locks without prejudice. But she didn't really seem to notice, for her gaze was drawn inward. Deep thoughts bring a marring of a smooth brow. Thinking over the many considerations brought up recently. From the past to now, and everything.
She was a product of her upbringing. A daughter of Chaos Undivided, a sister, a Shadow Mage apprentice, a warrior, a member of the Blood House Onyx and all came to her by her rite of birth. The blood in her veins was much a part of who she was. Part Demon, part Elf and raised in what her grandfather called an undisciplined and chaotic manner.
Her parents had taught her how to control her unconventional and often duel natures, but hadn't expected her to bind it up to the point it would become lost. She often suspected it was how her mother had been raised and had not wanted to create the same dangers in her own children. To the outside world, Fiona wasn't a motherly sort. She allowed few to see beyond that mask she wore, but her children knew the truth, for they had grown up surrounded by love.
Fear was only something she was recently coming to recognize but didn't fully understand it. While her grandfather didn't approve of how she or Daniel had been given lessons in managing their natures, he couldn't complain about how sheltered both had been. Unlike many others, they had not been allowed to wander off away from their home. Lucky for them, Gharnholme and the lands it encompassed was large and spread out over a vast area. It was a grand playground. It was safe, loving, peaceful, and familiar, without the shadow of fear that was said to rob some of their innocence.
Cieara had been 16 the first time she had been allowed to accompany her father to the realm of RhyDin. Daniel had already been there but always in the company of one of their parents. They had both fought in battles, facing some that were wiser in the ways of war, but they had taken knowledge from victory and defeat. She often saw that time as a turning point. Freedom to explore beyond the world they knew into something all together different.
She now faced another turning point. The Trials. A rite of passage where she would either embrace her shadow gifts or end up destroyed by them. That is if the Shadows deemed her unworthy to wield them. Her mother had told her each one was different. Each journey was as unique as the one passing through that dark veil. So all she could do is train for all events and hope she would survive it.
Oddly, while her family felt concern, many unvoiced, she found it an appealing challenge. She had sought her father out upon learning he was very worried and after a talk he was willing to let her try. She suspected he had been more troubled about her taking the mantle of the Order then surviving the harrowing tasks. She had been honest with him about that. Her grandfather didn't think she was suited for that life, but since she was related and had the aptitude, he would allow her to expand her gifts and the only way to do that, was to walk into the Ritual Trials. She could grow no further without it.
She was undisciplined, uncontrolled, emotional, and unpredictable to be a suitable candidate and those were just a few of the reasons given. True, she had felt a bit insulted, but then she realized, she didn't wish to be any of those things her grandfather required and while the older male would like to ignore it, Cieara did have a lot of her father in her along with the color of her hair. She carried much of her mother as well, but suspected Fiona would have been very different had Lyllianne raised her instead.
She had spoken at length with her mother about her decision and with Sorcha and her Grandmother as well. Learning all she could from all three. They had helped her train for what was to come. Methods very unconventional but more then effective as her speed had increased over the past few months. She could read body language, along with emotion and use that to her advantage. Cieara's skills grew with each lesson and then her teachers decided she was ready.
Now, she had only had two left to talk to about her choice. One she felt confident would support it, the other, was already avoiding her. Daniel wasn't happy. She felt that through the link they had shared since before she had been born. What was even more baffling, she wasn't sure why. He was blocking that from her and seemed to have become quite adept at avoiding her. Several times she had tried to catch him, but with each attempt she made he had ducked from sight. Cieara didn't know if it was sibling jealousy or a genuine fear she wouldn't survive. Considering she was four years younger, it was possible his pride wasn't handling this well either.
She suspected it was the idea she could die that drove him now beyond anything else. There wasn't any way to bring her back if that happened. Those that failed during the Trials, never returned. Their bodies lost within the maze. After that last battle and she had gotten hurt badly enough that the connection had been snapped off, she had heard he went a bit wild.
There was also a promise she had forced from him. A promise she now realized she had no right to demand. He too should have the right to pick what path he wanted to walk and not let anyone, or anything, not even a promise to her stop him. Now, if she could only catch up with him, she might get a moment to tell him that very thing.
"Daniel, we need to talk." The thought sent free to travel along that unseen thread to find her brother.