Below is a short story I wrote for my Character. I hope you enjoy and if ever your looking for a roleplay buddy, look me up
DAENARIA!!!"
The voice echoed through the courtyard. Daenaria, cupped her hands the tiny flame, sputtering out in a puff of black smoke. She quickly brushed her hands across her skirt, before clasping them behind her just in time. The owner of the billowing voice entered the room . Daenaria's father, Arlington was taller than most men, standing near a foot over his daughter. Her diminutive stature was not the only thing that set her apart from her father. Where his hair was a fair as wheat and as straight as a pin, hers billowed around her shoulders in fiery ringlets. " Daenaria, what are you doing? Your suppose to be studying in the chapel with your sisters. Why, Daughter must you always be where you are, NOT suppose to be?" His question rolled off his breath in exasperation, that had become very apparent to the girl. " I was just, coming to gather some..." She scanned the courtyard quickly, her crystalline eyes falling on the well. " ..water! It grows hot in the chapel, the summer festival grows close you know." She continued to walk to the well, her gaze fixing on the grass below her feet. Arlington's frown did not lessen. For years he had wondered about his Daughter, she was so unlike her sisters and his own beloved wife who had died the summer season past. For years he searched his memory for members of his bloodline that mirrored the willful girl in body and spirit, none ever came to mind. He watched his daughter draw the water from the well and simply shook his head. " Hurry back, you have an obligation to the gods, just as much as your sisters. Whom, I might add, are doing fine without water."
" Yes Father..." She, set the silver ladle back in the bucket and headed towards the chapel dedicated to Narfas, the God of Spring water and healing rites. For as long as she remembered her parents had told her, that as a woman of the Neurei bloodline, she was bound to Narfas. As a child she had thought little of being bound by blood to a god. As she grew older however, the bind had become like a leash tethering her to a place she barely recognized as a home. It was not that her father was unkind, he was kind in his own right, providing food, shelter and a education, but there was more. There is always more. For as long as, she could remember Daenaria, had felt an inability to talk about her need to know more. More than the God, Narfas could teach.
The flame magic had called to her, long before she, knew it had a name. She was in her fifth summer, when she summoned her first conjuring of flame. It had been a warm summer, she remember the heat of the slate in the courtyard burning through her sandals. The tiny hummingbird had been hovering over the Hyacinth bushes, fluttering it's tiny wings. When she went closer trying to inspect the tiny bird, it flew faster than an arrow into the distance. She had remembered praying to Narfas, asking him to conjure the tiny bird. Narfas did not answer her that day, but someone else did. Opening her eyes, she had remembered the tiny fiery bird, the flames creating a brilliant spectrum of reds and greens and blues the flames perfectly recreating the hummingbird. The elemental bird buzzed around her head, for only a few seconds before disappearing into white smoke.
She cleared the memory from her mind as the chapel came into her view. she sighed softly. " If only to get away for a short while..I would return, I would do my duty to this bloodline..But I have so many questions, I just want to know more. It cannot be wrong to want to know more, if my heart is pure can it?" The wind was the only thing to answer the girl back, swirling around her, causing a few errant strands of her crimson hair to cross over her eyes, skewing her vision.
She spent the rest of her day, within the Chapel with her sisters and their Teacher, Darius. She poured over the ancient texts and prayers associated with Narfas, all the while the hastily read spell in the towns
library on her mind. It was a spell involving conjuring flames and then shaping those flames into an array of arrows. The text had been complicated and she stumbled across the words as she recited them quietly in a small corner of the Library.
" Daenaria, are you even attempting too transcribe the runes of Narfas? " Daerai frowned at her sister, before gesturing to the still blank slate in front of Daenaria. " I've just finished as have Delnaeri and Daelane. Daenaria sighed softly looking over at her two other sisters the three of them, though younger devoured the texts and runes of Narfas. Their minds like tiny sponges absorbing all of the knowledge and caring little for anything else. " I was meditating on such matters, before beginning to write out the runes. To apply vision to the context, Like Darius explained." The words though true and often stressed by their teacher came from her tongue in a clever excuse. Daeari, huffed away clearly angry that she had not thought to do the same.
The runes filled the blank slate, falling easily from her hand and they shimmered for a moment, before she took the chalk away. " Well done Daenaria, your going to be quite the priestess of Narfas. See how the runes respond even without the words followed!" Darius grinned down at the girl, clasping his hands delightedly on her shoulder. Daenaria smiled politely up at her teacher, He often gave her praise much to her sisters chagrin. " magic comes easily to you child it is as if Narfas himself has touched you. Darius gave her shoulders one more resounding pat before, collecting her slate. " The lessons for the day are done, go off now and do whatever it is that has been on your mind all day." Daenaria, grinned impishly, gathering her texts and hastily pulling them into her satchel. She practically sprang up from her chair, waving behind her as she hurried to the door. " Good-bye Darius, see you in the tomorrow." Darius laughed and called after her despite her shadows decent out the door frame " Till the morrow, Daenaria"
She had gotten rather good at the fireball conjuring. She had experimented with fiery orbs from the tiny and minute to some that were as big as ballast cannons. She never conjured flames, such as those around her families villa, for fear of her father's wrath. Any deviation from Narfas was expressly forbidden for the Neueri women. She had experimented by the stables for awhile, but controlling the flame and conjuring are two very different stories. The unfortunate incident of the burning hay bales, had sent her outside the walls of the city.
So today it was no different, she sought out the solace of a small clearing in the middle of silverspring. The sun filtered through the canopy of trees forming a small circle of light. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, the fire symbols forming on the back of her eyelids. She cupped her hands together slowly, feeling the magical energy swirling through her fingertips, the spark setting forth a small flicker of flame . Opening her eyes, she coaxed the flame with a few soundless words. The flame responded growing into a palm sized perfectly round sphere. She hurled the ball at a small boulder twenty paces to her left. The flame bursting against the surface of the stone, leaving angry char marks amidst the clearing of the smoke.
" Always a good warm- up" she spoke to the trees around her smiling. " Now onto, the phoenix summoning spell.." She knelt in the clearing, digging through her leather satchel. The rifling stopped when she pulled a small crumpled bit of parchment from the bag. She carefully smoothed the paper, revealing the hastily written runes and words that accompany them. The spell was complex something that would take weeks to master. Some of the runes she did not recognize and she would have to head back to the library to seek out their mysteries.
As with all works of magic..to master a spell you must pick apart each rune, mastering each symbol in earnest in order to string them into the universe with proper intention. Only with complete knowledge and understanding did spells become successful. Darius would have been proud of her mind's inner workings and she laughed as the thought occurred to her.
The sun began to set behind the trees as she packed up her studies, near half of the spell picked apart and studied. Had the sun's light not grown so dim she would have continued further, leaving only the pesky runes to be dealt with. A small flicker caught the corner of her eye and she turned her head toward the direction. The flaming elemental humming bird, flickered in the distance, it's fluttering wings setting the twilight on fire, with each rhythmic beat.
She stepped closer to the summoned creature and a voice masked by the trees outside of the clearing answered her movement.
" You wish to know more, Daenaria..child of water and fire..Step closer and I will show you."
She stopped mid step, setting her trembling leg back on the forest floor. The voice was not kind, yet nor was it unkind it was thick like smoke and billowing nearly beckoning as it continued. " It is your right to know more, on the hilltop did you not ask yourself something similar?"
"Who are you? How do you know my name? Show yourself!" She straightened to her full, if not still diminutive height and set her hands squarely on her hips. A chuckle met the back of her neck, and she nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt two fingers trail down each of her shoulder blades a sharp pain igniting against her flesh. She turned swiftly and a tidal wave met the flickering trail of fire left from whatever had touched her back. She felt tenderly at her shoulder blade, a warm tingle the only thing remaining from the strange and frightening experience..her silk robes seemingly not even singed. " Strange.." She grabbed her bag and set quickly in the opposite direction of the now dying ember trail, towards home.
The moon hung in the pitch colored sky by the time she hit her family's property line. She was one- hundred paces out and she instinctively knew that something was wrong. The torches were blazing across the night sky highlighting the large family home. Her heart sank to her stomach and she dropped her satchel, running towards her home. She threw open the doors, the grief stricken look on her sister's faces confirming her fears. " what has happened?" She looked expectantly at each of her sisters in turn, her own panic causing her breath to shake in her ribs.
It was Daelane, the youngest of the sisters, who spoke through broken sobs, the words muffling into gut wrenching sobs. " Papa, is dead..." The world fell into blackness, her sisters spinning into the darkness until nothing was left as the words sunk in. She heard a gut wrenching scream that she knew came from her own throat, and the floor met her knees hard...
II. The days passed in Grieving, the house eerily quiet, lessons post-poned for religious burial rites. Daenaria lost herself in a cloud of guilt wondering if she could have helped at all Had she been there could she have saved her father with the prayers and magical aid of Narfas? The question burned into every minute of her day, keeping her awake on the nights since her Father's death.
On the Fourth day or greiving, Darius gathered the Sisters in their father's study. He silently handed them each in turn a small trinket from Arlington's heirlooms, before looping around the sturdy chimewood desk and settling into the large overstuffed deerskin chair. He exhaled slowly as if gathering his words before speaking them. " I have called you here today Neuri sisters, to speak your fathers last words too you." He unrolled the parchment that had sat so non-discript in front of him. He looked up at each of the four in turn giving them a kindly smile, something that perhaps Arlington himself might have done, if speaking to his own four daughters now.
" For Daelane, my youngest daughter I leave you the pearl ring of your great- great grandmother. Your shimmering hair will match it's hue perfectly and be an ever present reminder, of how close our bloodline is to the sacred waters of narfas. Be strong and faithful my beloved daughter."
Daruis smiled softly at the tearful girl, watching as she slid the ring lightly onto her finger.
"
For Daerai, my second to last child I leave you the Sapphire pendant your mother wore on the day we were wed. You remind me so much of her as you grow into a young woman. It is my hope wearing her pendant will draw you closer to her and help you grow on your path as a priestess."
The pendant was fastened around the girls neck before he had finished reading and when Darius's eyes met her figure he saw her fingering the smoothing stone, carefully tracing the cuts and facets of the gems. He cleared his throat and continued.
"
To Delnaeri, my second oldest I leave you the topaz broach of your Aunt Isadora. She was a strong bright light in the line of the Neuri Priestess line, much as I am sure you will grow into."
Delnaeri affixed the broach to the bodice of her gown and smiled softly, her eyes moist with fresh tears. Daruis lifted his gaze to Daenaria now and smiled gently, watching the girl twirl the pendant around her thin fingers.
" To my eldest daughter, Daenaria. I leave to you dear daughter this pendant I was gifted on the day of your birth. The fiery stone matches your spirit, may it give you thing wings to soar on as a priestess of the healing waters."
T
he Ruby was cut and polished to mimic a pair of lovely jeweled wings, Daenaria studied them carefully before affixing the tiny silver chain and and settling the wings below her bodice.
Darius continued speaking .
" Tomorrow your lessons will resume. Take the night to remember your father and his gifts to you. When the sun rises we shall honor his memory by applying to our magical studies."
He nodding at them, offering another warm smile and ushering them out of the room with a flick of his wrist.
Daenaria exhaled slowly, the summer air was thick and the heat of the day still lingered in the stones of the courtyard. She walked slowly down the narrowing stone path that led to the garden. She had always enjoyed smelling the fragrant air, feeling the blossoms against her cheek and exposing her eyes to the various bold colors only nature could create.
Tonight she took particular care to walk each row, admiring each flowering bush or smallest of blooms. She plucked a moonflower in full bloom and tucked it behind her ear, the dusky blue a stark contrast to the deep reds in her hair. She rubbed her hand light across her left shoulder blade and then returned the motion on the right one as well. A dull ache had been settling into her bones all day and seemed to grow worse. The pain did not distract from the fiery glow illuminating behind a bush of flowering rosemary. She did not speak this time, instead she parted the bush quickly with both of her hands. The fiery hummingbird fluttered above her head and then flew a few feet from her hovering over a tall row of sunflowers.
" Your not getting away this time..."
Daenaria darted over the garden rows, each time she thought she had caught up the bird it would fly just out of arms length and hover as if waiting for her. This went on until the town was a memory and the forest replaced log and stone buildings. She ran quickly her skirt held around her knees as she ran to catch up with the tiny bird. She ran for what seemed like hours, until the forest cleared and a small town came into view the Hummingbird darted into the building of an Open window. " Perhaps your conjurer is in there too..."
Daenaria slowed to a walk, entering the gates casually. Her crystalline eyes scanned the building it was rather large and looked to be an Inn of sorts. She walked up to the door, striking upon it once with her small curled fist. She did not have to wait long, before a young man with curly blond hair answered the door. " Good, your finally here!." The boy ushered her in before the words were totally out of his mouth. " I've been waiting here for you for near enough to five days! He said you would be 'ere four days ago..FOUR!" He flailed his hands at her as if shouting the number four was not merely good enough. " Should 'ave given me another four thousand gold coins, fer waitin around for you..." Daenaria shook her head in confusion his words sending her mind alight with a flurry of questions. She spoke interrupting him. " Wait..you've been waiting for me? Who payed you, how much? What is going on?"
The boy looked at her as if she might be dumb or perhaps deaf. When he spoke it was slower and louder. " You were suppose to be 'ere Four day's ago..Fiery red hair, spun in curls ..that looks like you. Daenaria, right?"
She blinked and nodded. " Were you in the forests of silverspring, the other night?" Her voice took on an accusatory tone and she back away from him, this time ready to cast a spell if needed.
" Silverspring, why would I be t'ere? That's like a days journey..No I'm tellin ya, I've been 'ere waiting for you and now yer here, So can I leave?" The toe-headed teen, pulled a small silver key from his pocket and tossed it at Daenaria.
She caught it instinctively. " what is this for?" She eyed the key slowly pondering it and his action "...and why would you want to leave .if you wanted me here? "
He sighed exasperatedly " No, I don't want you 'ere.I was watching the place fer ya. Was paid ta do it..now yer 'ere and my job is done. "
He moved to go around her and she held out her hand, pressing it to his chest , holding him for a moment. " Who paid you?"
He shrugged lightly, skirting around her " Didn't get a name..bag o coins is good enough of a name...good luck wit the inn Logar, needs one."
He was out the door and down one of the winding streets mingling in with some other late night stragglers.
Daenaria sighed softly turning around to eye the empty room, she saw a small flicker of light coming from the second floor landing and, ascended the stairs quietly. The humming bird hovered over a bookcase, it's shelves brimming with old looking texts and and rolls of parchment bound by wax. She stepped closer and the bird fluttered its wings wildly turning bird to pure flame and then a white puff of smoke. The letter fluttered to her feet and she hesitated before bending to grab it. The small action of bending her back sent a ripple of pain through her shoulder blades as if her bones would break through the skin. She whimpered, righting herself with the letter in her hand. Her name was written ornately across the front, when she flipped the back the seal binding the letter closed nearly caused her to drop the paper, two crimson wings, not unlike the pendant around her neck. She opened the letter with trembling hands.
I have arranged for you to stay here.
I am sorry I frightened you the other night. But everything will be illuminated when the time is right.
The time has come to begin learning who you really are child of water and fire.
Not all is as it appears. You are not your father's daughter. You belong to the
Universe Daenaria. It is time you begin to learn..the world is not ready for what
you can unleash if it is not controlled. Start at the beginning of the first shelf..your questions will be
answered in time. I have written your history here and when you are ready perhaps we shall meet again.
(( Ps. The Inn is a work in progress feel free to check it out. Just enter my house ))
