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March the 13th, year 761
My earliest memories bring me back to Hardun Manor. I was sitting crosslegged on the floor. My bare legs chilled against the hard wooden panels. Waiting... and extremely bored.
How long is he going to take? I think to myself, figiting in place. I can hear voices but they are too soft for me to make out. So I sit, furiously twiddling my thumbs.
Finally the door opens. I jump to my feet and run to the man now emerging from the room. "Daddy! Are you done now?!" I look up at him. My father is a tall and strong man. His sandy brown hair becomes more dishevled than normal as he runs his fingers through it absentmindedly. He gazes down at me, his smile kind. But his blue eyes seem in a way... tired.
He pats my head gently. "Yes. But why don't you go speak with your mother before we leave." He nudges me into the room. It's darker than in the corridor and it takes a moment before I'm able to see. The first thing I see are the thick curtains enveloping a huge four poster bed, and lying propped up by fluffy white pillows sits my mother. I run towards her, my feet sinking a little into the soft, warm rugs. I clamor up onto the silky sheets of the bed and sit facing her.
"You have something to tell me?" Her voice reminds me of the delicate tinkling of china. I stare at her. My mother is beautiful. Everyone says so. With her curling dark hair and glowing smile and glistening emerald eyes. She looks like a fairy queen to me with the candle light shining on her so.
I climb up into her lap. "Daddy's taking me to see the town!" I announce proudly. My excitement is bubbling inside me.
"And what made him decide to do that?" she asks, glancing up at father standing in the doorway.
"I asked him! Cause I've never been before." Mother smiles down at me.
"Well, have fun." She pets my hair. "Be sure to tell me all about it when you get back." I slide off the side of the bed, and skip to my father's side. He casualy nods farewell to mother and then we leave, shutting the door behind us.
We walk down the stone corridors, my small hand encased in his big one. We pass through room after room. Our house is very large. We have many rooms and servants as well. That's because my father is a very important person, so important that our house is situated at the very center of the town. Finally we reach the doors that lead to the stables. I've been to the stables before. I remember the old stableman was very kind to me, even though he told me it was too dangerous a place for a young girl. Now is the first time since then that I have been here.
The smell of horses is strong, a sharp contrast from the herbal smelling house or the perfurmy room of my mother's. I wrinkle my nose, as if that will get the sour smell out. My father leads me to the open courtyard, telling one of the younger stableboys to fetch his horse. My heart starts to pound. I can't wait!!! The huge creature is brought up to us, and my father hoists me up under my arms and places me in the saddle. My legs are forced to stick out at an odd angle because of how big the horse is. But dispite the hight and my precarious position, I'm not afraid. My father lunges onto the horse behind me. He places a huge hand on my shoulder and shows me where to hold on to the saddle. Then he takes the reins and we're off!!
As the gates open, I gasp in surprise and glee. I had often stared out of the windows of the house, but actually being in the streets was a completely different world. My father leads our horse slowly through the cobblestone streets, his hoofs clip-clopping on the uneven road. But we're not alone. There are other people and horses and carts on the road. Some stopped outside of houses and storefronts and others casually moving on thier way. People were talking all around, and I turned trying to hear what each one had to say. Strange people. People I had never seen before! As we passed, many people raised their heads from whatever they were doing. Their faces shone with surprise and curiousity. My father held his hand up in greeting, and they returned the motion. My father seemed to know everyone, though he did not stop or talk to any of them. I man looks up at me and points, talking to his neighbor. I decide to do like father and I wave back at him energetically.
We visit the old church. It's covered completely by vines now, but father told me about when they had first built it and how the stone was so polished it was blinding should the sun reflect off it a certain way. I wish I could have seen that. We also visit the market place. It's like a miniature parade as we wind our way through the tight streets. People often stop to stare at me, but I don't mind since I'm staring right back.
"Sorry, dear. We will have to finish your tour some other time." I look up at my father, upset that the fun was over so soon. But I didn't complain. The orange sun was only just above the thatched rooftops, casting eerie shadows everywhere. Night would come soon after. I didn't like the dark. You can never know if it's just you in the dark.
So we slowly trot back up to the manor. Despite seeing so many new things the one that surprised me the most was when we reached home. Staring up over an enormous stone wall, I can't believe how huge our home is compared to the town! We live in a castle! I exaggerate. Then going along with it. Well of course, my mother is the fairy queen! However, I giggle at the image of my father trying to be a fairy king. But the astonishing sight dissapears as we enter the gate and arrive in the stables.
Father helps me off the horse gently. My legs feel stuck out at odd angles still. I painfully walk into the house, leaving father behind speaking to the stableman. I look around... examining. Well, it's still the home I knew it just seems ...different now that I have seen it from everyone else's view. I absentmindedly wander the halls, lost in thought. The warm light from the sun has dissapeared now, leaving only the cold light of candles to fight off the darkness. I chilling blast of wind hits me suddenly in the face, pulling me from my daydreams. I glance toward the open window, and slowly walk towards it. Down far below me I see the town spread out. Lanterns hang from doorways and candles can be seen flickering from windows. It looks just like stars in the sky.
 Adelaide Morain · Fri Jun 13, 2008 @ 05:53pm · 2 Comments |
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