Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2021 4:23:41 GMT -5
Xanthia came back into the Hold as her mother had requested that morning once she had finished her chores. She'd just finished embroidering a beautiful dress for the Holder's daughter in preparation for the Gather that was due to arrive within the sevenday. She could hardly wait to see what people thought of her work. Noting her mother was seated by the fire with four of klah, Xan couldn't help but wonder why so many cups were out. Crossing the Hall, she moved to join her mother on the bench.
"Mother." she greeted albeit coolly, she did have some manners and she knew perfectly well how to use them but her mother had been uncharacteristically cheerful this morning and thus that behaviour had her somewhat on edge. Grabbing one of the cup as she seated herself on the other end of the bench, she brought the mug up to her lips. Her hands were still aching from all the carefully placed stitches.
"Ah, Xanthia. You've arrived, and just in time too!" Her mother's hands clasped together with childlike delight, causing Xan to narrow her eyes at the woman.
"What are you planning?" Her words were like sharpened ice and held no warmth for the woman that birthed her.
"Don't be like that, Xanny dear." her mother scolded, draining her own mug before placing it back on the table with a soft clunk.
"I know you well enough by now, Mother" Xan's voice was now venomous. "What are you planning." Xan seemed oblivious to the reprimanding glare that her mother had cast at her.
"Well, as you know, you've flowered and are now-" Her mother's words were abruptly cut off by a snort of derision.
”If you think I’m just going to meekly go and play broodm-” SLAP. CRASH. The noise rang hollowly through the Hold’s dining area. Xan’s head was snapped off to the left, her hair now partial covering her face. She blinked a few times to clear the black spots that swim around in her vision. It didn’t really hurt persay… just it was definitely more of a shock factor. She was used to getting a bit of a kicking or being smacked down by her mother, but usually there was pre-warning. This time though, there had been none. Xan turned her head back towards her mother, her eyes frighteningly cold as her hand moved up to press against her now throbbing cheek. The cup of klah that had once been in her hand was now smashed on the floor, Xan couldn’t help but wonder if her own life would resemble that cup soon enough.
“You’re going to DO as you are TOLD, for once in your Sharding life.” Her mother’s voice rose to punctuate each word, her voice was firm and unyielding. Which meant that Xan was going to hate it; and it would not be pleasant either.
”Then spit out what you have planned. WOMAN.” Xan bit back, this managing to dodge the second hand that flew for her face. Thankfully she had learned the hard way, once her mother started throwing hands, you’d better be fast on your feet.
“I have made an advantageous match for you. Krillian, the Woodcrafter’s son.” Her mother grinned blithely but with an edge that was almost snarling, as though daring Xan to say a word against it.
“OH by the shell of Faranath’s first egg. I would sooner slit my throat than be wedded and bedded by that cretin!” Xan rose to her feet, her shoulders pulling back so she would stare down at her mother. ”That violent, dim-witted thug would sooner flay me alive than attempt to treat me with anything resembling respect!” Her words were cut off by her mother’s shriek.
“YOU DON’T DESERVE RESPECT!” Those words rang out and flew around her mind. She was human though… father had always told her that she was worthy of respect. “You’re acting the wherry and mad as a wet one to boot if you think you’re getting out of this, Xanthia!”
”You’d better kill me now then.” Xan sighed, looking to her mother, she would not bow down to this woman’s demand. Her resolve to get away from the Hold remained strong too. Only now, she would have to make her escape sooner than she had planned. She hadn’t nearly enough marks to get to Mavros, having heard about how much they were different from everywhere else, it appeared as though it would be a good fit for her at least.
“You are an ill-made little creature full of envy, spite, and low cunning. Your father-” her mother’s rant were cut off when Xan barked at her.
”My Father would be turning in his grave to witness you behaving in this manner, Mother.” Her eyes prickled, her vision blurred slightly but she beat those feelings back, she had gone too far this time. ”He hated arranged marriages and made it clear to BOTH of us that he never intended this for me.” Xan managed to spit back, her body trembled as she fought back the tears of both rage, indignation and hurt. She never expected kindness from her mother, but she did not expect such a betrayal of her father’s wishes.
“Your father was a fool. How do you think I’m to keep you grown as you are? It’s time you helped the Hold by bearing its future. I’ve pandered to your wants for too long.”
”Pandered to my wants?!” Xan eoched those words back at her mother in a state of disbelief. ”I wanted to finish my schooling, I wanted to go to Harper Hall to learn a craft, instead I’m here sewing and embroidering to pay for your hedonistic nights of lust and debauchery with the MARRIED men of the Hold!” Xan straightened up, her hands curling into lumps of flesh, bone and muscle. ”I will not be a part of this. It’s still illegal to force me into marriage you flitter-brained wherry!” Xan turned on her heel, her foot lashing into the bench sending it clattering across the floor as she headed for the door.
“Don’t you walk away from me, young lady!” Her mother’s words fell on angered, deafened ears as Xan strode out of the hall, despite the throbbing of her cheek, she would not bend, she would not bow down to this monster that had given her life.
"Mother." she greeted albeit coolly, she did have some manners and she knew perfectly well how to use them but her mother had been uncharacteristically cheerful this morning and thus that behaviour had her somewhat on edge. Grabbing one of the cup as she seated herself on the other end of the bench, she brought the mug up to her lips. Her hands were still aching from all the carefully placed stitches.
"Ah, Xanthia. You've arrived, and just in time too!" Her mother's hands clasped together with childlike delight, causing Xan to narrow her eyes at the woman.
"What are you planning?" Her words were like sharpened ice and held no warmth for the woman that birthed her.
"Don't be like that, Xanny dear." her mother scolded, draining her own mug before placing it back on the table with a soft clunk.
"I know you well enough by now, Mother" Xan's voice was now venomous. "What are you planning." Xan seemed oblivious to the reprimanding glare that her mother had cast at her.
"Well, as you know, you've flowered and are now-" Her mother's words were abruptly cut off by a snort of derision.
”If you think I’m just going to meekly go and play broodm-” SLAP. CRASH. The noise rang hollowly through the Hold’s dining area. Xan’s head was snapped off to the left, her hair now partial covering her face. She blinked a few times to clear the black spots that swim around in her vision. It didn’t really hurt persay… just it was definitely more of a shock factor. She was used to getting a bit of a kicking or being smacked down by her mother, but usually there was pre-warning. This time though, there had been none. Xan turned her head back towards her mother, her eyes frighteningly cold as her hand moved up to press against her now throbbing cheek. The cup of klah that had once been in her hand was now smashed on the floor, Xan couldn’t help but wonder if her own life would resemble that cup soon enough.
“You’re going to DO as you are TOLD, for once in your Sharding life.” Her mother’s voice rose to punctuate each word, her voice was firm and unyielding. Which meant that Xan was going to hate it; and it would not be pleasant either.
”Then spit out what you have planned. WOMAN.” Xan bit back, this managing to dodge the second hand that flew for her face. Thankfully she had learned the hard way, once her mother started throwing hands, you’d better be fast on your feet.
“I have made an advantageous match for you. Krillian, the Woodcrafter’s son.” Her mother grinned blithely but with an edge that was almost snarling, as though daring Xan to say a word against it.
“OH by the shell of Faranath’s first egg. I would sooner slit my throat than be wedded and bedded by that cretin!” Xan rose to her feet, her shoulders pulling back so she would stare down at her mother. ”That violent, dim-witted thug would sooner flay me alive than attempt to treat me with anything resembling respect!” Her words were cut off by her mother’s shriek.
“YOU DON’T DESERVE RESPECT!” Those words rang out and flew around her mind. She was human though… father had always told her that she was worthy of respect. “You’re acting the wherry and mad as a wet one to boot if you think you’re getting out of this, Xanthia!”
”You’d better kill me now then.” Xan sighed, looking to her mother, she would not bow down to this woman’s demand. Her resolve to get away from the Hold remained strong too. Only now, she would have to make her escape sooner than she had planned. She hadn’t nearly enough marks to get to Mavros, having heard about how much they were different from everywhere else, it appeared as though it would be a good fit for her at least.
“You are an ill-made little creature full of envy, spite, and low cunning. Your father-” her mother’s rant were cut off when Xan barked at her.
”My Father would be turning in his grave to witness you behaving in this manner, Mother.” Her eyes prickled, her vision blurred slightly but she beat those feelings back, she had gone too far this time. ”He hated arranged marriages and made it clear to BOTH of us that he never intended this for me.” Xan managed to spit back, her body trembled as she fought back the tears of both rage, indignation and hurt. She never expected kindness from her mother, but she did not expect such a betrayal of her father’s wishes.
“Your father was a fool. How do you think I’m to keep you grown as you are? It’s time you helped the Hold by bearing its future. I’ve pandered to your wants for too long.”
”Pandered to my wants?!” Xan eoched those words back at her mother in a state of disbelief. ”I wanted to finish my schooling, I wanted to go to Harper Hall to learn a craft, instead I’m here sewing and embroidering to pay for your hedonistic nights of lust and debauchery with the MARRIED men of the Hold!” Xan straightened up, her hands curling into lumps of flesh, bone and muscle. ”I will not be a part of this. It’s still illegal to force me into marriage you flitter-brained wherry!” Xan turned on her heel, her foot lashing into the bench sending it clattering across the floor as she headed for the door.
“Don’t you walk away from me, young lady!” Her mother’s words fell on angered, deafened ears as Xan strode out of the hall, despite the throbbing of her cheek, she would not bend, she would not bow down to this monster that had given her life.