Post by kevna on Mar 31, 2021 14:15:30 GMT -5
Vanisha - Daughter of Lord and Lady of Tidewalk Hold
She felt both the fear and the thrill coursing through her. The red head had taken the runnerbeast without asking permission, and she was rushing the beast to get them home before they were found out. The air rushing past her caught at her hair, pulling it askew from its proper little bun. She crouched low to catch less air, but her hair would need to be fixed now. It didn’t help that she was dirty beyond compare.
Vanisha had been doing this less and less. Her mother’s consternation and her father’s disapproval of her sporadic little outings made her feel bad… She didn’t want to be trouble. She just wanted to ride. To feel the air. To be outside the stuffy hold for just a little bit. She had gotten up at the break of dawn for this little ride, but she had ridden out too far. Making it back in time would be difficult. She pushed the runnerbeast faster, sitting astride the huffing animal, her dress hiked up and showing off her thin pale legs. It was safer for the faster rides to sit this way, though she had started out sitting side saddle as was proper, and so was in a dress. She just wouldn’t get caught. It would be fine. She could see the gate to the hold, and that people were milling about the courtyard. She wanted to swear, but her mother’s words came to mind.
'A lady never swears. She leaves that to the men, Vanisha.'
She swallowed, and realized that her speed was too fast, she could hit someone. She pulled up sharply, trying to stop the beast before the gate, but she had been to sharp. The runner-beast reared, getting up on hind legs, letting out a loud baying noise. She tried desperately to stay on, but her little arms couldn’t keep her astride and off she fell, backwards. One arm hit the ground first, the pain that commenced and the shock of the fall made it impossible to stay awake, and black clouded her eyes before she knew it.
Vanisha woke with a scream, feeling her hand pulled suddenly. So many hands were holding her down, but all she wanted was to pull away, escape the sharp stabbing pain the threatened to choke her.
“Quickly, grab the binding, we must bind it tight to keep it in place.” A man’s voice said sharply to someone, and she thought she recognized their healer’s voice. Why was he torturing her? She struggled against the hands, another scream letting loose at the pressure on her arm.
“Hold her steady I said.” His voice again, sharper.
“Vanisha, hold still at once. Do you want to lose your arm?” Maybe it was the fear in the voice, or the voice itself that stilled her. Maybe it was the cool hands on her forehead and cheek. The darkness was filling her eyes again, and with it brought blessed bliss.
“How could you be so reckless? This isn’t you Vanisha, not at all. I expect so much more from you.-“ Her mother’s distress had somewhat been relieved over the last few days of tending the young injured girl, and been replaced with endless instructions and lessons on propriety as well as spells of displeased tirades. Vanisha hadn’t even been allowed out of bed. She wasn’t allowed to feed herself the first few days, though her dominant hand was just fine. She kept her head bowed as she listened to her mother’s tirade, her bright colored eyes on her lap. Her mother seemed to have them every couple of hours now.
She realized her mistake… She had been impatient for a ride, and now she knew better. She felt beyond guilty that she had scared her parents in a such a way. She also felt guilty because her disability and need for instruction was taking up most of her time, taking it away from poor small Novarell. As much as she deserved the tirades, he didn’t deserve Vanisha’s thoughtlessness in her actions.
“Can you imagine if little Novarell caught on to your actions? If he did as you had done? It would have killed him.”
Vanisha’s eyes widened and she looked up at her mother, whose own face was filled with dread at the thought.
“I am so truly, truly sorry. I-I didn’t think. It will never happen again, mother. I promise.” Tears filled her eyes. She would never forgive herself if something happened to her youngest brother. His sweet energy being crushed… It would kill her. She let out a sob, and her mother rushed to her, putting her arms around the small crying girl.
“You didn’t think, but I know you. You keep your promises. Shh, shh, that’s my girl. Crying alone is alright, but we can’t dwell, now can we. Dry those tears Vanisha.” Vanisha leaned into her mother’s arms, and took steadying breaths, drying her tears with her sleeve. “Now now, not with your sleeve.” Her mother pulled away and grabbed a handkerchief, and then offered it to the sniffling girl. “She properly dried her eyes with the proffered cloth, and gave a brave smile. “That’s it, my little lady.” He mother chucked her under the chin, and nodded approvingly.
“I’m going to go check on little Novarell. Just imagining…” Her mother shuddered and rubbed her arms. “Will you be alright dear?” But she had already turned to leave.
“I’ll be alright.” She murmured, watching her mother hurriedly leave the room, the door closing behind. Vanisha brought her legs up to her chest, wrapping her good arm around them and burying her face into them. Tears suppressed came back to the surface and she tried to remain quiet as she let her little sobs loose. She didn’t want to attract any attention. She would be brave for them, but when she was alone… Her shoulders shook with the sobs, and it jarred her broken arm. She almost wiped her nose on her sleeve, but again, her mother’s words came to mind. She picked up the handkerchief and daintily dabbed at her nose. The young girl forced her legs to straighten and she fixed her skirt. She took a breath and nodded once, putting on a resolved face.
She would be brave. She would be patient. She would be good. These were all things she could do, because she could not face the consequences of failing these actions, especially if Novarell hurt himself because of her bad example.
