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21

Development Journals and Discussion / The Bride

« on: March 29, 2005, 05:45:00 pm »

Drawna Eldreal sat quietly beneath a pine tree overlooking Lake Palden. She stared at a small island just offshore, scene of the recent nuptials of Brisbane and Plenarius.  The simple white gazebo bore mute witness to the love and friendship of two people and their pledge to one another. She could just make out the dried husks of remaining decorative flowers strewn about the patch of dry land. She had enjoyed the event more than she had expected; weddings were always a source of discomfort and constriction to her. After all, when Gascon started talking of marriage her feet became cold enough to freeze water. She slipped away in the night just a few days later, never to see him again. And so her reaction to this marriage was odd, it almost plagued her in its insistence that it was a sacred thing she had witnessed.
   
         The sun danced between the clouds overhead, dappling the waters before her and enlivening the birds in their songs. The blonde woman slowly began combing her hair out with a pearl-encrusted comb, a gift of her mother on her 12th birthday. Her mother had always wished her only daughter to be married, but only little Alaric has bound the knot so far. He would be happy with a woman taking care of him she thought, bemused. She settled against the pine bark and gazed lazily out over the lapping water, setting her comb aside.
   
          Slowly Drawna opened her eyes, to reveal a sight curiously divergent from her previous view. A great thrust of mountains greeted her, towering overhead like a fortress of some great Emperor. The peaks were capped in snowy rainment and evergreen trees dotted the slopes. White mountain flowers grew in clusters here and there, drawing lazy bees to their sweet nectar. Just above her, some 50 yards away, an outcropping of rock shaped like a bowl held an even odder vision. A flawless and shining white dress hovered motionless above the grey rock, as if everything around it had been carefully orchestrated to
present it to the slim blonde figure below. She smiled faintly and worked her way carefully along the slope to reach the dress.
   
         As she drew near she could see the immaculate workmanship of the dress, as it was covered in a dew of white pearls over the whole of the satin fabric. The dress was cut low in front, the bodice formed of wonderous knotwork icing. Her eyes grew wide in disbelief as she stretched out her hand to feel this creation's smooth surface. She knew it would fit her perfectly. A sensuous smile crept across her lips.
   
          Just then a sound, a note it seemed, of deep ominous quality emanated from the mountains all around. Drawna's breath quickened, she reached out to the dress to clutch it to her. Black clouds raced overhead all at once, the ground rumbling in response to their appearance. The lone figure on the slope searched about in desperation for somewhere to hide, clutching the dress to her like a child would a
favorite toy. But something stopped her dead in her steps, something unspeakable and horribly familiar.
   
         From the ground itself, further up the mountainside,a form arose as if coagulating form the rock itself. A great heat followed with it, withering the mountain flowers and trees all around. Drawna stumbled in fear as she backed away, and the dress flew up out of her hands to float over her in dominance. The shape grew enormous behind the dress, and great black wings spread out to either side. The dress itself began to transform in the heat, turning pitch black. Though oddly all of the delicate workmanship remained unharmed, even the white pearls had become black onyx beads.
   
         Drawna covered her face in terror, feeling tears of fear running down her cheeks. Yet she felt somehow that this was familiar, it sounded within her as a half-remembered time. Slowly she gazed upwards to the visage she knew would be there. Only a smoky form greeted her but the voice was clear enough:
         
"You shall be my Mistress. This dress is for you my dear. It is an Honor. You must see that no?"

The dress moved dutifully toward her, opening empty arms to meet her in an embrace. Dazzled by the flawless dress and the power of the voice ringing in her ears, Drawna screamed.
   
         
          And awoke beneath a pine tree looking out over Lake Palden, the recent scene of two people pledging their love to one another. Only the birds heard the slim woman crying.

22

Development Journals and Discussion / A letter home

« on: March 14, 2005, 09:44:00 am »

Altha Eldreal looked up from her knitting as the butler approached with a messenger-boy in tow. She smiled woodenly as only the wealthy are known to do in the presence of the lower class. The boy hesitantly offered her a weathered,tri-folded piece of parchment with several post dates stamped on it. She knew immediately who it was from.

Dismissing the boy with a gesture to Nils to tip the urchin, Altha slowly unfolded the letter to reveal her daughter's handwriting:

   Dearest Mother,
 If you are reading this that means my extra "incentive" to that dour ship captain in Fort Velensk paid off. Mail does not seem to be a top priority in Mistone. I will try to write more often as the oppurtunity presents itself.
 I do hope all is well with you and the family. Is your ankle getting better after the fall? Why you don't have the groundskeeper care for your roses I will never know. I miss their colors in the summer! Did you get the yellow ones to come back this year? Those were always my favorite.
 I can't believe Alaric is marrying that silly girl. I suppose he  will benefit greatly from her father's business though. I'm sure there is a place for him that will suit his talents. Little Tal will probably be next to bind the knot before me though! Don't hold your breathe mother. (smiley face drawn in)
 I hope father is well. I do miss him you know. I hope he misses me. Tell him I said hi. (*The writing here falters*)
 I have seen many things here on Mistone, many not nice at all. I was in a group which penetrated the heights of the GreyPeak Mountains, a haunt of foul ugly Ogres and a few Giants. All was well until we sought out an oil which a rather irresponsible girl in a nearby town keeps losing. She dresses a bit utilitarian as well. You know, all armor and no style. Anyway, we came upon a horrible chief who held the oil and everyone except one person was cut down. It was awful. I hid as best I could and snuck away. I felt terrible at first for leaving everyone behind, though there was nothing I could do. I need to learn to protect myself better and am intent on learning. That was a month or so ago, and I still have nightmares of those Ogres.
 I have bought several nice dresses while here, though tailors skills here seem mostly devoted to armors or simple materials for the most part. One such tailor, Derrick, made me a wonderful outfit with Iron woven into it! It is light and I made it a nice two-tone blue. (You always said I looked good in blue!) It is supple and strong - sometimes blades just slide off of it! I hope to find more artisans like the kind in Pranzis to make me some better dresses. Really, these people need to make fashion a bit more of a priority.
 I hope everyone is healthy and happy. Please ask father to write if he gets a chance. The mail service here is not the best, but I should get your letters eventually.

   Love,
       Drawna
 

Musing over the light, bubbly script a moment longer, Altha slowly folded it back up and slid it into the drawer of the table next to her. The hint of a smile played across her lips and then was gone.