Rhona W
RPM
FourtyTwo
TruckKun
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SpicyMeatball
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BirdboySyraeia Leela “Sy-a” Inn Keeper
Sun Temple . PTSD Snek.
Hugged Snake. Yay.
Snakey Nakey skeepy snake.
The last time Sya was feeling comfortable in a Temple it felt like a lifetime ago and she curled her tail about herself as a matter of protection. The feeling was comforting, putting pressure on herself and her mind shifted back to another time and place.
The main street of Iron Shard Burhfæsten was busy as a couple walked down the street, a wagon passed by and whilst the warlord was allied with Auralia traders from the North also came, other warlords in borders and created a rather varied culture. Auralian traders escorted by guards came by glaring at a Lunarian ship docked off the jetty with men unloading large bundles and taking on large supplies of salted fish and more rare and expensive forms of iron ore. Their allegiance lay to the South and they loosely followed their ways but the lands lay so far away that their ability to force them to comply was minimal.
The great keep towered on a raised rocky promontory home of the warlord whom one woman's mother was working, her father in the forge hamming out a plow after a rock strike. Everyone worked or places like this would not survive how they did.
The banners blew a gentle breeze and kicked up the cloak of a woman who shook long dark hair out her eye. The male was stocky, tall and growing into the muscular frame of manhood, growing defined and smiling as a laughing man carried her over a large area of water like she was not even a burden dropping her back down by a large door, the building made of old pale wood and painted with a simple design of a star above its threshold.
“Behave, damn young ones, always so…” The old priest grumbled as the man was given a rather less discreet thankyou kiss and took his hand at the threshold. “Sorry, just.. happy.” She said their language solely in a harsher local tongue, one that came easy as flowing water. “I know, I brought your icon, my father tried his best, but I feel the repair shows more care than a new one.” She said, easily handing over a carefully wrapped object in rough canvas.
“Your father does good work, but I still will not bond you until spring.” He dropped much of his grumpy and tone, the pair in front of him had been getting into trouble together since before they could walk, he had even been asked if he would marry them when they were only 6 winters old, damn kids. But the blacksmith's daughter had never given up and that poor boy was done for the moment they met.
“Da, im working on that, we will be ready by spring.” He said deep and confident, a farrier tools about his belt. The cottage would be much work but that was nothing new to borderlanders. “We will.” The woman confirmed and squeezed his hand lighting a candle and together placing it on a niche next to the blessings of life, a plea for a long and happy life together, a plea that their fates would be linked now and in the next and next lives.
Bright blue eyes hoped those green eyes would be what she woke up to for many lifetimes to come and the other shared the same thoughts.
…
That was not this day. There was no hand in hers. Her tail stretched and bright blue eye dropped tears as Sya looked out over the room, far more blinding than she remembered. “Gendry, you had to leave me. Others make me happy, live and feel love but you. You knew me from my first memory...” Sya thought out loud in her native tongue, no old priest who she shared sass with, no simple wooden and iron, this far more ornate.
It took a great effort of will to force self to slither to where a taper and table lay, taking her friends names already written and her fears. A local tradition, was it sanctioned? No one told them if it was or not. They did what they did, lived, loved and died to Auralia inaction.
It took even more effort to slowly burn the worries to use their heat to light the candle she ever so carefully and with great reverence placed in niche and used the ash to scrawny a symbol for protection, friendship and the rune for family. Did Sya get glares? Sya was too invested to notice as she finished the rite.
…
Her view of Temples had grown to be one of zealots, fear, beaten and sent away from the first place she tried to seek shelter after her whole homeland died. Sya had never been welcomed and actively stayed away from entering. The boathouse was one thing, attached but the threshold she had not crossed in months of life in Dawn Haven.
There was definitely noise rising outside but what, and how far?
She again moved to protect her tail, looking about the room confused. The effort to maintain composure was a strain but she kept the pains behind walls of stone, her friendship and love had to be stronger… at least for a short time.
But seriously…what was going on?
“Did ze sssssea raiders come…” She said before could work out what timeline her mind was working on. Her voice coming in a very not Sya deep well of uncertainty and fear.
…