I'm starting to need more names to use, first and last. Please throw me any suggestions you have and I'll make note of them.
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Name: Razelin Viselle Atraea
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Year of Birth: 1101 N.E.
Race: Human
Daughter of General Kelis Atraea and Jasmine Viselle, sister of Cassandra, General Raze lost her father to war at the age of eight, and her mother to illness at the age of eleven. After her mother passed away, Cassandra took care of her until her mysterious disappearance when Razelin was thirteen. Shortly before turning fourteen, General Devin took her in to raise her as if she were his own child. Having befriended Devin in the past, she opted to join the military with the original intent of working by his side.
She engorged herself in military training to distract herself from her traumatic experiences, quickly rising in the ranks. Throughout her military career, she received a nickname that played off the spelling of her name, "Raze the Impossible", which stemmed from men's futile attempts at courting her, and the wrath they faced when they stepped beyond their bounds. No one particularly understands the reason why she disfavors men as much as she does, other than General Devin. Other than her difficulty with working with men, her performance and ability to adapt were unparalleled. Although some believed the only reason Raze was initiated into the Royal Guard was due to Devin's influence, many felt that she was the most deserving. Two years later, Devin requested to step down from his position due to his age. To replace Devin, King Marcus bestowed upon Raze the title of Silver Guard, making her the youngest Silver Guard in Rokan history in the year 1123 N.E.. Raze continues to work closely with Devin, who still enacts the role of the King's Guardian.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Character Profile: Raze (v1)
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Character Profile: Lucas (v1)
Anyone bored and has a hobby of doing web design, or know someone who fits such a description? :D
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Name: Lucas Nivel Damire
Sex: Male
Age: 20
Year of Birth: 1107 N.E.
Race: Human
Son of a retired captain of the Rokan military, Lucas was pushed into a military career by his father. His mother, an aspiring poet by choice, a small village tailor by trade, supported her husband's decision in having their son pursue a military career. However, Lucas has no interest in the military, but endures it since he doesn't want to defy his parent's wishes. His lack of interest and passive personality causes him to perform with mediocrity, but due to his father's past contributions in the military, he was edged into elite training.
Up until the age of fifteen, throughout his years of education and training, Lucas would escape the military world by frequently visiting his mother in their home village of Luin. He would read, write and discuss poetry with her, though it was a hobby he never cared to share with his comrades. Soon after he turned sixteen, their family hired a fifteen year old Kival house servant, Isella Kamiel, whom he quickly fell for. The two fell in love and courted ever since.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
History and Lore: Rokan's Royal Guard
A little more background information. If anyone has suggestions for better names for titles and what not, please feel free to suggest them, as I am still trying to think of better ones myself.
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Rokan's Royal Guard:
The tradition of the Royal Guard was first unofficially established when Salia Rokan took upon the responsibility of leading the Rokan Tribe in 149 N.E.. Unable to handle all of the overwhelming responsibilities at the age of twelve, she declared her beloved brother, Akel Rokan, as her trusted adviser and Guardian in the year 150 N.E.. At the age of 22, she bore her first son, Mikal, who wasn't born with the Sign of Celes. Regardless, Salia cherished her son and cared deeply for his well-being. When he reached the age of eight, she had him select his Guardian, who was Kela Vielis, a highly respected fighter and close friend of Salia. She became the second member of the Royal Guard in the year 168 N.E..
Ever since, every child of the current monarch was given the privilege of selecting his/her Guardian. As years progressed and unwritten traditions were refined into law during the formation of the Rokan Empire, guidelines and restrictions were introduced. Such restrictions upon selection are as follows:
i. Every member of the Royal Family may have only one Guardian at a time.
ii. A Guardian must be a member of the military.
iii. A Guardian must have completed both basic and elite military training.
iv. A prospective Guardian must receive approval by the current Silver Guard.
v. In the case of death or disownership of a member of royalty who possesses an active Guardian, the Guardian is relieved of their title and position.
Rokan law also mandates certain responsibilities of the Royal Guard. Such responsibilities include:
i. Guardians must be present whenever their ward leaves the castle.
ii. Guardians, at times of war or need, will serve as authority in military affairs.
iii. Guardians are required to obey the requests of their ward, the Silver Guard, and monarch.
iv. Guardians represent the royal family, and the Empire, thus they are expected to uphold the law, but will be shown leniency in following Rokan law under certain circumstances.
The Silver Guard is regarded as the monarch's most trusted adviser, military leader, and head of the Royal Guard. Rules with regard to the Silver Guard.
i. The Silver Guard is appointed by the current monarch.
ii. Only one Silver Guard may be appointed at a time.
iii. The Silver Guard is second in authority, serving as a representative of the monarch.
iv. The Silver Guard is the highest in command of the Rokan military. Members of the Royal Guard then follow in authority, where the hierarchy of command is allocated by the Silver Guard.
Friday, March 27, 2009
A Little Teaser
Here's part of a short story I was planning to rewrite. I only did some minor revisions when retyping it here, so most of it is almost exactly the same as it was previously written. Unfortunately, I lost the first part of this story, so I don't quite remember what is missing from the entire story.
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Although the house had been stripped by looters and street urchins, the shattered vase, the broken glass cabinet, the trails of blood...they were all still there. The event I had witnessed in this very room would forever scar my mind. The screams and cries sent chills down my spine as they haunted the air. I couldn't even imagine the anguish that Razelin was going through.
I looked back at Razelin. She slowly crept into the room, stepping lightly behind me. She looked around nervously, clinging to herself as her body trembled uncontrollably. The cries must have been deafening to her.
Her breathing hastened. Her hands gripped her pendant tightly. "Devin, please. Let's go home, I beg of you."
I gazed into her eyes, which were no longer hollow, but instead glossed over and full of fear. The way she cowered against the wall, the way her eyes darted around unblinking, it crushed my heart. Having put her through such fear and pain...was I a terrible person? Did I do the wrong thing? No, she had to push through the storm. She had to face her fears. She had to face her past.
I looked at her sympathetically. "I know this must be difficult for you, but you must learn to face your fears."
She didn't complain. She didn't nod. She did nothing--nothing but stare at the bloodstained floor. She stared and stared. She didn't even seem to breathe. After a long moment's pause, she began following me through the house.
The blood on the floor and walls brought back horrendous memories, memories of which could only have been worse for young Razelin. As I looked at the trails of blood in the room, I noticed more blood near the stairway. Curiosity overwhelmed me, as I wanted to learn what exactly happened in that house. She slowly trailed behind me as I ascended the stairs, tightly wrapping her cloak around her. As we reached the guest room, the full-length mirror taunted her from across the room. Razelin became lost in her own reflection. Even though the image of a sweet girl stared back at her, I knew she saw something different, something more horrifying. She saw not the girl that looked into the mirror, but a ghost of the past.
It was at that moment that Razelin had finally faced her past. It was at that moment when my wish had finally come true, my wish to learn the truth about what happened in that house. It was at that moment that Razelin decided to tell me what had happened to her. Her story...her memories...they left me speechless, confused, and frustrated. I know I wished to learn the truth, but I soon came to regret it. Her story, the one story I longed to hear, was soon the one story I longed to forget. Razelin averted her eyes and drew in a heavy breath, as she began to tell me her story.
Character Profile: Sara (v1)
There was something I wanted to type up here before...but I waited too long to post this entry so now I forgot it. I wish I could remember what it was.
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Name: Sara Frei Styles
Sex: Female
Age: 18
Year of Birth: 1109 N.E.
Race: Human
Daughter of the renown carpenter, Armond Styles, Sara, an only child, lost her mother to an illness at the age of five. Ever since her mother's death, she spent most of her time in her father's carpentry shop, where she met Kurtis Kendal. Kurtis, champion of Rokan's Grand Archery Tournament and member of the Silver Order, often visited his friend Armond, and shared his stories of the military with Sara. Sara enjoyed hearing exciting tales of beyond the city walls, and grew to admire Kurtis and his skill in archery.
Kurtis shared his love for archery with Sara after he retired from the military later that year. She grew to love archery under her mentor's guidance, following in his footsteps at the age of eight, when she enrolled in military training. After her tenth birthday, Kurtis set out to travel, visiting only once or twice a year. Sara focussed on her military training in hopes to impress him with her rapid progress every visit. At the young age of fourteen, she completed her basic military training the same year General Raze was appointed the new commander of the Royal Guard and Silver Order. Sara greatly admires Raze, and aspires to one day stand by her side. Determined to join the Royal Guard, Sara enrolled in elite training and dominated Rokan's Grand Archery Tournament at the age of seventeen, demonstrating her talents and setting the record of being the youngest archer to ever earn the title of champion.
History and Lore: Sign of Celes
Here's a bonus post for today with a little background information to make more sense of Delphi's short biography.
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Sign of Celes:
In 137 N.E., Salia Rokan, a member of the Rokan Tribe, was born with a birthmark which came to be known as the Sign of Celes, the Rokan Empire's royal emblem. It is believed to be a message from The Great Goddess Celes, that the bearer of this mark is chosen to lead the Rokan Tribe, or what later came to be known as the Rokan Empire. The Sign of Celes is said to shimmer upon contact with water from Rokan's Holy Fountain, which is used as proof of legitimacy in the empire's coronation ceremonies.
Character Profile: Delphi (v1)
Time for another character profile. I will post a little background lore to make her biography more fully understandable later today.
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Name: Delphi Lia Rokan
Sex: Female
Age: 15
Year of Birth: 1112 N.E.
Race: Human
Princess Delphi, youngest daughter of King Marcus III and sister of Princess Lydia, was born with the Sign of Celes, deeming her by Rokan's Laws of Succession to be the next heir to the throne. Her naive outlook on the world, lack of responsibility, and the adoption of Kismet, has led many to grow anxious of her impending reign over Rokan. Queen Natalia constantly criticizes her carefree ways in attempt to prepare her for her succession, often resulting in resentment and frustration. Consequently, receiving constant disfavor from Queen Natalia, and scornful remarks from Princess Lydia, Delphi often retreats to her father, who spoils her with his favoritism toward her.
Uninterested in her political role and responsibilities, Delphi finds herself enchanted by her naive illusions of the outdoors and the life of commoners. Unable to leave the castle, she often observes and mimics the tasks of servants, particularly chefs and gardeners. This inappropriate behavior only furthers the discomfort of those around her, as they watch their future monarch believe in a picture-perfect world.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Character Profile: Kismet (v1)
Taking a break from working on my stories to update notes, and write them up for sharing. I'll slowly post them here as I work on them. Here's the first one.
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Name: Kismet Rokan
Sex: Female
Age: 17
Year of Birth: 1110 N.E.
Race: Catheran
Found along the river bank of Rokan River at the age of seven, Kismet became the young Princess Delphi's personal property and closest friend. Born a Catheran, she finds herself subject to hostile discrimination from those around her due to The Great Massacre that occurred the same year she was found. She has learned to live with only Delphi's friendship, but yearns for the day that others will accept and befriend her. Due to their intimate friendship, Kismet has devoted her life to the young princess, determined to earn the position of becoming her Guardian.
Throughout her education and training, she demonstrated her mental and physical prowess, obtaining enough recognition from General Raze to partake in elite training. As her training concluded she was assigned to the command of General Devin in order to receive field experience, and compete against other potential candidates by proving her worth. Unfortunately, she was assigned to the same squad as Sara, whom never fails to ruin her day, and Lucas, a fellow trainee whose performance during training was sub-par. Despite these obstacles, Kismet is determined to prove beyond a doubt that she deserves to be the next member of the Royal Guard and Princess Delphi's personal bodyguard.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Blissful Dream, 1st Draft
Finally, this short story is finished. I finished it a lot earlier than I expected, which is good. I will probably start working on fixing my old website sometime to include these stories, and additional background information/lore. Not really sure how long that'll take though.
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“Rinny! Mommy is teaching me how to cook stew, look!”
Nina gave Karin a big smile. Karin was always jealous of that smile. It was the kind of smile you wish everyone could have; a smile without a hint of sadness. It was because of that very reason that it made Karin angry that Nina could smile like that.
Nina stirred the empty pot with a long wooden stick. Karin forced a cheerful facade. “It looks yummy.”
She set her pouch on the floor and pulled out half a small loaf of bread to show Nina. “I brought something that’ll go good with the stew.”
Karin stared at the piece of bread. It was hardly larger than her bony hand, and despite being dirt-stained, she couldn’t help but salivate every time she looked at it. It was always a struggle to keep herself from eating whatever food she managed to acquire, but every time she saw her sister the urges would fade into a dull ache.
Nina’s stuffed bear sat atop a worn stool, watching her as she continued stirring her stew. The left shoulder of her tattered dress, now too big for her haggard eight year-old body, dangled loosely half way to her elbow. She continued her humming, paying no mind to the bread in Karin’s hand.
Karin frowned and stood beside her sister. Despite being five years older, she stood only a few inches taller. She gazed into the pot. “It looks like the stew is done. You don’t want to overcook it, you know.”
“Oh, you’re right!”
Nina rushed to the shelf and grabbed three bowls and spoons. She scooped her stew into the bowls and placed them on the floor where the table used to be before last winter. Karin watched Nina’s arm tremble as she lowered herself in front of her bowl, then sat down facing her. Nina mumbled to the bear settled beside her, sipping empty spoonfuls of her stew.
Karin tore off a small piece of the bread and offered the rest to her sister. “Here, Nina. Try this with the stew, it’ll taste good.”
Nina continued her inaudible conversation with her bear.
“We always eat bread with Mommy’s stew.”
Nina’s face lit up. “Oh, right, the bread!”
Karin’s heart tore as she watched Nina rip the piece of bread in half with great difficulty. She knew Nina would do it, but every time it pained her to watch it. Half of it would hardly be eaten, and the other half left untouched. Her once healthy little sister, trapped in a blissful dream, had slowly withered into an emaciated girl over the past three years. Karin managed to keep Nina fed for the first six months, despite protests, but her own hunger left her too weak to continue trying.
“Here’s some bread, Mommy.”
Nina placed the bread in Mommy’s hands and resumed mumbling. Karin stared at the bread, which had fallen from the bear’s arms. She enviously watched Nina smile and ramble about random nothings to the stuffed animal beside her. Nina sipped from her wooden spoon as Karin looked down at her empty bowl, struggling to remember the days when the bowl would be full every night.
Every night was the same thing. No longer was there any hot stew that warmed her through the cold winter nights. No longer was there any juicy meat that filled her taste buds every time she sank your teeth into it. No longer was there any pie or cake for dessert that she looked forward to every dinner. Every night dwindled to nothing more than stale bread remains, left over scraps donated by sympathetic townsfolk, or whatever near-spoiled food she scavenged from waste piles. Every night she would live off anything, and everything, she could manage to find for her and her sister. Every night she would try to do what she could to live on, to live for the days that their savior was able to bless them with food and a visit.
Karin took an exhaustive bite of stale bread, staring at the front door. She didn’t expect a visit that night, but she always found herself staring hopefully. It’s been eleven days since the last visit. Rarely has it been so long between visits, but Karin already knew that this time it would be longer than usual. She wanted nothing more than to have another visit, to have a brief moment of relief from starvation, to have a day of sleep without the fear of never waking up again. Her body trembled as she ate the last piece of her bread, her body too weak to break into tears. Karin shivered as the late night’s chill quietly howled through the broken window and weaved through her ragged dress. She curled up in the pile of rags in the corner closest to the embers that remained under the cooking pot, drifting off to the sound of Nina’s cheery song.
The creek of the front door woke Karin from her extensive sleep. Unable to comprehend the voices that came from the den in her stupor, she winced at the setting sun that glared against her eyes.
“Nina? Who’s here?” she croaked weakly.
Karin rolled away from the light and slowly opened her eyes in a daze. Her body ached from the lumps of rags she slept on, her stomach empty as usual. Every day she found herself waking up later and later, as her body attempted to preserve every bit of energy it could.
The talking in the den had stopped. A shiver ran down her spine. Wrapping her body with one of the torn rags she slept on, she glanced around the kitchen for Nina. She was nowhere in sight.
“Nina?”
Dead silence filled the air. Karin furrowed her brow in worry. “Nina?”
She climbed to her feet and walked into the den. Nina’s small blocks of wood, which she used as toys, were scattered on the floor. The stool from the kitchen rested near the broken fireplace, with her blanket thrown on top. The afternoon sun poured into the room from the open front door.
Karin stared at the door, her body trembling with anxiety. “Nina?!”
She ran outside and called out to her left. “Nina!”
A familiar, gentle and loving hand touched Karin’s shoulder, filling her with warmth and comfort. At first she was in disbelief, unsure if was just a dream, but she didn’t care. She turned around slowly, afraid that if she turned too fast she would indeed find that she were dreaming. Karin’s gaze met the large yellow eyes she yearned to see every day, the smile that always managed to wash away her worries and told her, “Everything will be all right.”
“Sorry I was gone for so long, Karin.”
“Kismet!”
Karin embraced her savior, sobbing hysterically with happiness. Nina stood beside them, talking with her bear, as Kismet returned Karin’s embrace with a loving smile and soothingly stroked her hair.
“You’re back! You’re finally back!” Karin choked between sobs.
“I’m back, Karin. I’m back. Everything’s going to be fine now.”
Kismet kneeled down to match Karin’s height. She wiped away the child’s tears with her hands. “I have some great news for the two of you. But before that, let’s eat!”
Kismet slung the sack of food over her shoulder with one hand, and took Karin’s hand in the other. Nina followed the two back into the house, still conversing with her bear. When Kismet set the food in the center of the den, Karin dove in and began eating with newfound energy. Kismet smiled sadly at Karin, then noticed Nina sitting besides her, singing and playing with her stuffed animal.
Kismet offered Nina a roasted chicken leg. “Here, Nina. You should try some, it’s delicious.”
“Oh, look mommy. The kitty cat brought us some food!” Nina took the meat from Kismet’s hand. “Is it yummy, mommy?”
Nina alternated between smearing the chicken leg over the bear’s mouth, discoloring the worn cotton, and taking a bite herself. Kismet gave a little frown and turned back to Karin.
“It looks like your sister is getting worse.”
Karin nodded sadly, her mouth full of food. “She barely eats anything now, even if I give her almost all the food. She won't even listen to me unless it's about mom.”
“I was hoping she’d get better over these years.” Kismet gave Nina a worried look. “Well, hopefully having parents and three meals a day will help her recover.”
Kismet grinned at Karin. Karin stopped eating and looked at Kismet, unable to believe what she had just heard. “Wait…you mean…”
Kismet nodded. “I’ve talked with this couple I’ve known for a few years about the two of you. They live in Lesai, and said they would be more than happy to make you and Nina a part of their family.”
Karin’s face lit up. She grabbed her sister in excitement. “Nina! Did you hear that? Kismet found us a new home! We can finally have food to eat, and a mom and dad!”
Nina squirmed out of Karin’s grasp with a defiant look on her face. Karin glared at her sister in frustration and confusion. “What’s wrong? We can finally go back to living normal lives again.”
“I’m staying here with Mommy.”
“What are you talking about? We’ll keep starving to death if we stay here.”
Nina hugged her bear tightly. “Mommy doesn’t want to leave home, so I’m staying!”
Karin’s eyes welled up with tears, trembling. “Nina, mom is gone.”
“No she’s not!”
“She’s dead, Nina! Dead!” Karin ripped the bear from Nina’s arms. “Mom is dead! This is just a stupid stuffed animal.”
Kismet painfully watched Nina reach out for her beloved stuffed animal. Karin began tearing the stuffing out of the bear. “See, it’s just a stupid toy!”
Nina began crying hysterically, trying to save her bear from disembowelment. “Stop it! You’re killing Mommy!”
Karin continued pulling out the stuffing from the bear, overpowering Nina’s feeble attempts to stop her. Nina grabbed a knife from next to the food and stabbed it into Karin’s arm. Karin released her hold on the bear as Kismet sprung between them and pushed Nina away.
Kismet held onto Karin, examining her arm. “Karin, don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”
Karin stared at the blood seeping from her impaled arm in shock. She couldn’t feel the pain from wound, but she felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart. Horrified with what she had done, she watched her sister wailing hysterically, cradling the ravaged stuffed animal. The sounds of her sister’s laments, and Kismet calling out her name, echoed as she lost consciousness.
Karin woke up to the rhythmic sound of a horse’s walk. Nestled warmly between Kismet’s arms, she hardly noticed the frigid breeze of the night. The clomping of the horse’s hooves on the dirt road, the crickets chirping in the night, and Kismet’s warm embrace, eased Karin’s soul.
“Oh, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
Karin looked at the bloodstained bandage wrapped around her arm. “I’m okay. It only hurts a little…where’s Nina?”
“Still at your mother’s home. I couldn’t calm her down; it would’ve been dangerous to keep you there.”
“Oh…I never should'a done that. She just made me so mad—”
Kismet shook her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was something that should’ve been done a long time ago.”
“I guess so…” Karin frowned. “Where we going?”
Kismet pointed to the entrance of a village under the dawning sky. “See that village just ahead? That’s Lesai, your new home.”
Kismet stopped at a small farmhouse toward the rear of the village. A warm glow lit the front window. She carefully descended from the horse, gently setting Karin down. A woman peeked through the curtains and waved at them enthusiastically before disappearing. Kismet knelt down in front of Karin and rubbed some of the dirt off of her face. “Are you ready to meet your new parents?”
Karin nodded shyly. Kismet stroked her hair once more before leading her to the front door. A man and woman greeted them warmly as they approached. The young woman gestured them inside. “Come in, it’s cold out!”
Stepping into the newly built home, the warmth from the fireplace enveloped Karin, a feeling she had long forgotten over the past three years. The nostalgia of furniture and decors overwhelmed her emotions. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she began sobbing.
The young woman rested her head on her husband’s shoulders, hand in hand, smiling at the joy they’ve brought the misfortunate child before them. The woman knelt down in front of Karin and embraced her. “Don’t worry, Karin. Everything will be fine now.”
She stroked Karin’s hair, calming her down to gentle sobs. The man knelt down beside his wife. “Welcome to your new home, Karin. My name is Ced, and this is my wife Allie. We promise we’ll take good care of you.”
Calming down, Karin rubbed her eyes. Allie wiped away the tears that trailed down Karin’s face. “After we get you something to eat, let’s wash you up and get you into a new dress.”
Allie led Karin into the kitchen by the hand. Ced stepped closer to Kismet. “That poor little girl...”
“It’s my fault. I should’ve done more for them.”
Ced shook his head. “Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault that your work requires you to leave the city so often. Besides, if it weren’t for you, they probably wouldn’t even be here today.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Speaking of which, where is her sister? Nina, was it?”
Kismet frowned. “Before I brought Karin here, something happened. I had to leave her behind while I brought Karin. I was going to go back to check on her after I made sure Karin was fine here.”
Ced noticed Kismet’s grim expression. “That bad, huh?”
Kismet nodded.
Ced leaned his back against the wall. “What should we tell Karin?”
Kismet shook her head. “I’ll come back after checking on Nina. It’s my responsibility to tell her.”
Ced sighed heavily. “I see… Well, surely you’ll stay for breakfast before heading back.”
Kismet gave him a small smile. “Thanks, but I really should hurry back. Mind if I borrow Allie’s sewing kit? I’ll return it when I come back.”
Ced looked at her, puzzled. “Her sewing kit? Sure, I guess. What do you need it for?”
“Bye! I’ll be back later tonight! Enjoy your new home, Karin!” Kismet grabbed the small sewing kit from a drawer in the den and walked out the front door. Ced sighed with a frown as Kismet mounted her horse and trotted off back to Rokan.
Kismet knocked on the door. All that answered was the sound of Nina’s faint sobs. Kismet slowly entered the house, spotting Nina against the wall, holding her torn bear. Nina looked at her with desperate, swollen eyes. The sight of the child’s exhaustion was heart wrenching, her face more drained and pale than usual.
“Nina—”
“Kismet, Mommy is really hurt. Please save her!”
Kismet placed a gentle hand on Nina’s shoulder. “Nina. Mommy is dead—”
“No! No she’s not! She’s just really hurt.” Nina held out the bear. She had put all of the torn stuffing back into the gaping hole in the toy’s torso. “Please, Kismet! Please help her!”
Kismet closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “I’ll do the best I can.”
Nina’s arms strained against its physical limits, passing her beloved companion to Kismet. Kismet stared into its beady black eyes as it lay in her lap. It stared back at her, oblivious of the grievous injures it had suffered. Those eyes…they hardly resembled the eyes of their over-protective mother; the mother that worried over their health every time they coughed or sneezed, the mother that always glared at Kismet with a deep hatred, the mother whose eyes then pleaded Kismet, in her last moments of desperation, to save her two children.
Kismet opened the sewing kit and threaded the needle with a sturdy black thread. Her hands trembled as she sealed the bear’s wound. Nina watched earnestly, her eyes only half-open as they struggled against fatigue. Kismet tied the stitch closed and severed the thread.
Reluctantly, she gave Nina back her beloved doll. Nina embraced it weakly. “Mommy, you’re all better now. I was so scared.”
Nina began singing her favorite cheery song that she always sang, returning to her blissful dream. Her voice trailed off. Her breathing gradually slowed to a stop, and she became deathly still. Her small innocent smile tore at Kismet’s heart. Kismet draped her cloak over Nina and closed the child’s eyes. “Sweet dreams, Nina. May you rest in peace.”
Blissful Dream, End (v1)
Wow, it ended up being longer than I originally imagined, not that it's really a bad thing. I hope you all enjoy the ending to this story.
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Karin woke up to the rhythmic sound of a horse’s walk. Nestled warmly between Kismet’s arms, she hardly noticed the frigid breeze of the night. The clomping of the horse’s hooves on the dirt road, the crickets chirping in the night, and Kismet’s warm embrace, eased Karin’s soul.
“Oh, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
Karin looked at the bloodstained bandage wrapped around her arm. “I’m okay. It only hurts a little…where’s Nina?”
“Still at your mother’s home. I couldn’t calm her down; it would’ve been dangerous to keep you there.”
“Oh…I never should'a done that. She just made me so mad—”
Kismet shook her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was something that should’ve been done a long time ago.”
“I guess so…” Karin frowned. “Where we going?”
Kismet pointed to the entrance of a village under the dawning sky. “See that village just ahead? That’s Lesai, your new home.”
Kismet stopped at a small farmhouse toward the rear of the village. A warm glow lit the front window. She carefully descended from the horse, gently setting Karin down. A woman peeked through the curtains and waved at them enthusiastically before disappearing. Kismet knelt down in front of Karin and rubbed some of the dirt off of her face. “Are you ready to meet your new parents?”
Karin nodded shyly. Kismet stroked her hair once more before leading her to the front door. A man and woman greeted them warmly as they approached. The young woman gestured them inside. “Come in, it’s cold out!”
Stepping into the newly built home, the warmth from the fireplace enveloped Karin, a feeling she had long forgotten over the past three years. The nostalgia of furniture and decors overwhelmed her emotions. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she began sobbing.
The young woman rested her head on her husband’s shoulders, hand in hand, smiling at the joy they’ve brought the misfortunate child before them. The woman knelt down in front of Karin and embraced her. “Don’t worry, Karin. Everything will be fine now.”
She stroked Karin’s hair, calming her down to gentle sobs. The man knelt down beside his wife. “Welcome to your new home, Karin. My name is Ced, and this is my wife Allie. We promise we’ll take good care of you.”
Calming down, Karin rubbed her eyes. Allie wiped away the tears that trailed down Karin’s face. “After we get you something to eat, let’s wash you up and get you into a new dress.”
Allie led Karin into the kitchen by the hand. Ced stepped closer to Kismet. “That poor little girl...”
“It’s my fault. I should’ve done more for them.”
Ced shook his head. “Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault that your work requires you to leave the city so often. Besides, if it weren’t for you, they probably wouldn’t even be here today.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Speaking of which, where is her sister? Nina, was it?”
Kismet frowned. “Before I brought Karin here, something happened. I had to leave her behind while I brought Karin. I was going to go back to check on her after I made sure Karin was fine here.”
Ced noticed Kismet’s grim expression. “That bad, huh?”
Kismet nodded.
Ced leaned his back against the wall. “What should we tell Karin?”
Kismet shook her head. “I’ll come back after checking on Nina. It’s my responsibility to tell her.”
Ced sighed heavily. “I see… Well, surely you’ll stay for breakfast before heading back.”
Kismet gave him a small smile. “Thanks, but I really should hurry back. Mind if I borrow Allie’s sewing kit? I’ll return it when I come back.”
Ced looked at her, puzzled. “Her sewing kit? Sure, I guess. What do you need it for?”
“Bye! I’ll be back later tonight! Enjoy your new home, Karin!” Kismet grabbed the small sewing kit from a drawer in the den and walked out the front door. Ced sighed with a frown as Kismet mounted her horse and trotted off back to Rokan.
Kismet knocked on the door. All that answered was the sound of Nina’s faint sobs. Kismet slowly entered the house, spotting Nina against the wall, holding her torn bear. Nina looked at her with desperate, swollen eyes. The sight of the child’s exhaustion was heart wrenching, her face more drained and pale than usual.
“Nina—”
“Kismet, Mommy is really hurt. Please save her!”
Kismet placed a gentle hand on Nina’s shoulder. “Nina. Mommy is dead—”
“No! No she’s not! She’s just really hurt.” Nina held out the bear. She had put all of the torn stuffing back into the gaping hole in the toy’s torso. “Please, Kismet! Please help her!”
Kismet closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “I’ll do the best I can.”
Nina’s arms strained against its physical limits, passing her beloved companion to Kismet. Kismet stared into its beady black eyes as it lay in her lap. It stared back at her, oblivious of the grievous injures it had suffered. Those eyes…they hardly resembled the eyes of their over-protective mother; the mother that worried over their health every time they coughed or sneezed, the mother that always glared at Kismet with a deep hatred, the mother whose eyes then pleaded Kismet, in her last moments of desperation, to save her two children.
Kismet opened the sewing kit and threaded the needle with a sturdy black thread. Her hands trembled as she sealed the bear’s wound. Nina watched earnestly, her eyes only half-open as they struggled against fatigue. Kismet tied the stitch closed and severed the thread.
Reluctantly, she gave Nina back her beloved doll. Nina embraced it weakly. “Mommy, you’re all better now. I was so scared.”
Nina began singing her favorite cheery song that she always sang, returning to her blissful dream. Her voice trailed off. Her breathing gradually slowed to a stop, and she became deathly still. Her small innocent smile tore at Kismet’s heart. Kismet draped her cloak over Nina and closed the child’s eyes. “Sweet dreams, Nina. May you rest in peace.”
Full: Blissful Dream, 1st Draft
First: Blissful Dream, Part 1 (v1)
Previous: Blissful Dream, Part 5 (v1)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Blissful Dream, Part 5 (v1)
Oops. It seems I may have lied a little. This post isn't the end of the story, there will be one more post that has the actual end of the story. This time I'm not lying, I promise!
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“I was hoping she’d get better over these years.” Kismet gave Nina a worried look. “Well, hopefully having parents and three meals a day will help her recover.”
Kismet grinned at Karin. Karin stopped eating and looked at Kismet, unable to believe what she had just heard. “Wait…you mean…”
Kismet nodded. “I’ve talked with this couple I’ve known for a few years about the two of you. They live in Lesai, and said they would be more than happy to make you and Nina a part of their family.”
Karin’s face lit up. She grabbed her sister in excitement. “Nina! Did you hear that? Kismet found us a new home! We can finally have food to eat, and a mom and dad!”
Nina squirmed out of Karin’s grasp with a defiant look on her face. Karin glared at her sister in frustration and confusion. “What’s wrong? We can finally go back to living normal lives again.”
“I’m staying here with Mommy.”
“What are you talking about? We’ll keep starving to death if we stay here.”
Nina hugged her bear tightly. “Mommy doesn’t want to leave home, so I’m staying!”
Karin’s eyes welled up with tears, trembling. “Nina, mom is gone.”
“No she’s not!”
“She’s dead, Nina! Dead!” Karin ripped the bear from Nina’s arms. “Mom is dead! This is just a stupid stuffed animal.”
Kismet painfully watched Nina reach out for her beloved stuffed animal. Karin began tearing the stuffing out of the bear. “See, it’s just a stupid toy!”
Nina began crying hysterically, trying to save her bear from disembowelment. “Stop it! You’re killing Mommy!”
Karin continued pulling out the stuffing from the bear, overpowering Nina’s feeble attempts to stop her. Nina grabbed a knife from next to the food and stabbed it into Karin’s arm. Karin released her hold on the bear as Kismet sprung between them and pushed Nina away.
Kismet held onto Karin, examining her arm. “Karin, don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”
Karin stared at the blood seeping from her impaled arm in shock. She couldn’t feel the pain from the wound, but she felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart. Horrified with what she had done, she watched her sister wailing hysterically, cradling the ravaged stuffed animal. The sounds of her sister’s laments, and Kismet calling out her name, echoed as she lost consciousness.
Full: Blissful Dream, 1st Draft
First: Blissful Dream, Part 1 (v1)
Previous: Blissful Dream, Part 4 (v1)
Next: Blissful Dream, End (v1)
Blissful Dream, Part 4 (v1)
Here's the 4th part of Blissful Dream. The next post will be the last part of the story.
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Karin stared at the door, her body trembling with anxiety. “Nina?!”
She ran outside and called out to her left. “Nina!”
A familiar, gentle and loving hand touched Karin’s shoulder, filling her with warmth and comfort. At first she was in disbelief, unsure if was just a dream, but she didn’t care. She turned around slowly, afraid that if she turned too fast she would indeed find that she were dreaming. Karin’s gaze met the large yellow eyes she yearned to see every day, the smile that always managed to wash away her worries and told her, “Everything will be all right.”
“Sorry I was gone for so long, Karin.”
“Kismet!”
Karin embraced her savior, sobbing hysterically with happiness. Nina stood beside them, talking with her bear, as Kismet returned Karin’s embrace with a loving smile and soothingly stroked her hair.
“You’re back! You’re finally back!” Karin choked between sobs.
“I’m back, Karin. I’m back. Everything’s going to be fine now.”
Kismet kneeled down to match Karin’s height. She wiped away the child’s tears with her hands. “I have some great news for the two of you. But before that, let’s eat!”
Kismet slung the sack of food over her shoulder with one hand, and took Karin’s hand in the other. Nina followed the two back into the house, still conversing with her bear. When Kismet set the food in the center of the den, Karin dove in and began eating with newfound energy. Kismet smiled sadly at Karin, then noticed Nina sitting besides her, singing and playing with her stuffed animal.
Kismet offered Nina a roasted chicken leg. “Here, Nina. You should try some, it’s delicious.”
“Oh, look mommy. The kitty cat brought us some food!” Nina took the meat from Kismet’s hand. “Is it yummy, mommy?”
Nina alternated between smearing the chicken leg over the bear’s mouth, discoloring the worn cotton, and taking a bite herself. Kismet gave a little frown and turned back to Karin.
“It looks like your sister is getting worse.”
Karin nodded sadly, her mouth full of food. “She barely eats anything now, even if I give her almost all the food. She won't even listen to me unless it's about mom.”
“I was hoping she’d get better over these years.” Kismet gave Nina a worried look. “Well, hopefully having parents and three meals a day will help her recover.”
Kismet grinned at Karin. Karin stopped eating and looked at Kismet, unable to believe what she had just heard. “Wait…you mean…”
Full: Blissful Dream, 1st Draft
First: Blissful Dream, Part 1 (v1)
Previous: Blissful Dream, Part 3 (v2)
Next: Blissful Dream, Part 5 (v1)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Blissful Dream, Part 3 (v2)
Decided to change what happens in this scene.
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The creek of the front door woke Karin from her extensive sleep. Unable to comprehend the voices that came from the den in her stupor, she winced at the setting sun that glared against her eyes.
“Nina? Who’s here?” she croaked weakly.
Karin rolled away from the light and slowly opened her eyes in a daze. Her body ached from the lumps of rags she slept on, her stomach empty as usual. Every day she found herself waking up later and later, as her body attempted to preserve every bit of energy it could.
The talking in the den had stopped. A shiver ran down her spine. Wrapping her body with one of the torn rags she slept on, she glanced around the kitchen for Nina. She was nowhere in sight.
“Nina?”
Dead silence filled the air. Karin furrowed her brow in worry. “Nina?”
She climbed to her feet and walked into the den. Nina’s small blocks of wood, which she used as toys, were scattered on the floor. The stool from the kitchen rested near the broken fireplace, with her blanket thrown on top. The afternoon sun poured into the room from the open front door.
Karin stared at the door, her body trembling with anxiety. “Nina?!”
First: Blissful Dream, Part 1 (v1)
Previous: Blissful Dream, Part 2 (v1)
Next: Blissful Dream, Part 4 (v1)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Blissful Dream, Part 3 (v1)
Here's the next part of Blissful Dream, although it is very short.
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Karin winced at the setting sun that glared against her eyes. She rolled away from the light and slowly opened her eyes in a daze. Her body ached from the lumps of rags she slept on, her stomach empty as usual. She found herself waking up later and later, as her body attempted to preserve every bit of energy it could.
A shiver ran down her spine. Wrapping her body with one of the torn rags she slept on, she glanced at the other corner for Nina. She was nowhere in sight.
“Nina?”
No response.
“Nina?!”
Karin climbed to her feet and walked into the den. Nina’s small blocks of wood, which she used as toys, were scattered on the floor. Her blanket was tossed into a corner. The stool from the kitchen rested near the broken fireplace, with her stuffed bear lying face down beside it.
Karin scanned the room frantically. Her body trembled with anxiety. “Nina?!”
First: Blissful Dream, Part 1 (v1)
Previous: Blissful Dream, Part 2 (v1)
Next: Blissful Dream, Part 4 (v1)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Random Thought
A little random, but I was thinking of a quote or fortune cookie saying, and found that it related fairly well to some of the ideas in my stories. I also felt that it has quite a bit of meaning to it, and demonstrates my outlook on life. Just wanted to record it so I can claim it as my own!
"Everyone is born into a dream. It's the hardships we face that bring us closer to reality."
Friday, March 6, 2009
Blissful Dream, Part 2 (v1)
I've been working on this a lot slower than I had originally hoped. Hopefully once this school quarter is done, I'll be able to complete the first draft by the end of the spring break. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, here's the next part of the story. I know, it's short.
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Nina placed the bread in Mommy’s hands and resumed mumbling. Karin stared at the bread, which had fallen from the bear’s arms. She enviously watched Nina smile and ramble about random nothings to the stuffed animal beside her. Nina sipped from her wooden spoon as Karin looked down at her empty bowl, unable to recall the days when the bowl would be full every night.
Every night was the same thing. No longer was there any hot stew that warmed her through the cold winter nights. No longer was there any juicy meat that filled her taste buds every time she sank her teeth into it. No longer was there any pie or cake for dessert that she looked forward to every dinner. Every night dwindled to nothing more than stale bread remains, left over scraps donated by sympathetic townsfolk, or whatever near-spoiled food she scavenged from waste piles. Every night she would live off anything, and everything, she could manage to find for her and her sister. Every night she would try to do what she could to live on, to live for the days that their savior was able to bless them with food and a visit.
Karin took an exhaustive bite of stale bread, staring at the front door. She didn’t expect a visit that night, but she always found herself staring hopefully. It’s been eleven days since the last visit. Rarely has it been so long between visits, but Karin already knew that this time it would be longer than usual. She wanted nothing more than to have another visit, to have a brief moment of relief from starvation, to have a day of sleep without the fear of never waking up again. Her body trembled as she ate the last piece of her bread, her body too weak to break into tears. Karin shivered as the late night’s chill quietly howled through the broken window and weaved through her ragged dress. She curled up in the pile of rags in the corner closest to the embers that remained under the cooking pot, drifting off to the sound of Nina’s cheery song.
Full: Blissful Dream, 1st Draft
First: Blissful Dream, Part 1 (v1)
Next: Blissful Dream, Part 3 (v2)