Post by Melpomene nó Eglantine (D) on May 24, 2006 21:41:49 GMT -5
Torrents of rain beat a pattern of dancing footsteps on the sturdy roof. Inside shadows weaved through a flickering fire that light up the glistening face of a screaming woman. "Breath, my child, breath" an elderly woman cradled the hand of her daughter and spoke soothing words in a lilting accent. The old woman scowled, "That D'Angeline bastard didn't even leave you any name let alone one for the child," she spat on the floor behind her. The hand of the woman clenched into a fist, another woman stood ready at the end of the bed, "Push, Izabela, one more!" Izabela pushed with every single fiber of her internal essence, one last time. Her tremendous cry was echoed by the first cry of a baby girl. "A girl Izabela! You have a daughter!", exclaimed the woman at the end of the bed, holding a bloody baby in the air. The elderly women whispered into the new mother's ear, "Izabela, wake up Bela my darling. You have a birthed a beautiful baby girl".
A young, wiry girl, atleast five years of age and an obvious ethnic mutt, lay cautiously over a taut canvas strung up as a makeshift roof on top of a fruit stand. The girl's arm slipped behind a turned back, her hand snatched up a handful of sweet figs. She nimbly got to her knees and crawled onto the nearest hard roof where she then sat cross-legged and greedily peeled away the skin of the fruit and commenced to devour the flesh inside. Dirty strands of noir hair fell and hid the little thief's face. Once she had completely demolished all evidence of her meal she leapt down to the street with a light-footedness that suited her lithe figure. Humming a quick tune, she skipped down the bustling street, her young muscles leaping her out of the way of fast carriages and rushing merchants.
She frolicked through the streets, and as she did so, she began to sing. Her young, clear and pure voice bounded and skipped through innocent notes of innocent revelations. Her eyes closed in bliss, her cheeks erupted with a rosy blush. She cavorted into the completely unconcerned bliss only a child can feel. She cavorted herself right into a solid person. Her eyes opened quickly to see the most noble woman she had ever seen. She stood still as a common roe caught grazing on royal ground. Her eyes grew wide, the woman spoke, "A lady should never frolic so". The girl's bottom lip trembled. The corner of the woman's mouth twitch, after another moment it broke into a wry grin. The child mirrored her smile and stepped back, sweeping an extravagant bow. The woman chuckled quietly. The men accompanying her did likewise. "What is your name, little one? And where do you live?" said the woman as she leaned close to the child.
"Melpomene" said the child with a dignity that seemed humourous, coming from her dirty state. Her eyes lifted upwards, "I live in Elua's eyes" she said with pride and joy. The noble group all couldn't help themselves from smiling softly. The woman stood and whispered a few words to a very stern-looking man on her right, he nodded. "Well, Melpomene, it is always good to meet Elua's youngest. My man shall escort you home, the streets can be dangerous". Melpomene's eyebrows rose in comic surprise. The woman and her party moved on, the stern man stayed behind. Melpomene shrugged and tugged at the man's sleeve, "This way".
In a little over an hour, Melpomene and her escort reached the outskirts of the City of Elua in the heart of an almost soley Tsigani quarter. It was nearing evening and there were fires being started here and there. The sounds of jolly voices, a string instrument, a singer, and finger cymbals reverberated through the streets. The unlikely duo reached an open yard where a young man had started singing and a young woman dancing around an open fire. Melpomene ran ahead and jumped into the arms of a plump middle-aged woman, they started to chatter in Tsigani. The man quietly slipped into the shadows of an alley across from the crowd, watching as his mistress bade him do. Melpomene almost immediately forgot the events of the day, her escort included, and fell into her daily routines. She went about her chores with a light-hearted manner. Night fell, more Tsigani gathered around the fire, a few joined in the dancing. The man in the shadows watched with amusement as he saw little Melpomene leap into motion and dance alongside her elder peers. The young girl became a wild, tumultuous, euphoric tempest of pure energy. The man stayed long into the night, until after the fire had been reduced to embers and Melpomene was long in bed. He went back to his lady and knelt before her and spoke of what he had seen. She smiled.
The next day a courier arrived at Melpomene's house with a once in a lifetime offer. "NO! I will not have my neice become a whore, Ylenia!" an Tsigani man raved. Plump, determined Ylenia stood stubbornly in front of him. Ylenia stood firm, "They can give her the world, dear, we can not. We will shame Izabela if we do not let Meli have this chance". The man sat on a chair, fuming, "Will anything I say affect what you do with the child?" he said, he sounded defeated already. "No," Ylenia smiled, "The child will like it Manueal. The Eglantine House is a house well suited to her". The man sighed. A cry of joy came from a connecting room where Melpomene stood, ear pressed against the closed door.
Ten years later...
"I see I have a great gift in seeing potential beauty," the dowayne of the Eglantine house stood in a doorway. A sultry goddess stood naked in front of a mirror, one hand floated to a table and lifted a black silk veil and skillfully fastened it to her face, hiding a smile. She bent one leg ever so slightly and dipped her hips ever so seductively in a circle. Her eyes light on fire with energy. She then stood still and snatched off the veil and nimbly grabbed a light robe and threw in on with one fluid motion. She turned to face the dowayne, "I am sixteen today" she said with meaning. The dowayne nodded.
A young, wiry girl, atleast five years of age and an obvious ethnic mutt, lay cautiously over a taut canvas strung up as a makeshift roof on top of a fruit stand. The girl's arm slipped behind a turned back, her hand snatched up a handful of sweet figs. She nimbly got to her knees and crawled onto the nearest hard roof where she then sat cross-legged and greedily peeled away the skin of the fruit and commenced to devour the flesh inside. Dirty strands of noir hair fell and hid the little thief's face. Once she had completely demolished all evidence of her meal she leapt down to the street with a light-footedness that suited her lithe figure. Humming a quick tune, she skipped down the bustling street, her young muscles leaping her out of the way of fast carriages and rushing merchants.
She frolicked through the streets, and as she did so, she began to sing. Her young, clear and pure voice bounded and skipped through innocent notes of innocent revelations. Her eyes closed in bliss, her cheeks erupted with a rosy blush. She cavorted into the completely unconcerned bliss only a child can feel. She cavorted herself right into a solid person. Her eyes opened quickly to see the most noble woman she had ever seen. She stood still as a common roe caught grazing on royal ground. Her eyes grew wide, the woman spoke, "A lady should never frolic so". The girl's bottom lip trembled. The corner of the woman's mouth twitch, after another moment it broke into a wry grin. The child mirrored her smile and stepped back, sweeping an extravagant bow. The woman chuckled quietly. The men accompanying her did likewise. "What is your name, little one? And where do you live?" said the woman as she leaned close to the child.
"Melpomene" said the child with a dignity that seemed humourous, coming from her dirty state. Her eyes lifted upwards, "I live in Elua's eyes" she said with pride and joy. The noble group all couldn't help themselves from smiling softly. The woman stood and whispered a few words to a very stern-looking man on her right, he nodded. "Well, Melpomene, it is always good to meet Elua's youngest. My man shall escort you home, the streets can be dangerous". Melpomene's eyebrows rose in comic surprise. The woman and her party moved on, the stern man stayed behind. Melpomene shrugged and tugged at the man's sleeve, "This way".
In a little over an hour, Melpomene and her escort reached the outskirts of the City of Elua in the heart of an almost soley Tsigani quarter. It was nearing evening and there were fires being started here and there. The sounds of jolly voices, a string instrument, a singer, and finger cymbals reverberated through the streets. The unlikely duo reached an open yard where a young man had started singing and a young woman dancing around an open fire. Melpomene ran ahead and jumped into the arms of a plump middle-aged woman, they started to chatter in Tsigani. The man quietly slipped into the shadows of an alley across from the crowd, watching as his mistress bade him do. Melpomene almost immediately forgot the events of the day, her escort included, and fell into her daily routines. She went about her chores with a light-hearted manner. Night fell, more Tsigani gathered around the fire, a few joined in the dancing. The man in the shadows watched with amusement as he saw little Melpomene leap into motion and dance alongside her elder peers. The young girl became a wild, tumultuous, euphoric tempest of pure energy. The man stayed long into the night, until after the fire had been reduced to embers and Melpomene was long in bed. He went back to his lady and knelt before her and spoke of what he had seen. She smiled.
The next day a courier arrived at Melpomene's house with a once in a lifetime offer. "NO! I will not have my neice become a whore, Ylenia!" an Tsigani man raved. Plump, determined Ylenia stood stubbornly in front of him. Ylenia stood firm, "They can give her the world, dear, we can not. We will shame Izabela if we do not let Meli have this chance". The man sat on a chair, fuming, "Will anything I say affect what you do with the child?" he said, he sounded defeated already. "No," Ylenia smiled, "The child will like it Manueal. The Eglantine House is a house well suited to her". The man sighed. A cry of joy came from a connecting room where Melpomene stood, ear pressed against the closed door.
Ten years later...
"I see I have a great gift in seeing potential beauty," the dowayne of the Eglantine house stood in a doorway. A sultry goddess stood naked in front of a mirror, one hand floated to a table and lifted a black silk veil and skillfully fastened it to her face, hiding a smile. She bent one leg ever so slightly and dipped her hips ever so seductively in a circle. Her eyes light on fire with energy. She then stood still and snatched off the veil and nimbly grabbed a light robe and threw in on with one fluid motion. She turned to face the dowayne, "I am sixteen today" she said with meaning. The dowayne nodded.