Post by Aurélie nó Valerian (I) on Nov 28, 2007 22:19:31 GMT -5
When I close my eyes I can easily hear the crack of a whip, the rattle of a chain or the swish of a rope, the gasp of my breath or the lingering cry of a scream. But the thing I hear even less is the sound of my mother singing to me as a little girl.
I know I was loved as a child but what I don't know is what hardship my mother had to be living in to give me up a such an age. I was only three when I was found on the steps of Valerian House. Bundled tightly against the cold with wisps of dark hair curling about my face and a crumpled piece of paper tucked into my blankets, asking for them to take care of her daughter, Aurélie.
It was often speculated that I was the daughter of a Shahrizai lady, because of my spectacular resemblance to their kin, and as I grew older it was apparent that my jet black hair and sparkling sapphire blue eyes, trademarks of the famous Shahrizai, were going to hold true.
I didn't mind the rumors, I grew up with them, but no one ever came to claim me so without any proof who was to know for sure where I had come from. All I could remember was the sound of my mother's voice and her long black hair shading my eyes from the winter sun as she sang me to sleep.
Growing up I had few friends, so books became my friends, and I could often be found rummaging through the library for something new to read or returning to an old favorite. I spent a lot of time there, and it is strange that that is also the place where I found my best friend.
I had just finished reading a book and was attempting to return it to the right shelf. It was one up from where I could easily reach and I had decided to use the shelves as a ladder rather than go back to the front of the room and fetch the stepping stool. I still couldn't quite reach and so I slipped, crashed to the floor and landing on the table next to me, knocking over the vase full of flowers someone had set there.
I blinked, assessing my injuries and I could hear someone running to see if I was okay. I hadn't cried out, but the crash must have drawn his attention.
"Aurélie, oh dear heart, are you okay?" the adept asked me, a worried look on his face. I nodded, "Yes, I think so," and he moved to help me up and I gasped, a shocking pain shooting up my back, my vision blurring as it intensified.
Hurriedly setting me back down he turned me to look at my back and I heard him gasp as well. "Don't move, honey, there is a piece of glass in your back, I'll have to fetch a churegeon. Just don't do anything until I get back, alright?" I nodded again slowly, breathing lightly until the pain subsided.
Curiously I felt the pain vanish and a sense of wonder came over me. I felt as if I was floating, dreaming in waves of sensual awareness and I reached behind me to touch what the other adept had said was their and realized that was the source. Wanting to inspect it more I puled at the shard and it came free with another wave of giddy pleasure.
It was while I was inspecting the glass shard that the churegeon and the adept who had helped me came back. By the look on their faces I know now what they were thinking. I had a sad look on my face while I was holding the shard and as they came closer I asked, "Why doesn't it hurt anymore?"
The next day I was allowed to began training as an adept for Valerian House.
I know I was loved as a child but what I don't know is what hardship my mother had to be living in to give me up a such an age. I was only three when I was found on the steps of Valerian House. Bundled tightly against the cold with wisps of dark hair curling about my face and a crumpled piece of paper tucked into my blankets, asking for them to take care of her daughter, Aurélie.
It was often speculated that I was the daughter of a Shahrizai lady, because of my spectacular resemblance to their kin, and as I grew older it was apparent that my jet black hair and sparkling sapphire blue eyes, trademarks of the famous Shahrizai, were going to hold true.
I didn't mind the rumors, I grew up with them, but no one ever came to claim me so without any proof who was to know for sure where I had come from. All I could remember was the sound of my mother's voice and her long black hair shading my eyes from the winter sun as she sang me to sleep.
Growing up I had few friends, so books became my friends, and I could often be found rummaging through the library for something new to read or returning to an old favorite. I spent a lot of time there, and it is strange that that is also the place where I found my best friend.
I had just finished reading a book and was attempting to return it to the right shelf. It was one up from where I could easily reach and I had decided to use the shelves as a ladder rather than go back to the front of the room and fetch the stepping stool. I still couldn't quite reach and so I slipped, crashed to the floor and landing on the table next to me, knocking over the vase full of flowers someone had set there.
I blinked, assessing my injuries and I could hear someone running to see if I was okay. I hadn't cried out, but the crash must have drawn his attention.
"Aurélie, oh dear heart, are you okay?" the adept asked me, a worried look on his face. I nodded, "Yes, I think so," and he moved to help me up and I gasped, a shocking pain shooting up my back, my vision blurring as it intensified.
Hurriedly setting me back down he turned me to look at my back and I heard him gasp as well. "Don't move, honey, there is a piece of glass in your back, I'll have to fetch a churegeon. Just don't do anything until I get back, alright?" I nodded again slowly, breathing lightly until the pain subsided.
Curiously I felt the pain vanish and a sense of wonder came over me. I felt as if I was floating, dreaming in waves of sensual awareness and I reached behind me to touch what the other adept had said was their and realized that was the source. Wanting to inspect it more I puled at the shard and it came free with another wave of giddy pleasure.
It was while I was inspecting the glass shard that the churegeon and the adept who had helped me came back. By the look on their faces I know now what they were thinking. I had a sad look on my face while I was holding the shard and as they came closer I asked, "Why doesn't it hurt anymore?"
The next day I was allowed to began training as an adept for Valerian House.