Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="drag n fly" data-source="post: 1347881" data-attributes="member: 16527">Siabrey Background StoryHello everyone <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> I play Siabrey on this game thread, DMed by Emperor Valerian, a wonderful DM (and friend I might add <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />)<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1255371#post1255371" target="_blank">http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1255371#post1255371</a>He has been bugging me for a while now to get my background story completed. Part of what took so long was the length, second was that I had some difficulty writing the dialogue scenes. So, without further ado, here is Siabrey's background story... Enjoy <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Part I: KelirThe desert was particularly beautiful tonight. The rosy glow of the sun cradled in the distant hills washed the sandy hollows, painting them the same color as the Kabash flowers that grew there. The sight was lost upon Kelir Fruros as he flew slowly, his bare feet inches from copper-colored sand the same hue as his skin. Arms hanging limply at his sides, his eyes unconsciously followed the trail of a sand skipper, one of the brightly-colored lizards that particularly frequented this area of the desert, due to the safety of the sun cliffs that rose up into the darkening sky a short ways to the north. The trail ended abruptly in a small scattering of scales and small patches of dried blood. Kelir turned away, the site of a normal occurrence somehow disgusting him. Fly a few feet further he reached the edge of his territory. Beyond, the dunes grew gradually smaller until they vanished altogether, and then a flat yellow wasteland that no siabrie claimed for his own. Beyond that lay the town. The human town.Kelir turned away abruptly, angry with himself. Every day, somehow without intending to, he ended up at this very spot. It was almost as though something was pulling him away from his home, out into the unknown lands.But why? He mused, as he flew up to seat himself on the edge of the cliffs. The few lizards that continued to sun themselves on the burning rocks scuttled aside to make room for their lord. He paid them no heed, except to notice that one of his favorites, a particularly striking female with a white-tipped nose, was no where in sight. A brief tug at his heart made him think back to be sure that there were no white scales among the remains of the dead lizard he had seen a short while ago.Settling into his favorite thinking position, perched precariously on the crumbling rocks, head supported by his long willowy arms, wings folded half-way, he once again tried to search out the source of his unhappiness.There was no reason for him to be unhappy. He owned one of the largest stretches of desert this side of the cliffs, there were no other siabrie for several hundred miles. The closest one was a young male, only several hundred years old, to the northeast who particularly delighted in throwing up huge sandstorms and reshaping the dunes every decade or so. Kelir was much older, and much wiser, and delighted in the simpler things. He had lived to see a thousand year's end sunsets, and would most likely live to see several thousand more. Humans were the only species foolhardy enough to venture this deep into the desert, and the ones that did, seeking treasure or adventure, were quickly dispatched by Kelir’s more violent cousins, such as his neighbor to the northeast. In short, Kelir had not seen nor spoken to another being since his neighbor’s birth 300 years ago. He normally enjoyed being alone with nothing but his lizards and the few other creatures in the area for company.But now. Kelir closed his burning red eyes with sadness. His insides ached for something that he did not understand, and he could no longer sleep. The pain grew so bad that at times he had to fly as high as he could, screaming his suffering to the sky. After such times, he felt an emptiness that would not be filled, no matter how much he ate or drank. A soft cheeping noise near his elbow made him glance up. Emerging from one of the larger lizard holes was a magnificently colored female lizard whose white snout stood in stark relief to the crimson toned cliffs. Kelir sighed with relief, and lowered long fingers to stroke the female gently. His delicate fingertips felt the smooth hardness beneath her skin, and he remembered her mate, a small, light-yellow male whose orange eyes betrayed his worship of his mate. He was nowhere in sight, so presumably he must be below, preparing the nest for the eggs soon to come.“Be sure that thou does no go out unto the sands, pretty one. One of thine chamber-mates was killed today.” The female cocked her heads at the siabrie’s words, but of course did not understand. She withstood the stroke of his fingers for a few more seconds before scuttling over to the nearest rock and spreading her bulk over its sun-warmed surface. The heat would help the eggs come faster and easier. Her mate abruptly stuck his head out of the nearest burrow and chiped at her as if to say “It’s getting dark, come inside.” She chiped back at him, flicking her tail towards Kelir. The siabrie chuckled and motioned with his hand towards the male. “Do not worry, I will watch over thine mate and children. No flying deamon will take them this night.”The male did not understand, but he knew that no danger would come to those on the cliff top as long as their lord was there. He too scuttled out and perched next to his mate, his teeth and claws grooming her already immaculate scales. Watching them, Kelir felt the void within him grow. His wings twitched, aching to take him away from the familiar sight that had somehow become so painful. He had promised to stay however, and any promise, even to a lizard, should be kept. Settling in, he turned his gaze to the sky, eyes watchful for the dark brown shapes of the hawks that hunted the sand skippers.After a few minutes, the lizards were done sunning, and went below, the female pausing to give Kelir a quick flick of thanks with her tail. The touch burned on his skin, and as he watched the pair disappear into the tunnels, a dawn of understanding grew upon him. He remembered a speech by one of his elders when he was just as a boy at one of the rare tribe meetings, a siabrie so old that his skin had turned the white of sand that has been polished by the sun for countless ages.Very rarely, the elder had said, when there has been a lull of invaders, and the weather has been pleasant, and each day pretty much the same as the next, year after year, a siabrie may begin to feel inside himself a longing that he has no name for, a longing that can only be settled by the deepest of intimacies with another living being. Kelir had thought the idea silly at the time; he loved being alone, as did all of his kind.But now. Kelir stood, realizing that he had become lost in his memories. Spreading his wings he began to fly towards the caves in the cliffs that he called home. Halfway there however, he paused, and began to fly straight up. Higher and higher he flew, till the air began to get cold and harder to breathe. He strained to go a little bit higher till, there, off in the distance, a white light shone like a jewel, the town that he had thought of earlier. Watching that light, Kelir imagined the human’s town, which he had only heard described to him by other siabrie. His mind wandered down the dingy streets and he pictured the pale fleshy humans with their dull colors and dim-witted minds. Suddenly, a flash caused his imagined self to turn, and before him stood the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. With skin like smooth white sand, eyes that reflected the sky, and hair that swirled like the rainbow-colored lizard female he had made friends with. She turned and looked at him, brilliant blue eyes filled with love and joy. Then she smiled, and he felt as though his heart would stop. He reached for her and she for him, and as their fingers touched, a lightness and warmth spread through Kelir from his head down to the tips of his toes.With a jerk, he came awake, his limbs numb from the cold. Realizing with a start that night had fully fallen and that he had been hovering up there for hours, he dove towards the ground, gasping as his lungs sucked up his beloved desert-warmed air. Veering slightly towards the right he made it home in only a few short minutes. Making his way through the zigzagging entrance hall, he made straight for his bedchamber and collapsed onto the pile of sand that served as his bed. His mind was awhirl with what had just happened. He had never heard of such a thing happening before to one of his kind, but then again, thinking back to his mental journey through the human town, he knew that if anyone had had such an experience, they would have most likely kept it to themselves for fear of being thought mad. Maybe he was mad, Kelir though. Maybe the pain had finally driven him insane. But thinking back to his visionary angel, her multi-colored hair swirling before his eyes, the pain in his chest lessened, and instead there grew a feeling as warm as any sand dune he had ever placed foot upon. The warmth grew until it felt as though a fire was scorching him and he couldn’t breathe. If he could but touch that hair, he knew he would never feel empty again. If he could but look into her eyes again, he would always be happy. Sitting up with a sudden resolve in his eyes, he knew what he had to do. He didn’t know how, but he had to find that woman, that angel with hair the color of a sand skipper’s scales. Laying back down he felt a smile, the first smile he had had in a long time, creep across his lips. For the first time since he didn’t know when, he was able to sleep.Part II: Stodiana"Barkeeper, another round here please." "Are you sure, my lady? You've already had three pints."“I can handle it.” Stodiana tossed another silver onto the table. The bartender, his business sense outstriding his concern, eagerly grabbed it up. “Of course, my lady.” He gave a rough half-bow, and hastened behind the bar to fill her order. Stodiana blew her multi-colored hair out of her eyes exasperatedly. These commoners acted as if they’d never seen a royal. Still though, she mused, settling back in her chair and swirling her half-empty mug, they were decent enough folk, especially since she’d dispatched that fiery sandhog that had been sulking around close to town and digging up the townsfolk’s crops. And the bounty she’d gotten for dispatching the beast would more than make up for her expenditures here. The barkeep hurried over and placed another ale in front of her. She thanked him with a courteous nod and turned to gaze out of the floor to ceiling glass windows that lined the entire eastern side of the Red Sands Inn. The glass must have cost a pretty penny, but rumor stated that when the sun set, the glass allowed a spectacular view of the desert as the dying rays of the sun turned the room red. That was one of the reasons that she had chosen this inn to stay in. Gazing out at the shimmering shifting sands, Stodiana let her mind drift back over how she had ended up in this tiny town at the edge of the largest desert in the Empire.She had been born Stodiana Sipner, daughter of a wealthy lord and lady who owned lands down by the coast. Her parents were distantly related to the noble bloodline, and so their daughter enjoyed all the privileges that a woman of her stature should. Fine clothes, servents to attend to her every need, and loving parents who did everything they could to make their only daughter happy. However, Stodiana had no siblings, and no friends her own age. Constantly being around the dry and tiresome older friends of her parents made her restless, and she often sought out the company of her parent’s private weaponsmith. He took delight in teaching the headstrong young girl the ways of the blade, and her parents consented to Stodiana’s desire to learn to fight. Unlike most nobles, they were open-minded folk, with no desire to contain their spirited daughter’s unusual desires. Stodiana became skilled in many weapons, but her favorite by far was the katana. She learned the art of forging and eventually made her own blade, a shinning piece of work folded over 200 times that had taken her an entire day and night to forge. Practicing constantly with her new weapon wasn’t enough however, and she became even more restless. Her parents, always having known that their daughter was not cut out for a noble’s life, encouraged her to go adventuring. And so, on the eve of her 18 birthday, Stodiana had left her family’s estate by the sea with a mere 10 gold in her belt pouch, and her katana strapped to her side. She traveled to the nearest town and entered a small inn looking for a room for the night. Luck or perhaps the gods had steered her to the right place, because the next morning she found that a note had been slipped under her door, stating that the captain of the town watch had noticed the pretty young girl with the sharp blade the night before, and was wondering if she’d like to help rid the town of the particularly nasty menace of a nuchlavis, in return for a few gold.And that was how she’d ended up here. She was a mercenary by trade, but with a very strict moral code. She refused to kill humans for money, preferring to wander around dispatching troublesome vermin when she encountered them. She had wandered along the coast for a good five years, before traveling up farther into the heart of the Empire. She had heard from a fellow traveler on the road about the sandhog, and had decided to investigate. Upon entering town that morning, she learned that the sandhog was a particularly large and vicious razorback who had recently begun to prefer tearing up the villagers’ gardens as opposed to foraging in the desert with his pack. When Stodiana had faced it, it chose to burrow underground and somehow caused the sand around her to flow like water. She had avoided becoming trapped, and when the beast had resurfaced near her, she hack off its four trunks with one blow from her katana. Seriously hurt, the beast had attempted to flee, but she finished it off with a well-placed arrow.The townsfolk had paid her well, but that was not the reason she had chosen to stay in the village for a while longer. Something about the desert fascinated her. She had been born within a stone’s throw of the sea, yet its constant pounding waves had never stirred any feelings in her. Now though, gazing out at the endless expanse of burning sands, she felt something come alive inside her chest. The distant mountains were visable as a smudge on the horizon, and the sun was just beginning to slip into their dark embrace. The glare off the sands was terrible, throwing up all sorts of heat waves.Stodiana’s imagination drifted and she thought that she saw part of the sands stand up, and begin moving toward the town. It took her a few minutes to realize that her imagination was not playing tricks with her. Something out in the desert was moving, and it was getting closer by the second. She jumped to her feet and ran out the inn door, ignoring the curious query from the bartender. The sands began only a few feet from the inn’s door, and she stood there for a moment, watching as the shape grew nearer and nearer. The setting sun clocked the figure in black, prevented her from determining much more than it was humanoid. It wasn’t until the figure was about fifty feet away that the sun slipped enough behind the mountains that she was able to distinguish details. What she saw caused her to gasp. A beautiful human male stood there, long golden blonde hair that hung down past his waist contrasted with his dark copper-colored skin. He was dressed only in a sand-colored loincloth, but the most striking thing about him was his eyes. They were colored like the most beautiful of desert sunsets, and contained the same whisper of timelessness that the desert itself spoke. His eyes looked as if they had seen all that the world had to offer, as well as the promises yet to come.Stodiana laid her hand on her katana and readied herself for battle should the newcomer turn out to be unpleasent. Inside, the warrior part of her mind was screaming at her to move, to attack, that this thing was some sort of desert elemental and would kill her the first chance it got. Some other, quieter part of her mind urged her to be still. He had not made any threatening movements yet.Indeed, he just stood there, gazing at her, for several long minutes. Then suddenly, he lifted one long-fingered hand and said a word that made Stodiana think of wind whispering over the sand dunes. She braced herself for the attack that she was sure was coming. Surprisingly, nothing happened. The man frowned, then said another word, this one reminding Stodiana of fire crackling. Again, nothing happened, and Stodiana realized that neither word had contained any malice. Rather, the man tried to be speaking to her. Relaxing her grip on her sword, she took one step into the desert. Its heat seared up at her, yet she fought to remain still. Lifting one hand, she raised it in a salute.“Hello.” The word seemed to hang in the air between them. The man frowned again, then tilted his head, and opened his mouth. “Hay….low.” The man shook his head, then tried again. “He…low. Hellow. Hello.” He nodded. “Hello.” Stodiana gasped. The man stepped forward, then said another word. It sounded like “Kelir.” He said the word again, then pointed at himself. Stodiana understood in a second. “Oh, your name is Kelir.” The man nodded, then pointed to her. Stodiana pointed to herself and said her name clearly. “Stodiana.”“Stodiana.” He repeated. The sound of her name coming out of this creature’s mouth sent a flurry of heat to her stomach. “Stodiana,” She said, pointing to herself, then pointed to him “Kelir.”“Kelir,” he returned, “Stodiana.” Then he smiled, and Stodiana felt as though her heart would stop. She smiled back.Kelir was in something like a trance. Within seconds of reaching the human town he had found his angel. She looked just like she did in his vision, long hair infused with every color he had ever seen framing a face with skin as smooth and as white as his sand-skipper’s nose. He had never seen skin of such a color, and longed to touch it, and run his fingers through those long colored strands. He refrained however, and settled down to learning her language. It was a complicated one, but he was a fast learner. By the time the sun had set, he knew enough to be able to communicate with some ease.By this time, they had attracted quite a crowd, but neither Kelir nor Stodiana seemed to notice. The barkeeper of the Red Sands Inn was quite an intelligent fellow, and he had heard stories of beings like Kelir. They were called “Siabrie” and were the fiercest protectors of the desert. Occasionally one came into a nearby village. They never stayed long, and they never seemed to cause any trouble, so the barkeep said nothing. He merely cleaned the bar to an extra fine sheen, and set out his best glassware. He was rewarded when the couple entered and chose a table alone in the corner, Stodiana with her back to the desert and the man facing her. The barkeep worked to keep all other patrons away from the pair, and kept his own distance as well. In essence, he was housing two nobles tonight.He brought them the best food he had; fresh homemade bread, fine red wine, and a newly roasted boar. On a whim, he had also sent for a load of fresh vegetables and brought those over to their table as well. Stodiana had thanked him without looking at him, but Kelir had turned fiery red eyes and regarded the barkeep curiously. Without quite knowing why, the barkeep had bowed as low as possible, and appologized to the man for the meager fare. The golden-haired man had frowned for a few seconds, as if thinking, then said in slow but perfect Common that he had never tasted human food before. Stodiana had laughed at this softly, causing a look of extreme please to light the man’s face, before Stodiana had settled down to explaining the various foods to him and how to hold a fork and knife.The barkeep backed away and watched them. Every time the man tasted a new bit of food, his face would go through a surprising array of emotions. He seemed unsure of the roasted meat, until Stodiana made snorting noises look a pig and gestured as if making a fire. Then the man understood and laughed as well. As they ate their conversation gradually died, until, once they had finished eating, they both sat back in their chairs in complete silence. Kelir was gazing at her hair, trying in his mind to name every color he saw, when Stodiana spoke.“I’m curious, what are you doing here? I don’t know anything about you, but you don’t strike me as the type to come strolling into town everyday.”Kelir was both surprised and pleased by her statement. She was not foolish at all, something he had been dreading. Instead she had a very sharp mind. She had noticed instantly his unfamiliarity with human things, and what was more, it did not seem to bother her at all. Rather, her eyes were regarding him with something very like amused intrigue.Kelir sat for several moments before deciding to answer. He would not lie to her. He never lied anyway, but he had a feeling she would have known instantly if he had. Feeling strangely nervous, Kelir leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. “I am here because of you.” He said softly, voice wavering. “I have been alive for over a thousand years. Recently, I began to feel pain, here.” He motioned towards his chest. “I was strangely drawn towards this town, and then last night, suddenly, I had a vision of you.” Her eyes widened but she did not say anything. He continued, suddenly afraid, and his words came out in a rush. “I…I saw you walking down the street. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Seeing you…I felt happy. And I suddenly knew that if I could but touch you, see you in real life, that I would never be alone again.”She drew back, shaking slightly. She seemed to get a hold of herself quickly though, because she drew in a deep breath and her hands steadied. It was several more minutes before she spoke though. It’s not everyday that you find out that a thousand year old desert being has fallen in love with you through a vision.“What are you?” her voice was soft, and she was not looking at him as she spoke. She seemed worried, but not afraid. That cheered him. He had taken on the appearance of a human male, but he was still very unusual looking and he had been worried that she would be frightened. Quite the contrary, she had seemed very impressed by his physique, often letting her eyes slid over his body, something that he did not fail to notice. It caused a strange feeling in his gut, almost like being sick, but pleasant. He wanted it to happen again.He waited a few seconds before answering. “I am a citizen of the desert. My kind are called the Siabrie.”“Siabrie.” Stodiana rolled the name across her tongue as if tasting it. “And you are peaceful folk?”“Some are. Some are not.” Kelir thought of his violent young neighbor. “Mostly we are protectors of the desert. We will not harm anyone who stays out of our lands.”Stodiana glanced out him out of the corner of her eyes. “I can imagine what would happen when someone does visit your lands.” She went on before he could comment. “Nevermind that though.” She drew in another deep breath. “I take it you are not here to hurt me.”Kelir gasped, astonished. “I could never hurt you!”Stodiana looked at him for several long seconds before she smiled. “I thought so.” Standing, she pulled the pouch full of gold from her waist and tossed it at the barkeep. “Please take care of my horse and room for me. I’ll be back eventually.” Then taking an astonished Kelir by the hand, she led him out of the inn into the desert.As soon as his feet touched the sands, Kelir felt better. The human’s structure hadn’t been such a bad place, but he much preferred the open sand and skies.They walked for a while till the town passed out of sight behind a low rise. Dropping down, Stodiana hugged her knees to her chest and gazed out at the stars glittering over the endless espanse of sands. “Its beautiful.” She said after a few minutes. She continued as Kelir lowered himself to sit beside her. “You know, I was born near the ocean. Never liked it much, too cold and wet and loud. Here though, everything is peaceful, warm, quiet.” She lowered one hand to the sand and let it drift till it touched Kelir’s. He again felt that shuddering warmth in his gut, and shakingly encircled her hand in his. They sat for a long time, gazing at the stars and saying nothing, when Stodiana gave a slight shiver. “It’s getting cold, maybe we should go back.” Kelir thought for a moment, then reached over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Surprised, she looked at him. “You’re warm!” He smiled and pulled her against him, amazed at his own bravado. She lay in his arms a few minutes, then tilted her head back to look up at him. She was shaking slightly, but not from cold. The look in her eyes was as incomprehensible as the stars.“Kelir…”“Stodiana.” He whispered her name as their lips met. It was the first kiss of his life, and he never forgot it. Warm, and soft, yet with a firmness and a hunger that he had never known existed. Time passed in a dreamlike state. They fell to their sides on the sands, and their arms encircled each other. Neither had ever experienced the opposite sex, and their movements were clumsy, yet caring and gentle. Barely even aware of what he was doing, Kelir removed her clothing, then his own, and they lay gazing at each other. “Kelir…” Stodiana reached out and stroked his chest.“Shhh,” he ran his hands through her hair. “I won’t hurt you.”“It’s not that.” She leaned back and glanced out across the sands. “Oh Kelir, this all feels so right. It’s just…I want to see you as you really are.”Kelir smiled. “Done, my love.” With a noise like faint rippling of water, his skin shifted and melted like burning sand, and laying beside her was a creature more glorious than even the desert’s mystery. Kelir’s eyes, hair, and skin had remained the same, but he was now much taller and slimmer, with pointed fey ears and a fey’s chiseled face. The most incredible thing about him though, was the long pair of stained-glass wings that emerged from his back. Folded, they ran from his shoulders almost to his feet. Reaching out, Stodiana stroked them in gentle shock, and Kelir closed his eyes at the incredible feelings that ran down his spine.Without words, their bodies closed in the starlight, and began to move as one.Part III: Siabrey“But Mooooooom.”“No sweetie, you may not go swimming. You know that group of ruffians is still out there on the beach. What if they see your wings? You know perfectly well you can’t hide them in the water.”Siabrey knew, and understood, but she still sulked. Stomping her foot, she ran out of her mother’s study down the hall to her room, blowing by one of the palace servants as she went. Slamming her door, the six year-old jumped onto her bed and began crying softly. The loose tunic she always wore tangled up in her sheets and she tore it off angrily. By cranning her neck and looking over her shoulder, Siabrey could just see her wings poking through her undershirt, tiny shriveled buds that were barely 6 inches long. She focused on her back and made them twitch. Her anger grew then and she snarled at them. “Stupid, stupid, wings. Ugly, pointless, disgusting, wings.”Burrying her head back in the pillow, the child began to cry again. Life was so unfair. She was never allowed to do the things she wanted to do. Her mother never let her roughhouse with the other children, for fear her wings would be discovered. She couldn’t go swimming in the ocean with them, she had to always be careful what she wore, and her mother always made her wear her long hair down, so it disguised the small lumps on her back. It had been like this for as long as Siabrey could remember. And what was worse! She couldn’t fly! The wings were absolutely useless. A series of knocks at the door told her that her mom was outside. Stodiana always used a special series of knocks when she was coming in, to alert her child that it was ok to not hide her wings.“Siabrey, honey, please don’t be upset. You know it’s for your own good.” Her mom called from outside the door. Still sniffling, Siabrey stood and unlocked the door for her mother before turning to flop on her bed again.“I know mom. It’s all just so unfair.” Stodiana sat on the bed and pulled her daughter into her lap. Stroking the long golden strands of her hair and gazing into Siabrey’s bright red eyes, so like her father’s, Stodiana felt a momentary pang. Still, she had to protect her daughter. The other local nobles had already began to talk. The story was spreading of how the Sipner’s daughter, after vanishing for five years without a trace, had arrived back at her parent’s home by the sea one stormy night, heavily pregnant, and gave birth to a strange copper-skinned child, whom she promptly named “Siabrey,” a name no one understood the origin of. Growing up, Siabrey had always been different from the other children. Although bright and fast-learning, she had an attitude problem and refused to yield to any authority. Only her mother was able to keep the strong-willed child in check. And then there was the problem of her wings. Since birth, Stodiana had worked hard to distinguish the evidence of the most striking aspect of her father that Siabrey had inherited, for fear that her daughter would suffer persecution for being different, and possibly even be accused of being a demon. Of course, her daughter did not see it this way. All the child knew was that she was unhappy, and the two odd appendages on her back were the cause.Siabrey sniffed again and buried her head into her mother’s arms. “I hate my wings, mommy.”Stodiana sighed softly and placed a finger under her daughter’s chin and lifted her face. “Don’t hate them sweetie. They are part of you. I know they’re a hassle now, but how knows, someday you may find some use for them.”Siabrey snorted. “Yeah, right.”“Well….” Stodiana got a wicked grin. “We COULD always…tickle them off!” With that, she grabbed her daughter and began to tickle her ribs.Siabrey shrieked with laughter. “No, mom, no!” Laughing, the two eventually settled down.“Say, how about we go get some of those yummy cream pies that you like so much.” Stodiana smiled. “Only if you have one too, mommy.” Siabrey, like so many children, had forgotten the source of the quarrel. Stodiana smiled, “Ok.” and scooped up her daughter. “Ooof, you are getting heavy.”Time passed, and Siabrey grew to be a strong, willowy 13-year old with a sharp tongue and a temper as fiery as her eyes. On this particular night, she was rampaging around her room. The servants had all fled to the other side of the castle, so there was no one to hear the curses that echoed down the hallway outside of the girl’s room. And if anyone had heard, they probably would have died from shock at hearing such language from a noble’s daughter. Even Stodiana, who could normally control the girl’s outrageous behavior, could do nothing but stay out of the way until her daughter’s fury had subsided, for Siabrey had just been informed that she could not do the one thing that every girl her age dreamed of: date.Siabrey stomped around her room, looking for something else to vent her frustration on. So far, a mirror, several books, and all the pillows on her bed bore evidence of the girl’s rage. She paced the room, occasionally taking swipes at the air with the small silver dagger that she clutched in her hand. “So unfair! All the other girls get to date. They’re probably all home right now getting dressed up for Ikbar’s party, while I have to sit here, even though Ikbar himself asked me to go! Just cause mom’s afraid. I hate these wings! I hate my skin! I hate my hair! I hate myself!” At this last pronunciation Siabrey flopped down onto her bed and sobbed into her shredded pillows. “I’ve never even worn a pretty dress.” she sniffed miserably.A soft knock told Siabrey that her mother waited outside.“Go away!” she yelled.“Siabrey…..” her mother’s voice pleaded from the other side of the locked door.“No! I hate you! Leave me alone!” there was silence for several minutes, then Siabrey heard her mother’s footsteps echoing slowly down the hallway. Oddly enough, the fact that her mother had, for once, done as she wished caused Siabrey’s tears to come even more.“Fine then. Who needs her! Who needs any of this! I’m leaving!” Her face grew thoughtful, then stubborn. “Yeah, that’s right, I’m leaving!”Eyes afire with a sudden new desperation, she set about finding a pillowcase that wasn’t ruined and throwing a few handfuls of clothes and her hairbrush into it, before sticking her dagger into her belt and heaving the makeshift travel pack over her shoulder. Unlocking her door, she glanced around to make sure the coast was clear and began to sneak down the hallway. Passing her mother’s room, she was surprised to see Stodiana sitting on her bed, her back to the open doorway, sobbing over something in her hands that Siabrey couldn’t see. “Oh Kelir, I miss you so much at times like this. Siabrey is a beautiful child, but so strong willed. I just don’t know how I can control her temper anymore. She just doesn’t understand how much people hate that which is different. I don’t know what to do anymore.”Siabrey was startled. She had never heard her mother sound so forlorn. Dropping her runaway bag to the ground gently, she knocked on her mother’s doorframe. “Mom?”Stodiana gasped and turned; whatever she was holding in her hands quickly vanished under the bedspread.“Oh, Siabrey dear, I didn’t see you there…”Siabrey could see the distant look in her mothers eyes, and took a step into the room. “What were you thinking about mom?” Stodiana didn’t answer so Siabrey took a guess. “Were you thinking about dad?” The unveiled look of pain and sorrow on her mother’s face was answer enough for Siabrey, who continued in a softer voice.“Why do you never talk about him mom? Who was he?”“He…” Stodiana’s eyes, though centered on her daughter’s face, were turned inward, lost in a memory. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye. Siabrey’s remaining anger deflated, she hated seeing her mother cry. Reaching out, she touched her mom’s arm gently. “Mom? Are you alright?”Stodiana blinked, then smiled at her daughter. “It’s nothing dear. You know how much the memory of your father hurts me.”“Maybe it’s because you never talk about him.” Siabrey grumbled.Stodiana opened her mouth as if to retort, but her daughter cut her off.“What were you looking at before I came in?” Stodiana started replying instinctively. “Nothing…” before she paused. The way her daughter stood there, hair all disheveled, copper skin flushed from crying, yet her fiery eyes glowing with a fierce passion, had again caused Stodiana to flashback to memories of Kelir. She smiled softly, then her eyes widened in shock. She said, as if to herself. “Of course, why didn’t I see it before…” Suddenly she reached out and grasped her daughter’s hands tightly in her own, eyes alit with their own passion. “Siabrey, why don’t you have a seat. I think it’s time that I showed you something.”Siabrey did as her mother asked and sat, confused, on the edge of the bed. Stodiana turned and reached under the bedspread. What she drew forth caused Siabrey’s blood to quicken unexpectedly.A shining sword, made in a style that she had never seen before, lay in her mother’s hands. Fully four and a half feet long, it had strange runes carved along the unsharpened edge, and the hilt was wrapped with what looked like boar skin, but was red in color and somehow looked more resistant.Unbidden, her hands reached out to grasp and lift the sword. It was heavy, but her young muscles quickly adapted to holding it, her hands shaping themselves around the hilt as if it was second nature.Gazing at her reflection in its flawless surface, Siabrey heard herself ask. “What is this?”“It’s a katana.” Her mother answered, her voice cool and proud as the sea. “It was mine, and, in a way, I guess it was your father’s.” Siabrey looked up. Her mother’s usually modest demeanor was gone. Her dull multi-colored hair, some strands fading to gray, glistened in the torchlight, and her soft white skin glowed as if she was a teenager again, the wrinkles and lines vanishing. Siabrey gaped at the sudden change in her mother’s appearance, while Stodiana went on talking, a wall within her having been burst at the sight of her daughter holding her katana.“I made that sword myself, when I was but a child, hardly older than you. Your grandparents, my mom and dad, were very understanding. They let me go adventuring when I was 18; those were some of the happiest years of my life. Then, one day, I met your father.” Stodiana gave a great sigh of happiness. “He was the most spectacular thing I had ever seen. We fell in love, almost overnight it seems. We had many adventures together, and then one day, my sword was broken in this huge battle with a pack of sandhogs. Kelir reforged my blade, and added those carvings that you see along the top. He rewrapped the hilt in sandhog skin, and named the blade after himself.”Stodiana fell silent after this immense proclamation. Siabrey sat there gazing at her slack-jawed, fingers idly tracing the carvings along the sword’s edge. After several minutes of silence had passed, Siabrey found her voice enough to ask. “So then what happened?”Stodiana blinked and pulled herself out of a daze. The immense beauty that had come over her features faded, and she was just a tired old mom again. “Nothing. Kelir disappeared soon after that, I found out that I was pregnant with you and came home.” Siabrey searched for any other tidbit that she could get. “And he never wrote you, never stopped by to see me, or anything like that?” Her voice was incredulous. Stodiana smiled sadly. “I never heard from him again. If it’s any consolation Siabrey, he did not know that I was pregnant.”“Oh.” Siabrey looked down again at her reflection in the shining blade. Vaguely, she wondered what her father had looked like to give her such a strange physique. Grasping for a change of subject, she pointed to the runes. “What do these mean?”Stodiana shrugged. “I have no idea. He wouldn’t tell me. Said it was some kind of protection or something.”Siabrey gazed at the blade for several seconds more, then stood, holding the blade tightly with both hands. She barely managed to hold the quivering point up for a few seconds before it fell to land with a solid “thunk” in the wooden floor. Stodiana’s eyes were alight. “Don’t worry dear, you’ll get stronger as you practice.”“Practice?” But even as the words left her mouth, Siabrey knew that her mother was right. Already she was planning on taking the shining blade down to the old courtyard and swinging it around. Her old suspicions came back and she glanced at her mother “To what end?”Stodiana raised herself from the bed and reached out for the sword. Holding it out easily, she went into a small flurry of attacks, the blade moving so quickly that it whistled through the air, its edge a blur. She stopped a few minutes later, barely breathing hard, and handed the blade back to her shocked daughter. Crouching, she placed her hands gently on Siabrey’s shoulders. “You are my daughter, Siabrey. You carry within you the same desire for adventure that I had at your age, and it is timed that you lived up to your birthright.”Siabrey gazed at her mother with newfound respect and love, then smiled and nodded.It seemed like Siabrey was born anew after that night. No longer did she sulk and moan at being unable to go play with the other children. Now she spent endless hours training with her mother’s katana, often forgetting to eat until her mother brought her a plate of food. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Siabrey would wake in a cold sweat at being unable to remember a routine, and would run out of her room to practice in her bedclothes until she got it right.Five years passed in a whirlwind, until Siabrey woke one morning to a strange feeling in the air. Unable to place her finger on what exactly was different, she dressed quickly in a warm tunic and trousers, strapped on her katana, and made her way quietly down to the courtyard. Dawn was still several hours from breaking as she started out with a simple routine, then went into a rush of smooth uppercuts and slashes that left her muscles feeling pleasantly warmed. Settling down into a practice that would last most of the day, she barely noticed when her mother crept down the stairs a few hours later, a tightly wrapped bundle in her hands. Placing it securely under her arm, she watched her daughter for several minutes. Waiting until Siabrey had finished a particularly tricky routine, she finally nodded with a soft smile, and she made her way over to where Siabrey stood, sweat trickling softly under her braided hair.“Good morning, mother.” Siabrey said politely, bowing in the habit she had gotten used to when greeting Stodiana.Good morning, daughter.” Stodiana held out a soft cloth so that Siabrey could wipe her face. “Having a pleasant practice?”“Extremely. The air seems different this morning though, somehow fresher, more vibrant. Do you know what I mean?” she turned curious eyes to her mother.“Of course. I felt the same way on the day I turned 18.” Stodiana eyes twinkled with amusement.“The day you turned….you mean, today’s my birthday?” Siabrey gasped. She had completely lost track of the days.Stodiana smiled again and nodded. “And remember my promise to you all those years ago, Siabrey. When you turned 18, I would let you leave this place and go out into the world to find your own way.Siabrey remembered, but the fact that the time was now here came as a shock. “But…but I’m not ready mother,” she stammered. “I still haven’t got Hawoash’s 13th rapture movement down..”“Nonsense. I saw you performing it perfectly not 10 minutes ago.” Stodiana reached out and rested her palm on her daughter’s cheek. “Siabrey, there is nothing to be afraid of; you are ready.”With a flourish, Stodiana thrust the bundle, which by now Siabrey knew contained all of her belongings that she would need while traveling, into her hands. Tears flowing gently, Stodiana pulled her daughter close in a fierce hug. “Go out and find out who you are, my darling. Remember though, you are always welcome here by the sea. I love you.”“I love you too, mom.” Siabrey returned the hug as well as she could one-handed. “I’ll come back someday.” She whispered, her own tears starting to flow freely.“I know, my daughter. I know.” Stodiana held her close for one more minute, then turned and walked back into the castle without a backwards glance, leaving her daughter standing alone in the empty courtyard with a travel pack in one hand, and a glistening sword in the other.Siabrey drew a deep breath, trying to come to terms with the sudden twist of emotions within her. Part of her was dreading the sudden separation, but another, larger part, was already turned and sampling the breeze, and her feet itched with the desire to head out onto the road.“All right then….” She said softly, her fingers reflexively smoothing the leather wrapping the hilt of her sword. Her face squared. “All right then.” Shouldering the pack, she sheathed her blade with one fluid movement. Taking a deep breath, she strode the 10 quick steps to the small eastern gate in the wall, and unlocked it. She allowed herself one glance back at the place that had been her home for the last 18 years. Far in an upper window, she could see Stodiana’s white tear-streaked face, gazing out at her. Lifting a hand in silent farewell, Siabrey turned and began her long trek out onto the road, with the sun barely breaking the horizon before her.</blockquote>

Verification