*This post occurred before I changed the WIP title.*
It's 2016! Happy New Year! It's also a Tuesday, so time for writing.
Tuesdays are the day I have set aside to get my creative mind rolling by writing flash fiction. For the time being, these stories will be set in Teorre, the world of my current WIP, The Crystal Bearer. I actually went to Pinterest for my prompt today. I will be starting this flash fiction with a prompted sentence.
How I Met Your Mother
When I first saw her I didn't really see her, just the pile of books she was carrying. I had come to the Crystal Continent to help guard the Ossamontra citizens from mountain lions coming down the trail and needed to meet with the scholar to confirm my arrival. Your great-uncle John was the Royal Scholar then, and she was his apprentice.
I had just come into the library of the temple, and--honestly, first I heard her. Her voice was so smooth and fluid. She and John were speaking in Crystalline, as most did there, and I looked to see where her voice was coming from. She had to be holding thirty books. It was just this tower of books with a skirt and feet. The top few fell off, bounced off what I imagine was her head, and the tower went tumbling.
Your mother was a sight. Her hair was pinned back from her face with pencils and pens, but most of it still stuck out like one huge black cloud around her head. Her blouse had ink stains everywhere--I can't imagine why she would wear a white shirt, but she did. Most of her fingers were wrapped with bandages, paper cuts, I think. And when she bent to start collecting the books, she hit her head on the edge of your great-uncle's desk, but she only hissed and kept on like it was normal.
John acted like none of what had happened had. I imagine he was used to it. "Nelyssa, this is 2nd Lt. Watchman Dal, of Xanctis. Dal, my grandniece Nelyssa."
"Monhas-mi hra adrati hin essa altra," were the first words she ever directed towards me, though she didn't say them to me. (Gentlemen usually help by now.)
I had just come into the library of the temple, and--honestly, first I heard her. Her voice was so smooth and fluid. She and John were speaking in Crystalline, as most did there, and I looked to see where her voice was coming from. She had to be holding thirty books. It was just this tower of books with a skirt and feet. The top few fell off, bounced off what I imagine was her head, and the tower went tumbling.
Your mother was a sight. Her hair was pinned back from her face with pencils and pens, but most of it still stuck out like one huge black cloud around her head. Her blouse had ink stains everywhere--I can't imagine why she would wear a white shirt, but she did. Most of her fingers were wrapped with bandages, paper cuts, I think. And when she bent to start collecting the books, she hit her head on the edge of your great-uncle's desk, but she only hissed and kept on like it was normal.
John acted like none of what had happened had. I imagine he was used to it. "Nelyssa, this is 2nd Lt. Watchman Dal, of Xanctis. Dal, my grandniece Nelyssa."
"Monhas-mi hra adrati hin essa altra," were the first words she ever directed towards me, though she didn't say them to me. (Gentlemen usually help by now.)
She didn't know I spoke Crystalline, so when I crouched down and started helping her pick up the books, her eyes--all to Teorre, how beautiful they were--they got pretty wide when I said back, "Spahero pla vi-mi pijera." (I hope you will forgive me.)
4 comments:
An enjoyable read. What a fantastic motherly character. I liked her a lot. Happy New Year!!
Have a prosperous year ahead, best wishes!
Crystalline sounds like a cool language. I love that you have her carrying not five, ten, but thirty books! I'm interested to know what the main subjects are. What does a Royal Scholars apprentice study? Nicely done.
Hehe It probably wasn't 30. Dad-exaggeration. Royal Scholars study the world languages and histories of the kings and queens, as well as record daily events and appoint watchmen. ^v^
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