05-17-2016, 01:09 PM
I duck my head shyly as the stranger comments on my name. I suppose it is an unusual one; my mother truncated the name my birth mother gave me, the one that stitched sorrow into my soul from the moment I was born. Isle changed it into something sweeter, holding me close and adding light to the shadows left in that first mother's wake. Every time I speak my name, it is a reminder that she loves me, that I am wanted, that I am home. “It's nice to meet you, Dacia.”
I confess, I don't know much about kingdom politics. More of my attention has been turned to telling stories than to hearing them. The Tundra is a backdrop, the caves providing shelter, the plains giving my sisters room to run and frolic and play. Even I sometimes indulge, especially with Lissie and Leelee much more inclined to drag me into adventure than to leave me to my thoughts. My life is my family, not the kingdom we live in. Even if my father is the king. So I find myself a little lost, unsure of the Tundra's relationship to the Chamber or if that means something significant I should be concerned about.
However, Dacia seems more interested in a sight-seeing venture than one of political discourse. Thank goodness. “The wall is very impressive, isn't it? Even in the middle of summer, when the snow on the plains melts, the wall is just as towering. I thought it was intimidating the first time I saw it, but now...” Now that narrow gap in the wall is the gateway into paradise, the place I have ever felt welcome or wanted or loved. The great frozen wall reminds me of my giant, ice-coated father. Strong and steady and always there to protect his loved ones. “Now it feels like safety and home.”
I'm not sure, to be honest, how much I am supposed to tell a stranger about the land beyond the wall. When she asks, I bite my lower lip, considering my answer before I speak. “There's plenty to explore especially in the warmer parts of the year, and I spend a lot of time with my family too. I have sisters and a brother, so there's always something to do. And if I get bored, I can go to the Playground too. But I don't get bored often.”
An idea tickles the back of my mind, and I pause, letting it filter its way forward. Curiosity mingled with dawning inspiration prompt my next words. “What is the Chamber like?” What better way to find out how this should work than to ask questions in return. Maybe her answers will help me understand how much I'm supposed to say. And I genuinely want to know. I've wandered around Beqanna probably more than I should have so far. But I haven't visited any other kingdoms. It would be fun to learn about another.
I confess, I don't know much about kingdom politics. More of my attention has been turned to telling stories than to hearing them. The Tundra is a backdrop, the caves providing shelter, the plains giving my sisters room to run and frolic and play. Even I sometimes indulge, especially with Lissie and Leelee much more inclined to drag me into adventure than to leave me to my thoughts. My life is my family, not the kingdom we live in. Even if my father is the king. So I find myself a little lost, unsure of the Tundra's relationship to the Chamber or if that means something significant I should be concerned about.
However, Dacia seems more interested in a sight-seeing venture than one of political discourse. Thank goodness. “The wall is very impressive, isn't it? Even in the middle of summer, when the snow on the plains melts, the wall is just as towering. I thought it was intimidating the first time I saw it, but now...” Now that narrow gap in the wall is the gateway into paradise, the place I have ever felt welcome or wanted or loved. The great frozen wall reminds me of my giant, ice-coated father. Strong and steady and always there to protect his loved ones. “Now it feels like safety and home.”
I'm not sure, to be honest, how much I am supposed to tell a stranger about the land beyond the wall. When she asks, I bite my lower lip, considering my answer before I speak. “There's plenty to explore especially in the warmer parts of the year, and I spend a lot of time with my family too. I have sisters and a brother, so there's always something to do. And if I get bored, I can go to the Playground too. But I don't get bored often.”
An idea tickles the back of my mind, and I pause, letting it filter its way forward. Curiosity mingled with dawning inspiration prompt my next words. “What is the Chamber like?” What better way to find out how this should work than to ask questions in return. Maybe her answers will help me understand how much I'm supposed to say. And I genuinely want to know. I've wandered around Beqanna probably more than I should have so far. But I haven't visited any other kingdoms. It would be fun to learn about another.