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ffrd1
The last thing I remembered was the fox biting me. I didn’t feel any teeth sinking into my skin. I only remembered it lunging towards me and then nothing. When I awoke I was in a field. Getting up and examining my surroundings I noticed that the field went on as far as the eye could see in all directions. The sky was a beautiful blue without a single cloud to block the warm rays of the sun; which was directly over my head. I took in a deep breath to fill my lungs and I noticed something strange, I couldn’t smell anything. Not a single fragrance was in the air. It’s almost as if I was in a bubble. There was no breeze, no sounds, not even as I walked forward.
And I walked forward. What else could I to do? I wasn’t even sure what forward was at that point. Every direction was the same. The blue of the sky came down to meet the green on the horizon. There were no mountains, no forests, no hills that I could make out. It’s as if I was in a painting. So, I walked. It wasn’t long before a figure appeared distantly on the horizon. A man in a white cloak that was blowing. But there’s still no breeze, I thought. When the cloak blew over his legs there was nothing to see. He was like a ghost you would hear stories about with the sheet over its head. When I finally walked up to him, I stood there for a long time. He didn’t say anything; didn’t move. I was afraid. Nothing made sense; I wasn’t sure what was going on.
“Hello.” I choked. Only the top part of the cloak, which contained his head, turned around like an owl hearing a rodent behind it. The head, if it was even attached to a body, was covered in shaggy white hair. From the very top flowing down in curls intermingling with his long scruffy beard his face was hidden in white hair. Glowing golden eyes peaked out from the forest but didn’t seem to see me.
“Hello.” He said. The voice was powerful; ethereal. It seemed to come from inside my own mind, but his lips moved.
“Who are you?” I pondered almost to myself.
“Alighieri.”
“Where am I?”
“I cannot answer that question.”
“Please, what’s going on? I’m so confused. What is this place?” I was begging him. Like a frightened little child lost in the market look for their mom.
“You should follow me child.” With that his head turned the other way and he started... moving forwards. I had no choice but to follow.
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bbrd 2.0
Dax Clementine Arlo-deus sat in her room. The wood in the fireplace had burnt down to glowing red embers. Only tiny flames, dripping wax onto golden candle holders, lit the open space in which she sat waiting. Three firm knocks came from the door. It was time. Dax took a deep breath, stood up, pulled back her shoulders like her mother had taught her, and confidently strode over to answer the knock that had come.
She was wearing an immaculate black dress, frilled at the bottom with golden petals. Her long black hair flowed in curls down her back to her waste. Her dark brown eyes spoke of a mystery and a deep pain. She had chosen not to wear any jewelry for this occasion though her mother would have scolded her. Being weighed down by that which society finds so attractive that it must wage wars and end lives just to attain it didn’t seem very appropriate for any occasion that Dax could think of.
Lady Dax of House Arlo-deus, the second most powerful house in the city of Yana, save the Maior’s house, often thought of society and culture and its effect on the people and politicians of the major powers of the world. She always felt trapped in the claustrophobic folds the political world forced her into. A Yanan upper-class girl only the age of nine as of four moons ago; Dax was the second youngest child of six in one of the most elite families in the city. This meant she had certain “responsibilities,” or what Dax liked to call “burdens,” that she had to bare. Needless to say, her mother did not care for this term.
There was another louder knock. Dax’s head snapped up; she only just realized that she had paused halfway to the door and had been standing still for far too long. She couldn’t help but to get caught up in thoughts of the overwhelming weight that was on her shoulders.
“My lady?” came a stern low voice. “It’s Penn. I… I was told to be here as the sun set upon the horizon.” She opened the door.
There stood a tall, clean shaven, handsome man with short curly black hair. More a boy, she thought. Penn was only four and ten. His eyes spoke of a deep desire. At first Dax thought the desire was for her, but upon further examination, she realized that the desire went deeper. Far deeper.
“I beg pardon my lord. I was finishing up with my hair.” Dax lied. She often lied about doing girly things like “getting ready” or “doing her hair” or “fixing her make-up” when she really just wanted some time away from the ball or banquet or whatever stupid event her parents were forcing her to attend.
“It’s no problem at all my lady. I was just afraid you hadn’t heard my knock.” Penn said with a warm smile. He seemed kind. Had all of the stories her sister Roma told her about betrothals been a lie just to scare her? Dax wouldn’t doubt that for a second. But still… she wondered.
33
Penn pulled out the seat for her to sit down. Look who’s acting the gentleman, Dax thought. They had arrived at the best restaurant in the city: Coquus Ciborum Super Mortuo. The chef was waiting next to the table ready to take their order directly. He always saw to the most elite families, making sure nothing was lost in translation on the way back to the kitchens. Dax smelled something off putting as she took her seat. Chef Alta a Mortuis was always surrounded by the scent of rotting food. It often made her wonder about the quality of the meat being served, but no one had ever gotten sick from dining at Coquus and the food was so highly praised as to be confused for mana from heaven.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Dax jolted in surprise as she lifted her head to look into Penn’s eyes as he spoke. He had a very soft voice. She followed his gaze upwards. The infinite sea of stars sprawling across the dark void seemed to mirror Dax’s own far flung thoughts. Was there ever an end?
“You know, it’s even better outside of the city if you can imagine. When all is dark around you with only the stars above. I’ve fallen asleep in many fields dreaming of floating up towards the lights.” He shook his head as if snapping out of a trance. Dax realized that he had said more than he’d intended to. A feeling she was all too familiar with. It was at that moment she realized that she hadn’t said a single word to him in spite of her ever-present internal monologue.
“I’ve never been outside the city.” Dax lied. She had been beyond the walls, just once, and if her father knew he would have locked her in the Onyx Palace for the rest of her life. Nobody knew that she had gone outside of the city walls that night.
“Never outside the city?” Penn said astonished. “You’ve never seen the Purple Forest or the place where the Roman River meets the Italian Gulf? You’ve never really seen the true open sky.” He spoke that last sentence, not as a question, but as a statement of fact laden with woe. “I would love to take you some time. It really is the most beautiful thing you could ever see. Well… I once thought.” Pink flushed to his cheeks. Dax realized what he was thinking and her cheeks brightened to match his. They both looked up at each other and laughed. A nervous laugh.. but a nice one. Penn was nice, but still, she wondered.
The night had gone on far better than Dax could ever have imagined… not that she was pleased with this revelation. This man to whom she was unwillingly betrothed was just so annoyingly charming and handsome. His smile was hard to look away from. It felt so genuine. No, she thought, all boys act like this. That’s what Roma had always told her. It was just an act to appease the nobles and peasants of the city so they wouldn’t seem like monsters. In private, things worked differently. And yet… even when they were alone, when he had come to fetch her from the palace, he was so disarmingly sweet. Maybe, she mused internally, first impressions shouldn’t be discounted.
“You don’t talk much, do you?” He asked. He was always the first one to speak when they fell silent. “And I can tell your mind is always racing.” Dax blushed. No one had ever examined her like this before, especially with such accuracy. She didn’t know if this was the right time to open up to him. For some reason, she still felt guarded.
“I’m nervous.” She half lied, wanting to be somewhat truthful with him. Really though, she felt relatively comfortable around him which wasn’t the case with most people in her life. She never could forget those freezing cold hands…
“Me too.” Penn said with a laugh that seemed to come from a place of relief. “I’ve never really, talked to a girl. Um, well.. like this I mean. A conversation at length that isn’t just about the Velvet Ball or the Noctu Igne Mille. It’s very refreshing.” Has Penn had similar doubts about betrothal and love as she had? He seemed just as forced into the situation as Dax. She had never considered this before. Surely a man enjoyed the company of any woman. That’s what Roma always said at least. “This is the part where you respond.” He said, drawing a laugh out of both of them.
“I feel the same way. I’ve never spoken so freely with a guy in this way.” She paused and gave a deep sigh.
“Is something wrong, Dax?”
“No.. I..” she trailed off with her thoughts.
“You know, it’s not hard to tell you’re hiding something.” He accused lightly. How strange, Dax thought, that he actually seemed to be paying attention to her. She bit her lip and looked down, releasing another deep sigh.
“Well…” Dax didn’t get to finish. A small boy in dark clothing ran up to the table. He tried to relay his message while struggling to catch his breath.
“My lord… my lady… the Maior has called… all of the major hou… gah.. houses to the town hall. I was told to come retrieve you both.” The boy looked worried.
Dax and Penn exchanged a look. Penn had a dark expression on his face. Was he worried too? Did he know what this was about? “Well I guess we better go see what Maior Pyrrha has to tell us at this gods’ forsaken hour.” He stood up and went around the table to pull out Dax’s chair.
“Thank you, Penn.” She said trying not to think of his hand holding hers as he helped her stand. She was almost hoping he wouldn’t let go, but he turned to hurry out of Coquus and down the road towards the town hall. Dax quickly followed.
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bbrd1.2
The night had been going on far better than Dax would ever have imagined. She almost didn’t like that this man she was being forced to marry without her consent was so… charming, and handsome. His smile was hard to look away from. It felt so genuine. No, she thought, all boys acted like this Roma had told her. It was just an act in front of the nobles and peasants of the city so they wouldn’t seem like monsters. In private, things worked differently. But even in private, when he had come to fetch her from the palace, he was so sweet. Well, a first impression is important she guessed.
“You don’t speak much do you?” again he was the first one to talk when they fell silent. “And I can tell your mind is always racing.” Dax blushed. No one had ever examined her like this before, especially being so accurate. She didn’t know if this was the right time to open up to him. For some reason she still felt guarded.
“I’m nervous.” She.. half lied. Not what she really wanted to say, but it was closer to the truth. Really she felt relatively comfortable around him, which wasn’t the case around most people in her life. She never could forget those freezing cold hands…
“Me too.” Penn said with a laugh that seemed to come from a place of relief. “I’ve never really, talked to a girl. Um, erm, well.. like this I mean. So much conversation and not just about the Velvet Ball or the Noctu Igne Mille. It’s very refreshing.” Has Penn had similar doubts about betrothal and love as she had? He seemed just as forced into the situation as Dax. She had never considered this before. Surely men enjoyed any woman, at least, that’s what Roma always said. “This is the part where you say something too.” again they laughed.
“I’ve never spoken like this to another guy too.” She gave a deep sigh.
“Is something wrong, Dax?”
“No.. I..” her thoughts wondered off.
“You know it’s not hard to tell you’re hiding something.” How strange, Dax thought, that he actually seemed to be paying attention to her. She bit her lip and looked down, releasing another deep sigh.
“Well…” Dax didn’t get to finish. A small boy in dark clothing ran up to the table. He tried relaying his message in between his deep breaths of air.
“My lord… my lady… the Maior has called… all of the major hou… gah.. houses to the town hall. I was told to come retrieve both of you.” The boy looked worried.
Dax and Penn looked at each other. Penn had a dark expression on his face. Was he worried too? Did he know what this was about? “Well I guess we better go see what Maior Pyrha has to tell us at this gods’ forsaken hour.” He stood up and went around the table to pull out Dax’s chair.
“Thank you, Penn.” She said trying not to think of his hand holding hers as he helped her stand. She was almost hoping he wouldn’t let go, but he turned to hurry out of Coquus and down the road towards the town hall. Dax quickly followed.
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bbrd1.1
Penn pulled out the seat for her to sit down. ‘Acting like a true gentleman’ Dax thought. They had arrived at the best restaurant in the city: Coquus Ciborum Super Mortuo. The chef was waiting next to the table ready to take their order directly. He always saw to the most elite families, making sure nothing was lost in translation on the way back to the kitchens. Dax smelled something funny as she took her seat. Chef Alta a Mortuis always had a weird smell surrounding him, like rotting food. It often made her wonder about the quality of the meat being served. But no one had ever gotten sick from eating at Coquus and the quality of the food was described as “dinning in heaven”.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” Dax jolted her head up to look into Penn’s eyes as he spoke. He had a very soft voice. She followed his gaze up to the heavens where Chef Alta’s food apparently came from. The infinite stars sprawling across the dark void reminded Dax of her seemingly infinite thoughts that coursed throughout her mind. ‘Was there ever an end?’
“You know it’s even better outside of the city, if you can imagine. When all is dark around you and only the sky above. I’ve fallen asleep in many fields dreaming of falling up towards the lights.” He shook his head as if snapping out of a trance. Dax realized that he had spoken more than he’d intended too. Something she was all too familiar with. It was at that moment she realized not a single word had gone past her lips, and yet her mind never stopped speaking.
“I’ve never been outside the city.” Dax lied. She had been outside of the city, only once, and if her father knew he would have locked her in the Onyx Palace for the rest of her life. Nobody knew that she had snuck outside the city walls that night.
“Never outside the city?” Penn said astonished. “You’ve never seen the Purple Forest or where the Roman River meets the Italian Gulf? You’ve never really seen the true open sky.” He spoke that last one, not as a question, but as if he was realizing it in that instance. “I would love to take you some time. It really is the most beautiful thing you could ever see. Well… I once thought.” Pink flushed to his cheeks and he looked down quickly. Dax realized what he was thinking and her cheeks brightened to match his. They both looked up at each other and laughed. A nervous laugh.. but a nice one. Penn was nice.. but still, she wondered.
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bbrd1
Dax Clementine Arlo-deus sat in her room. The wood in the fireplace had burnt down to glowing red embers. Only tiny flames, dripping wax onto golden candle holders, lit the open space in which she sat… waiting. Three firm knocks came from the door. It was time. Dax took a deep breath, stood up, leaned her head back like her mother had taught her, and confidently strode over to answer the knock that had come.
She was wearing an immaculate black dress, frilled at the bottom with golden petals. Her long black hair flowed in curls over her back down to her waste. Her dark brown eyes spoke of a mystery and a deep pain. She had chosen not to wear any jewelry for this occasion (her mother would have scolded her) for being weighed down by things society finds so attractive, that they are wiling to wage wars and kill over, didn’t seem very appropriate for any occasion that Dax could think of.
Lady Dax of House Arlo-deus, the second most powerful house in the city of Yana (not considering the Maior’s house of course), often thought of society and culture and its effect on the people and politicians of the major powers of the world. She often felt trapped in the claustrophobic folds the political world forced her into. A Yanan upper-class girl only the age of nine as of four moons ago; Dax was the second youngest child of six in one of the most elite families in the city. This meant she had certain… responsibilities, or what Dax would like to call “slaveries” she had to partake in. Her mother… did not like this term.
There was another, louder, knock on the door. Dax’s head snapped up; she only just realized that she had stopped halfway to the door and had been standing there for far too long. Thinking about the overwhelming weight that was on her shoulders.
“My lady?” came a stern low voice. “It’s Penn. I… was told to be here as the sun set upon the horizon.” She opened the door.
There stood a tall, handsome man, with short curly black hair, clean shaven. His eyes spoke of a deep desire. At first Dax thought the desire was for her, but upon further inspection, she realized that the desire went deeper. Far deeper.
“I beg pardon my lord. I was finishing up with my hair.” Dax lied. She often lied about doing girly things like “getting ready” or “doing her hair” or “fixing her make-up” when she really just wanted some time away from the ball or banquet or whatever stupid event her parents were forcing her to attend.
“It’s no problem at all my lady. I was just afraid you hadn’t heard the first time.” Penn said with a warm smile. He seemed… nice. Had all of the stories her sister Roma told her about betrothals been a lie just to scare her? Dax wouldn’t doubt it for a second. But still… she wondered.
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