“Cyth this is Ila. Mount up” Mona told me. it was the grand welcoming ceremony and all of us initiates were starting off the yearly festival. We parade into the square on horses and then start the training. It sounds so bad, but all it is is helping out on a farm. We just learn to take care of the animals and the basics of the crops (most of the crops are done by the Eponas).
Clip clop. The horse trotted into the square. I was happily riding bareback, but the transfers (the initiates from other clans) were bouncing around, struggling to stay on. Mostly not because of lack of riding, but because here the horses acted differently to say in the Firgrove clan. Riding a different clans horse takes time to get used to! We stop in front of Han Har’s house. He’s the clan leader, he is quite young but very good at his job. On either side of him, the 6 elders sit, viewing us as one may view toys in a shop. “People of Jarlaheim. Today we welcome our newest recruits. Alice of Jarlaheim,” Alice dismounted and walked to the front, where she was presented with a bag from which she must pick out a welcome gift. A packet of seeds. Appropriate. “John of Jarlaheim. Ninna of Siverglade. Zumbi of Valedale. Mora of Jarlaheim. Avalon of Valedale.” Valedale? Maybe he’d know about my brother! Han continued, “Cyth of Jarlaheim”. I walked forward, keeping my eyes to the ground. I plunged my hand into the depths of the bag and pulled out a thin pull on, made from the material that was used on the bags. I turned and saw Ma in the ground. We made eye contact and she nodded - she was very happy with me. Over I walked to the other recruits. After the rest of the names were called, we were taken to the dorms where we would spend the night. Fok, who is in change of the recruits, told the boys to go to the left, girls to the right. Mona was already inside the girls dormitory: she also did the training. It was an array of matrices, each covered with a sheet. No pillows. Above each bed was a hook (that was on the edge of a precipice, ready to fall) where we would hang our clothes. Then each of us had to first print, then sign, our name in the big book of recruits. From now of we were all not from any clan. It was now that those who had moved were leaving their clans, and join Jarlaheim in the 2nd stage of membership. When you are a child, you are in the first stage, since people recognise that you didn’t choose to be a part of this clan. Then when you are in recruit you join the second stage. If you graduate, you get the 3rd stage of membership, able to vote on some choices in the clan. Finally, if you ever become an elder you get the 4th stage of membership. Before me in the line was Ninna. However, she wrote Fina on the paper. If you move clans you are allowed to change your name fitting to the clan. Avalon didn’t change his. I would change my name if I had the choice, but I can’t. We each took a bed and Mona passed us our new clothes. One pair of boots, a cloak, a shawl and a nightdress. Then two dresses, two pinafores, two shifts, two pairs of underwear and stockings. “Use the privy outside and then wash your hands and faces back in here. Comb and braid your hair, then change. Put all your things at the end of the room: you won’t be needing them. You have 5 minutes,” Mona said after she’d give them last girl (Jay) her things. 5 minutes later, under the thin cover, I started to wonder if it was like this in other clans. It must be. Ma had told me that the reason it was like this was simple. People came from so many different places and they had habits. Everyone had to be stripped of their identities to start their new life here. Everyone had to be presented as equal, regardless of their upbringing. Hanging onto this thought, I drifted into sleep. Have you noticed that with this one I tell you that is happening rather then showing you like I did it Kitty’s tale? In KT the story line was quite simple, but here there is so much more with the story and less with the writing. It’s actually quite good practise! When I have finished Cyth’s choice (I think it will be 10 parts like KT) I will try and do something where both storyline and technique are combined. Or maybe next Sunday there will be a Halloween tale instead…
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Li Silentland
Hello!Welcome to my little space on the large internet where I can share my thoughts, views and fanfics! I am you 'normal' teenaged girl, who loves writing, gaming and horses. I've played Star Stable online since 1st June 2014 and I am currently a level 20 player on Cupcake Valley where I hang about with Frosty Roses and my 18 pixel horses! Disclaimer: All images and anything else to do with this blog are taken in the game Star Stable Online produced by Star Stable Entertainment AB. I have nothing to do with Star Stable and own none of their graphics. But I can tell you it is a great game and you should play it!
Categories
All
Archives
August 2018
|