Day 1 of AugNoWriMo
Aug. 1st, 2009 05:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
palmedfireSo, since NaNoWriMo tends not to work out with everything else that goes on that month, I'm doing a WriMo this month with a bunch of folks over on Livejournal. To keep myself honest, I'm posting my work in progress here.
Current Word Count - 1,944. On Track! Woot!
The deep tolling of the Royal Death bell echoed over the city of Norona, starting at the royal cathedral of the Whisperer, and picked up by the various bell towers as soon as bell ringers could be dragged yawning and blinking out of their beds. The main bell rang four times and then fell silent. The bell ringer stifled a yawn of her own, and leaned against the cool stone wall of the bell tower as she mentally counted the seconds. Four tolls to signal the death of the king, and then a count of ninety to let the rest of the city’s bells finish. With a sigh she grabbed the cable again and heaved downward, dropping her body weight to ring the heavy bell again. Three tolls this time, the death of the queen. Another count of ninety, and two more tolls for the death of the heir. Finally finished with her grim task, the bell ringer wiped her burning palms on the front of her habit and pushed open the door into the cathedral proper. As expected, there was a priest standing there with a cloth and bowl of warm water. What the bell ringer hadn’t expected was for who said priest would be.
“I am honored High Priest Pyron” the bell ringer said, bowing. “May the Whisperer help you bear your secrets in peace”
“Peace indeed Initiate Aiyan” the high priest said with return bow. He held forth the bowl and cloth. “Please take and refresh yourself. I wish to speak to you.
Aiyan took the offered items, and busied herself washing her face, and letting her hands soak briefly in the water as she tried to figure out what the high priest wanted with her. Had she done something wrong this morning? Had she not counted the seconds accurately and now there was confusion in the lower districts? Or maybe he’d found out about that incident with the hot pepper…
“You’re not in trouble,” the high priest said, causing her to jump and splash water all down the front of her habit. Were the rumors true? Did he really hear the Whisperer revealing the secrets of others’ minds?
“No sir, I mean, yes sir.” She said, mentally kicking herself for her sudden awkwardness. Here she was, just turned eighteen, and theoretically prepared to take her vows any day now, and she was stumbling over herself like a newborn colt. She finished with her washing and handed the bowl and cloth back to the high priest, hoping her face wasn’t as red as it felt.
Pyron handed the items off to another priest who bowed and quickly retreated. “Come, let us talk in my office.” There was little Aiyan could do but nod and follow as he led the way out of the sanctuary, and up the stairs.
She had been in the high priest’s office only once before, when she’d been eleven and taken her initiate vows. Not much had changed in the past seven years; the walls were covered entirely with bookcases, and the large wooden desk seemed to have the same collection of clutter on it. She took the same seat she had last time, a rather worn looking wooden one in front of the desk and focused her attention on the desk lamp while Pyron busied himself with papers and books.
The lamp in question was a rather plain hurricane style one, though wired for electricity rather than it’s original oil. What caught her interest was the shade, which was stained glass, and cast colorful shadows across the entire room. Unlike other stained glass shades she’d seen, this one was not made up of large flowers or abstract designs. Instead it bore the three symbols of the Triad - crossed keys for the Whispered, the winding road and sun for the Wanderer, and the loom and shuttle of the Weaver. Each symbol on a triangle of the appropriate color, and tessellated around the entire shade. It made for an intricate and fascinating design, that she found very appropriate. Though they maintained separate churches, the three gods were interdependent on each other as it should be.
“I see you’re still fascinated with my lamp.” Pyron said, as he sat down, setting a large leather bound book on the desk in front of him.
Aiyan’s heart skipped a beat as she realized he’d pulled out the grand record book, the listing of all the vowed priests. Was that why he’d wanted to talk to her? Was she finally to take her vows as a full priest? But why now? A growing tide of worry rose up in her. This was highly unusual. While initiation was always a private one-on-one affair, usually it was announced ahead of time, and rarely with the high priest himself.
“I see you recognize the book,” he said. Aiyan nodded, and he continued. “And I have little doubt your mind is chasing itself in circles trying to figure out why I am asking you to be initiated now, considering what has just happened.” Aiyan nodded again, eyes wide. He really did know what she was thinking! Pyron sighed and opened the book with exaggerated care. “A personal question first. Do you believe in prophecy?”
Aiyan opened her mouth and closed it again. One of the first lessons an initiate of the Whisperer learned was to think not only about what was said, but also how. To listen for what wasn’t said. So she took a moment to turn the high priest’s words over in her head before she answered. This could be a test after all. A seemingly simple question to see if she’d really learned to listen. She could tell he wanted to know the answer, that was easy, but there was an undercurrent of something else in his tone. Worry? Understandable, considering the tragic news of this morning, but it seemed more than that. She took a deep breath and chose her words carefully. “It is said that the senior priests of the Weaver have rites with which they can gain insight into Her tapestry.” Pyron nodded and indicated that she should continue. “But those of the Wander do not hold that the Weaver’s tapestry is any more than a recording of what has happened, not what will be. As is expected, we of the Whisperer state such things are secrets and thus offer no answers..”
“Personally, what do you believe?”
“Personally? I do not know, though I’ll admit I’d hate to think the future’s already woven. It makes personal choice seem rather… pointless.”
Pyron nodded and folded his hands in front of him, elbows propped up on the desk. “Interesting. Though even the Weaver’s priests do not to see the future. Instead, they say they see threads. The warp of the Weaver’s loom. And sometimes, they say they can tell certain threads will become important.”
“But why are you telling me this?” Aiyan asked, confused. It was not the Whisperer’s way to share information, any information without reason.
“Because last night I received a call from Mira. Her priests had seen a tangle of threads in the tapestry. While this is usual when disaster looms – such as the events of this morning – she said they also saw one thread flash brightly. It was her impression that said thread indicated someone who could help sort out the tangle.” Aiyan nodded, still confused. “I mediated and prayed, hoping the Whisperer might deign to offer some addition guidance. The only answer I received was ‘the bell ringer is mine.’” Aiyan a long searching look. “You have not received guidance from the Whisperer, have you?”
Aiyan shook her head, but at the same time she remembered the whispered hiss that had woken her up, moments before the priest had banged on her door to rouse her to ring the Death Bell. Had that been…? Surely not. The Whisperer spoke only rarely, and even then only to full priests, never initiates like her.
Pyron sighed almost sadly. “I thought not. Any way, that is why I wish to do your initiation now, in hopes that then you can commune with the Whisperer and make better sense of what s/he told me. Do you consent?”
Feeling a bit bewildered by everything she nodded. Did it matter why she was being initiated? She’d be a full priest at last, finally free to see the wider world beyond the city of Norona. But under such a cloud? The king and queen were dead – she still did not know how – along with their daughter, the confirmed heir. An ominous start to be sure. Still, she followed Pyron out of the office, down the hall and down several flights of stairs to the room of initiation.
It was in the oldest part of church, one of the few places still not wired, as evidenced by the candles that lit the small hallway from the stairs to the room itself. Pyron pulled a large key from under his robes and used it to unlock the heavy metal door. Aiyan and several of her friends had tried several times to pick that same lock, but had never succeeded. If rumor was correct, no one had ever managed to pick that lock. The Whisperer guarded hir secrets well it was said.
As Aiyan entered the room, she couldn’t understand what there had been to guard. It was just a small square stone room, with an uncomfortably low ceiling. Pyron moved silently, lighting the room’s four wall lamps from one of the candles in the hall. That done, he pulled two small bowls from a pocket and placed them on the floor. “Kneel,” he said, indicating the space between the bowls, a spot worn down by countless others kneeling in that same space. “Close your eyes and focus on the mysteries of the Whisperer.”
Aiyan did as she was asked, doing her best to clear her mind of everything except her devotion. It was hard, as she could hear Pyron moving around her, shutting the door, pouring something in the bowls, and unwrapping something that he set on the floor in front of her. Finally there was silence, a sudden strange absence of sound other than her heartbeat and breath. She was about to open her eyes and ask if everything was all right when Pyron’s voice cut through the silence.
“In the beginning Utaru created the world and set the Golden Phoenix and Silver Dragon to circle it. To curry their parent’s favor, the Phoenix and Dragon created humanity, but quickly grew tired of their ever-demanding children. Thus they created the Triad, three gods to watch and guide humanity. ” Aiyan felt Pyron lift her left hand. “The first was tall and graceful, with long fingered hands and wavy golden hair. She called herself the Weaver, and claimed dominion over all that Was. To this day she weaves the great Tapestry of history.” He let her left hand fall and picked up her right. “The second was broad-shouldered and strong, with an gleam in his eye. He called himself the Wanderer, god of all that Is. They say he wanders the roads of this world still.” He let her right hand fall and touched her forehead gently but firmly, right between the eyes. “The stepped forward and claimed dominion over the secrets of What Will Be in a voice no louder than an whisper. Wrapped and hooded in flowing robes, the Whisperer made claim to no gender. It is s/he we revere, and while we claim no knowledge of what will be, we are the guardians of secrets, helping others carry the burdens of knowledge.
Current Word Count - 1,944. On Track! Woot!
The deep tolling of the Royal Death bell echoed over the city of Norona, starting at the royal cathedral of the Whisperer, and picked up by the various bell towers as soon as bell ringers could be dragged yawning and blinking out of their beds. The main bell rang four times and then fell silent. The bell ringer stifled a yawn of her own, and leaned against the cool stone wall of the bell tower as she mentally counted the seconds. Four tolls to signal the death of the king, and then a count of ninety to let the rest of the city’s bells finish. With a sigh she grabbed the cable again and heaved downward, dropping her body weight to ring the heavy bell again. Three tolls this time, the death of the queen. Another count of ninety, and two more tolls for the death of the heir. Finally finished with her grim task, the bell ringer wiped her burning palms on the front of her habit and pushed open the door into the cathedral proper. As expected, there was a priest standing there with a cloth and bowl of warm water. What the bell ringer hadn’t expected was for who said priest would be.
“I am honored High Priest Pyron” the bell ringer said, bowing. “May the Whisperer help you bear your secrets in peace”
“Peace indeed Initiate Aiyan” the high priest said with return bow. He held forth the bowl and cloth. “Please take and refresh yourself. I wish to speak to you.
Aiyan took the offered items, and busied herself washing her face, and letting her hands soak briefly in the water as she tried to figure out what the high priest wanted with her. Had she done something wrong this morning? Had she not counted the seconds accurately and now there was confusion in the lower districts? Or maybe he’d found out about that incident with the hot pepper…
“You’re not in trouble,” the high priest said, causing her to jump and splash water all down the front of her habit. Were the rumors true? Did he really hear the Whisperer revealing the secrets of others’ minds?
“No sir, I mean, yes sir.” She said, mentally kicking herself for her sudden awkwardness. Here she was, just turned eighteen, and theoretically prepared to take her vows any day now, and she was stumbling over herself like a newborn colt. She finished with her washing and handed the bowl and cloth back to the high priest, hoping her face wasn’t as red as it felt.
Pyron handed the items off to another priest who bowed and quickly retreated. “Come, let us talk in my office.” There was little Aiyan could do but nod and follow as he led the way out of the sanctuary, and up the stairs.
She had been in the high priest’s office only once before, when she’d been eleven and taken her initiate vows. Not much had changed in the past seven years; the walls were covered entirely with bookcases, and the large wooden desk seemed to have the same collection of clutter on it. She took the same seat she had last time, a rather worn looking wooden one in front of the desk and focused her attention on the desk lamp while Pyron busied himself with papers and books.
The lamp in question was a rather plain hurricane style one, though wired for electricity rather than it’s original oil. What caught her interest was the shade, which was stained glass, and cast colorful shadows across the entire room. Unlike other stained glass shades she’d seen, this one was not made up of large flowers or abstract designs. Instead it bore the three symbols of the Triad - crossed keys for the Whispered, the winding road and sun for the Wanderer, and the loom and shuttle of the Weaver. Each symbol on a triangle of the appropriate color, and tessellated around the entire shade. It made for an intricate and fascinating design, that she found very appropriate. Though they maintained separate churches, the three gods were interdependent on each other as it should be.
“I see you’re still fascinated with my lamp.” Pyron said, as he sat down, setting a large leather bound book on the desk in front of him.
Aiyan’s heart skipped a beat as she realized he’d pulled out the grand record book, the listing of all the vowed priests. Was that why he’d wanted to talk to her? Was she finally to take her vows as a full priest? But why now? A growing tide of worry rose up in her. This was highly unusual. While initiation was always a private one-on-one affair, usually it was announced ahead of time, and rarely with the high priest himself.
“I see you recognize the book,” he said. Aiyan nodded, and he continued. “And I have little doubt your mind is chasing itself in circles trying to figure out why I am asking you to be initiated now, considering what has just happened.” Aiyan nodded again, eyes wide. He really did know what she was thinking! Pyron sighed and opened the book with exaggerated care. “A personal question first. Do you believe in prophecy?”
Aiyan opened her mouth and closed it again. One of the first lessons an initiate of the Whisperer learned was to think not only about what was said, but also how. To listen for what wasn’t said. So she took a moment to turn the high priest’s words over in her head before she answered. This could be a test after all. A seemingly simple question to see if she’d really learned to listen. She could tell he wanted to know the answer, that was easy, but there was an undercurrent of something else in his tone. Worry? Understandable, considering the tragic news of this morning, but it seemed more than that. She took a deep breath and chose her words carefully. “It is said that the senior priests of the Weaver have rites with which they can gain insight into Her tapestry.” Pyron nodded and indicated that she should continue. “But those of the Wander do not hold that the Weaver’s tapestry is any more than a recording of what has happened, not what will be. As is expected, we of the Whisperer state such things are secrets and thus offer no answers..”
“Personally, what do you believe?”
“Personally? I do not know, though I’ll admit I’d hate to think the future’s already woven. It makes personal choice seem rather… pointless.”
Pyron nodded and folded his hands in front of him, elbows propped up on the desk. “Interesting. Though even the Weaver’s priests do not to see the future. Instead, they say they see threads. The warp of the Weaver’s loom. And sometimes, they say they can tell certain threads will become important.”
“But why are you telling me this?” Aiyan asked, confused. It was not the Whisperer’s way to share information, any information without reason.
“Because last night I received a call from Mira. Her priests had seen a tangle of threads in the tapestry. While this is usual when disaster looms – such as the events of this morning – she said they also saw one thread flash brightly. It was her impression that said thread indicated someone who could help sort out the tangle.” Aiyan nodded, still confused. “I mediated and prayed, hoping the Whisperer might deign to offer some addition guidance. The only answer I received was ‘the bell ringer is mine.’” Aiyan a long searching look. “You have not received guidance from the Whisperer, have you?”
Aiyan shook her head, but at the same time she remembered the whispered hiss that had woken her up, moments before the priest had banged on her door to rouse her to ring the Death Bell. Had that been…? Surely not. The Whisperer spoke only rarely, and even then only to full priests, never initiates like her.
Pyron sighed almost sadly. “I thought not. Any way, that is why I wish to do your initiation now, in hopes that then you can commune with the Whisperer and make better sense of what s/he told me. Do you consent?”
Feeling a bit bewildered by everything she nodded. Did it matter why she was being initiated? She’d be a full priest at last, finally free to see the wider world beyond the city of Norona. But under such a cloud? The king and queen were dead – she still did not know how – along with their daughter, the confirmed heir. An ominous start to be sure. Still, she followed Pyron out of the office, down the hall and down several flights of stairs to the room of initiation.
It was in the oldest part of church, one of the few places still not wired, as evidenced by the candles that lit the small hallway from the stairs to the room itself. Pyron pulled a large key from under his robes and used it to unlock the heavy metal door. Aiyan and several of her friends had tried several times to pick that same lock, but had never succeeded. If rumor was correct, no one had ever managed to pick that lock. The Whisperer guarded hir secrets well it was said.
As Aiyan entered the room, she couldn’t understand what there had been to guard. It was just a small square stone room, with an uncomfortably low ceiling. Pyron moved silently, lighting the room’s four wall lamps from one of the candles in the hall. That done, he pulled two small bowls from a pocket and placed them on the floor. “Kneel,” he said, indicating the space between the bowls, a spot worn down by countless others kneeling in that same space. “Close your eyes and focus on the mysteries of the Whisperer.”
Aiyan did as she was asked, doing her best to clear her mind of everything except her devotion. It was hard, as she could hear Pyron moving around her, shutting the door, pouring something in the bowls, and unwrapping something that he set on the floor in front of her. Finally there was silence, a sudden strange absence of sound other than her heartbeat and breath. She was about to open her eyes and ask if everything was all right when Pyron’s voice cut through the silence.
“In the beginning Utaru created the world and set the Golden Phoenix and Silver Dragon to circle it. To curry their parent’s favor, the Phoenix and Dragon created humanity, but quickly grew tired of their ever-demanding children. Thus they created the Triad, three gods to watch and guide humanity. ” Aiyan felt Pyron lift her left hand. “The first was tall and graceful, with long fingered hands and wavy golden hair. She called herself the Weaver, and claimed dominion over all that Was. To this day she weaves the great Tapestry of history.” He let her left hand fall and picked up her right. “The second was broad-shouldered and strong, with an gleam in his eye. He called himself the Wanderer, god of all that Is. They say he wanders the roads of this world still.” He let her right hand fall and touched her forehead gently but firmly, right between the eyes. “The stepped forward and claimed dominion over the secrets of What Will Be in a voice no louder than an whisper. Wrapped and hooded in flowing robes, the Whisperer made claim to no gender. It is s/he we revere, and while we claim no knowledge of what will be, we are the guardians of secrets, helping others carry the burdens of knowledge.
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