Silence and Musings - Samheen 27th (closed)

[Alexandrya L`handriel]

Not the world...just my mother's murderers... She thought to herself as she listened to the elderly Torc, still holding the child. Alexandrya wondered what her life would consist of but Torc had been away from her so long. She actually wondered when their paths would cross and still baffled with how their few days together would give him any thoughts to the notion of love. She doubted that she was the only woman he believed was worthy enough for his love.

A soft sigh escaped as she looked down at the child in her arms. "It is time to live, Torc. Know that not everyone is mean and even if you lose, you pick yourself up and continue on." She kissed the child's forehead and smiled. "Take care of yourself and do not let the evil one to rule over you." She murmured softly. "We will meet again."

[Torc Blackfoot]

The small boy walked from Alexandrya’s embraced to the elderly form. With each step small dust mites appeared to come of the boy drifting to the elder Torc. At first it was slow then as time went past more of the small boy dissolved into dust that went into the elder man. The boy turned around and looked at Alexandrya waving farewell to her as until the last little bit of him floated over to the man.

The elder man’s appearance had changed, become more youthful in appearance and stature. Torc’s hair had gone from grayness silver to gray with flecks of brown still in it. His hands with wrinkled and with age spots were gone from view to be replaced with well weathered hands. A smile came to Torc’s face showing where the wrinkles would finally come in.

“Alexandrya, if I may show you one more thing, I will open a way out for you afterwards. You see Torc needs to know something about his past, yet it needs to come from the outside in to have any real impact.” The small village began to dissolve and great trees of cedar and oak arose around them. The elder Torc smiled, “You remember a time when we told you about Blaire training us in the knife.”

A clearing appeared within it was a small wooden cabin and two men with blades striking and dodging from one another. An old human with a black beard and scars across his bare chest laughed a full deep laugh as the younger bare chest achiadiel took a swipe. The man had a twinkle in his eyes as the knife play continued. Striking on occasion, but still forcing the younger boy to move to his lead.

A whisper from the elder Torc came forth, “Ah Blaire was one of the best knife handlers in a days walk from here. He once told us that for every scar on his chest that can from a knife, there was one from an animal.” Sure enough as Blaire lunged for Torc the right side of his rib cage was exposed and it showed long claw marks of a bear. “Every two days we would fight like this, making sure if to recite the laws of the forest and always to remember her serenity.”

As Blaire made a move to cut at Torc’s left, the young Torc slid to the right and used the wooden dagger to strike a hard blow in Blaire’s armpit. Blaire fell down for a moment speechless, Torc stood over the man looking confused. Then as the silence threaten fear a laugh broke from Blaire, then the young Torc took enjoyment from it as well.

“Well done, lad! Today’s the first time you have ever been able to get a killing blow on me. Not two bad for four yarhen of practice. Now help me up so we can recite the rules of the forest and speak of her quiet.” Blaire had spoken in a deep voice that was filled with warmth and care for his charge. Torc bent down and help the older human to stand, for a brief moment they held their heads down and raised there hands to the sky.

In unison the spoke, “We thank the forest for its rules and its serenity of this day, for she may take away as much as she gives. We remember to kill only enough to live, or to kill in defense. We remember that in the plentiful months to save for a time when she is bare. And we remember that we should walk in unison with her in all things whether they are big or small.”

Torc looked up at Blaire for a second. “I always feel like saying amen afterwards Blaire, but that would be blasphemous against the One.” Blaire smiled and tossed the youths hair. “Like I have said before, we recite this so that we remain humble in her shadow and that we do not forget the dangers of the forest. Now go ahead and get the first dunk, I will be in shortly for chow.”

As Torc went pass the cabin, he kissed his fingers for moment and then touched a dryied wheat wreathe. It looked to be held over from the fall festival and it sprouted seven points on it. Dried pumpkin vines wrapped it and it hung just above the door. The Elder Torc whispered yet again, “Blaire use to tell us that it was a symbol for good luck. Every yarhen, after the first snow fall, Blaire would light each point on the wreathe, and then throw in it in the fire. Later during the winter he would build a new wreathe to hang once again. Always repeating the rules to of the forest over.” Then the elder Torc looked directly at Alexandrya waiting for her to say something.

[Alexandrya L`handriel]

Alexandrya watched sadly as the boy dissolved and another Torc appeared. She nodded as he mentioned wanting to show her something before she could leave this dream of theirs.

Her eyes adjusted to the image that had dissolved bringing a new one in its place. The sounds of fighting made her ears twitch and she turned to watch Blair and Torc practising with daggers. Her eyes followed both and as Torc went in for the killing blow. She gave a small smile at their interaction and the small poem that was read to nature.

She followed him to where there was a wreath and watched Torc kiss his fingers and touch it. Her eyes never leaving the carefree, happy Torc. "Is this his reality? Or one of his realities?" She asked softly so she did not disturb both Blair and Torc. "I would not believe that Torc already forgot these good parts in his life to do what he is doing right now."

The silver-haired achadhiel moved closer towards the Torc that had touched the wreath with kissed fingers. "He deserves to find some happiness."

[Torc Blackfoot]

Blaire walked over to Alexandrya and the magus Torc. “I do not believe she understands what you are showing her. Alexandrya though this might be where Torc gets his best qualities from, all that is here is off compared to what you know.” The magus Torc looked at Blaire for a flicker, and then he went back to her.

“Alexandrya is what you witnessed typical? Look beyond the joy and happiness of the memory and into something less. We can not tell you what it is for at the moment, we deny that it exists, but with your unclouded eyes, you might be able to see it.” Magus Torc implored.

“Confusing isn’t it. Does we include me? Or does it mean all the splinter Torc’s… Anyway, think about the riddle presented here, once it is answered you can go free. For it is something that Torc denies and once you have the secret his own mind will throw you from this prision of memories and horrors.” Blaire started to take greater form, he began to truly feel real to Alexandrya and with each word he started feeling like another entity.

[Alexandrya L`handriel]

The silver-haired achadhiel looked startled as Blaire walked over towards her and the other Torc. She blinked as they spoke about a riddle as they spoke in riddles and she did not know what they spoke of. Her brow furrowed as she shook her head. "I do not understand and I was never clever enough for riddles..."

Then she looked directly at Blaire. "From what I remember, Torc missed you. This is a joyous memory and there seems to be happiness embedded in it. I do not know him well enough to know what is right and what is amiss. I do not understand how I have come here to be trapped in his mind, his dreams, his sorrows, his fears..."

Her brilliant eyes rested on both Torc and then Blaire as he seemed to be changing into something else. "I will not play your riddles and you need to release Torc from the torment that he feels. Let him live his life without all the baggage that you seem to lay at his feet."