Female Characters Challenge: I'tidal Kader, Bakluni woman
Title: Destined
Setting: Greyhawk
Character: I'tidal Kader, Bakluni woman
Prompt: Celestial Phenomena 5 - comet
Summary: A conversation as I'tidal is prepared for a life of exile from her people.
“I always knew you was destined for big things,” Auntie Tevva says while she braids my hair. “Always knew it. No one else believed me, but I always knew.”
I look at her without speaking, taking in a deep breath of the fragrant oil she uses to keep her skin soft and smooth.
“When you was born, I saw it. Istus gave me a glimpse of her spindle in the sky, and I knew it was your birth omen. I told your parents, said to name you Kader, for your fate, your destiny. They did not listen to me, laughed at me - you was just another child, they said, a blessing but no destiny. They think I be just a crazy old woman. What you think of that? Your old Auntie Tevva, just some crazy lady?”
I trace a circle with my finger and do not speak, fixing my eyes on my finger instead of Auntie Tevva.
“I don't mind what you think of that anyway. You thinking I am crazy ain't going to change your destiny, Kader. I get to call you that now, cause of you going away. Proves I was right, that you got some destiny, though I can only pray it's for good. You got to know what a comet means, can mean that is.”
At times a comet is the best of omens, at times the worst. I glance briefly at her; she is reaching for one of the hair ties.
“Your parents thought I'tidal a better name for you, get you a distance away from your crazy aunt. Temperance, moderation - named you to spite me, in some ways. Or maybe they was scared, scared of what it might mean, what you might become. I be scared for my baby girl, someone saw a comet time she was born.”
Auntie Tevva ties my last braid, then leans forward and kisses me on the cheek. Her lips are dry and warm, and I can feel them even when she stands straight again.
“Then you get accused of taking sacred objects from the temple of Istus, and exiled from our people. What does that say, Kader, about you and destiny?”
I stare straight ahead, telling my face to stay calm, like an oasis. Auntie Tevva begins putting things into a satchel - some of her skin oil, fragrant herbs, scarves, tea - treasures of my people and of memory.
“I should not be giving you these things, should not be sending you from us in such a fashion. Time was you would be cast into the desert with nothing but your clothing, and left to die. Things were that way when I was a little girl.”
She hands me the satchel, and I wrap my hands around it and look at her face again. Probably this will be the last time I see her - the woman who acted as second mother to me, who taught me herbs and healing. I try to memorize her face, what I do not already know of it.
“You be missed, Kader. I going to miss you lots. You look out for you self, hear?”
I nod to her, and then she takes my arm and leads me out of her tent, to where a caravan is waiting to escort me out of my people's homeland. No words are said as she hands me over to the caravan master, who puts me into a cart - to let me ride on the back of a horse would be too much honor for one accused as me; I am no longer one of the Bakluni people, no longer worthy to ride as the wind, but must be confined.
A guard rides with me, leaning against the wall, watching me. “I can't ride with our people cause of you,” he tells me, but there isn't too much of an edge in his voice; he's calm, he's good at being calm. “I think you owe me at least your name.”
“Kader,” I tell him.
Setting: Greyhawk
Character: I'tidal Kader, Bakluni woman
Prompt: Celestial Phenomena 5 - comet
Summary: A conversation as I'tidal is prepared for a life of exile from her people.
“I always knew you was destined for big things,” Auntie Tevva says while she braids my hair. “Always knew it. No one else believed me, but I always knew.”
I look at her without speaking, taking in a deep breath of the fragrant oil she uses to keep her skin soft and smooth.
“When you was born, I saw it. Istus gave me a glimpse of her spindle in the sky, and I knew it was your birth omen. I told your parents, said to name you Kader, for your fate, your destiny. They did not listen to me, laughed at me - you was just another child, they said, a blessing but no destiny. They think I be just a crazy old woman. What you think of that? Your old Auntie Tevva, just some crazy lady?”
I trace a circle with my finger and do not speak, fixing my eyes on my finger instead of Auntie Tevva.
“I don't mind what you think of that anyway. You thinking I am crazy ain't going to change your destiny, Kader. I get to call you that now, cause of you going away. Proves I was right, that you got some destiny, though I can only pray it's for good. You got to know what a comet means, can mean that is.”
At times a comet is the best of omens, at times the worst. I glance briefly at her; she is reaching for one of the hair ties.
“Your parents thought I'tidal a better name for you, get you a distance away from your crazy aunt. Temperance, moderation - named you to spite me, in some ways. Or maybe they was scared, scared of what it might mean, what you might become. I be scared for my baby girl, someone saw a comet time she was born.”
Auntie Tevva ties my last braid, then leans forward and kisses me on the cheek. Her lips are dry and warm, and I can feel them even when she stands straight again.
“Then you get accused of taking sacred objects from the temple of Istus, and exiled from our people. What does that say, Kader, about you and destiny?”
I stare straight ahead, telling my face to stay calm, like an oasis. Auntie Tevva begins putting things into a satchel - some of her skin oil, fragrant herbs, scarves, tea - treasures of my people and of memory.
“I should not be giving you these things, should not be sending you from us in such a fashion. Time was you would be cast into the desert with nothing but your clothing, and left to die. Things were that way when I was a little girl.”
She hands me the satchel, and I wrap my hands around it and look at her face again. Probably this will be the last time I see her - the woman who acted as second mother to me, who taught me herbs and healing. I try to memorize her face, what I do not already know of it.
“You be missed, Kader. I going to miss you lots. You look out for you self, hear?”
I nod to her, and then she takes my arm and leads me out of her tent, to where a caravan is waiting to escort me out of my people's homeland. No words are said as she hands me over to the caravan master, who puts me into a cart - to let me ride on the back of a horse would be too much honor for one accused as me; I am no longer one of the Bakluni people, no longer worthy to ride as the wind, but must be confined.
A guard rides with me, leaning against the wall, watching me. “I can't ride with our people cause of you,” he tells me, but there isn't too much of an edge in his voice; he's calm, he's good at being calm. “I think you owe me at least your name.”
“Kader,” I tell him.