To Noura, Who Learns to Dance

To Noura, Who Learns to Dance

Postby Rance » Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:28 am

She could not help but take her breakfast with some discomfort. Her unease was partially from the sourness of her belly, a result of gorging upon far too many melons the night before with Mister Catch. Mostly, however, it was a discomfort that stemmed from thoughts of devil-knives and reckless choices.

The seamstress scribbled the note by charcoal. When it was done, she folded it and slipped it underneath the door to a room at the Broken Dagger that a whelp took as her own.

Dear Noura,

You left last night when things did not seem well, and I fear that I am to blame, you see, for I scarsely know my right from my left or the up from down anymore,

Why were you not angry for what I had done to Elliot, shouldn't you have been, I think I am not as clever or patient as you, when I see him I have got to hit something. Also I did what you said I hurt what hurt me and he forgot what he promised and I understand it now what Mister Catch fears in being forgotten, because what if he never

I don't know if my friends are my friends or if they are new or if they are different, or if they have once been friends but turned to be something else, or if they have made aleajeances which are false or true, or if we're even doing anything right anymore,

I hate this with everything, I have said terrible things to people who used to know I cared for them deeply, will you please tell me that dancing lessons are not as important as I am to you, will you please if it is true? if I did something wrong by you please do not hesatate to say it

I told him no, I told that devil man Jiaseppy that I do not need his offers,

IT does not need them either,

yours,
gloria

Gloria included a thumbnail-sized hunk of white cheese made wax-soft by the heat. She tucked it inside the folded parchment. Noura would know who it was for.
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Re: To Noura, Who Learns to Dance

Postby Guppy » Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:39 am

The letter was received when she returned to her room and the creature dutifully read it to the whelp. After, of course, an attempt at reading it herself. At this point, Noura's lessons were providing an increased vocabulary and she could recognize words upon paper. Still, there was some distance to go, even at the rabid pace she set for herself. Her mind hungered for learning, which no doubt pleased her knightly companion. The small piece of cheese was plucked from the letter's confines and handed to Morsel within his small cage. His large eyes mirrored her face in distorted manner as he accept the bit of food between his soft paws. He sat upon his haunches and nibbled, holding the cheese delicately within his forefeet. The door was left open these days and he had managed, thus far, to evade capture by the kitchen's feline. She was often sick with worry for the small mammal, but could not bring herself to cage him. Not when she so achingly felt the ephemeral bars of her own gilded cage in her mind.

Gloria,
I can not be angry with you for your actions against dearest Elliot, for his actions and his words often lead me to yearn for violence as well. My inability to bring the old Elliot to us pains me like knives in my gut. What stills my hand is my memories and the hope that he will return. The old Elliot would thank you, I think, for your actions against him. The old Elliot would despise this Knight. He may be more kind, more patient, but that only makes his loss more unbearable. I have known him a much shorter time than any of you, so perhaps that explains my patience. Sometimes, I catch myself relishing his attention. He may be pale shadow of our friend, but he does smile at me so very sweetly. He looks forward to speaking with me. He is patient in our lessons.

Everything is very confused. I do not know who to trust. I do not know who tells me the truth, nor how many truths there are. But, my friend, we must stick to our unyielding principles. We must believe that we are right in this and not stumble in our path.

You remain, as always, more important than my dancing lessons. Would that I could prove that to you. Perhaps I will skip the next and speak with you instead? I warn you, that will drive Elliot to worry and he may come looking.
...

And now, she is prattling tearfully on about how much you mean to her, little birdy. It is embarrassing for both of us and useless information. More importantly, Giuseppe strives for my attention. He says that he does not wish me harm unless his Lady requires it. She has something that would force his hand and he says that my time is borrowed. I have faith in my abilities, but one must always be wary. I may have to slip into her employ to keep my enemies close. I may have to seemingly betray the rebellion, such as it is, and whelp. I am beginning to feel that I can work most effectively from within her fold alongside your Dark One and consume them from the inside. I warn you now, because you are weakening and that is something that will not be tolerated. I will abandon you for the winning side, birdy. Take hold of that stubborn, irritating streak of yours and nip at their heels. Grow up and told hold of what needs to be done, or I will give whelp to the boy-Knight and trust in him to bring her the fragile contentment your broken Mryken allows. Find Niall. Plan and plot.

-- X and the whelp
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Re: To Noura, Who Learns to Dance

Postby Rance » Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:23 am

When she received the letter, she asked Menna Atrahasis if she might lunch. She was given permission, if only after finishing her morning's embroidery. She worked with determined haste, stitching the last golden threads across another cuff-sleeve. She hid different words than yesterday's within the vine-like reliefs, a proclamation of QUESTION WHO COMMANDS YOU woven so delicately within the embroidery that nothing else but a looking glass or a diligent eye could untangle the words.

She read the missive once, twice, and a third time. The seamstress wrote in haste during her resting hour, taking no lunch except a fist of stale bread. The wind threatened the corners of her own parchment as she held it flat with her gloved palm.

She wrote two letters. She slid them both beneath door of Noura's room. This time there was no cheese.

Noura,

I am very glad that you have him even as a husk of what he was, I am very glad, but I cannot abide him, he ageravates me, I see his face and only see memories that don't matter anymore, it was like I mighten has well of never had them at all, All he does is talk and talk and I despise it, it makes me sick with dread and anger and Jernoah, I sometimes wish all he would do is SHUT UP so I could pratend the memories are there, or maybe I could dance too,

I say prayers and they are not answered, everything is silent

I must stay away from Cherny for his best because what if they see him as false, what if they believe he collutes with his sister, we cannot risk it, I miss waiting for him after school, You are busy with dancing and ficksing Elliot, and it is a fine cause but it demands all, The Marshall was my friend but now she is a lump of cosmettic and powder and dresses, she is shallow and there is nothing there, I say the worst things to her, I weafe so many lies and untruthes and disseptions I don't know where they start and she was supposed to MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT,

There is Catch but he is frightened and feels forgotten and sometimes he is a ball of fire I cannot put out, Cherny once had words like magic but I do not always say the right things to him, I love him with all of me but we are like oil and water as they say sometimes, even he is QUIET and CLEVER and I am a dumb ogre, a stupid hatchet that cuts and cuts and cuts at things that won't ever break

I have no school, I miss my mathematics, I don't sleep barely at all, and when Myrken Wood becomes a shining pile of beauty what if everybody who has somebody else forgets, in Jernoah they told me I cannot go back and so here I am and there is someone for everyone and we do what we must,

but what if everyone likes it, what if you are sneaking and inside it all and one day you think This Is Not So Bad and I'll Take Elliot This Way Over No Way, or what if Cherny must squire always, or he is sent away, or what if

I hate this, what is the point of unyielding principles if everyone is behind a wall I cannot climb, I almost did what Jiaseppy asked, I almost did even though he told me he meant to kill ME

what if I do something wrong, what if I do a drastic and stupid thing, what if I hurt somebody like I wanted to do to Elliot, I could have broken his jaw or snapped his neck I swear I could have, but you should never shirk your lessons, you see, because there can be no hints, none

I still have your feather you gave me, but it is only as good as friends for so long, until my chest hurts and I realize all I'm good at is seams, be safe and don't get lost

yours,
gloria

The other letter was addressed to PEK'ORET. It was best to keep the two communications separate; it was best to be secretive, even to this end.
Pek'oret (It),

This is not a game, there are no winning sides, you cannot risk Noura and make her untrustworthy to Elliot by getting impatient, nor can you give her to him, she is not your toy,

Niall knows where I am, she is fortunate to be alive, but she has done nothing, NOTHING,

but if you make the promise to not give Noura up, to always protect my friend, I will go to the spearwielder

I will do whatever you want,

I will learn how to make the mind-meddler bleed if I need to
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