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By Sarah (Sarah) on Thursday, April 18, 2002 - 12:03 am
In the flower house, a group of old women are sitting and working silently around a huge table. On the table are bundles of long, dried vines and attached to the vines are dried opali blossoms so deeply blue that they appear black. Griella plucks a blossom from the vine and lets it drift down into the tall basket at her side. The flowers have stained her fingers blue and she watches her hands working as she remembers back to a time when she was young. She and Ranuk were drifting in and out of sleep on the soft bedding of the bridal sleigh. Her right hand was still bound to his left by the supple coils of the opali vines and so it would remain until midsun. Her left palm and Ranuk's right had the deep blue stains where the Eldest had anointed them earlier that day. Griella opened her eyes, and by the glow of the living opali vines, which clung to the inside of the sleigh's bonnet, she studied Ranuk's face. He was so handsome and he fit her so perfectly, just as she had hoped he would. She closed her eyes and nestled back alongside him. They were hours north of the summering place and only the beating of their hearts and the snow sweeping along the plains disturbed the night�s silence. She sighed and began drifting back to sleep. Within moments, she was blasted awake by a psychic scream so forceful and piercing that her head immediately ached. Ranuk's body shuddered visibly. The screaming did not stop. Griella quickly dropped into a deep trance. Her mind sought Ranuk's touch. He was there, and unharmed. The terrible keening blared on. As one, they built a wall to keep out the powerful sending. Whoever was out there was untrained and definitely out of control. The sending was full of terror, fear and physical pain. Whoever was out there was in deep trouble. Once the barrier was up, Griella focused on maintaining it while Ranuk formed and cast out a psychic tendril. She felt it the moment that Ranuk forced contact with the other, and she diverted energies to help absorb the shock. The screaming abated. As she sent feelings of well being and calm, Ranuk attempted communication. The other was untrained and much of his thought incoherent, but Ranuk was skilled and had experience with such trauma. Once she sensed things were beginning to get under control, Griella launched a signal to the nearest Watcher. She made contact just as Ranuk began conveying. She relayed. Two young men...trapped...one badly injured...broken bones...frostbite...location as yet unknown...we need a Locator...and get us a... Griella becomes aware that someone is saying her name. She looks across the table and into Brenn's smiling face and then down to where Brenn is pointing. Griella's basket of opali blossoms is piled high and overflowing. The other women around the table are snickering and smiling at one another knowingly. During the pickings, always someone is overcome by the potent opali blossoms and thoughts of the past. Always someone is filling her basket to the floor. Griella snorts and scowls as she tries not to giggle, but as she stoops to pick up the flowers, she is overcome by the other women's mirth and her belly trembles with laughter. |
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By Sarah (Sarah) on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 10:49 am
A group of us were in the flower house gathering the dried opali blossoms. Whoever had taken the vine bundles down from the rafters had piled them so high on the table that for the first hour or so, I couldn't even see Brenn, who was sitting right across from me. As the time wore on, my basket began to fill and my fingers turned bluer and bluer from the blossoms. The work required almost no thought, the room was warm and the flowers potent. My mind began to drift as I watched my hands pull, twist and release blossoms. We're back in the bridal sleigh. It's soft and warm and I'm increadibly happy. Ranuk and I drift in and out of sleep. My wrist is still bound to his by the coils of opali vines. At one point, I'm awake and he is sleeping. By the glow of the living opali vines that are growing along the inside of the sleigh's bonnet, I gaze at the blue cirlces on my free palm where the Eldest had annointed it earlier. I slip my hand into Ranuk's, imagining his blue circle fitting perfectly with mine. He squeezes my hand gently and I watch his face as he sleeps. He's so beautiful and I feel so lucky. I nestle back into him and begin to drift off. Then I'm blasted awake by a psychic scream. My head immediately aches. I'm awake and the screaming isn't stopping. Ranuk is still asleep and his body is shaking. Quickly, I drop into a trance and check on him. He's completely alright, and as one we build a wall to keep out the powerful sending. Whoever is out there is untrained and out of control. The sending is full of terror and physical pain. Someone out there is in trouble. As soon as the barrier is up, I focus on holding it while Ranuk sends out a tendril toward the screamer. He forces contact, and I back him up by absorbing some of the psychic impact. Ranuk starts to attempt communication, and I send feelings of calm. The screaming stops. Whoever is out there is trying to communicate, but much of his thought is incoherent. Luckily, Ranuk has experience with this sort of thing. Things are beginning to get under control, and I lauch a signal to the nearest watcher. It turns out to be Siler who's on duty. I make contact with him the moment Ranuk starts conveying the particulars to me. I relay. Two young men...trapped...one badly injured...broken bones...frostbite...location as yet unknown...we need a Locator...and get us a... Someone was saying my name. I realized I'd really drifted off there. Brenn was smiling at me and pointing to my basket which was now full and overflowing. The others were giggling and smiling at one another knowingly. Always someone is filling her basket to the floor during the pickings. This time it had been me. I was trying not to giggle along with them, but when I stooped to pick the blossoms from the floor, I couldn't hold it in any longer. I laughed and laughed until my belly hurt. |
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By KateC (Katec) on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 10:13 am
I love both of these; they're truly magical. In both, the tenses move back and forth so smoothly I wouldn't be aware of it if I hadn't been looking for them. I'm fascinated by the opali blossoms; they stain hands, contain some kind of drug, and they glow? And the way Griella and Ranuk work together so well, I was mesmerized! |
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