Entry tags:
Writing while I'm at work
Work is extremely boring today, so I'm going to try my hand at writing fiction. I don't know how well it's going to work, or how long it will be, but at least it might help pass the time.
2019-08-09
Entry tags:
Work writings
Avoiding the Feast
Part 1
Ranya sat on the top of the hill, contemplating her day. It had started off well enough, until she remembered that today was the day of the Courting Feast. The Courting Feast was a celebration put on by the council elders once about every five years, to give single elves of mating age a chance to mingle and find a partner. It started in late afternoon and often went into the wee hours of the night. There was always plenty of excellent food and drinks, the decorations were understated and elegant while still being fun, and the entertainment was provided by the best musicians in the clan.
The elders always did their best to make the celebration lively and fun, encouraging all the single elves to find a partner to start a life and family with. Many members of the clan loved the celebration and had a grand time, but Ranya wasn't one of them. This would be her fifth Courting Feast and her parents were really pushing her to find a mate. Ranya didn't mind the feast in and of itself, though she did prefer to be on the edges of the party. Her main issue lay in the fact that she didn't want a mate. She wanted to explore the land and learn new skills; she didn't want to be tied down to one person and one place forever. She wasn't sure she wanted a family, or a man, or even any partner at all. She just knew that she wanted the freedom to do her own thing and her parents seemed intent on making sure she mated and settled down to start a family.
Mid-morning is when everything had started going down hill. It started with her mother insisting that she pick out an outfit and start getting ready for the feast. Ranya had tried multiple times to tell her mother that she didn't want to go, that she wasn't interested in looking for a mate, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. To buy herself some time, she told her mother she was going to see Sheyla, to get her hair done first before picking out a dress for the evening. Her mother had huffed at that but Ranya slipped out of the house, needing a reprieve from her mother's over-bearing attention. She wander through her village, in no particular hurry to get to where she was going. Along the way she was greeted by many elves, young and old, all excited about the Feast that evening and wanting to know if she would be attending.
By the time she reached Sheyla's home, she was thoroughly fed up with talk about the Feast and not really in a sociable mood. "Is everything okay, Ranya? You don't look so well," Sheyla asked as she invited her in. "It's the Feast. Everyone is talking about it and mother is making me go. I told her I would come here to get my hair done, so I could put off picking out a dress for a little longer. I just have no interest in finding a mate, and no one here has caught my attention, you know?" Ranya sighed and walked over to the chair where Sheyla did her work. Sheyla began brushing and sectioning Ranya's hair, speaking as she did so. "I know Ranya. There is nothing wrong with not wanting a family or a mate, even though your parents don't see it that way. You can relax here, I won't make your hair overly fancy, and we talk about anything you want. No mentions of the Feast, I promise."
"Thanks Sheyla, I appreciate it a lot." Ranya sat back and enjoyed the skilled hands in her hair, certain that it would look good when finished but not terribly fancy or provocative. They chatted quietly as Sheyla worked, keeping the conversation light and relaxing. When Sheyla finished, Ranya's curly black hair had been put into a french waterfall braid, keeping it away from her face while still looking pretty. "Hold still a minute Ranya, and I'll do your make-up too."
"Shey, I don't want make-up. The hair is enough." Ranya really didn't want to get fancy for the Feast. She wasn't looking for a mate and she didn't want it to seem like she was. Sheyla patted her hand soothingly. "I promise it won't be much, and you know your mother will want to do it if you don't. Besides, I have an idea in mind that should make things easier for you. Trust me?" She waited patiently for Ranya's answer, not willing to push her friend if she really didn't want the make-up. With a big sigh, Ranya capitulated. "Okay Sheyla. You make a good point. Just, not too elaborate, okay?"
"Of course. I know your style." With that, Sheyla started on the make-up. In a matter of minutes, she had applied a thin line of black liner on Ranya's upper lids, and dusted on a coat of dark blue shadow, with just a hint of shimmer. She stepped back and said, "All done. What do you think?" Ranya took a look in the mirror and just stared. "It's so dark. I don't have many dresses that will match that and my eyes."
Sheyla winked and offered a tube of gloss slightly darker than Rnaya's lips. "I know. This way, your mother is limited in the outfits she can suggest, and I think it looks great with your eyes. The dark blue makes the amber darker and pop more. And the lip gloss will give it a little extra fanciness if your mother complains." Ranya glanced in the mirror one more time before giving her friend a big hug. "Thanks, Sheyla. This helps a lot."
"You're welcome Ran, I hope your afternoon isn't too bad." Ranya chuckled mirthlessly and said, "If I'm lucky, it'll only suck a little. I better get going now, before mother comes looking." With a final hug, she walked out the door and started back towards her house. She really was not looking forward to tonight.
****
My first attempt at writing something. Let me know what you think? There might be more coming, if anyone is interested. I have at least a little more of the story planned.
Part 1
Ranya sat on the top of the hill, contemplating her day. It had started off well enough, until she remembered that today was the day of the Courting Feast. The Courting Feast was a celebration put on by the council elders once about every five years, to give single elves of mating age a chance to mingle and find a partner. It started in late afternoon and often went into the wee hours of the night. There was always plenty of excellent food and drinks, the decorations were understated and elegant while still being fun, and the entertainment was provided by the best musicians in the clan.
The elders always did their best to make the celebration lively and fun, encouraging all the single elves to find a partner to start a life and family with. Many members of the clan loved the celebration and had a grand time, but Ranya wasn't one of them. This would be her fifth Courting Feast and her parents were really pushing her to find a mate. Ranya didn't mind the feast in and of itself, though she did prefer to be on the edges of the party. Her main issue lay in the fact that she didn't want a mate. She wanted to explore the land and learn new skills; she didn't want to be tied down to one person and one place forever. She wasn't sure she wanted a family, or a man, or even any partner at all. She just knew that she wanted the freedom to do her own thing and her parents seemed intent on making sure she mated and settled down to start a family.
Mid-morning is when everything had started going down hill. It started with her mother insisting that she pick out an outfit and start getting ready for the feast. Ranya had tried multiple times to tell her mother that she didn't want to go, that she wasn't interested in looking for a mate, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. To buy herself some time, she told her mother she was going to see Sheyla, to get her hair done first before picking out a dress for the evening. Her mother had huffed at that but Ranya slipped out of the house, needing a reprieve from her mother's over-bearing attention. She wander through her village, in no particular hurry to get to where she was going. Along the way she was greeted by many elves, young and old, all excited about the Feast that evening and wanting to know if she would be attending.
By the time she reached Sheyla's home, she was thoroughly fed up with talk about the Feast and not really in a sociable mood. "Is everything okay, Ranya? You don't look so well," Sheyla asked as she invited her in. "It's the Feast. Everyone is talking about it and mother is making me go. I told her I would come here to get my hair done, so I could put off picking out a dress for a little longer. I just have no interest in finding a mate, and no one here has caught my attention, you know?" Ranya sighed and walked over to the chair where Sheyla did her work. Sheyla began brushing and sectioning Ranya's hair, speaking as she did so. "I know Ranya. There is nothing wrong with not wanting a family or a mate, even though your parents don't see it that way. You can relax here, I won't make your hair overly fancy, and we talk about anything you want. No mentions of the Feast, I promise."
"Thanks Sheyla, I appreciate it a lot." Ranya sat back and enjoyed the skilled hands in her hair, certain that it would look good when finished but not terribly fancy or provocative. They chatted quietly as Sheyla worked, keeping the conversation light and relaxing. When Sheyla finished, Ranya's curly black hair had been put into a french waterfall braid, keeping it away from her face while still looking pretty. "Hold still a minute Ranya, and I'll do your make-up too."
"Shey, I don't want make-up. The hair is enough." Ranya really didn't want to get fancy for the Feast. She wasn't looking for a mate and she didn't want it to seem like she was. Sheyla patted her hand soothingly. "I promise it won't be much, and you know your mother will want to do it if you don't. Besides, I have an idea in mind that should make things easier for you. Trust me?" She waited patiently for Ranya's answer, not willing to push her friend if she really didn't want the make-up. With a big sigh, Ranya capitulated. "Okay Sheyla. You make a good point. Just, not too elaborate, okay?"
"Of course. I know your style." With that, Sheyla started on the make-up. In a matter of minutes, she had applied a thin line of black liner on Ranya's upper lids, and dusted on a coat of dark blue shadow, with just a hint of shimmer. She stepped back and said, "All done. What do you think?" Ranya took a look in the mirror and just stared. "It's so dark. I don't have many dresses that will match that and my eyes."
Sheyla winked and offered a tube of gloss slightly darker than Rnaya's lips. "I know. This way, your mother is limited in the outfits she can suggest, and I think it looks great with your eyes. The dark blue makes the amber darker and pop more. And the lip gloss will give it a little extra fanciness if your mother complains." Ranya glanced in the mirror one more time before giving her friend a big hug. "Thanks, Sheyla. This helps a lot."
"You're welcome Ran, I hope your afternoon isn't too bad." Ranya chuckled mirthlessly and said, "If I'm lucky, it'll only suck a little. I better get going now, before mother comes looking." With a final hug, she walked out the door and started back towards her house. She really was not looking forward to tonight.
****
My first attempt at writing something. Let me know what you think? There might be more coming, if anyone is interested. I have at least a little more of the story planned.