First Bit of Something or Another
Mood:  hug me
Topic: notebook 1
Anna climbed the narrow winding staircase of the cathedral to the balcony. The cold stonewalls and colored windows was just what her mood called for. It didn’t matter that she stuck to Nydrian ways and disagreed with most of what was preached here. Now building stood still and silent. She enjoyed the fusion of well-used pages, dust, and incense. The statues, the artwork, the building itself, all appealed to her despite the Carithian theme.

Her eyes paused upon the portrait of the Valiterra siblings. Allena, the youngest of the three - lovely, fair, and wise- proclaimed to be dead for the past decade, sat regally as her brothers stood solemnly beside her. Andric, the younger of the brothers, was the opposite of his fair-haired siblings. Dark, strong, powerful, and most of all feared, he ruled the western Carithian lands as though it were as simple as snapping his fingers. Aric, the eldest, gave up the power of his fathers, disappeared for a few years, returned at the rumors of his sister’s death, and has advised his brother in the war against the Nydrian rebels since.

Anna hated the Valiterra brothers feverishly all her life. Her uncle warned her before she should be careful of where she places her fury, as it’s often led her to trouble. Another thing she Anna couldn’t stand was how it was all right for him to hate the Valiterras, but she shouldn’t when they so rightly deserved it from her.

She turned stiffly away from the painting and started busying herself lighting candles as darkness fell on the cathedral.

It was long past time to hear Siran’s explanation for this unusual meeting. It had to have been one of the oddest requests he had asked of her yet. Why step into a Carithian cathedral, light a bunch of candles and wait for him at the window of all places, and on the Sabbat at that? What was so important that she had to turn down several celebration invites, lie to her uncle, and get rid of Kael to be here?

The balcony grew steadily darker so the candlelight illuminated the stonewalls of the church. Anna glanced out the window to find the stars were waking. The wind breezed through her straw-colored hair, carrying their yawns to her ears.

“Well, if it isn’t young Anna of the Silversights?” an elderly voice spoke across the sky. “Such an odd place for someone of your Nydrian heritage to be tonight, now isn’t it?”

Anna rolled her eyes, looked up to the heavens with the skill of a well-learned astronomer, and located the Three-point Star as though she could have done so even if she were blinded.

She lifted an eyebrow up to the star. “If you sent me here to tease me I’ll just find one of those festivals I’m missing out on to be here,” she said irritably, turning from the window.

“You know, there’s a reason why your people celebrate this day, Anna, particularly your clan,” said Siran.

“No, really?” Anna said sarcastically. “And here I thought everyone just got together and randomly picked a date to get drunk and tell silly fairy-tales, just for the fun of it!”

“I’m trying to be serious with you, Anna,” said Siran sternly. “Sit yourself in that pew there so we can get on to business. We have much to discuss and you’ll be wanting to hear every word of it.”

“Well I seriously doubt that, but I’ll play along,” replied Anna taking a seat.

There was a brief moment of silence. Anna figured her star was searching for the best way to go about things.

“You’ve heard the stories,” he stated hesitantly. “The prophecy-of those to unite the Blood….”

Anna rolled her eyes, impatient. “Of course not! It was only foreseen by my clan, after all.”

“Anna child, will you hold your tongue for five minutes time for once in your life. This is urgent business. Your cousin seeks you out this night!”

“Kael?” Anna jumped up in alarm, scanning the shadows of the cathedral for her silent footed cousin. If he found here….

Siran gave a frustrated sigh. “Not Kael, child-though he does wait and worry-“

“I have no other cousin, Siran,” Anna interrupted roughly. She stared determinately away from the Valiterra portrait as she spoke.

Michael was dead. Part of her still rejected the thought, though she knew Kael’s vision to be true. Her cousin had died in battle, for something she had once never believed in. Now whether it be the rightful-Blooded warrior spoken of in fairy-tales or not, Anna swore to do as Michael wanted an see that the deaths of their people-their family-does not go unpunished, nor allow the Valiterras to take what can never belong to them. She’d see that their people be given a proper ruler, or die trying as he did.

“Kael does worry for you, Anna, “ Siran repeated. “He’s not the only one either. Your uncle-“

“Will just have to deal with it,” Anna snapped harshly.

They’d had the argument on more than one occasion. Anna had set her mind on joining the rebels and wasn’t about to go along with the perfect little life her uncle had laid out for her. She would do what would make Michael proud. Her uncle deemed it a foolish suicide.

“Anna, if you’re so bent on joining the rebels, why is it you haven’t yet?” Siran asked as though her knew where her thoughts had been.

“I will,” Anna swore instinctively, though she had could not come up with a reason as to why she hadn’t.

It was Michael would have wanted. She needed to finish what he had begun. A part of her knew this was all she really wanted to do with her life. The other….

“What does Kael have to say about your decision?” asked Siran, interrupting her thoughts.

Anna chuckled humorlessly. “Mr. Sees-It-All says that it isn’t a part of my destiny. He’d say anything to keep me here forever, where he can go on the rest of my life watching me like a hawk.”

“Have you ever considered, that perhaps he, someone gifted with the Sight, actually knows what he’s talking about when it comes to your destiny?”

Anna burst out laughing, clutching the pew for support as she fought to breathe. It was so ridiculous she couldn’t control the fit of giggles that erupted from her. Her cousin may be one of the greatest of the greatest when it came to his gift, but when it came to her future-he was a blind man adrift in obscurity.

“Do you have any idea what Kael wants of me?” asked Anna as she regained control of her lungs. “All his blurred Sight sees for my future is a carefully chosen husband my uncle shall approve of, a few sons to be proud of, and a lengthy, tedious, and unexciting life of a woman. The end. Can he really expect me to live so safely, never leaving the valley, and just accepting the way things are?”