The Great Tortoise Festival II [Solo]
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2022 1:54 pm
12 Ash, Year 122
[Closed]
Part I
Any other time, and she would have climbed like a monkey upwards to get into position, but for now, she was not risking the cakes. “Down, Hayima’el,” she urged him once they were past the gate that secured the entrance to the stables behind the building, but not quite directly into the hustle and bustle of the street, and the piebald bull lowered himself to a laying position in the shade of the building. She moved the reins back over by the saddle, and climbed up, holding the tray balanced between the front handhold of the saddle and herself while she got situated, and Hilana adjusted her vivid green and gold skirts. She didn’t know what colour the Great Tortoise of Gel’Grandal was, so she had gone with what she was used to here. For all she knew, his shell was encrusted with gems and naturally plated with gold. That was fun to think about… “Hayima’el, let’s go. Up,” she clicked her tongue, bracing her weight and legs while she held the tray aloft so that it wouldn’t bump or get jostled. There was a method to planting the body’s weight and leaning the torso one way and then the next as the camel got up that kept you on, a rhythm Hilana had gotten used to as a toddler.
They hit the street, and threaded in easily amongst the traffic, starting to make her way out of the city. She kept the wooden tray balanced against her legs while she held it on the ends, using her legs rather than the eye-catching reins attached to Hayima’el’s halter to guide and steer him out of the Luxium and out along the riverbank. They had the freedom to go at a pretty good clip now, and Hilana clicked her tongue. “Get on with it,” she encouraged him, looking over the sands. Down along the River they went, and Hilana felt like they were a procession of one as her eyes roamed the waters of the Vasta, looking for those telltale tracks along the sands beside it. She knew she had a while to go, but at the same time… it didn’t hurt to look. It didn’t really help that tortoises didn’t really swim as such; but if she could find sightings of an older one’s tracks, then that meant there would be more to find.
It was a beautiful day, and the sunshade kept the worst of the heat of the afternoon sun off of her and her fruit and vegetable cakes. Hilana could only hope that they wouldn’t disintegrate on the journey, and under the cloth, they still seemed to be holding up okay. That satisfied her. Her camel was happy to have his head out here, where she could guide him by foot alone and not worry too much about people interrupting them by crossing their paths like they did in the cities. They had been getting used to them, as they had been home for half of Hayima’el’s life, but both of them found joy in the freedom of the sands. This was what they were meant for, to be out in the sun, out on the sands, because out here, the wildness sang within her bones. It was a melody that she couldn’t share with others, because they could not understand it. Some of her old friends had. Her mother’s tribe had. Trying to explain it to her new friends was something best left undone. Khyan was a native, and nearly all Vastii, but even still... he was a city boy. Maybe in time she could explain it, or at least show them... but that was for another day. When you were not used to being out here... if you did not have to be... then why would they find comfort in it? Finn had said just yesterday that he wanted to learn... so that was something. She was looking forward to taking him out with her, too, when he had recovered and he was ready.
Breeze brought the wind; gentle and sweet and not throwing the sand in her eyes. The Vastii couldn’t have asked for better conditions for the trip, especially when she needed to have sharp eyes out for tortoise tracks. Tortoises, after all, were not aquatic species. They were land-dwellers, but such as it was, they still needed water. Even if it came from plants. And that meant her best bet for finding tortoises was at some of those areas along the River where there was plenty of vegetation. She thought she saw some trails in the sands, going up and into the groves of ferns and flowers and trees, and Hilana guided Hayima’el in that direction, following the little trails in the sand up into the coppice. She peeked around, the camel’s large foot pads keeping them from sinking in the sand. Beyond the tracks, there were other signs that there were tortoises around: she could see where chunks of vegetation had been eaten at a lower level, and the bite marks were reminiscent to those she had seen the tortoise under the trough take out of cactus paddles when she had been a girl. This would do. “Down, Hayima’el,” she asked her camel, holding the tray to keep herself and her prize steady as the big bull lowered himself into the shaded area, eying the foliage before taking a bite of the greenery.
Hilana, in the meantime, unwrapped the cloth from the tray and carried it into the middle of the shady grove along with her blanket and her own snack. She laid the blanket down with her own personal picnic so that she could enjoy it later, too. “Hello, little ones. Today we are celebrating the birthday of the Great Tortoise of Gel’Grandal,” she began to spread a couple of the fruit and veggie cakes around in a circle, a couple feet away from the tray. When there was only the big one left on the tray, Hilana went and selected the blanket from the saddlebag, taking it over to the sand so she could sit down on it. Once she was still, she could hear rustling. Beige and brown tortoises, most of them smaller juveniles, were peeking through the bushes at her and looking on at the free, delicious meal. For now, she just stayed still and quiet, watching as they started to emerge, one by one, then more came out in droves. Her little birthday party had guests!
“In a land far, far away,” she spoke softly as the tortoises approached, drawn to the smell of fresh food, and began to take bites of their fruit cakes, “far to the North of here, across the seas and mountains, there is a place called Gel’Grandal. And in Gel’Grandal lives a great, giant tortoise. Today, my friends, is his birthday. It is his 100th jubilee. He is so revered, so loved, by the Emperor and his people that every year he has a birthday party and he is celebrated throughout the realm.” She smiled, imagining what such a festival would look like. She didn’t really know, as the sailors hadn’t gone into all of the details of the questions she had asked, but she was sure there were parades and city-wide festivals and cakes and cookies. Maybe even costume contests. That would be funny, dressing up like a tortoise to honour said tortoise. She couldn’t keep the laugh in, but she kept it quiet enough. She didn’t want to disturb those who were still emerging, making their way across the sands.
“And so, little ones, remember. One day when you grow big and strong, perhaps someday others will celebrate your birthday with festivals and gifts, too. And what wondrous days they will be, too. For you and everyone else,” she was smiling down at them, the sounds of happy tortoise beaks carving into the melons filling in for her talking for a moment. Hilana took out the flint and steel from her pouch, and lit the wick of a small layered candle carved with a tortoise on the side. The carving showed the colouring in the layers, of greens and golds. The tortoises that were happily eating were more of a sandy golden brown, but the green and gold was pretty enough.
“Great Tortoise of Gel’Grandal, I, Matsi Chenzira Hilana of Solunarium, send you blessings on your birthday,” she began, watching the flame on the candle as it danced on the wick. “May your celebrations today be riotous and wonderful. May today and all of your days be filled with ripe, delicious fruits, crunchy, fresh vegetables, juicy, plump worms, and all of the brushing of your shell and chin and neck scratches that you could dream of. I wish for you a wonderful year, with many more such happy returns. Please know that I and my companions send our best regards to you.” She bowed her head before the candle and the large fruit cake, knowing that the little tortoises would get to it when they were ready.
But for now, Hilana was content to watch the juvenile spurred tortoises, resting on her blanket in the sands as she sat cross-legged, her colourful skirts pooling around her legs. There was a faint scent of orange flower and sandalwood from the candle burning beside the hibiscus-topped cake, faint enough not to bother the younglings and pleasant all the same. She was able to take out her pita and dates, ripping off pieces of the bread and wrapping them around the dried out fruit to enjoy. There was a peace to this that was not interrupted even by Hayima’el’s steady snacking on the foliage. There was a joy to watching the tortoises enjoying their very rare treat that had made all of the preparation and the journey to find them worth it. And for a hurricane of a girl, being out in the deserts and less restrained by the walls and rules and restrictions, she felt free. Out here, she was home.
[Closed]
Part I
Any other time, and she would have climbed like a monkey upwards to get into position, but for now, she was not risking the cakes. “Down, Hayima’el,” she urged him once they were past the gate that secured the entrance to the stables behind the building, but not quite directly into the hustle and bustle of the street, and the piebald bull lowered himself to a laying position in the shade of the building. She moved the reins back over by the saddle, and climbed up, holding the tray balanced between the front handhold of the saddle and herself while she got situated, and Hilana adjusted her vivid green and gold skirts. She didn’t know what colour the Great Tortoise of Gel’Grandal was, so she had gone with what she was used to here. For all she knew, his shell was encrusted with gems and naturally plated with gold. That was fun to think about… “Hayima’el, let’s go. Up,” she clicked her tongue, bracing her weight and legs while she held the tray aloft so that it wouldn’t bump or get jostled. There was a method to planting the body’s weight and leaning the torso one way and then the next as the camel got up that kept you on, a rhythm Hilana had gotten used to as a toddler.
They hit the street, and threaded in easily amongst the traffic, starting to make her way out of the city. She kept the wooden tray balanced against her legs while she held it on the ends, using her legs rather than the eye-catching reins attached to Hayima’el’s halter to guide and steer him out of the Luxium and out along the riverbank. They had the freedom to go at a pretty good clip now, and Hilana clicked her tongue. “Get on with it,” she encouraged him, looking over the sands. Down along the River they went, and Hilana felt like they were a procession of one as her eyes roamed the waters of the Vasta, looking for those telltale tracks along the sands beside it. She knew she had a while to go, but at the same time… it didn’t hurt to look. It didn’t really help that tortoises didn’t really swim as such; but if she could find sightings of an older one’s tracks, then that meant there would be more to find.
It was a beautiful day, and the sunshade kept the worst of the heat of the afternoon sun off of her and her fruit and vegetable cakes. Hilana could only hope that they wouldn’t disintegrate on the journey, and under the cloth, they still seemed to be holding up okay. That satisfied her. Her camel was happy to have his head out here, where she could guide him by foot alone and not worry too much about people interrupting them by crossing their paths like they did in the cities. They had been getting used to them, as they had been home for half of Hayima’el’s life, but both of them found joy in the freedom of the sands. This was what they were meant for, to be out in the sun, out on the sands, because out here, the wildness sang within her bones. It was a melody that she couldn’t share with others, because they could not understand it. Some of her old friends had. Her mother’s tribe had. Trying to explain it to her new friends was something best left undone. Khyan was a native, and nearly all Vastii, but even still... he was a city boy. Maybe in time she could explain it, or at least show them... but that was for another day. When you were not used to being out here... if you did not have to be... then why would they find comfort in it? Finn had said just yesterday that he wanted to learn... so that was something. She was looking forward to taking him out with her, too, when he had recovered and he was ready.
Breeze brought the wind; gentle and sweet and not throwing the sand in her eyes. The Vastii couldn’t have asked for better conditions for the trip, especially when she needed to have sharp eyes out for tortoise tracks. Tortoises, after all, were not aquatic species. They were land-dwellers, but such as it was, they still needed water. Even if it came from plants. And that meant her best bet for finding tortoises was at some of those areas along the River where there was plenty of vegetation. She thought she saw some trails in the sands, going up and into the groves of ferns and flowers and trees, and Hilana guided Hayima’el in that direction, following the little trails in the sand up into the coppice. She peeked around, the camel’s large foot pads keeping them from sinking in the sand. Beyond the tracks, there were other signs that there were tortoises around: she could see where chunks of vegetation had been eaten at a lower level, and the bite marks were reminiscent to those she had seen the tortoise under the trough take out of cactus paddles when she had been a girl. This would do. “Down, Hayima’el,” she asked her camel, holding the tray to keep herself and her prize steady as the big bull lowered himself into the shaded area, eying the foliage before taking a bite of the greenery.
Hilana, in the meantime, unwrapped the cloth from the tray and carried it into the middle of the shady grove along with her blanket and her own snack. She laid the blanket down with her own personal picnic so that she could enjoy it later, too. “Hello, little ones. Today we are celebrating the birthday of the Great Tortoise of Gel’Grandal,” she began to spread a couple of the fruit and veggie cakes around in a circle, a couple feet away from the tray. When there was only the big one left on the tray, Hilana went and selected the blanket from the saddlebag, taking it over to the sand so she could sit down on it. Once she was still, she could hear rustling. Beige and brown tortoises, most of them smaller juveniles, were peeking through the bushes at her and looking on at the free, delicious meal. For now, she just stayed still and quiet, watching as they started to emerge, one by one, then more came out in droves. Her little birthday party had guests!
“In a land far, far away,” she spoke softly as the tortoises approached, drawn to the smell of fresh food, and began to take bites of their fruit cakes, “far to the North of here, across the seas and mountains, there is a place called Gel’Grandal. And in Gel’Grandal lives a great, giant tortoise. Today, my friends, is his birthday. It is his 100th jubilee. He is so revered, so loved, by the Emperor and his people that every year he has a birthday party and he is celebrated throughout the realm.” She smiled, imagining what such a festival would look like. She didn’t really know, as the sailors hadn’t gone into all of the details of the questions she had asked, but she was sure there were parades and city-wide festivals and cakes and cookies. Maybe even costume contests. That would be funny, dressing up like a tortoise to honour said tortoise. She couldn’t keep the laugh in, but she kept it quiet enough. She didn’t want to disturb those who were still emerging, making their way across the sands.
“And so, little ones, remember. One day when you grow big and strong, perhaps someday others will celebrate your birthday with festivals and gifts, too. And what wondrous days they will be, too. For you and everyone else,” she was smiling down at them, the sounds of happy tortoise beaks carving into the melons filling in for her talking for a moment. Hilana took out the flint and steel from her pouch, and lit the wick of a small layered candle carved with a tortoise on the side. The carving showed the colouring in the layers, of greens and golds. The tortoises that were happily eating were more of a sandy golden brown, but the green and gold was pretty enough.
“Great Tortoise of Gel’Grandal, I, Matsi Chenzira Hilana of Solunarium, send you blessings on your birthday,” she began, watching the flame on the candle as it danced on the wick. “May your celebrations today be riotous and wonderful. May today and all of your days be filled with ripe, delicious fruits, crunchy, fresh vegetables, juicy, plump worms, and all of the brushing of your shell and chin and neck scratches that you could dream of. I wish for you a wonderful year, with many more such happy returns. Please know that I and my companions send our best regards to you.” She bowed her head before the candle and the large fruit cake, knowing that the little tortoises would get to it when they were ready.
But for now, Hilana was content to watch the juvenile spurred tortoises, resting on her blanket in the sands as she sat cross-legged, her colourful skirts pooling around her legs. There was a faint scent of orange flower and sandalwood from the candle burning beside the hibiscus-topped cake, faint enough not to bother the younglings and pleasant all the same. She was able to take out her pita and dates, ripping off pieces of the bread and wrapping them around the dried out fruit to enjoy. There was a peace to this that was not interrupted even by Hayima’el’s steady snacking on the foliage. There was a joy to watching the tortoises enjoying their very rare treat that had made all of the preparation and the journey to find them worth it. And for a hurricane of a girl, being out in the deserts and less restrained by the walls and rules and restrictions, she felt free. Out here, she was home.