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edenfallingThe first two scenes of "Secrets" chapter 8 are done, and a bit shorter than I'd expected (under 2,500 words combined). The next scene is the Dueling Club, which requires me to haul out my copy of CoS and start transcribing canon again, so I left that for this evening.
Instead, I wrote more Ekanufic.
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Fork in the Road
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As the trade caravan approached Estara, Ekanu began to realize a flaw in her plan. The wind had told her to go south -- she had, therefore, come south. The wind had not, however, told her what to do in the south.
She mulled this over for several days before asking one of the traders -- Marcan, the red-bearded man she had first bargained with for passage -- what might become of her in the city.
He answered absently, attention focused on mending a broken rein. "Not much for a girl to do unless you speak the language. Can you clean rooms? Cook?"
Ekanu shrugged helplessly, staring at the canvas wagon cover Marcan had set her to repairing. "I... ah, keep dogs. I hunt. I sew. I make with beads. I cook bad." She frowned, and said more carefully, "I cook badly."
"Hmm. Well, you could work for us, make those beaded gewgaws on commission. Or you could go to the University," Marcan said. "Don't think they have anyone who knows Snowtalk and they're always buying up knowledge. You teach them Snowtalk, they'd take you in."
Ekanu grimaced at the persistent misnaming of her people's speech, but held her peace. "They want know Arhadikim why?"
"Selindra's ravens break my bones if I know, bird-girl -- not like we talk to you people, just use the Mohradmen to translate. My cousin learned a bit of Ohdab from them, few years back, which helps. University people teach well enough, but it costs." Marcan examined the rein, running his fingers along his stitches to seal the rejoined leather, and coiled it beside him. He picked up another bit of torn harness and continued his work.
"Cost?" Ekanu asked, worried. She'd used up her furs, most of her beadwork, and all but one of her carved bone and ivory pieces to pay for this trip.
"Not you," Marcan said. "You'd be paying them, see -- trade Snowtalk for a place to stay." He squinted at his needle, which seemed lost in his large, weather-beaten hands. "Think they take some students more permanent-like, not for money -- but you swear to serve them for a while. Might work for you. It'd give you a place, let you learn Common."
"Oh," Ekanu said, considering. The wind must have sent her south for a purpose. Perhaps this was it, to teach the southerners about her people, and learn from them in turn.
"You take me to University, please?"
Marcan grinned, crooked teeth flashing through his thick beard. "Sure, bird-girl. I'll show you the way once we unload. Might even see clear to paying you a bit. We hit Sorla five days past, coming up on Berlis tomorrow... should be in Estara sometime next week."
Ekanu glowed with anticipation.
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Other Ekanu stories in the works: the first meeting with Denifar, Darei does silk-painting, and Ekanu returns for a visit to her people. And there are other ideas, but I'm not feeling them in my bones just now.
Instead, I wrote more Ekanufic.
---------------------------------------------
Fork in the Road
---------------------------------------------
As the trade caravan approached Estara, Ekanu began to realize a flaw in her plan. The wind had told her to go south -- she had, therefore, come south. The wind had not, however, told her what to do in the south.
She mulled this over for several days before asking one of the traders -- Marcan, the red-bearded man she had first bargained with for passage -- what might become of her in the city.
He answered absently, attention focused on mending a broken rein. "Not much for a girl to do unless you speak the language. Can you clean rooms? Cook?"
Ekanu shrugged helplessly, staring at the canvas wagon cover Marcan had set her to repairing. "I... ah, keep dogs. I hunt. I sew. I make with beads. I cook bad." She frowned, and said more carefully, "I cook badly."
"Hmm. Well, you could work for us, make those beaded gewgaws on commission. Or you could go to the University," Marcan said. "Don't think they have anyone who knows Snowtalk and they're always buying up knowledge. You teach them Snowtalk, they'd take you in."
Ekanu grimaced at the persistent misnaming of her people's speech, but held her peace. "They want know Arhadikim why?"
"Selindra's ravens break my bones if I know, bird-girl -- not like we talk to you people, just use the Mohradmen to translate. My cousin learned a bit of Ohdab from them, few years back, which helps. University people teach well enough, but it costs." Marcan examined the rein, running his fingers along his stitches to seal the rejoined leather, and coiled it beside him. He picked up another bit of torn harness and continued his work.
"Cost?" Ekanu asked, worried. She'd used up her furs, most of her beadwork, and all but one of her carved bone and ivory pieces to pay for this trip.
"Not you," Marcan said. "You'd be paying them, see -- trade Snowtalk for a place to stay." He squinted at his needle, which seemed lost in his large, weather-beaten hands. "Think they take some students more permanent-like, not for money -- but you swear to serve them for a while. Might work for you. It'd give you a place, let you learn Common."
"Oh," Ekanu said, considering. The wind must have sent her south for a purpose. Perhaps this was it, to teach the southerners about her people, and learn from them in turn.
"You take me to University, please?"
Marcan grinned, crooked teeth flashing through his thick beard. "Sure, bird-girl. I'll show you the way once we unload. Might even see clear to paying you a bit. We hit Sorla five days past, coming up on Berlis tomorrow... should be in Estara sometime next week."
Ekanu glowed with anticipation.
---------------------------------------------
Other Ekanu stories in the works: the first meeting with Denifar, Darei does silk-painting, and Ekanu returns for a visit to her people. And there are other ideas, but I'm not feeling them in my bones just now.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-10 05:15 pm (UTC)i know you don't know me but you coudl ask forthe bits yo uwant and i coudl amil them. i havesixvirus protectors and outgoign mail is scanned and sofort hso when yo uget somethign form me with an attachment.txt it will be safe. just let me know. *sighs and loks wearil yat thick folder of to-read links*
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-10 06:00 pm (UTC)Thanks for the offer though!
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-10 06:06 pm (UTC)i shal friend you now though. hope you don't mind. six fics
or morei none week. Ic an hardly
keep up anymore. Help me kill the monster called to-read!
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-10 06:09 pm (UTC)Um, I don't usually write this much, actually -- it's just that I'm currently unemployed and have no internet connection at home, so I have a lot of time with nothing to do but write.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-12 11:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-12 04:32 pm (UTC)Someday I really need to organize myself.