The Farewell

I reserve the right to go back and change whatever I want. XD And I edited it once so please let me know what you think.

 

“I saw a carriage pull up, girl.  You best not keep the gentlemen waiting.”  Josep spoke clearly for the first time in so long, Karenina was startled into standing still.  She turned to see her father grabbing a sack of linens and tossing them into the pile.  Was he… sober?

“Uh, yeah, I noticed as well.”  She watched him suspiciously but his eyes weren’t even on her, he was concentrating on the task of folding the fabrics into identical rectangles.  She couldn’t remember the last time her father washed his laundry, let alone folded it…  What was going on?

Deciding that asking would only ruin the moment, she finished packing her journals into a leather satchel and swung it over her head so it hung diagonal across her chest.  With her journals secured to her and the most practical outfits in the backpack by her feet, she was ready.

No, “ready” was the wrong word.  That implied she was prepared to leave and she was only prepared in the physical sense.  Saying she was ready for this would be a lie.  She wasn’t ready for anything.  She wasn’t ready to leave.  She wasn’t ready to hate her father.  These last couple of days, she’s been able to keep a lid on the hysterics.  So far, she was a manic depressive, not a screaming head case.  She thought that was an accomplishment.  Now, she wonders, if she freaked out sooner, would she be more or less mentally fortified for this?

She felt like this departure was going to take the air right out of her lungs.  She was going to suffocate as soon as she stepped outside this tent.  She wasn’t going to survive in some lord’s home.  She was going to die without the caravan, without Baleen…

Who was going to clean up Josep’s vomit?  Who was going to take her place on stage?

She couldn’t believe she was only thinking about this now!

“Chin up, girl!  If you’ve got something to say, say it!”

Among all the emotions of a sixteen-year-old girl, there was one she couldn’t describe.  There wasn’t a word for it, she didn’t think.  If there was, she didn’t know it.  A gut-wrenching, head-pounding, bile-rising emotion she’d never felt before.  It was worse than fear and sourer than anxiety.

What was it?

And then she knew…

“Dad?”

Josep stopped to look at his daughter who, since hitting adolescence, has refused to call him anything other than his name and “father”.  Now, moments away from going away for what could quite possibly be forever, she was reaching out for him.  Why didn’t he reach back?  Simple.  He was afraid he’d do more damage.  His bitterness manifested in his mind, You’ve already let them both down.  Just let her go.

“Get your bags; I’ll help you carry them to the carriage.”

 

 

 

The carriage was led by two young, beautiful, pure-bred mares that neighed fiercely as the driver pulled them to a stop on the dirt road.  The older man was hunchbacked and large in the middle and spoke with an oddly effeminate voice, “I’m here for Miss Von Jor, are you she?”

Baleen looked up from the stack of laundry in her arms to the man and felt her heart skip a beat.  Had two days passed already?  “No, I’m not.  I can go get her, if you’d like?”

“Go do that then.  I won’t wait forever.”

Baleen dropped the newly treated leather pants and scurried off to find Karenina.  A part of her wishing her best friend packed a bag and left camp last night.  More than a part, if she was being perfectly honest with herself.  For the life of her, Baleen didn’t know what she was going to do with her gone.  How was Josep going to treat her?  How was the caravan going to survive?  How many hoarfrosts can this fat deposit be spread out for?  And while wondering all these things, she felt shame.  All she could think about was herself while Karenina was expressionless and quiet.  For as long as Baleen knew her, Karenina was never quiet.  That, in itself, was a measurement of her pain.

“Gorgic?  Gorgic!!! GORGIC!!!”  Baleen ran full speed across the field to the tents, panic growing wildly in her chest.  She stopped only once she’d clamped her arms around the burly man’s shoulders.

“Creators- the hell are you doing, Baleen?!  Can’t you see I’ve got my swords out?”

She didn’t even acknowledge the scolding.  Instead, she released him and looked frantically around for any signs of red hair or glowing eyes.  “Have you seen her, Gorgic?  The carriage is here!”

The scowl fell off the big man’s face as if someone had thrown water on him and the expression washed away.  His eyes hardened and he carefully placed down his swords on the stool.  He stood and scanned the yard, easily looking over the blonde’s head.  “Sorry, dear, haven’t seen her since last night, but we’ve all heard the news.  There is a growing discontent in the minor acts.  Some say they’re going to leave the show.”

Baleen was suddenly a cry baby.  Her eyes watered to her disbelief and her nose started to run.  She sniffed, bit her lip and wiped her eyes.  “You’re not going to leave, are you, Gorgic?”

The grown man was softened at the sight of Baleen’s tears.  Embarrassed by the admission, he cleared his throat and ruffled her hair, “Now’s not the time to worry about such things.  We need to find Kara.  I doubt the Archon is known well for his patients.”

Sobering, Baleen stiffened, “I won’t let her go!”

Gorgic couldn’t remember the last time he felt so miserable.  Actually, he could… A flash of reddish hair was exiting a tent a couple yards away and Baleen saw it the same moment he did.  She started running towards it.  From the glistening of Karenina’s cheeks, he knew Baleen would only make things worse.  So, knowing Baleen would hate him for not letting her go, he grabbed Baleen and held her to his chest.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s for both your sakes,” His voice was rough and uneven, “I don’t think either of you will survive if you have to say good-bye.”

“Let go of me, Gorgic!  I have to go to her!”  Baleen wiggled in his arms but the big man was too strong.  Baleen suddenly hated him and wished him a thousand, terrible deaths for holding her there.  She tried to bite him but he kept moving his arms away, she tried to claw at him, but he grabbed her wrists and crossed her arms across her chest and remained to hold her.

“LET ME GO!!!”

The fuss Baleen was making had drawn everyone’s attention, including Karenina.  At first, she thought he was hurting her.  Her face showed fury that made even Gorgic hesitate.  But eventually, she made sense of everything.  And when she did… the pain he saw on her face!  Oh!  It would stick with him for the rest of his life!  He could see her fighting with herself.  Go, don’t go?  He begged her with his eyes to just keep on walking but seeing Baleen like that was too much for her.  She started heading towards them before Josep intercepted her and locked his fist around her wrist.

A crowd was gathering around them.  Everyone knew now that Karenina was leaving.  And though she’d never know it, it wasn’t only Baleen that wept her departure.

“KARA!!!”  Baleen cried.

It was the way Baleen called out her name that made her eyes flash orange and yellow.  She stared so intently at Gorgic as if to plead, Don’t you dare release her…  Please, take care of her while I’m gone.  To which he nodded in her direction.

The sound of Baleen’s heart-broken screams and the look of pure strength Karenina had almost brought the man to tears.  He didn’t cry though.  He only hugged Baleen tighter to him.  Those eyes told him there was more to her leaving than he had the right to know.

In the end, Karenina went with her father, but not before giving Gorgic the faintest smile.

Thank you, the smile said to him.

 

 

 

The porcelain tea cups were unreasonably sized.  For some reason, that was all Olivian could think about.  They were white with a floral pattern that made her feel like a little girl, playing in the garden.  Oh, and how pleasant the garden was this evening!  The hedges were freshly trimmed and the pathway swept.  The table was glass and her seat, cushioned.  The tea was just the right amount of sweet and the sun, low enough not to glare.  It was a pleasant day.  Above all else, Danerius was called away for business.  She had the garden to herself.  Everything was right.  Except for those damned tea cups.  They were so small, her hands looked masculine holding it between two fingers.

She sipped the caramel colored beverage and leaned back.  She had just closing her eyes when the sound of wheels crunching on the gravel driveway made her open them.

Don’t let it be my husband… Don’t let it be my husband…

Accepting the inevitable, she stood gracefully from her seat, placing her drink back on the table.  She adjusted her evening gowns skirts and ran her hands through her golden locks.  With a deep breath, she started down the garden’s walkway, towards the front of the house.  When the horses came to a halt, Olivian was already standing there with Deloris.

The carriage driver clumsily climbed down from his seat to go around the back.  He casually threw over his shoulder when the carriages door swung open, “Just as you requested, this is Missus Von Jor.”

Karenina climbed out of the carriage with more or less fluidity than the driver.  Once standing on the gravel, she checked her bag for the leather-bound jounals, once content that they were all accounted for, she looked up, flipping her red hair out of her eyes.

The sun shined off the blond and red, while the brown of her hair deepened the color.  Beautiful…  Olivian was taken-aback.

Quickly recovering, she stepped forward with a smile and curtsied.  “Welcome to my home, Miss Von Jor, I’m Olivian Lanhart.  I hope the ride was not too uncomfortable.”  Then, after standing back up, sweet, like honey, she stepped forward to embrace her in a hug.

Karenina froze, but reluctantly returned the hug.  “Is the Archon not home?” She asked innocently.

After stepping away from the physical greeting, Olivian’s smile grew wider.  “No, he is not.  Some business in the city took him away.  I hope I’ll be sufficient company for now.”

“Oh, it’s too bad I wasn’t able to meet him on arrival.”  Karenina commented unconsciously.

Olivian’s eyes narrowed ever-so faintly, “No, it’s not.”

Karenina was going to ask what she meant but Olivian’s eyes rounded and a pleasant laugh filled the space between them.  “Come!”  Olivian said joyfully, spreading her arms and gesturing her over just as the doors to the manor opened with a slight creak.  “Deloris, get her bags.”  She said to the elderly woman in grey.

Luckily for the old coot, the driver had already begun placing them out on the driveway.  Karenina didn’t have much of great importance.  Everything she really needed was on her person, her journals -of course- and a clean tunic with simple, brown, leather leggings.  It wasn’t the most feminine attire, but the most comfortable thing she owned.  She couldn’t help comparing her outfit to that of Lady Lanhart.  The difference was embarrassing, to say the least.

Should she have dressed up?

Her thoughts were soon taken away by the beauty of the house…

The entry hall was pristine.  The wooden floor shining so bright Karenina didn’t want to stare at it too long.  There was a small rug, a couch, a love seat and a coffee table, all neutral colors, arranged as a sort of lounge between the two great staircases.  There were four end tables with ornate vases displayed one at the end of the stairs’ post each.  There were windows as tall as the ceiling!  The sun light brought life to the room.  There were columns holding up a section of the second-story hallway, visible from below.

Everything was so clean, so bright, so… expensive.

Was she really going to live here?

Olivian watched the girl take in her surrounds with a small smile.  Sure, it was nice, but by Karenina’s gawking, she could’ve just stepped into a castle of old.  It became clear to her that the girl wasn’t used to this quality of things.

Wait until you see the garden…  Olivian chuckled.

The sound snapped Karenina out of her trance and made a blush rise gently on her cheeks.  “You have a very beautiful home, Lady Lanhart.”

She chuckled again, “Oh, I’m very well aware!”

It was the only saving grace, she thought.  She would be miserable while married, but at least get to live in luxury.  If Danerius had his way, Karenina would join her in her despair.

“And, if this isn’t too forward of me, you are, too, quite beautiful.  In fact, I think such nice things compliment your complexion.”  Karenina said.

It wasn’t empty flattery, either.  At twenty-five, Olivian was beautiful.  She still had the body fit for tight ball gowns and slippers were impossibly high heels.  Her skin was sun-kissed but not sagging or spotted and her lashes were quite long on their own without the aid of cosmetics.  They were the reasons why Danerius still kept her around, she thought.  If she looked anything like a wife ought to, he would have her die in a tragic accident, she fears.  She should be Karenina’s sister, not governess.

Alas!  The Creators were not so kind.

Lady Olivian allowed a sincere smile this time.  The compliment was whole-hearted and sweet, if not a tad ignorant.  There was so much about this household Olivian hoped this girl never became aware of.  She’d learn all about Danerius’s staging soon enough though.

“He does have an eye for nice things, doesn’t he?”  She mused softly to herself while looking from Karenina’s face to the room and then over to the window beside her, where her reflection stared back at her coldly.  “Come now, leave your bags here and we’ll go have tea in the garden.  How does that sound?”

Karenina nodded and they left for the garden through a set of glass doors in the living room, leading out into the manor’s back yard.  There were stone steps that led to a gazebo farther down the property, but Olivian didn’t even look twice at them, she descended the three that led to the first level of the garden and then turned right onto a straight, flat stone path.  There were dark green hedges neatly trimmed on both sides of the walkway and and pleasant low-hanging branches of the rows of trees around them.  The air rustled the leaves in an angelic manner, bringing with it the smell of deep forest and roses.

Olivian turned right once more and passed under a lattice arch, from there, there was a pole with a cloth tarp opened up sticking out of the center of a glass table, and two, cushioned seats opposite each other.  They took their seats and soon a deaf young man called Tome came out with a covered platter of scones and a fresh pot of tea that he silently poured for each of them.

Karenina said her thanks and waited for Olivian to start talking again.  She finished an entire cup before she said anything.

“When you danced…” Lady Olivian began.  Karenina looked up from the  empty teacup in her lap and waited, slightly uncomfortable.

Was she going to criticize?  Or worse! Was she going to ask her to dance?  They were warming quite nicely to each other’s company.  They had small chat and for a while, Karenina started to like the idea of living here.  She’d always miss Baleen, that was a given, but if she intended to live apart, she couldn’t think of a better place.

“Yes?”  She asked passively when Olivian didn’t continue, casually pouring herself more tea.

She didn’t know why, but Olivian was embarrassed.  She kept finding things to look at that weren’t Karenina’s face.  She was rubbing her thumb across the side of the tea cup in her hands and repeated resituated herself in her seat.  This time, it was Karenina’s turn to find her cute.

Karenina smiled down at her cup, “I don’t always dress so loosely.  Each performance requires a specific wardrobe.  If my clothing displeases you in anyway, ma’am, I can change them to fit your preferences.”

Olivian was shocked into meeting her eyes.  She opened her mouth to clear up the misunderstanding, but Karenina cut her off.  Something Olivian unconsciously made a note of.  She would have to warn her never to do that to her husband.

“I will admit a certain promiscuity in the way I present myself, but, as you might assume, a child’s charm will only take you so far when entertaining a vastly dominating crowd of men.” Karenina offered her a deliberately unapologetic smile.

Olivian cleared her through and stopped fidgeting, “I fear you have misunderstood me, Kara.  May I call you Kara?”

“Of course.”

“That’s good.”  She smiled back a shy little thing but then, as if flipping a switch, her back straightened and Karenina was again reminded that she was speaking to the Lady of the House.  It must’ve been a fluke that she had even succeeded in teasing Olivian this far.  There was no mistaking the posture of a well-bred lady.  All hints of her being uncomfortable vanished.

Coming to her senses, Olivian took a deep breath, “It’s about your eyes actually.”  And just like that, Karenina was, too, reminded why she was here.  So quickly her smile fell! “I bet they come up in conversation often, but I really must ask!  How do they do it?  Do you have some sort of applicable gel or something of the like that catches the light?  I personally think the way they lit up on stage was brilliant!  Is the process repeated every performance or was there some symbol they portrayed?  I’m afraid I don’t go to many shows.  I don’t often get to admire the arts but I must say this.”

Karenina couldn’t believe the amount of enthusiasm Olivian had while saying all those things.  She was prepared for a terrifyingly serious discussion over the unnatural halo her eyes cast, but how easy it was to rationalize!  Olivian had given her the way out of her most dreaded topic.

“You were a masterpiece.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are!”  Lady Olivian felt like a giggling fool.  When was the last time she was allowed to enjoy herself?  She honestly couldn’t remember. “I was… startled by the news of you coming to stay with us, but I see now your place here.”

“I have a place?  I assumed I was going to work for the Archon…”

“Oh, that and so much more!  Danerius is often on the road.  More often than not I must take on the role of hostess to my husband’s acquaintances until his return.  An ill-fitting task, I confess.  It makes perfect sense that with you here, there will be no lack of entertainment.”

“So, I’m to dance when someone visits, is that it?  Really?”  Karenina couldn’t believe it!  She was bought for such a menial job?  She was bought for so much too!  Was the Lady aware how much the Archon purchased her for?  Or was that just pocket change to them?  Was it possible that such a carefree woman was married to such a powerful man?

“Well, I assume you can double as a house servant when thinks get busy, but the way I figure it, you will work most when we have guests.”

A slave… Karenina was prepared to be just that.  Could it be she overestimated the cruelty of the Archons?

“Returning to the question of my eyes, no.  There is no requirement to make them shine.  Every now and then for eerie effect but their purpose is solely to catch people’s attention.  A mere trick of the light, I assure you.”

“Truly?  You must talk with Deloris and our other servant Tome at the earliest convenience.  She’ll sort out all the preparations where Tome has always had a knack for appearances and presentation.  We can hire a tailor if you require a custom garment but I don’t think we’ll have that problem for a while yet.”

“I had a miraculous tailor with the caravan,” she began absently rummaging through the satchel still hanging across her person.

She flipped through the notebooks and journals as Olivian watched.  She was amazed simply by the number of pages packed with small, uniform print.  At the very end of one journal, there was a rough sketching of a gown.  There was a person’s name and a list of stores.  Karenina brought the book up to show to Olivian.

She pointed to the measurements and types of cloth. “She was in the process of acquiring new fabrics and textures for a gown she was making.  The cost would be low and she would be able to finish it in a fortnight.”  Karenina suddenly remembered something depressing.  “It was supposed to be for our next visit to Traveas.”

Olivian was amazed, “Your caravan travels to the Wisps?”

And Carthus now that Josep can afford it...

“Oh, blast!”  Olivian scared Karenina with her sudden outburst, “In my haste, I forgot to show you your room!  How forgetful of me!”  She stood.  “Well, Danerius will be returning soon.”  And then, with a surrendering sigh, she told her, “I’ll take you there now but only for you to put away your bag and change.  Unfortunately, the evening’s far from over.”

Author's Note

I wanted the scene of Baleen screaming after Karenina to be really sad and memorable. Did I do a good job? What would you have done different? What did I do right, if anything???

Anyways, any feed back is better than none. I'm looking for suggestions, comments, thoughts, criticism... I don't care what form it takes, just please! Let me know what you think. And don't sugar coat it haha I can take it!

Reviews

[Daxis S. Dundra]

I feel Like your jumping around too much in the story. Just as I start to get a hold of a character it's taken away. Except the main one. It seems every scene with Karenina shows her as a completely different character rather then one going through emotional changes. I think if you are able to time things just right though you can have a great collection of events come to pass with the reader fully involved in it all though.

[Elizabeth Marie O'neil-Smith]

I'm editing it. give it another look when you've got the free time. plz and thank you (:

[Daxis S. Dundra]

I love you focusing more on one character. There are some great scenes here. Like when Olivian misunderstands Karenina's eyes. The one thing that I have noticed thought is it seems that the scene is so many levels of bipolar. Its happy, dangerous, comical, scaring, daunting back to back.

[Elizabeth Marie O'neil-Smith]

I was hoping it would be. Do you think it's too much? I wasn't sure how far to take it so any input would be a godsend.

[Daxis S. Dundra]

You know exactly what is happening. So the swift changes are great shifts for you, but when reading, once I understand her mind state and where she is coming from, it changes completely.

[Elizabeth Marie O'neil-Smith]

Right. It's too bi-polar. I'll try to straighten out the curve balls.