Tallulah's past

Tallulah's past is the first chapter in the story Fate.

Characters

• Tallulah Windrift, the Sky Child, played by User:Lisa URAQT
• Amethyst Windrift, Tallulah's mother
• Baron Godric Windrift, Tallulah's father, also the Silverwing Regimiss
• Baron Hadrian Raskoph, the Euthanasia Desert Regimiss
• Clement Raskoph, Hadrian Raskoph's son

Content

Tallulah Windrift is lying on her bed in her room in her home in Catalona Town. She is feeling sorry for herself because of everything that has happened to her.

• Tallulah: Why? Why did my life have to fall apart like this? Ben was poor, but he had a good heart. Why can't my mother and father see that?

Tallulah had lived happily in the town of Silverwing, where she had been in love with a poor farmer's son, Benjamin Irtera. Her father was the Regimiss, or Ruler's messenger, of Silverwing, so the Windrift family was very rich. When Tallulah's mother, Amethyst, heard that her daughter was seeing a peasant like Benjamin, she whisked Tallulah away to Catalona Town because she wanted Tallulah to marry one with nobler blood.

• Amethyst Windrift (from the kitchen): Tallulah! The guests shall be arriving any minute, now. Come to the door to be ready to welcome them!
• Tallulah: But, Mother! I don't care about the Euthanasia Desert Regimiss! And his son is so... horrid! Although, Tallulah admits to herself, the past few times she had seen him, he had been nicer to her than before. But now, she isn't in the mood for company.
• Amethyst Windrift: Don't speak like that, Tallulah! Clement Raskoph is a fine young man, and his father, Baron Edric Raskoph, is an excellent Regimiss. Now, be a good lass and put on your best dress.
• Tallulah: Yes, mother.

Tallulah obeys, and when Hadrian Raskoph and his son, Clement, arrive, she smiles and welcomes them. The two Raskophs and Tallulah's father, Godric Windrift, sit down at the Windrift's table. Tallulah joins her mother in the kitchen, ready to serve them their dinner, since it was the custom for the men to eat first and the women to serve them and eat afterwards. But Tallulah noticed that there were four chairs at the table, instead of three, and wondered why...

• Amethyst Windrift: (whispering) Tallulah, go sit down.
• Tallulah: (pausing, then also whispering) ...But I thought the custom was for--
• Amethyst Windrift: Today, the custom will have to be put aside. Do you know why Clement and his father are here?
• Tallulah: I thought they were here to discuss Regimiss issues.
• Amethyst Windrift: Then why would Clement be here? (she laughs softly.) Go sit down. You'll see.

Amethyst smiles at Tallulah and turns her towards the dining room. Tallulah smooths down her skirt and walks into the room and sits down, smiling, though it's the last thing she'd like to do, considering her distaste for the Raskoph family.

• Godric Windrift: (looking up as Tallulah enters) Hadrian, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Tallulah.
• Hadrian Raskoph: How do you do, Tallulah?
• Tallulah: Very well, sir, thank you.
• Godric Windrift: And my beautiful wife, Amethyst.

Amethyst enters with four steaming plates of food, puts one at each place, curtsies, and hurries back into the kitchen. Tallulah, Godric, Clement, and Hadrian eat their dinner and the two barons talk, Tallulah and Clement respectfully staying quiet. After they finish eating, Amethyst enters again with two glasses of wine and sets them in front of the two barons.

• Godric Windrift: (to Amethyst) Thank you, my dear. (to Tallulah and Clement) Now, we have some very important political issues to discuss, which you two may find a bit dull, so you children might be wanting to take a stroll around the city.

Tallulah glances at Hadrian to see him nodding slowly at his son.

• Clement Raskoph: (hastily nods once to his father, then turns to Godric) Yes, sir.

Clement stands up, and Tallulah follows, surprised that she is not completely disgusted by taking a walk with Clement. I just need to give him a chance, she thinks to herself. Clement holds the door open for her, and they walk outside.

• Clement: Tallulah, I'm sure you know that we didn't come today just for my father to talk politics with yours.
• Tallulah: I think that is what my mother was hinting at... but I don't understand. If that is not why you came today, then why?
• Clement: You are fourteen, the same as I, correct?
• Tallulah: Yes.
• Clement: Then you must be aware that it is the custom for the sons and daughters of barons to be married at fourteen.

Tallulah could only stare.

• Clement: The affairs have been settled. You and I are to have a ceremony at the church within the month. (he pauses, and laughs softly.) You are very pretty, Tallulah. (he pushes a lock of stray hair behind Tallulah's ear.)
• Tallulah: Thank you. You are very kind, but...
• Clement: But what?
• Tallulah: It's just that... why have I not heard anything of this before?
• Clement: It is traditional for the parents of the groom to plan the wedding. So it is a surprise for the bride. Why do you not seem happier, Tallulah?
• Tallulah: The bride should get a say, too.
• Clement: Are you saying that you are unhappy with this arrangement?
• Tallulah: No, no, of course not. I'm just saying--
• Clement: I know what you are saying. You hate me, don't you?
• Tallulah: Clement, you must understand--
• Clement: Fine then. There will be no ceremony. (He turns and takes a few steps away, then looks over his shoulder.) And I hope you never have a ceremony, Tallulah, ever! (He turns away again and runs.)
• Tallulah: Clement, wait!

But he is already gone. Tallulah walks back toward her house, crying. Halfway there, Hadrian appears on the path and blocks her way.

• Hadrian Raskoph: Tallulah, I heard the whole thing. I don't care what Clement thinks of you, and I care even less of what you think of him. You will marry my son, regardless of what you think, you will.

Tallulah dodges around Hadrian and runs home, oblivious to how dirty her shoes and gown are getting, unaware of the scratches the tree branches are etching onto her face. When she slams the door coming into her house, her mother calls to her from the kitchen, but she ignores her and locks herself in her room. She eventually cries herself to sleep. When she wakes, it is almost dawn. She finds her rucksack and begins to plan her escape.

Next thread

• Downfall

Fate
Chapters Tallulah's past • Downfall • Into the Forest • The Dream • Current Characters Aquaralis • Brenton Eld • Enki Harmonson • Tallulah Windrift • Catalonan Royal Family Locations Catalona Bestiary Dragons and Empusas