Home
It all began... Where I began. A little house just outside of Stormwind, near the lake. I grew up working the farm and helping my mother in the home, and I was an only child. It was a bit lonely... But there were other children for me to play with in the city, and I would often go to the park to join in the games.
I have always been a quiet girl, and I was very obedient. I never did anything other then what I was allowed or told to, and I worked very hard for everything I wanted - though I was never in need. My clothes were simple, my parents were kind, and money was coming in well. When I was about eleven though... All of that changed.
It was a quiet winter morning. The snow fell outside the door in a calm wave of almost hypnotic motion, one flake surrounded by his brothers, who were followed by their brothers, and so on. A blanket of white covered the sleeping grass and decorated the branches of the bare trees, trembling in the gentle yet harsh cold air. I sat on my bed, watching the snow fall, and drawing pictures in a piece of animal skin with charcoal I pulled from the fire a few days ago. I drew a simple picture - showing what I saw outside. Though I did well, I felt my sketchy image hardly expressed the beauty I saw outside the window pane.
Setting the skin down besides me, on a humble nightstand with a candle melted halfway to its shiny brass holder on top. I left my drawings there and went into the kitchen. Mother was knitting in a chair by the fire. I always thought mother was so beautiful... She had a round, smooth face. It was pale and unblemished except for a small scratch just above her left brow which had faded in time. Her hair was long, down to her waist, and ebony black. It was soft and always smelled sweet - faintly of honey. Warm and comforting through all my childhood years. She stopped knitting and looked up at me with a tender smile.
"Come child, see what I am working on. Come sit with me by the warm fire."
She stretched out a soft and welcoming hand as I pulled a chair to sit next to her, and she gentle rubbed her knuckled down the side of my face. Then pecked me on the forehead, her lips soft as her hand. The winter months were always kind to her, for she had much less house work to do. The only thing tracked into the house was snow, and she tended the fire and made us our clothing (With which I often helped).
Now besides her, she showed me her creation - a pair of...
"B-baby booties?"
It took me a moment to absorb what I had just seen. Then she placed a hand on her stomach. Her smile grew even happier. "Your father and I are expecting again! You are going to have a little brother or sister by the time summer comes. Isn't it wonderful?"
I felt ready to burst with excitement! Finally, a little brother or sister of my own! Our family would be one pair of baby booties bigger. I hugged my mother and shared in her happiness, as I began to babble excitedly of all the things I could teach him or her. All the things I would show my little sibling. If ONLY I had known... If only I had not been so naive.
You see, with babies come risks... My mother had been sick with child with me, and I knew it. I never even thought it possible to happen again. I never thought anything could happen to us, our little family. But when the baby came midway through summer... Mother died.
Suddenly I hated that child... I blamed my little brother for hurting mother and taking her away. Father was never the same, but he raised the child just as mother would have wanted. Every time I saw that little creature though, I burned... We were supposed to be happy. How could we be happy without mother? How could he take her away? I cursed the light and all about it and slowly I fell away from myself, and detached myself from the world... I would not know how awfully I would regret these feelings though. Life was about to throw me another wildcard.
I was now fourteen. And the Defias came... Our unsettled lives were now turned upside down! My brother, only JUST three years of age, and my father who was all I had left were both taken from me. Father was slain before my eyes. A knife through his chest. Father, with his rough sunburned face that always wore a smile for me, even though his eyes were full of sadness. Father who had ALWAYS been there, always been strong, always cared for his family and worked so hard. Gone. In the blink of an eye. Just like mother... But my little brother was taken alive. I still don't know what happened to him, and I fear I never will. I ran from that house and never looked back. I hid across the lake for almost a three days as I was too scared to know what to do. Stormwind was close though - I went there. I ran into the open gates with fear and shock in my heart.
I was fourteen, small, only knew how to be a farmhand... And I was alone.
~Pt. 2~
(Song for Pt. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3wVY4u6KO0)
It had been three years and the only thing that remained of her past was the fear, ever present, in the hole of Illiyara's heart. Her father had always told her that if something happened to him, to take mother and head into the city. Find his cousin there, who was a tailor, and he would take care of them. But it was only Illi. There was only Illi, ever. She sank into depression and became a husk - just doing work. Always doing work. Her corner of Stormwind was quiet... She grew in a bubble of her own empty feelings while the world shifted around her. Her uncle had given up trying to get her to speak. He found it more then just a shame that she was such a lovely girl, like her mother, and there was no end of young men passing by who wished to speak with her, yet she never paid them any heed. She simply couldn't.
There was one young boy though, much younger than her, that came in one day to buy a cloth vest ordered by his master. He was only a child, with short cut blond hair, blazing blue eyes, and a face so familiar it burned her to see him. It reminded her of her father... The eyes were the same yet so fragile, having seen none of the hard years of work her father's had. She turned herself away though, despite the questions burning in her mind... and went back to work, for another two years. Her uncle really began to fear for her.
Fear that she would be alone for the rest of her life. She was no longer a young girl, but a woman. Nineteen, and she refused to even speak to any young man that came into her presence. She didn't even have any friends with whom to gossip and chatter, like a normal young woman of her age. He tried desperately to get her to speak - even to draw once more like she had in her younger years. He tried everything, from a fine new dress, to a new pet, even to knew tutors to give her lessons on history or mathematics or that would give her books to read.
The only time she spoke was at night, in her dreams. Dreaming of her mother, her father - even her little brother who had caused her so much pain. She missed all of it. All of them. And she burned... She seared the edges of her mind with thoughts of the Defias who had taken her family from her, taken what she had left of her life from her.
"NO!" she screamed, bolting upright in her sleep, her ebony black hair falling in in a lush drape over her face, her eyes which could have each held little moons in them wide with fear, with hatred.
A cold sweat slicked her skin, and made her shiver. Her mooncloth nightgown clung to her sides as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed, dropping her face into the palms of her hands, and cried. Tears that had been trying to find their way out for years finally let loose. She cried for everything that was, everything that had been, and everything that would not be.
Her uncle rushed to her side, wrapping caring arms about her delicate frame to provide any inkling of comfort he could, running his hand over her hair and telling her it was okay. He let her cry until she could cry no more, and kissed her on the forehead, holding her from himself for a moment to peer into her round, wet eyes. she looked up at him in return. She sniffed, rubbing a thin sleeve at her nose, and rested on his shoulder.
"Will you be alright my dear?" he asked, trying to be as much of a father as he could with a warm voice, not completely deep, yet not boyish.
For a moment they sat in silence... But finally, she spoke to him. The first time in years.
"No. I will not... I cannot be alright... My father, my brother... I... I must avenge them... Uncle, I must!"
The tone of her voice was at first despairing, but it grew to urgency, to an earnest volume that demanded attention.
"I have to bring all of those murderer's to justice! they must be punished for what they did to my family... To me..."
She let her last words hang in the air like a nasty, chilled wind. Bitter feelings hung over them as a storm cloud might. Finally, her uncle nodded. He knew there was only one direction she could take now. The earnest look in her eyes was not unfamiliar. He knew there was no reasoning with feelings like hers, and he knew no amount of young men at the doorstep could ever convince her of a different life.
"Illi... I know what you can do."
~To be continued~
(Song for Pt. 2 - http://templescene.com/?page_id=72)
I have always been a quiet girl, and I was very obedient. I never did anything other then what I was allowed or told to, and I worked very hard for everything I wanted - though I was never in need. My clothes were simple, my parents were kind, and money was coming in well. When I was about eleven though... All of that changed.
It was a quiet winter morning. The snow fell outside the door in a calm wave of almost hypnotic motion, one flake surrounded by his brothers, who were followed by their brothers, and so on. A blanket of white covered the sleeping grass and decorated the branches of the bare trees, trembling in the gentle yet harsh cold air. I sat on my bed, watching the snow fall, and drawing pictures in a piece of animal skin with charcoal I pulled from the fire a few days ago. I drew a simple picture - showing what I saw outside. Though I did well, I felt my sketchy image hardly expressed the beauty I saw outside the window pane.
Setting the skin down besides me, on a humble nightstand with a candle melted halfway to its shiny brass holder on top. I left my drawings there and went into the kitchen. Mother was knitting in a chair by the fire. I always thought mother was so beautiful... She had a round, smooth face. It was pale and unblemished except for a small scratch just above her left brow which had faded in time. Her hair was long, down to her waist, and ebony black. It was soft and always smelled sweet - faintly of honey. Warm and comforting through all my childhood years. She stopped knitting and looked up at me with a tender smile.
"Come child, see what I am working on. Come sit with me by the warm fire."
She stretched out a soft and welcoming hand as I pulled a chair to sit next to her, and she gentle rubbed her knuckled down the side of my face. Then pecked me on the forehead, her lips soft as her hand. The winter months were always kind to her, for she had much less house work to do. The only thing tracked into the house was snow, and she tended the fire and made us our clothing (With which I often helped).
Now besides her, she showed me her creation - a pair of...
"B-baby booties?"
It took me a moment to absorb what I had just seen. Then she placed a hand on her stomach. Her smile grew even happier. "Your father and I are expecting again! You are going to have a little brother or sister by the time summer comes. Isn't it wonderful?"
I felt ready to burst with excitement! Finally, a little brother or sister of my own! Our family would be one pair of baby booties bigger. I hugged my mother and shared in her happiness, as I began to babble excitedly of all the things I could teach him or her. All the things I would show my little sibling. If ONLY I had known... If only I had not been so naive.
You see, with babies come risks... My mother had been sick with child with me, and I knew it. I never even thought it possible to happen again. I never thought anything could happen to us, our little family. But when the baby came midway through summer... Mother died.
Suddenly I hated that child... I blamed my little brother for hurting mother and taking her away. Father was never the same, but he raised the child just as mother would have wanted. Every time I saw that little creature though, I burned... We were supposed to be happy. How could we be happy without mother? How could he take her away? I cursed the light and all about it and slowly I fell away from myself, and detached myself from the world... I would not know how awfully I would regret these feelings though. Life was about to throw me another wildcard.
I was now fourteen. And the Defias came... Our unsettled lives were now turned upside down! My brother, only JUST three years of age, and my father who was all I had left were both taken from me. Father was slain before my eyes. A knife through his chest. Father, with his rough sunburned face that always wore a smile for me, even though his eyes were full of sadness. Father who had ALWAYS been there, always been strong, always cared for his family and worked so hard. Gone. In the blink of an eye. Just like mother... But my little brother was taken alive. I still don't know what happened to him, and I fear I never will. I ran from that house and never looked back. I hid across the lake for almost a three days as I was too scared to know what to do. Stormwind was close though - I went there. I ran into the open gates with fear and shock in my heart.
I was fourteen, small, only knew how to be a farmhand... And I was alone.
~Pt. 2~
(Song for Pt. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3wVY4u6KO0)
It had been three years and the only thing that remained of her past was the fear, ever present, in the hole of Illiyara's heart. Her father had always told her that if something happened to him, to take mother and head into the city. Find his cousin there, who was a tailor, and he would take care of them. But it was only Illi. There was only Illi, ever. She sank into depression and became a husk - just doing work. Always doing work. Her corner of Stormwind was quiet... She grew in a bubble of her own empty feelings while the world shifted around her. Her uncle had given up trying to get her to speak. He found it more then just a shame that she was such a lovely girl, like her mother, and there was no end of young men passing by who wished to speak with her, yet she never paid them any heed. She simply couldn't.
There was one young boy though, much younger than her, that came in one day to buy a cloth vest ordered by his master. He was only a child, with short cut blond hair, blazing blue eyes, and a face so familiar it burned her to see him. It reminded her of her father... The eyes were the same yet so fragile, having seen none of the hard years of work her father's had. She turned herself away though, despite the questions burning in her mind... and went back to work, for another two years. Her uncle really began to fear for her.
Fear that she would be alone for the rest of her life. She was no longer a young girl, but a woman. Nineteen, and she refused to even speak to any young man that came into her presence. She didn't even have any friends with whom to gossip and chatter, like a normal young woman of her age. He tried desperately to get her to speak - even to draw once more like she had in her younger years. He tried everything, from a fine new dress, to a new pet, even to knew tutors to give her lessons on history or mathematics or that would give her books to read.
The only time she spoke was at night, in her dreams. Dreaming of her mother, her father - even her little brother who had caused her so much pain. She missed all of it. All of them. And she burned... She seared the edges of her mind with thoughts of the Defias who had taken her family from her, taken what she had left of her life from her.
"NO!" she screamed, bolting upright in her sleep, her ebony black hair falling in in a lush drape over her face, her eyes which could have each held little moons in them wide with fear, with hatred.
A cold sweat slicked her skin, and made her shiver. Her mooncloth nightgown clung to her sides as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed, dropping her face into the palms of her hands, and cried. Tears that had been trying to find their way out for years finally let loose. She cried for everything that was, everything that had been, and everything that would not be.
Her uncle rushed to her side, wrapping caring arms about her delicate frame to provide any inkling of comfort he could, running his hand over her hair and telling her it was okay. He let her cry until she could cry no more, and kissed her on the forehead, holding her from himself for a moment to peer into her round, wet eyes. she looked up at him in return. She sniffed, rubbing a thin sleeve at her nose, and rested on his shoulder.
"Will you be alright my dear?" he asked, trying to be as much of a father as he could with a warm voice, not completely deep, yet not boyish.
For a moment they sat in silence... But finally, she spoke to him. The first time in years.
"No. I will not... I cannot be alright... My father, my brother... I... I must avenge them... Uncle, I must!"
The tone of her voice was at first despairing, but it grew to urgency, to an earnest volume that demanded attention.
"I have to bring all of those murderer's to justice! they must be punished for what they did to my family... To me..."
She let her last words hang in the air like a nasty, chilled wind. Bitter feelings hung over them as a storm cloud might. Finally, her uncle nodded. He knew there was only one direction she could take now. The earnest look in her eyes was not unfamiliar. He knew there was no reasoning with feelings like hers, and he knew no amount of young men at the doorstep could ever convince her of a different life.
"Illi... I know what you can do."
~To be continued~
(Song for Pt. 2 - http://templescene.com/?page_id=72)
Last edited by Illiyara on Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
