A history of death. (Urciel's tale.)
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 5:41 pm
Urciel sat in a chair within a dark room of an Inn. He knew only that he was in the Eastern Kingdoms, but the village, or town's name eluded him. He sat hunched in his chair, his boney hand gripping a quill made from a roc feather. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to quell the rage bubbling beneath the surface of his mind; he pressed the quill to a piece of parchment.
My real name is one that many people have forgotten. But, when I was alive, I was a human, and my name was Barat Viradin. As a child I was the son of a fisherman. He was not very successful in the trade, yet he was able to feed my mother, myself, and my two sisters. Some days were harsher then others when it came to food, but we made do. The day I turned ten years old my gift was learning the trade of my father. So, with great eagerness I boarded his tiny skiff with the hope to catch the biggest fish ever. The wild delusions of a young boy I know, but I was a child.
The skiff was tiny, well kept for what little money we could afford. It still had a leaking problem in storms though. Taking all this in with a smile that showed the innocence of my youth, I took to the boat with an over zealous glee. On that day my father taught me much. How to tie a bowline knot. He taught me how to rig a sail, and trim it to make the skiff go faster. Needless to say, I was in love already with the sea and wind. I felt like a king in my own right, that out here on the open waves nothing could ever hurt me.
How wrong I was. Six weeks after my birthday had passed, and everyday I had gone out with my father to help him catch fish for the market and our family. This day had started like any other. The sky was clear in the early morning twilight. Birds flew over us in a bigger flock then I had ever seen. They were headed east, away from us. I smiled as I looked up to them, it was a beautiful sight, such free creatures. I smiled to my father, who smiled and ruffled my hair. It was not a gesture he did often, but it always let me know he cared.
We set off toward the west, chasing down a giant school of fish. We chased the school for the whole day, out father into the ocean then we had gone previously in our journeys. None-the-less there was still a smile on my face as we began to haul in more fish then I had ever seen. The biggest catch came near dusk of that day, we had the nets in had, and were hauling them over the edge of the ship. They were full to bursting. My fathers face was the happiest I had ever seen, he had enough to not only feed my family for months, but make a lot of money at the market.
The sky however, did not seem to enjoy our jubilation. It turned dark fast, in a haunting roar of wind. In such a short time, my fathers face went from jubilant to a more serious tone. "Barat!" he yelled to me, "Get to the sail and pull it down now. I'll begin to secure the cargo. GO! NOW!"
My father had never yelled at me before, and it caused me to panic and sputter. But, I did as he said and rush towards the mast. My fingers were numb with fear, and they stumbled over the knot of the sail. I could not get my fingers to listen to my brain. My arms began to shake. Soon my father was upon me, shoving me out of the way.
"Barat! Get below deck! Now! Tie your self in, go!" He gritted his teeth and began to undo the knot. I stammered a reply and ran to get below the deck. It did not matter. A huge splatter of rain came, and I slipped upon the wet wood. The rain was followed by a huge waved that flipped the shit aft over starboard. Soon I was under water, trying not to inhale. I could not reach the surface, and soon blackness was over coming my mind.
Urciel sat back in his chair, his hand stiff from writing. He let out a rattling sigh as if the memory had exhausted him. In haling deeply he turned his head to the candle and blew it out.
((To be continued.))
My real name is one that many people have forgotten. But, when I was alive, I was a human, and my name was Barat Viradin. As a child I was the son of a fisherman. He was not very successful in the trade, yet he was able to feed my mother, myself, and my two sisters. Some days were harsher then others when it came to food, but we made do. The day I turned ten years old my gift was learning the trade of my father. So, with great eagerness I boarded his tiny skiff with the hope to catch the biggest fish ever. The wild delusions of a young boy I know, but I was a child.
The skiff was tiny, well kept for what little money we could afford. It still had a leaking problem in storms though. Taking all this in with a smile that showed the innocence of my youth, I took to the boat with an over zealous glee. On that day my father taught me much. How to tie a bowline knot. He taught me how to rig a sail, and trim it to make the skiff go faster. Needless to say, I was in love already with the sea and wind. I felt like a king in my own right, that out here on the open waves nothing could ever hurt me.
How wrong I was. Six weeks after my birthday had passed, and everyday I had gone out with my father to help him catch fish for the market and our family. This day had started like any other. The sky was clear in the early morning twilight. Birds flew over us in a bigger flock then I had ever seen. They were headed east, away from us. I smiled as I looked up to them, it was a beautiful sight, such free creatures. I smiled to my father, who smiled and ruffled my hair. It was not a gesture he did often, but it always let me know he cared.
We set off toward the west, chasing down a giant school of fish. We chased the school for the whole day, out father into the ocean then we had gone previously in our journeys. None-the-less there was still a smile on my face as we began to haul in more fish then I had ever seen. The biggest catch came near dusk of that day, we had the nets in had, and were hauling them over the edge of the ship. They were full to bursting. My fathers face was the happiest I had ever seen, he had enough to not only feed my family for months, but make a lot of money at the market.
The sky however, did not seem to enjoy our jubilation. It turned dark fast, in a haunting roar of wind. In such a short time, my fathers face went from jubilant to a more serious tone. "Barat!" he yelled to me, "Get to the sail and pull it down now. I'll begin to secure the cargo. GO! NOW!"
My father had never yelled at me before, and it caused me to panic and sputter. But, I did as he said and rush towards the mast. My fingers were numb with fear, and they stumbled over the knot of the sail. I could not get my fingers to listen to my brain. My arms began to shake. Soon my father was upon me, shoving me out of the way.
"Barat! Get below deck! Now! Tie your self in, go!" He gritted his teeth and began to undo the knot. I stammered a reply and ran to get below the deck. It did not matter. A huge splatter of rain came, and I slipped upon the wet wood. The rain was followed by a huge waved that flipped the shit aft over starboard. Soon I was under water, trying not to inhale. I could not reach the surface, and soon blackness was over coming my mind.
Urciel sat back in his chair, his hand stiff from writing. He let out a rattling sigh as if the memory had exhausted him. In haling deeply he turned his head to the candle and blew it out.
((To be continued.))