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31_days2009-01-22 02:31 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2009-01-22 02:31 pm
[Jan. 22][Suikoden III] Keeping Her Head Above Water
Title: Keeping Her Head Above Water
Day/Theme: Jan. 22, 2009 "darling, we go a-drowning"
Series: Suikoden III
Character/Pairing: Daniena "Annie" and family
Rating: PG
Continuing from "Haphazard Plans", etc...
The bridge! The bridge was burning! Annie tossed fitfully in her sleep as she relived the horror of the previous night, the snapping and popping of tar, her brother's sobbing, the old people shaking their heads sadly, men rushing about with buckets of water from the well, only to stop and stare, shaking timidly at the sight of the inquisitors with their billowing cloaks on the other side.
"What should we do? What should I do?" she yelled, grabbing the closest adult, who happened to be a maid from the mayor's residence.
"Don't ask me!" the curly-haired woman snapped in frustration, shaking the girl away.
"There's nothing we can do," Luizo shook his head, his thick, white beard shimmering orange in the firelight.
"Nothing?!" she gasped helplessly, her weakening voice lost in the roar of the flames.
Annie awoke with sweat running down her face, sitting up quickly and sighing with relief that no matter how terrible, it was only a memory. The Halkashi could only burn down once after all. She was home in bed. It didn't mean that she was safe though. The situation here didn't appear to be on the verge of improving anytime soon and things were only worse because her father had managed to have the incredibly bad luck to be away at the time. She had tried to send a message to him a few days before the bridge was burned, but there was no guarantee it had gone through. The message runners in nearby Mirlan were somewhat unreliable if they had to go much further than White Crest or Crona and Annie couldn't say how close her father was by now. His involvement in the trading business took him around the region quite frequently, but this trip had sent him all the way to Gamerick. He didn't even know that everyone was sick, let alone that the whole town had been left to die.
"Dad, hurry home," she whispered like a prayer, sliding out of bed to get up and check on her mom and siblings. The house was quiet. There was obviously some heavy wind outside though. The shudders were shaking.
"Grandma, are you awake?" the girl called down the hall, peeking into the room shared by her two younger siblings. Both Tylo and Sina were still sleeping. "I might as well let them sleep," Annie figured. "They're not going to feel any better awake."
What a position for a twelve-year-old to be in, deciding to let her siblings sleep in because their illness would bother them more if they were awake! "Grandma?" Annie asked again, tiptoeing down the creaking wooden steps. The door to her parents' bedroom was open and when she looked in Annie saw her mother gazing back at her. Her skin was white with red blotches. Her green eyes were so empty, it seemed as if she might not even be seeing her daughter.
Annie scratched her head and went in to see her mother, kneeling down beside the bed. "Anything I can do for you, Mom?" she managed a weak smile.
"Oh...Annie..." Lelia spoke softly. Her voice was dry and rough. "Have you looked in on Sina and Tylo?"
"Yeah, they're sleeping. ...Has Grandma come in yet?"
"Yes, hmm, I think she said she was going to Jeq's shop for something..." Lelia murmured, fighting to bring the details of the matter back to her mind. Everything these past few days had been sort of fuzzy. She felt so cold, and her joints ached, but being unable to take care of her children herself was the hardest part of it. "...I wouldn't mind a glass of water," she requested timidly.
"Of course!" Annie perked up slightly, happy to be of use in some way, however small. Going into the kitchen and pouring a glass of water from a jug felt a bit more meaningful than most of the tasks she had been stuck with since her mother fell ill. Sitting at bedsides and tucking sheets was just boring and frustrating.
Lelia was glad for the water. Her throat soothed, her voice took on a more smooth quality. "I'm so sorry, Annie."
"Yeah... I know. It's not your fault, Mom." It wasn't anyone's fault, but Annie still felt sad, worried, and angry all at once. The whole town was falling to pieces, those creepy inquisitors had cut them off from the mainland, Dad was probably still miles away, and nothing she could do would really make a difference. Grandma said that three people in town had already died. "I'm gonna get dressed and see what Grandma's doing," Annie sighed, heading back to her room.
Her attention clung to the pink and white dress hanging on the closet door. She had just finished sewing several roses made of red ribbon onto the edge of the dress the week before. The dress had once belonged to her mother, but Annie had put a lot of work into sprucing it up and adjusting it to wear to Mattie's party. But Mattie lived across the bridge in Mirlan and even if the bridge were still standing, with her family in this condition there was no way Annie could go.
It all left a bitter taste in her mouth. ...She had really been looking forward to that party.
Day/Theme: Jan. 22, 2009 "darling, we go a-drowning"
Series: Suikoden III
Character/Pairing: Daniena "Annie" and family
Rating: PG
Continuing from "Haphazard Plans", etc...
The bridge! The bridge was burning! Annie tossed fitfully in her sleep as she relived the horror of the previous night, the snapping and popping of tar, her brother's sobbing, the old people shaking their heads sadly, men rushing about with buckets of water from the well, only to stop and stare, shaking timidly at the sight of the inquisitors with their billowing cloaks on the other side.
"What should we do? What should I do?" she yelled, grabbing the closest adult, who happened to be a maid from the mayor's residence.
"Don't ask me!" the curly-haired woman snapped in frustration, shaking the girl away.
"There's nothing we can do," Luizo shook his head, his thick, white beard shimmering orange in the firelight.
"Nothing?!" she gasped helplessly, her weakening voice lost in the roar of the flames.
Annie awoke with sweat running down her face, sitting up quickly and sighing with relief that no matter how terrible, it was only a memory. The Halkashi could only burn down once after all. She was home in bed. It didn't mean that she was safe though. The situation here didn't appear to be on the verge of improving anytime soon and things were only worse because her father had managed to have the incredibly bad luck to be away at the time. She had tried to send a message to him a few days before the bridge was burned, but there was no guarantee it had gone through. The message runners in nearby Mirlan were somewhat unreliable if they had to go much further than White Crest or Crona and Annie couldn't say how close her father was by now. His involvement in the trading business took him around the region quite frequently, but this trip had sent him all the way to Gamerick. He didn't even know that everyone was sick, let alone that the whole town had been left to die.
"Dad, hurry home," she whispered like a prayer, sliding out of bed to get up and check on her mom and siblings. The house was quiet. There was obviously some heavy wind outside though. The shudders were shaking.
"Grandma, are you awake?" the girl called down the hall, peeking into the room shared by her two younger siblings. Both Tylo and Sina were still sleeping. "I might as well let them sleep," Annie figured. "They're not going to feel any better awake."
What a position for a twelve-year-old to be in, deciding to let her siblings sleep in because their illness would bother them more if they were awake! "Grandma?" Annie asked again, tiptoeing down the creaking wooden steps. The door to her parents' bedroom was open and when she looked in Annie saw her mother gazing back at her. Her skin was white with red blotches. Her green eyes were so empty, it seemed as if she might not even be seeing her daughter.
Annie scratched her head and went in to see her mother, kneeling down beside the bed. "Anything I can do for you, Mom?" she managed a weak smile.
"Oh...Annie..." Lelia spoke softly. Her voice was dry and rough. "Have you looked in on Sina and Tylo?"
"Yeah, they're sleeping. ...Has Grandma come in yet?"
"Yes, hmm, I think she said she was going to Jeq's shop for something..." Lelia murmured, fighting to bring the details of the matter back to her mind. Everything these past few days had been sort of fuzzy. She felt so cold, and her joints ached, but being unable to take care of her children herself was the hardest part of it. "...I wouldn't mind a glass of water," she requested timidly.
"Of course!" Annie perked up slightly, happy to be of use in some way, however small. Going into the kitchen and pouring a glass of water from a jug felt a bit more meaningful than most of the tasks she had been stuck with since her mother fell ill. Sitting at bedsides and tucking sheets was just boring and frustrating.
Lelia was glad for the water. Her throat soothed, her voice took on a more smooth quality. "I'm so sorry, Annie."
"Yeah... I know. It's not your fault, Mom." It wasn't anyone's fault, but Annie still felt sad, worried, and angry all at once. The whole town was falling to pieces, those creepy inquisitors had cut them off from the mainland, Dad was probably still miles away, and nothing she could do would really make a difference. Grandma said that three people in town had already died. "I'm gonna get dressed and see what Grandma's doing," Annie sighed, heading back to her room.
Her attention clung to the pink and white dress hanging on the closet door. She had just finished sewing several roses made of red ribbon onto the edge of the dress the week before. The dress had once belonged to her mother, but Annie had put a lot of work into sprucing it up and adjusting it to wear to Mattie's party. But Mattie lived across the bridge in Mirlan and even if the bridge were still standing, with her family in this condition there was no way Annie could go.
It all left a bitter taste in her mouth. ...She had really been looking forward to that party.