|
Post by Taya on Jun 24, 2013 21:56:11 GMT
It started out a fairly normal day. The sun had burned bright in the pale blue sky. The cliff's breezes had whistled through trees outside the looming black steel walls of the compound and Jamie Jerome Osclithe had once again been denied entrance. He vaguely wondered if the wind touched those that were fortunate enough to live inside with such an imposing barrier to the world as it tugged at his coat. With a heavy sigh, the young man stood up from the spot he had been sitting every sunrise to sunset now for the past year. He'd be back tomorrow and everyday after until he was allowed to walk through those gates or they finally decided to arrest him.
Of course, there were other similar compounds scattered around Avenstroth. One of them might even have a moment of lunacy and allow him to prove himself, but what would be the point of trying if it wasn't at the best magician's academia confine, Ravenara Mystique. It was the place Jamie's late mother, Representative Layla Osclithe, had received her training as a youth and had taught at before her appointment to the Magicain's council and he was determined to not squander his rare gift on something second rate.
As the sunset behind Ravenara, Jamie buttoned his double breasted tan motor trench using each minuscule movement to fight off the discouraging thoughts that every evening brought. After fixing his googles over his eyes, he mounted his motorbike and took off down the curving road of the mountain back towards the town below. As the trees began to surround him on his descent, Jamie could no longer taste the salt of the sea that wore at his skin despite the bit of lotion he had brought with him from his home. No, his sister's home now.
By law, the manor no longer even belonged to his father since his mother's death. His sister had inherited everything, including all of Layla's money. Alinora had set up a stipend for him, even if the rest of the family disapproved. He remembered the arguments well.
-----------------------
A year and a month earlier
"Alinora," Great Aunt Bernice railed. "You cannot be serious about indulging the boy's folly. It's a waste of hard earned coin."
"Jamie is very talented. More than I am. Even mother thought so." Ali said as patiently as she could, the hazel eyes she shared with her younger brother still red from the burial. "I will not hinder him in his quest for knowledge. For isn't that the reason the Great Mother gave us critical thought. Otherwise we'd all be bumbling beasts of the wild."
"No Academia will allow him entrance, let alone Ravenara. To do so would be illegal." Their great aunt ranted on. "Men cannot be left to their own devices. They will turn savage. Brutality and drink will consume him."
"That is archaic superstitious nonsense and I will not listen to it in my home and certainly not in front of my brother." Ali said letting the polite tone she had maintained slip into a hard edge. It was the first time since the argument had begun that either of them had acknowledged his silent presence even though he had been sitting right there the entire time.
"You are a fool! Think of the family!"
"Jamie is my family!" She snapped back as Bernice headed for the study door.
"He's a man!" The study door slammed and both of Layla's children winced.
"I had no idea." Jamie said not speaking the fire he really felt.
"Jamie, this is serious. I can't just give you coin to no purpose. People will talk." Ali said sinking into her mother's chair. He looked as his heart sore sister with the weight of the world on her shoulders and his financial fate in her hands. They were so similar in that moment. The same dark hair with a blue sheen, large hazel eyes, and the same pain over their mother's death in their soul. For moment he even considered pretending to be her to get accepted at Ravenara, but Jamie didn't want to have to hide who he was. He was proud to be Jamie.
--------------------------
That conversation had led to his current situation and lodgings. Whereas his days consisted of sitting in front of Ravenara's gates, his nights at the hotel were spent doing Ali's bookkeeping and paperwork to earn his keep while he was away from the household.
Jamie smiled at the serving lads that all knew him by name now as he sat in the hotel restaurant & bar. He sat down at his usually table to enjoy his favorite part of the day. Out of his pocket came, Ali's daily letter full of the going ons o the manor house and staff, but the most amusing part was always the list of ladies wishing to court him. Apparently, despite his quirks, his looks were enough to warrant many an invitation and Ali was forced to fight them off. The letter always ended with same words.
'Be strong, dear brother, and have faith. The Great Mother has a plan for you.
Your loving sister, Alinora'
Whether she knew it or not, it was that message that gave him the strength each morning to try again.
------- OOC: okay I hope this gives you a feel for the world. Feel free to ask questions. I left it here for prople's set-up purposes, but unless there is something major that happens, Jamie will head back to Ravenara in the morning. And major stuff can happen there too. Aka don't feel obliged to create a towns person or traveler just because Jamie is chilling at the hotel right now.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Spock on Jun 25, 2013 20:18:35 GMT
The shriek of the wind covered the gentle moan of the back gate to the intimidating magical fortress as it eased open a fraction and a cloaked figure snuck out. The cloak whipping her bare legs in the wind, Skye drew her hood closer to her wild curls with a shaking, pale hand and shut the gate as quietly as she could. She spoke a quiet word that faded into the wind as she lay her hand on the door and felt it lock behind her, and smiling at managing the spell in one go, she turned and edged around the outside of the black walls, looking down on the town below.
As she started down the path, Skye drew down her hood and then unclasped the Ravenara cloak, knowing it was too obvious, too much. She swept it easily into the satchel at her side and inspected herself with a frown. She hated dressing like this. She came from a traditional family in a traditional time and attended a traditional school, and dressing like the technological age was anything but a travesty to society almost disgusted her. But then, it matched most of her self-opining.
The walk to the town was long and cold – the short leather jacket she wore cut too high above her hips and offered none of the shelter her cloak would’ve. Her trousers were thicker, warmer, and the boots were snug on her feet, but the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as the wind bit under her auburn hair.
Dark had set fully around her and the electric street lamps buzzed as she finally got to the town and made her way into the hotel – chosen because their bar was open all night. She sighed in open relief at the warmth of the bar and the raised eyebrow of the barman that worked Wednesday nights, who had already started pouring her drink as she made her way over to the bar, her cheeks flushing as she accepted the drink wordlessly and began to nurse it like it were medicine.
|
|
|
Post by Taya on Jul 6, 2013 19:31:35 GMT
Jamie only glanced up when the red head, who almost as much a fixture here as he was, sat down at the bar. Same drink, same barstool. It was a wonder that she wasn't here every day, but then maybe she had another favorite haunt for the other days. He shook his head and went up adding the figures of his father's collectors that his sister had to pay. Sipping his tea, he set down the ridiculous cost of cigars and burbon and watched the young woman some more.
His interest was not in her purse or beauty, but at what had driven her to consume so much each night. He knew it was his mother's death on his father's end of things. But she was so much younger what could she be trying to hide from at the bottom of that glass.
"You fancy her, then?" Richie, his server for the evening, commented as he brought him more tea. The lad was at best fourteen, but was already trying to catch a young lady's eye, especially if she was rich and handsome.
"I don't fancy anyone, Richie." Jamie said turning back to the Osclithe estate. "And what's further more I can't afford to fancy anyone, not with all of my dreams on the line. I need to stay focused on the task at hand."
"Being your sister's book keeper? You should be out there trying to catch a rich wife."
"What? So I can be her book keeper? Or worse, she mine and I am not allowed a cent." Jamie shook his head. "No, thank you. I do not wish to act as someone's adornment when there is so much to learn and do out in the world." Richie shrugged his shoulders thinking it sounded fine and went to fetch Jamie's supper.
Continuing his work, Jamie ingnored the stares of various patrons that came and went seeing a man at table alone. Not only that, but he wasn't one of those poor males that seemed to be ruled by drink. He was well put together, but unacompanied.
|
|