Private Tales Sierra's Storytime

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Sierra couldn’t think about what would happen as she aged and Cillian didn’t. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Rose not being taken care of when she was gone. Rose would always have someone.

There was a mournful tug of her heart.

A scrub of purple paint now on the pinky. And Sierra wanted Rose to be prepared. To be able to protect herself.
 
  • Sip
Reactions: Meepo
Scrub, scrub, scrub.

“What if tomorrow Mommy teaches you how to shoot a bow and arrow?”

Rose stopped playing with her mermaid toy and looked up. “Really?”

Sierra nodded and released Rose’s hand. Now clean. She reached for the other paint splattered one.
 
Red paint splattered this one. And Sierra tried not to let her mind wander to darker things. Taking the washcloth, she began scrubbing gently.

“Mommy, you’re really good with the bow. I remember Myrrenna saying so.” Myrrenna had been the government provided nanny she’d been provided with to watch over Rose as she went on missions and campaigns for Vel Anir. Her service as a dreadlord.
 
Sierra never really trusted the woman. She’d done a good job but she damn well knew whatever she said and whatever Rose said was being reported back to the protectors. And being the Underground leader made things even more difficult.

Throughout Rose’s childhood, she’d been very careful about what she said in front of her daughter. And when Rose was old enough to understand, Sierra has to explain what they could and couldn’t talk about in front of Myrrenna.
 
Just a few weeks with Cillian and in their new home, Rose was a lot more talkative. And Sierra knew it was because her daughter had been afraid to speak much back home. For fear of getting her mom in trouble.

She knew Rose struggled with the fear of losing Sierra. And part of that fear had been necessary to instill in her before. If she’d been caught with the underground, she would’ve been executed. And Rose would’ve been raised by the orphanage if Talus or someone else hadnt stepped in. And if Rose had ever shown magical aptitude, she’d become a ward of the Academy. Something she knew the Academy had already been watching closely.
 
Oblivious to Sierra’s internal worries, Rose continued. "She said you were one of the best she's ever seen. Except for maybe some of the archer guards. But even then you were as good as them."

A little sigh as she dunked her mermaid into the soapy waters of her bath.

"I want to be as good as you one day, Mommy," she looked up at Sierra. A determined look coming over her little face. Her little mermaid surfaced again and her attention returned to her toy.
 
Sierra finished scrubbing the paint off Rose's hand. "With lots of practice, I bet you will be." She released Rose's hand and stepped back, going to get a towel. "A few more minutes and then I want you to dry off and get dressed. Brush your teeth then meet me in bed."

Sierra was trying to let her daughter be more independent.

Which hadn't been a problem before. When she'd been away on so many dreadlord initiatives. Or working at the Academy. Or on her Underground missions. But now that she finally had so much time with Rose? It was hard for her to step back and remember her daughter was already growing quite independent.
 
"Okaaaaay!" Rose called out cheerily, happily splashing with her mermaid toy. Sierra left the fluffy light blue towel by the tub and stood. Keen eye made sure the toothbrush and toothpaste were ready, then she left Rose to her time in the bathroom.

Settling herself down in the comfy-chair by Rose's bed, she closed her eyes and waited.

A rare moment of peace and quiet.

She knew tonight, Cillian was working in his shop. Getting his next set of orders ready. And it was strange to have this moment of 'alone' time.
 
Even as she heard the light splashing of Rose in the bathroom. And eventually the tub draining and her daughter's footsteps as she brushed her teeth. All normal, happy sounds. Sierra let her gaze drift to the window. Seeing the little shop light on down the way. Where Cilli was deep into his work.

She couldn't help the slow, happy smile that curled on her lips.

If she could bottle up and save this moment, she would.
 
There was a banging of little feet against wood and throw rugs and then a sudden PLOP on the bed. Sierra opened her eyes, the ghost of a smile still on her lips.

"Okay mom!" Rose huffed and raised her arms. "I am ALL clean now."

"Did you brush your teeth?" Sierra asked.

"Yes," Rose answered.

"Let me see."

Rose gave a toothy smile and said, "Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?"
 
"Good," Sierra smiled and stood, lifting up the covers so Rose could wiggle under them.

"Mommy, I really liked the purple broccoli Ceecee cooked tonight. And that yummy fish. I'm so happy we're here." It was no secret Sierra couldn't cook. And Rose always oo'ed and ahhh'd about his cooking. Something she certainly never did with Sierra. And she supposed Myrrenna was slightly better than herself yet nowhere near as good as 'Ceecee.'
 
"I'm glad you liked it. His cooking is VERY good." Sierra eased back on the chair and crossed one leg.

"MMHMM," Rose agreed all too eagerly. Reaching across the bed, she pulled her unicorn stuffie closer and hugged it into her little chest. Feet wiggled beneath the blanket.

"So, where did we leave off last time," Sierra asked Rose.
 
"Daisy finished telling her story to the night sky and got her wish. But then she saw a pair of golden eyes in the dark wood and she's not allowed to go in there," Rose breathed, summarizing in a very fast, rush of words. One arm flopped onto the bed as she stared up at the ceiling.

It was painted in colorful drawings of suns, moons, stars, clouds, and flying bests of all sorts. All in golden, light colors. She and Cilli had done it at some point when Sierra had been gone, fighting the revolution. And rebuilding after.
 
"Daisy continued to sit along the edge of the wood, waiting. But she didn't see the golden eyes again. Sighing, she little girl stood and began making her way back home, walking up the grassy hill. She kept turning back. Looking behind her. But she never saw the eyes again. At least for that night."

"She snuck back inside without waking her parents or brothers. And managed to slip into bed uncaught. But she vowed she would go back the next night to see if she saw them again."
 
"And so she did. She went through the next day completing her chores. Her mother complained that she was moving sluggishly and had darker circles under her eyes. Daisy even tried to steal a nap in the back of the barn in the middle of the day. She managed to snooze a little before one of her brothers found her."

"But the rest of the day was uneventful. She managed to complete all her bedtime chores as well. Brushing her teeth like her mother asked. And as she lay in bed, waiting to hear the tell-tale sounds of snoring from the others, she wondered if the eyes would be back. She hoped they would."
 
"As her final brother drifted off to sleep, Daisy hearing his distinct honking snore, she threw the blanket off herself. She'd remained dressed. Tiptoeing to the door, she pulled on her boots. Then she was off. Walking across the field. Unlike the previous night, it was cloudy and dark."

"There were flashes of lightning in the distance. A storm was brewing. Daisy frowned and hurried her footsteps toward the dark wood."
 
"She found herself stopping at the edge of the wood. The wind was howling and there were no stars visible tonight, unlike the night prior. The wind snatched at her cloak like long, greedy fingers. The chill cut through her thin layers of clothing easily. And for the first time, Daisy wondered if coming back out here had been such a good idea. And she suddenly felt very small standing in front of the dark wood before her with the expanse of fields and beyond that, the town, at her back."
 
"She peered into the darkness, straining to see if that set of golden-yellow would peer back at her. Or perhaps if something worse came. She hadn't thought about the Narfellows or Hobgoblines or Tintertacks."

"She could almost here her mother's chiding voice behind her. What have I been telling you, Daisy? Don't get too close to the wood. Stop playing so much or you'll ruin every piece of clothing you have. Funny how her mother could still be an influence in her mind even when she was sleeping all the way back at home!"
 
"Behind her the rumblings of thunder grew louder and louder. She pleaded into the dark, knowing she couldn't stay long. She could already smell rain on the air. Lightning arced across the dark sky, lighting up the wood. And in one moment, she thought she saw the face of a boy peering back at her. Yelping, she stepped back."

"And the area was consumed in darkness before another arc of lightning lit up the skies. This time there was a wicked boom that made her limbs shake. Then BOOM-CRACK! Lighting struck just ten feet in the field from where she stood. Yelping, she stumbled forward as smoke filled the air."
 
"Oh no, Mooom. Did Daisy get hurt by the lightning?" Rose interrupted.

Sierra shook her head and patted her daughter's foot beneath the blanket. Rose clutched her unicorn plushie tightly.

"No, she didn't get hurt by the lightning but she looked down and realized she'd crossed into the forbidden territory. She was a good foot or two into the dark wood."
 
"Uh-oh," said Rose, her eyes wide open and focused so intensely on Sierra it nearly made her laugh.

"Uh-oh indeed," Sierra continued the story. "Daisy froze. And waited for something to happen. She held her breath and looked around. Eyes darting in the darkness even as the lightning occasionally lit up the area. She held her breath until her lungs burned then finally took another. But do you know what? Nothing happened."
 
"Daisy finally let herself breath normally, straightening out of her hunched and protective posture. Fingers lifted to brush disheveled hair away from her face. Even just this much into the woods, the wind was far less. Things were more comfortable."

"She took another step further in and then another. One last glance over her shoulder. She could see the fields behind her but it seemed as if she was further into the woods than she originally thought. She hesitated, wondering if she should turn back."
 
"Just as she hesitated, there was a small, buzzing, bright blue ball of energy about two-inches high that zipped by. I must hurry, hurry or I"ll be late! A teeny-tiny voice said in Daisy's ear. Her eyes widened and any hesitation disappeared as she launched forward, following the pixie. Wait, she called trying to avoid snagging her boots on raised roots. But the little glowing pixie didn't wait, she zoomed and swooped between the trees and branches. Up and over on and on."
 
"Daisy tried her best to follow. And knew her mother was right. She never stopped to think about things. Like perhaps she should've been paying more attention to where she was going. Where she'd come from. What path she was following. But she was only focused on the little pixie until suddenly her boots squelched and stuck."

"Looking around, she realized she had just entered a swamp. Heaving her legs, she managed to step back and back again until she was on dryer land. Neck craned as she tried not to lose sight of the pixie. But the light was quickly disappearing. Blinking in the darkness, she realized she was...lost."
 
"And it was quickly growing darker and darker as the pixie's light grew further and further away. Her boots were slicked with swamp mud. She followed that pixie light as it was swallowed by the pitch. A gulp down her throat and then another. Just when she felt as though it would be best to sit down and cry, something started glowing out of the darkness."

"So light she hadn't noticed it before."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom