[Alenia's Home - Alessandra's Bedroom. Enter Alessandra Zalori. It is past midnight. With Solitara only days away, she tosses and turns. Another sleepness night awaits. Despite the outstanding success she had earlier that day constructing her staff, her mind wanders to Alenia Famaris' distant approach since the preparations for such a key milestone in her journey of acceptance. As her eyes dart across the room, she looks once more at the portrait of the elven girl within the room.]
Alessandra Zalori: [aside] I wonder who she is, she doesn't look like she's from the Duhsh either. Come to think of it, mother is the only other elf with pale skin like myself, like this girl.
[Alessandra Zalori sits up, her eyes narrowing as she examines the girl in the portrait's features attentively. She has pale skin, bright blue eyes and long white hair. Partially submerged within a bed of water, two small antlers rest atop her head. Alessandra Zalori approaches the portrait, taking it off of the wall and examining it further.]
Alessandra Zalori: [aside] Antlers. A sign of those who have completed Solitara. She looks a little older than others I have seen. She must be a native, only a true Duhsh can get them.
[As Alessandra Zalori examines the portrait closely, she notices that the antlers are not bound to her being. Rather, they are subtly adjoined under her hair through a headband created to match her hair. Her fingers press the portrait forward from the back, causing it to become dislodged. Alessandra Zalori turns it over, slowly removing the frame to readjust the picture, revealing a letter written on the back of the photo.]
Alessandra Zalori: [reading the letter under her breath] "Daeris, I am so proud of the woman you are growing up to become. Solitara does not define anybody's worth, only the role they have been destined to play in our cycle of life. I know, even a year on, you are disappointed, upset and confused by the outcome. But know this, you will always have a place here. You are worthy of so much greater than life within the Duhsh, don't let these sacred ways cause you to forsake me as he did. You will always be Guren nín ~ Alenia".
Guren nín...? Guess I'm not that special after all. Daeris, I've never heard that name mentioned before, not even once.
[Alenia Famaris' footsteps can be heard from the hallway, Alessandra Zalori knows she will be in trouble if she is caught, she always comes to check on her when her light is on. Alessandra Zalori freezes, holding the portrait and the footsteps stop right outside her door. Several seconds of silence pass before the footsteps turn back in the direction they came from away from the door.]
Not even a goodnight anymore? Fine. See if I care about it.
[Alessandra Zalori aggressively puts the portrait back within the frame in frustration as she hangs it back up on the wall. As she stares at it for a moment, she turns the portrait against the wall before crawling into bed and facing away from it in disgust.]
Alessandra Zalori: 'Guren nín' ha! just a stupid pet name for all the orphans she takes in, I don't even wanna do this stupid Solitara!
[Alessandra Zalori lifts the covers over her head before going to sleep.]
YOU ARE READING
Solitara (Twisted Roots Midquel)
FantasyAs Alessandra and Clyde part ways, she is now left under the care of the Duhsh Elves while he continues on the path of vengeance. The story of what happened in the seven year absence until their next fated meeting remained unknown, until now.
