#tobie donnovan | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

loverness-writes · 5 years

Text

The Tyrannical Throne of Ice

“Nanie, I think it best for us to head out soon. The monsoon snows are almost here.”

I look up to the ageing sorcerer as she came into the confining kitchen, noticing her sweeping gaze over me hunched at the crowded dining table, having already covered it once more in wood shavings and sawdust. She shook her head with a smile and walked further, her dark blue cloak slowly floating behind her. Her pure white hair tossed beside her head and the tuscany gem strung around her neck glimmered in the flickering candlelight sourced from random spots in the room. Bending lightly over my handiwork, she chuckled and looked on at my progress.

“My my. Do you really miss trout that much? It has only been six moons since they have last crossed this land. May I?”

I disregarded her avoidance at my question and instead handed my very rough blocky fishlike object to Nanie, watching as she took it and turned it over in her delicate but strong hands. She smiled as she rubbed her thumb over my arduous work. This was the first trout I had made.

“Scales are much harder to mimic than fur,” I mumbled, already picking out at least a dozen spots in my mind that needed more fine-tuning. At this rate, the sculpture would be the size of a tuneken before I was satisfied with it.

Nanie simply glanced at me and gave a small smile before placing the warm wood back into my hand. She leaned down and kissed my forehead before whispering “Visions aren’t easy to come into fruition.” I frowned at her sage but predictable wisdom.

“Nanie, please. Our timing won’t get much better.”

I once again looked up at her wise eyes and searched for a confirmation. She looked down at her wrapped feet before sitting at the table across from me.

“Kristen, you know that once we start down this path, we cannot retract from it.” She refused to look at me.

“Nanie, we’re ready. I’m ready. I’ve completed training. You said so yourself.”

“Physical strength is nothing compared to-”

“Mental strength, I know. You’ve told me countless times.” Nanie looked up at my eyes, undeciding on which one to focus on. “I probably say that in my sleep now.” I met her gaze with a small smile.

She knew I was getting restless. I could see it among her countless wrinkles. Wrinkles from insight and from years of experience. But I could also tell she was just as antsy as I was. If not just as nervous as I was. I knew she can’t have enjoyed these past years hiding in a small cave outside the city, waiting for the best time to sneak back in. We were both caged like this. I tried to put on a neutral face and conceal my simmering emotions. After turning it once more in my hand, I set my small half-finished wooden trout down next to the progressively growing pile of wooden mini sculptures in the corner of the table. Each one was charred just enough to add a layer to the twists and turns and curves of the different animals without completely covering all the etched lines and divots. There were bears and elk and mountain lions, wolves and whales and seals. Even some animals I had never seen in person, but seen only in my dreams and sketched out from memories in my past. Maybe when I got reestablished in the city, I would sell them at the market. Maybe I would see that woman again. Maybe she could give meaning to the animals I felt compelled to sketch and scratch out of driftwood.

“We can’t go immediately out in the open once we get past the gate guards.” She seemed to be reading my mind. Perhaps my emotions were too plain on my face after all. “I know others that can help us, but we will have to be as inconspicuous and unseen as possible.”

“Until we can find a way in to the castle.” My voice was soft, but I knew she heard me clearly.

“Yes. Until we can find a way in to the castle. Unfortunately, the royal guards will know many of your tricks.”

“Not all of them. There are some they’ve still never figured out, I guarantee you.” I looked away to the floor, acting as if the polished stone was more interesting than Nanie’s calculated face.

“Yes well, Donnovan will also be helping them. You are arguably his greatest threat and he no doubt has considered many ways you would return.”

“Donnovan never knew all of them either.” I pushed down the thought of Donnovan standing at the city gates, menacing and powerful in his grand fur cloak and gaudy bejeweled crown, somehow realizing our plans and acting to kill us on the spot.

“Well, he’s had a couple decades to try and figure them out while living with you, plus another few years searching himself. After all, he is your-”

I sprang up from the table and the chair I was using toppled over behind me. “He is a tyrant to me and nothing more!” Nanie reeled slightly back in shock. I looked down and noticed I was menacingly pointing my carving knife towards her. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath before putting my knife down on the table and pulled my hands behind me. “He means nothing to me now.” I couldn’t even tell if she heard me, I was so quiet.

I heard her get up from the table and slowly approach me.

“Please, Nanie, when can we leave and start our plans going? We’ve been discussing them for so long.” I felt as if I was going to cry, there was so much pent up frustration and remorse swirling in my mind.

“A stone cannot start rolling simply because it thinks fast winds will be approaching behind it.”

I looked up at her, trying to seek understanding and agreement once again from within her eyes. I must’ve looked like Toby whenever he wanted to join me on my bed. I missed him terribly. I missed my home terribly. I missed the echo of my smiling parents, whom I knew I’d never see again in this life.

“Although, you are right. We are only losing time now. I bet we can pack up the essentials, prepare for the journey, and store the rest within the depths of the cave within a day’s time. Come along and let us fashion a prayer before we begin.”

______________________________

Welcome to the gigantic writing project I’ve been working on since the start of February and have to find a complete stopping point by end of April! (Notice how I said “complete stopping point” and not “finish” as there may be more to write after that point.)

I’ve had this idea in my head for many years and now am finally writing it down and fleshing it out. Belive me, since I’ve had this idea, the only thing that hasn’t changed is the most basic plot progression and structure (and even then some things have gotten swapped) and setting. Almost nothing’s the same, not even character names. XD

So enjoy the first half of the first chapter! I didn’t start with this when I started writing because the way my brain writes is it just jumps around scenes instead of think out a story linearly. Maybe that’s why I’ve never finished any of my big writing projects.

#fantasy #ice #tyranny #royal issues #story #first person #adventure #idk what else to put in these stupid tags #my writing

1 note · View note