Chapter 1: Falling Apart
"How can you do this to me?! To the girls?! It's bad enough you named her after the sodding thing, but now you are going to leave us for it?!"
Young Solaria Brosca awoke from her slumber on her crudely fashioned bedroll to the sound of her mother's shrill outburst. Her mama and papa yelled at each other far to often for seemingly meaningless reasons. This, however, was not. Her papa, her storyteller, her friend, was leaving them? I could not be. She must have misheard. All the same she shoved off her coarse blanket and went to listen at the curtain that separated the little area in which she and her sister slept from the rest of their cave-like home.
Her tiny feet barely made a sound as she approached the curtain and heard her father's voice respond "Love, don't you understand? There is nothing for us here. Here our beautiful girls are considered to be worth less than the dust they walk on, all of us are. We need to make a home for our girls on the surface so they don't have to...to...whore themselves or become murderers for the sodding Carta!" Although whispered, he spat out the words so venomously that the little dust girl quaked with fear.
"I will send for you all when I get us a good situation. We deserve better, don't you see?"
Solaria heard her mother choke back a sob "And what if you fall into the sky, Harkin, what becomes of us then? Please see reason!"
The shaking girl whose cheek rested against the stone doorway heard his heavy footsteps approach the place where her mother's voice had come from "I will not fall into the sky, I will come back for you and the girls. Please Kalah, if you ever trust me on anything, trust me on that."
The sounds of his Dwarven leather boots then stomped off to her parents sleeping area and she heard her mother let loose the cries that had been strangling in her throat.
Tears welling, she bolted to where Rica laid fast asleep and violently shook the older girl awake. "Rica, help me, papa's leaving! Please, get up and help me!"
The dwarf girl's small frame shook with fear and premature mourning as she finally succumbed to the tears.
Rica stirred and drowsily replied "What are you on about little one? What do you mean 'papa's leaving'? Leaving where?"
Tugging on her sister's arm she said with a wavering voice "To the surface Rica, help me stop him!"
Her sister's eyes left her face, a deep sadness resonating through them "What do you expect me to be able to do about it? We can't force him to stay. If I couldn't make my dad stay, what more luck do I have with yours?"
Solaria's eyes morphed from desperate despair to indignant fury towards her half-sister's indifference. She could not find any words that could express what she felt.
As she began to head back to the warmth of her bedroll, the curtain opened to reveal the silhouette of her father. Before she could speak he walked to her and scooped her up in his embrace, releasing another wave of fresh tears from both father and daughter. He sat with her near Rica, encouraging the older girl to sit up and hug them as well. They just sat there for a little while, letting the tears flow and enjoying the comfort of each other.
Finally Solaria spoke, though her voice was hoarse from crying "Papa, please don't go to the surface. Please."
Her father sighed sadly "My little sunshine, don't fret over this. This is going to be a good thing. We will see each other again. I can promise it. I am going into a deal with a merchant friend of mine. You know Galedon. We are going into business together and one day all of us will live on the surface where we won't be treated as inferior. A man's worth is in his own work up there, not the mistakes of his ancestors. Please don't cry my dears. We deserve better than this, both of you are important, don't let anyone tell you different." He kissed both of his girls on the tops of their small heads. "I have to go now. Listen to your mother and take care of each other, I love you both so very much."
Giving them both one last strong hug, he stood up and walked from their room. Solaria, grief stricken, wandered numbly to the doorway and saw her father kiss and hug her mother. Behind her, Rica had come out of bed to hug her, her wet chin resting on Solaria's shoulder. Unknown to them, but contemplated by some in the exposed little home, it was to be the last time they would ever see him.
Author's Note: Please review, I could really use some constructive criticism on my writing style. I would greatly appreciate any comments and/or advice 8).