Matildan Musings
None of us are completely certain how it wound up that mother got so overprotective. My younger brother was too young to remember her any way but. And my older brother is just as in the dark about it as I am.
Our family was fairly normal, at least for our region. Father was a knight, a knight of Matilda to be exact. Mother was an item sales woman. Between the two of them, they seemed successful in raising three young sons. Or, at least, to me they did.
Though I haven't seen either in a long time, I can describe both of my brothers fairly well. I have to be able to, if I hope to ever find them.
It's really sad how we all separated. Mother was insisting that my older brother remain at home and hold down a `safe' job like tax collecting and he wanted to join the military. He couldn't join Jowston's because father had been well-known enough throughout Jowston that mother's wishes for them to not accept him were adhered to.
So he went to the enemy.
Honestly, it's not as though he had slim choices. The City-State of Jowston was enemies with most of the Grasslands, or as my friend tells me, Rune and other countries, as well as with Highland, Harmonia, and the Scarlet Moon Empire.
Which now happens to be called the Toran Republic. But that's another story.
The day he left, our whole family got involved in the argument. My older brother couldn't understand why she was so adamant about him remaining at home. Truly, neither did I, but as I wished to be a knight myself, my brother had to get permission so I could use it in my interests. Mercenary, yes, but knighthood was, in mother's eyes, more dangerous, and therefore, less acceptable, and so I needed anything I could get to help me convince her to let me become a knight.
So when he dragged me and my wish to become a knight into the shouting match, I knew I no longer stood a chance. I figured it was all I could do to keep from being `persuaded' into the family business. Her dream for me. My personal nightmare. I am now haunted by the irony of it, but that can wait.
He dashed off as mother started to tell me to cease dreaming hopelessly. My younger brother noticed it first, heading to the window, where I followed him, as mother ran to the door to try calling him back.
Something faded at that final, utter moment of defiance from Alen. She turned from the door after he disappeared, looked at me with blank, dead brown eyes, and told me to pack and leave.
I didn't think twice about it. I dashed to my third of the bedroom we boys shared, and packed. When I returned, the door was still open, and mother stood, with a sheet of parchment in one hand.
She told me it was permission for me to join the knights. Then she told me to never come back, as she and her only son were leaving in the morning for her native land.
I'd never known before that she was not a Matilda native.
I left, and haven't seen any of them since. I can't bring myself to be angry about it, as I consider it at least partly my fault. Camus is always telling me it's not my burden to bear, but I can't agree.
Oh, about the item trade irony. I've found that my detailed knowledge of safe and toxic plants has saved lives more times than I could have dreamed.
Dr. Huan certainly thought it strange when I told him that a stronger herbal treatment would result if he stewed the plants for an hour less. And Alex blinked when I told him how to divide the potions in a more efficient manner. It at least was humorous for Camus to observe.
I do now understand why Camus and that strange youth were so adamant about not lumping the Plains countries together. Each individual nation is so spectacularly different. It amazes me every day to see all the mew faces, differing beliefs and, er, strange costumes.
Not that they think mine is exactly normal.
None of us are completely certain how it wound up that mother got so overprotective. My younger brother was too young to remember her any way but. And my older brother is just as in the dark about it as I am.
Our family was fairly normal, at least for our region. Father was a knight, a knight of Matilda to be exact. Mother was an item sales woman. Between the two of them, they seemed successful in raising three young sons. Or, at least, to me they did.
Though I haven't seen either in a long time, I can describe both of my brothers fairly well. I have to be able to, if I hope to ever find them.
It's really sad how we all separated. Mother was insisting that my older brother remain at home and hold down a `safe' job like tax collecting and he wanted to join the military. He couldn't join Jowston's because father had been well-known enough throughout Jowston that mother's wishes for them to not accept him were adhered to.
So he went to the enemy.
Honestly, it's not as though he had slim choices. The City-State of Jowston was enemies with most of the Grasslands, or as my friend tells me, Rune and other countries, as well as with Highland, Harmonia, and the Scarlet Moon Empire.
Which now happens to be called the Toran Republic. But that's another story.
The day he left, our whole family got involved in the argument. My older brother couldn't understand why she was so adamant about him remaining at home. Truly, neither did I, but as I wished to be a knight myself, my brother had to get permission so I could use it in my interests. Mercenary, yes, but knighthood was, in mother's eyes, more dangerous, and therefore, less acceptable, and so I needed anything I could get to help me convince her to let me become a knight.
So when he dragged me and my wish to become a knight into the shouting match, I knew I no longer stood a chance. I figured it was all I could do to keep from being `persuaded' into the family business. Her dream for me. My personal nightmare. I am now haunted by the irony of it, but that can wait.
He dashed off as mother started to tell me to cease dreaming hopelessly. My younger brother noticed it first, heading to the window, where I followed him, as mother ran to the door to try calling him back.
Something faded at that final, utter moment of defiance from Alen. She turned from the door after he disappeared, looked at me with blank, dead brown eyes, and told me to pack and leave.
I didn't think twice about it. I dashed to my third of the bedroom we boys shared, and packed. When I returned, the door was still open, and mother stood, with a sheet of parchment in one hand.
She told me it was permission for me to join the knights. Then she told me to never come back, as she and her only son were leaving in the morning for her native land.
I'd never known before that she was not a Matilda native.
I left, and haven't seen any of them since. I can't bring myself to be angry about it, as I consider it at least partly my fault. Camus is always telling me it's not my burden to bear, but I can't agree.
Oh, about the item trade irony. I've found that my detailed knowledge of safe and toxic plants has saved lives more times than I could have dreamed.
Dr. Huan certainly thought it strange when I told him that a stronger herbal treatment would result if he stewed the plants for an hour less. And Alex blinked when I told him how to divide the potions in a more efficient manner. It at least was humorous for Camus to observe.
I do now understand why Camus and that strange youth were so adamant about not lumping the Plains countries together. Each individual nation is so spectacularly different. It amazes me every day to see all the mew faces, differing beliefs and, er, strange costumes.
Not that they think mine is exactly normal.