Disclaimer: Gr. The Trilogy belongs to Garth Nix.
A/N: I revised what I've posted before. But I haven't written much further than that...
Traveling Soldier
Glory was her name, and it was rightfully so. She held a grace about her, twinkling blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and smile that would light up the night, just like the stars. She was both well know and loved throughout the Clayr's Glacier, and she was one of the first of her age to See. She was Second Assistant Librarian, following in the footsteps of legendary the Lirael, her mother.
Now, in her room which she shared with her best friend, she donned the red waistcoat of the Second Assistant Librarian, along with the tools handed down to her. A sword hung from her belt proudly, a prefect replica of Nehimia. The original copy still lay in the hands of her mother. A set of seven panpipes lay burrowed deep into one of her pockets. A small mirror was immerged in another, both tools of a Remembrancer. She hadn't yet mastered either of them, but she still loved the way they felt beside her, a reminder or her mother.
A white garment lay on her bed, crumpled up, tossed aside without care. It was the Clayr's robe, the tell-tale dress of those with the Sight. Glory's fit her well, tailored to fit her slim frame. In her closet hung the starchy blue one, the child's robe of the Unseeing. She'd left it behind long ago, and traded in for the elegance and seemliness of the white robes.
Glory stepped out from the confines of her room, shutting and locking the door behind her. Her key was on a chain, and the metal string laced around her neck, hanging just above her heart. She set off down the many, winding halls of a Glacier. To anyone else, the tunneling passages would've been an impossible labyrinth. She smiled at and greeted the Clayr she met along the way, but she moved quickly to her office. She unlocked it, finally arriving, with a low whistle. No other Clayr could open it, save the Chief Librarian. And the tiny space was something to call her own.
Glory opened the door to reveal her office, where stacks of books and papers piled up, but the cheery hint of laughter brightened up the room. It was littered with sketches drawn by her and other friends, and handwritten notes scattered around as well. On the wall there was a painting, in oils, drawn by her mother. It was the Disreputable Dog, Kibeth, Lirael's first and best friend. Next to it was a portrait of Glory, her mother, and her father Nick. She let her hand graze across the smooth, wooden frame, then onto the stiff, dried paints that had created her family's epitome.
She bore little resemblance to her parents. Nick was sandy haired, with tan and calloused hands from years of work in his science lab. Much of it came before she was born, or even before he had met her mother. His hands were strong and nimble, and they could do anything they wanted to. His frame was tall and built, perfect for his special bear hugs. Glory closed her eyes and remembered the last time she had been wrapped up in her father's arms.
Lirael had long, raven hair and deep green eyes, with pallid skin she'd acquired walking in the rivers of Death. She was shy, and hid her curved frame well. Glory had the long, pale blonde hair of the Clayr, and sea blue eyes. Her skin was that of a Clayr as well - deep and tan, despite the Glacier's chill. She'd inherited their blood from her grandmother.
She sighed as she stared at the portrait, as she did everyday. She missed her family, their visits becoming rarer with every passing year. It seemed there was always something to be invented, or a village of innocents to be rescued. With war brewing between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre, Lirael was kept even busier. Nick, and her cousin Sameth, were together producing a new invention, ammunition and rifles for the soldiers, instead of making toys and discoveries. Sameth had become the Kingdom's favorite toy maker, and now his mother and father finally respected his trade.
Glory sat, both to work and remove her family from her mind. She did this often when she was alone, trying to erase the lonesomeness from her brain. She sorted books, this way and that, summoning Sendings for the jobs. They were willing to work, competing for the attention of the Clayr. She loved watching them, so eager, and often wished they could talk. She spoke with them anyway, but they never returned a single word.
It wasn't until a young woman's voice drifted through her doorway that Glory stopped working. She looked up, and she saw her best friend, Renny, standing inside her office, the Third Assistant Librarian's yellow waistcoat hanging over hips. She smiled with caring eyes, embracing Glory from afar.
"Come, there are soldiers arriving. They may stay a few days in the Dining Hall," Renny said mischievously. Few men were seen at the Glacier, and the sight was always a promise of pleasurable times and fun nights filled with the company of the males. The elderly Clayr smiled and watched, reminiscing together. Glory had heard each and every one of the "Back in my day…" stories time and again, but never tired of listening.
Glory placed her prized quill pen on her desk, the one her father had made gave her, careful with the ink. The pen sung, her favorite song, her mother's beautiful voice singing the words. She stood, with a smile that matched the one that danced Renny's lips. The male visitors always brought fun to both her and Renny. She and her friend were beautiful, but Glory more so. Renny was a classic beauty, while Glory's was more unique. Men were captivated by them, by both their looks and their charm, and so they often held the company of passing merchants.
Glory's features were more pronounced, with high cheekbones and a heart shaped face which her pale hair framed perfectly. Her lips were full, waiting to be kissed, and her blue eyes sparkled with laughter and mystery. Renny was much like the rest of the Clayr, but it was her personality and presence that set her apart. She bubbled with joy, and smiled away the rain clouds. Glory sometimes wondered how she did it, but then decided it should remain a secret. Strange as it sounded, she sometimes liked the state of melancholy she drifted in and out of.
The two hurried together to the Dining Hall, where they found just a few girls. But outside lingered a troop of soldiers, their leaders conversing with the twinned Clayr, Sanar and Ryelle. Glory focused on their opened palms, for both talked along with the movements of their hands, the Charter scars still remaining from Nehimia's cuts nearly twenty years ago. She watched the women intently, the ones she longed to grow up to be. Every girl in the Glacier wanted to be like the twins, but few were destined for such wisdom and greatness.
More teenage Clayr spilled in, the new spreading quickly along the chilled halls of the Glacier. Soon most of the Hall's tables were filled with white robed girls, though several tables were opened for the soldiers. Renny and Glory stood out, in yellow and red robes, but that was how they liked it. They loved standing out in a crowd, the attention it brought, and it made them easier to find. Their friends surrounded them, laughing, waiting for the soldiers to enter.
Girls were beginning to point, secretly calling "dibs" on the man of her choice. Glory was determined to not to spoil the surprise and look closely, so she kept her eyes focused on her friends, who were beginning to point rather obviously. She laughed along with them, their joking natures not lost. Renny was seated next to her upon the table, while the rest sat in chairs. They gossiped, having not talked since morning.
"Renny! Look! That one, he's looking at you," Sira exclaimed, drowning out the other's words. Renny's head snapped to the window, and finally spotted the one looking her way. She shook her head though, and looked down at Sira.
"No, he's looking at Glory."
Glory looked up, her tanned cheeks blushing easily. "No, he's looking at you. I'm sure," Sira said. The pink tinge fell away from her cheeks, and she looked away from the window. Sira and Renny began to argue playfully back and forth as they usually did, acting as sisters. In truth, they were cousins, but bore little resemblance.
The double doors leading outside the Dining Hall opened, the long, creaking squeak of unused doors silencing the girls. Sanar and Ryelle stepped up on a stage before them, their motions exact and together. They waited until the last of the girls finally hushed, and then finally spoke.
"You all know of the war beginning between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre. The Clayr have decided to shelter soldiers until the time beckons actual war," Sanar spoke, leaving the rest for Ryelle.
"The Dining Hall will be open for no set amount of time, until the soldiers leave. You will be eating in the kitchens until then, where tables will be set up. A schedule will be made according to ages for times when you will be allowed to eat. And yes, ladies, you will be able to visit with the soldiers," Ryelle finished, giving way to the cheering of excited teenage girls. She smiled, then finally hushed them.
Sanar spoke again. "You will have half an hour until you will be dismissed to go back to your rooms. Then, the soldiers will be treated to a meal, warm baths, and sleep - without your disturbances."
With that, the troop of a hundred or so men walked in, or rather, marched. They were stiff and straight backed, with their arms at their head in salute. Their leader spoke to them quietly, and the hushed Clayr tried to listen. A few minutes later, the men were set as ease and were allowed to mingle.
They set out to find their picks, having eyed the young girls from outside as well. Glory watched as several of her friends were taken away, but she and Renny stayed side by side. Soon, all of them were gone, and Renny patted her leg.
"We'll get picked. Trust me. And if not, we'll stay with each other. . ." Renny tried comforting her, but Glory didn't need it.
A handsome man walked up to Renny several minutes later to take her hand, though he wasn't the one who had been looking at her earlier, and with a sympathetic look, Renny walked away with him. Glory watched them across the room, where Renny glanced over to her alone every few seconds.
A tall, brown haired man walked slowly to Glory, and time for her seemed to crawl. She hoped he was coming to her, but there were many others he could be walking to. Glory noticed that he was the man who'd been looking at Renny, and her heart sunk. He was looking for Renny, not herself. Slowly still he walked, with a smile on his lips and the glow of candles set on tables and hanging from both wall and ceiling dancing in his eyes. He stopped, in front of Glory and took her hands. She looked up at his handsome face with innocent, purely innocent, eyes as he towered over her.
He brought her hands up to his lips and kissed the tops of each of her hands. His voice was husky and sent shivers up and down her body, making her glow with radiance.
"Ay, me. I do believe I've come upon an angel."
A/N: I'm reading Shakespeare in English. I wish I could remember exactly what Romeo says underneath Juliet's balcony, but I can't. Review if you know, and I'll change it.
I'll post the other chapters later. Maybe I'll even get the initiative to continue it.
A/N: I revised what I've posted before. But I haven't written much further than that...
Traveling Soldier
Glory was her name, and it was rightfully so. She held a grace about her, twinkling blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and smile that would light up the night, just like the stars. She was both well know and loved throughout the Clayr's Glacier, and she was one of the first of her age to See. She was Second Assistant Librarian, following in the footsteps of legendary the Lirael, her mother.
Now, in her room which she shared with her best friend, she donned the red waistcoat of the Second Assistant Librarian, along with the tools handed down to her. A sword hung from her belt proudly, a prefect replica of Nehimia. The original copy still lay in the hands of her mother. A set of seven panpipes lay burrowed deep into one of her pockets. A small mirror was immerged in another, both tools of a Remembrancer. She hadn't yet mastered either of them, but she still loved the way they felt beside her, a reminder or her mother.
A white garment lay on her bed, crumpled up, tossed aside without care. It was the Clayr's robe, the tell-tale dress of those with the Sight. Glory's fit her well, tailored to fit her slim frame. In her closet hung the starchy blue one, the child's robe of the Unseeing. She'd left it behind long ago, and traded in for the elegance and seemliness of the white robes.
Glory stepped out from the confines of her room, shutting and locking the door behind her. Her key was on a chain, and the metal string laced around her neck, hanging just above her heart. She set off down the many, winding halls of a Glacier. To anyone else, the tunneling passages would've been an impossible labyrinth. She smiled at and greeted the Clayr she met along the way, but she moved quickly to her office. She unlocked it, finally arriving, with a low whistle. No other Clayr could open it, save the Chief Librarian. And the tiny space was something to call her own.
Glory opened the door to reveal her office, where stacks of books and papers piled up, but the cheery hint of laughter brightened up the room. It was littered with sketches drawn by her and other friends, and handwritten notes scattered around as well. On the wall there was a painting, in oils, drawn by her mother. It was the Disreputable Dog, Kibeth, Lirael's first and best friend. Next to it was a portrait of Glory, her mother, and her father Nick. She let her hand graze across the smooth, wooden frame, then onto the stiff, dried paints that had created her family's epitome.
She bore little resemblance to her parents. Nick was sandy haired, with tan and calloused hands from years of work in his science lab. Much of it came before she was born, or even before he had met her mother. His hands were strong and nimble, and they could do anything they wanted to. His frame was tall and built, perfect for his special bear hugs. Glory closed her eyes and remembered the last time she had been wrapped up in her father's arms.
Lirael had long, raven hair and deep green eyes, with pallid skin she'd acquired walking in the rivers of Death. She was shy, and hid her curved frame well. Glory had the long, pale blonde hair of the Clayr, and sea blue eyes. Her skin was that of a Clayr as well - deep and tan, despite the Glacier's chill. She'd inherited their blood from her grandmother.
She sighed as she stared at the portrait, as she did everyday. She missed her family, their visits becoming rarer with every passing year. It seemed there was always something to be invented, or a village of innocents to be rescued. With war brewing between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre, Lirael was kept even busier. Nick, and her cousin Sameth, were together producing a new invention, ammunition and rifles for the soldiers, instead of making toys and discoveries. Sameth had become the Kingdom's favorite toy maker, and now his mother and father finally respected his trade.
Glory sat, both to work and remove her family from her mind. She did this often when she was alone, trying to erase the lonesomeness from her brain. She sorted books, this way and that, summoning Sendings for the jobs. They were willing to work, competing for the attention of the Clayr. She loved watching them, so eager, and often wished they could talk. She spoke with them anyway, but they never returned a single word.
It wasn't until a young woman's voice drifted through her doorway that Glory stopped working. She looked up, and she saw her best friend, Renny, standing inside her office, the Third Assistant Librarian's yellow waistcoat hanging over hips. She smiled with caring eyes, embracing Glory from afar.
"Come, there are soldiers arriving. They may stay a few days in the Dining Hall," Renny said mischievously. Few men were seen at the Glacier, and the sight was always a promise of pleasurable times and fun nights filled with the company of the males. The elderly Clayr smiled and watched, reminiscing together. Glory had heard each and every one of the "Back in my day…" stories time and again, but never tired of listening.
Glory placed her prized quill pen on her desk, the one her father had made gave her, careful with the ink. The pen sung, her favorite song, her mother's beautiful voice singing the words. She stood, with a smile that matched the one that danced Renny's lips. The male visitors always brought fun to both her and Renny. She and her friend were beautiful, but Glory more so. Renny was a classic beauty, while Glory's was more unique. Men were captivated by them, by both their looks and their charm, and so they often held the company of passing merchants.
Glory's features were more pronounced, with high cheekbones and a heart shaped face which her pale hair framed perfectly. Her lips were full, waiting to be kissed, and her blue eyes sparkled with laughter and mystery. Renny was much like the rest of the Clayr, but it was her personality and presence that set her apart. She bubbled with joy, and smiled away the rain clouds. Glory sometimes wondered how she did it, but then decided it should remain a secret. Strange as it sounded, she sometimes liked the state of melancholy she drifted in and out of.
The two hurried together to the Dining Hall, where they found just a few girls. But outside lingered a troop of soldiers, their leaders conversing with the twinned Clayr, Sanar and Ryelle. Glory focused on their opened palms, for both talked along with the movements of their hands, the Charter scars still remaining from Nehimia's cuts nearly twenty years ago. She watched the women intently, the ones she longed to grow up to be. Every girl in the Glacier wanted to be like the twins, but few were destined for such wisdom and greatness.
More teenage Clayr spilled in, the new spreading quickly along the chilled halls of the Glacier. Soon most of the Hall's tables were filled with white robed girls, though several tables were opened for the soldiers. Renny and Glory stood out, in yellow and red robes, but that was how they liked it. They loved standing out in a crowd, the attention it brought, and it made them easier to find. Their friends surrounded them, laughing, waiting for the soldiers to enter.
Girls were beginning to point, secretly calling "dibs" on the man of her choice. Glory was determined to not to spoil the surprise and look closely, so she kept her eyes focused on her friends, who were beginning to point rather obviously. She laughed along with them, their joking natures not lost. Renny was seated next to her upon the table, while the rest sat in chairs. They gossiped, having not talked since morning.
"Renny! Look! That one, he's looking at you," Sira exclaimed, drowning out the other's words. Renny's head snapped to the window, and finally spotted the one looking her way. She shook her head though, and looked down at Sira.
"No, he's looking at Glory."
Glory looked up, her tanned cheeks blushing easily. "No, he's looking at you. I'm sure," Sira said. The pink tinge fell away from her cheeks, and she looked away from the window. Sira and Renny began to argue playfully back and forth as they usually did, acting as sisters. In truth, they were cousins, but bore little resemblance.
The double doors leading outside the Dining Hall opened, the long, creaking squeak of unused doors silencing the girls. Sanar and Ryelle stepped up on a stage before them, their motions exact and together. They waited until the last of the girls finally hushed, and then finally spoke.
"You all know of the war beginning between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre. The Clayr have decided to shelter soldiers until the time beckons actual war," Sanar spoke, leaving the rest for Ryelle.
"The Dining Hall will be open for no set amount of time, until the soldiers leave. You will be eating in the kitchens until then, where tables will be set up. A schedule will be made according to ages for times when you will be allowed to eat. And yes, ladies, you will be able to visit with the soldiers," Ryelle finished, giving way to the cheering of excited teenage girls. She smiled, then finally hushed them.
Sanar spoke again. "You will have half an hour until you will be dismissed to go back to your rooms. Then, the soldiers will be treated to a meal, warm baths, and sleep - without your disturbances."
With that, the troop of a hundred or so men walked in, or rather, marched. They were stiff and straight backed, with their arms at their head in salute. Their leader spoke to them quietly, and the hushed Clayr tried to listen. A few minutes later, the men were set as ease and were allowed to mingle.
They set out to find their picks, having eyed the young girls from outside as well. Glory watched as several of her friends were taken away, but she and Renny stayed side by side. Soon, all of them were gone, and Renny patted her leg.
"We'll get picked. Trust me. And if not, we'll stay with each other. . ." Renny tried comforting her, but Glory didn't need it.
A handsome man walked up to Renny several minutes later to take her hand, though he wasn't the one who had been looking at her earlier, and with a sympathetic look, Renny walked away with him. Glory watched them across the room, where Renny glanced over to her alone every few seconds.
A tall, brown haired man walked slowly to Glory, and time for her seemed to crawl. She hoped he was coming to her, but there were many others he could be walking to. Glory noticed that he was the man who'd been looking at Renny, and her heart sunk. He was looking for Renny, not herself. Slowly still he walked, with a smile on his lips and the glow of candles set on tables and hanging from both wall and ceiling dancing in his eyes. He stopped, in front of Glory and took her hands. She looked up at his handsome face with innocent, purely innocent, eyes as he towered over her.
He brought her hands up to his lips and kissed the tops of each of her hands. His voice was husky and sent shivers up and down her body, making her glow with radiance.
"Ay, me. I do believe I've come upon an angel."
A/N: I'm reading Shakespeare in English. I wish I could remember exactly what Romeo says underneath Juliet's balcony, but I can't. Review if you know, and I'll change it.
I'll post the other chapters later. Maybe I'll even get the initiative to continue it.