Disclaimer: Emelan and all characters you may recognise belong to Tamora Pierce. Issabél, her family and the city they live in are mine. Enjoy reading -)
Ivelle, in Northen Emelan. Seventeenth day of Goose Moon, year KF 1036. (This is three days before Daja and andry are sent to Discipline cottage.)
A fair-skinned, freckled girl stood in a richly furnished dining room, surrounded by family. Children, adults, parents and friends looked on as the girl nervously patted down her wavy brown hair, and then slowly began to sing. Her voice, strong and clear, filled the room, and everyone present listened with great interest. As the girl finished her chant, applause errupted, and people called out to her :
"Happy birthday Issabél!"
"Asaia bless you!"
"Sit down!"
"Come eat!"
The girl, Issabél, obliged, and took her seat at the head of a long table. With glittering green eyes, she took in her surroundings. There were about 20 people in the room, most with brown hair and pale skin resembling her own. This stood to reason, as almost all the guests present were related, members of the Saienn family. They were dressed in assorted rich garments, and were eating, laughing and drinking merrily. Issa sighed, and then mentally scolded herself. She was supposed to be happy! This was her 16th birthday, and all these people were here to celebrate her, and to see her off on her trip to Summersea the next day.
"That was a very nice blessing you gave to our meal, Issa." said the woman beside her as she lifted her fork. "We're all going to miss that beautiful voice of yours."
"Thanks aunt Asarra. And don't worry, I'll come back to visit on holidays, and I'll sing for you then."
Issa'a aunt nodded, and then began eating. Following her example, her niece picked up a fork and dug into to the rich, spicy cooking placed before her. In normal households of the quiet Ohadan Mountains the foods on her plate –lamb, yogurt and rice with brightly colored vegetables - would be uncommon. Even in Ivelle, the Saienn family's home and the largest town of northern Emelan, exotic and spicy foods were not usual at dinners. But then again, Issabél's family was anything but usual. Merchants and travelers, the Saienns bought and traded produce from all over Emelan, it's neighbors and the islands of the Pebbled Sea. Issa's own mother came from the Stepping Stone Islands, west of Sotat, and it was her cooking that was served today.
Thinking of her mother, Issa looked down to the other end of the table. She found her Ma attempting to feed olives to Jamiye, her three-year-old brother. Issa smiled as he made a face and spat out the briny food. She would miss Jamiye, as well as her other siblings, Adem, Elissabeth and Andreya. They were annoying, but she loved them all the same. Winding Circle temple, in Summersea, would be very different from her hometown. She was exited to be leaving, as she wanted to pursue her studies in magic, but she had never been away from her family for more than a month. The Dedicates at Winding Circle had said that she was expected to stay for a year, and as she looked at her happy family, that seemed a very, very long time.
The meal wore on, and conversations continued loudly. Issabél took it all in, listening to what was being said. Soon the plates were cleared and Issa's father stood, holding up his glass.
"I would like to propose a toast," he started "to my eldest daughter, Issabél. May her stay in Summersea be enjoyable, and may Asaia the Bird-Winged protect her while she is away." Several people cheered, and Issa's father continued. "Let us drink to her health, in the hope that her beautiful voice and presence will always grace our home." Everyone raised their glasses and drank, and Issa's mother walked to the head of the table, carrying a small box. She presented the parcel to her daughter, whispering: "From all of us. Happy birthday".
Slowly Issa unwrapped and opened the box, and gasped when she viewed its contents. A silver musical note set with a small emerald hung from a delicate silver chain. Beside it was a round, double-faced mirror that folded closed. Its cover was decorated with the same emerald notes as the necklace.
"Thank You!" she breathed, blushing with pleasure at her gifts. Her whole family smiled back at her. As drinks were poured and conversations slowly resumed, Issabél took in every detail of the room around her. She knew it was the last time she would see her family in a long while.
Author's Note: So, that was the first chapter. Sorry if not much happened; I had to introduce the characters and the setting. Next Issa goes to Winding Circle. Yay!
In case you were wondering, Goose Moon is one of the months of summer, approximately June or July. KF 1036 is the 1036th year after the fall of the Kurchal Empire, and dating like this is used all of the Pebbled Sea (It's mentioned in Briar's Book)
