5th of Ymiden, Arc 719
It had taken an embarrassingly long time for Prae to notice the book on his bedside. In complete fairness to himself though, he’d been out of the house pretty much every trial since the turn of the season, and it was a fairly small, unassuming looking book. At least by Ithecal standards
Praetorum turned it over in his hands, his fingers tracing the words on the title. He knew this book, of course; knew where it had come from. He remembered pulling it from dreams that night, though… he didn’t recall the memory he had taken it from. Which had been the whole point of that sacrifice, he supposed. He had given up his memories of those lessons, and what he gave in dreams, he had given in the waking world.
But it seemed that something had been given back to him. He traced a claw gently over the title, then turned to the first page. The book was written in two languages, Common and Atvian, the language that he had given up along with his memories. He remembered… he’d never been much good at it, but he’d known a few words here and there, a couple of grammatical differences from common.
All gone now.
There was a soft, quiet grief in him, but he no longer knew what he was grieving. Still… he flipped through the pages, skimming over the contents. If this book contained everything he had lost… then perhaps… he could regain it again?
It looked like a small book, but it was longer than he had expected, though clearly meant to be read to a child. And it was written in two languages simultaneously, Common on the left page, and Atvian on the right. So perhaps with time, he might be able to relearn some of the language.
His claws slid over a few words he couldn’t figure out how to pronounce. This tongue, Atvian, seemed to be a very consonant heavy language; he thought he recalled having heard a few conversations in the language, though the meaning now eluded him. But it was something of a guttural language, well suited for the deeper voices of Ithecal. Perhaps some of the other Ithecal in Yaralon would be able to teach him a bit. Surely—
Praetorum started, his musings interrupted by a knock on the door. Slipping the book into his domain bag, Prae stood, and stepped out of the house. Edyn waited there, looking a little more composed than she had the previous evening. “Morning, Prae. Ready to meet the most un-yari like yari I’ve ever known?”
Praetorum turned it over in his hands, his fingers tracing the words on the title. He knew this book, of course; knew where it had come from. He remembered pulling it from dreams that night, though… he didn’t recall the memory he had taken it from. Which had been the whole point of that sacrifice, he supposed. He had given up his memories of those lessons, and what he gave in dreams, he had given in the waking world.
But it seemed that something had been given back to him. He traced a claw gently over the title, then turned to the first page. The book was written in two languages, Common and Atvian, the language that he had given up along with his memories. He remembered… he’d never been much good at it, but he’d known a few words here and there, a couple of grammatical differences from common.
All gone now.
There was a soft, quiet grief in him, but he no longer knew what he was grieving. Still… he flipped through the pages, skimming over the contents. If this book contained everything he had lost… then perhaps… he could regain it again?
It looked like a small book, but it was longer than he had expected, though clearly meant to be read to a child. And it was written in two languages simultaneously, Common on the left page, and Atvian on the right. So perhaps with time, he might be able to relearn some of the language.
His claws slid over a few words he couldn’t figure out how to pronounce. This tongue, Atvian, seemed to be a very consonant heavy language; he thought he recalled having heard a few conversations in the language, though the meaning now eluded him. But it was something of a guttural language, well suited for the deeper voices of Ithecal. Perhaps some of the other Ithecal in Yaralon would be able to teach him a bit. Surely—
Praetorum started, his musings interrupted by a knock on the door. Slipping the book into his domain bag, Prae stood, and stepped out of the house. Edyn waited there, looking a little more composed than she had the previous evening. “Morning, Prae. Ready to meet the most un-yari like yari I’ve ever known?”
