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Post by saghani on May 4, 2008 21:26:45 GMT -5
Rebuilding. That was the word on the minds of most of the Water Tribe citizens in the days following the battle. Rebuilding homes, rebuilding the palace, and rebuilding a normal way of life. Some things, however, cannot be rebuilt. The countless lives lost, the feeling of security that the walls and belief in the spirits had given the residents of Shai City…and even the occasional hand.
No, these things could not be rebuilt, but one could come to terms with them. One could adapt to their loss. At least, that was what Saghani had been telling himself. As soon as he’d regained the ability to process his thoughts at his usual level, he’d asked for some spare scrolls and ink. The head healer had said he needed to stay in the healing hut to make sure his wound sealed properly and he wouldn’t need to lose more of his limb, but he couldn’t just sit. There were things to be done, and by the time he left the healing hut, he needed to be able to work at full capacity. Unfortunately he was, or rather, had been, right handed.
That was why he requested the scrolls. As an officer, he needed to write reports, send in requests for supplies, keep records, and send messages all through the written word. Therefore, he would need to learn how to write with his left hand. Unfortunately, the process was not going so well. Across his bed and onto the floor, scroll parchment lay scattered, all covered with sloppy writing worse than a child’s. Gradually, it showed small signs of improvement as one followed it up to the current piece in Saghani’s hands, but even as he wrote, one could see the lines wobble, think ink smudge and ultimately continue to look abysmal.
Saghani twisted the scroll, only find that it had run out of parchment. A rare sign of anger came to life in Saghani’s eyes, and his lip curled into a snarl. The quill snapped in his hand and he backhanded the scroll onto the ground in frustration. Why was this so difficult? It was so simple! Surely he could do this. He learned how to do it with one hand, he could do so with the other.
“Control,” he said softly to himself. “Keep control.”
With that, Saghani took a deep breath, grabbed first a scroll, then another quill, and began to try again…
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Post by sokka on May 5, 2008 15:56:16 GMT -5
The war has changed Shona. He became quieter, his jovial personality and attitude tucked deep in him. He rarely talked to anyone and kept to his family. After the funeral of Kesuke, the sobering experience made him treasure his family even more so. The clan of Manja became more tightly nit.
The marriage of his daughter was coming very soon; it brought a little joy to the old fisherman to see his little girl all grown up. Halona had been a joy to the family she was well taken care off after the lost of her husband. Shona had been very busy with all of this. It was good for him to be busy
He walked passed the healing hut to see if Kokomi was finished with work. He had some dried fish for her. Sitka his mount was waiting as he walked in. He sighed as he watched some of the women hussle past him. “Have you seen Kokomi?”
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Post by hotaru on May 6, 2008 15:36:19 GMT -5
Mica was encouraged to bring her new infant to the healing huts for some female bonding, and though her husband insisted that she mingle more with the citizens of the city she still felt a little out of place among the dark faces of the water tribe. Still the child helped, he was defiantly water tribe, a bit more pale than most citizens but his baby blue eyes were undeniable and his features were a great deal his fathers. With the her son in tow it seemed the girls not busy with healing in the huts flocked to her wanting to see the child, wanting to talk to her, it was nice. She nearly felt accepted.
Hotaru on the other hand was feeling put out, being the youngest she was sent out for odds and ends, she couldn't escape this, she was her aunts keeper it seemed. Kaden requested that she make sure that things were going smoothly, even so she was sent out like a pack elk for some paper and ink, spirits knows why they needed them for a healing hut. It was beyond her. All the same she got the goods and wandered back to the healers.
She was mostly ignored as she walked in but seeing Shona she brightened a little. Her blue eyes curiously watched him for a moment before offering a small wave. She didn't want to bother anyone so she'd just wait until one of the healers noticed her. Honestly the healing huts bothered her, she couldn't water bend, she couldn't heal, it wasn't fair.
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Post by saghani on May 7, 2008 14:28:13 GMT -5
No attention was paid to the goings on in the healing hut as Saghani continued to struggle. None of it was important to him. He was essentially just waiting, anyhow. All that mattered right now was trying to make his left hand work like his right had, so he engrossed himself completely in writing. The words on the page, he found, often made little sense. Sometimes he’d write like he was giving an official report, other times the names of his unit, commanders, locations. Sometimes it was just random food that came to mind, or perhaps subconsciously, the words he could hear around him. It didn’t matter, though, for most of it was still fairly illegible. It was improving, but too slowly. He couldn’t be slow. Delays could not be afforded. Not now. Not when the Water Tribe was finally where it needed to be.
“Saghani?” a voice said.
He looked up towards the speaker, her dark skin showing early signs of aging, and the smallest hints of grey working into her choclate brown hair. He put down his quill.
“Hello, mother,” he said levelly.
Akna smiled weakly and took a seat by the bed. No one had sat in that seat since Saghani had been there. He hadn’t expected or wanted anyone to.
“Hello, Saghani,” she said, hesitated as she stared at what Saghani knew would be started at for the rest of his life, and then continued. “How are you feeling?”
Saghani turned back to his writing, “Fine. I’ll be released soon.”
There was a long pause, “What will you do then?”
“I’ll return to duty.”
There was another pause, but different. The pause before had been simple awkwardness, but not this. Saghani was more familiar with this silence, the kind he received from higher ranking officers when he put forth an aggressive plan. It stunk of superiority. He hated it.
“I can still command with one hand, mother,” he said preemptively.
“But Saghani,” she began pleadingly. “I think this is a good time to retire. People have heard of how you helped in the battle. You could find a good wife.”
Saghani said nothing, continuing to write. The silence only made his Akna feel more desperate.
“Saghani, your brother…his wife is…unable to bear children,” she continued. “Please, Saghani, the family is in your hands. Your father, he worries himself sick over it.”
Saghani paused in his writing, and turned towards his mother with a frozen gaze, “Then perhaps he should have saved his other son.” Akna gasped, and Saghani turned back to his writing, though his gaze did not change. His mother sat there in silence, and for a moment, Saghani thought she may be on the verge of tears. He didn’t bother to check. After several moments he heard her stand and start to leave. She muttered something about wishing him to get well or something like that, but he couldn’t make it out completely. As she left, he finally realized he was writing the name “Miki”. He paused, took a deep breath, and tried to continue as though nothing had happened.
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Post by sokka on May 8, 2008 21:42:50 GMT -5
Shona saw Kokomi and handed her the fish sighing slightly she took the lunch.
"Daddy you've been bring my lunch here everyday since I started working here...I don't know why you still do it thought since I can make my own food and Jaalu." Shona kissed her cheek
"Ko-baby just let he have my tradition. Please." Kokomi understood that routine keep things stable for Shona. She began to notice that he was getting depressed alot and often. She smiled and thanked her father as she walked back to work.
Shona waved back at little Hotaru smiling at her and nodded at the family. Frowning he walked into another cooridor and as he heard some voices he notice a man writting and woman speaking not want to interupped he turned around when Kokomi found him.
"Thats Saghani, he lost his hand in the last attack..it's best not to bother him...but knowing you daddy you will since you like to make converstation." She smiled helpfully. But Shona didn't smile back.
"I cause a lot of trouble don't I?"
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Post by hotaru on May 8, 2008 22:07:59 GMT -5
Hotaru stood off to the side until a healer came up to her, it was the same one that send her off to be a little delivery girl in the first place. The child pouted looking at the older girl meekly. She looked at her Aunt and her cousin who were swarmed with the healers who weren't working at the moment, she felt left out and ignored. The child took her place in the hearts of her aunt and uncle she feared. Kaden couldn't spend time with her anymore, it was always work or the baby.
She just wanted her parents home, she missed them, the title of errand girl wasn't something she wanted to keep forever. Back to the current situation Hotaru glanced up at the healer through her bangs curiously, she clutched at the bags she carried from the market, would she be sent off for some more utensils or something else? " Could you take that to the first room, the man is cranky and running out of paper. Thanks" With that the girl was gone and Hotaru blinked. Honestly? The woman couldn't do that herself?
With a small sigh she sulked hugging the sac with paper and ink in it walking towards the room pausing when she say Shona and his daughter. Honestly she didn't want to go in the room, it seemed scary from what she could already see, perhaps she could get out of this. Her blue eyes darted between the pair and finally in the room, she was nervous. " What happened to that guy?"
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Post by saghani on May 11, 2008 20:43:25 GMT -5
Silently, Saghani continued to practice. His writing wasn’t getting much better, and while he told himself that he had to be patient, he was still becoming more irritable as time passed. A brief pause in his writing made him realize that there were eyes watching him from the hallway. A man, a woman and a little girl. A family? It didn’t matter. He recognized none of them, and failed to notice the scroll and ink in the girls hand. Turning his eyes back to his parchment. After writing for a few moments, he noticed they didn’t move. What a nuisance.
“If you have business, be out with it,” he said flatly, not even turning up from his parchment.
Honestly, he couldn’t care less about these people right now, but he needed to focus, and they were distracting him. Or rather, that was his rationalization. In reality, it was more likely that he was simply taking his frustrations out on them.
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Post by sokka on May 12, 2008 12:27:29 GMT -5
Shona wanted to correct Hotaru for her forwardness but he sighed and said.
"It's not for little ladies to know. You should be a good girl and knock on the door so you can give what Mr. Saghani needs." Shona said quietly to Hotaru.
He reconized that Saghani probably didn't want company at all, and as Shona fell into his self pity. He figured no one would want to talk him at all.
This was common aliment for Shona, sometime he just falls slient and withdrawls. Kokomi notice this as of late, she was only one that seem to catch it the rest of the family ignores it. Not quiet reasoning why he does this.
Shona heard Saghani ask them to hurry up with whatever business. Shona looked down at Hotaru and nodded.
"He wants that parchment Hotaru" Shona said his voice even quieter. He was ready to leave when Kokomi motioned to Hotaru.
"Go with her..."
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Post by hotaru on May 12, 2008 12:38:05 GMT -5
Hotaru faltered a bit as Saghani snapped, she quivered and took a step away from the door meekly holding the bag tightly to her chest, the bottles of ink softly clanked against one another. Why couldn't one of the healers give it to the cranky man? She looked down then back up to Shona her big blue eyes pleading for him to not leave her alone with the man. She sighed when he told her to go give him the things she'd brought. She simply nodded her burnt brown hair which was tied back into a pony tail bobbing at the back of her head. She took a small step forward feeling her stomach flip with anxiety, worried he may hit her or yell some more. The pale skin of her face paling further with her fears.
Like a small chick she scuttled into the room then she slowed down after a step or two looking down at all of the half scribbled parchment on the ground. No wonder they sent her off for supplied. She tip toed over the paper not wanting to ruin whatever was on the floor but after a moment of this she came up at his side with the bag, sheepishly offering it to the man.
" The healers told me to give this to you. " Her voice was small and girlishly high pitched, only a bit above a whisper, she didn't want to bother him, just give him the package and leave. She got a chance to look at him though, he seemed beyond upset, he was in the healing huts but she didn't know why. His arm was bandaged where there should be a ha- her eyes widened slightly and she looked away quickly acting as if she hadn't seen it. Well at least she knew why he was in the healing huts.
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Post by saghani on May 14, 2008 15:28:30 GMT -5
Saghani briefly glanced up to regard the little girl as she approached, and at this point he saw what she was carrying. Apparently, she had been sent with more writing supplies. He turned his eyes back to his parchment and continued to slowly try to write, slowly concentrating on a character. His hand slipped slightly just as the girl spoke. She hadn’t caused it, but it was unfortunate timing for her.
"The healers told me to give this to you.”
“Then set them down,” he replied quickly with unintended ice finding its way into his words.
He didn’t want to talk to anyone right now, least of all some irritating little child. He simply focused on the parchment in front of him with more intensity than one should focus on parchment with. He knew where she was staring, too. Spirits, how annoying this would be. Perhaps he should just announce that he had one hand when people met him and give them five seconds to stare before moving on. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with all these surprised looks and stutters.
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Post by sokka on May 14, 2008 16:24:30 GMT -5
Shona watched Hotaru walk over Saghani like a timid buffaloyak calf. Her hesitance and fear was something that he was use to when children talk to soldiers then can be inmidating and unessarrily harsh. Shona followed Hotaru into the room. Mainly as a source of encouragement.
However he was not pleased by Saghani's curtness to Hotaru. He could he hear the ice in his voice. Though he could understand the frustration and diffculty he was in. But his tone was not needed. Still Shona learned from his mistakes and didn't voice his opinion. That too was not needed.
The fisherman did notice however that Saghani was right hand, was being the keyword as he struggled to write with his left. Shona was left handedm he and his brother Chulyin where both left handed. However Saghani was still writting if he was right handed.
Shona observe this and as much as he wanted to give some friendly advice he was afriad of opening his big mouth when it will only cause trouble.
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Post by hotaru on May 14, 2008 19:52:45 GMT -5
She was greatful the adult came with her, honestly she was frightened of the man, he reminded her of an ogre from stories her mother told her when she was little.
Already being nervous enough not much was needed to send her over into a yelp or a fit of quivering. He was missing his hand, she couldn't imagine how horrible that would be, how it would feel. Just seeing it gone gave her the shivers, something that should be there was missing, she'd never seen any deformations before.
Then he snapped at her, and Hotaru's eyes widened for a second before they started to swell with tears. She set the package down near the bed and scampered over to Shona.Her hands covered her eyes and her forehead rested lightly against the man's torso, she had such a bad habit of clinging to people when she was scared. No wonder people called her a baby.
Still he was being mean and she wasn't a brave person or a strong one, hiding was for the best. She attempted to calm herself down though, when he snapped she nearly burned the wrappings on the package. This wasn't worth being sent away over. If someone found out she'd be sent away, her mother said that one.
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Post by saghani on May 19, 2008 23:08:08 GMT -5
Some people might feel bad for startling a little girl like Saghani had. In fact, most people might, but Saghani certainly didn’t. He had no patience for the emotionally fragile, children or not. He would not offer copious amounts of comfort or rush to apologize if he offended, and so as the girl rushed to cling to the man in the room, who Saghani assumed was her father, he paid her no mind, continuing to write. However, it didn’t seem like they were in any rush to leave. He decided that ought to change.
“If that is all, leave,” he said levelly without looking up.
There was less ice in his voice this time, but it certainly wasn’t warm by any means. Still, as he’d made clear, he cared not. He just wanted to be rid of this distraction as soon as humanly possible. He had much more important things to do than deal with a little delivery girl.
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Post by sokka on May 20, 2008 11:58:06 GMT -5
Shona felt Hotaru run to him for comfort. It was inspiring, Kokomi use to do the same thing as did Kavik. Mostly Kavik. Who seem to cling to his leg when he was just a little boy. Now this poor girl was being rudely inmindated by a soldier. Abeit an injuried one, but despite his frustration missing a limb it was not right to to be so harsh to a little girl.
“If that is all, leave,” Shona frowned it was enough to stir his parental side. He was always going to be a dad, even to Hotaru who needed one now.
"Actually Saghani I have one more thing to say, can you please apologize to Hotaru, you're rudeness was not nessarry nor polite, I understand you do not have time for polite converstation and perhaps frustrated at the moment, but snapping at a harmless child is rude. Please apologise."
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Post by hotaru on May 20, 2008 12:32:52 GMT -5
Hotaru's cheeks flushed her pale skin and small tears leaked down her cheeks. Even in the light of the candles in the room her abnormally light face stood out. But nothing else about her betrayed her nature. She was born and raised here after all, The fur of her parka was rested against her childishly plump face, her lips kept in a pout her eyes showing a bit of fear, the angry man might try to attack because he had nothing better too do. That was what her mind told her anyway.
As soon as the man said to leave her face pressed back against Saghani's side in a futile attempt to hide herself. The man was scarring her.
Had he been a bit more benevolent she might pose some innocent questions about the nature of his missing hand but given the aggression she shushed herself, choosing not to aggravate the man more. She just wanted to get out of here but Kaden would be upset if she left Mica. So going into the main healing room seemed the best option, too bad she was too scared to run off like that.
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