Moloth - The M-Forums

"Fallen" Dwarf ... the stage of Dwarven life right between "Drunk too much" Dwarf and "Rising groggily to his feet to get another ale" Dwarf

I got a story going for Safiyah and this is only the first part.  The rest I have to unstick from my head.  Tell me what you like, don't like, or needs more 'splaining.



“Your destiny lies far from here.”

    Safiyah turned her gaze to the old crone sitting at a clothed table.  The crone was feeling the intricately decorated cards spread out on the table.  Though a strong wind was blowing through the desert camp, an eerie silence blocked it from being heard inside the heavy canvas tent. 

“You will travel far…”

    Safiyah shifted uncomfortably on the fluffy, tasseled pillow.

“..And you will not see your son until he has a son of his own.”

    Safiyah narrowed her eyes and stared viciously at the old crone.  She drew her breath, readying her words.  How could she be so cruel?  How could this seer tell her such nasty things?  Her son was ill, has been ill since the day he was born.  Janan was only six and struggled to walk everyday.  He could hardly eat and had trouble breathing.  All the doctors and medicine in the tribe could not cure him.  They said he would only live for a few years.
    Amazingly, he survived for longer but now his strength was waning.  Safiyah could only cry when everyone went to sleep as it would not be very noble to shed tears in public.  She was already a widow at a young age of twenty-five and she could not bear to have her only tie to her beloved husband be taken from her, her darling son.

“My son is dying and you mock me like this?  Do you not see in my eyes, do those cards not tell you the pain I am suffering?”

    The tears started to well in her eyes but she swallowed and pushed them back.  The crone looked up and her milky white eyes stared her.

“You will find a cure, child.  Your son will live a long, prosperous life.  But you will not be there to see it.”

    A cure.  The very thought sent shocks through Safiyah’s body.  Was there hope? Was this old crone truly gifted by foresight and she would show the way to her child’s triumph over his illness?  Safiyah was not ready for a letdown so she pressed harder.

“Speak quickly and tell me the truth.  I have already resigned myself to the reality that my son will die soon.  But I cannot bear the thought of hope and then have it ripped from my heart.  Speak truly Seer!”

    The seer’s wrinkled face showed no emotion, no concern.  Her wrinkled lips barely moved as she spoke.

“Travel to the sun and find the mouth of the earth.  Near its lips you can find the Solkis herb.  If it is brought back, it will cure your son.  It can cure anything.”

    Safiyah and the crone stared at each other for what seemed an eternity.  Then the full significance of the seer’s words stuck Safiyah. 

“Thank you, Seer, for your words and your guidance.”

    Safiyah rose from her pillow chair and picked up a large clay jar of water sitting next to her.  She placed it next to the crone and bow slightly before she exited the tent.  The sun was setting and the sky was turning purple as the red and yellow fled on the cape of the sun.  She walked past a row of other heavy brown canvas tents before she turned onto a row of carpet tents.  Many colors decorated the outsides of each tents, showing the extravagant nature of the owner’s richness.  They continued to grow louder and more flamboyant until she reached a crimson tent. 
     The flap was open and she saw Janan sitting on the carpeted floor playing with the wooden horse his father carved for him as a baby.  Her sister, Jameela, was watching him and talking with him.  They both looked up and Janan waved to his mother.  He started to get up and was on one knee before he shuddered and fell onto his side.
Though every part of her wanted to run inside and gather him up, she stifled the feeling and marched in like a proud woman.
     “Now, Janan, you know better than to get excited.  You can be very clumsy sometimes.”
     He rolled onto his back and sat up on his buttocks and stared up at his mother.  His steel gray eyes met Safiyah’s gaze and she nearly teared up.   His eyes softened and he smiled his crooked half-grin.  It melted her heart and she kneeled down and brought his head to her chest.  She stroked his brown curly locks and hugged him fiercely.

There was hope.