I was sitting in the circle of my wagons, the fire crackled and hiss as it danced and sang in the night, spirals of smoke would weave in the air leaving a faint scent of sage lingering about. It was quiet as I worked on some hides, though it was not easy work it was one that required an exertion of energy and I needed to find outlets for it and this was a start.
I paused as something caught my attention then I smiled to myself, seemed someone thought to try and sneak up on me, I continued to work pretending not to be aware of their presence, I had to give them credit they walked quietly and had it been anyone else they could have easily snuck up on them, except for two things, one I was a Haruspex and we are aware of much very difficult to sneak up on us, though not impossible, the second is, the faint scent of black wine also lingered in the air accompanied by a barely stifled giggle of a young girl.
Just as she ran up with a mock roar of a larl I pretended to be startled and afraid falling to the ground as if frightened. She laughed as she nearly ran me over and hugged me, it was Kaylyn and her older brother Nuri, they were the children of one of the women whose mate had been killed with Garyx. "Now Tarra you know that you heard us." Kaylyn would state with that high pitched giggle that young children have. I hugged her gently and then moved to sit by the fire getting them each a bowl of milk, "Now what brings you two here?" I would ask them and Nuri he handed me a basket with cheese and dried meat, "Mother thought you could use this, we had extra." I accepted it from him,knowing that Arria had a few brothers to look after her, "Thank your mother for her kindness." I would state.
"Can you tell us another story?" Kaylyn would ask and she gave one of those smiles that could melt the glaciers of the north and played those big brown eyes, I had to laugh as I sat near them "Of course I can." I would state to her.
"There was once a man who was exploring some caves by the shores of thassa. In one of the caves he found an old leather bag that contained many hardened balls of dirt and sand, it appeared as if some had rolled them up and left them out in the heat to bake, they were not impressive looking, but he was intrigued by them so he took the bag out of the cave with him. He would walk up and down the beach, just enjoying the outing with no particular destination in mind, he would throw the balls out into the thassa one at a time as far as he could throw. He did not really give much thought to them until he accidentally dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock, inside was a beautiful, precious jewel, that glimmered brightly and captured the light in a way that made it seem as if it glowed from the inside. The man was suddenly very excited and he began to break open every ball, and within each one was a similar stone, each one worth a great deal of coin, it would make him a very wealthy man. But as he sat there, it struck him, he had been walking along that shore line for many ahns, and he had thrown out maybe 30 or 40 of those balls, each one with a hidden, priceless stone. He could have had triple what he would have with what he did find and he had just thrown it all away."
Nuri just looked somewhat surprised that the man would just throw dirt and sand away, and of course to us as Tuchuks this would make no sense, but the dwellers of the cities they had no respect for the things in life that were important.
" Now, sometimes, people are like that, they can look at someone, and maybe even themselves and they only see the external part of themselves, to them it does not look like much from the outside, and our outsides are not always beautiful or sparkling, so it is discounted, overlooked and sometimes cast aside as not being worthwhile. That person is seen as less important than someone who is more beautiful, or more well spoken, stylish, well known or wealthy. And each of us are guilty of it and each of us has had it happen.
There is a treasure in each and everyone of us, if we take the time to get to know another person we will see the external layers peel away and reveal the brilliant gem that begins to shine forth. "
I would look at both of them as they finished their milk, now what do you think the story means. I could see each of them thinking for a moment which is what I wanted them to do, to use their minds and think upon the story, " That we have not taken the time to find the treasures hidden in each person." They would state almost in unison.
"Very good, now go see if your mother needs any help and thank her for me ." They each stated that they would and I would see them tomorrow. I watched them scamper off and tease each other, they were good kids and I am sure their mother would be proud of them. I put the cheese and meat with the bread and other things, I am beginning to think people are trying to fatten me up.
I paused as something caught my attention then I smiled to myself, seemed someone thought to try and sneak up on me, I continued to work pretending not to be aware of their presence, I had to give them credit they walked quietly and had it been anyone else they could have easily snuck up on them, except for two things, one I was a Haruspex and we are aware of much very difficult to sneak up on us, though not impossible, the second is, the faint scent of black wine also lingered in the air accompanied by a barely stifled giggle of a young girl.
Just as she ran up with a mock roar of a larl I pretended to be startled and afraid falling to the ground as if frightened. She laughed as she nearly ran me over and hugged me, it was Kaylyn and her older brother Nuri, they were the children of one of the women whose mate had been killed with Garyx. "Now Tarra you know that you heard us." Kaylyn would state with that high pitched giggle that young children have. I hugged her gently and then moved to sit by the fire getting them each a bowl of milk, "Now what brings you two here?" I would ask them and Nuri he handed me a basket with cheese and dried meat, "Mother thought you could use this, we had extra." I accepted it from him,knowing that Arria had a few brothers to look after her, "Thank your mother for her kindness." I would state.
"Can you tell us another story?" Kaylyn would ask and she gave one of those smiles that could melt the glaciers of the north and played those big brown eyes, I had to laugh as I sat near them "Of course I can." I would state to her.
"There was once a man who was exploring some caves by the shores of thassa. In one of the caves he found an old leather bag that contained many hardened balls of dirt and sand, it appeared as if some had rolled them up and left them out in the heat to bake, they were not impressive looking, but he was intrigued by them so he took the bag out of the cave with him. He would walk up and down the beach, just enjoying the outing with no particular destination in mind, he would throw the balls out into the thassa one at a time as far as he could throw. He did not really give much thought to them until he accidentally dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock, inside was a beautiful, precious jewel, that glimmered brightly and captured the light in a way that made it seem as if it glowed from the inside. The man was suddenly very excited and he began to break open every ball, and within each one was a similar stone, each one worth a great deal of coin, it would make him a very wealthy man. But as he sat there, it struck him, he had been walking along that shore line for many ahns, and he had thrown out maybe 30 or 40 of those balls, each one with a hidden, priceless stone. He could have had triple what he would have with what he did find and he had just thrown it all away."
Nuri just looked somewhat surprised that the man would just throw dirt and sand away, and of course to us as Tuchuks this would make no sense, but the dwellers of the cities they had no respect for the things in life that were important.
" Now, sometimes, people are like that, they can look at someone, and maybe even themselves and they only see the external part of themselves, to them it does not look like much from the outside, and our outsides are not always beautiful or sparkling, so it is discounted, overlooked and sometimes cast aside as not being worthwhile. That person is seen as less important than someone who is more beautiful, or more well spoken, stylish, well known or wealthy. And each of us are guilty of it and each of us has had it happen.
There is a treasure in each and everyone of us, if we take the time to get to know another person we will see the external layers peel away and reveal the brilliant gem that begins to shine forth. "
I would look at both of them as they finished their milk, now what do you think the story means. I could see each of them thinking for a moment which is what I wanted them to do, to use their minds and think upon the story, " That we have not taken the time to find the treasures hidden in each person." They would state almost in unison.
"Very good, now go see if your mother needs any help and thank her for me ." They each stated that they would and I would see them tomorrow. I watched them scamper off and tease each other, they were good kids and I am sure their mother would be proud of them. I put the cheese and meat with the bread and other things, I am beginning to think people are trying to fatten me up.
