(Private - a character backstory thing)
“Are you here to beg for money?” Meressel wondered, eyeing the travelers’ dirty, patched clothing. “We haven’t got very much money, if you are. So you won’t get much from us.”
Broni looked at the little girl and raised an eyebrow at her words. “I think that depends rather heavily on a person’s perspective, don’t you think?” She asked.
Meressel’s expression showed confusion. “Huh?”
“Nevermind,” Broni sighed, shaking her head. “We are not beggars.” She assured her.
“Well.. then why do you look like that?” Meressel wrinkled her nose at the woman’s travel-stained garments.
“Why do you look like you do?” Broni countered.
Meressel stared at her for a moment as she wondered if that was a real question or not, then turned her attention toward the quiet girl, instead. “What’s your name?” She asked, walking over to where Dina was examining the flowers that lined the walkway.
As she walked away, Broni rolled her eyes and sat down on a bench, watching the two girls, inwardly hoping that they would get along well enough despite being so vastly different.
Dina looked up, a bit startled to be addressed directly. She shifted nervously, feeling extremely shy, suddenly. “D-Dina…” She mumbled quietly, feeling somehow as if she were going to be criticized and judged for something, though she didn't quite know what.
“I’m Meressel. Do you like our flowers?” Meressel clasped her hands together, smiling in pride at how pretty their home must look to these… not-beggars-who-looked-like-beggars.
“Very much.” Dina gave a tiny, shy smile, and looked back at them. “What are they called? I’ve never seen any like these.”
“Oh, I don't know.” Meressel shrugged. “Our gardener takes care of all that. But they certainly look pretty, don’t they?”
Dina nodded quietly, trying not to be too disappointed that the other girl could not tell her the answer to what she really wanted to know.
“Broni?” Brenior couldn’t believe his eyes. He knew that Aurien had said it was Broni, but… it was still a shock to see her again.
“Bren, how are you?” Broni smiled as she saw her brother arrive in the garden, and stood up to greet him. “Wow, you grew a beard.” She laughed as she stepped closer.
He ran a hand over his face and smiled faintly. “You.. uh. We weren’t expecting you. Why didn’t you write first?”
Dina turned and looked at the man who had appeared, watching quietly while he spoke with her mother.
Broni rolled her eyes. “Such formality is silly. Writing to let you know ahead of time... really? What, a sister can’t drop in and say hello to her brother?” She asked, scoffing lightly. "Did you think you needed to clean the house and get out the good dishes and all that?" She scoffed.
“Of course you can, it’s just, well..” He cleared his throat. “It’s been.. a
long time. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again, in fact. We haven’t heard from you in… years. Ever since..”
“Yeah, yeah,” Broni shrugged. “Sorry. I’ve been busy.”
“Yes, I could tell.” He remarked. "Too busy to pick up a quill once in a while, in fact."
“So… are you too uppity to give your little sister a hug?” Broni wondered, ignoring that comment.
Brenior gave a smile, then pulled her into a hug. “I have missed you, Broni.” He said softly.
Broni smiled and squeezed him tightly for a moment, then let go. "I've missed you, too."
As he stepped back from her, he smiled. “So. I suppose introductions are in order?” He suggested. “Allow me to introduce my wife, Aurien. And our daughter, Meressel.”
“It’s good to meet you.” Broni nodded to them. “I’m Bronwethel,” She held out a hand toward her daughter, as she motioned for her to come stand with her. “And this is my daughter, Dinalagossel.”
At that, Dina looked at her mother in surprise, for that was the first time she had ever heard her full name given. Quite honestly, she’d always assumed that it was simply ‘Dina’.
“Pleased to meet you, Bronwethel. Dinalagossel.” Aurien replied politely, then gave a look toward her own daughter.
“Yes. Pleased to meet you.” Meressel echoed with a quick little curtsy as she had been taught to do when being introduced to someone, though she was looking somewhat puzzled. She hesitated before asking her mother, “Does this mean.. that they’re our relatives?” She wondered.
“It does.” Aurien answered. “Bronwethel is your aunt, and Dinalagossel would be your cousin.” She explained.
“Then…” Meressel started to ask why they looked like beggars, but then changed her mind. She smiled. “I’m glad to meet you, aunt Bronwethel, and cousin Dinalagossel.”
Dina felt unsure if she was expected to say the same, for she didn’t yet know if she was going to like any of these people. So, was it not somewhat dishonest to say that she was pleased? She found that confusing, and she inched a step closer to her mother, though she was tempted to hide behind her entirely.
Broni smiled apologetically. “She’s shy of people she doesn’t know,” She explained. “But she’ll warm up to you when she gets to know you better.”
“That's quite alright." Brenior smiled kindly, not pressing the girl to speak if she did not wnat to. "Do you plan to stay around, then?” Brenior asked his sister, since that seemed the only way that they were likely to get to know the girl.
“Um, well, yes.” Broni glanced at Dina, then back to her brother. “We’re.. passing through. But we would like to stay for a while, if you have no objection.”
Brenior glanced briefly at his wife, unsure how to respond here.
“Of course that’s fine.” Aurien assured her. "Let me show you to our guest rooms, and.. um, Meressel, perhaps you could find Dinalagossel something nicer to wear for supper?” She suggested.
“One of
my dresses?” Meressel momentarily sounded shocked, but at a sharp glance from her mother, she put on a smile. “Of course. I think we’re about the same size. Come on, Dinalagossel.”
“Just Dina.. please.” Dina corrected her softly, then glanced questioningly at her mother. Broni had become occupied with talking to Brenior and Aurien, however, so Dina followed Meressel into the house and up the stairs, looking around with wide eyes as she looked at all the beautiful things decorating the house. Even the floors were beautiful; some were made of polished stone or wood, and others covered in thick carpet. She liked how cool and smooth the stone felt to her feet, and how soft the carpet felt.
“Don’t you have any shoes?” Meressel wondered, looking down at the other girl’s bare feet with an expression bordering on disdain.
Dina glanced down at her own feet, then at Meressel’s, and saw that she had dainty little slippers on her feet. “Course I do.” She answered, a little confused. “Don’t you.. have to save your shoes for winter?”
Meressel gave her a strange look. “I have different shoes for winter. Why would I save them? When I outgrow them, I’ll get new ones. When these get old, I'll get new ones.” She shrugged as she led the way into her room, then took a long look at Dina before opening her closet.
Dina looked around in amazement at all the pink ruffles and lace in the room. When the other girl opened her closet, her eyes grew round at the sight of all the dresses, and wondered how she got so many of them. “You have a lot of pretty dresses.” She commented quietly, awed.
“Yes, I suppose so. Here. This one will probably fit you,” Meressel decided, pulling out one of her dresses that was plainer and older. Although it might be a bit small on Dina, it wasn't one of her nicer ones, and she never wore it anymore, so it wasn't too much of a sacrifice to let her wear it. “But you should probably have a bath first, or you’ll just get it dirty.”
Dina nodded slowly, then glanced at the other girl, curious. “What happened to your dress, earlier?” She wondered, tentatively. “It doesn’t look all that dirty to me.”
“Oh. Well,” Meressel tossed the one dress on the bed, and selected another for herself with a little huff of annoyance. “This horrible boy spilled some ink on me. I hate that little brat.” She pouted, frowning down at the splotch of ink on her dress.
Dina looked thoughtfully at the spot. “I don’t think it’s ruined. I think it’ll wash off, if you get it wet. Do you have a creek or something? Maybe.. since you think I should have a bath, we could go swim together, and you can get your dress clean?” She suggested.
Meressel looked aghast at the suggestion. “Ew... swim in a creek?” She shuddered. “With frogs and fish and all those nasty things? And mud and slimy stuff... ugh!” She shuddered and looked down at her dress, thoughtful. “I suppose maybe it isn’t
ruined,” She admitted. “Our laundry lady will clean it, and if it doesn’t come out, I simply won’t wear it again.” Meressel informed her, unconcerned. “Come on, I’ll show you to the washroom so you can get cleaned up before supper.”
It was strange to Dina to sit at the big, fancy table with everyone. There were dainty porcelain dishes with beautiful flower patterns on them, and silver forks and spoons, and glasses to drink from, and cloth napkins. A vase of beautiful cut flowers graced the center of the table, while a fancy chandelier hung overhead, lighting the room for everyone to see while they ate. She was amazed at all of the finery. Back home, they had plain wooden dishes, with eating utensils made of tin. Their cups were also tin, and there was only a simple lantern for light once the sun had gone down.
Aunt Aurien excused herself from the table before everyone else had finished, with apologies that she had something important to attend to. She slipped off to the kitchen, and then was gone for the rest of the evening.
Everyone else went to the parlor after supper and talked for a while; mostly, Brenior and Broni talked together while Dina and Meressel talked with one another. Eventually, however, Uncle Brenior declared that it was time for the girls to go to bed. It was earlier than Dina normally would go to sleep, for she was used to roaming around as much as she liked, and going home once it was too dark to see. Then she would stay up until she grew sleepy.
She went to her mother and hesitated. "Do I have to?" She asked softly.
"Yes, do as your uncle says." Broni told her. "We are in his house, after all."
"Aren't you coming?" Dina asked hopefully. Back home, she was used to sleeping alone when her mother was away, but when Momma was there, they only had one bed in their little home, so whenever her mother was home, she used to fall asleep curled up in her arms. And here, everything was strange and unfamiliar. She didn't like the idea of going all by herself to the guestroom, so richly decorated, to sleep in the fancy bed there.
Broni paused for a moment. "I'll come and get you situated, how's that?" She decided, with a little smile. "Excuse me," She added to Brenior.
"Of course." He answered, fully understanding the need for a mother to take care of her child.
As they headed for the bedrooms upstairs, Dina walked slowly, looking at her mother. "How long as we going to be here for, Momma?"
Broni hesitated, taking a look down at her. She smiled faintly. "As long as necessary." She answered softly. "You need to try and get along with your cousin. It looks like it might be a little challenging," She acknowledged with a little smile, showing she had not missed how snooty the other little girl was. "But I think you'll be alright." She added, ushering her daughter into the bedroom that was designated for her.
"Why do we have to sleep in different rooms?" Dina wondered, frowning. "We never do."
"Well, that's because we don't have enough rooms in our house to do that." Broni shrugged. "Here, they do. But you'll be fine, Dina. You sleep by yourself all the time."
"I know," Dina frowned, thinking a moment about mentioning that she liked it better when her mother was there. But she didn't. "Will you tell me a story?" She wondered, as she climbed into the bed.
Broni sat on the edge of the bed once Dina was situated, and pulled the covers up to the girl's shoulders. "Alright." She agreed, softly. She thought for a moment before beginning. After the story had concluded, Broni hugged her tightly for a moment before helping her adjust her pillows to lie down better. "Now, you go to sleep." She encouraged her, smiling faintly as she kissed her forehead. "Good night, Dina."
"Good night, Momma." Dina watched her blow out the bedside lamp, then Broni left the room. She was already looking forward to them moving on from this place in a few days. She was used to the grass-stuffed mattress they had at home. Whatever this was, it was much softer, but she missed the smell of sweet grass and wildflowers, like lavender, that she and her mother filled their mattress with at home. It took a while longer for her to fall asleep in the strangeness of that room, but eventually she did.
When Dina woke the next morning, she had to remind herself of where she was. Going to the window, she smiled to look out and see the lovely pink flowers in the garden below. It wasn’t anywhere near the same as her flowerbeds of wildflowers. These were neatly trimmed and cultivated flowers of varieties that she didn’t know. After she’d had her fill of gazing through the window at the garden, Dina came downstairs, wearing the same dress that Meressel had let her wear yesterday, for she had noticed the way that her aunt, uncle, and cousin looked at them when they were wearing their own clothing, and she figured they disapproved.
Aurien and Brenior were in the kitchen, speaking in hushed tones about something, but they went quiet the moment Dina entered. She looked at them, feeling as if something was wrong, like maybe they were discussing something not meant for her to hear. Feeling a little uncomfortable, she decided maybe she wasn’t welcome in here, and attempted to find some reason why she had come in. “Um.. could someone please tell me where to find my horse?” She asked timidly, deciding she’d like to check on Petunia. She knew that Momma had put them somewhere after they got permission to stay for a few days, but she didn’t know where.
“Why do you need your horse?” Brenior frowned.
“I thought I should make sure Petunia and Velvet get some grass to eat, and water...” Dina explained, thinking that ought to have been obvious, but she supposed it was understandable that someone would ask, since she hasn’t explained her intentions.
Aurien glanced at Brenior, who looked like he was at a loss for words. She spoke up, instead. “I think you had better let your uncle tend to that.” She said, trying to smile. “Perhaps you’d like to help me with breakfast?” She suggested instead. “Do you like eggs?”
Dina nodded. “Yes. Do you want me to see if I can find some eggs?” She offered, trying to be helpful since she was here.
“We have eggs, Dina.” Aurien explained, showing her to a basket of eggs on the counter. “We buy them fresh each morning.”
Amazed, Dina looked at the pretty white eggs and noticed that there were many of them. “Oh.. wow.” She went over to look more closely at them, then spent the next little while helping her aunt cook. Aurien was surprised that Dina had some experience already with cooking. Regardless, she wouldn’t let her actually assist with the cooking part, worried that the girl might burn herself on the stove, even though Dina explained that she usually cooked over a small fire.
By the time Meressel joined them, they had fixed a nice breakfast with plenty of food to go around. As they all sat down to eat, Dina looked around, noticing that her mother had still not come to the table. “I better go wake up Momma.” She declared, getting back up with the intention of going to the room her mother had been staying in.
“Dina...” Brenior hesitated, looking toward his wife with something like helplessness.
Dina waited, confused by his tone. “What?”
He looked at Aurien, then at Dina, uncertain how to tell her what had to be told.
His wife focused her gaze downward and kept quiet, feeling it was not her place to share this news, for it was his sister's daughter.
After a moment, Brenior cleared his throat. “Your mother isn’t in her room.” He explained with a hint of sadness in his tone.
“Oh. Where is she then? I’ll go get her and let her know that breakfast is ready.” Dina declared, not really understanding their moods.
“She won’t be joining us for breakfast, dear.” Aurien informed her softly, deciding to help her husband with this, after all.
“I’m sorry, but she.. left." Brenior explained, awkward. "She rode off early in the morning, I think, or perhaps during the night. She left while we all slept.” Brenior was rather uncomfortable to have to deliver this news to a little girl he barely knew.
Dina looked at him for a moment, processing this, and slowly nodded. “Oh.” She frowned at her plate for a long moment, feeling quite disappointed that she was missing out on whatever adventure Broni had left for.
“Left?” Meressel repeated, baffled. “How could she just leave?” She stared at her cousin with wide eyed, shocked to hear that a mother would do such a thing.
“It’s alright, she’ll be back in a week or two.” Dina shrugged without much concern, although she was saddened at being left behind. She didn't really like it here very much so far, and she would've preferred to stay with her mother.
“I’m.. not so sure about that,” Brenior quietly expressed his doubts.
“She does it all the time.” Dina explained. “She goes off for a week or two, maybe three, but she always comes back.” She felt a little awkward, or maybe simply embarrassed, to explain that this was totally normal and that she was quite used to it. More strangeness... because she’d never actually felt that way about it before, until she saw the sympathetic looks they were giving her. It had always just been the normal to her. Did they not do the same? She ducked her head down and started on her eggs, not sure what else to do.
“Dina... dear...” Aurien hesitated, as if unsure how to go on.
“Does she usually leave a note?” Brenior asked with a frown.
“A note?” Dina looked up curiously.
Brenior offered a folded piece of paper to her.
“Brenior..” Aurien said, surprise and disapproval in her tone, but he had already handed it to Dina, now.
"Don't you think she deserves to know?" He responded to his wife, although he was questioning his choice, now.
Dina was about to say that no, she'd never left a note before, but she paused as she recalled from last night, at supper, that Momma had told her they didn’t like it when people spoke with food in their mouth. She chewed up her bite of food and swallowed before reaching for the paper offered to her, with confusion written on her face as she looked at it without understanding. “What does it say?” She asked curiously, finding it rather confusing why they were making such a bit deal about it.
“You can’t read?” Meressel sounded shocked by that.
“No.. I never tried before.” Dina frowned, curious if she was missing out on something.
“Meressel, not everyone has had the same opportunities you’ve had.” Aurien told her daughter gently, though she looked slightly relieved by this news. “Well, Dina,” She turned to her now. “Your mother left this note, asking that we take care of you for a while.” Aurien explained as gently as she could. “She's asked that we provide you with all of the education we can. So, I think we shall have to remedy your lack of reading skills, as soon as possible.”
“Oh. She wants you to take care of me until she gets back, I guess.” Dina nodded. It made sense. She was in a strange place, so she wouldn’t know where to find food and such, here. She'd want to make sure there was someone who could make sure that she knew where and how to get everything she could.
“Yes… and it might be a bit longer than you think, Dina.” Aurien agreed tentatively.
“Does this mean she’ll be living with us?” Meressel wondered.
“It does.” Brenior answered, looking a little worried. “For.. some time, yes.”
“Then the very first thing that we ought to do, is to go shopping!” Meressel declared excitedly. “She’ll need her own dresses to wear, after all. Right Mother?”
Aurien managed a little smile at her daughter. “Meressel, why are you excited? You wouldn’t be the one getting new dresses.”
“Aww, but Mother.. please?” Meressel pouted.
“You have plenty of dresses to wear, dear.” Brenior informed her.
“But if she’s getting new dresses, why can’t I?” Meressel demanded. “That isn’t fair.” She folded her arms, sulking. "Mine got ruined yesterday."
“Meressel, you don’t need any new dresses right now.” Aurien pointed out.
“Just one, please Mother? If we’re going to be at the dress shop anyway…” She changed her tone then to be more demanding, than pleading. "I want a new dress!"
Both parents sighed, glancing at one another briefly. “We’ll see,” Brenior gave in at last, mostly to spare them all from a potential tantrum.
Dina looked from one to the other as they went back and forth, wondering why Meressel was so desperate for a new dress, when she had so many already. And why did they need Dina to have new dresses? She had all that she needed, didn't she? She'd had only ever had about two or three dresses at any given time in her life, so she could hardly imagine having as many as Meressel had, and still wanting more!
As the family moved on to discussing various other things that would have to be done, changes they would have to make in their lives and so on, Dina felt increasingly more as if she did not belong here. She finished her food and decided that she'd like to go outside. "I'm.. going to see my horse." Dina declared quietly, getting up from the table, feeling awkward and out of place here. She hardly noticed the stunned looks on everyone else's face, as she left without another word. No one said anything to stop her, however.
It didn't take long to find the small stable, where Petunia was trapped into a small stall. For as long as the horse had lived with Dina and Broni, she had never been kept inside like that. She'd always been free to roam the fields, and to come and go from the barn as she pleased. Dina thought that she probably felt just as unhappy being in that stall, as Dina felt being here.
Two other horses occupied two other stalls, and a fourth one where Velvet had been, was empty. Dina stared at the empty place for a moment, feeling a surge of disappointment swell up inside her heart once again. They were supposed to be traveling
together, she and her mother. What happened? She frowned and went into the stall with Petunia, hugging her beloved equine friend. "Why didn't she take me with her?" She wondered, softly. Petunia rested her chin on Dina's shoulder and nickered softly.
Dina held her for as long as the horse was willing to stand still, and then she went and got her halter from the hook outside the stall. She wanted to go away from here. She thought maybe she'd go to the sea and look out at the water, or something like that. But as she led Petunia outside of the stable, she found Aunt Aurien coming to find her.
"What are you doing?" Aurien asked, eyeing the horse with distrust in her eyes.
"I'm going for a ride. To explore." Dina explained.
"No, you're not." Aurien corrected her.
Dina paused, looking at her aunt in puzzlement. She hadn't ever been restricted from doing anything, before.
Aurien sighed. "Dina, i realize that your mother has probably never given you any rules to follow, so this might be a rather difficult adjustment. But.. you can't just.. get on a horse and go for a ride..."
"Sure, I can. See?" And with that, Dina demonstrated how easily she could swing herself up onto her horse's back.
Aurien paled and reached out to her in panic. "Don't.. please, Dina. Please come down from there this moment, before you fall off and hurt yourself!"
Dina looked down at her, quite puzzled by the change in her tone and mood. "But I-"
"
Now, Dina." Aurien insisted.
Frowning, the girl slid down from her horse. "I don't understand. Why would I get hurt? I've been riding like that for over a year now." She told her, tilting her head.
Aurien took a slow breath in and out. "Ladies don't.. do things like that. You can't simply.. ride around and explore like when you were in Rohan. There's not really anywhere to ride, for one thing.."
"What about the streets?" Dina pointed out, confused. "We came up the street on horseback, yesterday. No one stopped us."
"Please, stop interrupting me." Aurien requested gently. "It isn't polite. And it also isn't polite to contradict your elders."
Dina considered those things for a moment, and nodded slowly.
"We do things.. rather differently here in the city, than what you must be used to in Rohan." She tried to explain. "We use carriages to go places. We don't ride on horseback. Knights and errand-runners are really the only ones who do such things, and that is certainly not an activity for ladies."
Dina frowned as she considered this, and decided not to answer that, in that case, she did not wish to be a lady.
"Your mother has asked your uncle and me to see that you get a proper education, and to take care of you... and to give you a proper life." Aurien explained. "And there are going to be a lot of things changing from what you're used to. The first thing I'm going to do is to begin teaching you to read, and we'll work on your manners and etiquette... and yes, we will get you new dresses as well."
"But I already have two, that's more than enough," Dina protested, confused.
Aurien smiled faintly. "No, my dear, you're going to need a lot more than two dresses. Now, please put your horse away, and come along. You need to put on your shoes before we can go."
Dina felt very unhappy as she followed her aunt into the house. She went up the stairs, but decided she did not want to go and get her shoes right away. She wanted to go to her mother's room. Perhaps she had left some of her things? Dina felt that it would be a hopeful sign, if she had. Because that would prove that she would be coming back soon.
As she went looking for the room that had been assigned to her mother, Dina opened a couple of doors and peeked in, but none of those looked right. Before she'd reached the end of the hall, Meressel came up the stairs. "Dina," She called, frowning slightly as she saw where she "What are you doing over there?" She wondered, speaking more softly as she came to join her.
"I thought.. my mother may have left some of her things. Which room was she in?" She asked, shyly.
"Not these," Meressel assured her. "You don't want to go this way. There's a horrible monster in this end of the house." She declared, eyes wide. "Keep away from this part of the hallway," She grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward the 'safe' zone.
"A monster?" Dina repeated, surprised and confused. "In your house?"
Meressel wrinkled her nose, guiding her firmly to the other guestroom. "He's absolutely awful, you really don't want to encounter him." She insisted. "Keep away from the rooms on that end of the hall." She suggested. "I do wish Mother and Father would send him away." She sighed, shaking her head, and not bothering to mention that the 'monster' was actually her little brother. It would be some days or weeks later before Dina actually met him for herself and realized the truth of the situation. "Anway, here's where your mother was staying." Meressel informed her. But there was nothing left there from Broni.
The girls exited the room, Dina feeling sorely disappointed, but also somewhat curious about this monster, as well as uneasy about the idea of having to live in a house with a monster that her cousin found so horrible. "I guess I better put on my shoes," She said softly. "Aunt Aurien says we have to go shopping, now."
Meressel looked delighted. "Yes! Let's not talk about the monster anymore. Come on, you'll love dress shopping! Hurry and put on your shoes. No more saving them." She declared, as she happily took her hand and pulled Dina to the room which was now Dina's. Once her feet were imprisoned in the shoes that she'd brought all the way from Rohan, Dina and Meressel met Aurien in the small courtyard in front of the house, where the two horses from the stable were hitched up to a small carriage.
And with that, Dina was carried off into an entirely new life full of changes that would often be difficult for her to adjust to.
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