Storyboards: Fialden

Notes for "History of the Roushi: Volume 1" | Paradigmatic | Consummation | Subtle | Obsession | Miss you so good | Notes for "History of the Roushi" Volume II | Vacillation | Reminiscence | Passing | White Squall

Fiadlen sighed, dried and set down his pen carefully amongst the clutter before him. He rubbed his eyes massagingly; working with the dim light of only a single candle was getting to him. Yawning, he removed his glasses and set them among the many manuscripts negligently. He closed his eyes and rested his head on his arms on his desk. "Just going to rest my eyes for a moment... Then I'll..... Get back to work..."

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Paradigmatic
It was completely and utterly dark; the kind of absolute blackness that makes a person feel like nothing ever existed. Fialden blinked, noticing that he didn't actually notice a change in his vision.
He stepped out to his left, which turned out to be a mistake. As he was falling, it occurred to him that existence did exist, because he had just a moment ago been on a chair. He was on the floor, his left hip and shoulder telling him that they certainly did exist; and they were rather angry with him. Fialden groaned. He had fallen asleep at work yet again, long enough this time for the candle to burn out.
"Probably should do something about that..." He muttered to himself, still sprawled on the floor.
After awhile of thinking about what life would be like if nothing existed, Fialden's stomach communicated that it too existed and it had needs. Sighing, Fialden rose to his feet and stumbled to the door.
A half hour later he arrived at the local tavern, soaked and slightly surly. Walking towards his usual table he caught a young skimpily dressed waitress by the arm.
"I'll be having my usual, and next time you come in, do cover yourself up better; you're giving the customers bad ideas."
Pursing her lips, she slowly looked him up and down. "Maybe I like bad ideas..." She said.
Sitting at his regular table he positioned himself towards the fireplace. Staring at the flames he lost awareness of his surroundings in thought.
'Siaden....' He stirred to reality as a platter and mug were placed in front of him. "Ah, thank ye very much Adria." She smiled and leaned rather far forward to kiss him on the cheek. 'Yes, she most definitely has... Bad thoughts... Large, bad thoughts...' he noted. He also noticed the definitive way she moved as she walked away to serve the other patrons. He sighed and turned his attention to his meal, once again getting lost in thought.
After eating he stayed, drinking slowly by himself. Again Adria woke him from his musings. "You're the last one here you know, and it's time for me to go home. Do you think you could walk me? -Who knows who might be waiting out there getting bad thoughts." He looked up at her and smiled.
"Of course I could."

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Consummation
Fialden's feet were wet. It was a quiet night, the air was cool and crisp, clean feeling. The cobblestone streets were empty save the shadows looming from shut in buildings on each side. They were serenading each other with their footsteps; the music of their complex echoing. No words were necessary. She was on his arm, but they weren't smiling.
When they arrived at the gate it was locked. He jumped it and let her in. Rather than walk on the stone path; they continued on the grass. This time she was on his left. At the porch they stopped and turned to each other. She kissed him like she meant it.
"Well," she said, "I guess I'm safe of bad thoughts, thanks to you."
He didn't say anything, he didn't move. They weren't smiling. Adria strolled back to the grass without him. She stopped in the most un-geometric part of the yard she could find, dropping her arms to her sides resoundingly. She tilted back. "Well Moon, you look beautiful tonight. I think you should invite me in." She declared, and then promptly proceeded to fall onto her back. He strolled over to her.
"You are very strange. I'm going home now." He stood over her, not smiling. She closed her eyes.
"If I keep my eyes closed long enough, do you think everything will disappear?" She asked sincerely. Standing over her not smiling, he shook his head.
"No? Well, that's no fun. What if I try really hard?" She said, squeezing her eyes shut even tighter. He shook his head again. "NO? Well-" She stuck his tongue out at him. He shook his head again. "You're so disagreeable." She said, not smiling.
Adria opened her eyes and lifted her hands imploringly to the knightly figure of Fialden. Fialden raised his left eyebrow questioningly, and proceeded to ignore her request. She frowned at him and then lifted herself off the grass, then proceeded to wipe off her dirtied hands on him. He stood next to her, not smiling. She kissed him like she meant it.

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Subtle
The room was completely dark, save for a small square of hardwood floor illuminated by the rising sun through the one window. Fialden lay on his side, trying to remember. He had been dreaming something, he knew he had. He wanted to know it, he wanted to sink back into whatever or wherever he had been. There was a feeling left behind still, a feeling of,
something. He wanted to know what he was feeling.
Fialden sighed. It was pointless, just like every other morning. Flaring his nostrils he inhaled deeply, drowning himself in the sweet musky scent of Adria's hair.
"Good morning love" he whispered at her. He rolled over slowly to not wake her, and pulled out from the blankets. In the process of standing he managed to hit his knee on their bedside cabinet "And hello Darkness..." he muttered.
Groggily he grabbed a flint and lit the candle on the cabinet. He dressed himself quickly and sloppily, yawning and looking out the window at the morning sky. As he turned to leave, he paused looking over the sleeping form facing away, and decided to leave a note.
I'll shine up my old brown shoes
Put on a brand new shirt
Get home early from work
If you say that you love me
The streets were silent; every morning was like that for Fialden. He was possessed. If anyone were to be up and at their window, they would think the man was in an odd hurry. They'd be wrong. His stride was rather large and he moved with a strange grace, his head and shoulders remaining level at the same height with every step. He had a deceptive gait that appeared
hurried, though he was actually moving at a generally relaxed pace. Looking up at the sky he smiled and stretched his arms out.
"Good Morning." Outside the university door he flipped through all his keys a few times before he found the right one. The halls were as empty as the streets, but the echoing made him claustrophobic. He hurried to his room. "Good Morning Siaden..."

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Obsession
scratch... scratch ... scritch scratch ...... scritch
... scratch scratch ............... scritch scritch scratch
scritch ........... scratch ........................... scritch
scratch ...............................................................
thwap!
Fialden put his feather pen down resoundingly and sighed. Leaning his chair on its back legs he stretched his arms out and yawned.
CLATTER THUMP "Belar!!!"
Climbing to his feet his dusted himself off and picked the chair up. Yawning yet again, he grabbed his keys and leaving his work as it was closed and locked the door behind him, heading off for a slightly early dinner. The university's cafeteria was predictably crowded and noisy. Fialden stood
at the entrance blinking. He didn't actually eat there very often. Recollection flooding in suddenly, he began walking. After getting and filling a tray, he decided to eat outside; the weather was still nice this time of day this time of year.
"professor?" ... "Professor??" ...... "Professer??!"
"Wha-?" Jerked backed into reality, Fialden looked up to find a young female student standing over him. He set his sandwich down and wiped his hands on his pant legs. "Ah, Jenny, what can I do for you?"
"Professor, you weren't at our class again today, is everything ok?"
"Huh? Oh, Oh yes." ... "Terribly sorry, completely slipped my mind. Did you catch the reading work I left on the board?"
"Yes, I think most of us noted that before we decided you weren't coming and left."
"Ah, good, good." ... "Yes, Yes, thank you for your interest Jenny, I'm quite alright. I've
just been doing a lot of research lately is all. But I'll be sure to be more aware. You have a good evening Jenny."
"You too professor."
It was starting to darken by the time Fialden got up from his meal. He gathered his trash absent-mindedly and headed back in. Arriving in his room, he locked the door behind him and sat back down at his study. Resting his elbows on his desk and cradling his head in his hands he attempted to illicit thought by massaging his temples. It didn't work.
"Grandmother.... I don't understand."
It was late when he left that evening, frustrated. The moon had already begun to rise. He moved through the dark empty streets hurriedly, his body treading the same path as always automatically, when he got home his mind was still in his study.
"Sorry I'm so late love..." He said off-handedly. Adria smiled patiently. Entwining herself in his arms she kissed his chin and closed her eyes.
"It's alright, you're here now. And anyway, you scored some points last night so you can be forgetful for a little while anyway."
Holding her tighter, he kissed her on the top of her head.

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Miss you so good
"What are you doing?"
" ...Did I wake you?"
Pause
"Isn't it beautiful?"
...
"What are you thinking?"
"..."
"Do you love me?"
"What..?"
"Do you love me?"
"Do you have to ask?"
Silence
"What if I do? --have to ask..?"
"Don't you know?"
Fialden sighs. His head slumps to his chest. He runs his left hand through his hair. It hesitates at the back of his neck.
Silence.
"Come back with me...?"
"..."
"Who are you?"
"What..?"
Adria's right hand reaches out shakily towards his back. Biting her lip, she stops part way and withdraws. She shifts her weight to her left leg.
"Could I..."
"...could I..."
Fialden collapses suddenly to his hands and knees. His hands clench the earth. His head falls down and leans on the soil. He is shaking.
Adria shifts her weight to her right leg.
"fade, into you?"
Silence
"Do you forgive me?"
"..."
"do you forgive us?"
"..."
Fialden slowly draws to a crouch. Extending his arms behind, he leans back, then lays, his arms crossed to his shoulders. His legs are drawn up.
Pause
Adria steps to him. She sits behind him, her hand brushes through his hair. She cradles his head in her lap.

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Notes for "History of the Roushi" Volume II

"Chapter XLI

They were standing together on the top of a small mountain. It was late in the afternoon and the sun would soon begin to set. The forest before them presented a far stretching variety of colour. It was a clear cool fall day, Siaden and Palion had decided to leave their quiet isolated home for a few days and go nowhere in particular. They were gazing out, not speaking, arm in arm.

"You see the colors?"
...
"You made them."
"What? That doesn't make any-"
"Shut up."

"You made them in my life"

They stood together and watched the sun begin to set. Before it got too late they turned and headed for a nearby clearing where they had rested earlier. It was dark by the time they arrived and set up camp, and they decided not to stay up. It wasn't until then, wrapped in his embrace and nearly asleep, that it occurred to her he wasn't kidding..."

Adria sighed. Although the ever-emerging story of this woman Siaden her husband had been studying was interesting, she was still confused. Fialden's room was messy and unorganised, loose sheets of papers with scrawled notes everywhere and completely out of any sort of order that she could distinguish. Suddenly she slammed her fists on his desk. She still hadn't found a single clue as to what was going on.

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Vacillation
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!"
A group of merchants leaving the city looked back curiously. He was pacing near the north gate, his emotions at battle. He had left Sendar a week ago with some gold, a few supplies, and a good horse. Now he was standing just outside Camaar, his first destination, unsure what to do. He had brought a few manuscripts he had been studying Siaden from, hoping to find further guidance in the coming trials.
Fialden had been very shocked, and disbelieving, when he had first stumbled across the word "Prophecy" in his research. He had come to terms with the reality however and had looked in deeper. Now here he was, pacing outside the Camaar gates, on the edge between one world and another. He could continue as intended and enter the city looking to gain passage on one of the ships somehow. Fialden was very unsure of this task as he didn't even know where he was supposed to go from here, much less how to get on a ship. The other choice would be to go back to Sendar and face Adriala's fury.
He stopped pacing as she came into his mind.
"Adriala..."
He had left suddenly, leaving a vague note explaining only that he had to go and he didn't know when he would be back. He had been afraid to tell her about his research; he was afraid to involve her. Belar knows he would never forgive himself if anything happened to her, Prophecy be damned. Still, he was worried about the way he had left. But it couldn't be helped, he didn't want her following.
Fialden sighed. Deep down he knew he had to go on. Something was driving him. He couldn't explain it, but he felt it at a level he'd never known before. There was something he had to do, though as of yet he had no idea what it was. He gathered himself and turned towards the city gates.

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Reminiscence
Fialden groaned and tried to stop the humming by holding his head in his hands. Giving up he slid further back into his chair and opened his eyes. The tavern wasn't very busy, but it wasn't empty enough to be quiet. He lifted his mug and threw back some of the watered swill that passed for beer here.
'... I should probably start looking around for captains... '
He looked despairingly at the manuscript on the table and sighed. He had not been able to find any more information about just where he needed to go now. Fialden put it back in his pack and, making a face, took another drink from the beer. He walked over to the bar and began making conversation.
"BELAR it's good to be off these worn feet and into a tavern!" A rugged looking man sitting next to him turned and displayed a grin half filled with teeth.
"Trav'lin by land nev'r suited these old bones."
Fialden grinned broadly. "And does it suit anyone? Another mug o' your ale for me and my newly found friend!"
As they wandered into conversation part Fialden's mind, and his heart, drifted elsewhere.

"Fi!"
...
"FI!"
Fialden stopped humming and opened his eyes.
"Hmm??"
Adria smiled impishly.
"Did you know you're amazing?"
"No?"
"It's true." She looked around carefully, then leaned over and whispered
"A little birdy told me."
"No??" He gasped.
She nodded proudly.
Fialden closed his eyes and hummed again for a moment.
"You know what I heard?"
...
"I heard I'm in love with a beautiful girl named Adriala."
He smiled and, closing his eyes, leaned back on the grass and resumed humming. They sat quietly together on the hill until the sun set.

"Well, yere in luck me friend! I'm leaven' come morn' for Riva. Passage ain’t free though!"
Fialden chuckled. "Of course, of course... I'm sure we can work out a suitable arrangement..."

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Passing
The sea sent waves into and over the side of the ship. His hair covered with white foamy flecks, Fialden's head reappeared as he stood-up straight where he had leaned over the side. His knuckles were white from gripping the railing, and his eyes fluttered as he gasped for breath. Nearby in the rigging two sailors laughed good-naturedly at his misfortune. Fialden swore at the Prophecy as he wretched over the side.

An hour later he sat hunched on the edge of his 'bed, ' shivering with a woollen blanket around his shoulders. He was reading through a particular chapter in one of his Siaden manuscripts, becoming more and more infuriated. Each time he finished it, he realized that he didn't remember anything he just read through. His mind simply wouldn't focus on the page. He sighed and, giving up, shut the manuscript. His thoughts turned to his beloved. 'Adria... '

It was a gloomy overcast day, and Fialden was late. It was his first year at the university and he wasn't fully acquainted with the campus yet.
'Professor Anklen is going to have my head if I'm late again.. '
Gripping his books tightly to his chest, he sped to a loping jog. "Oh!"
Fialden found himself suddenly on the cobblestone with his books all around him. Dumbly he realized that in his haste he had run straight into someone. Manoeuvring to a crouch he began hurriedly gathering his books while muttering apologetically. He stopped as he noticed the ends of a dress trailing in front of him and looked up dumbly.
"Hi there" the girl said amiably - at least she wasn't mad at him for his clumsiness. Fialden gaped up at her mutely. It occurred to him somewhere in his mind that he should say something. Mostly it only occurred to him that she was incredibly beautiful. "I'm Adriala.."
"Hi...... Adri.. Ala..."
"... Well, do you have a name? -or shall I forever know you as the boy that ran into me?"
"oh, yes I do.."
She giggled. "Well what is it?"
".. What?"
"Your name!"
He snapped suddenly out of his stupor. "Oh, sorry. My name is Fialden."
"Nice to meet you Fialden."
"Nice to meet you too Adriala."

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White Squall
Fialden grit his teeth together as the wall attached to his hammock lurched at him violently, cuffing him about the left ear. "Belar" he swore under his breath as the knuckles on his right hand turned white and the other pushed steadily against the side wall. Outside rain and sea were
beating against the ship and the crew unfortunate enough to be working on deck. Around him, everyone was calm and unperturbed, confident in the Pelican's seaworthiness. Fialden tried to calm his nerves and focused on memories of Adriala.

"You're so annoying, just shut up already!"
A few friends laughed good naturedly in appreciation of the banter they mistook for a fight.
"It's not my fault you're not smart enough to understand."
"You're not funny, you're not witty, you're just stupid! Ok?!"

Fialden grinned, having always enjoyed a 'good fight. ' Across from him on one of the long tables popular in university cafeterias Adriala muttered under her breath and then applied herself to another conversation rather heatedly, making a point of ignoring Fialden's presence. Fialden drummed his fingers on his books for a minute, listening to the conversations on each side of him and looking over his peers absent-mindedly, trying to decide if it would be prudent to provoke her further. He sighed and deciding to leave her be yawned, stretching his hands and feet forward.
Under the table his toes tapped hers, but she showed no sign of noticing. Amusing himself Fialden left his feet in contact with hers while attending to mathematic work. He suddenly found her boots resting firmly on the tops of his; he smiled slightly but made no outward motion. Attempting to lift or remove his feet proved useless, as every time he did she pushed down harder until he relented. They remained that way, not talking because of their 'fight', while her feet rested on his until she had to rise for her next class. Fialden made no sign of noticing her when she stood to leave, and after she was out of ear shoot another student by the name of Lucian turned and mentioned quietly "She's bitchy today huh.." Fialden nodded appreciatively and held his smile in.

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