Game Date: 1-2 Darkmonth, 995 KC; Play Dates: 1/18/2002, 1/27/2002
Aftermath 1: Ruqayyah (Part 1: 1/18/2002)
1 Darkmonth (Winter Solstice; New Year's Day; Ruqayyah's 19th birthday): Ruqayyah dreamed that she was in the desert, under a starry night sky with no moon. She was in her usual caracal-marked human form, and wore the clothes she had worn to bed. She called a hello, and a shadow on a nearby rise approached. She thought it was a jackal, so looked for others, and saw them moving in the distance. The jackal came near, then walked away, looking back at her frequently. She followed it over a dune into the next low spot, where some pools of water had gathered. The jackal stopped on the other side of these, and sat. Ruqayyah kneeled opposite the pool from it.
The jackal cocked its head, and she heard a voice in her mind: What do you want? She recalled that Jin-Hustan, the Jackal, was god of the moon, alertness and stealth; having a god talking to her made her very uneasy. "But I thought I was here to do something for You." You asked for something. (She had: the blessing on Sidor.) "I asked for something, but didn't mean to bother You." I can help him, through you. "What must I do?" Teach him. (She realized this already.) Help him accept himself, and thus master himself. Accept yourself. "I was afraid that was coming. I will try." He nodded. "Will that be enough?" You will learn. If you keep your duty in mind, you will know what to do--in this and other things. "Is he the only one to teach?" Here, for now.
Do you fear your duty? "That isn't the word I would use, but probably the closest. I fear not being good enough for the honor that Jin-Mubik has shown me. I sometimes feel trapped, but that is an unworthy thought. I can try to change that." What would help? "I will persevere; I will be fine." Is the Moon a burden to you? "It was in the past, but is getting better. Maybe someday, that too will change." How do you see yourself then? (She gave a blank look.) What do you see of your path? What do you wish to see of your path? "The path before me a curved line, with many spots where I stopped and did not find the way. If I retain the strength my friends have shared with me, and keep in mind the duty placed on me, then my path will be straight. I may sometimes walk slowly, but I will get there." I think you shall. She has chosen well. The jackal padded around to her, seeming to grow in size as it did so. It touched its chin to the top of her head, and she woke.
Ruqayyah woke in the early afternoon. She touched the top of her head, where the jackal had touched her. She noticed then that her ears were human again, not lynx-like. The part of her skin she could see (just her hands, at first) was still patterned like a caracal's fur.
Few people were up yet, after the exhausting night they all had. Ruqayyah was quite surprised that she, of all people, had risen this early. She found some food, then took a bath. Before she finished washing, Afla joined her. She noticed the ears immediately, and asked about them. Ruqayyah believed the change was a gift from Jin-Hustan; perhaps he thought the ears were just a bit too much cat? Afla confirmed that her ears were the only overnight change.
Aftermath 1: Ruqayyah (Part 2: 1/27/2002)
1 Darkmonth (continued): Ruqayyah tried to explain her dream to Afla. After the ritual, she had asked Doshonor to bless the prince. Today was Jin-Hustan's high holy day, and he had answered her last night (this morning). Jin-Hustan could help him, by working through her. She could help Sidor combine the demands of his shifting and his status, while minimizing others' worries about him. Jin-Hustan asked her some questions, which she had answered as best she could. Ruqayyah had never expected the gods to talk directly to her or her people; she thought the gift of magic was enough. She had not expected the lynx ears to go away; she had had them quite some time. The change must be His gift to her (Afla agreed that was likely), but this would take getting used to.
Afla asked if she could look at her aura for other changes. She agreed. Afla cast the spell a couple of times, and was puzzled. She thought she detected a slight change, but lacked the skill to be certain. Perhaps a Celestian cleric here could tell more? She was unsure whether one of their diviners would need to have been acquainted with her and/or her original aura to notice the difference.
Afla could not say how long the Duz would remain here. They and the Celestian clerics had yet to study the consequences of the ritual. If the Ceelstians had everything in hand, the Duz could leave soon. If Ruqayyah stayed here longer, however, then at least one Duz (Afla and.or Qutaibah) would stay here with her.
Ruqayyah's plans depended on whether she was needed here. She had decided she could no longer put off finishing her training. Afla was pleased to hear that, and was certain Qutaibah would be, too. Ruqayyah asked what she needed to concentrate on first, to become what the tribe and goddess needed her to be. Afla said that she should definitely work on her meditation and spell skills, and that the Duz could advise her further after spending some time evaluating her progress. They parted.
Ruqayyah resolved to give the imperial family a day of rest before making inquiries about the prince. At dinner, a messenger found her. He asked her to attend on Her Imperial Majesty the next morning. She agreed, so was given the place and time, and told that a page would be sent to guide her.
2 Darkmonth: Ruqayyah had not worn her veils in some time, and decided not to resume then now--Jin-Hustan had said that she must accept herself. The page led her to the palace. In a sitting room near the imperial living area, she was shown into a chamber where Empress Carimine and Prince Sidor awaited her. Also with them was a Sidor's tutor, Zudak. He was a stocky, very short man with bronze skin, brown hair and green eyes. Carimine thanked her for her part in the ritual, and her actions on Sidor's behalf, including her petition. She asked Ruqayyah to stay. She did not know whether the mage could help hers on learn control, but her presence was more calming than anyone else's attempts to date. Ruqayyah was honored by her request, and was willing to stay if Sidor so wished. He simply said, "Please." She expressed her concern that her presence might be awkward--she was a Kelduzi, and a shapehifter. The Empress was not concerned about that; she only wished that Sidor's changes stay secret, at least until he could control them. His tutor Zudak was not Krithian, either--he was a bronze dwarf from the mountains to the south.
If Ruqayyah agreed to stay, she would be given living quarters (and her other needs) in the palace, and would spend a portion of each day with Sidor and Zudak. She thought that very generous, but would need to consult with her friends first, to learn their plans. She thought that Laylah would stay here at least as long as Mistress Theolodia did, to study with her. She was uncertain about Darra's plans. The Duz would stay here until they learned whether the ritual's consequences required their continued presence.
Carimine asked if she was free to spend time with Sidor now, before returning to her friends. She said yes. Zudak showed her to the prince's rooms to acquaint her with them (particularly the study space) in case she stayed. The dwarf was employed to teach the Crown Prince about the history and geography of Krith, to instruct him in Anbarrut (the dwarves' language), and to answer his questions as needed at other times (such as at court). He had other tutors for subjects Zudak could not teach him, such as riding, swordplay, and certain forms of etiquette. Ruqayyah would be welcome to join the prince at his lessons, if she wished; she was very interested in doing so.
Ruqayyah tried to lead the conversation into Sidor's likes and dislikes, so that she would know him better. Among other things, he was obsessed with cats--he had many cat toys, was friendly with the kitchen cats, and his father's menagerie included several lions. He proved very curious about the cats native to her home, so she told him about caracals, including the Umar's companion Razil, and created an illusion to show him one. He asked to see her turn into one. She failed in her first try, and explained that it was hard to do. He asked if he could do that. She explained that it required a certain rare gift; perhaps one of her teachers could tell whether he had that gift. (She silently doubted that he did, being fairly certain that someone in the court would have detected it by now.) She explained some of the risks involved in shapeshifting--she had "gotten stuck" a few times, hence her strange eyes and skin.
Her second attempt worked. Sidor was startled but not scared. She did normal cat things to put him at ease--purring, grooming, etc. When he tentatively reached out, she demanded to be petted, and he did so. Zudak was obviously amused, but after a few minutes, suggested they move on. After she changed back, Sidor grew pensive. He could not remember anything from when he was a lion. Ruqayyah said he should recall more when he learns to control it. Mother hadn't told him everything about those episodes; Ruqayyah promised to, if he wished and his mother allowed it. Ruqayyah had to take her leave soon after this, so that Zudak could give Sidor a lesson. The prince repeated his hope that she would stay. She promised to, if she could. He impulsively hugged her before she left.
Ruqayyah decided to learn more about lions before finding her friends. She inquired about the temple's library, and was shown to their Malduzi texts. These included both secular and religious texts--more of each than in Berigissel. She found very little about lions, and guessed that she would need to talk with Zudak or get introduced to someone who worked at the menagerie. She had a strong desire to see that collection; she wondered if they had swans as well, because of Laylah's stories about them.
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This page last revised 3/23/2002. | Copyright 2002 Timothy E. Emrick. | time@sluggy.net