~You could no sooner move...~(Chronicles,Red)

[DoS Archive]

From: redsonyaxx@aol.com (RedSonyaXX)
Date: 28 Feb 1998 20:31:59 EST

~You could no sooner move the mountains~

My brothers were a stablizing part of my childhood, they taught me to fight, play, laugh, to love learning and to love. I was their mishievious sister that they would defend no matter the guilty look upon my features and the neighbors dyed sheep.

The oldest of my brothers was Timeron, a huge tower of a man. He stood six inches over six feet, his shoulders were broad and his dark curls fell to touch them. The most remarkable feature about him though were the gray-green eyes which held a treasures hoarde worth of knowledge and compassion.

Timeron had decided early in life to study everything and anything, he was a walking librabry and for me he was my hero for any question I might have.

One day was I was about thirteen, I can recall a conversation with him; it's one of my fondest memories for he answered all my questions with honesty and sincerity(if with a bit of slight amusement).

~* *~
"Gabriel, lass, why do ye approach me w' tha' look 'pon yer face? I ken ye 'ave a question, aye?", he set down the book he had been reading, the firelight flickering shadows across his features.

I paused a moment before beginning;we had an open relationship, but I had never asked him on such a personal issue before. I believe he sensed my hestitation and patted the seat beside him, "C'mon, lass, ye can no ask a question tha' ah'll not answer for ye, ifn' ah can.".

Flopping down into the chair(still an ungainly teen trying to get used to the recent growth spurts I had gone through), I thought on how to phrase my question.

"Ye'll no tell da, will ye, Timmy?", I'm sure that I was looking up at him with a look of imploring youth.

"No, Gabriel, ask yer question.", the look on his face telling the tale that he thought he was about to be asked of some legality that she had "accidently" broken with one of her pranks.

"Wha' does a girl do ifn' a boy asks to kiss 'er?"

"Wha?! Who asked fer ye ta kiss 'im? Ah'll.. well ah'll..", he had stood up and was half way to his sword before he turned back. Noting the crushed look of disappointment on my features he settled down, moving to take the seat across from me.

"Forgive me, lass, aye? Ah ken tha' ye are growin' up, but ye are still mah little sister.", he took my hands in his, clasping them tenderly. "Lass, ifn' a boy asks ye ta kiss 'im, ye tell 'im tha' yer waitin' on someone special. Someone tha' be worth yer kisses will accept tha' lass."

"'ow will ah kno' who ah am waitin' for, Timmy?".

"Ye'll kno' lass. Yer heart will start ta flutter, yer 'ands will tremble at the thought of a mere touch, most importantly, the lad will no ask fer more tha' ye can give. The lad will no' demand o' ye, nor make ye uncomfortable, 'e will spend time w' ye because there is no other place 'e would rather be than basking in yer light."

Unable to help myself, I giggled,"Mah light, Timmy? Mah 'air is bright, but it does no shine."

"No, lass, but ye do and will be a lucky lad tha' gets past da and yer overprotective brothers ta see it.", he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Ah, tis no so difficult, ah get past ye all often."

He chuckled softly, "Aye lass, ye do. But there is no a man as wily as ye out there, so ye will need ta find yerself a smart one; one worthy of ya, else ye'll be livin' out yer life as an old maid."

~* *~

Not much, it may seem, but to me it is an example why I loved my brothers so. Timmy was felled in a battle just south of our home; his body was brought back to us on a cart drawn by four horses. Before I knew what the cart carried I, in my youthful curiosity, sprung forward to lift the sheet that had been carefully shrewn over him.

It had been only a few months before that we spent that time by the fireside, whilst he spoke of protecting me. That was the first time that I felt a negative emotion, I think; foreign and vile, it took me a long time to figure out that it was hate.

Much to my fathers' dismay I announced that day that I was intent upon training to join the Kings' calvary. For it was also that day that my blood felt the first burning flame for the need of revenge. When I look upon the still body of my brother, his features pale, unbreathing, his beautiful treasure filled-eyes closed forever I knew that I could not allow another of my brothers to stand alone in battle. When next my brothers went to battle
it would be I that was there to protect.