Hands Off

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 12th February 2025

Characters: Paldra
Description: Paldra has to teach someone the lesson of consent
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 4, day 21 of Turn 12

Notes:

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Paldra was grateful that there were bells set on the daylight hours for the Hall. With no discernable way to distinguish the time by the sun, like everyone else could, it was her first warning that the day had started. If she missed one -- which was rare -- the noise made by the other apprentices woke her before classes began.

She was a few sevendays into her new chapter at Harper Hall and today was the first day that she would attempt to do her routine without her buddy apprentice that had been assigned to her. She had purposefully picked a day with lighter responsibilities, in case she was late or got lost. But over the last few sevendays, painstakingly counting steps and relying on her other senses, Paldra felt that she now had a decent mental map of the Hall.

After taking the time to dress, her fingers feeling each of her tunics for the ones she had embroidered differently so that she could find the one she wanted, Paldra gathered her cane and began her unassisted journey.

Footsteps approached at a rapid, unstopping pace. “Morning Paldra!” someone said brightly. Tanar. That was the voice. He was one of the other apprentices, much younger than her. Paldra called a greeting back but Tanar was already gone, judging by how quickly his footsteps faded. By the direction of the sound, Paldra assumed that he was heading to the kitchen hall, which was where she was going as well. With her cane in front of her, tapping and swishing across the floor, Paldra followed.

Thirteen steps later, she held out her right hand to confirm that the corner of the wall was there. No, it was one step further. Fourteen then. She turned right, repeated the process until her scouting cane dropped, indicating her next obstacle: stairs.

Paldra readjusted her grip on her cane so that she could stab lightly downward as she navigated each step slowly, her right hand on the wall for balance. She heard the slower, deeper rhythm of adult footsteps near her. “Do you need help?” someone asked. Kalan, she recognized.

“No, thank you. I have it,” she answered with a bit more confidence than she felt but this was something she wanted to do on her own.

“Are you sure?” Kalan asked with concern coloring his light tenor voice.

Paldra stopped her progress to turn her sightless eyes in the direction of that voice. “Yes,” she answered primly. In her mind, it was one thing to ask if she needed help. It was nigh insulting to ask if she was certain about her decision. She was an adult -- she knew when she was at a limit of her abilities.

“Here, let me-” Kalan said. Paldra heard a rustle of clothing, felt the gentle push of wind from movement, smelled sweetsand and some sort of oil from him, and then felt his hand gripping her elbow.

She instinctively recoiled. She had declined his help and now he was insisting on it. Touching her without her consent! “No!” she snapped. Her foot shuffled back and off the final step, setting her off balance. Only a lucky placement of her cane kept her from twisting her ankle.

“I was just trying to help!” Kalan retorted. “You almost fell!”

“Because you touched me without my permission,” Paldra replied sharply. “I did not request your help, I told you that I did not need your help. If you hadn’t touched me, I would have been fine.”

Kalan made some sort of disbelieving grunting sound. Paldra cocked her head sharply towards it, straining for any indication of what he planned to do next. She was certain that her expression revealed some level of anger with him as she felt her lips peeling away from her teeth defensively. “Fine,” he muttered darkly. “Be that way. I was only trying to help.”

She heard the rustle of clothes moving again and tensed, prepared for him to shoulder his way past her. But the wind of his passing was all she felt as she heard his footsteps retreat.

Paldra’s hand sought the sturdy wall so that she could lean against it for a moment while she let her stomach settle. She _hated_ it when someone tried to force help on her! And then to act as those it was all _her_ fault when Kalan had decided to go against her wishes!

After a few moments, she was still upset with Kalan, but now even more determined to get through her day without help. She could do this, she knew it. Everyone else would just have to learn to leave her alone unless she _asked_ for their help.

Last updated on the February 21st 2025

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