Where From Here

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 8th November 2012

Characters: J'ackt
Description: Jenackt considers what to do and where to go
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 11, day 5 of Turn 6

J'ackt

What was normal? Was normal working in the fields, tending
to flocks of herdbeasts or toiling in the local mines? Or was
normal the daily task of scraping for what you could find to eat?
To hear only the sound of your own voice day after day and to
curse your own father for condemning you to a life of solitude?
To constantly watch over your shoulder out of fear and to wonder
if you'd have to bury or burn another body today or tomorrow?

Jenackt stared at the creek, curling to rest his chin on a propped
up knee. He stared at the water while his fingers combed through
the grass at his side. A pack, filled with his few belongings lay
against his leg, patched and repeatedly repaired. He had packed
up his nook and scattered the remains of his cold fire. He wasn't
going back but he didn't know where he was headed. For all of the
physical safety that the stony outcrop offered, it gave little in the
way of comfort. It offered the monotony of a life he hadn't chosen,
a life he had steadily been growing to hate.

Blue eyes flicked over the water, watching as the light filtered
through the trees to reflect against the moving water. The gentle
sound of the creek was soothing, but didn't help him escape
thoughts of what his future would be. What was he doing? Where
was he going?

He ran a hand through his hair, grimacing slightly at the strands.
It was getting too long again. He'd have to trim it again with his
knife before the stuff started to fall in his eyes again. He paused
and fingered the strands before pulling them over his brow to stare
at the pale blond hair in his fingers. Hm. Maybe…His eyes narrowed
at the strands before suddenly standing to move to the creek's bank
and pulling his knife.

Looking down at his wavering reflection, Jenackt took a handful of hair
and started slicing. It was quick work, lopping off the shaggy strands
to a bare fingertip length; the blond locks remaining were barely
enough to grab at all. Brushing his clothes off, Jenackt looked down with
grim satisfaction before trimming a few stray strands he had missed.
He ran his hand over the chopped hair and nodded before his eyes
flicked about, searching.

Ah. There. He rose again and with quick motions pulled handfuls of
berries that he knew from experience left dark red stains on clothing.
Hopefully they'd work like he'd wanted. Walking back to the creek
bank, he smashed the berries to pulp into his hands then liberally
ground the juice onto what remained of his hair and scrubbed it in.
It was sticky, but after waiting for the juices to stain and plunging his
head into the chilly water to rinse, he had what he wanted. Sputtering
and wiping his eyes he stared back down at the water with a nod. A
bit redder than he expected and certainly not permanent, but they were
looking for a blonde. Hopefully it would last long enough to do what he needed.

He bent to pick up his pack, and exhaled as he turned north. Emerald Falls
was two candlemarks away. And then the riverboat docks and away from here
with the next boat.

And from there…Faranth only knew.

Last updated on the November 17th 2012

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Where From Here