[ there is a saying in vissudha that both young and old know. his grandmother once said this as she sat him in his lap, and taught him how to work a needle inch by inch across cloth: a person who does not remember where he came from will never reach his destination. alhaitham remembers. there had been a grew spiral of a tower. the ali qapu is famous for them. the horns of heaven, or so they called them, to mimic that of the headdress that the goddess of flowers once wore to celebrate the king of the desert. the symbolism of the tower has long since been banned from the vernacular. azar would never allow worship of anything that insinuated a higher power than himself. but the spires remained, and they once stood tall enough that a young child could mistake them for having held up the sky. there had been two children back then, and a trellis long enough and strong enough that a child could climb with assistance.
his mother had laughed, then, when a child's head poked itself over the ornate ledge. she had not been laughing at him, or them, or any such person in the room that they could see. but she had laughed, and alhaitham's heart had swelled for it. so went that day long past, two children huddled beneath the eaves. only alhaitham remembers; now, there may be one more.
at eleven, alhaitham wakes. a moment passes where he can only hear the sound of his own heartbeat. for a moment, he wonders if kaveh finally attempted escape. it is the less ideal outcome, but it is one that alhaitham has a contingency for. amidst the guards belonging to azar are guards that are loyal to him for one reason or another. they have their orders. kaveh will be secure, though unscathed is a different matter. azar's guards have orders as well. mitigation, however, is not impossible. alhaitham has not believed in the impossible for some time. but it isn't until he feels wakedness fully come upon him that he hears the creak of the door once more. there is no silver bell announcing a servant's presence. alhaitham closes his eyes, briefly, and then opens them once more.
kaveh pads in on silent feet. his eyes seek alhaitham's. of course, alhaitham looks. kaveh is red, a crimson gash, still-bleeding, pressed into the black of vissudha's halls. the imperious tilt of his head is uncompromising. alhaitham looks at him, and thinks - his conversation with elham must have gone well.
alhaitham thinks - good. ]
I assume that you were capable of following basic instructions, and sent her back on time?
[ words follow form. form follow sound. sound follows intention. his name forms in alhaitham's mouth; his teeth molds around it. it is light, it is music, and it is stone: ]
no subject
his mother had laughed, then, when a child's head poked itself over the ornate ledge. she had not been laughing at him, or them, or any such person in the room that they could see. but she had laughed, and alhaitham's heart had swelled for it. so went that day long past, two children huddled beneath the eaves. only alhaitham remembers; now, there may be one more.
at eleven, alhaitham wakes. a moment passes where he can only hear the sound of his own heartbeat. for a moment, he wonders if kaveh finally attempted escape. it is the less ideal outcome, but it is one that alhaitham has a contingency for. amidst the guards belonging to azar are guards that are loyal to him for one reason or another. they have their orders. kaveh will be secure, though unscathed is a different matter. azar's guards have orders as well. mitigation, however, is not impossible. alhaitham has not believed in the impossible for some time. but it isn't until he feels wakedness fully come upon him that he hears the creak of the door once more. there is no silver bell announcing a servant's presence. alhaitham closes his eyes, briefly, and then opens them once more.
kaveh pads in on silent feet. his eyes seek alhaitham's. of course, alhaitham looks. kaveh is red, a crimson gash, still-bleeding, pressed into the black of vissudha's halls. the imperious tilt of his head is uncompromising. alhaitham looks at him, and thinks - his conversation with elham must have gone well.
alhaitham thinks - good. ]
I assume that you were capable of following basic instructions, and sent her back on time?
[ words follow form. form follow sound. sound follows intention. his name forms in alhaitham's mouth; his teeth molds around it. it is light, it is music, and it is stone: ]
Kaveh.