First Breath January Mingle

[takeabow]

Who: First Breathians and visitors
Broadcast: n/a
Action: On the First Breath
When: All month!

[ it's a mingle! for the First Breath! Visitors welcome! ]

Comments

[tallasaking]

Where I am from, it is political power -- and land. Land is most important. Honor is in there somewhere.

[takeabow]

Honor definitely doesn't count for much.

There was a war, and now to remind us that we don't want a real war, every year they choose a boy and a girl from each District to fight to the death in a televised spectacle. They exchange rations for entries, so your choices are basically starve to death or have a higher chance of being drawn from the lottery.

[tallasaking]

You'd be surprised .... [He sighed softly.] I find that honor is the most rare and precious thing, outside of love itself.

[His eyes narrowed at that, before he stated quietly.] Well your capital sounds delightfully sadistic.

[takeabow]

"Delightful" is not the term I'd use.

[tallasaking]

That was meant with all due sarcasm. [His voice is quiet, as he looks at her.] You are made of stern stuff, Nova.

[takeabow]

Oh.

[ a beat ]

Thank you. My little sister's name was called, but I volunteered in her place.

[tallasaking]

[Now his eyebrows raise together.]

Now that ... is honorable, Nova. You must have truly loved her.

[takeabow]

[ wow she actually starts to emote some ]

I do. I'd feel better if she were here.

[tallasaking]

[He looks at her soberly.]

She must truly be special then.

[takeabow]

Her name is Primrose. Prim, for short.

[tallasaking]

Primrose --- a pretty name, to be sure. Is she like you?

[takeabow]

[ that prompts a small, kind smile ]

Thankfully, no. She has fair hair and loves almost everything. She wants to be a doctor. I tried to take her hunting once but she was so upset by the idea I had to bring her home.

[tallasaking]

[He smiled at that.]

That reminds me of my nephew and my niece - two of the kindest souls you could ever meet. I am honestly surprised they came from our family at all, honestly.

[takeabow]

Oh, yeah? It's a wonder.

[tallasaking]

Hah! [He smirked at her.] You are not wrong though.

[takeabow]

What are their names?

[tallasaking]

Mycella, and Tommen. [He looks wistful.] Sweet children. Did not at all deserve their parents or their older brother.

[takeabow]

Sounds like a story.

[tallasaking]

....Sometimes my family feels like a story. A horrible story, filled with bad witches and evil kings.

[takeabow]

It happens like that, huh. Maybe that's why we're here.

[tallasaking]

To tell another story? Perhaps. Although I have a fear this is another dark fairy tale.

[takeabow]

Maybe they find it entertaining.

Remember, people from my world love to watch kids kill each other.

[tallasaking]

The amount of violence that people find entertaining is truly disturbing ...

[takeabow]

Yeah, it is. I've always known it was wrong, but I didn't realize how strange it was to other people.

[tallasaking]

Well, you have to remember all of our cultures can be, in one way or another, baffling to the other person. For example, my people ride on horseback at one another with giant pointed sticks.