Categories > Games > Dungeons & Dragons > Sound of Silence
Coming of Age
0 reviewsHijiri's mother meets a man who helps to secure him a better future...
2Original
On Hijiri's sixteenth birthday Marianne decided to take him to the tavern. Hijiri had grown used to the episodes of people muttering about his worth in society. His mother always bid him to ignore them and despite being shielded from most of them he was still a very insecure little boy inside.
Hijiri had been given a new set of clothes for the tavern and had headed out with a smile. His mother had brought him a flute for his birthday and told him that he should learn to play music because that could express him as well as any words. He had taken the flute and not let go all day. She had heard him in the garden determined to figure it out. She had also seen the shock when he managed to make a noise that wasn't his whistle.
"Izzie are you ready?" She asked him before checking she was well dressed. She felt old already. Having her little boy was a hard enough job but she'd had to take up tailoring to make money. He had eagerly decided it would be worth him learning to ease the burden.
He came flying down the stairs in his new clothes and nodded to her. He made a few hand gestures to tell her that he thought she looked very pretty and kissed her cheek. Marianne smiled at him and pulled a lock of his long black hair. He was looking more like his father now that he had grown up. Marianne wondered what Aaron would have made of him. Even without his voice he was a fine lad.
The Mermaid Tavern was a completely new experience and he made sure to watch everything in sight. Marianne had asked Mary and a few of his other friends over to look after him as well. She wanted him to enjoy his time out and with everyone around he would feel safe. He could hear everyone talking loudly and smell pipe weed and ale in the air. Marianne led him into the bar and to the large table with Mary, her husband, and the captain of the guard and some other close friends.
"Izzie." Mary gave him a hug and sat him down in a chair. "You look exquisite." She complimented. "All the girls will want a kiss from you."
"Lucky man." Smiled Captain Arimen as the young half-elf said his hello to each person and his mother brought ale to his place. "You have certainly grown fast. I remember your mother bringing you over to teach you where to come to with trouble. It seems like forever ago."
Hijiri nodded and told them that he was a little surprised he'd made it this far. He was glad but he didn't think he'd ever get strong like Arimen. There was a lot of laughter and then Arimen pointed out that he had other strengths that people would admire. Fighting wasn't the only thing in life. It made Hijiri smile and he told them that he thought his mother was beautiful in her new clothes. He showed them his flute and told them that he was going to learn to play it.
Later on in the evening there was a lot of chatter before he was presented with a Long Sword from all of them. The pretty weapon was designed for fighting but it was a little decorative just to make him look good. Also they gave him a bow and arrows and some daggers. Then Arimen gave him some leather armour and told him that they had decided he needed these things because he was now a man.
In the background Marianne hid her tears well. She had never imagined him getting this far in his life. The memory of being told he should be taken away and killed had never escaped her. She knew she'd have to tell him about his dad sometime. She watched him sat with everyone in the tavern talking and prayed to God that nothing ever happened to him or to her short term. He was still like a child she had protected him too much.
"That must be some weight on your shoulders my dear." Said a man from beside her. "Is that your young man there?"
"Yes, he's turned sixteen today." She smiled back. The man wasn't the most attractive of men but he had a gentle look about him.
"He's rather special too. I heard about him in the market." The man bowed to her. "He's very unique in that he cannot talk but I think he has more ways of talking than most people give him credit for. You are a lucky woman to have a handsome son who seems bright and eager to live in the world. It cannot have been easy."
"He's a very special boy." She said with a smile. "He takes some horrid comments about his life but he is stronger than to let it get to him. What is your name please sir?"
"Oh mine is Yashimara. I have seen the clothes you make. I wondered if I might interest you both in making them to sell for me? I am a merchant but I try to be honest. If you would have me as a friend I would be even more honoured." He smiled broadly.
The night progressed well and Yashimara was shown how to read some of Hijiri's basic language. It took sometime but he tried hard and Hijiri wrote a lot down for him. By late evening there was only Hijiri, his mother, a few stragglers and the bard on stage. Hijiri had asked her to teach him and after a long written explanation from him she had agreed. She told him he was too handsome to ignore. It had made him blush.
Hijiri had been given a new set of clothes for the tavern and had headed out with a smile. His mother had brought him a flute for his birthday and told him that he should learn to play music because that could express him as well as any words. He had taken the flute and not let go all day. She had heard him in the garden determined to figure it out. She had also seen the shock when he managed to make a noise that wasn't his whistle.
"Izzie are you ready?" She asked him before checking she was well dressed. She felt old already. Having her little boy was a hard enough job but she'd had to take up tailoring to make money. He had eagerly decided it would be worth him learning to ease the burden.
He came flying down the stairs in his new clothes and nodded to her. He made a few hand gestures to tell her that he thought she looked very pretty and kissed her cheek. Marianne smiled at him and pulled a lock of his long black hair. He was looking more like his father now that he had grown up. Marianne wondered what Aaron would have made of him. Even without his voice he was a fine lad.
The Mermaid Tavern was a completely new experience and he made sure to watch everything in sight. Marianne had asked Mary and a few of his other friends over to look after him as well. She wanted him to enjoy his time out and with everyone around he would feel safe. He could hear everyone talking loudly and smell pipe weed and ale in the air. Marianne led him into the bar and to the large table with Mary, her husband, and the captain of the guard and some other close friends.
"Izzie." Mary gave him a hug and sat him down in a chair. "You look exquisite." She complimented. "All the girls will want a kiss from you."
"Lucky man." Smiled Captain Arimen as the young half-elf said his hello to each person and his mother brought ale to his place. "You have certainly grown fast. I remember your mother bringing you over to teach you where to come to with trouble. It seems like forever ago."
Hijiri nodded and told them that he was a little surprised he'd made it this far. He was glad but he didn't think he'd ever get strong like Arimen. There was a lot of laughter and then Arimen pointed out that he had other strengths that people would admire. Fighting wasn't the only thing in life. It made Hijiri smile and he told them that he thought his mother was beautiful in her new clothes. He showed them his flute and told them that he was going to learn to play it.
Later on in the evening there was a lot of chatter before he was presented with a Long Sword from all of them. The pretty weapon was designed for fighting but it was a little decorative just to make him look good. Also they gave him a bow and arrows and some daggers. Then Arimen gave him some leather armour and told him that they had decided he needed these things because he was now a man.
In the background Marianne hid her tears well. She had never imagined him getting this far in his life. The memory of being told he should be taken away and killed had never escaped her. She knew she'd have to tell him about his dad sometime. She watched him sat with everyone in the tavern talking and prayed to God that nothing ever happened to him or to her short term. He was still like a child she had protected him too much.
"That must be some weight on your shoulders my dear." Said a man from beside her. "Is that your young man there?"
"Yes, he's turned sixteen today." She smiled back. The man wasn't the most attractive of men but he had a gentle look about him.
"He's rather special too. I heard about him in the market." The man bowed to her. "He's very unique in that he cannot talk but I think he has more ways of talking than most people give him credit for. You are a lucky woman to have a handsome son who seems bright and eager to live in the world. It cannot have been easy."
"He's a very special boy." She said with a smile. "He takes some horrid comments about his life but he is stronger than to let it get to him. What is your name please sir?"
"Oh mine is Yashimara. I have seen the clothes you make. I wondered if I might interest you both in making them to sell for me? I am a merchant but I try to be honest. If you would have me as a friend I would be even more honoured." He smiled broadly.
The night progressed well and Yashimara was shown how to read some of Hijiri's basic language. It took sometime but he tried hard and Hijiri wrote a lot down for him. By late evening there was only Hijiri, his mother, a few stragglers and the bard on stage. Hijiri had asked her to teach him and after a long written explanation from him she had agreed. She told him he was too handsome to ignore. It had made him blush.
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