Incrementum

[Rayalia 290]

Spoiler

Hello hello! This is some creative writing done for one of my characters! Please do not metagame anything in the post or the spoilers below. Enjoy! <3

(TW: not proof read ^-^')

 

"(The) Hummingbird teaches us to transcend time, to recognize that what has happened in the past and what might happen in the future is not nearly as important as what we are experiencing now. It teaches us to hover in the moment, to appreciate its sweetness."- Constance Barrett Sohodski

 

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From sprout…

 

 

The small elfess had cradled that seed, held it close as she traveled between two worlds, never once letting it out of reach. Together, they explored new lands, seeking, searching for a place to call home.

 

Half submerged in water, the seed began to sprout. 

 

… to sapling…

 

The ‘Ame, after great deliberation, ended up on a cliff near Balian. The soil was fertile, the air clear, the sun strong. The road, though in view, held almost no traffic to it, and beyond lay the sea. It was peaceful there, calming. She planted the sprout, small and young and weak as it was, and spent endless days and nights watching and waiting and listening. It was fed compost, given water, plucked free of any overly hungry critters and bugs.

 

Nights turned into weeks and weeks into months and months into a year.

 

… to tree.

 

It bore no fruit - not yet, for it was too young - but its trunk began to grow strong. Now reaching towards the elfess’ knees, it no longer needed daily aid. The oceanic winds had forced it to adapt, to become sturdy or to topple. It didn’t need her to help it anymore, not truly. Her protection? Perhaps. But not her assistance with flourishing. And so she sat beside it, as she always did, and watched the world dance around them.
 

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Spoiler

"Snow’s Maiden, SA 134

 

I don’t know what day or month it is but here in Balian I suppose it doesn’t matter. The weather doesn’t change much. I found a nice spot away from the road to plant the seed. I’m scared it’ll die. It’s the only seed I have from the only tree I grew in Almaris. I planted it. The soil wasn’t too hard to dig up and there were a lot of worms. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.

 

 

It’s really windy here on the cliff. The sapling almost broke in half at one point so I’ve tied it to a stick to keep it upright until it can stand on its own. I saw some beavers nearby the other day. Beavers? Or an animal that looks like them, at least, so I also built a stick fence around the sprout to try and make sure no animals eat it or anything.

 

 

Malin’s Welcome, SA 134

 

 

We buried the lizard beneath the sapling a few days ago. I don’t know what else to write. If I do write I’ll just get angry at the Father Circle for being terrible at being druii.

 

 

The First Seed, SA 134

 

 

Some of its leaves have holes in them but the trunk seems fine. I found a few ladybugs on it, so maybe they were eating the leaves? I think it’s okay though, there’s no signs of the sprout weakening. It’s been a dry month so I’ve been watering it every morning, before the sun is really in the sky.

 

 

The Grand Harvest, SA 134

 

 

I chased off a raccoon that was trying to dig up the tree’s roots. I guess my fence wasn’t tall enough. It didn’t eat too much though, so I’m hoping the sapling can bounce back. I’m rebuilding the fence and putting a grid top on it to make sure nothing else gets to it. The raccoon was rude. Nothing like Poncho.

 

 

Sun’s Smile, SA 134

 

 

I found a caterpillar on the sprout’s branch today! It’s big and fat and slow so I picked it up and put it in a better, stronger tree that has a lot of places for it to hide from birds. A caterpillar that big has worked really hard to prepare to become a butterfly. I’m excited to see what it looks like when it changes.

 

 

The Amber Cold, SA 134

 

 

I’ve been sitting with the sapling a lot lately, just watching it. It used to be boring but now it's just calming. I’ve never really just sat surrounded by nature before. I understand why Mum left, now. There’s only natural chaos here. Everything is so loud when I go quiet. I don’t know how to explain it. Everything just moves so fluidly. Everything works together, even when it's fighting, to maintain a world that is healthy for everything living in it. It’s so different from the selfishness of the cities. I wish I’d done this sooner but it’s hard to tell my inner voices to shut up most of the time.

 

 

The Deep Cold, SA 134

 

 

It’s almost been a year. Just another month or so until then. I untied the sapling from the support stick and it’s holding up really well. I’m seeing less bees in the area as of late but I’m not too concerned. The temperature did drop some. It’s not cold here but it’s not sweltering hot anymore either. I think the sprout likes it. It’s growing a lot faster now. Or maybe the lizard just finally decomposed beneath it. I don’t know. Maybe it didn’t like the constant heat from the summers? The last tree got planted higher up so it was always cooler. The breeze from the ocean does a good job of copying that most days, at least.

 

 

Snow’s Maiden, SA 135

 

It’s been a full year now. I wonder when the avocado fruits will start to grow. Probably when the tree’s much taller. I was supposed to reflect on how I've changed along with it, how I’ve grown with it. I don’t know if I have, if I’m being honest. Not in the way that people want me to, at least. I feel lonely a lot. It doesn’t hurt as much. I don’t know if I’m just getting used to it or if I’m just starting to like being alone. I don’t know how I’ve grown as a dedicant. I just… am. I am one. I want to help. I suppose I surprised myself when Norra tried to cut my head off. I was more scared for the lizards than for myself. I don’t know if that’s good or bad either. It just is. 

 

 

I was scared, before, about becoming a draoi. Do you remember that? I was scared that I’d mess up so bad, become what everyone says I am. I’m not scared of that anymore. I’m not going to be a draoi. Draoi are corrupted. They care more for their power and politics than for the balance. I want to be kind but firm. I am going to be kind but firm. I’m not scared anymore. I know I won’t make any mistakes that I can’t fix. I know I’m not what they say I am. I’m confident in that, at least. I’m not evil. I’m not a bad person. And maybe I do need druidic allies, but I won’t be getting them anytime soon. Not from the majority. I know that. I’m not scared. I’ll look after the little imbalances, the ones that they don’t care to look after. The ones in Talar’nor and the human cities. I want to be proactive as much as I will be reactive. 

 

 

I don’t know if that makes sense. I guess it doesn’t, not really. That’s fine. It’s not a change that can be described with words."