Author's Notes: Alrighty. This is based on another drawing of mine so.. Whatever
Painting on my Wall
Prologue
Contradiction
A soft tribal melody could be heard from the back of the room where Jandora's sister sat playing her wooden flute. Her twin brother sat next to her, drumming lightly, but rhythmically on the canvas covered instrument he had been selected to play at this ceremony. Another being stood over Jandora herself, who was sitting stiffly on her knees in a far corner, and a newborn baby slept soundlessly in the darkness.
There was no lighting in this household, so Jandora was forced to work by candlelight. It wouldn't have mattered even if they did have electricity; the rituals of the Seiiyota people always took place in the light of either candles or the moon. They were all proud people, not wanting to rely on the closely related human species for much, and wanting to keep their roots firmly in the ground. They were all honorable people, respecting ancestors and tradition, never changing the way of their people.
All except Jandora.
Nothing seemed out of ordinary that night; the baby was sleeping, born only three days ago and the neighbors were quiet and unsuspecting. The music was well rehearsed and candles placed exactly. Jandora had practiced almost her entire life for this night, so dipping her paintbrush into the inkwell, the strokes produced graceful, yet delicate lines and curves on the wooden wall.
Her movements matched the rhythm of the music and the flaming sticks of wax flickered, sending shadows dancing across her face and her artwork on the wood.
The figure above her stared down at her critically, searching for any mistakes in her presentation. Jandora, however, was well taught. Instead of suppressing her anxiety and taking on the task halfheartedly like most women of her race, this woman was willing to do this, confident in her skill, and determined to put an end to the suffering of the Seiiyota women.
Of course, her mission was not known to the others in the room, nor the other people of the clan. It was a secret desire that she kept locked in her heart, only for her one and only daughter to know. The newborn, sleeping soundly in her cradle, wrapped snugly in her woolen blanket, made not the slightest noise; one might think she was dead. However, this was normal to her kind.
Jandora smiled at her work, near finished. This was tradition of course. As a daughter is born, the mother of the cursed gender must paint a picture on the northern wall of the child's bedchamber. It must be of a young man, a cursed man (thought that part was taken care of by the gods) who shall look after her and find her a suitable Seiiyota husband.
Many mothers tried to avoid this, seeing as when the deed is done, the mother shall die and the father soon afterwards. It was just the way of the people. A short, but prosperous lifespan. The women were found a husband, they married, bore a child, then died when the child turned ten, should it be female. The Tomobei, drawing on the wall, would then materialize into flesh and look after her. Once she was married, it would dissipate and the cycle would repeat. But Jandora was determined to save her child.
The Seiiyota were people of the birds, or so they had been accustomed to think. Each had the singing voice of a mythical bird, able to cast a spell upon any human they wish and it was said, that on the first full moon of the year, they would sprout wings and fly through the night. It was true. They did fly, and they did sing, but as well as the birdish attributes, they lived the life of one as well. Routine.
Dipping her tool into the inkwell for what everyone assumed to be the last time, she brushed in the last line: a smirk. A proud, teasing, almost arrogant smirk.
"Jandora."
She did not look at her husband, knowing that if she did, her premeditated explanation would begin to stutter and sound stupid.
"It's a smile, my love," she said, just as she rehearsed. "We want him to make our daughter happy, don't we?"
"Happiness," he began icily, "is not a goal. The continuation of our species…is our goal. Now fix that."
She smiled. "Very well."
The man stared down at her as she aimed her brush towards the mouth to somehow make him a more serious character, but then 'slipped' and a slanted line protruded from the top of his head.
" Oops," she whispered with false surprise. "Well, we can't let that stay there, can we?" Everything was going according to plan. She knew once she finished three more lines, and some touch up work, her husband would be dead. Her twin siblings would be dead, and she would lie on the floor, lifeless among them. But the baby…the child would stay alive.
She began with a curved line, connecting to the top of the other. From there she shaded in about half of it, leaving small little wisps for effect. Satisfied, she grinned. One down, one to go.
Her husband didn't know what to do. He was paralyzed with fear, knowing exactly what she was doing. As she started on the second one, he tried to stop her, to slap her and teach her who was in charge here, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Was the curse taking effect already? How could it?
Then, as soon as she had started her extra artwork, she finished, and the man she had married was able to move again. With one single swipe, he swatted the paintbrush out of her hand and pushed her up against the dresser. He had married an evil woman.
The flute melody stopped, as her sister collapsed to the floor, and her twin soon followed, her husband rolled off of her and tried to attack the child, but Jandora was faster. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed him by the shirt collar and proceeded to drag him towards her as best she could, being weaker than he.
"Let her live! Let the child live!"
He turned around, throwing her off and slamming her head against the wall. "You're an evil woman!" he shouted, disturbing the serenity, "You're killing your entire family, and me, for a cursed child! How dare you find yourself above the gods!"
Starting towards her, in a motion to kill her, he shouted curse words, that did not go un-comprehended by the three day old child in the cradle. He made an attempt to grab her, but his strength suddenly diminished and he crumpled to the floor dead. Jandora let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Her death was near too, she could already feel it, so she turned to the painting on the wall.
"Make her happy, Torai. Teach her to fall in love," she whispered, blowing a kiss to the twin of a curse that she had painted on last. Perhaps this would settle things up above once and for all. "Please…"
That was all that was spoken that night, as she too, slid down to the ground to accept the consequence of her actions. The crickets made no noise and even the busy city that didn't seem to ever acknowledge her existence had died down. The child in the crib, opened her eyes, natural for her species, and looked at what her mother had left behind for her. She understood then, but her knowledge would fade into nothing more than misty memories as she grew older, but as she examined her future caretaker, one thing stood out above all the rest. A contradiction to her kind, something evil, yet misunderstood. He was not a Seiiyota Tomobei. No. Those looked normal. This one was different. He was going to change everything forever. He held one characteristic atop his head that could either save her, or kill her.
Cat ears.
Author's End Notes: Well, I hope that wasn't too bad of a prologue. Things will all start to come together if you don't understand them now, so don't worry. Sorry if you're reading any of my other works and I haven't been updating D