Dragon Journal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dragonjournal) wrote2010-10-02 07:53 pm
dragonjournal) wrote2010-10-02 07:53 pm
Entry tags:
Bingo SPAM
Title: Bears A-Go-Go
Prompt: Stuffed Animal
Rating: PG (Just in case)
Content Notes/Warnings: Mentions: death; implies street living and not nice things.
As a little girl, she’d always had this great big bear. It’d been brown with deep black eyes, pink ears and the softest fur she had ever felt. At three, she’d refused to sleep anywhere but on top of it. As she got older, it held a place of honor on her bed.
When her world collapsed with her parents’ deaths, it’d been the one thing she’d been sure to take with her. Jeni had dragged that thing around with her on the streets, not caring how it looked. She’d needed that small piece of her past with her, reminding her of better times.
Jeni had memories of big stone halls, boys with long hair and a beautiful woman that wore jewels and the softest fabric she’d ever touched. She remembered another woman; one that smelled of oil, sweat and jasmine – she wore a black jewel around her wrist. She remembered a man with kind, dark eyes, a gentle laugh; he smelled like cool darkness and safety.
All those memories stopped when she entered the house she’d run from, where her ‘parents’ hadn’t been nearly as kind or as warm. That was where her bear had taken her. Except, her bear was only a stuffed animal….
A sound from nearby drew her out of her memories.
In the darkness of the alley, she clung to the bear and its matted fur, hiding from the men looking for her. Jeni had seen them about, looking for the small blonde, carrying the giant bear. That could only be her.
She pulled back into the tiny corner she’d hidden herself in. Moonlight glinted off the sword that one of the men had out. Her ears strained, picking up the soft words floating between the group. The language reminded her of those stone halls and the smell of perfumes. Some part of her mind picked out a word here or there, but not enough to understand what they were saying.
Jeni pulled back deeper into the shadows. Her fingers played with the necklace that she was never without. She’d thought about hocking it for food money, but the thought always left abruptly.
Her mother had always told her never to use the word ‘wish’. It had power, and she wouldn’t want the Powers That Be twisting that wish into something for Their amusement, now would she?
The men came closer. Their feet scuffed against the scattered garbage of the alley. Somewhere, a cat screeched and knocked over a pile of garbage. One of the men said something that Jeni didn’t have to translate to know what it meant.
Jeni risked a peek out of the doorway. One arm clung to the bear still. Fingers of her other hand played with her necklace.
They were getting closer. She had nowhere to hide. Her eyes squeezed shut, tears streaking down a filthy face.
She didn’t know why the men were looking for her, but her two years on the street had taught her that it could not be good.
Jeni swallowed more tears and looked up at the night sky. Her fingers brushed against the pendant around her neck. “I wish my bear was here.”
It made her feel better to say that aloud. Whatever cruel tricks the Powers That Be might play couldn’t possibly be worse than what the men might do to her.
A giant shadow stepped out of the doorway across from her. Jeni’s eyes widened. The shadow wore the deep purple of the Royal Guard. Three tassels dangled from the sword on his hip; an Officer. Where had he come from?!
Her eyes traveled upward. The shadow blocked out the weak moonlight that had been filtering down.
Then, she heard the sniffing.
“Djinn.” The voice sounded like a growl, but kind somehow. “I can smell you, djinn.” Definitely a male voice.
The men shouted from the other end of the alley, racing toward the shadow. They slid to a stop, babbling in that language again. The shadow growled at them, sending them running.
Jeni swallowed a whimper when she felt the shadow’s attention on her. Apparently, the Powers could do something cruel, even with so simple a wish. Perhaps she should have taken her chances with the other men.
“Come out, djinn.” The shadow growled. “You summoned; now face me.”
Jeni unfolded herself from the doorway, clinging to the stuffed animal pressed against her chest. Dirt-caked hair fell around her face as she stared at the ground. She had no idea if she was whatever it was looking for, but better not to anger the large shadow.
Light flared and she flinched. The Officer had magic at his command. That couldn’t be good.
A large clawed finger tilted her chin up. Her eyes met the warm yellow ones of what looked to be some sort of wolf-man. She’d heard of the tribes of wolf-men that lived as nomads in the wilds. She’d never seen one up close and hadn’t known that they served as Royal Guards.
She should have listened to her mother and never made that wish.
“What is your name, djinn?”
Jeni licked dry and cracked lips. “Jeni.”
She shrank back when the Officer snarled.
“You lie.”
Jeni shook her head, vehemently. “No, sir. My name is Jeni Hakkun.” Had he known her merchant father? Perhaps he would remember the name once meant something.
Strong fingers gripped her chin, forcing her to look up. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she clung to the stuffed bear. The Officer’s nose wrinkled – probably her smell or that of the bear – but he didn’t let her go.
“You are Gry Hakkun’s daughter?”
She nodded as much as she was able. “I was, am.” Her father had died two years ago. Surely he knew that. Everyone knew it.
“How old are you?”
Jeni blinked. She didn’t know. Days blurred into one another. She only noticed the passing of the seasons, and not the days on the calendar. “I…” She stopped. It’d been two winters since her parents had died in the fire. She’d been thirteen then. “Fifteen, I think.”
It was the best she could do.
The growl he gave sounded frustrated and angry. Then, he started to laugh. The laughter began to echo off the walls and he shook his head.
The laughing scared her more than his growl had. What had she said to amuse him? Was he amused? Or was he laughing in the same way that the butcher had laughed when chasing his son down the street with a whip?
She couldn’t tell the difference.
“Jenith.”
Jeni met his eyes again, terrified and shaking. “S-sir?” Her mouth dried out and her throat closed. How did he know her name?
“Do you remember me?”
She shook her head.
His large hand reached out to stroke the bear’s head. “I gave you this, and told you he would keep you safe just as I had.”
Jeni clutched the bear to her chest, quivering with the need to run.
“I promised you that I’d come back and we’d –“
“Go feed the fish.” Jeni remembered that. She had told her parents that her bear would be coming for her, so she had to keep her bag packed. She’d done that until she was five.
He nodded. “I’m Zukel.” His ears flicked back and forth and he knelt down and looked into her eyes. “You called me –“
“Bear.” She remembered now. She remembered.
Her fingers clutched the pendant. Had her wish been granted? Had the Powers somehow decided that taking her parents, her home and her safety was enough and They were giving her this one small boon?
Zukel pushed himself upright once again. His shadow towered over her. “Come, little djinn. I will take you home.” His hand was held out to her.
“My home was taken.” Jeni whispered into the filthy fur of her stuffed bear.
“Then let me give you a new one.”
She wanted to believe, wanted to take his hand and stop going hungry and cold. Her fingers unfurled from the pendant. Jeni didn’t know whether to reach for him or not.
“I will always keep you safe.”
She remembered the words. They’d been said the day she’d gotten the stuffed bear. A promise made to a three year old crying for her family.
Her fingers settled onto his hand and she nodded, still clutching the filthy stuffed animal to her chest. Gently, she was picked up and carried away from the garbage strewn alley.
Prompt: Stuffed Animal
Rating: PG (Just in case)
Content Notes/Warnings: Mentions: death; implies street living and not nice things.
As a little girl, she’d always had this great big bear. It’d been brown with deep black eyes, pink ears and the softest fur she had ever felt. At three, she’d refused to sleep anywhere but on top of it. As she got older, it held a place of honor on her bed.
When her world collapsed with her parents’ deaths, it’d been the one thing she’d been sure to take with her. Jeni had dragged that thing around with her on the streets, not caring how it looked. She’d needed that small piece of her past with her, reminding her of better times.
Jeni had memories of big stone halls, boys with long hair and a beautiful woman that wore jewels and the softest fabric she’d ever touched. She remembered another woman; one that smelled of oil, sweat and jasmine – she wore a black jewel around her wrist. She remembered a man with kind, dark eyes, a gentle laugh; he smelled like cool darkness and safety.
All those memories stopped when she entered the house she’d run from, where her ‘parents’ hadn’t been nearly as kind or as warm. That was where her bear had taken her. Except, her bear was only a stuffed animal….
A sound from nearby drew her out of her memories.
In the darkness of the alley, she clung to the bear and its matted fur, hiding from the men looking for her. Jeni had seen them about, looking for the small blonde, carrying the giant bear. That could only be her.
She pulled back into the tiny corner she’d hidden herself in. Moonlight glinted off the sword that one of the men had out. Her ears strained, picking up the soft words floating between the group. The language reminded her of those stone halls and the smell of perfumes. Some part of her mind picked out a word here or there, but not enough to understand what they were saying.
Jeni pulled back deeper into the shadows. Her fingers played with the necklace that she was never without. She’d thought about hocking it for food money, but the thought always left abruptly.
Her mother had always told her never to use the word ‘wish’. It had power, and she wouldn’t want the Powers That Be twisting that wish into something for Their amusement, now would she?
The men came closer. Their feet scuffed against the scattered garbage of the alley. Somewhere, a cat screeched and knocked over a pile of garbage. One of the men said something that Jeni didn’t have to translate to know what it meant.
Jeni risked a peek out of the doorway. One arm clung to the bear still. Fingers of her other hand played with her necklace.
They were getting closer. She had nowhere to hide. Her eyes squeezed shut, tears streaking down a filthy face.
She didn’t know why the men were looking for her, but her two years on the street had taught her that it could not be good.
Jeni swallowed more tears and looked up at the night sky. Her fingers brushed against the pendant around her neck. “I wish my bear was here.”
It made her feel better to say that aloud. Whatever cruel tricks the Powers That Be might play couldn’t possibly be worse than what the men might do to her.
A giant shadow stepped out of the doorway across from her. Jeni’s eyes widened. The shadow wore the deep purple of the Royal Guard. Three tassels dangled from the sword on his hip; an Officer. Where had he come from?!
Her eyes traveled upward. The shadow blocked out the weak moonlight that had been filtering down.
Then, she heard the sniffing.
“Djinn.” The voice sounded like a growl, but kind somehow. “I can smell you, djinn.” Definitely a male voice.
The men shouted from the other end of the alley, racing toward the shadow. They slid to a stop, babbling in that language again. The shadow growled at them, sending them running.
Jeni swallowed a whimper when she felt the shadow’s attention on her. Apparently, the Powers could do something cruel, even with so simple a wish. Perhaps she should have taken her chances with the other men.
“Come out, djinn.” The shadow growled. “You summoned; now face me.”
Jeni unfolded herself from the doorway, clinging to the stuffed animal pressed against her chest. Dirt-caked hair fell around her face as she stared at the ground. She had no idea if she was whatever it was looking for, but better not to anger the large shadow.
Light flared and she flinched. The Officer had magic at his command. That couldn’t be good.
A large clawed finger tilted her chin up. Her eyes met the warm yellow ones of what looked to be some sort of wolf-man. She’d heard of the tribes of wolf-men that lived as nomads in the wilds. She’d never seen one up close and hadn’t known that they served as Royal Guards.
She should have listened to her mother and never made that wish.
“What is your name, djinn?”
Jeni licked dry and cracked lips. “Jeni.”
She shrank back when the Officer snarled.
“You lie.”
Jeni shook her head, vehemently. “No, sir. My name is Jeni Hakkun.” Had he known her merchant father? Perhaps he would remember the name once meant something.
Strong fingers gripped her chin, forcing her to look up. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she clung to the stuffed bear. The Officer’s nose wrinkled – probably her smell or that of the bear – but he didn’t let her go.
“You are Gry Hakkun’s daughter?”
She nodded as much as she was able. “I was, am.” Her father had died two years ago. Surely he knew that. Everyone knew it.
“How old are you?”
Jeni blinked. She didn’t know. Days blurred into one another. She only noticed the passing of the seasons, and not the days on the calendar. “I…” She stopped. It’d been two winters since her parents had died in the fire. She’d been thirteen then. “Fifteen, I think.”
It was the best she could do.
The growl he gave sounded frustrated and angry. Then, he started to laugh. The laughter began to echo off the walls and he shook his head.
The laughing scared her more than his growl had. What had she said to amuse him? Was he amused? Or was he laughing in the same way that the butcher had laughed when chasing his son down the street with a whip?
She couldn’t tell the difference.
“Jenith.”
Jeni met his eyes again, terrified and shaking. “S-sir?” Her mouth dried out and her throat closed. How did he know her name?
“Do you remember me?”
She shook her head.
His large hand reached out to stroke the bear’s head. “I gave you this, and told you he would keep you safe just as I had.”
Jeni clutched the bear to her chest, quivering with the need to run.
“I promised you that I’d come back and we’d –“
“Go feed the fish.” Jeni remembered that. She had told her parents that her bear would be coming for her, so she had to keep her bag packed. She’d done that until she was five.
He nodded. “I’m Zukel.” His ears flicked back and forth and he knelt down and looked into her eyes. “You called me –“
“Bear.” She remembered now. She remembered.
Her fingers clutched the pendant. Had her wish been granted? Had the Powers somehow decided that taking her parents, her home and her safety was enough and They were giving her this one small boon?
Zukel pushed himself upright once again. His shadow towered over her. “Come, little djinn. I will take you home.” His hand was held out to her.
“My home was taken.” Jeni whispered into the filthy fur of her stuffed bear.
“Then let me give you a new one.”
She wanted to believe, wanted to take his hand and stop going hungry and cold. Her fingers unfurled from the pendant. Jeni didn’t know whether to reach for him or not.
“I will always keep you safe.”
She remembered the words. They’d been said the day she’d gotten the stuffed bear. A promise made to a three year old crying for her family.
Her fingers settled onto his hand and she nodded, still clutching the filthy stuffed animal to her chest. Gently, she was picked up and carried away from the garbage strewn alley.