Tonight was one of those nights Nasrin’s brain just refused to shut up. It hadn’t quite reached the point where her brain felt like it was screaming, but it was close. Nasrin had learned this feeling at a young age. The feeling of her thoughts racing without any coherent thoughts to latch on to. Instead of clear thoughts, there was just noise. The noise overwhelmed everything. In class, she could feel her teachers glare at her as she tapped her pencil or jiggled her leg. Their lectures went in one ear and out the other when she was like this. Last night, while Kaira was out of their room, Nas had even hurled one of her beloved math books across the room out of frustration. Why was this so hard for her? Who had she been fooling with those thick books full of problems and complex proofs? She was just a stupid little girl.
She sat on her bed, watching her best friend snore softly. How did she do it? She never had trouble with her classes. Sometimes, even the simplest of academic tasks were a challenge. Scrubbing tears from her eyes she quietly climbed from bed and began to dress.
Some time later, Nasrin stood on roof top in the city. Often, on nights like this, when her brain wouldn’t stop talking and refused to speak a recognizable language, she found silence in a bottle. Her usual contact within the guard was nowhere to be found however. So she ventured forth into the city. She had planned to go to a tavern, but the rooftops called to her. So she tied her skirts up like woman she’d seen working in fields and began to climb. She didn’t know exactly where she was going, but somewhere high seemed in order.
Nas’ mind felt blessedly calm as she climbed up drain pipes and decorative brick work and scurried across rooftops. Maybe it was the cool night air. Maybe it was the exertion. Either way, she could hear her own thoughts. She didn’t know what any of the buildings were in the day, but at night they were all fanciful palaces and towering spiers. Compulsively, she continued to climb higher. She finally came across a massive building. A black mountain covered in twinkling lights in the darkness. She would climb it.
Taking off at a run, she reached the edge of her roof and threw herself into the night. Her stomach lurched as she fell, but her leap carried her far enough to grab a rain gutter on the next building. She pulled herself up and began to feel around in the dark for hand holds. Finally, she found some sort of stone ornamentation and began to climb along it. An enthusiastic grin split her face climbed. Her white dress might give her away, but she couldn’t find it within her to care. She felt free for the first time in ages. It wasn’t the sea, but this was a world only a select few would ever experience.
Pulling herself to the very pinnacle of the large building, Nasrin threw her head back and let out a triumphant hoot. Idiot girl, she thought, You’ll wake the neighbors. She couldn’t truly bring herself to care though. She felt giddy with triumph. Class tomorrow would be as soul crushing as before, but at least she had this night. She embraced Saidar letting the unrivaled feeling of joy and belonging well within her. The stars above glittered down just for her. This was her night and nobody could take that from her. Not even Vanay and her slipper.
After several minutes of simply exalting in life itself, Nasrin decided it was time to head back. Instead of taking the same path up, she decided that it would be interesting to take a different path back down. She hadn’t gotten very far when she saw something that gave her pause. Peeking over the the edge of the roof, she saw a familiar figure leaning on the balcony railing. Hear heart lept and she almost squealed, Jaryd! She could recognize those dark curls anywhere. She should keep moving. He was an Asha’man and she was a Novice out of the Tower after hours. However, she hadn’t seen him in ages and she really wanted to talk. Adrenaline still corsed through her veins and she felt nearly immortal. With a wicked grin plastered across her face, she lept down to his level and threw her arms around him in a tight hug from behind, and said, “Hello Sailor,” in an overly sweet voice.
She sat on her bed, watching her best friend snore softly. How did she do it? She never had trouble with her classes. Sometimes, even the simplest of academic tasks were a challenge. Scrubbing tears from her eyes she quietly climbed from bed and began to dress.
Some time later, Nasrin stood on roof top in the city. Often, on nights like this, when her brain wouldn’t stop talking and refused to speak a recognizable language, she found silence in a bottle. Her usual contact within the guard was nowhere to be found however. So she ventured forth into the city. She had planned to go to a tavern, but the rooftops called to her. So she tied her skirts up like woman she’d seen working in fields and began to climb. She didn’t know exactly where she was going, but somewhere high seemed in order.
Nas’ mind felt blessedly calm as she climbed up drain pipes and decorative brick work and scurried across rooftops. Maybe it was the cool night air. Maybe it was the exertion. Either way, she could hear her own thoughts. She didn’t know what any of the buildings were in the day, but at night they were all fanciful palaces and towering spiers. Compulsively, she continued to climb higher. She finally came across a massive building. A black mountain covered in twinkling lights in the darkness. She would climb it.
Taking off at a run, she reached the edge of her roof and threw herself into the night. Her stomach lurched as she fell, but her leap carried her far enough to grab a rain gutter on the next building. She pulled herself up and began to feel around in the dark for hand holds. Finally, she found some sort of stone ornamentation and began to climb along it. An enthusiastic grin split her face climbed. Her white dress might give her away, but she couldn’t find it within her to care. She felt free for the first time in ages. It wasn’t the sea, but this was a world only a select few would ever experience.
Pulling herself to the very pinnacle of the large building, Nasrin threw her head back and let out a triumphant hoot. Idiot girl, she thought, You’ll wake the neighbors. She couldn’t truly bring herself to care though. She felt giddy with triumph. Class tomorrow would be as soul crushing as before, but at least she had this night. She embraced Saidar letting the unrivaled feeling of joy and belonging well within her. The stars above glittered down just for her. This was her night and nobody could take that from her. Not even Vanay and her slipper.
After several minutes of simply exalting in life itself, Nasrin decided it was time to head back. Instead of taking the same path up, she decided that it would be interesting to take a different path back down. She hadn’t gotten very far when she saw something that gave her pause. Peeking over the the edge of the roof, she saw a familiar figure leaning on the balcony railing. Hear heart lept and she almost squealed, Jaryd! She could recognize those dark curls anywhere. She should keep moving. He was an Asha’man and she was a Novice out of the Tower after hours. However, she hadn’t seen him in ages and she really wanted to talk. Adrenaline still corsed through her veins and she felt nearly immortal. With a wicked grin plastered across her face, she lept down to his level and threw her arms around him in a tight hug from behind, and said, “Hello Sailor,” in an overly sweet voice.