Orb Post | RD 14

[rutagraveolens]

[The voice coming over the orb is young and in a state of awe.] There's so much food here! Where does it all come from? There are so many things I've never seen before. I've never seen so much either, not since-- [She stops and there's a bit of silence before she speaks up again, changing the subject.]

What kind of food does everyone like? We had lots of soup back home. Momma would mix things up in a big boiling pot of water, and once it was done, we'd gather round with our bowls. She always made sure everyone got enough vegetables. We got bread and sometimes if we were really lucky, we'd get some rabbit to share. Oh! I had cho-co-late [she works through the word, recalling it from memory] cake once! It was so sweet and it had frosting and pretty flowers made out of icing! I licked every last bit off my fingers, it was so good. Is there any cake here? I hope there is. [Her voice grows quiet, a little in awe of the idea.] Is it true? That if you’re a hero people will give you things? That you can have all the food you want and never go hungry?

[There's another small pause before Rue whistles four notes. No explanation is offered. If Katniss is around, she'll know. She'll know her little ally is safe.]

Comments

[rutagraveolens]

[Aside from traveling, the former sounds like her home. Lots of work and long hours in the fields or orchards, and just the minimum needed to keep everyone going.]

What kind of cake do you like?

[emblazing]

My only real concern with cake is that it must be sweet.
[ she laughs, leaning a little into the screen so that drogon, the largest of her dragons can peek his head in, a little hello. ]
As I have traveled with my people, I have tried the most peculiar foods I never thought I would ever eat. Once I even ate the bark of trees!

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue gives a surprised squeak at the dragon. She's never seen anything like it before and, for now, the topic of food is forgotten.]

What's that on your shoulder?

[emblazing]

A dragon. One of three I carry with me. His name is Drogon.
[ the black dragon is still a baby, and peers into the screen with a curious gaze, flapping his wings a bit. ]

[rutagraveolens]

What's a dragon? [As Drogon peers in, Rue peers back. He looks a lot like a lizard, but has wings.] Is it a kind of muttation?

[emblazing]

Muttation?

[rutagraveolens]

Creatures that were... [She tries to remember the word that was used, but it slips her mind.] modified or created by the Capitol. Like they made Jabberjays, a bird that could memorize human words and repeat them back.

[emblazing]

I do not know of this Capitol you speak of, but he is no muttation. He is a dragon, one who will someday tower over the tallest of trees.
[ she glanced at her with a small smile. ]
Would you like to see something Drogon can do?

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue gives a small 'oh' of surprise as she tries to imagine the little dragon towering over trees. Where would you even fit something that big? And what would you feed him?]

Okay.

[emblazing]

[ she smiles before she leans back, moving the orb so it focuses on drogon as daenerys says softly: ]
Dracarys.

[ the dragon huffs a bit, a little bit of smoke coming out before soon enough there is a lick of flame sprouting from his open mouth, heating the air around them. ]

[rutagraveolens]

[Had Rue been more familiar with the basic mythology of dragons, she would have expected the burst of flame. However, she was not, Rue and honestly didn't know what to expect - maybe dragons were really good at singing.

She scrambles back from the fire, remembering the flames growing up around her as fireballs rained down from the sky with guided precision, smashing close enough to terrify and even burn her, but never enough to kill her.

Dragons breathe fire. Now she knows.]

[emblazing]

You need not be afraid, little one. He will not harm you. Nor will his brothers.
[ her voice is gentle as she speaks. ]
They are my fierce children, though they are still young, just as you are. They make far more noise than flame.
[ dany didn't like fright on children's faces. it didn't suit them. so she makes her tone soft, her speech gentle. ]

[rutagraveolens]

[She's a foot away from the orb, but slowly moves back in. The woman is very gentle and she's very beautiful. Rue has never seen anyone with silver hair and violet eyes before, though it reminds her of some of the strange hair and eyes of the Capitol.]

How many brothers does he have?

[emblazing]

[ she smiles as the girl comes back to the screen, moving to show two more, a green and a white, not as large as the black. ]

See? Their brother is eager to grow up, see how they are smaller than he is. They are the only dragons left in the world, these three.

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue peers at the other three dragons. They're all so beautiful. She finds herself thinking about herself and her own younger siblings, her the oldest, ready to grow up and protect the younger ones.]

That's so sad. Why are they the only ones left?

[emblazing]

[ her expression sobers, though her voice is a bit harder. ]

Their families were killed, or died in battle. So as if to prove them wrong the dragons have come again, the world has not taken them all, not yet.

[rutagraveolens]

Why were their families killed?

[emblazing]

By traitors and usurpers. By those that thought they could steal what belonged to the dragons. Others died from disease, from battle.

Yet four still remain.

[rutagraveolens]

What will the four of you do now?

[emblazing]

We will go back to our rightful home. We will fight those that have wronged us and take it all back. We will make a better home for all people than the ones that were before.

[rutagraveolens]

A better home for all people... that sounds really nice.

[emblazing]

I think so too.

[rutagraveolens]

I guess there's a lot of people in your world that aren't very nice too.

[emblazing]

[ she laughs a little, the child is more than right. ]
There are some very cruel people in my world, child. I am sorry that you have had to see cruelty at such an age.

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue doesn't know what to say to that. Life in Panem simply was. She never knew anything else. Like anyone else, she could wish for more food and wish away the mean Peacekeepers, but those were only wishes, and wishes did little in the arena.

Rue doesn't know what to say because she's never had anyone apologize for what she's had to see, to endure, to live through.]

I'm Rue. What's your name?