Bad Girl Gianna

1. The excited voices of people from in the walled compound as well as the sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen fill the air. Mouth watering aroma drift in the wind, causing some of the children to sneak in the working spaces of the men and women cooking out in the open or in the kitchen – which has its large doors leading out to the rest of the cooking others outside wide open – and steal some snacks from the trays and bowls, some of the unlucky ones getting the back of their hands smacked by tutting workers. Inside the main house, a maiden can be seen arranging some things into a sling bag. Sitting on her bed are two women who watch her every move. “Are you sure you don’t want me to cast an expansion spell on your bag, little one?” Somania asks, a questioning smile on her lips as she addressed her niece. “No thank you, aunt Nia.” Gianna replies, sending the Witch a thankfully smile. “The L'Aryrnu is mostly about survival in the world with little material goods and you wanting to put an expansion spell on my bag kind of defeats that idea.” She chuckles as she puts in her potion’s book into her bag. “I kind of hate it when you’re the voice of reason.” Somania states with a frown, getting amused chuckles from the two women. “I am to displease.” Gianna gives her a snug smirk. She walks away from the wooden desk and heads over to them on the bed. “Besides, you’re pregnant and your magic needs to focus on the children.” She gently places her hand on Somania’s protruding stomach. Somania grunts. “Placing a spell on your bag doesn’t count as a high grade spell, Little One.” “Just give up, Nia. You’re fighting a losing battle.” Astlry snorts out, her arms folded and a brow c****d in amusement. “Our darling niece her has made up her mind and there’s no convincing her. Besides, aiding her like this is cheating.” Somania heaves a sigh. “Fine.” She acquiescences, her brows furrowed into a small frown. “Thank you.” Gianna gives the pregnant woman’s cheek a after kiss, getting a grumble from her. “Now, please, come help me arrange my clothes and various items into boxes.” This has the two women going stiff. Astlry hands balls into fists, her eyes becoming clouded. The Atanu Clan are the clan made of the descendants of the Fae Rishma and the Druid Vasu. Sure they intermarry other species such as Witches, High Demons, Vampires and such, the blood of Rishma and Vasu run through the offspring, mixing perfectly with the new blood. Like most clans, the Atanu Clan has it’s own traditions L'Aryrnu – a right of passage for the Atanu people which involves them going out into the world at the age of eighteen and finding their place in the world, sometimes becoming the healers and divinators for a town. After those two years, they go back home, showing that they live and had survived the dangers of the world and officially become adults in the eyes of the Atanu Clan. Putting ones clothes and personal items into boxes means that the family are ready for their demise. If they’re to die in their journey, they still have something of them. This along with cutting their long hair. A handful of Atanu’s have died in their journey, some of them being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gianna’s only sister one of such, dying a year and a half into her journey. When the monitoring string that tied her hair broke, causing the strung up hair to fall to the floor, they knew she was dead and gone. Gianna’s ill mother couldn’t handle the heartbreak and died when Gianna was six, a year after her sister’s death. Heaving sighs of acceptance, the two women get up to help the teen with her tasks. They clear the room of Gianna’s personal items, disposing them carefully into boxes. The only thing that is out are her L’Aryrnu robes, shoes and jewellery. After that, the two women leas the teen out and into the bathing area, where a handful of women are waiting for her to begin her cleansing. Gianna’s upper thigh length hair is cut at the neck length, leaving the teen with short hair. She’s bathed in scented herbs that help with spirituality and the skin. They chant words of blessing and ask the goddess to grant her protection. When she’s clean, she’s dressed in the robes, boots that are comfortable and resistant to both winter and the other season and ornaments – the new beads in her hair and her gold bracelets clanking musically. Her eyelids and lips are painted in the Atanu dark emerald colour, a task she’ll keep on doing even on her journey. The send of feast occurs immediately she steps out of the main house in the evening. It seems even the goddess wanted this send off to go well because there hasn’t been any new snow for two days now. Food is plentiful and the music is wonderful. Gianna has a great time dancing and eating with her family. Night comes and it is time to go. Gianna comforts her tearful nieces and nephews, promising them that she’ll surely return. Her three brothers and their wives wish her goodluck, hugging her fiercely and placing kisses on her forehead. The elders are the next to wish her goodbye, all nine of them blessing her (making sure not to use magic). Her father, her uncle and his wife Somania, and her aunt Astlry are the last to bid her goodbye. Her aunts hug her tights, begging her to come back in one piece. Her uncle caresses her cheek with a small smile, wishing her goodluck before hugging her. Gianna’s father, although a stoic man, is afraid to let her go. Being the only daughter of his beloved wife, who looks exactly like her, Gianna understands his plight. But tradition is tradition. As the Head of the clan, Gianna’s father hands over a small purse of gold that will aid her until she finally settle down in a town of her choice, as well as an Atanu dagger. She puts the purse into her bag and proudly straps the dagger on her hip. Gianna gets a pleasant surprise when her father removes the necklace her mother once wore when she was alive. It was a… stone of some sort wrapped in silver chains. After her mother died, her father could never part with it. Now, he’s giving it to Gianna and the teen realizes how worried he is. She allows him to put it on her with a warm smile, eyes shining with tears. “Here. I made this for you.” Somania once again steps forward and in her hands is a wooden staff that have familiar sigils and markings on them. Gianna heaves a sigh. “Aunt Nia-“ “I don’t want to hear it!” The pregnant woman raises her hand, stopping Gianna’s incoming scold. “It’s done and you’ll take it.” She shoves the staff in Gianna’s hands, getting a chuckle from everyone. “You’re the daughter of my late sister and it will be quiet embarrassing to the Calis family if I let the only person with little Witchcraftcy in their veins in this family to leave without the traditional staff. So take it and hush.” Her husband laughs at her fire, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Besides, it will help channel your magic better. Both Witchcraft and Atanu.” “Thank you, auntie.” Gianna gives her a bright smile. “Be careful, my jewel.” Gianna’s father begins, giving his daughter a pleading look as he removes his bear coat on his person and puts it on Gianna. “Come back to us when the two years pass.” Gianna nods, a determined look on her face. “I will.” After saying one last goodbye to her family, Gianna channels her magic into the staff and casts the flying spell on it. After three trails, she gets it right and the staff floats in the air. She mounts it and with a bright grin, she takes off into the air. Used to flying, she hovers in the air and waves one last time. With a loud “see you all in two years!” Gianna zooms off, her family waving and shouting goodlucks her way.