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Ana Meken

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I asked what that had to do with saying whether she thought stealing was good or evil, but she only said it's not her place to decide that for me. Do what feels right in my own opinion, based on my own experiences.

Hmm...I still don't know what I think of it.

22-Oct-2013 04:02:19 - Last edited on 22-Nov-2013 10:16:57 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

===7th of Novtumber===

Wow, I almost forgot. Today is my birthday, isn't it? Well...Is it? I don't really know for sure if it is, I'm not even sure if my parents know.

Aleck and Olivia say they don't remember me when I was a baby, but...I guess they were really young too. They just say I appeared one day, and stayed ever since.

It probably has something to do with why my last name is different, actually...Maybe they never wanted to tell me, because they didn't want to make me feel like my real parents didn't love me? I don't think it would have bothered me that much if they said that...

…

...But...Why did they abandon me?

If they did, anyway, I don't know for sure...

Just a curiosity...

Well...Anyway, I was reminded that today was my birthday by an unwelcome bucket of water being poured over my head, by Olivia. I'm not really surprised, since they'd done that one 2 years ago too...Maybe they're running out of ideas? Of course, whenever one of us have a birthday they always get woken up for it in some odd or awkward way. Except for dad, who had enough of the nonsense every time his birthday came around, just refuses to sleep the night prior.

Regardless if they're my real parents or not, I still consider them my real family, and I love them all the same...Despite the weirdness of them sometimes. Today marks my 16th year with them, so I'll consider myself that many years old.

Just another notch on the wall, for all I care.

22-Oct-2013 04:02:40 - Last edited on 27-Nov-2013 21:32:37 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

===19th of Wintumber===

Oh, I almost forgot about this. Tomorrow we're going on a trip to Al-Kharid for a couple weeks. Dad has to travel there for business again, and he wouldn't be able to celebrate the holidays with us here, so instead, we're going with him. It took a lot of persuasion, and bribing, for him to finally agree to let us join him. He feels Al-Kharid isn't safe while the war is going on...But even they have to stop fighting for awhile and make peace for the holidays too, don't they?

I still find it strange that they even celebrate Christmas here in the Kharid. Though...We have substitutes...Instead of snow we have sand, and instead of Wintumber trees we have cacti.

And back in Ardougne I thought putting ornaments on pine trees hurt...

The last time I was in Al-Kharid was when we were first traveling through the desert from Ardougne. I was just a little kid back then, but I could still tell the war I'd always heard about was on everyone's minds. I wonder if anything's changed since then?

22-Oct-2013 04:02:45 - Last edited on 29-Nov-2013 07:02:44 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

===23rd of Wintumber===

Al-Kharid doesn't seem any different than before...

No one here seems to even realize what tomorrow is, except for us. Everyone's just talking about the war, and how everyone is a potential spy for the Menaphites and to stay on look out. I've even gotten a few weird looks passing by stalls in the streets...

After Mom heard of that, she forbade me from leaving the house we're renting, so that I don't get snatched up and taken for interrogation or something... But dad and Aleck get to go around town!

I thought this was supposed to be a vacation...Celebrating the holidays? All we're doing is sitting in a house that isn't even ours while we wait for Dad to finish up that business with Morris, or at least, I think that was his name. Meanwhile, Aleck's out watching battles at the Duel Arena...He's so lucky!

I think I'll try and sneak out tomorrow to go have some fun in this town..If there's anything I've learned from Olivia, it's how to get around unnoticed. I'll just have to think up a cover story for in case I get caught, perhaps she can help with that...

22-Oct-2013 04:09:13 - Last edited on 04-Dec-2013 06:25:56 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

===24th of Wintumber===

Wow, I never knew my mom was so cool...I learned what true Christmas spirit is tonight.

This will take a long time to write, but there's just no shorter way to explain it; just so many things happened.

When the day started, Olivia helped me get out of the house unseen if I promised to get her a present from somewhere in town when I got back. I agreed, seeing as I actually had some money saved up from working in Pollniveach and wouldn't have to steal.

I went about town and had some fun listening to snake charmers, attending a circus show, and watching fights with Aleck at the duel arena. He said him and dad would come home once they found a tree...Which meant it would be awhile..

On my way back home I remembered I needed to get Olivia a present, so I looked at some stalls but couldn't find anything she would like...

A shady stranger saw me though and it felt as if he knew what I was looking for - he offered me a lockpick for a little bit of gold and told me what it could do. It sounded like something Olivia would love to have. I got the lockpick and headed back home, only to find that the windows were blocked and the doors were locked. I could hear voices coming from inside that I couldn't recognize who they belonged too...and then my sister saying dad and Ali would kill them when they got back home...

I was scared to death, some intruders had broken into our house while I was out having fun and are interrogating Mom and Olivia! I was going to run to get the guards, but I felt it might be too late, and wouldn't want the intruders to do anything rash if they saw a fleet of guards knock the door down.

22-Oct-2013 04:20:21 - Last edited on 06-Dec-2013 08:48:52 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I went to the back of the house and decided I would have to use the lockpick I was going to give Olivia as a present. I didn't know how to use the thing, but I looked closely to how the door lock worked, and managed to get it open without it breaking. I quietly sneaked around the house, staying in the shadows to not be detected by the intruders – who I then realized were Menaphites in disguise as travelers... They were all armed, and me with nothing but my fists, but I used the skills I learned from Olivia to steal their weapons from them without them noticing. At least, 2 out 3 of them...

The last one was standing in front of mom and Olivia, mom was gagged and couldn't talk, Olivia was being interrogated for information the Al Kharid war plans...As if we knew anything about them.

But when I got up close to him, mom saw me for the first time and gasped through the gag. It alerted Menaphite to my presence, who turned around and saw me. I had two scimitars, one in each hand...but had no idea how to use them. While the other menaphites were confused as to what happened to their weapons, I tried to attack the last armed one, but I stumbled – he was too fast...And got knocked down quickly, dropping the scimitars.

He put his sword up to my chin, saying that if I didn't tell him everything I knew about some “Osman” he would kill me and my family right then without hesitation. I had no idea who he was talking about...I was about to mutter those words, but the sound of a familiar voice cut me short. Mom had gotten one of the scimitars I dropped and put the Menaphite up to the throat with it, saying if he didn't let me go she would slice off his head.

I was safe then...but if that wasn't already a weird enough day as it was, what happened next was almost incomprehensible. In fact, I don't think I fully understand it yet even...

22-Oct-2013 04:20:29 - Last edited on 06-Dec-2013 08:49:29 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

You would think Mom would have killed them all...Had us get the Al Kharid guards, or at least kicked them out...but she didn't do any of those things. Despite Olivia's protests, she just took the weapons, locked them up in the house except for one she kept herself, and preached to the others about Christmas, being nice and having manners.

She went on about how all in the world should recognize that day and let aside their petty grudges and ambitions and make peace with one another, even if for only that night. The menaphites seemed as confused as I was, but obviously they weren't against the idea, given their situation now.

She ordered Olivia and I to make some food for the guests, and to get the room ready for the feast we were planning tonight, with what little we had been able to prepare with. We did as we were told, no one questioned Victoria this night...

When the appetizers were made, everyone sat down by the fireplace and talked about general things, laughing, telling stories, it was almost as if the war didn't exist.

But then we were reminded of that...when the front door was kicked down by Al Kharid spies...

There were three of them, and they came into the house as if they owned the place. Instantly the menaphites put their hands over their heads and two of them were pushed against the wall by the spies. The last one stood in front of the leader of the menaphites, and talked about how we had allowed menaphite spies into our homes, and that we were traitors of the Al Kharid government. The menaphite responded explaining what was happening, it seems that the one he was talking to was the Osman he was previously asking me about.

While they were talking, mom motioned at me and Olivia to do something. I couldn't tell what she was thinking at first, but then I remembered where I was standing in position to Osman, and got the hint. I thought this was a terrible idea...

22-Oct-2013 04:20:35 - Last edited on 06-Dec-2013 08:49:59 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Osman didn't believe what the menaphite was saying, about how we let them in and were celebrating Wintumber together. He was about to take his sword and kill him on the spot, but he noticed he didn't have his sword anymore...

Olivia was leaving the room with two other swords to put in the chest. She had taken the ones from the guards holding the men against the wall, and I had given Osman's weapon to Mom to hold on to. I didn't trust myself with it.

The tables were turned once again, and Osman was in a hold by my mom who was again telling them about Christmas spirit. The look on Osman's surprised face was rather hilarious...

He agreed, solemnly, to allow there to be peace for this one night and celebrate Christmas eve. Osman was released, and everyone sat down by the fire again.

Me and Olivia got more food, but there was a quite awkward silence in the house for awhile. The two groups of men hating each other seemed rather... understandably... uncomfortable.

In an attempt to break the silence, mom offered for us all to sing a song together. Suggestions were given, but no one seemed to like any of them yet, or didn't know the lyrics to the song. However, when the song “O Wintumber Tree” was suggested, both groups of men laughed, saying that there are no Wintumber trees in the desert.

Then I spoke up, for the first time since before the Al Kharid spies arrived. I suggested we could use a cactus instead, and everyone just kept laughing. My mom liked the idea though, and told me and Olivia to go out and fetch a cactus.

After a lot of splinters later, we managed to bring one back to the house. We placed it in the middle of the room, but it still didn't feel complete. People pointed out that it wouldn't work without any ornaments. I looked around for anything in the house that could be placed on the cactus, but didn't find anything that would stay on at all.

22-Oct-2013 04:20:39 - Last edited on 06-Dec-2013 08:50:28 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

But just then, one of the menaphites took something off of their garb, a traditional insignia badge, and placed it on the cactus. Others followed suit, and soon the cactus was covered in bands and badges of all sorts. From that point on, you could tell there was truly a sense of peace between everyone.

Mom started singing the first words of O Wintumber tree, and me and Olivia joined in. The others looked confused, as if they didn't know the lyrics to the song, but soon enough a couple of them joined in on the next verse. Eventually, everyone but Osman was taking part in the song. Osman just sat there wearing his same serious face he had since the fighting stopped.

I think I saw his mouth open to utter one of the words from the song, but if he did, it was drowned out by the loud noise of Dad and Aleck carrying something huge through the front door. It was...a real wintumber tree...

If there was anything more hilarious than Osman's face when mom had him in a grapple hold, it was my dad's face when he saw his wife and two daughters at home singing a Christmas song around a decorated cactus with 6 men from two different sides of the war.

Mom gave him that look...the look that says it would be too much to explain everything that's happened, and he seemed to understand it. Aleck looked disappointed, as if all their hard work finding that tree went to waste, when we had already settled with something else. Either that or he could tell all the food was eaten already.

Which, it mostly was...Except for the main course.

Now that dad and Aleck were back, mom brought out the roasted camel she had been saving for the occasion. Everyone ate to their hearts content, and sang and celebrated as if the war doesn't exist within our walls tonight.

22-Oct-2013 04:20:44 - Last edited on 06-Dec-2013 08:50:59 by Ana Meken

Ana Meken

Posts: 138 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Well...It's getting really late, I should probably go to sleep and wake up early tomorrow to open our presents. So many people lying on the floor, it almost looks like there was a mass murder in here if I didn't know they were all just asleep.

22-Oct-2013 04:20:49 - Last edited on 06-Dec-2013 08:51:13 by Ana Meken

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