Ely edit nov 13 2023:
1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.
Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: o
Total: 3 qps
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It was a beautiful evening. The whole family had gathered in Lugard, to celebrate grandfather Eamond Lusara. His 70th birthday was the event of the year for us all. Fourty six of my aunts and uncles and cousins and even distant nieces and nephews, all in our best clothes. Dozens of friends and business partners were also invited, just like the helping hands and apprentices. The always gossiping circle of local aunts included also my mother, and this year for the first time my sister Lina, and kept food coming to the tables. Sam, the butcher from the Gutted Chicken had prepared two whole pigs for the event! A circle of neighbours was unanimously praising murandian wine over cairhienin, while both casks were getting emptier and emptier at the exactly same pace.
The slightly annoying and arrogant uncle Borold had arrived from Amador and kept bragging with his newest contract for bookshelves for the Fortress of Light, while his wife Eania showed off a rather distasteful but expensive yellow dress with gheldanian lace. Cousins Felor and Gheron were the center of fun with their jokes, as usual, but this time Felor clearly tried to outdo Gheron at everything, desperately trying to impress a neighbour’s daughter Rema. Several children were running around, playing in the midst of the merry chaos. People respectfully talked to, but still kept a distance from aunt Haesel. Aunt Haesel Lusara wasn’t really my aunt, it was grandfather’s aunt, or perhaps even his great aunt. Even though she had taken off her serpent ring and dressed by the latest murandian fashion, her ageless face and calm and detached behaviour was giving her away. She rarely attended family events, but this time did. Who knows, whether she really cared so much about a family, where the closest ones to her are long dead, or she was just including this merchant and artisan clan to her schemes. Especially uncle Borold wasn’t thrilled to discover her presence in the main hall of the Dancing Bear, rented for the occasion.
The long awaited moment has arrived. Everyone stops talking, dancing, or eating, but nothing would be further away from calm. The structure of our huge family becomes immediate clear, exactly as if someone had traced it on paper with red ink. The gossiping circle quickly dissolved, as wives took places by their husbands. Children left their games and gathered around parents, clearly remembering all the rules about being seen but not heard, standing straight without hunching, and one or two of the younger ones had clearly just tried to clear some taraboner chocolate stains from their faces and cloths. Without much of a success.
Grandfather Eamond stood up, a glass of wine in his hand without any perceptible trembling. “My dearest. Thank you for having gathered today, to celebrate my anniversary with me! I am sure Helga would have loved to see you all here”. A few more emotional relatives quietly sniffed at the mention of grandma Helga, who had passed away last winter. Most kept their focus on Grandpa’s words. This was it. Today, the hopes of a few would fulfill and those of others would be extinguished. My father and his brothers were awaiting the decision, that would put one in charge of the whole family business for the decades to come. Aunt Ynoma and her husband were standing just as proudly, even though they knew only sons would be considered in spite of their hard work for the family business.
My father was the oldest one, often doing the most responsible tasks. He had every right to expect the business to pass into his hands. But as I was looking around, it dawned on me, for the first time fully and clearly and without any sweet words covering the truth. He was the only one without sons. Uncle Adalbert had cousin Gheron and three other boys in his group. And uncle Eamor was surrounded by two sons and two daughters. Mother and Father had just me standing with them, as Lina was already by her husband.
It happened. Grandfather’s words were clear. Uncle Adalbert was to take over the business and his brothers were from now on to follow his lead and do as he says. Grandfather would stick to a purely advisory role. The celebrations could continue. People danced, sang, drank, and especially the neighbours and business acquittances all tried hard to find a moment with uncle Adalbert, to assure him of their undying friendship and unwavering loyalty. No doubts they would behave the same with uncle Eamor or my Father, had grandfather chosen differently.
Late in the night, or early in the morning, we returned home, both me and Mother supporting my Father, whose legs were refusing to walk in a straight line, and words to get out of his mouth in a comprehensible fashion. But suddenly, he stood up, eyes glowing with anger that temporarily hid the effects of drinking. He looked at my Mother and me and barked: “Why couldn’t you have been a son, Dyemond!”, before quickly requiring our assistance again. Mother just sighed and did her best not to look at either of us. I felt my eyes filling with tears, but fought it until I was safely in my room. Blood and bloody ashes! As if the name itself didn’t scream the desire for a male child to the whole world! He had to say it out loud!
Dyemond's story part 1: The family gathering. ---&RPaward
Re: Dyemond's story part 1: The family gathering.
Very good! I like the way you create the feel of a large family!