Broken: Day 1

Word Count: 6,007

Summary of Events:

Emil found out from his mother that he was to set out the next morning on a tour of the Imperia in celebration of his birthday; unimpressed that he was being sent on what he was pretty sure was largely a wife-finding tour, he went out on a ride to try and clear his head . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Yarina moved easily along the tree-lined trails, her ears forward and her nostrils flared, alert for any wildlife that might threaten them, while Emil breathed deep the revitalising and refreshing scent of conifers.

There were some days, like this one, when he wished he could construct a secondary palace higher up on the mountains and far away from the bustling pass city which provided eastward travellers with supplies for their journeys through the pass, and resupplied westward travellers upon their having journeyed through the pass.

Not that Zolotoi wasn't a nice city, but to be somewhat more distant from all of its bustle, to be closer yet to the mountains and trees whose company he so enjoyed, would be much nicer in his mind.

He rode on until they reached the tree line, at which the air was thinner and colder than among the trees. He looked up at the great, craggy peak that extended beyond them, snow filling in crevices and softening edges, as well as making the whole thing look strikingly clean and crisp.

An eagle called and he soon spied the great golden bird skillfully soaring in lazy circles on a pocket of warm air overhead. Emil scanned the rocks for goats and sheep that ate lichens off the rocks, but he saw none of the adept, surefooted creatures.

The distant chime of a church's bell informed him of the hour. He rode along the tree line, heading northward.

Although Matrushka had no intentions of cancelling the tour she'd planned, Emil didn't want to go on the tour of the Imperia. As much as there would be other things to do, he couldn't escape the scheduled balls; but then again, what good host didn't entertain a visiting dignitary with a ball?

Balls were held at every well-moneyed man's estate at least monthly, if not more regularly, whether there was an official justification for it, or if it was just to get together with people and socialise.

The worst thing about balls, in his mind, was that he, as an unmarried young man, was expected to dance, and not just to dance once, but to dance in most every dance, and to dance with all the women he could find.

This pressure was especially strong on him because he was the Imperial Heir, and he, more than any other man in the Imperia was expected to find a suitable young woman, wed her, and sire a child with her as quickly as possible.

Emil shook his head. Not even coming up here could help him put aside the thoughts and frustrations. He turned Yarina around and started back home. There was no sense staying up here if he couldn't keep his mind off the things he wanted to keep it off of."

Pronunciations:

Yarina: yahreenah

Matrushka: mahtrooshka