December Prompted Fiction: Random: Estelle and Oria: 509 words

[k_a_webb]

Written for rix_scaedu's prompt: A winter holiday celebrated in the opposite hemisphere to its place/culture of origin.

They had brought their winter holiday with them and they were determined to celebrate it on the correct date, even though it was summer. Estelle smiled as she walked through the market, seeing stalls that hadn't been there the year before, even though it reminded her of why they had all been forced to leave their home behind. She pushed it to the back of her mind. If they had the strength to push away whatever emotions they were feeling to celebrate then she wouldn't let it get to her either.

 

At one stall Estelle stopped. She'd become friends with the girl who owned it and she thought it was the right place to show her support. There had been other stalls she could have stopped at, but she didn't plan on purchasing anything from them so she didn't want to waste their time. When they had walked away from their homes, and their old lives, they had been forced to leave everything behind, which meant money was tight for all of them. Focusing on those who would buy from them was important, but she knew that they felt it was polite to talk to anyone who stopped, even if they didn't buy anything.

“How's it going, Oria?” Estelle asked, running her fingers over one of her favourite pieces.

Oria shrugged. “People are interested, but they have no reason to buy. Everything is...” She sighed. “It's important to us, because we want to remember, but it's not important to you.”

Estelle nodded. “I did think it was going to be difficult for any of you to sell much. Most people don't understand why you're so determined to cling onto a holiday that has no meaning here and simply expect you to accept our holidays as your own.” She reached out and touched Oria's hand. “I'm sorry that they can't understand how important it is for you to remember where you have come from.”

“It's not your fault.”

“I know, but they're my people and I feel sad that they don't even seem to be trying to understand.” Estelle glanced at the red crystal in the middle of one of the pendants hanging next to Oria before looking at her again. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I don't think so, Estelle.” Oria looked around the market. “Maybe we made a mistake when we chose to stay here. It is nice to live in a house and not spend so much time moving around, but...” She shook her head. “This isn't home.”

“It could be.”

Oria's eyes met Estelle's. “I'm not saying I don't like it here, because I do. It's just not the place I would have chosen, had I had any choice in what was happening.” She ran a finger over one of her pendants. “We need somewhere else, somewhere we can be who we are, rather than trying to fit into your town.”

“Just give it some time. We need to get used to you as much as you need to get used to us.”

© K A Jones 2011


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Comments

[rix_scaedu]

Thank you.

Does this fit into one of your worlds or is it off on its own, for now at least?

[kajones-writing.livejournal.com]

At the moment it is by itself, but I have a feeling that it will end up being a part of the World walkers collection.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>We need to get used to you as much as you need to get used to us.<<

True, and what's more, people need to learn about the place they have chosen to stay -- its own seasons and rhythms. If anything is to survive of their culture, they need to find a way for it to put down roots so it can grow. They need to look for common ground. That isn't easy.

No typos found.