The Origin of Irrin Greengrass

[Mockingjay00]

On the Origin of Irrin Greengrass

---

Akran Moore was but a distant cousin to the great amoeba that was the family of house Pelleaux, and nowhere near notable enough to be mentioned at parties or gatherings. His short fallings as an academic left much to be desired of the young man, so when it came time for marriage he was neatly packaged and sent away to house Grimmore. However, he wouldn’t be marrying any of their nobility: instead Akran was wed to Penelope, a once-orphan now Juror to the great family. Her duties (while discreet) were a myriad more important than any duties once assigned to Akran. He felt more like a child being pulled around by the arm than a proper man in her presence, being carefully guided by her sharp gaze and pointed words. It was belittling. Despite this treatment, it seemed Penelope genuinely cared for the man. If only Akran felt the same.

 

 With little else to do but be shuttled around with Penelope on her duties, Akran would find himself plenty of means to entertain himself. Parties, bars, brothels: all of these where his playgrounds as he would aimlessly follow his wife through the Essharan countryside and even the lands of the country’s foreign neighbors. While his wife didn’t find this tasteful, Penelope never once intervened on his activities. Her work seemed to take priority over their marriage, so when it came to Akran’s escapades, Penelope made herself blissfully unaware. It made things easier.

 

It was that way a long time, until Akran met a woman named Temerity. She was a woman of the night, her workplace within the slums of Sudbury. Here she would give men and women alike a good time, but only if they had the coin for it. Lucky for Akran, being of noble air and having plenty of coin to spill, he easily requested her service night and night again for several months. This affair was much different than those he had in passing before, however. Temerity and Akran became very close, their relationship based on similar past: their families shunted and abandoned them, leaving them in situations they never wanted to be in.

 

Like clockwork Akran would leave in the evening hours to see Temerity, though he wouldn’t without the notice of Penelope. A spy for house Grimmore, it did not take her long to understand what was going on. Unlike all the other affairs before, this one struck a certain nerve with the woman. It was a thorn in her side that would continue to twist and gouge every night Akran would leave.

 

So Penelope took on a particular job: one that sent herself and Akran both out of Esshar and into a neighboring country for a long-term stay. To the despair of Akran, they would never meet again-because as Akran left, Temerity sank into alcoholism, leaving her poorer and in worse states than ever before. Years later when Akran sought her out, he would find no sign of the woman. No one knew what happened to her.

 
 

Except the daughter they left behind.

---

 

Years passed, and Akran all but forgot about Temerity. His behavior changed, and he became a much more solitary man. Penelope would note this change in her husband, perhaps with a touch of regret at her interference. The way he behaved now suited her liking much more, but she couldn’t help but notice the dull in his eyes, and the smallness of his demeanor.
 

               Akran returned to studies he once abandoned, but still they yielded no fruit. It would help if he had a touch more magic to his name, but Akran could only preform parlor tricks compared to other magi among the nobility. He was hard-pressed to find assistance in his colleagues, who would only scoff and snicker at him and his suggestions. Almost all was lost to him, save the solace he found in their home library. There he would spend hours, even without food or drink, escaping to lands derived from reams of paper.
 

               A need for new books would drive him out from his self-confinement. Though he dressed like a noble, the exhaustion in his gaze and the way he carelessly shaved and groomed made him look much like a homeless man posing as someone much more important. Even as more friendly souls would try and greet him, his interactions were so minimal that it seemed he simply ignored everyone around him.
 

               Yet, one day in the passing season of spring, something caught his eye.
 

               A little girl, dressed in blue and pastel red sat at one of the largest fountains Osrona had to offer, just outside of the district for nobility. Her frame was small, and she seemed far too little to be out on her own. All the same, she payed no mind to passerby as she ran her hands through the warming waters.
 

               Certainly, there was nothing notable about this behavior. Children were children, and they would play and run and shout even in the high-class districts of Osrona. Akran was possessed however, and something drove him to quietly circle the fountain to get a better look of the girl.

 

               Her hair was golden, but in the sun it shone more red: a strawberry blonde hue. It encompassed her small face like a curtain, trying to hide her from the world around. It was hopelessly messy, at least by the strands that seemed to move and arch by their own will. Her little hands, that glided across the water, bore scars and marks that no one her age had business having. She raised one to push her hair out of the way, and Akran knew immediately why he was drawn to her.
 

               It was the spitting image of Temerity, only if she were but a little girl. Yet some of her features were her own, and those included the soft green eyes that furrowed their brows at Akran and his staring. The girl seemed disturbed, and quickly looked away. Akran, now more aware of himself, felt a tinge of embarrassment for scaring the girl.
 

               He quickly shook his head at the thought though and went on his way. Surely this was no daughter of his lover, and perhaps the water of the fountain playing at his senses. But it had been such a long time since he imagined Temerity’s face in that of passerby.
 

               He looked back for the girl, in hopes of confirming his suspicions.
 

               But she was nowhere to be found

---

Akran began to spend more time outside, much to the delight of Penelope who had began to worry about him. Though in her spare time, she would spy on him to ensure he wasn’t returning to his old habits. She was pleased to find that he was not, and instead of partying the like, Akran now read in the shade of trees, or in the busyness of the marketplace at a table. Occasionally she would even accompany him despite them sharing little conversation. It seemed to please her, just to be around him.

 

               Penelope would not realize the motive behind Akran’s new behavior. Now and then he would glance up from his book to scan the passing crowds. In their faces he would try to derive the one he sought, but he was often fruitless in his endeavor. Nevertheless, the man would go outside to read at least once a day so long as the weather permitted.

 

               In his intelligence, he began to realize why he wasn’t having success. He was looking in the wrong place, and it annoyed him that he hadn’t realized this sooner. So instead of resting where the wealthy and noble would, Akran began to venture close to the edge of the city near Messaris, where the grains in the fields swayed in the breeze.

 

               He would find a tree to rest by and sit in the dirt in its shade. It perhaps seemed odd to those of Messaris, to see a man of fine clothes laying down in the dirt and grass. Oftentimes he would return home with soil and grass stains-much to the displeasure of Penelope who would wash all the clothes herself, for knowing better even than the maid that serviced them.

 

               It was not long until he finally made progress. In the afternoon of summer, Akran saw the girl again. Her blue skirt fluttered in the breeze as she chased a young boy with a smile. He was surprised to see the boy in fine attire, perhaps the son of some noble family himself. Yet his attentions were for the girl alone, whose hair flew in the breeze and eyes shone like stars.

 

Now he had no doubt, that this was the daughter of Temerity

 

[Mockingjay00]

Akran now worried himself with how to approach the girl. He wished to ask her so many things, but always fell short of asking as he would pass her by. His heart ached to know what happened to Temerity, but something about knowing scared him even more.
 

He began to forget his intentions as time passed, though his eyes would always alight at the girl’s passing, even if only for a moment. It would be a day in late fall that he was approached while slumbering underneath a tree, and the evening was becoming dark. Her small form shrinks even smaller at approaching him, but she tugs on his sleeve nonetheless.
 

“Sir?” She asks tentatively, uncertainty in her voice.
 

Akran lazily responds with a grunt, slowly removing the book from his face. He contains a startle at seeing the girl, and part of him wonders if he were dreaming.
 

“Sir, it’s getting late, and it’s a little dangerous to be out in the dark now.” She notes softly. Surely she had been alluding to the activities in Moonfall, which had been increasing in savagery as of late. Even Penelope seemed disturbed, which was impressive given her fortitude against such things.
 

“Oh.” Akran responds dumbly, carefully closing his book. As he looked out and around, it had gotten quite dark. It was getting close to winter by now, and the air carried a chill as it blew past them. The girl shivered, though she was warmed by an enormous shawl that she draped around herself like a blanket.
 

Despite every question on the tip of his tongue, Akran stands and offers the girl a hand.
 

“Here, let’s walk back to the city together.” He offered.
 

The girl looks at him with uncertainty, but her hand eventually touches his with a soft grasp. They walk at a slow pace, slower than what’s comfortable for Akran, but he keeps the pace for the sake of the girl who makes small, slow steps.
 

“Are you a magi?” She asks softly after a time, her words hardly louder than a whisper.
 

Akran is surprised by the question, tilting his head at the girl. “Why do you ask?”
 

She’s quiet for a time, before she answers. “I feel the mana in you. It’s bigger than normal people.” She notes softly.
 

Akran arches his eyebrows in surprise. Reading was a fairly base-level skill, but for her to be able to measure it? He was impressed.
 

“I am.” He answered.
 

The girl remains silent now, seeming satisfied by the answer. It’s somewhat awkward as the city walls come into view, but Akran wished the way were much longer for the sake of being able to talk to her more.
 

               He had to know her name at the least.
 

               “What is your name?” Akran asks.
 

               “Irrin Greengrass.” She offers in return.
 

               Akran seems surprised at this, as Temerity had no surname. It stood to reason that it may be because the girl had been adopted, since Temerity had been missing for many years now. It then began to dawn upon him, a certain fear:
 

               What if the girl didn’t know what happened to her? What if she’d been too young to know?
 

“What’s your name?” The girl asks Akran, despite his internal worrying.
 

               “Akran Moore.” He responds in turn, carefully guiding the girl up the stairs to the city walls. He wished he knew time magic, if just to stretch out the time with her a little longer.
 

               They went in through the gate, and the girl paused in front of him. Akran couldn’t believe his poor luck that she lived so close as she explains,

               “I live near here, so I’m going to go now.”
 

               Akran’s heart sinks and he’s uncertain how to respond. He wanted to talk to her longer, but it was already late, and it would be strange of him to keep her any longer.
 

               “Very well Miss Greengrass,” he puts on a front of friendliness despite the despair that rested behind it. He offers her a polite bow, and to his surprise, she responds with a curtsy.
 

               “Be safe Mr. Moore. Goodbye.” She even adds a little wave before she flutters away, like a leaf on the wind.
 

               Akran doesn’t stay to watch which way she goes; let alone what house she stops at. He already knew what he was doing was dangerously close to stalking, so he goes home to Penelope who dotes on him for being out too late. When he goes to sleep, he dreams dreams he hasn’t in a long time.
 

               He dreams of Temerity, who rests at his side instead of Penelope. And he dreams of the little girl with green eyes, who looks back over her shoulder at him.
 

               Irrin Greengrass.

[Mockingjay00]

A myriad of things distracted Akran in the days following his meeting with Irrin. Penelope was found to be expecting. His wife was overjoyed at the prospect, but Akran couldn’t help but wonder if the child was his. He and Penelope sparsely spent time together in that  way, and the timing of it just didn’t seem to make sense to him. It really wouldn’t surprise him if her duties had lead her to another man’s bedchambers…Either way, he did his best to share in his wife’s joy. He had no place to judge her if she too had an affair, not with his own track record.
 
               So nearly a year was spent in preparation and arrival of the newborn child. A son at that, and one precious and sweet to interact with. Despite any suspicions or discontent Akran experienced before the arrival, once his son did come, he too was able to share in Penelope’s joys. The child was innocent of any wrong, at least that was the man’s opinion when he would rest with him in his arms in his study.
 
He and Penelope had invested in an addition to their home, which turned his study into something more like a solarium. The sunlight would greet him and his family as they would lounge there, all preforming their various personal activities. It was far better for the man’s health than his former home he found in the basement, where his experiments would create various smells and odors, and his papers were often found soggy and damp the next day due to lingering moisture.
 
But these sunny days were numbered, to the misfortune of the Moore family.
 
Akran’s despair of the unknown would grip him in the evening, and the wondering thoughts about the girl with the green eyes would grow in strength as time went on. Akran's own son was the unintended trigger for this. He was named Timir and by now he was five. The boy was now learning how to read and write with a prowess that would convince Penelope that he would become the prodigy her husband never managed to be. As Timir grew, Akran to start to bow back to his ways prior, sulking in his study at the future shadow he would rest behind once his son became older, and far wiser than he was ever able to be.
 
Was everyone around him destined to be greater, more important? Even his son?
 
Akran knew his resentment was poorly placed, but it would exist regardless no matter how much he struggled to smother it. He did this for Timir’s sake, for the sake of his love for his son. At least, that was the thought behind it. The creeping fear that he once had before the boy was born returned as he aged, and while his son certainly bore the image of Penelope in the shade of his hair, and the pointedness of his nose, Akran was hard-pressed to find anything of himself in his visage. It would weaken Akran’s resolve, bringing him brittle close to showing his true feelings to his family.
 
But Akran knew he couldn’t say anything on this. Even if he felt the way he did, even if he didn’t care if it hurt Penelope, and maybe not even Timir-he knew he couldn’t destroy his family. It was the only thing he had, as flimsy and hollow as it was.
 
So Akran put his efforts into distancing himself from his family through the hire of a housekeeper. A sweet girl, who if Akran had been the man he once was, may have brought gifts for and would take out in the evenings to revel. But the man didn’t have it in him anymore, and certainly couldn’t afford it when he already was scraping the bottom of his personal funds to keep her around as his buffer. She would not only keep the house, but whenever Penelope was away, she would care for Timir like an older sister. Akran sometimes wondered if his family cared about his absence, because in the few times he would watch his family interact with the girl, he wondered if he was even missed. He couldn’t think on it long, though. His sanity was already a fragile thing.
  
Now he had his excuse and means to do what he had intended on all along. Akran figured, even if he could not be the man he wished he was, at least he could do himself the service of knowing. Knowing what had happened to Temerity, the one person in his life that him feel like the man he wanted to be. Now the quiet hunt for Irrin Greengrass was began anew.
 
And it wouldn’t be long before he’d see her again.