Memory: Said rude things to cousin, punished by her caretakers. Mother still isn't home.
Montage is only six years old in this memory, and this is a day in her life as she grows up in her mother's mansion. Her mother has been gone for the last three months, staying in some city in a far off province on some official business, and she has been quite lonely.
After being awoken early by family retainers, she is taken to bathe, offer morning prayers, and eat breakfast. Then it is hours of tutoring in music, history, and languages, and a brief break for lunch. Watched over by the servants, you eat outside in the courtyard of the family palace compound with siblings and cousins.
One of those cousins of Ch'okole, Aunt Yaretzi's daughter. Older than you, Ch'okole has always been cold, mean, and passive aggressive towards you, perhaps because your mothers do not like each other either. Ever since your mother left, she has gotten even meaner and cattier, making comments about your side of the family were you can hear them, patronizing your intelligence, and trying to get you in trouble with your caretakers. You're sick of it. So when she makes some backhanded comment about you having poor posture, you sweetly ask her if her episode of foot fungus has cleared up yet.
It's on now. She glares at you, shaking with anger, and out pours a stream of invective, which you return. You're six and she's nine. Eventually your older cousins separate you. You were supposed to have exercise after this, but you are brought away by some aunt whose name you don't even know, a minor branch family member at rate, to be punished. You really got into it this time.
Mihuatecs punish their children pretty harshly sometimes, at least the aristocrats do. You are poked with thorns, have salt rubbed into the cuts, and have chili powder rubbed into your nostrils. It's agony, and terrifying, especially for such a young child. Afterwards, you are bandaged, taken to your afternoon lessons, and made to sit in a dark room for a couple hours and go without dinner. You cry alone, still infuriated by your cousin and the aunt that punished you and your cuts still burning. You miss your mother so much.
But before bed, one of your other cousins, a good one that you like comes by to comfort you. Xiuhtlahui, a smart and vivacious teenager. She brings you a little food and water, and tells you happily about what's going on in her own life, about friends at school, about crushes, a play she saw, and she gossips about members of the family that neither of you like. After she leaves, you say evening prayers, and you are put down to bed, you feel a little better. But you still miss your mother.
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Montage is only six years old in this memory, and this is a day in her life as she grows up in her mother's mansion. Her mother has been gone for the last three months, staying in some city in a far off province on some official business, and she has been quite lonely.
After being awoken early by family retainers, she is taken to bathe, offer morning prayers, and eat breakfast. Then it is hours of tutoring in music, history, and languages, and a brief break for lunch. Watched over by the servants, you eat outside in the courtyard of the family palace compound with siblings and cousins.
One of those cousins of Ch'okole, Aunt Yaretzi's daughter. Older than you, Ch'okole has always been cold, mean, and passive aggressive towards you, perhaps because your mothers do not like each other either. Ever since your mother left, she has gotten even meaner and cattier, making comments about your side of the family were you can hear them, patronizing your intelligence, and trying to get you in trouble with your caretakers. You're sick of it. So when she makes some backhanded comment about you having poor posture, you sweetly ask her if her episode of foot fungus has cleared up yet.
It's on now. She glares at you, shaking with anger, and out pours a stream of invective, which you return. You're six and she's nine. Eventually your older cousins separate you. You were supposed to have exercise after this, but you are brought away by some aunt whose name you don't even know, a minor branch family member at rate, to be punished. You really got into it this time.
Mihuatecs punish their children pretty harshly sometimes, at least the aristocrats do. You are poked with thorns, have salt rubbed into the cuts, and have chili powder rubbed into your nostrils. It's agony, and terrifying, especially for such a young child. Afterwards, you are bandaged, taken to your afternoon lessons, and made to sit in a dark room for a couple hours and go without dinner. You cry alone, still infuriated by your cousin and the aunt that punished you and your cuts still burning. You miss your mother so much.
But before bed, one of your other cousins, a good one that you like comes by to comfort you. Xiuhtlahui, a smart and vivacious teenager. She brings you a little food and water, and tells you happily about what's going on in her own life, about friends at school, about crushes, a play she saw, and she gossips about members of the family that neither of you like. After she leaves, you say evening prayers, and you are put down to bed, you feel a little better. But you still miss your mother.