fandomhigh | World Mythology -- Third Period -- Monday

Ghanima was sitting on her desk, absently eating lemon drops as she watched the students arrive. She was even slightly tanned, despite the fact it was January in Maryland. She'd spent most of the break with her family on the island, but there had been a ~~handwavedomg~~ trip to see Aly. And sunshine. But mostly Aly.

"Good morning," she said, her voice carrying effortlessly. "I am Lady Ghanima Atreides, and this is World Mythology. You may call me Lady Ghanima, Miss Ghanima, or Miss Atreides, whichever you are more comfortable with. The first person to call me Lady Atreides gets detention."

"This is a survey class, intended to give you a gentle introduction to various pantheons and mythologies around the world. We will not be covering any country in-depth, instead, consider this a whirlwind tour."

"During this class, I’m going to ask you to keep in mind that many stories we consider today to be folklore or myths were originally part of a religion. I’m going to ask that you keep an open mind, and try not to let any ethnocentric biases show too badly. Yes, you may consider tales of the Tuatha de Danan or the Morrigan to be nothing more than fairy stories, but to someone else it may be a fundamental truth."

"Today we will start with the definition of a myth. In the academic fields of mythology, mythography, or folkloristics, a myth, or mythos, is a sacred story concerning the origins of the world or how the world and the creatures in it came to be in their present form. The active beings in myths are generally gods and heroes. Myths often are said to take place before recorded history begins. In saying that a myth is a sacred narrative, what is meant is that a myth is believed to be true by people who attach religious or spiritual significance to it. Use of the term by scholars does not imply that the narrative is either true or false. For the purpose of this class, myths are stories that originate in the beliefs of nations and races and present episodes in which supernatural forces operate. Some myths try to make visible and concrete ways that humans see nature, like the division of the year into seasons. Many myths show the ways that humans see the forces that control them, and often explain creation, religion, and divinities; they guess at the meaning of life and death, or at the cause for good and evil."

"Now, it is important to separate myths from other types of stories. Mythology is frequently confused with fiction, legend, fairy tale, folklore, fable, and urban legend, each of which has a distinct meaning in academia. There is also epic poetry, which may retell a myth, but not every epic poem is a myth – many are legends or folklore. Instead of doing the typical introductions, I'd like to hear about the myths near and dear to your hearts."

"Now, I found myself in need of some assistants, and I took the liberty of selecting based on the class rooster." A list that, curiously, seemed to have been used for target practice with sharp objects. Alianne was a horrible influence. "Miss Solo, Miss Menolly, please see me after class."

[there is ocd, have fun!]

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"So how do you know it?" Jacob asked, which wasn't the subject of the class. Sigh.

The corner of Karla's mouth quirked up. "Because I'm a Queen," she said. "My mother told me the story when I was younger."

"You're a Queen?"

He stared at her and all images of Queens he had didn't match up. For one, she had too little wrinkles. It was about then that he remembered that not everything people told him had to be real in this place and he laughed. "Okay, you had me there."

Karla was not amused. "Had you?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "I may not act like an aristo, but I assure you, I most certainly am a Queen."

"Why would you be going to high school here if you were?" he asked, because that just made no sense.

There was a part of Karla that just wanted to answer, 'Because my parents were murdered, my mother's throne usurped, and my life threatened--and that last is the best case scenario.'

But she wasn't ~~Batman~~ going to get into all that in class. Not with a strange male she'd only just met.

"Getting an education," she replied with a touch of acid. "Sometimes there's more to us than simply meets the eye, Jacob."

And another significant glance, yes.

Could he ignore that glance? Why yes, he could.

"Sure, sure," he said, waving it off. "I just imagine someone more annoying when I thikn of a queen. Or you know... grayer."

Look, he never claimed he had common sense.

"Annoying?" That would be Ghanima, looming over both of them, yes.

"I fail to see what age or temperament have to do with ruling, Mr. Black. If you are going to bring classist attitudes into my classroom, please be prepared to back them up with something other than 'you know.'"

He didn't know people could loom over him anymore these days. And be intimidating. Yep, definitely intimidating.

"I'll try to do better, ma'am," he said. At least a tad sheepish.

Way to make a first impression.

[I had totally read 'grayer' as 'gayer.' Still made perfect sense!]

"I could always give you an in-depth history of the customs of my people, Jacob," Karla said, so sweetly that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "Granted, it would take quite a bit of time, but I'd absolutely be willing to put in the effort."

Hey, she'd suffer through it. And had Craft to make sure he kept paying attention.

Edited 2010-01-04 19:10 (UTC)

"Hey, if you don't mind learning about mine I don't see why I shouldn't do the same," he replied, because well... there was a looming teacher and he didn't quite know how to back down.

"Enough, both of you." Ghanima's smile was not friendly. "We are all here to learn, and you'll both get chances to share your cultures and mythologies. But not in a hissing contest."

He was just smart enough to know when to shut up.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, eyes cast down and it was hard to sink under the table if you were his size.

"Yes, Lady Ghanima," Karla said, hunching over a bit in her chair. Arguing was for ~~dumber~~ braver people than she. "Didn't mean to disrupt."

Even if it had been all his fault.

It was like disciplining kittens.

"Now, tell me about your Zuul. Why do you think it's a myth that is only told to your ruling caste, and not everyone? Wouldn't all members of society benefit from knowing that if their Queen fails in her duties, that all are held accountable?"

"That's why I think it's also told to the Warlord Princes," Karla said quietly. "If the other Queens can't or won't take her out of power, then it's up to a Warlord Prince to do so. And the Queen in question is much less likely to survive in that case."

Warlord Princes were a law unto themselves, even within Protocol.

"As for the tale itself, well, it's hard to say. There's no actual record of the Darkness having ever done anything like that before or since. Queens learn it not because we fear the Darkness will do that to us, but as a reminder that our actions have consequences much larger than ourselves."

World Mythology -- Third Period -- Monday

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