The Shipwright never had a child, so far as I know, but when I was twelve and lonely–for I’d been close to my mother, physically close (her conjoined offspring, some of the traveling-circle joked)–she spoke to me. I didn’t know it was Her at first. Certainly I knew I spoke to an Avatar, a twelve-year-old like myself, only dressed in archaic tunic and leggings, barefoot in sandals. An exotic planet-sider, an imaginary friend.
We played chess, among other games, swung upside down by the handholds of the Heart-Ring (for all parents there want their children to be strong, build muscle and bone against the pull of gravity), danced the elements in the Sarronny fashion, built puzzle-palaces of rigid linkages in imitation of the crystal structures too small to see, told stories.
Eventually, from her stories, I realized she must be much, much older than I. She didn’t tell me who she was. She let me figure it out.
***
The narrator is Taryn the Outlander. From character interviews for the Ship’s Heart universe.
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E. P. Beaumont 
Cool excerpt. I learned a lot about the girl and the avatar of the Shipwright, and the passage was entertaining, as well.
Deft world building blended with nice subtle characterization. I always love reading your excerpts, excellent as always!
I LOVE it! I can’t wait to read more about the Shipwright’s avatar. Excellent excerpt!
A fascinating glimpse into their culture.
Incredible world-building! I’ve never read anything quite this like this world. Nicely done!
So many things to reflect on here… I did feel a bit lost as to whether the Avatar our narrator speaks of is his mother or the Shipwright’s child or… but the childhood games, the sense of a more mature child… a child who isn’t a child…. Huh!