Monthly Archives: April 2018

Stupid. It was all stupid. She had agreed! Sorias grumbled under his breath as he made his way along the rocky terrain. Isehari had departed while he slept. This was following an argument they had. She had changed her mind and wanted to see the human settlements whereas he was still set on traveling to the dwarven lands. She had agreed!

He didn’t know why it surprised him so much. Neither of them had felt very accepted in Glimarin elf society. He had been an orphan left on the steps of the guard’s headquarters in Fleronvale, and she was the daughter of a prostitute who gave her up when she was a toddler. Neither of them had the best start in life. Both of them were raised by the town, sleeping in the guard’s barracks instead of a home. No one acted to take them in, but at least she had known her mother at least a little.

And it was a stupid thing to start a fight over. It was easy to see that now that she was gone. He had mentioned it, as he often did just to prove he was worse off than she was. It had quickly moved onto who was always making the decisions and maybe she didn’t want to go to the dwarves. Maybe she wanted to go to the humans. Maybe he couldn’t stop her. She slept on the opposite side of the camp, but when he woke, she was gone.

She’ll show up again. Maybe. He had to admit that there was a possibility that she wouldn’t, but he wasn’t going to go look for her either. He was going to stick to the plan.

It was something he had wanted to do since he was a boy. One of the guards was a little more motherly than the rest of them and took it upon herself to tell the two orphans tales of her service along the northern borders, a border shared with the dwarves. Most lived in holes in the ground, though some could be found in stone hovels above ground. They were short and hairy things. She claimed that the tallest among them would only come to her hip! As Sorias was on the short side for a Glimarin elf, even now fully grown, he thought that sounded pretty neat to be taller than everyone else.

Of course, that was not the only reason. Dwarves had inventions— things that worked with heat and steam, things that worked by winding, things that a typical mage would tire from maintaining. She had told them of many of the things she had seen, and Sorias’s imagination took it from there. He needed to go there. He wanted to learn those things.

Isehari had only agreed to go along because she wanted to leave and see the world. He supposed that if she had changed her mind and didn’t want to see the dwarves with him, then that was her loss.

But it was still all stupid.

Carl Foxrun was furious. “What do you mean we’re not going back?”

“To the tower?”

Carl rolled his eyes. The ‘tower’ was a small home with a tiny room built on a second floor. It was anything but a tower, but Karuna Firewind refused to call it anything else. “Yes, the tower,” Carl replied through his teeth.

“Right, we’re not going back. I met with one of the guy’s leading the rebellion against Kingsfall, and they need my sort of power.”

“Might I remind you that Thril Gandir has not assigned us to any city. We do not need to get involved in this fight, Karuna. We should go back to the ‘tower’ and wait it out. You have the staff now. Isn’t that enough?”

“Exactly! I have the staff, and they need help.” Karuna held his staff up as if to affirm that, yes, he did indeed have it.

Carl wished he’d be more careful with that thing. Karuna had tested it before leaving the mountains, and the sheer power he had with it was, indeed, formidable. Carl was unsure he could fulfill his duty as an adahi should Karuna decide to run rampant with it. He was aware that mages were assigned both to Kingsfall and the towns that were rebelling. Thril Gandir did not pick sides in these matters, but that also meant that if Karuna wanted to use his free-travel assignment to join up with the rebels, he was allowed to do so.

Still, he saw it as his duty to try to convince him otherwise. After all, part of his job description involved keeping his mage safe.

“What about Shandaryl?” He hated bringing her up, but he couldn’t think of anything that could be more convincing. She was a beautiful elven woman who lived about half of a mile away from the ‘tower’. Carl had been seeing her until Karuna convinced him to call it off with her. Love between a human and an elf was frowned upon. Offspring from such unions were always infertile and often made fun of for not quite being human and not quite being an elf either. Karuna’s advice made sense, but when Karuna started seeing her himself not even a week later, it became all too clear his true intentions. Two months after that, Karuna decided it was time to finish the enchantment of his staff and off they went to the south. It was a strong enchantment and involved much more than Carl had been ready to deal with, but it was over now. He had been looking forward to going home.

“We broke up.”

Carl blinked. Did he hear right? Hadn’t Shandaryl told him? “What do you mean? I talked to her a few days before we left. Didn’t she tell you?”

“She told me she was pregnant, and I told her I didn’t need any loud kid running around. I have research to do, and right now, I have a war to join. Let’s go. They have a camp just on the other side of town.”

Carl sighed as he watched Karuna turn and start walking. Karuna didn’t look back. After a moment of debate, Carl picked up the bags and followed after him. As Karuna’s adahi, he didn’t have a choice after all.

• I guess I haven’t been feeling great lately. I’m really glad today is a weekend day and not a weekday. I don’t have to be anywhere.
• I spent most of the morning in bed. I got up once to go to the bathroom, but that was it. Imralion brought up breakfast, but I wasn’t really that hungry. His eggs looked a little weird, but that wasn’t the problem at all.
• Then around noon, he coaxed me downstairs. He was polishing his armor in the sitting room. Our sitting room is kinda nice because it has a lot of windows. There’s a fireplace in one corner, and windows all around. So I took up residence on the sofa and watched him polish armor while huddled in a blanket. It’s raining today, a lot. It was kind of soothing. I’m still upset though. He’s gone to get food from the school now.
• It’s just hard seeing Arancon with someone. I AM glad he’s happy. I want him to be happy. I think that’s good. I like her enough, though I don’t really know her. Im’s grossed out by the idea of them kissing, but I don’t really care if they do.
• When we left last night, he asked us to close the door when we left. I believe he and Anorelle probably stayed at the house last night. Otherwise, he would have closed the door when they left.
• I don’t know how to explain it. I see him with Anorelle, and I think of Maena. I remember bits and pieces of things that happened when I was a kid and we lived in Eversong. Not a lot. I was only six when we moved, but I remember him being happy then. I remember Maena was so happy then too. I think I was happy. Then we moved and things went to shit.
• I think about that sometimes. What would have happened if we hadn’t moved? I guess it would have been possible that I’d have been eaten by a troll, but I think it would have been more likely that we’d have all died in the Scourge attacks along with my father’s mother and aunts and uncles and cousins, as well as my mother’s family.
• So I guess being in the Row saved us. Or maybe that really depends on the way you look at it.
• Anyway, during my appointment with the confessor this week, I tried to talk a little about what I’ve been feeling, but I don’t know if I made very much sense. I mean, I try to talk to my father about it, but he’s just in such a good mood. I don’t want to ruin it. I did try a little harder last night.
• He had invited us and Anorelle over for supper, and this was just after he asked for some of Maena’s paintings for his house. I’m bothered by that too, but I went and picked some out for him. He had wanted to go with me to Shattrath, but I’ve decided I’m not ready to take him there, so I skirted around the question, and just brought him the paintings the next day.
• Anyway, supper.
• We arrived there and he was still cooking. Im and I sat and talked to Anorelle for a bit after she came out, then I went to check on Arancon. I told him a bit about how I feel. I didn’t want to make it into a big confrontation, so I talked to him while helping. I adjusted the heat with a spell, and checked the rice. I told him that it wasn’t him, and it wasn’t Anorelle, but I’d been feeling a bit down lately because their relationship reminds me that Maena isn’t here.
• I went on to say that it also reminds me that Maena never got to see him well again, and that makes me sad. I would have added that I miss her, but whenever I say that recently, I start crying. It’s just bringing it all back. Anyway, he just stood there and agreed with me that he had been a shit head in the past. Luckily, the food was ready then because I don’t think I could have said much else and still kept it together.
• He made his spicy chicken recipe. It’s been years since I’ve had it. I don’t remember it being quite so spicy. It tasted great, but I thought I was going to die. I didn’t finish mine. I couldn’t. I was sweating. My eyes were watering. My throat felt like it was on fire. I just couldn’t.
• Imralion ate mine so it didn’t go to waste.
• It came up that he used to cook in restaurants. I guess he did off and on. He wasn’t very good at keeping jobs. I didn’t say anything about how long he usually kept jobs.
• The cake was good. It wasn’t spicy either. Orledin made it, I guess.
• Then he had some tree on his porch that needed to be moved, so he borrowed my husband to do it, which left me with Anorelle. Again, she’s okay. She thought I was testing her, which was actually kind of amusing considering I just had a conversation with Hethurin earlier that afternoon about how useless tests are. Well, he doesn’t think so, but I do. Anyway, she probably thinks she failed or something, which again, I think she’s okay, but I’ve just been thinking about Maena a lot.
• I miss her.

Arancon stepped over the raised roots in the path. “Be careful. It’s eroded a bit here.” He walked ahead just enough to pass the roots and looked back as Sunashe stepped over them.

It had been a few days since they had this route, but Arancon was certain that the eroded roots were a new thing that had happened this morning. Where the roots weren’t showing, there were puddles of water, often covering thick mud. The rain did not seem to be letting it up either. It pelted them, and the gusts of wind chilled them.

Sunashe was usually not a pleasant patrol partner on days like these. He had more difficulty in the thicker mud with his prosthetic leg, and Arancon had a feeling his brain had difficulty in the weather.

But today was different. Perhaps Sunashe was just as grumpy about the weather as he had always been, and he was sure the rain was more miserable than usual, but Arancon’s good mood couldn’t be swayed.

Anorelle had stayed the night.

He’d admit to hoping she would. He thought the evening had gone fairly well. He had invited her, his son and his son’s husband to supper at his place. Luckily, she arrived first and had helped a little in the kitchen.

That didn’t stop Aeramin from coming into the kitchen later to see how the cooking was coming. Or had that just been an excuse? He had helped keep an eye on the rice, but did little more. He had seemed to come more to talk than to cook.

At first, he asked more mundane questions How was patrol? Did he have everything he needed at the ranger building? Was Orledin going to make those donut holes again? Those were the same questions he had been asking during the mornings when he came to see him, but then the conversation shifted. Aeramin was starting to open up and actually talk to him.

Arancon had been careful to listen and not out right dismiss his son’s thoughts on the matter. He did have the same thoughts after all, but that was years ago, around the time he finally sobered up and joined the rangers. Yes, he should have stopped drinking sooner, and it would have been great for Maena if he had, but he didn’t. If there was anything he had learned from visiting the confessor once a week was that he shouldn’t dwell on the past. Learning from it was good, but there was no way to change it. Today was happening now, and it was time to make a better future.

He had refrained from telling Aeramin that. He went to the confessor too, and Arancon was sure he’d hear the same advice eventually. Instead, he simply agreed that, yes, it would have been better if he had quit drinking years ago. It seemed to satisfy Aeramin for the time, and, as the supper was ready, he helped take the plates to the table.

A clap of thunder brought Arancon’s mind back to patrol. He stepped over another root sticking up as they neared the Dead Scar. He paused to make sure Sunashe saw it, then stepped around a large puddle in the path.

His mind wandered back to the previous night again. Aeramin seemingly couldn’t handle spicy chicken anymore, though he was sure he had it before and was fine. That had been an unpleasant surprise, but even more of a surprise was the word Aeramin had used when he asked if there was any milk. Ann’da. When was the last time he had heard him say that word? Arancon couldn’t remember.

Worse, he couldn’t figure out why. Was it something good? Was something wrong? With Aeramin it was hard to tell, but Arancon had gladly fetched him a glass of milk.

Aeramin did eat some of the cake, so at least he didn’t starve, but Arancon still felt badly that he wound up unable to eat the supper.

Besides that incident, things hadn’t gotten too awkward.

Arancon stopped as he stepped in some deeper, thicker mud. “You’ll want to go around this,” he said to Sunashe as he found slightly drier ground on the higher side of the path.
Sunashe nodded and followed. They had to pass around a fallen tree as well. It reminded Arancon of the tree that had fallen behind his house. It had been a close call for the back porch, and the upper limbs had blocked the way out. He was lucky it hadn’t been a few feet taller. He had done his best to chop it with an axe, but with the cast, it was slow going. He did get it down to manageable pieces if he had help, and luckily, Imralion agreed to it. That also gave him the opportunity to talk to Imralion.

He had already apologized to Aeramin, but he felt Imralion deserved one too. His behavior before he sobered up, and right after, hadn’t been very pleasant. Part of making the future better was making sure others knew that what was done in the past was wrong.

Imralion hadn’t said he forgave him, but that was okay. Arancon wasn’t looking for forgiveness. He only wanted those he had wronged to know that he regretted what he said and did.

“We should break for lunch soon. Maybe on the other side of the Scar,” Sunashe said. “We can take cover from the storm for a bit in that one ziggurat.”

Arancon nodded. The ziggurat wasn’t his idea of a nice place to hang out, but it would give them a dry place to eat their lunches. He smiled as he thought about where he’d rather be. He remembered tracing the edges of her ears with his fingers as she lay close to him last night. She was so beautiful. The night had been wonderful, and he was sure she would agree on that. She had helped him do the dishes after supper, and that’s when she had agreed to stay. What started in the kitchen ended in the bedroom. Morning came too soon, and he walked back with her for her early patrol. It hadn’t started raining until later that morning.

Another loud clap of thunder crackled through the air. The sooner they got the ziggurat, the better.

Dear Minn’da,

I received your letter a few days ago, and I know this is earlier than I usually write back, but a lot has happened since the last time I wrote.

The biggest thing is that I’ve met someone. It was kind of in thanks to Lani, though I don’t think she really knows him. He came into the clinic for medical attention after a hawkstrider was spooked and attacked him. His name is Teloth, and he’s really handsome.

Anyway, Lani asked me to attend to him since I currently don’t have many patients to see. I still see the babies, but they’re all old enough now that I don’t see them as often, and no one out here is pregnant. Since I’m here with nothing to do most of the time, Lani sometimes asks me to take care of some of the other patients.

He needed stitches, which I took care of. He’s going to have a couple of scars after they heal, but he does seem to be healing well. Did I mention he’s really cute? We talked a bit while I was doing his stitches, and he wound up asking me to go to the ball with him. I said yes, of course.

Going to the ball and actually dancing with someone was wonderful! He looked so handsome, and I had such a good time. I didn’t want the evening to end. We have agreed to see each other again, this time for supper in Silvermoon. I know you’re probably eager to meet him, but I think it’s a bit early yet, so please don’t ask to join us. If things go well I’ll invite you to meet him over supper in a couple of months.

As for your questions. I haven’t heard of all the things you said Vallindra told you about Bailas, but I do know that Sanimir isn’t any closer to forgiving him than he was when he first came out. I guess he was causing trouble at the school— Again, I’m not sure if what Vallindra told you is true, but Sanimir did send Bailas to the rangers for a few days, and his nose was broken there. I think he walked into a tree or something, and then he spooked the hawkstriders, which wasn’t very nice, but I did meet Teloth because of that, and Teloth is going to be okay.

Bailas is back at the school now, but I think Sanimir has him polishing stones on the beach or something stupid just so that he’s out of the way. You might want to just let him come back home. I don’t think he’s doing so well with earning forgiveness out here.

And yes, father is still pursuing Terellion’s mother. They danced at the ball, but I think that’s all they did.

I hope all is well with you, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Love,
Esladra

Arancon sat on the bench next to the target shooting area. He couldn’t draw back a bow with his hand in a cast, but Sunashe insisted that he still attend bow practice time. He could sit and watch and observe, he had said. Arancon found it boring. He wanted to slip away and do more drawings of Anorelle, also not an easy feat with his cast, but if he took his time, he could draw left-handed. The few he had done in the past week took longer than usual, but were still fine work, though the style was a little different than the ones he drew with his right hand.

Sunashe approached the bench. Perhaps he was weary of yelling about proper form and technique.

Arancon looked up. He had been letting his mind wander, perhaps a bit too much. Had Sunashe noticed?

He didn’t say anything if he did. Instead, he took a seat next to Arancon and nodded towards the ranger building. “Looks like we have a lost priest.”

Arancon glanced back to see Isturon Lightmist wandering around outside the building. “Do you want me to go see what he wants? He’s probably just looking for Nessna.”

Sunashe nodded, and Arancon left him behind on the bench to approach the priest, who smiled as he neared.

“I was hoping to find you back from patrol.”

“Me? You’re not looking for Nessna?” Arancon asked.

“I was planning to talk to her a bit after speaking to you. I assume she’s inside. I wanted to ask your advice on something. Do you have time now?”

Arancon glanced back at the targets. Sunashe wasn’t looking his way and seemed busy. “Sure, but let’s go to the other side of the building. I’m supposed to be observing practice, but honestly, it’s really boring.”

“You won’t get in trouble?”

“Nah, Sunashe will probably just think I’ve gone to help you find Nessna. Let’s go to the other side of the building though, just to make it look good.”

Isturon nodded and followed Arancon to the other side of the building. There was less space on this side, though a couple of trails led off into the woods, and there was a bench along the wall of the building.

Arancon took a seat. “So, what is it?”

Isturon sat with a sigh next to him. “I think I must be doing something wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Arancon asked.

“With Braedra.”

“Have you told her how you feel?”

“I did, or I was trying, and then she said she doesn’t want me to spend all of my money on her,” he said, pausing a moment before adding, “Now that I’ve said it out loud, it sounds even worse.”

“It sounds like she dumped you.”

“But she agreed to go see a live music show. She seems to think that meant an orchestra, though I’d prefer a jazz band. I guess an orchestra is okay so I’ll get tickets for that. I guess we’re going as friends?”

“Maybe. Have you tried taking her on a date where you don’t spend money?”

Isturon looked at him with a raised brow, “What kind of date would that be?”

“I guess that means no. It could be a walk on a beach-”

“It’s still a little chilly for that still.”

“Get a cloak big enough to still be on you while you hold one side of it around her shoulder. Chilly walks on the beach are the best because you get to cuddle.”

Isturon seemed to be considering it. He nodded slightly.

“You could take her to a farm to look at animals.”

“A farm?”

“Yeah. Women tend to like animals. Especially baby animals. The farm I grew up on didn’t have a lot of animals, but there were chickens. Baby chicks are really cute.”

Isturon seemed to be considering that as well. He nodded slightly again. “I could see if my sister has any baby hawkstriders yet.”

“Do you cook?”

Isturon frowned. “No, not really.”

“It wouldn’t have to be anything fancy. You could even invite her over for stew. I bet she’d love it.”

“Invite her over? That sounds a little presumptuous.”

“Inviting a woman over for supper could be just that, or invite her for lunch, that way it won’t be late.”

“No, I think supper could be good. I just have the additional worry of her not being ready yet. She lost her husband a few years ago. I know you lost your wife. I can’t really relate as well.”

“There’s not much you can do if she’s not ready, and there’s no telling how long it might take. I didn’t know until my fist connected with Bailas’s face. I figured if I was willing to break my fifth hand bone—”

“Metacarpal. Your fifth metacarpal.”

“Yes, my fifth meta-whatever. If I’m willing to break bones for a girl, then maybe it’s time to ask her out.”

Isturon looked at him for a moment. “I don’t want Braedra breaking bones for me.”

“Well, hopefully, if she’s ready, she’ll just tell you. Have you asked her?”

“I should have that talk with her, I guess. Maybe over supper at my place,” Isturon said with a slight smile. “By the way, how are things going with Anorelle?”

“Things are going great. I asked her over to my place for supper, and she said yes. There might have been mention of the shower as well. I’m inviting her there to skip the line at the ranger building after we clear out the spider caves.”

Isturon regarded him a moment before speaking again. “Just like that? She said yes?”

Arancon nodded, “I know she’s into me, and I’m very into her. There’s no point in trying to hide it.”

“Huh. I see.”

“I should probably head back to the targets before Sunashe thinks I’ve gone missing. Was there anything else?”

Isturon shook his head. “I should go in and see Nessna and the boys for a bit.”

Arancon left Isturon sitting on the bench and hurried back to the target area. He hoped that Sunashe wouldn’t make him stay and watch longer to make up for the time he was gone.

Aeramin slid into the seat across from his father at the table at the ranger building and grabbed a donut from the tray in the middle of the table.

“These are good.”

Arancon looked up from his paper. “Again? you’ve been here almost every morning this week. There isn’t a problem with the wards is there?”

Aeramin shook his head. He had been visiting a lot lately, but he had managed to skirt around the real reason so far. He hoped he’d be able to continue doing so. “No. I’m just coming to hang out before work. Im needs to be in the city at seven every morning, so I have an hour to kill before my first class. Are you still working on your poem?” He nodded at the paper Arancon had in front of him.

“Yes. I’m trying to make it better. You were always smart with words. Do you want to take a look at it for me?” He pushed the paper towards Aeramin.

“Um, it’s not about sex is it?”

Arancon rolled his eyes. “It’s not about sex. It’s about love.”

Aeramin took the paper and started reading. After the first few lines, he looked up at his father. “It’s about love?”

“It starts out being about despair and then goes to hope and then to love.”

“Oh. Okay.” He looked back down at the paper and continued reading. “Um, I don’t know if this despair thing is working. I mean, there’s a lot of it.”

“It’s only the first two stanzas.”

“The third one too?”

“No. That’s hope.”

“It reads like despair.”

“I could try making it hopier.”

Aeramin looked at Arancon, “That’s not a word, but I know what you mean. If I were writing it, I’d lose the despair part. Maybe just one or two lines of despair, then swing right into hope. A love poem shouldn’t have the word ‘garbage’ in it.”

“What about the rest?”

Aeramin looked back down to read. He shook his head a couple of times but said nothing until he finished. He looked back up at his father and said, “You want my honest opinion?”

Arancon nodded.

“It sucks.”

“What?”

“You have rhyming here, but not here, after you’ve established the middle two lines rhyme you break your own rule.”

“Rules are made to be broken.”

Aeramin stared at his father, “No, they’re not. You need to make the middle two lines of each stanza rhyme if you establish that they’re supposed to early on. I really do like the alliteration in this line, but again, the word ‘garbage’ shouldn’t be in a love poem. Half of it is depressing. The final line of each stanza sounds a little stilted, not to mention crazy. Do you have voices muttering in your head? Cause that’s what the poem says.”

“Oh, well, how do I fix it?”

“You’ll want to condense the first three stanzas into one. I’d keep the rhyming lines and think of better words to rhyme in the spots where it’s lacking, and maybe lose the muttering voices in your head.”

Arancon nodded, “Solid advice, good. I showed it to Sunashe, and he thought it was great.” He started writing slowly in his notes with his left hand.

“Here, let me write it down for you.” Aeramin frowned and took the paper back to write down his proposed edits. While he was doing that, he said, “You were at the ball last night. Did you have fun?”

Arancon smiled, “Yeah, she’s really great. I can’t dance worth a damn, but she didn’t care. Oh, and we’ve decided to go on a trip.”

“A trip?”

“Yeah, to the island. I’ve never been there. Have you?”

Aeramin looked up, wondering if his father realized exactly what he was saying. He saw him smiling and forgot about being angry. “Yeah, I’ve been there a couple of times. I think you’ll like it.”

My weekend was okay. It was boring at first, and I had to watch my little sister while Minn’da and Ann’da worked. At least she doesn’t poop in diapers anymore and can go by herself to the bathroom. I really don’t like poopy diapers.

I wanted to go see Kiandris, which is why watching my sister was boring. He got some cards at the market. He said they’re collectibles, but I don’t know how true that is. They’re just pieces of paper with pictures of rangers and important people. He does have a Lor’themar card which is kind of cool. On the back, it says things about the people. Lor’themar almost died to trolls, and now he’s a leader. I guess that’s kind of cool too.

Anyway, I couldn’t go see him. I asked Minn’da if she could buy me some cards, and I don’t think she understands how important they are. I was going to ask Ann’da, but he was seeing someone in his office, so I couldn’t. Then my other Ann’da arrived.

Sometimes people are confused when I talk about that, but Isturon is my father too. I just don’t live with him. Lani and Confessor Morthorn adopted me because Isturon is too old or he was going through some stuff with his divorce or something at the time. I don’t know. I’m glad that Lani didn’t hesitate to take me in. I guess it’s kind of weird to other people, and I don’t know how to explain it without getting too weird, so usually when someone at the art school asks why I have a mother and two fathers, I just tell them that I’m adopted, but I know where I’m from, and I leave it at that.

Anyway, I’m glad I have three parents and that they all love me and want to spend time with me.

So Isturon was there to get me. I had to change to my nice robe, the one that Lani won’t let me wear when I paint, and I had to carry my shoes separately because we had to walk to the school, which is kind of a long walk, but it was okay. A couple of spots in the trail were muddy, so I’m glad I wore my boots and had my good shoes in my bag. Ann’da said that we were lucky it wasn’t raining, but he had an umbrella if it did. I don’t know why we were lucky then. I like the rain. It makes a nice sound and I think it’s relaxing. The only bad part about it is that it’s wet, but he had an umbrella so I don’t understand. I guess he just doesn’t like the rain.

Anyway, we got to the school. Braedra, Terellion’s mother, was already there with her two daughters. They’re in my class at the school and they’re probably writing about their weekend too, so I better get it right. Terellion showed up shortly after we arrived, but we had to wait for Hethurin. I don’t know what takes him so long to get ready, but it seems like we just sat around talking for a whole twenty minutes before he finally showed up.

He made a portal for us, so at least getting to the city didn’t take even more time. We went to this restaurant that had candles all over and gold hanging from their curtains and embroidered in their tablecloths. Hethurin told me to get the most expensive thing because that was always the thing that tasted best, but then they brought the menus and there weren’t any prices listed so I ordered salmon because I know I like that.

Everything was really fancy looking too. I mean, even the food! I liked the colors they used in putting the meal on the plate. There were those little tomatoes and stuff on mine along with lettuce and the salmon and a slice of lemon. It looked really good before I even took a bite to discover it was really good.

Hethurin was really hungry and ordered two things. One was lobster, and then the other, I’m not sure what it was, but it had tentacles. Terellion ordered a lot too. Then Hethurin ordered a bunch of desserts. I saw him put some in a take-out bag. Maybe he was taking some home for Malwen and Narise. I don’t think Galandil is old enough to eat so much regular food yet. Hethurin excused himself for a few minutes to go to the bathroom, but when he came back, I noticed the take-out bag was gone, so I think he took it home and teleported back.

After that, we went to the theater. I’ve never been in a theater before so that was interesting! There was a big stage and we had seats right in the middle. The seats were comfortable, and built into an incline so people seated behind other people could see over their heads. It was all really cool! I wonder if there are cards of the actors. I should ask Minn’da to get me some. I bet Kiandris doesn’t have any of those!

The play was about a girl who saved a princess who was cursed. There was a magic mirror, and they had someone wearing a suit to make them look like a fancy mirror for that. The princess almost died but a magic swan helped save her. They used a real swan for that. I wonder how long it took to train it to do the right thing on the stage. At the end, the princess and the girl kissed. It was a fun story. Terellion kept talking about the swan. I don’t know why he was so excited by it.

After that, we went back to the school, and Ann’da asked Hethurin to take me home. Hethurin made a portal and went with me and he talked to Minn’da for a while.

The rest of the weekend, I spent working on changes to a painting for art school. I need to work on getting the lighting and stuff better and use more contrast to make things more interesting. Light can help draw the eyes to certain places in the painting, and I’m getting better at that.

(( Another weird Alinash has thoughts story ))

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“Oma! Oma, I’m home!” Stig called out as he entered the small house in the woods. He hadn’t been due home for another week, but circumstances led him to abandon the transport wagon and head straight home.

Oma, his mother, hurried through the kitchen archway. “Stig, you’re home.” She was going to hug him, but she stopped when she noticed. “What do you have here?”

Stig peeked down into the sling. “This is Malwen. I don’t think she’s very old.”

Oma peeked into the sling as well, “Stig, where in Naren did you get a baby? She must belong to someone. They’re probably worried sick.”

Stig frowned, “It was her mother who handed her to me. They were being chased by mages see, and they were going north to get away from them, but the mages caught up to us. I held the baby while her mother ran, but when I checked with Boyd when things quieted down, he said that the mother had died. They thought she jumped with the baby, so they’re not looking for her anymore. Still, he didn’t want the baby with the wagon after that, so I brought her back here.”

“Stig! That baby is probably a mage. It’s highly illegal to harbor a rogue mage.”

“She’s just a baby, Oma. She needs someone to take care of her now. Her mother died protecting her from the mages. She begged me to hide with little Malwen, Oma. I couldn’t just take her back and hand her over.”

Oma shook her head. “Well, she is cute. Let’s see her.” She helped Stig get Malwen out of the sling. Moving the blanket away from her ears, Oma gasped, “And an elf. Stig, you do like to make things complicated, don’t you?”

“She still needs someone to take care of her, elf or human, it doesn’t matter.”

“It’s not that, Stig. It’s the fact that we won’t even be able to take her into town. People will know just by looking that she doesn’t belong with us, and you’re gone for weeks at a time with your work. I won’t be able to leave her behind.”

“Oma, I thought about that. I had to leave the wagon to bring her here anyway, so I don’t think Boyd will want me back. I thought we could sell the cheese you make instead. We’d just need a few more goats, and I could get them with what I have saved up. Then I could take it into town and sell it so we can buy the things we need.”

Oma sighed, “I suppose. She is awfully cute. Speaking of the goats, you should probably go get her some milk.”

Stig nodded and headed out to the barn, leaving Malwen with Oma.