“Despite your brother’s culinary exuberance, we still have plenty,” Ren observed. “This is the biggest breakfast I recall us ever eating.”
“All this food, and yet I don’t feel hungry,” Cherin said.
“I would have been glad to help cook,” Jarris said. “I’m sure cooking was the last thing on your mind, mom.”
Cherin squeezed her son’s hand. “Thank you, but that wasn’t necessary. The distraction has been nice. Besides, you don’t need to be milling around the kitchen just yet.”
“I’m so sorry about your sister,” Frasie said.
“Thank you, Frasie.”
“And for your loss too, Mae.”
Mae nodded with a thankful smile. After several bites, Frasie nudged Niv. “Have you asked her yet?”
“I just got back. You have been with me every minute since then.”
“Right, I know, but—"
“Asked who what?” Ren asked.
“It can wait until after we’re done eating,” she said.
Frasie stuffed a large bite of potatoes in her mouth. She knew her friend was trying to contain herself but was losing the battle to her unbridled enthusiasm.
“Mae, how many do you think your wagon can hold?” she asked.
“Probably four people, but I wouldn’t want to stress the horses.”
She saw Frasie’s green eyes nearly spill over with exuberance. Only a mouthful of food was keeping her quiet.
“Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “Just wondering.”
Frasie swallowed and took a large drink of tea.
“She’s going to blow if I don’t ask you. Do you mind if she comes along?”
“It’s dangerous, Frasie,” Mae replied. “I don’t think you’d—"
“Oh, danger doesn’t scare me.” She stood and moved her arms as though nocking an arrow. “I’m an expert archer.”
Mae raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve seen her fell a deer well over a hundred yards away at a full run,” Ren said.
Mae’s lips broke into a thin smile. “You won’t let me say no, will you?”
“You can say no, but I’ll follow you on foot.”
“How old are you, Frasie?”
“I just turned nineteen. I assure you, I’m old enough to make my own decisions. I know people think I’m younger because I look younger, but I am an adult. Some people also think I’m younger because I’m full of energy and talk a lot, but that’s got nothing to do with it. I’ve always talked a lot and I probably always will, even when I’m old. So, what do you think, Mae? Can I come?”
“First off, Frasie, take a breath,” Mae said.
Frasie inhaled and waited for further instruction. Her freckled face turned red.
“You can exhale. I didn’t mean to hold your breath.”
Frasie’s pale complexion returned. “Ok, that’s better. So?”
“Yes, you may.”
Frasie emitted a high-pitched squeal and hugged her. “I can come with you, Nivvy!”
“I know, I heard!”
“Oh, I’ve got to tell my parents. They’re going to be…” Frasie paused. Her exuberance instantly faded.
“They’re going to miss you,” Cherin said. “Just like we’ll miss Niv.”
Frasie bolted from her chair and headed to the door. “It’s delicious, Cherin, but I can’t eat anymore. I’m too excited. I’ll go and pack. Pick me up when you leave.”
“Pack lightly,” Mae said as Frasie headed out the door.
“She heard you,” Ren said.
“I know she’s a handful, but she will be very useful.”
“You don’t have to justify her presence, Niv,” Mae replied. “I’m sure she will be an excellent, and interesting, traveling companion.”
None of them wanted the meal to end because they all knew it would speed up Niv and Mae’s inevitable departure, but time was not on their side. After they finished, she offered to help clean, but Cherin insisted she would handle it.
She recalled Mae telling Frasie to pack lightly, so she changed into her blue dress with pockets and donned a small leather traveling pouch that protected her journal, pen, and a small glass container of ink. She gathered her hair into a ponytail and headed outside to help prepare the wagon. Ren had hitched the team and was tending to the horses while Cherin loaded several large baskets of breads, biscuits, cookies, preserves, and plenty of oats for the horses.
Once preparations were complete, they all stood near the wagon, hesitating to even speak of leaving. The dreaded feeling of inevitability loomed again. This time, Jarris forced the topic.
“Niv, I’m going to miss you,” he said as he gave her a big hug.
“You can have my room,” she said.
“I’d much rather have you in it. It’s going to be lonely without my big sister.”
Ren pulled her close and embraced her. He pulled out a small money pouch and slipped it into her pocket. She started to protest, but he shook his head. “No, you may need it.” He kissed her forehead. “Stay safe.”
Cherin hugged her tightly. “Be careful, Niv. There’s plenty of food to last at least until Gray Oak. Eat well and don’t ration. You need to keep up your strength.”
“I will,” she promised.
She took both of their hands. It was clear they were holding back tears. “I love you both so much. I will return as soon as I can. And I’ll write as often as possible.”
She enjoyed a final hug between the two of them, then Mae hugged Cherin and Ren and said her goodbyes. After a lingering moment, they climbed on the wagon. Mae flicked the reins and they started to move. She waved to her family until they were out of sight.
Her stomach churned with nervous excitement. She committed to memory her last look at the beautiful trees and plants on her property, the sights and smells of home, and the cheerful sound of holiday meals gathered around their kitchen table. She held those thoughts close, steeling herself against the challenges ahead.
Chapter 11
The wagon bounced and splashed through ruts and puddles formed from recent heavy rains. As they passed other homes, she recalled childhood memories of playing in the woods and visiting friends.
“Things are already looking different,” she observed.
“You have lacked motion in your life,” Mae replied. “Travel is a sure path to wisdom for an intelligent person like yourself.”
She felt her stomach tighten as they crossed the bridge over the stream where her brother was gravely injured. After the bridge, they took a left to Frasie’s house.
“You’ll have to tell me which house is hers,” Mae said.
She chuckled. “No, I won’t.”
In just a few moments, they saw Frasie standing at the edge of the road. She wore her traveling cloak and had her bow and quiver strapped to her back. Her enthusiasm was palatable.
“Hey Nivvy, Mae!”
“Good morning, Frasie,” Mae replied. “I want to meet your parents. I’m sure they have a lot of questions.”
Frasie hopped in the back of the wagon. “Of course, but… I’ve already told them everything.”
They traveled up the short path to Frasie’s home. It was practical yet neat and had a beautiful flower garden along the walking path to their front door. Frasie darted out of the wagon and stood next to her parents.
“Ma, pa, this is Maeva and Nivvy,” Frasie pronounced. “Well, you know who Nivvy is, of course. This is Kendal and Solvi, my parents.”
Mae nodded. “Pleased to meet you both.”
Kendal was a large, stocky man. His blond hair was slightly unkempt, and his clothes had mismatched colored patches. Solvi had vibrant, curly red hair and was almost as tall as Kendal. She clutched a basket full of food.
“I understand it is strange having your daughter go with a complete stranger on a long journey.”
Kendal puffed on his pipe. “You are no stranger, Mae. Frasie has told us everything.”
Solvi nodded. “S
he didn’t leave out a detail.”
Mae smiled. “I have no doubt. Your daughter has one of the most effervescent personalities I’ve ever known.”
Frasie extended her arms. “That means bubbly!”
“I made these for your trip,” Solvi said.
Frasie took the basket from her mother’s hands. “I’ll have to ration these cookies carefully.” She turned to Niv. “You can have one per day.”
“Your journey will be as true as your sights, Frasie,” Kendal said. “Remember to always keep your bow nearby. You never know when you’ll need it.”
“Do not worry about your daughter,” Mae said. “We’ll take every precaution to ensure her safety. It will be a joy to have her along.”
Kendal laughed heartily and put his arm around Frasie. “I’m not worried about her, ma’am. I’m more worried about you!”
“What my husband is trying to say is that we appreciate your invitation.”
“Now Solvi, of course I do, but that’s not what I meant.”
“I understand, Kendal,” Mae replied with a grin. “Nevertheless, I will keep your daughter safe.”
“We’d be obliged,” Kendal said. He gave Frasie a tremendous hug, then Frasie embraced her mother.
“I’ll miss you two something crazy.”
“Solvi, Kendal, I’ll miss you both as well,” she said.
“You kids take care and come back to visit sometime, alright?”
Niv nodded. “Be well.”
Chapter 12
Gentle breezes stirred collected raindrops from the trees and laid down a smattering of multicolored leaves on their path. The sun made brief appearances between the clouds, but by the time they left the village, it started to sprinkle. They continued until sundown and found a small clearing to setup camp for the evening.
Mae tended to the horses while Niv set stones in place for a campfire.
“I’ll gather wood and you light it,” Frasie said.
“I don’t have the flint. I think Mae has it.”
“You can use magic,” Frasie said, heading to the tree line. After a few moments, she returned with a handful of kindling and two logs. “We got lucky. Someone must have already camped here because there’s a small pile of wood over there.”
“I’ll go get the flint.”
Frasie grabbed her arm. “You can do it, I know you can.”
She knew it was a frivolous use of magic, but it was tempting to see if she could do it. She held her hands over the kindling and concentrated just as she had done when she healed her brother. She recalled the confident approach that had worked and envisioned the flames emerging from the kindling. Despite her best efforts, nothing happened.
Mae sat next to her. “You must do more than envision your goal. You must be convinced beyond any doubt that the fire is raging before you. See it in your mind, smell the wood burning, let the smoke fill your lungs, and hear the crackle as oils in the sticks boil and split the wood. Feel the heat.”
She refocused her efforts, immersing all her senses in the pallet of her imagination. In her mind, she dashed red and orange streaks across the wood, envisioned smoke billowing, and delighted in the rich odor the log had to offer.
“You did it!” Frasie exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement as she pointed to the roaring fire.
“Impressive,” Mae said. “This task usually takes some time to master.”
“I could have just used a flint,” she said.
“Indeed, you could have,” Mae replied. “And that would have been your next lesson. Learning when best to use magic.”
“Was it harmful to light our fire this way?”
“No, it was a good exercise. But magic is taxing on the body. The Amulet of Balance will help with that, but nevertheless it is often best to accomplish the most with the least amount of time and energy required.”
“Isn’t that lazy?” Frasie asked.
She frowned at her. “Frasie!”
“That was a perceptive question,” Mae replied. “If you did nothing with the time and energy you saved, it might be foolish. But by spending less time on daily chores, you can focus on creative and more productive tasks.”
“Make sense,” she said.
“It’s a lot more fun to light a fire with magic,” Frasie said.
“I can’t argue with that,” Mae replied.
“Now if you could just conjure us some of your mom’s stew,” Frasie said.
She turned to Mae. “Is that possible?”
Mae took a deep breath. “Yes, but it is simpler to cook a meal. Conjuring food is like drinking water from the sea. It takes more energy to prepare it magically than you gain by eating the food. You would eventually starve.”
Niv and Frasie cut some slices of cured ham and fetched a biscuit for each of them from their provisions.
“How does conjuring work?” she asked. “I don’t understand how I could create something out of thin air.”
Mae put some oats in a pot of water over the fire “An important question. All magic works by projection of will. The will inside you is simply the force of self. You use will to walk across the room or to endure a painful experience. Even though the two actions seem completely separate they are not. This power of will can influence the world in a variety of ways. Everyone uses the energy of their muscles to affect the world, but few realize the power of the mind.”
Frasie pulled apart a biscuit. “The mind is a muscle?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Mae stirred the oats, then picked up a few with her spoon to see if they were ready. “You gathered wood to make the fire, which is a physical action. But you had the will to do so.”
“Because we are hungry,” Niv said.
“Yes, will can have a practical reason behind it. Survival is a powerful motivation. But while it was physical activity that started the fire, none of that would have happened if we hadn’t first had the thought to do so. And with that we arrive at the key to magic – thought. Everything in this world was first derived from thought from a living being.”
“Even the stones surrounding the fire?” she asked.
“Absolutely. They represent the element of earth. They are part of the creation just like you and I, they simply have a much different representation of self. They are still products of thought.”
“Who’s thought?”
Mae smiled and pointed a finger at her. “You have naturally stumbled upon the key to magic. Every living thing channels spirit through will to create or modify what we call reality. The stronger the thought, and thus projection of will, the stronger the illusion.”
“Illusion?”
“Indeed. Everything is an illusion. As time accumulates, illusions are reinforced and persist. You both believe you are holding a wooden bowl eagerly awaiting this porridge. And thus, you are.”
“So, we are constantly creating our own reality?” she asked.
Mae nodded. “Precisely.”
Frasie pointed to her oats with her spoon. “So, if I imagine there is brown sugar on top of this, it really is?”
“I will teach you a simple use of magical will, Frasie. Close your eyes and put a bite of that oatmeal into your mouth. Don’t swallow it. How does it taste?”
Frasie shrugged. “Bland.”
“Imagine you are tasting the sweet flavor of molasses on your tongue.”
Frasie paused for a moment then began to smile. She swallowed and opened her eyes. “That tasted better!”
“For a brief moment, you changed your reality.”
Frasie’s eyes grew wide. “I did magic, Nivvy!”
“Not to dampen your enthusiasm, Frasie, but you only imagined it,” she said. “She may have changed her perception, but not mine, or yours.”
“You cannot hope to change others with any efficacy until you change yourself.”
“But I haven’t changed myself,” she said.
“No, but you will. Remember, you have a head start, both with your natural abiliti
es and the Amulet of Balance. But make no mistake, Niv, magic will change you, and with it, you will change the world.”
Chapter 13
“Pass me another shingle, Ferrick,” Aiden said.
Ferrick took a shingle and tossed it up to him on the roof.
“My mother appreciates your help,” Ferrick said, projecting his voice over the strike of the hammer.
“Even the best roofs aren’t holding up to the rain this year. I’m not surprised she woke up with her feet wet.”
“I would’ve fixed it myself, but mom doesn’t want me up there.”
“It’s no trouble,” Aiden replied.
He thought of Ferrick as his little brother. Their families were close friends, so when Ferrick’s father died he spent extra time with him. Before long, he considered him family.
“What are you doing after you finish here?” Ferrick asked.
He drove the last nail. “Probably will head into town. There, all finished. No more leak.
Just as he came down from the roof, Ferrick’s mother joined them. She gave him a hug. “Thank you, Aiden. I don’t know what we ‘d do without you.”
“I’m always glad to help.”
“Can I go into town with him?” Ferrick asked his mother.
“Not now, son. You need to finish your chores.”
He handed Ferrick the hammer and remaining nails. “Save these. We might have to patch another hole sometime.”
“Thank you again, Aiden,” she said. “Tell your father I said hello.”
“Will do. Bye for now.”
He left Ferrick’s house and headed to Ashmar, his hometown. Moisture in the air hung heavily, coalescing into pockets of fog that limited his visibility. After a twenty-minute walk, he arrived in the center of town. It had an inn, a general store, and a small assortment of shops and trades. Its unique position at the edge of the Jeweled Woods made it a popular trading post and final rest stop before entering the plains.
He took a list his father gave him into the general store and handed it to the shopkeeper. As the shopkeeper collected the items, he overheard a conversation several townspeople were having in the corner of the store.
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