by M. Gregg Roe
Romee was now officially his little sister, having agreed to being adopted by his parents. Having grown up an only child, it still felt strange at times. He had always wanted a younger sibling, but he hadn’t expected to gain one when he was eighteen.
“Look!” she said, almost shouting. “It’s snowing!”
Saxloc glanced outside. It was just light flurries—for now, anyway. Everyone kept saying that it was going to be a harsh winter.
Romee’s long brown hair was braided into two ponytails as always. It still amazed him that she could do it without help. He really thought that she looked better with her hair unbound, but he wasn’t about to mention it. He was just glad that she seemed to be adjusting to her new living situation.
At the age of eleven, Romee was over a head shorter than he was, but he suspected that she would eventually be taller. After all, she was a human, while he was a half-elf. Romee was thin, but in a lean and athletic way. Running was her favorite activity.
“I wonder if it’s like this where Ilona and Iris are,” she said, practically pressing her nose against the window. She had the same tan skin as Audrey, along with a face he thought was cute.
“I don’t know.”
“What if they decide to stay? What if someone there adopts them?”
To say that Romee was inquisitive was an understatement. The girl never seemed to run out of questions. Or stop talking. Her first teacher had quit, unable to cope with it.
“Audrey is family,” he explained. “They will want to come here to be near her.”
“I’m Audrey’s family too.” Her mouth dropped open as she thought. “Third cousins, I think.”
That wasn’t surprising in a small village. Most of the people in Farmerton had probably been related to some degree.
She turned her head and looked up at him, her gray eyes sparkling with life. “That means we’re all family now. Isn’t that neat?”
“Yes, it is.” He patted her gently on her head. “How did you sleep?”
Romee put her left palm to the window and then pulled it back, leaving distinct marks on the pattern of frost. “No bad dreams.”
“Good dreams?”
“Weird dreams.” She put her palm to the window again and slowly rotated it. “I was playing with Janny and Josette, but it was here by the fish pond.”
“That kind of thing is normal,” he assured her. “When you’re asleep, your mind mixes things up.”
“Okay.” Romee abruptly pulled her hand back and then rubbed her hands together. “Do you think Josette got away too? We got really close after …” Her mouth continued working, but no words came out.
Saxloc knew exactly what she was referring to, and it worried him. Janny had been eaten by the same giant crocodiles that had nearly killed Audrey. Janny’s sister, Josette, had probably perished with everyone else after the Sweating Sickness ravaged Farmerton.
Noticing the girl’s intent look, he simply shrugged and said, “Anything is possible.”
Romee nodded solemnly. “Can we go to breakfast now? I’m hungry.”
“Me too,” he said, making a silly face that made her giggle.
She held out her right hand, and he took it with his left. It was a habit of hers, one that made him feel warm inside. He smiled all the way as he led his little sister to the kitchen.
Almera was worried about her greenhouse. It was encased in ice—far more than it had ever suffered in the past. She worried that the structure wouldn’t support the extra weight, or the large panes of glass would give way. The flowers and herbs inside were also at risk because the earlier sunshine had given way to gray clouds and snow.
The pot of rice porridge now simmering on the stove was more than enough to feed the four of them. Due to the weather, Audrey was unlikely to join them. Tabitha sometimes arrived in time to have breakfast with them, but she certainly wouldn’t be there today. Maybe not for several days if it stayed cold. By the time her husband arrived in the kitchen—yawning and scratching his head—Almera had come to a decision.
“Draymund, dear,” she said, once he was sufficiently close.
“Yes, dear?” he replied, suddenly looking both alert and wary.
She found his reaction amusing. “I am considering asking Tabitha to move in with us. What do you think of the idea?”
“I think that you have already made up your mind and are only asking me out of politeness. It’s a good idea. Her boarding house is on the other side of the city, and she is here almost every day.”
“More importantly,” added Almera, “Tabitha is doing a good job, and Romee likes her.” The young woman had surprised all of them by how seriously she was taking the responsibility.
“I have a bad feeling that she is going to try to walk here despite the weather,” said Draymund, his handsome face now serious. “Maybe I should go over there, just in case.”
It was a good suggestion. Tabitha was smart, but she sometimes exhibited a lack of common sense. “Go,” ordered Almera, motioning with her left hand. “You can deliver the invitation to move in with us.”
Draymund nodded and then left the kitchen without saying another word.
Almera checked the bread in the oven, then resumed stirring the porridge. She smiled to herself as she inhaled the pleasant aroma. It was one of her specialties.
“Good morning, Mother!” It was Romee, not Saxloc, calling out the greeting as the two of them entered the front of the kitchen. She still worried that it was too soon for Romee to be calling her that, but she certainly didn’t mind. She had always wanted a daughter.
“Good morning!” returned Almera. “Romee, please set three places at the table. Draymund and Audrey won’t be joining us. Saxloc, could I have a word?”
Romee headed straight for the cabinets where the plates and dining utensils were stored. Saxloc showed a puzzled expression as he walked over to the stove. Keeping her voice low, she quickly told him about Draymund and Tabitha.
Saxloc nodded seriously. “I was also worried about that. I could just see her trying to walk here and ending up falling and getting hurt.”
“And your thoughts on her moving in?” asked Almera, observing her son closely.
“It makes sense, especially when you consider that we will eventually have three girls living here that need to be educated and looked after.”
“Precisely. And you will have a live-in girlfriend once again.” The expression that remark caused concerned her. “Is there an issue?” she asked softly.
“No, we’re getting along.” He hesitated. “But I’m still interested in Audrey.”
Despite Audrey’s dalliances, Almera felt certain that she remained interested in Saxloc. The two of them were bound by their personal history.
Almera had another concern, so she changed the subject. “Do we have a larger table in storage that could be used for dining in the kitchen?” They could crowd five around it, but more was out of the question.
“There are large ones for parties,” he mused. “And square ones that are good for playing Sparrow or other games. We don’t really have a larger dining table, but there is an identical round one down there. We could put it on the other side and move the buffet table.”
It was an interesting suggestion. The mansion had a formal dining room with a long table that seated twenty, but most of their meals were consumed in the kitchen’s dining area. It was cozier and more convenient.
“Yes,” she said at last. “Let’s do that. It will give you and your father something to do today. But first, it is time for breakfast.”
Almera very much enjoyed the meal with her two children. Romee managed to eat more than either of them while still asking dozens of questions. But after they had both finished and departed, she found herself once again staring at the greenhouse. Perhaps some type of heating system could be added. She would ask her husband about it when he returned.
Draymund landed carefully in the alley behind Wanda’s Boarding House. The hard-packed earth was covere
d with ice, but the irregular surface provided some traction. He ended both of his spells—Invisibility and Levitation—before cautiously making his way around the two-story building to its front entrance. The plump and gray-haired woman that ran the house was outside, using a bucket to spread a mixture of dirt and sand over the ice.
“Good morning,” said Draymund, pushing back the hood of his cloak.
Wanda gave him a puzzled look, her cheeks red and nose running. “Oh, it’s you. That damfool girl said she just had to go to your place, but I set her straight.” She wiped her nose with her left sleeve and sniffed. “Did ya fly here?”
“Yes.” He had flown the route he thought Tabitha most likely to use.
“Are ya gonna fly her back?”
“Maybe.” He hadn’t really thought about it, but that certainly made sense. “My wife wants Tabitha to move in with us. I’ll pay her rent until you find someone else.”
“Don’t worry about it; I gotta waiting list.” She tossed out the remaining contents of the bucket, narrowly missing Draymund’s feet. “She don’t really fit in here, anyway.”
After some additional small talk, the two of them went inside. Draymund hung up his cloak by the door and made his way through the common area, attracting some interested looks from the young women there. And why not? He was both handsome and fit. After climbing the stairs to the second floor where Tabitha’s room was located, he rapped three times on her door. She answered promptly. “Draymund, I … How did you get here?”
“I flew.” He gestured. “Can I come in?”
“Of course.” She stepped back from the doorway.
The room was small but comfortable from the look of it. Tabitha motioned for him to take the sole chair while she perched on the end of the bed. It still amazed him that someone who had grown up wealthy had deliberately chosen to live in a such a place. She didn’t even have her own bathroom.
“Almera would like for you to move in with us,” he said, getting straight to the point. “Would you like a guest room or a guest suite?”
Tabitha laughed, crinkling her eyes. “Almera always was in charge. Even as a child, I had that figured out. A room is fine. After last night’s ice storm, I was planning to ask if I could stay there until I found a place that was closer to your mansion.”
“It makes more sense for you to stay with us. We are soon going to have three adoptive children who have lost their parents and homes.”
“That’s true.” Tabitha looked off to her left toward the small window. “Romee isn’t even close to coming to terms with her loss.”
“Neither is Audrey. This is going to be a group effort. And a long-term one.”
She turned her head back. “I’m happy to help. I enjoy teaching Romee. I’m learning things myself.”
He gestured at the wardrobe to his right. “Go ahead and pack up enough clothing for a few days. We’ll come back for the rest after conditions improve.”
“All right.” She rose to her feet. “Are you going to fly me to the mansion?”
Her hopeful look made him smile. “I am.”
“Just like you used to when I was little.” She hurried over to the wardrobe and began to pick out items of clothing.
Tabitha had a brief conversation with Wanda that ended with a long hug. Outside, Draymund slung her bag over his left shoulder, cast Levitation, and then held out his right hand for her to take. Her smile was unconvincing as she took his hand. He willed them to slowly ascend, stopping after they were fifty yards above the ground. “Is this too high?” he asked.
“No, it’s fine.” She squeezed his hand, and he saw that she was staring downward with a rapt expression. “I’d forgotten how wonderful this is.”
It was wonderful, and also something that he didn’t do as often as he probably should. That was partly because Almera couldn’t tolerate it. He flew back by a more scenic route, with Tabitha making appreciative sounds as they traveled.
Once back at the mansion, Almera promptly took charge of installing Tabitha in a guest room while he headed to the kitchen for a late breakfast. By the time he finished eating, Saxloc had told him about the need for a second table in the kitchen. And they had no sooner finished that task when Almera dispatched them to retrieve the remainder of Tabitha’s possessions. So much for a quiet day at home.
Obeying Tabitha’s gesture, Audrey seated herself in the other upholstered chair. The room felt comfortably familiar, virtually identical to the one that Audrey had lived in for so many months. The desk, just to Audrey’s right, was already home to a variety of books, scrolls, and pieces of parchment. In just a few hours, the young woman had made herself at home. And unlike Audrey, she would have no trouble adjusting, having been raised in luxury herself.
Despite the weather, Audrey had decided to head over to the mansion late in the afternoon because she just didn’t have much in the way of food. (She had finished the last of the stew for her lunch.) Finding that Tabitha was now living there had been a surprise, to say the least.
She had been amused to find Draymund and Saxloc at work refinishing the kitchen tables and chairs. The ones brought up from storage didn’t quite match in color, and Almera wouldn’t stand for it. Romee was trying to help but probably being more of a hindrance.
“I’ve already told Almera that this is temporary,” said Tabitha. Her golden hair contrasted with her deep blue dress, giving her an elegant appearance and making Audrey feel somewhat underdressed.
“Did she offer to build you a cottage?” asked Audrey, unable to suppress a smile. “I got mine by threatening to move out.”
“Actually, she did. But that’s just not for me. I don’t want to both live and work here. And then there’s the magical surveillance system. You know that it extends throughout the grounds, don’t you?”
Audrey shrugged her shoulders. “Yes, but all they can do is tell where I am. It makes me feel safe.”
“There may not be a safer place in the Witch’s City.” Tabitha crossed her legs and clasped her hands together in her lap before continuing. “Your situation is different. Even before all that awfulness happened, Draymund and Almera were treating you almost like their daughter. With Romee now living here—and soon your two cousins—you will obviously be staying here for years.”
“Yes, because I want to be part of their lives.” Audrey planned to stay until all three girls reached adulthood. How could she not?
“Whereas I am simply going to be their teacher for a while,” continued Tabitha. “I plan to start looking for additional students later this year, and to start looking for a place to live. Teaching is going to be my career.” She smiled beautifully. “I’m just happy that I finally found one.”
“I know what you mean. My goal is to become a full-time instructor at Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy. We both ended up with unexpected careers.”
After nodding, Tabitha’s expression turned serious. “Audrey, I need your help. Saxloc has told me about Romee, and about Farmerton, but I need to know more. Can you tell me about her family and friends?”
“Yes, but don’t be surprised if I start crying.”
“Cry all you like; it’s healthy to grieve. I’ve been consulting an assistant priest to learn more about grief counseling.”
During their long talk, Audrey did cry a few times, and so did Tabitha.
After eating dinner with everyone, she made her way carefully back to her cottage. It was already feeling warmer, which meant that it would be back to work tomorrow. Audrey was looking forward to it.
3
‡ Periwinkle ‡
Gabriel had a number of misgivings regarding the new partner he had just been assigned. Lieutenant Eomera had smiled slyly as she casually made the introduction. That had followed her equally casual mention that Nollan had been promoted to sergeant and reassigned, and that Gabriel had been promoted to corporal. He really wanted to protest that his own promotion was too soon, but he knew that would just be a waste of time. Due to his background, he was
more experienced in some ways than any of the other privates.
The Witch’s City Guard was trying something new. They were striving to recruit spell-casters, even promising to pay for their magical studies. His new partner, freshly arrived from Zardis, and with the odd name of “Periwinkle av Clover,” was one of the first to apply.
The young woman reminded him in some ways of how Audrey had looked when she first came to the Witch’s City. Noticeably overweight, she had the same nut-brown hair and liquid brown eyes, although with somewhat lighter skin. Twin, shoulder-length braids hung down on either side of an unremarkable face with a weak chin. He judged her to be no more than twenty-years-old.
Private Periwinkle didn’t say a word as Gabriel went through the process of trading in his black surcoat for a new one that had two diagonal silver stripes instead of one. She was wearing a black cloak that had a single diagonal stripe embroidered in silver thread on the upper portion of each sleeve. It worried him that she wasn’t wearing any kind of armor and was armed only with a small knife that she likely didn’t know how to properly employ as a weapon.
Gabriel headed for the courtyard’s exit, and she followed alongside to his right, matching his pace. “It is warmer today,” he remarked as they walked outside, “but we must still exercise caution. There may be ice beneath some of the snow that fell last night.”
“I’ll be careful … Corporal Gabriel?” She had a pleasant-sounding contralto voice.
“That is correct, Private Periwinkle.”
She groaned and rolled her eyes. “I hate that name. Can you call me Peri?”
Gabriel was not accustomed to using nicknames. “But periwinkle plants have lovely flowers.”
“I’m not named for the stupid flower,” she said, scowling.
They turned left on North Street, heading for the center of the city. From the careful way that she was walking, he could tell that she had dealt with similar conditions before. Her black leather boots were somewhat worn, but appeared serviceable.
He suddenly remembered where he had seen a depiction of that flower. “You are named for the brand of rice wine?” he asked. It was sold locally, but he knew that it was crafted in Zardis.