by TS Thornton
Home
Solin went to check on his grandmother and get her permission to live her on the Otherland Island. She was up and moving around her study when he came in. He had a list of questions he still wanted to ask. The moon had altered them but he still wanted to know something’s.
“I knew you would be back. I know you have questions. By giving her your essence you had already begun to change her. She would not have gone through a transformation as she is now but she would have been different forever marked by your magic.”
“Okay.” He had a thought of such, and that she would have had to leave her world anyway.
“Do you love her, Solin?” Solin knew he would move heaven and earth for her.
“Yes Grandmother I do.” She cupped his face wither hand. As she went to speak there was a call for her.
“Elder Summer,” A young male voice called again. “The feast is about to begin. The council requests your presence.” She being the reason the island lived and breathed they needed her to bless the festivities and land.
“Yes,” She said aloud projecting her voice magically for the young man to hear. “I will be there shortly. Would you go ahead of me please, I will not be long.” She waited for his power to move away from her tree. She had sensed him but was distracted with her searching Solin to truly notice him. “Find a tree and take root. You will need shelter for her when she wakes. She won’t sleep too long.” He nodded his head as she left the room.
Once more glace at Winter then he too was gone.
He walked the darkened island Redwoods alone, the night was loud with activities and sounds that he was not enjoying. He was searching for a place that was to be his and hers. He had thought and walked for over an hour before coming to a tree that had no door. The imprint of one but no door, there was no fence adding a homey feel, telling him it had been vacant for some time. He touched it to mark it as a possibility when the imprint of the door shook. He moved his hand to touch it again and the door began to open. At once he knew he found it, he found Home.
As the door open flowers blossomed as if welcoming him inside. As he took a step the fire place lit with a roaring fire. This wasn’t his magic but the magic of the earth. She had chosen for him and welcomed him. His heart filled his body as he walked through the doors. The fire heated up the large area as he explored this new place, this new home. He walked around the kitchen which had a huge oven fire place as well. Its fire roared when he entered. He was smiling and beaming with silver white light he could see from the darkened glass reflection and the fire light. This was home.
Solin knew little about settling down, less did know of the part in history that old Redwood played a part.
After a magical cleaning and stocking of wood he went to leave. The new home needed more from him and he knew once he closed his eyes what to do. He saw the roots from his magic take form and intertwined themselves into the wood of the trees and into the ground becoming his connection between the two. He opened his eyes to see roots had indeed taken place in his new home. It knew his magic because it was now part of him. Now it is time to place his items and collections of things inside his own home. He couldn’t wait to being his new companion, best friend, the love of his life to his home.
He went back through the redwoods to the center of the island. He was happier than he could remember. She was in transformation, even though he didn’t know how she was going to take it. He didn’t want to be happy about it but he couldn’t help himself. He cared for her. He thought of all the things that she needed in their new home. He would have to go back to the human world and soon.
He didn’t want to wait for her to wake to go back, so many things would have changed by then. He needed to go tonight after he made their new home more comfortable. He was a few yards away from his grandmothers when he heard voices.
“Did you hear someone brought a human or something here late this eve?” He kept walking trying to ignore the conversation.
“Yes, I heard. But you know Cyndell he is not truthful. He may have seen something, but a human. Sure. When mermaids share Atlantis would I believe a human would enter the Otherland. Why would someone even come into contact with one let alone bring them here. This is not a place for them, they are too primitive.” The other responded in a way Solin could agree with. He thought so once before but Winter changed his mind of many things. He continued on his path to the tree in the middle of the island, the center of its magic.
Once inside he smelled a fire burning, he called out for his grandmother when he saw the kitchen stove was too burning. He called out to her again just as he made the corner to the room Winter was in. His grandmother came from a room a few doors down. He understood that his grandmother’s house was her design. He didn’t truly understand, he had only been in two in his life and the second wasn’t fifteen minutes ago. He knew there was magic to it all just not how to make said magic work.
“How do I make the tree mine exactly?”
“The same way you laid your roots. Ask the tree?” Is that what he did ask? He wondered if he would have come across a tree further out if he would have gotten the same reaction. She must have seen the look on his face because she continued. “You may picture or simply ask and the tree will respond in kind. If it agrees then you have your change. If it doesn’t try something else, they are all sorts of picky.” She smiled in a way that showed the years she had in this life and he couldn’t help but wonder that she was full of life and spirit.
“Okay.” It sounds simple and easy. “Now to move my junk out of your home-“
“Solin, I have been pleased to be a storage area for you, but don’t you think you should also get something’s from her home.” She asked. He could move his stuff anytime or even magic it to do its own moving.
“Yes, I will leave shortly.” He walked inside the room where she lay on the bed. She was darker now her skin a shade of green her tusks were growing more rapidly. He was happy and shamed at the same time. She didn’t have any clue what could be happening to her. How was he going to get her to understand?
“I will make you a quick meal, before you take your leave.” She was off to the kitchen before he could say thank you.
Solin stood in the doorway he couldn’t stop staring at her. A part of him felt at peace but the raging storm in his mind disrupted that. As he slowly entered the room he took to claw in his. Her nails still had nail paint in blotches. He knew her eyes would still be green. He left the room looking at her as he turned the corner.
“Granmother,” He hasn’t called her that in a very long time. He hadn’t seen her in just as long. “I am thankful to you and what you do for Winter and I.”
“You love her Solin I can see it in you. When you were a child broken because he felt abandon by his mother and father.” This is why he didn’t come around but he listened, he needed to understand why he chose to be distant when all he craved was closeness. “Your mother loved him and he slowly impregnated her with long life while they conceived you. The way magic works is the way it works. Sometimes our intentions are lost in what actually happens.” She had lost him now.
“What are you saying? I know my mother still lives…” He stopped talking.
“Ahh, when did you find out?”
“When I was 50 I went to see the house, relive good memories. I figured I had missed her passing over. But when I got there she didn’t notice me, I was high in a tree. She looked as young as she did the day I left, she looked sad. So I let her see me. I dropped down from the tree in while glamoured that I let fade quickly. Then I left never to return.”
“Hmmm.” She moved around the space of the kitchen quietly chanting to herself while she fixed him a bowl of mutton stew, day old bread, wild rice and duck. She had made a small feast.
“Why did you not stay at the festival?” He asked her as he took a bit of stew. He was warm instantly and missed her cooking. “I don’t think Winter would have gone anywhere.” He said with a small smile at h
is lips.
“I was better needed here. I snuck away as soon as they started drinking.” She chuckled. “They all will be headed to their homes. To continue being merry.” She said with a wink. Solin choked down the food in his mouth. He didn’t expect that.
“So next subject,” He stood his appetite being a little set back. “I will leave before that happens.” He walked over to her and hugged her tightly. “I will return soon.”
At the ocean he felt her presence. He could see the sea’s spirit dancing as if she was waiting for him.
Solin my sweet
“How are you my lovely sea?” He asked but something plagued him, she was wary. “Does something bother you?” He had never known the sea to be in such a way. Raging yes, calm and peaceful yes, for she was never wary. He ran into the water and he began to glow sliver white. He didn’t understand this, his essence more of the seas blue not this light that now came from him.
The moon has touched you with his essence. He has changed you.
“The moon did what.” He had no time to talk he needed to move. He began to tread water he was out far enough to start his swim but he had a long road ahead.
Something I will find out about. Her presence was gone the next instant. So he swam.
Solin swan as winter slept, he swam faster