Cadence Evermorne hesitated at the front door of a seaside cottage, stamping her feet firmly to dislodge the gritty sand from their treads. From her place on the broad porch she could hear a morning's symphony of family life.
A man's voice gently rumbled on the other side of the door, rising from a sleepy, low tone to a childish howl of laughter.
"MATTY!" a bright voice chided in response.
More laughter.
The front door swung open, a blonde teenaged elf appearing. Her hair was coiled into two low buns, her robe baggy and rumpled. She squinted up at Cadence with a wary eye before sliding right past her wordlessly. She charged toward the nearby shore with a sullen aimlessness that could only be projected by young sin'dorei of a certain age.
A chestnut-haired boy of six hurried after the girl a moment later. "Khidaaaa," he wailed. He sounded a bit younger than his years as he called after her, bare feet thumping loudly against the sand-worn boards. His lips twisted into a pout, causing the freckles on his cheeks to shift and distort.
The man came to the door next, scooping up the boy. "Len. Come on, man. Let her breathe for a second." He boggled at Cadence's presence on the porch. "Mornin'. Does Meli know you're here?"
Cadence smiled primly. "Good morning, Mathias. We had an appointment…"
The fourth actor in this one-act play emerged, golden eyes wide and red curls akimbo. "Oh shit," she said. "I forgot."
Mathias took this as his cue to leave, hefting his nephew onto his shoulders and galloping away, the sound of delighted squeals slowly trailing off.
Cadence stifled a laugh. The women had become closer over the years, but they still extended a sort of professional reserve between them. It was how Cadence did things. How she would continue to do things, until Melisande was no longer her student. She waited a beat more, expecting a fifth figure. No cloddish steps. No grumbled complaints. "No Mr. Meadowshine?"
Melisande frowned. "Still out of town on a job. That's why I'm so…." She paused, at a loss for words. "Like this."
A few moments of rushed apologies and greetings later, and they were seated at the rough-hewn kitchen table inside. Half of the table was overtaken with carrot peelings, broken eggshells, a dusting of spilled oats. Meli flushed at the sight of the mess, quickly brushing it all into her hands and then into the bin. She dusted her palms in her skirts and then set the copper kettle atop the stove.
"Where were we?"
"Well…." Cadence began, drumming fingertips atop the oak surface. "We had a progress review meeting. The mentors."
Melisande raised her eyebrows. "Well I know I've slowed a bit with my studies in the last few weeks, but it can't be helped. I can be flexible! Harder working. I could-"
Cadence extended an arm to gently shush her. "They're of the opinion that you've plateaued, Mrs. Meadowshine." Cadence dropped her hand into her lap. "And I agree."
The woman's brows knit defensively, and she gesticulated with the speckled teacup she'd just picked up. It was painted to look like a robin's egg and flashed bright blue as Meli gestured. "Well how do you like that! Isn't that what they said last year?"
Cadence smirked. "Yes, and you sweet talked us into letting you continue until the mentors reconvened."
Melisande tugged at a loose curl as she poured hot water into the cup. She squeezed three slices of lemon into it, followed by a tiny pinch of salt. Cadence accepted it with a nod of gratitude. She surveyed her mentee thoughtfully, wondering how to say these next words.
"We think it's time you graduated to the next step." Cadence waited. “Fieldwork. Real fieldwork, Melisande. Not just scrapes and cuts on sailors.”
Melisande's eyes flashed with worry as she flicked her gaze down to the whorls in the wood of the table. "You know that's not workable for me."
Cadence leaned forward a little, wrinkles forming on her brow. "I know you think it's not. Melisande, you have a gift. And you have a decision to make."
"But Lothis is still working a job in Arathi. This might be the longest one he's taken. I can't just pick up and go! I have a family. They're relying on me."
Cadence's expression was impassive, unreadable. They'd long ago discovered it was best to let Melisande talk herself into the right thing. Interrupting the process only led to frustration.
"I mustn't. Who would feed the chickens?"
She leaned an elbow on the table, eyes going unfocused as she thought. "Who would keep the world turning for Lothis?" An anxious laugh escaped. She was jesting, partly. He was, as ever, hung up on pride. His aim was to support them single handedly, though Meli was quick to remind him that odd healing jobs paid for the small barn, the house addition, the little trips around the Eastern Kingdoms meant to stimulate Lothis's boyhood nostalgia and their son's imagination.
"But he's surely coming back any day now." Two seconds ticked by. "And isn't it my turn?"
Melisande's eyes began to blaze brightly, brimming with twin fires of building excitement. "It is! It's my turn." She slapped her palms excitedly on the tabletop.
Cadence chuckled softly. "We have commissions for the Dragon Isles coming out of our ears, thero'shan. They’re starving for talent."
Melisande worried her lower lip between her teeth. "Not exactly close to home."
"But not far, either."
"I'll consider it." She sighed heavily.
Cadence nodded slowly. She couldn't agree too hastily. It made the flighty young priestess anxious and skittish to hear someone affirm her too overtly, after all. "Good."
Melisande gave a slow, spreading smile like melted butter. "Does this mean I can call you by your first name, then? If I'm no longer your student?"
"You'll have to wait until the paperwork is completed." The tone was half serious, half mild teasing. Cadence drained her cup in three hasty swallows. Leading a horse to water was thirsty work.
She hoped Melisande didn't lose her nerve, again.
Cadence felt a pang of wistfulness and loss, watching her student bustle in the kitchen. Guiding someone's growth was always gratifying; guiding Melisande, damaged and fearful, bursting with hope and the Light's warmth, had been especially rewarding.
But she could do the best thing for Melisande. She could give this baby bird a push from the nest.
"Well as soon as Lothis returns", I’ll let you know.”
Cadence nodded again, but cleared her throat and stood up. “The Light requires commitment and growth. I know you know that. But maybe hearing it again would help. You’ve been doing a lot of the former. It’s time for the latter.”
"I know. I'll let you know once I-" Melisande paused at the sound of the front door creaking on its hinges, followed by a loud, window-rattling thunk as it connected with a wall. The door slammed shut again a half second later, and the sound of Len and Khida bickering in the entryway followed. Meli gave Cadence a look, as if to say "See what I deal with?"
Cadence picked up her satchel, taking her cue to leave. Her tone was warm but firm as she delivered her parting thoight. "You've been saying 'I know' for a year. Write me when you've made a decision, Mrs. Meadowshine."
She let herself out through the back door, avoiding the noise and commotion as best she could. Now all she could do was wait.
It was quite late by the time the bard was met by the evening’s glow of Seaspray village, a sleepy little place in its own right and quite apt for whom he was meaning to visit. Rather, leave a package for. It was not common for the elf to deliver such things himself. No, he’d gotten far too lazy by way of couriers looking to make a few silver on a roundabout trip for someone far more wealthy. He was all too happy to walk out the chill of Icecrown from his bones and it gave him time to ponder his employee and her new family.
Dawn broke in shades of soft pink and pale gold, as it always did in this part of the world. Melisande's greeted it with dull indifference, peering through the front window. She caught the form of the package from the corner of her eye as she looked out into the front garden and the rolling waves beyond.
Her strides towards the front door were wooden, chapped lips held slack. Coppery curls were a limp, oily tangle. And she was pale as a ghost as she poked her head into the fresh morning air, fetching the package.
The new mother unfolded it over the kitchen table - so recently constructed that it still smelled faintly of fresh planks - and looked over the design.
She could feel a hint of a smile flickering at the corners of her lips, but it was a pilot light that couldn't quite catch, expression pulling neutral again. Freckled fingers danced over the soft fibers of the blanket before she gathered it in her arms.
Melisande climbed the stairs and poked her head into the bedroom.
Lothis lay dreaming, though one strong arm had been draped over the soft wicker edge of the baby’s sleeping basket. That concerned frown hadn’t left his lips in almost a month, not even in sleep. His tanned hand rested lightly over the rising and falling chest of their newborn boy. She wiggled the basket free, her husband stirring slightly before rolling over.
“C’mon, Len. Let’s let ann’da sleep for once.”
She loosely swathed and then slid the groggy babe into one arm, bringing him up to peck the silky shock of chocolaty auburn hair that almost seemed to float when a soft gust of her breath passed over it.
The upswelling of warmth she felt as she admired the blanket’s pattern gave her some tiny spark of energy and hope. She missed Vynix most of all, but the others, too...even the patrons. And she hadn’t actually made a formal announcement of any kind. She’d been so very frozen in fear and self-loathing that it hardly felt like she ought to. But perhaps it was time to move - onwards and upwards, right?
“Maybe today we should go-” She left her sentence hanging in midair as the tiny boy let a shuddering sigh against her skin. Her pulse quickened and then galloped, and her hand tightened its grip on the infant.
Outside was danger and foolishness. Outside was fear and the dreadful scent of dry desert air. Outside was death, tempted and taunted and called to a bloodied bedroll.
C.A. Burke Booksellers, LLC is proud to announce the start of our Bi-Weekly Bookclub!
Sunday, July 21st at 4 O’ Clock on the dot (7pm EST, 6pm CS, 4pm PST) at C.A. Burke Booksellers, Rustberg, Tol Barad.
The first four bookclub meetings we will be discussing, R.G.G.Natrim’s series, “A Song of Fel and Arcane.”
Copies are available for purchase. Please read the first book of the series before the meeting!
Tea, coffee, pastries, and biscuits will be made available free of charge.
OOC Notes:
~ We will ICly be discussing Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. This will be done by all of us getting creative with names to discuss the book!
C.A. Burke Booksellers is opening our doors to the public! Join proprietor Cossima. A. Burke as she celebrates a new business within the village of Rustberg, Tol Barad.
Burke and Daughter Booksellers, LLC stood as a loyal and trusted business within the Lamp District of Gilneas City and has now been reopened under a name to reflect the change in ownership, but never the change in the quality of customer service, production, and inventory.
C.A. Burke Booksellers will be offering printing and book production services, bookbinding and repair services, a large inventory in contemporary authors of fiction, and non-fiction, as well as a small library in order to service those that simply cannot add to their personal libraries.
Join us for the opening celebration on Sunday (July 7th) from NOON (12pm PST/Server) until night has wrapped us in her embrace (8pm PST/Server).
Throughout the day finger sandwiches, coffee, tea, and scones will be available.
Please be advised to have patience at the opening as Cossima A. Burke is not only the proprietor but also the sole employee.
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