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 Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 1:19 pm
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 1:20 pm
. Johan and Aina go into a quaint little bookstore in Barton and meet Oliver Kipling.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
“Uncle, what’s a fable?” Aina asked, curious eyes peering up at the front of a bookstore called Arthur’s Fables, one hand holding onto Johan’s while the other held a paper cup full of hot tea. Johan admired the bookstore front, too, pausing in his step to think.
“They’re... short stories about animals and plants - anything in nature, really. To teach morals,” he explained, glancing down at Aina, though his answer wasn’t enough for her curious pout to go away. With a bemused huff, he continued. ”Do you remember what a ‘moral’ is?”
When Aina shook her head, it didn’t surprise him in the least - ever since she was born, Aina lived everyday with a story or a book to be read to her before bedtime, but trying to explain the point of it all to a girl less than two years old proved somewhat helpless. Johan glanced back at the bookstore - it had been a long time since he wandered into one out of the blue, and his last distinct memory of doing so had been at Page’s Books Beneath the Poet Tree a year and a half ago.
Aina piped up as the seconds rolled on with Johan’s continued silence as he admired the shopfront - ”I don’t remember,” she admit. With a small nod, Johan began walking toward the entrance.
”That’s okay. Have you read Aesop’s Fables? Has Duncan told you about Mr. Tolstoy yet?” Aina shook her head again.
”Let’s find you some fables. They’d be good to read at home.” Johan pushed the entrance open, keeping the door ajar just long enough for them to shuffle in. With a small sniff, Aina let go of her uncle’s hand to venture a few feet further, staring curiously down the aisles, humming - she still wasn’t quite used to how bookstores were laid out, despite the numbers of times she’d visited them with her aunt and uncle.
”Where can we find fables?” she asked at the air. Johan was able to catch up to her in a few short strides, and gently took up her hand again so as not to lose her.
”Let’s go find someone who can help us.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 1:20 pm
. Aina and Mordekai visit Leigh's flat to help her decorate the impending baby room.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
As promised, a week after New Years, Aina and Mordekai called to make sure the decorating date with Leigh was still on. They agreed on Sunday, when Leigh and Johan would both be there. Aina, with her limited (no) interior decorating experience, made sure to call her uncle to confirm that she had prepared all of the necessities, because she was a little too embarrassed to ask Leigh, who she was supposed to be helping. If Johan could put a word to Aina’s suggestions, they were ridiculous. But he didn’t manage to parse any of them down.
So, when Aina and her papa arrived to Leigh’s flat, they came with all of Aina’s supposed necessities: glitter glue, color paper, tons of paint, cute fabric, and painted seashells. Mordekai also made sure to bring a few other supplies: a stepping ladder, the household toolkit, and some tarp. Overall, Johan was pleasantly surprised when he picked them up from Duncan’s house.
It didn’t take long for the Kantors to lug the boxes up the stairway to Leigh’s flat, with the boys tasked to the heavier things while Aina helped deliver the crafting supplies. With her box under one arm, she managed to open the flat’s entrance door all by herself, and floated inside before the other two had entered. A thick scarf was hanging loose around her neck, dragging behind her, and she wandered excitedly around in search of her aunt.
Aina: “Auntie Leigh! I brought lots of stuff for your baby!” -she adjusts the box to hug it with both her arms, beaming- “An’ papa and nonc are bein’ really slow.”
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 2:24 pm
. Aina visits The Vermillion with some of papa's farmhand friends, but the sight of Cesc reminds her of something upsetting.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
For Hartline Farms, there was always cause for its farmhands to celebrate near the end of winter. One, it meant a return to their regular work schedules, and they would finally see some money in their pockets to afford the bills. Two, it meant they would begin their early farmer’s market circuit again, and three, it meant their manager’s birthday was coming up in April.
Maree Hartline, their manager, was - in Kade’s own fond words - a feisty little s**t. She was turning 34 this year, and always professed to hating any and all birthday celebrations, so they always made sure to throw her one in as ridiculous a manner as possible. Really, she always seemed to enjoy them, though she always made sure to warn them against doing anything that might be considered ‘funny’ or ‘cute.’
So, really, they had to do something funny and cute this year.
They’d heard about a bakery up in Gambino from Mordekai, a veteran farmhand, a year back - Vermillion Bakery, it was called, which was owned by another family of guardians in the Lab project they’d all come to recognize quite fondly. They treated Aina as the farm’s little girl, and they were all amused and delighted to see the row of farm animal cupcakes she’d made with a cadre of her Raevan friends so long ago. Back then, they’d heard about the Vermillion too late to put in an order of the same designs, but they weren’t going to let go of that chance this year.
With Aina in tow as their lone guide to the Vermillion, Kade Sweet and a few others from Hartline took their breaks collectively to make a trip down to the bakery, effectively abandoning Maree and Mordekai at the busy Hartline booth for an hour. Both of them knew they were heading to the Vermillion, but they only knew it was for Aina’s own amusement, which was only partially true. And though Aina didn’t like telling lies, however harmless they were, she did so to keep Maree’s surprise gift a secret.
Kade: -wanders in through Vermillion’s entrance and laughs gruffly, Aina in his arms- This it, Aina?
Aina: Mhm!
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 3:49 pm
. Previously ▪ 'Dr. Rokos managed to trim the rottin’ leaves and fruit an’ most of the branches off without a hitch, so they look like li’l nubs right now but Aina’s doin’ fine. Dr. Rokos is awesome.'
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Snip, snip, went all of Aina’s little branches and moth-bitten leaves; snip, snip! went all of Aina’s little pomegranates and branches into a bowl right beside her, and she didn’t feel any pain at all. Dr. Rokos, one of the only fairy surgeons in Gambino, smiled down at the Frei when all of her work was done. Duncan sat patiently next to the exam table, waving encouragingly at Aina to stay strong, and she did.
“All done, Miss. You can sit up now.” Dr. Rokos rested her clippers on the instrument table, humming while she ungloved her hands. The faun's hooves clacked against the hardwood floor as she walked to the counters, humming as she went. “How are you feeling, little one?”
“I’m feelin’ okay,” Aina replied, slowly sitting up. Duncan rose from his seat to approach her at the exam table, which whirred and slowly reconfigured to a low seat. “Are my branches all little now?” Aina asked, tapping her freshly pruned nubs for branches with her palms. She couldn’t feel her branches at all, and she giggled at the strange tingling sensation she felt instead. Duncan glanced at the bowl of leaves and pomegranates just beside the Frei at the supply table - at face value, it was simply plant matter, but some part of him was still disturbed by the sight.
“Yes, they are pretty little now,” Dr. Rokos laughed, settling down at her stool in front of the computer, leaning forward to read the monitor in search of her calendar. “The anaesthesia is going to wear off slowly, Miss Aina, but you will get some feeling back in your branches as soon as you’re home. Mr. Clarke, do you still live in Barton?”
“Yes, we do,” Duncan smiled, glancing down at Aina when the Frei rested her head against his arm. “I assume she’ll be feeling some aches once the anesthesia wears off?”
“Yes, Aina is going to ache a little. If there is more pain than that, please do call me. Just like last time - some cold compress will really help, but I don’t think there is any need for a dulling spell.” Swivelling in her chair, she sat in front of Aina at the exam seat. “You were so brave this time, honey, good job!”
“I like not bein’ sick anymore,”Aina replied, humming. She hugged Duncan’s arm. “An’ Grandpa was here this time, so it was okay.”
“I’m glad Grandpa was able to be here, too.” The nurses had shooed Duncan and Mordekai away when they’d seen Dr. Rokos the first time, and hadn’t been quite as pleasant a fare. Folding her hands together, she turned in her seat to face Duncan. “So, Mr. Clarke - I just wanted to touch base with you about the next check-up appointment… I’m going to have you talk Mr. Roberts about scheduling one in June. Does that work for you?”
“It should,” Duncan nodded. Relieved, he chuckled, hugging the sleepy Aina to him. “Thank you so much for your help, Dr. Rokos. We were so terrified last year.”
“Thank Dr. Mancinelli, I’m glad she recommended you here! I’m happy to help the little miss. Aina, I’m going to take a look at your branches. Can you lean forward, to me, please?” Dr. Rokos asked.
“Okay…” Yawning, Aina bowed her head, and Dr. Rokos carefully tilted her head to look at her horns. The flowers and horns were in pristine shape, and the faun smiled at her own handiwork.
“So, the surgery went really smoothly, as you saw… no problems whatsoever, and her branches were in great shape before the surgery. Do you have any questions, Mr. Clarke? Thank you, Aina, you can look up now.”
Aina lifted her head, tapping her branches again, and giggled. “Small,” she mused, and Duncan laughed.
“I don’t have any questions - for now, at least. I’ll call you, of course.”
“Anytime you need, Mr. Clarke,” Dr. Rokos smiled turning back to her computer. “Miss Aina?”
“Hmm… mm-mm!” Aina bounced, “Thank you, Dr. Rokos.”
“Anytime, little miss!” Holding out her hand, Dr. Rokos helped Aina off of the exam seat. “I’ll see you two out.”
Duncan followed suit as Dr. Rokos and his granddaughter left the sterile exam room. As soon as they did, Duncan was again struck by the smell of candles and warm honey. The rest of the fairy doctor’s private office was more akin to a small home than a practice, and it helped Aina feel much more at ease. She always likened Dr. Rokos to a witch, and Duncan had a difficult time explaining why the term was not quite correct - just like a licensed necromancer was not simply a warlock, Dr. Rokos was not simply a witch.
“Grandpa? Can we go visit papa at the market?” Aina asked as they walked down the narrow hallway of Dr. Rokos’ practice. Dr. Rokos managed past the vases and potted saplings with ease, as did Aina, but Duncan still had a difficult time navigating through the hall without hitting his face against at least a few bushels of plants.
“Of course,” Duncan replied, meandering gingerly past a tall vase of orchids. “We can go right away, unless you’d like to do anything else.”
“Mm-mm,” Aina shook her head, “I just wanna see papa.”
“Is Mr. Kantor still working at the Kawana market?” Dr. Rokos asked, ears twitching curiously, “I’ll have to stop by and get some more fruit. The plumcots are delicious.”
“He is, though he’s at the Hillside market right now - a bit more inland.” Duncan practically tripped through the last bit of hall over a vase. He could hear the sound of muted swing music playing through the speakers, a few other clients sitting quietly at the couches. Many were humans holding small cages, a reminder that Aina was much bigger than many of Dr. Rokos’ patients.
“D’you want us to get some plumcots for you, Dr. Rokos?” Aina looked up at Dr. Rokos as they stopped walking. Mr. Roberts, who was behind the reception desk, hadn’t noticed them quite yet.
“It’s okay, little miss, but thank you. I’ll visit on my own time, okay?” Letting of Aina’s hand, she knelt down to give Aina a small hug - the Frei leaped forward into her arms, nuzzling against her shoulder. “Bye bye, Aina. Heath will help you with setting up the appointment.”
“Have a good day, Dr. Rokos.”
“Bye bye, Dr. Rokos,” Aina replied, floating back and waving at Dr. Rokos as she returned to the narrow hall. The Frei turned back to the reception, which was towering in comparison to her own height. She could hardly see past the roof of the counter. “Hi, Mr. Roberts.”
“Wuh--” The receptionist spun in his seat to see who'd addressed him. He let out a relieved laugh when Duncan smiled in return, though he could hardly believe such a tiny voice came from him. “Oh, hi,” Mr. Roberts greeted, standing to poke his head over the counter to wave at the Frei, “There you are! Setting up another appointment?”
“Mhm!” Aina smiled, floating back so she wasn't hiding in the shadows of the tall desk.
“Yes,” Duncan agreed, chuckling.
He froze mid-sentence when he caught sight of a poster just behind the receptionist. It took some squinting to read, but when he'd managed, Duncan perked up. “Excuse me, Heath,” Duncan pointed to the poster, “Would you happen to know if this program still active?”
“Which one?” Heath leaned over the counter, practically spilling out into the lobby. With a perky smile, he nodded. “It should be! I put it up a few days ago.”
“This may be an odd request,” Duncan began, sheepishly. “But would you happen to have a spare copy of this poster? I’ve been trying to find some volunteer programs for my students.”
“I’m glad you asked, the clinic gave me a ton,” Heath laughed, plopping back down onto his seat. He leaned down and slapped a hearty amount of posters onto the counter - they were in much better condition than the poster on the bulletin board, which was riddled with pinholes.
“What is it?” Aina asked, jumping up in an attempt to see the posters. She managed to catch a few big details that way, but it was a chore to read. “A Bouquet… of...”
“Tender Thoughts. It's perfect,” Duncan added. “Thank you, Heath.”
“No problem, Mr. Clarke.”
“Grandpa, does it have to be for your students?” she frowned, nudging Duncan on the arm. “What is it? Bouquets have flowers in 'em, right?”
“They do. Here, Aina,” Duncan smiled, handing Aina a poster. Folding his hands over the counter, Duncan smiled jovially at the receptionist. “First-- ah, I believe we were supposed to schedule an appointment for June, if you may.”
“I’ll take a look.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 5:06 pm
. ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
BOUQUET OF TENDER THOUGHTS
A flower speaks a thousand words.
LOVE. PASSION. FUN.
Bouquet of Tender Thoughts is committed to delivering splendid bouquets to
individuals in healthcare facilities across Gaia.
Join our green movement and help nurture our community!
Volunteers of all ages welcome!
Call us:
595-962-1909
To donate, please contact Phyllis Kress.
595-962-1909 x15
Read our stories here:
bouquetoftenderthoughts.org
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
It was a short twenty minute ride from Dr. Rokos’ office to Hillside market. The feeling in Aina’s branches still felt all tingly, and she was a little tired, but the Frei didn’t mind one bit. She was excited to show her papa this new poster more than anything, the thought of making bouquets and crowns of hydrangeas and lilies occupying her thoughts. She made sure to keep it close to her heart so that the paper wouldn’t get bent as her and grandpa waded through the large line of folk standing in front of the Hartline Farms booth.
Once they finally reached the front of the line, most of the chaos seemed to fade. The energy seemed to drain from Mordekai quickly as the last of his customers left the area, but as soon as Duncan and Aina came into view, he brightened.
“‘Ey, Duncan!” he greeted, hands on his hips. He let out a tired breath, then grinned, tapping his cheek a few times to wake himself up. “You got out early, huh?”
“We did,” Duncan smiled, eying the produce. Most of the booth now looked threadbare, the fruit and vegetables lying in heaps of less than a dozen each across the table. “Quite a busy day today, isn’t it?”
“Too busy, we’re gunna run out before we close… Aina?” Mordekai leaned forward to glance down past the booth - to his surprise, Aina was hidden behind a large piece of paper that was nearly her size. He laughed, waving to try and catch her attention, though she didn't seem to notice. “Hi, baby! How was it? Your branches’re all clean, huh?”
“Oh! Hi Momo,” Aina said, peeking out past the poster with a small smile. As excited as she was to show the poster to him, she wanted it to be a surprise. Hugging the poster to herself, she floated back to hide behind Duncan's legs. “Dr. Rokos said she’d visit an’ buy plumcots.”
“She liked ‘em, I can just bring some over!” Aina's curious behavior didn't go unnoticed, and Mordekai smiled wide, rounding the corner of the booth. He knelt in front of Duncan and the Frei, brows raised. “So... whatcha got, Aina? That's a big piece'a paper!”
“Dr. Rokos said she wanted to visit herself! And...” shyly, Aina diligently held out the poster for Mordekai to take. It grazed past Duncan's leg, and he chuckled, watching as the Frei shyly approached his father.
“You make somethin'?” Mordekai asked, taking the poster into his hands. He held the top and bottom out and leaned back to take the details of the poster in, squinting to try and make out the words on the paper.
“I picked it up from the office,” Duncan explained, leaning forward to look down at the poster, “Bouquet of Tender Thoughts, a volunteer program that delivers flowers to hospitals, as luck would have it! I was looking for some volunteer opportunities for my students. ”
“Oh,” Mordekai replied, quietly staring at the poster. Aina watched with stilted breath, but when her father took too long to respond, she held her hands out to take the poster from him.
“I wanna make bouquets too! Grandpa said we’re gunna stop by the Hospital,” she said, enthusiasm ringing clear in her tone. She'd expected Mordekai to respond with a smile, a laugh, anything - but when he didn't, she reeled her hands back, floating lower the more he stared blankly at the poster.
“Huh,” Mordekai finally responded, perking back to a small smile. He returned the poster to Aina, then stood, brushing the dirt off of his knees. “Where is it? Here?”
“It’s right in Gambino, but I had a few questions for them,” Duncan replied, carefully watching as Aina stared at the poster again. Her enthusiasm had dwindled this time around, and Mordekai seemed just as wary. “We could always wait until the market is over,” he amended, gently placing his hand on the Frei’s back.
The Frei looked up at her grandfather, frowning helplessly.
“Oh-- ye’know-- s’okay, you guys go ahead,” Mordekai stammered - the Frei’s fall in mood hadn’t gone unnoticed. “It sounds real neat! But I was gunna go over to Rebecca’s anyway.”
“Why?” Aina practically yelled in her confusion and disappointment. Mordekai flustered, but Duncan quickly waved down the blond’s panic.
“That’s right! I almost forgot. Is her bathroom still leaking?”
“Somethin’ like that. Dunno how much I can do, but Ben’s comin’ over to help - oh,” he watched as a couple drifted into the Hartline booth, “Sorry, guys, I gotta go help people.”
“You’re really not gonna come with us?” Aina asked, gripping onto the ends of the poster.
“Not this time, baby girl,” Mordekai replied, kneeling back down to hold his hand out for Aina. “I’m sorry. ‘Ave fun with grandpa, oke?”
“Okay,” Aina replied, holding her hand in his.
Mordekai gave the Frei a kiss on the forehead, and she stared at the ground, quietly wondering why he didn’t want to make bouquets with her and grandpa.
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 5:20 pm
. Previously ▪ She breathed in. “Look, Duncan, I want to help you, but I need to distance myself from him, and this whole mess. I talked to my therapist about it, and…” she sighed, “I’ve been such a mess this past fall, Duncan.”
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
“This place is a goddamn mess.” Ben had travelled for two hours out to Gambino to help an old friend (a complicated term), thinking he’d get the job done quick and spend the rest of the day lounging on the beach. He was dead wrong. The more he looked at this lavender-painted abomination of a townhouse, the more disasters he found. By the time the first round of inspections were done, Ben was standing dumbfoundedly in a perfectly French garden covered in sweat. The surprising wave of spring heat didn’t help with anything.
“Least the place looks pretty,” Mordekai digressed, wrapping his flannel around his hips to help his skin breathe. He shrugged, proceeding into the air conditioned solace of the townhouse living room. “I never woulda known just by standin' here. Not like I ever visit ‘em 'nough to catch the mold.”
“You can polish a turd, but it's still a piece of s**t,” Ben explained, following suit into the home. His feet ached. Halfheartedly, he kicked his loosely laced boots loose and left them in the backyard patio. “No wonder she has a bug problem. Rooftop shingles are a lost cause. I think the drainage is causing mold in the walls. She has to get all this stuff checked out before it starts raining again, or her kids are going to die.”
“Guess that’s what ‘m here for,” Mordekai sighed, sitting on one of the kitchen seats. “An' s'not that bad. Right?”
“Don’t even try. You should call a guy. It's pretty bad,” Ben replied, cracking his back as he entered the kitchen. Turning the sink on, Ben rested his hands below the water, relishing the coolness.
“I called you,” Mordekai amended cheekily, hopping off of his seat and nudging Ben aside to wash his own dirt-ridden hands. “Duncan told me Rebecca’s short on cash. Callin’ anyone else ain't really an option.” He twisted off the faucet, wiping the water off on his arms.
“Two hours without bad traffic to get out here, man. You gettin' paid?”
“Just said she was broke.”
“Doesn’t she treat you like s**t? Christ. Get paid.”
“Eh…” Mordekai shrugged, sheepishly scratching his arm, “I'm doin' this for her kids. S'okay.”
“Then you owe me one,” Ben stared, “‘Cause sure, I can do this for her kids, but not for her. You get me?”
“What’s one more thing to my debt’a forever owin’ you?” Flicking stray water from his fingertips onto Ben, Mordekai laughed and quickly ran to the fridge before he had a chance to smack him. “How ‘bout I start payin’ it off with dinner?”
“That’s a step in the right direction.” Scowling, Ben wiped the water off of his face with his palms. “Where to?”
“Nowhere. I’m makin’ us somethin’. Fridge is free reign.” Mordekai held open the fridge door. “You feelin’ anything?”
“Whatcha got?” Ben leaned against the kitchen counter, tilting his head to the side as Mordekai leaned back for him to see. Most of the fridge was occupied by various fish wrapped in plastic. “Your aunt feed your kids pretty alright.”
“Nah, this is from Hillside. Look,” Mordekai tossed a frozen catfish Ben’s way - he clumsily caught it in his arms, though it was heavier and more slippery than he'd expected. “We can run down to the market an’ I can make some bouillabaisse? I need… saffron. An’ anise. Never tried it with catfish before.”
“Whatever the hell that is, sure. This thing is big.” He held the catfish up by the tail, measuring it by his arm; the head of it fell at just around his shoulders. “You never cooked this good in Aekea.”
“Really? That thing’s actually kinna small for a catfish,” Mordekai replied, tossing a few bags of clams onto the counter. “Yeah, I learned cookin’ in Barton. I'll make a lot! Bring it home.”
“Wouldn't complain about that.” Seeing how roughly Mordekai was treating the rest of the seafood - tossing clams and lobsters out of the fridge like it was nothing - Ben shrugged and chucked the catfish into the sink, where it slid and drooped sadly near the edge of the counter. “Still, could use a cook in Aekea. You know that Linus still burns water? Whatever happened t’you coming back to me in Aekea?”
“It’s still gonna happen, I just gotta find a place,” Mordekai replied halfheartedly, still occupied with the fridge.
“Yeah, right,” Ben scoffed, scrutinizing the catfish. The ice was already melting, the blood dripping down into the sinkhole. “I don’t think being a deadbeat dad’s really your style.”
An airy laugh. That’s all Ben expected to get, and he grimaced at Mordekai’s back.
“Time moves fast,” Mordekai admit, to Ben’s surprise. “I dunno… I’ll keep you posted.”
“Sure. We all got time.” Resting his elbows against the shoulder, he watched as Mordekai pulled a cellphone out of his back pocket. “Your family’s nice. I’ll visit again sometime.”
“You better. Duncan an’ Aina both like you,” Mordekai said, flipping open the cellphone. With an armful of frozen seafood was now resting on the counter, he nudged the fridge door closed with his foot. “I gotta make a call. Market after?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Mordekai looked back at Ben with a wry smile. Ben smiled back, waving at him as he left for the backyard. He was barefoot in the grass.
“Hey, Duncan, go home without me tonight. Rebecca’s house is more ******** I thought. I’ll figure out where I’m stayin’. Tell Aina good night!” Mordekai rubbed the back of his neck. “Tell me ‘bout your hospital thing when I’m back.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 8:52 pm
.  Aina goes with Cruz, Anita, and Mordekai to Yarrow's Point Beach, and strays a little too far to an odd place.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
A small fairy with hair as thick and wavy as seaweed smiled as it was held up by Cruz, dark and beady eyes staring up at him curiously. Once the Sigel began moving, it looked onward at the direction he went, then down at the rocks as it noticed the small scurrying sounds of other seashells crawling through the thin cracks between rock. These fairies were the type that tended to flock, and whether Cruz liked it or not, a few were scurrying closely to his ribbon, some even grabbing at it to find a way to climb up to their friend.
Aina, meanwhile, found the other end of the crag much quicker than she thought.
She squinted as she approached the sunlight from past the cliff overhang. The sand was smooth here, trailed occasionally by moss and small, smooth rocks closer to the cliff wall. She could hear the sound of the tide roll softly against the shore clearly in the silence, and in the distance, she saw an arch of rock lit from underneath by a shallow pocket of water. The arch stood high and strong above the ocean's edge, like a gateway, and the Frei watched water slosh against it before carefully proceeding forward.
It felt strange here, Aina thought. Maybe it was from wandering in shadow, but the sun seemed a little brighter here, the ocean reflecting a deep aquamarine, painting the rock and moss with a glowing teal. Not a footprint had touched anything in this part of the beach.
When Aina reached the edge of the sand, just before the arch's stretch of thin ocean, she looked back to see if Cruz was nearby. She hugged the wall of the cliff, uncertain; though she could see him, Cruz was very far from where she was. He had been right, and she knew he always was – this wasn't where the tide pool was at all.
Still – she wanted to see what was ahead. Maybe, probably, there was a better tide pool just past this alcove.
“Hello?” she asked, glancing up at the cliff face. The only response she received was her own echo – hello?
Breathing in, she slowly floated to the surface of the water. With the edge of the cliff as her buoy, Aina was able to cling onto the rock and navigate just above the ocean's surface. Carefully, she began her way past the second stretch of shadows.
As she rounded the corner of the arch, Aina saw the wall of the cliff laying bare to the ocean, a pocket of it carved inward – a shallow alcove. She felt protected underneath the darkness of the arch. The water was still and calm.
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Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:43 pm
. Aina didn’t know what hearkened her back to the alcove, but it did, even with the memory of strange noises lurking in the depths of the shadows, and the roaring sounds of the tides rolling against the rock. Maybe it was because she remembered the shirts, too, and the magical glow of blue that lit the cavern from the strange warmth of the ocean.
At her behest, Rebecca and Duncan drove Aina to the Yarrow’s Point after a long day in the city. She never liked going to the city with her great-aunt like that - she always urged that they go from shop to shop, staying too long in the plazas that smelled especially of perfume. The clothes she had Aina try on were always too tight, or too big around the shoulders, or too long for her ribbon, or a good cut but just not the right pattern - and so it went, on and on.
Like she had with Cruz the trip before to Yarrow’s Point, Aina floated faster and farther away from the main stretch of beach. Duncan and Rebecca had warned her not to stray too far while they were getting drinks from a booth nearby. The line was longer, and the beach was more crowded than it was in March, but Aina knew she had to be quick.
A whole month had passed since she visited the alcove last. The crag was easy to navigate through, and she hugged the rough stretch of arch closely, careful not to let her backpack dip below the water.
When she reached the alcove, it was empty. Even the moss and fungi had gone. Hopping off into the thin stretch of dry land, Aina floated carefully to the moss, steeling herself for the noise of rocks and echoing rattles.
When no noises had come, Aina dropped her backpack to the floor and slowly unzipped it, wary of making too much noise. If the shirt had gone, Aina felt certain that this was the right choice.
“I got you some clothes,” Aina said to the emptiness, pulling out a few new clothes from her backpack. She laid out two new shirts, with a sunflower and peonies on them, smoothing them out against the moss as well as she could. “I’m gonna keep a few dresses so my aunt doesn’t get mad, but you shouldn’t wear dirty shirts like that.”
“Also, um, I dunno if you like wearin’ dresses too,” she said, zipping her backpack closed again. She hugged the alcove wall, staring back at the cavern darkness. “I think ‘m okay with it, even if it covers up my ribbon a lot an’ they’re kinda heavy.”
After waving, Aina left.
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 12:28 am
. While the Hartlines are gone for a week-long vacation, Mordekai is put in charge of the farm, and Anita goes with him to stay at Stephen's home. Hi-jinks ensue.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
A very forced family vacation had called away Stephen and Maree to Durem for two weeks as the peak of calving and planting season began. Stephen had asked for Mordekai to watch the farm months in advance, but Mordekai had refused at first, given how much he had to take care of at home, but he felt like he’d owed Stephen a lot throughout his life, and this was just a tiny way to give some of that thanks back. After being asked again when Stephen couldn’t find anyone else, Mordekai agreed.
The thought of it was weird - if Stephen was gone, it implied that Mordekai had to be everyone’s boss for a week. He just had to pray that nothing would set on fire, or the neighboring fauns wouldn’t notice that Stephen was gone and steal all of their apples and cows overnight. There was a long list of s**t that Stephen did to keep the farm functioning that even he didn’t know about.
He thought about it a lot on his and Anita’s trip to the farm. Hugging his backpack of things in his lap, he furrowed his brows.
Mordekai: “I think Stephen an’ Maree already gone to Greece...” -glances back at Anita- “All the cows’re gunna be missin’.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 12:38 am
. Duncan takes Cruz and Aina to the Barton Fair while Anita and Mordekai are tending to Hartline Farms, and the art contest helps spur a little wish in the pomegranate Frei.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
The Barton Fair was in the city’s middle-of-nowhere that no one really drove through on a regular basis. It was surrounded by pasture and wildlife, wildly different from the locale the fair had chosen before. Even if Stephen was against the relocation, most people seemed to find the fair charming, with its American undertones of fried food and carnival rides mixed with the more Gaian air of forestry exterior and delightfully cute event buildings all around. There was a boom in business because of the new location - even as the fair was winding down to its final days, every area of it was crowded.
Even though Aina very much hated crowds, she loved the fair. While Anita and Mordekai were busy watching Hartline, Cruz stayed through the week with Aina and Duncan. As one last hoorah before Cruz had to go back home, Duncan drove them out to the Barton Fair to visit papa’s coworkers and see the sights.
From the morning to the afternoon, they walked around and ate and relaxed, exhausting most of the fair map - Aina even made sure to cross off every place that they’d visited by pen, wanting to make sure they were thorough. One of the last things they had to do was visit all of the buildings - with the day so bright and nice outside, going inside wasn’t exactly on her mind. But, with having explored for so much of the day, Aina didn’t mind winding down too much.
Duncan: “Which building should we go to first? The Oak gallery…” -Aina yawns, tiredly handing him the map, and Duncan quickly reads through it- “...The art contest is held here.” -smiles at Cruz and Aina- “How’s about we take a look?”
Aina: “Mhm…” -rubbing her eyes- “Let’s go say hi to the goats again after…”
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 12:40 am
. For a small business farmer, spring was never a good time to take a vacation, if he could afford to take a vacation at all. Stephen could not, but he was forced to anyway, and his brief retreat overseas was a nightmare as a result. Coming from a family of witches and warlocks, none of Stephen's relatives seemed to understand that a farm's problems couldn't be whisked away with a few spells and enchantments. He'd left Hartline Farms in ruins - for example, after the first week of April, their cultivators - the primary tool they needed for planting - had been on the fritz. The week after that, Stephen began finding dead livestock and trails of blood smeared into the dirt and hay around his property. The blood told him it wasn’t the fauns that stole the livestock this time, and that was bigger trouble than usual.
“We probably got cursed,” Maree explained, shrugging the problem away as they left for their flight to Foloi, the place where Stephen’s mother had been raised. As mediocre of a witch as his cousin was, Stephen had to admit that Maree had made a lot of enemies using her magic.
At least, if it was a hex, Stephen knew who to call to dispel it. Iliana Hartline, Maree’s mother, was a specialist.
“But a fox!” Stephen exclaimed, gesturing out into the sky above his farm. “A baby fox! What am I supposed to do with that?”
The baby fox in question was sprinting around in circles in a cage in front of him. It was not what he wanted to see immediately after returning to the farm from a flight that took up half his day. Maree seemed to think likewise, as did Aina; both of them were sitting next to the cage, waving and cooing at the kit in hopes that it would run their way. The kit didn’t seem to notice them at first, paws digging into the dirt at the far end of the enclosed field.
“Mind your hands, you two,” Duncan warned. Exasperated, Stephen let out a big sigh, dropping the handle of his suitcase and letting it fall dully to the floor.
“I like her! She’s cute,” Aina replied, glancing at the grownups - the only one who seemed to agree was Mordekai, who nodded quietly at the sentiment. Looking back at the cage, she stuck her fingers between the narrow holes of the metal fence. “Hi, little fox. Why did you kill the chickens?”
“Thing’s gonna bite your fingers off, dude,” Maree snickered, pulling the Frei’s hand away from the cage. Taking notice, the fox knelt on its forelegs and tilted its head back, staring at Maree and Aina. “Hah. Hey, you little murderer,” Maree grinned, clicking her tongue. The kit sprinted forward at the cue of the sound, leaping and clawing at the barrier between it and the girls.
Aina screamed. Maree and her leaned back with a laugh, and the pomegranate clung to the witch’s side tightly. Stephen bristled, and Mordekai attempted to hide his chuckling as Duncan’s brow creased.
“Maree,” Duncan spoke, frowning. Maree dismissed the warning with a laugh, her and Aina unfazed as they watched the kit gnaw uselessly at the cage. “When did you find her?” Duncan asked, worriedly watching as Aina waved at the fox.
“Yeah, when?” Stephen stared at Mordekai, arms crossed. With the kit so nippy, Mordekai leaned forward to pick Aina up off of the ground. The Frei protested with a small whine, wiggling in an attempt to free herself - briefly, Maree watched her go, then returned to staring at the fox. When chewing on the cage proved fruitless, the kit hopped back and began running around the cage again, claws indenting the soft dirt below her.
“Momo,” Aina whined, staring sternly up at him. Duncan, on the other hand, responded with an approving nod of his head.
“Sorry, she’s bein’ too feisty,” Mordekai replied, kissing Aina's cheek in apology. It was near impossible for the young kit to reach or destroy its way past the fence, Mordekai knew, but Aina had ways of using magic to her favor, and that included potentially uprooting a fence to free a playful little fox out. “I dunno what to tell you, Stephen. Damien an’ Anita helped me find her an’ that was just... Thursday.” He’d earned a few scratches slightly more than skin-deep from trying to catch the kit, a few bandages on his arms visible past his rolled sleeves.
“Well, goddammit!” Exasperated, Stephen waved helplessly at the fox. “Just take her somewhere that isn’t here!”
“There’s a fox conservatory just nearby. I’m sure it would take her,” Duncan suggested, gesturing in the general direction of the conservatory. Hartline Farms did not have many neighbors, and the reminder brightened Stephen’s face to an even deeper shade of red. Duncan's expression fell, too, as he reached the same conclusion. “Ah.”
“Well, funny thing,” Mordekai leaned carefully away from Stephen, smiling nervously, “She’s from there.”
Maree chortled. Stephen dropped his shoulders, turning away from the cage and pacing away, almost tripping on his suitcase - he kicked it out of his way, and it flopped onto its side. Mordekai bit his bottom lip, brows upturned.
“Sorry, boss-man.”
“What’s a con-serva-tor-y?” Aina asked, nudging Mordekai’s arm. She drew the syllables out, careful not to mispronounce it, her voice lilting English like her grandfather’s.
“A place that takes care of foxes,” Duncan answered, chuckling. “Oh, dear. I suppose we're very lucky that she’s not completely feral.”
“Ooh… oh!” “What’s fe-ral? Is that the kinda fox she is?”
“Goddammit,” Stephen interrupted; pacing back to his suitcase, he sat on top of it - his burly frame didn’t fit well onto the small suitcase, his legs nearly curled up to his shoulders. With his elbows rested against his knees, Stephen waited like an impatient child. “Well? They taking her?” he asked, staring at the kit.
It had finished running by now. Panting, the kit sat near one of Seabiscuit’s old water bowls. Stephen stewed about the idea of anyone fetching the thing for this monstrosity.
“Guess I could ask again,” Mordekai replied, airily, “I mean-- we already went in, but-- Damien said--”
“Damien what? He know something about foxes?”
“Damien wanted us to keep her. Conservatory said it don’t mind.” Mordekai shrugged, laughing awkwardly. “Said it was… a favor for killin’ your animals?”
“Yay!”
“Yay?” Mordekai exclaimed, grinning at Aina, before hiding his face with his free hand. Duncan grimaced.
“Yay,” Maree mocked, smiling something fierce back at her cousin. She was not on his side.
“No. No way. What kinda shitty favor is that? I could sue ‘em!” Stephen spread his arms out to Maree, eyes wide, “Maree! It almost got Latte! You know? Our prize cow?”
“Aw, Latte’s fine.” Maree stood, leaning over the fence as the kit approached her. “She just doesn’t play nice. It’s kinda charming.”
Stephen rested his tired head against his knees and breathed in. With Maree so amused, he was losing steam.
“How’d she even get out? Please, tell me,” Stephen begged.
“Said there was a hole in the fence they din’t notice ‘til now.” Mordekai held his hand up when Stephen stared at him, brows raised. “No joke.”
“Oh, no.” Duncan shook his head, frowning. “That is trouble for more than just Hartline. Let's hope she's the only fox that managed to escape.”
“Ooh.” Even Aina could immediately understand that more than one fox out in the wild was bad news indeed.
“God.” As much as he wanted to spite everyone around him, to have the conservatory foxes kill something of theirs that they depended on and loved, Stephen realistically understood that the only one who’d suffer from this was the farm. He dragged his palm down his face, a headache looming at his temples. “Dammit.”
“They got it fixed,” Mordekai offered, speaking gently, “Damien said he’s gunna take care of her if she can stay. I mean, this cage din’t just appear outta nowhere. We solved the problem, she ain’t killin’ any chickens in there.”
“He can keep it in his own ********’ house if he wants it so bad,” Stephen snapped - when Duncan and Mordekai both stared, he held his hands up. “Sorry.” Slapping his hands onto his knees, Stephen pushed himself off of the suitcase, which was now thoroughly indented at the center. ”Look, can none of you see why I don’t want this thing around?”
“Maybe she wants to say sorry,” Aina said hopefully, smiling shyly at Stephen.
“Yeah,” Maree agreed. To Stephen’s dismay, the kit was now sitting perfectly still behind the fence, staring at them all with her head tilted to the side.
If he didn’t think too hard about it, the thing was damn cute. Stephen softened, and Maree grinned, almost evilly, because she could always rely on Stephen’s weakness for animals.
“I’m gonna have Eric look at her. But she’s a fox, not a goddamn pet, I want everyone here to remember that,” Stephen murmured, glaring at Maree. With a sigh, he turned to Mordekai and gave him a friendly few smacks on the arm. “Anyway, thanks for looking after the place.This isn’t your fault, I get that. I’m just happy you found the brat.”
“Oh, yeah, anytime,” Mordekai smiled, “Everythin’ else is good, an’ Tequila’s been fine after we caught her.”
“Tequila?” Stephen blurted, dumbly.
“Hah!” Maree clapped her hands together, “Dame named her already, didn’t he!”
“How predictable,” Duncan muttered. He couldn’t help but laugh.
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Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:56 pm
. Duncan and Aina take a tour of some schools for magical children with Granny M and Cesc.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Duncan checked and rechecked the address of Morgan Elementary before he had even left home, passing by each locale and diligently asking Aina if their arrow was still on the path that his phone GPS had hurled them toward. The Frei was always so delighted to navigate to a new place, the faint sounds of Moonbeeps looming in the vehicle throughout their drive.
When Morgan Elementary was in view, Duncan - relieved as he was - let out a small sigh, calling Aina's attention back up from his phone. The Frei was surprisingly resilient in the face of motion sickness, and she perked readily at the sight of the campus, and the recognizable figures of one Cesc and one Granny M up ahead. "Grandpa, Cesc an' Miss Maplethorpe are here!" she announced, just in case her grandfather hadn't seen - and he hadn't, given his focus on choosing a parking space out of many from Morgan Elementary's relatively empty campus lot.
"They are! It has been quite a while since we've seen either of them, hasn't it?" he asked, smiling jovially back at Aina. He took a quick glimpse at the car clock, shoulders relaxing some when he noticed they were blissfully on time - a few minutes early, in fact. Once the car was off, he hopped out of the car, Aina opening her passenger door while waiting for his help to exit the car.
"Mhm," Aina said, a bit airily, focusing back down on Duncan's phone as the map went silent. She blindly reached for Duncan's hand when she saw it at the corner of her vision, hopping out of the car with his support. "D'you think Cesc plays Moonbeeps?" she asked, poking a green digital firefly that was near the edge of the screen.
"He might. You could always ask him," he smiled, shutting the door behind them and locking the car. Aina floated alongside him, her hand in his. "Aina?"
"The pink fireflies remind me of him," she said, poking a green firefly, "An' the green ones remind me of Cruz."
"We should put away the phone before we greet them, shouldn't we?" Duncan said, and Aina glanced up, grinning playfully. They were halfway through the lot already, and with Cesc and Granny M so close, she nodded, gently putting the phone back into her bag.
True to Gertrude's predictions, Aina didn't call attention to the fiasco between him and Ethiriel that had happened last winter. She hadn't forgotten it completely, but the subject hadn't crossed her mind when she hadn't seen either of the Raevans together since New Years, which seemed like forever ago. Aina waved at Gertrude and Cesc, smiling wide, floating a little faster than Duncan was walking to close the distance.
"Hi, Miss Granny Maplethorpe! Hi Cesc!" Aina greeted, moving away from Duncan to float immediately to the stag, arms reached out for a hug.
"Lovely seeing you both, Gertude, Rhedefre," Duncan laughed, bowing his head in courtesy to the two of them. One good look at the stag, though, and Duncan's smile faded with a hint of concern - he'd never seen the boy so ragged. "You look quite tired," he admit, tone gentle. "Are you well, Rhedefre?"
"You're all prickly-lookin', like papa," the younger Frei chimed in.
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Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:58 pm
. Ethiriel visits Aina and Duncan for the first time since January.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Aina had been kept busy with crafts at the dining table by the time someone had knocked at the door. Duncan, as promised, kept Ethiriel's visit a secret, and the Frei hadn't expected any company. She glanced up from her coloring book with a curious pout, then glanced back at her grandfather, who smiled inquisitively from the kitchen. He was preparing tea, the usual afternoon fare on a weekend.
"Did papa come home?" she asked, setting her crayon down. Her expression turned just a touch stern, and she let out a sigh, hopping out of her chair. "Did papa forget his keys again?"
"I certainly hope not," Duncan replied, chuckling, setting a couple of teacups down on the counter. "What kind of tea would you like today, Aina?"
"Can I have some raspberry tea, please?" she asked, smiling up at Duncan. "Grandpa, I'm gonna get the door," she continued, floating to the foyer.
"Alright, Aina," Duncan said, amusedly watching as Aina floated onward to the front door. "Try not to scold your father too much."
On a random midday in May, Aina hadn't cared to change out of her pajamas. Having expected her papa on the other side of the door, she scarcely cared for her appearance, swinging the door open quickly as measure of her sternness.
When Ethiriel was at her front door instead, Aina's firm expression quickly brightened to surprise, and she let out a short scream - "Ethiriel!" she called out, jumping forward to leap into the tea Raevan's arms. "Hi!"
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Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 4:00 pm
. After a few weeks of ruminating over the schools they had gone to, Duncan received an e-mail from one Millie Eaves. It was a name from the past, but immediately familiar - she had been a friend of his wife’s so long ago. He remembered the two discussing their days in the garden patio, sharing coffee and cigarettes over chocolates. Millie had once been a witch with a shop near their home, but after her son had grown and Cerise had passed away, it seemed to Duncan that she had simply disappeared. Cerise’s death seemed to have that remarkable effect on so many people.
Alas, after 27 years, Duncan was pleased to know that Millie was now working at Cypress Academy, a humble school for magical children located in northernmost Barton. Millie had invited Duncan and Aina to visit Cypress once again, having missed her introductions due to class.
It was a slow day at home, and Aina agreed to visit Miss Millie immediately. Aina liked Cypress Academy, but she also liked Ghislaine Elementary a little more. Still, her grandpa had told her that Millie was an old friend of his and grandma’s, someone he had rarely spoken of, and she was curious.
They met in front of Miss Millie’s classroom, one of the first past Cypress Academy’s offices. The first thing Aina noticed was that Miss Millie was very tall. Taller, she thought, than her nonc.
“Duncan, it has been too long!” Miss Millie exclaimed, spreading her lanky arms out to approach them, draping herself over Duncan for a tight hug. “How have you been, my darling?”
“Millie, it’s so good to see you,” Duncan laughed, leaning back from the sheer weight of her compared to how small he was. Aina giggled, calling Millie’s attention to her, and the teacher smiled, kneeling slightly to meet the Frei’s eyes.
“Aina, what an honor.” The older woman smiled, the wrinkles around her eyes creasing in fondness. She wore a pair of spectacles just like grandpa’s, and a lot of necklaces, with a very odd dress. “Welcome to Cypress Academy! Do you like it here?”
“Hi, Miss Millie,” Aina waved, though she kept close to Duncan. She admired the rest of Miss Millie’s ensemble, smiling meekly. “Mhm! It’s really pretty… I like your necklaces.”
“Oh, good! And thank you. I think it’s always hard to learn when a school or its teachers look too drab,” Miss Millie grinned. Standing back up, she pushed the door open, inviting a scent of fresh lavender and patchouli into the hall. “Here. Come in, come in.”
“After you, Millie.” Duncan held the door aloft, and Miss Millie leaned down to squeeze back inside.
This classroom, Aina thought, was unlike any other she had seen; students were sitting together at long table, drows, orcs, humans, and other magical children alike, carefully working on their projects as a younger instructor quietly watched over them. Not a one seemed to notice as Miss Millie and her visitors entered the classroom.
“I see you’ve brought some of your shop’s spirit into this place,” Duncan mused, chuckling. Millie laughed, reaching for the mug of tea at her desk.
“Would I be Millie Eaves without it?” she asked, winking as she took a sip of her tea.
“What’s everyone doin’?” Aina asked, staring around at the various art materials resting in cabinets ajar, fairy lights and paintings hanging around the walls, making the forest light trail in from outside seem even more magical than before.
“Arts and crafts, dear! I run the art room of Cypress,” Miss Millie explained, admiring her students as they continued working. “Everyone is making a little book for the end of the school year.”
“We get to make books?” Aina glanced back at Miss Millie, squeezing Duncan’s arm.
“Yes, and a very special one. It’s called The Pursuit of Happiness,” she said, holding the cup between her palms. “If you remember that, Duncan?” It caused the older man to raise his brows, and he smiled warmly, dipping his head in a short nod.
“I could never forget it,” Duncan replied, looking back at Miss Millie’s students. It was plain to see that many of them were writing, now, a few painting and a few others finagling with cardboard. “It was one of your’s and Cerise’s best concoctions. I’m delighted to hear you’re still using it.”
Cerise was not mentioned often in their household, but Aina remembered her name on the gravestone next to her mama’s, and the stories she had written that rested lovingly in Aina’s bookshelves. “Grandma?” Aina asked, which seemed to move Miss Millie to sheer joy, the older woman taking in a breath and grinning, approaching the Frei for a hug.
“Yes, your grandmother!” Millie sighed, leaning back to look at Aina. “Aina, your grandma was a very good friend of mine. She’s the reason why I became a teacher. And my son went to school with your uncle, and your grandfather was their teacher. Isn’t that funny?” she asked, and Aina looked up at Duncan, who seemed a bit surprised by Miss Millie’s reaction.
“I think it’s neat,” Aina said, nodding plainly, which caused Duncan to chuckle. The Frei smiled, and Miss Millie did, too.
“Really, you’re a very lucky girl, Aina. Your life is full of so many teachers. It must make your life so curious,” Miss Millie stood again, sipping down the rest of her tea. The Frei nodded.
“My uncle’s a teacher, too,” she added diligently.
“Is he? Why, I’m not surprised. It must be your grandfather’s influence.” Setting the mug back down at her table, Miss Millie folded her hands together, perking up. “Well, we can come back to this art room of mine. How about we take a short tour? Miss Millie’s way!”
“I wanna learn more ‘bout the book, though,” Aina said, staring shyly at the ground.
“I will explain it all to you, love,” Millie said, gently, patting the Frei’s head. “Shall we?” she brightened, linking her arm with Duncan’s.
“We shall,” Duncan laughed, trailing along as Millie left the classroom. “Energetic as always, Millie?”
“As always and forever shall I be, love,” Millie said. Really, she hadn’t changed much since her youth, so much so that it was hard to imagine that she had wrinkles or grey hair at all, despite looking right at her. Aina floated alongside her grandfather and Miss Millie, imagining her walking alongside her grandmother, the color of sienna and lavender and smelling of musty candles and warm tea.
Grandma must’ve been very silly, Aina thought.
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