"When's Papa coming home?"
A young toddler goes to Wraithvine to ask about hir daddy. Wraithvine must now tell the family what happened to the farmer.
@internutter/challenge-03390-i102-ignominious-beginnings -- DaniAndShali
Lulanie Tiller stared at the coils of hair on her table, and at the humble Elf who had appeared in her hut. She gave the being small chores to keep them busy until the children were sound asleep.
She made tea, and wound up the hair in ropes, and said, "What happened?"
"I aimed to stop a robbery. I... accidentally ended your..." A sob. A gulp. Genuine regret. "I ended your husband's life. I did not know his circumstances. I have done a great evil whilst attempting to do good. This... is counter to my vows, counter to my honour, and counter to my soul."
A small figure appeared on the steps that lead to the loft bed. Connyk was awake and worried.
"Go back to bed, my lovely," said Lulanie.
"I want Papa. Where's Papa?"
The Elf buried their face in their hands, and slid off the chair and onto the floor. The grief was real, Lulanie knew, but it hadn't hit her, just yet. It was as if she were still waiting for him to come home from looking for work. It... it wasn't real. Not for her. Not yet.
"Papa's not home yet," she said. "I can tell you more tomorrow." She looked to the Elf. "We. Can tell you more tomorrow."
It would be rough. Two sets of twins, one four, one three. No more on the way, thank the gods. And she had Elven hair to pay her bills.
Lulanie tucked Connyk into bed again and gave the Elf a shank of their own hair. "Come on and help braid this into saleable lots. This will pay for stew and then some. But only in small doses or we'll get robbed again."
The 'again' caught the Elf's attention. "I am named Wraithvine. I will mend what I can, how I can. I will tell your children my mistake. And then I will ease your troubles. I do not expect to replace your husband, but where I am able, I will ease your needs." Nimble fingers pulled dark locks into thin strips. Braided them quickly enough.
"So you've said." Leilani focussed on tying them off at handsbreadth lengths and clipping them short. All going into a basket she usually used for scraps. There was a fortune in hair in front of her and it was just... one more thing to do. "Now you've confessed... What is the plan?"
"Well. After the food is secure, I shall investigate how the soil on your farm turned sour. What, if anything, can be done to stop the souring or even reverse it. I am... a Wizard of some limited skill. I can... I can at least try."
She looked them in the eye. "This is more than enough hair to keep this land idle for their lifetimes. You know that. We could call ourselves landed gentry and live like lords off of this."
"But you would be robbed. Again. I can at least imbue your fences and markers with wards. Discourage further bandits. Protect your house and those who call it home."
"Doesn't that take months?"
"It can. I will start with the runes for a week, and during that week, I can work on the runes for a month. It will... accrue."
Leilani thought of the little piles of stones her children made, declaring them great monuments in their imaginings. This seemed like a similar strategy.
Tomorrow, Wraithvine would tell the children. Tomorrow, she would take some of this hair to the markets. A few handsbreadths. No more than two. Trade them for whatever she could get, and haggle with it so that it seemed real. Tomorrow, she would introduce Wraithvine as a criminal seeking to make amends with the world. That would suit him and his aura of gloom.
Maybe, tomorrow, she would learn where her Korben was buried. Though she wouldn't be able to visit for some time yet.
Oh gods, how she wanted tomorrow to wait.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / mg7]
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