The air is getting crisp, the leaves are falling, and the harvest is being gathered. A family invites Gikka, Wraithvine, and friends to join their village in the fall festival. -- Anon Guest
The little village in the middle of nowhere was having a harvest festival. The winter crops had been planted, the summer crops had been reaped, and all the preserves were stocked away for the snows.
This was the time for music and dancing, and light against the fading darkness. And welcome to visitors who may yet find themselves snowed in. It was a surprisingly warm welcome for two wizards, one Kobold, and a cat. The cat was honestly a bit of a surprise. She looked like a fur stole until she yawned, stretched, and made for the ham.
As Wraithvine put hir pet onto the ground, giving her orders that she was bound to disobey, the reason for the warm welcome became clear.
"When's the rest of your troop arriving?" asked one of the older children. "What Wraithplay are you doing?"
"I don't have a troop. Sorry. I tend to gather companions, though." Wraithvine had a warm smile for the disappointed children. "I can, however, tell some marvelous and wondrous tales. It's almost as good."
The offering was accepted and Wraithvine happily used some of hir magical illusions with hir words to tell a story of hir early mistakes. Doing the best ze could with what ze knew, and learning to analyse before ze acted.
Also learning to analyse fast, so that there was time to act.
Ze had the kids in stitches with their laughing.
"Many hear of Wraithvine the hero, the King's Wrath," said a parent, scooping up a blinky toddler. "The bender of prophecies and so forth. I've never heard of Wraithvine the Clumsy before."
"Most Elves are too proud to tell it," admitted Wraithvine. "But every child must know that even heroes make mistakes. So they can learn from their own."
"That's not a very Elven philosophy."
"I'm not a very Elven Elf." Ze did have manners enough to hide a belch behind hir hand. "It's been too long since I held myself to lofty standards. Climb too high, and all you do is look down."
"We didn't catch your name," said another. "Not a good habit for entertainers, that."
"That's because I'm not an entertainer," said Wraithvine. "I'm Wraithvine, and it's been a pleasure to join your festivities."
[Image by Yurii Stupen on Unsplash]
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