Wraithvine was meditating when a human child snuggled up near the ancient elf to nap. The parents was a little embarrassed, but as the elf's meditations didn't seem to be effected, quietly went along with setting up their encampment nearby, and when Wraithvine and hir friends were awake, were offered a meal and a ride to their next destination in the carriage, for thanks for letting the family settle here for the evening. -- Anon Guest
There's formal rest stops on long roads, and then there's informal ones. Formal ones are: inns, roadhouses, riverhouses, and the occasional hostel. Of the informal ones, they can range from semi-organised campgrounds and caches, to clearings large enough for a couple of wagons and a campfire.
In this one, the fire was already burning inside a circle of stones, and the only occupant was an Elf meditating under a rudimentary shelter. One inch above the cushioned mat that was hir landing pad for when the meditation was done.
Ari was glad of the fire. It made it easier to get a quick dinner going for her toddler, Gree. Who, once told to stay in sight of Mama, immediately clambered into the Elf's lap. Where they curled up in that small space and began sucking their thumb as a prelude to going to sleep. Small mercies, considering the whining and activity periods on the way there.
Ari could breathe once she set herself up where she could tend the fire, the stew, and keep a weather eye on Gree. If Dandi woke from hir fever, ze might be able to help with all of that. As it was, the sleeping mat in the back of the wagon was still an option. Dandi was just the last of them who was taking their turn with the fever that Gree had packed along from one of the towns they'd stopped at.
Ari could only hope that Gree didn't pass on the affliction. She'd heard that Elves could be touchy about such things, up to including revenge over-reactions.
But they all needed food and Gree was quiet and Ari desperately needed the relative breather.
Halfway through the boiling and stirring, a soft voice entered her awareness.
"Ah. I see. Do excuse me, little one." The Elf was floating Gree off their lap in order to rise from their rest.
Ari couldn't leave the stew in progress, lest the bottom of the cauldron burn. She could only watch, stirring anxiously, as Gree settled onto the mat and the Elf added an impossibly fluffy cat to the mat. The cat had apparently come out of the Elf's hat.
"I do apologise for missing your arrival. Your little one's in good company, and I realise you only have my word for that. How may I help?" It was then that the Elf put the hat on. A patchwork Wizarding hat.
Ari relaxed when she knew who the Elf was. That had to be Wraithvine. If she told hir to leave them alone and go away, ze would. But... not without leaving a small blessing on them all. Ari kept stirring and said, "My spouse has had trouble shaking off a road fever. Gree caught it first, and I had two weeks of hell fighting it. Poor Dandi's been with it for three. I'm worried the fever will never break, no matter how much willowfine I give hir."
"I'll see what I can do," said Wraithvine.
The stew was almost done, and Ari could finally believe that all was going to be well. At last.
[Photo by Matt Whitacre on Unsplash]
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