57. Fifty-Seven - A Satisfied Gnome
Fifty-Seven - A Satisfied Gnome
Edric
I don’t know if it is because Leaf holds my job in higher esteem than I would have thought, or if she truly does not like me and found every opportunity to have someone else take up the tasks I offered to assist with, but the days pass with minimal effort from me, and it seems like I’ve barely blinked before I am standing on the small plateau above the village that normally only holds a windmill and a few odd trees.
I wait as Leaf argues with the miller and look out over the open space that’s hidden by trees from below, ignoring the warm packet in my inside coat pocket.
The field is nearly half as large as the town, and it looks like nearly half of the town is already here, placing tables and chairs, laughing at each other as they hammer down tent stakes... These people love Ana... and I love them for it.
“It’s about time you showed up.” Leaf looks at the pole in my hand and then turns an amused look on me. “You brought a stick!”
Her feigned excitement makes me laugh. “It’s an anchor.”
“Funny, I don’t see a ship.”
She knows it’s not that kind of anchor, so I don’t explain. “Where do you want the lights?”
“Over the festivities, of course.” She waves her hand toward the open field and I follow the sweep with my eyes.
It takes me a moment to calculate, and my hesitation makes her smirk. “Is that too much for you?”
“Not at all.” I hadn’t known this space existed, so I didn’t know to expect it, but the nice thing about elf magic is that it is based on intention, not exertion.
I walk to the edge of the field, as close to the windmill as I can get without possibly interfering with its arms, and stab the anchor into the ground.
Leaf lets out a mocking little “ooo”, but it’s not actually malicious, just teasing.
“Do you want them on now, or would you like it to be full dark first?”
“Oh, do it now. That way I can run down and get lanterns if you’re all bluster and no sails.”
“More sailing references?” I chuckle as I grip the anchor tight, letting the magic seep in.
She shrugs and looks up at the windmill, “Those came off of the ship that brought my parents here... Dad was a sailor. It’s in my blood whether I want it or not.”
Nodding, I turn my focus to the anchor and Leaf watches me, waiting.
I hold it for as long as I think it needs... I can recharge it later. And when I release the pole, light streams out of the top fanning out over the space like stars hung just out of reach.
Even in the pre-dusk sky, they are bright enough to help those in the midst of set up. The whole field pauses in their work.
Leaf looks up at them, tipping her head back so far she stumbles a little. She catches herself and chuckles. “Okay. I like you.”
“I just had to prove myself useful?”
The look she gives me is reproachful. “I’ve always known you were useful. I just thought you were the kind of prick I don’t like.”
“Do you think Ana would spend time with the kind of prick you don’t like?”
“I’ve met plenty of folk who could be two different people.” She waves her hands at me and says, “Run home and change and then bring our girl back with you.”
She leaves me, heading off to supervise a group loading a cake into a tent. And with her back turned, I go to the man she was so recently arguing with.
Deeprun is related to her, though no one will tell me how.
They don’t get along, though no one will tell me why.
But that doesn’t matter right now.
What matters is that his scowl has only deepened since he saw me turn his way.
“What do you want?” he asks, looking like he’d rather bolt for the door than speak to me.
But I expected that. “I had hoped to ask a favor.”
He gives me a wary sidelong glance. “I think I’ve done enough favors today.”
I pluck the packet from my pocket and his eyes go straight to it. But I don’t open it... yet.
“All I was going to ask was that I might be able to use your door.”
He looks at the wood with a pinched brow. “How?”
“Are you aware that the manor house has a dryad?”
His face sours. “Yes. It’s barbaric.”
“I agree. And if we could release him without killing him, I assure you, I would have done so when I arrived.”
He shuffles his shoulders a little and I have a feeling he doesn’t believe me.
“You want to use my door?”
I nod and offer him the packet. “In exchange, I brought willow wick.”
The gnome’s eyes go wide and he snatches the packet away from me, gently opening the pouch and staring at the powdered contents inside.
“Ana said she couldn’t get this for me.”
“Ana didn’t find a small patch of it last week,” I say.
“But you did.”
“The forest has been in need of new tending for long enough, I am sure there are secrets a plenty for me to discover, yet.”
“You can use the door. If ,” he holds the word for a long moment. “I can spend the party speaking with your dryad.”
“If he wants it.”
Glancing out at the field the man looks unhappy. “I like quiet. Nothing Leaf puts together is ever quiet.”
“Even if Dorrian doesn’t wish to speak with you, you are welcome to find refuge at the manor while the festivities take place.” I nod to him. “We’ll be making our entrance after the sun has fully set... and I’ll come discuss the willow wick situation once I’ve assessed the patch. Possibly next week?”
The gnome clutches the packet to his chest and hurries inside.
I imagine he’ll spend the next hour or so measuring and doing equations to see just how far he can make that packet stretch.
Willow wick will keep the grains he’s milled from rotting for years if he adds in the correct ratios. A miller with willow wick could be a very rich man, indeed.
The anchor is stable, the lights hang over the plateau with a warm glow, and the sky is purple with dusk.
It’s time to go drag Ana and Viggo from bed and get them dressed.
But between me and the road that leads down off the plateau, stands a familiar shape.
Staci hovers at the edge of the field, her eyes searching, and I know who she’s looking for.
Ana said her mother apologized and that—in the interest of peace—she accepted.
Given everything I know, there’s only one person she might be searching for.
She stiffens when I approach, but I ignore that, telling her, “Ana’s not here yet.”
Her mouth scrunches. “I was looking for my other daughters.”
I don’t call her a liar, instead, I say, “You look lovely tonight.”
She looks down at the dress, the bodice is made of the same fabric as the dress Loric has already laid out for Ana, and when her head snaps up, Staci glares at me. “I can’t be bought.”
And yet, she wore it…
“I wasn’t trying to buy you.” I say. “The dress is lovely though. I’m glad Misses Scoggins was able to give you a little bit of a match.”
“My daughter has changed since you came. And I don’t intend to let you take her away from me.”
“I can assure you, she’s not leaving the village.”
She tromps away from me, scowling. But she’s the only one who doesn’t have a smile on her face.
Even the disappointed half giant grins from ear to ear as he helps carry tables to their places.