1st Draft Fridays - A Fistful of Air: Book #5, Chronicles of Marsdenfel

Year 232 of the Bynding - The Realm of Salles, around Summer Solstice - post 6

Author's Note: Sorry for the long break. Lesson learned: Out-of-state moves are stressful…as are other things.

I'm working on Pavlov'ing myself into grabbing a snack when I'm cold or tired, and I'm finding ways to make myself eat even when I'm feeling guilty for doing so, despite the memory of my mother saying things like, "You don't need that; have some water."

But, Lord willing, I'm back and will be back on schedule with an update every Friday! ^_^

How are y'all?

— • — • — • — • — • —

While we’re out getting breakfast, Mataine pretends to hate me—small surprise—and acts like the petty jealous woman even convinced her husband she is.

Lallie interferes, perhaps not realizing how much that action admits about her respect for the princess consort. Mataine’s response is too stereotypical to be genuine, but Lallie doesn’t seem to notice that.

We eat and bring Lallie’s things back to Veil Six. She tries to stop me from carrying anything, but I don’t let her.

I gently send her off to check with her friend. Only a stone or so later, another knock comes at my door. I check with my magic and pause, but I open it anyway.

Looking like the woman who likes me despite herself, Mataine carries a young boy-child on one hip. I remember from royal gossip that she had a child four years ago, but he’s larger than an elf his age would be. Humans are always larger than elves.

“Aidan,” Mataine says, “this is Endellion.”

He sticks his face in his mother’s shoulder, reminding me all too sharply of my own son, who’s never even had the chance to rely on me that much.

Mataine steps in and waits for me to shut and lock the door behind her. “She’s an elf queen,” she continues to her son, ignoring his shyness. “Say hello.”

I swallow the lump from my throat. “Hello, Aidan.”

After a pause, he peers at me, and his face scrunches up as if he’s about to wail. “Sad.”

“Why are you sad?”

He shakes his head and hugs his mother. “You sad.”

The little boy’s quiet identification of the emotion I don’t let control me makes me freeze for a moment, then I draw a breath and carefully hide it. With how observant his parents are, I should’ve expected him to be the same way. “I’m not sad.”

He studies me, his solemn silence calling me a liar.

Mataine puts him down, and he steps over to the side, staying in easy reach of the door. She sighs softly, so she sees the problem in that behavior, too. “I’d offer to let you watch him, but I get the impression that would do you more harm than good.”

Likely so…but that’s an interesting reason for her to renege on her intent to offer.

Aidan is still staring at me with all the solemn scrutiny a boy his age can muster.

“Lallie’s friend is the girl I spoke of, the half-sister that Aldrik and Elwyn don’t know about,” Mataine says bluntly. “I suspect her owner won’t even meet you, due to your history. The undine have been known to execute any males who bother victims like you, so it’s generally believed to be one of their taboos.”

That kind of nebulus phrasing is unusual for her. “Is it?”

“No,” she answers immediately, so her statement of the general belief was just that. “But their societal structure means that any offended woman can demand a man’s head, and the outcome depends on the political and physical strength of the man’s clan. Actual guilt or innocence has nothing to do with it.”