Idol Week 12: Salty
The best part about living on the island was the constant sea breeze. It more than made up for the rickety shack they lived in with its pervasive dampness and sullen neighbors. The air here was always fresh, just like the ocean. No scents traveled on this wind once it had been purified by its journey over salt water. Renata had had enough of scented air.
Elana was building a “pebble house” next to the front step. She selected another stone from the pile she had collected from the beach that morning and fitted it into the wall. The “house,” really a hollow square, was almost finished. Renata spun another length of yarn as she watched her daughter. It was good to see her playing again. Elana hadn't liked living on the island at first. She had moped around the house, missing the lush foliage of the mainland for several weeks until the most sociable of the neighbors, Addi, had shown her the quartz he had collected from the beach. He took Elana beachcombing with him and helped her start her own collection of pretty stones. Unlike Addi, who charged his stones and gave them to everyone to power their magical devices, Elana played with hers, building things like pebble houses.
“That's a very nice house, dear,” Renata said as Elana fitted the last stone in place.
“I want to put a roof on it, but I don't have any big stones,” Elana said.
“Why don't you use some of the driftwood from the pile?” replied Renata.
Elana brightened. “That would be perfect!” she said and darted towards the wood pile.
Renata smiled indulgently at her daughter. Yes, this was perfect. The perfect place to raise her daughter free from all the expectations that growing up in a noble family would have burdened her with. Free from the father who never wanted her and only pursued them because he wanted revenge on her mother. Renata's lip curled with scorn as she remembered all those horrible accusations that he made, dragging her name through the mud, forcing the Liriens—her own family!—to disown her, sending his friends to hunt her down so they could take away the child she wanted and Truvio didn't. All that because she forced him to recognize that he was neglecting his primary duty as heir: to have an heir of his own. Well, he wouldn't have one now. Renata had done the unthinkable and exiled herself and her daughter to the Ice Isles with the other criminals and outlaws. No one would think that the lost Tuvendi heir would be here. No one could find them here.
Just as she finished the length of wool she was spinning, Elana came running back with her hands full of driftwood and seaweed. “Mother, look! I found some seaweed to make a garden for the play house!”
Renata's heart sank. The seaweed had been washed up on shore during the tide so it didn't have roots, but would playing with it trigger Elana's Earth magic? Was there a line or a node nearby? She would have to ask Addi, he used to be a mage. Either way, she would have to get those plants away from Elana quickly.
“I think the play house will be fine without a garden, honey. But I can use that seaweed to flavor tonight's stew. Here, let me have it.” She took the seaweed away from Elana, took it into the house, and threw it into the fireplace. When she came out her daughter was fitting the wood on top of the stone square.
“It's done!” Elana announced proudly.
“It's lovely,” Renata said, giving her a quick hug. As she did, she noticed that Elana's usual flowery odor was gone. Now she smelled like seaweed and salt. Sea breezes could purify everything.
Elana was building a “pebble house” next to the front step. She selected another stone from the pile she had collected from the beach that morning and fitted it into the wall. The “house,” really a hollow square, was almost finished. Renata spun another length of yarn as she watched her daughter. It was good to see her playing again. Elana hadn't liked living on the island at first. She had moped around the house, missing the lush foliage of the mainland for several weeks until the most sociable of the neighbors, Addi, had shown her the quartz he had collected from the beach. He took Elana beachcombing with him and helped her start her own collection of pretty stones. Unlike Addi, who charged his stones and gave them to everyone to power their magical devices, Elana played with hers, building things like pebble houses.
“That's a very nice house, dear,” Renata said as Elana fitted the last stone in place.
“I want to put a roof on it, but I don't have any big stones,” Elana said.
“Why don't you use some of the driftwood from the pile?” replied Renata.
Elana brightened. “That would be perfect!” she said and darted towards the wood pile.
Renata smiled indulgently at her daughter. Yes, this was perfect. The perfect place to raise her daughter free from all the expectations that growing up in a noble family would have burdened her with. Free from the father who never wanted her and only pursued them because he wanted revenge on her mother. Renata's lip curled with scorn as she remembered all those horrible accusations that he made, dragging her name through the mud, forcing the Liriens—her own family!—to disown her, sending his friends to hunt her down so they could take away the child she wanted and Truvio didn't. All that because she forced him to recognize that he was neglecting his primary duty as heir: to have an heir of his own. Well, he wouldn't have one now. Renata had done the unthinkable and exiled herself and her daughter to the Ice Isles with the other criminals and outlaws. No one would think that the lost Tuvendi heir would be here. No one could find them here.
Just as she finished the length of wool she was spinning, Elana came running back with her hands full of driftwood and seaweed. “Mother, look! I found some seaweed to make a garden for the play house!”
Renata's heart sank. The seaweed had been washed up on shore during the tide so it didn't have roots, but would playing with it trigger Elana's Earth magic? Was there a line or a node nearby? She would have to ask Addi, he used to be a mage. Either way, she would have to get those plants away from Elana quickly.
“I think the play house will be fine without a garden, honey. But I can use that seaweed to flavor tonight's stew. Here, let me have it.” She took the seaweed away from Elana, took it into the house, and threw it into the fireplace. When she came out her daughter was fitting the wood on top of the stone square.
“It's done!” Elana announced proudly.
“It's lovely,” Renata said, giving her a quick hug. As she did, she noticed that Elana's usual flowery odor was gone. Now she smelled like seaweed and salt. Sea breezes could purify everything.