Willow
Dinner was awkward; Willow was still very unwilling to interact with Nianti, and this stunted any potential conversations before they could grow. Any attempts throughout the evening quickly stuttered out. Willow picked at her food, not hungry. The fear had grown into a gnawing sense of dread in her stomach, compounding the lingering nausea. This did little more than make her irritable.
Finally, everyone had eaten their food, and they were all excused, everyone breathing a hearty sigh of relief. As they rose from the table, Willow turned towards the kitchen, desperate for a potion that would help settle her stomach. She didn't really want to spend the night vomiting up her dinner, unable to sleep because of how disgusting she felt.
She roughly pushed her chair in, illness making her ill-tempered, but froze when Nianti asked “That is a beautiful necklace; wherever did you find it?”
Willow turned, fiddling with the chain. It had been a gift from Nil after he’d noticed her fascination with the little gold compass, but she didn’t want anyone knowing such things and so she just said shortly, “I found it as a child while exploring the ruins just outside town.”
Nianti nodded, ignoring the wary looks Richard and Esther were shooting between the pair. She reached long, fingers towards the necklace while asking with a strange hopefulness, “May I?”
Willow nodded warily as Nianti examined the little pendant. It was a tiny thing, smaller then even Willow’s palm. Willow had always assumed to was broken, as it spun at odd times and was still in other moments. It was a trinket Willow had sentimental value for, but as far as she knew was worthless to anyone else.
And yet the way Nianti handled the little trinket, it could have been the cure for poverty. She turned it over in her hands, watching the needle dance about its circle before with a soft intake of breath, Willow felt Nianti’s magic suddenly surround her. While terrified, Willow couldn’t help notice the vast difference between the magical presence she was used to compared to this. Willow only had experience with children's magic, her own and Nil’s; she’d met no adults with magic, let alone an Eldzha several decades, if not centuries, her senior. It was quickly obvious that this magic whirling in and around Nianti differed from any she had experienced before. It felt different to her senses, wilder, less like a hearth fire and more like bushfire.
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She yelped and tried to flinch away, but Nianti snatched up her wrist and held her tight as she continued what she was doing. Willow could sense the magic moving around her and probing close to the pendant. As suddenly as it started, the presence disappeared and Nianti released her. Willow stumbled back, bruising her arm against a chair as she collapsed into it, chest heaving.
“What were you doing!?” She demanded between fearful pants, glaring hatefully at the elf, who remained unperturbed as she turned to Richard.
“Do you know what that is?” She demanded of the bewildered mans he gazed, wild eyed, between her and Willow. He shook his head.
“This is the artifact we have been looking for Richard! How did you not know it had chosen your daughter!?” She demanded incredulously.
Richard’s eyes seemed to light up. “Truly? You are sure?” Richard asked.
Nianti nodded. “As sure as I can be.”
Can someone please explain what is going on!?” Willow demanded, dizzy from trying to follow the conversation.
“Where did you find that thing Willow? How long have you had it!?” Richard rounded on her, temper flaring and Willow flinched away from him anger.
“In the ruins! I was seven!” Willow rushed to explain, eyes darting around the room, uncomfortable.
Richard nodded curtly. “And you say we are the ones putting the family in danger!”
“What? What is this thing?” Willow demanded, eyes wide and frightened.
Esther placed a reassuring hand on Richard’s shoulder before answering. “If Nianti is correct, we believe it to be an artifact which can find the Bearers.”
Willow froze, fingers tangled in her chain as she processed this before furiously trying to rip the chain from her person. However, as she fought the metal, the hotter it seemed to get and eventually Nianti intervened to stop her frantic movements. As soon as she stopped, the necklace returned to its inert state. Willow flinched away, breathing heavily.
“It will not leave your person,” Nianti explained softly, her previously frenzied state cooling into gentle kindness. “You have been chosen.”
“Chosen for what?”
Nianti grimaced, sharing a wary look with Esther. Richard was still turned away. “Chosen to bring the Bearer’s together.”
Willow trembled. “No.” She straightened her shoulders before rising. Ignoring those behind her calling her name she moved to her room, closing the door tightly behind her. As she departed, she heard Nianti whisper behind her, “I’m so sorry.” Willow wedged a chair under the knob before collapsing onto her bed.