Chapter 20

Into the water, in you go

Whiter than sunlight, white as snow

Soap and suds, suds and soap

Make you better than newborn hope

On the board I rub and scrub

Up and down inside the tub

Beat you cleaner than the snow,

Up and down is how you’ll go.

All the dirt goes swish and swish

Swimming in water just like a fish

Then twisted be, your cloth I’ll wring

The wetness runs into the spring.

Let’s hang you, hang you, hang you high

Your cleanness shining to the sky

Come now, Sun, and dry all fine

That dances on my clothes line.

“Laundry Song” traditional among the Moss people, collected by Meaves Goldstone of the Alder Branches, published in Songs of the Sunlit Lands

The Dragon Web office in Greenholt on the White Isle wasn’t quite as busy as the one in Comrie. Only a few customers, either travelers or people who had come by to check their messages went through the ornate doors while Gwenyth Allyns and her daughter Arriane walked up the tree-lined street to its building. A cheerful-faced woman, sorting to a handful of messages waved to them as they reached the doors. A bored porter sat on the pavement in front of of the gray stone, took a glance at the two women, and seeing Arriane only carrying a single bag, chose not to move.

“So the Oldest is letting you out of classes for as long as you need?” Gwenyth asked her daughter.

Arriane stopped walking and turned to face her mother. “I’m not a regular student, Mother. It’s more like I’m an intern. Me taking some time off is not a real issue, and the Oldest told me to take as much time as needed.”

A female Leannan Si, golden hair spilling almost to the ground and dressed in the formal gear of the Willow Leaves school, stepped out of the Dragon Web office, and motioned to the Spriggan porter, who almost reluctantly, got up followed her inside.

“If you say so, Daughter. I never really understood the workings of the White Circle, outside of the fact they train the Magic Guard. Forgive your mother, but I’ve been afraid you would go into the Guard all this time.” She shuddered. “I’ve known some people who spent time in the Guard. It does something to them if they stay in the service too long. Too much magic, too much destruction – I’m not sure what does it, but it withers them.”

Arriane gave her mother a gentle smile and took her hand. “You don’t have to worry about that, Mother. The Oldest told me my first year studying with her that my skills aren’t right for that line of service. You can quit fretting.” She shook her head. “I’m not made to be a warrior, either by sword or spell. There’s only one warrior in our family, and that is Gweir, not me.”

Gwenyth, breathing a sigh of relief, nodded. “One warrior is enough. That is happy news for me. Do you remember your aunt Sylphie?”

“No,” Arriane said. “I know you’ve mentioned her before, and you told me I met her when I was quite young, but I can’t remember her.”

A small child ran up the walk towards the front doors of the building, followed quickly by her nursemaid. “Slow down, Mara!” the nursemaid said. “We have to wait for your mother!”

A slightly older Daoine couple walked up, laughing at the enthusiasm of their child. Gwenyth and Arriane moved to one side of the path, taking shelter by one of the old oak trees that lined the way.

“I told you I knew some of the people who had been in the Magic Guard. One of those people was Sylphie, my sister. I saw how she changed over the years. In the end, she couldn’t cope with being around anything or anybody that triggered memories of her time in the service, and left to join the sisters on the Isle of Zaara. I hear she is finally at peace. I hope so, but living like a hermit on that barren place is a heavy price to pay – giving up family and friends and all because everything was just too painful. All I could think when you went to the White Circle for training is her face on the day she announced she was leaving us. I didn’t want that to happen to you.”

“And it won’t,” Arriane said. “So you can relax.”

Gyneth nodded, and rested her hand on the bark of the old tree. “That gives me so much relief.”

Arriane rested her hand over the hand of her mother. “You could come, too,” she said.

“I wish. They’ve dumped so much work on my desk the last few weeks.”

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“You’re not the only person at the Alder Branches who can work, you know.”

“I know,” Gyneth said.

Just then, a young man with a long braided queue carrying a bag full of papers spotted them, and hurried up. “Lady Gyneth! I was hoping I’d find you here. Ishmaia just sent over the report you…”

Gyneth waved him quiet. “Give me a few minutes, Raen. Then you can tell me all about it.”

Raen nodded, and took several steps back.

“So you see how it goes sometimes, daughter,” Gyneth said. “I can’t even take a walk without having to discuss this, sign that, decide something else.” She took a step away from the tree. “So you go visit your sister and tell me all the latest when you get back. Tell Elaine that I really will try to visit before Midsummer. I know she wanted us both to come but with everything going on and the conference next month...” she said, her words sounding slightly guilty, but her body signalling anxiousness to get away.

“I’m sure she understands, Mother,” Arriane said, nodding. “I’ll send you a message when I get to Goblin Market, and then another after I get settled in back at Allynswood.”

“Good, good, do that. You may think you’re all grown up, but I still fret,” the older woman said. She handed a neatly wrapped bundle to her daughter. “Don’t open this until you get home. In fact, let Elaine open it. It’s a surprise for her.”

“What is it?” Arriane asked.

“You’ll see when you get there. When you send me word from Allynswood, tell me how Elaine reacted.” She bent forward slightly and kissed her daughter on the forehead. “Have a good time while you’re at home. Don’t let Edelkyn boss you around too much.”

“Heh, Edelkyn still bosses you around when you go home, Mother. What makes you think Nannie will let me get by?”

“She was my nanny, too, so now you know how she gets away with it.” Somewhere, nearby, a clock tower rang the hour and Raen politely coughed. “ I’m sorry, Arriane, but I have to rush. We’re having a staff meeting in about ten minutes, and I’ll probably be late as it is. That stupid convention is going to drive me crazy before it even starts.”

“Then go, Mother,” Arriane said. “I’ll be all right.”

Gyneth nodded and joined the young man waiting for her, and started to walk off, but turned once, and waved. Waving back, Arriane headed into the Dragon Web station.

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The day progressed into early afternoon.

Cullin had been patrolling his forest with Morvran trailing along, trying to keep the nosy raven away from Gan and Leila, but as the shadows lengthened, he used the magic that allowed him to travel anywhere in his forest almost instantaneously, stepping out of the shadows, then climbed up the old oak tree overlooking the yard in front of Leila’s house. He found his favorite branch, and made himself comfortable. It was for the moment a busy place.

Leila was sitting on a bench in front of her little house reading one of her endless stream of romance novels. While she read, Su, Lu, and Du, three of the diminutive Moss People, each only about three feet tall, wearing caps and work sleeves and aprons, were hard at work at Leila’s laundry. They were almost the opposite of the nymph, short and squat, with protruding ears and huge noses.

Where she was graceful, they were clunky, big headed and squat, but Cullin had to admit they could be hard workers. Su, standing in front of a tub of water, was carefully wetting each piece of laundry, be it towel, sheet or garment one at a time, then soaping them with a broad dollop of soft soap, being sure to treat stubborn spots before handing them to Lu. Lu, in turn scrubbed each piece in a second tub on a huge washboard, and Du, standing next to a third tub, rinsed and wrung each piece out and hung it on a long line which was strung in the one section of the clearing that got bright sunlight. Next to it, a whole other line was already filled with linen dripping in the breeze

“So much pixie dust!” Su said, with a disappointed frown as she handled the clothes Leila had worn to Gan’s house. “How could you let that beautiful dress get so dusty?”

“You can’t go to Pixie Hollow and not get some dust,” she told the little woman.

The little woman rubbed her oversized nose. “It makes my nose itch!”

“And what I had to do to convince the Spider women to make that silk,” Lu said, shaking her head. “And you got tea on it!”

“Ah, the Spider women. They did such a beautiful job, too, with the cloth,” Leila said, amused at the scolding. "It’s one of my favorite dresses,” Leila said, turning the page. “That’s why I wore it. I couldn’t help it if Seamus pushed Gilly into my teacup. Be glad you have the magic that lets you treat silk like linen. At least you won’t have to unstitch it, tack the panels on boards to dry, and resew it like I would have had to do.”

“Pixies. That’s what happens when you share your meals with those flying pests,” Du said, wringing out a towel. “My ma always warmed me of that. No good ever comes from it, she told me.”

Cullin coughed.

The Moss women looked up, and immediately dropped their laundry and bowed in Cullin’s direction.

“Greetings, Lord Cullin,” said Su.

“Is there any task we can do for you today?” said Lu.

“We are always ready to serve,” said Du.

“I think your hands are full right now,” Cullin said. “I stopped by to speak with Leila.”

“Shall we leave?” asked Su.

“No, no,” Leila said. “Just keep working at the laundry. I’ll go with Master Cullin.” She marked her page, put the book down, and stood up. “It’s a perfect day to walk the Overlook.”

“Lovely choice,” said Lu. She went back to scrubbing on her washboard.

Cullin dropped out of the tree as she neared. “The Overlook?”

“I’ve always found it a soothing view. And it’s hard for Morvran to sneak up on. He likes to talk too much when I’m reading.”

“He likes to talk too much, period,” Cullin offered the nymph his hand. She took it.

“But you’d be lonely if he didn’t,” Leila said.

He snorted, then invoking his magic, they were gone.

The Overlook was a comfortably rise of rock that overlooked the river Glint. It gave a lovely view of Cullin’s ridge, the forest, and the river. To the north was an easy path to the rise. On the river side and the south were steep rock faces. The west slope was climbable, but still rather steep. It was granite, mostly, and although some low growing plants had managed to make a living there, and would bloom gorgeously at certain times of the year, no trees at all grew near the top.

The couple appeared in the middle of it, near a natural seat of rock.

“So this is where you wanted to go?” Cullin said.

“It seemed like a good place. You know what bad gossips the Wood Wives are.” She sat down. “And who knows when Morvran would show up.”

“He does have that knack.” Cullin nodded. “Especially if there’s anything to mock. So you went to Pixie Hollow?”

“Just like you asked,” the nymph said. “Mistress Gan makes very good cookies. The pixies and I had quite a cookie feast.”

“A cookie feast,” Cullin said, adjusting his cap. “And?”

“Well, she was curious about you. Evidently she had met you as a child before the Great Fire. Her parents were one of the families who moved out after the disaster.”

“Well, that explains why she knew about me,” Cullin said. “Wonder who her parents were? She reminds me of a woman I knew back then.”

“She has a very kind heart, and has had a bad experience recently. I didn’t get the details, but she’s echoing with loss.”

The Tree Shepherd shrugged. “Who else would take on Pixie Hollow? That old hermit was trying to escape his past, too. What I want to know is if she will cause a problem.”

“She’s no threat to you or the forest, my good Tree Shepherd, but she might be a friend. The old hermit was never that.”

“Friends,” he snorted. “Who’s got time for that?”

“Lonely souls sometimes call to each other. Also, she likes romance stories. She offered me one of hers. It’s quite good.”

“You didn’t charm her out of it, did you?”

“Of course not. I promised to drop by tomorrow with one of mine in trade. We readers, we know what’s right.” Leila smiled. “Gan is like a breath of fresh air around here. I expect changes. Good ones. Get ready for them.”

Cullin gave her an odd look, somewhere between discomfort, curiosity and anticipation, tugged on the brim of his wide brimmed hat, and nodded.