Goodbyes
Bidding respectful farewells to her hosts, and see-you-laters to her newfound companions, Shael debated on what to do until time for the festivities. Thinking she might rustle up some fun with Harmony, she walked
down the hall to her door, knocking softly.
"Harmony? Are you in there?"
Receiving no answer, she curls her lips. The elf really had no place to kill the time, other than her usual hangouts... and she was afraid she'd be tempted to get into trouble. She didn't really know the others well enough to ask to pal around, and she didn't want to be an intrusion.
Sighing, she kicked her toe against the hallway floor, wishing she'd volunteered to help Gabriel with his research, too. But the two cousins could use some time together, anyway... time to get to know each other.
"Well, I can't just stand here in the hall all day," she said aloud to herself.
Then she smiled brightly as an idea struck her, and she took off down the hallway and outside the building, a spirit in her step.
Taking her time, she took the long route around, purposefully steering clear of merchants and temptations, and found herself at Rowanya's shop.
The seamstress hugged her warmly.
"Ye're leaving, aren't ye, Shay?"
Shael nodded. "I'm going on the quest."
Rowanya tapped her temple with her index finger. "I knew there was something special about ye Shael. Tell me about it?"
Shael smiled a bit bashfully. "Oh where to start... Oh! I met the queen!"
She grinned widely. "The new queen of course. She's nice.. seems pretty much like anybody else to em. And Lord Vale - he had these statues... Do you know of Lord Vale?"
The woman nodded with great interest.
"Well," Shael continued, "He had these white statues - and one was of me! He said the chosen ones each had a statue in their image, and they just appeared one day."
She beamed and wiggled. "Can you believe that, Ro? *Me* one of the chosen ones?"
Rowanya took Shael's hand and squeezed it. "Aye, Shay. I can. Tell me about your new friends."
Shael grinned and hopped up on a stool to sit.
"Well, the first person I met was Alec. He was the human with the clothes that didn't quite fit." She giggled.
"He used to be in Darkoth's army."
Shael saw Rowanya's eyes widen. "Oh! But he's nice! He's working for the right side now. I kinda saved him from a demon night 'fore last."
She giggles and grins with a hint of pride in her voice. "They call me 'Demonslayer' now. Isn't that funny?"
"Oh my!" Rowanya put her hand to her mouth and laughed merrily, her round belly shaking in mirth.
Shael grinned. "After Alec, I met Harmony... she's the world's only elfling - I think she introduced herself to you... half elf and half halfling, and very proud of it. I adore her; she's a lot of fun. She has this friend named Gruk - he's some kind of fairy or something. Oh, he's funny! Calls himself 'amazing'. I guess he is, really."
She pauses to think who she met next.
"I think I met Nylen next. Yeah. He's the elf with the copper pigtails. He's just the sweetest. I really like him."
The woman raised an eyebrow.
"Oh no - not like that!"
She giggles. "He's like a big brother. Besides, he likes Lorilyn. She's the pretty elf who bought the gold and silver dresses. She's really sweet, too, and she's crazy for Nylen. I don't think either of them quite realizes just how the other feels, though."
Shifting to a more comfortable spot on her stool, she continues.
"There's Traesa... she's the half-elf that got the blue dress. I don't think she likes me much... well, not at first for sure. I think it's because Alec showed up with me. I'm pretty sure she likes him."
"What about the half-elf... the one with the hourglass on his forehead?" Rowanya asked.
Shael smiled brightly. "That's Gabriel... he's a time mage, and Nylen's cousin."
The elf grinned a bit cheesily.
The woman nudged her. "Ye like him, do ye?"
"Ro!!" She blushed bird's egg blue. "I hardly know him."
Shael played with the tip of her ear bashfully.
"But yeah, I like him. He intrigues me. Did ya get a load of those eyes?"
Rowanya shook her head with a soft laugh, her smile turning warm upon the young elf.
"So when ye be leavin', darlin'?"
Shael looked at the woman with a glistening of her dark eyes. "I don't know for certain... but I probably won't see you again before... and I... I just wanted to thank you... for being my friend."
She wiped a tear from her eye. "For caring about me."
The woman pulled her into a big bear hug and kissed her cheek. "Ah, Shaelie... yer papa'd be proud of ye."
Pulling back, she held Shael by her shoulders, taking a good long look.
"Get out of here now... ye take care of yerself, and stay out of mischief."
Shael kissed the woman's cheek. "I will."
With that, she ran back out into the street, and looked up into the scattering of clouds in the midday sky.
"I'll make you proud, Atarelle," she whispered.
Slowly, she made her way back to where the group had their rooms.. but not before making one last stop to watch the yellow fish.