[Lifeblood] You were expecting fic, right?
A medley of scenes from yesterday's game, missing out the major spoilers. Yes, really.
"Oh, I had a weird dream about a sword and a temple," Tally said with a shrug. She glanced sideways at Vincent, but Vincent wasn't looking back at her so she decided to say nothing about Larris. That she had dreamed about the white-haired woman and her pure magic made Larris her secret; but she was Vincent's too, so best to say nothing.
"Really?" said Sapphire interestedly. "We were digging up a temple this summer, and there were sword motifs, and a block with a slot I think a sword should have gone in."
"Yes, the sword was meant to go into a block, point-first," Tally said with a kindling enthusiasm. "I wonder if it's the same place I dreamed about?"
"It's pretty much on the way, we can stop there," Sapphire said with an easy smile and a shrug. "It's just by a little town nearby, where all the Carwyns live."
"The Carwyns?" asked Talisee Carwyn.
***
"Cousin Drustan? He went to sea, oh, when he was barely more than a boy, and we never heard from him again. So you're his daughter? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too," Talisee told the old man with the bright, affectionate smile of one who had never had a grandfather and was jamming this first elderly relative she'd encountered into the role whether he liked it or not. "I wonder why Daddy never sent word? Oh; I think Mummy was from around here somewhere too. Do you know of the Crowstons?"
Both people stiffened slightly. "The Crowstons live in the village over the hill," Sarah explained. "There's been bad blood between our families for five hundred years, over the ownership of the land under the temple. Well, until the Arcanum declared it was theirs and started the archaeological dig."
"Oh!" Tally looked shocked. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She hesitated. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm sorry for," she admitted, "but I am sorry. I guess that explains why Daddy never got back in touch. He must have loved Mummy very much." She sniffed a little, remembering how Daddy had looked, white and shattered and holding himself up in the doorway, when he had come home to find his wife dead. And then she put the memory to one side and carried on chattering brightly at her new relatives.
***
"Do you mind if I touch it?" Tally asked Sapphire, looking at the round rock he held in his cloak, that held so much raw magical power even she could feel it.
At a little distance, it had given her a headache. Close to, it... tingled, in a way that wasn't unpleasant at all. And it felt like it belonged to her, as much as the charm bracelet that Uncle Madrossi had given her, or her little dinghy Mermaid.
"Sure," Sapphire said with easy generosity. "It's not mine."
Tally put her hand on it, as Arjan had done and been thrown five metres across the scenery. But that wasn't going to happen to her.
Instead, there was a whirling and her stomach lurched like that time she'd been caught away from port by a storm. And when it stopped, the ancient ruins were half-rebuilt and magic felt.. different. And so did she.
"What the...?" she heard Arjan say.
Tally looked at the old burn scars across her wrists and knew exactly who and where she was. And, more importantly, when.
***
It was late, and so much had happened today that she couldn't even begin to sort it out. Above all she wanted to make things right with Nix, but every time she talked to him she messed it up, because he needed space and care, but he looked so like Uncle Madrossi that she kept automatically getting way too close. Well, and the other things.
Maybe she should go for a run, like Arjan. She was thinking about it when Amerei walked across the grass with a little air harp in her hands. "Tally, Nix was saying that he missed music, and dancing. I think you're probably better at this than I am, would you mind playing?"
Juliette would have given her right arm for that harp, Tally thought as she took it. "Sure," she said happily, glad that Amerei had given her something she could do for Nix, even if it meant having to concentrate for a bit. And missing the dancing.
She was starting to falter when Vincent linked to her and offered her access to his power. With that, she could play all night. With that, she almost wanted to. The concentrating was difficult, but the magic felt so good; and she always liked working with Vincent.
Arjan was dancing with Rosamund. Rosamund looked so happy; she'd missed dancing so much, and she loved Arjan too... Amerei offered to spell her, but Tally shook her head. Amerei should be dancing with Vincent, and since Rosamund was dancing with Arjan then there was nobody else that Tally really wanted to dance with. She sighed to herself, and let the strands of air pluck a little more slowly. A romantic song, to let Rosamund be held in Arjan's arms a few beats longer. Her eyes watered a little, and she sniffed. She'd get over it. Rosamund had had such a hard time, it felt good to be able to do something to make her happy, even if it hurt a little bit right now. Tally would never have Arjan, just as she would never have Vincent; but she had Vincent's magic with her right now, and she gave herself up to it.
***
They stood on the beach at Sanctuary. Vincent and Amerei together, and Rosamund and Arjan, and Nix and Anne.
On impulse, Tally grinned across at Sapphire. "How about it?" she said. "We could try for lightning."
"Lightning sounds interesting," Sapphire said. "How do we do that?"
"Well, it's fire and air, but I'm not strong enough on my own, I need Source. Oh, and water for the storm. Though maybe we shouldn't do a storm right here..."
"We could go out on the lake?" Sapphire suggested. "There are boats."
"Ooh, good idea!" Tally said with enthusiasm. "Though a storm while we're out in a boat could be entertaining."
"If we get hurt, we can use that as an opportunity to practice healing, right?"
"Absolutely." Tally grinned as she recognised a kindred spirit. And when her magic touched his, as bright and vibrant as her own, and changeable as sea weather, she realised that maybe she wasn't going to be quite as sad about Arjan and Vincent as she'd thought.