((Long post ahead!))
Ari sighed as she looked around the barren room. It had been barren since she had got it two years ago, after having agreed to go traveling with the cousins Lunette and Etoile. Her cousins put on magic shows, while she did the work backstage. They lived in a carven, and all three of the girls shared a room. It was plain, with only three wooden beds, a desk, and bookshelf, but girls had painted murals on it when they were little when it was her uncles, and her mother had sewn them quilts, each one made of old blankets making each unique and bright.
She watched the doll she had enchanted to pack for her. It moved very stiffly, and although it spook a few words and could pack, it was programed for one thing, and it was very boring, its eyes were dull and lifeless. The doll would never be real. It wasn't really company, either.
Ari had chosen to travel a little heavily. She had her navy robe, used for gatherings of more then one family(it had her family crest, a Star burst, sewn onto it. It was used to tell who was from what family)and a few copys of her uniform, a red tunic with her business symbol sewn on it( A dragon curled around a S, standing for Shows, with a B in the lower right hand corner for Back Stage, and in the opposite corner was a M for management. Her race was very well organized.) with a matching red broom skirt. She also had her three books, The Enchanters Spell book, Potions From Across The Kingdom, and Demons Hold, the last one being a newly published book about the demons that lived in the forests. She was about a sixth of the way through. Rather then that, she had her wand, a few bottles of her mothers cheery cider, and her family album.
The doll fell the the ground with a sudden crash, having finished its work and was now useless. She carefully put the doll up on the shelf and slipped into the main room, where her cousins where waiting.
She would of prefered to go unnoticed, but Lunette and Etoile would have none of that. As she slipped into the room, Lunette was in front of the stove, humming an old tune about a wander, her thick, coarse, brown hair in a tight braid, with the unmistakable smell of pancakes in the air. Eloile sat at the table with a book untiled "Family History." Her short red hair was sticking straight up. As soon as she got in, they both turned and smiled to her.
"Good morning!" said Etoile. She grinned."We thought we would see you off. Sit down! The pancakes will be ready shortly!"
Lunette came to the table with a plate full of pancakes. The where average pancakes, but Lunette barely ever cooked, so it must of took a lot work to make the pancakes. Ari still couldn't find the strength to smile, even as Lunette plopped down beside her and began chitchatting.
"Oh, I don't know how we will mange with out you? It took a long time to find anyone that would help us, and this one isn't really all that good, but we need help while your gone. Etoile has been looking at our family history all morning? Found out anything interesting?"
Etoile nodded."Our family origins have to main bloodlines: The Avani and the Ea. The familys where allied for many generations. The soon merged into one family: The Rowan."
Lunette sighed. She had broken her cheerfully act. "Ari, we're going to miss you. Please promise us you'll back with us, even if you are offered great riches, when you return. You're family. Our family has stuck together for as long as anyone can remember. Please!"
Ari hated things like this. They were very open ended, and she couldn't be sure if she could keep the promise. But she didn't want to spoil there last moments together, so she nodded and said "I promise."
Lunette's face seemed to lighten a little. "Good. Here, take the pancakes. You'll need something to eat on the road." she said, handing her the food.
Etoile closed the book and turned to face Ari.
"We'll miss you Ari, let us see you to the door. "
As Ari walked away from the place where the carven was parked, she gave a final wave to her cousins, and shouted goodbye. She heard them for a long time, yelling good wishes across the road, until Ari turned to corner to next street.
Lovely set by the equally lovely Silja!
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