Halthor looked at the apples sitting in the bowl. "Are they
tart?" he asked. The woman in blue looked at the apples and
shook her head. "Why are they so big? What do you do with them?"
He knew something of cider making because he and Alaric had to build
a new cider press for the king's steward's son. The juice of the
small apples that were dumped into the press by bucket full was so
tart that it was nearly bitter. Alaric laughed when Halthor was duped
into trying a taste of the freshest cider in Starhaven, raw tart
apple juice. That was when Olren explained that the cider had to go
hard for the flavor to improve.
Halthor was caught in the happy memory long enough that he missed
at first what his hostess had to say. He realized that he was going
to be confused anyways as she spoke of something called 'grafting'.
Still, it was pleasant enough to listen to the beautiful elf-woman
talk. There was a soothing, musical quality to her voice that put the
voices calling out beyond the door to shame. Halthor leaned his head
against his left fist as he propped his arm on the table and just
looked at the Blue Lady.
She stopped speaking and looked at Halthor. He looked weary. The
red haired man had a long voyage ahead of him still. His blue-green
eyes had a far off look in them, as though he was thinking about
something. His red hair was tangled but he wasn't filthy. He just
looked like a man who had a very long day outdoors. The elf-woman
folded her hands before herself. It had been a very long time since
she had company. She lived alone at the glade where as her people
moved northward into the high mountain forests. The rolling hills
reminded her of their old home to the east. Looking at Halthor, she
realized that she was lonely and this was why she was prating on
about apple orchards.
She turned her gaze back to the food before her. With her eating
knife, she began to carve the bird apart. The goose was as tender as
it could have been. It was perfectly cooked, as was proper for her
magic cook pot could do so with any food she put in it. The pot was a
gift from her elder brother's wife who foresaw the journey west. She
thought of Alyrin who passed her by upon the elfin green way. Her
sister had a dear and deep love for the people of this land. The Blue
Lady wore a solemn expression as she carved the goose. Then she set
her eating knife down beside her bowl and dipped her fingers into a
small bowl of water before drying them on a linen towel embroidered
with a band of blue flowers.
"The Fair House has not had a guest in a hundred years. To my
people it is but a passing sigh in life, but it is a long time to be
alone," she finally said as Halthor immediately became attentive
as her demeanor changed and through her silence, and now watched her
earnestly. "My sister moves amongst men freely, skilled in the
arts of disguise and secure in her power," the Blue Lady
continued, "I have remained here waiting as she asked me. When
our people went north, we stayed behind. Alyrin felt that your people
needed a guide. I could not help but heed the call of the land. The
waters sang to me. It was a song I had not heard before. They
continue to sing to me, different songs every day. In return, I care
for them. Alyrin the builder fashioned my brother's hall away in our
homeland. She built this house for me. Alyrin's kindness I have never
forgotten."
Halthor looked at the contents of the cottage with new eyes. He
saw that each stone was laid in place upon bare stone, yet there was
no gap for the wind to whistle in. The furniture was carved and
joined together with skill beyond what he had seen under Alaric, who
had been master builder of the guild for at least as long as Halthor
had been under his care. Great pieces like the chair he had sat in
earlier were carved from but one enormous bit of wood. As he
inspected them more closely, he realized that all of the wooden
objects in the cottage could have been disassembled and put together
to make a single tree. Halthor turned his gaze back to the elf-woman
sitting across the table from him. "Alyrin chose you for your
craft and Father chose you for your heart," the Blue Lady said
quietly, "I know not why you were sent to me."
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