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[Soren]

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A piece of parchment smudged with Agapite and Copper shavings that smell of ore and wood is rolled and tied with a pastel blue piece of cloth and attached to the antennae of a Big overfed and oversized blue beetle that answers to the name of Stormy. Much like a pregnant woman waddles, it makes its way into the Gypsy camps on the outskirts of Minoc.

"Mistress Xana, The Gypsy type person,

Mistress Xana I am very sorry I was unable to attend the celebration. There is something going around here and I just picked it up, whatever it is. I tried to get up and come anyway. Her Grace Lady Ariana made it clear though that I could end up getting you or the children sick. I didn't want to do that. It's bad enough I was sick. I was so excited about getting to see your camp and the wreath that your friend Adrien was going to make for me. Would it be alright if I came by sometime soon to make up for it?

Your new friend,

Soren Calestra
Dragonstorm Artisan and Blacksmith

[Adrian Bishop]

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The clouds on the horizon were heavy with snow, and ominously pink. Adrian had been splitting wood for hours when without warning, a fat beetle meandered past, waddling this way and that. He chuckled as he hefted the axe and let it fall, splitting a log down the middle. It was not uncommon for the children to come home with some odd pet or other, and at first he gave it no thought. After a while, the beetle returned to where it had passed the first time and stopped to stare at Adrian. He, too, stopped, and looked back at the beetle. Her unblinking beady eyes were huge. He felt his eyes widening in response to the impromptu staredown. For a few moments, the two stared blankly at one another until Adrian noticed the cloth-wrapped letter on its antenna.

“OH!” Adrian leapt to take the letter from the expectant beetle. “Sorry friend!”
He took the letter and unrolled it. The parchment was addressed inside to Xana, who was gone visiting a relative who needed her help. He debated for a moment on whether to read it, but decided eventually that it might be urgent or need an immediate reply.

As he read, he glanced up to the beetle, still staring at him with wide unblinking eyes. Furrowing his brow, he reached out hesitantly. “What do you want? Does this…Is this all right?” He petted the beetle’s head awkwardly, and it responded with a small clicking chatter. Adrian blinked twice, then returned to the letter. He smiled and entered his tent to pen a reply.

Lady Artisan Soren Calestra,

I answer your letter in Xana’s stead, as she has left for a short while to visit a relative. I know, however, that she wanted to convey her best wishes as you recover from the illness which so selfishly kept you to itself and prevented you from joining us at the Sol Invictus celebration. Upon hearing of your condition, our root worker, Lady Llyrian a’Dae, wished to send you this bottle of elixir, which can help in recovery and warding off of a relapse.

As for your circlet, it has been woven of dried strawflowers, sage, and lavender, and wrapped with rare green ribbon. It now sits locked in a chest for safekeeping in the corner of my tent. Therefore it will keep quite nicely until you can return again to Minoc. We would love to have you visit, and you are quite welcome anytime. However, the Lady Xana will not return for a short while.

Please fret not over missing the bonfire. Though life here is simple and meager, we find reasons to celebrate every day. Not the least of which would be a visit from a new friend.

Peace Be With You,
Adrian Bishop

PS - I fed your pet grapes. A lot of them. She looked much happier each time I fed her, but I finally had to stop when I feared she would simply explode with glee.

~*~Attached with melted wax at the center of the bottom is a dried daisy, greenery, and a jingle bell~*~

Adrian attached his letter to the beetle's antenna and hid a glass bottle with a dark red elixir beneath its wing. It turned, seemingly satisfied, and waddled out of the camp, jingling all the way.

[Soren]

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Soren stood poised over her anvil, her sledgehammer gripped firmly in her right hand. Breathing had become a harder task to manage since she had fallen ill a week ago and she had needed to take more frequent breaks. The smooth motion of bringing the hammer down on the heated metal calmed her. As the edges curled and molded to her design her psyche matched it. Her head tilted to the side she would swear she heard bells. Backing up from her position she looked out the opening of the Annex in time to see her beloved beetle waddling across the east Umbra Bridge. She wanted to run to it and hug it tightly but because of her weakened state she could only manage a quick walk.

They were so very rarely separated that instances of isolation left her feeling as though part of her soul were missing. Scratching Stormy on her enormous head she grinned. What only she would recognize as a smile in the common slicking and clacking reinforced that she too had been missed. Carefully she removed the letter attached to Stormy's antenna and unrolled it. A huge smile spread across her flushed face. Breaking her concentration from the letter she lifted the beetle's wing slightly and withdrew the bottle with the dark red liquid. Hugging it tightly to her chest she continued reading.

With what little strength she had she bounced up and down happily. She was welcome in gypsy territory and they had not taken her absence personally. She was so afraid they would. Once more she reached down and scratched the top of Stormy's head glancing at the dried daisy, sprig of green and the jolly bells. Somehow the return letter had made the days darkness a little easier to take.

[Xana]

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Chuckling as she listened to Adrian's account of the waddling beetle, Xana read the note received in her stead. A quiet conversation ensued between herself and Adrian, and the next morning Xana sat at a familiar vanity in a favored inn's suite. Once finished writing, Xana forwarded the parchment via a trusted messenger.

Lady Soren,
I hope this letter finds you in better health. Indeed, our root-worker is a most talented lass. More important than the bonfire, is your health. It was regretful you were unable to join us, and because of this we have saved for you a gift-bag. My hope is to be able to deliver it personally now that I have returned from an important journey.
Fondly,
Xana
_________________
An artist is a creature driven by demons ~Faulkner

[Soren]

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Ting .... Ting... Thwack.... Ting... Thwack.... Ting... Ting...

That did it. Finishing the last mold of the sword, Soren turned round and reached to dip the newly forged weapon in the cool water trough. Coming face to face with a pair of strange eyes she was caught off guard. Stunned she lost her footing and went hurtling backside first into that same trough. The sword went hurtling out of her hand landing tip down in the sword floor.

"Umph!" The red coloring of pure embarasment crossed her cheeks. Placing both hands on the wooden frame she forced her weight up out of the water. This was made more difficult by the now water logged dress and apron she was adorned with. Gripping her forearm the stranger pulled, easily extracting her from the trough. With a grin, the stranger handed her a parchment and politely bid her farewell. Soren quickly grabbed a towel with one hand so as not to ruin the document and wiped off what water she could.

"Oh, Oh, Oh!!! Stormy!" The oversized beetle, hearing it's name called, lumbered across the floor above and stepped on the transporter for the first floor. Popping it's gigantic head in, it gazed at it's mistress expectantly. "Xana, The gypsy type person has returned! She wishes to deliver my gift! Oh, Oh, Oh!!!" Rushing over, Soren petted Stormy's head and quickly grabbed a quill.

"Mistress Xana, The Gypsy Type Person,

Please tell Mr. Bishop and Lady a'Dae, as well as yourself, that I am much better and it is all your doing. That elixir was magic. I've seen magic, and that was magic. I would love, love, love, for you to visit!! If tomorrow night is alright for you just name a place and I will happily meet you! I hope your travels went well and I can't wait to hear all about it!

Honored to be your friend,

Soren Calestra
Dragonstorm Artisan and Blacksmith"

In the same manner as before Soren attached the parchment to Stormy's antenna and sent her on her way