The Silvermoon Market

Lanthiriel Lightmist walked along the streets of the market with her sister, Esladra. She hadn’t needed to have someone go with her, but Esladra had offered. She thought the company would be nice so she had agreed.

“How is mother doing?” She asked mostly out of politeness. Esladra was staying with her for the time being, and was sure to have many details that Lanthiriel preferred not to know.

“She’s well. She and Bailas are going to Quel’danas for the holiday.”

“You’re staying here in Silvermoon?”

“Well, I’m not going with them. That’s for sure. It’ll be quiet for a change, and I’ll be able to get some studying done. I hope anyway. Our aunt will still be home and she can be just as demanding as mother sometimes. I’ll be glad when my apprenticeship is over, so I can move out on my own.”

Lanthiriel nodded. Mother was paying the woman who was teaching Esladra, and Esladra’s studies were almost finished. She was becoming a priestess too, but rather than being a healer like Lanthiriel and their father, Esladra had decided to specialize in pregnancy and childbirth. She was Lanthiriel’s first choice to follow her own pregnancy, whether her studies were done or not, and so she had been seeing her on a regular basis now. Lanthiriel also had Isandri, but Isandri was supposed to fill in for her at the office. She couldn’t tend to her patients, if she was busy having a baby. Esladra seemed more than happy to make the trip to the Ghostlands to see her sister every few weeks.

They passed by a stand with little figurines. “I still think you should have gone with father.”

“Mother paid me to go with her. Besides, you’ve seen the place he moved to. There’s only enough room for his office and a tiny living space.”

“He bought that after he knew you were going with mother.”

“He knew she was paying me. I think he wanted to live alone. He advised me to take the money. He even told me to try to negotiate for more.”

Lanthiriel rolled her eyes, “You’re both horrible.” She started looking at some of the figurines on one of the outer tables when someone at the next stand over caught her eye. She was flipping through some robes hanging on a one of the racks.

Esladra saw her at the same time. “Vallindra!” She hurried over to the next stand, and threw her arms around their oldest sister.

Vallindra looked up just in time to be hugged. She stiffly reciprocated. “Esladra, hello.” She twitched an ear and eyed Lanthiriel, looking at down at her stomach before looking back up at her face. “Lani.”

“Hi, Vallindra. Are you shopping for the holiday too?” Lani asked.

Vallindra twitched an ear again, and breathed in sharply. She held her breath a few seconds before replying. “I’m getting something for Xanaroth.”

“I need to get something for the Confessor too. I’m not sure what to get yet.”

“Didn’t you ask him?” Vallindra asked as she returned to looking at the robes hanging on the rack in front of her.

“I did. He said he wanted a baby.”

Vallindra raised a brow, glancing at her sister before turning her attention back to the robes once more. “Good luck having that ready on time.”

“I’m due in spring. I need to find something for the holiday though.”

Esladra tried to peek in Vallindra’s bag. “You’ve already bought some things. Are they for your husband?”

“Yes. I got him some books, slippers and now I’m looking for a robe. They’re all things he wants.”

“Did he just tell you what he wants? Just like that?” Lani asked.

“Of course. We’re very open with each other.” Vallindra’s ear flicked as she grinned and pulled one of the robes out from the others.

“Oh, that’s a nice robe!” Esladra commented as Vallindra checked over the seams and hems.

“And well-made. I think he’ll like it. It matches the slippers too.” Vallindra smiled. She looked at Esladra and added, “I was about to go get something to eat. Maybe we could all go to that one restaurant near the Exchange.”

Esladra looked at Lanthiriel, “Lani, are you hungry? We can take a break and go eat.”

Lani frowned, glancing back at the market before nodding to her sisters. She’d have to find something later.

Sim’dorei Screenshots

Aeramin and Imralion’s new house in the Ghostlands needed to be built.  I also wound up playing a bit.

View from the front. I couldn’t get a good screenshot of the back because there are too many trees.

First floor.

Second floor.

Basement. It’s mostly unfurnished yet because I didn’t finish.

I played a bit too.  🙂

 

Fairsong Academy in the winter!

I also built that little house by the stables at the bottom of the hill. 🙂

Winter garden.

Renner checks out the time machine.

Lani gives Vaildor presents.

Vaildor tags his walls.

Aeramin practices magic to music!

Hethurin plays with chicks.

Terellion fixes the sink!

You have no idea how difficult it was to get these two together.

Imralion… in the shower.

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

We’re back from our trip and working on settling into the new place.  Everything is moved here, but a few things are still packed.  Luckily, we didn’t have too many things to move.  Vaildor had more art supplies than anything else.  The Confessor didn’t have much either, mostly just a lot of files.  Luckily, there’s room for them all.  It seems like there’s so much space here compared to the small house by the stables.

Vaildor has been adjusting well to the new place.  He told me before we moved that he was worried because he hadn’t ever lived in another building before.  I reminded him that he had, but he was too young to remember it.  If the story he and Hethurin are telling really is true, then he’s always lived in the same building since he was about six months old, just different timelines or something.  It’s confusing.  My father believes it, so I guess I have to accept it.  I’ve adopted him anyway, even if he is my brother.  He needs someone to take care of him.  Father agreed that Silvermoon wouldn’t be best for him, and he should probably be kept away from Mother.  After hearing what she said to him at the wedding, I’m going to make sure he doesn’t have to be around her much.

The office is open now and we’ve started receiving patients, so that’s slowed down the unpacking a little.  There’s been nothing major so far, which is good.  Most people are coming in to my side for check ups, or just minor injuries.  One of them was even in for a paper cut.  The Confessor thinks they just want to meet me, and I don’t mind.

One thing I’ve noticed is that most people out here don’t have much gold.  My husband suggested getting rid of my consultation fee for those who couldn’t afford it, and setting up a donation system instead.  It would be nice, but I’ll still need supplies, and I don’t know where he thinks we’re going to get food to eat.  I can’t go to the school to get food every night, and Vaildor eats a lot.  Vaildor also asks for a lot.  We’ll have to have enough to take care of his schooling too, if he gets accepted.  Though father and Hethurin have both offered to help with the tuition, he’ll still need money for his lunches and supplies.

I guess I’m a bit thankful he can’t fill out his application form yet.  He’ll get a lot more expensive when he does.  I thought I’d have enough, but I underestimated how little people have out here.

I have been busy with patients though, even if they can’t pay.  The first week, I tried to keep Vaildor here, but back in the house so that he could work on his lessons.  He’s very easily distracted by the people coming in.  We’ve been leaving the front office doors open, then open the back door which is in the home part, and then open up the door between the two sections for a nice breeze through the waiting room.  Unfortunately, Vaildor’s study area is just on the other side of the door in the middle.  He likes to peek into the waiting room a lot.  I’ve asked him to stop, but he’s quite curious.  I spoke with Hethurin and he agreed to have some of the students work with him, so now he’s going to the school every morning.  I think it’s working so far.

My father warned me that kids like to test their limits, but I wasn’t having any trouble with Vaildor at the time.  I thought maybe he had passed that stage already, though father said they never grow out of it.  I guess he was right.  First, Vaildor starts sneaking out to talk to patients while he should be doing his lessons, and now he doesn’t want to go to bed.  Then this morning, I opened the bedroom door, and there was a painting of some monster sitting on the easel we just got for him.  He had set it up there on purpose.  I didn’t mean to scream, but I wasn’t expecting to see a monster when I opened the door.  I talked to him, and told him it wasn’t very nice.  He apologized, and said he wouldn’t do it again.

Nessna was by late yesterday afternoon.  She wanted to talk to me about one of the new rangers.  He had come to see me a few days before.  He’s missing a foot and has pain in both legs, and his shoulder.  I’m sure the good leg would get better just with more exercise, but the bad leg keeps him from doing more.  I think the biggest problem is that his prosthetic foot doesn’t fit quite right.  He needs a new one, and his current one is made out of wood.  Some metal ones are shaped with the arch in the foot that bends as weight is put on it, much like a normal foot.  I think it would feel more natural for him, and if he can get one that fits better, I think his leg pain would go away on its own eventually.  I cannot make prosthetics, but I referred him to someone in Silvermoon who can.  His shoulder needs surgery to repair some poorly healed old injuries.  I lowered the cost of it to the lowest I could go, but he has no money at all.  I can’t do surgery for free.  First of all, it’s going to take a greater part of the day to do.  Second, supplies aren’t free.  Third, he’ll have to stay here a couple of days after.  I’ll have to wake up in the middle of the night to check on him.  We’ll have to make sure he doesn’t get infection.  We’ll have to feed him during that time too.  It’s not free!  Nessna insists he’ll pay for it after, but what if he just decides to disappear after that?  My husband says the same thing though.  I should set up a payment plan for him because he’s going to be paid with the rangers.  I guess I will, but if he runs off, I hope they’re ready to hear I told them so!

Nessna also showed me her ring.  She’s getting married again.  I think it’s a bit soon, but she says she’s okay, and she thinks Vessen would approve.  I guess if he knew he was dead and knew she was with Sath’alor, or something.  He certainly wouldn’t approve if he was alive!  I told her she better tell the Amberlights because I don’t think it would be right for them to hear it from anyone else.  She said she would.

I didn’t tell her that the Confessor and I are trying to conceive.  So far nothing has happened, but it’s fun trying.  Maybe we could send Vaildor to spend a weekend with Hethurin sometime this month.  I don’t know if being alone with him will help really, but we’ll get to try more!  I’m sure Nessna would love if Rylad had a cousin close in age to play with in the area, so hopefully it’ll happen soon!

 

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

It’s done.  I’m a wife now.  Everything went almost perfect.  There were a few problems, but nothing terrible.  We had all fallen asleep in the ballroom the night before.  Tik woke us up with breakfast.  Hethurin showed up shortly after, and went with me by portal to Silvermoon to get the dresses.  That was when we found out about the biggest problem of the day.  There were supposed to be four dresses, but they only had two.  Mine was finished and the one for Desdeyliri was done, but they had messed up the order for the other two.  There were supposed to be three identical dresses for the girls!  We had to make sure the one that was done was Des’s first, then I picked similar dresses for the other two.  I had to go with what the shop already had made, and in their sizes so there wasn’t a lot of choice.  Luckily, I found two that would work and went back to the school with Hethurin.  He went back upstairs to get ready.  I left the dresses there in the library while I went down to the house to get my father and Vaildor.  My father said things went well the night before and that Nessna had come to get Rylad already.  He needed to get ready yet, so I brought Vaildor back up to the school with me.  I left him to wait in the library while the girls and I went to get ready.  We used the second classroom as that one has a door on it, unlike the main classroom, and we didn’t want anyone to walk in on us.  We were all helping each other with our buttons and zippers.  Then there was a knock at the door.  Xarola said it was Hethurin, and that he said he’d be with Vaildor, which was a relief.  I know he wasn’t happy about it, but there was no way I was leaving him to meet the rest of the family on his own.  I’m glad Hethurin volunteered to stay with him for me.

The girls did my hair after that.  We could see a little into the garden, though there were a few bushes and trees between where all the guests were and the room we were using to get ready.  Xarola was trying to count how many people were there.  I was a bit worried that the Confessor would get cold feet and not show up, so I was relieved he did.

Finally, it was time for the ceremony.  I’ve never been so nervous and excited at the same time.  My father performed the ceremony, and I think the Confessor was just as nervous as I was.  Thankfully, neither of us passed out!  I think my father cried a little at the end.

It was time to eat after.  Tik made all sorts of food.  The spinach rolls were a big hit, just like they were at the ball, so I went inside to help him make more.  He kept saying I shouldn’t be inside, but I wanted to make sure there were enough spinach rolls.  I did leave him to finish on his own when the Confessor came inside too.  I had a glass of wine with him, and we danced for a bit after eating.  I threw my flowers.  I tried to aim them towards Nessna, but Xarola caught them.  I don’t think the flower thing is very accurate anyway.  If she’s the next one to get married, I think the others are all going to be waiting a long time because she’s still pretty young!

I slipped away to help make more spinach rolls as we were running out, again.  I took the tray back out to the table, but then I couldn’t find the Confessor.  I also couldn’t find my father.  Or Hethurin and Vaildor.  My mother was also missing, though I had seen her earlier with her boyfriend.  I spoke with Aranae for a bit.  She was looking for Hethurin too so she could get her portal home.  She brought a pandaren with her.  I think the bear ate all the spinach rolls.

It rained a bit, but it didn’t last long, and after, I finally found the Confessor.  I guess he was inside talking to some of the others.  We decided to leave then, before it started raining again, which we didn’t want because we were traveling by dragonhawk.  It was quite a distance to travel that late in the evening especially after having wine, but I felt safe with his arms around me.

After we got to the inn we’re staying at, I put on the red dress.  I was a bit nervous, but it was really nice.  I think he was worried about hurting me.  It did hurt a little, but it passed quickly into feeling really good.  It was a little weird waking up in the morning next to him.  Not a bad weird, but a good weird.  It was like I forgot for half a second, then remembered I’m married.  It was good, but it’ll take some time to get used to!

I’m really enjoying the time alone with him, though I am still drinking my tea.  He thinks it’s better to wait to get settled in.  I don’t see why.  It’s not like I won’t be able to do anything while pregnant.  Many women work right up until the time they go into labor!  I don’t think it’s going to take nine months to move in, but I don’t want to argue either.  I’ll bring it up again once we’re home.

The beach is really nice, and we’ve been going there a lot.  I think I have a tan.  I am a bit worried about how things are at home.  I didn’t see Vaildor or my father before leaving, so I hope everything’s going well.  I hope Hethurin’s okay too.  I know it was hard for him to have so many people there at once.  I also hope Nessna isn’t mad at me for not throwing the flowers better!

Sim’dorei Screenshots – Moving into the New Home

Sim Lani and Sim Morty have moved into their new home, along with Sim Vaildor.

This is totally how they kiss when they’re somewhere they could be seen.

Vaildor loves ice cream almost as much as his brother loves cake.

Lani and Vaildor learn to roller-skate at the summer festival.  Vaildor insisted on going.

Morthorn took Vaildor on a rollercoaster. Morthorn looks likes he’s having fun, but I’m not so sure about Vaildor.  Way to scare the kid, Morty!

Of course, he took Lani too.

Aww!

She’s just so happy. He is too, just making a funny face in this picture!

Sim’dorei Screenshots – A New Building in Town

Lani is working on a new building, so I figured I would put it into my game as well.  It includes both her office and Morthorn’s, as well as their own living area in back.

View from outside, and sorry the guides were on so there’s little squares all over.

Overhead view with the roof off. The front of the building is towards the bottom.

 

Some other overhead views.

 

 

And some in-room views:

The waiting room.

Lani’s office.

Lani’s examination room.

The surgery/treatment room.

Overnight patient room.

The Confessor’s office.  I should note that this was before I put in a lot of the decor, it’s not quite that plain.

The Confessor’s patient meeting room.

And in the home part:

The sitting room.

Dining/kitchen/hallway

And the bedroom, complete with the Confessor’s trunk.

 

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

A lot has happened lately, again.  The biggest news is that the Confessor has been talking about marriage.  He spoke with my father already!  I’m thrilled, of course, but at the same time it’s hard to believe it’s really happening.  He asked if I’d like to go to the jewelers with him, but I think I’d rather have him pick it out.  I’ll love it as long as it’s something he chooses.

I haven’t told anyone yet.  I want to.  I feel like I’m about to burst with happiness.  I think Vaildor might have noticed.  He did remark that I seemed cheery and jovial.  The Confessor wishes to talk to him about it so I’m trying to refrain from telling him why I’m so happy.  I want to tell everyone, but I’d rather that it’s official first.

That made visiting my father a bit difficult.  He knows a bit already because the Confessor was by to talk to him, so I did tell him that we had talked, and that while nothing was official yet, it is something we’ve agreed to make official.

Of course, the real reason for my visit was Vaildor, so we didn’t speak as long about my upcoming engagement as I would have liked.  We had limited time, so we had to make good use of it.  He said that he had been warned about Vaildor.  I didn’t like the way he said ‘been warned’, as if he was a threat or something.  I thought perhaps Hethurin had been by and told him another tall tale about Vaildor’s parentage.  Anyway, I introduced them.  I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

My father walked behind Vaildor and held his hair away from his neck.  He just kind of stood there and looked for a moment, which seemed a bit odd.  I think both Vaildor and I were both a bit stunned and perplexed.  Vaildor was the first to ask what was happening.  That’s when my father said, and I quote, “It’s really him.”

I walked around to see what made him think that.  There, along Vaildor’s hairline on the back of his neck, was a port-wine stain birthmark.  It was small, almost oval-shaped, but rough around the edges.  I don’t remember Vaildor having one, but I was only four at the time.  I don’t remember much at all about him.  Father was convinced though.  He asked to speak to Vaildor alone.

I went for a walk.  I guess it could be possible that Hethurin is telling the truth.  I was worried about what it would mean if he’s really my brother and not my nephew.  When I got back, Father was even more convinced, but he asked me not to tell mother.  He said he would be visiting this weekend to talk to Hethurin.

So now I’m not sure what to think about that, but I’m still really happy about the other news.  Nessna didn’t ask what happened when I met with her, but she did say that Master Amberlight had agreed to make some furniture for the ranger building.  Maybe I’ll buy furniture from him for the clinic.

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

A lot has happened again.  First of all, I went into town today, as I have been recently, to oversee the construction of the building.  I picked up my mail and there was a letter from the spire.  I wasn’t expecting a reply so soon.  I opened it right then, not thinking that maybe I should get Vaildor settled somewhere first to work on his lessons.  So of course he asked what it was, then he asked what it said.  I wound up having to tell him that there was no record of him in Silvermoon.  The only Vaildor Lightmist they have on record died 127 years ago when he was only a couple of months old.  So we’re still no closer to finding out who his mother is, or I guess, who he even is.  He still swears he’s from another reality and maybe they have a record of him there.  Well, even if that’s true, I don’t know how to get to it.  I can’t formally adopt him if there’s a possibility that his parents are still around somewhere and want him back.  I need to be able to prove that he’s an orphan or has been abandoned.  I still think Hethurin might be his father, but he still refuses to acknowledge that.  They look so much alike though.  It can’t be coincidence.

Anyway, finding out that he officially didn’t exist upset Vaildor.  I suppose I can understand that.  I’d be upset as well if I found out there was no record of me, and it did upset me that there was no record of him.  I was really hoping it would be that simple.  I suppose it’s time to talk to Hethurin again and see if he’s more willing to talk about where Vaildor really came from.

It was raining lightly this morning so I set Vaildor up with his books to study from at the inn.  They wanted me to pay for the spot he was using at the table!  I would have argued, but I hadn’t spoke with the builders yet, and I needed to do that.  I made sure the price came with glasses of water and told Vaildor I’d be back around noon.  Thankfully, he was able to finish his work today.

The building is coming along well.  Today, I spoke with Ethirdir about adding more rooms, and he said it could be done.  It was good that I asked now.  He’s going to meet with the builder who made the blueprint about adding more rooms in the back.  It’ll be like the house in Silvermoon, though, I think, a bit smaller, but bigger than where I live now.  I think the Confessor intends to ask to marry me.  We spoke a bit about it last night.  Apparently, Vaildor told him some things while they were shopping in Silvermoon, and to be fair, I didn’t tell him not to repeat, so he knows I’m interested now.

Anyway, I think he would prefer to live in town, and honestly, it would be good for both of us to be where our patients can find us easily if we’re needed.  It still seems a little strange to talk about.  I think I love him.  I don’t really know because I’ve never been in love like that before.  I was really sad to think he might not feel the same, but now I’m really excited to think he might be talking to my father about marrying me.

He did seem concerned that I wouldn’t want to do anything after we got married.  I don’t know where he got that idea.  I do want to, but only with my husband.  If we’re married, then he’ll be my husband and we’ll be able to do things like that.  I’ve been reading the book again, and it’s really difficult to wait sometimes.  I watch other people moving in together without marriage first, and it makes me doubt whether I’m right or not.  If everyone learns we should be pure until marriage, then why does no one actually wait?

I told him that he’s attractive.  I think he thought I meant only physically, which he is, but he’s attractive in other ways too.

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

A lot has happened just in the past few days.  First, Nessna has moved out.  She took the last of her things yesterday.  She’s moving in with the ranger captain.  I have no idea whether it’s temporary or permanent.  I’m going to guess permanent, mostly because of the gifts he’s been giving her, and the fact that she stayed there a few nights before actually telling me that she was moving there.  Oh, she said she was going on patrol… in the middle of the night.  Like I’m going to believe that!  Well, actually, I did at first, but then she did it again, and again, so I kind of wondered why she was patrolling all the time, and figured out that maybe she wasn’t really patrolling.

Anyway, she’s taken Rylad with her, and all of his things too.  I kind of liked watching him for her.  I guess the other rangers will be doing that now.  I hope she does bring him by often.  I’ll miss him a lot.

A week or so ago, Hethurin came to me late at night and said someone broke their leg at the school.  He wouldn’t explain much at first, just that they needed a healer.  I went with him, and there was this boy there.  He looked to be in his late teens, and was wearing one of Hethurin’s old apprentice robes.  I asked him his name, and was rather surprised when he said it was Vaildor.  I had a brother who died as a baby who had the same name.  I didn’t ask too much else.  The boy was obviously upset.  He had climbed out the window to get away, and said that Hethurin was mean to him.

Hethurin told me some story about how the boy just appeared in his room from a portal.  I know all sorts of weird things can happen to mages, and can be caused by mages, and he is a mage, but I think it’s more reasonable to believe that the boy’s mother dropped him off, or something happened to her and the boy came looking for Hethurin.  The boy says that Sanimir Lightmist is his father.  Hethurin and Sanimir are the same person, so it really sounds like Hethurin tried things when he was younger, and has a son.

That makes me twice an aunt.

Hethurin was taking care of Vaildor at the school, but he didn’t want anyone else to know about him, so he was hiding him in his room!  I don’t blame him for wanting to get out.  I think that would be weird, sleeping in your father’s room on a sofa.  Anyway, he felt trapped there as well, and was only able to leave when Des was watching him.  I made sure to go see him daily to see how his leg was healing, and we came up with a plan to get him to see the Confessor.  I thought that would help.  Vaildor had been very upset about being left there or whatever happened, and he cried a lot whenever I tried to talk to him about it.  Des is able to make portals now, so we waited until Hethurin asked her to watch Vaildor, then she made a portal to the town.  Luckily, the Confessor was home.  He has other patients, so I wasn’t sure if he would be.  We left them to talk and went to the kitchen.

Apparently, the Confessor thinks that Vaildor may do better if he isn’t at the school.  He needs the freedom to move around, and even while his leg is healing, I think it’s good for him to not be stuck on the same sofa all day.

I’ve decided to take him in for the time being.  I kind of lied to Hethurin and told him that Vaildor re-injured his leg, probably due to the teleport that Hethurin made to move him from his room to Des’s room.  I’ve told him he’s not to have anymore teleports while he’s healing, and that I want to keep an eye on him so he’s staying with me.  He started to argue that he needed to be there in case his father came back, but I just told him no.  I also made sure that he knew that Des did a good thing, and acted quickly to bring Vaildor to me when he said he was in pain.  Hopefully, he won’t be angry with her for helping me get him out of the house!

Last night was his first night here.  He seems like a nice boy.  He’s helpful around the house.  He does keep asking about going to school for drawing, but he’s a bit young for any specialized school.  Besides, I found out he doesn’t even have a general education.  He has trouble reading, and his handwriting his awful.  He has no clue about history, or any sciences.  I’ve started working with him a bit on his reading and writing.  At first he didn’t want to, but I told him he would need to know how to read and write to get into any school.  That encouraged him a bit to try to put some effort into learning.

I’ve found myself growing attached to him.  I wonder sometimes if this is what it feels like to be a real mother.  The way things are going, I hope it is.  I’ll never find out if it isn’t.

I think the Confessor doesn’t intend to ever marry me.  Guys seem to always fall for the girls who sleep with them first.  It’s not that it isn’t something I don’t want to do.  I do, but I want to be married first.  He had the perfect opportunity to ask my father when he was visiting here, but he didn’t, unless it’s a surprise, but I don’t think it is.  He doesn’t even look at my ears.  I don’t get to see him very often either.  He says we’ll see each other more after the building is done, but that’s work.

Maybe I should write to mother and see who she can find for me.

Valentines 2

Teniron Whitemorn double-checked out the window to make sure Kit had really gone.  She had some letters to take to town, and it was his only time to work on finishing her gift.  He saw no sign of her so he went to his work bench and opened the bottom drawer.  He had hidden it under some of his plans and patterns.  He pulled out the small box and opened it.  Inside was a small piece of jade, only partially shaped, but enough that the basic form was showing the shape of a wind serpent.  His plan was to turn it into a pendant for a necklace.  The chain was already finished.  He only needed to add the details to the serpent and it would be done.

He took it out and started working on it.  He needed to finish before Kit returned.

***

Nessna Amberlight wasn’t really sure what to get for Sath’alor.  After all, they hadn’t had much time to talk alone yet.  Still, she thought she should get something to show that his gifts were well-received.  Lani had plans to go into Silvermoon to get something for her Confessor.  Nessna followed her up to the school when she went to ask for her portal so that she could tag along as well.

She brought Rylad along with her.  He had recently taken his first steps and was already working towards running.  Sometimes he went too fast for himself and wound up falling.  He would certainly need to be watched closely in the market if he wanted to be put down.  Luckily, for now, he was content to ride in his sling.

She wandered through the market, purposefully losing her sister.  She’d look for her again when it was time to go.  She came upon a stall with some camping equipment, and was looking at the pocket knives and sleeping bags.

Rylad started squirming in his sling as she looked over the items set up on the display.  He reached towards the ground while giving a little cry.

“You want to get out for a bit?”  Nessna asked while lifting him out of the sling.  She put him down on his feet next to her and held his hand as she continued to look.  One of the pocket knives also had a spoon and a fork, which she thought was funny, but practical.

Rylad tugged at her hand as he bent forward to look in a box under one of the tables.  He pulled out a tin frying pan with his other hand and laughed.

Nessna wasn’t quite sure what he found funny about it, but she knelt beside him to look in the box with him.  Besides the pan, there were two plates, two cups, and a cooking pot.  They looked to be all part of the same set.  She lifted the pot and found two more tin glasses underneath, these were shaped more as wine glasses than the cups were.  She smiled at Rylad, “I’ll tell him you helped me pick it out.”

***

Lanthiriel Lightmist had lost her sister almost as soon as they arrived in Silvermoon.  It was just as well.  She didn’t want her seeing what she was buying for the Confessor, nor making comments about it.  She already knew half of the gift.  Lani had knit a scarf for him.  It was blue.  Nessna had insisted that it wasn’t his color and that winter was almost over.  He wouldn’t need it.  Lani had decided then that it couldn’t be the only thing she got for the Confessor. She quickly hurried to the market.

She was overwhelmed before even walking inside the wine shop.  Some wines were better than others.  The Confessor had said that himself.  She tried to remember the kind that Nessna had received, but she didn’t know the name of it.  She remembered the colors of the label though, and she thought perhaps she would recognize it.  Her sister had told her it was a good wine and she wasn’t allowed to give that one to the Confessor.  Nessna had hidden it anyway, so she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to make a mistake and give it to the Confessor if it was someplace she didn’t even know.

She was surprised to find that most of the labels looked fairly similar, as if there were some sort of standard colors and lettering that they had to use, or perhaps they were all done by the same person.  She frowned as she looked at the shelves.  Did the price matter?  Expensive wines were good wines, right?  Maybe she should have asked Nessna’s advice before losing her.

She frowned and took one of the moderately expensive bottles from the shelf.  Surely, it had to be good.