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Chime stood in the slowly swirling eddy. Dozens of bright candles floated lazily around her. The polished wooden holders carved into the shape of water flowers. The sky above her was dark, the pale sliver of the moon and the silver stars hidden by thick clouds. Around the small blond stood four mirrors securely sunk into the silt of the river’s bottom.
The mirrors were large, beautifully crafted glass. The sturdy wooden frames were light and polished to a high gloss, making them glitter in the candle light. They stood in a loose circle around her, carefully positioned so that in each of them, she could see the bank of the river from a glance.
Slowly she turned, pausing to look at her reflection in the first mirror. As she absently adjusted her pale hair, her reflection wavered. And she saw a glimpse of what she could become. She watched the bright red robes she wore suddenly cling to her chest and thighs almost indecently. The frigid current tugged at the full skirts that trailed behind her, rolling the crimson cloth around her like the petals of some exotic flower. Her eyes darkened with sensual awareness and she took a step forward. A little gasp of surprise caught in her throat as she lifted a hand, lightly touching the glass with the tips of her fingers.
For a moment nothing happened, and then the mirror glowed brightly. As it dimed, Chime saw a memory of her past play over the surface of the glass.
The sun blazed high over her homeland of Aglarond. The sky was a brilliant blue. A faint breeze bent the long grass and rustled the leaves of dog wood trees that dotted the park.
Chime watched the vision play out in the mirror, full lips curving up as she recalled that field. Though she couldn’t smell the sweet scent of the pale white flowers that danced in the mirror, she still remembered it. She had always loved it how it lingered in the air long after summer faded.
The mirror showed a small hill that was close to an ornate lake. A younger version of the Heartwarder was walking with her young niece Linniaer as they picked their way through a field of wild flowers.
“Spin me Chime,” the younger girl cried. Her voice was high and filled with the breathless excitement of youth. “Oh, please Chime! Please!” Linniaer grabbed Chime’s hands and widened her big brown eyes beseechingly.
“You promised you would. Oh, please Chime!” The young woman begged shamelessly.
Chime laughed. “Greedy guts”, she teased. “I told you I would spin you for as long as you wanted after the third bell. But it is not even noon yet.” She laughed again as she pointed up to the sky her voice filled with mock exasperation. “But.....,” Chime drew out the word before she continued. “If you can beat me to benches”
Chime’s green eyes danced with helpless laughter as her young niece raced away before the words were even complety out of her mouth. She shook her head in prostest, but it did little good. Linniaer was already half way across the field.
“Linny, you scamp!” Chime called out and lifted her own skirts. “You are supposed to let me say go!” The small silvery haired woman raced after her niece, laughing so hard she could hardly run.
“Linny, Linny”, she gasped out. “You are a horrible cheat.” Chime's pale hair was slipping free in the back as the copper pins she used to keep it up fell somewhere among the flowers. The woman's slim hands lift as she absently to pulled out the remaining pins and dropped them into a small purse tied to her wrist.
“You’re only saying that because you didn’t think of it first.” Linny’s young voice was full of smug triumph as she put her hands on her hips.
The vision in the mirror faded but Chime felt the smile on her lips linger. She had all but forgotten that day. But she remembered it now. All the love and affection she felt for her beloved niece welled up inside her and for a moment a fierce longing to be home nearly overwhelmed her.
The mirrors were large, beautifully crafted glass. The sturdy wooden frames were light and polished to a high gloss, making them glitter in the candle light. They stood in a loose circle around her, carefully positioned so that in each of them, she could see the bank of the river from a glance.
Slowly she turned, pausing to look at her reflection in the first mirror. As she absently adjusted her pale hair, her reflection wavered. And she saw a glimpse of what she could become. She watched the bright red robes she wore suddenly cling to her chest and thighs almost indecently. The frigid current tugged at the full skirts that trailed behind her, rolling the crimson cloth around her like the petals of some exotic flower. Her eyes darkened with sensual awareness and she took a step forward. A little gasp of surprise caught in her throat as she lifted a hand, lightly touching the glass with the tips of her fingers.
For a moment nothing happened, and then the mirror glowed brightly. As it dimed, Chime saw a memory of her past play over the surface of the glass.
The sun blazed high over her homeland of Aglarond. The sky was a brilliant blue. A faint breeze bent the long grass and rustled the leaves of dog wood trees that dotted the park.
Chime watched the vision play out in the mirror, full lips curving up as she recalled that field. Though she couldn’t smell the sweet scent of the pale white flowers that danced in the mirror, she still remembered it. She had always loved it how it lingered in the air long after summer faded.
The mirror showed a small hill that was close to an ornate lake. A younger version of the Heartwarder was walking with her young niece Linniaer as they picked their way through a field of wild flowers.
“Spin me Chime,” the younger girl cried. Her voice was high and filled with the breathless excitement of youth. “Oh, please Chime! Please!” Linniaer grabbed Chime’s hands and widened her big brown eyes beseechingly.
“You promised you would. Oh, please Chime!” The young woman begged shamelessly.
Chime laughed. “Greedy guts”, she teased. “I told you I would spin you for as long as you wanted after the third bell. But it is not even noon yet.” She laughed again as she pointed up to the sky her voice filled with mock exasperation. “But.....,” Chime drew out the word before she continued. “If you can beat me to benches”
Chime’s green eyes danced with helpless laughter as her young niece raced away before the words were even complety out of her mouth. She shook her head in prostest, but it did little good. Linniaer was already half way across the field.
“Linny, you scamp!” Chime called out and lifted her own skirts. “You are supposed to let me say go!” The small silvery haired woman raced after her niece, laughing so hard she could hardly run.
“Linny, Linny”, she gasped out. “You are a horrible cheat.” Chime's pale hair was slipping free in the back as the copper pins she used to keep it up fell somewhere among the flowers. The woman's slim hands lift as she absently to pulled out the remaining pins and dropped them into a small purse tied to her wrist.
“You’re only saying that because you didn’t think of it first.” Linny’s young voice was full of smug triumph as she put her hands on her hips.
The vision in the mirror faded but Chime felt the smile on her lips linger. She had all but forgotten that day. But she remembered it now. All the love and affection she felt for her beloved niece welled up inside her and for a moment a fierce longing to be home nearly overwhelmed her.