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It’s not that Gale wasn’t planning on getting a gift for his mother during her visit; it’s more that she’s suddenly declared she’ll be arriving a few days ahead of schedule so she can be there for Midwinter, and suddenly he’s scrambling through spellbooks as to what he can quickly conjure or enchant that might be suitable.
He tells as much to Tara, who’s come sniffing. Her eyes widen at his explanation. “Mr. Dekarios!” she yowls. “I never expected suspected you capable of such thoughtlessness! Really, resorting to simple spellcasting at a time like this?”
Gale closes the book on his finger to keep his place as he speaks. “Well, what do you suggest, then, Tara?”
She sits back on her hind legs. “I’ve got just the thing. And I won’t hear any complaining out of you about it. Besides, you’re perfectly welcome to enchant whatever we find there, once you purchase it.”
Which is how they end up standing at the entrance to the local Midwinter Market, Gale shivering slightly in the cold. Looking down the rows on rows of outdoor stalls and stands, vendors flanked by conjured lights.
“You’ll feel much warmer, dear, if you step inside,” Tara notes.
Gale groans. “As soon as we walk in,” he says, “I will be utterly overwhelmed by the sheer concept of choice.”
“Well, that’s why I’m here. To be picky. Make the tough choices.”
He laughs. And enters the first aisle.
Tara’s right. The rows are enchanted to provide a bit of warmth to shopping customers. She gets a few curious looks as they walk, but Gale’s slightly more concerned about the multitude of vendors calling out to him. It’s all very interesting, but a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot alternating between walking quickly to get past things that are rather dull to him, and walking very slowly to peek at things that might be up to his mother’s standards.
“Has she picked up a knitting needle recently, do you think?” he asks Tara, observing a rather plush-looking quilt. “A tad mundane, but certainly useful— What?”
Tara’s looking at him with a haughty expression. “I tire of walking,” she sniffs, “and you’ve plenty of room in your arms, for now, hm?”
“I thought you wouldn’t be keen on appearing as a common house cat?”
“I am NOT! …I simply prioritise the conservation of my energy.”
He smiles as Tara flies up into his arms, and makes sure he’s holding her in a way in which she feels secure. “Happy?”
“Very much. Thank you, Gale.”
They continue on down the market, until they get to a particularly busy area in which a queue has formed. “Now that must be something interesting.” When he doesn’t hear a response, he looks down. “Tara?”
Her eyes are very wide. “Ooh, can you smell that?”
Sadly, his human senses are insufficient. “I’m afraid not.”
“On the other side.”
He weaves through the crowd, past the queue and into a starkly less crowded area.
There sits a lonely stall, with a bored merchant. And in front of her, a spread of silvery fish, glistening in the sparkling lights of the market.
Tara’s eyes grow wider.
“Pardon me.”
The merchant jumps to attention, evidentially shocked at having a customer. “Ah! On such a cold night? You are a blessing, saer — what’ll it be?”
Tara fidgets slightly “Oh, Mr. Dekarios, there’s no need, we have such things at home—”
“Just one. But that particularly large one there, if you will.”
He doubts that Tara realises she’s purring in excitement, and doesn’t bring it to her attention. He drops the fish into her paws. “A very happy Midwinter to you, Tara.”
Tara nuzzles against his arms. “Oh, Gale, you dear. Thank you.”
The queue turns out to be for a merchant’s stall claiming to sell quills made from Couatl feathers. Gale has some rather strong thoughts regarding their authenticity. Still, he looks down at Tara, who, despite still munching on her snack, is looking up at him.
It seems they have the same idea.
He dodges around the queue. “Ah! There we are,” he says, spotting what he’s looking for.
A merchant nearby is selling rather nice-looking pots of ink.
And so, when his mother arrives not a few days later, Gale feels confident in presenting her with her gift.
The ink, and an elegant quill crafted from one of Tara’s feathers.