Chapter Text
There was a sound of rustling leaves as a child made their way towards the clearing. The sunrays were vibrant gold amongst the shaded trees. Illuminating the forest floor. The birds sang brightly as if welcoming the child into their home. There was a sound of water trickling past as a nearby creek bubbled away. To say that this place was a safe haven for her was an understatement. She could get lost here and not feel the least bit scared. The forest was her home, it enveloped her in its arms keeping her safe and warm in its embrace. When the world felt like too much on her tiny shoulders. She would escape here, to this clearing and listen as the forest sang to her.
In spite of the safety the Atelier provided and the caring arms of her master. No matter how comfortable it felt there. There was always that echo of burden. The feeling of overwhelming propriety and the weight of the need to right the wrongs in which she committed. No matter how much the magic she was now exposed to brightened her world. There was always an Absence that bled into her consciousness. Maybe, there was a time when she believed that she could save her mother. Maybe there was a time when she felt like she could solve everything. But what was she? Who did she want to be? Her master once told her plainly.
“There is no reason to be a hero, when you have family waiting for you to come home. If you feel as though you must solve the world's problems then you will crumble under the weight of it.”
In time she learned. She learned that she was just human. A child, though the fire still rested well within her. She felt less of the need to quench it and more like she wanted to be engulfed in it. As she lay herself amongst the grasses and leaves. She notices how simple it was to just lay there and be. To listen…to hear what the forest wanted to say. Feeling cradled in its arms as she did when her mother was with her. Maybe she felt disillusioned by its whimsy, or maybe there was an unforeseen force that provided that comfort when she needed it. Either way, her eyes fell closed as she listened to the hum of the forest. The music the forest allowed her to listen to. If only for a moment.
….
Time seemed endless here, yet no matter how she felt of it the golden hues of the evening sun pulled her in the direction of home. As she opened her eyes getting ready to leave, she noticed the Smoke colored fabric of her masters robes draped over her. As she turned her head, there he sat in the clearing, simply reading a book. Waiting for her to wake. It took only a moment for him to notice. Closing his book with a ‘snap’. Before fondly looking at her. Taking a hand and resting it on her head.
“Ah! Hello there sleepy head” he says as he pulls a leaf from her head. “You’ve been venturing here as of late.”
“It makes me feel safe,” she says as she lifts herself from the ground. Rubbing her eyes and glancing around her. It really was getting quite late. “I didn’t mean to sleep so long, I guess the birds sang me to sleep”
Her master chuckles before standing and holding out a hand to her. “Well, I’m glad they gave you a sense of peace. But remember that it can also be dangerous as well. Especially at night” He comments. As she takes it he lifts her into his arms and takes to the skies heading in the direction of the Atelier.
Sure, there was a sense of peace in their home. She never grew tired of the smell of fresh baked bread, the laughter of Tetia as she chatted about her day. The sleepiness of The watchful eye as he stumbles into the kitchen. The warmth of the fireplace as it crackled away in the hearth. Yet there was something in this space that was missing. Something that she had forgotten she once had.
She moves away from her master's shoulder as they fly. She left her selph shoes at home and wanted to simply escape the ease of magic for the day. “Master, have you ever created music through magic?” She asked. When she was with her mother, She took music lessons once a month when the merchant came. He had a hammered dulcimer that he often played for her as her mother took his order. Eventually, he taught her how to play. At the age of nine, the musician told her mother that she had a talent for it and that he wouldn't mind if she played at the next festival. Unfortunately, that time never came as he was attacked by bandits.
Her master disrupted her thoughts. “Oh yes! There are many ways to create music from magic. Though there are restrictions as such magic could create harm to people through sound manipulation. We do have musicians that play at the silver eve festival. Though none through magic.” he says. “I personally have never created any as I’m not much of a musician, but why do you ask?” they start to descend towards the front door.
“Um well.. I was just curious. I used to play until a year ago. I kind of miss it.”
Qifrey looks at her stunned “Wait, you mean you play music?”
She looks at him confused. She guesses that she never told him. With everything that happened, leisurely play was not necessarily on her mind. “Uh, yes! A visiting merchant taught me how to play a hammered dulcimer. He unfortunately passed, and I hadn’t been able to play since, but I miss it very much”
Her master studies her for a moment. “I’m surprised you never said anything. We would have given you one.”
At this she throws her hands in front of her. “Oh! No master thats not necessary-”
“Coco, Yes it is! You live here, and if it's something that you enjoy doing. We have no problem getting you something like an instrument.” He teasingly ruffles her hair and opens the door to their home. “Do you know where they sell them?” he asks.
“Uh, no. Though the merchant taught me how to make one. In fact I had finished one a little while before…” She paused, not wanting to think about all of the things that she left behind.
Her master’s jaw dropped as she explain. “Wait, you know how to make one?”
“Yes! I made one as a way to learn on my own.” She says as she fondly remembers how accomplished she felt when the merchant excitedly approved of her craftsmanship. “I’m thoroughly impressed with this level of skill. You wouldn't be able to tell that it was made by a child!” the merchant had said, as he inspected her work carefully. He even played it, and noted how clean it sounded, not being able to tell the difference between his own and the one she made. “Clearly, your experience here in this shop allowed you to learn detail!”
Her master's voice jilted her out of her thoughts. He placed a hand on her head as a way to soothe her. “Olly, you there” he asks towards his partner's workshop.
The door opens and the face of Olruggio peers out.
“Yea?”
“Have you ever gotten around to cleaning the back workshop?” Qifrey asks as Olly makes his way over. He stops suddenly as if reminded.
“Ah, sorry. No” He says. “Why?”
“Because Coco has use of it.” Qifrey says, smiling down at her.
“Its no place for a child to be playing in, Qifrey” Olruggio says, concerned.
Qifrey places a hand on his partner's shoulder and smiles wide.
“Well isn't it wonderful that after you clean up the mess you made, it will be fit for a child to work in?” Challenging him.
“Qifrey, what could she possibly need it for?” Ollys, says attempting to put his foot down and failing miserably.
“Coco here says that she would like to make something from her childhood and I am allowing her to do so,” Qifrey explains. Meanwhile, Coco was watching the exchange and wondering if she should put a hault to it. Though the look that her master threw her way told her that this was something that Olly needed to do anyway and he wasn't going to listen to her objections.
Olly, then peers down at her seeing if she would take his side. When she didn’t, he sighed.
“Alright, I’ll get to it. But I'll need a couple of days at least. There are things there that I have to shift through.” He says, heading to the door.
“Good! Please leave the wood working tools. Coco will be using them.” Qifrey then ignores the questioning look. Steering Coco in the direction of the kitchen. He was leaving no room for argument in this. What Coco wanted, she was getting.