So, the band I've most recently discovered is Icon for Hire. I have to say, I've become a huge fan of their music. Not only do they have a really talented female lead, but their instrumental sound is pretty unique as well. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with the lyrics, but they're worth going to look up. Some other artists I love are Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch (although I'm not a fan of that name), Evanescence, and Within Temptation. And then there are a few out there ones that I listen to like Hayley Westenra and the Celtic Woman. Seriously, they have amazing voices. I've always thought it'd be nice to be able to sing like that, but I just don't have the vocal chords. So I picked up a violin instead.
I'm done. You may read now.
I stare at the ceiling, deep in thought. Yesterday, Eclair didn't show her face. Since I returned from my encounter with her two days ago, I haven't left the house. Would this be day two or day three of my 'Eclair watch'? Maybe it's day two and a half. Whatever, I'm just glad she hasn't appeared yet. None of the children have mentioned seeing a strange woman, either, which is pretty reassuring. Although unlikely, it makes me hopeful that she might've left town. This is a small place, after all. If all twenty of the younger ones haven't seen her….perhaps she's gone.
Oh, the children! I sit up in bed, scanning the beds around me. Some of them are made neat, most them with sheets strewn, but not a single one has a child resting in it. Even Kyoya isn't here, and the faded red curtains haven't been drawn. Where is everyone? I throw off the wool blanket atop me, bare feet padding across the floor and I dart to the stairs and descend them two at a time.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
I miss the last step and fall, scarcely managing to grab onto the banister to support myself. Everyone stands around the table smiling, a banquet splayed across the wooden surface enticingly. Mother is closest to the staircase, her age old apron splattered with new spots. I take in the scene silently, still hunched over from lunging for the handrail.
Finally, I sputter, "W...What?"
Mother pinches my cheek, causing me to yelp and straighten. "You forgot your own birthday, didn't you?" I rub my cheek, comprehension slowly dawning.
"Oh!" My eyes widen. "I'm turning sixteen!" I've never been one to pay attention to dates like this, but especially with everything that's happened this past week, it completely slipped my mind. "B-but this is way too much, Mother! How much did all this food cost? A party for twenty-six people isn't something we can afford!"
"Don't worry about all that today," she laughs, crossing her arms. "Besides, a lot of it was donated from the townsfolk. All I had to do was cook it all."
"We even got cherries." I look down at Haruhi, who's holding a small bowl filled to the brim with the red fruits. She takes one and pops it in her mouth, spitting the pit out after chewing. "If you don't want them, I'm going to eat them all."
I can't help but giggle, rounding the banister and stealing a handful from the bowl. "As if you would." A pressure on each of my shoulders indicates the presence of the twins.
"Happy birthday, Mari!" they chorus. Honey is practically salivating over the sweets on the table, Mori inconspicuous behind him. Kyoya leans against the wall, readjusting his glasses.
"Shall we eat, then?" the elf asks.
I nod. "Yes, definitely."
We don't have enough chairs for everyone to sit for a group meal, but most of us choose to stand anyway. The only two we know to be blood siblings, Sora and Junko, chase each other around the room. I don't stop their brother-sister feud over food, too entertained to interfere. Haruhi is the only one other than Mori to remain quiet, only speaking when spoken to. She sits at the head of the table, the only one actually eating off a plate. Even being discluded from the chaos around her, her smile reaches whoever sees it and gets a grin in return.
I stand aside with Kyoya and the twins, only occasionally diving in closer to the table to sneak a few more bites of food. The cherries are the first to run out, being one of the foods we rarely get ahold of. There are more types of rare foods here than we've ever had together before. A lot of them come from traveling merchants that only pass through on a great occasion. But, like Mother requested, I don't question it. Just for today, I won't worry about finances. I would be lying if I were to say I haven't always wanted to have a feast like this, but I accepted and assumed I'd never get the chance. Just for today, I'll allow them to pamper me.
When the last of the children have calmed, moaning and groaning about how full they are, there's still a substantial amount of food left over. The leftovers promise good eating for a full other day. Ogling at the surplus as Mother stores it away, I find myself excited for the mid day meal to come. When it's all out of sight, she opens the corner cabinet closest to the ground, pushing aside all the herbs and spices to reach something in the back. What she pulls out is a tiny, polished, reddish wood box.
"And here," she says, sitting down at the table facing me, "is your birthday present."
"You even got me a present?" I gape. I don't think she's ever spent so much on- No, I won't think about money today. Tomorrow, though. Tomorrow I'll rave to her on how she shouldn't waste so much even on a birthday. I sit in the chair next to her, holding out my hand to receive it. However, she doesn't hand it to me. Instead, she looks down at the box with a nostalgic look in her eye, something I haven't seen since Father died. Since that happened, she hasn't really looked into the past at all.
"To be honest, this is from you mother. You're actual mother. She left it with you, along with the map, with a note saying to give it to you when you became an adult. I think she wanted to be sure you were responsible, so you could properly take care of something so valuable." She opens the case, revealing a gold chain. A single, ovaline garnet gem lays attached to it, glinting as the first rays of the day hit it from a nearby window.
Catching myself with my mouth hanging, I close it. This is mine? That can't be right, can it? I can't bring myself to ask, for fear that she might say no. She wouldn't do something like this as a joke, but this can't belong to me, right? I'm just a orphaned witch. Orphans don't possess treasures like this.
"The note said it was a family heirloom," Mother continues. "She apologized for abandoning you, hoped you grew up to be worthy of the gem. She said that she didn't deserve something so precious, but that you should grow up to, in a proper and loving environment. I think she left you here because she had to, not because she didn't want you, Mari. If I were to guess, she probably went looking for the best orphanage to house you and spent a long time on it. The note made it sound as if she looked for the most reliable orphanage, that would give you the best family feel." She smiles widely, lifting her head to look at me. "When I realized that, I felt so honored! She entrusted me with her precious daughter. Seeing you grow up over the years...it's made me so happy, Mari. Perhaps this is a bit selfish of me, but when you told me you didn't want to be adopted out or leave to live on your own, I was delighted. You and all of your siblings...you've all become the joy of my life!"
I can't say anything. No words come to mind as tears drip down her face. Unable to think of anything else, I throw my arms around her. She holds me in her arms so gently. Something in me breaks, and I also begin to feel my cheeks moisten.
"Y-you're the best mother I could ever ask for!" I stammer, face hot. I sit back quickly, remembering the children and the guests, and wipe the water from my eyes. Gathering herself as well, she takes the necklace from its resting place and lowers it over my head.
"Sixteen," she shakes her head. "I can't believe you're already sixteen."
The red jewel hangs lightly, and yet somehow still heavy, around my neck. I hold it up away from my breast, awed by how it catches the light so delicately. Dark hair tickling my cheek causes me to jerk away, Kyoya having leaned in inches away from me. He examines the gem from over my shoulder. His eyes don't hold the wonder I'm sure mine had, but instead seem to be trying to decipher some sort of puzzle.
"Can I see that for a moment?" he implores. Not removing it from around my neck, I move the jewel into his hand. He holds it up in front of his glasses, and then, to my bewilderment, sniffs it. I snatch it back.
"What are you doing?"
"A family heirloom, huh?" he ponders, leaning back. "I'm curious as to how your ancestor got ahold of that, or if she even knew what it was. Your mother obviously knew it was worth something, but I doubt she would have given it to you if she'd known the true value."
"What? What do you mean?" Yes, I'm sure it's expensive, but she wouldn't have given it to me? In that case, just how much gold could it go for?
"It's crystallized elf blood."
"Elf blood?"
He pushes up his glasses. "Yes. Just a stone that big is worth a fortune. Do you remember that medicine I gave you the first time we met? Remember that ingredient you called...I believe you thought it was sap? That was some of my blood mixed with a bit of crushed sage. That is the reason I refused to give you any more."
"You mean," I gasp, "that elf blood has the ability to do that?"
He offers a small half smile. "There are very few things that can mortally wound us, and even fewer diseases that can infect us. Although, mix it with the blood of a nymph and the blood will fight. The blood types are just too different."
"What're you talking about?" Haruhi interjects. I look over at her before looking back to Kyoya.
"He's just explaining to me why I should treasure this," I sort of explain. "But Kyoya, how do I use it if it's crystallized?"
"If you put it in your mouth, your saliva should liquify it. Only do so when necessary, though. It takes hundreds of years to solidify, so it won't be portable again once you do."
I clench my fist around the gem, holding it over my heart. I will definitely never let go of this. I don't care how it came into my possession, but I'll care for it with the best of my ability. If there was a chance that I might've sold it for the orphanage before, that's evaporated now. A life is worth much more than any copper, silver, or gold coin.
"You're it!"
I jump as Sora finally catches his sister. They must have restarted their game once they could both move. Smiling, I laugh. This has to be the best birthday I've ever had, and it isn't even halfway over yet!
Noni nudges my leg with his nose, tail swishing back and forth. I scratch under his chin, standing.
"Let's go outside," I decide. The sky is cloudless this morning, the sun already warming the earth with its fire. Most of the kids are already out, running around and sitting under the shade of trees. There are even a few children from families who've come to play. With such a normal, peaceful setting, it's easy to forget about Eclair. It's easy to forget about Umehito's foreboding prediction.
It's easy to forget about that dream.
Happy Birthday Mari! The other villagers must really like her to donate all that food. She does get out a lot, being the one who runs errands and all. She also completes little jobs here and there like the picking herbs for Umehito. Anything to earn a little extra coin for the orphanage, you know? I've found elves to be pretty godly in this world. Instead of invincible vampires, this universe has invincible elves. Lucky Kyoya. Although, with the healing ability their blood has, I imagine it's lead to some pretty brutal elf slaughterings in the past to attain it...just a thought. I'm trying to make this story lighter than my previous works. I think I've done alright so far, don't you? Mari doesn't have some dark past or anything. She was abandoned, but that doesn't particularly bother her. She's perfectly happy with her makeshift family. I'm not a naturally optimistic person, though, so we'll see if I'll be able to keep this light vibe going.
Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!