The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 85 - Swaying Back & Rocking Forth

Chapter 85: Chapter 85 - Swaying Back & Rocking Forth

A sigilist’s fingers traced the patterns hidden within the threads of her latest project. The dress had been sent back with all of its adjustments complete and she had gone to work at making the item further her own. Her mind wandered to the impending wedding as her features dulled.

’Maybe she was right. I want this official event far more than I claimed all those years ago.’

While thinking of how Qat had teased her, a soft gurgle from across the room drew her attention. Clearly ready to get to walking like everyone else, tiny Onya was attempting to pull herself up using a chair. The brunette set aside her work and approached her baby sister.

"Getting restless, are we?"

Mint eyes dulled further as she gazed down at the reddish-blonde tuft of hair so like their mother’s. Brown eyes stared back while linking syllables in *some* kind of response. Chubby hands reached upwards - and without any of the hesitation she used to show, Elua scooped her up.

A rush of soft warmth flooded through her while cradling the infant against her chest. Yet she had to hold back all of her spirit from the little girl, so her emotion must have seemed quite blank to the child.

"You know, little one, your big sister is about to get married. She is going to be very happy. There’ll be music and dancing..."

On a whim, Elua began to sway gently. Her facade returned enough to begin melodically humming a half-remembered tune from her past life. Her movements grew more fluid and matched the song as she twirled around the room with Onya held secure in her arms. Delighted giggles threatened to break her facade once more.

"One day, you’ll dance at your own wedding. Mother will teach you like she taught me. Though hopefully such a marriage does not happen too soon - or else I might have to have words with any suitors... even before father will."

Elua pretended not to notice Yatrel enter the room. She danced about and spoke her words as if lost in the moment. The woman leaned against the doorframe while bearing a warm smile. To see her daughters like this... she hadn’t expected to be so lucky.

"Well, I see those dance lessons weren’t wasted after all."

Her eldest’s steps ’faltered’ for just a moment before she ’recovered’. The brunette turned to face the Dame Goltbred with the little one still in her arms. The full mask of her usual ’sweet’ persona was at full blast!

"Mom! I didn’t hear you come in."

Mint eyes squinted with amusement.

"Yes. It’s not often I get to see you so... unguarded."

The woman clearly didn’t believe her, but that almost made it more fun to continue. A faint ’blush’ colored the schemer’s cheeks. She adjusted the sister in her arms while using a gentle hand to make her wave softly at Yatrel.

"Yes, well... I was just giving Onya a preview of the wedding festivities. The traditions must be passed down, right?"

Their mother crossed the room before brushing along the growing bangs of her youngest.

"Mhmm. I’m sure she’ll learn every step. Are you ready for your own dances, dear?"

Elua met the eyes she shared and dropped the facade. It would be more impactful this way!

"I’ve danced this dance before. Many times. But never quite like this. The anticipation is more horrifying than the experience will be."

The woman placed a comforting hand on Elua’s shoulder.

"Every dance is unique, my little whirlwind. And these... these ones are yours to cherish. I remember all four of my dance partners at the venue quite well, even after so many years went by."

’She hasn’t called me that since I was nine! Talk about remembering things well...’

The heiress nodded and looked down at Onya - who was starting to doze off in her arms despite being energetic a couple minutes ago. Their mother chuckled and reached to take Onya.

"Come on, I’ll put your sister down for her nap. You can go back to spending all your free time staring at that dress like it’s going to disappear if you don’t keep an eye on it."

Before they left the room together, Elua touched her mother’s arm. She stopped and turned... allowing her eldest one last ’unguarded’ moment of affection. A soft kiss pressed to the forehead of a little ’river bend’.

"Make sure her doll is there."

"Believe me I know. If she wakes up without it around anymore, she starts bawling. Couldn’t you have made it... a little less hideous?"

The culprit for such troubles shrugged and spread her hands out.

"If I did, then it wouldn’t have been the creature I wanted it to look like."

"When people find out you made it that way intentionally, they will be surprised, dear."

The reborn cultivator shook her head and ’giggled’.

"I’m the daughter of Yatrel er Goltbred. No one will be surprised what my mind comes up with - or the way one of us gets attached to something. Though I admit, she took to it well."

"What do you mean?"

The girl scratched under her chin with a look of ’chagrin’ plastered on her face.

"I truly thought she might cry because I brought it near..."

Two fingers tapped reproachfully on her forehead, but she didn’t make the same kind of noises she would if Qat had done it. She just tilted her head in question.

"Please don’t give gifts you think might frighten people, Elua."

---

The ex-Wing & Talon elder’s lair bustled with more than its usual energy. Exotic animal sounds mingled with the clinking of glass vials and the rustle of parchment as two old women took notes on some experiment. They didn’t bother to look up at the young miss on her entrance... though the illusionist could tell they noticed.

The brunette navigated the cluttered space with a bundle of armguards tucked under her arm. Each one was becoming quicker to craft as her old skills were integrated with her new small hands. She’d come today partly to discuss a more *certain* monthly allotment before she got bored with perfecting the workflow.

"Back so soon, lil’ miss?"

The old man’s voice carried amusement as his wrinkled hands - still dextrous despite the years - carefully sorted through a pile of feathers.

"I’m always eager to keep our mutually beneficial arrangements... flowing."

She set the bundle on a relatively clear patch of table.

"Another batch of those marvelous creations, I see."

His eyes abandoned his feathers and gnarled fingers traced the leather.

"Your leatherworker’s skill only seems to grow, doesn’t it? It took a while for the first ones to get back to me after our initial conversation. Though I wonder..."

He trailed off cryptically with a sly look across his weathered features. Elua tilted her head. She was sure he was about to poke at some flaw in her cover ups.

"Wonder what?"

"Oh, just pondering the appetite of our buyers. Wouldn’t you know that almost all your previous deliveries of these have been snatched up... by a single group?"

Her eyes turned aside from him as she was slightly annoyed her guess had been wrong.

’I know better than to assume!’

"Is that so? How interesting."

Her contact nodded before turning his focus back on the armguards.

"Indeed. Quite deep pockets on them. Makes an old bird lover like me wonder what they’re planning."

The reincarnator considering the implications. She knew that the objects might be used for nefarious purposes here and there. The poison filtration was as useful for emergencies in the field as it was for crafting the substance with less technical skill and safety procedures, after all.

"And would this fleeceable group happen to have a name? For purely academic interest, of course."

When she spoke, her voice remained carefully cool. The elder chuckled back while looking up to meet her mint gaze.

"Now, now. You know discretion is the lifeblood of our shadowy trades."

He turned away and started counting and judging feathers once more.

"Let’s just say they have a particular interest in... dangerously corrosive atmospheric conditions."

Understanding quickly dawned. As a hint it couldn’t be more blatant that it referred to the Saltfire Storm Alliance. However, now that she knew... she decided it was something best dealt with later. She gestured to the new batch of armguards.

"Well, as long as they’re satisfied customers. Speaking of which... how many do you estimate I should aim to please per month?"

The old man’s eyes crinkled. Considering how they did business with the lures, he expected she would be asking this soon.

"These won’t last long on the shelves either, as it were. What do you think of-"

They haggled over numbers for a minute or two, before eventually concluding their talk.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you."

The former elder nodded at her business-like tone. He didn’t think that part of her would ever change... and he didn’t hate it, either.

"Same to you, lil’ miss. Do keep those brilliant ideas of yours coming. They are making my retirement both interesting and lucrative."

Elua paused at the doorway and ’smiled’ at him with a wave before slipping back into the busy streets. Plans were already forming. Some were discarded, but the core one remained. The Saltfire Storm’s specific interest in her product was unexpected. She’d need to arrange a face to ’crone’ meeting.

’Luckily, I haven’t sent out the month’s ritual keystone quite yet~’