Jennifer Jones
Stories
4
Chapters
1,292
Words
687.3 K
Comments
0
Reading
2 d, 9 h
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Tala immediately helped to mobilize all units of the caravan guards, regardless of duty rotation. Together with the sergeants, they quickly organized a search-grid, sending the guards out in four groups of five, armed to the hilt. Each group also had flares to bring attention if the children were found or if backup was needed. Ten more guards stayed back to guard the caravan with Mistress Odera, while all the passengers were made aware that they were to, under no circumstances, leave the space between the…-
211 •
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Tala swayed gently, keeping her balance perfectly in control atop the cargo-wagon as it trundled northward across the plains, bound for Arconaven. It had been a fruitful winter, especially in regards to her siblings. Tala had made great strides in rebuilding the foundations for relationships with each of her brothers and sisters. She was even corresponding with several of the older ones on occasion. Though, given that most of her time was spent between cities, they weren’t quick back-and-forths so much…
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211 •
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Tala felt that her time in Marliweather was an unmitigated success. True, things - Lunch on the first day found the three Mage Protectors sitting atop the cargo-wagon for the meal, keeping their eyes moving over the surrounding wilds. “I can’t believe you’re fully Fused.” Rane was shaking his head in resignation, even while a genuine smile pulled at his lips. “I just can’t. I can see your aura, but it seems impossible. Congratulations.” “Rane?” “Yeah, Tala?” “That’s about…
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211 •
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Tala wasn’t late to her breakfast with Mistress Odera, despite her trip to the Constructionist Guild. Mistress Odera was very congratulatory for Tala’s Fusing, as well as for how well the previous day had gone with Tala’s siblings. The older woman was definitely far more pleased about the latter development than the former, and strangely enough, Tala found herself agreeing. She was always going to Fuse, eventually, but the potential she had to reestablish her relationships with her siblings was…
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211 •
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Tala was filled with mixed feelings, and to her great astonishment, they weren’t a mix of guilt and anger. She was cautiously hopeful, while being nervous about how the next day would go. She had faced her anger and put it in its proper context. She had pulled it off of the nebulous concept of “her family,” and it now rested where it belonged: on her parents. More to the point, it was no longer a hot, burning, uncontrollable rage. Instead, it had flipped to a cold void of tightly regulated…
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211 •
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Tala did her best to not fidget as she looked around at the crowd of siblings. She couldn’t even properly enjoy the spectacular view of the city and surrounding plains that stretched out in every direction. Though, she could see hints of mountains to the east, running northward; the shadows of forests to the far south; and what was likely the sparkle of light off of the ocean to the north-west. The views weren’t unobstructed, of course. Other multi-storied structures cut off parts of the vista, but…
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211 •
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Tala left her family’s shop behind with quick steps, mixed feelings coming back to plague her. She felt tremendous guilt for having cut off contact with her siblings. She also obviously felt righteous anger at her parents for their arrogant dismissal of her potential thoughts, so long ago. They hadn’t even bothered to hear them. - Tala had given it a lot of thought. - Alat didn’t have a response to that. Tala’s thoughts returned to her siblings. She hadn’t lied to them. She would be back…
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211 •
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Tala looked up as they came out from among the trees in the park, noticing what should have been obvious from outside the city. Tala lowered her gaze, taking in the long, residential street. There were only a few shops that broke up the park-side street: a restaurant, what appeared to be an odds-and-ends type store, and her family’s alchemy shop. As they drew closer, Nalac still holding her hand, Tala saw that the family store had expanded since she’d been there, seeming to have taken over the…
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211 •
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Tala took a moment as she walked away from Viggo and Ula’s home to open Kit and speak to Terry. “Hey, in there! Do you want to come out?” She thought she saw some people give her odd looks, as she was hardly alone on the street, but that didn’t really bother her. A long, disinterested squawk was her only reply. “Fair enough. I want you to be able to get out if you want to, so there shouldn’t be any issues, but in either case, I’ll try to check every hour or so.” As Tala walked through…
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211 •
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Tala stood back up atop the cargo wagon and composed herself as they passed through the gates of Marliweather. - Alat hesitated, then sighed within Tala’s head. Tala felt a wave of panic try to creep over her as she returned her attention to the issue at hand. Instead of succumbing to the feeling, she shook her head and smiled. She went through the motions of finalizing a caravan journey. She met with the pay-clerk, gave her report, and accepted her pay. She chose to take it in hard coin this time…
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211 •
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