“Would you stop rolling around on the floor?”
Avis slowly rolled onto his left side and looked at Linnet in her pillow pile. She was curled up with needle and thread mending a tear in one of her skirts.
“I’m bored,” he said simply.
“No you’re not, you’re moping-”
“I am not.”
She paused her work to point an accusatory finger at him, “and it’s getting distracting, go do it somewhere else.”
“But who will I annoy then?”
“Whoever you want. Mother even,” Linnet’s long ears flicked in annoyance.
“I like her, though.”
“Even though you look like a child we both know you’re not,” Avis narrowed his eyes as Linnet continued, “act like it.”
“Don’t,” Avis warned.
She was right and he knew it. He may have the body and voice of a 5 year old but he had been that way for 7 years. He had managed to shapeshift into a bird once and been stuck in his original form ever since. Ever since she had-
“It doesn’t matter. Shut up,” he stood up and resisted rolling his eyes - he wasn’t being moody. He accidentally met Linnet’s eyes. She still looked annoyed but there was a hint of pity, overkill considering her normal judgemental gaze was enough to make him angry on a good day. He wished she didn’t know so much about him.
Avis crossed his arms and stalked out of the room. He heard Linnet call after him and didn’t stop. He needed somewhere to clear his head before he thought himself to death.
The back door to the garden slammed behind him.
“Oh!”
Avis looked up from him feet, eyes wide. He had forgotten Saeth would be working in the garden at this time. She was covered in dirt on the other side of the main plot by the pumpkins looking at him like she wasn’t sure what to do with him. He rarely came into the garden when she was working.
“Can you bring me the next pail of water?”
He grabbed the pail she indicated and shuffled it over to her. It couldn't have been more than 2 gallons but he struggled with its weight. Once he got it to her he flexed his hands and stared at them. Useless things.
“Thank you, Avis,” Saeth smiled at him and he made a small sound of acknowledgement. He continued to watch her in silence as she moistened each pumpkin vine before moving on to the small green squashes in the corner.
“Not that I mind your company but did you come out here for something or are you just watching me?” Saeth glanced at him briefly while she began weeding the plot.
“Linnet told me to mope somewhere else.”
Saeth sighed, “I swear you two argue with each other as much as you do with the kids in town. You didn’t tear her skirt, too, did you?”
“That wasn’t from a fight,” Avis lied, “and I’ve never torn her skirt.”
“Oh I’m sure,” Saeth nodded, “Linnet is just clumsier when you two are together.”
“Mhm.”
“And Kedwin’s father was lying about how his son had a nasty bruise on his arm as well, I suppose.”
“Um, well,” Avis spluttered, “I’m sure his bruises were real but we didn’t make them. And if we did there was probably a good reason.”
A really good reason. They had gone to the town square to buy fresh meat for the neighbor’s naming party in two days and almost ended up not bringing any home.
“Should we get the rabbit or some kind of bird?” Linnet inspected the hanging game animals at the stall.
“I like rabbit,” Avis said.
“I know what you like. We can get more rabbit but this bird looks fancier,” she pointed to a large red bird Avis had never seen before. The price written below it was just under their budget.
“What if it isn’t any good? Rabbit is safer.”
Linnet nodded and looked at the display thoughtfully. “Two rabbits, please!” she told the butcher and began counting out her coins.
“Only two?” Avis complained.
“It’s all we need,” Linnet placed the payment on the counter and waved the remaining coins in Avis’ face, “and we have a couple cats left for us.”
She placed one in his palm and he grinned at the mountain cat prowling on the coin. Should he get a small pastry or save it for later? He almost had enough saved up for a short dragon flight. Linnet thanked the butcher and Avis trailed after her to the bakery as he continued to play with the coin. He waited for her outside the building, the smells inside would be too delicious and he would end up buying a pastry as well.
As he waited he heard the loud whispers of someone pretending like they didn’t want to be heard. Avis closed his eyes and listened, continuing to flip his coin through his fingers in an attempt to remain casual.
“There he is, I told you he looked the same.”
“No way that has to be his younger brother or something.”
“I swear it’s him!”
Avis was used to the villagers being confused by him. For a while he could blame his lack of growth on a late growth spurt. Adults used to give him extra food, assuming that Saeth couldn’t support an extra child and was too proud to ask for help. Now he avoided coming into town as much as possible but the market always tempted him back eventually. He wished Linnet would hurry up.
“I bet his mom did something to him before she left.”
“My mom said she was weird!”
“Mine said she could use magic before anyone else.”
The coin stilled in Avis’ palm and he breathed out slowly. He heard the door to the bakery open and opened his eyes. He saw a group of boys his age, or the age he should have been, looking at him from across the small road. Linnet followed his gaze and tensed as she saw them. The group huddled for a second before slinking over, one boy emerging as the representative.
“Are you Avis?”
Before Avis could answer, Linnet spoke up, “Yes, Kedwin,” her voice was icy, “this is Avis.” He hadn’t recognized him at first, but the name reminded him of a young boy years ago that found bullying his playmates the height of hilarity.
“Did your mom curse you by taking away your voice, too?”
“I’m not cursed,” Avis cringed at the petulant sound of his voice.
“Then why are you still so small? You’re a human, right?”
“I -” Linnet put her hand on his shoulder.
“Avis is fine,” she gently shoved him in the direction of home, “if you’ll excuse us we have groceries to deliver.”
“He’s not human, is he? He’s some freak witch’s spawn,” Kedwin stood confidently in front of the group of boys, who did not seem as confident and took a synchronized step back as Linnet whirled around.
“Be careful what you say next you little brat,” Linnet’s eyes narrowed.
“I heard that she caused the storm that sank Sheula,” Kedwin spoke like he couldn’t stop the words that spilled out, “and that your mom was her accomplice. That’s why you live at the edge of town, because everyone knows that you’re all witches that-”
Linnet tackled him into the dirt, Avis scrambling to catch the bags of rabbit and pastry she let go of. He saved the pastry but a couple packages of rabbit spilled onto the ground.
“Oh yeah? Well maybe next time your sister needs cream for an embarrassing rash she can tell you all about it instead of coming to us for help!”
Kedwin yelled incomprehensibly as he struggled to grapple Linnet. She had too much practice fighting with Avis.
“Idiot,” Linnet shoved Kedwin’s face more firmly in the dirt as he squirmed. A couple of the boys ran off while the others watched on the side, too scared of getting a mouthful of dirt themselves.
“Linnet, they’re going to tell someone, let’s go,” Avis scooped the last package of rabbit into the bag. Linnet scrambled off of Kedwin and stumbled as he grabbed her skirt. She kicked at his arm until he let go and took off into a run towards the closest edge of town. Avis began running as well, his shorter legs making him lag behind.
“Linnet!” he called after her once they reached the edge of town.
“Sorry, let me take those,” Linnet grabbed the bags from his hands. “The fool ripped my skirt,” she sighed. “We should be fine out here, we’ll just have to walk the long way. Here.” She opened the pastry bag and pulled out a cherry strudel. She ripped it and handed half to him, “this will make the walk easier.”
Avis sheepishly began helping Saeth rip up weeds. They worked in silence as Avis’ hands became more and more covered in dirt. Saeth had on old gloves that were permanently brown.
“Can you tell me what happened or am I going to have to get it out of Linnet later?” Saeth said it casually but Avis could feel the frustration in her voice. He didn’t have to tell her everything.
“He insulted you.”
“Me? What do you do if someone insults me?”
“Don’t do anything but tell you.”
“Exactly,” she pulled a weed out with more force than he thought necessary, “and I know Linnet has followed that rule perfectly for all 29 years of her life, so I don’t see how the fight started.”
Avis picked at the dirt in the cracks of his fingers.
“I know there’s more to it.”
“He said I was cursed,” he mumbled.
“Cursed? Everything he knows about magic is dragon whispers,” Saeth rolled her eyes, “don’t listen to him.”
“He said she did it,” Avis kept picking at his already clean fingers, dirt forgotten.
“She who?” Saeth’s brow was scrunched in concern.
“He called her a freak.” Their eyes met. Avis felt his eyes moisten and Saeth’s eyes shot wide in realization.
“She would never do that,” Saeth said, “you’re the most important thing to her.”
“She left me,” Avis took a trembling breath. It still haunted him after 7 years, each time he thought about it hurt more than the last, knowing that his own mother had abandoned him for so long.
“She did what she thought she had to,” Saeth said, “and maybe she did. The storm stopped the next day.”
“Why couldn’t someone else do it?” Avis’ voice was thick.
“Floryane was… different. Special. I don’t think there’s been anyone like her,” Saeth contemplated for a moment, “have I told you about when we first met?”
Avis shook his head.
“It was just before the Aeldreans started leaving,” Saeth explained, “a couple years before you were born.” Avis had never met an Aeldrean but had heard plenty about them. They were powerful beings whose origins were debated by adults. Most kids thought they were cool because they were able to freely use magic and shapeshift.
“I found her just outside of town,” she pointed north, “confused and wandering with no clothes. She’s lucky I found her. She spoke Shuelan perfectly but couldn’t tell me anything about herself. I don’t know what happened to her or if she even knows, but I swear the Aeldreans did something. Gave her magic so strong it healed her instantly. Nobody has matched it yet. It’s no wonder she was so lost, it must have broken something in her.
“So I took her in and tried to bring her back to a normal life. Linnet was a little younger than you at the time. Floryane was a great help around the house and we did well enough for two elves and a stranger in this little town. But she was so curious about the rest of the world that she left us, promising to come back.”
Saeth laughed and put her head in her hands, “and years later when she did come back she was pregnant with you! She was so happy, thank Neuda you were an easy birth,” Avis cringed, “though I don’t think anything could have upset her after she saw you.”
“What I mean is I think she would be here if she could,” Saeth finished.
Avis hummed. Whenever he talked about his mother returning Linnet, outside of Saeth’s earshot, would insist she was dead. Saeth, however, always spoke as if his mother was still alive somewhere. Maybe he had to go find her instead.
“Let’s finish up out here. Can you grab the last pail of water?” Saeth was speaking gentler now, though he wasn’t sure if it was for his sake or from the memories she spoke of.
He grabbed the pail and struggled with its weight for a second before setting it down. If only he could remember how he felt the first time he shifted, he could do it again to make himself stronger. He hated thinking about the night his mother left but it was his best bet.
The wind whipped his mother’s hair around his head. They had started running together but halfway through the town he had slipped on the mud and she had picked him up. The faint lavender of her shawl comforted him, his face now buried in her chest. Mud squelched as she ran. It was the fifth day of rain.
Avis felt her slow and he pulled back to look around. With the rain coming down so hard he could barely see anything but he still recognized where they were. He would know the silhouette of Saeth’s house anywhere. The small ferns out front were barely standing straight anymore and the fort he and Linnet had built was swaying concerningly.
The wind took the front door when his mother opened it and it slammed against the wall before she could grab it.
Wincing, she gently lowered him to the floor and patted her copper hair back into place.
“Saeth?” she called, “I need a favor. Saeth?”
“I hear you,” a voice called from another room, becoming louder as the speaker appeared, “I know you come over all the time but - Etan look at you two. Floryane why did you have to come during a storm. Look at the mud! Linnet, grab me a couple rags, darling.”
The elf girl in the doorway quietly slipped away as her mother kept fretting.
“Avis is going to catch cold, take off your shoes and come to the fire.”
“I need a favor,” his mother repeated tensely as she helped him take off his shoes.
“What you need is to dry off and stop getting my floor wet,” Saeth threw one of the rags Linnet brought her onto the floor next to his mother. He made eye contact with Linnet and she raised her eyebrows knowingly. Their parents argued like this all the time.
Linnet handed him a rag, “Use this before you start smelling like a wet dog.” Avis stuck out his tongue but started drying his hair. He was going to need more towels.
“I need you to watch after Avis for a while,” his mother’s hand was on the door.
“What?” Saeth and Avis said simultaneously.
“I need you to watch Avis. Just until I get back.”
“It’s pouring out there, where could you possibly need to go?”
Thunder rumbled outside, rattling Avis’ chest.
“It’s my fault, I have to stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“The storm.”
“Mom?” Avis felt the warmth of panic spread through him.
“And how exactly will you do that? Come in and let’s talk about this.”
His mother shook her head and opened the door, wind and rain flying through. He ran to her. He slipped on the mud they had tracked in and his mother caught him before he hit the ground.
“Careful,” she pulled him upright and brushed the hair out of his face, leaving a kiss on his forehead. “Be good and stay with Saeth and Linnet for me.”
“Take me with you,” he begged.
“It’s too dangerous for you,” she mumbled into his hair.
“Then it’s too dangerous for you,” Avis felt the tears begin to pool in his eyes, “Don’t leave me.”
“I’ll come back to you.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. Isn’t that exciting?”
“No,” the snot bubbled out of him.
His mother pulled back further and he clung to her arms. He wanted her to pick him up like before. Like she always did when he was upset. Instead, she gently pulled his hands off of her and took off her shawl.
“Keep this safe for me,” she wrapped it around his shoulders, its length no longer a comfort, “Saeth.”
Avis felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Floryane. Don’t do this.”
“I have to,” she whispered. He had never seen his mother so sad.
The door opened and closed. There was silence. Avis looked through blurry eyes around the room. Saeth held his shoulder with the slightest tremble and her eyes fixed on the door. Linnet, always ready with some awful comment, refused to look at him. She busied herself with wiping the floor.
Avis didn’t understand why they let her go. He didn’t understand why he wasn’t doing anything. His feet were stuck to the floor. He reached for the door handle and Saeth’s hand held him more firmly.
In one quick motion he was out of the door, leaving only his mother’s shawl in Saeth’s grip. He looked up and down the road. Nothing. There was only one trail of footprints from them coming to Saeth’s house.
She could have flown somewhere. His mother often turned into animals to entertain him and his favorites were all of the birds she could be. She promised to teach him how to do it one day.
Avis ran into the rain. He could feel her out there, somewhere, their lives calling to each other; his heart begging to follow. He felt lighter. Faster. His instincts kicked in and he threw his arms wide, feathers exploding out of him as he leapt into the air, claiming his birthright, the ability to become anything and anyone. He had dreamed so often.
He flew across the town as a small orange bird. The joy of flight distracting him temporarily as doubt crept into his mind. He still didn’t know where she had gone. He could fly in any direction but he didn’t know which one would lead to her.
And then he wasn’t flying, he was crashing on the edge of town. That’s where he stayed, sobbing and curled in the mud, until Saeth found him.
Avis closed his eyes and concentrated. He remembered the power and the panic. The fear was what he always focused on but it was what made him fall. He thought about the joy, about watching his mother dance before him changing forms effortlessly.
“Avis?” Saeth called him back to the present, “I can get it if you want.” She took a step toward him.
“I got it,” he smiled and stood up straight, heaving the pail with him. He stood taller than he had before. Saeth was staring at him mouth agape and he felt the wind against his stomach. He looked down to see his clothes were shrunken and leaving his stomach and calves exposed.
He walked the water pail to Saeth, who was still staring, without a struggle and bent to set it down. There was a ripping sound.
“You grew!” Saeth exclaimed and looked him over, “You ripped your pants!” She was more excited about ripped clothes than usual. She inspected his face closely.
“You look just like her,” she smiled softly, then frowned, “and maybe a little older than you should be.”
“I’ll work on it,” Avis stood stiffly. He was painfully aware of how tight his clothing was now and that he didn’t have any suitable replacements.
“And I’ll have to work on getting you clothes. You’ll need something nice for the party on Belday. Let me water these and we’ll see what we can find in the house for now,” Saeth got to work watering the last plot of squash.
The door to the house creaked open and Linnet poked her head out, “Hey mom have you seen- by Etan what happened to you?”
“I’m acting my age,” Avis said snidely. He wasn’t truly upset with her any more but couldn’t resist an opportunity to needle her.
“I can see that,” she replied flatly.
“Linnet, can you lend Avis one of your old skirts until I can head to town tomorrow?” Saeth asked.
“My skirt? I’ll have to wash it twice as good if he gets his hands on it!”
“I don’t want your ugly clothes anyway, I’ll just grab a blanket and-” he gestured wrapping a blanket around himself too quickly and heard another loud tear.
“Yene take me,” Linnet covered her eyes, “you can take my best dress, just cover up. Come on.”
Linnet moved her hands to block her side view and stalked into the house. Avis followed after her obediently, grinning.