Chapter 4 - Last Breath

~ Seven cycles of the seasons - 16 Years earlier ~

Lia carefully adjusted the wooden case of her flute under her coat. Keeping it protected and out of the suddenly changing weather. That afternoon winter had finally come to their arm of the mountains. After her seventh birthday, summer had lingered far longer than it should have, keeping the early chill of autumn at bay until only a week ago. Two days into the seasonal change and winter arrived quickly in the afternoon. Lia smiled, her warm amber eyes sparkling as the first of the chill air descended the mountains, flecked with faint swirls of fine snowflakes. She laughed, her voice chiming like small bells, watching the play of the flakes as they slowly fell and settled, instantly melting wherever they landed.

In the background she could hear the clink of Orlwen’s hammer and the steady breath of the forge at the hands of Lil his eldest, the faint high-pitched squeaks of Orlwen and Rietta’s youngest trying his hand at one of Harks’s carved flutes. Lia had spent the early afternoon trying to teach him how to make it sing and after a lot of frustration he had advanced from the sound of aimless blowing to occasional abrupt whistles. She tilted her face to the dark clouds gathering above and let the crystallised ice land on her tongue, giggling to herself as she did so, tasting the pure water.

The final rays of the sun cut through the valleys, lighting the town in the moments before the clouds blanketed the sky, like a golden beacon before winter claimed it in its chill embrace. Lia bathed in the light, saying a brief farewell to the final warm kiss. Her eyes lit with the sun, giving them the fiery warmth akin to the fire of Orlwen’s forge. She turned aside, pulling the hood from the borrowed coat up high and quickly walked for her and Odessia’s home. She glanced up toward the peak of the mountain; it was already shrouded in the clouds, the snow growing thicker by the minute. Certain that tomorrow they would wake to the white blanket of winter and the time for warm hearths, stories and music by the fire.

She reached into her pocket, feeling the package of herbs and restorative ingredients that Rietta had procured for Odessia to help with her cough. Lia smiled to herself and pushed it further in, patting it gently. On her birthday Odessia also had shown her a number of books that she had had Orlwen bring from the academy. Books on basic spell-craft, history and artistry as her mother’s had been destroyed. Winter was the perfect time to read them, staying in from the cold, practicing and learning.

Odessia made it abundantly clear that she intended for Lia to attend the Academy once she was of age, and that prospect was only a little more than a year away. It both excited her and gave her a sense of dread and trepidation. To be away from the only home she knew, but at the same time exploring a new and interesting city. She had read the letter addressed to her from Chancellor Eira Lin, assuring that she would be staying as a guest and be a part of her household as Lia had no family within the city. She found it curious that the Chancellor of a city would be so inclined to offer such an invitation and whenever she asked Odessia, the old elf had refused to discuss it.

Lia looked down the road, the swirling snow growing thicker with every passing moment. In the distance she could see the corner of their home. She picked up her pace a little, glancing again as she neared, more than half of the building in view. Her dancing smile slowly turned to a frown. There was no smoke coming from the chimney, the windows she could see were dark. Maybe Odessia was sleeping like she often did. Lia shook her head, despite their natural resistance to the cold; it still made Odessia’s joints ache, her age taking its toll. She started walking even faster, she had to get the fire started and prepare some hot food. A small sliver of unease worked its way down her spine as the larger flakes of snow whirled about, the clouds closing in on the village.

She glanced in through a dark window, frowning deeply, Odessia must be sleeping, she had been more tired than normal the last few days. Reaching the door, Lia slipped her hand out of a glove. Steadying herself against the frame, she slid her boots off and tucked them in the box near the firewood. Later she would dry them near the fire. Sliding her hand across the cold wood, the grain teased her fingertips. She quietly turned the handle and carefully opened the door to the dark and cold house. It was better to let Odessia sleep. As she carefully closed it behind her, she looked over her shoulder to the hearth, the last embers still in the grate from the wood she had set before leaving after lunch.

Quickly slipping her woollen boots on, shrugging off her coat and hanging it, she moved to the fireplace and stacked a few more pieces of wood in the grate, her eyes flaring with blue flame as she concentrated on coaxing the embers back to flame. After a few brief moments the small flames took to the fresh fuel, hungrily biting into the bark and wood, consuming it with greedy abandon. Lia smiled, the flickering wash of the flames casting shadows around the room.

She placed her flute on the side table as she passed on the way to Odessia’s room, her hand on the doorknob, carefully turning it and slowly opening to check up on her grand aunt. A dim light came in through the window that looked over the rear garden, she could see the snow already gathering on the sill. Lia stood at the foot of the empty bed, slowly moving around it; it was made. Another sense of unease ran through her, a deepening frown on her brow.

“Dessia?” she said in the cold room.

A faint tremor shivered its way through her, turning quickly she looked through the open door.

“Dessia?!” she called out, sweeping from the room and running through to the kitchen and dining area.

Again, nothing. Everything was in its place. Panic started clawing at her, making her take short breaths. She rested her hand on the bench, swallowing the fear down and closed her eyes trying to still the thundering of her heart in her ears. Eyes closed, she stepped around the table and stood in the passage back to the open living area. The crackle and pop of the fire was loud in her elven ears as she concentrated.

“Ol’Ma?” she called out tentatively, her voice quiet and confused.

She could just make out a gentle sound of movement. No more the sound of a forest mouse and a faint wheeze of a sleeping mole. She walked back into the room from the other side, her eyes still unable to penetrate the shadows. Again a faint scratch. She passed through the middle of the main living area, heading to the shallow passage that lead to her room. Stepping around a side table her eyes snapped wide as she came across Odessia’s now small and frail form collapsed against the wall, her body still, unmoving.

“Ma!? Ma!?” Lia screamed out, rushing and sliding to the floor, quickly cradling the old elf, turning her face.

Relief flooded her in an overwhelming wave, Odessia still breathed; she could feel the faint stirring of her breast against her own. Immediately, azure flames burst to life, limning her arms and hands. Lia’s amber eyes flared, ethereal fire spilling out and tracking as tears down her face. She touched Odessia’s cheek, running a thumb over her brow as she caressed her face.

“Dessia? Ma? Please…” Lia whispered, “Please…”

As Lia whispered her flames grew, spreading around them, now running along the floor and creeping along the walls. Their cold flames licked over everything in their path, yet consuming nothing, their light now flooding the room in its eerie glow. She reached down and pressed her hand to Odessia’s chest letting her flames do their work. Tears now flowed freely, wetting the dying elf’s face. Slowly, the elder’s eyes opened and met her own, only one eyelid responding while the other drooped, Odessia’s hand twitched and Lia quickly took it and held it, lacing her smaller fingers into Odessia’s and holding it to her chest.

Lia swallowed hard, she could see the plea in the now sparklingly clear depths of Odessia’s one open eye. Lia nodded, seeing Odessia’s lips struggle to move. She started to rock gently, cradling Ol’Ma.

“I love you too, Ma.” she whispered.

She could see the faint trace of relief in Odessia’s eye, the hint of a last smile grace the old woman’s lips. Lia struggled to smile through the quivering of her chin. She reached out, caressing Odessia’s cheek gently before guiding some stray hairs back behind her ear. Her eyes on Odessia’s as the spark of life left them, the final stirring of breath leaving her chest, the last trembling beat of a heart that had stubbornly beat on for far too long.

A silent cry was torn from Lia as her ethereal fire raged through the house, escaping through cracks and chimney. Setting the snow alight with cold flames that drifted and flickered with the wind. The light spread through the falling snow, the whole mountainside starting to shimmer and flicker as the cold flakes continued to fall. She held Odessia’s lifeless body gently to her chest and stood, carrying her carefully to her bed and laying her down. She slowly slid a sheet and blanket up and made sure she appeared comfortable before leaning down and kissing her cheek, stroking Odessia’s thinning white hair back from her face. Lia struggled to keep her smile from breaking as the flaming blue tears fell.

She spoke voicelessly, “Goodnight Dessia. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Lia slowly backed away and gave one final look before closing the door. She staggered a few steps and slid down the wall, her strength leaving her as heartbroken cries spilled from her. Her ethereal fire continued to light the whole town with shimmering snow that fell in silence as she curled up on the floor. She hugged her knees tight to her chest, her vision blurring as her flames drained her until she passed from consciousness.

She stirred slightly, her eyes opening enough to see through the lashes. She did not respond at the sound of a fist pounding on the door that woke her before it crashed in. She watched with hollow eyes as Orlwen strode into the house followed closely by Harks and Rietta. Rietta had found her, leaning down and touching her shoulder before rushing past.

Lia’s vision started to blur, becoming hazy, feeling her moment of wakefulness slipping as she was lifted off the floor and cradled in Orlwen’s arms, one large calloused hand stroking her hair and patting her back. As everything went dark she could hear muffled voices before she once again slipped from consciousness.