Lyndra was up early before the crack of dawn. She didn't notice the lump on the patio furniture as she went around to do her usual morning routine. This was mostly because she never usually went out near the patio on her usual morning routine. However, today was different in that it seemed like a good day to eat breakfast outside.

After making everyone's breakfast, she put on a warm sweater realizing it was still cold out. But the sun was warm and she had cabin fever. She took her plate of food and cup of coffee and sat at the table in the middle of the patio. Ah, bacon and eggs, warm blueberry muffins and fresh baked criosants with butter and honey, hot coffee and a glass of orange juice. The smell made her mouth water. She'd start her first bite by picking up a piece of bacon ...

Nana?



"Gah!"

Lyndra nearly dropped the bacon instead of taking a bite. She managed to drop it onto her plate instead as she spun right around in her chair. Hazel hues went wide with surprise that anyone was out there, and even more that it wasn't anyone she knew. But then, they'd been getting a few new teachers lately and who's to say one couldn't cat nap in the fresh air? Maybe even preferre the open spaces to the closed ones? She thought she read somewhere that elves were a lot like that. This woman looked very elven.

"Oh! Uh... Hello!"

The smile was on as she felt herself gaining her composure.

"You must be new. I've got breakfast ready in the dining room if ye are hungry. I thought a bit of fresh air this morning sounded good. Ye are welcome to join me. I'm Lyndra, the cook. Do ye need help finding the dining hall? I forgot jam for my croisants... so it's no trouble for me to show ye the way."

She stood up, ready to escort the new person.... if it was a new person. Either way, the food was offered and she wouldn't deny anyone that necesity, especially when she could chalk up another meal to bragging time. Besides, she was sure that the Headmaster or Mistress Sha'uri would be around soon.... she hoped,hoped, hoped.

"Actually..."

Lyndra stood up and picked up the tray of food.

"It's still pretty cool out here. Come on, I'll show ye to the Dining hall."

She then headed for the patio doors, making sure the woman was following and waited on her, holding the door open.

"What was yer name again? I don't think I caught it."

"It's nice to meet ye, Cadence."

She offered her a warm smile.

"The dining room is right this way..."

She took Cadence there by the quickest route and showed her to the buffet set up along the wall where she could get whatever she wanted to eat. There were omelet casserole's, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, sausages, cheeses, fruits, and several pastries.

"Help yerself, Cadence. If yeu don't see what ye want, let me know and I'll try to get it for ye."

Lyndra moved to sit at the dining table somewhere in the middle and began to eat her breakfast again.

Lyndra had just picked up the jam and lathered it atop of her croissants when the headmaster came in...

"Morning to ye, Sir."

Her smile was bright for him.

"Ah! Mistress Lyndra, I was not aware you had a guest."

Her smile froze in a somewhat painful expression.

"Guest? Headmaster... I thought she was one ye hired?"

Her gaze shifted between the two, suddenly feeling at a loss....

Two breakfasts! She knew she was probably going to get sooOOOoo fat with this pregnancy. She didn't care. Life was good, Love was even better and she had the pleasure of eating two breakfasts! One at the Citadel wiht Triv and the other here. It was probably her favorite meal. Besides, she still wasn't even showing yet. She had a while to worry about it later.

Now, though, she sauntered in from the other end. She saw the three at or near the table, though she didn't recognize the one.

"Morning everyone. How's..."

She stopped, and watched the woman begin to just fold up like a wet noodle and slide toward the floor. What else could she do? She psionically levitated the fallen woman to gently place her on said floor. Then moved to them.

"As my son would say... what in ball blazes is going on? Who is this woman?"

Sha'uri knelt down to examine her, which didn't take but a moment to come to the conclusion that there wasn't much wrong except the extreme lack of food.

"Whoever she is, she's starved."

"Oi now...No, Sir! No issues at all. The poor woman. I just didn't realize she was so starved. Shouldn't she have just soup or something? I read somewhere it's not good for starved people to eat too much to fast."

Lyndra went to get a bowl of soup.

"First..."

The Headmaster cast a very simple spell that cleaned the young woman up.

He then walked with Sha'uri to the door but before they reached it, he touched a small gem in the door's frame. As they walked through, they were in the infirmary.

::Dreaming was good... floating on a cloud of cotton candy, snatching up gummy butterflies and nibbling on cinnamon apple rose petal confections. It was a regular sweet tooth's heaven. Warm breezes that smelled like honey and lakes made of syrup. She felt herself floating over the lakes and then being dropped down gently into a small pond::

::the splash didn' tcome but she heard voices aroound her and realized why she didn't hear the splash. She was gently bouincing on a bed as someone was putting her down. Deep breath and blinking brought her senses back as she kept herself from laying down completely. She slowly sat up, though and gazed to these people she didn't know. It was an honest question::

What happened?

::guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt....all over her face, shrinking back down into the cushy bed. She pulled the blanket from Bob closer to her, as if it could get any closer all wrapped around her like a python snake. There really wasn't no where she could run to. What would be the point of any lies....::

My name is Cadence Maycom. I kind of crashed your patio there last night. That cushy recliner was the best thing I've slept on in... well, forever. And that nice lady offered to show me the food so.. I couldn't not do it. See... I live in the..well right on the edge of...

:: She didn't want to say it, not to these people and in this place... so nice, so pretty, so beautifully attractive everything was here, everyone was. Her eyes cast their gaze down to the bed with a serious look. What's the worse they would do? Throw her out where she'd already been?::

I haven't been around people much inna long time. See.. I made my home in the garbage everybody else just throws away. Been by myself there since my Nana died cause I didn't have nothing else to go to. Edible food is scarce there and with all the dogs and cats people just forget about and leave to the wild, they been runnin the dump outta food lately. So, I ventured in town hopin to find food or maybe a job.

::Cadence brought her pretty blue eyes up to look at them now, her small delicate voice continued on::

See, the only thing I knows how to do is cleaning. Nana and me we would clean up the hog farmers place in exchange for food. But that all changed when his place caught fire an he died in it. Nana wasn't the same after that. She was old and I think her heart went bad then. One day she just didn't wake up. It was then that I really didn't know what to do. So I just stayed there in our little hut we'd made and I tried to take care of myself. I didn't do so well, what with the pig farmer, Jake Smarthy, dead. His farm got sold and the new owners tore it all down and built some other thing. I was pretty lost. And when I read that note about free ale from Bob, he's a Nightblade whatever they are and he said ask for anything nonliving, well, I got me this cloak and then he gave me this blanket .. and it gave me some hope that not all people were self rightous stuck up and stuck on themselves kind of folk. See, when Nana died, I tried to get a job but they all just threw stuff at me and told me to go back to the garbage. And when Bob was so nice to me, I felt better and so I saw the ad about all those jobs here and I thought to myself, why not a cleaner? I mean, with all those exploding horses and kids and all that stuff ... like it said in the ad, there's bound to be some stuff need cleaning up. So.. I came here to see about a job.

::she seemed a little breathless after that long, unending sentence run on one after another::

Ever since that day when Ashe showed up, her ability with magic began to click at a steady pace. She'd finally mastered the use of the cantrip and as such was quick to use it to warm up a mug of left over chicken vegetable soup. Plopping a spoon in, she quickly made her way to the infermary and set it on the table beside the bed while they were all talking. She offered Cadence a smile and then stepped over beside Briari, slightly behind to be out of the way and yet be there if they needed her.

::Cadence nodded a whole bunch to Sha'uri's comment about Bob::

He's a kind heart, he is. Gave me this blanket when I didn't even ask for it. You want to meet him? just go see his note on the public board and ask for something. He's very nice.

::She shyly nodded to Briarius, not feeling worthy enough to shake anyone's hand nor did she want to interrupt Sha'uri as she talked. She liked this woman and felt comforted by her hand and voice and took the glass of water with a thankful nod for it. she tooka sip before answering::

I haven't eaten anything in three days. Before then just a few crumbs, nothing good for several weeks. Nana died almost ten years ago.... I was only 37 then...

::by an elven standard, Cadence was a young teenager then. She seemed to still be a teenager though now barely suitable to be on her own now. The water made her stomach feel better::

Nana taught me all I knows. She taught me how to read and write some and do some math so I don't get ripped off by cheating vendors and such.. and she taught me how to take care of myself. She said I had a gift, too and she helped me use the fire. I can light fires and things. I can use it to defend myself. Nana was human but she had the gift of fire, too. I don't know much about other things. I never went to a school so I guess I have a lot to learn.

::she set the glass of water on the table and smiled a thanks to Lyndra as she took the mug of soup and began to sip on it slowly. She learned a long time ago to sip and eat slowly was help for making things seem like more::

"Mistress Lyndra, being the Head of the House Staff, do you feel the need for an actual cleaner rather than enchanted brooms and mops?"


::the cup stopped at her lips as her pretty blue eyes looked up to the woman who had found her outside, who had been so kind and that Cadence's eyes now pleaded for that one thing she knew she could do, help clean it all up::

It is a big place...

::a smile beamed wide on her face::

Oh thank you! Thanks you sos much!

::She didn't even wait to hear the headmaster. She just set down the mug of soup and scrambled out of the bed, so excited she dropped the blanket on the way over to hug the good cook Lyndra and then the Headmaster Briarius and then Mistress Sha'uri and then bounced back in bed and started sipping on her soup again all beams of a bright smile::

Do I get a room to live in here?

There wasn't time for Lyndra to return the hug, so a simple pat on her shoulder was all she managed before the spritely little thing was moving off. She had to wonder what the girl would be like with proper food and nutrition in her system. She probably wouldn't need that convenient little cantrip and could probably do it even faster. She did smile, though, and let a small little giggle out at the Headmaster's reaction.

"Yes sir, as soon as she has finished her soup, if she feels up to it then."

She watched him leave and winked to Cadence.

"Welcome to the family."

"...and see to it that she is given clothing to accomodate her wings."

With that, the Headmaster walked out...before he did, he turned.

"I suggest you rest Mistress Maycom, you have had a rough day."

...and then he left


::Large almond shaped blue hues blinked rather surprised. Self conscious Cadence looked back at her wings but they were still tucked away safely hidden. Her first thought... He could see right through her clothes! Color of the setting sun lit her cheeks with embarassment. She just looked to the other two women as they welcomed her to the family, which was very nice to hear::

Thanks to you ... Both of you are so kind. I think I will like it here. Except... well... Does he always peep through women's clothing like that? Nana always told me to hide them so .. I always thought I was supposed to.. you knows, like boobies ... not show 'em..

::it was a whisper like some conspiracy as if she was afraid of someone overhearing. She felt a little .. violated in some way and she wasn't hiding it::

Did he or didn't he, that was the question.... she was sure he'd been peeping but not like Cadence had thought. Sha'uri knew it was a combination of him sensing the wings through Sha'uri and also knowing of the various types of elves. Of course, she wasn't going to advertise her connection so.. Mirthful sapphire hues twinkled amuzement.

"Exactly, Lyndra. Though there is only one way to find out for sure. Next time you're around him, Cadence, just ask him about it. If he blushes in any way ... then you were right. If not, then there is nothing to worry about. I doubt you have anything to worry about. Oh and.. wings are not like boobies. You can show them, it's not a bad thing any worse then your nose. Though why your Nana told you to hide them is beyond me.. unless she was trying to hide you for some reason. Was she trying to hide you?"

As she talked, her gaze fell over Cadence sizing her up for a fitting.

"By the way, what's your favorite color?"

New science? The way Cadence seemed to say it threw Lyndra off a bit, brows knit and face scrunched up trying to understand it.... until Cadence finished the sentence. Then the big clearing of understanding lit up her visage. Nuisance is what Lyndra thought Cadence meant considering wings in the way would be just that.

The way Cadence spoke really showed her lack of education concerning the arts of language. It wasn't the accent, it was the use of language. Even Lyndra had her accent, slight that it was. Though, it was still cute the way Cadence spoke.

Even in her condition, Cadence seemed like a spritely, bouncy kind of person. Lyndra felt fairly convinced she'd made the right decision... except now Lyndra's delicate brow arched with the thoughts forming in her head.

It was the nagging oddity of how Cadence seemed to make no acknowledgement to Mistress Sha'uri's question, one that seemed fairly important.

Had Nana been trying to hide Cadence? Assuming so, the questions of Why and From Who circled in her mind. Her gaze locked with Sha'uri's relaying her concerns in the depths of those hazel green hues. A moment later and she looked to Cadence with a smile, though concern was still there.

"Perhaps after ye've rested some? Master Briari did say to rest. Maybe tomorrow... I'll come show ye to his office then. There will probably be some things for ye to sign, I'm sure Melody would appreciate an introduction. She's the Headmaster's assistant."

Lyndra nodded.

"Will that be all right with ye?"

::she nodded. Waiting until morning was good with her. Getting new clothes was even better, those pretty blues lit up with excitement::

Really? Brand new ones? for me?

::Cadence couldn't believe it, all for coming to work here. New bed, new place, new clothes, plenty of food, education at her fingertips and... they were already feeling like a new family. Tears filled her eyes::

I don't knows how to thanks yous all. This is so much for me and Nana would be ever pleases. I feel like I autta be outta bed repaying yous for this. I'll work hard I promises. I want to learn things, too. Thanks yous.


::On that note, Cadence finished her soup and snuggled down in bed. She hadn't purposefully not answered Sha'uri's question about hiding, she was just so excited that it went WEEEE right out of her mind. She ate little bits through the day and by morning was much better, even though she snuck out that night. She went back to her old shack to collect something. A smile lit her face as she got Bob's note and tucked it into the book she'd gotten. She took it all back to the school. It was there beside her when she woke up in the morning.....::