Snatching the dark blue leather strap from her pocket, she placed it between her teeth. Then she hung her head down below her knees, flinging her hair forward to let gravity take its course with the long coal black hair. Her delicate looking fingers combed through the strands before pulling them to converge at the top back portion of her head. Then she slipped the strap from between pearly whites and tied it firmly round the base of gathered hair. All were tied within save just a few errent strands. She blew her breath at the defiant locks but to no end for they merely waved at her, mocking her as they would tend.

Once she was standing again, she paused to survey the area. The cleaning crews had come and done their cleaning round the entire campus, and she had been able to bring the forge area round to her liking ... relatively. It was clean, neat and all the equipment she would need was either brand new or in good repair. There were a few things in the temple she needed to do, but that could wait for another day. Today and for the rest of the week, she wanted to concentrate on the forge and try to make some of the various weapons and equipment that would be needed for the school.

The song was hummed at first while she went about her task of stoking the fire some more. It had been quite some time since she had even worked a forge, though it was coming back to her quite easily. She was comfortable with the physical labor and even enjoyed the feel of sweat beading upon her brow and the sweet cooling sensation given when the wind would occasionally blow in through the opened door. It reminded her that she was, after all, part human.

She thought of Triv as she picked up a bucket and moved outside to get some water. Triv had been the father of her second child, a son named Bryce. The What If's played in her head. If only he hadn't died, how much different life would be now. She almost stopped humming, but shook the thoughts from her mind and continued on with her chore.

The song resumed its speed with more vigor as the words flowed from her lips. Her voice was every bit as beautiful as her mother's voice had been, even more so. It was an old dwarven forge song she sang, taught to her by an old friend. She smiled in rememberence and drew the water from the well. By the time she came back to the forge, she was humming the tune once again.

This went on through the whole process, she was always humming or singing the song while she brought the metal to be melted by the coals, poured it, cooled it some, placed it on the anvil and hammered it into general shapes. Several items were started, the beginnings to two of each: swords, daggers, shields, maces, halbreds, lances, ... all to be finished at a later date. She finished several spear and arrow heads and then decided to call it a day.

The sun had descended and was beginning to set along the horizon. It had taken her the rest of the day to do all this, and it would be well after nightfall before she was done putting things away and cleaning up. She was tired and hungry having not eaten all day, though she ignored the gurgling of her stomach.

While she put things away, cleaned and prepared the place for the night, she wondered if Bri had found his present. She wondered if he would like it or if he would just be upset that she put it in his room. Well, she did sneak in there, though it was harmless and she wanted it to be a surprise. Still, she knew she shouldn't be so ... familiar with him. It was hard for her not to. She bit her lip gently between pearly whites and continued with her task of putting things away for the night.

Exhaustion seeped through her every muscle as she moved behind the hung blanket, took off her clothes and slipped into the large tub and down into the warm bath water laced with lavender oils. She was glad that she had put it here in the nearby stahl. It would do for now until she could renovate it properly, complete with running water. That would take some time to be done ... but later.

Now, she closed her eyes and relaxed in the warm soothing water despite the gurgling protest of her stomach. No, it was not going to interrupt her relaxation. She allowed the oils and thier scent to ease away her aching muscles and worries ..... until sleep began to overtake ....

She began to dream ... imaged flowed from her memories in a chaotic stream. Torrents of thoughts rushed through her mind until Lightning cracked across the sky. Sha'rui was startled from her unconscience state. Her mind vaguely put some sense to her dream.

She had images of her mother beside a grave and remembered now the name was Bri's. Her mother had screamed for him, cried tears that ripped through her soul and left a puddle there on the ground where a single rose bloomed. Yes, her mother had love Bri so much that it changed her when he was gone.

Images of her life with Bri seemed to flutter through it's course until she realized the dream was donw. There she was in the tub and it was raining cats and dogs outside.

She quickly got out and got herself dressed, then made a dash across the way intending to go to her room. She was soak and wet by the time she got to the building and made a detour to the kitchen for some warm tea and food.

She set the tea kettle on the stove and then stared out the window at the storm. Several minutes went by before she realized she could see someone standing out there. Lightning crashed through the sky and there stood Bri staring up at the rain as she whistle blew.

Quckly pouring the hot water over the bags in a tea pot, she set the kettle back on the stove and looked back outside. He was still there.

"What is he doing?"

So back outside in the rain she went, moving quickly to him with a smirk upon her visage.

"Hey! Are you trying to catch your death or what? Guess I don't have to worry about Job security with you around. Heh heh.... Bri, come on... I've got tea brewing."

He looked at her.

"What do you mean, 'ride'"?

"I...I...don't think that would be wise."

The abject terror that overwhelmed him was very apparent.

The Headmaster looked as if he were about to weep. He wiped the rain from his face and regained some composure.

"What you left for me?"

He stared at her for a bit.

"You are lucky I am no longer the powerful archmage I once was...you would have been vaporized."

He chuckles a bit and heads towards the Headmaster's house.

"I will"

He continued on his way to his quarters. Just before entering the house, he looked up and stared one more time.

As he made his way into his personal chambers, he spotted the Bag of Holding.

"How very nice. I was wondering if I should reinvest in one of these."

It was then that he spotted the beans.

"Something to experiment with."