Chapter 14 – Finally!

  Jezza

  Lucette, Sonnja, Salem, and the others were waiting as they arrived up the wooden corridor, gathered around the hole that had gently sunk open. The trio emerged from the silver soil, bruised, exhausted – alive.

  Jezza flopped back, hardly able to get free of the earth before Djanara and her were swarmed with excited artists yammering in adulation. The sky had returned to its usual calming pink-purple haze, and the tree’s color returned by the second. Sonnja quickly ushered people away, clearing a path for Lucette to follow. Jezza had to argue to get her mom to tend to Clover and Djanara first – she’d had the least injury.

  She was just so tired!

  While Sonnja healed her friends, she allowed her eyes to flutter closed. Then, felt herself be lifted. Lucette had decided to pick her up. Normally, this would be a problem for smallfolk, but the fairy had prior permission.

  “I’m gonna fall asleep if you do that,” Jezza warned her.

  “I think you should,” Lucette teased. “After you each tell me what you’d like for a reward. I believe I know Dee-jay’s already.”

  Jezza really didn’t have to think. She’d already planned to ask.

  “I want an entrance near Woodpine,” Jezza said. “I have lots of people there who would be – good.”

  Lucette smiled her wonderful smile. In a fluid motion, fingers twirling, an oversized pink-purple seed formed in her hand. She gave it to Jezza to hold. It hummed with the same kind of mysterious energy as the mulberries in Berr.

  “Plant this when you return to your Terran home,” Lucette smiled. “Somewhere nice and secret.”

  “Somewhere nice and secret,” Jezza echoed.

  She couldn’t see while Lucette addressed Djanara – drifting off already.

  “And you, brave wolf,” Lucette asked. “If you sail far to the east, beyond the land of Crescient, there are draconic priests in Maurya that are close to unlocking true restoration. You should go see them.”

  “Maurya’s a big place,” Djanara responded.

  “Betwixt the mountains, you’ll find your tale,” Lucette said. “Rest now, both of you. You’ve earned it.”

  Jezza clung to her magic mulberry seed.

  * * *

  Clover had come to see the three of them off at the exit back to Berr.

  “Remember: very short goodbye,” Jezza said. “The very first thing I’m doing when I get home is planting the new entrance and coming back!”

  Clover giggled, nodded in understanding.

  “I’ll see you very soon then,” she said. “Thank you all again for spending Yule here. And – y’know.”

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  Jezza beamed and said: “I like being the game master more than the dice hero! That was hard!”

  They laughed together one last time, before Jezza, Sonnja, and Djanara stepped through the threshold of mulberries. Back into the normal-colored forest, the normal-colored Terria.

  The fae magic stopped hard at the border, and her sealed mana returned accompanied by a feeling of shrinking in reverse. Which, in Jezza’s opinion, felt different from expanding. Sonnja quickly went to gather a large bag from a nearby tree.

  “I have your armor,” Sonnja called, “it’s over here!”

  They waited for Djanara to don her armor, and on their way back to Sonnja’s house, Jezza finally decided to say it.

  “I meant it when I said I’m bringing you back to Woodpine,” Jezza told mom.

  “These people wouldn’t have a healer!” Sonnja said. “It wouldn’t be right. And besides, you said your campus room wouldn’t fit me in there too.”

  “If it’s a cheap place to stay you want,” Djanara said, “I know some folks that way.”

  Jezza nodded.

  “Those are excuses, mom,” Jezza said, “there are Lanya chapters in Woodpine too. Nice ones. Kind ones. Ones that can actually support your work.”

  Sonnja sighed, bit her lip. That look in her eye. The one where she knew the reasons for staying in this place had long dried up.

  They approached Sonnja’s house, now, arriving at the front door.

  “These people are about to exile me, mom,” Jezza said. “Do you really want to hang around and heal the people who exiled your daughter the rest of your life?”

  Her mom gave a great sigh.

  “And you’re sure I wouldn’t be imposing on you being your own person?” Sonnja asked. Mistrals strings, did she look old right now.

  Jezza hugged her mother.

  “I’m like you in all the best ways already,” Jezza said. “So, you might as well join me.”

  After a long while Sonnja said: “alright, honey. Let’s get packing.”

  “Finally!” Djanara barked.

  * * *

  Sonnja had all her stuff. Djanara had all her stuff. Jezza had all her stuff.

  They were good to go. Bags of holding were great.

  Stepping out the front door, it seemed the entire town had gathered out front, along with Ailred and Gene. Ailred had a big, official-looking piece of paper open, and a triumphant look on her face. She started going off on some speech.

  Jezza, Sonnja and Djanara chatted about how things would be on the boat ride back. They made their way up the knobs, followed by Ailred and Gene, who were frantically attempting to exile Jezza.

  At the top of the knob, when Brandybill’s place came into view, along with their sloop, Jezza saw Gregor, the old halfling, had joined his wife out front. She smiled outwardly. Those two had always been fine. Rare to see here but still happened. She gave them a friendly wave after descending the knob, still tailed by the townsfolk.

  “Is there a party I’m missin’?” Gregor yelled, friendly as could be.

  “Just missed it!” Jezza yelled back. Ailred paused her bullshit to shoot Gregor a confounded look.

  It wasn’t until Djanara lifted Sonnja into the sloop that Ailred noticed she was there.

  “Well now Hovelroot,” Ailred said, “you aren’t exiled! Just your daughter!”

  “I’m leaving, Ailred,” Sonnja informed her.

  “You can’t!” Ailred shrieked. “You know we need your healing.”

  Sonnja’s tired and wrinkled hand formed a fist for a moment. Then, relaxed.

  “You have everything you need,” Sonnja’s voice was so cold it made Ailred pale. “It starts with not being such a – such a – bad – person!”

  Jezza fist pumped.

  “Let’s go mom!” Jezza cheered. “You tell her!”

  Djanara, laughing, helped Jezza onto the sloop and undid the mooring line, pushing them away from the gathering of townsfolk on the shore.

  Jezza watched them all go.

  Jezza watched Ailred get small.

  Jezza watched Gene get small.

  Jezza watched them all become spuds, then nothing.

  “So, Djanara,” Sonnja said, after they’d settled in. “How can I repay you for – well, all you’ve done, really?”

  Djanara considered things.

  “Help me learn to read?” Djanara asked.

  Sonnja smiled, nodded, and said: “of course. We can start tonight!”

  Jezza emitted the gnomish for joy involuntarily. Everything she’d left behind was now with her once again.

  Jezza and Djanara were bound for Woodpine, where their stories would continue. But first, there was the matter of the paperwork! The gnome had no way of knowing her dutifully signed pre-adventure brief and soon to be written debrief would pass under the eyes of many important people. Firstly, an anxious cat-folk, then a countess, then ultimately, the lord of Woodpine City. The wizard and fighter had both forged their fates with a bit of creative bureaucracy.

  But now hold on, what was that about an anxious cat-folk?