Chapter: 584 – This Was Possible

Tala felt a bit conflicted about leaving Rane alone with Lea again, after having just done so the morning before.

That, along with Lea’s nightmares had made Tala rather hesitant, but Rane assured her that it would be fine. Mistress Holly had already rescheduled multiple times for them, and neither one of them wanted to have to ask her to delay again, no matter how good the reason.

Still, Tala felt very much unhappy about leaving without her daughter. She knew that Rane would be fine, but Lea…

She’s barely more than a day old.

-She’ll be fine, and you can get back to the sanctum rather quickly if the worst were to happen.-

I know… It was already done. She was already on the superficial, walking her way toward Holly’s warehouse-like facilities.

At that very moment, Rane and Lea were sitting down to breakfast. As a change of pace, both Enar and Alat were manifesting illusory selves at the table with the two to have a more ‘complete’ family breakfast.

And I’m missing it…

-Well… It’s the first of many?- Alat tried to helpfully point out.

That I’ll miss… Tala was a bit irritable.

-Oh, don’t be a downer, Tala. I’m here, so you’re here.-

I know… More than just the pseudo-presence via Alat—and the memories of her perspective that she would have easy access to—Tala did have a live view of the goings on.

She just wouldn’t be participating…

This time. I’ll be there next time. It’s fine. She’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.

She shook herself, diverting to grab three cheesy little caravans, this one modified to be more breakfasty in flavor.

As she looked rather mundane, she didn’t fault the attendant for his odd look when she picked up the three food-logs that were each basically the size of her own head… or at least close to it.

As she walked outside, she willed two into the sanctum either for her family or for later, at their discretion.

The final one was all for her.

Thankfully, it was skillfully created and wrapped, so she was able to consume it as she walked.

Huh… it’s funny. I used to count every copper. Now? The cost of this, this expense, doesn’t even register. It literally doesn’t matter to me at all.

-Ahh, wealth, how it changes one’s perspective.-

I suppose.

-Having your own lavish estate and township doesn’t hurt either.-

Tala grunted at that.

-Oh! Lea says to say hi. So… Hi!-

A smile tugged at her lips even as she took another enormous bite. I say hi back.

-She wants to know when you’ll be home.-

I heard.

-…Well?-

Tala sighed, shaking her head even as her smile grew. You know that answer, probably better than I do. But you can tell her that I will be home as soon as I can.

-Will do.-

A moment later, Tala felt a warmth well up within her.

-She says to tell you that she loves you and misses you.-

Message received. I love and miss her too.

-She says to say bye!-

Tala huffed a laugh. Bye! Bye to you too, Alat.

-Bye, Tala. Have fun.-

Lea tried to continue to have Alat convey messages to Tala, but Alat wasn’t having it, insisting that the girl should focus on those who were actually at the table with her. Tala would be back soon enough.

Finally, the girl acquiesced, and their family breakfast continued.

Tala continued to feel a warm, tight, heaviness within her chest as she licked the remnants of her own breakfast from her fingers.

It’s fine. I’ll be home again soon.

A stray thought made her chuckle, helping to relieve some of the melancholic feeling.

I never took Rane for a house-husband, but he seems to be doing a reasonable job.

He obviously wasn’t actually one, but the passing thought never went past that point as she’d finally arrived.

Tala took a moment to look up at the edifice before her. It really is a plain building.

It wasn’t like Mistress Holly needed a fancy place to impress, nor to draw in customers…

With another shake of her head, Tala pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“Mistress Tala, dear!” Mistress Holly’s voice practically slapped her in the face as soon as the door swung fully open. If she hadn’t already been moving forward, Tala likely would have stumbled backward from surprise alone.

“Mistress Holly…” Tala blinked a few times, steadying herself before continuing, “Thank you for making time for me.”

The Inscriptionist bent to the side to look past Tala, then did the same to the other side. “Oh, you’re alone?”

“Yes. Rane and the rest stayed behind today.”

Mistress Holly cocked one eyebrow, a smile pulling at her lips. “The rest being your terror bird and your daughter?”

Tala huffed. “I see that you are already fully informed, then.”

“To say that someone is ‘fully’ informed about such a thing would be an exaggeration in the extreme. I think it would be folly to say that even you are fully informed in this regard.” Mistress Holly considered a moment before shrugging and appending. “Maybe in any regard, but full knowledge is a tricky thing.”

They stood in momentary silence that was moving toward awkwardness—at least from Tala’s perspective—so she decided to change the subject. “No assistant today?”

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The Inscriptionist made a displeased face before clucking her tongue in annoyance. “No. Though, I’d have told any I did have to stay away around your visit today.” She shook her head. “Good help is so hard to find, I must say.”

Tala grunted, realizing that she didn’t really want to discuss this topic either. Maybe I just don’t want to talk?

“But! We are not here to sit around gabbing like a couple of old women. We have work to do, and magics to explore. Come with me.”