Enar's Vacation - Open Beta

Chapter 46

2381 Words

This is a beta version of Enar's Vacation. Changes can - and probably will - be made as a result of reader feedback. I hope you'll enjoy it and I hope you'll take the time to give me some feedback. It will help me make this story the best it can be.

+++

Done with the clothes he picked up the blanket again. He draped it over his shoulders and tugged the sides around himself. "How's it going?"

"Bad. I'm not finding anything to light the damn thing." She grumbled something under her breath and sighed. "I'm going to have to do this the hard way. Would you mind coming over here?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"I'll have to make a weaving and I need you to be ready to catch me if I fall over."

Enar's jaw fell. "Really, you can do that?" He stared at her.

"Yeah." Amanda sighed. "I'm not very good at it. If I do anything more than light a candle I tend to lose my balance when I release the weave." She patted the side of the stove. "If this thing gets hot I don't want to fall into it."

"No, I mean..." He fidgeted. "You can do a weaving? On your own? I had no idea. That... that's awesome."

Amanda's cheeks turned red and she busied herself putting another stick of firewood into the stove. "Yes, well... It's no big deal." She grabbed another stick of firewood and busied herself putting into the the stove. "I've got no flow and no control, so I can't really do anything but small flames and lights."

"Yes, but still. It's really rare isn't." As a kid he'd always dreamed of wielding magic, and doing it all on your own was totally the coolest. "Most people can't even do that."

"Mmm..." Amanda sighed. "Will you help or not?"

"Yes. Yes of course." Enar gathered up the blanket and hurried over to where she sat beside the stove, almost falling over the little coffee-table. "How do we do this? How long does it take? Do I put a hand on your shoulder or something." He hunched down to sit right beside her. "Can I watch?"

Amanda glared at him. "It's really no big deal. Just keep an eye on me and if I start falling over you catch me, okay?"

"Okay, okay. Sure." Enar frowned and shuffled away a little to the side. "I'm sorry. It's just... I've never seen anyone do magic on their own before - for real I mean."

"No, it's okay, I'm sorry." Her shoulders slumped and she stared down at the floor in front of her. "I'm just a bit nervous. It's difficult."

Enar nodded, but didn't say anything.

Amanda shrugged and rubbed her hands together. "Ready?"

"Wait!" His hand shot up to stop her. "I just thought of something."

"Yes?" She turned and looked at him, her lips tight. "What?"

Enar squirmed. "I saw some stools over there. Maybe you'd be safer if you have one to sit on?"

The tension left her eyes, and a faint smile tugged at her face. "Yes, please. Thanks." She even blushed - a little. "That would be good."

"I'll get it." Enar bounced to his feet. "Just a moment." He hurried over to the other end of the room, grabbed two stools and brought them back - without dropping his blanket. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Amanda adjusted the stool until it stood right in front of the hatch of the stove and sat down. She turned to Enar and grinned. "Anything else, or are we good to go."