Awakening, Quickening

Moving In pt 1

Kyir was getting restless when they reached the inn. Harmony's feet ached, and Muse looked grouchy. "I hate hunger." she remarked. Harmony shot her a warning look, then grinned. "Me too. Hunger stinks." They walked into the inn to find Agatha setting the table with roast potatoes and fresh butter, stewed pork and a huge pile of fresh apples. Muse sighed happily. Agatha smiled. "How did your meeting with the Lord go, my Lady?"
Muse's stomach let out an audible growl, and she looked at Harmony with pleading eyes. Harmony nodded. "Muse–go ahead, then bring some up to the room. I will lay Kyir down first." Then she turned to Agatha. "We were provided a short list of places to stay, and given access to some basic information about them, by Master Jer. We took the rest of the day out walking to each of the places to look at them."
Agatha served Muse a big bowl of food. "And did ye find a place that suits your needs?"
Harmony nodded wearily. "Yes. We'll begin moving in the morning to the property in the wall, between the village and the castle. It suits our needs perfectly, but it will need a lot of work to prepare it, so we will need to stay in this room for another week or two, at least."
Harmony smiled at Agatha. "And we'll sorely miss your good company and home cooking. If you've ever a mind to, please come by and visit. We'll be glad to have you."
Agatha blinked rapidly and turned away for a moment, her face reddening. "Aye, likewise, Lady Harmony. The inn will always keep a seat open for ye, as well. I've never met a noble lady as kind as you. Or one with an elven servant, either." She shook her head, as if to brush off the idea of Harmony having any strangeness. "Don't ye worry about the Lady, Muse. Just eat. I'll take some food upstairs. I've a mind to hold Kyir while the Lady sups, anyhow."
Harmony smiled gratefully and proceeded up the steps, glad to finally be able to rest. It had been a long day, and her feet were aching from the long walk. Kyir was restless too, squirming and making irritable sounds; she knew she only had a few minutes before that would become a full blown howl. His lungs were healthy and he let them know it, anytime he needed something; but perhaps, now, she could reach him another way. Harmony settled into her armchair and propped him up to feed him, then reached out mentally, gently, guiding a golden thread of music from her mind into his mind. His eyes popped open in surprise, and Harmony felt him respond energetically, "singing" along with her using his own mental voice. It was Harmony's turn to be surprised; he knew how to do this already? How??!

Harmony sang and listened to Kyir sing back for several minutes while he nursed; apparently multitasking was another of his talents. She called out to Muse, who had finished her dinner and was walking up the steps behind Agatha. You have GOT to see this! Kyir is singing to me!

Muse appeared at Harmony's side almost at once; Harmony wondered if she had run or teleported. Harmony showed her, 'singing' to Kyir and opening her mind so Muse could observe; Kyir waved his little fists and 'sang' back, mimicking her. Muse looked stunned. But he's only three weeks old!!
I know, Harmony replied. Isn't it incredible? So much natural talent for mana manipulation... We will need to take extra care, with this little one.
Agatha entered the room with a large tray which she set on the table. She held out her arms to take Kyir, and Harmony re-swaddled him and passed him to Agatha. She propped him against her strong shoulder and patted his back, while Harmony devoured the meal. I really will miss her and her cooking, she thought to Muse. Muse agreed. yes–she has been a huge help with things I don't know anything about. What are we going to do about food at wall house? And baby help?
I don't know, Harmony thought back. That's a problem for tomorrow though. She sighed and pushed back the empty bowl and plate. Muse dutifully picked it up and trotted away, like a good lady's maid. Harmony smiled, because although she appeared calm, Muse was swearing in her mind, irritable at playing a role that required "duties"...

Over on Agatha's shoulder, Kyir burped heartily and blinked as he gazed around the room; his baby eyes were changing color, from the dark blue of newborn eyes to something different. Harmony thought she saw a hint of blue–her own eye color–but something else as well. Something deeper, almost an iridescence. "Agatha, what do you think of Kyir's eyes now? They're definitely changing color. I didn't know baby's eyes did that."
Agatha smiled at baby Kyir. "I think his eyes are just lovely. I didn't know they changed either, but I suppose each baby's different. My little Nox's were brown, and stayed brown..."
Agatha trailed off, as if she'd said more than she'd meant to. A pained look crossed her face. "Hm, well. Anyway, young Master Kyir is so handsome already. I don't know how much more lovely a baby can be. Seems he gets sweeter by the day." She chucked his chin with a gnarled finger.
Harmony nodded. "He certainly is more than I expected a baby to be. Do you know what he did today? I used magic to sing to him, and he sang back–which is truly extraordinary! When I think of how much talent he must have, just to do that at such a young age–" Harmony trailed off, noticing Agatha was gazing off into space, unaware of her parental rambling.
"Ah–Agatha? Are you all right?"
Agatha nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. I hadn't thought of Nox in so many years. He was my son, you know...when I was just a bit of a girl, I used to dally with the other fellows passing through Grebefal some nights while they were drinking, and they'd give me coin in exchange for an extra warm bed... and I fell pregnant after a short while, and had Nox. My mother said it was shameful, and cried, but I never thought it was–he was all I needed, I never wanted those other fellows around anyhow. But he was so dear to me. When he fell ill, the winter he was five years old, and passed after a long fever, Granny Jak and I made him a pyre and buried him under a stone outside town. I...I used to visit there, but I... it was just..."

                  Her voice cracked, and she stopped. She gazed down at Kyir instead, who reached his chubby baby hands up towards her face, as if to comfort her.
Harmony felt tears fill her eyes. How thoughtless she had been! "Agatha... I am so, so sorry. I cannot even imagine how much pain that caused you! I didn't know. Do you want to give Kyir back? I wouldn't ever want to hurt you..." She stopped too, afraid she'd cry. Muse stepped quietly back into the room, watching the scene impassively from the side.
Agatha looked up, surprised. "No! Lady Harmony, I don't mind... I'll always love my Nox, but...it's not the same. I'm too old to be thinking of babies of my own, anyway–and it's been so long since I held a sweet baby like your Kyir. I'd gladly hold him anytime. It's no harm to me." She smiled at him, and let him grasp a finger with his tiny hand. "I think I may miss this little one most of all, when you go."
Harmony leaned forward. "Agatha, we do have a problem, you know... Muse and Kyir, and I. We're all completely terrible at cooking and housekeeping... Muse is a dear, but she is inexperienced, and I have no idea how to go about making meals or such things. Would you be willing to come up to the castle house and teach us? I would pay you for your time, of course..."
Agatha nodded. "Yes, I would be willing. Ye can pay me in baby snuggles. I don't need coin, just a minute to hold this child is worth more than all the gold in the world." She gave Kyir a last careful hug, and passed him back to Harmony. "He should sleep well, now he's fed and burped. It's the gas as makes them cry at night." Agatha hovered a second longer, then curtseyed and made a fast exit.

Muse watched her go with sad eyes. "So much pain. Makes me wish we'd have arrived earlier." Harmony nodded. "Me too. We could have at least tried to help heal him, and Granny Jak's husband too; it feels wrong, that we came now, when everything is calm and there's no reason for us to even be here...other than Kyir, I suppose. He's a pretty good reason." Harmony laid the sleepy baby into the low basket beside her on the bed, which was made with a small flat mattress of down, tightly quilted. It had cost five silver coins from the merchants, but it was worth it to give him a safe spot beside her.