While Escaping Fate | ✗

VIII. A Weaver's Sister

"That's a lot of smoke," Captain Darcy said, coughing and waving his hands through the air to disperse it. He squinted through the grey air at the silhouettes of his daughter and son.

"I know, I know," Devany said, a hint of shrillness tingeing her usually calm voice. "Daegan made me close the window, so it can only escape through the chimney." She was throwing wet rags upon the cackling flames as she spoke.

Devany's day was not going well. She had been proud of Daegan at his coming-of-age, but then she had met Evonne, who had arose in her a multitude of opinions she knew not what to do with. When Daegan had mentioned how Evonne would be dining with them, her father had been most displeased. Captain Darcy did not explain, but he recognized the name of Evonne. They had some sort of history together, and it had not been good. Devany suspected her father knew it was actually she who was responsible for the invitation being extended.

Truthfully, Evonne of White Hawk reminded Devany of her own mother. Her memories of grew more vague with each passing season, but Evonne had that same indescribable charisma as Devany's mother.

Ever since her mother had died, Devany had been the woman of the house. She was not good at it -- something she knew Darcy found disappointment in. Now she had someone to impress, and she hoped she wouldn't be found lacking.

"It's raining, Devany," Daegan said, with a touch of asperity. "We can't open the windows."

Captain Darcy showed his daughter his wet hair, dark and slick. "I was just out in it. It's starting to come down badly. Do you think your friend will still be coming?" There was an acerbic bite to his tone. Devany knew that whether or not Evonne fought her way through the storm to attend this dinner, her father would still find fault with the lady.

"I do not know," Devany said. She stubbornly refused to regret her decision to invite the mysterious woman from Daegan's party. In the few moments they had spoken, she witnessed Evonne's total conviction expressed in every line of her body. Devany wanted to know what made her believe in her cause so much.

Always, Devany had avoided feelings. That was one thing they did as a family. However, Evonne woke her up to new emotions. When Devany simply thought about how Relie would die, she felt a raging sense of unfairness. She knew herself to be a coward that feared grief, but this was different from the aching sorrow she had felt after her mother had died. Then she had been crippled. Now she was energized -- she wanted to make a change. She did not necessarily know what kind of change she aimed for... but her first step was to invite Evonne over. Devany had the instinctive feeling that Evonne was the type of woman who accomplished much.

Devany, though? Devany could barely cook Daegan's birthday dinner without the threat of suffocating them with smoke.

"I thought it was going to be a mild storm," Daegan said, distracting their father from his thoughts about the guest possibly about to arrive.

Captain Darcy frowned, sitting down at the rough hewn kitchen table. It operated more as Devany's extra counter space, but sometimes the family partook of a meal at it rather than the elegant table in their dining room. There was something comforting about eating while the crackling fire smoldered in the background. Devany sometimes thought her father was more relaxed when he ate in the kitchen. Maybe it was because he used to spend hours in there with Devany's mother while she cooked.

She doubted even dining in the kitchen at the beloved table would alleviate Darcy's deeply etched frown.

"This is a strange storm," Darcy said uneasily to his son, glancing out one of the windows. "I was speaking to some of the bargemen coming in, and they said it came upon them with more suddenness than a storm ever had before."