Asheville-whee! Tallis-whee! Jan-whee! Paul-whee! Jennifer-whee!

[tinhuviel]

After I got off work, Aunt Tudi, Llew, and I hauled arse up the mountain to Asheville to meet up with falkenna, her sister janalyson, her boyfriend paulpearson23, and Jan's daughter Jennifer. We met at Malaprops and moseyed our way around downtown Asheville for a while before landing at Jack o'the Wood. The last time I was at Jack o'the Wood was when I was still managing Kilmoulis and hopelessly devoted to The Harpist. That was ten years ago, but it was enough to worm its way into The Chalice.

After Thaddeus spoke to Dare and sent her home, the four friends went to Jack of the Wood on Patton Avenue, and got a table near the back of the Irish pub. Thaddeus was nursing a Woodchuck while Kelat enjoyed an Irish Crème. Paine drank nothing and Agatha down hot coffee as quickly as the waiter could refill her cup. She drank coffee when she was upset or nervous. Right now she was ingesting copious amounts of java. Sitting in a bar with three Vampires tended to rattle her nerves just a tad.

The music in the pub was live, a single dulcimer and harp player near the front of the establishment who was totally engrossed in his music. Kelat watched him intensely, admiring how every fibre of his being was one with the music he was making and the instrument with which he was making it. He had the blood of bards coursing through his veins and it made Kelat want to partake of his life essence and absorb this musician’s soul. But she would not do that. She hadn’t the right to deprive others of this artist’s weavings for her own selfish gratification. No. She would listen to his music and dream of days when such music was being taught by her people to the childlike human race.

Getting lost in the music of this gifted soul, Kelat reached back to the days when Elves walked among humans. In her mind, she could almost see the musician’s chain of ancestors spanning history back to the precise moment when the Tarmi placed the ovoe into human hands and first uttered the melody of ages. While Thaddeus got to know Paine and Agatha, Kelat thought about the ancient times, when music was language and everyone sang. Those days in Thessalonika were precious to Kelat. She thought of her mother and father, and how they created instruments of music and taught them to the people of that land. The kithara was a descendant of her family’s creations. She pondered on the mornings when she and her brother Thiyennen would play tag in the fields of Thessalonika with the human children and other Tarmi children, their days filled with naught but joy and illumination. Kelat was named for her mother’s title in the tribes: Kelat’Menan, the Mother of Memory. It was ironic that her name meant memory when, sometimes, Kelat felt that all she has was her precious collection of memories. When her mother passed on to the Summerlands, Kelat inherited the title and became the tribes’ Mother of Memory, scrying, healing, and teaching. She was the last Mother of Memory for Thessalonika and the Carpathian regions for, after the Apostate’s curse, the humans withdrew from the Tarmi, forsaking the old knowledge and the teachings of the gods. Fear replaced familial ties, distrust replaced alignments older than the cries of the wolves.

In her mind’s eye, Kelat could see her brother, young and handsome, with an endless hope for the future. It was he who had wanted to move northward, to bask in the majesty of the mountains and reach out to the people who hadn’t yet met the Teachers. And they were a beautiful people, the Welas. It was among them Kelat found her soul mate for the first time. And, since then, from Daddwyd to Lleinisch to Merdin to Dmitri, who accepted immortality and dwelt always by her side, if only in spirit, Kelat had loved only him. In sorrow for all the lives that had been lost and all the chances missed to grow and do the spirit dance with Thaddeus, Kelat felt the tears sting and strain to be released. The music of the harper began to pain her, bringing forth a dull ache that never quite went away. Shaking herself, Kelat brought herself back to the present and to the odd couple sitting before her.

Delightfully so, the event was one of good times, good friends, good fellowship, good food, and good spirits (more than one). I really like Paul and I believe that falkenna has chosen wisely in Man Servants male companions. It was great to see janalyson and her daughter again. I don't know Jan very well, but I'm amazed at how easily we get on. Our conversation is never lacking. I believe that Aunt Tudi had a blast of a time and that Llew was glad to have finally gotten to meet some of my dearest friends.

I took a bunch of pictures and so did Paul. I promised falkenna and janalyson that they could see the photies and approve them before I posted any, though, so visuals of our fun day will have to wait on them. Le sigh.

I'm a very sleepy soul. But a satisfied one as well. It's good to be with friends, especially after trying days with the promise of more to come.

Comments

[flutterbychild.livejournal.com]

Sleep well, Tin.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

I did. Like a dead woman.

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

::tacklehugs you::

Glad to hear you had a great time and I envy you getting to meet with falkenna. Again I lament the distance between us.

And WOOT! for

Chalice

excerpt! It's totally brill, Tin!
I love how your love of music informs the writing and that you can incorporate your affection for Jack O' the Wood into the piece seamlessly.

Sweet Dreams, luv.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

That Chalice excerpt has always been there, so it was really weird to go back to Jack o'the Wood after including it in the book. Someday, we shall meet. If Tallis and I can see one another more than once and she's in England, we can surely conquer a few miles.

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

::holds head::
I must have brain farted reading it. Not really a surprise of late, I'll tell you.

And yes. Distance shouldn't be a hurdle. :)

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

*hugs and snuggles*

One of these days I'll get up to your neck of the woods and meetcha.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

I'd love to do that!

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

Huzzah! :D

[moad-terran-hq.livejournal.com]

Wow. Tin, being social, and enjoying it even. Will wonders never cease....

Glad to hear you and the clan had a fun day - you all have most assuredly deserved one as of late. (Very glad to hear that Llew is doing well enough to spend a day out and about too!)

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Wish you'd been there.

[tru2myart.livejournal.com]

:reads: I like it!

Sounds wonderful. :hugs you tight: And exactly what you needed.