Side A – Nia
They did not run. Nia and Yasgrid took their time, despite the fact that Nia’s long legs could have covered the distance back to Gray Falls with strides ten times longer than she could have managed as an Elf, or that Yasgrid was capable of leaping twenty times farther than Nia could have hoped to match.
“Think it’s our fault?” Yasgrid asked from her perch on Nia’s shoulder.
“I’m going to say ‘yes’ in the very general sense that we’ve stirred up so much change here that anything unusual which occurs is probably a result of something we did. In terms of these specific fires, or whatever’s going on down there though? I’ll go with ‘no’ for that.”
It probably wasn’t a good sign that the fires smelled delicious. Food, meat specifically, ready to bite into, or dip in a sauce and savor for bite after bite. Nia shook her head to get the image out. Whatever they were approaching was not a morning feast.
“I hear yells but no screams,” Yasgrid said. “Lot of people are upset, but not in an ‘I’m in agony’ sense.”
As they drew closer, Nia was able to make out the different tenors of the cacophony Yasgrid had called out.
And she heard the beat.
“Oh it is a good thing I wasn’t here,” she said. “No one would believe this wasn’t my fault if I had been.”
“And, out of idle curiosity, where might you have been and how much proof do you have of that?” Margrada asked, tapping Nia on the shoulder from behind in the crowds she’d begun to mingle into.
Bubbles of joy sparkled up inside Nia at seeing the bright alertness in Margrada’s eyes. No one ever mentioned that Margrada was beautiful, and maybe by Stoneling standards that wasn’t the case, but to Nia’s eyes ‘gorgeous’ seemed a far more fitting description. That she also had a good answer for Margrada’s question didn’t diminish Nia’s joy either. She hadn’t inflicted any disappointment or aggravation on those around her for a change!
“We climbed up to the lesser peak over there,” Yasgrid said said, pointing towards the path they’d descended along.
“You went climbing? On your own? Without a drum?” Margrada asked, as though the Roadies had perhaps replaced Nia with some highly imperfect copy?
“Oh, we’ve got a lot to talk about there, but, yeah, I would have brought you, but it’s best to sleep off the Roadie’s devil brew if you can.”
“You look fine. Better than fine in fact.”
“Not my first Roadie party, and hey, I got to sleep with you. You have no idea how much brighter that makes my mornings.”
“Is she feeling okay?” Margrada asked Yasgrid.
“I suspect we’ll be enduring such flattery for a while still,” Kyra said, extending her hand to help Yasgrid down from Nia’s shoulder before pulling Yasgrid into a fierce hug. “Won’t we?”
“I’d make a joke about things being steamy today, but it seems like smoke is more on the menu,” Nia said, unable to completely ignore her stomach grumblings. “Any idea what’s up with the fires?”
“Yeah, it’s why we came looking for you,” Margrada said.
“Have to say we’re glad you’re not the drummers who’re on fire at the moment,” Kyra added.
Side B – Yasgrid
Drummers were often described as being ‘on fire’ but with the exception of Nia’s walk across the Battle of the Bands, it wasn’t intended to be a literal state for them.
“Maybe we should have run?” Nia asked.
“No. No, this wasn’t us, and maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t need us to resolve it,” Yasgrid said. The temptation to reach out with her voice, or her beath, or even just the tiniest tendril of magic rang on her nerves like she was scratching her nails down a piece of slate.
But couldn’t she just peek a little bit? What if people really needed help? Wasn’t it just faster, and easier, and safer if she put things into a bit better shape with the magic she carried.
The twinkle in Kyra’s eyes spoke volumes about how clear Yasgrid’s inner struggle was, and that, in turn, was enough to banish the temptation away for at least a little while.
“We can still go find out what’s up though, right?” Nia asked, as she held her hands rigid at her sides.
“I don’t know, is it safe to bring either of them close?” Margrada asked, looking to Kyra for an answer.
“They both look like they’re going to explode if we don’t,” Kyra said. “And people will want to know where they were and what they were doing anyways, so we probably should.”
“Maybe you could fill us in as we go?” Nia said. “The crowds look like they’re getting thicker towards the smoke.”
Yasgrid wasn’t surprised to see that was true, but it was interesting that both the Stonelings and the Elves were moving in the same direction.
“Pelegar and Mrs. M’Kellin were still trying to work that out when they sent us off to find you,” Margrada said.
“It looks like a few elves might have decided to go to the Gray Falls drummers directly for lessons. Drum Master Pelegar had been concerned that they might have gone to Nia on their own, but we assured them that it hadn’t been the case.” After fighting with the crowds for a few moments, Kyra hopped up onto Margrada’s shoulder and gestured for Yasgrid to resume her perch on Nia’s.
“Because I’d been at the Roadie’s party all last night,” Nia said, stating the most convincing argument Yasgrid could think of.
“And because we had faith in you, both of you,” Margrada said. “Of all the unhinged things you’ve done, none of them were ever dangerous to anyone else. Not like teaching a group of first time drummers would be anyways.”
“Or working with them on their magic,” Kyra said.
“They thought I could be one of the ones burning?” Yasgrid asked.
“Given that they all still seem to be alive?” Margrada said. “Yeah, there’s gotta be some kind of magic happening there, and that’s going to make people think of you for a long time to come I’m guessing.”