WC: 758
It was the sort of morning that makes you feel alive. The sun was brightly hovering just above the eastern horizon in a flawlessly blue sky. Birds sang excitedly as the world began to wake, a soft layer of fog coating the ground around the lands of Dahlia de Mai. Dewdrops clung to the grass and plants, dripping in little rivulets down toward the ground if they were disturbed. The cool earth felt wonderful to the pads of Bris' feet, her white toes wet with the dew she disturbed on her walk.
It had been the first night in awhile that the nightmares didn't come. Hybrid still haunted her, but his ghost that had found refuge in the recesses of her mind had left her alone last night. For the first time in months, Bris had awakened before sunrise feeling rested rather than exhausted. She'd decided to celebrate the occasion by throwing her most recently acquired novel into her satchel and heading out for some sunlit reading. Her destination was the town square, near the fountain that only hinted at a memory of flowing water, but she had a quick stop to make first.
Before he'd taken Shiloh and Ascher to Solbjorg, Drey had mentioned leaving something in his house for Bris to give to Gideon. She had no idea what he was talking about, but he'd confidently told her she'd recognize it when she saw it. With everything else weighing on her mind lately, the yearling had nearly forgotten about her brother's gift until she'd found the scribbled note from him this morning in her pile of books. If she didn't stop today to get whatever it was Drey had left for Giddy, Bris knew she'd completely let it slip her mind again.
It wasn't exactly a long trek from Conor's house to Drey's: Bris' brother had taken up residence in the large colonial directly next door. The home stood empty now, with Drey and half of his children visiting their family in Solbjorg, and the front door creaked ever so much as Bris made her way inside. Her footsteps were nearly silent, but the sound from the door echoed through the empty house, giving Bris the feeling that she'd suddenly stepped inside one of her horror novels into a haunted house. Her lips stretched into a smile with this amusing though, and she closed the noisy door behind her and made her way upstairs into Drey's former bedroom.
The furnature in the room was sparse, to say the least, reminding Bris a bit of Nayru's room next door. There was a mattress on the floor, the bedframe long since shattered and rotted and gotten rid of. Aside from that, a single large dresser graced the back wall, and it was on this that Bris found the item Drey had left for his son. Placed atop the dresser was a large dagger, nearly long enough to be called a short sword. It's blade was well-cared for and shiny, and Bris smiled a bit as she tested its edge. Drey must have spent the time to sharpen it before he'd left, as it wasn't as sharp as it could be, but it was also far from dull. The handle was carved from a large deer antler, the curve fitting comfortably in Bris' hand. A large half cobochon of turqoise was set into the butt of the handle, but the most impressive part of the set was the sheath upon which Drey had layed the dagger. It was made of supple yet sturdy leather, with leather fringes and colorful beadwork adorning the one side. The beads had been sewn lovingly into a thunderbird pattern, much like the one that graced the earcuff portion of Bris' earring. The woman couldn't help the knowing smile that crossed her face as she slid the dagger back into its sheath, fastening the snap that would keep the dagger from slipping out.
Her planned day of reading now completely forgotten, Bris was still smiling as she moved down the stairs and out of her brother's home in search of her growing nephew. She couldn't help but wonder if Gideon would like the gift. Dreyrugr may not be the best father in the world, but Bris knew that he loved his children deeply. Passing Crow's dagger to Gideon was one of his biggest ways of showing it. It was Drey's most prized possession, and now it belonged to his son. It wouldn't be too much longer before the boy was actually able to use it.
Table by James!