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Snow Cream
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Thankfully there's a wash basin in the room. Sami wipes herself down to the point where she figures she should at least be presentable enough to go down to the river and have a proper wash. She avoids all eye contact and she hears Skyia laugh merrily as she heads out.
The water does a remarkable job of clearing her head. It feels... more natural than any bath that she's been in.
She returns and meets George in the kitchen. He's got the Siren's Axe.
George: Have a good wash, Sami?
Sami just blushes in reply.
George: This isn't easy for me either, Sami. I... I'm still not quite comfortable with my daughter's choice in, umm... suitors.
Sami: If it's any consolation, I had no idea about it myself until I met her. Everything sort of clicked and now everything is different.
George looks her up and down, measuring her up. She sees Skyia pass by as he does so, and the faerie woman roll her eyes.
Skyia: If there was something wrong with her I would have made it clear by now. Imagine if you had someone judging YOU when you married me?
George rolls his eyes in return: Woman, we DID. We had the entire town, and my family all judging us. Some of my people still consider me fallen! Let me be a little protective of my only daughter!!
Skyia laughs.
Skyia: Oh yes, I forgot you're the scary, scary bride's father. Nevermind the half-serpent dragon-queen faerie who basically owns this town. YOU are the SCARY ONE. YES. Sami, you be CAREFUL.
Skyia continues on to tend to her chores with laughing all the way. George sighs, knowing full well that any moment of authority or intimidation he might have had is gone.
Sami: Does it make you feel any better to know that I understand and that your approval is important to me? Oh gods. I... I have to tell my parents. OH GODS.
George looks over at Sami, whose eyes are wide with the realization. He chuckles warmly.
George: All right, all right, ok, ok, this is not really the reason why I wanted to talk to you. It's about the Siren's Axe. It's binding to you, and you need to know how to handle it before it starts to dominate you.
He has Sami's full terrified attention.
Sami: Guys... remember when we first met and you pissed me off? It... it wasn't you. I've been scared of turning into a monster since I was little. When I killed the piper, I ate him. I BECAME a monster. I... I just got used to this fae side of me and the last thing I want to hear is that something else is gonna make me lose control.
George: When you're a Minstrel Knight, you learn that there's an instrument that just feels right. It touches your soul, you play through it and it plays through you. But when you discover it, it can influence you like an obsession and bring out one's intensity. You've found your instrument, and maybe it's your fae blood but your instrument is something different. Mine was the violin if you're curious. I still serenade Skyia with it but she prefers the CONCERTINA -- it calms Amy down too. Now, you don't know how to play this instrument so it's playing you. If you're going to get any sort of control over it I'm going to have to show you a few things.
The catch is, teaching takes time. You're going to have to stay here for awhile... become part of our family. Try to lower your profile a little too. Speaking of family, you might want to send a message to your parents at some point -- you said they're worried sick about you.
Sami looks nervous.
Sami: Town still calls to me. I have to fix it. I've seen the dead, and they need resolution. I...
George interrupts her.
George: And you've got my daughter involved now. Wait -- how have the dead spoken to you?
Sami: They're... sort of trapped there -- the mayor and the piper. The mayor said he couldn't think very clearly until I came to the place where he died. Seems to be the same for the Piper. I think it's the same for me, I'm just not dead yet.
George is silent for a few moments.
George: Is there anything else you haven't told me? Or Amy for that... oh, actually don't bother trying to talk with Amy. She's like her mother, VERY headstrong and once she'd made up her mind nothing we say will change it. But... you need to tell ME everything that's happened to you. You're going to be family, right?
Sami: I guess... I thought we weren't getting married?
George gives her a stern look.
George: Skyia's taught me family's more than a ceremony. If you're leading my daughter into danger you had better damn well be family.
Sami looks down.
Sami: I... I don't want her to endanger herself. I've had to question if what I'm doing is really worth it when I've got something to lose now.
George: And?
Sami looks at her feet: I don't have a choice. I can't abandon them. It's not RIGHT to condemn the dead like that. I've lived my life with crushing guilt, and even if they ARE guilty I can't just leave them for who knows how long -- maybe even eternity -- tied with the same burden.
George gently raises Sami's gaze to meet his.
George: But you're innocent. We know everything remember?
Sami: I don't believe I'm innocent though. I have to fix this. It's my fault. Even if it's not, I have to do this.
George sighs.
George: I understand Sami, but the only way I can help you is if you tell me everything. You're the grown-up lone survivor, you've got your home town's artifact which is binding itself to you, you've got a Token of Death, you've talked to ghosts, you're mixed up with a curse and you've mixed in with my daughter... is there anything else?
Sami: You're the only thing left guys. I... guess compared to everything else you're kinda sand to stone. But... look, I've been raised to keep secrets and this feels wrong. What should I do? Are you guys OK with it?
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