51.1 Space to Grow

General Summary

Days 1010 - 1019

It takes a week by air to reach the trolls’ forest, and our passage begins with all of us aboard Starfield. After a few days, I feel confident flying by myself, though not with anyone aboard and not confident enough to think about doing anything particularly acrobatic. It is so much more complicated than learning to fly as fae - taking off, landing, navigating the clouds and air currents at dragon-height.   With Starfield’s guidance, I also figure out how to wield magic in the air…and this would probably be my primary mode of defence if we were attacked in the air. I still don’t feel coordinated enough to think about using my teeth, claws, or tail in combat.   We also hear from Camellia via the letter box:

• They’ve gutted the underworld of the principality of Haven and now there is a power vacuum amongst the criminals.
• They’ve started a small civil war because lots of nobles were involved in the underbelly of the city.
• They rescued over 2000 elves.
• She is worried about running out of time for some of their seasonal fae in Haven and wants to know if they can use the Celestial.

Over a few nights in the Dreaming, I introduce Camellia to Nal and Thalien to work out some details and by the time we arrive, it is decided that any Seasonal fae who choose to can sleep in the Celestial Grove, which still contains Seasonal trees. Nal warns them that it might be hard for them to integrate back into their normal grove because they’ll be hearing ancient songs. She says they can settle there permanently if they would like, and I privately hope that the Seasonal fae might begin to spread outwards from their Northern Grove and reconnect with what they used to be, free from the influence of the thicket.   Camellia also asks that I write to Andstella or Torrick to send people who can help them and set up housing for the elves who will settle there as well.  

Day 1020

We glide into Bran’s camp late in the evening and find him waiting with Vaneilli, Yneir, Mireen, and a very large troll. Bran and Vaneilli look unphased as two enormous dragons approach, but Mireen looks alarmed and Yneir is fairly drooling with excitement as she stares at the collective group; we must be very shiny.   After transforming back into my humanoid form and the hugs are finished, I can take everyone in. Bran looks more settled and stable in himself. He has always had a smooth charm but now he feels even more steady, capable, and…elvish. Mireen looks much subdued in her elvish apprentice robes. She apologizes to Liliales and says she hopes they can be friends. They go off with Detoura and Cantha to become familiar.  

We’ve been through a lot together and she’s done really well.

  Lyssa links arms with Ying Ling and explains that she helped Starfield’s mother a lot and so we have adopted. After a moment, Yneir examines her sister and declares that she can no longer see their father’s shadow in her fate anymore, and that is all she needs to know. The pair embrace and withdraw so that Ying Ling can explain everything.   
Finally, Bran introduces the troll: Elder Trunk  

Long have I he are your name in the wind and on the leaves. This young one (Bran) says you may be able to help. I am old; I have had enough; we have had enough. We just want rest at home. He says you are a peace forger…peace is best. Victory is a hollow log.

  I tell them that I came to create peace between our people, but perhaps more accord must be formed first; I’ve heard of the Inferno trolls.  

I have heard that your people caused the winter.

  I nudge Lyssa. Even if it wasn’t her intent, it was certainly her doing.  

The grass grows. The flowers give thanks. That winter extinguished the fire. Your ancestors; the ancestors of our young ones were enemies towards each other. We are acquaintances. Perhaps we may plant new seeds together. But we must have space to grow.

  Mireen steps forward to tell me that they have been looking for ways to create space. It doesn’t seem easy and none of their group have the right magic for what they have in mind. The Inferno trolls need an environment that contains living fire, which was all extinguished by the storm. They are sustained by flames and can only plant their seeds in very hot ground, so now they are weakening and some are dying. Yneir managed to heal some of them, but it is only a temporary solution. Perhaps I can help with the healing as well as we work on a longer term solution.   Like me, Bran considered sending them to the pit in the ground near the Keep, but didn’t want them to become pawns of Ingans. To me, it seems like they need a living fire on the surface, where trees can be available as well. I wonder if they could settle down near Blackflame and Plume by the Keep, but Trunk reminds me that ‘place’ is important to the trolls - they can’t just leave.   I wonder if we could recreate the ever-burning forest…Ausha suggests that we could combine my Leaf and Vine magic with fire and wood elementalism to do this.  

Their place is gone. We never truly felt like our place had gone; but seeing them and how they made their own place…we see that our place was gone. The root of the conflict is that they have no place. They are a branch of our same roots. They should stay close. We should build peace because we come together, not the peace of exile and loss. Can you make a space for them that will not harm our place but is close?

  I think so.  

That is ideal.

  Vaneilli points out that the Inferno trolls are a bit aggressive, especially their Speaker, Torch. We may come with a solution but they will surely feel like they are losing something if they can’t get a piece of their old forest back. I wonder if they could share a border, and the ancestral trolls could sacrifice a portion of the forest so that the Inferno trolls could keep some of the place that was once theirs.   But Trunk feels that Torch needs to feel like they have had a victory of some kind. The ancestral trolls would only be willing to give up one seat on their council of eight, which would surely feel like a demotion to the Inferno trolls’ single leader.  

Purpose. Could you put their place surrounding our place? Torch has generals, armies. We are scattered, individual. One seat on council, but only they command the army. Offer purpose as protectors. Also, they become axe that surrounds - can fall inwards. Their position has strength - fewer voices, different power.

  It’s a very good solution, and all that I’m really needed for is creating the space. It surprises me that Trunk is so willing to put their people in such a vulnerable position with people who were only recently enemies…it reminds me a little of Liva.   In the morning (or more likely, the afternoon), we will begin working on the trees. Between my dragon elementalism and fae growth magic, I think it will not be so hard. Ausha and I will work on it, and of course Liliales is very interested in helping and working on his own entrance into elementalism.   We pass the rest of the night telling stories and reminiscing. It is very sweet and validating to see Bran’s eyebrows shoot up when Liliales starts mixing up drinks. Void is sitting happily, drinking and chatting with Liliales and the kids. He is much changed and Bran remarks on it too, noticing how much happier he seems. He also tells Mireen to stay away from Oblivion and her penchant for chaos.   Late into the night, Bran and I sit in comfortable quiet, enjoying one another’s company. Finally, he can show me the fate magic he has been creating for himself. Not a copy of what Thalien would have done, but his own work: Six carved eggs containing small birds intended to carry prophecy on their wings. He says I should give them to people who need to be opened to the consequences and possibilities of their choices.  

Talking to trolls so much about place…I realized that my place isn’t anywhere that you can find on a map. It’s with my family, helping each other.

  And he passes me the final ingredient in the work for Thalien - the heartwood seeds I came here to retrieve.