Avelyn and the Song of Copper

Chapter One

Chapter 1

"I've got an idea," Kaelina said, her voice low, with a hint of conspiracy.

Avelyn looked up. Her friend stood with one hand on her hip, her hazel eyes hinting at mischief. Kaelina was slightly taller than Avelyn, lean and wiry, with sun-browned skin and a constellation of freckles across her nose. She wore her small satchel casually over her shoulder. The sea breeze tossed her auburn hair across her face, its color an unmentioned source of jealousy for Avelyn.

Avelyn raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"

"Torvas and his friends were talking about the cliffs south of here. Shearwater nests." Kaelina grinned. "They should be filled with eggs."

Avelyn looked at her friend, squinting at the bright, but overcast, day. The two stood at the base of the steps leading up to the schoolhouse. Students milled about, some running, others strolling slowly while they talked. Avelyn paused, leaning down to tighten her sandal strap, fingers fumbling at the knot as she considered Kaelina's proposal.

The image came unbidden—the steep drop, waves crashing far below. Avelyn inhaled deeply of the salt air, then replied, "That's ridiculously dangerous."

"Only if we're clumsy," Kaelina said with a shrug. "We'll be careful. Just imagine how good they would taste with toasted bread."

Avelyn could imagine. The taste was vivid, savory and warm. She bit her lip.

This would not be the first time Kaelina had talked her into something. The memory of a dark cave came to her. The incoming tide had risen faster than either of them expected, soaking them to the bone and forcing them to scramble out through a gap barely wide enough for two frightened girls. Avelyn had insisted afterward they would never do something that foolish again.

But then there had been the day they had gotten themselves well and truly lost in some woods on the plateau. They had wandered far past the goat paths, arguing over which turn led home, until Kaelina insisted she saw "something promising" through the trees. What she had really found was a massive blackberry thicket, ripe and sprawling. They spent an hour gathering berries and laughing at their own confusion before finally finding their way back, triumphant and purple-fingered, and rewarded with blackberry cakes for a week.

"It hasn't rained in days. We'll be fine. Worst case, your mother is the best healer around."

"She's the only healer around," Avelyn said.

Kaelina grinned sheepishly.

Still uncertain, Avelyn let her eyes wander to the sea below the rooftops of Salinara. The ever-present cliffs framed the village in both beauty and peril. Jagged and steep, they rose boldly from the churning surf below, reaching for the sky—dangerous, yes, but also breathtaking. Their stark grandeur gave the island of Lesser Ocevara its edge. And yet, the thought of returning with something unexpected, something daring, curled into her mind and shoved the danger out.

"All right," Avelyn nodded. "But I promised my father I would help in his shop after school. Come with me down to his shop and I'll see if he'll let me go. If you help me with my chores, we can be done in no time."

"Let's get going then!" Kaelina replied.

As they turned to go down to the harbor, Avelyn heard someone running.

"Avelyn, wait for me!" Ravyel, her younger brother, stopped just short of running into her. His hair was wild from running and his cheeks were flushed with excitement.

"What now?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Landrio and I are going to the tide pools!" he announced with an exuberance only a seven-year-old can maintain. "Master Luciaro mentioned there was a spring low tide today!"

"Be careful," she warned. She thought it was unlikely he heard her as he darted off with Landrio, their sandals slapping against the cobblestones. She watched the boys go, shaking her head, thankful that he hadn't overheard the plan. "Let's go," she said as she started down the steep street.

Nearing the water of the bay, Avelyn and Kaelina darted past the large carts laden with the catch of the day heading up the steep road and the empty ones heading down. Just before the street turned from stone to the wood of the dock, they turned left and immediately found themselves in front of Avelyn's father's workshop.

Loops of rope strained to keep the faded red barn doors open as the breeze tried to close one side or the other. Above the doors, a wooden sign swung from side to side, its letters freshly painted in bold, sharp black: "Alceros - Shipwright." The creak of the sign and the rattle of the doors added to the cacophony of the waterfront.

Avelyn could hear her father's rasp before she saw him, her eyes adjusting to the dimmer light inside the workshop. The air inside was thick with the familiar scent of freshly cut wood and the saltiness that clung to everything in Salinara. Curled wooden shavings lay in piles around the floor and the dust in the air caught the light coming through the doors and high windows.

The harbor noise grew quieter as they entered; the rhythmic sound of a rasp filing a piece of oak filled the space, punctuated by an occasional grunt as he shaped the wood.

He must have been doing rough shaping; the fine work never required much effort.

Near her father, a sturdy fishing skiff with keel damage rested on a frame; timber, supports, and tools sat next to it ready for when her father finished his current project. Its mast and spar lay to the side with the sail folded neatly on top.

Alceros turned as he noticed the girls.

"Well, hello there Avy! And welcome, Kaelina! What brings you to my shop?" he asked with a warm smile.

"Kaelina wanted to help me with my sweeping so that we could go play," Avelyn answered as Kaelina nodded.

"There are two brooms over in the corner." He pointed near the open door. "If you start now the two of you will finish in no time. And then you can go on your adventures."

Avelyn smiled in spite of the pang at the mention of an adventure. They grabbed the brooms and began to collect the shavings and sawdust littering the shop floor.

As Alceros worked, Avelyn watched his hands moving expertly over the wood. The rhythmic scraping of the rasp was almost hypnotic. She noticed the piece of oak he was shaping would soon need finer detailing and, without a word, she reached for a chisel on the nearby workbench. Just as he straightened and looked around for the tool, she held it out to him.

His eyes crinkled with amusement and pride as he took the chisel. "You've got an eye for timing, little one," he said with a smile.

"I know what I'm doing," Avelyn answered, a quick grin flashing at Kaelina before she turned back to watch her father as he adjusted his grip on the wood.

"Cleaning is helping, little one."

"You know what I mean," Avelyn answered.

Her father chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "You'll help me soon enough," he replied, his voice warm. "Once you're a bit older and stronger, you'll be shaping wood better than I can, I'll wager."

She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow at him. "Of course I will."

He paused his work to glance at her. "That day will come quicker than you think, Avy."

Soon the floors were clean except underneath where her father was working.

"You two finished quickly... What mischief are you two planning?"

"I wanted to show Avelyn something up near the farms." Kaelina quickly answered him as Avelyn hesitated. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie.

"Have fun!" he replied as Kaelina grabbed Avelyn's hand and headed for the door.

"We will!" Avelyn said as she left.

The two girls were on the road south from the schoolhouse, their steps light with the excitement of adventure but heavy from the steep climb to get there. The sky was still cloudy, the hidden sun spreading its muted light over the land, but the sea air was invigorating. As they walked, they listened quietly to the rhythmic crash of waves against the rocks below.

"There's the Seabright," said Kaelina, pointing toward the horizon. The fishing sloop's red-and-white striped sail stood out even at a distance, easy to spot among the other boats. "If he picks up some redfin today…" she mused, a smile spreading across her face.

Avelyn inhaled deeply, savoring the freshness of the breeze. "I was thinking about the eggs with some toasted bread," she said, her voice dreamy at the thought of the meal to come.

"That would be nice too," replied Kaelina, her grin widening.

The gravel crunched softly underfoot as they continued onto the road at the top of the rise. On one side of the road, a dense hedge enclosed a pasture where sheep grazed quietly, their distant bleating adding to the music of the sea. On the other side, the steep slopes of the village had given way to rocky terrain which inclined even more significantly. Eventually, it was nearly vertical.

Kaelina walked in silence for a few steps, then nudged a loose stone off the road with her boot. "It will be the New Year soon," she said quietly.

Avelyn glanced at her. "In three months?"

Kaelina shrugged. "That's not so long."

Her fingers found the copper coin at her wrist, turning it absently. Gravel crunched beneath their boots as they walked on.

"Do you think you'll pass the test at the New Year Festival?" Kaelina asked, her tone unusually serious.

Avelyn blinked. "The Testing of the Mages?"

Kaelina nodded. "Yeah. At the New Year Festival. I want to, more than anything. It's silly, I know, but…I just want to make everyone proud. If I don't have magic, I… Well, it's hard not to wonder."

Avelyn spoke softly. "You know there hasn't been a new mage in Salinara for years."

Kaelina smiled faintly, though her eyes remained clouded with doubt. "True, but I still hope I'll have the gift."

Kaelina paused then blurted out, "Can you tell me about your mother's test?"

Avelyn looked at her friend. "There's not much to tell, really. She said her ceremony was overseen by an elder mage. Before the ceremony he explained what everyone should expect, so it wasn't a surprise.

"When her turn came, she was handed her coin, and they pricked her finger. It stung a little bit, but it bled like crazy. Then she remembered what they told her to do. She closed her eyes, held the coin tight and tried to feel the finger healing. She was shocked to realize that she had healed herself. She knew she had the magic before the mage examined her finger. She said afterward the whole village cheered and set off fireworks!"

Kaelina responded excitedly, "Can you imagine? Wouldn't that be something! All of Salinara…" And then she trailed off, lost in thought.

Avelyn continued, "And a few months later she got on a boat to leave her family and go away to school, and she's only seen her family a few times since then. It's a big responsibility." Kaelina didn't seem as interested in responsibility; it was glory and fireworks that commanded her attention.

"It's a really big responsibility," Avelyn continued. "It's not all fireworks and celebration."

Kaelina shrugged, her grin returning easily. "Maybe. I guess I just like thinking about the exciting bits."

Avelyn huffed a small breath that was almost a laugh. "Someone has to think about the sensible bits."

"Well, good thing you are here then," Kaelina teased, shaking her head from side to side before turning her eyes back to their path.

"Here we are," Kaelina abruptly announced, gesturing to the cliffside. She didn't speak loudly but it startled Avelyn, nonetheless. Avelyn looked at where her friend was pointing.

"What are you talking about?" she asked as her eyes scanned first for any semblance of a trail and second for a hint of a joke on her friend's face. She was unable to find either.

"It's not as hard as it looks," Kaelina explained as she walked forward, apparently in complete earnest, "There's a small ledge just below this. We'll hop down and there's a trail. It has some more little drops, but it'll be easy." Kaelina hadn't finished speaking when she vanished over the edge.

Avelyn ran forward, her heart pounding. Before she reached the spot where her friend had disappeared, Kaelina stood upright, and her head was just visible. There was indeed a ledge a few feet down.

"Come on down. It's easy!"

Avelyn glanced at the steep incline; her hands were starting to sweat. The crashing of waves below suddenly seemed much louder. "Easy for you to say," she muttered, gripping the rough stone as she began her descent.

The climb down was slow and cautious. The wind tugged at their hair and tugged harder at their clothes, the fabric flapping like sails. Around them, the cries of seabirds echoed against the rock. Now and then, one would dive close but never close enough to truly frighten the girls. The shearwaters moved like shadows with wings, dark gray above, pale gray beneath, their long narrow wings sliced through the wind silently. Most kept their distance, but they were always circling near, watching.

As they descended, Kaelina moved with practiced ease, occasionally calling back encouragement. Avelyn, less confident, focused on her footing, her fingers holding tight against the coarse rock.

When they reached a narrow ledge near the nesting area, Kaelina crouched and gestured for Avelyn to join her. "Look," she whispered, pointing to the large eggs just visible in their deep depressions in the cliffside. The shearwaters had abandoned their nests at the girls' approach, but were flitting around nearby, clearly unhappy with their intrusion.

Avelyn's breath caught. "They're beautiful," she murmured, reaching in carefully. She selected a nest and retrieved an egg, cradling it gently, its smooth surface warm to the touch. She cupped it in her hands, holding it up to her eye. She lifted it toward the sunlight, tilting it to look for shadows that meant it should be left behind. She smiled as she placed it in her satchel.

Kaelina grinned, holding up her own find. "Worth it."

They continued collecting as the birds made their futile shows of aggression. Kaelina found one nest with two eggs—a rarity for shearwaters, who normally only lay one—and they agreed that was a good omen. They left one of the twin eggs behind.

The ascent was harder. The late afternoon wind had picked up, and Avelyn needed help from her taller friend more than once. The sun had burned the clouds away and now beat down as they climbed the shadeless cliffs. Ascending from the nesting area would have been harder than the climb down in any circumstance—but now, gently caring for their treasures, scrambling became a balancing act. By the time they reached the top, their legs were trembling and scratched, and their palms were raw. All of this was forgotten as they exulted in their accomplishment. After a short rest filled with smiles, they made their way back to the village, each carrying their prizes. One for each member of their family. Four eggs for Avelyn and five for Kaelina.

When Avelyn stepped through the gate of her home, the soft light of late afternoon bathed the courtyard. Nearly trembling with anticipation, she spotted her mother tending to the herb garden. She clutched her satchel tightly and approached.

"Look!" Avelyn blurted out as she opened her satchel, "There's one for everyone!" She looked expectantly at her mother.

Maerith was tall and slender, with much lighter hair and skin than anyone else Avelyn had ever seen in the village. She was from Thalvyr Havns in the far north but had come south after learning magic, eventually settling in Salinara to work as a healer.

Maerith's eyes grew wide and then narrowed. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly. "Where did you get those?" she asked sharply, clearly suspecting the answer.

Avelyn's own eyes widened as she realized that her mother was not pleased. Triumph quickly dissolved into guilt.

"We were careful. It was safe," she began, but her mother cut her off.

"Safe? Do you know how many injuries I have had to treat because someone thought something was 'safe'?"

"But I'm fine! We're both fine! No bruises or cuts. And you could heal—"

"No!" Maerith nearly shouted. Avelyn's eyes widened in shock. She had been scolded before, many times, but her mother had never yelled at her. It wasn't her way. Avelyn stood in stunned silence.

Her mother took a deep breath. When she continued her voice was quiet and deathly serious, "No, not necessarily. You are mistaken. There are many things that I can heal, given some copper. With enough copper, I can heal many, many things. But if someone is grievously injured and I cannot get to them in time..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at her daughter with a deep sadness in her eyes.

Avelyn's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry," she murmured, unable to meet her mother's gaze. "I'm sorry. I figured that if one of us got hurt the other could come get you quickly." As she spoke, the eggs started feeling more like rocks in her satchel.

Maerith's gaze softened and, after taking a moment to sit down, she continued speaking with her daughter in an earnest, regretful tone, "There was a student at Dunloren, a friend of mine. He was a good man, a mage, obviously. Halinar had a laugh you could hear across the great hall. One day, he fell from a height much less than those cliffs. He survived, but serious injuries to the head cannot always be fully healed. A broken bone, the skull, can be knit back together, torn flesh mended, but not everything can be healed. The Archmage herself was unable to fully heal him. The mind cannot always be restored. He never fully recovered who he was."

The weight of her mother's story settled heavily. She had never heard her mother speak this openly before, the way adults spoke to other adults. Neither of her parents had ever told her a story as serious, or personal, as this. It was a gift of respect. As the realization of what could have happened became clear, she blinked back tears as she embraced her mother.

"I won't do it again," she whispered, and she meant it.

Maerith sighed, wiping a tear from her own eye and brushing a strand of blonde hair from her face. "Avelyn, please be careful. You are more precious than any adventure. You are more precious than—" her voice trailed off.

That night, as Avelyn lay in bed, the day's events played over in her mind. The thrill of the climb, the allure of the eggs, and her mother's story swirled together in her thoughts. For the first time, Avelyn felt the gravity of her choices—not just the risks she had taken, but the responsibilities they carried. As the moonlight filtered through her window, she clutched her blanket tightly.

Kaelina's voice echoed in her memory: "Worth it."

That wasn't true.