Avelyn and the Song of Copper

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

The midday sun poured through the open windows of the schoolhouse, casting a stark light that deepened the shadows in the room. The scent of salt and the faint aroma of well-worn wooden tables mingled in the warm air.

Avelyn shifted on her stool, the familiar baritone of Master Luciaro’s voice blending with the rustle of leaves outside. The schoolmaster stood at the front of the room, his voice steady as he spoke about the coming equinox.

“The days are growing shorter,” he said, gesturing toward the slate board where a rough sketch of the sun’s path had been drawn. “Tomorrow, the sun will rise, and set half a day later, marking the balance of day and night. It’s a time for change, reflection, and preparation.”

Avelyn’s mind wandered beyond the lesson, the mention of the changing seasons reminding her that the harvest festival would be soon. She loved the harvest festival and especially loved the many foods that would be on offer. With the harvesting complete, farmers would have time to start processing their cinnamon and nutmeg, and that meant treats. Avelyn’s thoughts of honey cakes and spiced bread made her smile.

The tone of the schoolmaster’s voice had changed. He was now telling one of his famous stories. Would this be about his travels as a younger man or one of his lesson stories like the one about the healer who forgot his copper?

Just then, she caught the word “ribbon” and realized it was an old standard about winning the harvest festival race as a boy. He had grown up here in Salinara, and Avelyn wondered briefly what he had been like as a child. It was hard to imagine him ever being young.

The faint sounds of the village beginning its afternoon routines drifted through the windows. The town bell sounded, pulling her attention.

“I know you wouldn’t think of it to look at me now, but I was a very quick little lad,” Master Luciaro chuckled. As the children began scurrying around, packing up their things, he added, “I’ll see you all next week. Enjoy the harvest festival! Oh, and don’t forget to think about what the equinox means for our village!”

“Of course, Master Luciaro,” replied Avelyn along with half of the class. The other half was too busy cleaning up and gathering their things.

As she stepped outside, she blinked at the bright sunshine. A soft breeze carried the salty tang of the sea. Somewhere below, wind chimes of shell and driftwood knocked gently together in the breeze. Salinara stretched down before her, its cobblestone streets alive with activity. The schoolhouse stood near the top of the cliffs, offering a commanding view of the village below and the sea beyond. A few fishing boats were in the bay now, their sails taut as they brought their catch home.

“Avelyn!” Kaelina called from behind. Avelyn turned around. “I… wanted to say sorry about yesterday. That was… maybe not the best idea.”

“I know. My mother told me… I… Let’s not do that again.” Avelyn didn’t ask, but she suspected that Kaelina had not wound up the hero at her home either.

Avelyn decided to take the long way home and Kaelina followed, winding through the streets to take in the warm sunshine and enjoy the breeze from the ocean. In the bay below, they could see a few boats had made the dock and were unloading their catch, gulls circling hungrily above the boats. They chatted and laughed together as they strolled through the streets, descending through the town. They parted at Kaelina’s house.

Avelyn continued and soon came through the small upper plaza. She paused at a fruit stall, feeling the apples before selecting one and handing over a coin.

The vendor chuckled as he examined her copper. “Ah, this one’s been used for healing. Feel how smooth it is? And a bit light? Your mother must’ve worked some magic with it.” Avelyn felt her cheeks flush as she fished through her satchel for another one.

“I’m so sorry,” she stammered as she offered a new copper instead. “I wasn’t trying to trick you. I was just careless.” He forgave her with a smile as he took her coin. She hastily nodded her thanks and walked away, not looking back, apple in hand.

Home was a whitewashed stone house midway down from the schoolhouse. Before turning onto her street, cries of laughter rang out as several of her younger schoolmates ran past her and turned down an alley. As she reached her house, she unlatched the courtyard gate. The courtyard smelled of herbs and fresh earth. The sound of her mother’s voice carried from the back garden.

Peeking around the corner, Avelyn saw her mother kneeling beside a goat, eyes closed, her copper bracelet glinting in the sunlight and sparkling with healing magic as her hands moved in steady, practiced motions. A farmer, whom Avelyn recognized but couldn’t name, stood hat in hand next to his animal as the healing took place.

Avelyn always liked to watch the copper sparkle and erode during the healing. She also knew better than to interrupt her mother when she was working. She turned around quietly and slipped back out into the street.

She decided she would visit her father in his workshop. As she walked, the sounds of the main plaza grew. She was taking a back way through small alleys and stairways that avoided the busier streets. Finally, she turned a tight corner and came down a narrow staircase onto the edge of the plaza, squeezing past a surprising number of people. Even Avelyn’s favorite, less-traveled paths through the town brimmed with villagers, their arms laden with supplies, tools or decorations.

Market day was in full swing, the air filled with the buzz of chatter, laughter, chickens, and the melodic calls of vendors hawking their goods. Baskets of brightly colored fruits and vegetables spilled over with abundance, their rich scents struggling against the sharper pungency of salted fish. Over and under those scents, the sweet aroma of fresh-baked breads and cakes made Avelyn smile. Children darted through the crowd, laughing as they chased one another, while adults haggled over prices or exchanged friendly gossip. The stone of the plaza felt warm underfoot, still holding the heat of the midday sun.

Avelyn’s gaze was drawn upward to the fluttering ribbons and garlands which had begun to be strung along the stalls. Bright orange and golden yellow cloth swayed gently in the breeze, mimicking the hues of the changing leaves. Soon there would be music, dancing, and tables laden with food.

She wove her way through the crowd, clutching her apple and pausing occasionally to admire the handiwork of a weaver or inhale the spicy scent of cinnamon wafting from a baker’s cart. The sound of a harper tuning his instrument reached her ears, a reminder that musical festivities were already being planned.

The crowd near the lower plaza was so thick she found herself pushed around as she squeezed in between the stalls and half-built stages. Workers hurried back and forth, their voices mingling with the hammering of nails and the rustling of bright fabrics being strung overhead.

Eventually, the plaza opened into the wide street which led directly down to the dock and the beach. The sand glimmered under the bright sun, the light filtering through the clear, cerulean sea and casting rippling patterns that danced on the seabed.

She found her way through to her father’s workshop. The scent of wood greeted her as she entered the familiar space. Sunlight came through the windows, but the big red doors were closed, making the workshop feel a bit smaller than when open. The boat that had been to the side the day before was now propped up at a steep angle, supported by two iron poles. She could see that the keel of the boat had been damaged, and her father had already cut out the section that needed to be replaced.

Alceros was in the center of the shop, his broad shoulders hunched over a plank of oak, shaping it so it would nest perfectly in the keel cut he had made.

Avelyn pulled a stool from the corner and placed it near her father, settling down to watch him. He glanced at her briefly, sweat glistening on his brow.

“Avy,” he greeted her warmly. “I was beginning to think you’d been kidnapped.”

“It’s the festival,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Everything is just so busy.”

“Of course,” he smiled. “Could you help me tidy up a bit? I’m afraid I’ve made quite a mess.”

She smiled, setting her satchel aside and taking a broom from the corner. The rhythmic sound of sweeping filled the air as they worked side by side. Avelyn’s gaze drifted to the raised boat. Something didn’t seem right. As she looked at the supports, she could see that one of them was glowing.

No, that’s not it. Something about the pole seemed like it was groaning.

That’s not right either.

She wasn’t seeing anything, nor had there been any sound. She sensed the pole was telling her something, but she couldn’t quite understand it. She had never felt anything like this.

“Your mother should be stopping by soon,” her father said while he continued working the wood.

Avelyn frowned. “That’s not right,” she said, nodding toward the pole.

“What do you mean?” he looked up.

“That pole doesn’t seem right somehow,” Avelyn answered.

Her father glanced at the support, puzzled, then started to turn back to his work. He then stopped himself, stood, and placed his chisel on the nearby bench. He felt the pole, glanced down at its footing, and up at where it supported the boat. He shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s fine. Those supports have held much heavier loads than this,” he reassured her. “But thank you for saying something.”

Avelyn bit her lip as she nodded, trusting her father’s experience. She turned her attention to sweeping sawdust and chips into neat piles. But the feeling lingered.

As she moved toward the wall to retrieve a dustpan, she heard a bright crack followed by what sounded like the entire world crashing down. She spun around. For the briefest second she stood in horror, taking it all in. The boat which had been held up high now lay on the floor with further damage to its prow. One of the supports had been tossed wide to the other side of the workshop. And the support which had concerned her was lying on the ground, bent in half.

And then she saw her father.

Alceros lay crumpled on the ground, blood pouring from a gash on his forehead and a chest wound. He had been knocked forward toward Avelyn with terrific force as the boat had fallen. His shirt had nearly been torn off and she could see the large copper medallion he always wore still around his neck.

Avelyn rushed forward, kneeling at her father’s side. She quickly cradled his head. As she did so, her hand touched the copper around his neck. The copper spoke to her. It welcomed her. Let us work together… she had its permission and invitation.

Her eyes closed instinctively and the world around her faded. She could feel power pulsing through her as the copper added to her own, a power she did not even know she had. As she entered this world, Avelyn heard what sounded like music. The metal was singing a song, beautiful, but incomplete and somehow broken. There were no words or recognizable instruments. The song was a pure, true music beyond anything she had ever heard.

Led by her instincts as much as by the song, she altered the musical progression, bringing it into slightly greater harmony. As the music changed, she began to understand that the song was her father, and the dissonances were his injuries. The copper showed her how the terrible wounds could be healed. How they would be healed.

The bleeding of the head wound must be stopped first. How she knew this she did not know, but something was out of tune. As she worked to bring greater harmony, the music swelled. The melody was stronger, she realized, because the bleeding had stopped. The pressure inside his head needed to be fixed, and putting his skull together where it had been shattered was the next priority, its cacophony fading as it healed. Or maybe it healed as the song was made whole. Avelyn couldn’t understand it, but knew it was true.

Having repaired his forehead and closed the injuries to his chest, she could feel instinctively that not everything was yet right. There was an unmelodious thread, hidden under the previous discord, that now appeared to nearly ruin the music. There was still dangerous pressure inside his head. She and the copper calmed the noise and refined it into a harmonious whole and the pressure lessened. As each stray refrain or melody was brought into unity with the chorus, the melody became that much more beautiful. But it was still not right.

Avelyn realized that the melody had been fading. Its beauty was undimmed, but the musician was wandering away. She had felt her father was with her inside this new world—he was the music. But now he had to be coaxed back. Slowly and carefully, the copper guiding her, she sang her own song which called to him. The copper added its own voice to hers—a duet that called to the waning music and invited it to a trio. As they sang together the melody grew louder again. She felt her father returning. The invisible injuries inside his head had been healed.

Suddenly, there was someone else in this misty, musical world with her and her father. A familiar presence of love and wisdom, adding her voice to finish the healing completely. Her mother had arrived.

Alceros gasped his first breath since the accident and the sound startled Avelyn out of her reverie. She opened her eyes, gazing at her father, still covered in blood. His former injuries were no longer evident. His medallion, however, was completely gone, turned to dust in her hand. She looked up to see her mother kneeling beside her, hands covering Avelyn’s, her gray-blue eyes serious. Her voice was calm yet firm. “You have done enough. Let me finish.”

Maerith worked a few moments in silence, the copper in her bracelet sparkling as she used its magic with her own. When the healing was complete, Alceros stirred for a moment. His wife gently brushed her hand across his brow, and he fell into a deep sleep.

“He needs to rest,” she explained. “He will be sore but should be himself by tomorrow.”

She looked at her daughter. “You, dear, dear Avelyn, my dear kulta, are remarkable. Did you hear the copper sing? Oh, of course…” Maerith stopped. She gently pulled her daughter close.

Avelyn couldn’t hold back her tears. She didn’t try to.

Together, mother and daughter closed up the shop for the day. After her father woke, the family began the walk home. They went slowly, Alceros tired though no longer injured, and quietly enjoyed being together as they climbed the steep streets.

The evening light cast long shadows on the cobblestones. The streets were still busy, and it appeared that the preparations for the next day’s festival were nearly complete. Avelyn replayed the discovery of healing in her mind. Her mother’s words had opened a door to a future she had never contemplated.

When they arrived home, Ravyel was already there, bounding up to them. “Where were you?” he asked a little indignantly. Avelyn and Maerith exchanged a quick glance, neither wanting to tell him.

“We were lending your father a hand at his workshop,” Maerith replied smoothly, steering him toward the kitchen. “Would you please help set the table for dinner?”

Ravyel tilted his head then shrugged and bounded off to find plates. Avelyn watched him go, relieved that she didn’t have to explain anything.

The evening meal was more subdued than normal for everyone except the seven-year-old. He told them about the treasures he’d found that day and his elaborate plans for the festival the next day. Meanwhile the rest of the family looked at each other with slight unease.

After Ravyel went to bed, Avelyn and her parents sat down on the patio. It had a sweeping view of the village and the bay below.

“I still don’t understand what…” Alceros began as he sat down.

“You were gravely injured and Avelyn healed you,” his wife interrupted and then paused, gathering herself. “I am sorry. I did not mean to be so curt. These thoughts have been spinning in my mind all day and I feel that I must get them out.”

Alceros nodded with a smile, “Of course. Please continue.”

“Mother,” Avelyn interjected, “I didn’t heal father. The copper did. And then you arrived…”

“You did, my dear. Your magic worked with the copper. Did you not feel it guiding you, showing you what to do?”

Avelyn nodded. Alceros leaned forward a little in his chair. Maerith never really spoke openly about her healing magic.

Maerith continued, “My dear husband, your wounds were extremely serious. So serious that I do not believe I could have healed all of them. The fact that your heavy medallion was completely used up along with the coins on Avelyn’s necklace and bracelet tells me exactly how much magic was required.”

Avelyn raised her hand to her necklace. As her hand reached it, she let out a gasp. It was common to wear a leather strap around the neck with a copper coin or two. It was said this was for luck, but it was truly to aid a healer, if needed. Avelyn had always worn her coins since she was a child; they were as familiar to her as anything could be. But now they were gone. She looked down at her wrist where she wore a similar small bracelet. All that was left was the thin leather strap.

“You had not noticed, Avy?” she smiled as Avelyn shook her head, wide-eyed. She then looked back at her husband. “When I opened the workshop door, it was quiet. I thought that was strange, but as my eyes adjusted to the dim light inside, I saw Avy kneeling on the floor, holding you. It was clear that an accident had occurred and that you were hurt. I did not know yet that she was healing you, but as I rushed to your side, I saw the medallion around your neck was nearly gone. It was still sparkling intensely though. As I realized what was happening, I joined my magic to hers. Though, really, my work was superficial.” She paused. “And I tell you, Alceros—I have never felt such healing. The song was perfection.”

“It wasn’t just the copper. It was me?” asked Avelyn in a smaller voice than she meant to use.

“You are a mage, my dear. And three months from tomorrow you will be passing the magic test at the New Year Festival.”

“And then…” Alceros began and trailed off.

“And then she will sail away to school,” Maerith finished his sentence.

Avelyn had forgotten about that. She was about to turn twelve.

Alceros sighed. “Avy, I know it’s hard to keep secrets, but we need time to think about this as a family. Can you do that?”

“Of course, father.”

“Good girl. Now it’s time we all got to sleep. Tomorrow is the festival, and we need to just enjoy that. The harder discussions can wait.”

As the first stars appeared in the sky outside her window, Avelyn lay quietly in her warm bed, her thoughts filled to overflowing. She could still feel the copper dust from the medallion on her clean hands. But the music—there were no words to describe its beauty or grace.

She closed her eyes and let the memory sing her to sleep.