20th Trial Ashan, Arc 719
Eliza loved her little house on the outskirts of Caervalle Town. The Ywyngyll Forest was in essence her own back garden, and the magnificent view of the Stormlands that was just a few steps away from her upstairs gallery, out on the Juliette balcony, was a boundless source of inspiration. It was positioned just so, and if she rose early enough, she could watch the sun rise each morning. But even with all the beauty that surrounded her, it was good to venture away now and then. Caervalle was charming, warm and welcoming.
But the daughter of Ymiden had discovered that her neighbors, friendly as they were, fell into a limited number of categories. There were the retired Lightening Knights and Thunder Priestesses, and there were the younger married couples who'd chosen to raise their young children away from the hustle and bustle of Rharne. There were very few others who were Eliza's relative age. And hardly any of them were unattached. Not that Eliza was looking. She wasn't. But it was nice to get out now and then. And so she did.
Sir Wolfert next door, like clockwork, hitched up his cart and filled it with baskets, again filled with vegetables and berries from his backyard garden. Then he and his old mule would go off to Rharne, to sell what they could at market. And almost always, Eliza packed up a bag and went along for the ride. This time, her wolfhound Darwin had come along. He'd made the process of hiring a room, a bit more challenging. A gentle giant, that was Darwin, but the sheer size of him could be a bit daunting to any innkeeper coming face to face with the dog for the first time. A little charm, however, did the trick and Eliza had rented lodging for two nights.
She'd left the inn early that morning with Eberhardt tucked under the hood of her cloak, and Darwin trailing along at her heels. She'd visited Wolfert in the market, and he'd given her a few things from his stall to break her fast with. And as ever, a few tidbits for Darwin and Eberhardt. Eventually however, Eliza had wandered away from the busy streets of Rharne, and ended up on the shore of Lake Lovalus. The lake was so large, viewed from the edges it might was well have been a small ocean. And she'd found the perfect spot to sit and draw. She'd found a large and gray driftwood log to sit on, and she pulled her sketchbook out of her satchel while Darwin wandered away to explore.
Out in the water, in the distance, was a small fishing boat bobbing on the gentle waves, and it's white sails snapped quietly in the early morning breeze. Off to her side, there was a wide open field where a couple of horses grazed, and there was a large, beautiful house sitting on the crest of a gentle rise. The whimsical turret looming over the home caught Eliza's eye. It made her smile and she wondered who it was that the house belonged to. But soon enough she turned back to the water, and began sketching. The expanse of water in front of her and the subtle white caps that curled up and disappeared on a whim, and the little boat that stood out against the far horizon and the soft cotton like clouds that hung low over the hills.
Darwin meanwhile, had taken to sniffing along the water's edge, splashing in the edges of it and trying to little or no avail, to dig in after the hermit crabs that peeked out, then ducked back into the sand. If Eliza was guessing, she'd say they were deliberately toying with him. As for Eberhardt, the tiny monkey seemed to have found more interesting things inside the basket that Wolfert had sent with her.
