[Hopetoun] All the roads we have to walk are winding

[Vega]

22nd Ashan 721

"Alright, so we've got all the information we wanted," Vega said, sitting down next to Wren and she ruffled his hair as she did. "So, we need to get started. You ok?" Wren nodded, quietly. "Did you get your chores done?" Vega asked and he nodded again. "Good. So we can spend a bit of time now, an' get a really good plan goin'." She looked at the serious young boy and she sighed slightly. Hart was Vega's friend, and she was worried about him. More than a little. How much worse must it be for Wren.

"Are you worried about Hart?" Vega never bothered beating around the bush, there was no point to doing so. Wren sighed then nodded. Vega was quiet for a moment as she looked at the young boy. Then, she spoke. "Good," she said. That surprised him and Wren looked up at her in surprise. "If you weren't worried about him, it would mean you didn't love him. If you didn't care about him, you wouldn't worry at all." Wren thought about it a moment or two and seemed to struggle with the idea.

"Are you sure?" Vega nodded at his question. "Well, let me give you an example. There's a bloke called Bob, an' he's off doin' somethin' to-trial, an' we don't know what he's doin'." Wren had such an expressive face, Vega thought. So very full of expression and thought. "But I don't know Bob." "Sure you do," Vega replied. "Bob's the bloke you sat next to at dinner last night and the night before."

"Oh," said Wren. "I didn't know that." Vega nodded. "So, are you worried about Bob?" She smiled fondly as he replied. "Well, a little bit. Is he alright?"

"He went out huntin' this mornin', so I don't know till he comes back." Vega replied. Wren considered this. "I'm not as worried about him as I am about Hart." Vega nodded. "Why's that then?" Wren sighed and looked out over the ocean. "Hart looks after me," he said. "That's not why, though," Vega was quick to respond. "Is it?" Wren shook his head. "You're looking after me now, and I'm worrying about him." Vega nodded. "So, what's the difference between Hart an' Bob?" Vega asked. Wren was quiet.

"Exactly," Vega said softly. She saw the look in his eyes, saw that he was recognising that he cared about Hart, that he was worried about his father in every way which mattered. She didn't need him to tell her, she already knew. She didn't need him to say it aloud, since he'd already realised it. "Worryin' won't change anythin' though. But you know what I know?" Wren shook his head. "He's worryin' about you too. So, when he comes back here - an' he will come back here, we'll be able to tell him all what you were doin'. An' then, he'll be able to focus on that an' not think that you've been mistreated."

That made sense to the serious young man and he nodded. "So, come now, little bird. Lets get started, yeah? An', when your Papa comes back here, he's goin' to see this an' be so proud that his chest'll pop."

[Vega]

22nd Ashan 721

"So, lets get this road on the show, eh?" Vega looked at him and Wren nodded. He needed to move now, Vega knew, to do. "I've got the measurements we made here, so we can get ourselves started on the actual carvin'. First thing we have to do is look at the piece of wood what it's goin' on, make sure that it's not needin' any touchin' up or anythin' like that." Wren looked at the pile of wood which they had and he frowned. "How will we make it all one thing?" Vega grinned at him.

"That's actually the very first thing to learn about woodworkin', little bird. It's all either joinin' wood together or it's shapin' wood by takin' some of it away," He looked at her and considered this for a moment, then nodded. "So, we're going to join the pieces together, to make it one thing?"

"That's right, Little Bird," Vega said quietly. "What I think we'll do, is make a frame, like this," she showed him the design of it she'd made. "An' then we'll make the pieces what we can put on to the frame. The map you wanted, that'll go here, an' we can take it down an' add to it as we do things," Wren nodded, watching what she was pointing to. "This bit here, that'll be the name. We'll do that separate. An' then these are the pieces what make up the story of Hopetoun's foundin'." He looked at the design she'd drawn and he nodded.

"So, what I'm goin' to have us do," she said, quietly, "Is start with the big picture, here, an' jus' make pencil marks showin' what's goin' where. Then, we'll work on slowly shapin' the wood. What we're goin' to do is use this wood, an' you see how pale it is? Well, we're goin' to overlay it with this darker wood. The images we want will be in the dark wood, so we'll whittle an' make them an' then put them in. They'll have the images sort of cut out of them, so that you see the pattern. Here, look, like this." She showed him a small plan. "That image of Faldrass, there'll be wood here, an' no wood here, so we'll see it. An' we'll use the phoenix wood, so we can get Faldrass lookin' all red or all dark, dependin' on what we want." Wren examined it and nodded. "There's a lot to think of."

"That there is, little bird. But that's alright. We can jus' get on an' do it, an' it'll be done. So, these are our panels, what we're goin' to carve out from. These will go up the far left arch, an' these will go down the one on the right." He examined it. "Where will the map go?" It had been his idea, the map, and Vega wanted to make sure that it had pride of place. "I were thinkin' that we'd give it it's own bit of land an' make it look like the entrance, but be a map. So, like a smaller version." Wren considered that. "I can't imagine it," he said, and she showed him the plan of it which he studied and then nodded. "I like that."

"That's well handy, innit?" Vega chuckled. "So, what do you reckon about these pieces?" They spent some time checking, Vega swapped out a few pieces. There was one with a knot in it, and she showed Wren it. "I reckon, that would make a great cave entrance to Hopetoun Hole, don't you?" He nodded. "I like that. You didn't throw it out." Vega glanced at him, and shook her head. "Wood is beautiful, even when it's not perfect. Sometimes," she said most seriously, "It's the imperfections what are the best bit."

Working carefully, she started the carving - this was something she knew would be more difficult for Wren, so she got him sanding wood. After a little while, he spoke again. "I wish people were like wood." That caught Vega by surprise and she glanced over at him. "You do? How come?" He didn't look up, he concentrated on the sanding, and Vega knew that he was feeling a lot of emotion. "If people were like wood, their imperfections would be the best bit." Without seeming to notice the catch in his voice, or just how much emotion there was in his tone, Vega thought about it. "You know, Wren, I reckon they are, jus' like that."

She held up a piece of wood - the beginning of a carving. "Like this, look. Look, you can see the picture, the image, not because of what's there, because of what's not." She handed it to him and he looked at it. "So imperfections aren't bad?" Vega shook her head. "Well, I don't think so, no." His hand traced the image in the wood, but he wasn't seeing it Vega knew. He was thinking hard. "But I thought you were all full of hope."

"I am," she said softly.

"So, don't you hope to make yourself better?"

Vega sighed slightly and she put down what she'd been doing, and looked at Wren. "I used to. I don't no more. Not in that way." He looked confused at her words, and Vega tried to explain the best she could. "I'm right bad-tempered. An' I'm not good at book learnin', an' there's lots of things. But you know what? I am the best person in the world, absolutely the best person in the world at bein' me." She smiled. "An' if someone loves me, then if I try not to be me, I'm not helpin'. I want my people to be happy, an' I'll hope to be the best version of myself I can be. But, gettin' worked up because I'm not talkin' posh or because I say it how it is, or whatever?" Vega shook her head. "Shove that. You're perfectly you an' the only thing about you I wish you'd change, is that you seem to think that bein' you isn't enough. It is."

"What if I'm never someone who people make stories about?"

Vega smiled and spoke quietly, but firmly. "You already are, little bird." He shook his head, stubbornly and Vega spoke more firmly. "Look at what you're holdin' in your hands, Little Bird."

Wren looked down and he saw the wooden carving which she had handed to him. "It's a bird."

"Yes," Vega said. "It's a wren. Look, there are four of them. One for each corner." She showed him what she'd been doing while he'd been sanding. "An' here are four small ones, for the corners of the map."

Wren looked at them in a mixture of surprise and pleasure and a certainty that she was wrong to do that. "I didn't do anything," he said. "I was just with you."

"Well, I didn't do anythin', either, then," Vega countered. "I were jus' with you. You did the askin', an' the writin' down."

Wren sighed. "But.."

"An' it were your idea Wren. Weren't it?" He nodded. It was. "So, then," Vega said. "If you are already someone who people make stories about, I'd say you're doin' alright. Let me tell you somethin' clear 'n' straight Little Bird. You jus' be you, an' I'll love you an' think you're perfect."

His eyes widened. "You love me?"

She hadn't even really thought about it as she'd said it. "Yeah, of course I do you small an' furless dweeb. I told you, you're perfect. Now, have a look at this an' tell me honestly. Do you reckon that looks like Kirt, in the water, holdin' a fish?"

He examined it carefully and nodded, solemnly. "It does," he said. Then he looked at her and seemed about to speak. "I know, Little Bird," Vega said, before he did. "An' I don't blame you, because I'm great. Now, come on, get sandin'."

"Yes, Vega." Wren said and, leaning against her, he did just that.

[Doran]

Vega:

Knowledge:
Woodcrafting: The knots in wood can be used as a feature
Woodcrafting: Carving decorative images.
Woodcrafting: Making smaller pieces for a frame
Caregiving: Challenge negative beliefs
Caregiving: Using examples for a child can help them understand
Caregiving: Pointing out someone's strengths to build self-esteem.

Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 10

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Comments: I have to admit, I‘m impressed by the way that you write Wren and have given him a personality. He seems to be very wise in spite of his young age. I especially liked the following comment of his:

“If people were like wood, their imperfections would be the best bit!”

Carving the story of Hopetoun’s founding is a wonderful idea in my opinion. I enjoyed Vega and Wren talking about that project and working, and I like how you mixed that with a more personal conversation and a bit of psychology. When Vega called Wren a “small and furless dweeb” I couldn’t help but smile!

I don’t doubt that Hart will be proud of Wren when he comes back. I look forward to reading about their reunion!

Enjoy your rewards!