Hiraeth: Belonging (II)

Prologue

It was a Day like any other in Bijou City. The Spring Sun was shining excitedly as clouds moved West on a warm breeze. The morning mist over the River of Gemstones had retreated, and noon was quickly approaching. Beings bustled about within the city, energized by the beauty of the Day. Shops and corner stores were busy, restaurants were preparing for lunch, and the Bijou bridge was raising to let large boats by.

On the streets of Old Town, inside a jade-green warehouse, Deborah Hillyard was going on her afternoon break. Her daughter, Roxie, and husband, Clay, were upstairs waiting for her.

"How's work going?" Clay asked. He was a thin, modest man with dark almond eyes and shaggy straight hair.

Deborah smiled, sitting down on the couch in the living room. "Pretty good. To-Day, it seems like everyone wants to buy paints."

"Speaking of paint, Roxie learned a new skill," Clay announced proudly, motioning to his daughter, who sat beside him. "Why don't you show Mommy?"

Roxie blushed shyly, nodding and taking out her special golden paintbrush. She flicked her wrist up and down, focusing carefully. Paint emerged from the brush's delicate tip, only grey at first, then red. She smiled and bit her lip while she painted a small felt rose. It plopped into her hand gently.

"You've figured out how to summon red!" Deborah cheered, hugging her little girl.

"It took me a while. It was hard to do after I just learned yellow, since it's so much darker." Roxie said with a sigh. She put her paintbrush back and handed the felt rose to her mother.

"For me?"

"It's the same colour as our hair. I want you to have it."

Deborah turned to Clay with a smirk. "See that? She's giving it to me."

Clay snorted teasingly. "She already made me a daisy."

The two laughed and headed into the kitchen, leaving Roxie in the living room to continue painting.

The little girl took out several felt dolls that she had been working on. She painted a green prince, complete with a crown, to go with the yellow princess she finished the previous Day. Then she commenced a game of "castle" using a big box from one of her mother's shipments. Although royalty no longer existed, she loved reading books about the earlier ages when kings and queens ruled the lands. She found it romantic how they worked together to take care of their homes and make better lives for their subjects.

Like Mummy and Daddy and the warehouse, she thought.

Roxie was proud of how well-run their little empire was.

Her mother and father took care of the art supply business. Roxie painted and learned piano, and they had family meals every Night. Soon, she would start school again. She would come home each Day to help them close up the warehouse. They would go on trips during breaks.

Things were simple now that Clay was back home for good.

Then, suddenly, right as the villain (made of black felt) kidnapped the prince, there was shouting in the kitchen.

"You expect me to run this place on my own? While you go away again for however many seasons?" Deborah asked angrily.

Clay sighed. "Deb, you know I can't stay here forever. I'm a musician. I have to perform."

"You just did!"

"A year ago, Deb."

"And in that year you've grown so close to Roxie. You've helped me with work, you've managed to make up for the time you missed."