For the next three days Aeryn skipped out on the festival altogether and instead took up some of the help wanted quests that were nailed to the back wall of the Tavern. Early Tuesday morning she went on a search for rare berries that Mrs. Quintin, the baker's wife, stated 'Are the only ones that will make the pie I'm going to make perfect.' and traveled deep into the forest for them. If she hadn't taken her pocket knife a wild boar would've ripped off her right arm. She received twelve copper coins for the job and Isla used some of the pig to make dinner that night, the rest of the animal would be broken up and used for her various potions.
Wednesday afternoon she found herself on a wild goose chase as she worked to retrieve the Book Keeper, Mr. Cormick's, fine leather copy of a famous philosopher's book. It seemed like almost everyone wanted to read it and no one thought it would be a problem if they let the next person borrow it. Half an hour of running around asking for it back she found herself standing at the door of Mr. Cormick's next door neighbor Mr. Hanish, who finally handed the book over. She received fifteen copper coins and five silver ones on behalf of both men seeing how exhausted she was.
Thursday she spent the day testing her magic with Isla. Even though she was very good with spells and incantations already, Isla made her practice whenever she could because of her lack of using them on a daily basis. Aeryn didn't have much use of her magic, unlike the other Magic Wielders in the Eight Villages she was content with making things happen without it. No matter how much Isla complained that she might be the most powerful Wielder she's ever encountered.
The training that Isla put her through was easy, all she had to do was wave her hand and whatever she wanted happened. It was something that made Isla crazy, saying that none of it should be that simple for someone that didn't even try. And Aeryn tended to get bored of it quickly, the moving things to different places in the room and opening jars, and changing things to different colors, and making things out of thin air with just a thought. It bored her to the point that she would sigh and go find something else to do, something that needed her to move. She was usually full of energy and would become jittery if she stayed still for too long.
On Friday she set out early and spent her day at the waterfall, Jonathon, who had been busy working for Mr. Grunger during the three previous days, joining her a little while after. They talked about nothing and anything they could think of, enjoying the warmth of the sun on their faces and the sound of the waterfalls rushing water.
"Who do you think is going to win tonight?" She looked over at him from her perch on top of a large boulder.
The voices of birds surrounded them from the tops of trees and the rustling of animals came from all around as they sped through bushes and across the ground. Jonathon was reclining against a tall and sturdy oak tree, a map that was given to him by one of the Explorers that left the Inn that morning was spread open in his lap.
"Kelsie." Jonathon answered simply without looking up.
For a minute an image of a smiling brunette girl with large lovely brown eyes clouded Aeryn's thoughts before she nodded. "She's a good choice, the absolute definition of beauty." Then she opened the book that she had been reading and flipped the pages back to the chapter she stopped at.
"Why didn't you enter this year?"
It took a minute before Aeryn could process what he asked, she looked into the water below her and stared before giving him a questioning look.
