Kleo Erili
Stories
3
Chapters
278
Words
643.5 K
Comments
210
Reading
2 d, 5 h
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Valentina lay awake in bed, unable to delay the moment she both longed for and dreaded. Dawn was already creeping in. In a few hours, the Duke's carriage would pick her up. "You're nervous, little Weaver," Vyxara stated softly. "A little," Valentina admitted in her thoughts. "What if I'm not ready? What if I make a complete fool of myself at the Duke's court?" "You summoned a demon, seduced a professor, robbed Bridgewater University's Distilled Essence storage, won the Greystone Competition and put…-
423.1 K • Ongoing
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On one of the last afternoons she probably had left with her family, Valentina suggested a walk to her sister. "Let's go to the old pear tree," she said, "like we used to." Adeline was beaming. She had been waiting patiently all week to have her big sister to herself. She had patiently kept all her burning questions to herself. Valentina and Vyxara had noticed that. The two sisters set off past the familiar fields of their childhood. The narrow path meandered through tall grass that waved in the summer…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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Netta made her way through the crowd, one hand placed protectively on her pregnant belly. "What a contrast," said Vyxara. "The poor peasant girl who stayed at home while you went out into the big wide world." "Val," Netta said with an uncertain smile. "You look... different." "You too," Valentina replied gently and pointed to Netta's stomach. "When is it time?" "In about a month." Netta stroked her curved body. "Tom's so excited, he doesn't talk about anything else." She laughed, but it sounded forced.…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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The faint morning light gave a hint of the worn Sunday clothes that Valentina's mother had carefully laid out for her daughters. The kitchen was already bustling with activity. Her father had already taken care of the animals and Colm had been woken up first, as he took a particularly long time in the morning and didn't see the point in being quiet when he was thrown out of bed at the crack of dawn. "Get up, girls!" their mother called out to them. "The Ember won't wait!" "Ah, the weekly circus begins,"…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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"And what kind of pattern is that?" Adeline asked, pointing to the invisible lines Valentina was drawing in the air. "That's a simple Leb pattern," Valentina explained patiently. "See how the lines intersect here? That creates a focal point for the Essence." Adeline frowned intently and tried to imitate her sister's movements. Her hands moved uncertainly through the air. "I can't see anything." "That's normal," Valentina reassured her. "Very few people can even perceive Essence. But the theory behind it…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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After breakfast, Valentina stepped out into the crisp morning with her father. The sun was still low and the dew glistened on the grass. A light haze hung over the fields, giving the landscape an almost surreal atmosphere. "It's good to have you back," Aldwin said quietly as they walked side by side along the well-trodden dirt path. "We've missed you." Valentina felt a lump in her throat. "I missed you too," she replied. The familiar smells of damp earth and freshly scythed grass brought back memories of…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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Valentina woke to the creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath the bare feet of her sisters, who were already getting ready. The mattress she had shared with Adeline when Cecily had lived here felt strangely familiar and softer than her hard bed in Bridgewater, but also more confining. "Ah, back in the bosom of the family," Vyxara mocked in her head. "In the rather narrow bosom of the family, if you'll forgive me for saying so. Now I understand better why you were so relieved to finally have a room to…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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Adeline tried to press Thomas' little face against her shoulder while she hid behind her father's broad back. The two-year-old was restless, whimpering softly and trying to squirm out of her embrace. She could feel his warm breath on her neck as he murmured "Val, Val", which where his favorite word for weeks, ever since her big sister had sent the letter. The wealthy yeoman Aldred Brentwood stood like a looming mountain on the courtyard outside their house. His massive figure was made even more imposing…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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The Burning Quill was well attended that evening. Students were celebrating the end of exams, saying goodbye to friends or drowning their disappointment in ale and fire tongues. The smell of roasting meat and spicy sauce drifted from the kitchen into the bar. Valentina, Innogen and Crispin had managed to get a quiet table in a corner. Wilbur, the innkeeper, had served them his best lamb chops and even brought a bottle of wine from his private cellar. Innogen's name and money made it possible. "Here's to…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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Valentina woke up long before sunrise. The pale light of dawn was only just creeping through her small window, but sleep was no longer an option. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she eagerly awaited the inevitable announcement of the exam results. "Awake already?" Vyxara's amused voice echoed through her head. "You're almost as excited as before the Greystone Competition." "But it's a very different kind of excitement," Valentina murmured as she got out of bed. The wooden floor felt cool under her…
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423.1 K • Ongoing
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