As I was drying myself off the next morning after stepping out of the shower - while watching Sparkle do a sort of tightrope walk along the top of the shower stall - I called out to Ken, “What do you have on the agenda for this morning?”

His voice returned to me from just outside the bathroom door, and I silently blessed him for being so considerate of my modesty. “Well, assuming you feel quite back to normal after breakfast, I thought we’d try to apply last night’s lessons to real-world spellcasting. Illusions will be a bit much for you just yet, but - as I said last night - learning to throw lightning will help teach you to regulate how much energy you’re putting into your spells.”

I paused in drying myself off. Something inside me wanted to flee from the idea of doing something as violent as throwing lightning around. Another part of me was amused by how quickly I’d absorbed and…well…metabolized, for lack of a better term, the general weirdness of learning to cast spells in the first place. After all, I’d only managed to do it once so far, and it had almost made me pass out from exhaustion. But then, I am very flexible.

What I am not, by nature, is a violent person. I’ve always solved conflicts with words, never with my fists. Even my forays into athletics had been comparatively genteel…ballet when I was little, then gymnastics when the unbearably snotty and overly competitive attitudes of my fellow students had grated on my nerves once too often. After finding much the same problems there, gymnastics had morphed into fencing in college (the one great aberration, but which I'd enjoyed anyway), and finally completely non-competitive activities like jogging, Yoga, and Tai Chi, which kept me flexible and in excellent shape without having to deal with all of the aggressive personalities.

The thought that I was now going to have to learn to be aggressive in order to protect my new home - and there was, I was curious to find, no longer even the faintest glimmer of a thought in my mind of leaving the House, Ken, and Sparkle - made my skin crawl. Intellectually, I understood that this was something I was going to have to accept if I intended to live this new life…but I was, perhaps, not handling all of the radical changes to my world quite as well as I appeared to be on the surface.

As the old motivational joke about ducks says: I was calm and collected on the surface, but paddling like hell underneath, whether I admitted it or not. It was time to admit it to myself. I was becoming a little bit freaked out, even if I wasn’t letting it show.

I wrapped a towel around my hair, slipped into my robe, and opened the door to face Ken. “Is there any chance we could put that off until the afternoon? Or maybe tomorrow?”

He looked at my eyes closely. “Perhaps…” he said carefully. “Why?”

“Well,” I said carefully, “it’s been a few days since I got any exercise. I should really keep to my Yoga, Tai Chi and jogging routines.” I gave him a tentative smile. “I must keep in shape, right?”

Ken nodded agreeably. “Indeed, that’s an excellent idea. Yoga and Tai Chi both have traditional elements that deal with the movement of energy within your body, which will help with your spellcasting. And of course, a good level of fitness is wise regardless of other considerations. The House could undoubtedly provide you with a room-”

“I’d really like to do it outside,” I said quickly, cutting him off. “You know, fresh air and all that.”

He narrowed his gaze slightly, but said only, “The grounds are lovely at all times of the year. You could jog the inside of the border wall, and exercise on the -”

“I was thinking,” cutting him off again and trying not to feel rude about it, “about jogging into town. I’d really love to see it, and it feels silly to drive a mile or two when the exercise would do me good.”

Ken pursed his lips. “I won’t be able to go with you, Mistress…at least if you stayed within the wall, I’d be able to see you from the House…”

“She wouldn’t be alone,” Sparkle said, unexpectedly coming to my defense as she alighted on my shoulder. “I’ll be with her. She’ll be perfectly safe with me along,” she added with a dismissive flick of one tiny hand. “You worry too much, spirit.”

Ken’s lips quirked as if he was trying not to smile at Sparkle’s charming bravado. “That’s as may be,” he said, “but Mistress Caley really shouldn’t leave the grounds until she’s learned some basic defensive spells.”

Sparkle made a dismissive *pfft* sound that was quite adorable. “For a short trip to Oakwood? What could possibly harm her there?”

“Anyway,” I said, “won’t it look very strange to the people in town if I lock myself in up here like a recluse?”

Ken gazed at our united front for a long moment, then buckled. With a shake of his head, he said, “I am going to have a terrible time saying ‘no’ to you about anything, Mistress. Yes, making connections with the town is an excellent - possibly vital - proposition. And Sparkle is right, there’s really nothing there that could bring you harm.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I am reluctant, but…”

“I could really use the time to clear my head,” I said quietly, playing my trump card.

Ken sighed. “Very well. Will you take breakfast first?”

I shook my head. “I want to get going while it’s still early.” I hesitated, then smiled uncertainly. “Will you still dry my hair first?”

His smile returned without reservation. “Any time you wish, Mistress.”

With my hair quickly dried and plaited into one of Ken’s impressively complex but still very comfortable braids, I dressed for exercise: black spandex leggings with a green stripe down the sides, a matching sleeveless top, a forest green sweatshirt with the Cambridge University seal on it (probably the only article of clothing I was putting on that I’d actually brought with me), and the comfortable green trainers I’d worn the day before.

Ken walked us to the door, handed me a small backpack with a water bottle and my wallet in it - neither of which I’d considered in my eagerness to get OUT for a little while - and stayed within as Sparkle and I went outside. I spent half an hour on the lawn across from the front door doing a combination of Yoga and Tai Chi to warm up and as a sort of apology to Ken for leaving him behind. I hoped that letting him see at least part of what I was doing would set his mind at ease.

Sparkle valiantly tried to mimic my exercises, but spent more time giggling over her own inability to keep up than actually stretching. Did fairies need to exercise, I wondered? Considering the volume of food she’d consumed the day before compared to her diminutive size, I had no idea how her body was burning the calories…or if it even was. She did spend an awful lot of time flying, but her wings were simply not proportionately large enough to her body to carry her weight. Which brought me back to magic.

Which meant that she either had an insanely fast metabolism, or didn’t actually need to eat. Fascinating.

When I headed for the front gates, Sparkle shrank down and attached herself to the Master Key as she’d demonstrated the other day. I unlocked the gate, let myself out, locked it up behind me, and set off towards town, making a mental note to find out what it would take - if it was even possible - to upgrade the gates to something that I could open and close with a remote control.

It was still early enough that my first turn through town was largely uninterrupted, save for a few cats prowling their territories who watched me with wary curiosity, and a couple of dogs who barked at me from their yards.

Oakwood very much lived up to the first impression I’d gotten of it when I’d driven through a few days earlier…it was a positively charming little town. I entered it on the main street that passed through the center of town and jogged along past the first few houses and shops. I spotted a library, a parish church, and a primary school among other public services, and found everything obviously well cared-for and well-loved.

A gentle jog of a few miles wasn’t that much of a strain for me. But by the time I looped around and was coming back up the main street, I was starting to feel thirsty and my stomach had begun to rumble, reminding me that I’d skipped breakfast. So when my route put me on approach to the pub sign I’d seen on my first pass up the main street, I slowed to a walk and took a better look at it.

The pub’s sign was a traditional wooden one, hanging from an iron fixture above the front door. It was inlaid with elegantly carved oak leaves and ivy vines, reminding me strongly of the decorative patterns I’d seen around the House. The pub’s name was, perhaps inevitably, ‘The Oak & Ivy.”

I found this strangely reassuring, so I paused for a minute and stretched my legs. Then, since the sign in the window was flipped to ‘Open,’ I tried the handle and found that indeed it was.

It must have just opened for the day though, because as I entered I found the pub empty except for a man behind the bar. He set down the glass he was wiping as the bells above the door jingled.

As he turned towards me, I guessed him to be in his late sixties, based on his thinning head of iron-colored hair and the smile lines at the corners of his mouth and eyes. He carried a few extra pounds around his middle, in the way many of the older pub owners I’d met did, and had a friendly, open face, with a cheerful smile.

“Good morn-” He stopped mid-word and stared at me for a long moment, his eyes widening in obvious shock as some of the color drained from his face. Then he blinked and laughed, wiping a hand across his face. “Good God, but you gave me a start, Miss! For a moment there, I thought Chessie had returned from the dead to pay me a visit! You must be little Caley…there’s nobody else you could be, you look so much like your mother. Why, I haven’t seen you since you were a little baby! Come in, do come in!”

I closed the door and walked to the bar, feeling the heat of embarrassment in my cheeks. “The resemblance is rather shocking. It threw me at first too, so don’t feel bad.”

He smiled warmly. “I don’t doubt it, Miss! But James said you’d be coming home at last, right before he died, so it’s not as much of a shock to me as it might’ve been to you.” His smile faded into sadness. “The whole town mourned your father’s passing, dear girl. You have my sincerest condolences, and you are most heartily welcomed!”

“Thank you,” I replied softly, a bit surprised to hear how my father’s death had affected the town. But at the same time, it subtly reassured me that I would indeed find a warm welcome here. That I already was, in fact. “I’m just sorry I never had the chance to know him, mister…”

“Oh dear, where are my manners?” He beamed at me and offered his hand. “Malcolm O’Day, at your service, Miss.” I shook his hand warmly, then he gestured to the tall chairs lining the bar. “Sit yourself down, Miss. You look like you’re in search of a drink and some breakfast. Been out jogging, have you? Judy, my wife, will have hot scones fresh from the oven shortly, and I’ve got a pot of water on for tea. If you’d like, I’m sure my wife could do up a couple of eggs for you.”

I smiled at the barrage of questions and comments and perched on one of the very comfortable chairs, immediately preferring them to the stools one usually found at bars. “Yes, I’ve been out jogging. A cup of tea, a couple of scrambled eggs, and a hot scone sound like they’d hit the spot perfectly, thank you very much.”

I felt Sparkle squirm against my breastbone and regretted not being able to get her something too. Malcolm must have noticed something in my expression, because he glanced around at the empty bar pointedly and said, “If you’ve your mother’s little friend with you, she’s safe to come out and have a bite too. It’s not likely we’ll get any other business before eleven, and I recall that the little one was a bottomless pit.”

Sparkle immediately detached from the Master Key and was standing on the bar a moment later, beaming up at him. “Hello, Mr. Barkeep sir!”

He beamed down at her. “And hello to you too, Miss Sparkle. Would you care for one of my wife’s scones as well?”

She bounced happily. “Yessir, please sir!”

“Such fine manners,” he said approvingly, then called back through a nearby half-door, “Judy dear, two scones and a couple of scrambled eggs, please! We have special guests.”

A pleasantly plump, rather grandmotherly-looking face appeared in the doorway. She blinked in surprise, then put a hand to her chest and came through. “Oh my dear girl, you’ve come home at last!” She took my hands and leaned forward to kiss my cheeks. “Welcome home! It’s so good to see you!” She bent down a little to address Sparkle. “And you as well, you pretty little thing.” She headed back towards the kitchen before I could say a word. “You wait right there, and I’ll have your breakfast out in just a minute or three.”

And she was gone.

Malcolm laughed at the dazed look on my face. “She’s like that, my Judy. Always on the move. So, you finally came to see the town, hm?”

I nodded and smoothed my hair. “Yes. I needed to stretch my legs, and I really wanted to have a look around.”

“And high time too,” he replied jovially as he poured a cup of tea for me. Loose leaf, I noticed with approval. “Let me tell you, when we saw lights on up at the house again, the town nearly declared a holiday! Oakwood hasn’t felt the same since your father died.” He slid the cup across to me. “Milk? Sugar?”

I smiled. “Just sugar, please. My father was well known in town, then?”

“Oh yes, Miss,” Malcolm said, passing me a small pot of raw sugar and a spoon. “Until a couple of months before he died, your father was seen about town regularly. In fact, if you come back to the pub on Thursday night, you’ll meet a group of men who he joined each week for a few drinks and a game of darts.” A quick grin flashed across his face. “They’re a bit rough around the edges, but good blokes all…older men, who take no guff from anyone anymore. If you’re anything like your mother, they’ll take a shine to you quickly enough.”

I felt my cheeks heating up again. “I’m not really sure which of my parents I’m like just yet, but I’m a bit of a bookworm I’m afraid.”

He laughed again. “That’s no bad thing either.” He leaned on the bar and examined me closely as I sipped my tea. “You look so much like her, but you’ve your grandmother’s eyes. She had eyes like that too…one green, one blue.”

“You knew my grandmother?” I asked curiously, eager to learn more about the family I’d never known.

Malcolm smiled warmly. “Miss, since I’ve met you I can now happily say I’ve known and enjoyed the friendship of three generations of your family. At least,” he added teasingly, “I hope you’ll be friendly.”

That made me laugh, and I could feel something inside me relaxing and warming. “I hope so too,” I said. “It’s been a real eye-opener moving into the House, never having known who my parents even were until recently. You can’t imagine how glad I am to find a warm reception here in town.”

He patted one of my hands gently. “Poor thing. Well, we all knew and loved your parents, and your mother’s parents before them. I’m sure all of the older residents will have stories to tell you about them, time permitting.” He winked. “And that’s another good reason to visit my pub on a regular basis. You’ll get to meet everyone, eventually.” He raised his voice a little. “And, if I may say so, my wife’s cooking is not to be missed.”

Judy’s voice drifted out of the kitchen, sounding both amused and teasingly severe. “It’s far too late for you to think that buttering me up like a slice of bread will do you any good, Malcolm O’Day.”

I shared a grin with him, and it felt wonderful. “I’ll make a point to come visit,” I said, touched by their simple acceptance and welcome.

“Good.” Malcolm smiled gently. “I can safely say that you’ll find you have family here still, if not your parents. This is a tightly knit community…quite a few people in town are related to your mother.” He patted his chest. “Why, I myself am related by marriage, three or four generations back. I believe you’ll even find some blood relations in town, however distantly removed. We pride ourselves on our connections to your family, by blood or friendship.”

I realized my vision was getting a bit blurry and wiped tears from my eyes before they could fall.

He smiled and patted my hand again where it lay on the bar. “Welcome home, Miss Caley. You drink your tea, and my Judy will be out with your breakfast in a moment.” Then he left me alone with my thoughts for a few minutes.

I finally understood why people said that the world is blessed by the presence of good bartenders.

By the time I was halfway through the cup of tea - and back in control of my emotions - Judy was bustling out of the kitchen with two plates. “Here you are, Miss! A scone for little Sparkle, and a scone and eggs for little Caley.” She winked and put the plates down in front of us. “I’d stay and natter on all day, but you probably want to eat and get home right now, and I have the lunchtime stew to tend to, so be certain to come by for a chat when you have the time.”

I smiled at her. “I will! Thank you very much.”

She patted my cheek gently, rather like I’d always thought grandmothers might, then vanished back into the kitchen as Sparkle dove onto and tore into her scone like a ravenous little shark.