Chapter 508: A Family Home
"I won’t be copying the Briar. Not exactly, at least" Ashlynn said, looking at the flustered witch in her arms and gently moving a lock of hair aside so she could meet her gaze directly. "But just like Big Sister Amahle shaped the Briar into a place to keep her coven safe, I intend to create a place where my coven is protected as well. It’s just that we won’t be relying on natural fortifications and witchcraft to keep us safe, at least not in the beginning." Even though she had yet to explain her plans, the strength in her voice said volumes about her intentions. The tragedies Talauia had suffered had provided a powerful lesson, but it was one that the Thistle Witch feared would become lost once Ashlynn and Heila relaxed into their home in the Vale of mists.
Thankfully, it seemed like Ashlynn not only hadn’t forgotten, she was already making moves to protect her people. That realization alone was enough to wrap the winged witch’s heart in a layer of warmth that made her momentarily forget about the cool droplets of mist that gathered on her wings when they stopped their movement and gave her the strength she needed to clear the moisture from her multifaceted eyes.
Only when Ashlynn saw that the other woman’s eyes no longer seemed haunted by the ghosts of her clan and the horrors of her escape did she relax her hug, setting the Thistle Witch back on her seat before pulling her own chair over to sit next to Talauia as she continued to explain what would happen next.
"I’ve given orders to the Castle Master that this entire tower is to be emptied for our use," Ashlynn explained. "This fortress has five towers, but by the start of the new year, no one who isn’t a part of this coven will be able to enter this one without our express invitation."
"What about servants?" Ollie asked awkwardly. "Justus has taken a room on the floor below to be available when I need him. I, I tried to find a way to make different arrangements, the way you treated Heila," the young man said. "But, Justus has a very strict sense of propriety. He wants to stay within his station."
"We all wear many hats," Ashlynn said with a light laugh, tugging at the brim of her own comfortable traveling hat. "As a knight, you should have a valet of your own, and a page or squire, plus your men-at-arms. But all of these people belong to ’Sir Ollie the Knight’, not to ’Ollie the Cypress Witch.’"
When she explained it that way, it made a certain kind of sense to Ollie, though it felt strange to think of ’Ollie the Knight’ and ’Ollie the Witch’ as different people. In his mind, he would become both a knight and a witch at the same time, in a ceremony that blended a knight’s vigil with a witch’s trial. Somehow, he’d expected that his life would continue in much the same way, walking some vaguely defined path between the two roles.
It was only when Ashlynn pointed out the different roles of people around him that he realized that ’Ollie the Knight’ had a completely different set of expectations and responsibilities compared to ’Ollie the Witch.’ Sometimes, those things would overlap, but for others, he would need to learn how to be clear on which ’hat’ he was wearing at any given moment.
"This tower is for family," Ashlynn insisted as she saw understanding beginning to dawn. "I may change my mind years from now," she added. "Justus hasn’t been your man for very long, and he may become part of our extended family in time. But when I say that this is for us, I really mean it. Even Thane and Zedya will need an invitation to enter here," she said, purposefully leaving Ignatious’s name off the list as she gave Heila a meaningful glance.