Tuesday Excerpt, "Quest"

“But Linvin,” his mother insisted.  “You finally have a good group working for you.  Now you will need to search for another manager.”

Linvin stopped walking and leaned on the rail of the porch.  The fruit trees in the orchard drew a long shadow and blocked the setting sun.  It was an oddly peaceful setting for the news he was about to reveal.

After a long draw on his pipe, he turned and stated, “I will be the store manager.”

Anvar’s face became pale.  Jelena, however, looked confused.  “How can you do that?  It is two days’ ride to Missandor.  You couldn’t possibly go to work and come home each day.”

Anvar hung his head at his sister’s misunderstanding.  Linvin realized he would need to explain the situation in the simplest terms.  “I will be able to work there each day because I also bought a home of my own in Missandor.  I will be moving there in the next few days.”

Jelena was in disbelief.  “But you only just came home a couple of months ago.  This is your home, Linvin.  It has been your home since you were little.”

“No it has not!” Linvin fumed as he pounded his fist on the rail.  “This has been your home.  My home has been army cots and sleeping on the ground.  This has not been my home since I was banished as a boy.  I came back and have tried things your way, Mother, but this is no longer my home.  It is time for me to have a home of my own.”

“Naturally you want your own house,” Jelena concurred.  “There are many lovely estates here in Fraylic from which to choose.  Why move so far away from me?”

Linvin went down on one knee before his mother.  “I am not moving away from you, Mother.  I am moving away from Fraylic.  This town holds nothing but bad memories for me.  You know how I was treated as a child: not a human, not an elf.  Do you not remember the fights at school and the abuse I endured?  I hated them and I hated this town.”

“Now those same bullies kiss your feet,” Anvar pointed out.  “There must be some gratification in that.”

“Gratification?” Linvin questioned.  “It made me sick to my stomach to entertain some of those people in this house.  It was even more sickening to do business with them.  The fact isthatthey have not changed.  If I were not rich, they would not even address me on the street.  I do not fit in here.  I think I have found someplace where I do.”