Blueberry Bubble

[Vertex 23]

Blueberry Bubble

 

Sarene hesitated for a moment, considering her crime, then smiled broadly and set Moiraine's carriage on fire. The flames grew quickly, licking the carriage side where she had poured the oil, and the white paint darkened and cracked. Then she took a few steps back, drew a deep breath, and screamed, “Fire!”

 

Moiraine emerged instantly from her tent and for a moment Sarene feared her mother would know all about her plan.

 

“I got water,” Sarene said, fetching a bucket while doing her best to not look Moiraine in the eyes. She was about to put her fire out when the flames became blue and feeble before going out on their own.

 

“How did this happen, Sarene?” Moiraine asked, sounding tired.

 

“Probably the wind did it,” Sarene answered, keeping her eyes on the scorched carriage as if wondering herself. “All it takes is a single spark from the campfire. You always tell me that.”

 

Moiraine shook her head and mumbled something about an oath rod and daughters.

 

“Well, goodnight then, Mother,” Sarene said and attempted to escape before more questions could be asked but Moiraine placed a hand on her shoulder and held her still. Grudgingly, Sarene looked up in her mother's brown eyes.

 

“I am your mother,” Moiraine said softly.

 

“If we never talk about this again and I have your carriage repainted tomorrow when we are back in Cairhien, will you forgive me?”

 

“Forgive you for burning my carriage?” Moiraine asked.

 

“Yes, but I don't want to talk about it, and you have to promise. Oh, and loan me the money to have it repainted, too. But I will pay you back when we are back home at the Sun Palace.”

 

“All right,” Moiraine finally agreed. “I promise.”

 

The following evening in a small border town on the Cairhienin side, Sarene received the loan from her mother and hired a painter who declared, “I cannot restore the paint in one night, young lady.”

 

“I know,” Sarene said pleasantly, “it takes several coatings and they need to dry properly.”

 

“Indeed,” the painter said, charmed by the young noblewoman. “If you don't mind me asking, how did this happen?”

 

“I'm not supposed to tell,” Sarene whispered, leaning close, “but there was a fire and my mother was needed to put it out.”

 

“Was anyone hurt?” the painter asked.

 

“No, well, only the animals living in the forest, I guess.”

 

“A forest fire then?”

“Yes,” Sarene whispered eagerly. “The Braem Wood burned down.”

 

“The whole forest? Why is that a secret?”

 

“Because now they don't have any blueberries in Andor so they will need to buy it from us in Cairhien. It has to do with a market and prices or something like that. Actually, master painter, now that I think about it, I would like some blueberry preserves before they are all sold to Andor; can you recommend me a good merchant?”

 

The following evening Sarene repeated the story to another painter who did the second coating. And every evening after that until they reached the capital.

 

She rode into the city with her mother and was pleased to see street vendors haggling eagerly over great baskets full of blueberries. And the air was thick with the wonderful smell of berries being preserved.

 

“Moiraine Sedai,” some commoner called, “good work on the fire!”

 

Moiraine smiled and waved at the man then turned to her daughter with suspicion in her eyes.

 

“You promised we would not talk about it,” Sarene quickly reminded her mother.

 

Moiraine narrowed her eyes but Sarene stared back, refusing to answer her mother's unasked question.

 

“Very well,” Moiraine finally said and rode over to the man who had congratulated her on putting out the fire. “Tell me, good master, what do you know about the fire?”

 

Sarene knew she was in trouble and quickly got hold of one of the street vendors to sell the blueberry preserves she had bought in each city on their way home. She easily got five times the gold she had paid for them and had a feeling she could have gotten the double had she not been distracted by her mother's discussion with the merchant. It was eerily quiet and Moiraine did not appear to breath at all, words just came out of her, sounding pleasant but completely false.

 

“I informed that man that the Braem Woods are perfectly fine,” Moiraine said as Sarene returned to her side. “Apparently someone spread a rumor that they burned down and inadvertently inflated the blueberry market, which is now going to collapse and leave a lot of people desolate. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

 

“I am sorry for them,” Sarene said, “but at least they will have their blueberries so they won't starve.”

 

“You knew this would happen?” Moiraine demanded in an icy whisper and Sarene knew she had been caught. “Who taught you about the market?”

 

Thom came to her rescue, riding down from the palace on a tall white horse, looking as grand as a king even though he still didn't have any official title.

 

“Father,” Sarene said, leaping down from her horse and running over to Thom who did the same. They hugged hard, squeezing each other until bones cracked.

 

“Thom,” Moiraine said and unmounted her horse as well. “Your daughter has...she is a....“

“Come here, my love,” Thom said, holding an arm out to Moiraine who grudgingly forgot her anger and joined them in another bone cracking hug.

 

“Stop that,” Sarene said, pushing herself in between her parents when they got a bit too friendly hugging and started to kiss.

 

“Yes,” Moiraine said, looking embarrassed as she glanced around at people in the street staring at them from a safe distance. “Thom, your daughter—”

 

“I'll punish her harshly,” Thom said solemnly but Sarene knew it was a lie. “You will pay dearly for playing the market like that, young lady.”

 

“You knew she would do this!” Moiraine accused her eyes narrowing, “You taught her how!”

 

Thom grinned sheepishly and placed another kiss on her lips.

 

Moiraine couldn't help smiling. “You two will be the end of me.”

Edited June 24, 2011 by Vertex

[Marie 73]

Good job, Vertex!

[Olivia 26]

I was so confused until you explained Sarene was her daughter's name. Fun story, I like the idea of Moiraine having devious little daughters running around.

 

But I must protest... A whole story about blueberries and no mention of blueberry tea?! I was expecting some blueberry tea between Moiraine and namesake!Sarene. *pouts* Then again... knowing Vertex, this is probably a mercy.

[Kaitlin 22]

I demand more about Moiraine's horrible daughters!

[jan 14]

Awwww... father-daughter devilishness. Niklas is such a softie! *tease*

[Deadsy 19]

I loved this line: “All it takes is a single spark from the campfire. You always tell me that.”

 

Sounds exactly like something Moiraine would say. I can totally picture her as a parent now. She is always lecturing that way with the silly teenagers she has to babysit.

[Vertex 23]

I was so confused until you explained Sarene was her daughter's name. Fun story, I like the idea of Moiraine having devious little daughters running around.

 

I demand more about Moiraine's horrible daughters!

 

Awwww... father-daughter devilishness. Niklas is such a softie! *tease*

 

It was Marie's idea to make Moiraine a mother. I'm glad it worked!

 

 

I loved this line: “All it takes is a single spark from the campfire. You always tell me that.”Sounds exactly like something Moiraine would say. I can totally picture her as a parent now. She is always lecturing that way with the silly teenagers she has to babysit.

 

Yeah I bet Moiraine wonders why she keeps getting to care for tricky teenagers.

 

 

But I must protest... A whole story about blueberries and no mention of blueberry tea?! I was expecting some blueberry tea between Moiraine and namesake!Sarene. *pouts* Then again... knowing Vertex, this is probably a mercy.

 

I totally dropped the ball on that I meant to add so many more things...like Moiraine suspecting some Ta'veren messing up chance and causing the value blueberries to inflate. And also that Sarene made enough money to pay her mother back so she broke even financially. Her real goal was to make people go out and pick blueberries so that tons of (cheap) preserves were made that she could feast on for months.