Folding the torn parchment, Penny put it back in her dress pocket.
“Come, let me take you around the village. I heard from one of the maids that there is a local fair that has been arranged,” Penny said, pulling Caitlin along with her.
Returning back to the church where the carriage of the Quinn’s was parked, they took it to ride to the next town and as expected, the village was decorated in bright paper colors, hanging up in the air while many people had gathered around the center of the fair that had little shops arranged in tents which held different valuable items as well as food. Games were held for young children while some were for a.d.u.l.ts.
“I remember these things that were held in Valeria,” commented Caitlin as they made their way towards the fair, “Your father and I would often slip out of the house to attend these things. Uncle and aunt never liked it, they feared something, maybe us getting killed out in the open as we were witches and we would hear an earful once we returned back home. Some years later we never told them but only slipped out of our beds and rooms to be able to visit and see what these fairs were all about.”
“Looks like my father and you were mischievous little children,” after hearing Penny’s words, the woman smiled fondly over her memories.
“We indeed were. Being young and with the bliss of ignorance, life was too perfect I think at that point in time. When we are kids, we believe what is told to us. Accepting it to be the truth and then we grow up. When we were young, your father made up storytelling how the watermelon carried the water of Bonelake in it which was why it was so watery. It is because the fruit isn’t frequent in Valeria.”
Penny smiled at Caitlin’s words. She was glad to hear that both her father as well as her aunt had had good childhood memories.
They went through the stores one after another, looking at what each one of them had to offer while moving to the next one. Taking some things to eat on their way, Caitlin and Penny had a good time with each other. It was good to hear stories from her aunt about her and her father which in turn made Penny feel as if she were much closer to her father than she was before.
Right now it felt like she knew him. Penny remembered her father in her mind, his very image brightened her mind giving her the hope that she needed along with the strength.
“What are you smiling so widely?” Caitlin questioned as she looked at her niece.
“I don’t know if I told you this but I am glad you are here.”
Caitlin nodded her head, “Several times but I don’t mind hearing it again,” she said warmly, opening her arms for a hug, the woman said, “Come here.”
Penny stepped forward to hug her aunt in the midst of the crowd, “You are a strong girl, Penelope. Stronger than your own father and don’t let anyone make you think otherwise. You have the blood of the first generation witch running in you, that itself is special.”
“Did you tell that to yourself too?” Penny asked once they pulled and stepped back from each other.
The woman shrugged her shoulders, looking around with a smile before her eyes met Penny’s green ones, “I did. When there’s no one to motivate you, you end up telling a lot of nonsensical things to yourself.”
This made Penelope giggle and smile wide. It appeared that Penny had not taken over her mother’s qualities and she was grateful for it. Instead, she had picked her father and aunt’s traits.
“Look there!” Penny nudged her head towards a store that was selling hot cooked food, “I think we can hop to some of them and then get back,” she suggested looking up at the sky where it was hard to tell if it was going to rain now or later.
After getting some more food to eat, they were getting back and out of the fair when something caught from the corner of her eyes. Turning her head, she found a bunch of stones that were placed in there.
“Aren’t those charm stones?” asked Caitlin, “Want to take a look?” Penny gave her a quick nod and they went to the stall that was set up with a woman who sat at the front selling it.
“Come here only if you are buying it. I am tired of entertaining people who just come here to look at it,” complained the woman to the people who had crowded around to only leave the front place and move to the next one.
When the woman caught sight of Penny and Caitlin who were better dressed compared to the rest of the folks who had shown up in front of her store, she looked at Penny to say,
“These are rare stones that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Each stone is special as they hold different abilities. You have the red, brown, blue and black and green. Name the color and I will find a suitable one.”
Penny gave a sweet smile to the lady and she asked, “How much do each of these costs?”
“They are only ten gold coins for each of them,” the woman smiled back, getting her plump self to stand up. She came to the front with her hands wringing together as she waited to make some money finally.
“How cheap,” Caitlin commented in a sarcastic tone to receive a small glare from the store lady.
“Do you think charm stones are cheap? They are the most expensive stones you will ever find. They come from the mountains of the Abile after the volcano stops.”
“How interesting,” Caitlin continued to humor the woman. Both Penelope, as well as Caitlin, were aware that the charm stones were made by the hands of the white witches and not something that appeared through the hands of nature.
Penny who was already aware of how charm stones looked and had tried to recreate some of them stared at them. She didn’t have the ability like Alexander but as she had worked with the stones in Valeria, she could tell this was not real.
“Aren’t you trying to scam people, lady?” Penny asked the woman who gave her a look as if she was speaking nonsense.
“Do you even know how a charm stone looks like?” the lady questioned back with a raised eyebrow.
