The evening had been much too short.  The energy it had taken in order for her to perform the spell coupled with the lateness of the night before left her feeling drained.  The rays of sun naturally woke her.  Normally she was awake well before the dawn.  It was unsettling to know that sun greeted her before she had a chance to do so for him.  Rubbing her eyes she removed the furs from herself, exposing her naked form, and stepped out into her garden.  Here she did her usual morning greeting.  Lifting lightly tanned arms up to the sun she arched her back, presenting herself to the father.  She then leaned forward, sweeping her arms down and brushing the tips of grass with her fingers.  lastly, she reached forward and lay stomach to the ground and once again arched herself toward the sun.

She repeated the series of movements a couple of times before she lay herself out to enjoy the rays.  They danced warmly over her naked flesh and she relaxed.  The tiredness of the morning was long forgotten.  The energy of the sun helped her feel more awake and prepared for the day ahead.  The woman stretched, loathe to remove her body from the languid warmth.  However, there were chores to do.

Back in the house, she donned simple clothes of easy to move in fabrics.  She cleaned out spider webs, dusted bottles, and took down herbs from the ceiling ready to be ground up or bundled.  She had to make sure her house was presentable if there was a chance she would have to be teaching new witches.  Once satisfied with the cleaning she grabbed a wicker basket from beside the door and made the trek down to the little town.  The stone pathway up to her house soon turned to dirt turned to a deer trail.  Grasses swished around her skirts and bramble thorns grabbed at her clothes.

When she finally emerged from the trees and onto a grassy hill there was the town just below.  Off a little way was the church.  The woman wrinkled her nose and spat on the ground.  She always took the longest way around to avoid stepping near the offending building.  God had not been kind to his flock as of late.  Especially not those on the fringe of society, such as herself.  She ripped her eyes away from the church and instead went into the town.

She was normally here when the town was just beginning to awaken, however, the lateness of the hour at which she woke meant that the residents were already bustling.  She liked the sounds.  There were a few horses drawing wagons filled with hay or goods.  The blacksmith's hammer clanged loudly against metal and anvil.  The scent of baking bread was just starting to drift away.  She smiled lightly to know that life was still in full swing.  But she could detect no signs of a magical awakening.  Perhaps it would take time?  Maybe they were hiding it?  She would be sure to visit as many places as she could today.  She would start by going to the General Store.  It was a comfortable wooden building with no sign out front.  None was needed as everyone who lived here knew exactly what it was.  

As she entered the shop a bell rang and a man stepped out from the back of the shop.  "Why God ye good den, Miss Maria.  Late start I see!"  He was an older man, bald on the top of his head and sported a thick grey beard.  It hid his smile but she could see in the way his warm eyes crinkled at the edges he was wearing a great big one for her.

Maria smiled in kind. [b] "Good morning and blessed day, Mister Arrow."[/b]  She approached the counter and set the basket down. [b] "As requested, here are the five containers of burn balm, eight of healing cream, and ten of the cold tonic" [/b] She removed the containers from the basket and Arrow counted them out.

"Perfect," he said as he set them aside.  "And I have for you, my dear - a case of empty bottles and jars and a dozen eggs."  He pushed a small crate toward her.  It was a bit bigger than she had anticipated but would easily fit in her basket.  She stowed it away and asked - [b]"Anything interesting happen lately?"[/b]  Maria leaned close in a conspiratorial way.

Arrow laughed, "Well, they say that Ana is already with child and that is why she is to be married to that lout Phillip.  And that strange wind last night, but besides that nothing new."  Maria pouted.  "What can I say, little duck, our town is a dreadfully boring one."  He reached over the counter and ruffled her black curls.  Maria made a sound of false indignation, all the while smiling.  Smoothing her unruly hair back down into her long braid, she lifted brown eyes up to meet Arrow's.  She hoped that he might be one of the changed, one of her Kin.  He had been such a fatherly figure throughout her lonely life.  But, if he had changed it was obvious he was very good at keeping it a secret.

[b]"I have some more shopping to take care of today and I am running behind.  Unfortunately, I have to cut this visit short, many apologies Mister Arrow."[/b]

"I am glad just to be able to see you from time to time Maria.  Come have dinner with me and Lydie sometime."  Lydie was his wife, a sweet but devout woman.  She sometimes made Maria a bit uncomfortable.

[b]"I'llGoodbyeood bye and God bless," [/b]she hefted her basket over her arm and out into the world she went.  When her back was to Arrow she lifted a cloth over the small crate.  As the cloth settled the crate seemed to disappear, making the basket look empty.  All of these actions were hidden behind her handy shawl. She supposed the next thing she should purchase would be bread.  Perhaps some fresh milk from Abby...