The Windcaster Bonus Chapter: The Day Mommu Came Home
This is a bonus chapter to the full-length novel The Windcaster, free on Wattpad.
2095 V.F. Mooncliffe
Tia couldn’t focus. There was the Master’s study room she
must clean, as well as the used carrier hay from yesterday which needed to be
removed. The kitchen was not yet tidy and there she stood, tapping her feet and
squinting through the open wooden door with anticipation. Her broom lay against
the wall, forgotten. The only thing she had done was practise her Windcasting,
and she had completed the allocated tasks within the first few days of the
Master departing. There was still so much to do.
By the time the Master’s hooded head peeped over the top of the hill, Tia was practically wringing her hands out of their joints, hopping like a rabbit on the spot.
“Master! Master! Ma—” She stopped, spotting another hooded
head behind the Master’s pale blue hood. A chilly breeze coursed past her;
winter had passed not long ago and a chill remained in the air. Tia loved it:
Hearing the Wind had never yielded more during cold spells and she had perhaps
too much fun Singing and Casting.
Try as she might, she couldn’t see more of the mysterious
stranger sitting behind the Master. Unable to stay at the door watching any
longer, she sprinted down the cobbled steps, the wind streaming through her
short chestnut brown hair and the wooden door swinging shut behind her. The air
made her cheeks sting and her eyes water. Her chest was tight as she gasped her
way until she met the Master’s disapproving look at the bottom of the next hill.
His eyes barely concealed his amusement.
Tia knew she looked a sight. The half-hearted dusting had
sent grey fluffballs tumbling down her tunic and she didn’t bother removing the
hay out of her hair from brushing the carrier calves several hours earlier. As
she neared, her look slid past her Master’s wrinkled smile onto the stranger, whose
face was buried in the back of the Master’s cloak. The stranger was wearing the
Master’s black travelling cloak.
“Who is that?” she blurted out.
“Good afternoon, Tiamat.” The Master’s voice was
disapproving. Realising her mistake, Tia bowed at once, her gaze never leaving
the newcomer. She straightened up, a bright smile on her face.
“Greetings, Master Anu.” Her eyes jumped to the other person
again. She couldn’t see his face. “Who is that?”
“A new member of our family.”
She squealed; the person jumped at the sound and looked up
at last. Beneath the dark hood, wary grey eyes flicked at Tia’s face before
dropping. A few stray curls, a lighter shade of brown than hers, bobbed in the
wind. Tia kept at their side as Master urged his carrier towards their house.
The boy didn’t look at her again. He was breathing so quickly even a
non-Windcaster could hear it.
A new member of the family! This was so exciting. It had been
five years she’d stayed with the Master. Five long years. She wondered if he
would be a fun playmate. Perhaps she could show him all her hiding spots in the
area and they could play chase like she’d seen the children in Mooncliffe do.
Master had never let her play with them. He said her Wind magic could scare
them, possibly hurt them if she got carried away – like the first time she’d
thrown a tantrum when he refused her request to accompany him on his journey.
She thought all children could play with the Wind. She was
wrong, and it made her very lonely. But not any more. This boy must be special
if the Master invited him. Tried as she might to capture his attention, though,
he was uninterested. Disappointed, she turned to the Master, whom she hadn’t
seen in almost a week. His twinkling blue eyes met hers.
“How was Westersands, Master? Did you bring back anything
for me? Perhaps I may accompany you on your next journey?”
He chuckled as she babbled away. She’d scarcely finished one
question before another struck her, and all the while she kept glancing back at
the boy, hoping he would look up again. It seemed the thrill of catching up with
Master Anu would never end.
“…and then I started Hearing the Wind properly! You have
always told me to just feel it, but I
can Hear the songs it sings now.” She sighed, swaying as she skipped along. “It
is so beautiful, Master. I do not see
why you do not just Hear all day.”
She cocked her head and grinned at him, bearing her little
teeth. His eyebrows were raised and he had a familiar smile on his face. The last
time he’d smiled like that was when she’d first shown him her dancing leaves.
He’d then promised to get her a Windcaster staff when she was older.
She wondered if this strange boy could also make leaves
dance.
The cobbled road leading up to their little house ended.
Master slid off the carrier and Tia hurried to relieve him of his heavy
travelling bag, but he chuckled and shook his head at her.
“When you are older, Tiamat.”
She pouted, crossing her arms and staring with baleful eyes.
“I am never big enough for any—”
At that moment, the boy lifted his head again and Tia forgot
about her protest. The Master helped him off the carrier, and, as he did so, a
gust of wind blew his hood back and revealed a head of bouncy light brown curls
atop a thin, pallid face. The eyes were sunken and hollow, with an expression
Tia had never seen before. His eyes reminded her of the sleepy old men by the
harbour, who lie about in dark alleyways with bottles littered around them.
Master always pulled her away whenever he caught her looking at them.
This boy looked so… pained, but he didn’t seem injured. It
gave her a most uncomfortable feeling. The Master must have taken good care of
him, surely. Perhaps he was hungry and tired. He certainly appeared sleepy, swaying
on his feet, blinking as though he’d just woken up. Tia moved forward to grab his
hand – they were cold and bony. His eyes jumped to her, but he didn’t move. His
breathing sped up, his face going even whiter. Tia was a good head taller than
him but she was sure they were the same age.
He exhaled again, and Tia shivered. There was a faint song
in the air, and the Wind was dancing around this strange boy. Everything
surrounding him was so full of life and joy. Although his terrified expression
remained constant, the air swirled, whistling a sweet melody around the two of
them.
He was perfect.
“Tiamat.”
She looked up, a beam on her face.
“I can feel the Wind in him, Master,” she said in delight.
She was right. This boy was special, just like her! She was going to have a
friend – at last.
“Perhaps you should let go of Mommu’s hand before you break
it,” the Master said in a gentle voice.
“Oh!”
Tia let go. The boy’s shaking fingers became pink again.
“Mommu?” she repeated.
“Yes. His name is Mommu.”
“And he is here to stay?” she said, hopeful. A smile spread
from ear to ear. Her heart was about to explode from her chest.
“Yes. He will be a Windcaster apprentice, too. And he will
be your new brother.”
It was as if all the festivities and celebrations had come
at once. Before she could observe proper etiquette, Tia had flung her arms
around Mommu, squealing, sending the two of them flying onto the ground. He let
out a weak cry of surprise as the ground crunched beneath them. Mommu was so
skinny he was painful to hug, but Tia didn’t care. Her hair was all over her
face so she could see nothing, but she didn’t care about that, either. A new
brother! A best friend! How wonderful!
“Where do you come from, Mommu?” The questions streamed out.
“What is yoru favourite food? Do you like carriers? Would you like to see me
make leaves dance? Why is your hair so curly? Do you know how to play chase?”
She could have someone to play with, at last. Whenever the
Master had to leave for duties, there would be someone to spend those lonely
days with instead of sitting idle or pouring endlessly over the Wind tomes. He could
spy on the Mooncliffe residents with her from her window in the attic. She
could play chase with someone at last. She had someone to study with and they could
Cast together when they get their own staffs.
The possibilities were endless!
“We will have so
much fun together, Mommu,” she murmured. The boy didn’t move. She pushed
herself off. “Mommu?”
The boy had fainted.
A/N: Thank you for reading this bonus chapter of The Windcaster, which will be added to the main book once the Young Writer's Prize competition is over. This chapter is dedicated to all those amazing people who have given me shout-outs, promotions, and recommendations so I stood a chance in that competition, and also to those who gave my chapter a vote. From the very bottom of my heart, I give you my thanks and these:
For those who haven't voted, please do go vote here (click on the star on the top right corner and turn it yellow). The deadline is midnight GMT Saturday 13 September, and the winner of the Young Writer's Prize gets a chance of publication!
And a last note: any requests for bonus chapters? What do you think of this one?
