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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3137168" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Ninety-six, “Emily Banks”, Thursday June 8th , 1882, 7:00 A.M. In Chicago, Illinois, a young woman named Emily tucked her two everyday bonnets away in the lid of her shining new trunk. Her straw poke-bonnet with the soft pink ribbon lay on the bed next to it, waiting. All her clothes were packed away, including all her skirts with the hems let down to cover her shoes. When she had turned 15 last month Ma had finally said she was old enough for grown-up dresses but her long, pale hair still hung loose down her back. "I heard there aren't any trees in Arizona," her younger sister Eliza said smartly. "No trees or grass, just cactuses and dust." She shut the lid of the trunk and snapped its locks. "Don't be silly. There are cowboys there, and if there are cowboys there must be cows, and if there wasn't any grass what would the cows eat? Uncle Emery has a ranch there, you think they grow dirt?" Eliza crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue, but a moment later she had flittered on to something else. "Cowboys! There'll be lots of those there. And outlaws," she added in a wide-eyed whisper. She bounced on her bed and said louder, "Are you going to carry a gun?" "You really think Uncle Emery would let me?" she laughed. "Well, maybe he would. Trisha and Ellen know how to shoot. I just hope I get to be outside a lot instead of stuck inside sewing or something." Emily tried to take a deep breath and wiggled her shoulders uncomfortably. "You'll get used to it," her mother said as she bustled into the room. She quickly unlatched the trunk lid and slipped in a couple small packages, then secured it again. "How do you get used to having your ribs squeezed?" "You could start by not wearing it too tight." Her mother's capable hands had the new corset fixed in a moment and her dress fastened up again before she could complain again. "Not everything about growing up is fun, Emily." "Will Uncle Emery like me, Ma?" she asked uncertainly. "He always has before," her mother said, tucking Emily's hair behind her ear. "You don't remember him much, but you always got on well. It was his idea for you to go to Promise City; and Chicago just doesn't seem to suit you, there's too much of your Papa in you."  Emily turned to the old looking glass. Her mother was dark-haired, but she was blonde like her father. His blue eyes were in her face, too, but the most tell-tale signs of him were the delicate pointed ears peeking through her hair. But that wasn't what her mother was talking about. "Why don't you go out and visit your garden before we to go the rail station, Emmy?" her mother said as she hugged her.  Emily nodded and headed outside where it was always a little easier to breathe.In Promise City, Thursday morning came for Kate and the school day with it. She went from the kitchen to the schoolroom, looking forward to another pleasant day.   The teachers and students at the Hoover School were falling into a routine and the day went smoothly from beginning to end. Before dismissal Kate mentioned that Drover's Restaurant was looking for help if any of the older students were looking for a job after school. Jake awakes and hour or so after sunrise, has a leisurely breakfast at the El Parador and then inquires around town for Jeff Mills whereabouts.  Maria tells Jake that Jeff is still sleeping upstairs in his room, having gotten in rather late the night before.  "Seems odd that I would be up before anybody," he mumbles to himself. "Tell Mr. Lazybones that I am looking for him when he finally drags his sorry tail out of bed." Jake cannot keep the smile off his face when he says that.  He leaves Maria to her work and enjoys a stroll around town, chatting with folks along the way before he returns to the Lucky Lady for a cup of coffee.  When Jake returns Jeff Mills is up and about, busy restocking the bar.  Jake walks over to the bar and places both elbows on it leaning forward "There was a man in the saloon looking for you late last night, right at close. Claimed his name was Willis... no Walls, no... Waul! That was it." Jake stands up straight and mimics the man's Texas accent, "Thomas Neville Waul, I practice law in Texas." Resuming his normal slouch, Jake continues, "He was a tall thin fellow, with long bushy sideburns that had long since turned gray and receding head of hair. Something about him did not set right with me. He would not say what he wanted with you other than it was a legal matter. He also would not say where he was staying other than with friends." Jake ponders a bit and adds, "Oh, yes, his coat. I took him for a man that should have been able to afford a decent coat and yet his wool one was tattered and too big on him. Almost like it meant something to him or maybe it was his long ago and he has lost some weight." Jake shrugs losing interest. "Anyhow, I told him we would get word to you and he should come back tonight. Chet seemed to think a man by that name a general that fought in Arkansas. If you would rather avoid this hombre we can tell him you are out of town or something."  Jeff replies, "I will be out of town, Job Kane has asked me to go with him up to Wilcox. He was going to bring Thom but Thom didn't seem to like the idea. The stagecoach leaves Morand Cartage in an hour. And yes, Wahl was a Confederate General and was also the delegate sent to Washington D.C. to negotiate back when Sherrod Hunter first hatched his scheme for a New Confederacy. I'm not surprised that he was sent this time since we turned that Marc Jackson away in March."  "Interesting..." Jake is quiet for a minute. "So, what would you like me to tell him. Anything in particular? Would you rather I just discourage him?"Jeff exclaims, "Tell him I resigned my commission years ago and I will not reconsider. Also tell him I have a new job, Promise City Fire Marshall, and now that I've finally managed to put the past behind me and gain some respect in the eyes of this community I have no intention of doing anything to change that. If that doesn't work then be creative, but yes, I want him gone."Jake says, "I will see what I can do. Take care of our Mr. Kane." He goes to the kitchen and gets some coffee and then takes a seat in the saloon.Back in Chicago, it was 11:00 A.M. and the June sun was warm on the little garden that bloomed and nodded behind their house. The vegetable plants were still small and newly sprouted from the dark earth, but the flowers that came up year after year were in their glory. Emily had taken off her shoes and stockings and wiggled her toes in the grass, feeling the cool blades between them. The sounds of the city were far away here among the whispering of leaves and the songs of the birds. Emily walked slowly up and down the neat rows of vegetables looking carefully at the plants, straightening a stake here and there. After her inspection she sat down on a grassy spot among the flowers.  She had what Ma called a "green thumb." It was part of why she was going to Promise City; a place she was afraid really might not have grass. More and more the city felt as if it were pressing against her and when those times came her stepfather would drive her out to the woods beyond the last buildings of the city and she would take deep breaths as if she had just been released from prison. Today it didn't feel like a prison, just home. Each flower and plant in the garden was home, and the house it lay behind with her mother and stepfather and her little brothers and sisters. But they were all human and she was different, more than just being half-elf.  One of the garden rabbits had made its way to her knee, its small nose twitching. As two tears fell from her eyes the little animal nudged her. She spoke a charm and wiggled her finger at the rabbit and suddenly her mind was filled with its chattering about its new brood and comfortable burrow. "You won't eat the garden when I'm gone, will you?" Emily said when it slowed down. "Just the lettuce I planted for you in the back corner." It moved it's head up and down emphatically and indicated that it didn't understand "gone." Emily sighed and tried to explain very simply that she would be like the plants in the winter. That you couldn't find them for a while, then something changes and they come back. She wasn't quite sure it understood but the spell ended and the rabbit hopped up into her lap until her mother called her back inside to leave for the train.A short while later she came in from the garden and watched her stepfather load the trunk up in wagon. Once everything was ready she went down the line of all her little brothers and sisters, giving hugs and saying goodbye. Now that the time to actually go was here the melancholy she indulged in the garden succumbed to the excitement of traveling away for the first time. Beside Eliza there was Sarah, then there was baby Jack in her mother's arms who just drooled, which what he did most of the time when he wasn't eating or crying. Peter was last, only about three years old and he pulled on her skirts saying, "Emwy, Emwy." He didn't really understand, but Emily bent down and kissed him again anyway, then tickled his belly to make him giggle. "You be good, Petey," she said. "You be good!" he said stoutly and laughed at his joke.  "I'll be good." She went and kissed her mother's cheek, then went out and got in the wagon with her stepfather. It was a short ride to the rail station. Once they arrived her stepfather made arrangements for her trunk and spent a few minutes talking with one of the railroad men. "They'll make sure you get on the right train when you change. Your uncle will met you in Tombstone."   She says, "I understand. I'll pay attention and make sure I don't go the wrong way." He gave her a long hug and said, "If you don't like it, you can always come home. You just send us word and we'll have you back in no time."  She hugged him back, but even then the sounds of the train were calling to her. "I'll come home again," she promised, then got on the train that would start her on her journey to Promise City, Arizona.</blockquote>

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