If Only There Was a Way...

Writers: Eimi
Date Posted: 16th July 2017

Characters: Capwick, Winora, Casana
Description: The Vintner Hallsecond laments the fact that time marches on.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 13, day 4 of Turn 8

Capwick stood at his office window, his deep grey eyes looking out passed the apprentice barracks to the river beyond. One arm was crossed over his chest to rest in the crook of the other, the fingers of which ran idly through his silvering beard. Turns End was coming, and he was up to his ears in paper work. As Hallsecond, there were a lot of responsibilities resting on his broad shoulders this time of the Turn. There were orders to fill, apprentices and journeyman to graduate, and festivities to plan. It was nothing Cap couldn't handle, and yet at the moment, he just could not focus on the mountain of hides on his desk that required his attention. His mind kept returning to the visitor he had just had.

~~~ Flashback ~~~

"Come in," Cap called, grabbing the next hide off the stack perched on the side of his desk. "More yeast? It's a sharding brewery, not a bakery," he muttered to himself as he signed the bottom of the page.

A head of ebony hair peeked inside the office door. "Papa?"

Cap's attention was instantly pulled away from the work in front of him. Was it time for his klah break already? The day had barely begun. "Yes, Casana? What is it?"

His second youngest knew how busy her father was, but she hoped he could spare a moment. "May I come in for just a minute? I want to show you something."

Glancing quickly at the pile of waiting hides, he placed his pen back in the ink well and sat back in his chair. "Yes, of course sweetheart, what is it?"

She flashed him a smile, very much like her mother's, as she twirled into the room. Smoothing her hands along her sides, she gave her skirts an added swish. "It's my new Turns End dress. Mother and I just picked it up from the Hold. Do you like it?"

Cap was truly speechless as he took it all in. This was definitely not some young girl's dress. This dress, with it's swooping neckline and bare shoulders was most certainly made for a young woman. Rising to his feet, he found his voice. "You look absolutely stunning, my dear."

"Thank you, Papa," she said with a pleased grin. Touching her finger to the purple stone hanging from her ear she added, "I got it in a shade to match the earrings and necklace you and Mama gave me for my birthday last month."

"You certainly did," he nodded. Cap walked around the desk and took her hand, gently twirling her to see the complete outfit. As she came back around to look up at him with grey eyes that matched his own, he could feel a little lump starting to form in his throat. When did she grow into such a poised young beauty? His fingers smoothed her black hair back behind her ear, allowing the morning sunlight to catch the amethyst stones they had picked out for her eighteenth birthing day in honor of the Hold in which she had spent the majority of her childhood. "Stunning," he said in a choked whisper.

"Now Papa," Casana said with a cock of her head, "you aren't going to cry on me, are you?"

"No, course not," he assured her, even as his eyes betrayed him.

Leaning her head against his chest, she wrapped her arms around him to give him a squeeze. "Don't worry, Papa. I'm still your little girl."

His strong arms wrapped back around her, holding her tight as he tilted his eyes towards the ceiling in the hope of stopping any tears from falling. "Yup." But wearing dresses like that, how much longer could he make that claim?

They stood that way a few moments before Cap felt he had at least enough control over himself to not longer be in danger of making a fool of himself. "Well, I have to get back to work, sweetheart." He released her from his embraced, but took both of her hands in his and leaned down to kiss her forehead softly. "You really do look lovely. Thank you for showing me the dress."

"Thank you, Papa," Casana beamed up at him. "Winora will be in with your klah shortly. Mama and I picked you up a treat from a baker at Amber Hills to go with it."

"That's very sweet of you both." He gave her a quick nod of his head. "Go on now."

With another quick twirl, Casana glided out of the room, leaving the Hallsecond alone with his hidework, and his thoughts.

~~~ Present ~~~

Where had the time gone? She hadn't even come up to his waist when he packed up her, her brothers Capran and Norwick, and younger sister Winora to leave their home in Diamond Springs to cross the Sea of Azov to the Vintner Hall at Amethyst Cliff Hold. It was a place that, even though he had been raised around distilleries and the business of making alcohol, Cap had never once in his life set eyes on. He never would have imagined the twists and turns that life would take for them once they got there.

It had been their intention to return to Diamond Springs after attaining his Masters knots. After all, both he and his wife, Sanora, had left children from previous marriages there. But once his goal had been achieved, they had found that they had put down roots in their new home. His sons were happy and enjoying their lives at the Hall. Little Winora had no memories at all of Diamond Springs, and Casana's were fading quickly. Sanora enjoyed the company of the other Vintner wives and had made herself completely at home. And Cap loved the freedom to learn and try new things that the Hall gave him.

Cap and Sanora had started their lives over again, away from former marriages and old memories, and while they had been in no way unhappy at Diamond Springs, they found themselves starting a journey all their own, and it had been terribly exciting. When the offer came to stay at the Hall, for Cap to teach and work on projects of his own making, it was an easy decision. After the heartbreaking devastation of the Amethyst Cliff earthquake, Cap had really come into his own as he helped re-establish the distillery.

How far they had come. They got off the boat twelve Turns before in a place completely foreign to them, and here he was the second most powerful man in the place. The two sons that grew up at Amethyst Cliff had built lives of their own, and now his second youngest daughter was coming into her full womanhood. His little Winora was finished with her Harper classes and was now following her older sister in learning the skills needed to prepare her for the future that seemed to be coming up so very fast.

Cap let out a long sigh. If only there was a way to slow down time.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come."

Pushing the door open with her hip, almost as if on cue, his youngest came in with klah and spiced cake. "Break time, Papa" she said, walking over to the small table to set down the tray.

"Winora, come here a moment," Cap said, beckoning her with a wave of his hand.

"Yes Papa?" she asked, walking up to stand along side him.

Her father wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Why don't you ask Mama if you and I can take our lunch down by the river today, hmm? Just the two of us."

Winora's eyes grew wide with youthful excitement at the thought, "Ooh! Can we go out on your boat?"

"Sure," he nodded, knowing no one would object to him taking an extra long lunch.

"And can I row this time?" she asked, her eyes pleading.

He smiled and nodded down at her. "You bet you can."

She threw her arms around him in gratitude. "Thanks, Papa! I'll go tell Mama to pack us a basket!"

Cap kissed the top of her head. "Just promise me one thing, Winora."

"What?" she asked, looking up at him curiously.

"Promise me you won't do any more growing between now and then."

Last updated on the July 21st 2017

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