"So You're Coming Home..."
- Wynd Leagends; Leagend Village, Javi
-- very late morning of Day Three
--- by Ryoko
   He was finally home.

    He'd never realized how much he missed it; to walk on its streets once
more after so long a time; to feel the now familiar wind whip through his
hair, to feel the laughter of the children and the idle talk of his elders
as he passed by. They were older, as people do when the years pass by, but
other than that, the village was unchanged, the same as it was the day he
left three years ago. He welcomed it; it was the only constant that he had
ever had in his life, and he preferred it that way.

    He probably had changed, though. As he strode past the houses, several
walked past him as if they didn't even know who he was. Myldrel Witheren,
the blacksmith's wife, looked curiously at him, then apparently dismissed
him as a stranger. Sevene and Meiri Coshand, the twins, were whispering to
each other, shooting furtive glances at him from time to time. He could see
Elder Jaroquin frowning, as if he couldn't quite place where he had seen him
before.

    He supposed he had changed. A week's growth of beard had darkened his
usually clean-shavened chin, his hair, now a shade lighter, was also
considerably longer, tied in a short ponytail. He doubted that he would
recognize himself either, if he could look at his face. But that wasn't all
that had changed as well. No, he decided, he wasn't the same man as when he
had first come into the village. He didn't know if it was for the better or
for the worse.

    Still, it hurt just a tiny bit to find out that they didn't know who he
was, after all this time.

    "Mister Wynd!" Several voices piped up from behind him.

    Wynd turned. He only had time to blink and raise his hands in front of
him in a hopeless attempt to protect himself, as a horde of younglings
tackled him onto the ground, limbs and legs all aflurry. Apparently, while
the adults had not recognized him, the children had.

    "Wh....whoa!" He laughed helplessly as the brood swarmed him under. He
squirmed, trying to get himself into a sitting position. "I missed you all
too!"

    "It's Wynd...." He heard someone gasp. "He's come back!"

    "Wynd..."

    "Is it really him?..."

    "Where've ya been, Mister Wynd??"

    "Whatcha been doin' , Mister Wynd?"

    "Show us another trick, Mister Wynd!" cried a young boy who was
clutching at his leg.

    "Trick?" Wynd snapped his fingers. A gentle breeze blew out of nowhere
and lifted up the child, letting him hover a feet or so off the ground as he
squealed with delight. "Trick?" He repeaed, pretending to look affronted.
"It's no trick. It's magic!"

    "You brought back anything for us, Mister Wynd?" asked the young girl
right on top of him, looking hopefully and earnestly at his face.

    Grinning, Wynd managed to pry most of them off him, reached into his
pockets and produced several rolls of candy and sweetmeats. "Always to the
heart of the matter, wot? Here you go, but don't spoil your supper!" He
laughed again, as they descended onto the packets like starving wolves.

    "You shouldn't always be giving them sweets, you know. They'll have
bellyaches afterwards, and Aunt Samanthe will take a cow belt to your behind
again."

    Wynd didn't even need to think to know who was talking to him. "Hello,
Lleyre." He said easily, looking up at her. She had grown considerably since
he last saw her, from a shy doe-eyed girl with her long red hair still in
braids, to the now confident young woman standing in front of him. "It's
been a long time."

    "A long time? It's only been three years, Wynd, I'm surprised you came
home so soon." Lleyre raised an eyebrow. "Have you grown tired of getting
yourself into one trouble after the next? Is there someone hunting you down,
so you've come back to hide here until the danger is past?"

    She had grown a lot more spunkier, as well. "Nothing like that, little
sister." He said cheerfully. "I've been away for sometime now, and I found
that I missed you all. I decided to do something about that. So, here I am."

    "I suppose that's a good reason as any." She said seriously, then her
large blue eyes sparkled merrily. "Welcome home, Wynd." She laughed,
throwing herself into his arms and neatly knocking him off-balance once
more. "Welcome home."

    **********************

    "It really is you, Wynd." Elder Nashrim said with a small sense of
wonder, peering up into his face. "How long has it been? Two years? Have you
found what you were seeking for?"

    "Three, Elder." Wynd replied. "And no, it's been a long journey, and I
hope it wouldn't be any longer."

    Upon discovering his return, almost the whole village had gone out to
meet him, most of them eager to hear the latest news that had been happening
all over the world. Lakren the innkeeper and his wife Seminole had offered
Wynd food and the room he had previously occupied before he had left for as
long as he liked, in exchange for the usual chores that he does around the
village. He was sitting in one of the tables of the inn now, surrounded by
the village Elders, all of whom were eager for news.

    "Ah, so it is then." Elder Jaroquin sighed. "No matter who you were
before young Wynd, you'll always be a part of our village."

    "Thank you, Elder." Wynd said with sincere gratitude.

    "What brings you back home then?" another Elder asked.

    "Nothing important, if you don't count wanting to spend time here
important." Wynd smiled. "I think that it's gonna be awhile before I even
think of setting back out. I plan to stay for as long as I can."

    "And what then, young man?" An Elder Wynd didn't recognize interrupted.
"Until wanderlust gets another hold of you, to leave this village once
again? Do you really think that we would gladly tolerate your comings and
goings for years on end?"

    "That's enough, Veczer." Jaroquin said sternly. "Wynd has long been
considered one of us, and we would all appreciate it if you treat him as
such." Veczer colored slightly as the others murmured their agreement, and
the look he directed at Wynd was anything but hospitable.

    "I'm afraid we have other business matters to attend to this day."
Jaroquin continued. "In the meantime young Wynd, in behalf of the whole
village, we welcome you to our table."

    Wynd nodded his thanks, as one by one the Elders stood and made their
way towards the door. Elder Zephraim remained behind. "You must forgive
Veczer." He apologized. "He was made an Elder shortly after you left, and
does not understand your situation as everyone has."

    "If you're asking, it won't bother me one bit, Elder." Wynd assured him
with a wry grin. Looking less worried, Zephraim nodded and hurried to join
the others.

    Wynd waited until they had left, then stood up, crossed the room to the
doorway leading into the kitchen, then yanked it open with one swift motion.

    Lleyre stood hunched over, her ears cocked to where the door had
previously been. She started and jumped back guiltily. "How did you know I
was here?" She demanded.

    "I'm glad that not everything about you has changed so much." Wynd said,
laughing, as he seated himself beside a large window overlooking a nearby
meadow. "You've been listening in conversations you aren't supposed to hear
ever since the day you discovered what ears are for, little sister."

    "Don't call me that!" Lleyre protested, joining him. "You know I hate it
when you call me that!"

    "All the more reason to." Wynd teased.

    "Wynd!"

    "Okay okay." He held up his hands. "I've missed that, you know."

    Lleyre colored slightly, then shook her head. "I'm not supposed to be
speaking to you."

    "And why's that?"

    "I'm angry at you."

    "At me? Why for?"

    Lleyre hesitated, then went on. "You told the adults that you were going
to leave, but didn't even bother to tell me. You just left. No note, no
words, nothing. And then you've been gone for so long, I thought you weren't
even coming back. Aunt Samanthe and Uncle Leorth and most of the Elders and
I were sick with worry most of the time, not knowing where you were or how
you are...." Her voice trembled slightly, then grew stronger. "And
then...and then you came back and act as if you haven't even been gone all
these years! Of course I should be angry!"

    Wynd was silent for awhile. "I'm sorry."

    "That's all you're going to say?!" Lleyre moved to stand, but Wynd
grabbed her hand. "No, there's more to it. I'm sorry for leaving you and the
others without another word, but I couldn't help it. I went away because I
wanted to know who I was. I didn't have a past, not before the time your
village took me in. I wanted to know. I *needed* to know. I want to wake up
one morning and know who I really am, for a change. And I knew that if I
told you and have seen you and the others crying....I wouldn't have been
able to leave..."

    Lleyre blinked, then her eyes softened. "You should have still told me.
I could have taken it. I was mature for my age, you know..."

    "Yes, the most mature fifteen year old that I've seen. I seem to recall
her beating up Hari Kainsam once for stealing the pastry she spent all
morning making."

    "A pastry she was going to give to you." Lleyre shot back, then grinned
sheepishly. "Was I really that young?"

    "Oh, not really. And I suppose you're of a senile age right now?"

    She laughed. "I can never stay angry at you for long."

    "It must be my charming personality." Wynd stood up and stretched. "And
I really should be going, I promised Xar Witheren I'd help him out at the
forge today."

    "Wait." Slowly, reluctantly, Lleyre let go of his hand. "Promise me
something."

    "Promise you what?"

    "The next time you have to go off in another of your journeys.....I want
to be the first to know."

    Wynd opened his mouth to tease her again, but then he saw the tense and
inscrutable look in here eyes. "I promise, Lleyre." He said seriously. He
made his way out of the inn, with Lleyre watching him leave with a
thoughtful look in her eyes.


************************

Ta da! Finally, Wynd's intro post!

Wynd: Oh yeah, I'm good. *preens*
Ryoko: *taptap* Don't let that head swell.
Wynd: But I *am* good! *grins*
Aerianne: I think you weren't right in the head when you created him.
Wynd: Look who's talking, ya crazed power hungry demon-ness!
Aerianne: At least I never had my backside switched, you clueless idiot.
Wynd: Now look here, I yadda yadda yadda......
Ryoko: *drags them off* This might take awhile.....


Ryoko