Trio Maxwell-Chang
It was not some strange chime from a creepy shop. No, the chime itself was purchased and paid for in a small country crafting shop, where a good dozen chimes hung from the ceiling. And even then, Trio brought it home feeling nothing out of the ordinary - no magic power, no premonition of what was to come. Wood and metal, with a chime so clear and so sweet she found a place to hang it that night, and listened as it rang right outside her window.Over the next several days, many of Trio's housemates commented on it, or admired it. But all too soon, the novelty wore off, and they went about their lives, paying little to no attention to it. Of them all, only Trio lay awake some nights, listening to the wind catch the chime and draw more of those sweet tones from it. It never occurred to her that some nights, the wind that stirred such beautiful music could only be felt right around the chimes themselves...
Late one night, while Trio was getting ready for bed, she noticed that the chimes seemed especially active. Taking a moment to step outside, she frowned. There was little wind around the house - certainly not enough to make the chimes so loud and insistent. Padding on bare feet, she made her way to below the windchimes, peering up at them for several seconds before she realized that, in the dim light of night, there were darker shadows moving around the chimes. "H-hello?" she called out, eyes locked on the newcomer. Her fear faded as the creature paused, then slowly began to sink downward.
The size of a small child, the spirit hovered before Trio's face, arms ending in wispy air instead of hands reaching up to touch Trio's far more solid features. Although it had no mouth to speak of, and eyes very alien to Trio, there was a sense of happiness as the spirit suddenly swirled around her, the wind itself whispering into her mind."Hi!"
It didn't take much convincing for Trio to open her home. The blonde had a penchant for taking in 'strays' of all shapes and sizes, and adding one more to her menagerie was hardly a chore. The spirit seemed to blossom under Trio's care, exploring the house and surrounding lands with an avid, child-like curiosity. They often sat together at nights, after Trio's daughter had been tucked into bed. It was a quiet time for the two, broken by the sounds of everyone slowly getting ready or tucked into bed, and by the tiny jingle of the spirit's chimes as the wind knocked the metal bits about.
Trio was never sure just how she came to decide upon Ealasaid for the spirit's name - certainly, the spirit seemed unable to tell her any other name, and they both agreed it sounded pretty. And for several weeks, they continued like that, slowly growing comfortable with each other.
One night, however, things changed. The small spirit didn't come when Trio settled into her rocking chair, instead lingering near the chime, where Trio couldn't see her very well. It took some coaxing before she eased forward, her form larger and more solid than Trio had ever known. "Trio," Ealasaid murmured softly, when she was close enough to be heard. The words, though spoken, sounded somehow like they'd been shaped from the pure music of the chimes themselves. Trio started, jerking up in her seat to stare at Ealasaid in wonder. The woman looked very humanoid, and solid enough for Trio to dare reaching out, one hand tapping against Ealasaid's arm. Trio flushed as soon as she realized what she'd done, drawing her hand back."Trio," Ealasaid murmured, chuckling softly. "I've... decided to stay. This has become home for me, and I can think of no one I'd wish nearby more than you. Can you... will you accept me now?" The last words were spoken carefully, but Trio could hear the fear behind them. Before Ealasaid could say much more, Trio reached out, clasping Ealasaid's hand in one of her own.
"Of course."
