Threads of Hope: a Mages of Tindiere Short Story (The Mages of Tindiere) (Volume 3)

Living in the shadow of Spider Mountain, Gran Anna and her family's little seamstress shop prospered fairly well. Her magical gift expressed itself well through her sewing, allowing her to work tiny bits of magic into the stitches. They kept it secret to protect their family from those who thought hedge magic should be wiped out but still there was enough luck to keep her family well fed and safe. Not everyone in town was as lucky. David, a boy who had lost his father and brother several years before to the army, had scrabbled to survive in their little town. Just old enough to be considered an adult but too young to be taken seriously, no one was willing to give him a chance to prove his worth, no matter how hard he tried. Anna watched David's hope fade out over the years after his family's death. He was a good boy who tried so hard that it hurt to see him worn away by inches until all that was left was desperation and fear. Logic said that there was nothing that she could do to help him. A seamstress' recommendation meant little to the men who might give David a job. After David came to cancel an order for a new shirt, Anna decided that she would nudge the threads of fate for him. Sewing a shirt was a simple enough task. Working magic into the seams that would help David keep the faith in himself was rather more complicated. Anna wrapped all her hopes and prayers for David into the shirt, tugging the threads of hope into a more favorable alignment that might allow David to find what he'd been looking for all along.