From the Story:
... Oddly enough, Melani felt the same way when she woke up the next morning. Something strange was nagging at her thoughts like a bear trying to claw its way into a honey tree. Just couldn't remember.
She slowly changed her clothes into something fresh, if not entirely sparkling clean. That was the thing about bakers – there never seemed to be anything clean around them. Every item they owned was covered with some filament or another: the clothing with a fine layer of flour, the furniture glittering with sugar crystals. Even Melani's plants had a dash of cinnamon on their leaves. And there was nothing much to do about it – every time she put forth the effort to clean, her home would only get re-dirtied the next day. Melani had learned to let the house take care of itself.
After a quick breakfast of oik aiks and toast, she went through the door and on to another hard day of work.
It didn't start as soon as she expected, however. It seemed like the whole village was in an uproar. She passed Xir's shop, which was deserted, Aunt Papilda's Soak & Drie, which was deserted, and the old bookmaker's shop, which was also strangely deserted, (though Melani never remembered people going in and out often anyway). When she got to the well at the center of the village, she found where everyone had deserted to.
As she came closer, it sounded as though they were all talking about her. Well, this did not amuse Melani in the least, which she related to the crowd in a very loud voice.
"What on Nemix is the matter with all of you? Is it a holiday or something? Jeyn, I still need to pick up some of your baskets before I go to the bakery. Ammonnella, please deliver two jugs of milk…"
But Paxom, the carter, spoke up… after clearing his throat several time to make sure that he would be heard, as well as to make sure he had a deep enough voice in which to tell her, "Melani, the um, whole village has decided." Paxom stopped.
Melani took the opportunity to voice her concerns. "Decided what?" and glared at him.
Knowledgeable of Melani's temper, everyone in the village would rather eat a full bowl of snakes rather than go into an open confrontation with her. However, what must be done, must be done, and the sage Aunt Papilda stepped up to perform the unpleasant task.
"Deary, it's all for the best, you know," Aunt Papilda started.
"What is for the best??"
"Well, we've all been talking, and well, we've known you ever since you were a tiny little Mirrix. You were such a brave and beautiful child. Well, I can remember a time when…"
Paxom cleared his throat in a manner that was not open to misinterpretation.
"Yes, well, we feel it's time that you should explore other villages, get the lay of the land. Expand your horizons, go where you've always wanted to…"
Paxom was getting rather annoyed with Aunty's embellished talk. "We want you out" ...
