She pours them each a cup and brings it over. She sits at the foot of the bed and leans against the post. "Your foot looks fine," she says, pulling his feet into her lap and rubbing it gently.
"I don't even know what a farm is supposed to really be like, so this might teach me a few things," he chuckles and fishes out the book. "I remember skimming a few books father had but paid no attention to them because they seemed boring..."
Aara settles in, sipping wine and rubbing his feet while he reads. I hope tonight goes well. If Otto is right, then I'm going to do everything I can to ensure everyone's happiness.
"Wait- what's that word? Harrow?" she frowns, trying to find an Arabyan word to match. "I don't know it."
She waves him on, pulling her own book from where she lost it in the sheets. "Are you sure you don't want to know about cultivation and preparation of poisonous flowers?" she says temptingly.
"I will and maybe I'll fall asleep and dream that I'm a boring farmer, with a boring horse and a boring fiancee who makes boring pies with the boring fruit I grow," he laughs.
She laughs. "Maybe not a farm, but a house with a tower just for you, full of books and no bats. I think a little peace in our golden years will be well deserved," she laughs, "especially if we carry on the way we do with our travels."
She laughs and comes over to cuddle him. "I think you had our roles reversed," she laughs, kissing him half a dozen times. "I would grow things and be covered in dirt. You could stay inside and cook."
She nods and goes back to her dressing table. "Unless you're having dinner naked, you might need to get dressed," she suggests. "Otherwise I'll never leave and miss my appointment."
She purses her lips. "The Malika would be ashamed to think I'd be so rude. My lord Koroush as well." She reaches back and braids her hair before knotting it at the base of her skull. "No, I won't be late."
"Oh we have plenty of time for dinner," she says as they walk into the common room. Aara lifts the lid of a dish and inhaled deeply. "Mmm, venison. Smells lovely."
"Charming, good looking, and hopelessly attracted to me," she explains with a small smile. "Though you're much smarter and far braver. I doubt he could ever make me feel as safe as you do."
"I'm not jealous of your mop," Goddard scoffs. "I may cut my hair sometimes, but if I let it, it would probably cause a lot of problems...I'd have this whole infinite city looking for me. And I'd have to turn them all down. I'd break everyone's heart."
"How generous of you," Aara tells him between bites. "Two it's a good thing we are so plain and boring. We wouldn't know how how handle it with the grace my khatib does."
She hears a fork clatter to it's plate and a second of silence. "Your what?"
"And neither of us are ready or willing for that," she adds.
"But Four," Two says sadly, lip quivering. "The- there'll be no...Four! The feast!" he wails. "The lamb and mint sauce and the honey wedding cake and the sauces and the goat and roast and cheese and special naan bread and wedding tea and spiced wine and those little salty green things you like! If there's no wedding, there can be no feast!"
Two goes suspiciously blank in the face. "I am not prepared for what it entails," he says flatly. "She can marry you, Sheik, you are demon by chance. Kryn...has a father."
Aara laughs. "Cheer up, Two. We'll have a feast of our own if you want."
He gives himself a little shake and tosses her a charming smile. "I think we will, Four. Very soon, indeed."
"You forget that I have a father who would take it upon himself to suddenly become Aara's father and tell her how bad I'd be for her anyway," Goddard mumbles.
"Well that was rude," Goddard huffs. "I'll be sure to yell at him later." He looks over at Two and chuckles. "What is it Two? You act as if you'd have to trade your soul."
"Shut up Two or I'll convince her stabbing you when you aren't expecting it would be a fun game...that actually sounds like something I might like to try."
"He's only saying that because he's biased," Two tells her. "I have it on good authority that you're plain and unimpressive. Need more wine," he adds, refilling his cup.
Aara laughs and kisses each on the top of his head and goes.
"Her birthday is tomorrow," Two days as soon as she's gone. "Gill is handling the food and Tallyn has the rest under control mostly. Did you get her anything?"
Two laughs and stands. "Come on, Sheik. It's not that important. Something to make her smile, is all. I doubt she'll break off the engagement over a small thing like that. Do you have any idea what to give her?"
"It is no matter. I shall continue to get my kisses from the goddess divine," he laughs. "Now come. You must find just the right pen. It must speak to you."
---
Kryn tosses a handful of shaved almonds in the air, laughing at the careless pattern they make. I've never made anything like this before! A vanilla honeyed cake with almonds? Why, there's no frosting! I wonder who it's for?
She picks up her coffee cup and goes back to sit with Gath. "Now Duckling, you said you were going to meet Lady Aara here? Why?"
"Not really. It isn't like I haven't tried. I just don't get the intricacies of humans? I know she isn't a human now, but she still acts like one. But...I can get along with Two. Maybe she doesn't like me? But why even bother?"
"I'm sure there are reasons for all those questions. Why don't you...huh," she says, looking out the window and seeing Aara approach. "Well that makes sense, I guess."
Aara takes a deep breath before going inside and seeing Gath and Kryn sitting together. They're friends...can he and I be?
"Lady Aara!" Kryn calls, coming over and taking her hands. "I just finished it up, go sit and I'll bring you a slice and...white wine, maybe? Coffee?"
"For a time. My early childhood was in an unnammed village just outside a coast city. It was just a collection of hovels, really. When I was ten my lord took me away to the palace we were in."
She shrugs. "You learn to live without it. I was suited to the dessert, anyway. When I couldn't stay at home I lived in a tomb out in the middle of it."
"Here you are!" Kryn announces, bringing two slices of cake and a glass of water. "Any idea what it is?" she asks them.
Gath watches Aara for a moment before he tastes the cake. "I know it's your turn for a question, but I'll ask another first before the moment is lost. What does this mean to you?" he motions toward the cake. "It means something."
She laughs, remembering teaching Goddard how to make it, how carefree they both were for just a moment. How they'd flirted and laughed in the kitchen that afternoon.
"There was an afternoon in Araby, during Goddard's first visit there, when I taught him how to make this," she tells him. "It was just a carefree moment before we went to Naggaroth. This reminds me of sunshine and happiness."
"There are maybe only one or two things that genuinely upset me. This is not one of them. I had to work hard to prove I was useful with ships or combat. Something, and I had a lot of siblings to compete with and defend myself against."
She takes a deep breath. "Two sisters, Fakhira and Yaqú, they were much older than me. I never saw them after they married. Three brothers, Rimon died before I was two, Tarik when I was seven or eight. Ali is all that's left, and he owns the sanctuary inn we stayed at."
"I had many older and younger than me but there were two in particular that were trouble. A younger sister and a younger brother. They were all terrified of me, but those two were a little less terrified."
"They tried to steal everything I owned and even tried to kill me on multiple occasions. I hated all of them, but those two...hmm...had a special place in my heart," he snickers. "The dark parts."
"We all looked similar. Long dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. I'd sometimes go on raids on one of my older brother's ships. I did so well, he soon refused to allow me on board. That's when I started to find my own, solo work." He has another bite of the cake.
"The other two...you may have been friends with them in another life. She acted sweet and childish. That didn't fool anyone though. She'd slit your throat in an instant if you let her close enough and he, if talking was a viable weapon, he'd kill you with it. He was the youngest and the weakest, so I suppose all he could do was talk."
"If by close you mean I saw them more often than the rest, then yes. Most of our siblings were out, raiding or training, or generally fighting something. They were young and spoiled and stayed in the tower. I stayed in the tower between my jobs."
"If I were stolen away before her, you might actually like me. One thing that was very different was that I drank more than I do now, and I'd laugh. I forgot where I was, what I was and what was expected of me, and I laughed. I suppose I had more emotion."
"I-" She opens her mouth to say something, then opts for a drink of water and gathers her thoughts. "I can only imagine how much it hurt when she betrayed you."
"You just said we weren't there yet. How is talking about a terrible childhood supposed to do anything for the now?" He takes a sip of his drink and mumbles into his cup in druhiir about something being pointless.
"Nothing really. Mostly I find it difficult to talk to you or understand you. You say you want to talk and be friendly or something along those lines, but then you refuse to make any sense. Yes, refuse."
"Why say something you won't understand?" she asks calmly. "Or something I have to try and explain but you refuse to acknowledge that any reasoning beyond your own could be correct?"
"Refusing knowledge is not something I would do. It can be the difference between life and death. If you presented anything in a way that made sense, I'd acknowledge it."
She sits up and reaches for her robe. "Wine?" she asks, standing and going to her desk.
ReplyDelete"If you're going to have some, then yes."
ReplyDeleteShe pours them each a cup and brings it over. She sits at the foot of the bed and leans against the post. "Your foot looks fine," she says, pulling his feet into her lap and rubbing it gently.
ReplyDelete"Oh that? I forgot anything even happened to my foot. I'm fine."
ReplyDelete"Why am I not surprised?" she chuckles. "Pull out your book, I want to hear about this boring farmer and his boring farm."
ReplyDelete"I don't even know what a farm is supposed to really be like, so this might teach me a few things," he chuckles and fishes out the book. "I remember skimming a few books father had but paid no attention to them because they seemed boring..."
ReplyDelete"I don't either. Mother had a small garden, and I've passed fields of crops, but that's it."
ReplyDelete"Then we'll both learn something," he says before opening to the first page and reading out loud.
ReplyDeleteAara settles in, sipping wine and rubbing his feet while he reads. I hope tonight goes well. If Otto is right, then I'm going to do everything I can to ensure everyone's happiness.
ReplyDelete"Wait- what's that word? Harrow?" she frowns, trying to find an Arabyan word to match. "I don't know it."
"Maybe it wouldn't have been useful in sand?" he starts before he explains what it is.
ReplyDeleteShe shakes her head. "If it had I wouldn't know. I'm a city girl," she laughs. "Go on."
ReplyDeleteGoddard continues reading.
ReplyDelete"Farming seems like too much work," he mumbles. "This isn't boring...this is tiring!"
She giggles and tickled his foot. "I can read from my book. It's not tiring."
ReplyDelete"It'll help me get back to napping if I keep reading."
ReplyDeleteShe waves him on, pulling her own book from where she lost it in the sheets. "Are you sure you don't want to know about cultivation and preparation of poisonous flowers?" she says temptingly.
ReplyDeleteGoddard furrows his brow. "I know enough to use some effectively with magic. That's all I need..."
ReplyDeleteShe smiles and kisses the bottom of his feet. "Read your delightfully boring farm book, Nuur'eni."
ReplyDelete"I will and maybe I'll fall asleep and dream that I'm a boring farmer, with a boring horse and a boring fiancee who makes boring pies with the boring fruit I grow," he laughs.
ReplyDelete"A simple, boring life in the country? Is that what you'd like some day?"
ReplyDelete"I'm not sure I could handle that kind of life. Could you imagine me working in a field lecai? Me? No..."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs. "Maybe not a farm, but a house with a tower just for you, full of books and no bats. I think a little peace in our golden years will be well deserved," she laughs, "especially if we carry on the way we do with our travels."
ReplyDelete"Sounds like Altdorf without the people."
ReplyDelete"I suppose it does."
ReplyDelete"The only thing I'm unsure about is moving all my books!" he laughs.
ReplyDeleteShe laughs. "That would be quite a feat," she agrees. "Although...It's looking a lot less like your room now."
ReplyDelete"What do you mean?"
ReplyDeleteShe grins. "It looks more like a library than your room is all," she says, shrugging. "Gath must have has his work cut out for him straightening up."
ReplyDelete"I haven't seen what he's done yet. I'm sure I'll ruin it soon enough."
ReplyDelete"Probably," she snickers.
ReplyDelete---
ReplyDeleteGoddard suddenly jolts awake. He looks down at his lap to see his book and he yawns. "Did I fall asleep?" he asks Aara. "How long?"
"A while," she says from her desk, closing her books and moving to the vanity. "Dinner is on its way up."
ReplyDelete"Oh good. I think I'm hungry," he chuckles. "I had a bit of a nightmare though."
ReplyDeleteShe studies him in the mirror, concerned. "Do you want to talk about it?"
ReplyDelete"We lived in my book," he says with feigned horror. "I was covered in dirt. My hair was a mess. My clothes were plain and brown. Simply awful."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs and comes over to cuddle him. "I think you had our roles reversed," she laughs, kissing him half a dozen times. "I would grow things and be covered in dirt. You could stay inside and cook."
ReplyDelete"As nice as that sounds, I couldn't let you work out in the sun all day."
ReplyDelete"Do you remember Araby at all?"
ReplyDeleteHe closes his eyes. "I tried to forget," he snickers. "How hot and sandy."
ReplyDelete"I also happen to be part Sun Elf," she reminds him. "I tend to flourish in the sunshine. And I like dirt. I was thinking of bringing in some plants."
ReplyDelete"Well then, I guess that'll work just fine. I don't think we ever owned a plant. If I wanted to see green, I had to leave the city walls."
ReplyDeleteShe nods and goes back to her dressing table. "Unless you're having dinner naked, you might need to get dressed," she suggests. "Otherwise I'll never leave and miss my appointment."
ReplyDelete"Appointment? Oh right...he can wait."
ReplyDelete"Oh no," she says as she dabs jasmine oil on her throat. "I can't be late. That would be rude."
ReplyDelete"Taste of his own medicine?" Goddard says, sitting up and getting dressed.
ReplyDeleteShe purses her lips. "The Malika would be ashamed to think I'd be so rude. My lord Koroush as well." She reaches back and braids her hair before knotting it at the base of her skull. "No, I won't be late."
ReplyDelete"Hmm I tried," Goddard sighs. "I'll have you all to myself later though. He can have a few minutes of your time."
ReplyDelete"You've had me all to yourself all day," she laughs.
ReplyDelete"What will I do without you?" he pouts. "Something constructive? That's silly."
ReplyDelete"Two is here. You can have a good time annoying him, he's in an excellent mood."
ReplyDelete"That isn't any fun. He'll just go on and on about Kryn. Or maybe...maybe..."
ReplyDelete"Or maybe?"
ReplyDelete"No just mentally creating a list of possible ways to harass him," Goddard smiles.
ReplyDeleteShe raises a brow and puts her gold stud in her nose. "I know how you love that. There's dinner," she says when there's a knock at the door.
ReplyDelete"Are you going to leave right now? Or will I at least get to have dinner with you?"
ReplyDelete"Oh we have plenty of time for dinner," she says as they walk into the common room. Aara lifts the lid of a dish and inhaled deeply. "Mmm, venison. Smells lovely."
ReplyDelete"You sure we couldn't just kidnap Gill and force him to cook on my nightmare farm? I'm not sure what I'd end up doing, but I really like his food."
ReplyDelete"If we took Gill we'd have to take Tallyn. I don't think one could do without the other for long."
ReplyDelete"Hmmm...I guess I'll cook. I'd rather cook the food myself than deal with Tallyn."
ReplyDelete"He isn't as bad as you say. I think he's sweet."
ReplyDelete"I can hear it now if he heard you say that. 'Oh let me show you how sweet I can be' blah blah blah," Goddard says in a mocking tone.
ReplyDelete"He's already tried that one," she laughs.
ReplyDelete"I knew it! I know him! Don't try to tell me he's not so bad," he laughs.
ReplyDelete"He reminds me of you in some vague way," she tells him, fixing her plate.
ReplyDeleteGoddard instantly stops laughing. "Lecai!" he gasps softly, sounding a bit offended.
ReplyDelete"Charming, good looking, and hopelessly attracted to me," she explains with a small smile. "Though you're much smarter and far braver. I doubt he could ever make me feel as safe as you do."
ReplyDelete"Re...really?" he stammers, a little surprised. He shakes his head. "Well I mean, of course!"
ReplyDeleteShe makes an agreeable sound and nods. "Of course. He couldn't begin to understand what we've been through. Who else could soothe my nightmares?"
ReplyDelete"Yes! This is very true." Goddard takes her hands and kisses them. "I'm glad I could help you."
ReplyDelete"You do. Every day and night, Nuur'eni."
ReplyDelete"I'll be there for you forever."
ReplyDelete"I know."
ReplyDeleteTwo comes into the common room, a sour look on his face and bandages wrapped around most of his fingertips. "My lady," he grumbles. "Sheik."
"What did you do to yourself?" Goddard asks Two. "I'm assuming you did that to yourself anyway."
ReplyDelete"Um...accident," he says.
ReplyDelete"You should be more careful," Aara tells him. "I'll take a look after dinner."
"Oh no, Four," Two laughs. "That's not necessary "
"I can help him later if he needs it," Goddard mumbles. "I'll be bored and lonely anyway."
ReplyDelete"Yes! I'll let Sheik handle it," Two stammers.
ReplyDeleteAara frowns at him. "You're acting strange."
"Maybe Sheik is rubbing off on me."
"Isn't he always strange? And I most certainly am not rubbing anything on you Two..."
ReplyDelete"I'd let you if you had a hunger fornit, Sheik," Two days with a charming grin.
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and shakes her head.
"The only person I'm rubbing in any way is lecai."
ReplyDelete"Selfish."
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and shakes her head, handing Two a plate. "Whatever happened, please be careful."
"Not selfish. Focused. Devoted. Et cetera."
ReplyDeleteTwo purses his lips and makes kissing noises at him.
ReplyDelete"Two, eat," Aara insists. "Leave Goddard alone."
"See lecai! See what I have to deal with? I wish I were as unappealing as Two," he sighs.
ReplyDelete"Sheik you're just jealous of my wonderful lucious hair."
ReplyDelete"Oh, I know, love," Aara chuckles. "It must be terrible."
"I'm not jealous of your mop," Goddard scoffs. "I may cut my hair sometimes, but if I let it, it would probably cause a lot of problems...I'd have this whole infinite city looking for me. And I'd have to turn them all down. I'd break everyone's heart."
ReplyDelete"How generous of you," Aara tells him between bites. "Two it's a good thing we are so plain and boring. We wouldn't know how how handle it with the grace my khatib does."
ReplyDeleteShe hears a fork clatter to it's plate and a second of silence. "Your what?"
"Lecai you aren't plain or boring! You're gorgeous and fascinating!"
ReplyDelete"Your what?" Two repeats.
ReplyDelete"My khatib," she repeats, nodding at Goddard.
"When did this happen?"
"Yesterday."
"Sheik!" Two laughs, clapping him on the back. "It's rather good of you to take on such a plain and boring woman!"
Goddard flinches, still feeling a bit sore. "What are you talking about?"
ReplyDelete"The betrothal!"
ReplyDelete"Ah, Two, it's not-"
"We should celebrate! I will take the Sheik drinking!"
"Two..."
"Betro...Two no one's getting married...though...you can still buy me drinks."
ReplyDeleteTwo's expression goes from confusion to sadness slowly as he looks back and forth between Aara and Goddard. "No?"
ReplyDeleteAara shakes her head. "No. We only decided on it as a way to explain our connection easily."
"But...no wedding?" he asks sadly.
Goddard shakes his head then looks down at his plate of food after thinking for a moment. "Unless...she really wanted to."
ReplyDelete"And neither of us are ready or willing for that," she adds.
ReplyDelete"But Four," Two says sadly, lip quivering. "The- there'll be no...Four! The feast!" he wails. "The lamb and mint sauce and the honey wedding cake and the sauces and the goat and roast and cheese and special naan bread and wedding tea and spiced wine and those little salty green things you like! If there's no wedding, there can be no feast!"
"Then you get married," Goddard suggests with a grin. "Or is that not something you are ready for either?"
ReplyDeleteTwo goes suspiciously blank in the face. "I am not prepared for what it entails," he says flatly. "She can marry you, Sheik, you are demon by chance. Kryn...has a father."
ReplyDeleteAara laughs. "Cheer up, Two. We'll have a feast of our own if you want."
He gives himself a little shake and tosses her a charming smile. "I think we will, Four. Very soon, indeed."
"You forget that I have a father who would take it upon himself to suddenly become Aara's father and tell her how bad I'd be for her anyway," Goddard mumbles.
ReplyDelete"He already claims me," Aara giggles. "Today he said we were all the children he never wanted."
ReplyDelete"I don't think I'll ever be prepared for marriage to Kryn," Two says, looking a little gray. "No matter my love."
"Well that was rude," Goddard huffs. "I'll be sure to yell at him later." He looks over at Two and chuckles. "What is it Two? You act as if you'd have to trade your soul."
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs unconvincingly. "Maybe just hand over my balls, Sheik."
ReplyDeleteAara laughs. "Perhaps one day I'll give her the jar I put them in."
"Would you? Having two women control them is maddening when one is gorgeous and the other is...well, you."
"Shut up Two or I'll convince her stabbing you when you aren't expecting it would be a fun game...that actually sounds like something I might like to try."
ReplyDelete"He's only saying that because he's biased," Two tells her. "I have it on good authority that you're plain and unimpressive. Need more wine," he adds, refilling his cup.
ReplyDelete"Who's good authority? You're the only one who thinks that. There are plenty of others who have said she's beautiful and interesting."
ReplyDelete"Ignore him, love," Aara says. "He's only trying to get a rise out of you."
ReplyDelete"Sure," Two chuckles.
"I know he's just making things. Just trying to prove my point. He has no one else who agrees with him," Goddard says with a satisfied nod.
ReplyDelete"Yes I do Sheik. They explicitly said so."
ReplyDelete"Well then, who was it? Probably some inconsequential idiot."
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs. "Alas, it is not my place to tell these things. Only to know them."
ReplyDelete"And drink," Aara quips.
"That's what I do, my lady. I drink and I know things."
Aara shrugs and puts her plate away. "It's just as well. I should go, anyway."
"I need you more here," Goddard pouts.
ReplyDelete"You have Two to entertain you," she says cheerfully, kissing him. "I won't be long."
ReplyDelete"I suppose...have fun lecai...hit him if he acts up..."
ReplyDelete"It's going to be fine, I promise."
ReplyDelete"Where are you going?"
"To have drinks with Gath."
Two rolls with laughter. "How many daggers are you wearing?"
"Only four."
"He should be fine, Sheik," he laughs.
"I don't care if he isn't," Goddard mumbles as he shoves a piece of bread into his mouth.
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and kisses each on the top of his head and goes.
ReplyDelete"Her birthday is tomorrow," Two days as soon as she's gone. "Gill is handling the food and Tallyn has the rest under control mostly. Did you get her anything?"
Goddard quickly swallows the bread. "I didn't know it was that soon!" he gasps. "I thought I had time! What am I supposed to do?!"
ReplyDeleteTwo sighs and shakes his head. "I suppose we should go shopping. I need you to keep her out and away all day tomorrow."
ReplyDelete"Could this gift potentially ruin us? How important is this? Two! I'm not ready!"
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs and stands. "Come on, Sheik. It's not that important. Something to make her smile, is all. I doubt she'll break off the engagement over a small thing like that. Do you have any idea what to give her?"
ReplyDelete"None. She has plenty of daggers, jewelry, books...I could give her any of those any other day, and I have. I want to give her something special."
ReplyDelete"I have an idea..."
ReplyDelete"Please tell me. And what happened with your fingers? I assumed it had to do with the party."
ReplyDelete"I was sewing. Those needles are sharp as seven hells."
ReplyDelete"Sewing?" Goddard laughs. "That's kind of adorable Two. I bet it'll look awful, but I'm sure she'll love it anyway."
ReplyDelete"I think it looks all right."
ReplyDelete"Sure...just tell me your idea so I don't let her down horribly."
ReplyDelete"A pen. A colorful glass stemmed one and a matching inkpot. She scribbles with that stub of pencil all day."
ReplyDelete"That's a great idea Two! I could kiss you if you weren't so annoying and it wouldn't hurt Aara," he laughs.
ReplyDelete"I think a kiss between men wouldn't bother her," Two chuckles. "But I've no desire for a fanged kiss."
ReplyDelete"It uh...it bothers her," he says with a nervous laugh.
ReplyDelete"It is no matter. I shall continue to get my kisses from the goddess divine," he laughs. "Now come. You must find just the right pen. It must speak to you."
ReplyDelete---
Kryn tosses a handful of shaved almonds in the air, laughing at the careless pattern they make. I've never made anything like this before! A vanilla honeyed cake with almonds? Why, there's no frosting! I wonder who it's for?
She picks up her coffee cup and goes back to sit with Gath. "Now Duckling, you said you were going to meet Lady Aara here? Why?"
Gath shrugs. "She wants to try and be friendly?"
ReplyDelete"That's great! Are you nervous?" she asks.
ReplyDelete"Not really. It isn't like I haven't tried. I just don't get the intricacies of humans? I know she isn't a human now, but she still acts like one. But...I can get along with Two. Maybe she doesn't like me? But why even bother?"
ReplyDelete"I'm sure there are reasons for all those questions. Why don't you...huh," she says, looking out the window and seeing Aara approach. "Well that makes sense, I guess."
ReplyDeleteAara takes a deep breath before going inside and seeing Gath and Kryn sitting together. They're friends...can he and I be?
"Lady Aara!" Kryn calls, coming over and taking her hands. "I just finished it up, go sit and I'll bring you a slice and...white wine, maybe? Coffee?"
"Um...water?" Aara asks.
"All right. Go sit."
Aara nods and walks over to where Gath sits.
"My lady," Gath says, greeting Aara with a nod.
ReplyDelete"Hello," she says nervously. "We missed you at dinner."
ReplyDeleteHe waves dismissively. "I'm sure you were all in good spirits and enjoyed your dinner."
ReplyDelete"Goddard and Two squabbles like children, so I suppose so." She finally sits, folding her hands in her lap.
ReplyDelete"Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk about, or should we just sit, drink, and see what happens?"
ReplyDelete"Oh. Um, I guess the second one. Unless you want to talk about yourself?"
ReplyDelete"You could ask me anything about myself," he suggests. "And I won't speak in riddles."
ReplyDelete"That's a helpful start," she chuckles. "Why don't we take turns asking questions?"
ReplyDelete"I guess that could work. You first."
ReplyDelete"Where did you grow up?"
ReplyDelete"Har Ganeth. And how about you? I haven't seen much of Araby, but was it the same place we stayed?"
ReplyDelete"For a time. My early childhood was in an unnammed village just outside a coast city. It was just a collection of hovels, really. When I was ten my lord took me away to the palace we were in."
ReplyDelete"You put all the good things too far away from the water," he snickers. "We never bothered with any of it."
ReplyDeleteShe shrugs. "You learn to live without it. I was suited to the dessert, anyway. When I couldn't stay at home I lived in a tomb out in the middle of it."
ReplyDelete"Here you are!" Kryn announces, bringing two slices of cake and a glass of water. "Any idea what it is?" she asks them.
Gath looks up at Kryn. "Any idea about what? The cake?"
ReplyDelete"Yeah," Kryn says, arms crossed and frowning. "I don't know what it is, it just came to me."
ReplyDeleteAara swallows hard and blinks back tears. "It's called Al' Salooq," she says softly. "It's an Arabyan dessert."
"Well there you are!" Kryn cheers as she walks away. "Enjoy."
Gath watches Aara for a moment before he tastes the cake. "I know it's your turn for a question, but I'll ask another first before the moment is lost. What does this mean to you?" he motions toward the cake. "It means something."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs, remembering teaching Goddard how to make it, how carefree they both were for just a moment. How they'd flirted and laughed in the kitchen that afternoon.
ReplyDelete"There was an afternoon in Araby, during Goddard's first visit there, when I taught him how to make this," she tells him. "It was just a carefree moment before we went to Naggaroth. This reminds me of sunshine and happiness."
Gath looks down at the cake. "I have nothing like that. Nothing that reminds me of anything good. That's interesting."
ReplyDelete"I'm sorry. What was your childhood like?"
ReplyDeleteGath closes his eyes for a moment and draws in a breath. "Lonely. Cold. Harsh. Hoping you don't end up in the Blood Cauldron once a year."
ReplyDelete"I know about loneliness," she says. "And harshness. No child should have to ensure them."
ReplyDelete"I guess he never told you any of that?"
ReplyDeleteShe shakes her head. "He doesn't like to talk about it, so I don't press him."
ReplyDelete"He's lucky he was able to escape."
ReplyDelete"Can you tell me about it? You don't have to," she adds quickly. "Not of it upsets you."
ReplyDelete"There are maybe only one or two things that genuinely upset me. This is not one of them. I had to work hard to prove I was useful with ships or combat. Something, and I had a lot of siblings to compete with and defend myself against."
ReplyDelete"Well that answers my next question, too."
ReplyDelete"Siblings?"
ReplyDeleteShe takes a deep breath. "Two sisters, Fakhira and Yaqú, they were much older than me. I never saw them after they married. Three brothers, Rimon died before I was two, Tarik when I was seven or eight. Ali is all that's left, and he owns the sanctuary inn we stayed at."
ReplyDelete"I had many older and younger than me but there were two in particular that were trouble. A younger sister and a younger brother. They were all terrified of me, but those two were a little less terrified."
ReplyDeleteShe leans forward slightly. "Did they pester you? I worshipped my sisters and Tarik."
ReplyDelete"They tried to steal everything I owned and even tried to kill me on multiple occasions. I hated all of them, but those two...hmm...had a special place in my heart," he snickers. "The dark parts."
ReplyDelete"Tell me about them?" she asks, savoring her first bite of cake.
ReplyDelete"We all looked similar. Long dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. I'd sometimes go on raids on one of my older brother's ships. I did so well, he soon refused to allow me on board. That's when I started to find my own, solo work." He has another bite of the cake.
ReplyDelete"The other two...you may have been friends with them in another life. She acted sweet and childish. That didn't fool anyone though. She'd slit your throat in an instant if you let her close enough and he, if talking was a viable weapon, he'd kill you with it. He was the youngest and the weakest, so I suppose all he could do was talk."
She laughs. "Were you close to them?"
ReplyDelete"If by close you mean I saw them more often than the rest, then yes. Most of our siblings were out, raiding or training, or generally fighting something. They were young and spoiled and stayed in the tower. I stayed in the tower between my jobs."
ReplyDeleteShe nods. "I spent the bulk of my time with Ali, if anyone."
ReplyDelete"I tried to avoid them, but they'd take turns trying to harass me."
ReplyDelete"What were you like?"
ReplyDeleteA bitter smile creeps across his face. "Before or after her?"
ReplyDelete"Before."
ReplyDelete"If I were stolen away before her, you might actually like me. One thing that was very different was that I drank more than I do now, and I'd laugh. I forgot where I was, what I was and what was expected of me, and I laughed. I suppose I had more emotion."
ReplyDelete"It's not that I don't like you," she says softly, looking down at her plate and pushing around almonds with her fork.
ReplyDelete"It's fine if you don't," he shrugs. "No one has ever really liked me."
ReplyDelete"I-" She opens her mouth to say something, then opts for a drink of water and gathers her thoughts. "I can only imagine how much it hurt when she betrayed you."
ReplyDelete"I'm speaking plainly. You should too."
ReplyDelete"You scare me," she says after a pause.
ReplyDeleteGath chuckles softly. "Is that what you've been wanting to say this whole time?"
ReplyDelete"Mostly," she grumbles.
ReplyDelete"What else? And why were you not wanting to say you were scared of me?"
ReplyDeleteShe frowns and picks at her cake. "We weren't talking about me."
ReplyDeleteGath leans back in his seat. "Shall I go back to speaking in riddles?"
ReplyDelete"That will only defeat the purpose of being here."
ReplyDelete"Then why are you allowed to still hide things?"
ReplyDelete"Because we aren't there yet. We were talking about our childhoods."
ReplyDelete"Well mine was awful. I hated it. I hated my siblings. I wanted to kill them and they wanted to kill me."
ReplyDeleteShe nods, mouth full of cake.
ReplyDelete"I suppose I should refrain from asking you anything anymore. You keep asking the questions."
ReplyDelete"That's not how it goes. You're supposed to ask questions too."
ReplyDelete"You won't answer them..."
ReplyDelete"I'll do my best."
ReplyDelete"You just said we weren't there yet. How is talking about a terrible childhood supposed to do anything for the now?" He takes a sip of his drink and mumbles into his cup in druhiir about something being pointless.
ReplyDelete"It gives insight into your life and experiences. But we can do it your way," she adds in druhir. "What do you have against me?"
ReplyDelete"Nothing really. Mostly I find it difficult to talk to you or understand you. You say you want to talk and be friendly or something along those lines, but then you refuse to make any sense. Yes, refuse."
ReplyDelete"Why say something you won't understand?" she asks calmly. "Or something I have to try and explain but you refuse to acknowledge that any reasoning beyond your own could be correct?"
ReplyDelete"Refusing knowledge is not something I would do. It can be the difference between life and death. If you presented anything in a way that made sense, I'd acknowledge it."
ReplyDelete