Light and the Night Sky

The Garden

Rolling back onto her feet, she turned around to face both of them. Surprisingly, Riven was back across the room. “It shows promise.” He must detest being near her, it made this easier. “We should proceed with Lirael being the power source, as long as you are willing.”

Lirael’s copper eyes met her, curious amusement dancing across his gaze. “For you Daphne, anything.”

Daphne’s hear beat a little too hard for a moment before she chuckled, they found amusement in teasing a reaction out of others. “Well, I could use some fresh air. My head is throbbing in a way you could not believe.” In reality she just needed away from Riven.

“The garden, I shall come.” Lirael stood, placing a hand at the nape of her back and spun her toward the door. “We have much to discuss.” Though Daphne was hoping for some time alone and for Lirael to spend some time dumping energy into Iridessa, she could not say no to her host. He had been generous enough already and knew he would likely want answers now that she would communicate effectively.

“Yes.” Daphne followed out the Lord through the small shrine, doing her best to avoid looking at Riven again. He was too much trouble to deal with right now.

Lirael surprised her by holding up an elbow for her to hold, cautiously she reached out and grabbed it before they walked through the doors. “Now, let us play a game of questions. I shall ask you a question that I have been longing to know, then you follow. Is that reasonable?” His tone was soft, standing this close to her she realized how tall he was and just how much he had to have trained to have such firm arms.

The door to the first garden was not far from here, they neared the inner hall that led to it already. “That is reasonable. Go ahead.”

“Why did the Goddess send you here, to my Court?” An easy question. She suspected he was trying to warm her up to what he really wanted to know.

“Hecate believed that I would be safe in the house of a believer. She also wanted to ensure your protection because the Court of Morvanna never faltered in their faith to her. So, gratitude?” Lirael slowly nodded, when they reached the door, he held it open for her. “How old are you?”

He chuckled as he trotted down the few stone steps, waiting with a hand outstretched at the bottom. “That is the question you have waited to ask?”

Daphne grabbed his hand lightly and smiled lightly. “That is called an ice breaker, and I am curious. Fae have eternity and all of you look so young. I can’t tell if you are my age or thousands of years old.”

Lirael scoffed at that, placing her hand on the crease of his elbow. “You can tell by how pompous they act. I am five and a half centuries. Sorren is likely near your age however. He is twenty-seven now.” After a pause he spoke again, “Riven is two centuries my senior.”

Seven hundred years old, dear god.

Trying to brush it off, Daphne laughed. “Sorren is younger than me, who would have guessed. I am thirty-two. Should I get him to call my teacher?”

Lirael jumped on that, clearly amused at the thought of teasing his younger brother. “Now that would be wonderful! What else should we have him do as your junior?”

As they walked through the garden, a place that she rarely ventured due to her schedule, the talked about mostly trivial things. Occasionally she was able to get more information about the world around her including her ever helpful cat aid. Her name was Mor and she was mute. Daphne made a mental note to request a coupled of books on sign language from Hecate to add to her ever-growing library.

It would be nice to be able to give Mor a way of expressing her desires.

The cottage that was in the other plane would be stuffed to the brim if she continued learning like this. It occurred to Daphne during their friendly banter that Daphne would likely have a lot to learn from this man, she would likely need a mansion to fill her inquires.