mighty fall

“Has Delos really softened you up that much?” Janthina scoffed, bending over to move another box. The boxes were heavy, and usually Janthina struggled on her own to load them onto the cart, but Qiren had so kindly made his presence known, that she had been forced to recruit him. “It’s bottles of mead packed in hay to be carted to other towns.” She stood back up and stretched. “Did you get no sleep last night? You look kind of terrible.” 

     she  met  his  complaint  with  an  arched  brow.  “  and  here  i  thought  the  delos  soldiers  were  made  of  stronger  stuff.  ”  aella  herself  balanced  two  of  the  bags  in  her  arms.  if  it  weren’t  for  ,  well  ,  the  weight  as  qiren  pointed  out  ,  she  could  have  gotten  all  three.  “  don’t  know  what’s  in  the  packs  myself  but  i’m  not  paid  to  be  curious  ,  am  i?  i’m  paid  to  deliver  them.  now  be  a  good  soldier  and  march.  ”       

Ra: Do you have any major responsibilities or importance?

“Not anymore. Aside from helping the watchmen here.”

Odin: What is your family like?

“My family is fantastic. They were all loving and incredibly supportive when I left. I miss them every day.”

Morpheus: Do you daydream often? Of what?

Vesta: Do you like being home or do you try to get out whenever you can?

“I am definitely not a homebody. I need to be out and about, otherwise, I get fidgety.”

Hathor: What brings you joy?

Triel restrained herself from snorting when he said the gods had been good to them. As if the gods had anything to do with mortal affairs. She didn’t doubt that they existed, no, Triel merely didn’t believe they cared what mortals did, or didn’t do. Needless to say, she wasn’t particularly devout. “I’m sure we’ll be just fine, whatever they decide to do.” She’d never had any god help her out –she didn’t need them. “We can make our own fate, we don’t need them to guide us.”

Separated. Funny word for it. But considerate. Janthina’s smile was smaller, but still there, as she looked back into his eyes, squinting one of them as if to see him more clearly. “Unfortunately, I am one of the many orphans of the war. I was very young,” She said, trying to make her words come out of her lips without the drunken slur.   “It’s alright though!” She said brightened, and grasped Qiren by the shoulders, and positioned herself in front of him at arm’s length. “I wouldn’t have been raised here, and then through the events of the other day, wouldn’t have had the chance to meet you! Despite my wish, I’m perfectly happy with my life!” She then threw her head up and looked up at the starry sky. It was time! She dropped her arms from his shoulders and spun slightly. But the Lights were nowhere to be seen. Janthina looked back over at Qiren, worry creasing her brow. 

BRIEFLY, JUNIPER SAW red, and a look of violence flashed in her eyes — years of lies and deceit and death, of working for the rebellion and its cause, flickered to life and filled her with a strong urge to lash out. But it lasted only for a moment, before passing and retreating silently once again into the darker recesses of her memory. “Insolent fool.” Her voice was almost a whisper under her breath. It was soft, but it did not waver. “The Dark Wood has always welcomed me, of this I have told you, but if it is further answers you seek, then do feel free to investigate the forest for yourself,” she continued as she leaned forward. “I shan’t stop you.” And with that, she stepped back inside her hut and shut the door in his face.

–

He seemed to relax for some reason that Janthina couldn’t pinpoint, but she shrugged it off. It was certainly better than to have him be uncomfortable around her. They walked carefully down the alley. “What, you weren’t a kid? I had all sorts of hide-y holes,” Janthina whispered back. She ran into his arm, and they both paused. Janthina leaned against him to push him forward so she should see around the corner of the wall and - “They’re making a run for it!” She suddenly hollered, and darted past Qiren to follow the small gaggle of children that were scurrying away. 

“By the gods,” Qiren cursed under his breath, taking off after Janthina in a hurry. This was the most “excitement” he’d seen since he’d arrived in Delos, and even if it was rather lame, he wasn’t going to miss out. “They’re so fast!” he half laughed, half growled, as they took chase. It seemed as if Qiren was going to catch up to the rascals when suddenly, the small group took a hard left and disappeared from sight. “Where did they go?” he called to Jani, speeding up to look the way they’d gone - only to see a small hole in the wall that no adult could fit through. “The little thieves are clever!” 

Iowyn couldn’t help but enjoy the way the knight grinned at her teasing, it was always so much fun to make a man’s knees go weak with little more than a few words or a soft touch. “Of course, I’d be happy to let you squire me about town. It couldn’t hurt to have a big, strong man to protect me from knaves in the city, could it?” She fluttered her lashes at him, her lips curving upwards.

“Certainly not! Or cut in when your beauty inevitably starts a riot,” he teased, the lopsided, goofy grin still on his lips. Not wanting her to find a reason to walk away from his company quite yet, Qiren asked, “Do you make a wish when you see the lights? A few people have told me that they do. I don’t - it seems like a lot to ask of the gods to hear everyone’s wishes in one night.”

“Don’t tell on me, but I drink all sorts. The bad stuff too,” Janthina whispered conspiratorially, and then dissolved into laughter. She looked up at the sky as he did, and then watched him from the corner of her eye. She suddenly missed Ciar - she had settled him down for bed a few hours ago as he didn’t really like all the noise going on. She would whisper her wish in his ear definitely, but maybe Qiren would be a good substitute. He was adventurous, fun to be with, and above all else kind. And very good looking as well, which didn’t hurt. She smiled and leaned close. “Promise not to tell anyone, on pain of death - for if anyone were to hear, it would surely not come to pass. That’s how they limit the wishes, you see? Most are too loud, and declare them openly for all to hear, boastful that theirs will surely come true. But not me. I keep all of mine close to my heart.” She tapped her chest just above her heart with a mischievous smile. She leaned up and placed her hand to her mouth to whisper into his ear. “I wish to have memories of my birth parents returned to me.” She pulled just far enough that she could see his face, and she beamed at him, and felt heavy the haze of alcohol sway her slightly. 

• • •

JUNIPER STARED AT the man closely, her eyes narrowing with every word. This one certainly had the nerve, thinking he could waltz right over here and snap at her in the comforts of her own home. It was apparent he hadn’t the faintest idea who she was, or for how long she’d been here. “Is that so?” said Juniper softly, her tone vaguely incredulous. Complacent was the last word to describe her relationship with the Dark Wood; she ought to know — she’d been in this hut for the past fifty years. “You haven’t been here for very long, child,” she continued, sizing him up as she spoke, before looking (just a little too deeply) into his eyes, “and I’m afraid it shows.”