Halkegenia Online v3 – Chapter 11 – Part 4c+++

“So then . . . Cooking . . . What do you think about cooking, Pina? Pina?”

When she didn't hear a peep out of the little fuzzball, Yuuki looked up from her task to the windowsill where the feathered dragon familiar of her partner and friend has been perched to cool herself in the summer breeze. Pina was still there, blue feathers and all, but she wasn't paying much attention to Yuuki or her musings aloud.

“Pina?”

The feathered dragon was hunched down on all fours, her wings were half spread, and the feathers all along her neck had risen to make her look as big and tough as possible as she faced off against her mirror opposite. Chill blue and white frosted feathers transformed into fiery red and brilliant orange, from the tip of its pointed snout to the end of its playful tails. The duplicate Pina crawled forward on its belly, wings folded, neck stretched, and nose almost touching Pina's own when at last the real Pina quivered, feathers right down her back rising, and then released a threatening -hiss-.

All at once, the copy-dragon vanished in a puff of embers and a vibrant little lump of red and orange bounced its way from the windowsill down onto the floor where it rolled and unfolded itself into stubby little arms, a flat topped head, and bright ruby eyes. The Djinn took a stumbling step to the left and to the right, and then scampered back as feathered fury fell upon him in flash of teeth and a storm of bubbles. A short scuffle later and the lumpy little Elemental Mob was hanging like a kitten in Pina's jaws, kicking and squirming and squeaking to be let free.

Yuuki was just about to do something about that when the door swung open with the arrival of Silica. “Ah, Yuuki-chan, I brought you more paper, and . . . Pina, put King-kun down!” The Cait girl's familiar squeaked a query around her mouthful of victim. “This instant!” With a flap of her wings Pina let loose her hold on the Djinn, but not without a hiss to send him scurrying off. “Honestly Pina!”

“Chyaa!”

“Don't give me that look. He was just playing.” The Cait extended her arm and beckoned to Pina. With a flap of Wings, the Feathered Dragon eagerly took to her perch atop the Cait girl's head. “You have to play nice with others, Pina.”

“Chyaa.”

“Maybe Pina-chan needs a bit more taming.” Yuuki smiled as she watched the antics and then giggled when Silica stuck out her tongue.

“Speak for yourself Yuuki.” The feline gave her a disapproving look. “What you did was really dangerous, it's a miracle you didn't get yourself killed. Actually, you're even luckier that you're getting off so lightly.”

“Ora. This is lightly?!” Yuuki propped herself up before gesturing to the stack of papers and the pile of pencil shavings beside her bed. While one had grown, the other one had shrunk until two roughly equally sized mounds remained. “I'm going to get carpal tunnel as this rate!” Which just went to show no good deed ever went unpunished. Shiune had been very unhappy with her. Unhappy enough to pay for a direct moonlight mirror call to Arrun to tell Irene-sensei what the Imp had gotten herself up to.

Normally the Undine teacher was as mellow as Shiune, but not this time., but Yuuki was pretty sure she'd broken about half of them by charging into a raging battle.

So while everyone else was enjoying the last day of their vacation in Gaddan as guests of Lord Mortimer, even getting to enjoy the luxuries of the Lord's Manor, Yuuki had found herself cooped up in her room carrying out the first stages of her punishment. 'I will not take unnecessary risks.' To be written ten thousand times. And the price of the stationary was coming out of her own meager savings, made worse by the second half of her punishment, suspension of her courier permit until the end of next month. Which naturally lead into the third part of her punishment, mandatory full time school lessons until she could return to courier duty.

“I can't believe you call that getting off lightly.” The imp scowled at the Cait Syth. “By the time I can fly courier routes again, you'll have settled in with a new partner.” Probably Kino by the looks of things.

Of course, Silica would never admit a thing like that. “N-No, not really.” And Yuuki wanted to believe her. But then, she'd never believed Shiune would ever lay a hand on her like that. Yuuki reached unconsciously for her cheek and touched where the slap had hit home. The stinging had faded, but the touch caused a lingering tingle of memory. It hadn't hurt, not very much, at least compared to the things she'd already suffered in her life. It had hurt more to think a friend would want to cause her pain like that.

“What Shiune did wasn't right, Yuuki. But I understand why she did it. And I think if she asks you to forgive her, you should.”

“Wagh!” The Imp's eyes went wide and she shot up stiff as Silica seemed to read her mind. It wasn't ESP though. The Cait Syth girl was wearing a look that Yuuki wasn't quite sure how to place. Like, she guessed, some of her doctors when they were trying to be kind and honest about how terrible everything was. “S-Silica . . . Hey . . . It's not like I'm angry at Shiune for doing such a thing. She was really upset is all . . .”

“No.” Silica snapped so suddenly that the Imp was left speechless. The playful kitten had suddenly transformed into a fierce lion right in front of her. “Yuuki, you listen here! If we're friends, you need to trust me enough to hear me out! Now, I don't know what sort of life you lived before but you sure must have been spoiled if you can't understand how Shiune-san feels!”

“But Kirito-san . . . ” She hadn't been selfish, even Leafa had admitted they would have broken Kirito free in time without help. She'd just been trying to do something, anything to change what was happening in front of her eyes. Trying to make it all have a . . . a . . . a point. She shivered at that thought. Was it all really pointless? That was much too sad to believe . . .

“No buts!” Silica declared firmly. “It may have been unimaginable for Shiune to slap you like that. But I think that's why she did it Yuuki. She wanted you to understand just how unimaginable it would be for her if something happened to you.” Silica shook her head angrily. “It's cruel you know. Treating your life carelessly like that. There are people who care about you. Don't you care about them?”

Yuuki opened her mouth, because of course she did. But looking at Silica and seeing the doubt in her eyes, words wouldn't come like they were supposed to and as quickly as she'd begun she changed what she'd meant to say. “You know . . . I think you might be right, a little. I have been very careless with this life of mine, haven't I?” So very careless. And when she thought about that, and what her family would think . . . Ah . . . That was why Shiune had done those things. Yuuki turned her head aside. She wasn't going to cry, but just in case.

It certainly wasn't the reply that Silica had been expecting from her, raising her hands defensively. “I-I wouldn't say that, Yuuki-chan. I mean, normally you're just a little reckless, but I think that's the sort of person you are.”

“A reckless one?”

“Erm, well . . . that's not quite . . .” Silica stumbled before sighing and giving her an apologetic gesture. “Maybe I should stop talking now.”

The Imp shook her head from side to side, smiling tiredly. “Like I said, I think you and Shiune are right. I've been given a gift.” A life . . . a whole life. She'd been right to try and use it, but in her hurry she'd almost wasted it instead.

“Yuuki?” Silica cocked her head. Pina's eyes drooped warily as she draped her wings over her master's shoulders.

“That's why I've been up to this.” She offered Yuuki the peace of paper she'd been writing on and patiently waited for the Cait's reply. Silica's ears rose to points. “Well?”

“Uhm, Yuuki-chan, aren't you supposed to be writing down your promise . . . this is . . . A list.”

“Un.” Yuuki nodded seriously. “I'm writing it down now so I don't forget. Everything that I want to do or try in this life of mine.”

Everything that she, and Aiko, had never thought they could have. Even though her sister was gone from that other world, and from this one as well, Yuuki paused to breath slowly. Actually, she was surprised she hadn't broken down in tears at that thought. But she couldn't cry about it anymore, Aiko hadn't been given this chance, so it was up to her to live and dream for both of them, and do all of the things that they never could before.

“In fact can I have that back for a second?” Yuuki took the offered paper and placed it down to add a new line at the bottom. “I knew I was forgetting something.”

#44 – Sincerely Apologize to a Good Friend.

“I guess you'll be able to check that one off right away, right? At least once you talk to Shiune again.”

“Where is Shiune anyways?”

“Uhm, I think I saw her lounging down at the pond earlier.”

“Wait . . . we have pond?”

“Un.” Silica seated herself beside Yuuki on the bed. “It helps keep the whole building cool in this heat. I guess its also where Octavia-san is being kept until she can be taken safely to Tristania with her crown.”

“To think that child was the person inside of that monstrous Queen.” Yuuki reclined back. It was almost too much to believe. “I wonder what they'll do with her.”

“Asuna-san says she wants to to talk to everyone who was involved in fighting her. She wants everyone to have a say before she makes her suggestion to Queen Henrietta, but at very least she isn't going to let Octavia be mistreated.”

“That's good, I guess.”

“That's all?”

“I don't know.” Yuuki reached her hands behind her head. “I guess I just can't hold a grudge against her. She's a dangerous monster, but that's just how she was made. It doesn't mean she's evil, does it?” Especially since they had seen the person inside of the Abyssal Queen. “And besides, she's not even dangerous anymore. I think I'd be okay with it, however Asuna-san wants to move forward.”

“Un. Now then, I wanted to ask about some of these. Like this one. Cooking, really? Wait, you've never cooked before?”

“I never actually learned.” The Imp shook her head as she leaned off of the bed. “And I don't think boiling water for breakfast oatmeal counts. Hey . . . you're not going to get all judgmental about these now are you?”

“And what's this one?”

“Chyaa?”

“Well . . . They're just ideas . . . Hey!”

“Make snow angels in the first snow of winter. Fight a snowball fight. Win an official race. Become a strong swimmer. Wear a beautiful dress to a dance . . .”

Silica went on and on, and Yuuki just kept getting redder and redder. They hadn't sounded so bad when she'd been writing them out, but hearing them repeated aloud was a completely different story. They were her private thoughts for crying out loud!

“It's not bad Yuuki-chan.” Silica giggled as she handed the paper back. “There are all wonderful things to want to do. I hope you'll let me help with some of them.”

“Chyaa!”

“Pina will help too. But wow, there sure are a lot of things you've never done. But it's all kids stuff, you haven't even gotten to the big things yet.”

“Big things?”

“Un. You know, like what you would want to do for a career. I've always wanted to be a chemist, even if it isn't what I end up doing I want to give it my best shot first. Which is kind of funny seeing as Gaddan has been attracting lots of them already. So I thought you'd have dream like that too. You know, a job, getting married, and making a family . . . Hey . . . Yuuki? Did I say something wrong, ah Yuuki I'm sorry!”

“W-What are you talking about?” Yuuki asked as she found her eyes suddenly running with tears. A family? If her condition didn't return, if one day she was sure . . . She had a chance to live long enough to have a family again. A family and a little home with a little garden. She'd almost forgotten . . . those were things she could have now too, in this sadly happy horribly wonderful world.

“Those are good ones Silica-chan, keep'm coming!”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The waters were still, clear, and dark, a surface that was akin to glass, broken only here and there by the tentative encroachment of aquatic plants and the occasional fish brushing close beneath the surface. These were placid waters perfect for lulling prey into a false sense of security. Little did they know that a predator hunted them just beneath the surface.

Silently, a shadow stole between clusters of vegetation, navigating lightly between stocks and stems on measured fin beats and always keeping covered from above until so close that the prey would not suspect, nor have any time to react. Eyes rose through the playing light, the ceiling of one world and the floor of the next.

There was its prey, suspended lightly over the water and four delicate wings and still so utterly unawares. How pitiful it would have been if only it were worthy of pity. No, this prey was simply pathetic. But it was another thing as well. Delicious. Lips parted upon ranks of sharp teeth in anticipation. The Predator took aim.

It was all over in one heartbeat, perhaps two. The prey was hit by a blast of water squarely at the center of its armored body with a enough force to be sent tumbling towards the surface of the water. That wasn't enough however, not nearly enough, it had only been stunned, it could still fly and flee. Before it could recover itself, the predator launched itself from the surface grabbing hold while the prey struggled to fight back. It put up a valiant effort, but the fight was short and its conclusion foregone.

A furious beating of wings, a few traded slashes and bites, all ended when a single long and sharp spar pierced through armor plate and found its way into vitals. Predator and prey fell back into the water as teeth sank in, crushing plate and finding juicy innards. All that was left then was the eating, and the victor knew just the spot.

Octavia threw her prize atop a large lily-pad before climbing out of the water herself, taking the dragonfly carcass back in her mouth, she crawled to the middle of the collection of flowers to where she could rest from her hunt and eat her meal in peace and seclusion. She had the run of this pond, her keepers knew she had not place to escape so she was allowed to do as she pleased. She needed time to think, just as she had needed this meager victory for her pride. Proof that she was not helpless and did not need to be hand fed by anyone.

Just as Titania had promised she had not been treated cruelly or with disrespect by her captors. In fact, within the boundaries of the Governor's Manor there was no place she could not ask to be taken and no luxury which she was not permitted. In part, she knew this to be the Faerie Queen's word at work, but she knew too that it was a product of what she had become stripped of her crown and power. Not only was she no longer seen as a threat, she knew what they felt when they looked at her now.

Pity . . . Yes . . . they pitied her. A great Queen of the Sea reduced to . . . to this . . . She looked at the tips of her fins. Strong and supple for their size and each concealing a wicked defensive barb within their graceful folds, but a far cry from the great limbs, mythril bone and diamond hard nails she had grown accustomed, so too her serpentine tail and glorious armor. Likewise with the rest of this form, hearing that didn't hear enough, and sight that didn't see enough.

“Hggn!” She bit into the exoskeleton of her meal, hard sharp grinding teeth chewing chitin to pieces and giving way to soft innards. She was not pitiable! She was . . . she was . . . Octavia let loose her meal, eaten greedily down to the base of its wings. The fact that she considered catching such a thing to be an accomplishment was just a sign of how far she had fallen.

She had sneered at Titania for losing her divinity and becoming in body the weak woman she had already become in spirit. But then what did it say about Octavia that Titania had taken back the Abyssal Tiara? Did it even matter now if Titania was no longer divine? Octavia was no longer a Queen.

“Hmph.” She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't! Her Crown might have been taken but she still had to act with the baring of a Queen. Except it had been Titania who had told her that! Octavia returned to stuffing her mouth furiously while looking for a way to distract her mind. Anything but her own miserable circumstances.

She settled on the Smoke Shade seated beside the edge of the indoor pond presently soaking his feet while the idiotic creatures of this shallow puddle nibbled at his toes. The Shade, the Spriggan, Kirito the one who Titania claimed to love more than anyone else. Octavia couldn't fathom why. He did not appear particularly impressive, neither overly handsome nor exceptionally charming. Certainly, he had no quality that should attract the interest or the love of a Queen.

And yet he was the one who had brought Titania back to herself. That was impossible. But it was the only way she could have been defeated, if Titania had lost her divinity and regained her spirit. Octavia forgot her food, propping herself on her fins to peer over the lily pads unobserved. What was it about this man that he had been able to draw out in Titania what she had thought long lost and given up hope of ever seeing again?

Octavia squinted as she tried to think. The memories were old and vague, so old that sometimes she had to think how they had gone before she could remember properly. Like filling in the missing pieces of a puzzle. Titania had been someone special once, beautiful beyond physical beauty, before Oberon had damped her fearsome spirit and tarnished her brilliant pride.

She had tried, how she had tried to remind her former master of who she was. She must have tried hundreds of times, hadn't she? Yes, that was how it had been Octavia told herself, it had been exactly so. And every time she had begged, every time she had plead, it had hurt to hope and to lose hope again. One day, she hadn't been able to hope anymore. She hadn't been able to stand it anymore. The person she had loved like a mother had not been there anymore. In her place, there was just a shell that looked like Titania and spoke with Titania's voice, but who was devoid of the spirit that had been there once.

And yet here Octavia was, as she once had been, so she was again, reduced to the state of a small life. And Titania as well, as if the years had never been, as if they had been erased back to before Octavia had tricked her master in a bout of feeble mindedness and stolen the Abyssal Tiara to escape, before her proud and fierce Queen had become a tired and indecisive woman who believe herself capable of nothing without her husband.

But this man was her husband now, and she loved him dearly, dearly enough to cast aside her name and title, and to fight for him unto death. And that love had born a child between them. A little girl, so much like her mother seating herself in her father's lap, endless curiosity and exuberance which would grow into the same spirit with time. At first Octavia didn't understand why the scene could stir such emotions in her

Titania had told her though. She had told her about her falling out with Oberon, and being imprisoned, the way that the Faerie King had grown tired of her rebellion and resolved to end it for all time. Octavia had never known before, and if she had known, what then could she ever do against the power of King Oberon?

But this Shade had done something, he'd done everything.

'You saved her. You saved Titania.' Even if Titania's memory had been damaged in some way, even if she was not exactly the Titania that Octavia remembered, she was Titania in every way that it mattered once more. And it hurt. It hurt to be treated so warmly by her, to be faced with someone so forgiving of her, and to depend on the kindness of one such as her.

Octavia thought, and rethought, perhaps there was something special about him after all. She was still unsure as to just what as she felt her lunch disappear from beneath her fins and looked to see it vanishing into the gullet of a small amphibian pet of one of the wingless magicians of this land, a creature that resembled some of her lowliest subject.

The small life gaped as her hard caught meal was swallowed whole. “Hey! You give that back you stupid beast!”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“I'm going to regret giving you this sa.” Argo of the Cait Syth asked casually as she came up beside Montmorency on the evening beach of Ragdorian Lake.

“That doesn't sound like a question, Miss Argo.” The youngest daughter of the Montmorency line noted as she met the shorter girl's golden eyes beneath the shelter of her anonymous cloak.

“It twasn't.” The broker said with an added hiss. Good heavens, those golden eyes almost seemed to be a threat looking at her like that. “I'm really going to regret giving you this, I just know it.”

“Then why give it to me at all?”

As a matter of fact, Montmorency rather hoped she wouldn't. Rather suspected that she would resent the Faerie for giving it to her as well, even though she had been the one to ask for it. But no, that was the selfish talk of a girl unwilling to conduct herself as a Noble Woman. Which was she did not shudder, and she did not look away as Argo placed something small and unforgivingly cold in her hand.

“Because I happen to think its the right thing to do too. She deserves to know. As much as she can understand. The same as everyone else.” She tilted her head, watching the waters like a sentry. “It took three days to track that down in Orlein. It wound up in the city vaults after it twas brought in by the Mob Patrols. They confirmed the Field Boss that had it. And since nothings been heard . . . Well . . . I'll leave that to your imagination.”

Yes, Montmorency really wished Miss Argo hadn't said that. But now the burden was hers, and she would have to carry it this last short ways on her own. How heavy it felt, and growing heavier by the moment. It was the weight of grief she was about to deliver on the heels of her own good fortunes. How fortunate she was, she reminded herself, to be a messenger of ill rather than its recipient.

Prince Wales and his Knights, the Faeries as well, had all departed from Gaddan days ago after two days of well deserved rest as guests of Lord Mortimer, General Eugene and his beautiful wife, returning to their training or to their homes in Arrun and taking that monstrous little creature which had half demolished the beach with them.

In the aftermath, only Montmorency and Argo had remained to survey Ragdorian and to repay the Faeries for their unlikely aid by helping the Fae in turn to commune with the Nyriads. It had been . . . an enlightening experience . . . Montmorency thought.

Seeing the Lake Spirit speak to her had placed Montmorency in high regard amongst the demi-Fae who had begun to refer to the Spirit as the 'Lake Mistress' and defer to the Spirit with shows of respect. If nothing else, this seemed to please the Spirit well enough to allow the Nyriads continue to live and hunt within the boundaries of its waters even without the protection of the Abyssal Queen.

And the Nyriads were not the only ones to regard her highly after communing with the Lake Spirit. She had received word from her father. Both a sealed letter and a highly secure communication by Moonlight Mirror in which the stern old Montmorency Patriarch had congratulated her for her hard work and gave his blessing to continue relations with the demi-Fae now inhabiting the Lake while the Family decided how to proceed with the Spirit's request.

Of course, the communication had largely been for show. Father had wanted to converse with her face to face, to see her eyes while he interrogated her and carefully picked her brain for information of the Lake Spirit which Montmorency herself may have missed. But nothing that had been said was of a kind that father would hesitate to speak outside of complete seclusion. He kept more private questions to himself, until they could meet again truly in the flesh.

He'd called her an 'exemplar of the family', Montmorency had not allowed her father to see her eyes narrow. It was stretching things to offer her praise at all for her meager part, she had been little more than an observer. But to call her an 'Exemplar' for merely being in the right place at the right time . . . She'd waited until she'd been safely back in her room before opening her father's letter and casting the spell of her Family Seal upon the back of the last enclosed page.

Where his open message had been warm and congratulatory this hidden missive has been terse and to the point, what father had neglected to mention in his communication by Faerie magic was that he was very much interested in learning more about the Faerie 'Spirit' which had intervened in the battle against the Abyssal Queen.

What was this Solomon? Was he friend or simply an ally of convenience? And what might be done to incline him to an arrangement akin to that which already existed between the Montmorency and the Lake Spirit. Father's intentions were clear enough. Now that such beings were known to exist among the Fae, he wanted to seize the opportunity and monopolize them.

Father would be disappointed to learn that 'Lord Solomon' was already very favorably inclined to Dame Asuna of the Yggdrasil Knights. Or rather, Queen Asuna . . . If that last part had not been made privileged knowledge of the Crown to which she had been sworn to secrecy on pain of death . . . A Queen, a Faerie Queen . . . But it was a title that Dame Asuna had cast aside without a thought.

Montmorency shook her head, clearing the thoughts of schemes and machinations from her mind. Some days she thought she really was starting to take after her father and eldest sister, following in a family tradition to claw their way back to the top. But this evening, she was not upon Ragdorian for the sake of her father, or for herself. Tonight, she was here for Ianth.

The Nyriad woman was waiting for her down by the water, as graceful as ever as she walked lightly upon the balls of her feet, tail extended behind her to balance walking erect. When she saw the water mage drawing near, she stopped in her pacing and waved, a short burst of clicks wafting in greeting to Montmorency. And at once, Montmorency wished that Ianth was not here either. Even wished that she had never met Ianth, or at least that Ianth had never met her.

The Nyriad tilted her head as she circled around Montmorency, studying her from all sides with her eyes, which was a good deal better than what she had done the night before. Caution the past night had left Montmorency less than prepared to see the Nyriad strip from her already scant garb, and even less to find the demi-Fae doing the same to her before pulling her into the water.

What had followed had been a surreal swim beneath the moonslight with Ianth and the other females of her clan 'laughing' and urging her on until the water mage had felt herself drawing dangerously close to exhaustion. But as it happened, she'd never been in any danger of drowning. With their tails and supple limbs, the Nyriads were incredibly strong swimmers, and it had been no trouble at all for Ianth keep her head above the water as they rested in middle of the lagoon.

Ianth had used the opportunity to bury her head against Montmorency's bare back, chest, and stomach beneath the water. If Miss Argo was to be believed, this was possibly Ianth's way of 'seeing' inside of her body as a healer would with soundings and learning more about humans and how they differed from Fae and her own kind. In which case, the swim had served the same purpose, to test the limits of her endurance. Faeries and humans were not the only ones curious about their circumstances it seemed.

Watching the Nyriad pace around, Montmorency wondered if she would have a repeat of the past evening tonight. Luckily, Ianth satisfied herself with just her eyes, at last coming to a halt before Montmorency and giving a high pitched questioning -click- a sound that seemed to have been specially devised to convey meaning to humans.

“Good evening Ianth.” Montmorency greeted softly. “I hope that you and your people are still well.”

The Nyriad blinked through her disdainful mask before leaning forward to press her head to Montmorency's jaw to 'speak' in her countless whispers. 'Give thanks . . . Montmorency . . . that was very considerate . . . Lake . . . Mistress . . . very generous . . . we . . . live in peace . . . this is . . . a good . . . place.'

“I am glad to hear that. The Lake Spirit has preserved the natural harmony of Ragdorian for many ages. Treat her and her lake with respect, and you will have nothing to fear from these waters.” Perhaps some of the monstrous servants of Octavia, but Ianth had laughed when Montmorency had suggested as much. The Nyriads were proud and fearsome aquatic fighters, if the worst the need contest were Sword Crabs and Mutant Frogs, then they counted themselves lucky.

'We will . . . Montmorency . . . Now then . . . Why did you . . . summon . . . me here . . . tonight?' Fast clicking that Montmorency had come to regard as Ianth's 'bubbly laughter' came again. 'Not eager . . . to go for another swim . . . are you?'

Despite herself, Montmorency rolled her eyes and tried to smile. “No, I am not particularly eager, Ianth.”

'Shame . . .' She said as she pinched the mage's slender arm. 'Too skinny! Need . . . become stronger . . . to swim . . . without . . . tail . . .' Ianth teased as her own tail rose at her back for emphasis.

“I'll never be as strong a swimmer as you and your kin, Ianth.” Montmorency's forced smile faded away as she carefully untangled herself from the Nyriad's grasp and took a step back. Her free hand rested upon her wand, not that she expected to need it, not with Ianth, but grief could cause people to change, to not be themselves. “I bring news for you this evening.” The Nyriad tilted her head curiously, those bright eyes watching her from behind her mask of a face. “But I fear that it is not joyous news that I bring.” The mermaid stilled, starring at her now. Her good humored clicks had stopped.

Montmorency felt like a child who had committed a wrong and so now she balled her fist tightly around the evidence of her crime afraid for when it would have to be shown. It had seemed the proper course when she had decided, but committing and seeing through were too different things. At last, she had extended her hand to Ianth and let the Nyriad pry her fingers gently apart.

Ianth became very still. Montmorency held her breath as tightly as if she was beneath the waves. Delicately, Ianth plucked the ring from her hand, lifting the simple golden band to her eyes as if she was trying to comprehend what it was. The slowly, so slowly, the Nyriad sank to her knees, expression never changing as she trembled and hugged herself.

Grief, unspeakable grief locked away behind a mask that could neither smile nor weep, a face that could not even cry. And yet Montmorency's heart went out to this woman, alien as she was, even more alien than the Fae. Kneeling down, she was careful to place her arm around the woman's . . . the widow's . . . shoulders only slowly.

'How . . . How?' Ianth whispered in Montmorency's head.

“The Undines found it, while they were hunting the mo . . . the monsters of their Crescent Lake and marshes some time ago, but they didn't know what the ring meant so it was kept in the vault of their city. They . . . didn't find anyone, with the ring that is. Ianth . . . I'm sorry.”

With surprising strength Montmorency found herself being pushed away. Ianth's expression face seeming almost disgusted. Her lips parted to bear sharp little fangs as she hissed. She hissed and then she stopped as she seemed to remember her grief and returned to it without regard for Montmorency.

She should have left. Montmorency knew, she should have shut her mouth and left. But she was the fool who had thought it better to suffer the truth. So instead she returned to Ianth's side and this time said nothing at all to her. When Ianth spoke next, leaning to rest her head along the mage's shoulder, her whispers were flat and muted, dull like she was putting none of herself into her voice.

'Why . . . Why . . . Do you . . . hate me?'

“Miss Ianth! No of course not! I . . .”

'Then . . . Why?! Why . . . tell . . . me . . . this!' Her arms wrapped tightly, her face locked in that look of cool disregard, her body wracked with shaking emotion for a man who, if Argo was correct, had never died because he had never been born, a figment of Ianth's own false memory filled in by her imagination. But no less real to Ianth than Montmorency's own love was to her. That was why.

“Because, Ianth, I have my own brave fool who shall be going off to war soon.” She was rather surprised to discover the Nyriad was listening.

'You . . . love . . . him?'

“Oh dearly I do. Though there are days I wonder why. If he were to die, I can't imagine what that would be like, the dread even now makes it hard to sleep at times.” For all of his idiocy, for all of his disregard, Guiche was simple in his way and more sincere as of late than she remembered. These changes were good, but at the same time, they no longer allowed her to pretend. “But as horrible as that thought is, Ianth, if something were to happen to him, I would want to know. I would want to grieve for him properly rather than pine for my beloved fool. Forgive me for this Ianth. Forgive me for being the messenger.”

Warm, slick arms hugged Montmorency tight, Ianth buried her head in her shoulder. And then, Montmorency learned what it sounded like when a mermaid wept.