After lunch and before the darkness, Nifa arrived and agreed to paint one more house.
Mother's.
She politely followed her and Carlos with his little sister, helping her choose.
So many questions.
Zephyr was sitting, taking a rest with Anna on his lap, now that Setil came with the usual low-cut dress the patrons loved so much.
She is going to be very popular next week. My bet there will be a dozen kneeling in front of her.
Zephyr had enough of my staring. " My love, what's wrong? "
I quickly analyzed his face, and I saw nothing. He could be fine with the whole sexless thing.
How!??
" Nothing.. you two come home for dinner? "
Anna looked up, waiting for her fathers confirmation.
" Anna will honey. Your mother is gone with Carlos, so I'm heading back .. to the back, try and imitate their cooking. Sorry.."
Ohh..well..okay. Mother did just leave. But I saw Nifa's capabilities she needs what? 30 seconds to paint one?
" Right.."
He chewed some mazzepan while kissing Anna and me goodbye.
" Come back after dinner, loves.." he played with Demelza hair in passing, making her scratch the air.
" I don't know, Sisi.. he seems like the way he always is. Granny? " Eli picked up Anna and turned to granny for reinforcement.
" That boy is an enigma.. he looks fine but also has a plan in mind, just like with everything. I'm sure."
Granny let her hand be taken by Metill.
" We going to check in with the council for next weeks festival. Try and make sense of the amount that will be participating. "
They left before us all bundled up, the wind picked up, and once they opened the door, a small hurricane hit us.
Zephyr looked up and came over.
Picked up, Anna placed her on the counter and took Eleanor's hands and dragged her outside.
[SWOOSH]
" How can he possibly be mad, Lylly?..considerate as ever. " Demelza quickly put her coat on and waited for her turn.
After taking her and Anna. He held me close, still inside the tavern.
" Sorry, I can't make dinner, my love. " he played with my hair that left out under the warm wool hat.
His touch and kiss were soft and loving as it ever was.. I'm overthinking everything.
" Don't worry, I'm sorry again.. for my 'stupidity'.."
He rubbed his cold nose on mine. " It's fine.. a week is nothing. "
He led me outside and picked me up while I took a small breath and hid my face from the cold.
[SWOOSH]
We walked inside our home not 5 seconds later, which was now almost blended in with the surroundings if not for the light coming out the window.
" I'm leaving ladies, I'll send the man and the Borea's soon. " he waived at us, enjoyed the warmth a little, and left .
" Alright then, need any help? " I asked with renewed energy.
They gave me a sad smile and shook their heads.
Even if you know the answer, always offer it first.
——
" This roast is amazing, Demelza. I'm very proud. "
Demelza melted from Mother's compliment, and her husband puffed his chest out as if he had made it.
Manata, the Revel twins, and Eleanor's annoyance, Lucian was also missing from the table.
They wanted to keep Zephyr and the Emil girls company..well, just Zephyr mainly, but that was just my guess.
Anna was on edge with Ciren, who also wanted to go occasionally making faces at me who denied their early escape to join the 'FUN' one..
I ignored them and turned to my mother.
" Mom? I think the house sounds wonderful.. Red and white and blue. Nice mix. "
We went and saw it for ourselves. White walls, with a blue door and window framing and the same shade of red as Nifa's, shoulder-length hair.
" Thank you, I had qualified help.." she smiled kindly towards Ciren, who changed her moody expression to a bright one.
" It was nothing.." she waived it off nonchalantly but was as red from the compliment as any little girl would be.
" My little sister reads more than anyone else I've known.. tell them where you read about a similar house."
She was embarrassed from her brother putting her on the spotlight and invited all eyes to her like that.
" The book is about the ancients who's gave us the spark of life. " she said mostly to the door, she glanced again.
I saw that everyone was just as confused as me except Carlos.
She lost her embarrassed expression to an annoyed one. She looked towards the door again, I bet Zephyr knew being her student.
" It's a myth of life. " she went on shared some of her knowledgable.
After a mouthful of juice, she went on.
" Once, a portal to another world opened somewhere here in our lands, and the ancients who walked through give us the spark of life.. It's more of a fairy tail than anything. "
You seldom hear about these mythical beings, the ancients, but that was the first theory. I've never heard who or how they got here.
I just assumed they were ancestors of the people living in this world. Interesting idea.
" Anyway.. it was there around the holidays they celebrated, a lot of information is nonsense but there it was a white, blue house with a red top. The end. "
She went back to her half eaten plate.
" That's very interesting.." Nifa spoke up, sharing a smile with her wife. " We heard similar stories about the past like those along our way. "
Cintia took over. " Every civilisation tries to connect their origins somewhere.." she talked to everyone while dealing with her clingy wife.
" Like, how in the northern regions of Lentila there are a small town who believe, a turtle God exists who carries the whole universe on his back and we just passengers for the ride. "
We laughed at the absurd thought. Out of any animal carrying the universe, and they chose the turtle?
We spent the rest of the meal talking about various religions and the people they met.
Needless to say to people who only ever saw Malai since their birth, it drew a lot of envious gazes.
Their blessing took them around the world and allowed them to learn and observe others.
" Mnn..the Revel brothers joined us back in Dharma when we painted that ones family. " Nifa got some whiskey and drunk it like it water.
She pointed and spilt towards Carlos, who had a sad smile.
" Ahh.. the homeland. We were so young. My family is sure rooted there. " he talked to everyone but mostly mother.
" Some even refuse to leave our private lands. All that pride.. all that knowledge, and they do nothing with it. "
Both Nifa and Cintia gave him understanding nods.
They probably had a deeper insight than us.
Soon after that, our dinner was done, and the boys left with Anna and Ciren in advance.
We did a quick cleaning and talked about the religions, specifically of Ehlite's.
" Sometimes I wonder.." Miranda, who had some history with them through her late husbands interest, sat down and waited for us.
" ..what sort of knowledge they hold. I mean, they are a secretive order. Their first apostle have as much influence as the king, and yet they have no armies or even blessed among them."
It was true .. how does a bunch of priests achieve that kind of influence?
I guess knowledge is a great weapon to have.