Quote:
Originally posted by Attalus:
LOL, Kaltia, she's quite capable of reaching through the computer screen and yanking Imoen-haters through. Not a pretty sight. 
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LOL, don't you know it.
Today's installment:
XXI
Daybreak woke Noemi first. She rose on her elbow to conemplate her sister's face, and ran a finger over her cheek. She remembered what she could of last night's conversation, and smiled happily to herself. She didn't care what Galadria said, if she could have spent the rest of her life sleeping with her, she thought she would die content. A sudden chill went through her. She shook the dark woman awake."Gal," she whispered fiercely,"wake up."
One dark eye opened and regarded her without favor. "Em," she said crossly,"why are you waking me at the crack of dawn after keeping me up half the night?"
"Sorry, Gal," she said contritely,"but I've gotta know something."
Galadria sat up in bed, and regarded her blearily."What is it, Em?" She saw that her sister was really shaken about something. so she added, more kindly,"What's upset you?"
"Gal," she asked in a low voice,"what if you die before me? What would I do?"
Her sister sighed in an exasperated way."I suppose, bury me, and sit by my tomb for the rest of your life like the little dog in the story. Noemi, why are you asking this?
"Well," the redhead was unsure,"all that talk about you and me last night, and I just wondered..." she trailed off.
The dark mage put her hand on Noemi's shoulder."Em," she said," I'll try to live forever but you know that I can't know the answer to that. That's why I want you to develop your own power, among other reasons. You can't let anybody else be so necessary to your life that you can't live without them. Even your sister. Even a lover."
"I know," muttered the redhead rebelliously."But I don't want to."
Galadria put her arms around her and hugged her."Gods alone know I don't know what I'd do without you, or Attalus, but we don't know this, Em. But we've got today, so let's enjoy it. Try not to obsess about it." She released her and regarded her sternly."Now, that's the last time I'm going to hug you today. It's getting to be a habit."
"Good habit," said Noemi in reply, happy again."Let's go get breakfast."
They washed and dressed and went downstairs. They found Lania in the kitchen, making a light breakfast, as Galadria liked when the men were't about demanding huge amounts of meat. Cythera came down later and was surprised to find them both there so early. The dark mage often arose at dawn,, but Noemi was a notorious slugabed.
"Good morning to you both," she said sunnily. She looked at the redhead whimsically, expecting some cutting remark.
"And a good morning to you, Cyth," replied Noemi with a smile.
The blonde enchanter gave her a shocked look, and shook her head in disbelief.. "Gal," she turned to her other friend,"what are you doing with Em's simacrulum? I haven't seen the real Noemi so much as smile before noon in years."
"Pish, tush," replied the redhead loftily, waving a piece of toasted bread to dismiss the accusation,"I'm the soul of civility in the morning, just ask anyone."
"I have," Cythera retorted, "Odo says it's worth a man's life to so much as speak to you before lunch."
"Odo," Noemi answered defensively,"probably caught me in an atypical bad mood in the early hours, and said something to upset me."
"He says, " murmured Cythera,"that he asked how you felt. The insensitive brute."
Sefa tripped in, and wondered why everyone was laughing. Galadria turned to her with a smile."Well here's our little Sefa. What are you to do, today?" The girl stopped what she was doing, which was reaching for a roll, and immediately gave her Mistress her full attention.
"Good Morning, Lady," she said carefully, as Noemi had taught her."Today, your Lady Sister is going to teach more on how to use the bow."
Galadria wondered at how fast the street veneer had come off of her. She already spoke with an accent that was much more refined than the urchins she had been associated with. They never had a chance to inquire into Sefa's parentage, she remembered with a twinge of guilt. The girl had fitted so effortlessly into life at the House of the Dome that it was slightly difficult to remember what it was like without her.. That argued natural agreeability and a ready intelligence, but it implied something more: a similar outlook on life. Most street children, she would think, would have been up to more mischief, perhaps stolen something, but everyone seemed to take it for granted that she would not. Even the usually suspicious Noemi had taken to her,after some initial misgivings. She looked over to where her redheaded sister was ruffling Sefa's curly hair as she teased her about her lack of progress in archery.. The dark mage considered. She didn't really have much to do between now and the date of departure.
"Em," she spoke aloud. All eyes went to her. "Today, after your archery lesson and when Sefa's cleaning has been done, I want you to take her back to that place and get that girl, Naba, was it?" she directed at Sefa, who was listening, round-eyed. She nodded mutely.
The dark mage went back to her sister. "Get the girl and bring her back here." Noting the gleam in Noemi's eye, she added, "No kidnapping. Persuade her. I know you can."