Mountains Vast and a Kingdom So Red

Chapter 86

Bedivere and his companion finish their breakfast and help each other dress, putting their lives on their appearances. The nymph pairs a tartan pant suit with a graceful shawl while he combines a wool undershirt with a plaited tux and light soled sneakers with a tuft of wings gracing the back. Her auburn sandals have never been worn and create soundless steps as Xirna shifts before the mirror. Then she orders him to do just do one button and leave the rest open. Patiently, he asks her for the art dealer's name now that all of their belongings found a home. She produces the card: Ranau Plumworth.

"Worry not friend," she says. "He will have the paintings."

"His customer base is slim," Bedivere complains.

"The party will surely attract visitors."

"You should be surprised." Bedivere sets the card face down. "You should not notice Ranau or speak to him, so when the art pieces are revealed, you can modestly claim you had no idea some simpling modeling would evolve into this."

"What if he notices me and can tell I am lying?"

"You will not be lying. You will be fudging the truth; it was a surprise to meet Signmour. But it would be damaging for us to self-promote at the party."

"I appreciate the suggestion," she says quietly. As she brushes her hair, Bedivere ties his long hair back. It would honor him well to have a trim. The door opens and Melusine calls out to them, stating the parlor room is ready.

Among the pantheon are a selection of their Opti chosens. Each of them is resolutely beautiful and they keep silent as Xirna and Bedivere seat themselves on the leather couch. An ottoman faces it and its legs cover a salt and pepper rug. Above them the low ceiling is painted with gold leaves. The fireplace contains singed logs and the decor is elegant and inviting, including the window squares. Magenta is the favored color but is eclipsed by dark green and gray as one's eyes flit across the room. A male pantheon member accepts a glass of water from an Opti and begins to speak.

"Hello Bedivere and Xirna. I am Hovebath, a fourth generation, and the big brother of the council, I suppose you could say. I tame their beasts." The curvaceous female Opti at his side laughs, laying her head against his shoulder.

When he gestures to another pantheon member he shakes his head so Hovebath continues. "I have you two in my system, Simmons and Kiplin, as I have every single documented person who visits the Faire realm and your allied country says Aux Duvrex. Love that place, but I am taken aback as to how two of their citizens arrived at our palace." His pupils are slates, not round.

Bedivere's mouth dries. He remembers this massive detail that has fallen through the cracks.

Xirnas's fingers tense but she appears to relax them and she forces a smile on her face. "We are from here. Born here."

"Yes, well, you are not allied to our Kingdom . You have been away from Aux Duvrex for one year and four months. Why is that?"

When Xirna and Bedivere fail to form their thoughts, Hovebath continues: "jumping ship or..."

"It is not a suitable place for my love and me to raise a family," Bedivere rushes to say.

"Hmm, truly? Education, health care receive such high marks."

"We want our children to be proud of their wings," Xirna adds. "I do not see many beings like me there and it impairs one's confidence, subconsciously."

"You feels as if you are an outlier?" She nods.

Bedivere believes the nymph is doing soundly, but they need to discuss more than family. They need to make it personal, to imbed themselves in this society, in the pantheon's very skin, like ticks. And one of these nine rulers is still responsible for ailing his king.