Disclaimer: The amazing historical novel Simon most certainly does not belong to me.
A/N. Mel Dahlie (meldahlie), you amazing writer and lovely reviewer, this story is for you! Sorry it took me so long, and is probably both shorter and very different to what you expected, however I didn't really have time to do the research I would have needed to write anything with more "action". So this is just a little sentimental moment, and I may write other stories later.
To those of you who are following my other fics…they are not abandoned, I am just busy. Not a good excuse, I know, but it's legit.
And…I have a book rec.! I recently discovered the book The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black thanks to a friend of mine, and it's amazing. All those of you who like Harry Potter but want to read a different take on the whole "kid finds out he's a wizard" thing…go read it!
This was a monster of an A/N…sorry about that. On to the story now!
It was just such another golden sunset as the one beneath which Simon and Amias and Mouse and Susannah had quibbled over Podbury's sixpence. The four of them had gathered once again in the shade of the quince tree to pass a lazy afternoon, but now the light was fading, and all Simon could see of his companions were their profiles, black against twilight blue and gold.
It was dark enough that when Simon tried to meet Susannah's eyes, they did not shine out at him immediately from the silhouette that was her face. But then he saw them glittering at him in the light from a candle in the house, faint but steady. A curious warmth spread outwards from his heart, erasing his brief shiver of insecurity.
Amias and Mouse, of course, were bickering again. Simon didn't even bother figuring out what it was, as the two of them could have made an argument out of the number of freckles on Amias' nose, whose existence Amias always stoutly denied. Their wordplay was snide, witty, and always ongoing – friendly banter between comrades.
Or was it something more, Simon wondered as he listened to their voices carry through the dusk. Was it possible that this was an altogether more serious ritual, like the dancing of the wagtails in spring? Suddenly and surprisingly, his thoughts were pulled back to his days at school – learning Greek and Latin verse; the homesickness; the excitement; doodling on their copybooks and being flogged; nights telling ghost stories in the boys' dorm, every ear alert for the master's step outside the door.
He remembered learning about the legend of Theseus, the Athenian prince, and Hippolyta, the proud queen of the Amazons, who had killed suitor after suitor in battle as they attempted to win her hand. But in Theseus, the fiery Amazon met her match, and after defeating her fairly, he married her.
The comparison had sprung to Simon's mind almost against his will. Now it was Amias the undefeated, and Mouse, surprisingly – his little sister Marjory, of all people! – who could play him at his own game, and beat him at it too. It was odd seeing his little sister so bright and free and mocking, and odder yet seeing Amias often humble and obliging before her.
As if she had been thinking the same thing, Susannah smiled. He could tell she was smiling by the slight lifting of her cheeks and the brighter sparkle of her eyes.
"They seem so happy," she said, and Simon noticed that there was no wistful note at all in her voice now. He wanted to comment on it but couldn't think what to say. But as always, Susannah understood him.
"And so am I," she added, with a little laugh. "I've never been anywhere before as lovely as here. Everyone here is so lovely, Simon."
Amias was speaking, with the little mocking edge to his voice that was meant to conceal its undertones of sincerity.
"I hope this sunset isn't going to bring us bad luck. Beginnings should always be made on sunny mornings, or so Tomasine used to say."
But Mouse had flung her head up spiritedly in the gloom. "Who cares?" she said defiantly, challenging whatever was out there to try to take away their happiness in each other.
A lantern appeared at the doorway, and Simon's mother's voice was heard calling them. "Children, where are you? Come inside at once!"
The four joined hands and ran laughing towards the candle-lit house.
A/N. So what did you think? Glaring errors? Plot holes? Discrepancies in style? Maybe there were even parts of it that were actually good…? Tell me in a review! If you are too nice to critique me but it's too bad to praise, then maybe just tell me…what do you think of the pairings Mouse/Amias and Simon/Susannah?