Thanks for the feedback from unknown guess. Dunno if anyone's reading this or not, either way here's chapter three. :)
Chapter three
I arrive at dinner, promptly as possible and boldly take the empty seat next Maya. She acknowledges me and a small nod and reluctant smile. Pearl awkwardly looks away as I attempt to catch her gaze. I suddenly wish my Magatama was with me – a look into Maya's heart might save me a lot of trouble right now.
Thoroughly put out I look over at Maira and smile. She's chubby, dressed into a tight, yet modest gown and looks around forty. Black short hair frames her wrinkled, tired eyes.
"Thank you for providing this. I apologise if me being here has inconvenienced you at all. I'll be happy to help out any time." I say.
Maira looks up at me as she dishes out a large portion onto her plate. Her eyes are slightly narrowed for a moment and wrinkle more than ever. The immediate small smile that graces her lips afterwards comforts me though. Worryingly this is probably the most friendly introduction that I have had so far from any of Maya's friends.
"It's fine, God knows why you're here, but while you are you'll be well fed and I'll make sure of it."
As I go to take a bite she shakes her head.
"Not yet. Only when all company is present do we tuck in." she informs me. I nod and drop my chop-stick.
"Who else is joining us, Mystic Maira?" Pearl pipes up, glancing at all the empty chairs and then back down at her food wistfully.
"Only Walter – Elder Helen was adamant that her Grandson joined us for dinner. He'll be along-"
"Elder Helen requested that, did she?" Maya says, cutting off Maira forceful. There's an edge to her voice than grabs my attention.
Staring authoritatively back at Maya, Maira nods. "She did indeed. That's not an issue is it, Master."
"I'm Master am I? I have it dictated who eats dinner with me while you all assure me I have authority?"
Maira looks lazily down at her meal. "You have authority, Maya, but it's never been pretended that the Elders do not have more. Their age and wisdom mean that they know things that we can only fathom-"
"It's fine. I'll speak with Elder Helen later." Maya seems done with the discussion, but I am typically curious.
"I don't understand – is there some kind of bad blood between you and Walter?" I dare to ask, already expecting the answer I'll receive will be vague and non-informative.
"Of course not. I am, however, a little sick of Elder Helen's constant need to control me and her lack of desire to respect my wishes and-"
"Maya." Maira says, "Leave it."
She checks herself and goes back to staring at her food, mimicking the other 3 people she shares the table with.
I crinkle my face is disbelief. What on earth is going on? The tense feeling in the room is like a damp cloth draped over a weekly burning candle. We are all utterly extinguished.
The fact that I am not wanted here is becoming more and more apparent and yet I am repeatedly baffled by the fact that it was actually requested that I come here. Why did you invite me here? The words play on constant loop as we sit in silence waiting for Walter to grace us with his presence. Hunger is getting the best of me and concentrating on the bowl in front of me is doing me no favours. I look at Maya whose gaze is fixed and solid. Longing for her to catch my eyes I turn my head a little more obviously, but she either doesn't notice or doesn't care.
We all jump as the door creeks open and Walter walks in. Maya blushes now, looks at him briefly and then back at the bowl.
"Sorry guys, I got held up...you know how Grandma is..." he grimaces and glances at me for a moment, smiles slightly and then looks at Maya.
"No problem, Walter. Wonderful, we can eat now."
Grateful of the distraction, all of us begin shovelling food down, ravenously stuffing out faces. Maya eats quicker than any of us. I smile a little because it reminds me of the old times – she sure likes her food.
"So, Mr. Wright, I hear you're a lawyer." Walter says, after a few minutes of silence.
"Ah, not quite. Actually, not at all. Disbarred unfortunately due to...difficult circumstances." I notice Maya tense and stop for a second, but she quickly turns her attention back to her food.
A guilty look crosses Walter's face, "I'm sorry, I didn't know...Maya often speaks of her time working with you and I simply assumed-"
"It's fine." I say mildly. "It was a long time ago. I'm very happy living with my daughter and now...I make my living playing poker. It seems I have a skill for it."
Walter nods, "You have a daughter?"
"Yeah, adopted daughter. I presented her Dad in the case where I was disbarred and he...well, he ran off and left her in my care." I catch the look in his eye. "Yeah, it's a lot to take in, huh? Trust me, It was no picnic at the time, but I don't regret. Trucy means so much to me."
It's pretty heavy stuff for a casual dinner, but it's something to talk about. I tell Walter and whoever else is listening in silence about the allegations of false evidence and about my work with legal system. I'm careful to hold back a little though – getting to the bottom of what happened four years ago is being no easy feat to figure out. I still have a long way to go.
"Sounds like your career has been through the wars." Maira says. "I suppose parenting makes up for that then?"
"Trucy's a little trouper. You'd like her Pearl – she's always smiling and doing magic tricks. She's a lot of fun – reminds me of you, actually."
Pearl grins, "I haven't seen a magic trick since Max Galactica -" Maya looks at Pearl and dares to glance at me. A small, wistful smile graces my lips - not at the deaths of two innocent people, but once again, at the old times. I am happy now, but I do miss them.
"Yeah, Trucy's tricks are decidedly safer than the ones at that circus. There are no Lions involved for a start..."
Maira begins collecting the plates and heads back into the kitchen for a moment, leaving me, Maya, Walter and Pearl alone. Walter addresses Maya.
"Grandma wants to see you after dinner...both of us." he glances over at me. "We have a lot of stuff to discuss she says."
"Right." eye contact between Maya and I is finally achieved as she catches my eye, "I still need to talk to Nick. We haven't really caught up yet..."
Walter nods, clearly a little uneasy. "Might be best to chat with Grandma first, before you catch Mr-"
But apparently Elder Helen is more impatient than she appears. Once again the door opens and she totters in, leaning heavily on a stick. I copy the others and bow, but find it fascinating that no one has bowed to Maya once since I arrived.
"Walter, ah good, you've both finished your food. Could you both kindly join me in my chamber to discuss plans?"
Plans?
"Sure-" Walter begins standing, but Maya cuts him off.
"I'd be happy to...in five minutes or so."
"Maya-" says Walter, the tiredness in his voice evident.
Elder Helens face is crinkling in irritation, Pearl looks worriedly at all of us and I sit in the dark – figuratively, of course.
"Now Maya. You cannot avoid this-"
"What's going on?" I ask, not liking the way Edler Helen is speaking to Maya.
"Nick, I need to speak with you now-" she says forcefully.
"Maya Fey, you will come to my chamber with Walter and I-"
"I am Master of Kurain and you will not tell me what-"
"Master or not, you are engaged to my Grandson and you will join me in my chambers to discuss nearby wedding plans! I do not care for your desire to have a quick, cosy chat with this man – this...this ex-lover you have invited up, now come with me."
Maya looks over at me, staring with wide, sad eyes apparently trying to register my reaction. It seems she can hardly believe the old lady has outed her. Pearl continues to look worried while Walter stands awkwardly, seemingly unsure of what to do with himself.
Me? I am utterly stunned.
