Shortly after noon, the sun came out, bringing light and warmth to a week of relative discomfort and misery. Sylphiel set aside the last of the dishes she was drying to open the back door and taste the fresh air- finding it a bit on the chill side, but quite a bit better than the air in the house. Stepping out into her garden, she drifted towards her herbs to first check how they had weathered the rain. In truth, they had survived quite well, their new-green stalks pushing out of the dirt towards the sun- a subtle reminder that spring had just come.
"A turbulent time, but time for growth," Sylphiel sighed and toyed with the strange necklace Rezo had given her. "What did he mean...? What's so special about this thing anyway?" Turning, she looked up at the second story of her house to find the copy sitting in the window, drinking in the sunlight much the same way the plants at her feet were. A light breeze toyed with his hair, curling a lock around under his nose which made him sneeze, and in doing so, look down. Where his expression had been sorrowful before he had seen her, Sylphiel watched that light leave his eyes and was sure that Flagoon was looking back at her before a second had passed.
Managing a smile for her Holy Tree, Sylphiel looked away and whispered to herself, "Oh, Flagoon, why did you pick that man to be your host?" Pausing, she examined her words. "Host. As if Flagoon were a parasite like Zanafaar," Sylphiel shook her head, her hair swaying behind her, then catching in a particularly strong gust of wind that pulled at her clothes and chilled her enough to wrap her arms around her shoulders. "Or as if Rezo himself were little more than a dog to carry tics. Does he think of himself like that?"
Turning, she gazed out towards the forest behind her house and sighed as she mulled over the things he'd said- how he'd said them, and licked her lips. "Yes. I think he does imagine himself like a dog, or some other beast of burden. Something simply used till it can't work anymore."
Tears stung her eyes unexpectedly as a thought occurred to her, "I'm no better than Eris," Sylphiel whispered, "Trapping him with my hate- he didn't ask for Flagoon to choose him, he couldn't have- and he really was trying- he was willing to let me just think he was Flagoon and go on living just to keep Flagoon alive. And he's offered to do that again at the expense of himself."
Lifting her hands, Sylphiel cupped her cheeks then looked back up at Flagoon abruptly to find that she was being watched by Rezo again. Again, he ducked back behind Flagoon who began to look a little irritated with Rezo's antics.
Turning away again with a sigh, Sylphiel shook her head, "And all for me. ...Did Flagoon mean what I think he did when he said... seeds? Or was that Rezo speaking?"
In confusion, Sylphiel stared out at the forest once more, lowering her hands to her arms again, hugging herself for warmth, "No, I think that was Flagoon." Her vision blurred as wind hit her in the face. Finally closing her eyes, she let memory take her back to the time shortly before Sairaag had been destroyed.
Her father had been so excited when word that Lord Rezo had returned to his residence in Sairaag had reached him. He'd told her how this was a momentous occasion- Eruk had seemed so animated, raving about Lord Rezo's deeds and reputation and how Lord Rezo had not been to the city since before Sylphiel had been born. And by just being near her father, Sylphiel had been excited, especially when she got the chance to actually meet Lord Rezo.
Lord Rezo had looked so stately, clasping a belled staff in his right hand while he cast healing spells on people with his left. On his lips had been a benevolent smile- a happy, kindly, smile that Sylphiel rarely recalled seeing after that initial vision of him- mostly whenever Eris had been away for a second or two. He'd stood amidst a throng of people, towering over the needy, listening to their pleas and complaints, his eyes closed- his own need obvious but unaddressed in preference of giving to others. They kissed his robes, his hands, blessed him, and he just smiled with a joy that made it plain that his reward was purely spiritual.
In retrospect, Sylphiel realized that this was the first and last time she'd ever seen Rezo out in public without Eris lurking nearby. This was the only time she'd seen him without a shadow haunting his features. That smile had been a rare occasion too- as if he saved it just for moments when Eris wouldn't see.
Eruk had managed to push his way through the crowd to greet Lord Rezo and personally welcome him to the city, and behind him, Sylphiel had been dragged. It had been a shocking, and pleasant surprise when Eruk had asked Lord Rezo to tutor his daughter in the ways of a Healer, and Lord Rezo had agreed, turning that smile upon her then. It had seemed to falter at that moment, as if he wasn't sure of something, but in front of so many people, he was unable to take back his word and instead gave a time for Sylphiel to meet him daily, at which point his smile had reasserted itself with a hint of something smug behind it. Whatever his thoughts had been at that point, the Sylphiel of then didn't know but could guess now.
Opening her eyes, Sylphiel stared at the trees in the distance.
"I'll ask him," she decided and turned to look up at Flagoon's window to find him no longer there.
Heading back inside, she looked down at her now wet feet and sighed, using a towel from the bath to wipe them off and clean up her floor, she dropped the towel into the laundry pile and headed upstairs, finding Lina and Gourry playing a savage game of checkers on the floor in front of the fireplace in the living room. They didn't look up as she passed- it was a good thing they could amuse themselves while Sylphiel dealt with various catastrophes. Lina sure had changed in the last few years- quite a bit more calm it seemed- and understanding. She certainly thought about things a lot more.
Putting those thoughts aside, Sylphiel turned down the hall at the top of the stairs and stepped up to Flagoon's door, finding it open and the man himself sitting at the desk, fingers tracing across the pages of the book he'd started reading the day before. Stepping in, she came to perch on the edge of the desk and looked back over her shoulder out the window.
Rezo said nothing, but Flagoon greeted her with his eyes closed, "Hello, my Shrine Maiden."
"Hello, Flagoon," it was weird speaking to the tree and having it speak back verbally. "I'd like to speak to Rezo," she said, feeling a twinge along her link. "I've got a few questions to ask him."
Flagoon opened his eyes then and looked at her for a long moment- then finally retreated. Rezo's expression closed, "what?" he asked rudely.
Taking a breath to steady herself, Sylphiel licked her lips and stared out the window, finally settling on a question that would likely put him off his guard. "The day we first met- you knew you weren't really Lord Rezo then, right?" She glanced at him, finding his expression dark and sour, "Why were you out there healing people? Eris wasn't there to make you, and you were obviously enjoying it."
As she'd thought- Rezo sat back from her, frowning, though his cheeks had turned slightly pink and he looked away without answering. Well, without answering for a time, it seemed Flagoon was on her side, for the words were forced out when they did come, "I was...trying to prove to Eris that... that I was... capable..." he looked down, fingers curling where they rested on the book in front of him. "But when I started doing it..." he paused, this time not because he was fighting Flagoon's will, but because he needed to collect his thoughts. "It was nice... being needed," Kopii whispered, "And I really liked helping them, it...made them so happy that I had and..."
Shyly, he looked up at her face to find her staring at him and quickly looked away, his expression sliding back to sullen brooding. "I don't see what that has to do with anything," he said defensively.
It was amusing how much like Zelgadis he was- or was Zelgadis like him? What was the technical term for how they were related? Sylphiel pushed such confusing thoughts aside for later pondering, then continued, "I just wanted to know," she stated, "I'd forgotten before but I just remembered."
She was my miracle... Kopii thought to himself as he peeked up at Sylphiel through his maroon bangs, sitting on the desk beside his book, her thigh so close to his hand that if he just moved it fractionally he could touch her- but didn't dare. Sylphiel was my Hope's Miracle. That whole first day in Sairaag was for that matter. It had to be- it was the same day the Light shone for me. That was the only day I got away from Eris- the whole day, being led around by the hand on a tour of Sairaag by Sylphiel, her melodic voice describing the sights to me- how beautiful they seemed in my mind's eye.
And I had to go and destroy them.
That last thought brought a black expression to his face.
"Why didn't you say something? ...when I first started calling you Flagoon?" Sylphiel asked, breaking into his thoughts.
Setting his shoulders, Kopii hunched down in his chair and replied, "Because technically it was true and I knew this situation would occur if you found out. It was better that you simply thought of me as Flagoon rather than having to think of what to do with me when I held what you wanted."
Leaning forward slightly, Sylphiel looked at his face, "So you were giving me the chance to just have Flagoon without your involvement." He nodded, "And how much of what you said was Flagoon?"
"Most of it," Kopii admitted, "I rephrased sometimes... but ...most of that first day was me, but from then on, it was Flagoon."
Sitting back again, Sylphiel nodded, "Why did you admit who you were?"
Still not looking at her, Kopii shifted uncomfortably, "Because Flagoon overwhelmed me," he stated simply and left it at that.
Taking a break briefly, Sylphiel pondered further questions to ask, but before she could, a knock from downstairs interrupted. "Hey!" Lina called, "Whatcha need, no new emergencies, right?"
"No- we just came to thank Ms. Sylphiel," one voice said- Jeff Langsley's. Though he hadn't been involved in the fire the day before, he was the new mayor of Sairaag.
"We wanted to personally invite her to the Spring Festival," another voice, Laura Langsley, Jeff's wife. She was a busybody, but a good woman.
Sylphiel slid off the desk and hurried down the stairs to speak to the two directly- she couldn't just let Lina handle them, after all. Cephied knew that Lina might set Laura's massive bouffant on fire by "accident" after some casual comment or other. "Mister Langsley!" Sylphiel called, "Forgive me, I was busy upstairs and couldn't answer the door. She smiled at Lina, "thank you for answering, Mrs. Lina," she said and Lina frowned, then shrugged. "Do come in!" Stepping aside, Sylphiel watched as the two came in and removed their shoes to spare her floors from the muddy mess. "You didn't walk the whole way, did you?"
Jeff shook his head, "No, we drove the cart," he smiled, and behind the two came Hector, Jeff and Laura's gawky twenty-year-old son. Sylphiel suppressed her sigh, it was going to be one of those visits, apparently.
Shyly, Hector raised a large hand and waggled his fingers at her with a buck-toothed smile. He was a nice young man, intelligent despite his looks, but not Sylphiel's type at all. He wanted to be a politician and the only thing they had in common was that they were the offspring of mayors. Stiffly, Sylphiel smiled in return.
"And who are your Quaint guests, Ms. Sylphiel?" Laura asked, clasping her hands together, she was a portly woman with graying hair fashioned into a style that looked like a bee's hive on top of her head. Today she was wearing her teal dress, which usually meant she was going to work hard at getting what she wanted.
Turning, Sylphiel gestured, "My friends, Mrs. Lina Inverse-Gabriev and Mr. Gourry Gabriev."
Jeff pondered that, then his brows rose, "Oh- Mr. Gabriev! What a pleasant surprise! You still out killing demons or settling down?" he waggled his bushy brown brows as he elbowed Gourry in the side, the taller blonde having made the mistake of getting too close. Jeff, too, was a big man, but charismatic in a good-natured way. He wore clothes you could get dirty in and wasn't afraid of a bit of hard work.
Laura looked Lina over in her turn and frowned faintly, "Inverse..." she murmured, then her eyes widened, "The Destructive Sorceress? The Dragonspooker!" She backed up a step, "Enemy of All Who Live!"
Lifting a fist, Lina scowled at the woman, "I've killed people for saying less," she warned, "You're only spared because this is Sylphiel's last house."
Uncomfortable silence fell then, and Sylphiel tried not to fret and pull her hair out, "Um- would anyone like some tea?" she asked desperately.
Gourry grinned, "You got any of those little cucumber sandwiches left?" he asked, and relieved, Sylphiel nodded.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable," she gestured towards the couches around the fireplace.
Lina turned, "I'll help," she told Sylphiel and stalked after her, obviously fuming while the rest of the guests arranged themselves on the couches.
"So, Mr. Gabriev, how have you been? It's been a while," Sylphiel heard Jeff say.
Gourry paused before answering, then replied, "Okay, I guess. I got married," he sounded bewildered at that, as if he didn't really remember much of it or the events leading to it, but then he grinned, "And then Lina and I went back to bandit killing!"
Looking over at Lina, Sylphiel caught Lina smiling even as she put water on for tea while the dark-haired young woman made the finger-sandwiches. "Lina," Sylphiel whispered, "Thank you for keeping your temper... Mrs. Langsley can be abrasive, just ignore her?"
Lina nodded, "I will. You've got enough to worry about with Rezo. Speaking of which, were you talking to him upstairs?"
Sylphiel nodded, "I'm still...not sure what to think. Not yet. I can't forgive him yet," she sighed.
"Yet is better than never," Lina pointed out, "Honestly, I forgave him after I stuck that Bless Blade through him. He died for what he did, he learned that what he'd done was wrong, that was all I could really ask for with him. Maybe he'll keep those lessons close this time around?" Lina grinned back over her shoulder ferociously, "But if he doesn't, you know where that sword is."
Flushing, Sylphiel shook her head, "No... No, I don't want to..." she closed her eyes, hands pausing in their work, but she didn't get the chance to complete her sentence, for the water on the stove whistled and Sylphiel was forced to concentrate on making enough sandwiches for Gourry and Lina and the others, Lina worked on making the tea, which she was perfectly capable of doing on her own, so the shrine maiden left her to it. Finally, tea and sandwiches done, Sylphiel and Lina carted the cups and plates out on trays to set on the coffee table and Sylphiel handed each guest a teacup before taking one for herself and settled to a seat in the chair closest to the fire, feeling as if she were boiling being so near it.
Jeff spoke then, before anyone had even lifted their cups, "Have you heard of that Mazoku that's been attacking fairs and gatherings lately?"
Lina lifted her eyes from her teacup and lowered the cup enough to speak, "Some," she said, "But that was further south near Seiruun. Last I heard, Amelia- er... Princess Amelia and her Dark Hearted Sorcerer-swordsman guard defeated it."
Jeff looked incredibly relieved. "That's good to know." Silence fell then, a slightly awkward silence...
Smiling, Sylphiel waited for her guests to finish their first sips of tea before asking, "I believe you said something about the Spring Fair being tomorrow?"
Laura smiled brightly, "Oh yes! It was supposed to be this weekend, but the weather put it off, so now that it's cleared up, we'll be having it tomorrow! I was just wondering, dear, if you could make something? You've always been such a wonderful cook!"
Nodding, Sylphiel sorted through what she knew she had left in her cupboards and what wouldn't need much tending before she replied, "Will stew be alright?" she asked.
Grinning, Laura replied, "Of course! Oh, you know, we're having a couples contest this year-" like they did every year, "-and I was wondering if you might possibly be Hector's date too? You're such a dear, and a sweet young thing! I know you never really come to the Fair, but don't you think it's about time you socialized a bit more?" her eyes flashed towards Lina who scowled right back at her.
Gourry spoke up then, "Hm, I dunno," he said, "She did kinda lose her whole family ...uh. When was that?"
Lina perked, coming to Gourry's rescue, for he did indeed have a good point, "Five years, and just three days ago was the anniversary of it," she said pointedly.
Flushing, Sylphiel looked at Lina and Gourry and finally put in, "If I do go, I... I'm afraid I don't want to get too involved in things when I might get called away for an emergency."
"Oh!" Laura objected, "But truly, the couples contest is only an hour- what can happen in an hour?" Other than a lot of things, but that was beside Laura's point, "Honestly, dear, it's about time you started getting on with your life. Eruk would be just shocked at how you've secluded yourself! All the way out here with not even a cat to talk to!"
Sylphiel winced then shook her head, "I've already got someone," she lied straight through her teeth, "Thank you, Mrs. Langsley, but please..." She refrained from lying any more and saying that her fictitious boyfriend was highly jealous and named Rocky.
This revelation, though, was enough to snap Laura's mouth shut for a whole minute and Jeff cleared his throat, "So does that mean you'll be coming?" he asked, "If you don't mind, I'd like to meet this man of yours," he smiled, and Sylphiel inwardly sighed. Jeff was nice, but where his wife was pushy and looking for a way to move up in society, Jeff had taken it upon himself to step in and be her new uncle.
Glancing at Lina and Gourry- who were looking at each other- Sylphiel finally sighed, "Alright. I'll come," she agreed, knowing that if she didn't go, Lina and Gourry couldn't either- they would likely feel obligated to keep her company and watch over Rezo. But if they all went, she'd have to take Rezo with her. Life wasn't fair sometimes...