Sun and fire

The days passed at an evenly accelerated pace – the routine of life in the Sanctuary was able to blend them together, though Liwia could not complain of boredom. She felt good here. Usually. Despite several subsequent attempts to improve relations with female knights, girl suffered a terrible defeat, so she was sentenced mainly to the company of the Golden. She adored them, each of them separately, and with considerable joy she observed that many of them had become completely accustomed to her presence, as if she was a permanent element of the Sanctuary landscape. Only in the evenings when she was finishing her duties she was feeling overwhelming loneliness. Just then groups of friends conquered Athenian clubs or fooled around in the streets of Rodorio, muffled by the dense silence of the night. She celebrated the twilight by learning Greek words or washing clothes in tin wash-tub. Or writing letters.

From time to time she was receiving messages from Janek, Silver Shield Knight, and her aunt contacted her regularly. Liwia, moreover, used her relative to import a variety of items. As their name still meant something, her mother's sister had access to foreign products that many could dream of. Including some Golden Knights. The girl did not want them to treat it as buy-in, but she hoped they will see in the gifts appreciation for their hospitality, for letting her into their elite zodiacal Houses, for shared meals, conversations and for fulfilling duties together. Therefore, on each of their birthday she was preparing small gifts, something they couldn't get easily on the Athens market.

First gift went to Deathmask, when he celebrated his birthday on July 24. He got from Liwia an Italian cookbook, which turned out to be a great idea. Thanks to this, the smell of baked pizza or aromatic spaghetti came from the canteen from time to time. During this birthday, the girl also understood what such events of the Golden Knights look like: some appear for a moment to wish a happy birthday (Mu, Aiolos), some stay to the end, discussing fiercely, singing and drinking the leftovers from already warm bottles (Aphrodite, Mask, Aldebaran, Milo), another group stays for a long time, yes, but not participates in games, rather appreciating the dark corners and getting drunk sadly (Camus, Shura) and finally there are also those who don't come at all because they either get lost somewhere (Saga), either they live far away (Old Master), or simply do not like such a celebration (Shaka).

The pattern repeated more or less on subsequent occasions, as clearly showed Aiolia's birthday, that's the Golden Lion's birthday, who was recently elected to hold the last vacancy in the ranks of the Sanctuary elite. Aiolia was exactly what Liwia had imagined him; after seeing Aiolos and hearing a few sentences from Aldebaran, she was expecting a young man with brown hair, the first to act and also the first to talk. He also met the expectations for a slob: whenever a girl was passing through the fifth Zodiac House, sweaty t-shirts, baklawa packaging or cardboard boxes of unspecified purpose were everywhere.

Everyone thought that as her peer he would become Liwia's best friend, if not her boyfriend right away, but the Pole would only laugh at the thought. She liked Aiolia, but mentally he was still a child. Her aunt used to say that the age of a guys should be reduced at least by one-third, if you want to get the answer, how mature they are. In the case of the Leo Saint it worked quite well, and the result – well – did not make an impression.

In mid-August, the boy organized a birthday party. At least in name it was a party, because Mask and several other Golds wanted both honor his birthday and officially (read: boisterously) accept him in their ranks. Aiolos didn't have much choice this time, so he planned to stay until the end, just to watch over his younger brother. But the plan failed, because Sagittarius, who took responsibilities for too many things, was lefting the gathered people from time to time, circling all night between the Sanctuary and Rodorio. In these gaps, the gentlemen got drunk terribly, managed to race up the stairs, Aphrodite began to dance on the table to the rhythm of Milo's knocking drums on the back of Golden Taurus Cloth (until he hit one of its horns) and Aldebaran with Mask were yelling like a demons, plotting intricate diagrams and arrows in a futile attempt to figure out which player has botched in the last match they watched.

Camus traditionally sat in the corner with a crystal glass in his hand, but was suddenly attacked by Shura, who came too late and did not have time to drink culturally, which made his fiery nature prevail. Liwia didn't remember what the argument was about, especially since she was already lightly buzzed, because she stupidly sat next to the lonely Aquarius (maybe her Slavic strong head impressed the rest, but with a half-Russian she was only a weak player – he was drinking as if he was still in Siberia). There was a commotion, Shura threw the Excalibur towards Camus, who deflected the blow with a simple wave, and snowflakes fell from his hands. Capricorn, however, persisted and after a while Liwia had to evacuate from the corner, slipping under cosmo blows, as under artillery fire from German Sturmtiger. The cut strands of Camus's hair were carried away by the wind, and Aquarius, instead of getting pissed off properly, frowned, calmed down, intensified peace, as if it was still possible; it's a miracle that a black hole did not form. In the end, however, Aldebaran grabbed Shura by the collar, picked up like a puppy and shouted that he doesn't give a shit, he wouldn't watch them beating for a thousand days and, anyway, it would be his fault that the Grand Master would come here soon. Shura, as if they had changed him for someone else, visibly dejected, solemnly swore not to start the brawl, then apologized to Camus and patted him like his own brother. However, two beautifully decorated pillars were to be exchanged with the stonemason. And Aiolia learned how to puke properly, an instant course, but he passed with the certificate.

That was the way it was, and Liwia ceased to be surprised that Camus was already getting vodka for Mu's March birthday – at this rate, stocks went down extremely quickly. She wanted to add her own contribution, but she had no idea how to ask her aunt to send a few Polish vodkas to the Sanctuary, even taken on food stamp. The intention died.

The beginning of autumn came and the birthday of another knight appeared on the horizon. But, first of all: about the fact that Shaka has birthday on September 19 (the very fact that he was born once burst the brain!) Liwia and other knights learned accidentally from Mu and Aries probably wasn't really pleased after his slip, therefore it could have been assumed that the celebration of a birthday or anything at all does not correspond very much with the Buddhist disposition of the imminent birthday boy. Secondly – it was Shaka. Anyone who imagined him as the host of the party, serving snacks on a tray and singing banquet songs in the midst of the vapors of digested alcohol probably turned his head into a ball of cotton candy. Even Milo did not dare to speak to the Virgo Saint in this matter, although he was clearly tempted and even the bets were making. And at last there was found a stupid one. Well, Aiolia was new, he might not have known, Aiolos couldn't predict everything either. The stories said that he went to his neighbor just like him, with a loose and loud step, it was even said he tried to pat Shaka's back like an old friend. But these are just legends.

So there was no party, but Liwia was going to give the guard of the sixth Palace a gift anyway. It turned out to be quite a big deal, because the girl did not want to exceed the limit of appropriateness (so such personal items as Ayurvedic hair care oil or a beautifully embroidered kurta, that is a long shirt traditionally worn in India were not a good idea). Liwia learned, that it is extremely difficult to buy something for so practical, strict man. She thought of the stone incense stand, carved in a shape of a lotus, but she was afraid that her aunt could not find anything tasteful and she rather would commit seppuku than give Shaka something kitsch. Buddha statuette – she preferred not to go on such delicate topics as religion, maybe it would turn out that she bought a bust, which is a popular representation of the holy man in one of the branches of Buddhism and in another it is considered as heresy; better not. If she were a malicious self-killer she would give him the Kama Sutra; she could bet with Mask and get back the money she had lost recently... To immediately emigrate from the country. She could have bought real Indian tea for the Virgo Knight, but it was so boring and predictable. Finally, discouraged by the lack of better ideas, she decided on a traditional Indian brass tea pot.

Once (early enough so that the Knight of the Aries suspected nothing) she came to Mu for tea and surreptitiously watched what kind of tableware he will use. She praised the porcelain teapot, extruded into delicate leaves, but the man sighed and said that it was only a substitute, the best he managed to get in Greece, because there, in the Far East, the real taste of tea develops in brass jugs, forged with ornaments by the best craftsmen. He smiled slightly at his memories and she felt remorse to think that his friend would get a similar gift. Well, she consoled herself, she would think of the second one by March. Liwia gave instructions to her aunt and waited for the result.

And the effect exceeded her expectations. The jug was quite high, its slender neck was engraved with leaves and flowers, the thin handle had a beautiful sophisticated line, and the bonnet lid was topped with something like a spire with a red jasper. Liwia knew that it was jasper thanks to the annotation in her aunt's letter, who was keenly interested in esotericism and derivatives thereof. The woman also wrote that brass means sun and fire; girl laughed under her breath when she read about it – he: the Golden Knight, she: using the fire element. Destiny, nothing else. And if that wasn't enough, the received package also contained two brass cups made by the same hand as the jug. Real gems.

No one would be ashamed to give such a gift, so now completely calmed girl found a simple box, a piece of linen string and on the nineteenth of September at one o'clock in the morning she tossed such a gift near the stone, lotus platform in the House of the Virgo, salvaging after this with panic escape. Fortunately, Shaka did not appear suddenly to caught her in this evil practice of honoring his birthday. Satisfied, she returned to her small house.

The first rays of the rising sun had not yet fallen upon the House of the Virgo, when his guard walked quietly out of private chambers and almost silently traversed the "public" part of the Palace, aiming for morning tea with Aries Saint, to which he was invited the day before. Suddenly a foreign shape disturbed the perfect harmony of the familiar environment. He turned his head, releasing tentacles of cosmic energy as his substitute for eyesight. Box. Box like a sad joke.

The man stood quiet and unmoving for a moment, but finally decided to approach. His disappointment quickly turned into discouragement, but this did not change the fact that the box existed, it did not deny its materiality. Neither Mu nor his students thrown off balance of this wonderful routine by reminders of the passing time, the eternal circle of life and dying. Why did one of them suddenly change their good habit into an idiotic ritual of enjoying of what you can't enjoy? Because Shaka excluded the participation of other people. There were no other people around him. This new Lion Saint would hardly dare.

He sighed. There was no point in wondering, it was, how it was.

He took off a linen string with an intricate bow and opened the lid of a simple cardboard box. If his name wasn't Shaka, he would probably whistle in awe. But he just raised his right eyebrow about hundredths of a centimeter. Hindu jug and cups. The ones that were used in his homeland. No. The ones used by the higher castes in his homeland. The embedded stone in the jug lid acquired a deep, carmine color, just like rubies on a helmet and in the belt of the Virgo's Cloth. A beautiful gift, retaining all the elements important for Eastern culture. Unpaired in number (two cups and a jug), reference to the recipient's preferences, appropriate, symbolic colors and materials. And you don't open the gift in the presence of the giver – Mu and his students had to think everything over and do it carefully behind his back. If the hopelessness of life had not quenched the usual birthday joy, Shaka would have smiled. And if the gift were not so expensive. So expensive that it put him in an unpleasant duty of return a favour. It was a pity that Mu forgot about it.

It was, how it was.

The Golden Knight closed the lid of the box, took it in both hands and resumed his wander to the Palace of Aries. When he arrived, it dawned.

"Hello, my friend," he heard in his head as he stepped through the threshold. "Sit down, I'll boil some water."

"Do it properly, with the right tools," the blond replied telepathically and there was a note of a smile in his thoughts. He could afford it.

The Knight of Aries emerged from the kitchen. Silky, lavender hair rippled. The sea-colored iris were driven out by the dilated pupils when the man's eyes rested on the cardboard box held by Virgo. Shaka wanted to thank properly, not telepathically and only the slowness of wording saved him from faux pas.

"What is this?" asked shocked and slightly appalled Mu. He knew that he had once slipped about his friend's birthday. If Mask, Milo or any of the other funsters decided to give Shaka some stupid gift, everyone was doomed.

The blond froze. He could feel when someone was clearly further from the truth and Mu certainly did not pretend to be surprised. Besides, Shaka wouldn't suspect him – of all Golden Knights Aries was least suited to plotting. And he was his only friend. So Shiva or Agora. Shiva, if he had to bet on any of them.

He opened the lid of the box and set the contents on the table.

"For Padmasambhava! Where did you get it?" The Ram lifted the jug, examining it from all sides. "Holy crap, it's traditional."

"Box lay on the platform when I was coming to you," Shaka grunted. "So, Shiva?"

Mu looked at him and shook his head.

"I can't help you, I don't know anything about it. Just recently I even mentioned..."

Aries Saint paused when the enlightening came to him.

"You know," said the blond man and it sounded only a little menacing.

Amazingly, Mu grinned like an ordinary teenager.

"If you showed any interest in what is happening around you, you would guess in a moment. Not Shiva and not Agora."

Shaka was at an impasse. Who else could give him such a gift?

"Camus?" risked Virgo. He may not have been in a very close relationship with Aquarius, but they had mutual respect. The host of the eleventh House of the Zodiac thought before he acted. And he weighed the words carefully. If Shaka had to talk to someone else under a threat of shooting, he would have chosen Camus.

"Miss." Mu, nomen omen, looked at Virgo with a tiny smile, set the box aside and took the dishes to the counter, almost completely cluttered with tea leaves.

"Young Lion doesn't learn from mistakes?"

"Oh no. I think he's still healing his shoulder." Boiled water burst into a cloud of steam.

Shaka was silent for a moment.

"Grand Master?" Why didn't he come up with this earlier? It could have been him. After all, Shion, like the Knight of the Ram, came from Tibet, was a Buddhist, and he had great possibilities. Maybe he wanted to celebrate Shaka's nineteenth birthday exceptionally on September 19; it's an odd prime number...

"Far from it," Mu laughed, pouring the brass jug and leaves lined at its bottom.

"Tell me."

"I'm having too much fun. Keep shooting."

Shaka growled under his breath.

"Any of those clowns? Cancer? Scorpio? Fish?"

"They have names, you know? But no, none of them."

"Bull?" The blond ignored this remark. "He might want to do this just to spite."

Mu sighed and sat on the wooden stool, waiting for the brew to intensify.

"If everyone wanted to do something like this just to spite, the world would be a better place. Misfire, my friend."

"Stop playing and just tell me."

"Your answers tell me more about you than years of acquaintance and tea meetings, I will not refuse such an opportunity." Mu smiled kindly, wanting to quench the annoyance of Virgo.

"I cannot guess, I've exhausted the available options."

"I believe in you."

"Old Master?"

"No."

"Sagittarius?"

"Neither."

"So none of the Golden, because neither the Twins Knight nor Capricorn have much in common with me."

"Truth. Not that anyone except me had," Mu added quietly, but Shaka let that slide. The guard of the first Zodiac House stood up and finished the ritual, pouring the brew from a beautiful jug into two brass cups. He pressed one of them into the hands of his guest. However, Virgo put the bowl back on the table.

"I won't drink until I find out."

Mu warmed his hands, stroking the golden metal with his fingertips.

"Free hint: you were not very nice to this person."

"That's no hint," Shaka said. They both smiled.

"This person is not from here."

"Like most of us."

"You've spent one afternoon with her lately. With that person," Mu added quickly, but game was already over.

Shaka raised an eyebrow.

"She? Sanctuary Guest?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Aries shook his head.

"I was supposed to tell you: who, not: why. That is what you should know, my friend. Now drink."

"Not until I find out..."

"I will not allow that," replied angry Aries Saint. "Not to waste my best tea in the best dish I've ever seen. Or get ready for the Battle of a Thousand Days."

Shaka sighed and reached for his cup after a moment. The brew tasted insanely.

"If this will satisfy you, she makes birthday presents for everyone. Aiolia got, for example, such Polish chocolates, hmm… how Liwia called them... oh, the Bird's Milk, it tasted like marshmallows. And he got a jar of a dill pickles, it is apparently a Polish delicacy, I was not fast enough to try them. A Mask received an Italian cookbook. Thanks to this, pizza appeared on our menu," Mu said enthusiastically.

"Pizza," Shaka snapped. Pizza, but in his mouth it sounded like a shitty wheat crumpet.

"Well, cheer up now, my friend, did you not want to drink a real Indian tea? Anyway, Diwali is coming, let's celebrate it properly." The Knight of the Ram closed his eyes and enjoyed the steaming brew with pleasure.

"Take the set. We usually drink in your Temple anyway."

"Absolutely not." Mu was now cold and firm. "How can you even suggest something like that?"

"So it will lie untouched somewhere at the bottom of the wardrobe," the blond replied, tasting the last sips of the best tea he had drank since years. "Knight of Fox has no reason to feel obliged. I will not repay for this gift, but I cannot return it neither."

"You apply your strict measure to everyone. We're not in India, Shaka," Aries admonished him.

"We are not ordinary people either, Mu," replied the Virgo Knight, setting his birthday tea on the table.

The brass jug and cups were to shine in the light again after 14 years.