Bane Nineteen - Density

I hummed happily as I sat in the carriage and waited for everyone to settle down. I was toying with the doll that Esme had gotten for me.

It was adorable. A big plush monster, with all sorts of teeth and tentacles, all knit together with dark brown yarn. Its proportions went against everything I knew about biology. The stall that sold it had plenty of other things. Cute animals and dolls, but this ugly thing was just so perfectly hideous.

The stall owner had looked a bit embarrassed about it, saying that it was a flight of fancy, to maybe encourage kids not to be so afraid of the real monsters outside the walls, but... well, I imagined that it didn’t sell so well.

Esme had bought it for me using her own pocket change, and I loved it dearly.

It wasn’t all I had, of course. I had some flowers for Felix, as well as a big box of street foods that I knew she’d enjoy more than any number of flowers.

Esme sat down next to me, looking as smug as a bug as she set down a pile of books onto her lap. I think--and this was just speculation--that she was proud because her book pile was bigger than anyone else’s.

I’d gotten her a few other things, of course. Esme didn’t strike me as a jewellery-hungry kind of girl, but she’d gasped over a collection of noble-ladies bookmarks in a shop we were snooping into, so I got her one that had Semper’s colours.

I caught the goddess in question noticing the marker in Esme’s hand, then she gave me a knowing smile which I returned.

“Ah, we’re all ready to go, then?” Mom asked as she settled down at last. She absently started to play with a large jewel-encrusted bangle. It was made of silver with some sort of darker metal woven around it. Dozens of tiny flowers with petal jewels decorated the edges.

I didn’t know what the flowers meant, but Mom seemed to really like it

There was no way a little city like Santafaria had something so precious in it, which meant, obviously, that it had to have been planted by someone. Say, someone who had an entire nation-spanning information network and bases in every city willed with competent, talented individuals.

Semper was running her thumb across her own gift. It was a simple book, old and leatherbound and well-worn, found in a used bookstore of all places and worth barely more than a few coins. The writing on the cover was faded, but still legible. The Adventures of Sappho and Friends. It looked like a book for young ladies, at most.

Semper and Mom had both gushed about how it was such an uncommon find, how the final few books in the series were a missing treasure and then they’d started talking about their favourite parts.

They reminded me a lot of how me and Felix and Esme spent time chit chatting and just sharing meaningless opinions to pass the time.

“So, did you enjoy yourselves?” Mom asked as she settled down. She was smiling across at us, but her hands continued to play with the bangle.

I nodded. “Yes! It was a lot of fun. We should do this kind of thing more often.”

“Oh? One practice date and you’re ready to throw yourself into the dating game?” Mom asked. There was more than just a hint of teasing there.

“You know what I meant. Even if this wasn’t a date, it was still fun, right?”

Esme nodded. “I enjoyed myself.”

“As did I,” Semper replied. “After so many centuries stealing away what time we could to be together, it was nice to go on a date at last.”

I flushed. How forward! Then I glanced at mom and had to hold back a sigh. She was nodding, entirely unphased by the confession. “That was amusing. Hopefully this will have been a good opportunity for you to learn how to pick up on romantic interest, Valeria.”

“Yeah, I bet,” I said, a bit grouchy.

Esme patted me on the back, and I hugged the silly doll she’d given me close. “Did you have fun with Semper, mom?” I asked.

“Hmm? Oh, of course. I always enjoy the time I spend with Semper.” Semper flicked open a fan and used it to disguise a smile. “Now, this wouldn’t be a learning opportunity if we didn’t go over some mistakes and accomplishments.”

“Okay,” I said.

Mom nodded. “Semper, I’m certain you have some commentary to add here?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of pretending to be better versed at romance than you, Luciana, dear,” Semper said.

Mom nodded, and I almost twitched with the urge to toss my new plush at her. Semper was teasing her! That wasn’t very nice, but Mom clearly deserved it.

The carriage rattled along the streets of Santafaria for a bit, but eventually the road got rougher and it was clear that we were no longer in the city itself. We picked up speed, and a moment later my tummy lurched as we left the ground.

“Now, things you did well... I saw you staying close to Esme the entire time, which is quite good,” Mom said. “I’ve seen you doing that kind of thing before, of course. you seem to have a great skinship with your friends. I recall seeing you hugging Felix a few times, for example.”

“Yeah, she’s a real hugger,” I said. “Esme and I held hands.”

“That is a little more intimate, at least according to some people,” Mom said.

“You were holding hands with Semper,” I pointed out.

“Why of course, we’re very close.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Now, I see that you got Esme a gift, which, while not necessary, can be quite nice. But gifts can also seem like pandering if they’re not received well. I’m certain, for example, that your dear friend Felix will love the gift you bring to her, those flowers and that... food. It proves that you were thinking of her.”

“Like how you got Semper that book you were both raving about. Or how she got that pretty bracelet for you. Both gifts that tell the other that you really care about them and know what they love.”

Mom nodded regally. “Yes, exactly. My, but you do catch on quickly.”

“Perhaps I can add a few things as well,” Semper demurred. At Mom’s nod she went on. “That display in the courtyard, Luciana. Where you faced down that vile little woman, bringing about your might to bear but restraining it. It was like... a roaring fire, powerful and dangerous, but entirely controlled. It was... tantalising to see you that way.” Semper reached out and very, very gently touched mom on the thigh.

I looked to Esme to see that she was blushing as much as I was.

Mom, on the other hand, was frowning. “Perhaps, but it would be foolhardy to purposefully seek out situations where that sort of power can be displayed. There are many ways in which that situation could go wrong, and the amount of control over the situation to prevent errors would remove much of the spontaneity and joy from the date itself. Not to mention you’d be presenting a false face.”

“Oh, I understand,” Semper said. “But if the opportunity does arise, then seizing it wouldn’t be a mistake. Just keep that in mind, Valeria.”

“Uh, yeah, I will,” I said.

The rest of the trip wasn’t quite so blush-worthy. We just talked about nothing of import until the carriage dipped back down, then lurched to a landing in front of the castle.

It was nice to be home, and nicer still to find Felix waiting for us with some monsters by the entrance.

“Hey, you’re back,” she said with a grin.

“We are!” I cheered.

Mom pushed me towards her. “Go hug your friend now, Valeria,” she said.

I didn’t need to be told twice. After squeezing Felix as hard as I could, I stepped back to allow Esme her turn, then I fetched the food and flowers. As predicted, Felix was more keen on the food. Though, she did pause as Mom and Semper swept by to look up and meet Semper’s eyes.

“Any luck?” she asked the librarian goddess.

Semper sighed. “No, not today,” she replied.

I watched the two goddesses head up the steps, then turned to Felix. “What was that about?” I asked.

“Eh, Semper and I understand each other,” she said.

“What does that mean?” Esme demanded to know, which of course started an argument between the two which only ended when Felix tickled Esme into compliance and promised that she’d explain it all in detail one day.

It was nice to be back home.

***