After a mildly painful splash, the two quickly made their way to shore. When they had, there were brief fits of coughing and panting and wiping here and there as they tried to calm themselves down. After a particularly bad coughing fit from her, Malachi turned and asked...

Are you (cough) okay?

Yes. (cough) I'm fine... (coughing and panting) I believe I may have accidentally swallowed some (cough) water. But I think I'm-

And then she saw him emerging as himself- his armour coming undone -beneath the strips of light radiating past the mists covering the open part of the ceiling. And all the beauty of the hidden place seemed as stars and candles, dim and shy, in the presence of the midday sun of his gentle wave "Hullo" and its companion, his dork-ish smile (he was wearing his rose-tinted lenses then, and so his smile was plain to see).

Malachi...

I missed you too.

You're... you're...

Alive? Very much so. And I've also brought-

Before he could finish his reply, Cindy, being a twelve-year-old, promptly expressed her nearly overwhelming heart-race by shoving the boy and causing him to fall back into the shallow water as it kissed the shoreline. He took it well enough- in fact, he was actually smiling -but he had not come alone. Emerging from the waters after them, there arose the same beast of grey and white which Cindy had seen nearly six days ago to the minute. And when Stormy emerged, the first thing he saw was his boy being fell'd harshly. And so, being a very loyal fellow, the beast immediately launched into a response. That is to say, he launched himself at the girl with his claws and teeth made bare.

Malachi leapt up and caught the beast from the air before wrestling him to the ground. In time, the struggle ceased and the boy let him go, standing in a cautious posture, positioning himself between the beast, who was getting back on his feet, and Cindy, who began hiding behind her new fellow on the edge of the shore. And as she stood behind her new fellow, she saw that he was wearing the shadow-black cloak and that it was drying his clothes very quickly.

Peace! (more softly) Peace. (after a pause) She's a fellow of mine.

Gently, and ever so slowly, Malachi walked off and allowed Cindy and the beast to approach one another. He had that very anxious look that people have when they introduce two people whom they think the world of. He felt then, in his heart of hearts, a desperate plea to all the powers above and below that they would like each other. Fortunately, with a single sniff of her palm, Stormy's eyes lit up and his hunting face melted into a warm smile. At once, he pounced right onto her- though not with enough force to bring her to the ground -and licked her all over.

He was small and light enough for her to hold while standing up, but his breath was overwhelmingly awful. Even so, she laughed at his silliness and did nothing to resist as he climbed over her and hung off her shoulders as if he were a backpack. He settled there for a while, looking terribly pleased with himself, and at the sight of the two together, Malachi found himself falling in deeper affection for them both.

By the pinky, you're a smelly one!

That he is. And, by the by, his fate is Stormy.

Hullo Shtormy!

The warmth of Stormy's embrace of Cindy, the twinkle in his eyes, the depth of his smile and the little "skreee" in his breath all carried the unmistakable energy of delight at the end of longing- of gifts given after a forever of waiting.

He seems to like you.

And I like him.

That's nice to hear. Not everyone feels the same.

What do you mean? (Feeling a very slobbery lick up from the side of her chin to just beside her eyebrow) Oh dear!

(after a light laugh) He's a Salamander. And-

: Really? I do believe I've never seen a Salamander so big and hairy.

Ah! He's not one of yours.

Mine?

He's not Arduskan, I mean.

Is he from- what did you call it? -the Underground

The Deep.

You mean-

He belongs to none of our Realms. And his kind are feared by all who know of them.

Who could be afraid of this little baby?

It's not the baby but the grown-up. Many a sailor has fallen to his kind. And more to the point, many don't believe they even belong in the Realms. If the vast majority of Overseers had their way, I might've had to cast my sweet Stormy into the Deep years ago.

But you changed their mind?

No. But my parents have learned to look the other way. That is to say, he can stay as long as no one has to look at him.

At hearing such a thing, Cindy felt herself becoming, suddenly, very protective of Stormy.

How dreadful. And I thought your bunch were supposed to be heroes.

Don't sell them too short. There isn't an Overseer in all the Realms who would not give their lives in defence of an innocent Salamander. It's just that they would not share a home with one if they didn't have to.

Where have I heard such a sentiment before?

Good memories, no?

The best.

I'm glad you agree. I admit, I was a little worried when I returned and you weren't here. All day, I've been waiting. Then I saw this flying my way and I followed it back to you. I am sorry I didn't get to you sooner. They never should have been allowed to lay a finger on you.

As he said these things, the shadow-black cloak took leave of him and made its way right back round Cindy's neck, hurrying up the drying of her dress and sending Stormy jumping off. The beast was a little peeved at first but his mood improved a great deal when Malachi took a seat and began rubbing his belly.

Thank you for the rescue, in any case.

Trust me, it was my pleasure.

Forgive me, Guar- Malachi... but I wasn't actually talking to you.

At that, the two exchanged laughs- light but as merry as any other -and Cindy took a seat for herself to join in the petting of Stormy, who was, by the by, just about having the time of his life, rolling and cuddling about in the pair's sweet embraces.

(to Stormy) Enjoying yourself, little saviour? (to Malachi) But I wonder, how was it that he saved us?

I have said. He is a creature of the Deep. His kind have the power to open and close portals to and fro the Deep. And since the Deep lies between all places...

So, he could take you anywhere?

Not quite. He is only a child. Precisely my age, actually. He can only open paths to places he has been to before.

And I'm guessing he can turn unseen as well?

Indeed.

You must have a lot of fun with that.

Not as much as I'd like.

No?

Well I'd really like to set him loose against the Gibbses.

Very funny.

I am only half-joking. What they've done to you is criminal. Villainous, I dare say. If you would only give your testimony, we could take them to court. Not even my parents deny it.

I appreciate the sentiment. But this is one place where I do not need a hero.

But-

I have said.

Her declaration was made so sharply, in fact, that it startled Stormy out of his ecstasy and sent him crawling behind Malachi; the creature had already decided not to attack the girl. Cindy felt bad about it but didn't want to talk on the matter any more- not even to apologise. So, she began anew.

In any case, I am curious. Were you at all surprised by lineage?

Well... I'd already suspected this or that. But the decisive clue was the sight of the witch.

I see...

Why'd you ask?

A little curious, is all. I was wondering if your Overseer eyes had spoiled the surprise by letting you see my true colours.

I've seen your colours, blue as the sky and gold as the sun. You forget that the mask you wore on the Eve hid nothing of your eyes. And surely you know, that from Stallion's Rest till now, your scarf has hardly hidden your crown completely- since scarves scarcely do.

I was not referring to my hair. And my eyes are not blue. I was merely given a charm to change them- to hide from the Gibbses.

Why?

My eyes would have a dead giveaway, and so false eyes ensured my privacy.

What do your eyes have to do with your stock?

With a deep breath, Cindy mustered the courage to let go of the dark lenses shrouding her views. And when her mask had been put aside, and her face totally revealed, she looked up softly at her companion, brushing her hair aside to make clear her eyes: The eyes of a proper Gibbs; red on the left and green on the right- the eyes of Darius and James and every flesh-and-blood Gibbs before them. But he did not see that much. In fact, even as she was removing her mask, he had already turned to look away.

What are you doing?

You can look.

I don't think so.

Please.

As you wish.

And so he looked. And he was wonderstruck. By the ruby and emerald, he was completely and utterly mesmerised.

Well?

Why would you ever hide eyes like that?

Cornelia doesn't like people knowing I'm a Gibbs.

And, again I ask, what do your eyes have to do with your stock?

Red on the left and green on the right. Tis the mark of the House of Gibbs.

And all Gibbses have these?

All Gibbses of flesh and blood. Did you not see my brother and father on the Eve?

I was not wearing this mask on the Eve.

Your mask? Surely the lack of the lenses would make colours easier to spot.

Not so for me. Though rosey by appearance, the tint is, in fact, part of a blessing. Without it, all the world is black and white and grey to me. But with these rose-tinted glasses, my chance for a colourful world is restored to me. With these, I may see as others see.

You serious?

Of course, she knew he was very serious since she knew precisely what he looked like whenever he was telling a joke of some sort. The issue was that no Arduskan had ever been colourblind and so the possibility did not immediately occur to her. However, she ultimately accepted the explanation when she heard it, having learned her lessons from the ride with unicorns, the battle in the skies, the bifrost room and the journey to and fro Stallion's Rest- not to mention the lion-ish, snake-like creature from the Deep who was asleep not two steps from her own person.

So, on the Eve, why didn't you wear it?

Couldn't be bothered, really.

But I thought Candle-Day decorations were a sight to behold.

I am from the Underground! No offence to your people but we're talking candles to suns here!

I suppose...

In the end, I didn't think there'd be anything worth seeing in glorious technicolour. How was I supposed to know you'd be there?

She gave him a playful shove at the comment but otherwise offered no contradiction. She knew well enough that Malachi did not flatter people. What's more, she had been looking at him with her fullest attention as he spoke and when he made the comment, he did so matter-of-factly rather than poetically. His was not the posture of someone paying a compliment. Rather, it was the look of a person stating, honestly, a personal opinion as an end in and of itself.

And you saw nothing of the Gibbses' eyes that night?

Didn't pay much attention.

Then however did you manage to notice my blue ones?

By paying attention.

Now I know you're having me on.

Tis true! I've become quite skilled at telling apart the various shades of grey. And the rosey tint has certainly helped me mix and match the colours.

Would you... like to give it a try... now?

Though in an indirect manner, both the question and the look with which it was given revealed Cindy's actual demand: to see the boy beneath the rose.

Are you sure?

Only if you are.

He wasn't. But he obliged his fellow anyway and he revealed himself from under his mask, leaving the girl wonderstruck. Indeed, Cindy almost immediately turned as rosy as the discarded lenses. And for a while, she was silent but in time she regained a measure of composure.

Well? What do you see?

Red and green, indeed. The difference in shading is quite obvious now that I look at it.

I take it you aim to be so skilled that you will no longer have to bring your rose into battle? I can see how colourblindness might prove a hindrance to heroics.

The mask itself isn't as uncomfortable as others have been. But it would be nice to not have to fear any crackery.

May I try it on?

Feel free.

And so she put on the mask but since she had no such affliction as colourblindness, the rose had no effect to her. To her, as she was masked, the lenses were simply as unpainted glass.

Curious.

A little disappointed, Cindy made her face bare once again and returned the mask to the Overseer for whom it was meant.

Thank you. (fiddling with the mask) In any case, I still think it silly.

What is?

The matter of ancestral eyes. (putting the mask aside) So much fuss and for what?

It is said in my country that true Gibbses of proper eyes were unnaturally kind to their servants.

That's got to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Excuse me. Don't you live on a floating island? Don't you have a fellow from the Deep?

But to suggest that mere bloodlines have anything at all to do with virtue... Even the Overseers are not so arrogant!

Are you doubting my nobility?

If anything, I'm doubting the nobility of the Gibbses but to each their own.

ghroaaaahgr huwuuwuu.... ghroaaaahgr huwuuwu.... ghroaaaahgr hwuuwu.

Then the creature gave its unconscious interruption, sending Cindy and Malachi into fits of muffled laughter.

He sounds awful, doesn't he?

He sounds an awful lot like you.

Does not!

A nasty truth is still a truth, Malachi Brandonkin.

Where have I heard such a sentiment before, Lady Gibbs?

The obviously desperate attempt at recovery amused Cindy in the first. But she felt sad immediately after, and her sadness only grew when she noticed that the boy was actually quite eager to ask for her fate, but too afraid to actually do it. Being an Overseer, he knew the importance of one's given fate and even though he had a covenantal right to hers, he still did not want to boss her around in any real fashion. And when she noticed as much, she became determined to tell him. And though the word latched itself violently against her throat, she managed, with terrific struggle, to get it out.

Ellie! That is my fate as written in starlight. I am Ellie.

And the boy replied with a radiant glee, saying...

Ellie Gibbs. How perfect.

At the sound of her true fate, Ellie felt her jinx lift and her voice return to her.

Malachi, I-

"Malachi's not too bad either" she had meant to say. But even the first word proved an overwhelming utterance.