An Immortal's Favour

Jack- Delivered at Last

*

Months went by as I gradually got back into work, spent my free time visiting Karlton and the others, and met any casters who were willing to talk with me, of whom there were more and more every day.

A year had passed by the time I finally wound up in Mythria, Equino's capital. The sun beat down against my back while I sifted through a crate of gogofruit. I was in town for work, mainly; Mother had talked of branching out over here and had sent me to check out some of the local suppliers. And I needed a bit of inspiration for the cookbook that I had in the works.

"Very nice," I complimented, lifting one of the fruits into my hands. "How much for a crate of fifty, did you say?"

The farmer I'd been talking to for the past hour shielded her eyes from the brightness, patting the side of the wooden crate. We spoke for a while longer before I set off for my next destination of the day by bus.

I arrived at the holiday home of Edward Muller, Lord Dragonfly, half an hour late. The villa, with its smooth, yellow walls and flat rooves, easily blended in with the others that were dotted around the rolling, rocky hills of Mythria's Morem-Sitta district. Before the house, a dusty drive, opposite to a set of stone steps attached to one of the sloping sides of a hill, stretched upwards towards one side of the building.

The climb up the red slabs of stone was draining, especially in the summer heat.

Once at the entrance, it didn't take long before I'd been ushered inside and formally introduced to Lord Dragonfly- who insisted I call him Edward. He was a warm, youngish man, who greeted me with a strong embrace and a sincere smile.

He led me into his personal lounge, a lemon-yellow room accented with furniture in all shades of gold, beige, and white. I sat on a taupe armchair, glancing over the gold detailing on the armrests. Everything seemed so priceless, more works of art than anything else, and with none of the minimalism of the rooms back at my parent's house. I swallowed my nerves.

Get a grip. He's no richer than Mother and Father. So what if he's a little more out there with his tastes? Most people are, here. And he's been nothing but kind to me. Even after I was late.

Edward rang for some refreshments, which he himself served to me. The sun-kissed skin around his warm, brown eyes crinkled as he passed a teacup over.

"Thank you." At one sip, my brow creased in surprise. "This is good. Chocolate?"

"Iced chocolate, they call it here. And it goes wonderfully with these," he said, picking up one of the bitesize butter biscuits Equino was- and still is -known for. He pursed his lips as he dunked the biscuit into his drink. About to take a bite, he felt my stare. "Don't just sit there. Eat. There's plenty left."

"Right."

"Let me just say what a pleasure it is to meet you at last, and during your holiday I believe?"

"Not exactly. I'm here for work. But I see nothing wrong with a little break on the side." I took care to swallow before responding to him.

"And do you plan on staying in town long?"

"I'm with two good friends of mine. We were planning to meet up in the lunchrooms later, at around three."

"Really? Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself, then; You know what they say: the Amber Lunchrooms are the jewels of the country." He laughed, grazing his fingers across his lips and then fixed me with a serious stare. "How are you getting on? The stories I've heard about you are most intriguing."

"I'd say I'm getting along alright, but I'm still taking some things in."

"As well you might. And you've got something for me, have you?" he boomed, his broad, foreign accent strengthening when he pointed at the parcel I'd laid on the floor.

"Yes- here. I thought Gale would've preferred me giving it to you in person." I grabbed the parcel, and Edward took it into his hands with a surprising amount of care. He weighed it in his fingers.

"Heavy." He chuckled.

The bright silver wrapping paper crinkled as Edward pulled at it. It fell to the floor. Gale's book laid in his hands, the sight of the worn, leather cover stirring something in me. Satisfaction. As he turned the cover, his eyes squinted at something.

"How much Gale tell you about herself?"

"A fair amount. She told me stories of her travels."

"I see." His lordship smiled a knowing smile, allowing his gaze to dip down to his book once more, and spoke again.

"When I first met Gale, I was about twenty years old, around your age I think." He paused briefly to tug at the tuffs of hair growing from his chin and looked down. "She welcomed me with kindness. But she didn't talk to the others all that much."

"We're talking about the same Gale, right?" I'd leaned forward, banging my knees against the edge of the coffee table. "Shi- sorry."

Edward brushed off my apology.

"I can understand why you'd ask that." He met my eyes with his. "Could I share some of her memories with you?"

"If that's what you want." I blinked at his weird request. "But why?"

"She's asked me to. Look." He held the journal open, brandishing the inside cover at me.

I recognised Gale's neat writing straight away.

Edward shut the book and placed it on the coffee table. His eyes flitted shut, and an all-too-familiar whiteness began to seep through the edges of my vision.

"Stop! Don't!" I barked, clutching at the sides of my face, the words hardly leaving my mouth before my breath hitched.

*

Discussion: So we meet the famous Eddie! What are your first impressions?

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