Chapter 34
Fallon and Avis had a long talk by the fireside of his tent, the night had fallen and the first day of the festival had completed. Fallon was stuffed from the food she had been lavished with by Avis, urging her to try as much as she could. Avis sat next to her as they both stared into the fire, "You are one sharp tongued woman, Fallon." He chuckled. "I have never met anyone like you before."
"I hope that's a compliment." She said, glancing at him with her green eyes alight by the glow of the fire. "Everyone thinks that I should keep my mouth shut."
"don't you dare." He cupped her chin tenderly. "Your way with words though harsh is the reflection of how resilient your spirit is."
Fallon, for the first time in her life blushed. His alluring smile seemed to ooze with charm and interest. It was as if Ecula had not fallen from The Divide, it still lived within the people. She gently pulled away from his grasp and glanced back at the fire, "Sorry I don't have anything white to wear for your traditions."
"Don't worry about it, dear. Rogues who come in here rarely have anything white. I'll have Min make you something for tomorrow.
"Whose Min?" She asked.
"Oh, she's a good friend of mine. As a matter of fact, how about we meet her. She'll need your measurements." He stood up and offered his hand to her. She stood up without taking it and followed him. Avis sighed to himself, and his hand twitched a little. He led Fallon to Min's tent and called for her, "Min darling are you in there?" He asked.
A voice came from the inside, "What do you want?" she asked, sounding like she was annoyed. Avis shook his head and chuckled. "I have someone here who needs a garment. Can you accommodate her?" He asked.
Min sighed and she came out of the tent in nothing but a silken white robe. Her dark skin was beautiful,her dark hair was in dreads and her red eyes were striking. Her accent sounded familiar, and Fallon smirked, "You're a Sarabathian."
"Yes, I am."
"Long way from Sarabath. What brought you here?" She asked.
"I came here to study fashion before The Divide. A lot of good that did me." She crossed her arms and looked down at the petite white-haired woman before her, "What about you, Desolatonian. What's your story?" She asked.
"Just trying to survive."
"Aren't we all." She gave Fallon a friendly look and invited her into her tent. "Don't mind my guests please." She said as she took out a measuring tape to measure Fallon at all angles. Fallon glanced at the two guests who were fornicating in Min's bed, and she quickly looked away. "You must like company."
Min looked at her and smiled, "All kinds of company. Vapira Do."
"Free lover." Fallon nodded. "I understand."
Min stood and wrote down something on a pad of paper and nodded. "I'll have it to you tomorrow first thing in the morning, Jiv?"
"Jiv, thank you." Fallon approved. Avis smiled, watching her glance at the male and female guest in Min's bed who seemed like they couldn't get enough of one another. Min smirked at the look of surprise on Fallon's face, "Care to stay?" She asked. Fallon looked up at the desert woman and shook her head, "I won't keep you from your...company." She glanced at them again. "Have a good evening."
She then politely left with Avis following close behind. "A bit of a culture shock?" He asked her, taking her arm gently and looping it around his as they walked. She felt oddly comforted by the tall Violet eyed Avis.
"Uh...yeah. I wasn't rude, was I? I have never been invited to do- "
"No, not at all you handled that with tact, dear. No worries."
He tapped her hand to comfort her decision to leave before things got out of hand. "If you don't drink form that cup, no one here will make you."
They both returned to the fire at his own tent, "I do encourage you to enjoy yourself more while you're here. You look like a woman whose had her fists up her whole life."
Fallon looked at him in amazement, "How do you do that?"
Avis laughed, his Cheshire grin painting his face with a cheerful expression, "Do what?" he asked.
"You say the right thing all of the time, its like you're in my head." She smiled. Avis just looked down at the fire again with a flattered smile, "That's why they call me the Eternal Prophet."
"No." She shook her head n giggled to herself. "I still don't believe that one." She said to him. Avis felt a little deterred by her words, it was as if she saw through him, and she didn't realize. "If you're a prophet, then I'm a prophet."
"Oh really? Read me then, oh dear Fallon." He playfully challenged. "Who am I?" He asked. Fallon looked at him trying not to smile and she sighed.
"I may not be a believer in the Divine, but I know that a Prophet doesn't call themselves a prophet and a Prophet certainly doesn't read anyone like a Mystic."
Avis laughed heartily at her and met her eyes, "You have me all figured out, don't you Fallon?" He shook his head. "Nevertheless, tell me what you see in me. Who am I?"
Fallon looked at the man for a minute and thought about what she was going to say to him, "You are a talented man who one day decided that being talented wasn't enough. The Divide hit you hard and you hide how much it hurt you. I think you made this order with good intentions and to me that's okay, you have many followers who practice Vapira Do which is fine but you...You desire to be loved and you can't live with out it. You're longing had surrounded yourself with likeminded people."
Avis looked at her as if she had pulled the veil right off his face that he was hiding behind. He felt completely exposed by her very words. "Maybe you are a Prophet too." He complimented her.
"If I were one, I wouldn't call myself a Prophet." She shook her head.
"You know, for someone who doesn't believe in The Divine, you sure have similar values to those who do."
"I'm allowed to believe in whatever I like. Even if it does mirror them a little." She told him.
"And what do you believe in, Fallon?" He asked.
"The only person I believe in is myself. I can't rely on anyone, I don't listen to any inner voice, I listen to mine. The only person I have is me at the end of every day."
Avis nodded, appreciating what she told him, "That sounds like a lonely life." He chuckled. "It doesn't have to be that way, you know." He reached a hand up to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. You could...have me for company."
Fallon looked at him slightly startled by his actions bit those violet eyes drew her back in, "I don't know...I think Venner and everyone else do not like you. I'd have to do some persuading."
"What about you staying with me?" He asked. "I like your fire. Your blunt tongue and I am enthralled by your pure beauty." He lifted her chin towards his lips. And he stared at him, what was he doing?
"Fallon!" a voice cut through the silence, and she turned her head to the voice, "Hawk?"
"I got him up and running."
"Who?"
"Gideon. It worked, Fallon. Come and see." He watched as Fallon left Avis and walked away with her brother.
She couldn't believe it. Gideon was operating normally now. She had so many questions for him. All the work that she and Hawk put into him had finally paid off. There standing in the middle of the tent was Gideon, illuminating blue eyes and black and iron metal.
"Oh wow." She smiled. "Its nice to finally have you fixed, Gideon."
The bot looked over at Fallon and gave her a soft expression, "Its nice to be alive again. Thank you, Fallon, and Hawk, for reviving me...And using my real name." He bowed his head a little, gratefully. "Where are we?"
"We're in Ecula, you've traveled a long way while you were asleep."
"I should say so." Gideon chuckled. "I've never been to Ecula before, is it beautiful?" he asked curiously. Fallon nodded to him, smiling.
"I think so. A lot of kind people. I still don't think they will take too kindly to you- "
"Certainly not." Avis came into the tent. "Remember what I said, do not show this thing outside of the tent, I am taking a big risk with that hunk of metal being here, especially alive."
Fallon looked over at him and then back at Gideon with a smirk. Venner caught her look, and he shook his head. She was already up to something. Don't worry, Avis. He won't be seen."
Avis nodded, satisfied with her answer, "Good. Shall we carry on with our conversation before Hawk came to retrieve you."
Avis seemed to catch Leo's attention, "Oh, please. Feel free to continue your chat here." He told the man.
Fallon glared at her father, "I'm not a child."
"You sure act like one. You and I need to talk anyways. You've caused a lit of trouble already." Leo protectively took her arm and Avis took his queue to leave.
"I shall see you tomorrow, Fallon." With that, Avis left for the night.
Fallon crossed her arms and looked at her father, she wasn't pleased with how he acted towards Avis. Leo did the same look towards her, crossing his arms and glaring at her, "Stay away from him."
"I want Avis to come with us." she said bluntly.
"Hell no." Venner piped up. Fallon ignored his abrupt interruption and stared at her father with a stubbornness.
"Didn't you just hear me? I said stay away from him." Leo cautioned.
"Or what?" she asked, wondering what her father would do to his grown daughter. Leo's shoulders dropped in disappointment.
"You will get seriously hurt if you aren't careful." Leo told her. As much as he wanted to protect her, he did see that she wasn't a little girl anymore.
"I don't see why I should be careful; Avis has been nothing but kind since we got here. Each one of you seem to think I don't know what I'm talking about."
"Its because you don't, Fallon." Venner spoke up. "I have been to this festival before, unknowing of what was to come. I put my daughter and my wife in danger, I don't want that to happen to you."
"You spoke of a holiday of complete depravity; I saw nothing of the sort like that tonight." She stated. "We ate and drank wine together. For the first time in my life, I felt happy." She told him. Leo looked at her a bit insulted, "What do you mean, Fallon?" He asked. "Were you not happy when you finally found me again?"
"Of course, I was. I just mean...a fulfilled happiness. Like when you finally try something new, and it just fits."
"Its going to get worse, Fallon." Venner warned. "First, it's the food, then the gambling, dancing and drinking and then they take every man woman, child and beast into their tents and slake their own twisted lusts. After the third night, they take the one person who had stained their white garments the most and each one takes turns doing what they desire with them until their garment turns red."
Fallon tried not to look at him with horror upon hearing his description. What he was speaking of sounded like a sacrifice, more than a three-night holiday of joy. Fallon shook her head, "I don't believe you." She told him. "Avis told me- "
"Do you always believe him? You've known this man for one whole day." Venner raised his voice. "You walk around like you know exactly how your life is and what's going on in it. Your ignorance is staggering to me. Here you have three men who want to protect you and lead you. We only want what's best for you and you slap our hands away like some disobedient child!"
"DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, LOREM." She screamed in Venner's face.
"I will say what I need to in order to get you to see that what you are doing in this very moment is foolish!" He screamed back.
"Ejova!" She spit on the ground.
"Fool!" Venner caught Fallon's wrist, seeing that she had raised a hand to him. Venner was amazed at how fast Avis brainwashed her, charmed her and turned her against her family. "I guess you will have to see for yourself, won't you. Let's hope you don't have to experience it to understand." He threw her hand back down to her side.