(HEY EVERYBODY,
Long time, no see. Kinda my fault, but all well. Work has been killen me these past two weeks. So unforchanetly this is all I got for you right now.
Just a bunch of fluff, but I hope you enjoy it none the less. Thank you all for being so wonderful and patient.
Love,
Lady Thyme)
Melona
Once again Eris had moved me back into his rooms. No longer trusting his father not to strike out at me if I were closer to him. The servants didn’t even blink in concern or judgement. Pomona even went to help to hasten the posses.
No Counselor who hurd of it dared to utter a word about it. In their eyes I was Eris property, and if he wanted me in his rooms then they had nothing to say on the matter. Even if Serephina pushed against it. Only so that rumors would not spread, but Eris promised her he would behave himself until our wedding day.
And thus far has kept his word.
That is how I now ended up sprawled across the bear fur rug beside the fire. Curled up in thick knitted blankets wrapped snuggly around my tiny frame. Eris’ stash of hidden ginger snaps and chocolate lay beside me as I snack and read my books.
“Good evening my dearest Melona”, Eris purrs as he crawls up from behind me. Holding himself above me while pressing kisses into my back.
“Eris”, I hum his name in greeting. Trying to ignore the warmth spreading through me. Trying to focus on the words on the page. “How was your day?”
“Miserable”, he grumbles into my shoulder. “Remind me to make you a part of my Counsel. I cannot stand these dusty old scholars. So much bickering and games they try to play to get their way. Give me a Culdron dammed headache.”
“Nawh, poor little Lordling”, I coos teasingly.
“I am a poor little Lordling”, he pouts and snickers softly.
“You really want me to be a part of your Court?”, I ask finally giving up on my book and setting it aside.
“Of course”, he smiles with triumph in having won my attention.
“I don’t have much experience with such things”, I sigh.
“I’ll teach you, and you’ll learn through experience. I have a meeting tomorrow. If you’d like to join me I would be honored to have you with me”, he hums as he runs a hand over my side.
“Are you sure?”, I question. Eyes falling shut to drown in his touches.
“Yes, and I would love nothing more then to watch those old fae all upset about a female in their presence. Culdron they’ll be so furious”, he chuckles.
I laugh with him as he slinks up and places a kiss to my cheek before rolling over to lay on his back beside me. Reaching and snatching a ginger snap from the tin and places it in his mouth. I pout at the steeling of my treats.
“Excuse me, but these are supposed to be my personal stash. How you found them is beyond me”, he chuckles and shuts his eyes to enjoy his treat.
“I have a nose for sweets”, I grin before snatching my own.
“I’ll have to find a better hiding place”, he smiles and I stick my tongue out at him. “What have you been up to?”
“Mostly sketching out ideas for the wedding lay out”, I hum. “Went to talk to the caters for the feast after the vows. They’ve started on their preparations. Oh, I also have another question for you.”
“Ask away.”
“Who did you want to give the serves? You’re mother said that it is tradition for royal marriages to take place in the temple here in Hedone, but I know you aren’t very religious. Did you want Zatherian to give the speech, or may I ask a priestess from the Dawn Court?”
He lays there in silences thinking on it.
“What do think?”, he asks.
“I think that considering I’m getting my way in pretty much everything planned so far that you should have at least one wedding choice that belongs to you”, I answer.
“I’ll think on it then”, he nods and grabs another cookie.
“Melona”, he calls softly after a few moments of silence.
“Mm?”, I answer trying to go back to my book.
“Do you want to marry me?”, he asks. “If you weren’t obligated too, would you still want me?”
“Maybe not with only seeing your outter layer”, I smile and place the book down again. This was more important. “But now I see you, flaws and strengths, and yes I want to marry you Eris Vanserra.”
“Why?”, he questions.
“Well,” I crawl over close enough to see the shimmering of firelight dancing off all the shades of chestnut and rustic in his eyes. Letting my hands brush out the oils he uses to slick back his unruly curls. “It’s true what they say, you are the most arrogant and prideful male I have ever met. Worse then Illyrians fanning out their wings, but that doesn’t get in the way of you treating me well. Yes you push me around sometimes, but only ever in ways that you think I need work on, and even after long grumbling, you still take my words to heart and try to improve if you can.
We work so well together. You quiet all my worries and handle my adventurousness much better then most have. You just. . . even if you’re scared to have someone to loose you still try and get to know me. You didn’t push me away that day I came to tell you I wouldn’t be kept in the shadows. You see me, and I see you.”
“I feel like I will never stop being surprised by you”, his lips turn soft as his body relaxes. “How can you be both so wild and tame at the same time? How can you see so far into myself, where even I dare not look, and still have the tenderness to see good in me. I’m not a good male Melona, I don’t think I ever will be, but I want to be.”
“I’ll except anyone you plane to be, but I will still give my opinion on it”, I laugh and he breaks into his own light chuckle.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way”, he smiles and once again relaxes into my touch. “. . . I want to marry you Melona. Not because I have to, but because I want to.”
“I want to marry you too Eris”, I hum as I sit up on knees and sweetly give his forehead a kiss.
“Where would you like to go for our Honeymoon?”, he asks quietly while looking up at the fire light dancing over the polished wood ceilings.
“Home”, I answer simply as I scooch over to sit beside him. Turning to face him and lay my head on his chest.
“I’m sure your family would enjoy the visit”, he answers while watching my hand that had started to trace, but abruptly stops at his answer.
“I wasn’t talking about the Dawn Court Eris”, I try to correct. Even as my heart broke a little that he didn’t understand what I was asking. “I want to go to our home. I want to go home to Embry.”
Something joyous sparked in his eyes. A joy that consumed every part of him. “Embry is home to you?”
“Of course it is”, I smile and draw lightly into the bare skin that peeked through his button down shirt. Tracing lightly enough to make him shiver. “I miss the quiet. The fields, and the lake. I miss getting to dance with you every evening after we sit together at dinner. I miss it all. I want it to be our home. Where we can be who we are without the judgement of the whole Court.”
He looks up at me as he sits up a bit with pillows placed behind him. His own fingers finding their way into my thick tangled hair.
“Lady of Embry”, he smiles fondly at the title and I laugh.
“Goodness, don’t I already have enough titles. Darling of Dawning, The Golden Lady, Lady of Embry, and future Lady of Autumn”, I count four and shake my head.
“Well unfortunately, you wont be the Darling of Dawning any more. That will be passed onto Thesan’s daughters”, Eris points out.
“Only if he chooses to take a consort. Which I highly doubt will happen. We might have to make enough Heirs for both the Autumn and Dawn Court”, I hum and a crooked grin crosses his lips.
“I am all for having as many faelings as you wish”, he purrs with a wink.
I swat at his side playfully. “Of course you would.”
Chuckling in amusement at the fluster in my cheeks he takes my hand and tenderly kisses my knuckles.
“. . . I don’t think I have ever asked you much on your childhood. You are always so concerned with my traumas that I never considered you have had much other then your mother dying and your. . . situation with the past Lover”, he realizes.
“There isn’t much to share”, I shrug. “After the war my father was too busy piecing our Court back together as well as trying to keep up with training Thesan for his future as High Lord. He’s never really paid much attention to me. I had Tyren, he was in charge of my schooling and would frequently choose governesses to teach me to be a good little Lady. Still, he was often by my father’s side.
The only family I was ever really close to was Thesan. He looked after me and would let me join in on his friends visits, but I think he just felt bad for me. I was never really good at making friends. People either though I was to reserved or too blunt. I see things in ways not many would think and my soul felt too old to play with children my own age. Especially after the war. I had known nothing but hiding and fearing from the moment I was born.
I used to horde food. During the war there were long periodes of time that food was scares in my Court. Even after I kept sneaking food from the table, and stold from the kitchen. I would starve myself for weeks thinking that the next I wouldn’t be getting meals. Thesan was the one that found out first and it took Tyren a very long time to convince me that I wouldn’t have to worry about things like that.
That wasn’t the only weird quirk I had picked up. I think the other children that came after the war in Court didn’t understand. They thought I was broken, not right. They avoided me a lot, and eventually I just stopped trying”, I blink and pause when I realize I had started rambling. “Sorry.”
“Why are you saying sorry?”, Eris asks.
“I don’t know. People usually don’t let me talk this much”, I mutter.
“You’ve listen to me banter for the past month and a half. It’s your turn to let out what you need to. I will always listen to what you have to say Melona”, he tries to reassure me.
“Even when I’m weird?”, I ask.
“Especially when you are weird”, he smiles and twirls my hair around his finger. Relaxing against his stomach I listen to him breathing for a few minutes before continuing.
“I spent most of my time alone. Well, until Cato, but I was so desperate for any sort of affection at that point. I learned the hard way that not just anyone was right for me. That not everyone would love me the way I prayed they would.
After Cato I went to live at the capital cities temple. A pilgrimage of sorts. Trying to put myself back together. I learned hymns and prayed constantly, preformed rituals. A few times I was offered to become a Priestess, but there were other things I wanted to do with my life.
I think you’ll be happy to know that I learned a lot of how to make males happy. They certainly did their best to teach me such things. Even if it made me uncomfortable and anxious as all Hell. I just, even then I couldn’t bring myself to participate. I was just so scared, I still am, but you’ve done so much to make sure that I feel safe with you that I think after the wedding I would really like to try”, I admit even as I squirm and burry my face in his chest in embarrassment.
“I think. . . you will make me very happy”, the comment was not snide nor crude, but pure and welcoming. “Still, I will never ask you to give me anything you do not want me to have.”
“Okay”, I murmur meekly and look up at him with shy eyes, but he simply smiles in that content lazy way of his. Like he does ever morning now when he finds me laid up against him. And that was that.
“After twenty years at the temple I had decided I never wanted to be that frightened girl again. I wanted to learn to fight back. So I came back to the palace, and I was taught by the Peregryn soldiers. I learned to defend myself, but even after that I felt like I needed more. So I called in my bargain with Rhysand”, I explain looking down at the small rose gold ring around my right hand pinky finger. The one piece of the Dawn Court I refused to take off for anything, and the cover for the sprawling vine ink that twisted there. So sitting there with Eris I took off the ring to show him.
Eris sat up as his heart skipped a beat and he bared his teeth at the offending stamp of another High Lord.
“It’s okay”, I try to sooth him. “Rhysand found me after my mother had been butchered by Hybern. He had just lost his own mother and sister to the Spring Court, and we both needed a family then. I didn’t even know I had a father at this point, or a brother. We didn’t run into them until months later.
All those months Rhysand had protected me. Took care of me and I truly thought that we were family. So when my father recognized my sent he was a complete stranger to me, but Rhysand had no choice but to give me back. Before he did, he made me a promise. That no matter what separated us, nothing could keep us apart. I would never be without his loyalty and love. That we would be family no matter what.
That’s how I was able to live in the Night Court. How I lived in the Illyrian camps for a good ten years, and learned to fight as they did. I was a female in a cruel male culture, but through my kindness and pure stubbornness I made some very strong bonds of my own. I actually adopted and cared for quiet a few street children. I helped raise them”, I smile sadly. “I miss them. Rhysand updates me frequently on their well being. The eldest just completed that blood rite not too long ago. I wish I could have been there to welcome him back. Mother above, what a blessing.”
“When was this?”, he asks after settling back down into his pillows begrudgingly.
“He competed the rite this past spring, but your father and mine had just struck the deal of the arranged marriage. My father feared that if he let me go that I would take up Morrigan’s example. So I had to stay in the confines of the palace those weeks”, I sigh and he winces.
“I’m sorry. As his mother it must have been hard to not be there”, he says softly.
“I wouldn’t say I was his mother”, I laugh softly. “Okay yeah, I was. It was hard not being there but I know I’ll get to see him again someday. It will be worth the wait.”
“Those children where the luckiest in all the world to have such a kind female watch over them”, Eris smiles and kisses the top of my head. “I hope to meet them all.”
“I hope so too”, I smile.
“. . . Not much to tell she says. Melona you have lived far more in fifty years then I have in eight hundred years. You’ve concurred so much. How can you possibly sell yourself so short?”, he asks.
“I don’t know. It’s just a life for me I guess. Everybody has their own to tell. Mine can’t be the greatest out there”, I shrug again. “You’re eight hundred years old?”
He rolls his eyes. “Eight hundred and thirty three. Going on thirty four this coming Samhain.”
“Dam, you’re old”, I tease and he grumbles.
“Oh hush you”, he hisses playfully and starts to poke at my sides. I squeak and squirm as I try to wriggle away. Eris only grabs me and pulls me closer. My back fitting against his front as we lay together on our sides.
I’m still giggling as he presses a kiss on my cheek as I watch the flames dance in the fireplace before us. We lay like that for a long time.
“Thank you for trusting me with those bits of yourself”, he murmurs into my ear.
“Thank you for giving me someone to trust”, I smile and squeeze his arm and he holds me closely. Resting together by firelight.
~
“Please forgive me for being so late Councilmen. I didn’t realize that my previous engagement would take as long as it did”, Eris croons the next morning as he enters the hall where the Court officials meet with him to discuss the state of the Courts wealth and inner turmoil’s.
Each and everyone of them looking on in utter horror as I follow behind him. Clothed in simple but elegant garb as a Lady of status should. That didn’t stop the fact that this males group had just been contaminated with the presence of a female.
“Your. . . Highness?”, the leader of the group questions with caution. Taking a pause when Eris looks down at him as he pulls out the chair at the head of the table, and has me sit there. The Courts males blinks as he watches. Eris pushing me in closer to the table like the gentlemale that he is. Not even balking at the judgement across the faces around us. “Perhaps our Darling of Dawning would prefer other activities then sitting amongst paperwork.”
He at least tried to be polite about it, but I wondered how long that would last.
“Nonsense, I’ve asked Melona to join us. You see, my future wife seems to be having a little problem with wondering off. So I’ve decided to keep her on a tight leash as it were. A wife should be submissive to her husband, is that not right?”, he purrs with a grin that made my stomach turn.
If I hadn’t known that he was playing his game, wearing his mask, I probably would have had a few remarks on the subject.
“Indeed your Highness”, the Councilor bows his head.
“Glade we can all agree. Now, let us get into todays business”, he hums and stands beside the chair I am sitting in as the males all bring stacks of paper work to the front of the table. Each stack that was added made Eris’s look about ready to gut himself.
“Anything we want to start off with, or are you going to make me shift through it all until I find what you are all trying to hide from me?”, he asks bitterly.
“There is nothing to hide your Highness”, one speaks up and Eris rolls his eyes.
He takes a seat off to the side of the head chair. Opposite of all the councilors and begins to skim through the information written on each paper. Separating them into three distinct piles as time ticks away at the minutes. Eris taking his time in deciding where everything would go.
I was starting to get bored with the sitting and quiet. Beginning to create small balls of golden shield. Expanding them above my head in trying to strengthen my abilities and concentration. Eris having comprised these training exercises to make me more efficient with my gifts.
Working on my twelfth orb is when Eris finally decided he was done and pointedly cleared his throat. Breaking my focus and causing each and every one to sputter into mist. All attention going to him.
“Do not worry Dear. We’ll work on your shielding later. Now the first thing I will be teaching you about running a Court is the first trick of the trade I was forced to learn rather quickly.
These so called wise males are terrible at figuring out what problems need to be solved swiftly. They refuse to see the bigger picture, or are far too focused on their puzzle pieces to give two shits about everyone else.
Always separate their work into three categories. “Urgent”, which is finances, disputes, correspondence with other Courts, and anything to do with our subjects mentality. Rites are frequent when they are upset and we cannot risk such things. Faeries will get hurt unnecessarily, and civil unrest is a nasty thing to uproot once it’s started. Our main goal is to keep everyone as content as possible. This might also include any prophecies given by the Winds. Normally those are given to our High Lord directly, but Zathrian will at times give me specific ones that require a bit more thought before action.
Second is “Semi Urgent”. Things like trade, passing of laws, and other things that need to be taken care of quickly, but need to be given time to consider. Things with due dates.
Lastly, “Unurgent”. Mostly things that require a signature and sent off to be filed away by archivists”, he explains as he pats each stack. Pulling out certain papers to show me how legal documents where set up in this Court.
“Young Lord, what are you doing?”, asks the head Councilor with a look of annoyance directed at me.
“Educating my future wife, and your future Lady on how this Court should be properly run”, Eris answers.
“Sir, females are not made for such things. You’re wasting your time”, he insists. Looking up slowly from his papers and with enough coldness in his eyes he could have froze the room.
“I did not ask for your opinion”, he sneers.
“Well maybe you should have it. There have been some rather disturbing claims about you and Mel -”, he begins.
“You will address her as you are to address me or so help me I will carve out your tongue”, Eris warns and the male pauses in consideration.
“Her Ladyship might be more interested in spending her time learning from the Lady of Autumn how to be a part of this Court. Perhaps. . .”, he stops himself short when Eris’ back straitens and he places his hands politely behind his back. A gesture that made every single one of those present flinch as he makes his way around the table to stand behind the offending male.
A cruel delighted grin peeks in the corner of his mouth and he grips the arm rests of the chair from behind. Elegantly leaning over and into the Councilors ear to whisper something. All colour draining slowly from the males features at the threats and promises Eris no doughtily would make that old fae very paranoid for then next year. There would be no peace for him.
“Now, are you going to behave yourself?”, Eris croons.
All he can muster is a slow nod.
“Good. Now apologies for being so rude”, Eris purrs.
“I apologies for my insults”, he mutters mechanically.
Looking up at me for some sort of approval Eris tilts his head in questioning weather I was satisfied with the apology. Fearing for the males life I give a soft smile and nod before going back to the papers. Eris doing the same while finding a place for his hands in my hair while he explained his process on how he dealt with things.
The others did not dare utter a single sound until they were given back their papers and dismissed.
“What in Prythian did you threaten the poor male with back there?”, I asked that afternoon as he leads me by the hand through the palace gardens. Eris did not share the same amusement as I had for the situation.
“They don’t think that I keep good enough track of everything that happens in the Court. Once in a while they need a reminder that I do know what I am doing, and that I keep track of everything. Even what they do behind closed doors that they don’t think anyone else knows about. Private life and secrets are cherished more then gold here. Especially when you have a reputation to keep. If he wants to bruise mine, he will find himself equally scorned by society”, Eris tells me coldly. “And I don’t care what they think about us. We’ll be married in a week. I don’t see how it is any of their business on what we do together.”
“Well, the last arranged marriage you had didn’t end so well. Maybe they are just worried about a repeat”, I offer pulling myself closer to him.
“The only people they are worried for is themselves”, he snorts and sighs heavily as the wind bellows through the trees of the garden. Sending leaves fluttering about.
I shiver a bit and lean on him.
“Are you cold?”, he asks worriedly.
“Only a little, I’ll be fine”, I assure him with a smile, but he was having none of it. He stops and pulls away a bit only to take off his cloak and wrap me tightly in the fur lining of it. Giggling softly at the gesture and determination in his eyes to take care of me.
“I’m not freezing to death Eris, calm down”, I laugh gently and reach up to touch his cheek. He barely turns his head into my touch. Pressing his lips to my palm for a slight bit of affection.
“I know, I just. . . I want to take care of you”, he says while searching my features. “I’ve never wanted to before with anyone else. I want to make sure that you are happy. That you are safe. Even if I know that you are capable of doing it yourself, maybe even better then I ever will be able to, please let me take care of you the way you look after me.”
“I seem to recall you taking far better care of me these past months, but I’m not gunna lie. I kind of love it when you are so protective. Most I guess would find it annoying, but Culdron boil me if I don’t get to see you glare down another male daily when they look for too long”, I smile. “Of course there are days when you go a bit overboard on it, but I think you’ve got a good balance of defending and allowing me time to figure things out on my own.”
“Morrigan would have punched me in the nose for asking such a thing”, he sighs and takes my hand in his.
“Most likely”, I smile sadly. “Honestly I don’t think the two of you would have been any good for each other.”
“I wouldn’t even know what to do with that wild female”, he admits. “If Rhysand would unleash her on us I think she’d only have left my mother alive. Us males would be dead and she would be siting on the throne. . . Maybe it would have been easier to let her do just that.”
“Maybe, but where’s the fun in an easy existence ?”, I question with a smile and he shakes his head.
“You’re nearly as insane as she is. Only you are more. . . I want to say at peace with what the world throws at you. . . Or you’re simply very good at not showing panic”, he cracks an amused smile.
“Mostly both”, I smile as something hits my leg. A ball.
Looking over I pause to spot a group of younglings that had been playing in the grasses of the palace garden. Each elaborately dressed as if they themselves were the courts people that worked in the palace.
The whole group froze when they saw who they had hit. Eris looking over to spot every single child singling out a little boy who paled in dread. Looking at Eris something calmed in his eyes as he spotted the frightened little boy start to shake as he takes a step to come and retrieve the ball.
Bending over I pick up the ball of solid gold and walk over to the little boy. Eyes widening as he bows deeply when I stop before him. The other child bowing and curtsying. One of the smaller girls loosing balance and tumbling into the grass.
“Oopsy”, she mutters and my heart melts at the softness of her round face.
“I’m sorry Madam, I didn’t mean to hit you. . . Pl - Please don’t be angry”, the little boy whimpers. Eris flinching at the words as he stands silently behind me.
“It’s alright darling. Accidents happen. Just try and be more careful”, I reassure him and hand out the ball to him. He straightens and cautiously reaches for the ball as if expecting a back hand across the face, but when none comes he holds the ball close and looks up at me with releif. I pat his soft chestnut brown hair that felt like baby bird feathers. He seemed to soak up the affection happily as I pull away and attend to the little fallen girl who grumbles at herself.
“Are you alright little one?”, I ask kneeling in the grass to help her back up onto her feet. Her chubby little fingers gripping my own with a vice grip. “Curtsying is hard isn’t it?”
She only nod with a quivering lips and tugs at the billowing circle of the dress.
“Mama gunna be so mad”, she whimpers at the fresh grass steins in the expensive silk. “She pay lots of money for it and now it all dirty.”
“It’s only a little grass stein Sweetie”, I coo and wipe away the streams of tears leaking from her bright green eyes. “Here. I have special magic bubbles that’ll clean it right up.”
Slowly but surly I was able to make my fae lights in the shape of spudy bubbles that could glide over the fabric to break down the dirt and grit lingering there. Making a few more to dance and hover over the children to distract the little girl while I easily cleaned away the stein.
Another of the smaller younglings trilled in delight as it popped one. Which poofed into glittering smoke. That of course started the whole group into chasing and trying to catch every single one.
“It’ll be a good way to practice”, Eris comments with a far away smile as he watches the children play. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
I nod gladly as I felt my light flow through and out of me. Letting the children run and shirk happily in their game of catch the bubbles. Some still stumbling over their own bodies.
Hours go by before Eris returned with a number of servants carrying baskets and blankets which they quickly lay out in the grass. The children stopping to watch but all I could do was smile for Eris. Who in turn bowed his head slightly.
“Is this for us?”, one of the older children asks.
“Of course”, Eris answers so gently and warmly it seemed to startle them all. “Younglings need good food in order to grow properly.”
“Come on, everyone find a place”, I cheer and do so my self as the small girl toddles over the blankets to playfully land in my skirts. Giggling as she runs her hands over them while I pull her into my lap. The other children comfortably crawling around me to find a spot.
The last to join us was Eris. Who sat behind me so I could rest against him.
I helped serve the children, and settle sibling disputes as the others pelted Eris with questions about what it was like being a royal, and any other subject under the sun. At first Eris seemed to be out of his element, but after that little girl crawled up to him and demanded to be picked up, he did so.
Chuckling when she reaches up and starts playing with his hair and the shinny bits of his outfits. Tracing the golden stitch work of hounds chasing rabbits, his jackets buttons, and buckles. He lets her explore unbothered as little boys ask him about sword fighting and stories of monsters in the mountains that separated the court from Winter.
Being the evil one that he is, he spun tails of such monsters. Warning the children to always listen to their parents, and never stray too far in the woods. That’s how I came to have three of the smaller and easily scared hiding under the safety of the cloak he let me wear.
Seeing that he had frightened them he ever so gently pulls back the fabric. Leaning down so that they could be eye to eye.
“Now little ones, you don’t need to be frightened of those monsters. They can’t hurt you here. You are safe in these palace walls. I wont let any of them in my kingdom”, he hums and sooths their trembling. “Trust me, all the monsters are afraid of me.”
“You keep the monsters away?”, asks little Sasha, the one with the green eyes.
“Yes, I promise, I will keep the monsters away”, he smiles as she crawls out and hugs him.
I watched him hold that little girl as if he had sired her himself. Watching him think about what it would be like to have something so pure. Something so full of life as he had once been.
Fear creeped in like a shadow for a moment and I could almost taste the words he was thinking. What if I turn out to be just like him? What if I turn into my child’s monster?
Reaching out I place my hand over his. Banishing any and all thoughts.
The rest of our evening is exactlly how I hope our futures would be. Sticky fingures from berries and cakes with tiny warm bodies nesting in the golden sunlight as we all lay in the grass. Eris abesently but happily beside me as we watch over these sweet little creatures.