sugar berry

[imeanforever]

Near a stream that pours off a high cliff and then snakes away is a garden, carefully tended, and a house, built of wood and stone and transmuted pearl. Fairies weed the plants. One is fixing the roof. A berrybush, hair atangle with spidery branches, is painting gold stripes onto her purple arms.

Comments

[imeanforever]

"I couldn't do it either. He went to a bit of trouble to catch me so he didn't give up immediately but I don't think he considers me a great loss."

[infinitely_stranger]

"I wasn't expecting him to give up someone he particularly treasured."

[imeanforever]

Shiver.

[infinitely_stranger]

[imeanforever]

"Thank you," she says softly.

[infinitely_stranger]

"You're welcome."

[imeanforever]

Now Promise is quiet again.

[infinitely_stranger]

So is Arcane. Quiet appears to be Arcane's default state.

Look at that landscape go.

[imeanforever]

Eventually Promise falls asleep.

She talks in her sleep.

"Petals. Page. Claws, thorn. Harp."

[infinitely_stranger]

Arcane keeps flying. He can fly forever, if there is rain enough to live on, and this trip will go much faster if they never land; therefore he plans to sleep on the wing as soon as Promise wakes up.

[imeanforever]

Promise goes on talking in her sleep for seventeen hours. It is somewhat doubtful that she had been allowed to sleep recently under Thorn's jurisdiction, but sudden freedom may have served as a stimulant.

She wakes up. She startles, but takes stock of the situation and composes herself presently, heart rate calming down.

[infinitely_stranger]

"Hello," says Arcane. "You utter nouns in your sleep."

[imeanforever]

"I know."

[infinitely_stranger]

"I wasn't sure. It seems the sort of thing one could escape knowing."

[imeanforever]

"I didn't use to know, but I've since been told."

[infinitely_stranger]

"When I sleep I just keep going in about the same direction at about the same speed that I was going when I fell asleep. It's convenient on long trips, and if I drift off course I can correct it easily enough with fast-flight when I wake up. I think I will stop fast-flying and go to sleep soon. Do you expect to be able to keep up with me for seven or eight hours if I pick a reasonably sedate pace?"

[imeanforever]

"Mm - I think so. I haven't flown for a very long time in - a very long time. If I need to wake you up how should I do that?"

[infinitely_stranger]

"Saying 'Arcane, wake up' is a fairly reliable method, and if that doesn't work and you urgently need my attention, grab the edge of a wing - you won't damage them that way, but it's very startling."

[imeanforever]

"Okay."

[infinitely_stranger]

Arcane slows down their fast-flight until the landscape hardly seems to be moving beneath them at all, and then lets go of Promise's hand.

[imeanforever]

Promise flaps to keep up. She eats a soft-skinned melon.

[infinitely_stranger]

Arcane closes his eyes.

It's hard to tell exactly when he falls asleep. It's not like he was doing much other than fly in a straight line to begin with. But his eyes are closed and the rippling movements of his wings are very regular.

[imeanforever]

She keeps up. She does not tug on his wings or tell him to wake up, just nibbles down her food supply and flies.

[infinitely_stranger]

About eight hours later, he opens his eyes and looks for Promise.

"Hello. Ready for fast-flight again?"

[imeanforever]

"Yes." She holds out her hand.