“A present? For me? Wha- when-”

Lazar was really surprised. He thought she would've just cooked something nice for him, maybe his favorite dish, like in the last few years, but it seemed like this birthday had more exceptions to show him.

“Well, I think since my little man is all grown up, now, finally part of the over a century world, he deserved a present. Not many of yours get to this age, especially not foolhardy people like you.” she said, smiling. The gap between her left canine and incisor showed itself in all its glory. It was cute. But it was getting him distracted, so he looked at the present again.

“What do you mean with ‘foolhardy’ Liliane? I am wise beyond my years, thank you.”

“You punched the last Duke. Broke his nose.”

“Once! And he deserved it!”

“You ran three miles on foot while being followed by his guards.”

“I would gladly do it again.” he said, smug.

“I still have the wanted posted somewhere.” “They made my chin too big” he commented, touching his face.

She eyed him, playfully.

“That's because you were in that period where you insisted that a beard looked good on you. Well, it did, but you are much better like this, showing your face… Well. I'm getting sidetracked again. Open your present now, I did not spend an evening wrapping just for you to ignore it!”

And how wrapped it was. It seemed like… A box? But like if the box was padded with something. Cotton, maybe. He tore the black paper covering the present. Underneath was more paper, this time, yellow. He tore it, revealing a white one, and finally, beneath this last layer, the actual present: a small, red, unadorned box.

Lazar opened it, carefully. A soft giggle could be heard, coming from nowhere, apparently. Inside, sat a ring, interwoven from yellow, white, and black strings of… Something. He took it in his hands, seeing that each string did not actually end or begin, but were all a single one, constantly changing colors. He put it in his middle finger and regarded it. It was beautiful.

“How in the everloving Numen's heart did you manage to acquire this ring?”

He clearly did not expect something so… Esoteric.

“I obviously made it, love. You know I'm good with this stuff.”

She looked very pleased by her creation, and kept glancing at Lazar's finger.

“Are you now? Because I clearly remember asking you for one many many moons ago, and you said-”

“And I said ‘I can't make one for You’. And it was true. Not that I was unable to make one.”

“Pomáto, pomàto.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Well, no pomàto salad for your breakfast until we jot down a list of what's needed. Oh, and try to keep it on as much as you can, please. It's…” she touched his hand with her own “Finicky.”

“Will do, ma'am.” he smirked. “Ok. Well, I think we need a map, first thing. I should have a pretty recent one in my study.”

“It's probably twenty years old at least. At worst it will be a slab of stone.”

“Well, better nothing, don't you think? The last few years have been very chaotic regarding road maintenance. We'll also need a couple horses.”

Liliane's eyes widened, clearly horrified.

“Oh no, no no no, you won't make me ride that nightspawns. We'll get a cart with a pair of oxen or mules, we are not That tight on time.” she exclaimed, unsettled just by thinking about that animal. “We also need to clear up the timeline, by the way. How much time do we have? If I remember correctly, didn't the prophecy speak about you and how it was fifty moons from your tenth birthday?”

“Well, the part about the five years was told to me by the lion, not as part of the prophecy, so I don't really know-”

“Ok, we really need the complete one. Prophecies are a tricky business, this one could actually be the opposite of what you or the lion understood. And I don't think you have a way to contact Enad now, do you? So, let's try and find out where to read a copy of the scroll.”

“Seems like a plan. Ok, now, the basics. Covers, surely. Rope. Supplies for the trip. A compass maybe?”

Liliane scowled.

“You know I can orient myself with the stars, right?”

“Yes, but I can't, the sky won't always be clear and we can't exclude there will be times when we'll have to split, or be separated. Better be prepared. I'll have to check my chest.”

He sighed, then started tapping his ring and middle finger on the table, rhythmically.

“I'll get my travel purse and my old bandolier, they should be in the wardrobe with our old knives.”

“We should pack them too, they are surely more subtle than a literal glowing lance.”

“Ex-cuse-me, miss,are you badmouthing an actual weapon of the gods? The everlasting lance of undoing?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, it's a bit tacky. Hence, the walking stick form.”

“It gives you a certain je Ne sais quoi, you know? Like some kind of nobleman… Or the master of a very nice brothel.”

From the door, two brownish coats, three grey woolen blankets, two lengths of cotton ropes and a compass slowly danced toward the kitchen counter, folded themselves, and then stopped, while a piece of string secured them.

“Yes, oh, you wound me so much. We're going off topic again. I'll bring my Mercy with us too. She never failed me.”

“Did I ever?”

“Well, I certainly can't swing you around anymore like I do with my studded club.”

“Buggers”

The objects jumped on the counter and made themselves into a neat pile.

“Ok, the list is just missing some travel clothes, two pairs of good boots, your reading cards and my manuscript.”

Liliane groaned, loudly.

“Oh no you won't. Please.”

“I have to finish it soon! My editor will have my hide if it's not ready in three moons!”

“It's the fourteenth draft! You scrapped all the past ones!”

“I have a good feeling about this one! This could be it!” he bellowed, grumpily.

“Ok, ok, I'll leave this old man his toy. But we won't bring more than one draft worth of paper, are we clear? I don't want a repeat of our honeymoon.”

A pack of tightly bound paper hopped from the door to the top of the blankets.

“You loved the folded paper drakes I made with all the discarded drafts, tho.”

“That I did.” she answered, glancing at a black and white dragon perched on the windowsill.

“Good. I think that should be all.”

“Yes. I think it should. Now, there is just one little thing missing… ”