Repayment
25th of Locus
Cedric Castelbre gently cracked open the heavy door leading into his small house in the village of Kyrrin, stepped into the kitchen with a frigid shake, and quickly placed a very small box on the dim, candle-lit countertop.
A murmur sounded from the other room, from the sofa with its back facing him. He froze for a long pause.
Then he released a silent breath, began to unbutton his leather jacket, and hung it up beside the door. He put his sheathed weapon in the umbrella rack just beside—
“...Cedric?” muttered Faunia's groggy voice from the other room.
He carefully, quietly retracted the package from the counter, reached for the cupboard with those familiar drinking glasses. “It's only me, Faunia. Don't move, please. You need rest.”
She began to sit up. Cedric turned in a jolt, the package still in his hand. “Faunia—”
“I'm alright… Just tired…”
By then it was too late. She'd turned to see him with the colorfully wrapped package in his hand. And after that, he knew the questions would be endless. His shoulders drooped as he gave a losing chuckle. “I… meant to surprise you with it.”
She didn't even have time to process that before he stepped over to the couch, awkwardly stuck it out to her.
She took the small box into her hands. It was wrapped deep red and light blue, small enough to fit into one palm.
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“I…”
He stumbled over the words, “There's a holiday coming up, uh… Calamonians call it Locusturn, but it's just some reused elven holiday... Actually, I'm surprised it never made it to Kylinstrom. Well, anyway...”
“...Anyway,” she repeated. And then it was silent.
“Are you going to open it?”
She realized suddenly that her face was red hot. He probably couldn't see it in the dim light at least, but Tirolith's silent teasing was embarrassing enough.
Faunia opened the box with shaking hands. Inside was a shimmering teal amulet, like a pool of water surrounded by silver, and lengthened by a silvered chain.
“Cedric, this is…”
“It’s a soapstone. Lets you clean off without water or anything when you’re on the road. I can only imagine how little you cared for the grime and ire of traveling with the Alisans…” Cedric rubbed the back of his head. “I know it’s not much, but I hoped it would at least remind you of Tirolith when she’s away from you. And it could remind you of me, if you would care to consider any of our times together as good memories.”
“I do, Cedric.” And she laughed. "There's a few gems in all of the clawing desperation."
He smiled slightly. "That's a relief. If you rebuked that, I think I'd just call that your repayment for all of your help so far."
Faunia's eyebrows went up with a chiding, sardonic sort of humor. "Repayment? You'll have to do a lot more than that if you want to pay me back for how long I've had your damn back!" After he laughed, she said, "...Not that I came to Calamon expecting anything in return."
His laugh stumbled. "You came to Calamon... looking for me?"
Faunia winked. "One day you'll remember the promise we made before we killed Rykaedi."
Then it was Cedric's turn to blush. And while Serkukan only rolled his eyes, Tirolith appeared not so far away to give out a resounding, thrilling laughter.
And then through the door's squeaking fanfare arrived Marisol toting gifts innumerable. And if that wasn't enough, then came Hunter soldiers with countless more.
Cedric and Faunia gawped wordlessly.
But Marisol only barked out with a massive grin, "Happy Locusturn everybody!"