Things that aren't funny

The stars were out and the fire was burning pretty well. Taliette had shot a bunch of rabbits and put them on sticks, just like Hal had shown her. First, she had peeled the skin, and then she had opened them up and got the middle bits out. Now, they were roasting over a nice fire, and she was feeling pretty pleased with the result. Her hands were bloody still, but she didn't mind. She picked a little piece of rabbit gut off the back of a fingernail and flicked it away.

"Why does your Grandfather want to kill you anyway?" she said. People wanting to kill other people was always an interesting topic of conversation.

"He went completely mad," said the Aden. "Mother says there was a snake that said something to him, but she never found out what."

Taliette couldn’t help but laugh. "A talking snake? That’s silly."

The Aden was frowning at her. "It’s not silly at all. Sometimes you laugh at things that aren't funny."

Taliette shrugged. She didn't care what the Aden thought. An interesting idea had just occurred to her, though. "Maybe the snake told your grandfather that you were going to kill him one day."

The Aden shook its head. Its ridiculous white hair bounced around its shoulders setting shadows moving around in the branches overhead. "I don't think that can be true," it said. "How am I going to kill anyone? I can't even walk through a forest to the mountains."

The rabbits were starting to crisp up nicely, so Taliette turned them to cook the other side. The Aden watched her silently, fiddling with the knife it wore at its hip.

"I like talking with you," it said. "You make me feel like I can do things. I never asked to be just a princess. I think I want to be like you one day."

The thought was hilarious. "You want to be like me? Walking around, murdering people?" She mimed a little snick at the neck.

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"You can go anywhere and do anything."

"As long as it's East, and no one stops me."

"You won't always be bound."

"And then what? What do you do if no one is telling you where to go and what to be?"

"You could go look at the mountains."

The Aden took out its little dagger. It was white steel with a silver handle. It looked very sharp. "Mother makes me carry this knife," she said. "If I'm ever caught, I'm to cut myself open with it, like this." She mimed slashing across her neck, working the point in deep. "You have to go right in, not just a scratch. Mother made us practice. She says it would be better that way than for him to take me."

Taliette made her eyes go big and round. Crazy face. "Wow, he sounds pretty scary. What's he going to do to you if he gets you?"

"He's got all the power of Erin and the Flame."

The Aden looked deadly serious now. It made her want to giggle. Never let them see.

"There's nothing he can't do to you if he wants," the Aden continued in an undertone. "He can make you burn for a thousand years if he decides to do it. He can make you live in the fire without dying. Mother says I have to be quick with the blade."

"Sounds like maybe you should just go and get him first."

"Careful," whispered her heart.

The Aden laughed. "You're joking, of course."

"Go to wherever he is. Wait until he's asleep, then stick something pointy in him. That's what the snake said you were going to do, isn't it?"

"You have funny ideas," said the Aden. "I’m going to be sad to say goodbye."

Something inside Talliette did a little bump, a little movement in her chest.

"Why are you going to say goodbye?"

"Don’t let her say goodbye," whispered her heart.

"We’re almost back at the ring," said Fen. "I recognise this place. It's just over the next hill. I won’t be able to bring you inside, not after last time, and I don't think I'll be able to come out again. Someone's bound to have noticed I've been missing. They'll lock the gate for sure this time."

"Don’t let her say goodbye," whispered her heart again.

"Well, goodbye then, I guess," said Taliette.

"Your coin is in the ring, you idiot," whispered her heart, a little louder than usual.

Taliette sat up and put on her best voice. "Didn't you swear you'd help me find my coin?"

"Well yes, but..."

"And I did save your life."

The Aden girl looked almost relieved.

"Would you like to come in for a bit? You can meet my brothers, but you have to stay hidden. If Mother sees you she'll throw a blue fit."

"I won't be any trouble at all," she said, stroking the bow that lay across her knees.

END OF PART TWO