Broken Mirror [https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczMovBwSRJ18_fMjrKl5xxc-umKRifeDJwiCc5sW72DAlYPnIIYGizFvO-LT6h03ozKO3Sf-vY6Fwes_H2U9QSKE7BQn_YJaAQEZJi8nI9x7hBT8gjZV6hffbpHfenoxCUAa8CbjgOsFyVaIXmtbEJFR=w639-h959-s-no-gm?authuser=0]
The dining hall in the vessel portion of the World Tree was surprisingly already packed with people when Phoenix and Everin arrived. Aside from almost every member of House Wayland being present, there were many Tulimeir refugees, Starfall voxen, and Fae immigrants all gathered for the midday meal.
The pair were led by Presley to the table that held the rest of her party save a missing Mage. She glanced around and asked, “Where’s Uriel?” before refocusing on her bracelet’s directional sense to feel her friend was in the same direction as the kitchen, “Still cooking? He’s not feeding everyone here, right?” she clarified, “There’s like a hundred people here.”
“He’s been in the kitchens since we arrived, but he has others helping him out, including Chef Emilia,” Dazien answered as she sat beside him.
“I believe Padma went to go help as well,” Saiya added with a small smile toward the Defender, “I think you’re having a bit too much fun watching her chase after him, Daze.”
“What do you mean?” Phoenix asked in confusion, then rolled her eyes and looked up at her brother, “Is this about that innuendo you tried explaining earlier? I still don’t understand how cooking is related to romance.”
Dazien seemed to ignore her question as he replied to Saiya and gestured to her, “I think I’ve run out of suitable words to try and explain how flirting works to her, so I’m going to politely request you have a go or pass on my concerns to Priest Jacob for me.”
“That’s because you don’t just tell her plainly, King,” Rayna interjected, leaning across the table toward her, “Padma is crushing on Uriel and trying to find reasons to spend more time alone with him to see if they’re compatible in a romantic sense; the cooking doesn’t matter it’s just pretense.”
The bard leaned back with a smug grin and gestured towards Phoenix as she told Dazien, “There. See. How hard was that?”
He gave Rayna a flat look, then also gestured towards Phoenix again while asking, “Princess, what’s the next question you have about that statement?”
“Um… How do they know if they’re compatible just by cooking together?”
At Rayna’s blank stare, she added, “I mean, I’ve cooked with him plenty of times, and I’ve seen everyone help out when we’re camping in his ice fort; even Dazien and he aren’t doing… whatever romantic-ness things in the kitchen.”
“Pretty sure Jennica told you that’s exactly where she caught us kissing before,” the Defender grumbled, “But as Rayna said, the activity and location is not the point.”
“I’m seriously missing the whole point, it feels like, and nobody seems to be able to explain exactly what it is.”
The bard gave an exasperated groan, “It’s just a feeling. It’s hard to explain to someone who’s never felt it before!”
Then Saiya spoke up, turning everyone’s attention to the rainbow voxen sitting on the other side of Phoenix, who had been silently observing them with an amused expression, “Perhaps, Avatar Starlark can offer words of wisdom. He knows the feeling, right?”
Everin’s eyes narrowed at the younger Healer and asked, “What makes you think I–”
“Is this seat taken?” an unfamiliar voice said from behind Phoenix and Everin, and she turned to find herself finally face-to-face with the Royal Knight of Blomsterang.
Despite never having met them before, Phoenix knew instantly that this must have been Veldrix Thevaris since they were also a gemite. Unlike Dazien’s Amethyst subspecies, this person was a Garnet one, with glittering crimson hair that trailed down their back and matched their eyes and nails.
The knight was smaller than she would have mentally pictured for anyone who held the title, and she wondered if her Earth-sensibilities were unjustly making her assume all knights were large and wore heavy plate armor. Veldrix was shorter, softer, and slimmer than Dazien and somehow even more beautiful. She could only assume that was from being Ruby Caste along with the Shiny talent Uriel mentioned them having.
Everin was caught staring at the knight for far too long before saying, “Yes, please.” Then he abruptly cleared his throat and amended, “I mean, no, the seat’s not taken. You can sit beside me if you want.”
As he slid farther from Phoenix to open a new spot between them, the garnet gemite finally met her eyes and held out a hand for her to shake as they said, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Saint Wayland. I believe you already suspect, but I’m Veldrix Thevaris.”
She stared at the knight’s hand for a long moment before taking it and saying, “I didn’t think anyone in this world did handshakes.”
Veldrix chuckled, “I learned it from my father. He came from another world called Terra, where it was quite prevalent. I admit to wondering if you would recognize the gesture.”
“Your father was a Wayfarer?” she asked with wide eyes.
Dazien leaned forward slightly to quietly say in her ear, “I told you about the origins of the gemite species.”
Phoenix did a literal double take as she looked from Dazien to the knight, who looked no older than their mid-twenties, before asking Veldrix, “Wait, you’re the first gemite?”
“Well, the third,” the shiny garnet corrected, “My older brother and sister were technically born a few minutes before me. He’s a green malachite, and she’s a blue tourmaline.”
She looked back to Dazien and asked, “Are you two related?”
“Very distantly,” Veldrix said with a grin, releasing her hand to sit beside her, “The Cultivator likes to jump in to help propagate a new species. At most, I’m a cousin a couple dozen generations removed since my younger sister is the purple amethyst one. By this point, we’re likely no more related than Everin is to these lovely sisters here.”
“Sorry to interrupt,” another newcomer said, but this time Phoenix recognized the voice and turned to see Patricia behind her and Dazien, “It’s getting rather crowded in here, so I’ve had a more private room prepared for all of you to take your meals in,” her aunt said, and the look in the woman’s eyes didn’t seem to match the smile on her lips.
“Knight Thevaris and Avatar Starlark are welcome to eat with you all there, of course,” the older woman added, giving Dazien a pointed look, “I’m sure you will all be more comfortable speaking freely there.”
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“Right,” Daze said, casually standing and saying politely, “Thank you for the consideration, Aunt Patricia. My party will accept, of course. Sister, dearest, why don’t you go let Uriel know that we’ll be waiting for him there.”
Even Phoenix was able to get the hint that they were moving for some other reason than the words being exchanged and nodded as she got up to head towards the kitchen, “No problem. I’ll make sure there’s plenty of dessert too,” she said with a grin.
----------------------------------------
Dazien picked up Presley before the little girl could run after Phoenix and said quietly to her, “You mind keeping us company, too? I’m sure your big sister will grab you some dessert as well.”
Presley giggled and asked, “The chocolate kind?”
He laughed in turn, “I’m sure Uriel made something with that. He knows how much all of us like it.”
Then he turned to look at the others at the table, trying to push down the irrational excitement of getting to speak with the Veldrix Thevaris, who he had read plenty about during his own studies. There weren’t many gemites of prominence in their short history as a species, but the Pyre Executioner and First Garnet was definitely counted among them.
Saiya surprised him by hooking an arm through his free one as she whispered to him mentally, “We’ll have plenty of time to talk with them in private. If you get any more starry-eyed, you’ll make Everin nervous.”
He blushed in embarrassment and quickly turned back to his adoptive aunt and said, “Lead the way, please.”
As they followed after the Wayland Ambassador, Dazien could feel the stares of everyone in the room trailing after them and realized that he had been foolish to think their group could eat in the dining hall with everyone like they used to before the war ended.
Phoenix was publicly known as a Saint now. He knew that he wouldn’t treat her differently because of that, but he needed to be more cognizant of the ever-present danger that position would bring. He already understood the risks involved with simply being part of the nobility –there were plenty of stories about fallen nations and House feuds, after all– but literal international wars had been fought over Saints before.
Much like Tulimeir hadn’t been prepared for the overwhelming power of the Soul Reapers, his young party wasn’t ready for this level of attention. He would need to play things safer and lean on the support of his new House despite the contention he still felt towards Patricia.
It had only been a couple of weeks since his Noble Reveal when Uriel had almost abandoned him because his new aunt begged the man to. He was still struggling to forgive both of them for the betrayal. The only thing keeping him together at the moment was the fact that Phoenix had managed to waylay his partner’s fears and had stood beside him to confront the Ambassador for the manipulation.
While lost in his thoughts, Dazien hadn’t even registered that Saiya had taken Presley from his arms as they had walked until Saiya pulled on his arm and said, “Why don’t you wait outside the room until Phoenix gets back with Uriel?” She pointedly looked towards the garnet gemite behind them and said, “I also have the feeling someone wants to talk with you personally before we eat.”
Veldrix chuckled softly, “Am I that obvious?”
“Lady Saiya has a knack for reading people,” Everin replied in the younger voxen’s stead, “And apparently has little qualms about trying to nudge people into admitting their feelings.”
“I’m trying to become more subtle about providing the opportunities for them to be honest with themselves, Avatar Starlark,” Saiya replied with a gentle smile, “I like to think I’ve learned my lesson about pushing too hard.”
Then she looked back up at him and added, “Just come get me if you get too uncomfortable, and I’ll chase them off for you.”
The Ruby knight raised their brow at the Sapphire Caster and asked, “I’m not sure if I should be concerned that you think I’d make him feel uncomfortable or impressed that you would stand up to a peak Ruby Caster to protect your party leader.”
Saiya grinned, “I’m not above emotional blackmail to protect my friends and family, so please be kind to my friend.”
Then Dazien heard Rayna mutter, “I knew it. She’s been hanging out with these overprotective Waylands too much,” and he couldn’t help his snort of laughter.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine and can manage on my own without Lady Saiya soiling her hands on my behalf,” Dazien replied, trying to mollify the twins and stepping off to the side to allow them entrance to the more private dining room.
As the others went in, leaving him alone with the person he was both thrilled and terrified to speak with, he tried his best to place his carefully crafted metaphorical mask back on and asked with polite confidence, “Is there something you wished to speak with me about Knight Thevaris?”
“Just some inquiries that might come off a bit more… personal in nature, but I wish to assure you that it’s for my own sanity that I ask and am not someone you should fear trying to take control of you.”
Dazien raised a brow, uncertain what the knight might have wanted to ask a complete stranger like him, and could only assume it was about his particular position in relation to the more important person in their group, “If I have the answers, then I’ll do my best to give them. Is this concerning Phoenix?”
Veldrix chuckled, “I guess that would be the natural assumption in this situation, but no, I was more curious about you as a distant relative. Honestly, I just wanted to ask if House Wayland was treating you properly.”
Dazien tensed at the implication –that as an adopted scion of gemite heritage, they would somehow be treating him poorly. Which he sadly understood would be a concern when seen by an outsider.
“They are in the ways that matter most,” he replied carefully, then asked, “What would make you think otherwise?”
“Nothing in particular,” the knight replied, casually leaning against the wall, “I ask every adopted gemite I come across that question. It’s not a personal thing, but like I said, it just seems personal in nature.”
Dazien relaxed a bit and joined them in propping himself against the wall, “Why do you ask? Do you often find the answer to be the opposite of mine?”
“Yes, actually,” the Ruby Caster surprised him by admitting, “In almost every instance I’ve met another Shiny gemite, they’ve either been well guarded by their natural-born family or in a situation of abuse.”
“What?” he asked in surprised confusion, “I mean, I knew the temple of the Parent had to be extra vigilant with me being there, but I assumed that was just because I’m like the only gemite that lives in this city. I didn’t think it was like that everywhere.”
“Sadly, it is. It’s only been getting worse every year too. Without a community to protect them, they often find themselves enslaved or killed. I’ve been part of the guard in Blomstra with the community there, and I thought most of the gemites in our country were located there. Imagine my surprise to learn about a Shiny Amethyst living right here in this backwater tundra. Even more surprising to see you doing so well. So please understand that my intrusive question about your found family was not meant as a slight towards any of you but simply concern based on my personal experiences.”
Dazien hesitated for a long moment before deciding that since the knight was crossing personal boundaries, perhaps he could too, “I know your experiences must be vastly different from my own… I know you grew up with your family and obviously had siblings that you could see yourself in.”
He stared at the floor as he took an unnecessary breath and asked, “But did you ever look in the mirror and wish you saw someone else? Ever wish that you weren’t so… pretty,” Dazien practically spat the word that many used as an insult to him, “Or wish you didn’t have such different features from everyone around you?”
Veldrix gave a heavy sigh, “No, but as you said, my experience was different. I wasn’t the only gemite in my city. However, I’ve heard those same sentiments before –from those other adopted or captured gemites I mentioned.”
“I guess I’m lucky that I didn’t end up like them,” he said, giving the much older gemite a sad smile, “At least I found a partner who cares about my happiness, friends that don’t treat me like an outsider, a father who sees me for who I am, and a sister that can understand what it feels like to stand out from the crowd.”
The knight gave a snort of laughter, “I plan to ask your sister the same question, actually. I’m afraid she’s doomed to a similar fate,” they gave another sigh and added, “It’s a paradox really; it’s in our natures to wish to be special and unique, but those that manage to often end up suffering because of it.”
“Maybe that just means we’re all masochistic at our core,” Dazien pointed out with a wry smile, “Since that would mean we’re wishing to suffer. Perhaps we revel in the pain.”
“You don’t seem to be suffering too badly, though. Like you said, you’re lucky.”
Dazien chuckled, “Hopefully my luck won’t run out.”