>>6062650You meet back up in the main entrance hall. Elle gives you a smile and a wave as you draw near, her smile growing a little brighter as she sees Ariel hurrying with the stairs with a small pack slung over one shoulder. Straightening her cap with one hand, Ariel thrusts her other hand deep into her coat pocket and pulls something free.
“Now, Master Pale, don't you dare laugh,” she warns, holding her hand out to you, “But I wanted you to have this. It's very precious to me, you see, but you ought to have it.”
Her hand, cool and soft, brushes lightly against yours as she puts something in your palm. A charm of some kind, a leather disc ringed with faded grey feathers. Taking the charm from her, you feel a faint sense of power passing from her body, or soul, to your own. “Thank you,” you tell her, weighing up the charm for a moment before slipping it around your neck, “I hope you're not expecting anything in return, the family finances can't really stretch to lavish gifts.”
“Don't worry about it,” Ariel assures you, only for her mouth to perk up in a mischievous smile, “I'll settle for a bedroom in that complete dump of an estate that you're so ashamed of.”
“I suppose we can call it a deal,” you grumble, “Although I'm the only one who gets to call it a dump. You can-”
“Bard!” Daniel calls out, descending the stairs with a gesture of mock-fury, “Were you going to sneak out without saying goodbye, you scumbag?”
He looks like a changed man, you note, refreshed and reinvigorated. That, or he's suddenly become very good at hiding his true feelings. Somewhat unlikely, short of a direct intervention from the Godhead itself. “I just wanted to leave you yearning for me!” you call back, matching his gesture with a vulgar one of your own, “So much for that plan!”
Laughing, Daniel jogs down the last of the stairs and slaps you roughly on the shoulder. Jan follows behind him, offering you a weary smile. “We're going to be staying a little longer,” he tells you, nudging Daniel with an elbow, “I think this one was actually missing family, believe it or not.”
“Missing the family chef, actually,” Daniel corrects him, “I never noticed how terrible the food was at Coral House until I had the chance to compare them.”
“You're looking well, Young Master Teilhard,” Elle murmurs, studying him closely before adding, in a faltering tone, “We'll meet again, but at a different estate next time.”
A brief silence descends before Daniel lets out a loud laugh. “That's a prophecy, is it? Well, at least it's a good one!” he jokes, “I'd hate to hear that we'd all never meet up again. I'll be looking forwards to it!”
You manage a smile. Somehow, you can't share his optimism.
>The carriage is waiting. We'd better go>Before we go... (Write in)>Other 