Family Matters

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The summer morning air was crisp from having rained the night before as Gwen sat out on the deck of her home as she always did in the mornings. The sky was slightly overcast but the sun still shone through the clouds every so often to bathe her and her guest in its warmth. On the table between them was a tray filled with pancakes, each of them having a plate they could fill with as much as they'd like. A small selection of different syrups in glass bottles for them to choose from. Gwen looked over to Lumi, up from the book she'd held in her hand. It had been nearly a month since she and Lumi had shared their moment up on the clock tower. Both a solemn and romantic experience, for better or worse. "How is your morning fairing, Lumi?" Gwen asked, closing the book and setting it down in her lap and turned to her close friend.
Lumi loaded up some more pancakes on her plate, enjoying the taste of syrup and jam together with this treat. She had undoubtedly eaten more of it than Gwen had, but not so much that she would have been seen as a gorger of the thing. Chewing down her meal, she then replied. "It is treating me quite well, as you and yours always tend to do, it would appear." She said gleefully. "These pancakes are delicious as well. Remind me to show gratitude to the chef. How about you? How are you finding the book by this point? I hope I haven't dropped the ball on it just yet." She asked, feeling a bit nervous, as always, of whether Gwen liked the book or not. She wanted to impress her after all.
Gwen looked down at the book in her lap, brow furrowing as though she was trying to find the right words to describe things. "Well, not to be crass or anything of the sort, but things seem like they've gone to shit. Within the story at least, your writing is fine, easy to follow despite the chaos going on in the actual book. Luna seems to have some kinda plan, hope it doesn't involve that wolf thing she... created? Gave birth too? I'm not entirely sure. I'm nearing the end now, so I hope this story doesn't end with the apocalypse or the threat of one to come. I'd like to see some Gods work out their differences for once but maybe that's too much to ask?" She explained her feelings about the book. Having not finished the chapter she was on before the two had started breakfast. Gwen making herself a plate, only putting a little bit of syrup on them. "But like I had said, your story is easy to digest even if the actual story is rather complicated. It rewards a good memory and keen eye but I don't think it would be possible for anyone to get completely lost without outright skipping pages." She complimented her in her own way.
"That's fair," Lumi replied happily, still glad that the book hasn't turned into a catastrophe, taking another bite. "You know, we haven't discussed it much yet, but..." Lumi trailed off, uncertain of how to broach the subject. "What will we do about the gift? When and how should we approach Lady Alice about it? Do you think she would object to it?" Lumi asked, deciding to keep it a bit cryptic in case someone was listening.
Gwen hesitated to take a bite from her fork, lowing it back down to the plate as she seemed to let ideas be tossed about in her mind. "I think she'll object adamantly, or at the very least she'll be rather vexed at the prospect of us brining it onto the estate," Gwen said avoiding the actual object in question just as Lumi had. "But... perhaps she'd be reasonable? It's impossible to tell how she might react. She's colder than ice and as vicious as a viper, all we can do is hope that we can come up with a satisfactory reason as to why we brought it here, and as to why we should keep it. That's the only thing she'll respond well to, trying to appeal to her softer side will only see us failing miserably...." Gwen said, she knew Alice well, but at the same time she could only truly say that she knew a small handful of things about her great cousin. If Gwen was a tough lock to pick, Alice was a metal crate welded shut.
"Figured as much. So then, we appeal to her logical side. So... If it is as great as you have built it up to be, how should we go about it? Maybe the first and best thing would be to figure out what we want out of it? If we can get as much out of it as that, maybe that would be a good start for us?" Lumi inquired, wanting to see what Gwen wanted from it, seeing at it was in essence a gift to her. "I know the... risks of it, but I am confident enough that I can give us a pretty good deal for it."
Gwen rested chin in the palm of her hand, her elbow on the table as she thought about it. She wasn't sure, maybe it was the threat of whatever could happen if they messed up looming over their head. But she didn't know what she might ask from the being, they only had three chances, three chances to not fuck up. Her leg began to bounce unconsciously as she mulled over the thoughts swimming through her head. "I don't know, I said that we should come up with something together. There are so many possibilities that even if I could think of something there would be a thousand more possibilities that would keep me second-guessing forever. I mean, we could pretend to be good people and say something like 'world peace' or 'ending world hunger' but I don't think we'll be able to phrase anything like that in a way that won't see millions of people dying..."
"Helping people is a 'pretend action' to you?" Lumi joked. "But yes, even if within its capabilities, I doubt we could do it without dire consequences. World peace sounds great and all, but I think that would affect many people's free will to do so." Lumi thought out loud, pondering the concepts of such humble and benevolent wishes, and figured that even if made perfect, that there is no way for the wish to not cause so much more harm or denying the wills of millions if not billions of people. "No, let's try to be a bit more selfish with it, but even so, lets try to be cautious and gentle with our approach."
Gwen picked up her fork to begin eating again, knowing that this conversation wouldn't end as soon as she might like for it to. Finishing a few forks full before wiping her mouth and looking back to Lumi. "Well, we could try money... but I don't think we really need it. And that might have disastrous effects on the economy..." She shook her head, "No bringing back the dead, that never ends well in movies so I doubt it would here either...." She sighed, "Maybe... we should use it for something small? Something we can't mess up? I don't know, maybe a really specific dinner for us or something? Maybe a glass of water? Well, more specific than that..." She continued, losing confidence with every suggestion. "Anything you can think of?"
Lumi was a bit surprised by her... for the lack of a better word, uninspired wish suggestions. When the question was passed on to Lumi, she didn't take much time to think over it. "Well, this was supposed to be a gift for you, so I wouldn't feel good in thinking of anything I want. Maybe... With you in mind, maybe a connection to your Dragon Grandpa could be one? Like, maybe having a way to communicate with him? Maybe you and your mom would like that?"
Both of Gwen's eyebrows rose in surprise, the look on her face spoke of the ludicrous nature of such an idea. "Your thought is well-intentioned but from my understanding, my grandfather was a vile and evil creature that hated humanity. I highly doubt he would approve of my mother's choice of spouse, and much less my existence that was born from that union." Gwen explained, the idea was interesting to be sure, but she hadn't the slightest idea how to go about it. "A connection? Wording it like that might very well see me possessed by that monster or equally worse I'll have him stuck in my head for the rest of my life and I have enough things giving me headaches as it is..." Gwen thought to herself, thinking about it. "It's something to think about... I suppose." She continued as she slowly became lost in thought for some time. "We could ask for the answer to some kind of question? Knowledge is power after all, and a Djinn is an entity that has likely seen eons of knowledge lost to us by different causes. It might be a good chance to find out some things. If life has meaning and things of that nature?"
"I don't think the question of whether life has meaning has a quantifiable answer. I think it is more a thing that depends on what you want to make of it. Besides, if there was an answer, and it would be something like 'life has no meaning', is that really an answer you would like to hear? To be a cog in an indifferent universe that you just serve a fleeting role in? Is that the kind of thing anyone really wants to hear? I wouldn't want to hear that. No, I think questions like that are best left out of it... You like magic, right? Maybe we could ask for one of the Rainbow Tomes? They are books that are said to contain all the knowledge and magics ever acquired and learned by the eastern Pantheons. Does that sound interesting?"
"Is that another thing from your mythos. I don't know if asking for something that doesn't exist is possible. Besides that, it would be one helluva big book..." She spoke in an almost deadpan sort of tone. The sound of a splash in the pond below alerted Gwen to the presence of another in their near vicinity. "I think our conversation should be put on hold," Gwen said as she stood up from her chair and looked over the railing to see a giant tortoise taking up half of the garden pond. Looking up at her, the gleam of glasses as the sun caught the spectacles just right to nearly blind Gwen with their glare.
"Heh, sounds like I interrupted something up there. Don't mind me, just letting Genbu out for his morning swim." A familiar voice spoke, the sun moving behind the clouds again to reveal the familiar face of one of Gwen's cousins.
"Morgan, you've returned to the estate? Why did you not greet us upon your return?" Gwen asked, ignoring her remark about interrupting them.
"I just got in last night. Didn't want to wake you up just to say hello. But I'm here now and that's what counts, right? I hear you're getting married, congrats. Even if it isn't official or anything yet." Morgan commented.
Gwen curtly responded, "Thanks, I suppose."
"So, I heard wishes and whatnot. Making a wish-list for wedding gifts? Let me in on it, I'm not good at picking out things for people on my own." Morgan asked, clearly looking for more answers than what her question implied.
"Yes, you're correct. We'll send you a copy some time." Gwen spoke, her tone more chipper but also sarcastic.
"I also knew you were the type to hide things, Gwen. But I never took you for a liar on top of that. You did something, didn't you? Something bad?" Morgan asked, standing up on the back off the giant tortoise and putting her hands on her hips. "Something bad?" She repeated again, trying to drive the point in.
Gwen turned to Lumi as though asking for advice on how to proceed with things.
Lumi looked to Gwen at the corner of her eye, wanting to find out if there was something about this kid that might mean trouble for them. When Gwen didn't show anything but a want for help with the situation, Lumi went with that and proceeded with her best response that hopefully that was close enough for this Morgan. "I am just trying to find out what to give Gwen. Marriage or not, I want to offer... Call it an engagement gift. I have something in mind, but I need to get a bit of insight into Gwen's train of thought to make the most of it." Lumi said with a bright smile, leaning over the railing and looking down at the young girl and her tortoise. "You must have known her longer than me. Any suggestions of your own?"
Morgan adjusted her glasses, getting a good look at Lumi for the first time ever. She wasn't surprised by Lumi's appearance as she'd been told what to expect. No, her look was more one of curiosity, eyes narrowing at the girl to see if there was even a hint of lying on her face. "Gwen? Yep, I've known her since she was born." The girl said, falling down into a cross-legged sitting position on the tortoise. "As for a gift, maybe you can find a sense of humor for her? She's worse than mom sometimes. Never knows how to take a joke." Morgan waved before letting out a sigh. "But, if you're being serious, then maybe a book or something? I know it might seem like she has enough but she doesn't."
Lumi decided to keep playing along with the current turn of events, skipping over the railing and grabbing hold of it with her tail to keep herself from falling into the ground, now hanging in mid air, looking like she was laying flat down on her stomach, just doing so in the air than on the ground. "I think I am getting to her on that humor front. At least a little bit. I was thinking about a book, but I am not sure which. She may not have enough, but one look at the library and you start to wonder what she doesn't have. I can maybe get her a book about our Vodou Magic. Think she'd like that? Or maybe, just maybe... I can tell you just what I have in mind. But if we do that," Lumi trailed off as she got a cheeky and playful grin on her face. "If you do that, you'll have to strike a bargain with me." She said cheekily.
Morgan watched the display, a bit surprised by the odd display as Lumi acted more like a monkey than the princess that she was told the girl was. Morgan narrowed her eyes at the girl's words "Oh? That isn't exactly much you're offering. But I guess that really depends on what it is that you're wanting in return? A little rude to start bargaining with people before you've even introduced yourself. I'm Morgan by the way, Vroman, of course, but not by blood."
"Oh!" Lumi said with humor as she smacked herself in the head comedically. "My bad. I thought you already knew enough about me, and I've already heard a thing or two about you. But you know what they say about people and assumptions, right? Anyway! I am Lumi Au Raza! And who said you would be the one giving anything in return? Think of this not as a payment, but a trade." She said, not waiting for a response before continuing. "All I ask for is your discretion." She said while dangling by the tail. "If I tell you what I have in mind, you must not tell anyone. And if you agree to being quiet about it, I will give You something. It can be insight or information. It could be a new attire. It could be a new friend to your turtle friend over there. It could be just about anything you want. As long as it is within my power to give that to you, of course. And as said: All I want in exchange," She trailed off before her tail let go of the railing and she landed deftly and gracefully on the ground. Getting up she looked at the girl and extended her hand. "Is your discretion. You don't have to take it, of course. It is just a suggestion. But I can't tell you anything more if you don't make a deal with me." She said, her eyes sweet and way back in the far distance within the window to her soul, one could perhaps see a bit of sadness while her smile was bright and kind.
Gwen watched the display with no idea what it was that Lumi was doing, but she felt her heart sink as Lumi offered to share the information with Morgan with only the promise of discretion to keep the secret between them. Morgan wasn't the type to break a promise, but if she found out exactly what it was that they were hiding even a heart of gold wouldn't be able to stop her from telling Alice about what was going on. Gwen bit her lip and waited with bated breaths, all she could do was trust Lumi not to make a mistake in whatever she was doing.
Morgan watched the girl, there felt like there was something off about her but Morgan couldn't quite put her finger on it. "Jeez, you kids sure are energetic in the morning..." Morgan scratched the back of her head before she took a deep breath. "If you're trying this hard to make me keep he secret then chances are that it's not something good. But maybe I should be glad? Gwen is normally the stuck up goodie-two-shoes of our house, so if she's gone and gotten herself into trouble I can only imagine that it's your doing, Lumi. Anyone else would probably say you're a bad influence, but Gwen needs to get out of her comfort zone." The redhead continued with a shrug as she glared up to Gwen for a moment before returning her gaze to Lumi. "I don't have much need for anything you might be able to physically give me and I find it a little insulting that you might think there is. But I won't hold it against you, I know how nobles are. But I have a question of my own, tell me, why're you here, Lumi Au Raza? Do you really just want my cousin's heart or do you have some other reason for trying to get into the Vroman family?" Morgan's tone was a bit different when she asked her question. Despite how the girl didn't hesitate to belittle Gwen, there was a hint of concern for her cousin in her voice. As though she held the opinion that 'no one can pick on Gwen but me'.
Lumi's expression remained the same. Nothing changed, if not a slightly sense of hurt somewhere in the corner of her eyes. Her hand still open towards Morgan, Lumi continued: "We don't intend to keep the secret for long. In fact, we meant to reveal it quite soon to your mother, along with the other big names of the family. My apologies if I have offended you. The thing about being a noble, as you may know, suddenly everyone wants something from you, but I should have known better than to assume that you are one that is of the stort and can be bribed. Forgive me." Lumi said, pulling back her hand, but still leaving it open. "You ask why I am here? It is quite simple: Because I want to be here." She said confidently.
"When I was told that I would wed a foreigner, I gazed into the realm of my Loa Spirit and witnessed the numerous men and women of this land that I was to be potentially wed to. I had heard the stories about them, I had heard of their personalities, or, if we are being honest, the 'sales pitches' of the higher ups of their families about who they were. I knew who Gwen was on paper by then. When i gazed into the realm to see more of the people I might marry, I saw Gwen among them. And let me tell you, she stood taller than all of them. Wherever I looked, I saw people whose futures promised of wealth, mighty children, and a select few of them even promised ascension into godhood if all things panned out. And even so, upon their towering walls of wealth and prestige and power, there was Gwen, standing upon a more humble shrine of her own making, her future clouded and the promises of what might be in ever changing flux. What she had when I saw her is not quantifiable in wealth, power or words, but when I looked at her, standing there so humbly, I could only see a giant that towered above everyone. With others I saw gold, power, monsters and gods. When I saw her... I saw a woman..." She said, trailing away from her sentence before recapturing her strength of heart.
"I saw a woman before me. Nothing more and nothing less. That flux and humble presentation intrigued me. It drove a want for me to see her. And now that I am learning more about her, I am driven by a want to stay. I didn't want to say this because I feared that such a statement would drive Gwen away, frankly. I wanted her to learn of me before such a time. It is a bit... Out there, and I thought it could be intimidating." Lumi said as she pulled her hand back further, its glow dimming but still present as she had yet to close it up. "Is that satisfactory to you? Is it not? Either way, shall we have a deal or should I close it off?"
Gwen's cheeks grew red as Lumi spoke of her to Morgan, cheeks burning to her ears. Easily noticeable against her porcelain white skin. But she made no noise to draw attention to herself, just continuing to watch the situation unfold.
Morgan was still hesitant, honeyed words were easy to make up after all. But she looked up and saw Gwen's face. A look she hadn't ever seen on the girl before and in that moment her face softened and she turned back to Lumi. She reached over the water and took the girl's hand into her own. "Alright, fine, you win. I'll keep whatever you have to say a secret from the others." She shrugged, "Now spill it, what did you two do?"
The hand glowed even brighter before fading away. "Yes, you will." Lumi said with a smile as she let go of the girls hand before taking her finger and doing a sweeping motion with her pointing finger and with that motion it was as if she ripped a tear into the weave of reality, opening up a little pocket that lead into somewhere different, and from this rift came the scent of a multitude of flowers and evening dew on leaves. Reaching in she pulled out the item in question, careful in how she held it. The rift shrunk in her left palm as she presented the lamp in her right. "I assume that you know what this is?"
Morgan adjusted her glasses, hopping down from Genbu's back and to the grass. She remained rather composed as she looked at the object with an inquisitive eye. She reached for it and took hold of it, not pulling it away from Lumi but turning it about to get a better look at it. "This is what you wanted to hide from everyone? A tea kettle? What did you do? Steal it from the Queen of Ishtar?" Morgan asked, clearly having no idea what the fuss was about.'
Lumi giggled. "If only. This is a Djinn lamp. Quite a bit more special, wouldn't you think?" She said a bit more confidently and almost sassy. "I hope you won't cry off the top of your lungs with that. Because trust me: You can't."
Morgan was shocked, first by the Djinn and then by Lumi's words, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" She demanded Lumi explain to her with a furrowed brow before she turned to Gwen. "And what the hell were you thinking?! Touching it at all is bad enough but you brought it to our home! Your home! Where your family sleeps at night!" She yelled at Gwen before her head snapped back to Lumi. "What have you done? What right do you have to bring something like that into this place?" Morgan was almost shaking with anger, her curiosity been replaced by a fearful rage.
"I didn't." Lumi replied calmly, unperturbed by her outburst. "I showed it shortly in your home." She said before putting it back into the pocket dimension. "I brought it in there. Far away from you." She said before closing the rift again. "Now. As you agreed, you will keep quiet about this until we get to speak to Alice. Try and you will only make a fool of yourself. If you want it to turn out well, you will help us get an audience with her and how to approach the topic with her without causing too great a scene."
"Tch" Was the sound that escaped through Morgan's teeth as she considered what to do. She felt like she was ultimately being threatened by the girl and the last thing that she wanted to do was give into threats. But she'd been told that Lumi was weird, but despite that briefest of moments when she actually thought she might not be too bad, she now thought that Lumi was dangerous. Morgan tightened her hand into a fist at her side and readied herself for a fight. It had nearly a decade since she'd been in a fight but rust or not she wouldn't let that stop her.
"Morgan, stop, please!" Gwen asked as she followed Lumi over the railing landed a few feet from them. "I need you to trust me, and trust Lumi." She said before she then turned to Lumi, a look of worry on her face. She'd trusted Lumi to handle this but now things were devolving. "Why're you acting like this? What's gotten into you? What did you do to Morgan and why did you let things go this far?"
Lumi turned to Gwen, a look of surprise on her face. "I did nothing beyond what we both agreed to. I asked her to make a deal with me to keep this under wraps until we have come to a concluding decision about how to handle it and I also simply asked her to help us try and figure out a good approach so that the whole mansion won't enter into a state of panic. She agreed to the terms. I mean, I can break the bargain, but I don't think that would be the wisest of idea right now. But if you both insist, then I will. I am not here to make enemies. I just don't want things to escalate into an internal catastrophe. I made the error of buying this without prior knowledge, yes, but now I wish to see if we can make something out of this without enraging or endangering the whole mansion." Lumi said calmly, but also with a look of regret.
"Look, Morgan, I didn't mean to make you angry. I just wanted you to help us without risking being unveiled too soon. Like I said, we are going to talk to them about this. The lamp is safely tucked away inside my pocket realm. It can't do anything to us in there. So long as I keep it in there, everyone is safe. If you feel that I have wronged you then I am sorry and I will aim to make amends. But I do have the lamp, I have made the mistake. Now I just want to do something good for your family with it. I have dealt with deals and trickery in the past. I am confident in my ability to turn this into our favor. I just need your help. Please."
"You sure know how to pick'em don't you, Gwen?" Morgan said with a biting sarcasm as she glared at her cousin for a moment. She turned her eyes back to Lumi, "Maybe you should learn that people respond better when you don't use weird magic on them to force them to stay quiet. As for this damn thing you have, you want to get in to see Alice? You'd have better luck than I would. You're an important asset to the family, Alice will probably role out the red carpet for you. Let me ask, have you even met her yet?"
"I may have used "Weird magic" to make you be quiet, but lets not kid ourselves here: You agreed to it without any coaxing or mind control. I didn't force you in any capacity. You even demanded that I give you an answer outside of the bargain. I can still give you something more for your discretion. You are allowed to be mad at me, but lets not be dishonest about it." Lumi replied, keeping back her own annoyance. "And... Twice. First when she introduced herself and another time when passing by in the hallways... I don't know how welcome I would be in that regard... I just don't want to do something reckless... more reckless and do something to offend her." She said with uncertainty, her tail curling for the first time in a while.
"You're no better than the Djinn we're all so worked up about..." She hissed before her face softened. She had gotten herself into this mess and now she needed to get herself out of it. And if it meant getting rid of the Djinn while she was at it then that would be the icing on the cake. "And that's still more than I've seen her in the last few months." She said, the hiss gone as a sort of melancholy replaced it. "Fine, I'll help you figure this out but I can't guarantee you anything. I've known Alice since I was a child and I still don't know her any better than I did back then. So then, what do you have so far? Any plan on what you're actually going to say to her if you get this meeting?"
"I figured that there isn't much i terms of promises, but any help you can offer would be appreciated." Lumi said, opting to not protest to the comment of her being as bad as the Djinn. "I... I also offer my sympathies for how you feel. I personally know the feeling of being ignored and neglected. I do have some ideas of how to go about it. I figured from what I've learned of her from secondhand influence, that the only way to get her on our side in this is to apply to the logical side of her as... there apparently isn't much in terms of other fields..." Lumi muttered. "I figured the promise that I can overrule the Djinn when it comes to terms with the wishes and requests, there would be less of a hassle with that. I just really need to convince her of a method to bring it out safely. I was thinking my pocket realm, but I need to discuss this with her too, of course."
Morgan crossed her arms at Lumi's 'sympathies', "There's nothing logical that you could say about that Djinn that could convince her that its worth the risk. If I were in your position, I'd give that train of thought up. But that doesn't mean you're screwed, it just means you'll have to appeal to something she cares about just as much as the logical side of things." Morgan said, raising her hand to adjust her glasses. "Her curiosity. If you get lucky and Alice has never seen or messed with anything like this before you might very well catch hold of her like a fish on the end of a hook. That's the gamble, whether logic or curiosity will overtake her when you ask."
"Alright... Curiosity and logic... I'll do my best. Thank you for the help, Morgan." She said before waving her hand,the glow returning to it as Morgana felt a slight tingle in her hand that shook Lumi's, and as it did, she felt relieved. "You are free from our bargain. I will go to Alice right away, see if and when I can get her attention. Gwen, would you mind staying behind? In the worst case scenario where she disapproves or even despises the suggestion, and she may see me as unfitting for this family, I would like for you to be just a bystander, not someone who actually knew about what 'I had planned'."
"Lumi, I can't let you do that," Gwen said, grabbing hold of the girl's wrist and making it clear that she didn't have any intention of letting go. "Not by yourself, we're supposed to be there for each other. How can I claim to be living up to my end of that if I let you possibly face the fallout of this situation all on your own?" Gwen asked, her face held an even deeper concern than before. "If you aren't fit for this family... then neither am I. I kept the secret too and now it's time for us both to fess up... Please, don't leave me out of this." 
Morgan watched the display, she'd have found it cute to see Gwen looking so vulnerable if no for the back that Morgan was still frankly pissed about how her first meeting with Lumi had gone. But even so, she didn't want anything bad to happen to the little brats. "Best of luck to you idiots, I wouldn't try any of that magic on her by the way. Just in case you have that idea in your head. She'll sense it before you can get a spell off, her nose is sharp like that when it comes to magic. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she felt some kinda disturbance when you brought out that lamp. Better have hoped the seal on that thing was extra powerful if that is the case." Morgan said, rubbing her own wrists as though she'd just been freed from handcuffs.
Lumi wanted to smile. She really did. Smile a wide grin at Gwen's commitment and will to stand by her side... but she couldn't. If this went south, then it wouldn't be simply Lumi who would be in trouble. "I see... Thank you, Gwen. And apologies Morgan. I will try and make it up to you someday." She said with a sigh, steeling her nerves as her tail went limp once more. "If there is nothing more to be said, maybe we should seek her out then?" Lumi suggested.
Morgan nodded, "Yeah, let's both hope you're around to do that." She spoke ominously, one might have even mistaken it for a tease were the situation not as serious as it was.
After some parting words and approvals, Lumi and Gwen headed, towards Alice's office, somewhere where Gwen had to guide her to find for certain, Lumi's hand clutching to Gwen's garments as she grew increasingly nervous about this meeting. Standing before the door to the office, Lumi steeled herself and knocked on the door. She considered herself in mind to be ready, though her heart was beating like a frenzied drum.
They stood there for a few moments, moments that seemed like whole minutes. However, the silence in the halls was interrupted by the sound of clicking heels on the other side of the door. Gwen grabbed hold of Lumi's hand, she was scared even if she didn't want to admit it. She'd spoken with Alice time and again without incident but the nature of their unannounced visit left her on the verge of shaking. The clicking echoed louder as it grew closer until it stopped just on the other side of the door.
The handle turned and the wooden door creaked open as a figure stood behind it. But not Alice, in fact, Gwen recognized who it was. "Oh, Miss Vroman and... company?" The maid asked, her accent thick and throaty, clearly from Ishtar. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Gwen was surprised at first, but then came a wash of relief over her. "Yes, we're looking for Alice. We thought that she might be here, has she gone out?"
The maid nodded her head, "Yes, Lady Vroman is in her nook in the main library, I'm just cleaning up her office while she's away. It's such a rare occasion after all and she doesn't like to be disturbed while she's working" The maid warned. "Is there anything else?"
"No, thank you. We'll be on our way. Keep up the good work." Gwen responded before the maid bowed and closed the door to get back to work. Gwen turned to Lumi, "That was our one chance to back down... are you sure we should disturb her? Maybe trying to arrange a meeting would go over better?"
"That was my intent. If not her than someone who could represent her and try and schedule a meeting for us. My plan wasn't exactly to just knock on the door and impose myself into her study. I just wanted the chance to say that we would like an audience with her... Do you know anyone that can serve such a purpose? Just deliver her a small message that we want to talk to her whenever time allows?"
"I've only spoken to her through a summons of her own wishes before, when she attends family gatherings, or the rare occasions that she joins us for dinner..." Gwen said, thinking of how someone might schedule an audience with her. There had to be a way, or else their business partners would have no way to contact her. "She probably has a page of some kind..." She thought before she remembered the page who always delivered the summons that Alice would send her. "Yes, there might be someone if we can find them around here..." Gwen went back to thinking for a moment before a light blub metaphorically appeared over her head. "We should check the attic." Gwen said, keeping hold of Lumi's wrist as she began to slow jog toward the stairs. 
Heading up the stairs, they turned down the hall, jogging all the way to the other end before turning left and moving down that hall. Coming to a small, closet door, Gwen opened it to reveal that it was exactly what it seemed like. However, she was not interested in brooms and mops, rather, her eyes drifted upwards. Seeing the object of her desire, she stood on the tips of her toes to reach up. Barely having enough height to grab hold of the silver metal knob and pulled down before quickly backing up. A ladder sliding down from the hatch and hitting the ground with enough force to kick up some dust. Waving it away, she motioned for Lumi to follow.
The attic was a mess, boxes, crates, paintings, they littered the place. Luckily, this was not the place they needed to be. Wadding through the mess, they reached a door on the other side of the room, opening it to reveal another staircase. "If they're in, they'll be just up here." Gwen said before she began to climb the stairs. Moving up the first bit before reaching a landing, having to turn left to continue up until they reached a room at the top with a single-window to illuminate it. "This is where Ludwig lives when Alice isn't using him to run errands," Gwen explained as she looked around the room. Her brow furrowed when she couldn't find him. She let out a sigh before she took a breath, letting out a sound that resembled that of a bird the echoed through the room.
Silence as time passed, until the flapping of wings could be heard and a large, great horned owl flew down from the dark above them to land on Gwen's arm. "Ludwig is Alice's page. He should be able to deliver the letter to her in a formal manner." She said, pulling out a notepad and a pen from her back pocket with her free hand before motioning for Lumi to take them. "You should write it. She'll be more willing to accept the audience if you're the one who wishes to see her. Like Morgan said, Alice sees you as an important asset to the family."
"Asset". That word weighed on her mind and heart. She didn't like that. "Asset". Something she had always been perceived as. Something she had been refered to by her "family" behind closed doors. "Asset". It made her feel more like a thing than a person. But all the same, it wasn't Alice's approval she truly wanted. She wanted Gwen's. And if this could help towards that, then she would do it. "Lets see if she will continue to think that." Lumi said as she began to scribble down a message on the piece of paper. It was a brief one. One that didn't detail exactly what she had in her possession but rather that she had come across an item of particular notice that would likely interest Alice in some shape or form and that she humbly requested an audience so that they could determine what would become of it. Handing the folded piece over to Gwen, she closed her eyes and breathed a deep breath, trying to relax herself.
Gwen didn't read the contents of the note, simply pulling out a ponytail holder from another pocket before she attached the letter to the owl's leg in the way that one might do to a messenger pigeon. "Take this to Alice, it is important," Gwen said to the bird, who turned its head to give her a side-eye before flapping its wings and taking off out the window. Gwen let out a sigh before turning to Lumi. "Now all we can do is wait..." She said with an anxious tone. It felt odd to be in some dusty attic with Lumi, this wasn't the sort of place she'd have ever thought she'd take her. A dark, dank, attic with owl pellets littering the floor. "I wonder... if we could call this an adventure of some sort?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood for both her and Lumi's sake.
Lumi giggled at the comment. "Oh yes! Quite the one, huh?" She replied. "I wonder what would await the great lady at the end of said adventure? Maybe a kingdom? A magic sword? The girl?" She joked and teased, looking up at the woman beside her. "Actually, scratch that. I don't have a sword or a kingdom for you." She said with a flick of her hip and tail. Lumi was slowly coming down from her anxious high, feeling a bit more at ease with Gwen close to her again to offer her comfort. "I really do hope that I don't mess this up... I don't want to leave."
Gwen stepped forward and took both of Lumi's hands into her own, it was a swift action drive more by emotion than any sort of free thought. "Even if that happens, even if you're no longer welcome in the estate, not even Alice has the final say on who I can and can't marry. This agreement, for us to engage was something that I had to agree to in order for it to happen at all. No one could force me to say yes and back then I'd only agreed to it because I felt I owed it to my family to at least give it a try. But it isn't like that now, I've gotten to know you and... stuff..." She said, trying to be reassuring to Lumi. "Even if Alice forbids your presence here on this property, I mean, my mom and dad live outside of the estate. They did their entire relationship. I was raised in their home. Something like that could happen... if we went through with this and what not..." She continued, hesitant to say anything she wouldn't be able to take back. She was still uneasy about her growing feelings for Lumi after all.
Lumi smiled sweetly at the gesture, pulling her hands away from Gwen's in order to give her a hug. "Thank you, Gwen. For caring and trying." Lumi said before parting from Gwen, looking up at her. "You are precious to me, Gwen. No matter which way it turns, as I've said, I want you in my life. And I'd prefer that it could be like that without causing the ire of your family... But if you feel confident enough in the possibility of us proceeding even without her approval, then... who am I to say no?" Lumi said while looking into Gwen's ruby eyes, all of her being wanting to lean up for a kiss, but had enough self restraint to not do so outright. "You look quite kissable right now, you know?" Lumi said humorously with the intent of making Gwen blush a bit and hoping somewhere deep inside that it might trigger something,
Gwen's lips curled up at Lumi's words but it quickly faded as she averted her gaze from the girl. "No, no, I highly doubt that. Not right now, covered in sweat from anxiety and dirty from this attic. You flatter me." She spoke with a voice carrying a clear uncertainty in her words. She wanted to kiss Lumi, to believe that Lumi also wanted to kiss her. But Gwen could not bring herself to take that dive. As though the touch of their lips would be an admittance of feelings she was still unsure and uncertain about. Still, she wouldn't leave Lumi with nothing but the awkward silence of the room. She lifted her hand and placed it over the girl's mouth before pressing her lips to the back of her hand in the same spot that Lumi's lips would be in. She didn't know if this would satisfy Lumi, or perhaps it would only leave her insulted by the poor excuse for a romantic gesture. She broke the 'kiss' and looked to gauge Lumi's reaction.
Lumi was surprised, but in the end, as Gwen looked down on her, she was greeted by just a smile, a warm and understanding one. "Thank you. You are a very good, palm-kisser, I'll have you know." Lumi said cheerfully, understanding that this was as far as Gwen would be able to go as of now. None the less, it was appreciated. "You didn't have to, but I love that you tried. Even if it might not be considered 'real' to some, I know any act of affection from you is worth cherishing." Lumi explained her feelings. "Do you want to leave the attic? Or do you think the Owl won't be able to find us if we go?"
Gwen turned and looked toward the window where they owl had left from. "Yeah, that little bastard will find us if Alice wants us. No doubt in my mind, it's smarter than it lets on...creepily so..." She said with a shiver running down her spine before she turned back to Lumi. "Let's head back over to the deck. I'm sure the birds have made their own breakfast of our uncovered pancakes. But it will be a good spot to wait nonetheless." Gwen suggested, knowing that she always found peace out on the patio both before and after Lumi's arrival. She motioned for the girl to follow her. They made their way down the winding path they'd taken to get there before exiting the main house and crossing the garden, now absent of Morgan, to the patio.
Upon reaching their destination there were no birds dining upon their pancakes, nor were there any pancakes or dishes at all. The help likely having taken it upon themselves to clean up once they'd seen that Gwen and Lumi were gone. Gwen reclaimed her seat without any concern for the disappearing good and silverware. "Now all that we can really do is wait for her to respond. It could be in a few minutes a few hours, a few days if Alice doesn't think it's important enough to break away from whatever she is doing.: Gwen explained, leaning forward in her chair and letting her own intertwined hands hang down between her knees. She fell into silence for a few moments that quickly turned into a minute. Even on the deck, her safe haven, she found no relief from the looming anxiety that she was feeling. "Hey, Lumi... what you said earlier, about me to Morgan." She said, pausing and falling silent again for another few moments, "thank you. I didn't say it back then, with everything going on, but thank you for saying those things..." She said, feeling the need to get that off her chest. For some reason, her heart weighed a ton, like they were preparing to go to war. She knew they were not and yet she could not shake the feeling that things would end badly. Be it paranoia or simple pessimism, Gwen didn't know if things would be alright after all was said and done.
Lumi, while unaware of Gwen's feelings about the lamp were still reflected in herself. She was concerned by the end results. When Gwen then thanked her for what she had said to Morgan she felt a bit more relieved and happy. "You're quite welcome. Honestly, I was scared that I was overstepping or were going to say something that would offend. I suppose both Morgan and I were pushing eachother into corners there... Can't really lie when I make bargains. I suppose that was part of the reason I didn't think much of the Djinn. Thought all bargains worked the same. But all the same, I want you to know for sure that I meant every word." She said as she reached over a hand and laid it on Gwen's own. "You intrigued me, and now? You are very precious to me, Gwen."
Gwen said nothing, simply enjoying the cool touch of Lumi's hand on her own. "I..." Gwen started but hesitated to speak, her eyes on the wooden deck of the patio. "I feel the same way, Lumi. You've become a person that is precious to me." She responded before falling silent again as she turned her hand so that her palm faced upwards toward Lumi's and she held the girl's hand. They sat like that for a short while, the once cloudy sky opening up to reveal blue above them. That is, until a shadow passed overhead, an owl-shaped shadow that soon gave way to the creature itself as it landed on the railing of the deck with a letter in its mouth stamped with the Vroman seal. Gwen looked to Lumi before getting up from the seat, letting go of Lumi's hand as she moved to retrieve the letter from its mouth. The moment that she took the letter, Ludwig took off back toward the attic of the main house.
Gwen sat back down with the letter, staring at it for a few moments as though debating if she should open it or not. Her thumbnail grew sharp, cutting through the wax seal of the letter and opening the letter. Pulling out the paper, she recognized Alice's handwriting immediately, the letter also being as formal as she had expected from her great cousin. "She's accepted our offer to meet up to talk about the item in question. She wants to do so over dinner tonight, says that Osmund will be there as well. She hopes it will be educational for him. Oh, and by 'wants' I mean, she will expect us to be there. We don't really have a choice. That's why Ludwig left the moment he gave me the letter. She doesn't expect a response..." Gwen explained before taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. "I guess... I guess we have some time, is there anything you'd like to do today? I don't think I can bring myself to work in the study..."
"That's... Great." Lumi said, hesitant by how quickly she demanded their attention. She had thought that they would at least have been given a day or so to think it over and for Alice to finish her work in some capacity. "I guess the time for thinking is all but done... In the case that this truly goes way south... I would just like to spend time with you, Gwen. In any capacity, I may. Even if it is just in silence while reading books." Lumi said wringing her hands while still smiling.
"She must've been interested in whatever item you might have... Morgan did say that appealing to her curiosity might yield better results," Gwen said, sliding the letter back into the envelope and putting it in her jacket pocket. "It won't go south, though. It won't, I trust in the both of us." She continued as she stood up, "That said, it would be nice to spend some time with you... Maybe, I can finally hold up my end of our deal? Teach you a little yoga? I'll just need to get changed first is all..." She suggested, knowing that yoga always calmed her nerves and hoped it would do the same for Lumi if they did it together.
"I am good with that." Lumi said, her excitement contained by her ever present anxiety. "I actually got some tailor-made yoga clothes to use for this moment. Haven't tried them yet, but now would be as good a time as any, right?" She said as they walked down the halls until they walked their separate ways to get dressed in proper to the event. Meeting up in her study once dressed up, Lumi found herself feeling a warm feeling inside herself to see Gwen in such an attire where it hugged her features. It made her a bit conscious about her own state of attire. The way the clothes hugged her frame in quite the attentive way made her feel a bit... flushed. "It wasn't quite the fit I was expecting... Feels a bit strange, honestly... Shall we get to it?" She suggested as Gwen nodded and she began to guide her through the poses and motions.
She started off with the novice moves. They all proved easy. A bit too easy for her to feel anything. Gwen proceeded to teach her the more intermediate moves. These more stretching and difficult excercises made her feel a bit more relaxed, something which made her feel a bit more relaxed, surprisingly enough. When Gwen noticed this, she attempted to try and teach Lumi the more advanced poses. She first teased her with attempting the Firefly pose, a task which, while fun, was still a substantial challenge to Lumi. While she, almost, had the flexibility to make the pose her tail upset the balance needed to do so proper, eventually settling for using her tail to hold herself up. "This... This is actually quite fun."
Gwen smiled a soft but ever-present smile as she taught Lumi some different levels of poses, feeling a bit more at peace as they went about their exercises. Taking a bit of guilty glee in bending her precious friend in all possible directions, she found that Lumi was more flexible than she'd previously thought even if she did seem to have some trouble here and there. To hear that Lumi was having fun was really the thing that got to her though, it made her feel warm inside to know that she could help her have a little bit of fun despite their dinner looming in the near future. "And you're quite good at it for a beginner," Gwen commented, not giving away anything with her tone of voice. "You're form is good if not for the fact you're using your tail to keep you steady..." She said with an amused exhale of air from her nose. "And you don't look half bad in the outfit either," She teased but didn't push things even if she wanted to tease her just a little more.
"I aim to please." Lumi replied with a giggle, the mere act almost causing her to lose her balance once more when her tail flicked instinctively. Returning it to its place, she stabalized once more. Getting down from that pose, she remembered two particular poses she had seen in the guide book she had seen, one of which she had deemed impossible immediately of seeing it, but she wanted to try the next one. The "Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose". It was a bit easier than the other one would have been, but with the way her back arched in a way she almost considered unnatural made her back crack a few times as it was pushed into positions it had never been in before. "Ohhhh... That felt good..." She sighed out in contention.
Gwen barely contained a chortle at Lumi's sigh, finding it as equally funny as it was cute to see her somehow comfortable in such an odd position. Almost like a cat that had fallen asleep at an odd angle. Reaching over, she couldn't help herself any longer and she playfully ran her fingers over Lumi's stomach in an attempt to tickle her. Of course, assuming that she was ticklish at all.
"Pffft!" Lumi exclaimed, trying to stiffle a laugh as Gwen tickled her stomach by stroking it. Her tail stiffened at the touch, flipping her over flat to her stomach with a mighty thud, faceplanting into the floor as she accidentally flipped over. "Ow..." Lumi humorously whimpered out. She raised her head to look at Gwen, a red spot on her forehead and nose. "That was mean... Felt good and was fun though." She said with a giggle, showing that she was relatively unharmed and glad despite the sore spots.
Gwen had started to regret her actions until Lumi spoke and whisked her worries away with a giggle. Gwen smiled, glad to see that Lumi was all cheers again, seeing her smiling face brought a great deal of comfort to her heart. Her eyes moved up to the red mark on her forehead, she'd caused it, even if it had been an accident. So, she lifted her hand to move Lumi's hair out of the way before leaning in and placing a chaste kiss upon her forehead, almost like the way a parent would deal with the small wound of a child. It was the first time she'd kissed Lumi in any way, as she didn't count the palm kiss they'd shared in the attic. It felt wrong to Gwen, to kiss her, not because she didn't want to but rather because she'd have much rather it been her lips. But alas, she had neither the courage nor confidence to do such a thing and she knew that Lumi would not in order to respect her feelings.
Lumi was excitedly happy to feel Gwen's lips aganist her forehead. She wanted more, she wanted to feel her lips against her own, but she knew that this alone was a push for Gwen, and she would respect that and take what she could get. She was about to speak when there was a knock on the door. Getting up from their positions, Gwen allowed whoever it was inside. It was one of the maids, reminding them of the upcoming dinner. "Seems like we've got to get ready once more." Lumi said with an unconvinced smile. Moving out to get dressed for the dinner, she got to her room and started to change. She put on a pair of emerald earrings, the only really Vroman-esqe item in her arrangement of clothes and jewelry. Putting on a more humble dress than she had gotten to put on for her first "date" with Gwen, she then got out to meet up with Gwen outside the dining hall. Taking a deep breath she asked with a curled tail: "Ready?"
Gwen wore a suit, though, not the one she'd worn before as this one had different buttons than the one she'd worn that morning. Looking Lumi up and down, she gave a nod, not really able to say the words. "Everything will be okay," She spoke up, though, for whose sake she did so not even she knew. After waiting until the exact time that Alice had requested for them to arrive, Gwen pushed open the doors to the dining hall. Opening them up, they could both see a long table. However, only the far end was occupied by two redhaired figures. One, to the left of the other being Osmund, the other, sitting at the very end of the table being Alice. Her wide-brimmed witch hat not adorning her head this time around.
"Precisely on time, Gwen, as always..." Alice spoke, her tone lacking even the slightest hint of whether or not her words were a compliment or not. "And Miss Au Raza, it is a pleasure to once again make your acquaintance." She continued, standing up and offering up a slight bow. "I am glad that you both could join us today. I know what you have come here to show me something that might very well find intriguing. However, at first, we should eat our dinner." Alice said, motioning to the food on the table before sitting back down. "Do sit, please." She continued once she was seated, motioning for them both to sit down.
Lumi bowed in return to Alice after being greeted. Lumi and Gwen took their seats beside eachother as to keep a sense of the slight comforting aura to their presence. "Thank you, Lady Vroman. I want it to be known that we are both very appreciative to that you took your time of day to meet with us so soon." She said before they were being served just shortly after. Today's meal consisted of a roasted turkey along with appropriate sides and lastly desserts to be enjoyed after the meal. Lumi immediately switched on her noble training in order to be able to eat and drink as was expected of a woman of such high standing. Taking a bite from the turkey she felt like she was in heaven, but she pushed all such thoughts aside in order to keep up appearances. "I hope we haven't impeded your work too much?" Lumi asked, just wanting the silence to fade away, even if just with simple chit chat.
Alice waved a hand in the air, "Please, cast aside your worries. I had planned to train Osmund around this time today anyhow. Allowing him to set in on our meeting, as well as meet the woman who may very well stand beside Gwen once she takes her place as head of the branch family is a good opportunity for Osmund. One that I would have been foolish to let slip by, but I admit the deciding factor was the nature of our meeting. You claim to have something of interest to show me, Miss Au Raza. I look forward to seeing what it is once we're no longer famished." She spoke, a look of curiosity in her eyes as she clearly wondered what Lumi might posses that she thought was important enough to call this meeting.
Osmund stood up from his seat, a charming smile on his face as he bowed to Lumi, "Good evening, Miss Au Raza. I am Osmund Vroman, the next head of the Vroman main family. I know we haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet but I would like to thank you for keeping my cousin in good company. I would also like to ask if I may refer to you as Lumi, and say that you can refer to me as Oz, as most often do."
"If that is what you wish, Oz. A pity we haven't spoken until now, but I can only assume that you have been preoccupied as well." Lumi said as she took another bite. "And yes, it is an item of some note I'd say, but as you said, that can be discussed as soon as we've actually filled ourselves up a bit." Lumi finished, a bit surprised. Morgan had made it sound like Alice would undoubtedly know of what was going on now with some sort of magical sense. The fact that she appeared to be in the unknown in this whole thing. Maybe Morgan was just exaggerating to intimidate, or maybe she had spoken with knowledge of previous deeds that would have implied that she could do such a thing.
Lumi ate the last bit of her turkey, not intending to take more unless anyone else was going to, ready to pull one of the desserts towards herself, having aimed in on a jelly tart. Looking over the table, she decided not to say anything about the lamp until such a time where Alice addressed it herself. She did not want to appear impatient. She looked over to Osmund before speaking up: "So you are to be the next head following Lady Alice? If you don't mind my curiosity, how do you assume the new mantle? Back home they tend to wait until their predecessors are deceased, either by natural or unnatural measures. But I would hope to assume that such is not the case here?"
"An heir takes over for their respective head when the time comes when that head chooses to retire. As it was with my father, how it was with Alistair's father, and how it will be with both Osmund and Gwen. I have put a great deal of effort in training the two to be the greatest candidates to uphold the Vroman family name in a future where Alistair and I will not be there to hold their hand and guide them." Alice explained before Osmund could get a word in.
"Well, that is quite the relief to know. I didn't really expect something like my customs to exist in this country, but one is never sure until one asks, no?" Lumi asked, looking over to Gwen, trying to guage her state in the situation. She figured that she would be even more cool than Lumi herself was. She was likely right too, she thought, as Gwen had yet to really say anything, just opting to eating her meal in silence. "I have been meaning to ask, Lady Alice." She said, looking to Gwen, giving her a look of 'I hope you won't hate me for this'. "Saying for the sake of it that it is a given that this pact of ours get sealed and put through the documents annd ceremonies, what would be my role in this family? I figured that I would likely fill a role of the child carrier in the household." She asked in a very professional tone that did not betray her feelings inside and how much turmoil she was actually feeling about this whole situation around the table. "Or am I expected to fill different purposes as well?"
Alice brought a napkin to her lips, patting away to clear any food debris at might have littered the corners of her mouth. "That is an understandable concern, one in which Gwen's mother also shared at some point before she and my cousin married," Alice said, sitting the napkin back down on the table. "Yes, either yourself or Gwen will be expected to bear an heir that will take over for the both of you in the future but no, that would not be your only responsibility. The spouse of a house head will most often, as it is expected of them, act as the partner or assistant to their husband or wife. Carwen has fewer responsibilities than Alistair, but she carries the weight of bearing the Vroman name on her shoulders with the pride and dignity that I will expect from you as well. You will be expected to stand beside Gwen as her equal, help bear her burdens, share her joys, things of that nature. You are an intelligent and skilled woman from my understanding Miss. Au Raza. It would be criminal to waste such power and expertise by having you simply act as a baby maker." Alice spoke, monotone even as she complimented Lumi.
Gwen's head stared down at her plate, her cheeks flushed red and burning from the talk of marriage and children. Still, Gwen didn't speak a word, even as she remained composed there was turmoil inside of her as they drew closer to talking about the lamp. She kept up the act of being completely fine, for Lumi's sake.
Gwen's discomfort didn't go Lumi unnoticed, but she made no mention of it as to not bring up an unneeded conversation with Alice. She didn't want to bring it up herself, but she felt that it might be the best "icebreaker" when it came to Alice and cold talk. "That is nice to know." She answered as everyone appeared to be getting ready to finish their meals, now moving on to the dessert. When Alice did not address the main topic of this meeting, Lumi felt that maybe it was time for Lumi to make that approach. "Alice, if I am not imposing on anything, maybe we should get to the matter at hand... Recently I came to acquire a magical item of some note, one which I found out only after the fact could be a danger to others when used. It is currently safely stored until such a time where I can either keep it there, dispose of it in there, or use it depending on what you decide on... I've acquired a Djinn Lamp." She spoke, trying to keep up an air of confidence as to not appear weak-willed or that she didn't know what she was doing.
The sound of metal utensils hitting the ceramic plate echoed through the dining room as Osmund had dropped them upon hearing Lumi speak of having possession of a Djinn lamp. His eyes shot toward Alice, as all eyes in the room did. However, the red-haired witch showed no change in demeanor almost as though she'd not heard anything Lumi had said. Alice calmly sat down her fork and knife. "I had planned for us to speak about your item after dinner Miss Au Raza, but I will take your outburst as a sign of enthusiasm that you simply could not control any longer. No matter, now that the elephant in the room has been spoken of, we can no longer simply ignore it." She spoke, a hint of slight annoyance being the only change in tone. She wiped her hands on a napkin before turning her head to face Lumi. "Tell me, Lumi, are you sure your item is authentic? You weren't scammed, were you?"
Lumi felt bad for she had clearly read the room wrong. All the same, she had addressed the elephant and Alice confirmed it. "Forgive me, I made a lapse of judgment and interpretation of the air. All the same, yes, I can confirm to you that the lamp is truly genuine. I could feel it from within its confinements. I would bring it out as proof, but I imagine that you agree with me that it wouldn't be wise. Not here." Lumi explained softly. "I am used to making deals and bargains back home, but it was only after the fact that I found out that the Djinns work in more cryptic and deceitful ways. I believed that I could offer a great gift to Gwen and your family, however I instead learned that I could just as well jeopardize it instead if I try. It is for this reason that wish for your guidance Lady Vroman. Regardless of what is to become of it, I came to the conclusion that the Vromans above all should have the final say."
Alice brought up a hand to adjust her glasses before letting it fall down her face to stroke her own chin in deep thought. "You are wise to not have brought it here, Miss Au Raza. To have endangered not only myself but my entire family, our legacy, I would not have been able to forgive such a transgression. Not even from you, I'm afraid." Alice spoke, monotoned with an undertone of intrigue. "Djinn are vile creatures, dangerous, yes, but not uncontrollable under the right circumstances..." Alice trailed off, "Why would you seek to give something so powerful away, if I may ask? Would it not have benefitted yourself or your family all the more? I know you are far from a dullard, Miss Au Raza. If it is Gwen's heart you want a simple well-phrased wish would have seen it yours. Though, I suppose an ill phrased one would have the same results if not more gruesome. I suppose my question comes down to what you'd hoped to gain from this gift that you simply could not have by using it?"
Lumi looked to Gwen and then back up at Alice. "I wished to do right by her and the family. There is nothing that my family could wish for that wouldn't be an absolute abuse of its power to attain things they have no need of or that they think they want for their own power greedy needs. I believe that you would do better with it. As for me...? As it stands, there is nothing that I want that is of note or need. All I want... All I want is for Gwen to have a deeper appreciation for me. Who knows, maybe even love me at some point. But if such a thing is possible, it is something I want to earn, not acquire through dishonest and deceitful means." Lumi explained. "There is truly nothing that I could ask of this lamp that I actually desire in my life or that I want that I would not rather earn for myself. So... In the wake of that, I consider the optimal approach to its use being to make it an offering to your family. My family would be a catastrophe to give it to, I don't want or need anything from it. But maybe there is something you would like? I'd also like to think that I am not so vile a person as to take something from Gwen that I can't hopefully gain through just being me."
Alice's eyes narrowed, as though she didn't fully believe Lumi. Or at the very least, she didn't understand her, not to the degree that she would like. "I see..." Alice spoke, her voice trailing off as she began to think a bit more. "I find it odd that you might put your faith into a family you barely know over your own. However, perhaps it is because you Do know your family that you do not trust them. Either way, it matters not. I am honored that you would entrust such an item to our family, despite the fact that we could very well use it for equally terrible purposes as your own." Alice spoke out, reaching down to the floor below and picking up her hate. Large and pointed, she placed the wide-brimmed hat on her head. "I will need to see it for myself before I can come to any conclusions, to find and touch a Djinn lamp? Some would consider it a blessing. Though, most would consider it an omen. I am not the type for superstitions." Alice continued on as she stood up from her seat, robes draping down onto the ground. "We will not test such an object here, nor now, but rather, in the near future. We will need to go far away, someplace where the evil's that may very well be unleashed will hard the least amount of people. Until then, I say that you enjoy your time here with us, Miss Au Raza." She said before turning her attention to Gwen.
"You keep up your work, Gwen, and do try to get along with Lumi. An alliance with the Ungmar Covenant could spell great fortune for both our nations. I hope that you are not letting something as petty as pride or fear get in the way of your duties, Young Gwendolyn." Alice said before turning on her heels to Osmund. "You are dismissed for the day, you may leave if you wish." She said before addressing all of them. "I shall be returning to my studies, thank you all for the company." She said with a bow before she left the room.
The silence remained for some time until Lumi began to break it. "I fear that I have overstepped my bounds." Lumi spoke up before turning to Osmund. "I am sorry. I didn't mean for things to end on such terms. I read things wrong quite severely. I hope that I haven't offended any of you." She said softly with a bowed head. She reached over her hand and brushed up against Gwen's own. That slight touch was all it took for Lumi to send a mental message to her. 'Regardless of what Alice says, don't consider any affections to be your duty. I want you to care for me free of such entanglements. You likely know this already, but I think you deserve to know my thoughts on the matter.'
Gwen made no motion or reaction to Lumi's mental message, not wanting to give away that they were having a conversation without Osmund even noticing.
Osmund shifted in his seat, raising his hands in front of him to show that it wasn't anything to worry about. "No, no, it wasn't what I expected to happen but it was... uh, interesting!" He said with a nod of his head. "I apologize as well though, I know that Aunty Alice isn't the most... sensitive to people's feelings and she has a tendency to say things that might offend others. Still, I thought I might see her blow her top for the first time ever, but I guess I'm glad for your sake." He chuckled awkwardly before taking a breath. "I wish that we could have met under better circumstances, certainly less tense ones..."
"Agreed, but all the same, I fear that it could have ended quite a bit better." Lumi said with a tone of defeat in her voice. "Had it been anyone other than Lady Alice, I fear that I would have ruined everything. Who knows, maybe I have all the same." Lumi muttered. Her hand brushed up against Gwen's one more time, though there was no message this time around. "I think I should leave. Let everyone gather their air and thoughts. Excuse me, Lord Osmund." She said as she got up from her seat, made a bow and turned around to leave as Osmund gave her the go ahead. Walking out into the hallway, she unclasped the emerald earrings and held them in her hand, looking at them as if hypnotized. She laid them down on one of the nearby tables before continuing her walk. She looked up to find Carwen standing there leaning against a wall. "M-My lad-!"
"None of that." Carwen cut her off, but with a considerably softer tone than what the choice of words might have implied. She rose up from the wall and stood before Lumi, her size of a lower stance than Lumi, making Lumi look down at her from a size perspective, but all the same, it felt like she was looking up at a giant right now. "I want to have a word with you, Lumi."
"A-About what?"
Carwen leaned in further before giving her answer. "Your realm. Argent Arboreali."
Lumi didn't show it, but she felt inside as if she was cornered and she felt worried over it. "W-What do you want to know?"
"Quite a bit. But I will settle for just a few questions on the matter... How did the dinner go?"
"Better than the worst case scenario. Still not particularly good."
"Alice can give that kind of impression. I assure you that she means no ill will. Do you want us to wait and see if Gwen wants to accompany us on this?" Carwen asked, to which Lumi hesitated. For the first time since she arrived, she hesitated. "I... I'd like that. But is that-"
"If you are asking if it is a good idea, then all I have to say is if you want to exclude her from some things, then a relationship won't work. I almost learned that the hard way some years ago. So, lets make a short wait and see if she comes."
Gwen watched Lumi leave, hesitating to follow her, unsure if that's what she might want. Gwen took a deep breath, her legs tensing as she stood on the border of what to do until the only other person in the room spoke up. "Huh, she called me Lord..." Osmund spoke, an almost dumbfounded tone in his voice. "Never been called that in this house before." Osmund continued before his attention turned to Gwen. "Well, what are you waiting for?" He asked her before taking a sip of his drink and wincing at it with clear distaste. "I don't like wine..."
"What do you mean?" Gwen spoke up, her crimson eyes falling on him with a curious look on her face.
"You know I don't like wine, it tastes like ro-" He was interrupted as a voice filled with annoyance rang out over him. "No, you dunce, the other thing!"
He was not offended by the interruption, a smirk appearing on his face. "Well, you aren't very well just going to let her run off are you? Here I thought you liked the girl?" Osmund said, about to take another sip before he remembered what was in the cup. "If that isn't the case, maybe you can put in a good word for me?" He joked, but he knew what he was doing.
Gwen stood up, "Not on your life, Osmund. I'll be taking my leave now." She said with a mocking bow in his direction before she left the room. The smirk never leaving the man's face as far as Gwen could see until she was out of the room and walking down the hall toward where she'd figured Lumi had gone. Not making it far before she saw her mother speaking with Lumi.
She quickly approached, unsure what the two might be talking about and the last thing Gwen wanted was a repeat of the dress incident. "Mother, whatever is the matter? You're here rather late."
Carwen looked to her daughter with a bright smile. "So you came after all. We are glad to see that. I hope my presence isn't offensive to you, Gwen." Carwen asked, a slight tint of sadness in her voice despite her chipper appearance. Carwen had for a long time now feared that she might have been drifting apart from her beloved daughter. "I am late because such was intended. I wanted the chance to speak to Lumi without the interruptions or nosiness of the overheads."
"She wants to know about the realm." Lumi leaned over to whisper to Gwen.
"Don't talk of me as if I can't hear. My ears are more keen than any of yours." Carwen replied with a cheeky smile. "You are welcome to join us, Gwen. I think it would do us both good to hear her on this."
"Sorry, lady Carwen, but I think I need some time to-" She said as she was about to pass Carwen by when the woman raised an arm to keep her put.
"Sadly, dear, I must insist on this for once. I have been thinking about what you said to me for some time, and I can't keep quiet about it anymore. I insist that you follow me for a short talk."
Gwen's face darkened, "Mother, if you intend to insist on this then I think that it is only fair that you explain to both Lumi and myself what it is that is so urgent that it cannot wait? We've just left a tense meeting with Lady Alice, we're a little on edge at the moment. An explanation would be of great comfort to both of us. I'm not even aware of what it is that you're talking about. What did Lumi say to you?"
Carwen lowered her arm as to show that she meant no harm in anything, but she still stood her ground. "Most likely the very same things that she told you, but what she at the very least told me struck some cords with me. Argent Arboreali... It isn't simply an alternate space, is it, Lumi?"
Lumi's eyes widened every so subtly, something which Carwen did not miss. "Well, no it is a bit more to it than that clearly, but-."
"I might have overheard your conversation in there when I was just passing by." Carwen continued. "A Djinn lamp is a remarkable thing to have acquired, I'll give you that, but in the end, it will be dangerous to unleash no matter where you choose to open it. Your realm would be far away and far removed from everything, wouldn't it?"
"I suppose... But if it is as dangerous as you all say that it is, who knows if its safe even then?"
"If we are to open it, then I imagine that as minimal a risk for collateral damage is the safest bet. Besides, I think three dragons probably is enough to take down a single Djinn, don't you think?"
"You know a third one?" Lumi asked, feeling intrigued.
"My father." Carwen replied simply.
"Your... Your father? I thought he was dead? Gwen told me as much."
"Indeed." Carwens poke cryptically. "But that shouldn't be an issue where we would be going would it? After all..." Carwen said as she backed off slightly before looking to Lumi. "It's meant to be his afterlife, isn't it?" Carwen asked, the look in Lumi's eyes speaking lengths to Carwen. "Ever since you said that forest's name, I haven't been able to let it go. My father. Resajh. Is he in there?"
"What makes you think that?" Lumi asked, curious as to why and where she would get this kind of information, or at the very least, such an educated guess.
"On my father's death bed he would often nag me about the tales of what would await him. Grand forests of silvery bark, reaching to the high heavens, surging with magical power and a meeting place for his whole kin. Argent Arboreali. Argent Arboreali. Argent Arboreali. He woudln't keep quiet about it. So? Is he?"
"I wouldn't know." Lumi answered quickly and sincerely. Carwen saw this and her face fell. After a few moments, she stepped to the side. "We'll talk more later. I will let you return to whatever you were doing or want to do to calm yourselves." She said as she wandered on away. She spared her a daughter a look before heading off. Her look was one of sadness and served as something of a quiet apology before leaving. Lumi didn't look after Carwen, simply staring forward.
She was shaking, her eyes turning wet as she became worried, a wetness that threatened to spill from her eyes. Without looking at Gwen she simply asked: "Would you like some distance from me?"
Gwen watched her mother leave, not really grasping the entire conversation that had just transpired. But she knew that something was up, more than what either of them were letting on. Something about her grandfather and the afterlife, more than she could wrap her head around at the moment. Once Carwen was gone, she turned her attention to Lumi, watching the girl just stand there. No, not just standing there, she was shaking. Something about the previous conversation had gotten to her. Gwen's eyes widened at her question, surprised by it. She opened her mouth to speak, her words didn't quite come out. Likely because she didn't know what to say. She thought for a moment before she walked up behind Lumi and wrapped her arms around her, a loose hug, in case she'd made the wrong choice and Lumi wanted to get away. "No, the opposite..." Gwen spoke in a whisper, not even thinking about her words, just saying them from the depths of her heart.
That just about did it. To feel Gwen's arms around her in a soft, easily breakable embrace caused her tears to fall down her face. She unconsciously leaned back into Gwens hug, wanting to be closer to her despite her offer to leave her be. She sniffled in an attempt to subdue the falling droplets of sadness. "I'm sorry... Could... Could you take me somewhere where we can be alone then?" Lumi asked. Or less asked more than it was almost a beg as she wrapped her arms over Gwen's own, wanting her to know that her embrace was deeply appreciated.
"Yeah." Gwen spoke in a hushed tone, letting go of her embrace and raising a hand to wipe away a few of Lumi's tears. Without another word, she led her away, out of the main house and into the night. Gwen had a few possibilities in mind, she thought about maybe the patio where they often spoke of all manner of things. But after everything that had happened, she figured the two could use some privacy. And so she decided on the place they'd first met. Pulling Lumi into the study, she closed the door and locked it behind them so no other unwanted guests might interrupt them. Taking a deep breath, she looked over to Lumi. "What has you so upset, Lumi? Is it something that my mother said?" She asked, moving toward Lumi again. She didn't know what was going on or why Lumi would think she wanted to be away from her. But she would get to the bottom of it.
"...I am scared." Lumi said softly, her tears susbsiding, but her tail curling together all the same. "It has nothing to do with lady Carwen. Not really. I just wish she hadn't pressed the issue so soon... I am scared, Gwen. Scared that I might drive you away. That you would maybe start to see me as something less than what I am." Lumi whispered, her voice trembling. "I just... I wasn't ready... She pushed for answers to the secrets of the realm. I don't blame her in the slightest... I just wish I could have brought up the topic when I felt ready for it. But she also deserved to talk about it if she felt it was familiar. I just am fearful that the answer might drive you all away."
Gwen really wished she was better at these sorts of things, she knew she had options but which was the right one? Which would help ease Lumi's mind. Should she ask her about it? Let it be? Would leaving Lumi alone help her? She didn't know and she didn't know if she could ever know without taking a leap of faith. "Lumi... I..." She started before she hesitated, placing her hands on the shoulders of the girl in front of her. "I admit that... If you're worried, then I'm worried... but, I trust you, Lumi. I don't know when I started to feel that way but I do. If you don't want to talk about something, say something, they can't force you. They aren't the ones who decide if we can be together or not. That's for us to decide, you and me. Not them, not Alice, or Mother, or... I don't know, Morgan or someone." She shook her head. "And I want you to be comfortable, speak to me about things when you're ready and not a moment sooner." Gwen moved a hand up from her shoulder to her cheek. "I trust you, and I care about you. So don't let them frighten you, I'm here..." Gwen spoke, bringing her crimson red eyes closer to Lumi. She tilted her head and offered Lumi a kiss, a genuine kiss, her lips puckered and ready to receive. But to do so it would need to be Lumi's choice.
Her eyes had been turned downward, almost unattentive besides taking in every word. She looked up when she felt her hand against her cheek, almost flinching at the touch, as if she didn't deserve it. Listening in to Gwen, she then did something she didn't expect. She appeared to lean in for a kiss. At first she was stunned. Surely she was mistaken? But as she leaned closer, her lips presented in such a way as if she was waiting, Lumi realized that this was a genuine gesture. A part of her didn't feel that she deserved such attention right now, but she also didn't want to turn down a chance like this, a chance to show how much Gwen meant to her. Taking it slow too, she regathered her cold away from her face as to not make it feel too odd if they went through with it. Her otherwise blue skin turned a bit more rosey in color, like the flushed face of a girl when exposed to the winter cold. After a bit, certain now that there was no doubt as to what the intent was, she leaned forward the last bit, closing her eyes to press her lips softly against Gwen's. It was a small but genuine one on her end, not pushing further than Gwen herself would have allowed. Very much a chaste one. All the same, she enjoyed it. She reached her hands towards Gwen's, taking them in her own as she wanted to feel more of Gwen's kindness and presence. She just hoped that she wasn't overstepping now.
Gwen felt it, the slightly chilled lips against her own, just a little more than a ghost of touch between their lips. Small and chaste, but filled with kindness and care all the same. Part of Gwen wanted to deepen it, to taste Lumi's lips, but no, she restrained herself. For now, this would be enough for her and her heart. She gladly took Lumi's hands into her own, breaking the kiss and looking Lumi on the eyes. "I care about you, Lumi. I do and I want you to believe in me when I say that I only think my heart will grow to care about you more and more. No matter who embarrassing secrets you might have. I'll stand beside you, because I know that you would do the same."
She could still feel the warmth of Gwen's lips as she parted from her. Lumi looked into the rubies that disguised themselves as eyes of the woman she cared for. She wanted to believe her with all her heart, but she also feared that when it came to the big secret that then she might drive her off. Anything else she now felt certain with that they could handle. But that? If she just tapped into it, then maybe... No. She would not do so. She had rejected that life so long ago. She would not have anything to do with it. She was who she chose to be. And this was it. "Thank you." Lumi whispered, tears still in her eyes, though now they sprung from happiness alone. "Thank you, Gwen. I don't think you realize how much that means to me. To hear that from you. You mean so much to me, Gwen. Thank you."
Gwen gave a confident nod before she pulled Lumi into a hug, a strong one, but she made sure not the crush the girl as best she could. Gwen knew she'd just taken a big leap forward, they both had, and despite how frightened she'd been to let herself take that step with someone she might actually care about, it felt like she'd done the right thing. Like a puzzle piece in her life had fallen into place. "Of course..."