#datenight

............

"You seem, pensive," Earl says as a thin brush stroke carves fog from shore on a painting forming

"I feel thus." She's flopped on his bed, chin propped on stacked hands to watch him work.

"want to talk of it, lover?" The fog takes shape more humanoid hidden in the mists.

"I... I don't know."

A glance back at her, then a softening of his eyes "old wounds or new worries?"

"August and Coradel Oathed."

He stops.

then looks back at her, and considers

She sits up, frowning. "You stopped."

"You're more important than this," He tells her gently, "But if you like? I can talk and paint at the same time. I know you're... I know that you don't think she's quite good enough for him. "

"That's not..." She closes her eyes and shrugs.

"She's beautiful. So beautiful she hurts to look at. Of course he deserves her."

"And a baroness, she has the hold now."

"He was very happy. Happier than I've ever seen him. Because of her."

He paints slowly, showing a pale creature forming in the fog, a shape that resembles a pale scrawny girl in tattered garments, "And we should be happy for him. BUT.... one wonders why he didn't see it."

Miserable. "I'm happy for him."

More painting, "but why didn't he see it? Why didn't he see you? I still don't know myself. But the fact a man cannot see certain shades, is blind with no night vision at all, is not the fault of the hue, it is not the fault of the soft moonbeams in the shadows. you know that right?"

"Because I'm not enough. Never was, could never be."

"He starts at the new school tomorrow, so I guess he's really gone. Like Ice, or Bunny, or Miriam..."

The water the fog is over grows bluer, a spread out masculine set of eyes in admiration...

"school took him before, we'll keep an eye on him for his own good like we did ..." A nod, "He's not gone from our life because he still needs watching, the lovable noble twit."

"He invited us to the party."

Amid the blue river, there is the fog's reflection, a woman, solid, sinuous, and yes, slim and willowy. It's the same girl, and yet confidence and power fill her and make the beauty there more obvious. the river with its eyes has this image in it, and looks upon the fog girl with swirling and rushing desire.

"Do you want to go?"

She shakes her head.

"then it's such a shame I'm having a disco fever relapse. Terrible you have to take care of me again ...I'm clearly a burden" a bit of a smile.

"We should go. For a little bit, maybe. I don't want to watch her smug face..."

"Then we go, get seen, briefly and then..." A smile, "we either nose around and learn nooks and cranies even she doesn't know about, or just..steal one pen and go." A wink

a glimmer of a smile. "Aye. One pen."

"A pretty pen" a nod

The fog maiden is surprised that the blue river sees her so, and the blue river cannot see her any other way, and who is to say who is right?

"All red and silver..."

a smirk. "Of course."

"And then break it. Into little pieces."

"We could mix the ink in oils and burn it in garish smoke"

A nod

"Aye." She flumps again.

The painting is mostly done, and he puts the brush down to sit by her after washing his fingers. "we appear at the party, vanish after a few minutes. And get ourselves a silver and red pen." A nod, "Should we replace it with anything? A raven feather quill? A paint brush? "

She shakes her head. "That isn't how it works, no."

"And she still..." A sigh.

"Part of me wants to hex her, but it isn't her fault. She didn't do aught."

"And he... he didn't... but why do I feel like this?"

"You can't hex her without hexing him anyway. What i mean is he would rush to help with whatver it is, and her misery would only make him miserable and that would make you miserable"

"I want him to be happy."

"And you feel this way because of what he should have been, and because you care for who he really is and between the two? How can you not hurt a little at how it makes you feel small even though that's the last thing he wanted. If August could borrow my eyes for just ten minutes he'd see you as you are."

"Well, as I see you, " A smile, "I know you think I see you 'too well' or in too rosy a light but I do love your flaws too. Thou knowst this?"

"I...." She falters, frowning again. "I think you miss my flaws."

"I know, but I do love the ones I see. You're too curious by half for sense sometimes, and yet it makes you so adventurous. I know you have a temper like a tea kettle when you've had enough. It shows how strong you love. I think you are too hard on yourself, probably keeps you modest or you'd realize how amazing you are and become far too smug." A kiss on her hands.

"Put it that way..."