Black.
Flowers weren’t supposed to be black. Right?
They should be bright, and cheery. They should calm you, or make you happy-or at the very least, content. Black flowers were just… wrong. The iris bobbed on its stalk as if nodding in agreement.
And that wasn’t the only thing wrong with this place, Calliope mused as she ran her fingers over the inky petals she had been eying. She glanced up from the flower and back to the sitting room door, beyond which Thelios and Lady Nagi were still engaged in a heated debate. Over what, she wasn’t sure, though she could easily guess.
She’d come in to find them already at it, again, and at the sound of half-raised voices had opted to wait politely in the expansive entrance hall until they were done.
She looked back down at the flower and placed a hand over her stomach. Her frown deepened. She wondered when she’d begin to really show, and how long the pleats of her dress would hide it. She didn’t care what Thelios said, she was most definitely beginning to show. It was still just a little bump, a slight swelling that one wouldn’t notice if they weren’t looking for it, but it was there. But when she’d asked, Thelios he’d said it was her imagination. Perhaps he simply didn’t want to think about her all lumpy and blown up like a ripe pea pod. Either way she’d like to be done with this and back home before it became apparent.
The thought of the others knowing did not sit well with her. Not at all.
Calliope pursed her lips thoughtfully as she adjusted the pleats of her dress.
Perhaps he didn’t see it because it was still so subtle, but maybe he just didn’t want to. He wasn’t angry with her, but he hadn’t expressed any pleasure over the pregnancy either. In fact, he was rather silent on the subject, causing her to be so as well.
“How’s old what’s his name?”
She blinked and looked up at the voice, and smiled thinly. “Go listen for yourself.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I already heard enough to know to turn around and walk in the opposite direction. You know what they’re on about?” Demitri brushed past her and made himself comfortable on a nearby bench.
She shook her head. “Same as before… no doubt.”
They had been arguing for four nights consecutively over whether he should stay or go. He wanted to leave, but his sister seemed to think he was in some danger if he did. His other siblings seemed to agree, however none but Lady Nagi had braved coming into his rooms to tell him to his face. Calliope was fuzzy on the details, but the crux of the matter seemed to be that whatever power this Phineas fellow had stolen could be used against Thelios as well as the others, and they were all convinced there was safety in numbers. Thelios was not inclined to agree. But then he rarely was.
“I must admit… I don’t want him to go.” Calliope offered softly. “I don’t like the thought of being left here without him.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that. I’d just take you home myself if that were the case. Though I suspect we’ll be leaving soon enough. I’m surprised they’ve kept him as long as they have.”
She smiled a little more warmly, then sighed. “You know I thought I’d feel much better once I’d told him about… my news… but I’ve had this awful sinking feeling that I just can’t shake.”
Demitri shrugged. “Makes sense. I’ve got my own idea that something is going on here that won’t bode well for any of us. I don’t know if it’s because they lost track of Phineas or what… but good feelings have been hard to come by.”
“Well that makes me feel much better.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Something to make me feel better. Obviously.”
“So, lie?”
“Ok, fine, something to distract me then.” She moved to sit next to him on the bench. “Tell me a story.”
He chuckled. “Like a bed-time story?”
She laughed. “Yes Uncle Demitri, tell me a bed-time story.”
He sobered and put his hands on his knees, scowling thoughtfully at the ground. “Alright,” he said after a moment, “here’s one. Once upon a time, there was a young slave, who didn’t know her place. She was always chiding and bossing and making a nuisance of herself. One day she got herself knocked up… and then she was really intolerable.”
Calliope laughed and shoved his arm. “Stop it. I’m not really that bad.”
“Who said I was talking about you?” He cocked a brow at her and looked perfectly serious, but the glint in his eye was telling.
She wrapped an arm around his. “Fine. Be difficult, you awful man.”
“Done and done.”
The sat in a companionable silence for a while, enjoying the little shafts of sunlight which spotted the garden.
“Demitri?”
“Hm?”
“Do you ever think of having children?”
“I have children. Had.”
She stared at him. He looked levelly back. His sharp blue-grey eyes were cool and stoney.
“Oh. I’m… I’m sorry. Were… did they…” she couldn’t quite bring herself to finish the thought and turned away, embarrassed.
“I don’t know.”
“What happened?” she dared a peek in his direction. He was looking straight ahead.
“War. I was from a small village. It was hit while I was off fighting elsewhere. It’s likely they were taken as slaves.”
The silence they returned to wasn’t quite so comfortable.
“I don’t know what to say.” She whispered.
“Nothing to say.”
There was another long silence which lasted until Lady Naga broke it by coming out of the sitting room with Thelios on her heels. They both wore dark expressions.
“Well there’s a cheery lot” Demitri muttered.
She allowed herself a silent chuckle, but kept the bulk of the smile from her face as the other two neared them. She didn’t think they’d appreciate her amusement at their expense. They were both glowering, and where Thelios was intimidating enough, massive as always and stalking like a irate lion, Lady Nagi cut an even more daunting figure.
Calliope had never seen her face so hard. Her movements were quick and sharp, causing the usually slow, hypnotic whisper of her long, serpentine body to turn into something more akin to the sound of a blade being suddenly drawn from its sheath.
“How goes it my lord?” She asked mildly as he neared them. He glared. She smiled gently.