That night Celandine slept in Philomel's bedroom. To her it was a princess' birthright, a room filled with wonders in which she shrieked and tossed cushions. It was her paradise, a new life that she had dreamt of forever. For she knew she had not been Etna's daughter. And she had known she was not Anthea Rose's. For all of her four and a half years, she had pictured the day that her true mother would come for her. And the day she would meet her true father.
Even though Celandine wished he was less grumpy.
"Sweetheart, settle down and sleep," Philomel sighed, watching the young, excited faun throw a velvet blanket into the air and let it land on her. She screamed with delight and pretended to say that she had been eaten by the blanket monster.
Eventually the young girl settled. She was exhausted by the day, but that energy of a young child that keeps her going throughout the night and into tomorrow, no matter the protestations of her body, was ravenous. It ate up time with no concern for the new anointed mother.
Thus, at half-past two in the morning, Philomel slumped out of the bedroom, a wide yawn on her lips. Exiting from there she came to the officer's mess - a small hall with a cheery fireplace and several doorways that led to the bed chambers of the most powerful members of the Gilded Lily. For now, it was decided, Celandine would stay in Philomel's. After all, the Matriarch was gone from the fortress for sometimes weeks at a time. For a caretaker ... well, Gosling, Philomel's personal secretary, loyal friend and especially taught human to one day presume control over much of the Gilded Lily's interior workings, had expressed interest.
In the room was Rameses Vaeron, one hand resting on his cheek where the great scar of his past lay - the one that had precisely cut the zygomatis major muscle and thus disabled him to smile. His other hand held a pipe from which he took many long draws.
"Hmm," he grunted in response to her.
"Hi," she murmured.
Swivelling his eyes over to her he held her gaze for a while, before waving the pipe once. "Well. On with your plans then. I know why you brought the child here princess ...
"What do you want to happen when you die?"
Fin, submitting for NJ judgement.
Will repost on new site and submit there.
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