Small Talk With The Enemy

What humans could do with what they called magic, gods could do in a much simpler way. Selen, for example, could take clay in her hands, mold it without water, and even bake it without fire. Where Inarentas needed a sacrifice of materials to realize their wills, gods needed only their thoughts.

By the time Afena reached the cave, Selen was ready with arranged wood ready for a fire, a clay teapot, wooden cups, and even wooden chairs. A little stone table stood next to the laid wood, where the pot hung from two stick posts.

Sitting on one of the chairs, Selen brightened up and exclaimed, "Ah, you're here."

The wood was lit magically. A single flame emerged from one of the logs.

Afena was not amused. She recognized Selen by her skin as dark as the darkness of a cave, hair as golden as dawn, and eyes the silver of stars. The Inarenta froze in place, not quite sure what to do except take her hand to the hidden pocket of her skirt, where her runes were.

"Take as much time as you need, Afena. I know I surprised you, but the only thing you need to fear is the hotness of the tea I want to share with you."

The Inarenta considered simply leaving, but knew Selen could easily find her again. It would only be a waste of time and energy.

"What do you want?" she asked the goddess.

"To ask a favor, really. You know of my gift to see over all of time, I assume? I believe I can help you bring back Inarentas and all of their lore and wisdom."

Afena raised her fist near her face.

"I haven't even served tea yet!" protested Selen. "If you send me away, all you'll do is make me have to look for you again, and repeat this all over. It will do none of us any good, Afena. You'll just be wasting what little time there is of your life."

"Then I'll kill you like I killed your son."

"You are very welcome to do that, Afena. Perhaps then I might be able to see Jublun again. I suppose you'll have to collect many materials, correct? A blade made of diamond, inlaid with onyx and marble, to begin with. Then, it has to be struck by lightning without breaking, and showered by rain. Go ahead. I'll wait here even if it takes the thirty years that it took Aremisa Inarenta to build the blade you used to kill my son."

"Your son came after me and my people!" Shouted Afena. "How am I supposed to believe you want only to share tea and ask me for a favor? Or that you want Inarentas to return?"

"Oh, right. You don't know about that." Selen said conversationally. "It was my very own son that killed his very own father with his very own hands. I cared very little for him afterwards"

"Is Jublun dead?" Afena's rage subsided and she took a step closer.

"And Isilir and Genrek. Their wives as well. Only I remain of the first six."

"Why?"

"Will you sit down, then? The tea is almost ready and I brought a blend of herbs that I know you'll be drinking for the rest of your life. Depending on your choices, of course. Not every path in front of you has a happy ending. But as long as you continue to read your runes as well as you did two mornings ago, you should be fine."

"Not well enough, clearly," Afena crossed her arms. "Grave and important seeker. I was trying to avoid you."

"Yes, but you were avoiding a visitor, my dear Inarenta. Not a seeker. I frankly don't even know where your hut is. How could I visit it?"

Selen stood to check on the water. She opened the lid of the pot, and stooped a bit to look inside.

"Nearly done," she said smiling. "Would you sit down? I swear to honor you as a guest. You can't believe how much I've craved to speak with someone else since I was left alone."

"I cannot trust you."

"Afena…" Selen turned her head up and let out a sigh. "Afena," she looked at the Inarenta and spoke with a patient tone. "How could I do anything to harm you, or any human? I owe you my life."

"How?"

"It's a long story. One I've seen myself sharing with you in the future, but not now. All I can do now is tell you that the most I've come to harm humans is to resent them for giving me so much happiness, and then having that happiness snatched from me. But even then, I was grateful for your gift."

"Why did the gods come after the Inarentas, then?"

"Sit down, please."

After considering for a second, Afena shook her head. "After everything that's happened—"

Selen laughed with a little lack of patience. "Tell of a single way in which I've wronged you. I. Not my son or any other god. How have I wronged you, Afena? And would it be right to judge you by the mistakes and stupidity of other humans?"

"No it would not," said Afena immediately.

"And how have I wronged you?"

Afena didn't want to answer, but did. "In no way."

"Then please, allow me to honor you as a guest, Inarenta. I only have a favor to ask, one to offer, and wisdom that will eventually be passed on to you."

Afena did not want to share her time or words in a session with the goddess. Much less did she want to have a sit and a tea with her. The truth was, however, that it was her pride making her feel like that. As she sat, Afena felt neither threatened nor unsafe.

Selen poured the hot water into the cups, and cast dried herbs into the vessels. The smell, as the goddess had promised, enticed Afena immensely. The goddess sat across her guest, and smiled as if she was seeing the face of a friend.

"Do you know anything of your son?" asked Selen.

"I do not have children," answered Afena frowning. "I doubt I can."

"You raised a Lorsul—"

"It is not my son!"

"Well, he thinks differently, according to a vision in which I saw him."

"Visions are wrong all the time."

"Those from the future, yes." Selen sipped a bit of her tea. "Those from the past, however, never. Be careful, Afena. The water is still too hot for you."

"Please, don't make small talk."

"Will you be drinking your tea in a single gulp, then? Believe me, you'll not want to rush it after you've tasted it, and we still have a whole pot to talk over."

Afena drew air in, pushed it out through her nose, and summoned her patience. She blew three times over the edge of the cup, and took a sip from it.

It was the best tea she'd ever tasted. Warmth and tingles spread from the back of her neck, down to her belly.

"What blend is this?" she asked.