TWO HUNDRED TWENTY: A Rare Pairing

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“Hello?”

In the summonarium at the siblinghold, Alden’s greeting went unanswered. He’d arrived a few seconds ago to find that nobody was waiting for him, but there were signs that somebody around here was busy.

A pile of supplies had been gathered in one of the symbol-covered summoning areas on the other side of the wide room. He could see stacks of folded fabric in a rosy shade of pink, and beside them, dozens of palm-sized pouches rested on top of a wooden chest that would have been big enough for him to hide inside if he wanted to. This seemed like a lot of supplies for them to haul if it was all intended for their trip today.

He decided to head out and look for a familiar face, and before he’d made it to the exit, a message popped up on his interface. It was from Evul. The real Evul, judging by the contents.

[You’re welcome for the summoning, Surprise Ryeh-b’t. Emban’s busy worrying about her appearance. Go be surprising to the votary.]

So they still haven’t told Stuart I’m coming along.

A few steps later, he was outside, peering through the dark of an early morning and breathing in cool, misty air. The forest surrounding the house and cottage was quiet. Alden couldn’t see the zansee stream from here, but there was light. A basket full of it sat on one side of the summonarium entrance, a blue-white glow seeping through the cracks. He bent over and removed the lid.

Stuart had shown him this once. The siblinghold provided nighttime visitors who couldn’t cast spells with a couple of options. Inside the basket, thin ceramic rods stuck up from a nest of glowing rocks. He took one of the rods and held it until its end sent out a beam. Wondering if it was calling on the memory of light, like his new auriad spell, he cast the beam around in search of other people in the fog.

He seemed to be alone.

“Go be surprising to the votary” would be an easier assignment if he knew where Stuart was. The main house made the most sense, so he went toward it, his flashlight rod and his banana offering held in one hand. He was of the opinion that you couldn’t leave exotic fruit unattended in this place and expect to find all of it still there when you returned.

The walk from the summonarium to the front of the main house seemed to be shorter every time he came here. As he approached, he dropped the light into the fruit basket, letting it go dark so that he wouldn’t be shining it through any sleeping peoples’ windows. The door opened just before he reached it. The mirrored surface slid away, revealing the warm glow of the interior and the intent expression on Stu-art’h’s face as he used a wand to direct a wagon full of stubby, rough-barked logs outside.

The wagon did have wheels, but they weren’t in use. Instead, it glided ahead of Stuart, half a foot off the ground. Every log had a red string wrapped around its center, and Alden caught a sharp, sappy smell.

He stepped to the side to allow the wagon to pass, expecting Stuart to notice him right away. He was, after all, a whole entire person with a suitcase and eight different varieties of banana.

Any second. Should I say surprise? I hope he’s not irritated I’m here.

“I have already said that we will care for three households. No. No. I’m sure I will be fully capable…I will tell them you offered.”

Stuart walked right past, eyes never leaving his log wagon while he carried on a conversation with someone through his implants.

Startled and amused, Alden watched him trot off toward the summonarium, trying to get whoever was on the phone to leave him alone while saying votary things like, “Hn’tyon Emban-art’h thanks you for your eagerness to assist and encourages you to direct that eagerness toward someone with greater need.”

He’s not going to look back at all, is he?

As Stuart headed farther from the house into the foggy dark, Alden followed him, waiting for him to realize he had a tail.

Maybe after the call’s through.

“Goodbye,” Stuart said firmly. Alden watched him straighten before pulling something from the largest of the pouches belted around his waist and increasing his speed.

Alden sped up, too. Just as Stuart finally noticed that there was a second pair of footsteps behind him and began to turn, he said, “Surprise, hello, and don’t cast spells on me, please.”

Stuart didn’t cast any spells. But he did let out a soft chirp of alarm as he turned, and he almost dropped the thing he’d taken from the pouch, which turned out to be one of the savory cookies he’d left Alden for first meal on a previous visit.

The wagon landed on its wheels behind him, and he caught the cookie against the front of his shirt. “Alden! You’re real? How did you get here?”

“I’m real!” Alden said quickly. Shit. “Emban invited me to come help you with the Here-to-There. If you want help. If you don’t, I’ll deliver these and tell you all to have a good time before I leave.”

He held up the basket.

Stuart seemed to be unaware he was smashing a cookie to his clothes.

“Do you not like surprise visits? I really should have thought of that. After the first time. I’m sorry. But Emban seemed to be sure you—”

“Emban invited you here? For me?” He was still wide-eyed.

“I doubt she did it for herself or her squadmates,” Alden said. “Evul was the one who actually made the teleport happen, so both of them are involved.”

Stuart gasped. “She likes you! She approves of us weaving a friendship!”

Alden suddenly had an Artonan standing inches away, beaming at him then at the house then back at him again. “She did not tell my parents you were coming? No. She must not have. I do like surprises after I realize they are surprises. She did this for me on a day that is important to her! She is on our side.”

His excitement was infectious.

“We have a side? Alden asked. “How many people are with us now? Can we count Evul?”

“But it’s evening!” Stuart said, ignoring the question in favor of a more pressing matter. “You’re supposed to sleep, Alden.”

“I had a midday short sleep. I’ll be fine.”

“A <<nap>> is not fine enough when you are following Yenu-pezth’s instructions for recovery. How long before you must be asleep?”

“It’s really—”

“I will take care of all things. Arranging sleep during the Here-to-There is possible. Emban and her friends are my knights today, and now you are here, too.” He took a bite of his cookie. “First…first…”

“First, I help you carry supplies to the summonarium,” Alden suggested. “If you have more. Emban-art’h said I would have to help you with your work if I came, and I want to. As long as I’m not in your way.”

“You are never in the way, my soon-friend.” Stuart made it sound like such a declaration. “But I do think Emban should have told me yesterday. Taking you with us…planning should have been done! Different planning than I have done. I… ”

He studied Alden, the suitcase, the bananas, and probably a couple of things through his eye rings judging by the length of the pause before he said, “You’ll be hot where we’re going. How hot can you be without discomfort?”

“We don’t need to worry that much about my comfort,” Alden said dismissively.

Stuart squinted up at him. “Just tell me so that I can steer the day toward perfection, please. My efforts for Emban will all be wasted if your skin begins to shed.”

“If my skin begins to wha—oh. Sunburn. That…the skin shedding doesn’t happen immediately. It takes a day or two, and it’s not that bad. Also, that’s only in lots of sun, not because of heat alone.”

He didn’t want to be the reason the day couldn’t be steered toward perfection. “You know the temperature it was at LeafSong when I was there?” he asked. “That was uncomfortable but not dangerous. I was still fine moving around and working all day. I was very sweaty, but not sick from it or harmed by it.”

Stuart frowned.

“I’m not going to die at any temperature that’s comfortable to you,” Alden insisted. “As long as I have water and you don’t make me run around. Shade is nice. Remember, I regularly spend time in a very hot room where the steam potion is enough to keep me from having trouble. I can look up the exact temperature of that if you need me to so that you see—”

“That’s a good idea. You need an <<inhaler>>.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I’m going to order you an inhaler. Or something better. You brought clothes?”

Alden was currently in jeans because he hadn’t known what to wear for the occasion and because he hadn’t wanted to leave campus all dressed up for the Triplanets.

“I’ve got the stuff you’ve seen me in before.”

“Wear whatever will be most comfortable for hot weather. A Here-to-There is <<informally ceremonial>>.”

“Informally ceremonial?”

“Don’t wear the pezyvas with the commendation embroidery. Emban may want you to wear a symbol to her credit for the day. And don’t worry about helping me with this. It’s the last <<load>> that has to be taken. Unless I’ve forgotten something. I haven’t forgotten something. I’m sure I haven’t. Dress, then join me.”

He started off.

“Where?” Alden asked.

“Where?” Stuart looked at him. “The Here-to-There starts in Olyuk’k. From here, that place is toward the head of the diving num and toward the setting sun.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The diving num was an animal the largest continent on Artona I was said to resemble, so he meant southwest of here.

Nice to know, but Alden had been trying to ask something else. “Where should I get dressed?”

“The cottage or my room if you desire privacy. No. Not my room. People may bother you on your way. The cottage for privacy.”