82nd Ymiden, 717
That morning, they'd been getting things ready for Cyrus and Katie's new house, painting the kitchen and chatting and he'd told her about his charter studies for the next season. The painting had needed to be put on hold as he tried to explain it to her and then, there'd been a diagram painted on to the wall that they'd yet to coat, which really hadn't helped. Eventually, he'd gone into their kitchen and come back with an array of fruit and vegetables.
Which led to Faith standing, in Cyrus and Katie's kitchen, holding a potato and laughing so hard that she had tears running down her face and was bent over clutching her stomach. Apparently, the potato was the second sun and it was in a perfectly natural orbit. However, that meant that he had to hold the tomato, onion and orange that were, apparently, Idalos, the moon and the first sun. What had caused her to bend in half and guffaw was his face when she pointed out that there were three moons. He knew that, he told her and looked at her with a look of utter despair. It was that which did it and pushed Faith into laughter.
Even now, it was rare that she laughed at all, but at the sight of him standing there, paint on his nose and fruit and vegetables in his hands as he tried to explain something he was so very passionate about, she'd been literally doubled over.
After she'd stopped laughing, she had apologised, profusely and genuinely. She didn't mean to mock his studies and she certainly was not doing so. It was just the sight, she explained, of the learned professor with the paint smudges and the vegetables and thought of him standing in front of his students like that. "But, basically, you're going to observe the second sun?" Faith nodded and maintained that she needed to know no more than that, because knowing more might send her off again. Please, she asked, please stop explaining, it would be her undoing if he didn't. Instead she'd gone back to painting, chuckling quietly every now and then.
That, however, had been this morning. Once they'd finished the room, Faith had gone immediately to Cyrus and told him, explained that she was going to bring his birthtrial gift in early, because from what she understood, what she'd arranged would be more than useful to him now. Cyrus had agreed, then given her a look when she said that she'd help him carry it in. Faith had backed down although she'd considered asking him if he could teach her how to do that with just an expression.
However, that meant that, that afternoon, once he'd come home from work, it was to an almost empty house. He'd gone off to teach, paint smears washed off his face and when he came back the house was suspiciously quiet. The dog, of course, bounded up to greet him and Faith came out of the kitchen. "Hello you," she said. She was wearing a nice red dress with a knee length full skirt and a fitted top which she knew he liked and she'd made an effort with her hair and make-up. In her hand, she held a small, wrapped gift.
Stepping into his arms, Faith was more than happy to lean into him, kissing him with a grin. "We have the house to ourselves. Cyrus and Katie have taken Luna out for a picnic." That was unusual in and of itself, of course. "I wanted to talk to you. I bought you something for your birthday, and I know it isn't until next season, but I don't want to wait. I think it will be useful to you now. Would you mind having your birthtrial gift tonight? I have a few other little things that can wait, but this is the main one." She held out the small parcel, which looked like a book in shape and size.
Should he unwrap it, it was indeed a blank notebook. On the inside were written the words,
Which led to Faith standing, in Cyrus and Katie's kitchen, holding a potato and laughing so hard that she had tears running down her face and was bent over clutching her stomach. Apparently, the potato was the second sun and it was in a perfectly natural orbit. However, that meant that he had to hold the tomato, onion and orange that were, apparently, Idalos, the moon and the first sun. What had caused her to bend in half and guffaw was his face when she pointed out that there were three moons. He knew that, he told her and looked at her with a look of utter despair. It was that which did it and pushed Faith into laughter.
Even now, it was rare that she laughed at all, but at the sight of him standing there, paint on his nose and fruit and vegetables in his hands as he tried to explain something he was so very passionate about, she'd been literally doubled over.
After she'd stopped laughing, she had apologised, profusely and genuinely. She didn't mean to mock his studies and she certainly was not doing so. It was just the sight, she explained, of the learned professor with the paint smudges and the vegetables and thought of him standing in front of his students like that. "But, basically, you're going to observe the second sun?" Faith nodded and maintained that she needed to know no more than that, because knowing more might send her off again. Please, she asked, please stop explaining, it would be her undoing if he didn't. Instead she'd gone back to painting, chuckling quietly every now and then.
That, however, had been this morning. Once they'd finished the room, Faith had gone immediately to Cyrus and told him, explained that she was going to bring his birthtrial gift in early, because from what she understood, what she'd arranged would be more than useful to him now. Cyrus had agreed, then given her a look when she said that she'd help him carry it in. Faith had backed down although she'd considered asking him if he could teach her how to do that with just an expression.
However, that meant that, that afternoon, once he'd come home from work, it was to an almost empty house. He'd gone off to teach, paint smears washed off his face and when he came back the house was suspiciously quiet. The dog, of course, bounded up to greet him and Faith came out of the kitchen. "Hello you," she said. She was wearing a nice red dress with a knee length full skirt and a fitted top which she knew he liked and she'd made an effort with her hair and make-up. In her hand, she held a small, wrapped gift.
Stepping into his arms, Faith was more than happy to lean into him, kissing him with a grin. "We have the house to ourselves. Cyrus and Katie have taken Luna out for a picnic." That was unusual in and of itself, of course. "I wanted to talk to you. I bought you something for your birthday, and I know it isn't until next season, but I don't want to wait. I think it will be useful to you now. Would you mind having your birthtrial gift tonight? I have a few other little things that can wait, but this is the main one." She held out the small parcel, which looked like a book in shape and size.
Should he unwrap it, it was indeed a blank notebook. On the inside were written the words,
Go look in the garden.
