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Chapter 55
Nariana
It took Edrik a bit to get over the surprise of what he'd witnessed. It also left a little smile on his lips. Still, there was an entire festival laid out before us, begging for us to enjoy the moment. We found a section where people wearing white-painted faces drew pictures and offered trinkets for sale. On a whim, I stopped to get a flower on my cheek. Talin passed a coin to the priest who'd paint it, but the man paused.
"You don't want just a flower," he told me. "I get the feeling that you need..." His eyes narrowed. "Would you be opposed to something bigger?"
"Not at all," I assured him. "Please, feel free to be inspired."
He gently turned my face, picked up a brush, and began to paint. Edrik moved beside me to watch, then chuckled as the image began to form.
"It's a tangled vine," he explained. "There are flowers, like you asked for, but they seem to be in very specific colors. The vine is black. So far, he's got blue and green flowers. Now yellow."
"The colors of the gods," I realized.
Then Talin flicked his finger at my cheek. "Seems the white flower is a rose. It's a bit bigger than the rest."
"Don't worry," a husky woman's voice said. "I'll push him to make the black one the most impressive."
I turned, pulling my face from the artist's hand. "Charisma?"
She was definitely a goddess, and clearly she was Zeal's sister, but she was nothing like Merci or Savi. Charisma's hair was short on the sides and a mess of loose curls on top. The color went from nearly black, through bronze, to almost white, as if her hair lost pigment as it grew. Her eyes were as iridescent as her brother's, but leaning toward the green and yellow shades. Then there was the mass of white smudges across her body, as if she'd been attacked by a wayward brush.
The woman smiled, her teeth bright like the white marks on her skin. "Let the priest finish," she chided.
But the man didn't realize I could see his goddess. "Charisma inspires us at times. We learn to accept the visions she gives us. The larger white flower is my way of honoring her, but I promise I will make Zeal's the centerpiece."
"Thank you, Priest," I said, letting him continue his work.
When it was done, it was beautiful. Charisma had vanished at some point in there, but that was ok. Just knowing she was aware of me felt a little nice. Talin had caught the exchange between us, but I wasn't sure Edrik had. Then, with my face all painted, it was time to do something silly. I dragged the priest over to the games, then challenged him to win me a prize.
Edrik chose the strong-man game, hefting a hammer just to smash it down onto a metal plate. His groan of effort made me giggle, clearly more theatrics than necessary. He tried again, getting the marker to rise a little higher. Talin smothered his laugh as he told Edrik to put his back into it.
On the third try, Edrik still failed. He passed back the hammer and shook his head. "I would like to remind you that I'm a Priest of the Word, not muscle."
"You should do it!" a girl laughed, and it was a voice that sounded familiar. I turned to find Talin's youngest sister hanging on Wraythe's arm, dragging the poor man over. Then she saw us. "Talin!"
Letting go of Wraythe, the young lady ran over to hug her brother. He caught her, hugging back. "I am working today, Yamina."
She just blew that off. "That's what Wraythe said. Now he's my escort. Keeps Mother from trying to pawn me off on some idiot." Forcing a smile to her lips, she turned to my date. "Hello, Priest. I'm Yamina Ranndor. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"My lady," Edrik greeted her.
I made introductions all around. Just as I was finishing, Ela and Maela reached us, so I made sure they knew Edrik as well. Maela had a little toy tiara on her head, clearly a prize from one of the games, and Ela wore a necklace made of costume jewelry that clearly did not fit the rest of his attire.
"Having fun?" I teased.
"I will have you know that Yamina is a beast," Ela said. "She won my jewelry fair and square."
"And nothing for Wraythe?" I gasped playfully.
"Do not help her," Wraythe warned me.
Yamina just laughed. "I tried to give the necklace to him, but he was adamant that Ela needed it more. My goal is to make Wraythe have fun before the day's over."
"And to avoid my mother-in-law," Maela said. "Pia is around here somewhere, leading her entire family around like this is Zeal's holiday instead of Savi's."
"The Baron of Ambition is probably doing the same," Edrik assured her. "I suggest we start dancing so it would be rude to interrupt us."
