Aion is sleeping soundly beside him when a rap sounds at their door: a messenger, with a summons for a court meeting. Eros thanks him before sending him on his way, and returns to their room to make sure the noise hadn’t awoken Maret. She is still curled around her stuffed lion, tiny nostrils quivering as she snores. Working carefully and quietly from the dim morning light at the window, Eros does his best to get ready without disturbing either of them. It takes him longer than usual, but he can’t help himself from admiring how peaceful his husband and daughter look. He presses a gentle kiss to each of their foreheads before he leaves and whispers that he’ll be back soon.
In the courtyard people are gathering and he can see Ipomoea amongst the crowd. Po, his friend—the new king. Eros makes his way into the court and smiles his greeting to a few acquaintances. He spots Mateo and Somnus, and a few he does not recognize. In time he’s sure they will become familiar faces, just as he had once been a newcomer. But for now he’s content to focus on Po and wait for them to introduce themselves later.
Po spins a plant from the soil, knobby stems and periwinkle flowers materializing at his feet. “Together we will bloom, and our colors will be the brightest of them all.” Of that, Eros has no doubt. But he has a flower of his own at home to see bloom, and he wants to spend every minute he can watching her grow.
So he waits until the crowd disperses, and approaches his friend to tell him such.“I know you will choose an excellent new Champion of Community, and hope you will come visit my and Aion’s growing family sometime soon. I’m sure little Maret would love to meet the new king.”
x
In the courtyard people are gathering and he can see Ipomoea amongst the crowd. Po, his friend—the new king. Eros makes his way into the court and smiles his greeting to a few acquaintances. He spots Mateo and Somnus, and a few he does not recognize. In time he’s sure they will become familiar faces, just as he had once been a newcomer. But for now he’s content to focus on Po and wait for them to introduce themselves later.
Po spins a plant from the soil, knobby stems and periwinkle flowers materializing at his feet. “Together we will bloom, and our colors will be the brightest of them all.” Of that, Eros has no doubt. But he has a flower of his own at home to see bloom, and he wants to spend every minute he can watching her grow.
So he waits until the crowd disperses, and approaches his friend to tell him such.
x
