@fredhincanada @eminerale and everyone else, here you go!
“I’m having trouble seeing out there since your neighborhood actually has lamplighters,” Neeku whispered to Angelina as she peered out from behind the curtain on the window in the kitchen. “My ability to see in darkened conditions may be limited without Sheeba’s presence, but it should still work; I just can’t see in bright light. I know it’s just into your backyard, but still…”
Angelina took her by the shoulders and gently moved her aside, peering out herself. “It’s all clear, there’s no one by the streetlamps. You should be safe to leave.”
“How can you be sure?” Neeku asked, shoving past her and peering out once more, squinting her eyes and using her right wrist to shield her vision as best she could.
“I guess it’s one of the gifts from Frea,” Angelina said, shrugging her shoulders when Neeku turned around. “Bright lights don’t bother me; I can see in them just fine.”
“Hmm,” was all Neeku said as she turned back around and peered out again. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly before closing the curtain and turning around to face the young priestess. “All right, unlock the door. I should get going before I convince myself it’s better to stay the night and rest up…not that I think we’ll be getting much rest if I do stay the night.”
Angelina blushed and opened her mouth to speak, then closed it slowly. “So, you believe me, that there is no one outside in the garden?”
Neeku had been grinning at the blush, but let it slide at the brevity of the moment. “Yes, I believe you. Trust but verify, one of the tenets of my faith. You had plenty of time to reveal my existence before I awoke, so I trust you. If you say there’s no one out there, I believe you.”
Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, but Neeku only noticed them briefly before Angelina leaned down, placed both hands cupping her face, and kissed her quite thoroughly. After what felt like a minute or so, Neeku stopped being up on her tiptoes and reluctantly broke the kiss. Shakily, she leaned into the taller woman and said, “If that’s how you say you’re happy, I want to make you happy a lot more!”
Giggling, Angelina kissed Neeku’s forehead. “You better go before one of us convinces the other that you need to stay. We both have things to do before tomorrow. Our ‘date’ remember?” She winked when she said the last part.
“As if I could forget,” Neeku said, holding Angelina’s chin and bringing her head down to return the forehead kiss. “Make sure you lock up after I’m gone, all right? I know it’s a nice neighborhood and all, but don’t get careless.”
Rolling her eyes, Angelina said, “Yes mother,” and was rewarded with Neeku sticking her tongue out at her. She then reached over and unlocked the back door so Neeku could leave. Neeku gave Angelina’s rump a pinch before opening the door, earning her an outraged squeak.
Crouching down, since old habits died hard, the young assassin shuffled out. She made it a few steps out into the backyard and had started to turn back around to wave goodbye when she was knocked to her knees.
“Neeku!” Angelina hissed, conjuring a ball of fire into her hand as she whipped her head back and forth, trying to spot the assailant. “Who attacked you?” She hadn’t left the safety of her home, which made Neeku proud.
“No…one…attacked…me,” Neeku said, pain coloring her voice as she held her hand up placatingly. “Someone is just…very happy to witness my return to the world of the living.”
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Sheeba shouted mentally, giving Neeku the mental equivalent of a fierce hug followed by being shaken. I was worried sick! It’s been a couple of days since we last spoke!
“I…missed you too my Goddess,” Neeku said as she shakily got to her feet, waving off Angelina’s concern. Ignoring her, the young priestess left the safety of her house and hurried out to assist her. Her presence felt good as Neeku leaned on her with relief.
And what’s this? You’re being…touched…by one of Frea’s faithful? Sheeba said before getting quiet. No, it’s more than that. You’re sleeping with her! It wasn’t jealousy in her voice, but her tone was hurt, and that was the last thing Neeku wanted to do to her oldest friend.
“We’ll talk about this later, I promise!” Neeku thought at her Goddess, remembering at the last moment to not say the words out loud. “No reason to have two people mad at me,” she muttered to herself.
“What was that?” Both Angelina and Sheeba said at the same time, and Neeku couldn’t help but let out an amused chuckle. She felt -and saw- them both glare at her in annoyance.
“It’s nothing, I promise. Angelina, I thank you for your help and your concern, but you really should get back inside before some nosy neighbor looks out their window and sees you in the garden with someone nefarious.” Neeku gave up on brushing the dirt off her knees and began gently but firmly pushing the young priestess to go back inside.
Resisting the hint, Angelina looked deep into Neeku’s eyes. “Can She hear me when I talk to you?” she said, turning her gaze back and forth as if the Goddess of the Night was some speck in Neeku’s eyes.
I’m a Goddess, not some senile old bat who can’t hear! Sheeba said, indignation ringing in her voice, and it took some self-control for Neeku not to let it color her voice.
“She can hear you just fine, and you’re not going to be able to see Her in my eyes,” Neeku said, finally jerking her head away from Angelina turning it this way and that and stepping back. OK, maybe I couldn’t keep ALL the indignation away, she thought to herself.
“Sorry, I’m sure I’m being rude, I’ve just never had the chance to talk to a Goddess before! I mean, and not have them talk back,” Angelina apologized half-heartedly.
It’s not my fault she gave her faith to someone who’s so busy trying to take over the world that She doesn’t speak to her flock, Sheeba sniffed.
“Would you please just answer one question of hers, for me? Then, we’ll head out and I can tell you all about why we’re going to be working with a priestess of Frea,” Neeku asked her Goddess. After a few seconds, she felt a grudging acceptance, so she looked up at Angelina and said, “She says that She will answer one question from you before we have to go.”
“Wow, one question; let me think, I need to make sure it’s a good one,” Angelina said, beginning to pace back and forth while Neeku kept scanning around them. None of the neighbors had turned on any lights in their rooms, but she couldn’t help but feel exposed being out in the open like this. But she knew that if she tried to rush her friend, it wouldn’t go well. So, biting her tongue but rocking back and forth on her heels, Neeku waited.
Finally, Angelina clapped her hands and spun towards Neeku, who couldn’t help but think that it’s a good thing she wasn’t accompanying her on this stealthy mission. “I know what I want to ask!” She then got quiet before continuing. “Does Sheeba hear everyone who prays to Her, or does She only hear one person at a time? And can She talk to everyone who does pray to Her or is it just…you?”
Technically that’s two questions, Sheeba said before Neeku shushed her.
“I’m sorry, I know that was rude, but this is important, to her, and I guess to me as well, so could you please just…answer her questions,” Neeku pleaded.
We WILL have a talk about your rudeness later, my child, but for your sake I will answer the questions. Sheeba paused for a second, as if gathering Her thoughts. Yes, I can ‘hear’ everyone that prays to me, although lately that’s only a handful of faithful all over the world. We aren’t like mortals, who have trouble holding more than one or two conversations at a time. And while I could talk to anyone that prays to me, most of the time they’re not looking for a conversation, just someone to listen to them. So that’s what I do, I listen. Very rarely do I intervene, since I have limited power and I reserve that for my most faithful. Sheeba hugged Neeku mentally, and it was wonderful. Now, you may go ahead and repeat my words, She said.
Neeku repeated what her Goddess had told her, and it was disheartening to watch Angelina deflate upon hearing her words. “I…see. Please, Sheeba, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, unworthy though you may view me. I appreciate it.” She then leaned down, gently kissed Neeku on the lips, and shuffled her way back inside, not seeming to notice nor care that the back of her robe dragged in the dirt of the garden. The young priestess went back into her house and shut the door, not even looking back as the sound of the door locking echoed like a shot in the silence of the night. At least, that’s how it sounded to Neeku.
May I ask what that was about? The young woman acted like I pronounced a death sentence on her, Sheeba sniffed.
“She…she doesn’t have the relationship with her Goddess that I do with you, and she’s suspected for some time -I imagine- that it’s kind of empty. Hearing your words, and getting confirmation, it’s like she’s dedicated her life to someone who doesn’t even know she’s alive. That’s got to hurt,” Neeku replied.
Oh, was all the Goddess could say. She remained silent while Neeku ran to the stone wall surrounding the garden, checked to make sure her right hand had returned, and vaulted over it while continuing to scan for people. It was just past 23rd Bell, so the chances of people being out and about -especially in this part of town- were rare, but Neeku rather be safe than sorry.
“I do want to say that I’m incredibly grateful for you, Sheeba. You pulled me out of a horrible situation in my youth, and joining up with you has been one of the best decisions of my young life. Just want you to know that, in case I don’t say it enough.”
Even if you don’t say the words, I know your heart, my child. But thank you, even Goddesses like being told they’re appreciated every now and then, Sheeba replied. Now, may I ask where we’re going? And why you were in the house of a priestess of Frea? It was like you completely disappeared from all my senses when she took you inside!
“She inherited the house from her father, who was a high-ranking priest of Frea, so the house is fully dedicated to Her. I’m not surprised you couldn’t locate me,” Neeku thought as she travelled down back allies, leaving the nicer neighborhood behind and heading towards the poorer part of town. She kept one ear open for patrols and one eye on the rooftops, just in case an ambush happened. They made good time down a few more streets before she replied.
“As to where we’re going, I figure there’s one place in town that they wouldn’t think to look for me again, since it’s where I was ‘found’: the morgue. Dim, quiet, the perfect place to lay low until tomorrow night when I’ll meet up with Angelina again and see what she found out for me.” A brief memory of kissing the young priestess arose, and Neeku quickly banished it, but not before Sheeba took note and gave a throaty chuckle.
Not exactly who I would have picked for you, but they do say opposites attract. Your logic is sound, and the morgue seems like a great place to hide out, but why are you meeting up with Angelina again tomorrow night? Another romantic tryst? The Goddess teased Neeku.
“Not at all. She’s hired me. She wants to bring down the church of Frea, recognizing its corrupt and rotten to the core.” A worthy goal to add to my list, she thought proudly.
Ah. Well, you know what they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend…or in your case, lover, Sheeba purred, much to Neeku’s chagrin.
“If I said I missed you, I must’ve been crazy,” Neeku snarled and Sheeba laughed.
