Late night: Garden
The moon had risen hours before, but there was still silvered light pouring down on the garden. Zhaan had taken advantage of it, sitting with her knees drawn up on one of the benches. Her eyes were distant as the plants settled down for the late night frost to come.
Small rustlings came from here and there, animals crossing through their territory, bugs seeking out food.
A conversation she'd had days ago drifted across her mind, and a pensive twist came to her lips.
"Don't you ever get lonely?"
The girl looks up from her task, half-smiles, "I could ask the same of you." The voice doesn't match the body. The age in her eyes is too old for the dozen years she appears to have.
"You could." Zhaan ducks her head to smell the tea, a smile tracing across her lips. "But I am not exactly human, my dear."
"And neither am I," the girl points out, her tone ironic. She's nearly finished, her hands almost still again.
"Are you not?" Amused disbelief colours Zhaan's tone. She sips at the peach and lemon tea, appreciating the calm it infuses.
The girl snorts and tosses the origami chicken at Zhaan. "We've had this conversation before."
And probably would again.
Zhaan shifted, her body deciding it was high time she moved. The garden stilled for a moment, then the moment had passed.
Glancing up, she noted that it was later than it should be, and she should sleep, even a tenth-level Pa'u required rest. Unfolding herself, she placed a hand on the bench, atop the sheet of paper that still contained carefully creased folds.
She fingered the edge, then stood and left it on the bench to gather sunlight or rain as it would.
Small rustlings came from here and there, animals crossing through their territory, bugs seeking out food.
A conversation she'd had days ago drifted across her mind, and a pensive twist came to her lips.
"Don't you ever get lonely?"
The girl looks up from her task, half-smiles, "I could ask the same of you." The voice doesn't match the body. The age in her eyes is too old for the dozen years she appears to have.
"You could." Zhaan ducks her head to smell the tea, a smile tracing across her lips. "But I am not exactly human, my dear."
"And neither am I," the girl points out, her tone ironic. She's nearly finished, her hands almost still again.
"Are you not?" Amused disbelief colours Zhaan's tone. She sips at the peach and lemon tea, appreciating the calm it infuses.
The girl snorts and tosses the origami chicken at Zhaan. "We've had this conversation before."
And probably would again.
Zhaan shifted, her body deciding it was high time she moved. The garden stilled for a moment, then the moment had passed.
Glancing up, she noted that it was later than it should be, and she should sleep, even a tenth-level Pa'u required rest. Unfolding herself, she placed a hand on the bench, atop the sheet of paper that still contained carefully creased folds.
She fingered the edge, then stood and left it on the bench to gather sunlight or rain as it would.