hwango

Tezera was having unkind thoughts about peonies. Well, really just the particular one that she was trying to paint at the moment. It sat there in her painting, mocking her with how unlike a peony it looked. All of the other flowers looked delightful, so why wasn't the peony cooperating? On second thought, maybe she despised all peonies after all. Or maybe it was time for a break. Although, she hated to waste any of the good light she had at the moment, since it was the first decent weather in days. No, she really should stop before she made it worse.

The moment Tezera set down her brush, the tiny bell by the window chimed. Tezera looked over to see a small messenger bird perched on the sill, looking at her expectantly. She realized that the timing had not been a coincidence, and it must have been waiting for her to pause her painting so it wouldn't interrupt her. She appreciated it being so considerate, and tipped it extravagantly to show her thanks. Then she collected her message from the tiny case around its neck. The bird hastily ate the seeds it had been paid, and then it flew off to pick up its next message. Doubtless it was having a busy day as well, now that it could finally deliver messages without flying in the rain.

Tezera unfolded the tiny square of paper and read the short message. Cousin Orazin sent his regrets, but he would not be able to attend her wedding. Well, then.

Tezera had a complicated relationship with much of her extended family, and Orazin definitely fell onto the list of people she felt obligated to invite, but hoped would not attend. However, his refusal was another piece in a troubling pattern.

Too distracted now to do any more battle with her nemesis the peony, Tezera decided to see if her fiancée Deng could be persuaded to cut his workday short and join her for an early dinner. She was most of the way to his workshop when it started to rain again, and she felt vindicated that she hadn't wasted that much good light after all.

As it happened, Deng was in the midst of applying varnish to a chair, a task best not interrupted. He was, however, happy to have company while he finished, and he pointed out to Tezera which chairs in the workshop were finished enough to be sat upon. She selected a sibling of the one he was working on, for symmetry.

"And how is it?" he asked.

"Oh, very comfortable," she said. "I am marrying a master of his craft."

Deng snorted in reply. "Tell that to Tyrisos. I've had to strip and varnish this lot three times because he keeps complaining that the color is wrong."

"Well, it's pleasant enough to sit on, even if it is hideous" Tezera said, and Deng threw a tiny piece of wood at her in mock outrage. She retaliated with superior accuracy, and he pressed his hand over his heart as if dealt a mortal blow, adding a faint handprint to the stains already present on his apron. Then he miraculously recovered and resumed his brushing.

"How goes the painting?" he asked.

"Peonies are now my least favorite flower," Tezera said.

"Well then, they are banned from our wedding," Deng said gravely.

"Agreed," Tezera said. "Speaking of things that won't be at our wedding, Orazin sends his regrets."

"You are doubtless heartbroken," Deng said.

"Naturally. But Chorisos, Ketel, and Requa have all said they aren't coming either."

Deng paused a moment to process the list. "Shame about Requa, I thought she'd make an effort to be there for her only niece. Chorisos and Ketel aren't much of a surprise, though you'd think at least one of them would be enticed by a party with free food even if they don't like us very much," he said. Still, refusals could sting even if they were from people you didn't like. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Well, Requa is a bit of a disappointment, but I won't miss the rest of them, that's for certain. It's just...," Tezera began, but seemed reluctant to finish the thought. Something particular about the list of names clicked into place for Deng, and he paused his brushing to give Tezera his full attention.

"Are you worried that they...know something?" he asked.

"It's silly. I know they're all charlatans and con artists." Tezera said. Allegedly, that side of her family had a strong talent for reading omens, soothsaying, and telling fortunes. Tezera had seen enough of the mechanics of the family business to come to the conclusion that they were all fakes and liars, and she was not shy about saying so. This was why her relationship with her family was so strained, particularly with those of them who made their living practicing their supposed talents - those individuals being Orazin, Chorisos, Ketel, and Requa.

"One supposed seer declining to attend would be unremarkable, two would be coincidence, but all four is suspicious indeed," Deng said. "Do you think something will happen at the wedding?" The drumming of the rain on the roof intensified, and thunder rumbled in the distance.

"It certainly sounds like the weather thinks so," Tezera said. Deng just raised an eyebrow at the evasion.

"No," Tezera said dismissively, "It seems far more likely that they simply don't want to be there, and there is no point wishing that they felt otherwise. I'm sure I'm reading too much into it, and everything is going to be perfect."

"Especially now that there won't be peonies there," Deng said.

"Exactly!" Tezera said with real conviction.

"Well then, it's decided," said Deng. "In a few weeks we'll be married without incident, and you'll officially make me the luckiest man in Atlantis."

Outside, the storm worsened.