Chapter 58: A Stroll Among Trees

Flicker wandered ahead of us, sniffing at the feet of passing Eclipserans and occasionally stopping to investigate something along the walls. Unlike me, he seemed perfectly comfortable among the other demons. His tail wagged whenever something caught his interest, and he paid little attention to the larger creatures moving through the crowd.

"He's getting rather adventurous, isn't he?" Splendith immediately moved to catch him, but I stopped her with an extended hand.

"He's always been like that." I didn't tell her the truth. Flicker was my early warning system. Thanks to his contract, I knew he would flee whenever danger approached, which meant that as long as Flicker was around, I was safe. As long as he was around, I couldn't be harmed.

I scratched Flicker behind his ears and stood. Splendith lowered her hands, looking a little disappointed. She recovered quickly enough and moved ahead to lead us toward the nearest stalls.

The shops weren't particularly different from those in Solivara. Merchants arranged their goods where customers could examine them, while others kept most of their merchandise behind counters. Some sold clothing, others decorations, and a few displayed things whose purposes I couldn't determine. The main difference was how little physical work the Eclipserans seemed to do themselves.

At one stall, an Eclipseran was selecting fabrics while a demon stood beside her holding several rolls. She examined one, made a dissatisfied expression, and gestured toward another. The demon immediately shifted its load, allowing her to inspect the next selection. When she finally found something she liked, she began negotiating with the merchant.

I moved closer, pretending to look at the fabrics when I was really just eavesdropping. They were discussing the time they could offer from their summons. The buyer would loan a sculptor for a week in exchange for the fabric. Magnavex had explained it to me, but it still sounded baffling. They used their demons' time as currency. Neither bothered to touch the merchandise again until their discussion was finished.

I watched the exchange while Splendith explained something about the surrounding shops. The merchant apparently didn't have the appropriate summons to handle a larger delivery, because another Eclipseran soon joined their discussion. After a short negotiation, the newcomer called over two demons that had been standing farther down the passage. They collected the selected fabrics and carried them away, leaving their summoners to finish whatever arrangement they'd made.

We moved away, heading toward a nearby food stall, when a group of Eclipserans approached from the opposite direction. Splendith immediately shifted closer, placing herself between me and the approaching crowd. It was a rather unnecessary precaution. Flicker did not vanish, so I stepped through a small opening without slowing.

Splendith hesitated, then hurried around the others to catch up. Indolyn, who had been following behind us, glanced at her before looking toward me. She seemed about to say something, but apparently thought better of it.

I hadn't meant to leave Splendith behind. She was trying to help, and I appreciated that. It was simply much easier to find my own way through the crowd. Besides, Raven and Ezkyrath had both been teaching me to pay attention to how people moved. Whether in combat or out of it, I could tell where people intended to go.

The farther we went, the more I noticed the differences between the shops. Near the entrance, most of the merchants seemed to be selling finished goods. Farther inside, I found several places where Eclipserans brought objects to be repaired, altered, or decorated. The work itself was generally performed by summoned demons, while their owners supervised or discussed what the customers wanted.

Between bites of the frozen treat Splendith had bought me, I noticed one particularly busy establishment. Several demons were moving large decorative panels through an open doorway. Two Eclipserans stood nearby, examining the walls and gesturing toward the ceiling. One seemed dissatisfied with where the panels were being placed. The other listened patiently, then directed the demons to move everything again.

I watched as they carried a large panel back across the room, lifted it into position, and held it there while the Eclipserans continued talking. After several minutes, they moved it a little farther to the left, then back to the right, and then left again.

I almost felt sorry for them. Almost.

Splendith noticed what had caught my attention and began explaining how the decorations were arranged. I pretended to listen while watching the demons, although I was more interested in the process than the finished result. The Eclipserans seemed to take considerable pride in their surroundings. Even this relatively ordinary establishment had elaborate decorations covering its walls, and someone was apparently willing to spend a substantial amount of effort improving them.

Well, someone else's effort.

That was another thing I was beginning to notice. Eclipserans rarely seemed to do anything besides talk. They were perfectly capable of walking around, examining merchandise, and arguing with one another, but the moment something needed to be carried, moved, or created, a summon appeared to handle it.

Another demon carrying a jug turned sideways to maneuver through the doorway, drawing my attention. It was considerably larger than the others, with broad shoulders, powerful-looking arms, and legs that were short in proportion to its body. It carried its load without difficulty, but its movements were less graceful than Raven's. Whenever it changed direction, its entire body had to turn.

I found myself studying it more carefully. Its arms would give it an advantage if it managed to grab me. I certainly wouldn't want to get caught between them. On the other hand, its reach wasn't as great as I had initially assumed. Most of its height came from its upper body, and its short legs limited how quickly it could reposition itself. If I kept my distance and avoided a direct contest of strength, I might be able to take advantage of that.

I considered how I would approach it. I had spent enough time training to know that appearances could be deceiving. Ezkyrath had made that point repeatedly, and Raven had been even more thorough about demonstrating it. A creature could be faster than it looked or possess abilities that weren't immediately obvious. Still, I thought I could manage.

I continued watching until the demon disappeared through the doorway. That was a rather pleasant thought. I wasn't going to test it, of course, even if I had been allowed to challenge random demons in the middle of a marketplace.

I adjusted the sword at my hip and turned to rejoin the others. Splendith was standing a little behind me, watching the large demon with a concerned expression. She looked from it to my sword, then took a step closer as though preparing to guide me away.

"I'm fine," I told her before she could say anything.

Her expression changed. "Of course, my Lord."

She lowered the hand she'd been reaching toward me with. Indolyn had been watching the exchange. She glanced at the demon, then at my sword, before stepping aside to let me pass.

As Olive, I was enjoying a considerably quieter afternoon.

Emma and I had stopped along the trail back toward Tillshade. We'd already finished my work for the day, and there wasn't any particular reason to hurry home. The path was familiar, and we weren't far from where it joined one of the older trails. A large tree stood beside the crossing, its branches providing plenty of shade.

I had intended to sit down for a few minutes. That had been a while ago.

Emma was leaning against me, her shoulder pressed against mine and her hand resting comfortably in my lap. I held it between both of mine, occasionally rubbing my thumb across her fingers. She didn't seem particularly interested in moving, and I wasn't going to complain. The ground was reasonably comfortable, although a root pressed against my leg whenever I shifted too far to one side. I'd already adjusted myself twice to avoid it. Emma had noticed the second time and moved with me without saying anything.

That was nice. I liked how easily we could sit together now. I still enjoyed showing her things and finding places we could visit, but there was something wonderful about not having to do anything at all. We could just sit beneath a tree, holding hands, and neither of us seemed to mind. Well, I certainly didn't.

Emma rested her head against my shoulder. I tilted mine toward hers, enjoying the feeling of her hair brushing against my cheek. Somewhere above us, a bird called, and I looked up to see whether I recognized it. The branches were thick enough to make finding it difficult, but I knew roughly where it had landed. I considered pointing it out to Emma, then decided against it. She looked comfortable, and there would be plenty of birds to show her another time.

A breeze moved through the branches, sending a few leaves tumbling toward the ground. One landed on Emma's leg. I reached over, picked it up, and turned it between my fingers. When I looked up, I caught her smiling at me. That was much more interesting than the leaf. I placed it aside and leaned closer. Emma's smile widened before she lowered her head against my shoulder again, and I wrapped my arm around her.

I really liked this.

Through Lucarion, I could still hear the voices of Eclipserans and the footsteps of demons moving along the stone passages, but I wasn't frightened the way I had been earlier. I could pay attention to the people around Lucarion without losing the pleasant warmth of Emma resting against Olive. There was no reason I couldn't enjoy both experiences.

By the time we reached the next section of the district, I'd stopped paying quite so much attention to every demon that passed us, though I made sure to keep Flicker in my line of sight.

A demon carried a stack of packages past a group of Eclipserans playing cards. One of the players laughed loudly enough to attract attention from several nearby tables, while another threw down his cards in obvious frustration. Nobody paid the demon any particular attention. I watched the game for a moment, trying to determine whether I recognized it. The cards were different from the ones I used with Mira, but the players' reactions were familiar enough. There was always someone who took losing too seriously.

The surrounding tables were occupied by Eclipserans of different ages, some watching the game while others were occupied with their own conversations. A few had summoned demons standing nearby, holding refreshments or personal belongings. Most of the demons remained still until their owners needed something. It was a peculiar sight, but I was getting used to it.

We passed several more shops before reaching a particularly colorful section of the district. Paintings covered the walls from floor to ceiling, interrupted by tapestries hanging between the doorways. Some depicted historical scenes I recognized from the manor, while others showed unfamiliar landscapes and decorative patterns.

The people here seemed to take considerable pride in their surroundings. One Eclipseran was standing outside his establishment, comparing two different tapestries while a demon held them against the wall. He changed his mind several times before finally choosing one, only to reconsider when another Eclipseran offered an opinion. I found that rather amusing. Apparently, having demons available to perform all the work didn't make choosing decorations any easier.

A little farther along, we encountered another group discussing a painted wall. One preferred the existing colors, while another apparently wanted something different. Their disagreement had attracted several spectators, all of whom seemed perfectly happy to contribute their own opinions. I hadn't expected Eclipserans to argue about decorating. Then again, why wouldn't they? What else did they have to argue about when they had their demons do everything else?

Splendith noticed my amusement and brightened immediately. She moved closer, apparently pleased that I'd found something interesting. She began pointing out some of her favorite decorations, occasionally forgetting which one she meant to show me when another caught her attention. I followed her explanations as we walked. She knew considerably more about the artwork than I did, and it was nice seeing her so enthusiastic about something.

At one point, she reached over and straightened the collar of my clothing. I looked up at her. I didn't quite like having her touch me, not when compared with Emma resting her head on my shoulder. She paused, her hands still resting near my shoulders.

"There. Much better."

"Thanks," I said politely.

It was a small thing, but she seemed rather pleased with herself afterward. I supposed she'd been hoping for an opportunity to help me with something. I didn't mind. She was nice, even if she sometimes treated me as though I were much younger than I actually was. Although, considering Lucarion wasn't even a year old yet, perhaps that wasn't entirely unreasonable.

We eventually reached a quieter passage where the crowds had thinned considerably. The shops were smaller here, and the decorations seemed more personal. Some had paintings covering entire walls, while others displayed only a few carefully placed tapestries.

Emma and I were still sitting beneath the tree. I'd started thinking about how much of the afternoon we'd spent there when I realized that I didn't particularly care. We were finished with our work, and there wasn't anything urgent waiting for us in Tillshade. Emma had shifted so that she was leaning more comfortably against my side. I had one arm around her shoulders, while my other hand rested on the ground beside me.

The sun had moved enough that the shadows beneath the tree were beginning to change. A patch of sunlight reached Emma's legs, and she stretched them into it without lifting her head from my shoulder. I smiled. It was funny how something so simple could make me happy. I usually preferred doing things. Exploring the forest, practicing magic, training, or finding something interesting to investigate. Even when I was supposed to be resting, I often ended up thinking about what I should do next.

But I didn't feel like doing any of that. I was perfectly happy sitting here. Though I guess I was currently taking a stroll through a marketplace surrounded by demons, but funnily enough, I didn't think that was why my heart was racing.

We eventually decided to continue walking toward Tillshade. We hadn't gone particularly far before stopping, but we'd spent enough time beneath the tree that the afternoon was getting on. Emma rose first, brushing a few leaves from her clothes before offering me a hand. I accepted, although I hardly needed the help. She pulled me to my feet, and I took the opportunity to step closer and hug her.

Emma laughed softly. There was something wonderful about being able to hug her whenever I wanted. I still remembered how nervous I'd been when we first started spending time together. Sometimes I'd spent so long wondering whether I should hold her hand that I'd nearly forgotten what we were supposed to be doing.

Now I could just do it. Well, mostly. I did have a marching band in my chest at the moment.

Emma rested her arms around me for a moment before gently pulling away. I took her hand, and we resumed walking toward Tillshade. The forest was familiar enough that I didn't need to concentrate much on finding the path. I knew the roots that crossed it, the places where rainwater collected, and which stretches became slippery after bad weather.

Emma followed beside me, occasionally looking up at the branches or toward something moving through the undergrowth. Whenever she noticed something interesting, I slowed so we could look at it together. I liked showing her the forest. There were so many things I wanted her to see, and we hadn't even reached the more interesting places yet. I thought about the picnic spot farther along the unfinished trail. Hopefully, I'd be allowed to go there soon.

I gave Emma's hand a squeeze. She looked at me, smiling, and I smiled back as we continued walking.

As Lucarion, I had stopped before a large painting. It covered most of the wall beside a shop, stretching from the floor to a point well above my head. The artist had put considerable effort into it, using several shades of green and brown to depict a forest beneath a pale blue sky. I recognized what it was supposed to represent immediately. At least, I recognized the general idea.

The trees were rather strange. Their branches spread outward in neat, almost identical arrangements. Each tree was covered in thick clusters of leaves, carefully arranged so that there were hardly any gaps between them. This meant you couldn't see anything of the trunks. They looked more like bushes made of tree leaves than actual trees.

It looked more like someone had arranged the trees for a painting than an actual forest. I supposed that made sense. The Eclipserans seemed to prefer neat, carefully organized decorations. I'd noticed similar patterns in several of the paintings we'd passed, and even the artificial sky above us had been arranged into sections of different colors. This artist had apparently applied the same approach to trees.

I stepped closer to examine the details. Indolyn joined me and admired the painting.

"Th-this is like your tapestry in front of your..." She trailed off.

"A tree," Splendith said.

I nodded, unsure why Indolyn seemed so nervous. Splendith looked rather pleased that she'd recognized it.

Indolyn leaned toward me, glancing in all directions before whispering, "Are there trees back on Earth?"

A breeze moved through the forest, and Olive felt a few leaves brush against her hair.

I smiled. "Yes, some really big ones, too."

"Yours didn't have the green all over, and it had more brown lines at the bottom," Indolyn said carefully.

"No, they don't tend to do that. The leaves are only along the branches, not really on the trunk, and the bottom part is the roots of the tree."

Both girls seemed to consider that as they stared at the depiction.

Did... did they not know what trees looked like?

The painted forest remained in my thoughts as Lucarion followed Splendith and Indolyn through another passage. Now I was beginning to notice how differently the artists represented things I knew. Some paintings were more convincing than others. A few depicted landscapes that were easy enough to recognize, while others had strange proportions or arrangements. I couldn't always tell whether those differences were intentional or simply the result of the artist's imagination.

Either way, the Eclipserans seemed to like them.

I passed a shop displaying several smaller paintings, each showing a different landscape. An Eclipseran stood examining them while a companion offered opinions. They eventually selected one and arranged for a demon to carry it away.

The chosen painting showed a broad stretch of green beneath a colorful sky, much like the ceiling. There was a river flowing through the painting, with clouds directly above it dropping water into the river, but nowhere else.

"Do you have those too?" Indolyn asked.

"Rivers? Clouds?" I asked incredulously.

"Clouds. I heard they drop water into rivers and wells so people can bathe and drink."

"Yes, we have clouds, but they drop water wherever, not just in rivers."

I should take Emma to a deeper river. It would be so fun to play and swim in the water with her. I smiled to myself, and Splendith noticed and returned the smile, apparently satisfied that I was enjoying the outing.

Indolyn chuckled, seemingly uncertain whether I was joking or not.

Do they not know how rain works?