Weaver

Unexpected Gift

She sat in the back, with a cup of tea Azura had thrust into her hands as soon as she’d seen Alice’s face. Azura sat down on the desk opposite her and looked at her intently, “What is it?”

                Alice watched the tea slosh around in the tea cup and realized her hands were shaking. She was still that angry, “I pointed the listening telescope at that woman’s shop, Sara. She was talking about Altair…” she finally put the teacup down for fear that she’d send a tidal wave of earl grey over the papers on the desk.

                “Ah,” Azura folded her arms across her chest and raised one brow, “I take it she likes him?”
                Alice only nodded, her lips pressed together in a thin line.

                “And do you feel there’s a chance she may lure him away from you?”

                Alice stared down at her tea cup, considering this for a moment, “No,” she said thoughtfully, “I think he would find her ridiculous.”

                “Then what’s the problem?” There was a smile in Azura’s voice, even if she didn’t show it.

                “Well, she was talking about me too, saying how I wasn’t a challenge…”

                “But you just told me she wasn’t a challenge, that Altair would find her ridiculous. It seems you both have the same opinion of one another, only you’re the one who’s got Altair. Not her.”

                Alice couldn’t stop the smile from creeping across her face, “ You have such a way of putting everything so logically. Now I feel silly for having been so angry.” She picked up the tea again and took a long drink, it was still warm, “alright. I haven’t got anything to worry about, I get it.”

                Azura only shrugged and smiled, and luckily neither of them said anything else, because just at that moment Altair came thumping down the stairs and into the backroom. Alice gave him a careful once over, imagining what Sara saw when she looked at him. Shaggy blonde hair still wet from the shower, brilliant blue eyes and blonde lashes, and yes….the start of a beard. The collar of his dress shirt was crooked, one side sticking up, and he had his hands shoved in the pockets of his faded blue jeans. How carefully disheveled he was.

                Alice made her way over to him and straightened his collar, leaning up on her toes to kiss him. He smelled like shampoo and cologne. Altair looked startled, “What was that for?”

                Azura was giving her an amused look and Alice shrugged, “just because.”

                More footsteps on the stairs this time, but much more delicate. It was Shakra, her dark hair curled onto the back of her neck in a neat bun, her brown eyes sleepy, “morning everyone.”

                “How did you sleep?” Alice asked, “I hope you haven’t been worrying…” she trailed off, because the look on Shakra’s face made it obvious she was very worried indeed.

                “We should talk,” she said, “all of us, what we’re going to do. If you won’t let me go to her then we should at least move the shop. She knows where we are.”

                Alice folded her arms across her chest, feeling stubborn, “I’m not running, Shakra. Honestly, I’m not even going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she’s scared me.”

                “But what is she comes herself next time?” Shakra said anxiously, “you won’t be able to just throw some magic spells at her. She’s a goddess.”