The Curse in Her Blood

Chapter 36

Set

I'm sure it seemed to be an eternity of whispered incantations to Robin before the ritual was complete, when it reality it was only a good hour later. Despite it being only an hour of our time, both I and Robin were exhausted by the time we were done. I irrationally found myself so proud that she had taken this as well as she had, that she had stood there, bloody fingers intertwined with mine for the entirety of the ritual.

She never once flinched or shied away. She made no mention of being tired, she merely whispered the words as if she had done this a million times before with me. She did better than I could have ever imagined.

When it was done, with our hands still bound, we moved to the walls of the palace to look at our work.

Already I could see that the land was looking greener, lusher. It wasn't full but the people would have a good harvest this quarter, which was more than I could ask for.

The village would wake soon. Soon people would take notice of the change. I would be excited and eager to hear the beginning of their celebrations, all of them happy to be receiving the blessing their land had so desperately needed.

We were quiet, Robin and I, and I suppose I didn't quite realize how tired she really was until her head knocked into my shoulder. I came to the sudden and shocking realization that she was willing and voluntarily leaning against me.

"I'm glad it worked," she had whispered to me, her voice light on the dawn air. "I was worried."

I knew then that I was going to do something to reward her for her kindness, for her help. I started by healing the incision on her arm. I had enough power left in me to do that for her.

A thin layer of Seti Heb over the wound and a bit of my power and the slice healed right away. All worth the instant exhaustion to see the wonder light up in her eyes, to see it pointed in my direction.

She breathed out a thank you and I found I could only nod to her. What I wanted to do was reach between the distance grab the back of her head and bring her to me. Maybe to kiss her, maybe to press my forehead to her for a moment of shared closeness. Instead, I sent her off to rest, knowing I should rest myself, but instead, I called my servants forth and told them of my plan.

A picnic, I requested. Set up on the paths, all her favourites. Tea, sandwiches, those little personal cakes she made, I wanted them all. I had them spread out blankets and cushions for us to lounge on. I didn't call for her until it was all ready, I had a feeling my servants would have to wake her for this, and I did so hope that she wouldn't be angry.

I just didn't want her to miss the view.

Eventually Robin did come to join me. She walked towards me, in a black shift that seemed to hug her in all the right ways. Something about seeing her in my colors always set me ablaze. It was hard reminding myself that she actually wasn't Astarte, and because of that I didn't actually want her and she wouldn't want me.

"They said you were asking for me?" she says when she reached me.

"Yes, please join me." I reach out and pat the spot beside me. When she sits I offer her a cup of tea already made to her specifications. "I know you'd rather be sleeping, but I thought... well I hoped... that you might want to watch the stars set with me."

Robin was busy arranging the skirt of her shift around her ankles all while getting comfortable on the blankets with a mug in her hand. She glances to me first and then up to the sky. The sun was slowly rising, Horus not being quick to bring it up today. That left the pink at the edges as it sat where it was, waiting for Horus to call it up. She then looks around.