Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

An Epidemic

Gao-Noua invites Maeve and Alosrin to a friendly riddle competition in a hall of flowers, but Queen and Fah and the niece tag along after breakfast.

"What can you hold in your right hand that you can't with your left hand?" Gao-Noua asks while fanning away her flirtatious chuckles.

Although it seems that the whole room could've known the answer, all are a little shy to suggest a response.

"My left hand," Niowei raises her hand high into the air with a proud smile. "I got it correct, right mommy?"

Gao-Noua rolls her eyes in disappointment with everyone else, "You're correct. Next time, I'll make my riddle even harder."

Then she chuckles at her own silliness.

"What points with a hole, but is not used to eat with a bowl?" Niowei asks with a confident smiles.

"It's a needle," the niece answers with a sigh. And without hearing Niowei's confirmation, she asks her riddle, "What is stolen from blood and yet can't even offer a leaf bud?"

Gao-Noua averts her eyes to the side since the niece has been trying to get at her all morning.

"Leave my son out of this," Queen Fah narrows her brows and grips at her knee angrily.

"That's correct! Go on Queen Fah," the niece smiles and sips her cup of tea.

Queen Fah takes in a deep breath and holds in her wrath just a bit longer, "The son was born before his father and yet as old as his mother."

"Very good word play, Queen Mother. The father helped deliver the son and when the son was born, he looked very wrinkly like his elderly mother."

"Did I make it too easy?" Queen Fah makes a worried look but quickly masks with a smile.

"Of course not, I just happened to hear it before," Gao-Noua smiles before turning to Alosrin with a serious tone. "You haven't answer any of the riddles. And as I promised, I'll make this one really hard and I hope you'll at least try."

With a courteous voice, Gao-Noua asks, "What is a beauty to behold, an ephemeral affair short like a breath and walk with death?"

Alosrin holds his stoic face in place with Niowei who is contemplating diligently on the riddle and sitting on his lap.

"Could that be life?" Maeve answers to help move the gazes away from Alosrin.

"But I really wanted for your cousin to answer it," Gao-Noua pouts a little then easily gets over it.

Maeve tugs at Alosrin's sleeves, "Would you mind asking us a riddle?"

"Why not?" Alosrin replies with a warm smile after glancing at Maeve. "What is a son of the heavens that has never seen the light of day or the starry sky of the night?"

"A baby inside the mommy's tummy!" Niowei claps her hands and lowers her head to listen to Alosrin's abdominal region. "Do I have a baby sister?"

Alosrin's lips parted with the corners sliding away from another, "My silly child, that's not the answer."

Then as the others slowly gives up one by one, King Junway, Nillin and their company come to join the fun.

"I told him everything," King Junway says as he sits down beside his wife.

Her brows are pinched together with a sign of worries, "And what happened after that?"

King Junway gestures to Nillin who sits beside Maeve and a sleeping Nisara.

"You were right," Nillin whispers to Maeve. "But let's ask Mother how he will take this."

"Mother, they want you and Yllathanise to stay behind else they'll imprison us all, but just give me the words and I'll do my best to take us back home."