light_of_the_world | Next cometh Autumn with the sun so hot and piercing...

Back home, the court moved. Breguswith had explained it to Hild once, when she was a child and adamantly against such constant travel. She wanted to stay in a place long enough to learn its habits, to discover its secret places, to feel it with her whole skin. But as her mother pointed out, a king could not remain in one area for so long, not if he wished to keep his thegns in line with his powerful presence and keep his court from eating those thegns out of house and home. And so they had drifted from castle to castle, following the shifting seasons, keeping time with the different vills. Bebbanburg, Yeavering, Tinamutha, once, Brough, Sancton, Goodmanham, York.

But time did not need a changing landscape to move on. Hild found herself on the cusp of fall, without York, for the first time in more than a decade. Darrow did not have York's sweet apples or pears, nor its wars. It did have something called a pumpkin spice latte, however, which was almost as delicious as the overexcited barista had told Hild it would be. She had ordered two if only to calm the woman, but she had reasoned that anything that garnered such praise, mostly earnest, had to be passing good.

Balancing a tray of coffees and a few scones in one hand, Hild texted a few of her friends with the other, inviting them each to join her in the park, if they had the time. The first to arrive could have the spare latte. So she said. Hild had every intention of ensuring that each of her friends could share in the pumpkin spiced goodness.

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She raised her cup to hide her smile, giggling behind her hand. This was exactly the kind of thing Hild had denied herself back home: sex, fun, gossip. Being light and carefree and concerned only with herself and her friends. She liked it, odd though it was.

"Derek," she admitted with raised brows. "When I say he is a good lover, I know this for fact. And Krem."

Derek was not such a surprise as Krem in Hild's list of partners. Derek seemed to enjoy life to the fullest, in all its forms, and so he would likely enjoy such activities. Krem, though, Eowyn would admit to some surprise about, and she raised her eyebrows.

"I shall be sure to remember that, should I ever be in such a situation with Derek," Eowyn replied with an equal giggle, though she thought they both knew that was unlikely to ever occur. She did not think she was Derek's "type", as the phrasing was.

"I did not know that Krem's tastes included women, but I have not asked him such questions either."

Her smile softened a little at Eowyn's remarks about Krem. Their time had been enjoyable, but also special in a way that Hild was not at liberty to speak on. But she remembered it with more than passing fondness.

"He is shy in these things," Hild said. "Though I do not think he would lie if asked outright. He seemed to like my taste well enough," she joked with a devious smirk.

"I do not blame him for being so, made as he is," Eowyn agreed in stout defense of their friend. She felt protective of Krem, though she knew he did not need it, and likely would not want it. She sipped her drink as she considered what she might ask and what she might not, for she did not wish Hild to think that she asked too much.

"I am glad that you both found the experience enjoyable. And what of the other two, for you have not mentioned them. Can they not be discussed? Perhaps they wore a mask and you do not know their names?"

She nodded slightly at Eowyn's choice of words, not at all surprised that Krem had shared his secret with her. Hild herself already trusted Eowyn absolutely. She had the natural demeanor of a confidante.

"No masks," Hild said said with a little smile. "It is only that I do not think you know them. Edgar and Alec. Alec Scudder. I have not seen much of Edgar since, but I am quite fond of Alec. He reminds me of home, in a way."

She considered the names and then shook her head.

"I do not know them, but if this Alec Scudder reminds you of home, perhaps I ought to, for he might remind me of home as well. For all its pumpkin spice lattes, there is some comfort in things of home," she mused.

Hild laughed softly in agreement. "He has an honesty in his way," she said, growing more thoughtful. "Which is not to say that home and the court were honest, of course. But the people of the land were more true, to themselves and their desires."

Eowyn nodded in agreement.

"I could never say that the court was honest, especially not after the years we have had, but I did not doubt the wishes of people so much as here. Everyone is very polite, and I do not know if they mean what they say. I think I may always be most comfortable with those from times like my own, though I enjoy meeting others from different lands and places."

It was a different task, of course, to be king's niece and navigate the intrigues of a court and to be the king's seer and know the true hearts of men. Hild did not find that men had changed overmuch in the span between her time and this. Their trappings, their words, their manners, yes, but their desires were always the same.

"I think it is like learning a new horse," Hild said. "At first you do not know how hard or fast you can ride him, how he will respond to commands. But the longer you stay with him, the better you know his ways. Eventually, the ways of people here will become second nature to you."

"Perhaps, but I do not know that I wish them to be," she confessed. "For I am still convinced that I will return to the Mark, return to my people who need me. If I become too similar to those here, I will not seem at home in the Mark again, and I would never wish for that."

She might not speak that way to others, but she could say much to Hild. She understood.

Hild could understand her friend's concern, and saw through it to a stronger concern, a stronger truth. She adapted herself to Darrow as best, as quickly as she could. This was Hild's way, had always been her way. She put no thought into such actions because it was the only way she knew to survive. Know the ways of all men and you know what they will do. But in finding her place here in Darrow, was she, in spirit, giving up her place in Northumbria? If she became a modern woman, was she no longer an Anglisc?

"We women know how to remake ourselves," Hild said. "Seer and king's niece and lady." She pointed at herself, then Eowyn. "King's kin, shieldmaiden, horsewoman, mistress of hearth and hall. We are never one thing but many. To be one more thing, to know one more way of living, I do not think that will wash away all the other things you know and are. Not ever."

Hild spoke truth, as always, and spoke it with kindness for Eowyn. She knew that Hild could speak truth without kindness if needed, and trusted her friend to do so if it was required, but she was glad that kindness was part of this discussion.

"You are right. You are often right, and I thank you for reminding me of that. I will try to enjoy this land while I am here, learn what I can from it, and take that knowledge back to the Mark. Perhaps I may care for my people better if I can provide them with pumpkin spice lattes?"

Next cometh Autumn with the sun so hot and piercing...

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