The Path of Destinee - 6: Arrangements (ENDED)
Mate Paola Kivad sighed happily as she settled onto the edge of her bed, kicking off her shoes. Libara was proving a fascinating experience, and the evening with Lira's family – most specifically Lira's brother Leander – had been a welcome reminder of the comraderie of both her own family and her former unit on the Relentless, but she'd missed the warm caress of the Tenecknaab in her mind and the large collection of plants scattered throughout Lira's condominium were only happy to oblige.
She slipped from her clothes, tossing them in her laundry before tugging on her pajamas, arranging herself cross legged on the bed, her tablet propped in her lap. She'd brought her camera that evening to surreptitiously snag a collection of photographs of Lira and Leander interacting with the others, and wanted to see what she could do with them. If she could get the editing right, they'd make a nice gift for a special occasion.
Leander stretched out on his bed in his apartment, pulling his blankets up over himself as he reached for the tablet he'd discarded on the bedside table. It had been a good evening - mostly, except for his mother being, well, his mother. He had been happy to see how much Ethan was blossoming under the fae's - Isa's - tutelage, and he had been pleasantly surprised that Lira's roomate, Paola, had also joined them.
Paola. The canid woman was fun to be around, and he had to admit that he enjoyed her company more than he had enjoyed anyone outside the family since - no, he didn't want to think about that.
He brought up Paola's name on his tablet, opening the messaging screen. That outing to the gardens should be arranged before he had the chance to talk himself out of it.
"It was good to see you again tonight," he typed, before back spacing. Too... forward?
"Glad you could join us tonight," he tried again. "I was wondering when you'd be free for that trip to the botanical gardens we were talking about?"
He pressed send before he could change his mind.
A notification interrupted Paola's concentration, and she pulled up her messages. Leander. He hadn't forgotten her.
"Tomorrow?" she began to type, but stopped herself. No, that was too eager, and the last thing she wanted to do was scare him off. Wouldn't help with my plan to keep things slow, either.
"It was great to see you again," she typed instead. "Lira's not traveling for a while, so I'm free all next week. What works for you?"
Leander thought about this, running through his schedule in his head.
"In four days, some of my favourite bushes in the whole place should be in full bloom. I recommend then."
Four days. Paola smiled, her tail beating behind her in anticipation. "It's a date. Would you like to meet at Lira's for brunch, and we can head there from here?"
Leander stared for a little while at the word 'date' before he replied.
"Sounds good. I'm looking forward to it."
After a moment, he sent a follow up message. "Sorry I didn't message before. The woman from Sparnell showing up completely threw me for a loop."
Admiral Selkirk's appearance had certainly altered the mood of Lira's party. Particularly considering the news she'd brought with her.
"No apologies needed," Paola reassured back. "I'd imagine she has that effect wherever she goes."
Staring at her message, Paola scowled. That was an awful note to end on. Maybe a joke?
"Hopefully she won't decide to invite herself to join us this time," she added. "But we can invite Lira if you'd like?"
Lira had mentioned he'd had his heart broken... And Paola did intend to take things slow, no matter how much effort it took to hold herself back. Maybe he'll feel more at ease with his sister there? And that was important. She wanted to spend time with the real Leander, not whatever shell he'd built to protect himself.
"I hope not. She didn't seem to be the type to be interested in plants, anyway."
Leander stared at the question for a little while. Maybe not a date, after all. He tried to pretend to himself that he didn't feel a little disappointed.
"Lira did say she was interested." He paused and added, "Might be good to get her outside. She seems not herself at the moment."
So he did feel more comfortable with Lira there. She had to admit she had hoped he'd insist on just the two of them, but that was fine. You wanted to take it slow, remember?
"I'll ask her tomorrow. She and Jake have some things to talk through tonight." It still felt weird calling him that instead of Navarch Lawrence, but he'd insisted. Right now it was important nobody knew she was Mordena.
"She okay?"
Leander sent the message without thinking, then grimaced.
"No need to answer that. What are you up to?"
"She will be. Don't worry." Paola figured she could at least tell him that much, but his other question... "Just editing some photos before bed."
Leander smiled. He had seen Paola with her camera out several times that evening. He wondered if she was as passionate about photography as he was about plants. Maybe she could take some good shots for the gardens to use as publicity? He should -
Focus, Leander.
"Here's a question for you: what's your favourite picture you've ever taken?"
Returning her attention to the photos from that evening, Paola stared dreamily at her favorite, of a very serious Ethan and Benjamin stating studiously st their cards as Leander explained the rules of his game in animated detail. You can't tell him that one, Paola.
She shook her head, switching to her archive of past favorites. Most were quite obviously taken on Janikk, but she managed to find one thst didn't give too much away. It had been her parents' anniversary, and she and her siblings had orchestrated a romantic dinner for two... and then secretly reserved the remainder of the restaurant for friends and family.
Despite the eventful night she'd managed to snag a candid shot of her parents just the two of them, leaning over the edge of the balcony to stare at the stars and each other. Her mother was leaning on her father's shoulder, muzzle pressed against his as his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the love in their eyes clearly illuminated by the bioluminescent flowers cascading from the covered balcony, the pair completely oblivious to her or her camera.
Paola had always loved this picture, a testament to her parents' success in weathering the challenges that had eventually brought her whole family to join the Mordena was she was just a pup. She'd always dreamed someday of finding a relationship just as deep, as determined and true, as the love her parents shared. They'd cried when she presented it to them, a large print now prominently displayed in their living room back home. And now Leander would have his own copy.
"My parents."
Leander studied the picture quietly. Paola had managed to capture the obviously intense and deep love between the pair, an intimate moment despite the presence of the camera.
And the flowers... He zoomed in on the plants on the balcony, enraptured by the way they softly glowed in the night. He wondered what they were.
Not the point of the picture, Leander.
He zoomed back out to look at the picture as a whole again, his thoughts turning to his own parents. Even in the few pictures he had seen of them together, they had never looked as comfortable and in love as Paola's parents did.
"It's a beautiful photo," he told her. "You've really captured their love for each other."
Shifting in her bed to instead lay on her stomach, bare feet propped against the headboard, Paola smiled at the assessment of her photograph. Oh if you only knew, Leander.
"Thank you," she typed back. "They've always been open about their feelings for each other, as long as I can remember. 'True love is a circle,' they'd always say. 'No matter how much you give away, it'll always come right back, so you may as well give all of it.' Their relationship is something I aspire to find for myself."
Paola blinked at the words as her finger hovered above 'Send.' I can't send him that, I'll scare him away. She began to backspace it out, cursing slightly as she bumped the send button anyway only a few words into her efforts. Guess I just did. Scratching her claws anxiously through her fur, she debated typing more in an effort to soften the impact, but pushed the thought aside. She'd meant what she said. Nothing to do now except wait for his answer.
Leander stared at the message for a long moment. There seemed to be a few words missing from the end; he wondered if she had accidentally sent it before she was finished.
"True love is a circle," he wrote, when no more messages came through. "I like that." He paused, settling more comfortably in his blankets, before adding, "Your parents are lucky to have found that kind of love, I think. I think we all aspire to it, but not everyone gets it. I don't remember much of my father, but the photos of him and my mother don't look like this."
Exhaling in relief, Paola stared sadly at Leander's honest confession. She couldn't imagine losing either of her parents, much less not even remembering them. From what she'd gathered from her older brother Stefano there had been a few tense moments when she was young, before they'd found safety with the Mordena, and she had a couple hazy memories to back up those stories, but most of what she remembered was of their simple life back on Janikk.
"What do you remember?" she asked. She felt a little bad prying, but he'd mentioned it first, and now she wanted to know.
"Not much. I was only three when he died." Leander closed his eyes, trying to recall his memories of his father to his mind, before he turned his attention back to his tablet. "I remember the colour of his uniform most. Any memories of his face are actually from pictures."
"I'm sorry." What more could she say?
Leander searched on his tablet for a moment, before sending over a picture of his parents on their wedding day. "They were very young."
Paola studied the picture of a much younger Yasmin, heavily pregnant – Lira? – her joyful grin aimed at the camera as she leaned slightly on the young man beside her. For his part, Lira and Leander's father appeared to be a younger, less jaded version of Luke, his features soft, his attention locked on his new wife with a quiet pride.
"They look happy."
She wondered what her parents' wedding photographs had looked like. None had survived.
Leander quietly eyed the picture. "I think they were. According to Lira and Luke, Mum changed a lot when he died."
"She lost someone she loved. That would change anybody," Paola typed back. "I'm sorry you don't have any memories of him. War is hell."
"Life happens, it's okay." That wasn't a good message to end on. He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. After a moment, he sent a follow up message. "What are your parents like?"
Paola found herself laughing out loud. Oh, Leander. If only you knew! But he was asking, so she'd tell him what she could. "They're a lot of fun. Have to be, to survive my siblings and I."
Leander smiled at that. "Oh? Is dinner at your parents' house as chaotic as dinner at mine?"
Paola remembered back to the family gathering they'd hosted specifically to meet Lira, her mother insisting that if she was going to let Paola move in with her she needed to understand what she was getting into. It had been quite the afternoon, between her sister Adeline's portal pranks and her father's gentle patience constantly prying her brother Andrea off the ceiling, all while her mother strove to figure out how much they could all eat without exploding.
Lira had loved it.
"You could say that," she typed back. "Maybe worse. I'm not the only one who learned magic. Pa is a saint, staying home to raise us all."
Leander laughed at the thought. "I can't imagine what dinner would be like if everyone had magic. Can you imagine Luke if he had access to Electromancy or Telekinesis or something?"
"Poor Jake would have needed his bodyguard at that dinner at Lira's!" Not really, Jake's Shielding skills were legendary, but his Lieutenant would have stepped in anyway.
Leander smiled. "I wouldn't want to get on the bad side of his Lieutenant. He seems nice, but I bet his claws are sharp."
Paola couldn't help but feel a burst of pride in Leander's assessment. Most tended to dismiss Lieutenant Yaevin Felix as a mere underling, or took him at face value as the fun loving katanoj he appeared in less guarded situations. But he was the Navarch's bodyguard, and the Grand Navarch would never entrust his son's safety to anyone who couldn't guarantee it.
"Fortunately it takes a lot to get on his bad side." It was true, unless you set out to actively harm someone he cared about, the katanoj kept his easygoing, highly affectionate personality at the forefront.
"According to Lira, anyway," Paola added after a moment. She still didn't feel comfortable calling the man Scout, despite his polite insistence, so perhaps she shouldn't seem too comfortable around him? She hated having to hide large parts of herself from Leander, but if he proved himself who she thought he was, he'd learn soon enough.
"I suppose Lira would be close to him, considering he's the Navarch's bodyguard." He tilted his head as he considered. If the Navarch had a bodyguard, and he was as serious about Lira as he seemed... "Did you get background checked before you moved in with Lira? Jake seems like the type to worry."
"Wondering if I'm going to drag you into a dark corner at the gardens with nefarious intentions, are you? He knows more about my background than I do. So I'm probably fine." She couldn't help but laugh as she typed her response. If he only knew... But she could tell him a little. "Guarantee there's a file on you, too. Since you're her brother."
She tapped her finger on the tablet, then added. "Still... I'm open for recommendations on secluded garden hideaways. Preferably big enough for both of us, if I can lure you away from your sister at all."
Is she flirting? Leander tilted his head. No, probably just teasing. But still...
"I have plenty of recommendations for secluded garden hideaways. Comes with the territory."
Paola frowned at the text on her screen. Was he flirting back? If so, he wasn't very good at it. Or maybe he wasn't interested, and was just being polite.
Only one way to know for sure. "Anything romantic?"
Leander blinked. She definitely was flirting. He could feel heat rising at the back of his neck. He had almost forgotten what it was like to have someone who was interested in him.
"Sure." Then he deleted that, staring at his tablet. After a moment, he sent, "How do you feel about roses?"
Paola broke out into a grin. He was interested. "They demand respect when handled, but treat them well and they'll reveal their beauty to the world. We have a lot in common, roses and I."
Leander couldn't help a smile. "I'm taking notes."
"I'd expect no less from a talented horticulturist like yourself," Paola typed, rolling onto her back as she hugged the tablet to her chest. I'm going to fall in love with this man. It was going to happen. There was no way around it.
"What are your favorite types of plants?" Maybe she could get him a gift. Her mother's work brought her in close contact with a lot of the agrokinetic mages on Janikk, one of them would surely be able to help, and Paola could claim Lira pulled some strings.
Leander smiled, thinking about the question. "I don't think I have a favourite. All plants are fascinating to me - they all have their place. Even the tiny weeds that grow between the cracks in the concrete. They make me think about the resilience of life."
"I meant what sorts of plants do you grow at home, Silly!" Paola typed back, but the damage was done. He was already Mordena, he just didn't know it yet. My parents will adore him.
"I'll show you."
Leander slid out of bed and wandered out onto his balcony, flicking the lights on as he did so. His balcony garden was a work in progress, and not at its most visible at night, but he was proud of it. He took a couple of pictures on his tablet, showcasing the leafy plants and the soft string lights he had draped throughout. He made sure to get a particularly good shot of one of the plants that was recently in bloom, its white flowers looking like starbursts in the darkness.
"How's that?"
"Beautiful!" The care and passion he poured into his balcony showed. And now I have some pictures to send to Ma. "How long have you been growing your personal paradise?"
Leander felt a swell of pride at her message. "Just under a year. I lived with Luke for a while before that, and he had no outside space."
"Never would have guessed. Looks like you've been at it for years." Paola zoomed in on the gorgeous white blossoms. He'd made a special point to photograph them, which meant they held some level personal significance. "Tell me about the flowers in the last picture? They're lovely."
"It's the first plant I bought when I moved here - kind of a new start, you know? They're known as nightstars. The flowers open up at night and close during the day."
Moving to slide beneath the covers, Paola propped herself up on the headboard with a pillow. This conversation had proven more fruitful than she'd anticipated, and her neck was starting to protest her former postures. "I love them. That's a perfect gift to yourself. Are they difficult to care for?"
Leander flicked the lights off and climbed back into bed, smiling happily. "Not at all. I'll bring you a cutting when I come to brunch."
"Bringing me flowers already, Leander?" Paola couldn't fight back her grin as she typed. "Thank you. I'd like that."
She closed her eyes, thoughts once more drifting to her desire to gift him a plant from home. He'd been so enamored with the ones in Lira's condominium...
"What's the most challenging plant you've grown yourself?"
Leander grinned. "Her name is Agatha. She's a dwarf fly trap, and she's very fussy about the types of bugs she eats."
"I love that you named her." Paola made a mental note to find him something challenging. A hardy plant – she had a suspicion he'd be heartbroken if any of his plants died – but something that would require an effort if he wanted it to thrive. And will reward him well for the effort.
"Someday I hope to meet her. We can compare our notes about you – one fussy lady to another."
Paola frowned. That's probably a little too strong. She added a wink.
Leander laughed softly. "Just let me know what bugs you like," he joked, with his own wink.
Paola couldn't help herself, pulling up the covers over her snout in the hope they'd muffle her howls of laughter.
After a short while, Leander began to get worried.
"I'm sorry if I offended you. I don't really think you eat bugs."
"I'll have what she's having. Us discerning women need to stick together," Paola typed back at the same moment Leander's message arrived.
"No no no," she added quickly. "Was trying not to wake your sister. You're a very funny man."
An embarrassing amount of relief flooded through him at Paola's messages. "Okay, I have never been called that before."
He found the picture he had been looking for, a shot of Agatha in a pool of sunlight, her pale green leaves tinged a beautiful pink as she stretched her jaws out hopefully towards the sky.
"This is Agatha."
Paola tapped to zoom in on the picture, tracing Agatha's gentle curves as she admired the carnivorous plant, wondering what she'd look like in real life, with her Thaumathea revealing all the colors outside the visible spectrum arrayed to attract her favored prey. "You tell Agatha she looks great in pink. And I meant what she said. That was a good joke."
She paused, remembering her survival training when she'd chosen to become a Battle Mage. "Also, I have to set the record straight. Don't want you getting the wrong impression of me. Insects are a great source of protein." And less deadly than the other options in the wilds of Janikk. Usually.
"I don't doubt it." He paused. "Have you ever tried them before?"
"Yes." Paola wished she could see his face at that revelation.
Leander tilted his head. Paola was an interesting woman.
"You'll have to educate me."
"They give a satisfying crunch between the teeth," Paola elaborated slightly, her tail whipping a short staccato against the headboard. "I can't wait to learn all about your plants."
"I'm looking forward to telling you." He grinned. "In return you can tell me about those fascinating flowers in that picture of your parents."
Scowling at herself, Paola brought up the image again. Of course she should have expected Leander to pick up on the wolthen in the background. That stuff was in every romantic restaurant on Janikk it seemed, but it would be unique and noticeable to someone who wasn't Mordena. Especially if they liked plants.
"I'm not an expert like you," she typed back. "Think I heard someone call it nightglow? It's great for atmosphere."
Nightglow. Leander hadn't heard of that before, but he definitely want to know more.
"Don't worry! I'll do some research."
Don't worry. Paola sighed, wondering what Leander would conclude if he managed to find the information he sought. The Mordena were known to share their plans upon occasion, the latmaro tree at The Sovereign Spoon on Janikk being the most notable example, although the small jungle she and Lira were cultivating stood as proof this was by no means the only example.
Reaching out to lightly caress the leaves of the small lilly perched upon her nightstand, she ran through the possible options. On the one hand, it would remain a mystery that would plague him for years, Paola's instincts insisting he was not one to give up on a plant related challenge. On the other, he'd learn it was from Janikk and either assume they were another gift from the Mordena, seeking out the information on the restaurant to visit someday himself, or else realize that Paola herself was Mordena. He'd already proven himself an astute judge of character with his pronouncement on Lieutenant Yaevin.
She didn't know which was worse, him spending his precious time hunting down the elusive mystery, or actually solving it. Maybe I'll ask Ma to find him some as a gift? Leander was Lira's brother, and the two seemed to carry a degree of trust between them despite the strain in the family. Lira would know the right answer. And if things worked out...
Well, Paola didn't intend to hide her secrets forever. Just until she confirmed he was worthy of them.
With a sigh, she pulled up her collection of images that evening, selecting one of her with her family, the purple bioluminescent of the flowers sharply in focus rather than the blurred background effects she'd used in the portrait of her parents. "Good luck," she sent, attaching the image. "Let me know what you find."
"Thank you. I will." Leander grimaced as he looked at the time. "I should probably let you sleep, I am keeping you awake."
"I'll stay up all night if the company's good," Paola typed back with a wink. "But seriously, I intend to sleep in tomorrow anyway." Lira had Navarch Lawrence for the moment – Jake, she corrected herself – and would likely prefer him to training, which meant Paola would have the day to herself, her own efforts in the upcoming defense of Libara focused solely on defending the stubborn and fearless reporter.
Not that Lira would need her as much as she had when Paola had first moved in over a month ago. The woman was a quick study, despite a lifetime spent avoiding magic. She'd have no chance against a fully trained Battle Mage, of course, but she could hold her own if backed against a wall. Jake's insistence on providing Shielding lessons whenever possible had certainly helped, as well.
Leander smiled. "Oh good. Any more questions for me?"
"What is your ideal romantic outing?" The question was sent before she could stop herself. Damn it, Paola. You're supposed to take this slow! Suddenly the canid was grateful Lira would he joining them. I might need a chaparone.
"I'm predictable. A quiet walk in a lovely garden under the stars."
He paused, then sent a follow up message, "How about you?"
Why was his heart pounding?
"I don't know," she answered hesitantly, deciding honesty was best where possible, even despite her embarrassment. "I'm a giant flirt, I don't know if you've noticed? But I've never had a serious relationship before."
She stared for several moments, picking over each word choice before sending. He has a right to know.
"Yours sounds lovely," she added. "I'd love to try it with you sometime."
"It's a date," Leander promised.
After a moment of staring at her other message, he added, "I've had one serious relationship before, but it ended badly. In the interest of being honest."
It's a date. Hugging her tablet to her chest, Paola released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. He was still interested, despite her inexperience.
"We can figure it out together," she promised. "I don't want to rush this."
"Taking things slow is good," Leander told her, though his heart was pounding at the idea she was interested in him.
"I'm glad you feel that way, because I intend to take my time with you." Whatever it takes, she promised herself. "Something tells me you're worth it."
Leander stared at his tablet, his fingers hovering over the keys to reply but not knowing what to say. She was... serious? She seemed serious.
"I don't know what to say. Thank you."
"You can tell me in person, in four days." Paola slid beneath her sheets, still clutching her tablet. She wondered if Leander liked cuddles.
Leander smiled, his cheeks warm. "I'll remember to bring that cutting too."
"Thank you. I'll think of you when I take care of it." Not that she was good caring for plants. "After you teach me how."
"Don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know."
"This means I'll need to teach you something, too, you know."
Leander smiled. "Maybe you can teach me how you did that fancy thing with the juice?"
"Hydromancy." Her mother had taught her that when she was young. Casting it always reminded her of home. "That spell's more advanced that it seems, but we can work you up to it. Good choice. An affinity with water will be useful in your line of work."
She paused before adding, "Also means I'll get to spend more time with you."
"I look forward to it." He meant it.
"The free magic lessons? I don't blame you." She added a face to show she teasing. "If you're good, maybe I'll show you a little on our first date."
"I'm always good."
"Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we? But I'm going to hold you to that, Leander." Pulling her covers up to her chin, Paola wondered at Leander's reaction at the realization of what he'd just implied. "Just not tonight. We both need sleep."
Oh no oh no oh no.
"We do," he agreed, glad at least his text came across calmly. "See you at yours if we don't talk before then."
"I hope we do talk before then," Paola admitted, shifting to get comfortable. "This was nice. Goodnight, Leander."
Leander smiled at that, warmth filling his chest. "Goodnight, Paola."
When no further words followed Paola reluctantly switched off the table's screen, sliding it onto the charger beside her bed as she stared unseeingly at the ceiling. So far, Leander had exceeded her expectations. He had an adorable earnestness to him, a studious softness that he'd already proven would not prevent him from standing up for his ideals. Looking back at her short-lived flings and her teasing flirts, she definitely had a type, and Leander fit perfectly.
Except somehow he was different. More. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something special about Leander that put all the others to shame, and whatever it took she was going to figure out what it was. Because if he was really who she thought he was... This soft spoken man – with his devotion to family, his love of plants, and his own version of the Mordena's values of appreciating everyone's contribution – wouldn't stand a chance.
Neither do you, Paola. Neither do you.
The Path of Destinee continues:
The Path of Destinee - 7
Rock Danger stirred, warm and content despite a relatively restless night. He opened his eyes and stared up at the soft darkness of the ceiling, unease coiling in his stomach. Blue light rippled above him, reflections from the planet of Caralis currently visible through Felix's Navarch's window. They'd claimed the man's bed for the night, Felix's room having been renovated to accomodate Kai. Rock always found it surprising how easygoing a man as powerful as Jake Lawrence was.
The canid called Max had left them after about an hour, which had honestly been quite a relief. He was pleasant company, but there was a frenetic anxiousness to him that had burrowed under Rock's skin and stayed there.
There was something going on with the Mordena and it was none of his business.
He had visited the Ambition several times now, and each time people had been welcoming and kind. And they had been this time too, but there was something different about it. A tightness to their smiles and a shadow in their eyes.
Except Felix.
He turned his head on the pillow to see green eyes glinting back at him in the darkness. Rock wondered if the cat ever let his guard down.
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Please check our Fan Content Policy and Discussion Board Rules for details on interacting with the Vazdimet universe.