Their Pasts

"And that's the story."

Lydia just stared at Jason, eyes wide. How twisted did a kid have to be to do something so screwed up? Well, Lydia had already known that Sophia was a jerk, but this was some next-level insanity.

"So," Lydia said slowly. "You're saying that, in all this time, Lorelei hasn't found anyone who'll believe her? Like, at all?"

"Correct."

"How is that even possible?" There was an unholy number of nobles in Cachonei, something Sara had made Lydia learn by heart.

"Lorelei was never truly the social type. After that incident, I'm sure you can understand her hesitance to open up.," Jason said. "I'm sure that, if she ever chose to reopen her circles, she would likely find some people who would believe her."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Lydia said. She thought for a moment. "Can we talk about the Atriblanc for a second? What happened to them?"

Jason frowned. "I'm not sure. Perhaps they were forgotten in the chaos."

"So, would Sophia still have them?" Lydia asked.

"No," Jason said. "I doubt she would have had the patience to deal with them."

Jason turned to Lydia. "Now that I have answered your questions, perhaps you can answer some of mine."

"Sure," Lydia said. "It's only fair."

Jason met her eyes. "Who are you?"

Lydia leaned back. "Wow, that's a big one. What do you want to know specifically?"

"Where are you from?" Jason elaborated. "What life have you lived?"

"Okay," Lydia said. "Well, my name is Lydia Perkins. I'm from a place called California."

"California?" Jason asked. "What is it like?"

"Dirty," Lydia said bitterly. "Morons keep making it full of trash and other crap. It's always got smog covering up the sky, so good luck seeing the stars. Most of the people are absolute garbage, too."

"Have you always lived there?" Jason asked.

"Yeah," Lydia said. "I mean, I lived in a different town growing up but, since my parents died, that place just feels like kind of weird spot to be at."

Jason frowned. "How did your parents die, if you do not mind me asking."

Nah, you're good. It's actually kind of a weird story," Lydia said. "So, my mom had this rivalry with one our neighbors back when I was a freshman in high school."

Lydia frowned. "I think her name was Cathy?" Lydia shook her head. "One day, Cathy invited my mom to a brunch with a bunch of other ladies. The lady served brownies, but didn't mention that there was peanut butter in the middle. My mom was super allergic to peanuts. When she realized she'd basically eaten poison, she reached for her EpiPen. Except, she hadn't thought to bring one, since everyone there had already been told about the allergy. Heck, she'd even reminded Cathy about it when she accepted the invitation."

Lydia looked at the sky. "Mom didn't survive that. I mean, I know Cathy technically didn't mean to kill my mom, but she literally got a reminder for that party! We agreed to settle, given that it was an accident, but it still shouldn't have happened. I still have some of that money, now that my dad's gone, too."

"What happened to him?" Jason asked quietly.

"He wasn't all that healthy in the first place, but it got really bad after mom." Lydia said. "He made it to my graduation and all, but he couldn't make it to my first day of college."

Lydia smiled sadly. "The two of them had wanted to have their ashes spread on the hill where they had their first date. I couldn't do it alone, so I got Nico to come with me. We had a picnic near-ish where we let them go. He made it a nice experience."

They were quiet for a couple minutes after that.

"Is Nico your lover?" Jason asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"What? No!" Lydia laughed. "Nico's my best friend. No way I could date him!"

Lydia got control of her laughter. "What about you? What's your story?"

Jason straightened. "As the only child on the Terrtrove family, I was automatically named the heir. My parents were loving, yet harsh. They allowed me to set my own boundaries but also pushed me to do my very best. That encouragement led me to discover my passion for wood carving. When I was around fifteen, one of my pieces was noticed by a member of the Dandor royals. He bought my work for a very generous price. That piece still stands on display in the palace today."

"Wow." Lydia blinked. "That's a wild thing to accomplish as a kid."

I'm sure you accomplished something, as well," Jason said.

"Nah, my life was pretty normal," Lydia said, then frowned. "Well, I once tied a ribbon to the leg of a bird but, other than that, my life was standard."

Jason chuckled. "Why would you do that?"

"I was a kid, okay?" Lydia said defensively. "I saw this raven at a beach once, but its leg looked weird. I remembered hearing about how, when someone is hurt, you're supposed to tie the wound. So, I walked to the bird slowly, holding out the yellow ribbon I'd brought that day, and tied it around its leg."

Jason quirked an eyebrow. "And it let you do that?"

"I know, right?" Lydia shook her head. "Well, I was talking about how I wasn't gonna hurt it, and that I was just helping it. Maybe it understood me."

"What is it with you, Lorelei, and ribbons, anyway?" Jason asked.

"Well, for me it's about the feeling," Lydia said. "I like having the polyester between my fingers. It feels right, I guess. It made my mom happy, though, since it gave her a reason to buy all the prettiest ribbons she could find. I still have most of them, actually."

Lydia looked at the moon to check the time, something else Sara had taught her. "It's getting pretty late. We should head back."

Nodding, Jason held out a hand to help Lydia down. They walked through the garden to Lorelei's room, still chatting the whole way. Lydia took a second to feel one of the purple leaves nearby. It didn't feel quite like polyester, but it was closer, at least.

Jason was talking when they reached the room. "Perhaps you're right. An investigation might prove fruitful. I'll see what I can do."

Lydia stopped at the door and turned to him. "Well, I guess this is good night."

Jason bowed to her, grabbing her hand for a kiss. He closed his eyes, hesitating. It seemed like he had something else he wanted to say.

He kissed her hand briefly before pulling away. "Goodnight, my lady. Have a restful sleep."

"You, too," Lydia responded, distracted.

What had Jason been about to say? She entered the room. It had been a really nice night. The view had been awesome, and the walk somehow mosquito-free. Lydia subconsciously put her other hand on the spot where Jason had kissed, a smile on her face.