per admirabilem ascensionem tuam

[jovahs_heiress]

Peninnah is now five, and her wingspan should be sufficient to carry her aloft; she's just having a little trouble with the necessary coordination. Isabella has worked with her, and so has Rinnah, but Peninnah is impatient and has given up on both of them in favor of asking Damaris for help, on the poorly articulated theory that Damaris, at age thirteen, is closer to Peninnah's own size and might make more sense.

Comments

[yovahs_kisses]

Hugs.

"I'm sorry it's all so complicated," he says. "Someday, no one will think it's gross for a girl to love a girl or an angel to love an angel."

[inherpiety]

"Nobody at all?"

[yovahs_kisses]

"Not any more than anybody thinks it's gross for me to love your mom."

[inherpiety]

"Only when you get mushy," says Keziah.

[yovahs_kisses]

He grins unrepentantly.

[inherpiety]

She squirms. "I dunno what I wanna do."

[yovahs_kisses]

"Then maybe you just wanna think about it for a while," he suggests. "Until you figure it out."

[inherpiety]

"Yeah," decides Keziah. "I think I'll do that."

[yovahs_kisses]

"Sounds like a plan to me."

He hugs her again.

"Good luck."

[inherpiety]

"Thanks, Daddy."

[yovahs_kisses]

"Anytime, precious."

[inherpiety]

So Keziah doesn't say anything, and thinks, and doesn't get much of anywhere, and continues to be flusteredly friendly when she sees Junia at music lessons or in the cafeteria or around the Eyrie.

[pythbox]

And then...

Junia is becoming increasingly unhappy and distracted.

One day, someone asks her if she wants to go down to Velora next week, and she blushes and ducks her head and says, "I will not be here."

"...What?"

"I am leaving the hold," says Junia, and she rushes off, golden wings fluttering.

[inherpiety]

Keziah doesn't finish her dessert; she runs after Junia. "Junia?"

[pythbox]

Junia slows down slightly and looks awkwardly over her shoulder.

"Um, yes?"

[inherpiety]

"Why are you leaving? Are you going to another hold?"

[pythbox]

"I am going - away," says Junia. "For. Reasons."

[inherpiety]

"Why though? Don't you like it here?"

[pythbox]

She bites her lip, slowing down further.

"Reasons," she repeats.

[inherpiety]

"If there's something wrong my mom can fix it! She can fix anything!"

[pythbox]

"She can't fix this," says Junia. "Nobody can fix this."

She shakes her head and starts walking faster again.

[inherpiety]

"My mom can! She can!" insists Keziah. "What is it? Or - or if you don't want to tell me you can just tell her, or my dad, they can fix it."

[pythbox]

"I do not know your mom!" exclaims Junia. "I do not know your dad! You do not know my problem! And I do not want to talk about it in the middle of the hall!"

[inherpiety]

Keziah wilts. "Well - well we can go somewhere else - but she can," she says more softly.

[pythbox]

Junia comes to a halt and wraps her arms and her wings around herself.

"It would take a miracle."