Raiel's Point:

It was early in the morning, and Edam had still not left his bedroom. I didn't think it was any major concern at that point but it was a little too quiet for my liking. Walking in the garden was a relief. It was like a world away from the world, with the dew on the grass and the smell of the flowers wafting through the air. The pomegranates were coming in nicely, which I was pleased about. I don't know why I was never allowed to eat them. Even now, Adda is very picky about how they're served to me, whenever I go over her head and ask the matron of the kitchen, that is. Call the Devil, and he'll appear. Over in the corner by a few bushes of rosemary was the lady, hunched over with a pair of pruning scissors in her hand. I needed to ask her questions but the pruning scissors only made her more deadly if I knew anything.

Slowly, I sauntered up to her, tapping her on the shoulder. She turned around, looking me up and down before grinning faintly:

"Glad to see you're not looking like hell, boy," she said as she snipped another piece of rosemary, down to a small node, and put it in the basket.

"You know what they say, Adda, the phoenix always returns," I chuckled nervously, squatting down next to her to watch her handiwork.

"Never knew that a phoenix was a goat, always thought it was  bird," she retorted. That had been her name for me for the past few months. It got annoying, but eventually I began retorting back and having to dodge her hand. The question was stuck in my throat, and it burned with every brith.

"Spit it out, boy, you look like a frog."

"You know anything about Galean charms?"

Adda stopped her work, staring distantly. She sucked on her teeth before turning to face me, holding up a small sprig of rosemary almost like a warning.

"Aye, but I don't do them. That's their world, not mine." 

"Well, what do you know about this," I pulled out the sachet, holding it out with wariness, "It's my husband's."

"Finally acknowledging him as your husband," she chuckled to herself, shaking her head. She stood up, dusting her hands on her apron before pulling the talisman into her hands. She sniffs at it before handing it back to him. 

"Smells like Frankincense, good stuff for protection. As for what it does, I can't tell you that."

"Can't or won't?"

"You'll have to ask either his mother, or him, boy, I ain't got the knowledge of Galean works." 

"Where can I find his mother?" 

"I can call her, but I don't think she'll like you too much."

"I'll take my chances."

----

It had been about four or so hours before they came. I seated them in the living room and sent for servants to bring us refreshments. There was a very awkward silence pressing on us and I felt that I couldn't breathe. Eventually, I put the talisman in the middle of the table before us. When the servant came back, Edem's Mother snatched the talisman and hid it. We remained silent, drinking the tea but I could see her eyes burning with anger.

"What can you tell me about it, Madam?" 

Edam's mother pulled the sachet from its little crook and stared at it, holding it side to side before finally opening it and putting it with its contents on the table. She chewed on the cheek as she prodded some of the ingredients, whispering to her own mother who did not stop looking at me for a moment.

She looked at the contents of it, pulling them aside to reveal arcane writing on the actual fabric itself. Her eyes shifted, becoming much more accusatory as she looked up at Raiel, then at her mother. The grandmother, looking at the talisman, let out a small chuckle before tapping her daughter on the thigh.

"You know this talisman, Ama?" 

"Yes, I do. It's a very nicely done one, if the context wasn't worrying," she said, looking up at Raiel with narrowed eyes. Her hands tightened on her cane as though she was preparing for a conflict.

"I found him with it, at a party. I confronted him about it and -"

"You city folk like to think you know the world," she said angrily, steeling herself with a deep breath.

"Ama!"

"Look at the talisman, Dea, it's a Fair Speech talisman. In what world would my grandson need to make his voice heard?" She pointed angrily at the talisman on the table, then waving me off like a disobedient child.

"A Fair Spe-" I tried to ask before being shushed by Edam's grandmother before she said something sharply to Dea, who only listened before turning back to me.

"Did you ever speak to my son? I've heard of your temperament, but did you ever actually speak to him?"

"I did."

"I've seen better lies from a tree," Edam's grandmother spat. I felt myself stiffen under her scrutiny, trying to hold back my temper and the pheromones that it produced. Edam's grandmother sniffed at the air around her and smiled to herself.

"Listen here, boy. You might scare anyone with those fangs but I've been on this planet long enough to know right from left. Dea will explain this mess to you but, mark my words, if you so much as make my boy cry a single tear, I'll use your family's hair for garden feed. Understand?"

Frustrated, I nodded, giving the old woman some bone. She stood up, looking down at the talisman, then at me with a sneer before leaving. Dea slumped back in her seat, looking down at the talisman quietly.

"Forgive her, she's old but she can be as strong as a fire given the chance".

"It's alright - she's looking after her grandson."

"We all are," Adea said quietly. 

"The Fair Speech Talisman is one of a few hundred that were used for anything, really. If you were a businessman, a king, a lover or a defendant, they were supposed to help your voice be heard and accepted. Singers were particularly fond of them but this one. This one was made with red silk, and the writing is from a specific scripture we have at home. He made this because he wanted to be heard by someone. There's no name, so it's not a specific person. So if you think my son was trying to spell you, you'd be wrong on that part. It's just a standard scripture and square. The red silk is for protection and blessing. It looks like this was just a charm to be heard, appreciated in a social circle." 

She looked distantly, running her fingers across the ash in it, rubbing it between her fingers. 

"Tell me why he would've made it. Is it true that you haven't been speaking to him?"

"I -" I couldn't lie to her that Edem and I had been on less than savoury terms as of late. I think she saw the guilt in my eyes and that caused her to slacken with relief but also sorrow. She held her head in her hands, staring at the floor between her feet.

"Stupid people, all of you, taking him and throwing him down when you get the chance."

I wanted to interrupt her but she looked up, wiping her eyes and nose with the back of her hand before collecting herself. She looked at the talisman, then at me and her eyes betrayed nothing less than anger but also sorrow.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

"Sorry is as fickle as the air that carries it. Even then, it's not me you must apologize to."

I was shocked at her words, she also didn't fear me. I don't know whether it was because she was naturally fearless, or that she was too angry to even acknowledge our positions. Gulping, I reached out to take the talisman but she slapped my hand sharply. She took it and wrapped it up, shoving it in her pockets before standing up. She drank the rest of her tea, looking then at me before nodding.

Finally, turning around with a single glance to the room, she strutted out without so much as a blink of thought.