Chapter 43: Adventures in Swimwear

Sage hadn't forgotten about the mysterious inscription she found in the hidden chamber beneath the nectary in Champs les Sims, so shortly after their wedding, the newlyweds are off to Egypt where she can question her contacts there.

While Sage was busy learning about Jean Necteaux and his wife Isael, the daughter of a pharaoh, and the lost jewels once meant for a crown, Joffrey was busy finding a vacation home for them in the village.
Her quest lead her to a the shady relics dealer, who required several new finds from Sage before she'd hand over the fabled Ruby of Shankara. Joffrey's quest was much simpler, he found an unoccupied house in town and bought it, then bought some groceries so they wouldn't have to live on dried food for the duration of their stay.  Sage was more than pleased to come home to their new house after her grueling day of excavating local dig sites for the merchant.

Joffrey chose this house for the large balcony on the second floor, perfect for watching the stars together.

The couple decide to explore the Great Sphinx, Joffrey for the opportunity to get some great photos, Sage for the plunder.

"Wow, that looks...pretty hot," Joffrey comments as they enter the long sealed monument and spot the fire traps in their way.

"There's always a way to shut those down, or get by them," Sage answers optimistically.

"Right, dive wells, yay," Joffrey says.

But instead of dive wells, they find pools of water allowing them to swim past the fire traps. Adventuring in swimsuits proves to be a little distracting for the couple.

Sage pushes hard on the hidden door she discovered. "A little help here?" she calls out to her husband.

"Sorry, I was distracted," Joff says, putting down his camera.

Behind the door is a secret bedroom. Sage and Joff can't pass up this opportunity.

As their journey comes to an end, Joffrey has started to think about having a family, but he doesn't bring it up with Sage just yet.

Back in Appaloosa Plains, Chayton spends as much time as he can with his grandson, trying to make up for all the moments he missed with his daughter.

Joffrey and Sage have come back to town in time for Kieran's birthday. Jeremy is of course invited for his son's cake. It's more than little weird for him to come to this house where he briefly lived as Sage's husband, and be greeted by the new man in her life.

Joffrey gets all swoony over the sight of the young mother and her son. He still hasn't talked to Sage about his desire to have a child with her, but he thinks about it constantly.

With his mother's help, Kieran blows out his candles.

And then he gets to enjoy cake with his father and step-father.

After cake, Jeremy has to reluctantly hug his son goodbye.

The next day, it's back to Champs les Sims. Now that Kieran is old enough to travel, Sage includes him in their travels, wanting him to see the world.

"You'll be okay while I'm gone?" Sage asks Joffrey before she heads to the nectary to solve the mystery of it hidden cellars.

"We'll be fine," Joff assures her.

Joffrey and Kieran go out back to play some catch.

While Sage reports in to nectary owner Jules Fournier. Fournier is a little distressed to learn there's an ancient tomb beneath his cellars, and he gives Sage full permission to investigate it.

In the afternoon, the boys go fishing.

In the evening they have dinner at the cantina, and Kieran makes friends with local boy Theophile St. James.

Late at night, Joffrey reads a bedtime story to Kieran. For Joffrey, the whole day was glorious in it's normality, the kind of day he never had as a child, raised by MorcuCorp to be one of their executive drones.

He waits up for Sage that night, even though she doesn't come in until after 2am. He greets her with a passionate kiss.

"Sage, my love," he whispers, lips close to her ear, "I was thinking about having children."

She rests her head against his chest, and doesn't answer right away.

"You don't want more children," Joffrey answers for her.

"It's not that...this is just so sudden," she answers, "Can I think about it?"

"Of course," he answers, trying to hide his disappointment.

Early the next day, Sage heads out to the old burial mound. She'd already plundered its riches on her first trip to Champs les Sims, but a nagging feeling that there's something there she missed compels her to go out and check it again. She stands in the center of the circle of standing stones, waiting, though she doesn't know what she waits for. A moth flitters around her, and lights on her outstretched hand. She hears a voice, small and distant, calling her name. Sage looks around, but sees no one.

"Can you hear me now?" the voice is louder now, and closer. The speaker steps out from behind one of the stones.

"Who are you," Sage asks.

"I am Moth," he answers, approaching. "Your ancestors were able to speak to me in my usual form. But you are becoming more human with each generation, so I must use a form you can relate to."

"So you're some sort of fae?" Sage asks. She still hasn't quite absorbed all the things Joff has told her about her family history, things Cecilia Tricou had revealed to MorcuCorp when she married Harris Landgraab.

"I am Moth," Moth says again, "Summerdream is lost, and Auberon with her. She went with the Tricou, the traitorous one, hoping for a child, but now they are gone. Not even I can find them. And I can find anyone."

"Slow down, Moth, and tell me everything."

Moth isn't entirely capable of slowing down, but he does tell Sage in great detail about the bargain Tania Summerdream made with Cecilia. "Auberon did not trust the Tricou halfling, but he wanted to please Tania, so he followed. Where they went, I do not know. None of the fae can sense them, and they do not answer our calls."

"She turned herself over to MorcuCorp," Sage says, shaking her head sadly, 'That can't be good."

"It is not good," Moth agrees, "You will help me?'

"What can I do?" Sage asks.

"We need the dragon. But he has gone underground, and he will not speak to me, or anyone. But you are his kin. He will speak to you."

"Don't be so sure of that," Sage answers, "I've never even met him." But she wants to, and she has no love for MorcuCorp, so she agrees to help Moth in whatever way she can.