Inara - Prologue

“Inara?”

“Yes…?”

“Are you asleep?”

“That is a rather stupid question, Lil…” a yawn emitted from Inara, “What is the time?”

“Good… Good…”

“Turn on the lights, for God’s sake…”

“Do – not – utter – that – word!” Lil’s arms were probably waving around in emphasis of this statement for there was a rather loud bump as her elbow contacted a pile of something.

“Damn you, Lil…” Inara’s fatigue was taking over her as she fumbled out of bed and went in the general direction of the light switch, “Could you keep it down! At this rate you’ll wake Grandma up!”

“Isn’t she deaf?” Asked Lil, her voice wafting through the darkness, her voice inquisitive.

“Doesn’t mean she can’t hear anything!”

A click of the switch. Light flooded the small room, displaying the small chaos Lil had created by climbing through Inara’s bedroom window and onto her desk. Lil had taken refuge from the light in the shadow of the desk.

“Oh… How I hate white light! Red, yellow, mellow light! Flickering and flickering,” she swayed in delight, clasping her long fingers together, “it is far more beautiful! Not to mention less harsh to my delicate eyes.”

Inara had already begun tidying her desk, placing each book in order of their size and rearranging the pens that were in disarray according to colour. In a moment of mischief, Inara shifted her desktop light so that it shone upon Lil’s cowering body.

“Ahhh!!!” screamed Lil, shielding herself with her arms and knees, “It is so harsh!”

“Shut up!” whispered Inara, unable to hide the smile on her face, “Grandma may be hard on hearing, but this noise could wake the dead!”

“Well, technically that is not…” started Lil before a glare from Inara made her trail off. “You are so mean to me…”

“I wasn’t the one barging into someone else’s bedroom in the middle of the night before that someone’s first day of university.” Inara’s cleaning rapidly increased in pace at the mention of this. She rearranged the pens again.

“I had a reason!” Inara shook her head. Lil always managed to sound like a child despite her age. “Your father…”

“Stop.” Interrupted Inara, the first signs of anger entering her voice. “Any topic of conversation regarding my dear father is not welcome.”

“Surely this could assist you in the passing of a few idle moments?” Lil said. At the asking of this question, Lil had knelt before Inara, her arms flailing before her like an acolyte in worship, unsure of what pleased the God in question.

“Did he teach you to say that?” Both their heads twitched as the birds started their ritualistic morning songs. Dawn was near. This matter of hers must be urgent… She has never come to me this close to morning before, thought Inara.

“No!” Yes.

“My moments were not idle. I was having an excellent dream before you woke me. Best sleep I have had in a long while… All pumped up about tomorrow and all.” Inara started to pack her bag in preparation, although it was a fact that everything she needed had already been neatly placed into each of the bag’s compartments.

“He says the coldest and longest winter is approaching, Inara.” Started Lil, ignoring Inara’s irritation, “and he wants you by his side.” It sounded like something straight out of a bad fantasy novel.

“Well, he can go buy winter coats, scarves and snow shoes with you, since you are by his side all the time anyway! Why does he need me? Also, you have used that excuse before, Lil. Try something more imaginative next time he sends you to me!”

“Have I really used that reason before?” said Lil, emerging from the shadow of the desk. The light revealed her, absentmindedly twirling her wavy dark brown hair that brushed the floorboards the floor. The dim lighting also failed to hide her blatant nakedness. She approached Inara slowly, her countenance distressed.

“Yes! You should really consider keeping a log of all the excuses you have used.” Inara stated, her eyebrows raised in slight amusement.

Lil pouted slightly, her face and tone of voice like a child trying to convince her mother that she really wanted that stupid looking soft toy. “But it really is a matter that is of great importance to your father. He requires you presence in his domain next Friday.”

“Something that ranks higher upon the list of important things, more important than the coldest longest winter approaching? This must be a catastrophe of great proportions!”

Inara’s sarcasm was duly unnoted.

“Yes! You have finally understood the importance of this matter!” She grabbed Inara by her elbows, her expression of great joy and relief.

Inara snorted and pulled away, proceeding to fold the colorful blanket that her grandmother had made for her tenth birthday. “Just tell me now and be done with it.”

“Next Friday, will be a great day to behold! Your father will be holding his first birthday party!”

A moment of silence filled the room. Inara kept her face away from Lil, as she was still deciding between the delectable choices of either laughing in gusto or crying with the pure insanity of the idea.

“Inara?” Inquired Lil, placing her slender hand upon Inara’s shaking shoulder. “Are you alright? You are shaking!”

Inara turned around, her countenance contorted by strings of laughter as tears ran freely down her cheeks. She seemed to be speaking under the snorts and guffaws.

Lil was rather taken aback by Inara’s crippling laugher. She watched in horror.

It took Inara a while before she muffled her laughter, only because her face was showing the first signs of cramping. “Was that a joke, Lil? For a second there you acquired a sense of humour!”

“You are mean. Your father’s birthday is a serious matter, and you’d better be there!”

Silence punctuated by some residual snorting filled the air for both women had not much idea what to say to each other. It was a few moments before Lil broke her ‘I hate you adults’ face gaze and glanced at something outside of the window. “A cock is crowing. Night is ending. I am to leave.”

Inara lowered her head in recognition although she could hear nothing. She always felt sad when Lil left, her company was always enjoyable even in the middle of the night, which was the only time she appeared. Lil always repeated the same words every time dawn approached. A cock is crowing. Night is ending. I am to leave.

When she lifted her head to bid Lil farewell, the room was empty and the only indication that Lil had been there was a single brown feather and a red piece of paper floating slowly to the ground.

Inara snorted, and rubbed her aching cheeks, “Satan throwing a birthday party. Now that’s something people should write about.”