"It's pink...."
Glîrel lips drew into a thin line to silence her laugh as she stared at her brother's face as he studied the new quiver she had handed over to him. "It wasn't her fault." Glîrel murmured and cupped her right elbow while the free hand covered her grinning lips.
"It's pink, Glîrel."
The woman was barely able to keep a straight face as her hand dropped from her lips onto the back of the chair, gently pulling it out to sit down beside her brother. "It's still of quality make and I think it's my best work yet." Glîrel reached over to gently pat Rowan's shoulder and stroke it as her smile grew further "And this is the first time she helped me with the work. So there was a small mishap with the dying process, doesn't ruin the quality."
He grunted irritably as he looked over the pink leather band that wrapped around the quiver to strengthen its build and protect. "You could have tossed it instead of using it like you did. I'm not going to use this, can start over and make me something proper." He muttered and shot her a sidelong glare, dropping the quiver to the table.
Glîrel smile turned into a frown at his words, her hand withdrew and she leant back in her seat. "Aren't you the one who keeps saying not to waste anything? Besides, she loved it. She was so proud despite the mistake and I wasn't going to just toss this away because of odd colouring. The quiver still holds arrows, doesn't it? It will last you years."
"I'm not using this. I'd be spotted miles away with this dangling at my hip!" Rowan protested, scowling at her.
Glîrel rolled her eyes and huffed. "Oh, stop whining. Look at it this way... At least no one will dare steal it and even if they did they'd be found easily enough!" The teasing grin returned. "Plus, we can throw you into the front lines and the enemy can laugh themselves to death as you approach! Would save us plenty of trouble!"
He grit his teeth and sneered at her about ready to bark at his sister when the door flung open and the young eight year old child came running in with a smile that reached from one ear to the other.
"Rowan!" She called, her eyes lighting up as she saw the quiver on the table "Don't you love it?"
Glîrel and Rowan turned their attention to Rîlhel as she hurried on over, inviting herself to sit on Rowan's knee. The man sighed inwardly and adjusted the girl with his arm falling against her to make certain she wouldn't tip over.
"Yes, Rowan. Don't you love it?" Glîrel mused while her lips curled into a cruel smirk in amusement as the man found himself forced to bite his tongue now that the girl sat with them with such a proud look beaming from the grey eyes.
"It's...." He started and sighed "It's very beautiful, Rîlhel" Rowan finally muttered out looking down at the quiver with distaste.
"I was going to make it red but it turned out pink!" The girl smiled and her fingers ran over the soft band on the quiver. "I think it's perfect. I love pink!"
The corner of Rowan's mouth twitched to his sister's great amusement. "It's nice, Rîlhel." His brow knitted and curiosity sparked, he turned to the girl "I thought green was your favorite colour."
"It was." Rîlhel admitted turning her head to glance at Rowan in turn "But then I saw this colour and I changed my mind."
Rowan leant back still regarding his niece curiously "Why is that?"
Rîlhel slumped back to rest against his chest, her arms folded over her stomach "Because it's such a strange colour. It doesn't really seem natural or normal" The girl explained, the pair of siblings looking at each other then back to the girl.
"What do you mean?" Rowan pressed on.
"Well..." The girl started and her gaze found the quiver in front of her again "You don't really see pink that much. Only a few flowers are pink and even then they are more white at times. No animal is pink, the sky isn't pink, nor is the grass, mountains or trees. It just seems... Alien. Like it comes from some other world!"
Rowan and Glîrel fell silent at that, the pair appearing a bit surprised by the girl's words. "Pigs are pink." He finally muttered to break the silence.
"They are not pink!" The girl was quick to object "They are more... Us coloured!" She confirmed with a sharp nod, the man was unable to argue, scoffing in reply.
"Perhaps." He replied finally "Though there is another colour that is like that as well." Rowan said as he looked back towards the quiver on the table.
"What's that?" The girl asked curiously with her head turning to look at him.
"Purple." Rowan replied and nodded his head in a lazy fashion.
"That's true!" Rîlhel agreed and her smile grew again.
"I think you're both forgetting that these colours don't appear just on flowers and dyed cloth." Glîrel finally spoke up flashing a smug little grin "Both twilight and dawn can bathe the sky in such!"
Rowan chuckled and nodded in agreement "Aye, and both are mystic hours! When it is neither night or day, the land and sky both awake and asleep."
There was a short silence shared between the three until Rîlhel spoke up "Will you use it, Rowan?"
The man peered at the girl in wonder "Hm?"
"The quiver I helped mom make."
Rowan grunted and peered back towards the quiver in question, staring at it for a short while before letting out a long, drawn out sigh. "Yes... Yes, I will use it." He finally muttered looking at the girl. Rîlhel eyes lid up with joy and her arms flew up to wrap over his shoulders pulling him into a tight embrace "Thank you!" She chirped excitedly, wiggling about against him.
The man chuckled and brought an arm around to return the hug he was given, gently patting the girl's back a few times "I won't go anywhere without it, Rîlhel."
"Do you promise?" Rîlhel murmured as she pulled back to meet with his eyes
His smile softened looking at the girl, slowly giving a nod of his head. "I promise."
