Title: Negotiations
Author:
Fandom: Milliways (Native American mythology/Celtic mythology)
Characters: Jack in the Green, Coyote, Raven
Rating: SFW
Prompt: Daylilies, chaff, stones, fly, clean
Summary: Coyote is turning the teacup into a toad, a stone, a porcelain-white butterfly with spots the color of tea.
Author’s Notes: For varadia.
The three of them sit in the garden, drinking tea.
Well, Jack’s drinking tea. Coyote is turning the teacup into a toad, a stone, a porcelain-white butterfly with spots the color of tea. Raven watches, his chin in his hand.
“Fly,” Coyote commands. The butterfly catches the wind in its wings and flutters away. Raven turns in his chair to watch it go. Coyote’s eyes glisten as she pours more tea. “Clean cup?” she offers Raven. He shakes his head. She looks at Jack. “You didn’t ask us here for a social call.”
“What do you think of the garden? The daylilies are in bloom.”
“Pretty,” Raven says.
“Only flowers,” Coyote dismisses them. “Speak, Green Man.”
“We’ve passed the point of discussing allegience,” Jack says. “You know where I stand.”
“For daylilies?”
“For daylilies and butterflies and fragile mortals and even you, Trickster.”
Raven drinks his tea, gaze moving from one to the other.
“You speak of being true to one’s nature,” says Coyote, “yet you don’t hesitate to ask others to go against theirs.”
“Even I will fight, if it comes to that.”
“The mortals need thinning.” Coyote flashes her teeth.
“Like separating the wheat from the chaff,” Raven observes to his cup.
Jack sits back in his chair. “I am not asking you to go against your nature. I am asking you to be more true than you’ve ever been.”
Coyote puts her cup on the table and rises. “I’ve never cared for tea.” She stalks away.
Raven watches her go. “You’re afraid, Green Man.”
Defeated, “I am. I am afraid that before this is over I will at best lose a friend.”
Raven stands as well and places his hand a moment on Jack’s shoulder. He does not ask what he will lose at worst.
He knows.
end