It was a rust-like smell that did not easily fade. There were no traces of blood on his clothes, nor any wounds on his body, yet the scent lingered.
"Go take a bath first, my love. I will heat some water for you."
"Thank you, my love." Dayesh slumped onto the chair and looked for Lzith. "Where is my little princess?" he asked.
"She is playing in the yard with the shadow," Jauna replied. After a moment, she spoke again as she remembered something. "They can communicate with each other. The shadow tells her many stories, and she sometimes shares them with me."
"Like what?"
"It wants to have a physical body. If it ever does, it wants to be the same age as Lzith so it can grow alongside her."
Dayesh found the request strange. What kind of intention could the shadow stag have?
"Maybe the shadow has grown fond of Lzith."
Dayesh was not worried. He simply wanted to understand the shadow's thoughts. He would speak to it when he had time.
After bathing, Dayesh sat down as Jauna served food. They ate together with Lzith. The child had begun speaking little by little and had become quite talkative, as if she was making the most of her voice. In their kind, it was normal to begin speaking as early as six months, though at first the words came out unclear.
"Papa, did you bring me something?"
"No, my child. We will go down to town when Papa has no work, alright?"
"Yes, Papa. Papa, feed me." Lzith opened her mouth, waiting for him to feed her.
"She really prefers you over me, my love," Jauna commented.
"Mama, I like you too. But Papa is always away. So when Papa is here, I want him. When Papa is gone, I want you."
They both laughed at Lzith's answer.
"My princess is so sweet," Dayesh said, gently stroking her head.
After eating, Dayesh carried his daughter.
"When you grow up, I will not be able to carry you like this anymore." He lifted Lzith into the air, and the child raised her hands as if she were floating.
She was delighted by what her father was doing.
Dayesh then looked at Jauna. "My love, shall we make another one?"
Jauna laughed at the question. "How old is our first child?"
"Almost one year."
"And what did I say?"
"Three years."
"My love… who will struggle taking care of two little ones if they are born close together?"
"You will."
"You already know that, my love. Not yet. Let us wait until Lzith grows a bit."
"I was only joking, my love," he said, though in truth, he had meant it.
"I heard that you want to have a body. What do you mean by that?" Dayesh asked the shadow.
"After staying in this form for so long, I have grown weary. I cannot touch anything. I only drift in the air, without any physical sensation."
"What I find strange is why you want a body that grows alongside Lzith. What do you mean by that?"
"I have grown fond of the child. You did not know my gender, did you? I am female. Perhaps you thought I had romantic intentions toward Lzith, which is why I want to be her age if I ever gain a human body."
"From my understanding, what you want seems nearly impossible. But if you truly wish it, you can hide within my child's shadow so you can accompany her wherever she goes."
"I have already decided to have a new home. I already spoke with your wife, and she said it is possible if she helps me."
Dayesh nearly forgot that Jauna was a deity. All she needed was a body, and everything would become possible.
He did not know what to do. Would he take a human and force them to sacrifice themselves for the shadow? Would he believe in reincarnation if it came to that?
"I have already decided to have a new home. I spoke with your partner, and she said it is possible if she helps me."
Dayesh nearly forgot that Jauna was a deity. All she needed was a body, and everything would become possible.
He did not know what to do. Would he take a human and force them to sacrifice themselves for the shadow? Would he believe in reincarnation if it came to that?