Ehlark watched Juniper as closely as he watched his relatives. Her nod of consent was enough, and he bowed in proper deference to his siblings before he gestured to lead her onward. Rehr barely managed to restrain a
jolly leap, his whole body wiggling in anticipation. He nodded his head and fell into step behind them.
“Some parts of the Summer Court stay warm through magickal means,” he explained.
“Nature is difficult to defy, so it is rare and done only by the most powerful fae. However, the Court itself resides in a warmer climate. There are monsoons in winter and droughts in summer. Vhora, the capital city, is at the end of a desert. Emerald House is on the fringe of the jungle, and we enjoy mild tropical weather in all seasons except winter, where we have significant rainfall.”
Visibility of the complexes was obscured by the courtyard walls as they neared the first gate. Unlike the valley, there were no magical sound shields here. The chatter of the cwn inside intensified, but it was a tolerable racket. Ehlark recognized the game by the sound. Excitement put a spring in his last few strides before he reached the gate, which hung slightly ajar. He pulled it open and the trio peered inside.
The courtyard was divided into two halves. To the left of a pristine cobblestone path was a neatly manicured garden. The lawn was plush with moss and trimmed grass, several trees provided shade on the lawn, and gold and white fish flashed in the ponds.
To the right of the cobblestone path was a sporting court. The dirt ground was packed down and scuffed white chalk lines attempted to mark the perimeter. Around it on three sides were covered porches, which were currently packed with a variety of cwn and other fae. A line of players waited on the sidelines parallel to the path.
Few noticed their entrance, too distracted by the ongoing game. Two teams of eleven were sprinting down the court chasing a patchwork leather ball. A cwn in hound form streaked to the fore, scooped the ball onto her nose, and tossed it to a teammate. The receiving cwn was bipedal and they jerked their head forward to knock the ball toward a wall of rings. The twelfth teammate, a defending goalkeeper, shifted from hound to bipedal mid-leap and caught the ball before it could sail into a narrow gold ring.
The crowd erupted into shouts and cheers. Ehlark gently touched Juniper’s shoulder and gestured with his head to lead her down the path.
“There are three housing complexes. The residents are separated by age and purpose. This is Crane House.” He nodded his head toward a mural painted on the interior wall of the covered porch nearest the garden. It depected a scene of
cwn annwn bounding over a beautiful meadow, their movements mirrored by the flight of an equal number of beautiful cranes.
“Our ancestors built it when our first Matriarch began her family, after the Emerald House grew too crowded. Cwn customarily build complexes, since they are often comprised of intergenerational households. Family elders and senior aunts and uncles reside in Crane House. Puppies are also raised here. In addition to sleeping accomodations and a bathing room, Crane House also has several classrooms for different forms of education and the largest kitchen in the valley.”
Two cwn on opposing teams clashed and there was an uproar from the spectators. Snarling and pulling, the conflict was brief and only tufts of white fur and hair remained as they broke apart and merged back into the flow of their running teammates.
“I’ll show you where the common areas are, where you can typically Grandfather,” Ehlark continued. He didn’t pause to let Juniper gawk as they reached the far end of the path.
A few individuals had finally taken notice of them and turned to watch them with sustained interest as they mounted the steps. Among them, a pair of identical faces swiveled to follow their movements. Rehr bristled. He wordlessly jogged ahead and positioned himself between Juniper and their observers, who watched with cool smiles. Ehlark slid open the door and they finally looked away, leaning in close to whisper to one another and continuing to steal glances until Ehlark closed the door behind him.
Ehlark and Rehr released a sigh in tandem. The brothers met gazes and a moment later, the changeling drew in a bolstering breath, straightened, and flashed Juniper a sterling smile. His anxiety melted away like snow in full sun. Rehr's tail resumed its wagging.
“This is the great hall. Because it belongs to our elders, all family members are welcome inside Crane House at any time. You can take meals here, as well as in Emerald House, and you are always under Grandfather's protection when inside the courtyard gates.”
The interior of the house was much darker than Emerald House. Constructed out of wood, its floors, walls, steps, and bannisters gleamed from the touch of countless hands and paws. The home was orderly, and several people bustled about their daily business quietly. A brief foyer gave way to a large hall with parallel rows of seating flanking long, deep fire pits. Several places were lit and a few figures lounged or cooked. Aromas of several teas and a persistent warmth welcomed them as they began to walk toward one of the corridors branching off of the great hall.
“Grandfather is very elderly. He doesn’t hear well, so you’ll have to speak up and enunciate your words well.” That was enough information for now. He didn’t want to overwhelm her with scary information that served no purpose other than to frighten her. Juniper would have plenty of time to learn about their family as she grew more settled.
"You'll love Grandfather!" Rehr beamed beside her.
"He has treats!" It was impossible to believe that his tail could wag harder, yet it did.
