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It was no secret that Makkari had a growing trove of human artifacts. She adored finding figurines made of clay and delicate cravings, stories carefully recorded on papyrus and stone, and quaint trinkets of everyday life. Every piece she had was a reminder of how humans were constantly improving on the old, expanding their knowledge, and refining their arts even if it’s slower than some would like.
(She remembered how Ajak told Phastos that it was still too early for humans to have the printing press or the steam engine.)
She adored all of her artifacts, but there was something special about jewelry. Maybe it’s because they were things that could always be with her without slowing her down.
Little earrings that remained firmly on her ears even when she took off at pacing speeds. Beaded necklaces with interesting stones or crystals as the pendant. Woven bracelets with beads and metal bangles alike had found homes on her wrists and in her growing treasure pile. She loved all kinds of jewelry.
Rings, however, were her absolute favorite.
The sun was bright and the marketplace was bustling with people. Makkari looked around, observing with a smile. She could already see intricate designs on smooth pottery. She wondered if the designs were to represent stories or symbols of the culture here. What more was there to see? She was ready to see it all!
But right before she could zoom around, someone tapped her on the shoulder.
“Makkari.”
Ah, her comrade in mischief. It was nice when Druig was out and about instead of just secluding himself on the Domo; it made it easier for her to trade with others who didn’t understand her signs.
Did you need something?
“Here.” He held out a small object in his hand, “As thanks for the fruit from before.”
She had just passed him some fruit that a merchant gave her as a bonus for trading; it wasn’t something that needed to be thanked for. Makkari raised a confused eyebrow, but took the object from his outstretched hand regardless. Maybe he got her something that she could trade (it was always troublesome when some of the traders refused to do business with her when she had artifacts but no gold or silver).
But the object that he gave her wasn’t a coin.
It was circular and shiny like a coin, but there was a hole in the middle. She vaguely remembered seeing something like this in Egypt, but it didn’t really interest her at the time. She was normally more fascinated with other kinds of objects.
What do I do with it?
“You can wear it on your fingers.”
She slid it on and off her fingers until she found one that finally fit it. Pretty.
Thank you.
Makkari continued to play with the ring, rotating it around her finger to see if all of the sides had different markings.
“Is it uncomfortable?”
She shook her head. I like it.
She held up the gold ring to the light, loving how the light bounced off the gold and how she could see the beautiful details in the metal.
“I can get you another one.”
You don’t need to. I can get more myself.
“I suppose that’s true.”
Even though he said that, Druig would present her with a small ornament each time. An earring here and there. A necklace to wear for Sersi and Ikaris’ wedding. A bracelet of woven red threads. And plenty more rings so that she could wear more than one on each of her hands.
For every piece, she had found the ripest fruits and sweets from the traders and given it to him. They continued their little dealings in every new place they went. But there was only so much fruit that the marketplaces had to offer whenever they traveled to a new place.
She wanted to give him something that he wouldn’t immediately devour.
Makkari searched high and low through the stalls all afternoon, but nothing seemed quite right. Druig wasn’t a fan of figurines or art pieces. He didn’t care for spices like Gilgamesh does. Thena held more of an interest in human forged weapons. He didn’t appreciate artwork like Sersi does. Books… Well, stories in general were things that Sprite and Kingo were more invested in.
Hm…Perhaps there was nothing in the city that would suit Druig. Since this was large marketplace and there were people of different cultures and tongues about, should she just go looking for the closest group of traveling merchants and see if any of their wares were good enough to give Druig?
Just as she was about the dash out, something caught her eye. An obsidian bracelet. The design was similar to a red bracelet that he had gifted her in the past, but this bracelet had red thread underneath obsidian beads. It reminded her of his uniform.
Makkari smiled at her discovery and quickly offered the vendor a trade for the trinket. As soon as the merchant placed the bracelet in her hand, she rushed off to see Druig just as he was about to bite into a fig.
“What are you in a hurry for?” he asked as he put the fruit down.
Are you busy?
“I always have time for you. What new discovery have you made now?”
Close your eyes.
Druig did as she asked. She pulled out his hands and placed the new trinket into his hands, before tapping on his hands to let him know that he could look.
“This isn’t food,” he observed once his eyes were open. She rolled her eyes a little. Smartass.
No duh. I thought that you would want something more lasting than fruit for a change.
He gave out that low chuckle in amusement. “I’m content with whatever you give me, Makkari.”
She smiled as he put them on. The bracelets suited him.
She had continued to wear the rings that he had given her just like he continued to wear the bracelet.
Even as she watched him leave in Tenochtitlan with masses of humans following his lead, he still wore those black beaded bracelets.
Even after he left, she still wore the rings he had given her.
When her family returned to the Domo after five centuries, Makkari didn’t quite expect their reunion like this. (Except Phastos being upset that there was a sarcophagus in his lab, she did expect that.) The news that everything that they’ve known about their origins and their purpose on Earth to be a lie and that Gil and Ajak were dead were hard pills to swallow.
Oh, and that the world’s ending because of the emergence of a Celestial.
There’s that.
But at least they have a plan for that and her family, though fractured, is here now so there’s a silver lining.
“So how did you end up scoring this Emerald Tablet?” Druig asked with a teasing smile, holding the Emerald Tablet that she had painstakingly procured artifacts for millennia ago. She snatched it from his hands, but her eyes were focused on his face. “My beautiful, beautiful Makkari. Did you miss me?”
She smiled, but didn’t respond.
It had been centuries since she had seen his teasing smile and felt the vibrations of his voice. How was it that just his presence made her so happy?
She took a quick peek at his wrists to see that Druig was still wearing the bracelets that she had given him all those centuries ago. She thought that he would’ve thrown it away in anger since she didn’t choose to go with him, but it was nice to see that he still cherished it after all this time.
Druig took her hand, carefully examining the palm of her hand before placing a kiss at her wrist. His blue, blue eyes stared at her, as though they were piercing through her to uncover all the thoughts in her mind.
“My beautiful Makkari.” Without even looking at her fingers, he commented, “You’re still wearing them.”
What can I say? I like them.