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“I really don’t understand why you insist on having seven of these ugly carvings on every surface of the house, Hayati. Are you really sure we can’t get rid of at least a few?”
Kaveh moves to swiftly remove the trinkets from the shelf and into an ever-growing “maybe” pile that Alhaitham becomes increasingly annoying about.
“Well if the trinkets I buy with my money are considered junk to the oh-so-great Light of Ksharewar, then what do you call the new rug by the entryway that you bought with my money?”
“Well it’s called tasteful decor, something you clearly know nothing about.” Kaveh exhales and pinches the bridge of his nose in resignation. “But if they really mean that much to you… well, I suppose we could keep one or two as book-ends… Just to keep you happy, of course, I’d never stoop to the level of agreeing that they have some sort of, well, unique charm.”
“You think they’re cute as well, don’t you? Look, I even got these ones that look like you.”
“Look like me? That ugly thing?”
“Well yeah, Arakasyapa said it suited you so I decided to bring it home.”
“You do know that aranara are just a kids fairytale, right? There's no logical basis as to their existence. And anyway, if they were real and we just happened to forget like the rumors suggest, why do I not even vaguely recollect having seen one?”
“Well, I don’t have the answer to that one.” Haitham sighed fondly and appeared to stare off into the distance for just a moment, Kaveh turning sharply on his heels at the offending distraction, to be met with nothing at all.
“What's so interesting that you have to stare off into the distance like that, I thought we were in the middle of a conversation.”
“Aranara.”
“Oh sure, tease me with that again why don’t you, see how far it gets you.” There was no bite to his words, only a fond teasing, but Kaveh really wouldn't find it in him to let it go so easily.
Alhaitham didn’t reply, only deciding to smile fondly and gaze into the forgotten corner of the room at the little woodland creature that made its home in one of the bookshelves that Alhaitham is now adamant is left alone. Nor would he ever admit where he found the little carvings – the so-called vendor in Port Ormos was mysteriously never to be seen whenever Kaveh went looking for them himself.