First Breaths of Eternity - part 12

First Breaths of Eternity - part 12. Liwen spends the morning talking with Progenitor.

(Reminder, this is a WIP, there will be spelling and writing errors. | Join me for live writing streams on Twitch. | If you like what you see, consider supporting me on Ko-fi and/or Twitch so that I can continue making more content for you to enjoy. https://linktr.ee/GoldThornGuild)

(Note: I'm testing out different pronouns for Liwen, so you may see a mix of pronouns throughout this WIP.)

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"You're up early," Progenitor commented when Liwen woke up.

"I didn't want to oversleep. This is your last day in the village for a while."

"There is still a while before breakfast, so how would you like to pass the time?"

"I'm not sure. Is there anything you want to do?"

"I'm happy doing whatever. We can relax here, or go for a walk, or whatever else you want to do. Though I will say that it is a beautiful morning..."

"Shall we go out then? Maybe go for a walk by the pond? I haven't spent much time there yet."

"Sounds lovely."

~~~

"It is so peaceful out here," Liwen sighed as they strolled around the pond, "I mean more so than it always is when you are around."

"That is one of the advantages to being up and about before most of the village."

"It's nice. Maybe I will have to wake up early more often."

"You should try it out at least. It would be helpful for you to figure out when you work best. It is something to be considered when deciding what path in life you want to take. For example, some jobs require working early in the morning or late at night and if you don't work well during those times then that job probably isn't a good fit for you."

"Hm, I hadn't thought about that. I guess I should figure that out soon. I feel like I need to start writing a list of all the stuff I need to figure out."

"You can if you want, though it isn't necessary. The pieces will fall into place regardless of whether or not you wrote them down on a list."

"I suppose. I just don't want to miss anything. Plus there is so much to figure out that it can be hard to figure out what to focus on. Where do you think I should start? You can tell me that much at least can't you?"

"I suppose I can give you a little bit of advice. Just remember that it is simply advice, you don't have to do exactly what I say if you want to do something else instead. Figuring out your magic type and job is important but finding yourself and your identity is as much or more important. Figuring out things like your name and pronouns will help you relate to people more and them to relate to you. The name and pronouns you have right now are just temporary placeholders until you choose your own."

"But how do I choose? There are so many options."

"Pick what feels right."

"What feels right?"

"Yes. Your name and pronouns are words that represent you and help people identify and understand you. So pick ones that feel right, that feel comfortable and true to who you are."

"True to who I am..."

"Maybe it would help to think about the people in the village and see if there is anyone you want to be like or identify with. Observe how different people behave and interact. Though there are no strict rules about the different genders, there are some general characteristics that are shared between people of the same gender. See which characteristics you are most at home in. Does that make sense?"

"I think so? In theory at least."

"If you can't figure it out, ask Jia and she can help explain things in more detail. And don't be afraid to try out a few options before deciding. You can also change later if you want. Most people stick with the name and pronouns they pick initially, but some people change them later as they change and grow as a person."

"Really? It's possible to change that much?"

"Yes. Anything is possible. The possibilities are endless. So don't be too worried. Take the decision seriously, of course, but don't be afraid of making a mistake because even if you do, you can change it later."

"That is a bit reassuring. Makes the decision slightly less intimidating."

"Good. It shouldn't be a scary process. It should be fun. You are getting to explore and discover how you work and what you like, so try out lots of things and have fun. If anything interests you, give it a try. There is no wrong way to do this just like there is no wrong answer to the question 'who are you'. And remember, no matter what, you are my beloved and that will never change."

"Thank you, Progenitor," Liwen said with a smile.

"Let's head back to the house now. We've made a few circuits around the pond and I think it is about time to make a nice pot of tea and relax until breakfast is ready. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great."

~~~

"Oh, good morning you two," Jia greeted when Liwen and Progenitor entered the kitchen, "You two are up early. Can I get you anything?"

"Don't mind us," Progenitor said, "You seem to have your hands full already with breakfast prep. I'll make some tea for myself and Liwen. And you, of course, if you would like some."

"You don't need to do that. I can make the tea."

"I insist."

"Alright then. I would be honored to have some of your tea."

"My tea isn't any more special than yours," Progenitor said as they began preparing the tea pot, "In fact your tea tastes better than mine most of the time."

"You exaggerate."

"No I don't."

"It's not my place to argue with you, so thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Is all that food for breakfast?" Liwen asked.

Liwen had seen Jia preparing meals a few times now, but there had never been as much cooking at once as there was now.

"No," Jia answered from her post in front of the crowded stove, "Most of this is for later. There isn't a formal celebration this afternoon, but I still wanted to make sure to make plenty of food for everyone to share and enjoy."

"I see."

"You're going overboard again, aren't you," Progenitor said amused.

"No. If I was going overboard I would have prepared a full feast."

"This isn't a full feast?" Liwen marveled, trying to picture more food than what was already there.

"It might as well be," Progenitor laughed, "I'm guessing the only reason it doesn't count is because it isn't sorted into defined courses."

"Say whatever you want," Jia said stubbornly, "But I am making a farewell lunch for everyone to enjoy regardless."

"Thank you," Progenitor said affectionately as they kissed Jia's hair.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Liwen asked, "Though I don't actually know how to cook or anything like that..."

"Thank you for the offer," Jia answered, "But I think I have everything taken care of. You can just relax and enjoy your tea."

"Alright, if you're sure."

"It is best to stay out of the kitchen when she gets on a roll like this," Lillian said as she walked in.

"Good morning, Lillian," Progenitor greeted, "Would you like some tea? I think there is enough for another glass or two."

"No thank you, I just came down to grab something to eat."

"You are a bit early for breakfast," Jia said as she turned around, "And you aren't even dressed properly," she added exasperatedly when she noticed that Lillian was wearing only a pair of baggy pants and a silk robe that was so loosely tied it might as well have been untied.

"I don't need breakfast today, just something to eat," Lillian said as she hunted for something to eat.

"Lillian," Progenitor said, "Did you miss the memo that we aren't having a formal celebration today?"

"Nope. But that doesn't mean I can't dress up anyways. I want to look radiant for your send off and no one can stop me."

"The ladies in this house are so stubborn," Progenitor laughed.

"You like it," Lillian smiled, now holding an apple and a cheese filled bread roll, "I'll see you all later."

As suddenly as Lillian arrived, she was gone; returning to her room to get dressed for the day.

"She always loves an excuse to dress up," Progenitor smiled.

"Seeing here like this, it is kind of hard to believe she is a farmer," Liwen said.

"Yes, she is one of those people whose job doesn't seem to match their off the job personality. But that's just what makes the most sense to her. She loves her body more than almost anything else. She loves showing off its beauty through pampering and dressing up. She also loves using the natural abilities and advantages of her masculine physique in her work. And so, the two sides fit together perfectly to form who she is as a person."

"I see," Liwen said thoughtfully.

"Lillian really is a special person," Jia said, "She is soft and beautiful as a butterfly but also works as hard as an ox. She is also bold and stubborn. She likes what she likes regardless of what people might say about it. It didn't take her long to decide who she wanted to be. I even tried to slow her down at first because she seemed to be rushing to decide without thinking things through but I guess that was just the pace that she works at."

"On the other end of the spectrum was Lee," Progenitor said, "They went back and forth on their gender for seasons before finally deciding on non-binary mostly just because they were tired of being indecisive."

"That's right, I forgot about that," Jia laughed.

"It took seasons for them to decide?" Liwen asked.

"Yes," Progenitor answered, "As I said, everyone takes their own path. Some know right away which way they want to go and others take a while to decide. So no need to rush or compare yourself to anyone else."

Liwen nodded.

~~~

"Sorry I'm late," Aston said as he entered the dining room where everyone, except Lillian, were eating breakfast.

"Is everything taken care of in the square?" Jia asked as Aston sat down and filled his plate.

"Yes. Everything is cleaned up and the tables and chairs have been set out."

"You didn't go overboard as well, did you?" Progenitor asked.

"No. Everything is set up as we agreed."

"I knew I could count on you to keep things under control."

"I'm guessing Lillian ignored the informal part of today's events?"

"Jia too."

"I am keeping it informal," Jia rebutted.

"I'm sure you are," Aston said doubtfully.

"I am touched by everything that each of you do," Progenitor said.

"That's all I ask for," Jia smiled.

"Do you have any plans for today, Liwen?" Aston asked.

"Um, well... I was thinking of staying with Progenitor until they leave..."

"That makes sense. I don't have much going on today, so if you need anything at any point don't hesitate to ask."

"I will, thank you."