OR.

"Soulmate OR Hope."

These words echo in the halls of parley, my opponents grinning like devils. I roll my eyes and check my watch.

"Gentleman, normally I am all for nonsense, but the hour is late, so I accept your offer; I shall take it."

Some grin and some now look confused, but they still have the cohesion to ask in unison "Which?"

My face twitches a smirk slightly and I take a deep breath before responding. "Oh, I don't know about all that, but I meant what I said: I shall take the package offered in full, it is most generous; I shall accept the lot of them which you have listed. For what is a boat without some means of propulsion, and could it be said sails set straight are of any use with winds tumultuous such as these?"

They consider my angle here, clearly complex; they already suspect it is gilded with golden barbed wire, but after a bit of discussion amongst themselves they respond. "We said OR, not oar. You must choose."

I roll my eyes again, such traps might have worked in years past, but year is new in 22. With an unnerving swiftness for such stakes I respond again. "You must realize how ridiculous you sound trying to draw lingual lines betwixt flawless homonyms, but fortunately for you this is also being written, not simply stated." I see many of their eyes go wide, the balance of those who realize what significance such a layer adds. "Regardless, I see what you mean and my response remains the same. I shall be absconding with all three- My Soulmate, OR, and Hope. Each has been identified and seen in part as roses red, golden if you'd like, purple, and pink. I cannot say that I have the sight to see them each in their fullness, but there's not a day that I won't try."

This is met with stunned silence, as in this place they know I speak the truth, yet they have no idea how. All they know is that I leave with what I came for, and they have time aplenty to try to piece together the many words on these pages into a cohesive method.

I turn to leave but pause at the threshold. "I would recommend, if ever in a position to parley with The Bard, that if you dare do so see to it that it is in good faith. Much blooms in such rooms, and much is harvested. I can just as easily show you how to reap and sow as harvest what I'd like from a field in its entirety. Joy comes in sharing a meal with friends, but if enemies lock both front and back doors, well, in such cases I am left with little choice but to leave out the side. Still, not empty handed. Until next time, perhaps."

With that I cross the threshold of the very same side door I illuminated with my words. Still, unexpectedly, rather than screams or a sense of terror emanating from the threshed realm I exit, I sense the hint of stoic smiles barely contained. As I walk the halls to the door of my soulmate or Hope, I consider that perhaps someone finally found the way to trick me into heaven, blooming their own fertile soil in the exchange. Time will tell, I imagine.