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Ira and Devona. Existara Series
12. The Losses and the Gains

12. The Losses and the Gains

    “Well now, this is a rare sight - the two of you together.” Considering they try to kill each other on sight... Never understood that type of "attraction"... I look over my old friends. They stop and bow.

“Priestess. It's good to see you again.” Lohk smiles at me. Ira appears from the shadows too. Never a good sign.

“Priestess, let us cut to the chase.” Melluna looks concerned.

“I'm listening.” I leave the reports alone and give them my full attention.

“We heard that the Balli have been restless again.” Mell begins.

“We wish to volunteer to go to Ballista for a diplomatic mission as Peacekeepers to put the troubles to rest.” Lohk finishes.

“How do you know of this?” Ira steps forward.

“I have my sources too.” Lohk winks. That's former Military for you...

“Where is this coming from?” I ask.

“Our daughter.”

“Laira? What does she have to do with anything? She's barely eight!” I fail to understand.

“Exactly.” Mell nods. “I can't raise my girl worrying every day if another war is about to break out or not.”

“Our girl. Our.” Lohk waves his hands to him and Mell. “She's just as much as my girl as she is yours, in case you forgot in the last minute. I've been worrying about the same thing for the past two years too.”

“Oh, is she now?” Here we go again... “Gee, how kind of you to remind me that I was stupid enough to have her with you of all people!” Melluna mocks him.

“Clearly. That's why you named her without me...” Lohk hisses.

“Oh for the love of! She's already eight.years.old! Yet you still persist with the same! You weren't there!!” Mell yells again.

“You could have waited!!” Lohk goes at it again... Oh boy... I sit there watching them... This will take a bit...

“What for! Like I knew when or if you'll show up on my door step ever again!”

“Oh, well that's a convenient excuse for you, isn't it! That's why she only has a single letter from my name!”

“Be happy she has that much!”

“ENOUGH!” I stand up. “Honestly you two. If this had happened twenty years ago or so - I could understand it, but now...”

“What's done is done.” Mell answers.

“Don't make her sound like an event.” Lohk hisses. “She's a precious jewel!”

“I don't need you to tell me that!”

“DO NOT START AGAIN!” I roar before they get into it again. The two of them shut up. We a take a moment. “I'll ask again. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes.” They answer in one voice. “We might hate each other, but there is one thing we do agree on and that's Laira.” Lohk says.

“We're willing to do what's needed to secure the peace for her to grow up in. We both know what war is and we both don't want her to experience that.” Melluna adds.

“Wykren protected us enough. We want to return the favor now.” Lohk's eyes harden too. “It's not just for us or for our daughter. It's for all Noxian children to come. Now that we know what peace feels like - we won't go back.” As a War-Vet he's well aware what the fighting can do to a person. In body and spirit... Melluna too. As a friend of mine form our Temple days and one of the very first to join our War-Vet-Help system she has firsthand experience in dealing with broken people...

“There's no need for you two to go anywhere. You have Laira to look after.” Ira's voice snaps me back the reality. “I alone will be enough.”

“Ira is better suited here, in case...” Lohk implies my least favorite option.

“They made fools of you enough, Devona. The Stardust family of Noxanda are not a bunch of mutts to be pushed around by the older families.” Mell looks at me.

“We'll go. If you’ll give us your blessing as the Queen. We'll go in your place to speak to the Balli.” Lohk adds quickly. I turn to Ira. He's not liking this... Frankly neither am I... But I do agree. Ira is needed here more... And me? Am I needed here still? Idiot. Zarri is too young to lead a nation.

“So be it.” I hear the sound of my voice. “However. You'll need a name.” I look out the window. The green colors of the spring dance outside to the rhythm of the wind. I smile.

“Evergreen. From here on out you two are Lohk and Melluna Evergreen, representatives of the Stardust family. You hold the same power as one of the family members to decide on matters regarding our nation should there be a need for it. However. We hold the power to deny the decisions made should it be deemed necessary. Just a safety measure.” I wink at the couple. “Little Laira is bestowed with the same name. I'll leave it up to her to decide if she wishes to use it or not in the future.” The two of them kneel for me.

“Thank you for this honor, our Queen!”

“Feel free to bring Laira over, we'll happily look after her till you return.” I smile at my friends and they stand up again.

“Thank you.” Mell smiles at me and they leave.

“You sure that was a good idea?”

“No. But I simply do not wish to get directly involved unless I absolutely must. Perhaps they have the right idea in mind. Maybe offering some “higher assistance” would help...”

“They could be gone for months or years.” Ira adds.

“And they'll have a lifetime to bicker over how cute Laira is after they come back.”

    “Priestess...” A single guard stands in the middle of the room. Muddy and bloody. No. Please... I run past the guard through the hall and out the front entrance. Two bodies lay in a wooden carrier and another six in another two right behind them... Oh Gods no... Ira appears next to me.

“Stop her!” I turn around. Crile struggles with a screaming Laira in his arms. Zarri and Amana catch up with the boy. Zarri changes into her half form and assists Crile. Laira continues to fight. Oh sweet child... She keeps calling for them... Nobody says anything... I... Zarri puts an end to the girls screams with one quick hit to the foot of the head. Laira collapses in their arms. Zarri wraps herself around Laira and holds her to her. Crile looks over at Ira for guidance. Amana stands there, weeping in silence. I turn back to the bodies.

“Prepare for a funeral... and...” I take in some air. “BRING ME THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ALIVE!!! I'LL PUT THEM THROUGH THE WORST KIND OF TORTURE IMAGINABLE!!” I do not recognize my own voice. The pain and the rage just burst out...

“No need, Priestess.” I turn to where the sound is coming from. “We have them right here.” My people clear the way. A squad of red skinned Balli approach us. They open up and show us more Balli, all chained up and sitting nicely in a cage.

“We apologize for the tragedy... We hope that this;” the man points to the cage; “will be accepted as an apology and a gift.”

“Isn't it a bit convenient for you to present us with such a gift with this timing?” Ira approaches the men. The one who speaks hands Ira a scroll. Ira reads through it and brings it to me.

“Terrack's dead. His eldest has taken over. It says he agrees that the Treaty is what is best for the Continent and will continue to uphold it as before. Allegedly he's doing whatever he can to eliminate the radicals...”

“Then how are Mell and Lohk and the others dead!!” I scream out again.

“It was an ambush. We found evidence suggesting the road was being watched and preparations were made...” Our guard speaks behind me.

“Yes. Unfortunately, corruption has made its way into our side of the Joint Task Force. The officer responsible for watching over the traffic on that road has replaced some of our men with the Faction.” The Balli soldier confirms. “It was meant...”

“Meant to provoke us into a blind rage. Your War-Fanatics have made a crucial mistake of thinking that my dear friends who lay dead here are the King and Queen of Noxanda. Understandable, all of us Noxians must look the same to you.” I finish the explanation myself. The man does not answer.

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“The plan would have worked. Sadly for them, they didn't double check. This;” I gesture to the dead couple; “are Lohk and Melluna Evergreens. Be sure to engrave that name into your land’s history. They were Noxanda's Diplomats. Close to the standing of the Stardust Royal Family, but not close enough. Your peoples eager stupidity for action is the reason MY PEOPLE ARE DEAD!!!” I thunder down again and quickly bite my tongue.

“Or not. Who knows. Perhaps this was just as planned.” I try to contain myself. I fail miserably. “FRANKLY I DO NOT CARE HOW THIS HAPPENED! NOTHING WOULD BRING ME MORE PLEASURE THAN TO RIP YOU APART!!!” I take a few breaths...

“Feed them to the public.” I point to the cage. “I don't know how the Balli deal with criminals, but here we do not take threats made against the Royal Family or anyone representing us – lightly.” I glare down to the man. My people are given custody of the murderers.

“Tell your new King, that the gift has been received. As for the apology - I'll be expecting to hear one directly from him, right here. Be a dear and make sure he gets this as soon as possible.” I smile viciously. The man nods and the Balli brigade leave. I take Laira from Zarri and we all carry her back inside to one of the rooms.

“Stay with her till everything is ready. She'll gonna want to say goodbye. Regardless of how painful it is or she'll regret it.” I whisper to my daughter as we lay Laira down. Zarri nods in response.

“I trust I can leave Laira to you three?” I ask the rest. Crile and Amana nod. I bow my head to them and leave. I snatch the damned scroll out of Ira's hands and get to work. The light darkens. Someone informs me that everything is ready. I gather myself and meet with the children outside, by the fireplaces. Everyone has a candle in hand. I take mine and exhale. I, Zarri and Laira approach the stacked wood. Zarri and I hold Laira by the hands. She shakes her head. Yes, baby, I know... I know... I smile at her and throw my candle through the gap. A little smoke raises up and a quiet crackling reaches us. Laira keeps shaking her head. I gently take her hand, which holds the lit candle and raise it up. She drops the candle through her sobs. Zarri, Ira, Crile and Amana follow. The flames slowly pick up. Everyone else throw their tiny fires in too.

“The fire is the soul.” I begin. “We give a piece of ourselves to the souls extinguished for them to take with them as we say our farewells.” I hate this... I speak up again. “Let our light be your guide to the Afterlife!" I raise my hands up.

"May the Stars welcome you into their warm embrace! May your souls be reborn!” The crowd roars. Laira falls to her knees. She held up enough. The children take her back inside. I soon follow them, leaving the rest of my land to see off the departed souls for me. I return to my room and pour myself a drink. How did I let this happen? Why did I let this happen?

“Well, the good news is - the only good news.” I hear Ira's voice behind me. “Olcano, Terrack's successor, can't start his reign with conflict, although, I do believe that was the Pro-War Faction's intention, but that's only my speculation. So. The kid is trying real hard to patch this up as soon as possible. That's why they accepted our help so easily, although, according to the last report that Lohk sent us, before... There was no need for concern. The reports about the size of the Pro-War supporters were falsified, that, or they faked the rumors about them being fake to throw us off. Either way - it was an elaborate attempt to scare us, which, sadly - we took the bait. They were counting on someone important enough to kill to come over to their side.” I sip my vine as I stare into the roaring flames outside and listen to Ira's report...

“The only thing that's bothering me is the execution of it all. If it were made to look like an accident - it would make no sense. We wouldn't be provoked. If they attacked first - they can't blame us for anything. They had to provoke them to fight, but our party managed to fight back harder than the Faction anticipated. The man said there were signs of an ambush. I can only guess the plan was to blame us for "causing harm" to the Balli, but it failed and the Balli themselves threw the first punch, probably. Knowing Lohk and Mell - it's kinda the only explanation I can think of...”

“Those two were always at each other's throats. I can imagine how easy it was for the two of them to taunt the Balli...” I take another sip.

“Too easy, apparently...” Ira mumbles. “Anyways. I was certain that the Anchors would prevent something like this from happening…”

“It has been fifteen years since the Joint Task Force was established.” I take another sip. It’s easy to track it, since Zarri is fifteen years old now…

“Yeah, which is what worries me, because that means that all of this was orchestrated and funded by someone rich enough and, or powerful too. Perhaps that’s the reason why Olcano is putting so much effort into containing it. Whoever started this, might be a direct threat to his position as well. I’m not surprised why he wouldn’t hesitated to launch an all-out hunt for the rebels.” Yeah, guess the more prosperous the land becomes the greedier some bastards get...

“At this rate we probably won't ever know how they would have spun it. But I, personally, can live without knowing. As long as Olcano gets it under control. Oh.” Ira stops for a quick second. “The other two are staying out of it.” I smile. He means the lands... “Overall, it looks like we managed to prevent bigger losses...”

“AT WHAT COST!!!” I smash the glass into the wall. “Laira lost her parents!!... I lost two of my friends... Noxanda lost its first and only Diplomats since well us!... Why does Peace require so many sacrifices? Why something so beautiful must be gained through such ugly methods...” I stare at the flames and my people gathered around them as they say their goodbyes to their friends and families that have died on my orders...

“It's all my fault.”

“No, it isn't.”

“I should have gone there myself.”

“No.”

“Yes, Ira! I should have gone! Those two should have never left!”

“Wrong! If you had gone in their place, it would be you in those flames and Noxanda would have started a war all on its own!” Ira flares up. “Sacrifice is ugly, but is needed! They did what they thought was right for the greater good.”

“What good is “the greater good” if their child grows up alone!”

“She's not alone. She's in pain yes, but she'll pull through.”

“How do you know that!” I can't contain myself any longer. The storm of emotions is...

“Because Zarri won't let her. She and the others will keep Laira going. She will grow up strong and beautiful, and intelligent just like her parents.”

“Oh spare me! What are you? A prophet now? You don't believe a single word...” I mock him.

“I have to!” He snaps. I flinch from the sudden ring of his strong echo. “I have to believe it or I will go insane with grief.” Ira says. I watch him. “I don't believe in some invisible power. But I do believe in Zarri and Crile, and Amana, and Laira.” He picks his eyes up again. “I believe in the kids. I'm putting my faith and trust in them.”

“I envy you. You make it sound so simple...”

“It is. There isn't anything else I believe in. It's that simple.”

    “My, don't you look divine.” I lean against the wooden door. This is the first time in fifteen years that I have seen Zarri in a dress. Everyone is wearing white today. The sleek fabric flows nicely down from her shoulders. The sheer sleeves make for a playful arrangement with Zarri's skin color. Her hair seems even bluer… Everything would be so much better if it wasn't such a sad occasion... I'm so busy admiring the view that I fail to notice the expression on Zarri's face. I walk over closer.

“Is something the matter?” Well, besides the obvious... She looks at me before she speaks.

“What would he think if he saw me this way?” Oh. I smile and lean my back against the marble wall, right next to the mirror. I close my eyes and imagine...

“Let's see. Well. He'd probably stand in the doorway for a good minute, frozen from your beauty. Then he'd rush over to you, take you by the hand, get down on one knee and ask you to marry him, as the idiot that he was.” I see the picture of that clearly inside my mind.

“Of course, he'd snap out of it real quick, realizing that it's his own daughter he's about to marry and he'd be thrilled with joy, pouring out compliments to his beautiful girl. Then, I believe, somewhere along the line he'd realize that other men would see the gorgeous you, and, being a man himself, he'd know what they would think of, as they would lay their eyes on you. That would get him really pissed off and scared.” I giggle to myself from that image.

“He'd be torn about letting you out and keeping you here. Of course, he'd decide on letting you go, but he'd be hovering over you the entire time as you...” Strange quiet sound makes me open my eyes. Zarri stands there, with her face covered, sobbing. Idiot.

“Now now, Sweetness, no need for that.” I wrap my arms gently around her and slowly stroke her back. “I'm sorry.” A light shake.

“Nuh-uh. I asked...” I hold her for about a minute, when Crile shows up.

“The Balli are here.” He announces. “Everyone is gathered now.” I nod.

“Right then. Let's get this over with.” Zarri wipes her eyes and I recognize Devona and Wykren in her look. That quiet determination with a hint of bloodlust just in case. I grin. He'd be proud to have her for a daughter.

    Zarri, Laira, and Crile are the last ones to show up, with Ira right behind them. We asked Amana to stay away this time. This is our matter to handle. I take Laira's hands into mine.

“Bear with us. This will be over soon.” She nods. Good girl. Zarri and Crile surround Laira. I take top row center and give the signal to let the Balli in. Wykren used to make a point to taunt his opponents, so will I. They can afford to wait a little. The breeze is quite nice today I hear. The new King steps inside our Throne Hall, with his escort a few steps back? Interesting... He bows. Almost kneels.

“Priestess, I am here today to express my deepest condolences for your loss and the loss of your land. Smart. Going in first like that. However.

“Oh no. I do believe you have it all wrong. It is not my forgives you need to seek.” Zarri brings Laira closer to me. “But hers.” I put my hands on Laira's shoulders. “Meet one Laira Evergreen. The one and only daughter to the early departed Melluna and Lohk Evergreens.” The King stares at me. He slowly bows his head to us again.

“Miss Evergreen, I hope you will accept my deepest regrets and condolences for your loss.” He says.

Laira takes in a breath. “Your majesty, forgive me, but as I am overwhelmed with grief right now, I do not believe I am civilized enough to accept your feelings at the moment.” Good girl. The man stares at Laira. Chew on that for a bit.

“Yes, well, perhaps one day, then.” He nods. Laira curtsies and Crile takes her away by her arm. He leads Laira a bit further back. Zarri takes a few steps down now.

“I am Gazarria Stardust. Daughter of one Wykren Stardust.” She pauses perfectly and continues to speak before anyone else says anything. “As the future of this land and its people I only have this to say: I can only hope you will do a better job next time. Looking forward to working with Ballista in the future.” Zarri holds eye contact and her smile a moment longer, bows lightly and walks back up, placing herself next to me. I lay my hand on her shoulder.

“That reminds me.” Zarri says. “I don't believe Cobalus has apologized to me for the Bandit-Fiasko fifteen years ago.” Oh no... She didn't... I shut my eyes closed for a mere second. She really is you daughter, dear. I feel a strange conflict be born inside of me: to be proud of her or not, right now? She did just abuse the situation to her advantage... Not something I would have recommended, but something he would have done, for sure... Terrack's replacement stares at us with an expression that only a ghost can beat. He bows his head to us again.

“Miss Gazarria Stardust, please accept my deepest condolences, as the current King of Ballista, for our past mistakes, that led to the untimely death of Noxanda's King - Sir Wykren Stardust.” Well now. For someone who is barely younger than Terrack was when we first met him, Olcano sure managed to make himself look like a mere child just now, asking for his parents’ forgiveness. I gently press my daughter’s shoulders and smile.

“I believe you have fulfilled your purpose, your majesty. You may go now. We'll be in touch with the other matters.” Zarri and I bow our heads. Every Noxian gathered follows our lead. The Balli bow back, including their King and leave. The bloody bastards.