"How was it?" I ask our Priestess as she takes my hand to step out of the carriage. She went to Existara and back in record time. Five months. Roughly. Unfortunately for her, the kids seem to have their hands full with their second Rebirth right about now. Or rather the aftermath of it. History has a terrible sense of irony, repeating itself like that.

“You mean before or after my DAUGHTER TURNED HERSELF INTO AN ICEBERG!!! THE IDIOT!!” She walks away quickly. “Gather up whatever the supplies we have left in this dump! I am leaving immediately!!” I grab her arm.

“No.”

“Unhand me this instance!”

“What exactly can you do now? She's half dead. This time we can be certain of it.” Devona slips her arm out of my hand.

“If you expect me to just sit here and wait again–“

“Yes. I do. You already did what you had to.” I hold her raging glare. “You did, didn’t you?”

“Yes. Right before she almost drowned in her own blood! And I just stood there! Watching! I JUST STOOD THERE!! WATCHING AN INFANT PRIMERIAN SAVE MY CHILD'S LIFE!!!!” Aah. Is that what this glare is for? She covers her face, takes a breath and...

“I ALMOST LOST HER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND DID NOTHING TO HELP!!!” She looks up at statue of Wykren. “I failed to realize how low I have sunk...” Interesting.

“I also told them that I want them to ascend the throne. They both refused. Zarri did "promise" she'd come back after the Rebirth, BUT I GUESS FREEZING TO DEATH HAS PUT THAT ON HOLD NOW TOO!!! UUUGGHHH!!!!” She storms inside the Palace. I follow her quietly. She paces around the Hall like a wounded animal. She keeps blaming Wykren for Zarri's character, but she is more like her mother than either of them realize it.

“How did she look?” I ask.

“LIKE AN IDIOT!” Devona keeps pacing. “Like she's been to Hell and Beyond. Twice. If not more...” She finally stops. “Yet beautiful still.” I smile. Good. “What am supposed to do?”

“Same thing as you always have. Wait.”

“Priestess?” A maiden dressed in the Robes, speaks from one of the side corridors. Haven't seen that crest in a long and boring while. The black shadow of a woman with her arms up to the sky, in the silver circle of the moon. The seal of the High Priestess... Only her direct servants are allowed to wear the crest.

“Speak!” Devona waves her hand around.

“Is the Heir coming home?” She asks carefully. Devona turns around. I see the hopefulness in the maiden's eyes. The eagerness is in the air. People are beginning to hope for a miracle that they thought they'd never see again.

Our Priestess lets a sigh out. “She'd better.” Devona stares in front of her again, looks out the balcony and back at me.

“Do we have the drawings that Lyma made of Wykren?”

“Of course;” I walk over to the desk and open the bottom left drawer; “he's been redrawing them every good decade or so and here.” I take a bunch and lay them out. Devona gets up next to me. She rustles through the drawings. Comparing some, putting them up and down again. She's looking...

“This one.” She holds out a drawing with Wykren and Emerald. The Saber circles the Warrior from behind, roaring at the world, just like her master. I take the drawing.

“What do you want to do with it?” I ask.

“Make a statue for Emerald. She died protecting Zarri. It's the least I can do honor her. Least she can finally stand next to him again too...” She adds in a whisper.

“We'll get to it then.” I look up. The Palace Maiden is still here. I wave her over and hand her the drawing.

“You heard the Queen.” She nods and rushes out. Devona keeps gazing upon the black and white pictures of her love. Lyma did a good job including all of us here and there. Ah. There we go. Devona picks the one up with all four of them in it. Laughing and smiling together. Her, Wykren, Era and Zarri. Just the way it should have been. Tiny drops smudge the pencil here and there. She quickly puts the picture down.

“Save these for her, please.” She leaves the Hall without waiting for an answer.

“As you wish.” I mumble silently.

    “Laira and Percival are doing the best they can.”

“Will that be enough?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you trust them?” I ask Crile.

“Yes.”

“Do you believe in them?”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“I have to.”

“Then pray to the universe to give them strength to pull this off, because without them she's gone too.”

“Is that how you managed all these years?”

“Meaning what?” I asked a bit confused.

“You had faith in her? In us?”

“Yes. I chose to believe in the people that are precious to me. That means more to me than some God. Or multiple. I only believe in those I care about.”

“Good to know.”

“Stay strong, kiddo.”

“Likewise.” His voice dies down again. Gorgeous... When will you stop taunting my frail soul?

    “Sounds like the kids pulled through for her.”

“You're telling me...” Devona keeps staring at the same page. I put my hand on it.

“Something on your mind, Priestess?”

“This better be the last time… I'm not sure I can withstand another one of her death stunts...”

“Sure. Cause if not you'll do what? Spank her?” I mock her. She glares at me for a quick second.

“I can dream, can't I?” She pouts.

“If I may give you, my opinion.”

“As if anything stopped you from doing that before…” She mutters under her nose. I grin.

“I doubt she would have found the kind of people for friends as she has, if she had stayed here all her life.” The near death experience aside, of course.

“She would have never had to go through what she had, if she had stayed.” Devona raises an eyebrow at me, accompanied by a smug grin of her own.

“I’d like to think that not all of it was a horrible experience.”

“You’re deluding yourself by thinking so.”

“Right, because the alternative is so appealing.” I give her a look of my own now. “We can argue here pointlessly about it as much as we want, it won’t change a thing, and we’ll never know what truly happened till she tells us.”

“If she ever will.” Devona sighs. Can’t argue there...

    “What do you mean Laira isn't coming back?” Devona flares up a little.

“They will come to visit, but apparently Laira is part of something called the Rebirth Research Division and has chosen to stay behind to help in Existara.” I explain for the fifth time.

“Perfect! Just perfect!” She waves her hands around.

“Problem?”

“No! NOOOOO! None at all!!” She mumbles.

“She's living her life too. If that's what she decided...”

“Yes, yes, I know all that! I just.”

“Just wanted to have all of your kids back again in one place.” I finish for her. She keeps mumbling to herself. I roll my eyes.

“I think it's rather admirable. Zarri and Crile faced the Rebirth twice and now Laira wants to help. I'm kinda proud of them.”

“Well good for you! There are problems to tend to, right here at home too, you know! But no! Our land is not exciting enough! Brats...” She adds angrily there at the end. Look who's talking. “I bet it's because of that Primerian mate of hers that she's staying behind.” Say what now?

“What Primerian mate?” I step closer.

“What? You didn’t know?” Devona looks up at me. “Laira is dating a Primerian boy. A mage. A? What was it again? A Reflector.... Marcus! Yes. That's the name, I believe.”

“Huh. That's just as rare as a Celestian. Interesting.”

“Interesting? That’s ALL you have to say about that?” Devona stares at me.

“Is she happy with him? Did he hurt her? Is he abusing her?”

“Yes. No and no.” Devona answers, furrowing her brow.

“Then yes. That is all I have to say. Like I said and keep saying - it is their lives. They are free to live them the way they please.” So Lairy, has a man. That damned brat of mine never mention a word. Looks like another girl of ours has grown up... I smile to myself.

“You seem rather proud.” Devona squints at me annoyed.

“I'm happy for the girls. I was afraid that after everything that happened they would shut down from the world. Especially Lairy. She had so much trouble coming back. After all, she was barely a sweet little child when tragedy struck her. It took more effort for her to pull through and not to fall apart again. Zarri and Crile were adults, so as painful as it was and is for them, they are able to deal with it faster.”

“You call a fifty year-long disappearance act fast?” She mocks me.

“Yes. If Zarri had given into the darkness that time, Crile would have found a dead body instead of an empty bed. She was struggling, but at least she kept moving forward in her own way. Laira on the other hand turned into a you. She was an empty shell, till she found her way back. Zarri's disappearance also was the only thing that made her move forward.”

“What about Crile? He didn't move anywhere.”

“He clung to the idea of seeing his woman again. That was enough to keep him chained to this plane.”

“Do you ever get tired of having all the answers?” She gets back to the pile of paperwork in front of her.

“I'm still waiting for one.” I whisper into her ear and dive under. Damn me. I couldn't resist the temptation...

    “They'll be here any minute now...” Devona paces around the room.

“Then I need to get moving.”

“Where are you going?”

“She knows where to find me.” I leave the Priestess to her anxiety. Hypocrite. My heart's fluttering with anticipation too. Yet my restraints are keeping me in check. There will be no running up to her and picking her up into the air like a little girl. My body trembles with excitement at the thought of seeing the Gorgeous creature again, but my mind reminds me of my place in the world, and so, I leave the family reunion to the family. She's his child, after all.