When Tessa was a girl, she once attended a small tournament atop the peak of Dealanaich.
Dawn had to carry her most of the way, she remembered, because her little legs kept failing her on the seven hundred steps that needed to be walked to reach the summit. They were part of a pilgrimage of sorts, one which Tess would have taken part in if she'd stayed in Nian. When a D'viritazi reached adulthood they were expected to leave the Nest and climb to the peak. There they would stand beneath a storm, amidst raining bolts of Lightning from the sky above. Should they emerge unscathed, they would be known as a true descendent of their ancestors, of a lineage that had persisted for a thousand years. The event that Tessa was attending at the time wasn't a D'viritazi tradition, more a result of Lilian needling her parents until she got her way, as she so often did. The oldest she may have been, but their parents could never say no to her.
In truth, it wasn't a tournament, though Lilian had sold it as such. She and Cassie just wanted to show off their training ground to their closest friends.
The peak of Dealanaich was where all D'viritazi Knights went to train when a storm formed over Nian. Tessa hadn't learned that until later on, from the volumes her father had given her when she was sent off to Venos, but looking back on it, she understood why.
Dealanaich literally translated to Throne of Thunder in the language of ancient Ragoran. It was the birth place of her clan, of the Lightning Smiths who would later go on to be known as one of the Five Families. In fact, such was their affinity for the mountain, they had named themselves for it. The 'D' at the beginning of their family name was to honour their home, while Viritazi translated to 'Lords'. They were literally the Lords of Lightning that ruled from the Throne of Thunder. Tessa had rolled her eyes at that in later life, but even she had to admit that Dealanaich was worthy of the name it had been given.
A natural arena had been carved out at the peak, one which had been formed by the blows of a thousand, thousand lightning bolts. The blackened stone was darkened further, charred and glassed as it created a hollow where all the Knights of their clan had trained for centuries. Tessa could almost feel Dawn's laboured breathing against her cheek, her sister's tight hands around her waist as she looked about with wonder upon her small face.
She'd chosen Dawn to take her to the gathering of Noble children because little Tess knew she could convince her more easily than Freida. Even at that age, she'd gotten a feel for how her sisters worked. Freida may have seemed gentler than Dawn, but she was adamantly opposed to violence of any sort. There was no way that Tess would be able to convince Freida to allow her to watch Cassie and Lilian fight. Dawn, on the other hand, was a sucker for her littlest sister's pout and held no qualms about taking her to the summit to watch the mayhem that would ensure
Only a dozen of Lilian and Cassie's friends were there, all of them readying themselves for the fighting to come and more than a few looking around at the D'viritazi arena with awe on their faces that was mirrored by Tessa's own. Cassie and Lilian were the first to fight, the blazing sun beating down on them as they faced each other across the craggy rocks.
Tess had stood next to Dawn, her hands wrapped in her sister's dress as she watched Cassie and Lily with wide eyes, all but bouncing with the excitement of the moment. She'd never seen a fight before. She'd asked her mother and her father to let her watch one, but she was told by both, in no uncertain terms, that fighting was for the Knights. As a Smith, she didn't need to trouble herself with such savagery.
Yet her interest persisted and when the opportunity presented itself, she leapt on the chance and roped Dawn into her little scheme. Thankfully, her always patient sister was receptive and willing to carry her all the way to the summit for the practice matches.
She remembered Cassie giving her a little smile, subtle and restrained like the girl herself, and Lily's ferocious grin with canines flashing. Then they clashed, their blunted swords creating sparks that danced into the air like fireflies before disappearing just as fast.
The little girl was shocked by the display, immediately hiding behind Dawn's dress even as she peaked out to stare at her sisters. Tess remembered thinking they looked like they wanted to really hurt each other. She started crying soon after. The noise, the sound of the swords, the looks on their faces, it was all too much for her to take. She lifted her tiny hands to cover her eyes, sobbing quietly as Dawn whispered into her ear that everything was alright.
When little Tess removed her shaking hands, she found herself standing in front of the kneeling forms of her sisters, who were smiling at her kindly and making funny faces to make her laugh. Tessa slowly stopped her crying, giggling at Cassie and Lily as they playfully shoved at one another.
That was the only practice match that took place on the peak of Dealanaich that day. The two girls put a stop to the fighting, much to the annoyance of their guests. They had done it for her, Tessa realised, though not until years later. They didn't want to upset her.
Tess didn't know why that particular memory would come to the fore at that moment, but it felt as though it was happening before her eyes, vivid and filled with details she hadn't cared enough to notice back then. Tessa may have failed to discern the reason behind why that particular recollection had decided to make an appearance, but one thing was abundantly clear to her.
In the span of five seconds, she could destroy Cassie and Lilian.
“Hello, Rainie.”
She wasn't ready yet.
Tessa blinked, the violent thought yanking her from the recently returned memory and back into reality. She stood with one foot on the gangplank as the other was placed on the deck of the ship that had carried them over the White Sea. She wasn't sure she could handle it, despite how sure she'd felt only a moment before. The young woman instead looked up once more, catching sight of the towering form of Dealanaich. It hadn't changed at all since she'd been away, still a towering monument to the Element for which it was named and still containing an aura of malice that made her wonder how anyone living in its shadow could hope to find any peace.
“Rainie.”
The approach to Nian had been a peaceful one, almost supernaturally so. The Captain of their vessel had even commented to Boldrin that never before had he seen the White Sea so calm. Tessa was glad for the quiet of it all. It had allowed her to put her thoughts into perspective, most of them at least. Her talk with Orin had helped to quiet her nerves, to settle the lingering doubts that had lived in her mind since their departure from Yelmora.
When she'd left Myrin, the eventual reunion with her house had been the last thing on her mind. She'd only just become a Smith and was training with Elora to improve herself. Her spare moments were spent dwelling on how to make Raiken a reality, not on the family that she hadn't seen in ten years.
“Rainie, please say something.”
Yet the closer they came to the shores of the place that was once her home, the more confused she became. It was made all the worse by Alden and Deirdric telling her how her sisters were doing in Nian. She'd known how it would affect her, yet she'd gone ahead and asked anyway. Then came the inevitable question that had haunted her waking moments since they'd left Hostor. It was so pathetic that it very nearly made the mercenary laugh from sheer bitterness alone.
What if they didn't like her?
She'd changed so much over the past ten years. She wasn't what they remembered. There wasn't even a shred of the girl who had left Nian. 'Rainie' had died the night she hunted down and killed the man who'd left her Knight bedridden. Her childhood had ended then, because it had to. She didn't need anything else after that. Only Orin mattered.
But she couldn't argue with the fact that they had meant something to her once. More than that, they'd been her world before Orin. To ignore that was to deny who she was. Orin had said as much when they'd spoken. She could be both his Tessa and Tessaraina D'viritazi of Nian, there didn't need to be a divide between the two as she so often thought growing up in Myrin. It had just felt easier that way. Back then, when all she'd had were the clothes on her back and the dagger at her hip, it had helped to ignore the past, to ignore what could've been. But she didn't have to do that anymore. Not for anyone, least of all herself.
'You're perfect just the way you are, Tess.'
Even the thought of him saying the words made her smile.
All in all, the trip across the White Sea had been one of enlightened reflection for Tessaraina D'viritazi. She'd put her doubts to rest and was ready to face her family with courage, come what may. As long as Orin was beside her, as long as he stayed close, nothing could go wrong.
But at the rate her Knight was going, it didn't seem he would be much help to anyone.
“Talk to us. Please, Rainie.”
Orin was the bravest person she knew. Even against impossible odds, Orin would stand firm. He'd promised to destroy the continent itself to be reunited with Tessa when her unease about the message in Yelmora became apparent, and she believed him with all of her heart and soul. He'd faced down Masters, a Queen and even an Element that drove every other person who'd tried to use it stark raving mad. Unfortunately, Tessa's Knight had found his weakness in the most unlikely of places: The insidiously gentle swaying of the White Sea.
As the voyage progressed, so too did Orin's illness. When he wasn't training, Orin spent much of his time clutching the mast in abject misery. Tess hated seeing him in any form of discomfort, especially one that seemed to affect him so greatly, but there was little she or her Sister-Smith could do to help. Their Gift of Healing gave him relief for a time, but as soon as they left his soul, it would return twice as hard as before to torture him. Eventually he had just decided to grin and bear it, waving away their attempts to Heal him. So, Tess and Elora had fallen back on just trying to keep him comfortable. A task that, surprisingly enough, Tessa found she actually enjoyed.
The fact that Orin hated being coddled was definitely a factor into why she enjoyed the task so much, but it also had a hint of nostalgia to it. It was almost like she was back in Myrin, stalking him though the streets and keeping him safe from all the things that could cause him any measure of pain. Except now, the people with deadly intent had turned into a stomach churning nausea.
“Tess.”
No, no, no. Not ready. She wasn't ready yet.
“They're waiting for you.”
Tess turned to face her Knight. He stood behind her on the deck, a gentle smile on his pale face. He'd refused to leave the ship without her. If she hadn't decided to stay onboard when she'd heard Tilia's voice he would already be on land again. But he'd stayed, despite the pain he was in.
Tessa opened her mouth to speak, dried lips parting as she sought to say something, anything, in response, but words refused to emerge. Her lungs felt empty of air, her throat constricted by fear.
She thought she'd be ready for this, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. The anxiety, the nervousness, the doubt, it hadn't gone away because of a few words. It was just buried, and now it chose to rise to the fore. The sounds of her sisters' voices, at once familiar and foreign, pressed against her skull like the echo of a half-forgotten dream. She didn't know what the right thing to say was.
It had taken Orin three hours just to convince her to come this far. She'd been hiding below deck, her stomach roiling with nerves as she bit her lip and stared at one of the leaky, wooden walls of the brig. She hated being this weak, hated the fact that Orin had to see her like this, but she couldn't stop it, no matter how hard she tried. As soon as they caught sight of Nian, it was like everything hit her at once. Nothing had changed. The buildings, the people, the port, it was all a reflection of the distant past, when she'd been sailing away in the dead of night, tears spilling from her eyes.
After what seemed like an age, words finally came, “I don't think I can do this, Orin.”
Her Knight's grin only widened, his eye flashing as he shook his head, “Too late now. I'm not letting you back on the ship. Only one way off now, Tess, and that's forward.”
“Asshole,” Tessa growled, though it was a weak thing and lacking the bite she was so proud of, “I... I just need a little more time to get my head together. Let me on the fucking boat.”
Orin took her hand, holding it tightly, “No, Tess. You can do this, I know you can. One step at a time, just like we talked about. I'm right behind you.”
Tessa glared at her Knight with enough fury to cow an army and yet he wasn't fazed in the slightest. He merely returned her stare with his own, one that was just as stubborn, if not more so. She knew she couldn't stay on the ship forever, she knew that Orin not letting her back on was the logical thing to do, but she could also at least take a moment to hate him for it.
“S-stay close,” Tess whispered as she finally grasped his hand back, just as tightly, “Don't stray.”
“Never,” Orin stated as nodded his head towards the dock, “Lets go.”
Tessa drew in a deep breath, Orin's touch stilling her trembling hands as she turned back to face the entourage awaiting them. She fixed her gaze first to her Sister-Smith. Elora was smiling at her kindly, her infuriating innocence shining through in her grin. For some reason, that calmed Tessa further still. As much as Tess found Elora's need to help aggravating at times, she would lying if she said it wasn't slightly endearing. Very slightly.
The descent down the gangplank seemed to take a lifetime. Tess focused on the creak of the hastily put together planks beneath her, wedging her feet in to stop herself from slipping. It gave her mind something to focus on, a distraction from the overwhelming nausea in her gut. The dock arrived all too soon. As soon as Tessa stepped onto the wet wood, she steeled herself and met the eyes of the women who had spoken to her.
There they were. Four of them, at least. Tessa knew who they were, for how could she not? She'd not thought about them in years, tried with all her might to forget their faces to spare herself the pain of knowing they were out there, and yet she recognised them as easily as she could herself.
She looked to Tilia first, taking in the pixie like grin, the sweet eyes of steel that shimmered with mischief and the hair that was woven with jewels of incalculable value, her dress studded with the same. She was a copy of their mother. That was Tessa's first thought upon seeing the face of her sister for the first time in ten years. She was beautiful.
Stolen novel; please report.
Next came Dawn, whose soft, patient smile struck at Tessa's heart. A hundred thoughts came with that smile, a hundred memories of comfort and hushed rocking as Tess clung to her. Dawn still held that maternal air to her, one which seemed to permeate from her every pore. She'd been the sister Tess would run to if she was in trouble, because in those arms she had always felt so safe. She was about to become a mother herself, her belly looking fit to burst as she cradled the mound preciously, her hands slim and gentle. Tessa couldn't help but stare, which caused Dawn's smile to widen still further. Her eyes were like Tessa's and Tilia's, their mother's eyes, but Dawn's lacked the sharpness Tessa possessed and the hint of merriment that often denoted Tilia. Instead they were warm and welcoming, filled with a love that made Tess' face turn red and force her to look away with a hammering heart.
She looked to Lilian. Her eldest sister was a warrior, this much Tessa had known when she'd left, and it was made all the more apparent now upon her return. Unlike her siblings, Lily was wearing a tunic and breeches, though they were of a far more illustrious make than Tess had ever worn, and that included the outfit Orin had asked Lencel to give her. Tess saw the hilt of a dagger poking out from behind her back which made the mercenary tense involuntarily, her natural response to seeing any weapon, especially when she was feeling so vulnerable. Lily's wide grin and tear filled eyes stuttered at the sight, her gaze following Tessa's. She immediately rotated her belt to hide the dagger from view, her hands held outwards as though to show she was harmless. Tessa doubted that very much, but the tension did leave her body a moment later. Lilian's eyes were a match for their father's, their sky-blue colouring intense and all-encompassing. Tess couldn't look for long, the clarity of her irises almost painful to look at.
Finally, Tessa turned to look at Freida.
Of those assembled, she'd dreaded seeing her most of all. She'd hoped that none of her family would be waiting for them on the dock. She'd wanted to tell Alden to hold when he said he was going to send word to them, but without being able to give a concise reason as to why, she'd kept silent. The reason stood before her now.
Freida D'viritazi had been more mother to Tess than Theadora had ever been. She'd taught her to read, to write. She'd taught her how to dress herself and do her hair. Most of all, she'd always had time for her. Of all of her siblings, Tessa had been closest to Freida and while she was relatively sure she would be able to keep a straight face while meeting the others, she wasn't sure how seeing her older sister again would affect her.
She was smaller than Tessa remembered. In fact, they all were, though that was more likely to do with the fact that she'd grown more than anything else. Everything about Freida was delicate, fragile. Her blue eyes were far softer than Lilian's, kind and calming as they met her own. Her skin was paler than the dark skinned sisters standing next to her. Tess remembered how much Freida liked the library. Many times in their youth she would sit next to her and listen as she read aloud. The content of the books didn't matter so much as the one who was doing the reading. Tessa loved the sound of Freida's voice back then, she'd thought it was the prettiest sound in the world. The dress she wore was elegant and simple, one which clung to her tall frame and left her arms bare. It was just like Freida. She saw art in everything, but never herself.
A thousand different emotions whirled their way through Tessa's mind, each as distinct as the last. Clearest of all was the nervousness that held her body in a vice, that forced her too look anywhere but into the eyes of those she'd once valued so much. She still did, she realised. She'd hidden from it, excused it, but in the end they were her sisters. With that realisation came a steady calm as the feelings of unease fell away.
They were... family.
“Hello,” Tessa began. She didn't know where this new found confidence came from. Whether it was from Orin at her back or the sudden excitement that had taken a hold of her heart, she didn't know and she didn't need to know, “I... Fuck, I don't really know what to say.”
Her words pulled a laugh from the women assembled, tears flowing once more as they stared at her with something Tess hadn't expected to see, nor was it something she'd thought she needed.
Acceptance. Unconditional, without any agenda. They were simply happy to see her. Tess' eyes began to sting. She brushed at them idly.
“I don't think any of us know what to say either, and we've thought of little else for months,” Freida said with a chuckle, which was echoed by her sobbing sisters. Tilia sniffled, rubbing at her nose while Dawn gently dabbed at her eyes. Lilian was smiling so brightly that she seemed to be the sun manifest. The joy she felt near palpable, “Welcome home, Rainie.”
“Tessa,” The mercenary murmured, looking at them with sudden hesitance, “I prefer Tessa.”
“Then Tessa it shall be,” Dawn said as she walked forward. Before Tess could speak, the woman had pulled her into a tight hug. So tight in fact that Tess felt her ribs begin to creak. It seemed like Dawn was as strong as she'd always been, “You are so beautiful, Tessa. You're all grown up.”
Tess felt the need to cry all the stronger then but she just about managed to hold it down. She usually hated it when people touched her. They weren't Orin, they didn't set fire to her skin, but it wasn't unpleasant to be held like this. It was much like hugging Elora. Strangely comforting, if a little irritating. Tess had long since accepted the fact that people were affectionate creatures and she remembered that her sisters weren't an exception to this rule.
“Do you remember me?” Dawn said as she pulled away, holding Tessa by the shoulders as she stared at her fondly, “You were so young when you left.”
“I remember you, Dawn,” Tess smiled slightly, embarrassed. She rolled the name around in her mouth. It felt so strange saying it after so long, “I remember all of you. I didn't forget.”
“Nor we about you,” Freida said as she joined her sisters, taking a hold of Tessa's hand, “Not for one day, not for one moment.”
“Not once,” Tilia said firmly as she came to Tessa's other side, wrapping her arms about her waist, “Never.”
“We couldn't even if we wanted to,” Lily said with a roll of her eyes, “You're our baby sister.”
“I'm... I'm not...” Tessa took a deep, stilted breath. This was all happening so fast, she couldn't put her thoughts in order. Her previous confidence was shattered and her composure wasn't far behind, “I'm not the same. I've... I've done things. I'm different.”
She wanted to say broken, but the strength to do so escaped her.
“And you think we're not?” Freida replied gently, her voice just as soothing as Tess remembered.
“I'm married and having a baby,” Dawn quipped, “Freida's married, Cassie's in the navy, Lily's being trained by father to take over the family and Tilia... well, Tilia is doing whatever it is she does.”
“'Head of public relations for the D'viritazi',” Tilia snapped back, winking at Tess, “I gave myself the title. My boss says I'm very good at my job.”
“You are your boss.”
“Semantics,” Tilia replied lightly, “Point is that we've all changed, Rainie... Tessa. Doesn't mean we love each other any less.”
“Or love you any less,” Freida interrupted as she stroked Tessa's hair, reminding her of a time from long ago, “We thought you were lost to us. I thought I had failed you. I still do. But the fact that you're here, now, that's what matters most. You are our sister. It doesn't matter what has happened, how different you believe yourself to be. I've known you since the day you were born, Tessaraina. I see you standing here and feel nothing less than pride. We love you and we always will.”
'You're perfect just the way you are, Tess.'
All of it struck her at once then. The fear she'd held in her heart, of being rejected, of being dismissed in disgust. Irrational thoughts maybe, but still very real all the same. They all turned to dust, gone the instant Freida spoke those words.
Tess cried then, the walls crumbling, the black clouds dissipating as she was enveloped by Freida and Tilia, Dawn and Lilian joining them as they held her close, as Tess buried her head into her sister's shoulder and let go. It was not sadness, nor even happiness, that caused her to weep. Relief caused the tears to flow down her cheeks, as though a great weight she'd been carrying since she was seven years old was suddenly yanked from her shoulders. Not since Bonding with Orin had she felt so... complete.
She didn't know how long they stood there together. They'd barely said a word and yet it was more than enough to put to rest the fears she'd clung to since she was a girl. They still had more to talk about, more that needed to be revisited, but that could wait, at least for the moment. The city, the people, even her companions, they all fell away.
Well, all except one.
She found Orin's eye. Her Knight had retreated to stand next to Boldrin, Vera, Alden, Deirdric and Elora. She didn't think she'd ever seen him so happy. The Bond hummed with pleasant contentment as he sent wave after wave of pride over their connection. Tessa couldn't help but grin widely in response, smiling through her tears and rolling her eyes at his foolishness. He would be impossible for weeks after this, his smug sense of 'told you so' following her around like a dismal cloud. Still, she could put up with it. She'd been reunited with her family, at least part of it, and it hadn't gone to shit like she'd expected.
That was enough.
“I-I want you all to meet someone,” Tessa said hesitantly, the words causing the group of young women to separate, “He is... Well, he is my family.”
She looked to Orin almost desperately, only to find her Knight had crossed the distance between them with two tremendous bounds. Already, the rigours of the illness that had struck him at sea were beginning to dissipate. He looked stronger, a little colour being added to her cheeks. She didn't quite expect what happened next.
He lifted her into the air, wrapping his arms around her waist as he did so. Tess' jaw dropped as she let loose with a very uncharacteristic high pitched squeal. She hissed at her Knight, “Put me down, Orin! I swear to the Spirit, I will stab you.”
“Liar,” He growled, but he heeded her warning all the same. When she was once more on her own two feet, he leaned forward to kiss Tess on the forehead soundly, which made her cheeks turn so red that she was afraid the heat of them would burn her alive, from pleasure or anger, she didn't quite know. He whispered into her ear, “I'm so fucking proud of you.”
That meant almost as much as her sisters welcome.
Tess punched his shoulder and grunted, trying to salvage at least a little of her dignity as she waved Elora forward. The Princess was more than happy to comply, though her display of affection for her Sister-Smith was a little more restrained than Orin's. Her hug was brief, but filled with that patented warmth that seemed to radiate from her small body. Tess would never admit it, but she enjoyed it more than she let on.
“Lilian, Dawn, Tilia, Freida,” Tessa began, suddenly nervous all over again as she nodded towards Orin and Elora, though it was a shadow of what it had been, “This is my Knight, Orin, and my Sister-Smith, Elora.”
“We've already had the pleasure of meeting Princess Elora,” Dawn said with a welcoming smile to the young woman, “Though we definitely need to hear the story of how you became Bonded to an Heir, Princess. I'm sure its a good one.”
“Oh, it is,” Elora said with a shake of head as she took Orin's hand, staring at him with her golden eyes, “But it is also a long one.”
Freida squeezed Tessa's hand once, “Well, we have nothing if not time. It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Orin of Myrin. Thank you for taking care of our Tessa.”
“It was more the other way around, I'm afraid,” Orin said sheepishly, “Without Tess, I'd very likely be dead in a ditch by this point.”
“Is that so?” Lilian said, her eyes looking Orin up and down subtly, before they focused on the silver scar running through his right eye, “You have the bearing of a warrior about you.”
“I have been known to dabble in the combative arts.”
“I can't say I've ever sparred against an Heir before. Perhaps we could train against one another at some point. Our other sister, Cassie, will inevitably want to get involved as well as soon as she realises who you are.” Lily continued cordially.
“I would like that.” Orin replied.
Lilian would lose that fight. Her sister was clearly a fighter, this much Tessa knew, but she doubted that she had much real experience in battle. She was to be the next head of the clan and her father wouldn't allow her to put her life in danger. Besides, Orin had both Tess and Elora, two Smiths with two Resonant Gifts. It would be difficult, especially given her sister's Element of Lightning, but Orin would triumph in the end. He always did.
Still, the fact that Lilian was trying to bond with Orin meant more to Tessa than she realised.
It was then that she noticed the conspicuous absence of her silent sister. Dawn caught her look and shook her head sadly, “Cassie left on patrol this morning. There has been some problems at our border with Wellind and they've asked for reinforcements to hold the line. Nothing too extreme, at least for Cassie. If she'd known you'd be arriving today, she would have stayed behind.”
“Trouble with Wellind?” Boldrin asked suddenly, his brows furrowing as he and Vera exchanged a look, “Is it serious?”
“Not at the moment,” Tilia continued where Dawn left off, “Ragora always has problems with the Wellinders hoping to sack the island's wealth. Have no fear, if it gets bad enough then father will be called out to deal with it. Thankfully, it has yet to reach that point.”
Boldrin looked far from put at ease by Tilia's words, instead sharing a sharp look with Vera, who was just as troubled, “Could that be it?”
“No point speculating,” Vera said with a frustrated sigh, “We just have to wait and see.”
“Is there a problem? Something we need to know?” Lilian asked.
“Oh, we're just trying to find out what fresh hell is heading our way,” Boldrin said with a chuckle, “Being in proximity with Orin tends to have terrible consequences for your health.”
“That's a bit of an exaggeration,” Orin spoke up weakly, “Like Lady Tilia said, there's always a problem with Wellind.”
“Aye, lad, but the fact that the trouble has started to get serious the day we arrive begs us to get a better idea of what's going on,” Boldrin said, “I'll poke around a bit later on, see what I can find out. I still have a few contacts in the Ragoran Navy.”
Elora caught sight of Tessa's sisters confused stares and decided to alleviate some of their bafflement, “We haven't been attacked by someone in over two weeks.”
That just made their confusion all the more apparent. Freida exchanged a look with the others before blinking owlishly at Elora, “And that isn't normal?”
Elora laughed aloud, grabbing onto Orin's arm to steady herself as her face nearly turned red from the strain of trying to contain her mirth, “No, not even close!”
“Can you please not do that?” Orin said with a roll of his eye, though his own smile was shining through. It was hard not to be drawn in when Elora started laughing.
“Bad things tend to happen with Orin around,” Tessa began, chuckling along with her near senseless Sister-Smith, who was acting like she'd heard the funniest joke in the world, “Boldrin and Vera are just being paranoid.”
“I'm not so sure about that,” A voice came from aboard the ship, causing Tessa to turn despite knowing who it was. Lady Annabelle had been handling the company's belongings and the horses, which were yet to be unloaded from the ship. Annabelle walked down the gangplank as though it were the finest carpet, the uneasiness of the footing giving her no pause at all as her icy eyes took in those assembled, “Greetings, all. I am Lady Annabelle, First Smith of Venos.”
“It's a pleasure, Lady Annabelle,” Tilia curtseyed sweetly, “We assumed you were on board, of course, with Lady Vera being present.”
“I am glad to see that all is well out here,” Annabelle said politely before fixing Tess with a fond smile, “The captain will see our belongings to wherever it is we're staying.”
“In the Nest, naturally,” Freida said instantly as she gave Tess an excited grin, “I've been readying your old room since Alden and Deirdric left for the Republic. I'll have it prepared for you tonight.”
Tessa didn't know what to make of that. In truth, she remembered little about the Nest, “Thank you, Freida.”
“The Nest?” Orin asked.
“Ah, yes,” Tilia spun around and pointed to the sky above. Rather, she pointed up towards the peak of Dealanaich, “It's up there. Don't worry, a carriage will carry us most of the way.”
“You used to live on a mountain?” Orin muttered to Tessa with a raised brow.
“The D'viritazi ancestral home is there,” Tessa said quietly, “My mother and father... That's where they'll be waiting.”
Tessa felt her heart begin to constrict, her hands begin to shake. Meeting her sisters was one thing, but seeing the two people who'd sent her away, who'd put her on the boat to Venos in the first place, that was something else entirely.
“We're right here,” Orin muttered as Elora came up to stand beside them, “Nothing can hurt you.”
“I know.” Tessa said softly, “Just bad memories.”
“We didn't know, Rainie,” The slip back into her old name caused Tess to turn and face the person who'd spoken. Lilian stood as though mesmerised, her gaze fixed on the mountain above and her sky blue eyes clouded by dark thoughts, “If we'd known you were alive-”
“It's fine,” Tessa said sharply, not wanting to relive that moment anymore than she needed to, “It's in the past now. It wasn't your fault.”
“No,” Orin growled, the fierce look that suddenly appeared on his face was a stark contrast the jovial expression he'd worn before, so much so in fact that he caused Lilian to take a step back with narrowed eyes, “It was his fault.”
Lily nodded, her defensiveness deflating with Orin's accusation, eyes downcast as clenched fists trembled by her sides, “When he told us about you, Tessa, we didn't know what to think. At first we thought he was joking. A cruel one, but a joke nonetheless. When mother started crying, when he kept staring at us... I don't want you to go back up there. I don't want you to see them again, none of us do. But-”
“But on this island, nothing happens without Mastan D'viritazi knowing about it,” Boldrin interrupted as he secured the strap that tied his axe to his back, “He'll already know you're here, lass. He'll be waiting at the peak.”
“He will,” Lilian nodded, her strength returning and when she looked at Tessa once more, her sky blue eyes were cleared of black clouds and shining with purpose, “And we'll stand right beside you, Rainie.”
“We weren't there for you once,” Freida spoke up next, her eyes meeting Tilia's, Dawn's and Lilian's in turn, each of them giving firm nods of support, “We won't make that same mistake again. If you don't want to go to the Nest, we understand. We'll make sure father and mother don't come anywhere near you.”
Instead of responding, Tessa turned to her Knight, watching him carefully as he stared towards the mountain with intense focus on his face, “Orin.”
He stared at her with his one eye, a gleaming emerald under water that was filled with such kindness and compassion that it took her breath away. But there something underneath all that feeling, something dark and barely contained, an anger that demanded to be released.
Orin had told them all about what happened in the arena, how he had more control over his soul than ever before. But that didn't mean it didn't burn bright, hidden beneath the surface. Tessa could almost feel it across the Bond. A maelstrom of rage that demanded to be sated, so large that it seemed able to blot out the sun itself.
All of that. All for her.
When Tessa was about to introduce Orin to her sisters, she'd hesitated. Not for any other reason than she couldn't quite put into words what he meant to her. Calling him only her Knight seemed so small, so insignificant. He was the night to her day, the essence of her very being. Her skills, her experiences as a child, all of it was to be used for him and him alone. Seeing her family again, finding some measure of peace in her past, it didn't change who she was at the most basic level. Her loyalty to Orin couldn't be defined because it defied the very concept itself. She would die for him happily, give everything up for him with a smile on her face.
She saw the same thing reflected in him at that moment. He would do anything for her, including punishing those who had caused her so much pain. She didn't need it, she didn't want it, but he would do it anyway, because that was who he was. He hadn't asked for her protection when they were children and she hadn't asked for his now. But he would do it.
He would always save her.
She'd cut off Lilian before she could finish what she was about to say, but Tessa knew what was coming. Lily would have said that, if she'd known, she would have crossed the White Sea to bring her home again. They didn't understand, for how could they? They didn't know what it was like to be so committed to someone that the thought of them in danger drove you to madness. They couldn't see the connection that stood between them, one that transcended that of mere Knights and Smiths. If Lilian had made that journey, it would have been a wasted one. Tessa had known what she wanted to be when she was only seven years old, had devoted her life to it wholeheartedly. It had been difficult at times and downright miserable at others, but Tess maintained that she didn't regret a thing. Her sisters looked at them and only saw a Smith and her Knight. She didn't begrudge them that fact. Many didn't see it, or couldn't. They perhaps rightly thought she'd been forced into the match, that she'd made the best of a bad situation.
No, her sisters didn't understand a thing about Orin of Myrin and Tessaraina D'viritazi.
But they were about to.
“Tessa,” Freida walked up to her sister carefully, her expression haunted, “Are you sure you want to go to the Nest? We can stay in Nian. I know a lovely inn by the waterfront. You don't need to do this.”
“I know, Freida,” Tessa said. She felt the Bond hum with power, her connection with Orin making her stronger by the second, “But I feel I have to.”
“Why?”
Tessa grinned, letting a hint of predatory instinct shine through, enough to make Freida flinch subtly, “Because I'm through with running away from my past. I won't hide, not anymore.”
A font of courage flowed over the Bond, accompanied by the gentle touch of Orin's conciousness.
“Lets go see father.”