CW:

Discussion of song magic being used to take advantage and coerce people into Amwella dances. Talk of burns and wounds and trauma.

“Sorry to call you away, Awnya.” Lenelope murmurs as I quietly shut the door behind me.

“It’s fine, they’re both fast asleep.” I step forward and pull her into a soft hug. Just… still so full to bursting with joy. “What do you need?”

She returns the embrace, then as we pull back a little murmurs. “It’s that flame lady, Duchess Raska? I think is her name, she wanted to speak with you.”

I nod. “Right, yeah. Tretion mentioned she wanted me to take her home after Lyra woke up.”

We move down the hallway, her arm in mine. “She didn’t mention why, just that she wanted to talk with you.”

We find the Everflame in one of the new gardens. The room is… about the size of a couple small manors and so thick with forest things that you’d be within rights to think you’d stepped out into a Rift.

It’s pretty quiet, and soon we’re at the edge of a little pool lake thing. Approaching the Duchess as she sits on a bench that overlooks the waters. I pip-pat Nelops arm, a silent assurance that she can leave me to talk with the girl alone.

Then I just… step up and plop down on the seat beside her. Let out such a satisfied huff.

Her bright cerulean eyes flicker over to regard me. Drift up and down my form. I’d only redressed in simple shorts and actually just tossed on the big shirt we’d peeled off Lyra. Hair is also probably still such a mess.

A long pause passes between us.

“How is she?” Raska finally asks.

I smirk at her. “All things considered? Good, actually. Still… Well… she won’t heal in a day but we at least got her talking and resting.”

That cracks any emotional barriers the Everflame might have had placed, makes her very nearly slump in relief and sadness and even a hint of anger. “Dreadweave’s Cunt that… fuck. That’s… I… I was worried that she wouldn’t–”

She kinda sputters out after that. Brings hands up to her face to push back her hair and rub over the flesh a few times. I’m not sure Everflames can cry but if she could I suspect Raska here would be weeping at that. “Thank you for… for telling me. I know I didn’t deserve to even ask but… thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Then I let a long few moments pass as the Duchess seems to recover some of her composure before saying. “Tretion gave me the short of things. About what happened.”

She stiffens as that little flame bristles a bit.

I let out such a sigh. “So… I gotta ask. Before I ferry you back to your Rift, why the hatred for my kind? The Fae? Like… I’ve avoided them for nearly a decade for how they treated Lyra but… That’s really specific.”

She grinds her teeth, flame whirrs a bit. But… It's little angry song isn’t about me. Or threatening to flare out in my direction. So I wait and let her work out what words she wants to share with me.

“The Fae have taken advantage of people I love.” She finally growls. “Refuse to share their magic and… and have lured others into giving them Amwella dances and such with enchanting songs they later regret listening to.”

I wince. I’d not like… Oh Dreamer’s Tits she’s talking about the Caravan of Dream Walkers. Or a group much like them…

Leaning forward, I let out a huff and nod. “Dreamer’s Tits Raska, I’m so sorry.”

She kinda flinches at that, like she was expecting something other than an apology. “You… what? Why?”

“My Old Goat, my dad, we jumped the Rifts to clear Blight and such. Tried to avoid the locals as much as possible. Didn’t want to like… meddle in their affairs unless something really bad and quietly solvable popped up.” I interlace fingers as I stare at the ground. “But others… A pretty small group honestly, they see the Rifts as a sort of… playground. And… yeah I can see them doing exactly that. And I am so so sorry for what they did or might have done.”

“Fucking apologies don’t excuse it.” She kinda growls.

“No. No it doesn’t. But…” I shrug. “You’re about to have me take you home, and I’d like you to feel at least a little safer. Know that if I stumble onto Fae who does that I’ll have more than harsh words for them.”

Again, she seems so surprised at that. “Why? I… Fucking Ukalon’s tits. What does that even matter? Especially after… after what you know I did to Lyra?”

It’s my turn to growl. End up giving her such a side glare. “Raska. Personally, I’m still deciding how much energy I want to spend being angry at you. But honestly… and Tretion didn’t tell me much, I’m guessing a certain big cunt might have set both you and Lyra up for what happened.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Raska pauses, flame seems to wriggle about in contemplation with her.

“I… yeah. Tretion thought the same. But… that’s just… I’m not taking that excuse. Even if it’s true.”

I let my glare fade. “Good. You shouldn’t. But I am just so sick of people thinking that Thendra is just some brute of a bitch. She’s scary smart, and has even manipulated some of my elders into doing really stupid things.”

That makes her quirk an eyebrow. “Really? I… We could never get the full story for Lyra but… what the fuck made her want to stay with that Reaver? Why... why did the Fae drive her off?”

I sigh. “She was abandoned and alone and Thendra kinda just… swooped her up. Got her to weave a nasty curse that hurts her if she sings without her commands and spent a good amount of energy on breaking her. Not like, into a mindless obedient slave but… really emotionally dependent. Was smart enough to see that curse would weaken and worked to make her feel like she would be the only place Lyra could be safe and wanted.”

Raska’s brow furrows. “She seems to adore the two of you, why would she stay instead of coming here?”

I can’t help but sigh. “Let me… Dreamer’s Tits let me just start from the beginning. Give you everything from my point of view.”

And so I tell this Everflame the tale of how I met Lyra, and end up just… spending the next few hours telling her the story of how I lost and found her again. Careful to like… avoid humming or weaving any songs into it. Understanding just how such a thing might be uncomfortable for her.

By the end I’m crying, and Raska is just… staring out over the waters. I’d avoided anything too sensitive. Like what Yuna told me, and some of the worse things Lyra suffered that she’d all but confirmed when Tretion had mentioned it. But... it's pretty obvious if you know what kind of monster Thendra is.

“Thank you.” She finally murmurs. “For… for trusting me with that. I’d like to return the favor someday… if you’ll let me. Introduce you to like… my girls. Tell you some of my history.”

I wipe my eyes. “Honestly, I won’t be leaving the manor for a good long while. Especially now that we’ve gotten the gardens flourishing. You may be the last person to get Riftwalked in and out for a few decades.”

A long pause passes, and… honestly as much as I want to go back to bed… I’m not in a rush. Lyra’s back and… and she’s with Tretion. I can just bask a little in knowing that.

“Can… Awnya, I’d like to offer a trade.”

“Eh? Of what?”

“I’d like to bring my girls here, and… and live in this manor with them.”

My eyebrows would hit the treetops if they could. “What? Raska, that… You’re a Duchess of the Everflames. And even if you weren't, I'm pretty sure Tretion and Lyra will not be okay with it.”

“I’m not asking for something for nothing. I’m willing to offer up more Oaths. To you, Tretion, or Lyra. Almost anything. An Everflame to help guard and gift other magics and knowledge when I can.”

I just… stare at her. “Why? You seemed to be doing pretty well for yourself out in the Rifts. And… I’m not ferrying your household here. You’d have to give up a lot.”

Her little flame and eyes thrum with focus. “All that matters to me is that my girls are safe, Awnya. Everything I am was forged for that goal. And securing a spot here for them is the surest way to do that. I… Well I wouldn’t give up my flame for it, but I would die fighting with it for them. And if you’ll keep them safe here? I’ll die for you all too.”

I just kinda… stare at her for a bit. “Alright. No promises but… I’ll talk with Tretion.”

The Everflame nods. “Thank you. If she seems hesitant just… let her know that I mean what I said. I’ll swear almost anything to get them here and safe as soon as possible. I think she'll understand the weight if that. My Rift is not a kind place and… and I worry that things are about to get worse.”

“Oh?” I quirk an eyebrow. “Any reason we should worry about?”

“Yeah, actually.” She murmurs, looking back to meet my gaze. “A Godthing just died, Awnya. And even if I felt safe on my Rift, the girl that killed them literally visited my manor in the hours after the slaughter.”

Oh. Dreamer’s Tits that… I do not want to think about the implications of that. OR how the Fae would react to finding out that not only is Lyra alive, but that she killed and mantled that thing's power after a decade of drinking soulfire.

“Good point. How many people would we be picking up?” I ask, standing.

“Seven. And if we have the time I have some personal effects to grab. But honestly… Those girls are the most important. They’re all in one place and I’ll leave the rest behind if I need to.”

“Can you do full Riftwalks?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Just Shifts. I can leap across a Rift If I know where I’m going but… I’ve not worked out the incantations for going between them yet.”

I nod. Not sensing a lie in her. “Alright. Go wait by the gateway while I talk with Tretion.”

* * *

When I get back into our chambers, I find my lovers already awake. Not like… up and about. Just… snuggling close. Tendrils nuzzling Lyra’s face and hair while her own fingers drift over Tretion's face. Our watcher’s own hands dance up and down Lyra’s arms. Elbow up to talons and back down.

“Huh. Well Dreamer’s Tits.” I huff with a smile. “You two are really cute right now and I hate to break that up.”

They drag themselves up to sit, and Lyra holds out a hand toward me. I scoot closer but remain free of the cuddle they’re in. But… of course I love the feeling of a collection of her soul tails and a little wiggly children curling close around my Amwella.

“Actually eh… Kinda need to talk with Tretion about a thing. But… honestly I’m thinking we’ll need you to be okay with this too, Lyra.”

While Lyra tilts her head in confusion, Tretion’s tendrils begin to whirl in annoyance while also curling tighter around her beloved.

“Can this not wait?” Tretion asks, and while she’s annoyed I sense none at me or my judgment. Just… an honest question. An attempt to understand why I came to them about something involving the Everflame instead of just Riftwalking her home.

“I wish but… she made an offer and had some good points as to why we might want to move quickly on this.”

Tretion’s eyebrows raise at that.

“S– She.” Lyra murmurs. Looks down. Her face is a thing of such twisting guilt ridden pain. “R– Rr– Raska?”

I avoid wincing as I lean forward. “Yeah, she helped me save you, actually.”

That makes her jerk up, meet my gaze. “W– Why? Shee H– H– ets me.”

“No, Lyra she... she really doesn't. She… Um… told us what happened and seems to really regret it." I shake my head. "Not saying you should forgive her. We certainly don’t, but… um…” Then I turn to Tretion, get to watch as she just… already guesses as to what I mean to ask.

“Yeah, she’s asking for sanctuary here. For seven girls she knows and herself.”

Our watcher looks past me. Tendrils wriggle with such… considerations. Honestly her not turning this down out of hand surprises me. Especially with Lyra right here next to her. But…

“Lyra…” Tretion murmurs. “Do you think this is a wise decision? She claimed you’d been getting close to her before things… happened.”

Lyra looks down and doesn’t even try to form words for a long time. And Dreamer’s Tits are we okay to wait. Both end up holding her close as tears begin to fall from her eyes. But… we don’t rush her. Just let her soul wrap tighter and little Amwella fish things nuzzle close.

“Why.” She finally whispers. Clear and crisply.

“She’s worried these friends of hers aren't safe, and… ugh and I really don’t want you to let this influence your decision but… it's important. She’s worried you visiting her will bring unwelcome attention. Put herself and them in danger.”

Lyra lets out such a deep breath, then just… nods. “Oke.”

Tretion leans over to catch her gaze. “Are you certain?”

She doesn't mean to touch am arm with the scars but… fingers and tendrils brush them. Causing Lyra to wince and reach over to very nearly dig a talon into the burned flesh.

“R– Raska is…” Lyra starts. Shakes her head. Starts over. “M– My fault anewey.”

We both, in sync, voice our disagreement. Me with a ‘Dreamer’s Tits, no it is not’ and Tretion with a simple ‘No. That is not true.’

She huffs, obviously not believing us. “S– she good. Ish. B– But…” Then her eyes dart to me. “H– hetes Fae. N–o want hrt you.”

I smirk. “Gathered that, and she knows that I’m Fae. We’ve worked that out and um… yeah how she treated you kinda seems to have made her reconsider that stance a bit.”

She thinks on that for a bit.

“Raska was also willing to give us more than a few Oaths.” I add then, turning to Tretion. “And she insisted I iterate on just how much she was willing to offer. She wants to keep people she loves safe, and from what I understand if she breaks the Oaths she loses like… half that flame she carries. Each time.”

Tretion nods, and I get to watch as the side of her lip twitches. “As much as I find the girl distasteful… She’d make a nice guardian. And…” Then she turns back to Lyra. “The manor is very very large now. We can almost ensure you never have to speak with her. Or those she brings.”

Lyra nods. “Oke. T–tell sorry. F–rrr me.”

I sigh and hug her tight. Refuting her with just… what I know my soul is pulsing with. She didn’t do anything wrong with that Everflame. Her mistake and cruelty are not Lyra’s fault.

Lyra huffs and leans into me, murmurs so softy and without trouble I almost miss the words. “She just… protect lovers from monster.”