When Azara woke she was lying in the large bed of her room at the governor's mansion. It felt soft, like a marshmallow. Perhaps this was the result of the feverish feeling she had, making everything feel cozy and comforting. Maybe that was just how everything was though. There was a quaint little fire crackling in the hearth. The bed was nice and soft.

Irinia sat on a stool at the bedside. She was looking down at a carved piece of wood in her hand and seemed to be dozing off a little. Her long brown hair was all slung over one shoulder, and the fire reflecting off her green eyes like little emerald jewels made Azara think of her mother’s eyes.

"Irinia? Did, did I fall unconscious?"

Irinia popped awake for a second before she nodded. She looked a tad sad.

"You know I was thinking about it - royalty, being Veyorn, his goals ahead of him, and so much more. The distraction, the scandal...the idea of it is a little strange too. We've been together since childhood, like brother and sister, but...love snuck in somewhere along the way." she explained, and looked over to the fire. She was speaking about Valerius, Azara realized.

It still wasn't a topic Azara wanted to discuss, but she decided it couldn't hurt too much. Maybe a little more closure on the topic was needed.

Azara retorted. "In life, you have to make your move or not at all. You have to follow your destiny."

"Then did you know? Have you known?" Irinia replied.

The faint crackle of the fire was the loudest noise in the room for several seconds.

"What do you mean?"

"When you passed out, your consecration seal stayed around a while. It shocked everyone, they were wondering what was wrong with you. I had to explain what it was to them." She said, then closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as hard as possible, before opening them and shaking her head. "It stayed too, for a couple of hours. Flames were rising off your body that didn't burn things. It was a cold fire that just danced around your skin. Strange things happened while you were out."

Azara looked to the windows and confirmed that the sun was rising. She had been out a while.

"Well, what of it?"

"I saw those patterns closer. Some of them were like drawings, here and there. Others were Veyorn script, writings scribbled among the patterns on your arms. They said things...something about the fate of dragons."

Azara scowled. “What? What did it say?”

"Well, it was only a few words here and there, among many other lines and symbols and things I didn't understand. It was....titles I guess. Things like 'sun bearer', 'human mothered', and ‘sunset of dragons’. I could only understand a little bit of it."

Azara felt her stomach lurch. This was not a topic she ever thought she would need to discuss with Irinia, even with her primary identity exposed. Perhaps, maybe, she could avoid the topic by teaching a lesson.

"So, something I omitted from your lesson about consecration seals is that being celestial blessings, they also gain some of the power over time that celestial beings hold. Consecration seals have knowledge of the past and future that we don't get here in the present. It is sort of like prophecy. With a great deal of training and learning, you can read consecration seals. Though, having celestial sight, like me, helps a great deal. Some say that it is easier for Veyorn actually, since Veyorn were the original people of Aericia, and are said to have been blessed by the heavens in ancient times.

Usually, consecration seals are quite vague and poetic rather than straightforward and clear. They are also quite private things and should be treated with care. I still don't know what -"

"Don't lie. Please." Irinia said, as her gaze toward Azara hardened. "It says very specific things."

"And how would you know?" Azara said, defensive. Who did she think she was? "It is impossible. You would have needed celestial sight to read it all. You would have needed to see me naked. You're mistaken or confused. That's all."

"But someone else knows what it says," Irinia replied, solemn. Tears started to form around her eyes. "I was told me, Azara."

"By who?" Azara asked. Konrad had read it, once. Was he in the city? Had he told Irinia?

"By your mother, Azara," Irinia said, and she started to cry. Holding up the solemn and stern facade was not easy for her.

"That's crazy," Azara replied. "The reporting gem would have deactivated as soon as I went unconscious. She's in Aruslan, and she would never -"

A chill ran down Azara's spine, and she suddenly felt cold within the warm room. The environment changed from feeling comfortable and cozy to small and confining.

“Azara...” Irinia gasped out, before she started to sob. When she spoke again it was between muffled whimpers and many tears. “Azara, she was here. She spoke to me Azara. I spoke with one of them.”

Azara solemnly nodded. She struggled between wanting to comfort Irinia and feeling rightened as well. "What did she say to you?"

Irinia tried wiping the tears away from her eyes, but when she continued she struggled to speak the words needed.

"She talked to me. Azara she was wonderful. She was encouraging. She told me to be brave in the times to come. She told me that my love was not worthless and that even in adversity it would prevail. The star of love Azara, the star of love told me that!”

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Azara felt a jealous pang in her heart, an emotion that was as ancient as her kind. It was hard, fighting between that and thinking of Irinia as her friend. “And what else?”

“She told me that she had seen my devotion and kindness and even that...that she favored me. She told me about you though. She told me about the story of Apotheos, its truth, and her sorrow on that day. She told me about the trinket you carry, the sorrow, and what it means for you. She told me that you'd try to lie to avoid this too.”

At this point, Irinia was having trouble speaking, and Azara knew why. The memory must have been overwhelming. A mortal cannot stand in the presence of a celestial with ease. However, Azara did not interrupt and let Irinia continue.

“And then she asked me Azara...she asked me to help her. She asked me to help bring you back to her, to deny your fate. To break Apotheos curse. You’re the child of that curse. You’re the one. Did you not know?”

Azara scowled but directed her gaze away from Irinia and towards the fire. She had to try her best not to direct any anger she had at Irinia. She couldn't see the girl as her enemy.

“I knew,” Azara replied.

“But how could you? How could you know that and just go on with your life?”

"Irinia, she created us. The dragons. Whatever sort of gods they are, she knew the consequences of doing what she did. But no, she just left us to do whatever, like a neglectful parent. What did she expect would come of that? Why didn't she just end us all after we tried to destroy the world in her name? No, instead she goes prancing around the world while terrible things happen because of her actions. And why choose me? She chose me, you know that right? When she told my mother to give me this little trinket. Why not Astra? We have the same consecration seal, you know. It is because Astra would have given her an even firmer 'Void take you!'" Azara said, her tone disdainful and angry. "Too many dragons fell for that lie, that luster, just another ‘bright shiny thing’ that she is - I won't. Even if I feel it tugging at my soul, I won't. I won't feel any affection for her. I have a mother, a mother who cared and was there for me and will be there for me in the future, who showered me with love, meaning, and belonging. I'll count on her over some angel showing up and claiming she loves me. I'll count on my family over things that show up in disguises and dreams and visions, telling me how I must live my life and claiming to be my kind!"

"You say that," Irinia commented. ", but do you mean it?”

Indeed, Azara was quite close to crying, her eyes welling up with water, and her voice starting to crack.

"Yes, I mean it."

"Then why are you crying?" Irinia asked. "Why did you follow her advice, and tell me about what you are? She gave you the final push to do that, didn't she? Back at the church?"

"Because..." Azara struggled to find the words, trying to explain her nonexistent reasoning to Irinia. "It felt right Irinia. Besides, I thought that maybe she wasn't always wrong. I wanted to tell you, Irinia."

"So why not do as she asked? It couldn't hurt, could it? She said she could help you, but only if you're wiling. She could alter everything. She could change your fate." Irinia said, perking up as if she had found a solution to Azara's problem.

"And choose between her and my mother?" Azara replied, glaring.

“What?” Irinia asked, listening now with patience and care.

“My mother, Ezmeralda. I didn’t ask for her to come north for a reason. Irinia she is ruthless. Wonderful to those she loves but ruthless to any of her enemies. She takes advantage of everything she can to achieve her ends. You think I'm bad at jumping into things like this crazy nonsense, you have no idea what she is like. Did you not hear how quickly she came around to the idea of aiding in a coup? She didn't even have my reservations about it.” Azara said. “If I had requested she come north, she would have. She would have gotten involved with all this mess - and at the end of it Valerius would be sitting on the throne in name only, and maybe not at all.”

Irinia was silent, thinking about what Azara had stated. Then she raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "So, how does that make this a choice betwee-"

"She wants the stars to fall." Azara said. "She wants to heavens to crumble. She hates them. She wants them all, light or dark, deities, prophets, angels or demons - all of them - to leave us alone, Irinia."

Irinia's eyes widened at the revelation, and her stare left Azara for a moment. She sat in stunned silence. "What?!"

"You heard me," Azara said, trying to keep her own stern expression now. It was hard. She wanted to just cry more.

"And you?" Irinia replied, her voice wavering.

Azara shrugged. "I don't care, Irinia. I just want my own life. I've searched the world for it. Honestly, I have."

Irinia frowned. She seemed nervous. "So you're on her side? You want to harm the stars. To go against Lumira's will?"

Azara shook her head. "No."

"Then what?"

"I don't know," Azara said, quiet. Her breath felt short, and she was tired still. "Something of my own, maybe? Astra and I, well, Ezmeralda always taught us to go our own way. She has asked things of us but never demanded. Its always been our choice, where we go and what we do with our lives. "

Irinia squirmed in her seat. “She said more, you know.”

“What!? What did she say?” Azara said, almost yelling the words out. Then she laid back into the pillows stacked on the bed, exhausted.

“Things like ‘if you want the heart of Eir’s child, he wears it upon his neck.’ She also said that - that...Actually, I- I don’t think it is that important.” Irinia whimpered out, and Azara was content to accept that, though the mention of ‘Aila’s child’ intrigued her. “For now, Azara, you need to recover. Then maybe I’ll tell you more later. Besides, it was hard for me to hear. At first, she was just a servant girl bringing food for you, and then as she spoke to me it became more clear who she was. By the time she said this part, her presence was overwhelming, and it was hard for me to understand her.”

Azara wanted to say no and to demand to know everything, but she restrained herself. “Alright. Alright then, that's fine. Tell me later. I’ll just rest.”

“Good, you need it,” Irinia said and then stood up. “I’ll go get some water for you, and some food if you need it. The food she brought is cold now.”

Azara smiled. “That would be nice.”

By the time that Irinia had left the room and come back with the food, however, Azara had settled down into the bed, and fallen asleep again. It was a sleep that was restless with nightmares.