With the meeting concluded, Men'ma and the Rustler made their way to leave the Valkyrie domain. They descended the stairs that had led them up to the sprawling estate of the Eldest. The air was tense, and neither of them spoke a word until they were at a safe distance from the domain.

Men'ma finally broke the silence, “Glad it went well.”

"You call that going well? I wouldn't want to see what you consider going poorly," The Rustler retorted.

"I do. After all, you're still free, aren't you?"

The Rustler shrugged, his concern evident. "Yeah, I suppose there's that. But calling it a success would be a stretch. By the way, are you okay?"

"Am I okay?” Men'ma seemed genuinely confused by the question. “Why wouldn't I be?"

The Rustler pointed out the obvious, "Should I remind you that you were slapped in the face earlier?"

Men'ma chuckled, gently massaging her cheeks with her hand. "Ah, that. Now that I think about it, she didn't hold back on me, did she? Well, I can't really blame her, though. She warned me about the consequences of embarking on this journey, yet I chose to defy her. I suppose—no, I really deserved it."

"Even so—"

"Even so," she interrupted. "If that was the price I had to pay to remain a valkyrie, then that slap was a relatively low price after all that I've done."

The Rustler nodded, trying to understand her perspective. "I see. If that's all fine by you, then I don't see what I would have to say here."

A smile appeared on Men'ma's face as she looked at the Rustler. "I appreciate that you didn't escalate the situation earlier, just as I appreciate your concern. But I assure you, I'm fine. Really. So there's no need to worry about me."

"I wasn't worried about you at all."

"Yeah, yeah, and we'll both pretend I believe you. Anyway, it's about time we move on from this place," Men'ma declared as they reached the waiting carriage.

"And where—” the Rustler started only to freeze mid sentence.

Hearing a familiar sound, the Rustler turned around and looked up to where the noise was coming from. It resembled the sound of his Odoe being summoned, and the captain had confirmed that it was similar to the sound of the white serpent beneath the slithering sea that gave the sea its name. However, this time the sound didn't come from the depths of the sea, nor from himself, but rather from the air, or more precisely, the wind.

"Oh," Men'ma exclaimed in wonder, recognizing the sound. "The Odo tree is shedding its leaves. It's strange though, considering the fact that the Lunar Harmony is still weeks away."

Golden leaves were falling gracefully from the branches of the Odo tree, glistening in the sunlight. The leaves, bathed in a soft golden hue, floated gently through the air, carried by the breeze.

The Rustler, curious, asked. “Is this not supposed to happen?”

“It is not, at least not now.”

“Then is it a bad thing that it is happening?”

“No. Actually, we usually wait for that to happen with impatience as its occurrence is for us something to rejoice, it’s a good omen,” Men’ma remarked, before a nudge on his side, teasing, “perhaps it is happening because the Odo tree is happy to have you around. After all you both make that same rustling sound.”

“I’m not sure how I should feel being compared to a tree.”

“Honored, there’s nothing more beautiful in the universe, just look how grandiose it looks.”

“You sure love that tree.”

“Yeah, I do. It's the Odo tree after all,” she said, before holding her hand out and up, calling, “Rustler, hold out your hand.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just hold your hand out and you’ll see.”

Though confused, the Rustler obliged but as he did, he got corrected, “not that one, the other. Your left hand and without the glove.”

Even more confused but understanding that fussing about it would be useless, the Rustler undonned his gloves to hold his hand out as per her request. As he did, it didn’t take him long to understand why she wanted him to do so, she provided no explanation, the explanation came to land in his palms in the form of a single golden golden leaf.

“Talk about being lucky, you see having leaves of the Odoe tree landing onto—” the Rustler heard Men'ma start to explain, but suddenly, everything around him fell silent. He could neither hear nor see anything. It felt as if he had been transported to a completely dark empty space.

Despite the strange and disconcerting nature of the situation, the Rustler remained unfazed, as he had grown accustomed to such experiences.

It was as if he’d been thrown in a totally empty space. Yet as strange and threatening as the place was, it was far from enough to, in any way, shake the Rustler, as he’d been familiar to how it felt.”

“Am I dreaming? No, I was just awake a second before this can’t be,” He thought and pretty instantly something reverberated from the shadows confirming that thought.

That’s right he could not be in a dream, for within was voice calling. And it was a voice he’d never heard before.

“Dream…,” the voice called, calling for what he understood made reference to no one else but him. “Dream… fleeting remnant of the One who came before all.”

The voice, reminiscent of a thousand echoes, possessed a timeless quality that defied age. It resonated with a unique blend of maturity and youth, making it difficult to discern an exact age. However, one thing was certain: it belonged unmistakably to a male.

“Who… who is it calling me that? Show yourself.”

“Dream… fleeting remnant of the One who came before all,” the voice repeated before greeting, “Pleased to meet you, Dream.”

"Just who—or rather, what—are you?"

“She called me… Mother called me… Fan.”

As the voice referred to itself as Fan, the Rustler's senses abruptly returned to him. The darkness dissipated, and he regained his sight, allowing him to witness the leaf of the Odo tree, which had landed in his hand just moments ago, fading away, vanishing into thin air, allowing to see the mark of the Men’ma’s blessing, just beneath the leaf, on his palm.

What was that?

Thoughts swirled in Rustler’s mind but those thought were cut short by an hand waving in front of him. “Oi, Rustler, do you hear me in there?” Men’ma called, to which he nodded.

“Are you even listening to what I just said?”

“Huh… Sorry. What were you talking about?”

“See, as I thought you were not listening. I’m not wasting my breath explaining all that again. I am exhausted, I need rest, which is why I think it’s about time for us to go.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“And where are we going now?"

"To a place where you'll be staying for the entirety of your visit, under my close watch: my home," she said with a large smile. "And you're lucky we don't have to ride for long, as it's just nearby, under the shade of the Odo tree, with a splendid view to it."

***

“What kind of people is your family?” the Rustler inquired as they, inside the carriage, rode across the street of the capital.

“My family, huh? Well, they’re just like me, I guess? The kindest people I know.”

“That’s very high praise you have for yourself.”

“Yeah, right. Anyway, they’re nowhere near as strict as the Eldest, which should mean that you will be welcomed just fine. So, no need to worry about them.”

“I’m not worried. In fact, you're the one who looks worried. Just look at how restless you appear.”

Men'ma let out a soft laugh, her unchanging visor reflecting a hint of amusement. "Restless? Me? No, no, I assure you, I'm perfectly fine. I mean there’s that, but still I’m fine.”

“That?”

She scratched her head, a dumb smile on her face, as if about to unleash upon him something she was very embarrassed about. “My family—no, my parents more than even the Eldest were against my decision to go to the Southern continent, but…”

“You did not listen.”

She let out a self-derisive chuckle. “Yeah. Now I don’t know what kind of reaction I should expect from them. I wasted two years of our life together—two years that I know–-especially as a valkyrie, I will never get back.”

“As a valkyrie? What do you mean?”

“Ah, I didn’t tell you about it yet, I was chosen as a maiden-valkyrie along with seven others and I’m easily the youngest of us all, I am destined or at least expected after seven of serving as a valkyrie to take the position the Eldest now holds.”

“Oh…”

"As the youngest, I am, by donning this crown and this visor, expected to eventually become the eldest of the next generation of Maiden-Valkyrie. Now, I hope you understand why she was so angry with me earlier and how lenient she was, considering what I did. Anyway, this essentially means that I have a very short window of time to spend with my family. While it is true that as someone destined to become an Eldest, I should be around longer than my current fellow Maiden-Valkyries, once I attain that position, I won't have much time left to be with my family. And when I become a full-blown Valkyrie, I'll have to sever my ties completely to attend to the Odo tree, which, all in all, leaves me with..."

"Eleven years."

"Yes," she nodded. "Eleven years, which means approximately four years before I became an Eldest, holding the same title and position as our current one. That's precisely how much time I had to spend with my family."

"Those two years, you could have spent them with your family..."

"Yeah," she smiled. "I could have. It's a shame, isn't it? But still, I hold onto my belief that I was sent on this mission for a reason, which is why I don't regret it. Yet, I can't help but wonder how my parents would react to this," she mumbled, gazing out the window. "Oh, here we are."

As the carriage came to a gentle stop in front of a gardenless abode, Men'ma and the Rustler found themselves standing before an opulent mansion. To call it a castle wouldn't be an exaggeration. The structure stood tall and proud, adorned with intricate architectural details that gleamed in gold, just as the Odoe were so much fond of.

Men'ma stepped out of the carriage, her eyes, under the visor gleaming with pride. "Welcome to my family’s house," she said, gesturing toward the majestic mansion.

The Rustler followed her gaze, his eyes widening as he took in the sheer opulence of the place. Size-wise, it was at least three, if not four times, as large as the Den, both in length and height.

"Oh, what's with the silence?" Men'ma interjected, breaking the quietness. "Were you thinking, 'So that's what your home looked like, I was expecting something different. More modest perhaps. Too bad I, Men’ma, am not just anyone.”

"Were you just mimicking me? That was terrible. And no, I wasn't thinking that. I was just thinking what kind of background could produce such a weird specimen.”

She didn’t even take offense. “Wanna find out? Just follow,” she offered, stepping forward toward the mansion.

As Men'ma led the Rustler up the steps toward the entrance of the mansion, the former suddenly halted her step, her gaze to what stood up ahead.

The Rustler followed her gaze and his eyes fell upon a woman standing by the grand entrance. Her posture elegant, dressed in what the Rustler could only imagine be peak in the Odoe’s sense fashion, the middle-aged woman’s overall posture suggested she held authority, one of a different kind than that of the Eldest.

Curious, the Rustler couldn't help but wonder who this woman was, but before he could voice his curiosity, Men'ma's next words revealed her identity.

"Mama," Men'ma mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper, freezing in place.

Just as the Rustler began to process the encounter, a middle-aged man appeared by the woman's side. He sported a contraption on his face, perched upon his nose, which reminded the Rustler of the Visor Men’ma wore but instead instead of hiding his eyes like Men’ma’s visor did, it instead magnified his eyes and gave him an air of both sophistication and goofiness.The strange device aside, his features mirrored Men'ma's in some ways, hinting at their familial connection. Men'ma's voice wavered as she softly muttered, "Papa."

Silence hung in the air, tension and anticipation intertwining. Silence broken by Men’ma.

"M-Mom, Dad," Men'ma awkwardly began, her earlier confidence giving way to nervousness. She took a step forward, her voice laced with a mix of emotions. "I'm back."

The couple exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable. The weight of the moment seemed to stretch into an eternity, until finally, they spoke in unison.

"We’ve been waiting for you. Welcome home, Men'ma."

As if waiting only for those words to be uttered, Men'ma rushed into the couple’s arms.

“I missed you two. Soo much!”

“We missed you too, Daughter.”

The Rustler stood by, a silent witness to this poignant reunion. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort at the sight that he knew very well was supposed to be heartwarming. The moment the three of them shared was simply one of those things the Rustler could only imagine or, at times, yearn for.

“Mama, Dad, I have so much I wish to say—so much I wish to apologize for but I don’t even know where to begin.”

“That can wait, for now how about you greet the other too.”

“The others?”

“We told you, didn't we, we’ve been waiting for you.”

In that moment, other Odoe, members of Men’ma’s family old and young, boys and girls, began to gather near the entrance of the mansion, joining the reunion. There were easily twenty of them. Men'ma's eyes widened in surprise under the visor as she recognized familiar faces and smiled at the extended family that awaited her arrival. The air buzzed with anticipation and warmth as greetings and embraces were exchanged.

As the Odoe family members continued their warm greetings and exchanges, the Rustler chose to remain in the background, allowing Men'ma to reconnect with her loved ones without drawing attention to himself. He understood that this gathering was a deeply personal and significant moment for them, and he didn't want to intrude or disrupt the heartfelt reunion.

Men'ma, who seemed to finally remember his existence, looked in his direction. "Crap, I almost forgot about that." She immediately walked up to him, capturing everyone's attention. "Everyone, this is the Rustler. As you can see, he's an Arbian, but..." She looked at the Rustler and then demanded, "show them your arm."

Although skeptical after his previous interaction with an Odoe, the Rustler nonetheless obliged. Gasps reverberated from the crowd upon seeing his arm.

" ...as you can see, he's an Odo-wielder like any of us. I will explain everything later, but for now, you should know that he's under my watch as a 'valkyrie,'" she explained, emphasizing the latter words. "And from now on, he will be living here among us. So please, join me in welcoming the Rustler."

Naturally and understandably, the crowd was unable to immediately respond with a welcome. However, once Men'ma's parents did, the others followed in welcoming him.

“Thanks everyone,” the Rustler replied, not knowing what else he could have to say.

“Oh, it speaks,” a voice commented.

To which Men’ma simply came confirming, “Yeah, in fact it speaks a lot.”

Overcome their apparent apprehension of him, Men’ma’s family approached him with curious eyes, and strange comments.

“It’s my first time seeing an Arbian this close.”

“Well I have, he was taller than this one, I’ve seen one before. He was tall,”

“Mom, why is he pale like that? Is he not eating enough?”

“Look how blue his eyes are?”

“It looks like sapphires.”

“Yeah, right?”

Soon, in little to no time, the Rustler was swarmed by the Odoe, and although Men'ma clearly noticed, she made no attempt to help him. Instead, she chuckled at the sight. The one who eventually came to his rescue was Men'ma's mother, who had put him in that position in the first place. With two loud claps, she brought attention to herself.

"Now, everyone, since we have welcomed Men'ma back and her friend, I think it would be impolite to keep our guest standing at our doorstep. Let's proceed inside. Dinner is waiting for all of us together."

Men'ma's mother was met with literal complaints, but despite the protests, everyone began to make their way inside, except for Men'ma.

"Actually, Mama, about that dinner," Men'ma interjected. "Could it be that the Rustler is allowed to go to his quarters immediately?"

"It could be, of course, but..."

"Well," Men'ma began, casting a glance in the Rustler's direction before sending him a side-wink. "You see, the Rustler isn't really... what we would call a 'food person.' I'm sure he'll be more interested in his room than in dinner, right?"

It didn’t take the Rustler long to catch up that her suggestion was an attempt at being helpful but when confronted by Men’ma’s mother’s question. “Is that true, Mister Rustler?”

“That would be true under normal circumstances, but now, I feel like dinner first,” he honestly replied, to the astonished gaze of Men'ma.