Recap: She was tired of running, it was the only thing she was consistently doing all her life. This was it; a new beginning or the end of the road. With that in mind, she headed out.

Standing guard at the gate, the trio carefully checked all those who came in and went out. Only those who were essential to the survival of the city were allowed to go in and out and that group was limited to farmers and health workers. Yet, the girl hadn't been found, if this continued, they might have to go from door to door searching each home for Aurora.

"We might as well give up at this point, it's been days already", Ilium said to his father. "If we don't find her soon, the council might withdraw their help, this has gone on too long", Brian said to Acacius who kept his eyes on the city gate. Mobilis was a city set on a hill, the only way out was through the gates where the three of them stood guard and helped the Mobilis guards check everyone who passed through the gate.

"We still have to get her back to the crone, you heard her, Brian, she won't help unless we take Aurora to her, she said she's important to the rest of the story she wants to tell". "Yes, important to your story, I still don't know why I am helping you", Ilium countered "and I seem to remember you hid important information from us', Ilium continued looking at his father. Brian was in deep thought after Ilium's last statement, it was true Acacius had neglected to tell them much about his connection to the maid but he had also neglected to tell them of his own heritage.

Brian realized he knew very little about the young angel he had taken in. At the time he had taken him in, he had concluded that the boy had no family so it was made quite easy for Acacius to tell that lie of omission. Now that he knew his mother was Nymra; an angel of myths and legends, he had begun to view the boy a little differently. There had to be more to this story but the crone wouldn't tell them more unless they took the girl to her so there was only one person who could tell them more.

He looked toward Acacius and asked, "Why did you never tell me your mother was Nymra?". "Who?", Ilium asked making Brian shake his head, he wasn't surprised Ilium didn't know Nymra, his son belonged to a much younger generation of winged creatures, much younger than Nymra belonged to. Even Brian had only heard of Nymra because of positions he had held over his lifetime. Nymra was so ancient, that barely anyone alive wouldn't argue that she was a story made up to scare young and powerful angels but he had always wanted to know if there was another side to the story.

"Because my mother wouldn't have wanted that", Acacius simply said then continued when Ilium rolled his eyes, "She wouldn't have wanted what had become of her reputation to hinder my life". "I wish she could see what I have become though, she might have been proud". Brian moved closer to Acacius, put his hand on the latter's shoulders, and said "you must miss her a lot". Acacius shook his head and said "Not really, by the time I was born, my mother was a shadow of herself, she had no love left in her to give, she had given it all to the children before her captivity. There was no love left to give her own son, she just sat and painted all day. What she couldn't give, my father spent his lifetime trying to make up for. When he wasn't sitting with her, he divided his time between the house chores and I so I was mostly left on my own".

Stolen novel; please report.

Ilium erupted into laughter; "Can't believe I thought your life was perfect, your own parents didn't even love you, is that why you take all of my parents' love till there's none left for me?". Brian's face broke out in a frown and he said"What do you mean?" at the same time Acacius yelled "what?".

"Don't pretend, father, I am over it", Ilium replied making Brian throw his hands in the air and ask "over what?, how could you accuse Acacius of that". Ilium looked into his father's eyes "tell me, why I shouldn't, you are either always helping him out or cleaning up his messes. You were never home, that's if we weren't being forced to flee our homes because he did something to the wrong people. Do you even know how many times our family has been dragged into one of his troubles? You gave him all your love till there was either no love or time to give me any left, he always needed something and you never stopped to think how that made your own son feel".

Brian opened his mouth to reply but decided against it as realization hit him; Acacius always needed help or healing or like their current situation, to find a missing girl, he didn't realize the effect the love he showed his ward had on his own family. Moving towards where Ilium stood with his back turned, he said "I never knew you felt that way, son". "How could you?", Ilium replied, gesturing at Acacius "you never asked even mother how she felt about you bringing him home or even about bringing home a maid whose background we are only just finding out". Brian opened his mouth as if to speak but no words would come out.

He realized that he always took decisions without consulting his family and since they never complained, he always thought he was in the right. He hadn't asked Freyja what she thought about him bringing home Acacius or even bringing home Aurora after she had mysteriously arrived at Warrior's peak. He had thought he was doing a great deed by bringing her home when it had become apparent she had no family and nowhere to go. He had also never wondered why Freyja and Ilium had never warmed up to either Acacius or Aurora.

He was a leader in his town, an elder, somehow he had never stopped to see what effect his actions had on his family. He had always thought he had their support, now, he knew things were different. Over the years, he had thought Ilium would look up to Acacius as a big brother but instead his son had resented his father's ward. This wasn't what he had in mind for his family and when this current situation was over, Brian concluded, he would make amends. The noise of an old truck driving towards the gate brought him out of his thoughts and he signaled to Ilium and Acacius.

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