2130 Close but Far (Part 2)

Tesmian the Blood Warlock followed the Empress closely, keeping a safe distance from the Guardian and giving him a deep bow before introducing himself.

"What's all this stuff?" The Father of all Dragons flipped through the material, discovering that it was written in different ancient codes that he knew like the back of his hand.

"Maybe nothing and maybe the key to ending this war. It's up to you to find out." She replied.

***

Distar Marquisate, City of Lutia, a few days later.

Even after Lith had received a full Royal Pardon and the title of Supreme Magus, the members of the Verhen family had preferred not to return to their home in the Kingdom.

Elina was pregnant, Raaz was mentally unwell, and Lutia had yet to be completely rebuilt after the attack of the Dead King. The Verhens were afraid of how their fellow citizens might react to their reappearance and how it would affect the peace of mind they so desperately needed.

Even Rena had seen her in-laws only via the communication amulet, not wanting to put her parents under unnecessary stress.

Everything changed after Kamila turned out to be pregnant. She had resumed her job a few days after the baby shower and a Guardian always followed her whenever she left Salaark's palace.

"What do you say if instead of going back and forth from the Desert you stay in Lutia once you're done working?" Elina asked. "We would join you from the Gate in the barn and Zinya would be able to visit without going through the customs."

"You have a point." Kamila pondered.

She was actually sick and tired of working until sundown just to find the heat of noon waiting for her in the Desert. It screwed up her body clock and forced her to stay locked inside the palace to not sweat bullets in the few hours she had left before going to bed.

Kamila missed seeing the moon and the stars, the familiar smells and taste of the cuisine of the Kingdom, and most of all, she craved some peace and quiet.

In the Desert, the house staff kneeled in front of her and refused to get up until she gave them her blessing. Phoenixes, Dragons, and even members of the Council came at all hours to congratulate her or discuss the future of the baby when she just wanted to relax.

"With you there, we could finally eat at our table and sleeps in our beds. It would do wonders for Raaz. On top of that, I think it's time the people of Lutia start to get used to the idea that we won't be away forever." Feeling confident, Elina continued with her pitch.

"After what happened at the Heavenly Wolf restaurant, I don't trust the Queen's Corps much. They do their best, but our enemies have proven to be both resourceful and cunning.

"I understand that Thrud is much worse than Meln, but even she is nothing compared to a Guardian. If you come with us, I wouldn't be afraid of facing the Mad Queen, let alone an angry mob."

"Only at a few conditions." Kamila replied.

"Anything you want." Elina said with a warm smile on her face.

"I'd like you to start cooking after my arrival. I miss the delicate aroma of our homeland's spices and the smell of fresh ingredients. Also, I could use some make-up cooking lessons.

"I've been served for so long that the only kitchen tool I remember how to use is the fork." Kamila said.

"I thought that you liked it that way." Elina chuckled.

"Well, yes, but this changes everything." Kamila unconsciously touched her womb. "Now it's not just about preparing Lith's favorite dishes when he's feeling down or when it's my turn cooking.

"I want to learn how to prepare everything that the baby might like growing up. When I was little, I was raised by the house staff. Kima never prepared dinner for us nor did she spend time with me and my sister except that for lecturing us.

"Now that's my turn being a parent, I want to give the baby everything that I missed. I want to be there for them, not just give them the crumbs of my time. I want to be capable of taking care of them and preparing them delicious food without the need to constantly rely on someone else.

"I want to show them how much I love them with my actions instead of empty words." Her eyes veiled with tears at the memories of how during her childhood she had desperately sought her parents' affection.

They would praise her only if she obeyed them and lived up to their expectations but even then, they were just manipulating her.

"On top of that, Lith is already going to be the cool dad who teaches them how to fly and cast magic. If I let him also cook and do the house chores, once our child grows up, they will start wondering what a mom is for."

"Don't worry, dear. There's more to being a mother than cooking and sewing." Elina hugged Kamila to make her stop doubting herself.

"Kamila's not completely wrong, though." Raaz sighed deeply, making Elina throw him a mean look. "Back when we had Rena and-, I mean, the twins, I spent so much time in the fields while you took care of them that I missed a lot of things.

"I still remember how, after a long trip to sell the cattle, upon my return home the children looked funny at me. Then, once we sat down for lunch, they asked you who the stinky man was and why he was eating your food."

Elina, Rena, and Kamila laughed, but Raaz only grunted harder.

"It's not funny when you realize that you spend so little time with your children that it takes them a week to forget who you are." He said with a snort. "Also, have you forgotten when Tista said her first word?"

"No, I haven't." Elina stopped laughing and became gloomy.

"What happened?" Kamila asked in confusion.

"She was our fourth child and we had to work a lot to keep the farm running and have food on our table." Elina blushed in embarrassment. "Raaz and I had to work until sundown and often we didn't get back home except that for the meals."

"So?"

"So we had Rena take care of her younger siblings." Raaz said with a sigh. "When Tista started talking, she called Rena mom and soon Trion started to follow suit."

"Wasn't it cute?" Kamila said, trying to lighten the mood.

"No, it was depressing." Elina shook her head. "I had to wait until winter to be called mom as well, but Rena was still Tista's favorite. I swear to the gods that it's a miracle that Lith never forgot who we were."

Kamila swallowed a lump of saliva, quickly calculating how much time she would spend with the baby after work and comparing it with Lith's long hours in the tower.

'The army has a day-care, but I would still leave the baby with strangers whereas Lith would have just Solus conjure a protected area in the lab where the child can rest. What if they think Solus is their mom?' She thought in horror.