2136 Revealing Light (Part 2)

"Fear is like all the good medicine. Too much becomes poison." Tyris was talking to Aran and Leria yet everyone felt like she was talking to them.

The group took a long stroll, basking in the light and the warmth of the Guardian. Raaz steered Elina toward the cultivated fields, remembering with her the hard work behind every bountiful harvest and the joy from their property expanding through the years.

Filia and Frey dragged Tyris near the woods, where they had last seen their loyal steeds. They took their time mourning them and thanking them for their sacrifice.

"Is this Volgun's and Brionac's resting place?" Frey asked Lith amid sobs.

"No, I buried them in the woods after returning them to their families." He replied.

"Can you show us where? We never got the opportunity to say them goodbye." Filia said, feeling awful for having waited for so long. 

"Sure." Lith nodded and Tyris let go of their hands, always remaining at the center of the group.

Only after they were far away enough did Tezka join them.

"I'm not going to lie, kid. I was afraid the whole time that she'd end me, interrogate me, or both." He said while pushing his head under the kids' hands to reassure them with his presence.

"Unlikely." Lith replied. "Usually, it's you protecting the children but here they protect you."

"The irony of life." The Suneater sighed.

Meanwhile, Kamila and Zinya walked arm in arm, moving towards Selia's house.

"Well, now that you're done with your training to become the mom of the year do you have a few minutes for your sister?"

"I'm sorry Zin. It's just that I don't seem to have a single moment of respite." Even though the baby provided Kamila with an apparently endless energy, she felt mentally exhausted.

"By the way, have you started to think about how to call your child? I'm certain that with so many important relatives and friends, there will be a lot of quarreling even for the initial of the third name."

"It's kind of hard to do that without knowing their gender." Kamila sighed.

"Wait, you still don't know?" Zinya was flabbergasted.

"Wait, you do?" Kamila was shocked.

"Of course. Elina called to give me the good news the moment Salaark told her. What the heck are you waiting for?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Maybe I'm just afraid that once I know it, things would get real and I'd be too scared to have a normal life. Gods, it seems yesterday that my greatest worry was not letting my personal life interfere with my career and now I'm becoming a mom." Kamila shook her head in worry.

"Well, at least you can see and are surrounded by people who would die for you." Zinya patted her shoulder. "It was much scarier for me."

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry Zin. How did you do it?"

"Mostly luck." She replied as her eyes veiled with fear and tears. "I envy you so much that sometimes I almost hate you, Kami. I spent my pregnancies terrified at the idea that Fallmug would beat me and kill the baby.

"Even once they were born, I was allowed to hold my children only to breastfeed them. I didn't get to see them sleep, to see their first smile, and to watch them grow. Fallmug wouldn't even allow me to comfort them at night after a bad dream.

"I spent most of my life as a prisoner in my room and a stranger to my own children."

"I love Filia and Frey with all of my heart yet I didn't get to really know them until you brought me here. I missed their entire lives whereas you have a loving husband, caring in-laws, and even the gods protect you."

Zinya's words were filled with sorrow one moment and the next with anger. Her hand clenched Kamila's so hard that it hurt.

"If this is how you feel, why didn't you tell me about it before?" Kamila asked.

"How could I? You were going through a lot and everything good that came into my life was only thanks to you." Zinya sobbed. "How could I tell my beloved little sister that I'm an ungrateful bitch?"

"Don't you dare say that, Zin." Kamila hugged her sister, holding her tight. "You've endured for years abuse that would have killed me. You have every right to be envious and to be angry at me.

"Compared to you, I have a perfect life yet I keep dumping my stupid problems on you."

"They are not stupid and I'm happy that you share them with me." Zinya felt the burden on her chest become lighter as she allowed herself to be honest. "Not once I wished you to be in my shoes.

"As long as I was blind and at the mercy of our parents, I had nothing to lose whereas you had a real chance to be happy. You have no idea how much it meant to me knowing you were safe and the fact that you've never forgotten about me even after joining the army.

"I'm only angry at myself because I can't stop dreaming to go back in time and have a life like yours. I keep praying for a child, to experience just once all those moments that Fallmug took away from me, but nothing."

"I'm so sorry, Zin. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes." She wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "You can start by asking how I'm doing more often. By the way, are you sure you don't want to know the gender of the baby?"

"Positive." Kamila nodded. "Just tell me if it's more than one. Elina had twins and Rena triplets. The thought is keeping me awake at night."

"Just one, don't worry."

"That's a relief." She said with a sigh. "How is the life of a Duchess married to an Archmage?"

"Now you ask?" Zinya replied with a chuckle. "It's a full-time job. I spend every moment when the children are at school or do their homework either studying or at the Royal Court.

"Nobles aren't the refined, cultured people we dreamed about when we were little. They are mean, petty assholes who compare Zogar to Lith all day and dare to call them both monsters.

"I overheard them wondering more than once whether I had seduced Zogar to get my hands on his money and dump my children on him or if he just took advantage of a blind woman."

"It must be hard." Kamila said.

"No, it's infuriating. They keep dissing my husband even though they aren't worthy of kissing the ground where he steps. If it weren't for Ryssa and Brinja, I would have probably ended up killing someone."

"Wait, I get Brinja, but Ryssa? You mean the Dryad?" Kamila asked.

"Yes. Since our husbands are both Archmages and work at the White Griffon, we meet often and have become good friends."

"I thought that she would avoid the Court. Marth always complains about how mean they are about her being a plant folk and their child a hybrid." Kamila said.

"They are mean but she's even meaner. Unlike me, Ryssa isn't intimidated one bit by the difference in upbringing with the other nobles.