Well, her spirit certainly is stronger than most—most only had their memories altered by one year, and they broke out into tears before they could even sit up. Thirteen years, though? I’d have been bawling before the whole deal was done. Ekal thought to himself as he held her close, running a hand through her hair and saying that it would be okay. However, he knew that it would take her a fair bit of time to get over the fact that Deraj had still tricked her, that she’d been believing a lie this whole time...
...and then Nyera! He knew how close the two Goddesses were; she was doubtless fairly upset about this whole matter now that she knew Nyera had been telling her the truth the whole time. Then, of course, Ekal remembered Aila’s ability to sense other people, and she shakily ran out to meet Nyera. He followed after her, knowing that she was on the verge of a full-fledged breakdown now, and he was the only one that could explain it. However, he had a feeling that Nyera would catch on as soon as Aila began speaking; Nyera knew her femme-mate better than Deraj would ever know her, especially now that all this had been revealed. He knew that Aila would mourn for a little bit—now, at least, Hairam and Mariah would get proper burials; he had gone back to get them and had used his powers to preserve their bodies so that, one day, Aila would remember everything that had happened and would be able to see their children—even if they were dead.
“Aila, you know I understand that it was all because you had your memory altered. I knew, as soon as you said that I left you without saying that we needed to end it, that you had gone to Yesac and begged him to erase your memories of our children.” Ekal said. “You know that I understand what you had to be going through when Deraj killed our son and daughter, and that you wanted to forget that it ever happened because you would only play through all the ‘what if I had...’ scenarios in your head, and you always follow those to the worst possible conclusion. Aila, you must understand that I hold you at fault for nothing at all.”
Here, he held her close again, but then felt her body go stiff. Almost instantly, he knew that she was having another vision—she’d had way too many in the past day to be healthy for her—and he held her close, waiting for her to come out of it, but then, she started mouthing words. When he caught the last five, he held her firmly by the shoulders and glared into her eyes.
“Deraj! I know you can hear me! I was only trying to protect her from her parents, and to protect her in case I could not get clearance to depart from Inailia to be at her side when she gave birth. If you say a sacrifice is demanded, then why don’t you come down here yourself and challenge me instead of intimidating my mate? Why don’t you come here and stir up the seas and call the Inailians to defend their patron God and summon the Guardian of the Seas from his lair? Why don’t you come gaze upon the handiwork you created thirteen years ago—and find yourself severed from Aila?” he said. Then, Aila snapped out of her vision, and he held her close to him, running a hand through her hair as she clung to his arm.
“He will have to go through Ciren, the Inailian people, Ciren’s guardian, Xadoc, and he will have to deal with us—maybe even some of the Lesser Pantheon; Giada and Ath’yeri, and maybe even his own two sons and your sister...”
Here, he looked to Ciren, his eyes serious. If he knew Deraj...
“Summon Xadoc now, Ciren. We will need him at the ready,” he said.
[2.2]
...and then Nyera! He knew how close the two Goddesses were; she was doubtless fairly upset about this whole matter now that she knew Nyera had been telling her the truth the whole time. Then, of course, Ekal remembered Aila’s ability to sense other people, and she shakily ran out to meet Nyera. He followed after her, knowing that she was on the verge of a full-fledged breakdown now, and he was the only one that could explain it. However, he had a feeling that Nyera would catch on as soon as Aila began speaking; Nyera knew her femme-mate better than Deraj would ever know her, especially now that all this had been revealed. He knew that Aila would mourn for a little bit—now, at least, Hairam and Mariah would get proper burials; he had gone back to get them and had used his powers to preserve their bodies so that, one day, Aila would remember everything that had happened and would be able to see their children—even if they were dead.
“Aila, you know I understand that it was all because you had your memory altered. I knew, as soon as you said that I left you without saying that we needed to end it, that you had gone to Yesac and begged him to erase your memories of our children.” Ekal said. “You know that I understand what you had to be going through when Deraj killed our son and daughter, and that you wanted to forget that it ever happened because you would only play through all the ‘what if I had...’ scenarios in your head, and you always follow those to the worst possible conclusion. Aila, you must understand that I hold you at fault for nothing at all.”
Here, he held her close again, but then felt her body go stiff. Almost instantly, he knew that she was having another vision—she’d had way too many in the past day to be healthy for her—and he held her close, waiting for her to come out of it, but then, she started mouthing words. When he caught the last five, he held her firmly by the shoulders and glared into her eyes.
“Deraj! I know you can hear me! I was only trying to protect her from her parents, and to protect her in case I could not get clearance to depart from Inailia to be at her side when she gave birth. If you say a sacrifice is demanded, then why don’t you come down here yourself and challenge me instead of intimidating my mate? Why don’t you come here and stir up the seas and call the Inailians to defend their patron God and summon the Guardian of the Seas from his lair? Why don’t you come gaze upon the handiwork you created thirteen years ago—and find yourself severed from Aila?” he said. Then, Aila snapped out of her vision, and he held her close to him, running a hand through her hair as she clung to his arm.
“He will have to go through Ciren, the Inailian people, Ciren’s guardian, Xadoc, and he will have to deal with us—maybe even some of the Lesser Pantheon; Giada and Ath’yeri, and maybe even his own two sons and your sister...”
Here, he looked to Ciren, his eyes serious. If he knew Deraj...
“Summon Xadoc now, Ciren. We will need him at the ready,” he said.
[2.2]