[SpringsSong]

Aila looked around the room as she put the English horn reed to her lips, staring into the audience.  This was a first for her; at least, in goodness knew how many years.  No, she had not given up playing; she’d just given up on getting performances for the longest time.  After all, when you live to be about three or four centuries old, but still look like you were eighteen—and that was all in the time before you had chosen your successor and returned to a mortal life.  The part that had Aila the most baffled was how those of the Pantheon resumed aging as though they had never been a part of the Pantheon.

And yet, here she was now, having been a Goddess since she was sixteen in the Re’klettan realm, and she looked as though she had not aged a day since her eighteenth birthday.  Most of the Pantheon had been scattered throughout the worlds, but some of them had returned: Deraj, Nyera, and Yesac of the High Pantheon had returned, and only one from the other assembly had returned—Ekal, the God of Darkness and her eternal heartthrob.

Aila knew that Deraj, her other mate, was eternally against her affiliation with the Darkness God, but Aila always had feelings deeper than normal for him.  These feelings had started when the two were nothing more than entering their most trivial years of their lives—the two had been but twelve years old when they met.  From there, their feelings for each other only deepened.  From there, the two continued to become closer and closer, until Ekal had been stripped away from Aila, which had been devastating to them both.

However, Ekal never knew how much he had affected Aila.

Even now, Aila could remember the curse that she breathed when he told her that; maybe, they ought to see other people.  She remembered the words as clearly as though she had just spoken them in the ancient Re’klettan language.

“May you never find another who can touch your heart as I did.  May these chains forever haunt you and stop you in your tracks...” she had said after they had said their farewells, and they would not see each other again for the longest time.  When they did cross paths, he seemed hurt when he saw the scorn in her eyes.  She could tell from the chain that he had tried to move on from her.  However, when she discovered who it had been, she was infuriated.

My sister?  You thought that you could score my sister, my guardian, after what you did to me?  Are you mad[i], Ekal?  What must she think of you, now that she knows?  How do you think she feels, after I told her how I was hurting after you left me, and then you tried to alter your appearance so that you might win her?[/i]

However, all that had changed now that they had been a part of the Pantheon for a good several years now.  At Aila’s last reckoning, it had been five years since they turned eighteen, but neither had aged a day since they turned eighteen.  Aila had not considered the fact that maybe Ekal would be a part of the Pantheon before this, but ever since he returned to her life—looking little older than when they had last met before they were freed from high school—she suspected that, maybe, he’d won the favor of one of the Gods in the Lesser Pantheon.

“Are you ready for this?” she asked, smiling coyly.

[1.1]

[SpringsSong]

Ekal could only smile as he looked over at Aila, his red eyes bright as he placed the oboe reed to his own lips.  It had been so long since Aila had looked at him like she honestly had feelings for him, like they had looked at each other back in eighth grade.  However, there was more to it than just her returning to him; no, she was died up between two others that were in the High Pantheon.  He would never understand why all of the elements were seen as being in the Lesser Pantheon, but they were. He was somewhat okay with that fact; however, he would never really be able to accept that he would have to share Aila with another male and a female.

Her time away from me must have altered her considerably.  She never would have taken to a femme when we were together... maybe I should have never split our relationship up; maybe then I would not have to share her with the Goddess of Love or the God of Life, he thought to himself.  However, even as he thought this, he recalled how close Aila and Nyera truly were.  Aila had said that she and Nyera were like sisters.

Maybe it still would have come to pass, then, he told himself.  She was always a little fiery for just one person... but would I still be cursed if I hadn’t have broken it off with her?  And now that she mentions it... what must Alyssa think of me now that I have done this to her?  I tried my best not to get too involved with her, knowing full well what the consequences could be, but I did not know that she...!  How was I supposed to know that she was Aila’s sister? he thought to himself, but then, he was shaken from his thoughts by Aila asking if he was ready for this performance they were about to undertake.

“Ready?  Are you ready?” he asked.  “Of course I’m ready, Aila.  After all, I’m actually the one that arranged this madness.” Ekal said, a smirk on his face.  “I know I told you I knew nothing of this gig and why they called us for it, but... I hate to say it, I lied to ya, Aila.  I’ve known about it for a long time.” Ekal said, laughing slightly.  He knew that Aila would not take to that very well, but that was the truth.  He had personally arranged this gig for them, knowing that Aila needed her passion for music re-ignited.  It had fallen into disuse since they had turned eighteen, and that was nearly six years ago now.  He knew how much she loved this duet of theirs, and now, they were going to play it together.

“You don’t mean to tell me that you’re nervous about this, do you, Aila?” he asked.  “You were always the one at school that would ask me how I could not be ready for a concert yet.  I know it’s short notice, but this duet never really left us, did it?” he asked again.  “It’s always been with us... in our hearts, before we ever even played it.” Ekal said, a small smile on his face.  “I could never pass up an opportunity such as this—you need it.”

What he said was true.  Aila needed this performance more than she needed a date with him right now; she was the Goddess of Music, and she wasn’t even all that into it any more.  There was just something slightly wrong with that; he knew Aila to be more passionate about music than any other art form—except writing, of course.  Her ability to bring words to life was exceptional, but there was just something missing when it came to her life now.  She would not admit what it was, but he knew exactly what it was.

It was the music.

[1.1]

[SpringsSong]

Aila blinked as Ekal said that he had arranged this gig.  Her eyes widened as she stared at him, an expression of shock on her face.  She knew that something was different about the look in his eyes when he had informed her about this gig, but he’d been able to wipe the look away from his face in an instant, when she inquired if he knew about the gig beforehand.  She glared at him now, her blue eyes piercing into his soul as she gave a low growl.  An ethereal fire began to glow about her hands; ethereal, for it did not burn the English horn that was within her grasp now.  Everyone in the audience blinked in shock at seeing the fire in her hands, but it soon dissipated.

“You... knew about the gig.” Aila said blankly, her voice flat.  That just got on her nerves to no end; he knew about the gig and acted like he’d never heard about it happening before.  She sighed as she glared at him for a few moments, her blue eyes narrowing.  She sighed as she glared at him again, shaking her head as she chuckled a little, closing her eyes as she laughed.

“I can’t believe that you were able to keep this from me this long!  I mean... you never keep things from me that well, and I usually find out about them sooner or later, but not when we get there!  I mean...” she shook her head again, laughing a little more as she placed a hand to her forehead.  Once again, Ekal had gone and surprised her with something; the last time he’d succeeded in that was when he had gotten her a rose for Valentine’s that first year; well, it was actually more like twelve roses in a vase.  The look on her face, he said, had been priceless.  It was surprise coupled with shock and completed by pure happiness.

Nevertheless, that was not why they were here now.  They were here to perform a duet that they both knew, and both had played it—just not with the other.  Now that they were, Aila felt a sense of completion and confirmation.  This duet was one of the best ones she’d ever found, and she’d always wanted to perform it.  The chance had never been presented to her before now, however; and she was hardly prepared for it.  Nevertheless, she knew that this duet and this performance would hold a little more weight than all the others, just because of the nature of it.

Within her heart, she felt something stir, something that she had not felt in several years.  In fact, the last time she felt this particular feeling, she was sitting beside Ekal, getting ready to perform one of the only concertos she would ever perform before her musical career would take a backseat to that of her career as the Goddess of Music.  She knew that it was odd; a Goddess of Music that was not involved with the art form?  That almost seemed like a sin, but Aila just lost all of her motivation for the instrument and anything that it meant to her, from the director telling her that she should switch to oboe and Ekal’s persistence in letting her know his stand on that particular matter, which was very similar to their director’s.

We do not need more flutes.  Your talents are needed elsewhere—in the least populated section in the school now.  True, it used to be the horns, but we are losing four of our five oboes, they had both said to her, though in different ways.  Come on, you know that there are more than enough flutes to cover the parts you would be leaving behind.  Come, enter a magical world where nothing is as it seems.  Become one with the orchestra, astound those that think it has no place in jazz.  You can do this.

Now that she reflected on it, they could not have been more right.  This world of oboe was something that she had not expected, and she was welcome to the surprises it held for her, such as the one she was holding right now, her English horn that Ekal had brought forth from pure shadows.  It played like a dream, and she could not envision any other instrument in her hands now.  Glancing back at Ekal, she smiled.

“Let’s do this now—they’re waiting.”

[1.2]

[SpringsSong]

Ekal shifted nervously; he felt certain that Aila was about to torch him or something similar when, instead, she laughed.  He looked at her as though she was going crazy, but then, he remembered that it was far from the first time that he had managed to catch her off-guard.  There were the chocolates, which had completely caught her off-guard.  After that, there were the roses, which were as much of a surprise as the chocolates.  Then... the last surprise he had given her after they parted ways and before their paths crossed again was not the best of the surprises he could have given her, he reflected to himself now.  When he noticed that she seemed lost in thought, he gave a small chuckle.

“Remembering when we got you to switch over to oboe, I’m guessing?” he asked, chuckling.  He remembered his own experience with that; it had been within the first week of school, and the director had pulled him aside.  He had explained the fact that there were no oboes in the concert band.  There was a good deal of talking about the whole deal, but then, he finally pulled out the oboe.

You’ll soon learn that oboe is an amazing instrument, Ekal, he had said.  There are far more opportunities for oboists than for clarinetists, he had also said.  He thought about it for all of thirty seconds before he nodded.  Then, he took the resin oboe from the director and went to talk to one of the older oboists about being a student of theirs.  After all, he knew no other oboists, and he did not know how much they could charge for lessons.  Being taught by a student was the only option.

“I remember the look on your face when he told you that you should switch to oboe,” he said, placing the reed to his lips and counting off the movement.  As soon as they started to play the song, he reverted to speaking to her in telepathy.  His voice was hesitant, as if he had never used this method of communication before, and was just testing it out.  He knew that Aila was fully capable of it; she had first confessed her feelings to him through telepathy.

So... how is that English horn that I brought forth from the shadows?  Is it as good as the oboe your fires birthed? he asked her, making sure to not lose his place in the music.  This realm of telepathy was hard to navigate with the distraction of having to perform, but it was nothing that he could not remedy.  He certainly was not going to stop playing now that they had started the tune; that would make the audience think that something was wrong, when nothing was wrong at all.  He smiled as he got to a part where the English horn played by herself, and he could fully focus on his telepathy.

I hope that it is not all that bad, he said.  If I do say so myself, you are making it sing like an angel.  And I still say you have the most gorgeous singing voice; you can argue with me all you want, but there’s no changing the fact that the Re’klettan Pantheon before you gifted you with a wonderful voice.  Every time I hear you sing, I feel like I’m back home in Re’klet, listening to your voice that first time.

Here, he paused for a few moments, concentrating on making his own solo line sing brightly.  After all, he had gotten the gig for them; it was upon him to make sure that it was all that they expected it to be.  He promised a moving performance that would bring the audience to tears in parts, or feel like they were in a village, listening to this music over the vast stretches of the pastures.

Are you sure you never performed this?  The musicality which you are putting into it makes it seem like you have played this before, Ekal said, laughing.  You sound—and look—like an angel, Aila—I am so glad that you are able to be mine again, and that Deraj was willing to let you be mine again.  I do not know what I would do if he tried to keep you shut out of my life for the accidents in our youth.

[1.2]

[SpringsSong]

Angel, you say? Aila responded, remembering the first time she had used telepathy with him.  It had been an honest accident, but it was a mistake that Aila would never regret making.  In reaching out to him and telling her about her feeling for him, she had opened up the door to them both to get to know one another.  She smiled as she shrugged, delving into the line that she had to play, her eyes bright.

Do you remember that first time I inadvertently used telepathy with you? she asked, smiling slightly as she glanced over at him, giving him a clue as to what the new tempo was going to be.  After all, she took the melody there.  What was it I had said?  “Ekal, listen, please... don’t be silly... I’m almost home.  But listen: I... I just want you to know that I have feelings for you.  Please, if you do too, tell me in due time... but I’m not sure if the feelings are deeper than just liking you or not...” sounds about right, does it not?  I seem to remember those words better out of any telepathic conversation I might have had with Deraj...

Here, she slowed down the tempo drastically, as that was part of the instructions in the writing above the music.  She loved this part of the music; it was so expressive and beautiful that whenever she heard it, tears came to her eyes.  She adored this song, but she never expected to be able to perform it herself.  Sure, Ekal had performed it, but Aila had not been given such honor because of the fact that the other oboist within their section loathed her and wanted nothing to do with her—and tried to keep Ekal from having anything to do with her.

Allow me to vent for three seconds and say that that... fellow section member of ours from the past was a little too close to you, Ekal.   I know you were against it, but she obviously did not catch onto that as she continued to pursue you with a vengeance. Aila said, her voice stern as she removed the English horn from her lips as the first movement ended.  She gave some people in the audience a sharp glare as they were starting to clap when the piece was far from over.  She turned to Ekal here, smiling as she gave him a slight nod.

It sings like a dream, Ekal; are you sure it isn’t because of the fact that I wanted one so bad that this is what you summoned from the shadows when you were testing your powers again for the first time? she asked, smirking.  But to me, English horn and oboe are two completely different realms.  So... considering my fire-summoned oboe was my seventeenth attempt and your English horn was your first attempt, yes, it is better than the one my fires birthed. Aila replied, smiling as she prepared to echo his melody line that he had just played.  This movement was a lot of calling-and-responding, and Aila was not particularly fond of that.  However, it was still a masterful demonstration of the technique, whether or not she was fond of it.

So what were your plans for after this performance, Ekal?  Some mysterious seaside dinner?  A romantic stroll along the beach?  Maybe... a cruise~? Aila asked, her eyes sparkling slightly at the last suggestion.  However, her heart told her to not get her hopes up, but at the same time, she could not help but wonder.  Ekal always kept her guessing.  He wanted to keep her on her toes, but Aila liked being in the know.

Please let me know, Ekal.  I have been waiting for this date for a long time now—over ten years.  Ten years, Ekal—that is a long time to wait, now, isn’t it? she asked, the pout that would otherwise be on her face conveyed through her voice.  The song paused here; Aila waited a few seconds before she began to conduct the third movement.  In that lull of time, she waited for Ekal’s response to her question with bated breath.  It was like waiting for the scientists at the Facility, only... this was not as anticipation-intensive as the wait for the hatchlings.

[1.3]

[SpringsSong]

That is... for me to know and for you to find out, Aila. Ekal said, a smirk on his face.  I’m not gonna tell you because that would ruin your birthday surprise, he said, his voice drifting off now as she mentioned the first time she had spoken to him through telepathy.  Obviously, she had been able to see him, for how else would she have known that he turned around, expecting to see her there?  He had tried, immediately afterwards, to re-establish the connection with her to say that he, too, felt something for her, but his knowledge of telepathy was rather pathetic.

I do remember it, Ekal said; and I also remember trying to re-establish the trace between us, but you had thrown up some sort of mental block against any outer communications; possibly to avoid me telling you that I had no such feelings for you. Here, Ekal smiled slightly as he waited for Aila to play the little segue into her next part.  She took her time, he noticed; possibly waiting for him to justify that previous statement.  He waited a moment more before he cleared his throat again, playing the melody hesitantly at first, but then, slowly becoming louder.

I was slightly worried that... well, that you were the kind that wanted nothing to do with relationships at first.  I had noticed you—do not get me wrong; I noticed you because you were the shiest girl in the band, but also the most beautiful—but I was afraid that you either had not noticed me in that light, or had no desire to notice men in that light at all.  And... by that, I am not attacking the present state of the relationship between you and Nyera—if you truly love her, I have no problems with that—my qualms are with Deraj, as you know.

He tried his best not to spit out Deraj’s name as though it were a poisonous venom, but he could not help it.  He remembered what happened to her, but she didn’t.  She remained blissfully—and gratefully—ignorant of the whole matter.  He could just picture her clinging to Yesac’s robe, begging him to remove the two children from her memory... but to leave her with his betrayal of her.

The fact that she would always be left with his betrayal of her carved out his heart when he thought about it, but he knew that she had come around full-circle and was his once again.  That was all that mattered to him now, and as long as she did not know that he had said what he had said after she had called him to tell him that they were going to be expecting children, he was perfectly fine with it.  As he looked around the stage again, he smiled as he glanced back at Aila.

Seaside dinner is taken care of... but I know not of this beach stroll or cruise of which you speak, he said, quickly throwing up a mental guard that feigned no knowledge of the very existence of the possibility of a cruise or a beach stroll—even though the former was going to be put into reality soon.  He knew how much Aila loved these seaside strolls, but he also knew how much she had wanted to go on a cruise.  He could only hope, though, that Yesac had taken his pleas to heart and did not come after them to try and restore Aila's memory too hastily.  The first thing that had to happen would be for him to find the bodies of their son and daughter, and then, they would confront Deraj.

If Ekal knew anything, then he would take one look at the bodies, and then, he would attack him.  It would be then that Yesac would restore Aila's memories of the children and how Deraj killed them, and then, she would attack him to defend Ekal...

...and then, her ties to the God of Life would be severed.  How could Aila love one that had killed her own flesh and blood?

[1.3]

[SpringsSong]

Seaside dinner, huh? she said, smiling as she cast a quick glance over at him, her eyes curious as she tried to worm her way past the barrier.  However, something dark and suspicious—something that she had a feeling she did not want to know about until the time was right—caused her to withdraw from there and trying to find out about what he was saying.  She merely continued playing until they got to the last note, where they did an arpeggio that was split between the two instruments, and then, a quick grace note ended it.

“I sure hope it’s somewhere nice, Ekal—Deraj never takes me to my favorite restaurants anymore.  He says that they might bring back old demons from the past.” Aila said, her voice confused.  “I don’t know what the heck he means by that, Ekal; but when I said that you always took me there, he said that that was exactly why he could not take me there.”

Aila would never understand why Deraj acted the way he did now.  It was not only a complete mystery to her, it seemed familiar in the very back of her mind, which just irked her to no end.  Nevertheless, she calmly slid away from the stage to get out of her concert dress and into a more dinner-appropriate dress.  She knew that Ekal would doubtless ask her if all the makeup and such was necessary, to which she would answer yes, it was necessary—it had been the longest time since she had been able to leave the confines of the Fire-Forests without Deraj, and now, she was finally free.

However, she would not have any idea how free she would soon be.

“I’ll meet you by the beach,” she said, smiling as she stole away again.  She could hear some people commenting on how lucky Ekal was, but that was only because she was using her powers to amplify their voices to her ears.  She could not help but smile as she looked around again, but then, she fell silent as she approached the beach.  There was no sign of any ship there, but then again, Ekal was known for being quite sneaky about these sorts of things, and this was no exception.  After all... he knew, somehow, that she wanted to go on this cruise.

However, her thoughts were soon engulfed in something else.

Her eyes misted over as she was taken to a wooded area where all she saw were five figures—one retreating, one approaching, and three laying motionless; however, two of them were dead.  The figure that was running to the three that were lying there seemed enraged that they were in that state, but also devastated for some reason.  She blinked as she saw the man pick up the woman—who was, thankfully, breathing—and noticed three scars over her right eye.

Impossible... she thought as her hand flew up to her own scars; three over her right eye.  She shook her head; that had obviously been something that would happen in the future... that was all she ever saw, visions of the future.  She never saw into the past, but now, she was suspicious, for she thought that the woman with the scars on her eye looked younger than she was now.

What is happening now...? she asked herself, her brow furrowing.

[1.4]

[SpringsSong]

Ekal nodded as Aila walked off, sighing as he looked around.  Soon, his little Ballama floated up to him, settling on his shoulder and cooing slightly.  He shook his head as he placed his finger close to its little mouth, and it perked up and nuzzled it, acting happy about the attention that Ekal was giving him.

“I don’t know what to do, Jaem,” he said.  “I have to somehow tell her that Deraj killed our children that she doesn’t even remember—and convince Yesac to restore those memories, as well as the memory of our final moment before I returned to Inailia...”

The Ballama blinked as he looked at Ekal, his yellow eyes curious as he seemed to ask with them what Ekal was talking about.  He shook his head as he ran a hand through his black hair, sighing.  The question was not would Aila accept that Deraj could do such a thing—and not bat an eye about it—but that he had done this and had not so much as batted an eye—and scarred her in the process?

He remembered how he felt when he saw the scars over Aila’s eye.  He felt enraged that Deraj would say that he loved Aila, and had only her best interests in mind, but then, because of his jealousy, took away the two people that would have been the most important people in her life because she had given them life—had carried them for the nine months that they had been apart, and then, she had to watch them die...

...at Deraj’s hands.

“I would much rather her remembering me tell her that she would be all right and that I would be back within a year to take her back and heal all her wounds, instead of having to death with the ever-present scorn that she had for me until I gave her the necklace, you know, Jaem?  I just want to be able to let her know that I never meant to hurt her the way that I did—I never meant to hurt her like that.”

The Ballama nodded slowly as he floated lazily around Ekal’s shoulders, and then, he remembered that they had a ship to go to.  He went to find Aila, who was standing on a beach, her blond hair whipping in the wind and her purple dress, and her own Ballama, Kaltai, floating about her.  However, Aila seemed to have a lost look about her.  Ekal’s heart skipped for a moment; had she possibly seen something in the past that made her question the memories she had Yesac fashion for her?

“Aila?”

He said this after several minutes, after he had made sure that Aila was no longer wrapped in a memory or a flash-back.  He smiled as he took her hand and turned her around.

“Come with me.  It’s time for the surprise.” Ekal said this with a playful note in his voice; not only was Aila getting her seaside dinner, she was getting that dinner on a cruise ship, where they would be spending the next few weeks—yes, weeks; Ekal thought that they needed more of a vacation, so he booked them for a three-week cruise.

I just hope Deraj takes his bait... Ekal thought as he remembered his conversation with Yesac.  He would bring the bodies of Hairam and Mariah after the cruise had left, and then... well, theoretically, Deraj would appear, try and take Aila back; he would show him the bodies, and then... it would be Aila’s move.

[1.4]

[SpringsSong]

Aila blinked as Kaltai both began darting back and forth and Ekal called her name hesitantly, as though he knew that she had been lost in a reverie.  She shook her head of it quickly as she turned to face him, her eyes sparkling despite the darkness that was in them now.  Even though the scars over her eyes had been painful, she had the sense to not let her eyes be open as soon as she saw that the claw mechanism was flying her way, and Deraj had sense enough not to slash so hard as to cause her eyes permanent damage.  However, she did not remember that it was Deraj that caused these scars.  She just remembered waking up with them one day.

“Surprise?  Ekal, what on Evelon have you been planning for me?” she asked, almost wanting to jump on him about the whole question of if they were going on a cruise or not, and if so, how long the cruise was going to be.  However, as they came to the docks of Jawan, she did not even need to ask what the surprise was anymore, for sitting there in the harbor was a glorious cruise ship with the words, “Diamond of Zu'hai” on it.  She turned to Ekal, her eyes wide and her jaw dropping.

“Ekal!  You...!”

Her voice was clearly stunned as she said this, staring as Kaltai smirked and opened a small portal and summoned three large suitcases for Aila, and Jaem summoned three for Ekal.  The look Aila’s face became more and more priceless as she realized what was happening now.  She looked back at Ekal, and then, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly, wrapping her arms around him.  After a few moments, though, she broke the kiss, because she heard a voice that sounded oddly like hers.

Ekal... we’re going to be parents...

No, now that she heard it, it had to be hers; she was starting to remember something very dark and fuzzy about that phrase, but the more and more she tried to remember it right then, she felt it going farther and farther away from her consciousness.  She shrugged it off again as another flash-forward instead of a flashback, because she had no recollections of ever meeting Ekal in that sort of an engagement when they were together back in Re’klet, even if it was not uncommon for a Goddess to have a child by a mortal when she was still under-age.

“So... is dinner on the ship, then?” she asked, trying to force any other thoughts underneath the surface of her consciousness.  She did not need to be interrupted by something that she thought was going to happen.  Of course she and Ekal would still become parents; heck, Ekal was a father now, she’d heard; before he was Ekal again, he had met a Rockbeak Paragon, and they had two sons.  However, Aila had no children of her own just yet.  Nevertheless, she shook her head and began to gather the suitcases.  However, an attendant from the ship said that he would manage “the lady’s luggage,” as he said to Ekal.  She took his arm and waited for him to take her onto the ship.

Nyera... I wish you and Ciren were here so what we could have some serious quality time together, the four of us—we’ve all been friends for as long as we can remember, she thought to herself as she looked around again, trying to place the connection between the voice and the scene from before...

[2.0]

[SpringsSong]

Ekal could tell that Aila was excited—she’d never just spontaneously kissed him like that in public—but then, she broke it as her eyes went blank.  He knew that she was catching onto something, whether past or future, so he reached a finger into her mind to see what she was seeing.  As soon as he heard the voice, he withdrew quickly.  The barriers that Yesac had made were starting to fall apart already, but he decided to act like he had not heard anything yet.  Instead, he chuckled as she placed her hand around his arm, and he lead her up to the ship.

“Of course dinner’s on the ship, dearest—doesn’t get more seaside than on the sea herself,” he said, smiling.  “I know you were having a vision just now—what was it about?” he asked, hoping that she would say something along the lines of that they were going to be parents within a few months, but he suspected that she would say that she didn’t know, but that she heard her voice address him about parenthood in a nervous manner.  He hoped that she wouldn’t; if she did, then he would have to summon Yesac and break the barriers completely then.

“Let’s go to our stateroom now, shall we?” he asked as he once again reached into her mind.   He almost instantly smiled as he felt the thoughts of Nyera and Ciren needing to be there; they were, after all, close friends.  He placed his arm around her waist and laughed, kissing her cheek.

“You think that Nyera and Ciren ought to be here too, don’t you?  I would love it if they were, too,” he said, smiling.  “It’s been so long since Ciren and I have had a chance to talk to each other about things outside of the Pantheon that getting to talk just about life would be a refreshing change.  However, I’m not sure that they know about the cruise in the first place.  You see, I only found out on accident.”

Ekal knew that he was lying, of course; he had sought out this cruise because he knew that they would be going on it soon.  He was not sure of how precisely he would tell Aila that they had been parents once, even if only for a few hours, but the fact that they had been born, that she had seen their genders, and that she had named them meant that they were still parents.

“I heard that Nyera and Ciren might actually be here—you know, Ciren is the God of Water; if he wanted to take a cruise, he knows where each one is going and when it will leave and arrive wherever.  Trust me—he’s not one to pass up a vacation like this after all that’s happened.” Ekal said.  He knew that Aila would doubtless scream, hug him, and then probably kiss him again, but he had one last thing to say.  “Just... this time, you stick with me and Nyera sticks with Ciren.  Otherwise Ciren and I would be without dates for the dinner, and you know how some people frown upon the multiple mates and same-gender relationships.  I have no problems with it; I just want you to be mine this time...”

He took both of her hands and held them for a moment, looking at the perfectly white skin.  To think that someone dared to mar that skin with blades broke his heart, but then again, he had broken hers with what he had said.  However, if she had her memories back, then she would know that he had said that it was to protect her from Deraj and from her own parents.

Obviously he should have just taken her to Inailia with him...

[2.0]

[SpringsSong]

“Really?!”

Aila squealed this in a voice that depicted pure delight; then, just as Ekal had predicted, she hugged him and then kissed him deeply, but broke the kiss as soon as the comment about having a vision reached her.  Her brow furrowed again, and she sighed, shrugging.

“I only heard a voice.  It sounded like... no, it was my voice, telling you that... that we were gonna be parents... and I sounded nervous about it,” she said, frowning slightly as she placed a hand on her stomach.  “I know this won’t be for a while yet, as we haven’t gotten the notice to go occupy one of the Rooms, but... my voice didn’t sound like it was happening in the future... it sounded like it did when I was fifteen, Ekal.” Aila said, her eyes searching his for answers.  She was clearly troubled, but she couldn’t let that get to her now.  If anything, she would ask Yesac if he could see if, maybe, they were in the memories she had him erase and if he could restore them.  But... would she really want to do that?  What really happened when she and Ekal broke it off?  Had he started dating?  Was he... with someone else, in the sense of becoming a father?

“I’m sure it was nothing,” she said as she felt her eyes going blank again.  This time, though, she heard three screams—two wordless; those of infants, and the third begging for whatever was happening to stop.  She instantly cringed, looking around as her scars began to hurt again.  She placed a hand over her right eye, but when she realized it was not bleeding, she turned to Ekal in a concerned manner.

“Ekal... I just heard three screams.  Two were those of infants, and the third was that of a woman, begging for her children to be spared.  Would... you happen to know if this was future... or past?” she asked, hoping he would say neither, and that she must have seen someone else’s vision.  Kaltai floated around her nervously, as though she was picking up on the nervousness that Aila was exuding so clearly.  If anything, Aila was worried that his head would droop and he would say that he had things to tell her.  However, she soon perked up.

“Ekal—you get some of your powers from Yesac.  I’m sure that you can restore memories that were lost.  I remember having Yesac erase something... I just can’t remember what.  I remember that it happened thirteen years ago... today, actually.  I fear that my visions might be of the past.  Of things that have happened.  I cannot tell because I just remember how you left me,” she said, her eyes solemn.

“If you can... please, bring back my true memories of our final days together—and I mean the ones after I visited you under Ciren’s protection in Inailia.” Aila said, her voice firm as she ordered this.  She really wasn’t sure if this was what she wanted, but she had to try.

She had to know if those words were from the past.

[2.1]

[SpringsSong]

“B-but, Aila—even if I can draw off of powers similar to Yesac’s, how can we be certain that what I restore is what is accurate?  I mean, I know what happened in the nine months after your last visit... and then you contacted me... well... I can try.” Ekal said, cutting himself off before he could say that he remembered her contacting him to say those exact words that she said she had just heard.

“You... do not remember how I left you—at least, not the proper way.” Ekal said, placing his hands on either side of Aila’s head.  However, after a moment, he shook his head and pointed to the bed in their stateroom.  “You need to lay down.  Having memories of prolonged periods of time altered can have rather... bad affects if you’re standing upright,” he said, “and you yourself said that it has been thirteen years since you had Yesac alter your memory.  Now... the only thing I can tell you is that I forgive you now; I understood what you needed to do, you did it, and because of it... I suffered greatly.”

He sighed as he placed his hands on either side of her head, shaking his head as he searched for any presences that might interrupt the process.  Almost instantly, he detected the presences of Nyera and Ciren.  He shook his head as he reached out to them, telling them to remain outside of the stateroom and not walk in as he was restoring Aila’s memory to her.  Interruptions would doubtless have affects on her memory, and that was the last thing he needed when he was unsure of if he could even do for her what needed to be done.

Yesac... I must call upon your powers to alter memories so that I may reveal to Aila why it is the past and not the future that is being shown to her.  She deserves to know what happened to our children, and she deserves to know that I did not just leave her.  She deserves to know that I never wanted to leave her, but that I only intended to protect her because I did not know if I would ever be able to come back...

As he said this, he could feel the memories flowing from him—from their meeting to two months later when she found out that she was expecting, and every little bit of time thereafter, and then—then, they came to when she gave birth.  Nyera was there, of course, and she helped with the birth.  Ciren was in Inailia, as was he, but that was because he was being examined for eligibility to be able to return to Nycisia, but by the time he was cleared, it was too late, he somehow knew.  He felt the memory of her telling him about them, and then, he felt the next dreadful scene play out.

Deraj... he’s furious with you.  I heard him vow... to either kill you or our children.

He shuddered as he imagined how she would feel about that; after all, for thirteen years, she thought that Deraj was someone she could trust, not someone she needed to fear.  And then... he felt the memory of Deraj stealing into Nyera’s house, a blade in his hand, and then, he stopped right in front of the cradle where Hairam and Mariah were sleeping...

...and then, he saw Aila throw herself in front of the cradle, catching Deraj’s arm and telling him to leave the children alone, and then, seeing him knock her aside and strike out with his claws, leaving the scars over her eyes that she had now.  From there, he continued to stream the memories of her carrying her children outside, passing out, and then Ekal coming to her and picking her up, but in there, she had begged for her memory to be erased...

...but this time, Yesac told her he could not.

[2.1]

[SpringsSong]

Nyera blinked as she heard Ekal’s voice demand that she and Ciren remain where they were.  Her eyes widened as she realized that they were here as well, but then, she heard why he needed them to remain where they were.

I am restoring Aila’s memory to the way it should be... I know that will doubtless leave her heartbroken about Deraj, but she deserves to know.

She drew in a solemn breath as she nodded to herself.  Aila did deserve to know what happened that night; she had to keep it to herself for all of these years, because when she mentioned it to Aila once in passing, she looked at her like she was crazy.  Nyera was crazy, but she knew what had happened—Deraj had killed the children.

Aila... I tried to tell you about this.  I tried.  But because you had Yesac alter your memory... she thought, and then, she turned to Ciren.

“Aila and Ekal are here... and if I know the past, then... Deraj will not be far behind.  Like me, he knows about things that Aila begged Yesac to erase from her memory, he will want it to stay that way.  She does not remember her children, or that Deraj killed them—she thinks that her scars were from running blindly into a tree with thorns on the branches.” Nyera said.  “We need to be ready to act if we sense him nearby.”

She hated to go against one of the Pantheon, but she knew that they would have to eventually.  She knew that it would break Aila’s heart, knowing that it was Deraj’s fault that she had scars over her eye, that she thought Ekal ditched her because she was so adamant about not giving him what he wanted because it was not time yet, and that she was now having these flashbacks.  But, better yet... how would Aila react to that?

“We ought to head over that way, Ciren.  Aila’s memory restoration ought to nearly complete now, and she will probably need me to be there for a few minutes, as I was the one that helped her deliver those darling children that Deraj so ruthlessly...”

Here, she shook her head as she looked around.  She might be the Goddess of Love, but she felt anything but that for Deraj right about now.  She had trusted him like a brother, entrusted him with retrieving her from the underworld, and a score of other things—and he had repaid her and Aila like this.

“I’m gonna strangle him if he lays one hand on Aila—or Ekal.”

[1.1]

[SpringsSong]

Ciren glanced over at Nyera, and when she said that Aila and Ekal were here just moments before he heard Ekal tell them not to enter the stateroom that he and Aila were staying in.  He could almost hear him add that, this time, he needed to keep Nyera on a leash, because he wanted some time with Aila.

Ciren, of course, knew why.

“A memory restore... I can see why Ekal would want to have some quality time with Aila.  She’s going to be devastated—wait, you played midwife for her?” he asked.  “I mean, I knew that you knew she was expecting, but... you helped her?”

Ciren shook his head as he looked around.  He knew how Aila had begged him to let her go to Inailia without any side effects of the water living, but he did not know that this had been her intent!

“I sure hope she knows what she’s doing, having him restore her memory,” he said, shaking his head.  “I know that if I had asked Yesac to alter my memory, I must have just gone through something really traumatizing.   If I had just given birth to a son and daughter and then seen someone that I knew and trusted kill them for the sake of protecting me from something that might happen in the future?”

He had to wonder if Deraj had his own selfish intentions for doing that, and then he had to wonder: was he only sparing Nyera because he knew that he’d have to deal with a patron God of a nation if she or any of her children—from Aila or otherwise—were removed from the picture?  If anything important to Ciren was compromised, then the perpetrator would have not just Ciren, but the nation of Inailia to deal with.

He was sure that Deraj would not want that.

“Nyera... we’ll need Yesac here, and... we might have to trick Deraj into naming a successor.  If we don’t, he could cause quite a bit of chaos.  If he is not removed from the Pantheon... then more might suffer the same fate as Aila, Ekal, and their children.” Ciren said.  “But... Kuille is the only one that is even worthy to be named a successor because he is directly of Deraj’s blood and has most of his powers?”

He sighed again as he looked to the sea.  He knew, somewhere deep below Freighlei, his guardian was sleeping.  The Nago was most helpful, but he was rather short-tempered.  He reached out to him and caught his attention, his voice concerned.

Be on the ready, my friend...

[1.1]

[SpringsSong]

Aila felt the memories rush back into her head, and as some of them came back, she had to do her best not to scream in pain, horror, and agony.  As soon as she saw Hairam and Mariah, she tried to sit up, and then, when she saw Deraj kill them... then, she had made up her mind.  No matter how much she loved him before this, this had crossed the line with her.  She placed her hand over her scars, and then, she sat up slowly, looking at Ekal.  She held on longer than Ekal expected her to, but he soon would find himself holding her close, sobbing.

“Ekal... oh, Ekal, I am so sorry for doing whatever it was I did to you when I thought you just left me... I had Yesac create a memory of you leaving me so I wouldn’t have to bear seeing you again with our children and not wanting you to see them because I thought you had left me... that you were only trying to help me... oh, my gosh, Ekal... I am so, so sorry I did not even think that you were just keeping my best interests in mind... I should have stayed in Inailia after that meeting...”

She curled up next to him, sobbing uncontrollably now as she realized how Deraj had lied to her and then, she realized—Nyera had tried to tell her about this.  She denied it, though; Ekal left her, she never had children, why the heck would she want Ekal’s spawn sharing her genes, and bunch of other things had left her mouth telling Nyera that she was crazy, essentially.  However, as soon as she realized that Nyera was on the ship, she stood up shakily and stumbled out to the deck, her eyes filled with tears as she embraced Nyera, sobbing again.

“Nyer... I am so sorry, hon; I never meant to imply that you were crazy.  I’m sorry I doubted you, I just... wanted to forget what Deraj had done to those darlings that I had given birth to... they never even lived long enough to know what their powers would be...” she said, and then, she turned to Ekal and threw her arms around his neck again, sobbing inconsolably as she shook.

“I’m so sorry I treated you like that, Ekal—if I would have realized what it was you were doing, I never would have lashed out in such a way that would make it seem like... like I thought you had betrayed me.  I mean, at the time it was an appropriate illusion—I get pregnant, you get spooked and leave me to fend for myself.  The only odd twist...”

Here, she stopped, for her vision began to cloud over again as she looked around, trying to see if this was a vision of the future or past.  However, when she saw the background of the ship they were on now, she clamped onto Ekal’s arm as she trembled, tears streaming from her eyes.  Standing before her—although in a vision and not in person—was Deraj, his eyes alight with flame as he stared her down, holding one of the corpses of the children she and Ekal had in his hand.

I saved you from losing them a different way.  I saved you from them being taken to Inailia and you being shut out of their lives.  Ekal wasn’t there when you needed him most, he obviously didn’t care when you were pregnant, but now you’d given birth to two beautiful children.  It’s a shame that, to save you, they had to be sacrificed, she heard.  And now, to keep you safe from his lies, I’m going to kill him.

Aila shuddered as she repeated these last five words, but all the while, knowing that Gods could not just be killed.  She trembled more as she clung to Ekal’s arm, her eyes wet with tears.

“He will come, and he will demand your life, Ekal...”

[2.2]