~ * ~
Chapter Thirty-Two
~ Tharin ~
Lily healed Tolan’s hands. It took a while but by the time she was done, his hands were almost fully healed. When she did all she could for the time being, we headed back to the garden. Upon our return, we went to work immediately, helping remove bodies and among them was Kalis. When Dorlan found her, he picked her up and allowed me to approach her. There, I said my final goodbye to the warrior who I once loved when we were children. Lily stood by my side saying her own silent farewell. Dorlan gave a last look at his brother, and a moment passed between them. Without another word, he carried Kalis down one of the paths now opened to clear the area and disappears.
Mellis and Alorn sat at the bench, both looking exhausted and drained, especially Alorn. After all the time he hated and plotted his revenge against his brother only to be told in the end that he was innocent must have come as quite a shock. From the way Colsea had his hand on his shoulder, he was finally told the truth behind his brother’s actions to join with the Sithide. It will take him some time to adjust to his brother’s innocence. Not only that, but he would have to deliver the news to his mother that her husband wouldn’t be returning. Mellis looked at his older cousin and put his arm around Alorn’s shoulders. Usually, Alorn would leave, to grieve alone, but not this time. Once again he allowed his younger cousin to comfort him.
Minth and Kulzo spoke softly among themselves while dryads and dwarves rested nearby. There were a few who needed some healing attention.
I had lost sight of Glynnis during the battle, but it was obvious she was in the mix of things. I watched as Ziri gently wrapped a bandage on her head. Maybe there would be three weddings, and maybe not. He looked at Glynnis with longing, while she kept him at a distance with an invisible wall. It may take time, but I know they will be okay.
As for Lily, she and her father were not speaking. They were too busy holding onto each other, having finally found one another. As I watched them, Dalim came to mind and I sent a messenger to see that the old guard was still in Pathen with Marilyn.
We had a double wedding a week later. The ceremony was held in the Oak Tower in the Hall of the Thirteen Thrones. The Oak and Willow hybrids within the hall were full and lush. The gardenias, although out of season, were in full bloom in reaction to Lily’s happiness. She decided to stay at my side in Velesi and promised to take full advantage of our universities here in the realm. Although, she made me agree to spend the summer in Pathen so she can take summer classes and visit with Marilyn while we are there.
The wedding this time had no dignitaries, only family and friends. Kulzo, Minth, Mirnuk, Mirnook and Mirneek were there. Mareck was also there, who shared the news that Maluk, after the battle, came back to the fold begging Mahl for forgiveness. She and her brothers have already given their suggestion for punishment to the ogre king.
Marilyn and Dalim were there, of course, with Marilyn crying through the whole ceremony. I will never understand that custom from Pathen. Adding to our joyous day, Dalim shared his good news that he was retiring and going back to Pathen with Marilyn. A beaming Marilyn confirmed his move without saying a word. She simply took his hand and held on to it for the rest of the day.
As for John Michaels, he decided he would stay in Velesi to be close to his daughter and threaten to spoil every one of his grandchildren. It was sometime later Lily confided that the main reason he was staying was because he couldn’t find it in his heart to leave his wife buried in the Velesi realm. Lily wanted John close so we set up a suite for him one level below the royal floor.
I watch as Lily and Julia mingle among their new family and a sense of tranquility comes over me. I look around at the familiar faces but note one missing. Curious that he isn't here to enjoy the festivities, I move around the room looking for Alorn. The last I saw of him was during the ceremony and then lost track of him, and the others, as my full attention was on Lily. I call out to him and he whispers back letting me know he's out on the side balcony.
I step outside to find him dressed for travel and staring out into the rain. I stand beside him, joining him in watching the downpour.
I wait patiently through the silence until he finally sighs.
“I am sorry, Tharin. I don’t know how it happened,” he says quietly.
I nod and reply, “I can swear to it that it wasn’t hard to fall in love with her.”
“I do love her.” I can hear the truth, and the pain, in his voice.
“Alorn...”
“I’ve decided to spend some time away from Velesi.” His words are painful for both of us. “Colsea tells me that demons, assassins, and whatever else escaped from the UnderRealm are in Pathen. We need to return them to the UnderRealm and keep the humans from knowing they exist. We can’t risk them discovering our existence.”
I understand the need for him to go and his reasons for doing it.
I place a hand on his shoulder. “Velesi will always be your home; Lily and I, your family.”
He turns to me, his arm extended. “Thank you, my king.”
I take his arm, gripping it tightly. “May you find peace, brother.”
He hugs me tightly. He then steps back and walks out into the rain, disappearing into the shadows.
Alorn departed over an hour ago and I now find myself wishing he could have stayed a little longer. But I understand his need to leave as I watch my wife approach me with a smile that lights up my world. Both she and Julia look absolutely beautiful in their gowns, but every now and then I would catch Julia fidgeting in her dress. I laughed each time knowing she was itching to get back into some pants and boots and be out in the rain.
She saw to it herself that Frank and Chris were returned to Pathen and to never return. She also promised to return each summer with Lily to visit Marilyn. But I know the extent of the damage done to her by the Chases, a scar she will always carry. In time it will fade, but it will always be there as a reminder of her life before Tolan.
“I have something for you, wife,” I say mysteriously as she reaches me.
Her eyes light up, “Oh, what’s that, husband?”
From the nearby desk, I pull out a wrapped box and present it to her. She happily takes it and in a very much unqueen-like manner tears at it until she removes the box lid.
“Tharin, thank you!” She takes out her old jeans and shirt hugging them tightly. I don’t understand her attachment to them, but I know they are important to her.
She puts the clothes down and takes my hand. “There’s something I want to show you.”
“All right, my love, lead the way.”
She pulls me out of the hall and to the back stairwell.
“Lily,” I call from behind her. “You know there are easier ways to get to the suites besides taking the back stairwell, right?”
“Yes,” she answers, glancing back at me with a smile.
Ten minutes pass and I am about to pull her through one of the many doors and take the lift the rest of the way, when she opens the door to the royal level. She continues to run ahead of me until we reach the queen’s suites – my mistake, when we reach our suites. I follow her through the rooms and to the bedroom, which is where I thought we were heading, but she runs out the double doors to the balcony.
Waiting for us are two long hooded capes and I know now where she is taking me, to the garden.
“Lily, you’ll get your dress wet. It’ll be ruined,” I scold while laughing at her.
She pulls me past the archway, past the bench and takes me to the edge of the pando trees. She lifts her hand and quickly does a calling and before I know it, we are in Malainisi.
I look around me as I have never been here before. I squeeze her hand, asking, “You never told me why you didn’t call for Cessa during the battle.”
She looks up at me somberly. “I know. She wasn’t feeling well.”
Suddenly, this journey is no longer a happy one and I become anxious to be done with it.
> Lily leads me to a small grove, full of a variety of trees and plants set close to the side of a rock face. I step close to the rock and look up, unable to see its top. I look about and see a ledge head high with soft moss and deep soft grass. Below it is what looks like a large chair, a throne overgrown with Mezila flowers, and just a few feet away is another mound. Lily continues to lead me to a cave opening I didn’t notice when we first arrived. Upon entering, I notice the soft glow of panswa growing along the cave wall. We walk around a bend and into a small cave the size of a spare room in our suite. At one end is a small stream gurgling from the ground, flowing into a small pool. On the other end is Cessa, lying on a similar bed of moss and grass as on the ledge outside.
Cessa raises her head to look at us and gives us a subtle call in greeting, but she doesn’t get up. Worried, I move to her side, kneeling to rub her face and bringing it to mine.
“How are you girl?” I ask softly. “I hear you’ve been feeling under the weather lately.”
I rub behind her ears and she lays back but puts her large paw on my shoulder. That's when I hear them. Soft cries from near her stomach. She flicks her large tail to the side and exposes three tiny cubs. Two are as black as their mother and one, pure white; perhaps a gift from its father. I turn to look at Lily, who remains standing beside me, a beaming smile on her face.
She kneels beside me. “I worried about her being alone. While we were in Perth, the zoo there was hosting an organization to educate the public about large exotic cats, one of them being a rare white Amur tiger weighing over nine-hundred pounds. Granted he wasn’t as big as Cessa, but I had hoped...you know...that they’d hook up.”
“Hook up? And, when did this happen? And how?”
She shrugs as she reaches over, stroking Cessa’s tail, not touching the cubs. “Mellis, of course. When we were at Mirnuk’s waiting for a doorway to open, I sent him with Cessa to the zoo.” She gives me an arched look. “I owe him big time, which he threatens to call in on soon.”
I shake my head again and reach over to the cubs but stop when Cessa raises her head.
“I get girl, it’s too soon.”
Lily continues, “I read somewhere that cats have about a nine week gestation period, but I guess it’s different for Malainisi cats. I knew when we came back she was already with her babies.”
I nod as I stand, pulling Lily up with me. “Thirteen,” I say mostly to myself. We are now complete and the realm will continue on until the next thirteen is chosen.
“Hmm,” I wonder out loud.
“What?” asks Lily, looking up at me.
“I remember my mother telling me the Malainisi cats are protectors of our realm’s future queens. I see three cubs, but my vision only showed me twin girls.”
“Yes, but Kolinest said he saw five in our future,” adds Lily.
“Makes sense – three protectors, three girls. Our youngest will be a girl.”
Lily is quiet in thought before saying, “She will be the one to carry the Dragon Seed.”
“The Dragon Seed?” As soon as I say it I remember the thought the Unnamed Sidhe sent me. The dragon spirit left in me is not only to heal, but to plant.
“I already know what to call her,” says Lily cryptically.
I pull her to me and kiss her gently but she kisses me back with passion full of promises.
When she finally pulls away, I answer, “You will call her Tileanith.”
~ * ~
Chapter Thirty-Three
~ Mellis ~
Well, there you have it. The kings got their queens and are off starting their royal families. Lily and Tharin are nicely settled in the Oak Tower and Julia and Tolan are living in the Willow. Tolan went through his coronation and was crowned king of the Willow Clan a few weeks after the weddings. It was a big fanfare and I barely remember the festivities, only waking to the biggest hangover I have had in a long time.
Repairs took awhile, but the city is almost back to its original state. The Ogre Nation re-established their treaty with the Sidhe Alliance and the surrounding clans have joined in with the ogres to hunt down the remaining demons. The orcs have slipped back to obscurity, along with the Sithide, who really kept out of the battle thanks to Dorlan. Ah, Dorlan, we now know why he lives among the Sithide and his secrets remain only within our tight circle. Tharin has sent secret messages to him, offering any assistance, but his offers go unanswered. We will just have to wait to see what happens.
Glynnis finally came around and she and Ziri have plans for a small wedding at a golden clearing I have never heard of. Of course, I was told later that it was created by Lily and Tharin. Glynnis was given a gift for her service to her queen. A strange man from the Molker Guild made a special delivery to Tharin, and Glynnis and Ziri were called to tower. It was during this visit Glynnis was reunited with her niece, Milina’s daughter, Plia. A debt owed to the king from the Guild Master.
My father has setup the games again to find new Greaneth not only for the Oak, but for the Willow as well. I have thought to stay and take the title of First Greaneth for the Oak, but what fun is there if I don’t have my big cousin to irk and bother? Life just wouldn’t be the same.
So, I am off to Pathen to find my brooding cousin and help him bring back the escapees from the UnderRealm. I tried to talk Lily into letting me take Cessa, but of course, she refused. She told me the favor she owes is not big enough for her to give up her cat. Such is life.
I can’t wait to find Alorn and see his face when he finds out we will be working together again. He is going to be so excited to see me – Pathen, here I come.
~ The End of The Velesi Trilogy ~
L. Filloon, The Whispering
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