The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 524 - Warm Continental Banter Abating The Void, pt1
A/N: Chapter repositioned, with a few slight paragraph adjustment/additions.
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Pigeon blues watched the empty space in the quarry where a set of three cultivators disappeared for the fifth time. Holding in her heart something like a stilled breath from anticipation that had been building... thanks to the months growing closer to the *rather exact* minimal date and hour for Elua to return to her.
This feeling sat right against the fragment of her wife in her chest. Making her assess it as much her own emotion as it was that of the proto-spirit developing inside of her. It was never something that completely left her mind, considering she still greeted it every morning, but the thoughts of the heiress returning to the territory she had been managing made her think of a lot of things.
The meaning of home and the importance of family. Romance, friendships, nurturing both and others. What she should do first when the day she arrived came, what she should avoid doing in the time after they reunited, what she wanted to do the moment she saw her. Her private thoughts were growing as busy as her workdays.
It also meant that she considered a lot these days about being the first to ’break’. She wanted to be the restrained one for her cute wife, doing what both could easily agree was objectively the best for one another... but she also felt like showing up announced and unexpected would have its own kind of appeal.
’The kind that says I love you. Enough to travel like they have to your side. And trust that you will be happier than mad at who you see. That things will work out and you can hold your desire for us to be... too much *together*, back.’
Of course, she was only barely confident that she could be untempted herself. A bit of light, private study these months into *certain things* had left her very lacking in confidence - but very intrigued. And also, some there were too young to keep such ’intense’ wants inside themselves.
"I want to go there too."
A voice of determination from a six-year-old who had been told no - and *why* - at least once before. But... was hoping repetition might somehow change the answer. Onya stood beside her mother, matching reddish-blonde hair escaping a new headband in a way that seemed very much like Yatrel in her less composed moments. Despite having the eyes and embitterable nature of Ondua.
"You know the rule, little river bend."
"Enchanter in Physique first. I know."
The child’s arms crossed as the pouting *increased*. Reminding the two women of a younger Elua, despite sharing so few core physical traits with the eldest daughter.
"...but Kaland and Ajoreal got to go, and they’re not that much older than me."
She’d never even met the boys, but had heard all about it while sword training with Qat. Honestly, the little girl felt like she didn’t have any real talent in it - she felt clumsy and like she would trip over her own feet when she tried to do *anything* more than what she was taught directly - but she still wanted to work hard at it anyway. Because it was what her second favorite sibling (in-law) had within her to teach and what she was most passionate about.
"They met the requirement, dear. When you do, we can discuss it again."
"But why does the realmshard need that? It’s not fair that-"
"There are good reasons that make it more than fair."
The blonde crouched to meet her sister-in-law’s brown eyes directly. As she so often did when explaining the finer points of anything. She’d had a young life filled with adults towering over her and knew exactly what it felt like to be looked down at during discussions. No matter how reasonable the words, that distance made it feel like a wall.
"As my wife explained it in the book she first sent back, the travel requires a certain density of physical cultivation to ensure safety. Mortals can potentially get sick or worse. Those that are still at the Initiate levels are effectively no different than a very healthy and strong mortal."
She didn’t really elaborate on what ’or worse’ meant, but the girl was six - not stupid. A widening of her eyes after that unemphasized statement suggested she understood the risk was *not* just a really achy tummy. Considering she’d never seen death herself, her knowledge of it was a little bit too high for her age.
Without any doubt, Elua was to blame for that. Qat would always keep her tongue from wagging about the reading list of ’useful’ books contained within the Goltbred studies, but between the illusory battles and the information within the illusory training tool... her mother-in-law might have room to complain about it if she knew *why* her youngest was so worldly.
"So that’s why the artifact only allows cultivators to use it..."
"Even if you could go, we can’t send too many people at once. Your sister was very specific about keeping the number under ten."
"Why ten?"
The swordswoman rose back to her feet, exchanging a glance with Yatrel. They would be here all day if they got dragged into a series of ’why’, and people were waiting on them. Fusand had been quiet through the exchange, leaning against the Quarry wall. His arms were folded just a little bit like Onya’s had been.
The sandy haired young man didn’t have the visible ’cute’ pout, but there was definite tension in his jaw and spine. Eyes kept drifting past the jagged ’line’ on the stone - added by Yatrel to be less conspicuous than a chalk-scratched one - which noted the range of the targeting effect of the buried underground realmshard. He felt somewhat cheated.
"Nohre thinks anything with more than four legs looks like a crab to me."
"You’ll get your chance to see them eventually. Sorry for warning your wife, but Elua *was* very insistent that they were not crabs in her last letters."
"Yes, I was looking forward to seeing our master. I would normally agree with Elua, based on the description you gave, but I find when she is insisting so much-"
--"Then she is hiding something."--
Both Yatrel and Qatrand said the phrase at the same time, causing Onya to giggle and slap both of their legs. She always enjoyed when others were talking about the sister she knew more through image, illusion, and stories than actual first-hand experience. There were too many days where people were quieter and concerned about something other than her eldest sibling, in her mind!
...Which was possibly a concerning chain of priorities for a young sister to have, but she *was* related to two women who held clear and intense weight for specific others in their hearts. A very dominant trait and one that would be much stranger not to be passed on. But it was a characteristic which also expressed itself in ways that Qatrand felt she was more aware of than others.
"You know, I don’t think she would have made them that way if she wasn’t friends with you. El is very whimsical, but quite easy to be affected by the people she cares for."
That drew a small huff of laughter from the adopted Talcres and much of the disappointment eased from his posture. The Warden Patrician sounded so sure and it sounded so right, that it made him want to see the heiress a little more while also allowing him to wait a little longer. As if the glimpse of who she was that her husband-wife held was nearly as good.
Near the entrance, Leysah shifted her weight as the large group approached. She’d come along as *co-adjutant* and security this day. A little bit more of the former than the latter, but that was her own prerogative. She thought.
"I’m a little surprised you haven’t asked to go anywhere yet."
The curved-blade wielder raised an eyebrow at her battle-sister’s sudden statement. Between Qatrand’s duties to the territory, some attempts to expand trade, drum up more consistent growth in population instead of the surge spikes they’d been getting, and her personal visits to the Goltbred estate... the other cultivator thought she hadn’t noticed.
"Just an observation. You’ve barely left the territory in six months, not even for the routine railway progress missions you used to insist on handling personally."
Leysah’s eyes drifted toward the cavern entrance, where Hoolov waited with the wagons outside. She’d been out there too... until she said something that made her slightly embarrassed ten minutes ago. Not that it showed on her face then, to the poor man who felt like he must have been the one to say something wrong.
"The territory’s been busy. Seemed more useful to stay close."
"You are useful. But the fact that you’ve been pushing him to handle most of the external assignments you used to snatch up has nothing to do with staying still, I’m sure."
"He’s competent. More than competent. Giving him the field experience makes sense for his development as your adjutant."
A small smirk came before the former Yecine’s face draw closer to the other woman’s shoulder.
"It does. Thank you for helping him train and not just stealing his work. However, keeping yourself here... where you can watch and wait for him return safely each time..."
"Are *you* really teasing me over this right now?"
Qatrand nodded once, letting the matter rest. She understood better than most the way concern for someone could reshape your choices, whether consciously or not. How the potential of proximity became its own kind of metaphysical mass, developing its own kind of hard to escape Gravity. Four and a half years of curvature on time and space was a lot to manage.
"When you’re ready to talk about it openly, I’m here."
"I know. Thank you for not making it a thing. He’s kind of shy... and kind of dense. Pretty sure he thinks I hate him, still."
"Because you-"
"Yes, because I haven’t said otherwise. Can we go?"
Despite the biting statement, she was smirking... and continued that jovial attitude even more while sitting on the driver’s seat barely big enough for two. Criticizing his ’adequate’ handling of the horses for miles. Though Hoolov, to his rather oblivious credit, only nodded and adjusted his grip on the reins or timing and strength of their pulls each time.
’She is really knowledgeable about a lot of things!’
