The reconstruction of Talrega fell on her shoulders, and she knew she had many days and nights of hard work ahead of her. But before she bore the heavy title of Lady Fizzart, she left Talrega in Haar's care and set off on a journey.
The old Jill Fizzart never would have been caught dead living with a pack of beasts, much less enjoying their company. But the new Jill enjoyed Ranulf's sense of humor, Lyre and Kyza's constant teasing of each other, Skrimir's energy and Mordecai's kind wisdom.
And of course, Lethe's...well, she liked everything about Lethe. So much that Lethe was the reason she initially set off on this journey. Lethe had often referred to the others as her family, and sometimes Jill felt a little strange being so deeply involved with Lethe but knowing nothing about the people she cared about. Ranulf and Mordecai she only knew distantly, the latter through his friendship with Mist, and she only knew Lethe had a sister, never her name. Sometimes it felt a little strange living with these people she barely knew.
But Lethe called them her family, and Jill could see why. It was like General Ike always said, even when we disagree, we understand each other. And they did. No matter how much Lyre and Kyza argued or how often Lethe felt annoyed with them or Skrimir tried to sneak the last steak off the platter at dinner, they held a deep and abiding respect for one another nothing could break.
Sometimes Jill felt a pang of envy for never having had much family outside her father and Haar, but whenever Ranulf teased her or Lethe hissed at Lyre for acting spoiled or Mordecai took the time to sit and talk with her, the pang melted away. They didn't say it, but she knew as long as she was here she could consider them her family. And the more time she spent among the people of Gallia, the more she understood about their culture and the more she wished she hadn't missed out on as she grew up believing they were just monsters.
"You still don't understand everything, though," Lethe reminded her when she asked if they'd forgotten to put out forks at the dinner table, or got lost looking for the market before Mordecai found her and reminded her that they'd gone on a big hunting trip earlier that day. Luckily they'd been fairly nice about it aside from Ranulf's teasing, and she was used to that.
"I do appreciate you bringing back all that meat," she said. "If there's anything I can do, let me know."
"Sure. But you're a guest and you're a beorc, so the people here don't expect you to do much," Lethe said bluntly. Jill cringed.
"I guess to them I'm just a spoiled beorc, huh," she muttered. "I know the civillians still aren't comfortable with me, even with the peace General Ike and Lady Micaiah helped establish there's still some tension between the races."
"It's gonna take them a while to get used to it, yeah." Lethe stretched, lying down in the grass beside Jill. "But I'll help them. I'll scratch the daylights out of anyone who hisses or calls you human," she said with a wink. Jill laughed, shaking her head.
"You don't have to go that far," she said. "Just let me help out, let me feel useful. I'm not used to lying around doing nothing, back home I'd be training or running the messenger business with Captain Haar."
"Oh yeah, him..." Lethe rolled onto her side. "Do you ever wish you'd stayed behind to marry him? Not that I'm jealous or anything!" she added quickly, her cheeks flushing briefly. "It's just, General Ike thought you two were...you know..."
"Maybe when I was younger," Jill laughed. "Back when I was a kid I had a crush on him, but he was always more like my uncle, or my older brother. Either way, it would've been awkward." She sat up, running her fingers through Lethe's hair. "He understood when I told him how I felt about you."
"Good." Lethe purred, closing her eyes. "Not that I needed his approval. If he'd objected I would've sprinted you off to Gallia anyway," she said. "But...I'm glad I didn't have to. I'm glad you chose to come with us on your own."
"So am I," Jill said. "After all the stories you told me about your family and the thick forests and the mountains and the beautiful view of the sky first thing in the morning, I decided the first thing I had to do before becoming Lady of Talrega was to come here." She bit her lip. "And now that I have, I wish I didn't have to go back."
"Me too." Lethe lifted her head, leaning against Jill's shoulder. "But I know you, Jill. You'd feel guilty abandoning your father's people." She smiled. "And...Talrega couldn't ask for a better leader than you."
"You really think so?"
"I know so. Jill, you've changed so much since we first met and you called me a sub-human. The first time you shook my hand, I knew you finally understood...I knew you were better than what Daein taught you to be your whole life." Lethe pulled apart from her only to rest a hand against her cheek, her expression serious but gentle. "I'd never been prouder of anyone than I was of you." And Jill closed her eyes, a warm feeling spreading throughout her chest.
"I'm proud of you, too, Lethe," she said; to them, those words were as powerful as I love you, both women still so steeped in their own pride even now. "If I go back to Talrega, I want you to come with me. I know it's not as peaceful as Gallia, but I'll do my best."
"And if you don't, you'll stay here and marry me," Lethe said; though her tone was playful Jill knew she was serious; marriages of all kinds were welcome in Gallia as far as she knew. Even if beorcs were involved. Their lips met briefly before they stood up and headed back into the castle.
Ruling Talrega with Lethe by her side, leaving it in Haar's hands and living in Gallia forever as her wife. Even if either choice meant leaving something behind, she couldn't imagine either being the wrong one.