Hey, guys and gals, I know I've been quiet for a while, but... meh...
This is a story requested by my very good friend, templeofdecay.
Oh, and Tem, sorry it took so long... but then... I haven't heard from you in a while anyway.
But good news, this may turn into more than just a oneshot depending on feedback... so... yeah... YAY!
Onward!

The group was exhausted and broken, none of this was helped by the heavy air and lack of sunlight in the heart of the Sea of Time. Had they not gone through all the effort of forging the Trident of Ankohl they would have surely died facing Poseidon. The beast was impossibly powerful, and they all counted their luck that he hadn't just resorted to capsizing their ship.

Felix was up first, panting slightly, dragging the wet hair from his face as he stumbled to his sister's side. Tapping his expended Psynergy he worked whatever he could into her form. She smirked up at him, blinking slightly as a slight trail of blood reached the corner of her eye. He smiled back, which was rather rare, but he was always glad to see his sister well, and after such a fierce battle he couldn't have been happier.

Jenna sat up, as Felix's Psynergy faded from her system, feeling rejuvenated just enough to go to the others. Sheba was already leaning back against the wall of the cabin, nursing from one of the potions they had while dabbing some on a cloth against her wounds. Standing on shaky legs, Jenna took a few precarious steps to regain her composure and went to Piers' side.

The Lemurian was panting as he lay on his back, but he was smiling fully to himself, a smile that only grew wider as Jenna's form entered his vision. She beamed back, helping his Psynergy with hers.

"Please, tell me that the King of Lemuria is nothing like that thing was." She joked, falling down beside him as they rested on the soaked deck.

Piers chuckled slightly, turning his head to look at the scarlet-haired girl at his side, "And if he is?"

"I'll kill you after we kill him too." Jenna laughed, looking right into Piers' bright golden eyes. Those beautiful, golden eyes. They were glorious… she had never seen anything like them before. She found it strange to think of eyes in such a way, but there was just something about them. Despite Piers' youth there was something so immeasurably deep about the wisdom he held in them, something that was so compelling to her.

Piers merely chuckled in response, a regular thing. He was quite easily amused, usually by any conversation that she or Sheba had with Felix. Maybe it reminded him of home, of his own family, or maybe it was something completely different from what Lemuria was like. He did often seem to be completely captivated by many things, mountains, rivers, sand, trees, or the hustle and bustle of markets in towns. He was like a child sometimes, marvelling at everything they saw. Jenna had to admit it was rather cute.

Kraden came on deck not a minute after the seas had finally calmed to an acceptable level, finding it safe to venture outside again. A quick joke was thrown at him by Sheba as he helped everyone recover.

Ten minutes later they were sailing again, navigating through a cave like system which Piers claimed led to a docking bay for central Lemuria. As he spoke though, Jenna swore she could hear his voice crack ever so slightly.

He said they should go right to the palace to visit with the King, Hydros. Maybe he didn't want to see his family. A tidal wave had carried him from Lemuria prematurely… surely he hadn't had a chance to say goodbye. So… he should want to see whatever family waited for him, no? Thankfully, Felix was piloting the ship, so Jenna had a chance to talk with him. They had been travelling together for several months now… yet, Piers rarely talked of himself or his family, or his past. If ever he was asked he would always deflect it by saying: "I shall tell you when we reach my home."

Edging closer to him, Jenna noted that he seemed distracted. This became apparent when she had to poke him to get his attention. He blinked his eyes twice, Jenna swore she saw some distinct moisture in them, before wearing a smile for her.

Choosing not to ask what was wrong, not wanting to be deflected, she took a different route, "So, Piers, shouldn't you go see your family first? It's been a while since you were gone, I'm sure they'd be glad to see you."

Piers chuckled, but it didn't have the usual heart, "No… it has not been a while, not for them. A few weeks… maximum." Jenna's questioning glance prompted him to continue, "As you shall find here, time seems to pass slower, even slower for my kind. It may not seem like the many months I have been away."

Baffled by this new information, she pushed on, "Yeah… okay… but, a few weeks is still a long enough time. Especially when you got washed out to sea. They might think you're dead. Wouldn't you want them to know you're okay?"

Piers nodded, his hair falling over his shoulders as he looked down, "Yes… I do." His voice cracked again, and Jenna was sure this time that she had seen a tear drop from his eye, "But… it is my mother… she… she was born with a rather weak heart. I… I…"

Jenna gripped his arm softly, prompting him to look up at her. The golden sheen of his eyes sparkled with the moisture collected in their corners. Jenna felt her heart tug slightly, she had never seen Piers cry.

"F-forgive me… I am just worried for my mother, my uncle and I are all she has left." Piers smiled more fully, though Jenna could still see the sadness hidden behind it. Piers wiped his eyes on the corner of his bandanna, "I have never been apart from her, and I fear that my departure may have taken its toll on her."

"I'm sure she's fine, Piers." Jenna said, trying to believe her own words. She had never met this woman, Piers' mother. Yet, Piers was uncharacteristically healthy, even when they had fallen ill he had not, so surely his mother shared this strength, despite her condition, "She'll be glad you're back."

Piers smile became true at her words, "Yes… yes, thank you, Jenna."

She smiled in return as Felix called back that they were approaching the docks. Having no experience in landing anywhere other than beaches, Felix's relinquished his hold on the wheel to Piers, who safely guided them in to dock. As they dropped anchor and secured themselves, Jenna couldn't help but watch Piers. He wasn't moving with the usual vigour he usually possessed, his mother must have been worrying him even more than she had assumed.

It took several more minutes to actually enter the city of Lemuria, no thanks to Kraden being an absolute child when they were told they couldn't enter, thankfully Piers had gained somewhat of a name after he was washed away and they were quickly allowed access.

Jenna's immediate thoughts were ones of disappointment, and that seemed to hold true for her brother and Sheba, though Kraden still seemed to marvel at everything. The city was wholly underwhelming in comparison to the stories they had been told, and how much Kraden had built it up. There was a constant light mist over the town that acted more as a dense miasma than a fog of mystery. The city was crumbling, falling apart, moss and vines growing over every surface it could find.

Its people were similarly different. Where Jenna had expected intelligent, powerful Adepts to be working miracles in the streets, there were just people lazily leaning against surfaces, not even seeming surprised to see visitors in their home. Piers was quick to explain all of this, how Lemurians had lost all drive, all inspiration. Doing the same thing for decades at a time tended to grow stale, and even conversation was being lost due to the nature of nothing changing.

Felix, not intending to spend too long idly standing around, asked if they should go to meet Lemuria's king now. Following Jenna's words, Piers voiced his wish to visit his family to ensure them that he was alright, and to check on their wellbeing as well. Felix of course, quickly allowed this. If there was anyone who understood the worry Piers was going through for his family it was Felix. He had thought of Jenna every day during his imprisonment in Prox.

"Th-thank you, Felix." Piers replied as they made their way toward his house. Jenna wished to go to Piers' side, to reassure him in some way, to let him know that everything would be okay. As they reached Piers' house, a simple house, indistinct from the others around it, Piers coughed twice, swallowing as he raised his hand to knock on the door. Jenna didn't think she had ever seen him so apprehensive, so weak…

They waited patiently after Piers had finally managed to rap against the solid marble surface, but no movement was audible from within, nor could they see through the window. Sheba suggested that maybe they were just with Hydros, waiting for him to come back, though Piers didn't seem too comforted by that possibility. Steeling himself, he pushed open the door, thrilled to find it unlocked.

This thrill was quickly replaced with confusion and dread however, as the front room came into view. Bottles and papers were scattered all over the floor, liquid contents spilled and long dried into the white floors. It was dark, all the curtains were drawn and only small trails of light managed to break in, highlighting the many dust mites floating around. Piers forced himself further into the house, it looked as though an earthquake had occurred.

"Mother? Uncle?" Piers called into the dark house. No response came, so he walked further in, the others following a few paces behind.

Jenna glanced around, in all other instances she would assume that the house had been set upon by thieves. Lemuria just didn't seem to have that possibility available to it, so, as she imagined Piers was, she feared the worst for Piers' family. The state, the overpowering scent of alcohol throughout the house, none of this told of the happy return home that she had been hoping for her blue-haired friend.

A quick flash of movement caught her eye, instinctively she reached for her weapon before Felix caught her arm, it had been Piers rushing to another form. The four of them stood still halfway across the room dead-silent as Piers shook the body. Jenna had to bite her lip to hold back the empathetic tears for her Lemurian as he shook his uncle and tried to rouse him.

At long last, the man responded through a series of splutters and coughs as more bottles clinked and fell around him. Piers took a few steps back, waiting for the man to become more aware and coherent, Jenna tried to take a step forward to him, but Felix held her back.

"P-Piers?" The man's eyes finally found his nephew's face in the darkness and haze of his own drunken vision.

Piers was clearly not intending to avoid the harsh truth, he just wanted to hear it, "What happened, uncle?"

The man tried to stand, staggering and swaying, forced to grip the edge of his desk for support, "Piers, I'm sorry… your mother… your accident… her heart…"

Piers didn't need more than that, he had known it all when he had first entered the house, deep down he had known it from the moment that wave had caught his ship and carried him out of Lemuria.

His mother was gone.

He was out of the house within a second, running away from everything around him. Before Felix could even try to stop her Jenna had rushed out after him, chasing him through the streets of Lemuria before he eventually stopped atop a hill overlooking the city and sea beneath it. Piers collapsed in front of the freshest gravestone. It was pure white, shining amongst the greying and broken surroundings.

Jenna slowed, stopping several strides behind him, hearing her friend openly weep.

Felix viciously pulled open the drapes which were blocking all the light from entering the home. As more spilled in, even more bottles and spilled contents came into view, he doubted a single surface had not been touched by the stuff. He cared not for the uncle groaning in pain as the light forced itself into his eyes.

"How could you do this to him!?" Felix yelled, pushing the man back into his seat at the desk where he had been found.

The man looked up, trying to both perceive the man interrogating him and to sort his thoughts through the haze of his mind, "I thought I had lost him… that I had lost everything. My brother… sister… nephew… I'm the only one left!"

The man tried to lunge forward to grapple desperately at Felix. Felix easily countered his movement and placed him back into his seat, "I understand that, losing your sister must have been hard for you, but surely you did not think your nephew so easily bested by a wave when he was in a ship designed to withstand worst. Had you no faith in him? Were you so lost that you just gave up when his mother finally passed?"

"Yes!" the man shouted, tears streaming down his eyes, "I didn't know what to do. I had tried to reassure her that Piers had survived, but when she didn't I lost all faith. I fell into… this!" The man held up a bottle, before draining the final dregs from it.

Felix angrily knocked the bottle from his hand causing it to shatter against the wall, "For all these months, this is what you have done? You are very lucky I care for Piers, otherwise you may have find yourself in much worse than your current condition." He drew back, unclenching his fists, "Kraden, try to help him, Sheba, we're cleaning this place up."

The broken drunkard looked up, confused as Kraden offered a bottle of the water from the fountain, "Why… why do this?"

Felix glared at the man, "After all Piers has been through, he did not deserve to return to this, to find you like this, Piers deserved to return to a family. He will be leaving Lemuria again, and he will be returning, I expect you to have cleaned up by then, to be his family." Felix finished his statement, knowing all too well the importance of family and how fractured he and Jenna had been during their first few weeks after his return.

"Th-thank you…" Piers' uncle whispered as he nursed at the bottle Kraden had given him.

"Jenna… please… please just… just leave me alone for now…" Piers was begging… desperately just wanting to deal with his sadness.

Jenna reached out, wanting to say something, but what does one say in such a situation? She had felt this very pain years ago in Vale, when she had been robbed of her family, she knew exactly how Piers felt. Even then, when she had Isaac and Garet to look after her, she wanted to be left alone, despite the want to be held and comforted. There was nothing anyone could say to cheer her up…

The crimson-haired girl knelt behind him and wrapped her arms around his body, gently holding him. Piers did nothing, he didn't acknowledge her action, didn't ask her again to leave, didn't shrug her off, he just continued to cry over his mother's grave. Similarly, Jenna did nothing, she didn't speak, didn't try to calm him, she just held him close and prayed that Piers' mother knew her son was safe and loved.

Piers, eyes still staring into the cold gravestone, reached his hand to his chest, where Jenna's hands interlocked, and clutched on to her, holding tight. Jenna felt a sudden rush of warmth at the contact, which quickly travelled along her arms and settled in her chest. She blinked, shaking herself internally so as not to disturb Piers… these thoughts were just wrong right now. She breathed out and nuzzled her head against the nape of the Lemurian's neck.

"Piers, I'm so sorry… I know what you're going through and… I'm sorry…" Jenna whispered to him, looking at his mother's gravestone. 'Loving Mother'… she had no doubt, with how Piers had talked of her not long ago Jenna knew she cared for him as best she could.

"She always did her best for me." Piers spoke, his voice cracked and strained with the effort, "Even after my father passed and her heart made things difficult, she did her best to take care for me, to ensure I grew up well, and happy. I loved her…"

Jenna held him closer, taking one of her hands to hold Piers', "And I'm sure she loved you, and, wherever she is now, I'm sure she's glad to see her son so strong and caring."

Piers chuckled a bit, despite the tears that dripped from his chin, "That does sound like her…"

Silence settled back over them, but the surroundings were not as sombre or swallowing as they had been moments before. That little talk, the little Jenna had managed to take off of Piers' chest had helped, not immensely, but they certainly noticed it. Still, they remained silent as Piers grieved for his mother, gently placing his free hand against the earth below which she rested eternally.

The entire time, Jenna stayed with him, holding him, doing her best to comfort him when sadness caught up with him again. She felt so calm and content as she stayed at his side, almost drifting off. There was just something that felt so right about holding piers like this, by being this close to him, no matter the situation. She knew the thoughts were wrong, but she couldn't help it. She felt they had been there for so long, despite the fact that the sun had not moved at all since they had arrived.

"Jenna?" Piers voice broke her from her reverie.

"Hmm?" She responded softly, not because she felt Piers needed it, but because she was so relaxed.

"Thank you, for being here… for helping me." Piers continued, turning his head, beckoning Jenna to move away enough, to look into her eyes. His own golden irises shone with the moisture of his unshed tears, though he was smiling, "Mother would be glad to know I have a friend like you."

"Friends." Jenna corrected, "Felix, Sheba… and Kraden, I guess, too. We're all your friends, and we always will be." Jenna smiled to her friend, who had finished his stint of sadness, the very act causing his lips to curve upwards as well, "C'mon, your mother would want you to finish what you started too." She stood up and pulled Piers with her.

As she did, she pulled him into her and her hands ended up pressed against his chest while his face was no more than an inch from hers. She breathed out, stepping back in a vain attempt to conceal the heat flushing through her cheeks. Piers merely chuckled, his trademark chuckle, filled with all the life and heart it usually was.

"Come, our friends wait for us." Piers smirked, holding his hand out to her.

Not helping the red colour in her cheeks at all, Jenna beamed and gripped his hand tightly as they made their way back toward his uncle's home. They did not speak to each other, but not because they were uncomfortable, quite the opposite, they were perfectly comfortable, more than they had been in a long time.

As they reached the home, Jenna was sure they had come upon the wrong one, it in no way resembled the ruin they had been in not long ago. The floors had been cleaned and polished, no debris was strewn about, and Piers uncle was clean and smiling as they walked in.

"You have wonderful friends, Piers, and I am sorry you had to come home to find me as you did." The man apologised as soon as they had crossed the threshold, "Felix got me out of the hole I had dug myself in… not the most caring man, but he certainly gets the job done. I sent word to Lunpa that they should speak with him, they are probably with him, if not conversing with his majesty by now."

Piers informed Jenna that he wished to speak to his uncle privately, and that he should go to the others in the palace. Jenna nodded, beaming, before running off.

"You do have wonderful friends, son." His uncle said again.

Piers chuckled, nodding, "True… I am most lucky." He paused, swallowing as he looked around the house his friends had cleaned up for him, "Mother… how was she… in the end?"

"She only spoke of you, wishing you to be safe and return… ah, if she could see you now."

"She can." Piers responded.

"Yes, I suppose so…" The man smiled fishing through the drawers in his desk, "Just before your mother passed… she gave me these, her father gave her one." He held out two rings, topped with sapphires, "She asked, that should you return that I give them to you, so you may give one to the woman you love."

Piers smiled as he held his parents rings in his hand, thinking of the scarlet-haired girl who had comforted him during the toughest time of his life. Their time together had been brief in his lifetime… and he knew the sad truth of outliving her… but he wanted nothing more than to share his life with her. She was amazing, and the short time of his life spent with her had been the greatest he had ever spent.

"Thank you…" Piers smiled, hugging his only family again, before he would have to leave again.

"Take care, son… and do not be afraid to take the leap if it is what you want." His uncle smiled knowingly. He had seen the look in his nephew's eyes as he had been given the rings, not just the look of missing his parents, but also the twinkle of love and want for the woman he loved.

Piers smiled and left the house, with every intention to do just that as soon as he was able.

Well, there we are, the first of a possible series of these.
Let me know what you think! (All criticism, compliments, suggestions for improvement are welcomed (I want this to be perfect for Tem, you see))
And Tem, I apologise if this doesn't adequately show how much I love you...
I've been suffering writer's block for about three weeks.
Yeah...

Anyway, thanks for reading,
Your friend and writer,
Droory