The dreaded day arrives for Nash... Chapter Ten: Latkje Family Reunion

Nash and Sierra walked down one of the main thoroughfares of Crystal Valley. Both were wearing something approximating formal wear. Sierra seemed pleased as punch as they walked along; Nash was visibly less so.

Nash tugged at his collar. "This is a terrible idea," he started, his tugging quickly becoming more violent. "I can't believe you talked me into thinking this was a good idea at all."

"Nash," Sierra said sharply, grabbing his arm and dragging it back down to his side. "Stop fiddling with your jacket collar, and stop complaining." Her expression turned shifty. "And I hardly did any talking..." Sierra added, trailing off.

Nash folded his arms, as her attempt at innuendo was ignored. "No, and you didn't need to. You just gave me that terrible stare of yours for three days straight." He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "This is going to be a disaster..."

Sierra breezily gestured with one hand. "Nash, the way you constantly go on and on, you'd think you didn't want to see your family at all!"

Nash's expression turned bleak. "That's not... I mean, I do, but, it's been so long, and..." He shifted. "I just thought I'd have more time to mentally psych myself up... We were still a good month from being anywhere close to home..."

"I guess that madness with Viki gave us something to be thankful for then, after all," she added slyly. Her expression soon blossomed into a full-blown smile. "I for one was just dying for this little get together!"

"I'm painfully aware of that..." Nash added, sounding defeated.

Sierra's expression softened for a moment, and she entwined her arm with his. "Come on now, at least try and slap on a smile, hmm? It won't do to have your big reunion spoiled due to a frowny face."

Nash's expression lightened slightly and they continued on down the road... for about three more steps, when Nash realized that they had already arrived. He looked over the humble yet well maintained brownstone in front of them with some apprehension. "Oh. Oh," he said, suddenly resting a hand over his stomach as the two climbed the short steps towards the door. "I haven't been this nervous in a while..."

Sierra's previous tenderness fled at the all too easy opening. "What's this? The mighty super spy, Nash Latkje, admitting to a bout of nerves!?" That smile again. "Preposterous!"

"Yeah," Nash replied, sounding very distressed, "that's really not helping me right now..." He made a half hearted attempt to ring the door, but his arm failed him miserably.

"Oh, enough of that," Sierra said in a heat. She yanked the pull cord with gusto before Nash could stop her.

Bells chimed somewhere in the house. When the door didn't immediately open, Nash began to fidget. "Stop that," Sierra chided.

Nash tried, unsuccessfully. After a moment more of fiddling, he cast a sidelong look at Sierra. "If I didn't know better, I'd almost say that you were the one concerned about making a good impression."

Sierra said nothing, probably because—damn it all!—she was. This was, after all, the first time in a good long while she had been off to meet someone's family... if ever. She had never actually met Rean's family, after all!

Thankfully, she was saved by the door slowly opening. Commander Suphina—looking striking in an elegantly cut pantsuit of deep violet instead of her temple guard uniform—stood behind the door, stone-faced. After a moment of looking Nash and Sierra over, she nodded once. "Envoy Clovis," she began in a monotone, "I'm so delighted you could make it."

She turned her attention to Sierra. "And you are..."

Sierra offered her hand. "You can call me Miss Mikain," she answered. "Sierra Mikain."

Lena took the offered hand. "Excellent to meet you."

So far, the 'family reunion' was exactly what Nash had been dreading. Admittedly, he hadn't expected Lena to wrap him in a great bear hug or anything—hell, the last time they had met, hadn't it been at sword point? At any rate, he nodded. "Commander Suphina. How lovely it is to see you..." he trailed off.

There was an odd glint in Lena's eyes. "Please, come in," she said, gesturing into the house.

The three of them walked down a narrow hallway, the only illumination a candelabra at the far end. Lena was still oddly quiet, all told.

Nash and Sierra exchanged glances. Sierra leaned in. "What'd you do to upset her?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

"I didn't do anything!" he protested, also in a whisper.

Despite Nash's protestations to innocence, Sierra was fuming anyway. "Well I don't care! You better say something to fix it!" she hissed back.

For a moment, he was tempted to deliver a stinging and well deserved 'I told you this was going to be a disaster,' but he decided he rather liked breathing and wisely held his tongue. "All right, all right!" Nash finally agreed, throwing up a hand.

He coughed lightly, just as the three of them came to the end of the hall. "Commander Suphina—Lena, listen I—"

But Commander Suphina apparently wasn't listening, as she just went ahead and opened the door they stood in front of anyway. It was far brighter beyond the door than in the hall; Nash squinted into the light. It looked like a dinning room, and was there someone already sitting at the—

"Nash!"

And the next thing Nash knew, Julie was rushing towards him with outstretched arms...

They embraced. For a long moment, Nash seemed to be at a complete loss of words. After a good minute... "Jules... Heh. I... I missed you."

Sierra folded her arms, a smirk on her face. I never could pass up an opportunity to rib Nash... "Are those tears in your eyes, my dear Nash?" she asked.

Nash quickly daubed at his eyes. "No. Shut up," he protested.

Julie finally broke the embrace, but gave Nash a sympathetic squeeze of his arm. "And just who is this?" She turned back to Nash. "Is this your friend that I've heard so much about?" she asked.

Nash scratched the back of his head. "Er, yes, let me introduce you to my... 'better' half," he said, the hint of mockery obvious in his tone.

Or at least it was obvious to Sierra, who glared at Nash before offering her best smile to Julie. "Hello—my name's Sierra."

Julie was all smiles. "Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you!" she exclaimed happily. After a moment, Julie grabbed up Nash's hand again. "Oh! Well, let's not all stand around all night! We have so much to catch up on!" she declared, as she led Nash back over to the large dinner table set up in the center of the room.

(Nash just smiled and let himself be led along. She always did love playing the hostess, he reflected.)

"Why did it take so long for you to respond to Lena's invitation?" Julie asked first, as they neared the table. It was obvious by her tone that she wasn't mad, exactly, but rather just very curious.

"Ah, right," Nash began, "Sasarai has been something of a slave driver recently. Did you know I was in Toran just last week?" he asked, distractedly as Julie led him to his seat.

"Last week?" Julie asked. "But, how did you—?" She frowned. "It takes at the very least a few weeks by boat to get from there to here, right?"

Nash held up a finger. "That's... kind of a long story, actually." He scratched the back of his head. "And it's not really important." As he took his seat across from Julie, he gaze wandered over to Lena, who was taking a seat at Julie's right. "And... I wasn't quite sure what sort of reception to expect." An arched eyebrow. "That was only seemed to be confirmed from the cold shoulder I was getting from Lena over here," Nash added.

"And that's because I still haven't quite forgiven you yet," Lena explained in a frosty tone, as she remained distant.

"Oh, Lena, do stop it," Julie protested, her delicate hands folding into tiny cupcake sized fists. "All that's really important is Nash is here now." By Lena's folded arms, it was pretty clear that she remained unconvinced. But she nodded, finally, so apparently she was more or less game for the night.

Dinner proceeded smoothly. The conversation mostly skewed light.

After, Lena asked Nash if she would help him with the dishes. The strained look the two exchanged seemed to promise fireworks. Julie said she wanted to get to know Sierra better. Sierra shifted uncomfortably.

OOO

"I wash, you dry?" Nash asked, stripping off his gloves and diving his hands into the soapy water in the sink without waiting for Lena's reply.

Lena, her expression darkly incensed, moved to stand next to him. She grabbed up a dishtowel and immediately began twisting it furiously. It was obvious that she was just dying to tear into Nash, but something (her promise to Julie?) kept holding her back.

In fact, she said nothing until Nash handed her the first plate to be dried. "You bastard..." Lena began, dangerously. "I can't even be mad at you properly, because you've covered that deal I made with Sasarai..."

"That's just all part of my winning charm," Nash responded cheerfully.

For a reward, Lena slugged him in the arm. "Shut up. I'm trying to forgive you here."

Nash held up his hands, water dripping down his arms. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please continue."

"As I was saying, it would be easier for me if you had just cut and run, like you almost did. Instead, you had to do the honorable thing and cover my pledge to Sasarai, even if you did insist on staying in Caleria all those years."

At this point, Nash did interject. "Come on, I know that Sasarai kept you informed—Caleria wasn't totally my choice. If I stayed, Zaj's henchmen in the People faction and in the Tower weren't about to just let me walk away scott-free."

"I know, I know." She sighed, sounding frustrated. "I just wish things had turned out differently, if only for Julie's sake." She resumed drying. "She's missed you terribly, you know."

Nash nodded. If there was one thing he regretted about the way things turned out... "I know."

Lena sighed. "I'm just glad we've seen the last of Zaj's faction."

And for a second Nash stopped and wondered...

"So, uh, what do you think of Sierra?" Nash asked, smoothly switching topics.

"She's unlike any woman I've ever met," Lena answered automatically. She failed to specify if that was a good or bad thing.

Nash shifted uncomfortably. "And?" he pressed.

At this point, Lena broke out into her first honest smile of the night. "I always did figure you would go for one of the exotic types," she continued at length. She slugged Nash in the arm again. "Seems like a reasonably good catch, though... Should keep you in check, at any rate."

"You have no idea," Nash answered seriously.

"So," Lena pushed, "when are you going to make her an honest woman?"

The good news for Nash is that the plate he dropped didn't break.

OOO

"W-wedding!?" Sierra stammered, uncharacteristically flustered.

Sierra and Julie were sitting in the sitting room, just off the main dinning room. A roaring fire was burning at a steady clip next to them... which was the only sound that could be heard over Sierra's stunned silence.

"I'm too young to get married!" Sierra protested, the irony of that statement completely lost on Julie.

After a moment—once her icy cool logic had reasserted itself—Sierra shook her head. "Julie, I'm sorry. I don't mean to give you the wrong idea. It's just... there are considerations that complicate that... that possibility that you don't know about..."

"Considerations?" Julie asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Well, to begin with..." And here Sierra paused, unsure as to how to break the news. Finally she shrugged, figuring the direct route would probably be the best. "I'm a vampire."

Julie blinked. "Vampire?" she finally asked.

Sierra nodded, then helpfully bared her fangs and pantomimed wings with her hands.

Julie took this in silently, before letting out a relieved sigh. "Oh thank goodness!" she declared.

"T-thank goodness?!" Sierra stammered in surprise.

"And here I was just concerned that you weren't getting enough sun!" Julie explained, relieved. She brushed a lock of hair back from her face. "And, actually, that does explain the red eyes, too, now that I think about it."

"You do realize that means I drink blood, right?" Sierra asked, feeling a little absurd laying it out so simply.

"Well, what else would vampires do?" Julie chided. She cast a glance back towards the kitchen. "Though, judging by what I saw at dinner, you're no stranger to a good meal..."

"Well," Sierra went on, shifting awkwardly, "That's true..."

"So that's not really an issue," Julie went on. "Now, I always thought a nice spring wedding is—"

"It's not only that, though," Sierra interrupted quickly, as if daring Julie to find her to be a bad match for Nash. Julie just looked amused by Sierra's efforts, and waited expectantly.

"I also have this..." She held out her right hand. "I am the bearer of the Blue Moon Rune," she began. She turned her gaze down to the innocuous looking rune. "Say hello, then," she commanded. The rune shimmered in response, and the two felt the waves of power buffet them lightly.

"A true rune?" Julie repeated, staring at the tattoo-like marking on the back of Sierra's right hand. Of course she had heard the stories—what child reared in true rune-crazy Harmonia hadn't?

Sierra's expression turned melancholy. "It is the destiny that I must bear. A life without end, all for whatever ends the rune is chasing..." She sighed. It was only at moments like now that even a hint of her true age seemed to bleed through.

"So as you can see," Sierra continued, "this burden simply makes it impossible for any considerations of a... long-term relationship. It just... can't happen."

Julie turned her attention from the Blue Moon Rune back up to Sierra; she smiled brightly. "Oh well, that won't make too much of a difference."

"I-I don't see how you can just so glibly push that aside..." Sierra said, faintly scandalized.

Julie tapped her chin, looking thoughtful. "Actually it might even help in the long run."

Sierra frowned. "I fail to see how immortality could bring any benefits to a relationship..." she said drolly.

"But Sierra," Julie said earnestly, leaning forward and clasping Sierra's hands firmly, "that's the only sort of person who could ever keep Nash's attention."

OOO

Meanwhile, deep inside the Circle Palace...

"There it is again..." Sasarai said, glancing up from his paperwork.

It was odd. Just at the very edge of his perception, he thought he could feel a familiar tingle...

He dismissed it. How could it be possible for a true rune to be in Crystal Valley without him knowing it?

Still though, he thought, it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out for anything unusual...

OOO

"All done with the dishes?" Julie asked brightly.

Nash flexed imposingly. "They were just simply no match for us."

Lena rolled her eyes, but a grin was clear on her face. "Well, something like that..."

Nash was all smiles, though he knew something was up after a few moments when a barb from Sierra never arrived. Casting a discreet glance over at her, he saw a brittle looking smile plastered on her face. Uh-oh... What did Julie say to her?

Nash was going to look for a pretext to get Sierra alone and ask what was wrong, but Julie (casting an appraising glance over a Nash of her own) beat him to the punch. "Oh! Nash! There was something I've wanted to give you." She quickly stood, and clasped Nash's arm. "Quickly now – it's up in the attic."

As Julie bodily dragged him from the room, Nash's expression blanched. "But why is it in the attic?" Nash complained, casting another worried look back at Sierra.

OOO

Once in the attic, Julie swept back her dress and crouched down next to a battered and dusty trunk near the center of the space. "Here," Julie commanded, sitting with her legs folded to one side. She gestured with her hands to the space on the opposite side of the trunk. "Sit."

Nash did as she told him, sitting cross-legged. His nose crinkled. "Man is it dusty up here..."

"Mmm," Julie said in lieu of an answer, as she manhandled the top of the trunk open, and began shifting through the numerous contents.

Nash shifted in his sitting position. Julie wasn't saying anything. "So, uh..." he began, "What do you think of her?" Nash asked.

"She's exactly the girl for you," Julie said confidently,

Nash blushed, suddenly smiling too broadly and scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Y-you think so?" he asked, almost a little too loudly.

"Mmm-hmm," Julie agreed absently, still pawing through the contents of the trunk. Her eyes widened. "Ah, here it is." She pulled out a silver box, thin as a finger, and about as big as Julie's palm. She handed it to Nash.

"This is..." He frowned, cupping it in his hand. He remembered it... from somewhere, but he couldn't quite place it.

"It was father's," Julie explained. "It's his match box," she elaborated, fiddling with the box and opening it like a book, revealing several long matches. "Remember? He used to take it out—"

"And light up his big cigars after dinner!" Nash exclaimed, excited as the memory returned.

"Although I figured someone in your profession could probably find all sorts of other uses for it," she added slyly.

"I found it when I was cleaning up here."

Nash stared at the match box with a wistful smile for a moment longer, before he remembered something. "Which reminds me," Nash said, reaching into his back pocket. "I think I've held onto something of yours for too long as it is." He pulled free Julie's locket, handing it back.

"Nash! You held on to it!" she said happily.

"Of course I did," he said, even as Julie lunged at him in a hug, "Chiefly because I knew you'd never forgive me if I didn't."

As Nash disentangled himself from Julie's arms, he smiled, dusting himself off and climbing to his feet. "Well, now that our little gift exchange is done, I think we should get back downstairs before Lena and Sierra get into a fight or something," he suggested, smiling. He held his hand out and helped Julie to his feet.

"You don't really think that they would get into an argument, do you?" Julie asked, looking concerned as she smoothed out her skirts.

"...Probably not." A beat. "Probably."

OOO

Lena and Sierra, meanwhile, sat quietly in the sitting room. It wasn't... quite awkward (although not as bad anyone might have feared).

Lena was tapping her finger on the armrest of the chair she was in. After a minute, she shifted, looking agitated. After another minute, she shifted again. Finally, a look of frustration flashed on her face. "Hey," she called out, suddenly leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

When Sierra's gazed snapped over to her, Lena was staring at her intently. "Are you happy with my thickheaded nephew?" she asked.

Sierra seemed surprised by the question, and opened her mouth to respond... but nothing came out. Instead her expression flashed confusion, before—despite her best efforts—she broke into a shy half grin.

"That's what I thought," Lena said confidently, leaning back in the chair. She nodded, looking pacified. "That's good to know..."

OOO

And with that, the night was over... Almost. The four gathered in a sitting room near the main entrance. They said their goodbyes, but then...

"Miss Sierra, do you think you could give us a few minutes alone with Nash?" she asked.

Sierra eyed them warily, but nodded. "Who am I to deny family?" she asked. "I'll be waiting outside," she said simply, before turned and closing the door behind her.

For a long moment, Lena and Julie stared at Nash without saying anything. It made Nash feel slightly self-conscious. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hey, hey, come on. What is it? You guys are making me nervous!"

"Sit down," Julie finally commanded. Nash sat in one of the armchairs, and Julie took the armchair opposite him. Lena dragged over one of the ottomans and perched on its edge. They both leaned forward.

Nash folded his arms. "Okay, seriously, you guys are starting to freak me out here."

"Nash," Lena began, "Nash... We'd like to have you around more..." Lena began.

Nash frowned. "Okay. Well, I mean, what? Do you guys want to have dinner again soon, or...?"

Lena shook her head. "That's not exactly what we mean..." And here Lena glanced over to Julie. "We have a spare room here and..."

"And I want you back, Big Brother," Julie declared, grabbing up Nash's hands in her own.

Nash blinked. "I... Sierra... We... Er..."

Julie nodded, patting Nash's hands. "Well, it looks like you need to think about it some. Take all the time you need, okay? We can wait."

As Nash robotically rose to his feet and out of the house, his head was awash in everything that had happened in one short dinner. It was a lot to take in all at once.

Just outside the front door, Sierra was waiting for him. "I take it you were listening in?" Nash asked.

"Can I help it if my senses are far beyond a mere mortal's?" Sierra asked rhetorically.

"What do you think of the idea?" Nash asked, trying to sound casual.

"I think..." She took a few steps forward, so that Nash could no longer see her face. "I think that's your choice."

"Sierra?" Nash asked warily.

"I'll see you at our quarters," Sierra said in lieu of an answer. She then quickly transmogrified into a bat, and sped off into the night.

Nash cast a glance back at Lena and Julie's brownstone. What exactly did they say to her? He folded his arms as he continued down the long path back to Circle Palace.