"You may doubt Lightning," Jihl offered unexpectedly, "But what about me? Sage sent us to claim Fang's children, who I'm radiating pregnancy with." The girl spoke true; Nerites could feel it, and she knew all her sisters could too. "Why wouldn't I return to Sage if I was loyal to him?"
"Deception has many layers." Selene spoke easily. "Umbra have no tricks of the mind. Illusions are the Sages specialty, and an illusion has been woven here. Beautifully." Athena laid a hand over Selene's at the rail. She leaned over to speak to Lightning.
"Lightning," Athena asked wisely, "Is there anything you can give us as proof of your intentions to us? You understand, every Umbra in this has raped Fang. All except your mother."
"Better question yet," Nephelai posed instead, "Why did you rape Fang? Was this on an order of Sage's?"
Lightning glanced between the two women, eighth and sixth accordingly sitting next to each other on the left side of the hall. She said, "It was," Lightning clarified, "We were supposed to bring Ragnarok's children to him. I can tell you this and anything you need to know, everything that happened since Jihl and I came into Gran Pulse. We're not lying; I'm as pissed at being used than any of you must be doubting me. I'm not working for the man who orchestrated my rape."
"Not even to save another of the same fate?" Athena posed, and Lightning shook her head.
"Sage wouldn't do that. He wouldn't save Fang. And I don't want the world of men leaking into this place."
Thalia seemed very tired when she finally offered, "They were brutalized, Sisters." Which drew all eyes. "I'm not saying we shouldn't be cautious, but…"
"What would make you believe me?" Lightning asked like a pleading. "You can bind me and Jihl down until you see my details match, if that's what you want."
"Send Raina and Jeanne," someone suggested, and eyes turned towards Roma, who lifted an eyebrow with a direct look upon Lightning. "Raina can't be trusted," Roma went on to say, "But she means something to you. And Jeanne is one of the ones you claim 'woke you up' from your delusions, Lightning? It sounds like you're grateful to her as well in all this."
"Roma, what are you saying?" Ariadne accused suddenly, suspecting something. Nerites did too; Roma was all about power play.
"Jeanne is our Elder," Roma pointed out, "And trustworthy. Agreed?" When no one spoke out differently, Roma continued on to say. "If Lightning speaks the truth, she should be willing to send both of them to the location without the rest of us in escort. If there's truly only one Sage, two Umbra should be more than enough to overpower him with the advantage of no warning on his part."
"Roma, no!" Thalia protested, "The Sage would be old and wisely by now, more powerful than we'd ever seen them. It easily took three or more of us to safely take down one in the old days, and he'd be stronger yet in magic than ever we've faced. Sending two of us almost guarantees a death sentence!"
"Then join them, Thalia." Roma answered simply with a shrug, "It's my understanding that Jihl and Lightning often visit your home on friendly terms, do they not?" she didn't wait for an answer. "You and Araidne can follow, and Cereza, if it's numbers you seek. That's five of us; five Umbra against one, unsuspecting Sage. If Lightning is telling us the truth of him, she should be willing to send the ones she trusts and loves to defeat him. Tell me my logic is flawed, Sisters. I believe I've found a solution to the trust we seek."
Lightning gawked on the floor. "Isn't that dangerous?"
"Only if you're lying, child." Roma said with a little smile. "If you send them into a den of Sages, yes. They'll die. But if there's only one, our Elder has stood undefeated in her place for years with Cereza. Thalia and Araidne are our Fifth and Seventh strongest of 18. Raina herself used to be second; does it not make sense to send our strongest, those Lightning trusts to seek this Sage? If she is trustworthy, we'll face no problem. If she is not, she won't send them, or she'll send them to the wrong place where there are no Sages, and they will come back and reveal the deception."
"And if she sends them straight into the Sages' den, Roma?" Persephone challenged, not liking the idea at all. Roma was sneaky, but Nerites could see exactly what she was doing; send all the sympathizers away. She probably had a power play in mind to grab Jeanne's seat while she was away, though that place wouldn't fall to her… Roma couldn't switch positions now that she was pregnant again. She couldn't fight for it in her state.
"Sends her loved family to their deaths?" Roma challenged, and even Nerites had to admit she had a point. Lightning wasn't going to do that, her love for those she valued was written all over her face, but she couldn't back down her claim or information now either. She'd either have to send them to the one Sage was there, or she'd send them off elsewhere, and be revealed for a traitor.
"Her logic is sound," Nephelai volunteered. "Lightning and Jihl care about their mothers and have favorable opinions to Thalia and Araidne. She won't betray them, and we'll find out either way. Decisions would fall to Persephone in her wartime absence. If I might suggest; I will volunteer to go with them. As a supporter of using Ragnarok, we can tell if Lightning told them anything by what happens to me."
"Nephelai!" Persephone gasped in shock, her wife's words directly against her own in countering.
"You know I'm right, Persephone," Nephelai offered, excusing the outburst. "Roma's suggestion is well-made. This is a solid way to determine the truth of things, and the safest way is to go in number. I'll accompany you and make us six. That should be more than enough for one Sage, no matter how powerful he's become. We are powerful too, and six should be able to handle him. And on the off-chance if the worst happened and we perish, there will be enough of us left to defend the rest of us together."
Lightning said something quietly to her mother, but Raina just kept shaking her head. Jeanne finally spoke. "That sounds fine, Sisters."
"Mom!" Jihl protested, but Jeanne waved her off.
"Our girls have nothing to hide." Jeanne said firmly with a shake of her head, "We can vote on this and be done. Persephone will accompany me in the questioning, and we can put off other issues we might pick until tomorrow's meeting or after. Agreed, Sisters?"
Nerites shook her head dismissively; nothing would tell now, but time.
XXX
"You didn't have to bite her so hard, Rhea," Fang admonished, taking Serah's wrist gently in her hands to dab two fingers into the healing salve to treat the bite on the meaty side of Serah's hand.
"She was licking my face!" Rhea protested, pressing the wet cloth to it as Fang had instructed. Fang shook her head.
"I really don't mind," Serah offered kindly, thinking the little one too adorable to fault. Rhea had a way about her that just made Serah smile to see and hear; obviously spoiled silly, the little one had so much warmth to share. Much had come from her mothers, Serah was sure. "I get injured worse with my mother when she indulges me enough to play. You should see the scars I have on the back of my neck from being picked up between her teeth when I was a cub."
"Really?" Rhea asked, suddenly excited again. "Can I see?" Serah smiled and brushed aside her hair. She leaned forward a little bit, with Rhea climbing up the side of the counter to reach for the back of her neck. "Wowww," Rhea admired, touching a few of them with her little fingers. "Those look cool. Mums always heal mine immediately, so I don't scar like this. Mums don't, either. Just Fang does."
Eyes aimed at the floor and Fang's lap, Serah lifted them to her arm where a variety of scratches, some deep at one time, had been gorged. Her opposite arm held a few others in different positions and severities. She sat back as Rhea pulled away again. "This might sting," Fang warned before she touched her with it, applying the healing cream. Serah winced at first bite of it, but it didn't hurt so bad.
"So I see," Serah confirmed, eyes returning to Fang's arm first where that powerful muscle rested sculpted under the mark of some animal she'd slain. Serah's eyes ticked to her chin, where the three slashes from something powerful marred Fang's pretty face. Far from making her unattractive, Serah thought them quite flattering. All scars were a testament to what someone had lived through; it was why Serah asked her mother to keep hers. Yuns found scars attractive, and Fang's were no exception. Serah could just imagine her fighting some giant beast, breath catching as a paw caught the side of Fang's face, and battling through it. What a Yun!
"Fang got hers from her adventuring." Rhea claimed, "She's got some on her big thighs too. Mums have tried to cure them, but it didn't work. I think they're cool, though."
Fang gave Rhea a small smile. "They're just looking out for you, Rhea. Not all scars are pretty."
"Yours are," Serah blurted, and then blushed when Fang's eyes turned back on her again.
"That's a Yun sentiment," Fang picked out in glancing over her. "Is that why you keep yours, Serah?"
Serah's blush returned in double; of course Fang knew the Yun sentiments, she just hadn't expected a question… about her, ohh, Fang's eyes were so pretty. Crystal green; such a desirable color in eyes. "A little bit," Serah revealed shyly, "Dad told me once… scars are character, they're what you've been through in life. It kinda stuck."
Fang nodded once and wiped the remaining cream off onto her jeans; she picked up a bandage from the counter beside the cream. "Is that why you don't heal your injuries?" Fang asked, not accusingly, though it started Serah a little. Did she think…!
"I can't heal," Serah hurriedly said, afraid Fang would think she was making her do this just to be patched up by her. Fang quirked an eyebrow at her. "The skill hasn't come through yet, at least." Serah confessed, "And it might not. We noticed I didn't seem to have as much magic as my mom. I can't transform quite like her, and my magic seems less powerful than hers. We thought it must be my Yun side, but I have Dad's senses so, nothing to really worry about."
Fang didn't say anything further on it, but Serah knew she was probably thinking about Rhea over the whole thing. Fang started to wrap her hand with surprising gentleness. "Ooh," Serah said suddenly.
"Did that hurt?" Fang paused in wrapping. "Too tight?"
"No," Serah said with another hint of embarrassment. Goodness, Fang was sweet. "Just… you're very good with that."
Fang only nodded once and continued wrapping. "Had to patch a lot of things through the years. She finished off on Serah's hand, then taped it over. "Does that feel okay? Not too tight?"
"It's fine," Serah promised, "Thank you, Fang."
"Any other injuries?" Fang asked, double checking over her sweetly, only continuing to fluster Serah when she touched her and made Serah blush.
"I think I'm okay."
"Your face is pretty red," Rhea said, "Like mine, but I didn't lick you."
"Rhea," Serah flustered.
"Do you have a crush on Fang?"
"Rhea!" Serah's color ripened.
"Ewww, Fang's old, Serah!" Serah wished she had a place to bury her face to keep from burning. Rhea giggled, then told Fang, "Maybe it's a Yun thing. Lightning makes eyes at you too sometimes. Your musky Yun charms and fat thighs must set them off."
Fang offered Rhea another little smile while Serah tried to control the temperature of her face. She bent over and kissed Rhea's little head sweetly. "They're not fat." Fang picked her up off the counter and Rhea squealed. Serah heard something creaking very faintly far outside the door.
"Oh!" She said standing, in no small rush to hurry out that door. "I think that's Claire!"
Rhea chased after her and snickered. "She's like my Uncle, Serah."
"Shh!" Serah quieted the giggling girl. They pulled under a rushed stop when Jeanne and that other Umbra blonde pulled through the door with Claire and Jihl behind them. Serah shied back to glimpse her mothers, where Rhea, not coy in any sense, greeted loudly. "Hi, Aunt Persephone. Mummy, you're home!"
Jeanne crouched down to take in a hug from the little one and kissed her head too as the others came in behind the first. "Claire," Serah went to immediately because her parents were right behind her sister with them. "How'd it go?"
Claire nodded once in Jeanne's general direction, who was telling Rhea. "Mummies have one more thing to do with Jihl before we can play, okay, Rhea? It won't take long," Jeanne promised.
"A questioning," Raina said to explain, hand going over Serah's shoulder kindly as Fang ventured around the bend and stopped before coming further to them.
Serah didn't know what that meant. "Are me and Dad allowed to stay, or…"
"It'll be fine, Serah," Claire promised too, protectively. "I'll be out in a little bit, okay?"
Serah folded in under her father's supporting arm and nodded. "Okay…"
"See you in a little bit," Claire promised and went away. Fang came out of the shadows after and offered.
"I'll make us something to eat in the meantime." She popped up little Rhea in an arm and toted her. Serah hoped her sister would be okay.
