div class="kBP3A" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: var(-font-family); font-size: 1rem; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(var(-black)); white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
h1 style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3077; font-family: var(-font-family); font-size: 1.625rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavronica Week Prompt 2: Dreamfasting/h1
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: var(-font-family); font-size: 1rem; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(var(-black)); white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"This one is a sequel/explanation for the events depicted in the first day's poem. It's a bit of a read, just so you know. I'm thinking of turning it into a short chapter series later on, after I've completed other projects. Brief warning to any fans of Mayrin reading this. She is not nice in this. At all. Sorry in advance./p
/div
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Onica had gotten Tavra safely to her ship, easing her down onto the hammock that hung in the seer's quarters and going to grab various healing herbs. Her back was turned to her patient as she threw the herbs, along with various other powders into a mortar to grind. She glanced back once at her girlfriend, before sighing as she brought up the subject./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""So, where were you? And why in Thra did it take you a whole trine to get back?" She asked, voice calm, yet curious. Tavra stared back at her through weary eyes. Onica could tell the soldier had suffered just as much through their separation as she had herself./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I was sent to fortify the border near the Caves of Grot. Our unit was told that Arathim had been spotted in the nearby forest and as commanding officer of the guard, it was my duty to roust the beasts. What I didn't know, is that there were no Arathim." Onica walked over with a bottle, rags, and the poultice she'd been preparing and pulled Tavra's sleeve off her shoulder. A dirtied bandage covered what looked to be a long cut from a sword. Onica removed the sullied item before dabbing some of what was in the bottle onto a rag and pressing it onto the wound./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Aaugh! Eel feathers, woman, what are ya trying to do, burn my arm off!" Onica kept her grip on the soldier's arm firm as she continued to apply more of the disinfectant. Tavra's eyes teared up uncontrollably and she did her best not to shrink back from the painful healing. Finished with that unpleasantness, Onica gently dabbed at the wound's edges before applying the poultice and wrapping the arm in clean bandages./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Here," Onica went and grabbed the kettle from its heat source, pouring Tavra and herself a nice hot cup of ta. She added lavender to both and a bit of something extra in Tavra's cup to help her with the pain. "Drink this. You'll soon feel better. Now you were saying you went to guard the border from these imaginary Arathim?" Tavra groaned./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Look, it's just-" Tavra sighed and shook her head. "I was there because of you. Wait, that came out wrong. I was sent away for a trine by mother because…because she found out…about us." Onica didn't often show anger enough for most people to notice it, but Tavra saw the rapidly developing signs and knew she had to do something before the redhead blew her top, so she offered her hand, palm out./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Onica didn't take the bait right away. Instead, she grumbled and growled around her quarters while Tavra watched in silence, gently swaying in the hammock. The seer would tire herself out soon, and then she would dreamfast. There's no way she'd refuse to watch the All-Maudra's interference into their lives. She wanted a good, long look into the great and royal Vapra Queen's judgmental, bigoted face./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Finally, she stopped pacing, taking a minute to compose herself before moving back over by Tavra. She sat down with her in the hammock, laying back and gently pulling her love to rest her head against her shoulder./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I'm not sorry for being upset, but I am ready now to see what happened." Her hand reached across and took the offered touch, their eyes closing as a soft blue glow lit the cabin's interior./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"-/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavra walked down the hallways of the Citadel towards her room. She'd finished her training for the day and had plans to take a quick bath before making her way through the city and down to the seafarer's lantern to meet with Onica. She looked down, smiling at the small seashell necklace her love had given her on their last meeting. That had been over three unum ago. The Sifa fleet had just recently arrived at Ha'rar's port for the spring season./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"As she turned a corner, Tavra ran right smack into her sister. Books and scrolls flew everywhere, and Brea let out an indignant squeak as she bounced off a muscular chest before landing on her bum./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Oh-my-goodness, I'm so sorry. I-I wasn't looking where I was- Tavra? Oh, it's you!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Yes Brea, I am me…Tavra. Are you all right? Here, let me help you pick those up."/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Oh, no! You don't have time for that!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I don't?"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""No! Mother sent me to find you. She requests an audience with you immediately." Tavra frowned at this news. Her meet-up with Onica would have to be delayed./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Did she say what it's about?" Brea nearly ignored her, so invested was she in the scroll she'd just picked up./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Hmm? Oh, no. Just that I needed to tell you to go and see her right now." Brea went back to picking up her things. Tavra nodded before heading to the throne room. Soon she stood before the entrance to the large chamber, doing her best to mentally prepare herself before meeting with her formidable mother. She walked into the hall, back straight, with the intimidating posture of a soldier, and a face void of emotion. Once she was close enough, she quickly went down on one knee, head bowed as was proper when a soldier meets their Maudra. Mayrin looked down her nose at her daughter./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Tavra." She addressed her./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Yes, All-Maudra, you sent for me?"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""My scouts tell me there have been Arathim spotted in the forest near the Caves of Grot. I want you to prepare and lead a regiment to fortify our borders and cleanse the forest from these fiends. You'll leave as soon as you're ready. Go." Tavra was horrified by the news. How would she get word to Onica now?/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""But Mo-"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Do not question your Maudra. Whatever you had to do before now can wait. Or are you willing to sacrifice the lives of innocents to complete your errand?" Mayrin gave her a hard, knowing stare. Tavra couldn't risk going against her. Not if she hoped to continue seeing her Sifa./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I will go now, my All-Maudra." Tavra left and packed up all she'd need for the trip. She picked a mix of new and veteran paladins, then mounted her landstrider, glancing back tearfully towards the shore hidden beyond the mountain pass before urging her mount forward./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"When they arrived at the forest near Grot, they thoroughly checked the forest, but found no evidence that Arathim had been there. So Tavra waited…/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"One full unum later there was still not a sign of the armored spiders. The regiment was ready to pack up and head for home the very next day, but before they had a chance, a message arrived, stating that they were to be stationed there indefinitely. Tavra thought this very strange and when yet another unum passed with no activity, she decided that enough was enough. She harnessed her landstrider and left to confront her mother about this fool's errand./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Arriving at the Citadel a few days later, Tavra walked briskly into the throne room, quickly kneeling before a shocked Mayrin./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Mother, I request an-"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You were ordered, paladin, to remain at the border, that you might protect innocent lives by guarding against the Arathim. Do you think yourself tall, disobeying your All-Maudra?" Mayrin's voice was cold, as if addressing a stranger. Tavra refused to be turned away./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""There is no sign of Arathim being anywhere near our borders. No tracks, no webs, nothing. Why are we there, mother? Which scouts made the report?" Tavra kept her voice calm through the growing apprehension that seized her. Something about this seemed wrong. Her mother had never treated her this harshly before, no matter what mistakes she may have made in the past./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Other members of the court, and guards were present in the room and could feel the mounting tension. They were shocked that Tavra had dared to question the All-Maudra so, and curious about why some of their best paladins were doing seemingly nothing when there were other, more pressing concerns to worry about within Vapra territory. Mayrin took note of their disquiet, as some began to whisper amongst themselves. She needed to act before things got out of hand. She spoke out with emotionless authority./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""This court is finished for today. Everyone, please leave now. I must speak to this paladin alone. We are not to be disturbed." Again, she distanced herself from her daughter, causing anxiety to well in Tavra's mind. The throne room was quickly vacated, except the All-Maudra, and Tavra herself. She remained kneeling on the floor, unable to sense if she was allowed to get back up yet./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Neither one spoke for several minutes. Mayrin was taking her time, causing Tavra to become even more nervous. She stood up from her throne, maintaining her regal façade as she slowly walked over to where her daughter knelt. Her rigid gate suggested anger and Tavra braced herself./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Stand." Tavra did as ordered, feeling colder than she'd ever felt before. She faced her mother, eyes unwavering in their determination, despite her nerves./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Why did you send me to guard against nothing? Was there something you needed to keep hidden from me mother? You allowed me to choose who went with me, so I know I was the one you wanted away from Ha'rar. Please, tell me why."/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You speak of me hiding things from you, but it is you that's tried to keep things hidden from me. You have failed." Tavra felt an icy hand squeeze at her soul. Her ears dropped and a look of fear spread over her face. "The spring and autumn seasons seem to have some strange effects on your abilities to perform as captain of my paladins. Late arrivals for morning duties, guards loitering around, waiting to be given orders. Waiting on you. Do you understand how that makes our family look? To our people. To the lords when they grace us with a visit? You have a responsibility to the Vapra, to maintain a strong, dignified image and project that image in everything you do. Yet here I find you, sneaking off somewhere with some degenerate, Far-Dreaming Sifa! Unacceptable! I will not allow you to sully our family's good name any further. I had to do something, so I did."/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Mother, what have you done? Where are they?" Tavra demanded, fearful of what may have befallen Onica while she was away. "If you've hurt them, I'll never forgive you!" Mayrin scoffed at this./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You see? Disobedience! Defying the will of your All-Maudra. Disgraceful! You've let yourself become corrupted, ensnared by their sorcery!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Mother, what have you done to them?!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Hmph! I have done nothing to them. Whoever they are, they're probably back in Cera-Na, throwing themselves at their next victim." Tavra barely stopped herself from stepping forward and slapping her mother./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You're wrong! They aren't like that. /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"They're/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" kind to me. /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"They/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" listen to me. And they love me without conditions, which is more than I can say about you!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""SILENCE!" Mayrin's voice almost seemed to shake the room. "You are a paladin! Your job is to obey your All-Maudra's command, not flounce about with some…mixed clan magicker! Now, you will do as you're told, paladin, and return to your assigned station. Your job will be to train hard in self-discipline, until you move on from this little phase you're having and grow up. You are /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Vapra/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" royalty and you will marry whichever /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Vapra/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" I choose for you. You are to have no further contact with the Sifa until you have convinced me that you followed your orders. Is. That. Clear?!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You cannot keep me from being happy, mother. I refuse to let you control my life any longer!" Mayrin's face turned into a snarl, before she quickly stomped over to the doors./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Guards, get in here! Now!" The paladins quickly did as commanded, four of them entering the chamber. Mayrin gave them a cold, threatening stare. "You are to escort Princess Katavra back to her post at the border and you will keep her there until otherwise instructed. She is not to contact anyone. Failure to carry out these commands will result in the severest of punishments." The soldiers stood there, unable to believe what they were hearing. After several seconds of inaction, Mayrin's face hardened even more. "MOVE!" They all jumped, before scrambling over and surrounding their captain. Tavra had no choice, but to go with them./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"A feeling of severe loneliness permeated throughout the dream link as time moved forward. Flashes of memories came slowly, as if ten trine were passing, instead of one./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavra, being led back to the border camp in disgrace./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"The paladins she'd chosen on the initial mission packing up and leaving, their replacements handpicked by the All-Maudra. Tavra would find no friends there./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"The princess, curled into a ball on her bunk, crying softly, so her guards couldn't hear her./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"And finally, the day of the training accident. A soldier known to dislike Tavra the most swung his sword at full force towards her, the princess just managing to dodge. Her heart was not in this fight. It had been torn from her body long ago. It was clear this man didn't care if he killed her, and if she could not be with her love, then she didn't care either./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"There was a flash of steel, then Onica's vision went red, and pain briefly overwhelmed her before her vision cleared to show an image of Tavra escaping from a medical tent left virtually unguarded./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"A final memory surfaced of Tavra spotting the Waystar's glow, following it down to where they were in the present./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"-/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavra removed her touch from Onica's hand, breaking the link. She tried to stop it but could not defend against the tears that streaked down her cheeks. Onica pulled her love into a protective embrace, simply holding her as she cried./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I'm so sorry." She sobbed. "I tried to get back to you for so long."/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Shh…It's alright. Tavy, there was nothing you could do. No soldier alive would risk disobeying the All-Maudra…Well, one soldier did…and I love you all the more for it." A gentle kiss was laid upon Tavra's temple as Onica continued to comfort her throughout the night, until the tears were stopped, and they fell asleep, Tavra still wrapped in Onica's loving arms. They were together now, and that's all that mattered./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"-DK/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: var(-font-family); font-size: 1rem; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(var(-black)); white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
h1 style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3077; font-family: var(-font-family); font-size: 1.625rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavronica Week Prompt 2: Dreamfasting/h1
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: var(-font-family); font-size: 1rem; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(var(-black)); white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"This one is a sequel/explanation for the events depicted in the first day's poem. It's a bit of a read, just so you know. I'm thinking of turning it into a short chapter series later on, after I've completed other projects. Brief warning to any fans of Mayrin reading this. She is not nice in this. At all. Sorry in advance./p
/div
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Onica had gotten Tavra safely to her ship, easing her down onto the hammock that hung in the seer's quarters and going to grab various healing herbs. Her back was turned to her patient as she threw the herbs, along with various other powders into a mortar to grind. She glanced back once at her girlfriend, before sighing as she brought up the subject./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""So, where were you? And why in Thra did it take you a whole trine to get back?" She asked, voice calm, yet curious. Tavra stared back at her through weary eyes. Onica could tell the soldier had suffered just as much through their separation as she had herself./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I was sent to fortify the border near the Caves of Grot. Our unit was told that Arathim had been spotted in the nearby forest and as commanding officer of the guard, it was my duty to roust the beasts. What I didn't know, is that there were no Arathim." Onica walked over with a bottle, rags, and the poultice she'd been preparing and pulled Tavra's sleeve off her shoulder. A dirtied bandage covered what looked to be a long cut from a sword. Onica removed the sullied item before dabbing some of what was in the bottle onto a rag and pressing it onto the wound./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Aaugh! Eel feathers, woman, what are ya trying to do, burn my arm off!" Onica kept her grip on the soldier's arm firm as she continued to apply more of the disinfectant. Tavra's eyes teared up uncontrollably and she did her best not to shrink back from the painful healing. Finished with that unpleasantness, Onica gently dabbed at the wound's edges before applying the poultice and wrapping the arm in clean bandages./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Here," Onica went and grabbed the kettle from its heat source, pouring Tavra and herself a nice hot cup of ta. She added lavender to both and a bit of something extra in Tavra's cup to help her with the pain. "Drink this. You'll soon feel better. Now you were saying you went to guard the border from these imaginary Arathim?" Tavra groaned./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Look, it's just-" Tavra sighed and shook her head. "I was there because of you. Wait, that came out wrong. I was sent away for a trine by mother because…because she found out…about us." Onica didn't often show anger enough for most people to notice it, but Tavra saw the rapidly developing signs and knew she had to do something before the redhead blew her top, so she offered her hand, palm out./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Onica didn't take the bait right away. Instead, she grumbled and growled around her quarters while Tavra watched in silence, gently swaying in the hammock. The seer would tire herself out soon, and then she would dreamfast. There's no way she'd refuse to watch the All-Maudra's interference into their lives. She wanted a good, long look into the great and royal Vapra Queen's judgmental, bigoted face./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Finally, she stopped pacing, taking a minute to compose herself before moving back over by Tavra. She sat down with her in the hammock, laying back and gently pulling her love to rest her head against her shoulder./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I'm not sorry for being upset, but I am ready now to see what happened." Her hand reached across and took the offered touch, their eyes closing as a soft blue glow lit the cabin's interior./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"-/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavra walked down the hallways of the Citadel towards her room. She'd finished her training for the day and had plans to take a quick bath before making her way through the city and down to the seafarer's lantern to meet with Onica. She looked down, smiling at the small seashell necklace her love had given her on their last meeting. That had been over three unum ago. The Sifa fleet had just recently arrived at Ha'rar's port for the spring season./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"As she turned a corner, Tavra ran right smack into her sister. Books and scrolls flew everywhere, and Brea let out an indignant squeak as she bounced off a muscular chest before landing on her bum./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Oh-my-goodness, I'm so sorry. I-I wasn't looking where I was- Tavra? Oh, it's you!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Yes Brea, I am me…Tavra. Are you all right? Here, let me help you pick those up."/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Oh, no! You don't have time for that!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I don't?"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""No! Mother sent me to find you. She requests an audience with you immediately." Tavra frowned at this news. Her meet-up with Onica would have to be delayed./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Did she say what it's about?" Brea nearly ignored her, so invested was she in the scroll she'd just picked up./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Hmm? Oh, no. Just that I needed to tell you to go and see her right now." Brea went back to picking up her things. Tavra nodded before heading to the throne room. Soon she stood before the entrance to the large chamber, doing her best to mentally prepare herself before meeting with her formidable mother. She walked into the hall, back straight, with the intimidating posture of a soldier, and a face void of emotion. Once she was close enough, she quickly went down on one knee, head bowed as was proper when a soldier meets their Maudra. Mayrin looked down her nose at her daughter./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Tavra." She addressed her./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Yes, All-Maudra, you sent for me?"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""My scouts tell me there have been Arathim spotted in the forest near the Caves of Grot. I want you to prepare and lead a regiment to fortify our borders and cleanse the forest from these fiends. You'll leave as soon as you're ready. Go." Tavra was horrified by the news. How would she get word to Onica now?/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""But Mo-"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Do not question your Maudra. Whatever you had to do before now can wait. Or are you willing to sacrifice the lives of innocents to complete your errand?" Mayrin gave her a hard, knowing stare. Tavra couldn't risk going against her. Not if she hoped to continue seeing her Sifa./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I will go now, my All-Maudra." Tavra left and packed up all she'd need for the trip. She picked a mix of new and veteran paladins, then mounted her landstrider, glancing back tearfully towards the shore hidden beyond the mountain pass before urging her mount forward./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"When they arrived at the forest near Grot, they thoroughly checked the forest, but found no evidence that Arathim had been there. So Tavra waited…/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"One full unum later there was still not a sign of the armored spiders. The regiment was ready to pack up and head for home the very next day, but before they had a chance, a message arrived, stating that they were to be stationed there indefinitely. Tavra thought this very strange and when yet another unum passed with no activity, she decided that enough was enough. She harnessed her landstrider and left to confront her mother about this fool's errand./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Arriving at the Citadel a few days later, Tavra walked briskly into the throne room, quickly kneeling before a shocked Mayrin./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Mother, I request an-"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You were ordered, paladin, to remain at the border, that you might protect innocent lives by guarding against the Arathim. Do you think yourself tall, disobeying your All-Maudra?" Mayrin's voice was cold, as if addressing a stranger. Tavra refused to be turned away./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""There is no sign of Arathim being anywhere near our borders. No tracks, no webs, nothing. Why are we there, mother? Which scouts made the report?" Tavra kept her voice calm through the growing apprehension that seized her. Something about this seemed wrong. Her mother had never treated her this harshly before, no matter what mistakes she may have made in the past./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Other members of the court, and guards were present in the room and could feel the mounting tension. They were shocked that Tavra had dared to question the All-Maudra so, and curious about why some of their best paladins were doing seemingly nothing when there were other, more pressing concerns to worry about within Vapra territory. Mayrin took note of their disquiet, as some began to whisper amongst themselves. She needed to act before things got out of hand. She spoke out with emotionless authority./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""This court is finished for today. Everyone, please leave now. I must speak to this paladin alone. We are not to be disturbed." Again, she distanced herself from her daughter, causing anxiety to well in Tavra's mind. The throne room was quickly vacated, except the All-Maudra, and Tavra herself. She remained kneeling on the floor, unable to sense if she was allowed to get back up yet./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Neither one spoke for several minutes. Mayrin was taking her time, causing Tavra to become even more nervous. She stood up from her throne, maintaining her regal façade as she slowly walked over to where her daughter knelt. Her rigid gate suggested anger and Tavra braced herself./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Stand." Tavra did as ordered, feeling colder than she'd ever felt before. She faced her mother, eyes unwavering in their determination, despite her nerves./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Why did you send me to guard against nothing? Was there something you needed to keep hidden from me mother? You allowed me to choose who went with me, so I know I was the one you wanted away from Ha'rar. Please, tell me why."/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You speak of me hiding things from you, but it is you that's tried to keep things hidden from me. You have failed." Tavra felt an icy hand squeeze at her soul. Her ears dropped and a look of fear spread over her face. "The spring and autumn seasons seem to have some strange effects on your abilities to perform as captain of my paladins. Late arrivals for morning duties, guards loitering around, waiting to be given orders. Waiting on you. Do you understand how that makes our family look? To our people. To the lords when they grace us with a visit? You have a responsibility to the Vapra, to maintain a strong, dignified image and project that image in everything you do. Yet here I find you, sneaking off somewhere with some degenerate, Far-Dreaming Sifa! Unacceptable! I will not allow you to sully our family's good name any further. I had to do something, so I did."/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Mother, what have you done? Where are they?" Tavra demanded, fearful of what may have befallen Onica while she was away. "If you've hurt them, I'll never forgive you!" Mayrin scoffed at this./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You see? Disobedience! Defying the will of your All-Maudra. Disgraceful! You've let yourself become corrupted, ensnared by their sorcery!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Mother, what have you done to them?!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Hmph! I have done nothing to them. Whoever they are, they're probably back in Cera-Na, throwing themselves at their next victim." Tavra barely stopped herself from stepping forward and slapping her mother./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You're wrong! They aren't like that. /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"They're/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" kind to me. /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"They/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" listen to me. And they love me without conditions, which is more than I can say about you!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""SILENCE!" Mayrin's voice almost seemed to shake the room. "You are a paladin! Your job is to obey your All-Maudra's command, not flounce about with some…mixed clan magicker! Now, you will do as you're told, paladin, and return to your assigned station. Your job will be to train hard in self-discipline, until you move on from this little phase you're having and grow up. You are /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Vapra/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" royalty and you will marry whichever /emspan style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Vapra/em/spanem style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" I choose for you. You are to have no further contact with the Sifa until you have convinced me that you followed your orders. Is. That. Clear?!"/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""You cannot keep me from being happy, mother. I refuse to let you control my life any longer!" Mayrin's face turned into a snarl, before she quickly stomped over to the doors./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Guards, get in here! Now!" The paladins quickly did as commanded, four of them entering the chamber. Mayrin gave them a cold, threatening stare. "You are to escort Princess Katavra back to her post at the border and you will keep her there until otherwise instructed. She is not to contact anyone. Failure to carry out these commands will result in the severest of punishments." The soldiers stood there, unable to believe what they were hearing. After several seconds of inaction, Mayrin's face hardened even more. "MOVE!" They all jumped, before scrambling over and surrounding their captain. Tavra had no choice, but to go with them./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"A feeling of severe loneliness permeated throughout the dream link as time moved forward. Flashes of memories came slowly, as if ten trine were passing, instead of one./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavra, being led back to the border camp in disgrace./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"The paladins she'd chosen on the initial mission packing up and leaving, their replacements handpicked by the All-Maudra. Tavra would find no friends there./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"The princess, curled into a ball on her bunk, crying softly, so her guards couldn't hear her./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"And finally, the day of the training accident. A soldier known to dislike Tavra the most swung his sword at full force towards her, the princess just managing to dodge. Her heart was not in this fight. It had been torn from her body long ago. It was clear this man didn't care if he killed her, and if she could not be with her love, then she didn't care either./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"There was a flash of steel, then Onica's vision went red, and pain briefly overwhelmed her before her vision cleared to show an image of Tavra escaping from a medical tent left virtually unguarded./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"A final memory surfaced of Tavra spotting the Waystar's glow, following it down to where they were in the present./em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"em style="border: none; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"-/em/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"Tavra removed her touch from Onica's hand, breaking the link. She tried to stop it but could not defend against the tears that streaked down her cheeks. Onica pulled her love into a protective embrace, simply holding her as she cried./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""I'm so sorry." She sobbed. "I tried to get back to you for so long."/p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;""Shh…It's alright. Tavy, there was nothing you could do. No soldier alive would risk disobeying the All-Maudra…Well, one soldier did…and I love you all the more for it." A gentle kiss was laid upon Tavra's temple as Onica continued to comfort her throughout the night, until the tears were stopped, and they fell asleep, Tavra still wrapped in Onica's loving arms. They were together now, and that's all that mattered./p
/div
div class="shgTR" style="border: none; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Favorit, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 15px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; white-space: pre-line; width: 300px; word-break: break-word; padding: 0px var(-post-padding) 0px var(-post-padding);"
p style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"-DK/p
/div