A/n: A sweet chapter about Tia telling her daughter what she needs to know.

Chapter 4: The Truth

If Tia was angry it was nothing compared to the shock she received when she found out what her daughter wanted to do: go to Tortall and become a female knight, of course Tia couldn't let her daughter go least she be found out for what she is and shunned for a choice that her parents had made long ago.

Epona had been reluctant to understand this, all Tia could do without telling her daughter the truth was say no and suggest other alternatives: like becoming a black robe mage like her father doing studies at the University that sort of things. Epona seeing that her mother was effectively switched to another subject but annoyed that she still couldn't do what she wanted to do with her life said, "Anyone who works at a university is a overachiever."

Tia looked at her daughter and realized that she should let her follow her dreams after all she did just that, holding someone back from their desired dreams was wrong and if Epona really wanted that dream she had to tell her the truth about who her parentage and why Tia had decided to marry her half-brother, looking at her daughter now Tia knew that Epona had the right to know, "Epona sit down I have something to tell you." Epona sat down and asked, "If it's the birds and the bees talk I already know." Tia laughed bitterly if only it was as simply as that, "Then you know what happens when a daughter marries her brother?"

"That's called incest ma, why are you talking about incest?" Epona seemed frightened at where the conversation was going, "You didn't answer my question Epona."

"The child is usual deformed or lacking in some way." Epona said still frightened, "True but in rare cases the child is fine. Epona I am telling you this because you are a smart girl who could easily accomplish her dreams but before you even think of undertaking the journey. There is something holding you back from going to Tortall and potentially having children." Epona made the connection and looked even more frightened, "Da is my uncle?" Tia could only nod, "Your half-uncle." Epona looked startled and frightened as before, "But why is that holding me back?"

Tia sat down and looked shaken by the question, all the memories she had of her mother trying to kill her and of meeting her father in the realms of the dead rushed back, "Your grandmother is Alanna, the Lioness." Epona managed to look both frightened and pleased.

"But-" before Epona could finish the sentence Tia looked into the eyes of her daughter and said, "She is the reason we live in Carthak. Not only that but King Jonathan killed me, he ordered me hanged for treasonous acts that I committed for love." Tia looked down at her feet tears filling her eyes as she once again envisioned walking up the wooden platform, seeing Thom in the crowd and feeling the rough rope noose being positioned around her neck and finally feeling the life drain from her body as she said her final words, "I'm pregnant."

Looking at her daughter once more she saw that her daughter had the unspoken question in her eyes, "But your still alive." And answered it in words, "Your father, your uncle whatever you want to think of Thom resurrected me for the same reason that I committed treasonous acts, for love." Epona was shocked out of her ten years, never before had she thought that her parents were a walking memorial for love, she knew that they loved each other but she had never thought that her father would shake the Realms of the Dead for her mother. It gave her a deeper appreciation for her life and the lives of her mother and father.

"I understand." Epona said looking at her feet feeling stupid for teasing her mother, she looked up at her mother's tear-ridden eyes, "Does that mean I can go?"

Tia looked at her daughter carefully, "Now you understand why we wouldn't let you go. But now you may do so. Just remember that you are to tell no one of who your mother and father are, for you to may be hanged for partaking in treasonous acts."

Epona nodded and began packing her things for a journey in an odd sense home, on the ship headed towards Tortall she wondered if she would ever go that far for someone she loved, like her parents did.

Tia alone in her house drinking tea wondered if she should of told her what the Black god did for her life and considered perhaps it was better if she never found out.

(-)

A/n: And now the story is going to shift onto Epona life in Tortall.Tell me if you have problem with this.