This is the second to the last chapter. The last chapter is finished and will be up soon.
Chapter 25: Home at Last.
Alyssa sat down next to Lyude on the bed once Skeed had laid him gently upon it. He stayed for only a moment, touching Lyude's head and ruffling his hair affectionately. "You're made of sterner stuff than we ever gave you credit for, little brother." he murmured. "It's good to finally have you home." He squeezed Lyude's shoulder gently and turned to go. "Take good care of him, Alyssa. I know you will."
Alyssa hadn't spoken a word since Lyude had first came into view, nor taken her eyes off of him. She stroked his hair and gently kissed his forehead. "Lyude..." she murmured. "Oh my love, what have they done to you?" Tears rimmed her eyes and she ran her hands along his arms and chest, checking for any injuries.
She found the bandages on his left arm and removed them gently. She winced as she saw the deep scratches. "Oh darling..." she murmured and dabbed at the injuries gently. She tended to Lyude the remainder of the day, he never stirred aside of the odd, soft moan. It had taken quite a while to free him of the grime and filth he had been forced to live in. He had lost some weight and his visage was weary.
Nearly a week passed with no change whatsoever to Lyude's condition. Skeed continued to run the country as they waited patiently for Lyude to recover. The appearance of Jareth Lyricello was a celebrated event, he had been quite a decorated officer in his time, and of course, to Vallye and Skeed, it was nearly as joyful as having Lyude returning safely back to them.
Alyssa approached their bed, lying down beside Lyude and hugging her sleeping husband close. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the mild rhythm of his beating heart, the soft breaths as his chest rose and fell gently. It comforted her to have him so close. She would be patient for him to wake. He was home now and that was what mattered. Alyssa's eyes grew heavy, the last week had been more tiring than she could have ever realized it would. Caring for Lyude was her top priority and she had barely left his side. Never without having someone else to sit with him when she wasn't there. Slowly, she drifted into a dreamless sleep.
Alyssa held Lyude close, her swelling stomach too large for her to hold him properly, but her head rested on his chest. She woke to the gentle swell of his chest as he breathed a deep sigh, a soft groan escaped his lips and he shifted beside her. Her eyes widened. Could it be?
Lyude shifted where he lay. A blanketing of sleep lingering stubbornly around his consciousness. Slowly, he felt his senses beginning to clear. He could scarce remember anything that had occurred...had he been dreaming? He barely dared open his eyes for fear of finding himself on a cold stone floor.
He moaned softly. As his senses returned to him, he found himself to be quite comfortable. There was something weighing down on his chest, though not unpleasantly so. Slowly, with quite an effort he began to open his eyes. He heard a soft gasp as he stirred and the weight moved from his chest, leaned now against his side. He realized that someone was holding him then, their arm draped across his chest. "Hmmmnnn...?" he murmured as the hazy images before his eyes began to clear. A deep green velvet canopy was over his head and a face appeared before his eyes. His eyes grew soft as he recognized his wife. She didn't speak, the tears in her eyes said more than any words ever could. She trembled as she bent down and kissed his forehead tenderly, smoothing his hair back behind his ear affectionately.
Lyude could barely believe his eyes. Memories of what had occurred the previous week were still hazy for him and felt like they had been a dream. He had half wondered if he had indeed been dreaming when he had held his wife close for that first time in many months. Could he be dreaming now? "Alyssa...could it truly be you? Am I dreaming?" he asked his eyes searching for confirmation that she was really there.
"No darling, I'm here." said Alyssa, taking his hand in her own and kissing him tenderly. "How I missed you." she whispered into his hair, burying her face in his neck as she began to cry softly. Lyude leaned his head against hers as her face fitted itself neatly into the hollow of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and held her gently.
"Alyssa...let me see you." he said softly into her hair. Alyssa smiled. She knew what he meant. This was the first time he had been coherent enough for her pregnancy to truly hit home. She stood up, revealing the swell of her stomach as Lyude slowly sat up and gazed upon her.
"You're even more beautiful than I remembered." Lyude murmured. "You glow as radiant as the desert sun." Alyssa sat down beside him and kissed him tenderly.
"How do you feel, Lyude darling?" she asked him. "No one wants to rush you if you're not ready to go back on duty.
"Now that I'm with you, I feel I could accomplish anything. You are my strength." he whispered into Alyssa's hair.
Lyude breathed her in, the smell of crushed desert roses filled his senses. Lyude wrapped his arms around Alyssa's shoulders, hugging her close from behind. She leaned against him smiling contentedly.
After a long moment, he drew away and got weakly to his feet. Alyssa took his arm, lending him her support. "Are you sure you're ready to walk, darling?" she said in concern.
Lyude nodded, "I..I'll be all right...I've been gone for far too long as it is. I can make it." he said softly. He turned to Alyssa and smiled warmly, drawing her to him and kissing her gently before he straightened himself and they walked together from the room, Alyssa keeping her arm under him to ensure he wouldn't fall.
Skeed was seated at Lyude's desk, going through a mound of paper work, his head resting on one hand as he stared idly at a proposal he wasn't particularly pleased with. How did he get so behind? He'd been gone for only a few hours to speak to his father, and in that time, the work seemed to have doubled. He was in little mood for company when he heard a knock at the door.
"What is it?" he growled burying himself deeper in his paperwork and wondering how much more the one behind the door would be bringing.
"I can see I have my work cut out for me." came a mild voice as the door opened. Skeed stiffened and looked up. "Lyude!" he croaked jumping from his chair and slamming his hands on the desk, sending papers flying as he made his way around the desk to better see his brother, who was standing alone in the doorway with a faint smile.
"Lyude..." said Skeed again approaching him and eying him with disbelief. He pulled him into a rough hug. "Welcome home, little brother." he said ruffling his hair fondly.
"Glad in the knowledge that I'll be doing all this paperwork instead of you now, eh?" said Lyude with a chuckle, embracing his brother back. "It's good to be home." he murmured.
"It's good to have you home." said Skeed. "I wasn't informed you had awoken." he said.
"I didn't wake very long ago." said Lyude. "I expect I have a lot to catch up on."
"More than you want to think about, Little brother." said Skeed.
Lyude looked at the pile on the desk he had occupied for the last year previous to his capture. Already he could see that the next several weeks were going to be filled with plenty of paperwork. Not today, however. He wanted to have time to spend with his friends, who had remained steadfastly, waiting for him to wake.
"Where are the others?" Lyude asked Skeed. "Kalas, and the rest. They're still here, aren't they?" asked Lyude.
"Refused to leave until they were sure you were going to be all right." said Skeed. "The one called Mizuti wants to see your wings again." he chuckled.
"My wings? What are you talking about?...I don't have..." Lyude paused. Vague memories came to him of soaring above the core-less Malpercio, and embracing his wife. "I don't...do I? It's impossible...surely they can't have been truly mine. A side effect of Pyri's power or something.
"Well, they looked real enough to me when I saw them. Why don't you try to summon them?" asked Skeed.
"I...I don't know how." said Lyude. "No one should have wings of the heart anymore...let alone a native of Alfard."
"Perhaps you should aks your friends about it. If anyone, they could tell you how to bring your wings out. They did it every battle, I assume."
"Yes, they did..." said Lyude. "But still..."
"You don't need to argue with me about it. I know less than most about what occurred down there. Only what I heard from your friends and several written reports."
"Many that I'll still need to read." said Lyude with a sigh.
"Don't worry, little brother, I'll help you catch up with it all. I think I got a fairly good idea of how to fill out all these forms by now." he smirked.
Lyude looked at him gratefully. "I'd appreciate that." he said.
They strolled together down the halls, greetings and well wishes surrounding the returned Minister. Lyude came through a set of double doors and smiled when he saw his friends sitting in the courtyard that had been constructed for leisure times. They were all relaxing in the Alfard sun.
"Hey! Look who it is!" Gibari said with a grin as he caught sight of Lyude. "How ya feelin' kid?" he said pulling Lyude into a crushing embrace."
Lyude wheezed at the force. "Better once you allow me to breathe, Gibari." he said with a breathless laugh.
"Heheh, right. Sorry, kid." he said releasing him and ruffling his hair. The big man always seemed to love doing that to those much shorter than him, which was virtually anyone.
"Lyude!" said Xelha with a smile and giving him a friendly hug. "It's so good to see you awake." she smiled.
"How long has it been...since it was over?" he asked. "I didn't really think to ask when I was with Alyssa."
"Just over a week." said Kalas. "You've got some cleaning up to do now, huh?"
"With the council? Most definitely." said Lyude. "I'm grateful that I had Andrews and Skeed to keep things running while I was away. I shudder to think what I would have returned to if they hadn't been there...if I did return."
"The Great Mizuti want to see Lyude's magnificent wings!" said Mizuti. "They be stupendous, fitting, beautiful!"
"Just like his heart." said Xelha kissing Lyude on the cheek with a smile. "I always thought your wings would be something special."
"I...I mean...I don't think I truly have any...perhaps they were a mere side effect of Pyri's power...surely they're not still with me."
"Well, why don't ya try it, kid? Wings have a tendency to come out under times of great emotion, or if you call them from your heart. Give it a try, think of something that makes you feel you could fly to the highest heights."
"I don't know..."
"Ah, come on now, kid. Give it a shot." he said punching Lyude lightly on the arm.
"Well, all right." said Lyude. "I'll try, but don't be disappointed if nothing happens." Lyude closed his eyes and thought of Alyssa, her warm smile, what they shared together, it made his heart feel light and he felt something stir within it. His wings came out of his back, blazing and beautiful, seeming almost white if it had not been for the fiery aura that surrounded them, each feather tipped with a golden end. He opened his eyes in surprise and peered down into the clear pool at them.
"I..Impossible." he said gaping at the magnificent wings sprouting from his back. "They're...they're beautiful...but...why do I have wings of the heart?"
"A gift, I suspect." said Savyna. "Three times you've saved Alfard from great peril. Perhaps this is Pyri's gift to you for your services to his sovereign nation."
"Sounds reasonable to me." said Gibari with a grin. "Give 'em a go, kid."
Lyude kicked off the ground with a smile, the feel of wind through his hair was wonderful, and he felt as if he'd had them his whole life. He soared high, spiraling toward the earth and swooping down, exercising the powerful wings and lighting on the ground with an exhilarated smile. "That...was more than ever imagined it would be." he said.
They talked for the rest of the day, the group deciding to stay a few more days to help get things under control, agreeing to return when it was closer to Alyssa's time.