Neal sat in a large armchair, reading a book. He looked up when he heard the door open. Midori then rushed in with Amyl and grinned, "Da, guess what!" she exclaimed.
"What is it?" Neal asked, curious.
"Amyl's going train as a knight like Kel and the Lioness! She said Merric's going let her"
Neal's face went blank. "Is that so?" he inquired.
Amyl nodded. "Da said I could"
"Can I train with her?" Midori's face was filled with a glowing hope that Neal fought to refuse. Did she understand that there would be endless teasing and hard work and the horror of the Chamber?
A cold shiver slid down Neal's spine. No, say no. She doesn't understand what she's saying. He thought.
"Can I?" Midori repeated.
Neal gazed at Midori and was reminded vividly of her mother. The pain of heartbreak still ripped at his spirit, he didn't want his daughter to be killed in battle or have her heart split as well. He saw it in her eyes that she wanted this more then anything and it pained him to deny her the dream.
Kel leaned in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest as if waiting for him to answer. Amyl, Neal and Midori didn't notice her.
"Why?" Neal asked.
"Because I want to become a pillar for the family's honor. Like you are" Midori stuck out her chin stubbornly, and crossed her arms.
"Listen sprout, training will be hard"
"I'll train harder if I have to, Kel will help me!" Midori's eyes glinted with anticipation.
Neal rubbed the back of his neck. "The Chamber of Ordeal--"
"That box of magic doesn't scare me!" Midori sneered.
"That Chamber chewed me up and spat me out, Midori, it could kill you"
"I'm not afraid of dying for my dream…" Midori whispered.
Neal sighed, knowing she had won this time, "Pack your things, we leave in a day's time"
Grinning from ear to ear and hugging her father tight, she then let him go and ran from the room to pack.
"You did a good thing, letting her train" murmured Kel as she left to help Midori pack.
Kel had taken Midori in as a daughter. Though she did want a child of her own, she knew not to inquire Dom, her lover, about marriage and children. He was still saddened of her miscarriage two years earlier, and she didn't blame him and, besides, she knew soldiers in the Own were not allowed to marry so why was her situation any different?
"Have you seen your favorite person lately?" Midori inquired.
Not expecting such a personal question, Kel awkwardly blushed which made the girl smirk.
"Not recently, he's been busy with the Own" she replied.
For the next hour they talked and packed up Midori's things.
Kel was about to pick up a familiar Yamani fan when Midori stopped her. "No, don't touch that…" she ordered in barely a whisper.
The lady knight, realizing whose it was, quickly nodded and let Midori place it in a small chest, which she then placed in a large trunk.
"It was my ma's" Midori sighed. "I never knew her…"
Kel nodded, understanding the girl's pain of uncertainty. "I knew your mother, she was a good friend of mine"
"Did she want a daughter?"
"I think she knew before you were born," Kel then slipped on her Yamani mask and continued to pack, silent.
Kel was brought vividly back to the Scanran war and Irnai's words to her:
"If he's like this now, how will he stay calm when his daughter tries for her
Knighthood?"
Well he has let her train thought Kel and shrugged.
Neal leaned in the door of Midori's room and let a quiet sigh escape his lips. Neal had repeated Irnai's words, from Kel, to Yuki. Yuki had told him that if the child seer's words were true, she wanted Neal to let her daughter achieve her dream.
And then he had lost her.
Had Irnai or Kel known what would happen at Midori's birth?
He hadn't known either but wished he could have saved her, poured out his Gift until he collapsed to rescue his beloved from death.
But no.
He hadn't.
Neal watched, feeling numb as Midori hugged him again and hurried to saddle her white pony, Yukiko, which meant in Yamani: snow child.
Once she had mounted, Kel saddled Peachblossom and rode out of Queenscove beside Midori.
"Goodbye sprout…"