Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Written: 2006, Found: 2018.- Licia

"I returned to the north of Fliaan, in search of my father, only to find that he had died when I was a child. I worked in various households as a maid, saving up as much money as I could. When I heard that Her Majesty had been found, I didn't want to believe it. I had waited, for ten years, for a sign. Waited for ten years for any word from my family, that they wanted me to join them, and had gotten nothing in return. I knew then that Candle's prediction had come true- they had gone down twenty-nine steps into a chamber and met their fate."

Trism met watched her, saw as the tears dried on her cheeks, allowing her time to think. "And when Fabala was found-"

"At first, I believed her to be an imposter. That no one could have survived such fate- one unknown to all the world. And then I met her," She sniffled.

She sat, back rigid, on the edge of the sofa in the Dowager Empress's boudoir. Memories of her time in the Winter Palace came back like quick film cuts from a nickelodeon, and she struggled to keep the tears at bay. Eventually, a door opened and someone entered. "You will stand, and address the Kauri as Your Highness." The guard behind the young woman said, even as she held up a hand.

"Please, that's not-"

"It's not problem, Your Highness." She dipped into a quick little curtsy before rising, her gaze wandering over the young woman. She certainly looked like the princess, the same long, black hair and dark eyes, the pale skin and slight, willowy build; so like Kauri Oziandra. She could see subtle similarities- Melena's chin, the famous Thropp eyes and hair, the Dowager's hands. The woman smiled softly; Frexpar's smile. But there was no way this woman could be the Kauri; wherever she and her family had been, they would have sent for her, and they didn't.

The woman made her way towards the maid, reaching out and taking her hands. "Oh, Cata." She bit her lip, gathering her thoughts. "How I've missed you so!"

The maid slowly pulled away, shaking her head. "You are not the Kauri. You look like her, but you are not her."

The woman swallowed thickly. "You truly think so little of me, Cata? You stayed with my family even after we were stripped of everything. When everyone else left, you stayed."

"You could have learned that from anyone-"

She shook her head. "When Papa, Mama and I left for Stakicjni, I gave you my diary, asked you to keep it safe. You told me to be brave, for my family. They would not let you come, and so you stayed with my siblings and the rest of the household." She started, surprised the woman knew such an intimate detail. The woman had tears in her eyes, tears that slipped down her cheeks. "They massacred them, Cata. I don't know how I got out, but they massacred my brother and my sisters, and Mama and Papa, and Doctor Dillamond and..." She broke down then, reaching out to take the other woman's hands, for she could tell that the maid still didn't believe her. "The dress Elia gave you? The one you wore to the opera the night the prime minister was assassinated, say you still have it? Please?"

The dress changed her mind completely. For no one, not a single soul, knew of the dress the oldest Kauri had given her. And for this girl, this woman, to know of it-

"Elphaba Frexparia?" It was more question than declaration, more uncertainty than certainty, but even so, she could tell that what the woman spoke of was true. And now that she looked at her closer, she could see the delicate diamond tattoos by her dark eyes. That simple response caused the woman to throw her arms around the maid, burying her face in the woman's shoulder.

"Oh Cata! Cata, I've missed you so!"

They clung to each other, finally reunited after all these years, the pain of their mutual loss catching up and taking hold. Though a long awaited reunion, it was bittersweet.

"I joined the royal household not long after, worked my way up to cook." She shrugged, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I know nothing of where the rest of my family is, Samraat, but I at least have one member of my family returned to me." Silence settled between them for several minutes, before she once again spoke up. "I will pack my things and leave the household by morning, if you feel it's best, Samraat."

Trism's blue gaze darted up, and he furrowed a brow. "Why, Cata? Why could you possibly think that I would want you to leave?"

She shrugged, unsure of what to say. "I just... I thought, that once you heard the whole..."

"You thought that my finding out your true connection to my wife would be enough to want to drive you from our household?" He shook his head, slightly disgusted. "Cata, I want you to go nowhere. You belong here, just as I do, just as my wife does. You have shown insurmountable loyalty to us over these last few years, just as you did to Fabala's family before, during and after the revolution. You are just as much a member of not only this household, but this family as Cattery is. You are going nowhere. You are going to stay and help my wife and I to raise our children." He reached over, taking her hand.

"Be brave, Kauri. You must be brave, for your brother and sisters and parents."

"And you, Cata."

Her eyes snapped open, and slowly, she lifted her head. Trism's side of the bed was empty; the house was quiet. She sat up slowly, to see darkness still outside, and carefully, got to her feet. Her body ached, her mind was fuzzy, and her vision blurry from sleep. A quick check of the clock told her that it was near two a.m. Slowly, very slowly, she slipped out of the room, and made her way down the stairs, being careful not to wake the other occupants of the house. Standing in the darkness of the foyer, she let her body adjust to being out of bed again. It was then that she heard voices, coming from the kitchens, and after a moment, slowly made her way towards them, stopping in the doorway in time to catch the last of the conversation.

"You're family, Cata. You're part of our family."