Aloth's not sure whether he should be happy, nervous, or just really confused about the fact that Cera insisted on meeting his mother - she said she wanted to learn her secret for how he turned out so amazing, as she had no ideas from her own parents. She must've known that would make him blush and stammer long enough for her to slip away to the Steward and ask if everything would be alright without her being around for about a month or so. And, fortunately or unfortunately, the answer was yes.
He's pulled out of his thoughts by a wave of nervousness from Cera - she's back on the continent she left and never meant to return to, of course she'd be nervous. Aloth leans over from the other side of the small wagon they're sitting in, and asks "Something wrong, Cera?"
"It's so weird to be back in Aedyr. And I'm halfway wondering what story my parents made up for why I didn't return with them. Like, are they saying I'm dead? Died during my travels and couldn't be found? Or did they finally give up and have another kid?"
Aloth raises an eyebrow, and asks "You think you might have a younger sibling?"
"Maybe. I feel bad for the kid if I do. But, who knows, maybe that kid won't sprout psychic powers and see past the glamorous surface of my old life."
One corner of Aloth's mouth twitches up, and he says "I'd say your new life is fairly glamorous, you know."
Cera gets a grin on her face, and says "It has its benefits. Such as a certain wizard I know who knows what it's like to be different from everybody else. And to have to hide that difference no matter what." She then turns bright red, hearing what he's thinking and not really wanting to block it out.
She fidgets with the hem of her Aedyran outfit, which she bought upon realizing just how hot Aedyr really is - it's been a few years since she was back, and she could immediately tell. Mainly because she was nearly cooking in her traveling clothes from the Dyrwood. So, after finding the nearest shop that had clothes to sell, she bought one of the sleeveless, brightly colored outfits there. And then she had to give Aloth's mind a small jolt to shake him out of staring dumbfoundedly at her. "So, are we near your mother's Thayn's place?"
Aloth blinks, looks out the window, and says "Yes, almost. As you said, its odd being back in Aedyr after so long. After everything that happened. I'm still amazed you could take off like this though, what with Caed Nua and all."
Cera shrugs, and says "We were gone more often than not chasing down Thaos. According to the Steward, she can follow the Master's will. And the Master's will is that things run smoothly in the Keep."
Aloth chuckles, and says "You are full of surprises. Watcher or not."
They hear the driver say "Alright, we've arrived! Thank you for riding!"
When they get out, they see that they're standing in front of a castle - one that, even from here, feels busy. A million different thoughts, right along with the people thinking them - good thing Cera's become an expert at navigating crowded, noisy places while being bombarded by the thoughts of everyone around her. And it's an even better thing that she can shut out a good part of those thoughts, if not all of them.
When they get inside, Aloth's pointed to the room his mother is currently in - he came here a few times with his mother over the years, so now the guards know him and such. When they get inside, Cera hears a warm voice say "Aloth! You're here! I- well, I wasn't expecting this at all! What a wonderful surprise!"
She's on the other side of the doorway, giving the two some time - and feeling slightly overwhelmed by what she's feeling from who she assumes is Aloth's mother. Which is…only everything she ever wanted to feel from her own mother, but never did. Compassion, worry, understanding…love. Now she truly envies Aloth, wishing her mother felt any of those things for her.
Pull yourself together, Cera! You're here to meet his mother, after all!
Before she can think or feel anything else, she hears "Actually, mother, there is another reason why I'm back. And I think you'll like it. And her."
"Her? You mean…? You found…? Does she know…?"
"Yes, yes, and yes, Mother. Cera said she'd give us a minute." Cera hastily wipes at her eyes, which she only now realizes are wet, just as Aloth's head appears from around the doorway. "Cera…what's wrong?"
She shakes her head, a smile coming to her lips, and says "Nothing's wrong, Aloth. Nothing at all." Just wishing I had a mother half as amazing as yours.
When he pulls her in, she sees a woman with hair the same shade as Aloth's and the same color eyes. "Oh! Aloth, she's lovely! My apologies, Cera, is it? Or should I call you Cera…?"
Cera smiles, and says "Just Cera, please. And, thank you."
Her smile grows even bigger, waves of joy rolling off her like the tide. "Would you like anything? Water, tea, food? Where are you from? Where'd you meet Aloth?"
Aloth turns slightly red, saying "Slow down, Mother! One question at a time! And I'm alright. Cera?"
She laughs, slightly embarrassed, and says "Yes, of course."
Cera says "I'm fine, thank you. I was born here in Aedyr, but I've been traveling as of late. I met Aloth in the Dyrwood, and things…happened from there, I guess you could say."
Aloth holds back a chuckle - that's definitely one way to put it, along with making it all sound much safer than it ever was. T
hings happened…does she know about Iselmyr? "So, ah…"
Cera gives the older woman a smile, and says "Lady Corfiser, is it? Not to be rude, or alarming, but I happen to have a few secrets of my own. Say, hearing other people's thoughts and feeling their feelings like they're my own. Yes, I know about Iselmyr. Like Aloth knows about my Cipher powers." At first, Cera feels only shock from the woman…until relief blooms underneath it all.
"You have Cipher powers?"
Cera nods, and says "I was born with them, and they showed themselves when I was young. I try to stay out of people's heads, but…you can't stop hearing what people are saying. It's the same with thoughts for me."
So…you know what it's like to be different, then. Cera nods her head, and then Aloth's mother actually starts crying.
Cera steps out of the room to give Aloth and his mother some time alone. And, only a little, to try and clear her head of the torrent of emotions bombarding her from Aloth's mother. Relief, joy almost to bursting, compassion, etc. And right now, Cera feels like she could either explode from them or very well start crying right next to the older woman.
Aloth sits down next to his mother once the door closes behind Cera, who mumbled an excuse to leave almost as soon as his mother started crying. She throws her arms around his neck, crying into his cloak. "Mother, what's wrong?"
She gets out a tearful laugh, saying "Nothing's wrong, Aloth! I'm so happy for you! A mother always knows when her child is happy, and I can tell your happy with her!" She breaks down crying again, so Aloth offers her the edge of his cloak.
Once she's finally gotten control of her tears, she asks "What's she like? Cera, I mean. How'd you meet? And how did you find out about her powers and how'd she learn of Iselmyr?"
Aloth blushes, and says "She's wonderful, mother. She has Cipher powers, but tries to stay out of people's heads as much as possible - respecting their privacy, and all. She's nothing like Father, wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was trying to harm her first - and she's very good with a crossbow." They both chuckle, and then he says "We met in Gilded Vale, outside the inn. Iselmyr had gotten me into trouble. Again. And then Cera shows up out of nowhere and saves me from a fight."
"With her powers?"
"With her powers. She put them into a trance-like state and then sent them home to sleep their hangovers off and remember none of what had happened."
"They were drunk?! Were you drunk as well?"
"Me? No. But Iselmyr had said something that got them highly offended - and they were as drunk as it gets, swaying on their feet already."
"And then Cera saved you."
"Yes. I later asked about her powers, and after a minute she answered me - in all likelihood, because I'd seen her use them so openly and expressed interest instead of fear."
His mother gets a knowing smile, and says "I'd say that would help. Now, onto Iselmyr's discovery." Her look turns serious, and she asks "How did she learn of your Awakened Soul?"
"I told her, mother. She knows what it's like to be different. And the fact that she likely heard something Iselmyr said to the drunks outside the inn. She reacted better than I ever imagined though, was actually hurt that I hadn't told her. That I thought she'd suddenly see me as dangerous or something. Which I thought she might."
His mother looks at him and says "You're one lucky elf, you know that, son? I can't believe you found someone who…"
"Neither could I, at first. Kept thinking she only saw me as a friend. Despite what everyone else was saying, Iselmyr included somehow."
His mother chuckles, and asks "So, if you don't mind me asking, who is Cera anyway? She seems like a lovely young elf, but…"
"But you'd like to know her last name." Aloth saw that coming, and knew Cera would likely leave her family anonymous if at all possible.
"Yes, something like that. Because I saw that ring on her finger, son."
"Cera doesn't get along with her parents much, Mother. Which would be why she was traveling."
"Ah, I see. But…?"
"Iden. Her name is Cera Iden."
The utterly dumbstruck look on his mother's face would be hysterically funny if it were about anything else. "She's…your…Iden?! As in the Iden family, Iden?!"
"Yes, one of the things she was rather non-forthcoming about at first. Such as me and Iselmyr."
"I'd heard she'd gone missing…all of Aedyr was talking about it for months."
"She didn't want to be controlled by her parents, get stuck in a marriage she didn't want to some noble she didn't even like. So, she left. Traveled Eora for some time before ending up in the Dyrwood. And then, we met by chance and things happened from there." Aloth can guess she's wondering at the chances of meeting the missing heir to the Iden fortune in a place like the Dyrwood - if she only knew the chances of having Cera's soul, she'd be even more in shock.
"So…will you two be staying in Aedyr? Or are you going to keep traveling the world for a bit?"
Aloth shakes his head and says "Sadly, no. Cera inherited a keep from its previous master back in the Dyrwood, and we can't leave it indefinitely."
They hear some familiar laughter echo through the window, and both elves look outside to see Cera surrounded by about six puppies that will be trained to be hunting dogs. And she's playing with them, petting them, and getting covered in puppy kisses. Aloth's mother whispers "She's a good person, Aloth. In general, and to spend the rest of your life with. I'm so proud of you, son. And so, so happy for you."
AN: Alright, the end! Thanks to MLK day, I've got a break from homework and lab reports - so, here's the final chapter! Hope you all enjoyed this story, I know I did! Any other suggestions for story ideas are more than welcome!
PS. Got an idea for some Guild Wars 2 stories, more to be posted - hooray! Based on my own characters. Unfortunately, nothing I can start and even hope to update regularly during this semester, sorry! All my electives got gated behind Bio 2 and Lab, so I'm taking three science lectures and their labs.