Aydub started her own story on here, so for the next chapters me and her are going to work on it togeather. Her side is here: /s/5028842/1/Finding_a_Path

she has her own epic adventure w silly girl, betraying her family is just evil~

The next day, I found out something truly amazing about this quiet little town. It turned out, the entire village knew about Aydub.

How did I know that they knew?

Father Meven, of course, told me when I went to work with puffy red eyes. He offered me the day off but I couldn't stay home. Sister Endelyon set up a prayer session just for me, in Aydub's name. It was just the four of us, Zeiyo included. I realized that I was so glad to be part of a caring church

~*~*~

Zeiyo was currently dozing off on my back and everyone was at school, I hadn't told any of them of Ay yet, although they probably already knew. I couldn't help but wonder about something.

"Hey Zeiyo?"

The sleepy spirit appeared at my side with his eyes closed, hair messy and drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Zeiyo! Wake up! I'm talking!"

With a quick whip of my hand, and a face full of wheat, he woke up and glared at me.

"Diya! What was that for!?"

"I was calling you!"

"Mistress" he whined, gazing at me with puppy eyes, "why are you so mean to me?"

I laughed and stroked him, "That's how I express love."

"Hmpf!" He floated in the air with his legs crossed, "So you called?"

"Yes! I was trying to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"Why do you think Kori hasn't told me about Ay?"

He shrugged, "Maybe the same reason you don't want to tell them."

"I'm the mother! I should be the very first person to know! I swear, I'm going to kill Aodhan when I get my hands around his neck!"

Zeiyo laughed, "You're just angry because you can't hold your drinks."

Whap!

"I was only teasing!" He cried as he rubbed his head again.

"I'm serious! What kind of moron tells a mother that her child is dead…after getting her drunk! He's lucky the kids didn't smell it on me!"

Zeiyo was about to say something to me but saw something and stood up straight, waving.

"Hey you!"

I looked to see my daughter, who looked exactly like my husband, except with size C cups. Dusting dirt off my skirt, I stood up and reached over.

"Ckika! What are you doing here? Does Aranwen know about this?"

She hugged me back and gives Zeiyo a dagger to eat, "She knows, she let me out of school early."

"Oh."

Something was weird, maybe it was because I kept Aydub's death to myself. I pushed it to the back of my head as I pulled my daughter beside me. We silently harvested the wheat and barley from the fields.

"Hey mom?"

"Hm?"

"Last week, I was in the town square and–"

"Diya!" Endelyon came screaming from the church.

We stood up and ran over but she shook her head and shouted out something about Alby and about a horrible accident. Ckika was faster than me and heard what she said. She turned to me.

"It's Yuki! Something happened at Alby."

"On the way!" Zeiyo shouted as he left me behind.

I wanted to shout for him to slow down but instead I sped up, we left Ckika behind but I knew she would follow

~*~*~

When I reached the healer's house, I was greeted by Yuki, who ran out of the house with her arms wide open and frosting caking her face.

"Mommy!" she yelled.

"Yuki!!" I cried in relief.

I hugged her, not minding the sugar all over my dress…or the sugar rushed child that was going to await me once we got home.

"I figured you would be here soon."

Dilys stood at the front of her house with a bandaged up Trefor. I eyed the half mummy warrior and the annoyed healer.

"What happened?"

Ckika finally caught up to us.

"Mommy!" Yuki shouted with glee, "I defeated a giant spider!"

Everyone's eyes lit up, excluding Trefor and Dilys. Zeiyo looked at the child.

"No kidding?"

"Nope! Swear on my daddy's grave!"

"Yuki!" I laughed, not even giving my mind a chance to slide back into thinking about my recent grave tomb.

"Hold on! You? Took on a giant spider? On your own?" Ckika skeptically asked.

Could you blame her for being doubious?

Trefor limped over, he was holding one crutch under his arm, "I took most of its life out."

"But you're the one who let it out of the dungeon."

"Yeah? Well at least I wasn't the one who was skipping class."

"I wasn't skipping! I was walking!"

"I mean cutting!"

"I wasn't cutting! Ms. Lassar let us out!"

I was suddenly between the bickering bunch, "Hold a minute! Where is Star?" I asked, alarmed.

Ckika and Zeiyo both looked towards Alby dungeon.

"Star stayed with Uncle Duncan!"

"Oh…why didn't you stay with her?" I asked while crossing my arms over my chest, she recognized the scolding technique and the cheerfulness left her voice.

"I wanted to test my lightning bolt…it killed the spider in one hit!" she told me, rather proudly.

Trefor's face turned red with embarrassment, "After I went and took most of its life!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Mom!"

~*~*~

We all went home; I got off the rest of the day due to Yuki's stunt. They went home ahead of me, due to I had to pay a visit to Duncan and thank him for watching Star...which takes an hour almost, due to his nonstop talking...and mines.

When I got home, first thing I spotted was a purple haired woman sleeping on the couch with Star clinging to her leg. Blue eyes looked up at me.

"Mommy, she keeps moving around! She is hurt I think."

Quickly, I reached over and shook the young woman.

"Hey, hey! Are you okay?" The woman's eyes shot open and stare at me, "You were tossing and turning. Bad dream?"

She nods, "Are you Diya?"

Smiling, I pat the girl's wet forehead, "Yes, that's me."

I stood up and looked over at Koriko, who looked like the cat that ate the canary. My eyes scanned the room and fell upon the secret.

"Koriko! You have some explaining! Why is my china cabinet broken!?" I demanded.

I bought that long before I had the kids, and it was somewhat important to me. Koriko laughed nervously and suddenly ideas start crawling into my head of all the outlandish things he could have possibly done.

"I seriously don't know!" he laughed uneasily but I got so angry. Memories of god knows how long had been destroyed.

I picked up a vase and threw it. It missed Koriko-- not that I was aiming at him, and smashed against the wall, just as Kori fell to the floor in despair.

"Now fix it!" I ordered firmly.

Koriko mumbled something, but I ignore him and sit down next to the guest, "So, who are you?"

"I'll spare you the long story, I'm Hishima Cornelia Saens. Nice to meet you Mrs. Light."

I tilted my head questioningly, "How did you know my last name?"

"Oh, I know Aydub. He told me about you all, though it was Star who dragged me here."

My heart skipped a beat, "You know Aydub?"

Mentally, I hit myself for having hope. Her face lit up in shock for a second before sliding back into the look that I have been getting all day.

"Yeah, I knew him a while ago. He came to Bangor for a little while, something about paladin training or something. He was really good and sweet."

"So…it's true, isn't it? He's dead?" I deadpanned.

Something inside me simply could not accept the fact that another of my loved ones had died. Zero's death had pained me to no end, but now the old wound, just beginning to heal, was again violently torn open to bleed for my beloved Aydub.

Stupid, Aodhan showed you the tombstone! Why do you do this to yourself!? chided my voice of reason, but my emotions refused to consider such sacrilegious ideas, for they seemed to demean Aydub.

"I'm sorry, I wish it weren't true Ms. Light." Hishima murmured sympathetically.

I felt Zeiyo's comforting presence curl around me. Smiling, I whispered a thank you to the sword and I'm sure he was smiling back. Suddenly Ckika's voice broke through my thoughts

"Aydub is–"

The door swings open, "I'm home!"

I glanced at Ckika before turning to the door. Sularin walked in, combing her hair with her fingers.

"Welcome home Sul."

"Oh, we have a guest?"

Hishima stands up and extands her head, "Hi, I'm Hishima Cornelia Saens, but you can just call me Hishima."

Sularin shot me a questionable glance which I returned with a smile and a shrug. She shook the girl's hand.

"I'm Sularin Light."

I stood up now, brushing my skirt off and stroking Yuki on the head.

"If anyone needs me, I think I need a bath." I announced "Working in the fields all day can get pretty dirty."

~*~*~

"Mom?"

Watermelon scented shampoo was dripping down my back as the quiet voice echoed the tiled room.

"Yeah hunny?"

I heard the toilet seat being closed, the hard plastic slamming against the porcelain followed by a soft 'sorry'.

"Are you okay mom?"

"Yep! I just needed a good hot shower."

"In the afternoon?"

Rolling my eyes would have been useless since a thin curtain separated me and her, "I deserve to get pampered as well!"

I could almost hear Ckika roll her own eyes but then it got silent, besides the sound of the water. It was slightly uncomfortable, bathing with her in the same room. Not that it was uncommon, I had bathed with all my kids when they were younger. I still bathe with Star and Yuki sometimes, but Ckika was already grown.

Anyone with half a brain could see that she wanted to talk to me about something. I just prayed it wasn't about boys or anything too personal. Those type of 'talks' could wait for when I'm dressed and not worried about when the last time someone scrubbed down the tub was.

I was in middle of rinsing my hair of the fruity shampoo when Ckika asked me, "Mom, can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything."

Let me find out a boy got you pregnant! I'll rip his limbs from his body!

"It's about–"

"Mom! I have to talk to you!" screamed Sularin, who just opened the door without even knocking.

"What the hell Sul!"

"Ckika, get out. I need to talk to mom, alone."

"I was here first!"

Groaning, I leaned my head on the wall, listening to the two girls bicker. This went on for about five minutes before I snapped back to attention.

"Get. Out!" Sularin pushed Ckika out of the bathroom and I heard the door lock, followed by banging from the younger sister.

"Sularin, what's so important that no one can wait for me to finish my shower?"

Knowing my daughter, she sat right on the sink, letting her feet hit the cupboard door beneath the sink.

"It's about a boy."

"Stop right there!" I ordered, "Go to my room and sit on my bed, I'm getting out right now and then we can talk, okay?"

"Okay!" She left the door open and ran off.

I quickly finished my 'relaxing' shower, put on my pajamas and went to my room.

Zeiyo and Sularin were on my bed, chatting up a storm that could be heard from outside the door. As soon as I walked in, Sularin was on my arm while Zeiyo jumped on my bed, why he was excited to see me, was a mystery.

"Mom! Can I tell you now?"

Zeiyo pulled me on the bed and wrapped his arms around my neck, keeping me in place.

When the hell did I sign up to be kidnapped?

"Okay! Okay! Don't choke me! I need my throat to breathe, thank you very much."

Zeiyo loosed his grip as Sularin sat on my lap, "Mom, there's this boy at school."

Wrapping my arms around her, "Okay…"

"Okay! I also work with him too."

"At the school?"

Did I ever mention? Sularin is a student and a part time worker, Stewart told me that she was very bright and would be nice to have around. Running errands for him, working in the library and stuff. Sularin would be great as a teacher.

"Yep!"

"Is he cute?"

I stare at my spirit with dubious eyes, "You wouldn't know a cute guy if he came and bit you on the nose."

"That's not true!"

"Oh really?" Sularin leaned over me, "Who's a cutie?"

Zeiyo sweated a storm as he looked around, "Well…err…um…Diya's husband!"

We roll our eyes, "Someone else."

"Um…Tarlach?"

Instantly, I glare at the spirit but Sularin tilts her head.

"The mage warrior?"

Zeiyo stares at me, "Yes?"

I look at the girl on my lap, she is currently thinking to herself.

"Yeah…he's cute. Don't you think so mom?"

"What? Why would I know how he looks? I never met him before." I snapped, a little too quickly. Sularin didn't notice.

"Pictures at the library…plus, Father Meven knew him so I bet you've seen pictures."

"Oh…pictures! Well sure, he's not bad looking." I muttered hurriedly.

My violet orbs shifted around, now I wanted to end the conversation as quickly as possible or at least change topics.

"So, about this boy?"

Sularin grins, "Well he is cute, a bit shy at first. He is so kind to me mom, he's very helpful with the stuff I'm force to do around the town."

"He sounds like a sweetheart! Who is he?"

My child's face turns pink and she starts playing with the imaginary string, "Who is he? Well…I don't want to tell you."

"Why not?"

"…Someone else likes him."

I tried to stand up but her weight isn't something you can easily push off, "He's dating someone!?"

"No! He doesn't even know that she likes him…he's kind of slow."

My three second anger flare disappeared as I pull her closer, "So you want to beat her to it?"

She nodded, and Zeiyo raised his arm in the air.

"I approve!"

We both looked at him oddly, "Approve of what?" I asked in the who-made-your-opinion-count/annoyed voice.

He laughed and put his head behind his head, "I was just helping, right Sul?"

She nodded, but I rolled my eyes, "Sure. I approve too."

"Yay!"

She jumped off my lap and danced around, Zeiyo holding her hands and twirling along with her. I sighed and laid back on my bed.

What have I just agreed to let date my daughter?

~*~*~

"Alright, let's give Hishima some room to breathe" I scolded my youngest daughters.

Star and Yuki climbed off the violet hair woman and returned to their seats. Sularin and Ckika were glaring each other down for the incident in the bathroom.

Hishima smiled, "This is really good Mrs. Light."

"You don't have to call me that, Diya would just be fine. And thank you, I can teach you the recipe later. It's a family recipe! I taught it to Uba, Ckika and Sularin. The little angels next to you are going to learn it, once they can stand next to a flame."

Star and Yuki stuffed their faces with the Light Family's Secret Roasted Chicken, orange rice and tons of biscuits. Ckika and Sularin fought over every piece of food they had to get on their plate. Hishima and I carried a conversation.

I heard a knock on the door. I looked questioningly at the kids and they looked back at me with equally surprised expressions. Next thing we knew, Kim was barging into the house through the window.

"Hey Grandma, I'm back!" she smirked, vaulting over the countertop and executing a perfect landing on my floor.

"Who is that?" Hishima whispered.

At that moment, Zeiyo walked into the room, "It's the devil's reincarnation! What are you doing breaking through the window!" he screamed as he moved to stand in front of me.

Kim glared at the spirit as Makoto materialized and smiled eerily at everyone.

"Hello ladies."

"Hey! Take it easy Romeo!"

"Alright, calm down Zeiyo" I pulled the spirit's hand and he instantly quieted down, "Kim, you can sit with us and eat."

"Thanks Grandma." Kim sat down and dug in without a second to waste. Makoto complemented me on my cooking…but he can't eat, so it wasn't a very tactful move.

Hishima tilts her head, "Why does she call you Grandma?"

I glared at the young assassin as she swallowed a mouth full of chicken, "Because she's old."

"Oh? You're not related?"

Kim and I take one look at each other and glare at the young woman, "What are you trying to say?" I hiss.

"I look way better than her!"

"In your dreams! Go hit puberty, then come back and talk."

"If I'm cute now, imagine when I grow up. I'll put your face to shame."

"That's it! Zeiyo!"

"Right!"

My spirit takes the fighting stance as Kim jumps on the table with Makoto in her hand, Star and Yuki let out childish screams and hide under the table.

Sularin tackles Kim as if she was a pro football player, it took us all by surprise.

"Off my mother!"

"Let me go! You son of a–"

"Enough!" I slap my hand on the table and everyone acts normal, "Can we eat dinner calmly?"

Everyone stares at me for a minute before Kim knocks Sularin over and gains dominance, the youngest girls stay under the table while Sularin tries to take on the assassin. I sit back down and grab my cup. Hishima looks at me.

"Want me to grab some wine?"

Flashbacks of Aodhan swamp my mind, "No thanks, I'm trying not to become an alcoholic" I swallow my cup of juice.

Ckika sits next to me and pulls me close, I look at her, alarmed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Aydub! He's still–"

Her eyes gazed past me, and my heart started beating faster. I told myself to slow down and not to jump ahead but I can't help it as I grabbed her hand and urged her to continue.

"…Forget I said anything, it must have been a ghost. I guess the library's ghosts are finally getting to me."

She left for her room. I looked over at Hishima, who shrugged.

"Tomorrow, we should all go out to Glenis' restaurant."

I agreed, "That sounds good." I said.

We broke up Kim and Sularin, grabbed the girls out from under the table and we all confirmed the arrangments.

~*~*~

Hishima slept over, after I practically forced her, although she still refused to put anyone out of their room and slept on the couch.

We did as she had said, we went to Glenis' for breakfast. I ordered a large family size roasted bacon, potato egg salad and bread for everyone. I had to make strawberry milk for everyone, and thankfully there were plenty of cows in town.

Hishima was helping Star and Yuki not spill any food on their outfits while I kept Kim entertained as Sularin and Ckika quickly inhaled their food. Their classes were going to start momentarily and they didn't want to be late.

"Mommy!" Star called out to me.

"Yes hunny?" I said, slurping my milk. Who needs manners?

"Can I get Zeiyo something to eat?"

My spirit appeared out of nowhere with a smile planted on his face, "Starlin! You're such an angel!"

She giggled, I rolled my eyes at my spirit's singularly profound prowess at sucking up to people. I gave her twenty thousand gold and told her to buy as many things as she could, the more expensive the better. She went off. Hishima looked at me incredulously and I waved my hand lightly.

"Dunbarton is a safe place, and twenty thousand is nothing. Zeiyo can eat my entire bank empty…if I let him that is."

"Mistress Diya!" he faked a pained look but I hold his hand.

"Want some violins for your tears?"

He stuck his tongue out and Kim shrugged, "We should head to Rabbie Dungeon and drop that pass the succubus gave you."

I agreed. I told her last night about what had happened so far. Sularin looked at me worriedly, "You're going back to dungeoning?"

"Yes dear, it's okay though. I'll be perfectly fine and I'll be back before dinner."

Softly, I smoothed my daughter's hair before I pulled Ckika into a hug. Kim rolled her eyes at the obvious display of affection while Hishima giggled.

"You're all like one big happy family."

Suddenly, from near Nerys' shop, a high pitched scream was heard.

Starlin!

In an instant, the entire family was off.

Please, let her be safe! Goddess, please don't take another. I prayed, my torn heart aching in protest at the thought.

I LOVE MY BETA READER! w though she takes forver (though I don't even write that fast) AND she makes such mean jokes (that make me laugh) AND FINALLY for just being too damn awsome w I vote for burning the beat reader! and giving me her brain :3