And here we are, at the end. I have left many time gaps, enough to delve into Selyne and Ike's relationship in oneshots if an idea tickles my fancy.
It goes to say that with Priam around, I felt like Ike traveled the entire globe, that he met a woman, and that they had a child. But Ike just can't stop with the mercenary side of his life, it's in his blood and who he is. So he travels, but he goes back to visit when he can. And I think that i covered that here, though not in the level of detail I suppose I could have.
"The ship will be ready in an hour. If you aren't back by then, we'll leave without you." Their journey south had met little obstacles, though the going was slow at times due to weather. Erian offered Ike a warm smile before he departed. "Hurry back," he called to the departing figure.
Soren followed Ike to the inn. The village was looking better than it had ever looked to him. The rebuilding had come along smoothly. Not only that, but it looked like the port had been enlarged as well. The village itself had expanded in both directions, and it was lively.
They walked up the path leading to the inn, which seemed shuttered and quiet. Ike looked to Soren, who shrugged, before pushing the door open.
At first glance, it looked empty. Then they saw Lena, who was scrunched in the corner of the couch wearing black from head to toe. She looked up and blinked at the sunlight streaming in through the door, then she saw Ike. She scowled and shot up from the couch.
"You! You have no right to be here! This is all your fault!" She hurried to him and tried to push Ike out the door, but it was fruitless. She could not even budge him. She began to cry and slap at him. Ike grabbed her arms and pushed her away, holding her at arms' length.
"What is going on?" he demanded.
"You never loved her, did you?!" she shouted.
"You think because you loved her, you were the only one, don't you?" Soren demanded.
"He left her!"
A door opened down the hall. An older woman, her graying hair pinned in a bun, stuck her head out. "Lena!" she hissed. "What is this nonsense? You'll wake him, he just got off to sleep!" When she saw Ike, and Lena's attempts to struggle free so she could try to fight him, she sighed. "Oh, gods, give me strength."
She wiped her hands on her apron and joined them. Gingerly, she pulled Lena away from Ike. Lena was furious, though tears streaked her cheeks.
"Anyone going to tell me what's going on?" Ike asked. He could feel a tightness in his chest, and he was growing worried.
"There's no easy way to say this..."
Lena chose the time to blurt it out. "Selyne's gone. Gone because of you!"
Ike looked first to the older woman, then to Soren, and back. Surely she could not mean it?
The woman nodded slowly. "It was a difficult delivery," she said softly, "and she fought, but..." she trailed off with a sigh.
Soren looked from Ike to Lena. His expression was one of terror. Ike watched numbly as his friend slipped out of his sight. He had no idea what he was doing, and he could not even try to think of what else was going on.
He was not even aware that the older woman was speaking until he heard his name. "You are Ike, right?" When he nodded, she asked, "Would you like to see him?"
"He can't!" Lena demanded.
"He has every right to him, child, you know this!"
"Ye-yeah."
At first, he could not move, but he slowly brought himself to follow this woman he did not know down one of the halls. At the door across from the kitchen, she paused. "I'm so sorry, I know this is a shock for you, and I did all I could for her. I don't know if you even knew, I know she sent a letter or two, but she had no idea where to reach you." She smiled weakly and said, "I'm not blaming you. She didn't either, I can promise you that."
"I didn't know," Ike whispered. His licked his lips nervously. They felt so dry. "If I had, I would have been here for her."
She nodded. "I know. I didn't think Lena was right. Selyne knew you better, and she knew you're a good person. Now, he is asleep, but if you want, you can hold him."
She pushed the door open. A small bassinet was in the middle of the room. A young woman, her mint colored hair pulled back out of her face, leaned over it. She looked up, ready to argue that he was asleep, but paused, her mouth slightly open.
"It's fine, Nadya. Nadya has been serving as his wet nurse. She's grown very attached to him."
"Yes, he's such a good baby," Nadya whispered. As Ike joined her, she leaned forward to stroke the baby's hair.
It was thick and black, just like Selyne's. He was scrunched under a pale green blanket, his face in a sleeping pout. A smile flickered across Ike's face. Nadya carefully reached down to pick him up. He made a faint whimper, but he did not fully wake.
She gently offered him to Ike. Ike reached for him, and together the two women helped him hold him. At that point, he was aware of Soren returning. Soren leaned close, aware of how timid Ike felt. Even though Nadya assured him that he would not hurt him, he just looked so small to Ike.
"Selyne didn't name him," Nadya whispered, "I've just been calling him sweetpea." She stroked his cheek. She hated the idea of saying good-bye.
"Are you going to take him with you, or stay here?"
For the first time since setting foot in the inn, Ike realized that Erian was waiting for them. He could not do it. There was no way he could take a baby, his son, to battle. But he could not stay in the inn, either. He realized after a moment the inn was technically the baby's, but it would constantly remind him of the fact that Selyne had lived, and died, there.
"We're going to go," Ike said. He had made up his mind. They could not stay. Just as they had left Tellius before, he had to go somewhere else entirely new to him. Maybe it was running from his problems, or maybe something else, but he wanted as far away as he could get at the moment.
The two women seemed to understand. They excused themselves to pack food and supplies, not willing to let the three of them leave without help. Lena sat sulking and glaring on the couch.
"You don't have to do this," Soren whispered to him as they left. "The deed to the inn is in Selyne's safe. It's in her name, it would go to him."
"I can't stay here. Is that where you went?"
Soren nodded. He looked around to make sure no one was watching him. "I had to get my papers. And I got this..." he reached under his cloak and pulled out a book. Ike swallowed hard and nodded. It was Selyne's journal. "I thought you would want it. How foolish, really. It was sitting on the table."
"Will you find us a ship?"
"And a wet nurse? It would be unfair to take Nadya from here, don't you think?"
"Ah, yeah." Ike had not thought of that. He assumed Nadya would want to go as well, but Soren was right.
Soren tucked the book back under his cloak and said, "I'll go now. We'll have to avoid the islands, but surely someone is going another way."
He hurried out the door and down the path. He was worried. Not because they would be traveling with a baby, something he never expected, but Ike was so calm. He was numb, but in time Soren knew grief would hit him hard. He had been very attached to Selyne, had perhaps even loved her. Soren had not questioned it, and he did not understand love himself. He did not know, and now he could not ask for fear of upsetting Ike.
He also remembered Erian. He had no idea how much time had passed, but if he saw him, he would apologize. Something had come up, and he and Ike could not join them. If the prince was even still at the port. And then he would do as he did before. He would find a boat.