I was writing this chapter when this song came up and I thought it was perfect.

Song Suggestion: History Has its Eyes on You performed by Christopher Jackson and Lin-Manuel Miranda (From Hamilton)

MARE

I lace up my boots with practiced precision. I'm back in the itchy green suit. I put my hair in a tail for the third time. I'm beyond nervous.

I have no choice but to push the events of the last few hours aside. Although Davidson words brought me some comfort, it did nothing help me make a decision.

The jets take off in thirty minutes. When I walk downstairs, the room is solemn but a small presence of hope lingers in the air. Everyone knows that everything will be different soon. My parents, Gisa and Kilorn are staying here. But because of the size of this operation, every capable body is called to duty, that includes Bree and Tramy. They left with Cal for Harbor Bay.

Their goodbye was brief, having to go before me given Harbor bay is further than Archeon. Bree lifted me off the floor once again, holding me against his chest. I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to him for as long as I could. Tramy does the same. I embraced the two of them for what I hoped wouldn't be the last time. I couldn't stand the loss of another brother.

The scene was similar to the one just before Corvium. I hope that this time we return with a wholesome victory instead of half of one.

Gisa is the first to hug me after the boys leave. I run my hands through her fiery red hair. She's getting taller by the day. I wonder if she'll ever outgrow me.

"I have something for you," she says. Gisa pulls away and brings her hand up, palm open. "It's one of the rubies from your dress. From when you came back."

The small gem is attached to a chain and it's cool in my hand. "I wanted to break tradition a little," she says, running her fingers over the line of four earrings. "Those are from our brothers and Kilorn. I wanted to make mine a little different. I made the chain long," unclasping the chain, Gisa secures it around my neck and the ruby lies on my chest directly over my heart. "I know it's been hard with Cal and everything," she continues. "But you'll always have me,"

I pull her to me again and I tell her all the things I've thought but never said. "You are beautiful in every way, Gee," I whisper into her ear. "Don't let anyone tell you different."

"I love you, Mare."

"I love you, too," I say holding back a sob.

We break away and my mom is next. She kisses my cheeks, tells me she loves me, "Come back to us," she says. I tell her I love her and nod, making no promises.

Kilorn gives me a smile almost as bright as his eyes. "Give 'em hell," he says we embrace.

"Now that's a promise I can make," I say with a grin. But it quickly fades when I tell him what's been on my mind for a while now. "Take care of Gisa, just in case."

"Don't talk like that, I'm not done annoying you yet." he jokes, but his promise is clear.

"I love you, Kilorn Warren."

"I love you, Mare Barrow."

I slip away, but before I can, he says something else that brings a smile to my face.

"If you die, I'll kill you."

Kilorn won't be in any danger, but I can't help but complete the joke and repeat his words from so long ago. "Likewise."

My father is last but also first. I look like my mother but I've learned I am most like him. He keeps his truest feeling to himself, but I've learned to see past his mask a long time ago. And in a way, he's the smartest man I know, smarter than any general or even Maven. If I believed I had a soul I'd imagine ours would be the same. He still has his cane and keeping a sturdy hand on the grip he uses the other hand to hold me.

"Don't lose hope, no matter what," I say into his chest. He knows what I mean.

"I'll always have hope when it comes to you baby girl. And there is nothing you can say or do that will ever change that."

My breath hitches at his words. There is no way he could know…

I move away just enough to look up into his eyes. "I've smelled it on you for a while now," he confirms.

My heart beats faster. I quickly scan the room. I see mom and Farley huddle around Clara in the far end of the room. Gisa and Kilorn are in the kitchen trying to sneak in a snack.

"I didn't say anything because it was your decision. And I'm guessing there is more going on than what you've told us."

He cups his hand to my cheek.

"You don't to have to hide anything from me because I promise I'll do my best to understand, even when it becomes...complicated."

Then his hand goes to my waist and moves near my stomach.

"How do you know?" It's all I can manage from the shock.

"Only for a few days. I wasn't sure at first, but it wasn't until your mother had you near bedridden that I knew. You were never one to be weakened by any illness, even when you were small. I saw your mother go through something similar five times, although she had a bit of difficulty the fourth time around," he says with a smirk. I can't help but smirk with him. "I'm familiar with the condition. As for the father..."

"I can explain-"

"You don't need to. I know you and Kilorn haven't been close for a while now," I look at him with another dumbfounded expression. "You'll find nothing happens in this house I don't know about," he says smugly. "I also know you and Cal haven't either. Which left me with one other option."

"Maven," I whisper.

Dad closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "You don't have to tell me why but I do want to know one thing." He scrunches his eyebrows, hesitating. "No one pressured you did they? No one asked you to do something you didn't want to do?" His question has more hidden behind it and I catch his meaning.

I shake my hand, "it was all my choice."

He takes my answer with a surprising sigh of relief.

Then he pulls me to him with a shocking amount of strength. He holds me for what doesn't feel like long enough. "Come back and I'll stand by you forever," he says.

I have to blink away the tears. So many still want me dead. And that's even if Volo hasn't heard news of his wife's death. If I don't come back I want them to remember me as I was, strong and full of life.

"I love you, dad."

"I love you too."

Pulling away from my father feels like the hardest thing I've done so far in life, which is saying a lot.

I look over to see mom holding a sleeping Clara. More brown hair has sprouted on her head. I wish so much her father was here.

Farley meets me at the door.

"You ready?" she asks.

"As I'll ever be."

"Do you have it," I whisper.

"Yes," she says with a shaky breath.

"Can you do this," I ask meaning all things.

Farley looks over to where Clara sleeps in in her grandmother's arms. "I have to be."

I couldn't agree more.

ANALYSIS

Let me just say I love Hamilton. So when I was writing this chapter it was me listening to the soundtrack or the first time in months. And then this song came up and I was like...yaassssss!

Second: From what I've seen in the books, and I marked and highlighted all the passages with Mare and her father, I've noticed something. Mare and her father have a very special relationship. There are moments in the books when they can communicate without speaking and when they understand each other's action and the motive behind them. So I wanted to really emphasize that bond.

Like in Glass Sword, he takes her hand while she sleeps and tells Mare "I know what's like to kill someone." He knew Mare's guilt even though she never said anything about it.

Or in King's Cage when Mare is about to leave for Corviam, Mare's mom tries to get her to not go. But it says, "Dad just shut down, his knuckles white on his cane. We're the same he and I. We make choices and follow through, even if the choice is wrong."

Around August when I began writing the outline for the story I decided that Mare's dad would know what she's been up to or at least have an idea. Shade calls him a bloodhound at one point so of course, he was able to sniff around.

And he knows his daughter and knows when something is wrong, so yeah.

Okay now for the bad news. I want to make this fanfic as enjoyable as possible but because of this and length of this "battle", I don't to start it and then have you guys wait for me to update. And because all the events happen in one day I going to try and have the next few chapters posted all at one time so you guys can read them all at one time. I will be posting them on the December 20th at 11 pm Central Standard Time.

In order for me to move onto the next chapter as quickly as possible, I will no be featuring an analysis in the next few chapters. If you have a question PM or leave a review and I will get back to you.

Warning: Up until this point you have only experienced the slow uphill climb of this roller coaster. Get ready for some fun.