Her Children pt. 2
No one said a word as they rode the lift out of the Aetherial Sea. Not like there was anything left to say. Hydaelyn was gone, and had entrusted them with the future of the star. Idly, S'eni's hand went to the bag that held the crystal She had given her; the coordinates to where Meteion's nest was located.
She let it linger there, simply staring out into the peaceful blue beyond the glass, until a soft brush of fingers against her own made her look away from the sight and into silvery-white eyes instead. Y'shtola just looked at her, thumb running across her knuckles, quietly offering her comfort. She offered the other Miqo'te a grateful little smile in return and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
The exterior soon changed from the Aetherial Sea to that of Thaumazein, and not long after, the lift came to a halt and the doors slid open. As soon as they stepped outside, they were practically beset by Krile, Livingway, and Fourchenault, the latter of whom immediately went to check upon his children. Upon seeing that they were both unharmed, if quite tired, he breathed out in relief and looked at S'eni.
"I am glad to see you all well. As deep as you went, we were merely able to place your souls, but were neither able to see nor hear you," he said.
"The fluctuations in your aether at the end gave me quite a fright!" Krile added. "What happened?"
The others looked at S'eni and she exhaled through her nose. Yes, this was probably news better delivered by her. "We made our way through the Aetherial Sea. The deeper we went, the more old...acquaintances appeared, but that's a story in itself. At the very end of our path, we found the Mothercrystal and Hydaelyn," she told them. "To determine if we were able to withstand the amassed despair of countless stars awaiting us, she wished to test us. And we...passed."
Her words hung in the air momentarily before realization dawned on the other three's faces. Livingway was the first to speak up. "Then you mean that Hydaelyn is...is..."
"Gone." S'eni nodded. "But I assure you that she was smiling at the end, offering us her eternal prayers. As well as the means to find Meteion's nest."
She pulled out the crystal.
"Oh no..." The Lopporits' ears drooped at the news, and she could see tears welling up in her eyes, but the small woman shook her head. "No, there's no time for this. We must carry out Hydaelyn's will without delay. We will find Meteion, if it's the last thing we'll do!"
"I know you will," she said and knelt down to hand Livingway the crystal.
"You are determined to see this through then?" Fourchenault frowned.
"We are. And if words should fail us, we will fight...to the bitter end," Alphinaud replied. "I know it pains you to accept this, and I wish there was nothing more to ask of you...But we only have two means to travel the great expanse, the moon, and Sharlayan's ark. I know that without both, there will be no exodus, yet I still beg you to honor the agreement we made."
"The Forum's decision will be honored. You have earned the right to use the ship as you see fit, and I could not rescind it even if I wanted to," Fourchenault assured him. "As it happens, I do not, and I will do everything in my power to aid you."
"With that settled, might I suggest you get some rest?" Livingway asked. "Proving yourself to Hydaelyn cannot have been easy...and despite our unparalleled genius, we'll still need a day at least to decipher this crystal. So make use of it!"
"You can chart a course through the sea of stars in a single day!?" G'raha exclaimed, earning himself a giggle from the Lopporit.
With a shrug, Thancred turned towards S'eni. "Shall we head above ground for some fresh air then?" his hand went to the back of his neck to rub it. "And a nap perhaps..."
"Yeah," she replied. Some rest would really be nice right about now.
Making their way out of Labyrinthos, they were greeted by the early evening sky. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the freshness of the sea breeze dispel some of her weariness. As much as what Sharlayan had created truly was a marvel of construction, right down to the air they were breathing down there, it was still quite different to breathe in the real deal. Raising her arms above her head, she stretched herself while releasing a groan.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," G'raha said. "I believe I shall head to the Last Stand for a meal?"
"Mind if I join you?" Krile asked. "I might not have fought alongside you, but keeping an eye on all of you was still quite taxing and I could use something sweet right now."
"Of course!" he smiled and, after raising his hand in a silent "see you later", left together with her. The others, too, headed off, with Thancred reiterating about that nap, Alphinaud and Alisaie wishing to see their mother, Urianger wanting to check in on any of the Lopporit that might be in the Studium's vicinity, and Estinien just walking away with not so much as a word. In the end, only Y'shtola and her were left, looking down at the city below from the Rostra.
It was a beautiful view, downright calming in fact, with the light of the setting sun draping everything in a warm orange. Quite a bit more lively too, as there were still a lot of people that had come to their assistance that were out and about, the chance to actually be in Old Sharlayan most likely proving quite irresistible. She sighed.
"How are you feeling?" Y'shtola asked, taking this as her cue to speak.
"Strange. It's not so much sadness as...acceptance, I suppose," S'eni admitted. "Back in Elpis, death was treated as something to be celebrated. An end of one's lifelong duty. Rest. But Venat, she...even after she stepped down from the seat of Azem, she remained, because of the world that she loved and the people it harbored. And now, after all this time, she's finally found it."
"Found what?"
"The moment that she could finally let go." A pair of arms slipped around her waist, and she leaned back into her lover's embrace.
"It does feel quite unreal," Y'shtola said. "Looking at our surroundings, one wouldn't even know She is gone. The world continues to turn, and come tomorrow, the sun will rise over the horizon. And yet, I can't deny that there is something missing."
"Yeah..." S'eni leaned her head against Y'shtola's. They remained like this for a little while longer, just enjoying the moment, listening to the gentle breeze, and watching the people below. As the first stars began to twinkle into existence, she stepped out of the other woman's embrace and turned around.
"We should head to the Annex," she said and, a smile dancing across her lips added, "Besides, I believe I promised you a foot massage."
"Are you sure?" Y'shtola raised a brow.
"I am. Believe me, it'll help me relax."
The two of them made their way down the stairs and into the direction of the Annex. As they stepped inside, they were immediately greeted by the ever-diligent Ojika, who jumped off his chair and walked over to them. "Ah, I've been expecting you!"
"Hello to you, too," she said with an amused chuckle at the clearly excited look on his face.
"Thancred told me of your foray into the Aetherial Sea. The Students have ventured far and wide, but never quite so deep as that!" he said. "Are you experiencing any aftereffects from your prolonged exposure? Nausea? Dizziness? Hauntings?"
She shot Y'shtola a look that asked if she did and received a shrug in return. She looked back to the Lalafel. "Can't say I do."
"Hmm..." he nodded. "Very well, have a pleasant evening then. And if you should experience any unusual phenomena over the course of it, please let me know. I shall add it to our records!"
She considered telling him he needed to be a bit more specific considering her past experiences, but decided to keep quiet instead. He might otherwise ask her about them all night. Heading into the Andron, they walked down the hallway towards her room and entered it.
"Get yourself washed up, I'll make some tea in the meantime," she said.
"My, now you are just trying to pamper me."
"Who says it's only for you?" Grabbing the kettle Y'shtola had discovered the other day, S'eni filled it with water and walked over to the small stove, bumping her hip into the other Miqo'te as she passed by her. After putting the kettle on it, she began to put some tea leaves into two cups, idly listening to Y'shtola fetching some things before leaving to heed her words, then poured the water into them once it was properly heated.
S'eni briefly closed her eyes and inhaled the delicious, grassy scent rising from the cups. After waiting for a few minutes, she took one and raised it to her lips. A deep breath escaped her, and she felt some of the remaining tension leave her body. With a small smile forming on her face, she turned towards the window and simply let her thoughts wander aimlessly while occasionally sipping from her chosen beverage of the evening.
The cup was about half empty when the door opened yet again and Y'shtola came walking in, now dressed in far more comfortable sleepwear and her hair still slightly damp. Drinking the last of her tea, S'eni gestured towards the bed and took the other cup, which she offered the other Miqo'te after her robes were placed on a nearby stool, before sitting down on the mattress. She patted her lap.
Y'shtola sent her an amused look, but sat down nevertheless, raising one of her feet and placing it on S'eni's lap. "I'm putting myself at your mercy, O Warrior of Light," she said and drank from her cup.
"Why thank you, great Master Matoya. I shall be sure not to disappoint your trust."
They both shared a laugh, and S'eni placed her palms on either side of her lover's foot. Gently, she began to twist it, pushing one side back while pulling the other forward, alternating in a slow, steady rhythm that drew out little sighs from Y'shtola. After doing that for a couple of minutes, she carefully took hold of the top of her foot and pressed a thumb into the arch, causing Y'shtola to jump a little and almost spill some of her tea. But the surprise was quickly replaced by an expression of relief as she began to rub her thumb up and down.
"Feels good?" S'eni asked, her voice lowering just a tad bit. Y'shtola only nodded, eyelids fluttering closed and making her smirk. They were just getting started. Using a few more techniques, Y'shtola soon became so visibly relaxed that she had to put away her cup for fear of dropping it to the ground, and her sighs filled the otherwise silent room. Music to S'eni's ears that spurred her on even further.
Eventually, though, she was done and gently placed Y'shtola's foot back down. "The other one, please."
It took a moment for the other Miqo'te to respond, eyes blinking rapidly as if having just woken up from a pleasant dream. But once the words had registered, she was quick to switch. "Mhm, I should ask you for this more often."
"You should," S'eni agreed and proceeded to repeat the process again. As she watched the tension leave her lover bit by bit, so, too, did she relax as well. But with that, the fatigue of the day also began to set in. And by the time she was done, she was pretty much ready to just collapse on the pillows. And from the look of things, Y'shtola was already a step ahead. "Shtola?"
She gently shook her.
"Hmm?" Y'shtola replied, not opening her eyes.
"Time for bed." Another hum, followed by the other woman falling to the side and crawling over to her side of the bed. S'eni, in the meantime, moved over to the sink to give herself a quick washdown, leaving her clothes just lying on the ground. Once she was done, she climbed into bed, nestled up against Y'shtola, and closed her eyes.
She was out in seconds, drifting into a deep sleep...
Everything was quiet, as he looked around. It almost felt a little bit as if he was submerged in water, an endlessly deep ocean where no light or sound reached. Peaceful. Tranquil. A part of him wanted nothing more than to simply let himself become one with it. To finally sleep. But...
"I found you at last!" he said, and when his friend spoke he couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, it's been a long time. Especially for you."
A brief pause followed, then his friend spoke again, a note of annoyance in his voice.
"No, no...I truly was about to sleep. But just as I was about to doze off and everything began to fade...well..." he trailed off, his mind briefly going to events long forgotten that had only just recently come back to him. "It is the same for you, is it not? That is why you are keeping close attention to things even here."
His friend responded to that and this time he laughed. "Haha, indeed. After all, every new beginning sprouts from an end."
After saying that, he took his place at his friend's side and began to watch her as well. Their new, old friend...
After a hard won battle follows a well erned rest...