Kel and Arie stayed up well into the heart of the night speaking, though their conversation moved to lighter matters. Finally, both women were truly worn out. Kel dropped into sleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow. Arie wondered if that was part of a knight's training and shuddered at the thought of whatever was grueling enough to in part that particular talent. She looked down at herself and decided to forgo the night shirt. There wasn't enough strength left in her to get her shirt off and a night shirt on. Instead, she settled for kicking off her boots and unstrapping most of her daggers. At least the ones that would make sleeping the most difficult. She flopped on the bed and didn't even have time to pull the covers over herself.
Arie dreamt.
This time she found herself on a familiar cliffside. Port Legann rose on her right side while the beautiful sea stretched out in front of her. The smell of salt water and rich earth reached her nose soothing her. She was home. Somehow, she knew when she turned around, she would see her old house whole and intact. Looking over her shoulder found that indeed the log cabin and thatched roof were there. The mud brick chimney was even puffing smoke that Arie could smell under all the other scents.
Without any thought or concern Arie walked over to her home. She came around the side of the house and noticed the little stable area was empty. SandStorm must be out wandering, Arie thought to herself. She moved closer to the front door, where she heard a soft voice. Too quiet to make out any of the words, but loud enough to hear. With her heart suddenly pounding in her chest, Arie pushed the roughhewn door open.
Inside was no different than she remembered. The large table dominated most of the open space. Herbs and cooking implements were spread haphazardly across its surface. A merry fire crackled in the fireplace. There was a chair pulled up to Twitchy's cot. But it was the occupant of the chair that pulled a surprised gasp from Arie.
Her mother.
"Mom?" Her voice was so quiet she almost thought she hadn't spoken out loud. But brilliant green eyes turned to look at her. Red lips formed a smile so dazzling it could have blinded someone, even with a few stray strands of black hair trying to hide it.
"Arie! Look at you. You're all-." She didn't even get a chance to finish. Arie threw herself at her mother and clung to her desperately. Tears streamed from Arie's eyes and soaked the shoulder of her mother's dress. Anna returned her hug. Then gently rubbed her daughter's back as she had done the few times Arie had gotten sick.
"You're real," she sobbed into her mother's dress.
"Mhmm." She ran a hand over Arie's hair. Her tears slowed to stop under her mother's touch. "And here I thought you'd be too big for this." Arie lifted her eyes to her mother's. They were overflowing with warmth and pride. This feeling of being content settled over Arie. For the first time in months, she didn't feel the weight of so many lives bearing down on her shoulders. "We do have a guest."
Arie stiffened at her mother's words, but dutifully turned and stepped away from Anna in order to greet their guest properly. A hunched figure sat at the edge of Twitchy's cot. Her black cloak with the deep cowl up had helped to camouflage her from Arie when she had entered. Though Arie suspected there was more to it than just that. An inch that tickled her nose. The old woman clutched a knobby cane with strength that her wrinkled hand belied. There was also no tell-tale shake of that hand. The other hand lay in the woman's lap rolling something between her fingers. Something about that motion stuck in Arie's memories. She knew this person and she felt her natural suspicion rise.
"Do I know you?"
Behind her, Anna gasped at her rude tone. Arie knew she was about to be scolded, but she instinctively knew not to turn her back. It was only when the old lady cackled that Arie realized who this was. She swore.
"Language Arie! I'm so sorry-."
The Graveyard Hag let her hood slide back as she continued to cackle. Her writhed face looked adversely young while she laughed. She waved off Anna. "It's alright deary. I'm not as up tight as your husband." Her eyes glittered with amusement as she looked between Arie and Anna. "Though, maybe he wasn't as up tight as I thought."
Arie stared at her half-sister. While the Graveyard Hag did have minor dominion over death, her power was supposed to be mainly contained in Carthak. So, how was her mother here, Arie wondered. She also realized the smile on her sister's face had lost its warmth. It was too forced. "What's going on?"
"Isn't it a nice surprise to see Anna?" The smile faltered ever so briefly that Arie felt an instant defensiveness rise. She moved to stand between the God and her mother. Her feet moving slightly apart. She could fight or run as needed.
"You may be a delightful sister; for a God, but I doubt you'd do this on whim. Nor do I think you have this kind of power here. So, why is my mother here?" She practically spat the question at the Graveyard Hag.
"Arie! She is a God-."
"And I am half God and her sister to boot." Arie snapped at her mother even while her eyes never left her sister's face. She couldn't think about the surprise or even hurt she had just caused her mom by being short with her. The instinct to protect her family pounded in her mind.
There was something close to guilt in the God's one good eye. She rolled the pair of dice in her hands before she tossed them up. Her boney fingers snatched them out of the air before they could fall too far from her. A quick glance at them and she sighed, before pocketing them somewhere under her cloak.
"The Gods have convened. This poison threatens everything they have built. So, they agreed to lend my champion power."
Arie tried not to wince at the word champion, not sister. She knew why she couldn't be claimed as such, but it still stung. She also hadn't missed the vague language her sister had used. Something she knew people did in order to lie or lessen the impact of something bad. Her sister was skirting something big. And the way she watched Arie gave her the chills. She was not a beast who reacted poorly to things. Was she? A small voice in the back of her mind whispered, are you sure about that. Then it clicked, this was why her mother was here. Her sister knew the love and respect Arie had for her mother and was hoping to leverage that. But what could be so bad, Arie wondered.
"You are aware of your mother's Sight magic, at least when it comes to you?"
Arie felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Yes, she was well aware of her mother's magic. Anna could find Arie where ever she was. She could also what and when something hurt her. A Gift that Arie never had. Too much of her father in her blocked out any potential for other magic. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure if she had ever heard of someone having anything like it.
"Not sure how that helps us. She's dead and the Gift doesn't work well here in dream land."
Graveyard Hag's one uncovered eye bore into her with an intensity that sent goosebumps down Arie's neck and arms. "But I can grant the power to raise the dead."
Silence rang out after this statement. Arie's own ears rung like she was inside a struck bell. Her stomach swooped and it felt like the ground had opened up to swallow her whole. The room seemed to fade from Arie's eyes. The image of laying her mother in the ground rose. The grief gnawing on her until she could feel nothing else. Not heat or cold, not hunger, not joy, just an all-consuming grey that sucked the very life from her. She staggered back as if she were drunk. All the while her mind raced on ahead of her. Revulsion and horror grew out of the sickness in her gut. The room came swinging back into view so fast that Arie felt dizzy.
"No," she gasped, panting and clutching her stomach.
The Graveyard Hag wasn't surprised, in fact she seemed to have expected this. "You are no closer to stopping this bastard than you were weeks ago. It has spread to the capital and if it isn't stopped now it will spread to the world. Ark needs to be stopped, now."
"Shut up." Arie was only barely aware of what she was saying.
"Arie," her mother shouted indignantly and was clearly about to start lecturing her on her manners.
This time Arie did turn to her mother. Furious tears in her eyes. She shouted, "No!" Her mother was even more surprised than Arie at her outburst. Anna could say nothing as the dam in Arie broke. "I buried you! BURIED! I refuse to do so a second time. YOU LIED! FOR YEARS! You were sick and you lied to my face about it for years! I came home after begging for help to your corpse! YOU LEFT ME!" She threw each accusation at her mother so fast that not even her mom's wincing and tears could stem the flow of hurt.
"You died and left me. I was blamed for that, you know? They burned our home! WITH ME IN IT!" Anna's face went from red to white at Arie's words. "All those people we helped and saved? Either they tried to kill me or couldn't be bothered to try and stop it, just turned a blind eye to it. All because they thought I was a necromancer. Forgive me if I don't rush to hand them proof of all they claimed." Arie took a deep breath. Her chest heaving and her heart pounding. Then she met her mother's eye. Anna's face was as pale as it had been the day Arie had buried her. But this was worse. Silent tears leaked from her mom's eyes. The normal emerald green had paled to that of a wilted leaf from pain and regret.
Arie bowed her head in shame. She had never yelled at her mother like that. Her gut twist painfully with her own regret. But she knew she couldn't do what her sister asked of her. "I buried you once mom. I can't do it again. Please. Please, don't make me do it. I don't think I'll be able to keep going again after-." Arie choked on her sob.
Her mother was just there. Arms wrapped around Arie and her mother's chin on top of her head. "Oh, Sweet Pea, I am so sorry. It was not my intention to hurt you. Forgive me, it wasn't my choice to go."
"I'm sorry." Arie whimpered.
"Shush, shush. It's okay Sweet Pea. You have done so well. I'm so proud of you, you've become a beautiful kind woman. You don't have to do this." Anna rubbed Arie's back and just held her daughter as she sobbed.
"Are you sure about this kiddo?" The Graveyard Hag asked. "There will be consequences."
Arie nodded once. Then Anna told the Goddess, "You can leave us." Later Arie would marvel at her mother's curtness with a God, but just then she was barely even aware of the words being said.