Chapter 5

Naestra

It had taken them a while, but they found someone that can help them find a place where the little girl in their care would be placed with others of her kind. It would have ended much sooner had they've spoken the same language, but alas, such wasn't the case here. All they can do was thank Isha that it was over and that Arahan hadn't hurt or even killed anyone for this task.

Their salvation had come in the form of a female of man, dressed in a garb of white and black, that had noticed them trying to converse with others in a different language and noticing that they wanted to leave the girl with someone that was capable of giving her a good home. It took a while due to the language barrier, but the female eventually understood their intent fully due to no small part of the girl, which they learned was called Kagura. The Sisters of Twilight also sensed that the woman was a kind one and that she'll do her very best to give the girl a good home. And so, the group was following the woman to a building in the town that held similarly garbed females in it. Upon seeing them, Naestra, while holding her charge in both hands, tried to converse with the female that was leading them, which, through some difficulty, was named Selene, about what her people were. Though she didn't understand a single word from Naestra, Selene saw in her eyes that she was curious about her people, which caused her to speak.

"We are a group of nuns that are dedicated to helping the weak and poor from the harshness of life and to help them get back on their feet." Explained Selene to Naestra, who she had some difficulty discovering her name along with Naestra as they did with hers and Kaguras', knowing that neither sister would understand her due to the language barrier. Fortunately, Selene was versed in conveying her words through signals with her hands. And so she conveyed what she said with hand signals, which the sisters, fortunately, understood well.

"Noble intentions, woman of man." Said Naestra with a smile as she looked at Selene. Though Naestra had no knowledge of what is deemed attractive for men, she was confident that Selene would attract many. Black hair as dark as Naestras'. Curves in the right place. And a generous bosom with a pretty face to go with it all. It was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one to Naestra, that a woman so beautiful and young will spend her maiden years tending to the weak and poor as well as those affected by misfortune. If there was anything Naestra loved, it was people sacrificing their own time to help those in need, even if they aren't obligated to do so. Selene smiled in gratitude when she saw the smile in Naestra. She rather liked her.

Everything about the dark-haired woman pleased Selene. Everything about her was pleasing. From her kind demeanor to how she cared for Kagura as well as the babe in her arms as much as she possibly can. Though she was forced to depart with Kagura, Selene knew that she was doing everything she can to give Kagura a good home and the nun suspected that she won't leave until she was completely sure that Kagura was given a good home. Such a kind and selfless soul made Selene happy to witness in such a young lady. They were few in far between in Selene's experience, sadly, so it always was a joy to see one in someone as young as Naestra. Or seemingly young as Selene, though she didn't know how, had a feeling that Naestra was far older than she thinks. It was a far cry from what she felt from her sister, Arahan.

Arahan was a complete opposite of her sister. Where Naestra was kind and sympathetic, Arahan was apathetic and cruel. Where Naestra was intrigued by the things around her as well as joyful to be around others, Arahan was disinterested and disgusted to be around anyone besides her sister, even the children with them. It was perplexing to see such polar opposites be sisters and still have a good sibling relationship. Truly life was amazing and complex.

Soon, the group entered the building. As they walked inside its confines, Naestra could see children playing around with each other and various toys that were in varying conditions. She also saw various nuns tending to those that were injured or sick as well as giving out food for various people of varying ages in dedicated rooms. It brightened her soul to see such acts of generosity and care be given to those that were less fortunate. And it pleased her to see that even Arahan was impressed with all that was before her. Though it was hard to discern, Naestra knew that Arahan held respect to the women of men that owned the building they were in and their task of tending to the weak and poor, even if it was just a bit.

Eventually, the group entered a small room with a bed and table. Upon entering, Selene beckoned everyone to sit down next to the table, which they did. Once everyone was seated, Selene began conveying what she wanted to say through hand signals.

"Before we get down to business, I wanted to say that I'm very sorry for what caused Kagura to become homeless and without a family." Said Selene. "You have my word that I will do everything I can to get her a loving family here with my sisters and I." Naestra nodded gratefully at that before bringing out a small bag from her person, the clattering from inside indicated that it was filled with money.

Ariel must have had thought that they may need some form of monetary currency as they have several bags full of coins from both the Empire and Bretonnia, ranging from the standard brass pennies of the Empire to their gold crowns as well as Bretonnia's Ecus. Naestra didn't need to wonder how her people acquired some items, knowing full well their history with the Empire and Bretonnia. Though neither she nor her sister knew what type of currency the humans of this world used, she knew that gold and silver were highly prized by humans and fetch high prices for them. She hoped they also would do the same for these humans.

Opening the bag, Naestra handed the open bag to Selene, who, upon seeing the contents widened her eyes in shock before shaking her head. Giving out hand signals that it wasn't necessary, Selene gave out a small smile when Naestra insisted on giving her the bag. Seeing the kind eyes of the woman as she held the bag in one hand and her babe in the other, Selene mentally sighed as she accepted the gift, vowing to use it for her people and not for selfish goals. With that, Naestra and Arahan got up and, after a slight goodbye from Naestra to Kagura, the two left with the baby in Naestra's arms. Smiling a bit as the two left, Selene wondered what the future had entailed for them as well as what they were. They kept their hood on, despite the weather not requiring such things nor did they seem to understand the language in Fiore. Such thoughts were then dismissed when she saw Kagura tugging her tunic, begging for attention and safety in a strange place.

Giving the child a small smile, Selene hugged the child before telling her that everything will be alright and that she was around friends and those that will take great care of her until she grew up to be a strong adult.

Meanwhile

Naestra and Arahan

"That was a massive waste of time." Said Arahan as both she and Naestra walked the streets of the town of man, ignoring the looks both she and her sister were getting for their attire as well as the language they spoke. "Let's just hope Ceithin-Har and Gwindalor found a suitable home for us in the forest where we left them."

"Unlikely sister." Said Naestra. "There were no large caverns or mountainous areas in the forest we left them in. We need to keep searching for a suitable area in which to reside in." Arahan scowled at that but kept silent as they marched back to the forest where their companions were. Fortunately, they were safe from harm and so they got on them and departed from the town of man, hoping to find a place where they can call home.

Few days later

"Finally." Said Arahan as they finally found a forest where they can call it home. It had everything they desired. A mountainside filled with caves big enough for Ceithin-Har and trees big enough for Gwindalor to nest on. It also was thick and big enough for the group to hide in should any dare come for them, whether it be Be'lakor for his child or anything else that may or may not come for the child. The only downside to this forest was that it was near a large human city, though that was more a problem for Arahan. Naestra, however, saw it as a good thing. In her mind, it was a good thing for their child that he was near others of his kind.

To her, it may help him become a better protector of life if he had friends and allies that gave him the strength to do what he needed to do. She knew the advantages there were to having great allies and friends by one's side in times of hardship and battle. She and her sister were prime examples of this. Both needed the other to become something far greater than what they accomplish individually. Plus, she knew that interacting with others was something that people of man needed in order to become strong individuals and develop, dare she say it, empathy for others.

So, with that in mind, she made it a task to convince her sister to allow the child, when he was old enough, to interact with people of his race. Arahan will object to it, of course, seeing it as pointless because of their talents and how his kind will corrupt him. Arahan, much like much of her kind, saw the race of man to be a corrupt and destructive race that cared only for itself and its own selfish needs, but Naestra was one of the few that knew that man was many things. As said before, she knew that race of man was capable of many different. Some can become forces of order, like the Empire of Man. Some can become forces of chaos, like the men of Norsca. So unpredictable. So chaotic. So beautiful.

In many ways, Naestra can see herself and Arahan in them. A force of destruction and harmony that required each other in order to prevent either from fully taking over. To allow either to fully dictate one's actions is an invitation to disaster. A lesson that their queen Ariel learned bitterly in the past. And one that Naestra knew they, the Sisters of Twilight, must understand as well or else they may fail their task from the start.

Plus, from what she knew of men, they needed to socialize with more than just two people in order to develop properly, much like elven children. She and her sister may technically be all that the child needs, but it would be better if he had more people around him.

With all that, Naestra looked at her sister as she patted stroked the chin of Ceithin-Har as she looked around for a suitable place to build a home for them while also likely thinking up of ways to hunt the various fauna in this forest for sustenance.

With a sigh, Naestra went over to Arahan to convince her sister of what they needed to do, knowing full well how her sister will react to this suggestion.

Few minutes later

Arahan

"Why in Isha's name should we ever do that!?" Demanded Arahan as she glared at her sister incredulously. Her sister was naïve, yes, but she didn't think she would do something like this. Naestra just sighed as she looked at her sister while stroking the head of the baby as it played with one of her fingers.

"Arahan, this child needs more than just us to do what Ariel wishes for him to become." Said Naestra. "He needs to interact and socialize with other beings, especially those of his kind, in order to develop into a proper guardian of life and order. If he doesn't and only has us, what will happen if he encounters something that we have no answer to. That will make him question his role in being a protector of life. Or worse, if either of us dies or are forced away from him, making him vulnerable to the corruption of either Chaos or those that wish to exploit him. He needs other people. Good people in his life so that he can understand why he must protect them and others. This is one of the needs of man, Arahan." Arahan scowled as she looked at her sister, still not convinced. "Trust me, Arahan. This will be good for him and Ariel's goal."

"Or it could me the averse and make him want to destroy." Said Arahan. "You know as well as I that men destroy and corrupt everything they touch. And this one was the taint of a daemon within him. Who's to say the darker side of man won't bring it out and cause him to start the path of the next Everchosen of Chaos? And you know that killing him will just have another be chosen for it. This is a risk that is not worth taking sister. All he needs is us and nothing more. We can teach him all that he needs to know and nothing more. We already risked our task by taking that girl to that town. We shouldn't do anymore unless we want another Everchosen of Chaos."

"You're being paranoid, sister." Said Naestra. "And what if you're wrong? What if being isolated from the good of men will turn him into the very thing we're trying to prevent him from becoming? Are you able to live with that thought, Arahan?"

"Can you with your idea, sister?" Asked Arahan as the two sisters went into a heated staring contest, neither backing down from their stance on the matter. After a few minutes, Naestra sighed and realized they need to compromise or else they'll get nowhere.

"Perhaps a compromise, sister." Suggested Naestra. "We have this boy to ourselves for the six years and then he goes to be with others of his kind once he turns six years of age for men. And once one year passes, we ask him if he wishes to continue being with others of his kind or not. If he wishes to, we allow him to socialize and interact with them, even becoming a warrior for them. And if he doesn't, we become isolated with him, never interacting with anyone else ever again unless forced to. And if he is utterly certain that he doesn't want to interact with them or if we see them becoming a great negative influence to him, then we take him away and turn to isolation. Is that satisfactory, sister?" Arahan twitched her left eye as she thought about all this.

On one hand, it still left much time for one to corrupt him or turn him to become an Everchosen of Chaos, but on the other, her sister was giving her plenty of time and opportunity to make the child wish to never interact with his people. Though she knew that her sister also has a good amount of time to make him want to interact with them, she was confident that she can make him turn away from the people of man. Even if she didn't, then the corrupt and greedy nature of man can help her achieve her goals. Plus, her sister was giving her a chance to take the child away if the corruptive nature was either going to infect him or looked like it was going to. So, with a bit of reluctance, she agreed to the compromise, making her sister smile.

Looking at the child, Naestra was about to speak to him when he suddenly began crying. Thinking it was about food, Naestra was about to remove her armor a bit when she smelled a foul smell. Noticing it was coming from the child, Naestra sighed as she realized it had just defecated. Looking at her sister, who had just left to get something to clean the child, she sighed as she went to work, realizing that she had to do all this as she very much doubted her sister will ever do anything like this. Even if her life counted on it.

An hour later

After cleaning the child and getting new bundles for him, Naestra was busy rocking him to sleep again, smiling as she continued doing so. After he was lulled to sleep, Naestra looked at Arahan, who was currently in the process of locating proper trees for them to utilize for wood to use to make a home for them. Though some men thought the Wood Elves were hypocrites for utilizing wood for their homes and arrows while they protect their forest from tree cutters and incursions of men, the truth was that the Asrai were alright with cutting down a few trees here and there. They knew that, much like any other items needed by mortals like meat and water, trees needed to be cut down for the Asrai to survive, either for usage as arrow shafts for them to kill their foes or for their homes and fortresses to use against their enemies. They also understood that, much like any other things, some woods and trees were irredeemable and must be destroyed before they corrupt others. Bitter experience has taught them that many times before, some of which was caused by their own actions, unfortunately.

It was only the sheer amount of destruction that men do to the forests that the Asrai had a problem with as well as their lack of respect to their woods, seeing them as little more than resources to be used for men. And that wasn't getting into how wasteful men were when it comes to wood as well as what they did to the lands that used to be forests.

So, while her sister was gauzing which trees to use for their new home, Naestra was tucking the baby to sleep in a small crib made of strong wood that was provided to them by the artisans of Athel Loren. Drabbing a soft cloth over him, Naestra stroked his forehead with a smile before going over to a bag that she knew contained a variety of things from the Empire of Men or Bretonnia. She hoped that it contained something that she can use that can give the child an appropriate name for a child of man.

Rummaging through the bag, she eventually found an old book. Despite its worn state, Naestra could see that it was something of a children's book, used to provide entertainment for little girls and boys. Deciding it was worth a look for a name, Naestra opened it and began reading it.

After a few minutes of reading, she knew it was full of rubbish. For one, dragons weren't all evil. Two, elves were not the size of small pebbles with wings. And she knew for a fact that dwarves aren't that easy to trust. Then again, it was just a children's book and so such things are to be expected in them. Still, the name of the knight responsible for the slaying of the dragon was something that embedded in her mind. It sounded bold and yet so noble at the same time. The way the knight defended the weak and poor. The way he kept fighting regardless of the harm to him and his families. And how he kept fighting despite all futility in the fighting, left her thinking. It all reminded her of what Ariel wanted the child to become. What he needs to become to prevent the destruction of their world.

Feeling it was an appropriate name, Naestra decided on calling him that name from now on. She was sure that the child will appreciate the name once he grows up.

Looking down at the child, she smiled as she returned to stroking his head, a name was now given to him.

Diederick. Even thinking of it now, she thought it was a good name for the child and hoped that, in time, he'll come to love it as well.