A/N:
This is it. The last part.
This one takes place after the last chapter of WWY.
Cerinyi sat perched on a crate outside the building he was guarding, lazily watching the crowd of people passing by. Truth be told, nobody was likely to cause any trouble – nobody was stupid enough to pick a fight with the Magician's Guild, after all. The job of Cery and his colleagues was to keep an eye on the patients, make sure they knew where to go, and to act as a buffer between them and the magicians if needed – prejudice against magicians was still alive and thriving in some places. Sometimes, this resulted in anger. Sometimes, fear.
Cery once again thanked his lucky stars that Sonea had, on a cold winter day eighteen years ago, decided to hurl a rock at a magician, unleashed her magic, and knocked the man unconscious. Things had irrevocably changed that day – both for the Guild, and the Dwells, although it had taken years for that change to be felt in the slums.
His connection to Sonea had changed his life, too – after she had been found and "captured" by the Guild, Cery had attempted to rescue her, believing her to be in danger. He had managed to contact her by throwing a snowball against her window, then using gang sign language to talk to her. Sonea's replies had not made much sense. However, before he'd been able to get to the bottom of it, Sonea had panicked, and signed for him to leave right away. Before Cery could escape, he had been caught by a magician – Fergun, he would find out later.
Sonea had managed to provide Cery with a brief reprieve by sending the magician she was staying with, Rothen, to help him. Rothen and Administrator Lorlen had taken Cery to see Sonea, and she had explained that she couldn't leave the Guild until she had mastered Control.
He had been baffled by how completely her opinion of the magicians had changed, and it had taken Sonea a while to get him to understand that the magicians weren't going to harm her – that they had saved her life.
And the lives of countless other people as well.
Cery's relief that Sonea was safe had been short-lived, though. Fergun had been asked to escort him back to the gates, and he'd suggested going through the university instead of around it. Part of Cery had been wary, especially since Fergun hadn't exactly been nice to him before, and the man certainly was too nosey, however, his curiosity had won – besides, Cery had promised himself that, one day, he would set foot in all the grand buildings in the city, including the university. So, he had agreed.
He'd come to regret that decision when Fergun had attempted to lure him down a side passage. When Cery had resisted, Fergun had used magic to overpower him, drag him into a secret passage, and lock him in an underground room.
All of Cery's efforts to free himself had failed. His attempt to attack Fergun had left him injured, and the magician had had the gall to try to push the blame for that on Cery. He'd had the decency to Heal him, though.
An undefinable amount of time later, Fergun had brought Sonea to see him. Sonea had insisted on speaking with him alone, and Fergun had left. Sonea had used the opportunity to tell Cery that Fergun was blackmailing her, but that she would find a way to free him. Unfortunately, neither Cery nor Sonea knew where, precisely, his little cell was, and Sonea was hesitant to get other people involved, fearing that Cery might die before anyone found him.
He had been found, however, and by none other than the High Lord himself. Akkarin had listened to Cery's tale before asking his permission to confirm the truth of his words by reading his mind. Afterwards, he had taken Cery with him to the Guildhall to thwart Fergun's plans.
Cery would never forget the look on the pompous man's face when they'd shown up as long as he lived, nor his shock when Sonea had promptly accused him of blackmail.
One might think that this would be the end of Cery's entanglement with magicians, however, he had promised Akkarin to repay him for saving his life – although he had been a bit unsettled to find out that the High Lord knew that he worked for the Thieves – and, indeed, Akkarin had soon come to collect. He had requested his help with hunting down murderers in the slums. He helped Cery establish himself as one of the Thieves himself, and their collaboration proved to be quite fruitful. Cery's men tracked down the murderers, and notified Akkarin – and disposed of the bodies once Akkarin was done with them.
Cery had steadily worked to build his little empire, assuming that things would continue that way for years, as the murderers hadn't stopped coming. Things had changed, however, after Sonea had got involved.
The plan she had hatched effectively put a wrench in the works of whoever had sent these men. Soon, Cery was "reduced" to spying for Akkarin, as there were no more murderers to hunt. And then, one day, Sonea had come to warn him that the King was moving to put an end to the Thieves.
This had come as a bit of a shock. Previous rulers hadn't cared one whit about what was happening in the slums, but King Merin was different. He'd started several projects to improve life for the Dwells, such as building a school (though Sonea had demanded that he do that), sewers, and other things. Not only was he aiming to help the people (and improve his own image), he also intended to make the Thieves obsolete.
Thanks to the timely warning, Cery had been able to look for alternatives – although he had never expected Sonea to offer him a job at her new hospice. She'd even offered to take on the members of his crew that could be trusted to behave themselves. The less reliable ones, in turn, were hired by Akkarin directly to spy for him. A perfectly legal arrangement.
And so here he was, fifteen years later, still working for his childhood friend – and first love. A small part of him still mourned the fact that she had never returned his feelings, had rebuffed him – but he was truly happy for her. Akkarin was a good man, and their children were adorable.
And Cery was content. Really.
He returned to the present when he spotted a face in the crowd that stuck out. A Sachakan girl, probably around fifteen, was winding her way through the crowd. Instead of robes, she wore the same simple yet practical clothing Savara had worn, and Cery felt a pang of longing. He assumed that the girl was about to join the Guild.
Her presence here was still puzzling. While novices sometimes assisted the Healers working at the hospice, they never showed up by themselves. And they were usually older, too.
The girl had spotted him, and made a beeline for his little perch. As she drew nearer, Cery noticed that her skin was a shade lighter than that of other Sachakans he had met, and something about her face seemed familiar, as well.
She has to be around Evara's age. She might even know her.
The girl stopped next to him, and took in the building. Then, she fixed him with a quizzical look.
"Is this the hospice?"
"It is. Might I ask what business you have here?"
"I'm looking for someone."
"Well, I'd say you found someone", Cery replied with a grin.
She rolled her eyes.
"May I have your name, so I can let the poor fellow know who wants a piece of him while I fetch him?"
"Oh, sure. I'm Evara."
It took Cery's brain a good few seconds to process this, and, once it had, his heart proceeded to skip a few beats.
Hi, Evara, I'm your da.
He felt the urge to laugh – hysterically – and idly wondered if he should ask Sonea for a check-up.
His face had gone slack, and he was pretty sure he was staring at her like a complete moron. Evara frowned.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I was just – " He waved a hand dismissively.
Get it together, man. She might not be here to see you.
"You've got a lovely name", he said, trying to hide his nerves.
Which was completely true. He'd loved the name ever since Savara had let him know of their daughter's birth.
"Thanks", she replied with a shy smile. "My mother picked it. That is, I'm sure she would have asked my father to help pick one, but he wasn't with us because he lives here, and letters take a long time getting here, and, well."
She appeared to be rambling, now, and Cery's own nervousness was suddenly eclipsed by joy. Evara was adorable.
Although, knowing her mother, it would probably be a bad idea to tell her that.
"Sorry about that. Anyway, the person I came to see is Cerinyi. I was told he works here."
Cery's heart skipped a beat. She'd come to see him! This was a little overwhelming, he had to admit.
"Oh, ah, that's me, I'm Cerinyi", he said as he slid off the crate, trying his hardest to sound aloof and unbothered.
Unfortunately, it seemed as this had been the wrong thing to say, as Evara narrowed her eyes to slits.
"What kind of game are you playing?", she hissed. "I came all this way to meet you, and this is how you treat me? Don't you want to see me, or what?!"
Cery blinked rapidly, not having expected such a reaction.
"No, no, nothing could be farther from the truth!", he assured her, hands raised. "I've been dying to meet you – figuratively, not literally. It's just something we say."
He was rambling now, he noted to his embarrassment.
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I didn't know if you'd actually come to see me – it would have seemed awfully presumptuous of me if I'd just gone and told you that I was your da, and presented you with a list of expectations or something. For all I knew, Sonea could have decided to have you run an errand even before you joined the Guild. That's all. I swear. I – I kept all the letters your mother sent me, every single one."
"You – you did?"
"Of course. It was the closest I could be to you."
"Oh", Evara said, deflating. "I – I'm sorry for reacting like that, but – I didn't know if you would want to see me. Mother would sometime pass on well-wishes and the likes you had included in your letters, but since she never actually let me read them, I didn't know if those words were actually yours, or hers."
"You do realise that I haven't been absent from your life so far because I wanted to, don't you?", Cery asked gently. "Your mother and I just lead very different lives."
"I – I get that. I just – I don't know. I guess I was scared?"
"That sounds logical. I guess I'd feel the same, were I in your position."
"Right."
Evara sounded relieved.
"So, I take it you've met Sonea?", Cery asked in an attempt to break the ice.
"That's right. And the High Lord. And the twins. Mother and Black Magician Sonea had quite the tearful reunion."
"Really? Sonea usually isn't one to cry."
"I was joking."
"Ah. You had better never let her hear a joke like that."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"And how have the two of you been?"
"Mother was elected one of the Speakers when I was a child, she's been pretty busy ever since. But, since I had a lot of aunts and cousins to look after me, it wasn't so bad."
"What's a Speaker?"
"Someone who speaks for the people. The Speakers are the ones who make decisions in Sachaka, along with the Queen. But there is only so much the Queen is allowed to do on her own."
"Interesting. Sounds similar to how things work at the Guild."
"Hm."
"And you? What have you been up to all those years?"
"Oh, the usual. Playing with friends. Studying. Counting the days until I could join the Guild. And finally meet you."
Cery's heart leapt.
"I wasn't sure you'd even come", he admitted. "Your mother didn't tell me."
"What? Why? No wonder you were so hesitant to say anything. What was she thinking?!"
"I'd imagine she wanted it to be a surprise."
Evara groaned. "I'll have a word with her when I get back – or perhaps you'd like to do that? I know she's been eager to see you again, even though she's tried her best to hide it."
Cery gaped at her, and Evara shot him a grin.
"Um", he said, very eloquently. "I wouldn't mind that. I guess."
Evara's grin widened.
What's wrong with me? Why am I getting flustered by an adolescent, my own daughter, no less? I thought I was better than this.
"So, I hear you were involved in some rather shady business way back when?"
"That's all in the past", Cery replied with a dismissive wave. "I'm a model citizen now. Working for the Guild and all that. There's nothing shady about me at all."
"I bet you still know all the fun spots."
"Fun spots?", he echoed.
"You know. Secret passages. Hidden rooms. That sort of thing."
"Oh, that. I might."
"Show me?"
"I'm not sure your mother would approve."
"My mother will be leaving as soon as Queen Zarala has finished her business here."
"Oh, the Queen came here with you?"
"She did, but that's not important. My point is that I'll be here for three years, and my mother won't. She can't tell me off if she doesn't know what I'm up to."
"That makes sense. Well, I'm not opposed to the idea, naturally, I just don't want you to get in trouble. Or to get in trouble myself."
"Fair enough."
"So, I suggest that you behave yourself until she's gone", Cery advised, shaking his finger at Evara, trying his hardest to look like a stern parent. Sort of.
He felt like a fool.
"Yes, father", Evara replied obediently, her eyes shining.
Cery felt his heart twist. He stared at this young woman – his daughter – quite at a loss for a moment.
"I don't really know how to do this, if it wasn't already painfully obvious", he admitted. "I have no idea how to be someone's da. Or what a da does. I don't mind learning, but it might take a while. I'll try my best, though. I promise."
Something in Evara's eyes softened. "Nobody knows what being a parent is like until they become one, or so I'm told. The fact that you are willing to try should be enough, for now. And don't worry – I'll be sure to let you know if you do a terrible job at it."
"Well, that's a relief", Cery replied with a laugh.
"So, for starters, how about giving me a hug? As your daughter, I believe I am entitled to hugs from you."
"Oh, very well. Come here."
Evara let out a happy squeal, and rushed into his waiting arms. It amazed him a little that she was so eager to hug a virtual stranger – biological parent or not.
Cery wrapped his arms around her – something he had, more than once, wished he would have been able to do – and held her tightly. Unexpectedly, he was hit by a barrage of intense emotions he was unable to name, and the startling realisation that he was, in fact, a father, that he had a daughter. He had, of course, rationally been aware that he would be a father the day Akkarin had let him know, along with his heartfelt congratulations – or what passed as "heartfelt" in his case when not talking to Sonea – and Savara's first letter had further reinforced this – however, actually feeling the reality of it was quite different. Before, Cery had been happy. Now, he was overwhelmed.
Evara didn't seem to share these concerns, as far as he could tell – then again, she'd had plenty of experience at being a daughter. It might make things easier for her.
They separated again after a while, and Cery fixed Evara with a critical look.
"You are, under no circumstances, allowed to grow any taller."
"I can't make any promises on that front, my mother is tall for a Sachakan", Evara replied with a giggle. "Oh – that reminds me. What should I call you?"
"Whatever you want. I don't particularly care", he replied with a shrug.
Evara bit her lip. "Calling you by your name feels kinda weird", she mused. "What do people in these parts call their parents?"
"Ma and da, at least here, in the slums. The fancy people use 'proper' words."
"That feels weird, too. I'll just call you 'father', it that's all right with you."
"Sure."
"Awesome."
"By the way, I notice that you're not wearing robes – did you disguise yourself, or haven't you joined the Guild yet? I forgot when, exactly, that ceremony was taking place."
"It's tomorrow", Evara replied. "We arrived a bit earlier on purpose. The Queen, mother and I are currently staying at the Magicians' Quarters, though I'll move into the Novices' Quarters after I've taken my vows. Um – would you like to come? To the Acceptance Ceremony?"
"Wouldn't want to miss it for anything in the world", Cery replied with a grin. "I'll be there."
"Great", she replied, looking like she meant it.
Then again, if she hadn't wanted Cery to come, she could have made something up.
"You said earlier that your mother would like to see me again? It'll still be a while until I am done with my shift, but, if she's interested, I'd be at the Red Herring later."
"I'll be sure to let her know", Evara chuckled. "And I can't wait until I get to explore the city with you – although that might take a while – I probably shouldn't run around outside the Guild until I've mastered Control."
"I wouldn't recommend it", Cery replied with a shudder as he remembered the destruction Sonea had – albeit unintentionally – wrought. "Sonea was a bit of an extreme case, but it's always a good idea to have magicians on hand if your powers go out of control. Um – can I come visit you at the Guild?"
"Sure."
"All right, then. I suggest you head back now – it'll start getting dark soon. The streets aren't necessarily safe at night. I mean, bad stuff also happens during the day, but you're more likely to get mugged when there's fewer people around."
"Got it. Although I do know how to fight."
"Good", Cery replied appreciatively. "Still, no need to test your luck."
"Right. See you tomorrow, then."
"I can't wait."
Evara gave him a parting hug, and swiftly disappeared into the crowd. Cery watched her go, feeling elated. He climbed back onto his perch, and resumed watching people, while already planning all the fun things he could do with his daughter.
Cery spotted Sonea's twins outside the university – they were, no doubt, annoyed over the fact that they weren't allowed to attend the Acceptance Ceremony. He knew that Akkarin and Sonea had brought them along when they had been little, but as soon as they had been old enough to stay at home, they had been excluded from Guild proceedings.
Cery supposed that was fair. Small children could hardly cause any mischief with the information they obtained at meetings and such.
They greeted him with waves and smiles, but didn't come over. Instead, they continued to observe the newcomers.
Cery spotted quite a few carriages, some of them sporting a House Incal on their doors, but there were also some plainer ones, the kind you could hire at the Marina. Some people had arrived in plain wagons, and others, like himself, on foot.
Cery had enough money that he could rent a carriage, if he wanted to, but he didn't see the point. The exercise was good for him, and he'd sooner spend his money on other things.
He stepped into the Entrance Hall to find a large group of people already gathered there. It took him a while to spot Savara and Evara since most of the people present were Kyralian, and blocking the view with their imposing heights. When he had been younger, Cery had been upset over the fact that he was so small, and unlikely to grow any taller. Over time, however, he had decided to turn it into a strength. His short stature made him nimble, and this had often given him an edge in a fight.
It also had caused people to underestimate him, especially next to his bodyguard.
Evara spotted him first, and ran toward him to greet him with a hug. By now, Cery was less surprised by her behaviour – he and Savara had spent the previous night catching up, and she'd told him about Evara – and how eager she had been to finally meet him.
Once his daughter was done hugging him, she stepped away, and Savara pulled him close, bending down to kiss him deeply. Cery returned the kiss with equal fervour – the previous night had not been enough to make up for the long years of separation, something he had been sure to communicate. Savara had laughed, and promised to make it up to him.
Finally, a magician appeared, introduced himself, and led the new novices into the Guildhall, followed by their parents. Cery took a look around, and found that everything looked exactly as it had the day Akkarin had brought him here, almost twenty years ago. Except for one thing – two new chairs had been added next to Akkarin's, where Sonea and Black Magician Kallen were seated. On second glance, he also noticed a change among the Higher Magicians he had not been aware of – Rothen was seated in the lowest tier, below the new Head of Alchemists. Cery had no idea who he was.
Rothen caught his gaze, and gave him a slight smile, his eyes twinkling.
"Did one of them die?", he asked Savara in a whisper.
"Lord Sarrin, the previous Head of Alchemists", she replied. "It seems that he was succeeded by Lord Peakin. And I see that Lord Rothen succeeded him."
"Does this count as nepotism?"
"All of them were elected into their respective positions, so I'd say no."
"Still. She's taking over."
"Oh, the horror."
Cery forced himself to pay attention as the entrants started speaking their vows. When it was Evara's turn, he felt a sudden surge of pride.
Never, not even in his wildest dreams, would he have ever guessed that a child of his would, one day, be joining the Guild.
Once it was over, Evara returned to their side, carrying her new robes, a brilliant smile on her face.
"Congratulations", Cery told her.
Evara beamed at him.
"Let's head outside, and put the twins out of their misery", Savara suggested.
"Sure."
"Have you met them?", Cery asked Evara.
"They showed me around the Guild yesterday."
"And do you like them?"
"I do – although their habit of taking turns when talking is a bit – weird."
Cery chuckled. "I actually suspected that they inherited their father's ability to read minds at a distance, but Sonea assured me that they just know each other really well."
"Makes sense."
Inanna and Jellen were in the same spot as before, bouncing with excitement. They rushed to greet Evara as soon as she was outside, and wrapped her in a hug.
"Congratulations on joining the Guild, cousin!"
"Have fun studying."
"Cousin?", Cery asked Savara. "When did that happen?"
"Well, I declared Sonea my sister, so the twins figured that this makes Evara their cousin."
"So – on top of suddenly being a da, I'm also an uncle now?"
"I guess."
The twins greeted Cery and Savara with the same cheer. Not long after, they were joined by Sonea, Akkarin and Rothen.
"I see you've made your way up", Cery said to the old magician.
"I still don't quite understand how that happened", Rothen admitted. "Since I'm not terribly powerful, I never thought anyone would ever consider electing me as one of the Higher Magicians. Imagine my surprise when I was suggested as a potential candidate for the position of Head of Alchemist Studies."
Sonea and Akkarin exchanged a long-suffering look.
"You are one of our best teachers, Rothen", the High Lord pointed out. "And power alone does not make one a good leader."
"I suppose."
"We never developed a habit of electing people based on magical strength. Then again, when everyone can us higher magic, strength becomes relative. Everybody can compete on equal footing, no matter how much power they were born with", Savara mused.
"I bet Fergun would have loved that", Sonea grumbled. "He's one of the reasons I wouldn't want everyone in the Guild to be able to use this ability."
Savara grimaced. "Has he been allowed to return, or is he still tucked away at the Fort?"
"Akkarin graciously permitted his return after ten years in exile", Sonea replied. "Warned him that, if he put another toe out of line, he'd find a worse assignment for him. He's certainly done his utmost to stay out of sight, and keep his mouth shut. When Dannyl came to the Guild to report for the first time after Fergun's return, he told me what a relief that was. I instructed him to let me know if Fergun said anything nasty to him."
"I've been making a point of visiting Sonea at the Guild after his return", Cery added. "Not that I hadn't been doing that before, but I had to rub it in a little. On that note – Evara, feel free to annoy Fergun as much as you want to, within reason. I don't want you to get caught."
"Understood", Evara replied dutifully. "I'll make sure they never catch me."
Akkarin looked positively delighted.
"Ah, poor Fergun, as unpopular as ever", Jellen sighed dramatically.
"He deserves it", Inanna sniffed, wrinkling her nose.
"I don't recall saying anything to the contrary."
Evara cleared her throat, and fixed first Savara, then Cery with a look that was hard to decipher.
"Mother, father, could we maybe eat together?"
Cery's heart leapt again, something it had been in the habit of doing a lot since the previous day.
"Sure, I don't mind", he replied.
"Let's go, then", Savara said. "And afterwards, we can all help you move your things into your new room."
"Awesome!"
Cery grinned at her obvious delight. He noticed Akkarin's smirk, and shot him an annoyed glare.
"Shove off. I'm allowed to be happy."
Akkarin's smile widened. "Being a father is wonderful, is it not?"
"Absolutely. Well, then, if you important people would excuse us – I gotta get to know my daughter."
"Don't let us keep you", Sonea chuckled.
Savara led the way toward the Magicians' Quarters. Evara fell in step next to Cery, and spent the entire way excitedly chatting about whatever she could think of. Cery listened attentively – he was determined to make up for the time they'd lost, and be the best father he could possibly be. Evara deserved nothing less.
A/N:
… and they lived happily ever after, tormenting Fergun until the day he died ^^
I hope you had fun going on this journey with me. I most certainly did.