Lyvaren Nevaeh: Lie-VAIR-en Nuh-VAY-uh
It was a few days after Visiting Day. Since it was Saturday, that meant movie night—or, in this case, at Edi's special request, they were watching the most adored Kryptonian soap opera.
The 3D holographic screen flickered to life, and the familiar faces of the drama appeared, drawing light laughter from the group. The show centered around four main characters: Lyra and Ebo, the scheming and selfish in-laws who constantly meddled in their son, Dyre, and his wife, Meribor's lives.
On this particular evening, the episode was nothing short of a masterpiece—a true work of absurd theater. Lyra, the epitome of drama, was once again attempting to undermine her daughter-in-law. Her devious plan? To accuse Meribor of purchasing a holiday feast instead of preparing it herself.
With her platinum blonde hair shimmering under the studio lights, Lyra stood center stage with a scowl. She placed her hands firmly on her hips, glaring at the meal before her. "How dare you pretend you cooked this feast!" she snapped, her voice rising to an ear-piercing shriek. "This is store-bought, isn't it?!" Her face was a storm of rage, her exaggerated expressions almost comical.
The attractive auburn-haired Meribor, poised as ever, remained calm but unquestionably fed up. "I swear on my mother's honor, Lyra, I made everything myself!" she shot back, sidestepping as Lyra flung herself at her with flailing arms.
Lyra's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer as she pressed her accusation. "You really think I'm blind? This—this is fake!"
In a sudden, comical twist, Lyra lost her balance, toppling into the dessert table with a loud crash. She landed face-first in the sea of cake and whipped cream, her dramatic fall almost too perfect to be believed.
From the sidelines, the spineless father-in-law, Ebo, muttered, "Every time I get dragged into this nonsense…" shaking his head again at his wife's idiocy.
Dyre, the perpetually exasperated son, appeared beside the chaos, shaking his head in disbelief. "Not again, Mother…" he groaned, attempting—unsuccessfully—to extricate her from the sticky mess.
The scene played out most absurdly, and Vynara, sitting comfortably on the sofa, couldn't help but laugh. "This is so bad it's incredible. I see why you insisted we watch it at least once," she said, her violet eyes still on the screen as she shook her head.
Edi, seated beside her, let out a soft sigh and a wistful look in his eyes. "It's always been a favorite of mine. My daughter and I used to watch it together, back when life was… simpler," he murmured, a gentle smile playing at his lips.
Everyone laughed uncontrollably for the next two hours, engrossed in the absurd drama on the screen. A few more episodes flew by before the staff reminded them that curfew was approaching, and they needed to return to their rooms.
When Vynara entered her room, she froze. Azureal was curled up in a ball on her bed, her slim frame trembling. Vynara's brow furrowed in confusion. Az had a roommate three doors down—so why was she here? And again, how did she manage to bypass the musical locks?
"Az?" she called softly, stepping closer. A faint whimper came from the nineteen-year-old. "Az?" Vynara called again, her voice gentler this time. She sat on the edge of the bed, her hand brushing against Az's shoulder in a soothing gesture.
Finally, the girl whispered, "Can I stay here tonight? Please?"
Vynara's confusion deepened. "What's going on in your room? I thought you had a roommate. Are things not okay between you two?"
Az didn't lift her head, her rocking growing more pronounced. "It's supposed to be same-sex rooms," she began, her voice barely audible. "But my last roommate, a girl, graduated two weeks before you came. Since you're a 'special case,' you got a private room. But I got stuck with a guy… and he…" Her voice faltered, her words trembling. "He gives me creepy vibes—always trying to touch me. I tried to tell someone, but… I couldn't get the words out."
Rage flared in Vynara's chest, but she kept her voice calm. "Az," she asked carefully, "did he do anything inappropriate? Did he hurt you?"
Azureal finally looked up, revealing the dark bruises on her arms and a swollen black eye. Tears streamed down her face as she choked out, "Please… don't make me go back. I can't—I can't go back there."
Vynara's jaw tightened, her anger burning cold. "You're not going back," she said firmly. "Come on. We're going to the healer's suite first, and then we'll talk to Dr. Lya. This needs to be reported now."
An hour later, the offender was escorted away in handcuffs, his protests falling on deaf ears. Dr. Lya assured Az she wouldn't have to see him again and arranged for a cot to be moved into Vynara's room. Extra counseling sessions were scheduled with Naviira to help Azureal process what had happened and remind her it wasn't her fault.
Before the scarlet sun rose over the horizon, Vynara stepped out onto the screened-in porch with Edi, her heart heavy with unspoken truths.
They discussed Azureal's trauma in detail, the pain of it still fresh in their voices. Finally, Vynara took a deep breath. "There's something else," she admitted, her voice trembling. "Something I've been carrying for too long."
Edi met her gaze, his expression steady. "Whatever it is, it stays between us. Tell me."
And so she did. Vynara stared down at her hands, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "As you can imagine," she began slowly, "running away at fourteen doesn't leave you many options. I stole to survive. Slept around when I had to. It wasn't a choice—it was survival." Her voice wavered, but she pushed through, the words spilling out before she could stop them.
"But then, when I was eighteen, everything changed. I met someone." She paused, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. "Her name was Lyvaren Nevaeh. She was… incredible. The kind of person you don't expect to find when you're sleeping under bridges and scavenging for scraps."
Edi stayed silent, his gaze steady and encouraging.
"She's an Elyssian," Vynara explained. "Her people are… well, you probably haven't heard of them. Their sun went nova a couple hundred years ago, and most of the population scattered to different colonies to rebuild. Lyvaren was different, though. She'd run away from her colony after a fight with her parents. Something stupid, she said, but it doesn't matter now."
Her smile softened, tinged with regret. "What started as friendship turned into something more. She didn't see me as just a mess of bad decisions and survival instincts. She saw me. For the first time in years, I felt like I mattered. And I fell in love with her—real love, the kind that sticks with you no matter what."
Vynara took a deep breath, bracing herself for the next part. "We got married. Secretly, of course. She said it didn't matter if the universe knew, as long as we did. And then…" She hesitated, her voice catching. "Then we had a daughter. Zara."
Edi's eyebrows lifted slightly, but he said nothing, letting her continue.
"Elyssians don't reproduce like we do," she explained. "It's… different. Their children are created when the love between a couple reaches its peak. Zara was born a week after we married. She's beautiful, Edi. She has Lyvaren's glowing hair and my violet eyes. But…" Her voice cracked. "She has a cleft lip. It's not severe, but it's there—probably because of all the trauma we went through. I know it's not my fault, but it feels like it is."
She exhaled shakily, the weight of her confession finally lifting. "Lyvaren convinced me to come home to get clean, to face my family, and to rebuild my life. She stayed behind with Zara on a colonized moon. She sings to her every night, Edi. A sad lullaby, because that's how she copes with me being gone."
Vynara looked up at him then, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm doing this for them. Not just for my family here, but for the family I left behind. I want Zara to know me as someone strong, someone whole. And Lyvaren… she deserves the version of me I'm trying to become."
Edi nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "That's a lot to carry, Vy. But it makes sense why you'd need to tell someone. You've been holding all this inside, and it's a heavy burden to bear alone."
She sniffled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I feel so guilty, Edi. About all of it. About leaving them, about not being there to help Lyvaren raise Zara. But being here with Az… it's making me think about what kind of mother I want to be when I go back. What kind of life I want to give my daughter."
"You're doing the right thing," Edi said gently. "Coming here, getting help—that's the best thing you could do for Zara and Lyvaren. You're setting the foundation for a future where you can be there for them completely."
"Do you really think I can do it?" she asked softly, her voice fragile.
"I don't think it, Vy. I know it."
For a moment, she couldn't speak, her throat tightening with gratitude. She reached over and squeezed his hand, finding strength in his quiet assurance.
"Thank you, Edi," she murmured. "For listening. For… understanding."
"Anytime," he replied, his voice warm. "Now, let's go check on Az. She's going to need you just as much as you need her."
Vynara nodded, standing and following him back inside. As the first light of dawn crept across the sky, she felt lighter, the weight of her secrets finally shared. For the first time in years, she allowed herself to believe in the possibility of a brighter future—not just for herself, but for the family waiting for her return.