A/N: Yes! It has only been a few weeks, and I have managed another update! Since I have had so much time off throughout December and January, I thought I would try to get out as many chapters as possible. Only a couple months, and I have managed to get out three new chapters. I am very proud of myself!
I am also aware that Damiana and Roy have been in Whisper Valley for ages now! I apologize for that. I will try to move their journey along at a much quicker pace in this chapter as well as the following chapters. For those of you who are reading, thank you very much for your continued interest in "Firelight". It is appreciated! As for my single reviewer, Smile like me, thank you again for reviewing! I love receiving feedback for my work!
Anyway, enough rambling from me. Enjoy the chapter! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, but Planet Dabnod is my own creation.
Part IV: Unraveled: Chapter Forty-Three
Guayusa the Death Queen. Evil child murderer. Psychopath. Brainwashing. These are the thoughts that overwhelm Damiana's mind in a vicious, never-ending, cycle. As the thoughts overwhelm her, so do the memories. Guayusa spending their afternoon meetings playing Phoenix Flight. After weeks and months spent mastering new techniques with her fire at the hands of the Clan Elders, Guayusa would come watch her. Coming to watch her sometimes meant being late for an event or a meeting, or sometimes leaving meetings with the Royal Council early. Yet, Her Highness would come to just to watch her. Guayusa would give Damiana presents – whatever her hearts desired. Books, dresses, rare foods, strategy board games, hair accessories; all Damiana had to do was say the word, and she received whatever she asked for.
All of these memories are shared with Speedy. Why does Damiana call him Speedy rather than Roy in this moment? Because the memory of who they are and where they have to return to is one of two things keeping her sane. The other thing that keeps her sane is how Speedy holds her. He hugs her tight against his chest, rubs circles into her back, and occasionally kisses her forehead. If the Titans didn't exist and if their mission in Metropolis with Black Shadow didn't exist, Roy's presence would be the only thing anchoring her in this harsh, unforgiving, existence known as reality.
"She couldn't have killed her clan and couldn't have destroyed that village. It's impossible, Roy! The games, presents, and watching me practice are only part of it. I was never supposed to share this because it was supposed to be a secret that me, Mama, and Saeran kept, but Queen Guayusa would visit at night. Or, vice versa, I sometimes had a room at the Royal Palace that I slept at.
"Most nights before bed when I was little, I would take a bath. When I was very little, between the ages of three and six, I had trouble cleaning my back and washing my hair. When Queen Guayusa was there, Mama wouldn't come to help me. At the Palace, the servants wouldn't come to help me. It was always the Queen. She would wash my back and help me wash my hair herself. Then, after my bath, she brushed my hair until it was silky smooth and all of the tangles were out. If there was time, Queen Guayusa would read with me before bed. Once it was time for bed, she would give me a goodnight hug and tuck me in. It was strange because Queen Guayusa would hug me tighter than Mama.
"Even stranger, those nighttime visits happened before I turned five. If they happened before I turned five, then that was before I was her apprentice and before she had a reason to come. That's why I struggle to believe that I was a Royal Apprentice. Maybe the people in Whisper Valley are just weird. Guayusa may not have been an evil, psychopathic, murderer, and I may not have been in training to be the Queen. Maybe she was a kind woman who liked children."
More than anything, Damiana hopes that Roy will see her side of things. The long, doubtful, sigh he gives tells her otherwise. What he says shatters these hopes entirely.
"Damiana, I'm not trying to sound harsh, but do you even hear yourself? Rinka saw an insane little girl befriend an apothecary, and then the entire Lightning Phoenix Clan died when she thought she wouldn't be selected as King Brulein's apprentice. On top of that, Linden saw the Queen Guayusa burn down an entire town from the fifth province. It left Aika homeless and Linden too afraid to go back to the Capital City. People don't lie about those things.
"And do you know any other Damiana's from the Fire Phoenix Clan? Because they clearly stated that 'Damiana of the Fire Phoenix Clan' is in training to be the next Queen of Dabnod. The fact that the Death Queen was always so nice to you actually makes sense when you look at it that way. You were her apprentice, so you had to like her."
Despite her protests, Damiana finds herself burying her face in his chest and sobbing. "No! That isn't true! Queen Guayusa wasn't trying to brainwash me. Queen Guayusa loved me!"
Roy sighs once more. Thankfully, he doesn't relinquish his embrace although this conversation is difficult. "Okay. If the Queen loved you, then I bet she let you visit the Palace City during parades, play with your cousins freely at the Fire Phoenix compound, and leave the cozy little cabin of yours whenever you wanted. She gave you all the freedom in the world, right?"
"Well… Not exactly… I rarely left my cabin at all, and when I did, it was only to visit the Elders at the Fire Phoenix compound or have my lessons at the Palace. If I didn't wander freely, I'm sure it wasn't to keep me isolated and to manipulate me. My daddy said the lack of freedom was to protect me."
The archer kisses her on the forehead; a sign that what he is about to say will be particularly brutal. This is why the simple question he asks is such a surprise. "Have you ever heard of the stages of grief?"
"Umm… No. Why? That isn't really relevant."
"Oh, it's very relevant. Trust me. There are five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Those stages don't necessarily have to be in order, but for anyone who is experiencing a form of grief or loss, the presence of each of these stages is common."
The girl, who'd previously been crying bitter tears, gives a dry, humorless, laugh. "So, you're Sigmund Freud now? What makes you think I'm experiencing the stages of grief, Dr. Roy?"
"Because you seem like you're in denial? I know you don't want to admit it, but the evidence that Queen Guayusa is a tyrant and that she was brainwashing you is overwhelming." For the longest time nobody says anything. Damiana merely cries as the archer comforts her. Eventually, he continues. "Adriel sent us back in time to this planet on purpose. Maybe this is why. Maybe he wants you to learn the truth about your childhood and about Guayusa the Death Queen."
Dry is no longer enough to describe the would-be Queen's laughter. Now derisive is the better term. "I think that's probably right. Adriel would be crazy enough to send us back for that reason. I just don't get why he would want me to know these things. Dabnod is gone. What's the point?"
"That's a question that we'll have to ask Adriel once we get back to our own planet and our own time."
Irony must be the way of the Fates. For five years, Damiana wanted nothing more than to come home to Dabnod. Even if Dabnod detonated into a million pieces, it would have been worth it to spend the remainder of her days on her birth planet. Now that the impossible has finally happened (thanks to that nutjob, Adriel) all Damiana wants is to go back to Earth. In spite of being there for such a short period, Damiana wants nothing more than to wake up tomorrow in her bedroom in the Titans East Tower. If the violet grasses weren't real, if it were just purple paint from Home Depot spread out on her walls, everything would be perfect. It would be perfect because her childhood memories would still be real, because she never would have come back to Dabnod at all. Being the future Queen of Dabnod, being brainwashed, and Her Highness Queen Guayusa being an evil psychopath would have been nothing more than a bad dream.
Unfortunately, Damiana already knows that waking up in Titans Tower isn't going to happen. The hardness of the sleeping bench beneath them is real. The smell of the fireplace and the noisiness from the gathering hall is real. The scratchiness of her genuine Whisper Valley dress is also real, and so is the suffocating feeling of being trapped in their sleeping bag. All of these are things that cause her crying to remain inconsolable.
"I just want to go home to Titans Tower, Roy. I don't want to be here anymore."
"I know how you feel. I want to go home, too. But don't worry. Soon the frost will be over, and we will be able to leave Whisper Valley. We can get the parts to fix Black Shadow's machine once we start traveling again. Everything will be fine."
"What if it's not fine? What if leaving Whisper Valley makes everything worse? I'm going to learn things that I never wanted to learn!"
Roy moves his hand so that, rather than rubbing circles into her back, he is stroking her curls. Even with her eyes closed, it is plain that her tresses are black. "That's what I'm here for. Adriel may be insane, but at least he didn't send you here alone. If anything happens on this planet that is too much, you'll have me standing next to you."
Damiana would say that she doesn't know what comes over her, but truth be told, she knows exactly what comes over her. In her pained, emotional, state, the girl raises her head from Roy's chest so that their faces are at the same height. Then without warning, she kisses him. Roy doesn't protest. He kisses her back with so much vigor that, for a moment, she forgets everything that has been causing pain.
When they separate, he smiles kindly. "We will be okay. I promise."
As the evening turns to night, and the night into morning, Damiana can say that this has honestly been one of the hardest nights of her life. Only the night of Dabnod's destruction and her first night on Earth were more difficult to bear than this one. The Dabnodian girl kisses the archer twice more during their night by themselves, and one time he kisses her. Each time he kisses her vigorously regardless of who initiates it. It does not feel heated and passionate, neither does it feel romantic. Rather, these kisses are soothing. It is as if Roy's touch is the only thing keeping Damiana sane. Thankfully, he doesn't open his mouth and turn any of these kisses into make out sessions, nor do his hands wander. Roy simply kisses her until the whirlwind of despair and madness disappears.
Two Nights Later
Moaning is the first sound to infiltrate Damiana's senses. The fire is burning low, it is the middle of the night, and the room is practically black. Yet, it is still very clear where the moaning comes from. Aika. The doe-eyed girl sounds as if she is in the worst pain ever to be experienced. However, the Noble Lady doesn't crawl out of hers and Roy's shared sleeping bag. Not until she hears her name.
"Damiana!" she whispers. "Are you awake?"
Breaking free from the archer's unconscious embrace is difficult, but eventually she manages to turn over. Aika is no longer moaning, but heavy, strained, breathing takes its place. When Damiana looks to the girl's shadowy figure, it is with unmistakable apprehension.
"Aika, what's wrong? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. There is just a lot of pain in my stomach and lower back. It was like this off and on this afternoon, too. Tenna took me to the woman's bathhouse to soak in warm water, and that really helped with the pain. I know it's late, but could you help me to the bathhouse?"
Damiana smiles despite the darkness and crawls out from the sleeping bag. It's a wonder that Roy doesn't stir. Neither does anyone else in their compartment, for that matter.
"Of course! Asking me is probably better than asking Tenna, anyway. I can warm up the water faster."
With that said, Damiana puts an arm around Aika's waist, hoists the girl's arm over her shoulders, and helps her down the hallway. The enormous magnitude of her stomach makes it difficult for the Noble Lady to balance, but she manages, nonetheless. Aika apologizes the entire trip down the corridor.
"I'm sorry for waking you so suddenly. I would have walked to the bathhouse myself if I could. My legs just don't seem to be agreeing with me."
"It's alright. I'd rather have you wake me up then have you come here on your own and collapse."
"You're so kind, Damiana. Thank you!"
A minute or so later, getting Aika to the bathhouse is discovered to only a small portion of the challenge. Helping her remove her dress and leggings, then helping her into the bath, is a challenge in and of itself. This is especially true when it comes to removing Aika's leggings, as her ankles are horribly swollen. Then, halfway into the shallow, wooden, tub, another bout of pain comes three minutes after the previous bout. Aika describes it as the worst cramping of her entire life. Damiana immediately begins warming the water, hoping that this will soothe her pain. It seems to help.
"Thank you so much! When the baby is born, I will tell Rini what a gracious person Damiana of the Fire Phoenix Clan is long after you and Roy have left."
"Rini is a pretty name. You picked it well."
"Unless Linden and I have a son. Then his name will be Rinzat."
Aika and Damiana continue chatting. That is, until another bout of cramping strikes exactly three minutes later. Aika grabs Damiana's hand and shouts loudly, nearly crushing it. If the entire yertkitz wasn't awake, then they certainly are now. Less than a minute is what it takes for Linden to arrive in the doorway despite it being the women's bathhouse. Even without stormy gray eyes and ash-colored hair, worry would be still be evident in the Nobleman's features.
"Aika, my love, are you okay?"
"No, no I'm not! Something just popped and water came out of me!"
Linden fully enters the bathhouse and shoves Damiana aside, taking his wife's hand in a comforting grasp. As if without thinking, he gives the Noble Lady a command.
"Damiana, go get Tenna if she isn't already on her way down here. I think the baby's coming!"
Twelve Days Later
Rini is a beautiful baby girl whose hair only turns two colors – butter yellow when asleep or navy blue when crying. Aika said that her hair turned indigo on one occasion, but Damiana hasn't seen it. It may have happened when the young parents took their infant to the gathering hall for everyone to see. As for Rini's eyes, she sleeps most of the time. When she isn't sleeping, she is crying. As a result, Damiana has never gotten a clear look at her eyes.
For the first few days after giving birth, Aika was exhausted. When the infant wasn't being held to her breasts for feeding, the doe-eyed mother slept. It was Tenna and Linden who changed the babe's diapers, washed her, and swaddled her during that period. As the weeks have passed, Damiana has learned how to care for her as well. Much to the Noble Lady's astonishment, she enjoys caring for little Rini. Changing the baby's diapers, bathing her, swaddling her, rocking her when she cries, all of it is surprisingly enjoyable. Aika is the most vigilant of everyone about caring for the baby, though, being her mother. It took time for her sore muscles to recover, but now that she has recuperated, Aika is more than sufficient at caring for her daughter.
It disappoints Damiana that she isn't able to hold her more. Waking up in the middle of the night isn't so bad – especially since it gives Aika and Linden a break. Aika and Linden, of course, are hesitant to take breaks. This leaves Damiana in the same state that she was in before Aika gave birth – miserable. All the Noble Lady can think about is the bubble that she lived in, the lies that she believed, and how badly she wants to return to Earth with Roy. When not thinking about those things, Damiana's mind is on childbearing. Having access to only human men, she will never have a little infant of her own to care for. Not unless she decides to reproduce with Adriel, and that is something that won't ever happen due to the incredible strangeness of such a situation.
Every night, Roy takes time to comfort her through hugs and snuggling. When they are alone, he also has conversations with her that are supposed to be soothing. Their most recent conversation that was supposed to be soothing, although it actually wasn't, was regarding childbearing.
"Do you know for sure that a human man can't get a Dabnodian woman pregnant? Humans and Dabnodians are very similar biologically."
"Yes, I know for sure. Extensive research has been performed, and Dabnodian women can only become impregnated by Dabnodian men. Our reproductive systems are very unique. Energy from our second hearts surround the fetus and protect it for ten months. Even the dad's heart energy protects the fetus. If an egg is fertilized, the heart energy that was contained by his semen will remain in the uterus, along with the heart energy produced by a Dabnodian woman's ovaries.
"Humans don't have second hearts, so human fetuses are protected by blood, which is shed each month during a human woman's period. I don't have periods, so in the instance of attempted reproduction with a human man, there would be nothing there to protect the fetus."
Roy was visibly uncomfortable, yet he still managed to ask this question. "You wouldn't be able to protect the fetus with blood because you don't have periods. So what? Isn't that what the energy from your second heart is for?"
"Yes, but my own heart energy would be insufficient. I would also need the heart energy that is contained by a Dabnodian man's semen. So even if a human man were to fertilize my egg someday, there wouldn't be anything to protect it, so I would likely miscarry."
A long, awkward, moment of silence passed. Then Roy chuckled. "You learned all of this when you were only ten years old?"
Damiana replied with a giggle. "I had unlimited access to the Palace Archives, and curiosity got the best of me. What can I say?"
Right now, it is another one of those occasions where Damiana and Roy get to be alone. Admittedly, today is not as cold as the day previous. Yet, the archer still claims to be cold. As a result, the duo is currently laying together under a blanket beside the fire. Tenna is at the bathhouse, Caen is playing with friends, and Linden and Aika are in the gathering hall with the infant. This leaves them an unlimited amount of time to talk about anything. What Roy says seems like a dull conversation starter. Damiana, however, immediately understands its significance.
"The weather is getting warmer."
"Yes. A lot warmer." She'd looked out the ventilation window earlier this morning. The ice on the trees has completely vanished, and the grass is beginning to poke out. A few more hours and the ice may be completely gone. "I imagine that our stay in Whisper Valley is about to come to an end."
"My thoughts exactly. And it's convenient that the Fire Lily Tribe passes through every year. Maybe we can leave Whisper Valley with them." He adds with a smirk, "Only if you won't miss the baby too much."
Damiana responds with a playful raspberry. "Stop teasing. There is nothing wrong with me enjoying Aika and Linden's baby. As for leaving with the Fire Lily Tribe, I think it's a good idea. Prophet Veng and the others will likely be in the gathering hall like they are every night. Maybe we can go talk to them."
"When we talk to them, it should be about more than just leaving Whisper Valley. It should be about materials to fix the machine. We don't need to give Prophet Veng all the gory details. Finding out which towns have blacksmiths is all the help we'll need for the time being. A blacksmith can help us weld the crack in the machine's side back together. They're also bound to have access to the kinds of metals that we'll need to fix the rift mechanism and the fuel chamber."
"A blacksmith is a good starting point, at least when it comes to raw material," she agrees. "The machine is mostly made out of steel and some aluminum, right? We have the exact same materials here on Dabnod under different names. Once we make it to the seventh province, I may be able to find a library where I can do research on the materials we might need. I would look for a library in the eighth province but finding one would be a stretch. The eighth province is exactly like the ninth province, except that it is valleys and farms instead of mountains and hunting. As for finding a library with information on how to create a fuel chamber for a rift machine, there is not a single library on Dabnod that can help with that one."
"It's okay. I saw the blueprints for Black Shadow's rift machine when Bee, Aqualad, and Cyborg were examining it shortly before our trip to Metropolis. The fuel chamber will be pretty straight forward once we get ahold of the right materials. It's like a dumbed down nuclear reactor that only takes a single fuel rod of zenotrum instead of hundreds of fuel rods of uranium."
The very mention of zenotrum immediately causes Damiana to become nervous. Is there a single material on planet Dabnod that is as powerful as the Earth mineral of zenotrum? If so, then some backwoods library in the seventh province won't have that information. A high-end library in the third, or perhaps the second, province would be the most likely place to have detailed information regarding efficient, long-lasting, energy sources. Of course, the Noble Lady doesn't know this for sure. Who knows? There could be a rare gem of a scroll or pamphlet in the seventh province that has everything they need to know. With wandering traders passing through each province, it is certainly a possibility. Thus, why Damiana says nothing regarding the subject. She merely smiles.
"In that case, I'm glad you have foreknowledge. Without that knowledge, we may be as good as dead."
Much to her astonishment, the archer frowns. Emerald eyes dance with palpable concern. "We may be as good as dead anyway. Even with the stuff we already know, there's no guarantee that we'll get the rift machine up and running."
"No! Don't talk like that. Of course, we'll get it working. We're Teen Titans!"
Roy tugs Damiana closer and buries his face in the crook of her neck "We've already lost one month, Dami. According to your calculations, that gives us three months until Dabnod explodes. We've wasted a lot of time in this place, and it may cost us our lives. You've been talking about not being able to have a kid of your own someday, but to be honest, I'm not sure if that's even a valid concern. We could die here!"
Damiana gulps fretfully. If zenotrum wasn't at the forefront of her mind before, then it certainly is now. Not to mention, her earlier thoughts regarding reproduction seem frivolous and airheaded compared to the dreadful situation at hand. The Noble Lady rests her cheek against Roy's head with sorrow.
"Of course. I know we could die here, so I'm sorry for losing focus. Seeing a Dabnodian baby got the better of me I suppose. I've never actually cared for a child of my own species before, and it made me…think about things…"
"It's alright. We've just spent way too much time in Whisper Valley. Once we get out of here, I think we'll both be able to focus better." It is here that Roy's voice loses its former tone of strength. It is instead replaced by weakness. "But before we go talk to the Fire Lily Tribe to finalize our plans, I have one request."
Inquisitiveness overwhelms her. "Okay. What request is that?"
"Lay with me next to the fire for ten more minutes. It's relaxing."
Instead of ten more minutes, Damiana lays next to Roy for twenty.
Sitting in the gathering hall away from the fire while wearing only a parka is a bizarre experience for Roy. For the first time since entering the yertkitz, he doesn't feel cold. Of course, even if he did feel cold, it wouldn't matter much. All he cares about is getting the opportunity to approach someone from the Fire Lily Tribe about leaving the village with them. Far too much time has been wasted here, and frankly they have grown far too attached. The Head of Whisper Valley gave him a Clan, Tenna and Caen call Damiana by name rather than the previous 'Lady Fire Phoenix' title, and Damiana is taking an active role in helping care for Aika and Linden's daughter. The people of Whisper Valley also keep making the bold suggestion that he and Damiana get married. Married! That word is the same as a swear word to Roy! People assuming that they're married is one thing, but actually getting married? That would be insane!
The sooner he and Damiana can get out of Whisper Valley, the better. Getting out of Whisper Valley will mean focusing once more on making repairs to the rift machine, which currently sits under a pile of extra blankets beneath his and Damiana's sleeping bench. Thankfully, the archer had remembered to grab it on their way out of Tenna's cabin three weeks ago. Otherwise, they would be completely screwed. Damiana likely wouldn't have remembered to grab it – not with all of the bonding and reminiscing that returning to Dabnod has brought upon her. If there was no impending doom, Roy wonders if she would come back to Earth with him. Would she stay, marry a Dabnodian man, have Dabnodian babies, and live out her life on her home planet? That outcome is likely. Especially since Aika's baby has given Damiana the realization that children for herself one day will be largely impossible.
Roy would never say this aloud, but he is thankful for story night with Linden and Rinka. Learning that she has been deceived for her entire life and that she was the apprentice of an evil Queen has probably given Damiana the kick in the rear that she needs. Has this new information caused Damiana to come unraveled? Yes. It has been devastating for her. Yet, without this new information, getting Damiana to help repair the machine and get back to Earth may be much harder. Even knowing that their doom is only a few months away, she has gotten very caught up in their surroundings. This very moment is an excellent example of this behavior. The girl sits between Aika and Linden, holding and rocking their tiny infant. She is sleeping, the tiny patch of hair on her head the color of butter yellow.
"Little Rini must be tired from so much socializing." Damiana coos, "Are you tired, Rini? Is it hard being such a beautiful girl?"
Roy blatantly ignores his teammate as he scans the room in search of members of the Fire Lily Tribe. They are dressed in the exact same manner as the villagers, the single difference being that they are clothed by orange animal skin attire rather than brown. The entire tribe is congregated near the center of the gathering hall beside the fire pit. Exactly when Roy gazes up, a frail, elderly, man dressed in orange shoves his way through the crowd to join the rest of his tribe. A long, gray, beard reaches his waist, and the only thing holding him upright is his cane. Nonetheless, the man still appears lively. Squinted, copper, eyes dance like fire as he gazes at those occupying the gathering hall. Somehow, this man's stare is all it takes to quiet the room's lively chatter.
"Sorry, Damiana. Linden and I should've warned you. This is our last night in the yertkitz, so Prophet Veng is going to be particularly passionate with his prophecy tonight."
The old, bearded, guy is Prophet Veng. That makes all the sense in the world. What doesn't make sense, however, is his voice. Roy expected it to be weak and raspy. Instead, the old man's voice has enough strength to make the children in the crowd tremble.
"Good evening, Whisper Valley. As you all know, tonight is the last night of the frost. In another day, my Tribe will be leaving. I would like to thank all of you for your hospitality. But before we leave, I have news to share. It is urgent news given to me by the Fates! I urge all of you to listen and heed my warning!"
When Tenna showed up is a mystery, but the mountaineer is doubtlessly here now. Her agitated groan is easily distinguishable. "Great. Here we go again!"
Veng remains quiet, allowing people such as Tenna to complete their collective groaning prior to continuing. Although most of the people in this room think he is crazy, Veng speaks as if they do not. In truth, this talent is admirable.
"Forty years ago, when I was a much younger man, I was in the forest gathering berries in the tenth province when I received a vision. It was a vision so powerful that it caused me to pass out. I didn't wake up for an entire day following that vision because of the terror I'd felt when I saw it. What I saw were alien invaders with orange skin and glowing, green, eyes. They could fly and shoot bolts of energy from their fingertips the same way that I can shoot fire. I didn't know it at the time, but the invaders in my vision were the enemy that we are currently facing, the Tamaraneans. In my vision, I saw the Tamaraneans attacking the Capital City in the first province.
"There were Royal Knights fighting them. The Capital City's ships were taking to the skies to ward them off. Yet, the Tamaraneans were overwhelming our forces. Buildings were burning and our ships were crashing. During my vision, the Fates guided me from the Palace City to the Royal Palace. It was the middle of the night, and every person in the Capital City was gathered there. The Fates continued guiding me through the Palace to concealed rooms that contained small, circular, spacecrafts. Women, children, and civilian men were being tossed into the pods. My body left the Palace and returned to the Palace City, where I was able to watch the pods get launched into space.
"As I was watching what seemed to be the last of the pods ascend, I had what could be described as a horrific experience. The Tamaraneans retreated to space, leaving Dabnod's Royal Knights and the remainder of the civilians standing outside. Only a few minutes later, the ground started to tremble, and the night sky lit up bright white. The ground began forming deep crevices, as if the Fates themselves were ripping apart our world like paper, and there was the worst heat I had ever experienced. It was like every part of my body, bones and all, were turning to ash.
"At first I was confused about what was happening to me. During my vision I called out to the Fates. 'What is this, Great and Powerful Ones? What is happening?' In response to my question, the Fates removed my body from the ground and transported me to space. There I was, disembodied and floating amongst space pods. I saw horrified, tear-stained, faces staring out from the windows of those spacecrafts, and the sensations hit me again. The bright, white, light and the heat. I turned and saw it – Planet Dabnod vanishing from existence in a gargantuan, fiery, blast. Our entire planet was on fire one moment, and a few moments later all that was left were asteroids and dust.
"That is when I understood what the Fates were telling me. The Fates were telling me that Dabnod's time is nearing its end. That one day the sun will set on our planet never to rise again. They were also telling me to warn everyone I can that the end is coming. Exactly three months ago I had not a vision, but a dream, where I saw Dabnod's moon cycle through its phases six times. At the conclusion of the sixth phase, I saw a bright, white, light and a wall of fire. I believe that was an additional warning from the Fates saying that there were only six months left. Of those six months, only three remain.
"Feeding our families, surviving the frost, protecting our children, all of it is meaningless if we don't take action now. In only a few months, the lives we've forged will amount to nothing but space debris. For the sakes of yourselves and your children, I urge the people of Whisper Valley to follow the Fire Lily Tribe to the first province. There are vast technological advances in the first province and in the surrounding provinces that will allow many of us to escape Dabnod's destruction.
"Regardless of whether Dabnod lives or Dabnod perishes, we're no different from quickly fading flowers. We are here today and gone tomorrow. Compared to the Fates, our lives are as brief as a wave tossed in the ocean. Yet, despite our sins and despite the chaos that the Dabnodian people have spread throughout the universe, the Fates have still granted us with a chance for survival. Do not waste this opportunity, because it may be the only opportunity you get. Come with us! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
Silence in the yertkitz is thick and unsettling. The people surrounding Roy exchange glances, as if questioning if Prophet Veng is truly as insane as they think. While they have likely been hearing this same prophecy for years, there is no denying that they have never heard that their planet will be gone in only three months. It is only when children start crying that the petrifying quiet ends. Caen's cries are the most easily discernible.
"Zaesa, can we go with the tribal people? I don't want to turn into space dust!"
"Don't listen to him, Caen! Everything will be okay! We aren't going to turn into space dust. What did I tell you about that old man? Tell me. You remember."
"Y-you said that he's c-crazy."
"Yes. That's right. Old Man Veng is crazy. Three months are going to pass, and we will all still be here. Mark my words."
Meanwhile, the newborn babe has returned to the arms of her mother. Aika rocks her as she and Linden scoff at the prophet. "Don't you listen to the crazy man, either, Rini. Who's going to grow into a lovely lady? That's right! You are! You're going to be a pretty woman one day just like mommy!"
Suddenly, a morbid thought occurs to Roy. These people have a prophet who has given accurate prophecies in the past. Queen Guayusa was a child born of evil, and she also became the single, surviving, member of her clan just as Prophet Veng predicted. Now here this same prophet is, pleading with them to get off the planet and save themselves. The Fates let this man see their future for the very purpose of saving them. Yet do they listen? No. These people truly, honestly, one hundred percent, think that they're safe. Little do they know how entirely unsafe they are. All of a sudden, he can't stop feeling guilty for his urgency to leave the people of Whisper Valley behind. A horrific, graphic, image of Caen, the baby, and their caregivers burning to death in an explosion fills every corner of Roy's mind, causing nausea to overtake the archer.
As puke lands on the roughly hewn wooden floorboards, Damiana sits on the bench between Linden and Aika curled into a ball. Tresses and irises are blacker than a moonless night. Despite this being the single warmest day that they have experienced since the start of the frost, she shudders.
"Damiana and Roy, are you two alright? You don't honestly believe that man's insanity, do you?!" exclaims Linden. "You two look like you've stared death in the face."
The would-be Queen of Dabnod is no longer sitting, but rather, she lays in fetal position. Nonetheless, she still manages to speak. "Linden and Aika, you should listen to Prophet Veng. Tenna, the same goes for you. Take Rini, take Caen, and leave Whisper Valley with the Fire Lily Tribe. Whatever you do, do not stay here! You're doomed if you do."
Tenna growls. "Don't say that! I just got Caen calmed down!"
"Then you're doing the wrong thing because Caen shouldn't be calm! Listen to your son and get him out of here! His instincts are telling him to run, so you should listen!"
Before anyone can protest, Roy jumps into the conversation. "You need trust us. We know with absolute certainty that Prophet Veng is right. You need to take your kids and run. In fact, you need to talk the entire village into leaving! And once you leave, stay together. If Damiana's life has been any indication, the universe is a lonely place."
It is not only Tenna, Aika, and Linden staring at them, but every person in the gathering hall. Either they had been speaking louder than he realized, or the puke on the floor and the Noble Lady curled into fetal position is drawing their eyes. In reality, this moment should be embarrassing. Nobody likes to appear crazy, least of all Roy. This is especially true considering how Damiana sits up, notices their intense glowers, and flees from the area. Yet, rather than feeling the burning sting of humiliation, the redhead finds himself feeling empowered. He stands, takes in the sight of the people in the room, and continues.
"If none of you will listen to the Prophet, a man who receives messages from the Fates and whose prophecies have come true before, then maybe you'll listen to me. Dabnod will be destroyed and we do only have three months! Three months from now, Whisper Valley is not going to be here! This guy has been warning you for years so that you can prepare to escape the night Dabnod gets destroyed, and none of you have listened! Well guess what? This is your last chance! Leave now so that you can make it to the advanced provinces with the escape pods or stay here and die! Once Dabnod is gone, you will be the last Dabnodians, and it will be up to you to keep your culture alive! If you die with your planet, then everything will be lost!"
The room is entirely silent for an endless moment. Then muttering ensues. Most of their words are difficult to make out, though Roy is certain that he hears "I knew letting an alien live in our village was a bad idea" and "I can't believe he actually believes that lunatic!". Eventually someone insults him outright, this someone being Tenna.
"What in Fates' names makes you think that any of us would believe that our planet is going to explode? If we won't believe Old Man Veng, then it is even more impossible for us to believe an outsider!"
Astonishingly, that is when Damiana returns. Roy's automatic assumption had been that she had fled because the Prophet's description of the events to come had been too overwhelming. Instead, it seems that the girl left to retrieve Black Shadow's broken machine. Its royal blue stripes and silver buttons sparkle at the crowd, as if the device wishes it could talk. Thankfully, Damiana is here to speak on the machine's behalf.
"Tenna, now isn't the time to poison your village against us. I need everyone to listen! If not to Prophet Veng or to Roy, then listen to me. I know that Dabnod gets destroyed because I lived through it. You think I went to planet Earth for a fun adventure? Of course not! I have been living on Earth because Dabnod no longer exists in the year that Roy and I traveled here from!
"Do you see the machine that I'm holding? It opens rifts. When it is in full repair and has a powerful enough energy source, it can open a rift to any planet during any period in history. Roy and I were fighting a villain called Black Shadow with the rest of the Teen Titans – Black Shadow created this rift machine. A rift fell open during our battle, Roy and I got pulled through, and we were pulled back in time to my home planet. When Roy and I first landed here, I almost had a meltdown because Dabnod doesn't exist! When I was eleven years old, I watched my home explode into a million asteroids from the window of the space pod that took me to Earth! I've spent the past five years as a homeless wanderer on another planet, and it isn't because I wanted to. It is because I had no other choice!"
Their audience appears not only skeptical, but also frightened. This time it is not Tenna, but Raezik, who voices disbelief. "Let me make sure I understand. You and Roy are time travelers from five years into the future, a time where Dabnod no longer exists, so you've been living as a refugee on Roy's planet? And that strange gadget somehow enabled you to rewind time so that you could come back to Dabnod? I am sorry, Lady Fire Phoenix, but that is the craziest story any of us has ever heard."
Damiana doesn't seem to notice their fear. Instead, the first thing she does is turn her gaze on the Water Flower Nobleman. "Linden, you said that I look exactly like Queen Guayusa's pupil, that I'm from the same clan, and that I even have the same name as her. Do you honestly think that this is a coincidence? You said that I'm too old to be the same person, but that isn't true if I'm from five years into the future. The Damiana of your time is eleven years old, but I'm sixteen years old in my own time. And you were also wondering why I freaked out when I heard that Damiana of the Fire Phoenix was supposed to be the Queen of Dabnod, right? I freaked out because the destruction of Dabnod is three months from now, which is eons away from my twelfth birthday. Until you said something, I had no idea that I was supposed to be Queen! Considering how everyone besides myself knew me as the future Queen of Dabnod, that seems to be the only piece of solid evidence that is needed to prove that what I'm saying is true."
The instant Damiana stops talking, the muttering resumes. Although most remain skeptical – some going as far as calling them crazier than Old Man Veng – there are a few who consider her words. Although Tenna says nothing, Roy can tell by the frown on her face and the plum color of her hair that she is beginning to doubt her prior criticisms. Linden and Aika, on the other hand, simply appear rattled. Before either Titan has the chance to say anything more to the people of Whisper Valley, Prophet Veng makes a brief yet impactful statement.
"Don't mistake the young Queen and Roy of the Flying Arrow Clan for lunatics. They could have kept the truth of their presence on Dabnod a secret, yet they did not. Instead, they chose to warn you the same way that I have chosen to warn you. The survival of the Dabnodian race is in your hands. Come with us and survive or stay behind and perish."
One. All Damiana wants is for one villager to believe them. Even if the rest of Whisper Valley thinks that she and Roy are madder than hatters, if they are able to save at least one person, it will be entirely worth it. The Dabnodian race must survive. Queen Guayusa was full of lies, but she was right about one thing. Dabnodians are a strong people.
"My people have survived trials and tribulations stretching back millions of years. We have not survived five mass extinctions, famine, drought, civil wars, and the era before civilization when the wilderness ruled only to be destroyed now," Damiana says to Roy. "It took Prophet Veng slapping me across the face with his prophecy, but I am finished crying. While we're finding the components to repair the rift machine, we need to warn everybody we come across that the destruction of Dabnod is coming."
Aside from herself and Roy, the gathering hall is empty. Everyone else left shortly after she relayed her crazy story about being time travelers from a future where Dabnod no longer exists. Normally the girl would have kept her mouth shut for fear of being seen as a lunatic, but considering how this reality does not bother Prophet Veng, why should it bother her? Considering Dabnod's eminent destruction, not sharing that information would be selfish.
"I couldn't agree more," Roy replies at last. "It would be wrong to let these people get destroyed without trying to warn them. Just remember that whether or not they listen is up to them. If they don't listen, we need to keep moving forward. Our survival is just as important as theirs."
The sudden tightness in her throat is difficult to ignore, yet she manages it. "I know. In the future, I promise not to become overinvolved with any more of the towns we wander into."
"And if Tenna, Aika, and Linden decide to keep their families in Whisper Valley, what will we do?"
This time it takes a large gulp to overcome the tightness. "Leave with the Fire Lily Tribe anyway."
"Yes. That's exactly what we're going to do. It will be hard, but we'll have no other choice."
An interlude of quietude consumes the large room. Damiana and Roy sit on a bench directly in front of the fire. The girl watches the dancing flames, hoping that focusing on them will remove the painful thoughts of leaving her new friends behind. Meanwhile, the sound of shuffling footsteps and the steady thump of a cane meeting the floorboards completely passes her by. It is only when the old man takes a seat on the bench beside Roy and begins speaking that Damiana becomes aware of his presence.
"I would like to thank both of you children for giving me support. Your tale may seem unlikely, but from the moment I laid eyes on you, I was able to sense that this is not where you belong. Explaining that you are not from here, but from five years into the future, answered my question about where you're really from. Your beautiful Majesty Queen Damiana, it is wonderful to meet you. It is even more wonderful knowing that you survive the destruction of our doomed planet."
Never has the girl felt more thankful that she is not currently eating. Otherwise, the title "Queen Damiana" would have caused her to choke to death. Recovering as quickly as possible from disconcertment, Damiana smiles kindly at the elderly man.
"Thank you, wise prophet, but calling me Queen isn't necessary. Where I'm from, Dabnod has been gone for the past five years. If I'm the queen of anything, I'm the Queen of ashes."
He reaches around Roy, takes her hand, and pats it soothingly. "It is quite alright, child. Regardless of whether or not you call yourself the Queen of Dabnod, you have grown up to be quite extraordinary. Nothing at all like vile, wretched, Queen Guayusa."
This causes her false smile to become genuine. "Well, thank you. After spending years living homeless on another planet, it is lovely that someone still considers me extraordinary."
Releasing her hand at long last, Prophet Veng looks to her as well as Roy. "The Fire Lily Tribe departs from Whisper Valley tomorrow at dawn. Will you be traveling to the first province alone, or do you wish to join our tribe?"
"If we are welcome, we would like to travel with you. Damiana was isolated inside the Palace when she was last on Dabnod, and I am still largely unfamiliar with Dabnodian culture. Traveling with a group would make life easier for both of us. At least for right now."
The old man grins. "That is the answer that I had been hoping for. My tribe already discussed it, and we would be happy to have you join us. There is no such thing as a shortage of people who believe us, especially these days with the date of Dabnod's detonation growing so close. Whatever you need in order for that device of yours to function properly, we would be happy to help you find it."
"That's great! Will we be passing through a town with a good blacksmith and maybe a library?"
"Yes, we will! The town of Jyn in the seventh province is known for its blacksmith. There is also a fishing town in the sixth province with quite an extensive library for its rural location. Hopefully, those resources will be sufficient."
"Sufficient might not be the right word, but those will definitely help us get started. Thank you!"
Roy and the prophet continue chatting about towns and their resources. Meanwhile, Damiana merely sits still and listens. Being able to travel with them is the best news that they could have asked for. Traveling with a group that knows exactly where to go for specific resources is certainly a stroke of luck! Had she and Roy been left alone to wander, then they may have ended up lost. As silly as it is, however, the girl is more focused on being called "Queen Damiana". The fact that she would have ruled the planet had Dabnod survived is something that Damiana is fully convinced she will never grasp. If she runs into Dabnodians besides Adriel and Saeran, will they refer to her as Queen Damiana too? If that happens, she will handle that situation the same way she handled it with the prophet moments earlier; by calling herself the Queen of ashes.
It is a single remark from Prophet Veng that pulls Damiana away from her inner musings. "…The only reason I am enforcing this as a requirement is because it will be difficult for us to find an inn to sleep at in many of the settlements we pass through. Not to mention, you may also be denied access to the resources you need if the librarian and blacksmith are folks with strong, moral, values. You won't like it, but if you want to fix that gadget of yours, it will be necessary."
"What will be necessary? What are you going to make us do?" Roy's emerald eyes are leery.
"I am going to make the request that the Head of Whisper Valley, Raezik, marry you tomorrow morning before we depart. Traveling with an unmarried man and woman will make our journey too difficult. Unless you get married, you will not be able to travel with us."
"I'm sorry, Damiana, but your planet is full of crazy people! There is no way we're getting married!"
Less than an hour after conversing with Prophet Veng, it was discovered that the ice coating the ground and the trees had fully melted. When that discovery was made, Raezik allowed people to begin exiting the yertkitz. The first to exit was the Fire Lily Tribe and anyone who wants to go with them. Since they will be leaving the very next day, Raezik allowed them to leave first so that they could prepare. Admittedly, this made Damiana happy for more than one reason.
Firstly, leaving the yertkitz would put space between them and the others. Secondly, she had been craving fresh air after spending three weeks inside. Lastly, and most important, was that the distraction of preparing for their journey would prevent them from talking about the wedding. Now that they are alone in Tenna's cabin with their clothes, sleeping bags, and the rift machine already packed, however, time for distractions has passed. Now Roy paces the room in a bizarre combination of rage and panic, marriage clearly scarier than the idea of traveling alone and possibly getting lost.
Sighing in frustration, the girl grumbles a response. "Hey, I'm not in love with the idea, either. When I imagined myself getting married, I never thought it would be at sixteen years old to some guy I've only known for two months! And it isn't even for love, but for travel conveniences! So, to put simply, I hate this as much as you hate this."
"Great! Then let's march to the village center and tell the Fire Lily Tribe that this is NEVER going to happen! I didn't want to get married until I'm a forty-five-year-old, washed-up, member of the Justice League who is being outdone by the younger heroes and forced into retirement!"
Damiana doesn't pace the floor. Instead, she blocks Roy's path and looks him in the eye. "To be completely honest, I would love to! Not to be insulting, but if I had to choose to marry a Teen Titan, my first pick would be Cyborg. Unfortunately, getting married is not optional in this situation. I hate to say it, but Prophet Veng is right. The Dabnodians are a highly moral, marriage-based, civilization. You speak the Dabnodian language and have a Clan, so in the eyes of the Dabnodians, there is no reason why we shouldn't be married regardless of your status as an alien."
"What? You're actually saying that you want to go through with getting married?! Dear God, Damiana, you're just as crazy as the rest of your people!"
"Hey, if I were just as crazy as everyone else, I wouldn't have crawled into your sleeping bag during the frost! If I were just as crazy as everyone else, I wouldn't have performed language transference! I also wouldn't be complaining about this wedding if I were crazy! The only reason I think we should do this –even though we both hate it – is because it will make traveling easier along with gaining access to resources." Uncertain of whether or not he understands, Damiana places a hand on each shoulder and shakes him. "Also, our marriage will not be permanent. Once we're back on Earth, it will be like it never happened. Instead of thinking of ourselves as married, we can think ourselves as bound together by a temporary union that ends the instant we're back on Earth. Does that help?"
For the first time since the beginning of this conversation, the archer's posture relaxes. He gives a lengthy sigh, which eventually turns into an aggravated groan. He still sounds incredibly unhappy, but Damiana is at least satisfied that he's opening his mind.
"Instead of calling it a temporary 'union' that 'binds us together', why don't we call it a temporary partnership? We can say that our temporary partnership is only valid during our time on Dabnod. And once we're back on Earth and back in our own time period, the temporary partnership immediately expires and can never be mentioned even under the threat of torture."
The girl nods with gusto. "Alright. I agree to those terms. Especially that last part. Saeran, Adriel, and the rest of the Titans can never learn about our 'temporary partnership'."
"Definitely not. Your nutty brother would try to kill me, and the Titans would never let us live it down."
"My thoughts exactly. The last thing we need are Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Fish-For-Brains throwing us a mock wedding reception." She adds tentatively, "Not just because it would be awkward, but because I don't want anyone thinking that we…umm…consummated our marriage…"
"Why do you think I don't want your brother finding out about this? He tried to kill me once because he thought I fornicated with you. Can you imagine what he would do if we got married?!" Shrugging, he adds, "Not that I couldn't handle your brother in a fight. I can handle Saeran just fine. A fight would just be inconvenient."
"You and Saeran having an 'inconvenient' duel to the death would only be half of it. It wouldn't just be Saeran poking his nose into the intimate details of our temporary partnership. It would be everyone, and quite frankly, our sex life is none of their business!"
The previously exasperated archer is now smirking. "Really? I wasn't aware that you wanted a sex life."
"What? No! Of course not! You know that's not what I meant."
"Okay. Then why did you say it that way?"
"Use common sense, Roy. If I wanted your body, don't you think I would have reached for your 'arrow' at least once during these past few weeks?"
For once Damiana is thankful that they've had to share a sleeping bag. Otherwise, this conversation would be incredibly uncomfortable, not to mention humiliating. Whether Damiana should be thankful for the interruption, she isn't sure, but Tenna enters the cabin alongside Caen, Aika, Linden, and their newborn babe mere seconds later. Aika and Linden loiter outside the doorway, as if horrified that insanity will spread to them like a disease. Sadly, Caen chooses to stay outside the cabin along with the young parents. Tenna, on the other hand, glares at the duo pointedly.
"It looks like your things are already packed. Good, because you're sleeping in the barn with Ula and the uikin tonight. I don't need insane people who think they're from the future within breathing distance of myself and my son!"
Somehow it seems as if their conversation about the wedding neither of them want happened hours ago rather than seconds ago. Damiana picks up one burlap sack of their belongings and Roy picks up the other. Even if the mountaineer is angry, it is fortunate that she has still chosen to provide them with clothing and sleeping bags. Not wanting to risk losing what has been provided to them, they move toward the door in unison. Once they are outside, Caen, Aika, and Linden make their way inside. Meanwhile, Tenna joins them outdoors. Her lengthy braid is navy blue, as are her eyes.
"Do you have any idea how badly you have embarrassed all of us? I took you into my home and provided you with clothing and food. That isn't something I had to do, but I still did it. As for Aika and Linden, they provided you with friendship. That is something that they did not have to do for you! And how do you repay us? By taking the side of Old Man Veng and saying that our planet is going to explode! You couldn't end the humiliation there for our sakes, could you? Instead, you had to bring out that strange gadget and say that you're from five years into the future! Whisper Valley is never going to let this incident go because Aika, Linden, and I were the first to accept you!"
Knowing that their efforts are fruitless, Damiana is fully prepared to quietly apologize and retreat to the barn with Roy. However, the archer seems to have other ideas.
"Tenna, do you really think Damiana and I would make up a wild story to purposely embarrass you? We told the village the truth because we're trying to save your lives! You once said that you wanted to rescue me and Damiana because the Fates would punish you for deserting us. Has it ever occurred to you that the opposite could happen and that the Fates might reward you? Maybe you met Damiana and I in the wilderness because the Fates want you to escape Dabnod with your son."
So angry is the mountain lady that gusts of wind come from her fingertips. "You are twisting my faith in the Fates! I do not appreciate you manipulating me!"
"Tenna, we're not manipulating you!" Damiana cries desperately. "What we're saying is true, and you need to leave with us! We're begging! If you stay in Whisper Valley, you'll die!"
"I know it's impossible to believe us. You don't have to believe us. Just take the risk and come with us anyway. You'll thank us later."
Tenna no longer shouts. She stands as firmly in place as possible, though her legs shudder beneath her. Navy-colored features begin shifting to black. The mountaineer clearly doesn't want to admit it, but it seems as if she is considering their words at least subconsciously. All it will take is one more little push.
"Let's say, for hypothetical purposes, that the machine doesn't open rifts the way I claimed it does. Then what does it do? Can you think of another purpose for the machine, or better yet, why I would make up an insane lie about it?"
"Don't forget to mention how badly broken the machine is," Roy adds. "If Dami and I didn't get sucked five years into the past through a rift, then tell us what cracked the rift mechanism and destroyed the fuel cell. Also, explain how we ended up lost in the wilderness without any idea where we were at. Damiana also had to ask you what the date was, right? When she asked for the date, what she really wanted to know was the year. We needed to know how long we had until Dabnod goes boom so that we were able to repair our machine in time. If she looked unsettled, it was because she learned that we have months instead of years. If the fact that we're time travelers doesn't make everything fall into place for you, then I'm not sure what will."
Tenna's shaking worsens until she has to hug herself to keep her body motionless. Astonishingly, the woman's voice hitches. "Alright, fine. Let's say, for hypothetical purposes, that I believe you both. Damiana has the same name and same face as Queen Guayusa's apprentice according to Linden, and traveling back in time by five years would make up for the age difference. Let's also say for the sake of the conversation that Damiana looked scared when I gave her the date. Not to mention, I have no explanation for the machine. In that instance, I would have no other choice but to believe you."
Intense silence lapses. The girl takes a moment to glance inside the cabin at the others. Linden wears a wide-eyed expression of realization, as if he is seeing Damiana for the first time. Eventually the Nobleman's tresses shift to a blinding shade of neon green.
"Just for the record, Tenna, I was not exaggerating. Damiana does look incredibly similar to the child apprentice of the Queen who is also called Damiana. I have been trying to ignore it, but now… Well…it's difficult to ignore those similarities now. I hate to say it, but she really could be the same person."
The mountaineer sighs. "Even if she is the same person, Linden, there are other factors to consider. The most significant factor would be if leaving Whisper Valley is worth it."
"Of course, it's worth it!" the girl exclaims. "Why wouldn't it be worth it?"
"Damiana, consider my life for a second. My husband is dead, my two oldest sons are dead, and my third-born was recruited as a Knight for Her Highness Queen Guayusa. If he isn't dead now, then he will be when he stays behind to fight the Tamaraneans on the night of Dabnod's destruction. Aside from Caen, I have lost everything. After all of the loses that I have suffered, why would I flee to another planet to start my entire life over at forty-six years old? Worst of all, why would I raise Caen on a planet where he is an alien? Raising him away from the forests and fauna of Whisper Valley, away from a place where he can marry a Dabnodian woman and raise Dabnodian children one day, that isn't salvation. That is misery. You said it yourself that you have been homeless and alone on Earth these past five years. Why would I knowingly bring that same fate upon myself and my son?"
"Because your son deserves to live, you selfish hag! Didn't you hear him crying in the yertkitz earlier? Caen doesn't want to turn into space dust! He wants to live!"
It isn't the young Queen who says this, but the archer. Truth be told, Damiana thinks that Roy's words are wholly necessary. However brutal, Tenna needs to hear them. It is during a single moment of blind rage that Tenna replies, and it is with a powerful torrent of wind. The tornadic gust throws both Titans against the wall of the barn. Pain shoots throughout the entirety of her right side, but Damiana pays this little attention. All she can pay attention to are the mountaineer's cold and bitter words.
"You can forget sleeping in my barn. Go the gathering hall in the village center and sleep with the Fire Lily Tribe. I want this to be the last time that I see either of you."
A/N: Yes, I know. A few bombshells in this chapter. Damiana and Roy are being forced into marriage, they helped the prophet in his efforts to convince the villagers to leave, and unsurprisingly, Tenna does not want to leave. It was a very fast-paced and busy chapter, but personally, I like this story best when it is fast-paced. Thank you again for reading!
Also, my final semester of college starts this week. Starting this week is also my new job. During this college semester I will also be making plans to move out with my fiancé. These next few months are going to be very busy for me, so it is highly likely that my updates will start becoming infrequent again. For those of you who get upset when I don't update, those are my reasons.
I will try my best to remain fairly consistent with posting new chapters - I don't want to go four months to a year without updating like I have a habit of doing. Even so, it could be a month or more before I post another chapter. My humblest apologies. Once I finish my degree, move out, and look for a permanent job rather than a temporary one, it may be easier for me to update. Regardless of how frequent or infrequent my updates are, thank you again for reading! I appreciate it!
I will see you all in the next chapter! :)
Forever and Always,
~OCQ