Crusade – Chapter 82: A Decision Made

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Aperio stepped through her portal right behind her Scion, the room they found themselves in not Maria's but the dining hall in which they had first met the Lord of the house. Even the same servants were present.

Food had once more been prepared and served, the smells of dishes Aperio did not know tickling her vastly enhanced nose. Despite the presence of the meals, she still felt no need or true desire to eat any of it. It was simply curiosity, wanting to know what the colourful dishes would taste like. That will have to wait, though. The reason she had come here was not food, but to hear the decision Maria had made.

The girl in question was sitting next to her father at the head of the long table. Her eyes were cast to the floor and her hands tried to continuously straighten her already impeccable dress. The obvious nervousness of her youngest follower caused Aperio to narrow her eyes slightly. She did not believe that Geshton would force his daughter to do anything, but it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.

"Welcome," Lord Terenyk said, his eyes fixed on the tear in space Aperio had created. "Please be seated."

The All-Mother looked at the wooden chair, the portal closing behind her. She had been able to sit on it last time without breaking it, but the continued changes to her body had made her heavier than before, she knew that.

Aperio's wings vanished as she sat down in the high-backed chair, a touch of her magic flowing through it to ensure it would not break. Having her wings pressed against the chair or somehow draping them over the back of the chair did not appeal to her. While she did not like being without her feathered limbs, at the moment it was the easiest option. 

"Thank you," she said, folding her hands in her lap. A small mental nudge told Laelia that she, too, could take a seat, but her Scion remained standing just behind her. "You have come to a decision, Maria?"

As the All-Mother waited for a reply, she focused on Maria's soul, inspecting the tiny orb. The cracks were receding faster than she had previously believed, the continued exposure to the Soul-river's water seemingly compounding its effectiveness. At least some good news.

"I want your help," Maria finally mumbled. "I don't want to go back to being alone all day. I want to learn what I can do."

Geshton grit his teeth at his daughter's words, the choice she had made not to his liking. Still, he remained quiet, possibly knowing that Aperio would ignore what he had to say.

She did not want to dismiss him as a bystander, but it was a question about Maria's future. Something Aperio fiercely believed should be decided by the person themself; not anyone else.

"If you want to learn what you can do, I think Caethya would be a good teacher. She is like you, after all." That Aperio considered herself a terrible teacher was left unsaid. "Brenia might join too, if Laelia finds it agreeable."

She couldn't quite pin down why just yet, but her Scion’s adopted daughter felt different to the other Humans she had met thus far. It wasn't simply because Brenia was unafraid of her, but something more indistinct and weighty seemed to nudge Aperio to believe that the girl would be different.

"If she wishes to, Brenia is free to join," Laelia said, then resumed her silent vigil behind the All-Mother.

Maria's eyes practically sparkled at the mention of Brenia, seemingly quite eager to see the other girl again. Her joy was fleeting however as she lowered her head slightly again. "Father said that training should be here for a while longer."

"That is fine, is it not?" Aperio asked. "I am sure Caethya and Laelia have no problem coming here. As long as Lord Terenyk has nothing against the notion, that is?"

"They are welcome to stay here," Lord Terenyk replied, the man sinking just a little further into his chair. "I can have rooms prepared for you if you wish."

The All-Mother waited for her Scion to reply, the question not one she could answer. A small mental nudge caused Laelia to realise her Goddess would not make the decisions for her.

"A room will not be necessary," Laelia said. "At least for me. I already have a home for my family and myself."

"I will ask Caethya if she wishes to take your offer, Lord Terenyk." Aperio paused briefly, tilting her head as she focused on her disciple to ask her if she would like to teach Maria and live in the estate.

The reply was a string of confused emotions, resolving in the young Elf's agreement, and an additional note that the pain from Aperio's mental message was not as severe as before. How easily Caethya had agreed to teaching Maria and living with her did not sit quite right with the winged Goddess, however. I should have asked her before.

"Caethya has agreed to teach Maria and will also accept her offer," Aperio said, tilting her head to the other side as a prayer from Caethya reached her. She wants me to ask if she can teach Adam here as well?

It was probably a good idea; the poor Human would need time to adapt and a safe place to stay was surely going to help. "Would it be all right if Caethya brings someone else to live here? He is new here, and will need some time to adapt."

"I will have another room prepared for him," Lord Terenyk said after a moment of silence, signing something to one of the servants who promptly left. The fact that Aperio had gotten an answer from her disciple without leaving seemed to be of no concern. He does know that I am a Goddess, after all.

Silence settled over the room after Geshton spoke, some of the servants shifting around, obviously uncomfortable. Aperio couldn't blame them. They were stuck in a room with their Lord and a Goddess that could wipe them out with a thought. Do they know that? …Was Ferio right?

A part deep inside her liked their fear; knew that it was right. Her conscious mind, however, rejected the idea. She did not want to be the harbinger of death, she wanted to be herself. Just a normal Elf. Her initial goal had fallen to the wayside after she had retrieved her first set of memories and subsequently removed Vigil and Inanis from the picture. Not that it changed much.

"Is there anything else you wish to speak about, Lord Terenyk?" Aperio inquired, breaking the silence.

The man remained silent at the question, his eyes fixed on the All-Mother and his hands gripping the fabric of his pants tightly. Maria on the other hand slowly raised her hand, trying to get Aperio's attention.

"Yes?" Aperio asked, shifting her gaze to the little girl.

"Where did your wings go?"

The question was not something Aperio had expected. The answer was pretty simple, she simply willed her wings out of existence. At least I think so. When she hid her wings, they were replaced with a slight pain below her shoulder blades. It was more of a companion to the incompleteness she felt.

"Nowhere," she replied. "They simply cease to be should I want them to."

The girl's eyes widened a little at her words, the idea of simply removing a part of oneself without a doubt quite a foreign idea for her. For Aperio it was not, a fact that only served to underline the words of Diskrye. Perhaps I should try to change something else?

"Does it hurt?" Maria asked, her eyes straining as she looked just past Aperio to where her wings were supposed to be. "And where did the wisps go?"

A small smile tugged on Aperio's lips at the questions of her youngest follower. The thirst for knowledge was something she herself felt more often than not. Just that I don't get answers. "It does not hurt, but I feel incomplete without my wings. The wisps were simply a physical manifestation of my mana. Something I have been told is rather intimidating and therefore I have stopped for the moment."

Geshton swallowed slightly at the mention of the wisps, the man likely far more knowledgeable about the amount of power one needed to use to have raw mana floating around them. I really need to figure out what counts as normal.

"Can I do that too?" Maria asked, ignoring her increasingly nervous father and mumbling the next words to herself. "I want to have wispy friends."

"The mana would be yours, Maria. It is not truly alive." Aperio wasn't quite as sure of her words as she would like to be, but she knew that her mana, and by extent everyone else's, wasn't alive. It reacted to emotions, yes, but it did not feel on its own. She knew that. Unless a part of my instincts are also missing…

It did, however, raise another question. One that Aperio would very much like an answer to but did not even know where to begin. What even is mana?

Maria lowered her head at the revelation. "But why did they play with Brenia and me, then?" As soon as her words had left her mouth, she raised her head again, a new sparkle in her eyes. "You played with us!"

Aperio nodded at the girl's declaration, her smile growing bigger as she heard the suppressed giggle of her Scion. Laelia quickly cleared her throat in an effort to mask the slip-up, but Aperio had heard it.

A small mental nudge directed at her Scion let the Human know that it was okay, that she did not expect her to remain formal at all times. Wished for her to act normally, even.

The slight twitch of Laelia's brow did also not go unnoticed by the All-Mother. A reminder that despite her mental communication being less strenuous on the mortals she talked to, it still caused them pain.

"I did," Aperio replied, her reaction and message to her Scion barely having lasted for a breath. "I had thought you and Brenia might enjoy it."

"I want to see Brenia again," Maria said, shifting her gaze to her father. "Please."

Lord Terenyk loosened his grip on the fabric of his trousers a little at his daughter's attention, taking a breath that was deeper than usual before he replied. "I already gave my permission, it is up to your friend to decide."

"Can we ask her now?" Maria asked, practically bouncing in her chair.

"I am afraid she will be busy in the coming hours," Laelia replied, this time without prompting from Aperio. "I will make sure a reply is sent here by the end of the day."

The girl nodded her reply, obviously unhappy that she had to wait but understanding of it nonetheless. Lord Terenyk also took the chance to stand up and gesture at the table in front of him. "If there is nothing more to discuss, you are welcome to try anything you like."

"I appreciate the offer, but I will decline," Aperio said. "Perhaps you would like to try something, Laelia?"

The All-Mother could hear the slightly faster beat of her Scion's heart, could sense her shift ever-so-slightly at the attention. Does she not like attention, or does she still think I expect her to simply serve me?

"I am not hungry," Laelia replied, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you for the offer, however."

Aperio did not correct her Scion for addressing her and not the Lord of the house, the statement clear enough as it was. She just needs time, Aperio told herself. You are not her new master. The fact that Laelia continued to behave like she was some sort of glorified servant was starting to grate on her. She had told her Scion that she was free to do as she wished, the woman even being somewhat casual with her as she had declared her the head of her church. But now she is back to servant Laelia. Why?

With a slight shake, the All-Mother pushed the thought from her mind and stood up, her wings appearing in their rightful place once more. So much better. After a small stretch of her feathered limbs Aperio turned to leave, a tiny flex of her mental muscle pushing the chair back in its correct place.

"If there is something you need, do not hesitate to ask," Aperio said. "Should I not be available you are free to ask Laelia, she is my Scion and head of the church." A small mental query also informed Laelia that should she not wish to be a liaison, she would not have to be one.

"Do you know of Penbrook's house of healing, Lord Terenyk?" Laelia asked, stepping past her Goddess.

"I do not, no," Geshton replied, motioning for one of the servants. "But we do have a map."

Aperio left the two Humans alone. Looking up a route they could reliably take was not something she could help much with. Perhaps I can teach Laelia or Caethya how to make a portal? The idea was dismissed as quickly as it had formed. Neither of her two followers would be strong enough to tear apart the threads of reality yet. Even if Laelia can see them.

A small tug in her dress caused Aperio to look down. She had sensed Maria's approach but had thought it best not to appear omniscient. Knowing where everyone is and treating it as normal will probably also scare the mortals. "Yes?"

The girl wrung her hands as she tried to ask the question that was undoubtedly on her mind. Why Maria was so shy now was not something Aperio knew or liked, leading her to very gently pick her youngest follower up. After ruffling the girl's hair a little, the All-Mother turned her attention back to the table packed with food.

"Is there anything I should try before I leave?"

GamingWolf

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