It had been some time since the younger Esper Claire had taken her quest. Psycho was inexplicably lost after the result of Claire's quest. Was it his fault that she struggled so much? He believed that Claire would have completed her task a little easier but was astounded at how fast she gave up. When she gave up she magically removed herself from his life. It was as sudden as a flower cutting left in the sun's wilt when it has run out of water.
Just because the young Esper fled quickly did not mean that the memories of her would fade as quickly. Her lavender glow was in all of the purple gems in he pouch, her wisps of energy were around westbridge and Psycho could feel her sorrow in the air. It was not for lack of concern that he had let her go, he felt that this was her choiceful rejection of himself or even fear of being so close to being accepted but the Order.
Psycho did not entirely sit back and watch her from afar. He had tried to keep himself busy with work, Sune forgiving that would never let up. But he had begun to plant orchids around places that reminded him of her.
One night while the Esper was planting some orchids near Sune's waterfall he had made up his mind to confront Claire and attempt to get some closer. When He spoke to Claire she seemed to be hiding something, but she glowed happy. If it was a show, it was a good one, Psycho understood Claire's hesitation to proceed after his quest, but was unaware of what she had been doing since he had last seen her. But she had voiced a union between her and the priest of Lathander, Gilean.
The shock was swift and powerful, but Psycho was sure to keep his composure.
Progression
There was no more time for confusion, and upon realizing she was going to be a mother, Claire had none. Gilean was it. Though he wasn't an esper and she had always assumed her life would be spent with her own kind, there was a certain joy she felt in knowing that her mate was a man who adored her from the start. She knew that their child would have a patient, kind father.
As a proclamation of her affections, Claire scoured the realms to gather every fruit and treat she could locate. They ate chocolate covered strawberries beside the lazy river that ran behind their cottage on a blanket of owl feathers. They would be married, provided he had no one from his past. Things clicked into place quickly, and well, far beyond her expectations.
It was while she busied herself in her studies that Psycho's voice echoed into her mind. He seemed only mildly surprised at her news of impending marriage, though Claire did not share with him the news of her pregnancy. The truth was she harbored fears - she was going to bear a half-esper, and to admit this to another esper was tremendously difficult. At the very least, they agreed to remain friends and meet in the future. It was yet another piece of her life that seemed to fall into lock-step.
As a proclamation of her affections, Claire scoured the realms to gather every fruit and treat she could locate. They ate chocolate covered strawberries beside the lazy river that ran behind their cottage on a blanket of owl feathers. They would be married, provided he had no one from his past. Things clicked into place quickly, and well, far beyond her expectations.
It was while she busied herself in her studies that Psycho's voice echoed into her mind. He seemed only mildly surprised at her news of impending marriage, though Claire did not share with him the news of her pregnancy. The truth was she harbored fears - she was going to bear a half-esper, and to admit this to another esper was tremendously difficult. At the very least, they agreed to remain friends and meet in the future. It was yet another piece of her life that seemed to fall into lock-step.
Succession
Claire didn't know what to do. Her mind was wrapped deeply in the problem at hand - Gilean's proclamation of his feelings right in the midst of her heartache with Psycho and the Radiant Heart. It had been a couple of days, days spent in impassioned study and surreptitious movements about the cottage to avoid Gilean. Home weighed constantly on her mind and bled from her when she could no longer hide from her roommate.
She spent that night packing - roughly tossing her things into her backpack. She couldn't deal with the ache, the confusion, the hiding in Westbridge - it was all overwhelming. She set her things to the side, planning to leave at first light. She would leave the house to Gilean and not look back, it was an infallible plan.
Often times it is when one has a plan that the universe smiles with a conspiratorial knowledge and twists the straight road into successive curves. So it happened that Claire was woken by Gilean sliding into her bed. Embarassed, he rose with a hundred apologies for his lack of attention. They did not, however, part. Instead they sat for hours talking and before the skies had changed color, they were in one another's arms.
Two beings of magic and light - it was nothing to note immediately the change in her body. It happened so quickly that before Claire even had a moment to consider this coupling a fair goodbye, she knew she could not leave. She had seen what her people had done to half espers, what others had done to them also. Now, in an instant, her body bloomed into a life giving realm for yet another being. She looked over at Gilean and took his hand in hers. Within the glow of her magical flames, she watched as his eyes danced in absolute awe. They were going to be parents.
She spent that night packing - roughly tossing her things into her backpack. She couldn't deal with the ache, the confusion, the hiding in Westbridge - it was all overwhelming. She set her things to the side, planning to leave at first light. She would leave the house to Gilean and not look back, it was an infallible plan.
Often times it is when one has a plan that the universe smiles with a conspiratorial knowledge and twists the straight road into successive curves. So it happened that Claire was woken by Gilean sliding into her bed. Embarassed, he rose with a hundred apologies for his lack of attention. They did not, however, part. Instead they sat for hours talking and before the skies had changed color, they were in one another's arms.
Two beings of magic and light - it was nothing to note immediately the change in her body. It happened so quickly that before Claire even had a moment to consider this coupling a fair goodbye, she knew she could not leave. She had seen what her people had done to half espers, what others had done to them also. Now, in an instant, her body bloomed into a life giving realm for yet another being. She looked over at Gilean and took his hand in hers. Within the glow of her magical flames, she watched as his eyes danced in absolute awe. They were going to be parents.
Melting Dreams
Everything had been going - well - incredibly smooth. Sanria found herself enjoying her role as a mother to Orn, a wife to Colin, and had even rediscovered small pockets of her Sage abilities. It was going well, truly, except that one part. The part where night crept into her mind and illuminated her dreamscapes with green twin suns that followed her every move.
She told Colin and he had uneasily dismissed it as simply a dream, but there was something more in the light, she could feel it. She found herself growing slowly more unsettled - wanting to sleep to see the suns, the eyes... his eyes. It was once she had determined that they belonged to the man she couldn't remember, the man who she only had a name for, that the dreams grew into something more.
Sanria couldn't put a finger on it, the emotion that seemed to curl up at the back of her throat. It would come unbidden when she was sitting at the stream with Orn, when she was curled up with Colin before the fireplace, when she was making a cup of tea. As though she wanted to scream, or cry, or both.
Sanria found herself sitting more frequently with the rose in the kitchen, staring down into it, the wish at the edge of her mind simply the desire to fall into the petals and never come out again. No. She wouldn't share these thoughts with anyone. She would smile, be a mother, be a wife, be content until the night fell and the dreams would bathe her soul in a green glow.
She told Colin and he had uneasily dismissed it as simply a dream, but there was something more in the light, she could feel it. She found herself growing slowly more unsettled - wanting to sleep to see the suns, the eyes... his eyes. It was once she had determined that they belonged to the man she couldn't remember, the man who she only had a name for, that the dreams grew into something more.
Sanria couldn't put a finger on it, the emotion that seemed to curl up at the back of her throat. It would come unbidden when she was sitting at the stream with Orn, when she was curled up with Colin before the fireplace, when she was making a cup of tea. As though she wanted to scream, or cry, or both.
Sanria found herself sitting more frequently with the rose in the kitchen, staring down into it, the wish at the edge of her mind simply the desire to fall into the petals and never come out again. No. She wouldn't share these thoughts with anyone. She would smile, be a mother, be a wife, be content until the night fell and the dreams would bathe her soul in a green glow.
Like a Runaway Train
Sanria didn't know Colin was home until the moment he slid his arm around her in bed. "How was your trip?" she asked.
"It didn't go so well..."
"I'm sorry."
"She was apparently holding out hope that I would return to her. When she found out I wasn't, she gave me an ultimatum. Either I take the child or she'd end the pregnancy. I couldn't let her end it."
"Well, at least now you can have what you wanted - permanently. You'll get to be part of this child's life, and Orn will have a brother or sister."
"I suppose it's good that it will grow up having a father and mother that are together."
"Indeed. And with that one on the way, we won't have to worry about try- ing for another. We can go to the druids tomorrow to ensure we don't have any more."
Colin gave a small smile. The couple had decided the night he left to give Orn company before he was too old. Nature would dictate when or if anything would happen. Somehow, the idea of completing their family with Arlenia's child was not satisfying to Colin, and Sanria could tell from the look on his face that he felt so. "We shouldn't have things move too fast," Sanria said.
"Yeah... I suppose so."
Moving fast, however, was exactly what nature had decided would happen. At the Druid's Grove, the very next day, when everything was supposed to be set and left to plan - Sanria and Colin discovered they would be five. The druidess chuckled and collected her herbs, leaving Sanria standing there in a swoon. Things weren't supposed to happen this way. Certainly not this fast. Suddenly she felt hurt over Arlenia, scared about her future, and worried that things wouldn't last.
"I only know now... only the past few weeks... I just haven't let myself feel hurt about things or scared of things until now. Things I can't remember or even know how to feel about... was I angry before? Did I care? I mean, I tried to get the two of you together, isn't that what you said?"
"Things were different altogether..." Colin replied.
"I just don't understand why... why didn't I feel for you then like I do right now?"
"Well... you loved... another man. It was something that never truly went away."
"But I never even married him... how could I love him that much?"
"I don't really know..." Colin said. "It's not a question I could ever quite answer myself. But we had times like this... moments like this together. But now... it doesn't have to be just moments." Colin folded Sanria and Orn into his arms.
"I'm glad it's not just moments. I'm glad it is like this... and I hope I never remember if it means I have to give this up."
"Me too," Colin replied with a squeeze.
The family headed back to the cavern with a new goal. They would be together, raising Orn, and the other two children. It was as though fate had given them exactly what they had lost before. So long as memories did not find their way back into Sanria's mind, so long as she retained her grasp on the new reality that spread out before her - nothing could go wrong. Nothing.
"It didn't go so well..."
"I'm sorry."
"She was apparently holding out hope that I would return to her. When she found out I wasn't, she gave me an ultimatum. Either I take the child or she'd end the pregnancy. I couldn't let her end it."
"Well, at least now you can have what you wanted - permanently. You'll get to be part of this child's life, and Orn will have a brother or sister."
"I suppose it's good that it will grow up having a father and mother that are together."
"Indeed. And with that one on the way, we won't have to worry about try- ing for another. We can go to the druids tomorrow to ensure we don't have any more."
Colin gave a small smile. The couple had decided the night he left to give Orn company before he was too old. Nature would dictate when or if anything would happen. Somehow, the idea of completing their family with Arlenia's child was not satisfying to Colin, and Sanria could tell from the look on his face that he felt so. "We shouldn't have things move too fast," Sanria said.
"Yeah... I suppose so."
Moving fast, however, was exactly what nature had decided would happen. At the Druid's Grove, the very next day, when everything was supposed to be set and left to plan - Sanria and Colin discovered they would be five. The druidess chuckled and collected her herbs, leaving Sanria standing there in a swoon. Things weren't supposed to happen this way. Certainly not this fast. Suddenly she felt hurt over Arlenia, scared about her future, and worried that things wouldn't last.
"I only know now... only the past few weeks... I just haven't let myself feel hurt about things or scared of things until now. Things I can't remember or even know how to feel about... was I angry before? Did I care? I mean, I tried to get the two of you together, isn't that what you said?"
"Things were different altogether..." Colin replied.
"I just don't understand why... why didn't I feel for you then like I do right now?"
"Well... you loved... another man. It was something that never truly went away."
"But I never even married him... how could I love him that much?"
"I don't really know..." Colin said. "It's not a question I could ever quite answer myself. But we had times like this... moments like this together. But now... it doesn't have to be just moments." Colin folded Sanria and Orn into his arms.
"I'm glad it's not just moments. I'm glad it is like this... and I hope I never remember if it means I have to give this up."
"Me too," Colin replied with a squeeze.
The family headed back to the cavern with a new goal. They would be together, raising Orn, and the other two children. It was as though fate had given them exactly what they had lost before. So long as memories did not find their way back into Sanria's mind, so long as she retained her grasp on the new reality that spread out before her - nothing could go wrong. Nothing.
Clearing
It had been a day - a full day - and Claire had spent it in deep study. She ran her fingers along the script, detailing just how the elementals were formed, how they came into being, and how to pull a portion of the elemental magic into being for yourself. It was arduous and required a lot of memorization, but Claire was determined to master the incantation as soon as possible.
Gilean entered the door, his hand behind his back. Well, hello there, he greeted, drawing Claire's attention to him. I got something for you, he continued. From his back he pulled a beautiful bouquet of flowers - blues and yellows. Claire looked from them to Gilean, noting how the man was blushing. I, um, really appreciate you letting me stay with you, he said.
Claire smiled and shook her head. 'Ah! Well, you don't need to blush then. You're just being nice and thanking me... aren't... you?' That had to be all there was to it. Gilean had been too good of a friend to her for it to be anything but.
Well... yes, I did want to thank you... but I also... I was also wondering if you would... go on a walk with me.
'Where shall we walk?'
Well, we have to go there first, Gilean said. Taking her hand and vanishing the two of them in a swirl of golden dust.
They arrived in an older forest full of trees strung with lichens and moss. Birds chirped and called to one another and squirrels zipped from tree to tree. They stopped on an old marble bridge and stared out over the edge. Claire found her mind going back over the past few days. It's nice to get out of the house, Gilean said.
'I haven't been thinking about it if at all possible. Just... studying.'
I really care about you Claire, and I don't want to see you upset.
'You're a good friend, Gilean. Truly.'
It looks like there's a little path there. Let's see what's there.
Claire reluctantly took her gaze from the water as it passed under the bridge - an appropriate living metaphor - and followed Gilean to a clearing. The colors and vibrance of life nearly rivaled the plane they had visited and Claire found her spirits lifting. She sat beside Gilean in the grass and looked around until his voice drew her focus. Claire... You are a dear friend... and I care about you very much... very much... Claire waited, she had heard these words before. Something was wrong. What had she done now? I actually... care for you... more than just a friend.
Claire's head swam as Gilean kept talking. She had just parted ways with Psycho, had been considering a return home, and now this... and he wasn't an esper. She'd always pictured herself with another esper. So, I guess you could say I've been smitten for a while, he said.
It was too much, too soon. Excusing herself, Claire went back to her cottage and to the library. She desperately opened her spell books, reading, reciting, reading, reciting and clutched at her head when she lost concentration on every spell.
Gilean entered the door, his hand behind his back. Well, hello there, he greeted, drawing Claire's attention to him. I got something for you, he continued. From his back he pulled a beautiful bouquet of flowers - blues and yellows. Claire looked from them to Gilean, noting how the man was blushing. I, um, really appreciate you letting me stay with you, he said.
Claire smiled and shook her head. 'Ah! Well, you don't need to blush then. You're just being nice and thanking me... aren't... you?' That had to be all there was to it. Gilean had been too good of a friend to her for it to be anything but.
Well... yes, I did want to thank you... but I also... I was also wondering if you would... go on a walk with me.
'Where shall we walk?'
Well, we have to go there first, Gilean said. Taking her hand and vanishing the two of them in a swirl of golden dust.
They arrived in an older forest full of trees strung with lichens and moss. Birds chirped and called to one another and squirrels zipped from tree to tree. They stopped on an old marble bridge and stared out over the edge. Claire found her mind going back over the past few days. It's nice to get out of the house, Gilean said.
'I haven't been thinking about it if at all possible. Just... studying.'
I really care about you Claire, and I don't want to see you upset.
'You're a good friend, Gilean. Truly.'
It looks like there's a little path there. Let's see what's there.
Claire reluctantly took her gaze from the water as it passed under the bridge - an appropriate living metaphor - and followed Gilean to a clearing. The colors and vibrance of life nearly rivaled the plane they had visited and Claire found her spirits lifting. She sat beside Gilean in the grass and looked around until his voice drew her focus. Claire... You are a dear friend... and I care about you very much... very much... Claire waited, she had heard these words before. Something was wrong. What had she done now? I actually... care for you... more than just a friend.
Claire's head swam as Gilean kept talking. She had just parted ways with Psycho, had been considering a return home, and now this... and he wasn't an esper. She'd always pictured herself with another esper. So, I guess you could say I've been smitten for a while, he said.
It was too much, too soon. Excusing herself, Claire went back to her cottage and to the library. She desperately opened her spell books, reading, reciting, reading, reciting and clutched at her head when she lost concentration on every spell.
Unexpected Guest
Claire at last found the energy to walk out her front door. She sat on the stoop, looking down over the ferns and grasses, lost in thought. She considered returning to Faerun - going back to her mother and marrying Ruthivan. It wasn't the life she sought for herself, but it wouldn't cause her the pain that seemed to follow her on Cruoris. There she could simply help her own kind, carry on the genetic legacy of Espers, and be at ease. Certainly, it would mean turning her back on her charges in Westbridge - giving up on aiding those that truly needed it - but anything was better than -
The sound of footsteps pulled her from her own mind and Claire looked over to see Gilean approaching. "Hello Claire. I hope I'm not disturbing you." There was nothing to disturb. Claire invited her friend inside and at his questioning, told him what had transpired. She looked down at the pack by her side and pulled out the orchids that had been given to her by Psycho. It was over. As she spoke, she removed the enchantment that kept them beautiful and fresh and tossed them into the fireplace. She hung her head as they rapidly curled and turned to ash.
The conversation quieted and so lost in her thoughts was she that Claire barely registered Gilean's voice, You know... I haven't had a chance to see this new house of yours. Do you feel up for a tour? She found the energy to rise and to show him the rooms of her house, as well as Emalia's grave in the back.
The small cottage did not take long to show. I must admit, I'm a bit jealous, Gilean said once they had finished. The accommodations at the temple aren't nearly so nice. 'If you would like you may stay here,' Claire offered. 'I have the extra room.'
Oh, no... I wouldn't want to impose...
'It would be no imposition. Besides, should I choose to go home, you might be able to purchase it for your own.'
Well, alright then. I will stop looking the gift horse in the mouth and graciously accept your offer.
Claire parted with Gilean, leaving him to move himself into the guest room, and entered the library. She sat there, surrounded by all of Emalia's old healing books, and suddenly had reality hit her. She just gained a roommate. She let out a long sigh and shook her head in spite of herself. Broken hearts were certainly not conducive to clear minds.
The sound of footsteps pulled her from her own mind and Claire looked over to see Gilean approaching. "Hello Claire. I hope I'm not disturbing you." There was nothing to disturb. Claire invited her friend inside and at his questioning, told him what had transpired. She looked down at the pack by her side and pulled out the orchids that had been given to her by Psycho. It was over. As she spoke, she removed the enchantment that kept them beautiful and fresh and tossed them into the fireplace. She hung her head as they rapidly curled and turned to ash.
The conversation quieted and so lost in her thoughts was she that Claire barely registered Gilean's voice, You know... I haven't had a chance to see this new house of yours. Do you feel up for a tour? She found the energy to rise and to show him the rooms of her house, as well as Emalia's grave in the back.
The small cottage did not take long to show. I must admit, I'm a bit jealous, Gilean said once they had finished. The accommodations at the temple aren't nearly so nice. 'If you would like you may stay here,' Claire offered. 'I have the extra room.'
Oh, no... I wouldn't want to impose...
'It would be no imposition. Besides, should I choose to go home, you might be able to purchase it for your own.'
Well, alright then. I will stop looking the gift horse in the mouth and graciously accept your offer.
Claire parted with Gilean, leaving him to move himself into the guest room, and entered the library. She sat there, surrounded by all of Emalia's old healing books, and suddenly had reality hit her. She just gained a roommate. She let out a long sigh and shook her head in spite of herself. Broken hearts were certainly not conducive to clear minds.
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