Sanria arrived back in the cavern with Orn, still holding the boy tightly. She pulled back to look at him and smiled with her eyes full of tears. "I'm so happy you're safe."
"I'm sorry... for leaving..." Orn said, clutching her tightly. It made Sanria's heart ache seeing her son so deeply wounded. While Thasmudyan had healed his outward appearances, she could see that Orn was far from completely okay.
"Shh shh, it's okay. We're not mad at you."
"Why... why did she..."
"That lady was very sick, Orn. Sometimes people who aren't well inside their heads do mean and bad things."
"What... what about Papa. He... he..."
This stopped Sanria for a moment. Orn was full nearing thirteen in the physical terms, but when she looked at him, she still found herself star- ing into the eyes of her little boy. If she were to be fully honest she might well crush him, and so it was with a deep breath she gave a tiny smile, "Your papa saved you."
"Yeah... she won't... hurt anyone else now."
It was the way the boy stated it that tugged at Sanria. "Yes... but what your Papa did... he... we shouldn't kill people who are sick, Orn. Re- member that."
"She... she killed a baby Mama. She sent it, I remember it."
"That is why we have magic, to help those who are sick, Orn. Even when someone does something like that."
"Mama... is Papa sick?"
Sanria looked at Orn for a long moment, her lips quivering in their frozen smile. She couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes, nor the utter feeling of helplessness that washed over her as she nodded in the affirmative. "But you and Thasmudyan have magic," Orn said. "You can help him. I'll help too... if you show me how."
"Orn... what is wrong with your Papa... I can't fix. Thasmudyan can't either without really hurting your Papa and maybe killing him. Your Papa will have to figure out what he has to do."
"But Papa doesn't have magic. How is he supposed to fix it? We can help him. I can ask the trees."
Sanria gave a nod and swallowed back her thoughts. She desperately needed to hide the fact that she couldn't let go of what had happened. Colin had killed someone in a black makou fit - but more, he had decided to go along knowing it might happen. There was a part of her heart that had broken completely, but it was of no use. Orn watched her face. "What is it?" he asked.
"I don't think I can be your Papa's wife anymore. I'll still be your Mama-"
"Wh... what? Why?"
"I can't fix what is wrong with your Papa, Orn... and it hurts my heart very much."
"But we can help him," Orn said. "We can help him fix it, right? He scared me... but he's a good dad, isn't he?"
"He's a good Dad, Orn. And we'll help him... but I will just help him as a friend and as your Mom."
It surprised her how well Orn took the news, and she watched the boy run out to the stream beyond. She knew he would be safe - Arlenia was not a threat, yet that brought small comfort with the knowledge of how she was ended. Sanria climbed the stairs to her bedroom, her heart heavy, and stared at a book - waiting for an inevitable conversation. One where she steadied Colin for being without a wife.
