Sanria walked instead of using magic, trying desperately to calm herself down. She ran her hands over the trunks of trees, catching only slivers of their whispers as she made her way back to the cavern. She would have to write the letter soon, but she couldn't. Not at that moment. She would not let herself cry, that was the old Sanria. She couldn't afford to let emotions get in her way. There was no room in war, battle, leadership, for sobbing emotional messes. The new Sanria knew this. Slowly, she had evolved. She saw things with a calculating glance, a precision, like a puzzle to be solved. This was what she had agreed to do. There was no room for error when dealing with lives.
She was wrapped in her own mind when she noticed Thasmudyan standing at her door. Here was yet another puzzle to be solved, but one that required her to remove her feelings. He had been missing for nearly a year. She had let him go. This was not anticipated - Colin was on another plane, getting fixed, and, it seemed, no sooner than, Thasmudyan had showed up at her door... literally... and he looked terrible.
"Oh thank the Light.. Sanria."
"What... happened?"
"Tricked... held against my will. In Torregiano."
"Wh... what do you mean, held against your will?"
"It.. well, it's a long story."
Long story. This is where it began. Always. "I'm... not sure why you're here."
"I'm sorry... to come here like this. I didn't know where else to go, though. I'm sure they're after me. I'm too ...valuable, if you can believe that."
"Well, perhaps Maya would be willing to hide you. I'm sure she knows of places you could go." It was cruel, but he had to go.
"If I knew where to find her, maybe." He replied, raising his eyebrow.
"I'm sorry. I'm sure you two have some means of communicating."
"If I had ....means...of communicating with anyone... don't you think I'd have done it?"
"You do know where she lives, don't you?" Sanria had to stand firm.
"I don't ... Maybe coming here was a mistake."
It was only moments after this statement, Sanria feeling secure in the resolve that Thasmudyan would be leaving, when the front door was thrown open to reveal Leandra with Nioma, squalling in her arms. 'No,' Sanria thought. 'Anything but this. Not now, Gods, not now.' "Leandra, go back inside. Now."
"I... sorry... I didn't... she's fussy and..."
"NOW!"
A change came over Leandra's face, and Sanria knew the demand was to be met with a challenge. The girl stormed forward and shoved Nioma into Sanria's arms. "I have to take care of my own, you deal with her."
"Yes. A mistake." Sanria echoed to Thasmudyan after Leandra left.
"...I thought perhaps I could count on you in a time of need, as you used to count on me... but I see I was wrong. I'll just ...find somewhere else to hide, I guess. Enjoy your life with Colin, then."
"How dare you. Do you even know how long you've been gone? Do you? Or that Maya is pregnant with, and has probably already had your baby?"
"Ten months, thirteen days, and twelve hours. That's how long I was imprisoned," Thasmudyan said, his eyes alight with anger.
Sanria closed her eyes, gritting her teeth and flexing her jaw. Why everything seemed to be converging at once she didn't know, nor did she understand, but here it was, and it wasn't going away. Thasmudyan was right. He had come to her for help, something she'd always asked of him. She owed him her life, Orn's life... She lowered her head. "So you need to hide from TriPower."
"... Yes."
Sanria handed Nioma to Thasmudyan, rummaging for her keys upon the discovery that Leandra had locked them out. She rushed, the less he saw of the little girl the better. "Colin doesn't have blue eyes, and neither do you.." Sanria pulled Nioma from Thasmudyan's arms and opened the front door, escaping inside.
"We don't know where the blue came from. Must have been in there from genes... somewhere."
"Where'd the blue come... oh hell."
"She's Colin's daughter," Sanria said, staring at Thasmudyan, straining to keep the lie from showing completely.
"She's Colin's ...and yours, is that right?"
"Yes."
"...I see. Well, congratulations on the new addition to your family."
Sanria turned, gesturing to the kitchen, offering up the home that he had already known for many, many years. "You, can feel free to make yourself at home. You're not... a burden or anything like that."
"So you say," Thasmudyan said with a sardonic chuckle. "But we both know I'm the last person you wanted to see turn up like this."
Better to just get things out of the way. "Thasmudyan, I worked very hard to accept what I found out from Maya. I worked hard to let you go. And you being... away... just served to sever what I thought I could get rid of. I was ready to leave Colin for you... But I found out things weren't as they appeared."
"And do you think things are as they appear to be now?" he asked.
Sanria could tell he was holding himself in check. She also knew she had never quite been so blunt. Part of her new self. Part of her new life. "The only thing I can say is that I am sorry that you endured an ordeal that took you away for so long. That is why you are standing here now. You cannot help what you were forced into. And I owe you more than one."
"Please understand that I am not trying to ... dismiss what you are saying about Maya. It's just... well, right now I have more pressing matters at hand to deal with." Sanria felt the relief wash over her. "I'm sure. Which is a relief that you are only looking for a place to hide. It makes things... easier for everyone."
"So when is he leaving?" Leandra's voice sounded from behind her.
"Leandra, this is still my house. Watch your tone, please."
"I've never liked you, you know? You ruin families. You're lucky my dad isn't on this plane or he'd kick your ass."
"You're right, of course," Thasmudyan replied with a touch of ire.
"That's exactly what I do. You might not want to stay here and talk to me any more or I'll end up ruining yours, too."
"You're far too late for that. Did you see your kid?" Leandra said, flinging her hand in Nioma's direction.
"LEANDRA!"
"Yes, I did. Why do you think I'm here?" Sanria ignored this and stood toe to toe with her daughter. "You take Nioma upstairs and stay out of this room. Damn you. Damn it Leandra."
This day was not at all panning out as anticipated.
