The next morning was spent gathering the herbs they still needed, before wishing Isaac and the guards good fortune, and leaving the vault soon after lunch, Anaakendi floating them up the central shaft.
The Azure Guards would be staying a few more days, setting up a proper fort at the entrance to the vault, before Isaac went back to the capital to ask for a larger, more permanent, detachment.
David also suspected that this meant that someone would claim ownership of the vault, probably the Wardenfels, as, once cleared of Fels, it represented an invaluable source of rare and exotic animals, all conveniently located in the same general region. Not to mention that year-round farms could be set up, as most of the biomes, according to Jordo, did not go through a winter season.
The only remaining questions were what to do with the natives and if the high ambient mana would have side effects on new arrivals, like the guards. Both questions that David was glad weren't his responsibilities.
The trip back home was uneventful, though Niala did ask Anaakendi why she couldn't just whisk all of them back home riding the wind, as she'd demonstrated down in the Vault.
The incarnation babbled something back about “conserving her strength” and “the situation not demanding it”, refusing to elaborate further.
David figured she just couldn't, having been dependent on the ambient mana to augment her natural abilities, but magnanimously allowed the woman to live her lie. A sly glance from Niala had told him she was of the same mind.
They arrived back in Riverwall late in the evening, just in time for a quick dinner shared with Linzy and Karline, thanking them both and promising stories later, followed by a warm, shared bath, and then promptly tangling their bodies together and falling asleep in their plump bed.
They woke up on the eve of Renewal, the last day of the year, and something that Niala was dead-set on properly celebrating.
And to her, a proper celebration meant a feast, with everyone invited.
David was conscripted, even though he would have helped regardless, and the entire day was spent cooking up a storm, preparing food, desserts, drinks, sauces and gravies, and, most importantly, a traditional Renewal Crown; a spread of bite-sized snacks that would be eaten in sequence, from noon to midnight, at every half bells.
The day disappeared under pots and pans, but, near midnight, the kitchen had been cleaned, the table set, and the pantry and cold box were overfull. David and Niala lounged on the couch, layered on top of each other, and basking in the post-scramble rush which left one's body sore in just the right way.
The bellclock soon sounded midnight. Niala stretched one more time, letting a content moan escape her throat, as she crawled along David, getting her head up to his, and staring deep into his eyes, a warm, content smile on her face.
Their link radiated contentment and happiness. He sent the same back.
“Happy Renewal, David,” She wished him.
“Happy Renewal, Kitten,” He wished back, before planting his lips over hers.
Their kiss lasted a while, both participants letting their senses of self blend with each other's. Time stopped being a constant, and two bodies felt as one.
Eventually, Niala came up for air, giving him a few more pecks before nestling her head underneath his, humming languidly as she did.
In the dimness, with nothing but the sound of the wind caressing the windows, in the dead of night, they simply existed.
“Can you tell me what Isaac told you? You looked really upset back then.” Niala asked into his neck, eyes closed.
He let out a sigh through his nose, rubbing his chin over her head a few times. “Do you really want to? My family isn't the most entertaining topic.”
“Don't say that. It's your family. It's important, even if only because you grew up there.”
“Hmm...” David craned his neck and looked up at the ceiling.
“Isaac said that my father was dying.” He dropped.
Niala opened her eyes before lifting herself with her arms and planting her face over his. “Isn't that, like, really important? Why are you so nonchalant about this!?”
He smiled and kissed her forehead before looking her in the eyes. “You know why. Because my father is a bleeding fiend. I'm almost glad he's dying.”
She scrunched her face. “David...”
He sighed, rolling his eyes. “I know! I know... I'm just finding it really hard to care that much...”
She tilted her head, ears flopping. “It doesn't sound like that's what's really upsetting you.”
“It's just... Isaac said it wasn't old age. The family healers think it's a disease of some sort.”
She pursed her lips. “Then...”
“Then, Isaac asked me about your potions. All the guards were talking about it, how they're bottled miracles. He asked if they could heal Father.”
She pondered for an instant. “I would think... maybe not the healing potions, but if it's a disease, I could probably brew something, and if not that...”
He picked up where she left off. “If none of those, then the special potion you brewed me when I was dying from Delver's Rot, yeah. That's what got me conflicted.”
She settled herself back over his body. “Because you're scared they might try to steal me away?”
He grimaced despite himself. “If I bring you over there, and you figure out how to heal him, they'll want you for themselves. If you brew a special potion, and Isaac brings it over, and it heals him, they'll ask where he got it from, and they'll come for you.”
The tip of her tail swished. “So, the only safe move is to let your Father die.”
“...yeah.”
“And you're fine with that?”
He sighed. “I wish I was. I wish I didn't care, because you're worth so much more to me than anyone in my family. The idea of putting you within reach of their claws is making me hate myself.”
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She nuzzled into his neck. “But you still don't want him to die, and you're scared of asking me, because you know I'll say yes.”
He remained motionless for a moment, “...yeah.”
“Well, ask me then. Won't know until you do.”
He snorted, “Right. Niala, would you accept saving my father's life in exchange for potentially being locked away in an alchemy room for the rest of your life, doing nothing but brewing potions?”
His eyes widened, craning his neck to look at her, “No, wait, that's no-”
She giggled and looked at him with playful eyes. “You're supposed to make it sound atrocious, not enticing, silly!”
He thinned his lips. “It sounds atrocious to me! You're not supposed to hear locked up in a room and find it appealing!”
She smirked. “What if it was being locked in a room with me?”
“I...” He blinked. “Ok, that does sound appealing. But still!”
Giggling, she stretched and gave him a quick kiss. “I know, and, yes, I still want to try and help save your father, if that's what you want.”
He stared at her. The emotions coming through their link felt angular and chaotic, a mix of love and worry, gratitude and guilt.
She hummed softly. “It's alright, David. Even if they try anything, you'll kick their ass and save me like the princess I am. And if you don't, just let my father know, he'll have half the nobles storming your family's gate within a week.”
He knitted his brow, looking at her. “Does your father really have that much clout?”
“Huh? I told you, he can brew youth potions.”
David's eyebrows rose. “Oooh, that's right... and so can you.”
Her ensuing smile hinted at something darker, like a giant spider's web in the dark. “That's right, so can I. I know you think your family is all-powerful, but never underestimate a noble woman's primal desire to remain young forever.”
“...that does sound dangerous.”
She broke eye contact and planted her face back into his neck.
He gently stroked her hair as he let his mind wander.
She furrowed her brows after a while. “I'm still feeling unease from you. What is it?”
He didn't answer right away, mechanically running his hand through her hair as he thought.
“Your special potion. When we fought the evolved Fel and I... died. It healed my body, right?”
“It did.”
“Do you think it can heal any dead body? Even long-dead ones?” He asked, his tone flat.
“I... don't know? Maybe? Why?”
“Hmm. You remember what I told you about my sister, Annabelle?”
Her tone softened. “I do. You told me she died in an accident, and you think you're the cause. But, David, even if I can heal her body, her soul is long gone.”
He let his eyes stare at the ceiling, not really seeing anything. “What if it wasn't? Her soul, I mean.”
She creased her brow, looking up at his face. “What do you mean?”
“I'm saying, when I pulsed my mana and pushed everyone's soul out of their bodies back then, I think I commanded Leviathan to suck in my sister's soul, somehow. Or maybe I told him to save her, and it's how he interpreted it.”
She untangled herself from him, kneeling on the couch, so she could look at him properly. “You're saying you, what, have her soul inside of you?”
He looked at her. “I think... yeah.”
Her gaze intensified as her tail began swishing.
“...I can feel your curiosity flooding through the link, you know?”
She kept staring, unblinking. “You're suggesting healing her body back to pristine condition, and forcing her soul back into it. You want to resurrect your sister.”
“If it's at all possible.”
“We have to try.” She said.
He blinked before narrowing his eyes. “You're really invested.”
“And you're not invested enough. David!” She exclaimed, lifting a leg and straddling him, getting her face closer to his. “Of all the things from your past life that you told me, whenever you talked about your sister, even before we were linked, I could hear the sadness in your voice!”
“What if it doesn't work?”
“Then... then we'll have at least tried! But! It's a good point. We need to prepare properly, get more resources...”
She rose from him, and went to retrieve a pad and pencil, kneeling at the low table and started scribbling.
She looked up from her burgeoning action plan. “Your family, they live near the capital, right? Near Amberose?”
He sat up on the couch and nodded. “Yes. The main estate is next to Wardenburg, which is pretty much the family's town, a few hours by autocarriage from Amberose.”
She plunged back into her planning, explaining as she went. “Right, so we can go to Bellharbour, get a boat down to Longwater, and from there board the Norso railcar, south through the Spireridges and the Carve, to Majestic...”
She trailed off and looked up at him, ears flopping down.
“...Where my Father is.”
Wordlessly, he got up and went to join her, kneeling down at the low table, putting an arm around her shoulders.
His tone was warm. “He'll be happy to see you. You read his letter.”
She turned her head toward him. “What if he's not?”
He shook his head. “He will. No father would be sad to see their Niala again. Just ask your sister what she thinks.”
She gave him a smile, which he rewarded with a kiss to the forehead, before diving back into her planning.
“So, to Majestic, and... I'll send Violet ahead, asking my father to assemble a team of experts on body rejuvenation, and animologists from the universities in and around Majestic. Spend maybe... a week? Yeah, a week. From there, we take the Capital Express railcar, and we'll be in Amberose after another week. Start to finish, just about four weeks of travel.”
She looked up from the itinerary in her pad and to him. “What do you think?”
“I think it sounds good.” She smiled and leaned into him, reviewing her notes.
After a while, David cleared his throat. “So, your father. Do you think he'll be happy to meet me?”
Niala froze.
“...What is it?”
She looked up at him, silent, lips thin, eyes wide, ears tucked in.
He searched for an explanation in her eyes, scrunching his brow. “You... never told him about me.” He guessed.
She slowly shook her head.
“...how likely is he to try and poison me?”
She remained motionless, only staring back.
He slumped, sighing.
“At least, you know how to brew all the antidotes...”
He ears perked up, a smile returning to her mouth. “Hey! You're right! No matter what he poisons you with, I can counteract it!”
He looked at her jubilant face with despair. “You could try to deny he's going to poison me.”
“I'm sure it'll be minor poisons, nothing really serious.” She countered.
“That doesn't make it better!”
She put her arms around his sulking form, rubbing her face against his. “It's fine! I'm sure he'll only try a few times before he comes around!”
“What if he doesn't?”
She stopped digging her face into his and stood back, her ears standing up, and her eyes steeled. “Then I'll poison him back, just like I did when he tried to set me up with a blind date.”
And then her smile was back.
And he renewed his vows to never make his girlfriend truly mad at him.
Who are you most interested in "meeting" ?
